Unemployment rates around the globe

A few weeks ago I posted that Spain's unemployment rate is over 21% and today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly report saying "official" US unemployment is at 9%  (its really at 17% but Shhh... Shhh....)

So I was curious to see the most recent unemployment rate figures of other nations.  Because I do not know the interworkings of ever nation's Department of Labor, I can not state if or which nations doctor their numbers as is done in America.  So the following figures are the most accurate information I can provide...

Afghanistan- 35% as of March, 2011; yes 35 out of every 100 unemployed

Australia-  4.9% as of March, 2011-  that's a normal percentage

Austria- 4.8% as of February, 2011

Belgium- 7.6% as of February, 2011

Brazil-  6.5% as of February 2011, and their nation is really growing

Canada-  7.6% as of April, 2011

China- 4.1% as of late 2010; any surprise it will be #1 by 2016

Croatia- 19.3% as of March, 2011;  that's about 1 in 5

Egypt-  9.7% as of early 2011 before Mubarrak left

France-  9.5% as of April 2011; 2010 was 9.1% unemployed

Germany- 6.3% as of February, 2011

India- 10.8% as of early 2011; growing nation with expanding population

Ireland-  14.6% as of May, 2011; 1 in 7 out of work.. other 6 working for IMF

Italy- 8.6% as of January, 2011

Mexico- 5.38% as of February, 2011; with figures like that, you may start seeing 'gringos' rushing over the border for a job

Portugal- 11.2% as of January, 2011

Russia- 7.4% as of February, 2011

South Africa-  25% as of March, 2011; guess the World Cup didn't help

Spain-  21.3% as of April, 2011

United Kingdom-  7.8% as of February, 2011

United States-  9% as of May, 2011;  really 17% when counting the U-6 factors which are conveniently ignored (Kinda like saying only 9% of Americans are redheads by intentionally ignoring the other 8% from your calculations)

Vietnam-  2.9% as of March, 2011; guess that's what happens when a nation makes everything the rest of the world consumes

Zimbabwe- 95% as of early 2011; yes.. 95%.. 9 out of 10 jobless

"Recall" in the news

There's so much news out there in the world- most of it deeply irrelevant and unuseful to everyday people's daily lives.  One of the few exceptions are stories about product recalls because usually it involves public safety.  So out of curiosity, I keyworded the term "recall" on Google news focusing on product recalls around the world within the last couple days.

I admit I was quite surprised how many applicable results I found...

Ford widens recall of F-150 pickup to nearly 1.2M  (AP)  4/15/11  -- "Ford bowed to pressure from regulators on Thursday and widened a recall of America's top-selling vehicle, the F-150 pickup, because its air bags can deploy at the wrong time."

J&J issues another recall, for epilepsy pills (AP)  4/15/11  -- "Johnson & Johnson issued yet another recall Thursday, this one for about 57,000 bottles of a widely used epilepsy pill, due to complaints of a chemical odor."

FDA Recalls Penumbra Coil 400 Used for Brain Aneurysms (Medscape News) 4/14/11 -- "The device is a small platinum coil that is placed inside a brain aneurism via a blood vessel leading to the brain. The body responds by forming a blood clot around the coil, which then protects the blood vessel from rupturing or leaking"

FDA Recalls Axxent FlexiShield Mini Silicone Pads (Medscape News)  4/14/11  -- "The product is a silicone rubber pad containing tungsten particulate. This device is used to shape a therapeutic beam of radiation while preventing exposure of skin or tissue that does not need to receive radiation therapy"

Kuhmo Outlines China Recall Plans (Tire Review)  4/14/11 -- "Kumho Tire Co. and Kumho Tire USA Corp. have issued a statement regarding reports that the South Korean tiremaker is recalling thousands of OE tires sold to Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp. and Great Wall Motor Co. in China."

Fiat recalls 130,000 Puntos on brake problem  (AFP)  4/15/11  -- "Italian auto giant Fiat has recalled over 130,000 Fiat Puntos because of a possible problem with the anti-lock braking system that could cause a short circuit"

Redken Mousse Recall Issued Due to Risk of Can Rupturing  (Aboutlawsuits.com)  4/14/11 -- "About 1 million bottles of Redken Guts 10 spray mousse have been recalled from stores after reports of dozens of cans exploding."

General Motors recalls Chevy Cruze over steering problem (WFRV.TV)  4/13/11  -- "General Motors has issued a recall because the steering wheel could come off the steering column while driving."

Toyota Vietnam to recall 8,000 minivans over safety fears (M&C.com) 4/13/11 -- "Toyota Motor Vietnam is to recall 8,000 Innova minivans because of problems that include a faulty pressure cylinder for rear-wheel brakes, the company said Wednesday. "

Calgary store involved in walnut recall.. Nuts contaminated with E. coli  (Calgary Herald)  4/12/11 -- "The Canadian Food Inspection Agency have advised people not to eat raw, shelled walnuts originating from Amira Enterprises Inc — an importer of nuts and dried fruits based in Montreal."

Girls' clothing recalled by My Michelle, risk of lead exposure (KAIT8.com)  4/13/11  -- "My Michelle, of New York, NY and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have announced a voluntary recall of approximately 90,000 girl's tops."

~ And that's just within a this workweek,  yikes...