this is the real life

Advantages and Disadvantages of Pay-Per-Click Marketing

2005-12-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

ADVANTAGES

PPC is easier than SEO optimization - A great advantage to someone who does not have the time to learn optimization or the capital to pay for it.
PPC is direct market access - limited competition for people.
PPC is exceptional for short term specials, holiday promotion, etc.
PPC has no middleman to rely on for performance
PPC highly adaptive to market trends (e.g. last week "car" was hot - this week "cars" is)
PPC has a three day turn around no monthly waiting to produce results
PPC is highly cost effective (e.g. can produce 1000% return on investment)
PPC is highly effective in controlling market saturation (e.g. - out of inventory - immediate ads drop). Powering down your web site in SEO model can have long lasting negative effects. In addition, telling paying customers they need to wait 3 weeks for product inventory to catch up is bad business

DISADVANTAGES

Paying for the entry when you don't have the necessary products for the buyer (e.g. using "software" when the only software you have is a Windows 3.1) and few qualified visitors
Using informative phrases that offer significant clicks but possibly 95% of click are "free information seeking" only and never buy.
Quick loss of placement in favor of someone else willing to pay more than your budget allows.
Stuck with the model - when the search engine adapts to a new scheme you "must" meet or match their Terms of Service and/or changes.
If PPC is the only service used - you will never be an authority web site on anything - and authority defines - market trust, and your credibility.
PPC never allows the web site owner to truly fault find problem areas of the web site.
PPC favors big business with large marketing budgets

Pay Per Click Versus Search Engine Optimization

2005-12-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

Blog in Spanish. It is a fact that many people have difficulty understanding the different parts of search engine marketing. Therefore, I have decided to write this short article to explain the main differences between Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click Marketing (PPC).

SEO is a process of preparing your website and its constituent pages for prime positioning on search engines like Yahoo, Google, or MSN. SEO is very complex, as it changes in a regular basis. Two good places to learn more are http://www.sembooster.com and http://www.searchenginewatch.com .

Some of the main differences between SEO and PPC are:

1. Purpose
SEO: to appear as near the top as possible in the search results.
PPC: to instantly attract qualified prospects and convert them into buyers.

2. Keywords
SEO: usually the webmaster wants to target general terms, as they provide the most amount of traffic. You don’t have control over the ranking of your site.
PPC: you have complete keywords over which keywords are used and the position on the end result page.

3. End Result
SEO: depending on your keywords and the resulting ranking you receive in the search engine, you attract free traffic to your website.
PPC: you pay for each visitor you receive, but you can control the number of visitors you get, the landing page to which they are directed, and the keywords being used.

The two processes are quite different in techniques, methods, and execution, but the desired end result is the same. A combination of the two techniques SEO and PPC will bring success to your business.

