BBC News - US durable goods orders jump 3.8% in November

The US Commerce Department said that orders for durable goods, including transportation equipment, rose by $7.5bn (£4.8bn) to $207bn.
Excluding transportation goods, which are seen as volatile, orders rose overall by 0.3%.
In the same announcement the previous month's figures were revised up to $199bn from $197.7bn.
Transportation goods include aeroplanes which drove most of the growth.
Plane-builder Boeing received 96 orders for aircraft in November compared with 7 in October.
However, car manufacturers saw orders fall by 0.5% in the same period after rising 5.9% in October.

BBC News - US durable goods orders jump 3.8% in November

Privatising Margaret Thatcher's funeral would be a fitting tribute to her legacy

Cover of Margaret Thatcher

I'll sign the petition in a heartbeat.

"In keeping with the great lady's legacy, Margaret Thatcher's state funeral should be funded and managed by the private sector to offer the best value and choice for end users and other stakeholders. The undersigned believe that the legacy of the former PM deserves nothing less and that offering this unique opportunity is an ideal way to cut government expense and further prove the merits of liberalised economics Baroness Thatcher spearheaded."

Privatising Margaret Thatcher's funeral would be a fitting tribute to her legacy | Sunny Hundal | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

Teaching Assistant with R expertise needed in Toronto

Services of a teaching assistant (TA) are required for a course in Applied Retail Research at Ryerson University in Toronto. The course will run from January to April 2012. Experience with statistical analysis  using R is required.

For details on the course, please click HERE.

To apply or read more about the position, please click HERE.

Note: Applicants who are not registered Ryerson University students will be considered in cases where no qualified Ryerson student is available for this appointment.