Few of us spend much time thinking about the plumbing in our homes, much less the plumbing of the world's financial system.

But people around the world have focused on just that during these last three weeks, as policy makers have raced to fix the credit markets that carry money from those who have funds available to those who need it.

The pipes have burst in the basement, and the public is angry, confused and in a panic, trying salvage what they have been saving. The stock market has seen its biggest sell-off in a generation.

My lawnmower is getting a little long in the tooth, and it often takes a lot of yanking on the chord to get it started these days. It makes me wonder, often, whether it'll ever catch.

Policy makers must be feeling the same way, as they struggle to get the sputtering economy going.

Economic development officials and business leaders often make sweeping statements about how to grow commerce in Maine.

They'll say things like "high-technology is the future of our economy" or "small business is the economic engine that generates jobs" or "we've got to make our state an attractive place for businesses looking to relocate."

They sound like givens.