[Acrylic-bob]

The phrase is, actually, "going to the dogs" but the point is taken.

For those of you who are interested in such things it might be worth while keep an eye on what the Italian Government has to say regarding European Interest rates in the coming months.

Italy is massively in debt and has a stagnating economy, many there, including the Prime Minister, Berlusconi, blame the European Central Bank for not relaxing interest rates. There are rumours that they will threaten to dump the Euro and re-issue the Lira. This may have the effect of frightening the Central Bank into lowering interest rates. which in turn could open the door for other member states to blackmail Europe. Or if the Central Bank refuse then Italy will make good its threat and re-issue the Lira which will bring the whole fairy tale castle tumbling down.

It is said that the collapse of the Euro is unthinkable, but experience shows that it does not take much to translate the unthinkable into the inevitable, especially where paper money is concerned.