Sharky:

Following a sell off Dow will go to near 18,000. But, that will be in a depreciated US $.

People will be worth more in US$. But $ will no longer have the same international purchasing power. This will be due to inflation and a devalued US$. Secret for US citizens? Get the he** out of the US$ and into strong international currencies of growing developing nations. Canadian, Norwegian, Sweden, Brazil, Singapore, Australia, Russia, Indonesia, S. Korea, etc. And of course, gold, silver and base metals. Food and agriculture. Ultimately US will lose its reserve currency status. Until then, Bernanke will trash the $. No other way to face our fiscal situation but degradation of the currency! Ultimately we will go to a basket of the strongest currencies of which the $ will be a part and combined with a partial gold backing. The integrity of money must become of greater importance. We never learn. We just keep repeating the same mistakes. It has been the same since the dawn of civilization!

Brian