As a further historical comparison, one in four Americans did not have jobs during the Great Depression in the 1930s, so the unemployment rate then hit 25%.

BBC: Putting the job losses in context

To him, a more appropriate historical comparison is between Obama and Liberal Party politicians, including HH Asquith.

BBC: Is Barack Obama a Tory?

This would measure the total amount of debt that can only be paid back by tax revenue or selling government assets, and so would be a more apples-to-apples comparison with historical Treasury debt, govt debt in other countries, etc.

FORBES: Monetary Watch February 2011: Obama's budget, the GOP and its implications for US inflation

We consider non-GAAP international revenues as a useful metric as it facilitates management's internal comparison to our historical performance.

ENGADGET: Google's Q4 2011 results: $2.71 billion profit, $8.13 billion in revenue, Wall Street disappointed

And with a new collective bargaining agreement in place that should influence high-spending teams to think twice before incurring massive luxury tax bills, Mr. Stern presided over a final round of labor negotiations that may yield a greater degree of competitive balance to the sport that was previously lacking in historical comparison with other North American leagues.

FORBES: Savvy and Shrewd Summarize Stern's Leadership Legacy as NBA Commissioner

By any historical comparison, the economy was sure not only to bottom out soon, but to surge forward in a dramatic snap-back.

FORBES: Obama Bets On The Business Cycle - Again