bigjeaux

A bit Strange out there

2007-08-26T13:40:00.000-05:00

IT IS GETTING a BIT strange out there Folks.. have a great weekend
==================
greek fires. but not what the elder greeks meant in the classics.. those were petroleum poured over the walls , i seem to recall.
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/1778;_ylt=ApwZw.JLKaI0er7JtFv1e4pPtbAF
==========
algae in NE rivers etc.
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070825/480/mr10208252049;_ylt=AuxJTIIQbD8jP8wrpY_FrnRPtbAF
=======================
phillipine islands. massive quake
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqinthenews/2007/us2007ggaz/
=========================
pavlof volcano update.
Pavlof Volcano Activity Notifications2007-08-25 12:59:28 - Status Report
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGECurrent Volcano Alert Level: Watch
Earthquake activity remains well above normal. Indvidual events and explosions have become more energetic. Thermal anomalies continue to be apparent in satellite data, even through cloud cover. The seismic network recorded what looks like a large lahar signal at approximately 1930 UTC (11:30 AkDT) this morning.
Clouds continue to shroud the volcano and prevent direct observation of activity and how high the plume is reaching. Based on reports of plume height from previous days and continued increasing seismic activity, the plume may occasionally be reaching 20,000 ft asl.=
========================
8-30 day recent earthquake reports and map of same..terrrible.. quake activity took a big upswing this week..
http://gldss7.cr.usgs.gov/neis/qed/qed.html=
=============================

Komodo, Indonesia, EarthQuake. Big ONE. NOW

2007-08-08T13:24:00.000-05:00

new earthquake indonesia Bali to Sumatra.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - A powerful earthquake under the Java Sea shook Indonesia's capital early Thursday, violently shaking tall buildings and sending panicked residents into the streets. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake, which struck at 12:04 a.m. (1:04 p.m. EDT Wednesday) had a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 and was centered about 66 miles east of Jakarta at a depth of 180 miles.
Residents said tall buildings and single story homes shook violently in the city of 9 million people, and water sloshed from swimming pools.
El-Shinta radio reported that the quake could be felt from Sumatra island in the west to Bali to the east

These undersea quakes tend to have a major impact on visibility, marine life. etc.
luck all

biz, bits, pieces, carib crime, oil, coral again NOW

2007-08-04T13:15:00.000-05:00

Britain tried to contain an outbreak of highly infectious foot and mouth on Saturday, culling cattle at a farm outside London to prevent a repeat of the ruinous damage caused by the disease six years ago.=====================================,,,,,,,

Doom" creator unveils its new video game, "Rage"Fri Aug 3, 8:04 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The creator of classic computer game "Doom," id Software, unveiled on Friday its eagerly anticipated next game, "Rage," in which players fight an oppressive government in a post-apocalyptic world.=======================,,,,

,,consumer discounters.. specifically dollar storesmay bet hammered next week as we see reportsout that shopping at those stores may be more dangerous due to the level of products importedto them for sale.. maybe stores like NDN the 99 cent chain store.. BIG , big lots store, hmm, dollar tree and/or family dollar.. check your folioan do what ya gotta do.. ======================,,,,

,Fuel cell technology to help clean up shipping Fri Aug 3, 9:29 AM ETOSLO (Reuters) - A group of north European companies aims to show how fuel cells can clean up ship engines, which now use filthy fuels such as oil refinery residues and can spew out hundreds of times more pollutants than automobiles.====================,,,

,,there is a bit of news floating around the web thatthe legislature has passed a new law to allow the import of cheaper generic drugs from canada and mexico..etc.. ===================,,
,,there was a massive shutdown of a samsung chip plant recently.. luckily for samsung it didnot take long to get it up and running again... seemsthe chip producers are very sensitive to electrical problems causing a loss of power.. but we knew thateh kiddies..===================================,,,,,,

excerpt.. follow your nose for the rest.. luck,,,,,,,,Fri Aug 3, 1:04 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Interior Department published on Friday the initial terms for its upcoming Alaskan lease sale, which will give energy companies the chance to drill for oil in the state's Chukchi Sea.
Lease Sale 193 will involve about 6,100 tracts spread over 34 million acres off Alaska's northwestern coast. The tracts lie in water depths from 95 to 262 feet, with a small portion of the northeast corner of the area in water 9,800 feet deep.================================,,,,,

Eight Atlantic hurricanes expected in '07: Storm team Reuters - Fri Aug 3, 10:50 AM ET MIAMI (Reuters) - A noted hurricane research team at Colorado State University trimmed its forecast for the 2007 Atlantic storm season on Friday and predicted 15 tropical storms, with eight growing to hurricane strength.==============================,,,,

Packed hospitals in eastern India struggled to cope with people suffering waterborne diseases on Saturday and marooned villagers clashed with police as some of the worst floods in living memory ravaged South Asia.=====================================,,,,

loyal readers, friends and ya'll. hehe.. i thought things were getttin better in the world.. this weekend i have found that is not so after all... I had suchhigh hopes for improvement , Now sadly, I find thereseems there will be much more to post on crime, volcanoes, earthquakes.. problems with international travel,, diving, and a host of problemsin the caribbean... I had such high hopes.. sigh..that is just the way life is... there is just so muchabuse of money and power.. causing so much distress and terror.. it is a very rough state of affairs.. please stay tuned in.. meanwhile you mightwant to do a quik search on the death of coral inthe caribbean... luck all.jeauxlet's all hope all things equal out soon.. finally.. .time will tell.

stocks and Nuttin but stocks

2007-08-01T12:39:00.000-05:00

no time at all to do a great job on the blog today..
My apologies to my international readers and all of
you here in the USA..
quick quick..
do your DD and make your best decisions.
here is the recent web stuff just for ya'll
===========
CCJ) today provided clarification following a conference call discussion on the sales assumptions related to future realized uranium prices. While future sales levels were reduced in our assumptions about forecast realized prices, this is not expected to significantly impact our profitability.
During the call, the company provided some background information regarding the updated sales volume assumption for the 2007 to 2017 period. The sales volume assumption in the 2007 first quarter report was 35 million pounds per year for 2008 to 2017. In our 2007 second quarter report, the sales volume assumption was reduced to 30 million pounds per year to eliminate the influence of near-term spot market purchases and subsequent resale.

Related newsCameco Revises 2007 Gold Production Forecast
=============================
Eagle Bulk Shares Rise on Upgrade 07/30/07 NEW YORK (AP) - Shares of Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. jumped in morning trading Monday after a Lazard Capital Markets analyst upgraded the drybulk carrier, citing its growth potential following a recent vessel purchase==============================
NEW YORK, July 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc.
FAX
(the "Fund"), a closed-end bond fund, announced today that it will pay a monthly distribution of US 3.5 cents per share on August 10, 2007 to all shareholders of record as of July 31, 2007 (ex-dividend date July 27, 2007).
The Board's policy is to provide investors with a stable monthly distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital. It is the Board's intention that the monthly distribution of US 3.5 cents per share will be maintained for 12 months, beginning with the July 13, 2007 distribution payment. This policy is subject to regular review at the Board's quarterly meetings unless market conditions require an earlier evaluation. The next review is scheduled to take place in September 2007. =======================================
Fording Canadian Coal Trust
announces Q207 results Reports Q2 (Jun) earnings of $0.65 per share, may not be comparable to the Reuters Estimates consensus of $0.64; revenues fell 9.0% year/year to $418.3 mln vs the $408.1 mln consensus.
============================

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) - Computer maker Gateway Inc.
said Monday it agreed to sell products in Eastern Europe through Tesco all-purpose retail stores.
The company said Tesco stores in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia will sell its computers. Tesco, based in the United Kingdom, already retails Gateway products there.--------------------
KMX stuff. and autonation
AutoNation Crashes Into Housing Problems 07/27/07 Shares of the car dealership operator plunge on fallout from the troubled residential markets. Forbes Housing Woes Stall AutoNation 07/26/07 And management doesn't expect the situation to improve any time soon. Motley Fool CarMax will employ 70 at new metro store 07/23/07 Used car seller CarMax Inc. wants to fill 70 jobs at the company's new store in Roswell, Ga., which will open Sept. 7. bizjournals.com At The Fool: Listen to Those Conference Calls! 07/06/07 ==============================
KFT
NORTHFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Kraft Foods Inc. said Wednesday it is raising its fiscal year guidance due to strong growth in the year to date.
The maker of Nabisco cookies, Oscar Mayer meats and Post cereals now expects to earn $1.55 to $1.60 per share, up from $1.50 to $1.55 per share. The new guidance includes 23 cents per share in costs related to the company's restructuring plan and 3 cents per share to recognize interest income-related tax reserve transfers from Altria Group Inc., the company's former parent.================================
PVR
The Board of Directors of Penn Virginia Resource GP, LLC, the general partner of Penn Virginia Resource Partners, L.P. PVR, today declared a quarterly distribution of $0.42 per unit or $1.68 per unit on an annualized basis. This annualized distribution represents a $0.04 per unit increase over the $1.64 annualized distribution paid in the previous quarter. The quarterly distribution covers the period April 1 through June 30, 2007, and is payable on August 14, 2007 to unitholders of record on August 6, 2007.
Headquartered in Radnor, PA, Penn Virginia Resource Partners, L.P. PVR is a master limited partnership formed by Penn Virginia Corporation PVA. The Partnership manages coal properties and related assets and operates a midstream natural gas gathering and processing business. For more information about PVR, visit PVR's website at www.pvresource.com.
================================

2007-07-24T18:05:00.000-05:00

Cathy Church Photo Centre cayman
staff
.
.
Looks like the SOLOMON ISLANDS are getting hitagain with these new quakes.. must be shakingup the ocean bottom and the land masses in the area... I wonder if tours give refunds when theyknow there are so many problems in an area theyhave booked a trip to.. time will tell.. sad to say theleast..//..
.Region: SOLOMON ISLANDS
Geographic coordinates: 7.029S, 155.545E
Magnitude: 4.5 MbDepth: 35 km
Universal Time (UTC): 26 Jun 2007 22:05:17
Time near the Epicenter: 27 Jun 2007 09:05:17
Location with respect to nearby cities:
90 km (56 miles) S (180 degrees) of Arawa, Bougainville, PNG
127 km (79 miles) WSW (251 degrees) of Chirovanga, Solomon Islands
187 km (116 miles) NW (310 degrees) of Gizo, Solomon Islands
555 km (345 miles) WNW (299 degrees) of HONIARA, Solomon Islands
944 km (586 miles) E (92 degrees) of Lae, New Guinea, PNG

---\..
.Region: SOLOMON ISLANDS
Geographic coordinates: 7.077S, 155.548E
Magnitude: 4.8 MbDepth:
10 kmUniversal Time (UTC): 29 Jun 2007 03:30:00
Time near the Epicenter: 29 Jun 2007 14:30:00
Location with respect to nearby cities:
96 km (59 miles) S (180 degrees) of Arawa, Bougainville, PNG
128 km (80 miles) WSW (249 degrees) of Chirovanga, Solomon Islands
183 km (114 miles) NW (308 degrees) of Gizo, Solomon Islands
552 km (343 miles) WNW (298 degrees) of HONIARA, Solomon Islands
944 km (587 miles) E (93 degrees) of Lae, New Guinea, PNG
------/.
..Region: SOLOMON ISLANDS
Geographic coordinates: 7.077S, 155.548E
Magnitude: 4.8 MbDepth: 10 km
Universal Time (UTC): 29 Jun 2007 03:30:00
Time near the Epicenter: 29 Jun 2007 14:30:00
Location with respect to nearby cities:
96 km (59 miles) S (180 degrees) of Arawa, Bougainville, PNG
128 km (80 miles) WSW (249 degrees) of Chirovanga, Solomon Islands
183 km (114 miles) NW (308 degrees) of Gizo, Solomon Islands
552 km (343 miles) WNW (298 degrees) of HONIARA, Solomon Islands
944 km (587 miles) E (93 degrees) of Lae, New Guinea, PNG

PETROLEO BRASILEIRO SA PETRO (PBR) adr

2007-07-13T16:12:00.000-05:00

Hi all.. PBR is a divi payer.. it is only around two percent but wow
the stock price has been on fire for ayear and there seems to
be no slowing it now.. oil topped 74 bucks a barrel today..
do your dd.. ask your adviser and your tax guy..
make an intelligent decision to make a little money.
maybe in PBR , or maybe another investment.

PBR
up 4% as Brazilian Real hits 7-year high
12-Jul-07 03:53 pm
PBR up 4% as Brazilian Real hits 7-year high

(Dow Jones) Brazil's Real Closes At 7-Year High On Investor InflowsSAO PAULO
(Dow Jones)--The Brazilian real closed at another seven-year high Thursday on continued heavy inflows of investor dollars attracted by high domestic interest rates and a booming stock market.The real closed at BRL1.873 to the U.S. dollar, stronger compared with the Wednesday close of BRL1.891.Brazil's benchmark Ibovespa stocks index has been setting nearly daily records in recent days.
The index broke through the 57,000-point barrier for the first time Thursday, with global funds heavily represented among buyers.Meanwhile, foreign investors are also pouring money into fixed-income investments because of high interest rates. The Selic base rate is currently 12.0%."Such investors are typically drawn to higher interest rates among emerging market countries like Brazil," said a trader.
Even persistent intervention by the Brazilian Central Bank has done nothing to stem the rise of the real against the dollar, the trader said.The central bank buys dollars at nearly daily snap auctions, including a late-session auction Thursday. Traders said the central bank may have purchased as much as $1 billion at Wednesday's auction. They said it was too soon to estimate the volume of purchases at Thursday's auction.Some analysts said the real could test the psychological barrier of BRL1.80 per dollar later this month.
On credit markets, investors continued to bet on gradually declining interest rates.At a government bond auction Thursday, the Federal Treasury sold its benchmark LTN securities for maturities in 2008 and 2009 at average interest rates of 10.67% to 10.86%, well below the rates obtained at a similar auction a week ago of 10.87% to 10.92%.On the Brazilian Mercantile and Futures Exchange, the most actively traded interest rate futures contract, that of January 2010, closed at 10.62%, down from Wednesday's 11.37%. Such contracts reflect expectations about annualized interest rates at future dates.

solomon islands.. 1st quakes, now volcanoes

2007-07-10T01:23:00.000-05:00

in the asian rim of fire.. seems a really bad bad time to travel anywhere near the rim of fire.. and i have not even mentioned the huge typhons that shut down shipping in australia (OZ) recently..
now this .. solomon islands are just above and to the right of australia on the glove and just to the right of indonesia.. ya gotta be really really brave to go there now.. let's seee. so far..
terrorist bombing threats.. quakes, volcanoes and i hear see via the www.cathychurch.com web site they will hmm soon be down to one employee just about the time of there trip to the solomon islands.. let's see .. cathy states she and herb love going there.. that leaves only one person to do all the work in cayman,, prayers for all the poor overworked underpaid blue collar folks in the world.. there are so many of them...
now the news.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070710/wl_nm/indonesia_volcano_dc;_ylt=AlRjNQoYBAeMmW6mKjhr.cNm.3QA

JAKARTA (Reuters) -
Thousands of Indonesians have been evacuated around Mount Gamkonora in the east of the country after the volcano started sending out huge columns of ash and smoke, officials said on Tuesday. No casualties or damage have been reported, but the volcano remained a big threat and the highest alert level was in place, said Saut Simatupang, head of Indonesia's Vulcanological Survey.
The official said smoke started emerging from the volcano on Saturday, with ash columns appearing on Monday.
"The peak of the eruption took place on Monday, when it spit volcanic ash as high as 3,500 to 4,000 meters (11,500-13,100 feet)," Simaputang said by telephone, adding that less smoke and ash had been spotted on Tuesday.

luck all..

without freedom, and/or justice . there is no life..

Making MO money.. BPT.

2007-07-09T23:33:00.000-05:00

I have been discussing dividend paying stocks with folks for a while and I have been told I should post a bit of that on the blog for the long term crowd..
I agree..
here is the first of many to come.
BP Prudhoe Bay Royalty symbol BPT.
It is alaskan oil. Do your DD and check with your financial adviser before making any investment.
dividend history..
You can find this Info by using www.finance.yahoo.com quote BPT. link historical prices.. select dividends button only and go get it.

13-Apr-07 $ 1.817 Dividend
12-Jan-07 $ 2.012 Dividend
16-Oct-06 $ 1.675 Dividend
13-Jul-06 $ 2.595 Dividend
12-Apr-06 $ 2.208 Dividend
11-Jan-06 $ 2.114 Dividend
12-Oct-05 $ 2.282 Dividend
13-Jul-05 $ 1.728 Dividend
12-Apr-05 $ 1.545 Dividend
12-Jan-05 $ 1.544 Dividend
BPT is currently listed by yahoo as having an annual dividend and yield of
Div & Yield: 7.27 (9.80%)
That is fairly close to what I find on other sites.
Good Luck with Your Investing and Trading
Let's make a little money..
FD.. we own a bit of this.. just a few shares.
These investments may not fit your needs
Let me Know if there are any suggestions you may have about how to make a little money.

OR Just post them In the commets section.. thank you so much for your time to stop by and visit my blog..

SOLOMON ISLANDS, NOT KOMODO

2007-07-08T13:21:00.000-05:00

GOSH GEE, correction.. the previous post for august of 2007 should be regarding the Solomon Islands.. for the cathy churh trip.. gee.. they don't plan to go to the Komodo islands for a few more months... wow.. do they know how to pick locations .. or what..
aussies have those travel warnings out.. gee.. thanks to the loyal reader who brought this to my attention.. It is quite easy to google a map showing just how close the SOLOMON ISLANDS are to Bali , INDONESIA.
have a great island day ya'll..
IF you do not have your passport in hand.. better get on the ball.. I recently heard that there is currently a ten week lag time between when you send for a new passport and when you can expect to receive it.. and that is with no errors or delays.
I understand the passport office hopes to have th wait down to 8 weeks by aug/sept of this year..

anecdotally speaking,, i was at the local post office the other day.. a lady was asking questions about getting passports for her family. they had a trip planned in six weeks.. i gave her the news and a bit of info on how to find the passport office here in Houston.. you can cut the time it takes by going directly to your local passport office and getting a rush done.. it is a bit more expensive..
but to avoid cancelling a trip.. it is probably worth it..
Maybe that explains the lack of tourists on the beaches of cayman recently.. or maybe it is the news we keep hearing about cruise ship illnesses,, bad weather, and then there is the news of a young man jumping to his death off a cruise ship recently..

anyway,, if you need a passport.. get it done NOW.. avoid those last minute delays that can ruin an otherwise ideal vacation..

indonesian terror news.. komodo islands.

2007-07-08T04:17:00.000-05:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070708/wl_nm/australia_warning_indonesia_dc;_ylt=ApAU8ZGk872nal3qLpgH
QXpm.3QA

if the link doesn't work. just google . australian indonesia terrorist warning.. or go check it out on yahoo news..

KOMODO Cathy Church Terrorist etc

2007-07-08T04:13:00.000-05:00

Indonesia .. KOMODO ISLANDS, Cathy Church trip;good golly miss molly,, can you imaginethere is still a trip planned by cathy church of cathy
church photo in georgetown, grand cayman BWI to the
KOMODO ISLANDS.. wow.. what brave souls..with this news , I would have to be very brave or
foolhardy to go by plane to this area and get on a vessel..
for days on end.. gosh..everyone who prays, please pray for the safety of anyone
who dares to make a trip to this area in the near future..please check the U.S. government travel warning sites
before you go thru with any plans to travel via BALI, or
Indonesia and maybe any where in the area..the aussies are sure taking it serious..I am sure all and any good business would offer a full
refund under these circumstances..since i am also sure it is way too late to change the flight
plans. Itinerary for the trip to the KOMODO ISLANDS for
hmm,, i think,, gosh. gee.. can it still be for august.. that
is only a few weeks from now.. and i know boats so there
is surely NO WAY the book bookings could be changed..
gosh.. how sad.. and tragic..I am still trying to divorce my own self from the
dangerous lure of the cayman islands but so far, that has
proven futile. It seems i am doomed , doomed i say to
never ever be free of those treacherous island Charms.
Freedom from that tragic allure would be so sweet.. I still
have high hopes of a fair parting from all things
caymanian.. time will tell. Believe me,, till i am fairly and
equitably and Permanently free of that pull,, I will keep
you (my loyal multinational readers) up to date on
happenings there.. and all related info i find.such as this.

KOMODO Cathy Church Terrorist etc

2007-07-08T04:12:00.000-05:00

snippet included. see link for the full tragic news.. gosh.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070708/wl_nm/austra
lia_warning_indonesia_dc;_ylt=ApAU8ZGk872nal3qLpgH
QXpm.3QAIndonesia terror attacks may be "imminent":Australia 1 hour, 31 minutes agoSYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia warned on Sundayof possible imminent terrorist attacks in Indonesia,including on the resort island of Bali, and
told its citizens to think twice before traveling there.In an upgraded travel advisory,
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said
terrorists were actively planning attacks that could take
place at any time.
The advisory says Australians should reconsider their
need to travel to Indonesia.
"There have been recent arrests of high-level terrorist
operatives in Indonesia,
but we assess terrorists are continuing active planning of
attacks," it said.
It would be really great to see the webmaster for the
http://www.cathychurch.com/ website, post any
relavent info relating to the trips to this area.. especially
for this year and for 2008 also.

KOMODO Cathy Church Terrorist etc

2007-07-08T04:11:00.000-05:00

that would be what i call full disclosure.. of highly
relevant information ,so that ANYONE planning to travel to this area would
know all the dangers before continuing with any trip
plans ..and also for anyone who booked such a trip without
knowing how seriously the aussies are taking this
threat.. but,, maybe that is expecting to much from a
caring business with it's customers best interest at
heart..I have heard personnally how loving and caring all
the folks at the cathy church photo center are. They sure
sound like the kind of wonderful caring business folk
who would be sure to post this type of information on
their website for the public good.. time will tell.. check
the website to see if any information disclosure is
forthcoming.. I sure will.

KOMODO Cathy Church Terrorist etc

2007-07-08T04:10:00.000-05:00

I am still trying to divorce my own self from the
dangerous lure of the cayman islands but so far, that has
proven futile. It seems i am doomed , doomed i say to
never ever be free of those treacherous island Charms.
Freedom from that tragic allure would be so sweet.. I still
have high hopes of a fair parting from all things
caymanian.. time will tell. Believe me,, till i am fairly and
equitably and Permanently free of that pull,, I will keep
you (my loyal multinational readers) up to date on
happenings there.. and all related info i find.such as this.

useful links if you follow RDC

2007-07-06T03:28:00.000-05:00

just a quick guide to Letourneau.
luck
jeaux

http://www.letourneau-inc.com/news/index.htm
http://www.letourneau-inc.com/offshore/
http://www.letourneau-inc.com/offshore/pdf/Construction_Report.pdf
http://www.letourneau-inc.com/offshore/pdf/Rig_Guide.pdf
http://www.letourneau-inc.com/offshore/scorpion.htm

techno geek news

2007-07-03T00:07:00.000-05:00

you have to follow everything to make money in the market.. but there is just so many hours in a day ..luck
========================
Curious gadget fans smash, dissect iPhones By Scott Hillis Sun Jul 1, 4:45 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - It took Apple Inc. more than six months to build the iPhone but curious gadget fanatics needed only minutes to tear one apart.
Within hours of the first iPhones going on sale on Friday, enthusiasts scrambled to be the first to discover what makes the devices tick, posting photos and videos of disassembled phones on the Internet.
The information is more than just academic. Apple keeps a tight grip on information about parts suppliers so "tear downs" of its products are closely watched by investors keen to figure out how to place their bets.
In the past, word that a particular part was being used in Apple's popular iPod music players has sent that company's shares higher.
"With every new release of an Apple product, the hype and interest ratchets up a notch," said Andrew Rassweiler, an analyst with market research firm iSuppli.
Rassweiler and his team at iSuppli were working through the weekend to catalog the phone's guts for a report estimating the cost of every component, crucial for figuring how much it cost Apple to make each iPhone.
"We have had more people thrown at it this week than any other previous product," Rassweiler said.
Apple is offering the phone in two versions costing $500 and $600 depending on memory capacity, but the high price and limited availability wasn't enough to stop some people from giving into curiosity.
Some dissected the phones with the clinical skill of a surgeon while others resorted to brute force, enraging those swept up in the hype and winning praise from those gleefully resisting it.
By Sunday afternoon, a video on YouTube showing two guys banging away at an iPhone with a hammer and nail had garnered 56,000 views and was the 13th most-watched clip on the site, prompting some extremely angry comments. Watching the clip, it is difficult to see what was learned from the destruction.
The creator, whose user page identified him only as Rob in Miami, Florida, posted a second clip defending his unorthodox methods.
"We didn't smash it just to smash it. We smashed it to see what was inside. We were under a time limit," Rob said. "We resorted to extreme measures."
Ifixit.com, an Apple parts and repair guide site, conducted one of the most sophisticated dismantlings, posting dozens of high-quality photos alongside technical commentary.
"They've done some things that are above and beyond. They did some very innovative things," site cofounder Kyle Wiens said of the iPhone's manufacture.
Their efforts yielded a few nuggets of information. The iPhone boasts a main processor and memory chips from Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., an audio-processing chip from Britain's Wolfson Microelectronics Plc and a Wi-fi wireless chip from Marvell Technology Group Ltd.
Opening the iPhone was the easy part. For many, the real prize is hacking the phone to get it to do things Apple never intended, such as run on networks other than that of AT&T Inc., the exclusive U.S. service provider.
Some programmers also want to find a way to run their own programs directly on the phone's operating system rather than being limited to programs run through the Web browser.
============
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Flash memory maker SanDisk Corp. (Nasdaq:SNDK - news) on Friday said it settled its patent litigation against Ritek Corp. and signed a royalty-bearing cross-license agreement with the Taiwanese manufacturer.
The companies said the agreement makes Ritek the first Taiwanese manufacturer of flash cards, USB flash drives and storage systems that is licensed by SanDisk.
SanDisk said the license and royalty terms of the agreement and settlement are confidential

Energy Bits and Dive Travel for Photography

2007-06-30T23:48:00.000-05:00

ENERGY BITS in the news.
==========================.
China National Petroleum To Look for Oil in Canada
By Shai Oster Word Count: 278
Companies Featured in This Article: PetroChina, Sinopec Group, Cnooc BEIJING -- In a sign of the expanding international ambitions of China's oil companies, China National Petroleum Corp. has bought the rights to explore for oil in Canada.
The state-owned parent of Hong Kong- and New York-listed PetroChina Co. will develop an oil-sands field that is estimated to contain some two billion barrels ------------------------------------------------
ADR Report-ADRs up on higher oil price, Vodafone shinesThu Jun 28, 2007 1:01pm ET
NEW YORK, June 28 (Reuters) - U.S.-listed shares of overseas companies rose on Thursday as higher oil prices sparked an advance in shares of oil companies such as Petrochina (PTR.N: Quote, Profile , Research) and Petrobras (PBR.N: Quote, Profile , Research).
U.S. crude oil futures rose further on Thursday morning as fuel supply concerns resurfaced after a surprise fall in gasoline inventories in Wednesday's government data.
The Bank of New York's index of leading American Depository Receipts (ADRs) <.BKADR> was up 0.5 percent while the 30-share Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was little changed ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision on U.S. interest rates.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange at 11:48 a.m. EDT (1548 GMT), August crude was up $1.37, or 1.9 percent, at $70.35 a barrel, trading between $68.92 and $70.52.
The early peak was highest for front-month crude prices since Sept. 1, when crude futures hit $70.66.
U.S.-traded shares of Petrochina rose 1.7 percent, or $2.55, to $148.85 on the New York Stock Exchange, while those of Petrobas, Brazil's state-owned oil company, gained 1.1 percent to $121.80.
----------------------------------------------
AP
Oil Trade Group Critical of Energy Bill
Friday June 29, 3:26 pm ET
Oil Trade Group Criticizes Energy Legislation in Letter to Congress
WASHINGTON (AP) --
The oil industry's main trade group is protesting Congressional efforts to pass energy legislation that would mandate huge increases in the use of ethanol in gasoline motor fuel, and raise taxes on oil companies.
In a letter sent Friday to members of Congress, Red Cavaney, the American Petroleum Institute's chief executive, criticized several parts of energy legislation that cleared the Senate last week, echoing complaints of Republicans who say the bill does nothing to increase domestic oil production.
The Senate bill requires a yearly increase of ethanol production to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022, a sevenfold increase from today.
The shift to renewable fuels could eat into oil company profits, and industry officials warn that it could limit investment in expanding oil refineries.
"Taken together, this legislation will restrict domestic production, impede refinery capacity expansion and otherwise increase the gap between supply and demand for oil, natural gas and (refined) fuels," Cavaney said.
The trade group includes oil giants like Chevron Corp. and Exxon Mobil Corp. as well as numerous smaller oil and natural gas companies.
House lawmakers are also working on a broad package of energy legislation. A House committee rejected on Thursday an auto industry-backed plan to raise gas mileage standards for new vehicles.
The plan was supported by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and others.
-------------------------------------------------------
Reuters
Agility in $50 billion U.S. deal, stock up
Saturday June 30, 9:53 am ET By Ulf Laessing
KUWAIT (Reuters) - Kuwaiti logistics provider Agility (Kuwait:AGLT.KW - News) said on Saturday it was part of a group with U.S. firm Dyncorp International (NYSE:DCP - News) which won a $50 billion deal from the U.S. military.-Agility shares rallied 6.6 percent after the news.
Agility said in a statement on the Kuwait bourse Web site it would provide various logistics, supply and warehousing services as part of the deal.
The contract would run 10 years, of which 9 were optional, and would have a value of $50 billion for the whole period, it added. The deal, which included food and oil supply services, would be worth $5 billion for each year.
Agility, which is diversifying its business and expanding abroad, said it could not currently determine its exact share of the deal.
The total deal also includes U.S. firms KBR (NYSE:KBR - News), a former unit of Halliburton Co. (NYSE:HAL - News), and Fluor Corp (NYSE:FLR - News) with a combined potential value of up to $150 billion to provide services to the U.S. military in the Middle East.
EXPANSION
Agility said on June 16 the U.S. military had renewed a 5-year deal worth $1.5 billion, extending the deal to its third consecutive year. The contract is up for yearly renewal.
The U.S. government said on June 1 it had awarded Agility another supply and food deal worth up to $2.8 billion.
Agility has said it was expanding in the Middle East, Africa or Eastern Europe to diversify its business and lower its exposure to U.S. military deals, a key source of income.
Agility, previously known as Public Warehousing Co., has bought at least seven smaller rivals this year including New Zealand-based LEP International and Chinese freight company Guangzhou Runtang International Transport Company Limited
.-----------------------------------------------------
Massey. MEE
lenny dykstra of the street dot com
Massey Energy is the fourth-largest coal business in the country, operating 33 underground mines and 11 surface mines in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia. The company sells its steam coal to utility and industrial clients as fuel for power plants; its metallurgical coal is used in the manufacturing of steel. Customers include electric utilities, steel manufacturers, industrial customers and energy traders and brokers.
In central Appalachia, there are about 6 billion tons of premium coal reserves containing 150 quadrillion BTUs of energy. This is roughly equal to the energy content of all the proved oil reserves in the U.S. Massey controls a third of these coal reserves -- more than three times that of its closest competitor.
You can find all kinds of dire predictions in the news today regarding the large inventory of coal, which is expected to keep prices soft through 2008. But look what Barron's did: Although it remained cautious on coal producers, the writer took the time to reaffirm above-average ratings on the shares of Peabody and Massey.
After reviewing Massey's stock history and factoring in the 21-day, 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages, the stock shows all the indicators for an increase in price. This hidden coal gem will be today's deep-in-the-money (DITM) call trade: buy 10 contracts of the October 20s (MEEJD) for $7.20, or better
-----------------------------------------------
-Reuters
Female ex-employees sue KBR, Hallburton: report
Friday June 29, 6:49 pm ET
HOUSTON (Reuters) - KBR Inc. (NYSE:KBR - News) and its former corporate parent Halliburton Co. (NYSE:HAL - News) have been sued by four women claiming they suffered sexual harassment and, in two cases rape, by co-workers while working for KBR in Iraq, the Houston Chronicle reported on its Website Friday.
The women have filed separate lawsuits in federal courts in Texas, Florida and Oklahoma saying they faced repeated sexual harassment despite complaining about it to their supervisors, the Chronicle reported.
Halliburton spokeswoman Cathy Mann said in a statement that the company was improperly named in the lawsuit and expects to be dismissed from the action.
"To confirm, Halliburton Company has never been contracted for services by the U.S. government, particularly none of the logistics support services frequently discussed in the media today," Mann said. "Also, to confirm, Halliburton and its subsidiaries have no employees or work in Iraq."
KBR, the U.S. military's largest contractor in Iraq spun off from Halliburton in April. Congressional Democrats and the U.S. Justice Department have been investigating the quality and pricing of KBR's work in Iraq.
In one of the lawsuits, a 20-year-old from Conroe, Texas - a town about 40 miles north of Houston, said she needed surgery after being drugged and raped by a co-worker and other men in a co-ed dormitory in Baghdad in 2005.
A KBR spokeswoman declined to discuss the lawsuits, but said in a statement employees receive training about sexual harassment, which is a violation of federal law, prior to being sent to Iraq. She added they receive additional training annually.
KBR employees are banned from possessing or consuming alcohol in Iraq, said Heather Browne. None of the company's living quarters are co-ed
.----------------------------------------------------

