$(document).ready( function () { talk_rendercallback({"enabled":"0","islive":"0","eid":5615,"total":"193","discussion":[{"nm":"Alison","rs":"0","ms":"I am so moved by Jeff\'s plight and other thoughtful and caring comments.  There are no words for the insensitive ones. How great it would be if Frontline followed these people and also did a program on how people in this situation turned their lives around.  The one solution I heard from this program was from the seminary student.  His words reverberate in my mind daily. "God gives us the capacity..."  That man ministered to me.  Right now I\'m mad at God, however, because there doesn\'t seem to be an answer. I want to say to some that I don\'t think any of the people who came into Deborah\'s Hair Salon that day paid for their hair to be done.  I\'m sure the cost was picked up by Frontline.  I\'m grateful to each one of them for sharing their stories.  Mine is similar.  One commenter asked where the money went. I started practicing psychotherapy just when managed care started limiting patient\'s benefits.  Nonetheless, I was successful. I put my money in tech stocks and knew when to withdraw it.  Instead of withdrawing it online, as I didn\'t quite trust my computer skills, I called the large New England company that held my stocks.  The salesman on the phone convinced me, at 58, that my few hundred thousand dollars would "destablize the hedge funds," and that I had a responsibility to everyone else who was in the funds as well as myself not to withdraw any money.  I was naive and foolish enough to listen to him.  I lost my life savings.  I continued to work and save, but I knew I needed to do something to secure my retirement.  Vulnerable, I attended real estate investment meetings with hundreds of others. Testimonies were given by kids without my education.  I wrongly concluded I could be successful, too.  I wasn\'t.  I lost everything again trying to save 3 properties. I believe in paying my bills and did until I no longer could. I had to move out of state to move in with family. I live on $300 a month after social security pays for insurances. For 3 years, I\'ve looked for work unsuccessfully. I am trying to start my own business writing online continuing education courses for other licensees. Almost every profession requires CE courses for license renewal. It is an opportunity for experts who are writers to start a business for a few hundred dollars.  The downside is that it can take months and months to become a CE provider as approval has to come from government professional boards.  I have been waiting for 3 months and can wait for many more, only to learn I\'m not accepted.  I pray about my daily disappointment in not hearing anything. I wait and wait.  As the theologian suggested, "God, give me the capacity and the knowledge to bear this." I feel like a waste of education and talent.  If I could brainstorm with people or offer anything else free, I would do it. If I knew how to start a foundation that offered other people in need $500 to $3,000 a month, I would do it. I simply don\'t know how. I\'ve been brought to my knees. Thanks to Frontline for this program. Please have more like it. It was very helpful to me. ","pt":"Nov 16, 2009 00:21"},{"nm":"Gary P.","rs":"0","ms":"Thank you all for sharing with the rest of the country.  I felt like crying numerous times during the show.  These are hard-working, responsible people who got ground-up in the financial holocaust of the last year.  Good luck to you all! Keep your same work ethic and standards and I know we will all find a way out of this downturn.","pt":"Nov 15, 2009 22:02"},{"nm":"Yoni B","rs":"0","ms":"I listened intently to Robert\'s story and fought back tears because it was as though I was listening to my own story.  1 year and 2 days ago, on a crisp November morning, I lost my job when my company, a large commercial construction firm, lost 120 million dollars of expected project revenue when banks froze credit.  I wasn\'t expecting it, and was in such a state of shock from the episode that when I couldn\'t even bring myself to pack my desk.  I calmly closed my laptop, straightened out my papers, and pulled my blackberry out of my pocket, leaving everything in an orderly stack on my desk, as if to even show thanks.  I visited some coworkers\' work stations, not to inform them that I had been laid off, but to casually show a smile, a wink, and gratitude...all an illusion just to walk out with my head up.  I got into my car, turned it on, and had no idea where I was going to drive.  My boss was gracious enough to tell me that I could stay at the office for as long as I needed and that i use the day however I felt most appropriate, but as with everyone else who had been let go that day, I knew that the best thing would be for me to leave and not stick around.  \n\nAfter driving around disoriented, trying to figure out what had just happened and how I would proceed to the next step, I arrived home at around 4 in the afternoon to find my wife, 8 months pregnant with our second child at the time, sitting in the office working on the computer.  "Hey" she welcomed me jubilantly, "What are you doing home so early?" "I didn\'t answer but sat down next to her, looked her in the eye and confidently said "I\'ve been laid off, but we\'re going to be ok, I promise."  I didn\'t believe what I was saying, but my only focus was keeping my wife stable in her pregnancy and maintaining a strong persona for my family\'s sake.  "On Sunday, I will start an aggressive job search and in the meantime, until I find something, I will keep the house clean, do the laundry, bathe Ariel (our oldest son), and do everything that you would do while I work so that you can relax in your last month of pregnancy."  She cried for an instant, but when she saw the confidence on my face and heard my continued assurance that we were going to be fine, she stopped and perked up. "Good." she said "You will find a better job.  I didn\'t like that company anyway."  Her strength and support at that very moment was a milestone point in our marriage where for the first time all day, I didn\'t feel alone and scared.  In in truth, I was sure that I would find a job quickly, after all, with my Brown University economics degree and the fact that I had always been sought after by employers, how hard will it be if I make a concerted effort to find a job.\n\nWell over the course of the next few months, I found just how hard it could be.  Having send in hundres, if not over 1000 resumes, filled my schedule with networking meetings and events from morning until night, even buying new suits which I was wearing almost every day to these meetings and events, and applying to position after position for which I would write a detailed cover letter and customize my resume.  Each job application was a focused effort, a time consuming assignment, and only one of the many tasks which I would perform on a daily basis.\n\nA year after I lost my job, I am consulting on a part time basis, I have interviewed for positions all over the country and am always on of hundreds of candidates.  ","pt":"Nov 15, 2009 17:57"},{"nm":"Savannah in Florida","rs":"0","ms":"The lack of compassion for fellow Americans, lack of patriotism, anger, and blame is astounding!  Wake up America!  Our politicians (both parties) sold us out with their greed, long terms, political "back room deals" and not having to live within the constraints of the average American.  Federal employees are allowed to have private pensions & not required to pay into SS, so there is no personal investment. \n\nPaper money in Washington does not require Congress to spend within the same budgets we do. It doesn\'t matter how great a program is, if the money is not there, we should not be borrowing from China to subsidize our Federal debt!  The ramifications of this act alone should be obvious!  Jobs were sent overseas with NAFTA & because labor became more expensive than product to be competitive in the US. Unions supported by politicians for votes gave them benefits far beyond most Americans. Unions had a place in history, but times have changed and competition should rule. There are many laws in place to protect workers that were not available when unions were first created. They are more about politics than rights now, and the leaders benefit the most. The buggy manufactures went under with the development of the first automobile if the companies did not have the insight to keep up with new technology. The car manufactures that have fought advances for cheaper operating US autos should have to face the music, and let those who are more competitive, with an eye on helping the consumer run a more efficient vehicle, prevail. This is the American way; NOT the government bailing out greedy companies at the expense of the taxpayer who is struggling to survive! \n\nThe housing industry problems are not all about the sub-prime loans, but the irony is that those loans are STILL alive and well through FANNIE MAE & FREDDIE MAC. Why do people who cannot afford to buy homes still get 103% financing?  Many loans in Florida in foreclosure are because the market took a dive and the value is half the purchase price even with a 20% + vested amount. We don\'t qualify for any government assistance because the homes are too upside down, yet many people are losing their savings placed in their primary homes, can\'t sell them due to the downturn in the price, and many jobs have been lost. Middle class Americans are becoming homeless and don\'t qualify for Federal assistance like food stamps and subsidized housing because they are not part of the "system"!  There also is a profound sense of embarrassment, pride, and failure that prevents them from reaching out for help. Let\'s have compassion, it could be any of us! \n\nMany middle class Americas in trouble are not people who lived beyond their means. Please, let\'s band together as Americans, not turn against one another!  Political parties and special interests divide us, we actually have many common bonds that are worth fighting for no matter what our color, background, education, or neighborhood. Direct the anger where it belongs ... toward the politicians who seek to divide us, rather than unify us!  Demand they place the same restraints on spending taxpayer dollars as they force on those struggling taxpayers who have paid taxes for years!","pt":"Nov 14, 2009 13:11"},{"nm":"Ron ","rs":"0","ms":"Thank You Frontline for getting the pulse on was is happening to America at this time. Can you also do a follow up on this program. Only this time interview people in rural america or in some of\nthe cities and areas that have the highest unemployment rates.\n\nThank You","pt":"Nov 14, 2009 12:41"},{"nm":"Netspin","rs":"0","ms":"First, again, thanks to PBS and Frontline for the jewels of reality they bring to us amidst a sea of cacophonous media blather.\n\nMy habit to look for Frontline has been essential to revitalizing my truth of the world.  "Close to Home" is a fantastic expose of the city New Yorker at their most level selves.  A must for the yokels in the U.S. south and southwest who view "city slickers" as a distrustful, isolated, arrogant lot who shun the "down-home" and the savor of neighborliness.   Thanks, also, to those who appeared in the documentary for their generosity to share their stories with an open, candid and sincere expression - a catharsis and model for us all.  It makes me proud to know I drove a yellow cab and got my masters degree in Electrical Engineering there.  It wasn\'t long after that the US consumer electronics manufacturing industry moved offshore.  But the city life had also taught me how to cope.  There I learned that I could learn.","pt":"Nov 13, 2009 19:22"},{"nm":"Kate","rs":"0","ms":"There is a lot here, but I\'d like to correct a couple of posters on one point: a haircut at Deborah\'s doesn\'t cost anywhere near $200.  It\'s $70.  When I lost my apartment on the UES to a fire several years ago, Deborah cut my hair for free while I got myself sorted.  Her clients are not all whiny rich people.  Lots of us work hard in the City, pursuing whatever dreams led us to the City in the first place.  We live within our means.  I don\'t condone the massage on the credit card with $200K in debt, either.  \nBut if you lose your job, and cannot find another, your means pretty much vanish, so it gets very hard to live within nothing.  Four weeks of NYS unemployment don\'t even cover the avergae NYC rent, much less buy any groceries.\nPeace.","pt":"Nov 13, 2009 18:05"},{"nm":"Vincent","rs":"0","ms":"I LOVED this special. Great job as always by this Director and by FRONTLINE overall! When will this air again??","pt":"Nov 13, 2009 17:26"},{"nm":"Heather","rs":"0","ms":"oh please, these people can\'t be hurting too much if they\'re still getting their hair done at a salon.","pt":"Nov 13, 2009 16:48"},{"nm":"Scott Farnsworth","rs":"0","ms":"As many of my peers, I too have the "luxury" of viewing on line the many interesting, true and sad details of my fellow americans. Having fought in Viet Nam and returned with visions of grandeur, my life did not turn the way I had hoped. The reality is I have been married three times and have seemed to find in my wife Kathleen, my soulmate. Have been in Sales all of my adult life and am currently unemployed. My hair is not long enough nor the program I have just watched prepared for my long stories. I will tell you my wife is a flight attendant with Northwest/Delta for 29 years. She is good at her job, and though the changes in the industry are difficult for her to adjust, she remains positive and his in continuous possession of "good letters" from many of the people that she accomodates on a daily basis. I on the other hand fight with daily depression at 60 years old and wonder when or where the next break for us will come. We have not had a vacation in 10 years and she constantly picks up extra trips to pay bills. The unemployment will run out and I don\'t sleep at night much thinking about what is to come. I believe that the chair that Deborah allows those to sit in is advantageous to those clients regardless of their situations. I hope she is able to continue her psychology of Hair, as I know my stylist helps me when I vent.","pt":"Nov 13, 2009 13:45"},{"nm":"Shun","rs":"0","ms":"Most Americans have been living way beyond their means for a very long time. Now the day of reckoning has come. Hopefully this painful economic downturn will change their prespective about life and living within one\'s mean.","pt":"Nov 12, 2009 17:54"},{"nm":"Mark Carrier","rs":"0","ms":"I found your reporting to be very interesting and I can be feel empathy for there situations. I am 53 years old have no house, I rent an apartment I have no savings no retirement money.  I have was completely depressed for 2 to 3 years lost track of time.  I am now more satisfied and happy than I ever had been.  I see in your story that people are living in the world of how could this happen and how things should be, the perfect recipe for suffering, worry and fear.  There is no doubt that unregulated, greedy use of money and the again the idea every one "should" have a house and this and that, and the use/practice of going into debt to purchase "something" has caused the problems.  I hope they will be able to learn that the present condition is a time for reflection to evaluate and take care of the things that really matter and I pray they teach there children properly or the situation will only keep repeating itself. \ngreat reporting         \nMark ","pt":"Nov 12, 2009 13:06"},{"nm":"Vic","rs":"0","ms":"interesting in the show they get high end haircuts, notice the salon is getting delivered lunch, eating pizza, etc, etc. coffee shop owner lady is giggling she\'s paying for the haircut on credit, but they have 200K cc debt.\ni guess this is the denial phase.\n\nas well, selling her porche was worse than a divorce? her love is worth less than a car?\ninteresting people. guess because they had easy lives. they don\'t understand, don\'t want to, what is yet to come.","pt":"Nov 11, 2009 22:03"},{"nm":"John V","rs":"0","ms":"Thanks to Frontline for this episode and also for maintaining this comment area. I\'ve spent the last several hours viewing it and reading others thoughts. I don\'t have much to add on-topic.\n\nBut I did want to reply to Ben Moss, about "establishing a legal entity for a new business, to keep the debt out of your name" .... I established an LLC about four years ago for my wireless Internet service startup. I spoke to several banks about loans, they all said that it was only possible to borrow money if I secured it with my personal signature. Furthermore, they didn\'t provide loans for "small amounts" (only for more than $200,000) my best bet was to use credit cards.\n\nAt that point, it becomes a choice between taking a chance (and "personal" debt), or doing nothing.  ","pt":"Nov 11, 2009 01:01"},{"nm":"GinaLola","rs":"0","ms":"Wow.  Tough crowd here.  \n\nOur country, in so many ways, is going through a \'correction.\'  It will NEVER be back to where it was.  The jobs will not come back.  To survive, people like these in the show, must get out of the headlights and make incredibly drastic changes--and take chances---like never before---to survive.\n\nCompassion and understanding.  Advice and direction.  We must realize we will have to deal with our growing unemployed population for many, many years to come.","pt":"Nov 10, 2009 00:15"},{"nm":"Peter Ford","rs":"0","ms":"I love many of the comments i have read. As a New Yorker and person who knows the daily economic demands of people living in this City, the center of the American economy, the stories are somewhat tame. People have fallen from much higher to much lower in recent months, but would never be caught on camera for the world to see. As I am traveling through Europe this month, I have realized that America has become the World\'s consumer, and despite the judgement and ideological contempt, the world has become very dependent on this role of America. Our consumption (and by extention our credit card debt) is our greatest export. While others look on with surprise and acymony, the streets of Venice, real estate in Barcelona, and rents in Hong Kong have all paid the for the interest penalty. This credit party is a world party, at least the upper East Side has (had) the fun of spending along the way. It is reserved for the few, while all will pay the bill.","pt":"Nov  9, 2009 19:52"},{"nm":"Tim","rs":"0","ms":"I watch Frontline all the time and watch programs that I have missed via the PBS website.  I believe this story from this NY salon is one of the best!  One of things I noticed is that Frontline did not offer solutions or feature people offering solutions on our economic problems.  The only parameter that they imposed on this piece was that they featured individuals who have run into varying degrees of econonmice hardship due to the recession.  They have left it those watching the program to make up their own mind about it.  And it as sparked may interesting issues of individual personal responsibly, to the harships of finding a new job or maintaining a business in one of the worst recessions in 70 years. It has sparked a discussion of self esteem, the pros and cons of our economy and even the social contract between the people and the government, the powerful, or very wealthy.  Judging by the verasity of the many well reasoned comments both pro and con about this piece, which originates from observations from a hair solon, it is a masterpiece in my book!","pt":"Nov  9, 2009 01:46"},{"nm":"Jo","rs":"0","ms":"I didn\'t find this episode particularly sad... it\'s hard for me to feel sympathy for people who frequent an upscale hair salon when those of us who live in the \'real world\' (read: NOT in the upper East Side of NYC) have to go to a MagiCuts or SuperCuts or get our friends to cut our hair in hard times.  NYC is a real departure from the rest of North America, and I\'ve never connected with people who pay the rents they do, make the salaries they do and live the lives they do.  It\'s high time they start realizing that a cheap haircut is $10 like the rest of us.","pt":"Nov  8, 2009 22:38"},{"nm":"J.C. Tripp","rs":"0","ms":"This is not some tragic accident, this is a rigged system that has stolen the lives and livelihoods of hard working, honest Americans. The American Dream has been hi-jacked by financial crooks who have walked away with billions and are licking their chops at the carcass that remains. Our politicians are part of the problem, more concerned about re-election or their next gig on K Street than their constituents. What was a solid economy, based on making things, has been gutted to be a mere illusion. No real wealth is created by shuffling numbers and we are now predominately a nation of number shifters. What happened? How did we get here? Where are we going? One certainty is that the entire system we counted on and believed in is obsolete and un-responsive to human needs. Some sort of revolution has to happen, a complete paradigm shift. We put our faith in a system that is morally bankrupt. Only we can take it back.","pt":"Nov  8, 2009 18:46"},{"nm":"Ben Moss","rs":"0","ms":"Sorry, but some people in this film are stupid and/or naive.\n- if you start a business you need to found a independent legal entity. so in case the business plan doesn\'t work out, only the company will go bancrupt and you don\'t end up with all the debts\n- it was widely known and in the news (at least in europe) for some years that the real estate market in the US is overheated and a bubble. it\'s not smart then to buy a home with a loan that you know, might not be possible to afford. \n- if your short on money, you need to cut back on expenses not necessarily needed and not keep on spending heavily on credit cards.\n","pt":"Nov  8, 2009 17:46"},{"nm":"SH","rs":"0","ms":"I am wondering if the show edited out the people who are able to manage this economic down turn. I believe there are people who were living within their means before the recession. What I don\'t understand is if you don\'t have money to pay off your debts, what are you doing going for massage and hair cut?  LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS is something that we need to teach to everyone. Everyone gets hurt in this economic down turn, but if we make an effort to live within our means then the pain will be a lot less.     ","pt":"Nov  7, 2009 18:55"},{"nm":"Dan","rs":"0","ms":"Interesting perspectives in the comments. \n\nThe people in the documentary all seemed like deer caught in headlights. What baffles me is how one can make it to age ~50+, in a successful career, without learning to live beneath your means and save for a rainy day. No wonder the credit markets collapsed. \n\nI\'ve always thought that $200 hair cuts, Porsches, and Upper East Side homes were for people that could pay for such things out of pocket. It seems these people got used to living a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle, long after they no longer had to. Increases in income just meant increases in lifestyle and spending. \n\nInstead of working hard to save up, these people have been working hard to pay off the money they have already spent. It is NOT surprising that high-income people who have financed their entire lifestyle would be hard-hit by a recession. A $250,000 income is a lot harder to replace than a $30k income. There are only so many of those jobs out there. If you\'re earning $250k and all of it is spoken for, when anything goes wrong, the momentum of your crash could be pretty bad. It is a bitter irony that the HR exec probably could have been comfortably retired by now if he had lived in a smaller house with a cheaper car, etc. He could take part-time work or start his own shop or whatever, but those options are useless if it still means going bankrupt.\n\nThere should be a documentary showing where all the money earned over all those decades was spent by these successful people who now have so little to show for it. It would be a valuable lesson to younger workers and recent graduates.","pt":"Nov  7, 2009 16:28"},{"nm":"Francisco","rs":"0","ms":"I\'ve lived in 2 countries in Europe for over 10 years, top and down in the scale, Germany and Spain. People here have problems of their own, a house bubble in Spain, job cuts in Germany, but everything seems to be hitting in a plausible, recoverable fashion. What appeal me is the Credit Card craze of the Americans. You actually use them, maybe because you don\'t have another option. The core of the problem there may be that, your options are resumed to what the banks can say. They ultimately are not your family, your boss, your friends, etc. The atomization of the family nucleus in America, leaving most of you people with the sole lifeline of your almighty nation-wide bank network credit, is a big part of your problem. Shrink! Go live near your family! don\'t choose the most apart college. Support your local business, and foremost, do the most American thing: reinvent yourself!","pt":"Nov  7, 2009 04:38"},{"nm":"Laura A","rs":"0","ms":"I found this episode of Frontline to be particularly sad.  I found some of the comments made regarding this episode to be even sadder.  It is amazing to me that so many folks have swallowed the lie that corporate America is responsible for the downfall of the economy.  True, there has been an amount of corporate greed.  But, it\'s the politicians and members of government who have set the stage for our current economic condition.  They are responsible for setting foreign trade policy, regulating the value of our currency, taxation and regulating federal debt.  We are a nation in debt!  Our currency is failing because the past administration and the current administration have both adopted policies which weaken the dollar!  The current administration is in the process of mandating one of the largest taxation policies on manufacturing and industry this nation has ever seen!  Our current foreign trade policies have stripped our landscape of manufacturing - a vital source of employment in this country.  It is time to stop making excuses for one political party or the other.  It is time to stop looking to our government for expensive hand-outs (like "free" healthcare).  It is time to stop making excuses for an administration which insists on taking expensive vacations while unemployment continues to climb!  It is time to demand that representatives of this nation work for their paychecks!  Payoff the national debt!  Strenghten our dollar!  Bring jobs back to America!  Lower taxes for small business so jobs will be created in communities across America.  Get your hands out of our pockets!!!! ","pt":"Nov  7, 2009 00:39"},{"nm":"Cool Hand Fluke","rs":"0","ms":"Pure and simple Darwinism.  To hear these people belly ache about how bad it is made me feel much better.  Suck it up.  If today you only spent 3 hours looking for a job then tomorrow you better spend 4 or 5.  Forget what is beneath you cause to be honest the guy pushing a broom ever day at a McJob is above you just by he simple fact that he is doing something.  I can\'t make a payment on my house but oh jeeze...I really need this haircut.\n\nAll this episode highlighted was a bunch of whining people with their heads so far in rectal defilade and so out of touch with reality that they can\'t cope.\n\nBRAVO!!!!!","pt":"Nov  6, 2009 14:25"},{"nm":"Antonio","rs":"0","ms":"I am upset that this Economic Crash happened at all, to any of us.  As a person from a lower class than  what these folks were a year ago, its disturbing to see that at any time the rug can be pulled out from under every class economically, except the elite of course.  I am glad to see that most of these individuals seem educated, and thus seem to have been able to avoid the temptation that an Uncomfortably large percentage of our population has done and begun using veiled racism to blame it on our new administration.  Its too common that when higher-class citizens (often whites) are finally exploited and thrown into debt by BANKS, HEALTH CARE, CORPORATE LAY-OFFS, CORPORATE GREED, and so on (like Minorities and Foreigners ALWAYS have) they need to find a scape goat, to justify their delusions of Ethnic Elitism that has been categorically upheld in the History of our Country.  Including all of our BOOM and BUST cycles.   Maybe this time we learn something. ","pt":"Nov  6, 2009 11:53"},{"nm":"Paul","rs":"0","ms":"I\'ve never posted something like this before. I felt I needed to. I am a compassionate and empathetic person and can\'t find much of either for most of the people interviewed in this high class hair salon. I realize we all come from our own perspective and what we\'re used to, I realize that loosing $100 to these upper class folk is like me loosing $10. I don\'t doubt they\'re worried, afraid and have their problems. It\'s hard to feel sorry for people who\'s idea of "cutting back" is having fewer massages or getting their coffee at home instead of Starbucks. Maybe they\'ll learn to appreciate more of what they really NEED and less of what they\'ve had to keep up with the neighbors or some overly indulgent lifestyle. They need to get real and see REAL people with REAL issues of poverty and not having enough. ","pt":"Nov  6, 2009 10:12"},{"nm":"Richie","rs":"0","ms":"Don\'t worry everything is going to be fine....dows is up to almost 10,000 and we have nothing to worry about cause the gov\'t will take care of all of us....and the inflation to come....\n\nhopefully you note the sarcasm","pt":"Nov  5, 2009 13:12"},{"nm":"\"Retired\" Ranger John in California","rs":"0","ms":"Some of the younger folks have made some pretty harsh statements, especially Bill from Calif and "john" who posted late on October 31st who thinks that baby boomers are at fault.  I\'m a baby boomer and I can tell you I have never been a part of a "ruling class."  I\'m married and live in a resort community in a region primarly made up of public lands, mostly federal.  I worked for an agency that managed a large portion of those lands.  These lands include some of the most heavily visited recreation areas in the U.S.  They are a large portion of the reason the U.S. has a trade surplus in tourism as people from other countries appreciate our public land system more than most Americans do and visiting them is one of the most important reasons they come here.  \n\nI worked my way through college, with some assistance from my parents. I then qualified for the higher paying jobs in the federal agency I chose to work for.  Compared with private industry jobs involving our level of responsibility and skill we didn\'t make very much.  I took a lot of crap from the public as anyone does when working with people.  I was dedicated and very hard working.  I worked several thousands of hours of uncompensated overtime to provide the services that the land and the people using it needed.  I passed up jobs in private industry as I wanted to serve the public.  I risked my life fighting wildland fires, performing law enforcement, on routine patrol, and being out in locations and weather conditions that most folks would not fathom being in.  I had four very close calls with fatal circumstances.  I did a great job.  The motto for my life is "I have very little money but my experiences have been priceless."  However, there is an often used statement in our business:  "Sunsets don\'t pay the mortgage."  \n\nI had a fairly good financial plan in place and had planned to work a higher paying, management desk job near the end of my career to increase my pension.  I had more than enough qualifications to obtain a promotion.  I lived within my means and only purchased three cars in my life, two of which I\'m still using now. Anything extra I\'ve purchased such as cars and even a large portion of the down payment for my current home, came from firefighting overtime. I was only in debt for one of the cars for 18 months and for a mortgage. I knew I could pay off the house before retirement, a large benefit for anyone. Then life threw my a curve ball, more like a fastball hitting my head. Some folks with no moral standards purposely brought evil to me.  The result was Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This resulted in financial blow number one, the loss of my first marriage and the double income we enjoyed. I had to pay my wife for the half of the assets I was keeping (house, furnishings, etc.)  11 years after the trauma, in spite of being treated for the PTSD a major illness hit.  I lost cognitive function and the ability to withstand both the stress of my very stressful job and the trauma.  I had married again and my wife and lived on a double income.  She is just as frugal as I am and we did not come close to being in debt.  My PTSD and the related major illnesses resulted in an early retirement, before 25 years of service and prior to reaching 55 years of age, and a large reduction in my annuity. Financial blow #2 which includes a huge amount of money to cover medical co-payments.  Also included are years of psychological treatment for the PTSD, most of which has been ineffective.  My wife and I could not figure out how we could retire following this blow.  \n\nNow this year we had major financial blow #3.  My wife was laid off, forced to take an early retirement, for a job she had with our small town government.  She is a hard, dedicated worker also.  She worked in the tourism and recreation department of the town. Retirement is not at all likely for the rest of our lives now.  We paid off the house when I had to retire, but this left us with very little savings.  We saved at least 10% of our income during our double income days by being very financially conservative.  If we had a mortgage to pay we would be looking at foreclosure right now.  Our freezer has no meat in it. We are eating meals that cost as little as 75 cents per person.  We have canceled all memberships with various organizations and no longer give to charitable causes, which had been at a level of about 5% + of our income for many years. We are caring for two elderly people, a dear friend and my mother. We are just barely making it financially in the short term, but more health costs, major repairs to our cars (I do the less than major repairs), or a major expense for our house will put us in the red very quickly.  Our planning and conservative approach to spending over a couple of decades is the reason we are surviving.  \n\nSince progress has been made on my PTSD treatment and the major illnesses behind me I have applied for 19 jobs and been turned down for all of them.  I have a lot of training and experience supervising people in difficult field conditions and as a crew boss of wildland fire crews.  I am used to working hard, physically and mentally, in tough conditions "doing more with less."  There is a huge age discrimination factor in the resort community we live in.  Some managers seem to be reluctant to hire someone with more supervision training/experience than they have.  some dislike the agency I worked for.  Some think I\'m overqualified.  Most want youthful people in their businesses.  I\'m 58 and don\'t fit the bill. \n\nMy point in this long message is that stuff happens and if you smugly deny that it could not happen to you, that your plan B will get you through anything you may be in for a surprise.  John, you may not be able to hand drywall due to an illness, an accident, or the more likely scenario of decreasing demand for drywall work. As for the gentlemen who blames the baby boomers for all of the world\'s ills, many baby boomers expressed the same sentiments about our parent\'s generation. The problem with this is that once a generation takes over it has a tough challenge doing better in spite of the youthful cockiness that younger generations always have.  We\'ve done our best and have tried to leave the world in better shape than we found it. Major changes in civil rights, the environment, and health care have been made by the boomers and you are not recognizing that. We aren\'t done trying either.       ","pt":"Nov  5, 2009 02:43"},{"nm":"Gopal Raj Kumar","rs":"0","ms":"You Americans of this generation are a huge disappointment. You were once the beacon of hope and creativity for the rest of the world. You have outsourced all your blue collar jobs to China. You are too timid to now demand those jobs back. \n\nThe tax office does not tax the big end of town. It is the tiny tip of a very large pyramid. They tax the huge working class base with taxes out of their pay packet to pay the nations bills. When that base goes to China you are finished. The big end does not comprise the real resource or revenue base of this country. The workers do.\n\nYour coffee shops, your personal training classes, your hair dressers are all worth nothing if that huge blue collar base is gone. Think you men and women of little faith. No more flat screens, no more imported runners and fancy goods. Your foreign reserves go to China.\n\nLets see how you cope with this one. \n\nGopal  ","pt":"Nov  5, 2009 02:16"},{"nm":"ROY","rs":"0","ms":"According to taxfoundation.org, the following are states whose tax systems are most inhospitable to economic growth, with New York having the second worst rating:  New Jersey, New York, California, Ohio, and Iowa.  New Yorkers have the capacity to change this.  Let your representatives in the New York Legislature and City know that New York can and should return to its past as being the best state in the nation for small business.  Reviving the economy should take precedence over any other state concern.  If action is not taken, this recession will last for many years.  ","pt":"Nov  5, 2009 00:21"},{"nm":"Roger","rs":"0","ms":"Listen! I would like to know where did the money go? 401k were preached from the morning TV programs. The government told everyone we should end SS and invest that money in the stock market. I think they were a bit misleading, don\'t you? All the wealth that was has gone somewhere. 2% of the population in this country already has 98% of the wealth. How did that happen? That may not be a perfectly accurate statement but it is close. The rest of us are in debt. We are not going to have a middle class in this country. It will be the Rich and the working and unworking poor. You don\'t believe me? You can see this all over the world. The ones in power have wealth while others are finding their living from garbage dumps. I guess the reason they are doing that is because they were living beyond there means and got themselves into that position. You who are so confident about your ability to plan ahead and you are doing so well and don\'t understand why others are having a hard time. Things can change for you overnight!  I am sorry but I don\'t think this is the end of everyone\'s troubles. You could have all the money that you would need on Long Island NY. If trucking, or the farmers fail, then your food  stops going to the store. Your life will be turned upside down. That is only one possiblity of many things that can go wrong. We are all dependent on the services being dilivered by millions of other people. Those millions of people need to be paid enough to exist and they need jobs that provide needed services. I really think someone is going to have a huge amount of money in a vault when things come to a stop. I have a plan! Let everyone not owe anyone anything. Stay in your house, cancel all debt and give everyone a fresh start. The ones that have too much money and don\'t need it will likey lose. I guess that plan will never happen because the ones that don\'t need the money are not going to allow that to happen.","pt":"Nov  4, 2009 22:48"},{"nm":"Tavis in Seattle","rs":"0","ms":"When the camera panned on the group of fifty-somethings, I too had a thought:  What a tremendous amount of knowledge to go under-utilized and under-appreciated.  I have to agree with Dr.B in that these folks have so much to give in terms of experience, expertise, and mentorship.\n\nA recent article in the SSIR titled "Great Teachers on the Fast Track" cited that nearly half of the current teachers are expected to retire over the next five to seven years.  We need good teachers, and that\'s what I see when I look at this remarkable group of people.  Best wishes and thank you for sharing your stories and for all that you\'ve done.\n\nI\'m a Gen X-er and I think our generation ought to listen, look, and learn so we are better equipped to face our own challenges.  Generational finger-pointing seems neither useful nor justified.","pt":"Nov  4, 2009 20:52"},{"nm":"Mike","rs":"0","ms":"It\'s amazing that people are coming in to get a haircut when they are having a hard time paying bills and getting a job.  Many people around the world are starving.  How can you complain when you\'re not on the street.  Cut your hair yourself!","pt":"Nov  4, 2009 20:42"},{"nm":"Jeff","rs":"0","ms":"This Frontline episode haunts me. Why? The Upper East Side of Manhattan used to be the most expensive address in the world. Our last decade may have changed that. Reading posts on this show I want to email or call some commenter’s, a few, I would like to argue with as I can show them how the complaints and accusations of rich, pampered babies crying is so unjustified. We are all basically the same. We care for our families. We take the best jobs we can to provide for those we love. We are taught to excel in America. This was a neighborhood of achievers or "winners". Ok, you can be jealous but I believe the point was if the pain in this show was able to occur in that zip code, HOLY MOLY it can happen anywhere! Don’t you negative people understand that these people worked and earned to land in Deborah’s Design. Did all just get born there? Maybe the Porsche Lady but she was crippled by the crash. As a winner two years ago, I may be holding a "work for food sign\' around Christmas. \nI want a forum to talk to some of my fellow unemployed as I sense there is a huge group all struggling with self-esteem issues due to this "recession". I need to reach out as an educated, capable, a great work ethic and a youthful fifty seven, I want ideas as to how to deal with the storm that this Frontline episode only alluded to.\nIs there a place to talk? \nMy storm is almost here, I fear once homeless all is lost.\n","pt":"Nov  4, 2009 18:20"},{"nm":"mesinc@hotmailcom","rs":"0","ms":"I\'m still working, but part time now with no benefits.  My bosses have had pay raises.  I\'m told i\'n "lucky to have a job." I\'m doing the same work as I did as a f ull time worker, which means I work many unpaid hours just to get the work done. My health has deteriorated because of the stress, yet my bosses boast of increased productivity. I and my coworkers can already see the decline in the quality of our product.  We, being in the frontline, are the ones who hear the complaints.  It\'s only a matter of time until out employer goes under, taking us with him.  He, of course, will blame his greedy, ungrateful workers.\n\nWhen I go job hunting, I will NEED a hair cut and atying just to look presentable in an interview.  Hair styling is an essential part of overall appearance; appearance matters in an interview.","pt":"Nov  4, 2009 16:52"},{"nm":"Sixto Acosta Jr","rs":"0","ms":"This was a very good film. I feel really bad for those of us who have lost our jobs, homes, and dignity. If we could only learn from this example. I hope this will never happen again.   ","pt":"Nov  4, 2009 14:31"},{"nm":"Jay Canada","rs":"0","ms":"All. Empires. Fall. ","pt":"Nov  4, 2009 14:01"},{"nm":"Thomas Tuohy","rs":"0","ms":"Not such a great place to illustrate things are tough all over. These people who think they have arrived at personal hardship are having their hair groomed and being personally pampered AS they air their hardships? AWWWWWWW WAAHHHHHHHH WAHHHHHHHH. Those poor poor souls. How can they stand the indignity of not  hiring someone? Or even worse, how can they stand it not fleecing someone else out of their pocket book? I do not feel sorry for anyone whose discretion it is to spend their money at a high price salon/boutique. I\'ll bet they have cell phone plans that can call china and cable or satellite TV bills in the $100s range! They haven\'t reached hardship yet!","pt":"Nov  4, 2009 07:51"},{"nm":"Dominic","rs":"0","ms":"It was a shock to see this kind of complete drivel associated with Frontline. Really, it was such a step down from nearly everything else I have seen Frontling produce. Please return to your real coverage of events in a serious and thoughtful manner.","pt":"Nov  4, 2009 02:17"},{"nm":"Paul","rs":"0","ms":"I think this program could have been better thought out. I don\'t think people from the upper east side of NYC are exactly representative of main street America. Likewise, I don\'t think that housing in Florida is a representative example of housing devaluation (they\'re on the extreme end). The program would have been better if they did some stories on a mix of regular working Joes, in more average parts of the country.","pt":"Nov  4, 2009 01:05"},{"nm":"Vickie","rs":"0","ms":"Thank you for a film that has made me feel a little less alone. I\'ve been unemployed for a year and, money struggles aside, have found the most difficult part to be the endless rejections. They wear down one\'s sense of worth more than the dwindling savings account. While friends continue to thrive in their careers, I fall more and more behind. At this point I don\'t think I can get a job in my field. I\'ve lost my identity and the future I worked so hard for. The loss is excruciating and those with jobs don’t want to hear about it. ","pt":"Nov  3, 2009 23:43"},{"nm":"Kelli Wong","rs":"0","ms":"Please have some compassion.  