brian's blog

monster

2008-02-08T12:32:00.000-08:00

Monster Jam @ US Bank Arena - Information and Enter to Win

Monster Jam
Brought to you by Clinton County Motorsports and Series Sponsors
Advance Auto Parts and Ford Trucks

US Bank Arena
Cincinnati, OH
February 15-16, 2008
Tickets On Sale Now

Showtimes

Friday - 7:30PM

Saturday - 7:30PM

Gates Open - 6:30 PM

Ticket Prices

Gold circle - $20

Regular seats - Adults $17 / Kids $5

Tickets are available at the US Bank Arena box office and all Ticketmaster locations.

US Bank Arena
100 Broadway
Cincinnati, OH 45202
www.usbankarena.com

Party in the Pits

Pit Party is Saturday from 5-6PM

Pit Pass Vouchers available exclusively at participating Advance Auto Parts From 1/28 through 2/16. Click Here for Advance Auto Parts locations.

Vehicle Information

Monster Jam trucks including Superman, Safe Auto Minimizer, War Wagon, Freedom Force, Martial Law, and Instigator. Subject to change without notice.

Enter to Win Tickets
Saturday, February 16 Show ONLY

Enter to win FOUR TICKETS to Monster Jam. Tickets valid for SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 ONLY.

You must be 18 or older to enter and win. A random drawing will be held at noon on the following dates:

Monday, Feb. 11
Tuesday, Feb. 12
Wednesday, Feb. 13
Thursday, Feb. 14
Friday, Feb. 15

Winners must pick up their tickets at the US Bank Arena Will-Call Window on the night of the event.

Prize winners are limited to one prize per 30 days per person and per household.

Contest Participants who have already Created and Account with FOX19:
To enter the contest, simply input your e-mail address in the “Contest Entry Box” below and click "Submit". You will then be prompted to enter your personal password. After your password has been entered click “Login” and this will take you to the Contest Entry Page where you will verify your contact information, and check the box that you have read the rules and private policy statement. Click “Submit” and your entry will be sent to FOX19.

Contest Participants who have never Created and Account with FOX19:
To enter the contest, simply input your e-mail address in the “Contest Entry Box” below and click "Submit". You will then be directed to the Create an Account page in which you will enter your basic information. Please note that you are only required to enter basic information such as name, address, phone and zip code. You will also be asked to create a personal password. Be sure to write this down as it will be important for future FOX19 contests. After your information has been entered you must check the boxes that indicate you are at least 13 and that you have read the privacy policy. Once completed, click “Save” and you will be directed to the Contest Entry Page where you will verify your contact information, and check the box that you have read the rules and private policy statement. Click “Submit” and your entry will be sent to FOX19.

MAC Users or those experiencing difficulties with the form function below:
In some cases, the contest entry form software provided to FOX19 is not compatible with MAC formats. If you cannot enter via the box below, simply SEND AN E-MAIL BY CLICKING HERE . Make sure you include your Full Name, Address, City, State, Zip and Daytime Phone Number as well as CODE WORD and enter "Monster Jam" in the subject box.

Enter by Mail:
Send a post card with your full name, address and phone number to: FOX19 - 635 West 7th Street - Cincinnati, OH 45203 - Attention "Monster Jam" Contest

Good Luck!

topic from " http://www.fox19.com/Global/story.asp?S=7844451&nav=menu63_7_6 "

Toyota

2008-02-07T09:12:00.000-08:00

Emerging Markets Lift Toyota Profit

Takeshi Suzuki, senior managing director of Toyota Motor Corp., announces quarterly business results in Tokyo Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. Toyota reported a 7.5 percent increase in the October-December quarter from the previous year as booming sales in China, Europe, Africa and South America offset declining U.S. sales and a stronger yen. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara) (Katsumi Kasahara - AP)

By YURI KAGEYAMA

The Associated Press
Tuesday, February 5, 2008; 9:20 PM

TOKYO -- Sales growth in China and other emerging markets offset a decline in North America to help push Toyota's profit up 7.5 percent for its third fiscal quarter.

The maker of Prius gas-electric hybrids, Camry sedans, Corolla subcompacts and Lexus luxury cars has been flourishing as soaring gas prices boost the appeal of the Prius and other smaller models reputed for fuel efficiency.

Toyota Motor Corp., which narrowly trailed U.S. automaker General Motors Corp. for the top spot in 2007 global vehicle sales, said Tuesday it sold 2.281 million vehicles in the October-December quarter, up 5.8 percent from a year ago.

Its sales growth in emerging markets, including China, Africa and South America, as well as in Europe, more than made up for declines in North America, where sales fell 8,000 vehicles from a year earlier to 756,000 vehicles.

"We posted our highest ever quarterly results for the third quarter in both revenues and profits, despite the severe business environment," said Toyota Senior Managing Director Takeshi Suzuki.

Toyota's group profit for the quarter ended Dec. 31 rose to 458.6 billion yen ($4.29 billion) from 426.7 billion yen the same period the previous year. Quarterly sales rose 9.2 percent to 6.710 trillion yen ($62.79 billion).

Robust sales also made up for the 20 billion yen ($187.1 million) the carmaker lost from the effects of an unfavorable exchange rate. Toyota said the dollar cost about 113 yen during the third fiscal quarter, down from 118 yen in the same period a year ago.

A weak dollar erodes the value of overseas earnings for Japanese companies like Toyota, and the dollar's further decline in recent months possibly puts more pressure on Toyota in the year ahead.

But the company reaffirmed its sales forecast for the year ending March 31 unchanged at 8.93 million vehicles, up 4.8 percent from the previous year.

Toyota also kept its profit projection of 1.7 trillion yen ($15.91 billion) for the fiscal year on 25.5 trillion yen ($238.61 billion) in sales.

Worries are growing about U.S. sales amid a credit crunch, volatile stock markets and drooping consumer spending. Like other Japanese automakers, Toyota appears to be making up with robust growth in new markets, including China, Africa and Asia outside Japan.

So far, Japanese automakers have been faring better financially than their American counterparts. Japanese models with their reputation for good mileage have gotten a lift from soaring gas prices.

Profit at Nissan Motor Co. for the fiscal third quarter jumped 26.6 percent jump to 132.22 billion yen ($1.24 billion) as sales surged 18.2 percent.

Honda Motor Co., Japan's second-biggest automaker, reported a 38.1 percent jump in profit for the October-December quarter to 200 billion yen ($1.87 billion).

On Tuesday, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. reported a profit of 21.7 billion yen ($203 million) for the April-December period in contrast to a loss of 11.8 billion yen for the same period the previous year. Nine-month sales rose 26 percent to 1.95 trillion yen ($18.25 billion). It didn't report third-quarter results.

On the other hand, Ford Motor Co. lost $2.8 billion in the October-December quarter, and offered buyouts to its 54,000 U.S. hourly workers, made salary cuts and trimmed production.

General Motors, which reports earnings next week, barely retained its crown as the world's No. 1 automaker last year, selling some 3,000 more vehicles than Toyota did.

Toyota sold 9.366 million vehicles in 2007 globally, while Detroit-based GM sold 9,369,524 vehicles. GM has been the world's top seller for 77 years.

For the first nine months of its fiscal year, Toyota's profit surged 16.4 percent to 1.401 trillion yen ($13.11 billion). Sales for the period climbed 11.9 percent to 19.722 trillion yen ($184.54 billion).

Toyota shares slid 2 percent to 5,780 yen ($54) in Tokyo on Tuesday. Earnings were announced after trading ended.

Dell

2008-02-06T07:41:00.000-08:00

Dell broadens storage and simplifies services

Dell has announced details concerning the revamp of its services and storage businesses

Written by Martin Veitch

IT Week, 06 Feb 2008

Dell is revamping its services and storage efforts as it continues its quest to be seen as more than just a computer maker.

After completing the acquisition of storage area networking company EqualLogic, Dell has wasted no time in integrating the line into its storage portfolio. Best known for its iSCSI technology, EqualLogic’s products will become Dell’s PS 5000 series and help Dell drive into mid-sized businesses. Dell will offer the former EqualLogic products both directly and through resellers.

“No-one is saying one will replace the other but iSCSI presents great opportunities [compared to Fibre Channel],” said Simon Negus, vice president of services. “It’s a simplification technology and iSCSI and server virtualisation are joined at the hip; sixty-nine per cent of iSCSI early adopters are also using server virtualisation.”

Dell also cited Clipper Group research suggesting iSCSI connections will surpass Fibre Channel links in 2009. Burgeoning email attachments, increased use of multimedia and corporate governance demands are making storage more central to IT strategies.

