History clearly shows that stocks don't fall during periods of rising interest rates. Sure, they might fall a little when a rate hike is announced - maybe for a week or so - but they usually bounce back quickly - and then they go higher.

Never before has the world faced such a serious debt crisis. Yes, in the past there have certainly been nations that have gotten into trouble with debt, but we have never had a situation where virtually all of the major powers around the globe were all drowning in debt at the same time. Right now, confidence is being shaken as debt levels skyrocket to extremely dangerous levels. Many are openly wondering how much longer this can possibly go on. [Here's my take on the situation.]

Anyone that thinks that the U.S. economy can keep going along like this is absolutely crazy. We are in the terminal phase of an unprecedented debt spiral which has allowed us to live far, far beyond our means for the last several decades. Unfortunately, all debt spirals eventually end, and they usually do so in a very disorderly manner.

Little has been done in the past six years to restructure economies and cut debt i.e. learn the lessons of 2008. Because we’ve partially recovered from that traumatic period, that’s led to complacency. All the while, the debt that caused the bust in the first place has compounded and threatens to undo the world again. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.

So much has been written about what various authors refer to as the economic (in alphabetical order) abyss, apocalypse, Armageddon, avalanche, catastrophe, chaos, cliff, collapse, crisis, disaster, downturn, endgame, meltdown, pain, reality, risks, situation, train wreck, tsunami, turmoil that faces the nations of the world I thought a source article of what has been said about the situation would be of interest. Have a look.

Is gold undervalued or overvalued?...[Unfortunately,] there's no good way - and definitely no universally accepted way - to determine a "fair value" for gold. Unlike a stock, gold doesn't have a price-to-earnings ratio that we can easily compare to the market. [That being said, I offer in this article] a logical, real-world price target. Words: 700

It seems that the past few years of falling interest rates have lulled a big part of the global economy into financing with variable-rate debt...[As such,] when interest rates go up (as they did last week), there’s a world-wide reset in interest costs that, best case, amounts to a tax increase on individuals and businesses and, worst-case, threatens to blow up the whole system.

People ask me all the time where the price of gold is headed. I do not pretend to know, especially in the short-term. However, I understand the fundamentals and Roubini clearly doesn't, nor does he have a clue about money or what causes economic growth...In fact, having just read Nouriel Roubini's seven point analysis on the Bursting of the Gold Bubble, I am of the opinion that he doesn't get even one of the seven points correct. In this article I offer a point-by-point rebuttal.

Are we headed for rampant inflation or crippling deflation? I believe that we will see both. The next major financial panic will cause a substantial deflationary wave first, and after that we will see unprecedented inflation as the central bankers and our politicians respond to the financial crisis. [Let me explain why I think that will unfold.] Words: 1025 Charts: 3

The tactic by the Fed and Central Banks is to inflate the stock markets while manipulating the price of gold and silver lower and it's working. They are deluding the public into believing their 401ks, pension plans, stocks etc. are safe investments in a deteriorating economy, while at the same time destroying the faith in owning gold and silver. [An analysis of the Dow/silver, Dow/gold and Dow/HUI ratios make that very evident. Let's take a look.] Words: 555; Charts: 3