From my local paper...."Saddam Capture Could Boost Holiday Sales"

[kalian]

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HOLIDAY_SHOPPING?SITE=COCOL&SECTION=BUSINESS

With 11 days until Christmas, shoppers crowded the nation's malls and stores over the weekend, their spirits buoyed by news of Saddam Hussein's capture. But it was unclear whether stores met their sales goals.

Shoppers were out in force on Saturday, according to industry observers, though business dropped on Sunday for many stores, hampered by the second major snowstorm in the Northeast in a little more than a week.

Still, several experts said the news of Hussein's capture, revealed early Sunday, couldn't be a better holiday gift for merchants during the season's last, critical stretch.

"Ultimately, in the long run, this is going to put people in better spirits, and we are definitely excited that this has come during the holiday season," Ellen Tolley, a spokeswoman at the Washington-based National Retail Federation, said Sunday. "This is a piece of news that we were not expecting."

:eyes:

[neverforget]

1. holy shit! Saddam is captured! Let's go shopping!

:eyes:

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. Capturing Saddam wouldn't have anywhere...

...near the effect on sales that an unemployment rate of, oh, 4% would have.

[Field Of Dreams]

7. Hey ... that's the first thing that crossed my mind!

I haven't participated in a good Walmart stampede in awhile!

:puke:

[JailBush]

3. That's an interesting tip.

If you can edit the title, you should change it something like "Saddam's Capture versus Christmas Sales."

[kalian]

6. Updated as tipped....

;)

[Devlzown]

4. I wonder if a rise in testosterone levels

also accompanies news like this. Anyone know of any research involving rapes, murders, and other assorted mischief associated with military victories? Seems like I've read something like that before

[kalian]

5. I wouldn't doubt it....

American sheeple, in particular the males, have a tendency to play
alot of make believe...espeially the heavier set males that can't
even jog around the block.
But they are sooooo gung-ho... :eyes:

[Devlzown]

17. How true!

My brother comes to mind.:evilgrin:

[eileen_d]

8. I suppose pigs could fly as well

and the sky may fall...

[Catherine Vincent]

9. What a stupid article.

I'm lmao!

[hatrack]

10. "Shee-it, Myrtle!!!"

"Ah just got laid off at the chip mill, and your job at the chicken plant only brings in $320 a week - but since they done got Saddam, well, hell, let's go load that new HDTV in the back of that 0% interest Humveee!! Hell, we can log a lotta miles and watch plenty of movies before the repo man arrives!!"

More deathless insight from the Whorth Estate.

[Myra]

11. Well, right after 911 we were told to go shopping. Patriots will shop...

In a corporatocracy.

Are we really so surprised that a media mouthpiece will parrot
the party line?

[Bronco69]

12. I'll bet as of today...

your car will run better, your soda will taste sweeter, your potato chips will be crunchier, the birds will sing louder, your house will be cleaner, you will never have another computer virus, not have to worry about getting sick, and there is plenty of jobs for everybody all because Saddam has been captured!! People are just plain loony!!

[goodhue]

13. that's wack

I wonder how the Survivor Pearl Island final tribal council will affect holiday sales.

[Ellen Forradalom]

14. Ellen Toley seems a cynic of the highest order.

Just the sort of narrow mind American capitalism rewards the most.

[Cocoa]

15. Saddam capture to make teeth whiter

Saddam capture to make children behave. etc. etc.

[cindyw]

16. Did I miss the check in the mail? Are we getting a tax cut again?

People are shopping less because they are broke. I didn't realize we are getting money in the mail for Christmas. Are Bush's corporate cronies sending out money for christmas in their zeal? Is this how trickle down economics works?

Haha. This is funny. People are broke you media idiots. Are you suggesting that the economy was bad because people were afraid of Saddam on the loose? Or were you just suggesting that people will be more willing to buy on credit with Saddam safe in custody?

:silly:

[cosmicdot]

18. I'm with you -- I was hoping Social Security cut me a Saddam bonus

... nothing doing ... I'm counting down the days to Jan. 3rd ... living on vapors at Christmas is a bummer ...

people haven't wasted any time ... polls have been taken ... Monday's stock market has been projected ...

were we the last to get the Rove memo?

[stopbush]

19. Sorry, but if SH had wanted to avoid capture, he should have

hid out at one of the malls here in Vegas.

After the Turkey Day spin about how great the season was going to be, it fizzled. I did most of my shopping at Target, and after 5 or 6 trips at various times on various days, I can report that there were few customers and very short lines each and every time. (BTW - the multiple trips were made necessary as we're down to only our VW Beetle for wheels. We cut out the second car 18 months ago and have no plans to buy another until I can get steady work...which ain't happenin'.)

It's pretty bad when you draw a crowd of armed soldiers at a hole-in-the-ground in Tikrit while our stocked-to-the-rafters malls look like ghost towns.