It's not entirely clear from the article, but it looks like they're measuring jobless claims in absolute terms, rather than by percentage of population. The population of the U.S. has grown by about 70 million people since 1982.
The actual # of unemployed is most likely higher than the reported #s. They stop counting a person as unemployed after they stop receiving the unemployment checks, no matter if they found a job or ran out of time
I guess I will have to start my own business after I finish school instead of trying to squeeze my way on to the corporate ladder.<p>I'll be honest, I'm not overly worried about unemployment. Good ideas will still be able to take off, and talent that may have previously unavailable to a startup will now be easier to acquire. Unemployment is a huge problem and I feel for everyone I know who has been affected by the recent downturn, but I sincerely believe that it is our job as entrepreneurs to help alleviate this problem.