the recession diaries

On the day we honor those who have served in the military, let us reflect on the nearly 2,300 men and women who didn’t have to die last year. These veteran deaths are not attributed to service in the ongoing conflicts in Iraq or Afghanistan. According to a study released by the Harvard Medical School,…

I still remember my very first job. I worked in the rides department at the now demolished Six Flags Astroworld. I didn’t work at a real ride per se – I worked on the railroad. It was arguably the most boring attraction at the amusement park. I made 25 cents above minimum wage and thanks…

Downtown Los Angeles has been notorious for being a haven for thousands of the area’s homeless residents. However, having recently relocated to the city and not living that far from downtown I must say that when I venture downtown I don’t see an area overflowing with homeless people. And now, thanks to a new survey…

For the first time in 26 years, unemployment has officially topped over 10 percent. The Labor Department said Friday that the economy shed a net total of 190,000 jobs in October, less than the revised 219,000 lost in September. August job losses were also downgraded, shifting initial figures at 201,000 to 154,000. Yet despite these…

Our friends over at Recession Wire posted a story about the decline of credit card usage. Their post highlights a recent survey in which a significant number of Americans claim to be swearing off credit cards for good. They wrote: Almost a quarter of people said they had permanently changed their attitude towards credit cards…

Months ago I discussed the surge in sales of Spam, Dinty Moore stew, Hormel’s chili and cheap win. Now it’s only right that I talk about the surge of your stomach. Despite the supermarkets of America bombarding customers with sales, it seems grocery shoppers are still opting to go as cheap as possible with their…

There are 15 million Americans now unemployed. The foreclosure crisis has yet to settle with thousands currently fighting to keep their homes. Next month, close to 2 million Americans will have exhausted their unemployment benefits. Last month, nearly half a million already lost theirs. And now there have been reports that roughly half of all…

It’s Monday morning, which means you’re either thanking God that you’re kicking off another week at a job you love or sending your millionth prayer for a benefactor. It’s Monday morning, which means you’re either thanking God that you’re kicking off another week at a job you love or sending your millionth prayer for a…

The government has issued what looks to be the first sign of economic growth in two years. Analysts expect to see growth in the July-September quarter at 3.3 percent. If correct it would end four straight quarters of contraction. Is time for celebration? Not so fast. Although many will point to this being a sign…

Have you noticed that your neighborhood pimp and/or gaudy area deacon hasn’t been steezing on these heathens the way they used to? That’s because they along with other connoisseurs of alligator accessories have scaled back on their need for reptile wear. USA Today published a report on how the global economic recession has affected the…