30 September 2008

Masters of the Universe

It's amazing to realise that even in this leafy Manchester suburb, one lives surrounded by experts in economics, global politics, and the finer details of stock market trading. No sooner had the US senate thrown out Henry Paulson's 'rescue package' last night, than my local was full of people with the solution to world economic chaos - as well as the best quality advice on investments, brokerage, and options.

People whose conversation is normally concentrated on football match injustices, transfer fees, and overdue traffic light repairs on the A6 were confidently offering on-the-spot analyses of where Hank had misunderstood the mood of the House; overviews of inter-bank lending forecasts; and strategies for protecting portfolios by switching to the Asian markets - which would be open in a few hours after closing time. Suddenly the names of Ricardo, Keynes, and Alfred Steiglitz were on everybody's lips - as if they were regulars in the back room. And short-trading tips were being touted by punters who haven't got a pot to piss in.

If the problem hasn't been solved in the next couple of days, all the boys on capitol hill need to do is call in for the last pint in the Nursery. There'll be no shortage of top quality insight. And there's even a raffle at weekends.

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