BOCA RATON, Florida (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co (KO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday it would continue to make acquisitions, but they were not necessary for the world's largest soft drink maker to meet its long-term growth objectives.
Coca-Cola reiterated its long-term targets to increase its annual sales volume by 3 percent to 4 percent, revenue by 5 percent to 6 percent, operating income by 6 percent to 8 percent and earnings-per-share by a high single-digit percentage rate.
Those targets do not include acquisitions, said Coke Chief Financial Officer Gary Fayard during a presentation at a conference in Florida hosted by the Consumer Analyst Group of New York.
"We will continue to do bolt-on acquisitions but they are not included in the growth model," Fayard said, adding that the company's picture of success was to reach its targets by growing its existing business.
"We can never replace organic growth with acquisitions," said Chief Operating Officer Muhtar Kent, who will soon become chief executive officer. "Organic growth is the oxygen of our business."
Kent also said that acquisitions would have to be done in a disciplined manner.
"You can't just keep adding things to your system," Kent said. He also said the company was looking at fewer, but more important brands, than in the past.
"We're not focused on big bets that are going to be big and important," Kent said
Coca-Cola has benefited from its recent acquisitions of FUZE teas and Glaceau vitaminwater, which have boosted sales at a time its traditional carbonated soft drinks, including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Sprite, were experiencing sluggish U.S. sales, as many consumers began choosing drinks like bottled water and tea, which are viewed as healthier.
Coke shares were down 24 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $57.75 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
(Reporting by Martinne Geller; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)
BOCA RATON, Florida (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co (KO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday it would continue to make acquisitions, but they were not necessary for the world's largest soft drink maker to meet its long-term growth objectives.
"We're not focused on big bets that are going to be big and important,"
Coke's CEO said that they will not depend on the M&A strategy. But I think that the M&A will be important, because of the radical changing of the beverage environments.
The image of coke getting bad and the health problems being important, it is hard to expand the brands. So i think that m&a is good strategy for Coke.com
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
7.Seoul`s beef deal a boon for U.S.
Korea is the only country among the top six destinations of U.S. meat, other than Canada, that has agreed to fully open its market to U.S. beef, government data showed yesterday.
Limits on the age or cuts of U.S. beef products have been imposed by Mexico, Japan, Taiwan and China/Hong Kong, according to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Canada allows beef imports from its neighbor to the south with almost no restrictions.
Seoul agreed earlier this month to gradually open its market to boneless and bone-in U.S. beef from animals of any age, in return for a U.S. promise to enhance safety standards.
Mexico is the largest market for U.S. beef with $1.1 billion worth of beef imports, followed by Canada with $620.3 million, Japan with 244.3 million, Korea with 118.8 million, Taiwan with 172.1 million, and China/Hong Kong with 36.3 million as of last year, the U.S. Meat Export Federation said.
The imports of the six countries represented 87.6 percent of the value of exports of U.S. beef in 2007, according to the U.S. federation.
Korea was included in the top six nations, although shipments were limited to boneless meat from cattle less than 30 months old, and the market was only open for five months last year.
Korea, which banned U.S. beef imports in December 2003 due to mad cow disease fears, partially opened its market to U.S. beef in January 2006, accepting only boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months old. But it suspended imports in October after bone fragments deemed risky were repeatedly found in shipments.
The latest beef agreement is expected to help Washington increase pressure on other Asian nations to fully open their markets to U.S. beef.
"South Korea has raised the bar for other Asian nations such as Japan, Taiwan and China, and the United States will continue to press for full market access through the rest of the Pacific Rim so that unreasonable restrictions on U.S. beef and beef products are fully removed," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said in a statement released shortly after the agreement was made.
The United States exports its beef to 96 nations with few conditions, but those countries are not major importers of U.S. beef.
Korea is the only country among the top six destinations of U.S. meat, other than Canada, that has agreed to fully open its market to U.S. beef. Seoul agreed earlier this month to gradually open its market to boneless and bone-in U.S. beef from animals of any age, in return for a U.S. promise to enhance safety standards. South Korea has raised the bar for other Asian nations such as Japan, Taiwan and China, and the United States will continue to press for full market access through the rest of the Pacific Rim so that unreasonable restrictions on U.S. beef and beef products are fully removed,"
I think that the president of Korea try to make the market economy which encourage the harsh competition among the supplier. But the matter of mad cow desease dosen't be solved, the desease can threat the nation's health. So I think that these decision would be concerned about the health, desease and economy.
20200041 kwon hyuck sung(late)
Limits on the age or cuts of U.S. beef products have been imposed by Mexico, Japan, Taiwan and China/Hong Kong, according to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Canada allows beef imports from its neighbor to the south with almost no restrictions.
Seoul agreed earlier this month to gradually open its market to boneless and bone-in U.S. beef from animals of any age, in return for a U.S. promise to enhance safety standards.
Mexico is the largest market for U.S. beef with $1.1 billion worth of beef imports, followed by Canada with $620.3 million, Japan with 244.3 million, Korea with 118.8 million, Taiwan with 172.1 million, and China/Hong Kong with 36.3 million as of last year, the U.S. Meat Export Federation said.
The imports of the six countries represented 87.6 percent of the value of exports of U.S. beef in 2007, according to the U.S. federation.
Korea was included in the top six nations, although shipments were limited to boneless meat from cattle less than 30 months old, and the market was only open for five months last year.
Korea, which banned U.S. beef imports in December 2003 due to mad cow disease fears, partially opened its market to U.S. beef in January 2006, accepting only boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months old. But it suspended imports in October after bone fragments deemed risky were repeatedly found in shipments.
The latest beef agreement is expected to help Washington increase pressure on other Asian nations to fully open their markets to U.S. beef.
"South Korea has raised the bar for other Asian nations such as Japan, Taiwan and China, and the United States will continue to press for full market access through the rest of the Pacific Rim so that unreasonable restrictions on U.S. beef and beef products are fully removed," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said in a statement released shortly after the agreement was made.
The United States exports its beef to 96 nations with few conditions, but those countries are not major importers of U.S. beef.
Korea is the only country among the top six destinations of U.S. meat, other than Canada, that has agreed to fully open its market to U.S. beef. Seoul agreed earlier this month to gradually open its market to boneless and bone-in U.S. beef from animals of any age, in return for a U.S. promise to enhance safety standards. South Korea has raised the bar for other Asian nations such as Japan, Taiwan and China, and the United States will continue to press for full market access through the rest of the Pacific Rim so that unreasonable restrictions on U.S. beef and beef products are fully removed,"
I think that the president of Korea try to make the market economy which encourage the harsh competition among the supplier. But the matter of mad cow desease dosen't be solved, the desease can threat the nation's health. So I think that these decision would be concerned about the health, desease and economy.
20200041 kwon hyuck sung(late)
Friday, April 25, 2008
Nine Ways to Cut Down on Car Expenses
Neglect your car and you will pay in the long run.
Everyone wants to save money, but when it comes to your car, most people focus exclusively on how to save money on gas while neglecting other important areas.
More from TheStreet.com:
• A Nation in Crisis: Beer Prices on the Rise
• Do the Math on Mortgage Points
• No More Line of Credit for You!
This is especially true now that full-service gas stations no longer exist in most areas of the country. Self-service means that basic mechanical checks are a thing of the past.
If you haven't been properly maintaining your car, now is a great time to take some time to check all those small things that often get put off or overlooked.
Money isn't routinely spent on your car by only buying gasoline. It's estimated that more than 5% of all vehicle accidents are the direct result of lack of vehicle maintenance resulting in approximately 2,600 deaths, 100,000 disabling injuries and $2 billion in financial losses each year.
By taking the time to make sure that your car is in top working order, you will help your car last longer and improve driving safety in addition to saving money on gas.
Here are nine basic maintenance checks you should make and how they can help save you money:
Original Article
Nowadays, cars have been so essential to our daily life which also means that expenses on cars are inevitable. This article will introduce you 9 ways to cut down car expenses.
20100174 #7 Entry
Everyone wants to save money, but when it comes to your car, most people focus exclusively on how to save money on gas while neglecting other important areas.
More from TheStreet.com:
• A Nation in Crisis: Beer Prices on the Rise
• Do the Math on Mortgage Points
• No More Line of Credit for You!
This is especially true now that full-service gas stations no longer exist in most areas of the country. Self-service means that basic mechanical checks are a thing of the past.
If you haven't been properly maintaining your car, now is a great time to take some time to check all those small things that often get put off or overlooked.
Money isn't routinely spent on your car by only buying gasoline. It's estimated that more than 5% of all vehicle accidents are the direct result of lack of vehicle maintenance resulting in approximately 2,600 deaths, 100,000 disabling injuries and $2 billion in financial losses each year.
By taking the time to make sure that your car is in top working order, you will help your car last longer and improve driving safety in addition to saving money on gas.
Here are nine basic maintenance checks you should make and how they can help save you money:
Original Article
Nowadays, cars have been so essential to our daily life which also means that expenses on cars are inevitable. This article will introduce you 9 ways to cut down car expenses.
20100174 #7 Entry
7.Nokia starts listening
Nokia is a dominant global wireless force, but it is losing their market very in the U.S. market, and very fast. The company’s share was in 20% two years ago and dropped to 7%. There were two problems that made them not work so well. The First was that the American wireless technology is CDMA which is well made by Korean cellphone companies. The second and the major problem was that AT&T and Verizon Wireless companies are the dominant wireless carriers in a point that the cellphone companies have to work through them in order to succeed. The second problem was the one that brought them down because they didn’t want to be under the control of their competitors. Now, they say they are changing their strategy in the US market first by entering in partnership with AT&T and Verizon and moving their sales force to places near to their headquarters. They also increased their investment in R&D to make products unique to the US market.
I think that Nokia made a huge mistake entering the US market with such a mentality. Even though it is a leading company in a global level, letting their proud intervene in a new international business was not an intelligent action for such an experienced action. By this fact, I remembered Prof. Abraham’s lecture, when he told us that Disney failed when they tried to enter to France and didn’t let them invest in the amusement park because of their proud and totally failed. I think that when entering into a new market is very risky to any company in the world. It is an unknown environment that you have to learn. Just because it is company it doesn’t mean you don’t have risks, and such a successful company should know by their experience that this is a fact and applies even for them. At least it is good thing that they didn’t end up with depts, and are able to try again.
20600642 entry #7
I think that Nokia made a huge mistake entering the US market with such a mentality. Even though it is a leading company in a global level, letting their proud intervene in a new international business was not an intelligent action for such an experienced action. By this fact, I remembered Prof. Abraham’s lecture, when he told us that Disney failed when they tried to enter to France and didn’t let them invest in the amusement park because of their proud and totally failed. I think that when entering into a new market is very risky to any company in the world. It is an unknown environment that you have to learn. Just because it is company it doesn’t mean you don’t have risks, and such a successful company should know by their experience that this is a fact and applies even for them. At least it is good thing that they didn’t end up with depts, and are able to try again.
20600642 entry #7
The Power of Satellites
20700193 entry #7 - the power of satellites
One of the things we have learned and discussed in class is that we have to keep up with new technology. As we have experienced in Markstrat, we have to upgrade our existing products. What's amazing nowadays is that satellite pictures are available through a program called "google earth." And nowadays, there are sites you can go to in order to check out funny or interesting scenes that are captured on google earth.
