[Snowrunner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Armageddon', 'A')dd this to the impending credit card implosion crises and then the impending commercial real estate catastrophe, and 2009 is going to be the worst year in history. 2008 will seem like a bull market compared to 2009.

[frankthetank]

Rochester, MN has a very fancy new shopping center. It includes Target, Dsports, big Toyota dealship, Subway, and a few other places. I could just imagine what rent is for some of these places. I've been to the Dsports a few times and my brother and I always joke about when they are going to run their "going out of business sale", because EVERY time i've been there (3 or 4 times) its completely dead. There is usually more employees then customers. The target is a joke! It has a huge amount of checkout lanes and all the times i've been there, only a few are needed because the place is dead. My brother always finds good clearance on the meats there because i'm guessing they don't sell any!

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', 'S')o how long until we Bailout Walmart?

[Texas_T]

Here where I live in central Massachusetts, and also in the Boston area, it seems to be just the opposite. Even with the constraints on land here, new shopping centers are under construction all over.

There is one new mega strip mall under construction in my town, and another just one town over. Several new ones either just completed or under construction in the Boston area.

And all of the regional malls have been expanding like crazy with Nordstroms and other upscale stores and the Cheesecake Factory and other restaurants.

Will be interesting to see how they all do....

[nobodypanic]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', 'S')o how long until we Bailout Walmart?

[seldom_seen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('nobodypanic', 'y')ou have to bailout the consumer. in fact, if you bailed the consumer out, then everything would follow, i.e., you wouldn't have to bail walmart out.

[Eli]

there is no plan B, with what we are facing.

People will be doing good to just try and survive.

If you want a picture of the future go look at Iceland clearing the grocery shelves as their imports dry up. Or just imagine a boot stomping on a human face forever.

[nobodypanic]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seldom_seen', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('nobodypanic', 'y')ou have to bailout the consumer. in fact, if you bailed the consumer out, then everything would follow, i.e., you wouldn't have to bail walmart out.

[Tyler_JC]

Mall vacancy rates are creeping upward.

It will be very telling when seasonal hiring doesn't happen this Christmas shopping season.

We might not even have a noticeable Christmas shopping season this year.

JC Penny, Macy's, Wal*Mart, Sears, and the rest are going to get hammered.

[ReverseEngineer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MD', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', 'S')o how long until we Bailout Walmart?

[frankthetank]

Just a thought, but I had Sears dying years ago. How that company stays open, i'll never know. I go there too! I don't ever buy anything, but i go there The employees stand around and half the time you have to walk around them because they don't move. They do have a good selection of appliances, i think their automotive does OK...

The mall here is pretty small. Not sure how its doing because i never go there.

WalMart here is busy all the time. We have 2, and the one on the south end of town took a huge hit when the newer, bigger store opened on the north end. The south walmart doesn't get near the business, but has better deals. I could actually see them closing the south store at some point...

I'm waiting for bank branches to close. I've never understood why there are so many branches. A debit card and an ATM covers most things, throw in internet banking and direct deposit and you never have to go to the bank.

[Rubin_Flagg]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seldom_seen', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('nobodypanic', 'y')ou have to bailout the consumer. in fact, if you bailed the consumer out, then everything would follow, i.e., you wouldn't have to bail walmart out.

[bromius]

The city I live in recently allowed huge tax breaks to mall so it could expand. The big selling point was that it would increase economic activity in the area. I don't think the government here realizes that the pie is only so big. Expand the mall and it either goes unfilled or siphons business off from elsewhere. That was in decent economic times. I doubt the place will even be able to keep all its current spaces occupied let alone fill all the new ones (something like a million square feet worth).

What really sickens me is that the whole thing was marketed as "green", because some of the construction vehicles are using biodiesel and they put a few solar panels somewhere. Never mind that they just paved several acres so people can drive there from all over....

[seldom_seen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('nobodypanic', 'i')f we're going to spend money we don't have on something that'll never work, then why not spend it on the people.

[Barbara]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Armageddon', 'T')he NBA ( national basketball association ) just announced it is laying off 80 employees. I am not talking about players, just people who work directly for the NBA. Meanwhile the commissioner is making 27 mil. He really needs his entire 27 mil ? He can't take 20 and let the 80 employees fight over the scraps ? wow

[ReverseEngineer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Barbara', 'I') love seeing you americans unknowingly becoming socialists...

[Armageddon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Barbara', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Armageddon', 'T')he NBA ( national basketball association ) just announced it is laying off 80 employees. I am not talking about players, just people who work directly for the NBA. Meanwhile the commissioner is making 27 mil. He really needs his entire 27 mil? He can't take 20 and let the 80 employees fight over the scraps? wow

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Barbara', 'I') love seeing you americans unknowingly becoming socialists...

[Revi]

It would be great if we actually became the beneficiaries of the socialist system, but unfortunately the only things being socialized are the costs. Us taxpayers get to pay higher taxes, but we don't get any health care or college tuition.