“There’s a multiplier effect,” said Forrester Research analyst Andrew Reichman. “The more you’re storing, the more the cost of wasting storage and the greater the potential risk.”

Separately, Dell said it is simplifying its services tariffs with global specifications and shorter rosters of options for both IT helpdesks and individual remote users.

“We found our model was overly complex and made it quite difficult for users to find what service was best for them in a particular geography,” said Craig Routledge, Dell services director. “It became clear that the fragmented support model was too complex.”

Dell chief executive Michael Dell was once dismissive of companies that built large services wings but now his company sees the area as a profit centre. Routledge added that Dell plans to grow in services by exploiting acquisitions such as asset management company ASAP Software, remote service outfit Silverback Technologies and application delivery firm ACS.

Pitbull

2008-02-06T07:04:00.000-08:00

Pitbull Tells Fans To Not Buy His Album

This morning, Pitbull spoke with Big Boy's Neighborhood, a Los Angeles based morning radio show on KPWR 105.9. The rapper spoke on a variety of topics including his latest album, tour and the Superbowl. But, he also spent some time venting about his label issue.

During the broadcast, Pitbull told fans not to buy his album anymore. "Download it. Burn it," he told the Neighborhood. This statement came due to label drama that he spoke about. In a small tirade, he bashed TVT Records for lack of promotion.

"They didn't promote Lil Jon. They didn't promote Ying Yang," he added, noting that he's had to "go out of pocket" for his own promotion. With a hint of optimism, he claimed this was a learning experience that he appreciated for making him "bullet proof."

"It's like Music Industry 101."

Pit also spoke on how he's ready to move away from TVT with the next album and gave advice to other emcees.

"We don't need rappers to go at each other. We got to go at these companies. That's what I'm doing."

Later, he added that he's on his way to Atlanta, Georgia to film the finale of a video for "The Anthem" which has already been filmed in pieces throughout Miami and other parts of the world. He's on tour with Baby Bash and he's already thinking about his next LP.

topic from " http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.6331/title.pitbull-tells-fans-to-not-buy-his-album "

Paypal

2008-02-03T08:34:00.000-08:00

Paypal launches new bank withdrawal features for Filipinos
By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 18:21:00 01/29/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- Paypal has announced new bank withdrawal features to Philippines-based users, an eBay.ph customer announcement said.

Paypal is a service that allows payments and money transfers through the Internet. It is emerging as an alternative way to traditional means of payment such as checks and money order. It is currently used to process payments for online vendors and auction sites like eBay. This e-commerce service in turn charges a fee.

In an announcement sent to its eBay.ph customers, Paypal now allows both Philippines-based users of the service to withdraw their Paypal earnings from a list of banks.

A list of banks where Philippines-based users can withdraw their Paypal money is available online.

This withdrawal service is available through the profile page of Paypal users in the Philippines.

Local users are asked to provide the 9-digit bank code, account name and account number. Then they are required to follow online instructions in transferring their Paypal money to the designated bank.

Withdrawals amounting to P7,000 or more will have no transactional fees. A P50 fee is charged for withdrawals below P7,000.

To take advantage of the online service, Paypal requires that members should be verified. The verification process will take three to four business days. It also takes five to seven days for money transferred from PayPal to become available in a local bank, eBay.ph said.

topic from : "http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view/20080129-115562/Paypal-launches-new-bank-withdrawal-features-for-Filipinos "

WalMart

2008-01-29T01:12:00.000-08:00

Wal-Mart Announces States that Take the Lead in 'Football Food' Purchases

Retailer's Game Time Playbook Reveals Unbeatable Savings for Customers this Season

January 28, 2008: 11:01 AM EST

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With the biggest game of the season only one week away, Wal-Mart today released its list of states that purchase the most "football food." Determined by the number of purchases at Wal-Mart, these states have the edge when it comes to wings, pizza pies, chips, dips and snacks. Here's the scoreboard:

    # 1: Utah and Louisiana -- lead the way in sales of both breaded and
        unbreaded chicken wings
   # 2: Nebraska and South Dakota -- ahead of the pack when it comes to
        frozen pizza pies
   # 3: New Mexico and Virginia -- prevail in the potato chip category
   # 4: Kentucky and Louisiana -- the dynamo in dip sales
   # 5: South Dakota and Indiana -- the superstars of the snack mixes
   # 6: North and South Dakota -- cheer for the mixed nuts

Whether customers are throwing a party for four or a party for 40, Wal-Mart has the game time playbook to help them plan their big game get-togethers. At Walmart.com/gametime, customers can create interactive shopping lists based on the amount of guests they plan to host, find delicious recipes and get advice on how to best prepare for a party that everyone will root for. The Web site also features the interactive game, "Time Out," which is a great way for football fans and party-goers alike to warm up before kickoff.

From flatscreen HDTVs and snack foods to decor and team licensed merchandise, Wal-Mart has all the essentials to celebrate the biggest game of the year. Aisles marked "Game Time" in all of its stores will lead shoppers to select items, including:

    -- 42-inch Vizio HDTV for under $950*
   -- 12 oz. Tostitos Scoops or 15.5 oz. Tostitos dip assortment -- two for
      $5*
   -- Team jerseys from $24.83 (http://www.walmart.com)*
   -- 150-count Hefty 9" plates for $3.97*
   * Prices may vary by state and are available while supplies last.

About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Every week, millions of customers visit Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Club locations across America or log on to its online store at http://www.walmart.com. The company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of giving back locally. Wal-Mart is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $270 million to local communities in the United States. To learn more, visit http://www.walmartfacts.com, http://www.walmartstores.com, or http://www.walmartfoundation.org.

topic from" http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/LAM09228012008-1.htm "

Walmart

2008-01-29T00:31:00.000-08:00

Wal-Mart

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Type	Discount department store/Public (NYSE: WMT)
Founded	Rogers, Arkansas, USA (1962)
Headquarters	Bentonville, Arkansas, USA } Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK, (ASDA)
Key people	Sam Walton (1918–1992), Founder H. Lee Scott, CEO S. Robson Walton, Chairman Tom Schowe, CFO
Industry	Retail
Products	Discount Stores Supercenters Neighborhood Markets
Revenue	US$351.1 billion (2007)^[1]
Net income	US$11.3 billion (2007)^[1]
Total assets	US$151.193 billion (2007)^[2]
Total equity	US$61.573 billion (2007)^[2]
Employees	1.9 million (2007)^[1]
Slogan	Save Money, Live Better.(U.S.) WE SELL FOR LESS every day! (Canada)
Website	www.walmart.com

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large, discount department stores. It is the world's largest public corporation by revenue, according to the 2007 Fortune Global 500.^[3] It was founded by Sam Walton in 1962, incorporated on October 31, 1969, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972. It is the largest private employer in the world and the fourth largest utility or commercial employer, trailing the Chinese army, the British National Health Service, and the Indian Railways. Wal-Mart is the largest grocery retailer in the United States, with an estimated 20% of the retail grocery and consumables business, as well as the largest toy seller in the U.S., with an estimated 22% share of the toy market.

Wal-Mart operates in Mexico as Walmex, in the UK as ASDA, and in Japan as Seiyu. It has wholly-owned operations in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the UK. Wal-Mart's investments outside North America have produced mixed results. The company's operations in South America and China are highly successful, but it sold its retail operations in South Korea and Germany in 2006 due to sustained losses.

Wal-Mart has been criticized by some community groups, women's rights groups, grassroots organizations, and labor unions, specifically for its extensive foreign product sourcing, low rates of employee health insurance enrollment, resistance to union representation, and alleged sexism.

History

Sam Walton's original Walton's Five and Dime store in Bentonville, Arkansas, now serving as the Wal-Mart Visitor's Center

Sam Walton, a businessman from Arkansas, began his retail career when he started work on June 3, 1940, at a J.C. Penney store in Des Moines, Iowa where he remained for 18 months. In 1945, he met Butler Brothers, a regional retailer that owned a chain of variety stores called Ben Franklin. Butler Brothers offered him one in Newport, Arkansas.^[4]

Walton could neither come to agreement on the existing store's lease renewal nor find a new location in Newport. Instead, he opened a new Ben Franklin franchise in Bentonville, Arkansas, but called it "Walton's Five and Dime." There, Walton achieved higher sales volume by selling products with slightly smaller markups than most competitors.

