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An Analysis Of French And Polish Communicative Styles – Doing Business Within A Borderless Europe

October 11th, 2010 | Author: demisskeribaby

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Relations between France and Poland are very tight. Our contacts intensified in the wake of the recent accession of Poland to the European Union. The new reality of the enlarged EU breathed a new spirit to the historic ties linking our two nations.

Pierre Ménat, Ambassador of France (Warsaw Voice, July, 2005)

With a growing borderless European Continent there are many issues to consider on this march to a unified super-state. Each country (approximately 52) traditionally has its own values, beliefs, customs, and identity as well as its own language and style of communication. A monumental challenge in creating a single-state will be to combine or merge all of these national traits into a harmonious, unified nation. This article aims to compare and contrast the respective communicative styles of both French and Polish highlighting areas of similarity and possible conflict and relating the issue to the wider European context.

The Languages

France and Poland are two European countries which both hold strong national characteristics and communicative styles. The French language represents passionate, expressive romance where as Polish represents the more abrasive Slavic language family, more specifically, Polish is a member of the sub-group of Lechitic languages. In addition to being the official language of France, French is also the official language of Haiti, Luxembourg, and more than fifteen countries in Africa. The French language is one of the official languages in Canada, Belgium, and Switzerland, plus it is considered an unofficial second language in many countries such as Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Polish on the other hand, is the official language of Poland and has approximately 50 million speakers worldwide. It is also used as a second language in some parts of Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

Stereotypes and Common Misconceptions

One of the most common stereotypes regarding the French character is that they are rude and aggressive when communicating with both each other and foreigners. A Telegraph newspaper article in 2005, entitled ‘Europe unites in hatred of French’ identified a number of beliefs and attitudes which other European nations held with regard to the French. According to this respected broadsheet newspaper, the British described them as chauvinists, stubborn, nannied and humorless. The Germans stated that the French were pretentious, offhand and frivolous. The Spanish saw them as cold, distant, vain and impolite. In Italy they come across as agitated, talkative and shallow, snobbish, arrogant, flesh loving, righteous and self-obsessed and the Greeks found them not very with it, egocentric bons vivants. Although the Polish are generally less revered, a recent international recruitment paper prepared in the U.K entitled ‘Understanding your Polish employees’ highlighted the core values and attitudes of the Polish people. These included national pride, religion, family, obstinacy, courage, idealism, stoicism as well as generosity and hospitality. Although widespread consensual opinion regarding the Polish character is not as strong as that of the French, the Polish are famed for their temperament (polski temperament) and tend to be straightforward, direct talking and inflexible with regard to attitude and opinion change.

Communicative Styles

A great deal of analysis looking into communicative style has occurred within the workplace. Typically, this workplace features L2 communication in an L1 context. This ideology was incorporated in the work of Beal, 1990 who found that Australian English speakers held the notion that the French were rude or arrogant after observing their workplace communication styles within Australia. Prior to this research which observed French workplace behaviours found that ‘a vigorous assertion of everyone’s viewpoint, the use of a certain verbal violence to lend those views more weight, and the clash of convictions and interest are part of normal functioning’. (d’Iribarne, 1989:29 cited in Peeters, B, 2000:198). Beal, 1993 stressed that among the French, consensus is not highly valued nor striven for in a conversation, the rationale being that consensus would indicate that a person’s objections were being suppressed and kept to themselves. A complete openness of opinion and attitude is desired by the French when communicating, whilst this creates an intense theatre of conflict, it also provides the basis for a positive exchange of frank ideas which is seen as an essentially element within French society. Like the French the Polish communicative style also values emotionality and disagreement. (Wierzbicka, 1991 cited in Goddard, C., & Wierzbicka, A. 1997:243) stated that Polish culture places a high value on the uninhibited expression of both positive and negative feelings. Opinions are usually expressed forcefully and the distinction between personal opinion and fact is perceived to be minimal or often non-existent. This need for frank expression even at the expense of being hurtful to someone is a core value within Polish communication. It is further illustrated through the use of the cultural scripts approach as proposed by Wierzbicka, 1991.

This notion is also reflected, although not directly, through the standard form of language use amongst Polish people. The imperative form is usually used when making requests or giving advice within Polish communities. Unlike in English, Polish does not have any supposed relationship between conceptions of politeness and the use of the imperative. Polish does though use a large number of diminutives to occasionally soften imperatives and add a feeling of warmth and closeness to an interaction. These diminutives are usually used when talking to someone familiar or a child. French also reflects this practice to an extent, but on a much smaller scale through the use of the intimate language forms such as ‘ty’ and ‘tu’. Polish and French people are warm and hospitable to friends and close relations but remain wary and standoffish to total outsiders. Within both French and Polish there is an elaborate system of grammatical gender featuring a basic masculine and feminine form. Polish though, distinguishes a total of five separate gender patterns: personal masculine animate non-personal masculine, inanimate masculine, feminine, and neuter.

Within Paris the French extreme honesty and directness can be witnessed through the stylized ritual of bawling people out. This is seen as an integral part of a person’s identity as a Parisian and as a means of expressing respect and value to other people. The basic rule for this ritual is; the more offensive you are the more value you assign to the other person’s existence, this also cements the fact that the two people hold a shared membership and identity as fellow Parisians and are therefore entitled to perform such a ritual by right.

This Parisian ritual is symbolic of the concept of l’engagement’ (commitment or involvement) as proposed by Beal, 1993. In terms of the French cultural scripts later proposed by Wierzbicka, 1994, the basic rules for l’engagement have been identified through the following cultural script:

Everyone has the right to have their own wishes, their own opinions, and their own feelings. But everyone has the duty to express their wishes, opinions, feelings, clearly to others, and if others want to influence them, they have the duty to defend and justify their wishes, opinions, feelings. (Beal, 1993:102)

Just like the Parisians, the Polish also have a specific communicative element that acts to cement in-group relationships and assert a common connection between relative strangers who share the Polish nationality. The Poles utilize speech genres as identified by (Bakhtin, 1986 cited in Goddard, C., & Wierzbicka, A. 1997:252). The most commonly identified Polish speech genres are those of kawal and podanie. Kawal represents a conspiratorial joke that is usually political in nature expressing solidarity whilst taking aim at the perceived common enemies of Nazi Germany or Russia. Podanie on the other hand represents a form of communication between an average citizen and an authoritative agency or governmental office. The writer will act to request favors or presents and state that they will depend on the authorities forthcoming goodwill. This podanie can be extended to any form of request directed to someone in an authoritative position. This style of Polish communication is highly reflective of life in a communist country, although the basic functions of kawal and podanie can be likened to bawling someone out in Paris in the social function which they both act to serve.

