"...At 94.2 percent of its 2007 average, total industrial production for July (2011) was 3.7 percentage points above its year-earlier level. The capacity utilization rate for total industry climbed to 77.5 percent, a rate 2.2 percentage points above the rate from a year earlier but 2.9 percentage points below its long-run (1972--2010) average..."
This information was obtained from the www.FederalReserve.gov site 8/21/11 and, in the midst of all of the recent bad news and stock market lows, helps to bring a little perspective. The U.S. is making more than last year and using plant capacity at a slightly higher rate than last year.
These are longer-term positive trends to focus on during short-term volatility. It is not all bad in the economy and these numbers are certainly better than last year. Hope. Perspective. Hard things to find through the media onslaught.