Yes, Baires, the slow but steady rise in the price of gold is telling us that both sides (Puzzleman and hansix) on this debate have a good point. The US population has a powerful spirit of struggle, survival and innovation in tough times, along with care for each other which takes off the hard edges and makes an economy possible. But it has to get rid of the current portfolio of politicians who - as Martin Armstrong says - have no interest in the country, only in themselves. (See today's www.321gold.com ). Should we hope for another Reagan and Thatcher team? The US will pull through but there are hard times ahead before the refreshing vigorous wind of US entrepreneurialism and free markets blows through the world again. I look forward to that day, but fear it is a few years ahead. In the meantime I am expecting big things from Tyhee. Ike