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Is It A Sign Of The Economy?
Because of the faltering economy more Americans are eating Spam. Although this has contributed to a 14% profit increase for the Hormel Company, Spam has been popular in Hawaii since being introduced there during WWII and today more is sold there per capita than anywhere else in the U.S. In fact, Hawaiian cookbook author Muriel Muira says Spam is Hawaii's favorite meat. In her new cookbook, "Hawaii Cooks with Spam", she substitutes Spam for crab in her sushi recipe and coats the rice with mayo. According to Muira, Hawaiians put mayo on everything; but I hope someone makes her eat those words.
The faltering economy is also responsible for people drinking less Starbucks coffee. That fact combined with overexpansion caused Starbucks to announce the closing of 600 stores. The economy is why Dillard's, The Gap and Home Depot are closing stores. It's why Bombay, Comp USA and Pep Boys are closing stores too. While stores that sell necessities - like CVS and Wal-Mart - continue to do well, the downward economy is expected to scare Americans into trying something new - saving money. Unfortunately, because the economy needs an influx of money, our saving won't save it.
Nothing can save the airlines from high fuel costs and the heavier a plane is the more fuel it requires. To lighten their loads some airlines have imposed new restrictions on both carry-on and checked baggage. Other airlines have stopped carrying bottled water. Continental is one of the airlines that's reducing weight by carrying less fuel. Continental recently sent a memo to its pilots stating that adding fuel without critical thinking ultimately reduces profit sharing and possibly pension funding. It seems management is throwing its excess weight around.
American dependency on gasoline for cars can be traced back 100 years to the Model T Ford. Although steam and electricity were options to power his cars, Henry Ford decided on gas. Gas-powered cars were easier to start and easier to refuel. Within 2 years Ford sold more than 10,000 Model T's. The pressure to manufacture cars faster led to his developing the automotive assembly line in 1913. It also led to his using only black paint because black paint dried faster. Because Ford could make the Model T more efficiently, he could reduce the price and sales soared. Unfortunately, the economy has changed. Hybrid and electric cars are what's selling now because gas in no longer af-Ford-able.
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