Washington Post: 1.3 millon will lose Unemployment Benefits in the New Year

Washington Post reporter Brad Plumer has the story. WonkBook: Unemployment benefits for 1.3 million expire Saturday.Here's why. 

Washinton Post writer Niraj Chokshi, analyzes which states are affected. GovBeat: Where the 1.3 Million people losing unemployment aid this week live.

Washington Post And Seattle Times: Airport workers my not get their $15 wage

For the purpose of a $15 dollar minimum wage, a judge has ruled that the airport is outside of the jurisdiction of SeaTec and only resturant workers and parking attendants qualify for the higher wage.

Washington Post: SeaTac's minimum wage workers might not get their raise after all. The washington post do a good job of summing up the issues.

The Seattle Times: SeaTac's $15 dollar wage floor cannot include airport workers.

NY Amsterdam News: Wage theft employees get their jobs back

In a story from the New York Amsterdam news, by Stephon Johnson, twenty five Dominos Pizza employees in northern manhatten will be re-instated after being terminated several days prior.



NY Amseterdam news has the story here.

New York Times: Work Makes you Happy

A New York Times Opinion by Arthur C. Brooks called "A Formula for Happiness" discusses the contribution work can make toward happineess.  The author believes that happiness is determined by genes, life circumstance and work.

About 48% of your happiness is determine by your inherited traits.

About 40% is short and medium term rewards such as buying stuff, family events, or graduating high school. The effect wears off quickly.

The remaining 12% are discrenary activities that include faith, family, freinds and work.  Friends and family are obvious, but work is the most interesting. Meaningful and fulfilling work can deliver personal happiness and financial reward.

The American Enterprise Institute calls this happiness effect "Earned Success".  The times editorial is light on the AEI philosopy but you can get a bigger dose on YouTube. Arthur Brooks: The secret to happiness.

The video on youtube discusses happiness and the it's AEI pro entrepreneurship (pro business) philosophy. The AEI promotes free enterprise as a "moral goal."

Here is another reseacher, Dan Gilbert talking about synthentic versus real happiness. Ted Talks: Dan Gilbert, the surprising science of happiness.

There are two issues we have with the reseach: 1) The low value given to work as a generator of happiness, 2) second is the twist the American Enterprise Insititue gives the reseach at the end to support their position.

First, we can't believe work contributes only part of the overal all 12% happiness.  For many of us the work is also closely entertwined with self esteem, financial empowerment and health.

Second, the reseach all makes sense up until when the AEI tries to slip in it's economic message.  Work has a value above it's financial return. Work in all forms is valuable: private, public and non-profit.

Bloomberg: Fraternity Affirmative Action or Meritocracy Not

Fraternity members have their own secret affarmative action program.  Bloomberg has the details in a piece called "Secret Handshakes Greet Frat Brothers on Wall Street". The new film "Wolf of Wall Street" publicizes the male dominated culture of the financial industry.

We have long known networks constitute a form of affirmative action for the powerful and their off spring.

What is most disappointing is how privilage networks are described as meritoracies when so many are excluded.

Chicago Tribune: PR Executive for IAC(BlackPeopleMeet, Match.com, Daily Beast) fired for Racist Tweet

The Chicago Tribune writes that Justine Sacco, a PR executive at IAC (InterActiveCorp), who tweeted racist comments before traveling to Africa was fired by her company. IAC is general media company with large internet interests.  It is led by Barry Diller who developed fox broadcasting and USA networks.

The Chicago Tribune has the story here: "PR Executive Justine Sacco fired after insenstive tweets goes global".

The UK daily mail also has good coverage: "Fired: PR Exec who sparked outrage with racist tweet..."

IAC (InterActiveCorp) owns many well known websites including BlackPeopleMeet, Match.com, Daily Beast, CitySearch, Vimeo, CollegeHumo, Ask.com, About.com and UrbanSpoon

Bill Moyers: US has 25 percent of world's prisioners

The US criminalizes many civil offenses

Bill Moyers: US has 25 percent of worlds prisioners

Salon: US becoming low wage country

US politicians anf governments have made a huge mistake by ignoring wage growth.

Joan Walsh writes in Salon: Poverty Nation: How america created a low wage work swamp.

Daily Mail (UK). Study reveals on-line racism

The Daily Mail (UK) reported the results of a study in the Economic Journal of the Royal Economic Society. The study compared online offers for an Apple IPod using a black hand, a white hand and a white hand with a tattoo.

The Daily Mail story is here: How on line shopping reveals we are racist.

The image with a black hand received less offers and at a lower price.

The study is called "The Visible Hand: Race and Online Market Outcomes" and is featured at the Royal Economic Society.

New York Times Again: Best article this year on unemployment !!!

Well, getting tired of quoting the New York Times or making referrals, but they are just head and shoulders above everyone else.

Here is a another great, long-form piece on what it's like to be unemployed.

New York Times: Caught in a revolving door of unemployment.

If you have time, read the comments. Some are quite heartless and vicious. They show no empathy what We don't think you are qualified to comment unless you have been