On this blustery winter's day, just imagine where we would be if Hugo and his band of imbecilic peons were on the ball. Crystallex and Gold Reserve possibly would be on the cusp of producing cheap cheap cheap gold in a $1000+ gold environment. Thousands of good jobs, lots of moolah being spent by KM88's good corporate citizens, hope for the future amongst local residents, and I'm sure a very joyous Christmas season this year.

Where would our share price be here on the eve of production? --- I dare say $10 or $11 dollars. Gold Reserves' probably even higher. Let's face it, if not for the Chavez government, the banks would have been lining up to throw money at these things. Raising money through equity issues would have been a cinch with minimal dilution. Venezuela would stand to receive big bucks in taxation and royalties not to mention a reduction of the pittance of social spending they now spend in that area.

Every single entity/person/stakeholder involved with mining in KM88 would have been a winner. Instead, we are all losers. The biggest loser of all will prove to be Hugo Chavez, either in exile or in some sort of Mussoliniesk public display of a battered and destroyed carcass. How much longer can the good people of Venezuela stand idly by and watch this madman systematically destroy such a beautiful country?

Venezuela is bursting with resources and riches, the value of which can never be truly known, while its leader is galavanting around the world making friends with murderers and maniacs who share his crazy notions of diplomacy and statesmanship (or a lack thereof). If ever there is a book written about this, it will surely be deemed a tragedy. I just wish we weren't some of the characters.

There, I feel better now...