Art Show on a Shoestring

When Brooklyn artist Lara Allen scored a Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Swing Space grant last year, she thought she had secured both a great gallery and up to $3,000 in funding for a meditation on myth and female power entitled I, Daughter of Kong.

Then the funding LMCC hoped to provide fell victim to the recession.

But instead of canceling the show, Allen brought new meaning to her original idea of an artistic collaboration. She began securing donations and soliciting not just creative work from artists, but contributions of time and labor. As a result, the show has gone on—and is, perhaps, even more creative that it would have been. It opened last week and runs through May 10…

Are We Getting Suckered?

When I was a little girl, I loved going to the bank with my mom because they always had suckers. Today I’m wondering if we are the suckers after the results of yesterday’s bank stress tests. The Treasury department gave all 19 major banks a passing grade based on economic assumptions that many find a wee bit cheerier than we have any right to expect in terms of housing prices, unemployment, and other factors. Did the public get hoodwinked into thinking that all is well in bank-land?

Some are taking the stress tests as a sign that the recession is slowing. In a New York Times op-ed, Geithner sounded confident, crowing that the tests “should advance the process of repairing our financial system and provide a better foundation for recovery.” But market analyst and commentator Marshall Auerback…

An Inspired Home Office on the Cheap, Part 1

Last month, I lost my job as chief operating officer at a multimedia startup; because it’s my second bout of unemployment in two years, I have some idea of what works and what doesn’t. And one thing’s for sure: using the kitchen table as an office does not work.

For starters, snacking is a constant temptation. Then, there is all the paper: multiple revisions of resumes (with and without snack stains), fliers from networking events, business cards, letters from the unemployment office. During my last jobless phase, the table would be a mess at the end of each day. I’d shuffle the papers into a pile, but it never really went away, and it was never organized. So this time I consulted an expert, Kacy Paide, founder of The Inspired Office in Washington, D.C…

Taking a Hike, and Other Cheap Dates

Every week or so, this space throws out a fun relationship suggestion that’s easy on the wallet. This time around, it’s exercise.

First of all, exercise is a virtual panacea. Per research that I have no way of substantiating, sedentary lifestyles cause more deaths than smoking. A little exercise (say, sweating 3 times per week for 20-30 minutes per session) can have immediate results. Old wisdom says you feel the results (in terms of increased energy, decreased lethargy) in weeks and see results (if you’re looking at my gut, I’m working on it) in a month.

“How does this make dating more awesome?” Good question, Aguado. Many therapists…

Recession Briefing 5.8

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

Will the recession eventually result in the U.S. legalizing marijuana? (Gawker)

Forget about swine flu, and beware the unemployment illness. Those who have been laid off have an increased risk of developing heart disease, stroke or diabetes. (Daily Mail)

The unemployment rate is up to 8.9% in the U.S., but the rate of job loss is slowing. Employers cut 539,000 jobs in April, the fewest in six months. (Associated Press)…

Screwed: 600 at Cummins Inc.

A daily review of the employment fallout around the country and the world.

Cummins Inc. will be letting go of more than 600 Columbus, Indiana employees next week… The San Diego Union Tribune is laying off 192 employees, effective July 6… Niles America Wintech is laying off 167 Winchester employees as it moves operations out of the county… New York public radio station WNYC is eliminating 18 positions, 11 of which are unfilled…

Top Ten Jobs for Grads

The quest for employment isn’t hopeless for the class of 2009! There are promising jobs out there, if you know where to look.

Commencement for 2009 graduates is quickly approaching. The search for entry-level employment is never easy for recent grads, and today’s economy is no help. It seems like a fair share of students, myself included, fear graduation day like the rest of the country fears layoffs. According to the Job Outlook 2009 survey of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers plan to hire 22 percent fewer grads from the class of 2009 than they had from the class of 2008. Don’t panic! There are a number of jobs that look promising for 2009 grads. Here’s a list of ten (in no particular order), based on statistics from NACE and the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

1. Accountant and auditor
Straight forward and self explanatory. Accounting majors are on a direct path to this always-in demand career.

2. Database administrator
Careers in information systems management are on the rise as database systems are becoming an integral part of all business…

Best Money-Saving Websites

People have said that Bill Gates is so rich, if he saw a $100 bill on the ground, it wouldn’t be worth his time to stoop and pick it up. A couple of years ago, B., a management consultant in Chicago, was arguing that he was much like bill—it wasn’t worth the effort for him seek out sales or discounts. Oh, how things have changed; now B. feels like a patsy if he’s paying full price. Still, the point about time is a good one, so here are the websites that can help you cut costs in a flash.

Groceries
Coupons are basically a way to get you to buy stuff you might not otherwise consider— not so conducive to saving money. A better bet is to figure out what products you regularly purchase, then seek out discounts…

Love in the Time of Layoff: Cheap Date

Twice, my friend Susan (I have changed some names and identifiers) found herself covering for a date who was short on cash. On the first date. At the end of one of them, there was even a humiliating walk to an ATM machine, where he handed her precisely his half and thanked her for a nice evening. Susan was mortified.

I would be too, and obviously so should those guys. Being cheap (or disorganized) is not unusual in the annals of dating, but it seems like some people are using the recession as cover for skimping out…

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)