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Photo: Porsche Launched the New Boxster Spyder to World Media in Los Angeles.
Today, at a press conference at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Porsche took the wraps off one of its most nimble and sportiest mid-engine cars: the 2011 Boxster Spyder.
• Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., is the exclusive importer of Porsche vehicles for the United States. It is a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing.h.c. F. Porsche AG.
Photos: Porsche rolled out its new Boxster Spyder for the first time at a press conference at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. Helping usher in the sports car for this world debut was Austria's freestyle rock drummer Alfred Vogel. (Porsche Cars North America, Inc., Axel Koester)
"The new Boxster Spyder looks distinctly different from its Boxster siblings," said Klaus Berning, Porsche's executive board member responsible for worldwide sales and marketing, speaking at the Los Angeles Auto Show press conference today. "Our designers borrowed from the rich history of our mid-engine sports and race cars of the '50s, but under the skin it has our most advanced technology so that its performance matches the Spyder's looks, making it the quintessential purist Porsche."
"When equipped with Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission and the Sports Chrono Package, the new Spyder, using Launch Control, accelerates from a standstill to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. Top track speed is 166 mph -- with the roof open."
Weighing only 2,811 lbs. and delivering 320 horsepower, it goes on sale in February 2010 and will join the Boxster and Boxster S that made their world debut here last year.
Source: Porsche
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:20 PM | View the original post
Photo: Platts' new 100-year anniversary global branding ad for oil rolled out in February issue of UK's Energy Risk Magazine; first in a series of Platts' 2009 ads to highlight the commodities it covers: Oil, Petrochemicals, Electricity, Natural Gas, Metals and Renewable Fuels.
• United States crude oil production for 2009 is on target to have its biggest one-year jump since 1970, according to a Platts analysis of industry data.
Platts, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, is a leading global provider of energy and commodities information.
With U.S. oil production averaging 5.268 million barrels per day (b/d) through October, the gain in U.S. output will be the most since the country produced 9.637-million b/d in 1970, which turned out to be the peak year of U.S. crude output, according to Platts' analysis of data published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). If that 5.268 million b/d figure holds through December, this year would show a 6.4% boost from the 4.95 million b/d average of 2008 and rank as the best U.S. oil production year since 2004, when output averaged 5.419 million b/d.
Projections from the U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) indicate that the primary driver for this year's U.S. oil production resurgence is actually just getting started. That driver is the Gulf of Mexico, where operators have begun launching a group of new fields, fulfilling what has been a decade-long focus on unlocking the promise of deepwater exploration there.
Photo: Oil tanker and offshore drill on ocean.
In its reporting, Platts concluded that with the jump in the Gulf of Mexico, combined with the emergence of two other new oil-production trends, it appears the U.S. has a chance of at least maintaining oil output in the range of five million to six million b/d for some years to come.
The Gulf posted its biggest oil production year in 2002 with 1.556 million b/d, but only 61% of that total came from deepwater. In contrast, this year the MMS projects oil output of 1.213 million b/d with 76% from deepwater as the Gulf ramps toward an expected new oil production record of 1.635 million b/d by 2011.
Besides growth in the Gulf, those other trends involve further development of the Bakken Shale oil play in North Dakota and success by a group of operators now training their onshore exploration sights toward new oil targets at the expense of natural gas.
Photo: Oil Rig at Sunset.
As for companies shifting their strategies, that group includes large Houston independent and Bakken pioneer EOG Resources, which has set a goal of shifting from a 70% gas production share to a 50:50 oil and gas mix by 2011 with a comprehensive review of additional potential North American shale oil targets.
This rise in output has helped the U.S. reduce its net imports -- defined as imports less exports, both crude and petroleum products -- by a substantial amount. While there are many factors that go into the United States' net import figure, the decline has been striking, according to EIA data.
And while the drop in U.S. consumption can be seen as accounting for much of that decline, the U.S. also has put more than 140 million barrels of crude oil and products into inventory since the beginning of October 2008, something made possible in part by the rise in crude oil output.
Source: Platts
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:39 AM | View the original post
Photo: Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Mascots Quatchi, Sumi and Miga (© VANOC/COVAN).