ReutersKBR, Fluor, Dyncorp win US Army contract, shrs up
Thursday June 28, 1:22 pm ET
HOUSTON (Reuters) - KBR (NYSE:KBR - News), a former unit of Halliburton Co. (NYSE:HAL - News), Dyncorp International Inc. (NYSE:DCP - News) and Fluor Corp. (NYSE:FLR - News) were awarded parts of a U.S. Army contract with a combined potential value of up to $150 billion to provide services to the military in the Middle East.
The contract, the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) IV, would be worth up to $5 billion a year in business for each of the companies, with the potential duration of 10 years, the U.S. Army Sustainment Command said in a release on Wednesday.
News of the contract buoyed shares of the companies, which provide engineering, logistics and construction services.
KBR climbed nearly 1 percent to $26.59, while Fluor shares rose 1 percent to $105.19. Dyncorp soared 4.4 percent to $22.45. All three stocks trade on the New York Stock Exchange.
A total of six companies submitted proposals for the work, the Army said.
KBR is the Pentagon's largest private contractor in Iraq, where it has been paid more than $22 billion to provide logistics, meals, laundry and other services to U.S. troops.
The company, which was split off from Halliburton earlier this year, has drawn scrutiny from auditors and the U.S. Department of Justice for its billing claims related to its work in Iraq.
The Army said the contract was parceled out to three companies rather than just one to "more effectively manage the number and scope of LOGCAP actions required to fight the global war on terror."
Halliburton was headed by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney prior to his taking that office in 2001.
In July 2006, the Army said it would rebid the massive contract, which was previously awarded to Halliburton's KBR in 2001. At the time, Fluor said it might bid for the work
.=================================

LOOKS like anyone trying to make a trip overseas is going to face more obstacles to their travel after the news this weekend on bombings in London and Scotland..luck to any who are brave enuff to make a RECREATIONALTRIP any time in the next few months.. There will be lots more to post on Diving and Photography and other recreational trips over the next two to three months.. and there may be a lot to post next year also.. TIME WILL TELL..
luck all.have a great fourth and no Fifths.. smile.we need the ethanol to badly..
jeaux

2007-06-29T16:05:00.000-05:00

quake news i happen to follow.. Please read .if you have interests in these regions.
I would think this might put a dent in some of the dive / photo trips i have seen advertised and mentioned on the world wide web.

strong shallow quakes tend to really mess up the ocean bottom.. anyone who wants to share this info on the many, many, travel, dive, snorkel boards are welcome to use the info i have seen.-----------------------
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=10.183S,+161.400E&ie=UTF8&ll=-9.838979,161.400146&spn=5.410419,7.316895&z=7&iwloc=addr&om=1
Region: SOLOMON ISLANDS
Geographic coordinates: 10.183S, 161.400E
Magnitude: 5.1 Mb
Depth: 10 km
Universal Time (UTC): 20 Jun 2007 03:58:36
Time near the Epicenter: 20 Jun 2007 14:58:36
Location with respect to nearby cities: 65 km (41 miles) WNW (297 degrees) of Kira Kira,

Solomon Islands 177 km (110 miles) SSE (154 degrees) of Auki, Solomon Islands 178 km (110 miles) ESE (117 degrees) of HONIARA,
Solomon Islands1558 km (968 miles) E (94 degrees) of PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea-----------------------another one here.
Solomon islands
.http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=11.317S,+165.419E&ie=UTF8&ll=-11.049038,165.410156&spn=21.657428,29.267578&z=5&iwloc=addr&om=1
Region: SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
Geographic coordinates: 11.317S, 165.419E
Magnitude: 5.0 Mb
Depth: 43 km
Universal Time (UTC): 25 Jun 2007 17:10:19
Time near the Epicenter: 26 Jun 2007 04:10:19
Location with respect to nearby cities: 393 km (244 miles) ESE (105 degrees) of
Kira Kira, Solomon Islands
633 km (393 miles) ESE (109 degrees) of HONIARA, Solomon Islands
2003 km (1245 miles) E (98 degrees) of PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea-------------------------------
another big quake rocks indonesia.. getting worse it seems recently..
SOUTH OF JAVA, INDONESIA
coordinates: 10.545S, 108.065E
Magnitude: 6.0 Mw
Depth: 10 km
Universal Time (UTC): 26 Jun 2007

Location with respect to nearby cities:
262 km (163 miles) E (91 degrees) of Christmas Island
358 km (222 miles) S (184 degrees) of Tasikmalaya, Java, Indonesia
399 km (248 miles) SW (220 degrees) of Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia
512 km (318 miles) SSE (164 degrees) of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia-------------------------------------------
SAY, didn't Cathy Church have a trip planned for the solomon islands on a dive boat in august of 2007..Seems someone mentioned one to me recently.. I try to keep up with some of the Dive/Photo news on the web.

maybe it was a trip on the M/V Spirit of Solomons to the Solomon Islands.

I read on the web that the (boat)M/V Spirit of Solomons works for Bilikiki Cruises Ltd in the Solomon Islands. So far, I saw nothing on the Bilikiki web site about any cancellations yet due to the disturbances the quakeS may have caused.. They were fairly strong and quite shallow as you can see by the siesmic report
.==============================
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=18.080S,+168.373E&ie=UTF8&ll=-17.413546,168.376465&spn=20.858467,29.267578&z=5&om=1
Region: VANUATU
Geographic coordinates: 18.080S, 168.373E
Magnitude: 4.9 Mb
Depth: 45 km
Universal Time (UTC): 21 Jun 2007 12:40:11
Time near the Epicenter: 21 Jun 2007 23:40:11
Location with respect to nearby cities:
37 km (23 miles) SSE (168 degrees) of PORT-VILA, Vanuatu
187 km (116 miles) NNW (330 degrees) of Isangel, Vanuatu
312 km (194 miles) SSE (155 degrees) of Santo (Luganville), Vanuatu1
889 km (1174 miles) ENE (60 degrees) of Brisbane, Australia
=============================
Here is some more bad news for cayman.if cuba opens the doors to the u.s.a then you can write georgetown , grand cayman off as a small fishing village..
why go further for less.. just an opinion.. time will tell..
check back for updates all. have a great day.. the u.s.a. way.
-----------------
HAVANA (Reuters) - A prominent Cuban dissident group launched a campaign on Monday to push for constitutional reforms that would allow for democratic elections and greater respect for human rights in the communist country. The campaign is the latest in a series of calls for political and economic changes by opposition groups on the island since Cuban leader Fidel Castro fell ill almost 11 months ago and temporarily handed over power to his younger brother, Raul.
The most recent push is led by Oswaldo Paya, a dissident with close ties to the Catholic Church who five years ago gained international notoriety by gathering 25,000 signatures calling for a referendum on civil liberties that became known as the Varela Project.
The new project, dubbed the Cuban Campaign Forum, urges Cubans of all political stripes to join forces to demand free elections for a Constituent Assembly that would amend the constitution.
"It is time for Cubans to open the doors of the future, using legal and peaceful means," Paya said in a joint statement with Minervo Chil Siret, a member of the Christian Liberation Movement that Paya leads.
============================
and now.. back to the shaking quaking updates.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=9.022S,+110.678E&ie=UTF8&ll=-8.320212,110.67627&spn=42.495005,58.535156&z=4&om=1
SOUTH OF JAVA, INDONESIA
coordinates: 9.022S, 110.678E
Magnitude: 5.0 Mb
Depth: 10 km
Time near the Epicenter: 23 Jun 2007 14:47:44
Location with respect to nearby cities:
139 km (86 miles) SSE (167 degrees) of Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia
229 km (143 miles) S (175 degrees) of Semarang, Java, Indonesia
255 km (159 miles) WSW (243 degrees) of Malang, Java, Indonesia
539 km (335 miles) SE (127 degrees) of JAKARTA, Java,
Indonesia
==========================
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=5.572N,+94.635E&ie=UTF8&ll=6.271618,94.63623&spn=42.675744,58.535156&z=4&om=1 NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
coordinates: 5.572N, 94.635E
Magnitude: 5.1 Mb
Depth: 30 km
Time near the Epicenter: 24 Jun 2007 20:47:37
Location with respect to nearby cities:
78 km (48 miles) W (276 degrees) of Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia
304 km (189 miles) SSE (153 degrees) of Misha, Nicobar Islands, India
485 km (301 miles) WSW (238 degrees) of Phuket, Thailand
829 km (515 miles) WNW (289 degrees) of KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia
===============================
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=17.267S,+177.001W&ie=UTF8&ll=-11.867351,-177.011719&spn=79.139634,117.070313&z=3&om=1
FIJI REGION
coordinates: 17.267S, 177.001W
Magnitude: 5.1 Mb
Depth: 35 km
Time near the Epicenter: 24 Jun 2007 22:15:26
Location with respect to nearby cities:
354 km (220 miles) WNW (295 degrees) of Neiafu, Tonga
470 km (292 miles) NNW (336 degrees) of NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga
2909 km (1807 miles) W (266 degrees) of PAPEETE, Tahiti, French Polynesia
==============================
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=14.953N,+104.445W&ie=UTF8&ll=20.303418,-104.414062&spn=76.75616,117.070313&z=3&om=1
Region: NORTHERN EAST PACIFIC RISE
coordinates: 14.953N, 104.445W
Magnitude: 4.2 Mb
Depth: 10 km
Time near the Epicenter: 19 Jun 2007 21:08:10
Location with respect to nearby cities:
411 km (256 miles) SW (215 degrees) of La Orilla, Michoacán, Mexico
411 km (256 miles) SW (216 degrees) of Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, Mexico
412 km (256 miles) SW (216 degrees) of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, Mexico
456 km (283 miles) S (182 degrees) of Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico
528 km (328 miles) WSW (247 degrees) of Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico
------------------------------------------
More news today.. bombs found in LONDONshould make life very interesting not to mentionquite possibly dangerous for U.S. citizens traveling in the near future.. I saw a news blip that said divers and scuba instructors were being looked at very closely.. especially those with special training.. let the proper authorities know if you see anything suspicious with solo divers or groups of divers ,,, especially in the near future.. apparently they could be a security threat to the world as we know it.. take care you all..have a great day.

ERF. stock news. Recent

2007-06-24T13:31:00.000-05:00

((ERF pays ten percent yeild. ))
yahoo has headlines recent on ERF.
noticed this note on a reuters news feed over the weekend.====
OTTAWA, June 22 (Reuters) -
The Canadian Senate passed the government's budget implementation bill on Friday, clearing the way for a new tax on income trusts and a controversial measure defining federal transfers to provinces.
The Senate approved the bill by a vote of 45 to 21. The bill is expected to be signed into law later on Friday.
The minority Conservative government got a minor scare earlier this week that the opposition-controlled Senate might delay passage of the bill or even defeat it.
Senators from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland charged that the 2007-08 budget breaks a promise by Ottawa to grant them special treatment for their offshore oil and gas resources.
Some of those critics abstained in Friday's vote, saying they did not want to block the other measures contained in the budget.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has countered that Ottawa had not broken any agreements.
The budget bill also includes a tax on income trusts, which angered some investors who were taken off guard by the announcement made on Oct. 31 by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty.
The Liberals failed in a last-ditch attempt to delay implementation of the tax for 10 years, instead of four years as outlined in the bill. ====================================

coral reef removal. takes a lot of money. eh.

2007-06-20T20:20:00.000-05:00

Bay coral reefs to be removed
By MOHAMMED AL A' ALI
CORAL reefs standing in the way of development work at the site of the $2.5 billion (BD945 million) Bahrain Bay will be removed, following a decision taken by the Manama Municipal Council yesterday. The fasht, which is located between the King Faisal Corniche and the bay, is blocking work on water channels and developers sought permission for its removal.
The project is a joint venture between Arcapita Bank and a private Bahrain-based investment group.
The council's technical committee studied the request and found its removal would ensure a better water flow in the area, already crowded by major development projects.
Committee chairman Abdulmajeed Al Sebea'a said the removal would not harm the marine environment and "on the contrary it would benefit from it."
"We took the decision because it is blocking water flow," he said.
"The council has been backing the bay project and other development schemes, and we don't believe that removing the coral reefs will cause any harm to the environment.
"This is not one of the huge fashts like Fasht Al Adhm or Fasht Al Jarem, this is a small one, which is not that important and removing it would ensure better progress of work."
Mr Al Sebea'a said the council took its decision after studying all aspects of the proposal.
The bay project will include commercial, residential and retail properties, set along the Manama waterfront, with the country's first Four Seasons Hotel as the centrepiece.
It will feature outdoor cafes, shops, restaurants and residential properties from high-rise buildings, condominiums, villas and hotel-serviced apartments.
The finished project, developed in an area of around 2m cubic square metres and is set for completion in 2011, will accommodate more than 25,000 people.
The development will also feature the new global headquarters for Arcapita, expected to be completed by next year.

i wish i was FREE.

2007-06-20T18:33:00.001-05:00

Another Cayman Post.. next time,Info on the stock market.
Hi all, I bet you all get bored hearing of the caymans.well, believe you me, So Do I and just as soon as i get Fairly seperated and totally FREE of the cayman ties I have.. You all will not need to hear of the cayman islands and all the problems there from me.============Cathy Church and maybe a Trip to the SOLOMAN ISLANDS.
I just viewed the www.cathychurch.com web site on the internet.. It seems things are even worse there than I had heard. There was recently a caymanian employee listed on the site.. He seems to not be there any more. Under the staff bio link there are only two employees listed that I could See.. seems odd unless business is really bad.. or unless there are real problems keeping staff.. ----
I did see a note recently that said Herb Raphael was back at the photo center.. Please feel free to draw your own conclusions.-------
It must be very hard to competently plan a trip overseas with the older and wiser, experienced employees so recently departed.. Hope there are no glitches with a bunch of newbies.. don't ya'll..
That may also explain the openings for the trip.. I see per the cathy church photo centre website, there are more now than there were.. This would indicate there are beginning to be cancellations.. or maybe the original bookings were somewhat inaccurate. The staff bio page shows they have a booking girl but who really knows these days with all the disinformation on the web..----------
FLASH.If anyone is brave enuff to make the trip.. The website, as I viewed it, now lists a double and a single. VACANT. It seems I remember there was only one double before.. maybe, by august, there will be a discount on the trip to fill the empty beds. Stay tuned ,, I will surely let you know if I see any more openings or hopefully a big discount on the trip. Of course , it would only be fair to give everyone a discount. retroactively if need be. That would make sense as a means to cut any losses and fill the bunks with warm bodies..======
Did ya'll see where dear Edie Raphael is said to have moved on.. what a shame, Edie was oh so popular with some there. Or so I was told.
I wonder if there will be any effort on the part of the photo center to hire more caymanians. Time will tell.========
I also noticed on the website for The Camera Store in georgetown there was only one lady caymanian listed with many other foreigners taking up the other jobs.. Again, My personal congrats to Bouke M on his long term employment there.. Great photo of you Bouke. The site showed he has been there since the store opened. Sure hope you are well.. Long time no hear amigo.. que pasa???? Pasa nada aqui.It sure is nice to be able to save web pages for future use when things change so rapidly in the virtual world.. Do ya'll know how to do so??(Smile,) I could sure use the info.. ==============
I know this is a bit of old news but the USGS has been updating and improving their site.. it is really kewl now..
6.4 magnitude quake hits
Tuesday, March 6, 2007 Location 0.512°S, 100.524°E Depth 19 km (11.8 miles)
Region SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
Distances 50 km (30 miles) NNE of Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia155 km (95 miles) SW of Pekanbaru, Sumatra, Indonesia425 km (265 miles) SSW of KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia930 km (580 miles) NW of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia
here is a link to a map of the soloman islands..
http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/oceania/sb.htm
you can see how close it is to the huge quake in sumatra.. reports are that the quake killed many people. I can only imagine what it did to the diving in the area.. and the ocean bottom/marine life..
everyone please say a prayer for any who venture into this hazardous area in the near future.============ On the lighter side. I see via the web that the cathy church photo center in georgetown, grand cayman BWI has a trip planned to the soloman islands.. the word is, they will be on a vessel called the Spirit of Solomans.. I have heard that folks who dive and do underwater photography tend to need a lot of equipment.. I know the trips are very expensive. At least at my level of spending. smile.
In the interest of any who might like to make a similar trip I may post a short list of things usually needed to make such an extended trip. Would anyone be interested in the estimated price of some of the items needed. Just for planning purposes.. Forgetting just one expensive piece of gear can really ruin an expensive trip to a dive/photo area.. I did see according to information provided on the cathy church web site.. their trip to the SOLOMANS is scheduled very soon.. Maybe I can follow up with the exact dates they are planning to do the trip as the departure date nears.. We wouldn't want anyone to miss their flight ya know.============
I have so many ties that keep me bound to the Cayman Islands.. I will be so glad when one day those ties are fairly severed. I have tried so hard for years to sever ties with the caymans and divorce myself from all things caymanian.
The only problem is,, it seems to be virtually impossible, once you are trapped in the web of Island life, to get FREE.. but I can always hope.
Have a great day you all. Let's make a little money.. Have only safe and happy Journeys.
Please leave a comment if you have any web sites you would like to see dive, travel, info posted on as they pertain to natural disasters.. so far.. there are a few I frequent.. mostly scuba and photo clubs for divers. thanks ya'll.

tsunami finale

2007-06-20T18:31:00.000-05:00

finale on indonesian tsunami.. imagine being in the area of komoda, bali, etc or even on a boat at sea.. when this puppy hit... and NO WARNING.. travel carefully my friends..jeaux
Stealth" Indonesia tsunami gave no warning:

Tue Jun 19, 5:03 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A slow-moving earthquake that could barely be felt despite its 7.8 magnitude caused a stealthy tsunami that killed more than 600 people in Indonesia last July, U.S.-led researchers reported on Tuesday.
ADVERTISEMENT A survey of the area affected by the tsunami shows that early-warning systems and even common sense would not likely have helped prevent the tragedy, the Georgia Institute of Technology team reported.
"The general assumption was that if you were near the coast where the earthquake took place, you would feel it and be able to run to higher ground," said Hermann Fritz, who led the study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
"This event caught people by surprise and showed that it's not always that simple."
No sirens alerted south Java coastal communities after a quake struck around 110 miles offshore in July 2006. The resulting tsunami swept away unwary beachgoers.
The quake itself was little noticed, and researchers say quakes are sometimes not felt, depending on their depth and what kind of terrain the quake waves pass through.

jakarta indonesia quake

2007-06-17T21:35:00.000-05:00

not good for anyone with plans to try and travel there to do any underwater activities.. sadly..
still trying to get free from my ties.. have fun all.. unless you are traveling to any area near indonesia.. rough there..

JAKARTA (Reuters) - An undersea earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale jolted Indonesia's eastern Moluccas island chain on Saturday, but there were no immediate reports of any damage, a meteorological agency official said.
The epicenter of the quake lay at a depth of 39 km (24 miles) under the sea about 104 km southwest of Ternate, capital of North Moluccas province, Andi Zulfikar, an earthquake analyst at the meteorology and geophysics agency, said.
He said no tsunami warning had been issued.
Earthquakes are frequent in Indonesia, which lies in the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire."
A devastating Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by a giant undersea earthquake off Indonesia's Aceh province in December 2004 left hundreds of thousands dead or homeless across the region.

shipping, base metals, passports

2007-06-08T17:02:00.000-05:00

Australian storms beach freighter By Phil Mercer BBC News, Sydney
The Pasha Bulker is stuck on a sand bank Huge seas have caused a coal freighter to run aground in wild storms off eastern Australia. Environmentalists have said they fear that if the vessel broke up, it could spill its fuel, causing a maritime disaster.
Two other tankers have issued distress calls as giant waves threaten to drag them towards the coast near the port city of Newcastle.
The ships have been pounded by gale force winds and waves up to 17m (55ft).
One bulk carrier, the Pasha Bulker, is in real trouble. It was pushed onto a sand bank off Newcastle where it had been waiting its turn to head to port to collect a consignment of coal.
Plans for tugs to pull the ship out to sea were abandoned because of the rough conditions.
With the 40,000-tonne vessel stranded so precariously in shallow waters, a risky mission was launched to rescue the crew.

Police helicopters were called in as the storm continued to bear down on the coast.
Twenty-one crewmen, all thought to be from the Philippines, were winched to safety and were reported to be in good health.
The drama, though, is far from over.
The authorities are worried that the freighter could break up and leak huge amounts of oil and diesel into the ocean. Witnesses have said traces of fuel have begun washing up on the beach.
Two other bulk carriers off Newcastle have issued distress calls but maritime officials have said their anchors are "still holding".
Weather conditions in the area north of Sydney are expected to get worse in the coming hours. =====================================
Friday, 8 June 2007, 08:53 GMT 09:53 UK
Profit jump at Russia nickel firm Norilsk has benefited from red hot metal prices Russian giant Norilsk Nickel, the world's largest nickel miner, has seen its annual profits more than double. Beating market expectations, its 2006 net profit soared to $6bn (£3bn).
Lifted by sharp rises in global metal prices, Norilsk's results were also boosted by the sale of its 20% stake in South African miner Gold Fields.
Its annual revenues rose 61% to $11.6bn, again beating analyst targets. Nickel is predominantly used in the production of stainless steel.
Norilsk is based in the Siberian city of the same name, which is the largest population centre above the Arctic Circle.
===============================
Leave Niger Delta, Britons urged Nigerian militants have been responsible for kidnappings Britons have been advised by the UK government to leave three states in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta. In updates to travel advice on the Foreign Office website, citizens were warned that Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States are unsafe.
The site states this is because of the very high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks.
A Briton was one of four foreign oil workers kidnapped in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, last week.
Since January last year, 31 British nationals and more than 180 foreigners have been kidnapped in the area. One Briton has been killed.
===============================
US eases passport rule for summer Tighter travel rules were imposed after 9/11 The US says it will temporarily ease passport rules imposed after 9/11 to avoid its citizens' summer travel being disrupted by a broken passport system. US citizens flying to or from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda will no longer need a passport as long as they prove they have applied for one.
Officials said the "record-breaking demand" at passport offices had led to excessive delays of up to three months.
The revised procedures will remain in place until 30 September. ======================================

the rest of the story.. ooops..

2007-06-07T03:14:00.000-05:00

ooops sorry.. forgot the rest of the post for today.. luck all you brave souls.

is there anyone brave enuff to go with
their proposed august trip.. luck

Strong earthquake hits near Papua New Guinea (Japan Today)Thu, 07 Jun 2007 06:02:24 GMT
TOKYOA strong earthquake packing a magnitude of 6.1 struck in the Bismarck Sea north of Papua New Guinea on Wednesday, said the U.S. Geological Survey, which monitors world quakes. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, or of a tsunami warning being issued.==================================

http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/just in case you do not know if you are mondays child or what.. here you can find out.. a calendar for any year and some kewl time links around the world.. have fun.. it is the hot hot hot silly season..
=============================
Will B.C.'s dikes hold?
BILL CURRY
From Thursday's Globe and Mail
June 6, 2007 at 10:28 PM EDT
VANCOUVER — A rush of icy northern water is forecast to push against the dikes of B.C.'s Lower Mainland by Saturday as officials beef up inspections of the thick gravel hills designed to protect thousands of residents.
All levels of government have spent millions, including a host of recent upgrades, to ensure the dikes are strong enough and tall enough to protect residential and commercial centres.
Now the only question is whether they will hold.
When the extra water arrives in the Lower Fraser, it is expected to flood over its natural banks and run up against the dikes for several days as Mother Nature tests the man-made barriers.
===================================
THIS IS JUST A TEASER EXCERPT.. ENJOY.
Sex, or he's your exSARAH HAMPSON
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
June 7, 2007 at 12:00 AM EDT
The penis rules.
Excuse me for being so bold, but I wanted to let readers know this is not a column about and for women only. Sure, many women feel that divorce is a particularly female rite of passage. You don't see men writing books about their personal journey following marital breakdown, do you?
(POSTERS NOTE.. YOU DO NOT SEE MANY OF THIS TYPE OF BOOK BUT MAYBE THAT IS MY DESTINY IN LIFE.. TO WRITE A BOOK DETAILING ONE MAN'S JOURNEY THRU DIVORCE.) It is amazing how many people can be involved..
But not discussing what men feel about marriage and divorce is like not discussing what's involved in the erection (sorry) of a stable building.
And a man's need for sex is what is often misunderstood. So, on the important subject of the horizontal relationship in marriage, here's what I've learned.
The penis rules. Or should, anyway. “If men don't feel respected or loved, if they don't feel like a man, if they have to walk around on eggshells when it comes to their sex drive, if their horniness is treated like an inconsiderate act of selfishness – like typical male behaviour – then they will reassert themselves with another woman,” says a man I will call Mr. Multiply Divorced.
People who make coitus their career understand this. Ask Lou Paget, sex therapist and best-selling author of books about orgasms and helpful tips on giving blow jobs, among other bedroom matters. “There's no other time in a man's life when he is more connected to his masculine self than when he is making love or having sex with the woman or partner of his choice,” she explains.
“And men know this. … It's a huge part of the male psyche that he be acknowledged for what his efforts are, and he will go elsewhere to get it if his partner doesn't give it to him. He will get it through sports. He will get it through work by the accumulation of money. I can't tell you how many men I know who are massively successful but who have crappy marriages. Or they will get it from another woman.”
======================
NPR
MORNING EDITION
seems some folks living in cayman will be hurting for their favorite drink of choice.. luck to them..
Tequila Shortage Looms Morning Edition, June 6, 2007 · Life in Margaritaville could get a lot tougher. And Jimmy Buffet could be searching for more than his lost shaker of salt. A tequila shortage looms now that farmers in Mexico are burning fields of the blue agave used to make tequila. Farmers are planting corn instead to meet the growing demand for ethanol in the U.S. This could spell trouble for fans of the famed frozen concoction
===============================
By Elio Ohep
Petroleumworld
CARACAS
Petroleumworld.com 06 07 07
President Hugo Chavez said Wednesday to a group of reporters that United States Empire suffered a great and humiliating defeat in its move to condemn Venezuela internationally for a lack of press freedom for not renewing a concession to a TV channel, at the 37th meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly, in Panama on Monday
========================================
Twelve people were killed when Cyclone Gonu struck the Gulf country of Oman, an emergency official says. The storm was the strongest to hit the Gulf for decades, damaging buildings and trees in Oman's capital, Muscat, and leaving many roads flooded.
High winds and heavy rain were also reported, and electricity and water supplies were interrupted.
The cyclone carried on north-west, gradually weakening as it approached the Iranian coast. MAYBE the storms will be WORSE THIS YEAR. EVEN in THE CARIBBEAN. LUCK to ALL. =====================================
WOW. and we thought the US was BAD.
Verdict awaited in Swissair trial By Imogen Foulkes BBC News, Berne Swissair's collapse was a shock for the whole country Current and former executives of failed Swiss airline Swissair are set to learn their fate as the biggest corporate trial in the nation's history ends. Verdicts are now due in the case, which has seen the airline's entire board face charges of mismanagement, fraud and false accounting. Many of its former chief executive officers have also been on trial. Swissair's 2001 bankruptcy shocked the Swiss, which had always seen it as a symbol of their country's efficiency
=============================
Surprise rate rise in New Zealand
The rise sent the New Zealand dollar to a 22-year high New Zealand's central bank has unexpectedly raised interest rates from 7.75% to 8%, the highest rate among industrialised nations. The news sent the New Zealand dollar up to its highest level against the US dollar since it abandoned the peg to a basket of currencies in 1985.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand was expected to keep rates on hold after raising them at the last two meetings.
Rate-setters were worried about consumer demand fuelling inflation.
"They're doing what they've to got to do. There's an urgency to slow the economy down and they're starting to wake up to that," said Craig Ebert, senior economist at Bank of New Zealand. ================================
By MANDEEP SINGH
FLIGHTS from Bahrain to the Omani capital Muscat will remain suspended until Saturday, the GDN has learnt.Sources said yesterday that the Seeb International Airport had been closed indefinitely due to the after-effects of Hurricane Gonu, which battered Muscat on Tuesday (june 5).
The closure meant several hundred people travelling to, from and through Muscat had to cancel or change their travel plans for the second day running.
However, sources added that operations were expected to resume as normal from Saturday morning.
Oman Air, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, country manager Isa Al Harthy said the airline's flight, which was to depart Bahrain on Tuesday evening, was still on the ground in Bahrain till yesterday.
"We have no indication yet as to when it will go to Muscat, but have been told there is an indefinite closure as of now," he said. "We shall see as we go along."
A Gulf Air spokesman in Bahrain said last night that all its flights going to, transiting and originating from Muscat have been suspended since Tuesday afternoon.
"They will remain suspended for now," he said.
The spokesman said the airline was co-ordinating with authorities in Muscat on the possible resumption of operations, but yesterday could not speculate on when that would be.
Hurricane Gonu peaked at category five on Tuesday, but was downgraded to a category-one hurricane yesterday.
Bahrain airport has made necessary arrangements to receive flights diverted from Omani Al Seeb airport.
================================
Newmont Mining CEO Murdy to retire
By Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News June 6, 2007Denver's Newmont Mining Corp., the world's second-largest gold producer, on Tuesday announced that Chief Executive Officer and President Wayne Murdy will retire July 1. Murdy, 62, will continue as chairman through the end of this year. He cited a recent health issue and family considerations in his decision, the company said. He will be succeeded by Richard O'Brien.
"Wayne has led Newmont through a remarkable transformation during his tenure as CEO," said Glen Barton, Newmont's lead director. "He successfully guided the company through its acquisitions of Normandy and Franco-Nevada, and the integration of those companies to create one of the world's leading natural resources companies."
Murdy was elected Newmont's CEO in 2001 and became chairman the following year. At the end of 2006, the company had a market capitalization of $20 billion and had 15,000 employees worldwide.
chakrabartyg@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2976 ==============================
Web sites get lots of mileage out of rising gas pricesS
The higher gasoline prices go, the more money Internet entrepreneur Jason Toews makes. He started a Web site, GasBuddy.com, in 2000 to track daily gasoline prices, using volunteers to e-mail what they find.
"Hardly anybody ever used it," said Toews, of Brooklyn Park, Minn.
By 2004, 1 million people were visiting the site daily, although the numbers dropped when prices went down.
But at the pace hits were being recorded late last week, the site was likely to break its record of 4 million visitors, Toews said. As gasoline prices have risen, so have the hits on his site and another, GasPriceWatch.com.
"We have had to buy more servers, and it looks like we will need more," he said.
GasBuddy.com offers information from 180 locations in the U.S. and Canada, including Denver and every other major city.
Brad Proctor, GasPriceWatch.com's founder from Centerville, Ohio, said his site has added prices for ethanol, biodiesel, truck diesel and ultra-low-sulfur diesel. Hits on his site have doubled. ========================================

papua, new guinea. quake, bad. tuff

2007-06-07T03:12:00.000-05:00

Strong earthquake hits near Papua New Guinea (Japan Today)Thu, 07 Jun 2007 06:02:24 GMT
TOKYO
A strong earthquake packing a magnitude of 6.1 struck in the Bismarck Sea north of Papua New Guinea on Wednesday, said the U.S. Geological Survey, which monitors world quakes. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, or of a tsunami warning being issued.

anyone think this will cause major cancellations of upcoming trips to this area.. seems certain to ruin diving and any trips any one has planned.. sad..

