FRIDAY UPDATE: "The U.S. lost more jobs than forecast in August and the unemployment rate climbed to a five-year high of 6.1 percent, a sign that the economic slowdown is worsening." (Full Article). "Foreclosures accelerated to the fastest pace in almost three decades during the second quarter as interest rates increased and home values fell, prompting more Americans to walk away from homes they couldn't refinance or sell."  (Full Article). Betting on Sunny Skies? If you need a job in order to pay your bills, this isn't the best of times.  Today the federal Labor Department announced that unemployment claims increased more than the "experts" had expertly predicted.  Other cheerful facts about the state of the U.S. economy: Unemployment rolls are at a five-year high 3.4 … [Read more...]