The stockmarket numbers are about volume, not value. The economy is not growing, yet the volume of trades goes up. What does that say? I am thinking that business is busy churning the market for profits, and the volume is indicative of what they have to churn to just stay even.
18 trillion in debt has devalued the dollar drastically, a million dollars in the bank can only ensure 30,000$ a year in income with the most secure invested principle. What does that tell you? I am sure a lot of people in real estate are now sitting on their property and zealously guarding the nest egg they made during the boom, and the smart ones did what I did. They are in various 'Park City' clones at the very least, or have a property that pays its taxes and a small income on the side.
I am now waiting for the farmers to burn the harvest in protest at the next election.