Cyclists face €95 fine for using their phone while cycling

DutchNews, January 31, 2019

Cyclists caught using their mobile phone without a hands-free kit face a fine of €95 from July 1, the Parool said on Thursday, quoting sources in The Hague. 

The ban on using a mobile phone while cycling is due to be discussed at Friday’s cabinet meeting and ministers are expected to vote in favour of the fine, the paper said. 

The size of the fine is in line with other penalties for cyclists, which include €100 for cycling while drunk and €95 for cycling through a red light. Motorists face a €240 fine for using their phone while driving. 

Transport minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen published draft legislation in September making it an offence ‘to hold a mobile electronic devices while driving all vehicles [so including bikes]’. 

The words ‘mobile electronic device’ rather than mobile phone were deliberately chosen to take developments in the future into account. 

Nearly half of cyclists are said to use their phones while cycling, and phones are said to have played a role in 20% of bike accidents involving the under-25s, the transport ministry said last year.

Sales of e-bikes take off, as do internet bike sales, says ABN Amro

DutchNews, May 30, 2018

Dutch consumers are buying more e-bikes and increasingly fewer traditional bikes, according to a study published on Wednesday by ABN Amro. 

Sales of e-bikes soared by 75% over the past seven years and one-third of all new bicycles are now powered by a battery,  the study said. Sales of traditional bikes, meanwhile, have fallen back 37% since 2010. 

ABN Amro is forecasting bike sales 3% higher in 2018. 

More bikes are also being sold online. In 2013, fewer than one in 10 bikes was bought online but that has now risen to over 25%. 

The total Dutch bike fleet is probably over 22.7 million by now – 1.3 bikes for every man, woman and child in the country –  roads lobby group Bovag said recently. 

‘We can’t give exact numbers because bikes don’t have number plates and are not registered centrally,’ a spokesman said.

Dutch flag carrier KLM to cut management by 25%, boost efficiency

DutchNews, October 1, 2015

Dutch airline KLM is poised to cut a quarter of its managerial jobs and support functions, broadcaster Nos says, after acquiring a copy of the reorganisation plan. 

The document states that KLM is too complex, too slow and too expensive. The company is too hierarchical, has too many managers and ‘has lost sight of its customers’. Slashing costs will involve ‘flipping all the switches’, Nos says. 

According to KLM, this means 25% of managers will lose their jobs and those who remain will have bigger departments to deal with. In addition, support, HR and communications departments, can be streamlined and made more efficient. 

The job cuts should lead to savings of €40m a year, Nos says. 

The plan was sent to the airline’s works council on July 8 and it has reacted positively, Nos says. 

The reorganisation has been on the cards for some time. A spokesman told the broadcaster that the changes would make KLM more future-proof but declined to say how many jobs will actually be lost.

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Who Needs Bosses? Not Game Company Valve

Zappos is going holacratic: no job titles, no managers, no hierarchy


"The New Paradigm of Reality" Part I/II – Feb 12, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Egypt Uprising, Iran/Persia Uprising, Peace in Middle East without Israel actively involved, Muhammad, "Conceptual" Youth Revolution, "Conceptual" (without a manager hierarchy) managed Businesses, Internet, Social Media, News Media, Google, Bankers, ..... etc.) (> 28 Min)

Dutch company launches plan for recycled plastic roads

DutchNews, September 17, 2015

An artist's impression of how the plastic roads would work

Dutch company KWS Infra is developing a new sort of road made from recycled plastic. This, the company says, will not only cut down on plastic waste but reduce CO2 output from road building and usage, and make roads more sustainable and safer. Esther O’Toole reports. 

An estimated eight billion tons of plastic is floating around in the oceans and 55% of our plastic waste is still incinerated. Innovative Dutch companies have been busy looking at feasible ways of fishing the plastic out of the sea and shipping it to shore. Now KWS Infra, part of the VolkerWessels construction group and the biggest road builder in the Netherlands, has come up with a plan to turn that kind of plastic waste into roads. 

The roads themselves would be made from prefab sections prepared offsite from 100% recycled plastic and brought en masse to the building site, with road markings and guard rails already in place. Being light weight and easy to transport they could take months off construction times. 

