July 10, 2009 ndash; Another mixed week of economic data, which left Wall Street in doubt about whether the economy is going to rebound any time soon. Fridayrsquo;s downtick in consumer sentiment was a stark reminder that Main Street is not doing well and isnrsquo;t particularly optimistic. middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Consumer Sentiment ndash; The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (preliminary) index decreased to 64.6, the lowest level since March, from 70.8 in June. The forecast was for a reading of 70. With respect to Americanrsquo;s perceptions about their financial situation, and whether it is a good time to buy big-ticket items, the reading fell to 70.4 from 73.2. The index of consumer expectations for six months from now fell to 60.9, the biggest drop since October, from 69.2. middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; US Import and Export Price Indexes - The U.S. Import Price Index rose 3.2 percent in June, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of ...

Louisiana, unlike any of the other states of the union is made up of Parishes, as opposed to counties. A state of subtropical temperatures, and wild hurricanes is also a land of great riches. Louisiana refines more oil than any other state. Here are some interesting facts about Louisiana:1. Petroleum and natural gas are Louisiana’s number one mined products, and together they account for 90% of the total state mining income.2. Louisiana ranks number one in shrimp production.3. The production of chemical products are one of Louisiana’s top manufacturing industries.4. Sugar cane is Louisiana’s top farm product.5. 19 refineries are located within the state of Louisiana, and together they are responsible for 15% of the total refining capacity of America.6. The state imposes a $0.20 per gallon tax on oil.7. Almost 9,000 people are employed by refineries, ...