One of these pictures is a picture of fishing boats casting nets in front of pohang!
the following picture is shows boats catching fish with fishing nets:
you can see the nets shaped round as boats circle around to close the nets.
until now, i didn't really know how fishermen caught fish with nets!
well anyways, if you go to the reference site below, you can zoom out and
check out the satellite map of Pohang!
p.s. be careful what you do outside! someone's watching you!
http://www.gearthhacks.com/downloads/map.php?file=29680
20700193 entry #7 the power of satellites
One of the things we have learned and discussed in class is that we have to keep up with new technology. As we have experienced in Markstrat, we have to upgrade our existing products. What's amazing nowadays is that satellite pictures are available through a program called "google earth." And nowadays, there are sites you can go to in order to check out funny or interesting scenes that are captured on google earth.
One of these pictures is a picture of fishing boats casting nets in front of pohang!
the following picture is shows boats catching fish with fishing nets:
you can see the nets shaped round as boats circle around to close the nets.
until now, i didn't really know how fishermen caught fish with nets!
well anyways, if you go to the reference site below, you can zoom out and
check out the satellite map of Pohang!
p.s. be careful what you do outside! someone's watching you!
http://www.gearthhacks.com/downloads/map.php?file=29680
20700193 entry #7 the power of satellites
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Best Life-Saving Car Safety Features
Jacqueline Mitchell 04.15.08, 4:00 PM ET
Car accident is the number one cause of death in Korea. In US, "At least 50 children are injured weekly, and at least two children die every week from injuries sustained when a vehicle backed over them." There are hundreds thousands of accidents happening right at this moment all around the world. Then how can this be controlled?
1.Seat belts
2.Airbags
3.Electronic stability control (ESC): senses impending skids the slides and applies the breakers to bring the car back under control
4.Lane departure warning systems: helps preventing accidents by awakening sleep-deprived drivers as they swerve into other lanes,
5.Anti-lock braking systems: prevent a vehicle's wheels from locking by rapidly applying intermittent pressure when a driver brakes,
6.Tire pressure monitoring systems: rely on a dashboard warning light to alert drivers about under-inflated tires.
These features merely mean that "we have the possibility of preventing crashes from happening altogether," and this is why safety restraints should exist.
Experts say that if children are seated in properly installed car and booster seats or more, more lives would be saved, or if more cars have side-impact and side-curtain airbags are installed more lives would be saved as well. Not only is that, seat belts also crucially important. "Frontal airbags do not eliminate the need for seat belts," says Karen Aldana, a spokeswoman for the NHTSA.
Safety experts encourage motorists concerned with their vehicle's crash test results to visit the NHTSA's Web site, www.safercar.gov or http://www.iihs.org/. The NHTSA tests frontal, side and rollover resistance; its ratings are based on a star system.
Also consumers may visit http://www.ConsumerReports.org and http://www.ConsumerReports.org which provide information on vehicles equipped with certain safety features.
Yes, the vehicles these days have more features that minimize injury; it does not grantee the safety when the accident actually occurs.
>> Original Article
Nowadays, there is at least one vehicle per a household in Korea as well as in US. As the distribution of vehicle is increasing, the accident rate is increasing. As mentioned earlier, the number one cause of death in Korea is not cancel or suicide but car accidents. Thereby the car-safety product market is increasing its size.
As professor mentioned in the class, using FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) is one of the way to succeed in business. FUD is the reason why well-being related products or why the organic products are so much issue and preferred by the customers. No one ever knows when the accident will occur nor die or get hurt in the accident; yet in the minds of people there is always fear of getting in an accident.
20500419 #7
Flower power sees local economies and exports bloom
The regional economy has earned 10 billion won from the event, 25 times the initial 390 million won investment, according to the Gwangju Spring Flower organizing committee.
April 15, 2008
Toddlers inspect the tulips and azaleas at the Goyang International Flower Show in 2006. [JoongAng Ilbo]
April erupts in an explosion of pinks, yellows, purples and whites as flowers bloom and trees blossom throughout the peninsula.
Not only that, the roads around Mount Namsan become an exhaust-filled parking lot as families and friends motor past to take in the burst of new life.
Eyeing an opportunity to put the cash register into gear, local governments are pouring money and time into setting up flower exhibitions with a view to boosting regional and international sales.
The Goyang International Flower Show is one of the leading flower expos in Korea, held once every three years.
The other two years are not fallow: Smaller exhibitions targeting domestic visitors are popular.
This year the Goyang exhibition will feature 500 different kinds of flowers for two weeks starting April 24 at Lake Park in Ilsan and at a nearby indoor exhibition hall.
One of the highlights will be a replica of Sungnyemun, otherwise known as Namdaemun, which burned down in February this year. The six by five meter arrangement was made using a floral mosaic design, said Choi Young-seon, a public relations official at the flower show.
Mosaics have been popular at the exhibition ever since a leafy Captain Hook, Peter Pan’s nemesis, was introduced at the show in 2006.
Competition is stiff and entrants for the competition know an award translates into sales.
Kim Hye-sook, 44, won an award from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries last year with her floral rendition of the Korean Peninsula.
Nam Hyung-seok, 39, who created the word for “sand” with flowers won the Gyeonggi government award the same year.
Despite the fact that last year’s competition, which attracted 160,000 people, was a domestic event, eight companies from five countries including Taiwan, Germany and the United States participated.
Additionally buyers from 10 countries including South Africa, Mexico and Germany visited.
The event helped win an export contract worth over $2.2 million.
This year 10 companies from six countries including Japan, Germany, Singapore and China will be participating.
In 2006, the show, with its 7 billion won ($7.18 million) investment, earned 6.9 billion won, including income made from restaurants near the exhibition.
Woo Ji-hwan, chief manager of the Goyang International Flower Show, said, “Flower sales were naturally stimulated as visitors were given the opportunity to personally arrange them and make their own flower- pots.”
The Gwangju Spring Flower Expo 2008, which was held for 10 days this year starting March 21, attracted 98 companies from Korea, China and Japan. Export contracts amounted to roughly 350 million won with the help of the flower expo.
In its first year, which was 2007, around 170,000 visitors stopped by.
“The Gwangju Spring Flower Expo is an event where visitors can see spring flowers in an indoor venue earlier than in other parts of the country,” said Kim Byeong-guk, a public relations officer at the Kimdaejung Convention Center, which managed the flower expo.
Kim added that visitors could enjoy various kinds of flower culture through 15 different theme parks during the expo.
The expo organizing committee estimates that the regional economy has earned 10 billion won from the event, 25 times the initial 390 million won investment.
Other smaller regional cities are planning similar flower festivals. April and May will see some 30 flower festivals across the country, including the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival, which ended on Sunday.
The Mount Sobaek Royal Azalea Festival in Danyang and the Azalea Festival of Mount Goryeo on Ganghwa Island are waiting for visitors or waiting to be opened.
In May next year Anmyeon Island on the West Coast is planning an international flower expo called Korea Floritopia. The organizing committee says 77 companies from 21 countries will participate.
The last flower exhibition held in this area was in 2002. The organizing committee is looking at a 154.9 billion won economic boost to the region.
“The expo will be an opportunity to boost the agriculture and tourism industry in the region, whose economy has been hit hard by the recent Taean oil spill,” said Min Jun-gi, an administrator of the Korea Floritopia.
The organizing committee of the Goyang flower show is planning to increase its exports of cactus and orchids.
The Gwangju flower expo organizing committee is working on exporting flowers displayed during its show to central Asia, including Kazkhstan and Uzbekistan.
“Until now most of the flower exhibitions in this country lacked foreign buyers as the flowers that were on display were foreign flowers,” said Kim Doo-hwan, a professor at Konkuk University.
“If we develop new flowers in Korea, we can boost exports, tourism and create a boom of Korean flowers around the world,” Kim said
Number of foreign tourisr who visit in korea just 2 million per a year.
and except of seoul, je-ju island and some place, there is no famous place.
and nowdays, korea suffering from centralize economy system, most of the money flows to seoul.
but, korea is famous about beautiful mountain and sight-view.
'Flower festival' is good for promoting tourism and developing local economy.
20500530 entry #7
The regional economy has earned 10 billion won from the event, 25 times the initial 390 million won investment, according to the Gwangju Spring Flower organizing committee.
April 15, 2008
Toddlers inspect the tulips and azaleas at the Goyang International Flower Show in 2006. [JoongAng Ilbo]
April erupts in an explosion of pinks, yellows, purples and whites as flowers bloom and trees blossom throughout the peninsula.
Not only that, the roads around Mount Namsan become an exhaust-filled parking lot as families and friends motor past to take in the burst of new life.
Eyeing an opportunity to put the cash register into gear, local governments are pouring money and time into setting up flower exhibitions with a view to boosting regional and international sales.
The Goyang International Flower Show is one of the leading flower expos in Korea, held once every three years.
The other two years are not fallow: Smaller exhibitions targeting domestic visitors are popular.
This year the Goyang exhibition will feature 500 different kinds of flowers for two weeks starting April 24 at Lake Park in Ilsan and at a nearby indoor exhibition hall.
One of the highlights will be a replica of Sungnyemun, otherwise known as Namdaemun, which burned down in February this year. The six by five meter arrangement was made using a floral mosaic design, said Choi Young-seon, a public relations official at the flower show.
Mosaics have been popular at the exhibition ever since a leafy Captain Hook, Peter Pan’s nemesis, was introduced at the show in 2006.
Competition is stiff and entrants for the competition know an award translates into sales.
Kim Hye-sook, 44, won an award from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries last year with her floral rendition of the Korean Peninsula.
Nam Hyung-seok, 39, who created the word for “sand” with flowers won the Gyeonggi government award the same year.
Despite the fact that last year’s competition, which attracted 160,000 people, was a domestic event, eight companies from five countries including Taiwan, Germany and the United States participated.
Additionally buyers from 10 countries including South Africa, Mexico and Germany visited.
The event helped win an export contract worth over $2.2 million.
This year 10 companies from six countries including Japan, Germany, Singapore and China will be participating.
In 2006, the show, with its 7 billion won ($7.18 million) investment, earned 6.9 billion won, including income made from restaurants near the exhibition.
Woo Ji-hwan, chief manager of the Goyang International Flower Show, said, “Flower sales were naturally stimulated as visitors were given the opportunity to personally arrange them and make their own flower- pots.”
The Gwangju Spring Flower Expo 2008, which was held for 10 days this year starting March 21, attracted 98 companies from Korea, China and Japan. Export contracts amounted to roughly 350 million won with the help of the flower expo.
In its first year, which was 2007, around 170,000 visitors stopped by.
“The Gwangju Spring Flower Expo is an event where visitors can see spring flowers in an indoor venue earlier than in other parts of the country,” said Kim Byeong-guk, a public relations officer at the Kimdaejung Convention Center, which managed the flower expo.
Kim added that visitors could enjoy various kinds of flower culture through 15 different theme parks during the expo.
The expo organizing committee estimates that the regional economy has earned 10 billion won from the event, 25 times the initial 390 million won investment.
Other smaller regional cities are planning similar flower festivals. April and May will see some 30 flower festivals across the country, including the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival, which ended on Sunday.
The Mount Sobaek Royal Azalea Festival in Danyang and the Azalea Festival of Mount Goryeo on Ganghwa Island are waiting for visitors or waiting to be opened.
In May next year Anmyeon Island on the West Coast is planning an international flower expo called Korea Floritopia. The organizing committee says 77 companies from 21 countries will participate.
