Business
Bumble rethinks how we connect online
9/29/2016 ⋅ SmartBrief/Marketing

Building a successful dating app is tricky, as companies strive to attract a critical mass of users while preventing some of the harassment and negative behaviors that sometimes occur on these networks. Bumble's dating app gives only women the power to make the first move -- and the company is expanding into friendship and business-networking offerings.

Education
Rate of student-loan defaults decreases
9/29/2016 ⋅ Bloomberg⋅The Washington Post (tiered subscription model)

The overall rate of students defaulting on their federal loans has dipped from 11.8% last year to 11.3%, according to a report from the US Education Department. However, the default rate for students from private, nonprofit colleges rose slightly from 6.8% to 7%, while for-profit students defaulted at a rate of 15%, down from 15.8% a year ago.

Finance
Jazbec: Too soon for ECB equity purchases
9/30/2016 ⋅ Bloomberg⋅Reuters

Despite weak demand for loans and slow economic recovery in the eurozone, the European Central Bank should not yet turn to equity purchases to stimulate the economy, Governing Council member Bostjan Jazbec said Thursday. ECB staff has been tasked with exploring ways to ensure the central bank doesn't run out of assets to purchase while it seeks to avoid expanding its stimulus scheme.

Food & Beverage
Kroger CEO: Grocers must please diverse array of shoppers
9/29/2016 ⋅ Supermarket News (free registration)

Grocers will have to meet the needs of many different types of shoppers, from in-store browsers to online delivery customers, Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen told attendees at a conference this week. "[W]hat we're trying to do is to make sure that it's a completely seamless experience for the customer, regardless of where they go," he said.

Health Care
Study shows physicians, patients have differing views on health technology
9/29/2016 ⋅ Medscape (free registration)

A Medscape survey found a digital divide between how patients and physicians view the use of technology in medicine, with 80% of patients believing that EHR systems help improve a practice's efficiency, compared with 54% of physicians. The findings also showed that 60% of physicians say patients have a right to view all doctors' notes, compared with 90% of patients.

Marketing & Advertising
Starbucks showcases social heroes in digital videos
9/29/2016 ⋅ Mobile Marketer

Starbucks has released an "Upstanders" series on social media and its app. The show features people who go above and beyond to make a difference in society.

Retail
American Eagle names a permanent finance chief
9/29/2016 ⋅ The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)

American Eagle Outfitters has hired former Polo Ralph Lauren executive Bob Madore as its new chief financial officer, replacing interim CFO Scott Hurd. Madore has worked in retail for more than 20 years and his resume includes stints at New York & Co. and Nine West Group.

Tech
Industry heavyweights band together on AI
9/29/2016 ⋅ TechCrunch

Amazon, Alphabet, Facebook, IBM and Microsoft have come together to form "Partnership on AI," a group that aims to be inclusive of businesses of all sizes and to openly share research on AI topics such as privacy and ethics.

Life Sciences & Technology
Right to Try Act signed into law in Calif.
9/29/2016 ⋅ The Hill

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law "right to try" legislation that allows drug manufacturers to provide terminally ill patients with investigational drugs not yet approved by the FDA. The Right to Try Act covers terminally ill patients who have been previously treated with other FDA-approved drugs.

Telecom
Will set-top changes be enough to get programmers onboard?
9/29/2016 ⋅ Broadcasting & Cable⋅Broadcasting & Cable

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler has reportedly tweaked his set-top-box proposal to get programmers onboard, removing the FCC's oversight role from the proposal. However, the revised plan would allow the FCC to review the app standards process and step in if necessary; programmers have said they will not back the proposal if the FCC has any involvement.

Infrastructure
Lack of skilled labor limits construction hiring in Aug.
9/30/2016 ⋅ Construction Dive

Metro areas in Colorado, California and Florida saw the greatest increases in construction employment in the 12 months ending in August, and jobs were added in 61% of 358 metro areas, the fewest in three years, according to AGC. The lackluster increase was partially due to the limited size of the available construction workforce.

Energy & Chemicals
Opinion: Wind power is good for Vt.
9/29/2016 ⋅ VTDigger.org (Vermont)

Wind development, such as a proposed project from Swanton Wind, benefits Vermont landowners and the communities they live in, writes Swanton Wind Principal and Rocky Ridge Construction owner-operator Travis Belisle. "Wind is working for Vermont's economy and its environment. For the future of our rapidly warming world, let's hope that politicians will keep it that way," he writes.

Aviation & Aerospace
American Airlines rolls out no-cost Preferred Seat access for business travelers
9/28/2016 ⋅ Travelbiz

Corporate travelers are now able to access Preferred Seats aboard American Airlines flights at no additional cost, regardless of their loyalty rewards status. These seats offer standard economy legroom.

Travel & Hospitality
Hotel pipeline includes almost 2M rooms, report says
9/29/2016 ⋅ Hotel Management online

More than 11,000 hotels with nearly two million rooms are in development worldwide, up 3% over last year, according to Lodging Econometrics' Global Construction Pipeline Trend Report. Despite the increase, multiple economic and political variables concern the industry.