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Another Rough Week for the Economy.

The California unemployment rate rises to 6.9 percent. And the possible financial collapse of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has forced the government to assure investors that the companie

Another Rough Week for the Economy.

Audio will be posted later today.

Tom Fudge:  Following the economy today is a little bit like following the fortunes of the San Diego Padres. Good news is hard to find. Last week, for instance, ended with the news that California's unemployment rate was 6.9 percent, third highest in the nation. San Diego County did a little bit better, although our unemployment rate of 5.9 percent is the highest we've seen in 12 years.

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The bust of the housing market and the surge in oil prices take a lot of the blame for the current doldrums. In fact, some people are starting to use a word we haven't used since the seventies: Stagflation. That's the double-whammy of rising prices combined with slowing in the general economy.

At some point home prices are going to bottom out, but the economic upturn seems hard to predict. In fact, there may be some fundamental changes going on in the way we do business, thanks to the fact that the high price of energy may be here to stay.

Guests

Dean Calbreath, business reporter and columnist for the San Diego Union Tribune.

Marney Cox, chief economist for SANDAG, the San Diego Association of Governments.