"Sockpuppet Yustabe" wrote

a failing economy,

Rebounding nicely. John should stick to what he knows.

I've been hearing that for 2 years now. The economy isn't close to
recovering from the hysteria after 9/11.

Actually 9-11 has little to do with it.
It was stagnating and drooping before that.
9-11 put a dent in travel and tourism, which has
rebounded. But, in the big picture, it is just the
usual cyclic changes.

But its not a normal cycle there is an anomaly
(contradiction) in government market indicators.
Current BusinessWeek... first time in 42 years
economic growth has increased while jobless
figures rising. There are changes in the jobless
demographics, too. Nearly half of all households
are now headed by other than husban and wife.

Medical cost are up 49% since 2000. The 80 Billion
that has been allocated to war could have provided
a start to nationalized health care like Canada. Local
and state governments are deficit spending, too.
California is often an indicator of national trends.

Nothing "normal" about those indicators of economic
well-being.

If things are so bad, why has the value of my home gone
up 50% this year?

Values are good. It’s a buyer's market and days
on the market are up, however.