Apr 13 2011

Economy: The Suggestion Box iconoclasts of Nicolas Hulot

Tag: features, money, news, opinions, specialadmin @ 2:24 pm

Nicolas Hulot, who had to declare candidacy for president on Wednesday morning that the economy is disconnected from reality. "I try to ask again and again the question of an economic model compatible with the physical reality of the world," he declared last December. The standard is not abundance but scarcity ", contrary to prevailing economic theories.

Created 20 years ago, Hulot Foundation for Nature and Man published in recent years of economic policy recommendations. The rhetoric to concrete action, these works are now a genuine box idea for an environmentalist candidate.

The instigators. Nicolas Hulot likes to say he knows nothing about economics. This is less true.He has surrounded himself in recent years of senior economists, like Patrick Criqui, an expert in the fight against climate change, or the founders of the consulting firm Carbone 4, Jean-Marc Jancovici and Alain Grandjean, advocates of "development sustainable. " Last December, he sent to Paris for a conference Tim Jackson, a British economist reference advocating a reduction in consumption.

"Desecrate GDP". "An infinite growth in a finite world is hopeless: there must be a fool or an economist to believe it," said Nicolas Hulot last December at a conference, paraphrasing the economist Kenneth Boulding. We must therefore evaluate the progress that otherwise simply by gross domestic product (GDP), which measures the creation of wealth by a country. Hulot Foundation for enthusiastic and alternative economic indicators, such as carbon footprint, or welfare.And welcomes the passage Stiglitz report commissioned by Nicolas Sarkozy on the measurement of social progress.

A large loan to finance "green economy". Education, training and research, "clean technology" energy saving … Hulot Foundation has calculated that France needs to invest 600 billion euros by 2020 in sustainable development. To avoid digging all the public debt, the state must borrow from the European Central Bank "to zero or very low." Economists of the NGO out the measurement in a technical appendix of 20 pages. Nearly 100 billion euros should be invested for example in the construction of 500,000 new homes, advocates the foundation.

Radical reform of taxation. Staunch defender of the carbon tax, Nicolas Hulot has apparently failed to disarm it.Its foundation therefore recommends to "pay more in energy consumption and reduce taxes on labor." Through the establishment of a climate energy "tax on energy consumption enterprises, governments and households," says the foundation in a document dated June 2009. This tax would be offset by a universal allowance climate for smaller households and less polluting.

Clamp finance. Hulot Foundation believes that "limiting the ability of banks to finance operations without social interest" in limiting the borrowing capacity of investors who speculate. It proposes to limit operations to leverage and lead the hunt for tax havens.

The finances of Nicolas Hulot

The presenter of the show Ushuaia is not paid 33,000 euros per year TF1 for the realization of 4 issues per year, as the chained duck. It would double the salary with royalties brand Ushuaia.

As for the Hulot Foundation for Nature and Man, is funded to the tune of 12% by public funds and 65% 'by a score of donors, including L'Oréal, EDF or Veolia.

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Apr 11 2011

French firms highly vulnerable

Tag: economic, international, money, resources, worldadmin @ 8:32 am

"French companies are literally looting!" Provides cybercriminologue Laurence Ifrah. They suffer all computer attacks. But these cases generally stifled so as not to alter their image. "Overall, worldwide, the flight data company has harmed more than one trillion dollars according to a study by McAfee, a company specializing in security computer. "France is among the most affected countries," said the specialist Symantec Norton Antivirus editor.

Strategic sectors like defense, aerospace, nuclear and all technology companies are particularly targeted. "Once an international tender was launched, espionage is taking place. Everyone tries to know the competitors' proposals, to adjust his own, "explains Laurence Ifrah.These flights also allow a "transfer" of technology at low cost.

All countries benefit

The Chinese are chronically designated as sponsors of these raids computer. According to the English equivalent of the DGSE, the MI6 contingent of engineers trained in the offensive would do well for three "Silicon Valley" of China. They carry out massive attacks and did not fear reprisals. Because it is always difficult to prove the origin of these intrusions.

They are not the only ones to steal data. All countries benefit from this golden age of intelligence information, while companies or sometimes even government services have yet to take drastic measures to protect. Because computer security is extremely restrictive. Should stop using their iPhone or BlackBerry, easily tapped.Or reduce the use of the Internet dedicated rooms within companies! It is also necessary to correct any faults computer. But maintaining the traffic slows, sometimes crippling computers. Many companies compare the cost and the risks putting off repairs.

