Rusty, I acknowledge that consumer choice on the retail side is not working. However, it's not so much it's not available, but rather consumers when given the choice have generally chosen to ignore it. There are many reason for this, but one is consumers don't think of electricity or many other utility services as product they have a choice to consume. The problem is systematic. Some of it could be solved with technology such as time of use meters. But fundamentally, I believe consumers need to see higher electricty prices, and then maybe they'll actually start thinking about how much they consume and whom they consume from.

While most of California has deregulated though the system was set up poorly (because of Enron), and is only now being properly fixed, LA is a special situation. They are outside of the California system as a Municipal Utility.

I like it, and he was a man of hid word - lost a bet and agreed to stop posting. Clearly there's something a bit inappropriate about his actions, but I like the personal involvement and care. As for Whole Foods itself, i find generally too expensive. However, I think they treat their employees well, and as far corporate values is pretty good... Sure alot of it is just for publicity, but I'll take good policies even if it's based on the pursuit of good publicity.

I'm agnostic towards the man. A good amount of the time I don't agree with him, but he hardly rankles me. Like him though, I'm staying away from the iPhone til the next generation. $600 is alot to spend, and I for one rather wait til the product is a little more mature.

I'm with Jeremys, people need to read the news section of the WSJ. There's no question the editorial pages of the WSJ spew some of the worst right wing trash, but the news section is probably some the best written unbiased news there is. I would argue that it writes much more compassionately about the "little people" than the NYT. I think Mr. Yount is rightly worried that takeover could affect that. For all those who feel like the WSJ is getting what it deserves, please actually read the paper sometime and not just react to the editorials.

I'm not into conspiracies. I'm with you Andrew I think this just the Fed admitting that the problems might be bigger than it initially thought. The funny thing about the markets is that can be self fufilling prophecy.

I have parents who would love if I moved back home. But in the end they love that because they know U wouldn't. At 30, this son needs to do it on his own. Things may not be easy, but is living with roommates that bad? Hell I i've lived with roommates all my life. Since 29 it's been my girlfriend, but there's no reason at 30 be entitled to your own place. Life is all about living the life you work for, not the one your parents work for.

Stagnant wage growth is problem for all of America (and the world as a whole). Job displacement is a problem for many, but we always seems to forget that moving factories to Mexico probably means the country as a whole is able to buy goods more cheaply. The problem with job displacement is a management of that trend. Are we doing enough for the people being displaced? Probably not.

The issue of credit is separate. The fact is that Americans do not live within their means. Should their means be higher? Should a country of plenty such as afford those most in need better wages and job opportunity? Yes, without a question. But americans as whole need to learn that they are not entitled to consume as much as they want without consequence.

I don't absolve credit card companies, or mortgage companies (and especially mortgage brokers) of all guilt. They are culpable of misleading and decieving many borrowers. But the fact is that those borrowers are guilty of wanting more than they could really afford. When my family didn't have enough for something we didn't buy it. Sure, bad luck can turn a good situation bad very quickly, but the fact is at some point someone over extended themselves.

I guess I'm in the crowd that believes recession aren't always a such bad things as long the economy recuperates in time. As much as any of would like a smooth economic ride, the nature of the beast (and the beast is collective human nature) is that we are always going to have ups and downs. I don't think these are such bad things. Recessions give individuals and companies opportunties to reevaluate risk and reallaocte captial. A wise individuals stores away nuts during the boom, and deploys thems during the dip.

Really I don't understand the outrage. I mean 30 years ago, I couldn't go to any bank I wanted to withdraw money. I'm fine with BOA charging other customers for use of THEIR machines. They built them just like banks in the old built branches for THEIR customers. We're better off now that we can pay something to use another banks ATM.

Be outraged when your bank charges you something!

Be outraged when BOA charges you exoorbiant bouce checked fees!

Be outraged when there are two many mergers and not enough competion!

But, please don't be outraged when one bank decides to charge customers for use of their facilities. Would you be happier if they just didn't let you use them?

Time will tell if the drop in the fed fund rate was too much, not enough or just right. As I see it the business of the Fed is to soften recssion, not prevent them. The economy as reflection of the people that make it up has tendencies to go too far in either direction. Personally I think some economic hard times are still to come.