George: I don’t understand my dad. He said that Paulson thought he could get away by letting Lehman fail, but Paulson was wrong. Those that betted on Lehman’s side were trapped and couldn’t get out. Then he told mom that all this created panic, which has grown worse.

Kathy: Maybe your dad is part of a secret organization. It sounds like a horror story.

George: He went on further. He told mom that the crunch was spreading to everyone else. He said that many wouldn’t be able to raise the amount they need to survive because there is no credit available.

Kathy: He must be talking about a catastrophic disease of epidemic proportions.

George: I don’t know what employment and industry have to do with it. My mom said that industry and employment are going down, indicating that things are getting seriously worse in spite of the approval for the rescue by congress.

Kathy: Your parents are definitely weird. God only knows what they meant.

George: He said it sounds apocalyptic, and that several of the most brilliant economists thought it was too. He said on Thursday, a blogger named John Jansen declared that current conditions are “the financial equivalent to the reign of terror during the French Revolution”. Joel Prakken of Macroeconomic Advisers says that “the economy seems to be on the edge of the abyss” and that we need an economic stimulus plan to push back against the slump and put money where it is needed.

Kathy: Now he is mixing economics with medicine. There is definitely something wrong with him.