THE FINANCIAL CRISIS HITS TRANSIT.

One of the latest impacts of our financial crisis is that banks are calling in their loans to big transportation systems. D.C.'s struggling metro system owes $400 million, and 29 other transportation agencies across the country owe billions together. Just another way that the damage to our global financial infrastructure affects you, the hard-working citizen. While the Federal government and the local agencies are working on a way out of the problem -- or see the systems face fare hikes or cut services -- I'd note that this is a good time to think about how the stimulus package can invest in transportation infrastructure, which will expand transit systems' reach to more passengers, make them more efficient and, of course, stimulate the economy. These systems are already pretty vital to commuters, and have seen a surge in demand thanks to gas prices.

--Tim Fernholz