Samsung suspends China supplier over child labor

SEOUL, South Korea — Samsung Electronics Co. said it has suspended business ties with a Chinese supplier that allegedly hired children.

The South Korean company, which is the world's biggest smartphone maker, said in its blog Monday that it had found possible evidence of child labor and illegal hiring at Dongguan Shinyang Electronics Co.

Samsung said last week it would urgently look into the Chinese supplier following a New York-based watchdog's report that it hired at least five children under the age of 16.

China Labor Watch said children as well as minors under 18 worked at Shinyang for three to six months to meet production targets during a period of high demand. The watchdog said the child workers were paid for 10 hours a day but worked 11 hours.

The report detailed 15 labor violations discovered during its undercover investigation. They included child labor, the absence of safety training, no overtime wages and no social insurance for temporary workers, who constituted at least 40 percent of 1,200 employees at the Chinese cellphone parts supplier for Samsung.

China Labor Watch's report came shortly after Samsung said its audit found no child labor at hundreds of Chinese suppliers. Samsung began inspecting its Chinese suppliers after the labor watchdog raised the child labor issue in 2012.

Samsung said Chinese authorities are investigating the case and if the investigation finds child labor, Samsung will permanently stop doing business with Shinyang.

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Samsung's statement: http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/?p=38650

Full report by China Labor Watch: http://chinalaborwatch.org/pdf/2014.07.10_Shinyang_Electronics_report__FINAL.pdf

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China indicts US, British corporate investigators

BEIJING — Chinese authorities have indicted British and American investigators hired by GlaxoSmithKline on charges of illegally obtaining and selling private information, state media reported Monday, as the Briton blamed the pharmaceutical company for misleading and using him.

Prosecutors in Shanghai filed charges of illegally obtaining and selling private information against British investigator Peter Humphrey and his wife Yingzeng Yu, a U.S. citizen, at the city's No. 1 Intermediate People's Court, the official Xinhua News Agency said. The move paves the way for the couple to stand trial.

The official Xinhua News Agency said it is the first time foreigners have faced such charges in China. Humphrey, 58, and Yu, 61, are part of an industry of investigators who help corporate clients screen potential partners and employees or watch for embezzlement and other employee misconduct.

The couple's arrest last year coincided with a Chinese investigation of accusations that GlaxoSmithKline paid bribes to doctors and officials to use its medications. Glaxo said it hired Yu and Humphrey last year to investigate a security breach involving a top manager.

The indictment received prominent coverage in China. Reports by state broadcaster CCTV showed Humphrey and his wife being separately interviewed by Chinese reporters. In CCTV's footage, they were shown seated and wearing orange vests that are typical uniforms of detainees, as they spoke to reporters.

According to Xinhua, the couple are accused of illegally selling a "huge amount" of personal information on Chinese citizens, including home addresses, information about family members, details about real estate and vehicles and records of travelers entering and leaving the country.

The investigators are accused of obtaining such information by illegally buying it from others as well as with hidden cameras or by following people, Xinhua said.

Yu and Humphrey would compile the information gathered on the subjects of their investigations and sell the reports to clients that were mainly multinational companies based in China such as GSK China, the report said. They ran the Shanghai-based corporate intelligence and consulting firm ChinaWhys Ltd.

In Chinese media reports on Monday, Humphrey said he had been contacted in April last year by GSK's then-China manager, Mark Reilly, who wanted him to find out who leaked allegations of bribery at the firm to Chinese authorities and senior executives at the firm.

Reilly, who is British, is at the center of a major investigation into corruption in China's medical industry. In May, he was accused of leading a sprawling scheme to bribe doctors and hospitals to use GSK's drugs. Reilly's case has been turned over to prosecutors.

Humphrey said on state television that he found out during his investigation that the bribery claims were true and if he had known that earlier he would not have carried out the probe. Humphrey said he felt "betrayed and used" by the pharmaceutical firm.

GSK did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.

The British Embassy in Beijing said it was providing consular help to Humphrey and his family and have told Chinese authorities they would like to attend the trial, which the court has said will be closed. A trial date hasn't been announced yet.

