Dare Obasanjo gives some personal insight into how the economic news affects individuals:

As each week passes I've been less sure of our plans to "help the local economy" and last week's announcement by my employer to eliminate 5,000 jobs within the next 18 months began to make the plans seem downright irresponsible. At this point we've decided to hold off on the purchases and are debating the safest way to hold on the money and still retain value.

This is pretty widespread, based on what I'm seeing and reading. Cincom has been doing pretty well, and the Smalltalk business in particular has been doing well - but Cincom isn't magically immune from the economy, so I get the same kinds of nervous jitters that Dare does. I've been putting off things like new TVs, even though there are pretty good deals available on flat screens. I've been putting off a new car, even though mine is 20 years old and burns oil - and worse, my wife's knees can't really take the layout of that car anymore.

Broadcast this kind of "hmmmm..." thinking across enough people, and you start to see sustained levels of "wait and see".

Now Listening to: Go Your Own Way by Wilson Phillips from: California

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