thrive » economy

Tracking The Credit Crunch Jobless Count

Todd — Thu, 14 May 2009 11:31:09 +0000

The credit crisis has been crunching companies and running up the unemployment figures in countries around the world. Just take a look at this list of huge layoffs to see for yourself.

Trends in the American Economy

Ryan — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:29:04 +0000

For whatever reason, human beings tend to assume that things are only good if they stay the same. The default reaction to change is one of fear. This is especially true about the economy. As economic needs shift, and certain sectors fail, the default assumption is that bad things are happening. But it’s not necessarily true. Who really wants to do the factory work that we’ve exported to China? Seriously? Isn’t it a net plus to our society that we have minimized the number of people doing factory work?

That’s my rant. Here’s the article that got me thinking along those lines: Industries & Trends that are Reshaping America

Overview of the Economic Crisis

Ryan — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:30:36 +0000

This page has a nice intro to the economic crisis from 2008-2009. I especially like the comic. Link: U.S. Economic Crisis of 2008-2009. Overview of the Crisis.

Epic Fail: February’s US Jobless Figures

Todd — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:56:49 +0000

Things aren’t getting any better for the economy any time soon, unless you happen to be in the business of selling wind turbines and solar panels. Brace yourselves this week: analysts are predicting the worst jobless figures in almost 60 years.

Sad But Hilarious: AIG Need More Bailout Cash

Todd — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:50:29 +0000

What exactly did AIG ‘invest’ in? Monkeys? Bananas? Actually, probably not since they’d probably have actually been safer than what they did invest in. So after already getting two bailout cash injections, they need another. Where is this going to stop?

Number Of Problem Banks In 2009: 252!

Todd — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:13:33 +0000

This is amazing. Shocking. Terrifying even. The US government’s updated list of ‘problem banks’ has risen to its highest since 1994, with some 252 financial institutions in difficulty. Unfortunately it looks like this credit crunch shows no sign of abating.

Even Though We’re In Recession, Visa Posts A Healthy Profit

Todd — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:52:24 +0000

Just because the rest of the banking industry is in complete and utter meltdown doesn’t preclude you from turning a tidy profit as is the case at San Francisco based Visa, who’s first fiscal quarter profits are up 35% year on year. It’s not all good though: Visa are predicting a slowdown in revenue through spring and summer as the recession bites.

Is UK Plc. About To Go Bust?

Todd — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:21:07 +0000

I just read a really interesting post about government bank bailouts on Reddit, the basic premise of said article being that the UK cannot afford to keep on bailing out the banks because a continuation would result in the UK as a country to go bankrupt. Well written and insightful, I couldn’t recommend it any higher. Just put your tin foil hat on first!

Track Layoffs As They Happen

Todd — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:39:21 +0000

Our global economy is hardly performing at its peak. Some reports suggest 50 million more people will become unemployed in 2009. 50 million! That’s as many people as there are living in South Korea or Spain. So this site should be kept busy tracking layoffs.

Progress in a Recession

Ryan — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 11:22:29 +0000

Tough times make tough people stronger. While many people lose their jobs and the unemployment rate skyrockets, there are still opportunities. Here’s an article called 15 Ways to Set Yourself Apart in a Recession that discusses the ways you can continue to improve yourself and make yourself more marketable to prospective employees during a recession.

Moral of the story: don’t let the recession depress you. Keep fighting. Look for opportunities as they present themselves. And even when they don’t present themselves, do everything you can to create them.