:back2topic:
Some observations/thoughts on this list:
Items 2,3, and 6 are no surprise. Our economy has been shifting from one rooted primarily in manufacturing to a largely service-based economy for over two decades now. Number eight, Mining Support Jobs, could probably be tied in to this too.
Item four, Postal service: There's a news article today that talks of USPS projecting a possible $7 billion loss this year. USPS, like Amtrak, is a gov't-run Charlie Foxtrot that can't compete with private sector competitors like UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.
Item seven, newspaper publishers: This is no surprise either. There are many other sources for news nowadays than traditional newspapers, making it a fiercely competitive industry. So subscriptions have dropped off dramatically, and subsequently advertising revenue also. This has also probably caused a ripple effect with regard to Item Five, Printing and related jobs.
Item number one, Department Stores: A byproduct of the recession. Folks are much more frugal with their money nowadays, and look for the best value for their money. Dept stores are often much more expensive than other retailers. And folks often find better deals for the same or similar products on line.
Item nine, Gas Stations: Gas station/convenience stores make most of their profit from all of the other stuff sold in their stores, not gas. So this is probably another result of the recession. Most of the time, the crap you can buy in a gas station/convenience store is much cheaper at another outlet, like a grocery store, Wal-Mart, etc.
Item ten, Wired Telecom: No surprise here either. Many folks are ditching their land-line phones and keeping just a cell phone. And the wireless phone/internet market has stepped up the competition too with the introduction of "tetherable" cell phones, MiFi, etc. Also, the satellite TV providers offer very competitive packages to lure customer away from cable TV providers. Not only that, but just about everything you can watch on cable TV can be viewed on line at sites like Hulu, etc.
Of course, items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 share another common denominator that has probably had a significant impact on their job losses... However, my asbestos suit is in the cleaners, so I won't bring it up right now.:grin: