12/14   What's the general uptake on the economy in California right now?
        Central/Western Europe was complete shit (nothing at all going on),
        and increasingly so until about this summer, then sometime in
        September/October things just started picking up (projects, jobs,
        etc.)  It was far more so than the usual fall/spring budgeting cycle,
        but rather, as if people just sort of collectively decided to be
        sick and tired of doom and gloom--how about the US?  -John
        \_ Nothing like it here.  I still have a number of friends either
           out of work or temp'ing it.  There's a few more job notices, but
           employers seem to be enjoying their scarcity.
           \_ seconded.
           \_ I know people hiring. Give me their names. -ausman
        \_ How bout other areas in the US?  It still seems that MS is hiring
           quite a bit.
        \_ Things are much better than 18 months ago. It will never be like
           1999 again.
           \_ never? that's bullshit.  the boomtime mentality is hardcoded
              into the human brain.  once people decide it's boomtime, all
              history is forgotten and everyone thinks they're going to get
              rich.  you think the late '90s were the first boom or the
              first bubble economy?  do you really think it'll be the last?
              \_ So my pedantic friend: when do you think the tech economy
                 is going to "recover" to its 1999 state? That is what the
                 original question was about.
              \_ Fine. I am sure there will be another Tulip Mania or
                 Internet Bubble again in human history. We will not
                 be around though.
                 \_ You're an idiot.
                    \_ Nice comeback. Did you take rhetoric?
                 \_ We'll be around, except the next boom will be something
                    else, either quantum, biotech, nanotech, or something
                    totally different. don't forget all the nontech booms that
                    we'll also see.
                    \_ biotech has already gone through several boom-bust
                       cycles.  regions that depend on natural resources
                       like mining go thruogh  boom bust cycles all the time.
                       I think my "you're an idiot" comment pretty much
                       sums up the above post.  it's just another one of those
                       fucking idiots who thinks the entire world starts
                       and stops with the software industry in the Bay area.
                       a bumper sticker from my home state (alaska) states
                       "please god, give us another boom, and this time we
                       promise not to piss it away."
                       \_ Sure there are little boomlets all over the world
                          all the time, but they are not the same as an
                          economic wide bubble, the way the US stock market
                          in 1929 or 1999 was. If you think the Dot Com boom
                          was something that was confined to the Bay Area,
                          then you are the provinicial fool, my friend.
                          \_ Japan in the late 80s is at least as big as
                             the recent US bubble.
                    \_ i have a quantum pc i can sell you.  it's in this
                       little box, but if you open the box, it breaks.
                \_ I recommend John K. Galbraith's A Short History of
                   Financial Euphoria. Though not his best book, it's a
                   short, thoroughly entertaining read.
                   \_ Galbraith is the best author I've never read.
        \_ Yea, some would argue there is a big housing bubble right now,
           so I guess there is a big boom in housing related jobs.  Lots
           of people I know recently went into real estate, housing
           appraisal, mortgage, etc.  There is also a big boom in China,
           and some say a big gold and commodity boom coming up soon.
           \_ Some would argue therefore it is true?  Nonsense.
              \_ You are right, a bubble is never a bubble until it bursts.
              \_ You revealed the code!  Howard Dean is posting on the motd!
           \_ http://realtytimes.com/rtcpages/20031208_homevalues.htm
              The housing market is doing what it should be doing. It is
              cool in the recently hot areas, including SF Bay Area.