For the past 16 years we have been staying during whatever week 4th of July falls in at an RV Resort near San Diego CA. As you know San Diego is a big tourist destination.
For all but the most recent years every spot in the resort was full on the 4th of July. Last year I counted 4 empty spots and this year there were 7.
For the past couple of months I have visited the FEDEX shipping location near Los Angeles Airport (LAX). This is a main shipping depot. In the past I would have to wait in line with 3 or 4 customer ahead of me. The past several visits, I walked right in and was served immediately.
A famous restaurant with two locations has closed down one location, another local chain restaurant has closed several locations and recently sold to a venture capital firm.
Even Costco which had 5 to 6 checkstands open with at least 4 customers in line now has 2 to 3 customers waiting in line.....
NorCal Dan said
10:06 AM Jul 14, 2011
It's not hard to find signs of a poor economy no matter where you are located. From what I've read, the only state hiring is North Dakota, they can't find enough workers.
Terry and Jo said
11:15 AM Jul 14, 2011
I think a number of the states are actually gaining jobs. If I remember a recent interview on the radio, Oklahoma has had some growth. I think I also remember a story a while back about Boeing coming here as well.
There was also a radio commentary where it was mentioned that Texas job growth made up about a third to a half of the recent national job growth.
A manager here where i work recently came back from California and said there were a lot of homes up for sale in that state. What with foreclosures and people trying to sell and leave the state, the home prices seemed to be getting lower.
Terry
Jack Mayer said
01:02 PM Jul 14, 2011
On the other hand, we have had record occupancy year-over-year for the last 6 years.
One might ask why? First, because we take care of our customers and have a lot of repeat business. Second, people are not travelling as far, so we have more local people in the campground. Third, the average stay is growning longer each year....so that leads to higher occupancy. We are fortunate.
Bill Adams said
03:44 PM Jul 14, 2011
We went to St. Louis for the 4th of July last year and this (an excellent place for this occasion). In both cases the Casino Queen RV park as fully booked and even being first on the waiting list could not get us a site. We moved right in on the 5th as would be expected. If you are trying to figure out if we are experiencing a poor economy, I think that it has already been fairly well determined that the economy is in real trouble and our State and Federal Representatives have not been able to do much about it. Time will cure the issues but in the meantime it's going to be a struggle. The only way to get things going again is for us to spend more money. The only way we get more money to spend is to get things going again. Anyone see a catch 22 in there anywhere?
Bill Adams said
04:49 PM Jul 14, 2011
An interesting add-on to my last post. On ABC tonight they said that if we all spent an additional $3.33 on MADE IN AMERICA products we could create 10,000 new jobs! So buy American and buy it today!
tworootless said
05:49 PM Jul 14, 2011
Goodyear tire prodction is on its way to China as well. . .
GENECOP said
08:44 PM Jul 14, 2011
The restaurants around here, (NY) are packed, the good ones are reservation or wait only....As far as American products, I would be happy to pay more for Quality American products. Unfortunately in many industries foreign manufacturing has been superior...
janieD said
07:28 AM Jul 15, 2011
We had a slow 4th of July weekend here in the park but every other weekend has been packed. I think the heat kept some at home. We see signs of recovery here in Iowa. There is building going on, the restaurants and theaters are busy. I know there are some parts of the country that have been hard hit but we have not seen it here but then we didn't have the bubble the rest of the country had.
Bob and Kathy said
09:53 AM Jul 17, 2011
We live near Hershey, and most every time I have driven by Hershey Park during the afternoon, their parking lot is no longer packed...there are rows upon rows of empty spaces. Unusual. However, the area restaurants are doing great.
Racerguy said
10:51 AM Jul 17, 2011
I see a mixed bag on the economy.Our fuel and food cost's have grown quite a bit since we started.We have had to adjust.When we go from town to town I try to pay attention to small business's that have closed and see a lot that have, but then drive up the street and see fairly new shopping malls with the parking lot full of cars!? The campground we are in here in McMinnville, Oregon operates at full capacity 99% of the time.The only time you see empty spots is between check out and check in time.I watch NASCAR and NHRA races on TV and see empty seats that were in the past full. Maybe some planned better(along with a little luck) and have found a way to get through these times.Maybe the powers that be could take a lesson from the population as a whole.
gypsymaus said
10:30 AM Jul 18, 2011
It is amazing how many food products you can pick up in the grocery store that are no longer from America. Next time you are in the store pick up a packet of Starkist Tuna. You will be surprised when you read the origin.
charles said
09:05 PM Jul 18, 2011
How about Chinese GARLIC
"This is, in essence, the second tidal wave — the real tsunami of Chinese garlic," says trade lawyer Michael Coursey, who represents California growers.
The first wave came in the early 1990s, when China was found to be dumping garlic on U.S. docks below cost. China was slapped with a hefty tariff, which kept the garlic at bay for a few years. But since 2001, imports of Chinese garlic have multiplied 15-fold, while California production has shrunk. Coursey thinks garlic is just the beginning.
"It isn't Airbus," Coursey says. "However, it's a paradigm of what's going to happen in agricultural trade from China in seemingly more important products, if something isn't done."
Since Chinese imports first appeared in the United States, California's biggest garlic packer, Christopher Ranch, has looked for ways to cut its own costs. Garlic bulbs that used to be packed by hand are now weighed on a computer scale and sorted automatically into cartons. Sizes range from "Giant" to "Super Colossal."
Yep, even garlic. In the past year China's economy has outstripped ours in growth by several fold. CCC
nikkib4fl said
10:31 AM Jul 19, 2011
It's a "mixed bag" here in Pensacola too. While every other property you pass is vacant, foreclosures are the norm, and even Wal Mart isn't hiring, our tourism at the beach is kicking butt. Too bad this is not creating the type of employment opportunities that would enable a person to qualify for a mortgage. Wish I were young enough to go tend bar again. Go figure...
