Security - News By Darren Pauli, ZDNet, April 28, 2011.
ZDNet.com.au April 28th, 2011. GPS manufacturer TomTom has apologised for sending its customers' user data to Dutch Police, which had used the information to set speed traps.
TomTom said that it was looking to shore-up failing demand for GPS units with services revenue, including selling data on its customer's driving habits to governments.
But its chief executive officer Harold Goddijn said he had no knowledge that Dutch police were using the data to set radar traps.
"We are now aware that the police have used traffic information that you have helped to create to place speed cameras at dangerous locations where the average speed is higher than the legally allowed speed limit," Goddijn said in a statement. "We are aware a lot of our customers do not like the idea and we will look at if we should allow this type of usage."
In the message to customers, Goddijn said, however, that the "vast majority" of users had granted the company permission to collect data that is used to help create traffic information. "We also make this information available to local governments and authorities. It helps them to better understand where congestion takes place, where to build new roads and how to make roads safer."
The company also said the data is anonymous and "can never" be traced to a device.
TomTom Australia has been contacted about whether the company also sells such services to Australian authorities, but the company had not responded at the time of writing.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Thousands to be stuck in NBN 'limbo' - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
By Geoff Thompson, ABC Online Investigative Unit
<--Tue Apr 26, 2011. Telstra's copper network will be replaced by NBN Co's fibre-optic cables. (AFP: David Hancock, file photo)
NBN rollout may lead to worse internet for some (AM) Related Story: ......
Government gets NBN bills through Parliament Thousands of Australians - many of them in regional areas - can expect years of worse, rather than better, internet services as the National Broadband Network (NBN) rolls out across the country.
A senior telecommunications industry executive, who does not wish to be named, says he expects "tens of thousands of Australians" to fall into a "limbo" of "interim solutions" each year as Telstra's copper network is replaced with optic fibre.
This is because Telstra is proving reluctant to install copper networks in smaller new housing estates where the company retains a universal service obligation (USO) to provide only basic telephone services.
Instead of installing copper in housing estates of fewer than 100 houses, Telstra is often providing residents with wireless phones that are unable to connect to the internet.
Telstra says only 200 such phones have so far been issued to premises around Australia, but telecommunications industry insiders say that number could increase to include tens of thousands of customers each year as more small new estates are developed in regional areas.
Since January 1 the government monopoly building the NBN, NBN Co, has become the "provider of last resort" of optic-fibre cable networks to all new housing developments of more than 100 premises.
This means that once developers dig the "pit and pipe" - the trenches and infrastructure for telecommunications systems - they can either employ contractors to lay optic fibre which is NBN-ready, or ask NBN Co to the lay optic-fibre cables.
NBN Co says it plans to connect 250,000 such new premises by June 2013.
However, in estates of fewer than 100 houses, Telstra retains the USO to provide basic telephone services.
In newly developed suburban and regional areas, where copper networks are not already prevalent, Telstra is proving reluctant to install copper, knowing it will eventually be ripped out and replaced by NBN Co's optic fibre.
On hold
Alec Downs moved into a new house in Berwick in suburban Melbourne last December. Telstra told him it was not laying any more copper, but to meet its universal service obligation, it gave him an interim wireless phone that cannot deliver internet.
Instead he has had to buy a wireless 'dongle' with very patchy reception, with no hope of a landline internet connection in the near future.
"Telstra told me that I can't get a copper connection so I have to stay on the interim phone until the National Broadband Network comes through," Mr Downs told the ABC News Online Investigative Unit.
"The NBN is set to roll out over a number of years, so I could be in this situation for two years or five years or more.
"I'm in the middle of suburban Melbourne and I was hoping to have full normal internet connections and do all the things people do, but I found myself in a kind of black spot with very limited access."
Mr Downs says his access to the internet is getting worse rather than better as he waits for the NBN roll out in his area.
"Oh, most definitely ... I've gone from a phone connection with ADSL to having just a wireless phone and unable to access internet in the same way."
In response to enquiries on this issue, the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has told the ABC: "Telstra is responsible as provider of last resort for infrastructure and services in new infill estates of fewer than 100 houses, pending NBN Co being ready to provide a fibre service in the area.
"Telstra will generally provide copper infrastructure. However, it can choose to provide fibre, and in some limited circumstances, for example because of the short timeframe between construction and the rollout of fibre, Telstra may provide high-quality wireless services as an interim solution."
The department says it expects only a small percentage of the 1.9 million new premises expected to be built over the period of the NBN roll-out to be in smaller new estates in which interim solutions are necessary.
The Urban Development Institute of Australia's chief executive, Stephen Albin, says he expects developers will increasingly work together to ensure new projects have more than 100 premises and will therefore be eligible for fibre-optic installation by NBN Co.
"There's more likelihood of having developments of less than 100 in regional areas than you actually have in the major capital cities, so the incidence of some of these issues may be felt more in regional areas", Mr Albin said.
"You could also find that NBN does something to fix this up, but from what we can see at the moment, it's the lots under 100 that will be in the most difficulty."
Temporary fix
Telstra spokesman Craig Middleton says the wireless service is an interim measure.
"It's a temporary measure to ensure customers in this situation have access to a phone service while the necessary works are completed to provide a permanent service," he said.
"Telstra may provide high-quality wireless services as an interim solution. However, our preference is to deploy fixed infrastructure in new estates wherever it is feasible to do so."
The problem is that it is up to Telstra's discretion to decide whether fixed infrastructure in new estates is feasible.
With Telstra's copper network being replaced by NBN Co's fibre-optic cables, the company has little commercial incentive to install new copper networks in remote new estates far from existing infrastructure.