On July 2, 1962, Walton opened the first Wal-Mart Discount City store. Within five years, the company expanded to 24 stores across Arkansas and reached $12.6 million in sales.^[6] In 1968, it opened its first stores outside Arkansas, in Sikeston, Missouri and Claremore, Oklahoma.^[7]

Incorporation and growth

The company was incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. on October 31, 1969. In 1970, it opened its home office and first distribution center in Bentonville, Arkansas. It had 38 stores operating with 1,500 employees and sales of $44.2 million. The company began trading stock as a publicly-held company on October 1, 1972, and was soon listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The first stock split occurred in May 1971 at a market price of $47. By this time, Wal-Mart was operating in five states: Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma; it entered Tennessee in 1973 and Kentucky and Mississippi in 1974. As it moved into Texas in 1975, there were 125 stores with 7,500 employees and total sales of $340.3 million.

During the 1980s, Wal-Mart continued to grow rapidly, and by its 25th anniversary in 1987 there were 1,198 stores with sales of $15.9 billion and 200,000 associates.^[7] This year also marked the completion of the company's satellite network, a $24 million investment linking all operating units of the company with its Bentonville office via two-way voice and data transmission and one-way video communication. At the time, it was the largest private satellite network, allowing the corporate office to track inventory and sales and to instantly communicate to stores.^[8] In 1988, Sam Walton stepped down as CEO and was replaced by David Glass.^[9] Walton remained as Chairman of the Board of Directors, and the company also restructured its senior management positions, elevating a cadre of executives to positions of greater responsibility.^[vague]

A renovated Wal-Mart Supercentre in Canada promoting its grocery, deli and bakery operations

Also in 1988, the first Wal-Mart Supercenter opened in Washington, Missouri.^[10] Wal-Mart expanded its superstore concept^[vague] during the 1990s, and shortly thereafter surpassed Toys "R" Us in toy sales.^[11] The company also opened overseas stores, entering South America in 1995 with stores in Argentina and Brazil. It entered Europe in 1999, buying ASDA in the UK for $10 billion.

In 1998, Wal-Mart entered the grocery business, introducing the "Neighborhood Market" concept with three stores in Arkansas.^[13] By 2005, estimates indicate that the company controlled about 20% of the retail grocery and consumables business.^[14]

In 2000, H. Lee Scott became President and CEO of the company, and Wal-Mart's sales increased to $165 billion.^[15] In 2002, Wal-Mart was listed for the first time as America's largest corporation on the Fortune 500 list, with revenues of $219.8 billion and profits of $6.7 billion. It has since remained there every year, except for 2006.

In 2005, Wal-Mart had $312.4 billion in sales, more than 6,200 facilities around the world—including 3,800 stores in the United States and 2,800 elsewhere, employing more than 1.6 million "associates" worldwide. Its U.S. presence grew so rapidly that only small pockets of the country remained further than 60 miles (100 km) from the nearest Wal-Mart.^[18]

As Wal-Mart grew rapidly into the world's largest corporation, many critics worried about the effect of its stores on local communities, particularly small towns with many "mom and pop" stores. There have been several studies on the economic impact of Wal-Mart on small towns and local businesses, jobs, and taxpayers. In one study, Kenneth Stone, a Professor of Economics at Iowa State University, found that some small towns can lose almost half of their retail trade within ten years of a Wal-Mart store opening.^[19] However, in another study, he compared the changes to what previous small town shops had faced in the past — including the development of the railroads, the advent of the Sears Roebuck catalog, as well as the arrival of shopping malls — and concluded that shop owners who adapt to changes in the retail market can thrive after Wal-Mart arrives.^[19] A subsequent study in collaboration with Mississippi State University indicated that there are "both positive and negative impacts on existing stores in the area where the new supercenter locates."^[20] (See also: Criticism of Wal-Mart: Economic impact)

Recent initiatives

In October 2005, Wal-Mart announced it would implement several environmental measures to increase energy efficiency. The primary goals included spending $500 million a year to increase fuel efficiency in Wal-Mart’s truck fleet by 25% over three years and double it within ten, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% in seven years, reduce energy use at stores by 30%, and cut solid waste from U.S. stores and Sam’s Clubs by 25% in three years. CEO Lee Scott said that Wal-Mart's goal was to be a "good steward for the environment" and ultimately use only renewable energy sources and produce zero waste.^[21] The company also designed two new experimental stores in McKinney, Texas and Aurora, Colorado with wind turbines, photovoltaic solar panels, biofuel-capable boilers, water-cooled refrigerators, and xeriscape gardens.^[22] Despite much criticism of its environmental record, Wal-Mart took a few steps in a positive direction, which included becoming the biggest seller of organic milk and the biggest buyer of organic cotton in the world, as well as reducing packaging and energy costs.^[23] Wal-Mart also spent nearly a year working with outside consultants to discover the company's total environmental impact and find where they could improve. They discovered, for example, that by eliminating excess packaging on their toy line Kid Connection, they could save $2.4 million a year in shipping costs, 3,800 trees, and a million barrels of oil.^[23]

In March 2006, Wal-Mart sought to appeal to a more affluent demographic. The company launched a new supercenter concept in Plano, Texas, intended to compete against stores seen as more upscale and appealing, such as Target. The new store has wood floors, wider aisles, a sushi bar, a coffee/sandwich shop with free Wi-Fi Internet access, and more expensive beers, wines, electronics, and other goods. The exterior has a hunter green background behind the Wal-Mart letters, similar to Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets, instead of the blue previously used at its supercenters.

On September 12, 2007, Wal-Mart introduced new advertising with the slogan, "Save Money Live Better," replacing the "Always Low Prices, Always" slogan, which it had used for the previous 19 years. Global Insight, which conducted the research that supported the ads, found that Wal-Mart's price level reduction resulted in savings for consumers of $287 billion in 2006, which equated to $957 per person or $2,500 per household (up 7.3% from the 2004 savings estimate of $2,329).^[26]

Subsidiaries

Wal-Mart's operations primarily comprises three retailing subsidiaries. Wal-Mart Stores Division U.S., Sam's Club, and Wal-Mart International.^[27] The company does business in nine different retail formats: supercenters, food and drugs, general merchandise stores, bodegas (small markets), cash and carry stores, membership warehouse clubs, apparel stores, soft discount stores and restaurants.^[27]

Wal-Mart Stores Division U.S.

A typical Wal-Mart discount department store

A typical Wal-Mart Supercenter in Madison Heights, Virginia

A Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market in Winter Springs, Florida

A typical Sam's Club store in Maplewood, Missouri

Wal-Mart Stores Division U.S. is Wal-Mart's largest business subsidiary, accounting for 67.2% of net sales for financial year 2006.^[27] It consists of three retail formats that have become commonplace in the United States: Discount Stores, Supercenters, and Neighborhood Markets. The retail department stores sell a variety of non-grocery products, though emphasis has now shifted towards supercenters, which include more grocery items. This division also includes Wal-Mart's online retailer, walmart.com. On February 6, 2007, the company launched a "beta" version of its new movie download service, mediadownloads.walmart.com, which sells 3,000 films and television episodes from all major studios and television networks.^[28] This service was discontinued on December 21, 2007.

Wal-Mart Discount Stores

Wal-Mart Discount Stores are discount department stores with size varying from 51,000 square feet (4,738.1 m²) to 224,000 square feet (20,810.3 m²), with an average store covering about 102,000 square feet (9,476.1 m²).^[27] They carry general merchandise and a selection of food. Many of these stores also have a garden center, a pharmacy, Tire & Lube Express, optical center, one-hour photo processing lab, portrait studio, and a fast food outlet. Some also have gasoline stations.

The first Wal-Mart store opened in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962. It was later remodeled and expanded into a 24-hour Wal-Mart Supercenter.

In 1990, Wal-Mart opened its first Bud's Discount City location in Bentonville. Bud's operated as a closeout store, much like Big Lots. Many locations were opened to fulfill leases in shopping centers as Wal-Mart stores left and moved into newly-built Supercenters. All of the Bud's Discount City stores closed or converted into Wal-Mart Discount Stores by 1997.^[31]^[6]

As of November 30, 2007, there were 979 Wal-Mart Discount Stores in the United States. In 2006, the busiest Discount Store in the world was located in Rapid City, South Dakota.^[32]

Wal-Mart Supercenter

Wal-Mart Supercenters are hypermarkets with size varying from 98,000 square feet (9,104.5 m²) to 261,000 square feet (24,247.7 m²), with an average of about 197,000 square feet (18,301.9 m²).^[27] These stock everything a Wal-Mart Discount Store does, and also include a full-service supermarket, including meat and poultry, baked goods, delicatessen, frozen foods, dairy products, garden produce, and fresh seafood. Many Wal-Mart Supercenters also have a garden center, pet shop, pharmacy, Tire & Lube Express, optical center, one-hour photo processing lab, portrait studio, and numerous alcove shops, such as cellular phone stores, hair and nail salons, video rental stores, local bank branches, and fast food outlets. Some also sell gasoline; distributors include Murphy Oil Corporation (whose Wal-Mart stations are branded as "Murphy USA"), Sunoco, Inc. ("Optima"), or Tesoro Corporation ("Mirastar").^[30]

The first Supercenter opened in 1988 in Washington, Missouri. A similar concept, Hypermart USA, opened in Garland, Texas a year earlier. All of the Hypermart USA stores were later closed or converted into Supercenters.

