Great sldieshow on 5 inventions that NASA have came up with:
http://www.investopedia.com/slide-show/nasa-inventions/?utm_source=financial-edge&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=PF_v2-10/9/2012#axzz28uFaEdr7
Wednesday, 10 October 2012
Dragons Den reject wins Wine 'Oscar'
Perhaps the Dragons aren't s clever! They rejected the ‘cup-a-wine’ concept – wine sold in plastic glasses with a tear off lid .
First the product was snapped up by Marks & Spencer for its ‘Food on the Move’ section, proving a big hit with commuters and picnickers. And now the wine itself has won an award in the international wine ‘Oscars’. The M&S wine Le Froglet Rosé has been named the Great Value Champion Rosé at the The International Wine Challenge.
This same wine is sold in the ‘cup-a-wine’ packaging that featured on Dragons Den and was famously rejected.
The man who developed the idea, packaging expert James Nash, was given a particularly tough interrogation by the Dragons, James Caan, Duncan Bannatyne, Deborah Meaden, Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones, when he presented the idea in 2009.
They rubbished his financial projections, suggested the product would not sell well and questioned whether he would be able get a patent.
Mr Bannatyne was particularly dismissive, saying: ‘This doesn’t work as a selling item. People do not want to buy wine in plastic glasses like that. For that reason, I’m out.
First the product was snapped up by Marks & Spencer for its ‘Food on the Move’ section, proving a big hit with commuters and picnickers. And now the wine itself has won an award in the international wine ‘Oscars’. The M&S wine Le Froglet Rosé has been named the Great Value Champion Rosé at the The International Wine Challenge.
This same wine is sold in the ‘cup-a-wine’ packaging that featured on Dragons Den and was famously rejected.
The man who developed the idea, packaging expert James Nash, was given a particularly tough interrogation by the Dragons, James Caan, Duncan Bannatyne, Deborah Meaden, Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones, when he presented the idea in 2009.
They rubbished his financial projections, suggested the product would not sell well and questioned whether he would be able get a patent.
Mr Bannatyne was particularly dismissive, saying: ‘This doesn’t work as a selling item. People do not want to buy wine in plastic glasses like that. For that reason, I’m out.
Ireland set for an oil bonanza
Ireland is on the verge of securing revenue from oil that could run into billions of pounds, this could be a vital boost for the country after its financial woes and problems within the EU.
A joint Irish and UK firm, Providence Resources Plc, has said a site 30 miles off the Cork coast, should yield around 280m barrels of oil.
The money generated will depend on the market value at the time of extraction and on licensing arrangements. Providence chief executive Tony O'Reilly Jr said this was the beginning of an Irish oil industry.
This has followed decades of exploration around the Irish coast, which now seems to have paid off. It remains to be seen if there is any oil to be found off Ireland's Atlantic coast.
A joint Irish and UK firm, Providence Resources Plc, has said a site 30 miles off the Cork coast, should yield around 280m barrels of oil.
The money generated will depend on the market value at the time of extraction and on licensing arrangements. Providence chief executive Tony O'Reilly Jr said this was the beginning of an Irish oil industry.
This has followed decades of exploration around the Irish coast, which now seems to have paid off. It remains to be seen if there is any oil to be found off Ireland's Atlantic coast.
Electric Cars may be a big polluter!
Electric cars might pollute much more than petrol or diesel-powered cars, according to new research.
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology study found greenhouse gas emissions rose dramatically if coal was used to produce the electricity.
Electric car factories also emitted more toxic waste than conventional car factories, their report in the Journal of Industrial Ecology said.
The report pointed out that the longer an electric car in Europe stays mobile, the greater its "lead" over petrol and diesel engines.
"Assuming a vehicle lifetime of 200,000km exaggerates the global warming benefits of electric vehicles to 27-29% relative to petrol and 17-20% relative to diesel," it said.
"An assumption of 100,000km decreases the benefit of electric vehicles to 9-14% with respect to petrol vehicles and results in impacts indistinguishable from those of a diesel vehicle."
