Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics.

A local example: The city likes to tout the low unemployment rate here - 3.7% in December. Sounds good eh? Well...

1) it's low because the people that can't get jobs leave. Most people that had a good job that went out from under them (lots of plants closed in the last 3 years) moved to Lubbock, Austin, Ft. Worth, Dallas, Wichita Falls. There are people here that COMMUTE to Dallas - 200 miles! Count the people between ages 22 and 55 - there aren't many of us. 3 universities here and the first thing the kids do is leave town - not many bust it for 4 years so they can work at the mall or answer the phone at a plumbing company.

2) low unemployment scares relocating companies. They worry about being able to hire people without having to do the "eBay thing" with salaries. But we have lots here that don't go to the unemployment office - so they don't count in any stats. Many get military retirement and then pick at doing things or act as "independent contractors".