Blog in Spanish

2005-11-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

'Más respeto, que soy tu madre'. Es el título del 'blog' ganador de los Premios Internacionales Weblog de la Deutsche Welle 2005, más conocidos como premios BOBs ('Best Of Blogs'). Su autor es Hernán Casciari, un argentino afincado en Barcelona que ha hecho de la historia de los Bertotti, una familia argentina ficticia, un éxito de la Red. Sin embargo, la votación del jurado no coincidió con la del público, que escogió como ganador a 'Tupiniquim', un 'blog' en portugués sobre pueblos indígenas.
El 'blog' de Casciari fue escogido por los doce miembros del jurado, entre los que se encuentran dos españoles, el periodista Ignacio Escolar y el profesor José Luis Orihuela. Su autor lo define como una "blogonovela" en la que Mirta Bertotti, un ama de casa bonaerense, "debe lidiar con su esposo, su suegro drogadicto y tres hijos adolescentes". Recientemente, el 'blog' ha sido editado en forma de libro por Plaza y Janés.
El premio del jurado para el mejor 'blog' multimedia ha sido para 'Blog con Cebollino', una página francesa en la que sus dos dibujantes, Miss Gally y Georgette, cuentan sus aventuras con su planta de maceta.
En la categoría de 'podcasting' ha resultado ganador Pink Ke, un DJ chino. 'Manal and Alaa's Bit Bucket' ha obtenido el Premio Especial Reporteros sin Fronteras por su trayectoria como pionero en la 'blogosfera' egipcia.
También se han decidido los premios a los mejores 'blogs' periodísticos en diferentes idiomas. El ganador en español ha sido Adriano Morán con 'Jabalí Digital', donde trata gran variedad de temas.
Entre estos premiados destaca 'Global Voices Online', mejor 'blog' periodístico en inglés y una referencia en Internet a la hora de tomar el pulso a la comunidad internacional de 'bloggers'.
El público también vota
El jurado tiene sus preferencias, pero el público tiene otras. Los ganadores de la votación popular, en la que han participado más de 100.000 personas, apenas coinciden con la selección del jurado.
Como mejor 'blog' general, 'Más respeto, que soy tu madre' ha quedado en segundo lugar, por detrás de 'Tupiniquim', un 'blog' escrito en portugués en el que se recopila información sobre pueblos indígenas.
De hecho, público y jurado sólo coinciden en las categoría de mejor 'blog' multimedia, mejor 'podcasting' y mejor 'blog' periodístico en ruso.
Como mejor 'blog' periodístico en español, 'caspa.tv' ha resultado el favorito de los votantes, mientras 'Jabalí Digital' aparece en sexto lugar.

Google Analytics: Still Waiting

2005-11-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

This is something that could make Internet history as the “as everybody was waiting” inciden. I assume many people have started to use Google Analytics. You have to enter your sites details, and include a Javascript code into your page’s header. Then Google says your reports should be available within 12 hours.
The funny thing is: I’ve not yet read about anyone who actually has seen his stats. This is just ridiculous. Right now, there are people (including me) who waited more than 2 weeks and still have no stats. Discussions about wheter Google forgot a big “beta” sign are going on at WebmasterWorl Forums, users complain over at Digital Point, too. Not even ProBlogger Darren Rowse, who said he started using Google Analytics, has stats yet.
Well, we’ll have to wait and see.

Google Analytics Struggless

2005-11-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

Google's hosted Web analytics service Google Analytics suffered serious performance problems earlier this week, after the company announced the service would be available free of charge, but seemed to have stabilized by Wednesday.

"They clearly underestimated the number of people trying to sign up on Monday," said Alan Gahtan, an attorney based in Toronto, who spent hours on Monday trying to sign up for the service, which used to cost $199 per month. Google Analytics, formerly known as Urchin on Demand, lets users monitor visits to their Web sites. The users can track, for example, the effectiveness of online marketing campaigns and to determine how to modify Web pages to improve sales conversions.

I signed up last week and haven't seen any data yet. Hopefully I will be able to take advantage of this free service soon. I am lokking forward to it.

The Principle of Equal Freedom

2005-11-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

Blog in Spanish Blog in Spanish
Some years ago one of my best friends asked me to help her with a difficult situation she was having. My friend had been raped and now she was pregnant. She told me she was thinking about not having the baby. She wanted to hear what I, as her best friend, had to say. My memory went back to this situation after reading the definition of the principle of equal freedom in chapter eight of our text. According to this principle, “a person has the right to freedom of action unless such action deprives another person of a proper freedom.” In my home country abortion is legal for reasons of rape, fetal deformity or “physical or psychiatric risk” to the mother. Therefore, if my friend chooses to put and end to the life of the fetus she is carrying, she would be just exercising his freedom of choice. The problem here is that the fetus has also some rights. The fetus has the right to live. Nevertheless, the fetus is incapable to fight for his freedoms. He depends on other people to protect his rights and freedoms. In this situation, I was one of those people. I was aware that my words would have a great effect in my friend’s final decision on whether to abort or to have the baby. When all this happened about ten years ago I was single. Now things have changed, I am married and have two beautiful children. I honestly think ten years ago I did not value a fetus’ life as I do now. I have seen the development of my children since they were just a tiny form of life inside my wife’s womb, till they were born. I have sung to them before they came to this world and noticed their reactions to my voice. We live in a world were individuals are egoist. We invade other people’s countries; ignore those who starve in remote parts of this planet, and kill innocent and tiny humans in the name of freedom. Men are not equal; this is something we have to admit. There are human beings who are not able to stop bombs from destroying their houses, nor can fetuses fight for their lives. These people depend on others who exercise their freedom in a superior way. If someday we come to understand that the freedom to defend your country implies destroying another, and that the freedom to kill an innocent human being implies denying the freedom to live to those who cannot defend themselves, then we all may have gain something. Ten years ago an innocent fetus incapable to defend himself lost his life in an operation room of a remote abortion clinic. That day a human being lost his life and two friends were overwhelmed by a guilty conscience that would never heal; and all this in the name of freedom. Blog in Spanish.

