Yes, I am very excited about KXL, adn the posts from those who have visited make me even more so.

I am not sure what bang for the buck they get by shorting gold. The stated plan I believe is to buy these shaky mortgages and hold them, which will give them some value ( I have heard .30 on the $). The proceeds will go back to the gov't coffers. I guess there is a chance the gov't will make $ on the deal, tho they said Iraq would be a few months and 50 billion. I digress.

The gold standard thing gets knocked around on the bullboards, and I have yet to have anyone explain how it would really work. The US only was on the GS for a short time, and it was tough to manage then. Money is the blood of the economy, and the blood supply must grow with the economy. The instance I put out is if the US went on the gold standard, and for example guaranteed to fix the $ at 1/1000 of an ounce (or US$1000 an ounce), and the US goes to war, how does it raise the money to fight and pay for it? WArs are fought on borrowed (ie newly created) $. So the gov't would have to buy a whole bunch of gold just to issue the debt, adding enormously to the cost in the first place. Gold standard makes the US mine gold to increase the economy, for no other reason but to control inflation. Why not use other means to control inflation and not have the albatros if the GS around the neck?

As for Joe lunchbox, I think a financial meltdown would hurt him more being inthe unemployment lines. Also, remember that the rich pay the biggest % of taxes (I believe in the US as well) so they pay the biggest % of the bailout. The CEO's of these companies are rich no matter what happens. It was those in steerage on the Titanic who had the most casualties!