"We have made clear to the Chinese authorities that we would like Embassy staff to attend the trial and the need for a transparent and fair process," the embassy said in an emailed response to questions.

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Singapore ad backfires thanks to Germany Cup run

SINGAPORE — An ad campaign warning of the perils of gambling that began as just another bland public service announcement by Singapore's government has turned into fodder for international mockery, and left authorities scrambling after Germany's World Cup victory.

In the TV version of the ad, which debuted last month when the World Cup kicked off, a sullen young boy named Andy tells his friends in the playground that his father had used all of Andy's savings to bet on Germany to win the tournament.

Sad piano music is cued and a message is displayed: "Often, the people who suffer from problem gambling aren't the gamblers."

The PSA wasn't lampooned until Germany won its first match against Portugal, 4-0. As the World Cup progressed and the Germans looked more and more like favorites to win the title, the mocking of the ad intensified, with many wondering if little Andy and his dad were going to make a killing on the bet.

After Germany's stunning 7-1 semifinal drubbing of Brazil, the ad prompted ridiculing on "The Tonight Show."

"Cheer up, kid, your dad bet on Germany," host Jimmy Fallon said. "He's so rich you don't even need to go to college anymore."

Even Singapore's usually stoic politicians could not resist taking a few pot shots. Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin wrote on Facebook: "Looks like the boy's father who bet all his savings on Germany will be laughing all the way to the bank!"

But Singapore's National Council for Problem Gambling refused to back down and withdraw the campaign, which also included radio spots, posters around the country and banners on the council's website. In a statement, it said selecting Germany "injected a sense of realism in our messaging, since no one will bet on a potentially losing team."

On Monday, following Germany's 1-0 win over Argentina in the final, Facebook pages were full of congratulatory messages for Andy and his dad. A few suggested the two were off to Germany for a holiday, while another showed Andy wearing a suit, accompanied by the caption, "Who's your daddy?"

The council, meanwhile, rushed to post a new ad on its website. It features Andy's friend asking him: "Your dad's team won. Did you get your savings back?"

Andy replies: "No, Dad never stops ... he wants to bet one more time."

Singapore has a strong gambling culture, even though it only opened its casinos in recent years. Government-run sports betting and the lottery are hugely popular in the tightly controlled Southeast Asian city-state of 5.4 million people.

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Quincy lures tech firms

Quincy is throwing its hat into the Massachusetts technology ring, trying to lure growing high tech and life sciences companies — and the coveted jobs they bring with them — to the City of Presidents.

"We've really been working hard to put the pieces together to make Quincy more attractive for investment," said Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch.

Koch said Quincy can be a good fit for companies that need a bit more space than Boston offers, particularly for light manufacturing.

Recently, Quincy sent two economic development officials to a global biotechnology conference in San Diego to pitch Quincy as a good home, and joined the newly created Life Sciences Corridor, a joint effort with Cambridge, Boston, Somerville and Braintree to market the region to companies.

Medical device company RasLabs, a former MassChallenge finalist, unveiled its new office and lab space in Quincy Thursday.

It is moving from Boston's Innovation District.

"This is a magnificent spot," RasLabs CEO Eric Sandberg said, referring to the new office. "It was everything we were looking for, there's room to expand."

RasLabs had been working out of MassChallenge and looked for office space in the Innovation District, but did not find a good fit.

RasLabs, which makes synthetic muscles, joins Boston Scientific and Bluefin Labs, makers of underwater drones, in Quincy.

Bluefin, which came into the spotlight when its underwater drones were used in the search for the missing Malaysian airliner, was offered tax incentives to move to Quincy, Koch said.

Bluefin CEO and president David Kelly said the company chose Quincy because of a supportive Quincy government as well as "the Fore River Shipyard, which offers water access and ample factory space."

Similar tax incentives could be used in the future to draw new companies to the city.

"We use any tool or resource we can to help...the economy of our city," Koch said.

Quincy, where the unemployment rate is just 4.8 percent, according to the state, is still trying to expand its economy.

"For Quincy, or any community, it's important to do as much as you can to diversify your economy and your commercial base so you're not relying on one industry sector," said Dean Rizzo, president of the Quincy Chamber of Commerce.

