Stories by Helaine Olen

Helaine Olen, author of "Pound Foolish," has written for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Salon and other publications. She blogs at Where Life Meets Money. subscribe to Helaine Olen's feed

CEO Pay Went Up 16% Last Year to $15 million -- How Much Did Your Pay Go Up?

Posted on: Jul 10, 2013, Source: The Guardian

In 2012 median CEO pay ranged from between $14.1 to $15.1 million. That's a 16% increase in one year.

Wake Up, America! We're Paying Billions for Personal Financial Advice, and It's Making Us Poorer

Posted on: Jan 15, 2013, Source: Penguin Group (USA)

An excerpt from the new book, "Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry."

Corporate Dominance of Every Aspects of Our Lives Is Suffocating us

Posted on: Aug 6, 2009, Source: AlterNet

Author Doug Rushkoff warns of the dominance of profit and consumerism in our mindsets, and offers a way out of the corporate culture.

A New Way to Foster Parent

Posted on: Nov 1, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Several cities and states now encourage close contact between foster and birth parents -- a difficult but beneficial relationship.

How Generation X Got the Shaft But Can Still Keep Everything From Sucking

Posted on: Mar 21, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Gen X'ers don't deserve their slacker reputation, argues the author of <i>X Saves the World</i>. After all, they can boast Google and Barack Obama.

Thirty Ways of Looking at Hillary

Posted on: Jan 30, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Some heroize her. Some hate her. There's something about Hillary, but what is it?

The Medical Credit Card Trap

Posted on: Oct 3, 2007, Source: The American Prospect

Health care providers are increasingly pushing special credit cards as a way for the cash-strapped under-insured to cover their medical expenses. But then the bills start piling up.

Spend, Spend, Spend: The New Model for Parenting

Posted on: Aug 7, 2007, Source: AlterNet

In spite of being racked with debt, Gen X parents are increasingly pouring their paychecks into luxury items for their children that seem frivolous to the point of ridiculousness.

'Gifted Child Industry' Preys on Parents' Insecurities

Posted on: Oct 17, 2006, Source: AlterNet

Even as a lucrative industry is making millions off of parents' desire to ensure that their kids are exceptional, public schools are cutting programs for children that are truly gifted.

The Trouble With Chick Lit

Posted on: Aug 10, 2006, Source: AlterNet

All those pink books with purses and shoes on the cover are obscuring the publication of serious literature by women. At least, that's what the author of a new anti-chick lit anthology says.