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The 2014 Black Friday Shopping Massacre

Sprott Money's picture




 

 

 

Jeff Nielson for Sprott Money

 

 

It is no secret to properly informed readers that the U.S. economy is mired in a Greater Depression. All claims of economic growth and a “U.S. recovery” are nothing more than a flimsy fraud. This fiction requires nothing more than lying about the rate of inflation, as all estimates of GDP are directly derived from the official rate of inflation.

 

US Black Friday Sales
black-friday-sales

Lying about the rate of inflation is an activity which comes more naturally to the central bankers and our corrupt governments than breathing. While soaring inflation (particularly food/housing costs) cripples the standard of living for the Working Poor and the shell-shocked remnants of the Middle Class; the Liars report near-zero inflation, and lament that inflation is now “too low”. All that is missing are the crocodile tears.

 

 

What needs to be understood here is that this Great Inflation Lie pollutes/distorts most of the economic propaganda, what these corrupt governments call “statistics”. Nowhere is this more obvious than with respect to the grossly fraudulent reporting on “retail sales” and/or “consumer spending”.

 

 

Neither of these so-called statistics is ever deflated by the rate of inflation. This was true even back in the years when our governments weren’t trying to pretend that inflation is “near-zero”.

 

 

For those readers who don’t follow the math here; all reports of sales/spending need to be “deflated” by the (real) rate of inflation, meaning that the rate of inflation must be subtracted from these (nominal) sales/spending numbers. A simple numerical example will illustrate this.

 

 

Let’s suppose that the government reports “an increase in retail sales” (measured in dollars) of 10%. But the government also previously reported a rate of inflation of 6%. Thus out of this total increase in dollars (of retail sales), the actual increase in sales was only 4% (10% – 6%). Because prices increased by 6% from one year ago; most of that increase in dollars of sales was merely the higher prices caused by inflation.

 

 

Armed with this understanding; we can now translate the lies of the Corporate media, and our corrupt governments, in this case the annual Big Lie about U.S. “Black Friday” shopping. The official propaganda acknowledges that this year’s numbers are bad, but adds (of course) that once “properly explained”, the bad news is actually good news.

 

 

Consumer spending during America’s Thanksgiving weekend dropped compared with last year, but the decline can be attributed to an improving economy and changing shopping habits, a survey found Sunday.

 

 

Now observe precisely the same information being reported by a media outlet outside of the mainstream monopoly.

 

 

Even after doling out discounts on electronics and clothes, retailers struggled to entice shoppers to Black Friday sales events, putting pressure on the industry as it heads into the final weeks of the holiday season.

 

 

US Employment
jobless_us

Spending tumbled by an estimated 11 percent over the weekend, the Washington-based National Retail Federation said yesterday. And more than 6 million shoppers who had been expected to hit stores never showed up…

 

 

US Debt

 
US_debt

 

Doesn’t look nearly as pretty without the Corporate media’s sugar-coating, does it? But it looks much worse once we factor inflation into this equation, to produce a real estimate on 2014 Black Friday shopping.

 

 

Back in the real world, where people regularly eat food (especially in the Obese States of America); inflation is somewhere close to 10%, if not above that. Even though the nominal sales figure here is already a negative number, we still must subtract the rate of inflation from it, because this nominal number is still measuring the increase in prices from 2013.

 

 

When we subtract a realistic estimate of inflation, once we get even close to 10%, suddenly -11% becomes -20%. Black Friday shopping in the U.S. this year plummeted by 20% (or more). In the realm of economics; a year-over-year change of that magnitude is not a plunge, it is a collapse. But even this reporting is still relatively superficial.

 

 

What needs to be supplied here to put this horrific number into true focus is to add context. Specifically, we need to factor-in all of the horrible shopping years in the U.S. which have come before this. This is not some one-year horror story, this is a cumulative, gigantic collapse.

 

 

Since the Crash of ’08 – the final death-blow to an already crippled economy – there has not been a single shopping season where the “increase in sales” has been equal to the rate of inflation. Put another way; in real dollars (i.e. subtracting inflation) retail sales have fallen every year. Every year, U.S. retailers are selling less and less goods in a consumer economy.

 

 

Now, after six consecutive, cumulative bad years (and a couple of those years were also terrible); we see Black Friday shopping plummeting by an additional 20%. For much of the U.S. retail sector; retailers are now selling half as many goods as they were selling before the Crash of ’08.

