I've started this blog as an open forum to discuss current topics in the news in a "Point - Counter Point" manner. By using this method of debate, I seek to encourage all to lend their voices and opinions by weighing in on the current days topics up for discussion. Welcome to POINT - COUNTER POINT.
Why, hello, Jersey Shore! At first, I feared that this tanned, gelled, muscle-bound cousin ofThe Real World was just too obnoxious to watch. Here are eight twenty-somethings who are hell-bent on upholding the stereotypes (they’ve already been criticized for proudly calling themselves “Guidos” and “Guidettes”) and the party-til-you-puke reputation of the summer revelers of Seaside Heights, N.J. And I’m spending my evening watching this?
You can bet your booty shorts I am! Here’s why …
1. It’s hysterical. Let’s be honest: The fun of this show is laughing at its stars. I’m not laughing with them, and neither are you. Case in point? Nicole, a.k.a. “Snooki,” describes her ideal mate to be, among other dubious qualities, a “juice head.” As in, a guy who uses steroids. High standards, right? And then there’s the scene where Snicks jumps into the hot tub with the guys wearing nothing but a bra and thong underwear, much to the horror of her roommate, Angelina. Her suggestion? “Wear a thong bikini — that’s a little bit more classier,” she says into the camera without a hint of irony.
2. MTV is in on the joke. Like any so-bad-it’s-good reality show, the editing serves mainly to highlight the ridiculousness of our heroes and their plotlines. After Sammi “Sweetheart” and Mike “The Situation” (a self-appointed nickname referring to his very-toned abs) engage in some moderate flirtation, Sammi focuses her affections on another roommate, Ronnie. Mike, (whose abs fall short of landing him a romantic situation), then laments the loss of their 24-hour courtship over a montage of slow-motion memories set to a sappy tune. Plus, the roommates’ communal phone is shaped like a duck that quacks instead of ringing — a sound that can easily be mistaken for mocking laughter. Nicely done, MTV.
3. The sociology lesson. When the gang finds out they’ll have to punctuate their bar-hopping with actual labor — selling T-shirts on the boardwalk –some are, predictably, indignant. Angelina laments that she cannot do such a menial job, as, “I’m a bartender. I do great things.” But some of our stars rise to the occasion and flourish. As the boss explains their tasks, one can actually see inspiration in Pauly’s eyes and he tackles his work with the same enthusiasm that he brings to styling his gravity-defying hair. Mike shines as well, channeling the boardwalk pitchmen of yore as he hawks items of apparel bearing his nickname. Just as I was taught in sociology 101, people need a purpose in life, and work can bring out the best in them … at least in the first episode. –Rennie Dyball
With the immortal words "Good morning, dear," actress Helen Wagner (Nancy Hughes) opened the CBS soap opera 'As the World Turns' on April 2, 1956. Alas, in light of the show's cancellation on Dec. 8, longtime soap fans are wondering if they'll be saying, "Good-bye, dear," to the beloved daytime genre entirely.
The sad reality is that viewers have bid farewell to too many soaps recently. In addition to 'ATWT''s demise, 'Guiding Light'ended its 72-year run on Sept. 18; ratings for ABC stalwart 'General Hospital'hit record lows this summer. Are these struggles an indication that the heyday of soaps is over? These days, with more women in the workplace, there are fewer stay-at-home moms who are able to watch soaps in the daytime -- what effect, if any, has that had on soap opera viewership?
While it's no secret that the daytime serial is facing tough economic times, there actually are some positive signs in the industry. ABC's 'All My Children,'which celebrates its 40th anniversary next month, is moving its location from New York City to Los Angeles in order to keep the show economically viable. "This move is not being made for a six-month reprieve," says daytime talent manager Michael Bruno, who reps AMC's Ricky Paull Goldin (Jake). "The show's budget has to be projected over a year or two. They might lose money in the first three months, but they'll start making money after that."
There are also encouraging signs as to the genre's potential over at NBC's 'Days of our Lives.' The week of Nov. 16-20, 'Days' ranked second among network daytime series with women 18-49. "Everyone in the industry is looking at 'Days' and asking why, in the midst of all the negativity facing us, is 'Days' not only doing well, but alsogaining viewers?" Bruno asks. "That's something people didn't think could happen anymore."
ABC has also seen increases in viewership. This season, all three ABC dramas are up among women 18-34. 'General Hospital,' despite its declines earlier this year, ranked no. 1 during last month's sweeps period in that demographic, and 'The Young and the Restless' remains daytime's top-rated drama in households with 5.17 million viewers. 'Y&R' also claims the top demographic (1.8) among women 18-49.
'Days'' increase could be attributed to the return of such fan favorites as Crystal Chappell (Carly), Louise Sorel (Vivian) and Wally Kurth (Justin). (Ratings soared back in 1993 when Vivian buried Carly alive.) Bruno advises shows seeking to maintain and rebuild their fan bases to copy 'Days' methods. "I'd bring back Genie Francis to 'General Hospital,' Victoria Rowell to 'The Young and the Restless' and Cady McClain and Julia Barr back to 'All My Children,'" the manager says.
Bringing on fresh faces tied to existing characters is also key to a successful soap. "[Late soap opera head writer] Doug Marland said, 'You have to introduce new characters, but you have to careful how you do it,'" explains Grant Aleksander, who played Phillip on 'Guiding Light' on and off from 1982 until the show's cancellation. "You try to do it in a way that brings [newcomers] through existing characters and you hope that it takes. Anyone responsible for those decisions will tell you that you wait for the audience to tell you that you've brought one on that you want to keep."
