WASHINGTON (AP)—The number of people receiving unemployment benefits has reached an all-time record, the government said Thursday, and more layoffs are spreading throughout the economy.

The Labor Department reported that the number of Americans continuing to claim unemployment insurance for the week ending Jan. 17 was a seasonally adjusted 4.78 million, the highest on records dating back to 1967. That’s an increase of 159,000 from the previous week and worse than economists’ expectations of 4.65 million. As a proportion of the work force, the tally of unemployment benefit recipients is the highest since August 1983, a department analyst said.

The total released by the department doesn’t include about 1.7 million people receiving benefits under an extended unemployment compensation program authorized by Congress last summer. That means the total number of recipients is actually closer to 6.5 million people.

Businesses continued to hemorrhage jobs Thursday. Ford Motor Co. reported a fourth-quarter loss of $5.9 billion and said its credit arm would cut 20 percent of its work force, or 1,200 jobs. Eastman Kodak Co. said it’s cutting 3,500 to 4,500 jobs, or 14 to 18 percent of its work force, as it posted a $137 million quarterly loss on plunging sales of photography products. Black & Decker Corp. said its fourth-quarter profit tumbled 77 percent and the power tools manufacturer announced about 1,200 job cuts.

More signs of the deepening recession came in separate government reports on home sales and durable goods. The Commerce Department said Thursday that new home sales fell 14.

7 percent in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 331,000, the lowest pace on records dating back to 1963. For 2008, builders sold 482,000 homes, the weakest results since 1982. The median price of a new home sold last month was $206,500, a drop of 9.3 percent from a year ago. 

Meanwhile, new orders for durable goods dropped by 2.6 percent last month, even worse than the 2 percent decline economists expected. Orders fell 5.7 percent for the year, the second biggest drop on government records, exceeded only by a 10.7 percent plunge in 2001, according to the Commerce Department.

The tally of Americans filing new jobless benefit claims rose slightly to a seasonally adjusted 588,000 last week, from a downwardly revised figure of 585,000 the previous week. That also was worse than analysts’ forecast of 575,000 new claims. The number of initial claims is close to the 26-year high of 589,000 reached in late December, though the work force has grown by about half since then. The record number of ongoing benefit claims is an indication that laid-off workers are having a difficult time finding new jobs, economists said.

A year ago, continuing claims stood at about 2.7 million, less than half their current level when the extended unemployment program is included. The rate jumped to 7.2 percent in December, a 16-year high. Employers cut an average of 510,000 jobs in the last three months of 2008, and may cut a similar amount in January, Reinhart said.

The crush of new and continuing claims has overwhelmed many states’ ability to process them all. Electronic filing systems crashed in three states earlier this month, and last week Michigan said it would hire 276 workers and open a fourth call center to handle increased phone traffic.

President Barack Obama’s $819 billion economic stimulus package, approved by the House Wednesday and now on its way to the Senate, would provide $500 million to the states to upgrade their unemployment insurance systems. The measure also continues the extended unemployment compensation program, which adds up to 33 weeks of benefits, until the end of the year.

Companies have announced a huge number of layoffs this week as they prepare for an extended period of economic weakness. Economists expect the current recession, which began in December 2007, to be the longest since World War II.

While Virginia has temporarily redeemed itself from it’s number one H8ST8 status with its election of Democratic governor Tim Kaine and even more shockingly by going blue for the first time since Johnson in the 2008 election.

But if you’re trying to secure unemployment compensation from them, they’re still patronizing assholes.

Since this is the first week that I’m actually receiving benefits, I received a letter in today’s mail, fully set in 16-point Times Bold all capitals. Some excerpts:

THE VIRGINIA EMPLOYMENT COMMISSION STAFF RANDOMLY VERIFY WORK SEARCH CONTACTS EVERY DAY.

EACH WEEK THE VEC MATCHES REPORTS WITH CLAIMS BEING PAID TO DETECT UNREPORTED EARNINGS.

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE REQUIREMENTS IS CONSIDERED FRAUD.

Insert sarcasm: It’s nice that the H8ST8 doesn’t treat me like a criminal, and that it believes I’m honestly filing these claims.

How do you sum up yesterday? Is it a feeling of optimism in the air that hasn’t been felt in the last 10 years (or longer)? Is it the thrill of the future coming one day, yet a huge leap, closer? Is it the euphoria of bringing together of the largest gathering of people the country has ever seen?

This is what I did: I found out the night before that Chris & Jeff were having an inauguration breakfast at 8 and then leaving the school (their home) around 9. After Sunday’s madhouse trying to get home after the inaugural concert, I  seriously contemplating staying home and watching it on tv.

