text:
Hi, my name is Gary Huff, and if you give me several minutes of your valuable time, on the page below, I'm going to share with you a simple, 3-Step system that will dramatically increase your ability to get things done (yes, I'm going to give you the entire system, right here).
This system will allow you to easily take more action, and recapture lost hours in your day, lost days in your month, and even lost weeks in your year.
Over the past several years, I've taught this system to 1000's of people, and the results they've shared with me (some of which you'll see below) have been nothing short of spectacular!
Keep reading, and in a moment, I'll show you how it works - step-by-step.
But before I share it with you...
There are two obstacles that are likely preventing you from being a massive action-taker right now: A lack of clarity, and a lack of motivation.
That's it!
Here's why clarity and motivation matter:
Without clarity about what you need to do, and reasons for doing them, your mind easily wanders, and your heart lacks any kind of motivation for taking meaningful action. As a result, distractions and procrastination take over and your ability to produce significant results becomes a fraction of your potential.
At one time, I had some real challenges with taking action, like the ones I just mentioned.
And, like you probably have, I spent a lot of time looking for a solution and experimenting with different tools, methods, and systems for helping me overcome those challenges. Then one day I stumbled across an article that described a simple action-taking system called 'timeboxing.'
Almost immediately, I knew I had found the solution that I was looking for, because not only was timeboxing easy to understand and use, but it totally eliminated the two obstacles to taking action that we just talked about.
Let me share with you how it works, and you can figure out whether you agree with me or not...
- Write down all the things you want to get done for the day: Everything from writing, creating content, or planning your next project, to answering your email and balancing your checkbook.
- Assign a specific time to each task: Anything from 15 minutes to 4 hours.
- Select a task, start a timer (like an egg time), and focus on nothing but accomplishing that task: This means you don't answer the phone, you don't get up for a drink, you don't log onto Facebook - none of that. You remain focused on the task-at-hand!
In other words, each action you need to take during the day represents a small 'block' of that day (a box, if you will). You determine how big of a box it is by how much time you set aside to accomplish it (a single day can consist of anything from just a few, to a dozen boxes). When you're ready to take action, select a box, start a timer, and get to work!
That is timeboxing!
How does timeboxing eliminate the two obstacles to taking action that we talked about a minute ago? Here's how:
- It Creates Clarity - Creating a simple, but clear list of things you need to do (getting it out of your head) gives order and structure to what you need to do - it gives your brain the clarity it needs in order to feel compelled to take massive action
- It Uses Time As A Strong Motivating Force - Assigning each task a specific time and using a countdown timer to work on that task within that timeframe has the same motivating effect as you would experience trying to meet any other time-based deadline - meeting the deadline is compelling, and your brain sees it as a strong reason WHY you should act!
See, I told you it was simple, and that the name fit! :)
If you practice these three simple steps regularly, it will totally revolutionize the way you get things done in your life - guaranteed!
As I began using timeboxing regularly, my software-developer brain kicked in, and I began to see how a software version of this system would enhance its effectiveness and ease of-use even further.
- By Eliminating The Grunt Work - Creating lists of actions, managing the time you assign them, prioritizing them, tracking which ones you've completed, and remembering which ones you need to do regularly, are all things that can be handled more efficiently using software.
- By Giving You Visual Tools To Help You Get A Crystal-Clear Picture Of Your Day - Humans are visual creatures. The clearer we can see something, the more we feel like we can control it. When it comes to planning your day, the clearer you can visualize what you need to do, and how much time it's going to take, the more easily you can manage it and believe that it can be done!
- By Helping You Track How And Where You're Spending Your Time - One of the most important skills you can have when it comes to getting things done is awareness - knowing exactly how and where you're spending your time. After all, how can you manage something (like your time) if you aren't aware of how you're using it? Once again, software makes doing this a breeze!
So, with these goals in mind, I brainstormed an idea, broke it up into timeboxes, and I went to work! :)
After a lot of 'blood, sweat, and tears', dozens of hours of testing, and a ton of user feedback, I'm please to introduce you to version 3 of this amazing action-taking software!
Here's what it looks like:
The Action Machine is built completely around the timeboxing concept, so it works because it's simple to understand and use, and it ties together the three key motivating elements that push your brain to take action (we talked about these earlier):
- It turns your daily actions/tasks into doable mini-goals
- It allows you to quickly and easily assign each mini-goal a specific timeframe or deadline (fuel for motivation)
- It shows you the BIG picture of your day with a level of clarity that helps you believe you can get it all done
When these three elements are brought together in the dynamic, automated environment of The Action Machine, the synergy totally transforms the way you psychologically and emotionally look at all the things you have to do.
Watch this short video, where you'll see a demonstration of how to plan and complete a typical day of action:
What Users Are Saying About The Action Machine:
It's great!
By Darryl Peddle - Head of SEO, Yahoo Canada
Been using it for a week so far and it's great!
I use it in combination with rescuetime.com which tracks exactly what I am doing online. This allows me to really ensure that I am sticking to my set out plan/schedule. It's a fairly new system for me... so I am still getting used to it.... but so far so good.
The Action Machine is wonderful!
By David Drake MS, Ph.D Professor of Microbiology, Vice President, Faculty Senate, Dows Institute for Dental Research, College of Dentistry University of Iowa
I think the Action Machine is wonderful!
This is a great product and I am finding it very useful.
This thing smokes!
By Ray Edwards - World Renowned Copywriter
This thing smokes! Nice work.
My desk was cleared in 15 minutes
By Will Feldman
I bought this ... and love the program.
My desk was cleared in 15 minutes - It took a year for me to get around to doing that!
The design is elegant, it's fun and easy to use.
I think this will help me very much in accomplishing my projects and tasks every day.
I have got so much more done...
By Greg Spense
I have been using The Action Machine for over a week now and I love it.
I have got so much more done through this very simple, yet effective program.
Thanks for putting it together.
Money very well spent!
By Jane F.
One week in and I'm delighted with Action Machine.
Normally I'm a pen-and-paper person, but have to admit that Action Machine has scored where paper lists have failed.
The psychology is very good: the time limit and that satisfying ring when you reach the end.
As well as increasing the amount I get done in the day it's also very helpful in building up a picture of where my time is spent at the moment - the start of being able to change that where I want to.
So a definite thumbs up.
Money very well spent!
Thank you for this awesome software.
By Colin Taylor
I just wanted to write and thank you for this awesome software.
I had my first day with it today, and found myself so inspired and looking forward to everything like never before.
I didn't understand until after I completed everything today how incredible this system is!!
This is exactly what I needed!
Thank you,
I'm achieving so much more in around half of the time!
By Rob Barclay
Running a business is the hard, especially of you are responsible for multiple areas of the business. I used to get side-tracked easily with email and and researching ideas, and ended up working into the early hours of the morning catching up.
Now with "The Action Machine", I'm achieving so much more in around half of the time!
I would highly recommend The Action Machine to anyone who works on a computer.
(Scroll to the bottom of the page to read more testimonials)
You'll actually use and benefit from it!
Think about it, how many 'time-management' programs have you tried in the past, but eventually gave up on because they were too complex to learn and use in your everyday life?
With The Action Machine, there's no complicated time-management 'system' you need to learn or remember - It's all about: Simple, intuitive, results!
- Its Does One Thing, But It Does It Extremely Well - The purpose and functionality of the software is very focused. This means it's not bloated with a bunch of useless features that do nothing but get in your way and slow you down when you use it.
- The User Interface Is Dynamic And Intuitive - Unlike most software that's gray, boring, and requires you to choose from menus, open dialog boxes, and a lot of other nonsense that just slows you down, The Action Machine's interface feels almost 'alive' - anticipating what you want to do, and instantly providing you the tools to do it!
- I Teach You How To Use It - To help you learn the ins and outs of all The Action Machine can do for you, I provide you with a complete, fully-illustrated user's guide (created professionally by a top selling Adobe Press author), as well as a set of video tutorials, if you're the type who would rather watch and learn than read and learn.
Here's a look at what you get in this complete system to help you get things done:
The Action Machine 3 Software
Highlights include:
- Plan Your Day In Less Than 60 Seconds - Spend more time getting things done, less time planning to get them done!
- Discover Where Your Time Is Going - At the click of a button, you can quickly see how and where you're time is really being spent
- See Your Day With More Clarity Than Ever Before - Instead of your day being some blurry, abstract 'thing' of stuff you need to do, The Action Machine helps you actually visualize it as a whole (you see the BIG picture), making it more real and more achievable to you
- Feel A Stronger Sense Of Accomplishment - As you finish tasks, the interface will provide you with visual feedback of their completion, giving you even more momentum to continue moving forward
- Plenty Of Room, Even For Your Busiest Days - With the ability to display up to 12 timers at once, from 5 minutes to 8 hours each, you'll always have plenty of flexibility to manage and plan even your busiest days
- Spend More Time Using It, And Less Time Learning How To Use It - With an intuitive, simple interface, mastering its use usually takes less than 5 minutes!
- Get The Windows And Mac Versions - When you order today, you get access to both the Windows and Mac versions of the software.