Photo: Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Whistler Olympic Park (© VANOC/COVAN).
Photo: Panasonic to Deliver Full Lineup of HD Equipment to Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Panasonic Corporation, the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, announced it is providing a full lineup of High-Definition (HD) equipment to support the broadcast of the Olympic Games; delivering the largest supply of AV equipment for any Winter Games in the company's history.
Through cooperation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and Olympic Broadcasting Services Vancouver (OBSV), Panasonic will supply its HD video equipment to the competition venues and broadcasting locations, making the Vancouver Games the first Olympic Winter Games to be broadcast completely in HD format.
Following Beijing 2008, all international video signals for the 2010 Winter Games will be produced and distributed in HD format from the International Broadcasting Center (IBC) to rights-holding broadcasters around the world. In addition, the HD video signals will also be used for the first time for display on the LED Large Screen Display Systems in the competition venues and BC Place Stadium where the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will take place; making the 2010 Winter Games the first "HD Olympic Winter Games" with all the Olympic videos to be delivered completely in HD.
In addition, Panasonic will support a safe and secure Olympic operation by providing high-quality picture and high-sensitivity surveillance camera systems for the indoor and outdoor Olympic facilities, the surrounding areas and highways.
Sources: Panasonic Corporation; Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).
|GlobalGiants.com|
"Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games will take place in February 2010. Relevant consumer-oriented businesses targeting audiences in participating countries (especially those in North America) may timely explore this advertising opportunity."
© GlobalGiants.Com. All Rights Reserved.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:02 AM | View the original post
Photo: Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and New Jersey Congressman Rush Holt (center) visit a diagnostic imaging suite during a tour of University Medical Center at Princeton today. Speaker Pelosi and Rep. Holt held a press conference at the hospital to discuss the need for healthcare reform in America. Pictured at left is Barry S. Rabner, president and CEO of Princeton HealthCare System. (Photo Credit: Princeton HealthCare System. Photographer: Richard Titus)
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:10 PM | View the original post
Photo: Marriott International will expand its green hotel portfolio ten-fold in five years, with a new green hotel prototype for its Courtyard brand that will be pre-certified LEED(R) (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the U.S. Green Building Council. Shown here, the Courtyard Portland City Center, which is certified LEED-Gold. (© Marriott International, Inc., William James Photography)
• Marriott International, Inc. announced today that it will expand its green hotel portfolio ten-fold over the next five years by introducing a green hotel prototype that will be pre-certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), an internationally recognized green building certification system designed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
The green hotel prototype, which will be available in April 2010, will save owners approximately $100,000 and six months in design time, and reduce a hotel's energy and water consumption by up to 25 percent.
The green hotel prototype, referred to by the USGBC as "volume build certification," has been created for Marriott's Courtyard brand, which has a development pipeline of nearly 160 hotels worldwide. In 2010, the company expects to introduce similar green hotel prototypes for its Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites brands, which represent more than 290 hotels in the pipeline worldwide.
"Marriott's' commitment makes it among the first in the world to commit to implementing green buildings on this scale," said Doug Gatlin, Vice President, USGBC. Marriott was the first hospitality member of the USGBC, and has more than 20 LEED accredited professionals on staff.
While many of the benefits of LEED certification, such as improved energy savings, better indoor air quality and reduced CO2 emissions, are transparent to guests, others are easier to identify such as easy access to public transportation, in-room recycling, and light sensors in the guest rooms.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:09 AM | View the original post
U.S. Civil servant and retired Army General honored for "outstanding service to America, commitment to ethical conduct"
General Colin Powell, former US Secretary of State, received the American Patriot of Character Award presented by The Character Education Partnership during their 16th annual National Forum on Character Education, in Alexandria, VA.
The American Patriot of Character Award honors one American citizen whose leadership exemplifies the very best of the nation's founding principles.
"The award recognizes individuals not only for great success in their chosen field, but also for upholding the highest ethical standards in service of the common good." "General Powell is a remarkable public servant who has truly made a positive difference in our nation," CEP's executive director Joe Mazzola said. "He is a shining example of integrity for young people, and all American citizens, to emulate. We are honored to have him as the first recipient of this award."
