Trouble Trumps Fun in Gaming

On the surface, nothing seems out of place or wrong with the gaming economy. According to the some blogs like Strategic Business Blog (1), the global industry is set to hit $64 billion in 2012 thanks to the high prices and sales of technology.

But underneath lies webs of controversy tangling gamers everywhere with doubt and frustration, and many gamers and experts say that the gaming businesses may suffer due to corporate practices used by companies like Capcom and Electronic Arts (EA) that are driving away most of their fan-base and causing controversy, such as withholding content already on the disc and then selling it.

While the economy of gaming may be improving according to those reports, some gamers are left unable to buy due to practices used by companies like Capcom and EA. Enrique Rodriguez, 21 and Biology major in college, is one of the gamers hurt by this, though not entirely discouraged.

However many gamers want to reminisce about the days of old when gaming was simple, some remain in the present, and are happy with the advances video games have achieved.

And pain knows not only consumers, as companies are actually suffering from these turn of events rather than being helped by them, according to reactions of press releases on the sides of Capcom and EA.

EA currently has problems with BioWare's latest game, Mass Effect 3, thanks to an ending many fans of the trilogy are considering horrible, rushed, comes from out of nowhere, and full of plot-holes. A movement called “Retake Mass Effect” has put EA into a tight spot.

Sales for Mass Effect 3 have slowed down by a large margin, despite it being at the top of the sales chart in March, according to an article at the International Business Times (2). And recently, a price-drop has been issued by Best Buy and Amazon to try to entice buyers all over again, cutting the game's price by a small amount. Gamestop did not do so until recently for its weekend sale during April 25 – May 1.

“There are other gaming companies that at least try to make up for their mistakes,” Enrique said. “The 3DS launch for instance. Nintendo gave original buyers of it before the price-drop 23 free games. $100 value right there!”

And Electronic Arts did address this problem in their latest press release (3).

"We are all incredibly proud of Mass Effect 3 and the work done by Casey Hudson and team," said Dr. Ray Muzyka , Co-Founder of BioWare and General Manager of EA's BioWare Label. "Since launch, we have had time to listen to the feedback from our most passionate fans and we are responding. With the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut we think we have struck a good balance in delivering the answers players are looking for while maintaining the team's artistic vision for the end of this story arc in the Mass Effect universe."

However, fans on video game forums on websites such as Gamefaqs or Angry Joe Show were not satisfied entirely, as the Extended-Cut only explains the ending fans had despised, rather than give them the ending they want.

In fact, the entire ordeal has made the image of EA even worse. Fans are still pushing for the ending they were promised, as Bioware, the makers of the game, promised that all of the decisions made during the course of the three-part game would impact the ending in great detail, and not promise an ending that was a simple A, B, and C style, which was the final result of the game (4).

"A game company can decide to do what they want to do with their content, but not making a fresh game instead shelling out the same mass-produced garbage over and over again is disappointing," said Julie Dull, 22 and employee of a local game store and Temple University student.

EA's online passes have also received equal negative backlash, by forcing buyers of a used game to pay extra to gain online functionality for their game. The negative controversy from EA's actions has earned them an award from The Consumerist as “Worst Company in America.”

"The game industry seems to be devolving as it's evolving," said Dull. "And with online play comes more downloadable content...Game companies virtually forcing online play is diabolically genius."

Experts in the field of reviewing games and company policies also suffer from these effects, no matter how many videos or articles they can come up with. And if no one buys the games anymore, making reviews of it will be pointless.

“If nobody is going to buy the new games, then there is hardly any point in doing a review," said Symon Goro, 21 and a game reviewer on Gamefaqs. "And I can't recommend a game with a bad DLC policy to somebody at full price."
The elimination of used games already has gamers being more cautious and distrustful, and if no money goes into the games, then everyone suffers as a result. And everyone in the world cannot afford full priced games, especially when content is also forced through DLC.

And Capcom has not made things better.

On February 2012, Capcom announced that sales for the 9 months in 2011 decreased 29%, though other sales that included Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record managed to fare well enough in the states.

On the other hand, fans are not pleased with results of some of the questionable things Capcom has done recently and in the past, such as the cancellation of Megaman Legends 3, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 expansion that gives the players very little and was released nine months ahead of time, and the latest news with Street Fighter X Tekken for home consoles.

The latest news with the game is that stored content that was already on the disc, and Capcom planned on selling those very characters as DLC. The PSP Vita version on the other hand included those very characters on the disc, leaving Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 owners angered.

