Top Story

• Wis. manufacturers begin to dispatch storm-recovery equipment
  Briggs & Stratton and Kohler have started to ship generators to the East Coast as residents there prepare for Hurricane Sandy. Meanwhile, Ariens will dispatch its snow throwers from warehouses in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts to areas where snow is expected. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (tiered subscription model) (10/26)     

Industry Buzz

• How to select the right kind of snow thrower
  To select a snow thrower suitable for your needs, consider the size of the properties you work and the amount of snowfall they get, Becky Garber writes. A single-stage snow thrower works when you need to clear smaller areas, while a two-stage snowblower is appropriate for larger properties. Summit Daily News (Frisco, Colo.) (10/28)     

• Expert: Woody, deciduous plants enliven the winter landscape
  To keep the landscape interesting during winter, incorporate woody, deciduous plants that have ornamental qualities, horticulturist Diana Stoll writes. Consider several varieties of dogwoods, crab apple, river birch and lacebark elms. For gardens that lack space, use large shrubs that grow interesting limbs such as varieties of viburnum, Stoll notes. Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Ill.) (10/28)     

• Other News

• City Hall in San Marcos, Calif., considers sustainable landscaping
  San Diego Union-Tribune (10/28)     

• Fillmore, Ind., students helped by Dixie Chopper employee donations
  Banner-Graphic (Greencastle, Ind.) (10/27)     

Economic Indicators

• Consumer spending increased Q3 economic growth in U.S.
  U.S. economic growth rose to an annual rate of 2% in the third quarter, up from 1.3% in Q2, the Commerce Department said. Expansion from last-minute consumer spending was more than what most economists expected but not enough to significantly affect the unemployment rate. Reuters (10/26)     

• "Fiscal cliff" could be much worse than predicted, economists say
  Economists at the International Monetary Fund and academic institutions say damage by the "fiscal cliff" to the U.S. economy could be far worse than the Congressional Budget Office predicted. IMF research indicates that when interest rates are low, every $1 of deficit reduction drains as much as $1.70 from the global economy. Reuters (10/28)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by OPEI SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• OPEI's Kiser warns about effects of E15 on outdoor power equipment (EquipmentWorld.com)

• The year's most memorable photographs (so far) (Twisted Sifter)

• Court decision could tarnish public product-safety website (The New York Times (tiered subscription model))

• Robotic lawn mowers gain ground in Europe (Bloomberg)

• 9 tips to ready your mowers for spring (Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Ill.))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Inside & Out

• Do you lead, or do you only pretend?
  Leaders can be thought of as the actors of business: The bad ones are transparently inauthentic, while the best inspire and enrapture, Alan Derek Utley writes. Along with authenticity is a need to receive honest feedback. "For most of us, our reviews aren't likely published for public view," Utley writes. "But the best leaders seek out reviews, and don't stop at the ones that are glowing. They find the truth tellers who genuinely want them to be better." LeadChangeGroup.com (10/25)     

• Why sales goals have to be realistic
  Setting lofty sales goals is important, but you have to make sure the goals are realistic, or you risk setting yourself up for failure, writes Sean McPheat of MTD Sales Training. "When setting sales goals, keep the facts and reality in mind. ... Examine your closing averages, average sales commissions, the number of completed closing attempts, etc. Then set a goal that will exceed those numbers, but [is] still in the realm of possibility," he writes. MTDSalesTraining.com (10/23)     

Policy Update

• Debt-ceiling issue will fall hard on heels of "fiscal cliff"
  The debt limit is languishing in the shadow of the "fiscal cliff," yet the Treasury Department can keep default at bay until only February or March. However, few people talking about it. "I think the idea that you would go through ... a cliff debate and then two months later a debt-ceiling debate. ... You thought August of 2011 was ugly? Why would we shock the economy?" Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said at SIFMA's Annual Meeting in New York last week. Politico (Washington, D.C.) (10/26)     

OPEI News

• Outdoor Power Report: A quarterly update for OPEI members
  OPEI's quarterly summary of issues and activities is now available. Read the report.     

SmartQuote

Being inexhaustible, life and nature are a constant stimulus for a creative mind." --Hans Hoffman, German-American abstract expressionist painter