Whistling Past The Graveyard?

The Dreaded D-Word Makes An Appearance…

The site Wiktionary defines to “whistle past the graveyard” in two ways:

1. (idiomatic, US) To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; To proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.

2. (idiomatic, US) To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.

Both meanings seem to apply these days as mentions of the bigger, badder and far more frightening relative of “recession” begins making the rounds in the media. That would be “depression” … which is what Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown let slip the other day:

“We should agree, as a world, on a monetary and fiscal stimulus that will take the world out of depression.”

We’ll give him credit for honesty, even though he probably didn’t mean it. Much like the brave captain of a sports team losing 100-0 at the half, he no doubt meant to exude confidence that everything was perfectly OK and things will turn around in no time at all.

A depression, after all, is a much more serious matter than a mere recession.

• The IMF now believes that global growth this year will be

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