'Days' has kept up its publicity and marketing campaigns, too. The show spent four days in Detroit in November making appearances at hospitals and reached out to college campuses including the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Concordia University with a talent and "ultimate fan" search.
But what of the gradual change in who watches soaps, and when? For decades, soaps relied on stay-at-home moms to watch and also encourage their children to get hooked on the drama. "If women were not in the workforce as much, we'd have more viewers," suggests Bruno. "You come home from school and your mother and grandmother are watching and you watch, too."
Martha Byrne, who played Lily for over 20 years on 'As the World Turns,' counters that working moms arestill watching daytime. "I'm a working mom and I have been my whole life," the actress says. "I make sure I find time to watch 'Y&R'; my friends do, too. They watch SOAPnet. They like having the freedom to watch after their kids have gone to bed."
Given that shift in viewership, the future of soaps may ultimately lie in the Web. Byrne is one of a handful of actresses who've created Web soap operas. Her program 'Gotham' utilizes familiar faces from daytime, as does Chappell's 'Venice.' "I certainly think that we're going to see more shows pop up on the Web," says Chappell, who hastens to add, "I'm not convinced that daytime network TV won't survive. It'll have to tweak itself and do it for less money."
Industry folks and fans alike agree that grabbing and maintaining viewers comes down to story -- not the special glitzy effects that started popping up on soaps in the '80s. "The truth of the matter is we got comfortable in the '80s and '90s," says Bradley Bell, executive producer/head writer of 'The Bold and the Beautiful.' "We did four or five takes [per scene]. None of that was really organic behavior to what soap operas really are about. We're more reliant on scripts and less on bells and whistles."
"Story is 99.9% of the success of anything dramatic," concurs Aleksander.
'B&B' delivered powerhouse scenes recently with guest star Betty White, whose character Ann Douglas made peace with her daughters Stephanie and Pam before dying. The episodes were shot economically on a beach and had a film quality to them in terms of acting, writing, producing and directing.
The key to the future is to keep soaps under budget. "The shows that can do that will be the ones that survive," Bell says.
How and when do you watch your favorite soap operas? Sound off below.
Dianne McLeod recalls her husband, Stanley, getting so visibly upset when the debt collectors called that she had to take the phone away from him. She believes constant harassing phone calls and other tactics eventually killed him.
"I think they were a major contributor to his death because of the stress and what I saw it doing to him," she said.
McLeod is suing her mortgage company, Green Tree Servicing, for the wrongful death of her husband. McLeod said she thinks he would be alive if not for the stress caused by Green Tree's debt collectors. She said they sometimes called up to 10 times a day and also called the McLeods' neighbors.
"He would begin to sweat; he would also get very red in the face and complain about chest pains," McLeod said. "We were worried he was gonna have a heart attack right there on the phone."
Stanley McLeod had a heart condition and in 2002 was airlifted to a hospital after a second heart attack. He went on disability and Dianne McLeod says they fell behind about three months on their mortgage payments.
This is a message left on the their home answering machine, allegedly by a male Green Tree representative: "Stanley McLeod, you need to call Green Tree and get your act together and make your payments on your mortgage and quit playing these games.
"Why don't you have that helicopter pick you up and bring that payment to the office?"
It's a phone call the McLeod family will never forget.
"It was so inhumane to talk to someone like that and to take an event that was traumatizing to him and to make a jest out of it," McLeod said.
Stanley McLeod died of heart failure in 2005.
"The collection activity did not lead to his death. The claim is meritless," said Senior Vice President and General Counsel Brian Corey of Green Tree Servicing.
"We deny that the content, the number or the timing of the calls had anything to do with him dying in 2005," Corey said. Debt collection is regulated by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which forbids harassing consumers. Companies can be fined $16,000 per incident. This year, as the economy plunged, consumer complaints shot up. More than 45,000 complaints had been received by the FTC through the end of June, up about 20 percent over last year.
The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals represents about 5,500 companies in the industry. "The vast majority are very ethical, caring individuals who look for resolution to problems," said Adam Peterman, the organization's director of federal government affairs.
"A bad apple can spoil the bunch too often, so we have to keep pushing that rock up the hill to help prevent that," he said. Billy Howard is an attorney who runs the Consumer Protection Division for Morgan & Morgan. Howard represents McLeod and has about 500 similar cases against companies who use what he called "Tony Soprano tactics," a reference to the fictional organized crime leader who was the central character in the HBO drama "The Sopranos."
"I think it's frightening because these companies go after people and they utilize tactics people just don't know are illegal," Howard said.
"Scare tactics work. They've worked for years. That's how the mafia made so much money. That's how these mafia-like tactics result in so much money. People are scared," he said.
Howard says one of his other clients had this message waiting on the answering machine:
"You're a piece of s---. That's why you turned your phone off. Mother f-----. But that's OK.
"You haven't heard the last of me. But if it takes me a year or takes me two, believe me, I will find you. You better move. But if you move, you better move to California, 'cause I do travel. And I like traveling. Goodbye."
And then there was this one:
"When I see you. I'm gonna f--- you up. I want my money, and I want it now. I hate people who lie to me and abuse my company. ... If you bring my money back, you don't have to worry about me, just disregard my message."
The FTC said it receives more complaints about debt collectors than any other industry. Complaints are also filed directly with attorneys general in all 50 states, which can open state investigations. Of the 45,000 complaints received by the FTC in 2009, the agency opened one investigation.