As of November 30, 2007, there were 2,435 Wal-Mart Supercenters in the United States.

Pirates of the Caribbean Walmart Commercial

Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market

Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets are grocery stores that average about 42,000 square feet (3,901.9 m²).^[27] They offer a variety of products, which include full lines of groceries, pharmaceuticals, health and beauty aids, photo developing services, and a limited selection of general merchandise.

The first Neighborhood Market opened in 1998 in Bentonville, Arkansas. As of November 30, 2007, there were 128 Neighborhood Markets in the United States.^[32]

Sam's Club

Sam's Club is a chain of warehouse clubs which sell groceries and general merchandise, often in large quantities. Sam's Club stores are "membership" stores and most customers buy annual memberships. However, non-members can make purchases either by buying a one-day membership or paying a surcharge based on the price of the purchase.^[33] Some locations also sell gasoline.^[30] The first Sam's Club opened in 1983 in Midwest City, Oklahoma ^[33] under the name "Sam's Wholesale Club".

Sam's has found a niche market in recent years as a supplier to small businesses. All Sam's Club stores are open early hours exclusively for business members and its slogan, as such, is "We're In Business for Small Business."

According to Wal-Mart's 2007 Annual Report, Sam's Club's sales during 2007 were $42 billion, or 12.1% of Wal-Mart's total 2007 sales.^[34] As of November 30, 2007, there were 586 Sam's Clubs in the United States.

Wal-Mart International

Wal-Mart store in Mexico City

Wal-Mart store in Shenzhen, China

Wal-Mart's UK subsidiary, ASDA

Wal-Mart's international operations currently comprise 2,980 stores in 14 countries outside the United States.^[35] According to Wal-Mart's 2006 Annual Report, the International division accounted for about 20.1% of sales.^[27] There are wholly-owned operations in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Puerto Rico (while PR is technically a US territory, the company's operations there are managed through its international division^[35]), and the UK. With 1.8 million employees worldwide, the company is the largest private employer in the US and Mexico, and one of the largest in Canada.^[36]

Wal-Mart has operated in Canada since its acquisition of the Woolco division of Woolworth Canada, Inc.^[37] In 2007, it operates at 278 locations, employing 70,000 Canadians, with a local home office in Mississauga, Ontario. On November 8, 2006, Wal-Mart Canada's first three Supercenters opened in Ancaster, London, and Aurora, Ontario. As of January 31, 2007, there were six Wal-Mart Supercenters in Canada.^[32] As of November 30, 2006, there were six Sam's Clubs in Ontario, in London, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Cambridge, Pickering, and Toronto).^[32] In December 2006, conversion of a Wal-Mart Discount Store into a Wal-Mart Supercenter began in Lethbridge, Alberta, making it the seventh in Canada and the first in western Canada.

Sales in 2006 for Wal-Mart's UK subsidiary, ASDA (an abbreviation of ASquith and DAiries), accounted for 42.7% of sales of Wal-Mart's international division. In contrast to Wal-Mart's US operations, ASDA was originally and still remains primarily a grocery chain, but with a stronger focus on non-food items than most UK supermarket chains (another exception being Tesco, UK's largest grocery and non-food retailer). At the end of 2007, ASDA had 340 stores, primarily ASDA Wal-Mart Supercenters, as well as ASDA Supermarkets, ASDA Living, George High Street and ASDA Essentials stores.^[38]

In addition to its wholly-owned international operations, Wal-Mart has joint ventures in China and several majority-owned subsidiaries. Wal-Mart's majority-owned subsidiary in Mexico is Walmex. In Japan, Wal-Mart owns about 53% of Seiyu.^[39] Additionally, Wal-Mart owns 51% of the Central American Retail Holding Company (CARHCO), consisting of more than 360 supermarkets and other stores in five Central American countries: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.^[40]

In 2004, Wal-Mart bought the 116 stores in the Bompreço supermarket chain in northeastern Brazil. In late 2005, it took control of the Brazilian operations of Sonae Distribution Group through its new subsidiary, WMS Supermercados do Brasil, thus acquiring control of the Nacional and Mercadorama supermarket chains, the leaders in the Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná states, respectively. None of these was rebranded. As of August 2006, Wal-Mart operates 71 Bompreço stores, 27 Hiper-Bompreço stores, 15 Balaio stores, and three Hiper-Magazines (all originally part of Bompreço). It also runs 19 Wal-Mart Supercenters, 13 Sam's Club stores, and two Todo Dia stores. With the acquisition of Bompreço and Sonae, Wal-Mart is currently the third largest supermarket chain in Brazil, behind Carrefour and Pão de Açúcar.^[41]

In July 2006, Wal-Mart announced its withdrawal from Germany due to sustained losses in a highly-competitive market. The stores were sold to the German company Metro during Wal-Mart's fiscal third quarter.^[42]^[39]

In November 2006, Wal-Mart announced a joint venture with Bharti Enterprises to open retail stores in India. As foreign corporations are not allowed to directly enter the retail sector in India, Wal-Mart will operate through franchises and handle the wholesale end.^[43] The partnership will involve two joint ventures; Bharti will manage the front end involving opening of retail outlets, while Wal-Mart will take care of the back end, such as cold chains and logistics.

Walmart Commercial

Private label brands

About 40% of products sold in Wal-Mart are private label store brands, or products offered by Wal-Mart and produced through subsidized contracts awarded to the lowest bidder.^[44] Wal-Mart began offering private label brands in 1991 with the launch of Sam's Choice, a brand of drinks produced by Cott Beverages exclusively for Wal-Mart. Sam's Choice quickly became popular, and by 1993 was the third beverage brand in the United States.^[45] Other Wal-Mart brands include Great Value and Equate in the US and Smart Price in Britain. A 2006 study talked of "the magnitude of mind-share Wal-Mart appears to hold in shoppers' minds when it comes to awareness of private label brands and retailers."^[46]

Corporate affairs

Wal-Mart's business model is based on selling a wide variety of general merchandise at "always low prices."^[27] The company refers to its employees as "associates". All Wal-Mart stores in the US and Canada also have designated "greeters", who welcome shoppers at the store entrance.

In June, 2007. Wal-Mart announced it was retiring the blue vest its 1.5 million associates wear, and replacing it with khakis and polos. The replacement was to help Wal-Mart increase sales.

Unlike many other retailers, Wal-Mart does not charge a slotting fee to suppliers for their products to appear in the store.^[48] Instead, it focuses on selling more popular products and often pressures store managers to drop unpopular products, as well as asking manufacturers to supply more popular products.^[48] More than 70% of the goods sold in Wal-Mart are manufactured in China.^[49]^[50]

On September 14, 2006, the company announced that it would phase out its layaway program, citing declining use and increased costs.^[51] Layaway ceased to be offered on November 19, 2006, and required merchandise pickup by December 8, 2006. Wal-Mart now focuses on other payment options, such as increased use of six- and twelve-month, zero-interest financing. The layaway location in most stores is now used for Wal-Mart's Site-To-Store program, which was introduced in March 2007. This enables walmart.com customers to buy goods online with a free shipping option, and have goods shipped to the nearest store for pickup.^[52]

Financial

In 2006, Wal-Mart was 67th most profitable corporation (profits divided by total revenue), behind retailers Home Depot, Dell, and Target, and ahead of Costco and Kroger.^[53] For the fiscal year ending January 31, 2006, Wal-Mart reported a net income of $12.178 billion on $344.992 billion of sales revenue (3.5% profit margin).^[54] For the fiscal year ending January 31, 2006, Wal-Mart's international operations accounted for about 20.1% of total sales.^[27] As of Jan 10, 2008, net sales for the 48-week period ending Jan 04, 2008 was $348.1 billion, up 8.6% from the previous year's results.^[55]

