Sluggish North American market slows automaker’s momentum
TOKYO - Toyota lowered its global vehicle sales plan for this year to 9.5 million vehicles — down from 9.85 million — as the sluggish North American market slows the Japanese automaker’s momentum.
Even with the lower number announced Monday, Toyota Motor Corp. plans to sell more vehicles than it did last year.
The pace of Toyota’s growth has been slowing. Under the new target it would inch up 1 percent this year, in contrast to a 6 percent climb in 2007, when it sold 9.37 million vehicles.
“The main reason for the change came from the faltering U.S. economy, and how rising oil prices and material costs are dampening the market there overall,” said Toyota spokeswoman Kayo Doi.
The Japanese and western European markets were also sluggish, but Toyota’s solid sales in China, the Middle East and other markets were enough to maintain its worldwide growth, she said.
Toyota now plans to sell 2.44 million vehicles in the U.S., far less upbeat than the earlier plan to sell 2.64 million vehicles.
It also slashed the sales plan for North America to 2.67 million vehicles from 2.84 million vehicles.
The new plan marks a nearly 7 percent drop from Toyota’s 2007 sales results of 2.62 million vehicles for the U.S., and a 5 percent slip from 2.82 million vehicles for North America. Prior to Monday’s revision, Toyota had expected sales to grow in North America, including the U.S.
The manufacturer of the Camry sedan, Corolla subcompact and Prius hybrid also lowered its global production plan for this year to 9.5 million vehicles — unchanged from the previous year.
Earlier, it had set the manufacturing target at 9.95 million vehicles, which would have represented 5 percent growth from 2007.
Tatsuo Yoshida, auto analyst with UBS Securities Japan in Tokyo, said woes over U.S. auto sales weren’t likely to ease until next year.
“I think Toyota is giving rather cautious targets,” he said. “GM is in a worse state in reliance on trucks, but Toyota also has the same problem.”
Toyota, the world’s second largest automaker in annual vehicles sales after General Motors Corp. of the United States, has averted the battering its American rivals have taken from soaring gas prices.
Toyota has long boasted a reputation for models with good mileage. And its sales are still expected to be strong in emerging markets such as Russia, China and India, offsetting some of the losses in North America.
How the full-year tallies will add up is still uncertain as Detroit-based GM is also reporting growth in new markets.
GM, the world’s top automaker for 77 years straight, doesn’t release full-year sales forecasts.
Toyota outsold GM by 277,532 vehicles in the first six months of this year, selling 4.82 million vehicles worldwide.
The call was close in 2007. GM eked out a win at 9.37 million to Toyota’s 9.366 million vehicles.
Also hurting Toyota is the sluggish Japanese auto market, where Toyota is the top-seller. Toyota said it now expects to sell 2.23 million vehicles in its domestic market this year, rather than the initial 2.27 million. It sold 2.26 million vehicles in Japan in 2007.
With auto sales ailing in the key North American market, speculation had been growing that Toyota would lower its sales targets. Toyota reviews such plans every half-year or so.
Even Toyota is struggling to shift production from gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles and trucks to smaller models.
Earlier this month, Toyota announced sprawling manufacturing changes in the U.S., including starting production of the Prius for the first time, and shutting down truck and SUV production, to respond to changing consumer demand.
The worry about the switch to smaller vehicles isn’t just a numbers game. The change is almost certain to bite into automakers’ profit because the margins are heftier for bigger models.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25882312/
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
You don’t have to break the bank on furniture
10 Tips: The economy may look bleak, but your home doesn't have to
By Laura T. Coffey
With gas and food prices rising and the economy stalling, it can be hard to keep up with routine bills and expenses, let alone expenses that are extra or unexpected. But what if you really need to furnish a room or section of your home at a time like this?
It’s easy enough to find yourself in such a predicament whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been established for years.
Don’t worry, though – the following tips can help you consider your options and save some of your hard-earned cash.
1. The Internet is your friend. Rather than blow hour after hour of precious weekend time visiting furniture stores on a potentially fruitless search, do some shopping around online first. You could compare the prices and details of similar pieces of furniture at 10 to 12 different stores in a matter of minutes.
