The consumer keeps spending at torrid pace

I dont believe any of the deadlines that things have slowed. Evry freakin store I visit or see on the weekends still are jammed here in Chicago. My inlaws report the same in Phoenix. My friends say the same in Boston, and Orlando, and Boise. If there is a slowdown its not apparent to me. If people are just going shopping and wasting gas to make the trip then maybe their fooling us all. But i doubt it. I dont think its bushies tax cut amundo either. People in america are still addicted to spending. They cant and wont stop. I see females wondering menards(a hardware/home/home depot like store in the midwest) and they look like zombies. Its like they just have to shop. They have to buy more STUFF. They must be just killin time while hubbies slave away and kids r at school. It never ceases to amze me the american consumer. When i drive through neighborhoods, and see garage doors open, the garages are literally packed to the brim with crapola. This in upper mid class homes, and mid class homes. I dont get it. Why do people just keep buying so much crap ? to fill their garages. I think most of america is just sick and addicted to consumerism. Seriously. do not ever get in the way of folks buying. They are possessed. They will run you over in getting to the check out. They look mad and mean. Its just sick. You try to tell them to chill, or just enjoy, and they look like you are interrupting the indy 500 or something. the only recession I see coming, is in the classes where people have just loaded up so much debt and they just cant buy another thing except food, and the basics, they just croak. The confidence index is however at a 26 year low. Maybe that will start to bite. Who knows ? I just say never count the american consumer out. Its possessed. It will bail a lot of probs if you pump it cheap mula. Keep the herionIV flowin' Bennie and Bushie. Let these folks bail your arses out.

..........not according to starbucks.

http://www.reuters.c...442545220080424

Tor is long but posting bearish... Nimblebear you always post bearish stuff, this is the first bullish post i seen from you. I think everybody wanna play smart here But charts dont lie do they?

Tor is long but posting bearish...

Nimblebear you always post bearish stuff, this is the first bullish post i seen from you.

I think everybody wanna play smart here

But charts dont lie do they?

Atilla, yes, long as of the close Friday. I am going to sell it first thing and see what happens. Just dont know right here, seems either way. I posted re the employment report, as its tricky here. The price action underneath looks positive, despite the indices. I had a stop in at breakeven.

good trading.

Edited by Tor, 26 April 2008 - 06:31 PM.

I think the euro turning may have been important thisa past week.

Two furniture stores in Denver are closing. They say, "traffic has been slow for the last year, but now it's just dead". Home prices have not fallen appreciably here, either.

In Seattle the high fliers in the condo business just raised prices 3-6% and gave the buyers until June 3 to shape up and buy or ship out at the higher prices!! Naturally we horrified at such affrontary to the consuming class. I am thrilled to see the moneyed class stand-up to the consumers and force them to pay-up and stop playing games about being poor. We need brave men in such times as these. Discipline is the key to recovery, or whatever. Best Islander.

Very astute observations nimblebear! So long as people (especially bored & desperate housewives) have credit cards not yet maxxed out, they will keep buying stuff for the garage. More than half of the residents in my sub-division can't park cars in the garage....there is no room for cars! My wife is a very good example..she can shop for many hours and never get bored. (I am safe here since she does not read FF )

I went shopping this morning, the road and the store are not as busy as it used to be. I do not know it is because I am lucky today or everything is slowing. I was shocked during checkout when they charge me $43+ for a 50LB bag of rice, it was $23 few weeks ago, my total was $250+, this is the first time during last 10 years that my 3 weeks grocery supply cost me more then $180 from that store. I now really think I should have not bought 3 new ThinkPad last week.

The wives tell me major womens apparel stores that never discount are sending out discount coupons. Like ann harris. Talbots also struggling. Generally high end stuff. Suprising. Womens hubbys must be starting to make the women nurvous. I still see them shopiing a lot. Mall stil packed again today. No specials and weather not great. But folks are still there. Shoping like pigs in slop. Stayed tuned. The market is going to rocket rally here soon. I can feel it in my bear bones. People cant wait for those rebates. if they haven't already spent them.