Ten Times More Waiter And Bartender Than Manufacturing Jobs Added In 2013

This data really doesn't need much explanation. Here are the facts: so far in 2013:

* There have been 246.5K Waiter and Bartender (Food Service and Drinking Places) jobs added

* There have been 24.0K Manufacturing jobs added

The ratio of waiters and bartenders to manufacturing jobs: 10 to 1.

Sadly, most of those now record waiters and bartenders are just sitting there, twiddling their thumbs. Recall: "According to this week's very weak retail sales report, Food-service sales fell 1.2% in June, the largest decline since February 2008 and the year over year change in "eating out" rose by just 3.1% - the lowest annual increase since June 2010. But at least all those empty restaurant seats have a record number of waiters catering to the non-existent clients which on the surface should mean the speediest service in history." Read more >>

Strongest employment growth is temporary help agencies

Unemployment in May ticked up to 7.6 percent as employers added 175,000 jobs, a tepid report that may cheer investors hoping for interest rates to stay low, boosting stocks.

Economists including JJ Kinahan, chief derivatives strategist of TDAmeritrade, had expected the addition of 167,000 jobs with the unemployment rate unchanged at 7.5 percent.

The industries with the strongest employment growth in the last month were temporary help agencies, which added 26,000 jobs; and food services, which added 38,000 jobs in May and 337,000 over the past year.

...The Labor Department revised the number of jobs added in April lower to 149,000 from 165,000. March's number was revised higher to 142,000 from 138,000. Read more >>

Palm scanners replace cash at some Florida schools

Palm-scanning technology uses unique vein patterns as a ID system.


At schools in Pinellas County, Fla., students aren't paying for lunch with cash or a card, but with a wave of their hand over a palm scanner.

"It's so quick that a child could be standing in line, call mom and say, 'I forgot my lunch money today.' She's by her computer, runs her card, and by the time the child is at the front of the line, it's already recorded," says Art Dunham, director of food services for Pinellas County Schools.

Students take about four seconds to swipe and pay for lunch, Dunham says, and they're doing it with 99% accuracy.

"We just love it. No one wants to go back," Dunham says.

Palm-scanning technology is popping up nationwide as a bona fide biometric tracker of identities, and it appears poised to make the jump from schools and hospitals to other sectors of the economy including ATM usage and retail. It also has applications as a secure identifier for cloud computing. Read more >>