The experience of 'Dave', who lives near Canningvale in Western Australia and asked that the ABC not use his real name, suggests Telstra is reluctant to lay copper unless it comes under political pressure.
"When I contacted (Telstra) they basically told me that sorry, we don't have any copper line going through your new estate and there are no plans for Telstra to invest in any copper," he said.
"That's because NBN has got plans to put fibre through all this area.
"I contacted NBN; NBN told me that it's going to take anywhere between six and eight years and they told me that it's not actually even planned in the initial phases, so it could be anything between six and eight years."
'Dave' says Telstra's attitude slowly changed when he enlisted the help of his local MP and contacted the office of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
Eventually Telstra rolled out copper to all the new premises in his housing estate.
"It was not just me ... I was just facing the issue first because I was the first person to move into the new release. There were about 100 houses that were going to be in the same boat a little bit later on," he said.
Julia Gillard's Government secured power after last year's election with the support of key independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott, reportedly based on their belief that the NBN would close the digital divide between urban and regional Australia.
But for many regional Australians who will be forced into "interim solutions", access to quality internet services may actually get worse before it gets better.
Additional reporting by Tom Hancock
<--Tue Apr 26, 2011. Telstra's copper network will be replaced by NBN Co's fibre-optic cables. (AFP: David Hancock, file photo)NBN rollout may lead to worse internet for some (AM) Related Story: ......
Government gets NBN bills through Parliament Thousands of Australians - many of them in regional areas - can expect years of worse, rather than better, internet services as the National Broadband Network (NBN) rolls out across the country.
A senior telecommunications industry executive, who does not wish to be named, says he expects "tens of thousands of Australians" to fall into a "limbo" of "interim solutions" each year as Telstra's copper network is replaced with optic fibre.
This is because Telstra is proving reluctant to install copper networks in smaller new housing estates where the company retains a universal service obligation (USO) to provide only basic telephone services.
Instead of installing copper in housing estates of fewer than 100 houses, Telstra is often providing residents with wireless phones that are unable to connect to the internet.
Telstra says only 200 such phones have so far been issued to premises around Australia, but telecommunications industry insiders say that number could increase to include tens of thousands of customers each year as more small new estates are developed in regional areas.
Since January 1 the government monopoly building the NBN, NBN Co, has become the "provider of last resort" of optic-fibre cable networks to all new housing developments of more than 100 premises.
This means that once developers dig the "pit and pipe" - the trenches and infrastructure for telecommunications systems - they can either employ contractors to lay optic fibre which is NBN-ready, or ask NBN Co to the lay optic-fibre cables.
NBN Co says it plans to connect 250,000 such new premises by June 2013.
However, in estates of fewer than 100 houses, Telstra retains the USO to provide basic telephone services.
In newly developed suburban and regional areas, where copper networks are not already prevalent, Telstra is proving reluctant to install copper, knowing it will eventually be ripped out and replaced by NBN Co's optic fibre.
On hold
Alec Downs moved into a new house in Berwick in suburban Melbourne last December. Telstra told him it was not laying any more copper, but to meet its universal service obligation, it gave him an interim wireless phone that cannot deliver internet.
Instead he has had to buy a wireless 'dongle' with very patchy reception, with no hope of a landline internet connection in the near future.
"Telstra told me that I can't get a copper connection so I have to stay on the interim phone until the National Broadband Network comes through," Mr Downs told the ABC News Online Investigative Unit.
"The NBN is set to roll out over a number of years, so I could be in this situation for two years or five years or more.
"I'm in the middle of suburban Melbourne and I was hoping to have full normal internet connections and do all the things people do, but I found myself in a kind of black spot with very limited access."
Mr Downs says his access to the internet is getting worse rather than better as he waits for the NBN roll out in his area.
"Oh, most definitely ... I've gone from a phone connection with ADSL to having just a wireless phone and unable to access internet in the same way."
In response to enquiries on this issue, the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has told the ABC: "Telstra is responsible as provider of last resort for infrastructure and services in new infill estates of fewer than 100 houses, pending NBN Co being ready to provide a fibre service in the area.
"Telstra will generally provide copper infrastructure. However, it can choose to provide fibre, and in some limited circumstances, for example because of the short timeframe between construction and the rollout of fibre, Telstra may provide high-quality wireless services as an interim solution."
The department says it expects only a small percentage of the 1.9 million new premises expected to be built over the period of the NBN roll-out to be in smaller new estates in which interim solutions are necessary.
The Urban Development Institute of Australia's chief executive, Stephen Albin, says he expects developers will increasingly work together to ensure new projects have more than 100 premises and will therefore be eligible for fibre-optic installation by NBN Co.
"There's more likelihood of having developments of less than 100 in regional areas than you actually have in the major capital cities, so the incidence of some of these issues may be felt more in regional areas", Mr Albin said.
"You could also find that NBN does something to fix this up, but from what we can see at the moment, it's the lots under 100 that will be in the most difficulty."
Temporary fix
Telstra spokesman Craig Middleton says the wireless service is an interim measure.
"It's a temporary measure to ensure customers in this situation have access to a phone service while the necessary works are completed to provide a permanent service," he said.
"Telstra may provide high-quality wireless services as an interim solution. However, our preference is to deploy fixed infrastructure in new estates wherever it is feasible to do so."
The problem is that it is up to Telstra's discretion to decide whether fixed infrastructure in new estates is feasible.
With Telstra's copper network being replaced by NBN Co's fibre-optic cables, the company has little commercial incentive to install new copper networks in remote new estates far from existing infrastructure.
The experience of 'Dave', who lives near Canningvale in Western Australia and asked that the ABC not use his real name, suggests Telstra is reluctant to lay copper unless it comes under political pressure.
