The depressing thing about all of this is that in a short space of time it will all be forgotten and custodianship of the economy will again be returned to the very spivs and "risk takers" that we have always been told we should admire ("why can't you be more like Cousin Wideboy?").

It's the Mr Toad syndrome. We all feel contrite and chastened when we catch a cold, until the next bright shiny opportunity comes along and it will be "poop, poop" and off we go again. However when it all goes tits up these multi-billion dollar businesses all run crying to governments and start suckling greadily on the beleaguered public purse to the tune of hundreds of millions.

What is immoral is that these institutions, be they multi-nat banks or your local estate agents, have made a killing in recent years, and rather than put something aside for a rainy day have squandered this on bad debt - our bad debt, encouraged through irresponsible lending.It's then down to the working person to foot the bill through our taxes. Two of my local estate agents have gone through the hoop in the last fortnight. I'm disinclined to shed too many tears, I have to say.

Anyway, "the market" sucks shit, and I'm of to bed!