just so you know

i work for a very large international company. we had layoffs announced the week before last. lots of them. under 100 in my particular location, still, that means just under 100 people i see nearly every day lost their jobs. (note: my company does have a fair severance package but that doesn't make it any easier). i didn't lose my job (THIS TIME) but what about NEXT time? but lots and lots of others lost their jobs in other locations.

and then this was in the papers yesterday. the corporations are shocking and the figures are staggering.

we really ARE on the edge here. i don't know if everyone realizes that. we're CLOSE. no work, no housing, no food.

Layoffs Cut Deeper Into Economy
As Recession Hits Most Industries, Corporate Giants Slash Jobs
By Annys Shin and Neil Irwin
Washington Post Staff Writers
The nation's employers, including some of its largest and most sturdy, announced plans yesterday to slash more than 55,000 jobs, a staggering one-day toll that highlighted how quickly layoffs are accelerating and how widely misery is spreading throughout the labor market. The cuts extended to companies that were once considered bright spots in the U.S. economy. Construction equipment maker Caterpillar, whose business last year was bolstered by strong exports, said it would cut 20,000 jobs. Pfizer, one of the giants of a health-care sector that had until recently seemed immune from the downturn, said it would cut 8,000. ...........