The last flower exhibition held in this area was in 2002. The organizing committee is looking at a 154.9 billion won economic boost to the region.
“The expo will be an opportunity to boost the agriculture and tourism industry in the region, whose economy has been hit hard by the recent Taean oil spill,” said Min Jun-gi, an administrator of the Korea Floritopia.
The organizing committee of the Goyang flower show is planning to increase its exports of cactus and orchids.
The Gwangju flower expo organizing committee is working on exporting flowers displayed during its show to central Asia, including Kazkhstan and Uzbekistan.
“Until now most of the flower exhibitions in this country lacked foreign buyers as the flowers that were on display were foreign flowers,” said Kim Doo-hwan, a professor at Konkuk University.
“If we develop new flowers in Korea, we can boost exports, tourism and create a boom of Korean flowers around the world,” Kim said
Number of foreign tourisr who visit in korea just 2 million per a year.
and except of seoul, je-ju island and some place, there is no famous place.
and nowdays, korea suffering from centralize economy system, most of the money flows to seoul.
but, korea is famous about beautiful mountain and sight-view.
'Flower festival' is good for promoting tourism and developing local economy.
20500530 entry #7
Saturday, April 19, 2008
The Mark-to-Market Melee
Mark to market is a seemingly innocuous term for the requirement that companies, banks, hedge funds, mutual funds and the like report the market price of the financial instruments they hold and trade.
Do you all remember the Enron Crisis? and all those related financial and accounting report frauds? That led to some of the serious economic devastations? By filing bankrupsies?
There is an act passed by 2 congressman after these unbelievable crisis.
The Sarbane OXley Act.
Under this act, all accounting books must be signed by the management team and the executive team of the company.
According to a small but powerful group of America's financial decision makers—mostly supply-siders and those in their thrall—the chief cause of the credit market meltdown is not folly, or reckless lending, or the demise of America's financial management. It's an accounting rule.
for the complex new financial instruments, the valuations became far more unstable. Many hedge funds and financial institutions had borrowed huge sums of money to buy assets for which there wasn't an active market. When that debt started to go bad, it triggered a chain of unfortunate events. In many instances funds were forced to sell assets to meet margin calls. Occasionally creditors would seize assets and sell them. (That's what happened to the Bear Stearns hedge funds that failed last year.) This spiraling activity had the effect of further depressing prices for such instruments. In some instances buyers disappeared entirely. The valuations of these new instruments also plummeted because of market psychology.
"[I]t is appropriate for you to consider actual market prices, or observable inputs, even when the market is less liquid than historical market volumes, unless those prices are the result of a forced liquidation or distress sale"
20700775 Article Entry #10
Do you all remember the Enron Crisis? and all those related financial and accounting report frauds? That led to some of the serious economic devastations? By filing bankrupsies?
There is an act passed by 2 congressman after these unbelievable crisis.
The Sarbane OXley Act.
Under this act, all accounting books must be signed by the management team and the executive team of the company.
According to a small but powerful group of America's financial decision makers—mostly supply-siders and those in their thrall—the chief cause of the credit market meltdown is not folly, or reckless lending, or the demise of America's financial management. It's an accounting rule.
for the complex new financial instruments, the valuations became far more unstable. Many hedge funds and financial institutions had borrowed huge sums of money to buy assets for which there wasn't an active market. When that debt started to go bad, it triggered a chain of unfortunate events. In many instances funds were forced to sell assets to meet margin calls. Occasionally creditors would seize assets and sell them. (That's what happened to the Bear Stearns hedge funds that failed last year.) This spiraling activity had the effect of further depressing prices for such instruments. In some instances buyers disappeared entirely. The valuations of these new instruments also plummeted because of market psychology.
"[I]t is appropriate for you to consider actual market prices, or observable inputs, even when the market is less liquid than historical market volumes, unless those prices are the result of a forced liquidation or distress sale"
20700775 Article Entry #10
Friday, April 18, 2008
A Penny Saved is a Penny Spent
Do you remember what Professor Abraham Lee told us ALL THE TIME?
Do you remember when the authors of "JANITOR BOB" came and told us?
Yes, that's right to NEVER GO IN DEBT.
the article I read awakened me again. In order to set your purses straight read this.
As talk of recession and belt-tightening makes headlines, I wonder where and how I lost my grandfather's sense of thrift.
-> Yes, where did the sense of thrift that our grandparents taught us?
Yet my generation racks up debt the way our grandparents used to squirrel away pennies.
-> A penny saved is a penny spent. How are you using the money that your parents or your grandparents of stacked up? Aren't you using more than they gathered?
George Loewenstein, professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon, who says the availability of cheaper goods, as well as Internet shopping and longer store hours, make it far easier to waste money. "It used to be that the simple opening and closing of store doors exerted some control on spending. That's all gone now," he says.
-> Same with me here, I feel very ashamed. The cheap 99cents $9.99 goods lure me into buying. DON"T FALL IN TO IT! Also, the 24 hour stores, I just get tempted to going, in the early hours, just for NO REASON. Maybe the old days were better when the shops and stores were nice enough to control our spendings.
some of the "belt tightening" is more psychological than frugal. I've hung out with playground moms who take pride in their Payless shoes, yet think nothing of wearing $150 jeans and driving SUVs. I'm no better. Does it really matter if I pack my lunch every day when I'm so deep in debt?
Actually, it does. "Just like if you skip a bag of Doritos every day you'll lose weight long term, the same goes for cutting back on small expenses," says Loewenstein. And once you decide to look for it, there is advice out there. It's even free. "Prices are going up, and the people who come to my site are trying even harder to be frugal," says a thirtysomething New York blogger, "Madame X," whose anonymous myopenwallet.net blog uses her own life as an example of how to be thrifty (don't shop with friends; cook cheap meals at home). Her blog name sounds less than virtuous. But her grandfather would surely be proud.
-> SO think about it. Save! and be thrift. Be frugal.
Penny a day can one day become a dollar and a dollar a day can be come hundreds and so on. The most important thing to remember is to "NEVER GO IN DEBT."
20700775 Article Entry #9
Do you remember when the authors of "JANITOR BOB" came and told us?
Yes, that's right to NEVER GO IN DEBT.
the article I read awakened me again. In order to set your purses straight read this.
As talk of recession and belt-tightening makes headlines, I wonder where and how I lost my grandfather's sense of thrift.
-> Yes, where did the sense of thrift that our grandparents taught us?
Yet my generation racks up debt the way our grandparents used to squirrel away pennies.
-> A penny saved is a penny spent. How are you using the money that your parents or your grandparents of stacked up? Aren't you using more than they gathered?
George Loewenstein, professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon, who says the availability of cheaper goods, as well as Internet shopping and longer store hours, make it far easier to waste money. "It used to be that the simple opening and closing of store doors exerted some control on spending. That's all gone now," he says.
-> Same with me here, I feel very ashamed. The cheap 99cents $9.99 goods lure me into buying. DON"T FALL IN TO IT! Also, the 24 hour stores, I just get tempted to going, in the early hours, just for NO REASON. Maybe the old days were better when the shops and stores were nice enough to control our spendings.
some of the "belt tightening" is more psychological than frugal. I've hung out with playground moms who take pride in their Payless shoes, yet think nothing of wearing $150 jeans and driving SUVs. I'm no better. Does it really matter if I pack my lunch every day when I'm so deep in debt?
Actually, it does. "Just like if you skip a bag of Doritos every day you'll lose weight long term, the same goes for cutting back on small expenses," says Loewenstein. And once you decide to look for it, there is advice out there. It's even free. "Prices are going up, and the people who come to my site are trying even harder to be frugal," says a thirtysomething New York blogger, "Madame X," whose anonymous myopenwallet.net blog uses her own life as an example of how to be thrifty (don't shop with friends; cook cheap meals at home). Her blog name sounds less than virtuous. But her grandfather would surely be proud.
-> SO think about it. Save! and be thrift. Be frugal.
Penny a day can one day become a dollar and a dollar a day can be come hundreds and so on. The most important thing to remember is to "NEVER GO IN DEBT."
20700775 Article Entry #9
A Tale of Two Sneakers
Adidas and Puma may be among the most recognized brands in the world, but neither might exist if not for a bitter rivalry between two brothers from a little-known village in Germany. In the 1920s, Adolf (Adi) Dassler, a soft-spoken sports fanatic who spent hours working on shoe designs in his workshop, and Rudolf Dassler, a gregarious salesman, started a small shoemaking business in the Bavarian enclave of Herzogenaurach, focusing primarily on hand-sewn athletic footwear. But as their business took off, the two brothers grew increasingly frustrated with each other. They disagreed on everything from politics, the future of the company and one another's choice in wives.
Finally, in the mid-1940s Rudolf left in a huff and set up a rival shop across the river, while Adi remained in the initial plant. His company was renamed Adidas, and in 1948 Rudolf registered his new company, Puma.
A journalist was sent to Germany to cover some detailed side stories since the Beijing olympics were on in a few months.
She covered this story about two brothers who had their shoe businesses and eventually became the famous Puma and Adidas.
Puma and Adidas both became famous by putting their shoes on the African American Athelete, and when it was televised, and photographed.
Though considering that time of the history, in order for their businesses to succeed they needed a connection with the Natzi Government which they fortunately had. HOWEVER
How did Adidas become a more bigger market than Puma?
It was during the soccer game, when the three striped shoes were worn on all the soccer players, instantly, Adidas Got phone calls and letters from other countries that they wanted to sell the product in their country. Well, puma had their slow way up the business.
IMPORTANT PART IS THAT .. THey sold the SPORTS, not the Sports apparels.
Adidas is now the second-largest sports apparel company in the world, and owns Reebok, but at one time it lagged way behind Reebok. How did it turn around?
Adidas made the terrible mistake of saying it was not interested in jogging, and then aerobics became huge and Adidas and Nike both made the mistake of saying they were not interested in aerobics. They completely missed out on these trends, but Reebok didn't. Within about three years Reebok went from revenues of a couple hundred million to several billion. It continued on that way for years. But then Reebok lost its way. And Adidas, for all its mistakes, never lost its way as badly as that … Through it all, Adidas has remained in the consciousness as a solid sports brand. Reebok doesn't have that, either as a sports or lifestyle brand.
How are Puma's prospects now?
The French conglomerate PPR, which owns Gucci, has now acquired it. A few years ago it was being sold in bazaars and people had declared it dead, and it is now being named in the same breath as Gucci … That repositioning will probably be taught to MBA students for several years.
As a business case, what are the most important lessons we can draw from the history of Puma and Adidas? What has made them such enduring brands?
At the beginning of the story, there's always a great product. Puma has survived its worst years because it had a great soccer boot. It's the same story for Adidas; it just makes great products. Another interesting lesson is that you need great enemies. I don't think either company would be where it is today if it hadn't been stimulated by the rivalry with the other.
This article is so interesting especially for BS students to read
If you want to read the original article visit newsweek.com and type in the title of my article!
20700775 Article Entry #8
Finally, in the mid-1940s Rudolf left in a huff and set up a rival shop across the river, while Adi remained in the initial plant. His company was renamed Adidas, and in 1948 Rudolf registered his new company, Puma.
A journalist was sent to Germany to cover some detailed side stories since the Beijing olympics were on in a few months.
She covered this story about two brothers who had their shoe businesses and eventually became the famous Puma and Adidas.
