You can't polish a ####...

[zaborniake]

I'm generally not one to take a negative stance on this "investment". However, something changed my perspective as of late, and I'm uncertain exactly what it was. It's possible that I'm seeing things with a bit more clarity in regards to the day-to-day saga of the IQD...

First of all, let's be clear about these "three zeros" articles. The articles are, in fact, describing a RD. It's as plain as day. Now, I'm not subscribing to the RD camp, but let's be honest about it. Perhaps I'm just a bit tired of seeing folks grabbing on to a few words and manipulating them until it means "RV". Whether or not Iraq plans on a RD is irrelevant. What they are describing in these articles is RD. "Smoke and mirrors'? Perhaps, or at least that's what we're counting on.

Secondly, let's review where we are as of today. Here are the "key indicators" or "prerequisites" as described by "those who know":

HCL: Progress currently mired in squabbling between the Kurds, the List, and the SLC. The Kurds are threatening to walk if the draft law isn't amended. M is having none of it; timeline extended indefinitely.

Ministers: We have one by proxy, who was appointed by M much to the chagrin of everyone else in the government. 9 or 10 names have been submitted to M, no wait, to Talabani. No, the GOI is already fully seated. How can they buy F-16s without a Defense Minister?! Another article was posted today that the security seats will be filled "next week". Screw the RV, I'll take a dime every time this is pushed to "next week".

Erbil Agreement: It looks like those meetings at Talabani's house worked wonders. The NCSP managed one reading before it was declared unconstitutional. The second reading was scheduled for last Thursday, but was postponed until "next week" (cha-ching!). Article 140 is somewhere in purgatory. The minsters promised? See above. There's a lot of talk about how necessary Erbil is to Iraq, but no one with a vested interest has the sack to take any action on it.

Chapter 7: Not lifted, and won't be until most or all of these other items are completed.

"Three zeros" law: In the hands of Parliament. Have any of you folks read (or seen) Steinbeck's seminal "Of Mice and Men"? The GOI is Lennie Small and anything thing positive for the country of Iraq is like a small puppy or Curley's wife. You get the picture. There's another meeting to discuss this on Sunday. I think we all know how things go when these brainiacs sit around and "discuss" things.

Phew. Well, this is our current state of affairs.

Maybe with enough collective elbow grease this giant stinking turd can be buffed to a beautiful shine...

Fire away.

[cottn68]

I'm generally not one to take a negative stance on this "investment". However, something changed my perspective as of late, and I'm uncertain exactly what it was. It's possible that I'm seeing things with a bit more clarity in regards to the day-to-day saga of the IQD...

First of all, let's be clear about these "three zeros" articles. The articles are, in fact, describing a RD. It's as plain as day. Now, I'm not subscribing to the RD camp, but let's be honest about it. Perhaps I'm just a bit tired of seeing folks grabbing on to a few words and manipulating them until it means "RV". Whether or not Iraq plans on a RD is irrelevant. What they are describing in these articles is RD. "Smoke and mirrors'? Perhaps, or at least that's what we're counting on.

Secondly, let's review where we are as of today. Here are the "key indicators" or "prerequisites" as described by "those who know":

HCL: Progress currently mired in squabbling between the Kurds, the List, and the SLC. The Kurds are threatening to walk if the draft law isn't amended. M is having none of it; timeline extended indefinitely.

Ministers: We have one by proxy, who was appointed by M much to the chagrin of everyone else in the government. 9 or 10 names have been submitted to M, no wait, to Talabani. No, the GOI is already fully seated. How can they buy F-16s without a Defense Minister?! Another article was posted today that the security seats will be filled "next week". Screw the RV, I'll take a dime every time this is pushed to "next week".

Erbil Agreement: It looks like those meetings at Talabani's house worked wonders. The NCSP managed one reading before it was declared unconstitutional. The second reading was scheduled for last Thursday, but was postponed until "next week" (cha-ching!). Article 140 is somewhere in purgatory. The minsters promised? See above. There's a lot of talk about how necessary Erbil is to Iraq, but no one with a vested interest has the sack to take any action on it.

Chapter 7: Not lifted, and won't be until most or all of these other items are completed.

