Interesting (and disturbing) economic indicator

Here is an interesting (and disturbing) economic indicator sent to me by Timothy A. Canova, international monetary policy expert and associate dean/professor of international economic law at the Chapman University School of Law. You can find Dean Canova’s bio at http://www.chapman.edu/law/faculty/canova.asp.

Here’s an unusual anecdotal measure I’ve mentioned before about how bad things have become in the housing market:

At least two people have died and dozens have come down ill from West Nile virus In Orange County, California. According to reports in the Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register, public health officials in Orange County believe the return of West Nile virus is the result of mosquitoes breeding in the stagnant waters of swimming pools of abandoned and foreclosed homes. Public health officials in Los Angeles and San Diego are also facing record numbers of human cases of West Nile virus, and are now introducing the Gambusia affinis, a tiny fish that devours mosquito larvae, into the stagnant pools to help eliminate the threat.

For verification, here’s one report: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2008/06/tiny-fish-helps.html