Walmart has warned higher petrol prices are causing US consumers to cut spending elsewhere as the war with Iran continues to squeeze household budgets.
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Iām not seeing any fewer shoppers in my TX area.
Anecdotal.
Walmart n HEB grocery are always busy. Shoppers with full carts. I hear complaints about the cost, but they still buying.
Costco is always busy.
The local fast food drive throughs always have lines. Cars in parking lots.
Restaurants are busy.
Retail parking lots always have cars.
HD n Loweāsā¦ Plant nurseries have been busy.
The highways and main streets have LOTS of traffic. Gas stations have customers.
Buceeās was bustling yesterday.
I went to a 200 seat community theater in Bastrop yesterday. Sunday matinee. About 2/3 full seats. 30$/person.
Downtown Bastrop was bustling.
Iām not seeing anyone slowing their economic activityā¦ Around here.
But, this is TX and everything is better in TX.
ralph
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I saw an image of the NorthPark mall Tesla location and there were no customers. Maybe there were no cybertrucks available?
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Interesting - Iāve been to two movies within the past three weeks and the 200 seat (recliners) theater (one of six) had about 10 other people in attendance. $15 tickets! My second visit I made the mistake of ordering a small popcorn = $7, wonāt happen again!
JimA
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Considering how much the X companies are building in Texas that may not be far off the target.
We are seeing a slower season here in the Red Neck Riviera. This weekend, even though rainy has been full though. Not over packed, but it seems the businesses are selling about all that they can sell.
But, in April and May we saw higher vacancies, we even had the Sea Screamer cancel a morning trip and either gave refunds are upgrade people to the Sunset trip due to low sales.
Gulf Coast Jam is coming up soon. Generally we are packed for that. We will see if the Memorial Day strength can remain through next weekend.
Cheers
Qazulight (Drove by the park where they are building the stages, looks like it will be a big deal. Personally sweating in the sun with 100, strangers is not my thing. However the Sea Screamer is the best attraction in Panama City Beach)
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Me too. Three movies in last 4 weeks
In Pflugerville.
One had been out for a while, the matinee audience was 8 or 13.
The others were varying audienceā¦ A couple were full.
The community theater I referred to earlier hosts plays. This one was Puffs, a spinoff of Harry Potter.
(If you know HP, itāll make sense. If you donāt, then Puffs will be confusing.)
ralph
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Similar from Home Depot
The stock market keeps notching all-time highs, seemingly unconcerned by the chaos in the Middle East - but an obscure indicator is flashing a new warning that markets could be heading for a crash.
Shares of Home Depot have been sliding lower since last fall, and this week, they broke below a troubling threshold: Down 25 percent from last all-time high.
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IIRC, Home Depot follows the home/real estate market.
DB2
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Iāve been to 1 movie in the past 6 years and that was for my nephewās birthday party and the group needed some adult supervision.
There are some movies that āmustā be seen on the big screen, but I havenāt found one in years obviously.
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Those were the first two movies Iāve attended in some 8 or 9 years! But I would highly recommend āthe Sheep Detectivesā and āProject Hail Maryā!
JimA
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I was not crazy about either of those, but I did enjoy āMichaelā and āDevil Wears Prada 2ā was OK. Michael Jacksonās nephew, who portrayed Michael, was stunning in the portrayal: the music, the dance moves, everything He is said to have trained for two years for the part. It shows..
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Been to a movie or two and found myself trying to turn on closed captions, rewind or fast forward the movie a little, and click on Pause while I go to the bathroom. . . .
Kinda like my bike riding with the bike club. I find myself when at the grocery store putting my arm out if I want to turn down a lane with my cart . . .
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Wouldnāt that be the greatest thing ever! Perhaps we could have a broadcast to eyewear that would only display to those people - perhaps even language adaptable - Is this a new business idea! Where are our tech people? Do I have to think of everything?
JimA
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Already done. My late wife used them all the time at movie theaters. Most theaters around me have them available, you just have to ask.
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I did not know that. Iāve never seen any mention of them or signage indicating availability. Do they have a name? Iāll have to check that out next time. Thanks.
JimA
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The stores are slow around me as well. All of them. It is not just gas prices. People are holding on to money. Layoffs are in the air.
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I donāt know of a name. There are two styles. One is a text display that you typically set in the cup holder and move the flexible stalk to put the display in your line of sight. My wife preferred the glasses that make the captioning appear directly in your sight. Those donāt require you to look up and down between the display and the movie screen.
Just ask the staff the next time you are at a theater. My understanding is that itās an ADA thing, so should be nation wide.
--Peter
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