good conversation ... a balance of ideas are always to everyone's benefit. My observation is that inevitable economic changes rarely happen as quickly as one would expect ... sadly for me I'm usually out before the final rally and in after the next ... but usually pretty safe.

In 2002 I became increasingly concerned with debt levels and the potential for a crash in the market. For the first time I decided gold was the place to be ... although I was the antithesis of a goldbug. Although I was ridiculously early in some respects, it has been a beneficial decision despite the fact the experts thought it was high risk behaviour.

Since that time, the things that concerned me have been dramatically exacerbated ... US government debt levels went from scary to obscene ... it truly is a humpty dumpty story ... nothing will fix this mess ... it is fubar.

The masses can be fooled by the propraganda of things getting better ... although some of the stimulus has stabilized some aspects of the economy ... the fact is the debt level is beyond crippling and destabilizing and try as they may ... humpty dumpty is broken (this is no fairy tale though).

As an investor I tend towards fundamental since TA although effective is driven by irrational sentiment and manipulation.

The fundamentals of the economy suggest at some point a store of rice beans spices ... etc is a good idea. I would add sugar, coffee, pasta to the list. and canned goods.

Just like you can't time the market ... you can't time when "the great devestation" is going to occur ...

Although the actions of the government have attempted to put humpty back together again ... the incredible clumsiness of their efforts has resulted in them stomping the pieces breaking them further .... sadly they have intervened in the banks, car companies .. going after health care etc.

The United Soviet States of America will be next.

the prophet