 

 

The exception to this disastrous trend has been the luxury retailers. With the Fat Cats at the top fatter than they have ever been at any time in history; life is just fine for those selling high-end, luxury goods. But the relatively strong numbers for the luxury retailers are included in all aggregate sales figures.

 

 

US Corporate Profits

corporate-profits

 

This means our “-20%” estimate underestimates the shopping carnage for all non-luxury retailers in the U.S. However, we need to add even more economic context, in order to properly frame this disastrous collapse in Black Friday shopping within the overall train-wreck that is the U.S. economy.

 

 

This is an economy with permanent near-zero interest rates. In even a semi-functional economy; near-zero interest rates would produce such explosive economic growth that a government would be forced to quickly raise interest rates, as the economy would rapidly “overheat”. Six years of near-zero interest rates, and no growth is not indicative of an economy which is dying. It is conclusive proof of a dead economy.

 

 

Then we have oil prices. In the Great Gas-Guzzling Society; the one sure-fire means to trigger an immediate spurt of economic activity/growth in the U.S. was to push down oil prices (through one form of generally illegal manipulation or another). However, in 2014 we have a first in modern U.S. economic history: a plunge in gasoline prices accompanied by a plunge in economic activity. Note the recent headline:

 

U.S. households could save $1,100 from falling gas prices

American households had an additional $1,100 apiece put into their pockets (just in time to all go shopping), and even with all that extra cash there was a nominal plunge in spending of 11% from one year ago – and a collapse of 20+% in real dollars.

 

 

How do we know that the U.S. (consumer) economy is dead? Because the U.S. consumer is dead. And for those of us north of the border; (thanks to Harper the Destroyer) the Canadian economy is simply a sickly, surreal echo of the U.S. economy.

 

 

There is still one more piece-to-the-puzzle which needs to be added here. Regular readers will be familiar with a “prediction” (simple deduction?) made in a recent commentary:

 

 

The Next Crash in 2016

 

Because this orchestrated collapse is specifically designed to be timed with the U.S. election cycle; the Old World Order clearly intends to continue with its inane fiction that the U.S. economy is still “recovering”. This means that even though it is already D.O.A.; nothing can/will be done to strengthen this Corpse Economy – because to do so would mean contradicting their own propaganda.

Not only is the U.S. economy already dead, but we can be virtually certain that the corpse will be allowed to rot for nearly two more years.

 

 

Jeff Nielson for Sprott Money

 

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Sun, 12/07/2014 - 05:51 | 5525433 Knebbington house
Knebbington house's picture

As Nouriel Roubini says,  there's an asset bubble and it'll burst in 2016. My guess is, that'll happen in the 2nd half of 2016 and the full effects will be felt in 2017.

Sun, 12/07/2014 - 08:24 | 5525510 doctor10
doctor10's picture

"they" are about done with asset stripping the country.

"nothing" is wrong until its wrong in DC/Boston/Chicago/LA/NY

Sun, 12/07/2014 - 01:02 | 5525262 flyonmywall
flyonmywall's picture

I can tell you the Walmart near me was totally deserted on Black Friday. It was ludicrous.

I went there to get money back, actually. So, they lost even more money.

 

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 23:30 | 5525122 reader2010
reader2010's picture

Just read The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America by George Packer, the 2013's National Book Award Winner in Non-Fiction.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Unwinding-Inner-History-New-America/dp/0374534608/...

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 22:50 | 5525032 bigusdickus
bigusdickus's picture

Holy fuck you guys

"It is no secret to properly informed readers that the U.S. economy is mired in a Greater Depression."

Give us a fucking break, the only people not working are the fucking deadass - 4 toothed, anarchc welfare bums created by your socialist leaders and zero hedge.

Anyone who wants to work can - its that simple. Instead of whining, instead of bitching

get the fuck off your phone, your tablet, your Ishit and come back to the land of the living..

 

Sun, 12/07/2014 - 07:45 | 5525494 didthatreallyhappen
didthatreallyhappen's picture

simply not true

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 09:42 | 5523464 BeetleBailey
BeetleBailey's picture

This is a Public Service Announcement.....

 

Forex Kong – A LOUSY SERVICE AND A THIEF

 

This is to warn EVERYONE as to doing any sort of business with Forex Trading with Kong, or what ever he/she/it bills itself. I signed up to the “service” in May of 2014, and once on the site, the person proclaiming themselves to be Kong was in a maelstrom of trades – all down.

