"Reducing the amount that you spend eating out is probably the easiest and most painless way to save money for the average consumer."
Depends on your lifestyle, and your definition of "eating out." If Mom and Dad are both working FT, the typical option for family dinner is either overpriced microwave crap or a bucket from the Colonel.
Is there any correlation here with retail places like wal-mart that show sales increases which are derived from inflationary adjustments, i.e, are some of the recent restaurant industry sales looking better just because prices are going up?
Without MEW, we would have had 2 years, 2001 and 2002, with negative GDP growth. We're not going to go get those levels of mortgage equity withdrawals today - not in this environment. We're still seeing some cash-out borrowing, but it's getting more and more difficult; as home values drop, there are going to be fewer and fewer people pulling less and less money out of the "home ATMs." As Paul McCulley says, your home ATM is starting to spit out negative twenty-dollar bills.
That means consumer spending is going to continue to slow. We haven't had a consumer recession since 1990-91. There are a lot of people today who've kind of forgotten that consumer spending can actually slow down. That's going to happen from lower mortgage equity withdrawals, and it's going to happen because of higher gas and energy costs that are displacing normal spending. You've got to fill up your Ford F-150 to be able to get to work.
I saw $4 a gallon gasoline when we arrived in La Jolla. I mean, I guess around here people don't really pay attention, but that means it would cost a hundred bucks to fill up my big SUV. That's just a lot of money. That's $100 I can't spend on other things - on clothes or kids or education. It means I'm going to be consuming less. The Rise of A New Asset Class-Minyanville
I predict the recovery of cookin shows.
Cooking shows are probably positively correlated with eating out.
You're not really gonna make Emeril's dish while you're watching the program; the program entices but fulfillment requires a resturant.
Restaurant owners may say the industry's biggest problems are the economy and food prices.
But the industry's real biggest problem is TOO MANY RESTAURANTS.
Unlike retail, restaurants are a business in which Mom and Pop outlets have kept growing in number at the same time chains have expanded at insane rates.
Mom and Pops kept expanding because opening restaurants was a way to be your own boss and get a job (instead of being out of work). This has been especially true of immigrants.
Chains kept expanding because credit was easy and growth companies get higher stock prices than value companies.
Most restaurant chains are pretty low profit, low value-add businesses. The only way they could look good to Wall St. was to expand, expand.
Wall St. never bothered to look at WHERE they were expanding, or whether those areas were saturated.
The U.S. probably has 20-30% more restaurants than it can sustain.
But in retaurants you have to eat fast and then get kicked out.
This is no pleasure.
If they let people eat and drink like they want to maybe they will come back, but feeding like animals.
Better stay home and learn cookin.
Its also heatlhier.
One takeaway from this restaurant report should be to look for worse weakness in employment over the next 12 months.
There have been 4 big drivers of U.S. employment: bars and restaurants, health care, government, and technology.
Technology is weakening. "According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in July employment for the information industry declined by 13,000 jobs and by 44,000 over the past 12 months. Telecommunication lost 5,000 jobs in July."
We know govt. employment will drop over the coming year. See Mish yesterday:
"But the industry's real biggest problem is TOO MANY RESTAURANTS."
Yes this is a major problem for the restaurants, but an even bigger problem for CRE and CRE owners. They are screwed.
Also, I'm a big fan of the double cheeseburger at McDonalds and I don't mind if they have to increase the cost by twenty cents to keep up with inflation.
Rising gas prices equal less money to eat out plain and simple.
rich,
The thought process of a pretty little real estate agent...
"Hhhmmmm...Let's see, the last 10 years I could make $10k per house I sold and $250k per year doing virtually nothing. Now I can make $10 an hour changing bed pans. The hell with that. I going to become a hooker or stripper. I'll just tell people I now work in the health industry."
Simple--incomes have been static for 8 years--without funny money and with inflation, how can restaurants not do poorly? Same as real estate, if the commoner isn't making more money, he can't spend more money.
I looked at the chronology of news on WSJ, and the only thing that makes sense as impetus for stock price jumps was the announcement that oil inventories were up (with oil prices reacting downward) sometime between 10:30 and 11am.
Elvis, for a lot of them that would mean just going back to what they were doing before they became real estate agents.
Broker
You make a good point. But, they are older now and will probably have to cut their rates or improve their tricks to compete with the recent unemployed college graduates.
A full service restaurant employs 30-50
people with seating for 130 patrons. Take away 20-30% of all restaurants and you have a serious number of low skilled or under employed people job seeking. Where do they go to find work if the safety net of restaurant work evaporates?
The loss of low skilled service jobs due to reduced consumer spending is a major concern for our country. How do these people feed themselves and their families?
"The difference between anarchy and civilization is 9 meals." Pretty sure I mangled the quote but you get the meaning.
We're seeing inflation in an environment of low real-income growth. Inflation is running over 4% now. Real-income growth is running a little bit less. While we may see some nominal growth in consumer spending, real spending is going to be dropping over the next year. That has some consequences we'll talk about later.
Consumer spending is going to drop because easy credit is less available. Now, it probably hasn't hit this room. But there's a wave of letters going out from credit card companies, cutting people's credit lines, cutting people's home mortgage lines. There are a lot of people actually hitting their home equity credit lines and putting it in a savings account because they're afraid that it's going away. They're afraid that they may not be able to get the cash when they need it. "What happens if I lose my job? I better get the cash, and I'll pay the difference in interest costs just to make sure that I'm OK." That's happening a lot.
In summary, lower mortgage equity withdrawals, higher gas and energy costs, rising unemployment, inflation in an environment of low real-income growth and less availability of cheap and easy credit are all contributing factors to slowing consumer spending. http://www.minyanville.com/artic...s/index/a/ 18342
Now, what does this mean for P/E ratios? About 30 days ago, it was estimated, based on prices, that the P/E ratio for the end of the last quarter would be 20.5. Today, as companies mark their earnings down, the P/E ratio is 22.5. For the end of September, third quarter, a month ago, they were saying the P/E ratio would be 21. Today they're projecting that if the market stayed at the same price, it would be 28. Now, does anyone think we're going to see a P/E ratio of 28 at the end of the third quarter? People are going to be projecting positive earnings forward - and we're going to see one earnings surprise after another. Safehaven | The Rise of A New Asset Class | Printer Friendly Version
OT - What did I say yesterday about the USD/YEN? Remember 108.50? We're at 109.53 as I type. And yet the equity markets are very weak in volume. I think the XLF could be putting in a reversal depending on the close. Interesting...
