Challenges In The News 05/04/08

The challenge of the 21st century is to meet the growing need for energy. “A growing world needs more energy, but at the same time we need to find new ways of managing carbon emissions to limit climate change. Continued investment in technology is one of the key ways we are able to address this challenge, and continue to secure a profitable and sustainable future.” – Jeroen van der Veer, Chief Executive, Royal Dutch Shell plc on the 2007 results
“We realize we are operating in an intensely challenging environment, one in which our customers (and employees) have extremely high expectations of Starbucks. And we have to step up to the challenge of being strategic as well as nimble as our business evolves. Unfortunately, we have not been organized in a manner that allowed us to have a laser focus on the customer.”

The biggest challenge, he said, was synchronizing the 20 workers as they maneuvered the stage’s centerpieces – five 35-foot, 3,000-pound tubes suspended on stage that are raised and lowered by hand. “It’s like trying to choreograph water ballet. It’s a tough one.”

Small changes make a big difference. Getting healthy isn’t about not eating. It’s just about eating a little differently. Join Dr. Ian Smith in creating a stronger, healthier community by taking part in The 50 Million Pound Challenge. And State Farm is there to help you get started. Sin up at 50millionpounds.com and check out the free Challenge kit.

Give your mood a boost with new JOHNSON’S Melt Away Stress daily moisturizer, clinically shown to reduce tension and leave skin baby soft. In fact, 4 out of 5 women felt more relaxed after using it. To discover this feeling, go to www.johnsonsforyou.com and take the Melt Away Stress Challenge. Go ahead, let stress melt away.

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday delivered legislation to President Bush prohibiting water-boarding as an interrogation technique after GOP lawmakers backed away from challenging the provision.

As their neighbors wandered down the rows to pick, the Rothschilds began to settle in and savor the joys of a country life – among them, fresh foods, good cooking. But pickers are picky: what to do with the small berries left behind on the vine? “It seemed wasteful not to use the berries somehow,” says Bob. “Ultimately, that became my inspiration and my challenge.”

But fears of a possible recession aren’t helping things. Landing a financial-services company as a sponsor is “challenging right now.”

Employee Ownership: Readers Have Their Say. The Feb.7 Small Business Link looked at creative ways that small companies are meeting the challenges of managing an employee-owned business.

Gamers at WorldGaming.com can challenge players to videogames played online, such as Halo 3. The players wager on the outcome. Today, at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Toronto-based WorldGaming Inc. will begin accepting test users for WorldGaming.com, a site that allows players of popular Xbox and PlayStation console games to challenge other gamers to “tournaments” and bet on the outcome.

Even the savvy Miuccia Prada, who has challenged all sorts of stereotypical notions about feminine fashion ever since she invented the backpack-handbag, knows she can take her clients only so far.

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