Auto companies and our economy

After watching the hearings and reading some economists forecasts I wonder where these experts live. The average Jane knows what it's like to cutback on expenses and see neighbors, family and friends lose jobs and not find new jobs. Gee we are in a recession because the experts have revised their predictions! What a load of crap.
The economy has been getting worse these past 2 years and it's not just oil and China! Our whole way of life has finally caught up with us and predictions that were made back in the 1970's are seeing the light of day.
Great book --China Inc --will open eyes.
I hope Congress can see past their noses and give the Big Three loans to keep business moving. Yes they can certainly cutback on production, models and top execs, rank and file could take some concessions.
If the Big 3 close the ripple effect will be another GREAT DEPRESSION!

Even with the Iraq war we did not see any benefit to economy as WWII brought to the end of the depression. These are different times.
So many suppliers from tool and die, wheel rim makers, tire manufacturers, and all those other parts that make up our vehicles will be dead in the water.

I believe people do like their larger size vehicles and will buy American but there has to jobs and loan money out there to be able to afford it. It's not that we don't trust the auto companies it's that we don't have the money to buy another or replace a current vehicle!

The media must be having a field day with this they can fill the airways with 24/7 speculation.

Here's to elections and a renewal of hope

Finally the day to select a new president and a ton of other public officials as well as propositions. At 8:45AM I was number 82 in my precinct and had no line, but the other precinct in the same building was snaked across the gym to the doorway.
Whoever wins will bring changes and things can only get better. Let's face it manufacturing jobs are a thing of the past and knowledge workers and personal services are on the upswing. I'm reading a terrific book called Who's Your City by Richard Florida. This book should have required reading for all candidates. All this financial trouble did not happen overnight, it has been building for decades!
On my cynical side isn't it amazing how gas prices dropped rapidly leading up to the election? I saw a station this morning at $1.99 for regular.
Now we can spend that extra money at the grocery store. I know one thanksgiving that won't be quite as bountiful as in the past.
The stores seem to have forgotten thanksgiving--halloween is on discount and christmas has taken over the aisles and floorspace.
Did your family ever do much for special decorations for thanksgiving?
Not a ton of collectibles out there. We usually just had dried leaves and the mini pumpkins and gourds and maybe "indian" corn. Candles may have been orangish but the main distinction was the whole turkey, pumpkin and mincemeat pies.
Now christmas decorations inside the house are a whole range of collecting--special lights, candle holders, reindeer, elves, SANTAS, creches, wisemen, COOKIE CUTTERS, stockings, cards, feather trees, glass ornaments and on and on. This year I'm partial to the celluloid or plastic reindeer with antlers and painted noses and eyes. Variations of the wisemen and camels caught my eye at the summer yard sales!
Oh how I miss those sales once October ends. Even estate sales seem to have dwindled this past week.
A TOAST TO AN IMPROVING ECONOMY!

September sales fall like the leaves

Well September was a bummer too! Not as bad as August, but the whole antique mall had a sales decrease over last year.
On the positive side just saw gas as low as $2.97 a gallon if paying with cash and BP who always is higher here was posted $2.99 almost like a breath of fresh air. --
Kind of an oyxmoron using gas and fresh air combined!
Foot traffic must have picked up at the mall as I have had sales 5 out of 6 days!
You can tell times are tough--there have been more yard sales and estate listed in the local paper than normal for October and even more sales found by corner signs! Everyone is getting rid of VCR tapes, christmas decorations, lamps, and books!
Mapquest has been put to good use pretracking a circular route to get maximum locations out of least amount of gas.

Thank goodness we don't need ration coupons like in WWII where if you only had A coupons you could only buy enough gas to back and forth to work. B coupons got you 8 gallons. If you worked at night in factories for the war effort there were only a few stations open at night.

Price of gas during 1944 (about the age of the photo above): 21 cents and it was pumped for you as well as getting a clean windshield and probably an oil check and air in the tires all for free! Boy wouldn't those signs be great to have for sale today along with a vintage pump with an intact glass globe?