DO WE REALLY NEED BUSINESS ETHICS?

2005-10-26T11:44:00.000-06:00

Blog in Spanish
I believe that good ethics make good business sense. Nowadays, customers pay more attention than ever to the ethical behavior of companies. Therefore, companies must have a code of ethics to define and maintain standards of acceptable behavior. In order for a company to achieve this, I would recommend following these three basic duties. First, any company should treat its employees well. For example, a company should be sensible to the needs of its employees by paying them fare wages and providing health insurance to the worker and his/her family. A company should also keep its promises. Second, companies and employees working for the company should be honest in all dealings. For example, companies should not take advantage of customers by overcharging for products; especially those products that are most necessary. When I was younger, I worked in a big bookstore as a clerk. One day a customer came to us to buy one of the textbooks she needed for school. When I told her the price, she said she could not afford it. But she really needed the book. I was aware she could get the same book at a lower price from one of our competitors. All of a sudden, I was faced with an ethical dilemma. What should I do? Should I tell her about the competitor or let her go without getting what she needed? I actually decide to tell her about the competitor’s price and she was indeed very thankful. Third, I believe all companies (and governments) have the duty to be socially responsible. The Kyoto global warming pact went into force recently. Many nations of the world have signed an agreement to systematically reduce pollution levels released to the atmosphere. This is a big step to protect our planet. Nevertheless, the pact is doomed to fail since countries like the United States (the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide) and China did not sign it. These two countries have refused to ratify the agreement, saying it would harm their economy. Are we forgetting that our planet is more important than any corporate profit? Are we not smart enough to think that if we destroy our planet money will be useless? Ethics and common sense are not always interrelated. Thus, it is our responsibility to do our part to implement business ethics in a society that has forgotten its more important core values; honesty, and a clear responsibility to future generations.

The Melting Pot

2005-10-18T18:38:00.000-06:00

Blog in Spanish
America has long been known as a melting pot of cultures and ideologies. But, does this still work today? What does it mean to be an American? And who should be considered an American? The dictionary defines the noun American as “a person born in the United Sates.” By that definition alone I am not an American. Nevertheless, after living three years in this country I find that the definition the dictionary provides is not quite accurate. Actually, if I had to declare my nationality at this point of my life, I would realize it to be more difficult than many people may think. I was born in Europe, found love in America, married in Japan, and saw my two children come to the world under the shadow of a Star-Spangled Banner. To me America means opportunity, romantic walks under a starred night holding hands with the woman I love, and tears of joy for the birth of my two children. As you can see America means almost everything to me. I love this country as I love my own and I would be more than ready to defend its values if asked to. The United States received me with open arms three years ago and since then I have been able to assimilate myself into that great melting pot of cultures and ideologies called America. The melting pot is still alive providing immigrants and their descendants the chance to become full members—in one way or another—of American society. To better define the noun American, I would like to go back and humbly change the definition the common dictionary provides. I would define American as a person born in the United States and or a person who loves the United States as if he/she was born here.