2. Reflect on ways to spend nothing, or almost nothing. Don’t necessarily turn your nose up at the idea of scoring free or low-cost pieces of furniture from other people who live in your area. You could find exactly what you’re looking for via Web sites such as Craigslist (check out the “free” link under “for sale”), The Freecycle Network, Sharing Is Giving, Freecycleamerica.org, ReUseIt Network and FreeSharing.org. Here’s something to remember, though: When visiting all of these Web sites with the exception of Craigslist, try to have an eye toward giving as well as receiving. Also, don’t try to trade or swap through these sites; the idea is to give stuff away with no strings attached.
3. Check out the goods in person. As convenient as it can be to shop at home, it’s still important to be careful about buying furniture solely on the basis of a tiny thumbnail image on the Internet. If at all possible, try to inspect the actual furniture before you buy so you can see its overall finish and appearance. Another benefit of examining the furniture in person: You could avoid exorbitant shipping fees that way.
4. Remember warehouse stores. Places like Costco and Sam’s Club aren’t just for bulk purchases of dog food, diapers and artichoke hearts, you know. You often can find surprising deals on high-quality furniture at warehouse stores and literally save hundreds of dollars on the purchases you make.
5. Be alert for deals. If you’re in the market for furniture, get in the habit of scanning the ads in your Sunday paper, in your mailbox and in the windows of stores in your area. Stay on the lookout for going-out-of-business sales and same-as-cash financing deals with zero-percent interest for six to 12 months. (Note: If you finance a furniture purchase in this way, be absolutely sure to pay it off in full in the time you’re given to do so.)
6. Think ahead before you buy. You may fall in love with the look of a certain piece of furniture, but take a moment to read the care instructions. Reflect on how the piece will hold up after a few encounters with your small children or pets. If it’s likely to be trashed in mere days or weeks, don’t buy it.
7. Examine the construction. For units such as bookcases, tables and entertainment centers, determine whether the items are prefinished or made of unfinished wood. Bear in mind that sanding and finishing a shelving unit can take a great deal of time and effort. Also think twice before buying “wood grain” laminate or particle board that looks fake, and watch out for sloppy corners on moldings and doors that don’t align properly.
8. Measure, measure, measure. Before you do any shopping – and certainly before you bring a piece of furniture home – be sure to measure the area where you want the furniture to go so you can be confident that it will fit well and it won’t overwhelm or underwhelm the room. With shelving units, remember to write down the dimensions of the items you want to store on the shelves.
9. Plan ahead for transportation. Make sure you have the capacity to transport big, heavy items home or have the store deliver them for you – hopefully for a fee that isn’t too hefty. Also, if you decide you don’t want to keep the item, will you have to lug it all the way back to the store yourself?
10. Eyeball the warranty carefully. Make sure you understand what it does and does not cover, and get the details of any agreement in writing. For instance, if a salesperson verbally raves about a fabric-guard guarantee that sounds fabulous, make sure the details of that guarantee are clearly spelled out in writing.
© 2008 MSNBC Interactive
By Laura T. Coffey
With gas and food prices rising and the economy stalling, it can be hard to keep up with routine bills and expenses, let alone expenses that are extra or unexpected. But what if you really need to furnish a room or section of your home at a time like this?
It’s easy enough to find yourself in such a predicament whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been established for years.
Don’t worry, though – the following tips can help you consider your options and save some of your hard-earned cash.
1. The Internet is your friend. Rather than blow hour after hour of precious weekend time visiting furniture stores on a potentially fruitless search, do some shopping around online first. You could compare the prices and details of similar pieces of furniture at 10 to 12 different stores in a matter of minutes.
2. Reflect on ways to spend nothing, or almost nothing. Don’t necessarily turn your nose up at the idea of scoring free or low-cost pieces of furniture from other people who live in your area. You could find exactly what you’re looking for via Web sites such as Craigslist (check out the “free” link under “for sale”), The Freecycle Network, Sharing Is Giving, Freecycleamerica.org, ReUseIt Network and FreeSharing.org. Here’s something to remember, though: When visiting all of these Web sites with the exception of Craigslist, try to have an eye toward giving as well as receiving. Also, don’t try to trade or swap through these sites; the idea is to give stuff away with no strings attached.
