All I know is that my heart goes out to people like my parents whose business will probably fold after 50 years, and all of their money is tied up in it. They've managed to survive every other recession, but it doesn't look like they'll survive this one. They live in Rockford, Illinois, a city with a lot of machinist companies (not sure what to call them), including theirs (a drillhead company). They've cut their employees from 30 to 8 and all have taken drastic cuts in pay and hours. I know the recession has hurt them, but from what I understand, most of it is because customers are taking their business overseas or are buying from overseas businesses rather than the U.S. ones and the U.S. ones can't compete. My mom said on Sunday that it's really scarey to drive around town and see the large number of companies that have closed, ones that have been around for years, like their own. She said companies are filing bankruptcy right and left, far more than in past years.

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Communication is the key.