Free Republic

Don't trust the banks... Don't trust the economy and the value of the US Dollar... Don't trust the gold market... What the hell should I save or bury in my yard in order to protect my investments? Sheesh.

The dollar has embarked on a big decline that will see it fall against all leading currencies, according to analysts. The plunge is being prompted by America’s $800 billion (£438 billion) current-account deficit, they say. The dollar has been under pressure following last weekend’s meeting of G7 finance ministers and central bankers, which emphasised “global imbalances” and said currencies should reflect economic fundamentals. Then China raised its key interest rate to 5.85%, its first hike for months, and Ben Bernanke, the new Federal Reserve chairman, hinted that American rates would pause at 5% after a rise in May. Analysts say...

The government already makes all the money. Now it's selling it at a premium. Star-studded money was going for almost six times its face value Thursday at the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas. That was where the U.S. Treasury Department's Bureau of Engraving and Printing unveiled and set up shop for the "Lone Star Note," a $1 bill with a star at the end of the serial number. Each $1 bill went for $5.95, plus tax. Collectors are expected to buy 120,000 of them by 2003, said Antoinette Banks, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Reading from...