If you’re like me and seek solace in satire when things go bad, this parody from a blog on The Nation‘s web site hits the note with perfect pitch. I won’t spell out the whole thing here, but it begins,

"Dear American:

I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you."

The later statement that "this transactin is 100% safe" seems oddly prescient.