MAYBE OBAMA SHOULD MEET WITH THAT JOBS COUNCIL OF HIS SOMEDAY: Unemployment Claims Jump; Jobs Market Still in Doldrums. Unexpectedly! “Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 34,000 to a seasonally adjusted 386,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday. The prior week’s figure was revised up to 352,000 from the previously reported 350,000. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims rising to 365,000 last week.”

UPDATE: Then there’s the whole underemployment problem.