November 25, 2009
Lands' End Offers FeelGood Sweaters
Photo: Lands' End FeelGood Cardigan. The FeelGood collection includes a variety of sweater styles, such as the cabled sweater vest, striped turtleneck or cabled cardigan, all in rich seasonal colors like Winter Violet, Rich Red and Iris. Lands' End is one of the world's largest retailers of casual and tailored clothing for women, men, children.
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:31 AM | Link to this Post
November 19, 2009
Bridget Moynahan is the Newest Spokesmodel for Garnier Nutritioniste
Moynahan will be the face of the Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift product collection.
Global skincare company Garnier Nutritioniste is introducing actress Bridget Moynahan as the latest spokesmodel for the brand. Moynahan will appear in print and TV campaigns for the brand's top-selling Ultra-Lift skincare collection, set to debut July 2010.
Moynahan joins an impressive roster of Garnier spokesmodels, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Bar Rafaeli and Alana de la Garza.
"We are thrilled to partner with the beautiful Bridget Moynahan," says Maybelline New York-Garnier President David Greenberg. "Her class, grace and accessibility make her a model representative of the Garnier brand. Most importantly, she exhibits a likeable, healthy beauty that speaks to our consumer in such a positive way."
Moynahan is an all-American girl raised in the East Coast town of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Before earning international recognition in films and TV, she had a successful modeling career, appearing on the covers of numerous magazines including Glamour, Vogue, Elle and Self. Moynahan has since appeared in a number of major films, such as Serendipity, The Sum of All Fears, The Recruit, I, Robot, and Lord of War. She is the star of the upcoming 2010 film Ramona and Beezus and is currently shooting the film Battle: Los Angeles.
Source: Garnier
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 6:11 AM | Link to this Post
October 28, 2009
Students from Top Academic Institutions Choose The World's Top 50 Most Attractive Employers
Compiled from 11 out of the 12 leading economies, nearly 120,000 students from top academic institutions chose their ideal companies to work for.
Google is the world's most attractive employer, followed closely by its rival, Microsoft. This is the only global index of employer attractiveness and highlights the world's most powerful employer brands, i.e., those companies that are the most successful in talent attraction and retention.
The study has been conducted by Universum. Universum is a global Employer Branding company. It is headquartered in Sweden and has presence in more than 28 countries.
Employers today are faced with a shrinking global workforce, a lack of skilled workers and an increasingly demanding generation of new talent. To secure talent under these conditions, employers must develop true and differentiating employer brands. The employers that feature in this Top 50 all have one thing in common: they successfully appeal to current and future talent, and they are aware of how scarce talent is.
The global ranking is based on the national rankings that Universum conducts annually all over the world. The companies that are featured in at least eight out of the twelve leading economies were included in the global ranking, and the 50 most attractive employers were identified. The countries represented in the Global Top 50 rankings are the US, Japan, China, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain, Canada and India.
• Despite it being one of the toughest years for car manufactures, BMW and Daimler appear in the Global Top 50 rankings.
The Big Four accountancy and professionals service firms; financial services companies and management consultancies, still remain strong. In spite of this year being one of worst recessions since the Second World War, they remain globally attractive employers and are especially popular with business students. IT employers are highly placed in the engineering ranking, which can be expected, with Google, Microsoft and IBM in the top three.
The fast moving consumer goods companies and employers in the retail sector are also attractive employers, recognised for their universal appeal as employers in the graduate recruitment market, attracting students from both a business and engineering background.
"These companies in the Top 50 really work with employer branding strategically. The Big Four, for example, are all in the top 10 business ranking, as they have employer branding as part of their business strategy. Many associate their corporate brands to people. This is normal for the service industry, but it is a new approach for other companies" says Michal Kalinowski, Universum CEO. "These companies are in the Top 50 because they are focused, consistent and differentiate themselves in their communication."
Irrespective of rank, the Top 50 Global Employers for business and engineering students are very similar, showing strong employer brands transcend many skill and industry groups. Conversely, Oracle and Philip Morris make it to the Top 50 for business students, but not for engineering students. GlaxoSmithKline and Alcatel-Lucent appear in the engineering ranking, yet not in the business ranking.
What the rankings most certainly reveal is that the big multinational brands are favored. Due to the globalization of the talent market, multinational companies are generally recognized as being attractive employers. Findings from Universum's various student surveys show that students would like a good career reference, an international career and an employer that can offer secure employment. Lovisa Öhnell, head of research and consulting at Universum, comments, "These multinational brands are globally well-known, they offer relocation opportunities and business travel, interaction with clients and colleagues in various countries, and due to their size and economic strength, they are also seen as being the safest choice."
