Is there going to be another silver shortage?

Are we going to again be looking under every rock to find silver, just like last October? Yes, right now you will still find bars here and there, but generally speaking Silver bars are getting harder to find, again. Already some of the suppliers have started to increase their bar premiums. If a shortage of physical silver actually happens, where will you get your supply, and when you do find them will the bar premium be exceptionally high? Why where is it all going?
I have seen reports that there is currently less than 200 million ounces of silver in above ground reserves.
In 1950 the US had two billion (2,000,000) ounces of the silver reserve.
So where did it all go? Industrial demand for silver has increased with regular numbers each year. Consumption in 2008 was over 800 million ounces, but the mines have produced slightly over 650 million ounces.
One new thought out there are the US banks, changing paper silver for physical silver to prevent a run on their bank. This increases the demand for physical silver, but maintains the current low prices, by flooding the market with paper silver.
Emerging countries such as China and others have used all of their stockpiles and currently utilizing imported supplies.
So what is going with silver, the price is low, yet demand is increasing, how can this be? Could this be your ticket to easy street? It's basic economics, high demand, low supply, the price has no where to go but UP and UP.
When is a good time to buy you ask, NOW, even recently we have seen the signs that the economy is still softening, actually it kind of looks like a big cooked marshmallow. Oil prices are anything but stable, just 6 months ago, they were almost double. A lot of stocks are falling flat, banks are still struggling, and then there is the auto industry.
Consider investing in a small amount of silver for your portfolio, perhaps replacing those non-performing stocks.
There are a number of ways you can insure that you continue to invest in precious metals, at reasonable prices.
1. Consider joining an investment club, where you can regularly purchase precious metals, at reasonable rates. Make sure you actually get the physical Silver and not just a piece of paper.
2. Not interested in joining a club, develop a relationship with an individual bullion dealer. Dealers are more apt to give their precious supply to regular customers than a new customer. You may even find that the smaller companies will offer a higher level of service than that of the major corporations.
3. A little more risky but invest in a well heeled mining company's stock.
4. Invest in Silver coins, see your local coin dealer. But for some regions, when the silver's purity levels is less than that of investment grade will be subject to duty and taxes.
Which ever way you decide to invest in Silver, the sooner you do it the better.