More Evidence that News Corp. Would Be Nuts to Shun Google

On November 17, 2009

Peak Oil? Not Here and Not For Decades, CERA Study Says

Peak oil -- that much-debated moment when the world can no longer produce the oil and gas it needs and wants -- is decades away, according to a recent study by IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates. Global oil production will grow from about 92 million barrels a day to around 115 million barrels per day through 2030 with no evidence of a peak in supply before that time, according to the CERA report by senior director Peter M. Jackson. And supply won't reach a point and suddenly drop off, says CERA, a consulting firm founded by Daniel Yergin, who remains a controversial figure because of his half-glass full views in the peak oil debate. Instead, this "inflection point" will mark the beginning of a plateau...


On November 17, 2009

Tuesday Links: Robbery Up, Lending Down

Robbers and burglars are moving beyond traditional cash-heavy targets to hit professional offices, suggests Sarah Needleman in the WSJ.

Small business lending from bailed out banks is down 4% or $10 billion in six months, reports Catherine Clifford at CNNMoney.

The White House hosts a roundtable on small business financing with Treasury Dept. and Small Business Administration set for tomorrow. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and SBA Administrator Karen Mills are scheduled to be there. Deborah Soloman of the WSJ has more.

More and more businesses are built on lead generation, Steve King writes at Small Business Labs, from Google to social games.

Four key elements to boosting local search rank, via Lisa Barone at Small Business Trends.


On November 17, 2009

Goldman Sachs Announces $500M in Aid to Small Business

Lords of high finance may seem unlikely sources of aid for small businesses. But Goldman Sachs (GS), along with Warren Buffett and several education and nonprofit groups, today announced a $500 million charitable project to aid small businesses over five years.

Goldman will invest $300 million in community development financial institutions, lenders that focus on economic development in low-income neighborhoods. The program will also provide $200 million in scholarships for business owners to get training at community colleges and other institutions. Loans and classes funded through the program are set to begin early next year.

The initiative, dubbed 10,000 Small Businesses, seeks to drive smalll business job growth by combining business education, mentoring and networking, and access to capital. Goldman is partnering with respected small business organizations, including the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, which focuses on small business development in underserved areas.

Buffett (who is Goldman's largest investor) will sit on the program's advisory council along with Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein, ICIC founder and Harvard professor Dr. Michael Porter, and a dozen other leaders from the business and educational communities.

The plan may be as much about softening Goldman's image as helping small business. The firm faces sharp criticism and public anger over doling out bonuses just a year after taking $10 billion in bailout money, which it has since repaid. (Goldman still enjoys other government guarantees and benefited from the bailout of AIG.)

While much of the economy struggled through 2009, Goldman recorded three booming quarters after taking a loss at the end of last year. The firm reported net income of $3.2 billion in the most recent quarter, and has set aside $16.7 billion for compensation.


On November 17, 2009

Working Too Hard For Success

Success means different things to different people. What does success mean to you? That’s a question I ask all of my new clients and I love the myriad of responses. It would be interesting to add a second question: “On...


On November 17, 2009

Verizon Weaves AT&T-Bashing Witticisms Into Legal Doc

Verizon has filed a response to the lawsuit AT&T brought against its snarky "We've Got a Map for That" advertising campaign. Unlike typical legal briefs, the carrier's filing is replete with witty rejoinders and sarcasm, echoing the ridiculing tone of the ads at the center of the dispute.