South Park silences the brains of the most ponderous characters in the United States Treasury. September 15 and 16 2008 come to this. The Republic was as headless as a chicken. Is it better today? AIG is the answer.  All credit for this cartoon link to Calculated Risk, who gives all credit and HT to the great and wise and hilarious Nemo of the CR comments section.  I do not see TV anymore, shame on me.  Too busy staring at the "turn the corner" and "signs of progress" and "when recovery begins" crowd.