Person of the Year '08

Yup, shockingly enough, Barack Obama has been named Time's Person of the Year for 2008. (I'm sure Sarah Palin was hoping she'd at least win something this year...but praise the Lord she didn't.)

It's no surprise our soon-to-be first Black president is gracing the cover of the annual issue, but I'd still suggest you take a gander. The article is very well-written, and right off-the-bat puts to rest your, 'Gee, Obama as Person of Year - that's original' complaints.

It's unlikely that you were surprised to see Obama's face on the cover. He has come to dominate the public sphere so completely that it beggars belief to recall that half the people in America had never heard of him two years ago — that even his campaign manager, at the outset, wasn't sure Obama had what it would take to win the election. He hit the American scene like a thunderclap, upended our politics, shattered decades of conventional wisdom and overcame centuries of the social pecking order. Understandably, you may be thinking Obama is on the cover for these big and flashy reasons: for ushering the country across a momentous symbolic line, for infusing our democracy with a new intensity of participation, for showing the world and ourselves that our most cherished myth — the one about boundless opportunity — has plenty of juice left in it.

Read on: 2008 Person of the Year. (Don't you love that they no longer call it 'Man of the Year'?)

Recession is in session

It's official, folks: We've got a recession on our hands.

The National Bureau of Economic Research said Monday that the U.S. has been in a recession since December 2007.

Employers have trimmed payrolls by 1.2 million jobs in the first 10 months of this year. On Friday, economists are predicting the government will report a loss of another 325,000 jobs for November. Well that's uplifting...

Click here to read more from CNNMoney.com.

"I'll never let go, print journalism; I'll never let go..."

So, I'm depressed. Today, I drove into work for an ominous "all-staff" meeting with my company's executive editors, whom we only see about three times a year. And while we were all surprised that we weren't laid off [...yet], the news was grim. Apparently, the company is beginning its "streamlining" (code for "layoff") efforts, so the writing is on the wall.

Our company's satellite offices (ours included) are all being closed so we can consolidate staff into the main office (which is an hour away from my house). What they're really saying is that we're going to be crammed in like sardines until we're picked off one by one. Rumor has it that we'll each be meeting with the executive editors to discuss our positions, straight up "Office Space"-style.

In another dated movie reference, it's kinda like the Titanic just hit the iceberg and it's only a matter of time til we're all floating dead on planks of wood in the middle of the ocean. God, I love that I went to school for journalism. I mean, I knew the money was awful (my academic advisor told me that the guy who worked across the street at 7-Eleven would make more), but the economy --and the Internet-- are eating my industry alive.

Basically, it's not good... but my one laugh today came after reading an e-mail from my fellow reporter (and blogger), entitled "6 Emails You Get When Your Company is About to Go Under." Check it out and see how many apply to your job, and if it's a lot...start applying to other jobs.

Where's the beef--err--cheese?

Sorry, McDonald's lovers: Our tanking economy strikes again and this time it's one of the fast food restaurant's staples that will be getting sliced.

McDonald's is reportedly taking steps to modify its double cheeseburger --the anchor of its Dollar Menu-- due to rising food costs, particularly in dairy.

Some restaurants are selling it with one slice of cheese instead of two, and billing it as a "double hamburger with cheese," according to McDonald's President Don Thomas. Others are offering a double hamburger without cheese. Some are selling the traditional double cheeseburger at prices ranging from $1.09 to $1.19.

If the double cheeseburger is removed from the Dollar Menu, Thomas said there will still be some sort of burger available for $1.

I personally could care less about this because I haven't eaten McDonald's since I was 8 years old and Happy Meals were like crack, but I know this is traumatizing news for some burger enthusiasts. But take a look at the nutrition facts - maybe they're doing you a favor.

Pathetic at the pump

While some of you Hummer owners may have experienced this months ago, this week marks my very first pathetic "at the pump" experience: When I saw the cost to fill up my tank pass the $40 mark, I let out an audible whimper. And I may or may not have shed a tear.

I drive an extremely fuel efficient car, and I'm sure people reading this are like, "Yeah, $40. Go to hell." But, at the same time, I have an average commute of 85 miles round trip to work each day, which means I fill up every three days and it is absolutely murdering my bank account--thanks, meager journalist salary!

That being said, I came across this article that lays out some of the gas-saving myths that people may be throwing your way in these times full of fuel woes. Learn if premium gas actually gives you better gas mileage or if using your A/C is or is not eating all your gas. It won't tell you how to save money on fuel, but it will give you the knowledge to tell people they're full of something when they tell you to fill up your tank in the morning because the gas is colder.