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Google plans to release to customers in the future a version of Google+, already in use internally at the company, that has features designed specifically for workplace collaboration.
So said Google+ official Bradley Horowitz on Monday at the company's Atmosphere event, where Google is hosting 350 CIOs from around the world to discuss the role of cloud computing in the enterprise. The event ends on Tuesday.
"We know from our own experience this will transform businesses worldwide," said Horowitz, Google+ vice president of product.
For example, the Google+ Circles functionality, which lets users segment their "friends" list into different groups, will allow for "intra-enterprise sharing" through Circles for the IT department, the marketing department and the like, that are public within an organization but not necessarily to people outside, he said.
The use of this workplace version of Google+ has "transformed" communications within Google, becoming the preferred tool for many interactions that previously happened via email, wikis or other "sharing mechanisms," Horowitz said.
"We recognize the demand for this use case. We see it and use it every day: we're working on that," he said.
These features, which would probably also include the ability to share files from the Docs hosted productivity applications using Circles, would be of particular interest to Google Apps customers, who just last week got access to Google+ via their accounts.
It's not clear whether the Google+ workplace features would be available only to Google Apps customers or instead to all Google+ users.
Although Google+ at this point doesn't have specific features for enterprise social collaboration, Horowitz said that it can be used in the workplace, giving as an example its Hangouts feature for multi-person video chat.
Google Apps includes Docs, Gmail, Calendar, Talk, Sites, Video and other applications, but it doesn't have an enterprise social collaboration component, along the lines of what vendors like Jive Software, Socialtext and NewsGator offer.
Although cloud-hosted enterprise social collaboration software has become increasingly popular in recent years, Google has held off on adding such a component to Apps -- although it sounds like that may change with the new version of Google+.


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A new model to make medicines affordable for all?
The Laurence Crowley Lecture Series Event on Nov 5th will discuss the subject of 'making highly effective biotechnology drugs affordable'.
Irish Times interview with Prof. Jan Rosier, Élan Professor of the Business of Biotechnology - original piece published 19.10.15
A very interesting public lecture will take place on Thursday, November 5th, 2015 in the UCD Smurfit School. Organised by Jan Rosier, Professor of the Business of Biotechnology at the School Of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science at the UCD Conway Institute, this year’s Laurence Crowley Lecture will cover the often controversial topic of how to making highly effective biotechnology drugs affordable.
“I have invited two speakers with very different perspectives on the subject”, says Rosier. “One is Professor Thomas Pogge, Leitner Professor of Philosophy and International Affairs at Yale University and Chairman of the Health Impact Fund and the other is Professor Tom Donaldson who is Mark O Winkelman Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a noted writer on business ethics. Professor Pogge is a philosopher and looks at the issue from that point of view while Donaldson takes a business perspective.”
The motivation behind the lecture is the rapid increase in the cost of medicines over recent years. “Over the past two to five years the price of drugs has increased tremendously,” says Rosier. “Some drugs have gone up in price by between 10 per cent and 50 per cent while others have increased by between 1,000 per cent and 5,000 per cent. This creates a huge problem for society and for governments.”
Pogge has already come up with a proposed solution to the issue in the form of the Health Impact Fund (HIF) (healthimpactfund.org). This offers an alternative way of paying for pharmaceutical innovation by incentivising the development and delivery of new medicines by paying the pharmaceutical companies for the efficacy of the drugs.
Pharmaceutical firms which register new medicines with the HIF would agree to provide their drugs at the cost of production to patients around the world. Instead of receiving profits from the actual sale of the drug they would be rewarded by the HIF in accordance with the global health impact of the medicine. The HIF would be funded by governments and other donors including philanthropic organisations.
“There should be a system which is not just based on price but where a company is rewarded for the impact its research has made on health and society”, says Rosier. “Patients would only pay the production costs of the drugs and the additional part would be paid by governments or other international organisations.”
While this may sound utopian, the idea has attracted the support of bodies such as the World Health Organisation and independent US senator Bernie Sanders. But it would require a complete change in mindset and business model for the pharmaceutical companies who at present are geared towards driving increased profits in order to reward shareholders.
“At present most pharmaceutical companies are not interested in developing world markets such as India or Zimbabwe, ” Rosier explains. “Take a medicine like the pancreatitis drug Glybera, for example. At present a single injection costs $1 million. That is never going to be available in the developing world. It will probably be available in some wealthy Western countries but not very many patients will get it. We have to find solutions to situations like that where patients and health systems simply cannot afford drugs.”
Part of the problem is the very expensive processes involved in the development of new drugs. It can take up to 12 years and hundreds of millions of dollars to bring a drug from the lab to the market. And for every one that makes it through, hundreds fall by the wayside at some point along the exacting journey. It is little wonder the pharmaceutical companies seek to extract the maximum profit from successful drugs wherever and whenever they can.
But many people, including Hillary Clinton and President Obama, have said that the profit levels have become excessive. “They are saying that if the current trend continues it will break the system”, says Rosier. “A solution has to be found.”
That is where Prof Donaldson comes in. “For many years people have been asking why they are working for a particular company. He has a different way of thinking. He asks why firms are in the specific business they are in. In the case of the pharmaceutical industry, are they there to create value for shareholders or to deliver health benefits to patients? The pharmaceutical industry is dealing with products that have a fundamental health benefit but their price is not related to their cost. The companies do not only have a responsibility to their shareholders, they have a responsibility to patients as well and we need to find an alternative way to reward biotechnology firms in a very effective way.”
Rosier recognises that this will be easier said than done. “Any alternative system will have to reward the development of new innovative drugs at least as well as the current system does, otherwise we will not get the new drugs. We are not there yet and it will require some deep philosophical thought. But with lectures like this one at least we can start that thought process and prompt a debate about it.”

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There have been a few doubts that the upcoming flagship from Huawei will indeed be called P20, which is now completely cleared by the invite, which also hints at some of the features of the new smartphone.
The new leak seems to substantiate the rumor that Huawei will follow in Apple's footsteps and carve out a notch for its camera sensors in the front panel of the P20. In two leaked images - one supposedly an official render of the phone and second leaked by Evan Blass of @evleaks fame - we see that the P20 will have an edge-to-edge display similar to that of the iPhone X.
GSMArena also posted a video on YouTube, said to be Huawei's promo that revealed the P20 name. By releasing a short video on Saturday, the Chinese manufacturer has confirmed that it will be launching Huawei P20 on March 27.
The leaked photo also shows that the Huawei P20 will still have bottom bezel that's thick enough to house a front-mounted fingerprint scanner. Alongside a notch, the rear dual camera arrangement on the P20 will probably look familiar to iPhone X owners as well, considering the cameras are also stacked vertically.
Doing the heavy lifting is an octa-core Kirin 659 processor, according to Blass, comprised of a quad-core chip clocked at 2.48GHz coupled with a 1.7GHz quad-core chip. On the software side, the device will include Android 8.0 Oreo layered with EMUI 8.0. Some people like this interface, most Android users don't as they prefer either stock Android or something closer to it.


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Hong Kong plans to ban CBD and CBD products starting this Wednesday. Penalties for trafficking CBD into Hong Kong could result in penalties as harsh as life imprisonment.
“Starting from February 1, cannabidiol, aka CBD, will be regarded as a dangerous drug and will be supervised and managed by the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance,” Au-Yeung Ka-lun, a Hong Kong customs intelligence officer, said during a news briefing, AP reported.
“As of then, transporting CBD for sale, including import and export, as well as producing, possessing and consuming CBD, will be illegal,” Au-Yeung continued.
Penalties for smuggling, distributing, or selling CBD in Hong Kong can fetch fines of more than $600,000. The most severe punishments include life in prison.
Hong Kong’s decision to ban CBD may shock cannabis patients in the West, who can legally order CBD products through the mail or pick up a CBD product at the nearest convenience store.
Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration announced it would not issue new regulations for CBD, particularly for CBD’s use in food and beverage products. Instead, the FDA said regulations should be left to Congress.
In the US, one CBD-based medication is approved by the FDA. Epidiolex, which is essentially a pharmaceutical-grade CBD tincture, is approved for treating certain rare seizure disorders. In 2020, Epidiolex was removed from the list of Controlled Substances, meaning doctors could prescribe it for off-label uses.
CBD was essentially legalized in the US back in 2018 with the passage of the federal farm bill. The bill removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, the primary plant source for CBD.
Meanwhile, other Asian countries are liberalizing their cannabis laws. South Korea now permits cannabis, so long as it’s used for legitimate medical purposes.
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If the foodservice industry has learned anything in recent years, it’s that resilience and creativity can mean the difference between success and failure. The restaurants and managers who were able to forge a new path, pivot, and try new things are still standing today, despite continued labour shortages, inflation, and supply chain delays. Restobiz […]
Restaurant management has always been testing work but in today’s age, it’s an incredibly challenging job. Balancing staff requirements, food costs, and other operational concerns alongside the need to maximize revenues to retain often razor-thin margins is no enviable task. Thankfully, Canadian-based team management company 7shifts has released its new 7shifts Academy, described as a […]
RestoBiz spoke to numerous foodservice operators about the bold steps they have taken to keep moving forward throughout COVID-19. By Tom Nightingale Faced with mounting pressure, closures, razor-thin margins, and a range of health and business concerns, foodservice operators have had to tread where they have never stepped before during the COVID-19 pandemic. Battening down […]
Operators must get to know restaurant insurance and protect themselves and their business with pandemic uncertainty continuing indefinitely.
fsSTRATEGY regularly conducts foodservice operations reviews and is now offering a limited number of complimentary restaurant consultations.
One segment of the foodservice industry that may see some of the greatest changes of all post-COVID-19 is the beloved buffet.
COVID-19 has seen the requirements for foodservice cleaning shift. Naturally, restaurants and other facilities in this sector have always had to be particularly sanitary. But, in the time of increased focus on infection prevention and control, both operators and suppliers have had to up their game. The scope of foodservice cleaning and disinfecting measures is […]
Industry expert Doug Radkey offers tips to foodservice operators on how to thrive as winter, and a potential COVID-19 second wave, approaches.
Ghost kitchens, based on setting up facilities focused exclusively on online delivery and takeout orders, are becoming ubiquitous during COVID-19.
The federal government has announced its intention to introduce new, targeted supports and rent relief to help hard-hit businesses.


