Yes, the economy is in horrible shape, but how much of this condition is the result of the constant drumbeat of negative reporting by the 24-hour media? This is the first recession that is accompanied by the wide array of business news channels thatexist today. These channels that are basically staffed by lots of long haired bimbos (especially Fox Business Channel) that don't know much about economics and finance that isn't read off a telepromter. Every day they spread the doom and the gloom about economic disaster and in my humble opinion are responsible for making things worse in the process of scaring the crap out of people. Yesterday's retail sales figures were bad, but how much of that was fueled by the scare tactics that permeate the TV screen every day? We would all be better off if these business channels were not around.