Business

Global Software Firm Hiring More People With Autism

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:08:47 +0100

Software giant SAP yesterday announced a new employment push to hire more people with autism after a successful pilot program showed increases in office productivity and cohesiveness. Six workers on the autism spectrum hired as software testers in India had a positive impact in those key areas, and also provided empowerment for the employees to excel in their areas of strength. Sensing a potential competitive advantage to leveraging the unique talents of people with autism, SAP will also be pla...

87 Percent of Tech Startups Plan to Hire in 2013

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:40:49 +0100

If you know anyone looking for a job, you might want to tell them to go see a start-up. Eighty seven percent of technology startups plan to hire new employees this year, according to an interactive report by Silicon Valley Bank, which serves high growth tech companies across the United States. In the US, that number is 14 percent higher than four years ago, when SVB’s annual Startup Outlook was first conducted....

Young Millennials Spur Capitalism with a Conscience

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:06:59 +0100

It's capitalism with a conscience. Nordstrom recently opened a test store where all profits go to charity. Starbucks has three coffee shops where a big chunk of the money made helps the needy. For decades, this kind of corporate kindness was the exception, but in the past few years, dozens of America's biggest brands have embraced social generosity as an unusually effective way to sell themselves to consumers, employees, even stockholders....

Made in America Label Stages Comeback at Stores

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:35:19 +0100

When Roger Simmermaker went shopping for clothes at a Florida mall in the mid-1990s, he wanted to buy American, but to his frustration, he couldn't find anything made in the U.S.A. It motivated him to write "How Americans Can Buy American: The Power of Consumer Patriotism" - a guide to finding products manufactured in the United States, which were a scarce commodity at the time. Nearly 20 years later, he has seen a big change. The pendulum has swung back toward a wider choice of American-made p...

Johnson and Johnson Removes Toxic Chemicals From Baby Products

Wed, 08 May 2013 15:45:17 +0100

Johnson & Johnson executives were handed 30,000 signatures from consumers in February who, instead of complaining, were praising the company. As one of the world’s largest producers of personal care products, it had followed through on an August pledge to remove toxic chemicals from its baby products -- and by doing so, signaled a change in corporate America. "Smart companies that are marketing to children are in a footrace to phase out chemicals of concern," said Scott Faber of the Envir...

April US Jobs Report: Hiring Picks Up, Surprising Economists

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:49:14 +0100

The economy added 165,000 jobs in April, surprising economists and easing fears of an imminent collapse in the recovery. The Labor Department had previously reported a disappointing 88,000 jobs added in March with an unemployment rate of 7.6 percent. But Friday's report revised the number of jobs added that month to 138,000, and those added in February to 332,000 from 268,000....

US Economy Accelerates at 2.5 Percent in First Quarter

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 14:33:54 +0100

U.S. economic growth accelerated to an annual rate of 2.5 percent from January through March, buoyed by the strongest consumer spending in more than two years. Consumer spending surged at an annual rate of 3.2 percent, the Commerce Department said Friday. Business spending also expanded along with home construction....

Put This Pot On The Fire And Charge Your Phone While Making Dinner

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 22:29:38 +0100

Need a power source when you’re camping or during a black-out? Heat up this pot on a fire or burner and it can turn the heat into useful electricity for powering USB devices. The PowerPot is the invention of two graduates from the University of Utah, who built the original prototype using an old pan and materials bought on EBay....

Delta Airlines Digs Deep for Grieving Boy

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:03:06 +0100

Ever since his father died two years ago Cole Holzer, 7, has clung to his father's shirt for comfort. He cuddles it, sprays it with his father's aftershave, and falls asleep with it. When the boy left the shirt on a Delta Airlines flight to San Diego, and realized it later, he was devastated. That's when the caring airline sprung into action to try to locate "the daddy shirt"....

Corporations Donate $10 million to One Fund Boston for Bombing Victims

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:18:13 +0100

As we reported on Saturday, millions of dollars have already been raised directly for specific bystanders who lost limbs in the Boston Marathon bombing. Some of the victims had no health insurance and their friends set up fundraising web pages to help pay the bills. Businesses now are showing their spirit for Boston through generous contributions to the One Fund Boston. According to ABC News, the fund, which is collecting donations that will be divided between victims and their families, has alr...

Whole Foods to Build First Commercial Rooftop Greenhouse Atop Brooklyn Store

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:03:14 +0100

Whole Foods Market has partnered with Gotham Greens to build the nation’s first commercial-scale rooftop greenhouse for growing year-round local produce atop the store in Brooklyn. The 20,000-square-foot greenhouse, currently under construction along with the forthcoming Whole Foods Market store in Gowanus, is scheduled to open later this fall. Gotham Greens will use the space to grow premium quality, pesticide-free produce for sale in Whole Foods Market locations throughout New York City....

Aspiring Baker Quits Job Handing in Resignation on a Cake

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 07:28:11 +0100

In what might be the sweetest resignation story ever told, Chris Holmes, 31, quit his secure airport job in England by handing in a cake printed with a message saying, he was quitting.

He wanted to pursue his passion of owning and operating his own cake-decorating business.

Proof in the Profits: America's Happiest Companies Make More Money

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:55:42 +0100

Every year around this time, a new edition of the “100 Best Companies To Work For” is released. These are the companies that go out of their way to keep their employees happy in their jobs. But is there a direct connection between having happy workers and a company making more money? One person who may have the answer is Jerome Dodson, the founder of Parnassus Investments, which created a mutual fund that invests exclusively in large American firms proven to have outstanding workplaces....