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OCEAN CITY – With a better understanding of how an additional Jeep would be purchased for the Boardwalk trams, members of a resort committee this week agreed to send a favorable recommendation to the Mayor and Council.
On Tuesday, the Ocean City Transportation Committee voted unanimously to forward a favorable recommendation to purchase a ninth Jeep Wrangler for the Boardwalk trams at a cost of $31,696 and to upfit the vehicle at a cost of around $16,000.
“When all is said and done, as we head into the summer of 2019 we will have nine Jeeps and eight trailing units,” said Public Works Director Hal Adkins, “the ninth Jeep being there to maximize deployments in case a transmission went out or something like that.”
Late last year, the Mayor and Council opted to replace the existing motor units of the Boardwalk trams with eight Jeep Wranglers. And last week, officials approved an ordinance authorizing the purchase of the eight Jeeps and new tram coaches – which would include surveillance cameras – at a total cost of around $1.3 million.
Adkins told the committee this week, however, that the town’s risk manager found no need to install the surveillance cameras on the trams at this time, and Procurement Manager Catrice Parsons added that the $28,000 budgeted for the camera systems would no longer be used.
“We are going to be taking the money from which we were going to be purchasing the cameras to purchase the ninth Jeep …,” she said. “I can still get the Jeep off contract. I think $31,696 is the cost of it, so we are just a few thousand dollars short.”
Parsons also noted additional savings found in the town’s Vehicle Trust Fund. She said she would go before the Mayor and Council to ask that $16,000 be appropriated for the upfitting of the ninth Jeep.
The committee voted unanimously to recommend the purchase of an additional Jeep at $31,696 through the lease purchase agreement approved by council and to use $16,000 in savings from the Vehicle Trust Fund to cover the cost of upfitting the vehicle.


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ATDynamics is continuing to plug away on its self-stated goal of retrofitting all 4 million trailers globally with its TrailerTail, announced the company’s VP of Sales, Kyle Houston, at a press event at The Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Texas, Aug. 22.
The company in the last three years has seen overall growth in sales of 1,255 percent, Houston said, and has sold to this point 20,000 TrailerTails.
In its larger quest of worldwide adoption, however, Houston says the company has a short term goal of reaching 50,000 total units sold by the end of 2014.
Worldwide adoption would save the industry $40 billion over a ten-year period.
ATDynamics is currently aiming for adoption in the North American market, primarily in the U.S. and Canada, which together have 2 million trailers. But, Houston said, TrailerTails will soon be available in Mexico due to a new partnership with Mexican-based supplier Andromeda.
TrailerTails in the U.S. have logged 800 million real-world miles, and the company recently inked deals with large fleets Roehl and Prime, in which all new trailers the two buy will be equipped from the factory with the aero devices.
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TrailerTail works off of the premise that the largest fuel savings immediately available to tractor-trailers are eliminating the vacuum of air caused by the right-angled end of van and reefer trailers, Houston said. TrailerTail works to mitigate that.
The device can be installed by two people in less than an hour, Houston says.
In the video below, owner-operator Bob Caffee demonstrates how to disengage the TrailerTail after use to allow the trailer’s doors to open. Caffee is a member of the Freightliner Team Run Smart program, in which Freightliner supplies him with a 2014 Freightliner Cascadia Evolution to show off the truck’s fuel economy.
Caffee and his wife Linda drive team hauling FedEx Custom Critical freight.
Bob and Linda average more than 11.5 mpg with the Evolution and a mix of aerodynamic devices like the TrailerTail:


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According to a study to be released Tuesday by international research firm Ipsos-Reid, America's share of Internet users fell from first place to third from 1999 to 2000 after dominating the Web since its inception. That share will continue to sink as the Internet becomes a popular destination in other parts of the world.
Sweden ranked at the top in 2000 with 65 percent of the population using the Web, followed by Canada with 60 percent and the United States at 59 percent.
The study comes as the Internet continues to evolve and becomes integrated into people's lives. From online tax filing to e-greeting cards, Web surfers are increasingly using the Net for business transactions, entertainment, news, e-mail and other features.
"The Internet is now in its post-revolutionary phrase," said Gus Schattenberg, vice president of global research at Vancouver, British Columbia-based Ipsos-Reid. "What we're seeing is that the years of dramatic rapid growth are tapering off...In a lot of places, there was just a big surge that took place a few years ago, and now it's starting to slow down and just running into some barriers to move beyond the early adopters."
Schattenberg said although the American market has either reached a plateau or is in "a bit of a 7th inning stretch," Canada and Sweden are moving ahead and integrating the Internet into more people's lives. He attributed the growth to the economies of Canada and Sweden, where there is more equal distribution of income than in the United States, where a "digital divide" is separating many people from the Internet mainstream.
The study, based on more than 28,000 interviews with online users in 30 countries and general consumers in 35 countries, also showed that South Korea and Singapore have grown faster than major European markets such as Germany, Belgium and the United Kingdom.
Schattenberg said that such results show the Web is beginning to break away from the dominance of English-language and American-derived content, with companies around the world offering a range of online services in local languages.
However, in another study released Monday, Jupiter Media Metrix found that online usage in the United States increased over the past year among all age groups, particularly among 18- to 34-year-olds and baby boomers, comprising of individuals at least 55 years old.
The Jupiter Media Metrix study said that between April 2000 and April 2001, the number of 18- to 24-year-olds and baby boomers who used the Web and other digital media grew 32 percent and 33 percent respectively.
"These rapidly increasing age groups, which often have more leisure time than other demographic segments, are driving fundamental shifts in the digital media landscapes," Doug McFarland, president of Media Metrix, the online ratings division of Jupiter Media Metrix, said in a statement. "While the college-age demographic has long been sought-after, marketers and online advertisers must not forget baby boomers' strong buying propensity and potential for sheer audience size."
The research firm found that in the United States overall usage of the Web grew 19 percent over the same period. It did not track international usage.


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Yashili New Zealand Dairy Co, the local unit of Chinese-owned Yashili International Holdings, has agreed to sell as much as $18.7 million of base powder dairy products to Danone under a contract that will run until the end of the year.
The deal is disclosed in a notice to the Hong Kong stock exchange because Danone Asia owns 25 per cent of Yashili International and deemed a "connected person".
The notice didn't cite volumes to be sold and the value given is described as an "annual cap for the aggregate consideration". The terms were negotiated on an arm's-length basis and the contract could be superseded by a strategic co-operation supply agreement, it said.
Danone acquired a quarter stake in Yashili, itself a unit of China Mengniu Dairy Co, for HK$4.39 billion ($78.2 million) in 2014 in a deal that included technology and production improvements for the Chinese company. Infant milk producer Yashili had listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange in 2010 before Mengniu, China's largest producer of liquid milk products, acquired a controlling stake in 2013.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Yashili New Zealand Dairy, a joint venture between Yashili and Mengniu established in 2012, invested $220m in a dairy plant in Pokeno capable of producing 52,000 tonnes a year of infant formula.
Yashili announced a collaboration at the Pokeno plant last year as part of a wider deal to buy Danone's Dumex infant formula business.
Danone's local subsidiary, Danone Nutricia, ended its supply contract with Fonterra Cooperative Group after the August 2013 botulism scare and launched a $1b lawsuit against the dairy co-operative in compensation for disrupted sales. It has since been sourcing product from Synlait Milk and other manufacturers and last year bought two Kiwi dairy processing companies, Sutton Group and Gardians.


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Ghana’s Trade and Industry Minister visits the Volkswagen (VW) Assembly Plant
The Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Alan Kyerematen paid a working visit to the assembly site of Volkswagen (VW), Ghana in Accra ahead of the launching of its first assembled Volkswagen vehicles in the country.
Route 233 readers may recall that, Mr. Thomas Schaefer, Head of the VW Sub-Saharan Region and the Honorable Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen of Ghana signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish an automobile assembly facility and to assess the feasibility of a modern Mobility Concept for Ghana.
The Minister and his entourage were awestruck at the pace at which Volkswagen (VW) is moving and has re-echoed the commitment made by the President of Ghana.
“I assure Volkswagen and its local assembler in Ghana of the full support of government in creating an enabling environment and incentive framework to make their investment a major success” – Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Alan Kyerematen
Ghana’s move to lure automobile makers follows South Africa, which has attracted seven companies including VW, Nissan, Renault and Toyota with tax incentives. That has produced one of the bright spots of an otherwise moribund economy, accounting for about 7 percent of GDP.
Volkswagen builds cars in Nigeria, Kenya and Algeria, and in June 2018 opened Rwanda’s first car plant.
The Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen further stated that the full 10-year tax break will only apply to establishments building whole vehicles in Ghana, though a five-year holiday will be available for partial manufacturing.


