Over the past months, we’ve heard increasingly depressing news about economic crises, first in the U.S. and then spreading around the world, bankrupting once-invulnerable financial institutions and industries upon which our economies have relied and thrived for years.  In some instances, notably Iceland, the downturn has not only hit industries, but even entire nations.  In response, we’ve also heard attempts by federal, state and provincial governments to jump-start sluggish or eroding economies, boost industries, create jobs, and stop the leakages before they become floods.  We also hear about solutions: interest rates are lowered, big industries are offered incentives and funding appears for infrastructure projects, always a favourite instrument in the government’s economic recovery tool belt.