• GLOBAL TOP 50 - ACCORDING TO BUSINESS STUDENTS
Company - Ranking 2009
Google - 1
PricewaterhouseCoopers - 2
Microsoft - 3
Goldman Sachs - 4
Ernst & Young - 5
Procter & Gamble - 6
J.P. Morgan - 7
KPMG - 8
McKinsey & Company - 9
Deloitte - 10
The Boston Consulting Group - 11
BMW - 12
Coca-Cola - 13
L'Oréal - 14
Morgan Stanley - 15
Sony - 16
IBM - 17
Johnson & Johnson - 18
Deutsche Bank - 19
General Electric - 20
Citigroup - 21
HSBC - 22
Accenture - 23
Nestlé - 24
Credit Suisse - 25
Bain & Company - 26
Unilever - 27
UBS - 28
Nokia - 29
Intel - 30
Esso/ExxonMobil - 31
Kraft Foods - 32
Shell - 33
Hewlett-Packard - 34
Mars (Masterfoods) - 35
Pfizer - 36
Siemens - 37
Philips - 38
Oracle - 39
Bayer - 40
Philip Morris - 41
DHL - 42
BP - 43
Bosch - 44
Cisco - 45
Daimler - 46
Ericsson - 47
ABB - 48
Novartis - 49
Schlumberger - 50
• GLOBAL TOP 50 - ACCORDING TO ENGINEERING STUDENTS
Company Ranking 2009
Google - 1
Microsoft - 2
IBM - 3
BMW - 4
Intel - 5
General Electric - 6
Sony - 7
Siemens - 8
Shell - 9
Procter & Gamble - 10
Johnson & Johnson - 11
Hewlett-Packard - 12
Cisco - 13
Esso/ExxonMobil - 14
McKinsey & Company - 15
Schlumberger - 16
BP - 17
L'Oréal - 18
Nokia - 19
Accenture - 20
Coca-Cola - 21
Philips - 22
Goldman Sachs - 23
Nestlé - 24
Pfizer - 25
Bosch - 26
The Boston Consulting Group - 27
J.P. Morgan - 28
Deloitte - 29
Morgan Stanley - 30
GlaxoSmithKline - 31
Ericsson - 32
Ernst & Young - 33
ABB - 34
Bayer - 35
Unilever - 36
PricewaterhouseCoopers - 37
Deutsche Bank - 38
HSBC - 39
Kraft Foods - 40
Bain & Company - 41
Citigroup - 42
Alcatel-Lucent - 43
Daimler - 44
Novartis - 45
Mars (Masterfoods) - 46
KPMG - 47
Credit Suisse - 48
DHL - 49
UBS - 50
The Global Top 50 rankings are based on the employer preferences of nearly 120,000 final year students, who were surveyed at the top academic institutions in the world's 11 largest economies. The global rankings are based on the annual surveys conducted on a global level in 2009. Each student is presented with a list of 130 to 150 national and international employers, chosen by university students through an independent and structured nomination and assessment process. On a global level, this represents 800 considered employers. Students acknowledge those companies they would consider working for. Out of the companies selected as 'considered employers', each student then selects his or her five Ideal Employers. The Global Top 50 is based on the frequency of being selected as an Ideal Employer overall within 11 markets: US, Japan, China, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain, Canada and India.
• The Global Top 50 is the most comprehensive study ever conducted on employer attractiveness.
• This Practical Global Business Study is being presented for the First Time.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 6:34 AM | Link to this Post
October 10, 2009
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 Awarded to President Barack Obama for Diplomacy
Photo: Newsweek Magazine January 26, 2009 Special Inauguration Issue with President Barack Obama on the cover.
Photo: Visitors crowd outside the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue to read a display of newspaper front pages announcing Sen. Barack Obama's election as the 44th U.S. president, November 5, 2008. (Credit: Maria Bryk/Newseum).
• ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE NORWEGIAN NOBEL COMMITTEE
Oslo, October 9, 2009
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.
Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.
Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future.
• His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.
For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."
....................
|GlobalGiants.com|
"The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable."
-- Proverbs of Solomon: 25:3
"if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known, that we are at all times ready for War."
-- George Washington
"Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all."
-- George Washington
"My first wish is to see this plague of mankind, war, banished from the earth."
-- George Washington
Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:58 AM | Link to this Post
October 8, 2009
World Economic Forum's Financial Development Report shows global financial centres' lead is weakening
• Signs of weakness emerge among many global financial centers following crisis.
• Developing countries show comparative financial stability, but also potential for improvement in other areas.
• Report analyses 55 financial systems and capital markets around the world.
Photos: Participants captured during the Dalian WorkSpace 2009 at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China.
• Financial Development Report 2009 -- New York, USA, 8 October 2009 - The world's largest economies took the biggest hit in the World Economic Forum's second annual Financial Development Report released today.
Global financial centers still lead in the report's Index, but the effects of financial instability have pulled down their scores compared to last year. The United Kingdom, buoyed by the relative strength of its banking and non-banking financial activities, claimed the Index's top spot from the United States, which slipped to third position behind Australia largely due to poorer financial stability scores and a weakened banking sector.
The Financial Development Report ranks 55 of the world's leading financial systems and capital markets. It analyses the drivers of financial system development and economic growth in developed and developing countries to serve as a tool for countries to benchmark themselves and establish priorities for reform.
• Download the 2009 rankings in PDF
• Download the full Report (PDF)
Photos: Participants captured during a session at the Young Global Leaders Summit 2009 in Dalian, China.
The rankings are based on over 120 variables spanning institutional and business environments, financial stability, and size and depth of capital markets, among other factors.
The financial crisis was acutely felt in most global financial systems and caused most countries' scores to drop significantly compared to 2008.
"The change in scores does demonstrate the implications of the downturn on our assessment of the long-term development of financial systems," said Nouriel Roubini of New York University and Chairman, RGE Monitor who is the lead academic on the report.
Germany and France suffered a heavy fall in overall scores that pulled them out of the top 10. They dropped in the rankings but demonstrated financial stability scores that were significantly higher than the United Kingdom and US. Australia showed particular strength this year, a trend that is echoed in many Asia Pacific economies.
The breadth of factors covered in the report means that countries with high financial instability scores like the United Kingdom and US could still achieve a high relative ranking in the Index due to other strengths.
"We hope this report will provide some insight as to how the financial crisis has affected the world's major financial systems. It draws attention to the diversity of factors beyond financial stability that must be addressed to support the role of financial systems in driving economic growth. The United Kingdom and US may still show leadership in the rankings, but their significant drops in score show increasing weakness and imply their leadership may be in jeopardy." said Kevin Steinberg, Chief Operating Officer, World Economic Forum USA.
Some developing countries performed well in the financial stability section of the Index. Chile came in third while Malaysia, Mexico and Brazil are all in the top 15. Norway and Switzerland took the top two spots in this category.
"Developing countries exhibited a relatively strong showing in the financial stability pillar of the Index. For some, this is the result of learning from the mistakes of past financial crises, while for others it may reflect the relative lack of complexity and global integration of their financial systems," said Co-Author Nouriel Roubini.
Developing countries also earned many of the top spots with respect to commercial access, which measures the availability of capital through such means as commercial loans, IPOs and venture capital.
The Industry Partnership Programme of the World Economic Forum, under whose auspices this work was undertaken, provides a platform for the world's leading companies to define and address critical issues. The Financial Development Report benefited from the guidance and support of its Industry Partners with particular contributions from Barclays Capital, EFG Hermes, JPMorgan, Standard Chartered Bank and Troika Dialog.
The report draws on data taken from a variety of publicly available sources such as the World Bank.