Capcom responded to their complaints and stated in a reply message (5), “While Capcom is sorry that some of its fans are not happy about the chosen method of delivery for the DLC, we believe that this method will provide more flexible and efficient gameplay throughout the game's lifecycle. There is effectively no distinction between the DLC being ''locked'' behind the disc and available for unlocking at a later date, or being available through a full download at a later date, other than delivery mechanism.”

Others argue against Capcom's statement however.

"It's incredibly cheap and lazy to lock content on the disc and force us to pay extra and wait months for something that should be there from the beginning," Goro said. "That's like buying a sandwich and finding you have to pay extra for the toppings."

And the after effects of some of these practices are hurting stores in other countries. According to an article on IGN, in the UK, Gamestop and Best Buy stores are already closing from lack of sales. The digital age that is coming, where consumers can now go online, is also not helping matters for smaller stores.

Frank Stancheck Jr., 32, and as both an employee of Classic Game Junkie and as a gamer, does express concern with his customers.

“The customers are hurt more than retailers,” Stancheck said. “And they sometimes avoid the games those companies produce as much as possible.”

Stancheck remains optimistic however.

“We don't just stock new games,” Stancheck proudly said. “We also repair consoles, and technology is always going to need to get fixed. I also try to steer customers in games that may suit their interest, even if they are old and cheap. Even if you get a small sale, you may get a customer for life.”

And only time can tell what will happen in the future. Given the circumstances and reactions/opinions left unheard by companies, that future looks very bleak.

Many gamers want to reminisce about the days of old when gaming was simple, while are happy with the advances video games have achieved. While some wear smiles, and others make their voices known on the internet, there is a guarantee that change is coming.

References:

1. http://strategyplan1.blogspot.com/2012/03/video-game-statistics-and-industry.html
2. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/330140/20120418/mass-effect-3-ending-price-drop-slash.htm
3. BioWare Announces Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut: http://investor.ea.com/releases.cfm
4. http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2012/04/13/bioware-falsely-advertised-mass-effect-3-says-better-business-bureau/
5. http://www.eventhubs.com/news/2012/apr/02/capcoms-response-bbb-complaints-no-distinction-between-dlc-and-disc-locked-content-sound-patch-possibly-coming-april-10/

Leaving the Bank (Parts 2 & 3)

When Gerard Kreuzmann immigrated to the United States from Germany 6 years ago, he did not envision being caught in a major economic recession. Since then, he and his family have been struggling to pay loans and living costs. 

In the midst of his financial struggles, he had to deal with the increasing cost of dealing with his bank.

Since his immigration, Kreuzmann dealt with Abington Bank which was a local community bank in his area. 

In September, he received notice that Abington would be acquired by the much larger Susquehanna Bank in a merger. Kreuzmann was against it from the start because he preferred Abington’s smaller and more personal service.

“Susquehanna has over 300 branches, that’s like a national corporation,” Kreuzmann said. “I trusted Abington Bank because they were only around here.”

Susquehanna had policies which meant customers would receive lower interest rates on accounts and possibly pay more fees after the merger. 

“I had lower interest on my savings account,” Kreuzmann said. “It’s like losing money if I keep it there.”

With his family struggling financially, Kreuzmann decided to switch to American Heritage Federal Credit Union which offered better rates and fees policies.

Kreuzmann prefers his business with American Heritage over what he would have gotten had he stayed at Susquehanna. But, he said, for the past year he and his family have contemplated a move back to Germany due to their deteriorating financial situation among other factors.

Sue Stanley works a bank manager at an Abington Bank branch in Huntingdon Valley, where she stayed at her position after the merger with Susquehanna Bank.

Since the merger she has seen a rise in complaints among customers about Susquehanna charging higher and more frequent fees than Abington, and having lower interest rates on savings accounts.

“The main reasons are the fees and interest rates,” Stanley said. “A lot of people complained about lower rates after the switch. Most people who leave go to credit unions because they generally have higher rates.”

Though Stanley witnessed a higher amount of customers switching away, most customers stayed after the merger. 

“Most of the customers who left were the businesses and some churches too,” Stanley said.

Despite a number of customers switching away from Susquehanna, many have also come from other banks. 

“A lot of people come from Bank of America, that’s the big one,” Stanley said.

Though Susquehanna is a larger business than Abington, Stanley said they have stressed building a long-standing relationship with each customer. 

Landscapers business affected by seasons

Roger Donaldson, owner of Donaldson Services, sees a difference in business during the winter months, but finds ways to deal with it.

The spring and fall are the busiest times for the company, and in the winter it slows down, Donaldson said.

"I don't have another job, but I find ways to deal with the slow business during the winter," Donaldson said. "I save up my money during that time, and the employees have pay differences."

