tim - i think you've captured the same sentiment i had for a while now. i don't trust for one minute all the rosy news from the banks. how can we possibly go from a state of "we're at the brink of total collapse" to relatively good earnings in such a short time? as an investor and a citizen, i personally feel manipulated by both the government and these companies. there is great incentive to report positive news right now, and i think you've hit the nail on the head as far as them being overly optimistic... because there is so much to gain.
