Let the Record show that cavelamb on or about
Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:29:32 -0600 did write/type or cause to appear in
rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
azotic wrote:
"cavelamb" wrote in message
...
azotic wrote:
The gold story - essentially - is that the rising economic powers of
Asia, the Middle East, and the commodity bloc are rejecting Western fiat
currencies. China, India, and Russia have all been buying gold on a large
scale over recent months.
Why should that stop when the AAA club of sovereign debtors is pushing
towards the danger threshold of 100pc of GDP?

Just touching $1200 an ounce today!

Seems some people would rather own gold instead of script.

I still think it's a fools game.

You can't eat gold (or script).

But ammo and MREs aren't going to keep the ladies happy.
Better lay in a 12 year supply of Charmin too!

There is an old novel, Malvel. It's set in France, and the
protagonist inherited the old fort (dating from the 100 years war)
from his Uncle, if memory serves. Anyway, he's making a nice living
as a dealer in horses, raising some crops, the occasional tourist,
when WW3 breaks out. Bolt from the blue - France is mostly just
"toasted" - no electronics, massive loss of life, but no fallout - at
least not in this district. He and the rest of his family survive
because they are all in the cellar bottling wine when it happens.
Afterwards, he goes to a neighboring village, and makes a swap of
foodstuffs for their two horses (survivors of a circus). With his
stallion, and these two mares, he will have a monopoly on horses
production in the valley, but he's not going to tell them. While he
is fetching the horses, one of the henchmen says he can't have the
tack - saddle and the like. that the trade was for just the Horses. So
Etienne takes off this big massive gold ring he has, and gives it to
the guy as a "bribe".
The Henchman is Foolish: how long will it be before the economy is
more than barter? How long before Gold has any worth, other than as a
soft yellow metal which doesn't tarnish? The henchman has traded the
valuable stuff (the tack for the horses) for the "pretty".

The lesson of this story is: keep some bright pretty baubles
around to trade with the easily distracted. You might not think it
valuable, but there may be someone who doesn't believe as you do.
It is always a case of trading what you don't want, for what you
do. Or what you have that they will accept. In times of serious
financial crisis, you charge everything you can, until credit cards
are no longer taken. Then use checks. Then use the banknotes. Then
"real money."
-
pyotr filipivich
We will drink no whiskey before its nine.
It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!