"There is a chance that it will be a little brighter than this, but likewise, it might not get quite that bright, " said Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab.

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Her candidacy would have made a few days brighter for the likes of me, but would have made little difference.

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It may be painful to write that check but all across the country, retailers and restaurants are offering taxpayers a break to make the day a little brighter.

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But the screens could stand to be a shade brighter, and I wonder whether haptic feedback (a little buzz to your finger when you push the screen) can compare to the sensation of actually turning a knob.

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But if you look at what's driving that 70, 000 rise in joblessness, the picture is a little brighter - and a reflection of the different way that the labour market has operated in this recession, compared with either the 1980s or early 1990s.

BBC: A different kind of jobs market