1. SECOND YEAR - In the 1-year following its 3/09/09 bear market closing low of 677, the S&P 500 gained +68.6% (i.e., change of the raw index not counting the impact of reinvested dividends) through 3/09/10, its best 1-year performance after a bear market low in the last 60 years. In the 2nd year following its 3/09/09 bear market closing low, the S&P 500 gained an additional +15.7% through 3/09/11. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of 500 widely held stocks that is generally considered representative of the US stock market (source: BTN Research).

2. COMPARING RETURNS - The average gain for the S&P 500 in the 2nd year following a bear market closing low (i.e., the 13th month through the 24th month) has been +12.6% in the last 60 years. The best 2nd year return was +29.3% and the worst 2nd year return was +2.0%. The return calculations are based upon the change of the raw index and do not include the impact of reinvested dividends (source: BTN Research).

3. EIGHT YEARS LATER - The Iraq war began in the early hours of 3/20/03. The S&P 500 closed that day at 876. The stock index closed last Friday (3/11/11) at 1304 (source: BTN Research).

4. ELEVEN YEARS LATER - The NASDAQ Composite closed at an all-time high of 5049 on 3/10/00. The index closed at 2701 last Thursday (3/10/11), down 46% after 11 years. However as of 3/10/11, the NASDAQ Composite is up +142% from its bear market closing low of 1114 that the index had fallen to on 10/09/02. All the returns referenced are based upon the change in the value of the raw index and do not include the impact of reinvested dividends. The NASDAQ Composite is an unmanaged index of securities traded on the NASDAQ system (source: BTN Research).

5. NET WORTH - The total net worth of Americans was $57 trillion as of 12/31/10, up +5.9% in the last year (source: Federal Reserve).

6. IN THE RED - The US government had a $223 billion deficit in February 2011 (an all-time 1-month record deficit), extending its streak of consecutive monthly deficits to 29, also an all-time record (source: Treasury Department).

7. HELPING BORROWERS – 539,493 homeowners have received a permanent modification to their home mortgage as of 1/31/11 through the government’s “Making Home Affordable Program” (MHAP). Another 740,240 homeowners started the process to obtain a mortgage modification but have dropped out of the program since it began in February 2009. MHAP was designed to assist 3-4 million US mortgage holders. The program is scheduled to run until 6/30/11 (source: MHAP).

8. HOME VALUES - The average home price in the USA declined by 11.5% (in aggregate) over the last 5 calendar years (2006-10). Homes in North Dakota appreciated +18.5% over the period, while homes in Nevada declined by 52.8% (source: Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight).

9. OIL OUTPUT - The US oil industry produced 7.51 million barrels of crude oil per day in 2010, its highest annual domestic production level since 2002. Domestic production of crude oil peaked at 11.30 million barrels a day in 1970. Domestic production of crude oil was 7.58 million barrels a day in 1955 (source: Energy Information Administration).

10. GO FOR A RIDE - The national average price of unleaded gasoline reached $3.54 a gallon last Friday (3/11/11), an increase of 47 cents a gallon since the beginning of the year. A year ago (3/11/10), gasoline was $2.78 a gallon (source: AAA).

11. GETTING CLOSE - The government estimated on 3/01/11 that the US will reach its self-imposed $14.3 trillion debt ceiling between 4/15/11 and 5/31/11 (source: Treasury Department).

12. STATUS QUO - The Fed meets tomorrow (3/15/11). If, as expected, they leave short-term interest rates unchanged, it will be their 18th consecutive meeting with no change in rates (source: Federal Reserve).

13. SELLING GOODS TO CHINA - US exports to China have more than doubled over the last 5 years, growing from $42 billion in 2005 to $92 billion in 2010 (source: Commerce Department).

14. PROVE IT - Only 1 in every 12 individuals earning at least $1 million was audited by the Internal Revenue Service during fiscal year 2010 (source: IRS).

15. WHAT, ME WORRY? - A Cincinnati television station has reported that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer has $80 million in his bank accounts. Palmer made $10.5 million last season starting for the 4-12 Bengals (source: WCPO-TV). He would be a great trade for cry bady Vince Young and The Titans.