According to FTC officials, their primary role is to be a backstop to lawsuits brought by consumers, which is the primary way to fight the alleged abuse.
"We don't have the manpower to individually investigate all of the complaints," said Tom Pahl of the FTC's division of financial practices.
"We try to target the worst actors," he said.
The FTC urges consumers with complaints to report them to their state attorney general, to the FTC and to consider filing suit against the company they believe is harassing them.
Anna Inglett is president and CEO of PHG Financial Recovery Services in Tampa, Florida.
"Those companies that do that will eventually put their own selves out of business. ... We want them gone. We want them all gone," she said.
But she also said debt collection is an important part of the economy.
"If we did not have debt collectors that helped businesses get the money that's owed to them, then who voluntarily would pay any bills?" she said.
McLeod said she remembers the endless phone calls at all hours of the day and night.
"They did not seem to care. ...They didn't care what they said or how many times they called," she said. The trial is scheduled to begin in January.
Debt collection rules
Collectors can only call 8am to 9 p.m., in your time zone.
They cannot harass by calling repeatedly.
Collectors cannot use obscene, profane or abusive language.
They cannot threaten violence for failure to pay.
Collectors cannot call you at work if they know your employer does not allow it.
You have a right to dispute the debt within 30 days of written notification.
This is a great article. For anyone looking to loose weight and who needs a little encouragement, check it out.
Name: Jennifer Emmert
Age: 28
Before weight: 240
Current (goal) weight: 140
My weight loss approach: Eat healthy, be more active! When I first started my journey, I knew that I needed to do something I could maintain forever. That meant there was no banning certain foods and no doing outrageous amounts ofexercise. I try to work out four to five times a week for 30 to 60 minutes. For the first 18 months of my healthiness journey, I counted my calories -- I was so shocked at the high-calorie food I didn't even think I was eating! If you were to ask me pre-healthiness journey, I would have told you I "ate normal," but now I realize I was eating about twice what I should have been eating. Since hitting mygoal weight, I have become a little more relaxed about writing everything down, but that's only because now I am better able to mentally count calories.
Why I wanted to blog about it: I blog about my journey for three reasons. First, I was losing weight, people noticed and asked questions. Everyone wanted to know my "secret," and unfortunately, I had no secret to share. All I could share was how much I struggled every day to push through my frustrations, to battle each temptation, and to continue to fight for what I wanted and deserved. The one thing that I could and still continue to tell people was that I made the right choices over and over again, months upon months upon years. It isn't a two-week diet. There was no "I'll start again on Monday," no "new year's resolutions." No, it was me living my life.
Jennifer, after Photo: Jennifer Emmert
Second, I needed to connect with people who knew what I was going through and could empathize with my journey. True, there were many people in my life who were on a diet or who had some extra pounds they could lose. But I needed to be able to vent, kick, scream and cry -- and sometimes I needed a good smack in the face. People online are so truthful. One of the good things about the online community is that there is a relaxed set of boundaries surrounding what people are willing to say and a certain level of anonymity online that gives people increased comfort in speaking their minds. We all need to realize that thisobesity epidemic was actually caused by us -- myself included -- sugar coating everything and pretending that every bite didn't add up to one big mass of fat. My blog is sugar coating free! That means I'm not going to pretend it was easy or that I didn't make mistakes. I'm not going to pretend that now that I'm at goal, I feel like I made it. I want to share that I struggle to stay healthy just as much now as I did during my weight loss period. And to be able to connect with people who understand that is very instrumental for me. Third, I blog about my journey to let others know they aren't alone. So many times during my yo-yo dieting phase, I felt solitary, like I was the only one in the United States saying "no" to burgers and fries. This time, when I decided to make life changes, I wanted to let others know that losing weight isn't easy but we don't have to do it alone. In general, blogging isn't just about me sharing my story, but is so much more about community. There is both give and take when I blog. People stop by and read about my journey and can be inspired to not give up on their own -- and at the same time, they help me stay motivated to keep going. What could be better?!
The best part of blogging is: The relationships. I have made so many new friends because of the blog. The deep friendships I have made over the past couple of years continue to amaze me -- relationships that have proven to be full of support, encouragement and genuine sincerity. This truly is what makes blogging so worth it to me!
Best comment I've received: The best comment I've received was from my mom. She was a huge cheerleader for me, and every day, she would be one of the first to wake up and comment on my blog. As time passed, my readers began to look forward to her insight and began to comment on her comments. One of my favorites, right before she passed away in August was, "Now as we travel the road of life, we need to pick up others along the way as their loads may be too heavy to carry." Since she passed, so many of my online friends have picked me up day after day to help keep me going with life and to help me push through my grief so I don't lose sight of everything I have worked so hard for over the past two years.
What's next for my blog: I want to continue to share my story and motivation with as many people as I can. I've struggled so much to push through changing my habits and doing it while experiencing major life events: graduate school, a new job, and most recently losing my mother at such a young age. The message I hope to truly get across to my readers is that this is about making healthy decisions over and over and over again. Even at goal weight, I need to make those healthy decisions. It isn't easy to say no to fast (and convenient) food. It isn't easy to pass on the delicious desserts that people insist you try. But it is worth it. Visit Jennifer's blog Prior Fat Girl for more insight into how you can learn from her weight loss success -- and see how Jeanine lost weight to be healthy, not skinny.
