The grim picture described by the Labor Department on Friday provided stark evidence of just how much the jobs market has buckled under the weight of the housing, credit and financial crises.
Walls are painted white throughout, contrasting with other details that include a bulky concrete entrance, a polished screed floor and custom-built wooden furniture.
He deserves credit for convening the G20 meeting in London, and for Britain's pioneering bank rescues and useful budgetary stimulus (in noted contrast to the Tories' proposals).