Precision drilling.. DITM calls

2007-06-06T03:14:00.000-05:00

this may well be the heads up we have been waiting for..
long pds, rdc, brnc etc.. luck to all..

Dykstra: Precision Drilling Options Warm Up By Lenny Dykstra
Special to TheStreet.com
Today's deep-in-the-money call pick, Precision Drilling Trust (PDS - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr - Rating), is an excellent value.
Precision Drilling performs contract drilling services in Canada, primarily in natural gas but also in oil. At Wednesday's close of $26.43, the stock is trading 30% below its 52-week high, but now is a good time for a DITM play.
The company suffered a slow first quarter, and its monthly distribution has dropped twice thus far this year. In January, the company, which as a trust makes a monthly payment to investors, paid 19 cents per share, 39% below the December distribution. Though the reduced distribution hurt the stock in January, the negative sentiment has had enough time to cool off. In addition, the dividend cut allowed the company to decrease its already small debt and presents the possibility of some strategic acquisitions.
The company's dividend is still attractive and should appeal to value investors, and the balance sheet remains impressive.
At the stock's recent close of $26.43, I can buy the December 22.50 calls (PDSLX) for a premium of less than 60 cents. So I have placed a limit order for 10 contracts at $4.50, which will allow me to control 1,000 shares of Precision Drilling ($26,430 in common stock value) for $4,500 until December. This will allow more than enough time for Precision Drilling to recover from a seasonally slow time of year.
This past weekend I had dinner with the colorful and brilliant Tobin Smith, whom I appeared with as a guest on the show Bulls and Bears.

via BBC news. Sri Lanka Red Cross Workers Dead

2007-06-03T08:08:00.000-05:00

Last Updated: Sunday, 3 June 2007, 11:51 GMT 12:51 UK
Sri Lanka Red Cross staff killed

The workers were to help repair tsunami damage
Two Sri Lankan Red Cross volunteers who had been abducted in the capital, Colombo, have been shot dead, the aid group has said.
The bodies of the two men were found in Ratnapura district, about 100km (60 miles) south-east of Colombo.
The aid workers had been abducted by gunmen claiming to be police.
The defence ministry said police were investigating the deaths, which came amid heavy fighting between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels.
"The two were part of a group of six aid workers brought from Batticaloa (in the island's east) for a training programme related to tsunami relief work last week," Red Cross director general Neville Nanayakkara told the news agency AFP.
"Some people in civilian clothes said they were from the police and wanted to see the identity cards of the six workers," Mr Nanayakkara said. "They took away two of them, saying it was for further questioning."
According to reports, both of the men were members of the country's Tamil minority.
The deaths mark the worst attack against aid workers in Sri Lanka since the killings of 17 employees of a French organisation in August.

sri lanka near indonesia. red cross dead.

2007-06-03T07:50:00.000-05:00

cathy church i seem to remember has a trip planned to the area near here.. i think her web site has the trip listed for a few months from now.. i would be scared to death to toddle off to this area with this kind of news out.. they must be some BRAVE souls to accompany her on this trip.. i think they may still have openings for any who are truly without fear..
i am so married to the events occuring in the islands that i follow this type of news diligently..
one day maybe i will be allowed to fairly divorce myself from those events. till then my friends.. stay tuned..
metals had a good week last week..
i am doing my DD on shippers who can transport ethanol from brasil to the u.s. east coast, Gulf of Mexico and the caribbean islands.. i think if we get in early on those shippers we may be able to make a little money..
do all your own DD and let us all know if you see a better way to make money with the need for ethanol here in the states..
we have already seen a great profit in fertilizer.. TNH, POT, TRA
equipment DE, CAT etc
food KFT, and mexican corn tortillas
now we need to make a little money on the transport of the huge supplies of ethanol that
brasil is gearing up to produce and ship..
congrats to everyone in FL who were lucky enuff to have TS, TD barry rain itself out.
anyone notice the colorado state and noaa predictions for hurricanes this year..
maybe they are wrong but it sure sounds like it will be rough.. maybe like WILMA
IVAN and KATRRINA.. lets all say a prayer for ANYONE who may end up in the
path of bad weather..

link to help troops

2007-06-02T20:19:00.001-05:00

per the post yesterday.. here is a site you can visit.. have not checked it yet.. but my friend is very nice..
luck all

Thanks for posting this. A wonderful place I belong to since my son joined the Air Force is:

ImpactAHero.org

They help with the travel of the soldiers and families. Kathryn

help our troops . please. they defend us all

2007-06-02T01:24:00.000-05:00

this is a post to crickets comment on myspace.. i post it here to hope everyone will help.. my wife is about to lose 100thousand air miles. i hope she will find it in her heart to donate them before they are all gone.. soon.. thanks all.. no one here will know if you do or not.. i do not want to know.. i truly believe all who can help and donate some free frequent flyer miles will do so...
some here may not support the war.. no politics please.. if you believe in helping your fellow humans.. just look at it as aiding one human being to reunite with family and loved ones.. everyone deserves that at least.. if you all have no air miles.. please at least let as many people know as you can.. my thanks and prayers are with you each and every one.. and a special prayer for bouke maddock.. he seems to have been struck mute.. has not posted here in a while.. a prayer for bouke and his family will be appreciated.

hi cricket.. please. .
do this also..
you can post this note online every where. please do so if you can..
there are a few websites , featured on cnbc and other news media..
anyone who has frequent flyer airmiles on any airline can donate free any part of their air miles to our troops..
those miles are put into a pool so that our soldiers can draw from them to travel and visit their families and loved ones..
it is free to the donar and the soldiers..
please get this to specially those who fly on biz a lot.. they often have a lot of free miles they can donate.. one guy, may the diety of your choice bless him, donated one million miles in one lump.. that wonderful human being will get a lot of our troops to their families for a lot less money.. bless him, them an you if you get this word out..
i do so to Pay It Forward for all the wonderful things that i have had in my life.. please help all you can.. no real reward for us to do this.. but it sure made me feel good.
every time i send this or think of this.. i picture a soldier, tired, shattered, weary from the war.. on a jet.. headed home finally to be reunited with family again.
it brings tears to my eyes and it is hard to see right now.
thanks for your help.. and anyone else who will help spread the word..
may the diety of your choice bless and keep you .. each and everyone..
now i am going to sleep.. please say a prayer for me.. that i never wake up.. thanks all.
i love the theme song to mash.. it is awesome.
BUT, if you ever hear someone say I took the EASY way out.. start as many investigations as you can.. cause , smile.. i am gonna live forever.. and suicide i consider a mortal sin.. eternal damnation.. and i want to enjoy what comes next .. i am ready to see. are you????

cayman, dolphins, global warming

2007-05-27T08:12:00.000-05:00

sound from reuters as if caymanians may need to focus less on dolphins and more on the temperature there.. news has not been good on sea levels rising and coral dying.. but then cayman can always go to their old fishing economy when cuba opens for tourists.. and cruise ships out of the US.. will make the land there above sea level easier to buy maybe.. anyway . here is the excerpt from OSLO.

OSLO (Reuters) - Arctic peoples and tropical islanders will try to strengthen an unusual alliance on the front lines of global warming from Sunday by seeking ways to cope with melting ice and rising seas.

Inuit hunters from Canada and Greenland and a Sami reindeer herder from Norway will be among those meeting local community leaders and other experts from French Polynesia, Fiji and the Caribbean at talks in Belize from May 27-30.

Master Jeaux on Mad Money tonight

2007-05-24T18:11:00.000-05:00

well kiddies.
i may be JADORN but i got maybe 50/60 seconds on mad money tonight..
and the weinie mispronounced my name..
masterjeaux came out of lord jim cramer ,at 50 minutes into the show,
as master jew.. my FL friends will love that..
anyway.. it comes on cnbc again later.. again hehe.

it is near the end of the show. where jim does the email segment.. luck all..

and i still say.. despite cramer.. rdc makes the best rigs.. and is the last great american rig builder.. he is still pumping NOV as the best rig builder.. i need a consulting job for HIM.. hehe.

yea, i know.. i am way to excited but i seldom make nationwide tv. even with an email.. but that is for the best..
methinks.
Master Jeaux (JOE not JEW) smile
i would love to know if anyone gets this email.. hehehe.. yeah,,, it felt good.

cayman weather storms

2007-05-24T15:06:00.000-05:00

wel l, as stated earlier. .storms coming.. it is a miserable day in paradise today. with heavy rain and gusty winds to 27 kph on the island.. any cruise ship passengers must have gotten really wet.. not good for the local economy since who wants to depart into that kind of weather.. but at least the bars and restuarants should have done well.. luck all
have a great day..
US markets tanked today.. big losses across the board. is this the start of the correction.. hmmm. time will tell. drillers, coal, oil services etc got really hammered along with gold and silver.. time to maybe add a bit when these bottom.
anyway, stay tuned for future developments..
jeaux

qyake tsunami

2007-05-24T00:44:00.000-05:00

you all know i follow indonnesia as well as the caribbean..
news out. it is better than many had reason to hope..
but worse news is coming for cayman and the caribbean soon.

Tsunami warning lifted after strong Indonesia quake Reuters - 2 hours, 47 minutes ago
JAKARTA (Reuters) - An strong undersea earthquake on Thursday off central Indonesia's Nusa Tenggara island chain sparked panic and prompted a brief tsunami warning, but there were no reports of casualties or major damage.

Bad News Cayman, Caribbean weather

2007-05-22T12:32:00.000-05:00

well, it's official kiddies. bad news for the caribbean and the islands there abouts.. NOAA out today with the hurricane season predictions.. and they confirm the colorado university experts. a really bad hurricane season is expected. Lots of Storms with a few severe ones.. we know what happened in the caribbean with
Wilma
Ivan
Katrina
etc..
You might want to think over those vacation plans, cruises etc.
luck all
It is nice to be married to the caribbean but she can be a tumultous bride and very hard to part from.
have a great day..
you can go to the NOAA weather site run by the u.s. government to get the latest update or just watch the local news since it seems to be making headlines all day today.. i like the weather channel and they have a kewl website..
jeaux

bouke cayman stingrays storms stocks later

2007-05-21T16:08:00.000-05:00

"Bouke Maddock has left a new comment on your post "cayman, camera store, photo contest, real estate": ""Confused. what is the basis for any of these comments."HI BM. email me bigjeaux at hotmail for your answers. use a personal email since this is not business. thanks.

MEANWHILE in THE ISLANDS
there is a kewl photographer on flickr that's flickr dot com for the internet challenged..her listing is cayman girlon page nine of her album there are several shots of Cathy Church. The photos were uploaded in 2007.. can cathy church have aged that much just since little herbie had to go back to the cathy church photo center in the sunset house hotel near My Bar, just south of georgetown grand cayman bwi.
It sure seems in the photos on the cathy church web site that she looked much happier and younger.. but i see biz stress must be getting worse there since they are now needing two people. this was recently posted under employment on the cathy church website. i wonder how many have quit like edie raphael since little herbie is back at the cathy church photo shop now..

everyone should be aware also of the horrible damage storms have done to cayman and how bad the damage may well continue to be in the coming storm season. . good luck any who dare to be there.. god rest them each and every one.

this guy does great photos of the damage.. check them out you all.http://www.flickr.com/photos/docjelly/sets/602980/
or you can always google, flickr, caymangirl
here is how she is listed on FlickrCaymanGirl's photos
here is the best link i could find to page nine..http://www.flickr.com/photos/fevisyu/page9/

say, do any of our international readers, especially those in the cayman islands happen to know if there is an anorexia group meeting near georgetown grand cayman bwi.. seems there may be a need from what i know of body weights in and around cayman.. luck all.

stay tuned for lots more on the cayman islands as long as i am so married to the islands.. smile..

there also appear to be pics of youngsters or children with STINGRAYS in the water together. Let US not forget what happened to STEVE IRWIN and how he was killed by a stingray. Steve Irwin was very experienced and certainly better prepared than these little ones.. I wonder what kind of release children or parents are required to sign before doing these things in cayman and other dive spots. anyone who lives in cayman (full time).. maybe bouke , please feel free to let us know what the real scoop is.. thanks. bouke.. et al.
By the way Bouke M. did ya know there was once a hotel called the seaview.. check into the history and find out who used to live there.. you will have no problem finding out.

attn B Maddock georgetown grand cayman

2007-05-19T16:15:00.000-05:00

thanks booke baby for in creasing my international readership. email me at bigjeaux hotmail for answers to the questions You pose.. be sure to use your personal email addie since you asked personal questions.. not your business addy..
stay tuned for updates on who is sharing houses with who in cayman,
who is wants to buy property there but can't
the continuing saga of little herbie and where he can and can't find employment.
luck you all\
now back to stocks..\
FDG has had a nice run as well as the rebound in MEE since the news of huge fines has drifted off the headlines..
PDS is improving their drilling efforts by expanding into the u.s. market and with spring thaws over they may well increase total drilling days in the cold canadian north.
have pity on the poor caymanians and expats in grand cayman who have lately been beset by
so much crime, poverty, drug usage and family violence from abusive spouses.. both the local caymanian men and the expats who have and continue to live there.
on the mining side.. KRY has been very volatile and should continue to be so..
have a great weekend.\
our international readership is growing.. and when / if the blog goes national on radio, tv, newspapers etc we can certainly expect the reader fan base to grow as well.. especially in the vacation and dive industry..
luck
Master Jeaux 5.2
Waiting to hear from you BM.. luck to you also.. great website you are running for TheCameraStore

Boatswain’s aid not permanent

2007-05-14T00:52:00.000-05:00

Boatswain’s aid not permanent
beach project in cayman in big trouble..
seems it cost herbie raphael his job in a small camera shop on the harbour..
at least according to his companions web site cathychurch photo or something like that.
have a grea week all..
i hear the camera shop has a new manager.. a young talented handsome import you
ladies are sure to like.
island jeaux

Grand Cayman New Anti-trust laws may exist soon

2007-05-14T00:49:00.000-05:00

georgetown grand cayman b.w.i. BWInews is out in the cayman papers that Grand Cayman May soon have new anti-trust laws.. you might want to hit ask dot com or google to check it out if you have any ties to grand cayman or the financial community there.luckjeaux

cayman, camera store, photo contest, real estate

2007-05-05T12:41:00.000-05:00

news flash.
check out the cayman net news for 7 march 2007,
there is a new notice there that the camera store in george town grand cayman will be hosting
Registration forms for the Cayfest Photography Competition great photo on the site of a shutterbug.. you know.. those folks who take pictures... seems a real simple camera so it should be easy for even a novice to use..there was a recent note by cathy church that she lost a staff member but it seems bouke maddock got promoted to manager of the camera store.. maybe he is one of the employees cathy church had posted that was looking to buy a house with another employee of hers.. hmmm. Seems that the info out of cayman is very scattered and conflicting... well, with the news of cuba opening up to US departure cruise ships and tourists. not to mention business ,, it will probably mean the end of cayman as a tourist destination. That will certainly depress the real estate market and put cayman back to the fishing economy it once was.. a much simpler , safer, better way of life for the real native caymanians who live there..well , stay tuned to all the caribbean news to find out if the cathy church camera store in georgetown grand cayman will be open or not..and check out a new stock. CUBA.. it will be IMOHO very profitable once trade opens fully there.. CUBA that is,, Cayman may suffer greatly without those tourist dollars.. Anyone have any input on how hard the real estate market will crash there.. i think we could easily see prices deflate fifty percent or more. and condo, apt rentals should be going for peanuts.. luck all.have a great and profitable week.

2007-05-01T17:10:00.000-05:00

International Tuesday May 1, 4:09 PM Tameer Chooses Al Arrab Contracting for Al Jawzaa ProjectDUBAI, May 1 Asia Pulse - Tameer Holdings, the region's leading property development company, has chosen Al Arrab Contracting for the construction of the AED 58 million (US$15.8 million) Al Jawzaa Project.
This comes after Al Arrab beat off competitors for the contract to construct the tower located in the heart of Dubai International City, a development soon to be known for its unique lifestyle and renowned international buildings. Al Arrab will take care of the construction work of Al Jawzaa Project which covers an area of 240,119 square feet, and is composed of 2 buildings with a total of 180 residential units, each building is a Ground Floor + 5 floors.
The deal forms part of Tameer's strategy to execute its latest property projects in conjunction with some of the leading construction firms, including UNEC and Al Arrab Contracting for the construction of the Palace Towers and Regal Tower respectively.(DubaiPhotoMedia)
======================================

Tuesday May 1, 4:34 PM BMC Gulf Trading Completes Waterproofing of Palm TunnelDUBAI, May 1 Asia Pulse - BMC Gulf Trading & Contracting LLC, a subsidiary of Emirates Investment and Development PSC (Emivest), has successfully completed the Dh12 million (US$3.3 million) waterproofing work on the Palm Jumeirah Vehicular Tunnel project.
The UAE based company, is one of the leading waterproofing contractors in the Mena region. It is involved in some of the region's biggest and most sensitive projects. The company specialises in environmental, industrial and private projects, including waterproofing and has professionally trained staff to handle jobs requiring specialised know-how, materials and installation techniques. "It is reassuring to see that BMC Gulf has added another feather to their cap by completing this major project. The waterproofing system, designed and executed by BMC Gulf Contracting involved the installation, welding and testing of a high density polyethylene (HDPE) membrane from AGRU Austria. The 2mm thick membrane constitutes the main line of defense against sea water ingress into the Tunnel structure," Dipl. Engineer Fouad Ashkar, Managing Partner of BMC Gulf.
"The Palm Jumeirah Vehicular Tunnel is one of our latest projects to be completed and is the first of its kind in the Middle East region. We are proud to have completed it within the stipulated time and especially that the system is performing to our fullest satisfaction. The tunnel is the only connection for vehicles between the Palm Island and the crescent surrounding it and has a length of 1,400m, a width of 38m and a height of 9m. The lowest point at its center is 30m under sea water level," Reda Ashkar, Asst General Manager of BMC Gulf Trading said
The tunnel is an assembly of 40 segments, having four compartments each. Every compartment is waterproofed to prevent any potential leakage from spreading across the structure.
All compartments are connected by external HDPE water-Stops with strong ribs deeply embedded into the concrete. Four additional defense lines were used to secure the water tightness of the tunnel including internal PVC water-stops, Ultra swellable seals from ADEKA, and re-injectable PVC hoses from SIKA.
(DubaiPhotoMedia) another UAE accomplishment at the PALM ISLANDS
=======================================

since a few who read this blog like a bit of odd music on occasion.. hehe.[[[[[Musicians unlock mystery melody in Scottish chapel By Kate Kelland Tue May 1, 9:47 AM ET
LONDON (Reuters) - A Scottish church which featured in the best-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code" has revealed another mystery hidden in secret code for almost 600 years.
ADVERTISEMENT A father and son who became fascinated by symbols carved into the chapel's arches say they have deciphered a musical score encrypted in them.
Thomas Mitchell, a 75-year-old musician and ex-Royal Air Force code breaker, and his composer and pianist son Stuart, described the piece as "frozen music."
"The music has been frozen in time by symbolism," Mitchell said on his Web site (www.tjmitchell.com/stuart/rosslyn.html), which details the 27-year project to crack the chapel's code.
"It was only a matter of time before the symbolism began to thaw out and begin to make sense to scientific and musical perception."
The 15th Century Rosslyn Chapel, about seven miles south of the Scottish capital Edinburgh, featured in the last part of Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code," the bestselling novel that was turned into a Hollywood film.
Stuart Mitchell said he and his father were intrigued by 13 intricately carved angel musicians on the arches of the chapel and by 213 carved cubes depicting geometric-type patterns.
"They are of such exquisite detail and so beautiful that we thought there must be a message here," he told Reuters.
Years of research led the Mitchells to an ancient musical system called cymatics, or Chladni patterns, which are formed by sound waves at specific pitches.
The two men matched each of the patterns on the carved cubes to a Chladni pitch, and were able finally to unlock the melody.
The Mitchells have called the piece The Rosslyn Motet and added words from a contemporary hymn to complete it.
They have also scheduled a world premiere at a concert in the chapel on May 18, when four singers will be accompanied by eight musicians playing the piece on mediaeval instruments.
Simon Beattie of the Rosslyn Chapel Trust said he was delighted to have the mystery finally solved, and was intrigued by the music itself.
"It's not something you would want to put on in the car and listen to, but it's certainly an interesting piece of music," he said. "It's got a good mediaeval sound to it."

cathy church coral in cayman damage

2007-04-30T04:20:00.000-05:00

HI all.
here is a link to a newspaper article detailing the damage to cayman coral in and aroound Georgetown Grand Cayman BWI british west indies.. seems cathy church's photos show the damage. hardly seems worth diving there now based on that information..maybe that is why there is also an article on how the cayman cathy church camera shop went out of business.. or an aticle says it cathy church opened the store.. i thought and was told it was one Herb Raphael who opened it with a cayman partner.. i even offered my condolences to the female cayman partner beforeTthe Camera Store ever opened.. it was in a lovely cayman diner.. after dinner one evening.. maybe she will remember the condolences.. i hope so.
here is the link to coral damage
luck all
http://www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1009383
It will be so nice when i no longer have any reason to check up on things in cayman.. i have way to much else to do.. but i guess the scuba sites need this same info to make good decisions on where to dive.. and with which outfits are being successful...

cathy church. more problems

2007-04-30T00:53:00.000-05:00

well they lost another staffer.. cathy is still pleading in the cayman papers.. just saw where they had had had again to change a trip at the virtual last moment.. real poor planning eh what. hehe.
seems they can not make KOMODO now as they had planned.. i guess it is all about the money.. if YOU have it. . they can not seem to timely update their website.. i hear the staffer they lost was the one who did web updates.. guess there is no one else there with the talent or ability.. too busy reading camera mauals i suppose so they will know how the digital cameras and software work.. like many.. i went to cayman and can not get shed of it now no matter how hard i try.. and the caymanians problems just keep mounting.. and the warmer the water there the worse the coral is.. soon they will be back to a fishing economy since with rising fuel prices shiips will seldom even stop there.. just logistics and prices.. ya know.. luck all..
adios to the caymans for today.. wish it could only be forever.. soon maybe.. soon..

do not go to the solomon islands

2007-04-15T18:19:00.000-05:00

hardly worth the trip with the death of so much coral and much more to come.. plus infectious deseases in the aftermath of the recent quakes and tsunami.. pray for them and the folks who planned to make money off of them this year..

Indonesia quake caused huge coral die-off: survey
Thu Apr 12, 4:32 AM ET
JAKARTA (Reuters) - A strong earthquake that struck Indonesia's Sumatra island two years ago caused one of the biggest coral die-offs ever documented, a study by scientists from two conservation groups found.
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The quake itself killed nearly 1,000 people on Nias island off the western coast of Sumatra island.
The scientists, who surveyed 35 sites on the coastline, found that the earthquake had raised the island of Simeulue near Nias by up to 1.2 meters (3 ft 11 in), exposing most of the coral reefs ringing the island over about 300 km (190 miles) of sea floor, a news statement said.
The scientists were from the U.S.-based Wildlife Conservation Society and the government-backed Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (ARCCoERS).
"This is a story of mass mortality on a scale rarely observed," said Dr Stuart Campbell of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Indonesia marine program.
"In contrast to other threats like coral bleaching, none of the corals uplifted by the earthquake have survived," he said.
Campbell said, however, that some sites in Simeulue were now recovering.
"At many sites, the worst affected species are beginning to decolonize the shallow reef areas. The reefs appear to be returning to what they looked like before the earthquake, although the process may take many years," he said.
Dr Andrew Baird of ARCCoERS said the earthquake had provided a one-off chance to study such a phenomenon.
"This is a unique opportunity to document a process that occurs maybe once a century and promises to provide new insights into coral recovery processes that until now we could only explore on fossil reefs."
The team said it had documented, for the first time in Indonesian waters, extensive damage to reefs caused by the crown-of-thorns starfish, a coral predator that has inflicted huge damage on reefs in Australia and other parts of the world.
"People monitoring Indonesian coral reefs now have another threat to watch out for, and not all reef damage should be immediately attributed to human influences," said Baird.
Indonesia has some of the richest reef environments in the world, but many have also suffered from human interference.
The government has banned the use

solomon indonesia deadly bird flu

2007-04-04T00:39:00.000-05:00

all the caribbean islands need is one case of deadly bird flu to be brought back from the indonesian area.. even from the solomon islands.. it would devastate the small caribbean islands quickly with their poultry heavy economies.. info here.. good luck to the caymans. jamaica, etc.

MILAN (Reuters) - The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu may spread from Indonesia, Egypt and Nigeria to other countries as it continues to circulate in Africa and Asia, the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday.
ADVERTISEMENT
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"The risk of a pandemic will be with us for the foreseeable future," said the
United Nations' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> United Nations body's chief veterinary officer Joseph Domenech, reiterating calls for global efforts to contain the disease.
Egypt, Indonesia and Nigeria have not been able to contain the disease, effectively making them reservoirs of the virus for possible spread to other countries, the FAO said in a statement.
Last week Indonesia announced five new deaths from bird flu, taking its reported human death toll from the H5N1 virus to 71, the highest in the world. Egypt has 32 human bird flu cases, the highest outside Asia, with 13 people dead since 2006.
Avian flu' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Avian flu remains mainly a bird virus, but experts fear that if the H5N1 strain mutated into a form easily transmitted from person to person it could sweep the world, killing millions.
The virus has killed at least 170 people worldwide since 2003, according to the U.N.'s
World Health Organization' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> World Health Organization.
In Indonesia, only three provinces out of 33 are free from bird flu, with the disease remaining endemic in Java, Sumatra, Bali and South Sulawesi and sporadic outbreaks happening in other parts of the country, FAO said.
Indonesia's large size, weak national veterinary service and lack of resources made it more difficult to control the disease.
FAO village-based disease surveillance has been operating in 130 of 444 districts, but this should be expanded to ensure full information about outbreaks nationwide, the organization said.
It added that in Egypt the lack of compensation to farmers for culling their poultry had helped the virus keep a foothold.
In Nigeria authorities had failed to control the movement of poultry and poultry products out of infected areas, it said.
The organization said the spread of bird flu in Bangladesh in March was not a surprise: "The virus continues circulating in the wider region and the introduction of the virus by migratory birds in the country cannot be ruled out, as it is situated on important avian flyways."
But Domenech said there had been fewer cases of bird flu so far this year than a year ago, indicating a reduction in overall viral load, and the presence of H5N1 in wild birds has been less than last year when the virus surged, particularly in Europe.

solomon islands hammered quake tsunami

2007-04-03T19:54:00.000-05:00

won't be any diving there to speak of this year.. such a shame.. seems almost as if GOD is punishing profit takers there.. here is the news.
Earthquake Details
Magnitude
8.1
Date-Time
Sunday, April 1, 2007 at 20:39:56 (UTC)= Coordinated Universal Time
Monday, April 2, 2007 at 7:39:56 AM = local time at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
8.481°S, 156.978°E
Depth
10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program
Region
SOLOMON ISLANDS
Distances
45 km (30 miles) SSE of Gizo, New Georgia Islands, Solomon Isl.205 km (125 miles) S of Chirovanga, Choiseul, Solomon Islands345 km (215 miles) WNW of HONIARA, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands2145 km (1330 miles) NNE of BRISBANE, Queensland, Australia
Location Uncertainty
horizontal +/- 8.8 km (5.5 miles); depth fixed by location program
Parameters
Nst=156, Nph=156, Dmin=343 km, Rmss=1.19 sec, Gp= 32°,M-type=moment magnitude (Mw), Version=8
Source
USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID
us2007aqbk

solomon islands devastated

2007-04-02T10:48:00.000-05:00

looks like any diving trips to the solomon islands can be cancelled for the coming year.. solomon has been devastated by a tsunami caused by a greater than 8.0 earthquake. the death toll is continuing to rise.. word is that the diving and shipping vessels suffered extreme devastation.. keep your eyes and ears on the new.. i have heard via the cathy church web site from the cayman islands. specifically georgetown grand cayman bwi BWI B.W.I that they had a trip to solomon planned for 2007 around mid year.. seems that is a total disaster also as the devastation in solomon is so great.. any one who know the fate of the dive vessel, boat that the church expedition was due to use or the fate of any tourists who might have been aboard please feel free to comment.. i am off to the scuba board and the houston diving message boards so they will all be up to date on the tragic tsunami and the aftermath.. stay tuned for more updates as they occur.. luck all.. and pity on the failing businessess that have been hit so tragically.. you would almost think god is punishing folks for evils that they do..
may the diety of your choice rest and keep you each and every one.. please attend the services of your choice and send up a prayer for the souls lost in indonesia over the last couple of years..

texas wind power WEST way to go guys

2007-04-01T09:56:00.000-05:00

February 2007
Inherit the Wind The Gulf Coast is littered with the carcasses of unused oil equipment. Now those structures are being repurposed to build the first offshore wind farm in the United States.By John Geoghegan
The port of Iberia has never been busier. Situated on a narrow canal leading to the Louisiana coastline, the docks here throb with the sound of tugboats towing oil platforms to and from their anchorages in the Gulf of Mexico. When a drilling site is depleted, the platforms return to port; the docks are littered with rusting steel hulks waiting for their next run.In December, though, one of these platforms, stripped and refurbished by a local startup, returned to sea with a new mission. The first of a flotilla to come, it carried wind-monitoring equipment as well as radar for tracking migratory birds. Those that follow will be topped not by drilling rigs but by windmills.

The turbines are bound for an 18-square-mile area roughly 10 miles off the coast of Galveston, Texas, where the first offshore wind farm in the US is under construction. That’s right: The flower of sustainable energy is blooming in oil country. Get ready for the Great Texas Wind Rush.
Formed in 2004, Wind Energy Systems Technology (WEST) is on track to commercialize offshore wind power well ahead of more established and better funded contenders with greener credentials. At $240 million and 150 megawatts of peak output—enough to power 45,000 homes—the project is modest. But the eyes of the alt-energy world are upon it. “WEST may not be in the mainstream, but they’re definitely serious,” says Walt Musial at the National Wind Technology Center in Colorado. “They might actually do it.”

