Not Tao or Dao, the indefinable philosophical state of harmonic spiritual balance, but DOW the equally indefinable Jones average that is daily fretted or rejoiced over, bandied about in casual conversation like the weather, analyzed and reanalyzed and then blamed or credited with the good or bad of…well, just about everything.  I think it’s somehow different from the NASDAQ or the LIPPER, although even my being a devoted Paul Krugman acolyte, (and having actually participated in a PEW), has not provided me with the tools to parse the ‘what’ or ‘why’ of its import.  I’m pretty sure it’s different than that Homer Simpson sound despite the fact that it hit 15,000 this week which seems about right for the number of times he, (Homer), has probably said it.  It’s also not directly related to the mega-corporation that either “brings good things to life” or promises “better living through chemistry”, but I’m positive it has never been “finger-lickin’ good”.  It’s similar to that driving and drinking or military prisoner acronym, however, some people actually know what the letters in those examples stand for…D-O-W…not so much.  It has no cool anagram and there is nothing ironic about it’s backward spelling.  I’m sorry I brought it up.