It seems, following Ben Bernanke's example, that we've agreed to call glimmers of economic hope "green shoots." Even Krugman has fallen in line! But I'm against it. "Green" already means something in terms of the economy. A greener economy is an economy less reliant on fossil fuels and more focused on environmentally sustainable industries. "Green shoots," however, don't mean renewable investments or the opening of a solar energy plant in North Dakota. Instead, they're improved bank profits and heightened consumer confidence and stock market closings accompanied by an arrow pointing upwards. Green's a great color, I know, but it can only signal so much. So what about a different metaphor. How do people fell about "cloud breaks?" From Comments:: Galen suggests, "what about 'The economy's Twitter account is finally starting to attract a few followers.'" Perfect.
