Carl Steidtmann, chief economist at Deloitte Research and auther of the group's Leading index of Consumer Spending tells Women's Wear Daily, "People's spending on apparel isn't likely to pick up anytime soon." Gee, ya think Mr. Steidtmann?? Maybe it has to do with that little housing crisis we are experiencing, or gas prices reaching (in some areas) to $4 a gallon, the rising prices in staples like milk and eggs or what about the fact that there are no jobs??? I sometimes wonder why we need a 50 page report to tell us what people in the middle of America can tell us in one sentence...