Unemployment claims lowest in three years

[malaise]

according to the CNBComcast guy on M$NBComcast

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. So pretty much everyone is out of a job by now, sounds like.

It sure is not rising employment numbers.

[Little Star]

2. Now if they would only report on how many 99er's still are without work!

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

3. Yep, at the very least, let the '99ers call in just to be counted.

[stockholmer]

4. I will file this with Bernanke saying costly oil no threat to U.S. economy

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/03/02/idINIndia-55233220110302

:rofl:

[WatsonT]

5. I wonder how the welfare claims are faring?

Step 1: Shift everyone from unemployment to welfare

Step 2: ? ? ? ?

Step 3: claim success for ending unemployment and saving the economy.

Just more fun with statistics.

[hobbit709]

6. You don't bother to file a claim if you're NOT going to get any money.

you're still out of work but not being counted so the numbers look better.

[pinqy]

7. So, look at the Employment Situation Report tomorrow...

The official Unemployment rate includes everyone looking for a job regardless of whether they are receiving benefits or if they ever held a job at all.

[hobbit709]

9. Operative words-looking for a job

and only if you go down to the unemployment office are you counted. Any other numbers are WAGs.

[pinqy]

12. Wrong

The unemployment rate is a survey...it doesn't even ask if someone is receiving benefits. Where on earth are you getting your info from? Someone who just graduated and starts looking for her first job is counted as unemployed. As for job search criteria...why would you consider someone not trying to work as unemployed? Why would you want to count retirees and full time students and stay at home spouses as unemployed?

The point is to look at the Labor Market. Someone not participating...someone not available to work because they're not looking...tells us nothing about how hard or easy it is to actually get a job.

[hobbit709]

13. Have you ever been surveyed?

I certainly haven't and I don't know of anyone who has.

WAGs are all they are beyond the count down at the unemployment office.

[pinqy]

14. They're not counted at the UE office!!!!

National level UE figures don't look at all at UI claims! State and local level use UI claims to adjust from the national survey.

The survey is 60,000 households a month, with households in the survey for 4 months, out for 8, back in for 4. It's not a WAG, it's an estimate using decades of statistical research.

[hobbit709]

15. Repeat, it's a WAG.

And you didn't answer my question.

[pinqy]

16. You can repeat it all you want...

But referring to the results of applied statistics as no more than a WAG just makes you sound stupid.

No, I've never been surveyed, but then I haven't been eligible most of my life as military are excluded from the survey. Nor would I really expect to be...with approx 165,000 households a year from the entire country, an individual's chances of selection are very low. I've never been selected for a neilson survey or gallup poll either. What's your point? Why would it mean anything that you've never been selected and don't know if anyone you know has ever been selected?

[Justpat]

8. Because the unemployed have given up looking for work.

The people whose unemployment benefits ran out are no longer counted.

[GSLevel9]

10. and unemployment rises... to 10.3%

http://www.gallup.com/poll/146453/Gallup-Finds-Unemployment-Hitting-February.aspx

PRINCETON, NJ -- Unemployment, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment, hit 10.3% in February -- up from 9.8% at the end of January. The U.S. unemployment rate is now essentially the same as the 10.4% at the end of February 2010

[JVS]

11. Congratulations, they've laid off nearly everyone they can!