Is Barack Obama a Chick? [UPDATED] (UPDATED AGAIN)

That’s like a student bragging about improving their grades to D’s from F’s. Uh, you’re still failing asshole!

OK – here’s what’s happening in my corner of the world.

I’m in an industry that takes 2 – 2 1/2 years to compete a project. Current projects are winding down and there is nothing new in sight.

Clients can’t commit unless they have bank financing. They are now saying “Maybe in next year’s budget” and hanging on for dear life.

But without work we won’t be here next year. The company will be gone and everyone will be unemployed including me. Because I am an independent contractor I won’t even show up in the stats.

Recovery starting? Not so much.

God, it’s Dubya all over again. Nothing wrong with the economy, nothing at all.

I knew this guy was a crook from the gitgo, and so are the Democrats who support him.

His self-congratulation and of his team sounded like this: “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.”

Larry: Thanks for giving us the real scoop on the One.

All he needs is a “Mission Accomplished” banner behind him and the picture is complete.

I have a good friend I almost got a “divorce” from during the primaries because she was such a big Obama fan and I was still fighting for Hillary, who has plenty of money from a divorce and good investments, who still insists that the problem with the economy is psychological! That if only people felt better, they would spend more and everything would be fine!

She is in total denial.

I personally know at least 4 people who have lost good jobs. One who has been out of work most of a year has seen his whole industry change. Another woman who hasn’t worked since December has never been in a situation before where she didn’t send out a resume and get hired–now she doesn’t even get an interview.

Fuzzy math and happy talk aren’t going to fix this mess.

If we continue to graph expected badness vs actual badness as a line that wiggles slightly upwards and to the right people will not notice. Things could be worse! Here is a graph going the right way!

Expected badness is so easy to fudge – its sort of like counting jobs that were “created or saved”. I personally have “created or saved” thousands of jobs. I defy you to prove me wrong.

please pull my comment out of the spam filter….

Perhaps their graph is upside down?

He may or may not be a chick but I got $5 on his wife being a dude.

ONCE AGAIN, Larry says a bunch of nutty sexist stuff for NO APPARENT REASON.

Why is it that the most stereotypical, bigoted statements are always right on the tip of the tongue of our societies’ guardians of all things politically correct?

We have a boat (not at all uncommon in the Northwest). The boating industry provides a lot of jobs — from brokers to builders to boatyards etc.

The boat broker who sold us this boat keeps on eye on the pleasure boat economy and he gave a talk a couple of nites ago about the condition of the boating industry. Brokerages are closing up shop, boat yards world wide are laying off workers and/or giving employees extended “vacation”. Motor boats are taking the biggest resale hit.

Any downturn in one industry creates a ripple effect — and it is obvious that the economy will get much worse before we even begin to see improvement. Even if there are blimps in the stats it will be a long time before any of the newly employed will regain their financial footing and feel secure enough to spend on luxury goods.

0zero has very little common sense — or critical thinking skills — as Larry demonstrates once again.

0zero is NOT brilliant, he is an academic gadfly who really is living in a bubble. He wasn’t able to live on his income BEFORE he won the Prez lottery –there is no way in HELL that he can understand numbers and the fact that real people represent the unemployed numbers.

HEY you — YOU male thing do NOT get to make a remark about sexism.

I as a women who has fought this sexism battle know where Larry is coming from.

He alludes to fact that current research shows that girls do indeed understand the numbers — but it is our culture that keeps us in our place.

0zero is a guy who is supposed to be brilliant and supposed to understand math (’cause he has a penis thing) — but no matter how many “experts” 0zero hires he still can’t do the numbers.

Go someplace else to pick a fight — Mr. boy name with penis.

But its such a teeny tiny penis, does it really count?

yo, i’m a pretty un-PC gal but I think Larry’s intro is pretty offensive. I’m fine with joking around, i’m fine with the fact that women’s brains are not as well-wired for math as men’s, but that intro is just plain un-funny and a knock at females, no matter how you slice it.

p.s. and i am just fine with men making a judgment about possibly sexist comments against women. It’s ridiculous and counterproductive to the cause to say that only women are allowed to say what’s sexist.

I think LJ was being sarcastic, as in the fact that people on Barry’s team (Larry Summers) actually believe women are inferior in math ability.

I tried to watch the video, but at about the 2 minute mark my face went numb and I lapsed into a temporary coma. How can a man who’s the human equivalent of novacaine have a rep as a great orator?

P.S. Stereotyping women as math-challenged is horseshit. I scored over 700 on the math portion of the SAT.

Actually no, he isn’t. My “chick” is a great woman who keeps my silly male ass out of a bind simply by reminding me of my obligations and helping me maintain my focus on what is important.

I’d sat That One is a typical male who would rather be playing golf, running up scores in the 90s and drinking himself into a stupor rather than face his significant other, Me-Chelle (and I don’t blame him). Too bad he chose the wrong partner.

Either way, he is a boob.

That five o’clock shadow of hers gives it all away, huh?

LMAO

The information is out there for people willing to read and think rather than take the filtered and tweaked numbers that the Administration is releasing and the press reporting. I’m not sure whether Obama is a crackpot or deluded but this economy is “not” turning around.

Here at NQ, we have the advantage of Larry D.’s reports. If you want to have a minor heart attack start reading Karl Denninger.

We’re in an era where numbers are massaged. But real numbers do not lie. It’s bad; it’s really bad.

On a personal note, my husband’s company is laying off. They’ve just completed an early retirement offer and had nearly 1000 takers. They expect to fire 1000 more from a 6000 pool of workers.

Better???? Think again.

Hey Ellen,
Sorry to hear about your plight!
As an independent contractor are you in Construction,design or what?
Are there not some gubermit jobs on the horizon.

Mindless happy talk does not put a chicken in every pot…

Mr. Johnson, I truly was hoping for Vodka instead…(sigh) What can I say? The mule BO gave me likes to drink and the 40 dollars is gone…..

The real fuzzy thing is the phrase “created or saved”. Which is it?

Telling someone you “saved 600k jobs” is a blatant attempt at saying the mulligan you took on the 7th hole is really an eagle for the 8th hole and par doesn’t matter anyway.

Heh…I wondered if any of the women here would take you to task for your little intro….Showing a little of your chauvenistic self, Larry?? Heh.

I really don’t quite get you….”Didja”somehow think that a new president could possibly come in and just throw a switch and make 8 years of the last administration go away? Of course, you didn’t and if this President were someone you approved of on day one, you wouldn’t be writing the blog you wrote. So, do tell…do tell how saying “the key is to build on the modest success we have had….” translates into “taking a victory lap.” Get real.

Okay, maybe we ought to rethink that sexist charge.

Susan did you not read that line? Actually when I first read this opening I laughed…

I FULLY AGREE women should not be used for a flippant joke or sexist remark but as a woman I am unable to go through life each day jotting down or going zero to 100 over every remark which appears sexist…

At a guess Larry is male chauvinist at times but on this occasion I am sure he is being merely sarcastic?

On a personal note, my husband’s company is laying off. They’ve just completed an early retirement offer and had nearly 1000 takers. They expect to fire 1000 more from a 6000 pool of workers.

I have been with my company for 18 years and if they were to be taking a hit, I would know in advance through the grapevine. Is there something I’m missing here? I do work for a company which is privately owned so we don’t have to answer to stockholders but if companies are taking risks, everyone with a brain should be aware of it in some fashion. I am sorry about the loss of work, but did anyone see it coming?

Well, Chug-a-lug, how’s that Hillary hate of yours working out? She’s making your master whose feet you lick look mighty good. I’d say that when you post, you weaken your flimflam POTUS. Better shut up while you’re able, Goober.

I’m still waiting on the story about Michelle looking so angry mean at Sarkosy’s wife.
Carla like the good decent woman she is probably set the Michelle damn straight on that dinner snub.
The French do take their dinner engagements seriously.

Let’s just be clear..If you are European you just got the big snub like we all did last year.
Welcome to Obamaworld Europe…How’s that idol worship working for you now…

Talked with an Old English liberal today…

He feels the big snub from Obama returning the statue of Churchill.
The English guy told me that it’s bad Karma for Obama to diss a great hero like Churcill and the English allies while facing the same potential challenges soon.

He’s just messin’ with us for fun–he knows what he said is sexist.

Actually, the two most brilliant mathematicians I know are of the female perusasion. They write books on multivariate analyses techniques and are in demand all over the country for workshops to teach oter mathematicians how to do them. As a hobby they belly dance. Very well rounded women.

If you don’t understand sarcasm, then Larry’s posts aren’t for you.