Portmeirion 1960's coffee pots

I just had a great book about the planned community of Portmeirion in Wales--the location where the old TV show the prisoner was filmed. They had a chapter about portmeirion pottery that was exciting. Those tall coffee pots from the 60's just struck a chord. They were originally designed by by Susan Williams-Ellis and the totem pattern is great.
Visit http://www.portmeirion.co.uk/early/totem.htm to read about that. The website has a ton of photos and info.
Mostly what we find here is the botanicals and a few birds of America. I had to search eBay UK to find some coffee pots for sale. Not cheap either! So now I'm on a new quest to acquire as many styles as possible at a price that will allow for resale profit!
The photo above is right from the Portmeirion website and shows one of my favorite designs--Magic City.

Overall August sales were a bust, as I expected. Now that more time can be spent focusing, I hope to see a profit for Sept--though with the jump in gas prices over the weekend who knows. I'm hoping that traffic past the antiques mall on the way to college football games will generate some shoppers!

Surgery and antiques/collectibles sales

Surgery was postponed for a week, finally done and now in the long slow process of recovery. Sales have been in slow mode--SLUMP for this month. I did make it to the antiques mall twice to re-stock but those back to school expenses and high gas prices have hurt. E-Bay was ok for thr items I listed though not much time to be running to the post office. I managed to hit some yard/estate sales on way to hospital before visiting hours started. At least I got some bargains to take up for September.

Found this great illustration at www.oldbookillustrations.com and the use is free!

Antiques Roadshow Grand Rapids Michigan

Saturday, August 9th we hit the road making our way to DeVos Place in Grand Rapids for the Michigan stop on the roadshow for 2008. Great weather, clear roads and an unheard of minimal construction areas with no detours. They must of been expecting tons of traffic--1 traffic cop manning the crosswalk from the parking garage to the site. Special event parking only $7.50

Arrived early enough to walk a few near deserted streets to finally find a subway for lunch. Yes we could have eaten at the cafe in the Amway Grand Hotel, but that would have been too high class. Watch some people fishing in the river peeked across to the Gerald Ford Library/Museum.

Thought there might have been a line waiting outside as ticket info stated not to arrive in line before 2:30 for the 3:00 entry time.

Not much action

As we entered and located the door into the actual exhibit hall they were sending in people with tickets from 12:30 to 3:00

Aha a jump start--or so we thought

This pix was taken from the back of the hall where we were staged in at least 100 foot long lines and after 2 1/2 hours snaked our way up to the final waiting line looking at what others brought.At last into the real appraisal area only to wait in another line by category
and again snake our way up to the appraisers table. Almost there! As we waited we saw mark doing some voice over spiels and he came over to talk with everyone and sign autographs. The prints and posters line was so long that appraisers came along the line to us. Unfortunately no one could quit the day job and go home a millionaire. They were very good with the crowd and are human. One said these prints are so freaking cute!

I'm waiting to see if the WWII submarine flag makes the airing, and a man had 2 spears used in The Wizard of Oz movie and they were prepping the "stage" for that appraisal. No sign of the Keno's maybe they were in Rhode Island--they weren't even listed in the event guide. That was a downer!

Once out of the staging area, one can wait in another line for the feedback booth after signing a release. They even posted a sign board cueing people on what to say, keep it short and if you say the show name remember it is antiques with an s roadshow.

The sponsors had a small area behind the "stage" and a 1968 pristine subaru was quite a draw with an added chance to win a special edition Steiff bear or a Dale Tiffany lamp.

It's a long boring day for the most part and if you can manage your items and a chair, be sure to bring one!

Can't wait for the new season to air. The website has slide shows from each venue so it may be a sneak peek.

Surgery scheduled for this week and fingers crossed. No much business conducted these pass 7 weeks.

Break in posting

Due to a family medical emergency I will be taking a break in blogging, downsizing eBay listings and visits to antique mall.

Serious surgery needs to be scheduled and dealt with.

I hope the tickets for August Antiques Roadshow can be used. If it looks like we can't make I wonder if they can be passed on?

Keep surfing and buying your past.

We all need whatever business we can get. The economy is going bad throughout the USA not just here. Remember Rome was once the great empire and ruins are a big tourist attraction. Let's not get too greedy for our britches!