There's growing confidence among consumer ranks with each spike in retail sales. Along with real estate and jobs, car sales are a key indicator of whether or not, the economy has, in fact, turned around. The recently released across-the-board auto sales gain in March should convince even skeptics, that the economy is back. The sales bounce in March is beyond impressive. GM is up almost 22% in new car sales, Ford is +40% in its year-to-year sales figures, even Toyota which took a 9-count with all their operational problems, was up 41%. Hyundai had the smallest sales gain but were up 15%. The only major auto maker not making sales gains was Chrysler which was down 8%. Radio should be happy with solid car sales because they will translate into a healthier revenue stream. Sirius XM and HD Radio will see a higher penetration of radio devices in cars as a result, their bread-and-butter...
Even the Easter bunny is happy. According to the National Retail Federation, more money will be spent on holiday goodies this year than last. The increase in average amount spent will go from $116.59 per person to $118.60 with total spending expected to reach $13.03 billion. And what are people buying this year? In order of average amount spent per item, food tops the list, followed by clothing, gifts, candy, flowers, decorations and greeting cards...
After a pretty horrible winter with inordinate amounts of rain and snow in the northeast, people are coming out in droves to shop in the warmer weather. Throw into that mix, some creative promotions and discounts and the law of averages is on our side now. Better days are ahead...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1877] With 6 you get egg roll: President Rutherford B. Hayes rolls out the first Easter egg as the annual Easter Egg Roll begins on the White House lawn (4/2). 133 years later, it's still being done...
2.1936] Death by electrocution: Bruno Hauptmann is electrocuted in Trenton (NJ) for the kidnap-murder of the Lindbergh baby (4/3). This is a reenactment of the event...
3.1966] The Mets win the lottery: The New York Mets win the rights to "The Franchise" aka Tom Seaver in a lottery drawing after the Atlanta Braves violated rules by signing the pitcher after the college season had started. Three years later Seaver helps the Mets win their first World Series (4/3)...
4.1968] Curtains: Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his 'mountaintop' speech to a rally of striking sanitation workers in Memphis. It will be his final speech (4/3)...The very next day King is gunned down while standing on the balcony outside his room at the Lorraine Motel (4/4)...
5.1972] 'Happy Trails': Mets manager Gil Hodges who managed the Mets to their first world championship in 1969, dies of a heart attack while playing golf in West Palm Beach (FL) two days before his 48th birthday. Yogi Berra replaces Hodges as Mets manager (4/2)...
6.1985] Baseball rolls a seven: Baseball owners and players agree to expand the post-season championship series from a best-of-five format to 'best-of-seven' (4/3)...
7.1986] The Trey goes to college: The NCAA adopts the 3-point shot in men's basketball and decides to use instant replay to check scoring and timing errors (4/2)...
8.1992] Guilty as charged: Mob boss John Gotti is convicted in New York of murder and racketeering. He's later sentenced to life in prison where he will die (4/2)...
9.2007] Gator attack: The Florida Gators beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 84-75 in the NCAA basketball championship game to become the first school in Division I history to win both the men's basketball and football titles in the same academic year (4/2)...
10.2007] Nappy-headed Imus: Don Imus makes offensive on-air remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team (4/4). Despite a subsequent apology, Imus is fired by CBS Radio and MSNBC...
Music Memories:
- 1960] Recorded on this date: "Are You Lonesome Tonight" - Elvis Presley (4/4)...1964] "I Get Around/Don't Worry Baby" - Beach Boys (4/2)...1967] "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - Beatles (4/2)...
- 1963] Number One on the radio: "He's So Fine" - Chiffons (4/4)...1973] "The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia" - Vicki Lawrence (4/4)...
- 1964] Top 5 on the charts: 1) "Can't Buy Me Love", 2) "Twist and Shout", 3) "She Loves You", 4) "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and 5) "Please, Please Me"...all by The Beatles (4/4)...
- 1965] Released on this date: "Wooly Bull" - Sam The Sham and The Pharaoh's (4/3)...1978] "Sir Duke" - Stevie Wonder (4/2) (Stevie's tribute to Duke Ellington)...
Timeline Countdown: 2 days until Easter, 2 days until Opening Day (Red & Yankees at Fenway), 3 days until the NCAA Championship Game, 29 days until the Kentucky Derby, 38 days until Mother's Day and 59 days until Memorial Day...
