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Electric aircraft startup accuses rival of stealing its secrets
aircraft_24buzzfeed
The era of electric aircraft may still be years away, but the conflict over this market is already raging.
On Tuesday, Wisk Aero, a startup that develops an electric aircraft that takes off as a helicopter and then flies like an airplane, filed a lawsuit against another startup, Archer Aviation, accusing it of stealing trade secrets and violating Wisk patents.
The lawsuit highlights to the public a dispute between two companies immersed in a field that has become a playground for billionaires. It also involved the Giants of aviation and Technology, explained whiskey is a joint venture between Boeing and Kitty Hawk, funded by Larry Page, who co-founded Google.
Archer's investors include United Airlines, a major customer of Boeing and plans to buy up to 200 aircraft from the startup.
The niche market for electric cars and airplanes has become feverish in recent months, with so-called blank cheque companies, which have little more than a stock market listing and a quantity of cash, snapping up startups with little or no return, let alone profits.
Investors in blank check companies, officially known as special purpose acquisition companies, are hoping to acquire companies they believe can follow Tesla's recent path in the stock market.
To attract these investors, startups like Archer are pledging to offer optimistic business plans and first-class technology.
Wisc alleges in its lawsuit that the intellectual property promoted by Archer as part of its merger was stolen by engineers the company had hired from Wisc.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, accuses engineers of downloading thousands of files containing classified designs and data before leaving Wisc to join Archer. Wiske accused a third engineer of erasing the history of his activities from the computer before leaving for Archer.
"Wisc is filing this lawsuit to stop the flagrant theft of its intellectual property and confidential information and to protect the significant investment of resources, years of hard work and effort of its employees and their vision of the future in civil air transport,"the lawsuit states.
"It is unfortunate that Wisc intervened in a lawsuit in an attempt to distract attention from the labor issues that have caused so many of its employees to leave,"Archer said in a statement. "The plaintiff raised these matters more than a year ago, and after careful consideration, we have no reason to believe that Wisc's technological ownership has made its way to Archer. We intend to defend ourselves vigorously".
Archer also said she placed an employee accused in the lawsuit on paid leave "in connection with a government investigation and a search warrant issued against the employee, which we believe focuses on his behavior before he joined the company."
Archer said she and 3 staff members who worked with the person involved in the investigation were summoned and are cooperating with the authorities. The whiskey was described the case as a criminal investigation and said it's cooperating with the government.
Intellectual property lawsuits are not rare in promising industries that are rapidly developing, as Page knows all too well. In one recent case, Waymo, a company owned by Alphabet, the parent company of Google, accused one of its former employees and Uber of stealing trade secrets to gain an advantage in developing self-driving cars.
The two companies settled the case in 2018, former Waymo employee Anthony Levandowski, a former close associate of Page, was sentenced in 2020 to 18 months in prison, and pardoned by former President Donald Trump in January.
Archer announced its merger in February with Atlas crest investment, a special purpose acquisition, in a deal that valued the company at 3 3.8 billion. Wisk said her suspicions were confirmed at the time when Archer released an offer that included designs similar to those found in Wisk's patent filing.
Wiske says her Kora aircraft can fly with two passengers for about 25 miles at a speed of about 100 miles per hour. Archer says it is developing an aircraft that can carry up to 4 people in a 60-mile flight, at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour, and both are being designed to fly autonomously.
Other companies trying to make electric aircraft include Joby Aviation, which announced a صفقة 6.6 billion deal with a special-purpose acquisition led by LinkedIn co-founder Reed Hoffman in February, and a German startup, Lilium, which went public last month by merging with a special-purpose acquisition led by Barry Engel, a former General Motors executive.
These deals are just a small slice of the activity of special-purpose acquisition companies this year, as investors, celebrities and athletes race to take part in Wall Street's new favorite game. So far this year, 299 special-purpose acquisitions have raised 9 97 billion, according to research firm SPAC Research, which is more than in the whole of 2020.
But regulators and some investors say more scrutiny is needed. The Securities and Exchange Commission published two notices last month warning companies considering mergers with special purpose acquisition companies to make sure they are ready for all the legal and regulatory requirements required of an IPO.
Many investors known as short sellers, who specialise in betting on falling corporate share prices, have targeted special purpose acquisition companies such as Atlas crest, one of the 20 most traded overdrafts.
© New York Times Foundation 2021
Tags: aircraft Business electric newyorktimes
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Here is a poem I wrote while struggling and grappling with issues that came up from, well … living life! Interestingly, this poem has changed my WHOLE way of meditating each day. Now, after doing my breathing, stretching, grounding, connecting to God and establishing boundaries … I spend time allowing whatever is causing me stress or anxiety in my life to come up. I feel it to its fullest … and then I simply say "I love you." … just as in this poem.


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XPoNential Music Festival draws music fans to…
Bucks CountyBucks County Things To Do
XPoNential Music Festival draws music fans to Camden
PHOTO BY TAYLOR JOHNSON A crowd gathers during the 2018 XPoNential Music Festival.
PHOTO BY JAMES O'MARA Elvis Costello shouldn't have to be bundled up like this at the BB&T Pavilion on July 27.
ALYSSE GAFKJEN
PHOTO BY ALYSSE GAFKJEN Guster
PHOTO BY COWTOWN CHAD The Amy Ray Band
PHOTO BY MARK SELIGER Soul singer Bettye LaVette
PHOTO BY MAGDALENA WOSINSKA Dawes
Rory Doyle
PHOTO BY RORY DOYLE Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
PHOTO BY DANIELLE ST. LAURENT Blondie
PHOTO BY CJ HARVEY Caroline Rose will perform as part of the 2019 XPoNential Music Festival.
PHOTO BY DYLAN EDDINGER Foxtrot and the Get Down is one of the homegrown Philly artists performing at the XpoNential Music Festival.
By Brian Bingaman |
PUBLISHED: July 19, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. | UPDATED: September 23, 2021 at 9:27 a.m.
WXPN, the non-commercial, member-supported radio station of the University of Pennsylvania at 88.5-FM, stages its 2019 XPoNential Music Festival, presented by Subaru. The annual three-day festival takes place July 26-28 at Wiggins Park and the BB&T Pavilion, located next to each other on the Camden, N.J. riverfront.
