With the psychology of the individual investor eroded by both the economic slowdown and market volatility, and corporate earnings reaching a defining low point, or bottom, the backdrop for Merrill (nyse: MER - news - people ) can only brighten.

FORBES: Be Bullish On Merrill

Defining with words works to a point.

FORBES: Who is The Entrepreneur: Catalina Gorla (on figuring it out later)

But it really is defining the space we want to be playing in rather than a specific point forecast.

WSJ: VW's chief in US expects sales to keep growing

This may be the tipping point, signaling the beginning of a new era of greater scrutiny of pensions and a defining of what constitutes fraud and mismanagement in the pension context.

FORBES: The Future of the Consulting Industry Speech, (September 19, 2005)