A Few Whistleblower Software Tools

| Tuesday, September 25, 2012
By Rebekah Alford


Quite recently the corporate world has come under the spotlight for what is deemed as corporate malfeasance that it has directed towards the public. This is due to the numerous scandals that have come to light in the recent days involving top executives of some of these companies. This may be attributed to the fact that there has been an increasing number of whistleblower software available to aid in the outing of these executives.

It was an uphill task to those who had been in a position to do something to do so in the past years. This has mainly been due to the seemingly infinite resources that the top executive have had against their juniors. A few technological inventions in the recent past though have worked to try and close this gap.

Technology though has come to the aid of those who wish to bring to light any of these cases of wrong doing by developing a few handy devices to add to ones arsenal. Top on that list would be the voice recorder, which over the years has had its size reduced to the point that it can go unnoticed easily. These can be a good way in which the evidence can be reviewed by different parties.

Most conversations these days occur over a telephone line and these can be recorded with ease by using a voice modem that can be used with a phone recording program. This is especially good where a person is afraid that they may get to retire unexpectedly without having accumulated enough evidence. These also provide one with the opportunity to make a recording in a situation where few people do know they are being recorded.

Legal proceedings are the single most discouraging factor when it comes to making ethical choices. Most people are intimidated by their employers against speaking, or some are even paid off by their employers to avoid spilling the beans to the public. The employers normally water down their effort to expose corrupt dealings by telling them that no single person can fight against a government or a business that has got so many resources at its disposal.

Probably of most importance when it comes to proving intend in certain violations would be the use of a video camera, which are now available in numerous devices. These can be a good way that can be difficult to disprove in case of wrongdoing. One should be cautious when it comes to proving the time or date of taking the photograph and one should use irrefutable ways to prove this.

The most important technological device though that one may be advised to add to their arsenal is the computer. These can be used to easily follow any trail that a company may have, this is due to the increased importance of digital footprints and shadows in the workplace. This will also make the work that authorities have to do easier and faster.

Exposing corrupt individuals is going to be easy in the future with the development of more advanced whistleblower software and other advanced electronic technology. Presently, mobile phones have been fitted with audio and visual recording devices and this makes it easy to gather the required information. Exposing corrupt individuals has been made easy.




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Understanding How The Whistleblower Act Protects

| Monday, September 24, 2012
By Rebekah Alford


Employees sometimes find themselves in a position where they have to seek protection through the whistleblower act. Before reaching this position, it is important to understand what protections are provided and where the laws can be found. There are several different laws that provide these protections that are not part of the official law passed by the U. S. Congress in 1989.

In 1989 Congress passed the original law that protected only federal employees from retaliation should they provide inside information on actions that were violating the laws. Today, many people this this original act applies to people working for any company in the United States. Unfortunately, this is not the case. However, other agencies have adopted similar provisions to protect employees in regulated industries. These reported crimes are usually major and have a serious impact on investors or consumers.

OSHA provides similar protections for laborers under their protection. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration provides similar protections for those who work in dangerous situations. When someone complains about illegal or dangerous workplace environment situations, they are provided anonymity and shielded from reprisals from their employer.

Other agencies have added these protections. For example, the SEC noted that it was important to protect employees with sensitive and damaging information because many corporations were finding it easy to skirt the law, causing damage to investors and consumers. Many agencies have found the need to protect those who are willing to come forward.

Many states have enacted similar laws. In most cases, the federal laws that provide whistleblower protection do so only in the federal arena. States have recognized the importance of protecting those willing to step forward and have added protections for state employees and contractors.

There are limitations when the protections are offered. In most cases, the person is only protected if the information provided is for a serious legal infraction. The issue also may need to be something that was intentional and have a devastating effect. Something that can be construed as minor errors on filings does not fall under these protections.

Employers are not allowed to adversely retaliate against employees. If a person under this protection comes forward, the employer is not allowed to do anything that would adversely affect their career. This includes making threats, denying promotions, or prospects for advancement. These protections are often limited in scope and time to file a grievance.