I have been a self-supporting, responsible adult my whole life.  I left home at 17 because of an abusive and dysfunctional family.  Then 4 years ago, I was nearly wiped out financially when DH got seriously ill with cancer.  We had good insurance but since he was the breadwinner at that time and could not work things went from bad to worse in a hurry. Savings evaporated, credit cards got charged up with basic expenses and I nearly had a nervous breakdown from the stress.  This can happen to anyone.","pt":"Nov  3, 2009 22:38"},{"nm":"Troy","rs":"0","ms":"How many of these people voted for and continue to do so for the very same politicans who brought this on?The cheney/bush regime expermint with the U.S.Treasury send 10 billion dollars a month to a foreign country and see how long it takes to drain the treasury.\nThe Iraq government has a huge surplus with our money.Incredible!","pt":"Nov  3, 2009 22:37"},{"nm":"Caber","rs":"0","ms":"It\'s called living beyond your means, one of the defining characteristics of our disposable American society.","pt":"Nov  3, 2009 22:02"},{"nm":"SSGT. SE","rs":"0","ms":"I recently retired from the military and have been looking for work. Not finding anything makes me feel like the smart thing to do is re-enlist. I know that the military is considered a "safe career" right now but after 5 deployments with the 75th., I really feel like my luck is getting cut short.","pt":"Nov  3, 2009 21:20"},{"nm":"Dr. B in NM","rs":"0","ms":"An afterthought for Bill in CA......and if you reach the point in life when you can\'t physically hang drywall anymore, then you may actually fit into the definition of a "parasite". How shortsided to think you will not be a senior citizen in the future!   \n\nDr. B in NM","pt":"Nov  3, 2009 21:00"},{"nm":"Dr. B in NM","rs":"0","ms":"I felt a need to get back into this discussion. I am the unemployed professor who spent many years training teachers and administrators, for which there is a huge need in this country. Regarding the recent comments by Bill from CA...........I\'d like to know who he classifies as "parasites"....these individuals profiled in the Frontline show were all contributing members of society and paying taxes......some paying very big taxes. It is hard for me to think that anyone not close to 55 years old could really understand the plight some of us are in. At 44, no one really knows what the future will hold.....you may reach the point you will not be physically able to hang drywall. Just a thought.......... I have really enjoyed reading all the supportive comments from all over the country. ","pt":"Nov  3, 2009 20:44"},{"nm":"Jackie","rs":"0","ms":"The real question is, will we learn anything from this?  Greenspan was wrong!  Ayn Rand was wrong!  Reagan was wrong! Friedman was wrong!  They were all wrong, and if we do not adopt European style balance, between capitalism and socialism it will happen again and again.\n\nBut i fear this population has the inability to learn lessons.  And the American psychosis will continue!","pt":"Nov  3, 2009 16:50"},{"nm":"Gina","rs":"0","ms":"Here\'s my random thoughts:  I think it\'s their business if they get their hair styled.  Everyone who commented here has a minimum standard of personal grooming that they will maintain "come hell or high water."   I\'m a "sister-girl" myself and I will tell you this: My hair WILL be maintained.  Plus we all know how important appearance becomes when you are in the job market.  It\'s just a scary time right now. There was a whole lot of money stolen and a whole lot of lying.  I wish there was more being done to expose it and punish the people responsible.  Those SOB on CNBC can kiss my rear end.  Last thought: it doesn\'t matter what color these folks are.  We--Americans--are all in the same boat.  But for the grace of God we\'d be in their situation.  I honesly don\'t know how they managed to hold up so well.  Thanks to Frontline for the show and this forum.  ","pt":"Nov  3, 2009 12:48"},{"nm":"Bill in California","rs":"0","ms":"When the camera panned on the group of 50 somethings, I was immediately struck with this thought: They have no valuable skills. I don\'t mean to be insulting but lets face it, corporations are coldly calculating perfect entities, by perfect I don\'t mean "good" or admirable, just that that is the way they make decisions. These people offer no benefit to the corporate entity anymore. Most of what they do (personel bookeeping) is handled by computers. Look at it this way, in an Eskimo or for that matter any other ancient human society, the price for failure to add more to the community than you consumed was, well, death. We have a country where everyone thinks they are enititled to an executive "white" collar job, and we have relied on importing immigrants to do the dirty work. Now the immigrants are buying our houses for pennies on the dollar! One thing my dad always told me, "you need to have a trade, something to fall back on" now I understand the real implication of the word "trade". It\'s not necessarily a synonym for "skill" It\'s a trade, because nobody is gonna give you a free ride, you must have something to TRADE. Now at 44 years old, after 15 years as a Construction superintendant,(preceded by 6 years learning/apprenticing in my "trade") I am hanging drywall again, trading honest labor for money. I think it\'s great that the  parasite class is getting a wakeup call. BTW, my wife\'s mom was a very frugal German immigrant, they NEVER paid for haircuts, she learned to do it herself with an Oster trimmer. From the time we were married, my wife always cut my hair and my 3 boys\' hair. With each haircut we put 10.00 in a jar we have always used the "haircut jar" fund for family vacations and I know theres at least one mortgage payment in there now.\n\nIf you think it\'s bad now, you aint seen nothin\' yet. We\'re seriously looking at famine in the USA in the very near future, and if the shell shocked looks on this documentaries\' subjects faces are any indication we\'re in for some serious social unrest when they reach the conclusion that they arent ever going back to their previous lifestyle, denial, followed by despair, followed by finger pointing. And the left has provided us with the savior havent they? (remember what happened last time the finger pointing started in earnest and the savior appeared on the scene to right the wrongs?... ","pt":"Nov  3, 2009 02:03"},{"nm":"Stephanie Varnado","rs":"0","ms":"Geez was I only the only one paying attention here.  The negativity on this board is just astounding.  These people like so many of us hit the trifecta here.  They were career individuals vested in their communities; in homes that until the mortgage collapse were one of their primary equity supports.  The economy tanks, they loose their jobs (some they\'ve had for decades) or the businesses they\'ve invested in, the market collapses so their primary equity instrument loses 1/3 to 2/3rds of its value rendering it useless; their pensions and 401K\'s are sucked away by the disaster and all some of you folks can do is condemn these people.  It\'s shocking.  These people did all the so called right things, they\'ve been unemployed for months in some cases better than a year.  They\'ve used every resource they have left to just survive and rather than respecting them for holding it together you condemn them.  I am where they are now: I lost both my parents in car accident 2 years ago, my job of 16 years followed 10 months later, unemployed and unable to find financing to cover the hospital debt my father left behind I was forced to choose between a forced sale by the probate court or just giving up on the paltry mortgage we had pending because I could not find financing anywhere for a home that had lost 2/3rds of its appraised value from two years prior.  I had a year of reserves tucked away because like a fool I\'d farmed significant portions of my income for years back into my youth programs, now all gone due to lack of funding.  Three deaths in one fell swoop, followed by an agonizing fourth as I dismantled our home of 28 years, complicated by the incredible guilt I felt as my youth programs collapsed.  Now two years later, my health sucked dry by all the stress, the only job I can do and am thankful for finding is as a customer service rep from home.  I make less than half my prior salary which when combined with my daughters barely passes each month.  It\'s so easy to be a smug smart ass about others misfortune when you\'ve never lived it yourself. Never in my wildest dreams did I see myself here barely making it from month to month.  We thought we were covered from all things until that accident.  My grandson was in that car and he barely survived and now I have $ 25,000.00 in medical bills (after insurance mind you) on top of all the medical bills I acquired as the stress broke me down.  These people should be commended for sharing.  For my part I saw me in each of them, shell shocked, afraid, depressed and barely hanging on.  I have gone from designing and managing complex community systems for troubled neighborhoods and families to a mind numbing job as a customer service rep at a salary I made 25 years ago.  The shame and humiliation one feels as they lose all of the foundations and infrastructure they built for their lives is, at least in my case, debilitating.  I commend these people for getting up every day and going to those interviews and meetings and yes heading to the salon. I unfortunatley am much like the gentleman who buried his wife and three days later found all their personal belongings in the street, totally isolated.  I don\'t think I even know how to deal with people face to face these days.  Still, despite 4 major deaths in one short little two year period I get up every day, I go to my desk, I thank God for the job and insurance I now have, hate every single minute of the work, and dream at every possibility of changing it.  I still have hope, I have many skills, and one day this economy is going to recover and the dream I\'d set aside long ago for a more practical career (I\'m a closet jeweler) will become that next career I need.  Despite my crappy health and the fact that every doctor I have is urging disability, I persever.  I\'m not ready to give up yet and call it a day at 49.  I am thankful that I found a good company that for the most part treats its employees well and that provides outstanding benefits.  I do what I have to do to survive as these people are doing now.  To all the participants I say thank you for sharing.  For a brief bit I didn\'t feel so lonely here in my bedroom/office.  I felt a connection and wonder now if I shouldn\'t be attending some of those meetings. I can only hope that perhaps out of this crisis some humanity will emerge.  I have no doubt that some of us "cannon fodder" will re-emerge to become leaders and employers again who will use this terrible experience as a foundation for how we build our lives and treat others along the way.  Wonderful program, thank you for sharing.","pt":"Nov  2, 2009 22:28"},{"nm":"Maryann Garcia","rs":"0","ms":"Thank You for showing a different light on this REDE-PRESSSION. Your program brought me to tears and brought to the surface the state of shock,worry,over whelmness and knot in my stomach I have had for 8 months.BANG this all comes to  a head and those of us who work hard, pay our taxes,help our neighbors, where is our Help, our jobs. Is anyone Listening,is it that we don\'t have stocks and portfolios that we are being buried in the sand.Mentally I take it an hour at a time because I am past a day at a time. I am working as a server in a restaurant with people who run it and don\'t have a glue about struglle,about being older, but I just have to take the punches or I go to the streets.God help us all,God help us all....Maryann G from:CHICAGO","pt":"Nov  2, 2009 19:52"},{"nm":"a","rs":"0","ms":"Was this a joke? Irony? Seriously, I\'m asking...I couldn\'t watch these fools long enough to find out.","pt":"Nov  2, 2009 13:33"},{"nm":"Jeff","rs":"0","ms":"\nThis video profoundly moved me. I am a 57-year-old unemployed man that earned six figures, and had what seemed to be a perfect life in New England. In short through loss of a partner, children starting college as I lost my job, my savings and 401K went to try to save the house and my kids education. All my life, I had people calling me with jobs. I felt I could turn it around. Wrong. Everything is gone. My plan B was having carpentry skills I could always employ. Wrong, not this time.\nI have jettisoned everything except the essentials. I still carry a ridiculously high car payment for a vehicle that isn’t worth my balance owed, Massachusetts car insurance (over $2200 /year due to government regulation) phone and Internet for job search and so on.\nToday, after losing my home, job, significant other, now I have lost my unemployment benefits 2 months ago. I am 2 months late with my rent, have uttered every word the patrons of hair salon uttered in this video.\nThis is so embarrassing\nNo one ever prepared me for this\nI never dreamed I would be in this place at my age\nI worry so I can’t sleep.\nI send out so many resumes and try to stay up and positive\n\nSoon, because I haven’t been able to find employment, I may be evicted.\nFears from Pandora’s box explode.\nNo shower?\nHealth issues from living outdoors?\nToo embarrassed to have contact with my kids and parents\nThe video didn’t seem to offer any solutions. I wonder if there are any.\nI live in an upper middle class New England. Last night I heard uncharacteristic bangs like fire works.\nLife being the way it is, I wonder if a neighbor has reached a threshold of pain that caused the "unthinkable"?\nAre there solutions?\n\n\n","pt":"Nov  2, 2009 11:10"},{"nm":"Flyingslanted","rs":"0","ms":"How many ways can I say "Excellent, just excellent."  Unemployed now for over a year and a half I saw myself in their faces.  We are a collective who many times live a singular battle to pick ourselves up each day and believe in the skills that once lead us to our past prosperity.  For those who make snide comments about why are these unemployed people getting their hair done, your lack of understanding must come from not being unemployed or have not lived unemployed in a market as poor as we have in the US today.  Consider yourself a lucky one, but one that is only a moment away to join our ranks. ","pt":"Nov  2, 2009 10:03"},{"nm":"Shane","rs":"0","ms":"Back again, just read a lot of posts here, wow. Ok, not a lot of people can afford a $40 haircut right now but what happens if they don\'t? Somebody else loses their business because $15 a head ain\'t gonna pay no rent in that area. One poster brags of not asking for a "handout", well good for you, I hope it stays that way. The rest of America IS asking for some help. Many people had to put that pride away loooong ago, when things came down to a matter of survival. Survival, as in, might just live in a cardboard box if they don\'t ask. That was the whole point of the program that I saw. It doesn\'t matter how good things were for you up to this point, it can get bad for everybody. ","pt":"Nov  2, 2009 03:46"},{"nm":"Shane","rs":"0","ms":"This is a very good program, one of Frontline\'s best. I was born and raised within the city limits of Detroit before moving to a major city in FL. The first thing that struck me as especially awkward about my new home was how everyone seemed completely unfamiliar with "hard times". I didn\'t grow up poor, but you simply do not grow up in Detroit ruling out hard times hitting you. That\'s why I love my hometown, no snobs allowed. \n\nMakes me worry more now that I see people who I probably would\'ve labeled as rich, using humbled tones and language. I can\'t even be so cold to say I feel no empathy for these people just because they had/have more money than me. They will have a much harder time cutting away life\'s luxuries than me or anyone I know ever will. I also worry because if nobody\'s making money, then who\'s going to support the businesses that are still open? Can America really sustain its self with the major employers/retailers being wal mart and fast food? I guess my question is, if so many people are doing so bad, who IS making enough money to keep up with everything, and how?","pt":"Nov  2, 2009 02:32"},{"nm":"eddie","rs":"0","ms":"Who would\'ve thought this couldn\'t happen to white people living in the UES of NYC??? Apparently these people, with their fancy cars, careers, and houses aren\'t too bright. Unfortunately, as it has been expressed by frontline in this documentary: common sense isn\'t so common after all!!\n\nFor those profiled in this program (and to the numerous posters who\'ve commented thus far), have you never saved for a rainy day? No emergency fund? No 401k/IRA contributions, no brokerage accounts, no CDs to tap into? Nothing, nada??? \n\nYou claimed to have worked in your respective careers for 20, 25, even in some cases, 30+ years....yet you have nothing in savings to show for it? Is that possible? \n\nJust to lay my cards out on the table: I\'m in my late 20s, own a house on Long Island, have a spouse (who stays at home) with two kids. I have enough saved in various accounts, such that if I were layed off today, that these funds I\'ve saved for the last 7+ years would help pay for my expenses for the next 3+ years. And no, my parents didn\'t pay for my education nor did they give me the down payment for my house.\n\nCommon people, this isn\'t rocket science, this is common sense!!\n\nWhat happened to personal responsibility? What happened to taking care of oneself physically, mentally, and financially? I guess because you think you\'re white, and live in the UES of NYC then you\'re immune to whats going on around the rest of America? Are you really that naive? Wake up!! Unfortunately for many of you it\'s too late. ","pt":"Nov  2, 2009 01:51"},{"nm":"Dr. B in NM","rs":"0","ms":"I am a single female whose parents survived the depression, so I learned at an early age to save, save, save. In May 09, at age 57, I lost my job as a tenured professor of education, after 12.5 years at an institution which supposedly went bankrupt. The college played around with our contracts several times and I am still owed over $8,500 for services rendered during the 2008-09 academic year. We were not offered COBRA so I spent most of June trying to get health insurance and finally did. I had planned to retire in the next few years but I will get nothing. This show made me empathetic towards the many people in this country who are between the ages of 55 and 62 (classified as senior citizens but not old enough to collect social security) and have been tossed away as dirty laundry, regardless of their spending habits. The fellow who said you have to always be "up" is correct.....most of us never get any acknowledgement of our credentials (usually uploaded online) being received, much less an interview. However, we must "put on our face" (which includes good grooming) and continue to try to keep up our image, because if you don\'t look good it\'s hard to try to convince others of your worth. Some earlier comments indicated little or no sympathy for these people at the hair salon.....it isn\'t all about that they are having financial difficulties but that they WERE...and still want TO BE...contributing members of society in their areas of expertise, as I also do. This show reinforces the fact that there is still apparent age discrimination in this country. Thank you to Frontline for sharing the private lives of these individuals.....I understand their frustration. I am also a caregiver for my 94 year old father.","pt":"Nov  2, 2009 01:29"},{"nm":"Ann in San Francisco ","rs":"0","ms":"Some random thoughts:  Great job to the producer/director, and thank you to those courageous enough to be public about the effects of this horrible economy on their lives. Let\'s hope that Obama lives up to his promises, although I\'ve read in NY TIMES that most of the federal stimulus money is not going to be released until Fall 2010 . . . Why? Midterm elections for Congress next Fall?  Meanwhile, what will people do when their unemployment dries up? People all over the country are desperate for decent jobs and safe, affordable housing - whether they are poor working class or upper middle class.  Maybe a meaningful health care reform package soon will be a big boost to the economy.   Here\'s hoping things get much better faster than we may anticipate right now. Hang in there everybody, and remember that humor, music and nature are all free perks and worth more than ever.  Love and friendship are the bonuses. Cursing helps, too.  ","pt":"Nov  2, 2009 00:42"},{"nm":"Roger","rs":"0","ms":"Well anyone with some intelligence would know that the system is not working right when so many common working people are in trouble. It has been to long where the wealthy have gone from having silver to having gold. Some comments make it sound like us hard working people are in trouble because we have been excessive on are spending.True some have lived expensive life styles. But I don\'t think it is most of us, I think it is the CEO.s, politicans,clergy and other leaders who are doing the excesses. 70 percent of americans are living from paycheck to paycheck. I wonder how many americans the paycheck doesn\'t cover the basic expenses? The people that don\'t understand this most likely had a silver spoon put into their mouth at birth or have a cushy government job. If anyone one doesn\'t agree they come come to work with me on construction and we will see who drops first. The people that have built and provided services  needed for people to live are being tossed into the streets. In the program I can understand the carpenter who worked hard his whole life and has nothing and then we see the pencil pushers and talkers who have everything. Think about it. This man worked his whole life building houses for rich people and has no place of his own. This is wrong.","pt":"Nov  2, 2009 00:28"},{"nm":"Barb","rs":"0","ms":"It didn\'t make me feel any better at all to hear yet more stories about people like my husband and I falling thru the cracks in their late 50\'s. Not enough to retire and not getting work because of age discrimination. My husband an engineer for over 20 years always working until his health began to be a problem in 2008.Well and ready to go back to work last Jan he was laid off that day! He has had 1 interview since. A stay at home mom, artist, and volunteer I can\'t now get a paying job at the grocery store! We will be on the street within the next year if things do not change. We owe very little and scaled down our home and under bought before the boom so we tried to work, save, and do the right thing. Fat lot of good that did. My heart goes out to everyone in the program on this site and out there not knowing what to do. I pray everyday the new administration will come thru on behalf of the people of America but I have about lost hope on that as I hear the news daily. I hope I am wrong.","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 21:10"},{"nm":"sacha","rs":"0","ms":"1st things 1st   that women who said this sort of thing does;nt happen in the upper west side,   ok where does it suppose to happen  in harlem in brookln   where black people live in other folks that look like me.