Donaldson has three employees and started the business three years ago. His family owned business in the construction field, so he got started with it when he was just a kid. Almost all of their customers are reoccurring, Donaldson said.

Donaldson has a positive outlook on the recent changes in the economy.

"I've only been in business for about three years now, so I'm not really sure what business was like before then," Donaldson said. "it really seems like it's getting better now though."

Landscapers business affected by seasons

Marcy Smith, the manager of Avant Gardens, said their company absolutely sees an affect from different seasons.

"Our on seasons are the warmer months," said Smith, who has been the manager since 2007. "There isn't a whole lot to do in the winter."

Their work tends to start decreasing in October, and they normally finish off any regular maintenance by December. By the end of March, they start to get calls and in April it gets busy, Smith said.

"Our company is like a skeleton, because we don't have active full-time employees,"said Smith, who does not have another job for off seasons. "Only part of our crew stays around for every month."

Smith explained that there are unique challenges of having a landscaping business in a city. They have to worry about if there is a back entrance to the house so they can bring equipment in, if not they have to carry it through the house. They have to make sure they find a parking space for their truck too.

"We have always been a city-based company, so our actual expertise is urban landscapes," Smith said. "There are more yards in the city than you would think. Many of the row homes in center city have backyards that could easily be the length of the house."

The company has returning customers, but also definitely sees a level of all new work because many of their businesses are one shot deals, Smith said.

Avant Gardens has absolutely seen an affect from the downturn of the economy.

"We're considered a luxury item, so it's hard not to be affected," Smith said. "If a family is struggling with mortgages, do you think they're going to want to get a patio?"

Landscapers business affected by seasons

Anthony Cicoeelli, president of AMC Nursery and Landscaping Inc., explains that business is not necessarily worse for his company during the winter seasons, just very different.

Their peak season for business is from March 15th-June 30th. For the rest of the year, they average around 20 people from June to December, and then maybe a dozen throughout the winter, Cicoeelli said.

"There are different aspects of the business during different times,"said Cicoeelli, who is a graduate from Temple University and started the business in 1991 right out of college. "During the winter we do snow removal and sell top soil."

The company does not have pay differences between seasons and doesn't migrate between seasons for this very reason, Cicoeelli said.

Something that has actually affected the company is the downturn of the economy.


When the economy was good, the company did a lot of developer work and construction work. When that died off, they started focusing more on the maintenance aspect of the work for homes. That is what they've been really focused on for the last four years, Cicoeelli said.

"Since the recession, we've grown as a business but our profits have stayed the same," Cicoeelli said. "Now we're just doing more work, but for less money."

Multiple jobs becoming a necessity: Full time job, full time student, and a hobby

Nelson alluding to her manager at Dunkin Donuts

Kimberly Nelson has had a job since child labor laws would allow it. Currently employed at Dunkin Donuts where she has worked for two years, she is there almost every day.

When she's not making coffee or packaging munchkins for customers, she is a freshman student at Montgomery County Community College.

Nelson said a large amount of her money goes towards paying for school necessities, but she also supports a hobby.

"I use my money to buy books, other supplies, and the rest of my tuition which adds up," said Nelson who receives some financial aid for her education, but it doesn't cover all of it, "But I am also interested in modeling which takes money too."

She calls balancing the three "a lot to handle," and advises others who have the option not to work, to think about putting it off until after school.

Nelson modeling a wedding dress.

"If other people are able to afford not to work and go to school then they shouldn't work because school is like a job in itself," Nelson said, "And if they're not able to balance school and work they will make life way harder than what it has to be."

Multiple jobs becoming a necessity: Sales Representative and bartender

Rydzewski (center) at a Minuteman conference in Philadelphia

Steven Rydzewski is a 40 year old father who works full-time at Minuteman Press, a printing franchise. He is a representative who goes to different branches of the company and helps with any computer problems or setup issues the owners may have. 

On Thursday nights though, Rydzewski can be found at Traxx Sports Pub in Colmar, Pennsylvania, where he bartends from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. when the bar closes, and then back at his day job by the morning. 

"I work at the bar one or two nights a week just to bring more income into the household," said Rydzewski, father of three, "Even if it’s only 100 or 150 bucks toward groceries."

He has been working more than one jobs ver since the birth of his youngest son seven years ago. 

"I pretty much have been doing the two job thing ever since we’ve had my son because I wanted my wife to stay home and raise him," Rydzewski said, "If she would have worked also, she would have been working just to pay for daycare.”

Another reason he said he decided to get a part-time job was to pick up the slack from his full time job's biweekly pay schedule.