"When I contacted (Telstra) they basically told me that sorry, we don't have any copper line going through your new estate and there are no plans for Telstra to invest in any copper," he said.
"That's because NBN has got plans to put fibre through all this area.
"I contacted NBN; NBN told me that it's going to take anywhere between six and eight years and they told me that it's not actually even planned in the initial phases, so it could be anything between six and eight years."
'Dave' says Telstra's attitude slowly changed when he enlisted the help of his local MP and contacted the office of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
Eventually Telstra rolled out copper to all the new premises in his housing estate.
"It was not just me ... I was just facing the issue first because I was the first person to move into the new release. There were about 100 houses that were going to be in the same boat a little bit later on," he said.
Julia Gillard's Government secured power after last year's election with the support of key independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott, reportedly based on their belief that the NBN would close the digital divide between urban and regional Australia.
But for many regional Australians who will be forced into "interim solutions", access to quality internet services may actually get worse before it gets better.
Additional reporting by Tom Hancock
Stents: How new technology drives health costs...
Reuters
CHICAGO (Reuters) Mon Apr 25, 2011 - Heart devices known as drug-eluting stents have added as much as $1.57 billion to U.S. health costs since their introduction in 2003, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
The study offers an illustration of how new technology can drive health costs, the researchers said in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Stents, made by companies such as Boston Scientific, Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic Inc and Johnson & Johnson, are wire-mesh coils used to prop open arteries narrowed by fatty deposits called plaque.
Many models release drugs over time that help prevent scar tissue from building up and blocking the artery.
When they were first introduced to the U.S. market, they were approved mostly for use in previously untreated blood vessels, but their use quickly expanded.
Now, according to some estimates, more than half of all drug-eluting stents are used in so-called off-label indications -- uses beyond the scope of their original approval.
Dr. Peter Groeneveld of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and colleagues wanted to see what kind of impact the introduction of a new medical technology such as drug-eluting stents could have on health spending.
They studied data from more than 2,000 people covered by the federal Medicare insurance program for the elderly between 2002 and 2006. The team looked at both direct procedure costs and indirect costs associated with the treatment.
They found that drug-eluting stents may have added $1.57 billion in annual Medicare expenditures.
Dr. Rita Redberg, editor of the journal, called the increase "staggering."
"It is time to clearly define what the value of this extraordinary investment has been in terms of patient benefits and study the harms and determine if we are getting good value for this outlay," she wrote.
Several studies have shown that adding the drug coating to stents helps reduce the need for repeat procedures that were common with earlier, bare metal stents.
The study did not account for increased drug costs, which may have added to the overall increase. Sanofi-Aventis' anti-clotting drug clopidogrel or Plavix is typically prescribed after a stent is implanted to keep patients from developing blood clots.
"This analysis contributes to understanding the cost-increasing effects of technology because the cost effects of drug-eluting stents were measured beyond the price of the new technology itself," the researchers wrote.
(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
CHICAGO (Reuters) Mon Apr 25, 2011 - Heart devices known as drug-eluting stents have added as much as $1.57 billion to U.S. health costs since their introduction in 2003, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
The study offers an illustration of how new technology can drive health costs, the researchers said in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Stents, made by companies such as Boston Scientific, Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic Inc and Johnson & Johnson, are wire-mesh coils used to prop open arteries narrowed by fatty deposits called plaque.
Many models release drugs over time that help prevent scar tissue from building up and blocking the artery.
When they were first introduced to the U.S. market, they were approved mostly for use in previously untreated blood vessels, but their use quickly expanded.
Now, according to some estimates, more than half of all drug-eluting stents are used in so-called off-label indications -- uses beyond the scope of their original approval.
Dr. Peter Groeneveld of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and colleagues wanted to see what kind of impact the introduction of a new medical technology such as drug-eluting stents could have on health spending.
They studied data from more than 2,000 people covered by the federal Medicare insurance program for the elderly between 2002 and 2006. The team looked at both direct procedure costs and indirect costs associated with the treatment.
They found that drug-eluting stents may have added $1.57 billion in annual Medicare expenditures.
Dr. Rita Redberg, editor of the journal, called the increase "staggering."
"It is time to clearly define what the value of this extraordinary investment has been in terms of patient benefits and study the harms and determine if we are getting good value for this outlay," she wrote.
Several studies have shown that adding the drug coating to stents helps reduce the need for repeat procedures that were common with earlier, bare metal stents.
The study did not account for increased drug costs, which may have added to the overall increase. Sanofi-Aventis' anti-clotting drug clopidogrel or Plavix is typically prescribed after a stent is implanted to keep patients from developing blood clots.
"This analysis contributes to understanding the cost-increasing effects of technology because the cost effects of drug-eluting stents were measured beyond the price of the new technology itself," the researchers wrote.
(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Elsevier.nl - Nederland - Man schiet Turks vriendje van kleindochter dood
Elsevier.nl - Netherlands
Dinsdag 26 april 2011 07:21 Een 65-jarige man heeft maandag de 24-jarige vriend van zijn 20-jarige kleindochter doodgeschoten in Den Haag. De man, zijn vrouw en de vader van het meisje zijn gearresteerd.
Een man werd maandagochtend in Den Haag doodgeschoten. Dat meldt De Telegraaf.
Waarschijnlijk kon de familie het niet verkroppen dat het meisje Gusta een relatie had met de Turkse Atilla.
Bedreiging
Volgens De Telegraaf heeft het slachtoffer de opa van zijn vriendin, autohandelaar Henk W., eerder bedreigd en stenen door zijn ruit gegooid. Gusta moest van haar familie kiezen tussen hen en haar vriend. Ze koos haar vriendje.
