Prostitution but it has an obvious downside.

Find a product that has universal appeal can you think of one? How about travel!
That’s a good one. The travel industry is about 3 trillion per yr. in the USA.
That’s bigger than the oil business! You only need a small cut of that!
Now find someone that will sell you your own online travel agency, let’s say for less than $500.00. It has to be a company that gives you full backup and reasonable commissions.
And has certification classes they teach for about $100.00. they also have to have a booking agent that takes care of the people that go to your site. Also they need to be well established. All you have to do is talk to people and give them your business card and enjoy traveling yourself. Ah. Here is one www.timefreedomtravelparadisen etwork.com

Anything to do with food. People need to eat.

funeral parlor most funerals cost 5-10 grand and people die everyday i have never heard of one going out of business

gather up a crew and 'trash out' foreclosed homes. Then use another crew to do grounds keeping on vacant homes for realestate companies. all the personal property that is removed from the homes is yours to keep or sell, so rent some warehouse space and fire up your Ebay account to sell all of your acquired treasures.

The 'business' of realizing what causes economic situations in the first place.

anything that involves the misery of others

Anything that is affordable and inelastic. A necessity instead of a luxury item. Or you could look at a McDonald's franchise. People are eating more McDonald's because of the economic downturn, and when the economy becomes stable again... guess what? they'll still be buying fast food.

dave
http://thebeatspot.com/