Today, the Labor Department reported that new applications for unemployment insurance are rising--a sign that the job market is softening. Economists were expecting new filings to dip to around 340,000 last week, but 349,000 were reported instead. Economists project an overall slowdown in economic growth for 2008 due to the sour housing market and tight credit.

The year is quickly coming to a close, which means it's time for all the "Best of" lists to declare the winners--and losers--of 2007. The Wall Street Journal has selected their hit and miss advertisements of the year in the article Best of Ads, Worst of Ads . The best ads included Dove's online video showing how an average woman was transformed into a supermodel thanks to heavy makeup, lighting and, of course, airbrushing. The Simpsons Movie advertising campaign was also a hit with viewers, as 12 7-Eleven stores were converted into Kwik-E-Marts, the fictional chain in the TV series. As for the major bombs of 2007, the marketing stunt for Aqua Teen Hunger Force was a disaster, as was the Snicker's commercial depicting two men sharing a chocolate bar and locking lips.

Check out the rest of the article to find out which ads bombed and which struck a chord with viewers. Missed some of the ads? Don't worry; the article includes clips of the advertisements that made the list.

The holidays are a time for spreading cheer to friends, family, and even your clients and co-workers. But sending traditional greeting cards is not only expensive--it's also not environmentally friendly. According to the New York Times, that's why some companies opted for electronic greetings this year. Though they were once seen as tacky, e-cards are generally becoming more accepted in the corporate world. However, corporate etiquette consultants still argue that traditional cards are always a good idea. Business etiquette expert Ann Marie Sabath said clients should receive paper cards, but it's acceptable for colleagues and other business contacts to receive e-mail greetings. One law firm interviewed in the article said it sent out about 10,000 e-cards this year, though individual partners sent out 1,200 traditional cards on their own dime. "There's plenty of people who have a client base who think they're not ready to convert yet," said Eric B. Rothenberg, a partner at law firm O'Melveny & Myers. "We're sensitive to the fact that we have lots of clients who might not treat a paper card as kindly as they would in the past."