Friday, November 21, 2008

Below Zero


I've been in New York since Monday on business. It's been a week of sunny days, but bitterly cold. Take Tuesday evening as example. I was walking back to my hotel about 8.30pm. I noticed one of the giant billboards flashing an outdoor temperature reading of -2°C. It's currently 1°C and will sink to -3°C.

Tonight snow flurries are forecast but nothing is expected to settle on the ground. Of course I'm secretly praying we'll wake to find deep drifts of fresh snow city-wide. The media says temperatures will remain at least 7 degrees below the city's historical average for the rest of the week.

The impact of the ongoing global financial crisis is clearly evident. Earlier today I walked past the Barclays Capital Bank in Times Square. This high-profile building stands out thanks to video screens that cover its entire facade; from street to six-storey rooftop. Back in August this was Lehman Brothers' headquarters. Elsewhere, scrolling news tickers broadcast today's 5.5% drop in the Dow Jones, and a 5% drop in the Nasdaq.

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