A Chef's Stimulus Act

The national unemployment rate: 8.1 percent. The desperation rate: beyond high. But it shouldn't be, according to Houston chef Clive Berkman, whose "Create Your Own Empty Bottle Moment Contest" launches this Sunday, March 15th. Berkman invites all U.S. citizens who've lost their jobs in 2009 to share stories about how they've turned their unemployment into opportunities, whether by shifting to a new career they've been meaning to explore or by helping others in need. Stories will be collected until May 25th, and the Grand Prize winner, announced Memorial Day weekend, will get Berkman as their own personal chef for an entire week. Seems like the perfect no-job perk.