The weekly unemployment estimates make the headlines, but few go back and check to see how the revised figures compare.

6/11 initial new number: 601,000
6/11 revised new number: 605,000
6/11 initial total number: 6.820 million
6/11 revised total number: 6.835 million
6/18 initial new number: 608,000
6/18 revised new number: 612,000
6/18 initial total number: 6.687 million
6/18 revised total number: 6.709 million
6/25 initial new number: 627,000
6/25 initial total number: 6.738 million

The total number of those collecting unemployment did decline ever so slightly, but is now going back up again. The number of new claims for unemployment insurance is still pretty staggering.

Warren Buffett – you know, the guy whose name cropped up in a lot of Obama’s commercials last year — said yesterday, “In the (Berkshire Hathaway) annual report I said the economy would be in a shambles this year and probably well beyond. I’m afraid that’s true.”