Odds ‘n Sods:

By way of SHTF Daily, James Saft of Reuters reports: Americans charge it as Bank of Subprime closes. A collective $909 billion balance on credit cards? ¡Ay Carumba! Meanwhile, we read at The Baltimore Sun: Credit card debt is ready to blow: (Thanks to Hawaiian K. for sending that link.)

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RBS flagged this: Heating Oil Prices To Jump 22 Percent Over Last Winter, Says Energy Department

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RBS also sent us this: Mortgage Lender Thornburg ups estimated loss on loan sales

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I hope that most of you took my long-standing advice on buying silver. I noticed that the spot price topped $13.85 per ounce yesterday. The spot gold zoomed up beyond $752 per ounce–a 27-year high– and less than $100 short of its all-time high in 1980. Meanwhile the US Dollar Index sagged to 78.07. (Below the crucial 78.19 level.) I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Protect yourself from further declines in the dollar by diversifying into precious metals. Physical silver in your personal possession is still your best bet.