Writing a loan down, on the other hand, means that it stays on the bank's balance sheet at a reduced but perhaps still inflated value, and the collateral backing the loan is not sold.

ECONOMIST: Will Tokyo finally clean house?

Baby-boomers can chuck the day job at 60 or 65 and head off into the perma-tanned sunset (they will probably prove freakishly long-lived), borrowing against the inflated value of their houses as they do so.

ECONOMIST: Social change

This has now not only contributed to the spectrum crisis but also inflated the value of this unused spectrum.

FORBES: Washington Says Not So Fast To Verizon Spectrum Grab

This is because any bonuses and equity incentives will have been artificially inflated in value because of fraudulent financials.

FORBES: It Is Time For Real Bank Clawbacks

Hewlett Packard's allegations that Autonomy inflated its value prior to a takeover has been flatly rejected by the former management of the UK software firm.

BBC: Profile: Autonomy

But it has also inflated the value of resource-scarce Japan's imports of crude oil and other commodities, which offset a recovery in demand for Japanese-made vehicles and machinery.

NPR: Japan Posts Record $17.4B Trade Deficit In Jan.

So the reported value had been inflated by a factor of eight thousand?

NEWYORKER: The Kingpins

So for all of the elaborate marketing schemes that involve inflated budgets and endless gimmicks, there can also be exceptional value in simplicity and micro-impressions.

FORBES: Long Live Sproutacus! (Or: Marketing Lessons From A Salad)

What this suggests is that the inflated expectations of the initial hype cycle have passed and now marketers are focused on finding the value in social media with more targeted insights and actions.

FORBES: IBM Releases 'The State of Marketing 2011,' Analyzes Usage of Social & Mobile