1. 4 Apr


    A recent column entitled “America is raising a generation of interns” is generating a heated debate in the comments. 

    A recent column entitled “America is raising a generation of interns” is generating a heated debate in the comments. 

     

  2. 16 Jan



    I am aware it is highly unusual for undergraduates from average universities like (BLOCKED) to intern at (BLOCKED), but nevertheless I was hoping you might make an exception. I am extremely interested in investment banking and would love nothing more than to learn under your tutelage. I have no qualms about fetching coffee, shining shoes or picking up laundry, and will work for next to nothing. In all honesty, I just want to be around professionals in the industry and gain as much knowledge as I can.

    I won’t waste your time inflating my credentials, throwing around exaggerated job titles, or feeding you a line of crapp (sic) about how my past experiences and skill set align perfectly for an investment banking internship. The truth is I have no unbelievably special skills or genius eccentricities, but I do have a near perfect GPA and will work hard for you.

    — 
    A young finance major looking for an internship wins over hotshot investment bankers by admitting in his cover letter that there’s nothing special about him.
     

  3. 9 Jan


    It’s not quite clear who actually takes seriously the idea of minting a pair of $1 trillion platinum coins to sidestep the upcoming debt-ceiling battle, who just wants the option on the table as a warning to House Republicans, and who’s just having fun with the idea. But it’s pretty clear that the “oddball suggestion” is gaining traction. But somebody would have to grace the design with their trillion-dollar face. Here, 10 suggestions. 

    [Photos: Twitter, TPM]

     

  4. 7 Dec


    The nation’s total student debt load is growing by $2,853 per second. America’s student debt crisis

    The nation’s total student debt load is growing by $2,853 per second.

    America’s student debt crisis

    (Source: theweek.com)

     

  5. 7 Dec


    Parliamentary procedure is as baffling and dull to most people as it is important to our legislative process. But the Senate gave us a very watchable — interesting, even — little civics lesson on Thursday, when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) filibustered a bill he had introduced only hours earlier. The bill at hand was a measure proposed by the White House, based on a “last-choice,” one-off fix McConnell himself came up with in the 2011 debt-ceiling standoff, to take America’s borrowing limit out of Congress’ hands — the president could raise the debt ceiling, and Congress could override him only with a veto-proof majority. McConnell introduced the bill to show that President Obama doesn’t have the votes for such a measure even in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Well on Thursday, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called his bluff.  McConnell’s miscalculation is amusing, but it also tells us something about the larger issue: The showdown over the fiscal cliff, says Greg Sargent at The Washington Post. This was “the first major test we’ve seen of whether Dems will remain united” behind Obama, and they passed. Things are going to get hairier, “particularly if Republicans make good on their vow to use the debt ceiling to leverage entitlement cuts next year, and Obama makes good on his refusal to countenance the debt ceiling having any role in the talks.” But if you’re Obama, this is a good sign that your fractious, famously self-defeating party may actually stick together in this fight. Watch McConnell filibuster his own bill

    Parliamentary procedure is as baffling and dull to most people as it is important to our legislative process. But the Senate gave us a very watchable — interesting, even — little civics lesson on Thursday, when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) filibustered a bill he had introduced only hours earlier. The bill at hand was a measure proposed by the White House, based on a “last-choice,” one-off fix McConnell himself came up with in the 2011 debt-ceiling standoff, to take America’s borrowing limit out of Congress’ hands — the president could raise the debt ceiling, and Congress could override him only with a veto-proof majority. McConnell introduced the bill to show that President Obama doesn’t have the votes for such a measure even in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Well on Thursday, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called his bluff. 

    McConnell’s miscalculation is amusing, but it also tells us something about the larger issue: The showdown over the fiscal cliff, says Greg Sargent at The Washington Post. This was “the first major test we’ve seen of whether Dems will remain united” behind Obama, and they passed. Things are going to get hairier, “particularly if Republicans make good on their vow to use the debt ceiling to leverage entitlement cuts next year, and Obama makes good on his refusal to countenance the debt ceiling having any role in the talks.” But if you’re Obama, this is a good sign that your fractious, famously self-defeating party may actually stick together in this fight.

