Baltimore — (TFN): I stuck to my word and bought gold. If you follow the markets long enough, you earn a full grasp of the psychology behind it all. After a while, you notice the tiny quivers and false starts that signify a move in either direction.

I used this insight and logic to warn investors about an imminent downturn in gold prices earlier this month. I got a lot of “feedback” from disappointed gold bugs. But it didn’t take long for them to eat their words as the price of an ounce of gold fell by nearly 10% in the last month.

Baltimore — (TFN): Did you feel it? Just a couple of hours ago, you went into debt for another $106. You never signed any paperwork or agreed to it – a handful of unelected officials took care of that for you – but you’re now on the hook for at least another Franklin.

Earlier today, the Treasury auctioned off yet another chunk of American debt. This time it offered seven-year bonds to the tune of $32 billion. In all, the nation will go in hock for yet another $118 billion this week.

In the spirit of not suffering from confirmation bias, in today’s Notes we will try to make the bearish case against gold. So before you storm Notes HQ in Buenos Aires craving blood, hear us out. Many of our staff here love gold and have long term holdings.

Since the Obama administration took office in January, we’ve seen hundreds of billions pumped into the economy and the U.S. budget deficit now forecast to top the one trillion-dollar mark in the coming years. Many believe it’s only a matter of time before we also see much higher inflation – perhaps even hyper-inflation.

Deja vu all over again… are stocks just following the 2008 playbook?… Bill Jenkins shares his favorite global currency… Gold bugs beware: Gold chart forecasts a sell-off… Yet league of famous funds (and Chris Mayer) are buying up gold stocks… Plus, are we reading this right? A bank bails out the government?

Another sure sign that inflation is a clear and present danger is the recent rise in oil prices. Wednesday, crude oil set its 2009 high at $54.83 in New York intraday trading.

Let me start off with a morsel of clarification. I don’t hate gold. I own it, or more accurately, an interest in gold via gold mining shares.

With food prices on the rise, the price of gold will drive. Martin Hutchinson of Money Morning says, “As gold goes up, it gets more popular and investors start piling into it…” Here are five ways to play bottom-basement gold.

Gold may not be the sexiest or most thrilling investment out there. But we don’t invest to entertain ourselves. When the markets go haywire, you need to take action to protect what you have earned.

Look at the economic goings-on that take place on this, the third rock from the Sun…The Dow is up again – could this be the beginning of a major rally?…pinning hopes on a stimulus package…much talk of cutting taxes, but not of cutting spending…Find a premise that is wrong, and bet against it…for gold bugs, it’s now or never…and more!