Friday, August 30, 2013
Fast-food workers begin strikes across US over wages
NEW YORK - Fast-food workers staged strikes at McDonald's and Burger Kings and demonstrated at other stores in sixty US cities on Thursday in their latest action in a nearly year-long campaign to raise wages in the service sector.
The strikes spread quickly across the country and have shut down restaurants in New York, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Raleigh and Seattle, according to organizers.
The fast-food workers were expected to be joined by retail staff from stores owned by Macy's Inc., Sears Holdings Corp. and Dollar Tree Inc.
The fast-food workers want to form unions in the virtually union-free sector without employer retaliation and bargain for higher wages.
They are demanding pay of $15 an hour, up from $7.25, which is the current federal minimum wage.
Martin Rafanan, a community organizer in St. Louis, said local employees of McDonald's and Wendy's can't make it on the salaries.
"If you're paying $7.35 an hour and employing someone for 20, 25 hours a week, which is the average here, they're bringing home about $10,000 a year. You can't survive on that," Rafanan said. Missouri's minimum wage is $7.35 an hour.
"Unless we can figure out how to make highly profitable companies pay a fair wage to their workers, we're just going to watch them pull all the blood, sweat, tears and money out of our communities."
McDonald's profits totaled $5.47 billion in 2012.
Momentum building
Momentum has been building in recent months, organizers say, as they receive financial and technical support from the Service Employees International Union, community activists, politicians and the clergy.
Last November, some 200 workers walked off their fast-food jobs in New York City. Groups in Chicago, Kansas City, Detroit and other cities followed their lead in April and July.
The $200 billion US fast-food sector as well as retail sales and food preparation have been under the spotlight because they have added most of the jobs, in many cases lower-paying and part time, since the recession.
Restaurant chains and trade groups say the protests are unwarranted because fast-food and retail outlets provide Americans with millions of good jobs with competitive pay and ample opportunities to rise through the ranks.
"Our history is full of examples of individuals who worked their first job with McDonald's and went on to successful careers both within and outside of McDonald's," McDonald's said in a statement.
Wendy's and Burger King did not respond to requests for comment.
The restaurant chains have not changed their wage policies as a result of recent strikes.
The National Retail Federation said in a statement the strikes are "further proof that the labor movement (has) abdicated their role in an honest and rational discussion about the American workforce."
And in the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, the conservative Employment Policies Institute ran a full-page ad with a picture of a robot making pancakes, warning that higher wages would mean "fewer entry-level jobs and more automated alternatives."
"You can either raise prices and lose customers, or (automate) those jobs," said Michael Saltsman, EPI's research director, adding that "the idea that restaurants are rolling in the money is not representative of the situation franchisees face."
The median wage for front-line fast-food workers is $8.94 per hour, according to an analysis of government data by the National Employment Law Project (NELP), an advocacy group for lower-wage workers.
"The workers are responding to total failure on behalf of the federal government to raise the minimum wage to keep up with inflation and the cost of living," said Tsedeye Gebreselassie, an attorney at the NELP, referring to the strikes.
The walkouts, coming before the US Labor Day holiday on Monday, also took place in the Southern states of Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina.
Dorian Warren, an assistant professor of political science at Columbia University who has published work on labor organizing and inequality, said the significance of protests in the South is "a huge, huge deal."
"The South has always been the model for low wage employment, from slavery to the Jim Crow laws, to the present. It's also the most anti-union part of the country, so the fact that workers feel empowered enough to take collective action is enormous," Warren said.
source: interaksyon.com
Explain why bogus NGOs continued to receive pork barrel even under PNoy's term, DBM told
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad should explain why fake non-government organizations continued to receive public funds even during the time of President Benigno Aquino III since 2010, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) said.
"If indeed the release of PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) since 2010 have been judicious and strictly regulated, why then are there documented releases to fake NGOs through the GOCCs (government owned and controlled corporation), amounting to more than P500 million?” Navotas Representative and UNA secretary general Toby Tiangco said.
Quoting from documents obtained from the Philippine Forest Corporation, National Agribusiness Corporation, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environment of Natural Resources, Tiangco said that some P500 million PDAF was released to fake NGOs between 2010 and 2012.
The P500 million released by the Department of Budget and Management in the last three years was different and separate from the more than P1 billion given between 2010 and 2012 to foundations and corporations under businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.
Tiangco also said that Abad cannot just claim innocence on the multi-billion peso releases to the 82 questionable NGOs identified by the Commission on Audit until 2012.
“Based on records, these 82 NGOs under question still continue to receive millions upon millions from DBM through the implementing agencies. What happened to the restrictions on the pork barrel releases the DBM has been saying—bakit marami pa ring nakakalusot since 2010?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Tiangco criticized the Aquino administration for its "very special treatment" to Napoles since she turned herself in on Thursday..“It’s not special treatment. It’s concierge service,” he said.
source: interaksyon.com
US grants married gay couples federal tax benefits
WASHINGTON -- All legally wed gay couples, no matter which state they live in, are entitled to the same US federal tax benefits as married heterosexual couples, the Obama administration said on Thursday.
The US Treasury ruling, following a landmark Supreme Court decision in June, means that whether a married gay couple lives in New York, which recognizes gay marriage, or Oklahoma, which does not, federal tax benefits and responsibilities apply.
The Supreme Court on June 26 invalidated a key portion of a 1996 federal law, known as the Defense of Marriage Act, which had defined marriage as between a man and a woman.
There was some uncertainty after the Supreme Court ruling about how the tax status of gay married couples would be treated in dozens of states that have laws against gay marriage.
"Today's ruling provides certainty and clear, coherent tax filing guidance for all legally married same-sex couples nationwide. It provides access to benefits, responsibilities and protections under federal tax law that all Americans deserve," Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said.
There are about 130,000 same-sex married couples in the United States, according to estimates from the Census Bureau.
Gay rights backers said the ruling could prompt same-sex couples in states where gay marriage is not legal to travel to states where it is recognized to wed.
"We will see many more couples from the more than 30 states without marriage equality come to New York," said Nathan Schaeffer, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda.
Retroactive
Under the ruling, effective September 16, gay married couples may file amended tax returns to change their filing status going back to tax years 2010, 2011 and 2012 to seek possible tax refunds, the Treasury Department said in a statement.
A Supreme Court ruling in June made California the 13th of the 50 US states to recognize gay marriage. The District of Columbia also recognizes gay marriage. Thirty-five US states have laws on their books restricting marriage to a man and a woman.
"With today's ruling, committed and loving gay and lesbian married couples will now be treated equally under our nation's federal tax laws, regardless of what state they call home," said Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin.
The ruling means legally married same-sex couples may choose to file their federal taxes as married filing jointly or married filing separately.
Marriage status under federal tax law brings both benefits and penalties. On the plus side, legally married spouses are exempted from the federal estate tax. On the other hand, some gay couples above a certain income threshold may face the "marriage penalty" that some heterosexual couples confront.
An anti-gay marriage group denounced the ruling.
"The Obama administration is intent on forcing same-sex 'marriage' on an unwilling public," said Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage.
State issues
While the ruling brings clarity to federal tax returns, it could cause confusion for state returns filed by gay married couples in states that do not recognize their marriages.
In 24 of the states that do not recognize gay marriage, the law requires taxpayers to refer to federal tax returns, setting up a clash between state and federal authorities, the Tax Foundation, a conservative leaning think tank said in a report.
"Today's ruling will likely create administrative headaches for state taxing authorities in states that do not recognize same-sex marriages, because most state income tax regimes begin with federal taxable income as the starting point," Marvin Kirsner, a tax attorney at Greenberg Traurig, wrote in an email.
"States are going to have to issue guidance and I do think political opposition will arise," said Elizabeth Malm, an economist at the Tax Foundation, a free market think tank.
