..lybob, I really feel bad for you, and I am not saying that to be mean. I have a degree in economics, and I am a little but of effort away from an mba in finance. I am older than most students would be. You are clearly a bright and insightful person, but some of your responses read like a punch line for students in an Econ class. My advice would be that this is a subject you should leave alone. Your arguments are so exasperating I do not think I could attempt to address them. I hope we can talk about some other topic in this forum, because you seem like an interesting person.