The financial crisis is deepening, credit is ever scarcer, property prices are tumbling. Let's radically change strategy, increase debt and buy undeveloped real estate from our largest shareholder. Are you in?

Unfortunately, while minority shareholders in Aim's Sibir Energy will be given the chance to answer that question at a meeting on December 18, their answer almost certainly won't count. Sibir's outrageous plan to spend their money bailing out Chalva Tchigirinski, who owns most of the real estate in question, is likely to go through on the nod, backed by other large Russian investors.