Growing public support
President Barack Obama and many of his fellow Democrats back gay marriage, but the number of supporters in both parties has been increasing in recent years. Republicans were parties to the Supreme Court lawsuit over the Defense of Marriage Act, but were mostly quiet after the court ruled.
A spokesman for John Boehner, the Republican speaker of the US House of Representatives, said he had no comment on the latest ruling announced by the Treasury Department.
Separately on Thursday, the US Department of Health and Human Services said same-sex spouses would have access to coverage in the nursing home where their spouse lives under privately run Medicare health insurance plans.
Other government agencies are expected to make announcements soon to square their policies with the Supreme Court ruling.
For example, the Social Security and Veterans administrations have statutes that turn to state law in defining marriage. Gay marriage backers are awaiting clarification from those agencies on treatment of legally married gay couples.
source: interaksyon.com
US not seeking permanent bases in PH, says defense chief Hagel
The United States "does not seek permanent bases in the Philippines," visiting US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday, following a courtesy call on President Benigno Aquino III in Malacanang.
Permanent basing "represents a return to an outdated Cold War" mentality and is not suited to the new, and evolving challenges to security and cooperation in the region, explained Hagel, who is visiting Manila as part of a Southeast Asian swing after attending the ASEAN defense chiefs' meeting in Brunei.
Instead of permanent basing, "we are using a new model of military-to-military cooperation befitting great allies and friends, and looking to increase our rotational presence here, as we have done recently in Singapore and Australia," added Hagel.
He said such an arrangement "would benefit both our militaries by increasing our ability to train and operate together. Deepening engagement opportunities between our forces will further support President Aquino’s defense modernization agenda."
The US and the Philippines are confident of stronger military cooperation, said both sides in a joint press briefing by Hagel and Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. "The deep and unbreakable alliance between the United States and Philippines is an anchor for peace and stability and prosperity in this region," said the US defense chief.
Hagel explained that "as the US re-balance to the Asia Pacific makes clear, this region is very important to America’s economic, strategic, and security interests both now and the years to come. So I look forward to continuing our engagement in the region."
"As much as I know, President Obama is looking forward to his upcoming visit" to the region, added Hagel.
They described their talks as "productive" as they tackled ongoing discussions on a framework agreement on increased US rotational presence in the Philippines.
Finally, Hagel said he discussed with President Aquino, and meant to discuss with the ministers, the situation in the South China Sea. He said the US and its allies, partners and friends in this part of the world hope this "will be resolved peacefully and without coercion."
He affirmed US support for ASEAN efforts to negotiate the South China Sea Code of Conduct, "which will help peacefully manage disagreements and tensions arising from competing territorial and maritime claims." He also praised the "Philippines’ efforts to solve its dispute through peaceful means."
For the full text of the opening statements of Secretaries Hagel and Gazmin, pls click here.
source: interaksyon.com
PSEi returns above 6,100-mark
Philippine share prices extended their gains on Friday to lift the composite index near the 6,100 level.
At the Philippine Stock Exchange, the benchmark index opened slightly higher with a gain of 0.7 percent, with buying momentum accelerating as the session progressed.
At the close of trades, the composite index rose 130.96 points or 2.20 percent to end the week at 6,075.17. All sectors finished in the green with the property, holding firm and industrial counters up at least two percent each.
There were two gainers for every loser, while 37 issues were unchanged. A total of 1.26 billion stocks worth P14.43 million changed hands.
Most actively traded stocks were SM Investments, Ayala Land, PLDT, SM Prime and Ayala Corp. Top advancers were A Brown, Nextstage and Berjaya, while the biggest losers were Jolliville, Calapan Ventures and Cyber Bay.
The rally was fueled by window dressing and follow-through buying after the government reported economic growth that topped expectations, said Joseph Roxas, president at Eagle Equities Inc.
The Philippines' gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 7.5 percent in the second quarter, defying the slump in the region and making it one of Asia's fastest growing.
"The GDP data came at a time when the market was ready for a rebound," said Roxas.
Prior to yesterday's 3.6 percent gain, the main index had been bleeding in four of the last five sessions, with losses aggregating nearly 13 percent. Escalating political tensions in Syria and the prospect of the US Federal Reserve winding down its stimulus program had been weighing on global stock markets.
Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 16.44 points, or 0.11 percent, to close at 14,840.95 amid further signs of an improving US economy.
Data showed the world’s largest economy grew at a revised rate of 2.5 percent in the second quarter, higher than the initial estimate of 1.7 percent. Meanwhile, applications for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week.
Tempering gains in Wall Street were lingering concerns over a possible Western-led military strike against Syria for using chemical weapons in a massive deadly attack last week.
source: interaksyon.com
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones have separated
NEW YORK | Hollywood couple Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones have separated in what could spell the end of their nearly 13-year marriage, People magazine reported on Wednesday, and a representative for Zeta-Jones confirmed the separation.
“Catherine and Michael are taking some time apart to evaluate and work on their marriage,” a spokeswoman for Zeta-Jones said in a statement provided to Reuters, adding that she would not make any further comment.
According to People, Douglas and Zeta-Jones, both Oscar winners and among Hollywood’s most high-profile couples, have in recent months vacationed separately, appeared at red carpet events without the other and are ostensibly living apart.
The magazine cited two close confidants of the couple, with one quoted as saying, “They’re taking a break.” Neither star has filed for divorce nor moved toward a legal separation, it added.
Douglas’ New York office had no comment on the report.
Douglas, 68, and Zeta-Jones, 43, married in 2000 and have two children. Both have struggled with health issues in recent years.
Zeta-Jones said in April that she was seeking help for bipolar disorder, her second-known trip to a healthcare facility for the condition since 2011 when she sought treatment for what aides said was the stress of coping with Douglas’ advanced throat cancer diagnosis in 2010 and subsequent treatment.
“The stress has taken a toll on their marriage,” People quoted a friend as saying.
The A-list couple decided to spend time apart shortly after Douglas returned from the Cannes Film Festival in France in May, where his Emmy-nominated movie about Liberace, “Behind the Candelabra,” was screened.
They first met in 1998 at the Deauville Film Festival in France, began dating the following year, got engaged on New Year’s Eve of 1999 and co-starred in the 2000 release “Traffic.”
Zeta-Jones, most recently seen in the summer release “Red 2,” had at that point recently returned from round of treatment to monitor her bipolar disorder, the magazine said.
Douglas has won Oscars as a producer of the 1975 best picture “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and as best actor in 1987′s “Wall Street.” Zeta-Jones won her best supporting actress Academy Award for the 2002 musical “Chicago.”
source: interaksyon.com
‘Pork’ queen Janet Napoles feeds the latest meme
MANILA, Philippines — Trust wisecracking Filipino Internet users to make light of possibly every situation, no matter how grave or damning, including the sudden surrender of Janet Napoles to President Benigno Aquino III himself on Wednesday night.
Immediately following Napoles’ surrender, social media users took to their favorite photo-editing software to make memes that cast a funny light on how Wednesday’s gripping scenario unfolded in Malacañang.
Below are just some of the memes being passed around Facebook and Twitter hours after Napoles’s surrender, including “speculations” about how her mug shot looks like, the description of her holding cell, and where the P10 million reward will possibly be spent.
source: interaksyon.com
Wall Street rises on economy, but Syria concerns limit gains
NEW YORK - U.S. stocks closed modestly higher on Thursday as the economy showed signs of improvement, but uncertainty over possible military action against Syria continued to pressure markets.
Talks that could lead to a major deal in which U.S. phone company Verizon buys the part of Verizon Wireless it doesn't already own from Vodafone helped push stocks higher.
Wall Street was solidly higher most of the session but pared gains in the last hour on concerns over Syria. Many in the market expect a strike by the United States and its allies because of an alleged poison gas attack by government forces that killed Syrian civilians. U.S. officials said a response would be "discrete and limited.
