I live in a very small rural area. Our main employer in this county is the local paper mill, where my husband works. Many many of the men and women in this and surrounding counties work at this paper mill. They just announced a major lay off. My husbands department cut 43 employees...my husband was 44th on the hire list...if they make any more cuts, he will be gone. I am sorry for the men and women who were cut, and I do not mind telling you that I am scared. This will bring this area to its knees economically. There is nothing else here...a few convenient stores and eating establishments...what I don't understand, the whole nation, most of the world actually, is stressing and yet gas prices are on the rise, food and clothing prices...everything and yet more and more people are jobless...who is going to bail us out? Nobody! What are we all going to do??

I hope for the best for you an your family, Greenize. I agree that it is quite ridiculous that fuel prices are on the rise. I believe that was the proverbial straw in the breaking of our economy's back, last year.

I know things were beginning to get tough, but, when fuel prices tripled, everyone's disposable income went straight to their cars' fuel tanks and out the exhaust. They, then, had no money to buy 'stuff'. When people stop buying 'stuff', the economy comes to a screaching halt. That's what happened to the automakers. People stopped buying cars. That's what happened to Circuit City. People stopped buying toys. I could be wrong, but it seems kinda obvious to me.

I'm no economist, but, it seems we are being pushed deeper into the abyss, by the resurgence of fuel prices.

This is what I was afraid of, it's just continously getting worse, whilst Wall St is seeing an increase, banks are laughing joyfully in there grotesquness.

While regular people are bein squeezed shtlssly till their eyes are near popping out!

Gas is a mystery why it's going up. I'm sorry but I don't see why Obama thinks things are looking up. When companies like you've mentioned are failing miserably.

My County depends solely on the Distribution Centers, and Plastic Makers- Sterilite, Dart. They stopped hiring a few months ago, and now they are laying off people, if not closing down entirely. It hit this town like no one saw coming.

Turn on the tv, stocks are up.

i believe that the companies are getting out while the gettings good. their out sourcing every thing that they can before we tighten up and start recovering and paying off bills. sorry to hear about your situation and my prayers go out too everyone having this problem. my wife and i managed to payoff all the bills we had except for our house, and we been stocking up just incase the plant where i work decides to pull the same stunt it is our contract year for our union. i hope all goes well if not i'll be prepared at least.

There's a ATS member who frequents the market Min thread

(my bad , cant rem his name) his sig says it best

something to this effect...

"The Last Thing a Falling Empire Does , Is Loot the Treasurey"