Life is Good Builds Brand Based on Optimism

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:57:41 +0100

Optimism has been good for Bert Jacobs, who along with his brother John, co-founded Life is good in 1989. The lifestyle and clothing brand, built around Jake – a smiling, somewhat crudely drawn elongated smiley face with a huge grin and a jaunty beret – started with the pair peddling T-shirts on the streets of Boston. It has grown from the two brothers sleeping in a van while they sold T-shirts door-to-door on college campuses to a $100 million business built around the idea of spreading opt...

Goodbye Fluorescent Lights: Super Energy-efficient LED Tubes Unveiled

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 20:48:32 +0100

The horrid green fluorescent lamps in offices and schools could be a thing of the past. Lighting company Philips has developed an LED lamp that it describes as "the world's most energy-efficient" -- twice as efficient as those currently used in offices and industry around the world. The tube fixture offers the same amount of light while cutting the carbon emissions in half....

At 48 Panera Cafes, You Can Pay Whatever You Want (Or Nothing) For Turkey Chili

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:14:36 +0100

Can’t afford a hot meal? Panera will now give you one. It’s the latest in the company’s experiments in letting customers set their own price. Go to any of the 48 Panera Bread cafés in the St. Louis area and you’ll notice something strange: You can pay whatever you want for your turkey chili. In fact, you could pay nothing at all, and that would be just fine. Panera's charitable foundation already operates a cafe in the St. Louis area with its entire menu offered on a "Pay what you want...

Knowing You're Being Helpful Can Make You More Productive

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 16:38:39 +0100

Adam Grant helps others chronically and compulsively. And when you hear about his research, you'll wonder if you should be doing the same. Grant is a leading researcher in the field of organizational psychology, where he studies, among other things, how being helpful, and feeling helpful, can benefit the rest of us. In one of Grant’s most influential studies, he set out to do the impossible--to motivate call center workers....

Good News in the Job Market: Recovery, Growth, Optimism Spike in March

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:40:05 +0100

Employers around the world are more optimistic about business growth and think more money will be spent on talent development this year. That's according to a Right Management survey of more than 2,000 senior human resource executives in 14 countries from government, non-private and private companies. In the United States, the number of job openings spiked again in March according to the online job database SimplyHired.com....

As US Housing Industry Gains Momentum, Other Sectors Follow

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:51:41 +0100

Residential construction, remodeling, moving, gardening and furniture buying add up to about 20 percent of the country's gross domestic product — which is why the upward momentum in housing, which continues to gain steam, is such a powerful boost to the economy. But it's not just that. By year end, U.S. homes will collectively be worth $3 trillion more than they were at the bottom of the market. "And that will provide a significant boost in consumer spending" — $100 billion in extra spending...

Texas Olive Garden Pays Couple's Tab Before Soldier Deploys

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:04:51 +0100

It had been a normal Sunday night for Dawn Ward, a waitress at the Olive Garden restaurant in Lubbock, Texas. Then, a married couple were seated and Ward thought they deserved ultra-generous care. "They said they had a special event happening and they wanted to spend it here at Olive Garden," Ward said. "And so I inquired what it was and they said that he was going to be deployed the next morning."...

Save A Farm Through GoFundMe

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 20:55:30 +0100

Crowdfunding has become to bypass old worn out methods of raising money. Innovators now finance films, video games, inventions, and much more through compelling online campaigns. Get enough people interested and those dreams become reality. Now there’s a crowdfunding site specifically designed to raise money for personal causes. GoFundMe.com is the answer if you want to fund medical treatment, pay college tuition, or cover your wedding costs....

Growing Momentum in US Economy: New Data

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 17:44:25 +0100

A clutch of data pointed to growing momentum in the economy during the first quarter, with jobless claims trending lower and factory activity and homes sales both on the rise. The reports on Thursday built on recent upbeat data on hiring and consumer spending that have led many economists to see a sharp rebound in economic growth despite the onset of increased fiscal austerity....

30 Pizzas Delivered to Passengers on Stranded Delta Flight

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:21:21 +0100

Bad weather in Atlanta forced a flight to end up on a tarmac for three hours after major delays, but the passengers had a great story to tell with some happy memories thanks to a compassionate Delta flight crew. Thirty pizzas were delivered to the stalled airplane in Knoxville -- both cheese and pepperoni -- to make the wait a little more bearable....

Ellen Helps Skype to Surprise Deserving School With $50,000 (WATCH)

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:18:42 +0100

Ellen was excited to surprise two of her favorite teachers with a huge gift from Skype. They teach in a Title 1 school, which means more than 50% of students qualify for free lunches. The kids and their classrooms don't have enough money for supplies and other basic needs, so teachers often end up paying out of their own pocket....

Sturdy Job Gains Offer Bright Sign for US Economy

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 18:51:49 +0100

US employers stepped up hiring in February, adding a greater-than-expected 236,000 workers to their payrolls and helping to push the jobless rate to a four year-low in a bright signal on the economy's health. The upbeat report, which showed broad-based job gains, was another sign of the economy's fundamental health, and it added fuel to a rally in US stock markets that had already propelled the Dow Jones industrial average to record highs....

