The D Word

I'm hearing it more often in the media now. At first it was "Are we in a recession?", "We must be in a recession" transitioning to an official "We've been in a recession for a couple of quarters now."

Now it appears that I seeing building momentum for the word depression. Yesterday Prime Minister Gordon Brown apparently "slipped" and used the word depression. The mere fact that he slipped brought the introduction and curiosity to a word and its social timing. Was it a slip? His intentions do not matter, as it had already been given judgment in the public's mental court.

Today Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said " “We’re in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. No one seems to know where this is headed. Obviously, I’m very concerned. … I’ve lived through a lot of economic recessions in my day. I’ve never seen anything like this. And neither has anybody else.” Bud's not saying were in a depression but is that's not really the point. The word "Depression" is getting more airplay and eventually it to will become accepted nomenclature.

Paying attention to how a society uses language is a better prediction than cheeleaders on CNBC. Pay attention to the2urn.

Materialism Creep

As time moves on we as a people collectively gravitate towards higher levels of self-gratification and instant reward. This "Materialism Creep" will typically last 80 years, giving us enough time to stack enough "biggie sized excess" in our culture to the point where it can't sustain itself and it crushes the collective mindset in a domino cascade. ( See; 1849 gold rush, 1929 stock crash and 2009 monetary implosion)

Gratification is chosen over morals in all facets from politics, finance, media, relationships, commerce and so on. You know you're getting close to the crest when you witness blatant fraud and depict consecutively in multiple facets of life.

Is it over yet?

I cant help draw a comparison of the financial editorials to the kids in the back seat of a long journey. Is it over yet? Are we there yet? Are we in the clear? Is the bad part over? Daddy, how much longer?

I've been listening to this rhetoric for the last year and a half and the tune hasn't changed. The "kid's" threshold for pain is non-existent and the expectations are for this to pass quickly. Never have seen such blind optimism in the face of such disparity.

This is indicative of the current cycle. We are at the peak of more, more, more, and we can't stand to think that this could be at the beginning of an extremely painful journey of less, less, less.

When will this be over? This will be over when people stop asking "Is this over?."


Is the Bear Market Finally Over?
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Is-bear-market-over/story.aspx?guid={93DFA91C-801F-42E9-BA92-80D2D427D1DA}

Is it Time to Buy?
http://seekingalpha.com/article/109814-is-it-time-to-buy-what-history-shows?source=front_page_most_popular_articles

More Pros are Calling a Market Bottom
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/new-money/2008/12/09/more-strategists-calling-a-market-bottom.html

Dont be a Patsy, like all the other generations

Commercials continue to reveal more about today's culture and the latest from the Partnership of a Drug Free America is no exception. A noticeable turn to kick the parents in the ass after decades of lack parenting from Silents and Boomers. Keeping lock step with Gen X confrontational style, this ad acts as a timely indicator of passive to active parenting styles that are indicative of the era. Witness the 2urn.