Not even technology can save us the time around

In the '70s Microchips helped jump-start the economy. In the '80s personal computers unleashed a wave of consumer and business spending. And in the '90s the internet gained steam just when the economy was at its bleakest, creating new companies, jobs, and investment opportunities. Even in 2001, when hundreds of dot-com companies went bust in the space of a year, a couple of guys were already working on a start-up that would make money on web searches. That would be Google, which now employs 20,000. Alas, economics and executives believe that this time around tech won't lead the country out of its slump. Unless of course you think Facebook is a viable business. (via fortune)