<As I see it, precious metal shares are only holding their breath before lift off next week when the "debt crisis" really wakes up the populace.>

I concur and I think that what flocking to safety occurs now is to bullion and currencies such as Swiss and Singapore's.

Once it reaches crisis proportions, and it may not be just after the present 'debt crisis' (current is tempest in a tea pot by proportions) the metals will not be enough to satisfy the need, nor will the currencies. It is then that investors will move from bullion to PM and other critical and real stocks to get a second bang for their money.

In other words, bullion first then stocks.