The Horse That Leaps Through Clouds is the Chinese name for Baron Gustaf Mannerheim who was sent by the Tsar of Russia to travel to Beijing along the Silk Road and report back on the countries. It took him 2 years to do the journey and later he settled in Finland (as he born there) and his trip was incorporated in the university studies. One of the students who studied the reports was the author Eric Enno Tamm who decided to recreate the steps in 2006 (the 100th anniversary) and wrote the book The Horse that Leaps Through Clouds, published by Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver, 2010. From the viewpoint of a North America the travel from Moscow to Beijing overland is a view which you do not often read about. Most of the time, the viewpoint is from Hong Kong to some of the cities which have grown dramatically along the Pacific Coast. The breadth and size of China is one of the views one can easily see along the journey. Although it is noted, Baron Mannerheim was sent by the Tsar partly to see if Russia decided to invade or attempt to gain a portion of China in the northeast for peace in the southwest, could they do it? or it was partly a geopolitical journey. Now days, it would be called a trade opportunity journey for the emphasis is moving goods and services from one area to another. Trade is available in peace time, gaining territory is for conflict situations and in conflict situations one group will be traded for another. At the time of the journey, Mr. Mannerheim was also looking at the resources particularly those underground – metals and mines. This leads to investing in global mineral companies – issues broader than the minerals in the ground will always be in play, sometimes more than others and peace allows for the mining and transportation of them.

Linking to dividend paying stocks, as an investor you may wish to think you are investing in the goods and services of the company, but to others there will be other issues tied to the company. Many will be localized, but they are important to take into consideration for at some point the other issues will affect the stock price. It is sometimes why investing in companies in your backyard is easier.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.