"My day job at Minuteman Press only pays me so much," Rydzewski said, "And I know how much I’m getting every two weeks. I used to be paid every week, but when it switched over it was definitely a challenge because it was a lot easier to pay bills with the weekly income I had before."

Without the additional payment from Traxx, Rydzewski said he would struggle to find other ways to make ends meet.

Rydzewski thanking a singer at Traxx's karaoke night

The Tattoo Industry: Affected by the economy? 3/3

Bethany Conrad, 21, has a favorite tattoo out of the 11 already on her body; a small elephant that contains the letters of each of her family member's first names.
"My favorite tattoo is the elephant on my arm," Conrad said. "...It means the most to me, I had it done after a very rough time period in my life and my family was my only support system, so it has the most meaning."
Conrad is working on a half sleeve, and has multiple other pieces on her sides and back. She has admitted to charging her credit card for her tattoos, but now has to think about putting other necessities first.
"I used to put my tattoos on my credit cards and whatnot, but as of lately, I decided its time to put other things before my want for tattoos right now," Conrad said.
She estimated spending around four grand on her pieces, with spending around $250 on each tattoo. Conrad has been around the industry for a few years now and believes that there hasn't been much of a change due to the economy.
"People want what they want, and tattoos are a way for people to express themselves," Conrad said. "People will always want to express themselves."
Conrad, like most tattoo enthusiasts, plans to continue getting tattoos until she is completely satisfied. Tattoos are more than just an expense or splurge, and Conrad agrees that for herself and many others, she enjoys the tattoos she has because they make her an individual.
"I get tattoos to be an individual," Conrad said. "Even if they don't mean anything to me, which a few of them don't, I still know that no one looks like me...For the ones that do mean something, I get to look at them everyday and remember what got me here, and remember who got me here."

Multiple jobs becoming a necessity: College kid and two jobs

Borrelli doing a "clean sweep walk," making sure the store is spill-free

In order to ensure the safety of keeping his part-time job, freshman at Saint Joseph's University Mike Borrelli goes home a few weekends a month to work at Giant Food Stores in Harleysville. 

"It's hard because it's my first year away from home and I really want to experience it," said Borrelli, who has worked there for three years, "But I can't afford to lose my job at home before summer." 

Borrelli also has a job working for St. Joe's throughout the school year, "I'm a student worker at the office of alumni relations and development so it's sort of like a paid internship," Borrelli said, "I don't get a lot of hours but I have the job just for money to get food and stuff because my parents are already stressed with tuition." 

While working at giant, Borrelli said he works with people both young and old due to certain economic circumstances.

"I work with a lot of teenagers but there are also older people who work with me in order to bring in a little extra money either to pay for their kids college or their mortgage," Borrelli said, "They mostly work at night because they have full time jobs during the day." 

Borrelli pushing carts in the rain.

Concert Attendance & the Economy - The Promoter

Behind the scenes work of local shows include more than just sound checks and lighting tests, and local promoter Maddy Lewis would argue the same.

“There are lots of struggles,” Lewis said, “but it’s worth every downfall.”

Lewis currently runs a promotional company called Free Love Promotions and books local concerts every Friday night at St. Paul’s Church in Levittown, PA.

Due to a downfall in attendees, Lewis changed the price of the shows.

“I lowered my door prices to $5.00. This has brought out more kids to my shows since it’s such a good deal to see 5 to 6 bands for that price,” Lewis said.

While this is a fluctuating business that, at times, can be a bit costly, as booking bands can range from 20 to 200 dollars, Lewis seems to understand that it is important to keep it going.

“Music is what keeps people together,” Lewis said, “music keeps people sane. Without music, most people wouldn’t be alive. People care more about music than they do people. Personally, music is everything to me, it has saved my life so many times, and live music is priceless.”

Buffalo Exchange- Leading the Thrift Pack 3/3

Second Hand Fashion On the Rise- Buffalo Exchange Philadelphia

One of the most popular thrift stores in Philadelphia is the Buffalo Exchange on Chestnut Street. In the midst of a commercial shopping district, Philadelphia's Buffalo Exchange has managed to thrive while other neighboring stores seem to be struggling.

Eric Lazak, 28, a happy customer at Buffalo Exchange Philadelphia.

To examine the economic affects on second hand stores as a whole, one must differentiate between the Goodwill and Salvation Army and re-sale stores such as Buffalo Exchange. The former do not discriminate as to what makes it on their racks or pay their donators. Vintage thrift stores, such as Buffalo Exchange, sell and trade the clothing at the store and hand select what is on their store hangers and shelves.  This makes the Buffalo Exchange an unique second-hand store.

