With a geographic focus on Missouri, BARK is a new blog about the economy, social services, healthcare reform and more. Down on your luck?  Looking to help those who are? Then join our dialogue!

So let’s get started. The Department of Labor released new employment figures that show that the unemployment rate dropped slightly to 10 percent in November from 10.2 percent in October.

The construction, manufacturing, and information industries saw job losses, while temporary help services and health care added jobs. Wholesale and retail trade, transportation and warehousing, financial activities and leisure and hospitality showed little change over the month. Do these data mesh with your experiences in the last month?  Are you currently looking for employment? Have you seen any uptick in job opportunities in your area? Please tell us what you see out there.