Credit crunch...
Yes, I dislike this term too. It seems to have been made up by the tabloids, then copied by the BBC and everyone else.
As I was reading through some of the other answers I thought "This global economic downturn (better than CC) hasn't really affected me." And just then I realised how it has.
I was due to get a new company car (Ooh! Boo-hoo, free car, hard life, etc. It's to replace the nasty 110k+ miles 4 year old citroen xsara. The lease company want to do it 'cos it'll be cheaper for them) This was canceled not so long ago because they couldn't afford the new cars.
"Not to worry," says they, "we will get you a nearly new car, better condition than what you're driving."
"Goody," says I, "where is it coming from?"
"From the people being made redundant," says they.
Apparently I'm seventh on the list for a replacement car from some poor engineer being made redundant. This makes me sad. And a little scared.
( gareth_alien will be human again at, Fri 23 Jan 2009, 14:17, 3 replies)

heh
What terrible and unseen vengeance would an engineer wreak on their soon-to-be repossessed company car?

With any luck, an engineer will be along any moment with some suggestions.
(haberman is singing in the changes, Fri 23 Jan 2009, 14:26, closed)

Damn,
didn't think of that!

Still, the car goes back to the lease firm first, and they're only IT engineers like me. I know cock all about cars. Could probably still break one though...
( gareth_alien will be human again at, Fri 23 Jan 2009, 14:32, closed)

Ask..
If you can rummage through their desk and take what you fancy, too - might as well kick the bugger while they're down, after all...

Or cosh them over the head and take their wallet - it's not mugging, after all - it's creating a more fluid distribution of currency and helps get the economy going.

(I may have been reading the New Labour Economic Strategy Manual)
(Chad, Fri 23 Jan 2009, 14:44, closed)