James Flanigan's "Way U.S. Counts Jobless May Be Outdated," March 14, column about the seemingly stable unemployment figures may have overlooked a factor that has grown out of a major trend during the past decade.
During the past 10 years, thousands of individuals became consultants, independent contractors or free-lancers--essentially, "one-person bands." If I can judge from myself and my free-lance acquaintances, who are primarily in advertising and related communications fields, this past year and a half has been characterized by serious under employment and significantly lower incomes.
