Current Reform Legislation May Just Be Round One

On October 12, 2009

Expect New Services from Dell Targeting SMB

Dell and Salesforce.com have announced that they are partnering to reach the small and medium business market. But the real news appears when you consider Dell's planned acquisition of Perot Systems.
On October 12, 2009

Apple, Google Governance Continues Cracking

Looks like ex-Genentech CEO Arthur Levinson has resigned from the board of Google. In some cases that might be enough to get the Federal Trade Commission spotlight off Google and Apple having shared two directors while competitors, but even if this particularly issue goes away, plenty is left on the regulatory front to be a concern for management of either company.
On October 12, 2009

Did Your Small Business Grow This Year? It’s Probably No Thanks to a Bank

If your small business or sole-proprietorship took off this year, your success likely came despite receiving no help from a bank. According to CNN Money, 25,000 fewer small businesses received loans this year than last year – a 36% drop in funds to small businesses at a time when small businesses are also being lauded [...]
On October 12, 2009

Wegman’s Plans A Pair of Pubs as It Tests Full-Service Restaurants

Wegmans is going into the bar business with not one but two versions of The Pub, a combination restaurant and watering hole it has launched in its just-opened supermarket in Collegeville, Pa. Jo Natale, a company spokesperson, told Bnet that another Wegmans unit, currently being readied in the Pennsylvania town of Malvern, also will include The Pub. Natale said the decision to test a restaurant concept came in part because Wegmans already held a liquor license in the Keystone State, which is necessary due to complex laws touching on adult beverages. Most smaller beer purchases in Pennsylvania, for example, have traditionally been done in bars that mount coolers for the trade. Wegmans has, of course, been involved with foodservice for...
On October 12, 2009

Amtrak Loses 1.5M Riders

The recession that struck the airline and cruise industries was bound to hit Amtrak. So it was no surprise that today the rail operator reported a loss of 1.5 million passengers, or around 5.2 percent, for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, but the agency didn't seem that torn up about it. While the drop was blamed on the usual suspects -- recession and job loss -- even with the million-plus decline, it's still the second-highest ridership year in the agency's history. Its 27.2 million passengers are still 5.1 percent higher than 2007's numbers, and 2009 garnered $1.6 billion in revenue. According to Amtrak: While ridership in the Northeast Corridor on Acela Express and Northeast Regional services did not keep pace with last year, several...


On October 12, 2009

The Book On A Small Business Merger

What do you get when you pair one independent bookselling legend with another venerable institution? The answer comes in the form of the recent announcement that 115-year-old Vroman’s (based in Pasadena) the oldest indie book store in southern California has signed an agreement to acquire Book Soup, the eclectic 34-year-old West Hollywood indie shop known for its deep stock of inventory and lively readings. For years -- even before the Great Recession flattened retail sales in general and book selling in particular -- small independent bookstores have had a hard time of it as they’ve navigated a collision course with large chain retailers, Amazon, and even Costco and Wal-Mart. A number of booksellers have gone under. In April, the 20-year-old Cook’s Library in Los Angeles went out of business. Last year, the Bay Area institution Cody’s finally called it a day after more than a half a century, and this past spring, Stacey's Bookstore, the 85-year-old San Francisco shop, announced it too was shuttering its doors.

According to the American Booksellers Assn., a trade organization made up of independents, based in Tarrytown, N.Y., in 1993 there were 4,700 indies. Last year, that number had fallen to 1,600. This small business merger offers a bright spot in an otherwise bleak trend and a possible alternative fate to stand alone book sellers across the country.


On October 12, 2009

Straight Talk from Nancy Gioia, Ford’s Electric Guru

The new director of global electrification for Ford, Nancy Gioia, sat down for a 15-minute interview with BNET Autos. Gioia says she’s “thrilled” to stay connected with the team she served as Ford’s director of sustainable mobility technology and hybrid vehicle programs for North America, “but now it’s on a broader scale.” The promotion was first reported earlier today. Gioia will have hard work ahead to convince people around the world not only to buy plug-in vehicles, but to choose Fords. The company’s roll-out is unaffected by Gioia’s promotion. A battery version of the Transit Connect commercial van Ford debuted this past summer will be on the market next year, built in partnership with Smith Electric Vehicles. Gioia predicts that...
On October 12, 2009

The Crisis is Over | BTalk Australia

[podcast] Dr Nigel Stapledon says the worst of the financial crisis is over, at least as far as Australia is concerned. Unemployment has peaked below 6% and the Reserve Bank has started raising interest rates. So, do we still need stimulus measures?
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