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Those U.S. consumers who were aware of Small Business Saturday spent a total of $5.5 billion with independent merchants. Pre-holiday surveys estimated that U.S. consumers would spend $5.3 billion.
American Express said Cardmember transactions at small business merchants rose approximately 21 percent compared to last year’s Small Business Saturday.
More than 213,000 tweets were sent in support of Small Business Saturday in November, many leveraging the hashtags #smallbizsat and #shopsmall.
Impressive numbers, but the first number that jumps out is the $5.5 billion spent. The obvious question is (and will always be) how much of that spend would have happened anyway? It's always going to be difficult to quantify how much additional spending Small Business Saturday generated? Did you as a consumer go to the local sub shop to get lunch because it was Small Business Saturday, or because you always go on Saturday to get lunch?
If you look at all the other metrics that were released, few point to helping small businesses directly. Facebook fans and and American Express card transactions are great, for American Express. That doesn't mean it was great for small business owners. Or does it?
The anecdotal evidence (even locally here in Massachusetts), coupled with some of the social media and search data, points to heightened awareness of the day (as does the Twitter data), which likely led to many who were considering purchasing anyway being pushed over the fence, so to speak. How much or how many we'll probably never know for sure. Eric Markowitz of Inc.com did some digging and found that there were a number of cities (Boston included) for which searches of SBS were bigger. According to him, "the user search volume for Small Business Saturday is growing at a steady pace. The day was especially popular (at least from a search perspective) in New York, Phoenix, and Boston."
So while the numbers that Amex and the NFIB produced don't necessarily point to a success, the "vibe" certainly did. There were many, many stories in local publications that had overwhelmingly positive quotes and examples from local business owners. Reading them, you get a sense that many in the community took it seriously and came out because they knew what day it was. Shop owners talking about massive crowds and increases in sales in local media alone is positive.
So much like before, the takeaway for me is that ANY day that promotes small business growth or shopping small can't hurt, data or no data. Â So all in all small businesses hopefully walked away happy (or happier) after Small Business Saturday, regardless of whether or not they participated.
What do you think, was Small Business Saturday a success? Did you "shop small" because you knew it was Small Business Saturday? Weigh in below.
Earlier this month, the College announced that Native American studies professor Melanie Benson Taylor will serve as the North Park House professor beginning in the winter term. She will replace Dean of the College Rebecca Biron, who in turn replaced biology professor Ryan Calsbeek after he stepped down from the position earlier this term. Taylor, who serves as chair of her department, specializes in Native American literature and will teach a course on the subject this spring. She earned her doctorate and masters degree from Boston University and completed her bachelor’s degree at Smith College. Together with her husband Alan Taylor, who serves as a lecturer in writing, and their two-year old son, she will move into a home on North Park street next month to be closer to her students.
What inspired you to take on this role as the North Park House professor?
MT: I think what really attracted me was the idea that there was this great opportunity in the social and the intellectual life at Dartmouth to do something that was really organic and I think driven not in a top-down fashion. I think there’s potential for students to really dictate and engineer what a really cohesive, inclusive campus community could look like. So I really got excited about being able to participate in that and to find ways to really just be an instigator for bringing together not just students but faculty and staff around issues that we’re all interested in and that we care about.
What would you say then that you hope to accomplish as House professor? What are your thoughts on the role House professors should be playing in residential life?
MT: What I hope to accomplish would be creating a space where students feel comfortable and excited to come together and talk about what’s happening in their classrooms and in the campus community, and of course right now in the nation and around the globe. I think college campuses are such unique environments where there’s really this microcosm of backgrounds and regions and demographics. It kind of looks like the House professors are sort of at the top of this hierarchy in some ways on this new residential organizational chart. But in truth, I think the House professor should really just be one member among many in a community. And I’m really thinking of it as just a different way of organizing community at Dartmouth. So I would see myself stepping in to the role of being a host, really. Opening up our home to students and faculty and staff to come together, watch debates and things. I’m already thinking ahead to the next presidential season.
How has your own residential life background from college helped shape some of these goals and visions?
MT: I went to Smith College, which is a private women’s college in western Massachusetts, which on the surface of things is very different from Dartmouth. But at the same time, it shares a lot of the same feature. It’s a small, liberal arts institution in a relatively quiet, rural environment. So there, the residential life is really structured around a housing system. And there was no Greek system, of course, to compete with there, so the housing system was the very center, the nexus of social and intellectual life. And that, for me, was an just amazing experience. It meant a really coherent environment to think, to do work and to build friendships and relationships. One of my favorite professors from Smith actually just came to visit me at Dartmouth and have lunch s couple weeks ago. These are relationships that have been ongoing, and they were really cemented in that kind of an atmosphere.