In his acceptance remarks Powell talked about his family's emphasis on good character and achievement.
General Powell also congratulated the National Schools of Character award winners who were in attendance to receive their awards. He commended the educators for their efforts to develop students of good character.
Character Education Partnership advocates for quality, comprehensive character education in U.S. schools. It is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition of organizations and individuals based in Washington, DC.
Source: Character Education Partnership
|GlobalGiants.com|
"Most people say that is it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character."
-- Albert Einstein
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:15 AM | View the original post
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 the Editor | 9:58 AM | View the original post
• "America's Top Young Scientist" Receives $50,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds.
Discovery Education and 3M today awarded Marina Dimitrov of Bozeman, MT with the title of "America's Top Young Scientist" as winner of the 2009 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Dimitrov was one of 10 finalists who competed today in a series of live science challenges at Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City. A student of Sacajawea Middle School, Dimitrov will receive $50,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds ($25,000 cash value) and a trip to 3M's global headquarters to meet with some of the world's best scientists.
Photo: Marina Dimitrov, an eighth grade student at Sacajawea Middle School in Bozeman, Montana, today was named America's Top Young Scientist and received $50,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds ($25,000 cash value) as the winner of the 11th annual Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Dimitrov showcased scientific innovation and creativity through a series of challenges, including the removal of graffiti from replicas of New York City icons.
Selected from a field of hundreds of students across the country, the finalists tackled live challenges focused on "The Science of Everyday Life," and used their science prowess to:
1. Invent a solution to a common problem using only household items.
2. Remove impurities from water.
3. Restore an historic icon.
4. Build a tower that can withstand a simulated earthquake.
Finalists were evaluated by a panel of judges on their science skills and their ability to communicate scientific knowledge.
Finalists were awarded an all-expenses paid trip to New York City, a $1,000 cash prize, a personalized competition medal, an assortment of 3M products, the Science Channel Essential Space Collection DVD from www.DiscoveryStore.com, as well as a DVD set from Discovery Education featuring programs such as Discovery Channel's award-winning PLANET EARTH.
Photo (Added October 16): U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Dr. John P. Holdren congratulate Marina Dimitrov (along with her parents) of Bozeman, MT on being named "America's Top Young Scientist," winner of the 2009 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, on October 8, 2009.
Source: Discovery Communications
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:43 PM | View the original post
The International VELUX Award 2010 is now open for registration. The Award challenges students of architecture worldwide to work with daylight in architecture under the overall theme "Light of Tomorrow". This was announced today in Copenhagen, Denmark.
"Our vision is to promote daylight and quality of life. We present the International VELUX Award every second year to encourage students all over the world to explore the theme of sunlight and daylight in its widest sense and to propose new ideas and approaches for a sustainable future," says VELUX CMO Michael K. Rasmussen.
The Award contains no specific categories and no requirements to the use of any specific materials or VELUX products. The Award, however, seeks to widen the boundaries of daylight in architecture through an open-minded and experimental approach, taking advantage of the students' curiosity, willingness to take risks and to experiment considering social, psychological and environmental dimensions of light.
Photo: The International VELUX Award 2010 for Students of Architecture is open for registration for students of architecture and their teachers from all over the world. The award challenges students of architecture to explore the theme of sunlight and daylight in its widest sense to create a deeper understanding of this specific and ever-relevant source of light and energy.
• International jury to evaluate all entries
The jury for the International VELUX Award 2010 will be announced by the end of 2009. The jury is comprised of renowned architects. Among the jury members participating in previous Awards were Glenn Murcutt (AUS), Kengo Kuma (JP), Per Olaf Fjeld (NO) and Hani Rashid (USA).
Hani Rashid, chairman of the jury for the 2008 Award reflects on the quality of the projects for the Award: "I was very surprised to see students from all over the world who confront the problem of light, the large amount of work and its quality. The way they represent their ideas of "Light of tomorrow" is inspiring."
The International VELUX Award is part of the continuous VELUX effort to establish close relations with building professionals and future generations of architects.
