How many people have been layed off?

Im just wondering how many people have been layed off because of down sizing, company going out of business, ect. I was out of work for a year and a half. I guess i could have found work in some other field, but I enjoyed my time of instead. I have alot of friends that where also out of work for at least that long, and they have been having a hard time with it. So how has this recesion effected everyone?