Who Do You Believe
I got this chart in my inbox today and thought I HAD to pass it on. According to this chart, earnings are back up to where they were before the financial meltdown a few years back. In other words, the recession is over! Yippeee!!!!



Now, the obvious question I have to ask is "what are these numbers based on?" Or, stated another way, "can I believe these numbers?'

I for one, when I compare these numbers to what I hear in the marketplace have to believe somebody is lying. My wife works for the billing department of a local company and she can't even get major companies to pay their $200 past-due bills! They tell her that they can't pay her until they get paid so she will just have to wait. TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS!?!?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I thought the recession was over?

Is it as good as this chart says? I think not. Which reminds me of this quote from Warren Buffet.

"Managers that always promise to 'make the numbers' will at some point be tempted to make up the numbers."

Somebody's lying somewhere... and I think I know who it is.