Within l’engagement exists the equally important concept of renvoyer la balle (tossing the ball back). Beal, 1994 likened this communicative method to a verbal duel in which behaviors such as point scoring, teasing, sarcasm and provocation were all essential positive attributes. This is typically observed through the French preference for overlaps, latching and cutting-in whilst the other person is speaking. Whilst such behaviour is generally considered rude in many other European cultures, the French see it as adding to the dynamic, free-flowing, expressionate nature of communication. The ‘continual interruptions in French conversation” are “in no way a matter of cutting someone off in the middle of a word or sentence… but to show my interest in the other’s remark…’ (Carroll, 1988:36). During a typical French conversation the listeners and speakers always seem to know when it is time to jump in to add their own opinions, this usually comes as soon as they know what the other person is going to say. Murata, 1994 termed this behavior as ‘cooperative interruptive behavior’. Thus, a competitive environment of quick thinking and reacting is established where all participant are vying for their time under the spotlight:

The French commit themselves in various ways: they suggest an appropriate word, they finish the other speaker’s sentence, they intervene, they start off their turn with mais ‘but’, they reinforce their speech with moi, je ‘I, for one’ and with en fait ‘as a matter of fact’ etc. (Beal, 1993:103)

The Polish also like to stand firm during a debate or conversation and see verbal communication as a duel or a test of character. The value given to a stubborn, inflexible approach to discussion can be illustrated through the Polish word for compromise, (kompromis). This holds a number of extremely negative connotations connected to a moral weakness or a deplorable lack of firmness within Polish society. It is interesting to note that the French and the Polish share many similarities in their free, duel-like unchecked expression. When we consider that Poland did not feature in (Hofstede’s, 1991 cited in Neuliep, 2000:37), ‘individualism rankings’ table. Out of the 52 countries listed France, however, ranked 11th. Based on this it could be argued that the communicative styles shown by the Polish are much more collective and nationalistic than those of the French who are acting on a much more individualistic level. It could also signal a higher level of acceptance toward confrontational behavior within France. French society can indeed be considered a society with a specifically confrontational mentality, where conflict is both tolerated and welcomed. It appears that in France, ‘co-operation and conflict are two equally necessary components in the pursuit of dialogue’. (Kerbat-Orecchioni, 1990:148 cited in Mullan, K. 2001:7).

While the French and Polish communicative style is complex, especially to the outsider who often perceives it as offensive, rude and direct, it would be wise to consider the national mentalities of these countries as a reflection of the following statement, ‘when everyone agrees, there’s nothing left to say to each other; when there is a disagreement, discussion is possible’. (Moeschler, 1985:153 cited in Mullan, K. 2001:7). This is certainly food for thought for all nationalities.

As a European super-state nears the feeling within France, among the French is constantly changing. During the 2005 referendum in France, there were many people against the new constitution treaty that would mark the next big step in a 50-year process of European economic and political integration. As a symbol of anti-European sentiment, the ‘Polish Plumber’ was created and used as a symbol of fears that France would be hurt by the treaty’s vision for a larger, more closely knit Europe. Playing on the panic of high employment, cheap labor and increased immigration the ‘Polish Plumber’ was cast as a dangerous influence from the east. Although an offensive stab at the Polish nation, the Polish government reaction was to embrace the message from France and produce a humorous tourism poster directed at the French. The poster featured a handsome Polish plumber along with the phrase – ‘Je reste en Pologne, venez nombreux’ (I am staying in Poland, do come over in numbers). This surprising and highly effective reaction was unexpected from such a stout government and illustrates the changing nature of Poland and their flexible sense of humor. The Polish sense of humor though, cannot be compared to the French sense of humor. Besemeres, 2007 stated that as a bi-racial Polish/Australian child she could never find the sense of humor in Poland that allowed her to tease others in a relentless manner. This kind of humor is much more readily found in France where teasing and criticizing of other people and nations is commonplace.

Conclusion

A December 2004 governmental report (cited in The Scotsman) by Frances top administrators concluded that, ‘The French no longer believe in anything…they believe that it is not even worthwhile expressing their opinions or trying to be heard any more.’ The country’s top 100 prefects continued to use words such as lifelessness, resignation, anxiety and pessimism to describe the attitudes they believe prevail in modern France today. One could look to the recent social and political disturbances within France during 2006 and 2007 to see that although not academically proven, this report holds some element of truth as to the changing nature of the French national character and mentality. Poland is also a changing social setting. Their steps forward from the dark days of communism were acknowledged when in 2003 they voted by a 75% majority to join the European Union. The president at the time, Aleksander Kwasniewski hailed the result, telling cheering crowds in Warsaw: ‘We have returned to the European family’. As further European integration occurs and migration of people continues the Polish identity, communicative language style and cultural make-up will also undoubtedly be re-born into the 21st century.

Posted in Stm | Tags: Analysis, Borderless, Business, Communicative, Europe, French, Polish, Styles, Within | No Comments »

The Focusing Illusion

October 7th, 2010 | Author: demisskeribaby

Image : http://www.flickr.com

A win on the lottery is not the key to enduring happiness, according to researchers in the UK and US who study what makes people happy. Apparently, after the initial euphoria wears off, people return to the same level of happiness they had before the lottery win. There’s much speculation among the researchers as to why.

Have you ever heard the term “focusing illusion”? It basically boils down to the idea that when people think about or fantasize about a major life change, we tend to exaggerate the effect the change will have on our happiness. We imagine it will be either far better or far worse than what actually happens after the dust settles from the change. Has this happened to you?

Have you ever worked toward buying something, say a nice car? First you say to yourself, “boy, I would love to have that car”. After a while, you make a decision to save to buy the car. Your thoughts change to “when I have my new car…things will be great!” You save and the day comes to buy the car. It’s a wonderful day, you are elated to be behind the wheel of this amazing vehicle and you just know that everyone is envious of you and your flash car. Days and weeks go by. Life continues as usual. It begins to dawn on you that, although you are very happy with the car itself, you are no more happy with life than before you had it. See how this works?

What about bigger life changes like a new job, new spouse, location change, new baby, etc…?