Puma and Adidas both became famous by putting their shoes on the African American Athelete, and when it was televised, and photographed.
Though considering that time of the history, in order for their businesses to succeed they needed a connection with the Natzi Government which they fortunately had. HOWEVER
How did Adidas become a more bigger market than Puma?
It was during the soccer game, when the three striped shoes were worn on all the soccer players, instantly, Adidas Got phone calls and letters from other countries that they wanted to sell the product in their country. Well, puma had their slow way up the business.
IMPORTANT PART IS THAT .. THey sold the SPORTS, not the Sports apparels.
Adidas is now the second-largest sports apparel company in the world, and owns Reebok, but at one time it lagged way behind Reebok. How did it turn around?
Adidas made the terrible mistake of saying it was not interested in jogging, and then aerobics became huge and Adidas and Nike both made the mistake of saying they were not interested in aerobics. They completely missed out on these trends, but Reebok didn't. Within about three years Reebok went from revenues of a couple hundred million to several billion. It continued on that way for years. But then Reebok lost its way. And Adidas, for all its mistakes, never lost its way as badly as that … Through it all, Adidas has remained in the consciousness as a solid sports brand. Reebok doesn't have that, either as a sports or lifestyle brand.
How are Puma's prospects now?
The French conglomerate PPR, which owns Gucci, has now acquired it. A few years ago it was being sold in bazaars and people had declared it dead, and it is now being named in the same breath as Gucci … That repositioning will probably be taught to MBA students for several years.
As a business case, what are the most important lessons we can draw from the history of Puma and Adidas? What has made them such enduring brands?
At the beginning of the story, there's always a great product. Puma has survived its worst years because it had a great soccer boot. It's the same story for Adidas; it just makes great products. Another interesting lesson is that you need great enemies. I don't think either company would be where it is today if it hadn't been stimulated by the rivalry with the other.
This article is so interesting especially for BS students to read
If you want to read the original article visit newsweek.com and type in the title of my article!
20700775 Article Entry #8
Book by metallurgists blames rivets for Titanic tragedy
NEW YORK - The tragic sinking of the Titanic nearly a century ago can be blamed on low grade rivets that the ship's builders used on some parts of the ill-fated liner, two experts on metals conclude in a new book.
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The company, Harland and Wolff of Belfast, Northern Ireland, needed to build the ship quickly and at reasonable cost, which may have compromised quality, said co-author Timothy Foecke. That the shipyard was building two other vessels at the same time added to the difficulty of getting the millions of rivets needed, he added.
"Under the pressure to get these ships up, they ramped up the riveters, found materials from additional suppliers, and some was not of quality," said Foecke, a metallurgist at the U.S. government's National Institute of Standards and Technology who has been studying the Titanic for a decade.
More than 1,500 people died when the Titanic, advertised as an "unsinkable" luxury liner, struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage in 1912 and went down in the North Atlantic less than three hours later.
"The company knowingly purchased weaker rivets, but I think they did it not knowing they would be purchasing something substandard enough that when they hit an iceberg their ship would sink," said co-author Jennifer Hooper McCarty, who started researching the Titanic's rivets while working on her Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University in 1999.
The company disputes the idea that inferior rivets were at fault. The theory has been around for years, but McCarty and Foecke's book, "What Really Sank the Titanic," published last month, outlines their extensive research into the Harland and Wolff archives and surviving rivets from the Titanic.
Original Article
I have no doubt that you all have watched the movie Titanic.
If so, you probably know the reason why Titanic sank on her first sail.
By the way, this article shows me different cause why Titanic sank.
It was rather interesting. Take a look.
20100174 #6 Entry
ADVERTISEMENT
The company, Harland and Wolff of Belfast, Northern Ireland, needed to build the ship quickly and at reasonable cost, which may have compromised quality, said co-author Timothy Foecke. That the shipyard was building two other vessels at the same time added to the difficulty of getting the millions of rivets needed, he added.
"Under the pressure to get these ships up, they ramped up the riveters, found materials from additional suppliers, and some was not of quality," said Foecke, a metallurgist at the U.S. government's National Institute of Standards and Technology who has been studying the Titanic for a decade.
More than 1,500 people died when the Titanic, advertised as an "unsinkable" luxury liner, struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage in 1912 and went down in the North Atlantic less than three hours later.
"The company knowingly purchased weaker rivets, but I think they did it not knowing they would be purchasing something substandard enough that when they hit an iceberg their ship would sink," said co-author Jennifer Hooper McCarty, who started researching the Titanic's rivets while working on her Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University in 1999.
The company disputes the idea that inferior rivets were at fault. The theory has been around for years, but McCarty and Foecke's book, "What Really Sank the Titanic," published last month, outlines their extensive research into the Harland and Wolff archives and surviving rivets from the Titanic.
Original Article
I have no doubt that you all have watched the movie Titanic.
If so, you probably know the reason why Titanic sank on her first sail.
By the way, this article shows me different cause why Titanic sank.
It was rather interesting. Take a look.
20100174 #6 Entry
6. The free entry of National Museum
Starting on May 1, admission to the National Museum of Korea, the National Folk Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Contemporary Art and 11 other national museums will be free.
Visitors won`t have to pay a penny to check out some art and artifacts through the year`s end. Unfortunately, this does not apply to special exhibitions.
The free entry applies to foreigners. For more information, go to the official websites of each museum, including the national museums in Gyeongju, Gwangju, Jeonju, Buyeo, Daegu, Cheongju, Kimhae, Jeju, Chuncheon, Jinju and Gongju.
By Jean Oh
the National Museum of Contemporary Art and 11 other national museums will be free.
Visitors won`t have to pay a penny to check out some art and artifacts through the year`s end. Unfortunately, this does not apply to special exhibitions.
I think that this new rules are very good decision. The free entry can encourage the citizen's cultural life and their interest about the art. This rule also indicate that the Korea is proposing to the advanced nation.
20200041
Visitors won`t have to pay a penny to check out some art and artifacts through the year`s end. Unfortunately, this does not apply to special exhibitions.
The free entry applies to foreigners. For more information, go to the official websites of each museum, including the national museums in Gyeongju, Gwangju, Jeonju, Buyeo, Daegu, Cheongju, Kimhae, Jeju, Chuncheon, Jinju and Gongju.
By Jean Oh
the National Museum of Contemporary Art and 11 other national museums will be free.
Visitors won`t have to pay a penny to check out some art and artifacts through the year`s end. Unfortunately, this does not apply to special exhibitions.
I think that this new rules are very good decision. The free entry can encourage the citizen's cultural life and their interest about the art. This rule also indicate that the Korea is proposing to the advanced nation.
20200041
Thursday, April 17, 2008
It's not a bird. It's not a plane. It's Flogo!
entry 6 20700193 haeyeon Ryan Kim
There's an interesting way to advertise your logo now!
There is a new company that makes machines that enable you to make little clouds
in any shape you want. the sizes are limited to about 24 inches (2 feet).
i personally think this is too small... but still, i think it's a great idea.
it seems to be made out of little soapy bubbles. Disneyland is supposed to have rented it..interesting, brilliant, yet a little small.
entry 6 20700193 haeyeon Ryan Kim
original article -
Advertising In The Clouds
Have you ever wondered what you would say if you could use the clouds to advertise?
Lexington, AL - April 9, 2008 - Introducing Flogos, short for flying and logos. Francisco Guerra, the inventor of Flogos says, "Flogos are a revolutionary way to market products, services and events".
Guerra, an Alabama inventor and owner of Flogos makes clouds into effective advertising of any shape with their SnowMasters manufactured cloud machine. Flogos has no limitations, it can be made in any
shape, word, or logo. Flogos can be 24, 36 or 48 inches long. Flogos lasts for hours and can travel for miles
The clouds are environmentally friendly – Totally Green!
"FLOGO FOAM is safe for air travel", says Guerra.
"They will fly for miles," Guerra said. "They are durable so they last a while. "The secret is our formulation and equipment. We're able to keep the cloud together for a long time." He said, the Flogo clouds can hover at various heights, depending on the amount of helium and oxygen mixed into the formula. "As a norm, they'll fly about 300 to 500 feet high," Guerra said. They can sail much higher or lower if needed, he stated.
Major League Baseball franchises and various Fortune 500 companies have expressed interest, as well as a presidential campaign. Cloud advertising is easy with Flogos, as demonstrated in their testing videos: Cloud Advertising
Flogos is a new product that can be licensed or the machine can be rented. The company has a product that makes artificial snow for national theme parks. They have provided effects in motion pictures and for various events.
For more information about Flogos contact Francisco Guerra.
Phone: 256.229.5551, francisco@snowmasters.com
Website: www.flogos.net
Press coordinator: Mike@snowmasters.com
Spokes Person: Francisco@snowmasters.com
Local Press News Story
India braces for protests during Olympic torch relay
By GAVIN RABINOWITZ 04.16.08
New Delhi, the heart of the world's Tibetan exile community, is suffering from the anti-China protests for the Olympic torch relay on Thursday.
The world's largest, 100,000 membered Tibetan exile community have threaten more of the protests since demonstrations that broke out first in March in Tibet. The exiles have gone on hunger strikes and shaved their heads to protest China's crackdown on protests in Tibet. More recently, about 100 Tibetan exiles tried to breach the security cordon around the Chinese Embassy on Wednesday, leaving the spray painted street, saying "No Olympics in China." Now Chinese Embassy is surrounded by barricades and barbed wire.
Now they are planning on torch run, expected to begin early Thursday, hours before the run scheduled for the 4 p.m., when the relay starts. Thousands of Tibetans reportedly were heading to New Delhi to protest and will take part in their own torch run as well.
Some exiles have said that they plan to make a more dramatic statement, trying to douse or steal the Olympic flame if possible, although they don't have specific plan.
Since China is growing economically, diplomatically and militarily in recent years, Indian government want to build good relationship with China, yet the public sympathy likes with the Tibetans, who have sought refuge in the country since the Dalai Lama fled Tibet after a failed uprising against Beijing in 1959.
>> Original Article
It is interesting how the nationalism can effect so strongly on the worldly event. Since the occurrence in March where Tibetans were cracked down by the Chinese officials, the image of China has fallen into dump. Of course there must be many people or nations who still support China yet overall, its image must have been shaded dark. That means the Chinese products or companies harm. Surely, it is not of Chinese companies fault yet people would perceive them as dictator-types or tyrants. So, to say, as I learned in the class, political environment do huge harm on the organization’s well being.
20500419 Entry 6
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
6. Simulation with special suit to target senior customers.
In order to increase senior aged customers, engineers of the Japanese automobile company, Nissan began to test their cars with a special suit that simulates the physical effects of the age of the human body. The special suit affects the articulations such as knees, ankles, and elbows. There’s also an eye glass that simulates sight problems common in elderly people.
I think it is an innovative idea to test these kinds of things in order to know more about their customer’s needs. A company that gives this much effort in researching the needs of their new target, will be able to drive a lot of customers because of the value added to their products.
20600642 Entry #6
Monday, April 14, 2008
`Hanji' Wear Fashion Show Hits Stage
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
Hanbok, or Korean traditional costume, is considered one of the most representative icons of the nation's tradition. But it has generally remained trapped in the past, mostly seen through epic films and dramas.
It is rare to see modern Koreans donning hanbok in their daily lives, in contrast to the Japanese ``yukata,'' a cotton kimono with stencil-dyed patterns originally designed for comfortable dress in the home by both men and women.