 

I found his combination of ranting about the markets, along with fuzzy and not explained or thought out trades was amateur at best. In fact, as a veteran trader, I took each and every trade of his on one of my demo accounts, with this “Kong” not spelling out as to whether trades he emailed on “alert” were short, mid or long term, and the ensuing results were hilarious. ALL down. I have the charts, and alerts he/she/it sent and the times  he/she/it sent them, and to say this “service” is even competent is a stretch.

 

I’d be happy to share these charts, trades ( I took screen shots of the demo account with the idiot Kong trades getting reamed) with anyone.

 

The REAL “fun” started when I canceled – or attempted to cancel, my less than one month old account with Kong. First, to sign up to the…service, I had to join PayPal, which I did NOT want to do. This Kong character cajoled me into doing so “It’s the only way I work” – something to that effect.

 

WELL…Kong and PayPal kept right on debiting me. I caught them. Kept right debiting me AFTER I CAUGHT THEM.

I have the emails, bank statements – all of it. The good thieves at Forex Trading with Kong know this, and can not refute one iota of what I wrote. They are arrogant, claim they “never had a refund” (gee…I guess so).

 

STAY AWAY FROM FOREX TRADING WITH KONG. BE FOREWARNED.

THE SERVICE IS ASININE, AND THEY STEAL YOUR MONEY.

JPHFOREX at Gmail dot com….I can back up everything I just wrote.

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 17:43 | 5524338 armageddon addahere
armageddon addahere's picture

Fade him and make a fortune. To be wrong 100% of the time takes real talent.

Sun, 12/07/2014 - 09:43 | 5525588 BeetleBailey
BeetleBailey's picture

I hear you. I ALREADY HAVE 2 "Contrarian Prognosticators" - don't need another douchebag.

He was off the charts awful....and I have the hilarious charts, showing it.

Sun, 12/07/2014 - 09:43 | 5525586 BeetleBailey
BeetleBailey's picture

I mean......shit smells good next to this turd

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 04:29 | 5523251 MeBizarro
MeBizarro's picture

Where does ZH find these 'economic analysts?'  His overly simplistic 'real sales rate' calculation is laughable and yeah Black Friday numbers are down because retailers have spread out the sales process to Thanksgiving, Cyber Monday, and beyond.  Need a much larger data sample and period of sales around that time period to get a more accurate representation of what is happening.  Frankly I would just want to see retailers 4th qtr numbers especially the same stores numbers YOY.  That is really a much more accurate representation.  

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 11:52 | 5523641 11b40
11b40's picture

But the author is attempting to factor inflation in the equation. YOY comps don't measure that.

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 01:42 | 5523106 JailBanksters
JailBanksters's picture

Sales aren't down, they are up 4% higher than what they predicted they would be.

Sales could be down 50% from last year, but they'll still report sales are up 4% higher than expected.

You can do exactly the same thing with GDP, Employment, Profts. They're not worth the paper they;re printed on.

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 16:17 | 5524204 legal eagle
legal eagle's picture

Shenanigans everywhere, the numbers lie, okay but if I believe my eyes my eyes tell me people are doing just fine. Real disconnect not only with govt nbers but Ali with the dire numbers published here.

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 22:47 | 5522823 Bemused Observer
Bemused Observer's picture

The days of true inflation are over. Oh, there'll be particulars assets here and there that will do great, but the overall direction is down.

It's a psychological phenomenon, not a monetary or fiscal one. And it generally takes a generation or two to work itself out, which doesn't bode well for your 401k.

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 14:13 | 5523988 TheGreatRecovery
TheGreatRecovery's picture

Well, if they start another couple of wars in Iraq and Ukraine, I expect inflation.  My reading tells me that war always somehow brings inflation.

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 19:27 | 5522273 AdvancingTime
AdvancingTime's picture

While I continue to hear from some in the media how sales were brisk it does not change what I saw. Reports from the local mall and surrounding stores started coming in around 6:00AM from my "shopping team" on the morning of Black Friday. They shocked even me, not only were the parking lots empty but many of the stores had more employees working than customers. This was something I felt was worth seeing first hand. My office is across from the second largest mall in my state so as I went into work an unplanned visit seemed in order.

