Jim Rickards on the decline of the Roman Empire

This is a must-hear interview by Jim Rickards on the (economic) decline of the Roman Empire, currency debasement, government budgets, taxation, and complexity of society.

http://www.kingworldnews.com/kingworldnews/Broadcast/Entries/2010/7/26_Jim_Rickards__files/Jim%20Rickards%207%3A26%3A2010.mp3

Expats renouncing US citizenship

Expatriates renouncing their US citizenship will be a growing trend.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/26/us/26expat.html?hp

Amid mounting frustration over taxation and banking problems, small but growing numbers of overseas Americans are taking the weighty step of renouncing their citizenship.

Anecdotally, frustrations over tax and banking questions, not political considerations, appear to be the main drivers of the surge. Expat advocates say that as it becomes more difficult for Americans to live and work abroad, it will become harder for American companies to compete.

American expats have long complained that the United States is the only industrialized country to tax citizens on income earned abroad, even when they are taxed in their country of residence, though they are allowed to exclude their first $91,400 in foreign-earned income.