To modernize the traditional costume, Chae Keum-seok ― a professor of the Clothing and Textiles Division of Sookmyung Women's University ― and Jeonju municipal government of North Jeolla Province ― have put together an informal yet traditional form of leisure clothing made from hanji, or Korean traditional paper. The comfortable piece, an upgraded version of the hanbok, is designed for casual outings and rest at home.
To showcase the hanji-made hanbok, the ``Han-Style Fashion Show'' will be held at Fashion Center in Samsung-dong, southern Seoul, on Monday.
At the show, about 125 pieces of hanbok uniforms and casual outfits will be showcased.
These new hanbok focus on simplicity, functionality and sensuality based on the nation's representative images, such as hangeul ― or the Korean alphabet, through a survey of 5,000 experts in various sectors.
Chae transformed the ``durumagi (traditional topcoat for men),'' ``chima (traditional skirt),'' ``baji (men's pants)'' and ``jeogori (bolero-like jacket worn over the skirt)'' into modern, comfortable styles ― one-piece and two-piece garments with a modern twist.
She retained the traditional details such as the ``git'' (collar), ``goreum'' (clothes ties) and ``baerae'' (the curve of the sleeves) as the basic frames. Then, she designed the costumes using traditional colors such as indigo blue, multi-colored stripes, jade green, pure white and ink black.
To be suitable for casual purposes, Chae combined cotton with mulberry plant fibers, which is material that is used to make ``hanji'' ― traditional Korean paper that is hand-made by processing the bark of the mulberry plant.
Hanji fabrics are used to make underwear, as it is durable, easy to dye, and prevents bacteria buildup.
They are regarded as healthy fabrics that are known to be effective for patients who suffer from skin allergies.
Jo Hee-suk, an official of culture affairs of Jeonju municipal government, said that the garments are much lighter than those made of cotton, very durable and easy to wash.
``Hanji has the potential to develop as the nation's next generation fabric. Garments made of hanji are expected to become popular products as comfortable wear and uniforms,'' said Jo.
Jeonju is renowned for its traditional paper, which has a distinctive quality. It is the nation's largest Korean paper-producing city. Jeonju makes 40 percent of Korean traditional paper produced in the country.
it is good try. but i'm wondering about it's successibility for young-generation even korean. because nowdays, many of young-people purchase clothes for their status.
sell for young-people, the clothe must be expensive and very unique or fashionated.
but,natural fabrics are also good for the health. since many textiles are made from oil by products. so ths clothe maybe good for seniors.
20500530 entry #6
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
Hanbok, or Korean traditional costume, is considered one of the most representative icons of the nation's tradition. But it has generally remained trapped in the past, mostly seen through epic films and dramas.
It is rare to see modern Koreans donning hanbok in their daily lives, in contrast to the Japanese ``yukata,'' a cotton kimono with stencil-dyed patterns originally designed for comfortable dress in the home by both men and women.
To modernize the traditional costume, Chae Keum-seok ― a professor of the Clothing and Textiles Division of Sookmyung Women's University ― and Jeonju municipal government of North Jeolla Province ― have put together an informal yet traditional form of leisure clothing made from hanji, or Korean traditional paper. The comfortable piece, an upgraded version of the hanbok, is designed for casual outings and rest at home.
To showcase the hanji-made hanbok, the ``Han-Style Fashion Show'' will be held at Fashion Center in Samsung-dong, southern Seoul, on Monday.
At the show, about 125 pieces of hanbok uniforms and casual outfits will be showcased.
These new hanbok focus on simplicity, functionality and sensuality based on the nation's representative images, such as hangeul ― or the Korean alphabet, through a survey of 5,000 experts in various sectors.
Chae transformed the ``durumagi (traditional topcoat for men),'' ``chima (traditional skirt),'' ``baji (men's pants)'' and ``jeogori (bolero-like jacket worn over the skirt)'' into modern, comfortable styles ― one-piece and two-piece garments with a modern twist.
She retained the traditional details such as the ``git'' (collar), ``goreum'' (clothes ties) and ``baerae'' (the curve of the sleeves) as the basic frames. Then, she designed the costumes using traditional colors such as indigo blue, multi-colored stripes, jade green, pure white and ink black.
To be suitable for casual purposes, Chae combined cotton with mulberry plant fibers, which is material that is used to make ``hanji'' ― traditional Korean paper that is hand-made by processing the bark of the mulberry plant.
Hanji fabrics are used to make underwear, as it is durable, easy to dye, and prevents bacteria buildup.
They are regarded as healthy fabrics that are known to be effective for patients who suffer from skin allergies.
Jo Hee-suk, an official of culture affairs of Jeonju municipal government, said that the garments are much lighter than those made of cotton, very durable and easy to wash.
``Hanji has the potential to develop as the nation's next generation fabric. Garments made of hanji are expected to become popular products as comfortable wear and uniforms,'' said Jo.
Jeonju is renowned for its traditional paper, which has a distinctive quality. It is the nation's largest Korean paper-producing city. Jeonju makes 40 percent of Korean traditional paper produced in the country.
it is good try. but i'm wondering about it's successibility for young-generation even korean. because nowdays, many of young-people purchase clothes for their status.
sell for young-people, the clothe must be expensive and very unique or fashionated.
but,natural fabrics are also good for the health. since many textiles are made from oil by products. so ths clothe maybe good for seniors.
20500530 entry #6
Sunday, April 13, 2008
1% Luck and 99% Effort
(late) 20700193 Haeyeon Ryan Kim Entry #5
The following is an inspirational video of the feet of su-jeong gang, a korean ballerina. This clip motivated me to do my best in the things i do. how much effort do we put in our work? Am i really doing my best in academics? I even forgot to post this article on time. We do have excuses, maybe we had other important things to do; maybe we were too tired. Maybe our computer broke down. Maybe we got sick. Maybe, maybe. But really, if we wake up a little early, watch fewer movies, and stop goofing around, we could stand out. We will be different. We will be winners.
P.S. Let's win MARKSTRAT!!!
(late) 20700193 Haeyeon Ryan Kim Entry #5
The following is an inspirational video of the feet of su-jeong gang, a korean ballerina. This clip motivated me to do my best in the things i do. how much effort do we put in our work? Am i really doing my best in academics? I even forgot to post this article on time. We do have excuses, maybe we had other important things to do; maybe we were too tired. Maybe our computer broke down. Maybe we got sick. Maybe, maybe. But really, if we wake up a little early, watch fewer movies, and stop goofing around, we could stand out. We will be different. We will be winners.
P.S. Let's win MARKSTRAT!!!
(late) 20700193 Haeyeon Ryan Kim Entry #5
Saturday, April 12, 2008
The Growth in 'Green-Collar' Jobs
Even in a shaky economy, there are expanding opportunities in environmentally friendly industries.
Original Article By Karen Breslau | Newsweek Web Exclusive
"the resulting green economy can generate a lot of good jobs at a far greater scale than a pollution-based economy."
Gamesa, a Spanish-owned wind energy company that two years ago started making turbines at a former U.S. Steel plant near Philadelphia, has been hiring 1,300 people in the states.
Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama stopped in at Gamesa While much of the hype around the emerging "clean tech" to pitch their plans for boosting the alternative energy sector.
Van jones, founder of Green for all says that Green economy will be created in less glamorous sectors: weatherizing homes and offices, installing solar panels and retrofitting factories with energy-efficient technologies.
He wants "The green economy to come is going to be a broad-shouldered, mass movement of American labor."
I can not agree more on Jones. It has to be a mass movement of all labor. Cost reduced so that everybody is allowed to be part of the movement.
I am so happy to see these Green collar jobs increasing, and also very thankful to see these companies doing good to the community and the country. My wish is that
Korea, does some what a similar movement as soon as possible, especially since the New president was elected and his plans are to be carried out.
20700775 Article Entry #7
Original Article By Karen Breslau | Newsweek Web Exclusive
"the resulting green economy can generate a lot of good jobs at a far greater scale than a pollution-based economy."
Gamesa, a Spanish-owned wind energy company that two years ago started making turbines at a former U.S. Steel plant near Philadelphia, has been hiring 1,300 people in the states.
Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama stopped in at Gamesa While much of the hype around the emerging "clean tech" to pitch their plans for boosting the alternative energy sector.
Van jones, founder of Green for all says that Green economy will be created in less glamorous sectors: weatherizing homes and offices, installing solar panels and retrofitting factories with energy-efficient technologies.
He wants "The green economy to come is going to be a broad-shouldered, mass movement of American labor."
I can not agree more on Jones. It has to be a mass movement of all labor. Cost reduced so that everybody is allowed to be part of the movement.
I am so happy to see these Green collar jobs increasing, and also very thankful to see these companies doing good to the community and the country. My wish is that
Korea, does some what a similar movement as soon as possible, especially since the New president was elected and his plans are to be carried out.
20700775 Article Entry #7
Ménage a Yahoo
Will Microsoft be outdone by Google and AOL?
Original article by Elizabeth Corcoran Forbes.com
Yahoo is still looking for a good partner to merge in.
By themselves the so called "joint-venture" with Microsoft is being reconsidered it seems. From the whole acqusition saga what is true is that in 2 months Yahoo will soon be a different company.
Yahoo has announced this time that they are launching a 2-week "trial advertising" with Google. A way of testing two separate ideas: the financial implications of letting Google's powerful ad-serving engine take over Yahoo's search ads.
Of course Microsoft made his bit to Yahoo to avoid the takeover by News Corp., Time Warner, AOL, or Google. However Ballmer (Microsoft C.E.O.) is hesitating due to the amount of $40 billion for Yahoo will already make Microsoft at its stake.
As Web surfers plug search term into Yahoo's search engine, will see a series of ads running besides the results, served by Yahoo's in-house systme and no more than 3% generated by Google's adsense.
Meanwhile, some bet that Microsoft will raise its bid for Yahoo.
WE'LL SEE...
20700775 Article Entry #6
Original article by Elizabeth Corcoran Forbes.com
Yahoo is still looking for a good partner to merge in.
By themselves the so called "joint-venture" with Microsoft is being reconsidered it seems. From the whole acqusition saga what is true is that in 2 months Yahoo will soon be a different company.
Yahoo has announced this time that they are launching a 2-week "trial advertising" with Google. A way of testing two separate ideas: the financial implications of letting Google's powerful ad-serving engine take over Yahoo's search ads.
Of course Microsoft made his bit to Yahoo to avoid the takeover by News Corp., Time Warner, AOL, or Google. However Ballmer (Microsoft C.E.O.) is hesitating due to the amount of $40 billion for Yahoo will already make Microsoft at its stake.
As Web surfers plug search term into Yahoo's search engine, will see a series of ads running besides the results, served by Yahoo's in-house systme and no more than 3% generated by Google's adsense.
Meanwhile, some bet that Microsoft will raise its bid for Yahoo.
WE'LL SEE...
20700775 Article Entry #6
Friday, April 11, 2008
Air Korea starts hiring campaign
Air Korea starts hiring campaign
Air Korea, Korean Air`s low-priced airline, is starting its recruitment campaign, company officials said yesterday.
After being granted an airline operating license from the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs on April 7, the company has began recruiting employees through its website.
The air carrier plans to hire more than 100 new and experienced employees for its marketing, human resources and finance divisions. Applications will be accepted until April 20.
