We would all obviously like the investing world to recognize the potential value of ECU's assets and to reflect that value in its willingness to pay more for the company's shares. I agree that BB rah-rah does little good. When we communicate with each other here we tend to create a perception that the world outside of our orbit should, to paraphrase, "be reasonable and see it our way." Unfortunately, the world has an infinite number of alternative ways to invest and ECU must stand out when potential investors with real money at their disposal make decisions.

So if we can be objective and look at ECU the way that moneyed investor would view the company, what would we see? The precious metals in the ground in Mexico appear to be very substantial - up to a billion or so ounces of silver. ECU appears to be an exploration company seeking to become a mid-sized producer over the intermediate term. It is generating very little in the way of cash flow and the prospects for changing that are not well defined. The present underwriting places a current value on the shares that seems to be fairly reflected in the stock market.

With dozens of similar sized miners available to you for investing, what do you see here that would encourage you to bid up the ECU share price? I suggest it would be either the prospect of an imminent return to steady cash flow and profit generation or the potential that a larger company was going to make a move to buy ECU for its large metal inventory in the ground. We are probably a few months away from demonstrating that cash is coming in the door and there is no indication yet that the big miners are in the spending mood.

So, here we wait for one or both of these possibilities to develop. When you own stock in a company like ECU and things aren't "happening" it is very easy to begin to assume the worst about management. They aren't working hard enough, don't communicate with us as much as we would like, don't own enough shares to motivate them etc. I have also worked the long hours as an owner and have known those like me who have gone public in order to capitalize on their hard work. I would say that the majority have regretted doing so. The reporting to governments and to shareholders just weren't worth it. So I empathize with management and I do believe that, some day, Mr. Market is going to put a much higher value on ECU as a company, for whatever reason. When that will be we do not know, nor does the company's management. In the meantime, I give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that whey are doing everything they think is right to make that happen.