August Labor Report Shows 315,000 Job Gains, Internal Data a Much Bigger Concern


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on September 2, 2022

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) released the August Jobs Report [DATA HERE].

The topline is a net gain of 315,000 jobs with an increase in unemployment to 3.7%.  However, the June and July jobs reports were revised down by 107,000 lower than previously reported, and if you look carefully at the data, you can see a serious problem.

Keep in mind, in the background is a release yesterday showing productivity within the economy dropping in the second quarter by 4.1%. [DATA]  Combine the drop in productivity with higher wages of 5.7% and total wage costs per unit of business output are up 10.1%.  Now we turn back to today’s employment release, and look at these three points of data:

(1) Unemployment for adult men and unemployment for Latinos increased in August.  Adult men and specifically adult Latino men are losing their jobs. (2) The average number of hours worked in August dropped 0.1 hour to 34.5 hours. (3) Total employment amid those aged 16 to 19-years of age increased by 363, 000 in August:

The graphic is modified Table A-1 to focus on ‘age’

 •Total economic productivity drops [biggest quarterly drop since 1948].  •Men and Latinos are losing jobs.  •Average hours worked drops.  •Teenage employment increases. What do these four facts tell you?

A total of 363,000 more teenagers started working in August, yet the total net gain in employment overall was 315,000 jobs.   That should be the headline of the August 2022 jobs report.

(CNBC) […] The unemployment rate rose to 3.7%, two-tenths of a percentage point higher than expectations, largely due to a gain in the labor force participation rate to 62.4%, tied for the highest level of the year. A broader measure of unemployment that includes discouraged workers and those holding part-time jobs for economic reasons climbed to 7% from 6.7%.

Wages continued to rise, though slightly less than expectations. Average hourly earnings increased 0.3% for the month and 5.2% from a year ago, both 0.1 percentage point below estimates. (more)

Episode 1056: Holiday!


Revenge of the Cis Published originally on Rumble on September 1, 2022

– Gov. Greg Abbott sends busload of migrants from Texas to Chicago
– Reed Coverdale joins us

US Oil Reserves Nearly Depleted


Armstrong Economics Blog/Energy Re-Posted Sep 2, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) has been at its lowest level since, ironically, 1984. The reservoirs are composed of four underground sites constructed from salt domes on the Gulf Coasts of Louisiana and Texas. The White House began extracting oil from the emergency reserves to combat rising gas prices. Politicians simply hope that the problem can be patched up for as long as they can remain in power.

In August, the US extracted 18 million barrels of crude. The stockpile now sits at only 450 million, reaching a nearly 40-year low. Additionally, the White House under Biden has been selling off the remaining reserves to foreign refiners. China received nearly a million barrels of oil to a subsidiary of Sinopec, a company that previously received BILLIONS in investments from an equity firm operated by none other than Hunter Biden. In fact, Biden has sold off nearly a quarter of oil reserves this year alone. Is he deliberately trying to create a crisis to spark the Great Reset?

Russia is not to blame for rising gas prices, as a gallon cost a mere $2.28 in December 2020. A year later, after Biden implemented disastrous green policies, the price rose to $3.40. Biden panicked once gas hit $5 in June and began to pull from the reserves to make it seem as if he had a grip on the problem. The government has no solution for the current energy crisis. The best we can hope for is the Republicans coming to power and demanding that domestic production continue immediately.

Germans Stockpiling Firewood


Armstrong economics Blog/Energy Re-Posted Sep 2, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

We are quickly reverting back to the Dark Ages. Cooking and keeping warm with fossil fuels may become a luxury as the energy crisis spreads across the West. Reports are growing from Germany that people are stockpiling firewood before the winter season. Google search results for brennholz (firewood) peaked this August in Germany as their government announced they would continue supporting Ukraine indefinitely.

Half of German homes are heated by natural gas, while a quarter uses oil. Less than 6% reported using firewood, but that is set to change as even firewood is now in a shortage. Germany’s Federal Firewood Association announced earlier in the summer that wood was becoming scarce. People are now importing firewood from Poland, but people there are also buying up firewood as no one can afford these rising prices. Governments are offering no solutions, and people have reason to fear the future.

Versorgungssicherheit is a word describing the fear of a shortage. Due to this fear, many companies are rationing the number of firewood bundles people are allowed to buy. The Federal Network Agency expects gas prices to TRIPLE by early 2023. The energy crisis spreading across the West will result in growing civil unrest and could trigger a major geopolitical event across Europe as people will be faced with hardships this winter not seen in a lifetime.

California on Track to Topple Power Grid


Armstrong Economics Blog/Climate Re-Posted Sep 2, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

California plans to ban gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The Advanced Clean Cars II rule would ban ALL gas car sales in 2035, but there are no alternatives in place. The average American cannot afford an electric car or maintenance on an electric vehicle. Beginning in 2026, 35% of new autos sold in California will be required to produce zero emissions. By 2027, 51% of all new cars will need to be electric, and that amount will rise to 68% in 2028, followed by an all-out ban on gas-powered cars in 2035.

