Small business owners "spooked" in March over economy's future

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Optimism about economy declines among small businesses, CEOs

http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/extraedge/washingtonbureau/archive/2006/04/17/bureau5.html?market=sanjose

A monthly index of small business indicators dropped 3.5 points in March, hitting its lowest level in three years. Small business owners were less optimistic about future sales, plans to increase employment and the overall economy, according to the National Federation of Independent Business survey.

"Something spooked small business owners in March about the future course of the economy," says NFIB Chief Economist William Dunkelberg. "The decline could indicate that owners think the economy is strong, but they don't expect it to get any better, or the economy is weak and they expect growth will slow substantially."

CEOs of larger companies also are less optimistic about future economic conditions than they were three months ago, according to a quarterly survey by the Conference Board.

About 35 percent of CEOs expect the economy to improve in the next six months, down from 41 percent in the final quarter of 2005. "As a result, many anticipate hiring plans to cool and employment levels to decline," says Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board Consumer Research Center. "This is yet another sign the second half of 2006 is not likely to be as strong as the first half."

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I work in a very niche market

I am a game designer for the paper and pencil RPGs... folks sales in that have gone by ... 75% ... I consider that a canary in the damn mine, for RPGs ARE a luxury product.

[brokensymmetry]

2. Amazing....

But paper-and-pencil RPGs aren't that expensive, are they? I realize that one CAN spend
a lot, but I'm surprised at that big a decline in sales. Is the economy being hit that
hard?

[godhatesrepublicans]

3. Your mistake was in making luxury products for real people.

I admit, I've spent a lot less on Hackmaster supplements this year too, since like about 80% of the country I live paycheck to paycheck.

Now if you specialized in solid gold toilet seats, I'm sure you'd be rolling in dough, since the ever increasing numbers of American multimillionaires are always looking for pointless luxuries to spend their stock options on.

(BTW, your game system looks neat. I'll give you a plug on my web site, maybe that'll help a bit. ;-) )

[sandnsea]

6. I'm in travel, me too

It's so bad, I really can't bring myself to talk about it. Seriously.

[Divernan]

4. GOP fundraiser told to tell Bush & GOP Senators to go fuck themselves.

My Sig. Other, (registered as Independent), and pres. of a small company got a phone call at his office. Very pleasant woman introduced herself as calling for the GOP Senate campaign committee. Before she could get another word out, he blew up at her with many obscenities. Basically told her to tell all the GOP Senators to go fuck themselves and the same went for the idiot in the White House. Then slammed the phone down before she could hang up herself. He NEVER liked Bush, or voted for Bush, etc., and has gotten progressively more outraged w/ Bush & the GOP over the years. Said it felt great to send a direct message to the GOP. BTW, his company provides health insurance for all employees and their families, and is really struggling with the constantly increasing shipping costs of materials they purchase and products they ship, plus gas for their delivery trucks.

[Greyhound]

5. Font page article in our "news paper" here, decrying the plight of

employers not able to fill jobs because the unemployment rate is so low. Inside the article, however, the most quoted source for the story reveals he owns a security company and offers "perqs" like being able to work the upcoming Jimmy Buffet concert (like you're going to be down on the floor dancing to Margaritaville instead of escorting drunk, puke covered idiots to the first-aid station and breaking up fights), and he pays up to $8.50 p/hour and it's part-time with no benefits. BTW the local In-n-Out starts @ $9.75 p/hr and has full staff.