So I think one of the things that’s central to Dartmouth social life right now is the Greek system. How do you think the two institutions — the new housing system and Greek life — are going to coexist at Dartmouth?
MT: I see them not as competing but really as being complementary. I think they can offer different kinds of enrichment and avenues for creating relationships and networking and really building community. And again, what that will look like in the housing system I think will vary depending on the year and the house community and the individuals that are involved in building that. So I assume it’s the same in Greek system as well — you know, the houses and each group really changes according to who’s involved in creating the fabric of that community. I really just think that what the housing system is doing is it’s providing more spaces.
Obviously it’s still early, but where do you envision the House system moving in the next few years? What changes do you anticipate might occur?
MT: That’s another really good question, and I think one that probably no one can and should answer right now, because I think it should be driven entirely by the experimentation of these first terms and years.
As you know, there’s been a lot of dialogue both at Dartmouth and nationally about the idea of safe spaces in the recent months and years. What are your thoughts on this concept and how it might tie in to residential life, or your role as House professor?
MT: I think that is an essential piece of any community. Despite Dartmouth’s apparent small, intimate size, it can be a very big, intimidating place, particularly for students from underrepresented backgrounds, but really any student could find being in such a large, diverse community a little destabilizing. I think it’s so important particularly on college campuses to be providing those kinds of safe, welcoming, nurturing kinds of spaces for growth and development to happen. I’m deliberately using very vague, neutral language because I think this doesn’t simply apply to traditionally vulnerable groups. That, of course, is of primary importance, but I operate under assumption that really anyone can be in need of a safe space at some point or another. It should be and is sometimes an alienating and unsettling experience to move through the process of growing and adapting and having your beliefs challenged. And sometimes it can be a hurtful process for those who find themselves questioning their place in the world or their value or their identity. So as much as we can embolden and empower students to feel strong in their quest to navigate those challenges, I think we’ll have done a service.
I made no secret of my dislike for the "Aubergine" wallpaper in Ubuntu 10.04.
I made no secret of my dislike for the "Aubergine" wallpaper in Ubuntu 10.04. If you had asked me when that was released if I thought Ubuntu/Canoncial could come up with something worse, I would have said no.
Unfortunately, I would have been wrong. Ubuntu has revealed the default wallpaper for their 10.10 release. I swear to you, it looks like the inside of a barf bag. Every time I look at it, I get a very strong urge to contribute more to that bag... Take a look for yourself. Read the comments. Ugh. Bletch.
I actually went looking for this, because as part of configuring my new Samsung N150 Plus, I tried the latest daily build of UNE 10.10. When it first came up, I thought there must have been something wrong with the graphic driver. Honesty, it never occurred to me that they would make the screen look like that on purpose!
There was a lot to celebrate on last night's WWE Raw as it was the first time the company's flagship broadcast had aired from Sioux Falls.
Also Curtis Axel’s win on Raw this week was a pretty significant one as it was the first time that Axel had won two singles matches in a row on Raw in FIVE YEARS!
Can he make it a third next week?
Ever found yourself lusting over the inspirational look of the Mac operating system? Here are some applications you can download for free to give your PC an Apple-inspired makeover.
Mac envy is a common ailment that can afflict long-time Windows users. While the easiest fix is for sufferers is to go out and buy a PowerBook or iMac, work and educational environments often force people back into a Windows world. Even if you are content with the Microsoft look and feel, it's hard not to agree that Mac OS X has an elegant user interface, with elements such as the genie effect for minimising windows, the animated dock at the bottom for shortcuts, and glass-like onscreen widgets for displaying mini information panels. If you want to give PC a Mac makeover, here are some applications available for download that mimic Apple's cool effects.
To begin with, download WindowsBlinds and apply this theme to get your desktop looking more like Mac OS X Tiger. Next, replace your Start menu and taskbar with either the ObjectDock or MobyDock to get that nice rollover expansion effect for icons and shortcuts similar to the dock on the bottom of a Mac.
