What a bone-chilling way to slide into December. Not to mention the holidays.

  • We woke up this morning after a night of visible breath and twinkly lights to the news that unemployment benefits will likely terminate for 2 million people by the end of the month. The whole bipartisan thing is going swimmingly, as usual: The Democrats in Congress want desperately to extend the 99-week fund, whereas Republicans, though they've expressed similar interest, want to relieve the $14 trillion national debt before bruising it some more. Of course, tax breaks for the rich…

    … are still a grave concern. (Nothing's really changed since “Robin Hood,” has it? What with Prince John and his fat-cat foreclosures.) According to the Associated Press, average benefits total about $300 a week.

Unemployment in California is at 12.4 percent — third highest in the nation. ABC7 Lists the following career fairs today, but warns that the competition will be fierce (over 1,000 applicants for 100 jobs).

  • The harsh news stings especially hard for the L.A. County valley areas, who saw a rough night on the frost front. (Lucky for L.A. proper, below-freezing temps stuck to the suburbs.) The LA Daily News reports:

Just before 4 a.m. it was 25 degrees in Lancaster and it was 27 degrees in Palmdale, according to the National Weather Service. Further east in the San Gabriel Mountains, it was 28 degrees in Wrightwood.

Further south at the same time, it was 50 degrees in downtown Los Angeles, 47 in Van Nuys, 41 in Burbank, and it was 48 degrees in Anaheim, according to the Weather Service.

Good morning, Los Angeles! Just in case you had forgotten you're living in the Great Depression, your doting Congress is dawdling and the Sky King is making sure you have a sore throat to complement your hurting wallet. At lease you're not in Poland?

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