"A full service restaurant employs 30-50
people with seating for 130 patrons. Take away 20-30% of all restaurants and you have a serious number of low skilled or under employed people job seeking. Where do they go to find work if the safety net of restaurant work evaporates?"
A fair number are young -- either dependent students or "living with Mom". So there is something of a safety net, although the student may need another job pronto to support themselves in college.
But mainly you're right, except that when you're talking low-skilled people job seeking, you're also talking about a lot of low-skilled, young people job seeking. Those people don't have much of a chance left to themselves. National Service, here we come.
Mr. Beach writes:
Where you do think the Yen goes in the next few weeks?
110.0 was my target for a break above 108.50. I think the upside on the USD/YEN is very limited in both price and time beyond that - which means this stock rally is also limited in price/time (ex: QQQQ/NAZ filling July 26th gap on extremely diminishing volume - no way is that move real).
Civilization is "three meals removed from savagery". The quote you are looking for comes from Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's 1977 novel "Lucifer's Hammer".
It's too bad that Ruths Cris doesn't have some sort of program that would allow us to pay $5 at the time of the meal and just owe them the rest. If they could book the entire meal as received, it seems like everyone would come out a winner. But this is probably illegal.
All indicators point down and the US$ keeps on going up.
Compared to what? The currencies of other countries where indicators are also pointing down?
Some here have already remarked that the US would be lucky to reenact Japan's recent past. If we're not relatively worse than Eurozone, Canada, Japan or Australia, then the world is heading for total collapse. Heck, even the Emirates might have to take the showers out of their planes.
Bars/nightclubs are in big trouble as the expansion has all been chasing the ticking rolex millionaires while old man bars have been going down ten a penny.
Don't worry, Schlitz is back so PBR now has some competition in the swag beer market.
Some here have already remarked that the US would be lucky to reenact Japan's recent past. If we're not relatively worse than Eurozone, Canada, Japan or Australia, then the world is heading for total collapse. Heck, even the Emirates might have to take the showers out of their planes.
Compare the consumer debt and house price increases in European countries and Australia to those in the US.
IIRC both the UK and Australia have worse consumer debt. Most of these countries seem to have had substantially greater house price increases.
Although we can imagine a financial singularity. I think it is more instructive, not to mention, more profitable to understand the day-to-day actions that might take us up the cliff, push us off the cliff or save us from the cliff.
All the currencies are sick. All the major economies are woefully unbalanced.
Is a coordinated currency response possible in this age of massive imbalance?
According to "The Hipsters' Handbook", the majority of hipsters fall into the "Wait and Service Staff" category. With the decline in restaurants, we can expect our nation to become much more fin. So let's all go out to eat tonight and keep a hipster employed.
Here's some anecdotal data on commercial construction for y'all:
An Ocean Avenger CNC Beam Drill is being repossessed under armed guard today on the east coast. These machines drill I-beams used in commercial construction. If there's no fabrication, they can't pay for it.
Sometimes I think I was better off as a banker, but Conjure loves it.
Cooking shows are probably positively correlated with eating out.
You're not really gonna make Emeril's dish while you're watching the program; the program entices but fulfillment requires a resturant.
The trouble with cooking shows, for the most part, is that the dishes are so fancy that they cost a fortune.
If you watch the price of groceries, you'll realize as you watch Emeril use $50 worth of ingredients in a dish, that it's not one you'll be making often.
A bottle of Wesson oil is now $6.79. Uncle Ben's converted rice is $4.69. Heinz steak sauce is $6.89 for the big bottle. It's just spooky what's happening with grocery prices.
I was never good looking so I had to try harder, I had to learn to cook.
"Most of these countries seem to have had substantially greater house price increases."
Have any data to support this statement? From my personal experience the US far and away has had the greatest house price increases in both amount and percentage.
Prudential Financial Inc agreed to settle allegations the company used reinsurance contracts to improperly boost income by more than $200 million, regulators said on Wednesday.
The Securities and Exchange Commission said Prudential settled the case without admitting or denying wrongdoing. The company did not pay any monetary penalties.
According to an SEC complaint filed in U.S. district court in Newark, New Jersey, the contracts had no economic substance and no purpose other than to build up and then draw down an off-balance-sheet asset held by General Reinsurance Corp for Prudential's former property and casualty subsidiaries. General Reinsurance is a Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) unit.
"This was a civil matter. No criminal laws were violated," said spokeswoman Mary Flowers. "No fraud was alleged or found."
Numerous eateries have closed in Sarasota...Bennigans, Village Inn, Steak and Ale...and four locals mels,referee, and two italian eateries..very dismal here
I didn't see any prices on the Avenger site. What does one of those units go for?
anon
when my shorts were getting crushed back in May and I was giving back all my gains I eventually just capitulated on days like today and got out. I believe a week or two after my capitulation things started to reflect reality again. Back then SKF was on sale for $90 and no one wanted to touch it.
Food prices are a record 9.5 per cent higher than a year ago, forcing more than half of shoppers to put less in their trolleys.
The increase is the highest for at least 15 years, despite claims by the 'big four' supermarkets that they are making cuts.
The figure for fresh food - meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables - is up by 10.8 per cent in a year, according to the British Retail Consortium.
Bob Dobbs writes:
"Reducing the amount that you spend eating out is probably the easiest and most painless way to save money for the average consumer."
Depends on your lifestyle, and your definition of "eating out." If Mom and Dad are both working FT, the typical option for family dinner is either overpriced microwave crap or a bucket from the Colonel."
Absolutely not: eating fast food out saves neither time nor money.
I think the best option is cook batches of menus on the week-end, and freeze aliquots ready to eat. Plus eat more fruits and salads that you do not have to cook (prepare batch of dressing on WE) or just vegetables-fish-meat that all cook under 20 minutes.
saving time and money: make a list of all the fresh veggies and fruits in sale within a 10 mile radius and adjust menus of the week accordingly. Buy freezer if necessary to stock up on sales. I have been doing this forever, it saves a ton of time and money. It also helps discipline the "eating habits". The menu planning doesn't take over 30 minutes once a week, and saves time every day even as compared to going to a fast food restaurant, and is obviously a lot healthier.
save time, money and feel better-loose weight, anything wrong ?
OT -- I apologize if this was posted on one of the many, many threads that CR and Tanta have posted over these last two days...
Greenspan said very clearly what is going on with the stock market:
"...lower global stock prices could impede the recapitalisation of banks and other financial institutions..."
"...A sustained level of (high) global equity prices will be critical if banks are to recapitalize themselves at the higher levels daunted investors now require..."
