Recession Briefing 11.13: Jobs Remain a Conundrum

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

Job seekers take heed, the best cities to find work may be in Texas. The Milken Institute released its annual Best Performing Cities Index earlier this week, and the Lone Star state dominated the rankings. (Huffington Post)

When a huge Andy Warhol canvas sold Wednesday at Sotheby’s for $43.7 million — more than triple its pre-sale estimate — it may also have been a sign that growing talk of economic recovery is being taken to heart by the world’s moneyed class, for whom art collecting is a competitive blood sport. (Toronto Star)

As they draw up blueprints for the house of the post-recession future, builders are struggling to distinguish among what luxury home buyers need, what they want and what they can live without — Jacuzzi by Jacuzzi, butler’s pantry by butler’s pantry. (Wall Street Journal)…

Screwed: 650 in Hawaii

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

Today’s Total: 1,388

The good news: Iowa Gov. Chet Culver is close to formulating an agreement that may prevent 479 state government layoffs.

The bad: Hawaii state layoffs begin today and expect to effect 650 employees by the end of the year… Upwards of 500 San Francisco union workers face layoffs, pay cuts, and job reassignments… Cincinnati’s Metro has laid off 19 full- and part-time workers and will be letting go of another 101 employees, including unionized workers, part-time employees, and full-time administrators… Newsweek is planning approximately one dozen staff layoffs… Anheuser-Busch is laying off 45 hourly workers from its Manitowoc plant… Mayor Reichert of Macon, Ga. intends to layoff 31 city employees… Australian game developer Krome Studios is laying off up to 30 employees from its Brisbane studio… Santa Clara, Calif.-based factory equipment maker Applied Materials is cutting up to 12 percent of its workforce… An undeclared number of layoffs are to take place at Sinclair Tulsa Refining Co. as it merges with Holly Corp…

Get 80 Wines for $50 on Friday

Bottlenotes, our favorite online wine company, is offering Recessionwire readers a special deal for tomorrow night — $10 off its Around the World in 80 Sips event in New York.

There will be wine from five continents, plus artisinal cheese, charcuterie, pickles, chocolate, and cigars. All that and no tip required!…

Downturnaround Deals: Bloomingdale’s, Martin and Osa, Barnes and Noble, Folica, Limited, Zales

Some of us are starting to spend again (a little). Every week, we post online coupons for food, clothes, books, gadgets and more, hand-picked for Recessionwire readers by the nice people over at Savings.com.

Get 20% off during the Friends & Family Sale @ Bloomingdale’s.
See more Bloomingdale’s coupons.

Take an Extra 20% off sale items at clothing company Martin and Osa.
See more Martin and Osa coupons.…

Preparing for the Next Downturn

If there’s one thing we learned from this recession, it’s that economies tend to be cyclical. Stock markets crash and rebound, unemployment rates go up and down, and real estate prices can decrease just as quickly as they increased during the boom years. Unfortunately, there’s very little we can do about it, and an economic downturn is likely to happen again.

With an ounce of prevention, though, there are some things we can all do to put ourselves in a better position the next time around. After all, sudden job losses might not have been so crushing had we all had enough money in savings to carry us through the downturn. And spiking credit card rates might not be quite as big of a deal right now if we hadn’t been carrying such a large debt load prior to the recession’s beginning last fall. If only.

No matter what mistakes we made this time around, it’s never too early to start planning for the next economic crunch. Consider this your emergency survival guide to a solid financial future, no matter what’s happening on Wall Street…

Recession Briefing 11.12: Women Take More Jobs

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

The composition of the nation’s work force is approaching an unprecedented benchmark. Due in part to deep layoffs of men, women are poised to become the majority of workers for the first time. (Wall Street Journal)

California has been pummeled by economic problems, but it may soon find that it is not alone. The Pew Center on the States said the nine other states “face hardships nearly as daunting” as California’s — including Arizona, Rhode Island, Michigan, Oregon, Nevada, Florida, New Jersey, Illinois and Wisconsin. (Reuters)

For many families across the country, the greatest damage inflicted by this recession has not necessarily been financial, but emotional and psychological. Children, especially, have become hidden casualties, often absorbing more than their parents are fully aware of. (New York Times)…

Screwed: 500 at Wick Building Systems

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

Today’s Total: 3,459

The good news: 1,200 previously laid-off workers will return to work on Tuesday at GM’s Lansing Delta Township Assembly plant in Michigan.

The bad: Wick Building Systems anticipates reducing its Wisconsin workforce by 500 employees… Honda plans to cut an additional 500 employees from a factory in Swindon, U.K. due to low projected sales… STX Finland laid off 400 workers after the completion of the world’s biggest cruise liner… Kolbe and Kolbe Millwork Co. laid off 334 employees due to declines in the construction industry… The Dearborn Board of Education approved 300 job cuts in response to budget cuts by the state of Michigan… El Paso Corp. will eliminate 300 people as part of a $150 million savings venture…Bristol University, U.K. plans to cut 250 staff members to compensate for a budget deficit… Albertson’s LLC filed notice that 246 workers will be laid off from three supermarkets in the Orlando area that were recently sold… Columbus Foundry will close its Columbus, Ga. plant after a declaration of bankruptcy by parent company Intermet Corp. and lay off 169 people… If sales do not improve for Great Dane Trailers of Kewanee, Ill., company reps say they will be forced to lay off 161 workers…

Video: The Recession Took My Escalade and Stripper Money

Not sure how we missed this Daily Show segment on how the downturn has taken the bling off rappers. As Slim Thug says: We used to roll, 20 dudes, tour bus, all around the whole country. These days you get…a van.

Feel his pain.

When There’s Nothing Left to Do But Sell

Quen Ton, owner of a manicure shop White Daisy Nail Spa in San Francisco, Calif., took advantage of lowered rent prices during the recession to start the business after working for years in others’ shops. Even so, she has found the process of growing her business very challenging, is operating at a loss and surviving on her husband’s income. If business does not pick up by the holidays, she will have to sell.

So as a small business owner, how can you know when it’s time to sell? Well, here are a few signs: being too far behind in expenses to catch up; facing competitors that are way too far ahead of you in the marketplace; insurmountable conflicts between you and a business partner or business partners; the inability to manage unexpected business growth.

If you are seeing critical signs that point to selling your small business as the only viable option, the following four tips can help you navigate a sale…

Recession Briefing 11.11: The Past and the Present that Bite You

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

U.S. job seekers are crashing into the worst employment market in years and background checks that reach deeper than ever into their pasts. The result: a surge of people seeking to legally clear their criminal records. (Wall Street Journal)

There were fewer than 2.5 million job openings in September, down 35% from a year ago — and less than one for every six people unemployed — according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (CNN/Money)

Economist Gary Shilling has calculated that 58 percent of the population is dependent on the government for “major parts of their income.” By 2018, Shilling estimates, an astounding 67 percent of Americans could be dependent on the government for their livelihood. (U.S. News & World Report)..