Jobs Picture Grows Worse as Weekly Claims Post Jump

Good grief, how long is in going to take before these "unexpectedly rotten employment reports become expected.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, a government report showed on Thursday, suggesting little improvement in the labor market this month after employment stumbled in May.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits climbed 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 429,000, the Labor Department said. The prior week's figure was revised up to 420,000.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims to edge up to 415,000 from a previously reported count of 414,000.

Change To Inflation Measurement On Table As Part Of Budget Talks -Aides

Just another smoke and mirrors gimmick.

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Lawmakers are considering changing how the Consumer Price Index is calculated, a move that could save perhaps $220 billion and represent significant progress in the ongoing federal debt ceiling and deficit reduction talks.

According to congressional aides familiar with the discussions, the proposal would shift how the Consumer Price Index is calculated to reflect how people tend to change spending patterns when prices increase. For example, consumers tend to drive less when gas prices increase dramatically.

Such a move is widely seen by economists as resulting in a slower rise in inflation. That would impact an array of federal programs that are linked to CPI including the Social Security program and income tax brackets set by the federal government.

Existing home sales drop 3.8%

Why does the Lamestream Media persist in expecting better than actual results?

Sales of existing homes fell in May, as severe weather and high gas prices weighed on the shaky housing market.

Home sales fell 3.8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.81 million, down from a revised rate of 5 million in April, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday.

Sales were more than 15% lower than in May 2010.

Economists had expected a May sales rate of 4.79 million existing homes, according to consensus estimates from Briefing.com.

Toddler Gets Doll Made in Her Image

There are not enough eeeeeeee's in creepy to describe THIS.

Monday Funny

Medvedev wants Obama re-elected to a 2nd Term

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday he wanted his US counterpart Barack Obama to win re-election next year, fearing that the two men's efforts to improve ties may lose steam under a new administration. "I can tell you directly -- I would like Barack Obama to be re-elected president of the United States maybe more than someone else," Medvedev said in an interview with the Financial Times whose full transcript was released by the Kremlin early Monday.

"If another person becomes US president then he may have another course," he said.

"We understand that there are representatives of a rather conservative wing there who are trying to achieve their political goals at the expense of inflaming passions in relation to Russia, among other things.

"But what use is criticising them? This is simply a way of achieving political goals."

And us conservatives realize the Menendev regime is trying to achieve their political goals at the expense of the United States.

Happy Fathers Day

To all my lucky bretheren in Fatherhood, have a great day!

Fathers Day Funny

Keith Olbermann hints at Anthony Weiner talk show on Al Gore's network

And speaking of deserving each other.

That was fast.

Within hours after Anthony Weiner announced his resignation from Congress, former MSNBC gabber Keith Olbermann suggested he may hire the soon-to-be-former New York lawmaker for a talk show on former Vice President Al Gore's fledgling television network, Current TV.

Olbermann, appearing on comedian Jimmy Fallon's late night television program Thursday night, was asked how long he thinks it would be before rival network CNN created a show for Weiner.

"Well, you know, I've got a nine o'clock show that I am probably going to hire somebody for," Olbermann told Fallon, referring to the space immediately after his upcoming new show, Countdown with Keith Olbermann on Current TV.

Quote of the Day

President Obama signs an Executive Order creating SelectUSA: On Tuesday, President Obama signed an Executive Order creating SelectUSA, a new government-wide initiative that will promote the United States as the premier place to do business globally and help attract business operations to the U.S., in order to spur economic growth and job creation. To this Graneros at FR had this to say...

"Only the communists could come up with another level of bureaucracy to cut through all the levels of bureaucracy."

Well done young man.

Larry Flynt Woos Wiener

They're made for each other.Hustler Magazine publisher Larry Flynt knows Anthony Weiner is out of work, and he wants to do something about it.

In a column on the Huffington Post, Flynt offered the sexting scandal-tarred congressman an unspecified job at Flynt Management Group, LLC at a 20 percent hike over his Washington salary — which would come out to over $200,000 per year.

Flynt says he’d also pay for Weiner’s move to Los Angeles, as the job requires.