Governance

Wal-Mart is governed by a fifteen-member Board of Directors, which is elected annually by shareholders. S. Robson Walton, the eldest son of founder Sam Walton, serves as Chairman of the Board. Lee Scott, the Chief Executive Officer, serves on the board as well. Other members of the board include Aída Álvarez, James Breyer, M. Michele Burns, James Cash, Roger Corbett, Douglas N. Daft, David Glass, Roland A. Hernandez, Allen Questrom, Jack Shewmaker, Jim Walton, Christopher J. Williams, and Linda S. Wolf.^[56]

Notable former members of the board include Hillary Clinton (1985–1992)^[57] and Tom Coughlin (2003–2004), the latter having served as Vice Chairman. Clinton left the board before the 1992 U.S. Presidential Election, and Coughlin left in December 2005 after pleading guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from Wal-Mart.^[58] On August 11, 2006, he was sentenced to 27 months of home confinement, five years of probation, and ordered to pay $411,000 in restitution.^[59]

Competition

In North America, Wal-Mart's primary competition includes department stores like Kmart, Target, ShopKo, Meijer, and Canada's Zellers, Winners, and Giant Tiger. Competitors of Wal-Mart's Sam's Club division are Costco, and the smaller BJ's Wholesale Club chain operating mainly in the eastern US. Wal-Mart's move into the grocery business in the late 1990s also set it against major supermarket chains in both the United States and Canada. Several smaller retailers, primarily dollar stores, such as Family Dollar and Dollar General, have been able to find a small niche market and compete successfully against Wal-Mart for home consumer sales.^[60] In 2004, Wal-Mart responded by testing its own dollar store concept, a subsection of some stores called "Pennies-n-Cents."^[61]

Wal-Mart also had to face fierce competition in some foreign markets. For example, in Germany it had captured just 2% of German food market following its entry into the market in 1997 and remained "a secondary player" behind Aldi with a 19% share.^[62] In July 2006, Wal-Mart announced its withdrawal from Germany. Its stores were sold to German company Metro.^[42] Wal-Mart continues to do well in the UK, and its ASDA subsidiary is the second largest chain after Tesco.^[63]

In May 2006, after entering the South Korean market in 1998, Wal-Mart withdrew and sold all 16 of its South Korean outlets to Shinsegae, a local retailer, for $882 million. Shinsegae re-branded the Wal-Marts as E-mart stores.^[64]

Wal-Mart struggled to export its brand elsewhere as it rigidly tried to reproduce its model overseas. In China, Wal-Mart hopes to succeed by adapting and doing things the Chinese way. For example, it found that Chinese consumers preferred to select their own live fish and seafood; stores began displaying the meat uncovered and installed fish tanks, leading to higher sales.^[65]

In addition, under heavy pressure from the Chinese government, Wal-Mart accepted a form of organized labor in China. Chinese labor unions do not negotiate contracts but simply pay dues to the government, "to secure the social order." However, Chinese consumers may be more open to Americana than shoppers in Europe.

Street sign for Wal*Mart Drive near Gordon, Pennsylvania

Customer base

Each week, about 100 million customers, nearly one-third of the US population, visit Wal-Mart's US stores.^[67] Wal-Mart customers give low prices as the most important reason for shopping there, reflecting the "Low prices, always" advertising slogan that Wal-Mart used from 1962 until 2006.^[68] The average US Wal-Mart customer's income is below the national average, and analysts recently estimated that more than one-fifth of them lack a bank account, twice the national rate.^[69] A Wal-Mart financial report in 2006 also indicated that Wal-Mart customers are sensitive to higher utility costs and gas prices.^[70] A poll before the 2004 US Presidential Election indicated that 76% of voters who shopped at Wal-Mart once a week planned to vote for George W. Bush, while only 23% planned to vote for John Kerry.^[71] When measured against other similar retailers in the US, frequent Wal-Mart shoppers were rated the most politically conservative.^[72]

In 2006, Wal-Mart took steps to expand its US customer base, announcing a modification in its US stores from a "one-size-fits-all" merchandising strategy to one designed to "reflect each of six demographic groups – African-Americans, the affluent, empty-nesters, Hispanics, suburbanites and rural residents."^[73] Around six months later, it unveiled a new slogan: "Saving people money so they can live better lives". This reflects the three main groups into which Wal-Mart categorizes its 200 million customers: "brand aspirationals" (people with low incomes who are obsessed with names like KitchenAid), "price-sensitive affluents" (wealthier shoppers who love deals), and "value-price shoppers" (people who like low prices and cannot afford much more).^[68] Wal-Mart has also made steps to appeal to more liberal customers, for example, by rejecting the American Family Association's recommendations and carrying the DVD Brokeback Mountain, a love story between two gay cowboys in Wyoming.

Employee and labor relations

Labor unions, religious organizations, and environmental groups have criticised Wal-Mart for its policies and/or business practices. In particular, several labor unions blame Wal-Mart workers' unwillingness to join their organizations on the company's anti-union stance. Others disapprove of the corporation's extensive foreign product sourcing, treatment of employees and product suppliers, environmental practices, and use of public subsidies, and the impact of stores on the local economies of towns in which they operate.

In 2005, labor unions created several websites and front organizations defaming Wal-Mart's public image. These included Wake Up Wal-Mart (United Food and Commercial Workers) and Wal-Mart Watch (Service Employees International Union). By the end of 2005, Wal-Mart launched Working Families for Wal-Mart, an operation managed by Wal-Mart to tell the company's side of the story. Additional efforts to counter criticism included a PR campaign in 2005, managed through its PR website walmartfacts.com,^[81] as well as several television commercials. The company retained the PR firm Edelman to respond to negative media attention,^[82] and started interacting directly with bloggers by sending them news, suggesting topics for postings, and sometimes inviting them to visit its corporate headquarters.^[83]

Critics decry Wal-Mart's employee and workforce relations, low wages, poor working conditions, and inadequate health care. They also denounce what they call the company's anti-union policies, and claim that Wal-Mart's high turnover rate (about 70% of its employees leave within the first year) shows that workers are dissatisfied with the lack of recognition and inadequate pay.^[84]

In response, Jay Nordlinger of National Review argues that Wal-Mart is attacked simply because it is a leader of the Fortune 500 list or the largest employer in America, and a "free-market success story".^[85] Penn & Teller devoted an episode of their show to an analysis of Wal-Mart criticism as a social movement. They theorized that despite the noble rhetoric, the real motivation of "Wal-Mart haters" was rooted in human psychology. They suggested that hating Wal-Mart permits a person "to feel better about themselves" for three main reasons: They "don't run a greedy international conglomerate", they aren't Wal-Mart workers, widely considered "low-skilled, minimum wage drones", and they aren't Wal-Mart customers thought of as "toothless, welfare-getting hillbillies".

Diversity

Wal-Mart is currently facing a gender discrimination lawsuit, Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., which alleges that female employees were discriminated against in matters regarding pay and promotions. In February 2007, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a 2–1 ruling which affirmed a lower court ruling to certify the case as a class-action lawsuit; plaintiffs estimate that about 1.6 million women could be included in the suit.^[87]^[88] According to a consultant hired by plaintiffs in a sex discrimination lawsuit,^[89]^[90] in 2001, Wal-Mart's EEOC filings showed that female employees made up 72% of Wal-Mart's workforce, but only 30% of its management (a 15% difference^[vague] from the population ratio, 4% higher than the rest of the industry^[vague]). The consultant claims this ratio was typical in 1975.^[89]^[90] On April 3, 2007, Wal-Mart reported that female employees were now 61% of its workforce and 40% of its management.^[91]

A similar lawsuit, EEOC (Janice Smith) v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., was filed on August 24, 2001. It accused the retailer of discriminatory hiring practices at its London, Kentucky Distribution Center, dating back to 1995.^[92] Mauldin v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. charges that the company's denial of health insurance coverage for birth control is unfair to female employees. In 2002, the lawsuit was granted class action status, allowing all female employees after March 2001 to file claims if they were using contraceptives.^[93]

From 2002 through 2006, Wal-Mart received steadily increasing scores on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, a measure of how companies treat LGBT employees and customers. The company's rating increased from 14% in 2002 to 43% in 2004, due to an expanded antidiscrimination policy to protect gay and lesbian employees.^[94] The score increased to 57% in 2005, because of the company's new definition of family that included same-sex partners,^[95] and increased again in 2006 to a high of 65%.^[96] However, the rating for the 2008 edition dropped back to 40%, attributable to losses in two key areas: not renewing its membership in the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (which it joined in 2006), and a discrepancy from last year's study that was discovered in this year's answers and resulted in another 10-point loss. (By comparison, Target scored 80% and Kmart 100%.) As a result of the 40% rating, HRC encouraged consumers to "strongly consider other [shopping] options."^[97]

In January 2006, Wal-Mart announced that "diversity efforts include new groups of minority, female and gay employees that meet at Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville to advise the company on marketing and internal promotion. There are seven so-called Business Resource Groups: women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Gays and Lesbians, and a disabled group."

