The shape of things to come...

toward everywhere else:

Feb. 26 (Bloomberg) -- In California’s Contra Costa County, 40,000 families are applying for just 350 affordable-housing vouchers. Church-operated pantries are running out of food....

......The worst financial crisis in seven decades is forcing thousands of previously middle-income workers to seek social services, overwhelming local agencies, clinics and nonprofits. Each month 16,000 people, including many who were making $60,000 to $100,000 annually just a few years ago, fill four county offices requesting financial, medical or food assistance.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=as3PyDwm...

Fortune Favors the Bold

I know for an absolute fact that the reporting of crime is politically influenced.

However, having lived here my whole life, i can say without a doubt, the relative safety of the streets (not counting cops, who i consider the biggest threat) is about as high as its ever been.

I bitch about my taxes...house is 1154sq ft with full basement..its duel zoned and our taxes are high almost 600 a year...but the taxes where y'all are at..omg...I'd have to put hubbys kidneys on ebay to pay it...(hates taxes)
Freedom is another way to God...A corrupt government is a straight way to hell.

Fortune Favors the Bold

happened at the YMCA in summer.

Now, I agree with your assesment, there's been alot of businesses shutting down in the area.

I think though, in general the crime rate is much, much lower then it was only ten years ago.

My place remains under the shadow of local government.

I am stuck here because my wife is from Elizabeth. So I am in Elizabeth now for about 4 years and my property taxes have gone up for a 1800 sq. ft. home from $5800 to $7300 in just under 3 years. I take the PATH train from Newark into Manhattan and have noticed there are less people on trains. I applied for a gun permit last month and they told me it will take up to 6 months to get the permit when law says 30 days to permit or deny my application. I am from Ohio where you can go to a gun show and pick up a gun right there. I can't buy ammo without the permit either and the price has at least doubled in the past year. It is pretty scary in downtown Elizabeth. My taxes are low because of the terminal A revenues from Newark airport go to Elizabeth, FedEx/ UPS is in in Elizabeth and we get Port Newark/Elizabeth taxes. But Jersey Gardens mall and IKEA have like a 15 year tax abatement. Now that Corzine "suspended" property tax rebates based on income which is unconstitutional. There is no end in site to the tax hikes. I drove to Philly last week and saw 14 State Police in 80 miles on the NJ Turnpike. The tolls have gone up like 25%. It costs $8 to go in NYC but the MTA/ Port Authority is raising tolls and train fares this summer.

Remind me again why I want to stay and work here or in NYC? ARGH!

I live in Hudson County and, like you mentioned, it's pretty bad here too. Many tenants are being evicted from the waterfront high rises and business both large and small has come to a near standstill. Last Saturday, I walked around Jersey City and was amazed to see how lifeless the city had become.

The job market in North Jersey has become quite dismal. All the layoffs in the NYC finance sector have forced people to take positions such as cab drivers and food service employees. Software engineers are now working as office clerks or bartenders. People who still have jobs are counting their blessings right now, but are fearing for the worst. This fear compounds the negative economic effect on an already phony service-sector economy because nobody wants to eat out or buy anything not absolutely necessary for their day to day survival.

You had mentioned that you had difficulty finding work at your local A & P and that's probably because they hired someone with an MBA from Seton Hall or Princeton. Sadly, there's nothing on the horizon that suggests that anything will turn around anytime soon.

I'm thinking about heading west.

believe the amount of available office space and vacant buildings and that was 6+ months ago! While there, I visited Essex County, and my home town of Orange was like a burned-out war zone. Again that was 6 months, so I can only imagine the state of affairs now. NJ is a beautiful state, but this situation is changing the entire geography and demographics everywhere, especially in a state that employs many New York workers, now unemployed with no discretionary capital. My brother is a teacher in East Hanover, and he tells me of the changes going on there. Very sad situation for the very hard working people there who struggle at the best of times to pay all of the horrible taxes and deal with the terrible traffic. Hang in there.

with us. I have a neighbor I've been trying to wake up. Ugh! Her house is paid for so she thinks she's safe, no way. Our house values just dropped but the taxes went up 5%. We live in a good area and I understand that the town is in debt and the school district and of course the state. No way will I be able to keep my home even if it is paid for. You might start a flea market in your area charge a small fee for table set ups and do it on the week ends. Good luck to you, count your blessing at times like these you will be surprised it does help.

called yesterday saying this is the first time in his life he has not been able to make his house payment. Trouble is things will get worse as the Bad Guys have it planned that way.

While you have time on your hands get to investigating alternative currencies such as open barter, IthacaHours, etc. When the FED denies our government cash we'll need something to conduct business with.

We can recreate ourselves and what we do. There is no better way to prosperity than by being creative whether in product or service development as well as in marketing. There are a lot of people out there that have jobs, have money and are looking for new products and services. Let go of the old ways and build a new future for yourselves and all of us. We've been pushing my old business model and income in inching upwards even as we see major retail businesses collapse.

It looks to me that there is 1 job opening in Verona. (Sorry, couldn't resist)

If you have a truck, then start canvasing local businesses to create a recycle route. Only a suggestion...

...the police are just minutes away!
Yes, fend for yourself. Very sad about the dead clerk. I am "lucky"...I'm working at WalMart for very little pay....but at least it's something. They've cut back everyone's hours over the past couple months to boot...I am a few weeks away from not being able to pay my mortgage or bills. Not really sure what we're gonna do, as we've got "stuff" for sale, but nobody's buying. Anybody need a Dodge diesel pickup?

------------------
BC
'No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffused and Virtue is preserved. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauched in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders.'
-- Samuel Adams (letter to James Warren, 4 November 1775)

Give up and walk away...is what THEY want.

If you are planning on surrendering please post your doom scenarios elsewhere.

There are hundreds of thousands of young people in uniform who need us to bring the truth to the world so they can COME HOME.

The shape of things to come is a world ruled by peace.

Hold that in your heart and see what happens.

the new america was fend for yourself. We'd be out of this problem in no time.