The fabric is thought to be more durable than asphalt and needs little or no maintenance, being weather proof and impervious to weeds. The other major advantage is that they are hollow allowing space for piping, electric cables and – another hot topic for VolkerWessels – internet connections. 

Internet 

VolkerWessels is now investing in multiple projects for urban renewal and connected city innovation, including placing internet receivers along roads, be they antennas and masts or embedded in street lights and wind turbines. Plastic roads fit into this picture perfectly. If the space inside the decking could also be used to house net connectors, losing reception in a tunnel would become a thing of the past. 

Driverless cars, cheap and affordable ones too, will be on the open market as early as next year. What benefits will be reaped from these innovative technologies when they begin to converge? With uninterrupted mobile internet connections along all main highways, a long commute could be set to become the most productive part of the day. 

No wonder then that VolkerWessels is not having trouble garnering interest for their projects. Rotterdam city council was the first to show interest in piloting the PlasticRoad, in early July. 

Interest 

Since then the company has had interest from cities all over the world and are looking to finalise partnerships with plastics and recycling experts soon, spokesman Anne Koudstaal told DutchNews.nl. The aim is to have a team in place by December and to run a feasibility pilot within three years.

‘We are feeling very positive about it,’ he said. ‘All the good reactions [to July’s announcement] are a huge boost for us and the idea. It makes it all seem so much more realisable.’ 

If all goes to plan, the roads themselves may in turn be recyclable. This would bring PlasticRoad completely in line with the ‘cradle to cradle’ notions of the circular economy being implemented by other innovative ideas such as The Ocean Clean Up Project and the Plastic Madonna art project. 

The Netherlands, despite being one of the smallest countries in the developed world by land mass, has one of the highest carbon footprints per capita; especially in relation to fossil fuel use and cement production. Cutting emissions related to road usage and building would seriously reduce that footprint. Especially when one considers that the road network in the country covers approximately 135,470 km and most of it is tarmacked.

Related Article:

Delft student raises $2m through crowdfunding for plastic soup plan

An impression of how the system might look. Photo: Ocean Cleanup

Thalys shooting passengers in Paris; gunman being questioned

DutchNews, August 22, 2015

The passengers caught up in the shooting on the Amsterdam to Paris high-speed Thalys on Friday evening have arrived in Paris.

The last of them arrived at Gard du Nord around 01.45 hours. They were met by Thalys staff who arranged accommodation and changes to onward travel arrangements. 

No Dutch passengers were in the carriage where the shooting took place, Dutch media report. 

A gunman armed with a Kalashnikov had opened fire at around 17.50 on the high-speed train, carrying more than 550 passengers. He was overpowered by three Americans, two of them off duty soldiers. 

Two people were injured in the attack, including one of the Americans who was hospitalised with ‘serious injuries’, French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said. 

The train was diverted to the northern French town of Arras, where police arrested the shooter, described by French investigators as a 26-year-old from Morocco or of Moroccan origin, who was also armed with an automatic pistol and razor blades. 

Thalys said it is running its normal service on Saturday.

Americans Alek Skarlatos (R) and Anthony Sadler helped halt a train attack in France. Story: http://t.co/IpSoH71tdr pic.twitter.com/S0DYl9qSW2

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) 22 augustus 2015

The five who foiled an attack on a European train http://t.co/FT96y05yLg pic.twitter.com/DJm9ESPOQe

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) 22 augustus 2015

US soldiers praised for grappling gunman on Amsterdam-Paris train

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US soldiers praised for grappling gunman on Amsterdam-Paris train

Matthew message (Channelled by Suzanne Ward, July 19, 2015) - (Ziggo?)
Matthew message (Channelled by Suzanne Ward, Aug 3, 2014) - (MH17)


Matthew message (Channelled by Suzanne Ward, July 19, 2015)

Matthew Ward - July 19, 2015

Matthew Ward

With loving greetings from all souls at this station, this is Matthew. Many of your analysts think that the Greek people’s resounding “No” on the recent referendum put their country on the road to irreversible economic ruin. The country will manage. “No” put the Illuminati on the road to irreversible economic ruin.