For those of you who have teens in your home: How often have you heard this? “When I go to university and leave home, things are gonna be much better for me” or similar comments. Well, we parents who went through it already know that while the freedom of growing up is really fun and exciting, there is responsibility associated with it. The initial euphoria of leaving home and being on your own wears off and becomes “normal” or even difficult.

Divorce is another example. If you have been through one (unfortunately, many of us have), you might remember reaching the decision in your mind that you had had “enough”. Even if you were not the one who wanted the divorce – you probably got there anyway. With that decision, your mind turns toward the future: how much better your life will be without the other person, how you will be free to find someone better for you, how you will be free of conflict and fighting and, of course, if you are divorcing because you feel you are in love with someone else, how much better your life will be with your new love. And so it goes…

What was the long term reality? My guess? After a few years in your new life, you were the same person as before your problems began. Am I right? Yes, you were unhappy with the SITUATION of your old life; but if you were generally happy within yourself, you remained so. If you were not, once the focusing illusion is gone, you were the same – unhappy.

There is a dark side to the focusing illusion. Do you know someone whose parent, spouse or boss is overly critical? Don’t you feel sad or worried for the person? What would you say to them if they asked? Run away – this relationship is not good for you. Yet, this person probably keeps a hold of the focusing illusion “if only I could do this or have this, I would feel loved by my parent, spouse or be rewarded by my boss.” This dynamic occurs in many abusive relationships: verbal, emotional and physical. Not healthy. Yet many people propagate this, because of the optimism the focusing illusion provides.

While the focusing illusion can help us work toward a goal, wisdom helps distinguish the reality from the fantasy. Life experiences teach us that external forces (people, situations and material things) cannot “make” us happy or unhappy. Blaming others for our unhappiness or depending on others to provide happiness only serves to alienate everyone close to us. In fact, by believing this we are giving away our personal power of self determination and our choice to be happy.

The moral of this story?

The focusing illusion serves to motivate people in many ways. It contributes to our ability to dream and remain optimistic in the face of adversity. Dreams drive us forward and give us the power to make our lives magnificent.

To put it in another way: it’s not the dreams or desires themselves that make us happy. It’s the accomplishments and connections that come with pursuing them with honesty and integrity that is the true root of our happiness.

It’s the process of getting there.

Sources:

Staying happier for longer. By Professor Martin Seligman.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/happiness_formula/4903464.stm

Study Shows “Grass is Greener” View Usually False
http://www.mercola.com/1998/archive/grass_is_greener.htm

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Fair Trade Tea – What it is and Why it is Important?

October 4th, 2010 | Author: demisskeribaby

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Why Fair Trade Tea?

In 2009, tea workers in Sri Lanka (where Ceylon tea is made) were protesting for higher wages. They were seeking to double their wages–to $4.50 for a day’s work. That’s comparable to the price of a box of 20-50 teabags of inexpensive tea in most supermarkets in America, and far less than the minimum wage for an hour’s work in the U.S. Even with the lower cost of living in Sri Lanka, according to the BBC News, almost a third of these workers were living in poverty.

Fair trade is a principle that aims to address this problem, not just in the production of tea, but in the production of agricultural products, clothing, and other products imported into wealthier nations such as the United States of America. The problem of poverty associated with low wages is not limited to Sri Lanka; it is an important issue for many countries that tea is imported from. With the exception of Japan, most tea is produced in developing countries where exploitation of workers, environmental degradation, child labor, slave labor, and other human rights violations are major issues of concern.

What is Fair Trade?

Fair trade is a complex and diverse social movement, and is hard to pin down and define concisely. This movement aims to ensure that workers are paid a fair living wage, have good working conditions, and work within democratic and transparent organizations. The movement achieves these goals by issuing certification to groups of producers meeting certain standards. The standards encompass working conditions, price, pay, and organization of businesses, and are chosen so as to promote the values and goals of fair trade: community development, environmental conservation, and economic justice.

Different organizations offer such certification and there are various labels associated with these organizations. By far the best-known certifying organization and label in the U.S. is TransFair. Some companies, such as Equal Exchange, are TransFair certified, but go above and beyond the requirements for certification, undertaking additional efforts and setting stricter standards for supporting small farmers and democratically-run cooperatives. Supporting small farmers and small cooperatives is an issue of key importance in tea production, as most tea is currently produced on large plantations, and the large plantation structure lends itself to poor environmental and human rights practices.

Other companies may not yet have achieved certification for all their products, but may still undertake some efforts to promote similar values and effects even for products that are not certified. Beyond certification, some companies also donate a portion of their profits to causes promoting human rights and environmental protection.

Sustainability and Environmental Issues:

Sustainability is an integral part of fair trade, whether in tea production or the production of other goods. Integral to the certification process are the incorporation of standards for environmental protection and conservation, including the promotion of organic farming methods and the avoidance of GMO’s (genetically-modified organisms). TransFair certified tea is often certified organic as well, since the standards for TransFair certification already involve taking steps towards organic certification, and the certifying organizations actively promote organic farming practices.

Are Fair Trade Teas More Expensive?

Fair trade teas are only modestly higher-priced than their non-fair-trade counterparts, and sometimes they can be comparable in price. Part of the reason prices are kept from getting too high is the elimination of unnecessary middlemen. Trading directly with producers results in more efficient distribution and helps keep the list and shelf prices of products from getting too high.

Where to Buy Fair Trade Teas:

Fair trade teas are becoming increasingly widespread. Rishi Tea is at the forefront of fair trade tea companies, with an overwhelming majority of its loose tea both TransFair certified and organic. Equal Exchange, a global leader in sustainable trade and cooperatives, with stricter standards than those set by TransFair, sells some tea, although it is better known for its coffee. Numi Tea offers a substantial portion of TransFair certified teas, both loose and in teabags. Upton Tea Imports has been increasing its offerings of TransFair certified teas, and Republic of Tea has launched a small line of fair trade teas. The amount of companies carrying such teas will only increase over time.

Buying fair trade tea is a responsible moral and ethical decision as it promotes economic justice, human rights, and conservation of the environment. You can help the movement and help promote these goals and values by buying some for yourself!

Sources and Further Reading:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8236546.stm

http://www.utne.com/2007-01-01/TheFutureofFairTradeTea.aspx

My Links : Firecard http://fredamarte.maydee.info/ http://sanfordtamulis.interneteclub.com/ http://llblogs.com/tiacuadrado/

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Stretch Mark Cream – An Effective Stretch Mark Treatment

October 3rd, 2010 | Author: demisskeribaby

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Stretch marks appear as lines or marks and are scar-like in appearance. Most commonly associated with pregnancy, scarring can also become present as a result of weight loss, injury, surgery or acne.

