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Uncommon Economic Indicators

The Brian Lehrer Show's online and on air collaborative project on the economy

Bright Spots

Unemployment Blogging Indicator

Story submitted by: Jax

Monday, November 9 2009

I've noticed a significant drop in blogging volume on unemployment-related sites.
Even my favorite, unemploymentality.com,now urges the unemployed to find work.

Keep On Truckin'

Story submitted by: Julie Lifton

Thursday, October 15 2009

Interstate Hwy 87 Rockland County, NY

I drive up and down the NYState Thruway between exits 11 and 14 many times a week. Since mid-September there has been an increase in the number of trucks on the road: food transport, car carriers, etc... While I usually do not enjoy sharing the road with these big semi's, I now welcome them as a sign that the economy is improving. (too bad that has negative implications for the environment!)

Cleaning

Story submitted by: Trin Frost

Thursday, September 24 2009

As a disabled female liviing with 3 males I am SO SO grateful to have someone help with cleaing.

Before October she could be hard to get. After Oct.she was more available. Recently it seems she is busier. Good for her, bad for me.

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong...

Story submitted by: The Corrections

Thursday, September 24 2009

The whole Atlantic Avenue piece by "Gaye Leslie, Wednesday, September 9 2009" is completely wrong. Lisanne has not been open in years and the storefront is now Betty Bakery which is owned by the same owners. Downtown Atlantic is still going strong. The bizarre rant about the diner on the Smith and Bergen is just delusional. Sounds like she's depressed and disconnected.

College kids do web fundraising to pay for school.

Story submitted by: Phil Bernstein, Esq.

Wednesday, September 16 2009

I have a story to pitch. It involves the grand-daughter, Chautauqua Henderson, of a good friend of mine who is a black women and retired US Army veteran. The grand-daughter has over come a great deal of economic and personal adversity to get into college but, because of the recession she is having trouble paying for it - so she set up a web site for fund-raising for friends, family and even kindly strangers to help out. Apparently there is a company that helps people and organizations do this. It appears that the company makes some money from it as well. Hopefully they are not taking advantage of the kids. This may make an interesting story for WNYC or even NPR. Thanks & be well.

What They Did on Their Summer Vacation

Story submitted by: Pat Hackbarth

Wednesday, August 26 2009

310 East 67th Street New York NY 10065

Yesterday I went to donate blood at the New York Blood Center. The technician told me that ordinarily at this time of year there is a big crisis in the blood supply, apparently because so many people are on vacation. But this year, for the first time, they're getting a steady stream of donors. Not so great for the tourism industry, maybe, but a fine thing for accident victims.

Weak Dollar=New Art Market

Story submitted by: Fay

Tuesday, August 25 2009

44, rue Barbet Jouy, Paris, France

I am a full-time emerging artist. In March 2008, before the financial meltdown, I had a solo exhibition at a small Chelsea gallery. My prices were very reasonable, very affordable. Despite my misgivings, I was pressured to raise my prices so that the work could be taken seriously. Apparently, at that time anyways, the price tag had to exceed a certain magical number in order to be desirable.

The show did sell out, but the economy shifted—er, collapsed. I was worried about selling work (my main means of survival), especially with the new higher price tag.

I am now in Paris, with a new solo exhibition opening next week and an art fair next month in Lyon. The weak dollar is my friend, believe it or not: once the price in US dollars was translated into Euros, my prices once again became very modest. Apparently, in this new economy, artwork has to be priced under some magical number to be sell-able.

Cancer I can't Afford

Story submitted by: Erica Rex

Friday, August 14 2009

I can't afford to have breast cancer here, so I'm moving to England, England....

Birthday Parties come home

Story submitted by: Lorraine Savoy

Monday, August 10 2009

Four years ago every birthday my daughter attended was an elaborate affair held at a party-place (except her own!). Now, my younger daughter has gone to home parties with hot dogs on the grill and home-made cakes. It's nice to see a return to the more simple ways!

Securities Fundamentals In The Garbage

Story submitted by: Justine Poldino

Thursday, July 30 2009

corner of E12th St. & Broadway across from the Strand Bookstore

Picture of book titled "Fundmentials of Securities Industry" in the garbage, was captured across the street from the Strand Bookstore on E 12th Street on 7/29/09.

Need I say more.

A bright bright spot in my life.

Story submitted by: Malini Waghray

Thursday, July 16 2009

201 Lancaster Court Belle Mead, NJ 08502

I have less time to window shop and damage my financial plans. I spend less money on eating out, more at home. Children miss the eating out but I am discovering the new meaning of how to connect with my 12 and 6 year old.
I have also stepped into the world of a "sales" job and met some wonderful people. My friend thinks I have done a very American thing by doing what it takes to support my family (by taking up an Insurance sales job after a PhD from India). I am proud of it and will hope that I have set a good example for my children. I am a mother anad was born and brought up in India, now going to soon become an American citizen and looking forward to it.

