October Employment Numbers -- Still Not Good News

Despite rumors of a delay due to Hurricane Sandy, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the October report on-time.

The report predicts that there will be little change to employment due to the storm.

The report also indicates a rise in unemployment to 7.9%, up .1% from the initial September numbers.

The report also revises the September and August numbers, making the employment situations worse than initially reported for those months. This should come as no surprise, as it has been the trend over the past 44 months under this, our 44th president.

The U6 numbers are also relatively unchanged, despite a small increase in full-time employment.

The number of applications for food subsidies increased more than new hires for the 44th month in a row.

SSDI numbers were not available at the time of publication. However, the trend of new people claiming anxiety or depression for Social Security Disability has been staggering over the past few years. That means more and more people leaving the workforce, but taking disability handouts because they have mental anguish over the inability to find employment, after 99 weeks of receiving unemployment insurance payments.

The Workforce Participation Rate reportedly increased by a very small, almost negligible, amount. A number of students preparing for seasonal work during their break between semesters as well as those preparing to graduate at the end of the fall term could account for that slight shift in job seekers.

Overall, this is not good news. It is bad news in the effect that it demonstrates a largely stagnated economy. Jimmy Carter would have called this "malaise" during his term. Ronald Reagan demonstrated that it was poor Keynesian economic policies that caused the "malaise". Obama would have you believe that it was the supply-side and more laissez-faire policies of Reagan, Newt and the congress who twisted Clinton's arms, the tax cuts to increase revenue under JFK, and similar policies that utilize the Laffer Curve that lead to this current economic condition.

However, unemployment is lower in "right to work" states, especially those with less-progressive, lower, or non-existent state income taxes. Ironically, those states doing the best have also proposed legislation or constitutional amendments to nullify the PPACA.

Full article originally published at P-G Matuszak's Mental Aikido:

46th CMA Awards

Thursday night held the 46th Country Music Awards.

Entertainer of the year went to Blake Shelton.

Male vocalist of the year went to Blake Shelton.

Female vocalist of the year went to Miranda Lambert.

Vocal group of the year went to Little Big Town.

Vocal duo of the year went to Thompson Square.

New artist of the year went to Hunter Hayes.

Album of the year went to Chief by Eric Church.

Single of the year went to Pontoon by Little Big Town.

Song of the year went to Over You by Miranda Lambert.

Musical event of the year went to Feel Like a Rock Star by Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw.

Music video of the year went to Red Solo Cup by Toby Keith.

There was also a special tribute to Willie Nelson.

Just in case you were worried, the awards weren't all fun and games, things did get pretty serious.

Who Will Control The Senate? A Look at the 7 Most Hotly Contested Races

 Updated - 11/2/2012

According to Rasmussen tracking, conducted through telephone surveys, seven of the thirty-three Senate races are hotly contested and too close to call at this time.

Toss Up Races

Connecticut

Democratic Congressman Chris Murphy now holds his biggest lead yet over Republican Linda McMahon–Murphy with 51% of the vote to McMahon’s 45%. One percent (1%) prefer some other candidate, and three percent (3%) are undecided.

Florida

Incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson is ahead by three-points in Florida’s U.S. Senate race. Nelson has earned 49% support with 46% going to his Republican challenger, Congressman Connie Mack.  Two percent (2%) like some other candidate, and three percent (3%) are undecided.

Montana

Democratic incumbent Jon Tester and his Republican challenger, Congressman Denny Rehberg, are now tied in Montana’s U.S. Senate race. Tester and Rehberg have each garnered 48% support. Three percent (3%) like another candidate in the race, and two percent (2%) are undecided.

Ohio

Incumbent Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown has clinched 50% support for the first time in his bid for reelection in Ohio. Brown has 50% support to Republican challenger Josh Mandel’s 48%. One percent (1%) prefer another candidate in the race, and another one percent (1%) are undecided.

Pennsylvania

The U.S. Senate race is tied in Pennsylvania. Incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Casey, Jr. has 46% of the state’s support, while Republican Tom Smith has 45%. Nine percent (9%) are still undecided.

