Yep, the economy is STILL bad

Ah, it has been a while, but it does not mean the economy is out of the woods. Welcome then to another edition of "Signs that the economy is bad" here at The Itinerant Librarian. This is where I go out, read the news so you don't have to, and find those oh so subtle hints that the economy is bad. So, let us jump right in. The stories are no particular order.

• First of all, let's go with a little ray of sunshine. Not everything is bad. It turns out that bullet producers can't keep up with demand. I think it has something to do with some unfounded fear that President Obama is going to take guns away from gun owners, so the fearful ones are stocking up on ammunition. So, I guess things can't be that bad since the factories are running full steam. That's one industry that is not going broke any time soon (via Common Dreams).
  
• However, you do have to have gun to put the bullets in. It seems that the glory days of the AK-47 may be about to end. It turns out that Kalashnikov, the Russian manufacturer of the popular assault rifle, may be facing bankruptcy. Somehow, this seems a little counterintuitive. However, it seems the big problem faced by the famous gunmaker is competition from copycats. The article is worth reading. (via Spiegel Online)
  
• And you know the economy is bad when people have to break into the sex shop to get a sex toy (via YesButNoButYes, and you can get the link to the news story as well as the video there. And for prudes, no need to worry. You don't see anything explicit). Now, a good sex toy is not cheap; you do have have to pay for quality (how do I know? I am a librarian, that's how). Having said that, causing $20,000 in damages for a $150 toy is a bit out of proportion. What I wanted to know is which toy was it, but the article does not say.
• And when colleges try to trick students into enrolling into unpopular (read boring) classes by renaming them with hip, cool names, you know the economy has to be bad. Colleges nationwide are feeling the pinch when it comes to enrollment. For example: "German Literature of the High Middle Ages" (insert snore here) becomes "Knights, Castles, and Dragons" (rock on). And there are classes like "Economics of Sin" where students will be able to study "the opportunity to explore pornography, prostitution, crime and punishment, drugs and drug legalization, the sale of human organs, and gambling." How come they did not teach that class when I was in college? (via The Boston Globe).
  
• When Harvard University, known for its very rich endowment and overall upscale education, decides to license themselves for a clothing line, well, that may not be a good sign for the economy. Either that, or they are just being pretentious. (via Bloomberg).
• And if things weren't bad enough, even cocaine dealers are having a tough time with this economy. It's gotten to the point where the coke dealer actually calls his clients hoping to drum up business. Now that is one cold call you may not want to be getting. Can you put these guys on the "Do Not Call List"? (via New York Magazine)