Irony: Artists Unaccustomed to Safety Nets

Story submitted by: Craig Waletzko

Tuesday, July 14 2009

As a couple of (mostly) working actors here in the city for more than twenty years, my wife and I have grown accustomed to the anxieties and uncertainties that are a normal part of a career spent in the arts. When the downturn hit last fall, we were worried that this time around, the in-between-gigs-time would be rockier than ever. Sure enough, my Broadway show closed in January, shortly after her last commercial stopped running. On top of that, her SAG insurance ran out, our co-op got hit with a huge maintenance assessment, and our eldest daughter’s orthodontist said we couldn’t put off her braces any longer.

But here’s strange part: Unemployment insurance benefits have been extended way past the usual 26 weeks – and they’ve actually increased the top payment by $25 a week. (That’s my younger daughters’ piano lessons!) And once we started on COBRA, we found a state program that covers half our premium, then a new 6-month federal program that covers the whole thing!

Don’t get me wrong. The long-term fear is as real as ever. But from a day-to-day anxiety perspective, it’s actually not the worst time to be an out-of-work actor.

shakespeare in the park

Story submitted by: Jennifer Goodnow

Thursday, July 9 2009

central park delacourte theatre

as a teacher i can go to the shakespeare line on weekdays. i usually get to the line at 6:30 a.m. and am assured of not only getting tickets, but getting good seats. I went during the last week of the show with friends and found the line stretching well past it's usual place for 6:30. In fact, we soon realized we would never get tickets! people began showing up at 2::30 a.m! we all decided it must be the recession. more people are also free during the week to get tickets and can afford the price of tickets - free!

Thrift Stores!

Story submitted by: Chrissy rossettie

Thursday, July 2 2009

Thrift stores are making a SERIOUS comeback! There are at least five or six new ones in East Williamsburg alone, within the last 3 months! Hurrah for worry-free shopping!

The Unemployed Correspondent

Story submitted by: richard eigen

Tuesday, June 23 2009

57 Church st south orange nj 07079

A downsized advertising executive tries to make the best out of a bad situation by pursuing his dream of becoming a correspondent on the Daily Show.

[Editor's note: this video has been temporarily held up while we contact the contributor]

Wedding Photography

Story submitted by: Julia Newamn

Tuesday, June 23 2009

I am a wedding photographer in NYC and have experienced a few cases in which one half of the couple has lost his/her job during the planning of the wedding. It is obvious that this unexpected change forces them to make some hard decisions about their wedding day and in many cases, they will fore go photography.

Listening to the show this morning, I decided that I will post a photography give away on my blog for a couple who has lost one or both of their jobs but are still trying to have a wedding.

It feels good! Thank you for the inspiration.

Julia

It is not the same

Story submitted by: Luis Gallego

Sunday, June 21 2009

112 st 10029

The street musicians in NYC are an indicator of our local economy. The people that ride the trains are not giving as much. They have to work twice as much. However other sectors of society seems to be doing fine, they help to support other sectors of our local economy.

Giving Jazz

Story submitted by: Tom Guiney

Sunday, June 21 2009

304 stanhope St. #3L 11237

The deal on Jazzgiving is this: a number of friends and I have been little employed during this recessive winter. Several of us are film lighting technicians and that world has been quiet, another is just finishingnursing school and is looking for work, my wife had a broken leg, one has been laid off, and so on. The difference between weekend and weekday has blurred a bit, so Wednesday seemed like a perfectly good day to have a pot luck
brunch at my apartment. At our first such gathering, all of us were griping and bellyaching about how bad things are, about how there's no work, and so on and so forth, but then I interrupted to say, "we shouldn't be complaining, making things worse than they already are, we should be saying what we're jazzed about". So following that, everyone around the table proceeded to put something out there that they were thankful for or excited about. The types of gratitude professed ranged from the life changing to the mundane.

From Wall Street to Pour Gourmet

Story submitted by: Anita Schillhorn van Veen

Sunday, June 21 2009

Franklin Avenue at Sterling Place Crown Heights, Brooklyn

I was walking to Bristen's, a neighborhood brunch spot in Crown Heights, and met Jason Hait, who had set up a little stand for tastings of his homemade sauces. Recently laid off from the FInancial District, Jason used his new free time to pursue his dream and to connect with others in the community who were also doing creative projects in lieu o

ODE TO 67TH ST LIBRARY

Story submitted by: St John Mckay

Sunday, June 21 2009

67th st btwn 1st & 2nd

Kristin McDonough, the Director of the Science, Industry & Business Library, talks about people coming to my neighborhood PL in the recession.