Sharky I liked your post, you have a light-hearted outlook on things. I haven't spent much time out of the US, but I can say one thing that might help keep things in perspective. From what I've read and conversed about anyway and from my experience here in the US, driving from state to state here is like driving from country to country in Europe. However it is interesting looking at the weather reports lately, the provinces in Canada look huge. Anyway my point is that even if people cut back in the US, they still have to get to work 30 - 60 miles away. People are hurting.