The Award is organized in cooperation with the International Union of Architects (UIA) and the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE).
Source: International VELUX Award, Copenhagen, Denmark.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:48 AM | View the original post
• Mergent Inc., in partnership with financial industry veterans Jeff McMains, CFA and Chris Rowberry, CFA have formed Intrinsic Research Systems, Inc. to provide next generation equity analytics applications and databases to the institutional investment management community.
• The Intrinsic Research platform will make its debut at the CFA Institute's Equity Research and Valuation Conference on December 3, 2009 in New York.
According to Mergent, Intrinsic is a desktop research application that is designed to help investment management professionals improve their equity research, portfolio management, economic analysis, and investment strategy decision-making processes.
"Buy-side portfolio management and equity analysis workflow requirements are the building blocks for the design of the powerful yet easy-to-use Intrinsic Research platform which includes an add-in for Microsoft Excel," informs Mergent Inc. "The platform has been built from the ground up, utilizing the latest smart client technology to enhance the end-user experience and simplify IT deployment. Robust graphical valuation analysis capabilities form the cornerstone of the Intrinsic application suite. Intrinsic's integrated central database of clean and deep company, industry, sector, economic and quantitative data has been specially constructed to highlight both short-term and long-term valuation and growth trends."
In addition to fundamental analytics, Intrinsic offers integrated access to various equity analysis modules for quantitative, economic, and technical analysis as well as screening, scoring and report-writing capabilities.
"We are excited to bring to market a dynamic application that covers all aspects of the equity selection process," says Jeff McMains, CFA. "Our clients will embrace a platform that is continually evolving with new features and data, particularly as compared to many of the technically outdated research systems available today."
Jonathan Worrall, CEO of Intrinsic and Mergent adds, "The combined forces of Intrinsic and Mergent provides a bright new choice for portfolio managers and analysts that demand cutting edge equity analytics and highly detailed data. Together, we leverage over a century of data experience and the expertise to transform that data into precise, actionable information that empowers the buy-side community."
Mergent, Inc. is a leading provider of critical business and financial data on global publicly listed companies, indices and exchanges. The company is headquartered in New York, NY, and Charlotte, NC, with sales offices in key North American cities as well as London, Tokyo, Toronto, Sydney and Hong Kong.
Source: Mergent, Inc.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:00 AM | View the original post
Photo: Edward Burtynsky, SOCAR Oil Fields #3, Baku, Azerbaijan, 2006. Chromogenic color print. (© Corcoran Gallery of Art).
Corcoran Gallery of Art has invited the media to an exclusive preview of Edward Burtynsky: Oil.
Organized by the Corcoran, this exhibition will show 56 large-scale color landscapes, many on view for the first time, by Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky.
The exhibition opens to the public on Saturday, October 3, 2009.
Edward Burtynsky: Oil is organized by the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., and sponsored by the Scotiabank Group.
"For Oil, Burtynsky traveled for more than a decade to chronicle the global production, distribution, and use of oil, the energy source that has shaped the modern world," informs Corcoran. "This world premiere exhibition provides a penetrating look at one of the most important subjects of our time, by one of the most respected and recognized contemporary photographers in the world."
After closing at the Corcoran on December 13, the exhibition will embark on an international tour through 2012.
Source: Corcoran Gallery of Art
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:44 AM | View the original post
Labor-Management Program to Train 1,000 Building Supers.
Photo: New York Mayor Bloomberg, along with union president Mike Fishman, launched a green building worker training program at an apartment building in Manhattan on Friday, September 25, 2009. The One Year, One Thousand Supers program, said the mayor, "is a smart, practical, effective way to help make the Big apple green.".
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined Realty Advisory Board President Jim Berg and 32BJ President Mike Fishman today in launching an ambitious green buildings program to train one thousand superintendents and resident managers in one year in the latest energy-efficient practices.
The launch of One Year, One Thousand Green Supers, which took place at a downtown apartment building, was attended by Jeff Brodsky, President of Related Management, and James O'Connor, President of Douglas Elliman, two of the first companies to have their employees participate in this labor-management green buildings program.
