I'm sorry, but I'm with the other guys, reality is scary enough, without hearing about all the historical precedents to our decline, and forecasts of gloom and doom.

There was a magazine my dad subscribed to in the 1970's called Ruff Times, published by Howard Ruff. It forecasted that our economy would collapse under the weight of our debt, that we would eventually end up like Brazil or Agentina with 1000% inflation, etc. He recommended buying gold, silver, and commodities.

Ruff Times was popular from about 1973 to about 1978.

My dad bought gold with our extra money and we watched gold go to $900 an ounce in the late 1970's. But, then Graham-Ruddman and other economic factors kicked in and by the late 1980's, gold was back below $300 an ounce. Things settled down, and people realized that they were going to be OK.

My concern with W&D is that just because two prior industrial powers had civil wars over the distribution of wealth doesn't mean that we will. I can tell you that I think many gov't officials HAVE woken up to the fact that people are sensitive about jobs right now, and that there WILL be change in Washington, if the unemployment rate continues to climb. New political parties will be formed and the bastards WILL be voted out.

Despite the opinions of some conspiracy theorists.

If one side of the fence is "cooking the books", another will expose it.

Glen Austin