\ni watch the program and everything i heard and saw i have been living my whole  life as a black man in america, and  i have one word for these  people how does it feel to live like the darker skin people in nyc  you dont like do you,so no i dont feel sorry for them there didnt feel sorry for  the rest of nyc  i mean the colored new york.\nso i have one thing to say to these people on the upper east side  how does it feel to be treated like a negro not fun is it.     ","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 20:52"},{"nm":"Max","rs":"0","ms":"What has caused these people to get in such an over debt position with mortgages and medical bills they can no longer pay? The simple truth is this country America, is not set-up to protect the average citizen, it is set-up to feed corporations. The Laws and policies (or lack of them) are set up to treat the average citizen as a “consumer” which continues to feed cash to corporations, by any way possible. If an average citizen gets a serious chronic illness (say like Tacy in the previous posts) -- you no longer generate cash for the insurance company and your pushed into the street as quickly as possible. If you cannot pay the mortgage which the bank should have never allowed you– the bank will now foreclose. It does not work like this in well functioning societies – the laws are set-up to protect and maintain the citizen, not use them recklessly as a profit machine. Although you would think it would be far removed from the personal stories we saw, Corporate Lobbying (the act of coercing government to change or maintain the laws in favor of corporations) is at the heart of the personal dilemmas we have witnessed. We need to change our culture through proper laws that protect citizens and penalize corporation for such abuse.","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 20:07"},{"nm":"Katrina","rs":"0","ms":"It costs a *minimum* of $200.00 to get highlights and a haircut in the city. And it\'s an expense that must be repeated every 6-8 weeks. Sorry, but I can\'t feel sorry for these women - not one bit. If they\'re really struggling, they can begin by creating an affordable lifestyle without the designer products and haircuts. I absolutely love and respect Frontline - normally. But I am extremely disappointed by this program. I can\'t even bring myself to watch more than the first 10 minutes, so forgive me if the program improves in the latter half. I won\'t be watching it.  ","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 19:25"},{"nm":"Allen","rs":"0","ms":""Close to Home" is both outstanding and profound!I can relate to the coffee shop owner because I purchased a RE/MAX real estate franchise office early 07. At that point, the real estate market began its slow decline in our area. Just about a year ago business just STOPPED. Not only could homeowners NOT get loans, as a small business owner, loans were closed to us as well.I know what it is like burning thru:savings, credit cards, and your 401 to keep going and still be saddled with debt. Having a background in banking and finance I felt so depressed as I would watch shows on CNBC, etc telling us how to survive in the recession and to take steps exactly the opposite of those I took. I had no choice because the alternative was bankruptcy. During the past year I dealt with issues I NEVER faced in my entire adult life,as my business expenses destroyed my personal finances and I had little or no money. I had to close my business April this year, my retirement funds are now just a distant memory. I do,however count my blessings in that I have avoided bankruptcy and I am slowing digging out of this 100 year economic storm. I know I would have been successful because that the coffee shop owner I really did all the right things. I like so many other Americans was at the wrong place at the wrong time..... ","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 19:11"},{"nm":"cheri","rs":"0","ms":"My 23 yr old son who is an Economics major records Frontline and today I watched for the first time. this program was awesome and I sat glued to the story.   I work for the State of Cal and am 56. I have 3 furloughs a month at the loss of $812 gross income. My credit card debt is just a little over $26,000 which is certainly not the $80,000 or $200,000 I heard about on the program but it is my little shame and misery.  I just hired an attorney to file for my Chapter 7 \'bail out\' since this is all that is available to me since I\'m not a Financial institute. Yes, I made bad decisions with my lifestyle but after this program, I am newly energized and hopeful for a fresh beginning of frugality come next year. I am grateful for my job, my kids, my friends but now, it\'s about savings and living \'low\' as opposed to living \'large\'. My heart goes out to those in the program.  My dad used to say before he died two years ago, \'your generation has no clue what is coming and how to handle it and it\'s coming\'.  As usual, dad was right.  Now I need to follow his advise and grow up and start saving more, spending less and finding the simple things refreshing!  Peace to all of you.","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 18:20"},{"nm":"Jane Whiteside","rs":"0","ms":"I\'m an 84 year old woman.  Of my five grown children only one is doing okay now.  One just closed his small business last week, and one daughter is coming home to live with me when her home sells at a loss..  Her Cobra insurance is expiring in Decemher, her medical bills are $800 monthly.  I could go on and on, but what\'s the use.  Most of my elderly friends as well as the middle aged are in this fix.  Three grandsons are finishing college with no good jobs in sight.  This decade had been a disaster.","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 17:24"},{"nm":"Kay","rs":"0","ms":"I have been watching for a follow up to the excellent documentary, "Can you afford to retire?"  This seems to the an excellent flip side of that show.  I am not surprised about the confessions of credit card consumption, but am concerned about the continued lack of insight into needed behavioral changes about consumption and employment.  My heart goes out to Deborah, as she is the one who has to tactfully evaluate scenarios daily and hold herself together.  Frontline, please now do a story in the middle somewhere!  Thanks for your hard work!","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 14:41"},{"nm":"Pamela Harvey","rs":"0","ms":"Ms. Bikel asked one of the interviewees did they have a Plan B and they said no. I personally did have a Plan B and I am a person who has experienced bouts of unemployment throughout my 20\'s  through my early 50\'s. Experencing this sort of thing early in life made me realize to prepare for unemployment if it should be more than a few weeks. The last unemploment bout was nine months because of the recession, but I had about 40 thousand dollars saved and had no credit card debt. My car was paid off and my home even in these tough economic times was worth more than what I owed on it. I was able to pay my mortgage and utilities wihtout any struggle. I landed temp jobs and then I got hired by the Feds. The  one advantage that I had was that I was a vet, college educated and a lot of work experience and pocessed the latest computer skills. I never did get an IRA because if I did , I would have been wiped out. I listened to that little voice in my head. I also bought a home below market value. I paid 39 thousand dollars for it back in 1994 because it had cement walls. I did the cosmetic work and renovated areas in stages.I also did my own landscaping.To receive my collge education, I served in the militery when I graduated high school because I did not want to get into the education loan fiasco. I am scared of debt epecially big debt.People these days have to understand that we are competing against a global market. Workers are a dime a dozen and the resourses are fewer. Thed uPper East Side crowd of New York as well as other high end areas will have to deal with less entitlement.","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 13:35"},{"nm":"matt","rs":"0","ms":"It makes me sick to my stomach that the masters of the universe, the ones who caused this mess (and knew exactly what they were doing) seem to be suffering not one bit. I truly hope there is a hell so they can spend eternity where they belong.","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 13:22"},{"nm":"A-Dogg","rs":"0","ms":"I\'d like to take this opportunity to remind us all that there was no middle class before WW II.  Look it up if you don\'t believe me.  America existed for a long time with two social classes...maybe we\'re just going back to a simpler time.","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 01:57"},{"nm":"Andrew Baum","rs":"0","ms":"I feel sorry for the coffee shop couple.  They show where the real pitfalls of capitalism lie; in a neglected marriage and no kids.  Kids five years from now, when the economy is better--it\'s like I\'m watching the intro to the movie \'Idiocracy\'.  It\'s too bad because having a child is what makes life worth living, not money or a job.\nMany people can\'t rely on their families either, which is a shame.  You shouldn\'t be ashamed to go to your parents or children when you need help.\nI hope that everyone has watched the previous episodes of Frontline dealing with the cause of these problems.  This didn\'t happen in a vacuum.","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 01:50"},{"nm":"gloria stein","rs":"0","ms":"I was born at the start of the first depression...1929... I can remember quite clearly the struggles of my parents At the age of three, walking with my mother in the streets of n,y,c. my mother commenting if someone would sell her a diamond ring for a nickel, she would have to decline...she didn\'t have the nickle.  thankfully I  was in a lucrative business for 40 years started with my sister.. I\'m just damned lucky and have enough money to see me through whatever life remains, my heart aches for the people caught in this  debacle caused by a sleeping government.  time to wake up ..\n\n\n","pt":"Nov  1, 2009 01:07"},{"nm":"john","rs":"0","ms":"Many forces created the current economic situation, with one common thread: baby boomers.  When will this self important, ruling class acquiesce their arrogance?","pt":"Oct 31, 2009 23:47"},{"nm":"Ellen","rs":"0","ms":"I like what Phillip had to say.  "We need to stop being merely consumers and start being citizens"  I realize that our government can\'t enact laws protecting US business because of the backlash from other countries.  But as citizens, we can consciously and deliberately "shop local".  It\'s just a change of mindset we need to adopt voluntarily, patriotically.","pt":"Oct 31, 2009 19:32"},{"nm":"Tracy","rs":"0","ms":"One more quick thought...\nFor all those out there commenting on how they\'ve been frugal and, therefore, are far above the lowly Middle Class because they have no debt, there is more to consider. \nDo any of you realize how fast one medical issue, one accident/diagnosis, can change your life overnight? One auto-immune disease, for me, has altered greatly what kind of work I can do. When you are physically strong, you can do anything. When you are disabled, when you have medical bills that total more than your house is worth, suddenly the picture changes.\nFor all of those poking fun, beware. Your foundations could be weaker than you realize.","pt":"Oct 31, 2009 19:09"},{"nm":"Tracy","rs":"0","ms":"I am grateful that I found this program on-line. I disagree with the commentary of Max that this is just to mirror our excesses. Cutting up our credit cards and ignoring offers of credit are not realistic suggestions to owners of a small business and it is an empty cry of ignorance (Sorry, Max...it\'s not that simple). Yes, we were all spoiled for a long time. But this program nearly brought me to tears by helping me realize that I am not alone.\nI am forty years old, divorced, and the former owner of a small healing center. My center was my dream, and I put everything I had into it, all my credit, all proceeds of my two IRAs, EVERYTHING. And yet, my clientele dried up, and now I am a therapist out of work, dealing with loneliness, a deep feeling of failure, depression, and confusion over why no one wants me on their staff. I was a darn good therapist, and I helped many people heal and enjoy a better life. My business had been growing prior to August 2008, when everyone realized their 401Ks crashed and they had better cut back on excesses. It all slipped through my hands, and I have begged my mother for money (she has expressed her disgust with me), did everything I could to find a job and am now on Government Food Assistance. My phone has been cut off for two weeks, and health insurance is non-existent. I, too, am embarrassed to be here at forty, and after a year of job hunting with constant rejection I feel hopeless. \n"Close to Home" has been a blessing...I did nothing wrong, and I would have been a successful business owner had the economy been stable. I want to thank everyone in this program, especially the woman who shared her embarrassment over asking her mother for money, for speaking about their very personal experiences. I am still depressed over my situation, but I no longer feel like a complete loser in the world. Many thanks to everyone involved in this project!","pt":"Oct 31, 2009 18:40"},{"nm":"Lyn","rs":"0","ms":"I have always lived on a lower income, so it\'s hard to feel totally sorry for these folks.  I could never in good conscience add things like haircuts and massages to my credit card if I were in such high debt (which I\'m not).  I have empathy for the older unemployed people because it will be harder for them to find a job.\n\nJust know that not everyone in America lives like this.  If you want life experience about living frugally on a budget and making do in this economy, then the show should have also focused on those on lower incomes.  Some of us have been doing it all along - WAY before this recession!  I disagree with Bikel when she says that our stories have been told enough already (on her des\cription page).  Even shows like Oprah do not accurately show how those on a lower income are really living.  I laugh every time I have to watch a show about how someone is strugging on $80K or above.  That is not reality to many.  Some just don\'t even have a clue.\n\nIn the end much of all of this program comes down to discipline.  People have to stop living like the Joneses (cause you\'ll never catch up).  If you have the basics in life, you have plenty.  There are many Americans who already didn\'t go on vacations, or go to salons, or eat out at fancy restaurants, etc., etc.  Be grateful for what you have and live within your means.  I may have less but I have a lot less worries too. ","pt":"Oct 31, 2009 16:06"},{"nm":"Diane","rs":"0","ms":"I guess I\'m not really surprised by all the negative feedback--such attitudes are always there--but I applaud Frontline and the producer, and the people willing to put themselves out there as subjects for everyone to comment on--thank God we don\'t all think the same or agree or we\'d be more like North Korea, right? This is a slice of life, the reality of people other than ourselves in whom we will either see/not see ourselves, empathize/not empathize according to our self-image. Just the same--we\'re all in the same boat in one way or another--the same country, the same opportunities. How we meet our challenges--the path of life we find ourselves on, and how we deal with it, is what shapes our future--as individuals and a country. Hopefully we will continue to develop--as individuals and as a country--to be understanding, compassionate and helpful toward others so that we all can demonstrate and live in THE pre-eminent land of opportunity and freedom. Positive attitudes, belief in self and possibilities are key, so those that want help must find the people with these traits to help pull you along, rather than be pulled down by negative and non-possibility thinkers. Get creative, frugal if need be, work together.  It\'s time to think outside your old box. This is going to be a journey for us all; it\'s not over by a long shot. Hope can be hugely productive. Negativity never helps. These people are \'trying,\' using what they know to do, what they\'ve been taught should work. It\'s a learning curve. It was an educational piece for them and us. It does no good purpose to sit in judgement of these people or others in their situation. Being \'realistic\' is really all about one\'s own perspective and attitude, so why not be positive and forward thinking and help create a better environment for yourself and others? That\'s the kind of participation America needs. ","pt":"Oct 31, 2009 15:46"},{"nm":"Kendall Summers","rs":"0","ms":"I am sympathatic to Deborah, her clients and relatives.  I am a former Junior League member, self employed small business owner who was evicted, lived out of my car for a short time, am now living in a section 8 bldg.  We will all have to reinvent ourselves and move forward. We can\'t go back. These times may bring us to a simpler life style and more spirituality.","pt":"Oct 31, 2009 15:32"},{"nm":"Ed","rs":"0","ms":"Close to Home is television at its best. This is the story of America today. It\'s such a refreshing change from the high octane, asset-bubble-blowing propaganda spewed out by cable channels such as CNBC. There needs to be far more of these programs giving a voice to people struggling through this crisis. Well done to the program makers!","pt":"Oct 31, 2009 14:06"},{"nm":"Max","rs":"0","ms":"I think many of us are missing the real point of this show--it is a satire. The director is not so much trying to create empathy so you feel for the “victims” – but rather, trying to get you to “look in the mirror” to see what an extravagant lifestyle the average American has become accustomed to living. Are you upset at this portrayal? – perhaps you don’t like what you see in that mirror. We have simply had it too good for too long, and now we don’t know how to cope with the simple reality of paying for accumulated bills of speculative investments and luxury spending. I must agree with one other viewer’s comments “the media and merchandisers know exactly what they are doing: making it real easy for you” to go in debt to purchase things you really don’t need. It is now such a part of our culture, that we don’t even realize that it is not suppose to be normal in a well functioning society. Revolt: Cut up your credit cards and smash your TVs !","pt":"Oct 31, 2009 12:05"},{"nm":"Lyn","rs":"0","ms":"Although I\'m empathetic to anyone who has lost or can\'t find a job, the biggest problem I have with this show is the focus.  Why put such importance on the upper middle class?  All I ever hear about in the media is the "middle" class.  Does anyone even care about the lower class?  Only when this recession hit the middle class did anyone give two cents.  Why is it that my husband and I can live on one paltry wage (in New England mind you) and still NOT have thousands of dollars of debt?  It\'s because we\'ve ALWAYS lived this way, not just when the recession came knocking.  The moral of this show should be:  "Don\'t live beyond your means, because the gravy train doesn\'t last forever."  ","pt":"Oct 31, 2009 05:13"},{"nm":"Teresa T","rs":"0","ms":"I live in California, where starting in November, the State is going to increase the percentage of taxes taken out of each paycheck-to put money in the State treasury now, and then taxpayers will have to file for refunds the following year, if any are due. For people who still  have their jobs, they are going to get a paycut, which will have the immediate result of reducing their income, which will undoubtedly lead to more problems meeting monthly expenses..my twentysomething adult son works full time, and can\'t afford to move out, even with a very frugal lifestyle. The downward spiral continues..so much for the Reagan years trickle down promise. Still hard for me to understand why this man was honored with all kinds of buildings, airports, etc named after him..the bankrupting of America belongs in part to him as well.","pt":"Oct 31, 2009 02:25"},{"nm":"Elissa","rs":"0","ms":"I, too, immediately wondered how much those hair salon services cost and how could they afford them if they were complaining about being broke. It\'s time to go to Super Cuts for $15, isn\'t it? But that issue aside, it seems that the point was to show that even the (formerly) affluent are also hurting, even if they want to hold onto the trappings of wealth. I could relate to the HR manager talking about how hard it was to be upbeat at interview after interview. The types of jobs he is seeking require him to appear to be "at the top of his game," and this is a lot of pressure. In no way am I implying that less-affluent people are not under even more pressure. It\'s just an additional burden. Their age, demeanor, education and even appearance make it hard for them to even get a low-skill job, yet there are few high-skilled jobs hiring now.","pt":"Oct 30, 2009 23:06"},{"nm":"Beth ","rs":"0","ms":"Good show. much enjoyed, despite sad, albeit realistic theme. \nI find it interesting the varied comments and enjoy reading everyone\'s 2 cents- whether i agree with them or not, certainly makes for thought provoking reading.\n\nmy 2 cents: \nAt what point did everyone think they were entitled to a gravy train?\nit wasn\'t until i moved out of my parents home at the age of 20 (now 44 and married) did i begin to realize the machinations of their hard work and commitment EVERYDAY to provide a life for their 4 daughters. ok, no one says anyone has to have kids and no one asks to be born. putting that aside, i was always taught to live within my means. did i still want all the fancy stuff? you bet. can i AFFORD it? NOPE.\nguess what? no brainer. \nthe media and merchandisers know exactly what they are doing: making it real easy to part with your hard earned cash.\ndelayed gratification? what is that anymore.\noh, wait. that\'s in vogue now: all this frugalista pontificating.\nplease. no one was glad handing us when we had a simple "green" wedding 10 years ago. where was i registered? um, i requested no gifts. imagine that...a bride not wanting any gifts. just show up, join us and we will feed you very well. and we did.