The Value Of This Software:
When you grab a copy of the The Action Machine today, you'll also receive these valuable bonuses:
Action Unleashed! Training Guide
Discover 23 proven strategies for helping you
take more action each and every day
Highlights include:
- Immediately put a plug in one of the most prolific time-wasters of a generation
- How to work in a state of 'flow' in order to achieve faster and better results
- Speed through your day like you're driving with your foot to the floor!
- Get your brain to quit telling you 'NO' and get it to start telling you 'YES'!
- How to 'crank-up' your action-thermostat in no-time flat
- Discover how you may be hanging 'weights' on your brain that are slowing you down, and how to easily get rid of them
- Learn about the power of using 'mini-blueprints' to handle major tasks like never before
- Learn why the last minutes you spend today may be the most important for tomorrow
- Take control of this activity, which trains you to do anything BUT take action
- What you should do after eating, when you feel like going back to bed
- Discover the power of the most important question you can ask yourself on a regular basis!
- What Benjamin Franklin said over 250 years ago about taking action that still proves true today
- 5 simple tips that keep your body in shape so you can get things done!
The Value Of This Guide:
Watch This Short Video Tour:
The '3 Steps To Get Things Done' Clarity Map
A beautifully illustrated, one-page guide
filled with strategies to help you get things done
Highlights include:
- The 3 Steps to timeboxing
- 16 ways to take more action
- Motivating quotes from some of the world's best thinkers and action-takers
- Your 84 - A simple but important concept about time that you should be constantly aware of
- Print it, laminate it, and hang it on your wall. Use it as a constant reminder of some simple but powerful ways to take more action!
- You have the right to give it away! You heard me correctly - if you have a blog, own a customer list, or simply know someone personally who could benefit from this guide - give it to them, send it to them, or make it available as a download on your site. It's a high-quality free gift that others will find real value in using day-after-day.
The Value Of This Clarity Map:
Watch This Short Video Tour:
The 'How To Hit Your Goals' Clarity Map
A beautifully illustrated, one-page guide with
powerful reminders for how to reach your goals
Highlights include:
- Discover the 6 simple ways to make your goals more real and more achievable
- Become aware of of 3 major dangers on journey through life that prevent you from getting the results you want
- Learn how taking action toward your goals helps create a clear path to reaching them
- Print it, laminate it, and hang it on your wall. Use it as a constant reminder of how to hit your goals in life and business!
The Value Of This Clarity Map:
Watch This Short Video Tour:
FREE Lifetime Upgrades
Not much else needs to be said about this.
Order today and anytime in the future I update the software, you'll get the update for free!
The Value Of This Bonus:
Flip The Action Switch In Your Head From 'NO' To 'YES'
No longer will overwhelmingly big tasks paralyze you from taking little to no action. Use The Action Machine to break these monsters into smaller, bite-sized pieces you WANT to eat!
Laugh At Procrastination
Take any task you've been putting off, give yourself 30 minutes to get it done, start your timer, and watch what happens. This simple process, which The Action Machine automates, creates a 'virtual' space in your brain for that task that you feel unexplainably compelled to fill with its completion!
Sharpen Your Focus
Using The Action Machine regularly helps you get into the habit of eliminating productivity-killing distractions so you focus your concentration and energy on the task-at-hand.
Build Unstoppable Momentum
With each task you complete using The Action Machine, you build up a momentum that propels you to not only get even more done, but get it done faster and more efficiently than ever!
Control Your Time Instead Of It Controlling You
Using The Action Machine helps to become more aware of how and where you spend your time each day. As you become more aware of your habits, you easily discover ways to use your time more productively, and eliminate previously hidden time-wasters.
Make Time For Your Dreams
Are you neglecting your dreams and letting everything else gobble up your limited time, energy, and resources? Use The Action Machine to make time every day to take even a little action to move you closer to things you want in life!
Smash Those Nagging Small Tasks With A Sledgehammer
You know the kind; they're important, and they need to be done, but they're small and you never seem to find time get them done and cross them off your list. Use The Action Machine, set aside a measly 30 minutes, and don't just whittle away at your list - smash it to pieces!
Limit Your Intake Of 'Time-Snacks'
Quit checking email, twittering, and updating your Facebook page mindlessly, with no regard for how it's eating-away at your time, then feeling guilty about it all later. Use The Action Machine to 'allow' yourself a specific amount time to enjoy it as much as you want.
The Action Machine Software
This dynamic, easy-to-use software is built specifically to help you take massive action and to get things done!
The Action Unleashed! Training Guide
In this guide you'll discover 23 simple, but proven strategies for helping you take more action each and every day
3 Steps To Get Things Done Clarity Map
A beautifully illustrated one-page guide filled with strategies to help you get things done
How To Hit Your Goals Clarity Map
Another beautifully illustrated one-page guide with powerful reminders for how to reach your goals
FREE Lifetime Upgrades
Anytime in the future that the software is enhanced or improved - even to completely new versions - you get those upgrades for FREE!
That's a savings of $138.00 if you order today!
The software is compatible with:
Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 and Mac OS X Leopard and above
As soon as your secure transaction has been processed,
you'll be forwarded to a page where you can
download The Action Machine, and the bonuses.
Wishing you all the best success,
Gary Huff
The Overwhelm Escape Artist
PMI® Certified: Project Management Professional (PMP®)
Contact Me
P.S. Of all the things you can improve in your life, your ability to take action is one of the most important - hands down! With my no-questions-asked, 100% Money Back Guarantee, you get a full 8 weeks to evaluate the program and make sure it really does transform your ability to finally get things done in your life. Get your no-risk copy today!
If you're still wondering if The Action Machine is right for you, just read the questions and answers below...
|How is this different than all the other time-management programs I've seen or read?
Put plainly...it's simple to learn and use, and because of that, you actually use and benefit it - what a concept!
|How much time do I need each day to use The Action Machine?
Once you set it up, you can literally plan and set up a day's worth of action in less than a minute!
|What's the difference between The Action Machine and your Day Launcher System program?
The Action Machine is software for getting your to do list done and managing your time, while The Day Launcher System is a program that teaches you how to create a personal, daily success routine, where you spend a little time each day to learn, think, feel, and act in ways that create a life of excellence.
In other words, going through The Day Launcher process would be something on your to do list that you would add to The Action Machine to make sure it gets done. :)
|Do I need anything else to benefit from the software?
Nothing but a simple commitment to use it daily! :)
|Does it work on the iPhone/iPad, or other smartphone device?
|Currently, The Action Machine is designed to work on Windows and Mac OSX-based computers. I'm looking into creating version for the iPhone/iPad, and Android operating systems, but nothing is available as of yet.
|What if I want results now - do I have to wait for you to ship the software to me before I get started?
|Not at all! The Action Machine software is available to you instantly after your purchase. You can begin using it right away!
|What if the software doesn't work for me?
|Then it's all free. Here's how it works...If you use The Action Machine exactly as I show you, you are going to get things done, in shorter periods of time, than you ever have before. And if for some strange reason you don't, I will return 100% of your money - no questions asked.
Undoubtedly the single most important tool that I have been missing!
By David Merkel Golan
I admit that I am a productivity addict.
Combine the dual challenges of effectively managing an extremely overloaded schedule together with diagnosed ADD - and it only makes sense to identify and use the very best productivity tools available, to ensure that goals are met and maintain focus.
Action Machine is undoubtedly the single most important tool that I have been missing; Action Machine enables me to maintain focus and momentum on a concise list of top priority To-Do actions.
The timer for each drives me to completion of tasks in a way that no other productivity tool has done before (and I've tried most of the leading tools available).
I can't say enough about this software
By Seth Larrabee - DefiningMomentsForInternetMarketers.com
The new Action Machine ROCKS!!!
I just went through the whole thing and learned all the new functions.
Using the Action Machine in conjunction with The Day Launcher System is a freakin' LIFE CHANGER (for me at least)!
I have already laid out my Morning Success Ritual in there and will continue to add things as I go along.
I can't say enough about this software.
I love The Action Machine!
By Jeff Pfau
I love The Action Machine!
[It] has really helped me become more organized, productive, and focused on daily goals and weekly goals.
Good work and thanks!
My To Do list is now of manageable proportions...
By Adam (The Warrior Forum)
Nice piece of software. :-)
My To Do list is now of manageable proportions, probably for the first time in years.
It does exactly what it says on the tin.
By Tom (The Warrior Forum)
Have played with the software now for a few days and can say it does exactly what it says on the tin.
Simple to use and keeps you on the job.
Highly recommended.
Genius man - pure genius!
By Kenneth Reno
Genius man - pure genius!
Your software is helping improve my time spent on the everyday tasks
By Neil Harvey
Using your Action Machine software is great.
I've tried various applications to help with productivity but they are either over complicated and clunky or very basic. Seems from one extreme to the other! But your software is helping improve my time spent on the everyday tasks.


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The adults may have finally entered the room, five days before the debt-limit deadline that could trigger economic catastrophe.
