The XX Factor

Recession Briefing 9.11

The typical American household made less money last year than the typical household made a full decade ago. ( New York Times /Economix )

Marijuana farming has increased during the recession as hard-luck entrepreneurs supplement their income with backyard pot plantations. ( Associated Press )

Both Harvard University and Yale University have reported that the value of their respective endowments fell about 30% in the past fiscal year. ( Associated Press , Wall Street Journal )

Some 13.2 percent of Americans were living below the poverty line in 2008, the Census Bureau said Thursday. That’s a significant jump from the 12.5 percent poverty rate a year earlier. ( Christian Science Monitor )

The stimulus package saved one million American jobs , says top White House economist Christine Romer. ( CNN/Money )

This recession-themed iPhone case only costs 99 cents (assembly required). ( Case-Mate )

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner appearing in a town hall meeting yesterday, said that “absolutely, absolutely,” unemployment will be lower this time next year. ( Washington Post /Economy Watch )

Big cars and trucks are out. Smaller ones that offer more for your dollar are in. And many drivers will hang onto the new cars they buy longer. ( Associated Press )

Ten economic bubbles in the making. ( Clusterstock )

The Pew Internet & American Life Project found that more people are using Internet sites like YouTube and Hulu to relax and escape from the steady flow of bad economic data. ( Dallas Morning News )