President Obama signed into law on Wednesday a sweeping expansion of federal financial regulation, marking another – and perhaps last – major legislative victory before the midterm elections in November, which could recast the Congressional landscape.

Visit http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/business/22regulate.html?_r=1&hp to view the full article online.

 

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned Congress Wednesday that the economic outlook remains "unusually uncertain."

Visit http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/21/news/economy/bernanke_testimony/index.htm to view the full article online.

 

The installation of the new cap does, in principle, stop any further oil or gas from leaking out of the top of the well. The worry is that, by doing so, it could make things worse elsewhere.

Visit http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2010/07/gulf_oil_spill to view the full article online.

 

The number of businesses owned by minorities increased faster than the number owned by whites, according to Census data released July 13. But minority companies' economic impact­ – measured by total sales and how many workers they employ­ – budged only a little from 2002 to 2007.

Visit http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jul2010/sb20100715_469797.htm to view the full article online.

 

Good pay, affordability, and jobs made the South shine this year. Seven Southern cities, including five in Texas, joined the list, and Houston is No. 1.

Visit http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/jul2010/bs20100714_914593.htm to view the full article online.

 

Falling behind on your bills? It could cost you a job. An increasing number of employers are using credit checks to screen potential job applicants. So missed payments on your mortgage, car or credit card could keep you from getting hired.

Visit http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/22/news/economy/credit_checks_for_job_applicants/index.htm to view the full article online.

 

Two things struck me about Stephanie Clifford’s recent report that Sam’s Club is offering Small Business Administration loans and both have to do with the borrower she featured: Michael Golata, a delivery driver in Louisville, who applied online for a $10,000 loan and was approved within a day.

Visit http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/the-changing-face-of-s-b-a-borrowers/ to view the full article online.

 

Corporate supplier diversity programs are coming under increased scrutiny as America’s minority groups steadily march toward becoming the majority – at least collectively.

Visit http://www.blackenterprise.com/diversity/2010/07/16/diversity-knocking-hard-on-corporate-doors/ to view the full article online.

 

The executive board of the International Monetary Fund approved Wednesday the cancellation of Haiti's $268 million debt to the fund.

Visit http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/07/21/haiti.debt.imf/?hpt=T1 to view the full article online.

 

European Union policymakers might like to think their emergency measures over recent weeks have calmed market concerns about shaky public finances in vulnerable euro-zone countries.

Visit http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,2005557,00.html to view the full article online.

 

Yes: the European Union will thrive if its leaders seize the moment in the same way they did 20 years ago.

Visit http://www.economist.com/node/16539326 to view the full article online.

 

Michael Tricoli was a middle manager looking for a leg up in his career, so he got an online MBA from Northeastern University. Well, not only from Northeastern. Much of his college experience was outsourced to a private company.

Visit http://chronicle.com/article/Outsourced-Ed-Colleges-Hire/66309/ to view the full article online.

 

Team up with State Farm® and MLB® to support NBMBAA and you could win a trip for 2 to the 2010 MLB® World Series® ! Visit the site, choose the National Black MBA Association as your charity, play the Go To Bat game online and swing for the fences. The more home runs you hit, the more entries you’ll get in the weekly drawing.

Visit http://www.statefarm.com/gotobat to view the full article online.

 

Join us this Labor Day weekend as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Black Enterprise at our 2010 Black Enterprise/Pepsi Golf & Tennis Challenge, Sept 2-6, 2010 at the LaCosta Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. This year we are pleased to extend a special offer to NBMBAA Members. Register before July 31st and receive a discount of $100! Use code GTMBA when registering online. Offer excludes the guest package and may only be applied to new registrations.

Reward yourself, you deserve it! By day play a few rounds of golf or sets of tennis, unwind by the pool, or escape the stress of success at La Costa’s award-winning spa. By night were celebrating each decade, from the 70’s through 2000 with themed evening events. Enjoy surprise guest performances, music, dancing, contests and much more!

Visit http://www.blackenterprise.com/gt/ to view the full article online.

 

The American Consumer Satisfaction Index has been looking at how consumers react to social media websites, and ranked Facebook with such a low score that some analysts have labeled its trustworthiness as "abysmally low."

Visit http://www.fastcompany.com/1672161/facebook-customer-satisfaction-survey-low-score to view the full article online.

