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Aleksander Zotin the Russian writer claims there is a difference between “good” corruption and “bad” corruption in an article published on Worldcrunch titled ‘Is There Such A Thing As Good Corruption?’ Zotin states “First of all, the size. A 3% drain on the economy is not the same as a 25% one. But size is far from the only thing that matters. The structure is also important. Good corruption is often a way to grease the wheels of cumbersome regulations, where officials speed up the decision-making process, helping business. Often that means forced political support for regimes that are undertaking painful economic modernization. One of the important signs of “good” corruption is that the money stays in the country, allowing for economic growth. The American political scientist John Nye even calls this the "Switzerland factor." The less that corrupt money leaves the country (often going to Swiss bank accounts), and the more it is reinvested in the home country’s economy, the less damaging the corruption. The aim of good corruption is to create a good investment climate and improve growth in private business. One of the best examples of this good corruption was 20th century South Korea under dictator Park Chung-hee. He often forced large companies to take care of his party’s needs, and rewarded those companies’ loyalty with low-interest loans and business preferences. He used the money to secure his party’s hold on power rather than just for his own personal gain, and nearly all of the money stayed in the country. At the same time, he cracked down on middle-level corruption – investigating large numbers of mid-level officials and thus creating a good investment climate that forced the government to color inside the lines. Although he ruled as a dictator, Park held his government to strict standards, and didn’t use the corruption strictly for personal enrichment.”  Inspired by Aleksander Zotin, Worldcrunch ow.ly/iqQM6 Image source VK ow.ly/iqRmu Such a thing as good corruption (March 22 2013)

 

Aleksander Zotin the Russian writer claims there is a difference between “good” corruption and “bad” corruption in an article published on Worldcrunch titled ‘Is There Such A Thing As Good Corruption?’ Zotin states “First of all, the size. A 3% drain on the economy is not the same as a 25% one. But size is far from the only thing that matters. The structure is also important. Good corruption is often a way to grease the wheels of cumbersome regulations, where officials speed up the decision-making process, helping business. Often that means forced political support for regimes that are undertaking painful economic modernization. One of the important signs of “good” corruption is that the money stays in the country, allowing for economic growth. The American political scientist John Nye even calls this the “Switzerland factor.” The less that corrupt money leaves the country (often going to Swiss bank accounts), and the more it is reinvested in the home country’s economy, the less damaging the corruption. The aim of good corruption is to create a good investment climate and improve growth in private business. One of the best examples of this good corruption was 20th century South Korea under dictator Park Chung-hee. He often forced large companies to take care of his party’s needs, and rewarded those companies’ loyalty with low-interest loans and business preferences. He used the money to secure his party’s hold on power rather than just for his own personal gain, and nearly all of the money stayed in the country. At the same time, he cracked down on middle-level corruption – investigating large numbers of mid-level officials and thus creating a good investment climate that forced the government to color inside the lines. Although he ruled as a dictator, Park held his government to strict standards, and didn’t use the corruption strictly for personal enrichment.”

 

Inspired by Aleksander Zotin, Worldcrunch ow.ly/iqQM6 Image source VK ow.ly/iqRmu

Roberto Guillermo Pizarro Hofer the 68 year old Chilean economist , academic, socialist and former Minister of State has published an article in the America Economia titled ‘The 1% has enough 99%’ referring to the Occupy Wall Street Movement. In a Worldcrunch translation of the article, Pizarro is quoted as stating “...difference in incomes is the consequence of an elevated concentration of property and wealth in a few hands. The most powerful economic groups have multiplied their actions in the last 20 years in a rhythm that simply excludes the rest of Chile. They accumulated with the dictatorship and kept going when it ended and the coalition governments were formed. …In the last decade, the wealth of the five most powerful economic groups has expanded in an unprecedented way, from $5.6 million in 2002 to $48.3 million in 2010. In addition, the Chilean tax regime has been extremely generous to large corporations and wealthy sectors of the population, while, on the other hand, the unprecedented expansion of the credit system through high rises and supermarkets has provided huge profits to these groups. Finally,the expansion of trade and financial openness of the Chilean economy, through the Free Trade Agreement (TLC), the central component of the country's foreign policy, has allowed a global scale reproduction of Chilean investors abroad. Consequently, it is no exaggeration to say that the State has been captured by an economic minority who use it in their favor. Instead of using it as a tool to compensate for the inequalities of the market economy, it has become an instrument for economic expansion of a few. Under such conditions, the nation's sense of community has weakened by the presence of a fragile State, serving a minority considered an ideological nuisance.”  Inspired by Roberto Pizarro, America Economia ow.ly/hMJRH Image source elperiodista ow.ly/hMJOq The State captured by an economic minority (March 3 2013)

 