"By working together, 32BJ and New York's building owners have put into place a smart, practical, and effective way to help make the Big Apple green," said Mayor Bloomberg. "One Year, One Thousand Green Supers provides a low-cost way to make our buildings more energy and cost-efficient, and our environment cleaner, all while saving our city millions of dollars."
"With 77 percent of our city's greenhouse gas emissions generated by buildings, we must all work together to protect the environment," said Mike Fishman. "Making the Big Apple green starts with recognizing the vital role of building service workers."
• With more than 85,000 members in six states and Washington, DC, SEIU Local 32BJ is the largest property service workers union in the country. The union represents window cleaners, doorkeepers, building maintenance workers, cleaners, porters, and security officers in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Connecticut, Maryland, and Virginia.
• One Year, One Thousand Green Supers is part of the Thomas Shortman Training Fund. The program is a 40-hour class that provides building service workers with the latest, state-of-the-art practices in energy-efficient operations. The curriculum trains workers to identify and address wasted energy, create a green operating plan, and perform a cost-benefit analysis for building owners and managers.
"By learning how to air seal a building, improve heating and air conditioning performance and reduce overall energy use in a building's common areas, graduates can achieve substantial savings at their buildings," said Linda Nelson, Director of the Thomas Shortman Training Fund. The third and final pilot class of building service workers in the program is set to graduate next week.
• The Fund's programs provide 150,000 hours of industry, academic, and computer courses at over 20 locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
• The One Year, One Thousand Supers curriculum combines classes and field exercises with elective courses, including renewable technologies, green roofs, and water reuse.
With a growing demand for greener buildings, smarter management practices could reduce energy use in buildings by twenty to forty percent, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Source: SEIU Local 32BJ
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:46 PM | View the original post
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 the Editor | 11:44 PM | View the original post
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)
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:08 AM | View the original post
Photo: Model and photographer Helena Christensen traveled to Peru with humanitarian organization Oxfam to document the impacts of climate change on poor people ahead of an important global conference on climate. Photo Credit: Jason Mcdonald/Oxfam.
Model and photographer Helena Christensen traveled with international humanitarian organization Oxfam to her mother's native country to witness and document the dramatic effects that climate change is having on poor people today in Peru.
"The impacts of climate change are extremely severe in the areas we visited," said Christensen in Peru today. "The farmers we met and talked to are already living very hard lives, and are now being forced to adapt to the effects of the rapidly changing climate."
Christensen has documented the trip with a series of photographs that will be exhibited in New York, Washington, London and at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen this December. A short film of the expedition, captured by award-winning Director Richard Bullock, will also be shown.
"One of the women I spoke to, Elizabeth Ayma, told me that because rainfall are less frequent now and impossible to predict due to the climate changes, this is having a huge effect on crop production," said Christensen. "As a result, her family has less food to eat and less produce to sell, resulting in her not being able to afford her children's school fees. The lack of nutritional vegetables also affects her family's health."
"Climate change in Peru is already devastating and we welcome Helena's commitment to show this to the rest of the world. Peru is on the frontline of climate change, along with other developing countries, which have played little part in causing the problem," said Frank Boeren, Oxfam's coordinator in Peru. "It is crucial that rich leaders do the right thing at Copenhagen so that we can begin to stop run away climate change and protect vulnerable people around the world."
"We are at a critical tipping point. We need to put pressure on our governments in order for them to take the necessary, radical steps that are needed. There's no time left, it is absolutely imperative to act now," said Christensen.
Source: Oxfam America
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:29 PM | View the original post
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
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:04 AM | View the original post
Photo: Kim Clijsters with her Babolat tennis racquet at the Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Clijsters is preparing for her first Grand Slam tournament since coming out of retirement. The US Open starts Monday, August 31.
Babolat, leading manufacturer of tennis racquets, welcomed tennis star Kim Clijsters to New York City for the U.S. Open. Just days before her first Grand Slam appearance since 2007, Clijsters posed for pictures with Eric Babolat, president and CEO of Babolat, at the iconic Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center in New York City.
