It is tough...

Interesting data in the following article...
The key point that is not mentioned is that these are all "estimates" by the DOL, using several fudged numbers...

Meltdown 101: Unemployment by the numbers

MISERY LOVES COMPANY

14.5 million: People unemployed in May 2009, the most ever in records dating to 1948

12.1 million: People unemployed in December 1982, the record before the current downturn

9.4 percent: Unemployment rate in May 2009

10.8 percent: Unemployment rate in December 1982, the highest since World War II

August 1983: Last time the unemployment rate was higher than the current level

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WHERE THE JOBS ARE

44,000: Number of jobs added in May in education and health services, one of only two broad job categories — out of seven — where the number of jobs went up

3,000: Number of jobs added in leisure and hospitality, the other category to add jobs

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GETTING BETTER (SORT OF)

59,000: Construction jobs lost in May

117,000: Average monthly loss of construction jobs in the previous six months

7,000: Temporary jobs lost in May

73,000: Average monthly loss of temp jobs in the previous six months

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JOBLESS FOR MONTHS

3.95 million: The number of people unemployed for 27 weeks or longer

1.32 million: The number unemployed for that long in December 2007, when the recession began

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UNDEREMPLOYED

9.1 million: Number of part-time workers who would have preferred full-time work last month

2.2 million: People without jobs who wanted to work, were available and had looked in the last 12 months, but had not looked in the last month.

16.4 percent: Unemployment rate if you include involuntary part-time workers and those without jobs who hadn't looked for work in 12 months — the highest in records dating to 1994

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MAY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BY GROUP

9.8 percent: Adult men

7.5 percent: Adult women

11 percent: Female heads of households

6.7 percent: Asians

8.6 percent: Whites

12.7 percent: Hispanics

14.9 percent: Blacks

22.7 percent: Teenagers