Re- retail sales

OK, you probably saw, or heard, that retail sales were down 2.7% in December according to the Commerce Department. And you probably saw that the DJIA, due to the retail sales figures and banking industry problems, was down 2.9%. All I can say is: “Give me a break!” Yes, I know that things are seemingly really scary out there, but the end of the world is not upon us.

It is as if the collective guilt of our culture over having lived our lives on borrowed money and borrowed time for the last three decades has finally come to a raging boil. Add in the shame, guilt and massive malaise felt over the Iraq War and you have a Prozac culture. Oh yes, and need I mention our weird relationship to medicine and healing and our bodies. Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh, MY!! Am I the only one who feels as if there is a huge and massive overreaction to the way the world is right now? I have talked to other friends and they also feel as if our culture has gone all Mayan and that we are way into the ritual blood-letting at this point. It’s not that things are crazy right now, it’s that people are crazy right now.

At this juncture I have to finally suggest that it is time to start investing. This is not a guarantee that you will not lose money over the next 6-18 months. However, to quote John D. Rockefeller when he was asked how he made his fortune, “Always invest when there is blood in the streets.” On the way home today those streets looked pinkish-red. I am hereby issuing each of you out there a Panic Parachute. Feel free to pull the cord if you need to.

Respectfully,

Jason