There was a bit of a break in the weather over the previous weekend
so we took the opportunity to go down to the Bay area to stock up
on our winter groceries and supplies.  Living in the sticks as we
do, we have to plan our grocery runs and stock up.  We do not have
the luxury of hopping in the car and going to the corner grocery
store for a jug of milk.  Although Ukiah or Santa Rosa are closer
(only 1 hour and 1.5 hours respectively), we generally go down to
the San Francisco Bay area to stock up on Asian vegetables as well
other staple items which are not available here amongst the
redwoods.  As it appears the rains are setting in early this year
we decided we had better stock up as we can be confined to the home
base for extended periods of time.  Rains can go on for days at a
time consequently we can be confined to the house for extended
periods.  The well guy is shooting for the week of the 14th for our
well project.  Let us see if the weather holds up.

Today we are thankful that the sun has come out and we no longer
have to be subjected to the media election coverage of the two most
detested candidates in recent U.S. history. I am sure there will be
a collective sigh of relief when it is over.  <end of rant>

*Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics*

Although it is a bit of a departure, during a slow period and out
of curiousity, I decided to have a look at what the REAL
unemployment rate was for the U.S because, as we all know by now,
we are not getting a true picture despite all of the government
happy talk.  We'll take the September numbers as an example.  The
official number which the BLS labels as U-3 and which the main
stream media was shouting from the roof tops was 5%.  But, the fly
in the ointment is what the BLS calls U-6.  This number adds in
people who were marginally attached to the labor force and people
who were employed on a part-time basis, but would prefer to work
full-time.  This number comes in to a seemingly more realistic
number of 9.7%.  Now there is another alternative number presented
by shadowstats.com that adds in long term discouraged unemployed
(those no longer elgible for unemployment benefits). This group was
"defined out of official existence in 1994" by the BLS and if you
add in this segment, the unemployment number goes up to a
staggering 23% (cockroach in the ointment).  Have a look at October
courtesy shadowstats.com:

https://goo.gl/CmHG

My guess is that the real number is somewhere between the U-6
reported by BLS and the alternative number provided by
shadowstats.com.  Most likely there are a large group of part-time
and marginally attached and when you add in the long-term
discouraged unemployed to the total work force numbers, then the
numbers become vastly different than what is reported in the media.