Wind energy is the most promising carbon-free, nonnuclear alternative to fossil-fueled grid power. But regions with enough space and breeze for land-based wind farms—mostly in the Midwest—are far from coastal population centers; the cost of running transmission lines between generators and users is a major disincentive. That’s why wind-power entrepreneurs have set their sights on coastal waters. In the Atlantic, off Cape Cod, the 450-megawatt Cape Wind installation has been in the works for five years. But that project is mired in NIMBY activism and has yet to pass its initial federally mandated environmental review. (Ironically, a cabal of local property owners, including green-energy backers like US senator Edward Kennedy, are leading the fight against Cape Wind for fear it will mar the environment off Martha’s Vineyard.) Another project proposed for New York’s Long Island Sound has run into similar difficulties, and plans for wind farms off California have foundered on the expense of sinking pilings in the deeper Pacific coast waters.
Leave it to a couple of Gulf Coast good ol’ boys to take up the slack.
Harold Schoeffler and Herman Schellstede make an unlikely pair. Schoeffler, who owns a Cadillac dealership, is a Boy Scout troop leader and chair of the local Sierra Club chapter. Schellstede spent four decades designing oil platforms, drilling rigs, and pipelines. His most recent venture was a $45 million project for a Nigerian oil company. In contrast to New England, Schellstede says, in Louisiana “we have 60 years of offshore know-how.”
The two men met in 1984, when they worked together on legislation to upgrade environmental standards for oil rigs. Two decades later, Schellstede was dismantling old oil platforms and barging them back to the Port of Iberia to be sold for pennies on the dollar when he read a Stanford University study that identified the Louisiana-Texas coastline as one of the best spots in the US for wind power. Average wind speed is exceptionally high, and it blows hardest during the hottest hours of the day, when demand for power is at its peak and electricity prices are highest.
Schellstede called Schoeffler, and they drew up a plan to bring offshore wind power to the oil patch. The key was to take advantage of existing oil-industry infrastructure. To save the expense of designing and building specialized offshore wind equipment, they would mount conventional windmills on decommissioned oil platforms. Hurricanes could be a problem, so they decided to outfit their windmills with hydraulic lifts scavenged from oil-industry machinery; the system would lower the turbines in the event of a squall. All told, the economics would enable WEST to compete with land-based wind power—in which Texas leads the nation—as well as with energy from increasingly pricey natural gas and newer coal plants that are still paying off construction costs.
But first they needed to secure government approval. Their first stop was the state of Louisiana, but the bayou bureaucrats rejected the proposal. “They saw us as competing with oil and natural gas,” Schoeffler recalls.
So the pair turned to Jerry Patterson, commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, who had a reputation for supporting wind power. Patterson recognized that shallow-water petroleum reserves were running dry and that drilling in deeper water would be costly. So he set up a fast-track approval process in 2003 for alternative energy projects. Patterson offered to lease WEST the Galveston site for $10,000 a year, an order of magnitude less than the cost of comparable East Coast sites. In October 2005, WEST signed a contract to deliver 150 megawatts, which should take roughly 50 windmills. A test turbine is scheduled to be in operation this summer; the rest should be spinning by late 2008. Another 50 or so could follow by 2010 if demand warrants.
Meanwhile, Patterson’s incentives are attracting other wind-power hopefuls to Texas. For example, Superior Renewable Energy, a company owned by an Australian investment firm, is angling to build a wind farm off Padre Island, near Corpus Christi, Texas. At 500 megawatts, that project is bigger than WEST’s, but it won’t be completed for several years.
WEST is taking full advantage of its head start, negotiating to sell energy to Galveston and to set up another wind farm for Utila, an island off the coast of Honduras. WEST’s approach to offshore wind energy could finally allow clean power to compete economically with fossil fuels. If it shores up the Gulf Coast’s obsolescent industrial infrastructure, with its unsightly barges and looming towers, all the better. Think of it as recycling on a grand scale.

write off cayman . hehe

2007-03-29T08:30:00.001-05:00

OSLO (Reuters) - One in 10 people in the world, mostly in Asia, live in coastal areas at risk from rising seas and more powerful storms that may be caused by global warming, an international study showed on Wednesday. The researchers urged governments to make billion-dollar policy shifts to encourage more settlements inland rather than in coastal regions from China to Florida that may suffer ever more storm surges and erosion.
A zone less than 10 meters (33 ft) above sea level "contains some 2 percent of the world's land and 10 percent of its population," according to the study to be published in the April edition of the journal Environment and Urbanization.
"Settlements in coastal lowlands are especially vulnerable to risks resulting from climate change, yet these lowlands are densely settled and growing rapidly," the researchers in the United States and Britain said in the article.
Based on new computer population models and NASA satellite data, it estimated that 634 million people lived in the coastal zone in 2000, including 360 million in towns and cities.
More than 75 percent were in Asia. Globalization is promoting a shift toward coasts in countries including China and India by fostering a world trade largely dependent on shipping.
RISING SEAS
U.N. climate experts projected last month that sea levels could gain by 18 to 59 cms (7.1 to 23.2 inches) by 2100, and keep rising for centuries. They also forecast shifts including more powerful storms, droughts and heatwaves because of emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly from burning fossil fuels.
Wednesday's report said even people living up to 10 meters above sea level could be vulnerable to cyclones, subsidence, erosion of river deltas or intrusion of salty sea water onto cropland.
"If you are in that zone you need to take the issues of sea level rise seriously," said Gordon McGranahan, lead author at the London-based International Institute for the Environment and Development.
Ranked by population, China is most at risk with 143 million people living by the coast, followed by India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, Egypt and the United States.
By another measure, small island states will be hardest hit. More than 90 percent of the Maldives, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, the Cayman Islands and the Turk and Caicos Islands are less than 10 meters above sea level.
"Relatively small shifts in settlement location, out of a coastal plain onto more elevated ground, can make a major difference," according to the authors, also from the City University of New York and U.S. Columbia University.
Many countries cannot afford Dutch-style dykes to keep out rising seas but the researchers said governments could do a lot with better long-term planning and incentives for settling on higher ground.

oil spike. bits bytes, yahoo sucks.

2007-03-28T02:48:00.000-05:00

first , sell YHOO.. they have tooo many problems. now for the news bits. luck. jeaux
------------------
OIL SPIKE LAST NIGHTNEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday after a weak consumer confidence report fueled concerns the housing slowdown could spread into the broader economy and hurt profits. After the closing bell, U.S. crude oil futures spiked up $5 a barrel on geopolitical concerns tied to Iran, sending U.S. stock futures sharply downward in electronic trading.For a brief instant shortly before 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT), U.S. crude for May delivery surged to $68.09 per barrel, its highest level since September 6, 2006, but later pulled back to around $64.50.(((( should make oil related interesting today.)))-------------------------------------------------GREAT NEWS U ALLDALLAS (Reuters) - Criminals in Texas beware: if you threaten someone in their car or office, the citizens of this state where guns are ubiquitous have the right to shoot you dead. Governor Rick Perry's office said on Tuesday that he had signed a new law that expands Texans' existing right to use deadly force to defend themselves "without retreat" in their homes, cars and workplaces."The right to defend oneself from an imminent act of harm should not only be clearly defined in Texas law, but is intuitive to human nature," Perry said on his Web site.The new law, which takes affect on September 1, extends an exception to a statute that required a person to retreat in the face of a criminal attack. The exception was in the case of an intruder unlawfully entering a person's home.-----------------------------------------------LOS ANGELES - Volatile weather swept through Southern California on Tuesday, delivering downpours, hail, snow, and fierce winds that capsized boats and toppled power lines and trees. Nearly 185,000 customers lost power.((maybe a precursor for hurricane season))-------------------------------MANILA, Philippines - A day-care center owner hijacked a busload of his students and teachers and drove them to Manila's city hall Wednesday to demand better housing and education for the children. ((the weather is not the only thing getting wilder))------------------------------------------CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Astronaut Sunita Williams is stuck in space — at least temporarily. She flew up to the international space station last December planning to come home in early July after a seven-month stay. When she comes back now will be a bit later than she planned.The problem is that a hail storm that damaged the fuel tank of the space shuttle Atlantis has knocked NASA's flight schedule for the year out of whack.(( hail damage. )))-------------------------------------------DARWIN, Australia - An environmental group said Tuesday it had captured a "monster" toad the size of a small dog. With a body the size of a football and weighing nearly 2 pounds, the toad is among the largest specimens ever captured in Australia, according to Frogwatch coordinator Graeme Sawyer."It's huge, to put it mildly," he said. "The biggest toads are usually females but this one was a rampant male ... I would hate to meet his big sister."((they jes never did see a lousyanna bull frog in da bayou))----------------------------------------------BAGHDAD - Security and police officials said off-duty Shiite policemen enraged by massive bombings in the northern town of Tal Afar went on a revenge killing spree there Wednesday, gunning down an unspecified number of Sunni residents. They said the policemen began roaming the town's Sunni neighborhoods early in the morning, shooting at Sunni residents and homes.Dozens of Sunnis were killed or wounded, they said, but they had no precise figures. The shooting continued for more than two hours, the officials said.Army troops later moved into the Sunni areas to stop the violence, said the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.Two truck bombs hit markets in Tal Afar Tuesday, killing at least 63 people.(( more wildness and news to affect OIL and NG maybe))---------------------------------------------------SPACE.com Tue Mar 27, 1:30 PM ETOne of the most bizarre weather patterns known has been photographed at Saturn, where astronomers have spotted a huge, six-sided feature circling the north pole. Rather than the normally sinuous cloud structures seen on all planets that have atmospheres, this thing is a hexagon. The honeycomb-like feature has been seen before. NASA's Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft imaged it more than two decades ago. Now, having spotted it with the Cassini spacecraft, scientists conclude it is a long-lasting oddity(((( talk about unnatural weather)))---------------------------------------------JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The United States plans to provide $59 million to strengthen Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's presidential guard and support his new national security adviser, a long-time foe of Hamas. Another $20 million will help fund any future Palestinian elections, infrastructure improvements at the Karni commercial crossing between Gaza and Israel, and other non-security projects, according to U.S. government documents obtained by Reuters on Tuesday.Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the money for Abbas and security adviser Mohammad Dahlan was meant to fuel divisions among Palestinians and undercut the unity government formed by the ruling Hamas Islamists and Abbas's Fatah faction.The $59.36 million security program was scaled back from an initial $86.4 million after Abbas joined forces with Hamas in a bid to end factional warfare and ease a Western aid boycott.It is unclear whether the revised package will win U.S. congressional backing.((( more support for the palestinians..))) OIL effect anyone?))----------------------------------------------------NEW YORK (Reuters) - Authorities are investigating the lending practices at Beazer Homes USA Inc. (NYSE:BZH - news), BusinessWeek reported on Tuesday, sending shares in the sixth largest U.S. home builder almost 17 percent lower. Beazer Homes said in a statement it could not comment on or verify any investigation, but added that it would "fully cooperate with any investigation by any government agency.BusinessWeek said the North Carolina field offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service and the Justice Department recently opened a joint probe into the home builder's lending practices.A representative at the FBI's office in Charlotte, North Carolina, told Reuters late on Tuesday that the agency was "conducting a potential fraud investigation" regarding Beazer, but had no other comment.((( heads up if you own housing stocks)))))------------------------------------------------

cathy church photo

2007-03-28T01:11:00.000-05:00

seems the staff at cathy church photo in georgetown grand cayman british west indies bwi is getting smaller all the time.. they seem to be down to three now.. could this be due to a severe lack of busines due to the extensive reef damage in the cayman islands.. hardly worth going any more seems like.. or usually such a rapid turnover and decreasing personnel signals a poor or odd or some very wrong kind of work environment .. if it is not just a failing business.. would love to hear any info our readers have on the declining work ethic and diving in the cayman island.s. drugs are becoming such a big part of the island culture.. even the fishermen are importing drugs on their vessels and cayman has had to up the police staff to try and contain the drugs and violence.. what a shame.. 25 yrs setting up a nest to see it all go down the drain so quickly.. pity. and send a prayer for all the poor there..
luck
jeaux

sulawesi bay indonesia contaminated arsenic mercury

2007-03-18T16:23:00.000-05:00

for anyone considering a trip to indonesia or surrounding areas.. pay attention to the waters you dive into.. they could be in trouble.. as far as i know bays connect to the seas.. luck all.

Verdict Expected in Newmont Trial
Saturday March 17, 3:06 am ET
Prosecutors Confident Indonesian Court Will Find Newmont Mining Guilty of Polluting Bay
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- Indonesian prosecutors are confident a court will find a local subsidiary of Newmont Mining Corp. and a top executive guilty of polluting a bay with toxic chemicals when judges announce their verdict next month, a prosecutor said Saturday.The U.S. gold-mining giant, however, said prosecutors had failed to prove their allegations, and no environmental harm was ever done by Newmont in Buyat Bay, on Indonesia's Sulawesi island.
Prosecutors in November asked judges to sentence Richard Ness -- who heads the Denver, Colorado-based company's Indonesian subsidiary, Newmont Minahasa Raya -- to three years in prison if found guilty of contaminating the bay with arsenic and mercury, and to fine Ness and Newmont more than $165,000.
The court was adjourned until April 4 when a panel of judges is scheduled to announce its verdict, presiding judge Ridwan Damanik said Friday of the closely watched case that has been ongoing for 20 months.
"We are optimistic we will win," said prosecutor Purwanta, who like many Indonesians uses one name only. "Many data and facts disclosed in the court have supported our prosecution."
But Ness disagreed. "Buyat Bay is clean, the fish are safe to eat, and our operation did not cause any negative impact to the community," Ness said in a statement Saturday. "The prosecutors have failed to prove their allegations."
Ness said a guilty ruling would contradict several scientific studies that found no evidence of pollution in Buyat Bay.
Some villagers claim they became sick because of pollution, but prosecutors have not presented anyone with serious skin disorders or other illnesses.
A police report showed mercury and arsenic levels in Buyat Bay were well beyond national standards, but tests by the World Health Organization, Indonesian government agencies and several independent groups found that pollutants in the water were within normal limits.
Newmont stopped mining at its Minahasa Raya mine in August 2004 and is spending $5.6 million on reclamation.
In December 2004, Buyat Bay villagers dropped a $543 million civil lawsuit against Newmont, but the Indonesian government later filed a $133 million lawsuit. Newmont settled that case by agreeing to spend $30 million over 10 years on environmental monitoring.
The criminal charges against Ness and Newmont were filed in July 2005.

cayman drugs stingrays oddities continued

2007-03-16T20:07:00.001-05:00

Least Competent CriminalsAccording to police in Hartselle, Ala., Daniel Brown, 22, wore a ski mask to hide his identity from his grandfather when he staged a home invasion-robbery in January, but when he burst in, he yelled, "I need your money, and I mean it, Pa-Paw." (Nonetheless, when arrested, Brown denied that he was the man behind the mask.) [Decatur Daily, 1-11-07]
I was 6 when I first became aware of my desire to lose my legs," wrote "Susan Smith" in London's The Guardian in January. "The image I have of myself has always been one without legs." News of the Weird has reported several times on people with "body identity integrity disorder" (apotemnophilia), which leads them to remove one or more limbs (or men their scrota). The worst part, said "Smith," was having to kill her leg, by freezing it in dry ice for at least four hours (she tried twice before it succumbed to an infection), because surgeons cannot ethically amputate a healthy limb. (A 1998 News of the Weird story involved a de-licensed San Diego surgeon who illegally removed limbs of needy men.) [The Guardian (London), 1-29-07]
LOOK at this.. even the men posing as women cheat and try their best to screw you in a divorce..Mo. judge rules in transvestite case Thu Mar 15, 7:00 PM ETKANSAS CITY, Mo. - Even in the messy legal world of dividing property after a failed romance, this case was exceptional. A Jackson County judge was asked to consider whether a transvestite had misled a former male fiance into believing she was a woman. Ferris Griggs of Kansas City, Kan., sued Josie Garcia of Kansas City, claiming that Garcia had defrauded him by pretending to be a woman.

cayman and oddities worldwide

2007-03-16T19:59:00.000-05:00

Looks like Cathy Church photo shop in GeorgeTown Grand Cayman BWI British West Indies is in more financial difficulties from the circumstantial evidence... I check their website occasionally and I see they have seem to have had to cut back even further on personnel.. they are down to only 3, yes you saw it right, ONLY 3 employees now.. i can remember when they did a good enuff job and performed well enuff to have 6-9 employees all the time.. It sure seems to be a sad state of affairs, snicker, affairs there.. I even saw an article in the cayman papers where Cathy was almost pleading with the government to let her keep a few employees and how desperately those employees were to get some closure on how long they had left before they got kicked out.. what a shame.. let's all say a prayer for them.. The news sure looks like they need it..It is almost as the rumours I hear about the last few travel,photo,dive trips that were Supposed to leave.. I did see they can only seem to manage one tiny trip for all of 2007. I guess everyone is just to darned scared to go to KOMODA ISLANDS. IT IS so rough over there right now.. I guess that is what happens when you buy a nice boat to run to sting ray city and then it goes so horribly wrong with the viciousness of the rays.. at least from what is in the news.. Remember how a ray killed STEVE IRWIN and then Stingrays went on the attack in Florida.. TOOO SAD. look for all these juicy details on your favorite Scuba Web Sites so everyone will be kept informed.. More about where and who to buy the best drugs in Cayman from soon looks like.. It Seems ALMOST Certain that is going to END UP in the papers SOONER or LATER..
It won't be long before George Town Grand Cayman BWI will be sporting this kind of headline Based on News out of George TownPolice find $206 mln drug cash in Mexican house Fri Mar 16, 2:31 PM ETMEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Police have found $206 million (106 million pounds) in cash, belonging to drug smugglers who imported chemicals used to make methamphetamines, piled inside a mansion in a wealthy Mexico City neighbourhood, officials said on Friday.
Rumour is the Cayman Police Will Be receiving tips that they pay for on a lot of drug dealing. CHeck the Cayman Papers Online for FREE to learn MORE about all the DRUGS in The Cayman Islands. Good luck to you and Your family if you should happen to consider going there.. MaYbe spring breakers will hear about all the drugs on the net and FLOCK there looking to buy.. God Preserve US.
Now this.. Even the gentle whales are hurting people.
Diver says whale's tail broke his leg Thu Mar 15, 10:27 PM ETSANDY, Utah - A 50-year-old man said his femur broke "like a twig" when a humpback whale whipped her tail during an excursion in the Dominican Republic. "I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Randy Thornton said at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Sandy.
Now we have not only the Sting Rays everywhere attacking people and killing them, along with whales breaking the bones of DIVERS but now CATS's attacking.. Seems I know a lot of Attack CATs in this world.. just my luck.
Stray cats enter home, attack women, boy Wed Mar 14, 8:36 PM NORTH PLATTE, Neb. - Two stray cats attacked three people after they got into a house in North Platte. "I thought I had seen it all, but I have never seen anything like this," Chief of Police Martin Gutschenritter said Tuesday. A call for help Monday took animal control officer John Pettit to the home of Melissa Breva, Gutschenritter said. Breva told Pettit she had captured two cats in a bedroom. "She said the cats had gotten into the house when the front door was open," Gutschenritter said, then attacked two women who were visiting Breva.
One, Wendy Holliday, suffered scratches, the chief said, and she was bitten on both ankles, both knees and on her left calf.
"She told the officer it happened when the two cats entered the residence and attacked her for no reason," Gutschenritter said.
The other woman, Rebecca Cheever, was bitten on the right calf.
and you all thought the news on my blog was out there.. check this out.. hehehe.. go tex mex cuisine and good hunting .
The Mexican government is scheduled to consider, as early as March, a proposal from its states' migrant assistance offices to hand out satellite-tracking devices to its citizens who plan to emigrate illegally to the United States, so that they could be located in case of emergency after crossing the border. Skeptics, according to a January report in the San Antonio Express-News, wondered how vigorously the U.S. Border Patrol would assist in rescues. [San Antonio Express-News, 1-5-07]

free drinks mar 11 austin tx. on blogger.

2007-03-11T07:33:00.000-05:00

Blogger SXSW Party, Sunday in Austin, TX
The South by Southwest (SXSW) festival/conference/hipsterstravaganza starts this weekend! If you’re going, or just happen to be around Austin, TX for kicks or livelihood, make sure that you party with us on Sunday.
Drinks are on Blogger (also dancing)
Sunday, 11 March 2007, 6–9PM
Club De Ville
900 Red River St.Austin, TXupcoming map

indonesia, eggs, stocks, tech. jeauxzz bytes

2007-03-11T06:59:00.000-05:00

I hope you all have a sec to say a prayer for the indonesians and the residents of the komodo islands.. not much diving or fun there this year at all.earthquakes still killing hundreds regularly and the mud volcano is still gushing with no end in site even tho drilling rigs are there trying to drill relief wells.. this will severely Impact any diving operators going that way.. I am thinking of poor poor Cathy Church Photo of Georgetown Grand CAYMAN. British West Indies..a sad sad sad state of affairs for them and their poor poor employees who depend on the diving in the area for the one trip a year that can HOPEFULLY be put together there. AND may god bless and keep CATS everywhere.. even the egyptians worshipped them.. SMILE... ya'll take care now ya hear.!!!!!!!!!!-----------------------------------------------====================================-----------------------------------------------1
Ethanol-driven feed costs cut US meat output-USDA Fri Mar 9, 1:14 PM ETWASHINGTON (Reuters) - High feed costs, created by the explosive growth of the fuel ethanol industry, will lower U.S. beef and broiler chicken output this year by a quarter billion lbs from earlier forecasts, the U.S. government said on Friday.===============================
will also drive up the price of milk, butter, cheese and eggs..i like to invest in eggs this time of the cycle.CALM.. the company, not the mood... moooo D is good heheheheheh.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
2.
Climate change pushes diseases north: expert Fri Mar 9, 9:10 AM ETNAIROBI (Reuters) - Global warming is pushing northwards diseases more commonly found in developing countries, posing a risk to the financial and physical health of rich nations, the head of a livestock herders' charity said.==========this may also affect US.Mex relations.. and food imports exports.\,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
3 Drop in for a cold one on yours truly. hehehe.
Three surfers find a new way to drink -- online Thu Mar 8, 3:38 PM ETNEW YORK (Reuters) - Three U.S. surfing friends whose jobs moved them to different cities have come up with a way to continue their weekly drinking session -- in an online pub that even has happy hours. The founders of CherryTAP claim to have set up the Internet's first online pub that gives users the nuances of a pub but from the comfort of their home computer or laptop.
"We liked to go after a long day at work to a bar and hang out and have a few drinks," said Bill Lee, 36, a freelance marketer from San Francisco who was one of the three founders.
"When we moved apart we couldn't do that anymore so we wanted to recreate that online."
Lee said CherryTAP, which now has over 700,000 users in the United States and Britain, was different from other social networking sites as you did not need to have a network of friends already. It also did not take advertising.
Instead CherryTAP has just launched "happy hours," where users pay $100 to sponsor an hour-long session, with their name appearing at the top of the site and other users raising their glasses to toast them.
"Users can give each other virtual drinks and this makes people more comfortable to chat to each other," said Lee who set up the site with friends Mike Headlund, 28, a computer consultant, and kiteboard instructor Ryan Riccitelli, 34.
"The person who sponsors happy hour becomes the most popular person on that site and they get 15 minutes of fame."
Instead of a barman, who in a real pub is often used as a sounding board, users can send in questions which are answered by the community and there is a team of volunteer bouncers to ensure people in the online pub behaved.
"You don't have to drink but it can be an icebreaker. You can give people virtual drinks and get chatting," said Lee.

tidbits, Nuc,tech,farm,volcano,tidal waves

2007-03-01T06:50:00.000-06:00

Korea pledges to denuclearize in talks By KWANG-TAE KIM, Associated Press Writer 40 minutes agoSEOUL, South Korea - North Korea's No. 2 leader pledged his country's commitment Thursday to giving up its nuclear program amid intensifying diplomacy aimed at implementing Pyongyang's pledge to disarm. "The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is the dying wish" of the country's late founding president Kim Il Sung, Kim Yong Nam said in Pyongyang during a visit from a high-level South Korean delegation.
The North "will make efforts to realize it," he said.
At the meeting, South Korean Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung pressed the North to implement a Feb. 13 pledge made with the U.S. and four other countries to take initial steps to disarm.
"It is important to make efforts to ensure that South and North Korea cooperate and six countries each assume their responsibilities," Lee said.
Kim Yong Nam also called on the Koreas to cooperate to achieve the reunification of the peninsula, which was divided in the wake of World War II and still remains technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a cease-fire.
Kim also repeated the North's calls for inter-Korean collaboration, an idea South Korea has dismissed as a ploy to drive a wedge in Seoul's alliance with Washington.
This week's Cabinet-level talks between the North and South — the highest-level regular contact between the Koreas — are the first in seven months. The talks resumed after North Korea's agreement last month in Beijing to shut down its main nuclear reactor within 60 days in exchange for aid.
Earlier Thursday, North Korean negotiators appealed for aid from the South, but Seoul appeared resistant to promising any major assistance until Pyongyang keeps its pledge to start dismantling its nuclear program.
"The North side has brought up the issue of humanitarian aid," a South Korean official told reporters in Pyongyang, where talks between the two Koreas stretched into a third day.
But the official, indicating the South's reluctance to provide the North with badly needed supplies, said that a draft agreement between the two sides "does not specifically mention rice and fertilizer aid." The official did not give his name due to the sensitivity of the ongoing talks.
South Korea had regularly sent aid to the impoverished North until last July, when Pyongyang test-fired a series of missiles, prompting a halt in shipments. Relations between the two countries further soured after the North tested a nuclear weapon in October.
North Korea also has proposed that the two countries resume economic cooperation talks in March, but Seoul was apparently opposed to holding the talks so soon, according to pool reports.
The two Koreas have made historic strides toward reconciliation after their leaders met for the first time in 2000, and this week's talks are the 20th such Cabinet-level meeting since then.
On Thursday, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun stressed the nuclear deal "should be successfully implemented so that a peace regime can be firmly established on the Korean peninsula."
The Feb. 13 deal calls for a separate forum on discussing a peace agreement to replace the cease-fire that has held the Korean War at a standstill since 1953.
Meanwhile, the countries involved in the nuclear talks — the Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the U.S. — have begun preparations to implement the disarmament pact.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said that U.S. and North Korean officials will meet in New York next Monday and Tuesday to discuss normalizing relations, one of the steps to be taken under the nuclear deal.
Also Thursday, the State Department's No. 2 diplomat, John Negroponte, arrived in Japan for a tour expected to focus on the North Korea nuclear issue that will also take him to South Korea and China.
South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon also left for Washington Thursday for talks on North Korea with his counterpart, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He also will travel to Moscow.
==========================
Secrets of universe eyed as collider core installed By Robert Evans Wed Feb 28, 10:19 AM ET
GENEVA (Reuters) - The world's leading center for research into the origins of matter on Wednesday took a giant step toward the launch of a 15-year experiment which scientists hope will unlock many secrets of the universe. A huge magnet, weighing 1,920 tonnes or the equivalent of five jumbo jets and a key element in the program, was lowered into a vast cavern 100 meters below ground at the multinational center, CERN, on the Swiss-French border near Geneva.
"We think this project is going to uncover things we cannot dream of at the moment," said Professor Jos Engelen, Chief Scientific Officer of CERN, the 26-nation European Organization for Nuclear Research.
Some of his colleagues say the experiment, smashing particles together at high speed in a Large Hadron Collider (LHC), may bring new knowledge such as the possible existence of multiple dimensions beyond the four of traditional physics -- width, length, height and time.
Others speak, if cautiously, of venturing into realms long regarded as those of speculative science fiction -- multiple universes, parallel worlds, black holes in space linking different levels of existence.
"This is a very exciting time for physics. The LHC is poised to take us to a new level of understanding of our universe," says Tejinder Virdee, spokesman for the key particle detector part of the project, known by its initials as CMS.
The magnet and its surrounding equipment that was moved down into place with the help of a custom-built gantry crane and a hydraulic jacking system is the heaviest piece of the CMS, and the eighth of 15 parts of the Collider.
Apart from magnets and detectors, the focal element of the LHC is a 27-km channel circling through a wide underground tunnel along which particles will be forced in opposite directions at the speed of light to smash together.
Full operation is due to start up by the end of 2007 and be fully in operation in mid-2008.
==================================
Scientists start polar study amid global warming By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent Wed Feb 28, 6:54 PM ETOSLO (Reuters) - More than 60 nations launch the broadest scientific investigation yet of the Arctic and Antarctic on Thursday to chart polar regions on the front lines of global warming. About 3,000 children will build snowmen in Oslo, top scientists will meet in Paris and researchers will gather on a polar research vessel in Cape Town harbor in South Africa as part of ceremonies starting International Polar Year (IPY).
During the U.N.-backed year, about 50,000 people will be involved in 228 projects such as studying marine life in the Antarctic, mapping how winds carry pollutants to the Arctic, or examining the health of people, polar bears or penguins.
David Carlson, director of the IPY Program Office, said the icy ends of the earth had been overlooked too long. "This part of the planet has its problems and it needs to get a higher level of attention," he told Reuters.
Many scientists say that warming of the Arctic, where indigenous hunting cultures and animals are under threat from receding ice, may be a portent of damaging shifts elsewhere on the planet linked to global warming.
And a melt of ice sheets on Greenland or Antarctica in coming centuries would raise world sea levels, threatening cities from Tokyo to New York and low lying coral atolls in the Pacific.
POLAR VULNERABILITY
"These regions are highly vulnerable to rising temperatures," Michel Jarraud, head of the U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization, said in a statement. He said more monitoring stations were needed in polar regions.====================Residents of erupting Stromboli told to avoid coast By Antonio Parrinello Wed Feb 28, 10:51 AM ET
STROMBOLI, Italy (Reuters) - Residents and tourists have been told to move away from the coast of an Italian volcanic island in case its spectacular eruptions cause tidal waves, emergency services said on Wednesday. Two big lava flows burst out of Stromboli's side on Tuesday, sending up vast plumes of steam as they plunged into the Mediterranean below. Authorities said there was no immediate risk to people living on the island, off the coast of Sicily.
"The eruption (lava flows) are very well fed," said Enzo Boschi, head of Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology.
"But there's no reason to think that anything extraordinary will happen in the short term. The population is not at risk."
Residents fear a repeat of the events of December 2002 when a similar upsurge in volcanic activity caused a massive chunk of rock to fall into the sea, causing a 10-meter (33-foot) tidal wave that ruined houses close to the shore.
Emergency sirens sounded on the island when the new eruption began and local authorities ordered residents to move at least 10 meters above the water line.
"We've done evacuation drills," one resident told Sky Italia television. "We were ready yesterday when that siren went off, we all gathered in the piazza."
The lava was flowing down an uninhabited part of the island and the risk, of a greater eruption or of a tsunami, was not considered serious enough to prompt a full-scale evacuation.
In winter only a few hundred people live on Stromboli, but the population swells to several thousand in the summer.
Tourists are drawn to climb to the 924-meter (3,000-ft) summit of the volcano and peer into its crater as molten rock is blasted high into the sky.
The island was the setting for a 1950 movie starring Ingrid Bergman and, with other islands in the Aeolian archipelago, has become a favorite location in recent decades for holiday homes for the rich and famous.
Designers Dolce & Gabbana, writer Umberto Eco and Italian President Giorgio Napolitano are all reported to have homes on Stromboli.
=======================
Farm groups urge country labels for food Wed Feb 28, 11:40 AM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A coalition of small farm groups urged Congress on Wednesday to enact legislation this year that would tell consumers which country produced the meat, fruit and other food they buy. Without mandatory country of origin labeling, "consumers continue to be denied the ability to differentiate between U.S. and imported food," the National Farmers Union and a band of over 200 farm and rural groups said in a letter to lawmakers.
In 2002, Congress passed a law requiring mandatory country of origin labels for beef, pork, lamb, produce, peanuts and seafood. But so far, only labeling for fish has taken effect. Other foods are scheduled to follow suit in September 2008.
The Farmers Union and its peers urged Congress to allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement the law by September 2007.
"Our coalition has grown impatient with the implementation delays ... which restricted USDA funds to implement this very popular provision," the letter continued.
Consumer advocates support the change, but some in the food and farm industries have resisted what is seen as a costly and complex new set of regulations.
The letter was also signed by groups such as the Alaska Marine Conservation Council, the Organic Consumers Association and Women Involved in Farm Economics. ==============

tech info news

2007-02-28T20:14:00.001-06:00

Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, "Certainly I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. - Theodore Roosevelt (1859-1919)----------------Looking for the best hi-cap external hard drive?
Hard drive space is one of those things it seems we can never get enough of. I still remember how huge that first 10 MB (yes, that's right, megabyte) drive seemed back in the '80s. And when I bought my first 1 GB drive in the '90s, it seemed enormous. Now my current computer has over 900 GB of storage space, and our main media center PC has even more.
With operating systems and applications requiring more space than ever, and big video files taking up the rest, we often outgrow the hard disk before we outgrow the computer. The least expensive way to add more is to install an internal drive, but if you'd prefer not to open the case, the easiest way is to add an external USB or IEEE 1394 drive. PC Magazine has a roundup of some of the most popular high capacity (up to 500 GB) hard drives. Read it here: http://www.wxpnews.com/QYYR9X/070227-External-Hard-Drives--------------------------How to hide your XP computer from Network Neighborhood
If you want to create shared folders on your XP computer so that some folks on the network can access your data, but you don't want the shares to show up in the Network Neighborhood because there are others on the network you don't want to see them, it's easy to accomplish that. Click Start Run. In the Run box, type cmd to open a command prompt window. At the command prompt, type net config server /hidden:yes ------------------

weekend ART fun. kewl.

2007-02-24T07:58:00.000-06:00

dolphins, waves, oceans, fantasy. these struck me as very fun and interesting. hope you enjoy their art. http://www.pitreart.com/
yea yea yea, i took a break from high finance for a little real fun. have a great weekend all.. see the news for earthquake in frisco .
private equity buys are picking up..
ya might want to take a peek at BPT since the crash there this week..