\ni learned early on that rainy days will come. \nsometimes we buy into these cinderella delusions. well, time to grow up.\nand i agree with vince that this crap about being an "older" work at a youthful 40 plus; who determined that?\nso let me get this straight- you go to school, get degree after degree after degree, only to hope to work for what? 10 years...then guess what YOU\'RE DONE!!! who makes up this garbage???\ni could go on and on.\nall i can say is: life is unpredictable; i wish it were otherwise. we all get the curve balls.\nlive below your means. save all the time. pay things off. stay real","pt":"Oct 30, 2009 23:02"},{"nm":"Max","rs":"0","ms":"How is it all these folks have money for exclusive haircuts, yet cannot pay for medical insurance? This video is a good picture of the average American – they deny themselves nothing (fancy haircuts, big cars, cigarettes, big houses) and then worry about paying for it later. Later has finally come …\n\nOne of the funniest parts was the VP of Human resources that had hired thousands of people in the past. Once he was on the other side looking for a job, lots of belly aching – “it takes so long to apply for a job on line”…. Hah ha. \n","pt":"Oct 30, 2009 16:51"},{"nm":"Clayton","rs":"0","ms":"I thought this programme was an excellent episode of Frontline and am surprised at the negative comments. My reaction to the programme is very positive. I got a window into feelings that are not shared, or even hinted at, at work or in business --  because, as the man said, you\'re supposed to be "up".  If you\'re affluent, you may feel the pressure to have to keep up appearances -- hair and otherwise. To judge their situation is beside the point. These people are having to adjust to a negative change -- this programme caught the pain of that change. It reminded me of the 5 stages of grief -- denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. During those stages, each person makes an adjustment as best they can -- but not all at once, nor always in the best way. But it is very real, very human. In my books, Close to Home is the one of the best Frontline episodes.","pt":"Oct 30, 2009 14:45"},{"nm":"james r smith","rs":"0","ms":"great program, i worked at a cement plant for 20 years that closed oct 2008, have been on unemployment for a year, workign part time and supplementing that, unemployment is over 11% here and those looking for work are treated like cannon fodder. a few years ago i had an intuition that it was time to get out of debt so i paid off credit cards, drive an old chevy and keep a 10 yr old toyota in the garage, my house is valued at 60 thousand, in another part of the country it would be twice that, i owe 20,000 on it at a balloon interest rate, banks are not interested in refinancing is you dont have a permanent job, so my mother stepped in last month to pay some bills so i could make it after my unemployment ran out. i really have some problems with people trying to live in these 250,000 houses in florida and whining about it, i think they were living beyond their means a long time ago. the exballet dancer : putting 125 grand into a home, being kicked out and then the house sells for 55 grand? that is the worst story i have ever seen,,,","pt":"Oct 30, 2009 13:49"},{"nm":"IJ","rs":"0","ms":"Never having been to New York City before, I was thrilled to find myself there in June 2008 when my husband had the opportunity to attend a convention there.  I hadn\'t particularly had the desire to go to NYC before that, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our week there.  Little did I know at the time that this nasty collapse was going down in the financial district at that very time, only blocks away from where we were staying.  \n\nYou\'d think that it wouldn\'t have been a big deal to us anyway, because we are from Victoria, BC, Canada...a very long way away from Wall Street.  However the collapse hit us too and only months later, my husband lost his job because of the economic downturn.  After that, I have to admit I had no sympathy for the Wall St. types who contributed to this mess, so it was interesting for me to see the stories of others who live and work(ed) there and to realize that New York isn\'t only made up of snotty rich people.  This was a great episode...Frontline never disappoints. ","pt":"Oct 30, 2009 01:48"},{"nm":"Roger Rittenhouse","rs":"0","ms":"I watched this program on my local PBS station. The experiences these workers and professionals told, mirrors my situation. All my previous conclusions I had made about credit debt, trying to succeed in an inviroment where banks, corporations and government and the reccession has defeated any possiblity of success. The only thing differant is that I am a small contractor with equipment payments and have gone deep in credit card debt hoping that things would get better. They are getting worse. I no longer have work with all of the contractors I had done work with in the past. The last contractor I worked for told me one week ago he wasn\'t building any more houses until the one he built sold. Last year he sold his house before he had it finished. I had been doing all his excavation work and now have non work on new housing. I also have had to opt out of bank credit cards or face a 26% interest rate. I now have no money to operate my business, this with a decline of business since last October of 2008 and almost 1 year of little to no work and winter coming on. I am 58 and now must do construction repair jobs that take demanding phyical strength and abilities and make a lot less money.I have had to borrow money from friends and family to repair equipment and pay bills. The last thing I want to say is how the high fuel prices that made the oil company\'s rich  and made me poor fueling my equipment. High oil prices and high credit interest is what I believe are the triggers that put many of us over the edge.","pt":"Oct 30, 2009 01:40"},{"nm":"Jim","rs":"0","ms":"Houses, vehicles and toys for sale everywhere and with more showing up all the time.  Many friends just hanging on financially.  We have gone through our savings.  Many small business owners experiencing very slow sales.  Lots of people around but not spending much.  Everyone I know doesn\'t think for a moment that the recession is over. ","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 23:24"},{"nm":"Nate","rs":"0","ms":"Wow.  I couldn\'t even make it through 10 minutes of this.  Is there nothing more happening in the world that we need to listen to this anecdotal drivel?  Did GE buy PBS or something?","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 22:23"},{"nm":"Cheryle","rs":"0","ms":"Dick,  if you are ever faced with the realities of life, buying inflated with the belief that investing in real estate and or stock market is a good investment in the future, that education does not always equals solid professional position, that when you age and are faced with the reality that sometimes you really and don\'t have any control over what happens, that you will then have to face  the reality of being a skilled, experienced professional, wanting to work, ready to work and cannot find anything that will support you and or let alone your family, you might actually understand what these and many other people around the globe are actually experiencing!\nI am so upset by your comments and your lack of empathy.  Are you really that clueless about reality.  You know nothing about the people that were interviewed for this documentary, you know nothing about what they spend on or how they live, in yet you are so judgmental.  \nI was so moved by this and was so happy to see this small profile of a neighborhood that is occurring all over America and the globe.  Thank you Olaf and Deborah and all of Deborah\'s clientele who were willing to share their stories.  I applaud  you for your courage and thank you for sharing your stories.\nYou are not alone.  I, along with many others, share your experience, your sadness, your hope and your dreams.  Never give up, we are all in this together.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 21:29"},{"nm":"Dick Johnson","rs":"0","ms":"I found the degree of financial irresponsibility and near total absence of economic acumen and foresight of the subjects telling their sad stories on this documentary little short of astounding. Did they all believe that a fiscal "rainy day" would never materialize? Their attitude appears to be that "I\'m a victim of unfortunate circumstances beyond my control and that my situation is not at all my fault".  Moreover, it seems that their reaction to financial stress is to lament their loss of income without a serious effort to curtail their expenses and, instead, to continue their pampered life style by accumulating additional, high-interest and unsustainable credit card debt. What are these spoiled, middle-aged, unemployed adults doing at a high priced hair salon? The economic wake-up call of the past year is, perhaps, a good thing if the shock is enough to significantly adjust the attitude and irresponsible financial behavior of those who still seem to think "that the world owes them a living".\n\n       A child of parents who lived through "The Great Depression"\n","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 19:56"},{"nm":"Vince","rs":"0","ms":"Very good program, I\'m laid-off since Jan\'09 after 18 years with one employer. I\'ve returned to college and have completed nearly half of a masters degree to enhance my marketability, but not with credit cards. I have one adult daughter and three young children still at home. I\'m somewhat stunned at the concept of being categorized as an older worker at my age, which is a youthful 46. However the antidiscriminatory law does cover workers 40 and over, wow I suppose by some definitions I am old. Thanks be to God that I have planned for the metaphorical "rainy day" all of my adult life so I\'m prepared to weather the storm, inspite of COBRA. I do feel a great deal of empathy for those who did not plan accordingly and for those who did all the right things but were simply the recipients of adverse circumstances. Write down your feelings as you go through your struggles.Look back on them a year or two from now and you might be surprised by how insignificant they may seem. Hang in there if you\'re out of work and struggling things will eventually turnaround for all of us. ","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 18:04"},{"nm":"Joe in the Chicago burbs. ","rs":"0","ms":"Hmm. Where do I begin?  \nI feel very little empathy for people who had to sell their sports car to pay my for health insurance. However, it is all relative.  I had to use all of my savings and dig into my 401k to make house payments. I went from a $9500.00 a month pay check to $1600.00 a month in unemployment payments which are ready to run out. My wife is down to 24 hours a week and she cannot afford health insurance where she works as there are only 6 other employees and the premium  will cost as much as my COBRA payment. My COBRA bill is over a 1000.00 per month and so far between things not covered and the COBRA payments, it has cost me around 15,000.00 since being unemployed. Also, my son graduated HS last year and cannot  find work and my daughter lost her job and had to move back in with us.\nThat said, I feel the most empathy for the over 40 crowd depicted. I am 49 and have sent out thousands of resumes and attended countless job fairs. Most of the job listings I come across in my field are looking for entry level or mid level candidates. Needless to say they are not interested and perceive me as too old and too expensive.  In the mean time the tech company that let me (and 16,000 other tech workers) go have created 12,000 jobs in India, China and Brazil and to add insult to injury are still lobbying  congress and the president for more foreign worker visas. And before anyone gets any ideas about those of us not wanting to compete or our skills being out of date. Remember we are the generation that created much of the technology you take for granted. And NO I do not want to compete for a job with people that are willing to take 3rd world wages. Are you?\nTo conclude.  Bye,bye middle class. It was nice knowing ya.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 18:01"},{"nm":"Buffy","rs":"0","ms":"C\'mon now, didn\'t you hear, the recession is over, everything is going to be great, this from our leaders.\nEnjoy today America, if you think its bad now, hold on for the real depression.\ngood news, 2011/2012 will be the bottom, it gets better after that.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 17:07"},{"nm":"Samlata","rs":"0","ms":"One would get the impression from this show that everyone living on the Upper East Side is affluent(with footage of Madison and 5th Avenues), if you go further East from 3rd to York Avenue, you are going to find walk-ups and non-des\cript high rises with recent college graduates and families who may seem wealthy in dollar terms, but in New York are by all accounts middle class.  I don\'t see how any of the people profiled would fit into the category of extreme wealth, or ostentatious living (maybe with the exception of owning a Porsche, although I don\'t think anyone can honestly say she bought the car to be noticed).  The coffee shop people?  The retired flight attendant?  The salon owner?  They aren\'t living on 5th Avenue.  The comments that they are responsible for their own predicaments may or may not be true (I would question using credit cards to finance a business), but the notion that they are "wealthy" and therefore aren\'t worthy of anyone\'s sympathy strikes me as a little cold.\n","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 16:28"},{"nm":"B. Greenberg","rs":"0","ms":"Mitch S.\'s comments reflect my own thoughts.  Frontline is one of my absolute favourite programs and I watch every show.\n\nI have never had anything but rave reviews until this program.  \n\nI could see how the premise could seem appealing.  However, the execution was disappointing, shallow, uninformative and unworthy of bearing the Frontline name.\n\nSorry, love the show normally.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 15:59"},{"nm":"DM in FL","rs":"0","ms":"Thank you Frontline, I too wish you were on in prime-time with ads on major networks. Having this follow the previous show on the greed of Wall Street was a good followup, as they, more than the individuals in this show have caused this problem...greed... greed...greed. There are so many foxes watching the hen house of our economy. Many decisions made over the past 20 years in politics on economics, right up until today, continue to look the other way when it comes to protecting the rich and powerful. Many more upper middle class and middle class will become our poor before this is all over. We have given our country away. When the only people wealthy enough to buy our foreclosed homes are from foreign countries, watch out! I know I can do better at spending less, wanting less, doing less, and still be happy, however, unemployment and the shame and despair it fosters is a virus of mind that this country should be much more afraid of than the H1N1 variety.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 15:30"},{"nm":"Jam","rs":"0","ms":"To answer one commentator on this forum, no, we really are not the riches country in the world. We only look rich with our monster size homes, massive SUVs, waste and consumer mindset. \n\nWe Americans have to borrow money from China to finance our consumercentric life style, and the Chinese bankers are more than happy to continue to fund us. Just remember, in the end, the banker wants his $ back, and it\'s going to get ugly. \n\nCongress won\'t be helping the people any time soon because they work for their corporate sponsors so decisions, are made for the benefit of the corporations. Sure, they give the people some scraps here and there to make it look good, but the bills with real meaning are very corporate friendly.\n\nWhat it boils down to is this. America is on the decline. It\'s a slow decline, but it is happening. The infastructure is collapsing all around us. There is no $ for schools, roads, bridges, research, college, etc, etc, and it gets worst every year. Just look at CA, it\'s on a downward spiral and the politicians are playing a shell game/smoke and mirror approach to dealing with the deficit. \n\nThe people in the program are just a grain of sand on the beach. Problem is, the whole beach is being washed away.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 15:28"},{"nm":"Rachel","rs":"0","ms":"Not what I normally expect from frontline.  \nWas not impressed with the journalism.  I don\'t really empathize with people getting fancy haircuts while losing their homes.  I think that\'s part of the problem.  I don\'t think the majority of Americans dealing with difficult economic times can relate to these stories.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 15:06"},{"nm":"matt","rs":"0","ms":"This was the worst Frontline I have seen in sometime.  The light this portrays Americans in is just terrible.  Their are people all over the world who do not have the means to eat or find clean drinking water.  And these problems have been enhanced by the financial crisis(which originated in the West)  This program features people who are insanely in debt paying hundreds of dollars for a haircut on more credit?  Does anyone see a theme here?  Obviously none of the people have any sense of fiscal discipline.  It makes me sick to think people see this as the face of suffering when in truth this is the face of irresponsibility that brought increased suffering a world away.   ","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 14:59"},{"nm":"Jose Daniel","rs":"0","ms":"Its a awakening experience for the people who live on the eastside of manhattan to have lost so much but its all over this country. You cannot hide from this recession and think it will not affect you. We have to take the approach of being humble and thank ourselves that at least we have food and health in our favor.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 14:33"},{"nm":"d","rs":"0","ms":"the message of the documentary is that the american dream has failed for a socioeconomic group that has always been insulated from economic downturns.  we see generation b people who have been stripped of, not just a job, but a career, a business...and future prospects as well. sorry if this doesn\'t seem tragic to many people here, but it is a tragedy and it deserves covearge.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 14:22"},{"nm":"Ron","rs":"0","ms":"Brilliant piece of work! From the humble to yes, the elite so many have fallen or are falling far and hard. As a self employed person serving like Deborah a clientele filled with angst I instantly identified to what has being going on around us all. What I took away was that in spite of these grim true tales were mostly inspiring individuals who never surrender. Many may never achieve previous affluence but are willing to put up a fight. I for one started work today more optimistic than I have been in many months.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 14:16"},{"nm":"Diane","rs":"0","ms":"This discussion is a great portrait of American thought +/-. I\'m an unemployed widow who\'s not only making it but making more every year. I guess my initial comment was not accepted because I offered help via my email. Where does one go to share solutions? My point was: the job-trough is empty so why in the world would you keep going there, or go into debt for a degree that guarantees absolutely nothing (except loan debt)? Probably because that\'s the common wisdom---rut/herd mentality--so don\'t go that path! Clearly the economy is going thru transistion of paradigm proportions-that means opportunity as well as challenge. But you have to look outside the old rut or box to see WHERE things are going and where money is being made. A robust job/career-economy is not likely to return anytime soon. You HAVE to do something different--so follow the money....Those who will do best will do things DIFFERENTLY than the masses who follow the old rut system. The economy is clearly transistioning to the net, entrepreneuriship is clearly a major trend.  \nPersonally, I\'m an independent business owner-I work for myself but not by myself. I was blessed to have been invited to hook up with an affiliate network similar to what Amazon is doing, only there are almost 1000 companies participating, anchored by one of the most highly regarded, multi-billion dollar companies in the country--that has NO DEBT and the greatest compensation program I\'ve ever seen (with a bonus pool that keeps getting larger), and they\'re looking for people. No matter what, people will eat, drink, wash, use commodity items. Not fancy stuff--dumb, unsexy, everyday-need stuff. I found a business opportunity that puts it all together and helps the average person profit. \nThere ARE people looking to help other people. I wish someone could tell me the best place online to share openly. Otherwise, for inspiration I suggest reading Napoleon Hill\'s Think and Grow Rich and Jeff Olson\'s The Slight Edge. Be open to change and growth, opportunity is all around.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 13:55"},{"nm":"Marie Minarik","rs":"0","ms":"As someone senior in my career & who has been "in transition" since January 1, 2009, I empathize with those profiled in this segment.  However, for all your good intentions & accurate reporting, you produced one of the most depressing and discouraging shows ever.  I sure hope many people missed it; it was worse than watching the news.  ","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 13:30"},{"nm":"J","rs":"0","ms":"People need to depend on themselves not on other people (even family). These people are not young they should know better. Stop blaming and move forward. Just an fyi I\'m 33 and I lost alot of $$ on lehman and Citi stocks. And we lost half of our 401K but I\'m not blaming anyone expect myself. Customer beware!!! I should have know better and I don\'t live beyond my means. I was also unemployed for a bit but took a lower paying job b/c I needed to make a living.