While out shopping and buying some silver I noticed the traffic for this time of year as quiet. This seems suprising especially when most people were still dreaming up there Christmas lists on there couch yesterday. No one can make me believe sales are up unless, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet have huge Christmas lists for Americans and others abroad. Traffic was light, stores seemed like a regular day, and according to my coin dealers the Europeans were buying as much silver possible. Then prices? Lower than last year in many categories,[exception flat screen tv's which are priced way lower than years past] with extra give aways for many items. Than I thought,[how many people are out of work] oh thats right another fudged number, that can't buy presents? Of course the people who are working in these stores will see pink slips the second week of January and again we see more unemployment. Whoops there goes all the morgage payments, grown up toys, and that winter vacation some were dreaming about. When will it all become TRANSPARENT. The answer has to be very soon. Sure they say unemployment is 10%. I say no way. There are many Americans who are not even on the books. Why! They can't afford to go on the books and the people that hire them can't afford to pay people that are. It is my belief that come the end of January unemployment will skyrocket, foreclosures will climb, and the shorts will be caught in there own trap. Even when buying silver I had 2 people in line behind me who wanted to follow me home. You know why? I had bought all the silver the dealer had or could get unless you wanted to buy some 100 pounds bars. Silver eagles were 4 dollars over spot and the dealers are saying the new coins being minted are already to be priced at least that much more on delivery. I even talked to other dealers in 3 different states that told me silver eagles will be more expensive when released buy the mint. So let them fudge the numbers a little longer it will only bring financial caos sooner than later. And when there ready for new production, inflation will hit everyone harder than expected. I hope all of us are able to help everyone we can when this financial caos raises it's ugly head, but I doubt it will be enough. I don't like doom and gloom but a lot of people don't know how to live within there means, what the heck are they going to do when there cash is used for keeping the fire going in the fireplace. There is no way that inflation is not going to bite them in the butt. And with the global community growing faster than we can get out statistics they will want there money and share of food, shelter, and in some cases a much greater life style. We wont need transparency it will be looking us in the face when our families see what happens to the many that will not be prepared for this devastation.