While House Republicans held a pep rally in the basement of the Capitol on Saturday morning, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell joined Majority Leader Harry Reid in his office, starting the negotiation process that will reopen the government and avert a U.S. default. The senior Democratic senator from New York, Chuck Schumer, and the senior Republican senator from Tennessee, Lamar Alexander, were also in the room.
Saturday's meeting, the first of significance between McConnell and Reid since the summer recess, signals a softening in the fierce impasse that has permeated the halls of Congress. Senators said Saturday that they will be the ones to lead the country back to the path of fiscal responsibility.
"At this point they have dealt themselves out of this process," Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said of the House. "They cannot agree among themselves. That makes it extremely difficult to take them seriously. "
"I think that it's time," said Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.). "The House hasn't come forward with a plan today." She added, "If there is a way that the Senate can come forth with something that opens up the government and addresses the debt ceiling in a responsible way, then obviously we should try to do it."
The Senate, where a supermajority of 60 is required for most votes, has also been in a state of deadlock as of late, even if not on the same level as the House. The Senate failed Saturday to pass a Democratic bill that would raise the debt ceiling through 2014 without any spending cuts or changes to Obamacare.
The most detailed proposal offered by Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), has little support in the House or Senate. That plan would extend the debt ceiling through January, continue funding the government at sequester levels for six months, and allow more flexibility in administering the federal budget cuts under sequestration. The plan, which hasn't been scheduled for a floor vote, would delay the Obamacare medical device tax for two years and require income verification for Americans seeking subsidies for Obamacare.
House Republicans believe that the proposal is a move to block them from the bargaining table, and House Speaker John Boehner has advocated for just a six-week debt limit extension. Senate Democrats also widely decried the Collins plan, saying that the spending level is too low, among other major concerns.
"There's all kind of ad hoc conversations taking place," said Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.). "The real conversation that matters now is the one taking place between McConnell and Reid."
"There are people that have different proposals floating around," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). "There are probably four or five of those, but the proposal that will get the leadership of the House and the Senate and the President is not out there at this time."

subset: commoncrawl


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Bjarne Riis – manager of Team Saxo Bank – may be changing riders faster than some can keep track, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know how to run a team as a business. His remaining star rider (not to be confused with is new star rider) Fabian Cancellara still has one year left on his contract. Due to this contract, and a couple of comments made by Fabian during the initial round of speculations about the Schleck's new Luxembourg team, it was mostly assumed that Fabian would remain with Riis for the remainder of his contract.
However, comments made by Cancellara himself on his own website have again spurred the rumor mills.
[Translated to English]
And then I often think of the next season. It is an open secret that other teams look for me. I must say that there quite exciting ideas are in the process I would also open up interesting prospects for the longer future – that is also about cycling -.
Since I usually speak an open communication to Bjarne Riis, of course we have about this situation. I am pleased that Bjarne is the Vuelta and then we can discuss our ongoing issues. So I hope that I know is after the Tour of Spain as my form and where I will go next year.
Now, it appears that Riis has actually decided on a price for the contract on one Fabian Cancellara. That price: 3,000,000 € – essential the price that isn't a price. It appears highly unlikely that any team is going to fork over that amount of money for the contract of a single rider – even one as successful and sought after as Fabian Cancellara. But then again, this transfer season as been filled with rumors of things that didn't happen that could have, or things that should have happened that didn't.


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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Mushroom [Cologne]
6 comments:
- Sara said...
Dude, I totally thought these were a joke. Oops. The Mushroom scent perplexes me. I wonder how many of these they sell.
- September 30, 2009 at 12:20 PM
- Rot said...
Wish they had a store in a mall. I'd be grabbing all the weird ones and testing them.
- September 30, 2009 at 12:23 PM
- delores delruby said...
Whole Foods sells these, so if there is a Whole Foods store near you, test them there. Dirt smells exactly like dirt. Tomato smells just like the stalks and leaves of the tomato plant. Not sure about the others.
- September 30, 2009 at 2:12 PM
- Rot said...
We do actually have those around here.
I'll check it out.
- September 30, 2009 at 2:18 PM
- Nev said...
I want dirt and pumpkin pie!! Nice find... now to get em in Canada.
- September 30, 2009 at 5:18 PM
- crudedoodle.com said...
Pulled over by a cop for speeding...and you're wearing Tobacco and Whiskey?
- October 1, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Elizabeth Brill
A Caribbean fish known as the French grunt is infested with gnathiid isopods.
The late Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley is the latest celebrity to be honored with a scientific species name. It's not the most glamorous species — in fact, it's a blood-feeding fish parasite — but there's no question that Gnathia marleyi knows how to "stir it up" in Caribbean coral reefs.
It's the Caribbean connection that prompted the name, which is listed along with a description of the species in the June 6 issue of the journal Zootaxa.
"I named this species, which is truly a natural wonder, after Marley because of my respect and admiration for Marley's music," Paul Sikkel, a marine biologist at Arkansas State University, said in a news release from the National Science Foundation. "Plus, this species is as uniquely Caribbean as was Marley."
G. marleyi is a type of gnathiid isopod, a small crustacean that hides in corners of eastern Caribbean coral reefs. When the right kinds of fish come by, the juveniles jump out and attach themselves to suck their blood. But when they grow into adults, they stop feeding. "We believe that adults subsist for two to three weeks on the last feedings they had as juveniles and then die, hopefully after they have reproduced," Sikkel said.
Sikkel and his colleagues found specimens of the tiny isopods about 10 years ago in the U.S. Virgin Islands. They're so common there that Sikkel assumed that the species had already been described — but after he sent a specimen to another member of his research team, Nico J. Smit of South Africa's North-West University, he received word that the critter hadn't been written up in the literature.
John Artim / Arkansas State Univ.
This close-up shows an adult male gnathiid. The adult males look entirely different from the juveniles and are used by taxonomists to identify species.
Researchers went through the laborious process of raising the juvenile isopods up to adulthood so they could be properly described. Specimens of G. marleyi will be housed indefinitely at the American Museum of Natural History in New York for reference.
The reason why Sikkel and his colleagues have been spending so time with Caribbean coral-reef parasites is because they suspect that such species may serve as an indicator of coral-reef health. Coral degradation may create habitats more conducive for parasites to attack their fishy hosts. Those parasites, in turn, may transmit blood-borne diseases and accelerate the decline of fish communities.
That's not to say that G. marleyi is all bad: Sikkel points out that they are "the most important food item for cleaner fishes, and thus key to understanding marine cleaning symbioses." (It's worth noting that other breeds of isopods can grow to horror-movie dimensions.)
Bob Marley died of cancer in 1981, at the age of 36, and it's an open question whether he would have welcomed having a parasite named in his honor. As cartoonist Gary Larson said after a species of louse was named Strigiphilus garylarsoni, "You have to grab these opportunities when they come along." But even if Marley fans are not also fans of gnathiid isopods, they can take heart in the fact that Marley has other critters named after him — such as the "Bob Marley sponge" (Pipestela candelabra), which is found in Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
More about celebrity species names:
- The Hoff just loves his crabs
- What's in a scientific name? (Scroll down)
- One way to get a species named after you
- Rename Homo sapiens? The idea seems unwise
Alan Boyle is msnbc.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.


text:
Should Superman Kill?
Warning, this essay contains spoilers from the film "Man of Steel."
The reviews on the latest superhero blockbuster, "Man of Steel," are in, and while generally positive, the movie has ignited a firestorm of debate among fans about the appropriateness of Superman's actions — most notably, at the end of the climactic battle between Superman and the villainous Zod. Superman kills Zod with a quick snap of his neck. On his blog Thrillbent, prominent comic book writer Mark Waid ("Daredevil") expresses his dismay at Superman's actions describing them as a "total-fail moment."
Waid refers to the widespread sentiment that what traditionally has made Superman heroic is that he "does not kill." Waid's post provoked a slew of comments including disagreement from some fans who justify Superman's behavior as proportionate and necessary to restore social order in the wake of Zod's attempt at mass genocide. From the reaction of some moviegoers, in our theater at least, the death scene was satisfying and elicited approving cheers.


text:
With thanks for the suggestion from readers R and B (not R&B):
A jolly Christmas tune, sure to raise your spirits.
PS: If you'd like to check out the wonderful lyrics to this one, they're here.
The Daily IKN email digest, get all daily posts sent to you next day (& no ads)
The Friday OT: Tom Waits; Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis
With thanks for the suggestion from readers R and B (not R&B):
The Minister of Energy and Mining versus Jaime Pinto
Here's a photo of today's edition of El Comercio, Peru's newspaper of record:
And yes, that's Peru's Minister of Energy and Mining Rosa María Ortiz, the country's top dog in the sector, giving her views on the supposed corruption of MEM officials that Jaime Pinto denounced earlier this week. Here are a few choice phrases from Señora Ortiz:
"We have investigated the criminal charge and no element of proof (or evidence) has been presented to the court that allows us to say there has been an act of corruption by functionaries in our sector (ministry). The name or names of the people who have allegedly been bribed aren't even mentioned."
