Rejection Letter

Letter from an employer near you...

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for your application for the open position we advertised. This is to inform you that this position has been filled by somebody with an unpronounceable name, an immigrant from a foreign country in which 9/11 is not viewed as a great tragedy. We are paying this person just 50% of what we paid the last person (an American) who held this position.

We are truly sorry that you have been unable to find work since being laid off fourteen months ago. Our firm, which received federal funds through the TARP bailout program, appreciates your interest.

Signed,

Corporate America

Animated Unemployment Map

Here's a well done map by LaToya Egwuekwe showing the progression of job loss from January 2007 to November 2009. Note that the purple represents 7.0-9.9% unemployment and black represents 10% and above. The map loses precision as unemployment worsens, and it needs to be revised to show the areas with highest unemployment more clearly. (Perhaps orange and red could be used to show >12% and >15%?)

It's appropriate, though, that the colors chosen paint America as one large bruise. Wonder if that was intentional??