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Re: [OM] Trip to the US?

Subject: Re: [OM] Trip to the US?
From: "Wiliam Wagenaar" <wiliam@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 17:45:00 +0200
Thanks Nathan,

Your message surely brings my sense of perspective in level.

Wiliam

> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: Nathan [mailto:photo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
> Verzonden: zaterdag 4 april 2009 7:18
> Aan: Olympus Camera Discussion
> Onderwerp: Re: [OM] Trip to the US?
> 
> 
> What Moose has described can also be applied to Spain. In my daily  
> life it is hard to see outward signs of the crisis, except all the  
> unsold houses and apartments--but they were there before as well.  
> Yes, unemployment is up to 15%, the highest rate in the EU, but that  
> still means that 85% continue to go to work every day etc.
> 
> Same with restaurants, people still go out, although from chatting  
> with a couple of the owners, business is down somewhat.
> 
> It is important to keep a sense of perspective.
> 
> Nathan
> 
> On 04/04/2009, at 0:41, Moose wrote:
> 
> > Wiliam Wagenaar wrote:
> >> Hi guys,
> >>
> >> I have booked a holiday trip with the family to the US this coming
> >> summer. Because of the currect economic state however I am having  
> >> mixed feelings.
> >
> > Great idea!
> >
> >> One half of my thoughts are about preparing for the trip and
> >> wanting to ask you what to visit.
> >
> > The US is bigger than Europe. As you say the trip is 
> already booked, 
> > what areas will you be visiting?
> >
> >> On the other hand I am wondering how welcome tourists are at the
> >> moment.
> >
> > Regular stories here about how tourism is down, adding to economic 
> > troubles. San Franciso and many surrounding areas depend heavily on 
> > tourist spending. They will have open arms and welcoming 
> smiles if you 
> > show up.
> >
> >> I keep hearing stories about people loosing their jobs and no
> >> longer being able to pay their mortgage and
> >> loosing everyhthing. Some have to live in tent cities. I 
> know that  
> >> staying at home will not help anybody, but
> >
> > Story - Way back when, I lived near the UC campus during the Free
> > Speech
> > Movement, Peoples Park protests and such events. For most of those
> > years, I had a roommate in my apartment. After he had married and  
> > moved
> > to S. Calif., he called one night to ask how we (I was also  
> > married, and
> > in the same apartment) were doing with the riots. I said "Huh, what
> > riots?" He'd been watching on TV as some fools turned over 
> trash cans,
> > started fires, smashed windows, and so on.
> >
> > He said the state governor had declared a state of emergency and a 
> > curfew for Berkeley. I said it was completely quiet on our street
> > and we
> > were about to go out to a concert in town. He said 
> something like '  
> > NO,
> > no, Berkeley is burning. It's dangerous, you'll get 
> arrested!" We went
> > to our event, wished we had brought earplugs for the music, 
> otherwise
> > had a good time and went home. We saw no police, nor anything at  
> > all out
> > of the ordinary.
> >
> > It turned out that, as "news" as entertainment purveyors are wont
> > to do,
> > the TV folks carefully chose camera angles to make a few, mostly  
> > drunk,
> > folks making a mess on a couple of blocks of one street look like a
> > major riot. And the newscaster's (term "news" in the 
> context used with
> > reservations) made it sound like it was the entire city.
> >
> > Lesson - Even someone who had been there during much greater 
> > disturbances was fooled by "news" reports.
> >
> > My own experience around my area is that things are pretty 
> normal in a 
> > day to day way. Cars and people are out keeping the streets busy,
> > people
> > are eating out, buying things, etc. Yes, unemployment is up, from a
> > normal 5-6% to 10-11%, but most people still have work to 
> do, lives to
> > live. And indeed, business is slower, more so in some segments than
> > others. Chuck's report was on furniture stores. That's pretty
> > discretionary spending. I was in Costco about 10 days ago, 
> mid day,  
> > mid
> > week, the parking lot was normally busy, as was the store, and it  
> > seemed
> > pretty much business as usual. Low priced basics and consumables are
> > still moving.
> >
> > We've eaten out a bit lately, as usual. It's hard to tell if
> > restaurant
> > business is down in the modest places we frequent, but there are
> > certainly others also eating out when and where we are. Sure, more  
> > small
> > businesses are probably in trouble or have failed lately than  
> > usual, but
> > some are still starting up. We're really excited about at least  
> > one. The
> > closest Starbuck's closed and a third branch of a small 
> restaurant we
> > love is opening in its place, much closer than the others. Whoopee!
> >
> > A much beloved local drug store and more upset lots of 
> people when it 
> > closed recently. But they had embarked on a plan of expansion
> > recently.
> > I spent decades in the food and drug retail business. I thought they
> > were taking big risks and in danger of failure even without an  
> > economic
> > downturn. They went from one local store carefully tuned to 
> a place  
> > that
> > loved them to leasing and staffing separate offices and 
> opening three
> > new stores all in a short period. One of the new locations 
> failed, as
> > isn't uncommon (New store location and related areas were some of my
> > specialties.) I'm sure they were stretched way too thin and over
> > leveraged at that point. So sure, folks can blame it on the  
> > economy, but
> > I think it was maybe 90% management error and 10% economy. 
> If they had
> > managed conservatively, no new office overhead, open one 
> store at a  
> > time
> > and get it profitable before the next, at least the 
> original location
> > would most likely still be operating.
> >
> > People are losing homes, but the number in tent cities in 
> at least the 
> > vast majority of the country, is tiny. Most are finding alternate 
> > housing, not out on the streets. Our friend in mortgage trouble has
> > been
> > going back and forth with her lender, counselors, possible 
> government
> > programs, etc. for months. She's still in the house, 
> although looking
> > for a decent rental if she does have to go. But she is still eating,
> > clothed, under a roof, driving around, etc. She's self employed, and
> > business is down, but not out.
> >
> > In my immediate neighborhood, real estate sales are slower than
> > normal,
> > but houses are still selling for pretty much what they were 
> going for
> > before the meltdown. Again, news reports make it sound like 
> the price
> > losses are universal. I have yet to see a foreclosure sign 
> in town.  
> > Not
> > to say there aren't any, but they aren't everywhere.
> >
> > Too much talk, just to say come on over! Spend a little EuroCash,
> > have a
> > lovely time and do your small part to bolster the US economy. If  
> > you are
> > near SF, I know a nice place in Berkeley with a pleasant 
> guest room  
> > in a
> > lovely, quiet neighborhood where you would be welcome to stay for  
> > free,
> > leaving more money to spend on other things. ;-)
> >
> >> I feel like we might offend people because we are able to have a
> >> holiday in the US. Last week I read on this list that in some  
> >> stores more staff was present than customers. That cannot 
> be good.  
> >> What are the thoughts about this on the list?
> >>
> >
> > So what, they are going to be angry at customers who do 
> show up? No  
> > way.
> > They will exhort you to buy things, but that's not new. :-)
> >
> > Moose
> > -- 
> > _________________________________________________________________
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> >
> 
> Nathan Wajsman
> Alicante, Spain
> http://www.frozenlight.eu
> http://www.greatpix.eu
> http://www.nathanfoto.com
> 
> Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0
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> Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> _________________________________________________________________
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> Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
> Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
> 

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