panning for gold

The uncertain economy, high unemployment and soaring gold prices are luring droves of dreamers to the gold fields. But while few prospectors will hit paydirt, the biggest beneficiaries of the new gold rush will be the merchants and servicers who support the intrepid ore-hunters.

Have a lot of time on your hands this summer? Need to get away but don't have a lot of money? Perhaps you should consider heading north to prospect for gold. The tactic has precedent -- twice as much gold was mined in the U.S. during the Depression that during the California gold rush of the...