"Anyone can bring a criminal charge, but for the sake of seriousness evidence should be presented and names of the functionaries being accused. Here we begin from the principle of presumption of innocence of all our functionaries, here there is no favouritism. But now that the investigation has been opened we will offer all the help necessary to the investigation that will be conducted by the public prosecution investigators. If they determine there has been a criminal or administrative event, we will proceed using the full force of the law, as is due."
Oh Jaime...look what you've done, Jaime...
And to think that Doug Jones and Robin Fryer thought that butter couldn't melt in Jaime's mouth. Helluva way to find out your people judgment is this poor, hey guys?
UPDATE: The El Comercio report is now on its website, link right here.
UPDATE: The El Comercio report is now on its website, link right here.
Chart of the day is...
Standard Trolling (TON.v)
As subscribers know, I was interested in this one for a while this year. The business plan sounded great on paper and I met up with the team (who passed muster, particularly the Peruvian/Bolivian executives who were steeped in experience in this type of operation) but one of the pre-conditions for purchase of this stock was always a site visit to their toll mill facility in Huamachucho to see the thing for myself, to check out the community risk atmosphere. There was a visit slated too, but for reasons I never really understood the company never made that final call to fix a date for the visit.
I now realize why. Here's last night's NR from Standard Trolling (TON.v). Oh my stars. One bullet duly missed. Example from script:
Len Clough has resigned as Chairman, President, CEO and Director. The Company's Board of Directors is currently in discussions with a potential candidate to fill the resulting vacancy on the Board and to serve as the Company's new President and CEO.
Next Steps
Standard Tolling is insolvent.
The Board of Directors of Standard Tolling is working to devise a solution to the Company's financial difficulties, including ongoing discussions with Inca One respecting a potential asset purchase and debt assumption agreement. Among other things, any such agreement will require the acceptance and agreement of all of the Ore Note holders. There is no assurance that any agreement will be entered into with Inca One or any other person which will address Standard Tolling's financial difficulties.
As the Company has only two directors with the resignation of Len Clough, it does not meet continued listing requirements of the TSX Venture Exchange and the Company understands that the trading halt on the shares of Standard Tolling will continue.
The Minera IRL voting results
As posted on SEDAR a few minutes ago (get your own PDF version over there).
I've scribbled a few notes in red at the side of each resolution, but remember the basic rule that as all resolutions were deemed "special" at this EGM, they all needed 66.67% to carry (at next year's EGM it'll just be 50% +1 vote).
The Friday OT on a Thursday: Four Tet; Angel Echoes
A beautiful track with a message worth remembering.
Four Tet is from the only branch of music that's bothering to innovate and reach for art these days.
Canaccord dumps on its copper coverage
Here's how their price targets have changed, from the front page of their "We Now Hate Copper" research report date December 17th. Well in fact the report's entitled "Survival of the fittest" but anyone with half a brain knows the real score.
Capstone at 30c and downgraded to hold, that one sticks in my eye (that and "sell Teck" of course). And for those of you who want to know what "downgrade to hold" means in the sellside world's code, a quick reminder from this post:
For those of you who need a translation, "cut to hold" in the world of sell side anal ysis means "MAKE LIKE A SHEPHERD"*
We good? My thanks to reader B for the forward.
*Get the flock outta here
Trident Gold (TTG.v) bites the bullet
Back in 2013, Trident Gold (TTG.v) bought the Marquesa Gold project in Colombia (close to Gramalote) from Colombia's Bullet Group (Grupo Bullet), for half a million in cash and 40% of its shares. At the same time TTG raised $4m or so from
unsuspecting retail suckers savvy mining speculators to go exploring, because the deal involved them spending at least $1.5m on a drill program and things or that ilk.
This morning TTG sold the property back to Grupo Bullet for the approx $450,000 in debt it has outstanding (mostly to Grupo Bullet, surprise surprise).
Lather. Rinse. Repeat. See you in Colombia in 2019, Canuckies. Come on down, the water's lovely and the fruity rum punches are just so delish.
Candente Copper (DNT.to): Freeze Frame
Back on February 3rd 2011 Reuters ran this headline about Candente Copper (DNT.to), which was trading at the time at CAD$2.13:
The Jaime Pinto IRL bribery accusation reaches Peru's main newspaper, El Comercio
This is how the El Comercio report, published just a few minutes ago, starts (translated):
"One day before being removed from the role of non-executive chairman of Minera IRL Ltd, Jaime Pinto dropped a bomb that puts under suspicion the system under which mining companies receive their environmental permits ."Pinto made public an expanded criminal charge that was present to the 4th Lima Super-Provincial Court Specialized in Organized Crime, according to which employees of Minera IRL S.A. (Peruvian subsidiary of Minera IRL Ltd) paid around U$11.5m in bribes to functionaries of the Ministry of Energy and Mining, between 2013 and 2014" Continues here
Be clear: A report in Peru's most prestigious newspaper claiming that government officials received U$11.5m in bribes is NOT a small story.
For more on this, including the full English translation of the press release that Pinto sent out at the time and the way in which scumbags like Pinto use the oddball criminal charge system for their dirty tricks campaign, check out this post from Monday.
Now for a question: As the criminal charge was made under the name of the previous board of directors of Minera IRL Ltd, i.e. three people named Jaime Pinto, Doug Jones and Robin Fryer, will Jones and Fryer allow this criminal charge process to continue or will they withdraw themselves and the company from the process?
Hey, I wonder why Sean Roosen has been talking up Falco Resources (FPC.v) recently?
For example just days ago, ending this Q&A with...
But where, amongst Osisko's sister companies, will the next mine emerge? "Obviously it's hard to say which child you love the most," Roosen says, "but Falco in Quebec. People don't understand the property, so there's quite a bit of value there."
Hey, dythink it might maybe just perhaps have something to do with this news today?
You think? Maybe?
Exeter Resources (XRC.to) (XRA) doesn't cut all the costs it could
This morning Exeter Resources (XRC.to) (XRA) gave us one of those "we're cutting costs" NRs that explains about the lay-offs and salary reductions its decided to run on order to slow the burn on the cash it has left (now U$23m, was U$81m as at end 2010, so basically they've spent U$10m a year on......what?). It then goes on and on about the Caspiche project and the apparent benefits which we've heard about for the last five years and we still don't care (seriously, the story hasn't changed a jot).
But right at the end we're told...
If you have any questions regarding Exeter, or would like a complete presentation forwarded to you, please contact Mr. Rob Grey, VP Corporate Communications at Toll-free: 1.888.688.9592 or by email at email@example.com.
...so it's clear there's plenty of fat left to cut at XRC if they want. I mean, who needs a VP Corp Dev/Comms? Jobs for the boys par excellence.
Google Doodle mistake
I wake to find that the Google Doodle of today, December 17th 2015, is about Lugwig van Beethoven's birthday being today. And that's a mistake, Google People.
It's almost certainly December 16th. Though there's no official record of his birth date, he was baptized on the 17th and the tradition in that part of the world in that period was that you got baptized the day after birth. Just thought I'd tell you. Have a pleasant day.
UPDATE: To give Google Doodle some credit, on the dedicated page it says, "It's unclear when Beethoven was actually born, but December 17th marks the 245th anniversary of his baptism".
UPDATE: To give Google Doodle some credit, on the dedicated page it says, "It's unclear when Beethoven was actually born, but December 17th marks the 245th anniversary of his baptism".
FOMC in charts
Gold cared a little bit, but when it tried to care more nobody cared.
Copper didn't care at all.
The US Dollar pretended to care, but in the end couldn't decide.
Oil cared a bit, then again it has bigger things to worry about.
A well flagged decision. Janet done good. Care Bear.
What Minera IRL forgot to mention in its EGM news release of a few minutes ago
Here's the link to the official IRL NR, which doesn't have the percentages of the votes. That's probably because company chair and Team Hodges lackey numero uno Jaime Pinto was voted out with 92% of the votes going against him. Roughly 131 million to 9 million.
Bye bye Jaime.
It also forgot to mention that Doug Jones and Robin Fryer were elected via a minority vote, that's to say there were more votes against them than there were for them. The reason they survived is that the agenda items were deemed "special" and needed 66.67% of votes in order to pass. Come the AGM next year, those two charming and engaging gentlemen won't have that type of protection. Worth thinking about.
Bavin got 92% of votes in favour. Ramos around 86%.
As for Diego Benavides withdrawing his nomination, I strongly suggest you read the minutes of the EGM when they become available. They will explain things very well, you'll have no need for biased commentary from either side afterwards.
The IKN Weekly on Sunday will have a lot of details and thoughts about the result of the vote. It will also have a special section devoted to Jaime Pinto. And my stars Jaime, I've been waiting to publish on you vaya hijo de recontra mil putas que sos.
Bavin got 92% of votes in favour. Ramos around 86%.
As for Diego Benavides withdrawing his nomination, I strongly suggest you read the minutes of the EGM when they become available. They will explain things very well, you'll have no need for biased commentary from either side afterwards.
The IKN Weekly on Sunday will have a lot of details and thoughts about the result of the vote. It will also have a special section devoted to Jaime Pinto. And my stars Jaime, I've been waiting to publish on you vaya hijo de recontra mil putas que sos.
