To: akmike who wrote (17793 ) 10/8/2000 4:03:24 PM From: elena_murooni Respond to of 29986 Quite the contrary. I was addressing apathy. Maurice merely replied & thus my conversation with him. No, I do not place him in the camp of gloom & doom. Again, quite the contrary. Frankly, as the tranches unfold back-to-back, investors have asked 'why?', given the assumption that the money is not needed now. It is disheartening not to 'know' the answer... one is left speculating. But, mark my words, the Longs will grip their teeth as this scenario winds its way through the investing community because we 'do not' have the answer, we were not invited to the huddle formation. I can not help but fall back on the description (from G*) that this is but a 'part' of the total financing package. With BLS's reluctance to draw monies from the partners until the very last minute, my guess would be that their commitment to the financing will be the very last card played. The sooner, the better. Additionally, based on ramp up, data roll out: the combination of early financing combined with steadily rising income might further reduce the commitments of the partners. Would amassing as much money from the market & from sales prior to approaching the partners (regarding their participation amounts) be prudent? I think it might. The dealers have implied that customers await data roll-out. This would imply an unleashing of demand somewhere in late Q4 (if I have my notes correct). This is also the holiday season worldwide. Timing these two events is highly strategic, & my hope is that this will be accomplished. I will carry these thoughts with me throughout the back-to-back tranche trek, and will hold this opinion until proved otherwise. It certainly is crunch time, and we have been given so many 'hints', but relatively few hard facts. It is with efforts such as WR (who will not post again?) in tracking site/marketing efforts that needs applauding... Jim Parkinson's unrelenting pursuit valid facts... Investartist's vision an 'to die for' hard drive of facts... and RocketScientist who obviously sprints to the front of the information/understanding agenda meeting Maurice at different junctures. There are many of us who read, who appreciate the posts found here far beyond the authors I have just named. We are silent until such time as we can no longer remain silent. My best guess is that I finally hit that juncture, & maybe this was my way of getting on stage & beating the begeebies out of the Oboe.....