Which President in the last 40 years can claim the title of "Small Government" President, in terms of the Federal Workforce? Better look at this before you answer...

Can you identify the US President(s) since 1970 who have decreased the Federal Workforce significantly during their time in office?...Regardless of your political affiliation, are you feeling a little conflicted right now?? Kinda looks like there is only ONE "small government" President, doesn't it??

Snapshot of where jobs were gained and lost in the lastest Employment Report...Read it and weep...

Here are the major categories of industries and the change in jobs in each of those industries.  Under "Nov 2011" are the number of jobs created (or if a negatice, jobs lost)  in those industries in the month of November (add 3 zeroes to the number you see to get the correct number in thousands).  It also shows a comparison to Oct and Sept 2011 AND compares to a year ago (Nov 2010). 

The biggest number to jump out is "Retail Trade"---a net increase of 49,000 jobs.  This would in large part be seasonal hiring for the holidays. One would have to assume most of these jobs will go away in a month.  This will show up in the January report, which would come out in Feb 2012.

Read it and weep...

Source: BLS.gov

US becomes a Net Exporter of Petroleum products for the first time in 62 years!! Is this a good thing? Nice new graphic showing the cause...

This caught me by surprise. The US, for the first time in 62 years, has become a net EXPORTER of petroleum and petroleum based products.  Gasoline and diesel fuels (for cars and trucks) lead the way.
 
The following graph may help explain some of the reason.  It shows a leveling-off of gasoline supplied in the US starting in about 2005 and then declined in 2007-08 (recession started).

Source: EIA

However, this does not mean that  the production of gasoline has decreased.  While demand is soft in the US, many other economys in the world are growing and have an increased demand for gasoline.  This graph shows the production of gasoline. 

Notice how production varies in the short term, but if I am reading the trend line correctly, it has increased in the past year.  Use your imagination and put these three graphics together---A declining supply of gasoline in the US market, an increasing supply of gasoline produced in the US = export of the difference---its gotta go somewhere...

From the WSJ:

""U.S. customers have been pulling back in part because an anemic economic recovery has left millions still looking for work. In August, U.S. drivers burned 7.7% less gasoline than four years earlier, when gasoline usage peaked...

But U.S. drivers aren't seeing much benefit in the form of lower prices because refineries on the Gulf Coast are shipping much of their output to places where demand is strong, keeping prices high....

Mexico and Brazil were major consumers of U.S. exports, according to the September data, while the Netherlands—home to key European ports —and Singapore also were significant net importers.

Argentina and Peru are now net importers from the U.S. For the next year or two, "the economies in Latin America will be growing faster than in the U.S. and the trend of increasing exports should continue," says Daniel Vizel, U.S. head of oil trading for Macquarie Group Ltd.

Singapore's net imports from the U.S. roughly quadrupled in the past five years, while Mexico's rose by about two-thirds. Mexico, in particular, is having trouble keeping pace with gasoline demand and buys about 60% of gasoline exports from the U.S...;""

"Green Energy is People!!"**

I did not make this up, but wish I did. To get it, you will have to be familiar with the theme of the movie "Soylent Green"...

Crematorium May Generate Electricity

""A CREMATORIUM wants to install turbines in two of its burners to generate electricity.

The burners at Durham Crematorium would use the heat generated during the cremation process to provide the same amount of electricity as would power 1,500 TVs.

A third burner is to be used to provide heating for the site's chapel and its offices.

The scheme would be the first of its kind in the UK but industry experts say that it could be followed by other similar projects.

Many crematoria are currently replacing their furnaces, to meet government targets on preventing mercury emissions from escaping into the atmosphere.

The substance accumulates in the air and water and is harmful to the brain, kidneys, nervous system and unborn children. It also has an impact on the food chain, particularly when it is deposited in water and ingested by fish.

Crematoria are required to halve such emissions by next year and eliminate them altogether by the end of the decade.

Some have already fitted systems which use the heat from the burners to provide heating for their buildings, nearby offices and, in one case, a swimming pool. ""

Those of you in college struggling with finals preparation, here is some motivation for you (see Chart)---Education PAYS in terms of earning potential and likely-hood of being unemployed...

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics