by Mike Orren

At least you'll know you're not alone.

DALLAS — Rumor has it there's some sort of downturn in the economy that's causing a ripple effect of destruction that includes store closings, reduced traffic and unemployment.

There is a gathering at Opening Bell Mosaic on Friday, March 6 from 1-5 PM for folks feeling the brunt of the wave of layoffs: LaidOffCamp "is an unconference for unemployed and non traditionally employed people (including freelancers, entrepreneurs and startups) in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area who want to share ideas and learn from each other. At LaidOffCamp, attendee-driven sessions may include: Using Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook as Lead Generation Devices, Expanding Your Professional Network, Living on an Extreme Budget, Building Your Personal Brand, Freelance Consulting 101, Starting Your Own Business and more."

General admission is free and you can get 25% off food and drink. You don't have to be unemployed to attend, but given that it's in the middle of the afternoon, it probably helps.

You can find more info at the LaidOffCamp wiki.

What do you think?