\n\nWe live in a small apt in the other boroughs of NYC. I can afford to live in the Upper East Side but chose not to. Move forward and learn a new skill people or you need to swallow your pride and take a lower paying job. Its time to be an adult and take responsibility. ","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 12:56"},{"nm":"Elizabeth","rs":"0","ms":"I watched this show yesterday afternoon and frankly I was extremely disappointed in the quality of the journalism. The storytelling was very one-dimensional and really just scratched the surface. What was the point? Listen to people whine about how they feel like a child because they still accept money from their parents or talk about being $200k in debt and still getting massages was ridiculous. My family has suffered as well: my husband lost his job and was unemployed for almost 12 months and I was forced to take a work furlough. The past year has been tough. We were on the brink of having to sell our house, deferred pre-school for our daughter for a year, and decided to wait before adding another child to our family. It goes without saying that we sold the fancy sports car, stopped eating out, stopped getting Starbucks, stopped ALL of the niceties including hair cuts, manicures, buying clothes, music and magazines so that we could save our pennies to keep the lights on and pay the mortgage.  While my husband did collect the unemployment that he was entitled to, we NEVER accepted help from either of our parents or went looking for handouts anywhere else. Whatever happened to pulling up the bootstraps and making it work? \n\nMy heart goes out to everyone that has been through a tough year. Particularly those on the show who are older and will have a very hard time securing another job. I was very moved by the profile of the HR executive. But we all have to learn that living of credit funded by Asian money is all an illusion and we need to learn that in fact we DON\'T deserve it all. I wonder if any of us will learn that lesson? ","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 12:45"},{"nm":"Dan Nobles","rs":"0","ms":"Very disappointed that Frontline would air programming that further depresses our spirit. The programming sucked you into watching and hoping against hope that there was a positve ending. If the producer aimed to make you remember the story she achieved her aim. The story sits like a bad meal or dream.\nFrontline would do well to air some uplifting programming in these dismal times. We hear more than enough gloom and doom from our elite "media" shows.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 10:00"},{"nm":"George Brody","rs":"0","ms":"I thought this was an excellent program. If the wealthy folks from the Upper East Side of New York are hurting, then where is the recovery from this recession? It was very interesting to hear the thoughts and concerns of real people rather than the constant positive spin from policy wonks on cable news.\nThe unintended consequences of this recession are unfortunate. Good folks are being hurt economically through no fault of their own. I hope we do not have a lost generation of Americans that earns less than their parents\' generation. Time for some optimism in this country. Again, a well done documentary.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 09:33"},{"nm":"Joe","rs":"0","ms":"This all goes to show we are living a dream.  Even today, the dream goes on in the unsustainable world of healthcare and our lifestyle in general.  We continue to poison our earth and live lives that can\'t continue to be supported on shakey foundation.  We can\'t have everything, and capitalism doesn\'t value the fundamentals of what life has to offer.  Stop and smell the roses people.  Those who believed in some financial Santa Claus paid dearly.. I happen to live conservatively, and being unemployed is somewhat of an early retirement where I am not pressured to have a job to have an income.  I feel sorry for those who have a family and more responsibility than myself who have lost their incomes for no fault of there own.. who have lived conservatively.. and still will need income sometime soon.  That timeframe I am afraid is longer than the government is letting on.  ","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 09:29"},{"nm":"Dwayne","rs":"0","ms":"I\'m from a working-class background (at times working poor) and was the first in my family to get a college degree. Since graduating, I\'ve worked mostly white-collar jobs for about 20 years, so in terms of my class identity, I\'m often in that conflicted limbo world between working and middle class awareness.\n\nPerhaps that\'s why I was shaken by this Frontline episode. I see a lot of working-class people I know struggling to survive (and more and more not succeeding). I know people like me on the lower-end of the middle class seeing the ground crumbling around us as we try to hold on to what we have. But this show revealed how even many of the more well-off in our society are being hit devastatingly hard by our economic situation.\n\nOverall, the program showed me paradoxically that I\'m not alone and that I am alone. So many of us are in the same sinking boat together, but I don\'t have any reassurance that there\'s anyone or anything out there to help us (Obama and Democrats included), no matter what your class is (unless you\'re ultra wealthy.) ","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 06:22"},{"nm":"Charles","rs":"0","ms":"I can join the discussion? Okay then. I live in one of the nicest apartment complexes in Summerlin, the master planned community in the far west part of Las Vegas. My bulding has 14 units. Right now, 7 are vacant. That is the real world here on 10/28/09 with the city / county unemployment rate quoted at some 13% (the REAL number is likely near 20%).\n\nNow I was lucky enough to retire in my 40\'s in the 1990\'s. I do not live an extravagant lifestyle by any stretch of the imagination. On the other hand, I have zero debt. So to see some of these people in the broadcast that are likely my age and essentially have not much to show after working some 30 years, well I just don\'t get it. I concede life in NYC is likely expensive, but I am sorry, paying $4 for a coffee is being a financial idiot IF YOU ARE CARRYING DEBT. Thus on another website, we have coined the term "debt slave". The nice thing about debt slaves is they mostly don\'t create a problem.\n\nTo those reading this, if the imaginary light bulb above your head is glowing a little, there is still hope for you. The economic worst is still yet to come unless you mine it, manufacture it, or produce it. Otherwise, you are not needed in the USA economy in 2009 or the foreseeable future.\n\nAnd to all the citizens that bought foreign cars like the lady with the Porsche, get yourself an "I sold out my country" T-Shirt. Preferably from China or Guatemala or wherever that crap is made.  ","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 01:57"},{"nm":"bo","rs":"0","ms":"frontline is my favorite program on tv.  this episode was a disappointment.  if the clients were that bad off they\'d ask a friend to cut their hair for free.  that\'s what\'s goin on close to this home.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 01:15"},{"nm":"Iconoclast","rs":"0","ms":"Just think of all these people going back to school racking up debt for advanced degrees because job aren\'t there now. The last three recoveries have been jobless ones. Do they really think racking up more school debt and trying to re-enter the workforce in a year or two is the answer?  School loans not producing returns on the investment will be the next debt crisis to hit. I also think its fine that the program focused on the upper east side. Despite some negative comments from people struggling in podunk towns who are more or less bitter over not achieving the same level of wealth as these people, I think the view was an important one to see. I walked away from the program thinking that America is truly crumbling in front of our eyes, slowly becoming more normalized on a lowered standard of living. At least the podunk townsfolk resenting the rich will have some spiritual company in short time.\n","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 01:05"},{"nm":"Bumpy","rs":"0","ms":"I just turned 50 and am also facing starting over.  I was in telecom and went into debt re-training for the medical industry.  Good News - I absolutely love the job I got as a result and will be celebrating my 1-year anniversary next month.  Bad News - I\'m in chapter 13 bk and may not be able to keep my house.  I\'m a divorcee with a teenager and an 8YO to support.  After watching this I feel pretty fortunate though.  The re-training itself was very inexpensive and only lasted 20 months.  I couldn\'t work though and was unable to sell the house I had bought while I was still making good money.   Say I had lived strictly within my means and not gotten that training?  Would society really be better off if I had just resigned myself to working at Walmart?  \n\nTwo comments - \n\n1.  It does feel like my age group/generation is getting thrown under the bus, and it is very frightening and sad.\n2. "Too big to fail"  What is the difference between that and a monopoly?  Without passing any new laws, perhaps one solution is to treat Wall Street and the banks as a monopoly and deal with them as such.","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 00:55"},{"nm":"Sadiq Fazel","rs":"0","ms":"Well. These are the consequences of market deregulation. \nNo accountability and lack of financial scrutiny at Wall Street led all of us in this hell. Whether you are in Palm beach Fl, or Upper East, Manhattan, We are in this together.\nI was once a cab driver in NYC in early 2000. We had then "mild" recession. People were complaining here and there.\nI finished school, got a job as an engineer in a research and development firm, got married, a car and affordable mortgage. I was able to get a fair share of my American Dream. \nIf you ask me today the same American dream. Honestly, it is slipping away. \nNo mistakes I have done. No gigantic school debts, No credit cards debts, a haircut of $12-15 is sufficient enough, read all mortgage paper,fine prints and even between lines. \nBut once you lose your job and unable to get one in almost 12mos now. That is really stressing me out.\nMy family and I depending on savings and few hundreds from unemployment benefit. \nMan!!! I am losing my American pie.\nI had no choice but return to my same old business. The only difference is that I don\'t hear people complaining anymore about the downturn. Why? Because none are hailing for the cab.\nIt is really "TOUGH TIMES" out there!!!\nDespite all that, I concur with CAGal "Keep your head up America! We are all still indispensable. Every single one of us. God Bless."  \n\n\n ","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 00:20"},{"nm":"Steve","rs":"0","ms":"I went through a divorce where I lost it all and the woman I loved to manic depression. I moved out of a dream home to a tiny apartment and still had good credit. I need an outlet and I my passion was fashion. I got lucky and landed a lease on the second best shopping street in San Francisco. I gutted the location and built out a 2000 sq foot mens and womens clothing boutique by building walls, tearing out ceilings to replace plate glass windows and doors. I needed a place to channel the energy this was it. I did all the buying I I ran my AMEX through my own CC terminal to fund the business. First year was great then Bush took us to Iraq. Second year got bad, I stared making a clothing line in the office to sell to keep going, I sold my cars and walked to work I did all I could do and watch daily as the street and my business turned to dust. I closed and broke my heart again. BTW haircuts? I cut my own for 4 years to save and now I dont need a salon so the people on TV are lucky they can afford to get their hair done!","pt":"Oct 29, 2009 00:01"},{"nm":"Judith  R","rs":"0","ms":"While I can understand people\'s frustration that this was about Upper Middle Class Upper eastsiders, and I am not that, I still thought it DID hit home. I\'ve been unemployed for 7 months and some of the feelings that were expressed... "I\'m a graduate- I\'m smart, I should be able to stand on my own 2 feet" really rang true. It\'s not about that class- it\'s about the fact that this recession is hitting everyone. And the problem of looking for work after 50- and if these "privileged" people can\'t find work with all their connections- what about everyone else?","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 23:18"},{"nm":"karen","rs":"0","ms":"I like Dr. Hank\'s comments... ending where do we go from here? \nMy remarks were harsh because as a Black woman of 61 with degrees and 30+ years of experience, back in school @ University of Chicago attempting to get a Ph.D. to take me in a new direction, this hit most of us long before last year when everyone was wondering what they\'d buy next. My comment stands, but also we have built our economy on such faulty ground: outsourced our real labor and manufacturing, depleted the middle class that was supposed to buy the re-imported goods... that\'s ALL part of the farce, too.\nWe need to re-allocate funds away from war and for education, health care, and the small business man or woman, diminishing their debt from this debacle, based upon their forward movement to contribute to their communities AND the world at large, not just for entertainment, self-aggrandizement and personal wealth.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 23:08"},{"nm":"Steve","rs":"0","ms":"On balance I thought this was an excellent program.\nIf wealthy folks on the Upper East Side are hurting, then things are truly bad. We may have an entire generation of folks who will never have as much money as their parents. We may have a lost generation. It was good to see and hear about the lives of real people in our economy. We may truly have a jobless recovery. This recession has been a painful and slowly evolving process. Good people have been hurt tragically.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 23:04"},{"nm":"Msb","rs":"0","ms":"I watched this - and I empathize with everyone who has lost their jobs and are feeling pain.  I am one of those people.  However, I have been unemployed for five months now and have cut my living seriously because that\'s the only option.  NOT to put stuff on credit cards because i want to - a massage?  That word does not exist in my vocabulary right now.  As far as hair, i was an avid customer of high a high end salon in Wayzata Minnesota- an upscale town, I have not had my hair cut now in six months...and further, I go to super cuts with a coupon.  I put 1/2 a tank of gas in my car for cash flow.  I do a lot of free things like walk my dog, go to book store and read (not buy) and continue to search for work.  It\'s tough for everyone today and like some on in this comment thread wrote, this show does outline that we are all connected.  I am a middle class citizen - the most I\'ve made in my career is $80 k which would be nothing to some - but to me that was living very large.  I now live on less than $600 per week.  It\'s amazing what you can do when you have to do it - I plan when I am working full time again to live like this. It\'s actually quite humbling.  It\'s not fun to live in fear, anxiety and angst and the media is NOT HELPING.  People are in tough times and everyone is doing what they can to survive. I empathize with those that truly get this and are not getting massages or buying things that they don\'t need on credit cards.  Harsh..but real and true.  I hope our economy recovers soon, we have a lot of great talented people in this world.  ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 23:03"},{"nm":"Robert","rs":"0","ms":"I enjoyed the program.  It made me feel better to know that I am not alone.  Unemployment and lack of income is very isolating.  What upsets me terribly is the tone of some of the comments--not just on this site but any site featuring stories about the unemployed and human suffering.  One commenter here suggested that Frontline go to Webster Ave in Brooklyn and show real suffering.  Had Frontline featured Webster Ave or any poor community in the USA, commenters who sneered at the people on this program would be just as nasty in their comments on the poor.  They would say that these people are lazy and stupid.  They would say that they are sponging on the government.  They would say that the poor made bad life decisions and those of us who are working should not have to pay for their mistakes.  Ugh!  Hell is other people!","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 23:00"},{"nm":"Ms. Sandi A.","rs":"0","ms":" I have watched Frontline. “Close to Home”, several times.  I live in a different part of the country but it is the same.   I am their age group and unemployed.  I am fortunate I do not have a mortgage or credit card debt.  \nDeborah Boles, owner of Deborah Hair Designs, is wonderful.  Her clientele have a good support system there.  Everyone in the documentary encouraged me.  Barbara, Deborah’s sister, is a saint to take in renters.  Things will get better for all of us.     \n","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 22:54"},{"nm":"Richard Porter","rs":"0","ms":"\n   Fantastic show!!  I could see the inner working of the people.  I applaud the people for being so open, and Frontline for capturing it. The format of interviewing people while their hair was cut really worked.   Although I agree with the comments that many of these people are partly responsible for their financial distress, my heart still goes out to each of them.   A clear wake up call for the viewers, save for a rainy day.\n","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 22:38"},{"nm":"Phillip ","rs":"0","ms":"I, too, am disappointed in Frontline for this presentation. I also agree with most of the previous comments that it\'s hard to feel sympathy for some of the people presented, though my heart goes out to certain of them.\n\nHowever, to the extent that the show stimulates conversation and debate, it\'s a good thing. \n\nA previous comment stated that people are so quick to blame others (the government, corporations, the other political party, etc.), and that\'s true, because we are collectively responsible for the society we create. However, to my mind the problem stems from unfettered capitalism and the globalization that it has engendered. \n\nFor instance, many of our jobs have moved overseas and of many of those that remain, the employer uses the implicit threat of relocating to prevent the workers from either bargaining collectively or unionizing in the first place. This is why wages have fallen (adjusted for inflation) in the last 30 years. Guess what? When the Chinese start to demand higher wages they\'ll get the same treatment, with corporations fleeing to South America or Africa, wherever wages are cheapest. What will be left is the same kind of desolation that we have here. \n\nThe problem is that, without close regulation, capitalism leads to externalities which are not reflected in the cheap price of most goods, e.g  global warming and environmental destruction. \n\nWe need to stop being merely consumers and start being citizens - think local!","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 22:36"},{"nm":"Sal","rs":"0","ms":"I\'d agree that this is certainly not FRONTLINE\'s best work.\n\nThat being said, I don\'t think we should pass judgement on how different people are struggling. There is a valid interest in hearing about how the upper middle class are dealing with their newfound financial struggles just as there is for those in the middle and lower middle classes. Still, the degree of sympathy I feel is much less. \n\nI found some of the salon customers to be incredibly out of touch. 40 and accepting money from your mother? Still putting everything on your credit card even though you\'re $200,000 in debt? Going to get your MBA...but not really sure you want a \'real\' job? If my mother paid for my Columbia University education and I used my degree to become a personal trainer she would kill me. ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 22:13"},{"nm":"jt in nj","rs":"0","ms":"I am absolutely appalled at some of these comments.  How can you possibly pass judgement on these people?  Whether rich, middle class or poor, it shouldn\'t matter.  These people are obviously suffering.  HIndsight is wonderful but the truth is we can all make mistakes.  It\'s part of the human condition.  None of this should be blamed on the people who are trying their best to pull through some very difficult circumstances.  Sympathy for their plight would be appropriate.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 21:32"},{"nm":"Joe","rs":"0","ms":"     I think that we are missing the point here. It isn\'t about the people who lost their jobs and can\'t find employment, but more about the impact it is having on Deborah and her salon. Her only mistake was striving for the American dream, but because of bad decisions made by the Wahoos of Wall Street, she may lose the salon. What this documentary demonstrates is that we are all inextricably connected to one another and what happens to some of use effect us all. ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 21:22"},{"nm":"Devin","rs":"0","ms":"If things are so tough, why continue the expensive grooming at an exclusive upper east side salon? That should be the first item to cut if things are that tough.  "We\'re like children" was the comment of one customer and so true.  If they\'re that clueless, no wonder they\'re in difficulty.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 21:21"},{"nm":"Dennis guzman","rs":"0","ms":"After taking the time to read some of what all has written this Frontline has help all of us to understand each other and also to take your own view to others. i have a hair salon and haircuts prices are control somewhat by the reality in those city\'s . I in the last year have taking a 50% lose in clients and like the show work for myself. Yet i did live a good life and at the same time everyday paid off my bills as if a bad time would come and after 15 yrs of working hard the big bills are all paid up. Doing better than most and yet feel the pain of what is happening since I have 7 kids now all in the real world. My best advice is to pay off all and save at the same time . Have some left over take a vacation. Lived as a kid in the south bronx and made it happen in the real world by working hard and being a family man. I,m now 63 yrs old and not shock about what has happened. Close to home is good even when it shows bad times.\n\n.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 21:01"},{"nm":"Dr. Hank","rs":"0","ms":"1) Great as this DVD is, offering it at $28.99 is unconscionable (Especially WRT Subject and Circumstances!)\n2) I think this piece is a work of art in that it permits us to peek out of our own (bleak) capsul of circumstances, and into the (comparably bleak) circumstances of others to whom we are virtually not at all connected. If their problems are \'their faults\' and our\'s are our\'s, how do we explain the extroadinary coincidences with respect to age, to (lack of) economic \'demand\' for our services, to lack of a credible means to economically climb back upright? I believe we have created a system of living that has failed us more broadly than just the obvious (final straw) permanent jobless-ness.