Posts Tagged ‘ Social Conditions ’

The Upside of the Downside

2010/08/19
By Michael Panzner
The Upside of the Downside

It's not all gloom-and-doom as far as the downturn goes, I guess... "Worker Fatalities Fall 17% on Decline in Construction Deaths" (Bloomberg) U.S. workplace deaths fell 17 percent in 2009 to a record low on a decline in construction fatalities,...
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Moving Away from Conspicuous Consumption

2010/08/08
By Michael Panzner
Moving Away from Conspicuous Consumption

The relentless consumerism of the good old days -- i.e., before the financial crisis hit -- seemed as natural as Apple pie. Now, though, it's becoming apparent that the spending habits of old were more a factor of cheap money...
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A Newfound Flexibility

2010/08/06
By Michael Panzner
A Newfound Flexibility

It's been said that everyone has a price. For politicians and policymakers, the price of a major fiscal crisis is a willingness to abandon principles, join hands with arch rivals, and readily redefine what is and isn't acceptable behavior, as...
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No Surprise at All

2010/07/23
By Michael Panzner
No Surprise at All

Policymaker like U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner must find it awfully frustrating that no matter how upbeat they are about economic prospects, the man in the street just isn't buying it. "Don't they know how attuned we are to what...
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Paying a Heavy Price

2010/03/07
By Michael Panzner
Paying a Heavy Price

At Financial Armageddon, I spend a lot of time writing about the numbers that define one of the worst financial crises this century. But as I've noted on more than one occasion, the fallout involves more than just red ink....
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Set to Move in the Wrong Direction

2010/02/21
By Michael Panzner

I've been surprised by the extent to which crime has remained subdued. In Financial Armageddon, I argued that deteriorating economic circumstances and aggressive cutbacks by state and local governments would not only encourage criminals to engage in more bad behavior,...
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Spreading Far and Wide

2010/01/20
By Michael Panzner
Spreading Far and Wide

Think back to the "good old days" before the crisis. Wall Street was waxing on about the "Goldilocks economy." Economists referred to "The Great Moderation." A few pundits spoke excitedly about "the greatest story never told." Some even proclaimed it...
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Shocked and Unnerved

2009/12/20
By Michael Panzner
Shocked and Unnerved

Everywhere and anywhere, those seen as rejecting even a small measure of an America-centric perspective will be labeled undesirables, subversives, and even “enemy combatants,” whether or not evidence supports the assertion. --Chapter 11, "Social," Financial Armageddon Although I predicted as...
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The Harsh Reality

2009/11/29
By Michael Panzner
The Harsh Reality

In yesterday's post, "Forced to Be More Flexible", I highlighted a Brandweek report indicating that current economic conditions are leading consumers to rethink what they eat. Regardless of personal preferences, many are switching to cheaper alternatives or trading down to...
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Heeding the Populist Call

2009/11/23
By Michael Panzner
Heeding the Populist Call

It's clear that hostility towards Wall Street is increasing. Considering the well documented role that banks and brokers played in creating the mess we are in and the ways in which they manipulated the post-crisis clean-up to their advantage, the...
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