Looks like the score is Murphy: 1,094 and American Airlines: 0. Nearly 1,100 AA metal wingers were grounded like a 10-year-old kid who breaks a window with a baseball yesterday. These permanent flight delays came courtesy of American wanting to inspect their aircrafts in order to comply with the FAA. Now, don't get me wrong. I believe in safety. If the plane's gonna flutter, it better not stutter. But really ... a flock of geese on leave from the Army couldn't lay this many eggs.

I think putting half your payroll pumpers on the ground would qualify for, what we in the buck biz call, an emergency. You never know when it's gonna hit. But you can be ready. After deep-sixing that consumer debt of yours, stock up some serious cash in your emergency fund.

You do that, and life can throw everything but the kitchen sink at you. You won't even flinch, because you'll be prepared. You can relax, big-time. Capiche?