Timecheck: It's 1pm in New York
Having a difficult day, Jaime?
Oh dear!
Argentina to announce end of currency control this afternoon
They expect the Argentine Peso to trade at around 15 to the dollar once the news settles in, which is a serious devaluation. Good news for miners working in the country though, such as Rob McEwen, which is probably why MUX touched U$1 this morning.
Capex in mining, 2012 to 2015
Here's a chart I stuck together from data in the Ernst & Young PDF report I read this morning entitled "Opportunities to enhance capital productivity (Mining and metals megaprojects)" (ty reader R for the forward):
For the record, the sources for these data are 1) Ernst & Young analysis, 2) the Engineering and Mining Journal's annual survey of mining investment, 3) the Deutsche Bank report "Riding the rising tide of global growth" of February 2014.
And here are two other datapoints, as quoted from the report:
- 69% of surveyed projects were facing cost overruns with an average cost overrun of 62% above initial estimate (where cost data was available).
- 50% of projects were reporting schedule delays even after remedial acceleration initiatives had been applied.
Want more evidence that mining company management executives are among the most overrated in the world? Grist for your mill.
Salman Partners
Word is that Salman Partners is no more, victim of the commodities downturn. Today they closed shop, apparently.
There will be more.
UPDATE post close: Yup.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Dec. 15, 2015) - It is with regret that Salman Partners Inc. announces that it intends to voluntarily resign from its membership with Investment Industry Regulatory Organization Of Canada (IIROC). Accordingly, we will cease carrying on operations as a registered investment dealer on February 15, 2016.Industry conditions have made it extremely difficult for independent dealers to remain profitable. In this environment, Salman Partners has made the decision to voluntarily resign from IIROC. Arrangements have been made to ensure an orderly transition of all client accounts to alternative registered dealers and clients will be receiving information on those transfers shortly.Salman Partners has been in business for 22 years and during that period, we were members of syndicates that raised over $20 billion dollars for over 400 issuers. As a research driven firm, Salman Partners trained over 50 analysts, many of whom are currently employed as analysts, fund manager or corporate executives globally.
Link here
Mailbag: Seriously, where do I start with this?
I got this yesterday from reader "Charlie":
You seem very upfront when I read your blog. I appreciate that. I do not know much about you or your work but somehow came across your blog a year or so ago.
I started following people like Casey Research, Sprott, Jeff Berwick etc those like minded people. Philosophically speaking I think they have sound ideas. I think Doug is extremely intelligent as well as Rick Rule. I know you rip Louis James, and recently Jeff's Galt Gulch.
I agree I lost a ton of money on Rubicon because of Louis calling a double if you buy by a certain date. I am furious over it. Also, people who invested in Galts Gulch clearly got hammered.
I guess my question is as people do you think Doug, Rick, Eric, Jeff, Daniel, Louis are good? And you do you consider their mining recommendations to be solid?
Charlie, do you really care what I think? I don't even understand the reason why you sent me this because the mere fact you use the word 'philosophically' in a paragraph that mentions Jeff Berwick is more than enough to mark our cards. But I will separate Rick Rule from the others, because he's not a snake oil salesmen. When you sit on the buyside like Rule does your motives and priorities are different and even though I'm not an adherent of his so-called anarcho-capitalism and I wouldn't trust him in a deal until he's signed at the bottom of a piece of paper, he's the only one of them who has a clear and respectable position: He just wants to make a profit. With him it's nothing personal, it's just capitalism.
The other people you mentioned are different, they're just bullshit merchants. Some more successful than others and in the example of Doug Casey, his wealth stems from the insight of working out a couple of decades ago than there are a whole bunch of naive and financially inept people in the Libertarian (for want of another pigeonhole) movement that will give him money if he offers them the right message (gold/guns/freedom/Rand/etc). I'll give him credit for nailing a way to become rich but that's the limit of his intelligence, though. It's also a method that involves zero wealth creation, he hasn't added a thing to society, all he does is transfer wealth from one pocket (yours) to another (his). Ayn Rand would laugh at him in his face. He's also studied his PT Barnum because he knows the results of his predictions don't need to be right and they can be forgotten along the way, as long as the message about the future remains on-topic and intact. Tell stupid people what they want to hear and stupid people will give you money, it's the American Way and Doug Casey has been harvesting the fruits of the financially inept ever since he hit on the formula. As for their mining picks, you have first-hand experience of the fake geologist Louis Lobito Little Wolf James so I need tell you no more, but to give you an idea of how stupid Jeff Berwick is on mining try Googling his name and the word Batero.
Anyway, that's a paragraph you didn't want to read and ultimately I'm not trying to convince you, because if you think people who've consistently called the market wrong are smart about money you're already a lost cause. I decided to answer your mail on the public blog because it might just save some other sap from falling into the Multi-Level-Marketing hellhole they've created to trap greenhorns and fools. Thus ends another IKN rant.
Regarding Buenaventura (BVN) at San Gabriel (ex-Chucapaca), from IKN344
This was in Sunday's edition of the Weekly. The only thing that's changed is the chart, which is a 10 day chart updated to today and shows the considerable drop BVN took yesterday Monday, too.
Buenaventura (BVN): As this five day chart shows, at the end of Thursday there was a rough 2% gap between BVN and the GDX benchmark, but come the end of Friday that gap was up to nearly 8%.
The reason may be that BVN just sucks, but it's more likely that the negative news from its San Gabriel project (13a) was already filtering through. The simple equation is...
Community known to be difficult + company with poor community relations record = accident waiting to happen
... so in a nutshell, last week BVN was due to hold its Environmental/Social Impact Presentation to the community of Ichuña regarding its San Gabriel (previously known as Chucapaca) gold project in the Southern Moquegua region of Peru.
The day arrived, as did the local authorities, representatives of the national government and the mining ministry (MEM), the BVN team and an estimated 1,000 members of the local population to attend to presentation, but before it could start the local authorities and BVN got into a "strong discussion" and after a prolonged discussion (that apparently happened in the police station) the meeting was eventually called off before it could begin. Adding to the mess, the locals who were to attend weren't let into the meeting hall at any point (doors blocked by guards touting guns) and had to mill around in the main square, waiting for a yea or nay decision on the meeting happening for a few hours (until the nay was announced). Also, adding insult to injury the MEM representative, one Abel Díaz Berrios, told the local authorities that they could be subject to criminal prosecution if they continued to block the meeting from happening. That message went down like a lead balloon and hilarity ensued (though no meeting). In the words of regional council member Máximo Ramos Apaza who was part of the local authority group, "You don't enter somebody's else house and then treat them with a lack of respect. But the most important is that the people's decision is respected". According to reports, locals were upset about the lack of social outreach and communication from BVN up to last week and considered the company was trying to push through its obligatory Environment and Social meeting on the sly without having done enough beforehand.
It's fair to call BVN's track record in community relations as "patchy at best", for example it has some of its non-core assets up for sale because locals want the mines to go back into operation, but not under the command of BVN. For another example, Conga. It has got to decent agreements and cordial relationships with some of its communities, for one example it manages to keep working at Tantahuatay in Cajamarca which is no mean feat, for another the word from its new Tambomayo project is positive. But you never know with this Roque Benavides guy (who could do with a lesson or two from his cousin, I think). Then again, it's also fair to call the population of Ichuña difficult, as even a company with a strong track record of community relations success such as Rio Alto made no progress there (when it took the option on a different Ichuña property held by Duran Ventures at the time, only to hand it back with no progress made).
The upshot is that BVN, once again, has a community problem on its hands that could be serious enough to block a key development project. The share price drop of Friday probably doesn't reflect all of that yet. I still like the idea of buying into BVN due to its leverage to gold, but I'm also glad that I haven't bit at it yet.
Tahoe Resources (TAHO) (THO.to) makes The Guardian
Good thing too, as any World Class company wants the chance at world-level publicity, right Ira Gostin VP investor relations at Tahoe resources?
"Ira Gostin, speaking for both Tahoe and Minera San Rafael, declined to answer questions about the case, stating "We are currently not granting interviews.""
Oh, maybe not. Anyway, read all about TAHO here.
Minera IRL (IRL.to) (MIRL.l): The latest round of Jaime Pinto BS
Here's how the criminal charge system works in normal countries:
- I accuse you of eating a live dog in public
- You tell me not to be silly
- I tell you I'm going to report you for eating a live dog in public
- I report you to the police
- The police ask me for proof or evidence
- I don't have any
- No charges are filed (and I might face my own charges of wasting police time)
And now here's how the criminal charge system works in Peru:
- I accuse you of eating a live dog in public
- You tell me not to be silly
- I tell you I'm going to report you for eating a live dog in public
- I report you to the police and I file criminal charges with the public prosecutor
- The police and prosecutor then have to investigate
- I can then tell everyone that you're under investigation for eating a live dog in public
- Animal Rights campaigners beat you up in the street the next day.
In other words, I personally can bring criminal charges against you and until they're dropped by the authorities, your name gets dragged through the mud. It's also pretty easy to spin out the investigation process and have the charges hang round your neck for an extended period, especially if you're a lawyer and know the tricks (eh Jaime?).