United Airlines Holds Plane So Passenger Can Say Goodbye To Dying Mother

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:15:25 +0100

Kerry Drake needed to get to Lubbock, Texas, and fast. His mother was dying, so he booked the next flight from San Francisco. “I knew this itinerary was a risk because the stopover in Houston was only about 40 minutes, and my connecting flight was the last flight to Lubbock that day,” he told journalist Christopher Elliott. “But I needed to get there as soon as possible, so I took the risk.” As it turns out, United flight 667 was delayed leaving San Francisco and Drake was visibly distr...

Walmart.com to Sell Goods Made by Small Women-owned Businesses

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 10:59:18 +0100

Wal-Mart Stores Inc on Thursday will launch a line of products from small, women-owned businesses on its website, its latest push to position itself as a leader in women's economic empowerment around the world.. More than 200 items, from jewelry and iPad cases to coffee beans and apparel, will be sold on the 'Empowering Women Together' section of Walmart.com, the world's largest retailer said on Thursday, a day before International Women's Day....

Chinese Woman Goes From Sweatshop To Becoming Self-Made Billionaire

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:34:05 +0100

How did 47-year-old Zhang Xin go from working in a sweatshop to becoming one of the richest women in the world?

She got her start on Wall Street, but missed her homeland and returned to become a real estate mogul, building the futuristic buildings that mark the distinctive skyline of Beijing.

Dow Surges to Record ... and Keeps Going

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 23:30:00 +0100

The Dow closed at an all-time high Tuesday, beating the previous record it set in October 2007, before the financial crisis and Great Recession. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped from the opening bell, climbing as much as 158 points early and closing at 14,253.77. The gains represent a remarkable comeback for the stock market. The Dow has more than doubled since falling to a low of 6,547 in March 2009 following the financial crisis and the onset of the Great Recession....

Jump in Factory Growth Lifts Hopes for US Economy

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 16:26:18 +0100

Manufacturing grew in February at the fastest pace in 20 months. Busier factories and growing optimism among consumers could help the U.S. economy withstand the drag from government spending cuts and tax increases this year. The two reports follow other data that show strength in job growth and the housing market....

Diner Owner With Down Syndrome Serves Breakfast, Lunch and Hugs

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:32:37 +0100

Tim Harris, owner of Tim’s Place, is the country’s only restaurant owner with Down’s Syndrome, and the joy he gets from serving people good food carries over into his diner’s most famous export: hugs. He even has a hug counter on the wall advertising the World's Friendliest Restaurant and recently boasting, "Over 31,814 Hugs Given." Since Tim was 14 he has wanted to own a restaurant and his parents gave him the money to live his dream - managing a real diner....

Houston Bar Gives 100% of Profits to Charity. Period.

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:28:36 +0100

The Original OKRA Charity Saloon in downtown Houston operates a lot like any other tavern -- booze is purchased and poured, bartenders get paid and take home tips. But, the owners of this establishment give all their profits away. Proceeds from OKRA's are donated to a different Houston-based organization or social cause each month. With every drink purchased, bar patrons vote on which charity is chosen from among four new nominees each month....

Hardware Store Recreates Van Gogh's Starry Night With Door Knobs

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 22:58:05 +0100

Looking at a warehouse full of outdated and discontinued door knobs, the folks at Union Hardware in Bethesda, Maryland wondered what they could possible do to put all those products to better use. "We knew that their commercial viability was limited," says David Van-Goghberg who works at the store. "Instead of sending them to the scrap yard, we decided to create something memorable." So, in 2011 the third-generation, family-owned and operated business began a project to bring to life Vincent Va...

Great Jobs: One-man Bank Keeps German Village Humming

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 14:54:50 +0100

By big city standards, Peter Breiter, 41, is an unusual banker. He left a bigger bank, where it was all "sell, sell, sell", to settle in the tiny southern German village of Gammesfeld and write transaction slips by hand for its 500 inhabitants. The job required him to work with an adding machine and typewriter, without computers. Breiter, a keen mathematician, says taking up this job in 2008 was the best decision he ever made....

Home Solar Leasing Pumped Nearly $1 Billion into California in 2012

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 17:52:01 +0100

The number of homeowners installing solar panels leased from third parties is skyrocketing in the US, particularly in states that initiate incentive programs, like California's “One Million Solar Roofs." This week comes news that third-party-owned solar transactions have pumped more than $938 million into California’s economy in 2012, a record-high annual amount equal to that of all the previous five years combined. “We are seeing the most growth in low and median-income zip codes as comp...

Canada's Largest Restaurant Chain Offers Electric Car Owners Free Fill-up in Pilot Project

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:08:06 +0100

Electric vehicle owners in Oakville, ON are now able to charge their cars free of charge while stopping in to enjoy a Tim Hortons coffee. Canada's largest restaurant chain installed its first electric vehicle charging stations as part of a new pilot project. "The electric vehicle infrastructure is in its infancy and we see a potential opportunity for Tim Hortons to help make a true difference by expanding that infrastructure in Canada," said Paulo Ferreira, Senior Director, International Design ...

Colorful 'Solar Glass' Means Entire Buildings Can Generate Clean Power

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:57:00 +0100

A UK solar power company announced a £2m funding boost Tuesday that will help to manufacture solar glass in a wide range of colors that can generate electricity from the sun's rays. Oxford Photovoltaics, a spin-off from the University of Oxford, said the investment will help bring its solar panes closer to the commercial market. The cost of these pretty panels adds just 10% to the builder's budget for any glass building....