Trade Secrets

2005-10-12T23:02:00.000-06:00

Blog in Spanish
No one can question all the advantages that the chemical revolution has brought to our lives. We now live longer than ever thanks to advances in medicine and medical equipment; thousands of remedies and medicines are available for the sick, and many illness that were fatal in the past are now extinguished. Many of the products medical professionals and the entire public use everyday are made of some type of synthetic chemicals. Nevertheless, the chemical revolution of the past 50 years has also altered nearly every aspect of our lives. Not all the chemicals registered at the Environmental Protection Agency ahs been tested. Therefore, the risk to human health of many of these chemicals is still unknown. Actually to test all the 75,000 chemicals registered in the APC would be impossible due to the high cost of conducting serious research. The video we watched in class stated that scientific research worldwide is finding that every one of us carries traces of synthetic chemicals in our bodies. This is something new. Previous generations were never exposed to these chemicals. The problem here is that we do not really know the effect that these synthetic chemicals may have in our bodies. Are they toxic; are they good for our bodies? We simply do not have an answer to these questions. What to do then? Should we stop using these chemicals to be completely safe from the harm they may cause us? I do not think that’s the best thing to do. For instance, without plastics, there will be no computers. We just can’t live without computers anymore. We just need to commit ourselves to do our best to prevent any harm synthetic chemicals may cause in the workers who deal with them everyday. The video Trade Secrets showed the sad story of Dan Ross who died of a rare type of brain cancer after being exposed to all sort of harmful chemicals for more than 25 years. The owners and managers of Conoco knew about the problem, but chose to remain quiet. I just do not understand how these people could sleep at night knowing that their workers were being exposed to dangerous chemicals. A student from our class summarized this discussion in a splendid way saying that “if we can’t make a balance between people and profit we have failed as managers.” The owners of the Conoco factory where Dam Ross gave his life did not understood this.

Tips to Battle Identity Theft

2005-10-08T13:16:00.000-06:00

TIP 1
CHECK UP ON YOURSELF REGULARLY
Get a copy of your credit report every year from each of the major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, Experian) to make sure the records are accurate.

TIP 2
TRAVEL LIGHT
Avoid carrying around credit card or personal documents unless you really need them.

TIP 3
KEEP PERSONAL DATA UNDER WRAPS
Don’t share personal ID numbers with anyone. Don’t provide information over the phone or hand over personal data unless you know it is needed. Keep a list of all account numbers in a secure place so that you have quick access if cards or documents get stolen or lost.

TIP 4
BUY A SHREDDER FOR THE HOME
Tear up or shred all credit card receipts and all new card offers that arrive in mail. Also destroy all documents that contain account numbers or other personal financial information.

TIP 5
CHECK THE MAIL
Don’t let mail sit in the mailbox for days on end. And don’t place sensitive outgoing mail, such as bills, in your home mailbox to await collection. Instead, drop it in a collection box.

Sources: Federal Trade Commission, American Bankers Association

The Vitality Curve

2005-10-07T13:06:00.000-06:00

The vitality curve is a method of leadership aimed to produce a winning team. This concept is associated with Jack Welch who designed it as a 20-70-10 system where 20 percent of the work force ("top 20") work hard, 70 percent work ("the vital 70"), and 10 percent doesn't work ("bottom 10"). Managers who were placed in the bottom 10 percent were fired. This system may encourage managers to work harder, but it also has some difficulties. For instance, it becomes harder and harder to name the weakest players with the passing of time. Managers were fired annually. Probably it was easy to identify the weakest players during the first two or three years. However, as time goes on and on and the weakest players are already out of the game, chances are the good players will take the “weakest” positions. Those who do not deserve to be fired will be fired. To prevent this, managers will play every game in the book to avoid identifying their bottom 10. The vitality curve concept has many detractors. They think it's cruel or brutal to remove the bottom 10 percent of any company simply because their overall performance is not very productive. How about their families? How about their self-esteem? Well, there might be some people who deserve to be fired, but anyone can have a bad year. However, Jack Welch ignored the criticism and defended the layoffs of the weakest performers saying that “What I think is brutal and 'false kindness' is keeping people around who aren't going to grow and prosper. There's no cruelty like waiting and telling people late in their careers that they don't belong-just when their job options are limited and they're putting their children through college or paying off big mortgages." You know, he may be actually right. Nevertheless, I personally think that there are some people who always deserve a second chance. If they do not take advantage of that second chance, then let the vitality curve claim its victims.