An electric car's longevity depends a great deal on how long its battery lasts, not least since it is very expensive to replace them.
Source: BBC Business News
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology study found greenhouse gas emissions rose dramatically if coal was used to produce the electricity.
Electric car factories also emitted more toxic waste than conventional car factories, their report in the Journal of Industrial Ecology said.
The report pointed out that the longer an electric car in Europe stays mobile, the greater its "lead" over petrol and diesel engines.
"Assuming a vehicle lifetime of 200,000km exaggerates the global warming benefits of electric vehicles to 27-29% relative to petrol and 17-20% relative to diesel," it said.
"An assumption of 100,000km decreases the benefit of electric vehicles to 9-14% with respect to petrol vehicles and results in impacts indistinguishable from those of a diesel vehicle."
An electric car's longevity depends a great deal on how long its battery lasts, not least since it is very expensive to replace them.
Source: BBC Business News
Toyota to recall 7 million cars
Toyota is voluntarily recalling more than seven million vehicles worldwide, including some Yaris, Corolla and Camry models, over faulty window switches.
It affects 1.39 million cars in Europe - 138,000 in the UK - 2.47 million in the US and 1.4 million in China. It is the biggest single recall since Ford called back eight million vehicles in 1996.
Toyota said there had been no reports of accidents, injuries or deaths as a result of the window problem.
Toyota is also recalling 459,000 vehicles in Japan, 650,000 in Australia and Asia, as well as hundreds of thousands from across the Middle East, and from within Canada and its other, smaller markets around the world.
The number of vehicles being recalled is roughly the same as its sales for the whole of its last financial year.
Toyota did not say how much the recall would cost. In 2009, Toyota recalled 12 million cars over faulty pedal accelerators. Toyota used to be a brand synonymous with quality and customer care, but this perception is now seriously damaged. It begs the question where do Toyota go from here?
The one saving grace for Toyota is that they can argue they have customer interests and satisfaction at heart and have the will to make such a massive product recall which is something of a loss of face - an ideal which is very important in Japanese culture.
Toyota have suffered since a drop in production after the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, and also recently seen sales in China - the world's biggest growth market for cars - dip due to growing tensions between Japan and China over disputed islands in the East China Sea.
Business News - No appeal for Chevron
The US Supreme Court has declined to block a judgement from an Ecuadorian court that a US oil firm pay billions in damages for pollution in the Amazon.
Chevron was fighting a ruling that it must pay $18.2bn (£11.4bn) in damages, a sum increased to $19bn in July.
It is the latest move in a decades-long legal wrangle between Texaco, bought by Chevron in 2001, and the people of the Lago Agrio region of Ecuador.
The decision could affect other oil firms accused of pollution.
The high court did not explain why it decided to reject the appeal from Chevron.
The case claimed that Texaco contaminated land between 1964 and 1992, and has triggered several other lawsuits in courts within the US and elsewhere.
Source: BBC News
Curriculum for Excellence - S3 ICT with Business
I have been wanting to publish an ebook and so I thought why not put some of the stuff I did for S3 Business Management online. I had intended to give it away free, but Amazon won't let me! This is the cheapest I could sell it at.
You can find it here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Business-Management-Pupil-Booklet-ebook/dp/B009M1ET0A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349829482&sr=8-2
You can find it here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Business-Management-Pupil-Booklet-ebook/dp/B009M1ET0A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349829482&sr=8-2
Higher Business Management - POGADSCIE
Earlier today when my Higher Business Management class were discussing POGADSCIE, one of the pupils came up with a problem that really did get the class thinking...
why are our glazed donughts not selling!
Okay so they were thinking with their bellies, but it actually prompted a good example of the POGADSCIE process.
I am going to work on this example and share it on here later. I thought it was pretty good.
why are our glazed donughts not selling!
Okay so they were thinking with their bellies, but it actually prompted a good example of the POGADSCIE process.
I am going to work on this example and share it on here later. I thought it was pretty good.