Going back a long, long ways, bartering worked splendidly in communities, but the expanding borders of commerce required a different means of exchange; and with the introduction of coinage, money became the axis on which your world turned. The forerunners of the Illuminati and later that group itself controlled the turning by devising taxation, banking and lending systems; and, as centuries passed, “numbered” bank accounts, stock markets, Federal Reserve System, International Monetary Fund, regulating agencies and credit cards with usurious interest rates. Everything they established was specifically designed to add to their fortunes, tighten their economic control over the peoples, and increase their influence within national governments.

The Illuminati began as a cohesive group of like-minded individuals whose objective was world domination. As time went by, egos grew and tempers flared, and eventually two competitive factions with that same goal emerged. Later, the Rothschilds and their adherents, who operate out of London and the Vatican, came up with a plan to solidify their control throughout Europe—the European Union, European Central Bank and euro currency. Let us borrow your expression, “How’s that working for you?” There is no bandage large enough to patch the crack the Greek vote made in the Rothschild network. The crack will spread like a spider web around the world and into it will fall the Rockefeller faction headquartered in Washington, DC, and on Wall Street.

As if that isn’t enough for both factions to deal with—and Pope Francis’ goodness and wisdom keeps upsetting their apple cart—now there’s the agreement between negotiators from several major nations and Iran’s leaders that their country will not pursue development of a nuclear weapon. It is no surprise that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, a top-ranking Illuminati, denounced the agreement or that Illuminati in the United States Congress and members whose election campaigns were funded by that group are opposing President Obama’s efforts to get congressional approval. They want to invade Iran and, along with taking over that country’s oil, reap the riches that come from producing the machinery of war.

The vibrations of intensifying light that led to those reversals for the Illuminati will keep increasing as the planet continues on its ascension course. If we could tell you when their total undoing will be, we would do so joyously; but activity in Earth’s energy field of potential indicates that their inevitable demise will come in stages, not one fell swoop. They still have some power, dwindling though it is, in their “black ops” branch of the CIA; other intelligence sources, including Mossad; high-ranking personnel in some military forces; leverage within mainstream media and some governments; and huge caches of monies to initiate or exacerbate uprisings, fund the Islam State, and pay their minions to hack computer systems, oversee the street drug trade, fill your skies with chemtrails, deny pollution’s contribution to climate change, or disseminate false information on the Internet.

While a few within the higher ranks of both Illuminati factions are talking with principals in reform movements, the hardliners are talking about joining forces; some have abandoned their fast-sinking ship, died of natural causes or by their own hand, or been arrested. You would recognize some names, most you would not, and it is unlikely that any of the Illuminati will be identified as such in mainstream news reports.

Upheavals will keep popping up as the ages-old light vs dark battle for Earth’s civilization at last is nearing its end. You have waited a long time to see the light triumph as predestined, and you can welcome the bumpy ride through the last phases. However, most of the populace don’t know about that long conflict or that everything transpiring and what is ahead is about planetary and personal ascension out of millennia of dark bondage.

Many people are fearful or angry, and with each new bump, others will have the same reactions. Your calmness, yet excitement, and explaining to the extent individuals are receptive can encourage them to have an optimistic outlook. But please do not be disheartened if family and friends don’t respond positively—they will waken in their own times of readiness.

And, we ask that you keep foremost in your thoughts that every person in your world is a part of God, by whatever name the Supreme Being in this universe is called. Every person is inextricably connected at soul level with all others, and God’s love for each and every one is unconditional. Seeing “offenders” through God’s eyes doesn’t mean wanting them to forego justice by your world’s standards—already this has come to some and shall befall others. What it does mean is, you will uplift yourselves and your world by envisioning those individuals within the light rather than focusing on their punishment. The impartial, nonjudgmental and unavoidable laws of the universe will serve them justice in a spirit world according to their lifetime deeds.

This is an appropriate place to answer a reader’s questions: “What will happen to Nirvana after Earth reaches 5th density? Can there still be reunions with our loved ones?” Nirvana will accompany Earth to her destination in fifth density and continue to be her spirit realm, but with grand differences. The tiny dense orb that houses the basest individuals and is the only part of the realm separate from the rest will be transported to some third density civilization and incorporated into their spirit world, or it will be dematerialized after its inhabitants are moved to a spirit world of equal density. Nirvana’s lower layers—learning centers for people who want to outgrow their negative tendencies such as bigotry, anger, apathy, envy, miserliness, bitterness, disloyalty, dishonesty, manipulativeness, closed minds and desire to control others—also will disappear. Those traits served well when they were aspects of karmic lessons souls chose to attain balanced experiencing, but your society will have advanced consciously and spiritually and no longer need to experience negative characteristics.