Even though the original whistleblower act only covers certain federal employees, it started a trend towards offering these same protections in many different industry levels. Regulatory bodies now apply these types of protections to employees through their regulations. The SEC and OSHA are two prominent bodies that extend these protections to many employees that would not be covered under the original law. Keeping businesses honest is now easier because they are aware that employees can come forward if the company is breaking serious laws.




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Scam Alert: Cash For Gold

| Sunday, September 23, 2012
By Anne Trimble


The "cash-for-gold" phenomenon has gone completely out of hand, demonstrating over and over again the adage credited to P.T. Barnum: "There's a (brand-new) sucker born every moment. "The cash-for-gold trend is a huge sign of the ignorance of the American people about the value of money.

This week alone, my friends have informed me of just how many events are being held in the homes of the affluent, where attendees enthuse over obtaining cash for their gold jewelry-- sadly, at costs way beneath their true market price.

I'm an expert in the real gold business, and I know: Home-party companies, and even local storefronts, that advertise, "We offer the best price for your gold," are one of the biggest scams out there right now.

Why-- after gold has risen in value by 400 % over the past 10 years-- would you wish to trade your actual gold or silver for almost worthless paper? The worth of the U.S. currency is dwindling to absolutely nothing, considering documented government debt as well as looming hyperinflation.

Is there any way that average Americans will stay away from this nonsense? I keep trying to advise everyone to stay smart, not impulsive.

Look, if you're in fact financially squeezed and truly need cash, the very least that you can do is to call a trustworthy gold dealership that will offer you a fair trade in U.S. currency for your precious metals.

Gold shops and those home-party charades are simply buying low so that they can sell high as gold is worth quite a bit nowadays. It's truly distressing to watch this unethical business practice flourish and the bad reputation rub off on us real gold traders.

Do not be deceived by the local corner gold store. For unexpected emergencies, do not go there to get a bit of money. If it's at all possible, conserve your gold and silver. The value will continue to increase, while the value of paper money will continue to decrease. As personal debt in the USA continues to rise and the dollar continues to diminish, the worth of precious metals will explode a lot more. This forecast is merely common sense.




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Holistic Marketing: The Urgency without The Sensationalism

| Friday, September 21, 2012
By Mark Silver


Encouraging clients to take action is a critical issue for you as a SOHO business owner. Being amazing at what you do is not usually enough to bring in clients.

There are a great deal of very superb people out there doing awesome things. Holistic practitioners are a good example of people, lots of whom are tremendous, and yet their client slots are empty.

The challenge is that this space of ours has become an extremely distracting place. Very. Youngsters are typically given ADHD diagnoses, when the real culprit is there is too much distraction.

A steady diet of action flicks and drama-filled tv shows with dynamic and frequent camera cuts creates the brain expectation that something exciting happens every three seconds.

Our lives are provably more difficult than they were fifty years ago. More bills, more devices, more responsibilities. Add to that the breakdown of extended family and community and you have got some extraordinarily exhausted, distracted, suffering folk out there.

Then add to all of that the factor that making decisions is one of the most energy-intensive things we do as human beings. Forming a decision just plain takes plenty of calories. With a complicated life, our brains our exhausted most days, too exhausted to make good choices. We need aid in making good choices.

To have heart-centered businesses survive/prosper in a dysfunctional economy we have to be ethical and smart in using marketing and sales. Not to manipulate others, glaringly, but simply to make certain that the folks that truly need us can hear us and respond to us thru the haze and mess we are living in.

I feel intensely that if we're going to heal this economy, then heart-centered businesses have to be successful. Being successful means we divert resources in the economy to services and products that are healing, that are transformational, that may change our lives and our economy. The market and business does not supply the whole solution, however it does provide a vital some of it.

