The Afternoon Flap: April 6, 2012
These are my links for April 5th through April 6th:
- The big March jobs miss — and why the real unemployment rate sure ain’t 8.2% – Swing and a miss. A big miss. A really big miss. U.S. employers added just 120,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said on Friday. That’s the smallest increase since October. Economists polled by Reuters had expected nonfarm employment to increase by 203,000. And as economist Robert Brusca points out, “The strong amazing run in household jobs came to a crashing halt as employment in that survey fell by 31,000 after rising by 42,000 last month and 847,000 the month before that.”
Then there’s the unemployment rate, which dipped to 8.2% from 8.3% the month before. That extends the longest streak of 8%-plus unemployment since the Great Depression. The U.S. economy hasn’t been below 8% unemployment since Obama took office in January 2009. And back in May 2007, unemployment was just 4.4%. (And keep in mind that average hourly wages are up just 2.1% over past year. But inflation up 2.9% (2.2% core). American workers are losing ground.) As Barclays Capital puts it: “Overall, the report had an undeniably weak tone and will raise doubts about the strength of the labor market. Given that the report reflects only one month of data and some of the underlying cyclical sectors registered payroll gains, we do not view it as conclusively signaling a shift to a lower trend rate of employment growth.”
- Actress Amanda Bynes arrested on suspicion of DUI – Actress Amanda Bynes was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing into a police car in West Hollywood early Friday, authorities said.
Bynes black BMW struck the rear right quarter panel of a black and white sheriff’s radio car while trying to pass on the right as the police car attempted a right turn from Robertson Boulevard onto Santa Monica Boulevard, authorities said.
Following an investigation on scene, the 26-year-old actress – known for her roles in the move “What a Girl Wants” and the TV series “What I Like About You” – was then arrested on suspicion of a DUI and was booked on $5,000 bail, authorities said.
- Google edges out Apple in favorable ratings – Behind the Numbers – In the battle of the technology giants, Google beats out Apple in basic favorable ratings by 82 to 74 percent in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Facebook comes in with a 58 percent favorable rating. Upstart Twitter has yet to make a similar impact among technology companies. About a third hold favorable ratings of Twitter, with just as many unfavorable ratings and holding no opinion of the company.
Google, the eponymous search engine company that just released a video about “Google Goggles,” is in a particularly enviable position. More than half — 53 percent — have strongly favorable ratings of the company. Just 9 percent feel unfavorably.
Apple, the world’s most valuable company, is considerably lower than Google on the intensity scale, with 37 percent having “strongly favorable” impressions.
- Gallup Poll Watch: U.S. Unemployment Rate Falls in March But… | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Gallup Poll Watch: U.S. Unemployment Rate Falls in March But… | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-04-06 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-04-06
- Charles Manson Scheduled for Parole Hearing Next Week – Says He Won’t Attend | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Charles Manson Scheduled for Parole Hearing Next Week – Says He Won’t Attend
- Gallup Poll Watch: U.S. Unemployment Rate Falls in March But… | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – RE: @Flap Gallup is a pretty reputable and accurate private polling firm. Now, the BLS figures that will come out tom…
- Gallup Poll Watch: U.S. Unemployment Rate Falls in March But… | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Gallup Poll Watch: U.S. Unemployment Rate Falls in March But…
- Two Tunisian Men Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Posting Muhammad Caricatures to Facebook | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Two Tunisian Men Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Posting Muhammad Caricatures to Facebook
- Arby’s resorts to blocking conservatives on Twitter | Twitchy – RT @michellemalkin: Sad. Via @TwitchyTeam: Arby’s resorts to blocking conservatives on Twitter #tcot
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: The Afternoon Drill: April 5, 2012 – The Afternoon Drill: April 5, 2012
- El Monte Union board votes to slash pay for administrators – Thirty-eight El Monte Union High School District administrators will be hit with a 2 percent pay cut effective July 1, the Board of Trustees decided Wednesday.
As a part of those reductions, Superintendent Nick Salerno’s contract has also been adjusted so that he makes $171,500 instead of $175,000 annually.
The district has been struggling to fill the $6 million budget deficit it faces in the next fiscal year and has already made several reductions, several of which target its adult school.
The latest move targets 38 certificated administrators.
According to board member Theresa Velasco, a resolution that includes pay reductions for the district’s classified administrators will come forward in May.
- Keith Olbermann Sues Current TV — You Owe Me Roughly $70 Million | TMZ.com – RT @BreakingNews: Keith Olbermann files lawsuit against Current TV for wrongful termination – @TMZ
- Untitled (http://getglue.com/topics/p/masters_tournament?s=tch&ref=Fullosseousflap) – Watching on ESPN… @GetGlue #MastersTournament
- Maria-Elena Talamantes Assumes Office on the El Monte Union High School Board of Trustees | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Maria-Elena Talamantes Assumes Office on the El Monte Union High School Board of Trustees
- The Morning Flap: April 5, 2012 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – The Morning Flap: April 5, 2012
- Flap’s California Morning Collection: April 5, 2012 » Flap’s California Blog – Flap’s California Morning Collection: April 5, 2012 via @flap
- Maria-Elena Talamantes is Sworn Into Office
– YouTube – I liked a @YouTube video Maria-Elena Talamantes is Sworn Into Office