The Motley Fool's CAPS investing service is a great way for investors to work together as a community to beat the market. One feature in CAPS allows users to set up a blog to exchange ideas about their picks, investing strategies, market views, or favorite American Idols (if they so desire).

I've scoured the CAPS blog universe to bring you a generous helping of the top posts of the past week.

Google or gold?
On his blog, fellow Fool Robert Aronen (a.k.a. saunafool) asks the big question: In their respective bull runs, will it be Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) or gold that blinks first?

When he took the bull side in the bull/bear debate on gold, the bulls gave Robert a decided victory. But is gold still the place to be?

How much is PetroChina really worth?
Early in the week, there was quite a hubbub when some suggested that PetroChina (NYSE:PTR) could be worth $1 trillion -- far more than its American competitor ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM). Many have been less convinced that this Chinese oil giant is really that giant. In a recent blog post, darkflame runs the numbers on what PetroChina is likely really worth.

Is some land out there worthless?
If you've been reading floridabuilder's blog over the past few months, you might think so -- that's been a key piece of the case he's built against the homebuilder stocks. In his most recent post, which followed the completion of his 20-part series on homebuilders, floridabuilder shares the thoughts of Lennar's (NYSE:LEN) CEO -- who recently said that the residual value of some land is close to zero.

In a related note, floridabuilder shares why he thinks Beazer could be knocking on bankruptcy's door.

Crocs debate still rages!
The recent 45% drop in Crocs' (NASDAQ:CROX) stock has been the source of much chagrin for Crocs shareholders. Unfortunately, I was a little premature in my concerns about Crocs, but many Fools were pretty darn timely in pointing out the holes in the stock.

In a recent blog, fellow Fool Seth Jayson (a.k.a. TMFBent) muses on whether investors who were chasing Crocs' momentum will take away a lesson from the stock or just keep sending him hate mail.

I hear Brazil is nice this time of year
Many Fools may be familiar with Motley Fool Income Investor pick Petroleo Brasileiro (NYSE:PBR). Globetrotting Fool VTEngineer2001 thinks there's good reason for investors to take a hard look at other stocks Brazil has to offer. On his blog, he supplies good data points on Brazil's growth, as well as a list of a number of stocks to get some exposure to Brazil.

Another one bites the dust
This week started with a bang when Chuck Prince, the now-former CEO of Citigroup (NYSE:C), announced he would step down. Prince's departure follows the very recent leave-taking of Stan O'Neal from Merrill Lynch. Maybe more rattling than Prince's departure, though, was the announcement that Citi will write down between $8 billion and $11 billion in the fourth quarter -- on top of the $6.5 billion hit the company already took.

Is the pain over for the financial-services sector? In his recent post, JR10022 explains why he thinks not.

Are you an investor or a trader?
OK, I admit it, I check the prices of my stocks way too often. It certainly hasn't made me a better investor, but it has helped me learn to manage the discomforts of indigestion. It's a path I wouldn't recommend to investors just starting out!

On the flipside, I think raytoei hits on a proper investing mindset in his blog.

See you back here next week, when I highlight even more great writing and ideas. In the meantime, start your own blog by joining CAPS today. It's free. It's easy. And just think of the bragging rights you'll get when your words show up here.

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