For those concerned with food safety, rising costs, or supporting their local economy, Community Supported Agriculture is a great alternative. Fresh, locally grown organic fruits and veggies (some even have grass-fed beef) ready for you kitchen every week. Yes, you have to cook it. And yes, you have to be willing to eat real food (not chemical concoctions that look good but provide little in the way of nutrition). But if you're health and your community are important to you, CSAs provide a different way.
/End Hippie Evangelism
And I love Python, but my wife doesn't "get" them. Maybe Brit humor is an acquired taste.
Man-moth writes:
"12th, I fear the sweetest fruits of SKF are behind us. And it makes me weep.'
XLF (or rather UYG-SKF) had to be traded short term of late (range), until you see at least 60 min. indic. rolling over (which may be rather soon, if not already)
but I will be taking profits on short term reversals (like 5 minutes :-)until general market looks more "degraded".
Currently Smoking Cannabis writes:
For those concerned with food safety, rising costs, or supporting their local economy, Community Supported Agriculture is a great alternative
Genevieve: You made a comment about a friend of mine who intentionally defaulted a little bit ago. I wanted to tell you that it actually changed my perspective a bit, and I appreciated you making it. So thanks.
I think the best option is cook batches of menus on the week-end, and freeze aliquots ready to eat.
There is apparently a book that helps you do just that, my co-worker was telling me about it. You spend a chunk of an afternoon (2-3 hrs, I think) making a bunch of stuff you then freeze to be reheated for the next 2 weeks or so.
Everything is planned out for maximum efficiency both in the way you use your time and minimal wastage.
I should ask her if she kept up with it.
Me? I can go many a day just with fresh bread and good cheese.
They really, really hate gophers in Saskatchewan.
The furry, burrowing varmints caused more than $1 million in damages last year to farmers' fields in the province's southwest, according to compensation paid out by the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp.
Hence the obvious appeal of the Rodenator - one of several new and creative ways being proposed to annihilate gophers
Since we are talking rabbits - a completely OT story -
So my friend, Marinella Fiachi from Italy arrived in Washington DC to join her husband on his business trip - so after a few days she's driving around on her own when she sees a sign saying "Rabbits for Sale" - Ahhh, she thinks I'll make my husband some real home cooked food and so goes in and starts examining the rabbits.
The lady selling them points out the various breeds and colors - B/W patched, brown, long ears etc, but Marinella is sort of feeling them around their haunches.
Eventually she says to the seller - "I don't know about the breeds in the USA, which of these are better sauteed ? "
A cannibal was walking through the jungle and came
upon a restaurant operated by a fellow cannibal.
Feeling somewhat hungry, he sat down and looked over
the menu...
Tourist: $5
Broiled Missionary: $10.00
Fried Explorer: $15.00
Baked Democrat or Grilled Republican: $100.00
The cannibal called the waiter over and asked, 'Why
such a price difference for the Politician?'
The cook replied, 'Have you ever tried to clean one?
They're so full of shit, it takes all morning.
a different chris writes:
"Everything is planned out for maximum efficiency both in the way you use your time and minimal wastage."
what do you mean wastage? I would never through away food! I mean as a kid I felt bad seing water running down the drain thinking : "there must be somebody in the desert who has nothing to drink"
Actually I also make the food for the "animal companions" that way too... they are doing better as well (although I can see some limitations for people with a couple of German Shepherd dogs)
Please folks, for God's sake and your own, Please, please cook your critters until well done and always wash your hands!
Re: Furthermore, experimental infection studies indicated that a variety of animals, including monkey, cat, ferret, mouse, and pig, are susceptible to SARS-CoV infection (59). These findings highlight the difficulties facing investigation into the origin of SARS-CoV. Civets have been considered one of the most likely animals responsible for animal-to-human SARS-CoV transmission, and on this basis, more than a thousand civets in Guangdong were culled in January 2004.
Out of the four farms in Guangdong Province, four ani-mals from one farm in Shanwei had low levels of neutral-izing antibodies to SARS-CoV, and two of the foursamples did not react in IFA or Western blot. This farm inShanwei is unique in that they farmed civets not for meat,but for the pet market in Southeast Asia. Most of their ani-mals were obtained from various markets at various timesfrom 2002 to 2003. These animals had possibly beenexposed to SARS-CoV before arriving on the farm, andthey still had low levels of convalescent antibodies inJanuary 2004.
"I think the best option is cook batches of menus on the week-end, and freeze aliquots ready to eat. Plus eat more fruits and salads that you do not have to cook (prepare batch of dressing on WE) or just vegetables-fish-meat that all cook under 20 minutes."
(many more handy hints about eating healthy and organizing your life at the same time deleted...)
The original quote was about cutting back painlessly. There's nothing painless about plowing three or four hours of one's limited weekend into doing all this while the kids need to be driven to soccer practice (in two different places), a weeks' worth of laundry needs doing, it's time to swamp out the house and yard, and so on.
For people with "discipline" (which often means a small house or apt and few or no dependents) this is doable. For the rest, time and willpower (and just fatigue) is a real issue. For all I know, Genevieve, you have four kinds and a 60-mile commute and still make this work. But many couldn't. Just not good enough, I guess.
Re: The more FRE news that comes out today the worse that Tanta post from a few days ago looks.
Dude, that was yesterday and somewhat last evening and as for myself, I think I speak for the tribe in allowing Tanta to make that one (first) mistake, not really a mistake at all, but it appeared she was on the wrong side of a dumb story -- so WTF, who can blame her for being a superior intellect, great writer and a great resource for all this shit that goes on? I admit, I gave her as much crap as possible, but looking back, it is a dead topic and you could probably find a few million words connected to her that are wonderful and helpful -- and even CR probably has some good in him, but since I'm in exile most of the time and in a state of flux, I still think this blog is very difficult to beat, and in all honesty, where else can you go to find great squirrel recipes?
Really, I'm disappointed with you, umm, natural chefs. Or, maybe you're not rural enough. Why hasn't anyone mentioned a meal even Thoreau appreciated, if only once?
Anonymous Bosch writes:
Eventually she says to the seller - "I don't know about the breeds in the USA, which of these are better sauteed ? "
sk, that was hilarious!
No it is not funny, I have not eaten rabbit since I was a kid (but is is common in Europe) after an immigrant farmer lady gave a huge rabbit to my father to thank him for his help... and my parents did not have the heart to refuse, but did not take the time to drive (100 miles +) to the countryside to find a home for him either...
If I go hiking in the wild and we run out of food (it has happened) I will eat dried oatmeal until it runs out, first...
Dang...I go to one meeting and come back to find a vibe change occurring at CR.
Hippie alert!
Genevieve: Greetings, sister!