"That there will be an attack is priced into markets, but there's no way the market appreciates the implications beyond that if the U.S. were to go to war," said Joe Tanious, global market strategist at J.P. Morgan Funds in New York.
"It will create a lot of side effects the market isn't aware of, with the impact on oil the main complication."
U.S. crude futures have spiked 2.2 percent this week on tensions oil supply from the Middle East will be interrupted.
Stocks rose after the government said in an upwardly revised estimate the economy expanded by a stronger-than-expected 2.5 percent in the second quarter. In a separate report, it said weekly jobless claims fell more than anticipated last week, a possible sign that hiring improved in August.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 16.36 points, or 0.11 percent, at 14,840.87. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 3.21 points, or 0.20 percent, at 1,638.17. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 26.95 points, or 0.75 percent, at 3,620.30.
The S&P was unable to close above its 100-day moving average for a third straight day, an indication that near-term momentum may fade.
The robust data could bolster the case for the Federal Reserve to soon wind down a major economic stimulus program that has driven a rally of more than 15 percent in the S&P 500 this year.
The data "reiterates that the economy continues to grow, which is supportive to risk assets and bodes well for the prospect of future growth," said Tanious, who helps oversee $1.5 trillion in assets.
"That the market is reacting positively to this shows that investors have become more comfortable with the idea of tapering."
U.S.-listed shares of Vodafone Group jumped 8.1 percent to $31.80 as the biggest percentage gainer on the Nasdaq 100 index after the company said it was in talks with Verizon Communications to sell its 45 percent stake in their U.S. joint venture, Verizon Wireless.
If completed, the deal could be worth around $130 billion, according to a person familiar with the situation, who asked not to be identified. Verizon rose 2.7 percent to $47.82 as one of the top boosts to the Dow.
Homebuilding stocks were among the strongest of the day. Lennar Corp rose 3.2 percent to $32.62 while PulteGroup Inc was up 3.1 percent to $15.86.
After the market's close, software company Salesforce.com Inc raised its full-year revenue outlook, sending its shares 6.8 percent higher to $46.60.
Guess Inc jumped 13 percent to $30.82 in the wake of second-quarter results that beat Wall Street estimates, bucking a trend of falling sales for apparel retailers.
Campbell Soup Co fell 3.1 percent to $43.33 after reporting revenue that missed expectations.
About 63 percent of companies traded on the New York Stock Exchange closed higher while almost 70 percent of Nasdaq-listed shares ended higher. Volume was light, with about 4.74 billion shares changing hands on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq and NYSE MKT, below the daily average so far this year of about 6.31 billion shares.
source: interaksyon.com
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Renee Olstead in Manila for dinner concert on Friday
American singer-actress Renee Olstead arrived in Manila Tuesday night, touching down at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on board All Nippon Airways from Tokyo.
The 24-year-old native of Kingston, Texas will headline a special dinner concert at the ballroom of the Fairmont Hotel in Makati on Friday, August 28.
This is her first major concert and her second visit to the Philippines. Best known as a jazz performer with three albums to her credit, she first performed in Manila last year in a show with trumpeter Chris Botti.
Olstead’s voice has been compared to those of Billie Holiday, Amy Winehouse, and Adele.The local female trio Baihana will be her special guest in the concert.
As an actress, Olstead is best known for her role in the sitcom “Still Standing”, which ran from 2002 to 2006, and her co-starring turn in “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”, the ABC teen drama series which ran for five series from 2011 to June of this year.
She also appeared in the movies “13 Going on 30″.
source: interaksyon.com
Skype marks 10 years of shrinking the world
STOCKHOLM — If David Huang had left his native Taiwan for Sweden a generation ago, he would have taken a giant leap into the unknown.
Now, with the help of Skype, the 35-year-old businessman is able to reach relatives from his Stockholm home as easily as if they lived around the corner, and not half a world away.
“Skype has made work easier, but more important than that, it has enabled me to talk to my family whenever I feel like it,” he said.
Internet messaging service Skype, which celebrates its 10th anniversary on Thursday, has shrunk the world in profound ways that few could have foreseen in 2003.
A total of 300 million users make two billion minutes of online video calls a day. And in the surest sign of success, the brand name has been turned into a verb – a rare distinction shared by the likes of Xerox and Google.
In another sign of success, Skype has spawned competitors with a host of similar technologies, most importantly Apple’s FaceTime.
But revolutionary as Skype’s technology may seem, it didn’t start completely from scratch but built on existing communication technologies.
“We already had cheap international calling using the Internet,” said Martin Geddes, a leading Britain-based telecommunications consultant.
“The significance of Skype was and is the ‘Wow!’ experience of high definition voice, and the sense of ‘being there’ with your distant friends and family in a way not possible before.”
Skype was launched in late August 2003 by two Scandinavian technology entrepreneurs, Niklas Zennstroem of Sweden and Janus Friis of Denmark, who expanded on existing peer-to-peer networking technologies.
Skype, which allows its online users to make high-quality calls to each other anywhere in the world for free, quickly took off, bringing the world closer together in an age when globalisation and intercontinental travel pulled more families apart than at perhaps any other time in history.
“I’m touched by the ways people use Skype, from an active duty soldier meeting his baby girl for the first time… to just the simple, extraordinarily ordinary instances,” said Elisa Steele, Skype chief marketing officer.
These simple instances, she said, include “a mum and daughter being able to see and talk to one another in a way that feels like they’re just sitting across the kitchen table from each other. Our greatest achievement lies in these moments.”
While Skype helps people to stay in touch with those they already know, it also enables new connections to be formed.
One example was early this year, when students aged between 11 and 15 from Woodham Academy in Britain and Merton Intermediate School in Wisconsin carried out a cross-Atlantic dance contest.
“For a lot of them, I think they’d been in a small-town mentality where they hadn’t really gone out as far as they might have wanted to into travelling,” said Woodham assistant head teacher Jon Tait.
“They had seen films from abroad, but to actually physically speak to these kids in America was absolutely brilliant. It was amazing.”
Skype isn’t for humans only. At Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas, orangutans Mei and Mukah are rewarded for completing tasks by being allowed to communicate via Skype with orangutans in other zoos.
The question many ask however is: Is it possible to make money on a business offering free calls? US software maker Microsoft thought so, paying $8.5 billion for Skype in 2011.
In the 12 months ended on June 30, Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division, which includes Skype, reported operating income of $848 million, up from $380 million the year before.
Within just a decade, Skype moved from being nowhere to being everywhere. Could the reverse also be true? In an era of rapid transformation, could it be gone again in another decade? It’s hard to imagine, according to observers.
“It’s not going to go away. It’s going to be utilised and put into more and more devices, videophones, devices for your kitchen, tablets as we mount them on cabinets,” said Michael Gough, author of the book “Skype Me!”
“I can see for example a home automation scenario, where you have a tablet in your kitchen, an Xbox connect in your living room, and you can literally be on a video call and it will follow you around the house. I can actually see that occurring.”
source: interaksyon.com
Android mobile main target for malware — US security agencies
SAN FRANCISCO — Google Inc’s Android, the dominant mobile operating system, is by far the primary target for malware attacks, mostly because many users are still using older versions of the software, according to a study by the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Android was a target for 79 percent of all malware threats to mobile operating systems in 2012 with text messages representing about half of the malicious applications, according to the study from the government agencies, which was published by Public Intelligence website.
Google did not respond to a request for comment. DHS declined to comment.
By comparison, about 19 percent of malware attacks were targeted at Nokia’s Symbian system and less than 1 percent each at Apple Inc’s iOS software, Microsoft Corp’s Windows and BlackBerry Ltd.
Android continues to be a “primary target for malware attacks due to its market share and open source architecture,” said the study, which was addressed to police, fire, emergency medical and security personnel.
source: interaksyon.com
Nissan plans to begin selling self-driving cars by 2020
IRVINE, California — Nissan Motor Co Ltd said it will be ready to bring fully self-driving vehicles to market by 2020.
