Thursday, June 24, 2010

Gas here, gas there...
by Barbora Misakova


Gas troubles are back! For those of you who has vivid memories of the last gas cut off in their mind: don’t worry, you will not freeze to death! Analysts say the impact of these disruptions would not be as serious this time because of lower gas demand in the summer. As if the gas was used only for heating! This time Russia and Belarus cannot come to agreement about payments. While Russia’s Gazprom asks from Belarus paying its debt back, Belarus argues they already did it. What is more, Belarus threatens to halt transit of Russian gas to Europe if the energy giant did not pay $260 million in transit fees. Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko said Mi! nsk had transferred 187 million dollars “to settle our debt to Gazprom”, but now Gazprom has to pay a debt to Belarusian firm Beltransgaz for transit fees. “I demand that Gazprom pay Beltransgaz 260 million dollars by 10:00 am (0700 GMT) tomorrow. If this is not done, we will be forced to shut down hydrocarbon transit through Belarusian territory.” The problem is much worse when we consider there are more countries which will suffer by gas reduction. “This is not only a problem for this one member state, it is a problem, it is an attack on the whole European Union.” said Oettinger. Mutual Russian-Belarusian problems “should not be our problems” said the EU commissioner. The chief executive of Gazprom said European customers should not worry. But I bet Lithuania, Germany and Poland which depend on Russian gas piped through Belarus have different opinion.

related story (sgx17675): http://www.france24.com/en/20100623-belarus-russia-gazprom-b...
by Barbora Misakova
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

BP creates $20 billion fund for oil spill costs
by Magdalena Rosova


BP's executives met with American President Barack Obama and agreeded to create a fund that should cover costs from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. BP will put $20 billion dollars into the fund. To pay the costs from the oil spill the company needed to freeze payments to its shareholders and Wednesday it has also announced its plans to offload billions of dollars in assets. The executives have decided for a series of belt-tightening measures, which should save about 17 billion dollars this year. BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg promised that the company would fulfill all of its responsibilities and would definitely not go under. For the rest of the year, payments for B! P's shareholders will stay frozen. This way Svanberg is planning to save seven billion dollars. Svanberg's decision invoked anger of public. But BP does not have other option, US lawmakers forced the company to cover the costs of the spill first and just then to reward its shareholders. Therefore Svanberg apologized for the spill and officially announced that the company would not pay any further dividends that year. BP will also probably offload 10 billion dollars of its assets to pay the costs. No one knows what is the real cost of the spill as the crisis is not over yet and oil is still flowing into the sea. Therefore BP is thinking of possible ways to save money, but it is definitely not planning to sell its core assets. By the end of the year BP have to pay 5 billion dollars into the fund and for the next three years it will pay a billion dollars each quarter.

related story (sgx17613): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37736098/n! s/busine ss-us_business...
by Magdalena Rosova
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

BP vytvorí fond na pokrytie škôd v Mexickom zálive
by Magdalena Rosova


Vedúci výkonní riaditelia britskej ropnej spoločnosti BP sa stretli s americkým prezidentom Barackom Obamom, aby rokovali o vytvorení fondu, ktorý by mal pokryť vzniknuté škody v Mexickom zálive, ktoré spôsobila ropa, ktorá vytiekla z explodovaného žriedla BP. Ropná spoločnosť na úvod vloží do fondu 20 miliárd amerických dolárov. BP bola nútená prijať viaceré opatrenia, aby bola schopná zaplatiť škody. Preto spoločnosť zastavila platby svojim akcionárom a v stredu oznámila aj svoj plán preda&! #357; svoje akcie v hodnote niekoľko miliárd amerických dolárov. Riaditelia spoločnosti sa rozhodli prijať viacero úsporných opatrení, ktorý by mali ešte v tomto roku ušetriť firme približne 17 miliárd dolárov. Riaditeľ BP Carl-Henric Svanberg prisľúbil, že jeho spoločnosť spraví všetko pre to, aby poctivo splnila svoju zodpovednosť a odmietol možnosť krachu firmy. Po celý budúci rok zostanú platby akcionárom BP pozastavené. Svanberg tak chce chce ušetriť sedem miliárd dolárov. Svanbergove rozhodnutie vyvolalo nevôľu verejnosti. Avšak BP sa bráni a tvrdí, že nemá inú možnosť. Americkí zákonodarci prinútili spoločnosť zaplatiť najprv vzniknutú škodu v zálive a až potom vyplatiť svojich akcion&! #225;rov. Svanberg sa ospravedlnil za škody, ktoré s! pôs obila ropa a vyhlásil, že BP nebude vyplácať tento rok žiadne dividendy. BP sa tiež pravdepodobne vzdá 10 miliárd dolárov vo svojich akciách, aby mohla zaplatiť škody. Nikto zatiaľ nevie vyčísliť výšku vzniknutej škody, pretože kríza v zálive ešte nepominula a ropa naďalej uniká do mora. Preto BP zvažuje všetky možné cesty, ako ušetriť peniaze. Napriek tomu však nezvažuje predaj svojich kľúčových akcií. Do konca roka musí BP zaplatiť fondu 5 miliárd dolárov a v nasledujúcich troch rokoch bude platiť fondu každý štvrťrok 3 miliardy dolárov.

