Mar 25, 2009

Does the flavor matter?



You could never accuse me of being someone unwilling to do their fair share. That goes for the global economic recovery too. During work I keep MSN up so I can track the stock market. I haven't had the courage to check my 401(k) balance for quite some time. I set a target for the DOW, sort of like my own personal panic threshold. So long as the DOW doesn't go below that number I hold onto the hope that things are stabilizing. My panic target has gone from a high of 10,000 early in the year to its current 7,000. (Had a bit of a scare not long ago when I thought I would have to drop it to 6,000).

Yesterday one of the pictures featured in the "Money" section of the MSN homepage caught my eye. It was a cupcake. The headline was "5 Signs of the Recession's End". I was intrigued. Hell, if all it takes is an increase in cupcake consumption I'll gladly do my part. The article included a video clip of an interview with a NYC Cupcake Bakery owner. The bottom line is that cupcakes seem to be recession proof and as a matter of fact, sales of cupcakes increases as times get harder. The owner said that his sales went through the roof after big market drops. I think the point was when cupcake sales drop we're in the clear. Maybe they should add that index to their home page.

Robins are a reliable sign that spring is here. When the leaves turn colors and the geese fly south you know that it's fall. I hate to be the one to break it to MSN Money but there will be no unmistakable harbinger of our rebound. We got into this mess gradually and were well into the muck before we realized what was happening (at least us normal people). It's going to be a gradual climb out and since the whole system relies so heavily on the human psyche there are going to be a lot more ups and downs along the way.

3 comments:

  1. Thank You!!..I watch those DOW numbers going up,and down,and back up..whatever,..and I can't make heads nor tails of it.
    How does the fact that so-snd-so said this-and-that translate into bazillions of dollars??..The whole thing just seems like nothing but smoke and mirrors to me.
    (Of course,I'm not invested,so I can be dispassionate).
    But still,..cupcakes are something I can understand.
    ..and Cinnamon rolls.
    Sweet,sweet,Cinnamon rolls..

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  2. Why don't these financial reporters spend some time investigating how this whole thing happened. Let's name names and point fingers. It won't change anything but it will make us feel better and maybe the reporters will get some satisfaction out of actually doing some real journalism.... cupcakes? puhleeze!

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  3. Don used to watch all this stuff and worry... i just did the physical stuff and left it to him...Poor bugger..his medical costs alone without anything else were $30,000 plus a year ...no wonder he worried...now i just hope and am along for the ride and glad of one thing...he no longer has to worry if his wheelchair is briken and has he got $12,000 to get a newie...

    he knew all about the Dow and the footsie and the all the other stuff - for me... I kust have to have faith and hope...and hang onto my 4 flood plain (and presently flooding) acres...can always grow food i guess

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