Indeed, reunions of loved ones can take place in Nirvana when that realm and Earth are in fifth density, but then just as now, meetings can be in any placement in this universe where energies are compatible. Actually, these visits have been happening all along during your sleep time, but your bodies’ density can’t retain memories of those visits—when you waken and have fragments of memories of being with a loved one, you attribute them to dreams. As your consciousness expands with light absorption, you will start to clearly remember your joyful reunions.

With reference to our stating that “everything in your world is purposeful,” a reader asked, “What purpose is served by rats, roaches, fleas, mosquitoes, etc.” It started eons past in linear time, when the darkness manipulated the DNA of some weaker civilizations and programmed their bodies for aging and disease. A civilization at third density conscious and spiritual level, which Earth’s peoples and other life forms have been for many millennia, has bodies that are susceptible to the diseases that some insects and rats can cause or spread; and, given the flexibility in soul contracts, physical death by that means can satisfy contracts’ cause and longevity provisions.

Insects also serve the purpose of souls whose lifetime energy consigned them to the basest part of third density spirit realms. When they are willing to receive sufficient light to embody, they do so in a short-lived form without cellular memory patterning that could influence behavior as they start back up the ladder of evolution. You will welcome knowing that insects cannot survive in the higher vibratory levels where Earth is heading, and their place in the food chain no longer will be needed.

Rats are intelligent, emotional rodents, and those that are well-treated pets respond in kind; the hordes that run wild simply are trying to survive in a world where they are detested. As a civilization grows in consciousness, so do all other life forms in that world. With that advancement comes humankind’s respect for all animal life, and “wild” rats, like other species now considered obnoxious, will be elevated in behavior and popular acceptance. Have no concerns that your world may be overrun with rats or rabbits or any other animals that produce litters quickly! They will reproduce less often and in smaller numbers as long as they decide to embody on the planet—these species, like all others, evolve and at some point incarnate as higher-order beings.

Citing numerous ways that Earth’s animals are being treated inhumanely, a reader asked, “Can the galactics not help with ending this horrendous treatment of animals?” Your universal family is helping by beaming light in abundance to Earth, but they cannot interfere with the free will of individuals who cause suffering and merciless death to your animals. It is up to your society to stop abhorrent practices, and thanks to the dedicated efforts of many souls, this is happening. Countries are setting standards for treatment of animals and repercussions for violators; there are boycotts of food, other products and entertainment derived from animal exploitation; poachers of wild animals are being taught other livelihoods; education is expanding about the importance of preserving wildlife and their habitats on land and in the seas; the numbers of wildlife reserves and no-kill shelters of pet species continue growing and so do the numbers of homeless pets who are adopted.

Participating in or financially supporting these encouraging activities is vital, to be sure, but an invaluable contribution that everyone can make to improve animal life is to not agonize about their plight, but instead send love-light to all of Earth. The law of attraction brings back the very same energy sent forth in thoughts and feelings, thus agonizing about any situation brings back still more circumstances to evoke that feeling.

A reader in New Zealand asked why teen suicides in her country and elsewhere are becoming more frequent. Perhaps because of religious teachings, dying by one’s own hand at such a young age—at any age—is viewed as more tragic than death by disease or fatal injury. So first we say, there is no judgment or penalty and no such place as limbo or hell for people who end their lives.

Their reasons differ just as the individuals themselves do; however, according to our colleagues in Nirvana, most teenagers who commit suicide are gay or lesbian or they know that their body and gender are mismatched, and they enter spirit life with tormented psyches that need customized care for healing. They were emotionally drained from struggling to conform to familial expectations, societal standards and religious orientation, or they had been cast out after declaring their true selves—either way, they saw death as the only escape from hopelessness and despair. As your society continues growing consciously and spiritually, honoring the divinity and genuineness of all soul-selves will replace discrimination and rejection.