I would like to recommend Mother Earth News magazine to you. They have some stuff available online, but the paper magazine is simple amazing. (404 - File or directory not found.
If you enjoy it along side the Financial Times, you are truly a freak. And I mean that in the most complimentary way.
I do not have that. But I do own an original "Child's Garden of Grass." The only catalog I get currently is the Dharma Trading Company. They have the best tie dye supplies.
no I do not, and it looks like something that I should have, however I would do some rather serious "field work" in order to be able to sort out edible plants
Thanks for the reply, Genevieve. Thought the thread died. This book brings back memories too. Mrs.B is averse to roughing it. But her cooking would put Emeril to shame, so what's to complain.
If you're looking to simplify, The Foxfire Series (of which I have the first six volumes,) is wonderful for seeing just how many things can be done by hand.
Currently Smoking Cannabis writes:
"That movie was like a good two hour massage followed by a kick in the balls."
"Into thin air" will actually get you really motivated to "work out" by pointing out how being in "above average condition" can save your life any day in an accident (special thought for the Dallas pathologist who survived)
David Breashears made a good movie derived from it.
But my favorite is probably "The man who skied down Everest" The Man Who Skied Down Everest :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews
nothing gloomy there (although he almost fell in the huge crevasse at the bottom of Lotse face!). The human aspect and the humor are priceless.
Damn it people ....ruck up and get the pitchforks. Why should the idiots eat steak while the commoners get only what potatos they can dig? I for one have about had enough of these f-king potatos!
(Arty Johnson behind potted palm voiceover):
Good afternoon, Sheila. We love you.
Reducing the amount that you spend eating out is probably the easiest and most painless way to save money for the average consumer.
OT?
Paris Hilton Responds to McCain Ad from Paris Hilton, Adam "Ghost Panther" McKay, Chris Henchy, and Jake - Video
"Reducing the amount that you spend eating out is probably the easiest and most painless way to save money for the average consumer."
Depends on your lifestyle, and your definition of "eating out." If Mom and Dad are both working FT, the typical option for family dinner is either overpriced microwave crap or a bucket from the Colonel.
Does this index count fast food? or real resturants?
worse yet, the Double Cheeseburger's days of being on the dollar menu are numbered.
Is there any correlation here with retail places like wal-mart that show sales increases which are derived from inflationary adjustments, i.e, are some of the recent restaurant industry sales looking better just because prices are going up?
Without MEW, we would have had 2 years, 2001 and 2002, with negative GDP growth. We're not going to go get those levels of mortgage equity withdrawals today - not in this environment. We're still seeing some cash-out borrowing, but it's getting more and more difficult; as home values drop, there are going to be fewer and fewer people pulling less and less money out of the "home ATMs." As Paul McCulley says, your home ATM is starting to spit out negative twenty-dollar bills.
That means consumer spending is going to continue to slow. We haven't had a consumer recession since 1990-91. There are a lot of people today who've kind of forgotten that consumer spending can actually slow down. That's going to happen from lower mortgage equity withdrawals, and it's going to happen because of higher gas and energy costs that are displacing normal spending. You've got to fill up your Ford F-150 to be able to get to work.
I saw $4 a gallon gasoline when we arrived in La Jolla. I mean, I guess around here people don't really pay attention, but that means it would cost a hundred bucks to fill up my big SUV. That's just a lot of money. That's $100 I can't spend on other things - on clothes or kids or education. It means I'm going to be consuming less.
The Rise of A New Asset Class-Minyanville
I predict the recovery of cookin shows.
Soylent Green. From my cold dead hands
I predict the recovery of cookin shows.
Cooking shows are probably positively correlated with eating out.
You're not really gonna make Emeril's dish while you're watching the program; the program entices but fulfillment requires a resturant.
Restaurant owners may say the industry's biggest problems are the economy and food prices.
But the industry's real biggest problem is TOO MANY RESTAURANTS.
Unlike retail, restaurants are a business in which Mom and Pop outlets have kept growing in number at the same time chains have expanded at insane rates.
Mom and Pops kept expanding because opening restaurants was a way to be your own boss and get a job (instead of being out of work). This has been especially true of immigrants.
Chains kept expanding because credit was easy and growth companies get higher stock prices than value companies.
Most restaurant chains are pretty low profit, low value-add businesses. The only way they could look good to Wall St. was to expand, expand.
Wall St. never bothered to look at WHERE they were expanding, or whether those areas were saturated.
The U.S. probably has 20-30% more restaurants than it can sustain.
How is this index calculated? What is the Y axis in units? What does 100 mean... you are breaking even?
But in retaurants you have to eat fast and then get kicked out.
This is no pleasure.
If they let people eat and drink like they want to maybe they will come back, but feeding like animals.
Better stay home and learn cookin.
Its also heatlhier.
CR - Thx for this!! (you too, Lyle)
An interesting street level touch point. Interesting that I have always said the recession started in June 07.
follwoing your lead CR, click on this and see the headlines giving us a mixed picture going forward:
Restaurant TrendMapper | Breaking News
One takeaway from this restaurant report should be to look for worse weakness in employment over the next 12 months.
There have been 4 big drivers of U.S. employment: bars and restaurants, health care, government, and technology.
Technology is weakening. "According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in July employment for the information industry declined by 13,000 jobs and by 44,000 over the past 12 months. Telecommunication lost 5,000 jobs in July."
We know govt. employment will drop over the coming year. See Mish yesterday:
Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis: Eight States In Deep Fiscal Trouble
Washington State (not even one of the worst off) has become the latest to implement across-the-board hiring freeze.
Restaurant employment decline will lag restaurant volume decline.
So, that leaves one driver of employment: health care.
(I mean, if you don't count bars.)
Squirrel anyone?
"But the industry's real biggest problem is TOO MANY RESTAURANTS."
Yes this is a major problem for the restaurants, but an even bigger problem for CRE and CRE owners. They are screwed.
Also, I'm a big fan of the double cheeseburger at McDonalds and I don't mind if they have to increase the cost by twenty cents to keep up with inflation.
Rising gas prices equal less money to eat out plain and simple.
Anonymous writes:
Squirrel anyone?
ROTFL
Was that little dead cat bounce there the stimulus package effect? If so, much more stimulus is required to revive the dead patient.
NRA is going NAR.
Sorry for OT, but...
What caused stock prices (notably homebuilder, casino & tech) to jump up 5% to 10% beginning at 11am?
rich,
The thought process of a pretty little real estate agent...
"Hhhmmmm...Let's see, the last 10 years I could make $10k per house I sold and $250k per year doing virtually nothing. Now I can make $10 an hour changing bed pans. The hell with that. I going to become a hooker or stripper. I'll just tell people I now work in the health industry."
