The DOW is down 330 points as I type, and all heck is breaking loose because of several banks on the brink of bankruptcy.
There was a strange 2-hour trading session Sunday where traders were trying to unload "derivatives" which would cut their head off if Lehman went bankrupt, for instance.
Do you know how much "money" all derivatives are worth? Brace yourself for this: $445 TRILLION dollars! Ridiculous. There isn't 1/10 of that much money in the whole world.
This economic system is confusing, ridiculously complex, etc. but it can easily be explained to a layman: Just think "house of cards". All it takes is someone opening a door too quickly, and the whole thing comes tumbling down...
Then we have a gas crisis/shortage looming. Buy gas cans NOW if you haven't, and I'd even recommend filling some/all of them. Remember, for most traditional Catholics:
no gas=no Mass.
Yes, someday we might not be able to attend Mass because our gas runs out, riots break out, etc. but I'd like to get a few extra Masses in, personally. Everyone can use as much grace as possible, and receiving Our Lord several more times is certainly worth spending $15 to fill up each 5 gallon gas can.
(TIP: Don't fill them up beyond 4 1/2 gallons or so -- or you get splashing around the spout as you drive. Then your car smells like gas)
Matthew