Toen Atilla maandag rond zes uur ’s morgens na het uitgaan nog langsging bij zijn schoonfamilie, werd hij doodgeschoten. De 64-jarige vrouw van W. heeft de politie gealarmeerd, maar reanimatie mocht niet meer baten. W. en zijn vrouw werden net als de 45-jarige Karel, vader van Gusta, aangehouden. De schietpartij had plaats op het Stuyvesantplein in Den Haag. By Marlou Visser
Dinsdag 26 april 2011 07:21 Een 65-jarige man heeft maandag de 24-jarige vriend van zijn 20-jarige kleindochter doodgeschoten in Den Haag. De man, zijn vrouw en de vader van het meisje zijn gearresteerd.
Een man werd maandagochtend in Den Haag doodgeschoten. Dat meldt De Telegraaf.
Waarschijnlijk kon de familie het niet verkroppen dat het meisje Gusta een relatie had met de Turkse Atilla.
Bedreiging
Volgens De Telegraaf heeft het slachtoffer de opa van zijn vriendin, autohandelaar Henk W., eerder bedreigd en stenen door zijn ruit gegooid. Gusta moest van haar familie kiezen tussen hen en haar vriend. Ze koos haar vriendje.
Toen Atilla maandag rond zes uur ’s morgens na het uitgaan nog langsging bij zijn schoonfamilie, werd hij doodgeschoten. De 64-jarige vrouw van W. heeft de politie gealarmeerd, maar reanimatie mocht niet meer baten. W. en zijn vrouw werden net als de 45-jarige Karel, vader van Gusta, aangehouden. De schietpartij had plaats op het Stuyvesantplein in Den Haag. By Marlou Visser
Kyrgyz MPs sacrifice rams to banish evil spirits...
Reuters By Olga Dzyubenko
BISHKEK (Reuters) Thu Apr 21, 2011 - Members of Kyrgyzstan's divided parliament slaughtered seven rams before their morning session on Thursday, in a sacrifice they hope will banish "evil spirits" disrupting their work.
Kyrgyzstan elected a new legislature in October in a bid to build the first parliamentary democracy in former Soviet Central Asia, a region otherwise run by authoritarian presidents.
But the fragile governing coalition has come under threat after weeks of bitter recriminations and disputes in parliament, leading a senior government member to resign temporarily.
Kyrgyzstan, which lies on a drug trafficking route out of Afghanistan and hosts both Russian and U.S. military air bases, saw its president toppled by a violent revolt last April. More than 400 people were killed in ethnic riots in June.
"We decided to resort to popular customs, in order for this building not to see bloodshed anymore," member of parliament Myktybek Abdyldayev told Reuters after the rams were sacrificed on a green lawn in front of the government headquarters.
Besides hosting the legislature, the Soviet-era white-marble building in the center of the Kyrgyz capital is the official seat of the president and government. Two presidents fled this building to escape violent popular uprisings in 2005 and 2010.
"We acted like those who light candles or fumigate their homes in order to banish an evil spirit from their conscience," Abdyldayev said.
The ritual of making a sacrifice is widespread in the impoverished, predominantly Muslim nation of 5.4 million. It is practiced mainly during funeral repasts and at solemn ceremonies of reconciliation.
"This is a popular ancient tradition, carried out in order to avoid a repeat of last year's tragic events and for peace and harmony to triumph," said parliamentarian Kurmanbek Osmonov.
But Ondorush Toktonasyrov, one of those who led last year's protests that toppled President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, scoffed at the ritual as "a sign of backward mentality."
"Deputies have no idea about parliamentary culture," he told Reuters. "This is an official building where the president works, and the parliament slaughters rams!"
(Reporting by Olga Dzyubenko; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov, editing by Paul Casciato)
BISHKEK (Reuters) Thu Apr 21, 2011 - Members of Kyrgyzstan's divided parliament slaughtered seven rams before their morning session on Thursday, in a sacrifice they hope will banish "evil spirits" disrupting their work.
Kyrgyzstan elected a new legislature in October in a bid to build the first parliamentary democracy in former Soviet Central Asia, a region otherwise run by authoritarian presidents.
But the fragile governing coalition has come under threat after weeks of bitter recriminations and disputes in parliament, leading a senior government member to resign temporarily.
Kyrgyzstan, which lies on a drug trafficking route out of Afghanistan and hosts both Russian and U.S. military air bases, saw its president toppled by a violent revolt last April. More than 400 people were killed in ethnic riots in June.
"We decided to resort to popular customs, in order for this building not to see bloodshed anymore," member of parliament Myktybek Abdyldayev told Reuters after the rams were sacrificed on a green lawn in front of the government headquarters.
Besides hosting the legislature, the Soviet-era white-marble building in the center of the Kyrgyz capital is the official seat of the president and government. Two presidents fled this building to escape violent popular uprisings in 2005 and 2010.
"We acted like those who light candles or fumigate their homes in order to banish an evil spirit from their conscience," Abdyldayev said.
The ritual of making a sacrifice is widespread in the impoverished, predominantly Muslim nation of 5.4 million. It is practiced mainly during funeral repasts and at solemn ceremonies of reconciliation.
"This is a popular ancient tradition, carried out in order to avoid a repeat of last year's tragic events and for peace and harmony to triumph," said parliamentarian Kurmanbek Osmonov.
But Ondorush Toktonasyrov, one of those who led last year's protests that toppled President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, scoffed at the ritual as "a sign of backward mentality."
"Deputies have no idea about parliamentary culture," he told Reuters. "This is an official building where the president works, and the parliament slaughters rams!"
(Reporting by Olga Dzyubenko; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov, editing by Paul Casciato)
Top executive demoted after booze binge...
