Aug
3
In many cases throughout the world, the definition of and identification of political corruption is not always clearly cut. There are methods that have been relied upon by investigators that rely on indirect means the perceptions of those involved or on the periphery of such actions as the occur. Often times the definition of political corruption covers a vast spectrum of popular and fashionable connotations, and is quite commonly used as a synonym for the overall term of general corruption.
The broad understanding is that it is any behaviour that is deemed unethical, or that serves to violate the norms, the mores and the laws of a given order. The trouble is that such a broad definition includes just about anything and relies on judgements that may or may not be lawful or legal. This leaves accusations up to the investigations of the criminal activity of which one is charged and to the interpretation of those investigations by the judicial systems.
If both of these aspects are conducted astute attention to detail, any evidence that has been manipulated for the purposes of slander may be missed. Corruption is also defined as the abuse of power for the benefit of others, while to the detriment of the society or individual that is being affected by it. This definition opens up a whole other set of discussions and debates regarding the exact definitions of “power” and of “abuse” and of “political”.
Aristotle corruption as a perversion or a deviations from the sound and reasonable practices of the systems of the government. Kings and leaders practicing in a sound manner always have the welfare of their countries and citizens in mind. Therefore, the political corruption of tyranny becomes a crime, as the well-being of the country was no longer a concern. In current times this is still under discussion, and is still an issue for most of the countries in the world.
Jul
27
Venture capital is a term you hear often, but you might not know exactly what it means. Venture capital is also just known simply as venture or even VC. Venture capital is private equity that is used to grow companies. This s how small startup companies are able to function. They have to raise themselves some venture capital. Most times venture capital is used for high tech businesses for backing.
There is also such a thing as venture capital investors. Venture capital usually comes from people that already have successful businesses, or have family money of their own to invest. Venture capital is needed if a business is looking to make a lot of profit and fast. It is rare that a start up without any sort of financial backing can be successful fast. That usually takes much more time.
A venture capitalist is someone who is able to seek out and find new inventions or ideas that they think would do well in the marketplace. There is also something called a venture capitalist fund. This is where several people pull their money together for a common goal.
This most commonly happens with an LLC, also called a limited liabilities corporation. The point of this is to avoid having to take out bank loans or incur other risks from an idea.
A good example of venture capital at its finest is the show on BBC America called Dragons Den. On the show inventors present their product to a group of investors. And the investors decide whether or not they would invest in the product. These investors are very successful business people.
For an extra source on things like venture capital pick up “The Complete Manual on How to Make Money from Your Inventions and Patents” by Steve Barbarich, it’s a good resource for this kind of thing.
Jul
24
The purpose of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is to ensure that companies and the subsidiaries, director, officers, agents and employees are kept from bribing officials of foreign countries. It also regulates companies books, accounting books in order to ensure that the records regarding equity, assets, and debt are accurate and reflected for each and every transaction. These policies and laws pertain to business conducted within the United States, and business abroad. All business more specifically, operations worldwide are monitored by the FCPA, as well as the United States Dept. of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Trade Act of 1988, influenced the role of the Department of Justice and their cooperation and coordination with the FCPA. The Attorney General sought to offer guidance of the Department of Justice with respects to enforcing the laws and the doctrines of the FCPA . Not only to they work within the United States with U.S companies, but they serve as liaisons to potential small business ventures and exporters who may not have the means to hire counsel specialized on the regulations of the FCPS . The guidance is however, limited to answering general questions related to the procedures of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, as well as questions regarding liability and responsibilities of complete compliance with those procedures. They provide a pamphlet to small companies just starting to do business, which outlines the laws and provides general explanations to the Act.
Any U.S. company or firm that seeks to do business or practice in the foreign market, must familiarize themselves with the statute outlined by the FCPA . They must become aware of the laws in order to avoid inadvertently breaking them. Simply stated, they must know that it is against the law to participate in corruption on any level, be it bribery, doctoring accounting books, wire and mail fraud, and money laundering. Small businesses just starting may be tempted to bribe foreign officials in order to secure new business or to ensure continued business. Any of the acts listed above are subject to federal prosecution. The laws are clearly written, and those with questions are able to turn to either the Department of Justice or the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC coordinates with the FOJ in enforcement of the policies and will answer questions regarding the general policies that govern foreign business, and the basic constraints and requirements.
Jul
7
Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and all the other ways people stay connected to one another these days has created a curious new problem. You know have to worry about how you appear online.
When was the last time you typed your name into Google? If you never have or it’s been awhile you might want to think about firing up your computer to do so. Because the chances are that anytime somebody meets your or you submit a resume for a job that person is going to type your name into a search engine. And don’t you want to know what pops up when that happens?
If you have a Facebook and have not set that thing to private yet, that’s something you may want to think about. I mean, you don’t really want your potential new boss, or current boss to see your photos from the trip to Cancun last year, unless of course you do for some reason.
