EU agrees with US on sharing of citizens' private data

Message to Franco Frattini, Vice President of the European Commission

To: franco.frattini@ec.europa.eu
Subject: News report: US-EU airline data accord reached
From: Marcus Williamson
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007

Mr Frattini

I have just read this news report:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6246938.stm

Could you please provide details of the agreement reached with the US on the retention of airline passenger data?

Could you also provide details of the agreement reached over SWIFT financial transaction data?

Are both these agreements in accordance with EU law on data privacy?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson

Internet Access for US Citizens

Message to John Kneuer, US Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information

To: jkneuer@ntia.doc.gov
Subject: News article
From: Marcus Williamson
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007


Mr Kneuer

I have just read this news article.

Could you please explain how the U.S. has fallen so far behind other developed countries in providing Internet access to its citizens?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson



The Huffington Post June 26, 2007
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-karr/bush-official-in-shoutin_b_53801.html?view=print

Timothy Karr

Bush Official in 'Shouting Match' with Open Access Supporters

The Bush administration's top telecommunications official reportedly tried to "shout down" net neutrality and open access supporters after they called him out for spinning America's Internet market as a wonderland of competition and consumer choice.

John Kneuer, assistant secretary of commerce and head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), "quickly lost his temper and began shouting" after an audience of technology experts pressed him to explain how the U.S. had fallen so far behind other developed countries in providing Internet access to citizens.

(more...)

Cadbury Schweppes cuts staff but won't reduce pay for board members

E-mail to Todd Stitzer, CEO of Cadbury Schweppes, asking what cuts will be made to the pay and benefits of board members

To: todd.stitzer@csplc.com
Subject: News report
From: Marcus Williamson
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007


Mr Stitzer

I see from this news report:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6766159.stm

that you are cutting Cadbury's staff by 15% to save costs.

As part of the cost savings, what reductions in pay and benefits will be made for you and your Board colleagues?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson


Reply from Cadbury Schweppes

To: Marcus Williamson
Subject: RE: News report
From: "Bolton, Katie"
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2007 02:35:39 -0600
Cc: "Mayer, Linda" ,
"Li, Sue Mei"

Dear Mr Williamson,

I am replying to your email on behalf of Mr Stitzer and Cadbury Schweppes plc. We held an investor and analyst seminar on 19th June to share our plans for the future of our company once we have completed the separation of our beverages business. At that seminar we said we would be submitting new incentive plans to shareowners later in the year with the specific aim of ensuring they are well aligned with our new financial targets for the period 2008-2011. In order to retain talented managers to run our business we need to pay competitively with our peers in the fast moving consumer goods sector and the FTSE100.

I can reassure you that the cost cutting exercise to which you refer will affect all levels of our business. We recently announced that 10% of our top 100 managers would be leaving the business as a result and that we would be moving our Global headquarters from Mayfair to Uxbridge.

Yours sincerely,

Ms K.Bolton