[masraum]

Well, the potentially good news. I know lots of folks that work at the same company, and was even a contractor there myself years ago. Unless things have changed, the severance packages are pretty nice, and the market for what we do (at least in Houston and several other cities around Texas) seems to be very good. I know that someone of Mike's caliber won't have a problem getting a job.

It's nice that Mike's boss says he's got nothing to worry about. That may be completely true. There may be some level of input that bosses have at times. There's a reason that the company is what it is. Still, pretty scary facing it, and I would prefer to be prepared.