The XPoNential Music Festival draws audiences from not only the Greater Philadelphia area, but throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. This makes the event's 15th year at Wiggins Park and the eighth year at BB&T Pavilion. WXPN produces the family-friendly XPoNential Music Festival in partnership with the Camden County Board of Freeholders.
In partnership with concert promoter Live Nation, some of the biggest crowds are likely to be when XPN presents evening concerts with Hozier, Japanese Breakfast and Philadelphia act Killiam Shakespeare on Friday, and Elvis Costello & The Impostors and Blondie on Saturday, both at BB&T Pavilion.
Blondie drummer Clem Burke said the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will draw from a successful set that they recently played on a bill with Billy Idol in Calgary: two to three songs from their 2017 album "Pollinator," the hits (such as "Heart of Glass," "Call Me," "The Tide is High," "Rapture" and "Dreaming"), and deep cuts from a catalog that goes back to 1976.
"At this point in my life and music career, it's good stuff to look back on, and it keeps you going in a lot of ways," Burke said, noting that Blondie are writing songs for a new album. "We look at ourselves as a cult band, but most cult bands don't have four number-ones."
Burke recalled that the last time Blondie toured with Elvis Costello, their crew played a practical joke on them by being absent when the band took the stage. He is good friends with Pete Thomas, Costello's long-time drummer. "We began at the same time, in the mid-'70s, and I think it's gonna be really good," he said of the co-headliner tour.
Among the artists from the diverse curated playlist of XPN performing at Wiggins Park:
Friday: Dawes, Bettye Lavette, Rayland Baxter, Nilufer Yanya, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram and Philly's Foxtrot and the Get Down.
Saturday: St. Paul & The Broken Bones, The Wood Brothers, Philly band Low Cut Connie, J.S. Ondara, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Caroline Rose, Y La Bamba, The McCrary Sisters, Philly local Ali Awan, and The Vaughns.
Sunday: Amy Ray of Indigo Girls and The Amy Ray Band, Guster, Kathleen Edwards, Gregory Alan Isakov, Dave Hause & The Mermaid, Lucy Dacus, The War and Treaty, Ruston Kelly, Sean Ardoin, local band RFA, and Zeek Burse.
That's more than 30 artists on three stages at two venues. "We'll be in good company," Burke said after hearing a few of the names on the bill.
"A lot of festivals these days all speak to one song, and we speak to different songs. Variety and diversity, that's always been a big part of what WXPN is," said Bruce Warren, XPN's associate general manager for programming.
"Amy Ray, she has an amazing band – an eight- to nine-piece band," Warren said, noting that the artists he is most likely to stop whatever he is doing to watch will be Dawes and Kathleen Edwards, whom he said recently returned to making music after taking a hiatus.
Have they posted the schedule of who's playing when?
http://xpnfest.org/daily-schedule.
What else is happening besides the music?
In addition to food, drink and vendor selections, there will be activities for children in the Kids Corner Garden. Also, stroll the riverfront promenades that offer views of the Delaware River and Philadelphia skyline.
How easy is to get tickets?
See all ticket options, including the 3-Day Go Everywhere Passes, at www.xpnfest.org. Tickets for the July 27 performances at BB&T Pavilion have a Saturday Festival Access add-on option for Wiggins Park stages.
XPN members get complimentary beverages and artist meet-and-greets during scheduled times in the XPN Members Only area. A member wristband is required for access to the Members Only Area. To get a wristband, you'll need to show your member ticket stub at one of two wristband stations at the festival site.
Camden Children's Garden Access on Saturday and Sunday is included in the 3-Day Go Everywhere Pass, Single Day with Festival Access ticket, and Wiggins and Garden Pass. All you'll need is to show your daily festival re-entry wristband.
What's the address to put into my GPS?
BB&T Pavilion is at 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J., and Wiggins Park is at 1 Riverside Drive, Camden.
Or is it better to take public transportation?
The Delaware River Waterfront Riverlink Ferry will be running once an hour starting at 10 a.m. It drops you off right at the festival entrance. Fare and scheduling information can be found at http://www.delawareriverwaterfront.com/places/riverlink-ferry.
Also, PATCO has stations in Center City at Eighth and Market streets, 10th and Locust streets, 12th and Locust and 16th and Locust. Exit at the Broadway station and change underground to NJ Transit's RiverLINE for a quick ride, or go to ground level and walk three blocks. Schedules and fares can be found at http://www.ridepatco.org.
Since it's July, I'm going to have to stay hydrated and protected from the sun. What am I allowed to bring related to beverages?
Non-alcoholic beverages in plastic containers. Note that BB&T Pavilion only allows one 20-ounce sealed water bottle per person. Coolers are OK too, but be advised BB&T only allows a 16-quart cooler or smaller in the lawn section. Coolers larger than 16 quarts, or people with reserved seats, are required to be checked at the BB&T Pavilion secured items area at the entrance gate.
Not permitted are glass containers, cans or alcoholic beverages from outside the festival. Beer and food will be available for purchase at the festival. New Jersey state law requires that you must be at least 21, and you must present ID to purchase alcoholic beverages.
It's also a good idea to bring a blanket or low-profile chairs (no more than nine inches off the ground, with a seat back not exceeding 24 inches off the ground).
If it looks like rain, a regular size umbrella is a smart choice. XPoNential Music Festival is held rain or shine.
Will there be ATMs on site if I suddenly need cash?
Yes, four of them: two on the festival grounds and one outside of each gate entrance to the Festival.
Share your photos on social media with the festival hashtag #xpnfest, and tag the festival on Twitter at @xpnfest, on Facebook at facebook.com/xpnfest and Instagram at @wxpnfm. "You can't do anything without a hashtag," Warren said with a laugh.
Brian Bingaman
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Stigmaphyllon auriculatum är en tvåhjärtbladig växtart som först beskrevs av Antonio José Cavanilles, och fick sitt nu gällande namn av Adrien Henri Laurent de Jussieu. Stigmaphyllon auriculatum ingår i släktet Stigmaphyllon och familjen Malpighiaceae. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Malpigiaordningen
auriculatum

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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What Hi-Fi? Awards 2019: one month to go!
