About me....
If you would like to get in touch, leave me a comment or get in touch via e-mail:
sdunlop@hamilton.s-lanark.sch.uk
Friday 11 December 2009
Will sponsors back tarnished Tiger Woods?
Tiger Woods' extraordinary golfing prowess has made him the wealthiest sportsman in the world - but behind every great sportsman these days, there is always an array of big businesses.
Is Tiger Woods' reputation hanging by a thread?
Nike has been Woods' biggest sponsor since the start of his career, signing its first contract with him as long ago as 1996.
Since then, other major companies have added their endorsements, including the Gatorade drinks brand and Gillette razors.
In fact, despite being the world's number one golfer, Woods makes far more money off the green than on it.
Last year, he earned $23m (£13.8m) from golf tournaments - a figure dwarfed by the more than $100m that his various sponsorship deals brought in.
So with his previously impeccable image now somewhat tarnished, amid continuing speculation about his private life following last week's car crash, his income is hugely dependent on how those sponsors are likely to react.
Rallying round?
In the long term, it is unclear whether the 33-year-old star's apology to his family for his "transgressions" will restore his clean-cut reputation or simply add to the perception of guilt.
But so far, the picture is mixed. Nike, Pepsico, TLC Vision and Electronic Arts all issued statements on Wednesday to the effect that their relationship with Woods was unchanged.
On Monday, Gatorade wished Woods well as he recovers from his injuries and said: "Our partnership with Tiger continues."
Others sound less committed. Gillette says its marketing strategy is unchanged, but has left open what might happen in the future.
More ominously, however, several other sponsors have yet to pronounce at all on the matter.
This week, companies such as watchmaker Tag Heuer and IT firm Accenture have continued to run advertising campaigns in the US media featuring Woods.
But they, and other big backers including telecoms giant AT&T, have so far been "unavailable for comment" on whether he still enjoys their full confidence.
Recruitment Day
Pupils had been given a job advert with the job description and person specification for a position as an Administration Assistant for an ICT company. Pupils then had to fill in an application form and then were divided into 2 separate pools.
They were given a list of possible questions they could be asked by the 2 seperate interview panels (who were made up or Mr Arthur and 2 seniors, and Miss Boag and 2 seniors).
During the interview process the pupils were filmed using FLIP cameras. Once it was over, the panel typed up their notes and we will edit together the footage so the pupils can watch everyone's performance along with the feedback.
Hopefully this will give them some insight into the recruitment and selection process and also develop skills as interviewees and even interviewers.
Congratulations to Susan and Kyle who were the two selected by the interview panels to get the job!
Tuesday 17 November 2009
Well done to all of S3 Admin pupils who took park in the Coca Cola Design and Enterprise Challenge - there were many fantastic ideas. Unfortunately there could only be one winner............... YUMBUN!!
Congratulations to my winning group from 3F - YUMBUN with the new drink "Growiegant"
YUMBUN's group members were Claudia Cheung, Melissa Pate, Sophie Gregory and Mason O'Donnell.
Coca-Cola have picked this group as one of there finalists and will represent Hamilton Grammar on Friday at the Science Centre in Glasgow. They will be asked to create "growirgrant" design and make the packaging, work out the finance and finally market the new product to the 5 judges!!!!
Friday 6 November 2009
JOBS FOR ALL - GORDON BROWN ON A "MISSION"
Gordon Brown pledges jobs for all
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has declared jobs for all to be his "mission".
He told students in Glasgow that he wanted to see Britain's economy "quickly" return to high employment.
The Prime Minister continued: "I want to see a situation where, not only do we give you new opportunities in education, but we create an economy where there are jobs for all.
"Our mission is not simply to invest more in education as we will do with the new extension to the college. Our mission is to make sure there are jobs in the economy for people once they get the qualifications."
Thursday 22 October 2009
BBC School Report 2010
Are you interested in what's happening in the news today?
BBC News School Report gives 11-14 year-old pupil's in the UK the chance to make their own news reports for a real audience.
You may get the chance to report live on the BBC News and radio. Last years reporters represented the school at the UWS and appeared live on the BBC, radio and in the local newspaper!!!
Come along to the lunchtime club, Wednesday's at lunchtime in my room - ICT3 and join in the fun!!
Wednesday 14 October 2009
Simpsons to keep us healthy!!
