Next week the Government will release the new unemployment numbers. Midknight Review predicts . . . .

The following story from one our news portals, suggests the release of the new unemployment numbers, due next week, will show an increase in unemployment figures - perhaps to 10.4% or higher. Understand that this percentage is NOT "unemployment totals" but only the percentage of folks currently receiving unemployment benefits. The actual number of those not working or "underemployed", whether on a benefit program or not, is around 16% of the population and 35% of the actual work force. You can bet that Obama will not mention these last numbers. Just yesterday, he told an audience in Nashua, New Hampshire, that only one out of 10 were unemployed when, as we have just noted, unemployment is much, much higher -- jds.

The following gives us the reasoning for our predictions above. The question is this: is there really such a thing as a "jobless recovery." We don't think so.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Unemployment rose in most cities and counties in December, signaling that companies remain reluctant to hire even as the economy recovers.

The unemployment rate rose in 306 of 372 metro areas, the Labor Department said Tuesday. The rate fell in 41 and was unchanged in 25. That's worse than November, when the rate fell in 170 areas, rose in only 154 and was unchanged in 48.

The metro employment numbers aren't seasonally adjusted and can be volatile. Many of the increases were due to seasonal factors.

For example, Ocean City, N.J., which bills itself as "America's Greatest Family Resort," saw its unemployment rate jump to 16.4 percent in December from 14.8 percent the previous month.

That's double the 8 percent it reported in July, even though the nation's economy was in worse shape then.

Ocean City is one of the 19 metro areas that reported unemployment rates of at least 15 percent. Twelve of those are in California and three are in Michigan, the department said.

Joblessness topped 10 percent in 138 metro areas, up from 125 in November but below last year's peak of 144 areas in June.