Thursday, Jun. 26, 2003 | 1:12 PM

So many people in my department just got laid off. I mean it�s like a friggin� ghost town here. I heard a statistic that campus wide Harvard has cut back hiring by 20%. I have some very powerful people in my corner, and despite the amount of time I spend on diaryland, my job is actually paramount to the functioning of my program. I am responsible for so much that can�t be doled out to anyone else. If my job were cut, all hell would break lose (there was a review about this a few months ago and I came out A-OK.) But it�s friggin scary to see everyone disappear. I�ve been spared and I thank God for that every day. I mean my friggin� apartment is owned by my work place and I can only live there as long as I continue to work here. I�d be homeless if I got laid off.

Thankfully, my program is the only one in the department that�s turning a profit, so we�re safe.

A year and a half ago, our department couldn�t find enough office space for new hires. Now, every other office/cube is empty. Thank God I got in here when I did.

Academic institutions do not downsize normally. I mean, it simply doesn�t happen. But with times being what they are now�

The Feds are cutting interest rates again. We�ll be going into deflation soon�ala the Great Depression. And still the government is giving massive tax cuts to the top most income bracket. What the fuck is wrong with this picture.

The job market was tough enough when I was laid off from the Stupid Company a couple years ago. Now it�s damn near impossible. I really feel terrible for anyone who is out of work right now, and slightly less bad for those who want to make a transition.

Fuck this shit, man. Somebody needs to assassinate the Republicans. I want their heads on some platters.