Odds ‘n Sods:

This story is amazing:  http://www.phishhook.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=550448  Of course this was criminal enterprise, but some of the same techniques could be used to conceal entrances for secret rooms and/or an underground retreat.

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Eric Fry of The Rude Awakening e-newsletter notes: “22-year highs in silver; 24-year highs in sugar; 25-year  highs in gold; 26-year highs in platinum; all-time highs in copper, crude oil
and natural gas…Welcome to the commodity markets of 2005-06.”

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Fred the Valmet-meister says: “If you liked Frontier House on PBS a few years ago, you’ll like the new “Ranch House” miniseries (eight parts) about life in the Old West. They are going to do the same thing they did in Frontier House, but do cattle drives and live in the high desert and Texas. It will be aired in May.”

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One last reminder that the big sale on Mountain House canned freeze dried foods at SafeCastle ends at noon TODAY (March 31, 2006). The sale pricing includes free shipping anywhere in the U.S.–even Alaska and Hawaii.

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A couple of stories on the recent run-up in precious metals prices, at Marketwatch and Reuters.