For instance, always-available, never-urgent offers from amazing folks like you can be put off for unfixed periods by the folks that most want and need your assistance, yet live in overmaster. A sales tactic like an early bird cut off point, or other urgency, can be important to get clients the help they require so they will actually make the choice instead of wavering forever on "maybe."

Now, having said that , an ethical, heart-centered person should be using legitimate pressure. In my company, we use early-bird pricing to keep folks from enrolling at the very last minute because 1) It's a lot of work to make sure somebody has everything they want and it is not fair to our admin staff to get it all done at the last minute, and; 2) People need a little time to finish pre-assignments to be prepared for the class.

Another example is offering limited quantities, but only when the quantity is basically limited. For example, in a live course there could be limited spots. Or if you're making a physical product, you may only produce many of them.

Mentioning the truth, that there are only a certain number, can help folks get galvanized to make a decision rather than leaving it in the forever-maybe category. And if it is true, then you are not manipulating any person.

By utilizing moral, heart-centered marketing and sales strategies we can make it work. I've seen too many individuals that are highly good, gurus at what they do, languish, exhausting themselves financially and emotionally, because the folks that need them the majority are too distracted to be aware of the little attempts they made to get spotted.

Hearts and minds are thirsty for real caring. And if you are real, real, and offering something really wonderful, they won't be annoyed by your sales efforts. They are going to be thankful to find someone real, rather than another corporate veneer.

Please don't shy away from using selling and sales strategies to communicate with the folks who want you. We are all drowning in a landslide of overwhelming media and probably will not hear you any alternative way. Just keep connected to your heart and to truth when you do it.




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Discover The Advantage Of A WhistleBlower Hotline

| Wednesday, September 19, 2012
By Rebekah Alford


In an attempt to prevent fraud and encourage ethical practices in the workplace, state and governmental agencies have put into action the WhistleBlower hotline. In this forum, employees are able to voice their concerns regarding the procedures used in their department. Employees are more likely to express concerns knowing that they are protected by anonymity. This practice has been so successful that private businesses have adopted the whistleblower system.

Hotlines can be either external, internal, or both. The external system for whistle blowing is outsourced. Employees are more at ease reporting to external systems so more companies use a third party. Businesses that do not use a whistle blowing system are more apt to have losses than the company that does have a system in place. Employers find that staff will be far more dedicated to the company that offers a system that allows them to voice concerns.

Many employees fear retaliation from the employer if they voice their opinions and concerns. Companies must guarantee that staff concerns and complaints will not result in reprisal. Folks need to feel comfortable in their work environment in order to perform at their best. When staff is able to let their concerns be known and report any wrong doing, they are helping the company succeed.

People need the chance to report concerns about workplace practices without fear of retribution. It is common for folks to feel more secure reporting to an outside system. When a business provides a quality reporting system guaranteed to be anonymous the oversight of the company improves. In addition, employees and those with a direct interest in the company will be more satisfied and there is a lowered risk of legal or financial issues.

Businesses understand that their employees hold much power and can make or break their company. Employees who are empowered will feel more connected to the company and work to help it succeed. A proper system for reporting will enable employees to make their worries known in regard to abuse, fraud, theft, or drug use, without the threat of punishment.

Reporting systems can be set up using the internet or phone. The internet system of reporting is preferred since it also offers a number of resolution options. Folks are able to chat live with an operator, and submit a completed report with files. The hotline will be most successful when it is manned by real people rather than an automated response. People want to talk to trained and experienced operators.

Outsourcing is a very cost effective alternative for implementing these systems. The company will save on labor and setting up an infrastructure to accommodate the WhistleBlower hotline. Large companies often have many different hotlines that may not be able to discriminate between whistle blowing and other types of reports regarding business. This can also be problematic for companies that are growing internationally.

Implementing a proper WhistleBlower hotline will require some foundational work. It is important to look at company size and how far they reach geographically. Confidentiality and anonymity must be a high priority for employees to feel safe in reporting. The organization must give careful consideration to such particulars to guarantee the success of the program.




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Who'sThe Boss Of The Design Process? The Web Designer Or The Customer?

