There might be a good reason for a payout ratio above 100%.

FORBES: Buy Stocks That Pay, And Can Keep Paying

There is good reason to believe that much of the above can be sorted out within the next few years.

CNN: Cash -- or E-Money?

There is, of course, reason to be encouraged by the education model described in the linked Texas Tribune article above.

FORBES: Texas Prisoners Learn Business Skills, But Are Education Programs Behind Bars In Decline?

By the first week of December the OBV had moved above both its WMA and the downtrend (line e) which was a good reason to be bullish on stocks.

FORBES: The Power of Volume

Mr Obama's picks may be one reason why the approval rating of his transition is high, according to polls, and well above that of George Bush or Bill Clinton at similar points.

ECONOMIST: Barack Obama has chosen a team of heavyweights