Employment

February 7, 2010

The recent unemployment figures have me thinking and wondering.  I’m no employment expert or economist.  But I wonder if we’re just going to have to deal with 90% of America being employed for a while, and…is it really bad?  Consider this.

As a result of the recession I lost my job in 2008.  Out of necessity I started my own business.  So, while the government may have considered me unemployed for some time, and still may for all I know….I’m doing well enough sustaining myself utilizing my own expertise built over the years.  So I wonder how many of that 10% are making on their own as independent contractors, establishing their own LLC’s and going it alone, or from what I’ve been reading in several sources, making do with one income.

We give “getting back to family values” a lot of lip service.  But perhaps like many of our parents (mine included) many families are returning to a one-income household and just doing without some of the “stuff” we’ve become so accustomed to yearn for over the past decade or two, or even three.  With me working out of the home, I’m able to do more household chores that we shared, I’m home when my kids get off the bus, I can get “stuff” done during the day that we used to have to do at nights or on the weekend, and frankly I think we’re all just a little less “stressed” these days.  How many of you find yourself in similar situations?  And, how is that working for you and your family?

So I’d like to hear what your situations are readers.  And if any of you have a take on the unemployment numbers, maybe more about how their calculated and if you think 95% of America needs to be employed to move forward, then please chime in.

Oh, and let’s please not make this a political discussion.  It took a lot more than any one President or administration to get us here, so party bashing comments will get tossed.  Rational, logical opinions and arguments are always welcome…bashing or piling on…gets us nowhere…

Thanks,

Barry


Employers likely added 5,000 jobs last month

February 5, 2010

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers probably stopped cutting jobs and added 5,000 payrolls in January, the second monthly gain since the recession started in December 2007, the government is expected to report on Friday.  Read the full story HERE.


Factory orders rose 1.0 percent in December

February 4, 2010

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – New orders at factories jumped by an unexpectedly large 1 percent in December despite a drop in transportation equipment orders, while inventories shrank, a government report showed on Thursday.  Read the full story HERE.


Private job losses decline, outlook improves

February 4, 2010

NEW YORK (Reuters) – With jobs at the top of the U.S. political agenda, private employers reported the smallest payroll decline in nearly two years in January while the vast U.S. services sector grew slightly, data showed on Wednesday.

Signs that the pace of job losses is slowing could ease pressure on….read the full story HERE.


Visa 1Q profit rises 33 percent, beats estimates

February 4, 2010

DES MOINES, Iowa – Visa Inc. on Wednesday said its profit rose 33 percent in the fiscal first-quarter on increased revenue, even as consumers pull back sharply on spending amid the recession.

The payment processing giant reported net income of….read the full story HERE.


Costco January same-store sales top estimates

February 4, 2010

(Reuters) – Costco Wholesale Corp reported a better-than-expected 8 percent increase in January same-store sales, helped by a weak dollar and higher gasoline prices.

Read the full story HERE.


Cisco trounces estimates, sees strong recovery

February 4, 2010

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Cisco Systems Inc’s quarterly results and outlook exceeded Wall Street expectations as more customers upgraded their networks to handle growing Internet traffic, leading CEO John Chambers to declare a very strong recovery.

Shares in the leading network equipment maker rose 4 percent as the company forecast revenue…..

Read the full story HERE.


Sony boosts outlook after first profit in five quarters

February 4, 2010

TOKYO (Reuters) – Sony Corp’s results offered tangible proof a restructuring at the electronics maker is starting to pay off as it halved its annual loss forecast on a rebound in flat-TV business and cost cuts.

Read the full story HERE.


Positive News From The UK: Mortgage approvals continue to rise

January 19, 2010

Submitted by Juan Cajigas, from the UK

By Tanya Powley

The number of mortgages approved for house purchase rose in November to 60,518, the highest level since March 2008, according to the latest figures from the Bank of England (BoE).

Oliver Gilmartin, senior economist at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, said the BoE’s figures supported its view that “increasing momentum” in the housing market would see further rises in house prices during early 2010.

Read the full story here…


Fed’s Lacker sees “reasonable” U.S. growth in 2010

January 15, 2010

RICHMOND, Virginia (Reuters) – The U.S. economy will expand at a decent clip this year as a recovery in housing and consumer spending offset troubles in commercial real estate, Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker said on Friday.

Read the full story here…