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The little yellow god. Even at $500, it's still a barbarous relic
The Economist ^ | Dec 1st 2005 | Unsigned

Posted on 12/01/2005 10:40:52 AM PST by .cnI redruM

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Let's see....

$850/ Troy Oz. in 1980 dollars. Even discounting that last year of Carter-flation, that would require a spot price of $2,073.2/ Troy Oz. today to break even if you bought

1 posted on 12/01/2005 10:40:55 AM PST by .cnI redruM
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To: .cnI redruM

"The price is an omen of rampant inflation; bonds are doomed; the dollar is about to fall prey to the United States' reckless deficits; the euro will shortly be revealed as a worthless creation of bureaucrats.

Only the last will prove true....


2 posted on 12/01/2005 10:43:03 AM PST by proxy_user
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To: .cnI redruM

I never understood the "barbarous relic" nickname.

Does anyone know WHY gold should or might be considered a "barbarous relic"?


3 posted on 12/01/2005 10:43:26 AM PST by BenLurkin (O beautiful for patriot dream - that sees beyond the years)
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To: Travis McGee
Ping!
4 posted on 12/01/2005 10:44:28 AM PST by Joe Brower (The Constitution defines Conservatism. *NRA*)
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To: .cnI redruM

I've never heard one of the gold hucksters on radio fail to proclaim that now was the time to buy gold.


5 posted on 12/01/2005 10:45:18 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show since 2002 so you don't have to.)
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To: BenLurkin

Because the gold standard is an ancient standard. In order for a monetary standard to be valuable, it needs to be based on something truly rare. That's why I'm proposing that we move to what I call the "Honest Democrat" standard. If we base our monetary standard on something truly rare - the rarest thing I can think of is an Honest Democrat...


6 posted on 12/01/2005 10:45:53 AM PST by Tennessee_Bob ("Those who "abjure" violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf.")
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To: Joe Brower

BUMP!


7 posted on 12/01/2005 10:45:55 AM PST by Publius6961 (The IQ of California voters is about 420........... .............cumulatively)
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To: BenLurkin

That was what Keynes called it.


8 posted on 12/01/2005 10:46:39 AM PST by Travis McGee (--- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com ---)
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To: BenLurkin

Maybe because in modern society, the bulk of the economic GDP is services, not physical goods?

Out vast wealth is based on the knowledge of our workers. With modern technology, physical goods are of very little value. Probably 50 million farmers, and 50 million factory workers, could produce all the food and manufactured goods the world needs. The real value is in medical services, legal services, and entertainment.


9 posted on 12/01/2005 10:48:22 AM PST by proxy_user
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To: .cnI redruM
NOTHING swells the breast so much as the thought that you have been proved right at last.

If some wag posts pictures of swelling breasts, I for one will be offended. So I'm going to keep checking back to make sure that doesn't happen.

10 posted on 12/01/2005 10:48:55 AM PST by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
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To: .cnI redruM

I always laugh when I hear the ads on radio telling me what a great investment gold is.

Usually by a company who is in the business of selling gold.

If it's so great, why are they selling it instead of hoarding it?


11 posted on 12/01/2005 10:49:06 AM PST by flashbunny (To err is human. But to really screw something up, have the government try to fix it.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

When was the gold market the hottest? When was everyone buying gold? When it went above $600 an ounce, about 23 years ago.

Remember the lines of people buying silver at $38 an ounce? It was going to $100. No, it topped at a little over $38. Silver just hit an 18 year high, at about $8.30 an ounce.

Where will gold go from here? I don't have a clue. But gold sellers sure are anxious to sell to me. If it is going to double, why are they so interested in selling to me?


12 posted on 12/01/2005 10:49:10 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (Question for Socialists: Why are others bound to do for you what you won't do for yourself?)
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To: proxy_user

You make a good point but there still is no reason why our money should not be backed with hard assets, is there?


13 posted on 12/01/2005 10:49:42 AM PST by BenLurkin (O beautiful for patriot dream - that sees beyond the years)
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To: flashbunny
Interesting point....
14 posted on 12/01/2005 10:50:25 AM PST by .cnI redruM (Murtha - What happens when patriots turn into Democrats.)
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To: proxy_user; Willie Green; A. Pole; Shermy
Out vast wealth is based on the knowledge of our workers. With modern technology, physical goods are of very little value. Probably 50 million farmers, and 50 million factory workers, could produce all the food and manufactured goods the world needs.

Bears repeating.

15 posted on 12/01/2005 10:51:10 AM PST by Clemenza (I am here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubblegum!)
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To: SaxxonWoods

Gold up $11.50 so far today.
Silver up .24 to above $8.50

Actually, in the 1980 squeeze, things were very interesting.
Gold topped at near $850/oz, while silver, at one point, reached a bit over $50 an ounce. Coming very close to the historical average of a 15-16 to one gold/silver ratio.


16 posted on 12/01/2005 10:52:44 AM PST by djf (Government wants the same things I do - MY guns, MY property, MY freedoms!)
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To: BenLurkin

I've never understood the fascination with the 'gold standard'. It's like basing your money on tulips or some arbitrary substance you declare as the de facto standard for all that is valuable.


17 posted on 12/01/2005 10:53:37 AM PST by flashbunny (To err is human. But to really screw something up, have the government try to fix it.)
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To: BenLurkin
I tend to think it makes our currency vulnerable to manipulation. If the $ were based on gold, people who wanted to control it's value to control us would long or short gold.
18 posted on 12/01/2005 10:54:37 AM PST by .cnI redruM (Murtha - What happens when patriots turn into Democrats.)
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To: BenLurkin

Yes, it is. Because our wealth is not physical, it can expand infinitely. If the money supply were based on a physical commodity, it could not be expanded to keep up, and massive deflation would have to occur.


19 posted on 12/01/2005 10:56:26 AM PST by proxy_user
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Comment #20 Removed by Moderator


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