Virginia

Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican George Allen are still neck-and-neck in Virginia’s U.S. Senate race. Kaine has gained 49% support to Allen’s 48%. Three percent (3%) are still undecided.

Wisconsin

Former Governor Tommy Thompson and Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin are tied in Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate race. Thompson holds 48% support to Baldwin’s 47%. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate, and four percent (4%) are undecided.

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Much is at stake in the battle for Senate control. The GOP has 37 seats not up for grabs while the Democrats have 30.  Republicans are expected to win 10 of the 33 seats up for grabs while Democrats are expected to pick up 16.  In order for the GOP to gain control of the senate, they must win at least 4 of the 7 toss up races, in addition to all the races they are projected to win.

3 Year Old Without Brain Dies

Three year old Nicholas Coke, of Pueblo, Colorado, died on October 31.

Nicholas was born with anencephaly, and most babies that are born that way do not survive days, let alone years.

Babies with anencephaly are born without a full brain, only the brain stem is present.

His family considered him a miracle, and say that he taught them true joy whilst he was alive.

The family will always remember his laughter, the action he did the most.

Taylor Swift's Red Sells 1.2 Million Copies in First Week

Taylor Swift's new album Red, gave her yet another record.

Only one week after it's debut, the album has sold over 1.2 million copies.

It's her second album in a row to sell over a million in the first week, Speak Now did so as well.

That makes her the only woman to have two albums that each sold that many.

Only one group has ever had two albums sell more than one million in their first weeks, that was NSYNC with their albums No Strings Attached and Celebrity.

Celebrity almost sold two million albums, in it's first week.

Noah's Ark Damaged by Sandy

Filming for Russell Crowe's film, Noah was stopped Saturday by a visit from superstorm Sandy.

Heavy rains in the area of filming, in New York, caused all filming to be halted.

Some of the set was actually damaged by the waters.

Yes, enjoy that irony for a minute, Noah's ark stopped and damaged by modern rains.

Production on the film is expected to resume within two weeks.

Noah is scheduled to come out in March of 2014.

Parents Kill 15 Year Old With Acid

A fifteen year old girl was killed in Pakistan, because her parents caught her looking at a boy.

Monday, the girl's parents saw her looking at a boy on a motorcycle, and accused her of having a relationship with him.

As punishment her father beat her, and then with the mother's help he poured acid on his own daughter.

Thirty-five percent of her body was burned by the acid.

The parents took her to the hospital, Tuesday morning, but she died from her injuries, that night.

Her older sister reported the incident to police, who have arrested the parents, who will face murder charges on Friday.

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, nearly a thousand women are killed in such "honor killings" each year.

Wedding Celebration Turns Tragic as 23 Die

Twenty-three wedding guests were killed in Saudi Arabia, late Tuesday night.

Celebratory shooting into the air, hit electrical lines, dropping it onto metal that the guests were near.

All twenty-three, most of who were women, were electrocuted.

Just a month ago, the kingdom banned the use of firearms in celebration, due to risks that they pose.

The government is investigating the incident.

23 Killed in Riyadh Blast

Twenty-three people were killed when an explosion took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday.

Another one hundred and thirty-five were injured, in the blast.

A fuel truck crashed into a flyover, then exploded bringing down an industrial building, as well as starting other fires.

Emergency personnel are expected to be working through at least Friday, searching for missing people and hoping to find survivors.

Some had worried that it was a terrorist act, but officials are extremely sure that it was an accident.

Virginia Police Seek Pipe Bomber

Police in Virginia are looking for Laurence Alan Stewart, twenty-five, after three pipe bomb attacks, on Tuesday morning.

The bombs targeted a county deputy, a county detective, and Stewart's ex girlfriend's.

All three went off within minutes of each other.

He is being charged with two counts of attempted murder, two of arson, and one of using a weapon or device for a terror act.

The Stafford County Sheriff's Office considers him armed and dangerous, as they don't know if he has more bombs.

Anyone with information should call the Stafford County Sheriff's Office at 540-658-4400, Crime Solvers at 540-659-2020, or by texting STAFFORD and their tip to CRIMES (274637).