I see an economic diasater coming...

[triffid]

http://news.yahoo.com/everything-know-bitcoin-boom-110000648.html   Some info about a digital coin.

[triffid]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57580163-93/bitcoin-exchange-bitfloor-halts-operations-shuts-down/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=  Seems there were problems?

[triffid]

http://news.yahoo.com/wild-unregulated-hacker-currency-gains-following-015010691--finance.html  more problems.


When they first began pinging across the Internet, bitcoins could buy you almost nothing. Now, there's almost nothing that bitcoins can't buy. From hard drugs to hard currency, songs to survival gear, cars to consumer goods, retailers are rushing to welcome the virtual currency whose unofficial symbol is a dollar-like, double-barred B.
Advocates describe Bitcoin as the foundation stone of a Utopian economy: no borders, no change fees, no closing hours, and no one to tell you what you can and can't do with your money.
Just days ago the total value of bitcoins in circulation hit $2 billion, up from a tiny fraction of that last year. But late Wednesday, Bitcoin crashed, shedding more than 60 percent of its value in the space of a few hours before recouping some of its losses. Critics say the roller coaster currency movements are just another sign that Bitcoin is a bubble waiting to burst.

[triffid]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-gold-may-hit-bottom-201625708.html;_ylt=Ai9lxjjbK9wLJDUZAjQgLuKiuYdG;_ylu=X3oDMTQ4NHFvbnNhBG1pdANDTkJDIFRvcCBTdG9yaWVzBHBrZwMxNTJmOGNjMy1kMTI4LTM2NGEtODM5MC00NTQ2YjFhN2NlMDcEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhQkxpc3RNaXhlZExQQ0FUZW1wBHZlcgMwYzA2OWNlMy1hYjhiLTExZTItOWZmZi02MWVkOWI4N2ExYWQ-;_ylg=X3oDMTF1Y2FvM2loBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3BtaAR0ZXN0A05hY2VsbGVfT2Zm;_ylv=3   


Last week's big decline was sparked in part by reports that Cyprus would sell 40 tons of gold. Gold entered bear market territory April 12 and continued to decline last week.

[the_big_m_in_ok]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-gold-may-hit-bottom-201625708.html;_ylt=Ai9lxjjbK9wLJDUZAjQgLuKiuYdG;_ylu=X3oDMTQ4NHFvbnNhBG1pdANDTkJDIFRvcCBTdG9yaWVzBHBrZwMxNTJmOGNjMy1kMTI4LTM2NGEtODM5MC00NTQ2YjFhN2NlMDcEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhQkxpc3RNaXhlZExQQ0FUZW1wBHZlcgMwYzA2OWNlMy1hYjhiLTExZTItOWZmZi02MWVkOWI4N2ExYWQ-;_ylg=X3oDMTF1Y2FvM2loBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3BtaAR0ZXN0A05hY2VsbGVfT2Zm;_ylv=3   


Last week's big decline was sparked in part by reports that Cyprus would sell 40 tons of gold. Gold entered bear market territory April 12 and continued to decline last week.

triffid,
I agree.   So much so, in fact, I found this on the 'Web:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/02/poll-shows-2-percent-voters-think-armed-revolution-might-be-needed/?intcmp=trending
I'm sharpening my knives.
--Lee
BTW,
I'm glad to see this thread is so successful.   Kudos to you, triffid.   I'm getting ready to start my job in engineering w/R&D.   Much better living for me in the future.