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Recession Briefing 12.11: McDonald’s Gets More Wallet-Friendly

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

McDonald’s is adding more dollar items to its breakfast menu, in an effort to jump-start sales that have been hit by the high jobless rate. (Reuters)

The Obama administration is proposing creating a new TARP program that gives banks access to government money without restrictions—as long as they use it to make loans to small businesses. (Washington Post)

Some businesses have been forced to close in Lake Oswego, Ore., but there has also been a small boom in new businesses thanks to the downturn. (The Oregonian)

Could innovation be taking a hit? Patent filings in 2009 fell for the first time in 13 years. (CNNMoney)

Americans are getting some of their net worth back. The Federal Reserve said net worth rose 5 percent last quarter—it will only take us another 21 percent to get us back where we started. (AP)

More than 500 construction projects in New York City have stalled during the recession, most of them in Brooklyn. (Reuters)

France is following Britain’s lead and proposing a “supertax” on banker bonuses. (FT)

The number of federal workers earning six-figure salaries has exploded during the recession. (USA Today

With the downturn coming to an end, Loral Langemeier says we need to figure out how to “reset our lives.” (Huffington Post)

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Tags: business, eating, economy, personal finance, politics, The Unemployed Life