Still, growing companies need more than just cheaper office space.

Part of Quincy's effort is creating an attractive ecosystem for companies, as well as a pipeline for future talent.

Quincy College has a new 1,600 square foot biotech lab, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.

Koch added: "It's been a real concerted effort to open our world a little bit."

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Co. creates machine shop in a box

A MassChallenge finalist founded in a Somerville community work center says it's created the world's first hybrid 3D printer they've dubbed a "machine shop in a box."

The Mebotics Microfactory combines the best of two types of manufacturing machine: one that starts with nothing more than a design and adds layer upon layer of material — usually plastic — to create a prototype, and one that begins with an amorphous material and chips away at it until the machine has sculpted the prototype according to the design's specifications.

"By combining the additive and the subtractive, we're able to work in a huge range of materials that a standard 3D printer can't," said Jeremy Fryer-Biggs, Mebotics' co-founder and CEO.

The result can be the difference between a plastic letter opener that breaks when you try to use it, and one made out of metal with a wooden handle that's not only functional but attractive, he said.

Fryer-Biggs has also used the Microfactory to make a custom speaker, a phone dock, woodblock prints, wax-casting chess pieces and a chess board made of exotic woods.

His fascination with building things began when he was a kid playing with Legos.

"Later on, while other kids were spending their allowances on pizza," he said, "I was buying things at Radio Shack for my next invention."

By the time Fryer-Biggs saw a 3D printer in action for the first time when he was a graduate student at Tufts University, he was hooked. After earning his master's degree in biomedical engineering in 2010, he started his own product-development company.

Sharper Image hired him to make a bagel-slicing device, but Fryer-Biggs was in no position to pay $500,000 for a new professional 3D printer. So he rented time on one.

"The client got angry because it took longer than expected," he said. "I said, 'Something's got to give.'"

At the time, Fryer-Biggs and three friends — Judah Sher, Calvin Domenico and Edison Gieswein — were helping grow a Somerville "maker space" called Artisan's Asylum, and they began kicking around the idea of making a hybrid manufacturing machine, one that, unlike most 3D printers, would be quiet, portable, clean and affordable.

In December 2012, they founded Mebotics, and over the next five months they financed the development of five versions of the Microfactory, each one a refinement over its predecessor.

The current version is a self-cleaning machine that can fit on a kitchen table, print materials in four colors and cut them. Because the Microfactory is connected to the Internet, Fryer-Biggs and his co-founders also are working on innovations that will allow people to remotely start their prints and monitor their machine's status, download content directly to it and network Microfactories together.

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Voltage to the starter is key to non-starting Focus

I found a 2003 Ford Focus with 30,000 miles for my daughter's transportation needs for a few years. After driving to a destination, the engine refuses to turn over unless you wait 20-30 minutes. This only happens in summertime and it simply "clicks" like a battery problem. I've had it analyzed on the computer and got no hits. My mechanic, to his credit, doesn't want to just guess at the problem until he's more sure of the source. Can you help?

Anytime there's an intermittent no-crank issue, the question is whether or not battery voltage is reaching the starter motor. A volt meter across the battery terminals as you attempt to crank the engine will tell you the answer. If voltage immediately drops into the 10- to 12-volt range as you turn the key, current is reaching the starter motor and it is trying to crank the engine. If you can, tap the starter or solenoid with a baseball bat while attempting to crank the engine — with all due caution and safety, of course. If the engine suddenly cranks, it is likely a faulty starter motor or starter solenoid.

If, on the other hand, the volt meter shows no significant change in battery voltage as you attempt to crank the engine, no current is reaching the starter motor. There is likely a poor-quality connection or ground somewhere in the starting circuit.

In either case I'd suggest disconnecting the battery and disassembling/cleaning/resecuring every electrical and ground connection in the starting circuit.

The clutch pedal in my 1988 Dodge Ram 50 was hard to depress after 30,000 km on a replaced clutch kit. I installed a new disc, pressure plate and throw-out bearing. I examined the cable for binding and kinks but found nothing — the cable was smooth in the casing. It is still really hard to depress. I've correctly adjusted the cable free play. I even took off the cable from the transmission and manually swung the clutch fork that moves the throw-out bearing. It is smooth and easy until it contacts the pressure plate, then super resistance. When I had the transmission out I saw no binding of the throw-out bearing sliding on the spindle. Help!