“While this employment opportunity is being offered in large part due to your qualifications and clear passion for making a change, I feel that your unfortunate resignation is a prime example of unfounded political pressure and the hypocrisy that has invaded democracy in Washington, D.C .,” Flynt wrote.

Thursday Funny

No Viagra for this Wiener

Smiling Bob no more...

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) will resign from his seat in Congress, heeding calls from President Barack Obama, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and dozens of other congressional Democrats, sources confirm to POLITICO. The resignation ends nearly three weeks of tumultuous political controversy since the New York congressman sent a lewd picture of himself over Twitter which he claimed at first was a result of a hack, and later admitted he had sent himself.

According to two sources, Weiner made up his mind to resign Wednesday night, and shortly after began making calls to inform them of his decision. Weiner called DCCC chair Steve Israel — who had also called for his resignation — on Wednesday night at the White House picnic to inform him and Pelosi that he had decided to resign on Thursday.

WI Judge Beotch Slapped

Judicial arrogance takes a major hit...

The Wisconsin state Supreme Court smacked the liberal activist judge who tried to dictate policy to the other two branches of state government. The state Supreme court ruled that Judge Maryann Sumi never had the right to stick her nose into state legislative business when she invalidated Wisconsin’s law which would restrict the collective bargaining “rights” of public service employees.

The court waxed quite eloquent in its public flogging of the activist judge:

The court ruled that Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi’s ruling, which had held up implementation of the collective bargaining law, was in the void ab initio, Latin for invalid from the outset.

And, in case you missed it the first time:

The court concluded that Sumi exceeded her jurisdiction, ‘invaded’ the Legislature’s constitutional powers and erred in halting the publication and implementation of the collective bargaining law.

Quote of the Day

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz: She's everyman's ex-wife.

Thanks to Red Badger at FR.

Headline of the Week

For the second time in as many weeks the NYP wins this coveted title.

Retail Sales Slip, Inflation Up

Just more confirmation that this economy really sucks.

U.S. retail sales fell in May for the first time in 11 months, dragged down by a sharp drop in receipts from auto dealerships, according to a government report that could raise fears of a prolonged economic slowdown. At the same time, wholesale prices rose at the slowest pace in 10 months in May as food costs fell and gas prices rose by the smallest amount in eight months. The figures suggest consumers could see some relief from rising prices soon.

The Labor Department says the Producer Price Index, which measures price changes before they reach the consumer, increased 0.2 percent in May. That's down sharply from a 0.8 percent rise in April and a 0.7 percent increase in March. In the past 12 months, the index has risen 7.3 percent, the most since September 2008.

Electric cars may not be so green after all, says British study

Smug Greenies aren't going to like this.

ELECTRIC cars could produce higher emissions over their lifetimes than petrol equivalents because of the energy consumed in making their batteries, a study has found.

An electric car owner would have to drive at least 129,000km before producing a net saving in CO2. Many electric cars will not travel that far in their lifetime because they typically have a range of less than 145km on a single charge and are unsuitable for long trips. Even those driven 160,000km would save only about a tonne of CO2 over their lifetimes.

The British study, which is the first analysis of the full lifetime emissions of electric cars covering manufacturing, driving and disposal, undermines the case for tackling climate change by the rapid introduction of electric cars.

GM CEO: Customers Don't Pay High Enough Gas Tax

They don't call it "Government Motors" for nuthin.

It appears peculiar that a company would demand that government do something that hurts its customers. But that’s what many limited-government policy experts are saying after General Motors CEO Dan Akerson told the Detroit News that he wants to see the federal government raise its gas tax by as much as $1 per gallon. Akerson told the Detroit News that he’d like to see the federal gas tax hiked to get customers to be more receptive to smaller more fuel-efficient vehicles.

According to the Detroit News: “A government-imposed tax hike, Akerson believes, will prompt more people to buy small cars and do more good for the environment than forcing automakers to comply with higher gas-mileage standards.”

Akerson’s comments highlight a conflict of interest between General Motors’ ability to please customers and the federal government, which bailed it out and still owns 26 percent of the company, according to Sam Kazman, general counsel for the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

“It’s crazy to see industry serving government rather than serving the public,” Kazman said. “Carmakers are calling for an increase in the cost of the things that drive their product – gasoline. That suggests there is something really wrong with the world.”

Sunday Funny