The Tornoe spin on a Delaware Christmas

One would think in Rob Tornoe’s world that it can get a little cynical. But leave it to our cartoonist Rob Tornoe to make sure that we’ve “drawn” the true spirit of the holiday. Tell us what you think.

 

Finally, we’ve begun to see some bright news in the dark sea of unemployment data. According to the labor department, far fewer people are seeking unemployment benefits now than just three months ago. While some are undoubtedly people whose job prospects are so bleak they’ve just given up, to most it’s a sign that layoffs are falling dramatically. The number of people applying for unemployment benefits nationally fell to the fewest number since May of 2008. In fact, the last time jobless applications were this low, the unemployment rate (now sitting at 8.6 percent) was a cool 5.4 percent. Regardless of this promising data, there are still a number of families that are feeling the crunch this holiday season. Delaware’s unemployment rate sits at 7.9 percent (down from a high of 8.8 percent last year), and there are many families that are in need of a helping hand this Christmas. As just one example, the Food Bank of Delaware provides aid to more than 240,000 people every year. That’s more than a quarter of the state’s entire population! So while things might be looking up, don’t forget about the neediest this season. Donate to one of Delaware’s many fantastic charities for poor and underprivileged families, or think about volunteering your time. I know it’s a busy month, but I guarantee your good deed won’t go unappreciated. After all, the season is about giving as much as it is about receiving.

 

Rob Tornoe is the editor of the humor magazine Punchline, and is a WHYY contributor. E-mail Rob at Rob@DelawarePunchline.com, and follow him on Twitter @RobTornoe. Feel free to comment here on Rob’s work as well.