I'll assume you installed a stock replacement clutch assembly — not a heavy-duty clutch that might inherently require more pedal effort to disengage. Dodge recommends lightly lubricating the input shaft splines with wheel bearing grease and the pilot bushing in the rear of the crankshaft with a multi-purpose grease to prevent the clutch disc splines from binding on the shaft.

Years ago I stumbled across an unusual cause for a very stiff clutch pedal. The bushing in the clutch pedal was binding on the shaft the clutch pedal pivots on under the dash. I discovered this only when I accidentally pushed the clutch pedal with the cable disconnected from the pedal assembly. I ended up disassembling, lightly honing, lubricating and reassembling the pedal assembly – problem solved.

Even though the cable isn't binding as you move it by hand, it could have worn a groove in its casing/housing, which may cause binding under the stress of disengaging the clutch.

If I do a fast takeoff from a stop, the transmission on my '05 Buick LeSabre clunks hard shifting through all gears. If I stop and shut the car off it is fine and won't do it again until I have to do a quick takeoff. What do you think?

When this occurs, does the SES (Service Engine Soon) lamp illuminate? Your first step is to have a scan tool check for DTC fault codes. The transmission may be dropping into "limp mode" and operating with higher hydraulic pressure to protect itself. A simple DIY approach is to add half a can of SeaFoam Trans-Tune to the transmission to clean the valve body and hydraulic components.

Paul Brand, author of "How to Repair Your Car," is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race-car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn., 55488 or via email at paulbrand@startribune.com. Please explain the problem in detail and include a daytime phone number. Because of the volume of mail, we cannot provide personal replies.

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E-coupon app ringing it up

For mobile commerce to be successful, consumers — not the merchants — have to be the driving force, and one of the few companies that has figured that out is our own Waltham-based e-Coupons service SavingStar, which is announcing a huge expansion on Monday.

Rather than trying to get consumers to forgo their credit cards or lure them with "game theory," as Square and LevelUp have done, SavingStar is doing something simpler — and maybe even nobler: They've spent the past three years trying to modernize the ol' grocery store coupon.

Launched in 2011, the digital grocery savings service began helping shoppers earn cash back on purchase at stores such as Stop & Shop, Hannaford, Shaw's, CVS, Wegmans, Roche Bros., and Price Chopper. The soon-to-be-announced expansion adds partnerships with Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, Walgreens, Family Dollar and Dollar General.

Spun from Newton-based marketing corporation 
Upromise, SavingStar is a mobile app for Android and iOS that organizes and provides coupons from leading manufacturers — essentially the digital equivalent of the supermarket circular.

But it's more valuable to merchants than paper coupons because it encourages consumers to use their customer loyalty cards at checkout. And that gives the merchants better data about consumption.

As for consumers, they don't see the discount at the register, but in the form of rewards that accumulate as cash, transferable to Paypal, Amazon gift cards or a bank account.

It's brilliant, really. Nothing generates loyalty like checking your bank statement and seeing that a company has actually deposited money rather than withdrawn it.

In addition to the merchant partner expansion, SavingStar is also adding a new feature, allowing consumers to earn discounts just by taking a picture of their receipt.

SavingStar, which claims 
five million users, has raised 
$27.4 million in venture capital since its founding, including a $9.1 million fourth round last year, according to CrunchBase.

SavingStar is consumer-driven, and I wouldn't be surprised if a company like Amazon scoops them up soon.

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New group helps artists brush up biz skills

A new hub for artists trying to mix their creativity with business savvy is holding its annual Marketplace tomorrow in Somerville.

Jessica Burko, a mixed-media artist, photographer and founder and director of Boston Handmade, is holding the event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow in Union Square.

"Our group exists to support creative entrepreneurs in their microbusinesses," said Burko, 40, of Roslindale. "When you go to art school, you don't necessarily get any business training. So our group is all about filling that gap."

Boston Handmade also offers workshops on topics such as how to use social media to market your business.