Simple--incomes have been static for 8 years--without funny money and with inflation, how can restaurants not do poorly? Same as real estate, if the commoner isn't making more money, he can't spend more money.
Short- Lasvegas.com dropped package pricing by 40% to anyone who can prove thier builders, realtors and tech workers..
cd,
I looked at the chronology of news on WSJ, and the only thing that makes sense as impetus for stock price jumps was the announcement that oil inventories were up (with oil prices reacting downward) sometime between 10:30 and 11am.
hey can someone overlay the restaurant data along with gas prices and consumer confidence?
just curious how things line up.
Elvis, for a lot of them that would mean just going back to what they were doing before they became real estate agents.
Elvis, for a lot of them that would mean just going back to what they were doing before they became real estate agents.
Broker
You make a good point. But, they are older now and will probably have to cut their rates or improve their tricks to compete with the recent unemployed college graduates.
Kind of odd that the BLS has shown a rise in restaurant employment every month for the past year. I'd been wondering how that could be true.
You know things are getting a little pinched when Ruth Chris is promoting a special.
Bob in MA,
It is the miracle of gov't numbers.
Bob,
As with the reclassification of hamburger flippers as "manufacturers", I believe they're starting to count housewives as both cooks and waitresses.
Thank God for Freddie and Tanta. Now it is time to "get rid of my shorts" and jump in the pool. Have a good afternoon everybody!
tj & the bear,
Don't forget kids as consumers. Consumer confidence up as mom cooks and serves dinner...
A full service restaurant employs 30-50
people with seating for 130 patrons. Take away 20-30% of all restaurants and you have a serious number of low skilled or under employed people job seeking. Where do they go to find work if the safety net of restaurant work evaporates?
The loss of low skilled service jobs due to reduced consumer spending is a major concern for our country. How do these people feed themselves and their families?
"The difference between anarchy and civilization is 9 meals." Pretty sure I mangled the quote but you get the meaning.
September 2, 2009 CNN RSS feed:
Business: Double Squirrelburger with Cheese debuts on dollar menu. MCD up 14%.
Covering the Nation: Obama to announce details of fourteenth round of Economic Stimulus checks this afteroon.
Sports: Favre re-retires.
What? The french fries are only $19.95?
All indicators point down and the US$ keeps on going up.
We're seeing inflation in an environment of low real-income growth. Inflation is running over 4% now. Real-income growth is running a little bit less. While we may see some nominal growth in consumer spending, real spending is going to be dropping over the next year. That has some consequences we'll talk about later.
Consumer spending is going to drop because easy credit is less available. Now, it probably hasn't hit this room. But there's a wave of letters going out from credit card companies, cutting people's credit lines, cutting people's home mortgage lines. There are a lot of people actually hitting their home equity credit lines and putting it in a savings account because they're afraid that it's going away. They're afraid that they may not be able to get the cash when they need it. "What happens if I lose my job? I better get the cash, and I'll pay the difference in interest costs just to make sure that I'm OK." That's happening a lot.
In summary, lower mortgage equity withdrawals, higher gas and energy costs, rising unemployment, inflation in an environment of low real-income growth and less availability of cheap and easy credit are all contributing factors to slowing consumer spending.
http://www.minyanville.com/artic...s/index/a/ 18342
Now, what does this mean for P/E ratios? About 30 days ago, it was estimated, based on prices, that the P/E ratio for the end of the last quarter would be 20.5. Today, as companies mark their earnings down, the P/E ratio is 22.5. For the end of September, third quarter, a month ago, they were saying the P/E ratio would be 21. Today they're projecting that if the market stayed at the same price, it would be 28. Now, does anyone think we're going to see a P/E ratio of 28 at the end of the third quarter? People are going to be projecting positive earnings forward - and we're going to see one earnings surprise after another.
Safehaven | The Rise of A New Asset Class | Printer Friendly Version
OT Bill Gross on Bloomberg now says: "FNMA, FRE earnings will go to bondholders not stockholders." What earnings?
"All indicators point down and the US$ keeps on going up."
Japan wants to sell cars and the hedgies want the carry trade and China is distracted with the Olympics.
OT - What did I say yesterday about the USD/YEN? Remember 108.50? We're at 109.53 as I type. And yet the equity markets are very weak in volume. I think the XLF could be putting in a reversal depending on the close. Interesting...
Ruth Chris $89 for two
Ruth's Chris Steak House
@Anonymouse: Yeah -- the Yen vs. USD -- almost feels like a fight between two deeply injured fighters.
Where you do think the Yen goes in the next few weeks?
"A full service restaurant employs 30-50
people with seating for 130 patrons. Take away 20-30% of all restaurants and you have a serious number of low skilled or under employed people job seeking. Where do they go to find work if the safety net of restaurant work evaporates?"
A fair number are young -- either dependent students or "living with Mom". So there is something of a safety net, although the student may need another job pronto to support themselves in college.
But mainly you're right, except that when you're talking low-skilled people job seeking, you're also talking about a lot of low-skilled, young people job seeking. Those people don't have much of a chance left to themselves. National Service, here we come.
Short,
Stocks market mentality music for today...
YouTube -
You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it
Don't say that later will be better
Now you're stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it
And if the night runs over
And if the day won't last
And if our way should falter
Along the stony pass
And if the night runs over
And if the day won't last
And if your way should falter
Along this stony pass
It's just a moment
This time will pass
Mr. Beach writes:
Where you do think the Yen goes in the next few weeks?
110.0 was my target for a break above 108.50. I think the upside on the USD/YEN is very limited in both price and time beyond that - which means this stock rally is also limited in price/time (ex: QQQQ/NAZ filling July 26th gap on extremely diminishing volume - no way is that move real).
ex-restaurant guy,
Civilization is "three meals removed from savagery". The quote you are looking for comes from Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's 1977 novel "Lucifer's Hammer".
All indicators point down and the US$ keeps on going up.
Compared to what? The currencies of other countries where indicators are also pointing down?
Don't make the mistake of assuming the value of the dollar is going up simply because it is going up relative to other trash currencies.
It's too bad that Ruths Cris doesn't have some sort of program that would allow us to pay $5 at the time of the meal and just owe them the rest. If they could book the entire meal as received, it seems like everyone would come out a winner. But this is probably illegal.
If they could book the entire meal as received, it seems like everyone would come out a winner. But this is probably illegal.
Don't worry that's why we have lobbyists.
New Guy? Lucifer's Hummer
Perhaps restaurants might as well discontinue their senior citizen discount program. Those those unpatriotic seniors!
