Sure, you could look at the latest unemployment numbers and be depressed: 7.2% unemployment rate, the highest in fifteen years, and an additional 524,000 jobless claims for the month of December alone, and say to yourself, “Self, this sucks.” But you could ALSO look at it another way, that 92.8% of Americans are not drawing unemployment, and that doesn’t sound too bad at all.
Of course, for every silver lining, some joker out there’s got to find a cloud:
“Even with a stimulus package, the unemployment rate is going to keep rising and by December it is likely to be over 9 percent,” said David A. Levy, chairman of the Jerome Levy Forecasting Center. In a speech on the economy, Mr. Obama said Thursday that the unemployment rate “could reach double digits.”
So if you have a job right now, take a good look around the place, because you won’t have it by this time next year. We will all descend upon the sleepy town of South Park mindlessly begging for change.
CB // Jan 9, 2009 at 10:05 am
the real bummer is that since the gov’t plays around with the statistics before they report them, the rate is likely much higher than these numbers suggest.
Jason // Jan 9, 2009 at 10:06 am
Oh yeah, this only counts people who are currently receiving unemployment assistance, so if you never bothered applying for it or yours has run out, you’re not in those numbers. I wouldn’t be surprised if the true number was over 10% already.
alyx // Jan 9, 2009 at 10:15 am
CNBC’s talking heads this morning indicated the average # of hours worked is dropping, suggesting we’ve seen more people pushed from full- to part-time who will soon be unemployed. So we’ve got that to look forward to, as well.
CB // Jan 9, 2009 at 10:16 am
i meant to post this link – it explains some of the fun the BLS has w/ the numbers:
http://www.shadowstats.com/article/54
Employment and Unemployment
Jason // Jan 9, 2009 at 10:18 am
Good thing I’m already part-time here at LOLFed, and working for free. I will still have a job when no one else does.
TonyS // Jan 9, 2009 at 10:37 am
I can see it now… first your web-hosting company goes under, then your power gets turned off… weeks later you’re still sitting there typing to the black, lifeless screen in front of you, mumbling something about failboats full of dollah thongs.
Jason // Jan 9, 2009 at 10:38 am
For me, the only real difference between that scenario and the current reality is my screen isn’t black.
Lolo, ESQ // Jan 9, 2009 at 11:34 am
i’m wearing a dollar thong today. thx recession!