"I really wanted to meet a group of fellow artists and crafts people like that to bounce ideas off of," said Dana Garczewski, an illustrator whose studio, The Patterned Peacock, is in Watertown.

Garczewski, 36, sees events like the Boston Handmade Marketplace as a chance to show people the value of buying goods handmade locally.

"It's an opportunity to get to know the artists in your own backyard," she said, "and experience art and crafts in a very hands-on way."

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Traditional exterior hides modern home

This stylish new townhouse is one of six similar available units that's bringing a contemporary look to a traditional but highly desirable Somerville neighborhood between Davis and Teele squares.

Each unit at 39-43 Elmwood St. has four levels of living space and features a private outdoor deck carved into its roof. The exteriors of the two buildings are Hardieplank clapboard with white trim with gables as a nod to the existing neighborhood. But the interiors are completely contemporary.

The units feature high-tech components such as iBot smart-home technology, Nest learning thermostats, Sonos music systems and Kohler digital shower valves. Units also come with induction cooktops, Navien tankless water heaters and high-efficiency gas heating and central air-conditioning systems.

In the staged model unit, you enter via a small front porch into a 15-foot high foyer and step up into an open, recessed-lit living/dining area with 13-foot ceilings, oak-stained floors and lots of tall windows with transoms above. In one corner sits a horizontal gas fireplace with a metallic porcelain finished surround. And overhead is built-in surround sound with a Sonos music system that can be operated through a smartphone or iPad.

It's a half flight up to a high-end kitchen, which features custom maple cabinetry including a recipe desk. There are white quartz countertops with glass mosaic backsplash and a quartz island/breakfast bar with contemporary pendant light­ing. High-end Energy­Star appliances include a Sub Zero refrigerator, a Bosch dishwasher and wall ovens and a Bosch electric induction cooktop. Off the kitchen is a half-bath.

The second floor features two bedrooms, two full bathrooms and a closet with a washer/dryer hookup. The oak-floored master bedroom has a walk-in closet with built-in wardrobe system. The en-suite porcelain-tiled bathroom has a walk-in shower with a stylish rolling glass door and a Kohler DTV digital shower valve.

The second bedroom is a bit on the small side, but there is a second full porcelain bathroom with a white subway tile surround for a tub/shower.

The third floor features a third bedroom, a flex space that could also be a home office, study or gym. It opens out onto a private deck cut into the roof of the building.

The lower level features direct access to a one-car garage and a half flight farther down to a carpeted space, ideal for a family room, with an adjacent half bathroom.

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Uber secretive about Hub details

Uber, the private car service app taking Boston by storm, is so shrouded in secrecy that company officials won't answer basic questions such as how many complaints were made against drivers, how many have been fired for misconduct — or even how many are working in town.

The young tech company's spokesman, Taylor Bennett, even refused to answer how many trips Boston riders have taken with Uber, and instead emailed marketing copy on the benefits of the service.

"While that is proprietary, we've done hundreds of thousands of trips since launching back in 2011," Bennett said in an email. "Overall, we've received overwhelming support from both riders and drivers since our launch."

According to Bennett, the number of Uber rider complaints is also kept secret, including gripes about surge pricing, a controversial feature that temporarily hikes fares during peak ridership.

Bennett declined repeated requests for an interview with Uber leadership and insisted the Herald send all questions via email. He did not respond to several follow-up questions yesterday, including whether the company plans to increase transparency.

The red-hot tech startup last month raised 
$1.2 billion in venture capital funding that had investors estimating the worth of the smartphone app transportation service at a whopping $17 billion.

The cash infusion was reportedly led by Fidelity Investments and other backers including Wellington Management, Summit Partners, BlackRock Inc., venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and existing investors such as Google Ventures and Menlo Ventures.

Uber has also come under fire from cab companies beefing that the service is unregulated. A local class-action lawsuit filed last month alleges the company classifies certain drivers as independent contractors, illegally forcing them to pay for gas, insurance and other expenses.

The app service boasts of a "two-way street" feedback feature that allows drivers and passengers to evaluate one another on a five-star rating system after each ride. While riders can see a driver's rating, riders can't see how drivers rate them unless they email customer service.

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