Foot traffic inside the mall was far less than I imagined, most of the shoppers were younger women and older girls. These are considered the "core" and most diehard of shoppers. Many were carrying few if any bags, this indicates little in the way of buying. The article below includes a picture of foot traffic at 7:00am and looks at why animal spirits in reaction to Black Friday were far less enthusiastic than in the past. Note that stores did fill as the day went on.

 http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2014/11/retail-sales-expectations-should-be.html

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 18:03 | 5521995 messystateofaffairs
messystateofaffairs's picture

When the ecomomy crashes and the sheeple run around starving, knashing teeth, and burning down each others houses and such, the bankers will have an explanation for them. It's the governments fault,  they just wouldn't cut their spending and balance the budget and what was a poor banker to do, the government made us print the money, we didn't want to do it. Sort of like the drug addicts drug dealer telling the addicts robbed neighbor that the drug addict is dangerous but the dealer is there to help. The sheeple will gobble it up, they watch CNN, owned by bankers, they don't read ZH (those that can read). And there are waaay more sheeple than awake people, so those awake just have to watch the bullshit, wring their hands, and go along for the ride. And don't worry in the end the bankers will fix it anyway, in the confusion they will introduce a new global fiat currency and regulate it to keep those pesky governments under control. The sheeple will use the new currency to reawaken global trade and rent the transferred assets from the bankers to create wealth, thereby making those transferred assets useful and valuable again (for the bankers). Business will be good and the serfs will cheer the wise bankers under CNN's tutelage. Relax, there is nothing to worry about, it's all explained in the Protocols. 

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 17:44 | 5521938 world_debt_slave
world_debt_slave's picture

the panic of '08, collapse of '09 and depression starting on '10

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 14:59 | 5521303 will ling
will ling's picture

we don't need anymore evidence. what we need is baskets full of heads.

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 16:52 | 5524260 Cruel Aid
Cruel Aid's picture

you have to find the real culprits first, they are under the radar and over our tbtf bankers

Sun, 12/07/2014 - 08:33 | 5525524 tvdog
tvdog's picture

Then torture the bankers before you behead them to find out who they're working for.

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 04:03 | 5523229 August
August's picture

That one of the problems that comes from universal deceit.  Evidence and the rule of law are very valuable concepts, but at some point you have to just hoist the black flag and begin slitting throats.

 

And may God richly bless our cyber-warriors.  Forward NSA!

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 22:49 | 5522828 Bemused Observer
Bemused Observer's picture

Nah, heads on sticks...get 'em up there and visible. Examples must be made.

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 19:16 | 5522239 Whalley World
Whalley World's picture

ya baby, gimme heads

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 14:57 | 5521297 ersatz007
ersatz007's picture

the fact that the people running the economy think that inflation is a good thing should tell you all you need to know.  

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 11:14 | 5523565 Mandel Bot
Mandel Bot's picture

"the fact that the people running the economy think that inflation is a good thing should tell you all you need to know."

More to the point; the people who think they are running the economy aren't really running it at all (except maybe into the ground).

If the Fed and .gov who think they are running the economy would just get the hell out of the way we might have a decent shot at recovery.

Since there is no chance of that happening we had all better get ready for some very ugly times ahead.

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 14:12 | 5521153 ebworthen
ebworthen's picture

Two more years?  Not sure I can wait that long.

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 10:09 | 5523491 Vendetta
Vendetta's picture

"Not only is the U.S. economy already dead, but we can be virtually certain that the corpse will be allowed to rot for nearly two more years."

the statement was optimistic.  As if someone or some entity is going to change the modis operandi two years from now.

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 14:29 | 5521213 Baa baa
Baa baa's picture

Don't you imagine it is starting to smell pretty bad by this point.

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 13:53 | 5521088 raeb
raeb's picture

Adjusted for inflation, gold and silver must be getting close to decade lows.

Sun, 12/07/2014 - 06:02 | 5525438 Knebbington house
Knebbington house's picture

They are at all time low, but they're not likely to fall much further. 

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 14:52 | 5521292 daveO
daveO's picture

For me, it's value in relation to the national debt makes the most sense. It's not as cheap as 2000 quite yet. Look what happened after that bottom. I doubt the next rally will take half as long as that one, 11 years.  