Source: World Economic Forum
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 10:32 AM | Link to this Post
October 7, 2009
IBM Receives National Medal of Technology and Innovation
Photo: President Obama recognizes IBM and its Blue Gene family of supercomputers with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the most prestigious award of its kind. IBM CEO Sam Palmisano is shown here accepting the award on IBM's behalf on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC. IBM Blue Gene is one of the world's fastest, most energy-efficient computers, solving challenges in science, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, defense and finance. (Photo Credit: IBM).
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:59 PM | Link to this Post
September 22, 2009
Clinton Global Initiative: President Barack Obama and President Bill Clinton Address the Opening Plenary Session of the Fifth Annual Meeting
Among others, following are joining President Clinton in Panel Discussion on Global Challenges:
• Michelle Bachelet, President of the Republic of Chile.
• Mike Duke, CEO of Wal-Mart Stores.
• Muhtar Kent, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Coca-Cola.
• Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Photo: President Barack Obama and President Bill Clinton Greet Each Other on Stage at the Opening Plenary Session of the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative.
Today, in New York, President Barack Obama joined President Bill Clinton to open the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative.
The meeting is bringing together leaders from the political, corporate, and civil sectors to develop and implement innovative solutions to the world's most pressing problems.
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) brings together a community of global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges.
"This week, even as we gather at the United Nations to discuss what governments can do to confront the challenges of our time, even as we're joined tonight by so many presidents and prime ministers - this Global Initiative reminds us what we can do as individuals: that you don't have to hold public office to be a public servant," President Obama said, adding: "That's the beauty of service - anyone can do it and everyone should try."
"In the midst of a global financial crisis, I don't think it's a coincidence that more people are attending this meeting than ever before," President Clinton said. "Since 2005, it has become clear that CGI has found an effective model for addressing challenges around the world. Our members have made more than 1,400 commitments affecting more than 200 million people around the world. Because of their efforts, more than 10 million children have access to a better education, 48 million people have better health care, and more than 12 people million have safe drinking water. But there is still work to be done."
President Clinton announced that more than 60 current and former heads of state, 500 business leaders, and 400 leaders from nongovernmental and philanthropic organizations will be attending the meeting, representing 84 countries.
Photo (Added Sep 23): From left: Diane Sawyer moderates panel including Lloyd Blankfein, chairman and CEO of The Goldman Sachs Group, Merlanne Verveer, ambassador-at-large for global women's issues at the U.S. Department of State, Robert Zoellick, president of The World Bank Group, Zainab Salbi, founder and CEO of Women for Women International, Rex Tillerson, chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, and Edna Adan, director and founder of the Edna Adan Maternity and Teaching Hospital (speaking).
Photo (Added Sept 23): From left to right, Matthew Bishop, New York Bureau Chief and American Business Editor, The Economist, Al Gore, Chairman, The Alliance for Climate Protection, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Managing Director, The World Bank Group, Jack Ma, Chairman and CEO, Alibaba Group, Judith Robin, President, The Rockefeller Foundation, Muhammad Yunus, Founder and Managing Director, Grameen Bank.
Source: Clinton Global Initiative
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:44 PM | Link to this Post
September 20, 2009
German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel officially opens the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. AutoWeek Editors Honor the Best.
Photo: 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Dr. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and Jean-Marc Gales, PSA (PSA Peugeot Citroën, France).
Photo: 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Dr. Petra Roth, Mayor of the city of Frankfurt at the inauguration.
Photo: 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of Board, BMW and Dr. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Photo: 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Dr. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and Bernhard Mattes, Management Chairman, Ford.
Photo: 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Ferdinand Piech, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, VW, Dr. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Matthias Wissmann, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) and Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management, VW (Volkswagen Group).
Photo: 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Dr. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany at the stand of VW (Volkswagen Group}.
• Download Info brochure IAA 2009
• The AutoWeek Editors' Choice Awards recognize Best in Show, Best Concept, Most Significant and Most Fun.
Photo: A model at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.
The AutoWeek editorial staff has announced its 2009 Frankfurt motor show Editors' Choice Award winners.
AutoWeek editors have been walking the show floors in Detroit, Geneva, Paris, Frankfurt and Tokyo, selecting winners in four categories: Best in Show, Best Concept, Most Significant and Most Fun.
The 2009 AutoWeek Editors' Choice Award winners for the Best of Frankfurt are:
• BEST IN SHOW: Ferrari 458 Italia
It is rare when there are more than a few in the race for this coveted title, but that was the case at Frankfurt when no fewer than eight manufacturers had vehicles in the final. When the scrapping was over, Ferrari's 458 Italia triumphed. The 458 wears voluptuous, organic shapes tied together with technical and efficient lines. No matter when you see this car in the future -- in five years or 50 years from now on a concours lawn -- it will always be the one that debuted at Frankfurt in 2009.
Other Finalists Considered: Maserati GranCabrio, Mercedes-Benz SLS, Aston Martin Rapide, Bentley Mulsanne, Rolls-Royce Ghost, Lamborghini Reventon Spyder, Audi R8 Spyder.
• BEST CONCEPT: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics
Maybe the most pure concept car at this year's Frankfurt show, BMW's glimpse into the performance sedan of the future uses technology, and design cues, that we'll see in production BMWs in the near future. Powered by a three-cylinder turbodiesel with a hybrid synchronous motor on the front axle and a full-hybrid system at the rear, this 2+2-seater also reveals some hints as to the exterior design features we'll see on future BMW passenger cars. With a top speed of 155 mph, this car shows that the future emphasis on fuel efficiency can offer a lot of fun as well.
Other Finalists Considered: Peugeot BB1, Citroen REVOLTe, Volkswagen E Up.
Photo: Volkswagen E Up in Frankfurt.
• MOST SIGNIFICANT: Renault EV family of four production electric cars
To think about which manufacturer was making the greatest impact and statement with their exhibit, it had to fall to Renault (and by default, though not exhibiting, its Nissan sister company.) With no fewer than four vehicles destined to come to market in three short years, Renault is putting an electrified stake in the ground and showing the rest of the world that while it might not be all in with this bet, it is not leaving much on the table.