Welcome to Obamaworld Europe

In honor of “Those Two”… that one pluralized… they ought to come out with a new toy for kids in their honor… Mr. and Mrs. Sweet Potato Heads. Mrs. Sweet Potato Head could have different versions of angry eyes. Mr. Sweet Potato Head could have different versions of stick out ears.

Stereotyping women as math-challenged is horseshit.

That’s the sexist remark which Larry was making fun of.

The real fuzzy thing is the phrase “created or saved”. Which is it?

For argument sake, let us make it as dramatic as possible. Say Teak you’re the last guy in the US with your job still in tact, 0bama will say he and he alone “saved” your job.

You remember when they first started talking about it, there was just the “create” word and then during the second round they realized their own limitation and got ultra-creative and added the “saved” word.

Well, isn’t that what you and your ilk thought of Hillary — that she can’t do the math or any other presidential stuff?

Hell, if we’re here to parse Larry’s words down to the letter while forgetting the message, then we’re all screwed. For God’s sake, get with the forest and forget the trees. We have serious problems, which Larry has been trying to no avail to get across to those of us who come here. Quibbling over semantics is just what the obots ordered. Divide and conquer. This isn’t playtime and the goal isn’t placating each and everyone of you who post. Common ground is the focus.

Forget the prose and learn the message.

And I am just a regular commenter who has been chastised by Larry, too. I got over it.

I’m in an industry that takes 2 – 2 1/2 years to complete a project.

LOL Ellen, I am too. I’m retired and need to go slow.

Ferd:

I think gugalooloo left to stick a finger in another dog’s arse. You know how hee loves to deal in crap:-)

Stop the lovefest!

Larry is on your side, HARP. You need to lighten up a bit. You have been coming here for quite a while and I don’t understand your continued presence given your antipathy towards him. It makes no sense.

Didja”somehow think that a new president could possibly come in and just throw a switch and make 8 years of the last administration go away?

I think you meant to say….

Didja”somehow think that a new president could possibly come in and just throw a switch and make 230 years of great American tradition go away?

Obama is really good at apologizing and trying to erase everything good America has ever done.

Fred,
You are a valued friend of the blog. Thick skin, tough and smart. I appreciate that you keep banging.

You are spot on and I defer to you, Donna. I just hope he washes it before he goes home to his wife and kids.

Stop the stinkfinger!

HaHa! When I first saw the headline “Is Barack Obama a Chick,” I thought Oh Gawd–who has the nerve to post a story with that title on NQ? Then I saw it was by site owner Larry Johnson and the tone was pure snark. Heck, I was ready to take it literally and pursue the possibilities . . .

This was posted back in December and worth a review considering your post and other articles about how the Obama Administration is fumbling for answers to an economy that does not seem to be improving at the rate Obama expected.

Obama is doing what FDR did when he came into office:
http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/12/24/depression-reality/
It resulted in an even worse economic situation which we could not escape from. He made policy much the same way Obama did and defied the Constitution much the same way Obama has (Ginsberg just refered the sale of Chrysler to Fiat to the rest of SCOTUS for consideration which is going to be a black mark against Obama).

One week Obama is saying we cannot borrow anymore and now gives speech saying we have to spend more.

The wheels are off this economic team and the fuzzy math is coming in boat loads.

Thanks for sharing another interesting post, Mr. J. Wondering aloud if lately Mr. Obama is having a differcult time reading the actual words and/or numbers scrolling across the teleprompter? Guess when Mr. Obama is on his game he can differentiate between 57 states and 50 states…guess he could always put the teleprompter away and demonstrate that he can think on his own two feet.

This isn’t exactly “news” to my husband, Ferd. But it is a clear indication that even large, presumably “recession proof” firms are cutting back.

So yes, we saw this coming. But the “happy face” news reports about how the economy is turning the corner begins to drive me a little nuts. It speaks volumes about how this crew views the American public: We can tell them anything; they’ll eat it up.

Infuriating!

brilliant mathematicians . . . As a hobby they belly dance. Very well rounded women.

Tricia, at the risk of getting swatted down real hard, I have to say: LMAO!

Did you catch that number? 787,000 newly unemployed. In March the number of unemployed increased by 746,000. In April the number losing jobs slowed; it was only 563,000. But in May it soared to 787,000. That’s called a trendline boys and girls and it definitely is not a signal that the economic recovery is on the horizon.

FAIL. Larry — your numbers are deceiving. The number all economists use is the Nonfarm payroll employment number because the cyclical nature of farm employment (seasonal hiring distorts the number around harvest times in both directions).

Here are the actual job numbers:

March: -663,000
April: -539,000
May: -345,000

Yes, that is a trend, and it’s going in the right direction. The economy is still in really bad shape, but there are some signs that it’s bottoming out.

P.S. It is definitely debatable how much Obama’s policies have done to help this trend. After just a few months in office, though he might want credit for this trend, it’s tough to argue that any of his policies have had any effect yet. So I’m not claiming that Obama is some sort of magician — just that you’re lying with the numbers.

RESPONSE FROM LARRY: NICE TRY, BUT CLICK ON THE LINK AND LOOK AT THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATS. THE NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED IS INCREASING AND INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY. 14.5 MILLION UNEMPLOYED IN MAY IS NOT “LYING WITH NUMBERS.” PRETENDING THAT THIS IS GOOD NEWS IS CALLED PUTTING ONE’S HEAD UP OBAMA’S ASS.

You’re right about reading Karl Denninger, Peggy Sue. For those unfamiliar with him, he writes a daily blog called Market Ticker dealing with the financial markets, and steam is always coming out of his ears for good reason: Bernanke & Geitner’s nemesis.

It is you who should be thanked, Larry. I have seen alternatives to your website and they pale by way of comparison. At least everyone here gets their comment, including the bots. (And don’t start bots, because you know it is true).

By the way–Obama is not chick–he’s probably neutered and/or spayed.

Ferd.

and flat chested at best…

Yes he is!

Ask Susan or Larry to post the one I made for BO…

Peggy Sue:

I understand now. I am sorry for the trouble you are going through. I really dislike politicians of any kind anymore because they always put a positive spin on crap, irrespective of party. What truly galls me is that That One promised to eliminate politics as usual from the equation. Heckuva job, there, Barky. Those who suffer, however, aren’t the ones out there making the promises–it is those who are made the promises.

I wish I had an answer but I don’t.

Ferd.

Yes he is Sinclair’s chick…. I like at the end of all the BS he kicks out the press.

It’s called satire.

LMAO, He’s a barbie girl in a barbie world… or not….

787,000, WTF? that doesn’t even take into account the number (100s,000) of folk that have stopped looking for work. Get your head out of your arse and you may smell the roses, but that is doubtful because in Obamaville (where you are undoubtfully from) they do not grow roses but rather they sniff out and drink the KOOL AID just as in Jonesville when and where they drank the cyanide laced grape flavored drink. Enjoy.

and flat chested at best…

a debatable point, JustMe, and in fact I think we have discussed this issue on NQ in previous threads–I seem to recall someone mentioning his need of a “bro” or a “manziere” . . . But I certainly don’t want to reignite this explosive issue . . .

And you’re using statistics to lie, as well. “Distortions” are not “distortions” if they are real, twit. You cannot count them out, as would would have us do.

By the way, if you are an economist, your prognostications are no better at predicting future results than a cup full of tea leaves or a pair of dice. Leave science to scientists for a change and dry up.

Nope – no government money for my area. But thank you, Seattle Moss, for the kind concern.

I figure this’ll probably last to the end of September. Then it’ll be gone.

LOL oowawa.
I can’t afford to retire. Just work until I fall over, I guess.

It’s sarcasm and it sure got your attention.

sarcasm: (noun) the use of irony to mock or convey contempt

Don’t create fake problems where none exist, please. We are already busy enough with real problems.

“Is Obama a chick?” God damn! I hope not.

Obama is more than math-challenged. He is deluded. I have to wonder just exactly who he is talking to there (besides Joe Biden) and why his administration would have released this video. Is this supposed to be a pep talk for his economic team or a briefing to reassure his union supporters or more importantly investors? What is this!? Even Jimmy Carter was more inspirational and reassuring. This whole scene has been smoke and mirrors from the beginning.

Ferd:

You may be assuming to much:-)

Stop the hopefest!

