It appears that the slowdown is trickling down and starting to impact a larger segment of average people. It does not appear to be impacting the upper middle and rich classes as the boats keep getting bigger at my Marina...

Giving the data provided and the comments so far I guess its time for king George to give the rich some more tax brakes after all they are unfairly targeted for taxes over the homeless who get free meals at the local soup kitchen.

Stand Still Little Sheep To Be Shorn !!!
It is corporate america getting blood out of the turnips. If you don't believe this just study the steady decline in your local classified section since the year 2000. Since then there has been a steady decline in the number of jobs as corporate profits haved soared to satisify Wall Street. Those jobs that have been advertised are for much less money (and benifits?) for the same work. This greed scenario has always lead the way to our recessions and once even a depression. Check it out!!!

I'm sure all of this is actually true, I do belive it. But wouldn't be nice if people were realizing that they can still live without buying MORE junk? And God forbid we actually prepare our own meals, oh, the horror!

Fred has a part of it right. When business is expanding, they hire, and hire, and hire till they have more on payroll than they need (spending too much money). They start losing money partly for that reason, and economic situations too. So downturns do happen regularly and people will be laid off to become more "efficient." But notice, we have a very low unemployment rate. People are working, a lot. And more hours than they want to. We work much more than most European countries, and it shows. And more people work. It's a good work ethic in the US.

I know that there is a slowdown. My husband works in a factory making oatmeal. When the economy slows down, what do people buy? Oatmeal. It's cheap and nutrious. And what have they been doing? Working every weekend since the end of June and they are scheduled for every weekend through the winter -- holidays included. They have not worked this much in a long, long time.

I own my own business which is the sports colelctibles market.I can tell you from the amount of stuff people are coming in and selling, we are heading for something bad.With gas at $3.00 a gallon, it is finally hitting the average person hard.Go to the grocery store, I have seen prices got up 50 cents to $1.00 per item on some stuff I buy.Look a laundry soap, how much that costs now.

Iam in the residential service sector and the calls for repair service has steadly derclined to the point I get more calls from people looking for work than from customers.

I would like to know what the rate is on walgreens.

If this is the first time you have experienced a slower economy, you are very young or have led an atypical life. Your grandparents, maybe even your parents, wshuld be ashamed of your greed and negativism.

What in the hell do you expect people? You sold out to the Japanese and the Germans, What they could not do in WWll, they have done to us now! You wanted cheaper tin...,you got it. You wanted to flaunt your wealth, you did it! Now you reap the whirlwind! I've worked for a BMW outfit for 20+ yrs and have seen them out sell the GM side of the business. How sad! But Hey, America, isn't that what you wanted? Think about it!!

I have my own indicator of inflation--Dollar Stores. A can of their house brand bathroom cleaner still sells for a dollar--but now it's $1.00/14 oz. instead of $1.00/20 oz. That's a 30% increase. I'm sure some of it is increased profit, but I'm going to be watching Dollar store products to calculate the real rate of inflation, which is gamed by the government.

as a small biz owner, who deals with govt. @ local & state level, i would have to say it's the lack of business knowledge that our govt. leaders? have which creates additional costs for developers, which is passed on to the business owner, which is then passed on to the end consumer. Ignorance at all levels of govt and the court system is eroding this country from a productivity level and morals. As for income, most people are paid pretty much what they're worth. if you don't like it, talk to your state rep. who sent many jobs across the border or overseas. whats bad about America? the politicians and attorney's; sorry most politicians are attorneys- my bad

you would never guess that gas is $3.00 a gallen when you walk into Starbucks with a line waiting to buy their $5.00 drinks...which I love by the way :)

SOme people need to get a life. How much junk can people buy without running out of need or running their credit card up too much. Yes there are going to be slowdowns. For the person who doesn't like the rich. If it were not for them, you wouldn't have a job. No one would be able to fund a company.

The average american, can't buy anything anymore without credit and a butt load of interest. What does that tell us? Why are so many people loosing and unable to keep a home? The rich continue to get richer and the middle class and lower class continue to get poorer. Who do we blame? The government? Ourselves? Greed? A Time will come and a need for reform will arise, until then the middle and lower part of society will continue to suffer, and pay the price. Unfortunately, the children always suffer the most. Does anyone have the answers? Does anyone believe in anything anymore?

Check the downsizing reports. Life gets expensive when you're on unemployment!

This too shall pass!

My indicator is "pennies found". For many, many years I have picked up any change I found in parking lots, stores or where ever. It is predominantly pennies. I have noticed that when the economy is good, pennies are all over the parking lots. When the economy is slow, pennies are few and far between and nickels, dimes and quarters are non-existent.

I have found maybe 4 or 5 pennies all summer. I normally average 10 to 11 a week.

We are in a downturn.

TIMES IS HARD!!!!!