Fundamentally, stretch marks – and scars – are a result of torn tissue at the superficial dermal layer. They are manifested by slightly raised lines or marks on the epidermis, often smooth in nature. Fibroblast cells, in the subcutaneous layer of the skin, create collagen and elastic fibers to repair the torn skin. It is difficult for the fibroblasts to develop healthy tissue with normal elastin fibers with constant stretching and movement.

Stretch mark creams have become increasingly popular because they promote healthy skin cell growth, production of collagen and improvement of elastic fibers – thus reducing tearing and promoting healing.

An active ingredient found in many products is Emu Oil. Emu Oil has been used by the Aborigines in Australia for thousands of years to treat scars, stretch marks, acne, heal burns, reduce inflammation and rashes, and has been used effectively in hair products as well to reduce dandruff and scalp psoriasis. Emu Oil is derived from the Emu bird, a flightless cousin of the Ostrich. Though commonly raised for its tender, delicious meat, clinically derived oil from its upper-back is processed for its medicinal purposes. Clinical studies have found Emu Oil to have several important and therapeutic properties.

Emu Oil is a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. It reduces inflamed tissue while promoting healthy skin cell development. It is rich in Oleic Acid that reduces inflammation, making it highly effective as a skin healing agent.
Emu Oil is transdermal, and when combined with Matrixyl or Hyaluronic Acid, for instance, becomes very effective at not only improving the skin’s elasticity, it firms and tightens sagging or loose skin lessening tearing.
It actively promotes collagen production and is a natural moisturizer reducing fibrous tears as skin is stretched during pregnancy or from weight gain. It has been shown to substantially reduce scarring and to accelerate recovery from damaged and torn skin.

STM Stretch Mark and Scar Cream combines Emu Oil and a rich compliment of active ingredients for an effective stretch mark cream and scar treatment. Aloe Vera is used to help soothe the skin and copper peptides help promote healthy skin regeneration and repair wounds by invigorating new collagen and replacing scarred surface skin with new, healthy skin cells. Shea Butter, collagen, and Vitamin E rejuvenate elasticity and Hyaluronic Acid (HA) infuses natural hydration and moisture adding vital elasticity and fluids for normal collagen production.

Clinical studies and customer testimonials have shown scars and stretch marks are visibly reduced and inhibited if used prior and during pregnancy, and scar reduction or elimination is experienced for current scarring.

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Road Home

October 2nd, 2010 | Author: demisskeribaby

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Road Home is the first film I have seen directed by Zhang Yimou. It is a pleasantly realized story about love – likable and effortless.

A friend of mine once told me, “Each person has a love story to tell”; and he was right. This film definitely speaks of a unique tale of two people irrevocably in love. They never made distance, time, status of life, family or other people’s opinion as hindrance to how they feel for each other. All these are just glimpses to how the story goes.

The first and last part of the film was shot in black-and-white, where a businessman, Luo Yusheng (Sun Honglei) returns to his native village of Sanhetun because of his father’s death. Even though Luo wanted his father’s coffin to be carried by a tractor, his mother, Zhao Di (Zhao Yuelin) suggested that coffin must be carried by men as it was an age-old custom of their village. What then follows is the account of how Luo’s mother met his father in 1958. From unfriendly black-and-white, the film morphed to a color-filled flashback. When Zhao Di (Zhang Ziyi) was still 18 years old and found herself enamored with the young teacher (and him with her), Lou Changyu (Zheng Hao) who arrives at their village to build a school. Their courtship was consisted mostly of exchanging of glances and smiles-thus making their feelings for each other flourish.

It is not that I am being biased but I believe that it was Di who made all the efforts to really get closer to Lou; from cooking food during the construction of the school to walking to the old well just to hear his voice and get a glimpse of him. Another fact is that when Lou went back to the city, all that Di did was to wait for him at the unpaved road as he has promised her that he will get back soon. But to sound fair, Lou made his part also. When Di lost her hope and got ill, Lou sneaked back to the village to see his beloved even if it would cause him punishment.

It took two years for Lou to get back to the village as he was penalized for having left his work at the city-and during those years, Di waited. Actually, Di’s grandmother, Li Bin was right in saying that she should prevent herself from falling for Lou, because it was never sure up until when Lou will be teaching in the village. But because of love, she remained faithful to her stand of loving him no matter what it takes.

Essentially, the story was character-oriented as seen in the role of Di and Lou. Di being innocent and lacking education does have the means of following Lou in the city. And Lou on the other hand is a teacher, who has more control of the situation because of what he is. But, I can also say that others actors contributed to the story since each one portrays a realistic part. Because of each ones share, I had a breath of what might happen in the end.

As per the theme of this film, it clearly utters the importance of education, a teacher’s dedication for work, a child’s responsibility to his parents and most especially true love-messages that are known to all. I have also noticed that the film used symbols to convey heartbreak and a fresh start which are the breaking of the bowl and its restoration. Basically, it symbolizes the lost love of Di when Lou left; and its restoration on the other hand was a symbol of their love, reunited. Another thing which was worthy of praise is the location. The place was just fit for one of their deterrents which is distance. And lastly, in terms of music, there were some scores irrelevant to the scene, such as when she was running after Lou’s cart it was sort of horror music to me.

Road Home is truly commendable because of its depiction of patience, sacrifice and pure love. Thus, I say that this film is enjoyable if an audience is looking for a simple yet deep love story.

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How to Survive on the Outside When the Love of Your Life Goes to Jail

October 1st, 2010 | Author: demisskeribaby

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Stage 1 DISBELIEF

Before your loved one actually goes away you will not allow yourself to believe it will happen. You convince yourself that if you pray to God, like never before, he will come through for you. You promise him all kinds of things, you will do, if he does. There will be a miracle! I don’t want to burst your bubble and say that it won’t or can’t happen but I will tell you the “Law of Average” says probably not.

The “law” itself has its own plans. That being said I have never prayed so hard in my life. I begged, pleaded, cried and begged some more but yet the day came and she was gone. The disbelief doesn’t stop there. It’s like someone leaving town for a few days. You still talk to them on the phone, and even to yourself like they are still there, so there is still the connection. Now granted the conversations are completely different. You are worried out your mind and you will probably say things you shouldn’t. Don’t be hard on yourself because believe me…it will get harder.

