settling contracts in cash brings the comex one step closer to default. in this article, jim willie also discusses the value (or lack thereof) of the gold etf:

In an open manner, no longer hidden from view, the COMEX is settling gold long futures contracts with Street Tracks GLD shares. Investors in GLD shares should be horrified at shareholder contamination. Clearly, the COMEX does not have much of any gold bullion, yet it operates formally as an exchange to sell gold, and to create a market for gold price discovery. Some call this new redemption developed appropriately a silent COMEX default, and correctly so. It is the early chapter of a COMEX default, presaged last May.

The two-sided fraud deserves mention once more. In time, the Street Tracks GLD (run by State Street, with JPMorgan as custodian) will be exposed as totally corrupt. They are using GLD shares openly now to cover COMEX short futures contracts. They are likely providing GLD bullion to London to satisfy futures contract delivery demands. Evidence painted a picture after London gold delivery stresses occurred at the same time as vast deletions from the GLD bar list, which suddenly reappeared days later. That is burning the candle at both ends of the GLD itself. Eventually my expectation is for GLD shares to sell at a 40% discount to gold price as the lack of gold inventory is revealed. Then later, after lawsuits, the GLD might easily sell at 80% discount. Finally the climax could be prosecution for fraud and all investors will be given 20 cents per dollar versus gold. Who knows? Maybe it will be 30% and 60% and 40 cents per dollar. The trouble for hapless unsuspecting investors is they did not read the prospectus, which permits such misuse of GLD shares. They just might be lazy and qualified sheeple. The Wall Street crowd did effective planning. One must give a tip of the hat to their brain trust. The GLD is a tool to drain gold demand from the public and to supply it to the syndicate. It is one of the most brilliant open ploys in financial history.

http://news.goldseek.com/GoldenJackass/1259826300.php