Preparations for the 37th annual What Hi-Fi? Awards are well under way, and we will once again be celebrating the best products that the hi-fi and home cinema world has to offer. The deadline for entries has now closed, so testing is in full swing, and there's less than a month to go until the winners are revealed.
We will announce all the Best Buy winners online on Monday 7th October, when our dedicated What Hi-Fi? Awards website will go live with the 2019 winners.
Following the release of the winners across all our categories – from TVs to turntables, speakers to headphones – we will then reveal the Product of the Year winners at the What Hi-Fi? Awards ceremony on the evening of Tuesday 5th November.
You'll be able to watch live as the winners are announced, thanks to our Facebook Live feed direct from the event. The special Awards issue of the magazine will then go on sale the following day, Wednesday 6th November.
While there are Best Buy winners for every price, size and type in each category, the What Hi-Fi? Products of the Year represent our overall picks of the very best products in each category.
The night of the event will also be when we announce the winners of some of our special Awards, including the Readers' Award, Temptation and Outstanding Contribution.
As you can see from the photo below, entries are pouring into our office. Our stockrooms in London and Bath are already overflowing, so we're going to be busy testing in September! Current favourites will be pitted against brand-new rivals as we pick the best of the best in more than 30 categories.
Best Buy winners announced: Monday 7th October
All winners revealed: Tuesday 5th November
What Hi-Fi? Awards issue on sale: Wednesday 6th November
Entries are flooding into our office, this is just some of the overspill from our stockroom
(Image credit: Future)
The What Hi-Fi? Awards showcase our selection of the very best products from the last twelve months, from two-channel hi-fi to surround sound home cinema, big-screen TVs to tiny wireless earbuds. Last year we announced an impressive 102 winners across 30 categories, so you won't be short-changed.
Our test rooms are already full to bursting with new and exclusive kit submitted for Awards consideration, so expect plenty of new products to appear in our review schedule in the run-up to the event. Every Awards contender is tested against its peers, with only the best in their class making it on to the Best Buy winners list.
Last year, Sony won eight Best Buys thanks to wireless headphones, 4K TVs, the PS-HX500 USB turntable, the HT-ST5000 Dolby Atmos soundbar, the UBP-X700 Blu-ray player and the STR-DN1080 home cinema amplifier.
Elsewhere, Audio Pro took home four Awards thanks to its excellent wireless speakers, Beyerdynamic dominated the headphone categories, Rega took home more than its fair share of turntable Awards, and Chord Electronics controlled the DAC class.
And what about 2019? Well, with one month to go until the Best Buy winners are announced, there's not long to wait…
Helios from Metra Home Theater Group Debuts at 2019 CEDIA Expo
CEDIA Expo 2019 New Product Preview


This is an event from the May 2016 Festival.
Singer-songwriter Paul Kelly launches his stunning album Seven Sonnets & A Song.
Poet, essayist and editor Fiona Wright explores ways in which you can craft compelling writing.
One of Europe's leading performance storytellers for adults, Cat Weatherill, reveals the tricks of the trade.
On how setting is more than just the landscape of your story.
Learn to blend genres to produce a hybrid species that doesn't read like an experiment gone wrong.
A workshop on the principles and pitfalls of historical fiction writing.
Aboriginal artists explore the unifying theme of Wantanganura/Skyworld in this special event at Varuna.
Candice Fox shares tips and tricks for the aspiring crime fiction author.
Jane Messer unpacks the rule that you should write what you know and shares writing strategies and exercises.
Learn how to build a freelance writing business that is flexible and fruitful.
A fun, educational and interactive day: featuring Jon Klassen, Liz Pichon, Tohby Riddle and Judith Rossell.
Singer-songwriter Paul Kelly and Bell Shakespeare's Peter Evans explore why Shakespeare's sonnets continue to inspire.
Historian and writer Tom Keneally explores the impact of World War One in shaping modern Australia.
Hear how Murri Elder Lesley Williams fought for justice and changed history for unpaid Indigenous workers.
Stan Grant, Eva Orner and Alice Pung discuss racism, refugees and minorities in Australia.
Futurist Richard Watson and David Uren talk global markets, innovation and entrepreneurship in Australia.
Tegan Bennett Daylight (Six Bedrooms) and Kate Fagan discuss short stories and the Australian imagination.
Satyajit Das asks what we really mean when we declare that 'innovation' is the solution.
Peter Doherty implores citizens to become informed so they can participate in scientific debate.
Leisel Jones talks about fame, bullying, depression, media scrutiny and how to be true to yourself.
Vivian Gornick talks about friendship and the salvation of the city with Leah Kaminsky.
Find out about the Dictionary of Sydney and the five writers commissioned to write about Blue Mountains icons.
Charlotte Wood talks about the ambiguities of power in her new dystopian work The Natural Way of Things.
A prestigious celebration of excellence in Australian writing, held on the festival's first night.
The mainstream media is in crisis and Andrew Fowler (The War on Journalism) tells us why.
Eat First, Talk Later is Beth Yahp's memoir about family, nationhood and food.
Some tough love from a resident artist who thinks the Australian theatre house needs a radical renovation.
Little Fictions reinvigorates the simple art of being read to.
Thirteen of Jane Austen's heroines come to life in this celebrated performance by Rebecca Vaughan.
A fun, educational and interactive day for students: featuring Jon Klassen, Liz Pichon, Tohby Riddle and Judith Rossell.
Leah Kaminsky and Miles Allinson discuss their novels and the psychology of memory and guilt.
James Rebanks redefines Lake District literature with his modern dispatches from an ancient landscape.
Craig Munro on his thirty years of adventure in the publishing industry.
How will we live, love and think in the future?
Magda Szubanski talks about her book, family demons and coming out on live TV.
Mireille Juchau and Peggy Frew speak with Tegan Bennett Daylight about their latest novels.
Mark O'Flynn and Sylvia Martin talk to Barbara Brooks about their new books.
Kate Tempest performs her poems, and talks about how the stories we choose define us.


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Canada - Poultry and Products Annual 2009
Broilers Turkeys Markets and economics
Canada's output of meat production from both broilers and turkeys is expected to increase in 2010, according to M.J. Thoren in the latest GAIN report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.