\n3) Final observation: One person in the story (the carpenter) stood apart as an \'anachronism\'. Most of the job-losers had been some kind of \'agent\' in a corporate-dominated world; some for staffing, some for financing, etc. There were heroic people attempting to survive by supplying valuable services to these agents (stylists and latte providers), but the customer base of agents has been (perhaps permanently) devasted. IF we cannot rely on the creation of a new base of \'agents\' to become everyone\'s customers, on what basis is the American Economy to recover? My point is, I think we would have fared better if the system we created had placed greater value on the carpenters and craftsmen, and less on the Corporations and their agents. When the \'Music Stopped\', Too Big To Fail got all the seats. We, the audience, saw the lights go out as we were ushered into the street. Where to go from here?","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 20:48"},{"nm":"Ken ","rs":"0","ms":"I don\'t get the anger here. Most of the people depicted in this film are educated baby-boomers who have contributed for the past twenty or thirty years and now find themselves unemployable. If you are in that demographic (working and over fifty) this film should scare the bejeseus out of ya\'. Its a lot more brutal world for us and bad things DO happen to good people all the time. I found it telling that most of the people in this film found something to laugh about in their plight even if the humor in it came at their own tragic expense. Resigned to our fate, we may as well see the humor in it, right?  Oh, Gota\' go, a bill collector is calling!","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 19:44"},{"nm":"karen","rs":"0","ms":"This is like a joke wrapped in a farce wrapped in an irony. Hilarious! As if I were watching an extended Saturday Night Live sketch. People who live lives so cocooned from the sufferings of the rest of the world can expect NO sympathy... or empathy, for that matter.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 18:37"},{"nm":"Donna","rs":"0","ms":"Its not like me to comment. But this is an exception. I am a hairstylist. I get what Debora is feeling. Wanting to discount her services to help out her clients. But she cannot help herself by discounting.\nMost of the comments seem, to me, to miss the entire point of this Frontline... We all know its terrible in Harlem. I live in Michigan and know that\'s true. I don\'t live in Detroit and know its bad there too! The point is, its NOT supposed to be bad on the upper East side of Manhattan. Its not supposed to be bad if you are well educated, loads of experience, socially connected and white. Bad times usually pass these folks up. Or, at least, do not do much damage. Not true, this time! That\'s why this story is so scary. If these folks cannot save themselves, what the heck are the rest of us to do? \nAnd for those of you who do not have a long-time hairstylist/barber, understand this, the most expensive haircut is still cheaper than a shrink!!!","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 18:29"},{"nm":"Marvin","rs":"0","ms":"For years analysts spoke about the housing "bubble"....\n\nWhat do bubbles eventually do? \n\nThey burst. \n\nNuff said. \nThese people really thought they could go on forever living their consumptive lifestyles. I only feel sorry for the ex-ballet dancer...he had it rough and it looks like he did not live outlandishly but was just trying to make an honest living...and his wife dies to boot. Thank God he was bale to keep his dogs..he\'ll bounce back.   ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 17:47"},{"nm":"Luke","rs":"0","ms":"The only guys laughing now are the bankers as they count their fat bonus checks....and most of America made the bankers rich, buying on credit. Anyone who lived below their means, saved for emergencies and didn\'t live the "I gotta have it" lifestyle is probably doing ok right now. Think about how we\'ve been programmed over the last 2-3 decades: do we really need a cell phone? Cable? Walk-in closets full of clothes we rarely wear...x-box...the 32 inch tv is no longer good enough, gotta have the 52 inch plasma. I got panhandled by a guy just today at the gas pump- he needed a couple bucks for gas. I asked him to look at his car (brand new) vs. mine (10 yrs old, paint chipped off...) and told him no, I couldn\'t give him money. Its rough but many of these folks set themselves up for this now... I think about how my parents lived - very basic and responsible: they paid for a mortgage, gas and food, electric and a basic phone. No wonder they were able to save up for retirement and emergencies. THEY LIVED BELOW THEIR MEANS! THEY DID NOT USE THEIR HOME AS A CASH MACHINE! Wise up people. ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 17:42"},{"nm":"Mitch S.","rs":"0","ms":" Really not up to Frontline standards.\nFirst of all why a narrator with such a thick accent?\nIt made it hard to understand what she was saying.\n\nSecond, I don\'t have a problem with the premise, it could be interesting to see how established professionals are being affected. But the reporting was so shallow viewers didn\'t learn much more than older unemployed people feel employers are less inclined to hire older workers, and it takes time to make resumes and fill out employment forms (you\'re unemployed, isn\'t time the one thing you have in excess?!).\n How about some deeper research, some stats to put the personal stories into a broader perspective?\n\n  The piece gave me the impression that the producer was looking for a way to turn a few days hanging out with friends and a trip to Florida into a business expense.\n","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 17:32"},{"nm":"Susan","rs":"0","ms":"This show terrified me. I don\'t think the Porshe lady should have been represented, but I understand why people still need to be well-groomed, particularly when looking for work.\n\nMy husband became unemployed from a construction management in a large corporation a year ago (ironically on election day).  The banks stopped making loans for the construction projects to continue.  The company had massive layoffs.  He feverishly looks for work everyday and goes to seminars and classes on how to find work, much like the HR man in the film. My husband is in his mid 50\'s, has always worked hard (mostly physical labor until a few years ago).\n\nI am ill and unable to work.  We lost our medical insurance due to the high cost of COBRA.  My health is declining.  I am not able to receive disability benefits because I took off time to raise our kids...I took off too much time according to the government.\n\nWe are now at the end of our savings.  We had finally been able to buy a home in 2006.  Now, our mortgage hasn\'t been paid since August and it\'s only a matter of time until we have to leave.\n\nI am 50 and scared.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 17:22"},{"nm":"Cheryl","rs":"0","ms":"I felt sad for these people but not because they don\'t have jobs. I felt like many had a sense of entitlement...and no insight into the big picture. Boo hoo, they can\'t afford their lavish lifestyle anymore. Wake up, and look at the world beyond where you live. Has nobody ever heard of saving money?\nI found it interesting on an anthropological level, but it portrayed to me what is wrong with America.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 16:50"},{"nm":"Cheryl ODonovan","rs":"0","ms":"I think the more affluent people depicted here spiked anger among some viewers, but for me, it’s just a continuation of the same horrible trends.  At my son’s high school, there’s been a spike in student homelessness.  Whether poor or moderately well-to-do, the current unemployment and rocky economy affects us all.  To critics who say we’re whiners and to pick ourselves up -- most of us can’t even afford to retrain, or we’ll look at even bigger personal debt.  The outsourcing, bailouts, and surreal corporate corruption defies comprehension.  There’s a new HBO documentary, “Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags,” about the U.S. garment industry, which discusses its rise and decline.  95% of our clothes used to be made here, and now it’s only 5%.  Five per cent!  People in the 60’s and 70’s who were fired, could walk down the street and get another job, pronto.  That just doesn’t happen anymore.  Corporations have a real heartless quality.  We’ve known that for a long while.  We know it, yet still work for them – and hate ourselves for being schmucks, because we know we’ll end up on the chopping block.  There is no incentive to get an advanced degree or work hard, because sooner or later, you’re going to be in your 40’s or 50’s and a statistic yourself.  The young don’t care, because they figure they’ll never get old.  The executives of big companies don’t care, because they’re protected, greedy and corrupt.  Really – has our country evolved much past the robber barons?  Nope.  It hasn’t.  And Congress is more keen on arguing along liberal versus conservative platforms, rather than hearing any of us real folks.  Many Americans are falsely entertained by Hollywood, swept up in reality shows – completely oblivious to great shows like this “Frontline” installment.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 16:48"},{"nm":"Deb Ohio","rs":"0","ms":"My husband was a loan officer with GMAC mortgage and that\'s gone.  He hasn\'t found work in that field in 3 years and hasn\'t found anything other than a retail clerk at $8/hour which he was laid off of because of slow sales.  Our health insurance went from $400 a month in 2008 to $550 a month for 2009 a 38% increase.  There\'s no unemployment benefits and no jobs. He has applied for "green job" education and hopes to get into solar field but he\'s been waiting over a year for a call from the temporary agency that hires for First Solar.  He\'s 49 years old and frankly, I don\'t think he\'ll ever find meaningful work. Companies hire younger workers for less money and this group of unemployed men and women, his age, are screwed.  He\'s so depressed mentally that he has to take medication, which isn\'t really helping a lot.  He is close to losing hope altogether and I know he\'s not alone.  ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 16:10"},{"nm":"Jessica","rs":"0","ms":""Try doing a version of the show on Webster Ave. in the Bronx and see how many people there had to sell their porsches to pay for health insurance." You\'re missing the point. We know they\'re struggling too. What\'s scary to me is working hard, sacrificing, making practical choices and getting a piece of the dream [that even people on Webster Ave want] and losing it all. Poor and middle-class people have better coping skills because they\'re (we\'re) use to it. If nothing\'s safe (IRAs, investments, health insurance etc) it makes me feel like giving up. Like the couple in the documentary, I\'m in the started-own-business-200K-in-debt-marriage-on-rocks category.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 16:03"},{"nm":"Herman","rs":"0","ms":"\n  When you look at this program you can only come away from it wondering "Am I living in the richest country in the world?" How does this sort of thing happen here?\n  ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 15:28"},{"nm":"Nini","rs":"0","ms":" Like many on this thread, I was skeptic about the people who were unemployed and in debt, but still paying for a haircut. But this criticism is pointless.( a hair cut might be a little attempt at them feeling momentarily better about themselves). Rather than blaming them, we should ponder why a good education and hard work are not enough to combat aagism, corporate greed and economic cycles in our country. Those people represent the middle class, always cited by politicians as the backbone of our society. The woman buying a house in hope of making a profit later and got caught in the downturn, is trying to survive by having four boarders paying rent. In better times, others have made a killing by investing in real estate. The guy who lost his house is working at any job he can find. The couple who opened a cafe, saw their dream collapse, even after taking an enterpreunerial initiative and working hard to achieve their dreams. The HR guy driving his car from workshop to workshop without sucess for sixteen months is still not discouraged by the fruitless search. I really don\'t know what works anymore. I sent this link to my newly married daughter asking her to watch this program. If nothing else, it will serve her as a warning to be cautious in her life and to realize that success and wealth can be fleeting. The problem is, while this program has managed to depress us all, there are really no immediate solutions to be found.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 14:58"},{"nm":"Dbailie","rs":"0","ms":"The American public needs to stop looking for a scapegoat for the poor decisions we make.  It\'s either blame the government, politicians, the banks or corporations.  We are to blame.  When it was to good to be true we just kept our heads in the sand because it was a benefit for us to do so.  If everyone lives above their means and borrows irrationally then the average price of things is driven up unrealistically.  Eventually it crashes and takes years to adjust until the next batch of unrealistic people come along to bury their heads in the sand, get something for nothing, make a quick buck, live above their means and feel entitled to do so.  We continue to make the same mistakes endlessly.  Just because someone tells you you can afford a 250,000 house doesn\'t mean you can and if you are an educated, realistic person you should see the danger in living this way.  American priorities are hopelessly askew, one visit to a third world country would open your eyes and make you look in the mirror.\nThe man who lost his wife I\'m sure medical bills had a lot to do with his misfortune, if this is the case his community should come to his aid.  Buying his house and allowing him to rent for a reasonable sum would be a start, especially if the foreclosure cost was 55,000.  Helping someone help themselves is a lot better feeling than driving a porshe.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 14:54"},{"nm":"Woody G","rs":"0","ms":"FRONTLINE? \nWhat a disappointment. Well it is good to know that the baby boomers of the East Side have it so rough. I have been so worried no one would tell their story. My heart breaks for those unfortunate and apparently, suffering people. \nI find it hard to illicit any concern in the people in this presentation when so many around the country are suffering a much worse set of circumstances. How many children live in homeless shelters right now? How many people can’t afford to eat more than one meal in a day or in two? How many people have given up looking for work because they realize it is futile? Why are film makers and producers afraid to show the harsh realities of this recession? Where is the real story?\nI had to go to your online archives and watch “The Farmers Wife” just to remind myself what FRONTLINE is all about.  \n","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 14:29"},{"nm":"Alexandra","rs":"0","ms":"I am 55 years old and remain employed, but have watched many friends laid off and struggling as never before. I thought the subjects in the piece were brave and eloquent. I came away haunted that "but for the grace of God go I" but also thinking that tough times can make us more human and more willing to reach out to each other. I spend much time in Mexico, and have seen Mexican friends lose their employment--but not their place in society: they still have family, friends, community. The tragedy for many of us in the U.S. professional work force is that we have become defined our jobs, and failed to connect in significant ways with the world around us. Maybe it\'s time to change that.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 14:13"},{"nm":"Jose Mojica","rs":"0","ms":"This show was ridiculous.  Try doing a version of the show on Webster Ave. in the Bronx and see how many people there had to sell their porsches to pay for health insurance.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 13:51"},{"nm":"Deb","rs":"0","ms":"This frontline show really hit home. I\'m 58, self-employed graphic artist and am having a very difficult time getting work for the first time in my career. I\'m finding that too much of our work is being outsourced overseas. I\'d love to see a program that addresses this issue. It seems that if we keep sending our jobs oversees, there will always be a high unemployment rate here. I think it would be a good topic worth discussion and explanation.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 13:44"},{"nm":"Clay","rs":"0","ms":"I think the title itself smacks of the elitism.  I don\'t know about you but when you chose the title "Close to Home," whose "home" are you talking about?  That having been said, it seems to me that the recession and all its collateral consequences only has signficance when white folks are affected.  I\'m sorry about all the stress these people are going through in the program.  However, at least you are (or were) able to afford a home, a car, vacations and even a haircut in the ritzy upper east side.  Try renting, depending on mass transit, not taking a vacation in years, and cutting your own hair.  Gimme a break.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 13:42"},{"nm":"Amir Smith","rs":"0","ms":"I saw the program, and was very disheartned to hear some of the tales told. However, this is the Upper East Side. I would challenge Frontline\'s producers to do a story in a barbershop, or hair salon on 125th in Harlem, on Flatbush, or Nostrond Avenues in Brooklyn, or on Jamaica Avenue in Queens. ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 13:41"},{"nm":"Maria Elena","rs":"0","ms":"Scary. Makes me thankful for my job, and, at the same time, scared to spend money, which doesn\'t help people like Deborah, who needs folks like me to continue to participate in the economy.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 13:31"},{"nm":"Lynn","rs":"0","ms":"Why don\'t all the networking people ... instead of competing against each other for those very few jobs ... join forces to form their own business, company or enterprise. There\'s enough EXPERIENCE and brain power there to even figure out how to raise money to then go on and start up the thing they would really like to do ... Take off your suits and coats and put on your jeans and sweatshirts and form a consignment shop, or an ebay endeavor, or a thrift shop or a business that does home repairs for the elderly. Widows have a terrible time finding a trustworthy repairman ... Something they could all become involved in now, to raise the capital to do what they would really like to do later on ... Even I would be interested in joining in that!","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 13:22"},{"nm":"Kha7","rs":"0","ms":"Frontline is known for hard hitting investigative pieces. I really don\'t know what to make of this one. It would have been okay as another POV-like PBS program. With numerous issues to cover these days, Frontline should have made a better choice or better yet covered middle class folks who are not taking $40 haircuts and feeling sad about selling their Porshes.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 12:50"},{"nm":"Robbin Block","rs":"0","ms":"In many ways, this slice-of-life program provides a lesson for dealing with change. Rather than picking on the fact that they were paying a lot for a haircut, the real point is one, they weren\'t prepared for it. Two, they are expecting the same old behaviors to solve a new situation. And perhaps the same pay and benefits. Granted, there are some with little flexibility -- they can\'t handle change for a variety of reasons -- inability, illness, family obligations. However, age came across as the underlying excuse. Maybe "excuse" is harsh, so how about exploring the other side of the coin? Let\'s look at what employers have to say. What is the real problem? Is it that they don\'t want to pay high salaries? They\'re worried that older workers aren\'t up to snuff? That old dogs can\'t learn new tricks? Perhaps there just aren\'t enough jobs. Rather than feeling sorry for ourselves, let\'s get some answers and fight back -- as we older people are able to do. After spending all that time looking for jobs, perhaps these people have to stop looking for jobs that don\'t exist and start rethinking, reworking, reconceptualizing and digging deeper/using their smarts to find new ways to solve old problems. They\'ve got a lot more to go on than all those people who have been struggling for years, even without the downturn in the economy.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 12:12"},{"nm":"Jay","rs":"0","ms":"For decades we have all been aware that the savings rate in the United States has been 1% or so. I\'ve always wondered what everyone would do if the economy went south. Now I know. Maybe Deborah should focus some of the anger she expressed at the end of the show at the people who have been living their lives at the edge of financial sanity. In other words, most of her customers.\n","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 12:06"},{"nm":"Kathleen","rs":"0","ms":"Yesterday afternoon I told my 32 year old daughter that I just never thought this would happen to me, echoing the same sentiment of the those interviewed for the show. I now try to survive on a third of the income that I enjoyed four years ago. My savings are gone. I have lost two jobs to restructuring and the economic depression. Now I work for a non-profit. I am 58 with a college degree and over 25 years in retail management and interior design. I am on my feet for over seven hours each day. I getting ready for a second knee operation.\nI have researched going back to school. I would be in my \'sixties when I graduate. Who is going to hire me? While I now realize that I will have to work until I am 75 or older, society believes I want to retire at 65. Why would a company invest time in me when they think I would retire in a few years. We older workers are going to have to reshape our employment and pool our resources to survive the New Normal financial and working world. Our beliefs of doing the "right thing" following all the rules,paying our taxes, believing in the American Dream have been for nothing. This show is not about selling a Porsche. It is about a complete breakdown of an economic system due to unregulated greed. The middle class is once again left to pay the bill. Only this time, our wallets are empty.