[Barney Gumble]

Saying Gold wasn't legal for US citizens and therefore didn't appreciate is like saying guns are illegal in DC, therefore nobody gets shot there

That analogy is way off. The price of gold was kept fixed and was artifically low. So market forces quickly brought it up to a trading level, but that trading level has increased relatively little since.

Gold has appreciated more than the DOW going back the past 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, and 8 years.

touché

Gold is a good bet if you can smell a recession coming or see inflation rising high, but for a long term retirement prospect, I'd shy away from it. Obviously we're going to have to agree to disagree. As with any investment, it's best to diversify.

[simon says what]

Gold is a good bet if you can smell a recession coming or see inflation rising high, but for a long term retirement prospect, I'd shy away from it.

That is a long way from your original statement of "Gold as an investment stinks."

Obviously we're going to have to agree to disagree.

I agree.

As with any investment, it's best to diversify.

I agree again. ;-)