The Global Economy and Business

At that times the prices for a condo home in North Miami Beach were attractive and many people bought them, but just some years later the crisis happened and the taxes increased, the loan payments doubled and this made some families suffer a lot while looking for some cash to pay off. The only way out is to foreclosure the property.

The whole area is in pain as the condo prices have fallen sharply. The prices are the lowest during the decade. The condo construction is almost dead. Even if you don’t have a condo you can feel the problem as the there are many unemployed construction workers. But many experts say the t condo market is likely to recover as many see a condo as the possible way to get a property for the family which can be cheap and suitable to live. That’s why they say the condo market has its own lie in North Miami Beach area and it can be a cure during the real estate market slowdown.

Every single person who beautifies himself to the minority that could think a little is going to make a hard decision. I mean they should decide what smartphone is best: iPhone 3GS or HTC HD2. Of course there’s Google Nexus One…

Anyway the choice is too difficult.
I’ll try to compare the first two favs here.

So, HD2 is better because:
1. It has better screen and hardware
2. It performs multiple tasks (shame on iPhone!)
3. You have full access to the most folders of the device (not to iTunes only…)
4. It’s very easy to change the battery (HTC doesn’t consider that their buyers are idiots and should change the device because the battery is dying slowly)

On the other hand iPhone is still better because of:
1. Windows Mobile (that rigged OS is not considered to be used without stylus)
2. it has better Multitouch
3. it’s soooo cute and stylish
4. iTunes store has 120000 iPhone applications that cover every need and want you may have
So you should decide what to choose…

In the first quarter of 2009 the volumes of trade of robots for the industry have failed on 59 % in Japan. The reason of curtailment of production of robots became their lack of need in the Japanese industry which experiences the heaviest recession in the post-war history.

At Yaskawa factory where robots are made by other robots, only one mechanized employee is still working while its “colleagues” are set aside. According to the president of Yaskawa Koji Toshima, because of absence of orders the profit of the company has failed on two third — up to 72 million dollars. It is necessary to note that this company is the largest manufacturer of robotics in Japan.
Japan is the leader in the manufacture and use of robotics in the world.

In 2005 370 thousand of robots worked in the country— 40 % from total sum all over the world. On each thousand factory employees-people there were 32 robots.

In conditions of crisis when the Japanese industry reduced on 40 % in the first quarter of 2009, robots became the first victims of unemployment as, unlike employees-people they do not protest against dismissals and don’t demand the severance pay.

The need for robots has fallen not only in the industry, but also in life. In particular, the robots which help disabled people in everyday life and electromechanical assistants of the Japanese housewives began to have smaller demand too.

Week of Haute couture has opened in Paris. In the first day of Haute couture week participants discussed clothes of a season shown on a podium “spring-summer of 2010″ less often, then they discussed who from known designers would fall as a victim of a global economic crisis. Most likely, the French design house Cristian Lacroix, which recently declared bankruptcy and feverishly searches for the buyer, woun’t be able to go through the present financial shock.

“Collections of 1990 and 2000th years which differed refinement, individuality and staginess, have ended, - Quotes fashion designer Stefana Rolanda Reuters, - I am afraid, that now haute couture for designers is, first of all commercial success and quickly making profit clothes “.

Unequivocally, that crisis and the fallen lack of money forces fashion designers to create more often not truly exclusive and extravagant things, but clothes which will be in demand at potential buyers.
Already during display of Christian Dior’s collection many experts have paid attention that designer John Galjano use inexpensive and accessible materials, and there were no any revolutionary ideas.
Instead of extravagant dresses he has presented a mix from clothes and underwear. Silk blouses with shorts and stockings and magnificent skirts with leather belts and gloves - such haute couture is in this season from Christian. As a matter of fact, all clothes from a podium will not shock, if it appears in the street of a real city.

The general director of the House Sydni Toledano has declared to journalists:
The key element of a survival in present uneasy economic conditions is accurate and constant interaction between designers and managers of sales.

Toledano also has expressed hope, that despite the numerous difficulties, the conducting houses of haute couture will successfully go through crisis and remain in business.

According to experts, such weeks of a fashion are first of all excellent advertising for leading design brands. Not a secret, that the basic profit of company Dior and Giorgio Armani receive not from designers clothing collections, but from perfume and various accessories. In this connection some designers have already declared end of an era of creativity.

“In this sense it is possible to say, that there is no more any place to the art couturier. Now haute couture overall objective is to sell perfume, cosmetics, footwear and bags“, - the designer Franc Sorbier speaks Regretfully.

As to company Cristian Lacroix which has extremely strongly suffered from sharp decrease in sales from the beginning of June it is under six-monthly protection against creditors.
Whether the known French brand remain or not it will be clear by the end of July when term for giving of demands for acquisition of the fashionable house expires.

Two large power companies have been fined for the sum exceeding billion euro : the Eurocommission has submitted an invoice to German power company E.ON and French GDF at a rate of 553 million euro each one. Both companies are contesting this decision.

The European competition authorities found out that in 1975 these companies agreed not to compete with each other in the national markets that is an infringement of the antimonopoly law of the European Union.

The competition commissioner of EU Neelie Kroes has explained: “the transaction of giants has struck first of all on consumers, we do not have other alternative than to impose high fines”.
This fine becomes the largest for all history of similar sanctions.

The Eurocommission has begun investigation above the German and French gas companies in 2007. They were accused of agreement about division national gas markets when they jointly built a pipeline to import Russian gas: in particular that E.ON will not sell gas in France, and GDF – in Germany. This is an infringement of the law of EU about fair competition.

The general director of Irish airline Ryanair Michael O’Leary has developed a new scheme which will allow to make flights cheaper.