I set an alarm for 8, hoping that I could rally and meet up with them by 9. I knew the 8:00am breakfast was out of the question. At 8:20 I pull myself out of bed, knowing that if I hit the snooze one more time I’ll miss out on joining them.

I have neglected finishing this for three days now—maybe because I can’t believe it’s real.

I meet up with the gang on Maryland Ave since it was the closest place with two groups meeting in a straight line. The gang is: Judy, Velma, Ammiie(e), Jen, Cari (?), Kimmie, Scott 1, Doug, Shawn, Olive, Scott 2, Princess. Did I leave  anybody out? While waiting for them I used my debit card for the first time in five weeks at Jacob’s: small regular coffee, $1.86.

From there we start to join the masses walking towards the Capitol. We’re directed south of the Cap (because going north would mean crossing Pennsylvania Ave—the parade route) and already all the streets are closed off to vehicles and the streets are full of people. Turning south on Independence we skirt the Cap for a while until we are forced to swing it wide, south and way around to L’Enfant Plaza, where we’re actually walking on a closed freeway. Can you believe this craziness? And before that we saw the elevated freeway of 395 which was basically being used as a tour bus parking lot. Incredible.

After being routed back onto Independence around the Smithsonian castle we’re noticing that all entrances onto the Mall (just a block north of us) are closed off due to maximum capacity. At this point I’m starting to get a really bad feeling that we’re going to be standing on Independence Ave while Obama is getting sworn in.

20 minutes later we’re down to the Washington Monument and we see some clearing of people. We head over there and after some slight pushing and maneuvering we’re all situated in a great place to watch (considering), about 20 feet south of the Monument, with flags standing outright in the wind. Have I mentioned how cold it was? Yeah, it was about 30° before the wind chill. We don’t care, we’re all bundled up and ready for the proudness.

The atmosphere around us is euphoric, and in a political sense something I’ve felt only before at the 1992 Democratic Convention, being on the floor while Bill Clinton gave his speech. I’ve never been more proud or hopeful.

The aftermath: of course the entire ceremony is fantastic. We’re all in great moods and now starting to evacuate along with two million other people. Everything is fine until we get to L’Enfant Plaza (retracing our steps) where all the out-of-towners are trying to crowd onto the two Metro stops there. It’s crazy, it’s a Who concert circa 1978, it’s starting to get dangerous. We double back and find a way out and around the madness and then continue the walk home.

Chris & Jeff have invited everybody back to the school for chili, which is what everybody desperately needs on such a cold day. We eat (it turns into a feast) grab cocktails from Dick & Kitty’s and head up to their airplane room, which is where their home theater is. We watch taped events of the day unfold, and it is only then that I see the aerial shots and I’m in awe of the day and the people and the participation.

Here’s the Kicker

It’s around midnight, we’re all exhausted (those who are still awake) and it’s time to leave. Walking the five blocks home, I come up to C St which has motorcycle cops closing off the streets, Secret Service black minivans SUVs everywhere, and I am being told to STEP BACK from the sidewalk. Thirty seconds later, with flashing red and blue lights, comes THE MOTORCADE. Obama’s new tank/limo, complete with presidential seal speeds by. Is this real? They whiz by, traveling way too fast but they’ve got all the side streets closed off so the traffic lights don’t even matter. Once they’re gone, I ask one of the cops “Was that him?” and he says “Yeah, that was him.”

It was nice to have the Prez speed by my house, kinda returning the favor of doing all that walking just to go and see him.

Note: some of these photos were pilfered from friends.

Staying up until 4:00 am watching Michelle Obama interviews isn’t the wisest thing to do after you’ve set an alarm for 9:00 the next morning.

I’ve set the alarm for 9, knowing that Bernice would be here by 10, we’d be at Buck’s by 11 and then down to the National Museum of the American Indian on the Mall to see Ateya perform by 12:15. I hadn’t heard back via text from Bernice by the morning so when my alarm went off I hit a snooze or two. And then I just turned the damned thing off.

At 11:00 I figured it was time to get up, still trying to decide whether I would head down to the Mall by myself or not. Then I noticed Buck’s email, sent at 10:30, asking if we were still on. I replied back a “yes” and quickly got in the shower. I’m out the door in 15 minutes, telling Buck to meet me at Eastern Market Metro and we’d ride down together. We had originally planned on walking the entire way, but now with our time crunch a two-stop Metro ride would get us there just in time. On the way I talked with Bernice and she was definitely out.

Buck and I arrive at NMAI a little after noon and luckily find no line to get in. We made it! Then I picked up a program that said KanKouran, the West African dance troupe Ateya is with, is actually performing at 12:45. So we have a little bit of time to explore the museum. This also gives us time to get together with Anya, a friend of ours who works at the Museum.