The Japanese automaker said it plans to offer “multiple, commercially viable” vehicles that are capable of autonomous operation without driver input.
The self-driving vehicles will be sold “at realistic prices for consumers,” the company said at a media event in Irvine, California.
Nissan said its goal is to offer autonomous cars “across the model range within two vehicle generations” – about 10-12 years after the projected 2020 launch.
The company said it has been researching and developing autonomous vehicles “for years” with such top universities as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford, Oxford, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Tokyo. It is building a dedicated test track in Japan for autonomous vehicles that will be completed by next spring.
Google Inc, the Internet search leader, launched an autonomous car program in 2010 and has built and is testing several different versions, including one based on Toyota Motor Corp’s Prius.
source: interaksyon.com
New Windows operating system sent to computer makers
SAN FRANCISCO — Microsoft on Tuesday began sending a revamped version of Windows to makers of computers, smartphones or tablets powered by the software.
“We’ve hit an important milestone for Microsoft,” Windows team executive Antoine Leblond said in a blog post.
“In many ways, this marks a new day for Microsoft, reflecting a number of rapid-release firsts.”
Developers of applications tailored to run on Windows devices were irked, however, to find out that they will not get their hands on the finished version of Windows 8.1 until it hits the market in October.
In the past, developers had early access to new versions of Windows to allow time to make sure their applications work with the software.
“Seriously, has Microsoft fallen off its rocker?” a developer asked rhetorically in a chat forum below Leblond’s blog post.
“This decision is yet another that leaves me questioning the judgment of Microsoft’s current management.”
Microsoft in June provided developers with a preview version of the “re-blended” Windows 8 operating system released late last year.
Windows 8.1 incorporated feedback from users and developers, and came with the promise that the US software giant was speeding up its release cycle to adapt to the dizzying pace of innovation in consumer technology.
“Windows 8.1 is a significant update,” Leblond said.
“As we consider the code we just handed off, and the new intuitive and fluid computing experience it provides — anytime, anywhere, across all devices — we’re confident we made the right bet.”
Windows 8.1 remains true to the vision of an operating system tuned for touch-screen controls and multi-gadget lifestyles increasingly revolving around tablets and smartphones, according to Microsoft.
Microsoft is under pressure to adapt to a huge shift in how people engage with computers.
Smartphones and tablets have vanquished the days when people devoted the bulk of computer time to Windows-powered desktop or laptop machines.
The overhauled Windows 8 operating system released in November was designed to power the array Internet-linked devices.
Better adapting to the shifting Internet landscape is believed to be among the reasons behind the unexpected announcement last week that Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer will retire within 12 months.
“There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time,” Ballmer said Friday in a written release.
“My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company’s transformation to a devices and services company. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction.”
Ballmer took over as CEO in 2000 from co-founder Bill Gates, a classmate and friend from their days at Harvard University in the 1970s.
While its Windows software is used on the vast majority of personal computers, Microsoft has had little impact in the fast-growing segments of tablets and smartphones.
source: interaksyon.com
The good and evil truths about your food addictions
It’s hard to resist the simple addiction of sipping a hot cup of coffee or frappe, or perhaps the tingling sensation that sweet foods could give, or munching on those bags of chips while watching sappy movies late in the afternoon. But does your body appreciate them the way your taste buds do?
Dieticians and nutritionists from Manila Doctors Hospital’s (MDH) PROHEALTH Research and Education Center give you the truth about your addictions.
Coffee
• It’s known as a mental stimulant, which keeps us alert after some time.
• It boosts energy levels and prevents sleepiness, as the body releases adrenaline when we take it in.
• It may also help burn calories as it increases the body’s metabolism.
BUT: If you drink more than two cups a day, you may face the following:
PMS. While caffeine can decrease discomfort and that bloated feeling, it can cause a drop in blood sugar, which in effect aggravates PMS.
Cancer. Though there is no concrete evidence that caffeine alone may cause cancer, but if you love to drink coffee and smoke at the same time, then beware. Studies show that doing so may lead to cancer, particularly breast cancer.
Too much caffeine may lead to headaches, sleep problems and anxiety attack and bladder conditions as it acts as a diuretic to the body.
How to deal: If you can’t get rid of your frappes and espressos right away, try lessening your intake each day until you’re used to drinking small amounts or none at all. Substitute coffee for something healthier —nothing could be better than water.
Sugar
Sugar is a carbohydrate. It boosts your energy, helps sharpen memory, as glucose is the main sugar that feeds our brain cells. If taken moderately, it will help you gain weight.
BUT: This wickedly yummy treat may bring about these negative effects:
Hyperglycemia. A blood-sugar problem caused by too much sugar and improper diet.
Tooth decay. The bacteria in plaque depend on sugars to produce acids, which break down the enamel and start tooth decay.
Headaches and dizziness. Low glucose levels resulting from the severe dip after a high sugar intake tax the brain and cause headaches.
Other symptoms of too much sugar intake are great stress and fatigue, depression, anxiety, lack of mental alertness, and rapid mood swings. It may also delay wound healing, particularly for people with cancer or other disease conditions, as bacteria thrives on sugar as their immediate food source.
How to deal: Always eat your meals on time to prevent craving for sweets. Satisfy your sweet tooth by eating fruits instead.
Junk Food
Chips, packs of salted goodies, are the most convenient food-on-the-go. It is handy to eat or take anywhere, but junk food is precisely that—junk! It’s tasty (especially when it’s in your favorite flavor) but gives us nothing but empty calories (meaning we gain weight but we don’t get any nutrients from it).
BUT Junk food will never give us nutrition that our body needs. Some of its harmful effects are:
• Lack of energy
• Poor concentration
• Heart diseases
• High cholesterol
How to deal: Self-discipline is what you need to be able to swerve away from your junkie-addiction. If you’re really craving for something to munch on, the least you can do is substitute the flavored varieties with the plain-flavored ones, or better yet opt for a bag of popcorn (but not the microwaveable kind). A healthier option? Try crunching on dried or roasted unsalted nuts instead. It gives you the same comfort of chips without causing harm to your body.
Want to know more? Manila Doctors Hospital’s resident nutritionists and dieticians at the PROHEALTH Center offer diet counseling services that are tailor-fit to your lifestyle. They also offer nutrition and disease education on common medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.
• PROHEALTH is open from Mondays through Saturdays from 8 am to 5 pm and is located at the ground floor of Manila Doctors Hospital, 667 United Nations Ave., Ermita, Manila. You may reach them at these numbers (02) 524-3011 local 4718. For more information, you may visit http://www.maniladoctors.com.ph.
source: interaksyon.com
Russian police seize painting showing Putin, Medvedev in lingerie
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- Police seized a painting of Russia's president and prime minister in women's underwear from a gallery in St Petersburg, saying the satirical display had broken unspecified laws.
The officers also removed a picture of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, his torso covered in tattoos, and two others poking fun at lawmakers who have backed legislation banning so-called gay propaganda, gallery staff said.
The police service said it had taken paintings from the "Museum of Power" gallery -- based in two rooms of a flat -- late on Monday after receiving reports they were illegal.
It gave no further detail but Russia does have a law against insulting authorities -- an offense that carries a maximum one-year prison term.
One painting showed President Vladimir Putin wearing a tight-fitting slip and brushing the hair of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who is wearing knickers and a bra.
St Petersburg deputy Vitaly Mironov, whose face was combined with the gay rights movement's rainbow flag in one of the paintings, told Reuters the images were inappropriate and "of a distinctly pornographic character".
St Petersburg, which next week hosts world leaders at a G20 summit, was one of the first Russian cities to introduce a law banning the spread of "gay propaganda."
The Russian parliament has also adopted similar legislation, prompting protests from abroad and calls for a boycott of the Winter Olympics which Russia will host in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in February.
