Cheesy bailouts, Credit cravings

last updated 11 January 2015

GOOD DAY FOR: Passing the chesse plate, after Italy said it is bailing out its Parmesan industry, buying 100,000 wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and 100,000 more of its lower-cost competitor, Grana Padano, amid rising costs and declining consumption. The bailout will consume 3 percent of Italy’s Parmesan, at a cost of about $70 million. The cheese will be donated to the needy. (The Independent)

BAD DAY FOR: Shopping withdrawal, as mental health experts are expecting a rash of theft, depression, drug abuse, anxiety, and even violence as Americans face a recession that will likely crimp their credit-fueled, spending-based lifestyle. “When we are in a survival panic, we are prone to really extreme behaviors,” said Gaetano Vaccaro at the Moonview Sanctuary clinic. (Reuters)