We didn’t know that Ateya wasn’t performing that day with Kankouran but they still gave a great performance. You might remember me writing about their performance when I saw them at Lisner a couple of years ago.

Part of NMAI’s “Out of Many” festival, also performing that day was a deaf dance group that Buck was once a part of, The Wild Zappers, and he wanted to see them too. They went on at 2:00 and although they had some technical difficulties they were still very good. I learned how to clap in sign language!

First, an early morning trip back to the Grocery store: chicken breasts (and some thighs for making soup) and frozen pizzas.

Purchase: $40.55
Balance: $87.94
Club Card Savings: $31.84 (44% of purchase)

Then, onto the day. What was supposed to be an early afternoon departure down to The Mall turned into a phone call with Kenny Sss and then heading down to The Mall. KSss is also unemployed and has recently started to re-enter the resumé game so there was a lot of pointing things in the right direction and being okay with it if nothing came ’round. He’s always a good center for me and I should have talked with him sooner but sometimes things need to spiral a bit before the upswing begins. And that’s all fine.

I get a little bit of a late start to the day to head down to the inaugural concert on The Mall. I took the D6 thinking I would get off at Farragut Square and walk on down, but once downtown it was entirely gridlocked. With cars and people, it was like Times Square in New York or Chinatown in DC after a game lets out of Verizon’s MCI Center. But it was everywhere, it didn’t dissipate. So I excited at 11th St and walked on down to The Mall. People were everywhere! It was amazing.

The open part of The Mall was crowded and I could see how the actual inauguration was going to be setup with the Jumbotrons and how they were allowing access. But moving further down past the Washington Monument was where everyone was packed in, this is where the concert was happening. I was getting there a little late but still had the opportunity to hear Obama speak. Really amazing, Tuesday is going to be incredible. Of course, on the mass exiting, I get frustrated with the moronic tourists not getting out of my way, and it’s made me rethink going down on Tuesday. I’d still like to, but now I’m on the fence.

Here’s Obama’s speech from the Lincoln Memorial:

//this was written last saturday, the 10th, and i just now realize it was never posted//

Today I am doing free things.

I was up this morning and farting around: having coffee, surfing, reconnecting with EFP about last night’s videocam test and subsequent abrupt passout. A lazy morning and afternoon were in effect.

Then I get a text from Robamos who’s getting his haircut (and checking out the Marines, no doubt) down on Barracks Row. R’s offering a free take on breffus and my dilemma: be a lazy fuck all day or get my ass in gear? I decide to bolt for the shower.

I was assuming we’d do brunch somewhere on the Hill, somewhere local, but as I get into Rob’s truck he throws out options that I hadn’t considered, neighborhoods away. Such a sweetheart.

We decided on the new Busboys & Poets, which is in Rob’s ‘hood and in the same building as the new Results, which I’ve never been to. I ordered a bloody mary and eggs neptune, which is basically eggs benedict, but with crab lumps instead of ham. Delicious. Afterwards we drove around a bit and Rob showed me about the new up-and-comings in the neighborhood. It was amazing how much that area has changed in the last couple of years. Give it five more and Wow.

After coming home and napping I met up with mcG and Siri after their show at the National Theater. We were gonna go and have some drynx and catch-up, mcG said he’d buy me drynx all night. Another friend coming in strong. We were walking up and decided to cut to Green Lantern, Siri had never been and I hadn’t been there in a couple of years. Luckily, it was pretty vacant and we were able to get a wrap-around banquette where we could actually carry a conversation. It was nice to catch up with each of them. And Robamos, too, earlier in the day.

Gotta cut to the chase: I’m walking west on Mass, up to and thru Dupont Circle and I’m getting this strange feeling like this is my last trip through here. After 25 years, when first hanging out here was Smalltown Boy’s dreams, just waiting for it all to come true. Well the time is now and maybe all of those dreams have not come true. What do you to? Do you hold them tight or do you let them go?

I walked over here without listening to headphones, I’m thinking that this maybe one of my last opportunities to actually listen to DC at night and hear what it sounds like.

The bus driver, on the second-to-last bus of the evening, speeds by me knowing that there are no passengers except those losers that need to get home late at night. I have to run half a block and repeatedly whistle to get him to stop. He doesn’t seem remorseful as he opens the door and I get in, I sit in the back, as usual, and he drives fast throughout the city. I’m hoping he’s not speeding past those who don’t know how to whistle.

I’m standing here at 2:31 in the you-know-what morning and I’m waiting for the last D6 of the evening to take me home.

