Unemployment Rate Climbs Toward Double-Digits:

With the additional loss of 663,000 jobs last month, the unemployment rate in the U. S. now stands at 8.5 percent. In addition, when the number of underemployed workers and those who have simply given up on seeking employment are added in, the figure stands at 15.6 percent. (See The Washington Post story.)

In other economic news, the fast food industry is starting to reflect the downturn as it loses customers. Maybe the obesity problem in this country will become slightly diminished.