There will be no cost-of-living increase in Social Security payments this January.

This is a big change from last January, when Social Security payments increased 5.8 percent. That increase was much higher than the last year's annual inflation rate of 3.8 percent. This difference came about because of the sharp swings in the prices during 2008. When prices change sharply, it matters when, within the year, the change in the price index is computed.

“Nothing but the best for Grandma,” as long as someone else is paying the bill.

As Congress closes in on the final form of the new law, the national debate over health care has shifted from how to improve care or cut costs to how to extend health insurance to all.

The Congressional Budget Office projects that the Social Security Administration will experience a cash-deficit in 2010 and 2011, a first since the 1980s.

Both a flood of new retirees and declining tax revenues have brought on this sudden deficit. As a result of declining employment prospects, workers nearing retirement have been forced to claim Social Security benefits earlier than anticipated. New retiree applications are up 23 percent, an increase of 400,000 since last year. Even disability claims are up 20 percent.

The federal government and the Federal Reserve are attempting to reverse the current economic downturn with aggressive fiscal deficits and severely reduced interest rates. Nearly 20 years ago, Japan tried the same approach, but with scant success. What happened in Japan’s “lost decade” provides an insight into what Americans may expect in the coming years.

Gold has no official monetary role, but central banks and individuals hold it for good reason. It serves as a store of value, a means of investment diversification, and protection from economic or political crises.