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Canada's Competition Tribunal last week prohibited Nielsen from enforcing or arranging retailer contracts that give Nielsen exclusive access to scanner sales data. The ruling paves the way for rival Information Resources Inc. to enter the $70 million Canadian scanner data market, one of Niel-sen's three most profitable countries worldwide, according to an analyst.
The tribunal said it is prepared to force Nielsen to supply IRI with historical data, a move that would accelerate IRI's ability to win clients in Canada. Package-goods marketers need at least one year of background data against which to compare current sales.
Nielsen said it is reviewing the tribunal's decision and has 30 days to decide if it will appeal the ruling.
Separately, Mr. Adams, president of ECR & Retail Services, said last week he will leave Nielsen at the end of the month to pursue other options. His departure follows Nielsen's move last month to integrate the Efficient Consumer Response unit into the company's mainstream business.
"A number of things I believe in and have been pushing Nielsen and others toward have been a little further off than I thought," said Mr. Adams. "Census data hasn't developed as fast as I thought....The applications aren't as rich as customers would like. Manufacturers and retailers have to sort out their relationship before census will take off."
Census data-data collected from every store in a chain-is the engine driving ECR. ECR is the grocery industry initiative to reduce costs through more efficient promotions, fluid inventory replenishment and more profitable store assortment.
Mr. Adams, a former Frito-Lay executive, was hired in 1993 by George Garrick, the IRI veteran who briefly served as Nielsen's president before rejoining IRI. Mr. Adams was to lead development and sales of ECR services to client manufacturers, but said he's spent much of his time recruiting retailers to build Nielsen's census database.
All ECR marketing activities will be led by Exec VP-Marketing John Lewis, while Robert Livingston, senior VP-customer development, will spearhead sales of ECR services to manufacturers. Mr. Adams' successor, who will lead retail sales, will be named later this month.


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‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ hits theaters tomorrow, so get tickets now if you haven’t already!
‘Star Wars Battlefront 2’s latest update now available for PC, PS4, and Xbox One adds new content inspired by ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi,’ which hits theaters tomorrow.
Natalie Portman stars in ‘Annihilation,’ the new sci-fi thriller directed by Alex Garland. Watch the new trailer for ‘Annihilation,’ which hits theaters on Feb. 23, 2018.
Here’s a list of new video games available to buy for the Nintendo Switch. You’ll find everything from arcade soccer game ‘Rocket League’ to ‘Sonic Forces’ and crime thriller ‘L.A. Noire’.
Netflix is adding new movies and TV shows for you and your family to binge watch. Here’s what’s new on Netflix in December 2017.
Eight Pixels Square co-owner Hugh Binns chats with Techie+Gamers about the inspiration behind the development of ‘Sniper Strike: Special Ops,’ AI driven enemies, and his favorite weapons to use in the shooter game for iOS and Android.
Ready to jump into ‘Hello Neighbor’? Here’s a guide on what controls to use in the PC version when you sneak into your neighbor’s house.
To celebrate the ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ premiere, Jimmy Fallon made the ‘Star Wars’ characters sing “MMMBop” by Hanson. Watch the video on TechieGamers.com.
AMC has released the midseason premiere trailer for ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 8 ‘The Last Stand Begins’, which returns on Sunday, February 25 at 9 PM ET.
‘The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land’, the mobile game of AMC’s hit TV series ‘The Walking Dead’, has been updated to bring you new missions based on Season 8.


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After 25 years at the International Herald Tribune—now known as the International New York Times—acclaimed journalist Suzy Menkes is leaving her position as the newspaper’s Style Editor to join Condé Nast International. Menkes will join as a fashion critic and reporter for the international Vogue websites. Menkes will also be involved in organizing an annual Condé Nast International Conference, which will be devoted to the luxury industry.
In a conversation with Style.com/Arabia, Jonathan Newhouse, CEO and Chairman of Condé Nast International, commented that Menkes’ role will mirror her previous one. “[It will consist of] reviews of the fashion shows and reporting on the world of fashion from all around the world. Suzy is a tireless journalist who covers every aspect of the fashion world, bringing insight and knowledge to her reporting, and she will do the same for the Vogue websites.”
Condé Nast International publishes 19 Vogue websites, including ones in the U.K., France, Italy, China, Russia, Japan, Germany, and Spain.
“I think it’s the most wonderful opportunity,” Menkes told WWD. “Change is good; it’s what fashion is all about.”
Menkes’ exit is the second high profile departure this year for the New York Times. In February, Cathy Horyn, the much-lauded Fashion Critic of The New York Times, announced her resignation after 15 years of working there.


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Australian manufacturing and engineering company Ludowici will exhibit at the Indonesian Balikpapan Mining Expo from June 14 to 16. The company says it is targeting growth in Indonesia and hosting an exhibit will strengthen its commitment to the country’s mining market.
“We are confident of increasing sales as the Indonesian mining market achieves its growth potential, particularly in coal processing which is a strength of Ludowici throughout world coal mining markets,” says the company’s business development manager for South East Asia Jim Cronin.
Ludowici has opened subsidiaries in China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines, making its full range of mineral processing equipment and material handling products available to those local markets. Its brand has achieved worldwide recognition for wear resistance and reliability.
Founded in 1858, Ludowici is a leader in the design, manufacture and supply of high quality minerals processing and materials handling equipment. “We deliver diversified global manufacturing, engineering and supply high quality minerals processing and materials handling equipment to blue-chip global mining clients,” says Jim Cronin.
Ludowici products include vibrating screens and feeders, the patented Reflux Classifier, coarse and fine centrifuges, screen deck media, woven and wedge wire products, cyclones and the Rojan range of advanced ceramics and rubber material handling hose.
The Reflux Classifier has been hailed as the next generation beneficiation technology as it can be configured for separating fine particles on the basis of either density or size, making it the perfect alternative to spiral technology.
Jim Cronin says Ludowici is at the forefront of developing next generation products for the mining industry by working with customers, innovating new products in house and collaborating with mining innovation inventors such as CSIRO, universities and industry bodies.


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DETROIT -– OnStar introduced a navigation enhancement to its RemoteLink mobile app that allows subscribers to search on a smartphone for a destination and then send it directly to their vehicle where the route can be accessed audibly through OnStar Turn-by-Turn or via an in-dash navigation system.
The new feature is available for all current OnStar RemoteLink-enabled vehicles. Users can type in a destination, select an address from their contact list or speak the destination using a voice search feature. The enhancement will also allow users to store the last five destinations sent to their vehicle.
Once a destination has been selected, the user can send the route directly to his or her vehicle. The route will be available and activated once the vehicle is started.
"Our customer focus is simple connectivity and a seamless user experience," said Steve Schwinke, OnStar director of advanced system design. "RemoteLink’s navigation enhancement offers our customers another choice in how they get directions, whether they’re in their car, on their computer, or using their compatible smartphone."
The RemoteLink navigation enhancement became available in the Android and iPhone marketplace on Aug. 30. Current users of the app will receive an update notification on their smartphone. New users who download the application will receive the updated version.
"We know that 95 percent of smartphone users have looked for local information using their phone and 88 percent of them act on the information they find," said Schwinke. “Whether they need to call or visit a local business, RemoteLink navigation offers a simple and easy solution."


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Artisans had an opportunity to display their arts and craft at an event dubbed “Cultural Festival 2013”, last weekend.
The two-day event, which was held at the Cruise Ship Terminal, showcased various local crafts, international cuisine, as well as provided local entertainment.
It was held in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture and the SVG Port Authority
Jan Fernandez, organiser of Cultural Festival 2013, told I-Witness News that the event, which included a kids’ corner, aimed to build awareness of the private sector in the field of arts and craft.
The intention, she said, is to look for export markets for artisans as well as a fun event for the public.
She said the local market for arts and craft should be developed before artisans begin looking for market overseas.
“Our craft people are very enthusiastic about building our business. I want to help them,” the public relations expert and entrepreneur told I-Witness News.
She said that at the same time, she wants to help the private sector to build the nation’s infrastructure and education.
“So, right now, we are starting with the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, starting with the Paediatric Ward,” she said.
“The response has just been great; I am loving it. This is just the first, pilot run. They are asking to do another one for Independence, and we have one scheduled for Christmas — a three-day event, Christmas Vincy Marketplace. And we will feature craft and our agro produce,” she further said.
Some 42 exhibitors participated in last weekend’s event, which included the sale of food from various cultures, included Japanese, Pilipino Jamaican, Trinidadian, Spanish, Italian, and Haitian.
“We have a great blend of culture,” Fernandez said, adding that they need to be highlighted.
I sincerely hope that they rename this event. Can anyone think of a more generic, bland and uninspiring name for an event than “cultural festival”? Where is the creativity? Where is the originality? In this age of a million competing festivals in the Caribbean are they not interested in creating a unique brand? Are they not interested in standing out from the crowd? The name “Cultural Festival” is just not good enough. Jeez. Nevertheless, the concept is excellent.
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We all want to know more about the food we are eating, and for consumers in Finland who love their fish, it is now possible to trace their purchased fish fillet all the way back to the actual lake that the fish was caught.
Finnish retail cooperative S-Group, will test their Pike-perch radar solution, which is based on IBM Blockchain technology, during the summer season as part of the retail group’s strategy to improve customer experience. The aim is to increase transparency in the food chain and to provide customers with greater information about the food route all the way from the source to the store shelves.
Customers in Finland can trace a fillet of pike or perch freshwater fish back to its home waters using the QR Code on the package of “Kotimaista-kuhafile” fish, or by logging in to a tracking website.
Using the solution, each participant in the blockchain will be able to record the information for their respective part, and that data can then be utilized by other participants. The reliability of the traceability data is ensured, as once data is entered onto the blockchain, it can no longer be changed.
S-Group has been working for years to provide greater transparency in both domestic and foreign food chains. According to Senja Forsman, Senior Compliance Manager of S-Group retail, blockchain is the next big step in this work. Forsman says, “The Pike-perch radar is a pioneer in promoting transparency. To start with the application provides information about different fishing sites. In the future, the customer will also be able to find out which fisherman caught the fish.”
The Perch-pike radar solution is based on modules of IBM Food Trust, a collaborative solution built on IBM Blockchain Platform and The Linux Foundation’sHyperledger Fabric, created to efficiently and securely trace food during each step of the food supply. IBM Food Trust currently has over a dozen companies on the network. This implementation extends the volume and range of food commodities covered by IBM Food Trust globally. With more than 350,000 food data transactions to date on IBM Food Trust, consumers today can compose an entire meal from the products that run through the blockchain network. These items represent dozens of individual food items, from vegetables, meats, to spices, fruits and more.
The Pike-perch radar paves the way for the food supply chain to become more transparent. S-Group is a forerunner with their thinking on the future of food. Combined with IBM Food Trust, the solution is enabling trust, traceability and transparency in a highly important global food system.
Today we further enhance your ability to build blockchain networks anywhere. We are announcing a new version of the IBM Blockchain Platform software which is optimized to deploy on Red Hat OpenShift, Red Hat’s state-of-the-art enterprise Kubernetes platform. This means you now have even more flexibility when choosing where to deploy your blockchain network components, […]
Why is interoperability important in blockchain? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by IBM Blockchain, providing blockchain solutions, services and expertise, on Quora: Jerry Cuomo, IBM Fellow and Vice President Blockchain Technologies: Why is interoperability important in blockchain? […]
Most of us have heard of blockchain, but as it has moved from buzzword to viable business applications, it has not always been clear how to take advantage of its benefits. Clearly, it is about more than just about coins and tokens, but how is it relevant to regular business? Many people know that blockchain […]


