Growth in the U.S. service sector picked up in July, according to a trade group's survey, in a good sign for the overall economy and the job market.

Visit http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/08/04/general-technology-hardware-amp-equipment-us-economy_7824316.html to view the full article online.

 

President Obama, who proposes tax hikes for top earners to reduce the budget deficit, faces opposition from those who say any increase could hurt the economic recovery.

Visit http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tax-policy-20100804,0,7687135.story to view the full article online.

 

A hopeful spring has turned into a hot, lackluster summer for the nation's retailers who reported on Thursday their fourth straight month of tepid sales.

Visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38574244/ns/business-retail/ to view the full article online.

 

Workers in technology, telecom, and finance are at greatest risk because skills in the fast-changing industries can quickly become obsolete.

Visit http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/aug2010/ca2010084_547314.htm to view the full article online.

 

It looks like last year's predictions of a meltdown in the job market for new MBA degree holders may have been as panic stricken and inaccurate as many of the other forecasts we heard in 2009.

Visit http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/03/business-school-degree-jobs-hiring-leadership-careers-employment.html to view the full article online.

 

Here's a novel concept: set up an interview at a company you'd like to work for, talk to people about the job you'd like to do, but leave without asking if you can have it.

Visit http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/When+interview+interview/3354702/story.html to view the full article online.

 

When Jon Burke decided earlier this year to look for a new job, he updated his LinkedIn profile with a new executive summary and up-to-date bullet points highlighting his recent accomplishments.

Visit http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704895204575320953473841156.html to view the full article online.

 

China’s banking regulator told lenders last month to conduct a new round of stress tests to gauge the impact of residential property prices falling as much as 60 percent in the hardest-hit markets, a person with knowledge of the matter said.

Visit http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-04/chinese-regulator-said-to-tell-banks-to-test-for-60-drop-in-home-prices.html to view the full article online.

 

Norbert Reithofer, the chief executive of BMW, often boasted that he was among the first to start trimming jobs in 2007 when he saw a downturn coming in the automobile industry.

Visit http://www.cnbc.com/id/38556897 to view the full article online.

 

As the financial crisis hit in late 2008, Meccano, a French maker of construction toys, watched its pre-Christmas sales slip. Its banks got jittery and things looked difficult for the 103-year-old firm (which was born British, in Liverpool).

Visit http://www.economist.com/node/16741043 to view the full article online.

 

Two U.S. business schools have tapped former chief executive officers as deans. What do "corporate deans" bring to the table?

Visit http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/aug2010/bs2010082_309423.htm to view the full article online.

 

They are perhaps the best-educated generation ever, but they can’t find jobs. Many face staggering college loans and have moved back in with their parents. Even worse, their difficulty in getting careers launched could set them back financially for years.

Visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38364681/ns/business-economy_at_a_crossroads/ to view the full article online.

 

Up to six people will have five minutes each to sell their business idea to a mixed panel of venture capitalists, academic instructors and successful entrepreneurs at the NBMBAA 32nd Annual Conference & Exposition Sept. 21-25 in Los Angeles. The catch? You use only a whiteboard and marker. But your genius idea can win you $10,000! Sign up today! Deadline Extended to Aug. 13.

Visit http://www.nbmbaa.org/2010_conference_site/docs/2010_whiteboard_challenge_v3.pdf 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.mlb.com/mlb/sweepstakes/y2010/state_farm/gotobat/ to view the full article online.

 

The RIM BlackBerry Torch is the first device to run BlackBerry OS 6 and also RIM's first slider phone. It will be available from AT&T starting August 12 for $199.99 with a two-year contract.

Visit http://www.zdnet.com/photos/rim-blackberry-torch-hands-on-photos/452618?tag=mantle_skin;content to view the full article online.

 

Verizon Communications Inc. and Google Inc. reached a deal on how to handle Internet traffic, striking their own accord on policy being weighed by U.S. officials, two people briefed by the companies said today.