"Three zeros" law: In the hands of Parliament. Have any of you folks read (or seen) Steinbeck's seminal "Of Mice and Men"? The GOI is Lennie Small and anything thing positive for the country of Iraq is like a small puppy or Curley's wife. You get the picture. There's another meeting to discuss this on Sunday. I think we all know how things go when these brainiacs sit around and "discuss" things.

Phew. Well, this is our current state of affairs.

Maybe with enough collective elbow grease this giant stinking turd can be buffed to a beautiful shine...

Fire away.

No neg for that Zab, its a fair assessment if ever there were one.

IMO, at this stage of the game, is the glass half empty......or is it half full...

Back at ya I guess....Fire away

[dog53]

I'm generally not one to take a negative stance on this "investment". However, something changed my perspective as of late, and I'm uncertain exactly what it was. It's possible that I'm seeing things with a bit more clarity in regards to the day-to-day saga of the IQD...

First of all, let's be clear about these "three zeros" articles. The articles are, in fact, describing a RD. It's as plain as day. Now, I'm not subscribing to the RD camp, but let's be honest about it. Perhaps I'm just a bit tired of seeing folks grabbing on to a few words and manipulating them until it means "RV". Whether or not Iraq plans on a RD is irrelevant. What they are describing in these articles is RD. "Smoke and mirrors'? Perhaps, or at least that's what we're counting on.

Secondly, let's review where we are as of today. Here are the "key indicators" or "prerequisites" as described by "those who know":

HCL: Progress currently mired in squabbling between the Kurds, the List, and the SLC. The Kurds are threatening to walk if the draft law isn't amended. M is having none of it; timeline extended indefinitely.

Ministers: We have one by proxy, who was appointed by M much to the chagrin of everyone else in the government. 9 or 10 names have been submitted to M, no wait, to Talabani. No, the GOI is already fully seated. How can they buy F-16s without a Defense Minister?! Another article was posted today that the security seats will be filled "next week". Screw the RV, I'll take a dime every time this is pushed to "next week".

Erbil Agreement: It looks like those meetings at Talabani's house worked wonders. The NCSP managed one reading before it was declared unconstitutional. The second reading was scheduled for last Thursday, but was postponed until "next week" (cha-ching!). Article 140 is somewhere in purgatory. The minsters promised? See above. There's a lot of talk about how necessary Erbil is to Iraq, but no one with a vested interest has the sack to take any action on it.

Chapter 7: Not lifted, and won't be until most or all of these other items are completed.

"Three zeros" law: In the hands of Parliament. Have any of you folks read (or seen) Steinbeck's seminal "Of Mice and Men"? The GOI is Lennie Small and anything thing positive for the country of Iraq is like a small puppy or Curley's wife. You get the picture. There's another meeting to discuss this on Sunday. I think we all know how things go when these brainiacs sit around and "discuss" things.

Phew. Well, this is our current state of affairs.

Maybe with enough collective elbow grease this giant stinking turd can be buffed to a beautiful shine...

Fire away.

You can't polish a turd...

Ya your right zaborniake You cant pick one up by the clean end ethier. Great minds think alike

For godsake please RV

Go Rv

GO DONG

[BruceV]

Good post. But hasn't this ride been like this from day one??? Im so confused about what's really happening and what's not ... to the point of going crazy. I just have my faith that everything will go as planned and we will see an end to all of this very soon. Blessings to everyone

[Rayzur]

I have to respectfully disagree with you. You can indeed polish a turd. They are currently still doing so in Montana. After polishing they put feathers and a beak on them and sell them as Turd Birds to the tourists.

Just an FYI to ya'll

Have a Great Weekend !!

Blessings ~~

[krome2ez]

Actually, you can polish a turd.

Here's the proof:

As far as your interpretation,

you can't argue with Shab's statement.

That the Dinar will be the strogest currency in the region.

An RD would not benifit Iraq at all.

If you want to think negative,

well that's ok.

But I will choose to be optimistic.

Go RV.

[AoK]

Thanks for the post, Zab! Excellent synopsis! As much as those of us are hoping for an RV, we can't dismiss the RD talk being promulgated throughout these articles. Smoke & mirrors? We can only hope, as the idea of a preponderance of news and articles hostile to an RV would precede said RV. +1 Shalom!

