Morning Constitutional – Friday, 3 September 2010

Good morning, folks. A Malaysian man tried to bring 95 snakes on a plane. Now, your morning constitutional:

The U.S. shed 54,000 jobs in August, raising the unemployment rate to 9.6% percent. The job losses were actually the result of public sector firing; while the private sector added 67,000 jobs, the Census let go of 114,000 temporary workers as state and local governments dropped 10,000.

By historical standards, the labor market is actually recovering rapidly, as job growth began earlier than past recessions.

Hurricane Earl is weakening as it approaches Massachusetts.

The U.S. auto industry is smaller but healthier.

Theories on why some rich-world economies are supposedly doing better than the U.S. don\’t stand up. How the top percent of earners in the U.S. compares to those in the top Euro zone economies.

It was hot enough in Kentucky that the corn popped right on the stalk.

People are actually Leaving Las Vegas.

Stretching before running does not prevent injuries.

The highest paid athlete of all time.

Wild chimpanzees are learning to out-wit human hunters.

Finally, a women spilled tea on herself, forcing a British plane on its way to Poland to make an emergency landing in Germany.