related story (sgx17629): http://www.google.com/hostednews/c! anadianpress/article/ALeqM...
by Magdalena Rosova
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

BP ratings fall headfirst
by Zivka Deleva


The consequences from the biggest ecological disaster ever, the British Petroleum is paying day by day. Not only that the BP management has to stand up with all the criticism through the whole world and it spends big sum of money in the need to compensate the spill victims from the Gulf of Mexico. The news now is that on the rating agency Fitch Ratings, the oil company has downgraded for six-notch. And that is a lot. From the rating AA, the BP now is BBB. One day before, the finance director of the British Petroleum Byron Grote expressed his hope that his company will keep its AA rating, but unfortunately he was wrong. Fitch Ratings is not the first rating agency that reduc! ed BP’s position on the market. Few weeks ago, the Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s did the same. The main explanation of the Fitch Ratings was that the uncertainties that BP is confronted from, especially the costs that the company has to pay for the cleaning of the mess from the oil spill. "We think the Credit Default Swap market is overdone hence our decision to shift rating to BBB," said Jeffrey Woodruff, senior director in Fitch's EMEA Energy team and lead analyst for BP. But, everything is not lost. There is still something that can be done for the company to return its reputation. If the clean up action goes well, the company will get back its position and earn back some notches. The US officials estimated that the British company will have to give $20 billion to pay for the clean-up bill of the Gulf of Mexico.It's British Petroleum turn now to put the hands in its pockets.
by Zivka Deleva
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Emirates airline superjumbo order totals 90
by Zuzana Zelenakova


Emirates airline, Dubai´s national airline and one of the top ten airlines worldwide, raised its superjumbos order to 90 on Tuesday. Emirates added 32 planes to the original number and thus struck the biggest deal in civil aviation history. 11.5 billion dollar contract comes at a time when aviation industry is just emerging out of the worst period in decades. "Our latest commitment signals Emirates' confidence in the growth to come in a thriving aviation sector," said chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum upon the announcement of the order at the Berlin Air Show in Germany. "The A380 is our flagship in terms of passenger comfort, innovation, operating and ! environmental efficiency and revenue generation." The news definitely stirred the calm atmosphere at the Berlin show leaving all the other airlines more than surprised. "It is already to many of us a miracle that Emirates now already has more seats on intercontinental routes than Air France and BA together, with a relatively small home market," said Lufthansa CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber. "One must assume that this is not an investment for the UAE (United Arab Emirates), but it is an investment for the world," he added. Many have been skeptical about the scope of the deal expecting that at least some of it might not be fulfilled, however, according to the Airbus sales chief John Leahy the contract does not allow Emirates to back out or convert to other types. The orders are expected to be delivered by 2017. Emirates airlines became Dubai´s number one company following the property crisis in the country. Currently, it is one of the biggest contributors to the local economy. T! he Franco-German plane manufacturer Airbus has already express! ed its i mmense gratitude to Emirates, as the deal put it ahead of its longtime rival Boeing.

