The Next Decade

[larryJ]

From my local paper, the editor's take on the coming decade and the happenings of the last one.

LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW AND BETTER DECADE

By Steve Lambert

Editor and Publisher of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune

The new year; the next decade, is less than a week away, and with it, a promise of significantly better days ahead.

It's natural to feel that way when the calendar turns.  This time, we can't help ourselves after a decade that saw a terrorist attack on the U.S. soil, a war that won't end, and an economic downturn against which all future recessions will be judged.

We're not sure what to call the past ten years - (the oh-o's), but we'll sure never forget them.

Which is fine.  Keep them in our memory banks, while we move forward --together, smarter and eager to set a new course.

What will the coming decade be remembered for?  What social changes will better our world?  What technological advances will better our lives?

Will cancer be cured?  Will American ingenuity and space exploration again become part of the lexicon?

It starts with an economy that, lo and behold, appears to be loosening up.  It's not party time yet, but economists and Wall Street are toasting the recent improvements in unemployment and real estate as glass-half-full indications that 2010 will be a recovery year.

We'll know soon enough, January is decision time for retailers who had been hanging in, hoping for a buoyant holiday season.  Though the final tallies aren't in, it appears that sales were at or near projected levels, which should prevent the kind of fallout we saw a year ago.

If all of that holds true, and if inflationary pressures can be held in check, businesses will be encouraged to spend more, and hire more.  In recent weeks, more than one business leader has told me that if the recovery has any traction whatsoever, companies are better positioned than they've ever been to take advantage of it.

That's partly because of expense initiatives and operational efficiencies they've put into place in recent years.  But it's also because businesses are wiser  -- that the hard times of recent years have taught them and us well.

Which probably means a gradual steady recovery, as opposed to the overindulgent variety we might have wished for secretly.

Which is fine, too.  Keep the bottle.  This New Year's Eve, I'm more than happy with a single glass.  Half full.

_______________________________________________

Larryj