"We have our own thing going on, and it works!" said Mike Schaeffer, Manager of Buffalo Exchange Philadelphia. "All the clothing and accessories you see here are bought, sold and traded locally with the customers in our store" Schaeffer explained.

Schaeffer gestures to the busy Buffalo Exchange, thriving with customers looking for an unique peice of clothing to take home. At the other end are people that bring bags in and barter for their clothes to sell to Buffalo Exchange for money or store credit.

"More and more people take the store credit option, which shows that our loyal fan base is growing", said Schaeffer, "We wouldn't have one-of-a-kind items without the donators who bring special stuff from home in search of someone else's treasures."

Buffalo Exchange has a growing amount of these so called treasures, and has been so successful within the past two years that they were able to expand the Philadelphia branch. "Its really great, our store doubled within the past two years and now we have space for all the stylized things to be going on. Spinning racks and color co-ordinated pods, more space for our shoppers too makes it nicer to have a look-around" Schaeffer said about the stores recent expansion.

Prior to the merging of buildings, the store next door was a retail shoe shop, which unfortunately went under in this economy. "It was a sad convenience honestly that they happen to be right next door and needing to sell at a time where we were in the position to buy" Schaeffer said.


The suffering economy has left people by and large in Philadelphia with less money to spend on their clothing and their financial energies go to more pertinent places. "You can get a great deal on designer label clothing here." Schaeffer said. "We have it all, and I think more and more women actually like supporting the re-sale industry to get their designer clothes. These big buys make a difference in our revenue."


With people religiously shopping thrift for all purpose clothing and accessories, Buffalo Exchange
exemplifies the rise of second-hand stores in a suffering economy. "The average price is $15" said Schaeffer; that is ten dollars less than the average retail store clothing item, according to a survey by H&M Human Resources.


Buffalo Exchange Philadelphia's expansion shows a quantifiable success in an economic decline. Perhaps Schaeffer and his team really have found a magical formula of customer involvement, revolving inventory, and a happy medium between commercial (labels) and commonly donated second-hand items.

Everyday I'm Thriftin 2/3

Meredith Leigh, a 21 year old Temple University student is a regular thrift store shopper. "Since I’ve come to college, whenever I go shopping I go to the thrift store first to see if I can get what I need there." Leigh said. "All the time, I love them, I could stay in a thrift store forever. I dedicate long amounts of time to ‘thriftin’."

Many people have coined the word thrifting, as the activity itself has become a regular thing for college students on a budget. To people like Leigh, it is an enjoyable shopping experience.

"On the weekends, when I get my paycheck, I’ll go check out the thrift store on 22^nd and Market or the one around the corner from my house on 17^th street." said Leigh. "When I am stressing out it is the ultimate shopping therapy because I don't have to freak about spending huge amounts of money."

On average Meredith spends $30 dollars and it buys her around 10 items depending on the thrift store.

"My new favorite ones are the Salvation Army’s and Goodwills. Some of the Philly Goodwills can be a trek but they have the best deals" said Leigh. Simular to many thrifters, Leigh doesn’t mind spending time searching for things in the huge random lots of the Philadelphia second-hand stores because she finds her buys to be worth it in the end.

When discussing shopping second hand, there is a clear distinction between the Goodwill and Salvation Army shops and the vintage stores, such as Buffalo Exchange on Chestnut Street, a main shopping avenue in Philadelphia.

“Buffalo exchange has all the brand names that you would want but that’s not so important to me.” Leigh said on the issue of vintage. “On a special occasion I would still shop there though. I like how you know no one else will have your dress, and no, I don’t care at all that it’s been worn by someone else before.”

The taboo of used clothing has subsided a lot and almost completely in most avid thrift store shoppers like Leigh.

"Usually I bring them home and wash them first, other than that I don’t think twice about it.” Leigh explained. “Probably wouldn't use a bathing suit or underwear, but anything else I don't care about. I share clothes all the time."

When looking around at the college campus, one would be surprised how much of their wardrobe is actually from a thrift store of some sort. Leigh says this trend coincides with the hipster trend, but it isn’t why she personally is a religious thriftier.

"There are so many hipsters always swarming the thrift shops, but being a broke college student makes these stores the best place to get reasonably priced clothing which is actually pretty good quality.” Leigh said. “It’s not like buying new things that are cheap and cheaply made. I find good clothes at these shops that last me a while.”

Leigh's recent favorite finds.

Leigh will continue to make her rounds at the local thrift stores, occasionally looking out for special vintage items when she has a little more money in her wallet.