Gallery owner Alexander Donskoy said the officers had also shut down his establishment and gave him no explanation for the removal of paintings from the exhibition, titled "Leaders."
"This is an (illegal) seizure," he told Reuters. "We have been given no formal documents banning us from operating and no receipt confirming our petty cash was seized."
source: interaksyon.com
US mobile shopping revenues top $10 billion in 2013
WASHINGTON DC - US mobile shoppers spent more than $10 billion in the first half of 2013, in a segment making strong inroads in retailing, a survey showed Tuesday.
The comScore survey showed retail sales from consumers using smartphones or tablets in the first half rose more than 25 percent from the same period a year ago and now account for 9.5 percent of all digital ecommerce sales.
"While mobile devices are already extremely influential in the overall buying process, they are also beginning to drive a meaningful percentage of digital commerce," said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni.
"One out of every ten consumer e-commerce dollars is now spent using either a smartphone or a tablet, and growth in this segment of the market is outpacing that of traditional e-commerce by a factor of 2x, which itself is growing at rates in the mid-teens."
The report showed "m-commerce" revenues, which are highly seasonal, at $5.9 billion in the first quarter and $4.7 billion in the second quarter. With the largest spending likely in the fourth quarter, sales are on track to top last year's pace of $20 billion.
The report said smartphones accounted for some six percent of e-commerce sales in the first half of 2013 and tablets for 3.5 percent.
The biggest categories for m-commerce were apparel and accessories, computer hardware, and event tickets. Video game, consoles, and accessories showed the highest percentage of digital commerce spending via m-commerce at 23.7 percent, according to comScore.
More than half of US adults own a smartphone, and about one-third have a tablet computer, according to recent surveys.
source: interaksyon.com
With stocks on free fall, blue-chip firms say buyback not on the table
MANILA - As the stock market plummets, a number of blue-chip firms today said they are unlikely to buy back their shares, prodding the investing public to instead take positions, as economic fundamentals remain intact.
"As a company, we should let the market dictate the price be it consumer product, housing or the stock exchange. This correction is good so we can avoid a bigger problem," Jose Sio, SM Investments Corp chief financial officer, said during a forum jointly organized by ING and the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP).
"What's wrong with our company? Nothing. What's wrong with our finances? Nothing. So why worry?" Sio said.
Likewise, Ayala Corp is not contemplating on any share buyback, its managing director Eric Francia said, adding that it was not company policy to "influence the share price."
"We will focus on investments versus buy-back, so no immediate plan to buy back our shares," Francia said.
He said the conglomerate implemented a share repurchase program four years ago because there were limited investment opportunities back then.
"The value was also really low at least from where we sit. We had excess capital, so given those three conditions we did some buy-back," Francia said.
In the same forum, Ysmael Baysa, Jollibee Foods Corp (JFC) chief financial officer, said the market's downtrend is still "healthy" and not "catastrophic."
"We are not looking at buying back shares and this is a good time for investors to also get into the market and buy Jollibee shares," Baysa said, noting that JFC was the second best-performing stock in the Philippines as of yesterday.
"I know there are a lot of influence in our shares and I think companies are waiting for opportunities to get in to buy JFC shares of stock so we look forward to that. I think this is a good time to make investments," Baysa said.
Jollibee today shed 3.14 to P154 each, while SM dropped 7.45 percent to P634 per share. AC fell 3.47 percent to P500 apiece.
The benchmark index on Wednesday wiped out its year-to-date gains to close at its weakest level for the year. The PSE index plunged 178.93 points or 3.02 percent to finish at 5,738.06 amid a global selloff triggered by mounting political tensions in Syria.
source: interaksyon.com
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel split after 14 years of marriage
PARIS | Actors Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel, one of the film industry’s most famous couples, announced Monday they had separated after 14 years of marriage.
“Vincent Cassel confirms that he is separating from his wife Monica Bellucci by mutual agreement,” said a statement released by Cassel’s spokeswoman, without revealing further details.
In Italy, Bellucci’s representatives also announced the separation to an Italian press agency, confirming a story published Saturday by the French edition of Closer magazine.
The pair met while filming French film “The Apartment” in 1996.
They married several years later and had two daughters: Deva, 8, and Leonie, 3.
Bellucci, from Italy, has appeared in several Hollywood films including “Matrix Reloaded” and Terry Gilliam’s “The Brothers Grimm”.
Cassel shot to fame with his role as a troubled young man from the Parisian suburbs in the critically acclaimed “La Haine”.
He is also known for his roles in popular American films such as “Ocean’s Twelve” and “Black Swan”.
source: interaksyon.com
Yale opens liberal arts college in conservative Singapore
SINGAPORE - Yale University formally opened a controversial liberal arts college in tightly governed Singapore on Tuesday, saying there was demand for "critical thinking" in the city-state and other Asian nations.
The Yale-NUS College, a joint project with the National University of Singapore, had been criticised by faculty members of the leading US university due to Singapore's restrictions on protests and on student political activity.
"Singaporeans, and Asians more broadly, have a greater hunger for pedagogy that truly encourages critical thinking and a model of liberal arts and science education adapted for the 21st century," Pericles Lewis, president of the college, said in a speech.
He told AFP that "we're not setting out to change any political discourse, but we're giving students the tools to be active in citizenship, to think about the issues".
"We think that a well-educated citizenry is the most important thing for any country, especially in Singapore."
The pioneer batch of 157 students from 26 countries - 97 of them Singaporeans - was selected from a pool of over 10,000 applicants and began lessons this month in temporary facilities.
The college's own purpose-built campus with residential facilities will open in 2015 and is designed to have a full capacity of 1,000 students.
The college is the first established by Yale outside its campus in New Haven, Connecticut.
"We believe that the college has the potential to serve as a model for others, particularly in Asia," said NUS president Tan Chorh Chuan.
In a resolution passed in April 2012, the Yale faculty expressed "concern regarding the history of lack of respect for civil and political rights in the state of Singapore".
It called on Yale-NUS to uphold civil liberties and political freedom on campus and in broader society.
Campaign group Human Rights Watch accused Yale of "betraying the spirit of the university as a centre of open debate and protest by giving away the rights of its students" at the new campus.
"Instead of defending these rights, Yale buckled when faced with Singapore's draconian laws on demonstrations and policies restricting student groups."
Singapore's education ministry said at the height of the controversy that student demonstrations on campus would require approval from the Yale-NUS administration.
source: interaksyon.com
Bitcoin group, US regulators discuss digital currency
WASHINGTON — U.S. regulators and law enforcement agencies met on Monday with an advocacy group for Bitcoin, a digital currency that has been under fire for its purported role in facilitating anonymous money transfers.
Jennifer Shasky-Calvery, director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), said her unit hosted a presentation by members of the Bitcoin Foundation, an advocacy group of Bitcoin-related businesses.
“This is part of our ongoing dialogue aimed at enhancing communication with our regulated financial industries,” Shasky-Calvery said in a statement.
She also noted that virtual currency exchanges must register with regulators and face requirements similar to those imposed on other financial firms. FinCEN is the Treasury Department’s anti-money laundering unit.
Bitcoins, which have been around since 2008, are a form of electronic money that can be exchanged without using traditional banking or money transfer systems.
Bitcoins are the most prominent of these new currencies, which have come under scrutiny from regulators and law enforcement officials.
Representatives of the Bitcoin Foundation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The group’s website says it aims to make the currency more respected and to improve and protect its integrity.
The currency first came under scrutiny by law enforcement officials in mid-2011 after media reports surfaced linking the digital currency to the Silk Road online marketplace where marijuana, heroin, LSD and other illicit drugs are sold.
In recent months, the U.S. government has taken steps to rein in the currency and more regulatory action is expected.
Tokyo-based Mt. Gox, the world’s largest exchanger of U.S. dollars with Bitcoins, had two accounts held by its U.S. subsidiary seized this year by agents from the Department of Homeland Security on the grounds that it was operating a money transmitting business without a license.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported last year that Bitcoin was used by criminals to move money around the world, and the U.S. Treasury said in March that digital currency firms are money transmitters and must comply with rules that combat money laundering.
