So do I, and won't argue with your take on the situation. But I also remember 1996 and how the news predicted a disaster of Olympic proportions. Turns out my commute during the Olympics was the fastest I can remember.
They did a good job of scaring people into taking vacations, telecommuting, etc. But a lot of businesses were hurt, especially restaurants. It's was great for me. You could walk in to any restaurant without a reservation.
In San Francisco this is called the "Burning Man rapture".
I know that when there is a big public event, I can work from home without worrying about it looking bad. I wonder how many people do that when there is a something big to point to to justify it.