As long as 2 million people are pre-ordering "Grand Theft Auto" I'm not going to worry about the economy

The New York Times—that most hallowed of all the bird-cage liners—recently published a story on our sagging economy and how people are cutting costs buy adjusting their diets and buying fewer name brands. The article is the usual NYT hysterical nonsense with this irresponsible and asinine quote from "retail consultant" (i.e. "giant money furnace") Burt Flickinger:

“It hasn’t gotten to human food mixed with pet food yet but it is certainly headed in that direction.”

I dunno Burt, I dunno. There's no doubt we might be in the midst of a recession (which are cyclical and unavoidable) but I have a hard time accepting all the doom and gloom. While I'm sure there are people struggling to make ends meet like there always are all this catastrophic lingo just doesn't compute when I see the vast prosperity surrounding us—even our cheap crap is better than ever.

Heck, a little economic turbulence might be a good thing if it gets more people to prioritize in their budgeting and save a little bit more. If money is tight just keep in mind that despite what TV says you don't need a 52" HDTV, $5 light bulbs, and organic lettuce—you really don't.