While the pundits debate the current state of the economy and whether it fits the formal definition of a recession, we continue to see high gas prices, consumer spending is sluggish, the dollar is weak, healthcare costs are skyrocketing, and the housing crisis is affecting everyone from Bear Stearns to the average citizen. It's during times like these that we become painfully aware of the power of economic forces.
If we liken the economy to a starving lion, we would in ...