Being at the heart of a major retail operation (that speaks to retailers across the USA), I would have to agree with this assessment.

There are a lot of indicators pointing to a major slowdown in retail this year.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dead?

http://pajamasmedia.com/2007/01/supreme_leader_ayatollah_ali_k.php

New prospect for US: glut of ethanol plants

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0105/p01s04-wmgn.html