So I just received word that my former employer, imc2, just laid off an additional 17% of their workforce, which included a group of some good friends. As much as I’m thankful I left before the ax fell, it still truly saddens me. They are laying off some truly talented people and from what I hear and read, most of it is due to poor decisions made versus the economy.

Today, Merck announced they’re laying off 7000 employees by 2011 and CNN’s Money website just posted an untimely article this morning stating that mass layoffs in this country are at the highest they’ve been since the September 11th attacks seven years ago.

Why didn’t anyone tell me when I graduated college in 1999 that in the 9 years I’ve been in the workforce, we would all have to endure the Telecom/IT bubble burst, the economy taking a huge fall during the 9/11 attacks and now our economy being at the worst it’s been since the Great Depression?

Those of you who have yet to graduate college, I hope you savor every minute you’re not in the “real world” as it’s not necessarily the nicest place to be.

To my friends who lost their jobs today, God be with you and know you’ll be better off one day. I promise you.

I was listening to NPR yesterday on my way to work and the topic of hypermiling came on. Hypermiling is changing your driving behavior (to the extreme) to save gas, in so many words. We all are feeling the huge pinch from the gas pump now that gas is $4.00/gallon on average. If you’re anything like me, I’ve been thinking about useful and PRACTICAL ways I can save gas which in turn will help save me money.

There are several different sites you can visit to learn how to “hypermile” and conserve your gas usage. There are also a ton of myths out there. If you’re interested in knowing what those myths are, please check out Lifehacker’s Gas Saving Tips And Myths article.

Kent Johnson, a self-proclaimed hypermiler, was interviewed by NPR for their hypermiling article. He has some great tips on how we can all save gas by changing our behavior in how we drive to and from a destination. Whether it’s driving without your shoe on so you can better feel the pressure on the gas pedal or coasting in neutral when you’re driving down hills, these small tips begin to add up.

Some other tips that NPR covered were: cease stop-and-go driving, too much braking and liberal use of the A/C. Two of the most useful hypermiling tips that hit me over the head were (1) Use cruise control as much as possible when driving as it evens out your gas usage and (2) Drive the speed limit! The faster you drive, the more gas you consume (dang it)!

Now, we all don’t have to be extreme hypermilers to save gas and therefore save money. Lifehacker suggests you do your research by checking GasBuddy.com (tells you which stations have cheapest gas in your area) and keeping your car in great shape by tuneups and oil changes.

So, my gas saving readers, what are your thoughts? What do you do in order to save gas and therefore save money? Leave a comment below!

Living in Dallas, TX allows me the opportunity to read and hear a lot of things about American Airlines. Well as of today, they’re no longer flying the friendly skies, in my opinion. Thanks to rising fuel costs, American stated today that they will begin to charge each passenger for all of their checked luggage. Yes, you read it correctly, even if you’re checking one suitcase, you’re going to be charged!

I understand that companies must make profits. That’s the nature of business. But when does it cross the line? American states that their rising fuel costs (billions of dollars per year) are one of the main reasons that they’ve decided to charge for each bag checked. So, to me, this brings up an even bigger problem: when is America going to stop our dependency on foreign oil? And why is the cost of oil so high? No one seems to know.

This is just another reason why the 2008 Presidential Election is so important. Make sure your candidate of choice is going to DO SOMETHING about our dependency on foreign oil or else we’re all going to be in a world of hurt.

What’s your opinion? Will American Airline’s decision on charging passengers for every bag checked make you stop flying the friendly skies with American Airlines? Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your opinion.