“I have noticed a lot of fear-based information on the Internet surrounding ingesting monatomic gold. Can you please elaborate on how it actually works within our bodies?” The intention of that information—and it is a good example of DISinformation on the Internet—is to steer you away from one of the most valuable substances you can ingest. In addition to fortifying immune systems, monatomic gold contributes to health by rapidly regenerating cells; raising bodies’ frequencies; improving organs’ functioning;accelerating the transformation of carbon-based cells into crystalline; and helping to increase DNA strands. All of those physical benefits enhance brain power and that leads to expanded consciousness, spiritual clarity and overall balance. Individuals who are influenced by darkness don’t want you to have any of those advantages so they disseminate blatantly false, fear-based information about monatomic gold.

To readers who asked if signing petitions really does any good: Yes. You may or may not see prompt effects in the specific areas the petitions cover, but the energy you put forth to support endeavors you deem worthy contributes to the overall light on the planet.

“Please ask Matthew to speak about people suffering from depression. I am fearful I may not be following my soul contract and more so failing to do my part to promote positive loving thoughts to myself and others so as to assist Earth's transition.” Our understanding and compassion go out to this dear soul and to all others who are dealing with depression, an emotionally painful condition that has become almost commonplace in your world, and we hasten to say that none of you is failing self or others! You are not lacking light, but light-heartedness. Even if depression is a karmic choice for balance, it needn’t be long-lasting, and discovering and alleviating the cause is possible.

The cause may be physical. Consult a trusted healthcare practitioner about testing for hormonal imbalance, which is treatable without pharmaceutical drugs that don’t eliminate the cause and do lead to other maladies. We have mentioned the benefits of monatomic gold, and suggest as well that you eat nutritious food, drink a great deal of pure water, get sufficient sleep, listen to melodic music, and spend as much time as possible with Nature. Especially during these times when body, mind and spirits are adjusting to ever-heightening vibrations, those are wise suggestions for everyone.

In many cases, depression is circumstantial, due to one’s own or loved ones’ situation or perhaps the state of your world. When you start thinking about something sad or worrisome, change to a positive thought about that situation and visualize it dissolving into beams of light—here again the law of attraction plays a crucial role. Take one step at a time to overcome feeling depressed—this can be as simple as the satisfaction of completing a small task or as uplifting as knowing that you are contributing light to the world via compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, generosity and kindness.

Dear ones, apply those light-filled feelings to yourself, too, and ask for help! Angels, spirit guides, souls in Nirvana and other spirit worlds—all are God’s emissaries—are ever-ready and eager to help lift you out of depression’s heavy-heartedness.

Yes, planetary cleansing will continue a while longer because Earth needs to rid herself of negativity as it is produced. But we say to readers who asked about earthquakes that will devastate entire major cities, tsunamis of epic proportions, dramatic changes in land masses, and temperatures that will continue rising until they snuff out all life: Not only are those concerns needless, but they emit low vibrations that add to the negativity Earth has to deal with.

Many who requested our comments about the Trans Pacific Partnership feel this is an Illuminati-made bill that will benefit only the wealthiest. Several also questioned much the same as the reader who wrote: “If President Obama really is a light being, why is he pushing Congress to get this bill passed?” and others wrote that his efforts prove he is either Illuminati or their willing puppet or is being mind-controlled by them.

Indeed, TPP provisions have the potential to favor only the wealthy—whatever can be used beneficially also can be twisted into malevolent directions—and we shall tell you what we have been told about President Obama’s position. He is acting upon the advice of our “space” family members living among you to not make waves at this stage of behind-the-scenes talks with individuals in the Rockefeller faction. They are not defectors per se, they are pragmatists who know their aim of world control is doomed, and because their interests are better served by economic stability than global collapse, they are amenable to discussing reforms that will have far-reaching effects.

These individuals, whose cooperation can expedite the reforms, wield considerable influence in the corporate world; and their bargaining point is that by acting in good faith on TPP’s provisions, workers in the off-shore countries will reap benefits that currently are nonexistent and would not adversely affect workers in the United States. Our perspective is, as vibrations continue increasing, improvements will come in every aspect of life in your world, so with or without TPP, beneficial changes are ahead for people everywhere.

We honor you, our beloved family, for your perseverance as lightworkers. You are adding immeasurably to the light that is propelling ongoing and forthcoming changes throughout your world.