3. Check out the goods in person. As convenient as it can be to shop at home, it’s still important to be careful about buying furniture solely on the basis of a tiny thumbnail image on the Internet. If at all possible, try to inspect the actual furniture before you buy so you can see its overall finish and appearance. Another benefit of examining the furniture in person: You could avoid exorbitant shipping fees that way.
4. Remember warehouse stores. Places like Costco and Sam’s Club aren’t just for bulk purchases of dog food, diapers and artichoke hearts, you know. You often can find surprising deals on high-quality furniture at warehouse stores and literally save hundreds of dollars on the purchases you make.
5. Be alert for deals. If you’re in the market for furniture, get in the habit of scanning the ads in your Sunday paper, in your mailbox and in the windows of stores in your area. Stay on the lookout for going-out-of-business sales and same-as-cash financing deals with zero-percent interest for six to 12 months. (Note: If you finance a furniture purchase in this way, be absolutely sure to pay it off in full in the time you’re given to do so.)
6. Think ahead before you buy. You may fall in love with the look of a certain piece of furniture, but take a moment to read the care instructions. Reflect on how the piece will hold up after a few encounters with your small children or pets. If it’s likely to be trashed in mere days or weeks, don’t buy it.
7. Examine the construction. For units such as bookcases, tables and entertainment centers, determine whether the items are prefinished or made of unfinished wood. Bear in mind that sanding and finishing a shelving unit can take a great deal of time and effort. Also think twice before buying “wood grain” laminate or particle board that looks fake, and watch out for sloppy corners on moldings and doors that don’t align properly.
8. Measure, measure, measure. Before you do any shopping – and certainly before you bring a piece of furniture home – be sure to measure the area where you want the furniture to go so you can be confident that it will fit well and it won’t overwhelm or underwhelm the room. With shelving units, remember to write down the dimensions of the items you want to store on the shelves.
9. Plan ahead for transportation. Make sure you have the capacity to transport big, heavy items home or have the store deliver them for you – hopefully for a fee that isn’t too hefty. Also, if you decide you don’t want to keep the item, will you have to lug it all the way back to the store yourself?
10. Eyeball the warranty carefully. Make sure you understand what it does and does not cover, and get the details of any agreement in writing. For instance, if a salesperson verbally raves about a fabric-guard guarantee that sounds fabulous, make sure the details of that guarantee are clearly spelled out in writing.
© 2008 MSNBC Interactive
Furniture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects which may support the human body (seating furniture and beds), provide storage, or hold objects on horizontal surfaces above the ground. Storage furniture (which often makes use of doors, drawers, and shelves) is used to hold or contain smaller objects such as clothes, tools, books, and household goods.
Furniture can be a product of artistic design and is considered a form of decorative art. In addition to furniture's functional role, it can serve a symbolic or religious purpose. Domestic furniture works to create, in conjunction with furnishings such as clocks and lighting, comfortable and convenient interior spaces. Furniture can be made from many materials, including metal, plastic, and wood. Furniture can be made using a variety of woodworking joints which often reflect the local culture.
History
Furniture has been a part of the human experience since the development of non-nomadic cultures. Evidence of furniture survives from the Neolithic Period and later in antiquity in the form of paintings, such as the wall Murals discovered at Pompeii; sculpture, and examples have been excavated in Egypt and found in tombs in Ghiordes, in modern day Turkey.
Neolithic Period
A range of unique stone furniture has been excavated in Skara Brae a Neolithic village, located in Orkney, Scotland. The site dates from 3100-2500BC and due to a shortage of wood in Orkney, the people of Skara Brae were forced to build with stone, a readily available material that could be worked easily and turned into items for use within the household. Each house shows a high degree of sophistication and was equipped with an extensive assortment of stone furniture, ranging from cupboards, dressers and beds to shelves, stone seats and limpet tanks. [[1]] The stone dressers were regarded as the most important as it symbolically faces the entrance in each house and is therefore the first item seen when entering, perhaps displaying symbolic objects, including decorative artwork such as several Neolithic Carved Stone Balls also found at the site.
