Small towns are great for rumors because, aside from retelling the story about how that one guy rode his motorcycle into the outhouse hole last year, there is not much to talk about except gossip.  Rumors, both founded and unfounded this month, have revolved around when the electricity would come back on and why it was off this time, who is crazy enough to put up their ger in the middle of town so far from any outhouses, and what the mining companies are up to.  Hanhongor seems to have potential mineral resources that are enough to get several mining companies to fall all over themselves to win the town’s graces.  Last year one of the mines spent almost $50,000 renovating the English classroom into a learning lab complete with fancy computers (note-this is not the room I get to teach in) and last week another one gave out televisions and satellite dishes at a community meeting.  The newest rumor is that one of the mines which is connected to Tavan Tolgoi, one of the largest coal mines in the world located north east of here, is going to give every household 2 tons of coal for free.  As someone who burns coal and enjoys being warm this is one rumor I hope comes true.