Under Canada's strict supply management system broiler meat production for the first six months of 2009 was over six per cent lower compared to the same period for 2008. However, domestic production of broiler meat is projected to recover in 2010 to 1.015 million metric tons (MMT).
Total imports are projected to increase in 2010 with higher chicken consumption in the food service sector and support from a stronger Canadian dollar. Imports from the United States declined 3.3 per cent during the first six months of 2009 to 52,027 metric tons (MT).
Total Canadian broiler exports remain relatively unchanged for 2009 and are projected to increase in 2010 as exports to overseas markets continue to grow.
Canadian domestic turkey production is expected to resume long-term growth in 2010 after a moderate decline in 2009. Total production is forecast at 180,000 MT in 2010.
Canadian broiler chicken production in 2009 is on pace to decline two per cent, testing the one million MT level, due to high beginning levels of stocks, the second highest on record, and lower consumption in the hotel and restaurant sector.
Total Canadian imports of broiler chicken during the first six months of 2009 were 5.5 per cent below the level from the same period one year earlier. Imports from the United States declined 3.3 per cent during that period from 53,816 MT to 52,027 MT.
Canadian imports of chicken are regulated under a tariff rate quota (TRQ). The global quota for 2009 is estimated at 76,236 MT and projected to be 75,000 MT for 2010. Canadian poultry companies have increasingly utilized International Trade Canada's Import to Re-Export Program (IREP) whereby Canadian chicken processors import chicken under supplementary import licence, i.e. tariff-free, for use in processing provided they export the associated processed product. As a result, total chicken imports are about double the TRQ as attributed to IREP imports.
Total exports remained relatively unchanged over the January to June 2009 period. Shipments to the top four destinations during the first six months of 2009 declined primarily as attributed to recent controlled outbreaks of low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) in Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
Turkey meat production during the January to June period of 2009 was over seven per cent lower than production for the same period of the previous year, but had increased 6.5 per cent during 2008 to 180,000 MT and is forecast to rebound to that level in 2010.
The data in this GAIN report are not official USDA data.
For 2010, domestic production of broiler meat is expected to increase moderately, following steady long-term growth in the Canadian chicken industry. Chicken consumption has grown steadily over the past decade relative to other meats, and following a forecasted decline in total 2009 output, production should rebound to continue long-term growth to meet consumer demand. This will be supported by economic growth in 2010 and higher spending in the food service sector and for household consumption.
Data to August 2009 indicates that product for the January – August period was 1.9 per cent lower than the same period during 2008, resulting in moderately lower beginning stocks for 2010. With relatively high chicken prices in the retail sector and high consumption in the foodservice sector, a demand decrease caused by the ongoing economic recession reflects a slight decrease in production.
In the ten years ending 2008, Canadian broiler production has registered an average annual growth rate of 2.1 per cent, reflecting strong domestic market demand both from the retail and food service sectors under the supply management system.
Per-capita consumption of chicken is projected to increase in 2010 with economic growth and increasing health-consciousness among consumers in Canada. Total 2009 consumption is forecast to remain relatively unchanged from 2008 levels. Demand for broiler meat was supported by slightly negative (three per cent of consumers in one major poll) perceptions of pork in the first half of 2009 due to the H1N1 virus, but may have been hindered by the relatively high retail price of chicken as compared to red meats.
Total domestic chicken consumption in Canada has almost doubled in the past 20 years. The increase has been due partly to the country's population growth (which increased more than 25 per cent from 25.8 million in 1985 to 33.5 million in 2009) but also to chicken's increasing popularity among Canadians during the period. Overall, Canadian preferences have shifted towards chicken primarily due to an increase in health awareness and the perception that chicken is leaner and therefore healthier than other meats. Price is not a factor since poultry prices, due to the supply management system, are consistently higher than beef or pork which are not under supply management schemes. In recent years, the pattern of Canada's immigrant population is one that is more likely to have dietary preferences for less beef or pork, or no meat at all. In addition, Canada's food service providers are continually introducing chicken menu items in creative ways or as an ingredient in ethnic-style food offerings that are becoming increasingly popular.
Canadian per-capita consumption of poultry meat
(kg; eviscerated basis)
Other Fowls
2002 30.69 4.27 1.75
2009* 31.65 4.50 1.60
Source: Statistics Canada; Canada Food Stats, *Post Forecast
Retail prices for chicken in Canada have seen relatively stable growth over the last five year period with CY 2008 prices approximately 15 per cent higher than the average CY 2004 price. Stability of chicken prices is mainly attributed to the continued supply management of the industry.
Ontario: retail chicken prices
(C$/kg eviscerated weight; whole chicken under 2 kg)
Annual Avg
2004 4.55 4.99 4.89 4.96 5.06 5.20 5.07 5.06 5.19 5.12 5.05 5.34 5.04
2009 5.38 4.98 4.55 4.83 4.40 5.48 5.29
Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
*based on new ACAF Canada reporting of 4 week periods, Jan = Dec 21/08 to Jan 17/09, Feb = Jan 18/09 to Feb 14/09, Mar = Feb 15/09 to Mar 14/09, April = Mar 15/09 to Apr 11/09, May = Apr 12/09 to May 09/09, Jun = May 10/09 to Jun 06/09, July = Jun 07/09 to Jul 04/09, annual=forecast
Ontario retail chicken C$/kg eviscerated weight, whole under 2kg
Graph: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
There has been some drop in prices for mid-2009 but levels are expected to return. The drop is mainly attributed to outbreaks of avian influenza in British Columbia and Saskatchewan reflecting reduced demand, as well as red meat prices, particularly pork, at historical lows. Overall chicken is priced higher than beef or pork at the retail level in Canada.
Ontario fresh whole chicken average retail price, C$/kg eviscerated
Total imports are projected to increase in 2010 with higher chicken consumption in the food service sector and support from a stronger Canadian dollar. According to official trade data, total Canadian imports of broiler chicken during the first six months of 2009 were 5.5 per cent below the level from the same period one year earlier. Imports from the United States declined 3.3 per cent during that period from 53,816 MT to 52,027 MT. Much of the overall decline in same-period chicken imports was due to a 17.6 per cent decrease in Brazilian imports and 14.9 per cent decrease in imports from Thailand during the six-month period. Canadian importers are discouraged from importing Brazilian chicken despite its lower cost because it cannot be re-exported to the United States. Furthermore, it is perceived that Brazilian chicken imports are consumed mainly in the Canadian food service sector, which is currently being adversely affected by the economic recession, but is forecast to see higher demand in 2010.