With the picturesque Manhattan skyline as the backdrop, Eric Babolat personally welcomed Clijsters back to professional tennis. "We have been working together since 1999 when Kim was only 16 years-old. She's a player with outstanding athletic and personal qualities. Our relationship is based on mutual trust. We are very glad to be with her for her comeback on the Tour," said Eric Babolat.
Today, Kim Clijsters will make her first Grand Slam appearance since pausing her professional career to devote time to her family. According to Babolat, Clijsters is returning with her familiar Babolat Pure Drive racquet in hand, strung with Babolat's VS Natural Gut.
Clijsters expressed that "Babolat has always supported me during my career. When I made the decision to go back to competition, there was no question for me, it would be with Babolat. It's great to feel the sensation of my Pure Drive again!"
Photo: Dinara Safina (RUSSIA, #1 WTA)
Photo: Andy Roddick (USA, #5 ATP)
Inventor of tennis racquet strings 134 years ago in Lyon, France, Babolat is among the world leaders in tennis racquets. Today, the brand includes a complete tennis offering for competition and club players alike: racquets, strings, shoes, bags, and accessories. Babolat equips 20% of the top 100 players in the ATP and WTA including Rafael Nadal (Spain, #3 ATP), Andy Roddick (USA, #5 ATP) and Dinara Safina (RUSSIA, #1 WTA).
Source: Babolat
|GlobalGiants.com|
• ADDENDUM
September 13, 2009
Kim Clijsters Wins U.S. Open Women's Title
Kim Clijsters of Belgium, who won the U.S. Open women's title in 2005 before taking a sabbatical from tennis, defeated Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, 7-5, 6-3, in the women's final on Sunday night (September 13, 2009) to reclaim the title.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:46 AM | View the original post
The Procter & Gamble Company and Warner Chilcott plc today announced an agreement for the sale of P&G's global pharmaceuticals business to Warner Chilcott for an up-front cash payment of $3.1 billion.
Under the terms of the agreement, Warner Chilcott, a leading specialty pharmaceuticals company, will acquire P&G's portfolio of branded pharmaceutical products, including Asacol HD (mesalamine) Delayed-Release Tablets for ulcerative colitis, Actonel (risedronate sodium) for osteoporosis, and the co-promotion rights to Enablex (darifenacin) for the treatment of overactive bladder, as well as P&G's prescription drug product pipeline and manufacturing facilities in Puerto Rico and Germany. In addition, the majority of the 2,300 employees working on P&G's pharmaceuticals business are expected to transfer to Warner Chilcott. Both companies expect the transaction to close by the end of the 2009 calendar year, pending necessary regulatory approvals.
"The acquisition of the P&G pharmaceutical brands and employee talent is a transformational, strategic move for us," said Roger Boissonneault, president and chief executive officer of Warner Chilcott. "The acquisition transforms Warner Chilcott into a global pharmaceutical company."
"This move enables us to focus singularly on winning in consumer health care - Personal Health Care, Oral Care and Feminine Care," said Bob McDonald, president and chief executive officer of Procter & Gamble.
Warner Chilcott's legal advisor is Davis Polk & Wardwell, LLP and lead financial advisors are J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated. Also advising Warner Chilcott are BofA Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. Procter & Gamble's financial advisor is Goldman Sachs and its legal advisor is Covington & Burling, LLP.
Source: Procter & Gamble; Warner Chillcott
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:46 PM | View the original post
• 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
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"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance."
-- Aristotle
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:23 AM | View the original post
All Nuclear Powers Should Commit to Multi-Lateral Negotiations for Elimination of All Nuclear Weapons.
Political and military leaders at the forefront of the Global Zero initiative, a nonpartisan international effort to achieve a phased, verifiable plan to eliminate all nuclear weapons worldwide, have expressed support for President Obama's Prague speech and the newly announced U.S.-Russian effort to eliminate nuclear weapons. And they have called on their own governments to commit now to participating in multi-lateral negotiations for an agreement to eliminate all nuclear weapons worldwide. In his speech in April, President Obama had said he will "seek to include all nuclear weapons states in this endeavor."
