, ▁and ▁it ▁acceler ated ▁dr ast ically ▁starting ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁following ▁the ▁bank rupt cy ▁of ▁Le h man ▁Brothers . ▁By ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁the ▁American ▁economy ▁was ▁reported ▁to ▁be ▁more ▁sh ak y ▁than ▁the ▁economy ▁of ▁Canada . ▁Many ▁service ▁indust ries ▁( part icular ly ▁in ▁countries ▁that ▁either ▁have ▁the ▁same ▁un emp loyment ▁rate ▁as ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁or ▁greater ) ▁have ▁reported ▁dro pping ▁their ▁prices ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁maxim ize ▁profit ▁marg ins ▁( looking ▁to ▁make ▁use ▁of ▁any ▁price ▁el astic ity ▁of ▁demand ▁in ▁their ▁market ▁segments ). ▁This ▁is ▁an ▁era ▁in ▁which ▁employ ment ▁is ▁becoming ▁un stable , ▁and ▁in ▁which ▁being ▁either ▁under emp loy ed ▁or ▁un emp loy ed ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁part ▁of ▁life ▁for ▁many ▁people . ▁ ▁Net ▁job ▁g ains ▁and ▁losses ▁by ▁month ▁ ▁United ▁States ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁– ▁ 4 3 3 , 0 0 0 ▁jobs ▁lost ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁ ▁– ▁ 8 0 3 , 0 0 0 ▁jobs ▁lost ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁ ▁– ▁ 6 6 1 , 0 0 0 ▁jobs ▁lost ▁▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁▁ ▁– ▁ 8 1 8 , 0 0 0 ▁jobs ▁lost ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁ ▁– ▁ 7 2 4 ,