I noticed that you didn't include car sales in your list of things people are gobbling up...

And using box office numbers in a discussion of economic indicators is wonderful; talking about the pitfalls of using raw numbers vs., say, inflation-adjusted figures (see e.g. http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/records/, where Batman is mired in 17th place, just above Home Alone).

Besides, movies are somewhat countercyclical; when times are tough, people want escapism (I know I do).

While we are at it:

- "U.S. mobile-handset sales were down 13 percent in the second quarter compared to the same quarter in 2007, NPD Group said in a study released Tuesday" (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10020068-94.html)

- Gaming is up YoY (http://metue.com/08-14-2008/july-2008-npd-gaming-retail-recap/); which is nice, but that's a ~$10-20B a year industry- if the whole industry were a single company, it would maybe be big enough for the Fortune 500 (slot 499 or so).

- Apple is #337 on the Fortune 500. Good for them, but our economy's health cannot be adequately assessed by looking at t sales trends for #337.

I understand WHY car sales are down; that's one thing I do for a living (Quick quiz- which auto OEM is most exposed to oil prices thanks to their car/truck mix? Where does Toyota rank?). I was providing counterpoint to your argument that Wii sales = vibrant economy by pointing out that some other, much larger industries aren't doing so hot, for the reasons you specified. Of course, the oil companies are doing OK.

Then you change the subject of this discussion entirely by saying "The foreclosure thing is not the fault of politicians." You almost sound like an apologist for someone...

I don't know why you are letting the politicians off easy; I'd throw them in the mix for not regulating the credit markets properly (I say that as someone who thinks that markets are wonderful mechanisms when their well-understood sources of market failure are well-managed). I do wonder what this decade would have looked like without the Financial Services Modernization Act...

Since when is belonging to a fringe (even in Alaska) political party "politically expedient"?

I, for one, am really enjoying this week. Jerry Springer meets the Republican presidential campaign.

She clearly has some sort of charisma, and is clearly a dynamic personality.

But she didn't exactly bring the gravitas- I'm left feeling glad that she in fact has no authority over the Alaska National Guard.

She did well enough overall to stay on the ticket. Which ultimately may be a good thing for Obama/Biden...

Thanks for the follow-up, Andrew. I wasn't blowing smoke when I said I'd pony up some cash for him- the man is a hero. I'll email you right now...

I said I was good for $20. But I'm good for $50. Let's buy this guy his land.

Andrew,

I emailed you and haven't heard back.

I do agree that you, or someone else we can reasonably trust, should be the conduit for this. Using Facebook to publicize is a great idea.

Let's do this!

This dude's a turd. Cary nailed it.

If the apartment's not in your name, pack up and leave a large knife on the kitchen counter, or some other surface that is closer to genital-height.

If it concerns polls, http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/ is your first and last stop.

Any analysis of a smattering of polls in articles such as this simply pale in comparison.

I'm pretty sure I read this same article in early October 2004 about the Red Sox.

Yeah, finally winning changes the flavor of rooting for a historical loser like the Red Sox, White Sox, or Cubs.

But it's a much better flavor!

To be honest, I care a bit less about the Red Sox now. But that's a good thing; before 2004, I, like most of New England, cared a little bit too much.

I still care; I go to games (including Game 6 of the '07 ALCS- go JD Drew!), go to PawSox games, listen to Curt Schilling on the radio, pay too much for T-shirts for the kids (Youk & Paps for the twins, Pedroia for the 3yo) and so forth, but at the end of the day, I know that I will sleep well in November regardless of this October's outcome.

That's nice.

Though I am worried that my kids will grow up weak an soft, having never lived through '78, '86, etc.- that stuff hardens you.

I caught my first game in Wrigley a couple weeks ago (loss to the Brewers). Great stadium, great fans; I wish 'em the best this fall.

You're killing me.

McCain's top 5 donors:

Merrill Lynch $349,170

Citigroup Inc $287,801

Morgan Stanley $249,377

Goldman Sachs $220,045

JPMorgan Chase & Co $206,392

Here's Obama's top 5:

Goldman Sachs $739,521

University of California $697,506

Harvard University $501,489

Citigroup Inc $492,548

Google Inc $487,355