I guess the title says it all. Around here things are slow on all fronts. I expect the oil field will pick back up soon as OPEC has decided to cut production (raise prices) again. Walmart was sooooper slow until right before Christmas, the smaller clothing stores and all unecessary sales are down according to folks at hardware/electronics places. I don't know about manufacturing other than my own, and that is definitely down.

I'm not trying to be depressing, but I just was wondering if things were the same all over or if the spin to spend! spend!! spend!!! (ahem-like there's no tomorrow;) is actually happening.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), January 05, 2002

Answers

About the same here doreen, slow and getting slower. The spend your way out of a recession method of econmics, is not working thus far. Our steel mills are suffering greatly.

-- Melissa (me@home.net), January 05, 2002.

Good and getting better. Unemployment rate has dropped again this last month. A business that went broke several years ago is now open and doing well. Has hired back over 500 that were previously laid off. A few businesses are complaining, as usual, but most are not. I saw a tv interview with the local manager of Wal-Mart,. He said it was the best year this store has ever had, and they have been here for 20 years or more.

Sorry to hear things are not good where you guys live, but they are doing well here.

Talk to you later.

-- Bob in WI (bjwick@hotmail.com), January 05, 2002.

Well Doreen, Small manufacturing businesses in this area are slow, we rely on the automotive industry for a lot of our modest economy. Frankly, things are usually slow here, and if somebody didn't tell us we were in a recession, we wouldn't know any better! Walmart hasn't found out about us yet, so we can't rely on them to advise us on our economy! We enjoy freedom and self reliance! Life is good!

-- Woodsbilly (coleenl@penn.com), January 05, 2002.

You got that right with "spend like there's not tomorrow!"

Our region is slow anyway with all the mills that have shut down in the past decade. Last year, one of our two grocery stores close, eliminating the competition. The Boeing layoff gave us the distinction of the state with the highest unemployment rate. meanwhile I have observed some products double in price in the last 2 years and prices on others are creeping up about 8% per month. Many of my preferred items are no longer available. Our cost of living increase was eaten up by the increase in insurance costs and lowered benefits

"They" keep saying everything is hunky dory, I say the emperor has no clothes. Yes, I AM spending more, but I am buying less.

We will get by but I do not know how those less forunate than us are going to do it. 90% of my neighbors don't bother to garden, instead they grow their own private golf courses. In the past few years, I have been giving my excess farm products away to my neighbors, but I will have to sell them in the future.

-- Laura (LadybugWrangler@hotmail.com), January 05, 2002.

4500 laid off in the past 45 days. Wal-Mart did well during Christmas. I guess there return business was pretty good to. :o)

Locale industry has was down over past 6 months. No new industry in our towns future. :o(

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), January 05, 2002.

Well I'm glad things in Wisconsin are going along just fine! Too dang cold for me, thanks.

I agree that the Emperor is at least horribly threadbare;)

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), January 05, 2002.

Things are pretty bad here too. A friend who is the terminal manager of a large freight shipper locally was telling us yesterday of all the factories, etc that have shut down or are about to. Then my husband went to his favorite auto parts store yesterday and found out that today is their last day in business. Lots of small and large businesses closing up. Shipping at plant my husband works at is off about 60-70%. The one thing I've noticed is that I keep hearing through media and even another forum that businesses are deep discounting goods. I have not seen that happen around here at all. Even stores that normally mark things way down after Christmas are not doing it this year. One store told my husband they are just packing it up and saving it for next year.

-- Deena in GA (dsmj55@aol.com), January 05, 2002.

I received two tool catalogs in the mail, one from Harbor Freight, the other from Great Northern. Both of them claim a 50% price cut on the cover. That is kinda strange; when tools selling to DIY's are cutting prices, you know something is up.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), January 08, 2002.

Iam in Cleveland and I am seeing long establish companys having a hard time. Moving operations to other global markets work em cheap.

-- John stergios (jackstergios@aol.com), January 12, 2002.