Bloody Monday

I know its been a post-heavy day, but holy geez. Today, as in just this 1 day, there were 71,000 job cuts announced. They're calling it Bloody Monday. Deere & Co, the world's top farm-equipment maker, said it would cut nearly 700 jobs between factories in Brazil and Iowa. As in, where my father and other family members have worked their whole lives. He's an old timer, which makes me worry that he may be at risk for 'early retirement.' Surviving the Deere layoffs of the 1980s was brutal, but this is scary. Caterpillar, where Mark's grandpa worked, provides the pension that his 90 year old grandmother survives on, and they too are getting hit hard. Mark is on the job market for next fall and the universities he has applied to keep announcing hiring freezes. I know more than one person without work at all or in danger of being there very soon. If you could, please take a moment to stop and send good thoughts or prayers that our economy turns around soon.

Debbie Downer, signing off.