The Classical World
Early furniture has been excavated from the 8th-century B.C. Phrygian tumulus, the Midas Mound, in Gordion, Turkey. Pieces found here include tables and inlaid serving stands. There are also surviving works from the 9th-8th-century B.C. Assyrian palace of Nimrud. The earliest surviving carpet, the Pazyryk Carpet was discovered in a frozen tomb in Siberia and has been dated between the 6th and 3rd century B.C.. Recovered Ancient Egyptian furniture includes a 3rd millennium B.C. bed discovered in the Tarkhan Tomb, a c.2550 B.C. gilded set from the tomb of Queen Hetepheres, and a c. 1550 B.C. stool from Thebes. Ancient Greek furniture design beginning in the 2nd millennium B.C., including beds and the klismos chair, is preserved not only by extant works, but by images on Greek vases. The 1738 and 1748 excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii introduced Roman furniture, preserved in the ashes of the 79 A.D. eruption of Vesuvius, to the eighteenth century.
Early Modern Europe
The furniture of the Middle Ages was usually heavy, oak, and ornamented with carved designs. Along with the other arts, the Italian Renaissance of the fourteenth and fifteenth century marked a rebirth in design, often inspired by the Greco-Roman tradition. A similar explosion of design, and renaissance of culture in general, occurred in Northern Europe, starting in the fifteenth century. The seventeenth century, in both Southern and Northern Europe, was characterized by opulent, often gilded Baroque designs that frequently incorporated a profusion of vegetal and scrolling ornament. Starting in the eighteenth century, furniture designs began to develop more rapidly. Although there were some styles that belonged primarily to one nation, such as Palladianism in Great Britain, others, such as the Rococo and Neoclassicism were perpetuated throughout Western Europe.
19th Century
The nineteenth century is usually defined by concurrent revival styles, including Gothic, Neoclassicism, Rococo, and the Eastlake Movement. The design reforms of the late century introduced the Aesthetic movement and the Arts and Crafts movement. Art Nouveau was influenced by both of these movements.
Modernism
The first three-quarters of the twentieth century are often seen as the march towards Modernism. Art Deco, De Stijl, Bauhaus, Wiener Werkstätte, and Vienna Secession designers all worked to some degree within the Modernist idiom. Postmodern design, intersecting the Pop art movement, gained steam in the 1960s and 70s, promoted in the 80s by groups such as the Italy-based Memphis movement. Transitional furniture is intended to fill a place between Traditional and Modern tastes.
Asian history
Asian furniture has a quite distinct history. The traditions out of China, India, and Japan are some of the best known, but places such as Korea, Mongolia, and the countries of South East Asia have unique facets of their own.
Traditional Japanese furniture is well known for its minimalist style, extensive use of wood, high-quality craftsmanship and reliance on wood grain instead of painting or thick lacquer. Japanese chests are known as Tansu, and are some of the most sought-after of Japanese antiques. The antiques available generally date back to the Tokugawa era.
Chinese furniture is traditionally better known for more ornate pieces. The use of uncarved wood and bamboo and the use of heavy lacquers are well known Chinese styles. It is worth noting that China has an incredibly rich and diverse history, and architecture, religion, furniture and culture in general can vary widely from one dynasty to the next.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects which may support the human body (seating furniture and beds), provide storage, or hold objects on horizontal surfaces above the ground. Storage furniture (which often makes use of doors, drawers, and shelves) is used to hold or contain smaller objects such as clothes, tools, books, and household goods.Furniture can be a product of artistic design and is considered a form of decorative art. In addition to furniture's functional role, it can serve a symbolic or religious purpose. Domestic furniture works to create, in conjunction with furnishings such as clocks and lighting, comfortable and convenient interior spaces. Furniture can be made from many materials, including metal, plastic, and wood. Furniture can be made using a variety of woodworking joints which often reflect the local culture.
