Thanks.  This should be enough to set me on my way.  For the record, I'd be satisfied with the ability to mine coins for a cost that is less than purchasing them.  To me, the beauty of bitcoin is not so much in the prospect of making a profit, but in the decentralized aspect.  From my experience, the true value of a currency is not in it's exchange rate, but in the character of the people who own it.  With centralized currencies, the true owners are the cult leaders who runs the institutions of banking.