Tag Archives: Economic downturn

Day laborers manage unemployment with class

July 27, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Lisa Parks WHAT’S HAPPENING The rising rate of unemployment is forcing many workers to acquire additional education to get work. Latino and African American day laborers are no exception. Non-profit CASA de Maryland is stepping in to help. Many of the workers previously toiled in construction, which has a nationwide unemployment rate of 19.2% […]

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Hard times at the Bunny Ranch

July 23, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING While Americans are engaging in more hanky panky during the Great Recession, they seem to be doing it at home and on the cheap: The legal brothels of Nevada are suffering from the economic malaise (The Observer 6.28.09). According to the Nevada Brothel Owners’ Association, many of the state’s bordellos […]

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Despite the downturn, Millennials look on the sunny side

July 22, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Cree McCree WHAT’S HAPPENING Sure, times are tough. But Millennials haven’t lost faith in the future. A recent Pew survey found that 56% are fairly satisfied with their own economic status, compared with just 46% of Boomers (Los Angeles Times 6.21.09). Two-thirds of the young adults surveyed also gave thumbs up to the way […]

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CUSTOMER SERVICE COMEBACK

June 9, 2009 – 2:10 pm

by Nissa Hanna Like many Millennial and Xer consumers, I’m an eclectic sartorial shopper, mixing mostly moderate-priced pieces with fast fashions. I’ve come to accept that aside from the occasional splurge in a high-end store, I’m just not paying enough to get good customer service. But a recent encounter at apparel store Martin + Osa […]

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SAY HELLO TO SIMPLICITY

April 14, 2009 – 2:12 pm

by Nissa Hanna Last month, while browsing the booths at the International Home and Housewares Show, I noticed a strong theme: simplicity. Spotted on the showroom floor: Sagafrom’s minimalist self-watering plant container; Simple Human’s shower dispensers, which edit the visual clutter of personal care products (and their packaging); and tabletop trends kickin’ it earthenware-style with […]

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Shelter in the Storm

March 3, 2009 – 3:10 pm

by Nissa Hanna Over the past few years I’ve subscribed to a number of home magazines … you know, for research purposes. When many of those subscriptions recently ended, it hit me that the slow crumbling of shelter titles has significantly reduced my renewal options. Home design mags haven’t been protected from this economic storm. […]

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Podcast: That Sucking Sound is the Stimulus

February 16, 2009 – 2:37 pm

Chris Keating, Derek Stubbs and Hans Eisenbeis critique the 2009 stimulus bill, give the thumbs up to “nationalization” and cheer for industries that are thriving in the recession. Download this week’s economic podcast here: That Sucking Sound is the Stimulus: Bottoms Up Week 18 3o min., 46 sec.

By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Economic meltdown, Economy, Money/Spending, Podcasts | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Love in the time of recession

February 10, 2009 – 11:28 am

by Stefania Revelli Call me a hopeless romantic and you’d be right. I’ll admit I’m a total sucker for storybook romances — from Austen’s timeless Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to Meyer’s supernatural Edward and Bella. I guess I’m generally hooked on compelling relationship stories, especially the ones that endure through uncertain times. Clearly, Cupid’s got […]

By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Economic meltdown, Economy, Money/Spending, Transportation | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Shock and All

December 23, 2008 – 5:07 pm

by Hans Eisenbeis This week, I got into an argument with a colleague at a local publication. He said, “There’s no way you can tell me that thrift is cool, like some kind of trend or something. Consumers are just in shock at what’s happened to the economy.” So the argument went: frugality chic vs. […]

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Podcast: Putting the Black Back into Black Friday

December 3, 2008 – 2:35 pm

Download our weekly economic podcast with Chris Keating, Derek Stubbs and Hans Eisenbeis here: Putting the Black Back into Black Friday

By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Economic meltdown, Economy, Money/Spending, Podcasts | Also tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Podcast: Is “Permanent Change” an Oxymoron?

November 14, 2008 – 9:13 am

Download our weekly economic podcast with Chris Keating, Derek Stubbs and Hans Eisenbeis here: Is “Permanent Change” an Oxymoron?

By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Economic meltdown, Economy, Money/Spending, Podcasts | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Podcast: Which Consumer Value Won the 2008 Election?

November 4, 2008 – 6:09 am

Download our weekly economic podcast with Chris Keating, Derek Stubbs and Hans Eisenbeis here: Which Consumer Value Won the 2008 Election?

By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Economy, Money/Spending, Podcasts | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

LA CRISIS ON BEVERLY BOULEVARD

October 14, 2008 – 3:51 pm

by Abelardo de la Peña Jr. Located almost equidistant between Beverly Hills and downtown Los Angeles, the Beverly/Normandie neighborhood is a densely populated residential area. Sitting at the far end of a three-block-long business district filled with colorful Latino storefronts is El y Ella (His and Hers) Communication. Owner Rogelio Lorenzo stands at the counter […]

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MESS WITH THE ELEVATOR, YOU GET THE SHAFT

October 7, 2008 – 10:04 pm

by Hans Eisenbeis I never understood why people raised their hands on a rollercoaster. Why increase the horrible feeling of your stomach doing flips as the coaster plunged to Earth? A lot of people are groping for that safety bar right now, as the crisis in global financial markets pitches us all for a very […]

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Tiny violins? The rich are cutting back too

September 29, 2008 – 3:09 pm

OBSERVATION by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING The well-to-do are feeling the pinch of the current economic downturn, and they’re changing their spending habits just as surely as the middle and lower classes. And since the top 10% are responsible for 25% of the spending in our consumer-driven economy, a slowdown at the top really puts […]

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