That more and more coporations say they will not need money from the

[question everything]

government could send a message that things can improve without the intervening by that Great Satan - GOVERNMENT. I think that the reason why some of these corporations see a light at the end of the tunnel is thanks to the idea of the stimulus package. I think that the stimulus has raised the confidence of many consumers - which is what we are, at the bottom line - and that confidence is being translated to the companies where they do their business.

I know that ever since the package was announced, I have seen more ads on TV and getting more "invitations" on both my email and snail mail.

I don't do much shopping online. But every hotel where I've ever booked a room, and every travel agency where I've booked a flight, and a few stores, are emailing me at least once a week, about the wonderful bargains they offer.

[texanshatingbush]

1. I think that more and more corporations don't like the strings attached to the money

Strings, you say? Oh, then nevermind.....the money would have been nice, but we really don't need it.

After all, we gotta pay our executives gazillions of dollars for the efficacy with which they augured us into this hole.

[Jane Austin]

2. As a retailer, I am being barraged by discounts and special offers

from my vendors.

Lots of specials on products we sell, which is nice.

They are coming so fast I can't even take advantage of all of them.

I get even more promos from the online retailers I patronize, such as Amazon and various clothing outfitters.

I'm off to a mini-market at Dallas, where I hope the show specials will be generous.

[question everything]

3. Good luck. Let's hope that these promos

will start getting more customers to your business.

[Jane Austin]

4. Thanks!

The weirdest thing happened this week.

The same four days the stock market was up this week . . . our orders were up nearly to the same as last year - after having been down by about a third for over three months.

Thanks again for your good wishes.