Stage 2 YOU HAVE NO CONTROL…..AT ALL!

You have no control and you need to face this quickly. I am going to say this one more time because it’s that important…..YOU HAVE NO CONTROL. So, if you are a control freak you will struggle. The other part of this is THEY HAVE NO CONTROL! That is the part that’s hard to get your mind wrapped around. They are controlled from the minute they get up to the minute they go to sleep. The freedom we take for granted doesn’t exist in their brave new world. On one end they have the CO’s who are the puppet masters and control all things that are allowed and on the other there is this sub-culture, with the prisoners, in the jail/prison world that only they understand. Two completely different worlds in one place and both are not even close to the reality we understand. Don’t try and rationalize it or you will lose your mind.

I am sure you have witnessed many times, people around you, try and control others with phrases like “why don’t you “do” this” or “why don’t you “say” that” or the worst of all “if I were you I would”. If you are one of these people you can get away with that crap out here…not in there. Remember that. At anytime they can be locked down for days at a time. What this means to you? You will not get that call that you normally receive and now your mind begins to race. Are they alright, are the safe, have they forgotten about me and even wonder if they still think about me the way they did. They do. That’s all they think about. They are just in a horrible place. Remember that.

Stage 3 YOUR IMAGINATION WILL RUN WILD

This is important to understand because there are stages in this separation that you must mentally prepare for.

You notice they sound a little different on the phone. Remember, they are getting broke down inside and you are breaking down on the outside and both of you start to realize that this is way too real. They might even say something stupid like “don’t wait for me” “I am holding you back”. DO NOT LISTEN. They are scared and they are fishing to hear that you love them and you will be there forever.

They start sounding more religious than you remember. This is normal. Inside, the support groups are all Christian groups who drank the Kool-Aid long ago on Co-Dependency. If you are not familiar with this term you better study up quick if you want to understand and be able to communicate. Brainwashing comes to mind. I have attached some links. This is the scariest time for you. They are being challenged to challenge every decision they have ever made in life. They will naturally include you in that process.

They will settle in a bit and start learning how to survive where they are. Remember, you will never understand the life they are living and they won’t understand your loneliness on the outside. It sounds very odd but you might become isolated unless you have a support group to fall back on. I suggest you try and find one; even it’s the first time you have ever done anything like that.

Then be prepared for the roller coaster of day to day. Some days are good and some days are bad…until you hear from them and then all is well….until you don’t again. Be prepared.

IN CONCLUSION

I can only tell you that it will not be easy. It will not be fun. You will wait for your phone to ring and when it does, and it’s not them, you will be disappointed. Fight through. Be strong. Think of the future. You will have to help and support them when they get out. Remember, you should never question and always support. It’s the love and stability you show them that helps them the most. I made it a special point everyday to mail cards, love letters, poems, news articles as well as I mailed books about anything we spoke of as well as favorite magazines. Mail time is very important to them and you will find it’s just as important to you. That letter, you receive, from them means so much because you have to realize what it took to write. Make sure you put in the effort. ONLY SHOW LOVE even when you hurt and are scared. Trust me it will be appreciated because they are more scared.

Note from the author.

The one common topic that comes up when you are communicating with your loved ones inside is how bad the food is. This inspired us to create a website with recipes that they can make with simple commissary items that will make life a little bit more tolerable. They’re not Martha Stewart recipes http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4119501.stm but it will make their life a little more tolerable.

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The Eyes of a Sociopath

September 30th, 2010 | Author: demisskeribaby

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Acting ethically has many rewards, but one major disadvantage: ethical people have a hard time spotting smart unethical people. Why is that? I submit it is because ethical people look for the best in others, give others the benefit of the doubt, and judge others by their apparent sincerity.

Most people believe that they can detect sincerity in others. But it becomes a problem with the other is an expert at concealing insincerity. For example, President Bush said that he, “looked [Vladimir Putin, then Russia's President] in the eye. I found him to be very straight forward and trustworthy and we had a very good dialogue” and “I was able to get a sense of his soul” (Wyatt, 2001, 11-12). Obviously Bush was misled; perhaps Mr. Putin learned how to appear sincere when he was a KGB officer during the Cold War (Hoffman, 2000).

Sociopaths are notorious for their ability to charm and dissemble. Stout says, “charm – though the link may seem counterintuitive – is a primary characteristic of sociopathy” (2005, p. 88). Because the sociopath has not superego, he or she can lie to your face without betraying any of the usual signs of guilt; this is where the term “pathological liar” originated. I don’t know that Putin is a sociopath, though I see much speculation on the Internet about both him and President Bush as suffering from Abnormal Personality Disorder or its allied mental disorders (borderline, narcissistic, and hedonistic personality disorders). As they now comprise about 4% of all Americans, you just never know who suffers from this lack of a superego or conscience (Id.).

You cannot look into the eyes of a someone who lacks a conscience and depend upon their promises or other cues. They don’t have them, except in simulation when they are conning you. Just because someone appears to conform to the rules of civilized behavior is not necessarily a true indication of a person’s willingness to cooperate in keeping rules and agreements.

References:

Hoffman, D. (2000, January 30). Putin’s career rooted in Russia’s KGB. The Washington Post Online, p. A1. Retrieved February 21, 2009, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/russiagov/putin.htm

Stout, M. (2005). The Sociopath Next Door. NY: Broadway Books.

Wyatt, C. (2001, June 16). Bush and Putin: Best of friends. BBC News [electronic version]. Retrieved February 21, 2009 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1392791.stm

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Annan, Mandela, Saud and Garland Prophesied Iraq Perfectly Beforehand

September 28th, 2010 | Author: demisskeribaby

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Many people go to visit psychics for $25. The psychic will read your herbal tea leaves out of a tea cup or read Mark Foley’s palm and tell them the future with astonishing accuracy. “Tomorrow you will wake up. You will brush your teeth and then have breakfast. It may include an egg.” People get so blown away by the accuracy of the psychic’s predictions that the psychic then moves in for the kill. The psychic then says to the patient, “I have some bad news for you. Someone has placed a curse upon you. This is what has been causing your depression and your anxiety, not the fact that you are about to get fleeced out of your mind. I really hope you fall for this because I could really use a trip to Rio de Janeiro next week. I hear the coke there is unbelievable. Plus I’ve never been to the Carnival before. This will finally give me a chance to dress up like Lindsay Lohan and put those Samba lessons to use. I am the only person on Earth who can remove the curse from you. But it won’t be cheap. I must take 5 candles to the Church. There 5 Priests must spend 1 entire week praying over these candles. Priests don’t come cheap these days. Then you will be cured. The candles cost $1000 each. Fortunately I do accept American Express.

