"Okay, brainstorm: It's a recession. You've lost your job. What do you do with your time?" (Silence). "Volunteer?" "Good, write it up!" That's how your new most popular recession angle gets made!

  • Seattle Biz Journal, 3/13: "Volunteers swarm to help Seattle-area nonprofits"
  • NYT, 3/15: "From Ranks of Jobless, a Flood of Volunteers"
  • AP, 3/17: "Those without jobs in downturn turn to volunteering to help others"
  • WSJ, 3/17: "The Laid-Off Can Do Well Doing Good"

And once this flood of new volunteers gets bored and quits? You got yourself a new trend, buddy.