Armageddon is the final battle, in the bible, between good and evil.
Most survivlaists believe that there will be one event in the near future that will destroy our nation and the people
who are not prepared.
That is not my belief. I believe that the recent downturn in the economy is the beginning of what I call a "creeping
Armageddon" where people who lose their jobs will either find work with pay and hours that are below their
previous job or who will not find re-employment at all.
In this Survival Guide creeping Armageddon refers to people who have been downsized or lost their job during the current
downturn (recession). They may have exhausted their unemployment benefits, had their home reposessed, and are now homeless.
If they are homeless they may be living under plastic sheets, in shelters, in tents, cardboard boxes or their cars.
Most of the people who lost their jobs will get new jobs when the curent downturn ends and the economy returns to normal.
However, not everyone will be able to find employment. Some will find part time employment and, without sufficient
hours, they will not qualify for medical benefits. Other's will be permanently unable to find any employment.
If you are among the following groups you may not find a job and you may be among the permanently unemployed
and homeless.
Those who are too old for the average corporation to hire. Those whose job skills are no longer needed, for example,
those whose jobs have been out sourced to foreign countries. People whose skills were marginal before they
were laid off and now must compete with better qualified people.
If you are an older person do not believe that Social Security will save you. Social Security is expected to be
out of money by 2035 or sooner. The current downturn is having a negative effect on the incoming money in the Social
Security Trust fund. The trust fund is sending out more money than it is receiving from those who still have jobs.
Fewer people are working for less money. Those who are 62 + and unemployed are retireing now instead of later.
Those who are 62 + and employed are retireing later.
Will the government bail out Social Security like they are bailing out rich bankers today. Don't bet your future
on it.
If your job was sent to a foreign country will it return to the good old US of A? Not unless the rate of pay is
equal to or less than the foreign worker.
If your job skills were marginal can you find a job if you upgrade your job skills. At best, maybe.
Only if you choose to upgrade in needed areas. Many people who upgrade their skills do so for the job market that
is in existance today. When they graduate two or three years later the job maket in their area is saturated and they may
not be able to get a job.
The current and past administrations have understated the magnitude of the homless situation. Those who have lost
their jobs and have exhausted their unemployment benefits will join the thousands who were homeless before the economic
downturn.
Creeping Armageddon is already here if you are among those who were downsized. Downsized is a nice word for
laid off. If you were
downsized or laid off you are unemployed. Unless you find employment you face the threat of becoming homeless.
Homeless does not have to be that threatening if you prepare for it now. You can prepare for homlessness now and
reduce its impact.