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September 2009

Photo Ornament

A bauble is a spherical decoration that is commonly used to adorn Christmas trees. It is one of the most popular Christmas ornament designs, and you can find at least one bauble on virtually any Christmas tree. Baubles can have various designs on them, from "baby's first Christmas," to a favorite sports team. Baubles have been in production since 1847.

Greiner originally started by blowing glass into the shape of fruit and nuts. The inside of his decorations were made to look silvery, at first with mercury or lead, then later using a special compound of silver nitrate and sugar water. As demand for Greiner's ornaments grew, he began blowing the glass into new shapes including the sphere which is now the most popular.

Photo Ornament

Dunne deal for Aston Villa (AFP)

BIRMINGHAM, England (AFP) –
Aston Villa finally completed the signing of Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne from Manchester City on Wednesday.

Villa were unable to announce the Dunne deal before the transfer window closed on Tuesday as the Premier League asked for more time to ratify the paperwork which only came through at the last minute.

But Martin O'Neill's team were always confident Dunne would become their player after passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.

The Football Association were also satisfied with the documents presented by Villa and Premier League on Wedneday allowed the deal to go through after the window shut.

"City said farewell to one of the club?s most resolute and enduring defenders in Republic of Ireland star Richard Dunne, who has signed for Aston Villa," a statement on Manchester City's website confirmed.

"The player?s departure, confirmed on Wednesday after the Football Association checked the paperwork, signals the end of an era and Richard goes to the Midlands with the best wishes and gratitude of everyone at Manchester City."

Dunne, who cost Villa a reported six million pound (6.8 million euros) becomes O'Neill's second defensive signing after Wales international James Collins signed from West Ham for five million pounds (5.8 million euros) on Tuesday.

O'Neill had been desperate to bolster his back four after skipper Martin Laursen retired and Zat Knight was sold to Bolton.

Dunne's nine-year stay at City was in doubt after the club signed Kolo Toure from Arsenal and then Joleon Lescott from Everton.

"It would have been difficult for Dunney to stay given his standing at the club and I understand that," City boss Mark Hughes said.

"I wasn't going to stand in his way. I could have tried to stop him going and said I wanted him as a squad player but out of respect for what he has done for City I wasn't going to do that."

GM's August China vehicle sales more than double (Reuters)

SHANGHAI (Reuters) –
General Motors Co (GM.UL) said on Wednesday its China vehicles sales in August jumped 112.7 percent from a year earlier, paving the way for a more than 40 percent rise in sales for the full year.

General Motors, which competes with Volkswagen AG (VOWG.DE) and others globally, in August sold 152,365 vehicles in China, its second biggest market, it said in a statement.

From January to August, the Detroit automaker sold 1.11 million vehicles in the country, up 49.6 percent from a year earlier, it said.

"We are now looking at a market of 11.5 to 12 million vehicles, up from 9.1 million units last year," said Kevin Wale, president and managing director for GM's China operations, referring to China's overall vehicle market.

"We expect GM sales for the year as a whole to rise by more than 40 percent from 2008."

China's auto market, which overtook the United States as the world's largest in January, has been a leading bright spot in the struggling global auto industry as government incentives spurred a pick-up in demand.

GM has been among the major beneficiaries of the initiatives, with its China vehicle sales hitting monthly records since January.

Shanghai GM, the U.S. automaker's flagship car venture with SAIC Motor Corp (600104.SS), sold 63,303 models in August, up 99.6 percent, it said.

Monthly sales of the Chevrolet brand came to 23,771 units, up 99.4 percent, with Buick sales up 102.8 percent to 38,905 units.

SAIC-GM-Wuling, a three-way commercial vehicle tie-up between GM, SAIC and Liuzhou Wuling Automobile, came to 88,711 units in August, up 122.6 percent.

GM had said it planned to roll out 30 new or revamped models in China up to 2014 from 2009, including 10 Buick and Chevrolet models this year and next year.

