"Plus ca change, plus c'est le meme cliche"

At times of crisis, the world tends to retreat into cliche. The events we have seen on the financial stage in the past weeks are no exception. With some of the world's best-known banks and insurance companies facing either bankruptcy, nationalisation or the loss of their cherished independence, we have seen not just the usual old cliches but some 21st century specials. There are so many 'black swans' about at the moment that it would be practically a '10 standard deviation event' (there's another one) to see a white one. And as for perfect storms, I for one would welcome a really rubbish ...