The Way We Live Now: together, as a nation, bracing for the bitter winter that's descended upon us. Some of us are "bracing" in our pricey Manhattan condos; others are bracing against a brick wall. But we're all bracing, united.

Why is our economy in the predicament that it's in today? High unemployment, sluggish growth...who's to blame? The unions, of course. The unions are the enemies of the working man. The working class must destroy unions for their own good.

Just last month, the book chain Borders was being touted as a possible buyer of Barnes & Noble. Today, Borders itself is struggling to survive. How bad is it? Let's roll the most recent low-lights.

Overall advertising spending in the U.S. was up nearly 9% in the third quarter, marking three straight quarters of gains. Except for newspapers, which had their 20th consecutive quarterly decline. They're overdue for a comeback! [NYT]

The Way We Live Now: launching headfirst into whatever might be in front of us. Brick wall? Glass window? Wheel of fortune? All of the above! The point is that we're exhibiting economic optimism. If that's bad, well, kill us.

The stock market is positively sizzling today, as Wall Street's optimism pushed the Dow to a two-year high. Sounds tempting, eh? Before you wade in with your wallet, consider this short list of "Do's" and "Don'ts." Consider it now!

The past year saw a rash of lawsuits against famous restaurateurs for pooling their employees' tips illegally. Now, New York has a new law governing how tips are shared. But will it just screw restaurant employees even more?

The Way We Live Now: looking back wistfully at the glorious year past, standing astride the river of commerce, one foot on the solid bank of triumphal economic revival, the other on the muddy bank of economic recession. Dancing!

The indignities heaped upon our nation's young attorneys continue to pile up like snowdrifts on the bleak city streets. Consider the plight of today's humble barristers: having spent the year confined to an office, they emerge to find...a bonus nightmare.

The Way We Live Now: falalalalala-ing. It's a little holiday carol of cheery tidings we enjoy, entitled "Privatize Christmas." Santa on a private sleigh! Temp elves! Globalized toy labor! Let the poor decompose and fertilize the ground. Privatize all, falalalala!

Wall Street's work has ground to a halt. Employees are huddled around fiery trash barrels, discussing their much-diminished bonus pools. CEOs are ordering lowly executives to keep their money woes quiet. It's worse than we thought: they're getting nothing.

The Way We Live Now: putting on our best suit, looking you square in the eye, and instructing you to do something. That "something" is to get back into the stock market, immediately. We expect our advice to be followed.

In 2007, Tribune insiders got $180 million in payouts. Thanks to a lawsuit, they might have to give it all back.

Prosecutors have struck a deal that will bring in $7 billion to compensate victims of Bernie Madoff's scam.

Are you looking forward to experiencing strong feelings of rage, or possibly schadenfreude, as you learn how much money Wall Street bankers made this bonus season? Sorry; Morgan Stanley's CEO will keep it all quiet, using nothing but frightening threats.

The Way We Live Now: rubbing our palms together in a "woo boy, the good times are coming" fashion. The good times are coming! Lower unemployment! Hot stocks! Super deals! We're getting into day trading, to make our fortune!

The Way We Live Now: on three legs of a four-legged stool. The majority of the news is good! Retail is good. Prices are rising. Businesses are optimistic. So what if the last element is not in place? Wobbly's okay!

The AP, even with its recession-inspired cutbacks, is a great news service—but a pricey one, by newspaper standards. So Thomson Reuters is starting a competing U.S. news service. Like AP, but crappier cheaper.

On one hand: Wall Street is back! Morgan Stanley and Bank of America may post their biggest revenues in history this year. But don't be fooled. It's a hard holiday season for the little people. (The bankers.)

"Out of consideration for the family's privacy," Bernie Madoff says he won't seek permission to attend the funeral of his son Mark, who committed suicide Saturday. The investigations into Mark Madoff's role in the family fraud will continue.