Family Owned Business Takes a Hit by Corporations Due to the Economy

When Keith Gingrich was only 12 years old, he spent his free time helping around his family’s business, Verl’s Salads. Often times he found himself cleaning up after a day of work or riding along in the trucks for deliveries.

Gingrich’s grandparents started the business, passing on the ownership to family over the years. Gingrich is now a part owner, sharing it with his brother.

 

But the business has felt a hit since the drop in the economy over the past few years, forcing them to make changes in the way that the company is run.

“We have more part time employees now than we ever did. It helps with the costs,” Gingrich said.

The company has been suffering a loss of customers to big corporations that have the ability to lower their prices.   

“Lot’s of customers go out and buy the lowest prices possible. We have to make cuts in our budget other places to keep up with the big companies' low prices.” 

Family Owned Machinery Business: Success Despite the Drop in Econmy

Tim Auman began working for his father’s machinery business every weekend while he was in high school. Once he graduated, he spent his entire days working at Auman Machinery, and studied during the nights in hopes to receive his machinist’s papers.

Auman’s dad stated the business in 1949 in a small garage, and has since been moved into a large industrial building.

Now, the CEO of the company, Auman couldn’t be happier about the record sales that the company had in 2011, despite the drop in economy.


“ In 2009 sales sank by 50 percent, but starting in 2010 sales rebounded quickly,” Auman said. “Interestingly what we have seen is a new record for sales in 2011. This is certainly not what you read about or hear every day in the news.”

His only concerns for the business is that there are no longer many people getting educated for machinery, and they are having a hard time finding skilled- full time laborers. 

Small Town Waitress

Although waitress Brittney Garman isn’t part of the family that owns Heisey’s Diner, she spends most of her time helping out around the small town restaurant.

Garman began working for the Heisey’s family at age of 15, after spending her childhood eating their popular potpie every Sunday with her parents.  She now spends five days a week working along side the family that owns it.

Many would imagine that with the drop in the economy, finding customers in the small town of Jonestown, Pa, where the restaurant is located, would be tough. Instead, Garman said business has been booming, after the diner recently added a deck.

“There is a lot of older, very polite customers,” Garman said. “ Even with the change in economy, they keep coming back.”

The diner may have had to change some of the prices on foods, but they have started making a wider variety of food to keep the customers coming back.

The Tattoo Industry: Affected by the economy? 2/3

Thom Reinsmith, a professional tattoo artist and piercer, had to deal with the drop in the economy by constantly building his clientele and portfolios.
"I am still a relatively new artist and find that I am building a larger clientele and portfolio each day," Reinsmith said. "However, longtime artists that I know have stated that they have seen a drop off in customers."
With an unknown number of tattoos on his body, Reinsmith, like many artists, has not had to pay for most of the art on his body. Not all people have the privilege of having received free or discounted work, each piece starts around $100.
"Most accurately I could say i have about 75 hours of work on my body...If I were not a tattoo artist, the average price of a good tattoo would vary from $100-$200 an hour," Reinsmith said.
He recalled the tattoo industry has taken a hit from the economy, but a small one compared to other industries. He experienced dropped or postponed appointments due to the economy.
"I have had a few customers who, because of low income or job loss, have had to postpone appointments," Reinsmith said.
Reinsmith said he wouldn't spend excess money on tattoos but rather would put it towards his house or retirement funds, but he will be getting tattooed in the future. His goal is to be completely covered besides his head.

"I get tattooed most of the time for fun or just to collect work from artists I appreciate," Reinsmith said. "I don't believe tattoos have to mean anything at all to anyone else but the collector."

Thrifting on Cecil B. Moore 1/3

A daisy crop-top made in 1995. Price $3

Amongst the once lived-in buildings along Cecil B. Moore on the West side of Broad Street, is a special store that sells once lived-in items. In a time where small businesses sink at an alarming rate, two Philadelphia local ladies, the Gnokas, beat the odds selling an eclectic mix of used shirts from the 90's, out-grown shoes, sidewalk furniture and much more at their own second-hand shop, or thrift store.

Three years ago Meredith Gnoka and her mother Judith, decided to turn one of the abandoned apartment buildings down the high traffic street of Cecil B. Moore and 17^th into their own second-hand shop, or thrift store.

In 2009, many Temple students were beginning to expand their living reach west of Broad Street, making the walking traffic in front of the Gnoka ladies’ store more viable. They were both savvy and altruistic business ladies, well aware that the neighborhood they were in was a perfect thrift store clientele. College students and North Philadelphia residents alike are trying to save their money, and generally it is not indispensable on clothing, thus a thrift store being their perfect option.

The Thrift Store on Cecil, as named by Meredith Gnoka, has become an ever growing business. Earlier in April on a sunny day, the shop was absolutely packed with people trying to find good deals on second hand summer clothes.