The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs launched an inquiry into Bitcoin and other virtual currencies earlier this month, asking a range of regulators to list what safeguards are in place to prevent criminal activity.
source: interaksyon.com
Former NBA scoring champ Tracy McGrady announces retirement
SAN ANTONIO – Two-time league scoring champion Tracy McGrady, a member of the playoff runner-up San Antonio Spurs last season, announced his retirement from the National Basketball Association on Monday.
The seven-time all-star McGrady also played in the Chinese Basketball Association last season for the Qingdao Eagles.
“Thank all of you who have supported me over 16 NBA seasons, seven all-stars, and countless exciting moments. Retiring from NBA,” McGrady said.
In April, McGrady left China and signed with the San Antonio Spurs. He appeared in six playoff games for the Spurs who lost in the NBA finals to the Miami Heat.
The 34-year-old McGrady was the ninth overall pick in the 1997 draft out of high school. In 2001, he was named the NBA’s most improved player.
McGrady averaged 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 938 career games with Toronto, Orlando, Houston, New York, Detroit, Atlanta and San Antonio.
source: interaksyon.com
Bloomberry taps PLDT for Solaire's IT requirements
MANILA - Bloomberry Resort Corp has tapped Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co (PLDT) to provide information communication and technology (ICT) services for the Solaire Manila Resort and Casino.
PLDT said its end-to-end ICT solutions enable seamless integration of Bloomberry's growing operations with exclusive high bandwidth i-Gate, vanity numbers, IP-Virtual Private Network, PABX, and undiluted WiFi in the casino resort's multiple spaces and exclusive upper levels.
"We at PLDT are filled with pride to be chosen as Solaire’s key ICT partner in becoming a stellar international gaming and entertainment destination,” Jovy Hernandez, PLDT ALPHA Enterprise head said in a statement.
The first of four casinos to open at the Entertainment City of state-run Philipping Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor), Solaire’s operations and IT requirements expands to more than 18,500 square meters of casino area and gaming space, with complete amenities and 500 appointed rooms.
The $1 billion resort casino aims to hire 4,600 employees for its first phase.
“Because of Solaire’s magnitude and operations, technology is absolutely essential to the business. In addition to helping provide consistently excellent customer experience across all Solaire outlets, IT must also ‘integrate’ different revenue streams from these same diverse outlets,” Gregory Dauenhauer, Solaire vice president for IT operations said.
“PLDT was the only one we could count on to achieve ICT integration in the short window of time available. They brought together the platforms, the subject matter experts, the technologies that were crucial to Solaire’s gaming experience,” he added.
Solaire opened its doors to the public last March, and has since announced it would complete the expansion of the first phase of the facility in the third quarter of next year. The expansion includes a 308-room all-suite hotel tower, a high-end retail area, a 1,800-seater lyrical theater and more restaurants.
InterAksyon.com is the online news portal of TV5, a member of the PLDT Group.
source: interaksyon.com
Meteor that hit Russia may have had close shave with sun
PARIS - The meteor that injured over 1,500 people when it exploded and showered debris over Russia in February may have had a close shave with the Sun earlier, researchers said Tuesday.
A study of its composition showed the space rock had undergone "intensive melting" before entering Earth's atmosphere and streaking over the central Russia's Chelyabinsk region in a blinding fireball, they said in a statement.
This "almost certainly" points to a near-miss with the sun, or a collision with another body in the solar system -- possibly a planet or asteroid, said study co-author Victor Sharygin from the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Geology and Mineralogy.
The findings were presented at the Goldschmidt geochemistry conference in Florence, Italy.
The meteor is estimated to have been 17 meters (56 feet) wide before exploding with the equivalent force of 30 times that of the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima during World War II.
Its shockwave blew out windows and damaged buildings across five Russian regions.
The meteor's fragments lie scattered over a large area around Chelyabinsk -- the largest piece is believed to lie at the bottom of Chebarkul Lake from where scientists are trying to raise it.
source: interaksyon.com
Sony goes higher than High Definition
TOKYO, Japan — Before I started making movies, I was a fan of movies. When I was younger, I’d go to the cinemas, and as the films played, the pictures would take me away from my seat and transport me to a world of, say, Middle Earth or Hogwarts. I’d be engrossed because the pictures would be so clear and so vivid, it’d be like nothing else existed.
This is called “movie magic” — when a screen can teleport a viewer into another realm. For decades, we’ve tried to replicate this magic in our homes, from the Betamax to the Laser Disc to the DVD to Blu-ray. But the result has always been wanting. TV screens have gotten bigger, yes, but image quality has lagged behind. Those of us with LED TVs know this: You may have a 48-inch screen, but switch to channels two and seven and notice how fuzzy the pictures look.
This is because image quality is tied to the number of pixels your screen contains. If you turn on your TV and lean in, you’ll see little dots across the screen — those dots are called pixels. The fact that you can see these dots means that the image isn’t true-to-life (put your eyes close to your table, for example, and you won’t see dots).
Now, imagine if the pixels were so small, that you couldn’t see them? The result would be images so clear and so vivid, that just like in a movie house, if you were watching footage of a landscape, you’d feel like you were actually there.
Enter the new generation of Sony Bravia 4K LED TVs. While the high definition (2K) TVs we have in our homes today have a resolution of 1,920 pixels in length by 1,080 pixels in height, or a total of only two million pixels, 4K refers to a screen resolution of 3,840 pixels in length by 2,160 pixels in height — a whopping eight million pixels of pure visual bliss.
The TVs were recently launched in Tokyo, at a press event I was invited to attend. I got to see the products up close and my verdict is that the new Bravias deliver an immersive home entertainment experience you have to see to believe.
Of course, a TV screen with eight million pixels needs content that contains eight million pixels. Movies on High Definition Blu-Ray discs contain only two million pixels, while the images broadcast by local networks like channels two and seven are at only 345,000 pixels (that’s why they look so fuzzy!).
Thankfully, Sony has this covered. With the X-reality PRO processing engine, the new Bravias can actually upgrade content. Sony says that the chip reduces visual noise and corrects image shapes, but also up-scales 2K content to a near 4K native resolution. In order to do this, the TVs employ a state-of-the-art “Reality Creation” database as well as “Super Resolution” processing — a system that optimizes images, and produces stunning picture quality with richer colors and sharpness.
Moreover, Sony promises a wealth of 4K content, since the company not only makes TVs, but also professional filmmaking equipment such as cameras, recorders, and monitors — and since the company also owns a major Hollywood studio in Sony Pictures. Recent box office attractions such as Oblivion and After Earth were shot in 4K, while classics such as Lawrence of Arabia are being remastered in 4K. (I saw a preview during my Tokyo trip, and the results are impressive.)
Other winning features
For me, the colors on the Sony Bravia 4K LED TVs are another winning feature. The TVs have Triluminos Display LED backlighting; they also integrate QD Vision’s Colour IQTM optical component — a one-two punch that, explains Sony, presents rich colors with subtle tones while also replicating hard-to-reproduce reds and greens in order to deliver a significantly wide color gamut and provide a heightened sense of depth.
To complete the experience, the new 4K Bravias also offer a better sound experience. Sony’s proprietary Magnetic Fluid Speakers deliver sound pressure levels that are higher than what conventional TVs can produce. The TVs, out of the box, deliver such loud and rich audio that there is no need to buy an external sound system for these babies.
Now, these aren’t the first 4K models Sony has launched. Sony dipped their feet into the medium last year with an 84-inch model that cost P1.2 million. (The company says they’ve sold four units in the Philippines).