Another Vacant Warehouse Turned into Organic Urban Farm

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 18:44:38 +0100

The Hamm’s Brewery in St. Paul, Minnesota closed in 1997, but now one of the vacant buildings is being renovated into an urban farm. A group called Urban Organics wants to bring more jobs, fresh vegetables and fish to restaurants and markets in the Twin Cities. The building has been vacant for more than 100 years, but now it will be home to organic veggies and fish....

Workers’ Happiness Rubs Off on Customers, Profits

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 03:01:42 +0100

In the past five years, the financial industry has taken a drubbing with plunging profits, allegations of improper behavior, and customer backlash against rising fees. But various sources list one bank as a best place to work, and its practices may provide a blueprint to other companies on how to keep workers engaged even during tough times. Umpqua Bank is known as the "world's best bank"....

Boys & Girls Clubs of America Receives $464,425 Contribution from Toyota

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 23:01:47 +0100

Combatting the high school dropout crisis and preparing millions of American teens for college, Toyota donated $464,425 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America to be divided equally among 19 local Clubs currently running the Diplomas to Degrees college readiness program. Launched in 2012, d2D is a partnership between Toyota and Boys & Girls Clubs of America that provides resources and support to teens to help prepare them for moving from high school to college graduation....

Mini Cooper Sends Spam Apology, Care Package To Customers After Email Glitch

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 16:30:59 +0100

To fix an email spam catastrophe, the car company Mini Cooper sent a humorous and lovely package to those customers whose inboxes were inundated by hundreds of messages. On Wednesday, a Reddit user posted a photo of the way the car company apologized for their server glitch. The company sent chocolate and other items along with a note that read:...

German Watchmaker Rebuilds Luxury Brand From Post-war Rubble

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:03:27 +0100

At the age of 66, Walter Lange was setting out to prove great luxury watches do not have to be Swiss. In a remote corner of what was East Germany, Lange aimed to rebuild a venerable watchmaking business whose history reads like a chronicle of 20th century Europe. Now watchmakers in the small town of Glashuette again sit bent over tables, magnifying glasses strapped to their eyes, polishing German silver and engraving balance cocks by hand....

Barclays Boss: Sign on to New Ethics or Leave

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:52:24 +0100

Barclays boss Antony Jenkins has notified the bank's 140,000 employees of a new code of conduct. Mr Jenkins replaced Bob Diamond who quit over Barclays' role in rigging the Libor rate used in trillions of pounds of financial contracts. Even bonuses for 2012 will be assessed against the new "Purpose and Values" criteria. "There might be some of you who don't feel they can fully buy in," said Mr. Jenkins. "My message to those people is simple: Barclays is not the place for you. The rules have ch...

GM CEO Auctions Off 1958 Corvette to Help Habitat for Humanity

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 17:49:44 +0100

Just 510 Chevy Corvettes painted in the the Royal Turquoise hue were manufactured in 1958 and it was Dan Akerson's childhood dream to own one. Today Akerson is the Chairman and CEO of General Motors -- which owns Chevrolet, still the maker of the Corvette. On Friday the CEO placed his beloved mint 1958 turquoise convertible on the auction block so he could give all the proceeds to Detroit's Habitat for Humanity. When the gavel came down in Scotsdale, Arizona, the car brought a final price of $2...

New U.S. Housing, Jobs Data Best in Five Years

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 17:16:37 +0100

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment aid hit a five-year low last week, and residential construction surged in December, the latest signs that the U.S. economic recovery remains on track. A report from the Commerce Department showed housing starts jumped 12.1 percent last month to their highest level since June 2008. Permits for future home construction were also the highest in about 41/2 years....

One Million Books Replaced From Superstorm Sandy

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:06:43 +0100

Scholastic has donated one million books to schools and libraries that applied for help after Hurricane Sandy. They are providing replacement copies of beloved books stories lost to the storm waters. 400,000 have already been delivered. Said one teacher, "It's like Christmas morning for teachers."...

Mark Zuckerberg Creating a New Breed Of Silicon Valley Philanthropists

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:59:18 +0100

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg is the ultimate success story, and he is a generous guy. This is typical of the latest generation of wealthy entrepreneurs. Young donors are more interested in creating partnerships and being actively involved in their giving, unlike older philanthropists, who simply wrote checks every year. Big donors like Zuckerberg undeniably do make a difference to other budding philanthropists....

Pledges on Kickstarter Topped $320 Million In 2012; Site Names Year's Top Projects

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 17:43:48 +0100

Kickstarter, the crowd-funding site that pairs indie-minded inventors, filmmakers and entrepreneurs with online investors, fully funded more than 18,000 projects in 2012. The website's year-end analysis shows that more than 2.2 million people pledged a total of nearly $320 million. 17 projects raised more than $1 million each, including Amanda Palmer, the Boston musician who raised nearly $1.2 million to record an album, which debuted in Billboard's Top Ten in 2012. She promised deluxe extras f...

Google to Offer Free Wi-Fi in NYC's Chelsea Neighborhood

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 15:36:53 +0100

Google Inc., the world’s largest Internet-search company, plans to offer free wireless Internet access in parts of New York City, creating the largest public outdoor network in the city. The Wi-Fi network, which doesn’t require a password, was available starting yesterday, said Google, which has offices in the Chelsea neighborhood....