For Dashboard-style widgets, Konfabulator is your best bet; once installed, pressing F8 will grey out your screen and instantly display customisable mini-applications such as local traffic Web cams, to do lists and stock quotes. Thousands of mini-apps are available for download at Konfabulator's Widget Gallery. A handy Aussie built widget is IceTV, an interactive television guide with listings for free-to-air channels.
Windows users will be familiar with the RSI-inducing Alt+Tab method used to switch between running applications: Mac users, on the other hand, have access to a nifty feature called Exposé, whereby pressing a function key neatly arranges previews of all windows currently open on the screen. WinPlosion is the program you need to emulate this on a PC.
Before installing the above downloads, make sure your system has plenty of memory available. Many of them -- especially Konfabulator and WindowBlinds -- are memory hogs and will slow older PCs down to a crawl.
Do you think the look and feel of Mac OS X is years ahead of Windows? Is the Microsoft Start button nearing the end of its life? Have you recently switched over from PC to Mac? How did you find the transition? Have your say below!
This article was first published in CNET.com.au's Downloads newsletter. Become a CNET.com.au member and sign up for free newsletters here.
To access the accuracy of the altimeter in each of these trekking and climbing tools, we took all five devices on board Europe's highest railway to compare their readings with the known elevations of each station. The Jungfraubahn, which celebrates its centenary this year, winds through the Swiss Alps from Interlaken station at 567 metres above sea level, to its highest point, Jungfraujoch station at 3,454m. The graph below reveals how closely each altimeter correlated with the actual altitude of each station. We also assessed each product's design, functionality and value for money.
To assess accuracy, we plotted the actual station altitudes against those recorded.
Jessica DeeAnn Witt and Justin J. Jernigan were united in marriage at 6:00 pm on July 20, 2013, at Maple Manor in Dallas. The ceremony was officiated by Dr. Jerry Chism. Jessica is the daughter of Larry and Jane Witt of Lubbock and Justin is the son of Larry and Rita Jernigan of Weatherford. Amy Reese, a close friend from Forth Worth, served as Matron of Honor. Jason Chandler, a close friend from Dallas, served as Best Man. The bride is a graduate of Monterey High in Lubbock and attended Texas Tech University. Jessica is employed by Pace Realty in Dallas. The groom graduated from Weatherford High School in Weatherford. He also graduated from Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth and is currently working on his second masters degree from A&M University. Justin is employed by the Garland ISD. After a wedding trip to Antigua, the newlyweds reside in Rockwall, Texas.
This week's poet is Margaret Smelser of McLouth.
In His own good time and manner a new picture comes to life. From the messes I fall into which sometimes break my heart, Comes a sudden burst of beauty that I only see in part.
As long as I will keep on trying some glad day it will be clear. God can take the darkest storm cloud when it seems the sun won't shine.
He will clean up all my messes, soon a rainbow will be mine.
He will take the messed-up picture, make of it a masterpiece!
once again, is a little too much.
and I find my eyes brimming with tears.
leave a memory I cannot forget.
Dear Lord. did You make a "forever"
for sweet amber-eyed Collie strays?
which would haunt her the rest of her days.
and life turned around and made "plumb"?
who throws away dogs, cats and cans?
surely this wasn't part of Your plan.
will be with me whatever I do.
Though her days were never easy, she seldom wore a frown.
While searching for a bright sweet rose, one precious fragrant bloom.
Had purchased it in country town, was all he could afford.
I picture her within my mind, she thought the gift was grand.
The crystal vase, as vases will, was broken in those years; Fond memories still linger on, though sometimes bring me tears.
We gave our Mom one sweet wild rose, she gave us all her heart.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum won the Democratic primary for Florida governor Tuesday, pulling off an upset against better funded and better-known candidates on his quest to become the state’s first black governor.
Gillum will now face GOP nominee U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis in November to replace Republican Gov. Rick Scott. DeSantis sailed to victory in the Republican primary, defeating a longtime favorite of the GOP establishment with a campaign based largely around President Donald Trump.
Gillum spent the least of the five major candidates in his primary race and had the smallest television presence. He relied on a grassroots campaign and the support of the furthest left in the party to beat four other candidates, including former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, the daughter of popular former governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham.
Gillum, 39, was a favorite among Democrats who call themselves progressives and earned the endorsement of former Vermont Sen. Bernie Saunders. Gillum was a 23-year-old Florida A&M student when he became the youngest person elected to the Tallahassee City Commission in 2003. He was elected mayor in 2014.
