While I appreciate your ability to see the glass half full Dave I would caution you on trumpeting a DJIA number of 11,000 as economic success.

If the Dow is nothing more than a number to you then yes, things look positive. The problem is that once you peel back a layer or two you begin to see that there are major problems afoot.

Companies increase earnings during a depression via layoffs, forced productivity increases, quatitative easing, and stimulus. With an unemployment rate of near 22% you have less consumers to sell to. As this persists it is only a matter of time before things fall into reality.

That means that the stock market is overpriced. Much in the same way the housing market was overpriced. Sovereign debt sales are putting pressure on bond yields. The economists I have been reading are predicting the 10yr Treasury note to be up to 5% withing 8-9 months. Those events will bring the housing market to a screaching halt.

It's hard to declare recovery and jump up and down about a 11,000 DOW when 92% of small business owners say they see no recovery.