The Simpsons including a doughnut eating, beer guzzling Homer, will be the front of a new healthy eating initiative introduced by the government to tackle obesity in the UK. The Department of Health is spending £640,000 between now and Christmas on the campaign.
The Simpsons will be seen eating unhealthy food at the start of every episode, however the food will disappear by a range of means and be replaced by healthy nutritious alternatives.
The Department of Health is hoping this will encourage their target audience to change to a healthier lifestyle.
Read more at http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/The-Simpsons-Department-Of-Health-To-Use-Cartoon-Family-To-Front-A-Healthy-Living-Campaign/Article/200910115399425?f=rss
Saturday 3 October 2009
US unemployent doubled in two years!
US unemployment rate hits 9.8%
The US unemployment rate climbed to a fresh 26-year high of 9.8 per cent in September, as the pain of recession continues to linger on the shoulders of american workers in spite of aggressive measures to stimulate the economy.
The US unemployment rate has more than doubled in the past two years and the number of people without jobs has risen by 7.6m to 15.1m since the recession began in December 2007.Source: FT.com 02/10/09
Rio to host the 2016 Olympics
Vote breakdown
First round - Madrid 28, Rio 26, Tokyo 22, Chicago 18
Second round - Rio 46, Madrid 29, Tokyo 20
Third round - Rio 66, Madrid 32
What's you opinion on the decision? Leave your comments.......
Friday 2 October 2009
Decision Day - Olympic Bid 2016
Monday 21 September 2009
Good news for a local business this week...
Brewery plans second site in £2m expansion
West, the fledgling specialist brewery, restaurant and beer hall based at Glasgow Green, is set to expand its current beer-making operation and open a second brewery in the city’s East End with an investment of more than £2m, The Herald has learned.
Petra Wetzel, West’s German-born founder and owner, said the expansion was being driven by increased demand for its portfolio of specialist beers, all of which are made to the strict standards of the Reinheitsgebot of 1516, the medieval German beer purity law.
West’s biggest-selling lager is St Mungo, named after the patron saint of Glasgow, whose brotherhood used to brew their own beer and serve the “liquid bread” to the poor and sickly people of Clydeside.
The operation, which is based behind the imposing Venetian-style facade of the Templeton Building on Glasgow Green, currently employs a staff of 28.
Wetzel, 34, who recently struck a deal with curry entrepreneur Charan Gill to develop a new premium lager for his Slumdog restaurant, said the new brewery will create a further 25 jobs.
She also said the new venture would be funded without bank debt, but with the help of private investors. Hilary Jones, a former brewer for Newcastle Brown Ale, Fosters, Kronenbourg and McEwan’s, earlier this year invested in a minority shareholding in West. The bulk of the rest of the business is owned by Wetzel and her parents.
Wetzel said: “We expect the building work on the new brewery to begin next spring, and we hope to have it up and running by the end of 2010.
“The expansion is completely driven by the demand for what we make here – that is, very fine beer to the highest standards of the Reinheitsgebot. You’ll find nothing artificial at this brewery.
“As it is, we’re already being approached to provide larger quantities of our beer than we are currently able to make.
“Even with the expansion here at Glasgow Green – which will increase our brewing capacity by 50% – it’s still not enough.
“At the moment, we’re moving about 10 kegs of beer a week for some of our customers, but we are getting approaches from restaurants and hotel chains that could easily raise that to 50 kegs a week for some customers, and we just don’t have the capacity to satisfy that.”
West already supplies its specialist beers to a number of outlets, including Bar 91 and the GFT in Glasgow, as well as various festivals, most recently Proms in the Park at Glasgow Green, where, according to Wetzel, “they drank us dry”.
The brewery, which this year won three gold medals from the DLG, the prestigious Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft (German Agricultural Society) – the first time that any lager brewed in the UK received a medal from the DLG – also supplies a specialist King Tut brand of premium lager to King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, the renowned Glasgow concert venue.
Wetzel said the precise location for the new brewery could not be revealed because negotiations were still ongoing.
She said: “I can only tell you that it will be in the East End of Glasgow, about a mile and a half from where we are now, and that it’s now a brown field site, so we’re building from scratch – but the terms are still being negotiated.”
Wetzel said the new brewery will be the “most energy efficient brewery in Europe – maybe in the world”.
The Herald
20 September 2009