Reuters
Wine is poured into a glass at the Chateau Malartic Lagraviere in Leognan, southwestern France, during the start of a week of wine tasting at the chateaux in the Bordeaux region April 4, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Regis Duvignau
BEIJING (Reuters) Mon Apr 25, 2011 - Chinese oil refining giant Sinopec has demoted a top executive who bought 1.6 million yuan ($245,900) of wine and spirits after details of the purchase leaked onto the Internet and sparked an uproar over extravagance at the state-owned firm.
Sinopec, which is Asia's top refiner, said Monday that it had demoted Lu Guangyu, who was general manager at the company's operations in the southern province of Guangdong, for "seriously harming Sinopec's image."
The company also fined Lu an unspecified sum and ordered him to pay back 130,000 yuan for alcohol he and his associates had already drunk, it said in a statement on its website (www.sinopecgroup.com).
His purchases included 480 bottles of Moutai, an expensive Chinese liquor traditionally drunk at state banquets, Sinopec said, adding it had re-sold bottles which had not already been drunk.
Some of the bottles cost almost 12,000 yuan each -- far more than the average Chinese earns in a month.
State media and China's spirited internet users said the purchase of the alcohol, which was meant for internal company use, was especially galling considering how much gasoline and diesel prices had risen recently.
Many Chinese are also struggling to make ends meet as inflation climbs. Consumer prices rose 5.4 percent in the year to March.
Sinopec Corp is the company's listed arm. ($1 = 6.507 Chinese Yuan)
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Zhou Xin; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Wine is poured into a glass at the Chateau Malartic Lagraviere in Leognan, southwestern France, during the start of a week of wine tasting at the chateaux in the Bordeaux region April 4, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Regis DuvignauBEIJING (Reuters) Mon Apr 25, 2011 - Chinese oil refining giant Sinopec has demoted a top executive who bought 1.6 million yuan ($245,900) of wine and spirits after details of the purchase leaked onto the Internet and sparked an uproar over extravagance at the state-owned firm.
Sinopec, which is Asia's top refiner, said Monday that it had demoted Lu Guangyu, who was general manager at the company's operations in the southern province of Guangdong, for "seriously harming Sinopec's image."
The company also fined Lu an unspecified sum and ordered him to pay back 130,000 yuan for alcohol he and his associates had already drunk, it said in a statement on its website (www.sinopecgroup.com).
His purchases included 480 bottles of Moutai, an expensive Chinese liquor traditionally drunk at state banquets, Sinopec said, adding it had re-sold bottles which had not already been drunk.
Some of the bottles cost almost 12,000 yuan each -- far more than the average Chinese earns in a month.
State media and China's spirited internet users said the purchase of the alcohol, which was meant for internal company use, was especially galling considering how much gasoline and diesel prices had risen recently.
Many Chinese are also struggling to make ends meet as inflation climbs. Consumer prices rose 5.4 percent in the year to March.
Sinopec Corp is the company's listed arm. ($1 = 6.507 Chinese Yuan)
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Zhou Xin; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Friday, April 22, 2011
Investor blows fuse at arms boss's weaker sex jibe...
Reuters
PARIS (Reuters) Thu Apr 21, 2011 - The chairman of French defense company Safran hailed the arrival of the "weaker sex" on the company's board Thursday -- triggering accusations of sexism from France's best-known shareholder activist.
Francis Mer, 71, chairman of the state-controlled firm whose engines power French nuclear missiles and the Rafale warplane, dropped the bombshell at a shareholder meeting which agreed to modernize the company's governance rules.
"It will not have escaped your attention that ... we will be in a situation where the so-called weaker sex will be making a deafening entry into our board," Mer told shareholders.
The changes, creating a normal board out of a complex structure inherited from a merger in 2004, will increase the number of female board members from one to five, a figure Mer described as "close to the record."
"Breaking records ... in this area is easier and less dangerous than in aviation or safety matters," he said.
Mer, 71, is a blunt-spoken former steelmaking CEO and finance minister best known for his blustery approach to full-time politicians and the press. His comments drew immediate flak from a staunch campaigner for investor rights in France.
"I completely reject these terms, the mere use of which says a lot about attitudes to women," Colette Neuville, president of the ADAM association of minority shareholders, told Reuters.
"Coming from the head of a company which insists on equality, they are completely unacceptable," she added.
France has long been criticized for lagging its neighbors in the number of women reaching the top of major business. Its parliament voted last year to order many companies to have 40 percent of board posts occupied by women within six years.
"You can be for or against quotas - personally I am against them -- but it is regrettable that this should be turned into a joke, and one in very poor taste," Neuveille said.
Safran declined to comment.
Mer was recruited from a steel firm to be France's finance minister between 2002 and 2004, but got off on the wrong foot by calling his cabinet colleagues "you politicians," a gaffe he later made the title of a book.
He is expected to be named vice-chairman under a new Safran board to be led by chief executive Jean-Paul Herteman.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Cyril Altmeyer; Editing by Christian Plumb)
PARIS (Reuters) Thu Apr 21, 2011 - The chairman of French defense company Safran hailed the arrival of the "weaker sex" on the company's board Thursday -- triggering accusations of sexism from France's best-known shareholder activist.
Francis Mer, 71, chairman of the state-controlled firm whose engines power French nuclear missiles and the Rafale warplane, dropped the bombshell at a shareholder meeting which agreed to modernize the company's governance rules.
"It will not have escaped your attention that ... we will be in a situation where the so-called weaker sex will be making a deafening entry into our board," Mer told shareholders.
The changes, creating a normal board out of a complex structure inherited from a merger in 2004, will increase the number of female board members from one to five, a figure Mer described as "close to the record."