The vast majority of imported broiler meat is consistently bound for Ontario, with the province accounting for over 80 per cent of imports in CY 2008. Combined with Quebec, the two provinces accounted for over 96 per cent of broiler meat imports during the first six months of 2009.
Total imports from the United States are projected to increase in 2010 following a slight decline in 2009. A major determining factor in chicken import volumes from the United States continues to be the Import to Re-Export Program (IREP), under which supplementary import permits at a free tariff rate are issued to Canadian poultry processors who import chicken, mostly bone-in and boneless chicken, minimally process it by adding water, marinades, coatings, flavours, etc. The programme requires that the resulting processed chicken product be exported. These exports head back to the United States. Most of the IREP chicken exports remain under HS chapter 2. IREP imports are not limited to those from the United States, but US shipments account for over 90 per cent of IREP imports.
Canadian proponents of the IREP programme argue that it allows Canadian chicken processing plants to achieve economies of scale they could not otherwise achieve if restricted to available supplies of domestically produced chicken. IREP imports may be affected in 2010 by a stronger Canadian dollar, as imports in this category require sales back to the United States. For more information on the impact of IREP in the Canadian chicken market, see the Policy Section of this report. Government of Canada (GOC) policies and practices regarding supplementary imports for chicken and chicken products, including IREP can be found by clicking here.
Canadian imports of broiler chicken /1
(metric tons)
Calendar years
Jan-Jun
World 112,549 125,905 132,976 64,263 60,737 -5.5
United States 90,553 102,427 114,288 53,816 52,028 -3.3
Brazil 19,877 21,074 15,479 8,707 7,171 -17.6
Thailand 1,972 2,364 2,454 1,260 1,072 -14.9
Chile 147 39 753 480 454 -5.4
1/ includes processed, does not include spent fowl.
Product Control for Brazilian Poultry
Since USDA does not permit imports of Brazilian chicken, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has strict import procedures to ensure that Brazilian chicken in Canada does not enter the United States. Under CFIA regulations, poultry meat imported from Brazil may not be exported to the United States and may not be used in the manufacture of meat products exported to the United States.
Canadian poultry slaughter and processing establishments that import poultry meat from Brazil are not eligible to export poultry meat products to the United States. All poultry meat and meat products present in the non-eligible establishments must not enter Canadian establishments that have full export status for the United States. All Canadian establishments (including storage facilities) must maintain inventory records regarding origin of all meat present on their premises and the destination of meat shipped from the premises.
Total Canadian broiler exports are projected to increase in 2010 as exports to overseas markets, namely East Asia, recover. While total exports remained relatively unchanged over the January to June period, shipments to the top four destinations during the first six months of 2009 declined. This is partially attributed to recent controlled outbreaks of low-pathogenic avian influenza in Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Exports from all Canadian provinces increased during the first six months of 2009, except for British Columbia and Saskatchewan, which declined 20 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively, compared to the same period in 2008.
Broiler meat exports by province
Total Canada 110,482 138,978 152,067 73,063 73,247 0.25
Quebec 43,412 55,733 59,739 28,036 31,299 11.64
Ontario 36,144 45,386 47,317 22,544 22,787 1.08
British Columbia 23,185 27,974 33,914 16,804 13,439 -20.03
Alberta 3,624 3,769 4,076 2,152 2,329 8.25
Saskatchewan 371 3,214 4,069 1,944 1,675 -13.82
Manitoba 2,973 2,729 2,776 1,466 1,681 14.69
Canadian chicken exports
Broiler cuts 91,347 120,445 132,970 63,652 64,125 0.7
Broilers, whole 5,582 5,571 5,485 2,534 2,531 -0.1
Broilers, processed 13,553 12,961 13,612 6,876 6,591 -4.1
Total 110,482 138,977 152,067 73,062 73,247 0.3
Source: Global Trade Atlas, WTA
Tariff rate quota (TRQ)
Canada controls imports of chicken under a tariff rate quota (TRQ). The minimum access level (into Canada) under the WTO is 39,844 metric tons but Canada applies the higher access level under NAFTA, which is equal to 7.5 per cent of the previous year's domestic chicken production as reported by Statistics Canada. For 2009, the global chicken TRQ is estimated to be 76,236 MT as based on 2008 production and total permit issuances are forecast to increase from 2008. For 2010, the number of global permit allowance is estimated to decline to 75,000 MT based upon 2009 production.
Under the TRQ, imports are subject to low "within access commitment" rates of duty up to the predetermined limit and imports over this limit are subject to higher "over access commitment" rates of duty. However, Canada regularly issues supplementary import permits for: 1) periods when there are product shortages, 2) the chicken Import to Re-Export Program (IREP), under which import allocations are issued to Canadian poultry processors whose finished manufactured products are intended for re-export, and 3) to Canadian poultry companies, commonly referred to as the FTA (free trade agreement) sector, who compete in the Canadian marketplace with similar, imported processed products that receive zero-tariff treatment under the NAFTA. Information on supplementary permits can be located by clicking here.
In recent years, the majority of supplementary imports have been comprised of imports under the IREP program. According to International Trade (IT) Canada, the diversion of product imported under IREP to the Canadian (domestic) market is prohibited. It is a policy that helps Canadian poultry processors remain viable by giving them access to lower priced imported chicken, but offers little to Canadian consumers who pay high retail prices for chicken under the supply managed regime
According to IT Canada, 2008 imports under the IREP totaled approximately 82,429 MT, an amount greater than the 75,359 MT Global TRQ allocation. Clearly, the IREP program has become a driving force in total Canadian import demand for broiler chicken.
Summary of import permit issuances
The table on page 10 of the link below, derived from data published by IT Canada, illustrates that beginning in 2007, import permit issuances for chicken under the IREP program overtook the permit issuances under the global allocation. During 2008, the quantity of all import permits issued was more than double the 2007 global allocation under the TRQ. For 2009, Post projects IREP permit issuances to again be above the 2008 TRQ allocation.