Besides Graham, Gillum turned back former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, who poured $29 million of his personal wealth into the race and saturated the state with 30 different campaign ads. Also in the race was billionaire Jeff Greene, who spent about $38 million of his own money on the race, and Orlando area businessman Chris King, who spent about $4 million of his personal wealth on the race.
Gillum was the only candidate who said he’d raise corporate income taxes, and he often talked about winning a lawsuit against the National Rifle Association during his time as mayor. He often said he was the only candidate in the race who wasn’t a millionaire or billionaire.
But the win also comes as the FBI is investigating corruption at city hall. Gillum has said he is not a target in the investigation.
While he didn’t make race an issue, Gillum said it during a recent interview that it would be “big” to be Florida’s first black governor.
In the Republican primary, DeSantis beat out Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who had seemingly built up the run for governor his entire adult life after being elected to office as a 22-year-old.
The strategy worked, and many voters say that’s what convinced them to support DeSantis.
Sharon Grant said she was planning to vote for Putnam — until Trump weighed in on the race.
Josie Parke, 68, an interior designer in Coral Gables, said Trump’s backing swayed her vote for DeSantis, too.
“I believe in Trump’s policies and while I don’t love the way he opens his mouth too much, sometimes saying things that are not quite appropriate, I do believe that in his heart he really means well. He’s doing things the way I like,” Parke said.
DeSantis entered the race a month after Trump’s December tweeted that he would make “a GREAT governor.” Later Trump held a rally for him in Tampa. Suddenly, he was considered the favorite over Putnam, who raised more money, campaigned longer, built support among the party establishment and ran a traditional grassroots campaign.
DeSantis, who turns 40 next month, is a former Navy lawyer. He also ran for Senate in 2016 but dropped out when Republican Sen. Marco Rubio shut down his presidential campaign and decided to run for re-election.
Supporters at DeSantis’ party in Orlando chanted “Ron! Ron! Ron!” when he was declared the GOP nominee Tuesday evening.
Voters are also picking the nominees for two Cabinet positions and several congressional seats.
Copyright 2018 Scripps Media, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
With a view of downtown Glendale in the background, Glendale firefighters prepare a Cadillac for removal from the roof of a home on the 400 block of Audraine Drive.
Police are investigating the circumstances of how a Cadillac ended up atop a home in Glendale Saturday.
While police initially reported that the 66-year-old driver of the 2012 Cadillac told them his brakes failed, investigators are also looking into whether he accidentally accelerated or was driving too fast for road conditions, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. The driver lives in the neighborhood, he added.
No one was seriously injured when the Glendale man's car landed about 5:43 p.m. on the home's roof in the 400 block of Audraine Drive.
Police received a call from the driver via OnStar — a security and navigation system found in some vehicles — regarding the collision, Lorenz said.
A crane was eventually used to remove the Cadillac from the roof.
Saturday night’s episode was the most watched show across all channels on the day, drawing an average of 9.9 million viewers, the BBC said.
This gave BBC One a 49.4% share of the audience in the time slot, with viewership peaking at 11 million, according to the overnight ratings.
However, it marks a dip compared with last week’s episode, when the comedian and his professional partner performed a decidedly platonic Charleston and an average of 10.6 million tuned in to watch the show live, peaking at 11.9 million.
It marked the first time they had danced on the show since photographs of them kissing emerged.
The incident prompted a surge in viewers, giving the show its highest ratings of the series last week, with the average number up 1.4 million from the last episode before the scandal, when 9.2 million people tuned in.
Saturday night’s episode saw the duo return to the dancefloor to perform a quickstep to Lightning Bolt by Jake Bugg.
It also saw the appearance of a guest judge, as Alfonso Ribeiro filled in for regular panelist Bruno Tonioli.
On ITV, the first X Factor live show drew an average audience of 4.3 million, giving the channel a 24.7% share.
The show peaked with 5.1 million viewers.
The episode saw singer Danny Tetley forced to restart his performance following a technical blunder.
He paused his performance of Mariah Carey’s Hero after another contestant’s name was announced as he appeared on stage.
The Strictly Come Dancing results show is on BBC One at 7.45pm while The X Factor live shows continue on ITV at 8pm.
MADDOW: No, I`ll fight you for it and I`ll win.
JEB BUSH, FORMER FLORIDA GOVERNOR: Donald Trump is a jerk.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, really, jughead?