<p>Our top 10 largest US city has one daily and it has shrunk to a shadow of itself. There are next to no want ads and classifieds. The ad money most be a very small fraqction of what it was 10 years ago. They have recently increased the cost of the paper per issue.</p>
<p>Anyone think there will be print newspapers in another 10 years? I have my doubts.</p>
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<p>Of course, my parents’ generation puts me to shame in the newspaper reading department. Both sets of parents can pretty much spend the day with the paper…they read the entire thing!</p>
<p>Do you ever read the same paper on line and in print? It’s fascinating to compare. With the online version, I don’t get the same ideas of the importance of a story in the use of headline size, whether the article is above or below the fold, etc.</p>
<p>So sorry to those of you who have been downsized/laid off/cut back/furloughed/etc, It has been happening more and more. One of my grad students didn’t get an internship for next year, and the next week her H was laid off. No warning whatsoever. Well, at least they’ll have the flexibility to move wherever they want when he gets a new job.</p>
<p>I, too, love a good newspaper. Reading the news on the web just isnt the same. And doing the Sunday NYT crossword puzzle. Well, that just HAS to be done in the Sunday Magazine section.</p>
<p>As for bonuses, those of you fortunate enough to get them should be counting your blessings, and putting them is a safe place (wherever that might be in this economic climate). We knew some folks who considered their bonus part of their salary-- as if it was a guaranteed income-- then were shocked when they either (a) didn’t get one one year or (b) it was much lower than they had “expected”, based on the company’s earnings, and was a fraction of what they’d gotten the previous year. I never understood their thinking.</p>
<p>Our 17-year old was called into an employee meeting at the sub shop where he works and employees were told to be careful with how much meat they put on the sandwiches because the manager is losing money and if something doesn’t change they may have to go out of business. He loves the people he works with like family so that brought the economy home for him in a way nothing else has done.</p>
<p>It must be an independent sub shop and not a chain. At my local Subway, they weigh the meat. Maybe your son could suggest that and be a hero.</p>
<p>Be a hero?:)</p>
<p>Sub shop humor.</p>
<p>Funny! 
^^^</p>
<p>missypie, you crack me up. Thanks for the laugh.</p>
<p>No kidding, MEASURE the meat. </p>
<p>In the dark ages of the 1970’s (another delightful economic period), I owned a restaurant and we weighed all meat portions. No wonder that sub shop is having trouble.</p>
<p>Besides measuring the meat, the Subway employee puts the napkin in the bag - no chance for the customer to take a handful.</p>
<p>Chick Fil A gives free refills on drinks…but you have to go up to the employee and ask for them (drinks are behind the counter).</p>
<p>I’ve noticed other cost saving meaures lately - at California Pizza Kitchen, the red pepper and parmesan cheese shakers aren’t on the tables any more - you have to ask for them. At Uncle Julios (Mexican), you only get butter for your tortillas if you ask for it.</p>
<p>Restaurants of all types are walking such a fine line - raise prices and they may lose customers; reduce quality and/or portion size and they may lose customers. Of course, I think this would be a great time for those mega-portion restaurants to down size to healthier sized portions.</p>
<p>I will mention the weighing idea to him. It sounds like they just pile it on right now. Also, they have a tip jar so the incentive of the worker is to load the sandwich up to enhance the tip. I have seen some shops have the portions already set out with a piece of paper between the portion sizes like you see with cheese. This place does need to implement some changes or they won’t last, particularly with kids behind the counter.</p>
<p>I’m jumping n after post #30 to say arghhhh! about the how much to share issue. My D is at a pricey private in the southeast. She says she gets an email from the “big cheese”, scanning for whether or not school is closed because of snow. I ask her to forward it, to find a tuition increase of 3.9 percent…I shared…</p>
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<p>I’ve always been on the slender side and until about 9 years ago I was downright skinny. I’ve frequently received HUGE portions at places where you go through a line (like home-cookin’, barbeque and ice cream shops)…people have always felt a need to fatten me up. That kind of thing can’t be good for the bottom line. (And I’ll go ahead and say it - not good for my own bottom either.)</p>
<p>“pharma that make antidepressants and sleeping pills.”</p>
<p>Don’t count on it.</p>
<p>There used to be a Dairy Queen that I’d take my kids to. It was so funny because there would be only teenaged boys there most of the time - no apparent adult supervision. The surfaces were a sloppy mess - just like if you let your son and his friends loose in your kitchen with ice cream and sauce. Those boys would PILE ON the sundae fixins. </p>
<p>Note that I said “used to.” The DQ is no longer in business.</p>
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<p>I still read restaurant industry publications on occassion. There already is a trend for the pricey restaurants to have “comfort food” selections and/or fixed price 3 course meals at a lower price. And, some of these restaurants include very chic named places.</p>
<p>“I think that is what is bothering me- we told our kids that if they worked hard and got good grades they could be anything that they wanted to be.”</p>
<p>Us too. And in 16 years, we’ve never had to worry about him working hard. Oh no… now he’s working had… now what…</p>
<p>"As a lawyer, the work I am doing lately is almost all related to bad things caused by the economy "</p>
<p>Ditto, only I’m a psychiatrist.</p>
<p>“Ditto, only I’m a psychiatrist.”</p>
<p>I’m a career counselor! No shortage of work around here.</p>