Ten Resolutions The Most Successful People Make And Then Keep

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 23:44:07 +0100

New Year’s resolutions. Some of us will vow to eat less, exercise more, live in the moment, be more grateful. But what about your New Year’s business resolutions? Study successful people long enough and you start to pick up on the resolutions they seem to consistently make....

Big Banks Agree To Pay $8.5 Billion To Homeowners After Foreclosure Abuse

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:46:50 +0100

Ten of the nation's major banks, such as Bank of America and Citibank, have agreed to pay $8.5 billion after an investigation into the abuse of homeowners during foreclosures on mortgages during the recent housing crisis. According to the Fed, $3.3 billion of the settlement will be "direct payments to eligible borrowers" and $5.2 billion will go toward "other assistance, such as loan modifications and forgiveness of deficiency judgments."...

Canada's Jobless Rate Drops to 4-year Low

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 14:14:05 +0100

Canada produced a surprising 40,000 new jobs in December, built on the back of a larger-than-expected 30,000 uptick in Ontario. Statistics Canada reported Friday in its Labour Force Survey that Canada's unemployment rate dropped to 7.1 per cent last month, the lowest level in four years....

Tax Break Extension Blows New Life into U.S. Wind Power

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 15:04:21 +0100

The US wind industry is powering up once again after Congress extended a critical tax credit that wind companies say will save tens of thousands of domestic jobs and allow more clean energy projects to ramp up in 2013. The extension and several other clean energy tax breaks came out of a Senate Finance Committee and was included in the deal to avert the 'fiscal cliff'. (READ the story from Reuters) Photo by David Loudon via Morguefile.com...

A $5 Light For The Developing World With An Ingenious Fuel: Gravity

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:31:54 +0100

The GravityLight gets power from the slow lowering of a weight. All it takes is enough elbow grease to hoist the bag, and you can light a room with nothing but a bag of sand. The need is enormous: more than 1 billion people still lack electricity. Two socialpreneurs wanted to find a replacement for the dangerous and dirty kerosene lamp--which is also relatively expensive to run, highly polluting, and comes with multiple health and fire risks....

Wall Street Ends 2012 Riding High on "Cliff" Deal Optimism

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 20:02:38 +0100

U.S. stocks closed out 2012 with their strongest day in more than a month. Not only that, the S&P 500 ended the year up 13.4 percent since January 1 of last year, its best performance since 2009. The Dow Jones average added 7.3% for the year and the Nasdaq jumped 16%. Many traders were optimistic that the government would reach a deal on "fiscal cliff" matters this week....

Ford to Invest $773 Million Across Southeast Michigan

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 17:04:24 +0100

Ford Motor Company is spending more than $773 million on new equipment and capacity expansions across six manufacturing facilities in southeast Michigan. The investments will create 2,350 new hourly jobs. Ford is delivering on a commitment made to the United Auto Workers in the recent contract negotiations to invest $6.2 billion in U.S. plants by 2015....

Toys 'R Us Pays It Forward, Whenever 'Layaway Santas' Pay It Off

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 15:07:25 +0100

Toys 'R Us has drawn inspiration from the actions of so-called 'layaway Santas'.

The toy retailer has promised to donate $200 worth of toys, which it said is the average value of a layaway order, whenever a "Layaway Santa" visits one of its stores and pays off an order for someone in their community.

Nike Delivers Custom Shoes to Teen with Cerebral Palsy

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:59:45 +0100
It started with an impassioned letter from a Parkland, Fla., teenager to Nike Chief Executive Mark Parker. It ended with a dream come true. Matthew Walzer told Parker he has cerebral palsy, that at birth doctors told his parents their son would never walk. Now he is readying for college and, inspired by the Nike slogan, 'If you have a body, you are an athlete, he needed a pair of shoes that he could easily get on his feet....

Phone Uses a Radar App to Help Locate Keys, Kids, or Dogs

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 01:52:41 +0100
Are you tired of misplacing your keys, remote control or iPad? A clever invention called Stick-N-Find can help you find anything within 100 feet using your smart phone and Bluetooth. The application uses small tokens that you can affix to anything -- a device, a child or an animal -- for instant location using your Apple or Android phone. The Stick-N-Find is small and thin, the size of a quarter and looks like a black Necco Wafer. The stickers have a buzzer and light, so that you can also find s...

Billions Earned for US Treasury From AIG TARP Repayment

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:33:21 +0100
The controversial government bailout of the huge global insurer, AIG, during the worst days of the financial crisis in 2008, will yield billions of profit for the US treasury and taxpayer. The treasury department announced Tuesday that it will sell 234 million shares in American International Group (AIG), bringing the estimated profit on the original AIG TARP assistance to $22.7 billion. The department said more than 90%, or about $380 billion, of the $418 billion spent under the Troubled Asset...

Sandy Aftermath: Disney Donates to Help Children Recover

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:21:06 +0100
The Disney company has donated $250,000 to aid in ongoing recovery efforts for children and families in New York and New Jersey affected by Superstorm Sandy. Focusing on helping kids deal in the aftermath of the storm that forced thousands from their homes, Save the Children immediately established Child Friendly Spaces at shelters across the region. These safe play areas allow children to socialize and begin to recover from the emotional distress caused by the storm. After the waters rece...

