We're spending less...a lot less

Across the country, Americans have put their credit cards and cash away. Consumer spending fell for the first time in 17 years, causing the economy to shrink by .03 percent, according to a NY Times story.

"By almost all accounts, the economy is now in recession," the story says. Consumers used debt (home-equity loans, mortgage refinancings and credit-card loans) to spend previously. Then the housing bubble burst and...you know the story.

"Personal consumption fell at an annual rate of 3.1 percent in the third quarter of this year, its biggest drop since 1980, when the economy was in a deep recession," the story says.

Now that we've dug ourselves into this hole, the question is how are we going to get out? What will the next spending vehicle be? Do you think the next growth engine will be green technology? The next generation of hybrid cars? Software? Computers?