Roberto Guillermo Pizarro Hofer the 68 year old Chilean economist , academic, socialist and former Minister of State has published an article in the America Economia titled ‘The 1% has enough 99%’ referring to the Occupy Wall Street Movement. In a Worldcrunch translation of the article, Pizarro is quoted as stating “…difference in incomes is the consequence of an elevated concentration of property and wealth in a few hands. The most powerful economic groups have multiplied their actions in the last 20 years in a rhythm that simply excludes the rest of Chile. They accumulated with the dictatorship and kept going when it ended and the coalition governments were formed. …In the last decade, the wealth of the five most powerful economic groups has expanded in an unprecedented way, from $5.6 million in 2002 to $48.3 million in 2010. In addition, the Chilean tax regime has been extremely generous to large corporations and wealthy sectors of the population, while, on the other hand, the unprecedented expansion of the credit system through high rises and supermarkets has provided huge profits to these groups. Finally,the expansion of trade and financial openness of the Chilean economy, through the Free Trade Agreement (TLC), the central component of the country’s foreign policy, has allowed a global scale reproduction of Chilean investors abroad. Consequently, it is no exaggeration to say that the State has been captured by an economic minority who use it in their favor. Instead of using it as a tool to compensate for the inequalities of the market economy, it has become an instrument for economic expansion of a few. Under such conditions, the nation’s sense of community has weakened by the presence of a fragile State, serving a minority considered an ideological nuisance.”

 

Inspired by Roberto Pizarro, America Economia ow.ly/hMJRH Image source elperiodista ow.ly/hMJOq

Timur Vermes the 45 year old German journalist and author is the subject of an article by Nathalie Versieux published on Worldcrunch titled ‘Why A New Book About Hitler Returning Has Become A German Bestseller’. Versieux states “He’s back. Adolf Hitler is back, in a book by Timur Vermes – a comedy in which Hitler returns to Berlin in the summer of 2011. The book, which has reached the top of the German bestseller list, is causing much controversy in a country that would rather forget it has been 80 years since Hitler rose to power... Timur Verme’s novel created much controversy in Germany. …“We don’t have too much Hitler,” says Vermes. “We have too many Hitler stereotypes, which are always the same – the monster that enables us to reassure ourselves. I too, for a long time accepted this vision of Hitler. But this vision is not enough. Hitler continues to have a real fascination. If so many people helped him commit his crimes, it is because they liked him. People don’t elect a nut job. They elect someone whom they are attracted to and that they admire." …Vermes concludes: "Often, we tell ourselves that if a new Hitler came along, it would be easy to stop him. I tried to show the opposite – that even today, Hitler might be successful. Just in a different way.” Vermes’ book shows how, in 21st century Germany, a demagogue would have a chance – the ways to conquer the masses have changed, they have modernized. But the intention stays the same. One German book critic summed it up this way: “Vermes holds a mirror to German society which, despite the laughter. shows an unflattering image.”  Inspired by Nathalie Versieux, Worldcrunch ow.ly/hLQuY Image source myspass ow.ly/hLQiL We have too many Hitler stereotypes (February 20 2013)

 

Timur Vermes the 45 year old German journalist and author is the subject of an article by Nathalie Versieux published on Worldcrunch titled ‘Why A New Book About Hitler Returning Has Become A German Bestseller’. Versieux states “He’s back. Adolf Hitler is back, in a book by Timur Vermes – a comedy in which Hitler returns to Berlin in the summer of 2011. The book, which has reached the top of the German bestseller list, is causing much controversy in a country that would rather forget it has been 80 years since Hitler rose to power… Timur Verme’s novel created much controversy in Germany. …“We don’t have too much Hitler,” says Vermes. “We have too many Hitler stereotypes, which are always the same – the monster that enables us to reassure ourselves. I too, for a long time accepted this vision of Hitler. But this vision is not enough. Hitler continues to have a real fascination. If so many people helped him commit his crimes, it is because they liked him. People don’t elect a nut job. They elect someone whom they are attracted to and that they admire.” …Vermes concludes: “Often, we tell ourselves that if a new Hitler came along, it would be easy to stop him. I tried to show the opposite – that even today, Hitler might be successful. Just in a different way.” Vermes’ book shows how, in 21st century Germany, a demagogue would have a chance – the ways to conquer the masses have changed, they have modernized. But the intention stays the same. One German book critic summed it up this way: “Vermes holds a mirror to German society which, despite the laughter. shows an unflattering image.”

