Stewards of a Sinking Ship

The economy continued down its rough road in 2009, with any hope of a quick recovery dashed by a rising wave of foreclosures and unemployment. Banks reined in lending to consumers and businesses while Wall Street firms pulled down record profits and offered generous bonuses. Perhaps the biggest economic More…

Hard Times Hit the Blackjack Table

We were talking Monday about the unexpected effects of the foreclosure crisis, like skateboarders in California taking advantage of empty swimming pools behind vacant homes to practice their craft. Here’s another: Gambling is falling in popularity as more people choose instead to pay their bills, Bloomberg reports. That More…

Unemployment As Jobs Creation Program

Here’s a headline that’s a sign of the times: “More Workers Needed for NJ Unemployment Claims.”

The Associated Press story, which ran yesterday, goes on to reveal that the state is hiring 130 additional workers to tackle the baglog of claims created by the economic downturn. (New Jersey’s unemployment More…