With an apparently resurgent economy, the media genre known as recession porn may be gone for good. What, exactly, is recession porn? You know it when you see it. Basically, it’s the fascination with all the weird ways the recession has affected different groups of people—the rich and privileged especially, because everyone knows the …
Third quarter GDP keeps shrinking. Fourth quarter another matter
The Bureau of Economic Analysis has just released its third try at estimating third-quarter GDP. It’s now been ratcheted down to 2.2%—from 2.8% in the estimate released a month ago and 3.5% in the original estimate. The culprit:
downward revisions to nonresidential fixed investment, to private inventory investment, and to personal
…
Why the Mail-in Rebate Isn’t Money in the Bank
Roughly 60% of people never apply for the rebate in the first place.
This Just In: Shoppers Love Discounts, and Love Shopping Online
And this holiday season, they’ve often gotten to enjoy both of them at the same time. Thus far this holiday season, online shopping purchases are up 4%, and the average discount on specially promoted gift items is a markdown of 26.4% off of the retail price, up 5.6% from last year.
News about the Curious Capitalist
This just went out on Businesswire. For those who don’t believe in clicking through, it says I’ve got a new job, editorial director of the Harvard Business Review Group. I start Jan. 25, and I’ll still be at TIME and writing this blog through Jan. 22. (I’m pretty sure the blogging over the next month will be a lot better than it has been …
Costco as Holiday Party Caterer
A writer throws a fancy holiday party exclusively using food and drink from warehouse stores. The results? A reasonably inexpensive dinner, and more leftovers than she knows what to do with.
It’s a Deal: Everything 50% Off at New York and Co.
The entire store is being discounted by 50% for orders placed today, Monday, December 21. There’s still time to have items shipped by Christmas too. More details here.
Higher Incomes, Less Happiness
A recently released study by the CDC reveals that people who live in sunny, warm states—Hawaii, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Arizona are the top 5—report the highest levels of satisfaction in their lives. But what I find most interesting is what’s going on at the bottom of the list: The states with the least happy people tend …
We bailed you out, and you can’t even shovel your $%&*@# sidewalk?!?
This was the sidewalk in front of the Citibank at 96th and Broadway and New York a little after noon on Sunday. The reason I took a picture of it was because, while most of the sidewalks along Broadway were already salted and shoveled and ready for walking after the big Saturday night snowfall, the sidewalks in front of bank branches …
Weekend video: Joseph, better you than me
It’s last year’s Christmas song from the Killers!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW8oEWfuEIg]
I think this is my favorite of the Killers’ annual seasonal tunes (of which there are now four). “Don’t Shoot Me Santa” is pretty brilliant, and this year’s “¡Happy Birthday, Guadalupe!” is growing on me. But they don’t have Elton …
Toys, Toys, and More Toys
The average American child receives 70 new toys a year. And as you’re probably well aware, more are coming soon.
Zhu Zhu Pet Countdown: Still No Robot Hamster? Here Are Your Zhu Zhu Options
I’m not quite sure why I feel the need to track the Zhu Zhu Pet fad, but I do. (Note to self: File “Zhu Zhu” in the category of “Unresolved Issues,” somewhere between “Never Got Air Jordans” and “Wasn’t Allowed to Go to Beastie Boys Concert in 8th Grade.”) With one week before Christmas, here’s how things are looking, Zhu Zhu-wise.