We are a generation that proudly shows off its accomplishments in all areas of science, and we preen about our love of facts and our detachment from mythology. Yet our culture is imbued with the most ridiculous faith in government to turn stones into bread, to accomplish miracles with a printing press before our very eyes. This is the age of folly.–Lew Rockwell

When will people start listening to the ones who predicted the mess, can describe in detail the situation, and know how to fix it? http://mises.org/story/3505 Instead they put their ignorant faith in the ‘eloquent’ clueless ones. Who are the real dummies?

actually it,s the mustache

LMAO. I forgot about the pencil-thin mustache she sported. My God, she’s doing film noire as a Private Eye named Bette Imugly.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

Unemployment (Household Survey Data)

The number of unemployed persons increased by 787,000 to 14.5 million
in May, and the unemployment rate rose to 9.4 percent. Since the start
of the recession in December 2007, the number of unemployed persons has
risen by 7.0 million, and the unemployment rate has grown by 4.5 percent-
age points. (See table A-1.)

Who’s lying, fool. Site YOUR source.

James, There is no recovery at this time. ‘Green shoots’ and fluctuating numbers aside, the heart of the economy is getting worse due to the actions this administration has taken. Yes, it started before they came in but they have disastrously contributed EVEN WORSE policies which are accelerating the problems.

It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not–time will show it all very clearly.

I still haven’t got my UNICORN…

Pablo Cruz looks about 16, which even in his native Mexico makes him too young to be taken seriously. His movies suck even worse.

A thanks from me too Larry.

I haven’t seen a site that has the user friendly comments and reply sections that allow you too view how original comments build in responses.

The whole site is pleasing to the eye and allows for interesting discussions.

Blogs are like a version of Cheers

This is for “Pablo Cruz”.

and my house payment has not been paid.

WHEN IS THE CHECK COMING?

Yes, Ferd. Moreover, these particular “statistics” cited by Pablo Cruz tend to be underestimated and later revised upwards.

The bottom line, in the same May Bureau of Labor Statistics report, is that

the unemployment rate continued to rise, increasing from 8.9 to 9.4 percent.

So, even while “celebrating” that, from one perspective, things seem to be getting worse less rapidly, let’s remember that a ship that is sinking at a slower rate is still sinking.

I did click on the link, which is where the numbers come from!

You quoted 787,000 for May, which is a legitimate number — but it includes farm employees. Yes — farm employees are real people, and yes — farm jobs are real jobs. But when looking at trend lines, one has to use the Nonfarm numbers because seasonal hiring distorts the number in both directions. Why is that so difficult to understand?

Here are the numbers again:

Nonfarm:

March: -663,000
April: -539,000
May: -345,000

All jobs, including farm workers:

March: -694,000
April: -563,000
May: -787,000

the domino.s are getting ready to fall
folks you ain’t seen nothing yet..

[...] NoQuarterUSA, became a rally point for Clinton supporters wary of Barack Obama’s … http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/2009/06/08/is-barack-obama-a-chick/ Daily [...]

Wow — my statement has NOTHING to do with Obama. I simply pointed out that Larry was using the overall statistics which include farm employment, and that doing so at this time of year is deceptive.

What would you think if Obama came out at the beginning of harvest season and started quoting overall job numbers that included the hundreds of thousands of jobs that come from the extra work needed on farms across the United States? He’d say, “hey — look at all the jobs are being created by the stimulus package!” You’d probably call bullshit, and guess what — you’d be 100% right.

Farm jobs ebb and flow throughout the year, which means that statistics regarding these jobs cannot be deemed a reliable indicator of the overall economy. I’m not just making this shit up — it is simply the truth. That’s why economists use nonfarm employment as an apples-to-apples measure of unemployment in the United States. This isn’t even remotely controversial — and it has nothing to do with Liberals, Conservatives, Obama supporters, Hillary supporters, or McCain supporters. It’s just how jobs are counted.

I too am confused by these numbers Larry. The 345000 # was widely reported and unexpected—it even sent the markets up the day it was announced because it seemed to indicate a slowing in the number filing unemployment claims. So could you please clarify for me and perhaps others where you get your 787,000 #. The numbers posted above for Mar, April and May are a trend line for a particular category. What are the same monthly figures for the numbers you are reporting that end with the 787,000 in May—in other words compare apples to apples.

I would note that excluding farm employment has some risks to reality. Here in CA farm employment is big business. Some farm intensive areas like the Coachella Valley have unemployment at 25%. We now have Mexicanos returning to Mexico to get a job. Also note that CA is about to add a huge wave of unemployment with large numbers of school employees terminating June 30 and with the closing of state parks, community health clinics, cutbacks in state employment. With the state taking local taxes, you will see cities and counties adding to the cutbacks and lay-offs with the closure of libraries, county and city parks. The stimulus for shovel ready projects will not begin to offset this avalanche of job loss.

Try again, manipulator. If farm unemployment is part of the equation, then you must account for it. You are guilty of using numbers to advance your own cause. Statistics lie if used improperly and you are using them in such a way. I grow weary of your protestations to the contrary. Try another line of work–like politics.

How am I lying with statistics? I was completely open about the numbers I quoted. I indicated that they come from nonfarm employment, which is the statistic used by economist to measure employment trends.

Seriously — I’m not advancing some evil conspiracy here. When attempting to measure unemployment to make predictions about future unemployment, it is necessary to normalize the data by removing farm employment which is cyclical every year. Farms hire a ton of people for short periods of time to harvest their crops, and then they scale back to a crew small enough to maintain the crops during the growing season. Farm employment numbers, therefore, fluctuate throughout the year in both good and bad economic times. Nonfarm employment, therefore, is the only reliable way to examine short-term trends in the labor force.

If you have a problem with that, your problem has nothing to do with Obama.

May: -787,000

No deception there. It is a fact. Argue all you will, Pablo to no avail. You should have been less condescending to begin with. But then trolls are nothing if not assholes.

For the last time, statistics are only data and are not facts, troll.

Sorry LJ, can only torture myself so much. Made it through half way and already tired of my next twisting and saying “OH COME ON!”, so I cut my suffering short.

Thanks for the post. He is just so pathetic.

And I see in his poor taste and effort to dis his own VP and Biden shooting back, Obama was obvious in his attempt for make up. But, they better groom him on how to speak without his teleprompter.

…ot, did you all catch NBC’s Today show about Telemprompter in Chief? TOOO funny.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31051003

….now on to make up reading as I’ve been offline for almost 2 weeks.

“Wag the Dog”

As in all hands were lost?

Blogs are like a version of Cheers

HaHa! Funny analogy, Seattle! I know I’ve been like Cliff Clavin from time to time, but usually just sit around and lurk like Norm. And there are plenty of “Carlas” on NQ to slap us down from time to time. And we must always remember, don’t ever drink and drive blog . . .

Don’t you all just love that Odumbo stated “I am not satisfied” when talking about the numbers and that “Everyone needs to work harder”?

Odumbo, it is kind of hard to rescue a sinking economy while campagning for President of the World isn’t it!

I got your joke, but I’d say it’s a poor choice of words if nothing else.

If you want to be funny, go take lessons from someone who is.

That said, the playing up of the economy just reminds me of the Iraqi Information Minister saying everything was fine as the tanks were rolling in.

Eventually, people will see the BS.

My source is the same as Larry’s — the bureau of Labor Statistics.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

The difference in our numbers is the inclusion of farm workers, whose jobs ebb and flow seasonally, and are therefore not included when examining short term trends.

For what it’s worth, the non-inclusion of farm workers is not part of some sort of agenda. It is how job statistics are ALWAYS reported each month. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released these numbers this way back under Bush, under Clinton, under Bush I, under Reagan, etc…

I guess I have to make the point again to those who are not familiar enough with statistics to understand their underpinning. Unless the statistical method is iron-clad and includes all variables in their due contribution to the whole, they are worthless. Farm income, whether it is seasonal or not, must be included. If one wants to spread it over an entire year (bad for politicians) or just during the non-peak seasons (bad for workers), then that must be stated. What that dingaling Pablo Cruz would have you do is consider neither. For that he is an asshole.

Pablo–Get a new business line–like HuffnPuffPo.

I got your joke, but I’d say it’s a poor choice of words if nothing else.

So shove off, “T”. I think I speak for the rest of the regulars when I say that your input is officious and unwarranted. We will make that decision and not the likes of interlopers like you.

Argue? You’re not making any arguments — just ad-hominem attacks. The only argument I can discern is one that flies in the face of basic statistical analysis. Attending an 8th-grade math class might disabuse you of your crazy idea that you can measure overall trends over time without accounting for seasonal variables.

Wrong, bucko. You must include farm losses in their entirety in their contribution to the whole, which you denied. You can retrofit it to the year or only use it in the months in which it had the greatest effect. But include it you must. You must account for seasonable variables or you are comparing pineapples to hand grenades.

And I know more about statistics than you ever will, Goob.