That is why online reputation management is becoming more important these days. It is an internet marketing strategy as well, that is a part of companies that offer search engine optimization services.
It’s important to consider not only how you come across online, but also how your business comes across online. It doesn’t matter if you are a Chicago web design firm or a toy store in Idaho, it’s important to consider your online reputation.
So think about it, next time you can’t understand why you could not get the interview for that dream job, or that blind date decided to stand you up, the power of the internet. Make sure you appear how you want online and you will be better off in the long run. Business or personal, it’s all about reputation and if you don’t like yours, it may be time for a change.
Jun
25
I awoke around 5:30 am, got ready and headed north. I picked up 2 of my fishing buddy’s, Steve 1 and Steve 2. We drove to our favorite fishing stream, Toccoa River, one of the only streams in Georgia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(U.S._state) that remains chilly even in the middle of summer. We picked a nice day to go, the weather was perfect. We put on our waist-high waders and went walking toward the middle part of the stream.
Fishing was good for all three of us. We caught the few dozen fish using a zebra midge, a pheasant tail nymph and a olive hare’s ear dropped beneath a grass-hopper pattern. Half the fish we caught were fingerling’s and the other half being rainbows and browns around 8 to 15 inches long. I caught the 15 inch rainbow using the hopper pattern and the 13 inch brown using the pheasant tail. I knew we were all having a good time catching fish by listening to the steady stream of Wooo-Whoos coming from Steve and Steve 2.
We drove on up a bit more to Steve 2′s cabin. I nice little place set way back off the main road. We unloaded our gear and proceed to get the fish cleaned. We told Steve 2 that with all the fish we caught that he sure could use a couple of more outdoor sinks. But, the one will do for now. Steve 2 fired up the outdoor grill and we placed has many fish on top the grill that would fit, sat down with our beers and started telling each other our fish stories while the fish cooked. Steve 1 told us a fish story that wasn’t even a fish story. He said while he was down stream of us that he spotted something floating towards him, it was too far for him to reach out for it, so he wondered if he could use his fly technique to catch what it was floating past him. He did and the fly caught the object and Steve 1 reeled it in, it was Steve 2′s sunflower bag. Steve 2 didn’t even knew he lost it. What a perfect evening to top off a perfect day.
Jun
24
Money may be a bit short nowadays and that European vacation you were thinking about taking may not even be on your radar anymore. That’s fine; more people are deciding to keep their money in their pocket instead of going all out on a vacation. But there are still some great ways you can have fun without breaking the bank.
One option is that you can just stay home instead of taking a trip. The staycation is becoming ever more popular since most people’s expendable income has had a bit taken out of it due to the economy. There are some great things you can do in your very own backyard, or at least your friend’s backyard. So you should still take off your week of summer vacation except you might just not go anywhere.
The first thing you should look into is anything you have always wanted to do in the city you live in and just never had the time to do it. Check out any local museums or other cultural things in your area.
Look to nearby states for a little fun. Remember the old fashioned road trip? They were fun right? Well get your friends to pile into a car and take a road trip to a nearby landmark. You could even just make it a day trip; a little escape goes a long way.
Or you could stay at home and upgrade your yard. Haven’t you always wanted a Jacuzzi hot tub? Check out the business of Steve Barbarich choosehottubdirect.com for luxury hot tubs at whole sale prices.
Or you could just g to Home Depot or Lowes to pick up that barbecue grill that you have always wanted. They are relatively cheap and a great way to have a party or invite friends over. Have a happy summer even if you stay at home.
May
12
When people become bored in their profession or they are laid off they often wonder if they could go into a career in sales. This is beyond selling clothes at the mall, but look into you past at jobs you had when you were younger. They can be very telling if you would enjoy a career is sales.
If you worked at a clothing store did you enjoy or feel good when you met sales goals? If so a job in sales might be for you.
Even think back to when you were younger and sold stuff for you school or perhaps Girl Scout Cookies, did you find it easy to sell to your friends and family?
The point is that most people can sell almost anything with the right sales training.( All it takes is some leadership skills and a drive.
Most people already have had a least a little customer service training, they used to call it manners, ask your mother.
Mostly you need to be very open-minded. If you let employers know you like to sell and have willingness for on the job business training in their industry they will be willing to give you a chance.
When looking at sales jobs on a job board it is often a good idea to picture selling that product. How would you sell it? What would you say?
Most importantly you have to be able to sell yourself. If you can’t sell yourself in a job interview, you may not be capable of selling a product for a company, at least in their eyes. However, don’t give up if you get rejected. You will be able to find
the perfect opportunity for you. All you need is a little passion and determination, which is the cornerstone of any person who thinks they can be in sales.
SELL ON!