"Breaking records ... in this area is easier and less dangerous than in aviation or safety matters," he said.
Mer, 71, is a blunt-spoken former steelmaking CEO and finance minister best known for his blustery approach to full-time politicians and the press. His comments drew immediate flak from a staunch campaigner for investor rights in France.
"I completely reject these terms, the mere use of which says a lot about attitudes to women," Colette Neuville, president of the ADAM association of minority shareholders, told Reuters.
"Coming from the head of a company which insists on equality, they are completely unacceptable," she added.
France has long been criticized for lagging its neighbors in the number of women reaching the top of major business. Its parliament voted last year to order many companies to have 40 percent of board posts occupied by women within six years.
"You can be for or against quotas - personally I am against them -- but it is regrettable that this should be turned into a joke, and one in very poor taste," Neuveille said.
Safran declined to comment.
Mer was recruited from a steel firm to be France's finance minister between 2002 and 2004, but got off on the wrong foot by calling his cabinet colleagues "you politicians," a gaffe he later made the title of a book.
He is expected to be named vice-chairman under a new Safran board to be led by chief executive Jean-Paul Herteman.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Cyril Altmeyer; Editing by Christian Plumb)
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Apple crushes forecasts again, iPad backlogged...
Reuters
A staff member holds the new Apple iPad2 at the Apple store in London March 25, 2011.Credit: Reuters/Luke MacGregor
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) Wed Apr 20, 2011- Apple Inc's results smashed Wall Street's expectations after iPhone and Mac sales scaled new heights while iPad supplies could not keep up with roaring global demand.
Shares of the world's most valuable technology corporation rose 3 percent after it said a record 18.65 million units of the category-defining iPhone -- its flagship product -- moved in the March quarter, outpacing the 16 million or so expected.
Apple sold just 4.69 million iPads -- which command an 80 percent share of a burgeoning tablet market in which Motorola Inc and Samsung Electronics also compete -- but investors argued that would not detract from strong long-term demand.
But investors largely ignored the lower-than-expected sales for iPads during the quarter as company executives said they were scrambling to meet "staggering" demand and were heavily backlogged for now.
"I'm not going to predict when supply and demand will come into balance," Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said. "I can only be confident on supply side."
Apple's iPad 2 dominated the nascent market for tablets with competing products like Research In Motion's PlayBook receiving poor reviews from customers and experts.
The stellar results on Wednesday came as concern is growing over how component supply constraints after Japan's earthquake and tsunami would squeeze margins and restrain iPhone and iPad sales in coming months.
"Dynamite numbers across the board. The only hiccup is lower than expected iPad numbers," said Capital Advisors Growth Fund portfolio manager Channing Smith.
"We can attribute some of the weakness to stocking issues at some of the retail outlets and obviously the supply chain issue in Japan. Unfortunately, the supply chain issue will likely persist for the coming months but once we get past summer and the supply chain issues are resolved it's all systems go again for Apple."
Apple executives told analysts on a conference call they foresaw a hit to revenue this quarter of about $200 million -- less than 1 percent of projected global quarterly sales -- but expected no cost impact.
The company, known for its tight relationship with Asian suppliers, stands at the head of the queue for electronics components even if the supply crunch continues. Japan accounts for an estimated 6 percent of overall revenue.
"We source hundreds, literally hundreds, of items from Japan, and they range from components such as LCDs, optical drives, NAND flash and DRAM, to base materials such as resins, coatings," Cook said.
Apple did see some revenue impact from the crisis during the second quarter but it was not material to the results, Cook said, adding that he does not see any unsolvable problems related to the disaster.
On rising prices for memory chips, Cook said he felt "good" for the third quarter as the company does not typically buy in the spot market.
"Beyond Q3, I'm saying I'm not sure because it's tough to see that far," he said.
IPAD SALES MISS TARGETS
The March quarterly report was Apple's first under the stewardship of Cook after Chief Executive Steve Jobs went on his third medical leave in January.
Cook, who is known as an operations and supply chain maven, said his boss -- who has undergone a liver transplant and survived a rare form of pancreatic cancer -- still played an active role in important decisions.
"He is still on medical leave but we do see him on a regular basis. He continues to be involved in major strategic decisions. I know he wants to be back full time as soon as he can," Cook told analysts.
Apple's iPad sales in the quarter fell well short of Wall Street's expectations: some analysts had projected shipments of closer to or even more than 6 million for the tablet computer launched on March 11.
But the lower-than-expected number could be attributed to the fact that Apple recognizes revenue from its stores when its customers receive the products. The initial wait time for the iPad 2 was four to five weeks.
"We sold every iPad 2 we could make and the demand was stunning," Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer told Reuters in an interview.
Apple's results come as it prepares to build the next iPhone model with a faster processor, which will begin shipping in September, three people with direct knowledge of the company's supply chain said on Wednesday.
Cook declined to comment on launch plans for the next iPhone.
It reported a net profit of $5.99 billion, or $6.40 a share, while revenue surged 83 percent to $24.67 billion. That surpassed expectations for $5.37 in earnings and $23.4 billion of revenue.
A large spike in sales of Mac computers, driven by the refreshed MacBook Pro, beefed up March-quarter earnings. Apple said it sold 3.76 million Macs, up 28 percent from a year ago.
Gross margins in the fiscal second quarter came to 41.4 percent, above Wall Street's average forecast of 39.03 percent.
Apple, which generally provides an ultra-conservative forecast, said it expected June quarter earnings of $5.03 a share on revenue of about $23 billion.
"IPad shipments were significantly lower than my estimates I think because of supply constraints," said Gabelli & Co analyst Hendi Susanto. "What impressed me was the gross margin."
