A Not-so-Happy Thanksgiving

This is the festival season in the US and this year the cheer has not been very high. Yesterday was Thanksgiving day and today is the much acclaimed Black Friday. Retailers and corporations across the country gear up for this one day of extensive shopping by consumers. A phenomenon which did not happen today, at least not as much as it happened last year or the year before.

The economic downturn which resulted in massive job losses is starting to show its effect on retail industry as well. People simply can't afford to buy as they used to in the past. I wonder whether the US as a nation and the people will learn from this economic downturn and save. It would be interesting to see where America heads in the next half-century. With so many threats looming for this "immigrant nation" including that of home grown Islamic terrorism (the Fort Hood Shootout is a classic example) and the Iraq and Afghanistan war, it is definitely the stage where the world's drama will be played out.