I’ve been so wrapped-up in the ongoing credit crunch that I might have missed an even larger crisis brewing, that’s threatening the global economy: FOOD!

Gold pushed higher in the far East and London, but slacked off at the open of the New York session on Tuesday, falling in the first hour, then trading sideways for the rest of the day, and finishing at $928.00/oz., up $3.30. Overnight, gold has been pushing higher.

If you had $53 trillion, what would it look like? Major airline merger…what “the new Delta” means for your money. China and Dubai join forces…how the new partners plan to invest. Retail sales surprise on the upside…but all that glitters is not gold in the latest commerce report. Plus, your tax-day overtime report… four reasons not to raise the capital gains tax.

Ben Bernanke has the world’s worst job right now. The Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve has been busy dodging all sorts of financial blow-ups since this sub-prime crisis first exploded onto the investment scene last July.