Forbes.com places Tampa Bay on its list of "top five cities in a free fall." I confess I'm tired of these glib, chatty lists that obscure as much as they enlighten.

To whit: Forbes.com claims local median home prices have fallen only 32 percent from the peak. The truth is closer to 45 percent. And the article calls our region "Tampa-Clearwater," a sloppy misnomer that leaves out St. Petersburg.

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater will experience more economic suffering. But the worst has passed. We bailed from our burning B-17 two years ago.