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Recession Briefing 6.15

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

Vegetable seed producers and merchants across the country are reporting sales increases of as much as 75% this year, and even some shortages, especially of staples like beans, potatoes and lettuces. (Washington Post)

Fake furloughs: Some workers work through their unpaid vacations, because they fear for the long-term safety of their positions and hope their self-sacrifice impresses the management. (New York Times)

The downturn is forcing men to spend more time at home, altering roles everywhere from the laundry room to the child-care center. (Christian Science Monitor)

The working poor have already been living in an economic depression of their own, notes Barbara Ehrenreich. From their point of view “the economy,” as a shared condition, is a fiction. (New York Times)

Bridesmaid expenses are increasingly turning into dealbreakers for broke friends. (ABC News)

Is U.S. home equity down 20% or more as a result of the recession? (Los Angeles Times)

Unlike the labor market collapse that killed millions of U.S. jobs in a matter of months, the nation’s return to peak employment will not be nearly as uniform nor as swift. (McClatchy Newspapers)

During these days of downsizing, many singles have no choice but to move their date from the It-restaurant to a picnic at the park. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

A veteran of Indiana’s RV industry tells his story of small-town collapse and life after layoffs. (CNN/Money)

A number of colleges and universities are cutting back on financial aid to students, just when the need is greatest. (Daily Finance)

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