Which brings us to the following, a news release that Minera IRL Ltd has distributed today, but only in Spanish and only in Peru (let's see if they go for it in the world sphere tomorrow morning, now that it's on the IKN blog) and to this point, there's no link to it anywhere, they're just sending it in mails to reporters and industry people. Cute. And once again they're basing the whole thing around things that anonymous callers told the IRL "Ethics Hotline" back in July, which means that
1) Anyone can accuse a Team Benavides member of anything, made up stuff or whatever.
2) Team Hodges people will accept the anonymous word
3) Team Hodges people can then tell the world the person is facing "criminal charges" (see above).
It's interesting to note that this is exactly the same Modus Operandi that Daryl Hodges used when he was put in charge of Jennings Capital, until he was kicked out by the board for ruining the brokerage (that is quite literally ruin, too).
Here's an English translation of the Minera IRL news release in Peru only today, Monday December 14th.
UPDATE: IRL has published the criminal charge document here. But not the NR below, even though they sent it to dozens of journalists and industry people.
UPDATE: IRL has published the criminal charge document here. But not the NR below, even though they sent it to dozens of journalists and industry people.
New accusation regarding wrongdoings in subsidiary of Canadian company
Minera IRL S.A. accused of paying illegal commissions to obtain environmental and operating permits
Minera IRL Ltd. has discovered that several of the employees belonging to its subsidiary company have committed irregularites and corrupted public officials. These discoveries concern members of the current management of the operations located in Ollachea, Puno who, according to accusations received via its "Ethics Hotline" and controlled independently, have paid illegal commissions in order to obtain environmental permits, among other serious crimes.
This has been brought to the attention of the relevant authorities by the board of directors of Minera IRL Ltd, via an expanded criminal accusation signed by the President of the board of directors and presented to the 4th Lima Super-Provincial Court Specialized in Organized Crime. In the expanded charge, it states that Diego Benavides Norlander, Oswaldo Nilton Sánchez Casas, José Antonio Cabia Vega and Patricia del Pilar Matsuda Ysa, among others, committed improper passive bribery, generic active bribery and illegal association in order to commit crimes.
In the text of the charge, the company noted that Benavides Norlander, who exercises absolute control over the administration of the subsidiary, refuses to leave the positions he holds despite the demands of the parent company, in direct denial of the board of directors who are looking to audit due to indications of underhand dealings by the current administration. It also states that on November 5th a criminal charge was filed against Benavides Norlander, Cabia Vega and Matsuda Ysa accusing them of organizaed crime and committing the crimes of aggravated fraud and illegal association connected to the deal in which the parent company obtaind a US$70m loan from COFIDE, but costing the parent company for commissions of nearly US$3m that benefited an "intermediary" company, Inversiones y Asesorías Sherpa S.C.R.L., that charged the company for non-existent services.
The new information regarding payment of illegal commissions has come to light from the conclusion of the processing of a series of accusations made since last July, administered independently by the firm Ernst & Young, which came from inside the subsidiary and reveal, among other things, the following irregularities:
- Payments for access and attention of public funcionaries, including the incorrect use of company resources. This relates to a series of "money deliveries" that employees of Minera IRL S.A. made to several public functonaries in the Ministry of Energy and Mining (MEM) in order to "speed up" the revision of documents. These payments are hidden in accounts of "administrative costs" of "costs of representation" without adequate documentation. Also, it has been detected that some MEM evaluators have been given vehicles for their personal use.
- Payment of leaders and community members in Ollachea, to which is added that the improperly delivered money did not fully arrive at its destinations. That is to say, part of the money was lost in transit and the payment of "expenses" was inflated so that a quantity was diverted from the object of the supposed expenses repayment.
"The information received from inside the subsidiary is evident and overwhelming; employees of Minera IRL SA have been bribing public employees of the Ministry of Energy and Mining. All these bribes to public functionaries were approved by Benavides Norlander and carried out by Oswaldo Sánchez, who worked in the post of Consultor to the General Management. In other cases, the method was the delivery of expensive gifts to certain key public functionaries. All this configures a systematic enactment of corruption of public employee in distinct entities of the State", this according to the text of the criminal accusation presented to the 4th Court Specialized in Organized Crime.
According to the charges, between 2013 and 2014 the bribes totalled around US$11.5m. "However, it should not be a surprise that in the course of investigations there have been larger acts of corruption identified that have not been reported out of fear, or because other employees of Minera IRL SA have been implicated. This explains the motive as to why Benavides does not want to leave the management of the company", states the text of the criminal charge.
As is known, passive bribery is a crime according to Article 394 of the Penal Code and consists of soliciting or accepting donations, promises or any type of unfair advantage in exchange for enacting a act connected to the obligation of one's employment position. Generic active bribery is a crime according to Article 397 of the Penal Code and consists of "buying" a public functionary via donations, promises or advantages, that aims to obtain a determined conduct from the public employee involved. The crime of illicit association in order commit crimes, is a crime according to Article 317 of the Penal Code and is the grouping of two or more persons in order to commit crimes.
Freeport (FCX): Should have bought the GDX, Carl
On August 27th Carl Icahn announced that he'd taken an 8.5% position in Freeport McMoRan (FCX and let's hope I got all the capital letters in the right place there), which turned into an 8.7% position come November. He's apparently filed to state he's looking to take up to 25% of the company.
Here's FCX versus the precious metals from August 26th to today, compared to the precious metals producer ETF (GDX):
Here's an owl:
Here's IKN waiting for The Janet Show on Wednesday.
HudBay (HBM)
A new 52 week (and decade for that matter) low from HudBay (HBM) this morning. Now down 22% from the Garofalo goodbye announcement, just ten days ago. HBM's market cap is now 50% of the cash it spent to build Constancia. The Alan Haircut continues.
As we bide our time and wait for the Janet Show on Wednesday, as Lawrence Williams correctly notes this morning.
UPDATE PM: I'm sorry, did I day 22% this morning? I meant 24.5%. Wow there must be some nasty gossip going round HBM or something...
UPDATE PM: I'm sorry, did I day 22% this morning? I meant 24.5%. Wow there must be some nasty gossip going round HBM or something...
Kirkland Lake (KGI.to) misses
NR here, crux of the matter here:
The problem: Tonnage throughput was lower than expected. The reasons given by KGI in its MD&A were:
*During the month of August production delays were attributed to repair work in the 5100 Level loading pocket which resulted in an unscheduled week of downtime.
*In September, a ground failure on the 5300 Level at the main ore pass caused delays in tramming ore to the ore pass. Haulage was diverted to the opposite end of the 5300 Level to be dumped into the truck chute and hauled up the main ramp. This resulted in slower ore movement, while repairs were completed on the 5300 Level ore pass. Congestion on this level lasted for approximately twelve days while repairs were completed which resulted in a loss of approximately 3% of planned production for the quarter.
*In mid-October, a rock burst on the 5300 Level near the "Q Complex", impacted production from multiple stopes while power lines were re-routed, which lasted approximately 5 days, and resulted in an additional loss of approximately 2% of planned production for the quarter.
Translation of reasons: Shit happens. And it happens at our mine.
So the big question: Will the Canadian sellside brokerage monkeys forgive one of its favourite charges for this miss and recommend their clients to "buy any weakness"? And the other big question: Is is possible to locate orsine defecation in areas of high tree density?
Spot the difference: Tahoe Resources (TAHO) (THO.to) and Primero Mining (PPP) (P.to)
An unpleasant fact is that deaths happen in mining, always have done and despite the enormous advances made in health and safety over the years, always will do. It's a dangerous way to earn a packet of money per month, period.
Which means in turn that deaths are going to occur at mining companies that consider themselves as World Class operators, but it's only when the undesired event happens that we find out the difference between those companies that play at being World Class and those that live up to their word:
As regular reader will know, I'm no fan of Primero Mining (P.to) (PPP) but credit where due, this NR over the weekend is an excellent example of a responsible miner facing up to the hard side of the job and doing things the right way.
TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - December 13, 2015) - Primero Mining Corp. ("Primero" or the "Company") (TSX:P.TO) (PPP) regrets to report the fatality of an employee that occurred at its San Dimas mine in Mexico on the weekend."We feel great remorse over the loss of our colleague Enrique Ortiz, an experienced underground miner at our San Dimas mine," said Ernest Mast, President and Chief Operating Officer. "Work-related losses are felt deeply by the Primero and Tayoltita communities and we send our deepest sympathies to Enrique's family and friends. The safe operation of our mines remains Primero's top priority, and we will continue to work hard to eliminate all work-place accidents." continues here
Meanwhile over at Tahoe Resources (TAHO) (THO.to), what has the company told the market about the death of an employee at the escobal mine in Guatemala in November, which was caused by an accident while he was on duty inside the mine?
Which is the reaction of people who talk the talk, but can't walk the walk. No guts, no integrity, no humanity. Welcome to Tahoe Resources, faking it in Guat since 2012.
The IKN Weekly, out now
IKN344 has just been sent to subscribers. Plenty of chunks.