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Washington, D.C. – Factories gained 26,000 jobs in September, according to new figures released on Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fabricated metal products saw 8,000 new jobs, machinery gained 6,000, and printing and related activities reported 4,000 new jobs.
But motor vehicles and parts lost 6,000 jobs last month, and manufacturing remains down 353,000 jobs since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020.
Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul said:
“It’s great to see factories posting job gains as manufacturers respond to booming demand. But serious challenges remain. Decades of offshoring have contributed to ongoing supply chain shortages that continue to hinder growth and have forced some factories to go idle, particularly in the auto sector.
“The good news is that the United States has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take concrete steps to strengthen domestic manufacturing and rebuild critical supply chains, from semiconductors to face masks to batteries to solar panels. Doing so will chart a course for a stronger future and create millions of new, well-paid jobs along the way.
“It’s time to put an industrial policy in place to supercharge domestic manufacturing and grow supply chains. We also need to enforce our trade laws to ensure a level playing field for American workers and manufacturers.
“And all of this work starts with finally passing desperately needed infrastructure investment. Congress should act without delay.”


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A bipartisan bill to help fix supply chains and ease shipping backlogs is one step closer to becoming law after passing in the Senate by a voice vote.
“These international shipping conglomerates have been ripping off American farmers, manufacturers and consumers by charging sometimes four times what they used to charge for shipping. There’s no excuse for it because they’ve made seven times the profit from one year to the next.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar says the bill will help American exporters get their goods to market in a timely manner for a fair price and help level the playing field for American manufacturers and consumers. A similar bill already passed in the House.


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US retail giant Wal-Mart has launched a national advertising campaign in an attempt to improve its image amid accusations of discrimination and low wages.
The world’s largest retailer has taken out full-page advertisements in more than a hundred newspapers, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal, underlining its plans to create 100,000 jobs in the US in 2005, reported Reuters. The ads also say that 74% of Wal-Mart’s hourly employees work full-time and that the average wage for its full-time hourly employees is nearly twice the federal minimum wage.
According to Jay Allen, Wal-Mart’s senior vice president of corporate affairs, the campaign is not the result of one specific allegation against the company; instead it stems from the fact that the company has become more of a target for critics due to its growth in recent years.
“It has just become evident to us that it is time for us to be more aggressive in defining ourselves rather than letting others do that,” Allen told Reuters.
Wal-Mart currently faces a hearing to investigate whether it burdens the state of California with an unfair proportion of its employee health care costs, as well as a lawsuit alleging discrimination against female employees.
“For too long, others have had free rein to say things about our company that just aren’t true,” chief executive Lee Scott was quoted by Reuters as saying. “We’ve decided it’s time to draw our own line in the sand.”


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Amplify CEO Segun Adeyemi Talks FinTech in AfricaIn 2017 Africa produced more than 300 FinTech startups. According to Disrupt Africa, these startups are active in 20 countries, focusing on everything from payments and remittances to lending and financing. African FinTech is a sector that is quickly gaining popularity and traction.
Within the MEST portfolio, Nigerian Fintech startup Amplify builds next-generation payment and data systems for banks, businesses, and consumers in Africa. Amplify's solutions help incumbent financial institutions and FinTechs to meet the changing demand of their customers and reach the unbanked/underbanked population. CEO Segun Adeyemi is headed to Hong Kong this week to speak alongside MEST Managing Director Aaron Fu and others at ReThink Live: Africa’s Next Unicorns. We spoke to Adeyemi to get his perspective on African FinTech before he heads to Hong Kong!
Tell me a bit about Amplify.
Amplify is on a mission to become the most innovative FinTech company in Africa, capable of meeting the fast-changing needs of today’s fast-growing businesses and consumers. We do this by building next generation payment systems for banks, businesses and consumers.
We currently have two solutions in the market; AmplifyPay, a payment gateway for accepting and managing payments online and mTransfers, a patented solution that allows bank customers to carry out banking operations while chatting on any social media and messaging application.
[caption id="attachment_6345" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Amplify Cofounders[/caption]
What are you excited about in the African FinTech industry?
There is a lot to be excited about in the FinTech space in Africa if you consider the recent buzz and attention that the industry has been enjoying from both local and international investors and press. Last year, almost a quarter of all venture investments that came into Africa went into FinTech companies. We also saw a number of FinTech-focused programs, incubators, and accelerators opening up across the continent. It is also interesting to note that we are seeing increased openness and support from governments and regulators across key African markets such as Rwanda.
Beyond all this attention, I am personally excited about the opportunity to significantly help drive financial access and inclusion through the creation of innovative solutions that leverage the now ubiquitous technologies that were previously unavailable.
Finally, the quality of entrepreneurs playing in the space and, as a result, the depth of problems being solved and viability of the companies being built is quite impressive. It is indeed a great time to be playing in the fintech space in Africa.
Why do you think FinTech is important?
In answering this question, it is important to pay attention to some hard facts. Almost 60% of the African population does not have access to formal financial services, and 90% of transactions in Africa are still done in cash. Evidence has shown financial inclusion to be an important tool for social and economic progress and long-term reduction in poverty. Access to microcredit can help businesses grow and better cope with risk. Mobile money and digital payments channels help households reduce transaction costs and improve their ability to share risk. Insurance helps the poor mitigate risks and manage shocks.
FinTech provides an opportunity to leverage new technology to deepen financial services for already included members of society, and an even greater opportunity to reach millions of people who previously aren’t able to access some of these services.
What would your advice be for someone trying to get into the FinTech industry?
The first thing I will say, which I believe applies to anyone trying to get into any industry, is to not get carried away by the buzz or hype. You shouldn’t get into FinTech or any industry just because you think it’s cool or trendy.
Practical advice I would give to anyone looking at entering into the fintech space includes:
- Think solutions and not product. Start with the specific problems you’re passionate about solving or the value you intend to add before you start designing or building your fintech products.
- Do your homework. Financial services has its sensitivities. It is therefore important that prospective fintech players research extensively and gain a deep understanding of the regulations, requirements, and intricacies of the space they intend to disrupt or innovate in.
- Look beyond payments and remittances. This is the most vibrant but also the most competitive. There are a lot of areas of fintech such as insurance, pensions, savings, asset management, data, security, and more that are getting much less attention than required.
What are your thoughts on cryptocurrency?
It is pretty difficult to form a conclusive opinion on cryptocurrency as it is still in the very early stages and no one can accurately predict how things will turn out. But one word I would use to describe cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, is game-changing. Cryptocurrencies are a high-risk, high-reward bet similar to early stage investments, and I think most of them will implode, but the ones that survive will become really valuable. I will take this from two perspectives: the store of value standpoint and the medium of exchange standpoint.
In regards to store of value, I believe cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin will continue to rise and may hit as high as $1million or could crash and be worth nothing tomorrow. There are different advocates that align to the two different positions. One thing we can agree on is that it is extremely volatile. This volatility leads to the second part of medium of exchange.
It will be very hard for a currency with this high level of volatility to become widely or universally acceptable as a medium of exchange. This also can change really fast. However, the increase in the value of cryptocurrencies hasn’t been driven by an increase in usage but is merely due to speculative activities.
What are some of your top African FinTech companies to watch?
Outside Amplify, some of African fintech companies that I am on the look out for include:
- OneFi: A consumer credit company that offers fast loans and other financial services via mobile apps. I like their ability to automate and fully digitize their entire operation.
- Luno: A platform that makes it easy for people to buy, sell, send, store and learn about cryptocurrencies.
- Asoko Insights: A data company that makes it easy for investors and other stakeholders to access in-depth profiles on Africa's leading private companies.
Where do you see African FinTech going in the future?
FinTech will drive the adoption of financial services in the coming years. Specifically, as we have seen with the significant growth in the adoption of payment services with the success of solutions like m-pesa, and other mobile money and payment neworks, other services like savings, credit, insurance and more will be driven by FinTech.
Also, we will see more collaboration between incumbent financial services providers and young FinTech startups. This is because, we are coming to the constant realization that in many cases, we need both parties to really drive solutions that create significant impact in the lives of customers. This will continue to drive investments into the African FinTech space both from local and international investors.
Finally, a few of the young fintech startups today will become the household names for younger customers of this generation, just as the traditional financial institutions were defaults for previous generations.
Interested in FinTech? Learn more about cryptocurrencies in our article How Cryptocurrency Can Enable Africa’s Entrepreneurs.
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Due to COVID-19, MEST postpones training program to next year and doubles down on growing portfolio companies
At MEST, we continue to be deeply concerned about COVID-19 and have been closely monitoring developments locally and globally. Our number one priority remains the health and safety of our community and we will continue to follow local authority and health official guidelines.
Due to the ongoing nature of the pandemic and the uncertainty that the future of travel holds, we have been unable to conduct in-person interviews and host recruitment around Africa for our next cohort. For this reason, we have taken the decision to postpone the Training Program to next year.
While these circumstances are indeed unfortunate, we see this as an exciting opportunity at MEST to double down on providing support and mentorship to our existing portfolio companies and the African ecosystem.
Congratulations MEST Class of 2019: Graduation Weekend Recap
A recap of the MEST Africa Class of 2019's Graduation weekend


