Economics and Investing:

SurvivalBlog reader Bob in Manassas, Virginia sent a strong word of warning that stock, bond, and derivatives traders now leveraging to the hilt: Investors Are Borrowing Like Crazy To Leverage Up Their Stock Market Bets. Bob’s comment: “You have often spoken of the risks associated with derivatives. In addition to that risk, the article here demonstrates that investors have historically low (negative) net worth in their accounts due to margin leverage. I would suggest that one strongly possible consequence is that because most of these are institutions of one sort or another and most are using computer-based trading, when the turn comes they will exit quickly , and the crash will be massive in both size and speed.”

A hot commodity: California gun shop owner: 9mm ammo ‘has a shelf life of about 5 minutes’ (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)

40 Statistics About The Fall Of The U.S. Economy That Are Almost Too Crazy To Believe

Andre D. sent: Doomsday investors betting on market crash

Over at Gold-Eagle: No Bear Market In Gold (Dr. Paul Craig Roberts)