Other Finalists Considered: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics, Jaguar XJ, Opel Astra, Saab 9-5, Ford Grand C-Max.
• MOST FUN: Porsche 911 Turbo
As is the case with all of the categories this year, a number of strong contenders vied for the title of Most Fun. When the smoke cleared, the new Porsche 911 Turbo came out on top as the one car whose keys we all wanted for a spirited ride. Surely it would brighten the sourest disposition. How can anyone argue with a choice like this?
Other Finalists Considered: Maserati GranCabrio, Peugeot BB1, Mini Roadster, Mazda Superlight, Volkswagen Golf R, Alfa-Romeo Mito Cloverleaf and Lamborghini Reventon Spyder.
• AutoWeek magazine is a fortnightly automotive-enthusiast publication based out of Detroit, Michigan, and is one of nearly 30 titles published by Crain Communications Inc.
Sources: AutoWeek, German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 6:08 AM | Link to this Post
September 17, 2009
Italian Jewelry Designer Roberto Coin Selects Supermodel Christy Turlington Burns as the Face of the Company
Leading Italian jewelry designer Roberto Coin has signed on with advocate, entrepreneur and model Christy Turlington Burns for a second time to shoot his upcoming advertising campaign for 2009-2010. Turlington Burns has graced the covers of over 1,000 top fashion magazines.
For 2009-2010, the Roberto Coin campaign will support CARE, a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. According to Roberto Coin, Chairman & Co-Founder of Roberto Coin Inc., "Our previous campaign with Christy was so successful and widely received. We are so pleased to be working with her again. We are proud to be in partnership with an organization such as CARE for all their extraordinary work they have done to empower women worldwide through education, healthcare, increased economic opportunities and human rights."
CARE fights root causes of poverty in the world's poorest communities. CARE places special focus on working alongside poor women because, equipped with the proper resources, women have the power to help whole families and entire communities escape poverty. In nearly 70 countries, women are at the heart of CARE's community-based efforts to improve education, health and economic opportunity.
"At Roberto Coin, we believe that a cause related campaign has much more impact than straight consumer advertising," said Peter Webster, President & Co-Founder. "This campaign recognizes both the work of Christy Turlington Burns and that of CARE."
The campaign was shot by photography duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, whose past credits include advertising campaigns for Gucci, Givenchy, Chloe, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Roberto Cavalli, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein and editorial spreads for the pages of American, French, and Italian Vogue, W, and the New York Times.
The advertisements will appear in October 2009 fashion publications that include Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Architectural Digest, Gourmet, and Town & Country.
Roberto Coin's jewelry designs include his signature Appassionata Collection. According to Coin, his designs have also been worn by celebrities such as Ashley Judd, Salma Hayek, Brooke Shields, Jennie Garth, Jenna Fischer, Demi Moore, Melissa Etheridge, and Jennifer Hudson.
The company, Roberto Coin, is headquartered in Vicenza, Italy.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:38 PM | Link to this Post
September 13, 2009
New Global Reserve Currency
• The international monetary system needs reform, but so do the Asian and US economies.
According to thought leaders from the principal world economies, the current international monetary system, reliant on the US dollar, is deeply flawed, but a single viable alternative is not readily apparent.
This was the outcome from the debate at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions on September 12, 2009 at Dalian, People's Republic of China, where they discussed the global currency reserve system.
Photo: Participants captured during the Dalian WorkSpace 2009 at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.
Photo: Participants gather at the Education for the Next Wave of Growth session at The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.
Photo: Michael D. Antonovich, Los Angeles County Supervisor, speaks during the North America's Economic Outlook session at The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.
• In March, China's Central Bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan sparked controversy when he proposed that the International Monetary Fund create a new reserve currency - a proposal with enormous implications across Asia, which holds nearly US$ 4 trillion in foreign currency.
"I strongly supported the proposal made by Governor Zhou," said Yu Yongding, Senior Fellow, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), People's Republic of China and member of the Forum's Global Agenda Council on International Monetary Systems.
However, panelists agreed that the creation of a new global currency to replace the dollar and other sovereign currencies was not politically viable.
The overwhelming problems facing the Asian and US economies are not based on currency doubts. "Don't kid yourself. This crisis is not about currency problems. This problem is about the failures of policies," said Stephen S. Roach, Chairman, Asia, Morgan Stanley, Hong Kong. "We've had central banks that have just gone along for the ride, driven by ideologies, driven by politics."
Photo: Aron Cramer, President and Chief Executive Officer, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), speaks during the Global Redesign Series -- What Is the Basis of a New Social Compact? session at The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.
Photo: Participants captured during the Dalian WorkSpace 2009 at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.
Photo: Zhu Min, Group Executive Vice-President, Bank of China, laughs during The Global Economic Outlook session at The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.
For the global financial system to steady itself, the US must increase exports and Asian economies, China's in particular, must do much more to reorient their growth away from external demand towards domestic consumption. "The most important thing for China is to speed up structural reform," agreed Yu.
When polled informally, participants preferred the yuan over the dollar as an investment but few believed it would replace the dollar as the global reserve. Among the panelists, only Oki Matsumoto, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Japan's Monex Group, was mildly bullish on the dollar.
The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
Source: World Economic Forum
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 3:55 AM | Link to this Post
September 2, 2009
Virtuoso Violinist Itzhak Perlman and New York Philharmonic to Join Rotary's Effort to End Polio
Rotary International is joining violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman and the New York Philharmonic, led by Philharmonic Assistant Conductor Daniel Boico, to present the Concert to End Polio. It will be a benefit performance supporting the global effort to eradicate this disabling childhood disease.
The Concert to End Polio will take place on Wednesday, December 2, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York City. Program information will be announced at a later date.
Founded in 1842, the New York Philharmonic is the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States and one of the oldest in the world. The Orchestra is also renowned around the globe, having appeared in 425 cities in 59 countries on five continents.
Polio eradication resonates strongly with Mr. Perlman, who contracted the disease at age four and overcame serious physical challenges to become one of the world's most celebrated musicians. In this historic, one-night-only performance -- his first with the New York Philharmonic in four years -- Mr. Perlman will help Rotary in its effort to raise $200 million to match a $355 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. All of the resulting $555 million will fund critical eradication activities in developing countries where polio still threatens children.