    Watch McConnell filibuster his own bill

    (Source: theweek.com)

     

  6. 3 Dec


    President Obama just wrapped up a live Twitter chat about the fiscal cliff. If you missed it, here’s a rundown of what happened. 

    President Obama just wrapped up a live Twitter chat about the fiscal cliff. If you missed it, here’s a rundown of what happened. 

    (Source: theweek.com)

     

  7. 28 Nov


    Odds of death by vending machine: 1 in 112 million
    Odds of death by fireworks: 1 in 340,733
    Odds of winning the $500 million jackpot tonight: 1 in 176 million

    7 things that will kill you before you win the Powerball jackpot 

    (Source: theweek.com)

     

  8. 28 Nov



    Statistics from South Carolina highlight the lottery’s reliance on low earners: people in households earning under $40,000 made up 54 percent of frequent players, while constituting only 28 percent of the state’s population. Meanwhile, a PBS report earlier this year showed that, for America’s very poorest, the lottery is a heavy expenditure: Households that earn at most $13,000 a year spend 9 percent of their money on lottery tickets.
    — Natasha Lennard at Salon explains the lottery’s dark side. 

    (Source: theweek.com)

     

  9. 28 Nov


    The Powerball jackpot has reached a record $500 million, causing people in 42 states to flock to their nearest convenience stores to snatch up what could be the winning ticket. A numerical guide to the contest, by the numbers: $2 — Price of a ticket 6 — Numbers that must be matched — five whites and one red — to win the jackpot. (Five what balls are drawn from a drum of 59, and one red is drawn from a drum of 35.) 1 in 176 million — Odds of winning the jackpot 1 in 5,000 — Odds of being struck by lightning $327 million — Immediate lump-sum payout option, before taxes, if you win the jackpot 25 — Percent the federal government keeps in taxes 5 to 7 — Percent of the jackpot held by most states in taxes 29 — Years winners have to wait to receive the entire jackpot under an annual payment plan $365 million — Previous largest Powerball jackpot, in 2006 More numbers

    The Powerball jackpot has reached a record $500 million, causing people in 42 states to flock to their nearest convenience stores to snatch up what could be the winning ticket. A numerical guide to the contest, by the numbers:

    $2 — Price of a ticket

    6 — Numbers that must be matched — five whites and one red — to win the jackpot. (Five what balls are drawn from a drum of 59, and one red is drawn from a drum of 35.)

    1 in 176 million — Odds of winning the jackpot

    1 in 5,000 — Odds of being struck by lightning

    $327 million — Immediate lump-sum payout option, before taxes, if you win the jackpot

    25 — Percent the federal government keeps in taxes

    5 to 7 — Percent of the jackpot held by most states in taxes

    29 — Years winners have to wait to receive the entire jackpot under an annual payment plan

    $365 million — Previous largest Powerball jackpot, in 2006

    More numbers

    (Source: theweek.com)

     

  10. 26 Nov


    America has an energy addiction. 

    America has an energy addiction. 

    (Source: theweek.com)

     

  11. 9 Nov


    Americans are woefully unprepared for retirement…  The retirement squeeze

    Americans are woefully unprepared for retirement… 

    The retirement squeeze

     

  12. 2 Nov


    October’s solid jobs report — and what it means for the presidential race

    October’s solid jobs report — and what it means for the presidential race

    (Source: theweek.com)

     

  13. 22 Oct


    $79.62 — Average amount that each Halloween-celebrating consumer spends on candy, costumes, and decorations 170 million — Americans who will celebrate Halloween this year More than $8 billion — Total amount Americans spend on Halloween Any guesses at how much people spend on pet costumes? 

    $79.62 — Average amount that each Halloween-celebrating consumer spends on candy, costumes, and decorations

    170 million — Americans who will celebrate Halloween this year

    More than $8 billion — Total amount Americans spend on Halloween

    Any guesses at how much people spend on pet costumes?