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Recession Briefing: What’s An Out of Work Spider-Man to Do?

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

The firing of Spider-Man’s alter ego, Peter Parker, will put him in the unemployment line, but he shouldn’t expect to get unemployment benefits. That’s because his misconduct likely makes him ineligible for unemployment benefits. (WalletPop)

Just when you thought the mess from the February snowstorms was over, it has started to obscure a clear understanding of how the economy is doing. (Washington Post)

Five must-have provisions that the White House should insist upon to make sure we get financial reform that works, not just window dressing. (Mother Jones)

The number of Americans filing for initial unemployment insurance fell last week, the government said Thursday. There were 469,000 initial jobless claims filed in the week ended Feb. 27, the lowest level since Jan. 9 and down 29,000 from a revised 498,000 the previous week.  (CNN/Money)

The recession is over in Chattanooga! (How about the rest of us?) (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

In the wake of the financial crisis, deal lawyers have been reconsidering the structure of acquisitions. The result has been a clash of wills between targets and acquirers. (New York Times/Dealbook)

Many U.S. retailers, especially those geared to teen shoppers, reported improved sales in February, thanks to easy year-ago comparisons and despite winter storms that crippled large swaths of the country. (Wall Street Journal)

The Obama administration put forward legislation on Wednesday to rein in the size and scope of the nation’s largest banks. But the proposal faces strong resistance in Congress. (New York Times)

A measure blending highway funding eagerly sought by the states with tax breaks for companies that hire unemployed workers appeared headed for House passage Thursday. (Associated Press)

The Greek government expects the economy to contract for two years after the adoption of a tough austerity program that will substantially cut consumer spending. (Wall Street Journal)

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