Latest Watermark

NPR said that there were approx. 2.6 million jobs lost in the last four months.

Watermark

I was listening to NPR this morning. They said that there were 800,000+ *first-time* unemployment filings last week. They said there were 600,000+ this week. They said total USA unemployment was ~4.8 million.

Breakdown:
3.4m divided by 50 states = 68,000 per state
times ~$300 benefits per week = $20,400,000 per week per state

4.8m divided by 50 states = 96,000 per state
times ~$300 benefits per week = $28,800,000 per week per state

footnote(s):
(1) The $300 per week is just a number I used; no source.

The Bailout

I could use $11,428 for a new home. Could you?

                t   b   m   t       (Note 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
first bailout:     700,000,000,000 / 140,000,000 =  $5000
second bailout:    900,000,000,000 / 140,000,000 =  $6428
total bailout:   1,600,000,000,000 / 140,000,000 = $11428

(1) taxpayers = ~140.0 million [conservatively rounded up]
   http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=175470,00.html