Challenge In The News

Every day, I search the news for news, with a focused attention to finding at least three or more challenges in the headlines or body copy. Yesterday, was a good challenge-in-the-news day.

Young earners face intense financial challenge

The picture for young adults is bleak. College loan debt is at an all-time high. Credit cards are getting maxed out. A new book Strapped: Why America’s 20- and 30- Somethings Can’t Get Ahead by Tamara Draut looks at the root causes of the money troubles that young adults face today. The author presents tales of struggle, as well as bits of her personal challenges and draws from analytical research that suggests the crisis is not letting up. “They will be the first generation who won’t match the prosperity of their parents,” she concludes.

New CEO of PBS faces challenges

Calling public television a vital piece of the American culture, Paula A. Kerger said she hopes to preserve authenticity and quality as the head of Public Broadcasting Service, with an annual budget of more than $300 million.

‘Way Forward’ Requires Culture Shift at Ford

As Ford rolls out a sweeping restructuring plan, the central challenge at Ford is fixing the company’s culture, which past and present employees describe with words like “toxic, cautious, cliquish and hierarchical.” Mark Fields is in charge of a spiritual re-think within the company, dubbed the ‘Way Forward’, as Ford tries to figure out what it stands for and who its customers are and aren’t.

Routing of air ducts is a challenge

To raise the power output of an engine, air can be force-fed to the intake system instead of drawn in naturally by the suction of the pistons. A turbocharger or supercharger provides the pressure and are spun by the pressure of the engine exhaust.

Oil Sector’s Next Big Test: 2006
Strong Profits Again Expected, Challenges Await Industry

How long will the gusher last? Most oil companies are likely to shatter records when they post fourth-quarter earnings. The market already is looking beyond those results to the challenges the industry will face trying to maintain its boom. And there is the continuing challenge of finding enough new oil and natural gas to replenish what the industry is pumping out of the ground.

A Big Story and A Challenge that became increasingly perilous for U.S. Reporter

Jill Carroll, a 28-year-old American journalist, moved around Baghdad relatively unnoticed, slipping quietly inside Iraqi society, telling stories about the lives of the Iraqis she met. On January 7, she was kidnapped. As a woman, Ms. Carroll had a special advantage: She could dress in the Islamic head covering, a hijab, and the long black cloak, the abaya, and move around relatively unnoticed. In Iraq, danger presents itself on a daily basis and is a constant challenge – especially to foreign reporters.