Weekly earnings are also down by $1.54, which is bad news too.

But the Household Data is VASTLY worse than reported. Here are the month-over-month changes, and they're in the realm of frightening. (all numbers in thousands)

Civilian Labor Force: 154,879 to 153,617 this month.

Employed: 140,074 down to 139,079 this month.

That's a loss of 995,000 jobs, not 263,000, and the labor force contracted by 1,262,000 people!

The participation rate was absolutely decimated, down 0.6% this last month alone. The people "not in the labor force" rose by a staggering 1,516,000 in the last month.

The government doesn't count people as "unemployed" who have given up and exited the labor force, but as I have repeatedly noted whether the government counts them or not the corner store owner sure as hell does!

The fact of the matter is that nearly 1 million fewer people were working in September as compared to August; there has been absolutely no improvement in that trend whatsoever.

Americans value self-sufficiency and are generally suspicious of what they call "big government".

But the worst recession in 50 years has knocked many back on their heels.

Hard-working people who have lost their jobs are finding themselves embarrassed, but thankful for what government aid is available.

Michelle Jordan, 40, who lives in Yonkers, New York, was laid off in July.
Her unemployment cheques cover about half of her regular bills, but not her mortgage.
If relatives had not helped her make the house payments, she says the bank might have foreclosed on her property.

Ms Jordan does not need her degree in economics to tell her how bad the economy is.

She has worked for years in marketing and customer service, but with three children to support, she is willing to consider all sorts of jobs, even part-time work.

"I am hoping I will find another job, before all these benefits go down the drain."

The mother of three's six-month-old baby may be glad to have her at home, but her six-year-old daughter repeatedly asks, "Mommy, why did they fire you? Why did they let you go?"

She says her 17-year-old son understands and helps out.

Like many people caught in the downdraft of the financial crisis, Ms Jordan has found herself doing things she never thought she would: such as applying for help with her grocery bills, through a federal programme referred to as food stamps.

"You go to the grocery store and two bags, all of a sudden it's $40, and you think, 'where did all that money go?' So I had to reach out for something."