 

Inspired by Nathalie Versieux, Worldcrunch ow.ly/hLQuY Image source myspass ow.ly/hLQiL

Vanessa Dougnac the French journalist based in New Delhi having worked for two years with Hikari Films on the story India's Red Tide about the country's Maoist insurgency, has published an article on Worldcrunch titled ‘China's "String Of Pearls" Strategy To Secure The Ports Of South Asia’. Dougnac states “…Nowadays in Bangladesh, it’s hard to miss all the Chinese constructions. In October, there was yet another Chinese delegation signing deals and offering subsidized loans for a water treatment facility, a private power plant and an international airport in the fishing port of Cox’s Bazar. But mostly, China is building a spectacular deep-sea harbor in the island of Sonadia for an estimated cost of $5 billion. There is also a tunnel under the Chittagong River, a China-Bangladesh highway via Burma (Myanmar), and the project of a new industrial park. …the Chinese focus on the strategic sector of transportation can be seen in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. All of these countries surround… India. In a region where it has always been very influential, the Indian government was quick to suspect the Chinese expansion of hiding an “encirclement” strategy. The two Asian giants are locked in a struggle for regional domination. …The “small” nations of the Indian subcontinent have always been wary of their Indian big brother, whose domination they resent. …Chinese investments are visibly geared toward improving maritime transport infrastructures. …Being present in every port has a purpose: it’s the famous “string of pearls” strategy, which consists in China getting exemption from port of call taxes and securing trading routes for Middle Eastern oil while asserting its commercial influence. For now, China’s involvement in Bangladesh is undeniably a positive thing, as it is a symbol of dynamic development.”  Inspired by Vanessa Dougnac, Worldcrunch ow.ly/hhQ9f Image source vanessadougnac ow.ly/hhPBC China’s “String Of Pearls” Strategy (February 8 2013)

Vanessa Dougnac the French journalist based in New Delhi having worked for two years with Hikari Films on the story India’s Red Tide about the country’s Maoist insurgency, has published an article on Worldcrunch titled ‘China’s “String Of Pearls” Strategy To Secure The Ports Of South Asia’. Dougnac states “…Nowadays in Bangladesh, it’s hard to miss all the Chinese constructions. In October, there was yet another Chinese delegation signing deals and offering subsidized loans for a water treatment facility, a private power plant and an international airport in the fishing port of Cox’s Bazar. But mostly, China is building a spectacular deep-sea harbor in the island of Sonadia for an estimated cost of $5 billion. There is also a tunnel under the Chittagong River, a China-Bangladesh highway via Burma (Myanmar), and the project of a new industrial park. …the Chinese focus on the strategic sector of transportation can be seen in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. All of these countries surround… India. In a region where it has always been very influential, the Indian government was quick to suspect the Chinese expansion of hiding an “encirclement” strategy. The two Asian giants are locked in a struggle for regional domination. …The “small” nations of the Indian subcontinent have always been wary of their Indian big brother, whose domination they resent. …Chinese investments are visibly geared toward improving maritime transport infrastructures. …Being present in every port has a purpose: it’s the famous “string of pearls” strategy, which consists in China getting exemption from port of call taxes and securing trading routes for Middle Eastern oil while asserting its commercial influence. For now, China’s involvement in Bangladesh is undeniably a positive thing, as it is a symbol of dynamic development.”

 

Inspired by Vanessa Dougnac, Worldcrunch ow.ly/hhQ9f Image source vanessadougnac ow.ly/hhPBC

Benoit Georges the French journalist and head of Innovations and Skills department with Les Echos has published an article on Worldcrunch titled ‘Do Smart Phones Make Us Dumber? Asking The Internet's Intelligence Questions’. Georges states “Italian linguist Raffaele Simone and French philosopher Jean-Michel Besnier deliver very different views on the matter. According to Simone, modern men and women are “caught in the Web,” absorbed in the “media sphere”, which he describes as an “environment in which online electronic media play a fundamental role,” and create, “from nothing, trends, needs and new pressures.” …Written knowledge allows thoughts to be structured and more complex than oral communications. It is based on a specific form of intelligence Simone called “sequential” – meaning the way we assimilate new information, one after the other. The Web and videos, on the other hand, favor a “simultaneous” form of intelligence – we are capable of taking in different types of information at the same time but without “being able to put them in order as a logical succession, with hierarchy.” …Jean-Michel Besnier’s … asks a simple question: “How does the cultured species that we are, born from the Age of Enlightenment and having witnessed totalitarianism, let itself become a slave to its machines?” The situations in which we delegate our responsibility to objects or programs are multiplying: Search engines algorithms decide which websites best match our needs; the so called “service” robots that are supposed to take better care than us of the elderly or autistic children; the GPS navigators without which we are completely lost… Besnier believes this dehumanization existed long before computers. According to him, the industrial revolution – that transformed men into operators of machines that were more powerful than them – was already part of this movement.”   Inspired by Benoit Georges, Worldcrunch ow.ly/gH0mm Image source Twitter ow.ly/gH0kW Do smart phones make us dumber? (January 16 2013)

