Silver blasted through $45 today, with gold holding above $1500 as the US dollar fell as much as 1 percent, trading at a 16-month low. Unrest in the Middle East and North Africa and the looming European debt crisis is drawing investment demand into precious metals in an unprecedented fashion. With interest rates remaining low around the world, there is little reason not to own gold and silver. Silver continues to outperform gold, as the gold-silver ratio is in the 33’s (the lowest since August 1983).