I am an old fart and I have learned the hard way...and hopefully I am a liittle tougher and wiser. I lost a huge amount of $ in 1996 by irrational investing combined with extreme due diligence... but nevertheless, a victim of one of the biggest frauds in mining history. Hey, if Barrick Gold believed, why wouldn't I? Big mistake...not by being greedy but wiith the philosophy that the investment would have minimal downside and perhaps, a very nice upside. Wrong!

I began following those who I believed had the best, brightest, most credible and very experienced minds in the precious metals sector....in 1998 I really got into it. The experts I followed were right about gold, predicting it would go from the bottom at $250 into the $1000 area in a few years. Embry, for instance was laughed at and ridiculed as gold went all the way to almost $2000 in 10 years...the very best investment in the world over that time...check out the DOW etc. He, Eric Sprott, Sinclair and a host of others have made millions upon millions for themselves and their clients who invested in the bullion. However, where I went wrongwas bby investing in 'quality'junior stocks with growing reserves in the ground..figuring the leverage on gold to the upside would be substantial. Wrong! Even the experts have been flabbergasted by the brutal, relentless, nefarious and illegal war on the junior sector that none could have imagined would last so long. Where did they/I go wrong? They totally underestimated the power of the US, Fed. led Govern. and their campaign to destroy the junior sector. The writing was on the wall When Robert Rubin initiated his strong dollar campaign under Clinton. Greenspan then announced that the Fed. stood ready to sell gold into the markets...and opiined that the big banks could self regulate...see 2008. The emphasis on destroying all interest in the junior golds has not ended yet...as there are few buyers left.

In 1998 Frank Veneroso laid out the future of gold with data and charts...saying that in 10 years or so, the big western central banks would have to stop selling off their gold ... and he was right. Anyway, there are books written about all this and it would appear the end game for gold is near as a potential default llooms on the COMEX future markets...however, put nothiing past the Cartel and their power with the paper leverage, duplicitous selling of gold, smashing of the juniors, endless media blitz (see World Gold Council BS today)...etc.

So, all in all we investors in the junioor gold/siilver markets have been through hell and most have long since given up the ship. Today is probably the best time to invest in this sector looking back a year out. I understand the emotions involved in these dastardly markets; the anxiety, pain, anger and financial loss. It is only natural too protect that which you have hope in.. The hurt is real. The hope is essential and believe it or not, the future is bright for the qualty JPMs. Find solace in the discussions here and try to be objective if possible. I cannot say what the near future for SFMI is but over the next 6 months, all things weighed, it should be positiive. As the saying goes, 'the markets can remain irrational longer than most can remain solvent'. We have bee through the worst of it...keep your spirits up folks.