Mozambique disaster

2007-02-23T06:31:00.000-06:00

Mozambique cyclone kills four
By Charles Mangwiro 1 hour, 1 minute ago
MAPUTO (Reuters) - A powerful tropical storm killed four people and injured at least 70 in Mozambique's resort town of Vilanculos, where thousands of homes were destroyed along with the hospital and power grid, officials said on Friday.
Cyclone Favio was downgraded to a tropical storm on Friday as wind speeds dropped from a peak of 270 kph (170 mph) to between 60-80 kph (37-50 mph), but officials fear rains from the storm could still dramatically worsen an existing flood disaster in the center of the country.
Vilanculos Mayor Selmane Amugy said the deaths occurred when Favio crashed ashore early on Thursday, hitting people's homes as they were sleeping.
"Four people were killed, 70 others seriously injured and some 2,000 homes were destroyed ... there are no words to describe the drama, I haven't seen such a thing in my life," he said by phone the resort town some 800 km (500 miles) north of the capital, Maputo.
"All 600 prisoners escaped when the local jail was destroyed and we had to evacuate some 120 patients from the rural hospital," he said.
Amugy said many key buildings in Vilanculos -- a popular beach town favored by South African and other foreign tourists -- were damaged and the local airport was closed.
"We had to call off all operations at the airport ... trees at Tofo Beach were uprooted and homes destroyed and this worsened erosion," he said.
Bazaruto Island, another popular Mozambican tourist destination which is reachable only by boats and helicopters, was still cut off from communications as the regional electricity grid was wrecked.
At the peak of the summer season, Bazaruto attracts wealthy tourists from across the world to its upmarket lodges.
The government has dispatched an emergency team of medical personnel, engineers and technicians to assess the damage.
Mozambique's national weather agency INAM said the weakened storm was headed northwards toward the port city of Beira, where its outer edges struck on Friday.
Officials fear it may take its rains onward toward the Zambezi river basin, where several weeks of severe flooding has already displaced more than 120,000 people.
"It's no longer a tropical cyclone now, it's a tropical depression meaning it has weakened but still accompanied by heavy rains ... it has winds of between 60 and 80 kilometers per hour," INAM spokesman Helder Sueia told Reuters.
Sueia said the storm unearthed trees and blew off rooftops in Beira's densely populated suburb of Pontagea on Friday.
"It's still taking the same direction and it's not as powerful as it was a few hours ago ... but the rains can still impact on the flooding situation," he said.
Officials and humanitarian agencies are already battling to keep tens of thousands of flood refugees in central Mozambique supplied with food and fresh water.

hot cayman news. drugs galore.

2007-02-22T23:06:00.000-06:00

cayman compass this week.. 964 pounds of pot , marijuana found in north side of grand cayman.. you can sure get really high in the cayman islands with that much POT floating around.. and that was just one seizure.. can you imagine how much Pot, Pills and Cocaine with all the other drugs must be floating around that one little island.. guess you could say they all have a high time in cayman... maybe we can let you know the best places and people to score from in a future issue.. lots more to come.

governor of cayman stuart jack. takes his jacket off i hear to try to rescue the huge number of at risk children in cayman.. the statistics reported in the cayman compass this week are scarey.. i thought it was supposed to be a cruise destination and a family friendly area till i read all this.. check it out at the cayman compass online.. really tragic.. seems they care a lot about dolphins so i hear from Cathy Church but the kids are the ones truly at risk.. time for a kid seminar instead of a dolphin meeting.. just an opinion..

seems according to the news in Cayman that americans and other foreigners working there are still trying to get around the immigration laws but it will be tough going for anyone trying to claim they are key employees as there will be a huge number lobbying against them when the time comes.. sad to see so many many many who will have to leave.. bet on it.

here is a great horoscope for all the LIBRA's out there.. whoever you may think you are.. hehehe har har har.==== Beware of the magnetic pull of your social circle. You have to keep your priorities straight, and (unfortunately) painting the town will have to wait until your work is finished! Don’t procrastinate. If you’ve got something boring or unpleasant to do, do it as soon as you can – the faster you finish, the sooner you’ll be able to relax and have fun (without any ’procrastinator guilt’ hanging over your head). Kelli Fox from Astrology.com © Astrology.com 1996 - 2002

now U know. luck all

2007-02-17T20:47:00.000-06:00

every one should take a minute and see , hear this brief presentation..
really.
http://www.scottmcleod.org/didyouknow.wmv

See GeorgeTown Grand Cayman

2007-02-15T17:25:00.000-06:00

but be sure to avoid all the small mom and pop businessess.
For a great Grand Cayman experience.. Stick with the Well Established firms and HOTELS and leave those little fish alone..

""Dive into Grand Gayman

Photo By: Marriott Beach Resort
Freshwater beachfront pool and hot tub
The Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort; the ideal host hotel for your Caribbean diving experience! Located centrally on world-famous Seven Mile Beach, the resort can cater to all of your diving, as well as accommodation, needs with their on–property based Red Sail Sports service. Oceanfront dining, recreational family activities for all and a courtyard with lush gardens featuring turtle filled lagoons…the Grand Cayman Marriott can be your home away from home while you explore the Caribbean waters and experience a vacation like never before!
Grand Cayman is the best known dive destination in the Caribbean, if not the world. The water is warm and crystal clear year round. There are stretches of magnificent, unspoiled coral reefs, schools of colorful and friendly fish, spectacular shipwrecks, vertical walls and dramatic underwater drop-offs.
The Cayman Islands Government has implemented an extensive Marine Conservation Program to safeguard the natural beauty of the underwater world. Cayman's marine life is legendary with an abundance of friendly stingrays, eagle rays, curious groupers and tarpon, turtles, and much, much more! The Island has over 160 charted dive sites. Red Sail Sports' professional and experienced instructors will introduce guests to as many sites as vacation time and experience level permit. Grand Cayman is probably best known for its drop-offs which are considered deep dives. The upper edge of the wall begins anywhere from 55-85 feet, with each dive site having its own personality and marine growth. Inshore from the drop-offs are excellent medium to shallow coral reefs, with diving depths ranging from 20-55 feet. Red Sail Sports' dive boats visit sites on the North, West and South sides of Grand Cayman. Most dive trips are planned for sites on the West side, from the deep wall sites around Northwest point down past George Town at Waldo's Reef on the Island's Southeastern corner.
Contact the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort to plan the ultimate diving vacation. This fabulous property offers exceptional service and will ensure that you have an experience that you will never forget! For your convenience there is a concierge and Red Sail representatives to direct you to all of the hidden treasures that Grand Cayman has to offer. The Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort offers diving packages for 3 nights starting as low as US$ 1,347. For more information please contact the resort directly at Christy.braggs@marriotthotels.com ""

2007-02-15T01:08:00.000-06:00

hey all. check out my space page.. fun and funny.. and try my new visitor map from map loco... nothing financial today.. just an ego thing.. have a great week and a better weekend.. luck
jeaux

http://www.myspace.com/captainjeaux

[URL=http://www.maploco.com/view.php?id=248182][IMG]http://www.maploco.com/vmap/248182.png[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://www.maploco.com/]Create your own visitor map![/URL]

quakes Oregon coast and Banda Aci.. tuff

2007-02-12T12:05:00.000-06:00

HYDL got a nice pop today on news that Tenaris SA is buying the company.. way to go jeaux.. hehe.. luck all

Region: NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
Geographic coordinates: 6.223N, 94.389E
Magnitude: 5.7 Mb
Depth: 30 km
Universal Time (UTC): 11 Feb 2007 10:47:30
Time near the Epicenter: 11 Feb 2007 17:47:30
Local time in your area: 11 Feb 2007 10:47:30

Location with respect to nearby cities:
132 km (82 miles) NW (308 degrees) of Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia
228 km (141 miles) SSE (150 degrees) of Misha, Nicobar Islands, India
476 km (296 miles) WSW (248 degrees) of Phuket, Thailand
880 km (547 miles) WNW (293 degrees) of KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia

Region: OFF COAST OF OREGON
Geographic coordinates: 43.577N, 127.270W
Magnitude: 4.5 Mb
Depth: 10 km
Universal Time (UTC): 11 Feb 2007 15:34:49
Time near the Epicenter: 11 Feb 2007 07:34:49
Local time in your area: 11 Feb 2007 15:34:49

Location with respect to nearby cities:
237 km (147 miles) WNW (283 degrees) of Bandon, OR
240 km (149 miles) W (277 degrees) of Barview, OR
243 km (151 miles) WNW (293 degrees) of Port Orford, OR
322 km (200 miles) NW (310 degrees) of Crescent City, CA
426 km (265 miles) WSW (241 degrees) of Portland, OR

Jamaica Earthquake

2007-02-05T18:51:00.000-06:00

Region: CUBA REGION
Geographic coordinates: 19.480N, 78.302W
Magnitude: 6.1 Mw
Depth: 10 km
Universal Time (UTC): 4 Feb 2007 20:56:58
Time near the Epicenter: 4 Feb 2007 15:56:58
Local time in your area: 4 Feb 2007 20:56:58

Location with respect to nearby cities:
116 km (72 miles) N (354 degrees) of Lucea, Hanover, Jamaica
119 km (74 miles) NNW (340 degrees) of Montego Bay, Saint James, Jamaica
127 km (79 miles) NNW (342 degrees) of Anchovy, Saint James, Jamaica
157 km (98 miles) SW (232 degrees) of Manzanillo, Granma, Cuba
231 km (144 miles) NW (317 degrees) of KINGSTON, Jamaica

======================================
Updated:2007-02-04 21:49:04
Strong Quake Jolts Western Caribbean
AP
KINGSTON, Jamaica (Feb. 4) - A strong earthquake shook parts of Cuba, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands on Sunday, authorities said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 and was centered in the Caribbean Sea about 75 miles northwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica, and 125 miles southwest of Bayamo, Cuba, the U.S. Geological Survey in Colorado said. It occurred just before 4:00 p.m.

Authorities in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands said no damages or injuries had been reported.

"We consider it a strong earthquake," said USGS geophysicist Bruce Presgrave. "It's enough off the coast that I would not expect any major damage, (though) there's a possibility of some minor damage."

Presgrave said tremors are relatively common in the area, which lies on the boundary between two tectonic plates.

No tsunami warnings were issued for the Caribbean and no tsunami activity was observed in the region, said Stuart Weinstein, assistant director of the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Margaret Grandison of the University of the West Indies' seismic unit said the quake was felt the strongest in Jamaica's west end and nearly all of the country's parishes have reported feeling it.

"My children were upstairs and I thought they were playing," said Lloyd Hill, who lives in Hanover parish located some 160 miles west of the Jamaican capital, Kingston. "When we ran outside, we saw some neighbors and they were obviously shaken."

bad quake INDONESIA. BAD

2007-02-02T21:48:00.000-06:00

Region: JAVA, INDONESIA
Geographic coordinates: 7.778S, 107.205E
Magnitude: 5.8 Mb
Depth: 4 km
Universal Time (UTC): 31 Jan 2007 20:31:28
Time near the Epicenter: 1 Feb 2007 03:31:28
Local time in your area: 31 Jan 2007 20:31:28

Location with respect to nearby cities:
100 km (62 miles) SSW (203 degrees) of Bandung, Java, Indonesia
104 km (65 miles) SSE (157 degrees) of Sukabumi, Java, Indonesia
127 km (79 miles) WSW (247 degrees) of Tasikmalaya, Java, Indonesia
190 km (118 miles) SSE (165 degrees) of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia

Cayman bad news. total anarchy.

2007-01-27T14:49:00.000-06:00

here is the link to all the bad news finally coming to light in the caymans.. a dangerous place if you do not take precautions.. another inquest into a death. freedom of information. lots to see here.

http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/cayman/cayman.htm

There is a lot of news that is kept out of the mainstream US press about the cayman islands.. why? go figure.

this will make it a lot easier to track US money and US citizens who supposedly have been living in the caymans. Finally some clarity down there from those hiding out from justice.
===============================
selectd excerpts to prepare you for the worst if you should dare travel here.. or do business with folks there. luck all.

revisions to the Cayman Islands first Freedom of Information Law have been made over the last few months during closed–door reviews by Cabinet and a specially appointed committee.

The 2005 proposal would have allowed individuals to request only government records dating back 30 years. The new plan, targeted for presentation to the legislature in March, would let any existing documents be requested.

The Cayman Islands government has said it will likely charge for requests, but no more than what it costs to recover and provide the requested records.
=====================================
another diver dies.. news from

Sunset House Hotel where the

Cathy Church Photo business

is taking such a hard hit lately. down to just 4 employees from the hey day when it was the premier photo outfit. such a shame to see the decline ever since hurricanes Ivan N katrina.. but

hurricane Kat ,

short for katrina, ya know.

was the killer for lots of things in cayman.
-------------
Two men died Wednesday in separate incidents involving water activities around Grand Cayman.

The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said one man got into trouble while on a dive just off the shore line in George Town near the Sunset House Resort. The second victim was swimming near the sand bar in the North Sound.

Managers at Sunset Divers told the Caymanian Compass the diving incident happened around 10.30 Wednesday morning.

RCIPS spokesperson Deborah Denis said the diver was 54–year–old Michael Lee Kuntz from Nebraska, USA.
===================================

money news everyone. luck. JADORN.

2007-01-27T03:49:00.000-06:00

PGH. pengrowth energy trust.
nice dividend and new office space.. we own a few shares.

TORONTO, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Pengrowth Energy Trust (PGH.N: Quote, Profile , Research) (PGF_u.TO: Quote, Profile , Research) said on Friday it plans to spend C$275 million ($233 million) in capital expenditures in 2007, as well as a one-time expenditure of C$25 million for new office space.

The company, which has been buying major assets over the past year, also said it expects to sell in the first half of 2007, non-core legacy assets and assets added through recent acquisitions. It expects the proceeds from the sale to be in the range of C$300 million to C$450 million.

The Calgary, Alberta-based oil and gas firm, which spent about C$300 million in capital expenditures overall in 2006, said it plans to spend about C$198 million in its drilling and completions program in 2007.

It expects to produce between 83,000 and 87,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day, at anticipated operating costs of about C$13.00 per boe, and with a balanced production profile of 50 percent natural gas and 50 percent crude oil and natural gas liquids.
Last year, Pengrowth bought oil and gas properties and undeveloped lands from ConocoPhillips (COP.N: Quote, Profile , Research) for C$1.04 billion, as well as an Alberta oilfield from Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM.TO: Quote, Profile , Research) for C$475 million. It also acquired rival Esprit Energy Trust for C$950 million.
-----------------------------
Pengrowth Closes $1B Acquisition
Monday January 22, 1:33 pm ET
Pengrowth Closes $1B Acquisition of Some ConocoPhillips Properties

NEW YORK (AP) -- Canadian oil and gas producer Pengrowth Corp. on Monday said it closed its purchase of some oil and gas properties and undeveloped lands from ConocoPhillips for $1.04 billion.
The purchase, which was announced in November, was funded by an equity offering of about $461 million with the remainder underwritten by the Royal Bank of Canada in the full amount of the purchase price, according to a company release.

Shares of Pengrowth added 4 cents to $16.81 in afternoon trading, while Houston-based ConocoPhillips slid 30 cents to $63.65, both on the New York Stock Exchange.
-------------------------------------------
CALGARY, ALBERTA--(MARKET WIRE)--Jan 23, 2007 -- Pengrowth Corporation, administrator of Pengrowth Energy Trust, (TSX:PGF-UN.TO - News) (NYSE:PGH - News) today confirmed its February 15, 2007 cash distribution will be Cdn $0.25 per trust unit. The distribution is net of amounts withheld to finance capital expenditures. The ex-distribution date is January 30, 2007. The distribution will be payable to all Pengrowth unitholders who hold trust units on the record date of February 1, 2007.
The distribution of Cdn $0.25 per trust unit is equivalent to approximately U.S. $0.21 per trust unit
======================================
now for PCU. copper stock with a nice dividend yield.
we own a few shares.

UPDATE 3-Southern Copper reports 50 percent rise in Q4 net
Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:26pm ET
By Maria Luisa Palomino

LIMA, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Southern Copper Corp., one of the world's top producers of the red metal, reported on Friday a 50 percent increase in fourth-quarter net income from a year earlier due to higher international prices.
Southern Copper which is majority owned by Mexico City-based Grupo Mexico, said net earnings for the last quarter of 2006 were $633.4 million, up from $420.4 million in the same period in 2005.
It also reported a net profit of $2.02 billion for the year, compared with $1.4 billion in 2005, slightly above market expectations.
Analysts in a Reuters survey had forecast annual net earnings for 2006 of between $1.896 billion and $2.011 billion.
"This increase was due principally to higher copper, silver and zinc prices," the company said in a statement on its Web site.
Between October and December, net sales rose by 41.5 percent to $1.65 billion, compared with the last quarter of 2005

===============================================
technology news you can use. I hope. hehe.
SNDK you all.. Sandisk. remember. ya heard it here first.
we own a few shares

Several Firms Could Profit From Vista Release
By Nicole Ridgway Published: January 26, 2007

HALF A DECADE and billions of R&D dollars later, the Vista operating system is finally ready to be unleashed upon the masses. Microsoft's (MSFT: 30.60, +0.15, +0.5%) first OS launch since Windows XP in 2001, Vista's level of success will be testament to the software giant's innovative prowess. But Microsoft isn't the only company with a lot riding on Vista. There are hundreds of businesses in the Vista food chain that are hoping to get a piece of the rewards that this hardware-intensive operating system is expected to reap.

Microsoft promises that Vista will offer improvements on several fronts with a more user-friendly interface, cool 3-D graphics, more intuitive search and organizational capabilities and helpful wizard applications. However, our computers as we know them will have a difficult time handling the extra memory and processing power that all of these neat new applications require.

For that reason, Vista spells opportunity for many tech companies. Memory makers like Samsung and SanDisk (SNDK: 42.73, +1.14, +2.7%) are wagering that demand for added DRAM and flash memory will continue to climb and graphics chip makers like Nvidia (NVDA: 31.47, -0.26, -0.8%) are hoping consumers will want to show off Vista's graphical muscle.
---------------------------------------------------------------
TESSCO Offers the Latest in Flash Data Storage Technology
Thursday January 25, 6:00 pm ET
Accessories by SanDisk Provide New Dimension to TESSCO's Robust Product Line
HUNT VALLEY, Md., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TESSCO Technologies Incorporated (Nasdaq: TESS - News), a value-added supplier of the product solutions needed to design, build, run, maintain and use wireless systems, today announced the availability of SanDisk® Corporation's (Nasdaq: SNDK - News) industry-leading data, digital imaging and audio storage products.
TESSCO has added SanDisk's patented, high-density flash memory and controller technology to its product line to enable its customers to transfer, download and share pictures, videos, music, data, and other protected content - instantly and reliably. Together, TESSCO and SanDisk recognize the importance of offering consumers and wireless professionals across all markets, access to premium material on handheld devices and the streamlined exchange of personal and purchased content on the card between those devices.
------------------------------------------------------
The iPhone -- which will come with 4 or 8 gigabytes of NAND -- has fuelled hope among flash memory makers, weary of price falls eating away at profit margins, said Mizuho Investors Securities analyst Yuichi Ishida.
"The iPhone is testament that price falls are giving birth to new applications and new NAND demand," Ishida said.

Toshiba, which aims to take a combined 40 percent market share with partner SanDisk Corp. (SNDK.O: Quote, Profile , Research) by 2008, will begin by shipping samples of its 2-gigabyte chips in March, using 56-nanometre process technology, and plans monthly shipments of 300,000 chips from April.

Cutting edge 50- and 56-nanometre microchips have smaller gaps between transistors than 60- or 70-nanometre ones, meaning more power can be packed into less space for lower per chip costs.

ATTN,,LNG, ETF, Ishares , golden sacks info

2007-01-27T02:46:00.000-06:00

hey all. heads up.. we got a way coming to really trade this puppy.. luck.
=================================================
Goldman and iShares To Launch Natural Gas ETF
Posted on Jan 26th, 2007 with stocks: GS

Matt Hougan (IndexUniverse.com) submits: Goldman Sachs (GS) has filed papers with the SEC for the right to launch a new ETF tied to the price of natural gas. The new iShares Goldman Sachs Commodity Natural Gas Indexed Trust will track the performance of a fully collateralized investment in natural gas futures, as traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange [NYMEX: NG]. Like most commodity index funds, the fund will be tied to the value of a rolling futures account, with one NG contract replace the next from month-to-month.

The fund will charge 89 basis points in expenses, although that will be offset by interest income expected to ring the register at more than 5 percent. It will list on the New York Stock Exchange, but has not yet been assigned a ticker.

The prospectus is available here.

The ETF won’t be for the faint of heart. As the prospectus warns, the price of natural gas has been “extremely volatile over the past few years.” Moreover, the NG market has historically traded in contango, meaning that the price of out-dated contracts is higher than the price of near-term products. As a result, investors effectively lose money on every trade.

Interestingly, that’s not the case right now: As of January 25, the February NG contract at the NYMEX brought $7.315, while March earned $7.301 and April fetched 7.174. That’s not a rip-roaring backwardation, but for investors used to suffering through the hell of contango, it’s something!

Still, the performance of the index has been nothing to write home about: while the index topped 119 in early 2001, it has since been literally decimated, falling to just 10.28 at the start of this year. The culprit is contango and falling natural gas prices, spurred in part by the reliable domestic supply and in part by weather trends. But prices can jump around enormously – it’s not that uncommon for prices to move as much as 10 percent in a single day, depending on weather forecasts, supply difficulties, etc.

CERFing For Profits
Like other iShares commodity funds, the natural gas ETF will achieve its exposure through CERFS – long-term options that exist solely for the purpose of supporting ETFs. CERFs trade on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, although – as yet – the natural gas CERF has not yet made its debut. The CERFs track the price of the underlying index, so while you don’t have to “roll” the CERF, they effectively capture the roll yield of the basic, NYMEX-traded NG contract.

So far, this novel structure has worked well for BGI, lowering trading costs and possibly improving the tax efficiency of the funds. But there’s always a risk that a full-blown market in the CERFs won’t develop, and that liquidity will be too thin to support the ETF.

Opening The Market
It will be nice for investors to be able to tap into the price of natural gas. Natural gas accounts for almost a quarter of U.S. energy consumption, and the existence of both natural gas and oil ETFs will create interesting cross-trades, as investors look at different ways to value a British Thermal Unit [BTU] of energy.

Of course, BGI isn’t the only company moving into the natural gas space. In November, Revere Data and the International Securities Exchange (ISE) teamed up to launch a new natural gas index tracking the value of companies involved in the natural gas space (see here). The ISE benchmark, which has an unusual quantitative screen designed to select stocks for outperformance, can be accessed through futures and structured products.

Free Seeking Alpha Email Alerts

update. big week coming

2007-01-14T14:33:00.000-06:00

watch the caribbean cartel that I have been telling you about.. this is not the first time VZ has nationalized.. look back to the 70's to see the near future.. luck all. wish I could do more but just not able now. keep a weather eye on the money.. follow the money trail. I think you can google photos of the stock exchange in cayman.. grand cayman that is. bye. J

SWN, BWP. some one likes NG shipping

2006-12-16T16:58:00.000-06:00

I know this isn't much gang but it is the best I can do due to my health. hope it helps some of you.
FRO divi up nice
PCU copper divi nears ten
RDC should surprise on q4 06 and q1 07 earnings leading to a bit of PPS gain.

Southwestern Energy unit inks Boardwalk Pipeline agreement
By Ruth Mantell
Last Update: 3:12 PM ET Dec 15, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Southwestern Energy Co. (SWN : Southwestern Energy Company
News , chart, profile, more
Last: 39.00-0.44-1.12%

4:08pm 12/15/2006

SWN
39.00, -0.44, -1.1%) on Friday said its Energy Services unit has signed a precedent agreement to contract for gas transportation services on two newly-proposed pipeline laterals and related facilities of Boardwalk Pipeline Partners LP's (BWP : boardwalk pipeline partners ut ltd partner

BWP
30.17, +0.09, +0.3%) Texas Gas Transmission LLC unit. Southwestern Energy Services will be a "Foundation Shipper" for the project, and will use the proposed laterals and related facilities to deliver gas volumes produced from Southwestern's operations in its Fayetteville Shale play in central Arkansas.

not much

2006-11-26T21:00:00.000-06:00

Can you imagine anyone even thinking of going to indonesia in the next couple of years with all this going on.. how dangerous can it get??? There are also many problems it seems in the Soloman Islands all the way to Komodo. where the dragons live. Dangerous times to travel that a way.

Death toll from Indonesia pipeline blast climbs Thu Nov 23, 10:31 PM ET

SIDOARJO, Indonesia Two more bodies were found on Friday near the scene of a gas pipeline explosion in Indonesia's East Java province which was linked to a devastating mudflow, pushing the death toll from the incident to 10.

"Rescuers found two more dead bodies this morning and we are currently preparing the identification and autopsy of those bodies," Sukamto Kasmuri, director of the main hospital in the East Java regency of Sidoarjo, told reporters.

The blast late on Wednesday, which disrupted gas operations in the region covered by state oil company Pertamina's East Java Gas Pipeline, occurred in the area where hot mud has been gushing unchecked from near the Banjar Panji exploratory gas well since the end of May following a drilling accident.

The pipeline was located underneath sand-and-gravel dykes made to contain the mud. The transmission pipe broke after land subsidence hiked the pressure, igniting some of the gas.

The mudflow has inundated several villages, dozens of factories and swathes of paddy and sugarcane field, causing an unfolding environmental disaster in Sidoarjo, an industrial suburb of Surabaya, Indonesia's second largest city and port.

With the discovery of the bodies, rescuers are searching for two more missing people officials said could have fallen into one of the pools of hot mud.

The dead and missing due to the blast were soldiers or site workers assigned to help contain the mud.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday ordered the total closure of the 440-hectare (1,090 acre) area affected by the mudflow, saying it was considered a dangerous area.

Local media reported soldiers would be stationed to block public entry to that area.

More than 10,000 people have been displaced so far by the mud, gushing at a rate of 50,000 cubic meters (1.75 million cubic feet) a day from the well.

The Banjar Panji well was operated by Indonesia's Lapindo Brantas, a unit of PT Energi Mega Persada, partly owned by the Bakrie Group, which is controlled by the family of Indonesia's chief social welfare minister Aburizal Bakrie.

The firm has denied the mud flow is directly linked to the drilling operation.
=======================================================

COLD WAR part Deux
russia is said to supply arms to iran. imagine that. now it heats back up to the nuclear option.
====================================================

Rowan Companies energy conference presentation

The presentation will be broadcast live via the internet at http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/bas/energy06/id48212367.cfm. You may also listen by accessing Rowan's website at www.rowancompanies.com. You should connect to the above link or our website prior to the conference call to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be needed to hear the presentation. A replay of the presentation will be available shortly after the conclusion of the presentation through our website.
=================================================
according to an article i just read in the caribbean news there is concern that boats with snorkelers are leaving harbour in rough seas. This is not good for those tourists and visitors per what some of the caymanians are stating in the article.. you can google the danger of this with terms like
cliodhna mcgowan articles
bad weather boat trip concerns georgetown grand cayman
or the easiest is just to google up

Cayman Compass online and read the link there that is LOCAL NEWS
also
Caribbean Net News. another online paper.. just click the link for Cayman Islands on the left side of the main page and read the Local problems.

I believe the article i read was from the Cayman Compass online newspaper for grand cayman. check it out if you or your friends are planning a trip there in the near future. There may be info on the hazards or at least a copy of the liability waivers on some of the sites connected with diving in cayman. a couple you could check would be the CathyChurch web site or maybe the Sunset House hotel website as they are very connected to Sunset Divers of Grand cayman. Hope this helps and saves you any bad experiences. We each do our part to help each other out. luck all.

==========================================
i also read a similar article on the docking woes for the cruise ships in cayman. It seems the rough winds and seas have forced many passengers to have to disembark at Spotts dock on the south side of the island.
There is a long discussion on the transport problems getting from there to
Georgetown and the taxi problems and the discomfort passengers endure to make the transition. take a quick peek if you are interested. You can find info on this in the Cayman Compass online paper or maybe in the Caribbean Net news which is also free and online. Just read a few of the top local stories to see the effect this is having on tourism.
It is probably also having a financial impact on local businesses in and around Georgetown Grand Cayman. Might be a good time to see Fl since there was such a wonderful season there this year.
=======================================================

lots of news today.

2006-11-23T21:54:00.000-06:00

Crude prices fall as US inventories increase
Posted: 24 November 2006 0441 hrs
A trader in the crude oil futures pit yells out during trading at the New York Mercantile Exchange in New York.

NEW YORK : Oil prices sank after data showed a sharp rise in US stockpiles in the past week, muting the impact of OPEC output cuts and weather-based supply disruptions in Louisiana and Alaska.

New York light sweet crude contracts for January delivery fell 93 cents to 59.24 dollars a barrel after gaining over a dollar on Tuesday.

In London Brent North Sea crude contracts for January delivery lost 90 cents to settle at 59.49 dollars a barrel.

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said crude oil stocks rose by 5.1 million barrels last week to total 341.1 million - well above average levels and above market expectations.

"Traders were stunned by such a jump in crude oil," said Phil Flynn at Alaron Trading.
EXcerpted from Channel NEWSASIA

========================================================
SO MUCH NEWS. GOOGLE OR ASK OR YAHOO SEARCH FOR THE FULL STORIES.. THERE IS JUST NOT ENUFF ROOM FOR IT ALL.

FROM THE GLOBE AND MAIL.

TORIES SPEECH FOR A BETTER CANADA AND A LOWER DEBT

Shell Canada to spend $4-billion in 2007(1) Company hikes planned investments by 48% from last year; $2.45-billion will go towards the oil sands 4:02 PM (1)

Western Oil Sands triples spending plan for 2007(3)
=====================================================

thanksgiving holiday news you might miss. Excerpted Various sources

NPR
November 20, 2006 · Equity Office Properties Trust, the largest owner of office space in the United States after the federal government, is being sold to the private equity firm the Blackstone Group. Robert Siegel talks with NPR's Jim Zarroli about a flurry of corporate mergers and acquisitions announced Monday.
=====================================================

November 21, 2006 · The IRS says it's collecting more money from tax cheats. Last tax year, it collected a record $48.7 billion from enforcement actions. The agency says it has also increased the number of audits it conducts, including audits of wealthy taxpayers.===============================================

Alcoa Cuts Jobs, Sells Plants
Morning Edition, November 22, 2006 · The aluminum maker Alcoa plans to layoff about 6,700 employees worldwide over the coming year. The cuts are part of a restructuring effort the Pittsburgh-based company hopes will increase profits. Alcoa is also selling three plants and entering into a joint-venture with a Norwegian metals company.
======================================================

EPA Moves Toward Nanotechnology Regulations
by John Nielsen and Michele Norris
All Things Considered, November 23, 2006 · The Environmental Protection Agency is stepping into the burgeoning field of nanotechnology.
Some household cleaning products now employ nanotechnology such as microscopic pieces of silver that could end up in the water supply. The EPA now says such products must first have approval.
Nanotechnology is a booming field, and some say federal regulation is long overdue.
=======================================================

November 23, 2006 · A series of bombings and mortar attacks in Baghdad's Sadr City left at least 130 Iraqis dead and more than 200 others wounded.
The day's violence included an assault on Iraq's Health Ministry, which is controlled by supporters of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
After nightfall, the Iraqi government declared a total curfew in Baghdad until further notice.
=====================================================

The Rocky Mountain News
My ole pal Longarm, the denver lawman would not recognize the place.

