For the past few days I have been laid up with the flu. Notwithstanding my getting a flu shot in October the dreaded visitor finally showed up on my door step. I understand that there is quite an epidemic this year and I know many a poor soul that has had it worse than me. Even my mild case was characterized with a total lack of energy and low grade fever. The extreme cases brings high fever that leaves the individual nearly paralyzed and wishing for a merciful death. Sort of sounds like the current state of the stock market. To be sure, the economy has problems – the biggest one being the housing disaster. To the extent that the housing sector is a huge contributor to the vitality of the economy the current malaise can be directly linked to the drop in home values. Still, the American economy is not falling apart despite what the panic hungry media is trying to sell. Much like this strain of flu the American economy is hurting now but in the long run recovery is very likely, and so is a rebound in stock prices.