Perhaps impossible. But I am noticing signs of recovery. Unfortunately, the economic downturn is just catching up with many people's real spending. Savings accounts are drained and credit lines are maxed. So as recovery looms within perhaps the next 6 to 9 months, spending is down, putting a true economic rise at least 12 to 18 months out.

We would need to hear from an economist to get a better idea. Although those people are more often wrong than right.

Generally speaking, economic results are cyclical.  

It took 8 - 10 years for the SF bay area to enjoy phenomenal growth in 1998 - 2000.  

The dot.com implossion, Wall Street scadals, Massive Layoffs, and the lack of Government attention to a fragile economy indicate that we will have to endure this struggle for some time to come.

We as a Nation, first have to acknowledge that there is a problem, before we can fix it.   Alan Greenspan, and entourage are still living in fatasy land.  We haven't had economic growth for at least 6 quarters if not more.  And, that my friend is a clear indication that we are in recession headed towards a depression.

Reviewing the financial statements put out by Standard & Poor, I observed that the key economic indicators are fragile.  

Most of the pumped up figures of economic growth are in the industries associated with defense.  Also, the reason for a reduction in unemployment claims is because people have exhauted their benefits, and do not count in the totals.

According to several financial analysts, a minimum of 150,000 jobs should have be created and filled in the month of July to indicate a staged recovery.  Guess what!   It did not happen.  There wee 30,000 odd jobs created and they were all in the US government.

This quarter is going to determine who many more months of hardship we will endure.  I gut feeling is that people are tapped out.   Their savings depleted, and the credit lines maxed.   Why you ask?  Those who have jobs, are hanging by a thread.  Those who have lost jobs have not been able to find one for the longest time (12 months or more).  

The cost of living, and doing business is another issue.  Several people and business are moving out of state to either Arizona, Oregon, or Seattle.  Some are even moving to the East.