Friday's employment report, showing a much-higher-than-expected increase of 166,000 in nonfarm payroll jobs, was only the latest in a spate of remarkable reports showing the economy's stunning resilience.

contrary to fears and forecasts of much slower growth in the third quarter, the U.S. economy in fact expanded at a 3.9% rate

Inflation showed its lowest annual rise since the 1960s

The broad stock market, despite an up and down year, has mostly been up

Employment costs, rising in the third quarter at 3.8% annual rate, are well under control

the budget deficit fell to $163 billion, or 1.2% of GDP, its lowest level in five years

even the big, bad trade deficit has begun shrinking, as the weak dollar sets off a U.S. export boom

What's funny about all this is how little is being made of it

The media have been quiet as church mice about the good news — much the same way they're ignoring signs of a victory in Iraq

But they've found lots of bad news

Gee, you'd almost think they have an ax to grind