related story (sgx17528): http://www.france24.com/en/20100608-dubai-based-emirates-ord...
by Zuzana Zelenakova
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

Letecká spoločnosť Emirates zvýšila svoju objednávku na 90 nových lietadiel
by Zuzana Zelenakova


Emirates airline, národná letecká spoločnosť Dubaja a jedna z desiatich najúspešnejších leteckých spoločností na svete, zvýšila v utorok svoju pôvodnú objednávku na 90 obrích dvojpodlažných lietadiel. Emirates doobjednali 32 lietadiel a postarali sa tak o najväčšiu obchodnú transakciu v dejinách civilnej leteckej prepravy. Kontrakt v hodnote 11,5 miliárd dolárov prichádza v čase, keď sa letecký priemysel dostáva z najhoršieho obdobia za niekoľko posledných desaťročí. „Naša na! jnovšia iniciatíva vyjadruje dôveru spoločnosti Emirates v nadchádzajúci rast prosperujúceho leteckého priemyslu,“ povedal výkonný riaditeľ Emirates airline Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum pri ohlásení objednávky na Berlin Air Show. „Lietadlo Airbus A380 je našou vlajkovou loďou čo sa týka pohodlia cestujúcich, výkonnosti, inovácie ale i finančného výnosu.“ Táto novinka rozhodne rozvírila pokojnú atmosféru vládnucu na Berlin Air Show a takpovediac šokovala predstaviteľov iných leteckých spoločností. „Pre mnohých z nás je zázrakom už to, že spoločnosť Emirates má väčší počet pasažierov v rámci medzinárodných letov než Air France a British Airways dokopy, a to vzhľadom na relatívn! e malý domáci trh,“ povedal výkonný ! riadite& #318; nemeckej leteckej spoločnosti Lufthansa Wolfgang Mayrhuber. „Človek až rozmýšľa nad tým, že nejde o investíciu pre Spojene arabské emiráty, ale pre celý svet,“ dodal. Vzhľadom na veľkosť objednávky boli mnohí skeptickí a očakávali, že Emirates nebudú môcť splniť dohodu v celom rozsahu, avšak podľa spoločnosti Airbus, ktorá sa zaoberá výrobou lietadiel a ktorá túto zákazku získala, zmluva nedovoľuje spoločnosti Emirates vycúva ani zmeniť model lietadla. Objednávka by mala byť dodaná do roku 2017. Potom, čo Dubaj prekonal krízu na trhu s nehnuteľnosťami sa Emirates stala spoločnosťou číslo jedna. V súčasnosti je to jeden z najväčších prispievateľov miestnej ekonomiky. Francú! zsko-nemecký výrobca lietadiel Airbus už vyjadril spoločnosti svoju vďaku, keďže vďaka spomínanej zákazke tromfne aj svojho najväčšieho rivala Boeing.

related story (sgx17529): http://www.france24.com/en/20100608-dubai-based-emirates-ord...
by Zuzana Zelenakova
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed t! o delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment a! t the ti p of your fingers.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Humorot kako oružje
by Claudia Sonea


Sé što ní treba e dobra smea. Lugjeto treba počesto da se smeat i životot bi izgledal posvetol. Da se šeguvate so problemite e deviza za životot na Romancite i ako se zeme predvid deka tie postojano se napagjani od drugi nacii, tie i treba da se smeat mnogu. Kako i da e, Romancite imaat vesel humor, bez ironija ili namera da povredat. Britancite se nešto porazlični - tie se šeguvaat na problemite, no humorot e duhovit i sarkastičen i verbalno navredliv protiv ličnosta. So ogled na toa deka britanskiot način na smeenje e mnogu pointeresen, fokusot treba da se svrti kon posledniot skandal vo koj beše vklu&! #269;en najgolemata naftena kompanija "British Petroleum". Bez razlika što kje pomislite, Britancite bea vsušnost tie što najmnogu istrpija zafrkancii, a ne obratno. Sekoj e zapoznaen so izlevanjeto na naftata vo Meksikanskiot golf i faktot deka taa e najlošata ekološka katastrofa vo svetot i sopstvenikot na dobroto, ne uspea da go zapre izlevanjeto. I pokraj site ubeduvanja deka kompanijata kje gi plati štetite na lokalnite bitnismeni i deka kje plati za operaciite za čistenje, javnosto mislenje ostro go kritikuva lošiot menadzment za celata situacija. Kampanjata započnata od naftenata kompanija na "Fejsbuk" i "Tviter" vo obid da go podobri svojot imidz, vodeše kon osnovanje na satirična smetka na "Tviter", čii sledbenici se glavno aktivisti i lugje protiv BP. Osnovačot postavil duhoviti predupreduvanje i slogani što posočuvaat na nedostigot na vistinski interes od BP so ogled na toa deka vo pra&#! 353;anje e životnata sredina. Ušte povekje, luč! ;nosta & #353;to ja sozdala smetkata odlučila da gi iskoristi profitite napraveni od posetite i da napravi donacija od 10.000 dolari za Mrežata za obnovuvanje na Golfot.

