[razorback-bert]

I am planning on picking up a Land Cruiser cheap at an auction. I just got in from driving 500 miles today and I saw plenty of very late models of trucks, suvs and cars for sale in parking lots. Haven't seen my Land Cruiser yet. I looked at riverfront property last week, too overpriced to suit me, the Realtor told me, but you can buy it with no money down and no closing cost and owner financing at 5%. Payday loan companies have sprung up like weeds. Christmas orders have been placed, yet no mention as to size.

Somebody tell me some good news!

[razorback-bert]

New formating rules bit me.

[LS]

OK.

1) Personal income rose last quarter.

2) U.S. Productivity rose last quarter (1.4%), which was well below 1st quarter (6.1%) but WAY above anything in recent years for a 6-month average.

3) New home apps are up

4) Unemployment steady. Very slight decrease in new jobless claims.

5) Inflation? What inflation. It is nearly zero!

6) Toys R Us has turned it around; Dell (as I recall) showed a profit; 98% of the major U.S. companies certified without a problem as to their books.

7) Gas is still extremely cheap.

8) East European markets---still the biggest NEW, viable markets in the world, are still wide open.

9) Tax cuts have not (yet) been repealed, so taxes will be slightly lower next tax season. and

(10) the Dow climbed back to almost 9,000, despite months of "talking down the economy" by the media and the Democrats. Consumer confidence remains pretty high.

That should perk you up, but I can probably give you ten more.