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By Anne Farrell


The process of web designing clearly involves two crucial personas: the designer and the client. Sometimes though, the course of project development experiences a few series of bumps, especially when the designer and the client are clearly not on the same page. It's therefore crucial for both parties to sit down and discuss a few things even before the full design process is put into play:

Authority. Who is the superior in this scenario: the client who paid the designer to adhere to the instructions or is it the designer, the professional who clearly knows the techniques to tackle a design project with competence. To avoid friction on who bears the final word, the designer and the client must make it a necessity to talk about dealing with various lines of authority. This way, not one of them can trespass their individual decision-making abilities.

Open lines. Miscommunication, can be fatal to any design project. It's therefore highly suggested for both parties to maintain their communication lines with each other. The designer should never try to ignore the client. There are web designers who hate talking to clients, when they feel that the client is going overboard in obtaining updates. The designer should tolerate this behaviour.

The client invested in this type of project, naturally, the client will want to know any signs of progress. Clients on the other hand, should never be too busy to answer inquiries for designers. When clients ignore conversation because they are intimated by the technicalities of web design, designers must make it a point to explain web design to the clients.

Are you looking to produce a website for your business soon? Don't hesitate to work with the most professional, ethical website designers in Singapore today. Singaporean designers can craft great web designs according to your marketing objectives.




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Ways to prevent getting cheated at the Car workshop

| Tuesday, September 18, 2012
By Jeff Smith


Getting your car to an auto maintenance facility is as fearful as visiting to a dentist for many of us. This is certainly easily comprehensible, since you face the similar situation once costs as well as time constraints are considered. Some car technicians have supplied a bad identify for the business, due to their inclination to take advantage of their customers lack of know-how in vehicle upkeep and may charge excessively high costs with regard to unjustifiable job. It's not necessary to worry even though you end up in the identical scenario. Here are suggestions that will explain to you how to not find scammed at a Firestone Car Care Center.

Just as much as we would all prefer for our vehicles to live eternally, without having to be worried about any upkeep troubles, the truth is, vehicles will almost certainly break down every once in awhile. Probably the most known scams motorists have witnessed at the people of an auto repair center, is the flat rate charge. In the flat rate fee agreement, the work you might be charged on a tune up will be based on the flat fee. This can be a charge depending on many factors which may consist of price of items as well as the time taken by the mechanic. The catch at this point is that even if the mechanic takes a lot less time to complete the vehicle repairs, the charges you need to pay the car care facility would be the same. Nonetheless, should the auto technician happens to take additional time to do the job the car maintenance center will likely be pleased to make extra demand.

How to prevent Getting Scammed by Auto Maintenance Centers

Individuals with some practical knowledge regarding how to maintain a vehicle and perform auto repair procedures may be easily able to avoid such problems and complete the vehicle repairs at home, within their garage. However, those who are not well prepared to deal with this kind of tasks can use the services of a qualified auto care facility. A good auto maintenance facility should be able to precisely diagnose the problem, clearly explain the repairs that ought to be carried out and supply an exact evaluation of the expense of work and vehicle parts. They should not push repairs depending on the latest Firestone coupons. Which is the best place for your vehicle upkeep?

This is actually the concern in the mind of many individuals, who may have already been overcharged by the car mechanic. It might always be better to locate a Vehicle Maintenance centre with connection to some well-known group such as AAA and also has Motorist Assurance Program (MAP) qualified as well as licensed technicians. You should consider asking your friends for suggestions. On the internet reviews of Car servicing facilities may also help. It takes a little work, and you can find a good repair shop.>You may have to make some endeavor, and you may eventually find a trustworthy auto care center.




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Different Protocols Of Companies In Accepting Corporate Gifts

| Thursday, September 13, 2012
By Patricia Campbell


It is a common gesture to give gifts in the Singapore trade industry. A lot of shops give their customers small gifts of gratitude. Employers give bonuses to their employees. Companies give gift packages to their business partners. Gift giving not only reinforces commercial relationships, but also aims to gain loyalty from recipients. Unfortunately, not everyone thinks that it is an entirely positive act. When other people misinterpret it or if they have a secret agenda, gift giving can become a conflict.

