1.In an effort to energize the economy, stimulus checks are being mailed to millions of people. Unfortunately, thousands of the recipients are dead.Memo to the government: Dead people don’t spend

2. Gross domestic product (GDP) in the OECD area fell by 2.1% in the first quarter of 2009, the largest fall since OECD records began in 1960, according to preliminary estimates, and followed a fall of 2.0% of GDP in the previous quarter.GDP in the OECD area fell by a record 2.1% in the first quarter of 2009

3.Luxury carmaker Porsche came very close to bankruptcy in March. Only a dramatic rescue operation saved the company, but it’s still on the skids. Over the coming weeks, the sports car manufacturer — which is up to its hubcaps in debt — could find itself in an increasingly difficult financial situation if it doesn’t swiftly merge with Volkswagen. German Carmaker Narrowly Averts Bankruptcy

4. After former Bear Stearns Cos. trader Guy Irace lost his job on the bond desk a year ago, he moved back to Long Island to teach high school math and dropped 40 pounds. Jack Yang’s deli in Manhattan cut three employees. Bear Stearns to Algebra I Means Lost Dollars in New Trickle-Down Economics

5.Society needs to place a higher value on shame, as it has proven to be a powerful — and necessary — tool, Thomas Kostigen says. The value of shame