Today's number: 8.8%

The unemployment rate in September in the 12 nations that share the euro as their currency, the sixth straight month that it's held at that level, the European Union statistics agency Eurostat said.

Today's career talk

Each time you look at a time-management problem, says Julie Morgenstern, author of Time Management from the Inside Out, ask a simple question: "Is my problem technical or external or psychological." Ask yourself frequently about causes of problems. "You may discover that there are certain obstacles that tend to cause problems for your over and over again."

Today's money tip

A Roth Individual Retirement Account still remains one of the premier ways to plan for long-term saving and investment. The Web features many useful guides about the ins and outs of a Roth IRA. One is Roth IRA Incorporated, located at www.rothirainc.com. It discusses Roth IRA basics, a sample IRA comparison, benefits and shortfalls.

Today's company: Gardens Alive!

EARTH-FRIENDLY: Niles Kinerk grew up on a farm in southern Indiana where pesticides were used as a matter of course. As he grew up, Kinerk learned about the dangers of such chemicals and became an organic gardening enthusiast. In 1984, after many years of gardening and 10 years' experience in the direct mail industry, he began testing a natural gardening catalog and launched his mail order organic gardening venture the following year.

GROWING IN DEARBORN: Gardens Alive! was first located in Sunman, but moved in 1981 to the vacant Schenley Distillery building in Lawrenceburg. The facility houses the company's beneficial insect nursery, organic plant foods production and research activities.

MORE PRODUCTS, MORE PROFITS: Currently, Gardens Alive! is a leading mail order company dedicated to the biological control of garden pests. It also sells bird feeders and food supplements and flea treatments for pets. Its sales are nationwide.