The Federal Reserve announces a decision on interest rates today, so a few economic notes:

• The 3rd quarter GDP is announced at a stronger than expected 3.9%. But consider this:

  Despite rising worries about commodity prices, the GDP price index, the broadest measure of price changes in the economy, rose just 0.8% annualized, matching a nine-year low. Inflation hasn't been lower since John F. Kennedy's administration.

  Bonddad says the report should raise eyebrows because deflators are usually over 2%.


• Macro and Other Market Musings notes the regional differences in United States economic growth. The Federal Reserve Bank in Philadelphia has a U.S. map showing the latest monthly coincident index for each state. In September Tennessee had between 0.1% and 0.5% growth.


• The Big Picture has a map showing state by state mortgage loan performance. The Tennessee number of delinquencies, defaults, and foreclosures improved at 0% - 5% rate over the past 12 months.

• The fine folks that brought us KnoxViews have now rolled out TennViews, a site featuring progressive Tennessee news and opinion.


• "Why men and women argue differently"


• Josh Marshall has a video from Islamofascism Awareness Week.