Signs 'o the Times

595,000 small businesses closed in 2008.¹

2,500,000 jobs were lost within small businesses in 2008.²

Americans' net worth increased $2 Trillion in Q2 2009 due to increasing stock prices.³

And Southwest Airlines has announced they are discontinuing lemons.  Literally.  No more lemons in any in-flight drinks.  This will save them approximately $100,000 in the next twelve months.⁴   (I remember American Airlines removed one olive from every first-class salad...way back in the 90s...and it saved them $42,000/year.)   

As has been the case for a year-and-a-half, there continues to be sobering news, the periodic ray of hope, and examples that show the macro-consequences of micro-movements.

 

^1&2Source: Small Business Administration

^3&4Source: ABC News