We have all heard about, and felt, the downturn in the U.S. economy. Every day it gets harder to put food on the table for yourfamily, to buy gas for your vehicle to get to work, and to pay the bills.

"Killer at Large" obesity documentary filmmakers is teaming up with¬ Wasatch¬ Community¬ Gardens¬ to provide a platform for highlighting some of the issues raised in the film -- the same issues behind $2-million in funding for the Utah Department of Health's fight against obesity. The screening will also WSG's non-profit education programs, which work to correct some of those issues in our community.¬ The fundraiser screening will be held July 9 at¬ 6:30 p.m.¬ at The Tower in Salt Lake City.

Dressed in an Evel Knievel-style American flag jumpsuit with my face painted red, white and blue, I planned to spend Fourth of July driving around in old Ford pickup truck blaring "Proud to Be an American" from my stereo. Starting at 6 a.m., I hoped to speed around my neighborhood honking my horn and looking for foreigners so I could chant "USA, USA" at them. Once I had established our nation's global dominance through repetitive chanting and occasionally making the number one sign, I planned to head home for an old-fashioned American barbecue featuring Budwesier in those really large bottles.

Economic growth in the United States is sluggish, and there are several reasons to be pessimistic about macroeconomic performance in the balance of 2008, if not beyond. The adjective "macroeconomic" is crucial. We should never forget that, even when major sectors of a country's economy are experiencing hard times and macroeconomic statistics are gloomy, there are always great opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors to be found in various microeconomic niches.