Market Crunch Spanks UK Nannies

Without uttering the 'R word,' prez allows, 'Americans are anxious'

(NEWSER) - Rising oil prices, a crashing job market, and a tenacious mortgage crisis have created “economic challenges” for the US, President Bush said in Chicago yesterday, a shift from his insistence that the economy is fundamentally strong. While acknowledging “Americans are anxious about the economy,” Bush stopped short of saying the nation is entering a recession, reports the New York Times. More»

Republicans find lavish celebrations fly in face of austerity elsewhere

(NEWSER) - Not everyone in Britain is thrilled beyond words about Queen Elizabeth's big diamond jubilee on Saturday: Somewhere between 22% and 50% of Britons are estimated to be anti-monarchist, and with a tough austerity program rocking Britain's economy, many anti-austerity protesters are teaming up with republicans to demonstrate against the flashy (and costly) celebrations of Britain's second-longest serving monarch ever, reports the Guardian . Yesterday, 400 people gathered for an "alternative jubilee street party" outside the deputy prime minister's home, one of 11 protests held around the country to demonstrate against the government's austerity program. More»

Crazy lawsuit filed against actress

(NEWSER) - According to a new lawsuit, Sharon Stone hired a nanny … then wouldn't let her speak to Stone's children, lest they pick up her Filipino accent. This according to Erlinda T. Elemen, who worked as Stone's live-in housekeeper and nanny for five years, and who claims Stone made other racially derogatory comments around her. Elemen claims she was fired after she asked Stone to pay her overtime wages that the actress had originally withheld; Stone allegedly paid her but screamed at her and called her a thief, then fired her for taking the pay. More»

England needs them for Elizabeth's jubilee dessert

(NEWSER) - The slimy eel-like creature known as a sea lamprey happens to be the special ingredient in a traditional English pie that will be cooked up for Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate the 60th anniversary of her reign in June, reports the Detroit Free Press . But the animals are endangered and protected in England, so British officials have sent a request to a region of the states where the ugly critters swim wild and are seen as a menace: the Great Lakes. More»

Want a job? Avoid fine art, according to 'Daily Beast' list

(NEWSER) - Hey, college students: If your life plans include getting an actual job, you may want to avoid the stars of the Daily Beast 's "most useless" majors list. Majors are ranked in terms of employment, taking into account unemployment rates among recent and experienced grads, earnings, and likely job growth this decade. The list contains a few surprises—sure, fine arts won't get you far, but neither will hospitality management:

1. Fine arts (12.6% unemployment among recent grads; recent grads earn an average $30,000)
2. Drama and theater arts (7.8%, $26,000)