For a number of years I reported on the monthly non-farm payroll jobs data. The data did not support the praises economists were singing to the "New Economy." The "New Economy" consisted, allegedly, of financial services, innovation, and high-tech services.

This economy was taking the place of the old "dirty fingernail" economy of industry and manufacturing. Education would retrain the workforce, and we would move on to a higher level of prosperity.

Time after time I reported that there was no sign of the "New Economy" jobs, but that the old economy jobs were disappearing. The only net new jobs were in lowly paid domestic services such as waitresses and bartenders, retail clerks, health care and social assistance (mainly ambulatory health care services), and, before the bubble burst, construction.

The facts, issued monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, had no impact on the "New Economy" propaganda. Economists continued to wax eloquently about how globalism was a boon for our future.

The millions of unemployed today are blamed on the popped real estate bubble and the subprime derivative financial crisis. However, the U.S. economy has been losing jobs for a decade. As manufacturing, information technology, software engineering, research, development, and tradable professional services have been moved offshore, the American middle class has shriveled. The ladders of upward mobility that made American an "opportunity society" have been dismantled.

[snip]

The latest jobs report [issued Oct 08, 2010] shows that America's transformation into a Third World economy continues. The economy lost 95,000 jobs in September, mainly due to cuts in local education and federal employment. Part of the loss of 159,000 government jobs was offset by 64,000 new private sector jobs.

Where are the new jobs? They are in non-tradable lowly paid domestic services: 32,000 were in health care and social services, and 33,900 were in food services and drinking places.

There you have it. That is America's "New Economy."

Schwarzenegger brought a delegation of mostly Californian business leaders and venture capitalists to help them establish connections in Russia, which is striving for investment to create a Silicon Valley-style technological hub in the Moscow suburb of Skolkovo. AP

in Washington, the American people confirmed Friday that they have hired high-powered D.C. lobbyist Jack Weldon of the firm Patton Boggs to help advance their agenda in Congress.

Known among Beltway insiders for his ability to sway public policy on behalf of massive corporations such as Johnson & Johnson, Monsanto, and AT&T, Weldon, 53, is expected to use his vast network of political connections to give his new client a voice in the legislative process.

Weldon is reportedly charging the American people $795 an hour.

[snip]

"His daily presence in the Capitol will ensure the American people finally get a seat at the table," the statement continued. "And it will allow him to advance our message that everyone, including Americans, deserves to be represented in Washington."

The 310-million-member group said it will rely on Weldon's considerable clout to ensure its concerns are taken into account when Congress addresses issues such as education, immigration, national security, health care, transportation, the economy, affordable college tuition, infrastructure, jobs, equal rights, taxes, Social Security, the environment, housing, the national debt, agriculture, energy, alternative energy, nutrition, imports, exports, foreign relations, the arts, and crime.

Sources confirmed that Weldon is already scheduled to have drinks Monday with several members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to discuss saving the middle class.

[snip]

Though Weldon has only been on the job for three days, legislators have already seemed to take notice.

"Before today, I'd actually never heard of this group," Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) told reporters. "But if Jack says they're worth my time, I'll take a look and see if maybe there are some areas where our interests overlap.

And then there is the flying car.

LOL: `The Simpsons' Opening Credits Sequence Directed By Banksy

Banksy's feature filmmaking debut, the documentary Exit Through The Gift Shop at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. It's now  October and the movie still remains as one of my favorite films of the year. For the first time ever, The Simpsons invited an artist to storyboard the opening sequence of the animated series (yes, it's still on television). The episode aired last night, and the opening sequence is exactly what you would expect from Banksy. In fact, it is so hilariously dark, I doubt 20th Century Fox will ever ask another artist to direct the opening sequence ever again. Watch the Banksy-directed opening after the jump.

GetEQUAL has a massive protest demonstration effort ongoing in Miami today, at the home of NBA superstar and Miami Heat player Alonzo Mourning, where President Barack Obama is appearing now at a big-dollar private fundraiser for the Democrats. There are three prongs to the demonstration: by Land, by Air, and by Sea. FDL

... folks with banners who greeted the the presidential motorcade as President Obama entered the exclusive Coconut Grove gated community where Alonzo Mourning is entertaining high-level Democratic donors today. The motorcade was greeted by chants of "Stop the Discharges" and "What Do We Want? Equality! When do we want it? NOW!"

UPDATE: The Coast Guard is giving folks piloting the vessels free rein in the channel directly abutting Alonzo Mourning's back yard, apparently having decided it is a free-speech issue, not a security issue. This means the boats, with loudspeakers blaring Barack Obama's quotes from previous speeches calling for the repeal of DADT, and bullhorn chants, and the weather balloons aloft with huge vertical GetEQUAL banners, are all visible to the folks dining on upscale fare at the high-dollar Democratic party event.FDL