Travel - China 2012
Earlier in the year I was lucky enough to visit China. I have posted the Canton Tower, Guangzhou before, so here are some pictures of things I saw and did on my travels. Our school is taking a group of pupils to Beijing in June 2013!
Forbidden City, Beijing
Inside the Forbidden City
Temple of Heaven (I think)
The Great Wall
The 'Bottle Opener' in Shanghai
Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai
A Chinese Junk boat in Hong Kong Harbour
I do hope this inspires some of you to go and visit China. It is an incredible place.
Busabout - a fun way to see Europe
For those who have left school and are at University or College, I recommend seeing a bit of Europe (in particular Eastern Europe) and one way to do so is to travel by bus. I know it doesn't sound good, but it is actually great fun.
I have done three trips with Busabout:
http://www.busabout.com/
The Classic Rhapsody which includes a visit to Auschwitz;
Ottoman Trek which takes in the famous bridge in Mostar, and also goes to the besieged city of Sarajevo, and ends up at Asia in Istanbul;
Balkan Trek - a quieter affair but gives the opportunity to visit Gallipoli and you get to see Athens and the Acropolis, which is well worth a visit.
Yes there are long journey times on the bus, but you do get to see an incredible amount of European history, including the very street in Sarajevo where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, thereby starting The First World War.
The plaque commemorating the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
A Sarajevo Rose
The Acropolis
Walking tours and bike tours are plentiful, and on the whole are very interesting. It isn't cheap, but you will find the trips full of Australian and Kiwi backpackers who are on their Overseas Experience - a bit like our gap year.
Through the day you will delve into the culture of Europe and in the evening you will have more than enough time to do your own thing.
I have done three trips with Busabout:
http://www.busabout.com/
The Classic Rhapsody which includes a visit to Auschwitz;
Ottoman Trek which takes in the famous bridge in Mostar, and also goes to the besieged city of Sarajevo, and ends up at Asia in Istanbul;
Balkan Trek - a quieter affair but gives the opportunity to visit Gallipoli and you get to see Athens and the Acropolis, which is well worth a visit.
Yes there are long journey times on the bus, but you do get to see an incredible amount of European history, including the very street in Sarajevo where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, thereby starting The First World War.
The famous bridge at Mostar
The plaque commemorating the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
A Sarajevo Rose
Istanbul
Meteora - monasteries built in the hills of Greece (seen in For Your Eyes Only)
The Acropolis
Bulgarian Entertainment!
Meeting Angelina Jolie in Sarajevo!
Walking tours and bike tours are plentiful, and on the whole are very interesting. It isn't cheap, but you will find the trips full of Australian and Kiwi backpackers who are on their Overseas Experience - a bit like our gap year.
Through the day you will delve into the culture of Europe and in the evening you will have more than enough time to do your own thing.
Sunday, 7 October 2012
James Bond Box Office
With October the 5th being recognised as the 50th Birthday of the cinematic James Bond, it is interesting to look at the vast money gathered in by the movies.
In the USA here is the box office for the movies adjusted for inflation:
So it is no wonder to see just how big an impact Sean Connery made as the first cinematic James Bond!