Company officials said pilots, engineers and flight attendants will come mainly from Korean Air and it will employ more flight attendants in June or July.
Air Korea plans to launch its first flight between Gimpo and Jeju Island in early July and will expand services to between Busan, Jeju Island and Gimpo by 2009.
Short-distance international routs to Japan, China and Southeast Asia are to be launched by 2010, company officials said, adding that JAL Express, Japan Airline`s low-fare airline, is launching its first flight to Korea next year. "With experienced core staff from Korean Air and new employees, Air Korea will try hard to become a successful low-fare air carrier," an Air Korea official said.
By Koh Young-aah
(youngaah@heraldm.com)
Air Korea, Korean Air`s low-priced airline, is starting its recruitment campaign, company officials said yesterday. The air carrier plans to hire more than 100 new and experienced employees for its marketing, human resources and finance divisions. Applications will be accepted until April 20.
The "대한항공" established the new company which targeted to the low-priced market. The "air Korea" is the company's name and they started recruitment to hire 100 new employees. I think that these event could give some energy to our economy and our job-market.
20200041 kwon hyuck sung
Air Korea, Korean Air`s low-priced airline, is starting its recruitment campaign, company officials said yesterday.
After being granted an airline operating license from the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs on April 7, the company has began recruiting employees through its website.
The air carrier plans to hire more than 100 new and experienced employees for its marketing, human resources and finance divisions. Applications will be accepted until April 20.
Company officials said pilots, engineers and flight attendants will come mainly from Korean Air and it will employ more flight attendants in June or July.
Air Korea plans to launch its first flight between Gimpo and Jeju Island in early July and will expand services to between Busan, Jeju Island and Gimpo by 2009.
Short-distance international routs to Japan, China and Southeast Asia are to be launched by 2010, company officials said, adding that JAL Express, Japan Airline`s low-fare airline, is launching its first flight to Korea next year. "With experienced core staff from Korean Air and new employees, Air Korea will try hard to become a successful low-fare air carrier," an Air Korea official said.
By Koh Young-aah
(youngaah@heraldm.com)
Air Korea, Korean Air`s low-priced airline, is starting its recruitment campaign, company officials said yesterday. The air carrier plans to hire more than 100 new and experienced employees for its marketing, human resources and finance divisions. Applications will be accepted until April 20.
The "대한항공" established the new company which targeted to the low-priced market. The "air Korea" is the company's name and they started recruitment to hire 100 new employees. I think that these event could give some energy to our economy and our job-market.
20200041 kwon hyuck sung
130 year old hardware factory turned into a tourist attraction
turned into a tourist attraction.
It is not the best way to redesign the city in the way that the old buildings are torn down and the new shinny tall buildings are replaced those places. Some of the famous cities in Europe are remodeling the old, destroyed factories or warehouses without destroying them all, so that they could be used once again.
Esslingen, a small city with about 90,000 people, is in the southwest of Germany. There are many hardware and other components factories. What makes this place special is the building called Das Dick. It was built in 1870 and named after its owner from 130 years ago. Inside the building, there is variety of restaurants, providing variety food from worldwide, a movie theatre with 9 screens, wine bars, a 10m high aquarium-type-of water tank, and so on. It is attracting millions of people a year.
In 1998, the productivity of the factory decreased yet it was not able to destroy it down since it was the registered cultural property of the country. So the city and the factory owner have invested 25million Euro to remodel it. Now it has become the symbol of the city.
The Mayor of the city says, "We have chosen the best policy to reserve the image of the city as a traditional, historied factory town, preserve the registered cultural property of the country, and be helpful to the citizens."
>>Origianl Article
These days in Korea, there are lots of constructions going on. Samsung’s subunits are moving into 강남 as well as some of LG subunits. Not only that, everybody is interested in reconstructing the town or some part of it. Then where would they throw away all the industrial wastes from torn-down buildings. Also how much would it cost to buy the materials for building those?
It’s really nice to build and redesign the city as whole yet they really have to consider about the environment as well. They need to consider ESSD (Environmentally sound and sustainable development) rather than doing all the works in such a manner that pollutes environment and wastes all the resources that God has given us to ‘keep.’
20500419 Entry 5
5. Apple's OS Edge Is a Threat to Microsoft
Apple has brought an innovation to their recent upgrade of the Macintosh operating system. With a new feature called “spaces” you are able to switch from the Mac Operating system to the Windows OS, and switch it back. The new feature is a threat to the dominating Microsoft’s OS. With the launch of the I-Phone 2.0 in the future and its programming software, people will need the Mac OS to use it. So, I-Phone users are going to draw their preference to the Mac computers because they don’t need to give up Windows applications in doing so.
I think it is a very clever way that Apple used to attract people for the use of their computers. Because a lot of people think that Mac OS is very complicated and the great majority of people who used the Windows OS had difficulties in working with the Mac. The launch of the upgrade of the I-Phone which requires the Mac OS for its use was a strategic plan to “trap” people for the need of their Operating System. They have already done it on the mp3 industry with the I-Pod which requires the I-tunes for its use, but coming with the same strategy in a much greater dimension which challenges the dominance of the Microsoft Windows OS is very interesting and intelligent.
20600642 #5 Entry
I think it is a very clever way that Apple used to attract people for the use of their computers. Because a lot of people think that Mac OS is very complicated and the great majority of people who used the Windows OS had difficulties in working with the Mac. The launch of the upgrade of the I-Phone which requires the Mac OS for its use was a strategic plan to “trap” people for the need of their Operating System. They have already done it on the mp3 industry with the I-Pod which requires the I-tunes for its use, but coming with the same strategy in a much greater dimension which challenges the dominance of the Microsoft Windows OS is very interesting and intelligent.
20600642 #5 Entry
Maybe You Need to Gain 10 Pounds
As if America's weight problem weren't already complicated enough—a recent government study has found that carrying a few extra pounds may actually help you live longer.
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute checked death records for 37,000 adults, along with age and weight, and found that people who were overweight (for someone who is, say, 5' 4", that means weighing 145 to 169 pounds) had no greater risk of dying from cancer or heart disease than those who were of normal weight (for a 5' 4" person, 110 to 144 pounds). Even more remarkable, the overweight group was less likely to die from a host of other conditions, including chronic respiratory disease, infections, and Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. While being overweight left people at higher risk of death from diabetes and kidney disease, as a group, people in the overweight category outlived the obese, the underweight, and people at normal weight.
Although lead study author Katherine Flegal, PhD, a senior research scientist at the CDC, and her colleagues did not look at why being overweight could have a protective effect, they hypothesize that extra pounds might provide the body with a reserve during illness and recovery from major operations.
The results have provoked some strong reactions. "This research should be completely disregarded," says Walter Willett, MD, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. He points to other large studies that have found that being overweight can shorten life. But, says Flegal, this research used self-reported weights. If subjects shaved pounds off their actual size, obese people could have dropped into the overweight category. But for most critics of the new research, quality of life is a major sticking point: Just because someone lives longer doesn't mean they spent that time free of pain and disease. Flegal's research didn't analyze quality of life. But you can live those extra years in good health regardless of your weight, believes Steven Blair, a professor of exercise science, epidemiology, and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina. He published a study in December that suggests overweight people who are active and fit have a lower mortality risk than their out-of-shape, normal-weight peers. "These studies show that the hazards of being overweight, in terms of mortality, have been exaggerated," he says. "We need to rethink the description of the overweight group."
These days, people try to go on a diet and lose weight.
But this article says, gaining few more pounds will help
you to live healthier. How's this? Isn't is incredible?
20100174 #5 Entry
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Eco-trendy shopper bags add style to mall run
A shopper bag by “second hotel,”.
Today, fashion is all about extremes, particularly bags. It’s either a big bag ― already too heavy by itself with the size, metal details and exotic leather ― or a small clutch ― too small to fit anything except credit cards, a mobile phone and maybe some lipstick.
Caught between the two, a new breed of bags has opened up for serious shoppers. They are light, stylish and environmentally friendly. They are “shopper bags.”
The Environmental Ministry has enforced a policy of making customers pay for plastic and paper bags at retail shops since 1999 in an effort to encourage recycling and discourage the reckless use of disposable goods. In the past, moms used to carry grocery bags to market, but they weren’t trying to make a fashion statement. In contrast, the new breed of shopper bags are.
Benetton’s eco-bag. Provided by the companies
“I often use a shopper bag because I don’t want to ruin my expensive bags by putting heavy stuff in them,” said Lee Yun-jeong, a 33-year-old designer. “I keep a folded shopper bag in my purse for emergencies.”
Lee said she does not want to waste 50 won (5 cents) on a plastic bag. “I never use them. They are ugly and I don’t want them in my house,” she said. “A shopper bag gives me a sense that I am doing something to protect the environment. Plus, you look chic when you carry one.”
If you don’t own a famous “I Am Not A Plastic Bag” by London designer Anya Hindmarch, don’t worry. Other stylish alternatives are available in Seoul.
As a part of its environmental campaign, Benetton Korea sells eco-bags. The design is nearly identical to that of the notoriously hard-to-get Hindmarch limited edition, except that the cotton canvas bag is marked with “Green is My Religion.” The eco-bag is priced at 15,000 won and sold at Benetton stores nationwide. All proceeds go to the Climate Change Center of the Korea Green Foundation.
The design product retailer “second hotel,” in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, sells shopper bags imported from France’s Delphias. They come in different sizes featuring graphics of fresh vegetables, such as carrots and spring onions, and are priced from 30,000 won to 48,000 won. The store also sells its own design, a stylish gold-colored shopper bag, at 10,000 and 20,000 won.
A shopper bag by “second hotel,”
MMMG, another design company in Seoul, also sells “recycle bags.” Made with recycled materials, the cotton bags feature illustrations to add a touch of cuteness. They are priced from 4,800 won to 7,500 won and you can pick one up at MMMG stores nationwide and via www.mmmg.net.
By Ser Myo-ja Staff Reporter
This is good idea which aimed niche market and helpful to sustainable development.
as we know, housewives use so many plastic bags or Boxes for shopping in retail shop, supermarket and depatment store.
but they are ugly, so young housewives or single young lady doesn't want them.
fashionated shopper bag is good product for those kind of people who want catch two rabbits, which are convenience shopping and pretty shopper bag.
20500530 entry #5
A shopper bag by “second hotel,”.
Today, fashion is all about extremes, particularly bags. It’s either a big bag ― already too heavy by itself with the size, metal details and exotic leather ― or a small clutch ― too small to fit anything except credit cards, a mobile phone and maybe some lipstick.
Caught between the two, a new breed of bags has opened up for serious shoppers. They are light, stylish and environmentally friendly. They are “shopper bags.”
The Environmental Ministry has enforced a policy of making customers pay for plastic and paper bags at retail shops since 1999 in an effort to encourage recycling and discourage the reckless use of disposable goods. In the past, moms used to carry grocery bags to market, but they weren’t trying to make a fashion statement. In contrast, the new breed of shopper bags are.
Benetton’s eco-bag. Provided by the companies
“I often use a shopper bag because I don’t want to ruin my expensive bags by putting heavy stuff in them,” said Lee Yun-jeong, a 33-year-old designer. “I keep a folded shopper bag in my purse for emergencies.”
Lee said she does not want to waste 50 won (5 cents) on a plastic bag. “I never use them. They are ugly and I don’t want them in my house,” she said. “A shopper bag gives me a sense that I am doing something to protect the environment. Plus, you look chic when you carry one.”
