I was going to reply to ESL privately, but as the compliment came publicly, I'll reply in the same way.

Thanks very much ESL, I really appreciate the compliment. I am a deep lover of photography, travel, cultures, history and (to the chagrin of many here) politics. I have a deep love of the metals and the miners for a multitude of reasons, but I think what resonates with me most is that gold, silver, copper etc. have an intrinsic, cultural, traditional and historical value where as FIAT currency is like much with economics today, a beautiful well defined house with no foundation. The emperor with no clothes.

Perhaps that's why when we focus on the accumulation of 'wealth' we don't feel richer in reality... for me, I feel most alive when in a country I don't know, meeting people I don't know, learning to communicate and see their world through their eyes. It's exactly that kind of travel that has opened my mind to the core truths in the world (at least as I see it).

I think happiness is almost entirely unrelated to wealth - but can be related to the 'pursuit' of wealth. That is unless you really live at the bottom of the scale in a country where procuring the basics of life is difficult. That's why I personally was shocked when I heard the 'don't care about the very poor' rubbish the other day... if you are really, really poor in Myanmar, you can get coconuts, ice potatoes etc. just about anywhere and the weather is pretty mild or hot year round... there are other hardships, but the people were almost oblivious to the pursuit of wealth and were some of the happiest people I have ever met (the oppression from the military an obvious exception).

If you live in the street of Chicago on the other hand... now that would be unthinkably tough. It shouldn't happen in a nation with as much on hand as you have in the US. I don't care if folks are Republicans, Democrats or independants... helping one another makes society a better place. Helping each other is more than relying on (or fixing) some kind of 'safety net' - it takes a communal effort.

Everywhere I have travelled where the feeling of a true 'community' existed, I found people to be happier in relation to their circumstances. Nothing is worse than being cold, hungry & ALONE.

Thanks again ESL

Soul