Denver area nears foreclosure record
John Rebchook, Rocky Mountain News
November 22, 2006
Almost 16,000 real estate foreclosures have been filed in the Denver area in the first 10 months of the year, 30 percent more than during the same period last year.
And by the end of this month, an 18-year record will be eclipsed, with more homes being lost to lenders than ever before.
"I think that will have to happen," said Mary Wenke, Arapahoe County's public trustee. "There's no sign of them letting up. If they dip for a couple of days, they come right back."
However, while the record 17,122 foreclosures will be topped by the end of November, a smaller percentage of total mortgages will be in default because of population growth and a higher home ownership rate than in 1988.
------------------------------------------------------------
Continuum in control
Developments circle Denver area, with total value over $3.5 billion
John Rebchook, Rocky Mountain News
November 22, 2006
The $1 billion redevelopment of the Denver Union Station is not the only major project that Continuum Partners has on its plate.
Next year, the company also will kick off mixed-use developments at Interstate 25 and East Belleview Avenue and at the former Denver Seminary, now called Kent Place, at South University Boulevard and East Hampden Avenue in Englewood.
In addition, its $850 million Belmar - Lakewood's downtown - is well on its way, and it is nearing the final stages of its $220 million Bradburn project in Westminster.
Together, the developments, including a downtown office building Continuum sold for $60 million, exceed $3.5 billion in value, rivaling the estimated $4 billion redevelopment at Stapleton.
==========================================

November 23, 2006
ECONOMY
Rise in jobless claims higher than expected
Considerably more newly laid-off workers signed up for unemployment benefits last week, although the figures suggest the job market remains stable even as a housing slump afflicts the economy.
The Labor Department reported Wednesday that new applications filed for the work week ending Nov. 18 rose by a seasonally adjusted 12,000, to 321,000.
The increase was bigger than many economists were expecting. They were forecasting new claims to clock in at about 310,000.
==============================================

CATTLE RUSTLING
Roger Fillion, Rocky Mountain News
November 23, 2006
BRUSH - With cattle rustling staging a comeback in Texas, Kansas and elsewhere, Eldon Crowder wants to ensure it doesn't become a big problem in Colorado.
He's among 60 state brand inspectors scattered across Colorado. It's a state law-enforcement job with roots dating to the 1860s, in what was Colorado Territory. And it's a job that hasn't changed much over the years.
Cattle industry officials say the recording of livestock brands for proof of ownership has kept a lid on cattle rustling in Colorado vs. states where brand laws are less strict.
===============================================

TELEGRAPH DOT UK DOT COM PAPER ONLINE

Aussie outrage at Qantas bid
By Nick Squires in Sydney
Last Updated: 3:13am GMT 23/11/2006
Shares in Qantas surged 15pc after the Australian national carrier announced it had received a takeover bid from private equity groups Macquarie Bank and Texas Pacific Group.
The offer immediately provoked outcry over the selling of an "iconic" national asset as well as trenchant resistance from some government MPs and unions, who fear job losses.
"The approach is confidential and incomplete and is being investigated by Qantas," the company said in a brief statement to the Australian Stock Exchange before the markets opened.
The move by Macquarie, Australia's biggest investment bank, and Texas Pacific, a US buyout firm, sent Qantas shares soaring to A$5.25 soon after the stock commenced trading this morning.
========================================================

A round-up of headlines from across the financial sectors, provided by Bloomberg News.

Energy

• Cairn Energy, which is planning India's second-largest initial share sale, sold a stake worth 37bn rupees (£433m) to Petronas and other investors, raising the value of the IPO by almost a fifth.

• European energy prices will rise if Russia delays Royal Dutch Shell's Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project, said Chris Finlayson, head of Shell's Russian operations.

• Granby Oil & Gas, which has operations in the North Sea and the Philippines, widened its loss in the first half on higher exploration costs.

Industrials

• WS Atkins, Britain's biggest engineering-design company, said first-half earnings were crimped by project delays at a joint venture that is modernising the Tube network. The stock fell as much as 5pc.

• VT, a builder of warships and provider of training for the armed forces, signed a contract with Greenwich Council to help improve schools.

• Chemring, whose missile-avoidance equipment is used by military aircraft in Iraq, said it will meet analysts' estimates for the full year after a strong performance in the second half.

Mining

• Ambrian Capital, a London-based investment bank involved in natural resources, agreed to merge mining assets with Palladex, a metals exploration company.

• Nickel rose to its highest in at least 19 years in London after a report showed stockpiles may decline, reducing supply of the metal used in stainless steel.

Markets

• The FTSE 100 Index fell 20.30, or 0.3pc, to 6140.00. The FTSE 250 lost 22.50, or 0.2pc, to 10,665.20 and the FTSE 350 fell 10.00, or 0.3pc, to 3213.80.

• Exchanges in Japan and the US were closed because of public holidays.
====================================================

Modern-day Robins take over the hood for $4,000 giveaway
By Alex Massie in Washington
Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 21/11/2006
Three Englishmen took over a New York park to distribute thousands of dollars of "free" money to passers-by.
The self-styled "modern day Robin Hoods" said their ploy was designed to highlight a lack of common courtesy in the modern world. They also wanted to remind New Yorkers that "it feels good to give".
A film of the jape, posted to youtube.com, had been watched nearly 100,000 times by yesterday evening.
====================================================
Johnnie Walker Blue Label, described by its makers Diageo as the rarest Scotch whisky in the world, sells for £165 a bottle in specialist shops and department stores or between £35 and £50 a shot in bars
======================================================
Rich expats face 13 years of tax bills
Millionaires based overseas who frequently visit Britain could face tax bills going back up to 13 years, as a result of a new court ruling.
=======================================================
International savers should already be reaping the benefit of the quarter point rise in the Bank of England base rate last month.

If not, customers should think of moving their money elsewhere.

Bank of Scotland International reacted early by boosting its instant access account rate from 4.25 per cent to 4.5 per cent. The Yorkshire Guernsey and the Skipton passed on the rate rises in late August. The Yorkshire now pays a top rate of 4.95 per cent while Skipton pays 5pc on deposits over £250,000.

standard Bank now pays 4.9 per cent on its 90-day notice account on a minimum £10,000 deposit, while the Portman in Guernsey pays 5.1 per cent on its instant access account, where the minimum balance is only £5,000.

Northern Rock (Guernsey), which makes the best buy tables with its internet accounts, raised its rates by only 0.15 of a percentage point on average
==================================================
Icelandic invaders take the market by storm
Landsbanki has taken the offshore market by storm.
08 Nov 2006

Dollar returns fail to track Federal rate
Shop around to get the best rate in the US dollar offshore savings market.
======================================================

THE PALM BEACH TIMES FLORIDA
Indian diamond cos wary as US customer goes bankrupt
MUMBAI: Some of the Indian diamond houses could find their money stuck in the US, as one of the largest importers of Indian cut and polished diamonds, Fabrikant & Sons has filed for bankruptcy...
======================================================
Why Am I Eating This?
A binge is a message--stop and listen to it.
Prevention Weight Loss
======================================================

From the Dailymail dot co dot uk
can this chocolate bar beat PMS for the lady readers.
Can this chocolate bar really beat PMT?
A new chocolate bar designed to relieve the symptoms of PMT (pre-menstrual tension) means women can indulge their tastebuds without guilt. FEMAIL asked four writers to put it to the test
The Women's Wonder Bar contains rose oil to sooth frayed nerves and is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, said to reduce stomach cramps and headaches.
=============================================

HIGHLIGHTS FROM TRADEARABIA DOT COM

Qatar, Korea in LNG deal
Posted: Thursday, November 23, 2006
Qatar will export 2.1 million tonnes a year of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to South Korea under a strategic energy co-operation deal reached earlier this year, Qatar News Agency said in a report.

SGI Altix computer installed at Adco
Posted: Thursday, November 23, 2006
New ground is being broken with the installation of the largest and fastest single image computer in the Middle East at the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Cooperation (Adco).

Shell decision praised
Posted: Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Algeria, keen to prevent foreign oil firms poaching staff from state energy firm Sonatrach, has praised a decision by Royal Dutch Shell not to hire Sonatrach employees and urged others to follow suit.

Saudi expands gas search
Posted: Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Saudi Arabia plans to expand its gas exploration programme to add 50 trillion cubic feet of non-associated gas reserves by 2016 but will have to compile adequate data before considering a new concession round.

New Hydrolink facility opens in Jebel Ali
Posted: Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Hydrolink FZE yesterday opened its new corporate headquarters and logistics, engineering, assembly and development (Lead) facility at Jebel Ali.

Iraq leaders still wrangling over oil law
Posted: Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Senior Iraqi officials will resume negotiations to try to resolve a dispute over a bill intended to encourage foreign investment in the oil and gas industry, the government's economy chief said.

Aramco to buy Sinopec plant stake
Posted: Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Sinopec plans to sell a 25 per cent stake in an east Chinese refinery to Saudi Aramco, state media said.

PDO enters 5-year deal with HP
Posted: Tuesday, November 21, 2006
HP Middle East today announced a new deal with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) to exclusively provide the company with full HP products and services for the next five years.

Kuwait to raise gas output
Posted: Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Kuwait hopes to reach natural gas output of up to 1 billion cubic feet per day by 2015, the head of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) said.

Saudi seeks private investment in refining
Posted: Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Saudi Arabia will seek private investments in its refining sector, an official of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said.

Azzam Shalabi from the ministry was speaking after unveiling National Industrial Cluster Development Program (NICDP) at the Saudi Energy Forum yesterday in Dammam.

Aramco eyes plans for capacity rise
Posted: Monday, November 20, 2006
Saudi Aramco is evaluating projects to boost crude oil production capacity beyond a target of 12.5 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2009, a senior Aramco official said.

Oil market oversupplied, says UAE
Posted: Monday, November 20, 2006
The UAE oil minister said the world oil market was a bit oversupplied but refused to say if he believed Opec would cut output when the cartel's oil ministers meet in December.

Jizan refinery for private sector
Posted: Monday, November 20, 2006
Saudi Arabia's third grassroots oil refinery in Jizan will have a capacity of between 250,000 and 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) and will be owned by private firms, an oil ministry adviser said.

ABB Lummus signs Iran deal
Posted: Sunday, November 19, 2006
A consortium including ABB Lummus signed a 400-million-euro ($512-million) contract with Iran's state-owned oil company to expand a refinery in the south of the country, the Oil Ministry said.
=========================================================

CANADA from the CNW GROUP website

Orient Overseas (International) Limited to Sell Terminals Division for US$2.4 Billion
HONG KONG, Nov. 23 /CNW/ -- Orient Overseas (International) Limited
(OOIL) - HKEx: 316 - today announced the sale of its Terminals Division to
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board ("OTPP") for US$2,350 million in cash for
100% of the share capital of the Terminals Division. Additionally, OTPP will
assume approximately US$60 million of net debt. The consideration was
determined after conducting an open bidding process. UBS acted as the sole
financial adviser to OOIL on the transaction. The transaction is subject to
OOIL shareholders and regulatory approvals, and is expected to be completed by
the end of the first quarter of 2007.
----------------------------

canada telecom that could not make the trust cut
BCE to redeem $1.050 billion of long-term debt prior to maturity
MONTREAL, Québec, Nov. 23 /CNW Telbec/ - BCE Inc. ("BCE") today announced
that it will redeem, prior to maturity, $1.050 billion of outstanding
long-term debt. This is in keeping with the decision, announced on February 1,
2006, to dedicate approximately $1 billion from the proceeds of non-core asset
sales to debt reduction.
BCE will redeem on December 28, 2006 all of its outstanding 6.75% Series
B Notes due October 30, 2007 in the principal amount of $1.050 billion at a
price equal to $1,017.210 per $1,000 of Notes plus $10.911 for accrued and
unpaid interest to the date of redemption.
BCE will send to the registered holders of its Series B Notes a notice
providing the details of the redemption including where to present their notes
for payment.
---------------------------------------------

==========================================================

WIRED NEWS

Big Brother Is Listening
Wired News Blog.. A Dutch town installs street mikes that use acoustic-recognition tech to listen for signs of aggression in the human voices passing by, then alert authorities if things get out of hand. Simmer down, shouters. In Listening Post. Nov 22, 2006 | 7:25 AM
=================================================

Bioterror Detectors Get Sensitive
A national lab is developing lunch-box-size pathogen sniffers that can spot anything from anthrax to a nasty flu. By Luke O'Brien. Nov 21, 2006 | 2:00 AM
===================================================

USA TODAY

Earthquake with at least 4.5 magnitude hits Hawaii's Big Island
Posted 11/23/2006 6:54 PM ET
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) — An earthquake with a magnitude of at least 4.5 struck off the northwest coast of the Big Island on Thursday in the same area where two stronger temblors struck last month.
The quake, centered about 11 miles northwest of Puuanahulu, shook homes on the Big Island, Maui and Oahu, but it did not produce a tsunami threat, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
The U.S. Geological Survey estimated its magnitude at 5.0; the Tsunami Warning Center estimated it at 4.5.
========================================================

Court upholds fraud conviction of Cendant's former vice chairman
Posted 11/22/2006 4:07 PM ET
By Greg Farrell, USA TODAY
It won't be a particularly festive Thanksgiving at the home of Kirk Shelton, the former vice chairman of Cendant who was convicted almost two years ago of directing a massive fraud at his company.
An appeals court upheld his conviction Wednesday, meaning that Shelton — who has been free since his conviction in January 2005 — probably will have to report to prison to serve a 10-year sentence within weeks.
That's not Shelton's only problem. Prosecutors filed a civil action against him last week, alleging that over an 8-year period, he fraudulently transferred more than $37 million in assets to family members and straw companies controlled by friends. On top of that, he owes $22 million to his former employers for pre-payment of legal fees.
=========================================================

Dell stock jumps after solid earnings report
Updated 11/22/2006 5:32 PM ET
By Michelle Kessler, USA TODAY
SAN FRANCISCO — Investors boosted shares of Dell (DELL) more than 9% Wednesday after the company reported better-than-expected profit Tuesday in a delayed, preliminary third-quarter report that could change depending on the results of an ongoing government investigation into the company's accounting.
Shares rose $2.31, or 9.3%, to close Wednesday at $27.13 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
========================================================

Coffee shops make own holiday tradition
Updated 11/22/2006 6:35 PM ET
Enlarge By Mark Lennihan, AP
Jim Donald, president and CEO of Starbucks, shows off the company's holiday coffee cup.
The Associated Press
Mistletoe ... jingle bells ... Eggnog Latte! Limited-time only coffee drinks are increasingly becoming a holiday tradition, as more coffee shops offer the specialized treats to frazzled holiday shoppers.
Coffee chain Starbucks (SBUX), along with its signature red holiday coffee cup, has been rolling out its Eggnog Latte in early November for 21 years, and has more recently introduced Peppermint Mochas and Gingerbread Lattes. It also serves holiday snacks including Cranberry Bliss Bars and Gingerbread Loaf Cake.
==========================================================

DID YOU ALL KNOW BUTTERBALL WAS BOUGHT OUT. HMMM.
Sale of Butterball turkey business not expected to change Thanksgiving icon Updated 11/21/2006 1:56 PM ET
TALKING TURKEY
1-800-BUTTERBALL
(1-800-288-8372
Butterball: www.butterball.com
National Turkey Federation: www.eatturkey.com
By Steve Hartsoe, Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. — When it comes time to talk turkey, generations of Thanksgiving chefs — confused, stressed and downright helpless in the face of their big, frozen bird — have turned to Butterball's Turkey Talk-Line for help.
This year isn't any different. At least, that's what Keith Shoemaker wants you to think.

"They better not notice anything different," said Shoemaker, president and chief executive officer of Butterball LLC. "I told the staff I want this to be absolutely, positively seamless for the customer for the holiday period. I don't want them to think that anything's happened."

But for Butterball, which sold its first turkey in 1954, a lot has happened since last Thanksgiving. ConAgra Foods (CAG), the Omaha-based leader in packaged foods, sold the iconic brand and its turkey business to privately held Carolina Turkey in October for $325 million. Carolina, once the nation's fourth-largest turkey producer, suddenly was No. 1, with 20% of the market.
=====================================================
AND NOW TO CLOSE ON A LIGHTER NOTE.
NPR
'Forbes' Counts the Wealth of Fictional Characters
November 22, 2006 · Forbes magazine has calculated what it says would be the wealth of fictional characters if they were real. Near the top of the list is the Simpsons' character C. Montgomery Burns at an estimated $17 billion. Just ahead of Burns, at No. 1 on the list, is Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks from Annie.
========================================================

oil, ng, copper

2006-11-20T08:12:00.000-06:00

three point one trillion in MandA activity. 50 billion today alone.
freeport takes over phelps-dodge for a thirty percent premium.
big day outside the energy market.
have a great day all.
JADORN

watch oil and ng prices.. it's a fake. LA california hot. houston warming up. there may not be global warming but there is not a lot of snow to generate hydro power yet from reservoirs.

CUP is a copper stock that we follow from time to time. like today for instance.

breaking missle neews

2006-11-19T06:50:00.000-06:00

breaking news excerpt
India test-fires nuclear-capable missile By ARCHANA MISHRA, Associated Press Writer
1 minute ago
BHUBANESHWAR, India - India on Sunday successfully test-fired a medium-range nuclear-capable missile with a range of up to 300 kilometers (180 miles), a defense ministry official said.

The Prithvi missile was fired into the Bay of Bengal from the test range in Chandipur in the eastern state of Orissa, the official said on condition of anonymity as he is not allowed to reveal his identity under ministry rules.

India's Prithvi test comes three days after rival Pakistan carried out a similar test of its nuclear-capable Ghauri missile, also known as the Hatf 5.

Sunday's test was "routine" and "part of the country's air defense exercises," Press Trust of India news agency quoted an unnamed official as saying.
====================================================

Industry Top Performers
Intraday Price Performance % Change Market Cap
INFINITY ENERGY RES [IFNY] +5.71% $107.2 M
PRECISION DRILL TRST [PDS] +3.98% $4.8 B
GRANT PRIDECO INC [GRP] +2.53% $2.9 B
LONE STAR TECH INC [LSS] +1.88% $1.2 B
DAWSON GEOPHYSICAL [DWSN] +1.32% $152.3 M
More Top Intraday Price Performers...
=====================================================

Major Integrated Oil & Gas News
Chevron and USA Petroleum Terminate Retail Gasoline Station Deal
Fri 5:00 pm ET (PR Newswire)
Chevron U.S.A. Inc. and USA Petroleum Corp. today announced the termination of their agreement for the sale of 122 USA Petroleum retail gasoline stations located in California, to Chevron.
• International Fuel Technology Featured in ``The KonLin Letter'' - (Business Wire)
• Buyer Beware: Oil Stocks Headed for a Correction - (SeekingAlpha
====================================================

AP
Russia Signs Key Trade Deal With U.S.
Sunday November 19, 3:58 am ET
By Alex Nicholson, AP Business Writer
Russia Signs Key Trade Deal With U.S., Paving Way to WTO Membership

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) -- Russia and the United States signed a key trade agreement Sunday, removing the last major obstacle in Moscow's 13-year journey to join the World Trade Organization.
The deal, inked on the sidelines of a gathering of Pacific Rim economies, is a powerful vote of confidence in Russia -- the largest economy still outside the 149-member WTO -- and signals its integration into the global trading system.

====================================================

Water warning leaves Vancouver high and dry
Fri Nov 17, 3:06 PM ET
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - More than two million residents on Canada's Pacific coast puzzled on Friday over a warning they might normally associate with the Third World: don't drink the water.
=======================================================

personal update. had a cardiac event this week. not posting much . please enjoy the tidbits i did find.. quakes increasing and getting closer to the surface.. generally more reactive.

Region: RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN
Geographic coordinates: 28.598N, 129.893E
Magnitude: 5.9 Mw
Depth: 17 km
Universal Time (UTC): 17 Nov 2006 18:03:12
Time near the Epicenter: 18 Nov 2006 03:03:12
Local time in your area: 17 Nov 2006 18:03:12

Location with respect to nearby cities:
340 km (211 miles) S (191 degrees) of Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan
348 km (216 miles) NE (39 degrees) of Naha, Okinawa, Japan
400 km (248 miles) SSW (202 degrees) of Miyazaki, Kyushu, Japan
1026 km (637 miles) SSE (164 degrees) of SEOUL, South Korea
=======================================

canadian royalty trusts finally rebounding. ENT has regained a bit.
especially since I sold some. arghhh. life, ya know.
=========================================

OMAN IMPLEMENTS HISTORIC CHANGE TO PRICING OF CRUDE OIL

Muscat, Oman: 14th November, 2006 – The Sultanate of Oman’s Ministry of Oil and Gas (MOG) and the Dubai Mercantile Exchange Limited (DME) today announced that Oman will adopt forward pricing of its crude oil based on the daily settlement price of the DME’s Oman Crude Oil Futures Contract, due to start trading on launch of the Exchange. The DME, is a joint venture between the New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) and Tatweer, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dubai Holding.

The ground-breaking decision to abandon its current practice of retroactively pricing the Sultanate’s crude oil is further evidence of the Oman Government’s continuing support for price transparency.

The pricing decision will be welcomed widely by the industry and follows extensive market consultation by the joint Oman – DME working group that was instrumental in developing the Oman Crude Oil Futures Contract earlier this year. The working group consists of senior professionals from Oman’s MOG, Ministry of Finance, Petroleum Development of Oman, the New York Mercantile Exchange Inc. (NYMEX) and the DME. The working group met in Oman last week with the MOG and with DME’s senior management to discuss the Exchange’s progress, the working group’s findings and Oman’s crude oil pricing methodology.

Making the announcement, H.E.[Dr. Mohammed Hamed Al Rumhy, Minister of Oil & Gas, Oman] said: “We believe this is one of the most significant developments in the Middle Eastern oil market for years, addresses industry needs, and is entirely appropriate given Oman’s role in pricing the region’s crude oil.

“By pricing Oman’s crude oil directly off the Oman Crude Oil settlement price when it starts trading on the new Exchange, we are giving a resounding and unequivocal demonstration of our commitment to the DME’s long-term success.

“Of course MOG will be closely monitoring price discovery to ensure that the contract is trading in a robust manner reflecting fair market value for Oman Crude Oil. The Ministry will support the Dubai Mercantile Exchange by using it as the pricing methodology for Oman oil so long as it performs well and guarantees fair prices that match those of the global markets.”

Ahmad Sharaf, Chairman of the DME commented: “The Sultanate of Oman’s historic decision has a profound significance not just for the DME but the entire region and industry. It springs from the valuable and long-standing relationship between Oman and Dubai. Coupled with the regional and industry expertise of Tatweer and NYMEX, Oman’s commitment will be a major factor in the successful launch of a world class energy futures exchange in Dubai.”

He added: “Since we announced the creation of the Oman Crude Oil Futures Contract earlier this year, we have continued to work closely with our partners in Oman and consulted widely within the industry. Some observed that our prospects of success would be greatly enhanced by a change to Oman’s pricing policy. So we are naturally delighted by this development.”

Gary King, Chief Executive Officer of the DME, added: “This latest milestone in the complex and challenging process of creating the Middle East’s first energy futures exchange gives us renewed confidence in the success of the DME.

“We continue to make great progress on construction and fitting out of the Exchange’s facility in Dubai, have chosen a world-class technology platform, created a unique membership structure, engaged in the regulatory approval process with the Dubai Financial Services Authority, developed the world’s first Middle East crude oil futures contract and last but not least, secured the support of a major producing nation.

“All our efforts are now focused on working with the DME’s partners to bring these many different elements together.”
The establishment of an exchange inside the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the associated clearing and settlement services to be provided by the NYMEX Clearinghouse are subject to regulatory approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the licensing of the DME as an Authorised Market Institution (AMI) to operate as an exchange.
================================================

commercializing space.. check this out.. too funny.
Cosmonaut to tee up for monster orbital golf shot By Irene Klotz
Sat Nov 18, 5:49 PM ET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Never mind that he has played golf only twice in his life. Next week the Russian flight engineer aboard the International Space Station will hit a drive that even Tiger Woods couldn't match.
Cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin plans to begin a spacewalk set for Wednesday evening by knocking a lightweight golf ball off a tee placed on the top of the Russian docking port.
"I play ice hockey and my understanding is that it is very similar," Tyurin said in an interview during which he discussed the stunt, part of the Russian space agency's quest for commercial contributions.

Club maker Element 21 Golf Co. of Toronto is paying the Russians an undisclosed amount for Tyurin's time, which included plenty of practice swings aboard the space station.
==================================================

Soylent green is getting closer every day my friends.
Group urges China to detail transplants
1 hour, 14 minutes ago
BEIJING - A human rights group urged China on Sunday to disclose details surrounding the removal of body organs from executed prisoners for transplants, after health officials recently acknowledged the practice.
===================================================
The Cathy Church Photo Group from GeorgeTown Grand Cayman is planning a trip to the area of the pacific rim of fire.. God Help Them each and every one. I believe it is to tonga but you can check it on the cathychurch dot com website. here is the link.
www.cathychurch.com
it is curious that they do not even use a .ky address for their cayman business. guess they prefer US addresses like new york also.
2 earthquakes hit Indonesia's Aceh
Sat Nov 18, 10:36 PM ET
JAKARTA, Indonesia - Two moderate earthquakes within two minutes on Saturday rocked Aceh on the northwestern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island, prompting panicked residents to flee their homes.
=========================================================

tonga and energy and guns. not in that order

2006-11-17T04:42:00.000-06:00

Energy prices across the board dropped on Thursday after the first climb

in U.S. natural-gas supplies in three weeks. Oil hit a 17-month low.
However, oil futures were up slightly in electronic trading Friday. The

December contract, due to expire later, rose 14 cents to $56.40 a barrel.
==================================

Israel developing anti-militant "bionic hornet"
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel is using nanotechnology to try to create a

robot no bigger than a hornet that would be able to chase, photograph

and kill its targets, an Israeli newspaper reported on Friday.
=====================================

Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. said Thursday it will enter the shotgun

market next year when it unveils two new shotgun lines at a January

trade show.
In a statement, President and Chief Executive Michael F. Golden said a

2004 study told the company consumers supported the company's entry

into the $350 million shotgun market.

At the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in January, Smith &

Wesson plans to unveil its Elite Series and 1000 Series of shotguns.

"By partnering with seasoned veterans and securing dedicated facilities

in Turkey that have been built entirely for our use, we are entering the

market with new products very quickly, with a high degree of quality, and

with no investment of capital," Golden said.

The company is also considering entering the hunting-rifle market,

Golden said.

Shares added 56 cents, or 4 percent, to $12.85 in afternoon trading on

the Nasdaq

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=SWHC&t=5d&c=
===================================

For those digging and hauling their way through the commodity boom,

"naked" and "barefoot" are anything but sexy.
The terms refer to monster trucks without tires - a painful sight to

companies scrambling to keep pace with soaring demand in the energy,

mining and construction industries.
For small-time miners, trucks idled on bare axles are losing money by the

minute, forcing them to curtail operations during an historic surge in

metals prices worldwide.
Meanwhile, the tires themselves have become red-hot commodities,

fetching tens of thousands of dollars apiece -- even for retreads, in some

cases - and creating huge headaches for companies struggling to get their

over-sized equipment rolling on the job site.
But Michelin, Bridgestone and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. GT simply

don't have the capacity to build the tires fast enough.
Demand from open pit mines, heavy construction and the U.S. military

campaign in the Middle East all came together in 2004, creating what

Goodyear called "a triple whammy." It's been a problem ever since.
As in many corners of old industry, adjustments don't come overnight.

And making these tires, which can stand as high as 15 feet, weigh nearly

4 tons and cost $40,000 each, is time-consuming and expensive.
A typical car tire can be cured in less than an hour while one of these

huge tires might take a full day to cure.
Still, tire makers are taking at least some steps to boost supply
====================================
TOKYO (Reuters) - Hardly any Japanese felt the earthquake in the distant

north Pacific this week, but anyone watching television saw a tsunami

warning almost instantly and thousands evacuated to higher ground

within minutes.
======================================

JESSE HARLAN ALDERMAN, Associated Press Writer
Thu Nov 16, 5:26 PM ET

GREENLEAF, Idaho - After seeing the chaos of Hurricane Katrina, a city

councilor in this tiny Idaho town founded by pacifist Quakers came up

with a novel idea.

Ordinance 208, passed by the City Council on Tuesday, asks Greenleaf's

862 residents who do not object on religious or other grounds to keep a

gun at home in case they are overrun by refugees from disasters like

Katrina.

"This is not an 'it'll never happen here kind of thing,'" said Steven Jett,

the ordinance's sponsor. "We could get refugees."

In this town about 35 miles west of Boise near the Oregon line — where

an estimated 80 percent of the adults already own guns — the proposal

hardly caused a stir: It went through weeks of public hearings and drew

only mild criticism from the pastor of the town's Quaker meeting house.

But in the six weeks since Jett first introduced the ordinance, national

media have flocked to the story.

Jay Leno ribbed Greenleaf in his monologue. Comedy Central's "The Daily

Show" telephoned, no doubt to exploit Idaho's reputation as wild

woodland where mountain men shop for groceries with a rifle slung over

a camouflage jacket.
=======================================

LONDON (Reuters) - Two elderly women whose pictures were plastered

across newspapers Thursday after they were caught on camera stealing a

bag at a railway station have turned themselves in.

Police said the women admitted the offence and have received an official

caution in a case variously dubbed the "Grey Train Robbery" and "Gran

Larceny."

The women contacted police after the case received blanket media

coverage under headlines such as "Nans on the Run" and "Artful

Codgers."

A security camera image released by police showed two silver-haired

women, in their 60s or 70s, wearing knee-length skirts, white blouses

and overcoats at Sunderland station.
=========================

I WOULD CERTAINLY NOT TAKE OR EVEN PLAN A TRIP TO

TONGA ANYTIME SOON.. I HEAR THAT THERE MAY BE A CAYMAN

PHOTO COMPANY TRIP HEADED TO THE AREA.. HMMMMMM.
NUKU'ALOFA (Reuters) - The death toll from violent riots in the Tongan

capital rose to eight on Friday as the government asked Australia and

New Zealand to send forces to protect the airport and boost security.

Good Luck and happy work all.

not mjuch tonight

2006-11-16T19:00:00.000-06:00

sold a few PDS, JDO,ENT.
i am back out of the hospital and cuperating now.
luck all

jeaux

coal and JDO.

2006-11-14T22:43:00.000-06:00

luck all

BEIJING (MarketWatch) -- Anglo American PLC's (AAL.LN) coal mining unit, Anglo Coal, is planning to invest $4 billion in a joint-venture coal mine project in China, Anglo American's Chairman Mark Moody-Stuart said Wednesday.
==============================================

here be some news and the stock popped sixty two cents.. what a market.

Press Release Source: JED Oil Inc.

CORRECTING and REPLACING JED Oil Inc. Announces Management Changes
Tuesday November 14, 5:27 pm ET

CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The third sentence of the first graf should read: James Rundell has been named President (sted: James Rundell has been named.).
The corrected release reads as follows:

JED OIL INC. ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT CHANGES

JED Oil Inc. (AMEX: JDO - News; "JED" or the "Company") today announced a comprehensive change to its business plan. As part of this refocus, JED's Board of Directors have today accepted the resignations of President, Al Williams, and CFO, David Ho. James Rundell has been named President. Mr. Rundell has been involved in JED since its inception and served as JED's Drilling Manager since June, 2005. He has over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry mostly with respect to drilling. The Company is searching for a new CFO.

Other plans include further staff layoffs, sale of JED's interest in a company airplane, reduction in office space, relocation of its offices to less expensive space, and reducing the need for or finding lower cost alternatives for third party services. All alternatives to sustain and develop the Company's resources and maximize shareholder value will be explored. "By reducing staff and other expenses and operating with a small, core group of dedicated and hard-working employees, we can increase efficiency and return to a low cost mode and turn JED into a significant oil and gas enterprise," said CEO Tom Jacobsen. "We will diligently manage and optimize our existing assets and maintain all the required disclosure and regulatory filings in a timely and accurate manner while searching for additional opportunities to enhance the value of our Company."

"JED's Board of Directors has every confidence that Tom is the right person to lead JED's recovery effort," stated Reg Greenslade, who remains non-executive Chairman of the Board.

Conference Call

JED Oil will host a conference call on Wednesday, November 15 at 11:00 am Eastern Time/9:00 am Mountain Time, to discuss the third quarter results, recent corporate news and the outlook for the Company. Interested parties may participate in the call by dialing 706-679-0879. Please call in 10 minutes before the conference is scheduled to begin and ask for the JED Oil conference call. After opening remarks, there will be a question and answer period. This conference call will be webcast live over the Internet on the homepage of the Company's website at www.jedoil.com. To listen to the live call, please go to JED Oil's website at least 15 minutes early to register, and if necessary, download and install any audio software. If you are unable to listen live, the conference call will be archived and can be accessed for approximately 90 days. We suggest listeners use Microsoft Explorer as their browser.

About JED

Established in September 2003, JED Oil Inc. is an oil and natural gas company that commenced operations in the second quarter of 2004 and develops and operates oil and natural gas properties principally in western Canada and the United States.

------------
JED OIL conference call tomorrow.. wed that is.. luck.

Press Release Source: JED Oil Inc.