Whole Foods' Micro-Loans Help 1.3 Million People

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:45:04 +0100
Mission statements seldom come simpler than the one guiding the Whole Planet Foundation, which aims to alleviate poverty through microcredit — small loans extended to poor people — in communities that supply Whole Foods stores with products. Since 2005, the Foundation has witnessed a payback rate of 97 percent on the staggering $32 million committed to nearly a quarter million microcredit clients in 54 countries globally....

Unemployment Rate Drops to 7.7% as Economy Shrugs off Sandy

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 13:37:02 +0100
The unemployment rate dipped and job creation remained steady in November, as the U.S. economy showed surprising resilience after Hurricane Sandy. The November jobs report, released Friday morning, was a pleasant surprise to analysts who had braced for some ugly numbers....

Apple to Return Some Mac Production to U.S. in 2013

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 14:09:18 +0100
Apple Inc plans to move some production of Macintosh computers to the United States from China next year, Chief Executive Tim Cook said Thursday, in what could be an important test of the nascent comeback in U.S. electronics manufacturing. The effort is expected to go well beyond simple final assembly of devices, with Apple spending more than $100 million on the initiative and unnamed partners joining to build most or all of the components in the United States as well....

Clothing Co. Owned by Ralph Lauren Promotes Hand-crafted Line Made In USA

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:30:19 +0100
While the Club Monaco brand was born in Canada in 1985, it changed nationalities when the Ralph Lauren group acquired it in 1999 and is now offering a "Made in the U.S.A." line. The collection is sewn by artisan hands up and down the Eastern seaboard and includes a line of casual shirts, jackets, ties and trousers, all manufactured in different workshops in the United States. This collection of forty items is now being introduced to overseas markets in Asia and Europe. (See the products being m...

Lego Surprises Boy After Hearing He'd Saved for Years to Buy Discontinued Toy

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 18:14:30 +0100
A Massachusetts boy who believed that his dream toy was no longer available received an amazing surprise on his 11th birthday - all courtesy of Lego. James Groccia of West Boylston, who has Asperger's syndrome, set his heart on the expensive Emerald Night Train set over two years ago and began saving money. Much to the family's dismay, in those two years the Lego company had discontinued making the set -- and its price in online shops had doubled....

Rise in US Orders for Core Capital Goods Best in 5 Months

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:49:30 +0100
Orders by U.S. companies for core capital goods like machinery, considered a proxy for business investment, rose 1.7 percent in October, the best showing since a 2.3 percent rise in May, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. U.S. factory activity also grew in October for a second straight month, according to the Institute for Supply Management....

Companies That Were 'Naughty And Nice' In 2012

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:34:35 +0100
Consumer Reports unveiled its third annual Naughty & Nice List featuring companies whose policies attracted either nasty stares or gleeful praise. The companies were picked based on specific practices that the magazine's editors and subscribers found particularly worthy of either a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down". Facebook fans also joined in voicing their complaints and compliments....

Retailers Keep Deals Flowing on 13% Holiday-Sales Jump

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 15:06:20 +0100
U.S. retailers are extending deals into Cyber Monday and beyond to try to sustain a 13 percent gain in Thanksgiving weekend sales. "Year over year, Black Friday sales were strong and margins should have also been strong,” said a Bloomberg Industries analyst. The National Retail Federation said yesterday it predicts holiday sales, including online, will rise 4.1 percent to about $586.1 billion this year, compared with a 5.6 percent gain in 2011....

A Grateful Grocer Passes on Business to His 400 Employees

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 14:10:20 +0100
For the past 46 years, Joe Lueken has been a successful Minnesota grocer and come January 1st, staying true to his philosophy of giving back to the community, he is transferring ownership of his three supermarkets to his employees. The 71-year-old could have sold the business to the highest bidder, but instead he leaves a lasting legacy....

Unemployed Coal Miners Install Solar Panels Now

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 19:30:46 +0100

A group devoted to creating alternative energy jobs in Central Appalachia is building a first for West Virginia's southern coalfields region this week – a set of rooftop solar panels, assembled by unemployed and underemployed coal miners and contractors.

Happy Employees, Culture of 'Weirdness' Equals Success for Green Products Company Method

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:40:02 +0100
Since Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan launched Method in 2000, to sell pretty bottles of eco-friendly soaps and cleaners in glowing pastel colors, the company has grown into a $100 million (£62.3m) business. Their company's culture of keeping it "weird" is a social mission that keeps employees happy. To stay focused on employee happiness and high-end innovative design is the business model....

Skyscrapers Designed To Make You Happy If You Work In Them

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:46:56 +0100
The definition of what it means to be sustainable in the 21st century needs to be broadened to include a skyscraper’s ability to sustain the human spirit, says Hao Ko, a design director at Gensler. "Imagine energy efficient towers whose walls might slide open, allowing office workers to step outside, into the sky, for a breath of fresh air. Towers where seasonal gardens grow vertically and where friends might meet by a kumquat tree on the 68th floor for a cup of coffee on a beautiful spring da...

Hilton Hotels Sharing Excess Food With Hungry Egyptians and Americans

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:20:20 +0100
Hilton Hotels has launched a program to collect safe, surplus food from conferences and daily restaurant operations that would otherwise be thrown away, and provide it to those in need. A multi-year partnership with The Global FoodBanking Network began a month ago to ensure that hotel food, instead of being wasted, is distributed to local food banks, soup kitchens, and school programs in Egypt. In the U.S. Hilton is partnering with Feeding America on initial pilot programs underway in New York C...