Benoit Georges the French journalist and head of Innovations and Skills department with Les Echos has published an article on Worldcrunch titled ‘Do Smart Phones Make Us Dumber? Asking The Internet’s Intelligence Questions’. Georges states “Italian linguist Raffaele Simone and French philosopher Jean-Michel Besnier deliver very different views on the matter. According to Simone, modern men and women are “caught in the Web,” absorbed in the “media sphere”, which he describes as an “environment in which online electronic media play a fundamental role,” and create, “from nothing, trends, needs and new pressures.” …Written knowledge allows thoughts to be structured and more complex than oral communications. It is based on a specific form of intelligence Simone called “sequential” – meaning the way we assimilate new information, one after the other. The Web and videos, on the other hand, favor a “simultaneous” form of intelligence – we are capable of taking in different types of information at the same time but without “being able to put them in order as a logical succession, with hierarchy.” …Jean-Michel Besnier’s … asks a simple question: “How does the cultured species that we are, born from the Age of Enlightenment and having witnessed totalitarianism, let itself become a slave to its machines?” The situations in which we delegate our responsibility to objects or programs are multiplying: Search engines algorithms decide which websites best match our needs; the so called “service” robots that are supposed to take better care than us of the elderly or autistic children; the GPS navigators without which we are completely lost… Besnier believes this dehumanization existed long before computers. According to him, the industrial revolution – that transformed men into operators of machines that were more powerful than them – was already part of this movement.”

 

Inspired by Benoit Georges, Worldcrunch ow.ly/gH0mm Image source Twitter ow.ly/gH0kW

Massive German Tax Evasion Probe (December 19 2012) Massive German Tax Evasion Probe (December 19 2012)

Hans Leyendecker the 63 year old German political editor and columnist at the Munich-based Süddeutsche Zeitung, has published along with Claus Hulverscheidt an article on Worldcrunch titled ‘Massive German Tax Evasion Probe, Billions Stashed In Swiss Banks’ with one estimate is that some 150 billion euros have been stashed in secret Swiss accounts. Leyendecker and Hulverscheidt states “The German prosecutor’s office in the western city of Bochum announced it had uncovered proof of massive tax evasion, with billions of undeclared euros deposited by German investors in Swiss bank accounts. The prosecutor in the state of North Rhine Westphalia analyzed the contents of a CD with data from German clients, including 750 foundations and 550 individuals. The data showed secret accounts with Swiss banking giant UBS totaling 2.9 billion euros. The foundations alone are alleged to have evaded 204 million euros in German taxes. Since 2007, the western state of North Rhine Westphalia has been buying CDs containing information about alleged tax evaders. The practice by the state’s Social Democratic Party (SPD)-led government has met with criticism from Germany’s Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, who believes it adversely affects the chances of getting a global German/Swiss tax agreement signed. Meanwhile, the SPD and Greens believe the draft agreement Schäuble has negotiated with the Swiss is too lax and are blocking its passage in federal parliament. There are no official estimates of how much “black” money Germans have in Swiss accounts, though this latest probe, one of the largest to date, offers further signs that the amounts may be enormous.”

 

Inspired by Worldcrunch ow.ly/g26hB image source Wikipedia ow.ly/g26cZ

Youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company (December 11 2012) Youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company (December 11 2012)

Marissa Ann Mayer the 37 year old American business executive has been appointed the CEO of Yahoo, making her the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company, having been ranked at number 14 on the list of America’s most powerful businesswomen by Fortune magazine. Profiled by Nicholas Carlson for Worldcrunch, Carlson states “Yahoo is deep in the process of looking at ad tech companies to acquire… Yahoo’s business is pretty simple. It makes money by selling ads on Web pages. This is the formula: Number Of Visits To Web Pages X Rate Yahoo Can Charge For Ads On Those Pages = Revenues. That formula means there are only two ways for CEO Marissa Mayer to grow the business. Method One: She can increase the number of visits to Yahoo Web pages. The way Yahoo does that is by creating new popular products and media. Method Two: She can increase the rate Yahoo charges to put ads on Web pages. The way Yahoo does that is by using ad tech to find out as much as it can about the people looking at its Web pages, and, in “real-time” sell that inventory to buyers willing to pay more to reach certain demographics. Mayer is going to embrace both methods. Mayer’s favorite thing to work on is consumer-facing products. So she’s going to personally invest lots of time in “method one.” As for “method two,” Mayer would like to delegate. …So Mayer’s plan, according to our sources, is to buy an ad tech company with a strong executive bench, and install it as the new leadership of Yahoo RMX.”

 

Inspired by Nicholas Carlson ow.ly/fS05u image source Facebook ow.ly/fRZOy

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