If you don’t own a famous “I Am Not A Plastic Bag” by London designer Anya Hindmarch, don’t worry. Other stylish alternatives are available in Seoul.
As a part of its environmental campaign, Benetton Korea sells eco-bags. The design is nearly identical to that of the notoriously hard-to-get Hindmarch limited edition, except that the cotton canvas bag is marked with “Green is My Religion.” The eco-bag is priced at 15,000 won and sold at Benetton stores nationwide. All proceeds go to the Climate Change Center of the Korea Green Foundation.
The design product retailer “second hotel,” in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, sells shopper bags imported from France’s Delphias. They come in different sizes featuring graphics of fresh vegetables, such as carrots and spring onions, and are priced from 30,000 won to 48,000 won. The store also sells its own design, a stylish gold-colored shopper bag, at 10,000 and 20,000 won.
A shopper bag by “second hotel,”
MMMG, another design company in Seoul, also sells “recycle bags.” Made with recycled materials, the cotton bags feature illustrations to add a touch of cuteness. They are priced from 4,800 won to 7,500 won and you can pick one up at MMMG stores nationwide and via www.mmmg.net.
By Ser Myo-ja Staff Reporter
This is good idea which aimed niche market and helpful to sustainable development.
as we know, housewives use so many plastic bags or Boxes for shopping in retail shop, supermarket and depatment store.
but they are ugly, so young housewives or single young lady doesn't want them.
fashionated shopper bag is good product for those kind of people who want catch two rabbits, which are convenience shopping and pretty shopper bag.
20500530 entry #5
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Reverse Marketology
Why health and beauty companies are telling us we'd be just fine without buying a thing NEWSWEEK WEB EXCLUSIVE By,Sarah Kliff.
Few companies are working on their campaigns that allow for the relationship with the customers to flow both ways: the advertiser tells them how to prevent a headache or increases their self esteem—so the consumers do something nice for the advertiser—buy the product.
So Let's check out some of the products that are working on their "reverse Marketology." these days.
Weight Watchers
"Diets are mean," say the ads in their new "Stop Dieting. Start Living" campaign. But isn't Weight Watchers a diet plan?
Dove, Johnson & Johnsons have been adorning their Web sites and print ads with health advice and self-esteem affirmations, but not so much about why you need their product. Have they forgotten the bottom line? No. What they're doing is banking on the idea that they can win customers with flattery and lots of helpful information.
Tylenol
has also gotten altruistic, with print advertisements offering friendly advice on how to avoid aches and pains that might prompt people to perhaps buy their product. "Sit up straight. Slouching can cause headaches," one slogan advises.
Usually Beauty and health ads work in 2 basic models: 1.Frighten them, (bandwagon) that if they don't use it they might be in danger or something. Or, 2.Show them a bombshell that they can become when they use their product.
But some of these ads are telling you why you don't need their product.
AWKWARD as it seems.
Then there's the uncomfortable fact that Dove's parent company, Unilever, also owns Slim-Fast, marketer of "the hunger control shake," a product whose ads show women saying, "Goodbye roll, hello control!" So much for embracing those curves.
Are these Contradicting ads so helpful? Well the statistics says some sales went up by using these types of ads however, not so much, but they certainly say they were in the "spotlight" (catching many people's attentions).
Would I buy their product? Ofcourse I would, but I would careless about their helpful tips because they are just incredulous to me. I am very crtical when it comes to those kind of "Marketing strategies" and when I can really see what they are trying to do to me? I careless..
So I guess that is what "reverse marketology" is all about.
20700775 Article Entry #5
Survival of the fit pens in the computer age
Signing credit bills is an art, at least for me. I look forward to that moment when I can reach to the inner pocket of my suit and feel the assuring body of my Montblanc pen. When I have a meal or purchase that is heavy on my wallet, I forget the feeling the instant I scrawl my signature. As I said, it’s an art. When I am done, a brief glance at my Montblanc is a must for a job well done. Ahhh... It’s a good feeling to have.
Not born in the age of computers, I filled my elementary school days with fountain pen ink splattered across my notebooks. Of course I wasn’t using a Montblanc then.
But at home I would always try to write with my father’s. Maybe being born in Berlin has helped nurse my love for Montblanc pens. I think that growing up around someone who carried such a pen like a treasure box had some influence on me.
Maybe the symbolic meaning attached to a pen led me to my current job. I love writing. It’s me versus writer’s block; me against the deadline. The constant struggle is addictive. If not for the deadlines and the convenient instant-eraser ability of a computer, I would use a pen in my work. It would do the job nicely.
Today, brand-name pens have taken on a different meaning in their diminished role. Consider this: Middle-aged men have few outlets to express themselves in the way of a fashion statement. Suits, ties, cuff links, glasses, watches and maybe hairstyles are the limited venues.
Enter a stylish pen. History has witnessed how great men with great pens signed significant treaties.
It’s the same nowadays except that corporate deals and mergers are on that list, too. Did JPMorgan Chase and Co. executives sign their takeover bid for Bear Sterns with a Montblanc? I don’t know, but I can assure you that corporate bigwigs didn’t sign with a Bic.
Officials at Montblanc fret now that they are no longer a “strictly pens” company. Today, the company has expended its business into watches, jewelry, handbags and accessories. The company has even bought a watch movement maker. This way, they can manufacture watches with their own movements, which is the yardstick for serious watch enthusiasts.
Yet despite all this, my private thinking is that when you want to buy a product, buy it from someone that specializes in making it. So even if it’s just for drawing circles during long, boring meetings or some pen twirling, having a classic pen will go a long way. It takes more than six weeks to make a nib for a fountain pen at Montblanc. I appreciate such craftsmanship because when you shell out a fair amount of money, you need more than sentimental reasons to do so.
There is a reason why the name Montblanc ― or any other pen company for that matter ― has survived over 100 years, well into the age of computers. To find out your own reason, you’ll just have to get a pen for yourself.
how are pens surviving in the computer age.
what is value position for surviving in the age.
fit pen's value positioning is authority and cashignpower.
the fit pen is prove men's cashiong power and authority.
Maybe the symbolic meaning attached to a pen led them to their current job.
20500530 #4
By Brian Lee Staff Reporter [africanu@joongang.co.kr]
Signing credit bills is an art, at least for me. I look forward to that moment when I can reach to the inner pocket of my suit and feel the assuring body of my Montblanc pen. When I have a meal or purchase that is heavy on my wallet, I forget the feeling the instant I scrawl my signature. As I said, it’s an art. When I am done, a brief glance at my Montblanc is a must for a job well done. Ahhh... It’s a good feeling to have.
Not born in the age of computers, I filled my elementary school days with fountain pen ink splattered across my notebooks. Of course I wasn’t using a Montblanc then.
But at home I would always try to write with my father’s. Maybe being born in Berlin has helped nurse my love for Montblanc pens. I think that growing up around someone who carried such a pen like a treasure box had some influence on me.
Maybe the symbolic meaning attached to a pen led me to my current job. I love writing. It’s me versus writer’s block; me against the deadline. The constant struggle is addictive. If not for the deadlines and the convenient instant-eraser ability of a computer, I would use a pen in my work. It would do the job nicely.
Today, brand-name pens have taken on a different meaning in their diminished role. Consider this: Middle-aged men have few outlets to express themselves in the way of a fashion statement. Suits, ties, cuff links, glasses, watches and maybe hairstyles are the limited venues.
Enter a stylish pen. History has witnessed how great men with great pens signed significant treaties.
It’s the same nowadays except that corporate deals and mergers are on that list, too. Did JPMorgan Chase and Co. executives sign their takeover bid for Bear Sterns with a Montblanc? I don’t know, but I can assure you that corporate bigwigs didn’t sign with a Bic.
Officials at Montblanc fret now that they are no longer a “strictly pens” company. Today, the company has expended its business into watches, jewelry, handbags and accessories. The company has even bought a watch movement maker. This way, they can manufacture watches with their own movements, which is the yardstick for serious watch enthusiasts.
Yet despite all this, my private thinking is that when you want to buy a product, buy it from someone that specializes in making it. So even if it’s just for drawing circles during long, boring meetings or some pen twirling, having a classic pen will go a long way. It takes more than six weeks to make a nib for a fountain pen at Montblanc. I appreciate such craftsmanship because when you shell out a fair amount of money, you need more than sentimental reasons to do so.
There is a reason why the name Montblanc ― or any other pen company for that matter ― has survived over 100 years, well into the age of computers. To find out your own reason, you’ll just have to get a pen for yourself.
how are pens surviving in the computer age.
what is value position for surviving in the age.
fit pen's value positioning is authority and cashignpower.
the fit pen is prove men's cashiong power and authority.
Maybe the symbolic meaning attached to a pen led them to their current job.
20500530 #4
By Brian Lee Staff Reporter [africanu@joongang.co.kr]
Friday, April 4, 2008
LGT hopes to lead mobile Web era
LG Telecom, the nation`s smallest mobile carrier, yesterday said it will become the leader of the mobile internet era with the launch of its "OZ" flagship third-generation service.
"The center of the world`s telecommunications industry is quickly shifting to the mobile internet. We will spearhead a new era in the mobile internet," Jung Il-jae, LG Telecom`s CEO, said at a news conference.
Jung said his company will make it cheaper and easier to surf the internet, check e-mails, and use other internet services via handsets by offering drastic cuts in wireless internet charges and providing a mobile web environment similar to that of a computer.
He said the current mobile data services offered by its two bigger rivals - SK Telecom and KTF - are expensive and cumbersome.
"One has to go through complicated steps to reach content that one wants. What`s worse is that service charges are astronomical," Jung said.
For example, he said, it costs about 6,000 won to download a 1.5-megabyte song via mobile phone.
LG Telecom will charge the same for up to one gigabyte of data downloads or transmissions a month, under its new mobile internet tariff plan. The new service will also give its subscribers limitless access to mobile internet services for the first six months after they sign up. Although the promotional plan will be available until September, LG Telecom plans to roll out new competitive data tariff plans, Chung said.
For users who hope to use the service on select days, the company also unveiled a daily pricing plan, which charges only 1,000 won per day for limitless data usage.
The company also plans to roll out cheaper handsets capable of delivering mobile internet services on high-resolution wide-screens.
LG Telecom is banking on the mobile internet for its 3G service, while its bigger rivals have highlighted the video calling features of their respective 3G brands, named "T" and "SHOW."
LG Telecom entered the 3G market belatedly with a nationwide launch of its Revision A network in late February. SK Telecom and KTF`s 3G services are supported by HSDPA networks.
Jung said LG Telecom was open to adopting Google`s mobile software for its 3G service, saying the U.S. company`s platform is similar to that of the Korean company.
"We are not in a good position to make Google phones now, but we are willing to actively discuss with foreign companies if it helps to promote our service," he said.
The nation`s mobile market is shifting towards 3G services, led by KTF, which began its nationwide service in April last year. SK Telecom followed suit in October in 2007.
Some 7.8 million people, or 17 percent of the nation`s mobile phone users, subscribed to 3G services as of the end of February. Industry sources expect the number of 3G subscribers to surge to 15 million by the end of this year.
KTF has the largest share of the 3G market with 4.2 million subscribers, followed by SK Telecom with 3.6 million subscribers. LG Telecom has only 80,000 3G subscribers.
