At seventeen years old, I was already something of a veteran in Salt Lake’s restaurant industry (or so I thought) after three dishwasher positions and bussing at Marie Callender's. The most humiliating time was my single evening working at Hot Rod Hundley’s Restaurant, where after just one hour, I was determined “unqualified” to wash dishes. That hurt. My longest stint had … [Read more...]
The Greatest of All Welfare Scams: The Hidden Cost of Bargain Prices
When Scheels, the sporting goods giant based in Fargo, North Dakota, started shopping cities for the expansion of their highly profitable mega-stores, Utah’s economic leaders offered a greater gift than Santa could ever provide. The combined efforts of Sandy City, Salt Lake County and the Canyons School District all ponied up to offer Scheels 25 years of paying … [Read more...]
Generation Y Me?
The “Greatest Generation” is now in its late 80s. Their kids, the Baby Boomers, are slowly retiring. If our current trajectory of spending and debt continues, according to economists and congressional members such as Paul Ryan and Rand Paul, by the time the Boomers pass the baton of retirement to the Millennials, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid will be bankrupt. The … [Read more...]
ARE WE OK?
The great promise of America was that we could take what we enjoyed in the old world, remove corrupt government tyranny and overzealous religious oppression and create a more functional environment where people could flourish as they pursued their own personal version of happiness. Driving down Fort Union Boulevard in Sandy and Cottonwood Heights we see the ultimate in … [Read more...]
Jobs Becoming Obsolete
February 4th, 2010 This month Utah Stories examines how our culture is changing and asks this question: is your lifestyle becoming obsolete? And if so, is this good news or bad? " As we enter a new decade, what careers (other than computers and healthcare) will be holding strong and showing growth? Service-oriented jobs are projected to see sustained … [Read more...]
Blood Money
Earn $300 per month for your blood. Economic hardship is leading to an increase in blood donation services offering money. With credit card offerings decreasing and interest rising, many individuals who may have otherwise turned to credit when financially strapped are finding new ways to earn cash to finance things like entertainment, doctor's visits and grocery … [Read more...]
Blood Money II
Healthy and STD free? Plasma donation is a viable way to earn $500 a month in extra income to make ends meet. Car accident victims may need as many as 50 units of blood to stay alive. This means it requires 50 blood donors to save one life. As someone who has a rare blood type, I have always been aware of the importance of donating blood and plasma. Now, with the reality of … [Read more...]
Plasma Truth: Donating Plasma in Utah
Plasma clinics are booming during the economic slowdown, but blood clinics are struggling. Find out where your plasma really goes. The mainstream media loves to do "sign of the times" pieces during America's recession. Time and time again we see the same report about the increase of people donating plasma for money as a means of making ends meet. The reports … [Read more...]