Bush plan to enslave middle and lower classes is working.

[barbaraann]

Retails Latest Markdown? Profit Forecasts
Tue Dec 23,10:57 AM ET Add Business - Reuters to My Yahoo!
By Emily Kaiser

CHICAGO (Reuters) - First it was discounted toys, then cheap consumer electronics. The next big markdown for U.S. retailers may be profit forecasts.
...
"The low-end consumer is spending much less than expected," Barry said in a research note.
...
Retailers have blamed disappointing holiday sales on back-to-back weekend snowstorms, gift cards that don't immediately count as revenue, bargain-hungry last-minute shoppers and the heightened security situation.
...
Luxury chains have been among the few bright spots, with analysts expecting a strong sales and profit performance from the likes of Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE:JWN - news), Saks Inc. (NYSE:SKS - news) and Neiman Marcus Group Inc. (NYSE:NMGA - news).
...
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=580&e=2&u=/nm/20031223/bs_nm/retail_outlook_dc

I'm not celebrating this year. I'm mourning the passage of democracy and the hope for economic justice.

[demnan]

1. I am celebrating

I'll be damned if they'll take Christmas away from me but I am mindful of the things that I want my Mother to have, but she can't afford because she spends so much on medicine so I try to buy her stuff she needs this time of year.

You don't need to spend a lot of money on Christmas. Just enjoy the winter weather, light a candle, eat a nice dinner, take a walk near the woods.

[barbaraann]

5. I am going to send some money to a needy family member,

but it's tough to enjoy the winter weather here in the Pacific Northwest. :-)

And I just this minute finished providing a little financial help to a teenager my son knows.

[pscot]

16. Cheer up, Barbaraann

The days are getting longer already. Light all your candles and pour yourself an eggnogg. Happy Solstice

[barbaraann]

17. Thanks for the cheer!

Instead of the eggnog, though, I'm going to drink some Boone's Farm Strawberry Wine that my husband got on clearance at the gas station. It reminds me of the olden days (the sixties).

:toast:

[Skidmore]

7. I used to do that too for my Mom before

she passed away. She gave so much to others and took so little for herself. It was always a good feeling to see the genuine pleasure and delight she took in receiving even the simplest of gifts.

[Skittles]

10. LOL

take a walk near the woods . . . IN TEXAS ? Surely I would be shot.

[Malva Zebrina]

15. that is so wonderful

a post. Light a candle, and make a nice dinner that celebrates and celebrates in it's gratefulness for all that we have enjoyed in these primitive woods that are fast becoming paved over. I think that a great turkey roasted will be certainly, deserving. Or perhaps, some native shrimp , for those of us in the northeast, and perhaps a nicely baked ham.

Thanks for that. There is hope for those who simply know what is the most important thing to celebrate about the winter solstice-it is hope that the dark will be overcome, naturally by the light, no matter whether one has a religion to believe in, or not.

The natural rythym, the occasion that haa been observed over and over by human beings, since history has been recorded, and beyond, is something indeed to celebrate. We are coming out of the darkness and into the light as the light, the sun god travels over the horizon and indeed begins to get higher and brings us longer days!! and this "god" sends it's light upon us all as it decides to go higher and longer in the sky--bringing it's light to us all!!

From now on in, the dreary darkness of the day that ends at early afternoon for many,especially those of us in the far north, will be elongated and will allow us to plant our seed and grow our food. And we will prosper and live because this "god" the sun god, saw to it that we will be the recipients once more of his beneficial light. So thought the ancients who worshipped the "sun" or the "son" of the god.

Halleluya--ain't it great?

[Atman]

2. Retailers have blamed...the heightened security situation.

God! THAT was fast! I expected for them to wait at least until after Christmas!

[tom_paine]

3. LOL, a look at the Imperial Amerikan future...

Luxury stores doing great! Of course they are, bloated with all of that stolen money through tax kickbacks and the looting of two countries, Iraq and Imperial Amerika (using Iraq as excuse).

Who wouldn't be, knowing that so much of the law now is bent toward the Imperial Aristocracy and the cash kickback will continue until the nation is bankrupt, and probably afterwards.

Naturally, the bottom 80% are screwed and tightening their belts.

Luckily, Corporate TV Pravda, with all it's members in the upper 20%, can shriek at the top of their lungs "Recovery! Recovery!"

Heh. The Empire will NEVER fully recover from this Bushevik Kleptocracy, and the probablility remains that we are stuck with this Imperial dynasty, probably until it is displaced by another, possibly brutally, 50 or 60 years from now.

[hedda_foil]

4. Is this the reason for the Orange Alert?

That way they don't have to blame the Bush economy for the retail slump this season.

[barbaraann]

6. I think so.

And it might also just be for a sadistic thrill.

[BackDoorMan]

8. Keep the fear in people, they'll do anything you say, if you convince them

Bush is the one stopping "the terrorist" from blowning up your house.
And Rove sure makes it look that way...millions and millions of Americans, who feel helpless,(and have always felt helpless) television news watching, completely unaware of who Karl Rove is...will be sucked in and voting for Bush simply out of fear, where no terrorist threat really exsists...as was 9-11 a set-up and planned for years and has given Bush and the republicans complete power and control over our lives...Ashcroft ("the Nazi") is there to make sure they keep that firm control.

These are masters of fascism and fear tactics, and they know exactly how to keep this bullshit terrorist threat going, to increase our fear and to gladly give Bush our votes just. please, oh please...keep us safe!

[placton]

9. NOTE THE COMPANIES DOING WELL

per the report: all are upscale stores where the Rich and Famous are spending their millions in tax returns from the GOP.

Again, is a SINGLE Dem saying anything about this? Why, no - what a shock. No doubt are pols are too busy seeking corporate donations.

[BiggJawn]

11. Of COURSE I'm spending less this year.

I don't have it to spend.
My salary did not increase. My rent did not increase (thankfully!)
Utilities went up. Natural Gas went up. Telephone increased 16%. Cable (which I don't have) increased almost 20%. My car insurance increased 20%. My out-of-pocket expenditure for prescriptions this year was $1700....

And you wonder WHY I didn't buy more cheap shit at Walmart, K-mart, Target, et al.?

Sorry, I'm broke. it's expensive being a Modern Murkan Patriot....

[Nobody]

12. I don't have it to spend either

I have a choice: I can buy Xmas gifts (and if I buy a gift for one person, I have to buy gifts for everyone and I have a huge family) OR I can heat my home to a level that allows me not to have to worry about frozen pipes.

It's not up to me to singlehandedly save the retail industry. And have you ever noticed how the retailers ALWAYS whine about how much less Americans are buying for Xmas? Every year without fail. I've been tracking this for years.

[rucky]

13. Why don't gift cards count as revenue?

People buy them, don't they?

[barbaraann]

14. It seems to me they are BETTER than a purchase.

Some of them are never redeemed and also the store gets the "float" from the cash.

I think what they are saying about gift cards is simply a lie.