Rotary International, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988. Since then, ending polio has been Rotary's top priority, and tremendous progress has been made.
Rotary is an international humanitarian service organization made up of more than 33,000 clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas, with a total membership of 1.2 million business, professional and community leaders.
Source: Rotary International
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:04 AM | Link to this Post
August 28, 2009
Ford Taurus 100-City Tour
Photo: Mark Fields, Executive Vice President, Ford Motor Company Showcases 2010 Ford Taurus at New York Stop of 100-City Tour.
Mark Fields, executive vice president and president of The Americas, Ford Motor Company, is in New York Friday, August 28, to showcase the all-new 2010 Ford Taurus for one stop of the company's 100-City Taurus Tour.
Mr. Fields kicks off the Taurus publicity tour in New York by giving a speech at the New York Press Club at in the Associated Press Conference Center.
"The new Taurus sets the pace for Ford's growing new car launch momentum," said Mark Fields, president of The Americas. "This sedan completely redefines expectations of what Taurus stands for - and helps further define what Ford is capable of delivering - quality, fuel-efficient vehicles featuring the latest technologies and head-turning design."
Mr. Fields is responsible for all operations involved in the development, manufacturing, marketing and sales of Ford, Mercury and Lincoln vehicles in the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America.
Source: Ford Motor Company
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:00 AM | Link to this Post
On Eve of The US Open, Tennis Icon Maria Sharapova Debuts Signature Fashion Collection by Cole Haan in New York City
Photo: Maria Sharapova unveils her new advertising campaign for Cole Haan.
Just days before taking the court for the US Open Championships, tennis star Maria Sharapova unveiled her Maria Sharapova by Cole Haan collection of handbags and footwear - at Rockefeller Center in New York City.
Fans, tourists, and onlookers burst into cheers as Sharapova was introduced by celebrity MC Quddus on a specially constructed stage where Maria unveiled her new advertising campaign for Cole Haan.
"Everyone loves Maria. It's great to be working with her and adding a new dimension to Cole Haan's history," states Jim Seuss, Chief Executive Officer.
"It's my hope that other young women will embrace the spirit of the collection; it's fun, chic, fashionable and most importantly, able to take you from day to night," says Sharapova.
The Maria Sharapova by Cole Haan footwear collection, featuring Nike Air technology, includes a ballet flat, an ankle-wrapped stiletto, a flat over-the-knee boot, an ankle bootie and a strappy platform sandal.
Cole Haan, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nike, Inc., is a style and luxury brand offering handcrafted men's and women's footwear, accessories and outerwear.
Source: Cole Haan
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 6:53 AM | Link to this Post
August 21, 2009
Harvard, Princeton, and Williams top in U.S. News Media Group's 26th Annual America's Best Colleges Rankings
New edition includes specialty rankings and online guides for admission and paying for college.
• America's Best Colleges Rankings 2010
U.S. News Media Group today released the 2010 edition of America's Best Colleges, which includes rankings of more than 1,400 schools nationwide USA. Harvard University and Princeton University tie the top of the list for Best National Universities, while Williams College is ranked top for Best Liberal Arts College.
Over the past 26 years, the U.S. News college rankings, which groups schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has grown to be the most comprehensive research tool for students and parents considering higher education opportunities. The America's Best Colleges ranking package, which includes editorial content and multimedia resources, is helping families navigate the difficult decisions involved throughout the college process, from college admission and selection to financing options.
"As it becomes increasingly difficult to choose the right school - and pay for it - U.S. News strives to provide students and families with the best information to help guide them through the entire college process," said U.S.News & World Report Editor Brian Kelly. "This year, the recession has seriously challenged the traditional model of paying for college, and so we've developed ranking and editorial content to address the many ways to finance an education as well as information on how to get the most out of such a big investment."
Photo: Stanford University student Kristen Lence studies on her Apple MacBook on the Stanford University campus in Palo Alto, California.
The 2010 America's Best Colleges features the established rankings of the Best National Universities, Best Liberal Arts Colleges, and Best Historically Black Colleges, and includes rankings of Best Colleges for Financial Aid, A+ Schools for B Students, and Up-and-Coming Schools.
The 2010 America's Best Colleges package provides thorough examination of how more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools compare on a set of 15 widely accepted indicators of excellence. Among the many factors weighed in determining the rankings, the key measures of quality are: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rate performance (National Universities and Liberal Art Colleges).
Photo: President Barack Obama poses with six of the Barack Obama Scholars at Arizona State University commencement.
America's Best Colleges Rankings 2010
• Best National Universities
1. Harvard University (MA)
• Princeton University (NJ)
3. Yale University (CT)
4. California Institute of Technology
• Massachusetts Inst. of Technology
• Stanford University (CA)
• University of Pennsylvania
• Best Liberal Arts Colleges
1. Williams College (MA)
2. Amherst College (MA)
3. Swarthmore College (PA)
4. Middlebury College (VT)
• Wellesley College (MA)
• Up-and-Coming Schools
• National Universities
1. Univ. of Md. - Baltimore County
2. George Mason University (VA)
• Northeastern University (MA)
4. Drexel University (PA)
5. Arizona State University
• University of Central Florida
• Liberal Arts Colleges
1. Hendrix College (AR)
2. Agnes Scott College (GA)
• Davidson College (NC)
• Furman University (SC)
• Dickinson College (PA)
• University of Richmond (VA)
• Ursinus College (PA)
The U.S. News Media Group is a multi-platform publisher of news and analysis.
Source: U.S. News Media Group
|GlobalGiants.com|
"A child is not a vase to be filled, but a fire to be lit."
-- Francois Rabelais
Edited & Posted by Editor | 4:56 AM | Link to this Post
August 12, 2009
Sargent and The Sea Opens at Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
• September 12, 2009 - January 3, 2010
Photo: Beginning September 12, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. will feature more than 80 paintings, watercolors, and drawings depicting seascapes and coastal scenes from the early career of the pre-eminent late 19th century American expatriate painter John Singer Sargent (1856-1925). Photo Credit: John Singer Sargent, En Route pour la peche (Setting Out to Fish), 1878, oil on canvas. Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.