Air Chief Marshal (ret.) Shashindra Pal Tyagi, former Indian Air Force Chief "India has always supported the vision of a nuclear weapons free world. Now that the leaders of the U.S. and Russia have declared their desire to achieve Global Zero, India needs to actively support the movement and participate in a multi-national initiative to ensure a phased, verifiable and time-bound program to eliminate all nuclear weapons."
K. Shankar Bajpai, former Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs of India "The US-Russia summit commitment to achieving Global Zero is as heartening as it is vital. These are the two powers who must set, not just the pace, but the example we can and must all follow. To be clear, Global Zero does not rest with partial disarmament: all states must abandon all nuclear weapons. I am privileged to be among those supporting this vital cause and to join in urging all states, not least my own, to follow up on the US-Russian statement, swiftly and constructively."
Gen. (Ret.) Jehangir Karamat, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pakistan "The Obama-Medvedev declaration is a very real and tangible step towards reduction of nuclear weapons and transcends regional and other concerns. Pakistan should, and I am sure will, be supportive of this initiative."
Maj. Gen. (retired) Peng Guangqian, Chinese Defense Analyst "Elimination of all nuclear weapons globally is a long process, but most importantly, the U.S. and Russia have taken the first step. China always advocates a complete ban and ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons. As a country with nuclear weapons, China has demonstrated that it will not avoid the responsibility and obligation in nuclear disarmament."
Malcolm Rifkind, former Foreign Secretary, Defense Secretary of the United Kingdom "It is critical that all of the other nuclear powers commit now to participating in multi-lateral negotiations on an agreement to eliminate all nuclear weapons worldwide - Global Zero. Getting to Global Zero will require the phased and verified reduction of all nations' nuclear arsenals over many years. It is urgent that we begin now."
Chuck Hagel, former U.S. Senator "The launch of the North Korean missile - in addition to demanding the aggressive pursuit of the six-party talks - should be viewed as an urgent call for the leaders of all the nuclear countries to support Presidents Obama's and Medvedev's bold and historic effort to achieve the only real and lasting solution to proliferation and nuclear terrorism: the elimination of all nuclear weapons - Global Zero."
"Of course -- as is always the case in serious negotiations -- there are a host of difficult issues that must be resolved in order to reach a new arms control agreement," said Ambassador Richard Burt, who was the top U.S. negotiator for the START 1 negotiations and now leads Global Zero. "But the presidents' joint statements today make it clear that they will not let these issues stand in the way of the priority goal they set April 1: establishing joint U.S.-Russian leadership to reduce their two arsenals and to lead an international effort for the elimination of all nuclear arsenals to zero."
"The key to achieving global nuclear disarmament is the improvement of US Russia relations," said Senator Mikhail Margelov, Chair of the Committee of International Relations in the Russian Federation Council and a founding member of the Global Zero initiative. "We face a number of stumbling blocks including the expansion of NATO and missile defense systems in Eastern Europe, but these are issues we can work through. Our main goal must be to create a world without nuclear weapons."
Global Zero is spearheaded by a group of more than 100 leaders worldwide, including many who have worked at senior levels with issues of national security such as former heads of state, former foreign ministers, former defense ministers, former national security advisors, and more than 20 former top military commanders.
Meanwhile, former senator Sam Nunn, Co-Chairman, Nuclear Threat Initiative, has issued a statement saying "I strongly support the commitment made by the leaders of the G8 nations meeting in Italy to create the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons and to work together to reinforce global nonproliferation efforts."
"The leaders of the G8 nations have laid out an ambitious nonproliferation agenda that recognizes the fundamental principle that we are in a race between cooperation and catastrophe. Most importantly, they understand that the essential steps required to reduce nuclear dangers must be accomplished together -- with the cooperation of all nations," says Nunn. "We must do all we can to prevent nuclear weapons and materials from getting into dangerous hands, to prevent their proliferation and, ultimately, to end them as a threat to the world."
Sources: Global Zero, Nuclear Threat Initiative.
Related Post: International Leaders Want All Nuclear Weapons Eliminated
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"There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time as come."
-- Victor Hugo
"There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit."
-- Napoleon Bonaparte
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:25 AM | View the original post
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