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

One woman's journey to shed 100 pounds in one year.

MARCH 19 | Michelle Obama, Home Cooking and Obesity

MARCH 18 | As a Victim of Sexual Abuse, Weight Loss Can Be Scary

MARCH 17 | An Inbox Full of Eating Triggers

MICHAEL'S BLOG ROLL

    The Screwed Generation

    Chances are that if you’re under the age of 25 and happen to read this blog you probably won’t view this entry until about 2:15 p.m. You know, after you eat breakfast.

    I can understand why, though. It’s not like you have anything to do -- well at least not half of you anyway.

    According to the Labor Department, the unemployment rate for young Americans has soared to 52.2 percent -- a post-World War II high. During previous recessions, in the early '80s and early '90s, unemployment among 16-to-24-year-olds never went above 50 percent.

    If you’re middle aged, you may have taken a hit in the job market, but not like your great uncle and niece. The oldest and youngest workers have taken the hardest licks in this recession. Young workers have lost a total of 9.5 million jobs thus far.

    That translates into a lot of high school students missing their opportunities to enjoy (or not) their first summer job and many newly collegiate graduates begrudgingly having to postpone the start of full fledge adulthood.

    If any of you think it’s best that younger people suffer now rather than later, think again.

    The New York Post reports:

    “…millions of Americans are staring at the likelihood that their lifetime earning potential will be diminished and, combined with the predicted slow economic recovery, their transition into productive members of society could be put on hold for an extended period of time.”

    A study from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth says the damage to a new career by a recession can last 15 years.

    Parents should worry because this news means it will take even longer for young adults to get out of their house. It will also take even longer for them to make their first car and home purchase -- putting the U.S. economy at further long-term risks.

    The Post article tries to place the blame for all of this on Obama. While there’s not a rock big enough to smoke that would have me believe that, no matter how you spin it, young people are suffering.

    If something isn’t done soon, the Kardashian’s will become young people’s heroes. Already far too many young people think “socialite” is a career title. Someone give us jobs to stop the madness.

    Leave your comments below and send your recession stories to therecessiondiaries@gmail.com

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