The exhibition will place the sea on center-stage and highlight the impact it had on Sargent's career, the development of his style, and his artistic preferences.
Organized by the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Sargent and the Sea brings together the artist's early beach scenes and will be the first to examine, in great depth, the little explored marine paintings and drawings produced during the first five years of the artist's career. A focal point of the exhibition is the Corcoran's masterwork En Route pour la peche (Setting Out to Fish), 1878, which will be accompanied by other works produced during, and inspired by, Sargent's summer journeys from his home in Paris to Brittany, Normandy, and Capri, as well as two transatlantic voyages.
While Sargent is best known for his society portraits, Sargent and the Sea will focus on his personal passion for the sea and his knowledge of seafaring. Sargent's two paintings depicting fisherfolk at Cancale (1878, Corcoran Gallery of Art and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) are central works in the canon of the artist's early career. However, recent discoveries of three important seascapes, and the location of other pictures previously untraced, have cast a new spotlight on Sargent's activity as a maritime painter.
With the exception of the two well-known Cancale oils, Sargent's seascapes have not been widely studied or reproduced, proving that even for a renowned, frequently published artist there is yet new material to be mined.
Sargent and the Sea will feature works produced by the artist drawn from both public and private collections within the United States as well as Europe. By presenting Sargent's artistic career in conjunction with his personal fascination with the sea, this exhibition will reconcile these two paths of the artist's life.
Sargent and the Sea is organized by the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., and made possible by the support of the Terra Foundation for American Art, Christie's, The Mr. & Mrs. Raymond J. Horowitz Foundation for the Arts, Inc., and Altria Group, Inc. Additional support for the exhibition is provided by the American Masterpieces initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts and The Joseph F. McCrindle Foundation.
Source: Corcoran Gallery of Art
|GlobalGiants.com|
"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance."
-- Aristotle
Edited & Posted by Editor | 10:23 AM | Link to this Post
August 8, 2009
Latest Products from KODAK: Pocketable Digital Video Camera, New Kodak Easyshare Digital Cameras
Photo: EASYSHARE C190 Digital Camera.
Photo: EASYSHARE C182 Digital Camera.
Eastman Kodak Company has introduced an array of new products that include the KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera and additions to Kodak's popular digital still camera. This was announced at Kodak headquarters in Rochester, NY.
"Consumers place high value on their images and video to strengthen and improve relationships, and have consistently relied on Kodak to help them make their personal content a part of their daily lives," says John Blake, General Manager Digital Capture and Devices, Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. "These new KODAK Products deliver unsurpassed ease of use and quality, and also let consumers experience and share moments they love in fun and engaging ways."
• KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera:
An exciting new entry to its popular line of Digital Video Cameras, the KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera features a sleek design, high-quality full 1080p High Definition video capture, and built-in electronic image stabilization.
"More and more consumers are enjoying the ease of capturing fun and spontaneous video and sharing it with friends and family, on the family HDTV or via social networking websites," says Blake. "With the new KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera, consumers can capture life on the go in vivid HD, and then quickly and easily share it."
The slim and stylish KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera is designed to meet these needs with a range of advanced features that includes:
• Take full HD 1080p video wherever you go;
• Built-in electronic image stabilization that produces sharper videos and less blur;
• Large 2.5" color LCD;
• Swing-out USB arm for fast uploading, sharing, and charging;
• 5 MP 16:9 widescreen HD still pictures;
• Easy upload to Facebook and YouTube;
• External microphone jack;
• Available in aqua, raspberry and black from September, 2009 for US $179.95 MSRP.
• KODAK EASYSHARE Z950 Digital Camera:
The newest addition to Kodak's Z-Series digital camera line delivers outstanding control and Kodak's Smart Capture technology to consistently produce high quality images.
The KODAK EASYSHARE Z950 Digital Camera offers a 10X image stabilized SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH VARIOGON optical zoom lens, providing maximum versatility for avid photographers to easily handle both distant and close-up shots. It also incorporates Kodak's Smart Capture feature, which "automatically adjusts focus, flash, and exposure for great, no-hassle pictures in virtually any setting".
"The combination of these features plus a 12 MP sensor makes the Z950 a compact digital capture powerhouse, with outstanding image quality and ease of use at an affordable price," says Blake.
The full feature set of the new KODAK EASYSHARE Z950 Digital Camera includes:
• 12 MP sensor (for prints up to 30"x40");
• 10X image stabilized SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH VARIOGON optical zoom lens;
• Kodak's innovative Smart Capture feature, which automatically identifies the scene and adjusts camera settings for beautiful pictures in virtually any environment;
• Capture challenging action shots without delay with fast click-to-capture speed (<0.3 seconds);
• Available for US$279.99 MSRP from August, 2009.
• KODAK EASYSHARE M381 Digital Camera:
New to Kodak's popular M Series camera line, the KODAK EASYSHARE M381 Digital Camera boasts sleek style, a 5X optical zoom lens, and an advanced feature set that includes:
• 12 MP sensor for prints up to 30" x 40";
• Bright and vivid 3.0" LCD;
• Stunning HD still picture capture;
• Easy upload to Facebook, YouTube or Kodak Gallery;
• Face detection that recognizes up to five faces and automatically adjusts settings;
• Blur reduction technology that reduces blur caused by camera shake or moving subjects;
• Available in Black Olive, Light Steel Blue, and Wine Red for US$179.99 MSRP from September, 2009.
Source: Eastman Kodak Company
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:23 AM | Link to this Post
June 29, 2009
U.S. News Media Group Launches Online University Directory
• Portal Links Students with Degree Providers
U.S. News Media Group has launched Online University Directory, an online portal focused entirely on higher education and professional and continuing education opportunities.
The U.S. News Media Group is a multi-platform digital publisher of news and analysis, which includes the monthly U.S. News & World Report magazine, the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, USNews.com, and RankingsandReviews.com. Focusing on Health, Money & Business, Education, and Public Service/Opinion, the U.S. News Media Group is a leading provider of service news and information. The U.S. News Media Group's signature franchises include its "News You Can Use(R)" brand of journalism and its "America's Best" series of consumer guides that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, and health plans.