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Northumberland named in 20 most at risk of 'hollowed-out high streets' drawn up by Labour
The Government and council say they are working to support town centres.
Northumberland is in the top 20 places in the country most at risk of ‘hollowed-out high streets’, according to new analysis by Labour.
The party’s research is based on those parts of the country which have the highest proportion of hospitality, tourism, retail and leisure businesses, which are currently closed once again during the national lockdown.
Across England, 11.7% of all businesses fall into these categories, but in Northumberland, this figure stands at 14%.
Cllr Susan Dungworth, the leader of the Labour opposition on Northumberland County Council, said: “Hospitality, tourism, retail and leisure businesses have been some of the hardest hit during the pandemic and are facing a cash crisis.
“Closed from trading yet facing shrinking Government support, with cash grants worth just a fraction of the amount made available during the first lockdown, they are experiencing dwindling cash reserves, burdened with debt, and fast approaching a dead end in multiple Government support schemes.”
As previously reported, the county council last week published its Northumberland Covid-19 route map 2021, which includes a five-point plan for economic recovery.
One of these pillars is ‘investing in our places, culture and tourism’, which covers the regeneration of town centres.
Conservative council leader Glen Sanderson said: “We know that rural and coastal areas have been hit harder by the Covid-19 pandemic due to reliance on tourism, as have more deprived communities, but there are significant opportunities here to drive growth in areas of strategic importance to the UK and support recovery and growth, particularly in clean and green energy, manufacturing and life sciences, building on our cultural and environmental strengths, renewal of our towns and investment in our places.
“It’s going to be challenging, but what won’t change is our commitment to ensuring a long-lasting recovery from Covid-19 from which all our communities benefit.”
Meanwhile, major regeneration projects in Ashington, Bedlington and Blyth town centres are all at various stages of development, with the latter two backed by various Government grants.
Nationally, Labour has urged the Government to confirm it will extend the 100% business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses for at least another six months, continue the reduced rate of VAT for businesses in the hospitality, tourism and culture sectors, and give businesses greater flexibility to manage debt, including student loan-style arrangements.
Shadow Business Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Standing by and letting these businesses collapse with the vaccine roll-out making huge progress and recovery in sight would be absolutely devastating for business owners and employees who have done the right thing by shutting to help tackle the virus.
“The Government must stand up for local high streets and abandon the sink or swim approach. They must urgently confirm they will extend business rates relief to give struggling businesses the breathing room they need. We cannot allow these places to be hollowed out.”
A Government spokesman said: “We want to see thriving high streets, which is why we’ve spent tens of billions of pounds supporting shops, restaurants and cafes throughout the pandemic.
“And we’ve extended our furlough scheme through to April as well as providing £4.6billion extra in grants earlier this year, so that people have certainty that help is in place.
“At the upcoming Budget, we’ll outline the next stages of our Plan for Jobs to support businesses and families across the UK. That has been our priority throughout the past year and it will be the priority for the year to come.”


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More than five years into a turnaround, Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) executives have bet the company’s future on a plan to sell off a bunch of small brands to refocus the business on its 65 top-selling labels. Besides focusing on its biggest, most successful brands, Procter & Gamble is also focusing on growth in its biggest markets. USA Today recently noted:
P&G has also been working to fix its business in China, its second-largest market after the U.S. where it does more than $5 billion in business. In recent years, the company botched its product lineup there offering too many cheap products. While the Chinese economy has cooled, the company miscalculated the still strong demand for upscale products.
To address that, P&G executives have high hopes for a new premium diaper being launched in China in August.
However, it was also noted that:
Worldwide economic woes and sagging currencies from the Brazilian real to the Japanese yen have effectively wiped out $9 billion in total sales in the past two years. With nearly 60% of its sales outside the U.S., P&G is one of the 20 most vulnerable Fortune 500 companies to foreign exchange.
To read the whole article, Could Procter & Gamble be the next Kodak?, go to the website of USA Today.
- US-Chinese Business Partnerships Are Thriving (Kraneshares)
- Wal-mart Goes Native in China (AP)
- Meat Scandal Sees McDonald’s Sales Drop 7.2% in Emerging Markets (SCMP)
- Huawei Says U.S. Ban Hurting More Than Expected, to Wipe $30 Billion Off Revenue (Reuters)
- M&G Investments’ Vaight: “Chinese Firms Can Become Globally Competitive” (FE Trustnet)
- How Big of a Threat is China’s Xiaomi to Apple? (Bloomberg)
- MINISO Group Holding (NYSE: MNSO): Asia’s Notorious Copycat Retailer
- Tech Sector Can Power Emerging Market Portfolios (FE Trustnet)
- Pinduoduo Research Report (Hayden Capital)
- Macro Tailwinds That Could Propel China’s Internet Sector (KraneShares)
- China Internet Update (KraneShares)
- Aberdeen’s Star Manager Says an Emerging Markets Turnaround is Underway (FTAdviser)
- Unilever: Domestic Emerging Markets Companies Now Our stiffest Competition (FT)
- Sanford Bernstein: Mass Market is Macau Casino Gaming’s Future (GGRAsia)
- Lessons from Autohome Inc’s Battle With Foreign Shareholders (Bloomberg)


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The General Office of the State Council issued "Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Circulation and Promoting Commercial Consumption", encouraging the expansion of green intelligent consumption, encouraging the use of modern information technologies such as big data, cloud computing, mobile Internet, etc., and pointing out that enterprises should comply with the trend of business change and consumption upgrading.
As early as 2013, Germany put forward the concept of industry 4.0, and in 2015, China also issued "Made in China 2025", docking the concept of industry 4.0. Now and in the future, manufacturing industry is rapidly transforming to intellectualization. Today, China and Germany have entered a new era of industrial 4.0, and China's manufacturing industry is developing rapidly and steadily. Major enterprises have followed the trend of layout one after another, hoping to gain more market share and dividends in the industrial age of 4.0.
Among them, artificial intelligence is the core driving force of the new round of industrial change, which provides strong technical support for the upgrading of industrial structure. It is also blending with all walks of life at a rapid pace, as is the case in the car-washing industry.
In the tremendous wave of consumption upgrading, traditional backward industries will inevitably need to accept upgraded and changed. Generally speaking, the traditional car washing industry needs a lot of water resources and manpower costs, which are time-consuming and increasingly expensive. It becomes a burden for both consumers and operators. As a result, intelligent car washers are becoming a new trend, with a strong attitude on the impact of traditional car washing methods. Data show that car ownership is increasing every year, and the existing car washing service can not meet the growing demand for car washing.
So we generally have to wait to wash the car, plus the time it takes to wash the car, on average, it takes at least one hour to complete the car washing and cleaning. For adults, it is undoubtedly a high cost of time consumption.
Intelligent car washer applies the mode of "Internet + Manufacturing Industry" and uses artificial intelligence instead of manual car washer to finish car body cleaning. On the one hand, it saves manpower, on the other hand, it greatly improves the efficiency of car washing, and reduces the average half-hour car washing time to 5 minutes. A variety of intelligent systems ensure that the car washer can run without injuring the car. For example, some intelligent car washer is equipped with intelligent induction system, AI artificial intelligence system, ITU data platform and other intelligent systems.
When the car washer works, the control system uses current sensors to control the brush's trajectory. When the brush touches the car body, the current sensor will send the current signal to the CPU to process and control the distance between the brush and the body. In addition, it can also intelligently identify the vehicle type, judge the vehicle trajectory and so on, so as to ensure that the car body will not be damaged due to operation during the car washing process.
With the development of artificial intelligence, automatic car washing has become a mature technology. Intelligent car washing machine will inevitably become popular with the development of technology, policy and economy. It will not only save a lot of resources, but also promote low-value-added labor like car washing to complete labor upgrading. It can be said that the next car wash market will be replaced by intelligent car washers.
Touch Think products are well-applied in this fields, such the industrial monitors can be used in the 7/24 unmanned car-washing station; industrial all in one panel PCs can be equipped in the car washing robots for showing related information (vehicle type, price, service details, QR, etc.); Industrial Mini PCs can be used as the CPU control system to operate the whole intelligent system.


