As I watched the lines of traffic stream back into Houston after Hurricane Rita, I pondered one newscaster's dire prediction. He stated that slow gas refinery recoveries along the Gulf Coast would hike the price of gas, thereby creating a muted retail season. First, I was stunned that holiday seasons are now known as "retail seasons." Second, I was under-whelmed by a supposedly unbiased newscaster who attempted to read tea leaves rather than reporting facts. At that point I decided to contact my daughter, who is still in Mississippi and still in recovery from Katrina, to ask her what she thought about the upcoming "retail season" and the price of gas.

Cora's response was typical for a teen in some respects, but her answer reflected a historic fact. When people are faced with disaster and trying times, they often turn to entertainment to help relieve harsh reality. Her main concern was about a current box-office hit that she wanted to see at the theatre and - surprise - the local theatre was actually up and running in her neck of the coast. The theatre manager paid his employees to return and clean the place so that residents would have a refuge beyond the cement slabs and piles of debris that represented former homes and businesses.

It worked. The place was almost packed for its grand re-opening. People hitched rides with friends or walked to view the latest Hollywood productions, but mainly they went to enjoy the company. Cora thinks about the upcoming holidays as well - she has a list, but it's tinged with a bit of guilt for retaining a home when so many others have lost so much. Instead, this year she wants to attend a camp held over the holidays where she will see many friends who had to leave her area because of their staggering losses. Perhaps, then, the "retail" season will be muted for this family, but not because of the price of gas.

The "retail season," my daughter stated, happens constantly. She laughed when I told her that the state of Georgia had closed its schools for two day to conserve gas, and that television news showed Georgian mothers in their cars with children heading toward shopping centers. "Oh, they've conserved gas, alright," Cora remarked. Shopping, we agreed, is something Americans won't readily surrender, and folks who want to conserve gas might happily pay for higher shipping charges as they shop online for needs and wants.

A look at traffic weaving back into Houston also illustrated how hard it is at times to overcome desires for "normalcy," or to change habits that are hard to break. Despite a 115-degree heat index, people - entire families - were willing to go without potable water and power to be near their property. I can tell you this, though - I doubt that many day traders will be in that traffic, because they won't be able to trade unless they've achieved some powers I don't know about. Additionally, while brick-and-mortar business owners might be anxious to reopen, they'll serve a diminished clientele for a few weeks, maybe months or years. As the geese fly east along Gulf Coast Cajun country, hopes for a profitable retail season diminish further.

If you've ever lost everything you own, then you know that life doesn't look the same, ever. It takes some time to walk into a renewed life without anger and fear and with confidence and hope. One side affect is that television commercials seem trivial, and gift-giving is usually put on hold. Unfortunately, hurricane season isn't over. It ends during the last week of November, well into the retail season. But, whether the holidays will be muted by dollar problems or by a change of mindset is the question. When I asked my daughter what she wanted for the holidays, she paused and said, "I wanted blah-blah-blah, but why don't you save that money or give it to someone who needs it." Of course, I won't do that. My daughter deserves to be pampered. But, I'll add her suggestion as a second gift to her this year.

The bottom line: if you feel basically unaffected by this season's storms, then seek a way to avoid portfolio/financial/tax losses with gas conservation, creative thought, and donations. Additionally, if you remain unaware about how the price of gas and how storm effects will alter retail and service industries in this country, think about the costs of shipping, stocking, and replacing and housing entire work forces. Which markets are booming or diminishing because of these storms? How will weather changes affect recovery? How will this country survive next year's hurricane season?

If you're a visionary, your thoughts might translate into bottled water, construction, entertainment industries. With the upcoming threat of a natural gas hike, people who want to or who need to conserve will purchase more sweaters, socks, and blankets, so you might be interested in textile or clothing markets. When you research any of these investment opportunities and more, dig deep to discover whether your picks suffered losses this year and how they seek to overcome them. Look hard at the CEO's, managers, and boards for these companies as well. Finally, even if this country experiences a muted "retail season," I hope that the holiday season of giving continues to thrive.

Until Next Week,
Linda Goin