Are we in a recession? The stock market certainly seems to think so. I'm watching the value of my IRA taking hits on a daily basis. Things do seems a little slower that this same period in previous years. I'll hazard another opinion after seeing how things go in the next month.

Only way I'd know about any slowdown is in the news reports and in my stock fund report I get. Other than that, my world is still going good and my business is growing.

Thank God.

On my window cleaning side..we are taking a hit. On the carpet side...we are not.

I am no mensa guy...but I think the media has caused much of this.

I also recall every election year being a bit off.

I have noticed a HUGE dropoff in the jobs from realtors. Calls from people buying new homes who don't want to buy new carpet makes up for some of it though.

There is business in any economic climate , just need to think out of the box - We are working for several property management companies who are servicing a large number of property forclosures due to the sub prime mortagage sitiation. Try and talk to banks in your area. They want to sell these homes and you can name you price. We get $300.00 min per home eve if it has only one carpeted area.