On the second comment about somebody frontrunning the PMI- I don't think it proves anything. Da boyz have delivered almost nothing but "positive" numbers for a month and when they're not nobody cares. Somebody just broke early on the starters gun.
On social mood- absolutely. The most extraordinary thing about the past 20 years has been the capacity to keep the consumer bee consumin' against all odds of rationality. Even now it is dying slowly but still terminal nonetheless.
There is a real problem with what to do with all these surplus people. Time was when they held value as potential soldiers, serfs and breeding stock for such but when they reach the point that they're not even keeping the consumption going, won't pay their debts back and are costing a whole lot in public services, that's a problem.
I'm glad I don't have to figure that one out 'cause it's a stumper.
