8.2 percent

I don't buy this number either. Not in the least. It's called inflation, people. Get used to it.

Fred Hickey, editor of The High Tech Strategist says, "Over the past couple of weeks, I've listened to scores of tech company conference calls. In nearly every case, from Cisco to Foundry to Motorola to CDW, the story was the same - their best customer was the U.S. government."

Gee, I'm shocked. Apparently, compassionate conservatism is the kinder, gentler way to nationalize an economy.