Today is the day many retailers anticipate going into the accounting black, meaning all of the red ink of deficit spending will be removed by the black ink of profit. But in the middle of “the worst economy in 50 years” or whatever the propagandist said last time around, will we spend much today or this weekend? I’ve wondered if consumer debt has raised retail expectations unrealistically so much that responsible spending will be labeled a disappointing cut back. We’ll have to see.

Reports say most people will spend just as much as last year. And if that’s so, Blue Crab Boulevard wants to snap a few photos. “. . . take a picture of your local mall’s parking lot. Send them here,” he says, “. . . with info on when and where you took the picture and I’ll post them. Take some pictures of your local restaurant parking lots as well.” With these photos, BCB plans to counter the dark news from major media outlets.

But fear not, news reader, because reporters will always be able to say expectations were not met and though today may have been pretty good for retailers, it was not enough. Dark days ahead for sure.