Freefall Economy

The public is facing an economic crisis not seen since the depression. The Unemployment rate continues to rise with companies downsizing or closing their doors completely. With the loss of jobs and any means of gainful employment the foreclosure rate is reaching an all time high. The news continues to get worse with more layoffs daily.
Where does the consumer turn to make the hard earned dollar stretch to meet the basic needs in times of trouble? Retails stores have felt the pinch of consumer worry with decreased sales and lackluster holiday shopping turnout. A county can get votes to fund a new stadium for the fans professional football team but lacks the votes for funding for county law enforcement officers to work the jail. Smaller fire stations have rolled up the hoses with lack of funding putting the residents at risk with longer response times from overloaded stations.
The juggling act continues as the retail establishments struggle with labor costs while trying to keep the customers serviced. The corporate restaurants have scaled back workers and then struggle to provide adequate service once a small surge of business comes in the door. The corporate programmed manager avoids the hostess area of disgruntled customers that are waiting up front while the restaurant sits half empty. The corporate manager hides in the kitchen or smokes in the office acting to busy to deal with the customers while the understaffed underage hostess takes the burdens of the frustrated patrons on herself.
Newspapers and magazines are closing the printing presses due to a lack of advertising dollars for print publications. With each step forward in new technology an outdated product and workers fall to the wayside. With advancement in time management and increase in efficiency another industry suffers. The trickle down has occurred and turned into an out of control freefall. The worker loses his job. Unemployment rises, credit tightens as the banks stop lending. New car sales plummet as inventories sit on over crowded lots. Casual dining establishments suffers as consumers wise up and stop paying twenty five dollars for a bottle of six dollar wine. Unemployed workers struggle to find work in an ever increasing pool of laid off talent. The government bailouts continue to put a band aid on a temporary solution with no plans for a common sense resolution. The talk continues as nothing new is said in a sea of desperate news. Meanwhile while a desperate situation can turn into an opportunity, a slick talking salesman awaits to take your hard earned money with promises of unlimited income from your new business opportunity, buyer beware.