How much does your illness cost you and your insurer? According to a recent study by General Electric (GE) and the U.S. Department of Health's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a 50-year old with diabetes will rack up more than $6,600 in medical bills over the course of a year; someone who has acid reflux will incur $5,500 in annual costs.
The high cost of illness, insurance and treatments is one of the key factors driving the U.S. health care reform debate in Washington. The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, which was published last week, allows people to see just how much certain illnesses will cost them and their insurer based on age and, of course, the condition. After looking at these charts you'll pray you never get diagnosed with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or emphysema.
Keep in mind that the personal costs referenced in the study aren't necessarily coming straight from the insured person's pocket. Employers cover the bulk of the cost, saysAlan Miller, CEO of Universal Health Services. 'It doesn't cost that much to the individual. It certainly costs a lot for the employer to have you covered." This could help explain an interesting shift I've noticed in workplace dynamics regarding sick days. As the costs associated with illnesscontinue to rise for employers, they're more likely to encourage workers to use sick days.After all, it's in the employer's best interest for workers to recover sooner rather than later, and it's a better way of preventing other employees from falling ill as well. Especially since the H1N1 outbreak, it seems as if co-workers are less likely to snipe about someone being out sick than they are about a sick person coming into the office and spreading their germs around.
Playing Offense Is Key to Cutting Costs
Maybe this is a sign that the U.S. is turning the corner in how we approach illness. If getting sick is costing everyone more -- me, you, your company, my company and U.S. taxpayers -- isn't it in our best interest to beat the illness before it starts, as much as that's possible?
"The U.S. health-care system has historically focused on cures for illness and disease rather than effective prevention," Christopher Fey, CEO of U.S. Preventive Medicine, said in an e-mail. "An estimated 10% to 20% of the workforce either has, or is at high-risk for developing, a chronic condition. Subsidizing expensive interventions that treat sickness rather than prevent it is a burden taxpayers and employers can't afford."
Assume that's true, are we willing to adapt? The culture in the U.S. is a long way from being proactive toward illness. The government needs to consider whether they will take a carrot or stick approach.
If there were a so-called "fat tax" or a similar tax for not being healthy in the U.S., a mob would descend on those trying to enforce such a law. As it is, some resent the police because of an occasional ticket, which is, in essence, a tax for faulty driving or parking. Imagine the outrage against the Twinkie-police.
Should the U.S. government take a more charitable route and consider reforms that encourage folks to lose weight or otherwise be healthier, they need to take into account that Americans are likely to demand no one tell them not to smoke, eat, or drink, in excess. Perhaps the U.S. should keep an eye on things in the U.K., which is testing a plan in 2010 that allows people to earn money by losing weight.
"[The government is] still fighting over what the [health care]bill ultimately will be. None of the details have been ironed out, it's very complicated," said Miller, who recently wrote Health Care Reform that Makes Sense.
The complexity of health care and who should pay for it could cause the debate to rage on for years. Meanwhile, I think we're fighting the wrong side of this battle. Sure, if you lead a so-called "clean lifestyle," you may still get sick, but is that reason enough not to be healthy? Putting a price tag on certain illnessesentices people to look at the actual expense. If a problem hits you in the pocketbook, it's more likely to move you to action than a philosophical argument regarding the systemic cost of illness.
Ah, the American legal system, affording every red-blooded citizen the right to sue every other red-blooded citizen for the most inane reasons. According to the Miami New Times, Florida woman Elizabeth Espinal filed a lawsuit in April against Burger King, alleging the fast-food giant flooded her inbox with spam text messages. She claims the texts, which were first received in April 2008, caused her "actual harm," and she wants $5 million for her troubles. While annoying, the texts hardly seem injuring. Miami New Times News reports one read, "Kick it up a notch with a loaded steakhouse burger. Try one today at BK." Another encouraged the woman to try a drink, "Stop by BK for a refreshing Mocha BK Joe Iced Coffee. A perfect mix of rich coffee and chocolate syrup." While text message spam may be slightly more obnoxious than similar messages flooding e-mail inboxes, suing seems rather extreme, especially with other options at this woman's text-phobic fingertips.
To avoid these kinds of texts (and unnecessary lawsuits), sign up for a do-not-call list orcontact your service provider to block the number. Or just refrain from giving fast-food chains your cell number.
Your local mall may look less like a ghost town this time next year. Expect to see more stores opening in 2010 to replace those lost during the recession. And some of the shopping centers will take on an increasingly international flavor, as a variety of European chains are expanding rapidly into the U.S.
Throughout the year, recession-wary merchants have been going through their real-estate holdings like Santa parsing naughty and nice children, according to shopping mall developers. And having survived 2009 with less carnage than feared, retailers are expected to open stores next year carefully, but steadily.
A Shovel Shortage
Retailers tightened their belts faster and more dramatically than in past recessions -- including closing underperforming stores and disposing of real estate -- said developers meeting recently at the International Council of Shopping Centers' annual New York Conference and Deal Making session. Now, after a year-long drought in financing and new construction, developers see an increase in groundbreaking and dealmaking.
"There's not been a shovel in the ground anywhere in North America in the last 18 months," said Michael Kercheval, president and CEO of the ICSC.
Developers' fears of massive vacancies brought on by retailer bankruptcies such as Mervyn's, Circuit City and Linens & Things were overblown, Kercheval said. In many cases, other retailers such as Kohl's (KSS) and TJX Cos.' (TJX) Homegoods chain took advantage of those turnkey spaces to expand.