related story (sgx17518): http://www.france24.com/en/20100603-usa-bp-oil-slick-twitter...
by Claudia Sonea
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at t! he tip of your fingers.

Humorot kako oružje
by Claudia Sonea


Sé što ní treba e dobra smea. Lugjeto treba počesto da se smeat i životot bi izgledal posvetol. Da se šeguvate so problemite e deviza za životot na Romancite i ako se zeme predvid deka tie postojano se napagjani od drugi nacii, tie i treba da se smeat mnogu. Kako i da e, Romancite imaat vesel humor, bez ironija ili namera da povredat. Britancite se nešto porazlični - tie se šeguvaat na problemite, no humorot e duhovit i sarkastičen i verbalno navredliv protiv ličnosta. So ogled na toa deka britanskiot način na smeenje e mnogu pointeresen, fokusot treba da se svrti kon posledniot skandal vo koj beše vklu&! #269;en najgolemata naftena kompanija "British Petroleum". Bez razlika što kje pomislite, Britancite bea vsušnost tie što najmnogu istrpija zafrkancii, a ne obratno. Sekoj e zapoznaen so izlevanjeto na naftata vo Meksikanskiot golf i faktot deka taa e najlošata ekološka katastrofa vo svetot i sopstvenikot na dobroto, ne uspea da go zapre izlevanjeto. I pokraj site ubeduvanja deka kompanijata kje gi plati štetite na lokalnite bitnismeni i deka kje plati za operaciite za čistenje, javnosto mislenje ostro go kritikuva lošiot menadzment za celata situacija. Kampanjata započnata od naftenata kompanija na "Fejsbuk" i "Tviter" vo obid da go podobri svojot imidz, vodeše kon osnovanje na satirična smetka na "Tviter", čii sledbenici se glavno aktivisti i lugje protiv BP. Osnovačot postavil duhoviti predupreduvanje i slogani što posočuvaat na nedostigot na vistinski interes od BP so ogled na toa deka vo pra&#! 353;anje e životnata sredina. Ušte povekje, luč! ;nosta & #353;to ja sozdala smetkata odlučila da gi iskoristi profitite napraveni od posetite i da napravi donacija od 10.000 dolari za Mrežata za obnovuvanje na Golfot.

related story (sgx17517): http://www.france24.com/en/20100603-usa-bp-oil-slick-twitter...
by Claudia Sonea
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at t! he tip of your fingers.

