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nray writes:
A Times investigation analyzing over 100,000 government bidding documents found that China’s ambition to collect digital and biological data from its citizens is more expansive and invasive than previously known.
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nray writes:
Mayor London Breed is working with business leaders to push San Francisco employers to start bringing more workers back to downtown offices at some point in March.
Breed said she was developing a strategy with the Chamber of Commerce and other business groups to help turn around the city’s once-bustling commercial core. San Francisco’s downtown has been hit hard as most employees have stayed home during the pandemic.
Breed’s comments reflect the pressure she’s under to revive San Francisco’s struggling downtown where weekday foot traffic remains sparse, small businesses have shuttered and massive office towers sit largely empty nearly two years after COVID-19 sent most workers home indefinitely.
The city faces an uphill battle in trying to bring its downtown economy back to pre-pandemic levels, particularly when it comes to attracting conventions.
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nray writes:
Eric Adams demands NYC workers return to offices as it's revealed Manhattan businesses are just 28% full.
Adams said that white-collar workers who continued working from home were hurting service-oriented businesses that rely on a steady stream of customers.
“That accountant that’s not in his office space is not going to the cleaners,” he said.
“It’s not going to the restaurant. It’s not allowing the cooks, the waiters, the dishwashers [to make a living].”
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nray writes:
The rancor intensified last week, when Urs Hölzle, one of the company's longest-tenured and most senior executives, announced plans to work remotely from New Zealand, according to an email he sent to employees that was viewed by CNET. News of Hölzle's relocation especially stung because he has been particularly vocal against remote work, employees said. De Vesine, the resigning Googler, said Hölzle had a policy of not letting people work remotely unless they were assigned to an office and that he wouldn't consider remote work for people who hadn't reached a certain level of seniority. t's unclear if Hölzle's salary will be adjusted to the local market, as required for other employees relocating to a new place. The Google spokesman declined to comment on his compensation. If the rule applies to Hölzle, he would likely be taking a pay cut. Mountain View, California, where Hölzle is based, is 18% more expensive than Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, according to Expatistan. (It's unclear what city Hölzle is moving to.)
