This will brighten your day. . . . .

Not Just a Bias

I admit it: I'm human. I often fall victim to the same behavioral foibles others do.

When it comes to the economy, for example, I regularly find myself trying to confirm my view that the so-called recovery is an illusion. That means I end up ignoring or dismissing countless pronouncements from Wall Street executives, economists and strategists, policymakers and politicians, TV talking heads, and many others about America's improving fortunes.

Instead, I slog through hundreds of blogs, portals, and news sites, hoping to stumble upon scraps of information that justify my bearish take on the economy, the financial system, and the markets.

Actually, that's not quite true. I really don't need to spend a lot of time looking for evidence that supports a pessimistic outlook. In fact, it's hard to miss the stream of reports from various sources confirming that things are less than they seem. Most days, all I have to do is pop open my web browser and take a quick look around and, before long, I discover stories and commentaries like these:

For that list,  click here.