Thursday, September 27, 2012

Up or down, doesn't matter I'm not buyin it.

Somewhat interesting to watch the markets and job figures. For every five soothsayers predicting a rise in the numbers there's five predicting the opposite. Case in point the housing numbers. Just a day or so ago there was a touting of how prices of homes increased to a four year high. Today that figure would have you believe we're once again in a slump. I can only surmise what's happening by looking at what's going on in my own little corner of the world. There are still a raft of empty homes and businesses within six miles of me and the want ads aren't looking for scores of new workers but things aren't all bleak. I see one restaurant that's been closed for the last six years or so has now been purchased and should open soon. I wish them well as there is another restaurant just like it two doors down. I guess comfort food is never out of style in a down economy.

 What amazes me is how all the coffee stands can remain floating. There are if memory serves correct six Starbucks shops and stands on one stretch of road here plus several independents nearby. As much as I love coffee I just can't see paying $3.50 or more for a cup no matter how fancy or what the barista is wearing or what she's not wearing.

Barbers are another matter. In a down economy people put off such things until absolutely necessary. So you might look like cousin It of the Adams family for a while. Who cares? If you wait long enough it all just might fall out from age anyway. Only to move to other parts of the body like the ears and nose. Not to forget that one eyebrow hair that grows to six inches in length and you can never quit get a grasp on it to pluck it out.

Another fun thing to do while waiting for Armageddon is reading the local police blotter. With the amount of stress of today's economy the blurbs are almost comical.
Suspicious man spotted on corner. Upon arrival police determined that the man was waiting for a bus.
Reports of loud noises coming from a house next door. Police determined that it was workers installing flooring. 
Then of course there the usual amount of missing cats and dogs that are rarely found. And an abundance of suspicious characters who somehow manage to disappear when the police arrive.

So for the most part it's people hunkered down in their bunkers waiting for the economic storm to pass watching their net flix or cable shows or wasting time writing silly blog posts. Oops!

Title this "Waiting for Gadot".  

7 comments:

Randal Graves said...

I've never had a cop bust me whilst waiting for the bus. Chalk it up to my wizard beard of wisdom.

Tom Harper said...

I wish this area had a police blotter. No police blotter and hardly any news coverage of police activity. I've lost count of the times I've seen 3 or 4 cop cars come swooping in, people being handcuffed, you name it; and there's never a word about it in the next day's paper.

S.W. Anderson said...

Want ads in my area are looking quite a bit healthier than a year or two ago. But of course it's uneven. Heavily tilted toward the very specialized and well-paying jobs, and things like route salesman/supply your own vehicle, gas, insurance, etc., start day at 4 a.m., don't expect more than coolie wages.

Re: coffee outlets. I remember the days when all over town there were intersections with gas stations on three or four corners. Later on, it seemed like there were yogurt shops, take-'n'-bake pizza and prefab take-'n'-bake dinners places cropping up all over. Now, it's coffee places, especially the drive-through kind.

I think what happens is that people who want to be their own boss and have a little money saved see someone making a go of it with these businesses and decide to jump in " to get in on the ground floor of a growing trend." But like California, these growing-trend businesses soon become good ideas that too many others have already had. Then comes the shakeout, with all but a very few going under.

I wouldn't recommend opening a coffee place within 10 blocks of a Starbuck's unless A, you've got a big family and huge circle of loyal, coffee-loving friends; B, your cousin Juan Valdez will keep you supplied with excellent beans at way below market price; and C, your location is perfect and available for a ridiculously low price.

Last but not least, great cat photo. Just like the kind of thing my cats do. :)

BBC said...

Fuck the markets, I don't watch or have much interest in them and their scams.

Or the coffee stops, I make my own fucking coffee.

Demeur said...

Randal you have a wizard hat to go with it too I imagine.

Tom you need to check the local weeklys for those stories.

SW personally I hate Starbucks and only used to stop at one if I didn't have time to make it at home before work.

Billy I was just pointing out the absurdity of the pundits. And I have all the time in the world to make my own too.

BBC said...

Sure enjoying this beautiful weather, I could take a liking to global destruction and warming.

The Blog Fodder said...

Canada has Tim Hortons, the middle class person's Starbucks. I don't like either. My preference is really lowbrow - Shell gas stations have great coffee.