Oil I can use to run my car, apples I can eat.Even tech-- here is a column about how tech has supplanted gold in value. <a href="http://www.richmakesyourich.com/2011/10/why-your-gold-is-wor...many">http://www.richmakesyourich.com/2011/10/why-your-gold-is-wor...many</a> might disagree, but it is well written :)