The government here in the golden bankrupt state has actually increased the number of state employees over the past year by 2 percent. While ever other industry in the land is cutting back, the state is still hiring.

About 4,000 more full-time workers drew state checks in June compared to a year before, with the biggest increases coming in prison hospitals, the state's unemployment agency and the Franchise Tax Board.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has initiated the elimination of 7,000 state jobs from the state's deficit-ridden general fund, but it is unclear if that will offset the overall state job gains over the past year. State officials don't know how many of those general fund workers will find jobs in state agencies financed by other funds.

While the Governor's Office says monthly payroll costs have dropped nearly 10 percent because of the furloughs Schwarzenegger ordered, the job gains show that the goal of some to permanently reduce the state work force remains elusive.

One wonders exactly how deep into the tank the economy would have to go before the number of people on the state payroll actually decreased.