Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

As the Debby effect dissipates, initial claims remain positive for the economy

 – by New Deal democrat For the last several months, jobless claims have been buffeted first by unresolved post-pandemic seasonality, and then also by the effect of Hurricane Debby on claims in Texas. The first is now abating, and the second has ended, as this week claims in Texas declined to their typical level last […]

Kroger Engages in Theater – Kabuki Style

“Kabuki is a form of classical theater in Japan known for its elaborate costumes and dynamic acting. Phrases such as Kabuki theater, kabuki dance, or kabuki play are sometimes used in political discourse to describe an event characterized more by showmanship than by content.” Maybe I am wrong in calling it such. The style of play occurring between the two companies […]

Healthcare Costs Expected to Surge at Highest Rate in 15 Years

Forecast of commercial healthcare costs to come in 2025 (MedCity report), what has occurred in the past, and what is expected beyond 2025. Meanwhile Congress is twiddling their thumbs arguing amongst themselves over what is more important to their existence . . . constituents or big business. Interesting too, how the Sadlers are getting themselves […]

Preliminary benchmark revisions wipe out 30% of jobs growth in the past 16 months

 – by New Deal democrat Every month I write about the Jobs Report. But while it is timely, it is only an estimate. There is an actual census of over 95% of all employers that also gets reported, called the QCEW, and it is the “gold standard” of actual jobs growth (or loss). Its two […]

Heat Killed 50,000 in Europe Last Year–Are We Next?

Brief discussion by an intelligent basketball legend on hot weather caused by pollution and the resulting deaths from it. “Heat aggravated by carbon pollution killed 50,000 in Europe last year – study,” The Guardian, as discussed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Summary: Hot weather inflamed by carbon pollution killed nearly 50,000 people in Europe last year, with the continent […]

Betting on climate change

Believe it or not, there are still some folks who think climate change is a hoax. How many are financially invested in that belief, I don’t know. I do know that folks who are currently in the business of making money in the insurance industry *do* believe that climate change is real. They’re no longer […]

 FLiRT Covid wave is growing less rapidly

r.j. sigmund on Covid a few days ago i read an article on a university website that Covid activity was ‘showing signs of slowing’, so that’s what i expected to find when i checked the data this morning…”growing less rapidly” might have been a more descriptive assessment… among the CDC’s “early indicators“, “test positivity”, or the percentage of tests for Covid that were positive, […]