Special Agricultural Safeguard (WTO)
Canada has given notice of the volume and price triggers that will be used to operationalize the World Trade Organization (WTO) Special Agricultural Safeguard (SSG) for Canada's supply-managed products, i.e. products under a tariff rate quota). The Special Agricultural Safeguard is a provision that allows additional duties to be triggered when import prices fall below a certain level. Currently published triggers are available by clicking here.
GOC policy makers are currently in consultation with the poultry industry in readjusting price-triggers for a small number of poultry commodities, however, as of August 2009, publication of the new policy was not expected for several months. Unit prices that would theoretically trigger the SSG are currently much lower than current import price trends and activation of the safeguard is not expected. In the event that import prices do decline to levels below trigger prices, the SSG would not automatically be activated, but the situation would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis requiring formal WTO notification and Order in Council (i.e., federal Cabinet approval). For more detail, please see GAIN report CA8060 available on the FAS web site (click here).
On-farm safety programme
The Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC), the organisation representing Canada's chicken farmers, is working toward a national on-farm food safety programme for the country's chicken producers. According to the CFC, the programme combines good production practices and internationally recognised Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles into chicken production. Once implemented, farmers will undergo a full programme audit once every three years and a partial audit will be performed in the intervening years. The audits will be conducted by professionals trained in HACCP principles, on-farm food safety and auditing techniques. After passing the initial audit, farmers will apply for certification that includes adhering to the audit schedule and continuing to carry out the OFFS program. After the audit system has been developed and farms are being audited, the Safe, Safer, Safest programme will undergo a third party audit by an accredited auditing firm. This audit will ensure that CFC's food safety program is being implemented in accordance with all regulations and guidelines. CFC will then be able to apply for full programme recognition from CFIA. Complete implementation is expected by the end of 2009. For more information, see the CFC web site (click here).
Brand Canada Initiative
CFC is considering a 'Brand Canada' initiative to add value to domestically produced chicken products beyond 'Product of Canada' identification. The initiative seeks to reward producers and processors for contributions to health and animal welfare differentiating domestic products. The Brand Canada initiative would involve a consumer promotion campaign with industry partners and is part of a longer term goal to increase annual per-capita consumption of chicken to 33kg per person, or about a four per cent increase above 2008 levels.
On 24 January 2009, a low pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza was discovered in a commercial poultry operation in British Columbia. CFIA declared a second operation infected on 11 February and as a result, birds on both farms were destroyed and composted in accordance with international standards and movement restrictions were implemented on birds and bird products. Following a period of extensive testing, CFIA has lifted movement restrictions as of April 2009. In Canada, avian influenza is a reportable disease under the Health of Animals Regulations, and all cases must be reported to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
It is projected that Canadian domestic turkey production will resume long term growth in 2010 to 180,000 MT. Statistics Canada reports a six per cent decline in production through the week of 22 August 2009 to 105,502 MT eviscerated weight. Total 2009 production is forecast to 170,000 MT.
Statistics Canada reports that production reached 180,000 metric tons in 2008, a 6.5 per cent increase from CY 2007 levels. The Turkey Farmers of Canada have mandated that production be cut by an average of six per cent across all weight categories as a result of declining national consumption in 2009. This may be a reflection of a listeria outbreak which affected sales of some deli products. Annual consumption per-capita in 2009 is expected to return to 2007 levels and rebound in 2010 to 4.7 kg.
For CY 2008, Statistics Canada reported an increase in Canadian per capita turkey consumption in 2008 at 4.7 kg (eviscerated weight), compared to 4.5 kg a year earlier.


Grete is finally back from Norway and today we had our first shoot after a week of waiting. After using her camera I really don't want to take pics with mine anymore due to quality difference so I'm so sorry I kept you waiting for new pics for this whole week! These photos underneath I actually edited with my phone- that's why they are so grainy. But I still love it. Here is a full-white look from today. I am starting to think that it's my most favorite color now. Goes well with blonde hair!
You are so pretty and white is absolutely your color!
Nii mõnusa feelinguga pildid :) Valge tõesti sobib Sulle nii hästi!!!


text:
The evolution of UK data protection law: geo-political context and the future of adequacy
by Jared Browne
Jared Browne
Head of Data Privacy, Fexco Group
DCU postgraduate student
Making sense of privacy notices: lessons from financial services for an 'assisted' consent
The UK left the European Union (EU) in January 2021. Of the many strands left unresolved, the future position of data-sharing arrangements between the UK and the EU was one of the most significant, given its impact on trade. This impasse was closed on 28 June of this year when the EU Commission granted adequacy status to the UK's post-BREXIT data protection regime. Now, however, the UK has published a consultation paper, Data: a new direction, outlining its plans for reshaping those laws for the post-BREXIT trade landscape.
In this blogpost I will critically examine the salient changes contained within the above-referred consultation paper by focusing on eight key points, all the while drawing comparisons with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Finally, by way of conclusion, I will analyse the political-economic agenda that underlies the suggested reforms, arguing that the sweeping proposals are excessively pro-business, as well as highlighting the ways in which the amendments, if made law, are likely to negatively affect the UK's chances of retaining its valuable EU adequacy decision.
Data – A New Direction: Key Points
As regards accountability, the paper advances major changes to the current UK data protection regime, proposing to remove the mandatory requirements surrounding data protection impact assessments, records of processing and the appointment of data protection officers – requirements which the paper views as being 'disproportionately burdensome for many organisations.' In its place, it submits the concept of a privacy management programme (PMP) as a kind-of hold-all 'risk-based accountability framework' that assesses and manages data protection risk. Taking the pulse of risk exposure across an organisation, the idea is that such an assessment allows organisations to make their own decisions about how to manage their accountability framework.
I will now examine the key changes suggested in the area of accountability.
Data Protection Officers. In a controversial proposal, the consultation paper advances the idea of removing the obligation for certain organisations to appoint a data protection officer (DPO), and instead permitting a 'suitable individual' to be appointed as the PMP manager, who will also ensure data protection compliance. Citing the challenges that organisations might face in appointing 'an individual with the requisite skills and who is sufficiently independent … especially in the case of smaller organisations' , the paper argues that the GDPR is insufficiently flexible on the nature and role of DPOs.
