The National Bureau of Economic Research dating committee officially listed December 2007 as the start of the current recession due to weakness in labor and consumer markets. As the unemployment rate inched up to 6.5% workers received a little comfort from sinking gasoline prices, but they still wonderd how long this period would last and how severe it would become. Taking cues from economic indicator data and other forecasts, Dr. Bruce Yandle provides perspective on the latest economic trends in a way that is understandable to the economist and non-economist alike. This "birds-eye-view" of the economy proves valuable to staffers interested in promoting policies intended to aid economic performance.