JED Oil Inc. Announces Third Quarter Financial Results
Tuesday November 14, 8:40 am ET
(unless otherwise noted, amounts expressed are in U.S. Dollars)

CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JED Oil Inc. (AMEX: JDO - News) today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2006.
Third Quarter 2006 Compared to Third Quarter 2005

Average production increased 131% to 1,757 boe/d from 759 boe/d;
Revenue rose 115% to approximately $7.1 million from approximately $3.3 million;
Funds from operations increased 98% to approximately $2.9 million from approximately $1.5 million.
Non-cash writedown of Canadian assets of approximately $45 million mainly due to low natural gas price on September 30.
Non-cash writedown of U.S. assets of approximately $16 million related to recent drilling in the Pinedale area.
The Canadian assets were written down for several reasons. First, the Company's reserves were estimated using the Company's September 2006 natural gas price of CDN $4.64/mcf. During the same month, AECO spot price, a standard industry index price, reached a four year low closing at CDN $3.73/mcf on September 29, 2006. The reduced natural gas price resulted in a significant reduction in the value of the Company's proved reserves on September 30, 2006 and constituted the majority of the non-cash Canadian asset writedown. Second, as previously announced, JED completed a property swap transaction on September 28, 2006. As part of the swap, JED exchanged working interests in mature Alberta oil fields for additional working interest in Ferrier, a natural gas field with liquids production, longer reserve life and drilling prospects. As a result, JED's proven reserves after the transactions were more weighted towards natural gas and subject to evaluation at the reduced natural gas price of CDN $4.64/mcf in September. It should be noted that on November 3, 2006, AECO spot price settled at CDN $7.51/mcf. North American natural gas prices continue to experience significant short term volatility. Third, JED's independent engineering firm reduced proven reserves assigned to downspaced locations in the Ferrier area due to an unusually lengthy regulatory approval process with the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board. JED is continuing to pursue the approval of its downspacing applications in conjunction with other producers in the area. Once the applications are approved, the proven reserves assigned to the subject locations will be reinstated. Fourth, since its inception, JED has been performing most of its drilling through farm-outs whereby JED paid 100% of the drilling, completion, and tie-in costs for 70% of the working interest. This practice normally results in higher depletion rates as JED pays a disproportionate share of the capital expenditures to earn rights to working interests as compared to what JED would pay in a traditional joint venture arrangement. When natural gas prices are depressed, companies that have substantial farm-out arrangements with partners are more susceptible to non-cash asset writedowns when performing the quarterly ceiling tests.

Once an asset writedown is recorded, the Company cannot reverse the non-cash writedown even if proved reserves subsequently increase in value. The US assets were written down in the current quarter mainly due to the lower than expected results from the drilling of the first two wells in the Pinedale area of Wyoming.

During the third quarter of 2006, the Company drilled 12 wells (6.9 net) with a 92% success rate. Eight (4.9 net) were drilled in Ferrier, two (0.9 net) were drilled in North Dakota and two (1.1 net) were drilled in Wyoming.

jadorn

russian ng

2006-11-13T21:31:00.000-06:00

sunday night.
Russian NG and LNG
there seems to be a bit of discussion on the financial message
boards about a russian NG shortage last winter. Blame is being
placed in a lot of areas for a lot of reasons.. the one i find blindingly
missing is that happened around the same time that NG piping was
curtailed to the Ukraine.. Let's see, oh yeah, it was cause NG was
being siphoned off without paying for it and it was selling too cheap.

a few of us are familiar with line pack and gas inflows to the system.
seems to me if you have a bit of theft unaccounted for and it is
causing erratic pressures on the transport system.. that could lead to
a shortage at the output terminal.

or it could just be that all the gas in the ground is great but you still
need reliable adequate infrastructure to move it where you want it
to end up. Take a look at the BP pipeline news for Alaska and put a
bit of time in on what repairs and replacement is being done. I am going
to spend a bit of time on our communication with our northern
neighbors.

If anyone here is familiar with Rowan and Raging bull you might find it as odd as i did that no one seems to have posted on RB concerning
RDC since Oct 2005.. Time for Good ole rowe anne to get up to speed
on information transmission to places interested investors might happen
to be.

I am glad for all the little things in life. I hope you all are also.

Tonight i got to see the flickering flames in the fireplace for the second
time this season in mighty houston town. luck all.

Monday night.
well, that was one brief fire.. warming back to spring time temps in houston tonight.. less NG and electric usage all around this area.

JADORN

jeaux

russian NG

2006-11-13T21:18:00.000-06:00

russian NG an houston temps.

2006-11-13T21:15:00.000-06:00

Kewl Saturday Night

2006-11-11T20:33:00.000-06:00

Temp dropping as I type. down 23 degrees already today.. may drop to near 50 here in houston town.. BRRRRRRR...
Time to light the NG fireplace and pump up PDS and PTEN prices..
luck all
Let's Make A Little Money
JADORN

LIFE

2006-11-10T21:32:00.000-06:00

the market goes up
the market goes down
the wheel of life
goes round and round

have a great weekend.

Let's Make A Little Money
masterjeaux 5.1

Egypt / CHINA reach nuclear agreement

2006-11-09T17:26:00.000-06:00

87 lovely degrees in houston tx today and AC's running wide open.
===============================================

Norway, Iceland, Australia, Ireland and Sweden rank as the best five countries to live in but Africa's quality of life has plummeted because of AIDS, said a U.N. report released on Thursday.

The United States was ranked in eighth place, after Canada and Japan, in the report that rates not only per-capita income but also educational levels, health care and life expectancy in measuring a nation's well-being.

The Human Development Index, prepared by the U.N. Development Program, has been issued annually since 1990 and includes every country for which statistics are available.

Unsurprisingly, the countries at the top of the list are high income nations as people in richer countries tend to be healthier and have more educational opportunities.
================================================

Six hostages escaped Thursday from an oil facility where they had been held along with dozens of other people since armed men raided the Italian-run pumping station earlier this week, company officials said.
================================================

CAYMANIANS COULD DROWN. NOT A GREAT PLACE TO PUT DOWN ROOTS BASED ON THIS NEWS. just a thought. data via waYahoo.
Scientists say millions could flee rising seas By Daniel Wallis
1 hour, 12 minutes ago
====
read the bottom on coral. that is what made cayman famous.

Coral reefs that attract fish and protect coasts from storms and erosion are also threatened by acidity, and CO2 emissions meant they could all be dead by 2065, Rahmstorf said.

"Acidity is causing a major threat to coral reefs, on top of the bleaching effect that comes with warming," he said.

Reefs get bleached when warm water forces out tiny algae living in them, giving reefs nutrients and their vivid colors. Without algae, corals whiten and eventually die.
===
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Nations must make plans to help tens of millions of "sea level refugees" if climate change continues to ravage the world's oceans, German researchers said on Thursday.

Waters are rising and warming, increasing the destructive power of storms, they said, and seas are becoming more acidic, threatening to throw entire food chains into chaos.

"In the long run, sea level rises are going to be the most severe impact of global warming on human society," said Professor Stefan Rahmstorf, presenting a report by German scientists at a major United Nations climate change meeting.

Warming could melt ice sheets and raise water levels, and the report said nations should already be considering making a "managed retreat" from the most endangered areas, including low-lying island states, parts of Bangladesh or even the U.S. state of Florida.

A report by international scientists who advise the U.N. has predicted a sea level rise of up to 88 cm between 1990 and 2100.

The situation was worsened, the German team said on Thursday, by the increasing frequency of extreme storms whipped up by warming sea surface temperatures -- meaning many would flee coastal areas hit by hurricanes.

Many of the world's biggest cities, from Tokyo to Buenos Aires, are by the coast. Some rich nations might be able to build ever higher dikes, such as in the Netherlands, but poor nations were destined to be swamped.

The low-lying Pacific island nation of Tuvalu has already agreed a deal for New Zealand to take about half its 10,000 people to work in agriculture if it becomes swamped by rising sea levels.

HURRICANE ENERGY

Rahmstorf said their data did not conclusively prove warmer seas created more storms, but that there was a clear link between rising temperatures and hurricanes' power.

"Since 1980 we've seen a strong rise up to unprecedented levels of hurricane energy now in the Atlantic," he said.

Some 189 nations are meeting in Kenya to explore options for a global deal to combat climate change, with most focusing on cutting the amount of carbon dioxide pumped into the air by industry and modern lifestyles.

The report's authors, the German Advisory Council on Global Change, said about a third of that CO2 was being absorbed by the world's oceans, making them more acidic.

If not checked, it said, that would have profound effects on marine organisms -- hindering everything from tiny shrimps to lobsters from forming their calcite shells -- with disastrous results for ocean food chains, and on human communities depending on sea life to survive.

Coral reefs that attract fish and protect coasts from storms and erosion are also threatened by acidity, and CO2 emissions meant they could all be dead by 2065, Rahmstorf said.

"Acidity is causing a major threat to coral reefs, on top of the bleaching effect that comes with warming," he said.

Reefs get bleached when warm water forces out tiny algae living in them, giving reefs nutrients and their vivid colors. Without algae, corals whiten and eventually die.

AT LEAST IT WILL SURELY BE HARD TO PUT UP EIGHTEEN THOUSAND CAYMANIANS AND TWENTY TWO THOUSAND EXPATS. just a thought.
===========================================

COPPER thieves. on the rise.
The DTE Energy (DTE : DTE Energy Company (Holding Company)

DTE45.73, -0.35, -0.8%) unit on Nov. 1 posted a $1,000 award for information leading to the arrest of anyone who steals copper wire from the utility.
That day, a crew from the utility found a man lying dead next to a pole in Detroit, apparently having been electrocuted while attempting to cut live power wires, said a spokesman for the Detroit Police Department.
In the past month, the utility has dealt with about 100 copper thefts, mostly of wiring, Singer said, and they've cropped up in rural areas along Lake Huron as well as in the cities.
The risk for thieves is sizeable: Some of the utility's lines carry up to 13,000 volts, which can easily kill a person on contact, Singer said.
'Crime du jour'
Reports of copper thefts are rampant. Police departments from Seattle to Tempe, Ariz., to Council Bluffs, Iowa, say they've witnessed a rash of thefts this year.
"This is the crime du jour, the metals thefts," said Sgt. John Urquhart, a spokesman for the King County, Wash., sheriff's department. "For the last six months, we've really seen a resurgence."
'It's China that drives the scrap market.'
— Andrew Cole, Metal Bulletin Research
Last month, two cemeteries in the Seattle area reported thefts of up to 250 vases cast from brass and bronze -- both metal alloys that include copper -- that bereaved families had placed on gravestones, according to Urquhart. The sheriff's department arrested two men who were trying to sell such vases at local scrap yards, recovering about 125, he said.
The five-pound vases cost about $150 each when new. But they probably fetch just $5 or $6 at a scrap yard, Urquhart said.
==============================================

MEXICO CITY - Mexico City's assembly on Thursday voted for the first time in the country's history to legally recognize gay civil unions, proving homosexual couples in the country's largest city with benefits similar to those of married couples. The mayor was expected to sign the measure into law
================================================

BP Plc. reached an eleventh hour settlement Thursday with a woman who lost both parents in the Texas City-refinery blast last year, just days before the trial was set to begin in a Galveston, Texas courthouse.
The settlement brings to an end months of legal wrangling and saves the company the embarrassment of having its operational woes laid bare before the public.
Eva Rowe was suing the giant London-based oil company for the death of her parents, contract workers who were among the 15 people killed in a March 2005 explosion at the plant.
"We deeply regret that she had to go through this but we're very happy this has settled," said Sarah Howell, a BP spokeswoman. She declined to provide details of the settlement.
Rowe's lawsuit was the only one from the refinery accident not already settled out of court. The case was scheduled to begin on Monday.
BP agreed to donations of at least $32 million to schools and medical facilities, including $1 million for the school system in Hornbeck, where Linda Rowe was a teacher's aide, according to published reports. Another $12.5 million will go to the adult burn unit at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, where many victims were sent after the blast.
The blast, which occurred about 40 miles south of Houston, also injured 180 people and resulted in a fine of $21.3 million, the largest penalty ever in the U.S. for safety violations.
The company still faces over 100 suits from people who claim they were injured or sustained property damage in the blast, as well as federal investigations into work standards at the plant, Dow Jones Newswires reported
==========================================

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Dell Inc. , the world's second-largest personal computer maker, said on Wednesday it started selling machines with microchips from Intel Corp. that have four processing cores, delivering faster performance and better energy efficiency.
=============================================

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Nvidia Corp. unveiled a new computer graphics processor on Wednesday with more than double the power of its predecessor to improve video games and help the company's push into heavy-duty computing.
==============================================

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government and AT&T Inc , fighting against a lawsuit accusing the telephone operator of illegally allowing the government to monitor telephones and e-mails, won the right to argue for dismissal of the case before a U.S. Appeals Court on Tuesday.
================================================

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A stunning new death count emerged Thursday, as Iraq's health minister estimated 150,000 civilians have been killed in the war — about three times previously accepted estimates.
================================================

UN urges end to 'water apartheid'
By David Loyn
BBC Developing World correspondent

Water-borne diseases kill five times as many children as HIV/Aids

A new report from the United Nations Development Programme has demanded a big increase in spending to provide clean water.

The UNDP wants another $4bn (£2bn) a year spent, and says that water has not received the attention it deserves.

Water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea kill far more people than HIV/Aids and malaria combined, it said.

We sometimes lose sight of the sheer depth of inequality

Kevin Watkins, lead author, Human Development Report

And the difference is particularly stark for children: water-borne diseases kill five times as many children as HIV/Aids.

The report says that water is a key part of human development - and warns that, in particular, sub-Saharan Africa is lagging behind the rest of the world in the provision of basic services.

Rich unaffected

The report says that 2.4 billion people in the world do not have access to safe sanitation.

Some steps are simple and can have dramatic results - just putting in a safe standpipe can reduce mortality by 20%.

But Kevin Watkins, the report's author, says that the world needs to think on a much bigger scale than this.

He says a similar initiative is needed as that carried out 100 years ago in major European cities, including London, to provide water and sewage treatment.

Human Development Report 2006: Beyond scarcity [7.8MB]
Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader

Global climate efforts 'woeful'

Back then, diseases such as cholera, carried in dirty water, were affecting the rich as well as the poor.

In the modern world of what Mr Watkins calls "water apartheid", the rich do not suffer in the same way, and the incentives for government to act are less.

"You can't help wondering - if the children of the wealthy were suffering the same fate as the children of the poor regarding water and sanitation, if high income women were also walking four hours a day to collect water - whether something would have been done about it."

"I think something would have happened a long time ago."

Huge costs

The report finds that the big arguments about privatisation in recent years miss the point.

There have been some high-profile failures where western companies have not been able to deliver their promises in developing countries.

Some of the world's poorest are paying the most for their water

But slum dwellers in places including Nairobi in Kenya already pay for private water supplies, delivered by truck.

The amounts they pay are huge and this water is more expensive per litre than in London or New York.

The poorest people in Latin America can pay up to 10% of their household income for water.
================================================

CHINA/EGYPT NUKE DEAL
from the bbc london yesterday.

China says it has reached an agreement with the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, to co-operate on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
China's official news agency said the agreement had been confirmed at talks in Beijing on Tuesday between Mr Mubarak and President Hu Jintao.

No further details of the deal have been made public.

Egypt plans to revive its nuclear energy programme, frozen 20 years ago after the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

Russia has also said it is willing to help Egypt to develop a nuclear energy programme.

Following his talks in Moscow and Beijing, Mr Mubarak has moved on to Central Asia.

Egypt announced plans to revive the civilian nuclear power programme in September. A plant will be constructed at al-Dabaa, on the Mediterranean coast, within the next 10 years, it was announced.

Demand for electricity has been growing at an average rate of 7% a year and the country faces worsening shortages.

much news today

2006-11-09T05:35:00.000-06:00

If i want to know how the economy is really doing. I look at all the help wanted ads and signs in stores in the middle class neighborhoods near me. I watch the late night infomercials on how to get rich. Forex trading made easy with free workshops all over the country. Buy real estate with no money down. etc etc etc ad nauseum. I guess i slept thru it, but when did we stop saying illegal aliens and switch to undocumented workers?
========

I am very pleased with the three month chart on RIMM. now they have
options problems in canada. google the news. if you want. you might also look at the three month charts on FNM, FRE also.. wow.
================

Canadian Regulators Review Option Grants at Research In Motion
By Joe Schneider
Nov. 8 (Bloomberg) -- The Ontario Securities Commission, Canada's main stock market regulator, is examining Research In Motion Ltd.'s practice of awarding stock options, the first announced probe of its kind in Canada.

The OSC probe is ``independent'' of Research In Motion's internal review, David Surat, the OSC's senior legal counsel told a commission panel in Toronto yesterday. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is also reviewing the firm's options grants.

At least 167 companies in the U.S. are conducting internal probes or face federal investigations over the dating of options. Canadian companies may come under scrutiny because those with global operations face similar pressures as U.S. firms for compensating executives, said Mohammad Fadel, assistant professor of corporate and securities law at the University of Toronto.
=================================

news fayetteville shale for oct and nov.
10/23/2006 - Updated 4:30 PM ET

Southwestern Energy Provides Operational Update
Gross Production From Fayetteville Shale Rises to Approximately 70 MMcf/D; Company Increases 2006 Capital Investment Program By 11%; New Successful Pilots Extend Productive Area to the East

HOUSTON, Oct 23, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Southwestern Energy Company [SWN] today announced that gross production from the company's wells in the Fayetteville Shale has now reached approximately 70 MMcf per day, up from approximately 50 MMcf per day at August 1, 2006 and is expected to increase to approximately 100 MMcf per day by year-end. The company currently has 14 rigs working in the play area, up from 10 rigs at July 31, 2006, and plans to have 19 rigs running in the play by year-end.

"Several positive events have occurred in the Fayetteville Shale play during the third quarter," stated Harold M. Korell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwestern Energy. "We have proven up more of the acreage, successfully testing an additional four pilot areas, one of which extends our productive region by approximately six miles to the northeast. In addition, our horizontal wells continue to perform well."
===============================

11/08/2006 - Updated 4:21 PM ET
Parallel Petroleum Announces Operations Update and Third Quarter 2006 Production and Proved Reserves

MIDLAND, Texas, Nov 08, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Parallel Petroleum Corporation [PLLL] today announced its operations update and third quarter 2006 production and proved reserves.

Third Quarter 2006 Production

Parallel's net daily production for the third quarter ended September 30, 2006 averaged 6,689 equivalent barrels of oil (BOE) per day, an increase of 43% when compared to an average of 4,691 BOE per day during the third quarter ended September 30, 2005, and an increase of 4% when compared to an average of 6,432 BOE per day during the second quarter ended June 30, 2006. Since its August 9, 2006 operations update press release, the Company has completed an additional 36 gross (24.50 net) wells for the aggregate of initial daily test rates of approximately 2,471 BOE per day, net to Parallel. Due to the unstable nature of initial test data, and the natural decline rates associated with the Company's historical base production, management cautions investors not to combine initial test data with actual historical production for the purpose of estimating the Company's current net daily production or place undue reliance on initial test data.

As of October 31, 2006, the Company had 38 gross (18.86 net) wells in progress. Please refer to Tables 1, 2 and 3 below for quarterly comparison information pertaining to daily production and information related to "completed" well operations since January 1, 2006 and "work-in-progress" well operations as of October 31, 2006.
===================

via the globe and mail canada
Loonie gets a downgrade
TAVIA GRANT

Globe and Mail Update

The Canadian dollar is expected to slide next year as the U.S. economy slows and foreign investors lose interest in the wake of a recent decision to tax income trusts, JP Morgan predicted Wednesday.

Strategists at the bank expect the loonie to weaken to 82 cents (U.S.) next year from the current level of 88.48 cents. JP Morgan had previously thought the loonie would finish next year at 85 cents.

One factor behind the downgrade was the recent decision to tax income trusts, a move that will cause foreign interest in Canada's stock market to fade.

“While we do not expect foreign investors to necessarily liquidate current income trust holdings, we believe these tax changes will at least marginally weigh on foreign interest in Canadian securities looking ahead,” said Rebecca Patterson, global currency strategist, in a note.

The Canadian dollar had surged earlier this year, topping 91 cents (U.S.) to its highest level since January, 1978, amid rising energy prices and the prospect of mergers and acquisitions in Canada.

JP Morgan doesn't expect mergers to give a helping hand to the currency next year, however.

“Slower growth, at least over the last several years, has gone hand in hand with relatively less M&A activity,” Ms. Patterson said. “Energy prices, and especially oil prices, (will) also moderate in 2007 and would also argue against another unexpectedly strong M&A-inflow year for Canada.”
=================

Dubai
With Qatar already highly active in the LNG sector, the recent announcement by Dubai’s Techno Park and Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) that it is working with LNG Impel to develop a massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facility in the emirate signals the beginning of a new phase of dynamic growth in the region’s LNG sector.

“This project highlights Dubai’s determination to become the energy hub of the Middle East,” said Sarah Woodbridge, group director Eexhibitions, IIR Middle East - organisers of the Middle East Electricity Exhibition, which offers a unique, specific focus on the gas sector.

“It also clearly demonstrates the potential for alternative fuel sources, which are in great demand right across the Middle East and North Africa.”

The first of its kind anywhere in the world, Dubai’s LNG Storage Hub, which will be located at Techno Park in Dubai, is expected to have a total storage capacity ranging from 40 to 65 billion cubic feet (bcf), and will offer customers the ability to store, trade and plan supplies of LNG, in addition to providing services such as LNG loans and quality blending.

“Techno Park, with a central focus on oil, gas, energy, alternative energy and water desalination, is a highly exciting development for the region,” added Woodbridge.

“The Government of Dubai has firmly put its weight behind the successful implementation of innovative projects, aiming to greatly enhance and strengthen Dubai’s role in regional energy distribution.”

Dubai is ideally positioned to host this storage facility due to its strategic central location between the natural gas rich supply area of the Middle East and demand driven global markets.

Furthermore, Dubai’s business environment is highly advanced, as are its communication and travel infrastructures.

“The latest statistics suggest that the share of gas utilised in the Arab energy market will rise to 53.3 per cent by 2015, overtaking oil, which will decline to 42.8 per cent over the same period,” added Woodbridge.

“The Middle East, including Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has incredible reserves of natural gas - an overall total of 42 per cent of the world’s proven gas reserves. Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have the world’s second, third, fourth and fifth largest natural gas reserves, and it is estimated that the UAE’s will last for up to 170 years.”

The increased domestic consumption of electricity across the region as a whole, linked to ever growing demand for domestic hydrocarbons for power generation, petrochemicals and desalination are the driving forces behind the increased usage of natural gas - Saudi Arabia has prioritised increased natural gas production, aiming to triple its output to 15 billion cubic feet a day by 2009.

Growth in the domestic gas sector is also taking place in the domestic market, and in Abu Dhabi, consumption has doubled over the last decade to over 4 billion cubic feet a day.
=========================

Losses on ballot measures jolt religious
AP - Wed Nov 8, 4:40 PM ET
From the country's heartland, voters sent messages that altered America's culture wars and dismayed the religious right — defending abortion rights in South Dakota, endorsing stem cell research in Missouri, and, in a national first, rejecting a same-sex marriage ban in Arizona.
===================
Bush said Robert Gates, 63, who has served in a variety of national security jobs under six previous presidents, would be nominated to replace Rumsfeld. Gates, currently the president of Texas A&M University, is a Bush family friend and a member of an independent group studying the way ahead in Iraq.
============================

IEA backs nuclear power in climate change battle
Tue Nov 7, 11:04 AM ET
LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) - The International Energy Agency urged governments on Tuesday to build more nuclear plants to slow climate change and increase energy security, throwing its weight behind the push for atomic power
==============================

President's son buys $35m US home

President Obiang has ruled his country since 1979
An anti-graft pressure group has called for a probe into the alleged purchase of a luxury US beach house by the son of Equatorial Guinea's president.
Teodoro Nguema Obiang bought a $35m house in California's exclusive Malibu area in February, Global Witness says.

His pay as a minister is $60,000 a year. The country was named recently as one of the world's most corrupt.

Africa's third-biggest oil producer earns $3bn a year but most people live on just $1 a day.

Global Witness said it obtained the information on the purchase of the 16-acre property from public records available in Los Angeles.
========================

Saudi plans $30bn 'economic city'

Saudi Arabia is trying to diversify its economy
Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans to build an $30bn (£15.8bn) "economic city" in the impoverished Jizan region in the south of the country.
The city - 117 sq km in size - will feature a port, an aluminium smelter, a steel processing plant and a commercial business area as well as housing.

Revenue from oil will be partly used to fund the scheme - which is designed to reinvigorate the economy in the area.

A Malaysian conglomerate has won a tender to build much of the city.

MMC Group will work with the Saudi Binladin Group to develop and manage the site, 725km south of Jeddah on the Red Sea.

Diversify

During a visit to the area, King Abdullah said the project would create 500,000 jobs.

Some of the financing has been raised through a flotation of the scheme - with about 10 million subscribers buying more than $2bn worth of shares.

Other activities planned include a copper processing plant and the development of a fisheries industry.

It will be the fourth such economic city planned for Saudi Arabia as the country looks to diversify its economy and provide employment.
======================================

Panama wins new UN council seat
NOW THIS COULD BE GOOD FOR THE CANAL EXPANSION,
Panama will succeed Argentina on the council
Panama has been elected as a non-permanent of the United Security Council - ending weeks of deadlock.
Its candidacy received 164 votes in the 192-member UN General Assembly. It takes the two-year seat on 1 January.

The expected endorsement came after 47 rounds of voting failed to produce a winner between US-backed Guatemala and its Latin American opponent, Venezuela.

The US had opposed Venezuela's candidacy because of its strained relations with President Hugo Chavez.

Panama will now succeed Argentina on the 15-member Security Council.

Guatemala gathered more support in nearly all the previous rounds, but neither side was able to achieve the two-thirds majority needed.
===========================

Plan to create human-cow embryos
By Fergus Walsh
BBC News, Medical correspondent

The Newcastle team is pioneering stem cell work
UK scientists have applied for permission to create embryos by fusing human DNA with cow eggs.

Researchers from Newcastle University and Kings College, London, have asked the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for a three-year licence.

The hybrid human-bovine embryos would be used for stem cell research and would not be allowed to develop for more than a few days.

But critics say it is unethical and potentially dangerous.

Liberal Democrat MP Dr Evan Harris - a member of the Commons Science and Technology Select Committee - said: "If human benefit can be derived by perfecting therapeutic cloning techniques or from research into subsequently-derived stem cells, then it would actually be immoral to prevent it just because of a 'yuck' factor."
====================================

The birth of a quieter, greener plane
By Tim Bowler
Business reporter, BBC World Service

More and more of us fly every year. As we do so, the political pressure to act to curb greenhouse gas emissions from planes is rising.

Silent aircraft: How it works

Now a team of researchers in Britain and the US has come up with a revolutionary new aircraft design that could make a dramatic contribution to curbing climate change.

The SAX-40, which has been developed by the Cambridge-MIT Institute, is a radically different shape of aircraft.

Officially, it is what is known as a "blended wing". It has a tailless wedge-shaped body with two bat-wings.

The Silent Aircraft Initiative (SAI) team has succeeded in coming up with a radically quieter plane. Crucially, the SAX-40 is also 35% more fuel-efficient than any airliner currently flying.

The case for radical change is getting stronger

Prof Ann Dowling, SAI's UK team leader

Oil prices may no longer be the $78 a barrel they were a few months ago, but with high fuel costs likely to continue, fuel efficiency is a major factor in all airlines' calculations.

Yet none of this means the SAX-40 will necessarily be built. Ever since the Boeing 707 first flew in 1957 and ushered in the commercial jet age, airliners have changed very little in their basic appearance.
=================================

excerpted from the globe and mail canadian news

Murray Edwards hops aboard WestJet
Oil patch investor airline's 4th-largest shareholder
BRENT JANG

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

Calgary billionaire Murray Edwards has quietly bought enough WestJet Airlines Ltd. stock to become the carrier's fourth-largest individual shareholder.

Mr. Edwards has acquired more than two million WestJet shares, including purchases made after the stock drifted toward 52-week lows this past spring, according to industry sources familiar with his trades.

The oil baron served on the board of Calgary-based Canadian Airlines International Ltd. from May, 1998, until it was acquired in early 2000 by Montreal-based Air Canada.

His term as a CAI director coincided with its fight against Air Canada's takeover bid. CAI directors expressed disappointment in the fall of 1999, after Onex Corp. chief executive officer Gerald Schwartz withdrew his plan to acquire Air Canada and merge it with CAI. In the end, CAI's board reluctantly endorsed a takeover offer presented by Air Canada boss Robert Milton.

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Mr. Edwards, 46, is emerging as a key shareholder in Calgary-based WestJet as the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan reduces its long-time stake. Teachers sold 30 per cent of its WestJet shares, held since the airline was founded in 1996, for a $63.4-million profit. The pension fund's divestment began in May.

a mixed bag today. drillers rocked.

2006-11-08T18:17:00.000-06:00

TWO Significant quake for Port Moresby Papua New Guinea
A 6.3 at only 10KM depth is a biggie. will update as I find
more info. three hundred miles from Port Moresby but that
is still very close for one this strong.

Region: NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
Geographic coordinates: 6.466S, 151.124E
Magnitude: 6.3 Mb
Depth: 10 km
Universal Time (UTC): 7 Nov 2006 17:38:34
Time near the Epicenter: 8 Nov 2006 03:38:34
Local time in your area: 7 Nov 2006 17:38:34

Location with respect to nearby cities:
178 km (110 miles) E (98 degrees) of Kandrian, New Britain, PNG
276 km (172 miles) SSW (205 degrees) of Rabaul, New Britain, PNG
340 km (211 miles) NNW (329 degrees) of Kulumadau, Woodlark Island, PNG
457 km (284 miles) E (86 degrees) of Lae, New Guinea, PNG
546 km (339 miles) NE (53 degrees) of PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea
----------------
Quake Two
6.5 (Strong)
Date-Time Tuesday, November 7, 2006 at 17:38:33 (UTC)
= Coordinated Universal Time
Wednesday, November 8, 2006 at 3:38:33 AM
= local time at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location 6.440°S, 151.137°E
Depth 10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program
Region NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Distances 145 km (90 miles) SE of Kimbe, New Britain, PNG
180 km (110 miles) E of Kandrian, New Britain, PNG
550 km (340 miles) NE of PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea
2340 km (1450 miles) N of BRISBANE, Queensland, Australia

Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 7.2 km (4.5 miles); depth fixed by location program
Parameters Nst=180, Nph=180, Dmin=>999 km, Rmss=1.1 sec, Gp= 25°,
M-type=moment magnitude (Mw), Version=Q
Source USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
----==============

No ally here for the US.. first chavz nor ortega. hmmm

Nicaragua's former Marxist guerrilla leader Daniel Ortega bounced back to power on Tuesday in a presidential election victory that bolsters an increasingly assertive anti-U.S. bloc in Latin America.
Ortega won with 38 percent of the vote, 9 points ahead of his Washington-backed conservative rival Eduardo Montealegre.

Ortega, who seized power in a popular 1979 revolution and fought U.S.-backed Contra rebels as president in the 1980s, was conciliatory in victory but the White House warned its support for Nicaragua would hinge on his commitment to democracy. snipped for length. full article can be googled.
================
excerpted for just a teaser.. bad news for americans, canadians etc and the brits also..
Grand Cayman working to phase out foreign workers in favor of local labour.
The Ritz–Carlton, Grand Cayman is carrying out three human resources programmes designed to both directly and indirectly help achieve the hotel’s ambitious goal of doubling its percentage of Caymanian employees over the next two years.
A press release from the resort explains, “The programmes range from recruiting young Caymanians who are new to the hospitality industry to mentoring and developing Caymanian ladies and gentlemen employed at the resort to providing advanced instruction to university students who represent the future of Cayman’s tourist industry and potential leaders for The Ritz–Carlton, Grand Cayman.”
=================

Drilling rig in Erie surprises neighbors
Homeowners feeling effects of regional oil, gas boom
Matt McClain © News

A 100-foot drilling tower lights up the landscape in downtown Erie as dusk fades Monday. Erie sits on the southwest corner of the Wattenberg Field, which lies north of Denver and has more than 14,000 wells. The number of drilling permits issued has risen steadily the past few years.
By Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News
November 7, 2006
It's a constant hum. Like a clothes dryer. Only louder.
It wakes up Tina Halverson and her 14-year-old daughter several times a night. The drone emanates from a 100-foot-tall drilling rig, two blocks from the Halversons' home in Erie, as it digs through layers of rock and earth to reach pockets of oil and gas.