I like how you feel it necessary to ratchet up your ad hominem bullshit whenever this blog gets called out for being the misleading propaganda dump it is. You don’t get to change how employment trends are analyzed, it’s a set process. Pablo Cruz was not only polite, he was correct. You’re just a mindless bulldog. Who’s a bot now?

What are you talking about? All I’ve said is that for SHORT TERM trend lines, using the total numbers (including farm employment) does not yield useful data. This argument exists wholly outside of the sphere of politics.

In the long term, if you spread it out over the year or over the peak employment season, OF COURSE the overall number valid. They are after all, as I state above, real jobs employing real people. But just as Obama would be full of shit to claim that his policies had created hundreds of thousands of jobs at the beginning of the harvesting season, detractors cannot claim that the additional jobs lost in the off-peak season represent an economic trend. Rather, they are part of the yearly cycle.

And statistics are only data. And if you disagree, you know absolutely nothing about statistics and I’m through with arguing with you.

So fess up on that one or shut up.

WHEN IS THE CHECK COMING?

I’m so sick of hearing that question. I think I’ll stop answering the phone.

Statistics are only data. They are not facts. Do you think we are rubes here prime for the picking? You must be on drugs, Goob.

Oh, yuck, oowawa. That is a visual too hideous for publication.

Sort of OT, but still needs asking, GM has sold or is in the process of selling the Hummer line to China, do people forget that Hummer is a vehicle used by he military, and thus GM is seeling off military manufacturing to China?

And Odumbo is fine with this?

What is going to go next, General Dynamics going to China too?

Hell, the military should go back to the original Jeep–functional, quick, short-turning radius, and not a gas hog. I was stunned when they went to that ungainly behemoth. The military ought to go back to the 0.45 auto, as well.

Just call me old-fashioned. At least the things worked as designed.

You’re acting as if I made up the rules for how to analyze employment trends. Guess what — I didn’t. So when every single news outfit in the country last week — from Fox News, to to CNBC, to the Christian Science Monitor — reported that the U.S. lost 345,000 jobs in May, they left out the farm workers. And then the crazy thing: The markets went up on the news!

It must be a conspiracy against you and Larry. Apparently you are the only two people who understand.

Follow the link to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Go to the top section (Household data) and then examine the data for Civilian Labor Force. Simply read the number for unemployed for March, April, and May. The number 787,000 represents the increase in unemployed from April to May.

Sorry — here’s a quote. THE FIRST SENTENCE of the report…

Nonfarm payroll employment fell by 345,000 in May, about half the average monthly decline for the prior 6 months, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.

Comparing That One to FDR is like comparing Dubya to Eisenhower.

Are there any more questions, half-wit.

Go to the actual report and read the first sentence.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

Nonfarm payroll employment fell by 345,000 in May, about half the average monthly decline for the prior 6 months, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.

This is the number (nonfarm payroll employment) that has been quoted and used to measure trends for decades. The overall number does represent actual unemployed people but cannot be relied upon to discern short term trends.

You don’t understand comparability or the need to ensure the rigidity of the statistical method. You are a troll with an agenda. Try using your half-baked illogic on someone who will listen to your “data”, which aren’t “facts” but “numbers”. They lie as you do.

I patiently await your refutation, in logical and mathematical terms, Larry’s post. You started this and I will finish it for you, given the chance.

Now you are arguing a different line than you were before. Like every obamabot, you change the playing field when caught in a trap of your own making. Do you have no shame, troll? I’m done with you. Complete your High School education prior to coming back here again and confronting us with your “logic”.

Hey Doc,
The two women sent to prison in N Korea is
Obama’s Korean hostage problem

Just like Iran 1979

Pablo — with all due respect, if you wish to be taken seriously, you might try to refrain from calling the blog owner a liar. It’s not the best opener for a discussion.

My refutation? To what?

You haven’t refuted any of my arguments. If you believe that the month-to-month change in the the total unemployment number (including farm employees) is a valid measure of economic health, then state your case. You’d probably be the only person in America (well, in addition to Larry) that believes it.

If you are looking for a number that simply tells you how many people are unemployed from one month to the next, then you’ve got it. If you want to derive meaning from that number and use it to assess the state of the economy, you have to remove external factors that have nothing to do with the state of the economy.

What about this don’t you understand? You can’t look at a few hundred thousand farm employees who are let go as a regular part of the seasonal cycle and say, “Holy shit! Look at how many jobs are being lost in Obama’s economy!” If, on the other hand, year over year, the total number of farm employees continues to decline, you can make such an argument.

Well, MediocreFuture, I like it when you trolls come here to question a regular like me who you wouldn’t know from Adam.

I do however, find it refreshing that you would take me on as I think you might be just above marginal in the IQ arena so I will get a bang out of this exchange.

You don’t get to change how statistics work, dipshit. You can dumb them down to your own parochial understanding but they would then be meaningless. The asshat to which I responded decided to take it upon himself to ignore the farm unemployment figures. And you, in turn, fell for it, too.

You know nothing about statistics or about compensation for seasonal differences or you wouldn’t be here quibbling with me. No, you are another dipshit troll with an axe to grind because someone said something bad about your Messiah, That One. Oh, the humanity. He said something bad about Oblahblah, and he’s a really nasty man and a racist.

LMAO at a stupid, paid obamabot with a Jonesin’ for some Thunderbird. Go away, kid, you bother me.

Larry,

BHO is actually a BEEYOTCH. Calling him a woman is too kind.

Administrator: I lost a comment to the shredder which is addressed to the bot above. Can you extricate it for me?

What is this crap about every American has to purchase health insurance and the government’s going to tax people who already have insurance? It’s nuts to think people who are out of work can buy insurance and why should people who work hard be taxed for benefits they are already paying into every month? Sounding more and more like tyranny to me.

Really? Please examine my first post on this page and compare it to the one to which you’ve just responded. How did I change my argument in the slightest?

Let me guess … a MALE lawyer, right? You are a bit insufferable. JOWO.

Only in your narrow opinion. You keep commenting as though you are an expert. You aren’t and I’m not buying your sudden change in attitude. You made a bald-faced claim to which I responded and now you are suddenly backing off. Larry’s numbers are correct in spite of your protestations to the contrary.

Argue THAT, troll.

Well … depending on where he lives in Mexico. Sometimes 16 is middle aged in Mexico, no?

Shut up, troll. When you actually know what you are talking about, I’ll listen. He wasn’t polite or correct in any way but then your obots understand polite as in scratching your crotch at every available opportunity. I mean, really, you shouldn’t use the term polite and whatever name you go by in the same breath.

misleading propaganda dump it is

The stats are from the Bureau of Labor.

Numbers are numbers, and Pablo is WRONG.

Uh ,,,, we do and 0bama equals the current economy equals the problem equals the joke. See?

Obama is doing a great job but unemployment figures keep rising, Obama is great with the economy but our deficit is growing daily, Obama is better fighting the war on terror but yet we have more deaths in Afghanistan this year than we did last year this time.

Ok I get it forget the bad figures, things are going great, we are excelling in the world and China does not have us by the balls, right Obama is doing great…whatever!!!

He is but his troll friends have taken me to untold task for my take on it.

Data is data and truth is truth and the twain don’t often meet.

0 is only ok with full employment for the people who got us here in the first place … and you thought that shurb was a self server? Puh-leze!

Yeah, but Pablo Cruz and his companion tell us otherwise. Who do we believe–our lying predicament or those two boobs in denial?

You have yet to explain why it would make sense to include cyclical, seasonal, predictable ebbs and flows into a model for determining short term trends. The reason you have not explained this is because you can’t, so you fill in the empty space with boring insults. Typical of an LJbot.

What parallel reality do you inhabit?

I never claimed that Larry’s numbers weren’t ‘correct’. To the contrary, I pointed out that his numbers included farm workers — which makes the numbers useless for measuring economic health (as he was doing).

Why can’t you address my point directly? Do you honestly believe that the numbers that include farm employment are a better indicator of economic health than the nonfarm numbers that are universally reported?

Perhaps you just don’t understand my point yet. If you want to include farm workers, you’ll get the actual number of unemployed people. If you want to extrapolate data regarding the overall health of the economy, you have to somehow account for the cyclical nature of the farm employment.

In what world is this even slightly controversial? It’s as if the BLS never reported this data this way before, and it was only in June of 2009 that the entire world blindly and instantly started using the nonfarm statistics as one measure of economic health.

Alternatively, maybe you’ve been pouring over the BLS statistics for years, and picking fights with anyone (everyone, really) who uses the nonfarm statistics. It must be lonely. But hey — don’t forget. Just because you’re not paranoid doesn’t mean everybody’s not out to get you.