Small Businesses Put Ex-cons to Work

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:04:02 +0100
Ten years ago, Debbie Jakacki, owner of Jakacki Bag & Barrel in Chicago, a family business that's been around since 1942, found herself continually frustrated by her employees. "We didn't have a lot of people who had a great work ethic," says Jakacki. After learning about the Safer Foundation, a Chicago-based nonprofit that helps people with criminal records find gainful employment, she decided to give it a try. It has worked out very well for Jakacki, who now figures she has hired over 100...

US Home Prices Increase Most in 6-year Period

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 19:12:07 +0100
A measure of U.S. home prices jumped 5 percent in September compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year increase since July 2006. Prices have risen in all but seven states. The gain reported by the Associated Press on November 6 offered more evidence of a sustainable housing recovery....

100 Milwaukee Area Salons to Hold Fundraiser for Spa Shooting Victims

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 15:55:38 +0100
Nearly 100 Milwaukee area salons and spas are expected to participate in a fundraising effort Tuesday to support victims of a shooting last month at Azana Spa & Salon in Brookfield, and to help raise awareness of domestic abuse. The goal is to focus attention on the potential for tragedy when domestic abuse isn't stopped, while donating a percentage of sales that day to help the victims of the spa shooting, said Jan Seybold, one of the organizers of Cut it Out Day....

US Consumer Confidence Highest In Nearly Five Years as Economy Adds 171K Jobs

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 14:22:55 +0100
In October, US consumer confidence hit the highest point since February 2008, and private sector businesses added more jobs than at any time in the last eight months. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the US economy added 171,000 jobs last month, 50,000 more than economists had expected....

Sports Club Offers Free Work-outs, Showers to Any Who Lost Power in New York Tri-state Area

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 14:08:29 +0100
No power or water? New York Sports Club has opened its doors free of charge to anyone who needs to shower, charge their cell phone, or blow off steam with a stress-relieving run on the treadmill. The clubs will be open to the public (local residents 18 and older with photo ID) through November 14....

Chrysler Third Quarter Net Profit is up 80%

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:53:44 +0100
Chrysler Group LLC reported a net profit of $381 million for the third quarter of 2012 on Monday, up 80 percent from the $212 million profit the company reported for the same period a year ago. Monday's results mark the third consecutive quarter of solid profitability for the company, which means the 26,000 members of the United Auto Workers employed in Chrysler's factories will next year likely receive their signing bonus of $1,750, as part of the union's 2011 agreement with the automaker....

NY Hedge Fund Billionaire Donates $100 Million to Central Park

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 21:00:20 +0100
Calling it the largest donation ever to a park in the U.S., New York City's Mayor Bloomberg announced that hedge fund billionaire John Paulson has donated $100 million toward the upkeep of his city's beloved Central Park. "Central Park is the most deserving of all of New York’s cultural institutions," said Paulson, who grew up and still lives near the park. "I wanted the amount to make a difference."...

IKEA Pledges to Switch to 100% Renewable Energy by 2020, Protect Forests

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:17:13 +0100
Ikea is setting itself up as a role model for sustainable business by announcing it will invest €1.5 billion in solar and wind power to ensure it is totally self-sufficient by 2020. Ikea's solar and wind farms already generate 27 percent of the global company's total energy today. IKEA's "People and Planet Positive" campaign also includes planting as many trees as it uses in its furniture production by 2020, and purchasing half its wood supply from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified f...

Government Regulation Protects Employees Without Harming Businesses

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:13:48 +0100
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a long history of being attacked from all sides. While some criticize it for being too lenient, others routinely refer to it as a job-killer whose regulations stifle job creation, increase labor costs, and erode America's competitiveness. But the Harvard Business Review says OSHA workplace inspections protect workers without overburdening employers or reducing their sales....

US Wind Industry Adding Record Number of Turbines

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:02:21 +0100
2012 has been the strongest year yet for the U.S. wind energy. The success of the federal Production Tax Credit and wind energy’s increased affordability are helping drive wind turbine installations to record levels in 2012, said the American Wind Energy Association. The U.S. wind industry in August for the first time surpassed 50,000 megawatts (MW) of total installed electrical generation capacity – enough to power 13 million homes....

Tallest Man Gets Life-Changing Size 24 Custom Shoes from Reebok

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:12:05 +0100
What would your life be like if your feet were literally too big to ever buy shoes? For Igor Vovkovinskiy, who stands 7ft-8in tall, it resulted in six painful foot surgeries and the inability to walk further than your own yard. On Thursday, America's tallest man received what could be a life-changing gift: several pairs of custom-made sneakers, molded specifically for his size-24 10E feet....

Do-it-Yourself Bailout: Man Negotiates His Way Out Of $150,000 Of Debt

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 15:30:55 +0100
A film screenwriter who, after a round of mishaps and bad luck, had amassed a staggering $220,000 in credit debt was spending his days sparring with debt collectors, and doing all he could to keep bankruptcy at bay. That was until an attorney steered him toward a path he never thought he'd travel: Debt settlement––essentially negotiating his debt directly with lenders....

