I am puzzled by a lot that's happening--PDQ's point, particularly, that there are indeed jobs out there, is striking me as particularly odd.

Notwithstanding the unemployment numbers, I know several people, in different parts of the country, who've either left or lost their jobs, and found new ones in fairly short order. Not like it was nine or ten years ago, when people were getting large signing bonuses, and stock options, but better than a year or two ago. People are sending resumes, getting call backs, and getting hired, which is not what you'd expect at all.

Also, prices seem to be climbing on a lot of items. A very personal example-We've needed a new dishwasher for way too long--I tried to buy one a year or so ago, and due to a comedy of errors, a refrigerator repairman showed up instead of an installer, and and it went back.

In September, I tried to buy the same model again, and discovered that the price had gone up nearly 25%--so I put it off again. This week, will all the talk about a falling consumer price index and doom and gloom for durable goods sales, I shopped around and found that no one was offering it for less than the mfg suggested retail price. I am completely befuddled.

On top of that, houses are selling--off a lot from their peak prices, it's true, but they are selling.

Am I missing the big picture with my examples, or what?