"Anyone can copy the information in five minutes"

Thus, the pirates come from the world's most easily identified by holes. It should also be encrypted. "If the hard disk of a laptop is not encrypted, anyone can copy the information into five minutes and come away with without anyone noticing," says Bashir Mana, General Manager Europe, Middle East and Africa at Kroll, a specialist in risk management payday loans for self employed.Which concludes: "If a technology group spends less than 1% of its turnover to security, there is danger." But this is common.

Moreover, the computer circuits are not sufficiently "segmented" according to security experts. Just like the secret recipe for Coca-Cola, "we must never deliver the orders in full system to a single person." Even confidence! The data are too widely accessible to employees. The Wikileaks case and its diplomatic cables probably recovered without difficulty by a disgruntled soldier showed he does not build walls around a site to protect it, that threats also come from within. "At least 20% of information theft are caused by employees," according to computer security company Verizon.Some start with, it judging owners.

"The human is the weak link"

Others are in dispute with the company to disclose and seek revenge. Researchers at the International Centre for Comparative Criminology, Audrey Asseman and Benoît Dupont, have also started work modeling of risk factors among employees. Because "the human remains the weakest link."

Most employees become unwitting accomplices, however. Bribe or convince remains difficult, costly and risky. The new spies prefer "social engineering" to approach a target, know your Facebook friends, sign an email with a credible name known to the employee opens the unsuspecting and the book business to a Trojan ."The most effective attacks are those that are lighter and technologically the most discreet as an industry program extends over many months," says Nicolas Arpagian, scientific director of digital security ring at the National Institute of Studies of security and justice. Spies split files and schedule their departure in the day, while masses of messages flow.

These threats of espionage are now known. But in general, after a computer attack scale, the companies are reviewing their security arrangements.

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Apr 08 2011

Rise to the Paris Bourse

Tag: economic, events, opinions, people, technologyadmin @ 9:28 pm

In the wake of a meeting of the rise in Japan, the Paris Bourse is expected to begin sitting in the green, the indices futures settling up 0.8% at 8 o'clock this Friday. INSEE and Bercy have improved their outlook for the French economy.

The National Institute of Statistics noted yesterday its growth forecast for the Hexagon in the first quarter. INSEE now expects a GDP increase of 0.6% over the period, and maintained its growth forecast of 0.4% for the second quarter. More good news: the Minister of Economy said Thursday night that the forecast deficit of France for 2011 is reduced to 5.7% of GDP as against 6% previously."We had committed to 6% for the year 2011 and I will announce tomorrow that the European partners have recalibrated our goal to 5.7%," she said on the eve of a meeting Budapest with its European counterparts.

On the agenda this Friday, no statistics likely to influence the market. In France, investors will monitor oil prices and imported raw materials and the economic survey of the Banque de France and the fiscal situation and the German trade surplus.

Soaring commodities should reverse the influence indices. Gold has exceeded its record to over 1,500 dollars an ounce. The money has reached its highest level for 31 years.A bushel of corn (about 25 kg) for May delivery rose 7.72 dollars, not seen.

Renault followed

In terms of values, oil and banking stocks are once again under the spotlight.

Moreover, as Renault should be monitored. The three executives wrongfully dismissed in the fake spy scandal Renault claim to the manufacturer for damages for pain and suffering record: 2.4 to 3.5 million euros, according to a survey by Marianne forthcoming tomorrow. In total, the invoice of the burr Renault could rise to over 11 million.

Several unions Carrefour have called a strike tomorrow, says Les Echos. The FO-FGTA whose representation rate exceeds 40% was followed by the CFDT, CGT and CGC.

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Apr 07 2011

Sanofi alliance with Qatar for research in diabetes

Tag: economics, features, money, top news, worldadmin @ 6:24 pm

Diabetes closer Sanofi-Aventis and Qatar. The laboratory lights and the Qatar Foundation signed a few weeks ago a research agreement on the use of stem cells in treating diabetes. Tens of millions of euros and twenty scientists will be assigned to such work on the new pandemic of the 21st century. Diabetes is among the main centers of development of Sanofi, which aims to become world leader in this market. The sixth world laboratory has also concluded, on March 24, yet another partnership on this issue with the Medical Center Columbia University in New York. "Diabetes is also a fundamental issue for Qatar," said Dr. Abdelali Haoud, vice-president in charge of the Research Division of the Qatar Foundation.The disease already affects more than 12% of the population in the Gulf, which is a hold twice as high as in the rest of the world.

