Define Cynical Fan Forums

If anyone follows the economic news like me you might have noticed that yesterday wasn't the best of days.

It all started in China when shareholders decided to cash in on their winnings. China's been, as has been widely reported, on a prolonged and continous rise but yesterday the Shanghai market closed with a record 9% drop.

Result - just about every market ended in the red after similar, but less massive, highs. The domino effect continued into today when markets opened. Nothing to start making people stock up on food but enough to create a repeating ripple.

It reminded me of Chairman Mao's declaration that if all the Chinese people jumped they'd create an earthquake (or something similar) and that China just did something like that with the world economy.

That, alas, is a result of American economic policy since 1980 as much as the overvaluing of the Shanghai stock market. When you've put yourself as deep into the hole as the U.S. has, if your primary creditor sneezes then you get a cold...and everyone is hooked into the U.S. stock markets.

Well, there goes my savings. Brother, can you spare a dimebag?