“We have had so many generous donations this year” said Meredith Gnoka, who usually handles the pricing of the items. “Just this week we got in some designer sun-dresses and bags that we can sell at consignment shop prices. We also were given this bin of t-shirts which is nearly gone now, everybody wants the dollar T’s!”

Along with the items on the shelves, the store has undergone improvement. A new sign was pasted on the wall last year and the awareness of the store has strengthened.

“So many regulator donators are what keeps us up and running” said Judith Gnoka. “They are wonderful members of the community and we are so thankful.”

As long as the community continues to come, give and shop at Thrift Store on Cecil, the Gnoka ladies will be in good shape, providing us all with $2 dresses and $1 T’s.

In Failing Economy, Young Adults Modifying Career Plans

For many college students, life after graduation holds little resemblance to the life that they had projected for themselves as idealistic freshmen. Finding work outside of one’s intended field of study has become a necessity for many young Americans who, in the midst of the financial crisis, have accumulated massive debt in pursuit of a degree which may never be put to its fullest use.   

Just ask 27-year-old Colin Snyder, a Penn State alumni who graduated just as the economy imploded in 2009.

“I went three and a half years pursuing a degree in corporate communications,” Snyder said. “I was never quite sure about my major, but I waited until senior year to change it, which was a bad move. I ended up changing it to information sciences and technology, but I had to take two extra years of major-only classes.”

The two additional years raised Snyder's crippling debt, but still his job prospects remain gloomy. 

“Sometimes it's like pulling teeth,” Snyder said, describing the process of making ends meet while at juggling student loans. “How are we supposed to get out of this economic mess when it all the young people are being strapped with these massive loans?”

Snyder was recently hired as a quality assurance professional at a company called Falcon, which he says is "at least vaguely related" to his college major. He has been working together with his wife Heather – a preschool teacher – to save money and put food on the table in their home in suburban Pa.

“We have a rule. If we can do something manually, we won’t just hire somebody to do it for us,” said Snyder. “Just in the past few months, we’ve patched and painted the entire house. Built a new sink in the bathroom. Put in new vents and exhaust hosing. If we were rolling in cash, we would probably hire someone to do these things for us. But the way things are... at least it’s good exercise.”

Snyder had these words of wisdom for current college students trying to map out their future: “Be prepared to work outside of your intended major. Oh, and ignore job postings that are for entry level positions but require five-plus years of experience. Seriously. That is bull-[expletive].”

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Heather Snyder, 25, a 2009 graduate of Temple University, has dealt with many of the same post-college issues that her husband and countless other twenty-somethings have been forced to face. 

After paying herself into debt in pursuit of her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, she has still fallen victim to a bone-dry job market. And despite working as an assistant-teaching at several highly-regarded Pa. elementary schools, she still finds herself working at the same preschool she has been at since her sophomore year.

“I guess I should be grateful that I even have a job at all, in this economy,” Mrs. Snyder said. “The job market for teachers is pretty terrible. This may not be the career I intended, but at least I'm doing what I love to do.”

When she isn’t teaching preschoolers at Federation Early Learning Services, Mrs. Snyder spends a self-described “absurd” amount of time doing other part-time jobs such as tutoring and babysitting - which oftentimes is an overnight ordeal.

“These are the types of jobs I was doing throughout college and even dating back to high school,” Mrs. Snyder said. “I enjoy being with children, but it would be nice if I could find a job in the field which I spent four years preparing myself for. Graduating into an economy like this one is tough. You willingly put yourself into heaps of debt, and then you have to accept a job that pays less than the job you originally intended to have. It's like the loans will never be paid off.”

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Current college student Sean Michael, 19, is dreading the inevitable when he will find himself thrust into the job market.

"I'm still holding out hope that things turn around," said Michael, a biology major who will be attending the University of South Florida this fall. "Maybe if I spend enough time in grad school, the economy will eventually flourishing. But by then I'll have some serious debt to pay off."

Michael’s family has been dealing with some hard times in the wake of the economic collapse. Since 2009, his mother and father both have lost high-paying jobs, and he has been living in a crowded Philadelphia apartment with his sister – a Temple student – and four of her friends.

“It’s been fun,”  Michael joked.

Michael cautiously plans on going to medical school in the future, but realizes that should such a career choice not pan out, he will be forced to adapt and explore other, likely lower-paying options.

“It’s stressful to think that I’ll just keep going deeper and deeper into a hole of debt over the next few years,” Michael said. "And there might not even be a light at the end of the tunnel."