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While many Ohio consumers plan to start 2017 off with a household budget, sticking to that budget may pose a problem. Data from a consumer survey conducted by the Ohio Credit Union League reveals 75 percent of respondents plan to start the new year off with a household budget, but 45 percent of those respondents said they need a lot of improvement when it comes to sticking to a budget.
Also revealed in this survey was that 70 percent of Ohioans are looking forward to a milestone event in 2017, such as a wedding, the birth of a baby, or a vacation, all of which require months of planning and budgeting.
Managing money is often a top New Year’s resolution for Americans. In Fact, 34 percent of Americans make money-related resolutions at the beginning of a new year, according to the 2016 Brain Research Institute. Unfortunately, only 46 percent of people who make a resolution maintain it longer than six months and only 8 percent achieve their goals.
With so many missing the mark on their goals, what can consumers do to get on the right financial path this year? Here are the first steps to getting finances in order before budgeting.
What You Want to do Before Creating a Budget
- Save receipts. It’s hard to know how to budget if you don’t have a good understanding of how you spend. Save your receipts for a month to track where you’re spending money. Then, add them up and compare your income. After doing this, ask yourself if you’re saving any money and what purchases maybe weren’t necessary.
- Put the bare minimum in checking. Only put a budgeted amount of money into a checking account for spending each month and put the rest into a savings account. Making money less accessible can help you spend less.
- Get a special savings account. Open a Holiday or Vacation account at a local credit union. These types of accounts keep you from scrabbling before last-minute events, which can ruin any budget, and only allow a certain number of withdrawals each year without being penalized monetarily.
- Get a budgeting app. Download an app to your smartphone or tablet to help with budgeting. Many financial apps include budgeting platforms, monthly account monitoring, and tips for getting out of debt. Check with your financial institution to see if it offers an app. According to GotToBeMobile.com, the best 2017 mobile budgeting apps include; Mint, PocketGuard, You Need a Budget, GoodBudget, and Mvelopes.
To learn more about how a credit union can help you afford life, visit www.aSmarterChoice.org and find a one in your area.


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Tata launches the Nano eMax (CNG) at Rs 2.52 lakh
Tata has launched new CNG version of the Nano, monikered the Nano eMax in India. The Tata Nano eMax has been launched at a price of Rs 2.52lakh, ex-Mumbai.
Ankush Arora, the senior vice president of Tata Motor (Passenger Vehicles Unit) at the launch
The Nano eMax was first unveiled at Tata's Horizonext event held in June this year. The Nano eMax is powered by the same 624cc petrol engine that comes with the standard Nano combined with a pair of CNG cylinders snugged under the driver's seat. Tata sites ARAI figures to claim to be the most fuel efficiency car at 36km/kg with the lowest carbon footprint of 75.6 g/km.
2013 Tata Nano
A few changes in the emax include a colour-schemed instrument cluster, larger steering wheel, higher seat and a standard factory-fitted fire extinguisher.
The CNG capacity is of six litres and the car switches automatically to petrol once it runs out of 'gas'. There are two variants namely CX and LX, the latter will be priced at Rs 2.77 lakh, ex-Mumbai.
The Nano eMax costs about Rs50,000 more than the petrol version. It is yet unconfirmed but a first batch of emax cars seem to have made it to Tata dealerships. Expect deliveries to start soon.
- Tata Motors experience a 38 percent rise in sales for the month of November 2021
- Bounce Infinity E1 electric scooter launched, prices start from Rs 45,099
- Yamaha Aerox 155 first ride review
- Upcoming Kia MPV officially named Carens, unveil on December 16
- Supreme Court allows registration of BS4 vehicles sold before April 1, 2020


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The Tesla Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai could be ready to produce the first Tesla Model 3 as early as September, according to Chinese media, who talked with construction workers and experts. That's up to several months ahead of the announced date "by the end of 2019".
Typically, such plants are built in around 17 months, but Tesla ordered construction 24/7, which makes it possible to cut the time in half. Currently, there are two main buildings under construction, which takes one-third of the entire plot.
Despite the rapid pace, it's expected that there will be no mass-production this year. September could start with trial production.
According to the Feng Shiming, executive director of Menutor Consulting Shanghai, who was referring to a reliable source at a Tesla supplier, Tesla will not start formal mass production this year:
"The factory's construction pace is too fast, which is set to leave some problems such as insufficient equipment testing and staff training,"
"The target might be realized at the start of next year, and two or three months after that, its Model 3 can be put into the market on a large scale,"
"Tesla is still seeking appropriate battery suppliers, and that's a lengthy process because the battery is a core part of an electric vehicle, Feng said.
"Tesla is prepared for not realizing mass production within this year," he added. "Trial production in September is likely.""


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81 Percent Of Parents Admit To Pilfering Their Kids’ Halloween Candy, 19 Percent Of Parents Are Liars
All parents steal their kids Halloween candy, right? Â Well, unless that parent is one of the elusive “I don’t like sweets” weirdos.Â 81 percent of parents admit to pilfering their kids’ Halloween candy stock – which probably means 19 percent of parents are liars.
The National Confectioner’s Association conducted a survey in which they asked parents to answer questions about the parameters they set for their children and those they have for themselves around Halloween time. Guess what? Most of us are more strict with our child’s candy intake than our own. Why am I not surprised?
And hereâ€™s where another old adage comes into play.Â Do as I say, not as I do.Most parents consider themselves the gatekeepers to holiday candy, with 41 percent of parents claiming they limit their childâ€™s consumption to a couple of pieces of candy a day until the cache runs out. But while they keep tabs on how much their kids chow down on, it seems theyâ€™re more lenient with their own consumption. 81 percent of parents surveyed in the NCAâ€™s survey confess that they take candy from their kidsâ€™ Halloween haul, with 46 percent waiting until their kids are in bed or at school before pilfering some sweets!
My 3-year-old doesn’t even know what a candy bar is yet, because I am waiting until Halloween to give him one of those mini delights. But guess who had a mini Snickers for breakfast this morning? Yup – this mom. Those go great with coffee, by the way. My husband has a sweet tooth too, so I’m beginning to wonder if there’s going to be any candy left to give out on Halloween. I bought two giant bags at Target. That stuff is really expensive now! It was 15 bucks for a bag with 110 tiny chocolate bars in it.
I’d like to think that I bought all the good, expensive chocolate to please the trick-or-treaters, but I obviously bought it for myself. I totally need to change my strategy next year; candy corn and black licorice all the way. The neighborhood kids may hate me, but at least I won’t be popping candy bars like they’re baby carrots.


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News & Event
- News & Event
According to Yonhap News,
(DAEGU=Yonhap News) On March 10, the Organizing Committee for Preview in Daegu 2018 announced that this year’s event reported outcomes exceeding the last year’s event both in terms of businesses consulted and deals concluded.
Preview in Daegu, which celebrated its 17th anniversary this year, began its three-day journey on March 7 at Daegu EXCO and other venues.
The event attracted 2.5% more visitors compared to last year, with a total of 24,820 visitors.
Moreover, the 300 fashion businesses participating in the event discussed deals worth KRW 232 million in total, recording a 2.1% increase YoY.
Of those, the total worth of the concluded deals was KRW 93.9 million, which is a 1.8% increase from last year.
Participants showcased a wide range of advanced materials with improved aesthetics and functionalities. Among the things that attracted the visitors’ attention were 3D printers, ICT items, and other new industrial products with cutting-edge features created through the convergent efforts spanning across multiple disciplines and areas.
In particular, Preview in Daegu attracted buyers from 22 countries, including China, the United States, France, India, and Turkey, which signaled a bright future for the export of local textile products. The event coincided with the Global Textile Vision Forum (TEXPO), Textile + Fashion Collaboration, Daegu Fashion Fair Buying Show, and other textile-related activities.
“I hope the event will create the foothold for diversifying the target markets of our textile products and boosting our global competitiveness,” Chairperson Lee Yeui-Yeol of Preview in Daegu Organizing Committee said.
Copyrights Yonhap News. All Rights Reserved.
Reprint or redistribution without permission is prohibited.
Source: Yonhap News (Mar. 10, 2018)
** This article was translated from the Korean.


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What has and hasn't changed
In case you hadn’t heard, the Toyota Corolla is receiving a complete overhaul for 2014.
The same design we have seen more or less since 2003 is finally being put to rest. This overly conservative approach to the Corolla has been a great sales success for Toyota. Last year it, along with the Matrix, sold 290,947 units. That was good enough to claim the title as America’s 8th best-selling vehicle; up one spot from 2011.
So the refresh this year is a big deal for the folks at Toyota. Although they do want to attract new customers to the Corolla, the manufacturer needs to be careful to not alienate existing customers either. Here are the top ten most important features of the new Corolla.


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- Beauty pageant winner buys Fresno flower shop
- Tulare County reservoir plans in the works
- Work on Madera’s 6,578-home Gateway Village starts July
- Settlement gives 2,270-home Friant Ranch green light
- Consultant: Swearengin has Fresno at heart with controller run
- Business owners want theft of recyclables stopped
- Quebe named family business chair
- Pacific Ethanol to reopen Madera plant after 5 years
- Fresno law firm wins class-action suit
- Tulare Regional Medical Center receives $2M gift
The Fresno Bee is testing a quadcopter for possible use in...
The Milano addition of The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens...
Marketplace at El Paseo to open Monday.Marketplace at El Paseo...
From left, Ranjeet K. Brar, Andrea Henrickson, Miranda...
California judge orders Walgreens to pay $16M
- Published on 12/14/2012 - 11:16 am
- Written by Associated Press
(AP) — A California judge has ordered drugstore chain Walgreens to pay $16.57 million to settle a lawsuit claiming more than 600 of its stores in the state illegally dumped hazardous waste.
The settlement announced Thursday stems from a lawsuit filed in June by district attorneys around the state. The legal action followed inspections of trash bins at Walgreens stores.
It accused the stores of illegally handling and disposing pesticides, bleach, paint, pharmaceutical waste and other items. The stores were also accused of unlawfully disposing of customer records containing confidential medical information.
Walgreen Co. spokesman Jim Graham said the company did not acknowledge any wrongdoing and settled the case to avoid protracted litigation.
He said Walgreens ships all hazardous materials are shipped to a hazardous waste disposal facility, where they are incinerated.


