So who here is recession proof?

[Lukipela]

So our office has a meeting on Wednesday to discuss how many of the 300 people getting booted will be from our branch. I'm sort of safe until the end of May, but there's a lot of people in trouble. This got me thinking about you guys. The recession is supposed to be global right. Surely there are other people here who are facing this? Or am I the only one with a job that's connected to the global economy?

[Dragon]

We (here in South Africa) seem to be pretty far removed from it all - I wouldn't say recession proof though.  Fortunately the government (when it's not making an ass of itself*) is pumping money into big infrastructural projects** for the 2010 soccer world cup which is keeping people in jobs which stabalises the economy.  It also helps that the banks weren't invested in the dodgy instruments which caused it all.

* by denying the Dalai Lama a visa because China said so.
** actually we ran out of cement.  How does a country run out of cement?  Now we're importing it form Spain or somewhere non-obvious.

[Cedric6014]

Like-wise NZ is a bit more insulated from the madness as again our banks were semi-independent from the bad lending.

However, since our economy is export dependent, we’re still feeling the pinch.

For me, since I’m the only person in New Zealand who does my job, and since every country needs one of me (to adhere to an international convention) I think I’m safe employment-wise.

However the value of my house has probably dropped.

Also, my partner and I are scheduled to get married and honeymoon overseas for 2 and a half months. In a cruel paradox, the NZ dollar has slumped against the US dollar, as even when the US economy tanks, people still by up their dollar in bulk and abandon the NZ dollar. So we’ll have a LOT less to spend overseas now.

[Rider]

Apparently my country-mates are noticing the recession, but I'm not personally. I'm still getting my social security check every month for the same amount. So unless stores go and up their prices I should be fine

[Scott_Irving]

I'm good near as I can tell were getting more work.. stuff gets more valuable to people so they want security.

[Eth]

For me, since I’m the only person in New Zealand who does my job, and since every country needs one of me (to adhere to an international convention)

Give us a hint.  Pleeease?

I'm pretty secure in my job at the moment.  I have almost a decade of seniority, so there would have to be a lot of lay-offs before I found myself on the chopping block.  On the other hand, I have every intention of quitting my job and heading out on a new career path in the next few months, so that's a bit scary.

[Lukipela]

** actually we ran out of cement.  How does a country run out of cement?  Now we're importing it form Spain or somewhere non-obvious.

If I've learned anything, it's that the cement business is a crazy business. I've a friend who works in one. he told me that during the boom, they got screwed over because their analysts predicted much smaller consmuption of cement. So when they signed their yearly contracts the price was pretty low. Then demand really grew, and the price of raw material went up. So they were running their factories at full blast but selling every ton at a loss. And then, just as they were starting to get ahead, the economy tanked and no one wanted cement. Weird business.

Like-wise NZ is a bit more insulated from the madness as again our banks were semi-independent from the bad lending.

However, since our economy is export dependent, we’re still feeling the pinch.

Finland is pretty much in the same situation. Our banks are fairly all right, but no one wants to buy our stuff any more. And when you work for  company that designs factories for people, that really hurts your business. No new factories or upgrades to old ones equals trouble.

Apparently my country-mates are noticing the recession, but I'm not personally. I'm still getting my social security check every month for the same amount. So unless stores go and up their prices I should be fine

Just you wait, the inflation will get you.

nice to hear that Scott and Eth are pretty safe though, and seconding Eth's demand to know what it is Cedric does. I can't eve begin to guess.

[Bleeding Star]

Being in academia, I'm somewhat insulated, but not much. I won't lose my job, but my contract is up soon so I'll have to find another one soon anyway. Ireland is completely fucked, but I'm looking everywhere and the situation is pretty grim worldwide. Maybe I'll do another postdoc...

[Lukipela]

Yeah, I figured you and  Zeracles might be pretty well insulated within your ivory towers. Hopefully you'll find new work somewhere though, even in the midst of the world going all crazy. it still amazes me how quickly all this has happened. A little bit over a year ago, my union was striking due to low wages, claiming that since our field needed at least another 1000 people the pay grade would have to rise. Now every company is laying people off left and right.

[Dabir]

State-funded schooling and my parents being in specialised jobs means that my family looks safe enough, and I hope to see the economic crisis safely through by spending more than ever. Yay money!

[Lukipela]

Darn kids. Riding out the recession like it's nobodies business. Oh well, at least that royal money of your has turned a lot cheaper.

[Bleeding Star]

Oh well, at least that royal money of your has turned a lot cheaper.

Yeah, it's awesome. Makes holidaying in the UK a lot more attractive. The gummint here isn't exactly happy with people nicking across the the border for cheap groceries though. Where do Finns go for cheap shopping and hookers? Russia?

[Eth]

  Yeah, because the first thing that comes to mind when I think "Russia" is "shopping!"

[Lukipela]

Yeah, it's awesome. Makes holidaying in the UK a lot more attractive. The gummint here isn't exactly happy with people nicking across the the border for cheap groceries though. Where do Finns go for cheap shopping and hookers? Russia?

Russia is cheap, but the quality of what you buy really isn't guaranteed. Fortunately the scandinavian peseta has dropped quite a bit more recently, meaning that we can go on shopping sprees in Sweden. Not as much as the pound, but close to 15% is still good. Well, unless you've been fired anyway. my company just fired around a hundred (out of a thousand) and put around 200 on "permittering", which essentially means they get to go on unpaid leave for a while.

[Zeracles]

We're not there yet, but we'll probably dip into a mild recession before long. Our banks are mostly fine but China's not as interested as it used to be in the stuff we dig out of the ground.

On the other hand, I have every intention of quitting my job and heading out on a new career path in the next few months, so that's a bit scary.

Maybe it'd be safer to switch to part time for a bit rather than giving it away altogether?

As for me, I should be okay. Apart from my studies, I doubt people will stop learning physics . . . actually, I think I read somewhere there was a desperate shortage of physicists, especially teachers at secondary level here, so there should be that to fall back on. I did notice my superannuation take a bit of a hit, but at this stage of life I'm not too concerned.

The government here is throwing money at people they think will spend it, which includes me, socialism to the rescue! When things are going well again we'll all forget this uncomfortable state of affairs though.

Fortunately the scandinavian peseta has dropped quite a bit more recently, meaning that we can go on shopping sprees in Sweden.

So winning a Nobel prize doesn't pay what it used to, time to shelve all our brilliant ideas (like how to fix the economy) for another day, I guess.