LOVE and PEACE

Suzanne Ward

Website: The Matthew Books

Email: suzy@matthewbooks.com

US agent pleads guilty to Bitcoin thefts from Silk Road online drug bazaar - New

Israel's former defense minister says army blocked three planned attacks on Iran - New

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems  (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it),  Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse),  Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

The Netherlands debuts new Google public transport service

DutchNews.nl, June 2, 2015

 Photo: M.M.Minderhoud via
Wikimedia Commons

The Netherlands has become the first country in the world where Google is providing up-to-date public transport information via its Google Maps service.

It has been possible to request arrival and departure times via Google Maps since 2010 but only now is the information being updated to include delays and breakdowns, website nu.nl reports. 

Google says all public transport providers in the Netherlands have agreed to join the service, which has nationwide coverage. Current public transport apps 9292ov and OpenOV have also joined the project. 

Google told nu.nl the new service has been prompted by the large number of searches for public transport information in the Netherlands.

China's internet giants make inroads into auto industry

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2015-04-19

The internet and auto industry. (Photo/CFP)

Alibaba Group, the world's biggest e-commerce company, announced on April 8 that it has formed an automotive unit in partnership with nearly 50 car brands and 10,000 dealerships.

The Hanghzou-based company's aim is to provide O2O (online to offline) services and it will present its auto operations at the Shanghai auto show next week.

"Until now, buyers have had no more contact with auto companies once purchase is completed unless there are problems with the quality," said Peter Zhou, vice president of AutoNavi Software under the Alibaba Group.

That situation is about to change. Alibaba is currently working with SAIC Motor, China's leading car manufacturer, among others, to help it connect with existing and potential buyers and work with its cooperation partners to tap the B2B (business to business) services.

In March, Alibaba started a 1 billion yuan (US$160 million) fund with SAIC Motor to create a platform for the development and operation of Web-enabled cars.

Zhou said that Alibaba Group has data on 60 million car owners and 500,000 car showrooms and that its Tmall online marketplace could provide finance, payment and car insurance services.

Alibaba's automotive unit will provide "browse, select, purchase, use and sell" facilities all at the same time, Zhou said.

In addition to the Alibaba Group, fellow internet giants Tencent and Baidu have also been working with auto firms to make inroads into the industry.

Securities Times pointed out as the pace of output and sales of automobiles in China slows, and traditional car enterprises are facing the need to transform, it is time for the internet giants to make inroads into the auto market.

Airlines looking to bank on in-flight WiFi in China

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2015-02-21

A user connects to the internet with a tablet on a China Southern Airlines
aircraft, June 2014. (Photo/CNS)

China Eastern Airline's in-flight WiFi package for passengers flying from Shanghai to Beijing has spread through China's other major airlines, including Air China, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines, reports online news portal Yicai.

China's civil airlines on average transport close to 400 million passengers a year, and together have clocked nearly one billion hours of flight time and 2.5 flight hours per person on average. The majority of China's passengers are now frequent flyers, and as such demand better services. Whichever airline can eliminate the problem of information isolation during flight stands to gain a host of these clients.

To offer in-flight WiFi services, airlines need to rewire their aircraft, which costs somewhere in the hundreds of thousands for just one plane, said Zhang Chi, deputy director of China Eastern Airlines transformation division.

According to market researcher In-Stat, in 2010, about 8% of international airlines had equipped WiFi services. In 2015, the service is expected to generate a total income of US$1.5 billion a year. It is no surprise that airlines are throwing their money at installing WiFi services, said one unnamed executive of China Southern Airlines.

As of 2014, more than 1,800 aircraft outside of China had installed WiFi services. Business models for the new service include charging passengers an access fee, charging advertisers or information providers, or sharing income.

Cooperating with e-commerce firms is another option to reel in bored passengers looking to blow some money on in-flight shopping, according to the report.

In the near-term, turning a profit will not be easy for domestic airlines because the service is still in the early stage of development in China and there are still policy restrictions as well as technological issues needing resolution, said several industry insiders.

China still forbids passengers to turn on their mobile phones in-flight, restricting electronics to personal computers when the aircraft is above 3,000 meters in altitude.

Nonetheless, China's in-flight WiFi service will be a gold mine, said experts.