/sarcasm off
ac writes:
All indicators point down and the US$ keeps on going up.
Compared to what? The currencies of other countries where indicators are also pointing down?
Some here have already remarked that the US would be lucky to reenact Japan's recent past. If we're not relatively worse than Eurozone, Canada, Japan or Australia, then the world is heading for total collapse. Heck, even the Emirates might have to take the showers out of their planes.
Cooking ramen in my percolator: That link is....WOW. Has the Onion started hacking news sites?
Yes, we can do it. Come on, folks!
Anonymouse,
At the risk of getting clobbered for market chatter, that 110 mark looks to be a 50% retrace between about 124 and 96...
Bars/nightclubs are in big trouble as the expansion has all been chasing the ticking rolex millionaires while old man bars have been going down ten a penny.
Don't worry, Schlitz is back so PBR now has some competition in the swag beer market.
Some here have already remarked that the US would be lucky to reenact Japan's recent past. If we're not relatively worse than Eurozone, Canada, Japan or Australia, then the world is heading for total collapse. Heck, even the Emirates might have to take the showers out of their planes.
Compare the consumer debt and house price increases in European countries and Australia to those in the US.
IIRC both the UK and Australia have worse consumer debt. Most of these countries seem to have had substantially greater house price increases.
It doesn't look good...
Although we can imagine a financial singularity. I think it is more instructive, not to mention, more profitable to understand the day-to-day actions that might take us up the cliff, push us off the cliff or save us from the cliff.
All the currencies are sick. All the major economies are woefully unbalanced.
Is a coordinated currency response possible in this age of massive imbalance?
What cheap bastards Ruths Cris is.
Your $89 meal for two gets you one dessert you have to share.
Thanks for reminding me why I don't go there.
YouTube
- Monty Python - Restaurant Abuse (Intermission)
According to "The Hipsters' Handbook", the majority of hipsters fall into the "Wait and Service Staff" category. With the decline in restaurants, we can expect our nation to become much more fin. So let's all go out to eat tonight and keep a hipster employed.
Here's some anecdotal data on commercial construction for y'all:
An Ocean Avenger CNC Beam Drill is being repossessed under armed guard today on the east coast. These machines drill I-beams used in commercial construction. If there's no fabrication, they can't pay for it.
Sometimes I think I was better off as a banker, but Conjure loves it.
Here's the machine:
Ocean Avenger - CNC Beam Drill Line for the Small to Medium Fabricator
How long can this lil' bull run last, for cryin out loud?
ex-restraunteur, new guy:
The other take on that is "Every large city is three days from hunger and a week from starvation."
I predict the recovery of cookin shows.
Cooking shows are probably positively correlated with eating out.
You're not really gonna make Emeril's dish while you're watching the program; the program entices but fulfillment requires a resturant.
The trouble with cooking shows, for the most part, is that the dishes are so fancy that they cost a fortune.
If you watch the price of groceries, you'll realize as you watch Emeril use $50 worth of ingredients in a dish, that it's not one you'll be making often.
A bottle of Wesson oil is now $6.79. Uncle Ben's converted rice is $4.69. Heinz steak sauce is $6.89 for the big bottle. It's just spooky what's happening with grocery prices.
I was never good looking so I had to try harder, I had to learn to cook.
The makers of Mr Bubble, Ascendia Brands, has just gone bankrupt.
I am confused as to the implications of this metaphor.
ac,
"Most of these countries seem to have had substantially greater house price increases."
Have any data to support this statement? From my personal experience the US far and away has had the greatest house price increases in both amount and percentage.
Prudential Financial Inc agreed to settle allegations the company used reinsurance contracts to improperly boost income by more than $200 million, regulators said on Wednesday.
The Securities and Exchange Commission said Prudential settled the case without admitting or denying wrongdoing. The company did not pay any monetary penalties.
According to an SEC complaint filed in U.S. district court in Newark, New Jersey, the contracts had no economic substance and no purpose other than to build up and then draw down an off-balance-sheet asset held by General Reinsurance Corp for Prudential's former property and casualty subsidiaries. General Reinsurance is a Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) unit.
"This was a civil matter. No criminal laws were violated," said spokeswoman Mary Flowers. "No fraud was alleged or found."
UPDATE 1-Prudential Financial settles SEC accounting case
| Reuters
OooooooKAY! Anyone investing in any companies in this Banana republic is a fool.
Numerous eateries have closed in Sarasota...Bennigans, Village Inn, Steak and Ale...and four locals mels,referee, and two italian eateries..very dismal here
mp
I didn't see any prices on the Avenger site. What does one of those units go for?
anon
when my shorts were getting crushed back in May and I was giving back all my gains I eventually just capitulated on days like today and got out. I believe a week or two after my capitulation things started to reflect reality again. Back then SKF was on sale for $90 and no one wanted to touch it.
CSC - realized I forgot to tell you, that video is for you. Not quite Maria with a ball, but restaurant skit is somewhat on topic.
Energycon, the actual rule of thumb on cities is:
"Every large city is three days from hunger and a week from massive squirrel and pigeon hunts."
Wheat, rice, corn, etc, have contributed to explosive inflation which remains a point of denial for The bush Coup! Food costs are amazingly high!
Price of food soars by 9.5 per cent in a year as stores 'cost cut' claims ring hollow
Food prices soar 9.5 per cent in a year challenging supermarket claims of cutting shoppers' costs | Mail Online
Food prices are a record 9.5 per cent higher than a year ago, forcing more than half of shoppers to put less in their trolleys.
The increase is the highest for at least 15 years, despite claims by the 'big four' supermarkets that they are making cuts.
The figure for fresh food - meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables - is up by 10.8 per cent in a year, according to the British Retail Consortium.
This is global baby!
12th,
LOL! Have both in the urban setting I inhabit, plus an elderly neighbor who has been fattening up quite a flock of pigeons...
12th, I fear the sweetest fruits of SKF are behind us. And it makes me weep.
Though Short Courage, if you are out there, thanks for URBN. It makes me weep... with joy.
When was the last time we had a global revolution?
Beg pardon, the proper term is Squab.
Bob Dobbs writes:
"Reducing the amount that you spend eating out is probably the easiest and most painless way to save money for the average consumer."
Depends on your lifestyle, and your definition of "eating out." If Mom and Dad are both working FT, the typical option for family dinner is either overpriced microwave crap or a bucket from the Colonel."
Absolutely not: eating fast food out saves neither time nor money.