Because they are a part of short-term trends, stupid. You can manipulate your statistical claptrap into a bs souffle but it won’t be edible.

You are a complete ignoramus.

FAIL — your using different subsets of numbers is disingenuous, at best.

Your post didn’t mention farm vs non-farm.

You reported 345K and said Larry’s/BOL’s $700K+ was wrong.

You said they were the “actual” numbers.

Larry showed the ACTUAL BOL numbers without relying on “short term trends” mumbo jumbo.

JOBS ARE JOBS, not trends.

Well maybe I have a simple way of thinking but if things were getting better I would hope the unemployment figures would reflect that, inflation would be dropping, and the general public would be out shopping, going on vacation and so on, the signs of an improving economy would be there.

Since am seeing none of that, how the hell am I to walk around with my head in the clouds and pretend things are getting better?

Here is a comment that I left on May 8th pertaining to the government’s non-farm job-loss statistics, and it is still relevant:

The “massaging” of the unemployment numbers in these government reports has certainly not escaped the attention of a great many Wall Street traders. Here is a typical comment from a trader named “saabnut9000″ from the Market Watch comments section:

This is all market manipulation. Saying that “ONLY” half a million jobs (539,000) were cut in April is good because analysts predicted 600,000 is total BS. In what universe losing another half a million jobs is good I dont know but the big picture is that the national unemployment rate jumped almost 1/2% ot 8.9% in one month, if it kept its current pace we will be at 10% by July. But the key word is “predicted” and the reality is job losses keep mounting and reemployment is almost non-existent right now. We are at a 26 year high in unemployment and the funny thing is next month they will revise the numbers to what they ACTUALLY are and they will be closer to the 600,000 that was actually predicted. They revised the numbers for Feb. and March by 66,000 higher after the fact. And another little tidbit of info is that of the 13.7 million OFFICIALLY listed as unemployed a RECORD 27.2% have been unemployed longer than 6 months

Of course, most folks just see the “Better Than Expected” headlines, and let it go at that.

And, as I mentioned above, a ship that is sinking at a slower rate is still sinking. We have no reason to think it is going to stop sinking, start going up, and start flying.

This whole issue of employment numbers is discussed by Larry Doyle in this NQ story:

http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/2009/05/08/time-sensitive-may-unemployment-report/

Another thing whatever happened to the first 600,000 jobs Obama said he was going to produce when he won the election?

This 600,000 in the next 100days is that a new 600,000 or is it the last 600,000 that never materialized we are now going to see that happen?

“Comparing That One to FDR is like comparing Dubya to Eisenhower.”

What in the world are you talking about? Do you read or do you just look at headlines and pictures? There just is no way of responding to something that inane.

Yes, N. Korea is turning into 1979 Iran figuratively. They are holding hostages now. Nobody is talking about N. Korea going back on the treaty. By doing so, they have declared war on us in an underhanded way. Because if we no longer have a treaty, they the war is technically no longer over. Of course, the MSM has their hands over their ears going la.. la.. la.

For simplicity’s sake, I’m going to quote ExcellentOutcome from upthread because he has articulated so well what I have been unable to, regarding your fundamental inability to respond to my central point:

You have yet to explain why it would make sense to include cyclical, seasonal, predictable ebbs and flows into a model for determining short term trends.

You cannot and will not be able to do so. I expect only more ad-hominem attacks.

OK, dipshit, I’ll spell this out for you in terms you can understand.

The unemployment figures should be accurate, irrespective of season.
They should not be seasonally adjusted
They should not reflect the slackers who refuse to work
They should include only citizens of the US

Now since the government decides to do none of those things and compare apples with oranges, then we have a situation where you can claim for your Messiah that unemployment is lessening when all real indicators tell the opposite.

By the way, unlike you, I am a Chemist, a real scientist who uses statistics in the way in which they are supposed to be used. In a comparable and strictly controlled fashion. Frankly, you obfuscate, divert, and ignore real data.

I just posted a longer response that the Spam Filter vetoed. But back on May 8th, Larry Doyle posted an NQ article dealing with these unemployment statistics. It and the comments are well worth reading:

http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/2009/05/08/time-sensitive-may-unemployment-report/

If I’m wrong, then I’m sure you’ll explain “why it would make sense to include cyclical, seasonal, predictable ebbs and flows into a model for determining short term trends.”

Because if you can explain that, then I will have, in fact, been proven wrong. Explain it to me, and I’ll be man enough to admit my error.

Unknown fact fallacy, Goober. If you actually use logic, I could take you on. You use neither mathematics nor logic in your fantasy world. Try me-I’ve given you an out above.

Do you have any idea why Hummers were originally contracted by the U.S. Armed Forces? Because they handled far better in off-road situations like desert dunes – like in Operation Desert Storm. Your old fashioned Jeep didn’t hold as much and were never that stable ont he road.

You’re not old fashioned – just not very smart.

Do you have any idea why Hummers were originally contracted by the U.S. Armed Forces? Because they handled far better in off-road situations like desert dunes – like in Operation Desert Storm. Your old fashioned Jeep didn’t hold as much and were never that stable on the road.

You’re not old fashioned – just not very smart.

Your post with all the numbers DID NOT mention you were reporting non-farm numbers which is a subset of what Larry reported.

And then you had balls to claim Larry was wrong?

I went to the BOL site via google (us dept of labor unemployment numbers) and on their site, the first report you find for unemployment…

Economic News Releases
Employment Situation

You get your non-farm…

But if you read more, not just the first line…you get the table that actually says…

Table A. Major indicators of labor market activity, seasonally adjusted

For “civilian work force” change from Apr to May, the figure is “787″.

Which is the same number Larry started with.

Now, if you can cite something from the BOL that the “short term trends” are more significant somehow, let’s see it.

But please don’t AFTER THE FACT, backtrack by saying you were talking non-farm jobs the whole time, because you weren’t.
(Numbers in thousands)

doh, darn block quotes!

Because it is part of the equation. Which part of that statement are you incapable of understanding?

That you choose to ignore seasonal unemployment is your problem and not mine nor Larry’s. Indeed, when Bush did this, you asshats were in an uproar.

You are nothing more than silly teenagers with delusions of grandeur thinking you can take on the logic of inclusion, which your silly Messiah has already taken on. You do him a real disservice, trolls. You should be hailing Larry’s take on this and my defense of it.

Larry was correct and you took him to task for being correct.

I guess in your world that is OK.

Ask Pablo Cruz and his fellow bot traveler. They have all the answers, although they are mystical numbers generated by the magic 8-ball. You know the kind.

They were not and I used both. And as for your comment to my being old-fashioned–well you aren’t exactly playing with a full deck if you think the Hummers are better. Wow, such arrogance to a soldier who used both.

You are just another bot, hokma. Take that and smoke it, dweeb.

Because their table explicitly states…

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED.

And unless you actually served, troll, you have no business questioning my take on it, now do you?

And did you serve in the former West Germany?
And did you serve in the Fulda Gap?
And did you serve where it snowed 8 months out of the year
And did you serve where there were no roads to speak of when it was the dead of winter?
And did you serve when the alerts came and muster was to be made in 5 minutes?

No you didn’t. I did and the old Jeep was remarkable in its dexterity and ability. It was tried and true. I love that vehicle. The “Hummer” is only a blow job and a poor one at that.

You, on the other hand are a GM employee with an axe to grind.

Yuk Fu

Do you or have you ever had name rank and number hokma?

He won’t bother with them. After all, they are just women. Not worth his time or effort. Hillary will move heaven and earth to get them out, while Obummer sits on his ass and accepts accolades for his latest speech.

handled far better in off-road situations like desert dunes

I only know one guy who’s driving one of them on active duty and even HE knows two or three guys KILLED on sand dunes in a Hummer.

They’re good, but not THAT good.

then we have a situation where you can claim for your Messiah that unemployment is lessening when all real indicators tell the opposite.

Here’s the central problem with your argument — now that, after 20+ comments, you’ve finally decided to make one:

The flip side of the statement above is that blind and foolish Obama supporters could use your logic to claim during the harvest season that Obama’s economic policies are creating new jobs — when, in fact, the added jobs would simply be part of the normal economic cycle. Don’t you see that using the nonfarm employment statistics is politically-neutral in the long term? (Of course, so is not using them…)

The unemployment figures should be accurate, irrespective of season.

Guess what?

I agree.

If you want to know JUST about unemployment numbers, then the total number (including farm workers) is all you need. Congratulations — we agree that if you want to know the number of unemployed people, you should try to accurately count the number of unemployed people. Do you honestly think that this is what the argument is about?

If you’re looking for a trend from which to extrapolate information regarding the health of the economy, the cyclical factors must be factored out. While it may be a crude method of doing so, since not 100% of the fluctuation in farm employment is cyclical, the best shorthand for doing this is to remove the sector of the economy where the job gains and losses are least likely to be related to overall economic health.

You have not even come close to addressing this point.

I think we are having a failure to communicate with the bots. Seasonally adjusted apparently means to them “never adjusted”. They can either adjust it over an entire year or adjust it according to season. Those two boobs never did say which they preferred–only that it was “wrong” to include them because it was “seasonal”, which I take to mean that they wanted to ignore them at all costs.

Oh well, the bots get their way. I will ignore the whole mess but vote accordingly in the next election–and anyone who supports That One will get the big “nay” from me.

Ferd, I disagree. I think Michelle and Uhbama were made for each other.

has anyone seen this? pretty hilarious:

http://sirrealpolitik.wordpress.com/2009/06/09/all-the-presidents-guardians/

So, did you make that stuff up? We have enough problems with That One to last a lifetime. I, frankly don’t care about the teenage take on it or the satire of a teenager take on it,

Take it to HuffnPuffPo, will you?

I think he/she only read the first line of the BOL report, regurgitated that without going further…

and is now just playing CYA.

It’s always, “What I meant was…” and where the blazes have we heard that?

This is the very definition of willful ignorance. I suspect you understand full well what is being explained to you, but you refuse to acknowledge it for fear of having to publically correct yourself and disagree with Larry. It’s a shame you allow yourself to be used like this.

OK, but I do think that Michelle has the beard 5 o’clock shadow that would be the envy of such an little inconsequential man as That One.

At least the things worked as designed.

And helped win a war against industrial powerhouses unlike Iraq, Afghanistan and for that matter, Viet Nam not to mention The Mouse That Whimpered, Grenada.

It’s always, “What I meant was…” and where the blazes have we heard that?

LMAO. Indeed

Only for this-is-what-a-feminist-looks-like Obama it’s “Wag the Bitch.”

I wish it was fake. But alas, it is only too real.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/08/presidents-emails-barack-obama

This is a scream and yet sad as well. from the Canadian Free Press:

http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/11750

The Fill-in-the-Blanks Fairytale World of Barack Obama

Judi McLeod Bio
Email Article

By Judi McLeod Saturday, June 6, 2009

Once upon a time there came a president who crossed the global village telling bigger whoppers than any other president, including George W. Bush. But the one he told at Buchenwald when the 65th Anniversary of D-Day was being celebrated, really sticks in the craw.

They say the more often a lie gets told the sooner it becomes the truth, but this is how the Barack Hussein Obama big lie went down at Buchenwald in time for D-Day commemoration ceremonies: “I’ve known about this place since I was a boy hearing stories, uhh, about my great uncle, who was a very young man, uh, serving in World 11.” (Rush Limbaugh, June 5, 2009). “He was part of the 89th Infantry Division, the first Americans to reach a concentration camp, eh, they liberated Ohrdruf, one of Buchenwald’s subcamps. And I’ve told this story, he returned from service in a state of shock, uh, saying little and isolating himself for months on end from family and friends, uh, along with the painful memories that would not leave his head.”

“His uncle has told the UK Telegraph and Der Spiegel, `I don’t know how he knows this, I’ve never talked to him about it.’”

Because illusion threatens to replace reality, the latter-day `Brothers Grim’ decided to Introduce the 2009 Fill-in-the-Blanks Fairytale World of Barry Soetoro, (BS) for short.

Canada Free Press is calling it a Grim Brothers Fairytale for 2009 and Beyond.

Sit down at your kitchen table–if you still have one–and fill in the blanks so that upcoming generations don’t conclude that Dreams of My Father was an unstoppable nightmare.

But first hide your granny! In the BS world, the Big Bad Wolf is no long after Little Red Riding Hood but your Granny, As in the post-January 20, 2009 world anybody over age 60 needing an operation or medication will be sent on their way.

Obama was born:

In a manger,
Vancouver,
Hawaii,
Indonesia,
Kenya,
Planet Krypton (his joke)
None of the Above
____________

Obama’s birth certificate is:

In the bottom of your crackerjack box;
Still waiting for the ink to dry;
On a WorldNetDaily sign out on some obscure country road;
In Michelle’s safety deposit box
buried in Ted Kennedy’s compound
None of the above
____________
Obama is married to:

Oprah Winfrey,
A re-incarnated but not working Jackie O,
His back-talking Teleprompter,
His Blackberry,
Prince Charles,
None of the Above
____________
Obama’s favourite smokes are:

Craven A
Players Lite
Whatever he can cop when the paparazzi’s not around
Cuban cigars
Wacky Tobaccy
None of the Above
____________
Obama’s favourite flag is

Iran’s
Saudi Arabia’s
Acorn’s
The personalized one on his private plane
The Today the Pond, Tomorrow the World One
None of the Above
____________
Obama’s favorite dates

The Manhattan flyover joyride
Chicago on Valentines Day
Cocktails at Nancy’s
Wednesday Wagyu steak nights at the White House
His 3-plane, 2-helicopter, $75,000 night out in the Big Apple with Michelle My Belle
Hanging at home and having pizza delivered by plane
None of the Above
____________
Obama really is

King of the World
The 12th Imam Mahdi
The Messiah whose dog walks on water
Elvis Presley returned
The Wizard of Oz
Edgar Bergen’s Dummy
The Talking Head behind the Teleprompter
The second coming

This is the very definition of willful ignorance. I suspect you understand full well what is being explained to you, but you refuse to acknowledge it for fear of having to publically correct yourself and disagree with Larry. It’s a shame you allow yourself to be used like this.

Willful?–Larry doesn’t own me
and we’ve never met. You, however are an obamabot, with nothing to show but your own arrogance and stupidity.
What is explained to me?–You have explained nothing. You have droned on about statistics and your pitiful take on them, which I have already refuted. You are clueless.
Refuse to Acknowledge it?–Acknowledge what? That you have no concept of statistics? I did, most vehemently. I cannot be responsible for your inability to understand the most rudimentary of analysses.
Used by Larry?–LMAO. I only know Larry from his website and by my commenting on it. That he and often agree is immaterial to the subject at hand, which is your stupidity. LMAO but don’t try any more. You have already painted yourself as a moron.

saw a clip of his golf swing. no way he gets scores in the 90s, without cheating. maybe 120s. of course, he probably has chris matthews completing his card and reporting a 72.

If not fake, then crap, spoo. Frankly I do not care what he does in his spare time or what his fake family does in theirs. This is more diversion, which is both uninteresting and irrelevant.

Tell me what his plans are for the Middle East, scroo/ Foo/Scoobydoo/deedoo? or whatever your name is today and then be off.

Better yet, try fornicating with yourself for a day or two.

behind closed doors of course!

We get enough sexist remarks from Ob and his chicago friends, maybe you should criticise them. WE KNOW Larry is being sarcastic . but then you are an OBOT and you cannot see while worshipping the appointed one.

Yecch. I hadn’t considered that ugly visual. Wow, JustMe. LMAO

I don’t golf and neither does That One so you’re probably spot on.

So true, Rose

BTW Seattle, one day a number of years ago I thought I’d contact my Senators to find out what it takes to get on the list to be able to bid on Government contracts. I wrote letters and I phoned their offices. Neither Dianne or Barbara or any of their staff bothered to answer.

It’s only a fallacy if you’re arguing against the straw man that you’ve created in my stead.

Your unwillingness to directly answer my point proves that you’re only interested in arguing against some mysterious and amorphous position known only to you. My position has been clear from my first post, and you have yet to state why it is wrong.

Your ignorance is astounding. The number I’m quoting, which comes directly from the BLS report, is the number by which “nonfarm payroll employment fell”. That number is 345,000. Since the number already excludes farm employment, seasonal farm employment is not included in the adjustments. The seasonal adjustments in this case are for fluctuations due to such predictable seasonal events as changes in weather, changes in production levels, holidays, school closings, etc.

saw this clip on iowntheworld.com – any golfers here might enjoy it. that one’s swing sucks!

http://iowntheworld.com/blog/?p=3906

Oh yeah — and are you now arguing that we should, in fact, adjust for seasonal employment? That would be exactly the opposite of what I asked you to do. Instead, you seem to be agreeing with me.

