The dollar is an intangible asset (It exists in a form that you cannot see)

You can see and feel a dollar bill but the real value of the dollar is based on morals and values rather than physical assets. For a transaction to take place between two or more parties, there must be some level of trust. For a transaction to maintain it's original value two or more parties must trust that the original transaction was enacted in good faith by both parties.

It seems like justice has been served in the stock markets. For decades we have bought and sold assets on the stock market based on good faith that all was done without too much chicanery and slight of hand being involved. For years now they have been outsourcing America to India and China and lying on the balance sheets to make black seem like white, and white seem like black.

The big batch of bad mortgages, enacted in bad faith, injected into the markets was enough to rock the entire world. The financial world is the last American industry to be downsized. After we complete this cycle we will have to rebuild as a whole. My assessment is that we are no where close to a nationwide consensus on this matter. It will take a few more years (2 - 4 years according to history) of suffering before everyone capitulates.

The son (Christ) gets gold or silver. Real tangible assets that represent a return to traditionally held values (A return to value). The father (Lord of the earth) gets control over the entire population. Give them everything that they desire, but they must sell thier soul to get it (A reduction in value).

Everything is manipulated off of emotions. Depression, Optimism, Hope, Depair. It all depends on which side is doing the hoping and despairing, but it is a constant ever changing dance. If one side gets too greedy or one side gets too lazy everything gets out of balance.

For a healthy economy to thrive, trust must exist. Where did the steak that you had for dinner tonight come from? Was it infected with mad cow disease? Did the cook poison it prior to serving it to you?

How about your house, were inferior materials swapped out between the time that you bought it and the time that it was completed? Was the financial paperwork for the transaction stuffed with hidden legal clauses that allowed someone else to stiff you?

The lawyers and the government can figure out how to change apples into oranges and send you the bill, but they can't do anything to earn your trust. They regulate (Make things more complex) and legalate (Make you the victim or victimizer), but they don't do anything for the total trust. Everyone is a liar.

Derivatives are just agreements that if one goes down they all go down. So let's all decened into the pits of hell, because before there can be a consensus there must be more despair and suffering.

Before the dawn there will be increased darkness.

[edit on 28-10-2008 by In nothing we trust]