Down the road, on Mass just west of Dupont, the lights are flashing and the sirens are going off: The Dick needs a haircut or a blowjob and therefore nothing else matters, much less my plight to make it home for a $1.25 bus fare versus $15.00 for a cab. Traffic will be re-routed and I will assume my position among the homeless, walking aimlessless but yet pointing myself towards home.

Yes, this what I am forced to deal with as an unemployed person. Thanks Georgie how the fuck did we ever get to this and could I please have some of the billions of gazillions of dollars you’ve spent on making yourself a more rich oil family?? I hope you and you personals die horrible deaths and finally, in your privileged lives, find out how the rest of us feel. You can burn in hell for all I care.

On top of everything I am forced to relocate myself to a bus stop which is in front of a previous boyfriend’s apartment, and could I not be more sickened?

It’s the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and most folk have already left town because nobody really lives here or has family in this hellhole of a city town.

Those of us that haven’t left yet are going to work and carrying on with the rest of our daily routine. For me, that consists of a bus, a train, another train and then another bus. It’s a fragile time-sensitive schedule that has to work together in order to get me where I need to be in a timely manner.

This morning I’m at the bus stop on time and make it to Union Station in pretty good time; there aren’t a lot of stops as there aren’t a lot of passengers to pick up or drop off along the way.

Then, at U-Stat where I’m waiting for my first train transfer, is where The Delay happens. A train is held up somewhere on the Red Line. Because the entire Metro system is run from a computer program from 1976 that uses punch cards, this means all red trains going in my direction are delayed. But the red trains running in the opposite direction are free to keep running, of course. Eight of them went by as I waited.

Almost 30 minutes later a train is coming down my track but it’s one of those hilarious pranks that Metro likes to play on passengers: it’s an empty car. Looks like it’s running fine to me, so why not make all the stops along the way? Haha, that’s a good one, Metro, happy fucksgiving to you too!

A few minutes later a train doing its actual job comes through and picks up us unfortunate work-up-until-the-holiday folk. You would think the tunnel ahead would be empty since a train hasn’t come through in half a hour save the one that was barreling through without stopping at the stations. And yet the train I’m on crawls through to the next two stops where I can transfer to my next train. Fun and not stressful at all! Thanks for the headache this morning!

Note to those attending Inauguration Day: if you can walk to The Mall in under 120 minutes, do it. You’ll get there quicker than if you took Metro. If the system’s having 30+ minutes delays on one of their lightest passenger days of the year, I fear to think what is going to happen when you add an estimated five million more people to the mix.

The company I work for is redesigning their website and incorporating an employee blog. The blog is up and running while the new site is being designed and tweaked and all employees are invited to contribute. We are told that content will be posted unedited and the subject matter can be anything. While most are posting about design-related issues or the economy I don’t think it would be appropriate to post there about guys on trains or bitching about my commute. So here’s my first contribution:

There is a gasoline energy company whose new ad campaign has taken over the South Capitol Metro Station. The aim of the campaign is to move the consumer’s perception of the company from a gasoline company to an “energy provider”. 

The components of the campaign feature headshot closeups of the perfectly (think: Benetton) racially-mixed group of models, who are looking thoughtfully concerned into the camera. Typeset in a handwritten-font are phrases like “I will leave the car at home more” and “I will unplug things more”. Pretty bland and trite copy, if you ask me. As if people taking Metro would actually choose to triple their commute time or unplugging a 30-watt lamp is going to really make a difference. I’m all for turning off the lights in a room you’re not in, but unplugging the television everytime I turn it off? Not going to happen.

But I think where the ball really gets dropped is the way the energy provider has bought out all of the ad space (and more) of the station. It’s in all the typical places, the backlit dioramas and wall posters. But it’s also wrapped around the concrete columns. It’s on floor decals that are larger than my living room. It’s on vinyl banners hanging from the handrails. The effect is very Disney-esque; it’s overload. I’ve seen this happen before with the South Cap station, but it is usually focused on some Congressional legislation that the purchaser is trying to get passed. As if the people voting under the dome take public transportation to work.

UPDATE: Actually, the more I read this, it seems a little too negative to be putting up on the work blog.

for everyone, everyone, to realize that Fox News really spews hatred. My Father (and not the only family member) says he listens (only) to this channel because they tell him what he wants to hear. Is this a proper way to be receiving news? I don’t think so. Even I would become bored receiving the news only I wanted to hear. It’s like trying to convince the head of the Britney Spears fan club that she is, in fact, a schizophrenic nutjob. Can’t you see through it?

Sadly, as I write this I think of the megalomaniacal behavior of Dumbya and these people have followed them, and then realize, is there anyway to convince the blind?