Tumbling Interest Rates in Europe Leaves Some Banks Owing Money on Loans to Borrowers

"Subzero rates have put some lenders in an inconceivable position"

http://www.wsj.com/articles/as-interest-benchmarks-go-negative-banks-may-have-to-pay-borrowers-1428939338

THIS IS PART OF DEFLATION = not a good thing & very hard to stop.

Timely....

On my drive this morning I was listening to these podcasts
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2015/01/16/376967946/episode-253-gold-standard-r-i-p
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2015/01/14/376967891/episode-252-the-gold-standard

better link - all episodes in the series - http://www.npr.org/series/377029766/planet-money-buys-gold

Anyway, the reason it's timely is that deflation was the main reason the gold standard was abandoned.