(Reporting by Fang Yan and Jacqueline Wong)

The Dow Jones industrials' moves since Lehman fall (AP)

How far the Dow Jones industrial average has fallen or advanced each trading day since Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sept. 15. Since Lehman's fall, which touched off a paralysis of the credit markets and deepened the recession, the stock market has gone through an extended period of volatility before kicking into a big rally starting this spring. The numbers are the closing levels for the Dow:
• Sept. 15, down 504.48 at 10,917.51.
• Sept. 16, up 141.51 at 11,059.02.
• Sept. 17, down 449.36 at 10,609.66.
• Sept. 18, up 410.03 at 11,019.69.
• Sept. 19, up 368.75 at 11,388.44.
• Sept. 22, down 372.75 at 11,015.89.
• Sept. 23, down 161.52 at 10,854.17.
• Sept. 24, down 29 at 10,825.17.
• Sept. 25, up 196.89 at 11, 022.06.
• Sept. 26, up 121.07 at 11,143.13.
• Sept. 29, down 777.68 at 10,365.45.
• Sept. 30, up 485.21 at 10,850.66.
• Oct. 1, down 19.59 at 10,831.07.
• Oct. 2, down 348.23 at 10,482.84.
• Oct. 3, down 157.46 at 10,325.38.
• Oct. 6, down 369.88 at 9,955.50.
• Oct. 7, down 508.39 at 9,447.11.

• Oct. 8, down 189.01 at 9,258.10.

• Oct. 9, down 678.91 at 8,579.19.

• Oct. 10, down 128 at 8,451.19.

• Oct. 13, up 936.42 at 9,387.61.

• Oct. 14, down 76.62 at 9,310.99.

• Oct. 15, down 733.08 at 8,577.91.

• Oct. 16, up 401.35 at 8,979.26.

• Oct. 17, down 127.04 at 8,852.22.

• Oct. 20, up 413.21 at 9,265.43.

• Oct. 21, down 231.77 at 9,033.66.

• Oct. 22, down 514.45 at 8,519.21.

• Oct. 23, up 172.04 at 8,691.25.

• Oct. 24, down 312.30 at 8,378.95.

• Oct. 27, down 203.18 at 8,175.77.

• Oct. 28, up 889.35 at 9,065.12.

• Oct. 29, down 74.16 at 8,990.96.

• Oct. 30, up 189.73 at 9,180.69.

• Oct. 31, up 144.32 at 9,325.01.

• Nov. 3, down 5.18 at 9,319.83.

• Nov. 4, up 305.45 at 9,625.28.

• Nov. 5, down 486.01 at 9,139.27.

• Nov. 6, down 443.48 at 8,695.79.

• Nov. 7, up 248.02 at 8,943.81.

• Nov. 10, down 73.27 at 8,870.54.

• Nov. 11, down 176.58 at 8,693.96.

• Nov. 12, down 411.30 at 8,282.66.

• Nov. 13, up 552.59 at 8,835.25.

• Nov. 14, down 337.93 at 8,497.31.

• Nov. 17, down 223.73 at 8,273.58.

• Nov. 18, up 151.17 at 8,424.75.

• Nov. 19, down 427.47 at 7,997.28.

• Nov. 20, down 444.99 at 7,552.29.

• Nov. 21, up 494.13 at 8,046.42.

• Nov. 24, up 396.97 at 8,443.39.

• Nov. 25, up 36.08 at 8,479.47.

• Nov. 26, up 247.14 at 8,726.61.

• Nov. 28, up 102.43 at 8,829.04.

• Dec. 1, down 679.95 at 8,149.09.

• Dec. 2, up 270.00 at 8,419.09.

• Dec. 3, up 172.60 at 8,591.69.

• Dec. 4, down 215.45 at 8,376.24.

• Dec. 5, up 259.18 at 8,635.42.

• Dec. 8, up 298.76 at 8,934.18.

• Dec. 9, down 242.85 at 8,691.33.

• Dec. 10, up 70.09 at 8,761.42.

• Dec. 11, down 196.33 at 8,565.09.

• Dec. 12, up 64.59 at 8,629.68.

• Dec. 15, down 65.15 at 8,564.53.

• Dec. 16, up 359.61 at 8,924.14.

• Dec. 17, down 99.80 at 8,824.34.

• Dec. 18, down 219.35 at 8,604.99.

• Dec. 19, down 25.88 at 8,579.11.

• Dec. 22, down 59.34 at 8,519.77.

• Dec. 23, down 100.28 at 8,419.49.

• Dec. 24, up 48.99 at 8,468.48.

• Dec. 26, up 47.07 at 8,515.55.

• Dec. 29, down 31.62 at 8,483.93.

• Dec. 30, up 184.46 at 8,668.39.

• Dec. 31, up 108.00 at 8,776.39.

• Jan. 2, up 258.30 at 9,034.69.

• Jan. 5, down 81.80 at 8,952.89.

