The most risky investing is when there are rapid rises and falls...and there is a correction of commodity spike prices underway...very bad time to risk money buying gold or any other commodity.
Like the plunging tech stock bubble burst, and current real estate correction, if oil drops back under $100/barrel, gold and other commodities will tank.
As I said in earlier threads, despite the serious debt problems, the USA is still a powerful economic force. If more of the world drops oil/gas (especially highlighted with Europe's exposure with Russian oil vis-a-vis Georgia), and/or if the USA develops more of its own offshore oil/shale-oil/coal, wind, electric car, hydrogen cell, nuclear...especially things that an individual homeowner can use--that can radically change the USA's long term outlook. Meanwhile a tremendous amount of foreign capital has been buying US real estate, corporations, banks, financial instruments, and now the $-USD. All of these are helping to diversify the US debt (& other mismanagement problems) among international investors.
What I am looking for as the most interesting long term investments are in the breakthrough alternative energy development & genetic research companies (cloning, stem cell, anti-aging, etc.).