Apr
11
One of the buildings to have recently gained a ‘listed’ status by the government, the now empty building that once housed a department store, has caused quite a controversy. When the government declares a building ‘listed’, that building can not be altered nor destroyed, only restored to its original state if need be. Many cities do this with their historical buildings, to ensure that history be remembered and protected and not bulldozed over. In the US, some cities adhere to this idea, and others do not. The city of Manhattan restores rather than destroys, and in the historical, and now very trendy neighborhood of Wicker Park, in Chicago, many of the houses are not just historic in architectural design, but historical sites for the city as a whole. Many of the early politicians and influential citizens of Chicago lived in this neighborhood during the beginning of the 1900′s, and now, the buildings may be restored, and not demolished, but they must be restored to their original state, including the color of the paint used on the intricate lattice work surrounding many of the porches and windows.
The problem in Sheffield is that many feel that the building at Castle House is modern, too modern to be considered a landmark. The Co-op department store was closed down about a year ago, and the government has decided that it should remain as is. Which means that neither the outside of the building may be changed, nor the interior. Stating that the presence of the building is strong, with clean lines and individualism. Stating that the design is innovative. Council leaders are strongly opposed to the ‘listed’ status of the Co-op, stating that this severely limits the use of the building, as the only other business able to go into the building would be simply, another department store. The area and the building, they state, are both in need of regeneration. They are questioning the common sense of the government’s decision. They go on further to point out that other buildings in Sheffield are being destroyed, beautiful buildings, such as some Sheffield hotels and older historical sites. They are asking the government to reconsider some of these decisions.
Jan Wilson, Labor leader, states that what it all comes down to is personal taste. The city is attempting to become more ‘green’, not wasting resources by restoring existing structures, and not just simply knocking buildings down, only to build new ones. The public remains divided as well, some calling the Co-op an eyesore, while others maintain that the building is beautiful and should be saved from demolition . Many cities may face similar disagreements in the future, as the ‘green’ construction takes hold in various cities around the world.
Mar
22
The artist must train the eyes. Train the way the brain and the hands work together. While most have the belief that artistic talent is born, much of it is, to be honest, learned. And throughout all times of creation, and in this time right now, artists have so created a very subtle and very intense relationship between what the eyes see and the ability to get the hands to put that on paper or canvas or to pull it out the marble or clay. And while some create landscape paintings or floral designs, and some build buildings or design houses, others are right now, designing the 2015 model for the next BMW. Artists have stated that the most difficult subject to capture, is the human form. Years are spent in art schools around the world, spent with students drawing and observing the human form. And it is said quite frequently in the art world, that if you can paint a human you can paint anything. In Singapore it has become an ironic situation, for as the country is striving to be atop the list of the most successful and artistic in the creative world, to join the company of New York or Paris or Rome, the ideas that are ingrained in their culture regarding nudity, create a bit of conundrum. The nude body is needed in art class, but the models are viewed in negative light. A nude model in Singapore is seen by some as unethical or lacking character, and is regarded in much the same way as the prostitute is regarded in society.
Singapore is desiring to thrive in the world of international art, and to be in the company of such cultural and artistic heartbeats as Paris with salons in the 1920′s or as Manhattan with Washington Square Park in the 1960′s. The government holds sessions to attempt to ‘figure out’ how these cities garnered such a following and such an emotional, as well as technical and economic, following. Festivals are planned such as the Biennale or the Showcase Singapore, draw crowds, but leave the local artists wondering if it is really about the art, or just simply about the commerce. And every business, the business of art as well, must be concerned with the bottom line, Singapore 5 star resorts are just as concerned with the economy as the artist selling their work on the street. The point is, that much of was is created in art is the body, and in a city-state wherein so many are investigating ways to climb the ladder, the view of the nude form seems a bit old fashioned. Some of the most famous pieces throughout art history are based on the nude, and in Singapore, galleries have been required by law to remove some of those paintings from their walls. Artists have been forced to censor what they create. This topic has prompted heated debates and discussions, in relation to not only the art world, but the views as a culture and society on the whole.
Mar
21
Commart Thailand 2009 is in full swing at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok. The event, which began on March 19th will wrap up tomorrow, March 22nd.
With the flailing economy, this year’s event features a variety of new products and focuses on items priced below the 20K to 30K baht threshold. Organizers hope that this focus will bring more visitors to the exhibition. Many manufacturers agree with this approach and are hoping to boost lagging sales figures by putting more affordable models in front of the public.
The current economic dowturn makes any conference or trade show a boon to local businesses. Hotels in Bangkok Thailand are excited about a bump to the occupancy rates and restaurants and shops surrounding the convention center count on Commart and other events to keep their operations afloat.
This year’s Commart will be critical for the ongoing war of notebook computers. Acer, Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba are just a few of the companies launching more affordable notebooks at the evnt. Acer will also launch a low-cost desktop eMachine while Toshiba Thailand is hoping its new 3G PDA phone will cause a splash at the event.
Other companies participating in Commart Thailand include Dell, Intel, and Samart I-Mobile.
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