China's internet industry is globally competitive, a fact that should help divert losses from lack of development. The country's civil aviation industry transported 350 million passengers in 2013 and traffic is rising more than 10% a year, according to a 2014 report by the Shanghai-based National Business Daily.

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Shanghai tech firm gives Tesla cars to employees as year-end bonus

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2015-02-14

A customer admires a Tesla car at a car showroom in Beijing,
Feb. 11, 2014. (Photo/CFP)

Chinese internet company Zhangmen Technology rewarded its employees with Tesla cars for year-end bonuses, reports Shanghai-based online media outlet The Paper.

Brother of leading entertainment company Shanda Interactive Entertainment founder and CEO Chen Tianqiao, Chen Danian, became CEO of Zhangmen, a subsidiary of Shanda that focuses on mobile internet software and hardware development.

Zhangmen turned profitable with a smartphone app named WiFi Omnipotent Key after reported losses of 100 million yuan (US$16 million) at the beginning of 2014. The Android-based app allows users to find WiFi hot spots near them and has active users of more than 500 million and 230 million monthly active users.

There has been speculation online that 36 out of around 50 employees received Tesla Model S cars for year-end bonuses. Chen Danian said more than 36 employees received cars as a reward for their hard work for the company. Talent is what is most needed in the Shanghai industry, as there is no dearth of money or ideas, Chen said.

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Cab-hailing services expand into ridesharing in China

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2014-10-19

Taxi app advertisement. (Photo/Beijing XiaoJu Technology)

The competition between cab-hailing apps has moved beyond helping customers find a taxi and is now focused on building a platform for transportation services, Shanghai's National Business Daily reports.

"After spending 1.5 billion yuan (US$245 million) over two years, we can be called the internet startup that has burnt the most money," said Cheng Wei, CEO of Beijing Xiaoju Technology that operates cab-hailing app Didi Dache.

Cheng's remarks on Oct. 11 were made after his company and rival Kuaidadi ended a cutthroat subsidy war over the cab-hailing services market earlier this year. The two are now battling it out over establishing transportation service platforms, the newspaper said.

"No one can say how much will be invested over the next five to ten years, but we and our investors would not dare make such investment if we did not think of the travel service platform as a valuable market," Cheng said.

Given the massive room for improvement in the transportation sector, industry insiders told the newspaper that cab-hailing services are unlikely to rely on subsidies for customers or stay in one sector for the long term.

The heavy subsidies ended in May after Kuaidadi and Didi Dache each secured funding from e-commerce giant Alibaba and web portal Tencent, respectively, the newspaper said.

With cab-hailing services unable to turn a profit, Kuaidadi, and later Didi Dache, launched ridesharing services to tap into a more lucrative and high-end market, the newspaper said.

Kuaidadi further established partnerships with Air China, Alipay, and online map services AutoNavi and Baidu, while Didi Dache teamed up with over 100 car rental services and hired its own drivers.

Compared with food, clothes and housing, Cheng said transportation is a sector that has not seen close integration with the internet, and the rise of mobile internet has provided the opportunity for just that.

Meanwhile, Cheng does not expect his company to turn profitable in the next three to five years and his company has no plan to go public.

According to a forecast made by industry insiders, the ridesharing market in China is expected to reach a scale of 400 billion yuan (US$65 billion) in 2016.

Uber, which established the ridesharing market in the United States, and AA (Anytime Anywhere) are both existing players Didi Dache and Kuaidadi will compete against in the Chinese market, the newspaper said.

Uber-Heated Battle as Mobile Apps Rattle Southeast Asia’s Taxis

Jakarta Globe, Bhavan Jaipragas, Oct 13, 2014

A smartphone displaying the Uber app of the timing and availability of taxis within
the area at Raffles place financial district in Singapore. (AFP Photo/Roslan Rahman)

Singapore. Southeast Asia’s notorious taxi market is undergoing a shakeout as Uber and homegrown mobile booking applications gain popularity in a region that has long endured inefficient cartels and price-gouging drivers.

San Francisco-based Uber, which allows customers to hail taxis or private vehicles via smartphones and pay with a credit card, is expanding rapidly in the region while fending off legal and regulatory challenges in various markets across the world.

