On Thursday Sept 15, 2008 at roughly 11 AM The Federal Reserve noticed a tremendous draw down of money market accounts in the USA to the tune of $550 Billion dollars in a matter of an hour or two.

Money was being removed electronically.

The treasury tried to help with $105 Billion.

But could not stem the tide.

It was an electronic run on the banks

The treasury intervened but had they not closed down the accounts they estimated that by 2 PM that afternoon. Within 3 hours. $5.5 Trillion would have been withdrawn and collapsed and within 24 hours the world economy.

THESE days, as we contemplate the future of the automotive industry, we would do well to remember the words of Henry Ford: “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”

For Detroit, there is plenty of failure. But there are also plenty of opportunities to begin again. In fact, there are many new technologies to make cars safer, cheaper, cleaner and more convenient. All these could be adopted by the automobile industry in the near future and without too much trouble.

Here are just four technologies that could be put on the road in the next several years. These technologies — some of which we invest in — are win-wins. They have the potential to improve energy efficiency, cut down on accidents, reduce pollution and make commuting more convenient. They might even help put the American car industry back in the driver’s seat.

we tend to think. Not only that, we are also beholden to the moods of friends of friends, and of friends of friends of friends – people three degrees of separation away from us who we have never met, but whose disposition can pass through our social network like a virus.