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Are We In For A "Double Dip Recession?"
The good news: If the stimulus plan works, there might be light at the end of tunnel and this evil recession (I don’t know about ya’ll, but I’ve made the recession my arch nemesis) will end soon. The bad news: The bulb on that light could go out quickly and we’ll have to deal with…
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Should You Qualify for Food Stamps?
There are days when I go to the grocery store and leave with the feeling that eating everyday is overrated. I assumed that sentiment was becoming universal. However, some people in the check out lines still manage to crack smiles when it’s time to pay. I thought the source of their giddiness stemmed from having…
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Help! My Industry is Dying
Yesterday I got an e-mail from the entertainment editor at King magazine soliciting pitches for the magazine’s July/August issue. I immediately started brainstorming potential story ideas. Six hours later I learned via a status update on a staff member’s Twitter profile that the magazine had folded. Yes, I am not ashamed to admit it: I like King magazine…
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Was My Job Shipped to Mexico Because I'm Black?
Those of us who have been black for a while will find this news as shocking as a new report proving that the sky is still blue, but a recent study has suggested that workplace discrimination may actually increase in times of economic downturn. Those in hiring positions are less inclined to select minority applications for jobs.…
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Desperate Times, Desperate Crimes
Over the weekend I spoke to my sister, whose brother-in-law ran into some trouble in Atlanta. While leaving Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, he stopped to check on what appeared to be a group of people stuck on the side of the road. Before he could get out of his car to see if they needed any…
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Learn To Cook, Learn To Save
Last night I went out only because a friend assured me that this lounge had a happy hour special that consisted of .50 cent martinis. I don’t even drink martinis, but when I heard .50 cent drinks I thought why not. It turns out that person was misinformed: The special wasn’t from 6-10 — it…
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Flashing for Cash?
I’ve joked about it countless times. Whenever I look at a bill too long I start to wonder, “If only I lost my self-respect and found a pole in its place.” Then I think to myself that stripping isn’t the way – hard work is. But isn’t doing a handstand in a G-string to collect…
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Young, Broke and Baby on Board
I am still getting feedback from my recession story, “Is College Worth It?” and related blog entries about the challenges of starting your career loaded with debt in a horrible economy. Some parents of high school seniors and asked me what can they say to their children to convince them not to attend an expensive…
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Is Grad School a Good Place to Hide??
The conventional wisdom is that when the economy starts to falter, grad school is a great place to hide out until things blow over. True to form, grad school applications are up across the country. Over the past year I’ve heard friend after friend say that they’re frustrated with their respective job searches and are…
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NAFTA Made Me Homeless
Some states posted 25-year high jobless rates this year. But other states have been singing that same sad song for more than a decade. When the North American Free Trade Agreement was passed opening up U.S. markets to our neighbors, many factories and jobs were sent outside the country to places where people worked for cheaper. Since then,…
