not laughing

the above is in page 38 of The Week magazine, 10/21/11 edition
Dictionary.com:
Recession: Economics. a period of an economic contraction, sometimes limited in scope or duration.
Depression: Economics. a period during which business, employment, and stock-market values decline severely or remain at a very low level of activity.

2 cents:
Now tell me again without laughing that we are out of the recession and depression.