What is a recession

I have long been aggravated that the official definition of a "recession" does include unemployment. If companies sell enough big ticket things that cost enough to the very rich, we're not in a recession, even if the unemployment rate is 90%. The official definition looks only at effects on those at the top of the financial pyramid. "The United States has been shedding jobs every month this year, for a total decline of more than 700,000 jobs so far", and there is argument about whether or not we're already in a recession? I feel like I'm living in cloud cuckoo land.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/business/economy/30fed.html?_r=1&ref=business&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

The United States has been shedding jobs every month this year, for a total decline of more than 700,000 jobs so far. What makes that alarming to many analysts is that the job losses have come so early in the downturn.

Traditionally, companies have been cautious about laying off workers at the start of a downturn and equally cautious about adding workers after a recovery begins.