"It's going to take a little bit more time to move that needle, " Ms. Stewart said.

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All of these choices have moved the chronically high unemployment needle exactly the opposite direction at a time when Americans are desperate to get back to work and get their families back on firmer financial footing.

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With four regular employees, only two of whom are full time, VeryNice has limited resources to move the needle on causes.

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But too often, despite a considerable investment in time and money, employee surveys fail to move the needle of engagement.

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Nothing that happens in South Africa any time soon is going to be large enough to move the needle as far as Wal-Mart stock is concerned, but it is positive to see the company embarking on the next phase of their overseas expansion now that Brazil, China and other markets have proven successful.

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One simple focused step: unleash natural gas and you can move the needle in million-barrel-per-day increments at a price and in a time-frame that nothing else on the table can.

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"The first time people come in, they're petrified because they're thinking of a hypodermic needle, " says acupuncturist Pat Matthews, of the adventure destination Red Mountain Spa in St.

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As part of the study, each time participants receive counseling they will be reminded that they could be getting a placebo and cautioned against needle-sharing and unprotected sex.

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By the time our own pot of harihari-nabe finally arrived, all we could do was play with the needle-thin (hari means "needle") stalks of mizuna greens and take a bite or two of whale leftovers.

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