So, what do the new Bravias have over their predecessor? Aside from improved image quality, and aside from the X-reality PRO processing engine, which upgrades content, the come-on for me is the price. The 55-inch Bravia 4K TV retails for P299,000, while the 65-inch model sells for P399,000. It seems that Sony is on a mission to bring the magic of the big screen to a broader reach of consumers.
source: philstar.com
Doing good and getting caught
In today’s integrated communication practice effective public relations no longer performs a supporting role. It now plays the principal character. It is essential in strategic planning, and is seen to be very important to your competitive success more than advertising or marketing. It may sound like wishful thinking, but PR is leading the way these days, while traditional advertising appears to have lost its glitter.
Companies and individuals have successfully used PR to achieve great things or to repair damaged institutions and people. Thus, learning to use this powerful force for good is an imperative. Declaring “PR is the most commanding authority in modern society” is not an empty boast given the many success stories from big companies, influential personalities, threatened corporate reputations and PR crises and disasters, where PR plays a significant responsibility. And since it is globally replacing advertising as the promotional strategy of choice for individuals and organizations, it’s undoubtedly important to understand how PR works, and how you can harness its muscle.
In the book Rethinking Reputation: How PR Trumps Marketing And Advertising In The New Media World, Fraser P. Seitel and John Doorley examine why they think advertising has lost its advantage. The authors remark, “It used to be that a company, candidate or bank president could ‘purchase’ their way to prestige and positivity through advertising or marketing. No longer.” In this age, where images are established through 24/7/365 mobile, Internet, cable TV, radio commentary and non-stop social media conversations, reputations can no longer be built through top-down, paid media.
One’s reputation depends largely on honorable deeds communicated candidly and consistently through a steady stream of free media — releases and speeches, media appearances and charitable contributions, and Facebook and Twitter postings. Stated simply, a smart organization or individual today will acknowledge that in rethinking its reputation, PR must lie at the center of its strategy. The tome makes you realize the growing magnitude of word-of-mouth interactions and free publicity. Seitel and Doorley position their substantial familiarity to work in helping put together a blueprint for boosting what is potentially your most valuable asset — your reputation. Here are major takeaways from the book:
• All PR messages must be clear and consistent. The authors share the case of Jean-Claude Trichet to demonstrate how messaging can go awry if not managed well. Nobody especially cared for Trichet, the French civil servant who ran the European Central Bank (ECB) until November 2012. He was aloof and spoke in platitudes as Greece and Spain and Italy spiraled steadily downward. Trichet’s successor, Mario Draghi, was a welcome change. He was a banker, spoke with conviction and inspired global confidence — especially when he declared in London in July 2012 that the ECB would do “whatever it takes” to support the euro. But recently, when he seemed to backtrack on his earlier declaration, the euro and his own credibility took a hit. Such is the price one pays for inconsistent communication in the 21st century.
• Reputation depends on good behavior and honest communications. At the center must be what academics call “identity,” or what President Abraham Lincoln labeled “character” — what one stands for. To elucidate this point, the authors narrate the story of the torturous trail of Mevacor, the enormously successful drug that lowers cholesterol. After initial promising trials, Dr. Roy Vagelos, then CEO of Merck, heard about the news on cancer in dogs caused by a similar compound being tested in Japan. As such, he ordered the Mevacor trials stopped. This, however, didn’t make Vagelos lose heart. He had the guts to make the product available in securely controlled trials to patients with genetically high levels of cholesterol that threatened death at age 40. It proved efficacious and non-toxic, leading to full-scale trials and huge success in the market. “Vagelos believed in transparency before it became a buzzword.”
• PR gets through to consumers because of its power to engage. Tom Leatherbarrow, head of B2B at Willoughby Public Relations, says that within the business-to-business sector, PR is surely turning into an equal and complimentary partner to advertising — if not more dominant. He declares, “While advertising has a clear call to action, many clients are wanting to put over much more complex messages which do not necessarily demand an immediate ‘buy’ response.” Indeed, many are wanting to go beyond what is called “product pushing” to try and engage customers by using more sophisticated messages about added value and whole life costs to justify premium pricing strategies and customer benefits rather than merely product attributes. Here, PR is increasingly being seen as more empathetic to customer need.
• It’s best if you can have both accuracy and speed. Seitel and Doorley run through Georgia prosecutor Nancy Grace for being swift and floppy with the facts, and making misleading declarations. In the death of Whitney Houston, Grace reports, “Houston was found drowned in a Hollywood bathtub in 2012” and that “the LAPD has already reported that Houston’s death wasn’t the result of foul play or force or trauma to the body.” In truth, Houston died in a Beverly Hills hotel and the investigating agency was the Beverly Hills Police Department, not the LAPD. These details may not be material to Grace’s point, but the laxness is difficult to ignore. As an aftermath, Grace was rebuked by media for being more concerned with speed — first in breaking news — rather than with accuracy.
• You can’t possibly win with spin. If you listen to critics of the profession, “PR is spin.” Seitel and Doorley dispute such a claim and accentuate that “Spin is inappropriate and counterproductive.” They identify former US President Bill Clinton as the “first modern politician to use spin to alter political reality.” They aver, “It can be argued that the pervasive modern-day practice of ‘spinning’ — defined by the late William Safire as a ‘deliberate shading of news perception and an attempted control of political reaction’ — emerged in the wake of the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal of 1998. PR people should avoid spin because it damages reputation, with long-term effects. As the authors highlight, “If you lie to the media once, they will never believe you again.” All you have as a spokesperson for a company, an organization or an issue, is your credibility. Once you lose it, you’ve lost everything. Never, ever lie is the cardinal rule of PR.
• Recapture credibility by blogging. The case of ExxonMobil exemplifies this principle. The company spent and continues to spend large amounts of time, money and human capital to face the communications challenge of a reputation still stained by the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. ExxonMobil aims to shift public sentiment to “an honest and constructive voice in public discourse, defined by principles and proper action, focused on solving problems.” The company’s journey, led by chief communicator Ken Cohen, began with determining what the problem is, and using its own research model to track its reputation. The corporate communications team sought to close the gap between the company’s negative perception and positive reality by taking part in the discussion. The team informally, and without an agenda, meets environmental and human rights NGOs two or three times a year. To this day, Cohen blogs regularly and ExxonMobil frequently uses its corporate Twitter handle to connect to people. Given its efforts, Seitel and Doorley opine, “The true test of an ExxonMobil reputation is whether the company is perceived by its publics the same way it perceives itself.”
• CEOs and public figures are vehemently warned against tweeting. To back up this recommendation, the authors use the example of Anthony Weiner, an up-and-coming Democratic star, and an odds-on favorite to win the 2013 mayoralty race in New York City. Weiner’s star dimmed when he issued a strange announcement that his Twitter account had been hacked and a sexually suggestive photo was sent in his name to a young woman in the Northwest. But persistent journalists found out later that he had lied in his declaration, and he was censured in a big way. The moral of the story: Social media are wonderful, but if you are a person with easy access to national media and a name recognition that’s getting brighter, don’t risk what you have by using Twitter recklessly.
An opposition to this view from other practitioners quickly surfaces, arguing, “If the CEO is the face of the brand and they like to tweet, why not let them? Understandably, tweets do go wrong, but a steadfast rule against tweeting is not always wise. Brand capital gets left on the table when you are too restrictive with CEOs and how they can and can’t communicate. Many heads of companies display a level of genuineness that no one else in the company can bring to its stakeholders.” Four memorable lessons stand out in Weiner’s story: don’t lie; silence grants the point; in a crisis, take charge immediately; and the truth will out.
• PR is about developing discourse, engagement and relationships. Tom Watson, PR professor at Bournemouth University, says this eloquently. To him, traditional advertising is focused on display. As you become increasingly conversant in networked societies, the role of PR becomes more important as it creates value that advertising can’t.” In fact, PR workload picks up during belt-tightening periods. As editorial consultant Anne Massey states, “A squeezed budget buys precious little advertising but a lot of targeted, sales-driven, profile-raising PR coverage, and that’s what’s in demand during hard times.” It will be interesting to see whether PR budgets grow apace as the economy improves, or whether there’s a rush back into advertising once budgets swell enough to warrant it.”