Racerguy said
12:30 PM Jul 19, 2011
nikkib4fl wrote:
It's a "mixed bag" here in Pensacola too. While every other property you pass is vacant, foreclosures are the norm, and even Wal Mart isn't hiring, our tourism at the beach is kicking butt. Too bad this is not creating the type of employment opportunities that would enable a person to qualify for a mortgage. Wish I were young enough to go tend bar again. Go figure...
Very true,when we went from a manufacturing base to a service based economy wages fell far behind.
Scubabeck said
08:59 PM Jul 21, 2011
My dad always kept saying "Buy American keep the American workers working don't buy forgein crap" crap isn't the actual word he used but I thought crap sounded a bit better. Actually I thought my dad was a loon for saying that....now? I believe that my dad knew best. Doesn't seem like such a crazy statement now.
Laura and Bunk said
06:07 PM Jul 24, 2011
Back in the 60's the economists were telling us that we would be changing to a service economy. I worked at Proctor and Gamble until the 80's. They shut down our plant in Baltimore and moved production to China. Sometimes even buying American can be buying from China.
Good thing we are used to living on a tight budget!
For the past 16 years we have been staying during whatever week 4th of July falls in at an RV Resort near San Diego CA. As you know San Diego is a big tourist destination.
For all but the most recent years every spot in the resort was full on the 4th of July. Last year I counted 4 empty spots and this year there were 7.
For the past couple of months I have visited the FEDEX shipping location near Los Angeles Airport (LAX). This is a main shipping depot. In the past I would have to wait in line with 3 or 4 customer ahead of me. The past several visits, I walked right in and was served immediately.
A famous restaurant with two locations has closed down one location, another local chain restaurant has closed several locations and recently sold to a venture capital firm.
Even Costco which had 5 to 6 checkstands open with at least 4 customers in line now has 2 to 3 customers waiting in line.....
I think a number of the states are actually gaining jobs. If I remember a recent interview on the radio, Oklahoma has had some growth. I think I also remember a story a while back about Boeing coming here as well.
There was also a radio commentary where it was mentioned that Texas job growth made up about a third to a half of the recent national job growth.
A manager here where i work recently came back from California and said there were a lot of homes up for sale in that state. What with foreclosures and people trying to sell and leave the state, the home prices seemed to be getting lower.
Terry
One might ask why? First, because we take care of our customers and have a lot of repeat business. Second, people are not travelling as far, so we have more local people in the campground. Third, the average stay is growning longer each year....so that leads to higher occupancy. We are fortunate.
In both cases the Casino Queen RV park as fully booked and even being first on the waiting list could not get us a site. We moved right in on the 5th as would be expected.
If you are trying to figure out if we are experiencing a poor economy, I think that it has already been fairly well determined that the economy is in real trouble and our State and Federal Representatives have not been able to do much about it. Time will cure the issues but in the meantime it's going to be a struggle.
The only way to get things going again is for us to spend more money. The only way we get more money to spend is to get things going again. Anyone see a catch 22 in there anywhere?
Goodyear tire prodction is on its way to China as well. . .
We live near Hershey, and most every time I have driven by Hershey Park during the afternoon, their parking lot is no longer packed...there are rows upon rows of empty spaces. Unusual. However, the area restaurants are doing great.
I see a mixed bag on the economy.Our fuel and food cost's have grown quite a bit since we started.We have had to adjust.When we go from town to town I try to pay attention to small business's that have closed and see a lot that have, but then drive up the street and see fairly new shopping malls with the parking lot full of cars!? The campground we are in here in McMinnville, Oregon operates at full capacity 99% of the time.The only time you see empty spots is between check out and check in time.I watch NASCAR and NHRA races on TV and see empty seats that were in the past full. Maybe some planned better(along with a little luck) and have found a way to get through these times.Maybe the powers that be could take a lesson from the population as a whole.
It is amazing how many food products you can pick up in the grocery store that are no longer from America. Next time you are in the store pick up a packet of Starkist Tuna. You will be surprised when you read the origin.
"This is, in essence, the second tidal wave — the real tsunami of Chinese garlic," says trade lawyer Michael Coursey, who represents California growers.
The first wave came in the early 1990s, when China was found to be dumping garlic on U.S. docks below cost. China was slapped with a hefty tariff, which kept the garlic at bay for a few years. But since 2001, imports of Chinese garlic have multiplied 15-fold, while California production has shrunk. Coursey thinks garlic is just the beginning.
"It isn't Airbus," Coursey says. "However, it's a paradigm of what's going to happen in agricultural trade from China in seemingly more important products, if something isn't done."
Since Chinese imports first appeared in the United States, California's biggest garlic packer, Christopher Ranch, has looked for ways to cut its own costs. Garlic bulbs that used to be packed by hand are now weighed on a computer scale and sorted automatically into cartons. Sizes range from "Giant" to "Super Colossal."
Yep, even garlic.
In the past year China's economy has outstripped ours in growth by several fold.
CCC
It's a "mixed bag" here in Pensacola too. While every other property you pass is vacant, foreclosures are the norm, and even Wal Mart isn't hiring, our tourism at the beach is kicking butt. Too bad this is not creating the type of employment opportunities that would enable a person to qualify for a mortgage. Wish I were young enough to go tend bar again. Go figure...
Very true,when we went from a manufacturing base to a service based economy wages fell far behind.
Back in the 60's the economists were telling us that we would be changing to a service economy. I worked at Proctor and Gamble until the 80's. They shut down our plant in Baltimore and moved production to China. Sometimes even buying American can be buying from China.
Good thing we are used to living on a tight budget!
Laura