U.S. Housing Starts Surged in September to Four-Year High

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:48:35 +0100
U.S. production and permits of new homes surged in September to its fastest pace in more than four years, fueling the recent housing sector spark and supporting the wider economic recovery. Newly released government figures reported a 15 percent gain in the pace of new housing construction and an 11.6 percent gain in permits issued, the strongest numbers seen in both categories since July of 2008....

Surprise! U.S. Economy Improving Better Than Anyone Expected

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 18:47:42 +0100
It isn’t only the federal government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics that is issuing surprisingly good news about the U.S. economy these days… It's also auto dealers, real estate agents, the Federal Reserve and corporate America’s 96-year-old Conference Board. The economy is improving more than professional forecasters anticipated, particularly in generating jobs and in data on housing, according to the Bloomberg Economic Surprise Index, based on gauges compiled by private businesses and tr...

Puma Launches New Biodegradable Shoes

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 12:38:00 +0100
German sportswear company Puma announced a range of biodegradable shoes and clothes on Monday, seeking to lead in protecting the environment as it tries to catch up with rivals Nike and Adidas in sales. The company, praised by United Nations reports as a corporate leader in trying to limit environmental damage, also said it would widen its accounting for the costs of its air pollution, greenhouse gases, waste, land and water use....

Dow Hits Five-year High on Jobs Report

Sun, 07 Oct 2012 15:01:51 +0100
The Dow Jones industrials index climbed to its highest level in nearly 5 years on Friday, after a surprise drop in the unemployment rate pointed to continued improvement in the labor market. The S&P 500 rose for a fifth straight day and was also on course to close near a 5-year high. The index has appreciated nearly 17 percent so far this year, and is on track for its best yearly gain since 2009, when stocks rebounded after the financial crisis....

US Unemployment Rate Tumbles to 7.8 Percent, a 4-year Low

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:04:29 +0100
The U.S. labor market continues to steadily improve. The monthly job report this morning showed the unemployment rate dropping to a near four-year low of 7.8 percent in September. The Labor Department said the unemployment rate dropped by 0.3 percentage point to its lowest point since January 2009 as employers added 114,000 workers to their payrolls, and monthly job gains for July and August were revised upward adding 86,000 jobs....

US Manufacturing Expands on Strong Auto Sales and Home Construction

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 18:02:46 +0100
Manufacturing unexpectedly expanded in September, exceeding even the most optimistic forecasts in a Bloomberg survey. Sustained strength in motor vehicle sales and a rebound in demand for home construction materials provided a major lift for American factories, which outperformed their counterparts in Europe and Asia, according to the Institute for Supply Management’s factory index....

Start Up Company Wins $630,000 for Making Bio-Plastic Out of Greenhouse Gas

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:15:42 +0100
A young start-up called Mango Materials has won a Green Challenge prize of $630,000 for its plan to use bacteria to turn the most abundant organic compound on earth, methane, into a biodegradable material that would be a low cost substitute for plastic. CEO and engineer Molly Morse says her patented process would also benefit the environment because it consumes methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The 2012 winner of the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge was announced at a dinner this week in New Yo...

US Consumer Confidence Jumps to Seven-month High

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:40:39 +0100
Consumer confidence jumped to its highest level in seven months in September as Americans were more optimistic about the job market and income prospects, a private sector report showed on Tuesday. The Conference Board, an industry group, said its index of consumer attitudes rose to 70.3 from an upwardly revised 61.3 in August. It was the highest level since February and topped economists' expectations for a much lower 63....

US Home Sales Jump to Highest Since May 2010

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 14:07:41 +0100

US sales of previously occupied homes jumped in August to the highest level in more than two years, adding momentum to the housing recovery.

Sales rose 7.8 percent, said the National Association of Realtors said, the most since May 2010.

Good News on US Jobs Front: Private Sector Job Creation Continues, Unemployment Falls

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:16:22 +0100

Two pieces of information released today paint a pretty strong picture for the US economy.

A new report by private payroll company ADP shows a significant number of jobs created, 210,000 - well ahead of the expected number.

Monthly unemployment claims also dropped by 12,000 last month.

Pending US Home Sales Touch Two-year High

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 08:48:22 +0100
Contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes rose to their highest level in more than two years in July, an industry group said on Wednesday, suggesting the housing market recovery was gaining traction. The number of contracts signed in July, increased 2.4 percent to the highest level since April 2010....

Postal Service Reduces Energy Use by 26%

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 14:45:39 +0100
Since 2003, the United States Postal Service has reduced its energy use by 26 percent. Energy efficiency improvements at the USPS’s 33,000 buildings have saved enough energy to meet the power needs of 90,000 households for a year. In 2011, alone, the USPS saved $22 million with its 1 trillion BTU reduction in energy use....

Largest Green Roof in Oregon to be Planted Atop a Walmart

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 14:42:16 +0100
Walmart is winning over some Portland-area naysayers with its construction of a new store in North Portland that will be home to not only the largest green roof in the green-happy city of Portland, but the largest green roof in the entire state of Oregon. When completed, the vegetated, carbon dioxide-absorbing roof atop the Hayden Meadows Walmart will measure 40,600 square feet....

Google Co-founder Quietly Buying Up Property and Charging Below-Market Rent

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:44:43 +0100
Soviet-born Sergey Brin is already a world-changer. The Google co-founder has donated millions of dollars to charity and given us public technology tools that make us smarter. But one of the most touching efforts comes from his small real estate holding firm called Passerelle Investment Company....