Founded in 2009 and backed by Google Ventures, the investment arm of the Internet giant, Uber now operates in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam after first entering Southeast Asia in Singapore last year.

The firm, whose valuation was placed at $18.2 billion after an investment drive in June, employs smartphone and satellite technology to match taxi supply and demand.

A list of the world’s 10 worst cities to hail a taxi compiled by industry website tourism-review.com in March included Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Phnom Penh and Bangkok.

In Singapore, locals grumbled in pre-Uber days about vanishing taxis during peak periods, with cabbies refusing to pick up roadside passengers while waiting to earn extra fees from reservations made via antiquated phone-in booking systems.

In some cities, it was not uncommon for cabbies to demand exorbitant fares before taking passengers at peak periods, during heavy rain and floods, or at times of day when taxis are scarce.

Regulatory tangles

Uber executives say they welcome competition and are more than ready to go head to head with the likes of Malaysia-based GrabTaxi, Indonesia’s Blue Bird, and Easy Taxi, a regional player backed by German startup incubator Rocket Internet.

“As long as people are giving people options, that’s a good thing,” Michael Brown, Uber’s Southeast Asia general manager, told AFP in an interview.

“What makes Uber bristle is when special interests try to protect monopolies and keep new entrants and new competitors out,” said Brown, who is based in Singapore.

Despite threats to have it banned in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, Uber continues to operate there.

The firm is also facing legal threats in San Francisco and other major cities including New York and Frankfurt.

It is has also run into opposition in Seoul, where officials believe it should follow South Korean laws regulating taxi or rental car companies.

“Uber insists that it is acting as an online broker connecting drivers and customers rather than acting as a rental car company,” a Seoul city official told AFP.

“We do not agree with their characterization of their business.”

Authorities in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta also say its car-hailing service makes use of private vehicles that do not comply with strict regulations that traditional taxi operators come under.

Uber has vehemently denied the accusations.

The firm does not own its own limousine or taxi fleet. Instead, its app allows customers to summon cars in its network, usually from a private car company.

It takes a cut of the total fare from the driver, which is paid electronically. Other taxi app players allow their members to take cash.

“Up to this day our principle remains that this taxi service is illegal,” Muhammad Akbar, head of Jakarta’s transport authority, told AFP.

In Malaysia, authorities say they began a crackdown on private cars using Uber on Oct. 1, fining drivers up to 10,000 ringgit ($3,070).

Giving people options

Commuters and market analysts say unyielding bureaucrats are not seeing how taxi apps like Uber have the potential to significantly improve the standard of living of city dwellers.

Jakarta resident Winda Rezita said the arrival of Uber in the Indonesian capital was a relief.

“When I am too lazy to drive in Jakarta’s heavy traffic jams or when there’s a long taxi queue at the mall, I just switch on the app,” the e-commerce business founder told AFP. “It’s so much better than waiting outside a building or standing in a long queue.”

Daphne Kasriel-Alexander, a consumer trends consultant at research firm Euromonitor International, said “inadequate and overburdened public transport systems” coupled with the emergence of more middle-class consumers have boosted the usage of taxi-hailing apps in Southeast Asia.

Expansion plans

GrabTaxi, which first launched in Malaysia in 2012 and has since expanded to Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, is aiming for further growth.

Unlike Uber, the firm, backed by Singapore state investment firm Temasek Holdings, has so far avoided regulatory difficulties.

Its app mainly matches customers with registered taxis. A recently launched function called GrabCar allows for booking of private vehicles just like Uber, but so far it has not been flagged by authorities.

“We’re the leading taxi booking app in Southeast Asia including Singapore, and we are well-positioned to extend our lead,” Lim Kell Jay, GrabTaxi’s general manager in Singapore, told AFP.

The firm says it gets one taxi booking every two seconds in the whole region, with more than 300,000 people using it at least once a month.

Taxi drivers say they hope the intense rivalry between the apps will continue.

A Singaporean taxi driver who only wanted to be known as Tan said his revenue has increased by 20 to 30 percent since he signed up with UberTaxi last month.

The service connects Uber users to registered taxis, just like rival GrabTaxi.

“With the apps like Uber, it’s like a win-win. You (passengers) wait around less, and we drivers don’t have to roam around hunting for passengers, saving time and petrol,” he told AFP.

Agence France Presse

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