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Battery making start-up Boston Power is more than tripling production of its Sonata laptop battery, a device that offers faster charging and longer life than conventional lithium-ion batteries, it is due to announce Thursday.
Boston Power has also struck a manufacturing partnership with Taiwan's GP Batteries, which will begin making the cells to supplement current production at China's HYB Battery. GP will produce around 1 million cells per month, said Christina Lampe-Onnerud, founder and CEO of Boston Power. HYB currently produces between one third and one half that amount, she said.
The Sonata battery was a hit when it was unveiled at the Demo 2007 conference in January 2007 because, according to Boston-Power, it gets over some of the main frustrations laptop users have with their battery packs. Namely it can be charged to 80 percent of total capacity in 30 minutes so even on a short lay-over a meaningful amount of power can be recharged into the battery and it should also last the average three years that people keep their laptops without a noticeable degradation in performance.
In light of a series of high-profile problems and recalls of lithium-ion batteries, Boston-Power is also pushing safety. It says its Sonata battery uses less reactive chemicals and has a series of protective controls that make it safer than competing batteries.
With the extra production, Boston-Power will be looking to pick up customers for the Sonata batteries. It has already been working closely with Hewlett-Packard.
"We are delighted with the response from the market. Interest is really, really large" said Lampe-Onnerud. "We have worked with top-tier notebook makers for several years and they remain extremely engaged. Many have already qualified our system but we're a small company so we have to be selective about who we work with."
Boston-Power has also closed a third round of financing for US$45 million, which it will announce Thursday. The round, led by Oak Investment Partners, also included additional money from existing investors Venrock Associates, Granite Global Ventures and Gabriel Venture Partners. The latest investment brings to US$68 million the total amount of funds raised by Boston-Power.


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Just like Japan in the 1980s, China today is translating its expanding wealth into global economic clout. China last year overtook the U.S. as the world’s biggest trading nation, and Chinese firms are morphing themselves from manufacturers and exporters into major global investors, supported by the Chinese government. The author states that although certain Chinese deals should be examined with a discerning eye, overall, greater Chinese investment could boost growth and jobs in the U.S. and around the world.
By Michael Schuman in TIME.
To see the full article, go here: http://business.time.com/2014/01/16/wake-up-america-the-chinese-investors-are-coming/


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Sun Microsystems Inc. unveiled its second-quarter results for fiscal year 2002 Friday, reporting revenue slightly higher than was expected for the quarter but still posting substantial losses compared to the same period last year.
In a conference call with analysts, however, Sun Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Michael Lehman said the company was on track to report a return to profitability in its 2002 fiscal fourth quarter.
"We have clearly made real progress over the last 90 days," said Lehman.
Sun's revenue for the quarter, which ended Dec. 30, 2001, came in at US$3.11 billion, a decrease of 39 percent compared to the second quarter of the previous year. The company did manage to post a sequential revenue increase of 9 percent from the first quarter of 2002 to the second quarter, however.
Net loss for the quarter -- excluding investment losses, restructuring costs, and other, one-time charges -- was $99 million, or $0.03 per share, a decrease of 121 percent compared to the net earnings per share in the year-earlier quarter.
A Thomson Financial/First Call survey of analysts predicted a second quarter loss of $0.04 a share and revenue of $3.09 billion.
Including investment losses and other special charges, the net loss for the second fiscal quarter was $431 million and the net loss per share was $0.13.
During the conference call, Sun executives touted the company's successful integration of a new products into their range of offerings, as well as a substantial inventory reduction.
During the quarter, Sun launched products and services including the Sun Open Net Environment (ONE), designed to help developers create and deploy applications over the Web, and started volume shipments of the Sun Fire 15K and the Sun Fire V880 servers.
However, Sun Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Scott McNealy said that the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, fierce market competition, and hefty restructuring charges posed serious challenges during the quarter.
"I'm kind of glad we put that year behind us," McNealy said.
Besides a sluggish economy and the effects of Sept. 11, Lehman said that increasing worldwide competition was taking a bite out of the company's profit margins. But CEO McNealy seemed confident that Sun could triumph over rivals, especially IBM Corp.
"We are in a ground war with IBM Global Services," McNealy said, "and we're not going to back off."
In its arsenal, McNealy cited the company's focus on products, its numerous partnerships and the Sun-initiated Liberty Alliance Project, which aims to create a common technology for identifying users on the Internet. The Liberty Alliance Project will compete with Microsoft Corp.'s .Net services including Passport, which offers Web surfers the ability to log on to multiple Web sites without re-keying personal information.
"We are very excited about the strong demand for our products," said Sun Chief Operating Officer Edward Zander.
Sun stock (SUNW) slid 0.89 percent to $12.26 after the results were announced.


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The new Kia Sorento is revealed for the first time today. Powerful, progressive and versatile, the fourth generation of Kia’s flagship SUV is designedand engineered to take on everything life throws at it.
Raising standards in the midsize SUV class for space, efficiency and quality, it sits at the heart of Kia’s reinvigorated global SUV line-up, which also includes the Seltos, Stonic, Telluride and Sportage.
Emilio Herrera, Chief Operating Officer for Kia Motors Europe, comments: “The Sorento’s evolution over the last 18 years echoes that of the Kia brand as a whole. While the car was initially launched in 2002 as a utilitarian all-terrain vehicle, the fourth-generation Sorento has been transformed into something altogether more desirable. It is an important model for Kia, particularly now that it also represents the first use of electrified power in our flagship SUV.”
The Sorento’s redefined exterior design – with sharper lines, high-tech details, and elongated proportions – gives it a more confident and mature presence. Inside, its attractive cabin also introduces premium-quality materials, cutting-edge infotainment technologies, and a stunning new design.
The new Sorento is the first vehicle to be based on Kia’s new-generation midsize SUV platform. Paired with a larger body to maximise cargo and luggage space, the platform ensure the Sorento is one of the most versatile and spacious three-row SUVs on the road.
Furthermore, the Sorento’s innovative interior packaging means it can offer all this while accommodating Kia’s new ‘Smartstream’ electrified powertrains – the first time that hybrid power has featured in the Sorento line-up. As a result, the new model offers greater fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and higher performance than its predecessors.
This will be Kia’s most high-tech car ever, thanks to its progressive connectivity, driver assistance and infotainment technologies. Its user-friendly twin digital displays deliver advanced graphics, new telematics features and smartphone connectivity.
A mainstay of Kia’s global line-up, more than three million Sorento models have been sold worldwide since it was launched in 2002. In that time, Europe has accounted for around 300,000 of these.


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Nordstrom, Sephora and MAC are among several retailers who have been sued in the last two months for operating websites that ‘discrimate against the blind or visually impaired’, according to a report published by The NY Post.
The lawsuits follow on from a decision delivered by a Federal Judge in Florida, which stated that retailers must make the same ‘public accommodation’ online as they do in their physical stores. The decision is based on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which pre-dates the internet.
The New York Post is accusing lawyers of rainmaking, given that plaintiffs are barred from seeking damages in ADA cases and settlements are limited to US$500 in the state of New York, while legal fees can reach US$25,000 and are fully recoverable. The cost of making a website ADA compliant is estimated at US$37,000.
Editor’s note: Following the publication of this article, MAC Cosmetics has contacted Global Cosmetics News, stating: ‘The statements in the article are incorrect. There are no pending web access cases against MAC Cosmetics in New York’. At the time of writing, The New York Post article, used as source material for the above news item, remains unchanged.


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A new player touting itself as “Fresher, Cheaper” joined the field of discount grocers in Canada yesterday, as Sobeys Inc. transformed eight locations into FreshCo stores.
The former Price Chopper stores are in Brampton and Mississauga, the vanguard of “dozens” that will be switched over in the next year and a half, said Sobeys president and CEO Bill McEwan.
“This isn’t just a conversion or a renovation — this is the launch of a new brand.”
The new stores offer multicultural and ethnic foods tailored to the needs of people in the neighbouring communities.
“In Brampton, the South Asian population has grown 250 per cent in about 12 or 13 years, and there are varieties of produce that are important and relevant and required to satisfy that marketplace,” McEwan noted.
Sobeys Inc. has more than 1,300 stores from coast to coast that include Sobeys, IGA and Foodland.
- Photos: Women's March In New York City30 Pictures
- PHOTOS: 16 Betty White quotes to brighten your day17 Pictures