Since the time of the Greek Empire, Emperors, Kings, Queens, Aces, Prime Ministers and Presidents including President Reagan and his wife Nancy have greatly benefited from the help of Oracles. A famous example from the Holy Bible is Joseph who interpreted the Pharaoh’s dreams for him. In the case of the Iraq War President Bush used as his oracles Vice President Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz and General Colin Powell, who took his slide show, lego and train set to the United Nations to show the members the satellite pictures of Iraq’s nuclear weapons on their mobile launchers. Has anyone ever wondered who misinterpreted or doctored these photos? Why doesn’t the American media show General Powell’s presentation at the U.N. over and over again?

Is Barak Obama’s middle name really Hussein? Why is he hiding that minor detail on his website? Can you imagine Karl Rove swift boating that for Rudolph William Louis Giuliani III? America’s mayor won New York because everyone thought that like the Savior he was Jewish. Now he’s going to become President because everyone thinks that the Viet Cong slipped acid into John McCain’s tea. If John McCain was born in Coco Solo Panama and he can run for President then why can’t the Governator? At least the Governator married into the Royal family of the United States, the Camelots. Talk about curses. That family needs 10 candles, two Ouija board and a seance with Ramtha. Shirley MacLaine starred in the 1972 Horror Classic “The Possession of Joel Delaney” directed by Waris Hussein. This was Mark Foley’s favorite film. It seems like Sadaam Hussein will be hung within the month.

Last Friday Dec. 22, 2006 William Chatfield, the director of the U.S. Selective Service said “The Selective Service (military draft) needs to be ready if something totally unforeseen should come upon us.” It’s not that Americans are gullible but the recent ABC News Poll showed that 1 in 5 Americans had paid for at least two candles. President Bush’s Oracles advised him to take one trillion dollars from Social Security and Education and give it to the wealthiest Americans in the form of the infamous tax cut. His friends’ candle money had to come from “somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there’s a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.” Everybody, “Somewhere over the rainbow…”. “I see the Iraqi people placing garlands of flowers upon the heads of your soldiers in gratitude for liberating them from Sadaam Hussein”, said Junior’s psychic. Deep throat recently revealed to Bob Woodward that The Decider’s secret Oracle was Frank Morgan. Frank Morgan has more hats than Bo Jackson. “The Red States are going to elect an African American named Hussein”, said John Dean’s psychic.

The United States of America embarked upon their Iraq Folly in March of 2003. Johnny will not come marching home again anytime soon but who knew in 2002? In September of 2002 Junior went to the United Nations and made a speech asking the world to back his military invasion of Iraq. That week Vice President Cheney who can’t even get his own family to toe the party line said that the U.S. had discovered back links between Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden. The real hyperlinks back to the White House came from the bin Laden family to Junior. They financed his oil company. Koffi’s response to Junior Bush in 2002 was “I think if one does it unilaterally, or with one or two countries, we don’t know what happens at the end, the unexpected consequences of this conflict. Would Iraq remain intact? What happens in the region? How do we pick up the pieces? Who does it? All these issues are very critical that one should bear in mind.” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2250948.stm

Why is the outgoing Secretary General of the United Nations so belittled by Rupert Murdoch’s world media Empire and why is Junior so exalted? What did Nancy Reagan slip in Rupert Murdoch’s tea? The Bible Belt is about to elect a President because they think that he is related to Santa’s lead reindeer Rudolph and they’ve had enough of Bill Clinton’s W.C. Fields’ nose. Plus the Hillary concept goes against their views on religion and sexuality. How can a man be the First Lady? How many people know that the bowling ball hat in the infamous cartoon was code for “Bowling for Columbine?”

In an interview in Newsweek magazine in 2002 former South African President Nelson Mandela repeated his call for Junior not to invade Iraq. He said that Junior was trying to please the American arms and oil industries, whose profits have soared because of the war. Perhaps that is what Junior meant when he declared “Mission Accomplished” in his national guard outfit, the first time he ever wore it. Nelson Mandela reminded us how America had supported the Mujahideen including Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan against the Russians. Nelson said that no evidence had been presented to support the claim that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter said that “there is no such evidence”, in 2002. Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in jail in South Africa for peacefully opposing apartheid. Mr. Cheney opposed Nelson’s release from prison.

Who needs evidence when you have oracles and Greek Temples and Greek men openly mating in the open air Temples in Greece with the Priestesses as an act of worship to the Goddess of Love Aphrodite, and prostitutes living and working in King Solomon’s Holy Temple in Jerusalem. In 2002 Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud of Saudi Arabia repeatedly called upon Junior not to invade Iraq. Prince Saud said in Feb. 2002, “Regime change will come with the destruction of Iraq. You are solving one problem and creating five more problems. There has never been in the history of the world a country in which a regime change happened at the bayonets of guns that has led to stability. Our worry now is the new emerging Christian fundamentalism in the United States and in the west. Fundamentalism in our region is on the wane. There, it’s in the ascendancy. That’s the threat.”

Why listen to Koffi, Nelson or Saud? Everyone knows that nuclear world war 3, the Apocalypse will bring Jesus Christ on his flying white horse from Heaven to defeat Satan and usher in everlasting world peace and Jesus Christ will meet Junior in Jerusalem at the Holy Temple because that is what the ancient Psychic John said in the book of the Revelations of the Psychic John . What most people do not know is that the New Testament was written by Greek bloggers and the flying horse Jesus fairy tale is a plagiarism of the Greek Myth of Prince Bellerophon on his flying white horse Pegasus defeating the Chimera, a creature with a snake’s tail, a goat’s body, and a lion’s head, coincidentally the exact description of the Beast, Satan in the book of Revelations. The flying horse story evolved into the fairy tale of Santa Claus. The U.S. Congress voted unanimously to ignore the greatest minds in the world and be guided by the story of Santa Claus.