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 13:27 | 5520998 falconflight
falconflight's picture

The gov't statistics for measuring inflation; the use of "hedonics" and a semi permenant basket of goods during the past 25 years is at the heart of masking what it costs to live.  You can't tell people about this, they don't understand it, and probably simply don't believe it.  Understanding your world does require some intellectual work and quite frankly most just can't be bothered.  

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 18:18 | 5522034 messystateofaffairs
messystateofaffairs's picture

I am not a trained statistician so I just go by shadowstats.com and they have inflation pegged at 10% and GDP at -2%. Personally I don't consider government expenditure part of GDP, thats just wasted money they stole from real working people. Whatever real GDP is I bet its shrinking pretty good while assets are getting transferred and concentrated into oligarch hands. I can't prove it, I don't know if anybody can, I just think it.

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 13:27 | 5520997 quasimodo
quasimodo's picture

I've been saying shit is gonna fly soon for the past five friggin years now. The problem is, in my locale at least here in the midwest, times are still pretty damn good. It matters not what night of the week one ventures to one of the larger cities within an hour of me any direction. Busier than a cat covering shit on a hot tin roof. Small town mom and pops doing ok to quite well I might add.

Eateries, regardless of who they cater to, are busy. The malls are busy, the car lots are busy, the implement dealers are busy......the list does not stop there. Kids driving cars to school not even my parents could have owned when I was that age.

Besides a few good friends that can see throught the thin veneer of what is going on elsewhere, if I talk of hard times ahead amongst family and friends you would think I was wearing a big "L" on my forehead. I gave up on that a few years ago. Now I just nod and agree. Mrs. thinks we need to keep pouring as much into 401k or "miss out on the free money" match. 

Jobs are plentiful around here. Anything tied to ag or mfg.........I can show you one weekly paper alone that posts around 50 openings each week, and that is one town, pop 5000 give or take.

This is not to say there are not those behind the scenes that are suffering, but for the most part very few are going hungry here, save for a few of the larger cities that serve a few hundred each day at the mission, etc.

Sure, there are stores, smaller auto dealerships that close on occasion, but nothing like what I see and read online.

I just don't see it happening here anytime soon, wtf am I missing? I, along with those close few friends, are even starting to doubt ourselves on occasion that things ever really get "that bad" here. The thing that scares me is am I becoming a little complacent?

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 02:07 | 5523134 JoJoJo
JoJoJo's picture

In 1925 the Dow ran from 100 up to 400 then it crashed to about 40 in '29. (Look at percentages of rise and fall rather than the low numbers) 

During those 4 years there were some who warned of a bubble or irrational exuberance - but were either ridiculed or ignored. There was a similar amount of wealth concentation at the top as there is today. I dont begrudge those who have been riding the bull for 5 years, stacking up the stocks, but you better get out at the top or its all gone.

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 19:36 | 5522306 AdvancingTime
AdvancingTime's picture

Many people have been lulled into complacency by the extraordinary actions taken by central banks and governments over the last six years. Have these actions really worked or merely masked over major flaws and problems?  I contend that by not demanding the right kind of growth and by throwing money at problems we have only delayed and added to festering issues that face us in the future.

  Modern Monetary Theory often referred to as MMT by its many believers is to remove much of the risk ahead and guarantee that we will always be able to muddle forward. This is a economic theory that turns to newly acquired tools like derivatives and currency swaps that are suppose to allow us to print and  manipulate away problems. This has created an "almost surreal" feeling of indifference towards reality. More on why debt does matter and the system is about to fail in the article below.

 http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2014/01/have-we-been-lulled-into-complacency.html

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 19:05 | 5522207 bilejones
bilejones's picture

A real tell-tale for me is the local food pantry that, about once a month for the past decade or so, I drive by when it's open.

During that time, the number of cars in the parking lot is up by a factor of three or so, the increase seems to be primarily in newer cars and SUV's indicative of a middle class either locked into leases or trying to keep up with the neighbors while dependent on charity to eat.

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 04:40 | 5523256 MeBizarro
MeBizarro's picture

Never understood why anyone in the middle class leases a car for 3 years or 'tries to keep with their neighbor.'  One of the first lessons I would teach anyone is about the economics of autos including full ownership costs.  Cars are a means to get you safely and reliably from point A to point B and a black hole for fiscal well being.  If you have the spare cash, go ahead and splurge but new cars in the first year will depreciate 10-20% depending upon the model and typically 3-5% afterwards yearly again depending upon make/model.  

