how many people do you personally know that have been devastated by the economy?
 

devastated meaning one or more of 1) lost a full time job 2) lost a business 3) lost their home 4) bankruptcy as a direct result of the current economic problems

friends, family members only

None....

Directly, one good friend who lost his job, and can't find work and can't even get an interview. He was a corporate controller with a degree in accounting.

He claims to have applied everywhere around SW Michigan, including parts of Northern Indiana as well. He said he can't even get an interview even though he dropped his salary requirement from $60K+ down to mid 30's. He has had 3 interviews in 8 months.

While I do not know them personally, I have interviewed countless models (typically 75-100 contact me per week) and many of those have lost jobs, can't find work, whatever. The count I do not know, but I would say it's around 10-20% who claim that or have some hard luck story.

Others hate their jobs, but they are not unemployed or can't find work.

None at all.

none. I only know one lady who got asked if she wanted to retire early for some pretty good money.

i know a lot :)

No one really comes to mind.

Although, you could say my girlfriend. 26 years old, graduated with a top degree with honors in July from one of the best Universities in the UK. There is next to no jobs in her field now due to the financial crisis. Her lecturers told her before leaving she might have to ask companies to allow her to work 1-2 days per week for free to get a foot in the door and show what she can do.

Good job we moved to another European country and I set her up earning some money online and she can just enjoy the sunshine for now.

I cannot think of anyone that has been devastated. I do know of a couple that lost their jobs but are not that unhappy about it as they simply enrolled in college. The President fixed it so that one can draw unemployment for up to three years...increased grants and student loans...so they are living reasonably well while attending college.

No one at all

I should have said "draw unemployment" while attending school...which one could not in the past.

There are a number of people that I personally know have been affected by the downturn. My neighbors both the husband and wife lost their jobs. They go out looking for work almost daily.
My neighbor across the street took a leave of absence for a surgery, when he returned after his doctor released him, the company told him his job was reclassified from a $16+ per hour position to a minimum wage job.
In my own situation, I went from an 80,000 per year corporate IT job to nothing. I had cancer surgery, and came back from my surgery with limited duties. My employer gave me my 10 year watch in a ceremony, then took me to another room where they explained I was being released. Because I had not been fully released to work, the company fought tooth and nail to keep me from drawing unemployment.

I know two people that have totally lost their jobs..one in the States, one here in the UK..then just about every person I know has had the company they work for do a 'wobbly' and make them fear for their jobs. Usually because a ton of other people have been laid off in the company.

ME. I sold my house to start a business, that should have made me rich, but instead went down the toilet because of the decline in the porn market. I started an H.I.V. clinic in Prague, catering to the porn community. There were lots of clients in the beginning, life was good. Then the economy slowed, & the dollar dropped. Americans couldn't afford to come here anymore to shoot. I lost my house, (which was paid for), my business, my life savings, EVERYTHING.

:Oh crap

I know a few, I know plenty who are cutting back but thats normal in a recession.
Duke

I know lots of people in Latvia who have been completely fucked by the crisis........ but everyone I know in the US is fine.

None. Glad to say that.

one of my best friends just filed bankruptcy because of the economy. She's a beautician and people are just not getting their hair or nails done as much as they did before. She can't get new clients even though she's an awesome professional because in Miami things are very tough.

no one comes to mind...

Not one single person, i havent even heard of any friends of friends

Only person I dont know is my sister and father
Brother runs a group home, state keep cutting funding for taken care of adult crack babies
Few big bank people selling off stuff like never before to stay up.
Only thing for me is my house is upside down and about to sale it.
All my real estate clients in the last 4 years keep calling me crying or talking about walking away, some did and some moved out of Cali to east, thinking they can save money.

No one directly related.

:Oh crap

I know a couple....

I know a few that have had to make major cut backs, but not totally devastated

I only have 1 friend hurting really bad, but its more because he had colon cancer than the economy and even though he has excellent insurance its just about wiped them out.

A few. The hardest hit were a couple in the real estate business. He was in construction, she was a Realtor. When the housing bubble collapsed, they had too many eggs in one basket.. and got slammed. They had to short sell one of their houses in California for $350,000. Their cost was $550,000.

None. I'm from Canada if it matters.

None. I know a mason who got fewer jobs, and an accountant who went freelance, but no one that is devastated.

Actually, 2009 was my best year ever(3d animation).

I can't think of any. My area was not hit by the housing crisis and my state is one of the top 10 states in the country, financially, right now.

I have a few friends who are in the same boat, the new construction biz here have gone right down the drain. :Oh crap Real estate has started to recover here form what I have been told. My G/F dad sold his company (something to do with medical stuff) lost quite a bit with the stock market. I hope things turn around soon.

None....

None actually.

Nope, not in my area, actually job availability is rising in my area, but I guess that shit happens when you have IBM setting up shop in your town, and bringing a thousand extra jobs with them.

have a friend who started a successful agri-business selling pigfeed a couple of years back. With the swine flu, and hard economy, the pork market has gone in the dumps. Producers are limiting spending, thus the market for expensive feed additives has taken a huge dive. Took a good business and this whole swinefly scare ran the guy completely bankrupt. Had to go back to working construction just to cover his expenses. Never know when shit might take a wild swing on you and leave you out on your ass :2 cents:

Mutt what was that program and or plugin you posted maybe a year back that made cutting say a car from a background with great ease?

pretty sure it was you who posted it.

One of my closest friend is a Pilot with a lot of hours. He can't find any steady work.

so you all are saying that business as usual none of you got afected by the economy because I have seen hundreds of webmasters gone and content sale is donw because webmasters are hurt.

Probably somewhere between 30-50 people. If you live in the US (and not in your mom's basement like a hermit) you are full of shit if you don't know anyone who's lost a job.

probably the worst sample of people to ask. relatively comfortable people who sit in front of a computer a day tend to be somewhat disconnected from the larger society.

Brother in law was a fla architect - lost everything, including his home.

neighbor was a fla real estate speculator - one of those guys who buys houses and tried to build a rental empire - lost everything, crushed with debt, trying to do a bankruptcy.

I sense a fla theme.

Got a friend who lost everything in portland oregon - also in the real estate biz. He is apparently stil holding onto his personal house, but is holding a huge debt and tax probs.

Another friend who bought two extra houses in las vagas - lost one, is losing the other.

Lots of other stories.

I am in Vancouver, nobody I know so far has gone under. However we are hosting the Olympics in 2010 so there are billions going into the economy.

The hangover will start here in April I assume.

Friends who own business' say business is down 20% but people are hanging on.
Our housing prices dropped max 20% and it still climbed last year while the US was sinking... but overall people all say they have less money....I assume cause of their House ATM machine are not worth what it use to be :)