off topic, Unemployment?

I have this little theory that many people who are laid off right now are running through business ideas in their heads, some are putting them together and making them profitable, and many others are still getting there.
It's not hibernating, laying low and slow waiting for things to improve, but rather making things come together for their own businesses, i like to think of it as HYPERNATING.....
just my little idea
(ps, patent pending on "hypernating")

zeemang, the tough thing for a lot of Americans is they live and work in company towns where a major business supplies many key jobs. Like in Detroit with the cars. Generations of family members work these jobs. And work hard. The company becomes the institution and the workers get "institutionalized" and cannot cope upon losing what was once a guaranteed job in their father's day.

There is not a family history or example of exploration beyond the company fence. No real thought about some other way to work that does not involve a boss or person to report to. This is a huge mental block to get over and few of these affected people have the initiative to strike out on their own. They have no idea what to do or how to do it. So they sit and get depressed and hope things will get better. Most times they do. But not always and maybe not this time as with Detroit.

The classic entrepreneur generally springs from a family of independent thinkers, the self-worker. This does not mean the institutionalized worker cannot work hard or be very good at his job. It only means he has no idea how to create his own institution.

OT

OT,
I agree, it is ingrained in alot of people that "that's just the way it's done". Alot of people really do have trouble with the idea of certain risk VS uncertain return.
Your idea a few posts back about converting a bus and doing onsite automotive work was great! I knew a guy in CO who did something really similar, he would go and do oil changes at wherever the customer wanted, at work, at home....
On a lighter note for those unemployed computer code guys: If anyone out there can come up with a good application for a phone called
" Beach cut predictor " i'd be willing to pay a decent price for it.

zeemang, when I look around all I see are things that could be done to make money. Most involve hands-on craft work because I'm an old-fashioned guy. An example for an idea I had as a young person was making custom fancy paddle fan replacement blades for all the overhead fans we have here in Florida. Maybe match a home's existing decor or do something exotic with laminations or pierced flourishes. Stuff like I do now on my wooden boats.

My sister put herself through school making wall decorations of metal and wood fish swimming in schools. Art work for sure, but work more of the artisan and not the fine artist. At one time she was backed up for months taking orders after her work was seen in some nice island houses and shown on local TV in the late 70s.

Or a person could drive the elderly to hospital and doctor's appointment. Make trips to their local airport hauling business or vacation customers who don't want to leave a car at the airport lot.

It goes on and on.

OT