These have been fast-growing sectors, and are expected to continue to be. They also pay average- to above-average salaries. But certainly, we will always have underemployed folks in a rapidly changing economy. I just don't know how many.

It's certainly a positive number. This has been a fairly decent year for the Triangle.

A sub-5 percent rate is an important signal to the rest of the country that the North Carolina job market is strong despite the significant restructuring occurring.

So this is a good report for Durham County, a strong report.

Right now, the sales tax is imposed only on goods, and not services. At the retail level, people are starting to spend more on services than on goods.

See the drug dealers are recruiting everyday so we have to recruit everyday about their dreams.

There are probably some seasonal-adjustment issues creating the big drop in unemployment and the big gain in employment between December and January.

We have all the ingredients for a strong biotech industry here with the agriculture, pharmaceuticals and educational base.

My whole belief is if we can get into the schools and share a powerful message. A young person can make a decision to go for this dreams instead of drugs.

I think it can go down more and I think '06 will be a good year. The region is still considered one of the hot regions.