DailyFinance:  Although initial jobless claims fell from last week, the current four week average shows that claims rose.  Earlier this year actually showed a decrease in claims but that figure has plateaued and in some instances appears to be slowly creeping up again.  The stats are based on U.S. Labor Department data released today.

Another key element necessary in forecasting an economy on the mend is the continuing claims numbers, which, according to the piece, are not dropping at a fast enough rate leaving the country firmly bogged down in recession.

Still, more jobs are better than no jobs.  Another encouraging factor is that people who had given up on looking for work are getting back into the game.  Small businesses are showing  job gains and green is the word of the week.  The president, in the face of the Gulf oil spill disaster, spoke yesterday of taking lemons and making lemonade, essentially.  That businesses need to start looking at the current state of affairs and adapting and putting their thinking caps on if they were to come to the rescue of the economy and American people.  If employers and job seekers can harness some of the current administration’s optimism and vision we might be able to start getting people back to work.