I think the best option is cook batches of menus on the week-end, and freeze aliquots ready to eat. Plus eat more fruits and salads that you do not have to cook (prepare batch of dressing on WE) or just vegetables-fish-meat that all cook under 20 minutes.
saving time and money: make a list of all the fresh veggies and fruits in sale within a 10 mile radius and adjust menus of the week accordingly. Buy freezer if necessary to stock up on sales. I have been doing this forever, it saves a ton of time and money. It also helps discipline the "eating habits". The menu planning doesn't take over 30 minutes once a week, and saves time every day even as compared to going to a fast food restaurant, and is obviously a lot healthier.
save time, money and feel better-loose weight, anything wrong ?
OT -- I apologize if this was posted on one of the many, many threads that CR and Tanta have posted over these last two days...
Greenspan said very clearly what is going on with the stock market:
"...lower global stock prices could impede the recapitalisation of banks and other financial institutions..."
"...A sustained level of (high) global equity prices will be critical if banks are to recapitalize themselves at the higher levels daunted investors now require..."
FT.com / Comment / Opinion - Repel the calls to contain competitive markets
The schmucks are pumping the stock market up so that past and potential bank investors feel 'okay' and 'good' about their investment prospects.
I guess it will take a major bank failure (WaMu?) to wake those bank investors/speculators up.
Irritating, the wait for the panic.
Bunnies and Squirrels + glue trap = Steak surprise! Soon, it's what's for dinner...
Stop me before I begin channelling Alice Waters.
For those concerned with food safety, rising costs, or supporting their local economy, Community Supported Agriculture is a great alternative. Fresh, locally grown organic fruits and veggies (some even have grass-fed beef) ready for you kitchen every week. Yes, you have to cook it. And yes, you have to be willing to eat real food (not chemical concoctions that look good but provide little in the way of nutrition). But if you're health and your community are important to you, CSAs provide a different way.
/End Hippie Evangelism
And I love Python, but my wife doesn't "get" them. Maybe Brit humor is an acquired taste.
Forgot to mention: I saw the Greenspan article cited at Minyanville yesterday.
Nothing left to eat here.
Treasury buying the F&F twins. next thread.
We had a growing population of rabbits at a local park. Until they all disappeared one night. Something about their tunnels destroying tree roots.
Yeah, right.
I think some park ranger has a couple freezers full of bunny meat.
Man-moth writes:
"12th, I fear the sweetest fruits of SKF are behind us. And it makes me weep.'
XLF (or rather UYG-SKF) had to be traded short term of late (range), until you see at least 60 min. indic. rolling over (which may be rather soon, if not already)
but I will be taking profits on short term reversals (like 5 minutes :-)until general market looks more "degraded".
Bunnies, Squirrels and bird stew!
Currently Smoking Cannabis writes:
For those concerned with food safety, rising costs, or supporting their local economy, Community Supported Agriculture is a great alternative
I second (and support) that
I hope they go out of business, for the very immature reason that their name, which is actually "Ruth's Chris Steak House" drives me crazy.
It is very hard to say and makes no f'ing sense at all.
Anyway, forget the $5 charge, they don't need us at all. Just make the food and "mark to market", let the Cramer's of the world pump your stock.
Squab, grappa and CR
And I'll third that.
Raising meat rabbits
They're quiet, clean, and can be raised in next to no space. Neighbor across the street has some.
Genevieve: You made a comment about a friend of mine who intentionally defaulted a little bit ago. I wanted to tell you that it actually changed my perspective a bit, and I appreciated you making it. So thanks.
12th Percentile- "What does one of those units go for?"
Typically about $175K. In the door and set up, closer to $200K.
There is apparently a book that helps you do just that, my co-worker was telling me about it. You spend a chunk of an afternoon (2-3 hrs, I think) making a bunch of stuff you then freeze to be reheated for the next 2 weeks or so.
Everything is planned out for maximum efficiency both in the way you use your time and minimal wastage.
I should ask her if she kept up with it.
Me? I can go many a day just with fresh bread and good cheese.
Currently Smoking Cannabis
... if it means that she did not default because of serious illness then at least that is a good side
The Rodenator the newest option for gopher-hating farmers
The Rodenator the newest option for gopher-hating farmers
They really, really hate gophers in Saskatchewan.
The furry, burrowing varmints caused more than $1 million in damages last year to farmers' fields in the province's southwest, according to compensation paid out by the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp.
Hence the obvious appeal of the Rodenator - one of several new and creative ways being proposed to annihilate gophers
The more FRE news that comes out today the worse that Tanta post from a few days ago looks.
SR
Since we are talking rabbits - a completely OT story -
So my friend, Marinella Fiachi from Italy arrived in Washington DC to join her husband on his business trip - so after a few days she's driving around on her own when she sees a sign saying "Rabbits for Sale" - Ahhh, she thinks I'll make my husband some real home cooked food and so goes in and starts examining the rabbits.
The lady selling them points out the various breeds and colors - B/W patched, brown, long ears etc, but Marinella is sort of feeling them around their haunches.
Eventually she says to the seller - "I don't know about the breeds in the USA, which of these are better sauteed ? "
The seller screamss... "Out Out out."
Too funny.
-K
just got this email:___
A cannibal was walking through the jungle and came
upon a restaurant operated by a fellow cannibal.
Feeling somewhat hungry, he sat down and looked over
the menu...
The cannibal called the waiter over and asked, 'Why
such a price difference for the Politician?'
The cook replied, 'Have you ever tried to clean one?
They're so full of shit, it takes all morning.
Watching Syron on CNBC right now makes me sick. He is from Thermo Electron and that is ALL you need to know. What a joke.
Our poor economy is going down so HARD - it's really not funny.
SR
@but I will be taking profits on short term reversals (like 5 minutes :-)until general market looks more "degraded".
Yeah, that 5 minute window has been reliable, but it sure as hell is taking its toll on my bp.
a different chris writes:
"Everything is planned out for maximum efficiency both in the way you use your time and minimal wastage."
what do you mean wastage? I would never through away food! I mean as a kid I felt bad seing water running down the drain thinking : "there must be somebody in the desert who has nothing to drink"
Actually I also make the food for the "animal companions" that way too... they are doing better as well (although I can see some limitations for people with a couple of German Shepherd dogs)
and typo # xxxx
Please folks, for God's sake and your own, Please, please cook your critters until well done and always wash your hands!
Re: Furthermore, experimental infection studies indicated that a variety of animals, including monkey, cat, ferret, mouse, and pig, are susceptible to SARS-CoV infection (59). These findings highlight the difficulties facing investigation into the origin of SARS-CoV. Civets have been considered one of the most likely animals responsible for animal-to-human SARS-CoV transmission, and on this basis, more than a thousand civets in Guangdong were culled in January 2004.