By Jin Hyun-joo
(hjjin@heraldm.com)
"The center of the world`s telecommunications industry is quickly shifting to the mobile internet. We will spearhead a new era in the mobile internet,"LG Telecom will charge the same for up to one gigabyte of data downloads or transmissions a month, under its new mobile internet tariff plan.The nation`s mobile market is shifting towards 3G services, led by KTF, which began its nationwide service in April last year. SK Telecom followed suit in October in 2007.
LGT make new plan to enter the 3G service. I think that this project is little late, but good decision. The internet service in the mobile-phone is getting grow and the industry scale is increased. By offering the low price of using internet with new competitive data traffic system, and the developing those project can make huge power to LGT.
"The center of the world`s telecommunications industry is quickly shifting to the mobile internet. We will spearhead a new era in the mobile internet," Jung Il-jae, LG Telecom`s CEO, said at a news conference.
Jung said his company will make it cheaper and easier to surf the internet, check e-mails, and use other internet services via handsets by offering drastic cuts in wireless internet charges and providing a mobile web environment similar to that of a computer.
He said the current mobile data services offered by its two bigger rivals - SK Telecom and KTF - are expensive and cumbersome.
"One has to go through complicated steps to reach content that one wants. What`s worse is that service charges are astronomical," Jung said.
For example, he said, it costs about 6,000 won to download a 1.5-megabyte song via mobile phone.
LG Telecom will charge the same for up to one gigabyte of data downloads or transmissions a month, under its new mobile internet tariff plan. The new service will also give its subscribers limitless access to mobile internet services for the first six months after they sign up. Although the promotional plan will be available until September, LG Telecom plans to roll out new competitive data tariff plans, Chung said.
For users who hope to use the service on select days, the company also unveiled a daily pricing plan, which charges only 1,000 won per day for limitless data usage.
The company also plans to roll out cheaper handsets capable of delivering mobile internet services on high-resolution wide-screens.
LG Telecom is banking on the mobile internet for its 3G service, while its bigger rivals have highlighted the video calling features of their respective 3G brands, named "T" and "SHOW."
LG Telecom entered the 3G market belatedly with a nationwide launch of its Revision A network in late February. SK Telecom and KTF`s 3G services are supported by HSDPA networks.
Jung said LG Telecom was open to adopting Google`s mobile software for its 3G service, saying the U.S. company`s platform is similar to that of the Korean company.
"We are not in a good position to make Google phones now, but we are willing to actively discuss with foreign companies if it helps to promote our service," he said.
The nation`s mobile market is shifting towards 3G services, led by KTF, which began its nationwide service in April last year. SK Telecom followed suit in October in 2007.
Some 7.8 million people, or 17 percent of the nation`s mobile phone users, subscribed to 3G services as of the end of February. Industry sources expect the number of 3G subscribers to surge to 15 million by the end of this year.
KTF has the largest share of the 3G market with 4.2 million subscribers, followed by SK Telecom with 3.6 million subscribers. LG Telecom has only 80,000 3G subscribers.
By Jin Hyun-joo
(hjjin@heraldm.com)
"The center of the world`s telecommunications industry is quickly shifting to the mobile internet. We will spearhead a new era in the mobile internet,"LG Telecom will charge the same for up to one gigabyte of data downloads or transmissions a month, under its new mobile internet tariff plan.The nation`s mobile market is shifting towards 3G services, led by KTF, which began its nationwide service in April last year. SK Telecom followed suit in October in 2007.
LGT make new plan to enter the 3G service. I think that this project is little late, but good decision. The internet service in the mobile-phone is getting grow and the industry scale is increased. By offering the low price of using internet with new competitive data traffic system, and the developing those project can make huge power to LGT.
How Retailers Turn Us Into Spendthrift Suckers
Money
Why you're a big sucker
Tuesday April 1, 5:29 am ET
By Paul J. Lim, Money Magazine senior editor
Bet you think you spend money pretty sensibly. Well, Dan Ariely would bet you don't. A noted behavioral economist with current posts at MIT and Duke, Ariely has been proving for years that consumers often spend more when they plan to spend less.
ADVERTISEMENT
Now he's put his findings into layman's terms in a new book, "Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions." In it, he explains how marketers exploit our blind spots of logic and how we can see them coming. Today's shaky economy, he argues, is no place to waste money being irrational.
Original Article
Do you spend your money sensibly? I bet you think so,
and I thought that, too. But as I read this article
I was quiet shocked that the more I try not to spend
more money, the more I spend. Here are few Q&A s,
why don't you go over these?
20100174 #4 Entry
Why you're a big sucker
Tuesday April 1, 5:29 am ET
By Paul J. Lim, Money Magazine senior editor
Bet you think you spend money pretty sensibly. Well, Dan Ariely would bet you don't. A noted behavioral economist with current posts at MIT and Duke, Ariely has been proving for years that consumers often spend more when they plan to spend less.
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Now he's put his findings into layman's terms in a new book, "Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions." In it, he explains how marketers exploit our blind spots of logic and how we can see them coming. Today's shaky economy, he argues, is no place to waste money being irrational.
Original Article
Do you spend your money sensibly? I bet you think so,
and I thought that, too. But as I read this article
I was quiet shocked that the more I try not to spend
more money, the more I spend. Here are few Q&A s,
why don't you go over these?
20100174 #4 Entry
4. Will Boeing Pay for Delays?
*Original Text:
Customers of the much-anticipated but late-to-the-gate 787 Dreamliner are waiting for Boeing to make official what they strongly suspect—that delivery of the first plane will be delayed into the second half of 2009 or beyond.
Deliveries of the Dreamliner are already 10 months behind schedule and glitches along Boeing's complex global supply chain slowed production and forced the company to redesign its wing box. Asked on Apr. 3 about the possibility of yet another delay, Boeing (BA) spokeswoman Yvonne Leach simply acknowledged that an announcement of a revised schedule is coming soon.
Customers for the advanced-technology plane, which will be the first commercial jet to make extensive use of lightweight carbon-fiber technology, are growing restive. Several say they may seek financial compensation and replacement aircraft. Virgin Atlantic Airways, one of the largest European customers with 15 planes on order, said it was opening talks with Chicago-based Boeing. Qantas Airways (QAN), with 65 planes on order, and International Lease Finance (ILFC), an aircraft-leasing outfit that is the biggest buyer of the new plane with 74 planes on order, have also begun compensation talks.
Payments to compensate customers, along with additional support for suppliers that will need to keep engineers on staff longer than expected, could lead Boeing to a large write-off at some point, says Cai von Rumohr, an aerospace analyst at Cowen & Co. He doubts Boeing has quantified the losses, but notes they will grow particularly steep if the delays extend to more than a year. Boeing's Leach declined comment on that.
Von Rumohr expects the first delivery in the third or fourth quarter of 2009. That would extend first deliveries to 18 months beyond the original schedule. While Boeing had projected deliveries of 109 planes next year, a more realistic expectation is anywhere between 20 and 50. "Boeing has egg on its face," von Rumohr says.
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I think that with this delay in delivery problems that are bringing a lot of customer's dissatisfaction is very bad for the company that is losing a lot of them as said before. Costumers are already looking for compensations, some of them are already leaving and looking for replacement. Besides the problem with compensation to their customers, the company has another problem which is their suppliers who have to keep working and get paid. I think that Boeing is passing through a serious problem because they are losing their value, their customers, and also money. I think that these problems are still going to affect their future business if they don't find a way to restore their trust and value with customers.
20600642
Customers of the much-anticipated but late-to-the-gate 787 Dreamliner are waiting for Boeing to make official what they strongly suspect—that delivery of the first plane will be delayed into the second half of 2009 or beyond.
Deliveries of the Dreamliner are already 10 months behind schedule and glitches along Boeing's complex global supply chain slowed production and forced the company to redesign its wing box. Asked on Apr. 3 about the possibility of yet another delay, Boeing (BA) spokeswoman Yvonne Leach simply acknowledged that an announcement of a revised schedule is coming soon.
Customers for the advanced-technology plane, which will be the first commercial jet to make extensive use of lightweight carbon-fiber technology, are growing restive. Several say they may seek financial compensation and replacement aircraft. Virgin Atlantic Airways, one of the largest European customers with 15 planes on order, said it was opening talks with Chicago-based Boeing. Qantas Airways (QAN), with 65 planes on order, and International Lease Finance (ILFC), an aircraft-leasing outfit that is the biggest buyer of the new plane with 74 planes on order, have also begun compensation talks.
Payments to compensate customers, along with additional support for suppliers that will need to keep engineers on staff longer than expected, could lead Boeing to a large write-off at some point, says Cai von Rumohr, an aerospace analyst at Cowen & Co. He doubts Boeing has quantified the losses, but notes they will grow particularly steep if the delays extend to more than a year. Boeing's Leach declined comment on that.
Von Rumohr expects the first delivery in the third or fourth quarter of 2009. That would extend first deliveries to 18 months beyond the original schedule. While Boeing had projected deliveries of 109 planes next year, a more realistic expectation is anywhere between 20 and 50. "Boeing has egg on its face," von Rumohr says.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think that with this delay in delivery problems that are bringing a lot of customer's dissatisfaction is very bad for the company that is losing a lot of them as said before. Costumers are already looking for compensations, some of them are already leaving and looking for replacement. Besides the problem with compensation to their customers, the company has another problem which is their suppliers who have to keep working and get paid. I think that Boeing is passing through a serious problem because they are losing their value, their customers, and also money. I think that these problems are still going to affect their future business if they don't find a way to restore their trust and value with customers.
20600642
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Chinese Wages Growing By Leaps And Bounds
Shu-Ching Jean Chen, 04.02.08, 4:36 AM
< Summary >
China's official statistics agency has confirmed that the labor costs have been rising fast, showing the fastest growth in six years. The mean annual wage grew by 18.72% in 2007, to 24,932 yuan ($3,556.63), which is 14% higher than average of the preceding six years.
Though the agency did not release a detailed profile of each industry, China Business News pointed that state-protected industries, including securities, banking and aviation industries, had reported average yearly wages exceeding 100,000 yuan ($14,265.34) in 2007. That is more than five times of those for nonmetals mining and extraction, farming and traditional manufacturing lines.
Not only that, the businesses working in the areas like insurance, legal services, telecommunications, tobacco, oil and gas rewarded their employees well, paying a mean annual wage of between 80,000 yuan ($11,412.27) and 100,000 yuan.
>> Original Article
China is growing so fast! As many professionals suggest, it is going to be the number one within a decade or so. Even now, most of the industrial products are made in China, from the factories that international groups built in China. Even most of Nike’s shoes are made in China and exported to other countries. Also other types of companies in other industries such as service businesses or construction businesses are entering Chinese market, seeing great potential there.
China has been famous for its cheap labor cost. Many companies could save budget and make more profit. Yet nowadays, there are so many competitors and it is getting a bit hard to get good employees with comparably low salary. That must be why the labor cost is rising fast. Also Chinese Economy is growing fast, which indicates their GDP probably is increasing. People are much better off than they were 10 years ago, or even 6 years ago. Not only that, but the education is being emphasized as well, contributing the education level to get higher and people’s expectation get higher with it, too.
It is a great news that Chinese people’s life are better off yet as the news indicated, it’s better for the people with certain jobs, not the people with the low-prestige jobs. It is obvious that the gap between haves and have-nots would be deepened as it is in United States as well as in Korea. Chinese government should consider this matter and try to prevent it beforehand.
20500419 Entry 4
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