The year 2009 "was grim, but not as grim as they had predicted," said William Ackman, founder of hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management, which owns stakes in Borders Group (BGP) and Sears Holdings (SHLD)
Uptick in Activity
Many retailers streamlined sharply during the recession, cutting debt and inventory so they could operate profitably with lower sales, and now are in a stronger position, said Ackman. He noted his company's analysis of filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission found most leading retailers plan to add stores next year.
And the capital markets are also becoming more favorable, as a number of troubled assets and bankruptcies are resolved, said the experts. After nearly a year when banks were backing away from financing mall developments, the last two months have seen a surge in activity, said Simon Ziff, president of The Ackerman-Ziff Real Estate Group LLC.
Ziff noted that he recently had interest from five lenders in a development that could not get financing a year earlier. He was able to put the financing in place quickly, in under 30 days, he said.
The developers are also counting on help from local governments in the form of incentives. Local communities have noticed the loss of tax revenues and other income generated by retail, so they are courting retail developers, said the ICSC's Kercheval.
A Shrinking Pie
But don't expect wholesale openings coast-to-coast, warn the developers. "The world will not return quickly to its pristine state," said Peter Sharpe, president and CEO of developer The Cadillac Fairview Corp.
Even as the economy improves, brick-and-mortar stores are fighting for shares of a shrinking pie, said retail analyst Gregory Melich, managing director of Morgan Stanley (MS). Savings rates are rising, so consumers are dedicating a smaller share of income to shopping. Plus, a larger portion of that smaller budget is going online, he said.
Online sales now make up 4% of retail sales and will grow to 6% in the near future. As a result, a big portion of the sales growth retailers will see as they come out of this recession won't be in brick-and-mortar stores, Melich said. Retail vacancies may not come down as quickly as in past recoveries, and the industry needs to think about how to repurpose millions of square feet of real estate, he said.
After overplaying their hand before the recession and having to cut back, retailers are focusing expansion plans on profits rather than size, said Sharpe. And new mall developments have taken a back seat to redeveloping existing malls. He noted that since department stores -- the traditional mall anchors -- aren't doing well, they're being replaced in some malls by supermarkets, health clubs and other retailers.
The Euro Invasion
In a way, this recovery will be similar to what happened in after the 2000-2001 recession, said Glenn Rufrano, CEO of Centro Properties Group (CEOPF). At the time, online sales were already becoming a factor, and department stores were beginnign to decline, he said. As a result, many developers demolished malls anchored by department stores and built new ones anchored by big-box stores and warehouse clubs.
Sharpe also noted that European "fast-fashion" brands are expanding aggressively worldwide. Chains such as Spain's Mango, Britain's Topshop and H&M's parent, Sweden's Hennes & Mauritz (HMRZF), are filling in mall space vacated by weakened competitors. They're becoming mall anchors or junior anchors, replacing department stores. Mango, which only has a dozen stores in the U.S. now, is setting up a beachhead. It recently signeda deal to open in-store shops at J.C. Penney (JCP) stores in 2010.
So pretty soon, you may be dodging grocery carts in the parking lot as you load your bags of Swedish-design clothes into your car. That is, unless you stay home to shop online.
First the good news: According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, the November jobless rate fell to 10%, a 0.2% improvement over October, when unemployment hit its highest level since 1983. Better yet, according to the Kronos Retail Labor Index, 3.87% percent of job applications currently lead to a hiring. This is the highest percentage in over a year.
The trouble is, those numbers translate into an economy in which 1 in 10 people is still out of work and 96.13% of job applications end up in the trash. What's more, even the healthy economic bounce that Kronos is reporting is likely the result of the roughly 600,000 seasonal jobs that The Wall Street Journal has predicted for this year. The retail sector has shed 850,000 jobs since 2007, which means that this temporary jump still represents a net loss of a quarter million paychecks.
And here's the kicker: Many seasonal retail jobs are being filled by people who previously worked in higher-paying sectors.
On the bright side, the influx of former bankers, brokers, mid-level managers and other skilled professionals means that retail stores will be able to fill their staff positions with massively overqualified employees. Thus, instead of a bored teenager behind the counter at Bed, Bath and Beyond (BBBY), customers may be able to get advice from a former interior decorator; and Home Depot customers (HD) may be able to talk to a real contractor.
However, while a boon for consumers, the intense competition for holiday jobs draws a larger problem into stark relief. As horrible as the unemployment crisis may be, there's a larger, potentially more threatening crisis: underemployment.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics refers to underemployment as "U-6," and has been keeping track of the statistic since 1994. Basically, U-6 combines the official unemployment numbers, or "U-3," with "discouraged workers" who are no longer looking for jobs, "marginally attached workers" who want more formal employment, and part-time workers who are in search of full-time employment.
While the government's U-3 statistics are dire, the U-6 measure indicates a job market that is artificially inflated. While U-3 is currently at 10%, U-6 is at 17.5%, the highest number in its history. Ultimately, however, even this statistic might be optimistic: U-6 addresses job security and number of hours worked, but it doesn't account for the thousands of workers who have grabbed jobs that are far below their education level or degree of expertise. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a way to accurately measure the massivebrain drain from the country's economy, specifically its manufacturing, construction, and service sectors, none of which are likely to recover anytime soon.
Beyond this, the massive underemployment numbers point to a shift in the types of jobs that are available. Although the latest unemployment statistics suggest that the crisis may be easing, they -- much like the seasonal hirings -- largely represent a fresh influx of temp jobs. On the bright side, this means that a lot of formerly-unemployed people are no longer drawing unemployment benefits; on the downside, their move from large, steady paychecks with lots of disposable income to small, insecure paychecks means that they aren't putting much money back into the economy.
