Back in the 17th century in the Netherlands, there was a mass rage for, of all things, tulip bulbs. Prices got bid way up, and speculators jumped in to bid them up higher still. By the peak of the tulip fever, a single bulb was going for the equivalent of thousands of dollars. But eventually the market fizzled and prices plunged.

If I had been one of the people who invested in flowers during the frenzy, I would have felt bad to lose my money. But I like to imagine I would also have taken great comfort in seeing the triumph of rationality — to find that there was indeed a connection between the real usefulness of tulip bulbs and the price they would fetch.

Long View Drive in southern San Diego County is bad news for anyone sniffing around for signs that the housing market downturn is about over.

The two-story stucco house at 1308 is an eyesore among the other well-tended homes in this Chula Vista neighborhood. It’s vacant, and the small patch of lawn is overrun with weeds. The entryway is littered with junk mail and old fliers, and stuck to the door is the piece of paper that explains it all: Notice of Trustee Sale.
With more than a half-dozen “for sale” signs on the same block, others seem sure to follow.