Let’s face it 2008 has been a miserable year for the economy. Unemployment was up, single day drops in the Dow wreaked havoc, the mortgage industry dropped a deuce on the economy and gas was scarce in areas and unaffordable in most others. We laid the groundwork for our segue into becoming a leading 3rd world power this year. Below we list a few, just a few, of the indicators that we will look to for some kind of reprieve from this economic quagmire.
Oprah: Oh that “O”, she is a cog in the mechanism that drives our nation’s economy whether we want to admit it or not. Write a book and get “O” to push it and duck as the books fly off the shelves. Oprah as a brand has become bigger than most governmental agencies and for better or worse her King World Production camp has given us the hugely successful Rachel Ray and Dr. Phil. Everything she touches turns to gold, hopefully her magic touch works on Obama this year, I might worship a golden President.
Mobile Media: This is changing the way we operate as a nation, oftentimes for the worse, if legislation is any indicator. We are no longer allowed to hold a phone to talk on and/or text while we drive, all it seems, for the greater good of man. However, thanks to insane advances in technology we will soon be able to do almost anything that we would do on our PC on our phones. If theories are correct expect everyone’s fingers to adapt to the growing trend and we will all have pinkie sized index fingers and thumbs by 2030. I am very excited for that development.
Green Businesses: It’s all the rage and the move to make all things green could have me recycling some relationships by year’s end. The ungodly heat this summer left some calling global warming a “myth” and others saying that it will lead to melting ice caps and polar bears cannibalizing themselves. I don’t know, I err to the side of caution as do others and it is BIG business. Entrepreneurs that wish to improve their existing systems to emit less carbon dioxide and heat trapping gases will reap the benefits. If there are no benefits to be reaped find solace in the fact that Al Gore would probably really, really like what you are doing.
Telecommuting: My sister does it and by mid 2009 some 14 million people will be doing it as well. This will open up a whole new crop of services and programs to simplify the telecommuting process. Telecommuting doesn’t necessarily mean the standard work- from- home practice. With today’s technology, we can become work-from-anywhere warriors. Coffee houses will no longer simply be the home to out of work screenwriters or people watchers. Predict more TPS reports getting fired off out of your local Starbucks.
Trust: Lastly, we look to trust as it pertains to us as an indicator. Let’s be honest, the Lehman Brothers fiasco, E-coli in our spinach and lead in our toys all sounds like the ingredients to a 3rd world stew. Want to add more ingredients? How about a dash of Dubya and a government that has been more disappointing than 90% of the Oakland Raiders first round draft picks? Yeah, we really went down a wayward path this year…let us not forget how Elliot Spitzer let us down….damn you Elliot Spitzer!!! We are a forgiving nation and we love an underdog, why do you think Rocky plays on TNT every weekend? But, if we are to rebound as a nation on any level we will have to again trust in our direction and begin to spend and invest.
Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. Until next time, start a business.
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