Jobless claims fall to lowest in four and a half years [Reuters]
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell sharply last week to the lowest level in more than four and a half years, according government data on Thursday that suggested improvement in the labor market. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 30,000 to a seasonally adjusted 339,000, the Labor Department said. It was the lowest number of new claims since February 2008. The prior week's figure was revised up to show 2,000 more applications than previously reported.
A breakdown of firms' real estate professionals.
The opening you've been waiting for.
You see what happens?
There may be a trend here.
So don't get any bright ideas.
Hacker rewords Portland road sign to give zombie alert [PPH]
Early morning commuters in Portland — those who had their coffee anyway — got a surprise warning as they made their way down Auburn Street. An electronic message board that typically warns motorists about impending roadwork instead read: "Warning Zombies Ahead!" The prank got a good guffaw from many who saw and heard about it, but not from city officials. "These are deployed and used as a safety precaution. They're not a toy," said Portland spokeswoman Nicole Clegg. "We don't want people to be distracted. We take this kind of crime seriously." Clegg said it's unclear how a prankster changed the message, but it's not the first time. Earlier in the year, another variable message board was made to read "Sleeping Snorlax Ahead," an apparent reference to a character from the Pokemon cartoon. Another mentioned gnomes and another made disparaging, though not altogether inaccurate, remarks about the Boston Red Sox.
