New Unemployment Claims Rise "Unexpectedly"

[nathanm]

I am always in the market for a good book my friend.  I read far less than I should.  Do you have any you would suggest?

All the Devils are Here is a pretty good one. I haven't finished it, but 13 Bankers also appears to be pretty good. Matt Taibbi's most recent book, Griftopia has a wealth of facts if you can get past the perspective it's selling very hard in the first couple of chapters. It gets better in the middle. Taibbi managed to get interviews with a few people whose perspectives aren't detailed anywhere else I've seen, otherwise I'd throw it on the trash pile.

All of these are available in both electronic and paper form from the library.

[Gaspar]

All the Devils are Here is a pretty good one. I haven't finished it, but 13 Bankers also appears to be pretty good. Matt Taibbi's most recent book, Griftopia has a wealth of facts if you can get past the perspective it's selling very hard in the first couple of chapters. It gets better in the middle. Taibbi managed to get interviews with a few people whose perspectives aren't detailed anywhere else I've seen, otherwise I'd throw it on the trash pile.

All of these are available in both electronic and paper form from the library.

13 bankers looks interesting.  The others seem to be journalist works.  I will investigate.  Thanks.

[AquaMan]

I had no idea I was a pompous chauvinist.  You have humbled me.  I just feel sad for your view of my fellow countrymen.  What would it take to improve your impression of the American people?

Won't do you any good to read books if you cannot understand simple posts!

I feel fine about my fellow countrymen and my impression of the American people, of whom I am one, is generally favorable though declining at this moment in time. Not recognizing the great fictional conventions of our time is a deficit when conversing. Imagine having to talk to a Russian who doesn't believe that Soviet style Communism was a disastrous lie. A fiction that nearly destroyed them. Or trying to explain to a Nazi that Hitler was hiding Jewish ancestry all the while persecuting them. Fictions are damaging. You know the failures caused in marketing by not recognizing truths and holding on to fictions.

Perhaps your sadness would be ameliorated somewhat if I included most of humanity in my description? Now wait a minute....where did I also read about liars, cheats, chiselers and thieves...oh yeah, the Bible. So there you go, Americans are biblical in nature.

[Gaspar]

Won't do you any good to read books if you cannot understand simple posts!

I feel fine about my fellow countrymen and my impression of the American people, of whom I am one, is generally favorable though declining at this moment in time. Not recognizing the great fictional conventions of our time is a deficit when conversing. Imagine having to talk to a Russian who doesn't believe that Soviet style Communism was a disastrous lie. A fiction that nearly destroyed them. Or trying to explain to a Nazi that Hitler was hiding Jewish ancestry all the while persecuting them. Fictions are damaging. You know the failures caused in marketing by not recognizing truths and holding on to fictions.

Perhaps your sadness would be ameliorated somewhat if I included most of humanity in my description? Now wait a minute....where did I also read about liars, cheats, chiselers and thieves...oh yeah, the Bible. So there you go, Americans are biblical in nature.

At least you recognize your pathology.

[AquaMan]

At least you recognize your pathology.

That infers that I am suffering from some sort of disease. If so, you are wrong again. I am quite healthy in mind, body and spirit. Probably economically unhealthy but 4 more years will help that.

[nathanm]

13 bankers looks interesting.  The others seem to be journalist works.  I will investigate.  Thanks.

Journalists are often able to provide perspectives from people whose experience would otherwise be unknown. You do have to be careful to be aware of what the journalist is saying and what the interviewees are saying, however. Griftopia includes an interesting story I hadn't seen elsewhere about how Goldman was largely responsible for bringing down AIG by squeezing not only FP, which was the division that wrote all the credit default swaps, but also the securities lending division.

I hadn't seen it reported quite how close AIG's insurance subsidiaries were to being seized by state insurance regulators as a result of the squeeze Goldman was putting on them. As long as you're aware of Taibbi's particular bias his stuff is good to read, as he gets people to talk who you'll otherwise never have heard from. And as someone with an extreme dislike for Obama, you'd probably find something to like in his frequent tirades of personal opinion.

[nathanm]

I think it's interesting how we all are in strong agreement that there's something wrong with the goings-on in our country, but can't really agree on what exactly the problem is, much less agree on the causes or solutions.

[guido911]

Now he didn't say he helped.  Just that he was in a third world country.

Oh no, I helped. In Honduras and Mexico. I can only give money (I would say significant) to help in countries I feel really need it, Haiti and Jamaica. As I've written before, I saw the actual result of my charitable giving in the latter place. Question here is, we can TALK about the poor in this country, but what are each of us DOING about it. I mean, besides watching them stand in a line with a look of pity. Something about talking the talk and walking the walk comes to mind.

[Townsend]

Oh no, I helped. In Honduras and Mexico. I can only give money (I would say significant) to help in countries I feel really need it, Haiti and Jamaica. As I've written before, I saw the actual result of my charitable giving in the latter place. Question here is, we can TALK about the poor in this country, but what are each of us DOING about it. I mean, besides watching them stand in a line with a look of pity. Something about talking the talk and walking the walk comes to mind.

Gentlemen, there is the horse.

[dbacks fan]

Ahhh, guido, donatining significant amounts of money to relief efforts to get a significant tax deduction!

[RecycleMichael]

I will defend guido on this one. I believe that he does give significant amounts to many charities. He may be confused and wrong on many things, but he does have a good heart. With a little proper therapy, he could be a liberal.

[Hoss]

I will defend guido on this one. I believe that he does give significant amounts to many charities. He may be confused and wrong on many things, but he does have a good heart. With a little proper therapy, he could be a liberal.

I detect a 'Scanners' moment from him soon now.

[heironymouspasparagus]

This is about people who are documented thieves of the U.S. Treasury. Sheesh, get off your high horse. As for downtown, don't need to go to see anything. Go to a third world country like I have multiple times and roll up your sleeves if you care to help the truly needy. In this country, I am not at all interested in helping ANYONE rip off the taxpayers. Apparently, you are.

And guido once again gets it all wrong.  The documented thieves of the US Treasury are sitting at the top 1% of the pyramid.  With the help of their bought and paid for Congress. 

If truly NOT interested in helping anyone rip off the biggest number of taxpayers, there would be support for the Baby Bush cuts repeal.

[heironymouspasparagus]

RM,
I don't think there is enough therapy in the world to help him with that.

[Red Arrow]

I will defend guido on this one. I believe that he does give significant amounts to many charities. He may be confused and wrong on many things, but he does have a good heart. With a little proper waterboarding therapy, he could be a liberal.

fixed it

Edit: added color