5 Indicators the Economy Is Still Stagnating

breitbart.com ^ | 10/3/2014 | Ben Shapiro

[rktman]

The media celebrated Friday as the Department of Labor announced a “surge of hiring” – 248,000 new jobs added in September. The unemployment rate has now dropped to 5.9 percent.

The Labor Department also revised upward the jobs numbers from July and August, adding 69,000 jobs; that puts the last three months of job growth at 671,000. The Associated Press, among others, speculates that the Federal Reserve may now talk about raising interest rates.

But all is not well in the real economy. Here are five indicators that despite the rosy picture being painted of the Obama economy, things still aren’t booming for the average American:

[rktman]

But, but, but...... That ain't what the lyin' king just told us. Sadly, the no/low info voters buy this line of BS. My own take is based on a non-scientific glance at Ebay where I peruse guitars for sale/auction. A few years ago practically every guitar listed had at least 1 bid. Now, very few show any bids at all. And the few shown bids are a lot lower than a few years ago as well. Guess I'm lucky to have sold some when I did. But, like I said, non-scientific. Rock on old(er) guys. :>}

[wally_bert]

I have used Ebay as a sort of barometer and see a real drop overall. A few things I interested in still get some activity which figures.

[Cheerio]

September Jobs: Some Numbers Bubblevision Didn’t Mention

The September establishment survey showed a 248k job gain, but that was the seasonally maladjusted, preliminarily guesstimated version which will be revised in October and November, and then re-benchmarked several more times in the coming years. So let’s take a pass on the enthusiasm with respect to this fleeting monthly delta and consider a couple of trend points evident in this morning’s release—-data points which aren’t going to get revised away and which actually provide some fundamental insight about the actual “employment situation” and the true condition of the US economy.

More at link

[Starboard]

The unemployment rate has now dropped to 5.9 percent.

************
One month before the election. Imagine that.

[wrench]

Some items I watch are asking crazy high prices now. No activity at all. Folks are panicking trying to find cash anyway they can

[Kid Shelleen]

Just follow the 10 year treasury note . When the economy is really improving the Fed won’t have to keep suppressing interest rates.

[rktman]

LOL! I guess that kinda depends on your interests. I know some things are still getting action while others are seemingly stagnant.

[wally_bert]

Some stuff is absurdly priced I have to agree.

There was a 70s era 99% complete Space 1999 Eagle, the big one that I ran across and watched. It went for a little over $400 but the guy had to list it twice and come down on the price some.

I would like to get another 67 or 68 Cougar like the one I had for a little while but had to get rid of to appease someone.

[Justa]

Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey

Series Id: LNS11300000
Seasonally Adjusted
Series title: (Seas) Labor Force Participation Rate
Labor force status: Civilian labor force participation rate. Age: 16 years and over

Now add in $8T of additional debt obligations.

[wally_bert]

I have some oddball tastes I admit.

Old military surplus small equipment with moving parts, the more the better, same with some automotive and farm, and some lab equipment. I make a few bucks with stock footage and just about everything now has logos and numbers all over. Here are some things.

http://www.shutterstock.com/video/search/?contributor_id=64505

http://us.fotolia.com/p/201245571

http://www.revostock.com/ViewProfile.html?&ID=194070

I also go to most any kind of airshow, old car, old farm equipment, livestock, or anywhere that people will bring and show stuff off.

Photos are easy enough to fix but video is another animal. I’ve signed up for a trial of Adobe After Effects which is something I have no real idea how to use.

Apart from cover ups, my main problem is dust and grit on the sensor that shows up only after seen in normal view. It isn’t often since I routinely clean the sensor.

[rktman]

Interesting, and it looks like it’ll keep you off the streets. :>} Good luck with the Adobe After Effects. You know more than me since I didn’t even know it was out there. LOL!

[wally_bert]

With all the travel to the shows I spend a lot on the road on weekends when I feel up to traveling.

I cross two counties to the office in the woods M-F and some weekends when I get a call. After a while that highway travel beats me up.

I just transitioned over to Sony Vegas for an editor and it supposedly has some kind of fixing tool. It is loaded with all kinds of bells and whistles. I doubt I will ever use it all. For a long time I was a Pinnacle Studio user. The past two versions on two different computers have developed the same problems.

[wally_bert]

Here is the first slap together with Vegas. I love the time code window generator effect. It is cheesy with some stock music that I finally found that somewhat fit the mood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utf0Vm_RsVM

[TalBlack]

There are two main streams of money for Monument dealers: NEW monuments and additional inscriptions on EXISTING monuments.

All through the last six years there have been small drops and returns to level in inscriptions. The Monument side has been steady. This year the monument side has dropped hard...that is people are leaving their loved ones graves unmarked for the time being. In 32 years this is a first. The next scary indicator will be a price drop at the dealer for new and existing.

[usconservative]

Here's the ONE FACT these so-called "Economists" aren't paying attention to:

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, more people are LOSING THEIR JOBS and LEAVING THE WORKFORCE than there are jobs actually being created.

Weekly first time jobless claims (job losses) have been averaging @ 315,000.

Monthly job creation for just September was 248,000. That's over 1,417,000 people MONTHLY who lose their jobs, who then have to compete for the less than 300,000 jobs "created" in that same month.

This is not a "robust" economy, it's not even anything resembling a "recovery."

We have the lowest workforce participation rate in this country in well over 50 years. More people are dependent on some form of Government Benefit than there are people actually working.

This "economy" isn't sustainable. Anyone who believes we're in recovery or the economy is doing well is a FOOL.

Were it not for the 330,000+ people leaving the workforce each month, unemployment would be well over 10% and REAL UNEMPLOYMENT which counts those who are under-employed, unemployed and given-up would be well over 17%.

Finally, here's the most scary statistic I've found to date: 1 in 5 Working Americans has LOST THEIR JOB in the last 6 years and had to find new work. That's 20% of working American's have had their lives disrupted by job loss.

Of that 20%, more than HALF have yet to find meaningful full-time employment with any sort of benefits.

All this information is out there folks, the Bureau of Labor & Statistics, Forbes Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Investors Business Daily and others all talk about these numbers.