Out of the four farms in Guangdong Province, four ani-mals from one farm in Shanwei had low levels of neutral-izing antibodies to SARS-CoV, and two of the foursamples did not react in IFA or Western blot. This farm inShanwei is unique in that they farmed civets not for meat,but for the pet market in Southeast Asia. Most of their ani-mals were obtained from various markets at various timesfrom 2002 to 2003. These animals had possibly beenexposed to SARS-CoV before arriving on the farm, andthey still had low levels of convalescent antibodies inJanuary 2004.
Antibodies to SARS Coronavirusin Civets
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol10no12/pdfs/04-0520.pdf
Genevieve writes:
"I think the best option is cook batches of menus on the week-end, and freeze aliquots ready to eat. Plus eat more fruits and salads that you do not have to cook (prepare batch of dressing on WE) or just vegetables-fish-meat that all cook under 20 minutes."
(many more handy hints about eating healthy and organizing your life at the same time deleted...)
The original quote was about cutting back painlessly. There's nothing painless about plowing three or four hours of one's limited weekend into doing all this while the kids need to be driven to soccer practice (in two different places), a weeks' worth of laundry needs doing, it's time to swamp out the house and yard, and so on.
For people with "discipline" (which often means a small house or apt and few or no dependents) this is doable. For the rest, time and willpower (and just fatigue) is a real issue. For all I know, Genevieve, you have four kinds and a 60-mile commute and still make this work. But many couldn't. Just not good enough, I guess.
Re: The more FRE news that comes out today the worse that Tanta post from a few days ago looks.
Dude, that was yesterday and somewhat last evening and as for myself, I think I speak for the tribe in allowing Tanta to make that one (first) mistake, not really a mistake at all, but it appeared she was on the wrong side of a dumb story -- so WTF, who can blame her for being a superior intellect, great writer and a great resource for all this shit that goes on? I admit, I gave her as much crap as possible, but looking back, it is a dead topic and you could probably find a few million words connected to her that are wonderful and helpful -- and even CR probably has some good in him, but since I'm in exile most of the time and in a state of flux, I still think this blog is very difficult to beat, and in all honesty, where else can you go to find great squirrel recipes?
Eventually she says to the seller - "I don't know about the breeds in the USA, which of these are better sauteed ? "
A rabbit enthusiast's 3 part sign, along Rt 13 in Lunenberg, MA, demonstrating his flexibility on this subject:
RABBITS
CAGES
PETS -or- MEAT
Eventually she says to the seller - "I don't know about the breeds in the USA, which of these are better sauteed ? "
sk, that was hilarious!
How many others here have bunny for Easter dinner?
Really, I'm disappointed with you, umm, natural chefs. Or, maybe you're not rural enough. Why hasn't anyone mentioned a meal even Thoreau appreciated, if only once?
Anonymous Bosch writes:
Eventually she says to the seller - "I don't know about the breeds in the USA, which of these are better sauteed ? "
sk, that was hilarious!
No it is not funny, I have not eaten rabbit since I was a kid (but is is common in Europe) after an immigrant farmer lady gave a huge rabbit to my father to thank him for his help... and my parents did not have the heart to refuse, but did not take the time to drive (100 miles +) to the countryside to find a home for him either...
If I go hiking in the wild and we run out of food (it has happened) I will eat dried oatmeal until it runs out, first...
A long thread on food and economizing and no one even mentioned SPAM!!! wez gradgerated!
Forgive me, Genevieve. I have a European background too. We eat rabbits. And there's something special about having one on Easter.
Dang...I go to one meeting and come back to find a vibe change occurring at CR.
Hippie alert!
Genevieve: Greetings, sister!
I would like to recommend Mother Earth News magazine to you. They have some stuff available online, but the paper magazine is simple amazing. (404 - File or directory not found.
If you enjoy it along side the Financial Times, you are truly a freak. And I mean that in the most complimentary way.
Yo Cannabis, you still have your Whole Earth Catalog?
I do not have that. But I do own an original "Child's Garden of Grass." The only catalog I get currently is the Dharma Trading Company. They have the best tie dye supplies.
Currently Smoking Cannabis writes:
If you enjoy it along side the Financial Times, you are truly a freak
I did not know about motherearthnews.com, but it looks like something I will look at often enough, so I should have no trouble fitting the profile
girlbear,
How hot are you?
Never had any skill at growing the herb, Cannabis. Now, it doesn't matter any more. Can't smoke because of the headaches.
Genevieve, do you have this book? How to Stay Alive in the Woods - Bradford Anger
I loved this one. Best thing since Army FMs
Anonymous Bosch ;
no I do not, and it looks like something that I should have, however I would do some rather serious "field work" in order to be able to sort out edible plants
Thanks for the reply, Genevieve. Thought the thread died.
This book brings back memories too. Mrs.B is averse to roughing it. But her cooking would put Emeril to shame, so what's to complain.
If you're looking to simplify, The Foxfire Series (of which I have the first six volumes,) is wonderful for seeing just how many things can be done by hand.
Anonymous Bosch writes:
"If you're looking to simplify'
Since I stepped out of the very large European cities long enough to "discover breathing" I have tried to focus on the "essential".
But also, especially if one is foreign born, the Foxfire series should be an indispensable "companion" to discover and understand the US, thanks
"stalking the wild asparagus" and the book "Smoking Canabis" sugggested is bound to make you think of Chris Mc Candless (Into the Wild)...
Chris Mc Candless (Into the Wild)...
I just saw the movie last week. Tragic.
That movie was like a good two hour massage followed by a kick in the balls.
the geese at local municipal parks start disappearing during bad times
happened around Lake Merritt in Oakland in the early 1990s, and, appears to be happening around Land Park in Sacramento near where I live
the Bee ran an article recently about a "mysterious" drop in numbers
I love Krakauer's books anyway, especially reading (again) "Into thin air" during summers in Texas... except this year, with a similar tragedy on K2
Currently Smoking Cannabis writes:
"That movie was like a good two hour massage followed by a kick in the balls."
"Into thin air" will actually get you really motivated to "work out" by pointing out how being in "above average condition" can save your life any day in an accident (special thought for the Dallas pathologist who survived)
David Breashears made a good movie derived from it.
But my favorite is probably "The man who skied down Everest" The Man Who Skied Down Everest :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews
nothing gloomy there (although he almost fell in the huge crevasse at the bottom of Lotse face!). The human aspect and the humor are priceless.
oups, make that "Lhotse"
Damn it people ....ruck up and get the pitchforks. Why should the idiots eat steak while the commoners get only what potatos they can dig? I for one have about had enough of these f-king potatos!