Credit Crisis - Next Up

Image via WikipediaThere will be a lot of bad press about Christmas this year.

I guess I don't get out much. Sometime earlier this year I was driving someplace and it just suddenly struck me how many stores there are. Think about it, there's a miles after miles of malls most places! Outlet stores, big-box stores, Lowes, Costcos and Wallmarts... Everywhere, one after another. These places, like Circuit City, and Bed, Bath and Beyond are already in trouble and there will be more trouble to come.

There was no such thing as these stores when I was growing up. I remember my parents driving clear across town to go to a Sears or a JC Penny's. Where this stuff come from? Sometime in the '80s retail just exploded. And it didn't stop. It took thinking back 30 years to realize how this just sort of snuck up on us.

You drive some places and you just can not believe that people are really buying enough STUFF to keep these places operating. Well, I guess it turns out that they aren't. And Christmas on credit cards isn't going to save us this year. Now what are we going to do with all those giant buildings and malls?

America is a disaster. But way is anyone shocked? Look around!