What happens (and what doesn't) if the government shuts down?

The prospects of a government shutdown are starting to look pretty good, as lawmakers continue to work on a continuing resolution to provide funding for the remainder of fiscal 2011. If they can't reach agreement in just a week, the government officially runs out of money.

When a similar budget dispute between a Democratic president and a Republican controlled Congress forced a shutdown in 1995-1996, many agency programs simply shut down and employees stayed home, unpaid. Things have changed since then -- the threat of terrorism is more immediate, for one thing, and the relationships between feds and contractors have evolved.

How do you think a government shutdown would affect your agency and your personal sphere of influence? What do you see as some possible unintended consequences?