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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · 1d

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · 5d

New proposed AEWR methodology dropped today: www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · 7d

And now I start working my way through that list. I'm glad to have some extra time for home production in the middle of my holiday season, but frustrated to be forced to pause what I was in the middle of doing yesterday.

And I really don't like the look of this: kalshi.com/markets/kxgo...

Days of government shutdown | Trade on Kalshi

Track what Kalshi's markets predict for "Days of government shutdown", or trade it yourself.

kalshi.com

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · 8d

Time to write my annual list of home production tasks to complete if there is a lapse in federal appropriations.

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · 9d

I really like the way my brother-in-law (the candidate for public office) presents his city's budget visually in this pair of videos: youtu.be/RehrElsji7w?... and youtu.be/UQ8Ohc1six0?...

A $107.5M pallet of cash! Let's see where our revenue comes from in our Melrose FY26 city budget

YouTube video by Jason Chen for Melrose City Councilor-at-Large

youtu.be

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · 16d

I finally had a chance to listen to this talk in full. Worth hearing. And someone asked Erika about changes in the imputation of CPI data at the very end; her answer was illuminating.

Levy Institute @levyecon.bsky.social · 20d

Watch now: Levy's conversation with Erika McEntarfer, former BLS Commissioner and Bard alum.

In her first public address since the events of August 1, Dr. McEntarfer speaks candidly about her removal from office and the future of statistical independence.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PD_...

Erika McEntarfer (Former BLS): "The Importance of Official Data in Assessing Economic Conditions"

YouTube video by Levy Economics Institute

www.youtube.com

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · 17d

One of my colleagues wrote a 2 page overview of the H-1B program. Among other topics, it explains that not all employers are subject to the "cap," and shows trends in the number of these visas:

www.congress.gov/crs-product/...

www.congress.gov

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · 19d

papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · 20d

Happy Constitution Day! I like the resources the Library of Congress has assembled on the Constitution: constitution.congress.gov

constitution.congress.gov

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · 23d

I've been reading about what Generative AI is and is not good for. It can be summed up as "Aggregating data without a underlying model of how things work."

Seems very similar to the way many economists see the shortcomings of data science (when it isn't combined with domain knowledge).

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · 24d

Looking for a non-stressful video from somebody running for office? My talented brother-in-law is running for a small city council in Massachusetts, and illustrated upcoming city infrastructure plans on camera: youtu.be/ofTRdLS9zP4?...

Melrose will soon break ground on our Engine 2 fire station. Check out the design!

YouTube video by Jason Chen for Melrose City Councilor-at-Large

youtu.be

Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Sep 7

At 10am on Tuesday, BLS will publish preliminary benchmark revisions for March 2025 employment for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and selected metropolitan areas at the total nonfarm level. www.bls.gov/sae/notices/...

See below for a 2-page reference explanation of benchmark revisions.

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Sep 7

I call it "calendar Tetris."

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Sep 3

This article calls it "a regulatory vacuum": www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/...

Amid Fight Over H-2A Wages, Trump Administration Moves to End Farm Labor Survey

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it will end the Agricultural Labor Survey just days after a federal judge in Louisiana threw out the Biden administration's wage rule for H-2A workers that...

www.dtnpf.com

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Aug 31

This publication is now outdated. Last week, a court overturned the 2023 AEWR rule and DoL said they won't appeal. That means an AEWR based only on the Farm Labor Survey (FLS).

Now USDA said it's discontinuing the FLS. www.nass.usda.gov/Newsroom/Not...

I don't know what happens to the AEWR now.

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Aug 17

And even more so when different groups collaborate under one roof!

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Aug 15

I wrote a 2 page overview of CES Monthly Revisions, at www.congress.gov/crs-product/...

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Aug 12

The position requires Senate confirmation.

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Aug 6

Why are wages rising in agriculture? Why has demand for H-2A workers been increasing, when hiring these workers is so expensive? I read everything I could about US agricultural labor markets and summarized what I learned in www.congress.gov/crs-product/...

www.congress.gov

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Aug 5

And meanwhile, if you're a parent in the target population for specific private schools (for example, based on your religious affiliation), you are completely bombarded with outreach and marketing from private schools.

(Public schools often offer tours, too, but you have to call and ask about them)

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Aug 4

Looking for a 2 page explanation of CES Benchmark revisions? I wrote one at www.congress.gov/crs-product/...

www.congress.gov

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Reposted by Elizabeth Weber Handwerker

Erica Groshen @ericagroshen.bsky.social · Aug 2

Am Econ Assn speaks out about firing the #BLS Commish.

"It is standard practice for statistical estimates to be revised as [better] data become available. These revisions reflect the commitment of statistical agencies to accuracy, transparency, and methodological rigor--not failure or bias."

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Jul 24

This evening, I wrote the kids about the labor economists who ran an experiment on compensation and monitoring practices in a Chinese car manufacturing plant.

Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Jul 23

I recommend watching the presentation (It starts 6 hours and 30 minutes into the video). There is no 5 year gap; there is an effect lasting at least 5 years.

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Elizabeth Weber Handwerker @elizwebhand.bsky.social · Jul 23

A priest, a minister, and a rabbit walk into a blood drive. The rabbit says, "I think I'm a type O."

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