[Darren77th]

Could not agree with you more. In fact there wasn't anything I disagree with. I too have seen the light a few months ago. The R/D is THE reality as much as that pisses me off. I fell into the" we are going to be millionaires trap" too. Wish I had listened to that inner voice instead of that damn okie. Oh well no choice but to ride it out now and hope for the best but twisting words to fit an R/V as you say is not healthy for anyone. Its like a cancer patient that thinks well maybe if I pretend growth isn't there it will go away that way ill be happy is not beneficial at all. I hope others will take their heads out of the sand and start coping.

As I have said I think we will eventually make a profit and a good one at that but not millions

[andy3978]

Lol I remember back in February when the big RV buzz was the budget. "How can they enact q budget with a worthless currency...it MUST RV " well as we've seen apparently they can and are running a country with an 1170 rate.

[Jim1cor13]

Hi Zab

Thanks Zab for the post and being honest. If you being

honest is considered "negative", how sad has this become?

Thank you for your thoughts. Let us hope something gets polished

soon!

All my best!

Jim

---

Lol I remember back in February when the big RV buzz was the budget. "How can they enact q budget with a worthless currency...it MUST RV " well as we've seen apparently they can and are running a country with an 1170 rate.

Hi andy

Well stated my friend. I think it is safe to say, there is no

such thing as "drop dead dates" any longer.

All my best!

Jim

---

[Darren77th]

Hi Zab

Thanks Zab for the post and being honest. If you being

honest is considered "negative", how sad has this become?

Thank you for your thoughts. Let us hope something gets polished

soon!

All my best!

Jim

---

Hi andy

How sad indeed.

if you hold the belief that it will R/D, the R/Vers call you stupid, tell you to go away, put you down because you interfere with their happy happy thoughts. Then you have some moderators here, not going to mention them, who will threaten to take your delete your posts if you mention an R/D. And then when you call them on it they suspend you because they are so deep in the go R/V crowd that they fear any type of rational discussion. I can say this because I speak from experience. 8 days I was suspended and for what because I happen to believe it will R/D.

So yes it is VERY sad indeed.

[Brink]

I did not know you could polish a turd but also never really thought to try. I believe in this investment. I studied it. I thought it was valid. History has, at times, proven its a possibility. But really, if you can't do it, don't do it. I only invested what I could afford to lose (which is the basis for most investments.) My wife laughs at it but knows how it could turn for the better. Have faith but don't rely on it to pay your bills. But I completely agree that it still has a long way to go. Hoping for now but expecting for later.

[Ridewithme38]

No neg for that Zab, its a fair assessment if ever there were one.

IMO, at this stage of the game, is the glass half empty......or is it half full...

Back at ya I guess....Fire away

The glass is ALWAYS completely full, half with Water and half with air

This is the thing with the RV/RD talk...We can fill the glass half with hard facts, articles and evidence that point directly to a RD(Water), but we won't have a full cup of Water till the RD actually happens...Because of that, the other half, is filled with emptiness based on nothing and a RV is claimed(Air)

Edited September 11, 2011 by Ridewithme38

[tim5400]

I believe Iraq HAS NOT published anything truthful about their currency or Gov,......JMO but all their articles of progress seem to wimper to a standstill.....

[Dalite]

Zab,

Kudos; excellent synopsis.

And yes, the GOI is very adept at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The Steinbeck analogy was not wasted

Kinda like Eddie, Hazel and the boys pulling off the great frog caper in Cannery Row, just not as organized,,

The very thing that defines them may be our saving grace.

The RD plan getting approval may be as elusive as the the seating of the GOI, and another path may be taken.

As much as we get disgusted by the delays, sometimes they may work in our favor.

Relax, the show's not over yet...

[Ridewithme38]

I believe Iraq HAS NOT published anything truthful about their currency or Gov,......JMO but all their articles of progress seem to wimper to a standstill.....