MacRumors

2008-01-15T13:50:00.000-08:00

10 new products will be out in Macworld 2008 (rumors) Jan 15, 2008 17:12

I found rumors of Macworld 2008 from Macrumors. There will be 10 new products appearing and introducing by Steve Job's keynote. I can't say this is true or not at the moment, but looks like some of the products are expected ones. Like MacBook Nano (a.k.a. MacBook Air??) and MacTouch (UMPC from Apple).

Let's see what will be the truth and what will be out soon by Apple. I really want to be there!!!

1. Mac Nano
Redesigned Mac-mini
Half the height as its predecessor

Now has an anodized aluminum shell.

2. 2GHz and 2.4GHz Santa Rosa chips
32GB flash solid state drive (64GB build-to-order option, also option for 160GB conventional HDD)
On sale at MacWorld, ships February

3. Mac Pro

Based off the Penryn chipset
Dual 2.8GHz Penryn Xeons standard
2GB of RAM standard
320GB HDD standard
Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT Graphics standard

Blu-ray built-to-order option for an extra US$400

3. MacBook Pro
Mobile Penryn Chipset
2.4GHz and 2.6GHz speeds

17-inch gets LED backlighting
15-inch gets a built-to-order higher resolution similar to the 17-inch model
Keeping the 8600M GT graphics, but upping the video memory to 256MB and 512MB
Black anodized aluminum option similar to the iPod classic
On sale at Macworld, ships February

4. Cinema displays

Built-in 2-megapixel iSight camera
Same resolutions
LED backlighting
All supports 1080HD
New prices: 20-inch, US$399; 23-inch, US$599; 30-inch, US$1,249
On sale at Macworld, available at Macworld

5. MacBook Nano
Ultraportable Mac
Same screen resolution and size as the current MacBooks: 13-inch at 1,280 x 800
1.6GHz and 1.8GHz low-voltage Core 2 Duos
Low-end model to feature a 32GB SSD and the higher-end to have a 64GB SSD
US$1,499 and US$1,999, respectively
No optical drives
Intel Integrated Graphics
10 hours of battery life
On sale at Macworld, available at Macworld

6. iPhone
SDK available at Macworld
Developers can sell their signed apps from iTunes starting March
New software includes Multimedia messaging, video recording with the camera, and an eBook reader
iPhone games available from the iTunes store
3G iPhone announced (looks similar to the existing model)
iPhone available in more countries

7. iTunes & iPod
iTunes 8 released along with Movie Rentals and eBooks
Software update for iPod classics and touches to support eBooks

8. Front Row 3.0
All Leopard-compatible Macs will be able to use it
Support for the iTunes Store
eBook Reader
SDK for third parties to make plugins
Can be controlled via Apple Remote, iPhone, or iPod touch
iCal, Mail and Safari integration

9. MacTouch
New product not in the MacBook family
Two 9-inch multitouch-sensitive widescreens, both at 1,280 x 854
Innovative, minimalist, two-way folding/sliding, dual-screen, multi-position design with magnetic clasps. Inspired by the paperback book, but thinner, more flexible, and surprisingly tough.
No optical drive or mechanical HDD, uses an SSD drive.
Will run most existing OS X apps when in dual-screen mode; second screen becomes keyboard and touchpad
iPhone-ish springboard when in single-screen mode
Multitouch-sensitive version of iPhoto
Bluetooth, 802.11b/g, USB 2.0, optical/analog audio in/out, built-in speakers & microphone.

1998 - 2008: A Decade of Apple Design

"topic from " http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/digihunter/post.htm?id=63001808 "

Engadget

2008-01-15T13:28:00.000-08:00

Gizmodo’s main rival Engadget silent about CES monitor prank

Posted by Russell Shaw @ 2:17 pm

Truthfully, many of us in the online “press,” as well as in dead-tree media, probably spend a bit too much time analyzing ourselves.

In the blogosphere, one of the more egregious examples of this is our examination of whether or not that unnamedGizmodo blogger was just having fun.using a, well, gizmo to shut off monitors at the Motorola and Panasonic booths at CES- or whether his actions were childish and commercially harmful electronic vandalism.

Seemingly, everyone weighed in, including most all of Gizmodo’s direct and indirect competitors. Here in our shop, some of us got in on the action.

But unless I am overlooking something, Gizmodo’s most direct competitor has remained totally silent about the incident.Not a peep about it on Engadget.

Having formerly worked for another site in the same stable as Engadget is, my take is that Engadget chose not to get into the fray as to not stoop down to the level Gizmodo did here.

From Ryan on down, Engadget properly views themselves through a serious journalism prism.

That said, It would be unthinkable for any Engadget blogger to do something as childish as the Gizmodo blogger does. So for Engadget to go on at length about childish pranks, it would be as if Foreign Policy magazine wrote about Paris Hilton rather than Paris, the city.

A Nice Engadget Commercial

topic from "http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=3044 "

Mac Air

2008-01-15T12:36:00.001-08:00

MacBook Air - First thoughts

At Macworld 08 Steve Jobs introduced us to Apple’s latest addition to the Mac family - MacBook Air. What’s so special about the MacBook Air? It’s the world’s thinnest, most portable notebook.

The dimensions of the MacBook Air are unbelievable - 0.16-0.76 inch (0.4-1.94 cm) high by 12.8 inches (32.5 cm) by 8.94 inches (22.7 cm) and the whole package comes in at 3.0 pounds (1.36 kg). Despite the small size, the MacBook Air is equipped with a 13.3-inch widescreen TFT panel capable of 1280 by 800 native resolution, and a full-size keyboard (which is backlit) with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys

The system is based on Intel’s Core 2 Duo processor range and comes in either 1.6 or 1.8GHz flavors and 2GB of DDR2 RAM. Also squeezed in to this tiny aluminum box is an 80GB drive or an optional 64GB solid-state drive.

It seems that Apple has also caught the environmental bug - the MacBook Air seems like it’s a little better for the sky (and the water, trees and everything else) than other Macs:

Highly recyclable, mercury-free aluminum enclosure
Mercury-free LCD display with arsenic-free glass
PVC-free internal cables
Largely recyclable, low-volume packaging
Meets ENERGY STAR requirements
MacBook Air received a Silver rating from EPEAT

Peripheral connections seem a little mean - a single USB port, an audio out port and a micro-DVI port. No Ethernet, no modem (sold separately as USB adaptors)

Also, the MacBook Air doesn’t ship with an optical drive. If you want one you have to buy the optional MacBook Air SuperDrive($99).

Here are some prices for you to mull over:

1.6GHz, 80GB MacBook Air - $1,799.00
1.6GHz, 64GB SSD - $2,798.00
1.8GHz, 80GB MacBook Air - $2,099.00
1.8GHz, 64GB SSD - $3,098.00

One downside that I can see - the battery is not user replaceable. This is starting to become a trend for Apple. I guess it’s a good way to build a level of obsolescence into a product so people come back in the future and buy again. Not sure how ethical, customer-friendly or environmentally-friendly that is thought.

Apple sure has a way of making the small seem big. My prediction is that this is going to be a huge hit for Apple.

MacBook Air & MacTouch

topic from "http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=1155"

vampira

2008-01-15T07:57:00.000-08:00

Heather Saenz / Associated Press

Maila Nurmi, in a 2005 photo, portrayed Vampira, a vivacious vampire who hosted scary late-night movies during the 1950s.

Maila Nurmi; actress created early TV's Vampira character

By Jocelyn Y. Stewart, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
8:52 AM PST, January 15, 2008

In the early days of television, when horror movies were often campy by nature, actress Maila Nurmi created the character Vampira, a glamorous ghoul who as hostess of late-night fright films in the 1950s layered on her own brand of camp.

Vampira played with her pet tarantula, gave gruesome recipes for vampire cocktails and bathed in a boiling caldron. With a knack for the double-entendre and the requisite blood-chilling scream, Vampira was a hit.

Maila Nurmi

Vampira

The character won Nurmi short-lived fame and a dedicated cult following. Nurmi claimed Vampira was also the uncredited inspiration for later ghoulish yet glamorous female characters in film and television, including Elvira.

