Still lower! It was down to $1.18 Canadian yesterday, and the friggin' bank gave me $1.16 Cdn for every US dollar after they took their cut (for pushing a computer key).

It has happened due to a society that talked (almost) everyone into spending money they didn't have, through the irresponsible use of credit. When the chickens come home to roost everyone loses...except:

1. Those who have no debts
2. The very, very rich

And what do the very, very rich do? They buy up everything at bargain prices and plunder the society for their own gain. They go and live in comfort while others lose their homes and beg on the street. That's probably what the plan was all along. It's been done before. The very, very rich own the banks and big lending institutions.