The scary part of the Horror Movie we are all trapped in is that these same people, these self proclaimed White House Crusaders, are still in charge and they are in possession of a vast arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. Jesus upon his return is going to command all of his angel crusaders to throw every last non Christian man, woman and child into the fire because they are all devils. (Matt. 13:36-43). Junior the alcoholic lying murderous deserting criminally insane sociopath told the BBC that Jesus ordered him to invade Iraq. Is it any wonder that Iran is running to build nuclear bombs? The scary part is that the commander in chief of the greatest military arsenal in history believes to the core of his soul that only by pushing the button and dropping the big one can world peace be achieved, because he read it in a plagiarized children’s book on the morning of 911. At least he can read.

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Internet Surfing in the Workplace

September 26th, 2010 | Author: demisskeribaby

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Companies are faced with the ongoing problem of recreational internet surfing at the workplace. Through the course of a workday employees will check the scores of their latest sports team, read their on-line email, listen to streaming music and even partake in on-line gambling. Today’s networks support very impressive bandwidth abilities…necessary for staying competitive in the business world, not for streaming videos of the college basketball playoffs. In efforts to promote CBS Sportsonline.com, CBS partnered with College Sports Television (CSTV) to offer online live sports broadcasts of the NCAA tournament…..a network administrator’s worst nightmare.

Most employees are not aware of the effects of misusing the company’s network bandwidth. They see no problem with personal internet surfing and insist they remain productive. What they do not realize how taxing recreational internet use affects the overall network, especially if your company conducts its business online. When you multiply a couple of thousand employees surfing the internet tying up valuable bandwidth, this directly impacts your customers ability to utilize your website or an employee performing legitimate online company related data transfers. Not only does management have to deal with wasted employee hours, slowness of the network, but the liability of sexual harassment. If an employee is on the internet viewing pornography, printing pictures or sending email with sexual content, coworkers could be offended. This could lead to costly sexual harassment allegations, not to mention the negative affect on moral in the workplace. Management is concerned with the ethical issue of employees using the ever popular “file sharing” web sites to download music, games and illegal copies of software.

As Chief Information Officer (CIO) how does one crack down on employees abusing company computer resources, specifically network misuse described above? The first step is to establish company policies identifying how company internet access and email and are to be utilized. Informing employees about email content, what websites genres are allowed and how often these resources can be used for non-work related are activities is the bedrock in preventing abuse. Ensure employees understand when connected to the internet via company resources that they should not expect complete privacy and they are being monitored.

There are several software solutions available to administrators to prevent network abuse. This software can do everything from managing when an employee can log on to the computer, to filtering what applications and websites are available. This monitoring software can even go as far logging every application used, every website visited and recording every keystroke. These log files are then stored and management reports can be generated. The city of Pittsburg Pennsylvania even went as far as incorporating an internet usage time limit on its employees. When the employees of the city’s Public Works Department logged on to their computer and went to the internet they received a message stating that all web sites are filtered and before they could continue they must click on a “Use Quota Time” button. City management is allowing employees three 10 minute sessions per day for all internet use, personal or work related. The city uses software from a San Diego Based-company, Websense Inc., that already prevents users from forbidden pornographic and gambling websites. Recognizing the need to save very costly bandwidth, the CIO, Howard Stern is quoted; “By [employees] not being on the Internet, we’ll have more room in our pipe, so to speak, to allow work-related searches to be done faster.” Lord (2006 ¶ 13)

The ability to communicate both internally and externally via network resources is the lifeblood of almost every organization. As a CIO, employee internet usage, monitoring bandwidth and maintaining strong control of network resources are key in providing your business the tools it needs to remain competitive.

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Conventional Mining Will Keep Uranium Price High

September 25th, 2010 | Author: demisskeribaby

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“I never thought I would say this,” announced Dustin Garrow, marketing director for Paladin Resources (TSX: PDN) at the close of his presentation to an audience comprised of utility and nuclear fuel insiders. Then, he forecast a rise in the price of uranium in the coming months to between $80 and $100 per pound. A long-time industry consultant, Garrow acts as an intermediary between uranium producers and utility fuel brokers.

The Platts Nuclear Fuel Strategies conference held this past week in Washington, D.C. was sobering for U.S. utilities, yet revitalizing for the assorted suppliers and vendors attending this educational workshop. The jump in the spot uranium price to $55.75/pound, over the weekend, was hardly a surprise for those who participated. The conference’s mood was buoyant and electrifying as steady demand continues to strengthen for the ‘active supply’ of uranium. Analysts may be forced to upwardly revise their price expectations going forward through the end of this year and for 2007.

TradeTech published on the company’s website commentary on uranium transactions, writing, “Many sellers continue to seek market-related pricing terms for spot delivery and buyers continue to show a willingness to raise bid prices in order to secure supply at fixed prices. The buyer mix remains diverse, with utilities, producers, intermediaries, and speculators seeking market purchases. Long-term uranium demand remains strong and continues to exert upward pressure on the spot uranium price. The spot uranium market is expected to remain active through October.”

We talked further with Gene Clark, Chief Executive of TradeTech, by email after briefly chatting at the Platts conference. He added his company was tweaking assumptions on price projections for utilities in a soon-to-be-published uranium market study. “We expect prices in the fourth quarter to continue to significantly exceed all previous expectations,” Clark wrote to us. “Active supply, which is our measure, determined by telephone interview of uranium actually being offered in the market, is back to the level of its historical low in the second quarter of 2004.” Earlier this year, Clark forecast spot uranium would reach $55/pound.

Clark considers this a major factor for uranium price forecasting. “Many potential sellers of uranium are holding back supply, making it ‘inactive,’ because they are satisfied with their level of sales for this year,” he explained. “Barring the entry of a major new source, active supply is expected to remain low for the rest of the year.” The major source of demand, through the end of the year is likely to come from traders and hedge funds, Clark informed us. He lowered the demand status of primary users such as utilities from the ‘must have’ category to discretionary buying.

World Uranium Mining Trends and Outlook

“We’ve been trying to encourage utility companies to work more closely with junior uranium companies,” announced Michael Knapik, Chief Editor of Platts’ NuclearFuel, before the uranium mining panel began their presentations. In a previous presentation that morning, Charles Peterson, a partner with the DC-based law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP had talked about the security of future uranium supply. Utilities have been hooked on buying low-cost uranium from Canada, Australia and Kazakhstan. Peterson has been advising utilities to begin discussions with speculators who have been purchasing uranium as the price has soared. “Some utilities are cooperating with speculators,” Peterson observed.

