Laaaazy Double-Dippin’ Days
The leaves may not have changed yet, but ever since Hurricane Earl brushed by the coast it seems like the weather’s got the memo, and fall is finally here.
The shift in seasons from sluggish summer to crisp autumn is normally enough to get the blood pumping again, but whether or not it’ll be enough to get the housing market going remains to be seen.
According to a new survey by polling company StrategyOne, almost two-thirds of Americans – 65 percent– think the economy’s headed for a double dip, and lots of them are afraid it’ll be worse than the last time.
Such sentiment is a damning sign for the U.S. economy, but Boston might be the only part of the country which remembered to bring its umbrella as we head into a gloomy fall: The Federal Reserve’s recent monthly economic summary specifically highlighted the northeast, and Boston in particular, as a region experiencing growth. The Harvard endowment and the Massachusetts state pension fund have both recently reported strong growth. Heck, Portfolio.com just named us one of the top 15 least-stressful cities to live in nationwide. So relax, Boston, and let that laidback summer attitude carry over into fall. And go out and lazily buy some houses while you’re at it, would ya?
Do They Sell Alcohol Insurance?
Speaking of cheery fall attitudes – well, we try to be cheerful, but in truth, the thought of fall turns The Teller into Eyore, the lovable but maudlin donkey.
Perhaps we should talk to the folks over at Colonial Life Insurance, whose frowns must automatically turn upside down, because they’ve found a way to turn even death into a holiday.
Yes, it’s that time of year again, when we celebrate Life Insurance Awareness Month.
For the seventh September in a row, Colonial gently reminds us that the amount of money you need to sock away every month in case you kick it can vary quite a bit as a person ages. Young singles, with a theoretically full life ahead of them, are able to defend against the depredations of the reaper for quite a reasonable price, while those pudgy middle-agers with spouses and families to think about might be ready for a stiffer premium.
We’re not quite sure what the traditional rituals associated with celebrating one’s awareness of life insurance are – personally we prefer the age-old pastime of crying into our beer. Maybe this time, we’ll make it a nice Octoberfest.
Caught In The Act
Finally, we got mixed news recently from some New Hampshire homeowners.
A few weeks ago, Facebook, that ubiquitous site that does everything while doing nothing, launched its “Facebook Places” feature.
The widget allows users to “check in” to various locations when they’re out and about, posting a brief status update to let their friends know if they’re lounging at the coffee shop or ready to catch a movie.
Last week, police in Nashua, N.H., arrested a ring of cat burglars they claimed used the feature to select their targets, guaranteeing they’d find an empty house and ample time to make off with the goods. Police recovered truckloads of cash and electronic goods from their stash.
It’s true what they say: The Internet really does make everything quicker and easier.