After his father’s hotel in Texas was closed down, and his mother lost her job as a nurse, both relocated to Florida, where Michael will be attending college next semester. Finances have been very tight, Michael said.

“I spend next to nothing on entertainment,” he said. “If it isn't food, water, or gasoline, I probably won't shell out the cash to buy it. I’ve been looking for a job so I can help out. My sister has two, in additional to her classes at Temple. It’s ridiculous what we have to do just to live like normal people. Let’s just say I’ve consumed more than my share of Nutella since moving in here.”

“I know a lot of college students end up with a job that they didn’t expect, but to think that I could put all this work into my major and then end up working at Wal-Mart or something is scary,” Michael said. “I guess I shouldn’t put all my eggs into one basket, but I will say that I’m really hoping med school works out. Wish me luck.”

The Tattoo Industry: Affected by the economy? 1/3

Joshua Thiverge had accumulated over 20 tattoos on his body in the past four years in addition to multiple piercings and has absolutely no intention to stop.
"I plan on being heavily tattooed, my goal is to have my whole body covered excluding my face," Thiverge said.
In the past year alone he has gotten around 12 tattoos, but for all of the art on his body he has only had to pay $1000. Thiverge is lucky to have developed friendships with his artists, because they have discounted all of his work and sometimes done work for free.
"I've been getting tattoos at the same tattoo shop for four years...they gave me great discounts and sometimes even free work...I've spent around $1000, but the artwork I've accumulated is worth triple," Thiverge said.
He works an arduous job as a Warehouse Worker for a roofing company. Unfortunately, like many other people, Thiverge says that the economy has reduced his ability to freely acquire tattoos as much as he used to. Most people walk out of shops with designs in hand and are forced to wait until they have enough money.
"Rising prices in everyday needs limited my ability to get tattooed as frequently as I used to...numerous people ask how I can afford to get tattoos, this art has a price as much as any other art piece would," Thiverge said.
Due to a deteriorated economy, many shops locally have closed because they had not made enough money to pay rent because people just can't afford the steep price of tattoos. Thiverge also mentioned he has seen shops that have thrived at the same time due to the increasing popularity of tattooing.
"Some shops are definitely feeling the fall of the economy, reason being they may not have the best location or talent," Thiverge said. "Yet some shops are thriving with the rising interest and desire for tattoos."
Although he lacks enough funds, Thiverge has not been deterred in his quest to completely modify his body. Along with many tattoo enthusiasts, he sees his body as his own canvas and will stop at nothing until he has fully satisfied his appetite for artwork.
"I get tattoos simply because I love the art behind it," Thiverge said. "I see them as a challenge along with my other body modifications to strive to never be outcasted and categorized for the things I choose to do with my body."

Waitressing to Make Ends Meet (3/3)

Rotelli’s Italian Restaurant has surely felt the negative effects from the plummeting economy. Employees were unexcused if they asked for permission to take off and if they did anyway they would soon face repercussions. Sarah Perrone was an employee of Rotelli’s who learned her lesson the hard way.

“I was hardly ever given shifts,” Perrone said, “Maybe once or twice a week if I was lucky.”

Rotelli’s main attraction is toward college students. Since the economy is in the shape it’s in, students themselves have little room for spending.

“Many of our customers hardly left a tip if at all,” Perrone said, “I am a college student myself  and it was frustrating coming home every night with next to nothing.”

If there were busy weekends at Rotelli’s you were not allowed to take off and if you did anyway you were fired. Perrone learned the hard way that Rotelli’s kept true to their word as she was soon laid off because she had taken a busy weekend off because of a previous commitment.

“I was enraged,” she said, “It was my first waitressing experience and it is one I want to forget.”

Waitressing to Make Ends Meet (2/3)

Kelly O’Neill, a college student who needs a career to help pay for her education has felt the crippling effects from the downward sloping economy. She quit her job at Applebees with hopes of a higher paying job with more hours, but found the opposite.

“I worked four shifts a well and I was down to two with people tipping less,” O’Neill said, “So I quit and moved on hoping to finally be able to pay my bills.”

O’Neill eventually was hired at Qdoba which she thought was the answer to her prayers, but turned into a nightmare.

“Qdoba paid less hourly than Applebees,” O’Neill said, “The people tipped less and now I was more broke than I had ever been.”

It was hard for O’Neill to quit her job at Applebees thinking she would be making more money to find out just the opposite.

“My work colleagues at Qdoba had to pick up more hours because their spouses had gotten laid off,” she said, “We had to take the hours we were given and had little room to complain.”

O’Neill remains an employee of Qdoba and hopes to raise her hourly pay with the time she spends working there.