As the economy improves?

As I watch talking heads explaining hopeful signs in the economy, I'm glad the economy is doing well for bankers and brokers. As today's news reports that job losses climb more than the idiots economists expected, KPIX (CBS 5) ran a story on the fact that over the next four months 137,000 Californians will run out of unemployment benefits, with 62,000 losing them next month. (View the story here.)

This had to be happening nationwide, so I did a Google News search on "unemployment benefits run out" and came up with 135 results in the past month. I can't imagine this story on the WRAL (Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville, N.C.) web site in 2007:

Durham, N.C. — More than 460,000 people in the state received unemployment benefits in the past month, according to the Employment Security Commission of N.C. But what happens when those benefits run out?

...Turning to the local social services office may be a good place to start.

“You can come and apply for any of the services we provide. Work First is the program that helps folks with cash assistance and will help you do your job search,” said Sharon Hirsch, a spokeswoman with the Durham County Department of Social Services.

Yes folks, welfare is available unless you're in California where Arnold and the Republicans are trying to shut down the "overly generous" back to work program.