Businesses generally give away mass-produced corporate gift items to their staff and consumers, such as ballpoint pens, fridge magnets, notepads, and paperweights. And for their client partners and shareholders, they usually give more high-end gifts, such as gift baskets, collector's item pens, gadgets, and wine baskets.

Expensive gift giving Singapore items have repercussions, though. They might be deemed a bribe, and thus inappropriate, especially if they are really expensive. Even if the deed is in good faith, others might think that it is a bribe in certain situations, like when the giver and the recipient's respective companies are in the brink of signing a new contract together. They would think that the contract happened because of the gift even though it's not.

That's why there are companies that completely prohibit their employees to accept any present from clients or other establishments. They want to avoid any talk about enticement, whether true or not. The employees can't even accept a seemingly minor and inexpensive gift, such as a coffee or lunch treat, as it may still be construed as accepting a business favour.

Some Singapore firms, meanwhile, are more relaxed in their rules about accepting gifts. They allow their employees to accept Singapore corporate gifts if the presents don't go over a certain worth. As for high-end presents, some organisations allow their employees to accept them provided the recipients would put it on record.

Giving Singapore corporate gifts to clients or company partners is not inappropriate. In fact, it's usually done to boost the relationship between businesses. But there are also times when it can attract negative attention even though it's done in good faith. Before buying a gift to one of a company's employees, it is better to research about the company's gift accepting policies first.




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Scenes from a gloomy prison torture

| Wednesday, September 5, 2012
By Hnao Jimao


The president of a respected civil forum Catalan surmounted a few days ago a relaxed dinner, including dessert and coffee, setting the edge that Felix Millet crossed in Palau. The reason you have finished throwing it in the open social, beyond the shelter, consideration and benevolent elite paternalism that always dispenses his own fleeing drastic solutions and public scandals. "That border is to poaching," he said criminal hiding behind the terminology. Stay with us unduly, one might add. Pillaging the pocket of his social equals of the civil society in their moments of glory in the officiating of Palau became Pontifex Maximus.

The three members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot raise serious allegations against the Russian judiciary. In the controversial court cases among these three accused women are now complaining about prison conditions. "I cannot participate in the process, we have not slept and have no food - this is torture," said Maria Aljochina, 24, according to the Interfax news agency.

Rajaratnam, who was born in Sri Lanka, took the verdict without apparent emotion mind. The founder of the hedge fund Galleon Wall Street had given one of the most spectacular scandals: Many former stock market traders, senior managers and lawyers with one another to exchange relevant information exchanged.

On 21 February had pussy Riot with 'punk-prayer "before the altar of Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow begged Our Lady to save Russia from President Vladimir Putin. The artists now face seven years raises jail the charges them hooligans from religious Hass. They would have with their "vulgar" dance around the altar to offend the feelings of the believers want. The defense speaks instead of a political show trial that was being used in the influential Russian Orthodox Church as a means to an end.

It is also to analyze the documents seized by the judge and the memory stick seized Montull Gemma and the expected collection is true accounting of money movement orchestrated by Felix Millet. Approximately 15 million euros, as estimated from the bridge of Palau.

Investigators were suspicious and tapped Rajaratnams phone. In court, these recordings played a key role. On the tapes was heard, like Rajaratnam speaks to his people contact and procured strictly confidential company internals, such as the latest financial figures or takeover plans. End of 2009, investigators were Rajaratnam go up then, since March, he was on trial.

The 36-year-old is one of the most important Nawalny organizers of protests against Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. Moreover Nawalny has repeatedly corruption uncovered in government agencies. He accused the pipeline operator Transneft to have embezzled billions, among other things a few years ago. Only in June 2012 Nawalny of Russian state power had been delivered.




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