The pizza is about to arrive. It is 6:05 p.m. on Monday. I am stranded in Chicago with three colleagues who had also attended the World Money Fair in Berlin. We are at a Hampton Inn in Schiller Park. Our flight out tomorrow will mean I am in motion at the usual posting time for my blog.

I am hungry and sleepy but very satisfied with the experience in Berlin. It is shocking to see prices in euros. Just about everything is expensive from an American point of view, but as one person I spoke to said: "You should see Paris." I made no reply at the time, but if that is the case, I will have to say something like, "Maybe next year." Berlin prices were enough for my delicate fiscal sensibilities. That and I don't need to see any sausages again for a while.

I hope to get a good night's sleep, get home and perhaps get a half a day put in at the office Tuesday. Fortunately, the Krause team has been posting material right along as it happened. I hope you have taken advantage of the on-the-spot reporting to find out what happened in the mint master capital of the world. We also shot video while we were there and are looking forward to expanding our online reporting capabilities.

If it comes to my personal comfort and convenience, 2008 has had a disappointing start. If it is your comfort and convenience that matters as far as being kept informed of important news events, then 2008 has started well. The Krause NumisMaster online reporting team has done it just for you.

Well, there's the pizza. Gotta go.