economy

Friday, April 10, 2009

Romance novels hot sellers during the recession

  The recession is prompting a lot of folks to search for bargain escapes, and romance novels are at the top of the list. The struggles and disappointments of day-to-day living are apparently fueling the desire for entertainment with a happy ending, according to an article on the New York Times website.   While many categories of books are in a slump, romance novels are in demand. At Barnes & […]
Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Movie ticket sales soar during the recession

FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove  — Burbank  If you haven’t caught a flick at a movie theater recently, then you are one of the few. While other industries are being slammed by the recession, the Hollywood Box Office is being stoked by it. In an article over on the Variety website, Motion Picture Association of America Chairman/CEO Dan Glickman explained: “Movies have become an […]
Wednesday, March 25, 2009

President Obama faces the nation in prime-time

   White House file photo/Pete Souza   President Barack Obama took to the air waves last night for the second prime-time news conference of his 64-day-old administration. President Obama’s main goal was to rally the country around his proposed new $3.6 trillion budget, which is causing debate in Congress mainly because of its huge dollar commitment. In his news conference, the president described how his […]
Monday, March 16, 2009

An angry President Obama moves to block AIG bonuses

AIG build in Los Angeles. Photo by Fred Prouser/Reuters   President Barack Obama reacted with “outrage” today to news of the insurance giant, AIG, handing out $165 million in bonuses after receiving $173 billion in government bailout funds. At the White House, the president lashed out at AIG: “This is a corporation that finds itself in financial distress due to recklessness and greed.” […]
Monday, March 2, 2009

The stock market takes a historic dive

     The stock market made big news today, but not in a way that benefits the weak economy or nervous investors. For the first time in more than a decade, the Dow Jones industrials closed below 7,000 at 6,763.69. Today, the Dow dropped nearly 300 points!  MSNBC reports the Dow has lost half of its value since hitting a record high of […]
Wednesday, February 25, 2009

President Obama speaks to Congress and the nation

  White House photo/ Pete Souza   President Obama’s first speech to a joint session of congress is being analysed and scrutinized today. So I’m having my say. First, I agree with a radio commentator who called last night’s address a “pep talk” to keep Americans inspired and focused on the tough job of rebuilding the nation’s economy and confidence in our financial systems. A New […]
Saturday, February 21, 2009

Schwarzenegger, the new state budget, and Hollywood

  photo from http://gov.ca.gov/  02/20/09  — Governor Schwarzenegger holds news conference yesterday to sign the new state budget into law.   After a painful three months of bitter debate, the state legislature finally approved a budget on Thursday and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed it into law yesterday. The budget reportedly solves a $42 billion deficit by raising taxes and cutting spending. The […]
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Day 28: President Obama signs $787 billion stimulus bill into law

It’s a done deal. Less than a month into his new administration, President Barack Obama signed that massive and much fought-over $787 billion economic stimulus bill in Denver, Colorado today. President Obama reportedly used as many as 10 different pens to sign the measure. Earlier, the media event was on the verge of becoming bogged down in speeches, when President Obama finally stepped […]
Saturday, February 14, 2009

Day 25: President Obama celebrates the passage of his stimulus bill by Congress

                                                                                                             Photo by Pete Souza  — President Barack Obama preparing to deliver his weekly address from the White House today.   Today President Barack Obama called the passage by Congress of the much debated $787 billion stimulus bill a major milestone. Even before he officially took the oath of office, President Obama has been pushing hard for his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. The […]