Visit http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-08-04/google-verizon-said-to-have-deal-on-web-traffic.html to view the full article online.

 

In the 17th century, English dictator Oliver Cromwell sent thousands of Irish into servitude in the Caribbean. For Irishman Denis O'Brien, that history links his country and Caribbean nations like Haiti, founded by black slaves.

Visit http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2007286,00.html to view the full article online.

 

New iPhone app CardMunch converts business cards into address-book contacts. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before, but it does bring a unique element to the table: human-powered transcription.

Visit http://www.bnet.com/blog/businesstips/business-cards-5-better-ways-of-managing-them/8421?tag=mantle_skin;content to view the full article online.

 

The furloughs that popped up during the recession are being replaced by a highly unusual tactic: actual cuts in pay.

Visit http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/04/business/economy/04paycuts.html to view the full article online.

 

Many economists say that the economy won't regain its health until the housing market recovers. But the number of homeowners facing foreclosure continues to rise.

Visit http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128980741 to view the full article online.

 

This weekend, nearly a dozen states will suspend taxes on back-to-school supplies, from notebooks and pens to new clothes and shoes. The sales tax holidays are popular with retailers, many of whom see a boost in sales without giving up any revenue.

Visit http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128983150 to view the full article online.

 

A lot of us are in denial about whether we have a problem with debt and credit management. If you're making your payments on time or if you have a reasonably high income, you might not realize you are in a "danger zone" in terms of your debts and bills.

Visit http://www.bvonmoney.com/2010/08/03/warning-signs-that-you-have-too-much-debt/ to view the full article online.

 

Fearing a shortage of qualified managers as business picks up, some companies are bolstering leadership-development efforts.

Visit http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703314904575399260976490670.html to view the full article online.

 

In an effort to help struggling gas stations and appease furious consumers following the Gulf disaster, BP is lowering its gasoline prices.

Visit http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/04/news/economy/bp_gas/index.htm to view the full article online.

 

Recent government data suggest an economy in confusion. Growth and consumption are slowing, but savings are rising, up to 6.4 percent of personal income. The savings rate, in fact, has been climbing for three years, as Americans have been hoarding cash to protect themselves against the struggling economy.

Visit http://www.slate.com/id/2262740/ to view the full article online.

 

In a landmark decision issued Wednesday, a federal judge ruled Wednesday that California’s voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage violates the U.S. Constitution.

Visit http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/40663.html to view the full article online.

 

"ELECTION time is coming," begins a song entitled "President" by Wyclef Jean, the Haitian hip-hop star. Election time is indeed coming in Haiti, with the presidential vote scheduled for November 28th, and Mr Jean's vision may very well come true. He will formally announce his candidacy this Thursday night during an appearance on Larry King Live.

Visit http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2010/08/wyclef_jeans_candidacy to view the full article online.

 

America's ultra-rich are queuing to join in a grand gesture of generosity. Forty US billionaires have signed up to pledge at least half of their fortunes to charity under a philanthropic campaign kicked off by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.

Visit http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/aug/04/us-billionaires-half-fortune-gates to view the full article online.

 

Jeff and Maria are co-workers at a company that lets employees set their own hours. Jeff usually saunters into the office about 10 a.m., while Maria is there promptly at 9 a.m.

Visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/employeemanagementcolumnistdavidjavitch/article207680.html to view the full article online.

 

Sure, we all know we're supposed to get seven or eight hours of sleep a night, but all of us skimp from time to time, getting, say, five hours one night and six hours the next.

Visit http://health.usnews.com/health-news/managing-your-healthcare/sleep/articles/2010/08/04/sleep-deprived-heres-how-to-recover.html to view the full article online.

 

A joke making the rounds online involves a pair of red and green glasses and some blurry letters that say, "If you can’t make it good, make it 3-D."

Visit http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/business/media/03-3d.html to view the full article online.