Will 2004 be a Banner Economic Year?

[5stringJeff]

Looks like the economy may pick up this year!

According to the story, 2004 looks to be a "banner year" for economic growth. 2003 has already seen som every psitive growth.

 

[DKSuddeth]

It very well could be. I hope salaries go up as well.

One of the things that is going to be a long term indicator though will be a drop in prices for goods and services. All the tax cuts combined with cheaper labor should result in them unless corporations continue their short term vision of investor profits.

Will inflation rear its ugly head in 04?

 

[injury]

I personally don't think it will be a banner year, I think it will be hard to top the tech boom at least in this generation. I imagine the resulting tech bust will continue to keep people cautious.

I'm am continuing to look for things to keep improving slowly and steadily, and hoping the current trends have lasting positive effects.

 

[5stringJeff]

Welcome to the board injury!

I agree, the tech boom years posted some great numbers, but as we have seen, those numbers were not sustainable in the long term. I think the numbers that the analysts in this story are forecasting are sustainable in the mid- to long-term.

On a different note, what will the Democrats have to complain about when the economy posts four straight quarters of solid growth before the election?

 

[DKSuddeth]

I can almost hear the 'are you better off now than you were 4 years ago' commercials.

 

[DKSuddeth]

http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/14672.htm

COOKING UP NEW CAREER

December 29, 2003 -- HYDE PARK, N.Y - Thousands of unemployed workers are finding a new recipe for success.
Enrollments at 229 culinary-arts programs accredited by the American Culinary Federation have soared almost 40 percent - from 18,000 students to 25,000 in the last two years. And many of the new trainee chefs are changing careers. The median age of those learning the secrets of the kitchen is now 27, up from 19-20 five years ago.

Amanda McDougall is typical of those who have turned to learning how to cook professionally. When the dot-com bubble burst, the company she worked for lost many of its clients and McDougall lost half her co-workers.

"At that point, I thought, 'It's just a matter of time before I'm laid off and I'm not happy here. I'm better off cooking,' " she said.

So, at age 28, McDougall quit and enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America in the scenic Hudson Valley.

"In culinary arts, for our chefs, if you just pick up the paper anywhere, you can see there's always positions available," said Candice Childers, accreditations-program coordinator for the federation.

So far this year, 160,000 jobs have been added to an industry that already employs almost 12 million people, said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president for research and information services at the National Restaurant Association.AP

 

[injury]

"what will the Democrats have to complain about when the economy posts four straight quarters of solid growth before the election"

Their mantra will be "But where is Osama" if we find Osama it will be "Where is our exit strategy" if they get tired of beating that to death we will be priveledge to see some "expose's" on Bush and Cheney and any business ties they have, if Halliburton fails, we will see a story in some rag about how we only went to war to further the prospects of the Texas Rangers.

 

[DKSuddeth]

how we only went to war to further the prospects of the Texas Rangers.

somebody has to pay A-rods salary.

 

[Palestinian Jew]

Of course the dems will complain about something, thats what political parties do!!!! If positions were reversed, republicans would also find something to complain about, so I won't blame them if they do.

 

[MtnBiker]

its not exactly 'flippin burgers', but close

DK, I missed your post, interesting. Actually it can be a good carrer choice. A culinary degree can lead to more oppurtunities than working in a kitchen.

 

[DKSuddeth]

my point was simply a comparison was all.

While culinary arts and degrees can lead some to a lucrative career, for most it is not, in my experience anyway.

The article was simply to point out how many of the dot-commers are switching careers to a food service industry.

 

[MtnBiker]

Point taken, .