This, however, is not borne out by the legislative reality. Articles 37 to 39 of the GDPR contain much flexibility which, precisely, takes account of the size and complexity of organisations. Article 37(2) allows 'a group of undertakings to appoint a single data protection officer'; Article 37(3) permits groups of public authorities to appoint a single DPO ; Article 37(6) allows for the appointment of external parties to the DPO role; while Article 38(6) makes it clear that the DPO may be part-time, as well as holding other duties.
Additionally, as I have recently commented in a consultation response prepared by the Confederation of European Data Protection Organisations :
The proposed reform, which suggests that a person may be appointed as being responsible for data protection, (with considerable latitude for organizations to select that person) will risk a return to an unsatisfactory situation where data protection compliance will become the brief of a potentially unsuitable role-holder, – whether that be a Chief Information Officer, or a Head of Compliance, – and that, in the process, there will be an obvious loss of subject-matter expertise, not to mention the fact that data protection may thereby become a secondary consideration, or, at worst, an afterthought.
Data Protection Impact Assessments. In the area of risk management, the paper proposes to remove the mandatory requirement to conduct data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) in certain cases. Instead of an obligatory DPIA process, the paper notes that 'organisations may adopt different approaches to identify and minimise data protection risks that better reflect their specific circumstances' and that removing the obligation to conduct DPIAs would be 'mitigated by the requirements of the privacy management programme' which would ensure the management of 'data protection risks across the organisation.' Although there is merit to the paper's nod to a context-specific risk methodology, the corresponding reality is that giving considerable leeway to organisations to manage risk via a range of alternative, unspecified means will allow uncertainty to seep into data protection risk management. A proliferation of methods for gauging risk, will in particular, make it more difficult for the ICO to establish, and enforce, a baseline standard for mitigating data subject risk.
Closely related to DPIAs, the paper further proposes to remove the prior consultation requirements contained in Article 36 of the EU GDPR, which oblige organisations to consult supervisory authorities where 'the processing would result in a high risk in the absence of measures taken by the controller to mitigate the risk.' The reasons given are, firstly, that it would be preferable to encourage ad hoc dialogue with the ICO concerning high risk processing, rather than prescribing when and how organisations should communicate with the body, and that, secondly, the existing consultation mechanism is not used all that often. In the first instance, it is utopian to believe that significant numbers of organisations will voluntarily invite the ICO into internal considerations of high risk processing, and, in the second instance, the low use of the mechanism should not be a reason for jettisoning it, but instead, it should be a call for guidance on how the process could work better. The Article 36 mechanism remains a vital tool for ensuring that large organisations, in particular, consult supervisory authorities before launching initiatives.
Record Keeping. In a fundamental amendment, the paper tenders the notion that organisations would not need to retain full records of processing, as currently required by Article 30 of the GDPR, but instead would only have to retain 'certain records' based on their 'volume and sensitivity of personal data'. Records of processing, from an external scrutiny perspective, represent the 'keys to the kingdom', the comprehensive map that allows a supervisory authority to question and peer into every corner of an organisation's processing activities. Without this synoptic view, owing to incomplete records, it is questionable how the ICO could fulfil its regulatory brief.
Additionally, from the angle of ensuring data protection by design, the more detailed a picture an organisation has of its personal data, the more relevant its technical measures can be for safeguarding that data. As the cyber-security maxim goes 'you can only protect what you know', and, so, if the requirement for complete records is replaced by a sieve-like system that allows gaps based on the organisation's assessment, the meaningful protection of data will be in doubt.
Directly impacting data subject rights, the paper additionally suggests a return to fixed fees for lodging data subject access requests, (a fee which Article 12(5) of the EU GDPR has abolished ), a cap on the costs that organisations would be expected to incur from a request, as well as lowering the threshold for when organisations can refuse requests for being vexatious. Although the paper rightly points out that some access requests are motivated by ulterior purposes, beyond data protection concerns, and that a fee would winnow out the more spurious of these applications, a fixed charge will have a chilling effect on this right's exercise. This will inevitably impact the poorest, and in many cases the most vulnerable data subjects, and, tellingly, the paper is notably silent on the matter of assessing this impact, yet it loudly proclaims the cost-impact to organisations.
Materially, such a change, compared to the current higher GDPR standard, could only amount to a diminishment of data subject protections. If the UK government is concerned about business cost-impact, a more balanced alternative would be the introduction of a turnover-based tiered system, with smaller organisations being allowed to charge a fee and cap costs, while with larger organisations continuing to be barred from such exemptions. This system would honour data subject rights in a proportionate manner while vitiating against the absurd prospect of trillion-dollar-valued companies, such as Google and Amazon, effectively claiming penury to avoid complying with access requests. As a bulwark against opaqueness, and the attendant threat of invisible processing, free access to data is essential to guarantee the fundamental transparency requirements of Article 5(1) (a) of the GDPR.
Data Breach Reporting
In a further significant proposal, the consultation paper suggests a relaxing of the criterion for the submission of breach reports to regulatory bodies. Currently, the UK legal position is that all breaches must be reported to the ICO 'unless the personal data breach is unlikely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons.' The change is motivated by the contention that, unnecessary breach reporting is taking place, because, it is argued, the 'exemption can only be relied upon where there is likely to be no risk to an individual's rights and freedoms, so even breaches which represent a low risk would be notifiable [my emphasis].'
The net effect, the argument continues, is costly precautionary over-reporting of breaches which realistically represent little or no risk to individuals. In place of such a regime, the paper's proposal is to introduce a requirement that a material risk to data subjects must exist before a legal reporting duty would arise.
Tellingly, however, the paper's suggestion provides ample room for organisations to not report a large range of breaches to the ICO. In a converse risk, this would likely lead to under-reporting of data breaches, with data subjects bearing the brunt.
Focusing on artificial intelligence (A.I.), the paper also advocates for the abolition of Article 22 of the GDPR , which mandates a right to human oversight for data subjects when certain automated decisions are taking place. The UK government's position, showing a marked commercial leaning, is to remove the requirement for human involvement and instead, to 'permit the use of solely automated A.I. systems on the basis of legitimate interests or public interests'.
