Boot,

Thanks for post. Hard to be sanguine when surrounded by panic. Two things:

1. If some haven't really noticed, there are an awful lot of great Cos. that are taking a real shellacking right now. People just don't quite know what to do or where to go in all this mess. Quite a number of these perfectly viable cos. may not make it until next fall, because people are very anxious and baling on their positions. The shorts are having a field day with this nervousness.

2. I have a good chum who, while not a player at the moment, was a day-trader for years. Mainly major indices - big picture stuff - and he has the smarts to see the trends. Last night over a brew (you aren't the only one!) he came up with the statement that he had been snuffling around and had found that the ONLY sector that has the green light for biz development loans at the moment is the mining sector, in particular: precious metals. I asked him to verify what he had just said to me - and he stepped me through his research. So, if the banks can see the likely outcome of all this current mess - then how come we can't?

Hopefully one did a fair amount of DD in considering any postion - but you pays yer money - and you takes yer chances. You are quite right - Whingeing and complaining about the company and management will not help anybody here. There are perhaps other boards where this is considered appropriate behaviour.

el d