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Big Sur back in action as Highway 1 reopens
Dave G. Houser Recreation & LeisureCalifornia’s most famous road trip is back on. For the first time in 14 months, Highway 1 — aka the Pacific Coast Highway — is open without interruption, after a quarter-mile chunk of it in Big Sur was wiped away in a massive landslide last year. Over the years, landslides have taken out portions of the iconic highway, but none were as big as the so-called Mud Creek slide in May 2017, when more than 6 million cubic yards of earth collapsed into the sea following torrential rains.
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Matthew Pollard shares 3 steps to rapid growth
Jason Zimmerman Construction & Building MaterialsMatthew Pollard, the "Rapid Growth Guy," shared his blueprint for growth and success as the general keynote speaker Aug. 9 at the 18th annual Sunbelt Builders Show™, hosted by the Texas Association of Builders at the Hilton Anatole. Pollard, the founder and CEO of Rapid Growth, LLC, is dedicated to achieving maximum ROI for business of all sizes. But his passion is helping small business owners. His methods have transformed more than 3,500 businesses.
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‘World first’ boiler scrappage scheme unveiled by London mayor
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingWhatever else you may have heard; the U.K. isn’t exclusively focused on the machinations of its proposed exit from Europe now. Beyond the constant debate about Brexit options, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has busy making his own headlines. Although it is on a decidedly smaller scale in policy terms than uncoupling from the EU, Mayor Khan’s unveiling of an upgrade scheme for boilers in the commercial sector and for small businesses does deserve attention.
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Roy Spence: We need to build a new home for America
Jason Zimmerman Construction & Building Materials"We have a marketing problem in America." So said Roy Spence, co-founder and chairman of GSD&M, a leading marketing communications and advertising company, to attendees of the 18th annual Sunbelt Builders Show™, hosted by the Texas Association of Builders at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. "All we hear is the political sides, on all sides, who would perpetuate and 'us vs. them' culture. Us versus them is not the purpose of America. Us versus them is not the promise of America." To combat this divide, Spence — whose agency has helped grow some of the world’s most successful brands — decided to take on America as his client.
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The best methods for client presentations
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesWhile some still prefer the napkin sketch, architects and designers today have a battery of tools they can employ to convey their visions to clients and stakeholders. But which have the biggest impact on viewers? It may seem a no-brainer that animated digital representations such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial reality (AR) win hands down. That, however, is not always the case. What matters most is not the medium, but the message.
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Historic California wildfires ignite blame game
Michelle R. Matisons Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityYou already know there are some serious wildfires burning in California and the west. So what’s new? What’s new is that the Mendocino Complex fire is now the largest in California history. This fire is so large that one astronaut on the International Space Station — 250 miles above Earth — tweeted a photo of the infernos as seen from space. The really bad news is that fires are expected to burn the rest of August as high temperatures further fan the flames.
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Wolves, transport infrastructure and ‘trophic cascades’
Lucy Wallwork Transportation Technology & AutomotiveWhat have wolves got to do with railway lines? A video that has gone viral on YouTube tells the story of so-called "trophic cascades" through the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park — a small-scale change that set off a chain reaction of responses in the park’s complex ecosystem. Yellowstone Park may seem a far cry from the transport infrastructure of our biggest cities. However, the same processes set in action by the wolves can help to better understand how we should approach planning our highways, railways and streets.
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Lead contamination in schools’ drinking water worse than previously…
Scott E. Rupp Facilities & GroundsLead contamination in U.S. schools is more pervasive than previously thought, new water testing results from 20 states say. The data was published in an interactive map by Environment America and U.S. PIRG in June. The map shows several other states where more than half of schools tested found some level of lead. These confirmed cases of contamination are likely only the tip of the iceberg, Environment America said in a statement.
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Negotiating commercial leases: Put your meeting in writing
Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield RetailFor many commercial tenants, negotiating a good lease or lease renewal against an experienced agent or landlord can be a challenge. While an entrepreneur focuses on marketing and managing, savvy real estate agents and brokers are specialized salespeople. Their job is to sell tenants on leasing their location at the highest possible rental rate. Whether you are leasing a new location for the first time or negotiating a lease renewal for your business, here are two money-saving tips.
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How to re-enter the design job market successfully
Lloyd Princeton Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesUnemployment is low, and firms are having difficulty filling positions. If you’ve been out of the job market for a while, perhaps raising a family or for other personal reasons, but are ready to start designing again, now might be an ideal time to get back in the game. Even in an employee-driven market like the current one, returning to work after a prolonged absence can be a challenge. You can increase your chances of landing a suitable position by doing some advance preparation before you start replying to job postings.
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