Best Reads Of The Week (9/29/2011)

Several excellent articles this week in the areas of the economy, the workplace and on privacy, all commended to your review.  Best for the weekend.  Jim

Economics:  

"US Drops to Fifth In Global Competitiveness"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44423519/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/t/us-falls-th-global-competitiveness-survey-shows/?GT1=43001

"This Economic Collapse Is A Crisis Of Bigness"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/25/crisis-bigness-leopold-kohr/print

"The Consumer Taps Out:  Savings Rate Falls"
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/us-consumer-taps-out-personal-savings-rate-drops-lowest-december-2009

"20 Reasons Millions of Young Americans Are Furious About the Economy"
http://www.businessinsider.com/us-economy-is-crushing-the-american-dream-for-young-americans-2011-9?op=1

"Poverty Affects 46 Million Americans"
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/mobile/article.cfm?articleid=2851

"Shilling Sees Deflation, China's Hard Landing and 800 on the S&P"
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/prominent-deflationist-schilling-sees-deflation-china-hard-landing-and-800-

"What Are We Spending Our Money On?"
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/09/27/what-are-we-spending-our-money-on/?mod=djemRTE_t

"Americans Spending Smaller Share Of Income Paying Debt"
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/09/24/number-of-the-week-americans-spend-smaller-share-of-income-paying-debt/?mod=djemRTE_t


Workplace

"Outsized Severance Continues For Executives Even In The Face of Failure"
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/30/business/outsize-severance-continues-for-executives-even-after-failed-tenures.html

"If Your Boss Is A Psychopath, Leave"
http://m.upi.com/m/story/UPI-83101317358836/

"CEO Survey Finds Less Confidence In Hiring"
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/09/29/ceo-survey-shows-less-confidence-in-u-s-hiring-outlook/?mod=djemRTE_t

"When Your Job Makes You Sick:  Employees Find Little Leverage In Today's Workplace"
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/mobile/article.cfm?articleid=2851

"Cost of Family Health Coverage Doubled In Last Decade"
http://www.boiseweekly.com/CityDesk/archives/2011/09/27/cost-of-family-health-coverage-doubled-in-past-decade

"Health Insurers Push Premiums Sharply Higher"
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/business/28insure.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1317492046-B0LDgXmOvujr1svWuOW2dA

"It Is Man vs. Machine And Man Is Losing"
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/09/28/its-man-vs-machine-and-man-is-losing/?mod=djemRTE_t

"Inside The Workplace:  A View From The Top And The Bottom"
http://www.economist.com/node/21530171?fsrc=scn%2Ftw%2Fte%2Far%2Ftheviewfromthetopandbottom

"Plaintiff's Lawyers Full Employment Act:  Obama Proposes Prohibiting Discrimination Against the Jobless"
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/us/politics/obama-proposes-adding-unemployed-to-protected-status.html

"Why Do Companies Hire"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44423519/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/t/us-falls-th-global-competitiveness-survey-shows/?GT1=43001

"A Challenge For Unions In Public Opinion"
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/02/a-challenge-for-unions-in-public-opinion/


Privacy (Or Better Said The Lack Thereof)

Facebook:  "We Didn't Mean To Track You . . . But We Did"
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2042573/Facebook-privacy-row-Social-network-giant-admits-bugs.html#ixzz1ZFuQLDzt

"GM Is Watching You - The OnStar System"
http://lewrockwell.com/peters-e/peters-e97.1.html