grond: great posts, btw. no, i wasn't expecting folks to take my "i know other small biz owners" comment as fact -- that was in answer to hog's assertion that we should take your individual case ("hands on experience") to be THE example to follow. and no offense, but you are one of many small business owners -- and your other business dealings in real estate and insurance makes yours an a-typical case at that (unless you are SOLELY referring to your income from the shop alone). anyway, just so's you know, i DO appreciate your input here. :)
careful, though, about how we talk about the economy. i tend to listen to economists about it, and they have been telling us all along not to take "the numbers" at face value. you know the old twain quote about lies, damned lies and statistics. well, when bush takes fast food restaurant jobs and re-classifies them as "manufacturing" instead of "service sector," then it's going to look like the manufacturing biz is booming, when in fact it is not.
most recently, i read a piece about how the bush admin has been reporting falsely high deficit #'s and will, in october, release the real numbers -- making it look as though the deficit has been lowered when, in fact, it has not just remain unchanged but has actually WORSENED.
i'm aching too much now to go dig up a bunch of web sites, but that's what i've been reading from associated press stories and the latter was, i think, from msn's slate.
btw, hog -- i think rather screwed the pooch (in answer to your question). i don't think the papers are genuine after waiting for a bunch more eyes to get on them. the consensus is generally that they're fake. sucks to be dan! lol