AIR...the substance of this is 'i believe', while this may seem as a bash against the poster...i don't mean it as such, just to show that the 'substance' that the RV's hold onto, actually has no true substance to it

Where as those who talk about RD, link to the CBI website, Articles, Statistics, historic facts....True substance...Water, is a good choice, because while water isn't the smallest element, its one of the MAJOR building blocks of life and is pretty substantial

[bobab]

"You can't polish a turd..."

NO, but you can put it in a sack, set it a fire and watch it be stamped out.

[umbertino]

Quote

...this giant stinking turd ....

End Quote

Fitting image.

[zaborniake]

Zab,

Kudos; excellent synopsis.

And yes, the GOI is very adept at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The Steinbeck analogy was not wasted

Kinda like Eddie, Hazel and the boys pulling off the great frog caper in Cannery Row, just not as organized,,

The very thing that defines them may be our saving grace.

The RD plan getting approval may be as elusive as the the seating of the GOI, and another path may be taken.

As much as we get disgusted by the delays, sometimes they may work in our favor.

Relax, the show's not over yet...

D,

I figured the image wouldn't be lost on you.

Yes, let's hope M and the boys manage to accomplish something great in spite of themselves.

[wishwell11]

"You can't polish a turd..."

NO, but you can put it in a sack, set it a fire and watch it be stamped out.

Hey!!!! Wait a second here...we could try .......If we failed..it would cause a "Movement" such as " BACK-SPREADING" ???

I'm not going to ask anyone to explain how this works though. Oh Crap (no pun intended) the strategy has limited profit potential to the "downside," so you don't want to be "too" bearish. Use the Backspread with Puts if you are more bearish than bullish.

**This " Backspread " can be used if you expect a sharp stock price movement one way or the other, but are mostly leaning bullish. For instance, you may expect such a movement at earnings time on a stock that historically has large movements in reaction to the earnings report.

This Currency stuff can get really gross.

Wishwell11

Edited September 11, 2011 by wishwell11

[Carrello]

Zab,

I agree with your thoughts on where we are, or aren't. Have you read Gibb's post today at you-know-where? Similiar thoughts, and was another strike of reality.

We not only have the situations that you describe, but also attempted military coups, Parliamentary members moving to the White party, Kurds slowing down the oil production, more civilian demonstrations, Sadr moving towards Allawi, and perhaps this is all pointing towards a toppling of the government. You would think Maliki would shape up so that he could stay IN power, at least.

There is much at stake, and our investment is not important to the Powers that be (Rothschilds & Friends). I think everyone would agree that we luckily caught a train that is bound for Mega Profit Station, and that the Powers have their own agenda and their own investment destined for Mega Profit Station.

Are the Powers, the United Nations, IMF, and the United States (all with different MOs), are they going to let their investment and future possibilities swirl down the drain because a handful of Arabs can't work together in an effort to create a democracy, and probably the greaest economy we will see any time soon?

The tools for democracy have been handed to them, and international corporations are breaking down the door to throw billions and billions of dollars at their feet. As Americans, we have a great investment in lives, and also treasure that will continue for decades. I cannot believe that something is going to take place soon that will get the boys in line. You know the saying, everyone is replaceable.

We all have read about the resources, over and above oil, that Iraq has. Can Maliki stop his country from becoming this behemoth of wealth?

I feel confident that there is one more spider hole out there with Maliki's name on it.

I don't know at this point, if I am being confident, or just plain naive, but I do not think the Big Boys are going to tolerate this gnat buzzing around their destination.

[eddiemac]

You can't polish a turd...

Ya your right zaborniake You cant pick one up by the clean end ethier. Great minds think alike

For godsake please RV

Go Rv

GO DONG

Sorry, but you can polish a turd, Myth Busters did it and those turds were looking great, Side note, my wife has polished me and I don't look so bad...........................

[Heinzy444]

You can polish a turd ... I owned one of the first Hyundai's built - the Pony... it was a piece of crap, even after I washed and polished it.

[Cosmo]

Looks like to me we're all in this boat together, polished turds and all!

Let's hope for the best everyone!

Go Texans!!!

[R Veyron]

Thank you and I agree with you. It is not very healthy to try to make something into more of what you want than rather accept it for what it is. Believing too much into something that is not there (yet) is more or less wishful thinking and trying to convice others to believe your point of view is just wrong.