Friday, December 01, 2006
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Friday, October 06, 2006
Terrible Employment Numbers for September
I can't believe what I just read. For the month of September employers only added 51,000 new jobs. 51,000! By my estimation that is 150,000 too low, just to keep in pace with population growth.
Check this: Lets say we have 300,000,000 folks in the country. Then figure we have a population growth rate of 1.5% annually. That means we create approximately 4,500,000 new residents annually. Now figure that some of that number constitute adult new residents- either new citizens or aliens. Also, figure that every month a certain number of current residents, actual citizens or aliens, turn 18 and are of independent working age- employable. As a rule of thumb, you figure that approximately 50% to 65% of the annual growth rate in population is of employment age. So, to round things off, lets say we need to generate 200,000 new jobs a month in order to just keep up with our population growth and aging population. (4,500,000 / 12 months=375,000 new resident a month) (375,000*50%=187,500 new jobs needed to be created per month) Obviously, this is a rough estimate, but is a fairly conservative look at the whole picture.
Now here is the kicker! In September employers created 51,000 new jobs, well below expectations, but at the same time, the unemployment rate actually went down 0.1 percent. How does that make any sense. How can you miss the mark by such a far margin in employment growth, yet still see the unemployment rate go down at the same time.
I'll tell ya. After about 6 months an unemployed person is no longer counted in the unemployment numbers. So, now we see a large portion of the unemployed population no longer being counted. And this number is increasing.
The economy is not in good shape.
Check this: Lets say we have 300,000,000 folks in the country. Then figure we have a population growth rate of 1.5% annually. That means we create approximately 4,500,000 new residents annually. Now figure that some of that number constitute adult new residents- either new citizens or aliens. Also, figure that every month a certain number of current residents, actual citizens or aliens, turn 18 and are of independent working age- employable. As a rule of thumb, you figure that approximately 50% to 65% of the annual growth rate in population is of employment age. So, to round things off, lets say we need to generate 200,000 new jobs a month in order to just keep up with our population growth and aging population. (4,500,000 / 12 months=375,000 new resident a month) (375,000*50%=187,500 new jobs needed to be created per month) Obviously, this is a rough estimate, but is a fairly conservative look at the whole picture.
Now here is the kicker! In September employers created 51,000 new jobs, well below expectations, but at the same time, the unemployment rate actually went down 0.1 percent. How does that make any sense. How can you miss the mark by such a far margin in employment growth, yet still see the unemployment rate go down at the same time.
I'll tell ya. After about 6 months an unemployed person is no longer counted in the unemployment numbers. So, now we see a large portion of the unemployed population no longer being counted. And this number is increasing.
The economy is not in good shape.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
The Words of Howard Beale
Image Link:
I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth; banks are going bust; shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter; punks are running wild in the street, and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it.We all know things are bad -- worse than bad -- they're crazy.
Well, I'm not going to leave you alone.
All I know is that first, you've got to get mad.
You've gotta say, "I'm a human being, goddammit! My life has value!"
Friday, September 08, 2006
Thursday, September 07, 2006
A 6 Year Video Montage
This is some crazy stuff. This guy took a picture of himself everyday for over 6 years. On top of that this video is a work in progress.
YouTube Link:
HatTip: Laist.com
YouTube Link:
HatTip: Laist.com
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
What?!! bin Laden Free to Live a Peaceful Life?!!
What the hell are you talking about?
Via AmericaBlog I read that Pakistani officials told CBS that mass murderer Osama bin Laden
Are the Pakistani's dilussional? And what is this I read about Pakistan making a peace agreement with the Taliban? The Taliban are not suppose to exist anymore! They have no country. Now they make peace with one of our allies who will pull troops from the North Waziristan region- the area bin Laden is believed to be in! And the Taliban gets weapons from the Pakistani's!
Via AmericaBlog I read that Pakistani officials told CBS that mass murderer Osama bin Laden
"will not face capture in Pakistan if he agrees to lead a "peaceful life."Are you kidding me? What the hell is this about?
Are the Pakistani's dilussional? And what is this I read about Pakistan making a peace agreement with the Taliban? The Taliban are not suppose to exist anymore! They have no country. Now they make peace with one of our allies who will pull troops from the North Waziristan region- the area bin Laden is believed to be in! And the Taliban gets weapons from the Pakistani's!
"In addition to the pullout of Pakistani troops, the "peace agreement" between Pakistan and the Taliban also provides for the Pakistani army to return captured Taliban weapons and prisoners."Is Pakistan on our side?
"What this means is that the Taliban and al Qaeda leadership have effectively carved out a sanctuary inside Pakistan," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, the former White House counter-terrorism director...What is going on?
"They're throwing the towel," said Alexis Debat, who is a Senior Fellow at the Nixon Center and an ABC News consultant. "They're giving al Qaeda and the Taliban a blank check and saying essentially make yourselves at home in the tribal areas," Debat said."