As we reported at the conference last week, Scotiabank’s vice president of economics Patricia Mohr believes uranium will continue to be a bright spot in the commodities market in 2007. She pointed out her bank’s commodity index had probably peaked in August, but she felt uranium would be the “exception to this.” Mohr cited inadequate mining supply as the primary driver in the spectacular rise in the uranium price. Uranium producers only contributed 65 percent to last year’s demand, while the balance came from inventory sales and blended down uranium from decommissioned Russian warheads.

Paladin and Namibia

Dustin Garrow talked about Paladin’s amazing success story, discussing how he was approached by the company’s CEO in 2003 when the stock was trading for three cents and offered stock options. Three years later, Garrow remains ebullient on Paladin’s growth prospects in Africa and elsewhere. It is a tribute to unrestrictive environmental regulations in Namibia and Paladin’s rapid execution at the Langer Heinrich uranium project that the company can announce it will be shipping its first yellowcake in early 2007.

In an interesting disclosure, Garrow explained how Paladin had arranged a syndicated loan agreement to fund its mine development and construction. Clauses within this loan agreement required the mandatory forward sale of a portion of the mine’s production. Those two sales contracts of more than 5 million pounds of U3O8 are scheduled for delivery between 2007 and 2012 to two U.S. utilities. Garrow led the audience to believe selling at such a low price was not something Paladin desired. Arranging the sale with his partner, Garrow said, “My partner and I have a combined 50 years in this business, and we provided this uranium to our most preferred customers.”

Currently producing about seven percent of the world’s uranium, Namibia has become a hotspot since we reported on this country last March. At the time, there were but three companies. Since then, the number has grown to 14, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Mines and Energy. We checked the progress on Forsys Metals (TSX: FSY), which we reported upon in March. Forsys spokesman Sean Felker told us, “We are revising our resource calculation and releasing it in the fourth quarter.” The company has spent this year further proving up their resource, while the company’s stock continues flying under the industry’s radar screen.

A research report by Orion Securities in Toronto, which participated in raising money for Forsys, suggested the all-in cost to mine the company’s Valencia project could come in under $25/pound and would have an IIR of 30 percent after tax. Early estimates show the Valencia project might annually produce 2.5 million pounds of U308 over ten years. This was sufficient to interest the fuel broker for a major U.S. utility. Felker said, “We’ve started the process of marketing our uranium after the utility sent a consulting geologist to study the property.” Due diligence was done on site in Namibia. Felker explained his company’s Valencia project was about 30 months away from where Paladin’s Langer Heinrich is today.

Forsys appears to be following Paladin’s lead. As success was developing for Paladin in Namibia, the company moved to near completion of a bankable feasibility study at the Kayelekera uranium project in Malawi. Now, Forsys is considering other uranium properties in Africa. Both companies, and others developing uranium projects in Africa, will utilize the open pit method to maximize recovery of uranium from their mines.

David Miller Predicts More U.S. Uranium

Will be Conventionally Mined

It is likely that rising uranium prices will beget more costly uranium extraction methods, which of course will provide a more solid floor for the uranium price over the next ten to fifteen years.

The presentation made by Strathmore Mineral’s President David Miller vividly illustrated why the United States can continue mining uranium over the next two decades. Admittedly, the United States is unlikely to return to the glory uranium production years of the 1950s and 1960s. “The U.S. can still become a medium size uranium producer,” Miller told the audience. He predicted conventional mining would replace the preferred method of ISR mining in the United States in less than ten years. In Miller’s presentation, he forecast conventional uranium mining – through underground and open pit mining methods – might exceed 16 million pounds annually by 2020.

Miller’s research demonstrated a number of uranium companies whose combined annual production could reach nearly 30 million pounds by 2020. In several slides, he extrapolated production estimates from various companies – such as Uranerz Energy (Amex: URZ), UR-Energy (TSX: URE), Energy Metals (TSX: EMC) and Strathmore Minerals (TSX: STM) – to reach annual uranium production in excess of ten million pounds after 2012.

Miller explained to the audience that U.S. production could surpass 20 million pounds later in the second decade and help provide U.S. utilities with more than one-quarter of their annual consumption. He has argued, along with the Uranium Producers of America, for the development of a domestic uranium supply to benefit U.S. utilities from over-dependence upon foreign uranium.

We talked with him after his presentation about time frames and the mine operating costs at various uranium grades. Miller told us, “It will take the U.S. about four to six years to get up to steam.” A lot of the hurdles to overcome were not the mining issues or fund raising to bring those projects into production. “There are a number of interested parties wishing to participate in different U.S. uranium projects,” he told us without naming anyone in particular. “It is the permitting time which takes so long.”

He calculated, from studies he was recently involved with, that the operating costs for an underground mining and milling operation would cost about $80 to $120/ton. An average grade of 0.1 percent U3O8 would yield two pounds per ton, but a feed grade averaging 0.2 percent would yield four pounds per ton. Uranium ore yielding four pounds per ton would cost about $25/pound. Miller explained that grades at Green Mountain, which SXR Uranium One is currently investigating for purchase, and his company’s Roca Honda property, should be profitable using the $100/ton benchmark. Both properties have reported economic grades through various studies.

Strathmore’s Roca Honda property in New Mexico demonstrated its resource through a National Instrument 43-101. Miller emphasized the higher percentage of recovery in New Mexico. “Historically, the Grants Uranium District in New Mexico recovered mid 90s percent,” he told us. “You don’t produce mine 340 million pounds (historical production in this area) by having poor recovery.” By comparison, Miller said the recovery rate in Wyoming was in the low 90s percentage-wise. These percentages exceed conventional mining average recovery rates as stated in the IAEA Red Book.

In evaluating production costs, derived from discussions with other industry insiders, it is likely the resurgence of conventional mining could potentially double the capital and operating costs of several uranium projects. While it is possible some or several ISR uranium projects in Wyoming, Texas or New Mexico could enjoy operating costs for less than $30/pound, the capital cost for an underground U.S. uranium mine and mill could reach $200 million.

Rising labor costs, environmental regulations, increased start-up costs and even weather-related occurrences, such as the cyclone impacting production at Australia’s Ranger uranium mine, point to a continued rise in the price of uranium over the next few years. At the very least, utilities might be facing a new floor price should the overheated uranium market step back a few price levels over the coming year or years.

In the next feature in this series, further conversations we had at the Platts conference confirm Gene Clark’s comments, and those made by others, that the uranium price has exceeded nearly everyone’s expectations. And it should continue doing so in the months ahead. To be continued.

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