The beginning of Barrow Street is only one block from the Hudson River. I am thinking of that this morning as a lead for a water analogy: We are now sailing in unchartered waters. The US financial system is now strained more than anytime in my lifetime. The integrity of the banking system is being questioned. Banks will not even lend to each other! Yesterday I could smell the panic on Wall Street from my perch along the Hudson. And you know what? It's justifiable. The economy is now going through a painful withdrawal from easy credit and the detoxification process will be very tough, and will include panic attacks. The only real issue is how long will this last? Anyone who claims to know is a pompous fool. We are in unchartered waters.