Like the flu, a recession is mostly bad. Like a recession, it's also hard to spot the good sides of getting the flu, particularly since it can be fatal. While it's easy to spot the misery of a recession, today I heard three positive things about this one. First, more people are planting vegetable gardens to save money. A side effect will be to have healthier food and some enjoyment. Traffic is down, leaving roads less congested. Finally, I heard an economist say today that because the job losses in this recession have happened so quickly, the recovery in jobs could be equally quick. He predicted that the recovery in jobs could start by late summer. He may not be right but after all the gloom recently, it's nice to hear an optimist.