Each partner is innovating with this agreement. Sanofi signs its first research project in the Middle East and the Qatar Foundation's first agreement with a major pharmaceutical company same day payday loans. But health is far from being a new world for this small state of 1.8 million inhabitants, who intends to use the windfall from natural gas and oil to turn into a society based on knowledge ("knowledge based society ").

Qatar affects 2.8% of GDP, 3.5 billion dollars last year, training and research in three main areas: information technology, energy, and especially health. The Qatar Foundation has already put $ 7.9 billion available to the academic hospital and a pole Sidra Home biotech began in late 2009.The Qatar National Research Fund, another offshoot of the foundation of the small emirate has invested 230 million dollars over three years to fund approximately 80 centers and institutes and private research worldwide. Finally, the first biobank of the region, that is to say a central storage of biological samples, just to see the day in Doha.


Apr 05 2011

TF1: a minimum sentence for "Temptation Island"

Tag: features, finance, international, news, publicationsadmin @ 2:28 pm

"It's a relief." With these words Edouard Boccon-Gibod, head of production hub for the TF1 group, hosted a few minutes ago the ruling of the Court of Appeal of Versailles, which judged the dispute between TF1 and the 56 candidates the program "Island of temptation."

The Court condemned this morning TF1 requalify in standard employment contract involving 56 candidates who participated in the game of reality between 2003 and 2007. According to lawyers for the plaintiffs and chain, TF1 will have to pay sums of between 15,000 and 17,000 euros for each of them. Which is significantly lower than originally demanded candidates.

Indeed, the latter pleaded damages of between 400 and 600,000 euros per candidate."This is nothing compared to 1.25 billion euros in advertising revenue that relates the reality," had estimated in January, their lawyer, Maître Assous, stating that his clients were "to a producer 24 during 24 hours 12 to 17 days of filming. "

1400 euros per day of filming

But, as pointed Edouard Boccon-Gibod, president of TF1 Production, "neither their status nor the performer crime of clandestine work has been recognized by the Court low fee cash advance. The latter simply states the recognition of the employment contract and requires a reminder of the wages, what we had largely anticipated, "he says. One of the plaintiffs initiated this procedure had finally retired after having reached an amicable agreement with the chain.

"The court recognized the existence of an employment contract.It granted the payment of overtime, severance pay, welcomed his side Assous Master. The amount required by the Court "is an average of 1400 euros per day of shooting, multiplied by twenty shooting days old on average and 1,400 candidates for reality shows, this gives a total of nearly 39 million euros," said he added. "This is a victory which, again, permanently, to consider that participants from reality TV shows are employees of the production company."

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Apr 03 2011

Besson wants to review gas prices and tax oil

Tag: economic, life, money, publications, technologyadmin @ 6:32 pm

The Energy Minister, Eric Besson, who attended Friday at Matignon in a meeting on the theme of soaring energy was delivered this Sunday on Radio J, a change in the calculation of gas prices . Keeps the current formula, partly indexed to oil prices, should indeed lead to a further price increase on 1 July. An increase that could go wrong with consumers who are already undergoing an increase of 5.2% in early April, an inflation of 20% over one year and 60% since 2005.

"The government's objective is very clear: it is, in a context of rising energy prices at the international level to protect the purchasing power of the French," said Eric Besson, who considers "unacceptable" the continued the increase could reach 7.5% under the current formula.The new method of calculation should be offered "in the coming weeks" after the arbitral panel Matignon and the Elysee Palace.

Since early 2010, the energy group GDF Suez, owned 35% by the state, which offers fares. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) then verifies that the prices are consistent with the formula. But the government may "ask" GDF Suez does not apply the increase. The CRE has pronounced itself in recent days to a new formula for calculating rates to better reflect market prices (spot prices) at the expense of long-term price listed in the contract supply that GDF has signed with major suppliers. The spot prices now account for about 10% in the scale used.The regulator calls for increasing this proportion "as the market price continues to be lower than the average import price from the long-term contracts no credit check payday loans."

Curb rising fuel

Eric Besson else said the government was worried about soaring fuel prices. To curb the rates that affect the household budget, he plans to "make use" petroleum distributors.

