RECORDS

I don't mean the kind you listen to when I say "Records" - I mean the kind that are made, and broken. Yesterday was a day when numerous records were broken. Sadly, they weren't the kind to be proud of.

UNEMPLOYMENT The number most quoted yesterday was 4.78 million. That's how many people in the United States are collecting Unemployment benefit checks. However, digging a little bit deeper, there are an additional 1.4 million who are collecting unemployment checks from the recently passed EXTENSION of 7 weeks by congress. That brings the actual total up to around 6.2 million people collecting unemployment checks from their respective state governments. Both, of course, are NEW Records - the highest since someone began keeping records way back when I was still in high school. One other little omission - these figures do not count the folks who have exhausted unemployment benefits. God knows how many people that encompasses. Bleak, to say the least.

NEW HOUSING PURCHASES Another record breaker, in a negative way. New housing purchases went down in 2008. First time since record keeping began - back in the early sixties.

SOLDIER SUICIDES In 2008, at least 128 active duty soldiers committed suicide. It may be more. There are still 15 "suspicious" cases being investigated. On a per capita basis, members of Armed Forces suicides are now higher than that of the civilian population. Both are Records.

My little City of Tulsa, Oklahoma is not immune either. With approximately 380,000 residents, we have had 9 bank robberies so far this month. In all of 2008 we had 14.

IN OTHER NEWS Wall Street continues to rub our collective noses in the dirt with the recent news of $18.4 Billion dollars paid out in bonuses in 2008. Obama was too kind when he used the word "shameful". I think thieving Bast**ds is more like it.

Illinois Governor Rod Blago finally bites the dust. Good Riddance, Good Bye.

Old Fart Mike