recession or not?

i was just talking to a massage therapist who works with me who is VERY republican.  i am trying to have an open mind.  it's hard not to feel the us against them or my side vs. their side and that's my ego too.  i'm not the owner of the truth either but i really want to be educated about all this too so. . . 

he was saying that we weren't in a recession, and i thought i would look it up.  i found this article from fortune magazine and looks like we aren't really, which is good to know.  but there is a lot of craziness going on in our economy, and the info from new NPR show planet money has been awesome, trying to understand all of these government take overs.  i have just been listening to the pod casts.  

on another note, last night in my art history class we watched this from edward said about orientalism, he talks about the west's idea of western asia a.k.a. the middle east.  there are 4 parts and other clips of him talking about israel.  he's brilliant and it's important information.  i haven't watched them all but i want to read his book now!

figuring out context and our world view is important.