• Any talk about PR taking over from advertising is overstated. This bold premise was delivered by Gavin Devine, CEO of MHP Communications Agency, who insists that there are many cases of stunning advertising campaigns that impact clients on needs: “Selling mass-market products, or achieving widespread behavioral change, is often best achieved through above-the-line activities,” he underscores. PR may claim the digital space, but Devine points out that advertising also has a role to play here. He adds, “Digital and social media campaigns prove that there is a place for both industries to coexist and collaborate, as these campaigns often have elements of both PR and advertising. What we’re seeing much more are joined-up campaigns, where PR builds on traditional advertising and vice versa, often through social media activation. Using PR and advertising together can help achieve message continuity across all media platforms, and to all audiences — consumers, employees, investors and stakeholders.”
Granted that what Devine said is true, it’s hard to disprove the claim of PR to a growing space at the heart of companies’ overall marketing strategy in the light of the evolving landscape of communications. After all, as the authors emphasize, “When PR works well, it has greater credibility than advertising, whether it’s street cred or the more formal kind measured by big polling firms — because when someone else says something good about you, it’s worth infinitely more than when you say something good about yourself.”
Cutlip and Center, the authors of the first book I read on PR, claim, “Public relations is doing good and letting people know about it.” Harold Burson, the other half of Burson Marsteller, one of today’s largest PR agencies, updated the claim when he declared, “Public relations is doing good and getting caught.”
source: philstar.com
5 finance tips for SME owners, professionals & pork barrel
Balancing your money is the key to having enough. Elizabeth Warren
One of the often glossed-over weaknesses of small- and medium-scale enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs and professionals who are earning well or have good cash flow is accounting, or how to handle one’s money well.
I think more so in government, which has more lawyers than either accountants or engineers, basic accounting is the Achilles heel of many well-meaning or otherwise outstanding politicians. Is this one of the many possible reasons for the ongoing pork barrel mess of unaccounted funds and now very angry taxpayers? Of course, a deficit in moral values is a grave non-accounting deficiency of not a few of our politicos!
Many entrepreneurs, professionals and even political leaders mistakenly think that accounting is an esoteric, boring or alien subject, like most laymen would think of space science, thus allowing even the most basic accounting to be inefficiently handled.
I recommend that all entrepreneurs, professionals and anyone else handling money especially our politicos, who handle billions in taxpayers’ funds study simple, basic accounting for non-accountants, or else a lot of money will go to waste, turn business or professional profits into losses, and public funds into plundered funds.
By the way, Chief Prosecutors’ Association of the Philippines president and Manila City chief prosecutor Eduardo “Ed” Togonon and his group told me that “to demand for better financial transparency and fairness in allocation of all government pork barrel funds,” he is inviting all prosecutors nationwide to join the Aug. 26, 9 a.m. rally against the abuse of pork barrel funds in Rizal Park. The meeting place will be the Department of Justice (DOC) building. He said that 60 to 70 percent of all prosecutors nationwide have no decent Halls of Justice and their “repeated appeals for help from legislators and the Department of Budget have always been ignored.”
Here are five tips for small business owners, professionals and even politicos on how to better handle accounting with input from Kirk Simpson of Wave Accounting in his Forbes magazine article:
1. Keep business and personal finances separate. Years ago when I started out as a real estate broker and was doing well, I focused so much on making record realty sales but often neglected basic accounting. There were even times when check payments to me had become stale in my wallet because I forgot or simply had no time to deposit. I also didn’t separate my personal and professional expenses, nor did I have financial analysis. There’s no need for an accountant or bookkeeper for us to do this.
Eventually, I hired a trusted person to be my bookkeeper and to go to banks, even when I was on my own as a realty broker and not in business then. Now as an SME realty entrepreneur, I have two hardworking and honest accountants among my office staff just handling all money matters, with me signing all the checks. My personal and business expenses are strictly separated, and I pay myself a salary as well out of my business although I own it 100 percent. I always keep separate bank and credit card accounts for business and personal expenses to minimize the work of my two accountants.
Many family-run small businesses and professionals, whether doctors or celebrities, and sadly, even politicians, do not have the self-discipline, system and staff to separate their business expenses from personal and family expenditures. How can we gauge or accurately measure our business or professional efficiency and productivity if our business and personal finances are mixed up?
If a business has investors or partners, lack of independent and separate accounting for the entrepreneur’s business and personal expenses will surely result in future conflicts, unnecessary misunderstandings and crisis. In government, politicians should also separate official and personal expenditures as a matter of honor.
In the case of the controversial Janet Napoles and her non-governmental organizations (NGOs), I think non-stock and non-profit foundations should also follow normal accounting procedures in order to be credible and financially viable, and strictly separate organizational expenditures from personal and family expenses. Is there not a government agency or an NGO auditing body that can monitor and check on the finances of NGOs or foundations to prevent scandals and outright thievery?
Government offices of the president of the republic, legislators, governors, mayors, barangay chairmen, government corporations, judiciary officials and even religious or school organizations also need to instill the discipline and tradition of basic proper accounting: separating official and personal finances.
2. Consult professionals. I highly recommend that no matter how small a business is, even if it’s a professional practice by a salesman, doctor, dentist or movie actress, etc., it is best to consult a good accountant outside your office staff for a periodic review of your finances, to plan your tax payments. Accounting firms are not only for the SMs or the Ayalas but also for SMEs or professionals.
3. Review finances at least 15 minutes once a week. We entrepreneurs, professionals and political bosses should set aside personal time even if it’s just a half hour or less to personally go over our finances at least once a week. It’s like doing basic cardio-vascular exercise three times a week or going to church every Sunday a must we should do and not have excuses in our minds to put off. If we use up so much time for Facebook, Candy Crush, Twitter or Instagram daily, why not set aside a minimum of 15 minutes every week to go over our finances?
Our excuse is “no time”? My reply is: We always have time for the things we put first or prioritize, so no alibis and no excuses for not studying our finances once a week!
4. Consider your staff or employees. Often, human resources or people are the most valuable asset of businesses, even big ones. Most small businesses, like mine, do not have full-time human resource or personnel departments handling staff or employees, but this is no excuse for not computing our labor costs. We ourselves or our in-house accountant or assistants should not forget to properly monitor and study one of our largest business expenses: labor.
It doesn’t matter if we are paying for secretaries, drivers and employees or only you the professional as the only person on the payroll; we must efficiently monitor the full costs of salaries, benefits, overtime and any other labor expenses.
By better understanding our labor expenses, we can think of ideas on how to add incentives, bonuses or benefits for our people, and we can also discover if we are overspending on salaries or wages beyond our optimum business budget.
5. Don’t forget to collect payments! Billionaire business leader Lucio C. Tan told me several years ago that one of his idols is ancient Chinese tycoon and statesman Tao Zhu Gong, also known as Fan Li, of the Spring and Autumn Period circa 500 BC. In Tao’s 12 golden rules for business, his rule No. 6 was: “Ability to control credit. Do not allow nonpayment. Make sure you collect what is owed.”
Many entrepreneurs like me tend to be marketing persons whose overriding focus is often on closing sales or making deals; in so many instances, our weakness is in accounting. This cardinal rule of business to collect payments is often shockingly not accomplished by many SME entrepreneurs and professionals.
This part of finance is all-important, so we need to always monitor, organize and have proper records of all invoices and client payments. One good way to minimize headaches is to request postdated checks or other guarantees.
Whether for a small business or a professional, chaos in record-keeping and basic accounting will cause a lot of booked sales or done deals to go to naught if we fail to collect payments. Collection of payments so often spells the big difference between sustaining success or degenerating into mediocrity, so let’s collect!
source: philstar.com
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