AT LEAST NOT IN CARTERET COUNTY NC.......

IT WAS WALL TO WALL BOATS BEHIND SHACKELFORD BANKS THE LAST WEEK...BIG BOATS...CENTER CONSOLES ....10' JOHN BOATS WITH 9 HP PLOWS....QUAD FOUNTAINS....I MEAN THE FUEL PUMP SMILED AT $4.44 A GALLON AND NO ONE FLINTCHED!!!!!......THE ICW ALL THE WAY TO ORIENTAL WAS FULL OF ALL TYPES OF RIGS BURNING THE CRUDE.......RESTRAUNTS WERE PACKED ALL WEEKEND....TRAFFIC IS AND WAS STILL BUMPER TO BUMPER....

I-95 IS & WAS FENDER TO FENDER FROM FLORIDA TO NY.......LOCAL GROCERY CARTS WERE STACKED WITH VINO AND BREW...PORK LOINS AND WINGS...THE OUTDOOR PRODUCE STANDS YIELDED LONG LINES OF PEOPLE BUYING HEALTHY THIS SUMMER ...

THE ICW ON FRIDAY NIGHT DA 4TH... LOOKED LIKE THE START OF THE PERSIAN GULF WAR WITH ROCKETS RED GLARE....FOR 10 MILES IN BOTH DIRECTIONS ...I SAT AND WATCHED AS HUNDREDS OF PATRIOTS IGNITED THE GREENBACKS TO THE SKIES...

THE LOCAL GOLF COURSE GREENS FOUND MANY WAITING TO PUTT PUTT.....AND COPS WERE OUT IN FORCE ....SPEED TRAPS WERE SET UP AND DELIVERING FINES TO THOSE THAT LOVED TO BURN THE EXCESSIVE PETRO VIA LEAD FOOT.....

LAST WEEK THE DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION DID THEIR NORMAL JULY 4TH WEEK BRIDGE MAINTENANCE SO HIWAY TRAVELLERS WOULD BE ABLE TO SIT AND BURN EVEN MORE FUEL WHILE WAITING ON THE FLAGMAN...

NAWWW.....TWERNT ANY VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF A SAGGING ECONOMY THAT I COULD SEE....NOT IN CARTERET.