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Some experts are predicting that end of the recession is now in sight and economic growth will rebound in the second half of 2009. Not Bloomberg columnist Matthew Lynn! He's looking at the very different data set: "The one lesson we can draw from the global credit crisis is that all the traditional ways of measuring the state of the economy are about as useful as a bottle of suntan lotion in a snowstorm. So here are two benchmarks we should all be monitoring more closely: extramarital affairs and the price of Latvian hookers. Both are telling us that there is still plenty of trouble ahead." Latvian hookers? We won't even begin to guess what sort of first-hand research was involved on Lynn's part, but we would recommend a thorough check of his expense report. [Bloomberg via Dealbreaker]