Ryanair has already hold negotiations with the American aviamanufacturer Boeing for creation of a new plane with standing interior. Now Ryanair negotiates with the Irish administration of air transport about an opportunity of installation this standing places on planes. If the permit will be received, the Irish air carrier is planning to place an order for purchase of liners with standing places, tickets on which will cost cheaper, than on usual sitting places. For standing passengers Ryanair is going to provide seat belts clasped around waist.

The idea of standing places O’Leary has borrowed from Chinese air carrier Spring Airlines, which first-ever has decided to transport passengers standing. Due to installing of standing places on flights Spring Airlines hopes to increase spaciousness of liners on 50 percent and to lower cost of flight on 20 percent.

It is necessary to note, that in the majority of countries there are no legislative restrictions on installation of standing places in planes. For example rules of carriage of passengers of the USA stipulate only, that the passenger should be fasten with a seat belt during rise and landing.
Based in 1985 Ryanair is a type of original “fashion-maker” among low-budget airlines, projecting innovations directed on optimization of charges and maintenance on a low level the tariffs of tickets. The airline has already entered a separate payment for registration of passengers at the airport, tallage for bags and suitcases send into luggage, and not so long ago even proposed to enter a symbolical payment for the use of toilets onboard planes.

Now Ryanair has park from more than 180 planes and carries out flights in 143 cities of the Europe. The main bases of airline are the airport of Dublin and London . In 2008 the airline has transported 57,7 million passengers.

The world economic crisis systematically beats on all manufacture. But one of the most suffering branches has become a car industry: American, European, Russian. The confident development in present conditions is shown only by the Indian and Chinese concerns.

With the help of accessible credits machines have transformed from means of transportation into a type of hobby: it’s a usual fact to have more than one car in a family from two adults now. People were getting a new model when they haven’t already paid the previous credit. To this they were also pushed by the increase in number of modifications of popular models.

The collapse of bank system has made difficult to get a consumer credit. But not everyone is ready to pay off own money for the car now: people are not assured of tomorrow when everybody can be dismissed.

And the situation at autoconcerns becomes only more complicated from this. Warehouses have accumulated a lot of finished goods which the dealers, who don’t know how to sell their own stocks, refuse to take.

Now leading world concerns speak about 25-35% decrease in sales volumes in comparison with the similar period of 2008. For example sales of vehicles of GM in June were on 33 % below, than one year ago, Chrysler Group - on 42 % (68 297 machines), Toyota - on 32 % (131 654). Experts suppose, that in the Russian market the decrease of sales can reach 50 % or 1,3 million cars for current year.

In these conditions a unique variant of rescue for most of car factories became an appeal to the government for the national assistance.

There are some good companies, whose goods I prefer. They are «Benetton», «Sony» and «L’Oreal».

Speaking about «Benetton», I would like to say that it is an Italian company. «Benetton» is known as a very successful clothing manufacture. Nowadays it produces sportswear, which is known as a high quality clothes. It is an interesting fact, that «Benetton» has another trademark called «Sisley», which produces more expensive clothing.

As for «Sony» this company is the world leader in electronics. For example, it produces the Sony Walkman and computer games. Nowadays «Sony» works with musical production. It made the music for the film “Titanic”.

«L’Oreal» is a well-known company, which produces cosmetics. Million women all over the world choose its goods, such as powder, mascara and so on. «L’Oreal» has the slogan “Because I’m worth it”.

I choose the goods of these companies for their quality. It is not the news that all these companies try to attract as many customers as possible and to win their loyalty.

<:3 )~~

The question is to find all pros and cons of virtual and traditional types of retailing. The main disadvantage of virtual retailing is in the quantity of its potential buyers. Nobody will deny that the customer profile is limited. To be a customer of virtual shop you need the Internet, TV shopping channels or mail-order catalogues. But this market is full of opportunities because everyday thousands of people open comfort and convenience of virtual shopping.

Besides if you are the owner of a virtual retail outlet you have not to find place or build your shop (as we know it is really difficult and expensive) and you have not to pay rent monthly and to recruit additional personnel.

And as for traditional shopping, people will never refuse the opportunity to see and to touch the things they want to buy.

This way I can’t give an exact answer to this question, because it depends on kind of goods I will sell. For example, if I sell compact discs or books, it will be reasonably to open the Internet shop, but as for food-stuffs and clothes it will be reasonably to open a traditional retail outlet.

<:3 )~~

YOU CAN TAKE A HORSE TO THE WATER

BUT YOU CANNOT MAKE IT DRINK

an English proverb

Have you seen the film «Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl»? If not, you ought to do it, since it’s a wonderful cliff-hanger. I’ve done it for the second time today, because I like Johnny Depp.

It would be very nice to see this film in a movie theatre, but I’ve done it using Crystal Player on my computer. I use Windows XP as absolute majority of my friends, but I don’t use Windows Media Player and they do the same. It’s not because we have a lot of money to buy new licensed software…

A well-known problem in the countries of the former Soviet Union: breach of copyright. You can’t get away from facts. Therefore I have an opportunity to use not only freeware and shareware, but also commercially available software absolutely free of charge.

It’s a notorious fact, that European Union imposed a fine ($ 613, 5 million) on Microsoft Corporation in March. The company includes Windows Media Player in its operating system Windows - it was one of the reasons.

I agree that users, who buy this operating system, have an opportunity to use Windows Player. They don’t want to buy players from other software publishers and Microsoft’s rivals are indignant at it.

But breach of copyright brings advantages for users, who don’t pay for their software, they have freedom in choosing. Fortunately or unfortunately, infraction can be non-punishable…

<:3 )~~

What player do you use?