• Jan. 6, up 62.21 at 9,015.10.

• Jan. 7, down 245.40 at 8,769.70

• Jan. 8, down 27.24 at 8,742.46.

• Jan. 9, down 143.28 at 8,599.18.

• Jan. 12, down 125.13 at 8,474.05.

• Jan. 13, down 25.41 at 8,448.56

• Jan. 14, down 248.42 at 8,200.14.

• Jan. 15, up 12.35 at 8,212.49.

• Jan. 16, up 68.73 at 8,281.22.

• Jan. 20, down 332.13 at 7,949.09.

• Jan. 21, up 279.01 at 8,228.10.

• Jan. 22, down 105.30 at 8,122.80.

• Jan. 23, down 45.24 at 8,077.56.

• Jan. 26, up 38.47 at 8,116.03.

• Jan. 27, up 58.70 at 8,174.73.

• Jan. 28, up 200.72 at 8,375.45.

• Jan. 29, down 226.44 at 8,149.01.

• Jan. 30, down 148.15 at 8,000.86.

• Feb. 2, down 64.03 at 7,936.83.

• Feb. 3, up 141.53 at 8,078.36.

• Feb. 4, down 121.70 at 7,956.66.

• Feb. 5, up 106.41 at 8,063.07.

• Feb. 6, up 217.52 at 8,280.59.

• Feb. 9, down 9.72 at 8,270.87.

• Feb. 10, down 381.99 at 7,888.88.

• Feb. 11, up 50.65 at 7,939.53.

• Feb. 12, down 6.77 at 7,932.76.

• Feb. 13, down 82.35 at 7,850.41.

• Feb. 17, down 297.81 at 7,552.60.

• Feb. 18, up 3.03 at 7,555.63.

• Feb. 19, down 89.68 at 7,465.95.

• Feb. 20, down 100.28 at 7,365.67.

• Feb. 23, down 250.89 at 7,114.78.

• Feb. 24, up 236.16 at 7,350.94.

• Feb. 25, down 80.05 at 7,270.89.

• Feb. 26, down 88.81 at 7,182.08.

• Feb. 27, down 119.15 at 7,062.93.

_March 2, down 299.64 at 6,763.29.

_March 3, down 37.27 at 6,726.02.

_March 4, up 149.82 at 6,875.84.

_March 5, down 281.40 at 6,594.44.

_March 6, up 32.50 at 6,626.94.

_March 9, down 79.89 at 6,547.05.

_March 10, up 379.44 at 6,926.49.

_March 11, up 3.91 at 6,930.40.

_March 12, up 239.66 at 7,170.06.

_March 13, up 53.92 at 7,223.98.

_March 16, down 7.01 at 7,216.97.

_March 17, up 178.73 at 7,395.70.

_March 18, up 90.88 at 7,486.58.

_March 19, down 85.78 at 7,400.80.

_March 20, down 122.42 at 7,278.38.

_March 23, up 497.48 at 7,775.86.

_March 24, down 115.99 at 7,659.87.

_March 25, up 89.94 at 7,749.81.

_March 26, up 174.75 at 7,924.56.

_March 27, down 148.38 at 7,776.18.

_March 30, down 254.16 at 7,522.02.

_March 31, up 86.90 at 7,608.92.

_April 1, up 152.68 at 7,761.60.

_April 2, up 216.48 at 7,978.08.

_April 3, up 39.51 at 8,017.59.

_April 6, down 41.74 at 7,975.85.

_April 7, down 186.29 at 7,789.56.

_April 8, up 47.55 at 7,837.11.

_April 9, up 246.27 at 8,083.38.

_April 13, down 25.57 at 8,057.81.

_April 14, down 137.63 at 7,920.18.

_April 15, up 109.44 at 8,029.62.

_April 16, up 95.81 at 8,125.43.

_April 17, up 5.90 at 8,131.33.

_April 20, down 289.60 at 7,841.73.

_April 21, up 127.83 at 7,969.56.

_April 22, down 82.99 at 7,886.57.

_April 23, up 70.49 at 7,957.06.

_April 24, up 119.23 at 8,076.29.

_April 27, down 51.29 at 8,025.00.

_April 28, down 8.05 at 8,016.95.

_April 29, up 168.78 at 8,185.73.

_April 30, down 17.61 at 8,168.12.

_May 1, up 44.29 at 8,212.41.

_May 4, up 214.33 at 8,426.74.

