>>So after the near meltdown we get to look forward to revolution, Reign of Terror and a series of Napoleonic military adventures. At least I'll have my overpriced satellite TV to watch the world burn. ;)

LOL. There are alternatives and in the internet age the citizenry can simply ignore man-made edifices that don't benefit them. E.g. currency. If we were so inclined, it would be easy to establish an alternative payment system, leaving government and Wall Street with "their" mighty dollar in which we no longer have much interest (in both senses of the word) and certainly that isn't a desirable mode of payment for our services. Suddenly the true state of affairs would become clear with no need for revolution or turmoil. It's already happening- there are more than a few systems effectively promoting barter using a standardized value exchange. Which is all the citizenry really needs from its currency- there's no particular value to us from mobile exchange rates or the rest of the valueless shuffling that dominates most transactions these days.

FWIW, daily NZ$ transactions to other currencies exceeds the annual GDP. Exactly why NZ must maintain the extra infrastructure and reliability so currency traders can suck value and alter exchange rates by rapid computerized buying and selling of currency, escapes me. Perhaps a 1% currency transaction tax? That would cause a one-off increase in price for imports and exports but would send the parasites packing.