How has the global economy affected you?

***gerbick*** · 01-31-2009, 08:12 PM

They recently let 10 people go, a major contract for us had it's budget split in half, and my two other projects lost 6 and 8 weeks respectively due to budget concerns from the client.

However, I'm still busy...

What about you all? Just curious.

**jAQUAN** · 01-31-2009, 08:24 PM

Three very successful clients have gone from being dead set on a complete redesign to being reduced to piece meal additions and changes. The last quarter of 2008 was almost completely dry.

**Genesis F5** · 01-31-2009, 08:34 PM

Almost exactly what jAQUAN said, especially about the last quarter of 08.

Now that we have a little free time, let's use it and work together to come up with that next million dollar idea.

***gerbick*** · 01-31-2009, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by Genesis F5

Now that we have a little free time, let's use it and work together to come up with that next million dollar idea.

You may jest... however that's closer to what I have in mind.

**flashpipe1** · 02-04-2009, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by gerbick

You may jest... however that's closer to what I have in mind.

need some sort of brainstorming "collective" out there...a "safe" place to throw out ideas and figure out obstacles and combine talents...

**WannaBe_80z** · 02-04-2009, 11:32 AM

Would be cool to have a social website dedicated to project ideas. Live text/audio/video chat, a space both people could see and draw on in real time, a forum type message board for ideas that come to mind when you aren't in live meetings, and able to upload images/CAD drawings to some sort of project vault. Other ideas too but I'm not making it so...one of you get on that

**flashpipe1** · 02-04-2009, 12:06 PM

been playing a little on http://www.fixdit.com but that's mostly design improvements...sort of a clunky site to get around too...always something like Basecamp...

**jAQUAN** · 02-04-2009, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by flashpipe1

need some sort of brainstorming "collective" out there...a "safe" place to throw out ideas and figure out obstacles and combine talents...

Every single addition and comment would need to automatically include an enforceable NDA to prevent idea theft. I've got tons of idea that I simply wont share with anyone.

**flashpipe1** · 02-04-2009, 04:08 PM

absolutely...each idea would have to be the "property" of the owner until a group was created to develop it and then a contract would be needed to address rights, percentages, etc...
but, there are lots of ideas i have that are feasible, i just don't have the back-end skills needed, would like to bounce them off others, develop, refine, etc...

**Genesis F5** · 01-31-2009, 09:03 PM

Oh, believe me when I say I have actually given it some serious thought. There certainly isn't a lack of areas that need improving, that's for sure, but new IPs escape me.

**Asclepeos** · 01-31-2009, 09:21 PM

Things are definitely tighter. The person sitting immediately across from me was supposedly let go - but I think management spinned it differently. as to not affect morale.

Client is looking for 'safe' and cheap work - and I am now supposedly both a backend and frontend programmer.

**atRax** · 01-31-2009, 09:41 PM

Riots in China, Iceland, Latvia and Bulgaria, France, Greece just didn't stop and is taking all over Europe.

Every assumption underlying the creation of a bond, its value as a “store of value and wealth” and repayment is NOW FALSE . Corporate and consumer income, government income, tax receipts, cash flow, level of business activity, asset values, future business, profitability and every qualifying metric used for borrowing are now significantly LESS. In most cases it WILL NOT recover for many years, if not a decade from now. And government stimulus activity will DELAY any recovery in income for years. Therefore, the expectations for repayment are considerably diminished.

These banks are representative of the problem they all face: INSOLVENCY

Cumulatively, these banks are LOSING somewhere north of $100 billion a WEEK on their portfolios. If forced to access the credit markets, they couldn't do so unless the GOVERNMENTS of these respective banks GUARANTEED the borrowings in sum the public at large.

Of course, this is one more screw job of the public while the shareholders, unsecured bondholders and management get a free pass and it is in one word: DESPICABLE. The American public is the patsy.

They hang up cause they know its their fault.

Now One giant company at a time will collapse until they print more money that will lead to more depth and finally new world order...

**creativeinsomnia** · 01-31-2009, 10:19 PM

From a work perspective, I have never been busier. Both freelance and full time. I'm lucky in that respect.

On the flip side of things, I want to move to a nicer house, but cannot because we cant sell our house in this horrible market. So we're stuck.

**PAlexC** · 01-31-2009, 11:37 PM

It's actually helping us out. As staffing and training budgets tighten more gets outsourced, and live training gets replaced with online. We get a lot of consultants that do live training who's clients ask for e-learning solutions.

**MikeInkJunior** · 01-31-2009, 11:58 PM

I find that rent is constantly going up in my City no matter where I am looking.

**flashpipe1** · 02-03-2009, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by PAlexC

It's actually helping us out. As staffing and training budgets tighten more gets outsourced, and live training gets replaced with online. We get a lot of consultants that do live training who's clients ask for e-learning solutions.

I'm in the same boat as PAlexC. Companies are looking to cut back stand-up training and travel, so they're switching to more e-learning. We do work for several companies that have done massive layoffs and then come to us with more work...but, I know that, as companies continue to cut back, advertising will be hit and then training...in any form...

Right now I'm taking every freelance job I can get as I'm doing everything I can to get myself out of debt...my own little contribution to the state of debt in the US...finally watching every dollar I spend, saving everywhere I can and hoping the rest of the country, corporations and the government realize that it's the ONLY way to fix things...I refuse to just print more money and think that will fix things...oh, yeah, and it's illegal for me to do it...but NOT for the government?? hmmm...

Still wondering why my tax dollars going to the Citibank bail out aren't credited towards my debt with them...

As far as the housing market, I may be in a divorce situation and my wife wants us to fix the house up and sell it, but I think we're better off with one of us refinancing, buying the other one out and only needing to buy one house...it's a good time to buy and refinance...a terrible time to sell...

**lefteyewilly** · 02-01-2009, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by creativeinsomnia

From a work perspective, I have never been busier. Both freelance and full time. I'm lucky in that respect.

On the flip side of things, I want to move to a nicer house, but cannot because we cant sell our house in this horrible market. So we're stuck.

**WannaBe_80z** · 02-01-2009, 12:28 AM

I had to move back to my home town for the next 4 months because Burlington had no job offerings unless I wanted to work in fast food...no thank you.

I will hopefully have a few more galleries and be in contact with a few more "pros" before trying to move back up the end of May so I can start off on a better foot.

Yay the US government.

**Happy Pixel** · 02-01-2009, 02:25 AM

As of right now we are not allowed overtime hours but I'm sure that will all change once spring hits. Winter is always the slowest time for us.

**Frets** · 02-01-2009, 04:10 PM

I'm waiting for FL to chime in on this one or even TGLC

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