Grand point d'interrogation sur l'usine d'iPhone Foxconn
by Zuzana Zelenakova


Le groupe technologique Foxconn est connu pour être le plus grand fabricant d'électronique dans le monde et il produit des gadgets électroniques les plus remarquables tels que iPod, iPhone et iPad pour Apple inc., PlayStation 2 et 3 pour Sony, cellphones pour Motorola et reçoit des commandes de nombreuses sociétés informatiques. Cependant, la réputation de Foxconn a été contrainte due à la série de suicides des employés. Dans la période entre le janvier et le mai 2010 où douze employés ont essayé de se suicider, une dizaine de personnes sont mortes. La mort a soulevé une discussion assidue ! concernant les conditions de travail à la compagnie. La plupart des employés sont des travailleurs migrants et doivent traiter un travail monotone de dix heures tous les jours. Ils doivent respecter les règles strictes qui les interdisent par exemple de se parler entre eux à la chaîne de production. Le dernier des assassins était un homme de 23 ans de l'usine de Longhua à Shenzhen qui a sauté de la fênetre d'un bâtiment. Dans une réponse désespérée Foxconn a indiqué qu'il avait installé des filets de sûreté autour de presque tous les bâtiments d'usine. « Je ne suis pas persuadé que nous pouvons arrêter tous les cas. Mais étant un employeur responsable nous devons prendre de la responsabilité pour la prévention d'autant de suicides que nous pouvons, » a dit Terry Gou, Président de compagnie de Hon Hai, dont Foxconn est subsidiaire. Assez r! 33;cemment, le cadre supérieur d'Apple Steve Jobs a manif! esté ; pour défendre des conditions de travail fournies par la compagnie. « Foxconn n'est pas une manufacture, » a dit Jobs pendant la conférence "All Things Digital" en Californie. « Vous entrez dans cet endroit et c'est une usine mais, mince, ils ont des restaurants et des théâtres de film, des hôpitaux et des piscines. Ça fait assez beau pour une usine. « Mercredi, Foxconn a annoncé l'élévation de salaire de 30 pour cent pour les ouvriers de la chaîne de montage chinoise. Jusqu'à maintenant, les ouvriers ont été payés par 900 yuans (environ 130 dollars américains) par un mois. L'usine de Longhua emploie 300.000 ouvriers et on le considère la plus grande usine au monde.

related story (sgx17519): http://www.france24.com/en/201! 00602-steve-jobs-defends-worki...
by Zuzana Zelenakova
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Humor as a weapon
by Claudia Sonea


All we need is a good laugh. People should laugh more and life would seem brighter. Making fun of trouble is Romanians’ devise in life and taking into consideration that they are all the time attacked by other nations, they should laugh a lot. However, Romanian’s have a jovial humor, without any irony or intention to hurt. The Brits are somewhat different; they make fun of trouble, but the humor is witty and sarcastic slapping verbally a person. As the British way of laughing is much more interesting, the focus should be turned towards the last scandal involving the British oil major BP. In sp! ite of what you might think of, the Brits were actually the one being mocked of and not the other way around. Everyone is familiar with the oil well rupture in the Gulf of Mexico and the fact that it has been the worst environmental disaster in the world and the owner of the well, BP, has not managed to cap the surge. In spite of all the assurances that the company will pay damages to the local businesses and pay for the cleaning operations, the public opinion is harshly criticizing the bad management of the whole situation. The campaign started by the oil company on Facebook and Twitter in an attempt to improve its image has led to the founding of a satirical Twitter account whose followers are mainly activists and anti-BP people. The founder has posted witty warnings and slogans that imply a lack of real interest from BP as far as the environment is concerned. Moreover, the person who created the ac! count has decided to use the profits made from the visits and ! make a $ 10,000 donation to the Gulf Restoration Network.

related story (sgx17493): http://www.france24.com/en/20100603-usa-bp-oil-slick-twitter...
by Claudia Sonea
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

HP à licencier 9000 employées à cause d'automatisation des centres de données
by Zivka Deleva


