Robust Economic Growth in October

U.S. job growth surged in October and the unemployment rate hit a 7-1/2-year low of 5.0 percent in a show of economic strength that makes it much more likely the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in December.   Nonfarm payrolls increased 271,000 last month, the largest rise since December 2014, the Labor Department said on Friday. In addition, average hourly earnings rose a respectable 9 cents.  The unemployment rate now stands at its lowest level since April 2008 and is in a range many Fed officials see as consistent with full employment.  Brian Jacobsen, chief portfolio strategist at Wells Fargo Funds Management in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, called the jobs growth figure "astounding."  "It's pretty clear that the Fed would be justified in hiking in December if the economy doesn't hit another air pocket," Jacobsen said.  The reaction in financial markets was swift and sharp.   Prices for U.S. Treasuries plummeted, pushing yields higher, and the dollar rose to a 6-1/2-month high against a basket of currencies as investors braced for higher borrowing costs. U.S. stocks were trading lower.

I don’t know what to think of Dr Ben Carson.  Maybe he’s not as “stabby” as we thought because CNN has interviewed people and don’t remember him coming at people with rocks, hammers and baseball bats.  They called him a skinny nerd with a pocket protector.  So he makes things up to get “street creds”.  Now Ben Carson has a rap song out trying to appeal to his own race.  At least he doesn’t sing in his own song.  Carson is now saying the Pyramids of Egypt were really grain silos built by Joseph.  Of course the pyramids are solid for the most part and not hallow and we have written records saying they were built as tombs. 

All of the C02 in the air now is making us dumber.  We are supposed to have 500 ppm or something but when the figure goes to 950 ppm signs of mental lethargy are apparent and over 1200 ppm there are very obvious signs of mental sluggishness and an inability to make decisions.  So our C02 pollution is affecting the next generation’s education.  This morning President Obama made a little speech being officially against the XL Trans-Canadian pipeline.  This is a good thing but yesterday the text of the Trans Pacific Partnership treaty came out to the public.  It’s the news we’ve all been waiting for for months and yet the media said nothing about it.  This is a toxic issue to the corporately owned media for sure.  The only interests that are served by this treaty are the large business investors.  Nobody has the right to sue in their courts- only them.  National sovereignty and security take a back seat.  Labor is cut out of the process.  The interests of the anti global warming people aren’t listened to.  And consumers have few if any rights to sue in these kangaroo courts.  Whether they are harmed through an unsafe product or drug, or whether they are being ripped off in what they pay- - consumers have no rights.  Back in the old days they used to speak of business investments as taking a risk.  That’s because you had no idea what laws would be changed or legal rulings coming down or contracts that would be awarded or not affecting the price of your stock.  People still invested large sums of money in the prospect of making a lot more money and “being proved right”.  But now these international investors are so risk averse they want their income- -their “revenue” as guaranteed by force of law and enforced in their own courts run by their fellow businessmen, and from which there is no appeal.  The Trans Pacific Partnership for this reason is completely unconstitutional.  (Selah)

Hillary Clinton, John McCain, David Petraeus and other hawks have long called for a no-fly zone over Syria.  The U.S. is now sending F-15 jets to Syria.  That should terrify Al Qaeda and other baddies, right?  Nope … Al Qaeda leaders are actually begging for a U.S.-imposed no-fly zone.  American reporter Reese Erlich interviewed several top Al Qaeda leaders in the area including Abu Qatada, and they told him they feel that the U.S. has been too weak in Syria, and America should have introduced shoulder-fired missiles to shoot down Assad’s planes, and set up a no-fly zone over Syria.  Erlich says that Al Qaeda sides with Clinton, McCain and Petraeus in calling for a U.S.-imposed no-fly zone.  Why?  The A.Q. leaders explained to Erlich that – in the short run – increased U.S. intervention would topple the Syrian leader Assad, who is one of Al Qaeda’s main enemies.  In the long run, they explained, Al Qaeda would end up with all of the U.S.-provided weapons, and so they would be able to take over in Syria. 

We then come to the soap opera.  Here's Wednesday's commentary.  Yesterday's episode was so non compus mentus I don't know how to rightly respond to it because there were so many things "wrong" about the episode.  Here's Wednesday.  As far as the soap opera one might call it a super wealth of evil.  Bo and Patch got arrested and are spending the night in jail with no phone calls, so the next time Bo does see Hope it will be at her funeral.  And all of those jerk-offs at the wedding were the ones who put Hope in her grave, particularly Kayla Brady.  Andre told Chad (at the police station of all places) that there would be another necktie murder tonight and nobody could stop it.  But no matter who Chad tells they just think he’s completely nuts.  There would seem not to be a ray of hope for Hope’s surviving the night.  It seems now to be only a matter of time – and very little of that.

 Paul called just before dinner and we talked a while touching all the bases.  Paul is going to some Calvary Chapel thing he’s taking off work for.  (?)  Paul remarked about how the weather has gotten cold so suddenly.   The topic of Mom never came up.  I see Judy gave me a link on how to get the debates in five parts. Then they announced dinner and I peaked in the dining room then headed out for a cigarette.  Paul had said that [name] had sent me two letters I haven’t responded to yet.  I didn’t see any new ones from [name] but wrote him anyhow.  We will be having Thanksgiving at Marie Calendar again this year the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  [name] expressed concern about Bill’s lip cancer.  I told Paul and [name] both about my gum irritation.  Glen gave me some baking soda to rinse my mouth out with and I tried it.  I informed [name] that my blogging frequency and my reader numbers are both dismal.  Norman Goldman still gets testy with callers he can’t be whitty enough to beat in honest debate.   And Governor Christie made a statement earning Norman’s praise about all lives matter- - even sixteen year old female drug addicts.   Norman is the one not being philosophy consistent on the abortion thing.  I think the caller was right in expressing concern for those four hostages we still have in Iran right now.  I too am puzzled this issue was never addressed by the nuclear negotiators.