"Holidays Find Loan Crisis Spreading to Businesses and Neighbors"
"As foreclosures mount, tenants suffer"
And MISERY LOVES COMPANY:
"Retailers Face an Ominous Holiday Sign" by MICHAEL BARBARO
Sales of women’s clothing, from high-end dresses to bargain coats and spending on women’s apparel, a traditional pillar of the holiday shopping season, are unusually bleak so far this year, according to a major credit card company, an ominous sign for the retail industry.
John D. Morris, senior retail analyst at Wachovia Securities:
"[With less money to spend on gifts for their families, mothers] pull back on spending for themselves first. [The problem is compounded by lackluster merchandise in the mall. Little has stood out so far this season, with chains relying heavily, for example, on that winter staple, the chunky sweater]. There is a lot of sameness in stores."
No shit!
Analysts expressed surprise at the enduring strength of online spending, the growth of which was expected to begin tapering off after years of steep increases. One explanation may be the growing number of discounts and promotions this year. Dozens of online retailers offered free shipping and buy-one-get-one discounts on the Monday after Thanksgiving.
Yup, MSM ALWAYS DISCOUNTS and DISRESPECTS the web!
With energy prices high, consumers are also turning to the Web to avoid costly trips to the mall. The SpendingPulse report from MasterCard found that Americans pumped 1.2 percent less gas during the first half of the holiday season than they did during the same period in 2006."
Yup, I'm not making that trip to the mall I usually do!
No sirree!!!!