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African fintech startup Zoona secures $15 million investment, focuses on major growth over the next 4 years
One of Africa’s regional fintech startups, Zoona, announced that it has raised US$15 million in a new round of funding.
After acquiring Nettcash from Mozido and other local shareholders recently Brainworks is finally moving to rebrand the company in line with other financial services companies it owns. NettCash has been rebranded to GetCash. In addition to the rebranding, the company may also be planning to closely integrate the mobile money platform to their micro-credit, GetBucks. […]
Brainworks Capital Management has purchased 49% of mobile payments company Nettcash from local shareholders as part of a 2-phased takeover. Texas-based Mozido, Inc is currently the majority shareholder in Nettcash with the remaining 51% of shares.
Despite its mass adoption across the country where it has outpaced formal banking services, mobile money has only been mentioned as one alternative and not as the leading solution that it is primed to be.
Mozido, the parent company of rapidly expanding local mobile payments company, NettCash, just announced the opening of a continental HQ in South Africa. Here are the two interesting things we picked up from the announcement
Is the latest drive for e-banking from Ecobank adequate for a 2015 Zimbabwe which is a proudly informal economy? It would seem that the glaring omission from Ecobank’s strategy is an aggressive adoption of indigenous retail banking alternatives.
One of the proposed legislative bills, for the Parliament of Zimbabwe will be the Electronic Transaction and Electronic Commerce Bill, commonly referred to as the e-Transactions Bill. It is set to outline the regulatory parameters for electronic transactions and electronic commerce.
A local Mobile Money tariff calculator app released last year has now been tweaked to catch up with some of the changes in local mobile money services. The app it now incorporates calculations and comparisons for OneWallet and Nettcash and the user interface has been dusted up a bit.
As it turns out, in addition to the Nettcash app, the ZB Mobile App also offers agents a platform to sell ZESA prepaid tokens from their mobile phones. The functionality of the App, however, is clouded by the availability of POS which are probably prioritised for their physical receipts.
The sale of prepaid electricity has been opened up to Nettcash, the youngest mobile money service which has no visible ties to the government. Just how did Nettcash pull this off when other operators like EcoCash and Telecash are being excluded?
The Nettcash app offers a simple user interface and brings the ability to purchase ZESA tokens to mobile better than the NetOne OneWallet utilities. Except for it being a data consuming app, it is handy tool especially for vending.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss Tengai and its issues with net neutrality, the latest on mobile money service Nettcash, the regulation in mobile money in Zimbabwe, job cuts being effected in the telecoms sector thanks to a Supreme court ruling, as well as the crowdfunding campaign kicked off by a local startup, School Sports Network, for a live streaming service.
In a bid to catch up with competition and lock steady revenue streams, Nettcash has unveiled the DStv payments facility through its mobile app which was recently launched and made available for download on Google Play.
Nettcash has complained that other mobile money operators are muscling Nettcash out of the agency network and going to the extent of taking over some agents and stripping their signage from the kiosks and premises.
The inaugural edition of the Mobile Money and Digital Payments Conference and Awards drew the who-is-who of banking and telecoms. See the event in pictures below
We have just attended an event organized by Nettcash where they launched their Android mobile application and announced the enhanced ZESA Utility options developed for their platform. We will be reviewing their application shortly but meanwhile, here is the launch in pictures.
A whole day of discussions around digital and mobile payments that brought together banks and mobile network operators, was concluded with the Awards Ceremony that recognised the best performing companies and products.
It seems Econet, banking on its market share and business interests, is still unwilling to enable interoperability in some aspects of their services, particularly hand to hand wallet to wallet interfacing. This is unlike the competitors OneWallet, Telecash and Nettcash.
Mozido, a global payments provider recently acquired local mobile payments provider Nettcash. They have announced through their website that they merged the two wallets and immediately made available a new feature that allows users to buy prepaid electricity from their credit stored in the mobile wallet.
Nettcash, the mobile money service, is set to launch a new product that will enhance its list of services and improve its current platform. We are not sure what the new product is, but there are some aspects of its current offering that it should consider improving on.
The Mobile Money and Digital Payments Conference, an awards ceremony that seeks to recognise and honour outstanding performance and innovation in mobile money and digital payments will be held on the 27th of July in Harare
You probably saw it in a couple of adverts yesterday; EcoCash tariffs have been reduced. Not that the advert said it explicitly, it just listed tariffs effective 1 February 2014.These are only slight reductions, something that probably explains why this wasn’t promoted extensively. The new tariffs are in the table below. The adjustments have largely […]
It’s been reported that the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has pushed through an order compelling Safaricom, Kenya’s largest mobile operator, to share its mobile money transfer agents with the other mobile networks. This regulatory intercede in the Kenyan mobile money space is similar to what we noticed earlier this year in the Zimbabwean mobile […]
ZOL Zimbabwe, the Liquid Telecom owned ISP which is one of the largest locally, has just announced the coming in of a new CEO, Denny Marandure. Marandure will take the place of outgoing CEO and founder of the internet company, David Behr, who, we were told by the company will now become chairman of ZOL. The company also said Behr […]
In this podcast we spoke about NetOne’s application for a datacasting licence, Nettcash’s brand ambassador strategy, online ticketing platform Ezzytickets and Econet’s NFC card. What are your thoughts on the topics discussed here? Please share in the comments box below. Quick NetOne, Econet, And Telecel Airtime Recharge Number to recharge: Airtime amount ($): EcoCash or […]
Some months ago we wrote about Nettcash and their official launch in the Zimbabwean mobile money space. The independent service was applauded as a sign of healthy competition in a market dominated by mobile network operators. Since the launch the mobile money landscape has gone through significant changes, with the different service providers noting significant […]
I had the had the thrilling and awesome privilege to chair the second day of the 7th edition of the Mobile Money and Digital Payments Africa 2014, in Johannesburg at the end of May. Different stakeholders in the mobile money and digital payments industry across Africa and beyond converged at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in […]
The local mobile money transfer market has been going through a number of changes with three players joining the fray in the past year. With such a field the most common area of competitive differentiation is pricing. We have put together the list of mobile money transfer rates for the mobile payment services offered by […]
Telecel has just announced that its mobile money service Telecash has increased the number of its agents and merchants to more than 3000. This is close to double the number of agents that they had when the service was launched in January this year. At the time of its launch Telecash had 1600 agents, a number […]
After more than a year spent building anticipation, Nettcash has officially launched its mobile money service. As most people had noticed for more than a year now, Nettcash has established an online presence with a website that gave an outline of their products (albeit with a coming soon tag) as well as a subtle offline […]


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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is now available for all players across Xbox, PC and PlayStation. This new version of the classic Bethesda Game Studios title, widely considered one of the best Xbox RPGs available, includes hundreds of pieces of Creation Club content. Existing owners of Skyrim Special Edition get four pieces of this content for free, including fishing and the ability to build aquariums.
Anyone who owns Skyrim Special Edition on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S or PS5 is also getting a free current-generation upgrade for the game, which means faster load times, 60 FPS and more. Existing owners can also upgrade to the rest of the Anniversary Edition content for $20, with $2 off for any Xbox Game Pass subscribers.
Skyrim is now 10 years old, having originally launched on Xbox 360, PC and PS3 back on Nov. 11, 2011. During a recent interview, when creative director Todd Howard spoke on Bethesda Game Studios’ “passion” for single-player games, he noted that Skyrim is now well above 30 million copies sold, though he didn’t offer a new number.
Bethesda Game Studios’ next title is the science-fiction RPG Starfield, which is scheduled to arrive on the eleventh anniversary of Skyrim, Nov. 11, 2022. It’s coming exclusively to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.


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Miss Chen is one more than a million Chinese workers for Foxconn
The company makes electronic products for world's leading brands, notably Apple
Workers' rights groups allege long, unpredictable hours, no talking on factory floor
CNN's Stan Grant notes being followed by white car on day of filming
We meet her by chance on the side of a road. She looks the very model of a Chinese factory worker: young, vibrant, dressed in the cheap brand-name knockoff fashions so common of poor rural villages.
Does she work at Foxconn, we ask.
“Yes” came the reply.
A relief after hours spent looking and not despairing of meeting anyone. Getting her to talk though would be a different matter. If caught, she says, she faces not just the loss of a job but criminal prosecution. Of course we would protect her identity and take her somewhere away from prying eyes. It is enough to sway her, and as we will find, she has a lot to say.
We can’t name her, so let’s call her Miss Chen. She is one of more than a million Chinese workers for Foxconn, a company that makes electronics products for some of the world’s leading brands, notably partnering with industry giant Apple.
There’s a lot of heat under this relationship right now. The media is ablaze with criticism of Foxconn’s working conditions, and Apple can’t avoid the fallout.
Workers complain of long hours, militant culture
Unbearably long and unpredictable hours, a militaristic culture, no talking on the factory floor, low wages – these are just some of the accusations from workers’ rights groups.
Foxconn and Apple have defended themselves. Foxconn argues its conditions are better than most in China and boasts of swimming pools, health centers and counselors.
In a statement issued Sunday, Apple said: “We care about every worker in our worldwide supply chain. We insist that our suppliers provide safe working conditions, treat workers with dignity and respect and use environmentally responsible manufacturing processes wherever Apple products are made.
“Our suppliers must live up to these requirements if they want to keep doing business with Apple.”
Chen remains unimpressed. “Apple might care, but I don’t see any of that care,” she says.
Over steaming, spicy Sichuan hot pot, a local specialty, Chen tells us of a culture of overwork, of feeling like ‘an animal,’ poor food, low pay and stress. Workers who complain are told, ‘If you don’t like it, leave,’” she says. In China there is always someone to take your place.
“At Foxconn we have a saying, she says, women work like men and work like machines. A better way of putting it is that women work like men and men work like animals.”
Work, work, work. That is her life, she says. She regularly clocks up to 60 hours a week and says that she works many more to get precious overtime pay. She says she gets about 1300 RMB – about US$200 – a month.
“It’s so boring, I can’t bear it anymore. Everyday was like: I get off from work, and I go to bed. I get up in the morning, and I go to work. It became my daily routine and I almost felt like I was some kind of animal,” she says.
“Animal” is a word she repeats a lot. Foxconn, not exactly a zoo or cage, does like to make sure it controls its workers. Chen takes us past the dormitory building where she sleeps and eats. We also drive by the factory itself, a sprawling mini-city, with armed security. Workers come and go in shifts, and when approached they run away.
On the day we filmed there, we were followed by a mysterious white car. Wherever we went, it went. Then it was joined by another. We approached to ask why, but the driver refused to acknowledge us.
We learned later that this was Chinese state security tracking us, as we filmed stories about Tibetan uprising and Foxconn. This is common in China now as part of a nationwide crackdown on media coverage.
What wasn’t common was being stopped trying to leave the Chengdu airport, detained, taken to a police station, questioned for hours on end and having some of our video confiscated.
In China, often secrecy and intimidation go hand in hand. As it is for factory girls, so it is for the media.
Some argue that factories like Foxconn do China a service. In this way hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty. Yes, it is true Foxconn provides jobs – more than a million in China – and there are tens of thousands lining up to fill any vacancies.
Apple mania has gripped China too. Desperate customers crowd shops and cause mini-riots with the release of any new product.
Chen is one voice, but her experiences are shared by other disgruntled workers. In 2010, Chinese media reported that a number of Foxconn staff had killed themselves. Just weeks ago many others at a factory in Wuhan threatened suicide after being told they would be transferred. Foxconn resolved the dispute and says it strives to keep all of its workers happy.
Chen though is not happy; she has had enough. Working hour on hour to make a product she could never afford for a company that makes billions of dollars a year is, she says, too high a price to pay.