Here we go again - Frozen Gold

[golden optimist]

Another really stupid search for gold in Greenland. Weather channel March 1st 9:pm and 10pm
Team of prospectors on a life changing expedition that could "be life changing" I don't know how many episodes there is but this looks like a real shoe string operation. This makes the Hoffman's look really professional. At least good for a laugh. Pretty scenery.

The only good part is Russ's twin is in it.

Leonard

[libertydave]

Hi Leonard...

A good friend of mine has a son who works for a network television production company. He told his dad that "anything to do with gold or treasure sells" and can get support of being produced and put on the air. He also said that "big buck sponsors love gold shows" and fact or credibility has noting to do with content.

Regards, LD

[golden optimist]

I like to watch them no matter how over dramatized can be. It seems that if you use "if it's a life changing thing" it will make the grade. I watch the treasure shows also. I guess it's just part of retiring and having more time than what I know what to do with.
Leonard

[Joe S (AK)]

I know and have personally met Ray Rusau ("Razor") from Juneau and we've been friends for years now.

He is usually a dredge miner working old mill tailings by himself in the ocean just outside the city and has been a 'known quality and quantity' on youtube channels as well as occasional TV shows. He makes quite a bit of his own equipment and is very good at what he does in his mining.

Ray is "The Real Deal" when it comes to fine Gold recovery. His usual recovery size is on a par with that of Nome Gold. Some of us have actually worked that frustrating size with a wide variety of success rates. (Right Leonard?).

Ray, and I, prefer and pretty much exclusively use Gold Hog mats. He is / was a well known, unpaid, new product tester for Gold Hog and his honest and down to earth evaluation videos were very well received in the mining community, presumably internationally.

Ray is a pleasant guy, very attuned to finding Gold and great company. He always has a smile on his face, a chuckle or a laugh on his lips and a tough streak when it comes down to needing it to get the job done.

Last year (or was it the year before?) he traveled to Greenland for the first time. Wu Flu complications seriously cut into his mining time then and this year seems to be a re-try to find Gold and maybe some gem stones in lightly worked areas. He has brought 5 or so other miners (yeah - experienced miners) with him and the last I heard early in the week he was, again, stuck in the "Hotel d' Quarantine", waiting to be government certified Wu Flu free.

Anyone expecting that Ray will be another "Todd Hoffman" will be sadly mistaken. I suggest that giving him a fair shake would be a much better course of action. An honorable, good, spirited man of honor with a constant laugh and a high sense of morality is a joy to work with.

To show how much I admire Ray - I would consider it an honor to go there, or anywhere else, side by side with him, period.

- Joe -

[russau]

Well spoken Joe !

[libertydave]

I have friends operating actual gold mining enterprises and the vast majority are knowledgeable and capable in their search and recovery skills however most would not play well in front of a TV camera.

As for 'reel' mining, TV miners ad-lib story content from a production script, utter a coordinated number of 'bleeps' and appear to be capable of operating large equipment. From experience we know that mining for gold was usually tedious and often downright boring work.

The 'life-changing" adventure narrative read by the "dub-over" announcer is whatever show producers believe will add story content and excitement to what usually was a boring and repetitive enterprise. The alternative to the TV gold shows is watching people street racing or others making moonshine.

I'm with Leonard...as I too will continue the watch the gold shows. LD

[golden optimist]

The other gold show in Greenland was interesting due to the scenery. One other Greenland show was looking for gemstones. I found that interesting because I was not looking for gold si it had a different series of events. In Frozen Gold it would be better for me is toning down the drama with the "prospectors" The camping trip up coast with 5 security guys to keep the polar bears at bay seemed a little much.
Leonard

[golden optimist]

I just watched episode #3. I'm holding my expectations.
Leonard

[golden optimist]

I've watched several more episodes and I definitely wasn't impressed. It was shades of the Hoffman's all over. The show I really like is American Gold. It's on the hard rock side and opening up old adits.

Leonard