I'm in Boston, Massachusetts, and people are just starting to be dazed with the recent action in the market. Most are still entirely clueless to the decline in the dollar. A few are noticing inflation, but see it as a result of oil prices and OPEC collusion or greed, perhaps, not dollar value. When it comes to the stock market, most I talk to see the market action of the last few days as the bad side of some pendulum effect, and anticipate it will be back in a few days or weeks.

Reality is not close to setting in here. Although I'm out of all dollar-denominated investments/savings and do own gold in quantity, I am nearly alone in this among work colleagues, many of whom are trained in finance themselves. I had conversations today with people who blame slow action from the Fed on the current stock market values. When I've tried to explain the last several years of the Dow against the euro, or gold, or oil, or agricultural commodities, the big picture never sets in.

Most also see the deficits and debt as some kind of accounting curiosity, not a looming cancer that fundamentally threatens the quality of life across the entire country. People even expect the housing market to pick right back up as the Fed cuts rates.

There's a long way to go here. I love the site, and look forward to visiting Australia again in early 2009, although I probably won't be packing any empty suitcases!

Good luck on the documentary at Sundance. Will this docu be available at some stage on a dvd? Thanks