Respite, of a sort

John McCain has finally started to push his campaign rallies back from the brink of becoming unruly mobs, and is getting booed for his trouble. The move on his part suggests that he still has some filters for appropriate behavior in place, which is a good call on his part. It should keep him from becoming completely irrelevant over the next three weeks.

Following one of the worst financial weeks in modern history, the markets are mercifully silent for the weekend. Following the surprisingly (or perhaps not so surprisingly) quiet announcement from the White House that the US would be adopting the British-style bailout plan of direct investment in banks, things may well be much quieter on Monday. Stories are beginning to appear suggesting that it might now be time for the rally as investors sweep in to buy up undervalued assets. Maybe. Even if they do, the real test remains the inter-business lending on the commercial paper markets. But then, you know that already if you've been keeping up with the This American Life broadcasts. So, how does it feel to live in a "partially socialized" nation?

Even the Axis of Evil seems to be passing from the political stage, with charter-member North Korea being removed from the state sponsors of terrorism list. Poor Dubya, face to face with the lesson of Ozymandius. It has to be hard for him to take- George never struck me as much of a philosopher.

After the run and gun of last week, today feels oddly like a respite. Think I'll go do something outside.