The Animated cartoons of Bugs Bunny, The Road Runner and Tom and Jerry have all successfully employed the specter of impending doom as a source of humor.  The cartoon characters in the films are forever enduring physical calamities in the shape of falling pianos, exploding cigars and nosedives from cliffs. These are standard fare in the cartoon menu. Always good for a laugh.

However, when real calamity hits these themes have a little more power.  The laugh is tinged with a cringe. Such is it today with the current financial crisis.