[arkady_renko]

That’s why they’re moaning like an old whore over the fact that they can’t stimulate borrowing. People taking on debt is where they convert the fake stuff into the fiat stuff.

But people are debt saturated. And the confidence level is near zero.

Boy are you right. It is not a question of lowering interest rates on cars and high ticket items now. 0% -- So what? 'Will I have a job to pay back the loan at ANY rate?' The banks have got to be wondering the same thing. 'Will we ever get this money we lend back?'

I am an idiot about this stuff - my accountant is an optimist and sees DOW 11,000 this spring. I see destruction of the equity market.

I fell for the Y2K scare, Howard Ruff back in the 70-80's(?). I lean towards doomsday scenarios, so don't trust myself to look at this objectively - but I feel like we are not going to be the same country in about a year. Am I wrong?

[roofgoat]

you are probably right. makes me to sick to my stomach how govt AND Wall St has screwed up.

Miracle is what we need.

[April Lexington]

I fell for the Y2K scare, Howard Ruff back in the 70-80's(?). I lean towards doomsday scenarios, so don't trust myself to look at this objectively - but I feel like we are not going to be the same country in about a year. Am I wrong?

I am wondering the same thing. I went to our local "big box" outdoor sports store this afternoon and I noticed that virtually ALL, ALL, ALL of the 9mm, 38 special, 357 magnum and 45 caliber ammo was SOLD OUT! Except for a few boxes of super premium stuff (like in 3 or 4 boxes). I'm not kidding. I've been a round for a few years now and I have NEVER seen this store out of all of the common handgun ammo. Either people are expecting trouble (which I doubt in our neck of the woods) or they are looking at ammo as a store of value. Either way, its strange!