_May 5, down 16.09 at 8,410.65.

_May 6, up 101.63 at 8,512.28.

_May 7, down 102.43 at 8,409.85.

_May 8, up 164.80 at 8,574.65.

_May 11, down 155.88 at 8,418.77.

_May 12, up 50.34 at 8,469.11.

_May 13, down 184.22 at 8,284.89.

_May 14, up 46.43 at 8,331.32.

_May 15, down 62.68 at 8,268.64.

_May 18, up 235.44 at 8,504.08.

_May 19, down 29.23 at 8,474.85.

_May 20, down 52.81 at 8,422.04.

_May 21, down 129.91 at 8,292.13.

_May 22, down 14.81 at 8,277.32.

_May 26, up 196.17 at 8,473.49.

_May 27, down 173.47 at 8,300.02.

_May 28, up 103.78 at 8,403.80.

_May 29, up 96.53 at 8,500.33.

_June 1, up 221.11 at 8,721.44.

_June 2, up 19.43 at 8,740.87.

_June 3, down 65.59 at 8,675.28.

_June 4, up 74.96 at 8,750.24.

_June 5, up 12.89 at 8,763.13.

_June 8, up 1.36 at 8,764.49.

_June 9, down 1.43 at 8,763.06.

_June 10, down 24.04 at 8,739.02.

_June 11, up 31.90 at 8,770.92.

_June 12, up 28.34 at 8,799.26.

_June 15, down 187.13 at 8,612.13.

_June 16, down 107.46 at 8,504.67.

_June 17, down 7.49 at 8,497.18.

_June 18, up 58.42 at 8,555.60.

_June 19, down 15.87 at 8,539.73.

_June 22, down 200.72 at 8,339.01.

_June 23, down 16.10 at 8,322.91.

_June 24, down 23.05 at 8,299.86.

_June 25, up 172.54 at 8,472.40.

_June 26, down 34.01 at 8,438.39.

_June 29, up 90.99 at 8,529.38.

_June 30, down 82.38 at 8,447.00.

_July 1, up 57.06 at 8,504.06.

_July 2, down 223.32 at 8,280.74.

_July 6, up 44.13 at 8,324.87.

_July 7, down 161.27 at 8,163.60.

_July 8, up 14.81 at 8,178.41.

_July 9, up 4.76 at 8,183.17.

_July 10, down 36.65 at 8,146.52.

_July 13, up 185.16 at 8,331.68.

_July 14, up 27.81 at 8,359.49.

_July 15, up 256.72 at 8,616.21.

_July 16, up 95.61 at 8,711.82.

_July 17, up 32.12 at 8,743.94.

_July 20, up 104.21 at 8,848.15.

_July 21, up 67.79 at 8,915.94.

_July 22, down 34.68 at 8,881.26.

_July 23, up 188.03 at 9,069.29.

_July 24, up 23.95 at 9,093.24.

_July 27, up 15.27 at 9,108.51.

_July 28, down 11.79 at 9,096.72.

_July 29, down 26 at 9,070.72.

_July 30, up 83.74 at 9,154.46.

_July 31, up 17.15 at 9,171.61.

_Aug. 3, up 114.95 at 9,286.56.

_Aug. 4, up 33.63 at 9,320.19.

_Aug. 5, down 39.22 at 9,280.97.

_Aug. 6, down 24.71 at 9,256.26.

_Aug. 7, up 113.81 at 9,370.07.

_Aug. 10, down 32.12 at 9,337.95.

_Aug. 11, down 96.50 at 9,241.45.

_Aug. 12, up 120.16 at 9,361.61.

_Aug. 13, up 36.58 at 9,398.19.

_Aug. 14, down 76.79 at 9,321.40.

_Aug. 17, down 186.06 at 9,135.34.

_Aug. 18, up 82.60 at 9,217.94.

_Aug. 19, up 61.22 at 9,279.16.

_Aug. 20, up 70.89 at 9,350.05.

_Aug. 21, up 155.91 at 9,505.96.

_Aug. 24, up 3.32 at 9,509.28.

_Aug. 25, up 30.01 at 9,539.29.

_Aug. 26, up 4.23 at 9,543.52.

_Aug. 27, up 37.11 at 9,580.63.

_Aug. 28, down 36.43 at 9,544.20.

_Aug. 31, down 47.92 at 9,496.28.

_Sept. 1, down 185.68 at 9,310.60.

Net loss since Sept. 15: 1,606.91