lunes, 9 de junio de 2008

Denarius



At first, the denarius had begun to be minted in the Republic in 211 BC, and contained 4.5g of silver. Some 500 years later, it was debased to a 2% in silver. A day in 275 AD, an Eastern merchant rejected a payment made in denarius. The end of the Roman Empire had begun.

Further attempts of Diocletian to regain the empire by dividing it first in two and then in four only worsen the things up, and from then on the Roman Empire only knew a permanent landslide up to formalizing his disappearance in times of Romulus Augustus in hands of Odoacer.

In 2001, oil barrel was costing U$S 20-25. Today it costs U$S 114-140. In 2001, golden was costing U$S 150; today it costs U$S 800. And similar remarks can be drawn from the 23 remaining staple products of the S&P Index. That is to say, more than 550%. Does anybody seriously believe that the American inflation is 3-4%/yr? I repeat: SERIOUSLY? Or will it be that to say 'the king is naked' would uncover the hell's doors?

Do you smell some similarities between this little story and the rising quantity of money the world ask you for a oil barrel, a ton of staple food or the commodity name-it-as-you-want? Me too.