A one-stop shop for understanding the money crisis

The most common refrain in stories about the current financial crisis is "We don't know." How long is this recession going to last? We don't know. How much is this bailout going to cost the government? Don't know. What should I do about this McMansion I just bought? Sorry, pal, can't help you.

Facing down this giant information void, the news media are understandably chasing shiny objects — "Hey! There's drama on Capitol Hill!" "Look under this rock! It's an economist with an alternative plan!" But few news outlets have neatly, concisely laid out what we do know about the crisis.

So I thought I'd try. I've scoured the Web for the best links on the crisis, trimmed out redundant information, and laid them out in an accessible way. You'll find my work at TheMoneyMeltdown.com. Got a stellar link to recommend or discuss? Post it in the forum.

The truth is, we (collectively) know a lot about where we're headed right now. In every aspect but size, this crisis is a mildly novel twist on dozens of financial disasters that have happened over the past century. We know what factors led up to the crisis. We know what's at stake. And we know that the better-informed we are, the quicker we can put this behind us.

So if you're feeling confused and/or overwhelmed, take a few minutes to get caught up to speed. It'll be a small push in the right direction.