Altho' I studied bookkeeping and later, some accounting & economics, in my post secondary education, I wouldn't regard my background on par with all the CFA types commenting. I will say I came here to verify fractional banking was still in effect, because I'm on my 2nd pass through an ebook in pdf, I downloaded free, from a site that piqued my interest, http://www.getoutofdebtfree.org/wiki/images/8/89/Mary-croft.pdf, and the pdf has been not only illuminating (tho I already knew much of what she discusses re the banksters, etc), but found myself chuckling out loud at this maven's testimony of her journey. I can identify with her "maverick" tendencies.