The economy is in a slump because.....

...just about every business is adopting the super-extra-quintuple-mega aggressive sales techniques once (????) limited to (or attributed to...) used car dealers.
No longer limited to weedy, cracked asphalt car lots at the edge of the wrong part of town, where sleazy crookballs will not shy away from absolutely any dirty trick to bamboozle you out of as much money as they possibly can, their strategies and practices have taken over (at the latest tally, meaning today)bicycle stores (no one is interested in selling you what you want or - shock & horrah - fixing your existing bike, all they want to do is sell you the most expensive model), dance studios (don't get me started on their contracts and how much their employees BUG....), and yes, mattress stores.
Me: "I'm looking for a full size, what kind of prices do you have there?"
Salesman: "Who is going to be sleeping on it?"
Me: (refraining from a much less friendly answer) "I am."
Salesman: "Are you an adult?"
Me: (they ask for ID when you buy a mattress...???) "Yes." (Physically, anyway...)
Salesman: " Our prices start at $ 129.00, but I would like to get you into something around $ 399.00." (Betcha would......)
Me: "Sure, but the question really is what do I want to get myself into, isn't it?
Have a nice day."

I don't actually know whether or not the economy is slumping, I don't see any slow down of people buying crap, but I'm sure they're going to say something like that on TV before long, and here's another reason:

On my MSN homepage, one of the headlines says something about Wal-Marts' possible faux pas of carrying 'trendy' clothing.
What it actuially is, is cheapie clothing that at first glance sorta kinda looks like the real trendy stuff, but isn't even close once you get a close up.
Cowboy shirts that aren't even thick enough to be used as handkerchiefs, men's clogs (didn't know they were trendy, didya? I didn't either....) that will fall apart after 3 weeks ( I know, I have a pair of sandals from the same 'brand' , almost identical to the clogs, and they's fallin' 'part allright....), 'destroyed' jeans and shorts trying unsuccessfully to emulate the likes of Lucky, Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch and such, the list continues.
Add to this that WallyWorld has long been engaging in 'vanity sizing', meaning their 'small' is actually a 'medium', their 'medium' a 'large', their 'large' a 'huge', and their 'XL' .....you don't want to know......
What's scary is they have a 'big & tall' section on top of that.........

What's my point?
I forgot, but I don't like it........

Hmm...now I understand why some of the clothes at Zellers (a Canadian outlet similar to Walmart) do not fit me. This explains it. Thanks.

Oh yea - the economy here in BC is in a slump because we can't afford fuel for our automobiles. It now costs $1.30 a litre to fill ol' bessy up. No one has any money left over to buy other items - like clothes and groceries!!!

And don't let anybody tell you that old shtick about the Europeans paying much higher gas prices.
Yes they do, but over there, a car is (for the vast majority of people) a luxury toy status symbol not essential to daily life.
Distances being much shorter, public transport being much more developed due to much higher population density, etc.
With the possible exception of NYC, Boston, and, to some extent, San Francisco, living in North America without a car SUX big time.
I know, I did it for about 4 years here in Abq, Noo Mehico.
Not only is it difficult, you're gonna find yourself living at the weirdo fringe of society, even if you ain't no weirdo.......

To-day here in the Great Southwest, 1 gallon of regular stands at $ 3.37, poised to go up.

Same here in Vancouver and especially the lower mainland. Travelling from the outer regions like Abbotsford or Aldergrove (where I commuted from for awhile) is pretty much impossible without a car. The transit service is almost nil. And Surrey is a huge community without a car it would take a couple of hours each way to get anywhere on the bus. We really have little choice here. People try to get around on public transit, but the service is horrible, not to mention the high price. Busses are constantly breaking down and are late. It's just not a reliable service for the outrageous fare. Now our wonderful government is considering a road tax for folks travelling into Vancouver. Unreal!!! This is to discourage people from getting into their cars. Right. I am sure it is going to work just like the stupid HOV lanes which hardly anyone is able to use because no one wants to car pool.

Yikes!!! What a nightmare.

Back in my bicycle-only days (which may return this summer if this gets much worse....), there was no bus service here on weekends and holidays.
None at all.
This has changed somewhat, due to the slightly socialist tendencies (by US standards, anyway), of the mayor.
They now also have a 'rapid' bus that only makes a few stops, sort of similar to the Santa Monica - L.A. 'Freeway Flyer', and even a commuter train connecting some of the outlying suburbs, with plans to extend it all the way to Santa Fé.
In and of itself not a bad idea, the thing is that the population density is just not there to really support such things, everything is very much oriented towards the automobile and even if the odd suburbanite wants to do the 'green' thing and commuter rail him- or herself into town, what are they going to do once they get here?
The buses, though expanded and to some extent even running on weekends, are sketchy at best, most of your riding companions are going to be either junior high schoolers not old enough for a learner's permit or the local druggie/wino/homeless population for whom the bus is almost a home away from home, and if you happen to want to go somewhere that isn't near a major street, you better pack some good walking shoes.......and an extra shirt, 'cause it's getting HOT!
Should you happen to buy something, how do you plan on transporting it home?
Without being accosted about 5 times on the way by your fellow bus passengers (or just people hanging out at the stops waiting for easy pickin's), eager to relieve you, one way or another, of your recent purchase?
Logging whatever you bought all over town, from bus stop to bus stop, in 90 + degree temperatures?

There's a 'dating' site I sometimes go to just to read the forums, they are hilarious.
Among their suggestions on how to meet potential dates is 'at the bus stop'.
They've obviously never stood at the corner of Needle and Condom, I mean, Central and Zuni, between the guy who's so desperate for liquor he's asking you where he can buy mouthwash (which does contain trace amounts of alcohol) on Sunday and the transgender hooker.......