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 11:59"},{"nm":"Will","rs":"0","ms":"I am appalled that Frontline produced this show.  I guess you can\'t hit a home run every time but my goodness...  am I supposed to feel sorry for these people?  Their expectations are completely unreal to me.  So much I could say here, but to put it simply, who gets a wash and cut (and a massage!!!) when they are in debt?  I assume several of these people are going to come into money from family at some point because they don\'t seem too concerned about the debt they have.  Frontline, there are people living tens of minutes from this salon that are really in dire circumstances, perhaps you should have turned the camera their way?  You get a pass because of amazing past work but this was not your finest hour will all due respect.  ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 11:47"},{"nm":"H.R. Hudson","rs":"0","ms":"Yes, I\'ve watched the program last night.  Some people, I feel bad for; the others, I could care less. Been unemployed for four years.  At 48, I can\'t get a job to save my life.  Good luck on going back to school.  I\'ve tried that. And I find that it\'s a big waste of money if you don\'t have a job at the end of your training.  What I\'ve got from "Close to Home" is that this current economic system is just so archaic and antiquated that it allows no room for creativity and innovation.  We have to start creating our own economic sustenance.  This system of going from job fair to job fair just to get a $8.50/hour job doesn\'t mean a hill of beans anymore.  I wish the people on the show good luck \'cause there\'s got to be another way.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 11:40"},{"nm":"maggie","rs":"0","ms":"Excellent presentation!  The point is not that "haves" are now "have nots" but rather that an Age Bias permeates our culture.  None of those people who are now failing or unemployed failed to make their societal contributions.  Their taxes and spending built our economy.  People in their fifties and sixties need to be productive to grease the wheel of progress and the wheel of subsidies to help pay the tab for those less fortunate.  Otherwise they are added to the list of "have nots" and who is going to pay that bill.  If we fail to value education and experience we will fail as a society!    ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 10:40"},{"nm":"Andy","rs":"0","ms":"I watched 15 minutes before I realized this was not a joke.  Did this piece seem wholly inappropriate to anyone else?  What did those haircuts cost?  There are people really suffering from this economy, and you won\'t find any of them anywhere near this New York hair salon.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 10:11"},{"nm":"Nt","rs":"0","ms":"Many of us share similar problem which is how to find a job; I\'dl like to add, we have more and more "reputable"  employers who are taking advantage of the difficult market and are overworking their employees until they get sick and then they get rid of them just like disposing a cloth? These are reputable companies claiming they are in business over 100+ years have integrity and humanity as their values, Fortune 100 companies ...  How can such individuals move on with their lives trying to overcome illness needless to say find work? . Who will protect people who are facing age discrimination as shown in your program? Our government is hand in hand with employers only. The HR professional looking for work could start his own agency instead of trying to follow the same pattern of finding someone to hire him; HR skills seem to be in demand. The show would have had far more value if it brought all three sides at the table: employers, government and those who are out of work. I was particularly moved with a story about the man who lost his home and whose wife died just prior. As it appears we are the society of vultures. If we claim that we have a sense of community as we often like to say how do we deal with such issues?  One man\'s misfortune is another fortune we often hear (what a horrible statement). I think Frontline needs to develop the idea far more if it wants to correctly display serious social issues created by the current crisis. Jobless recovery as we hear in the media ...I would say there is no recovery until the jobless rate goes down. So Frontline may wish to approach this critical problem by talking to people of different age groups and profiles at different spots of the country. How do we solve the problem of being a better society? having better treatment of working class? Old problems and no resolutions still.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 09:22"},{"nm":"tom","rs":"0","ms":"Why don\'t they show how the crisis has not affected any of the top guys on wall street.  The guys who caused it , still live in 10 room mansions and are still centimillionaires like O\'Neal and Thain.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 08:47"},{"nm":"Allen","rs":"0","ms":"I wonder if the Obama administration will help all of these older displaced workers.  It seems like this past decade with Bush and his two recessions (among other things) has somehow stunted these people\'s ability to explore their full potential.  It seems as if they could do a whole lot more but ageism is against them.  I am not quite their age bracket (yet). But this show has made me think deeply about what I will do the next time the USA experiences this again -- surely we will.  In any case, I think it would be a great idea if the government help these people by creating programs that would allow them to work when the jobs come back (we\'re only a few months away, folks...don\'t despair).  I hate to see talent, creativity and potential wasted in this manner.  This recession didn\'t have to happen...","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 06:27"},{"nm":"Mary","rs":"0","ms":"My husband and I watched the show with much sympathy for those suffering through no fault of their own. Although I can find issue with using credit cards for a hair cut (and it was NOT a fancy salon) I can also see that a hair cut can make your day and sometimes you just need to make your own day!  We have been so lucky here in Houston. Not many layoffs, not as many foreclosures,etc. My husband has a good job and his pay supports several in our family who, while still employed, are having rough times in this economy. We have always saved, recycled, reused, not run up credit cards (except when the kids were in college!), and we try to spend reasonably--we know we are lucky so we continue our prudence.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 05:42"},{"nm":"Doob","rs":"0","ms":"It used to be that a person could leave high school and find a job in the "trades" or further their studies at a college or university. Now the only option is to constantly \'study\' - to what benefit? Tertiary education is now beyond the reach of most average people; it  provides little benefit and mires the student and family in debt. \n\nI benefited from an education system outwith the USA and graduated with no debt - Thankful that a system existed that provided me with the means to study even though my parents could never afford to pay for that education.  \n\nSociety today is too reliant on debt to fuel an increase in GDP. As my father always told me - "You can\'t live on borrowed money".\n\nPoliticians need to stop thinking of what is best for their lobby, but to do what is best for the people they represent. Otherwise there will be a bloody revolution - and they will be the guests of Mde. Guillotine.\n\nWe should stop voting for these idiots and elect true representatives of that which benefits the people. ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 03:40"},{"nm":"John ","rs":"0","ms":"It would be interesting to know when the principle shooting of this documentary took place. While we did have a serious market correction, I believe that the darkest hours are behind us.  This pessimism that market can only go down is just as ludicrous as the belief that the market can only go up. While I do feel for those who have to leave the market at a low, (retirees) those who are just entering the market will have effectively gained the most value for money in decades.  ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 01:54"},{"nm":"Catherine","rs":"0","ms":"For over 35 years I was a top art director in advertising. I was let go a month before my 60th birthday 3 years ago. But I was excited to try a new venture, buying an ugly house and renovating it to resell. Just as I finished, the market fell, and I could not get my money out of it. So I sold a house I owned free and clear to help me pay some of the debt. Now I owe taxes on the sale of the house I sold which I can\'t pay. In 2 months I will have spent everything I got from the sale of that house. I will have to start taking out my 401K and paying taxes on that too. I\'m too young for social security and too old to get hired. For the past 2 years I\'ve been working on an internet site of e-greetings. The cost of getting programmers has eaten much of what I\'ve had left, but nothing has come of it as of yet. I am finding it is extremely difficult to get a presence and have people discover you. I have only gotten deeper in debt, trying to get something going, with nothing to show for it. Over this time period I have paid almost more for seminars and coaching than I made in my last year of work. I feel scammed and frustrated and now very frightened. I don\'t know what to do next and I can\'t imagine how I will survive as I get older. ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 01:50"},{"nm":"Randall Bishop","rs":"0","ms":"I too owned a coffee business that failed but I did not invest my life into it and thus was saved from too much of the fallout and debt that is usually present after failure. Still from that ending I was not able to pick myself up after and ended up living off my investments, savings, and eventually opting to go back to school and get my masters in HRDV. Since I have had to sell my house and I am on the verge of bankrupting my credit cards because of the lack of employment. I have been searching for a year now and have finally realized that all the education, networking and personal marketing skills I have will hasten my chances of getting a well paying job, less a career. This documentary was very well done and expressed what many are feeling today. I too believe the government has sold us out and that age discrimination runs rampant throughout most industries. We need to go back to our roots and create our own life than wait for this failed system we live to provide.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 01:36"},{"nm":"Robt Perkins","rs":"0","ms":"And this is just the start of this. The recession is almost over. The Depression will follow! As you watch this program, realize you\'re probably next! No threat, just reality. If you want a job, try to call Rohm Emanuel, because the only jobs will be for the Government! Our nation is headed quickly toward National Socialism. Unless more people watch FrontLine and see what the networks conveniently avoid to tell anyone! People will probably blame Obama like they blamed Bush, when we know it\'s the Banksters who take our homes to resell them and strangle the credit to a business so that it fails and their loans drag on forever. That poor young gal in the show said, "Give me a couple of years!" If she works for Goldman Tachs, she\'ll get rich alright. But then she\'d have to foreclose on her mom! God help us.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 01:31"},{"nm":"Gerry","rs":"0","ms":"These people in this program complaining about the economy and the \'hard times\' they\'re going through...they must not be doing too badly if they can still afford to get their hair done at that salon.  I used to live in NYC and I\'m sure a salon like that in the Upper East Side isn\'t cheap.  Maybe it\'s just me...but if I\'m hurting financially, I\'m getting my hair cut at a $15 barbershop somewhere. ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 01:19"},{"nm":"Chican Dilvelco","rs":"0","ms":" Leave Manhatten or New York City if possible. Run away to less expensive spots all over the United States with better opportunities. The same poor there are a lot richer everywhere else. As for a rate cut for your haircuts or get the toolkits to do the haircuts yourselfs including women who would save a bundle if doable.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 01:17"},{"nm":"Joseph","rs":"0","ms":"I manage a few stores in Huntington, NY. My family has owned these stores since 1975. Some of our tenants were there before we us. After all these years only one tenant is able to pay their rent. We are luckier then most we haven\'t had a mortgage on this for many years, this has allowed us to carry our tenants for now almost 2yrs. Now we are hurting financially and this property which supported our families doesn\'t even earn the Real Estate taxes. For the first time we are in credit card debt and no end in sight.\n\nAll the problems of this economy can be directly linked to the shennanigans of Wall Street. It may seem simple to blame them for all our problems but in reality they are to blame. Underneath all this is the Federal Reserve the private for profit bank that is truly the puppet master, lets get rid of them.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 01:14"},{"nm":"CAGal","rs":"0","ms":"What an awesome depiction of the situation nowadays!  I just watched the picture air and I really feel for those people.  I feel for us all.  I just kept thinking that we\'ve got to do something. We have to use collective action to gain some ground in the situation at hand. I see the people and think how we can all help each other.  Even though I\'m young the situation is very scary for us as well.  We\'ve been told since we were tiny \'go to college and you\'ll be fine\'. Well here I am about to graduate May c/o 2010 Sacramento State.  I\'ve invested all this time and LORD knows I took out student loans.  And there is no guarantee once I graduate.  The student loan business is predatory.  Those who accept are indebted for the next 25 years.  I\'m just hoping they don\'t cancel my classes I need so I can graduate on time.  IF A BUSINESS IS TOO BIG TO FAIL IT IS TOO DAMN BIG!!!!  Keep your head up America!  We are all still indispensable.  Every single one of us.  God Bless. ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 01:07"},{"nm":"Rhonda","rs":"0","ms":"This was awful. Almost unwatchable. How much money did you spend on this, Frontline? Because you could have used that money to tell the stories of working class and middle class people in this country who truly deserve for their stories to be told. Are we supposed to feel sorry for the HR executive driving around in his luxury sedan in clean, suburban, safe Connecticut? Or the woman who has to sell her Porsche? Give me a break. This Frontline episode was profoundly shallow and completely out of touch with the majority of Americans. I\'m shocked and disappointed that Frontline made this film. What a waste of money in a time when everyone should be watching their pennies. Even Frontline. ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 01:02"},{"nm":"Lori Grasman","rs":"0","ms":"I am separated now for about 1 1/2 years, there used to be two incomes in the household, my income alone is not working, I have three children- one in college and one graduating this year. I don\'t even want to look at my bills. Right now I am  paying what comes in. One day at a time is my new moto to relieve some stress. I also work in a salon on Long Island, it\'s the same situation out here, our salon and many others have become very slow, and nobody uses cash anymore, they all use credit cards. Many of my clients have lost their homes and had to relocate. Both parents have to work now. I do think this situation is helping people to think more about their priorities. People are being forced to be humble and compassionate towards strangers. It"s happening to ALL of us, not one group. God bless us all.....","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 00:55"},{"nm":"Elliott Reed","rs":"0","ms":"Excellent program Frontline!  I\'m no easy critic and have nailed you many time for your bias, but this was absolutely a very good show.  I graduated in economics and coming from that background I follow the human condition as it related to the economy.  This was fascinating from the beginning to the end.  Here is my bias, it does sadden me to see the loss of human potential because of mistakes made by a few who we trusted to avoid these situations.  I won\'t name names and we\'d probably disagree, but it are those in government and Wall Street.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 00:40"},{"nm":"Rachel Smith","rs":"0","ms":"My husband has been increasingly unemployed for years, with an MBA in Finance, and years of experience. He is as bright, healthy, and flexible as a younger person, but he is over 50. What is wrong with our culture? Those haircuts are a drop in the bucket compared to health insurance costs, college expenses, and groceries. I apply for jobs, too, and have been back to school, all to no avail. I have gotten responses that I will have to work 80 hours a week, or, this job is a track for further promotions (as if I couldn\'t possibly have ambition), don\'t worry about the computer "dear", it is for the kids (never mind the development courses I just took for grades), older workers are good because they can spell and need health insurance, as well as other weird responses that imply I am too old. Thank you, Frontline, for starting this. I hope you will continue with some of real-life interview experiences that these people are going to encounter.","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 00:12"},{"nm":"Don Luke","rs":"0","ms":"The older middle class has been hit very hard. I feel very sorry for the owner/operator of the hair salon. She had worked so hard for herself and her family. The man in Florida who lost his wife and home was a real tragedy but he at least was willing to work almost any job. The others seem unable to change their lives in any meaningful way. The  middle class has been the backbone of this country and it continues to shrink. I do have to wonder why our government treated the banks so well while letting the other sectors of our economy  go it\'s own way.  It looks like the fairy tale life is over for many, many people. Our children will likely have a lower living standard than we had. That is a scary notion. This was a very thought provoking  program. ","pt":"Oct 28, 2009 00:01"},{"nm":"Sandy","rs":"0","ms":"I too believe we are in a changed economy, a changed America. I too have been cutting my own hair, and that of my sons, for many years. We are not without some level of current security--we own our home, and my sons just graduated (with honors) from college. But there are no jobs in sight for them, and I have advised them to be willing to look beyond our shores for a future. ","pt":"Oct 27, 2009 23:55"},{"nm":"Marti","rs":"0","ms":"I\'m unemployed now since early January. I had been steadily employed at various firms over the past 34 years.  There had always been a high demand for workers in my field and now the job market is non-existent.  I am highly skilled and experienced, but this is not what the employers want.\n\nI have no debt and I saved while working. But I do not appreciate the judgment being passed on the program\'s cast by one of the preceding commenters.  For shame!","pt":"Oct 27, 2009 23:38"},{"nm":"Berni","rs":"0","ms":"This struck a chord with me.  Although I\'m an experienced and talented educator, I lost my job four years ago when the Archdiocese closed a large number of schools.  I switched to the public school system only to be laid off after one year because of a lack of seniority.  I have a part time job teaching in an enrichment program at one of the top private schools, and I also work as a substitute teacher.  Each year the public school system has laid off several hundred teachers because of budget cuts. (Illinois ranks in the bottom five states for school funding.)  Two weeks ago, there was another round of lay-offs.  Even education is no longer recession-proof. ","pt":"Oct 27, 2009 23:36"},{"nm":"Ms. Noble","rs":"0","ms":"This episode touches home with all of us. Living in the Dayton OH area, we hear about someone losing a job almost everyday. Being unemployed for over a year myself and my husband is underemployed we have had to rely on family to help us out. We are going back to school as many of our friends are in the hopes that we will be able to obtain stable employment. ","pt":"Oct 27, 2009 23:06"},{"nm":"heather","rs":"0","ms":"To me, it seemed like a lot of white upper class people talking about how hard/unfair it is to lose your job and need to find another, or have to run up a lot of debt or take a low prestige job to pay the bills. I guess the point is that this is new for them so that makes it important. But poor / working class people deal with these problems all the time. Probably Frontline\'s audience will like the show because they identify with the people, but i found it whiny - sorry you have to sell the porsche..boo hoo.","pt":"Oct 27, 2009 22:55"},{"nm":"DB in ATL","rs":"0","ms":"What I find amazing, after all that\'s happened, are people who are so far in debt ($80K, $200K etc.) can sit and laugh about using credit cards for a salon haircut or other luxury items. What has to happen for individuals to wake up? I\'ve been cutting my own hair for years and I\'ve gotten so adept that I receive queries on what salon I go to for such a great cut. The bottom line is these are the same people who they were before; Living beyond their means, using credit cards indiscriminately, and living with an attitude of entitlement. At least "The Porsche Lady" had the good sense and dignity to sell her car to pay for health insurance. I get the feeling after watching this that most people would forgo the sale of the porsche and pay their insurance with yet another credit card.","pt":"Oct 27, 2009 22:50"},{"nm":"Luther ","rs":"0","ms":"What we\'re facing right now is a fundamental restructuring of our economy. Unfortunately, we were told for a number of years that we were headed in this direction, but failed to listen. Capitalism was touted as the best way for our society to progress, but was simply a "bill of goods." American society won\'t return to some "normalcy" for a very long time.","pt":"Oct 27, 2009 22:13"},{"nm":"Kathy","rs":"0","ms":"This is a remeinder that we all have feet of clay.","pt":"Oct 27, 2009 19:10"}]}); });