This is particularly clear in manufacturing, which seems to be in free-fall. According to the St. Louis Fed, the number of people employed in manufacturing today is roughly the same as in 1940. While part of this is due to the overall decline of manufacturing in the United States, its worth noting that, following the 2001 recession, manufacturing jobs continued to decline. After previous recessions, there was a boost in manufacturing, which translated into a net increase for the sector.
This has led to some dire scenarios, including a peak unemployment of 13% in 2011; even the brightest scenarios don't have us returning to our normal 5% unemployment until 2020.
The terrible trouble in the housing market may be ending. RealtyTrac reports that foreclosure filings fell 8% in November compared to the previous month, down to 306,627. One in every 417 homes in the U.S. received a foreclosure filing during the month. The figure was up 18% from November 2008.
"November was the fourth straight month that U.S. foreclosure activity has declined after hitting an all-time high for our report in July, and November foreclosure activity was at the lowest level we've seen since February," said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac. "Loan modifications and other foreclosure prevention efforts, along with the recently extended and expanded home-buyer tax credit, are keeping a lid on the most visible symptoms of the nation's ailing housing market -- foreclosures and home value depreciation."
The housing markets hit the hardest, with prices down 50% in some cases -- Nevada, California, and Florida -- are still the areas where foreclosure activity is highest. Jobless rates in those state may drive down the housing markets for months to come.
The improvement in foreclosure rates may not last. Future home values will be determined by unemployment and underwater mortgages on the one hand and tax credits and low mortgage rates on the other. Recent data show that about one quarter of home loans are underwater. People with such loans do not have much incentive to keep their homes. The days when home equity loans could be used for retirement or consumer spending are past. Mortgage default rates could still be hit by homeowners who took out "interest only" loans. Many of those will reset causing much higher monthly home payment obligations. Some of the people who took advantage of these options when home values were still rising in 2005 and 2006 may find that their mortgage payments are too high for them to meet.
Unemployment is still growing but the rate has dropped sharply. At the beginning of 2009 joblessness was increasing by over 600,000 a month, November's number was only 11,000. But the rate at which people lose jobs could ratchet up again next year. A hard retail season could cause lay-offs and store closings. Poor access to credit and weak consumer spending may contribute to more firings across many sectors in the first part of 2010.
There is also reason to believe that mortgage rates will not stay at historic lows. Federal borrowing is taxing the global capital markets. Sovereign governments are likely to continue to raise money to offset deficits. Central banks may also begin to raise interest rates if they see speculative bubbles forming in the equities and commodities markets.
Many of the forces that caused high foreclosure rates have not gone away, and some of them are growing in strength.
It will be a tough act, maybe tougher than winning all those golf tournaments. But Tiger Woods is a big business that used to generate $100 million a year and gave him a $1 billion net worth, as Iposted. That's a very good living. Unfortunately, the money will stop rolling in unless Tiger puts the rumors of extramarital activity behind him.
The reason is simple: Companies pay endorsements because they want to be associated with a winner. That reputation makes it easier to convince people to buy their products. And naturally, when that winner turns into a loser, the companies want to run away from the loser as fast as they can.
Sponsors aren't suggesting that Woods has lost his skill as a golfer. It's just that Tiger's Clintonesque bimbo eruptions aren't going over so well with those sponsors' target demographics. That may help explain why the last ad featuring Tiger went off the air on Nov. 29, and Gatorade has stopped selling Gatorade Tiger Focus sports drink. This trickle of leaks in Tiger's money pipeline could quickly turn into a torrent. So the question he faces is what he ought to do to keep that from happening. So far, it looks like he wants to go into a cocoon and hibernate until the story passes. But the media has too much at stake -- particularly given how much public interest there seems to be in this topic. So, Tiger needs to take control of this story. For example, Mike Paul, the president and senior counselor at MGP & Associates, a public relations firm in New York, suggests to the The New York Times that Tiger should have gone on Oprah to admit what he did within a day or two of the news coming out.
Can't Go Back Now
Every day that goes by when Tiger says nothing is a day that the public's appetite for contrition gets filled with mockery from TV comedians. And that's not good for the companies that sponsor him.
Tiger is probably mourning the loss of his life before those bimbo stories started last month, but there's no way he can turn back the clock now. So he needs to do a media tour with his wife. He ought to admit to what he did, ask for forgiveness and commit himself to his family and his golf game.
Sure it'll be uncomfortable -- but there's a $100 million-a-year pot of gold for him if he can keep that rainbow of endorsements going.
If you thought you saw his lips move slightly out of time towards the end you may be right. If you thought he was holding the microphone upside down the entire time you'd be absolutely correct. Unless he's using a super-advanced double microphone like Darth Maul used when he sang karaoke, it's possible this whole thing was pre-recorded.
President Obama's job approval rating has slipped to its lowest point ever in Quinnipiac University's polling, and voters not only oppose one of his top priorities, health care reform, but disapprove of his handling of the issue.
Forty-six percent approve of Obama's performance while 44 percent disapprove, with 10 percent undecided, according to the poll conducted Dec. 1-6. That's a slight drop from last month when his approval ratio was 48 percent to 42 percent.