If implemented, this change would expose data subjects to the risk of machines making unfair decisions about their lives, a situation which may also contravene the fairness obligations of the GDPR . Recent case law also supports this contention, notably the Ola case heard before the Dutch courts, which underlined the importance of human intervention in A.I. processing. To add extra spice to an already heady brew, with the publication of its draft Artificial Intelligence Act in April 2021, the direction of travel for the EU is towards greater, not less, regulation of the A.I. arena, thus opening up an even wider potential fault line with the UK.
International Data Transfer Mechanisms
With one eye firmly on post-BREXIT trade deals, the UK government has also outlined its intention to reconfigure its international data transfer mechanisms. Specifically, the paper tenders that the government could introduce new transfer mechanisms, that organisations could develop their own transfer mechanisms, and that the UK could rely on internationally certified schemes for the free flow of data. Of these proposals, the most alarming is the suggestion that organisations could fashion their own transfer mechanisms, leading to the prospect of a heterogeneous patchwork of transfer arrangements governing onward transfers of EU data. Compared to the highly standardized, consistent set of EU transfer mechanisms codified in the GDPR, such a potpourri of transfer measures will not give certainty to businesses (within or without the UK), and will certainly not endear hearts in Brussels.
These amendments, in the area of international data transfers, may well pose the greatest threat to the UK's adequacy status. The manner in which EU personal data is transferred onwards from the UK to non-EEA locations is a risk that was highlighted in the UK's adequacy decision, and any excessive loosening of standards will not likely be tolerated in Brussels. The tone was strident: 'the Commission will closely monitor the situation' … and assess whether the different transfer mechanisms are used in a way that ensures the continuity of protection.'
Oversight of the ICO
On a governance level, the paper clearly evinces the UK government's intention to assert greater control over the ICO, a step which will materially reduce the regulator's independence. Of particular significance are amendments which would allow the relevant government minister to set strategic objectives for the ICO, to overrule the content of guidance documents, as well as a new duty for the ICO to get in line, and show greater deference to 'economic growth and innovation when discharging its functions.' On foot of these changes, compared to the independence enjoyed by EU supervisory authorities, the ICO will be a substantially weaker regulatory body. Furthermore, the progressive weakening of its powers will render the ICO helpless to halt the UK's divergence from the EU standard – if the government sets the authority's objectives, how can it offer meaningful resistance? It would appear that the UK government is keen to place structural, strategic handicaps on the remit of the ICO so as to clear the decks for a more determined economic agenda, a measure which will again weaken data subject rights.
Geo-Political Context and the Future of Adequacy
Although framed in the context of data protection reform, the sound and fury of BREXIT sabre-rattling bubbles away uneasily beneath the polite veneer of the paper, revealing an underlying political-economic agenda. The UK, now freed from the perceived constraints of the EU, wants to set its stall out to the business world as a light-touch-regulation outpost on the edge of the EU – a honey pot, if you will, to attract valuable tech business away from the EU with the alluring promise of a more innovation-friendly environment, all the while socialising the attendant risks by passing them on to data subjects. UK data protection reform is being subsumed into the wider BREXIT refrain of 'Taking Back Control' – the political slogan favoured by the Leave campaign. Keen – and in a considerable hurry – to realise the BREXIT dividend, political exigency is leading the UK to reform its data protection laws in a rushed and ill-considered manner.
Loudly proclaiming that the UK's aim is to become 'the world's most attractive data marketplace', no less – and mentioning 'business' 47 times, and 'innovation' no less than 71 times –the paper portrays an obvious preference for the interests of business and trade over those of data subjects.
Further belying this commercial agenda, accompanying the paper is a 'Data Impact Analysis' , which breezily concludes that the UK stands to bank a net saving of £1.04bn from overhauling its data protection laws. I would argue that this analysis is an egregious, and profoundly misguided example of shoehorning qualitative matters (namely, impact to data subject rights) into quantitative financial analysis. Although qualitative matters are covered in a section entitled 'Impacts on Privacy and Trust', the treatment is less than one-page long – hardly a careful weighing of the scales. Rights have never made much sense when measured with an abacus – a point painfully demonstrated by this one-sided exercise in Panglossian economic optimism.
The UK, however, is not content to recast its own data protection laws, it also wishes to reshape the global data protection map. Its goal is to coax other jurisdictions out of the arms of Brussels, away from the growing perception that the GDPR standard is the gold standard, and instead towards adopting data protection laws that mirror the emerging UK framework. The 'Brussels Effect' has long been recognised within the international community, namely, the way in which the EU's legal and policy regime influences the governmental direction of non-EU nations. Brussels, however, now has an aspiring contender on the world stage: the 'London Effect'. Although the EU enjoys many years head start on the UK, as well clear realities to point to, such as Californian, Brazilian and South African data protection laws that consciously mimic the GDPR, the last punches in this geo-political tussle have not yet been thrown.
When the EU granted data adequacy to the UK, it did so subject to some key conditions. Importantly, for the first time in such deliberations, the EU Commission included a sunset provision that sees adequacy expiring automatically after four years , with its continuance depending on a satisfactory review. Additionally, the accompanying press release underlined that this clause has teeth, emphasising that close scrutiny would be given to the 'possibility of future divergence from our standards in the UK's privacy framework … and if anything changes on the UK side, we will intervene'.
The UK, meanwhile, is confident it can walk the tightrope and retain adequacy, while revamping its data protection regime. 'The government believes it is perfectly possible … to expect the UK to maintain EU adequacy as it … moves to implement any reforms in the future.'
The reality, however, is that the UK is most likely playing with fire, and faces the real prospect of losing its EU adequacy decision, something which may mean more to the UK economy in the longer term than any short-term trade deals. What is more, and what may, perhaps, be the most decisive factor in the future of its data protection laws, is the fact that even domestic UK companies, faced with the prospect of a diluted UK regime and the more robust EU framework, are likely to prefer to adhere to GPDR practices, knowing that doing so will prove much more beneficial in a world that is increasingly viewing the GDPR as the gold standard of data protection. Trade may well determine this matter after all, just not in the manner that Whitehall had imagined.