Hey, I wonder if you know what we know about Buenaventura (BVN)?
Labels: otto, the IKN weekly
The top three most visited IKN posts this week are...
...in reverse order:
Third Place: "Confirmed: Photographic proof that "The Pilot" bar in Toronto is rat infested". Because you're so becoming in that photo, Chuck. Dapper, chipper and hunky.
Second Place: "Jaime Pinto and Elliot Associates: The full case file in English". Because the world is fascinated by you, Jaime. By you and by all the things you do.
First Place: "Now that IKN has both Bob Sangha and Sandeep Singh of Maxit Capital..." and it won by a country mile too. Because they love you in Canada just as much as we love you at IKN, Bob. They love you, Sandeep. Real love.
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Get Involved
The American Cancer Society would not be successful without one key element: you! Because of our generous donors and volunteers, we've been able to help thousands of people across the globe with breakthrough research, crucial patient care programs, and education and prevention initiatives. That's why it's so important to get involved in Relay For Life and fundraise — because when you do, you help save lives.
Joining a Relay For Life event is easy. All you have to do is pick your event, sign up, and decide how you'd like to be involved. Here are some ways to get in on the fun:
Want to become a captain of compassion? You'll make a huge difference by recruiting members, organizing fundraising goals, and cheering on your team the whole time.
There's no participation trophy, but the reward is much sweeter. You can join an existing team, start your own, or volunteer at the event. Whichever one you choose, we'd love to see you.
Survivors and Caregivers
Survivors and caregivers are the heart of every Relay For Life event. We have activities and events designed specifically for you so you can get to know others in the community. In fact, it's the largest cancer support network in the world!
Why participate as a survivor or caregiver?
- 1Meet and network with other survivors and caregivers.
- 2Serve as inspiration to those newly diagnosed.
- 3Publicly recognize and thank caregivers for their support and commitment.
If you'd like to join the survivor and caregiver activities at the event, but don't want to join a team, that's no problem. Once you've chosen the event you'd like to participate in, just select the 'Walk the Survivor Lap' option.
Create Your Own Event
Prove that you're fearless in the fight by organizing your very own Relay For Life event. It only takes a few minutes to submit your request, get approved, and get started on creating a local event that can make a world of difference!
The American Cancer Society wouldn't be able to act on its mission without the help of generous people like you. Relay For Life participants collect most of our donations but you can also give independently of Relay. Here's how:
Luminaria bags honor every life touched by cancer. You can dedicate them to a loved one lost, someone currently battling, or anyone who's overcome it. It's our way of showing that there's a light, even in darkness.
When you attend a Relay event, you'll see small white bags decorated with names and sometimes messages to the people they're dedicated to. After dark, each Luminaria lit is in remembrance of a life touched by cancer.
When you make a donation for a Luminaria, it helps fund the American Cancer Society's patient programs and breakthrough research.
Become A Sponsor
You can make a meaningful contribution to the American Cancer Society as a local Relay For Life sponsor. Supporting a local event sends a message that you care about your community. If you or your employer is interested in sponsoring an event, please send us your information by completing the form below.
Would you like to lead the team or join the team?
This isn't what I wanted.
Cancer has touched all of us in some way. And we want to stop this disease in its tracks. We'll spend the next few weeks fundraising for the American Cancer Society. Then, on the day of the event, we'll honor the lives lost to cancer, celebrate survivors, and support the caregivers who so selflessly help others.
Together, we'll be a part of making a difference in this important cause.
This tool allows event managers to edit sections of the event website. Here's how:
- When you see the edit pencil icon, click it to enable edit mode for that section of the page.
- Use the in-line editor controls to make changes to the section.
- Use the save icon to save your changes and exit edit mode.
It's that easy! Throughout the year, we'll unlock more sections and add features to this tool in order to improve your ability to manage your event website.
Visit RelayForLife.org/emcsupport for website management resources.


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Check out the latest in the Gallery:Gallery
Whenever I get a poor finish it's almost always that I ave got the cutting edge wrong when grinding my tool. You can get all the angles right but have a slightly dull edge - a tiny slip on the grinder - and it just won't cut. I use a 30X loupe to inspect them now and you wouldn't believe how rough a 'perfectly good looking' edge can be.
Some good points re tool sharpness, and recommendations for YouTube videos, Mr Pete has produced some good beginner's tutorials.Beyond that.... More info please! What lathe, tools, workpieces and what rpm, depth and feed of cut, etc.? What's the length/diameter ratio of the work, long slender workpieces will need extra support to avoid chatter/vibration and a poor finish, etc.
....The tools are very similar to these.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360423893257?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648.......
I've just taken a moment to open my battered copy of 'Bradley' and yes, he constantly keeps showing 'centre height' in his diagrams of set upsOne trick that he doesn't show nor have anyone else in this post is the humble black felt tipped waterproof pen which if carefully used will show where tool edges have become blunt. I really think that that as a beginner- with only distance learning that you should make a Bradley honing jig. OK it is dated and was written for a bygone age( Mine) but it can be altered to touch up a carbide tool which probably needs different angles than high speed steel. A so called fine 'diamond' file will work wonders on a blunt tool.
Bradley and most of the good authors demand a 'wee sporran spanner' The bit about using a felt tip is 'me' or someone that I've forgotten If you want to do a series of 'competences', I'd reckon that Advanced Machine Tool Work by A H Smith is as good as any and free on the net. It would probably cost you more for ink and paper than something secondhand from perhaps Amazon, to down load. I gave my copy of Smith away to another newcomer- so sorry.What you will find is that buying castings now prohibits making tool grinders, cheaper to buy a 6" one and kit it out properly. Others will disagree which is their prerogative! Meantime, regardsNorman
pictures of your set up's ect would help us narrow down whats going wrong ;-)
Hi PiperHeres a little online info on lathe setup and toolshttp://www.americanmachinetools.com/how_to_use_a_lathe.htmHTHJohn
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On April 23rd, Army General David H. Petraeus became the President's nominee for head of CENTCOM. This was in conjunction with the nomination of his second in command, Lieutenant General Raymond T. Odierno to pin on a fourth star and take his place. Petraeus was praised for his dedication and having spent four of the last five years in Iraq. (He is the blind leading the blind.) Senator Kennedy said, "In his new position, General Petraeus will have a much larger regional and strategic responsibility," and McCain had the hot air that we have come to expect from him for these, "two remarkable fighting men."
The "remarkable fighting man" who resigned to make room for these two bunglers to get promoted was of course, the courageous, but similarly bungling, Admiral William J. Fallon. According to the conservative Washington Times, he was pressured to resign for letting Iranian fighters into Iraq. This just having happened to come right after an interview that he did with Esquire magazine in which Thomas P.M. Barnett, a former professor at the Naval War College wrote, "it may well mean that the president and vice president intend to take military action against Iran before the end of this year and don't want a commander standing in their way." He has also openly opposed "the" surge in Iraq. (It's really more like the fifth or sixth, but who's counting? It's just the first to be marketed as THE surge.)
There is so much wrong with this picture, I don't know where to start. An administration hell-bent on starting another unnecessary war. A CENTCOM Commander not preventing the surge from happening. A Commander In Chief replacing commanders for speaking out. A media that doesn't realize it is being set up. And that gets to the most important part. Petraeus has been groomed, and branded, and molded into the perfect political football to be tossed around by Democrats and Republicans. He has become the modern face of war, and his promotion to a role with more "strategic responsibility" can only mean one thing: he will soon be the face of an expanded war.


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Communities across America are fighting back against the international program and its tentacles in ever-increasing numbers. And in January, even the Republican National Committee adopted a resolution strongly condemning Agenda 21 and vowing to fight it.
Similarly, the Ocean County legislators — known in New Jersey as the "Board of Chosen Freeholders" — recognized that the nature of the UN plan is "destructive and insidious," using much of the language from the RNC statement. The county resolution also noted that approval or implementation of Agenda 21 "would ultimately destroy the sovereignty of the United States of America."
"This United Nations Agenda 21 plan of radical so-called 'sustainable development' views the American way of life of private property ownership, single family homes, private car ownership and individual travel choices, and privately owned farms; all as destructive to the environment," the resolution states, echoing the RNC measure.
And it is insidious in several ways, county officials said in the document. "According to Agenda 21 policy, social justice is described as the right and opportunity of all people to benefit equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment which would be accomplished by socialist/communist redistribution of wealth," the resolution explains.
As such, local officials in Ocean County voted to urge the U.S. Senate — which must ratify all international treaties — to abandon any potential consideration of the UN Agenda 21 scheme. While noting that no level of government in the U.S. was legally bound by the treaty because it had not been ratified, the resolution also urged officials across the nation to be well informed about its harmful implications.
Certified copies of the measure, approved by the Board on February 15, "shall" be sent to President Obama, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and the state's U.S. House and Senate delegations. The resolution approved by the RNC was sent to all GOP members of and candidates for Congress, as well as all state Republican parties.
According to the recently approved resolution in New Jersey, citizens in Ocean County and across America have raised serious concerns about the UN-inspired schemes, warning that Agenda 21 represents "extreme environmentalism, social engineering and global political control."