More information can be found here: http://www.007james.com/articles/box_office.php
In the USA here is the box office for the movies adjusted for inflation:
Highest Grossing Bond Films
| Position | Film | Year | Actor | Gross (with inflation) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Thunderball | 1965 | Sean Connery | $1,014,941,117 |
| 2. | Goldfinger | 1964 | Sean Connery | $912,257,512 |
| 3. | Live and Let Die | 1973 | Roger Moore | $825,110,761 |
| 4. | You Only Live Twice | 1967 | Sean Connery | $756,544,419 |
| 5. | The Spy Who Loved Me | 1977 | Roger Moore | $692,713,752 |
| 6. | Casino Royale | 2006 | Daniel Craig | $669,789,482 |
| 7. | Moonraker | 1979 | Roger Moore | $655,872,400 |
| 8. | Diamonds Are Forever | 1971 | Sean Connery | $648,514,469 |
| 9. | Quantum of Solace | 2008 | Daniel Craig | $622,246,378 |
| 10. | From Russia with Love | 1963 | Sean Connery | $576,277,964 |
| 11. | Die Another Day | 2002 | Pierce Brosnan | $543,639,638 |
| 12. | Goldeneye | 1995 | Pierce Brosnan | $529,548,711 |
| 13. | On Her Majesty's Secret Service | 1969 | George Lazenby | $505,899,782 |
| 14. | The World is Not Enough | 1999 | Pierce Brosnan | $491,617,153 |
| 15. | For Your Eyes Only | 1981 | Roger Moore | $486,468,881 |
| 16. | Tomorrow Never Dies | 1997 | Pierce Brosnan | $478,946,402 |
| 17. | The Man with the Golden Gun | 1974 | Roger Moore | $448,249,281 |
| 18. | Dr. No | 1962 | Sean Connery | $440,759,072 |
| 19. | Octopussy | 1983 | Roger Moore | $426,244,352 |
| 20. | The Living Daylights | 1987 | Timothy Dalton | $381,088,866 |
| 21. | A View to a Kill | 1985 | Roger Moore | $321,172,633 |
| 22. | License to Kill | 1989 | Timothy Dalton | $285,157,191 |
So it is no wonder to see just how big an impact Sean Connery made as the first cinematic James Bond!
More information can be found here: http://www.007james.com/articles/box_office.php
Friday, 5 October 2012
In the News...
FAULTY SEATS GROUND AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHTS
American Airlines has cancelled 94 flights as it works to fix passenger seats that could come loose.
The move comes after a flight from Boston to Miami had to make an emergency landing last weekend after a block of three seats disconnected from the floor.
American said the problem affected 48 Boeing 757s, and that it hoped to have them back in service by Saturday.
The faulty seats had recently been refurbished. The Federal Aviation Administration is now continuing to investigate the issue.
ELECTRIC CARS "A POLLUTER"
Electric cars might pollute much more than petrol or diesel-powered cars, according to new research.
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology study found greenhouse gas emissions rose dramatically if coal was used to produce the electricity.
Electric car factories also emitted more toxic waste than conventional car factories, their report in the Journal of Industrial Energy said.
SAMSUNG BOAST RECORD PROFITS
Samsung Electronics has estimated record profits in the three months to September, led by strong sales of its Galaxy smartphones.
The South Korean company said it expects operating profits of 8.1 trillion won ($7.3bn; £4.5bn), nearly double last year's figure.
The estimates beat analyst expectations sending Samsung shares 1.5% higher. However, ongoing legal tussles with Apple have cast a shadow over its future performance.
MP3 RULING IMMINENT
A US court is to consider a case that could determine whether digital media files can be resold.
One-year-old start-up ReDigi is battling music giant EMI over whether digital music can be retraded after it has been legally purchased.
ReDigi says that its software is designed to comply with existing United States copyright laws. But EMI argues a legal principle which allows consumers to resell purchased material goods does not apply.
INDIA AIRLINE GROUNDED
India's Kingfisher airline has grounded its fleet for a further week after talks with workers protesting against months of unpaid wages failed.
On Monday the cash-strapped airline had to suspend flights for three days after some technical staff went on strike. But late on Thursday it said flights would be grounded until 12 October.
Meanwhile, the wife of a Kingfisher employee has killed herself, leaving a note blaming financial stress because her husband's salary had not been paid.
Source: BBC Business News
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
National 5 Business Management
Here is the page to key in the search term for National 5 Business Management:
Some helpful resources.
Higher Business Management Resources for Teachers
I did some work a while ago for Education Scotland (it was then LTS) and the resulting resources have been published here:
Hope they are of use to Teachers in particualr, though naturally they will need to be adapted and customised. Copyright plays a big part when creating materials for publication, as I am sure you are aware.
Please give feedback on the materials. I can safely say I used them last year and got a good response from the pupils, and we ended up with good results! Whether that was down to the pupils, the teacher, or the resources we can only guess!
Seriously, I think having a bank of Short Answer Questions (with solutions) was very handy, especially for pupils who were crashing.
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