History
Furniture has been a part of the human experience since the development of non-nomadic cultures. Evidence of furniture survives from the Neolithic Period and later in antiquity in the form of paintings, such as the wall Murals discovered at Pompeii; sculpture, and examples have been excavated in Egypt and found in tombs in Ghiordes, in modern day Turkey.
Neolithic Period
A range of unique stone furniture has been excavated in Skara Brae a Neolithic village, located in Orkney, Scotland. The site dates from 3100-2500BC and due to a shortage of wood in Orkney, the people of Skara Brae were forced to build with stone, a readily available material that could be worked easily and turned into items for use within the household. Each house shows a high degree of sophistication and was equipped with an extensive assortment of stone furniture, ranging from cupboards, dressers and beds to shelves, stone seats and limpet tanks. [[1]] The stone dressers were regarded as the most important as it symbolically faces the entrance in each house and is therefore the first item seen when entering, perhaps displaying symbolic objects, including decorative artwork such as several Neolithic Carved Stone Balls also found at the site.
The Classical World
Early furniture has been excavated from the 8th-century B.C. Phrygian tumulus, the Midas Mound, in Gordion, Turkey. Pieces found here include tables and inlaid serving stands. There are also surviving works from the 9th-8th-century B.C. Assyrian palace of Nimrud. The earliest surviving carpet, the Pazyryk Carpet was discovered in a frozen tomb in Siberia and has been dated between the 6th and 3rd century B.C.. Recovered Ancient Egyptian furniture includes a 3rd millennium B.C. bed discovered in the Tarkhan Tomb, a c.2550 B.C. gilded set from the tomb of Queen Hetepheres, and a c. 1550 B.C. stool from Thebes. Ancient Greek furniture design beginning in the 2nd millennium B.C., including beds and the klismos chair, is preserved not only by extant works, but by images on Greek vases. The 1738 and 1748 excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii introduced Roman furniture, preserved in the ashes of the 79 A.D. eruption of Vesuvius, to the eighteenth century.
Early Modern Europe
The furniture of the Middle Ages was usually heavy, oak, and ornamented with carved designs. Along with the other arts, the Italian Renaissance of the fourteenth and fifteenth century marked a rebirth in design, often inspired by the Greco-Roman tradition. A similar explosion of design, and renaissance of culture in general, occurred in Northern Europe, starting in the fifteenth century. The seventeenth century, in both Southern and Northern Europe, was characterized by opulent, often gilded Baroque designs that frequently incorporated a profusion of vegetal and scrolling ornament. Starting in the eighteenth century, furniture designs began to develop more rapidly. Although there were some styles that belonged primarily to one nation, such as Palladianism in Great Britain, others, such as the Rococo and Neoclassicism were perpetuated throughout Western Europe.
19th Century
The nineteenth century is usually defined by concurrent revival styles, including Gothic, Neoclassicism, Rococo, and the Eastlake Movement. The design reforms of the late century introduced the Aesthetic movement and the Arts and Crafts movement. Art Nouveau was influenced by both of these movements.
Modernism
The first three-quarters of the twentieth century are often seen as the march towards Modernism. Art Deco, De Stijl, Bauhaus, Wiener Werkstätte, and Vienna Secession designers all worked to some degree within the Modernist idiom. Postmodern design, intersecting the Pop art movement, gained steam in the 1960s and 70s, promoted in the 80s by groups such as the Italy-based Memphis movement. Transitional furniture is intended to fill a place between Traditional and Modern tastes.
Asian history
Asian furniture has a quite distinct history. The traditions out of China, India, and Japan are some of the best known, but places such as Korea, Mongolia, and the countries of South East Asia have unique facets of their own.
Traditional Japanese furniture is well known for its minimalist style, extensive use of wood, high-quality craftsmanship and reliance on wood grain instead of painting or thick lacquer. Japanese chests are known as Tansu, and are some of the most sought-after of Japanese antiques. The antiques available generally date back to the Tokugawa era.
Chinese furniture is traditionally better known for more ornate pieces. The use of uncarved wood and bamboo and the use of heavy lacquers are well known Chinese styles. It is worth noting that China has an incredibly rich and diverse history, and architecture, religion, furniture and culture in general can vary widely from one dynasty to the next.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furniture
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