I'm glad for you. I hope that if/when fed dollars stop passing through the banks into equities and if/when interest rates are allowed to rise to market levels that take into account risk and true inflation you emerge unscathed. You are more of an optimist than I am. I am not an investor. I am someone who sees distorted markets and currency devaluation. I trust giving my money to a casino before I trust giving it to paper sellers. Also, at the casino nice ladies bring me scotch.

The "system" will not be changed through conventional politics. It will take a crisis to wake up the people and bring about systemic change. The seeds of that crisis are planted and nurtured each day by an overreaching government that is destroying our currency and using the rule of law as a weapon to be turned against its political opposition. BTW, Bob, notice of your IRS audit is probably in the mail. Good luck.

I haven't lost a cent on gold or silver, since I haven't sold any. This drop is an opportunity handed to us by those smart people who juggle paper for a living. While they sell their paper, simple people will be buying the real thing. Too bad we aren't as smart as the paper jugglers. I tried to be a paper juggler once. Bought GM stock not long before thier bankruptcy. That worked out well..... I will pass on buying paper gold representing physical gold that has been sold ten times over.

McCain is an embarassment. At the point he was ramrodded through as the GOP nominee I terminated my relationship with that party. Apple is acting rationally. I can't "offshore" the way Apple does. I am too small of a fish. However, when I realized that, due to other incomes, roughly 1/3 of the income from my full time job was going to the govt. I quit working. I make enough to meet my needs, the community is deprived of my productive contribution, and the government is deprived of the additional tax revenue. If these dolts in congress decide to really take 35% from all Apple revenue, I would love to see Apple personnel shut their doors and go fishing. They did it to me, and the fishing is great. Go Galt. Tight lines, brothers

Agreed.

I don't pretend to understand ETF's and central banking. I do understand the prices for physical have traditionally been set by the paper market. I also understand that the two, physical and paper prices, are diverging. It is also clear that price manipulation is taking place. This is so blatant as to be illegal. If this manipulation is not investigated that implies that some government entity may be involved. Mr. Carter provides a possible motivation for government to prices. If the US had Germany's gold on hand, it would have made sense for them to return it immediately in order to maintain faith in the system. The need for delay in delivery impies they needed time to accumulate what they did not have.

I am stunned by the retail prices I see. The statistics issued by the government seem to bear little relationship to reality. Government proclamations remind me of the old soviet reports of successfully meeting or surpassing manufacturing goals set for tractors and sewing machines. The soviets constantly proclaimed economic growth as their system rotted from within. Who should we believe? The government or our lying eyes? Let the Fed stop buying US and bank debt and let's see how sound this "recovery" is.

Sorry. I've seen the impact of massive immigration, both legal and illegal, on a region's culture and economy. This piece is big on theory and light on reality. Economics aside, it is certain that whatever enforcement provisions are in this bill will not be fully funded or enforced. This is nothing more than a play by both parties to pander to a growing demographic. Politicians are placing their ambitions above the interest of the nation, again. The party that wins immigrant votes will be the party that redistributes the most wealth. If we do anything other than shut up and pay the tab we will be demonized.

Agreed on all counts. I foresee China instituting a gold backed currency at some point. Also, I believe we will see transactions in this country increasingly conducted in gold and silver. The trend is already in that direction. Best, in my view, to hold some metals. Once the practice of holding metals becomes mainstream in this country prices will rise significantly. Expect federal intervention if this happens in order to defend the current banking system. I believe we are seeing one of the last opportunities to buy at reasonable prices. This is not an investment. This is self defense against irresponsible monetary policies. Gold and silver do not increase in value, dollars decrease in value.

Our government will never reinstitute a gold standard, as doing so would restrict their ability to operate beyond their ecomonic means. In the meantime, gold is already money. Feel free to step out of bondage to the federal reserve at note any time.