Il y a deux siècles quand l'industrialisation a commencé, les gens ont déjà protesté dans les usines. Les machines les ont remplacés et elles ont commencé à les casser. Vous pensez certainement que ce processus de la main-d'oeuvre humaine perd la valeur, puisque les nouvelles technologies sont plus influentes et peuvent facilement remplacer des gens. Cet aliénation d'ouvriers est très familier particulièrement pour les compagnies plus grandes qui ont assez d'argent à investir dans les technologies importantes pour que le processus fonctionne. Environ 9000 personnes vont perdre leurs travaux après que le Hewl! ett-Packard a décidé qu'il n'aurait plus besoin d'eux après investissement dans des centres de calculs complètement automatisés. Le Hewlett-Packard est le fabricant principal mondial des ordinateurs et selon les fonctionnaires de la compagnie, cette démarche est importante pour les affaires de bussines des services commerciales. « En raison des gains de productivité et de l'automation, HP compte éliminer approximativement 9.000 postes sur une période pluriannuelle pour réinvestir afin de la prochaine croissance et pour augmenter la valeur d'actions, » a dit Palo Alto, de la compagnie basée en Californie. Pour mettre en application cette technologie, la HP projette investir un milliard de dollars dans une période de presque d'une année. Ceci devrait aider les compagnies qui emploient leurs services de travailler plus rapide et plus efficace. Les directeurs espèrent que cela apportera plus d'arge! nt à la compagnie. Jusqu'à maintenant, personne ne c! onna 8;t la date du début de « nettoyage » et dans quelles parties de la compagnie exactement. Le nombre de ce géant téchnologique et informatique est 304.000 employés dans environ 170 pays dans le monde entier. Il semble comme si la compagnie ne sait pas des crises économiques et de la récession, parce que'elle n'a pas été comprise dans ce problème. HP a eu même un meilleur bénéfice net dans le premier trimestre de cette année comparant à la dernière année. Et vu dans les diagrammes, HP a gagné 2.2 milliards de dollars, ce qui est la moitié de la somme qu'il a obtenu dans la même période l'année dernière. Tout ce que les ouvriers devraient faire maintenant est de prier pour que leur fraction ne serait pas virée.
by Zivka Deleva
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Big question marks over Foxconn iPhone factory
by Zuzana Zelenakova


Foxconn Technology Group is known to be the biggest electronics manufacturer in the world and it produces some of the most recognized electronic gadgets such as iPod, iPhone and iPad for Apple inc, PlayStation 2 and 3 for Sony, cellphones for Motorola and has orders from numerous computer companies. However, Foxconn reputation has been strain due to series of employee suicides. In period between January and May 2010 twelve employees attempted suicides, ten of them died. The death sparked the heated discussion questioning working conditions in the company. Most of the employees are migrant workers and have to deal with monotonous 10-hour work every day. They have to abide b! y strict rules which for example ban them from speaking to each other on the production line. The last death was 23-year-old man from Longhua factory in Shenzhen who jumped off the building. In a desperate response Foxconn said it had installed safety nets around almost all factory buildings. "I'm not confident we can stop every case. But as a responsible employer we have to take up the responsibility of preventing as many as we can," said Terry Gou, chairman of Hon Hai company, of which Foxconn is subsidiary. Most recently, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs stepped up to defend working conditions provided by the company. "Foxconn is not a sweatshop," said Jobs during All Things Digital conference in California. "You go in this place and it's a factory but, my gosh, they've got restaurants and movie theaters and hospitals and swimming pools. For a factory, it's pretty nice." Wednesday, Foxconn announced 30 percent pay rise for the Chinese assembly line workers. So far, the ! workers have been paid 900 yuan (about 130 US dollars) a month! . The Lo nghua plant employs 300,000 workers and it is considered the largest factory in the world.

related story (sgx17474): http://www.france24.com/en/20100602-steve-jobs-defends-worki...
by Zuzana Zelenakova
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

HP to fire 9000 people due to automated date centers
by Zivka Deleva


People protested in factories two centuries ago when the industrialization began. The machines replaced them and they started to break them. If you think that that process of human working force losing the value, since the new technologies are more influential and can easily replace people. This workers’ alienation is very familiar especially for the bigger companies that have enough money to invest in technologies important for the working process. Some 9000 people are going to lose their jobs after Hewlett-Packard decided that that it would not need them after investing in completely automated data centers. Hewlett-Packard is the world’s leading personal com! puter maker and according to the officials of the company, this step is important for the commercial services business. "As a result of productivity gains and automation, HP expects to eliminate roughly 9,000 positions over a multiyear period to reinvest for further growth and to increase shareholder value," the Palo Alto, California-based company said. To implement this technology, HP is planning to invest one billion dollars in more than a year period. This should help the companies that use their services to work faster and more efficient. Managers expect that it will bring more money to the company. By far, no one knows when will the “cleaning” start and in which parts of the company. The number of this information technology giant is 304.000 employees in about 170 countries in the whole world. It seems like this company doesn’t know about the economic crises and recession, because, it had no problem dealing with it. HP had even better net profit in th! e first quarter of this year comparing to the last year. And s! een in f igures, HP earned 2.2 billion dollars, which is half a billion dollars more than the same period last year. All that workers should do now is pray that their college is going to be fired, not them.
by Zivka Deleva
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