 

As figures for the lobbying spend of Q2 of 2010 were released, all eyes were on Google. With a total of $1.34 million over the past three months, it's definitely an increase, as Consumer Watchdog will tell you. However, it's worth comparing Google's outgoings in Washington with its tech brethren. Firms like Verizon, Apple, Comcast and HP are all shelling out major dollars in the Federal capital – but who is the biggest spender?

Visit http://www.fastcompany.com/1673210/forget-google-how-much-are-other-tech-firms-spending-on-lobbying to view the full article online.

 

The maker of Ultra Sheen is once again minority-owned with a bold strategy to conquer ethnic haircare.

Visit http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/2010/07/19/how-to-remake-your-company-like-johnson-products/ to view the full article online.

 

Last year, more than 10,000 entrepreneurs in the metro area took advantage of Score NYC's free, one-on-one counseling services, according to former retailing exec Martin Lehman, one of Score NYC's volunteer counselors and the organization's marketing director.

Visit http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2010/07/19/2010-07-19_retired_execs_share_expertise_on_building_success_from_financing_to_marketing_.html to view the full article online.

 

Entrepreneurship seems as American as apple pie, but a new report suggests that it could be waning. The slice of job seekers opting to start their own businesses dropped to a record low in the first half of the year, according to a survey released today by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a Chicago-based outplacement firm.

Visit http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2010/07/19/why-start-ups-could-make-or-break-the-job-recovery.html to view the full article online.

 

Stocks, oil and copper rallied on improving profit forecasts at companies from United Parcel Service Inc. to AT&T Inc. and accelerating growth in European manufacturing and services industries. The euro strengthened and two-year Treasury yields increased from a record low

Visit http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-22/yen-rises-as-bernanke-comments-damps-recovery-optimism-asian-stocks-drop.html to view the full article online.

 

With all the talk of "systemic risk" and "too big to fail," small investors might assume that the landmark Dodd-Frank financial overhaul bill has little bearing on their portfolios. They would be wrong.

Visit http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704682604575369750342795016.html to view the full article online.

 

I'd known about Forever Stamps for perhaps three years but was wary of buying them. You buy a stamp at today's first class rate and it's good forever, no matter how high the first class rate goes. At first glance, a great hedge against one of life's certainties – postal rate increases. It's like death and taxes. Right?

Visit http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/19/pf/forever_stamps_investment.fortune/index.htm to view the full article online.

 

The deal is seen as giving the automaker more lease and finance options. The acquisition fills a role that was played by GMAC until the carmaker gave up control of the finance company in 2006.

Visit http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-autos-gm-credit-20100723,0,6891621.story to view the full article online.

 

The company needs new territory. The city needs sales tax revenue and jobs. So what took everyone so long to do the logical thing?

Visit http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_30/b4188037407551.htm to view the full article online.

 

With the threat of a double-dip recession looming, both the U.S. and the U.K. are talking fiscal austerity. The good news for Obama is that Cameron is cutting first.

Visit http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_31/b4189008786445.htm to view the full article online.

 

It's kind of like maxing out your credit cards. If you and your neighbor each lose your jobs, you'll both be in trouble, but if you've already rung up big debts, you will end up worse off.

Visit http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128691226 to view the full article online.

 

These days, it is entirely possible to run a thriving business out of a dozen different cities – with no central office. We talked to many smart CEOs who have ditched formal digs in favor of online communications between employees, periodic productivity check-ins, and a lot more flexibility.

Visit http://www.inc.com/ss/tips-virtual-ceos#0 to view the full article online.

 

A few years ago, my son Alec, who was fifteen at the time, asked me what I do at work. I told him as CEO of Blinds.com, I set the company’s strategy, help make people the best they can be, and ensure we execute according to plan. With a puzzled look, Alec responded, "So, you don’t really do any actual work."

Visit http://blogs.bnet.com/smb/?p=1509&tag=landing-pad;work-life#37530_171006 to view the full article online.

 

For most African-Americans, it's hard to comprehend that India of all countries would struggle with issues surrounding light and dark skin. So many of us simply associate such realities with our own communities and don't realize that those issues also play out in other parts of the world.

Visit http://www.thegrio.com/opinion/skin-lightening-is-serious-business-in-india.php to view the full article online.

 

Many health insurance companies have responded to health care reform by pushing cheaper plans with a smaller selection of doctors, reports the New York Times. Do these cheaper doctors provide inferior care?

Visit http://www.slate.com/id/2260969/ to view the full article online.