Complementing the U.S. News rankings, the long-preferred tool for the assessment of excellence in higher education, the University Directory helps potential college-bound students and working adults further invest in their future by serving as an online marketplace where they can directly interact with colleges and universities.
The new portal (distinct from USNews.com) will provide consumers with a full range of education options, including information about both online and offline educational institutions, and will provide educational institutions with an opportunity to showcase their degree and certificate programs in a co-branded forum jointly created by U.S. News Media Group, "America's Authority on Education(R)", and Bisk Education, a facilitator of online degree and certificate programs from some of America's leading universities.
The University Directory organizes schools in multiple ways including an alphabetical directory of ranked and unranked schools in various categories.
"Not everyone is looking for a ranked school," said Brian Kelly, Editor of U.S. News. "While the University Directory has ranking information, it also provides a resource for many different kinds of students."
The site also includes interactive features and expanded sorting abilities, and will present content about degree and certificate programs from U.S. News & World Report's vast collection of the 'News You Can Use(R)' service journalism that has justifiably made it the leading source of news and information about educational opportunities in the United States. It will also feature informative content focused on providing information to consumers who are actively looking for educational opportunities.
"U.S. News & World Report is the leading resource - both in print and online - for students looking at college as well as adults searching for continuing education opportunities, and we wanted to create a website focused on these consumers and institutions," said Bill Holiber, president of U.S. News Media Group. "With Bisk Education, we found a company focused on online education with state-of-the-art technology and capabilities to create a dynamic education-focused portal. Their proven success in working with colleges and universities to bring their schools' online degree and certificate programs to students made for a natural collaboration."
Holiber explained that USNews.com - the U.S. News Media Group's flagship website - will continue to feature rankings and other college and graduate school information, along with the public policy analysis, money, and health content that has distinguished it as a leading provider of information for consumers. "However, we realized that we needed to create a site with navigation and design that was focused specifically on consumers who were in the market for higher education opportunities," Holiber said.
As part of the partnership, all advertising from colleges and universities at USNews.com and the University Directory will be sold by Bisk under the U.S. News brand. Bisk Education is the world's largest exclusive provider of professional education online. Bisk's University Alliance division facilitates the promotion and online delivery of associate's, bachelor's and master's degrees, as well as professional certificate programs from the leading traditional universities and institutions in the USA.
"Higher education institutions need a credible and trustworthy marketplace in which they can showcase educational opportunities and connect with potential students that are suited to their programs," said Nathan Bisk, Founder and Chairman of Bisk Education. "For the past 15 years, we have been at the forefront of creating and executing online and distance-learning marketing and recruitment campaigns for some of the nation's leading universities. We know how to market in the digital age and we understand the need to protect the integrity of each institution's brand while helping them connect with qualified students. The new U.S. News Directory will allow educational institutions the opportunity to meet the ever increasing demand for university based education and workforce retraining that is in such demand in today's economy."
Source: U.S. News Media Group
Links:
• Directory of U.S. Universities
• America's Best Colleges 2009
"Rankings attempt to quantify the value of an education. Although the collection and publication of information about such things as location, class size and programs offered is useful to students and their parents, the statistics used in the rankings do not offer that kind of information. How can the interaction between faculty and students be quantified? What kind of numbers tell you about the interests students discover as they explore new ideas and participate in scholastic and extracurricular programs? Do statistics reflect the skills in thinking, writing and analysis that students develop during the course of a well-designed and cohesive program of study?
....
The kinds of data used to rank schools in the U.S. News and World Report survey are not indications of educational excellence."
-- Presidents of St. John's College, Annapolis, Maryland and St. John's College, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
"Education is the leading of human souls to what is best, and making what is best out of them."
"The first duty of government is to see that people have food, fuel, and clothes. The second, that they have means of moral and intellectual education."
-- JOHN RUSKIN
|GlobalGiants.com|
• GlobalGiants.Com is Member of the Boxxet Network Campus Mixxer (College and Universities)
Edited & Posted by Editor | 3:12 AM | Link to this Post
June 20, 2009
BARNES & NOBLE FLAGSHIP STORE OPENS IN NEW YORK CITY
Photo: Barnes & Noble putting the finishing touches on its 55,000 square foot store in New York City, June 19, 2009, on 86th Street and Lexington Avenue. The flagship store offers more than 400,000 book, music, DVD and magazine titles, the largest Blu-ray selection in Manhattan, expanded children's section offering 5,000 titles and a huge games selection. Serving as a community center, the store will host events throughout the year, including author readings, book clubs and programs with local literary and cultural organizations. (Photo Source: Barnes & Noble, Scott Kahn)
Photo: Hundreds of customers are eager to make their purchases, on the opening day of the new flagship Barnes & Noble on 86th Street and Lexington Avenue in New York City, Friday, June 19, 2009. The bookstore offers more than 400,000 book, music, DVD and magazine titles, the largest Blu-ray selection in Manhattan, an expanded children's section offering 5,000 titles and a huge games selection. (Photo Source: Barnes & Noble, Scott Kahn)
Source: BARNES & NOBLE
|GlobalGiants.com|
"Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are books that other folks have left me."
-- ANATOLE FRANCE
Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:39 PM | Link to this Post
June 18, 2009
Fiat Group to sponsor G8 Summit
Photo: The G8 Summit Venue in L'Aquila, Italy.
Italy, which took over the Presidency of the G8 in January, is responsible for hosting and organizing the annual Summit and also the preparatory meetings ahead of the three-day summit.
[The G8 is not an international organization, nor does it have an administrative headquarters with a permanent secretariat. It is rather a process that culminates in an annual Summit at which the Heads of State and Government of the member countries hold talks with a view to finding solutions of the main world issues.
The main industrialized countries taking part in this process are known as G8 -- the Group of Eight (Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, United Kingdom, Russia, United States of America). Over recent years, the Group of Eight has involved the main countries with emerging economies, known as the Group of Five (G5), in a process of dialogue. The Group of Five (G5) comprises Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa.]
Top management of Fiat has offered the Group's sponsorship of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila, Italy, to the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi.