"The decline in Obama's overall approval in the last month has been small, with the exception of independent voters, who went from three points negative to 14 points," said Quinnipiac's Peter Brown. "If the trend continues, it won't be long before he could be in the unenviable position of having more Americans disapprove than approve of his job performance."
Voters disapprove of the health care legislation under consideration in Congress by 52 percent to 38 percent with 10 percent undecided, and they disapprove of Obama's handling of the issue, 56 percent to 38 percent with 6 percent undecided. The disapproval ratio on Obama's handling of health care was up from last month's 53 percent to 41 percent margin.
Obama is still trusted more than congressional Republicans on health care, by 44 percent to 37 percent with 20 percent undecided, but that compares to July when he was trusted more on the issue by 53 percent to 33 percent.
Nearly three-quarters of those polled do not believe Obama can keep his promise that reform of health care will not add to the deficit in the next decade.
Fifty-four percent disapprove of Obama's handling of the economy while 41 percent approve, with 5 percent undecided. That's a slight rise over last month. In July, voters approved of his handling of the economy by 52 percent to 42 percent. This month's numbers of the economy question were Obama's worst ever, and the biggest downward movement was among his fellow Democrats, where approval fell from 77 percent to 71 percent.
Seventy-one percent are very or somewhat dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country compared to 29 percent who are very or somewhat satisfied (only 3 percent are "very" satisfied). That margin has been pretty steady since August. In July, 60 percent were very or somewhat dissatisfied compared to 39 percent who were very or somewhat satisfied.
When she awoke one morning at 3.a.m., Hannah Foster suffered through a living nightmare more terrifying than a horror novel. She was paralyzed, unable to move even a finger, and felt as if a great weight was suffocating her. Panicked, she tried to scream but could not utter a sound. Foster, a 25-year-old from Brighton, in the U.K., who was interviewed by the Daily Mail, had been hit with a common affliction called sleep paralysis (SP).
The condition affects anywhere from 15 to 40 percent of the population at least once in a lifetime, according to an estimate from sleep disorder specialist, Nidhi Undevia, M.D., medical director of Loyola Center for Sleep Disorders in Chicago.
"In some cases, hallucinations may occur," says Dr. Undevia. "One patient reported seeing elephants, another saw a monster at the foot of his bed. Others may sense that someone else is in the bedroom with them or hear strange noises." People are in a dream-like state when SP hits, half awake, half asleep, says Dr. Undevia. "Often touching the person or talking to them breaks the hallucination and the person wakes up. The episodes may occur at the beginning of the night or in the middle. People become terribly frightened and need reassurance."
Episodes of SP occur during non-REM sleep, the phase of sleep not as deep as the rapid eye movement phase. Oddly, the paralysis or atonia -- the medical term -- in which the victim can't move a muscle, is common, says Dr. Undevia. SP may last a second or two or for several minutes. Some people experience repeated episodes in a single night, several times a week, or many over a lengthy period of time, says Dr. Undevia.
Among the causes of SP are sleep deprivation, interrupted sleep caused bysleep apnea or other factors or narcolepsy, according to Dr. Undevia. There may also be a stress factor, although studies have not been conclusive on that point. In Foster's case, she continued to experience SP every couple of months, including situations in which hallucinations occurred.
"The second time, I knew what was happening -- but as well as the paralysis, I also saw a terrifying black figure … (that) looked a bit like a demon," she told the Daily Mail.
Foster believes that the stress of leaving her position at a university and starting a new job caused her episodes. She has not been cured of her condition, but now has a means to cope. "Each time it happens, I tell myself not to panic, that it's not real," she said. "But even though I know rationally what's going on, it can still be pretty frightening."
But there's hope for all who suffer from SP, according to Dr. Undevia. "Treating the underlying causes usually resolves the problem," she said.
Oh, it's on, baby. But since the "Melrose" writers cleaned a lot of story lines off the drawing board this week, this post will be riddled with spoilers to anyone who was out at a holiday party or doing some shopping on Tuesday night. To make it a bit more fair to them, we'll put the rest of the recap after the jump. SPOILERS BELOW.
Whew. That's better. Now that we're alone, it does seem like the "Melrose" writers were in the giving spirit and I got just about everything I wanted this year:
Sydney's been avenged.
How relieved are you that the menacing Dr. Mancini is free of the old ball and chain -- both from the court-of-law and in-law variety? (Not that infidelity has ever stopped him.)
But how traumatized is poor little Noah going to be now? Michael was worried about him before, but could he really miss all the commotion when his mom was duking it out in the pool with the crazy redhead who came to his house once? (OK, the second crazy redhead who came to his house). And what about when he finds out that Michael might not even be his real dad?
Plus, Syd did seem rather calm that evening by the time Vanessa came to the door. Does that mean that Sydney was distraught about something else when she texted David for help in the pilot?
Amanda will be snooping around a bit longer.
Since Amanda was nice enough to cover for Violet with the cops, what kind of awesome payback plan is she going to dream up? We know something's up, but Violet is gullible enough to believe that Sydney was telling the truth when Syd told her she was her mom when she needed a safe house. Plus, Violet thought she had a chance with Auggie. If only she didn't paint pictures of him that resemble Heath Ledger's Joker in "The Dark Knight." Why so serious, Violet?
Yet I still cannot believe that Amanda might have let herself get bested by Sydney -- if, in fact, Syd is telling the truth in those flashbacks and the artwork Amanda had lifted really never did arrive. What are the chances David has something to do with this? But it doesn't look like he and Amanda are going to pick up where he and Syd left off.
