About The Recession Diaries

From finance to foreclosures, layoffs and lack of opportunity, a daily journal of the economic crisis and its effect on black professionals.

THE BLOG FAMILY

In-your-face observations of art, entertainment and the world at large from someone who cares. Can you handle the truth?

NOVEMBER 30 | NBC Heroes Employee Says There's Too Much Diversity in Hollywood

NOVEMBER 29 | Black Conservative Doesn't Want Oprah to Interview Obama on Christmas

NOVEMBER 28 | Peru Apologizes for Mistreatment of Afro-Peruvians

One man's opinion on very nearly everything. It's hard but it's fair.

DECEMBER 2 | Ten Things You Could Learn from Tiger Woods

DECEMBER 2 | Aunt Jemima and Politics in Darktown

NOVEMBER 24 | Meet The Parents

Manners and mores in modern life? It's about way more than where the fork goes.

DECEMBER 3 | Desiree Rogers' Teachable Moment

NOVEMBER 28 | The Tipping Factor

NOVEMBER 24 | The Turkey Is The Least of It

From finance to foreclosures, layoffs and lack of opportunity, a daily journal of the economic crisis and its effect on black professionals.

NOVEMBER 27 | Making The Most With Less This Christmas

NOVEMBER 25 | Young, Black, and Out of Work

NOVEMBER 24 | Have Blacks Been Shafted By The Stimulus?

Smart, up to the minute takes on politics--from the state house to the White House. Pull up a chair.

FEBRUARY 23 | Social Networks and Saddam Hussein: A Private Matter?

JANUARY 21 | Hillary Clinton Stands Up For Internet Diplomacy

JANUARY 20 | SATISFACTION, PRIDE OR DELIRIUM?

Engaging commentary, interviews, and reviews that delve into and beyond the world of books. Get read.

NOVEMBER 25 | Conversation for the Dinner Table

NOVEMBER 19 | Reading List: The Poetry Edition

NOVEMBER 12 | Publishing with the Stars

A daily conversation on hot topic culture items. From Zora to Zane, True Blood to Tiny & Toya, TEWW covers high art, low-brow culture and everything in between.

MARCH 2 | The Best Gabourey Sidibe Interview So Far

FEBRUARY 17 | Would You Let Serena Williams Do Your Nails?

FEBRUARY 12 | John Mayer's Stupid Mouth

MICHAEL'S BLOG ROLL

    Why Won't The Old Folks Let You Be Great?

    As many of you prepare for a holiday weekend filled with fun, family, and food is a side-eye in order for some of your older relatives?

    Possibly if you object to the fact that your parents, auntie, paw-paw, nanny, and that uncle you always felt was shifty won’t retire.

    Indeed the New York Times reports that despite older people settling into retirement in other parts of the developed world, those working stateside are not retiring as planned.

    For the 14 million Americans looking for work — a figure that is expected to jump once Friday’s job report for August is released — the lack of turnover makes it more difficult for you and your cousins to get ahead in the job market.

    However, to be fair to our older relatives and their fellow older workers, many can’t help but renege on retirement plans. Most were waiting on state and corporate pensions to help sustain them as they enter a new era in their lives.

    With 401k's obliterated by the market, social security payments lowering for millions and their private savings taken a beating within the last 18 months, older Americans don’t have the financial security typically afforded to them.

    A Pew Research survey scheduled for Thursday release found that nearly four in 10 workers over age 62 say they have delayed their retirement because of the recession.

    Last year in the United States, almost a third of people ages 65 to 69 were still in the labor force; by contrast only 4 percent in this same age group were working or trying to in France. Feel free to insert your French-bashing comment here, but needless to say, if you’re older, chances are you’re leading a much leisurely life if your native tongue is French.

    Older workers, I’d love to hear from you.

    Have you had to push back retirement due to the state of the economy?

    Also, the New York Times article raised a great question about the way the government handles retirement.

    In America, the average citizen only nets roughly 45 percent of his preretirement earnings through Social Security. By contrast a worker in Denmark can retire with a state pension that is 91 percent of his salary.

    Are you open to “socialized retirement savings?”

    Leave your feedback below and send your recession stories to me at therecessiondiaries@gmail.com.

    P.S. I’m totally being facetious in the title of this post. I respect my elders. Yes ma’am, yes sir.

    • Comments