Subject: National Economy

• Voice of the Forest

  March 26, 2009

• OC's leading indicator an economic downturn looms

  Forget sky-high gas prices, stagnant home sales and shaky consumer confidence. Around here, all you need to know that rotten times are ahead is Sharper Image quarterly profits have sunk 62 percent.

  April 18, 2006

• Ya Gotta Hang On

  February 26, 2009

• J Flynn Gallery Goes Bye-Bye

  Weekly art critic Greg Stacy writes: "It is my sorry duty to report that we recently lost yet another fine local gallery, the J Flynn of Costa Mesa. Recent months have seen far too many local galleries close up for good, as the art world continues to suffer the effects of the ailing economy. In a time of recession, fine art becomes a luxury too few can afford. And if nobody buys the stuff, the galleries go away and the world becomes just a little bit more ugly every day."

  September 4, 2008

• Diary of a Mad County

  September 11, 2003

• Fresh & Easy Opening its 100th Store in Fullerton: UPDATE!

  Fresh & Easy will mark its first year in business with the debut of its 100th store, opening at 1207 South Euclid Street in Fullerton, this Wednesday, November 12th at 10:00 a.m. Although I am impressed with its achievements (as well as curious about its selection of cheaply priced organic produce), I am left with one question: With 100 stores already in existence, how did Tustin, Irvine, and Costa Mesa get left out? If you take a gander at this Google map of its current locations in O.C.,

  November 11, 2008

• MUSINK Tattoo & Music Festival: Totally Canceled!

  Curse you, recession! The MUSINK Tattoo & Music Festival, which was birthed from a three-day event this past February at the OC fairgrounds, has been completely scrapped; official word is that it's, unsurprisingly, "due to the current economic climate."The tour was planned for 25 cities, including Anaheim on March 14, and was to be headlined by Social Distortion and Motorhead. Also on the now-nonexistent bill: a bunch of tattoo artists including festival co-promoter/tattoo artist Kat Von D,

  December 8, 2008

• Bangok Taste Closed for a Week--No Worries. I Hope.

  Had dinner earlier this week at Bangkok Taste in SanTana, my current fave Thai restaurant, with the mysterious Ben Dayhoe (contrary to popular rumor, he's not Mr. X). We enjoyed soups, fried tofu, their famous roti dessert, and the peanut-butter soup called khao soy. After our dinner (we ate with our respective ladies), the kind owner, who puts fresh roses on each table every day from her garden, gave the gals a Christmas present: flowers in a glass bubble. She then told us Bangkok Taste is clos

  December 19, 2008

• Newport Beach Financial Whiz Warns of 'Mini Depression' Unless Trillions Spent

  A Newport Beach executive has got President Obama's back, saying the U.S. may slump into a "mini depression" unless policy makers spend trillions of dollars to spur growth. "This economy needs support from the government, a check from the government in the trillions," Bill Gross, the co-chief investment officer at Pacific Investment Management Co., says in a Bloomberg Television interview from PIMCO's Newport Beach HQ. "There is a potential catastrophe if the U.S. government continues to focus o

  February 6, 2009

• Helicopters Are Soooooo Huge Right Now

  Organizers and assorted helicopter media (who knew?) are crowing about attendance at the three-day 2009 Heli-Expo, which wraps up today in Anaheim. The number of exhibitors and helicopters on display also beat last year's event in Houston."Heli-Expo 2009 a Resounding Success!!" boasts Helicopter Association International of its own event, pointing to Anaheim attendance beating Houston's 17,995 to 17,373. "Heli-Expo Bucks Recent Convention Trends," huzzahs another industry site, while Thomas B. H

  February 24, 2009

• Days of Yore

  February 19, 2009

• Irvine Gives Back

  February 19, 2009

• The Reaganomics

  December 4, 2008

• Willkommen, Bienvenue

  August 7, 2008

• Slow Boat

  June 19, 2008

• Like a Womans Chest

  September 15, 2005

• Remote Hog

  July 13, 2006

• Spin Recycle

  November 8, 2001

• Steve Lowerys Weekly Investor

  September 27, 2001

• Evening for Hope and Possibility

  July 16, 2009

• Consumer Confidence Reports Reach Opposite Conclusions

  ​According to Associated Press economics writer Chrstopher S. Rugaber, "Consumer sentiment rose more than expected in August and expectations hit the highest level since the recession began, indications that Americans' pessimism about the economy may be lifting."Rugaber cites findings from the New York-based Conference Board that show the Consumer Confidence index rose to 54.1 from an upwardly revised 47.4 in July. Economists had expected a slight increase to 47.5.That seems to fly in the face

  August 25, 2009

• Wax On, Wax Off: Boardfest 2009 Postponed Due to Bad Economy

  We in the surfing world don't often talk about the economic downturn that has plagued America in recent months. Sure, there are more guys out in the water during work hours, having lost the jobs that used to keep their days filled. Surfboard sales are at rock bottom (the relatively small manufacturing industry can barely support itself). The stock of many public action sports companies, perhaps most notably Quiksilver, has plumetted. Your mags might feel a little thinner due to a l

  October 12, 2009

• Grapes of Wrath

  November 12, 2009