Company bosses are more cheerful too, according to recent opinion surveys.

ECONOMIST: Mergers and acquisitions

Property transactions remain at low levels and house prices have drifted down in recent months, according to various surveys.

BBC: UK mortgage lending fell 13% in January, CML says

According to surveys DOJ conducted of state prison inmates during 2004 (the most recent year of data available), only two percent who owned a gun at the time of their offense bought it at either a gun show or flea market.

FORBES: Disarming Realities: As Gun Sales Soar, Gun Crimes Plummet

Take yet another turn and see otherwise intelligent commentators argue that since so many people cheat on their partners (20% of Americans in mid-life, according to some surveys), we should not be wringing our hands about the recent scandals but just accept them as the norm and go on about our daily lives.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Surveys by Florida Voter give some support to that claim: according to these, most of the recent erosion in Mr Gore's support is attributable to changes in the opinions of voters over 65.

ECONOMIST: Two big ’gators pounding away | The