(no subject)

[arethinn]

The Geography of a Recession

(seriously, are they still calling it that? isn't this some kind of depression by now?)

Visual/animated map of unemployment data by county from Jan 2007 to most recent available, darker colours indicating higher unemployment rates. enotsola described it as "Fade to black, much?" and he's right. Apparently your best bet right now is southwestern North Dakota, and I bet that's only because nobody lives there. ^_- Unemployment is at about 12% here in Silicon Valley last I heard. (The other 88% were at Santana Row yesterday, I swear. Yes, ALL of them. Graaah.)

Comments

[unseelie.livejournal.com]

2 thougts
1) Somewhere I read (grain of salt) that the reported 'unemploment rate' reflects those whom are actively trying to find work; as apposed to those whom have simply given up. To included the "given up" add another 10%. yeah. that means the Bay Area; about 17-20% of the populace who are of an age and physical body to work aren't.
2) Thanks George!

[arethinn]

If you read the text underneath, it does mention the involuntarily part-time and the were-looking-but-gave-up contingent, although I'm not sure if those numbers are counted in the data used to generate this map.

[silussa.livejournal.com]

In theory, the recession is over. Sadly, that doesn't mean there will be any increase in jobs anytime soon. :(

[arethinn]

lol, in whose theory? By what definition? Because by my lights, if unemployment is still on the rise, interest rates on savings/CD/money market/etc dropping, housing values dropping (as nice as that is for me who would like to buy one, but for them to drop into my income range in my area we'd be talking 50-75% loss in value, which is near economic collapse and do not want)... I'd say we're still in recession/depression.

[silussa.livejournal.com]

Most of the definition of a recession depends on economic growth. Unfortunately, the economy doesn't tend to care if we're working, at least to a large extent. :(

[valkyriur.livejournal.com]

ZOMG Don't say the D-word!!!

[arethinn]

*shrugs* seriously though... it may not be a "Great Depression" (add a generous amount of lack of crop rotation, mix well in Dust Bowl, let simmer in John Steinbeck's brain), but surely it's more severe than "recession"?

[valkyriur.livejournal.com]

In all seriousness, yes, I believe we are in a depression, but the government and newscasts refuse to say it just because it's the big D-Word.

[rhiannasilel.livejournal.com]

The DC area is actually only 6.4%, but the area in and around the capitol always does seem to do better economically than the rest of the country. I remember even during the 70's my father and brothers never had any problems finding jobs. I think it's something about fear of letting things get too bad too close to the seat of government.

[rebel-poet-1030.livejournal.com]

Some good news!

The economy grew this past quarter by 2.8%! In traditional economic terms, that means the recession is over.

However, having said that, employment numbers are always the last to bounce back, so high unemployment could persist for awhile, unfortunately. Let's just hope the growth trend continues over the next year and ideally by this time next year we'll be out of this mess.

[arethinn]

Hopefully, but tell it to our probable mid-year cuts and people selected for layoff whose positions previously were going to be paid for through June with one-time funds who now may be getting the axe in February or so... ugh.