Hey all — funny thing. I’m surprised that nobody called me on this, but I made a mistake in attributing Larry’s unemployment numbers solely to the inclusion of farm workers. My mistake wasn’t that the cyclical employment of these workers needed to be factored out somehow — something that everyone in the world (except Larry and Ferd, apparently) agrees to. (Somehow the arguments against me seemed to take two mutually exclusive views — both that the numbers should not have excluded cyclical unemployment, and that the numbers were already seasonally adjusted for such employment. — cognitive dissonance much?)

Rather, it appears that the difference between the 345,000 people who lost their jobs in May and the 787,000 people newly unemployed is the 350,000 new people in the labor force. Of course, 350k + 345k doesn’t bring us to 787k, but the BLS’s household survey, which takes into account the total labor force. The discrepancy between newly-unemployed nonfarm labor and total newly-unemployed labor is a much smaller 92,000.

The problem is that as time goes by, more and more people enter the labor force. In may, 350,000 potential workers materialized (in no small part due to college and high school graduations), and there weren’t any new jobs for them because of the deteriorating economy. This gives us a total of 787,000 additional unemployed people.

Unfortunately, while this 787,000 number represents the actual number of people who are eligible for, but do not hold, employment, it is a poor measure of the economic trend because it obscures the fact that the pool of existing jobs, while still deteriorating, is shedding workers at a continually slower pace. To be sure — hardly news to jump for joy over, but a trend that is going in the right direction.

The sinister, math challenged, Joker BO, is a foot and is conspiraring with Dick Penguin and Pelosi the Riddler, to finally rid Gothem City of “truth, justice and the American way” for all time!

..Against the night sky shone a search light, …the shape outlined, silloitted against starless abyss…could it be a cry for help?….

Calling Pat Woman!

we need you!!!

I didn’t mention farm vs. nonfarm? Please lay off of the crack pipe. From my first post:

The number all economists use is the Nonfarm payroll employment number…

In any case, it turns out that the greater part of the discrepancy comes from the additional 350,000 employable individuals who have entered the workforce.

Yikes! what a combo.

You write:

“But please don’t AFTER THE FACT, backtrack by saying you were talking non-farm jobs the whole time, because you weren’t.”

Seriously — are you insane? READ MY FIRST POST:

The number all economists use is the Nonfarm payroll employment number because the cyclical nature of farm employment (seasonal hiring distorts the number around harvest times in both directions).

And then I quoted the numbers… You need some help.

As for the discussion regarding short term trends, I was responding to Larry’s assertion:

787,000 newly unemployed. In March the number of unemployed increased by 746,000. In April the number losing jobs slowed; it was only 563,000. But in May it soared to 787,000. That’s called a trendline boys and girls and it definitely is not a signal that the economic recovery is on the horizon.

My response was that although those 787,000 unemployed people were actual people without jobs, using his data to extrapolate a trend was bogus. Rather, the ‘actual numbers’, from which one may discern a trend that might shed some light on the overall situation are the nonfarm job losses. I doubt you could find an economist that disagrees.

Wow — another non-response when caught in a lie and unable to back up a statement. This is getting tiresome.

You’re calling the guy an ignoramus, but you’re intentionally being ignorant here:

Because they are a part of short-term trends, stupid.

No shit. What you are saying is, true — BY DEFINITION. ie. Saying that fluctuations in values in the short term are part of the short term trend is like saying 1+1=2. How can you not understand that this isn’t what’s being argued here?

Not a single person has stated that the numbers Larry quoted are WRONG — just that when used to extrapolate data about the economy as a whole, they are MISLEADING.

But go ahead and ignore the last paragraph… just pretend that I said that the numbers are wrong and that the numbers should be seasonally adjusted for their own sake to be more accurate, etc. instead of what I’ve been arguing all along — that the data’s meaning changes when you adjust for nonfarm employees. It’s a distinction that you apparently can’t grasp.

Ferd, at least we know who owns the Norelco in the family, no?

Well Publo gugaloo loo Snooze:

Try this ad hominem attack on for size. Do us all a favor and get a job:-)

Oh, I forgot, less workers in the workforce might equal a lower rate of unemployment. If that’s how you interpret the fuzzy math.

Stop the newmathfest!

Now that I think about it–NQ is a much more entertaining place than Cheers. Sam Malone’s bar in Boston never had these wild brawls where everybody breaks chairs over everybody else’s heads. And so, here’s to you, No Quarter, Cheers!

Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn’t you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
And they’re always glad you came . . .

Well, sometimes they’re glad you came.
And sometimes they’re even gladder to see you go!
It’s real here.

Ahem, Susan K: Girls worse at math? No way, new analysis shows:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Girls can do just as well at math as boys — even at the genius level — if they are given the same opportunities and encouragement, researchers reported on Monday.

Their study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, contradicts studies showing girls can do as well as boys on average in math — but cannot excel in the way males can.

They also said it is a clear rebuttal to Larry Summers, who as president of Harvard University said in 2005 that biological differences could explain why fewer women became professors of mathematics. Summers is now chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers for President Barack Obama.

“We conclude that gender inequality, not lack of innate ability or ‘intrinsic aptitude’, is the primary reason fewer females than males are identified as excelling in mathematics performance in most countries, including the United States,” Janet Hyde and Janet Mertz of the University of Wisconsin in Madison wrote in their report.

They did a statistical analysis comparing various math scores and contests with the World Economic Forum’s 2007 Gender Gap Index. This annual report ranks countries according to employment and economic opportunities, education and political opportunities and medical status.

The United States ranks 31 out of 128 nations on the World Economic Forum index.
…

but there are some signs that it’s bottoming out.

Now if you are under the bus when it happens….

…well roadkill is more appealing than the logic your using.

Yes, that is a trend, and it’s going in the right direction…
by your logic BO just “saved”…((seeing if I can do the math…))
645 minus…crunch crunch….ding ding!

WOW! 300 thousand jobs were saved. Praise The One!

You say “Signs”?

like;
(giving the dog Pablo a bowl of water)
Bo: It tastes funny.
[Morgan takes a sip]
Morgan: It does not. It’s just tap water. Besides, he licks his butt every day, I don’t think he’ll mind.

LOL oowawa I stopped that a long time ago…

Larry was being sarcastic about girls-math, but for proof we have this handy story:
Girls worse at math? No way, new analysis shows

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Girls can do just as well at math as boys — even at the genius level — if they are given the same opportunities and encouragement, researchers reported on Monday.

Their study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, contradicts studies showing girls can do as well as boys on average in math — but cannot excel in the way males can. …

details of the analysis at the link.

statistics which include farm employment.

So you are talking about “migrant” workers in the fields of California who have been getting laid off in the thousands?

Hope you enjoy the price of a head of lettece at a grocery store near you.

Or are you talking about the up swing in the auctioning of farm equipmet along with the farms and houses on them?

Dead on AJ. That was my point. Gracias.

OMG, I watched that entire tape. One thing is for certain: this man loves the sound of his own voice.

How long will it take for the American people to wake up? Most are skeptical about the bailout mentality and the massive spending, but nothing seems to phase Obama’s approval ratings.

OK…now..Pablo

the 350,000 new people in the labor force…

You mean that lot of people that are over there on the Group W Bench? The same people that get counted over and over again?

That many people just don’t just “appear”. That would be like saying the entire city of Tulsa, Oklahoma or Colorado Springs got in the un-enjoyment line….not that they haven’t done this before…but back then they called that a depression, today they call it a “green shoot”.

14 million people out of work are the makings of many a breadline. Your opptimisism is missed placed as are your facts.

Point taken.

But you still say “all economists use..”.

Really, all?

He was comparing apples, you were looking at apple cores, and saying his numbers were wrong.

His numbers still had a (BAD) trend.

And you still haven’t put up anything that says economists use non-farm over total unemployment.

And about your not stating non-farm, I made a mistake. Sorry. Kiss off about “needing help.” I suppose you’re perfect right? You notice I hadn’t gotten that personal, and now YOU are the one throwing personal insults.

Well played.

At the end of the year, when your friend has lost his unemployment benefits, he will still be unemployed, but will not show up on any list, he will be unemployed but without benefits and not counted.

Um, no, I would have been stating the 787K jobs LOST from Apr-May were ALREADY seasonally adjusted. I know where your number was coming from…from the same damn chart.

Where in the link does it say seasonally adjusted doesn’t take into account things like harvests? Is a loss of 300K in FARM jobs normal? For Apr-May? If you wanna look at trends, is it normal for farms to dump 300K on their arse in April? No, I wouldn’t think it’s normal, but then I’ll let you look it up, because I’m posing the question and you’re so hot about the FARM numbers being irrelevant. Prove it.

And your obstinacy and lack of sourcing is astounding. You keep saying the non-farm is the number and that Larry’s 787K is somehow an incorrect number!