Shares of Apple rose 3 percent to $353.67 after hours, from a regular session close of $342.41 on Nasdaq. They had fallen about 3 percent since Japan's quake.
The company's stock -- which is trading at roughly 18 times forward earnings, versus 19 times for Google and 10 times for Microsoft -- is considered a must-have in any technology portfolio.
(Additional reporting by Jennifer Saba and Yinka Adegoke in New York, writing by Edwin Chan; Editing by Edwin Chan and Richard Chang)
By Poornima Gupta and Noel Randewich
Reuters
A staff member holds the new Apple iPad2 at the Apple store in London March 25, 2011.Credit: Reuters/Luke MacGregorSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) Wed Apr 20, 2011- Apple Inc's results smashed Wall Street's expectations after iPhone and Mac sales scaled new heights while iPad supplies could not keep up with roaring global demand.
Shares of the world's most valuable technology corporation rose 3 percent after it said a record 18.65 million units of the category-defining iPhone -- its flagship product -- moved in the March quarter, outpacing the 16 million or so expected.
Apple sold just 4.69 million iPads -- which command an 80 percent share of a burgeoning tablet market in which Motorola Inc and Samsung Electronics also compete -- but investors argued that would not detract from strong long-term demand.
But investors largely ignored the lower-than-expected sales for iPads during the quarter as company executives said they were scrambling to meet "staggering" demand and were heavily backlogged for now.
"I'm not going to predict when supply and demand will come into balance," Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said. "I can only be confident on supply side."
Apple's iPad 2 dominated the nascent market for tablets with competing products like Research In Motion's PlayBook receiving poor reviews from customers and experts.
The stellar results on Wednesday came as concern is growing over how component supply constraints after Japan's earthquake and tsunami would squeeze margins and restrain iPhone and iPad sales in coming months.
"Dynamite numbers across the board. The only hiccup is lower than expected iPad numbers," said Capital Advisors Growth Fund portfolio manager Channing Smith.
"We can attribute some of the weakness to stocking issues at some of the retail outlets and obviously the supply chain issue in Japan. Unfortunately, the supply chain issue will likely persist for the coming months but once we get past summer and the supply chain issues are resolved it's all systems go again for Apple."
Apple executives told analysts on a conference call they foresaw a hit to revenue this quarter of about $200 million -- less than 1 percent of projected global quarterly sales -- but expected no cost impact.
The company, known for its tight relationship with Asian suppliers, stands at the head of the queue for electronics components even if the supply crunch continues. Japan accounts for an estimated 6 percent of overall revenue.
"We source hundreds, literally hundreds, of items from Japan, and they range from components such as LCDs, optical drives, NAND flash and DRAM, to base materials such as resins, coatings," Cook said.
Apple did see some revenue impact from the crisis during the second quarter but it was not material to the results, Cook said, adding that he does not see any unsolvable problems related to the disaster.
On rising prices for memory chips, Cook said he felt "good" for the third quarter as the company does not typically buy in the spot market.
"Beyond Q3, I'm saying I'm not sure because it's tough to see that far," he said.
IPAD SALES MISS TARGETS
The March quarterly report was Apple's first under the stewardship of Cook after Chief Executive Steve Jobs went on his third medical leave in January.
Cook, who is known as an operations and supply chain maven, said his boss -- who has undergone a liver transplant and survived a rare form of pancreatic cancer -- still played an active role in important decisions.
"He is still on medical leave but we do see him on a regular basis. He continues to be involved in major strategic decisions. I know he wants to be back full time as soon as he can," Cook told analysts.
Apple's iPad sales in the quarter fell well short of Wall Street's expectations: some analysts had projected shipments of closer to or even more than 6 million for the tablet computer launched on March 11.
But the lower-than-expected number could be attributed to the fact that Apple recognizes revenue from its stores when its customers receive the products. The initial wait time for the iPad 2 was four to five weeks.
"We sold every iPad 2 we could make and the demand was stunning," Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer told Reuters in an interview.
Apple's results come as it prepares to build the next iPhone model with a faster processor, which will begin shipping in September, three people with direct knowledge of the company's supply chain said on Wednesday.
Cook declined to comment on launch plans for the next iPhone.
It reported a net profit of $5.99 billion, or $6.40 a share, while revenue surged 83 percent to $24.67 billion. That surpassed expectations for $5.37 in earnings and $23.4 billion of revenue.
A large spike in sales of Mac computers, driven by the refreshed MacBook Pro, beefed up March-quarter earnings. Apple said it sold 3.76 million Macs, up 28 percent from a year ago.
Gross margins in the fiscal second quarter came to 41.4 percent, above Wall Street's average forecast of 39.03 percent.
Apple, which generally provides an ultra-conservative forecast, said it expected June quarter earnings of $5.03 a share on revenue of about $23 billion.
"IPad shipments were significantly lower than my estimates I think because of supply constraints," said Gabelli & Co analyst Hendi Susanto. "What impressed me was the gross margin."
Shares of Apple rose 3 percent to $353.67 after hours, from a regular session close of $342.41 on Nasdaq. They had fallen about 3 percent since Japan's quake.
The company's stock -- which is trading at roughly 18 times forward earnings, versus 19 times for Google and 10 times for Microsoft -- is considered a must-have in any technology portfolio.
(Additional reporting by Jennifer Saba and Yinka Adegoke in New York, writing by Edwin Chan; Editing by Edwin Chan and Richard Chang)
By Poornima Gupta and Noel Randewich
Reuters
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
IE9 puts Microsoft back in the game...