Those concerned Americans noted that the plan is being covertly imposed on local communities through a global UN front group known as ICLEI – formerly called International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives. The non-profit group, which advocates a broad array of controversial policies at all levels of government, collects massive amounts of taxpayer money.
"Agenda 21 attempts to erode local control found in our communities across the nation, and turns home and regional rule over to a global agenda set by the United Nations," the resolution points out. "Critical issues such as the environment should remain within the purview of local governments of the United States, elected by the people, with a strong knowledge of local concerns and issues, not within the confines of a bureaucratic international treaty developed by the United Nations."
Tea Party groups and a broad coalition of national organizations have mobilized in recent years to put a stop to Agenda 21 and related infringements on liberty. And lawmakers across America have responded, dropping ICLEI and being careful to avoid becoming entangled in its programs. Dozens of communities throughout the nation have already ended their membership in the programs in recent years, and a new wave of withdrawals is expected in 2012.
But as ICLEI and Agenda 21 come under increasing scrutiny and pressure, the so-called "establishment" is fighting back. The UN, for example, dispatched tax-funded propagandists to paint the schemes as harmless and its opponents as silly. ICLEI itself has jumped in the fray, too, branding opponents of the scheme as "vehement" and — ludicrously, analysts say — as opposed to prosperity.
The New York Times, meanwhile, also tried to hide the true nature of the plan in a recent article detailing the battle against ICLEI. And as the spotlight on the UN schemes grows stronger, more and more "news" articles bashing critics of Agenda 21 have continued to appear across the country.
The infamous but largely discredited Southern Poverty Law Center, a radical attack-dog outfit widely derided as an anti-liberty "communistic hate group" with extremist tendencies, highlighted the organizations and individuals it blames for arousing opposition to Agenda 21: "The John Birch Society, an archconservative group formed during the Red Scare of the 1950s … Tom DeWeese, head of the American Policy Center, Phyllis Schlafly, founder of the anti-feminist Eagle Forum, and John Bush, with Texans for Accountable Government."
Indeed, all of those groups have been active in educating citizens about the UN's goals. But for the most part, anti-Agenda 21 activists — supporters of property rights, national sovereignty, individual liberty, economic prosperity, and more — have simply pointed to the global body's own documents and history.
Consider just one statement among many by a chief architect of the UN plan: "Current lifestyles and consumption patterns of the affluent middle class — involving high meat intake, the use of fossil fuels, electrical appliances, home and work-place air-conditioning and suburban housing — are not sustainable," claimed Earth Summit Secretary-General Maurice Strong as he ushered in Agenda 21 two decades ago.
A city councilman in College Station, Texas, recently authored a stinging rebuke of Agenda 21 and ICLEI pointing, again, to the organization's own documents. "It is an insidious, extreme institution that does not represent our citizens, and for our taxpayers to continue to fund it would be ridiculous," noted Councilman Jess Fields in a piece celebrating the city's withdrawal from ICLEI late last month.
As in Texas, Agenda 21 is becoming a hot political issue in New Jersey. The John Birch Society and local Tea Party groups have been working feverishly to expose the plan. At a JBS/Tea Party co-sponsored event, JBS Regional Field Director Harold Shurtleff explained the true nature of Agenda 21 to a crowd of over 90 local activists, including four local mayors from Ocean County. Citizens have been expressing alarm in countless letters to the editor as well. And political candidates have made the issue a high priority in their campaigns.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in Tennessee have introduced bills to deal with Agenda 21 and its effects on local communities. One bill, which describes the "radical" UN scheme as a push for "socialist/communist redistribution of wealth," simply condemns Agenda 21. Another measure introduced in the legislature recently would actually protect local communities from the international plot, according to supporters.
The UN will hold its next "sustainability" conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this June — 20 years after the first Earth Summit in 1992 unveiled Agenda 21. And while the global body and many of its totalitarian-minded member governments around the world have high hopes for the summit, opposition — especially in the U.S. — is growing rapidly.
Related articles:
Texas City Withdraws From ICLEI, UN "Agenda 21"
What are the UN's Agenda 21 and ICLEI?
Your Hometown & the United Nations' Agenda 21
Agenda 21 and the Movement Toward a One-World Govt
New Strategies in the Fight to Stop Agenda 21
2011 Was an Incredible Year as Agenda 21 Becomes a Major Issue
UN Demands $76 Trillion for "Green Technology"
Obama Signs Agenda 21-Related Executive Order
UN Bosses Secretly Plot Global Govt Through "Green Economy" for Rio+20
Oklahoma City Leaves ICLEI but Not Agenda 21
County in Washington Ditches Sustainable Development
Pennsylvania County Rejects Agenda 21
Edmond Oklahoma Dumps Agenda 21
Maryland County Cancels Agenda 21 Participation
UN's Green Economy May Cost $2.5 Trillion a Year
Ambitious UN Sustainability Conference in Rio to Avoid Climate Talk
Photo: The Ocean County Administration Building in Toms River


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For the latter part of our Wednesday "weekend" — I spent the morning freelancing for the Windsor Times, and Emmett spent it harvesting — Emmett and I have decided to indulge in a miniature Slow Food event of our own. After a lunch of four ears of fresh-picked corn (wormy ends severed prior to a brief boiling), we've decided to get creative with Foggy River produce for dinner. Riffing partly off recipes from Grub, we're planning on bruschetta, green bean salad, some early, nutty-but-not-yet-sweet Kuri squash (from the plants that died — the fruit never did quite ripen fully), and some other dishes that will probably arise when we plumb the depths of the refrigerator to discover still more Armenian cucumbers, Lacinato kale, brassica greens, and Swiss chard.
I can't wait to sit down to the bounty, and in anticipation of a feast, I thought I'd steal a post to talk about farm grace. By which I mean: I can't quite express how lucky — but it's deeper than lucky, more like blessed or gifted — I feel when things grow. Often, when Emmett and I sit down to a meal we grew and prepared, one of us will compliment the flavor of the food and the other will quip, "Thanks, I grew it myself." But honestly, we had nothing to do with it. I mean, sure, we weeded, watered, and hoped. But really, the plant does the hard work.
I've learned about photosynthesis, the light and dark reactions, the xylem and phloem and all of the components of a plant's cell — chloroplast, vacuole, mitochondira, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum. And yet somehow, sometimes, focusing on the specifics of how things work can take away a bit of the magic. How often do you stop and wonder how in the heck, with the same ingredients — soil, sun, water — you can end up with a potato or a tomato, a melon or a lemon, a butternut squash or a radish? Maybe I'm simple, but it seems to me that in this context even the formation of the lowly radish is something of a miracle.
And then there are the things that are obviously miracles. Have you ever grown a pumpkin? With very little help from you — just a bit of water and compost — one day you'll walk outside and happen upon a gigantic green gourd three times the size of your head. (How does it do that?!) And even if you've been paying close attention to the plant the miracle is no less great. Watching a bright orange flower turn into a small fruit, which then gradually grows… and grows… and grows… into a monstrous squash is phenomenal, too. Whenever I wander out into the squash patch and see a snapshot of time progression — blossoms, tiny squash and bigger squash in the same frame (sweet dumplings pictured above) — I'm amazed. All this beauty and flavor, mostly made of air. (Funny aside: When Harvard seniors were presented with a block of wood and asked what it was mostly made of, the majority of students — even science students — said water and soil. In fact, the solid part of plants — including trees — is primarily derived from carbon dioxide, what you and I breathe out. Somehow, it's intellectually easier to attribute a redwood's growth to water and soil, but even 150-foot-tall trees are made of air.)
So, to all of our hardworking plants at the farm, I say thank you. Because if someone gave me water, sun, and soil and expected me to make a butternut squash out of it, I'd be quite certain that they'd lost their minds.


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• coeval •
ko-ee-vêl • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Adjective, Noun
Meaning: 1. (Adjective) Of the same age, existing in the same time frame, of coincident duration. 2. (Noun) Someone or something that existed at the same time as someone or something else.
Notes: Since we have here a qualitative adjective, we may make an adverb of this word by adding the usual suffix -ly: coevally, and a noun by adding -ity, coevality, though, presumably, the clumsier coevalness would pass muster. Don't forget to pronounce the E; it isn't silent.
In Play: We may use this adjective with the prepositions to or with: coeval to or coeval with, though coeval with makes more sense: "Andy Belham's thinking is coeval with Neanderthal man!" The preposition of sounds better with the noun: "My grandfather was a coeval of Mark Twain, but didn't have Twain's sense of humor."
Word History: Today's Good Word originates in Latin coaevus "of the same age", based on com- "with" + aevum "never ending time, generation". The same Proto-Indo-European word came up in the Latin words that English borrowed as longevity, medieval, and primeval. It arose in Greek as aion "age", which English borrowed for its eon, and Sanskrit ayuh "life, health". Finally, Old Germanic aiwi "ever" became Modern German ewig "eternal, forever". (We are grateful to our coeval Kyu Ho Youm of the University of Oregon for suggesting today's Good Word.)
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