Nurmi, who also appeared in the 1959 Edward D. Wood Jr. movie "Plan 9 From Outer Space," was found dead in her Hollywood home Jan. 10. The cause of death was still being investigated, said Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles County coroner's office. Nurmi was believed to be 85, although sources offer conflicting dates of birth.

Born Maila Syrjäniemi in Finland, Nurmi immigrated to the United States when she was a toddler. By 17, she had dropped her surname and taken on that of her famous uncle Paavo Nurmi, a world-class runner known as the "Flying Finn." In her teens, she moved to New York, and then Los Angeles, to pursue a career in acting.

Little came of Nurmi's efforts to land conventional leading roles in theater or on-screen. The unconventional came calling in 1953, after Nurmi attended a Hollywood masquerade ball dressed as the ghoul of Charles Addams' New Yorker cartoons.

"I bound my bosoms, so that I was flat-chested," Nurmi said, "and I got a wig, and painted my body a kind of a mauve white pancake with a little lavender powder so that I looked as though I'd been entombed."

Nurmi's costume was judged the best at the ball, according to an article that was posted last week on vampirasattic.com, her website. Months later, a KABC-TV producer tracked her down and offered her work as hostess of a late-night horror show.

In creating Vampira, Nurmi said she went beyond the Addams cartoon, developing an alter ego influenced by beatnik culture and her experiences as a child of the Depression.

Vampira wore a low-cut tattered black dress that showed off her impossibly small waist (courtesy of a waist cincher) and displayed more cleavage than was common for the day. With her 6-inch-long nails and dark, dramatically arched eyebrows, watching Vampira was "a release for people."

"The times . . . were so conservative and so constrained," Nurmi said in a video interview that was posted on her website. "There was so much repression, and people needed to identify with something explosive, something outlandish and truthful."

Shortly after her debut, Vampira appeared in Life magazine, and soon there were fan clubs around the world.

"I was high-rolling in Hollywood, and I was quite full of myself," Nurmi said in a 1994 interview with People magazine.

But in 1955, KABC canceled her show, and the result was a stinging decline. When she met Wood at a party during the height of her career, she felt nothing but disdain, she told People magazine, but when he approached her in 1956 and offered her $200 to appear in his movie, she accepted the offer.

"I was scraping by on $13 a week," she said in the People article. "I thought, 'Well, here I go. I'm going to commit professional suicide right now.' "

"Plan 9 From Outer Space," a zombie movie, has been called the worst movie ever. She appeared in a few more movies, but by the 1960s, Nurmi's career had taken a turn toward oblivion.

"I'm a lady linoleum-layer," she told a Times reporter in 1962. "And if things are slow in linoleum, I can also do carpentry, make drapes or refinish furniture." And for 99 cents an hour, she cleaned celebrity houses, she told Entertainment Weekly in 1994.

Nurmi opened a Vampira antique shop, but she continued to struggle to make ends meet. In the late 1980s, Nurmi filed a lawsuit against another glamorous ghoul. She alleged that Elvira had ripped off her character, copying features such as a "distinctive, low-cut, tattered black dress, emphasizing cleavage and a voluptuous figure."

The courts disagreed.

Nurmi's influence can be seen in the teen "goth" look of today, said Dana Gould, a longtime friend of Nurmi.

"She really sort of cast the mold for a look that is still around," said the comedy writer and comedian.

Director Tim Burton's film about Wood, starring Johnny Depp, introduced a new audience to Wood and Nurmi.

Later in life, Nurmi, who was divorced and had no children, began creating Vampira drawings and selling them on the Internet. She remained proud and protective of the character she created, Gould said.

"I don't have any babies or any social history that's remarkable, so I'm leaving something behind, you know, when the time comes to say goodbye, I'm leaving something," she said in an interview with KABC's Eyewitness News.

A memorial service is being planned

Vampira - The Glamour Ghoul

topic from "http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-nurmi16jan16,0,5653344.story?coll=la-home-local "

bobby jindal

2008-01-15T05:36:00.000-08:00

Jindal Takes Helm of Troubled Louisiana

Matthew Hinton

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who was inaugurated Monday, has been praised by residents — even those frustrated at the government — as bright, capable and energetic. AFP/Getty Images

Nishant, Dahiya, NPR

William Doxey, shown here in a shack next to his trailer where he stores his oysters, says it seems that the government is trying to drive people out of the coastal areas.

Nishant Dahiya, NPR

New building laws in Cameron Parish on the Gulf of Mexico require houses to be built 12 to 14 feet off the ground.

All Things Considered , January 14, 2008 · Bobby Jindal, Louisiana's new governor, was sworn in to office Monday afternoon. Jindal takes over a state that's still struggling to recover from hurricanes Rita and Katrina which pounded the region in 2005.

More than two years later, people all along coastal Louisiana are still trying to rebuild their homes, lives and communities. And while Jindal handily won the governor's race, many in Louisiana are still leery of a government they think let them down after the storms hit two years ago.

Cameron, La.

Cameron is a small, gritty port town in the western Louisiana bayou near the border with Texas. Boats that service the oil and gas rigs in the Gulf of Mexico tie up along Cameron's docks next to shrimp and fishing boats.

Hurricane Rita hit here on Sept. 24, 2005, less than a month after Katrina slammed into New Orleans. Before Hurricane Rita, the town had 2,000 residents; immediately after, it had none.

William Doxey, 78, runs a small seafood business in Cameron buying and selling oysters and shrimp. He remembers what the town looked like after the hurricane.

"Not nothing here. Nothing. Everything was gone," Doxey said.

The storm surge from Rita drove 14 feet of water through Doxey's property. The water took his house and business with it. Doxey now lives in a beat-up, second-hand trailer that he has parked next to the concrete slab of his old house.

After the storm, he got $37,000 from the state's housing recovery program, called Road Home program. He says it's not enough to rebuild, but he's sick of fighting with the state about it.

If he had the money to rebuild, new zoning regulations would require him to elevate his house 14 feet above sea level. It seems that the government is trying to drive people out of the coastal areas, Doxey said.

Why does Doxey stay? He says he was born and raised in Cameron, and it's where he lives and works now. "Why should I go somewhere else and starve? They're not going to feed you once you move out of here," Doxey said.

Doxey doesn't expect things in his part of Louisiana to change with the inauguration of Jindal as governor. If Cameron gets rebuilt, he says, it will be as a result of the locals — not the politicians in Baton Rouge.

Lake Charles , La.

Thirty miles north of Cameron, the city of Lake Charles was also battered by Hurricane Rita, and it's still dealing with the effects of the storm. The airport terminal hasn't yet been rebuilt. Some houses are still draped in the blue tarps FEMA handed out after the storm to prevent further damage.

And as the economy continues to sputter, Macy's announced last week that it will close its department store in Lake Charles.

Randy Roach, mayor of Lake Charles, says the Rita recovery effort in southwest Louisiana is making progress, but it's been hampered by so many contractors heading east to deal with the Katrina damage in New Orleans.

By capturing 54 percent of the vote, Bobby Jindal won the governor's office outright in the primary. Mayor Roach says the rush of voters to Jindal was, in part, a response to the storms.

"I think they made people think about what's really important: What do we really need to be focusing on, what do we really need to be doing and how do we want to go about doing it?" Roach said.

Jindal offered vision and leadership for the ailing state, Roach said.

Jindal is a conservative Republican and a devout Catholic. He was first elected to the U.S. Congress in 2004. At 36, he's young, but Roach says Jindal's youthful energy is one of his greatest assets.

New Orleans

Two hundred miles east of Lake Charles, New Orleans continues to clean up from the worst natural disaster in American history — although many city residents say the damage from Katrina wasn't natural.

Darlene Martin, who lives in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans, says her house wasn't damaged by Hurricane Katrina itself. Instead, her house was destroyed by the flooding of her neighborhood that followed the hurricane. Martin blames the federal government, pointing out that, had the New Orleans branch of the Army Corps of Engineers properly maintained the city's levee system, she would have been back in her home two days after Katrina hit.

Martin had flood insurance, which covered the $200,000 in damages to her property. But because the Road Home program does not cover properties that had flood insurance, she got no compensation from the program.

"I think the government should compensate us for what we have endured — eight months in isolation up in Baton Rouge, commuting back and forth and then having to live in my house while it is rebuilt," Martin said.

More than two years later, her neighborhood is still a long way from normal. Some houses, like Martin's, are completely rebuilt. The lawns are mowed. Mardi Gras decorations are up. But the new homes are often right next to gutted houses with weeds and debris covering the yard.

