The Ashvegas open thread: Survival mode

8 Comments

1. 

   Miss Daisy January 7, 2009

   I don’t know if I’d call it survival mode yet, but a return to simplicity and frugality ain’t all bad. I do feel for the folks who are hurting.

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2. 

   A-She-VIlle January 6, 2009

   dean, how are things at da biltmo? maybe squeezin’ in a urban garden on the estate?

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3. 

   Dean January 6, 2009

   I, for one, work in a business where the economic health matters. Business is down, and it’s not looking like it’ll get better any time soon.

   Thank god my spouse has a recession proof job (medicine) otherwise, it could get very, very weird at Chateau Loco.

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4. 

   Looking for trouble January 6, 2009

   Stop crying and live your life. Most of us in Asheville are Middle Class. If you are one of the few that bought the biggest SUV out there or got an Interest Only loan I can’t help you and I hope you will learn from your mistake. Throw the credit cards out. If you have to charge it, you can’t afford it. Period!

   As for the rest of us. If you went to college and graduated you have no worries if you lose your job. You can be moulded into something in the workforce. BUT, if you did not go to college or at least learned a trade in past years your out of luck. I recommend you move to larger city with more options and do it now before everybody else does.

   Just a thought.

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5. 

   Ash January 6, 2009

   Gordon, you’re right — do we as a people and a government face challenging times by playing scared, or by confronting our problems creatively?

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6. 

   Ash January 6, 2009

   Jenny, i think the Hub project is still alive. it exists more as a set of goals to achieve, i think. but there’s still a Hub board and all that, i believe.

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7. 

   Jenny Graves January 6, 2009

   While on the subject of our local economy….whatever happened to the Hub project that we heard so much about 3-4 years ago? Is it still active or shut down like a lot of other initiatives? Did anything come of it or was it just another pipe dream and waste of money for WNC taxpayers?

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8. 

   Gordon Smith January 6, 2009

   I heard a good analogy last night to describe the current economic situation:

   We’re all on a big ocean liner, and the engines have stalled. The boat is still moving through the water, but it won’t be long before we come to a standstill.

   These next three months are a great time to refinance any loans you have and sock away some cash.

   I’m growing a private counseling practice and looking at how our city can best weather the coming storm. It looks to me like the efforts made toward sustainability – economic, environmental, and social – will help Asheville, but the economic crisis may move our city leaders to panic and cut back on vital features of sustainability like the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness, Public Transportation, etc.

   This is the time to bolster and strengthen those programs that help our municipality get through tough times like this.

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