the penny stock pump and dump has been around for a while and yes, i've been burnt too in the early 90s.
However, there are similarities on a large scale too. Many investment houses make their money on swings. So, for example, was there a significant shift in gold production or consumption in the last 2 years? I think not, still the price went from 300 to 700. Many analysts and brokers "talk up" a stock or commodity after they took a position in it. Then they are the first ones to dump it when they made their profit.