Lauren (hopefully) learns to stay on-call instead of a call girl.
Poor Lauren, but major props to the show for revisiting that whole prostitution's not the smartest/safest plan thing. Sure, one can argue that her OD'ing is straying too close into "Gossip Girl" territory, but I think it's more original than say, just having her get busted by the cops. Plus, it gives David a chance to show that he really does care about her.
You know it's a good episode when you barely notice that Jonah and Riley have broken up (again).
I'm sure lovelorn girls across the nation cheered when Ella finally got her man. But were they as enthused with the Loopt ad-within-a-show strategy that (again) "Gossip Girl" also tried?
Thanks, "Melrose Place." Perhaps for Valentine's Day you'll go back to those secret files David stole from Michael? Sorry to bring it up again, but that just sounds like the gift that keeps on giving.
Photos: (top) Sydney and Amanda are works of art. Credit: Michael Desmond / The CW
(bottom) Can we chalk Violet's love of art up to her "mother"? Credit: Michael Desmond / The CW
As the number of women claiming ties to apparent womanizer Tiger Woodsexpands rapidly, the first potential mistress is still taking a lot of heat. Rachel Uchitel was the first woman in the mix - aside from Tiger's wife Elin - and though she's consistently denied rumors of an affair, Uchitel can't avoid the spotlight. In an exclusive interviews with OK! magazine, Uchitel reveals her feelings on getting caught in the middle of the Woods sex scandal - and private emails obtained by In Touch Weekly suggest that Uchitel's relationship with the pro golfer was much more than a fling.
Party promoter Uchitel, 34, told OK! that "in every story, you need a villain and a hero. I've been characterized as a villain."
She said, "People have called me homewrecker, gold-digger, tramp, whore. I make mistakes, but I'm not those things. I have very good qualities. When you're judged by the nation it's really difficult. It's horrible."
"I'm not a whore. I'm not a tramp. I'm not an escort. I'm not stupid or a bimbo," Uchitel insisted. "I'm very strong. I will survive this. At the same time, I'm vulnerable. I'm not here to make myself into a victim, but I want people to remember I'm human -- there's a whole other side to me. I'm caring and generous and the type of person you'd want to be friends with. People have to give me a chance."
Whether the affair occurred has yet to be conclusively determined, but the evidence is stacking up against Woods. Emails obtained by In Touch Weekly illustrate an ongoing relationship between Woods and Uchitel, including one from the athlete reading: ""I know it's brutal on you that you can't be with me all the time. I get it ... I finally found someone I connect with, someone I have never found like this. Not even at home. You want someone to witness your life. I want you to lay next to me, lay on me or where ever you want to lay ... Why didn't we find each other years ago. We wouldn't be having this conversation."
A source close to Uchitel told the magazine, "Tiger told her he would divorce his wife for her."
"If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water." - LORAN EISELY
I'm giving up my 37th Birthday and it has nothing to do with vanity or nearing the big 4-0. I couldn't care less about numbers as they pertain to my age. I do, however, care about age when it pertains to those throughout the world who don't make it to their 37th birthdays because of a lack of clean drinking water and proper sanitation.
As a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and the founding ambassador for the Global Network, I've traveled to the field and seen firsthand the devastation left behind by waterborne illnesses. On these trips, I've run the gamut of emotions that range from mind-bending anger to heart-warming hope. Upon my return from the field, I count my blessings, and then as time passes, I become frustrated with myself that I'm not doing more to alleviate the pain of those I met on my journey.
It is because of this very frustration that I decided to give up my birthday. I have everything I could ever want or need. All I want is to provide life-giving water for 10 communities, 500 families and 2,500 people. This is my Birthday wish. In lieu of spending money on a party or presents, I'm asking people to donate to my Charity: Water campaign and help make my wish come true.
Charity: Water is a grassroots non-profit that was founded in 2006. In just a little more than 3 years, they've engaged more than 75,000 donors around the world, and raised over $13 million for operations and water projects. 100% of public donations directly fund water projects. They've funded 1500 water projects in 16 countries that will serve over 800,000 people. Simply put, Charity: Water, funds clean water projects that save lives.
Currently, almost a billion people in the world don't have access to life's most basic need: clean and safe drinking water. That's 1 in 8 people on the planet. Over 200 million people right now have a water-related disease called schistosomiasis... It's a fancy word for parasites. Worms. When you see a heartbreaking photo of a malnourished child with an extended belly, that child most likely has this waterborne schistosomiasis and no matter what food or nutrients you give them, without proper medication and clean water they most likely will not survive.
As we take a sip of our water from the fridge and don't think twice about it, there are people that have to walk hours a day fetching unsafe water from remote areas. Imagine that. Imagine having to walk for hours and hours, every day, just to retrieve contaminated water that will most likely get you sick and maybe even kill you. And the time spent collecting this water, keeps children out of school and women from pursuing economic growth. Not having access to clean drinking water perpetuates the cycle of poverty.
No child should ever die from a preventable cause and 4,500 children will die TODAY from water-related illnesses. This year, in this country alone, we'll spend about 450 million dollars a year on presents, decorations and "stuff" for Christmas. That is enough to give everyone on earth clean, life-giving water, a couple of times over.
I believe it is innately within us, as warriors of the human spirit, to give to those less fortunate. Sometimes, we just don't know how to go about doing it. If this rings true for you, I encourage you to watch the below video, be inspired, and join me by starting your own holiday campaign today athttp://www.charitywater.org/holidays.