He said he was "technically very difficult, if not impossible" to establish a "social tariff of gasoline, already ruled out last month by the Economy Minister Christine Lagarde. He believes, however, can mitigate the impact of soaring fuel prices, adding that discussions were under way but without giving further details on the nature of the contribution that would be applied to oil tankers.He also refused to talk to a tax on profits groups. "If we adopt a measure for the poorest households, it is necessary that, in one form or another, contribute to petroleum distributors," he said, referring only arbitration "in the days to come." Prices at the pump have been drawn up in recent weeks by revolts in Libya and the Middle East who have blazed the price of crude oil. In March, the super unleaded 95 had reached a high of 1.5179 euro parlitre.

(With AFP)

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Apr 02 2011

NYSE Euronext Deutsche Boerse plans thwarted

Tag: economic, economy, life, money, technologyadmin @ 1:20 pm

February 15, world markets were in turmoil: NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Boerse unveiled a joint merger would create the world's number one Stock Exchange. This Friday, the hopes of realizing this mega-merger fly. Nasdaq OMX and IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) is indeed a launch-cons on NYSE Euronext offers a value of 11.3 billion dollars (7.98 billion euros), representing a premium of 19% over the initial offer by Deutsche Börse.

The two stock exchange operators said their offer, both in cash and stock and ICE Nasdaq, rose to 42.50 dollars per share. Under this project, ICE's derivatives business would resume, however, that Nasdaq would buy those for shares and options.ICE said the shareholders of NYSE Euronext would receive 14.24 dollars in cash, 0.4069 and 0.1436 share Nasdaq OMX ICE action NYSE per share, in the context of this operation.

This cons-offer has been confirmed by Borse Dubai, the largest shareholder in Nasdaq OMX with 29% stake. "Yes, we support it," said Reuters Effa Kazin, its president, without giving further details.

NYSE studied "carefully" the proposal

Since the announcement sensational, the reactions are linked. First there is the Deutsche Boerse, which in a very brief statement, said he was "always firmly convinced" that its proposed merger with NYSE Euronext transatlantic operator "is the best combination for shareholders of both groups."

Then there was that of the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF): "We will remain vigilant that the development of NYSE Euronext and allow the development preserves the competitiveness, safety and efficiency of financial markets on the up Paris, "said a spokeswoman. "These are issues but also industrial control," she added,

Finally, there was the highly anticipated, the prey, NYSE-Euronext. The transatlantic exchange operator said in a statement that "consistent with its fiduciary duties and in consultation with its independent legal and financial advisors, the board of directors of NYSE Euronext will study the proposal carefully."

Bad news for Deutsche Börse

Side analysts' opinions are already sliced. They feel that entering the race two Americans completely redistributes the cards. In their favor."It's a big surprise, very negative for the German stock exchanges. With cons-offer of 19%, it will be very hard to outbid, "explains Harry Sebag, Saxo Bank in Paris.

"I do not think that will outbid Deutsche Boerse shareholders as previously believed that the offer to NYSE Euronext was too expensive," says Constantin Rohrbach, an analyst at the bank Nord / LB. The latter even said "skeptical" about the benefits to be reaped from a merger for Deutsche Börse. "This cons-offer is perhaps a good deal for the German group, which might face a long battle to get the green light from EU competition authorities," he said.

The realization of the merger between Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext have indeed met the NYSE, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Brussels and Lisbon and gave birth to a set representing a transaction volume of over 20,000 billion dollars per year. The new group would have then entered a state of near-global monopoly in several segments, including exchanges of products. "I think that NYSE Euronext will accept the offer from Nasdaq OMX ICE" so prognostic Constantin Rohrbach. "This will be an American solution, which will probably be simpler politically."

U.S. markets are mixed

The policy issue weighs heavily in precisely those stock merger that multiply in the world.The announcement of a union NYSE Euronext-Deutsche Boerse had thus provoked an outcry from many politicians across the Atlantic. These fears is a loss of U.S. influence in the new set.

While analysts seem conquered, the path is not mapped out for the duo and Nasdaq OMX ICE. As for Deutsche Börse, the NYSE-Euronext merger could raise new problems of competition, since it would combine two of the largest U.S. stock exchanges.

Pending the end of history, Wall Street welcomed the initiative taken by Nasdaq OMX. Around 18:15, the share price jumped 7.31% to 27.73 dollars. He flies out of NYSE Euronext 11.29% to 39.14. However, markets do not consider ICE capable of carrying the battle: the title lost 4.08% to 118.50 dollars.

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