Hope, Change and a Stock Market Crash

Wall Street is panicking now that the glorious era of hopenchange is sweeping the fruited plain.

At this rate, the DJIA will hit zero well before inauguration day.

Wall Street plunged for a second day, triggered by computer gear maker Cisco Systems warning of slumping demand and retailers reporting weak sales for October. Concerns about widespread economic weakness sent the major stock indexes down more than 4 percent Thursday, including the Dow Jones industrial average, which tumbled more than 440 points.

The two-day plunge totals about 10 percent for the major indexes. Paper losses during that time in U.S. stocks came to $1.2 trillion, according to the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Composite Index, which represents nearly all stocks traded in America.

Comments from Cisco that it saw a steep drop in orders in October and reports from retailers that consumers are skipping trips to the mall provided fresh evidence of the economy's struggles. While sales at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. benefited from bargain-seekers, some specialty retailers posted huge drops in monthly sales.

This marks the worst two-day decline in 21 years.

Change you can believe in, indeed.