Martin is angry at how the Louisiana government dealt with Katrina and its aftermath. Her neighborhood is coming back, she says, thanks to volunteers.

Ask Martin about Bobby Jindal taking over as governor, and her tone softens. She praises Jindal as bright, capable and energetic.

Despite her frustration and anger toward the public sector right now, she's hopeful the new governor can do "a lot of good" for Louisiana.

Bobby Jindal - War on Corruption - TV Ad

topic from " http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18081095

belinda gavin

2008-01-15T04:58:00.000-08:00

American Gladiators: Preview of Tonight's Episode

Monday, January 14, 2008

After the successful premiere of NBC's American Gladiators and the promising debut in its regular time slot last Monday, the competitive series will attempt to flex its ratings with tonight's new episode.

Read on to find out what's in store for the third episode of American Gladiators.

Last week, life coach Siene Silva took on Christie Phillips, a karate instructor and mother of two, while Satellite Engineer Adonis Locket fought radiation control technician Jeff Big Country Chapman for the men's side. Tonight, another round of rough competition will take place as a soccer mom attempts to defeat a rodeo queen.

Episode 3 features Monica Carlson as she battles it out with rodeo pro Belinda Gavin. Carlson is a 32-year-old mother of twins and a former Portland Trailblazer dancer, while Gavin is a 36-year-old bull rider originally from Australia.

On the men's side, Adam Levin, who lost his home in the Hurricane Wilma, goes up against high school teacher Sharaud Moore. Levin is a 29-year-old shark fisherman who moved to Bedford, Texas in attempt to start a new life. Moore, on the other hand, is a 30-year-old teacher who specializes in algebra and is one of the original “Freedom Writers.”

Described by the network as “one of the hardest hitting episodes to date,” this installment finds the gladiators as they defend their arena with increased strength and viciousness, while they try to make their contenders pay the price.

Hosted by wrestling icon Hulk Hogan (Hogan Knows Best) and Laila Ali (Dancing with the Stars) , American Gladiators matches a cast of amateur athletes against each other, as well as against the show's own "gladiators" in contests of strength and agility. In the end , the winners will receive $100,000, a 2008 Toyota Sequoia, as well as the right to become a Gladiator in season 2, which is scheduled to be taped in spring 2008 for a summer airing.

Fans can catch American Gladiators tonight at 8pm EST on NBC.

American Gladiators Returns!

topic from "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSSJdEuT0p8

lisa del giocondo

2008-01-15T04:46:00.000-08:00

Yes, Lisa del Giocondo was da Vinci's "Mona Lisa"
www.chinaview.cn 2008-01-15 19:15:51

German academics citing notes scribbled in the margin of a book by it owner in October 1503 have confirmed Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant, was the model for Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa."(File Photo)

BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- German academics citing notes scribbled in the margin of a book by it owner in October 1503 have confirmed Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant, was the model for Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa."

Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, has long been regarded as the most likely model for the 16th-century painting. But art historians have often wondered whether the smiling woman may actually have been da Vinci's lover, his mother or the artist himself.

"All doubts about the identity of the Mona Lisa have been eliminated by a discovery by Dr. Armin Schlechter," a manuscript expert, the Heidelberg University library said in a statement on Monday.

Until then, only "scant evidence" from sixteenth-century documents had been available. "This left lots of room for interpretation and there were many different identities put forward," the library said.

The notes were made by a Florentine city official Agostino Vespucci, an acquaintance of the artist, in a collection of letters by the Roman orator Cicero.

Art experts, who have already dated the painting to this time, say the Heidelberg discovery is a breakthrough and the earliest mention linking the merchant's wife to the portrait.

"There is no reason for any lingering doubts that this is another woman," Leipzig University art historian Frank Zoellner told German radio. "One could even say that books written about all this in the past few years were unnecessary, had we known."

Mona Lisa - Why so Famous?

topic from "http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/15/content_7427566.htm "

american cannibal

2008-01-15T03:39:00.000-08:00

Doug Gillard:
Creative Process 101

By Randy Harward

Beneath the bombast and triumph of Doug Gillard’s guitar leads in Guided by Voices, there was a workmanlike quality, a craftsmanship that served the songs. It has made him a popular sideman (most recently backing up Knoxville singer-songwriter Stewart Pack on his new album, which also features Emily Haines on bass) and, now that GBV is dead the Charlotte-based musician is plying his trade in the film industry. In addition to 2005’s feature-length Donnybrook and the short films Creative Process 473 (for which a soundtrack was released in 2003) and porn spoof 101 Salvations (starring Ron Jeremy), Gillard has scored Acme Pictures’ reality documentary spoof American Cannibal. The film, released on DVD this fall, follows a pair of writer-producers as they try to hop on—and eventually fall off—the reality TV gravy train.

HARP: Did you whip out the wah pedal for 101 Salvations?

I really did, yeah. It’s about a gal and her husband… they throw a 101-man gangbang. It’s not graphic, visually—it’s clean—but it alludes to things.

HARP: What is it about the wah and porn?

It’s the stereotypical thing that everyone expects. So, since it’s the stereotype, people who do porn-themed films want that. I think [its sound] lends itself to porn, but I also think they started using it in the early 1970s because it… became popular in any sort of suspense situation in movies and TV shows, Mission: Impossible and Mod Squad and stuff like that. And the porn industry at the time probably [recognized] that it was the lowest budget thing you can do.

HARP: How do you score a reality documentary?

I worked with Terry and Michael, the directors of [American Cannibal], pretty closely for a lot of the scenes. What I would go for, in my mind? Turns out [it] wouldn’t be right for what they wanted. So it really helps to work with your directors intimately. A lot of times we had the computer with a QuickTime version of the movie and they’d give me dialogue cues. They knew what they wanted, which was good. There’s certainly an element of free reign with these film scores, too. Sometimes I’ll just do some beds of music that I think might fit in—there’s a few of those in American Cannibal.

HARP: You’re making music to order—was it similar to working in Guided by Voices where Robert Pollard wrote the songs?

I co-wrote a few things with him, but it was largely Bob. I would get these demo tapes of Bob playing into a boom box and… if there were any leads or licks involved, I would have free reign; I could bring it to the table. If it was something he didn’t think fit the song he would say so. And there were a few times that he did.

Reality Remix: American Cannibal

topic from " http://www.harpmagazine.com/articles/detail.cfm?article_id=6389"

burl

2008-01-15T03:22:00.000-08:00

Burl. Twp. man on a computer mission for families

By LAURI SHEIBLEY
Burlington County Times

BURLINGTON CITY — There are many low-income families that do not have a computer, but LaMonte Reed is on a mission to change that.

Reed, a volunteer with the nonprofit Sisterhood Inc., collects used computers, refurbishes them, and distributes them to families in Burlington City and Willingboro.

In the past year and a half, Reed has given away about 50 such computers.

Reed, a computer technician and videographer from Burlington Township, said it is important for every family to have a computer in this technological age. He said children especially need computer access to work on school assignments and conduct research on the Internet.

In return for a computer, the Sisterhood asks each family to volunteer time at the organization, or make a small donation of $50 to $100. Reed said the contribution is determined on a case-by-case basis and no one is turned away.

Reed credited his friend Joe Steele for starting the program about 10 years ago. When Steele began working as a teacher at the Burlington County Special Services School in Lumberton, he could no longer dedicate the time necessary to the computer program, and he asked Reed to take over. Reed said he enjoys the work.

“I feel I am on this Earth to help other people,” he said.

Reed has outfitted a computer lab at the Sisterhood office, located at the corner of York and East Broad streets in Burlington City, where he teaches children how to use the computers.

He has dreams of someday opening a school for adults, where he can teach them how to become computer technicians.

“We are trying to show them there is another way,” he said. “They can make $100 a day without selling drugs or beating someone up.”

Reed said the Sisterhood collects old computers from the Burlington County Special Services School, the Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, Pa., the Burlington County Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington County, and individual donors. He thanked the principal of the Burlington County Special Services School in Lumberton, Paul W. Houser, for his support.

About a month ago, Reed said he donated 20 computers to a charitable foundation, which sent them to a high school in Nigeria. He said he is always looking for more computer donations.

“Other people's junk is our gold,” he said.

Reed also is in need of volunteers to help him make repairs. He said he would be happy to teach volunteers how to do the work.

Anyone interested in donating an old computer, or in need of a computer, should contact Reed by calling the Sisterhood at (609) 747-9333.

topic from "http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/112-01132008-1470254.html"