Schwarzenegger leads U.S. tech investors to Russia

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

Schwarzenegger leads U.S. tech investors to Russia

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's ambition to become a hi-tech economy will be under scrutiny this week when California state governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and a host of prospective investors from Silicon Valley look for opportunities at the country's flagship technology hub.

"The goal for investors is to maximize the returns on their investments, so they need to know their investments are secure," said Alexandra Johnson, head of California-based Global Technology Symposium and a member of the U.S. delegation.

"The political risk -- or at least the perception of it -- (in Russia) is pretty high. Corruption is mentioned regularly, and while China is not exactly a democracy it has predictable laws. The rules of the game are not changed half way," she told Reuters ahead of Schwarzenegger's visit.

Schwarzenegger will lead a group of venture capitalists on Monday to meet companies and entrepreneurs at the Skolkovo technology center on the outskirts of Moscow -- launched earlier this year as part of President Dmitry Medvedev's drive to modernize the Russian economy.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69A0FO20101011

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[aquart]

2. Oh, look how hard he's creating jobs in Russia.

What a gov!

[JohnyCanuck]

3. Hmm Arnold, you want to maximize returns on investment you say...

Maybe you should be taking your investor pals to China. It seems they've got the "maximizing returns" angle all figured out.

China: Wave of suicides at Foxconn’s Shenzhen plant: alienating work

Beijing – A 19-year-old man who jumped to his death from the 5th floor of his dormitory is the latest suicide among workers at the Foxconn plant in Longhua (Shenzhen), the ninth since the start of the year. Today, Terry Gou, founder and president of the Foxconn Technology Group, opened the doors of his company to journalists to respond to criticism from media and the authorities.

Li Hai, a young graduate from Human, had been working for Foxconn for only 42 days. Eyewitnesses saw him jump. A suicide note found in his dormitory said there was a huge difference between his career expectations and reality, and that he was under pressure over family matters.

So far this year, 11 Foxconn employees have attempted suicide. Two failed. Yesterday’s successful suicide came just three days after a 21-year-old man tried the same.

snip

A 21-year woman from Guangxi said she has to work from 8 am to 8 pm, six days a week. She has to rise at 6.30 am, walk for an hour from the dormitory to the plant “because there is no shuttle bus”.

“The atmosphere inside our workplaces is so tight and depressing that we're not allowed to speak to each other for 12 hours or you'll be reproached by supervisors. You'll only be given 30 minutes for lunch and are not allowed to use toilets for more than 10 minutes,” she said.

snip

Foxconn is the largest manufacturer of electronics and computer components worldwide. Its Longhua plant makes components for Apple iPhone and iPod.

http://www.speroforum.com/a/33644/China---Wave-of-suicides-at-Foxconns-Shenzhen-plant-alienating-work

[shanti]

4. feckin traitor!

:grr: he can't leave my state soon enough!!