Photo: Fiat Alfa Romeo - Murphy & Nye
Present at the meeting, held at Palazzo Chigi, were the Under Secretaries to the Prime Minister, Gianni Letta and Paolo Bonaiuti, as well as the Chairman of Fiat Group, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the Deputy Chairman, John Elkann, and the Chief Executive Officer, Sergio Marchionne.
As a symbol of the Fiat Group's support for the G8, the Prime Minister was presented with an Executive version of the Lancia Delta, made to the exacting standards of comfort and drivability and recently chosen as the Official Car of the 9th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.
Concrete operational support for the Summit, which will be held on July 8, 9 & 10 at the Guardia di Finanza's Camp Coppito, will consist of an entire fleet of vehicles - consisting of 221 passenger cars, electric vehicles, off-road vehicles, commercial vehicles and buses - being made available to the Department of Civil Defense by Fiat Group for transportation of the participants at the G8 Summit.
The fleet will consist of: 90 Lancia Deltas, 85 Fiat Professional light commercial vehicles, 10 Iveco Massif off-road vehicles and an array of electric vehicles, including an Iveco Daily, two Iveco Europolis buses and 33 "GEM e4" vehicles produced by Global Electric Motorcars, part of the Chrysler Group.
A large part of this fleet has already been employed over the past few months at the preparatory ministerial sessions leading up to the Summit which are being held in various cities around Italy on specific topics such as labour, agriculture, the environment, economic development, justice and internal affairs, science and technology, finance and foreign affairs.
With the exception of the electric vehicles, which will be used within the Camp compound, all other vehicles will be used to transfer delegates to and from airports and the L'Aquila heliport. The entire fleet will be managed 24 hours a day by specialized Fiat Group personnel who will provide assistance and maintenance services, including for the armored Lancia Thesis vehicles already in use by the Italian government.
• The Fiat fleet for the G8:
90 Lancia Deltas will be used as courtesy cars.
Photo: Fiat Lancia Delta
Among these will be several models of the Executive version, designed with users such as businessmen, diplomats and government officials in mind. This version was also chosen at the Official Car for the 9th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, held 11-13 December 2008 in Paris, of which Lancia was the main sponsor.
33 electric-powered "GEM e4" vehicles will be used inside Camp Coppito to transport Heads of State and Heads of Delegation. This zero emissions vehicle is produced by Global Electric Motorcars, part of the Chrysler Group, and has a range of 50km and can fully recharged in just 8 hours from a standard domestic 220v socket.
Photo: Fiat IVECO Daily
Three other electric vehicles, an Iveco Daily for luggage transport and two Iveco Europolis buses, will also be used inside the military compound. Distributor panels equipped with electric sockets have also been provided to recharge these vehicles.
Photo: Fiat Professional Ducato
The 85 Fiat Professional vehicles include 75 Scudo Panorama, Doblò Cargo and Ducato Cargo commercial vehicles and 10 natural gas Fiat Ducato Panorama 140 Natural Power vehicles, which provide high performance, reduced fuel consumption and low emissions.
Photo: Fiat IVECO Massif
The G8 fleet is completed by 10 Iveco Massifs (5-door Station Wagon) already in use by the Civil Defense. This 4x4 vehicle is capable of operating in extreme off-road conditions with gradeability at full-load of 100%.
Photo: Fiat Lingotto Building.
Photo: Fiat Abarth Plant
As a pioneer of the car industry, Fiat built its first car in 1899. Over 90 million cars and light commercial vehicles have been produced since then and many of its models have marked important milestones in motoring history.
Fiat Group Automobiles (FGA) designs, produces and sells automobiles under the Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Abarth brands, and light commercial vehicles under the Fiat Professional brand. Each brand has its own unique identity and distinct commercial and marketing practices.
Source: FIAT S.p.A., Turin, Italy.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:27 PM | Link to this Post
June 10, 2009
Nokia N97 Mobile Computer Will Soon Become Available Worldwide
The highly anticipated Nokia N97, Nokia's flagship mobile computer, will begin selling in June in more than 75 countries.
This was announced by NOKIA at its headquarters in FINLAND.
Along with a tilting 3.5" touch display, QWERTY keyboard and a fully customizable home screen, the Nokia N97 will offer instant access to the full range of Ovi services.
"The Nokia N97 is an important step towards our vision of delivering a highly personalized Internet experience," said Jonas Geust, Vice President and head of Nokia Nseries. "Fuelled by a multitude of music, maps, games, media and applications via Ovi, the Nokia N97 transforms the Internet into an experience that's completely tailored to the tastes and interests of its owner."
The Nokia N97 is Nokia's first device to feature a personalizable home screen, which can be customized with a range of widgets which bring live information directly to the device. These widgets include key social networking destinations like Facebook and Hi5, news services like the Associated Press, Bloomberg and Reuters, as well as shopping and weather information. The Nokia N97 is the first device to ship with the Ovi Store, which offers easy access to applications, games, videos, podcasts, productivity tools, web and location-based services, and much more. Ovi Store has paid and free content from a range of global and local content providers and developers, including Paramount Pictures, Facebook and Qik, as well as a selection of Twitter applications.
As with any computer, people can constantly improve and refresh their Nokia N97 with new features, functions and fixes so they can do even more with the device. An exciting roadmap of new features and functions is planned to roll out in the second half of 2009.
The Nokia N97 also has direct access to the huge catalogue of music in the Nokia Music Store. With multiple high-speed connectivity options and 32GB of storage (up to 48GB using a microSD card) it is possible to directly download and store tens of thousands of songs on the handset. And you can listen to your favourite music on the Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-905, which Nokia also launched today. This headset brings crystal clear sound, eliminates background noise, and is the ideal accessory for listening to music and making calls on the Nokia N97, as well as being compatible with a diverse range of other mobile and music devices.
High-quality images and video clips at 30 frames per second (fps) can be captured using the 5 megapixel camera with integrated Carl Zeiss optics. Images can also be geo-tagged to specific locations and shared instantly with friends or uploaded online via Ovi Share, Twitter or Flickr.
Source: Nokia Headquarters, Finland
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 6:33 AM | Link to this Post
