Escaping the slaughter, or taking advantage of it, or  accumulating the stocks we love, or turning from positive to negative investors are all choices on the table. The problem is that the prophets stop prophesizing at times when prophesies are badly needed. The prophets themselves are asking questions, rather than providing answers. The experts and officials who know better and were just claiming that the economy is as strong as had never been in the past decade have yet to step in and back up their claims, which we still believe are genuine. And while the consumer is enjoying the . . .