Reply #10: It's good to talk to old folks, alot of them know and remember

[MADem]

Anyone in their 80's has clear memories of growing up during the depression. The lucky ones had a wage earner in the family who had a city, county or state job--didn't matter what they did, from picking up trash or ashes to janitorial work, if ya had a job like that, at least you could make the rent. Anyone else was at the mercy of their employer, and when it got truly desperate, they'd fire people in a heartbeat, even if they were doing a good job, to hire someone willing to work for less. That was the era of "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." Back then, they had hoboes, now we have homeless...same deal, really.