You’re pulling shit from your arse, like oh now seasonally only means this this or that.

Since the number already excludes farm employment, seasonal farm employment is not included in the adjustments

Where the hell are you getting this? The table (Table 1) clearly shows the 787K, which includes ALL persons, right? So in that table, non-farm is NOT taken out. So in fact, they ARE part of that math and as such, ARE seasonable adjusted (whatever that means.)

And the unemployment RATES for all workers just keep going UP. (First line of reports). They don’t say, oh this is higher because of all those farm jobs. No, it’s a total, their first number, as in, the most important!

it is a poor measure of the economic trend

You keep using this line, but haven’t backed it up.

Your whole assertion is based on this idea, but you haven’t given it ANY substance.

You’re trying to boil everything down to SHORT TERM, but haven’t defined SHORT (vs LONG) and why it’s more important.

It’s pretty logical to conclude that the LONG term is more important. We want people to have and KEEP jobs right?

And moreover, if you look at Table A-5, Ag jobs have increased, while non-ag jobs have declined (from this time last year).

And finally, in Table B-1, if you look at non-farms jobs from May 08 to May 09, it went from 137,517 (thousands) to 132,151 (thousands) employed. So year to year, it’s DROPPED.

Pablo, please back up your assertions:
1. what is short term?
2. why is it more important than long term?
3. Show that non-farm is THE number ALL economists use to show the health of the economy.

And show your work.

You seem to like making ignorant comments and randomly insult people when in fact you have no idea what you are talking about. You are the classic case of the contented look of ignorance.

Do you read anything other than this blog and comic books? Read some history about the Hummer and then respond intelligently – the same with the putz “JustMe.”

Is there something wrong with you? Where do you come up with these ridiculous comments?

Clearly you have some severe issues and I won’t respond to anything you have to say again.

Larry, Susan..all Have you seen what George Galloway is up to?

Check Out What George Galloway Is Up To/ Our Convoy to Gaza
By: Leen Tuesday June 9, 2009 5:46 am

When I first heard former Member of the British Parliament George Galloway speak out against the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq I was stunned by his clear, powerful stance against a war based on a “pack of lies”

From his ass whooping of Former Senator Norm Coleman to his articulate, clear headed stance against the radical policies of the U.S. and Israeli governments,,,this man’s principles and all the folks he unites is a power to be reckoned with.

Look what Galloway is up to now. Spread the word!

Sent this to Pat Lang last night

http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/5671 also
Look what Galloway is up to now. Spread the word!
————————————————————-

Fresh from the success of the Viva Palestina: Lifeline from Britain to Gaza aid convoy – which took over 100 vehicles to Gaza from the UK, Member of Parliament, George Galloway has linked up on his US tour with the Vietnam veteran and peace campaigner, Ron Kovic, to launch a similar, but even larger venture from the States.

Galloway announced the initiative at a 1000-strong meeting in Anaheim, South California, rounding off a packed-out, coast to coast speaking tour highlighting the Palestinian cause.

“There’s a new atmosphere in the US over Palestine,” says Galloway, “the phenomenal response to this tour demonstrates that.”

Ron Kovic, whose story was immortalized in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July, will be the co-leader of the convoy, which will travel from New York City to Egypt before making its way across the Rafah border into Gaza.

Viva Palestina: The USA Convoy to Gaza is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, but individuals and groups from across the nation are organizing locally to generate support for the convoy, which aims to raise 500 vehicles and $10 million of humanitarian aid.

“And what better day to head off,” says Galloway, “Than July 4 – Independence Day!”
Bookmark and Share

categories Home | admin | datetime May 20, 2009 8:33 pm | comments Comments (0)
TAKE ACTION!

What can YOU do to help the ease the suffering in Palestine?

The success of this movement depends on each of us, and EVERYONE has something to contribute – whether time, funding, skills, contact lists or organizing support! To see this convoy succeed, there are many needs we have yet to tackle…but our determination is great – WE CAN ALL DO SOMETHING TO COME CLOSER TO REALIZING THE GOALS OF THIS MISSION!

• Join Our Mailing List (see sidebar)
• Forward The Appeal To Your Contacts List And Ask Organizations And Businesses You Are Affiliated With To Do The Same To Their Contacts
• Organize Fundraising Events – Concerts, Discussion Groups, Street Theatre, Speaking Events – And Explain Your Goals To Garner Support
• Set Up Local Groups And Committees In Your Area And Send Us That Information so We Can Post it Here.
• Speak Out In Your Schools, Clubs And Workplaces And To Your Media Contacts And Ask Them To Report On Viva Palestina USA’s Efforts Commit To Raising Funds For Particular Medical Supplies (Check Back To See Website For Prices);
• Sponsor A Volunteer’s Trip Expenses So They Can Go In Your Place
• Purchase A T-Shirt Or Bumper Sticker
• Download Our Flyers And Hang Them In Permissible Places
• Gather Support To Send A Delegate From Your Organization Or Community To Gaza As A Representative And Provide A Banner For International Recognition (For Instance: “Sacramento Coalition For Peace Supports Viva Palestina USA To Gaza”)
• BE CREATIVE IN SUPPORTING THIS WORTHY MISSION!

No, larry is insulting a woman’s intelligence to say BHO is a “chick.” Women are much smarter than this piece of this USURPER.

Let’s get this straight. Unemployment rose to 9.4%, it previously was 8.5% (under reporting) and this slick car salesman who went to NY and Paris on TAXPAYER’S MONEY has the nerve to say what he said.

any sexist inference is not important, the message of ECONOMIC FAILURE IS.

http://www.vivapalestina-us.org/

Fresh from the success of the Viva Palestina: Lifeline from Britain to Gaza aid convoy – which took over 100 vehicles to Gaza from the UK, Member of Parliament, George Galloway has linked up on his US tour with the Vietnam veteran and peace campaigner, Ron Kovic, to launch a similar, but even larger venture from the States.

Galloway announced the initiative at a 1000-strong meeting in Anaheim, South California, rounding off a packed-out, coast to coast speaking tour highlighting the Palestinian cause.

“There’s a new atmosphere in the US over Palestine,” says Galloway, “the phenomenal response to this tour demonstrates that.”

Maybe you were asleep, but we didn’t win in Vietnam.

Maybe you weren’t even born yet….

Barack Obama, America’s Pussycat-in-Chief…and his vagina chronicles. http://tinyurl.com/ktrgv7

Appalling

Appalling.

I know you are but what am I – - – half wit.

I know you are, but what am I ? A half wit.

There, fixed that for ya. Enjoy your day.

Thanks to Larry J. for compiling this info in a form easily digestible by us common folk. Now, my question is why is this post here NOT on the FRONT PAGE of the Washington Post or N.Y. Times. Do people really do their own math on the pluses of Obama’s vacuous speeches and the minuses of the actual real facts accessible to anyone intelligent enough to at least read NO QUARTER!…

Is this, Larry, why Obummer hired LarrySummers to do the math? Summers agrees that only chicks are stupid in math! And look where this sentiment has gotten him, eh?!!

Because it’s amateur hour statistical analysis. I suspect major news organizations get their analysis from professionals, not disgraced former intelligence officers.

So according to you we won the Vietnam War.

I am a woman and I am not math challenged at all. I am not an economist either but predicted that unemployment rates would reach 10% by June. I underestimated it a bit. It appears it will more than 10%. I live in the Air Capitol of the World….we stand to lose more jobs in the aircraft sector. Cessna announced more cuts. Boeing cut 10% of their workforce, Hawker Beechcraft isn’t looking good either. Bombardier has only cut 450 from their workforce mainly on the production side. These are just the numbers from the aircraft industry…it doesn’t reflect the ancillary companies that have had to cut their workforce.

Some of this comes directly from language out of the White House and some from the very language in the TARP/Bailout bill.

This one example of a town in the middle of the country and we tend to lag behind the other states when a recession hits.

That means that we aren’t on our way to recovery.

As for those 600,000 summer jobs they are going to create…Where are they going to create them (in the private sector, I doubt it.) and how?
I don’t see a plan. In 2 months school starts back up….Who is going to apply for these fictitious jobs anyways?

I suppose you are going to factor the developmentally disabled which have a much higher rate of unemployment too! The Department of Labor plays with numbers all the time. If they reported the true unemployment numbers people would be screaming in the streets. The true numbers are much higher when you factor in the folks who have given up looking for jobs and those that are underemployed.

No matter which way you look at it the numbers are easily manipulated. And the DOL does it all the time.

You are wrong the numbers are increasing. Just wait until the full effect of the Chrysler and GM bankruptcies hit the “unemployment lines”.

OMG you woman made my day.