IE9 puts Microsoft back in the game By Laura Cucullu Senior features editor. Wed 13 April 2011. Back in the 1990s, Microsoft's browser competed fiercely with Netscape's and won, but then the company sat back and left the innovation to others. Even though Internet Explorer remains the most-used browser on the Net today, convincing one of our reporters that the latest, IE9, is a real browser was quite an accomplishment. Find out what made Stephen Shankland decide that Microsoft is back in the browser game. For those of you fond of SMS payments, don't forget to think about security because some evil-minded folks have found ways to take the profit themselves. There's a new twist with the appearance of some fake antivirus scareware that accepts payment via SMS. Of course, a payment does nothing to "fix" a system and means criminals now have your money and possibly your credit card information. And in happier news, it's almost time to gorge on massive amounts of chocolate bunnies. While you're waiting, check out six awesome Easter apps. Read more:IE9 puts Microsoft back in the game
Friday, April 08, 2011
Electronic stores in two states offer free guns | Reuters
Reuters By Laura Zuckerman
SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) Thu Apr 7, 2011 - A chain of electronic stores in parts of the states of Idaho and Montana are offering free guns to first-time subscribers of satellite TV services.
The new promotions by combination RadioShack and Dish Network dealerships in western Montana and another in southwest Idaho have attracted crowds that range from the merely curious to the firearm-friendly.
John Marshall, owner of a RadioShack store in Mountain Home, Idaho near Boise, said the flagging economy was behind the program he began advertising this week. "There's no problem with it here; this isn't New York City," he said about a gun giveaway that has sparked criticism on blogs by gun-control advocates elsewhere.
Under the arrangement, new subscribers to a Dish Network package are given a coupon for $135 to purchase a single-shot shotgun at a local sporting goods store. The guns-for-subscriptions offer is the brainchild of Steve Strand, owner of a RadioShack store in Montana's Bitterroot Valley.
Strand said the promotional campaign he crafted last fall has proved a sure-fire strategy to target satellite subscribers in a region that favors firearms. Subscriptions for Dish Network packages have increased threefold since he began offering freebies on pistols or shotguns. Strand said women make up the majority of his growing customer base.
"All I can tell you is, grandma is packing a gun in Montana," he said. A RadioShack official questioned the promotion but the corporation has not prohibited it by franchise owners like Strand. "I might not even consider such a program if I were in Detroit city but we have a different demographic out here," Strand said.
(Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Tim Gaynor)
SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) Thu Apr 7, 2011 - A chain of electronic stores in parts of the states of Idaho and Montana are offering free guns to first-time subscribers of satellite TV services.
The new promotions by combination RadioShack and Dish Network dealerships in western Montana and another in southwest Idaho have attracted crowds that range from the merely curious to the firearm-friendly.
John Marshall, owner of a RadioShack store in Mountain Home, Idaho near Boise, said the flagging economy was behind the program he began advertising this week. "There's no problem with it here; this isn't New York City," he said about a gun giveaway that has sparked criticism on blogs by gun-control advocates elsewhere.
Under the arrangement, new subscribers to a Dish Network package are given a coupon for $135 to purchase a single-shot shotgun at a local sporting goods store. The guns-for-subscriptions offer is the brainchild of Steve Strand, owner of a RadioShack store in Montana's Bitterroot Valley.
Strand said the promotional campaign he crafted last fall has proved a sure-fire strategy to target satellite subscribers in a region that favors firearms. Subscriptions for Dish Network packages have increased threefold since he began offering freebies on pistols or shotguns. Strand said women make up the majority of his growing customer base.
"All I can tell you is, grandma is packing a gun in Montana," he said. A RadioShack official questioned the promotion but the corporation has not prohibited it by franchise owners like Strand. "I might not even consider such a program if I were in Detroit city but we have a different demographic out here," Strand said.
(Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Tim Gaynor)
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Oregon thief with good taste nips $2,300 cognac...
Reuters
PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) Tue Apr 5, 2011 - A masked, quick-moving thief smashed a liquor store window early on Monday in suburban Portland and walked off with a bottle of cognac valued at more than $2,300.
"He has good taste," said Lt. Mike Rouches a spokesman for the Hillsboro police. "He knew exactly what he was after."
The robber took the $2,363.45 bottle of Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac, 11 fine -- but cheaper -- bottles of cognac and 12 packs of menthol cigarettes at about 3:15 a.m. local time on Monday, Rouches said.
"I've not seen a theft like this. Usually they grab whatever they can," Rouches said.
The police arrived quickly and the posh pilferer had already disappeared, another indication that he knew what he was after, Rouches said.
Hillsboro police have surveillance tape of the masked thief and are searching for the apparently classy crook.
The suspect could face charges of second-degree burglary, first-degree burglary and second-degree criminal mischief, Rouches said. (Reporting by Teresa Carson, Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Greg McCune)
PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) Tue Apr 5, 2011 - A masked, quick-moving thief smashed a liquor store window early on Monday in suburban Portland and walked off with a bottle of cognac valued at more than $2,300.
"He has good taste," said Lt. Mike Rouches a spokesman for the Hillsboro police. "He knew exactly what he was after."
The robber took the $2,363.45 bottle of Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac, 11 fine -- but cheaper -- bottles of cognac and 12 packs of menthol cigarettes at about 3:15 a.m. local time on Monday, Rouches said.
"I've not seen a theft like this. Usually they grab whatever they can," Rouches said.
The police arrived quickly and the posh pilferer had already disappeared, another indication that he knew what he was after, Rouches said.
Hillsboro police have surveillance tape of the masked thief and are searching for the apparently classy crook.
The suspect could face charges of second-degree burglary, first-degree burglary and second-degree criminal mischief, Rouches said. (Reporting by Teresa Carson, Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Greg McCune)
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