Ford following Toytota and GM, recalling back its cars
by Milota Sidorova


Whether is it just a part of current trend or well prepared attack on automakers, the fact is that one by one they have been recalling their products back from the customer. Mostly they have to deal with technical errors of software failures. Strangely, it is happening all at once. Maybe you have heard quite a lot of Toyota. The biggest world automaker recalled two of its models past months. Although it was significant attack on the company's image, Toyota was not the only one. Approximately at the same time it was GM recalling back some of their cars. If you have a look at another of Detroit's Big Three, Ford Motor Co. You will come across very short and spare report that ! the company is going to recall more than 230, 000 Focus cars. The order implies each car manufactured in its Chinese joint venture between August 2008 and May 2010. Ford is recalling them along with its Japanese partner Mazda. The reason is a software problem causing engine failures. All customers will receive new engine software update for free.The problems appeared in a plant in the southwestern city of Chongqing in Changan Automobile factory.Strange is that this simple statement only appeared on General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine website late Monday. So far, there has been no more media attention, no press conference as it happened with Toyota. The action is also rising questions and doubts about the internal knowledge of the problem. The company is recalling back the cars being manufactured almost 2 years ago.

related story (sgx17456): http://www.france24.com/en/201! 00601-fo rd-mazda-recall-more-c...
by Milota Sidorova
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

Ford sťahuje viac ako 230, 000 aút modelu Focus
by Milota Sidorova


Zdá sa, že sa posledné obdobie čoraz častejšie stretávame s prípadmi výrobcov automobilov, ktorí svoje stroje sťahujú z obehu. Situácia je zaujímavá aj tým, že sa toto časovanie akoby stretlo. Po dlhom čase a rozmachu automobilového priemyslu nastala kríza a teraz jeden po druhom na svetlo vychádzajú s rôznymi “technickými problémami”, neaktuálnymi softwareovými balíkmi. Tieto “problémy” sú zodpovedné za veľké množstvo cestných kolízií, zlyhaní motorov, brzd! ných alebo plynových pedálov. Možno ste počuli o prípade najväčšej automobilky na svete, japonskej Toytote. Záverom minulého roka musela z obehu stiahnuť niektoré modely práve kvôli problémom s plynovým pedálom. Stiahnutie však musela opakovať znova okolo marca práve pre zníženú schopnosť daľšieho typu autmobilu, udržať stabilitu na ceste. Je jasné, že imidž spoločnosti utrpel. V približne rovnakom čase k stiahnutiu pristúpila aj niekdajšia najväčšia americká automobilka GM. A pokiaľ sa zameriate na ďalšiu z “veľkej detroitskej trojky”, spoločnosť Ford Motor Co., dopracujete sa k jednoduchému a informačne skúpemu vyhláseniu o stiahnutí viac ako 230,000 kusov Ford Focus z obehu. Toto rozhodnutie bolo odobren! é aj japonským partnerom – spoločnosť! ;ou Mazd a. Podľa všetkéhu stiahnutie zavinil chybný software, ktorý by mohol spôsobiť zlychanie motora. Viac ako 230,000 automobilov má spoločného výrobcu – všetky pochádzajú z dielne čínskej továrne Changan Automobile z mesta Chongqing.Podľa správy by všetci majitelia vozov mali novo updateovaný software obdržať zdarma. Zvláštnosťou tohto prípadu nie je len opatrná medializácia – správa sa objavila neskoro pondelok večer na stránke Generálnej správy kontroly, inšpekcie a karantény spoločnosti, ale aj časové obdobie, za ktoré boli vozidlá vyrábané. Ide takmer o dvojročné modely, u ktorých sa chyba vyskytla.

related story (sgx17461): http://www.france24.com/en/20100601-ford-mazda-recall-more-c...
by Milota Sidorova
for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.