What rational person would take 25k, pay 1-2% interest on the borrowed money, and at the same time lose probably 5-7% annually over the cost of ownership of the invest.  That's nuts.  Exactly what owning buying a car does.  At least you have something to sell with buying a car.  

Leasing is even a bigger racket.  Drive the same mediocre Honda Accord '03 and look to invest my money in projects kicking off at least 8-10% and if not more.  Those investments certainly are out there and you need to track them down and the network to find them.    

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 08:31 | 5523417 AdvancingTime
AdvancingTime's picture

Well said, some of the poorest people drive the best cars. I have several tenants that live from government checks hardly able to pay their rent driving newer and more expensive vehicles than mine. While it is sometimes annoying it is also the reason they have no money. 

For all the moaning about how it is not enough and those living on the dole are forced into a life of poverty in fact those that suffer greatly often do so because of poor spending choices rather then the amount they receive. The article below delves deeper into this subject.

http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2013/06/living-on-dole.html

 

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 14:09 | 5523974 TheGreatRecovery
TheGreatRecovery's picture

Dare To Be Great.  :^)

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 18:52 | 5522142 Daddio7
Daddio7's picture

I'm in north Florida, 25 years ago several thousand acres of cabbage and potato fields were convereted into sod farms. Yesterday I drove by another 100 acre field fresly sprigged with turf grass. Across the road was a huge stack of new pallets and in the field next to that truckloads of fresly cut sod scattered about. Central Florida is booming with lots of new construction. Who is paying for it is anybodies guess.

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 20:47 | 5524798 Creepy Lurker
Creepy Lurker's picture

Fleeing Californians. I've watched the "value" of my house rise by nearly a third in the last 2 years. Calis are just flooding into the place, and proceeding to pass laws that will shortly make CO as unlivalble as the suburbs of LA they came from. Selling and moving in the spring. I can't wait.

Mon, 12/08/2014 - 14:15 | 5529345 TheGreatRecovery
TheGreatRecovery's picture

And some retiring New Yorkers, buying a second house so they can winter in the South and summer in the North.

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 14:57 | 5521300 kchrisc
kchrisc's picture

Ditto here, except I have been looking under the "skirt," and reality tells a different story. Middle-class people are more inclined to hide the truth as long a s they can.

Many have kids living at home--with or without degrees. One family I know has their MBA son living at home while he works for their high school degreed son at a restaurant/bar.

As for kids in school, many families I know or know of, are going into hock big time. They all think that "it's coming back."

Many local businesses are operating on fumes. The owners have reduced their salaries, and work harder and longer due to cutting labor costs via attrition. One can and does always find them working in the business. Most, sadly, still think that, "Things will come back."

Retirees think it must be their buying habits, as the TeeVee says inflation is low, but their trips to the grocery store and pharmacy, and their utility bills, tells them otherwise.

Mainly, and most infuriating, I see and hear people thinking that because of what the TeeVee is telling them, that it must only be them that is struggling, and if they only keep swimming, things will take a good turn for them. What a sad and tragic lie.

Be careful who and what you believe in.

An American, not US subject.

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 14:54 | 5521295 ersatz007
ersatz007's picture

come out to the east coast...

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 16:52 | 5521740 11b40
11b40's picture

Or down South.

I've commented on this in the past, but every time I veist my elderly mother in South GA, I leave the old home town depressed.  The newspaper only comes out 2 times a week now, and it reads like the police blotter.  Crime is rampant.  Even if you nail it down, you still have to watch it all the time or somebody will steal it.  Empty buildings everywhere, but the WalMart is busy.  WalMart and the businesses around the Interstate servicing the FL vacationers passing through.

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 13:43 | 5521056 MrButtoMcFarty
MrButtoMcFarty's picture

Can I ask what general area you are talking about?

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 15:19 | 5521360 quasimodo
quasimodo's picture

I live in the tri-state area of MN,SD and IA. To the above posters, yes......I do realize just how much ethanol is tied to ag around here. I can see the steam rising from a plant if I look out the door at work. I refuse to burn the shit. If not for .gov kicking in it would not be what it is today. Sure it creates some jobs, but at what expense?

Not that long ago land was selling about an hour away for over 20 large/acre.....how in the H.E. double hockey sticks is that sustainable? And many farmers I know tell me it's hard to make a living. I have some that are good friends, but I want to pull out my hair when I hear how tough a year it's been.

 

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