"It's a little annoying," said Halverson, who, like her neighbors, was surprised when the rig appeared two weeks earlier. "It would have been nice if we had gotten a notification from the city, telling us about the drilling and how long (the rig) will be here."

The Halversons moved into their new home in Erie Commons, a master-planned community, in April. Single-family homes are priced between $263,000 and $310,000, depending on the size. About 100 homes have been sold in the 770-unit project.

Residents and business owners were informed that they don't own the oil and gas under their homes and buildings, but they didn't expect a driller to put up a rig on a plot just south of downtown at the corner of Austin Avenue and Mason Street.

"I'm surprised the rig's in the middle of town," said Lee Carter, manager of Lui's Chinese Restaurant in downtown Erie.

Located roughly 25 miles north of Denver, Erie is experiencing the ramifications of the state's energy boom on homeowners - an issue the Western Slope, especially Rifle, Silt and Parachute, long has dealt with.

The rise in energy prices has prompted companies to invest millions of dollars to explore and develop oil and gas wells in the state's rich reserves in the past five years, often in populated areas.

Erie is on the southwest corner of the Wattenberg Field, which lies north of Denver and has more than 14,000 wells. Going by statistics, it could see thousands more.

From January through Oct. 10, oil and gas companies received 4,463 permits to drill in the state, reports the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. At that pace, the companies will have an estimated 5,760 permits this year - 32 percent higher 2005.

And 2005 saw a record 4,363 permits, which was nearly 50 percent higher than the year before.

Garfield County led with 1,398 permits, followed by Weld County with 1,063 permits and Yuma County with 576 permits.

Denver-based EnCana Oil & Gas says it worked with city officials, home builders and developers before it began drilling in Erie. The company is directionally drilling two wells from an existing well pad to reduce the footprint on the surface land.

Spokeswoman Wendy Wiedenbeck said EnCana anticipates more drilling activity in the area and those details would be made available in the company's 2007 budget plan.

"It took us well over a year," Wiedenbeck said, referring to the permitting process. "For our process in 2007, we will host open houses to inform residents of our plan in the area."

Phil Irwin manages the 35-acre property where EnCana has its rig. The property is owned by Erie Commercial LLC although EnCana has the mineral rights underneath - a case of split estate. In Colorado, mineral ownership rights supersede surface ownership rights.

Erie Commercial plans to use the property for an office-plus-retail development next summer. By then, Irwin believes the rig will have done its job and left.

"In five years, this area will become a major part of town and I am not sure (drilling) will be as easily looked over as it is right now," Irwin said.

"Right now, there are not as many residents here, not as many businesses here, and so (EnCana) is trying to get ahead of the curve and get this thing drilled."
=========
time to eat crow.. i had Ezm at two trades for a nice gain. last buy was 2.40 sold at 3.06 and i should have kept it for the merge with LIN.TO.. symbol now is LMC for the two companies together.. ah well, it may still be time to buy and hold a bit of LMC if you like metals. base that is.
=================

luck
JADORN
jeaux

galveston texas wind farm

2006-11-07T15:45:00.000-06:00

Company Plans Large Wind Plant Offshore of Galveston, Texas
Galveston-Offshore Wind, LLC is planning to build a 150-megawatt wind power plant about seven miles off the coast of Galveston Island, Texas. The Texas General Land Office (GLO) announced on October 24th that the company, a division of Wind Energy Systems Technology, LLC, has signed a lease agreement for an 11,355-acre area in the Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has given the company its approval to build two meteorological test towers in the lease area, and construction of those towers will begin immediately. The wind power project depends on good wind resources, as indicated by the test towers, as well as state and federal approvals. See the GLO press release (PDF 215 KB) and the GLO Web page for the project, which features maps, video, and other information.
The proposed Long Island and Massachusetts facilities will employ GE's 3.6-megawatt wind turbine
The GLO claims the Texas project could be the first offshore wind plant in the nation, but proposed wind projects off the coasts of Massachusetts and Long Island have a head start. Cape Wind LLC and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) proposed those projects and filed permit applications with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Corps has prepared a draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Massachusetts project. See the Cape Wind and LIPA Web sites and the Corps of Engineers Web pages for the Cape Wind and LIPA projects.
To help move ahead on offshore wind power, DOE recently teamed up with the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) and GE to establish a framework for offshore wind power development. The resulting report proposes forming a national coalition to address responsible development of U.S. offshore wind resources. Meanwhile, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 has shifted the lead authority for such offshore renewable energy projects to the Minerals Management Service (MMS), part of the U.S. Department of Interior. MMS has created a Web page and is required to issue new regulations by May 2006. See the MTC and MMS press releases and the new MMS Renewable Energy and Alternate Uses Web page.
=====================

wind energy, quakes, NG investments. luck all

2006-11-07T10:27:00.000-06:00

PVR holders. alert.
Penn Virginia GP Holdings LP, which has equity interests in coal and natural gas company Penn Virginia Resource Partners LP (PVR.N filed with U.S. regulators on Monday to sell up to 6 million common units for $19 to $21 each in an initial public offering.

Underwriters, expected to be led by Lehman Brothers and UBS Investment Bank, have the option to buy an additional 900,000 units to cover over-allotments, according to the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The company has been approved for a New York Stock Exchange listing under the symbol "PVG" (PVG.N

Georgetown Grand Cayman hammered again this a.m. by inclement weather. looks via the camera as if all the tourists stayed on the ships. So Sad.. just another economic hit to the islands.

TXU opened today at 57.16
as usual it seems i bought one day early.

more shakes and quakes. deep and medium. no prob for mines in chile with it this deep.. luckily. hehe.
Region: ANTOFAGASTA, CHILE
Geographic coordinates: 21.727S, 68.258W
Magnitude: 5.6 Mb
Depth: 125 km
Universal Time (UTC): 7 Nov 2006 13:25:36
Time near the Epicenter: 7 Nov 2006 10:25:36
Local time in your area: 7 Nov 2006 13:25:36

Location with respect to nearby cities:
110 km (68 miles) NE (39 degrees) of Calama, Chile
254 km (158 miles) SE (131 degrees) of Iquique, Chile
307 km (191 miles) NE (46 degrees) of Antofagasta, Chile
1148 km (714 miles) WNW (288 degrees) of ASUNCION, Paraguay-------
==========================

ENERGY investors might be interested in this internet list of TeXAS wind farms and proposed project. both are long lists..

Wind Energy Development
Existing Project or Area Owner Date Online MW Power Purchaser/
User Turbine

Nichols Station Southwest Public Service 1992 0.3 Southwest Public Service Carter

(1)
1. Culberson County Oct 1995 35.0 Lower Colorado River Authority Kenetech
(112)

1. Culberson County
WEW Article American Nat. Wind Power/ Orion Energy June 1999 30.0 Reliant Energy HL&P/ LCRA Zond
(40)

Big Spring I
Howard County York Research April 1999 27.72 TXU Electric & Gas Vestas V-47
(42)

Big Spring II
Howard County York Research June 1999 6.6 TXU Electric & Gas / York Vestas

(4)
Southwest Mesa Wind Farm, Crockett County Cielo Wind Power May 1999 74.9 American Electric Power NEG Micon (107)
Project Info

Hueco Mountain Wind Ranch,

El Paso County Cielo Wind Power Mar 2001
1.32 El Paso Electric Vestas V-47 (2)

King Mountain Wind Ranch FPL Energy July - Dec 2001 278.2 Texas-New Mexico Power Co. / Reliant Energy / Austin Energy Bonus 1300 (214)

Woodward Mt. I & II, Pecos County FPL Energy Apr 2001 159.7 TXU
Electric & Gas Vestas V-47 (242)

Fort Stockton Big Wind LP Jul 2001 3.5 Texas - New Mexico Power
Trent Wind Farm (Nolan and Taylor Counties) American Electric Power (AEP) Aug 2001 150.0 TXU Enron 1500 (100)
Project Info
Pecos County

(Indian Mesa) National Wind Power Dec 2001 82.5 TXU (31.5MW), LCRA (48.5MW) Vestas V-47
(125)

Desert Sky Wind Farm (Pecos County) American Electric Power (AEP) Dec 2001 160.5 City Public Service of San Antonio Enron 1500 (107)
Project Info

Llano Estacado Wind Ranch at White Deer Shell Wind Energy Nov 2001 80.0 SW Public Service Mitsubishi 1000 (80)
Brazos Wind Ranch Cielo Wind Power 4th Q 2003 160 NA Mitsubishi 1000 (160)

Sweetwater Phase I DKRW, Babcock & Brown, and Catamount Energy Corp. 4th Q 2003 37.5 TXU GE Wind 1500 (25)

Callahan Divide Wind Energy Center, Taylor County FPL Energy 2005 114 GE Wind 1500 (76)

American Windmill Museum American Wind Power Center 2005 .66 American Windmill Museum Vestas 660 kW (1)

McKinney Wal-Mart Bergey Windpower 2005 0.05 McKinney Wal-Mart Bergey Windpower 50 kW (1)

Sweetwater Phase II DKRW, Babcock & Brown, and Catamount Energy Corp. 2005 91.5 Austin Energy GE Wind
1500 kW (61)

Sweetwater
Phase III DKRW Energy / Babcock & Brown / Catamount Energy 2005 135 City Public Service San Antonio, Austin Energy GE Energy 1.5 MW (90)
Buffalo Gap AES 2005 120.6 Direct Energy Vestas 1.8 MW (67)
3 Community Owned Projects Farmers cooperatives 2005 30 Suzlon 1.25 MW (24)
Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center FPL Energy 2005/2006 213 GE Energy 1.5 MW (142)
Horse Hollow II FPL Energy 2006 299 Siemens 2.3 MW (130)
Horse Hollow III FPL Energy 2006 223.5 GE Energy 1.5 MW (149)
Red Canyon FPL Energy 2006 84 GE Energy 1.5 MW (56)
JD Wind I DWS/John Deere Wind Energy 2006 10 Southwestern Public Service Suzlon 1.25-MW (8)
JD Wind II DWS/John Deere Wind Energy 2006 10 Southwestern Public Service Suzlon 1.25-MW (8)
JD Wind III DWS/John Deere Wind Energy 2006 10 Southwestern Public Service Suzlon 1.25-MW (8)

Proposed Wind Projects in Texas

Project Utility/Developer Location Status MW Cap On Line By /
Turbines
Wildorado Xcel Energy/Tierra Energy Oldham & Potter Counties NA 160 NA
Forest Creek Airtricity/RGI/TXU Wholesale Glasscock and Sterling Counties under construction 124.2 Siemens 2.3 MW (54)
JD Wind IV John Deere Credit/Distributed Wind Systems panhandle under construction 79.8 Suzlon 2.1-MW (38)
JD Wind V John Deere Credit/community wind Sherman County under construction 10 Suzlon 1.25 MW (8)
JD Wind VI John Deere Credit/community wind Sherman County under construction 10 Suzlon 1.25 MW (8)
Buffalo Gap, phase II AES/Direct Energy near Abilene under construction 232.5 GE Energy 1.5 MW (155)
Lone Star Horizon Wind Energy under construction 200
Sweetwater Phase IVa CPS San Antonio/Babcock & Brown and Catamount Energy Corp.
near Sweetwater under construction 135 Mitsubishi 1 MW (135)
Sweetwater Phase IVb CPS San Antonio/Babcock & Brown and Catamount Energy Corp. near Sweetwater under construction 105.8 Siemens 2.3 MW (46)

more shaking in PNG should stir up the volcanic action in the area as a wild guess.. makes it really rough on Coral, and all the divers who might have planned to go to the area this year or next even.
Region: EASTERN NEW GUINEA REG., P.N.G.
Geographic coordinates: 5.415S, 146.579E
Magnitude: 5.8 Mw
Depth: 112 km
Universal Time (UTC): 6 Nov 2006 20:56:49
Time near the Epicenter: 7 Nov 2006 06:56:49
Local time in your area: 6 Nov 2006 20:56:49

Location with respect to nearby cities:
85 km (53 miles) ESE (103 degrees) of Madang, New Guinea, PNG
148 km (92 miles) ENE (60 degrees) of Goroka, New Guinea, PNG
156 km (97 miles) NNW (343 degrees) of Lae, New Guinea, PNG
456 km (283 miles) N (351 degrees) of PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea

at least it was deep.. anyone want to guess on the election. market should be fairly stable till tomorrow.. get your buys and sells in order today or you will likely be toooo late tomorrow a.m.
luck to all

TXU and leading cause of death in Cayman

2006-11-06T23:19:00.000-06:00

TXU tanked today but with a three percent yield i had to buy a few shares for the long haul.
info on new coal fired power they are gonna add.
big share buyback also.

(TXU) plans to develop between 16 and 23 gigawatts of new coal-fired generation, primarily in Texas and the PJM Interconnection region, the company said Monday.

Offering more details of a major power plant buildout it announced earlier this year, the Dallas-based company said it intends to announce definitive plans before the end of the year to build 2 to 4 gigawatts of coal-fired generation in the PJM Interconnect. The PJM area includes most of the Mid-Atlantic states and parts of the Midwest and Southeast.

TXU also plans to develop 2.5 GW of generation for municipalities and cooperatives in other regions, and is in discussions with customers for an additional 7.5 GW of electric generating capacity outside Texas and the PJM area.

TXU announced plans in April to invest more than $10 billion in new power generation in Texas, including 11 coal-fired power plants in the state. The company has tentatively agreed to sell a 600 MW equity stake in one of the plants, the 1,600 MW Oak Grove facility, to local electrical cooperatives, TXU said Monday.

The company is finalizing an agreement to sell a 50% stake in one of the other new coal-fired plants, but did not identify the prospective investor or the electrical cooperatives that plan to buy the Oak Grove stake. TXU said it hopes to sign agreements to sell the equity stakes in the two plants by the first quarter of 2007. Power sales agreements for more than 680 MW of the new generation should also be finalized by then, according to the company.

TXU also said Monday that its new coal plants will be built to allow for the future installation of systems to capture and store carbon emissions, should such technology become available. The company said it is forming a $200 million energy venture fund to invest in clean power generation technologies and will contribute up to $50 million and solicit contributions from banks, investment providers and other investors.

Meanwhile, TXU said the outlook for its 2006 operational earnings remains between $5.50 and $5.75 a share, but lowered its 2007 earnings estimate to between $5.25 and $5.55. The new 2007 forecast compares with the company's previous estimate in May of about $5.75 a share.

The company said its estimated five-year compound annual growth rate for operational earnings per share is 8% to 10%. The growth rate is lower than that outlined in TXU's May business plan, largely due to changes in commodity prices, TXU said. The company cited declines in wholesale and retail power prices and increases in expected fuel costs.

It is also affected by ongoing investments and expected plant equity sell-downs.

TXU also said Monday that it has authorized the repurchase of up to 20 million shares through the end of 2007, and extended the expiration date of the remaining 3.4 million shares of the 2006 program to the end of 2007.

TXU shares were trading Monday afternoon about $6.50 or 10.3% down at $56.75
========================

Cayman Bar Owners now required by law to notify the police of any one they deem to be drunk. Takes the fun out of the nightlife in GEORGETOWN Grand Cayman.
Establishments licensed to sell alcohol that do not do everything in their power to prevent drunk driving have caught the attention of the Liquor Licensing Board and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Services.

Mr. Welds

Liquor Licensing Board Chairman Mitchell Welds said his board is very concerned about the increase in automobile accidents – especially fatal ones – this year. The RCIPS has said that alcohol has played a role in many of the accidents.

“It concerns me that these people who are drinking and driving have to be getting [alcohol] from somewhere,” he said.

The Liquor Licensing Law contains provisions that make it an offence for anyone to sell alcohol to someone who appears to be drunk.

In addition, the Law requires the licensee or agent of an establishment licensed to sell alcohol to ask any person who appears to be drunk to leave the premises, and to notify the police.

HIV/AIDS in Cayman. Georgetown Grand Cayman from the cayman compass paper.

According to the World Health Organisation, HIV/AIDS is now the leading cause of death among men between the ages of 15 and 44 years in the English–speaking Caribbean.

The Cayman Islands has one of the lowest rates of HIV/AIDS in the entire Caribbean region.
BUT rates in the whole region are among the highest in the world second only to Sub Saharan Africa.

Around 0.1 per cent of adult residents in Cayman have HIV/AIDS.

Of the 41 infected, 12 now have full–blown AIDS and the remaining 29 are asymptomatic. Asymptomatic HIV sufferers have the virus but haven’t yet developed the symptoms.

These and other local HIV/AIDS statistics were given by the Health Minister Mr. Anthony Eden during a Cabinet press briefing. They form part of a wider presentation given on AIDS data compiled by the Public Health Department of the Health Services Authority.

Cumulative HIV/AIDS statistics, collated annually by the department since the first locally recorded case in 1985, indicate that 77 residents had contracted the communicable disease.

The figures showed that 40 had gone on to develop full blown AIDS, 26 have died and 10 residents left the islands.

Mr. Eden said the term resident refers to Caymanians, spouses of Caymanians and legal residents.

He said all blood donors and blood units are screened for HIV.

Figures also show that between 1985 and 1990 adult HIV/AIDS rates were about 60 per cent male and 40 per cent female. The rate is now around 50 per cent male and 50 per cent female.

Mr. Eden said the transmission to infants was preventable by giving anti–retroviral drugs to HIV–positive–pregnant women.

The administering of such drugs is on a voluntary basis and he said his Ministry would review policy options regarding the practice following a question raised about upholding the rights of children to be born HIV free.

Mr. Eden said the Cayman AIDS Foundation and the Cayman Islands Red Cross had received CI$80,000 and CI$37,000 in the 2005/06 budget for health programmes.

Funds, used to support programmes for the prevention and control of the disease would continue through the 2006/07 budget.

Another plank in the government’s fight against HIV/AIDS is its policy of zero tolerance regarding “discriminatory action and stigmatization of HIV infected persons in the workplace.”

“Access to medical care and antiretroviral drugs are available to all HIV/AIDS clients. It is the government’s policy to ensure medical care to all persons (Caymanians and their spouses) who are HIV positive or suffering from AIDS,” he added.

Director of Public Health Dr. Kiran Kumar regionally and globally rates ranged from just below 1 per cent up to 3 per cent.

He said at 0.1 per cent Cayman’s rate is on par with that of the UK and among the lowest in the entire Caribbean.

According to the World Health Organisation, HIV/AIDS is now the leading cause of death among men between the ages of 15 and 44 years in the English–speaking Caribbean.

shake quake bikes etc

2006-11-06T03:37:00.000-06:00

More medium strength and shallow quakes for CA.

Region: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Geographic coordinates: 32.697N, 116.062W
Magnitude: 4.5 Ml
Depth: 8 km
Universal Time (UTC): 3 Nov 2006 15:56:43
Time near the Epicenter: 3 Nov 2006 07:56:43
Local time in your area: 3 Nov 2006 15:56:43

Location with respect to nearby cities:
8 km (5 miles) SW (232 degrees) of Ocotillo, CA
36 km (23 miles) WSW (253 degrees) of Seeley, CA
46 km (28 miles) ESE (108 degrees) of Pine Valley, CA
48 km (30 miles) WSW (258 degrees) of El Centro, CA
92 km (57 miles) ENE (78 degrees) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

The weather in Cayman really is rotten right now.. and for the next few days.
Day Forecast High | Low Winds Sea State
Sun 31°C | 24°C 87°F | 75°F Northeast 15 to 20 knots with higher gusts. Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet: 'Small craft should exercise caution over open waters.'
Mon 30°C | 24°C 86°F | 75°F East to northeast 15 to 20 knots. Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet: 'Small craft should exercise caution over open waters.'
You can always go to dub dot cayman27 dot com to see how good or bad the weather really is there.. satellite stream of all the storms there and in the caribbean this time of year..

Lones Star bike rally turns deadly. Lots of partying and lots of fun but there were fatalities right off the start.. Three bikers died in seperate accidents and put a pall over the festivities.. Prayers go out to their families. Please be careful on two wheels and four.

Unfortunately , Yahoo has not been able to restore the financial posts that were destroyed or lost from their financial message boards.. What a shame to see such major problems. May i suggest Investor Village as a much more reliable message board for folks who are invested in the market.. there are boards for almost any stock and they are willing and ABLE to add a board for your particular stock if there is interest to justify doing so.. I highly recommend the CWEI message board for a wide range of information tho it IS mostly OIL and Natural Gas related..

In case you missed the news. Saddam Hussein sentenced to death by hanging. this carries and automatic appeal from what i am reading.

just weekend financials

2006-11-04T19:01:00.000-06:00

Williams Coal Seam Gas Royalty Trust Announces Quarterly Cash Distribution
DALLAS, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Bank of America, N.A., as
trustee of Williams Coal Seam Gas Royalty Trust (NYSE: WTU), today
announced a quarterly cash distribution to the holders of its units of
beneficial interest of $0.282846 per unit, payable November 29, 2006 to
unitholders of record on November 14, 2006.
The Trust owns net profits interests in certain proved coal seam gas
properties owned by Williams Production Company (WPC) and located in the
San Juan Basin of northwestern New Mexico (the "Working Interest
Properties") and southwestern Colorado, including WPC's 35 percent net
profits interest in 5,348 gross acres in La Plata County, Colorado (the
"Farmout Properties"). The distribution per unit increased from $0.231941
to $0.282846 primarily as a result of an increase in gas prices from the
previous quarter and a higher amount of positive prior period adjustments.
WPC reported that production attributable to its gross interests in the
properties burdened by the Trust's net profits interests was 3.4 trillion
British thermal units (TBtu) during the period associated with this
quarterly cash distribution compared to 3.4 TBtu during the preceding
period. When prior period adjustments are excluded, production in the
current quarter was 3.35 TBtu compared to a similar 3.4 TBtu in the
preceding quarter. The net contract price per MMBtu for this quarter was
$2.36 per MMBtu as compared to $2.24 per MMBtu for previous quarter. WPC
also reported approximately 382 infill wells have been drilled and of
those, 342 wells are producing as of 9/30/2006, but are not yet in "pay"
status to the Trust. This will occur after payout has been reached which
had previously been expected in 2006 but now is expected in 2007 due to an
increase in the number of infill wells being drilled and reduced gas
prices.
WPC has informed the Trust that it expects to reach a settlement with
the MMS in 2006, regarding an audit issue covering time periods dating back
to the inception of the Trust. Accordingly, distributions to the Trust will
likely begin to be affected by withholding, as early as the first quarter
2007 distribution, an estimated $1.3 million recoupment on a quarterly
basis in 2007 and continue until the Trust's share (currently estimated to
be over $5 million) has been recovered. (See 10-Q for the quarterly period
ended June 30, 2006 - Contingencies).
The Trust is a grantor trust formed by The Williams Companies, Inc.,
parent company of WPC, and was designed to provide unitholders with
quarterly cash distributions and tax credits under Section 29 of the
Internal Revenue Code, which has expired as of 12/31/2002, from certain
coal seam gas properties. The units are listed on The New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol "WTU".
For more information on Williams Coal Seam Gas Royalty Trust, please
visit our website at http://www.wtu-williamscoalseamgastrust.com .

SOURCE Williams Coal Seam Gas Royalty Trust

---=============

Conference Call
RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- James River Coal
Company (Nasdaq: JRCC) will release its third quarter results for 2006
before the market opens on Wednesday, November 8, 2006. The Company will
hold its quarterly conference call and webcast on Wednesday, November 8,
2006 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
The conference call will be open to the public. The toll free number is
800-862-9098. International callers please use 785-424-1052. The conference
call can also be accessed via webcast on the James River Coal Company
website at http://www.jamesrivercoal.com. A replay of the conference call
will be available on our website beginning approximately one hour after the
call is complete, and can also be accessed at 888-203-1112. For
international callers a replay of the conference call can be accessed at
719-457-0820. The pass code is 4620006.
If you have any questions, please call James River Coal Company's
Investor Relations department at 804-780-3000.
James River Coal Company mines, processes and sells, steam- and
industrial-grade coal primarily to electric utility companies. Our mining
operations are managed through five operating subsidiaries located
throughout eastern Kentucky and one subsidiary in southern Indiana.

-----------------------------------
Dominion to Present at EEI 2006 Fall Financial Conference

This is the logo for Dominion (NYSE: D), the United States' largest fully integrated natural gas and electric power company. The company's major subsidiaries are Dominion Energy, Dominion Exploration & Production, Dominion Retail, Dominion Virginia Power, Dominion North Carolina Power, Dominion East Ohio, Dominion Peoples, and Dominion Hope. Dominion's headquarters is in Richmond, Va. For more information, visit the company's Internet site atwww.dom.com. (PRNewsFoto/Dominion)

RICHMOND, VA UNITED STATES 06/12/2006

Royal Dutch Shell Plc: Buyback of Own Shares

LONDON, November 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Royal Dutch Shell plc
(NYSE: RDS.A; NYSE: RDS.B) announces that on 3 November, 2006 it purchased
for cancellation 465,000 "A" Shares at a price of 27.12 euros per share. It
further announces that on the same date it purchased for cancellation
235,000 "A" Shares at a price of 1814.35 pence per share.
Following the cancellation of these shares, the remaining number of "A"
Shares of Royal Dutch Shell plc will be 3,719,160,000.
As of 3 November, 2006 2,759,360,000 "B" Shares of Royal Dutch Shell
plc were in issue.

SOURCE Royal Dutch Shell plc

---------------------
RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dominion (NYSE: D)
Chief Financial Officer Tom Chewning is scheduled to address investors and
securities analysts at the Edison Electric Institute 2006 Fall Financial
Conference on Tuesday, Nov. 7, in Las Vegas beginning at 7:30 a.m. PT.
Investors can access the Web cast and a copy of the presentation material
on Tuesday morning at http://www.dom.com/investors/.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000831/DLOGO )
Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy, with a
portfolio of about 28,000 megawatts of generation, about 6.6 trillion cubic
feet equivalent of proved natural gas reserves and 7,800 miles of natural
gas transmission pipeline. Dominion also operates one of the nation's
largest underground natural gas storage systems with about 950 billion
cubic feet of storage capacity and serves retail energy customers in 11
states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site
at http://www.dom.com/.

SOURCE Dominion
======================
Compliance Energy Corporation - Private Placement

TSX-VN TRADING SYMBOL: CEC

VANCOUVER, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Compliance Energy
Corporation (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has arranged a
non-brokered private placement flow-through financing of $1.6 million. The
financing consists of 2,461,538 flow-through common shares, at a price of
$0.65 per common share. Proceeds of the financing will be used for
development of the Issuer's properties and working capital. This financing
is subject to a four-month hold period and requires the approval of the TSX
Venture Exchange.
Compliance is a Canadian mining company that has significant
metallurgical coal interests on Vancouver Island; is advancing a proposed
56 MW Princeton Power Project that will be fueled by wood waste and coal;
and operates the Basin Coal Mine near Princeton, BC. Compliance Energy
Corporation's shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol CEC
and investor information is available on the Company's web page at
http://www.complianceenergy.com.
On behalf of the Board of
COMPLIANCE ENERGY CORPORATION

Per:

"Rod Shier"

Rodney A. Shier
Chief Financial Officer

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Note: This release contains forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual
future events or results. Readers are referred to the documents, filed by
the Company on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com, specifically the most recent reports
which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to
differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company
undertakes no obligation to review or confirm analysts' expectations or
estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking
statements.
CONTACT: Rob Roney, Investor Relations at (250) 897-0437 or Rod Shier,
CFO at (604) 689-0489

SOURCE Compliance Energy Corporation

another cruise ship wreck in cayman

2006-11-03T14:08:00.000-06:00

from the link at title. NOV second ..2006

anyone who has snorkeled and dove grand cayman knows how close to the www.cathychurh.com photo shop these vessels are.. and there are several other
small vessels from the sunset house hotel in the exact same area.. careful all..
I am STILL waiting on good or better NEWS from the cayman islands but it sure looks bleak for this week so far..

this one is just off the beach.. what a mess.. lucky the passengers were mostly ashore. i wonder where the captain of the port was when these vessels anchored so close to each other in deteriorating weather conditions.. what a mess.

A Royal Caribbean cruise ship had a sudden collision with a barge moored off the shores of George Town Tuesday morning because of a strong squall of wind.

Port Security Officer Roy Lee confirmed that at 10.30 am Tuesday morning the Enchantment of the Seas dragged its anchor 300 metres before it ran into a moored barge off Pageant Beach. The cruise ship had been anchored off shore from the Wharf Restaurant area.

Rough weather, which deteriorated very quickly, caused a gust of wind from the south to South East peak to 40 knots, said Mr. Lee.

Ships can maintain their position at anchor up to 25 knots, he explained, but the squall caused the anchor to be dragged north, sending it into the barge in a matter of about three minutes. “It hit the barge on the bow and swung around,” he said. The stern of the cruise ship hit the barge.

No one was injured in the incident, he noted, but some passengers did feel a jolt as though the ship had suddenly gone aground.

At that point in the morning most of the passengers were off the ship, he said. The ship arrived in port over three hours earlier.

The bang resulted in two dents on the port side of the ship and a long 100–foot scrape.

The barge, which was moored, did not move after it had been struck by the ship.

The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry went aboard the ship and did a report on it following the incident, said Mr. Lee.

The anchor was pulled following the incident and the ship remained at engine for the rest of the afternoon, he said.

time warner cable and Yahoo

2006-11-03T12:37:00.000-06:00

well i am sure you all know how disappointed i am with yahoo and their message boards for finance.. they still have not corrected the problem. i am almost ready to list the blog with google, msn and a few other search engines with appropriate tags.

today i found out,, due to a cable outage,,
Time warner , when the have problems can not and does not have any way to contact their service technicians who are working on repairs and maintenance.. makes me wonder how good their stock is if they can not keep tabs on costs since they can not find or communicate with their field services..

i watched a yahoo ATT commercial promoting the ATT Yahoo internet service.. how good can that service be since yahoo can not seem to even correct the problems with their own servers for the financial message boards..

i will certainly not NOT be buying stock in time warner cable,, yahoo, or ATT until they can at least provide a level of service that I expect for the price they charge..

feel free to call or email these companies and verify the information for yourself and your area.. maybe i am just, smile, unlucky in this area.. i did confirm these statements by phone which I find gets the speediest response.. no matter how disappointing that response turns out to be..

canroys seem to be making a bit of a bounce and the volume suggests that it may not be just a Dead Kat Bounce as they say on CNBC..

luck all

galveston texas motorcycle rally

2006-11-03T08:07:00.000-06:00

http://www.lonestarrally.com/

NOV 2,3,4,5 galveston texas motorcycle rally. quarter million folks
expected to attend.
lots to do.. ten dollar entry to the strand for the whole weekend.

www.galveston.com has a half a dozen web cams with interesting views

check out the strand cam if it is working.. cams may be blanked out at
times during the festivities.. we are, smile, bikers. hehe.

For 2006, The Lone Star Rally will have two main stages, in Saengerfest Park and at Destination Seawall!. Twenty-nine bands will play 33 live shows - Free for all rally goers! Bands from all over Texas and the United States will be coming to Galveston to play the best rock, metal, Texas Country, blues and American roots rock all weekend long. Literally something for everyone.

Poker Run
Our unique Poker Run can last up to three days! It's all up to you. Visit 24 of Galveston's best venues and enjoy the delicious variety of food and beverage to be found at almost every stop. Our run is a shopper's paradise!

Check in at the famous Balinese Room on the Seawall. Poker run stops will include:

B. Jiggers
Baja Beach Club
Balinese Room
Boudreaux's
Buck's West
Capt Jack's (trade)
Chico's Paradise
Cocktails
Crazy Oaks
Hurricane Café
Java 213
JuJu's
Laguna Harbor
Mediteranean Café
Nash's Bait camp
Palms Liqour
Salsa's Mexican Restaurant
Shelley's
The Ferry Landing
The Liqour Store
The Spot
Waterman's Restaurant
Whiskey's

Entertainment Venues

For cool, indoor fun, visit these great venues. Each presents free live music, great food and drink specials and is totally motorcycle friendly.

Hurricane Café
Shelley's
Balinese Room
Chico's