re: "I remember when IBM had a strict no-layoff policy. Maybe I am showing my age."
I remember it too. But I bet IBM didn't have that policy during the Great Depression. (Did IBM, as such, even exist back then? I seem to remember it being called "American Cash Register" or something like that, long ago.) It might be interesting to check and see.

Gold is $1,581/oz today. When it hits $2,000, it will be up 26.5%. Let's see how long that takes. - De 3/11/2013 - ANSWER: 7 Years, 5 Months