If you havent seen it yet may I suggest the 6 part series (or the book) by Professor Niall Ferguson. It explains money, stocks, bonds, real estate, insurance, hedging, derivatives, options and the consequences of it all right now. Fascinating stuff... A quote: "2006 Worlds total economic output: 47 000 000 000 000 $ Total value of stocks and bonds 119 000 000 000 000 $ Outstanding derivatives value 473 000 000 000 000 $"

My take on it all (Since derivatives is a largely fictitious concept, but worth actual money it stands to reason that it is gonna take a looooooong time to get rid of the money now lost...)

I think that China might just take Taiwan back very soon in order to cash in on whats to come, when the $ will inflate and the the value of their bonds goes down.

If any political disaster happens that may rock the boat between US and China (or any other country that the US owes a lot of money to) the consequences could be dire indeed...

Fridays Bill Moyers Journal with William Black saying tough things to Geitner et all should also be viewed... http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04032009/profile.html