economic depression

[Evan Young]

every day the DJI closes lower. Today it closed down 678 points, and that's after a federal interest rate cut. It has dropped a thousand points a week for the last couple weeks. It looks like we might be heading for the next great depression.

How is our industry going to take this?



p.s. don't vote republican

[roughtoughcreampuf]

Mmmmyes. I never saw +17,000 dollars leave me so quickly then it did over 3 days in the DowJones.

[Lee Nelson]

Evan
I live in Iceland. Almost everyone I know has just lost everything they own. Foreign currency is no longer available.
I cant even afford to buy a plane ticket off this island anymore.
Somehow I dont feel like street performing. But I might have to for food soon. Even though there is snow on the ground.
Every single one of my contracts has cancelled.
Every body that owes me money for work done in the past month are uncontactable.
I would say that in the short term recession/depression is very bad for our business.
I hope that in the long term it is gonna be OK.
People still need to laugh. They might not pay us as much for the privlidge though. To be honest I would be happy if I could just keep doing my job.
My wife was telling me to go get a job in Subway today.
I said no.
As a man watching your worst case scenarios currently happen, I will give this bit of advice for free.

The people that are really losing out are the people that are exposed in any way to speculation. Bonds. Stocks. That sort of thing. Basically gambling.

Take your money out now. Money in hand that isnt growing is better than money that just disappears.
Iceland is the first to go but it wont be the last.

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

I keep everything tied up in long term debt myself.

[Jim]

Iceland is the first to go but it wont be the last.

Lee,

All that stuff I keep reading about Iceland is really scary. I'm glad to hear your spirits are still up. But I think you're right... it's foreshadowing for what is going to hit the rest of the world very soon.

I just finished canning 45 quarts of tomatoes.

[Frisbee]

i think the opposite, in a time of economic crisis people need more entertainment to forget about lifes problems if even for a short time. you may see your hats go down or maybe need to adjust fees to reflect the market of where you live, but I think more people will be looking for that escape.

look at the movie industry, ticket sales are still going up.

maybe people will not take that lavish half way around the world trip and stay more locally, so instead of catering to tourists, maybe we will cater to more locals staying home looking for something relatively inexpensive to do.
and 5-10-20$ drop in the hat is cheaper than the baggage fees.

If you are not in the stock market now it may be a good time soon to look at getting in, as it goes lower you can buy stocks and bonds etc and when it does go back up, which it will, you will be in a good place.

[Schuyler]

I realize that I'm a youngun', but didn't vaudeville flourish during the depression? I've always thought of economic decline as a period when entertainers suddenly have a leg up.

[Evan Young]

the stock market crash was 1929, but the full swing of the depression didn't hit until a few years after that, about the time when vaudeville was noticeably on it's way out.

consumers will still buy entertainment, but we don't work for consumers (except street performing). We work for city sponsored festivals, corporate events, and colleges. City budgets will be cut as tax revenues decrease. Corporations will cut spending to make up for slower profits and growth. Colleges will have lower alumni donations, and cut entertainment budgets.

I'm not sure what will happen to summer camp and renaissance festival budgets.

[jesus]

Uh Oh

Lee,
I think its all my fault.
I turned Byron on to a December festival in Galveston Texas and Hurricain Ike wipes out the city.
I hook you up for an Iceland tour and Iceland collapses.
I guess when I am done doing my show I wont become an agent!

Please keep smiling Lee. It is the ability to laugh in the face of uncetainty that truely makes us human.
But you know that.

[Butterfly Man]

Anyone need pig meat?

Uh, but didn't Martin post some thread back in 2001 about a spaceman named John Titor (or something like that) that says the US economy collapses etc. and that everyone carries his own water...etc..

I betcha Martin orchestrated this debacle ... all from China... anyone notice that only the Hong Kong index is rising? ... hmmm.

[Butterfly Man]

be prepared

1. Do not eat or use products from any animal that is fed and eats parts of its own dead.
2. Do not kiss or have intimate relations with anyone you do not know.
3. Learn basic sanitation and water purification.
4. Be comfortable around firearms. Learn to shoot and clean a gun.
5. Get a good first aid kit and learn to use it.
6. Find 5 people within 100 miles that you trust with your life and stay in contact with them.
7. Get a copy of the US Constitution and read it.
8. Eat less.
9. Get a bicycle and two sets of spare tires. Ride it 10 miles a week.
10. Consider what you would bring with you if you had to leave your home in 10 min. and never return.

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

And Also:

1) Keep an old pair of sneakers, preferably Converse Chuck Taylors, strapped to your head at all times.

2) Deadbolt your fridge and washing machine.

3) Collect Fireflies, mail them to Iceland.

4) Ask Jim for Tomatoes, and spell check.

5) Get the fucking five club juggle down, you never needed it like you will soon.

Disclaimer: Why lie, #5 is just fallback advice I've been giving myself for years.

[roughtoughcreampuf]

This is some really ace advice

[Rachel Peters]

6) watch "Mosquito Coast" and memorize all of Harrison Ford's lines. Live by them.

"Life is crooked, Mother. I wanted straight lines. 90 degree angles. Then you cut yourself opening a can of tuna and you die."
-- Mosquito Coast

[jesus]

the truth is out there

Can't "we" take anything seriously?