Challenges In The News 05/13/08

McCain has edge over Democrats. He is rated higher for experience, fighting terrorism and Iraq. Obama has widened the gap over Clinton. As he emerges from a sometimes-bitter primary campaign, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain poses a stiff challenge to either of his potential Democratic opponents in the general election, a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has found.

This is the land of opportunity. Let’s help keep it that way. It’s no secret that our planet faces serious environmental challenges.

“One of the biggest challenges is to make Montessori more accessible and affordable.”

Yahoo’s ad system is almost ready. Shares rise 5% on word that Project Panama, it’s best hope to challenge Google, will start Feb. 5.

Kid’s Fitness Challenge. All schools with at least 65 participants are eligible to receive a cash grant from the Fitness Challenge Foundation.

Search startup takes on Google. Powerset uses natural-language technology. The dozens of entrepreneurs gathered for an exclusive high-tech conference here Monday all hope to dazzle the crowd with their ingenuity. But one startup, Powerset, is pursuing a particularly challenging goal: It’s aiming to outshine the Internet’s brightest star with a new search engine build to outsmart Google. After nearly two years of hushed development, Powerset is finally providing a peek at a “natural language” technology that is supposed to make it easier to communicate with search engines.

When she first began her field-coordinating, she pursued mostly Republicans, challenging a Midwestern tradition of conservative voting handed down over generations.

If you are doing an anonymous blog, there’s an implicit challenge: Find me if you can.

O.C. Register lays off workers. The newspaper will also trim news space to reduce costs as its revenues decline. The layoffs come on the heels of a voluntary buyout at the paper last year and are another sign of the challenges facing newspapers with declining circulation and advertising revenue.

GE chief sees growth opportunities in 2008, with the U.S. economy growing at 1.5%, we’ll grow revenue by 15% because we’re in the right places with the right products at the right time. Many executives would find it hard to be cheery as they enter a new year marked by a woobly economy, uncertain political trends and new technologies, that pose profound challenges to old business models. Immelt discussed his company’s challenges and opportunities with USA Today at the seventh USA Today CEO Forum.

Challenge authority, if you dare