Well, California is already struggling to power the electric vehicles on the road in 2022. The California Independent System Operator called for a “voluntary energy conservation” during the upcoming Labor Day weekend due to the failing power grid. They are asking residents to refrain from charging their cars between 4 PM and 9 PM, which is when demand peaks. “If left unmanaged, the power demanded from many electric vehicles charging simultaneously in the evening will amplify existing peak loads, potentially outstripping the grid’s current capacity to meet demand,” Cornell University’s College of Engineering stated.

So electric vehicles have the potential to take down California’s power grid. The state estimates that it will need 1.2 million charging stations by 2030, but they have a mere 80,000 currently. California does not have the ability to implement this zero-emission ban without toppling the entire power grid.

The Optics Created by Joe Biden Communication Team for a National Address Were Off the Charts Creepy


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on September 1, 2022 | Sundance

I usually prefer to stay away from the ancillary stuff, but the remarks by Joe Biden today were not normal, not even close.

Every national address by a president has a massive advance team checking every detail of a venue before broadcast.  The optics they put together for Biden’s “battle for the soul of a nation” speech tonight, was just plain creepy and weird.  I mean think about it, what does this imagery present when discussing the theme of battling for the soul of a nation?

These are not modified images or changes in presentation; they are exactly what was broadcast to the nation. It looks straight up evil. Like something out of a hellscape theatrical production intended to showcase Baal as the “soul of the nation.”

On one hand, this is the realistic tone of the Biden administration.  But on the other hand, you would not expect to see this harsh dictatorship enhanced with the backdrop to give it such angered imagery.   I have never seen anything even close to this in a presidential address.  Beyond creepy.

Biden: “Let me say this to my MAGA Republican friends in Congress: Don’t tell me you support law enforcement if you won’t condemn what happened on the 6th.”


The Post Millennial Clips  Published originally on Rumble on August 30, 2022

Biden: “Let me say this to my MAGA Republican friends in Congress: Don’t tell me you support law enforcement if you won’t condemn what happened on the 6th.”

UK Energy Bills Expected to Rise 80% in October


Armstrong Economics Blog/BRITAIN Re-Posted Sep 1, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

The entire West will face higher energy prices due to climate initiatives and Russian sanctions. The British energy regulator Ofgem released a troubling report citing that the average household will pay $4,200 on energy over the next year, compared to the current $2,330 annual average.

The UK raised its energy price cap in April by 54% and is expected to raise it once more this October by 80%. “This will be devastating for many families,” Jonathan Brearley, chief executive of Ofgem, told the BBC. “The difficult news I have to give today is that prices look like they are continuing to rise.” This is a drastic understatement.

An Ipsos poll found that one in 10 people already find it “very difficult” to afford energy costs over the past three months, and two in 10 found it “fairly difficult.” Over a third have installed a smart meter, and two in five have tried price comparison websites to no avail. People are already unable to afford energy costs, and 29% admitted to dipping into savings to do so, while another 15% said they missed payments entirely.

The term “fuel poverty” is now commonplace and is used for households that spend over 10% of their net income on energy bills. The University of York forecast that two-thirds of households in the UK will face fuel poverty by the beginning of next year. Families with children are the most vulnerable. This is a direct result of lawmakers pushing the climate change agenda with ZERO alternative solutions in addition to blindly supporting Ukraine at the expense of their own people.

The Anger Games, Tucker Carlson Outlines the Hatred of Biden Toward a Nation He Divides


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on September 1, 2022 | Sundance

Tucker Carlson delivered a hard-hitting monologue last night, hitting the agenda of the installed occupant of the White House directly on target.  Within the outline, Carlson notes the background of an angry, bitter and disconnected divider-in-chief and the hate-filled agenda he espouses. {Direct Rumble Link}

It is a remarkable moment captured and broadcast by Mr. Carlson, less than 24-hours before Joe Biden is scheduled to lay out his divisive national agenda of hate during a primetime speech on Thursday evening.  WATCH:

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California Announces Ban on Gas Powered Vehicles Then Announces Energy Emergency Requesting Residents Not to Charge Electric Vehicles


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 31, 2022 | Sundance

A week ago, California state regulators voted to ban the sale of gasoline powered cars by 2035. The goal is to make every vehicle in California an electric vehicle.

However, just a week later, the California Independent System Operator (ISO) issues a flex alert for the Labor Day holiday weekend asking people not to charge electric vehicles because the power grid cannot handle the demand.  [Alert Notice]

The Flex Alert for Thursday, Sept. 1 is scheduled for 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., when the grid is most stressed from higher demand and less solar energy. During that time, consumers are urged to conserve power by setting thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, if health permits, avoiding use of major appliances and turning off unnecessary lights. They should also avoid charging electric vehicles while the Flex Alert is in effect.

To minimize discomfort and help with grid stability, consumers are also encouraged to pre-cool their homes and use major appliances and charge electric vehicles and electronic devices before 4 p.m., when conservation begins to become most critical. (LINK)