The calm before the storm

[BlasterBates]

So whats happening, we keep seeing doom in the newspapers, telly etc. But everything is fine. House prices holding (well just), no big job losses. Or is this like the "Phony War" in 1939. Is the financial sector like the aftermath of a 19th century battlefield, where the wounded banks are in the field hospital and the Doctors have gone around evlauating the patients. Are they sharpening their knives, ready for the corporate amputations and then we start to hear the screams of the victims as the axe falls.

[DimPrawn]

It'll be fine.

There is no "credit crunch", house prices will double next year and IT is booming. Unemployment falls every month.

You have to hand it to Labour, they know how to run a country.

[Marina]

Think "Mutiny on the Bounty", when they're struggling round Cape Horn.

Only difference is before getting there Captain Bligh/Brown had the bright idea of flooding the hold and lower decks, so the ship wouldn't bounce up and down so much in the swell. But now the upper deck is awash and the boat almost on its side and going nowhere. ..

(After the ship almost ran aground on the Northern Rock, all the spare canvas was used for jury-rigged repairs which makes it even more unstable and fragile.)

[swamp]

I think it's a lot of hot air by the investment bankers.

Hedge funds are still doing OKish, retail banks are coining it in thanks to big government handouts, and the pound is down so exports will rise.

Oh, and I'm *leaving* my current contract to start a new 18-monther!

Boomed.

[DiscoStu]

Jobserve looks horribly quiet.

[DiscoStu]

The girl in Marina's avatar still looks quite fit. That cheers me up.

[DiscoStu]

AtW isn't here to complain about my consecutive posts, that cheers me up too.

[test please delete]

I'm going to be getting very busy with all you bench-bound contractors sitting at home posting.

[thunderlizard]

That's certainly true about those ol' house prices. I remember several years of "house price inflation will end the world as we know it", and now a couple of months of "house price falls will end the world as we know it". I don't recall any "house price plateauing is kind of OK at the mo" headlines.

[hyperD]

I think everyone is expecting to be doomed. If we keep on waiting, eventually 3 will turn up together.

But as long as Gordon keeps printing the money and says "economic stability" we'll all be laughing.