Thanks Tyler Durden! I've been waiting for this day since Halloween to re-post "Top 27 Excuses for Horrible Q1 Economic Performance" www.talkmarkets.com/.../top-27-excuses-for-horrible-q1-economic-performance

Good article but GREAT picture - worthy of its own meme, and begging for subtitles of what Janet Yellen is thinking. I'll get us started... "It's Middle School all over again."

John: Thanks for adding your insightful perspective to this admittedly complex topic. You touch on some nuances which represent just how challenging this conversation can be. However, it is at times like this that the winning arguments stand - not on feelings - but on facts like these:

"According to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economics and Statistics Administration, growth in STEM jobs was three times greater than that of non-STEM jobs over the past decade. 71 percent of all jobs in the United States will require STEM skills by 2018 and, today, there is one unemployed STEM worker for every two STEM job openings."

So, when 71% of ALL jobs in the U.S. will require STEM skills within 3 years, it doesn't take a mathematician to figure out where our educational priorities should be. My position is that we focus on tackling this big "solvable" problem first, and then take aim at the smaller - yet very real - issues you mention. Who knows, if we do it right, maybe STEM grads will perfect a robot to brew those beverages for you!

Great research and a timely article. In my 2012 book "Specialist Nation: A Survival Guide for America," I discuss the impact of robots, and introduce the concept of the "Productivity Dividend" - concluding that whether machines are viewed as "good" or "bad" depends on how the world invests the millions of suddenly available human resources.

Robert: Another brilliant insightful "hidden in plain sight" article. I've often grappled with the notion of juxtaposing the American consumers' 30-year mortgage with a flexible work environment which doesn't even provide 30 minutes of certainty. And you wonder why home ownership rates have cratered...

Excellent piece of word art! Elegant, insightful, and riddled with relevant metaphorical references from the Torah to the Titanic. Great mix of style and substance, and the spectacle that is financial theater.

Thanks Farah. I guess I've got a word with ways...

Wendell: Thanks for your feedback, and yes, I have purposely "vastly oversimplified" this equation - that was my intent, starting with the title "..Super Simple Reason..." Intelligent investors often over-think or over-look the obvious, namely that Americans will continue to act in their own best interest and continue to seek out the best of both worlds (price AND product) - and currently Chipotle is giving it to them. Yes, Chipotle does offer sit-down options, but their meteoric rise shows that consumers place a higher value on "being their own waiter" and tip themselves - rather than put that 15-25% tip in someone else's pocket. Best, Doug

Thanks Ryan. Like I always say, "Don't listen to what consumers say, listen to what they DO." Wallets don't lie. Best, Doug

Iqbal - I 100% agree! The ideal scenario seems to be either start a firm on college (as mentioned in the article) or moonlight (while keeping your day job) until you have a proven revenue model. Thanks, Doug