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Recession Briefing 5.7

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

Arkansas has launched a free iPhone application that can be used to track state projects funded through the federal economic stimulus package. (CNN/Money)

Get cozy with your co-workers: Companies of all sizes — including the likes of Microsoft and Pfizer — have begun requiring employees to share hotel rooms on business trips. (New York Times)

With the recession making restaurants seem like more of a luxury, more cookbooks are being sold and several major grocery stores have reported increased sales. (Associated Press)

Land Rover is trying to make the case that their $60,000 SUVs are recession-friendly. Tom Mutchler begs to differ. (Consumer Reports)

In advertisements for luxury goods, conspicuous consumption has become “deeply passé.” The new chic — even in the elite realm — is being a smart-value shopper. (The Big Money)

Looking to stem the wave of foreclosures across the country, the Senate voted yesterday to make it easier for homeowners with bad credit to switch to a lower-cost government-backed mortgage. (USA Today)

Felix Rohatyn, the chairman of New York’s Municipal Assistance Corp. from 1975 to 1993, said yesterday that the federal government should create a powerful national agency to bail out dozens of floundering U.S. cities. (Reuters)

The current global crisis is “vastly worse” than the 1930s because financial systems and economies worldwide have become more interdependent, “Black Swan” author Nassim Nicholas Taleb said. (Bloomberg)

Why do some jobs remain unfilled during a time of heavy layoffs? Employers say that mismatched skills sets can make it hard to find a good candidate. (BusinessWeek)

Recession indicator #7203:  More than 200 slips are vacant at a popular L.A. marina as boat owners look for cheaper alternatives for parking their skiffs. (Los Angeles Times)

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