TV in Buthan

2005-10-05T11:29:00.000-06:00

We watched a very interesting video in class today. The video was about the introduction of television into the kingdom of Bhutan and how it revolutionized the otherwise pacific daily life in this remote part of the world. For some people, Television is viewed in Bhutan as a symbol of the western world, and an attempt to threaten the deep-rooted Buddhist culture that predominates in Bhutan. Nevertheless, there are others who are in favor of television. I believe that television, if properly controlled, can be a helpful tool for any society. For instance, television will help the young people in Bhutan to be much more in tune with globalization and what is happening around the world. Children in Bhutan will be exposed to some good programs and to some bad programs. The Bhutanese government is mostly worried about the effect programs like WWF, where people fight each other without a purpose, and pornography will have among youngsters. What I can’t understand is how any society has taken so long to open its frontiers to any kind of modernization. I feel sorry for the young children living in Bhutan. They are forced to live a simplistic life just because they do not know any other way. I mean, these people are so obsessed with religion that they tend to forget to just live and enjoy life. I think Bhutanese government and Bhutanese parents should ask themselves what is best for their children. Do they want their children going around dressed in a ridiculous red toga chanting and meditating for the rest of their lives? Or do they want their children to learn, to experience, to visit other countries and get an education that permits them to become valuable to society? Bhutanese society has to solve a big dilemma. TV is not the problem, the problem is whether Bhutanese society is willing to accept that their way of life is obsolete and has no place in a world like ours. Let those who want to live in the past, live in the past. Let those who want something better, have something better. Bhutanese children have the right to a better life, if television if the beginning of that life, let them have all television they want.

BILL GATES

2005-09-28T13:56:00.000-06:00

Wow! I was touched by the video we watched in class today about Bill gates. I always thought Bill Gates was the typical rich guy who only cared about increasing his wealth. Well, I was wrong. Bill Gates and his wife Melinda have been given away a big part of their wealth for years. According to the video we watched in class, they give away $20 million per week. Bill has given away billions of dollars to global health organizations, to improve educational opportunities, and to make the Internet accessible to everyone. Bill Gates is a philanthropist who wants to keep his world of giving away much of his wealth before his passing away. He does not want his children to be burdened with tremendous wealth (I would actually like to hear his children’s opinion about this. Personally, I would not care being burdened by wealth, but that’s just me.) Bill Gates wants his children to be responsible for themselves. However, there are many people out there who still hate Bill. Some say that Bill just wants to be remembered as a nice guy, a kind of a modern Samaritan. Also, there are others who say he is giving his money away to expand Microsoft’s market. Honestly, I do not care. I think Bill is doing all this because he actually cares. Bill Gates is committed to his foundation, he is committed to learn what the needs of this world are, and he is committed to help. Not everyone is willing to do this. I mean, nobody forces Bill Gates to give away billions of dollars. He is doing it because he feels he has a duty with society; the duty of giving back. Therefore, next time I need to make a software buying decision, Microsoft will be the first in my list, not only because it is the best vendor out there, but also because Bill Gates is a good guy.

The Authors Guild Sues Google

2005-09-21T22:50:00.000-06:00

The Authors Guild has sued Google over Google’s Library Project. Apparently, The Authors Guild, which represents more than 8,000 authors and is the largest society of published writers in the U.S, believes that Google’s project is an infringement of copyright laws. The Google Print Library Project intends to scan the book collections of major universities and other institutions, make those texts searchable on Google, and sell ads that would appear on the search results pages. By doing this, Google will be given free access to thousands of books to the public. This has infuriated The Authors Guild who fears people will go to Google to download books for free instead of buying them in bookstores. Now, I think The Authors Guild is missing the big picture here. I don’t know anyone who is up to the task of reading a 200 or 300 pages book on the internet. I also think it is very unlikely people will go to Google to print entire books. What I think will happen is that people will visit Google’s Library Project to search for books they are interested in, read the first pages of the book, and then go to a bookstore and buy the book. The Authors Guild is so afraid of losing business to Google that it fails to see the big picture; Google’s Library Project may become The Authors Guild’s best marketing tool.

Españoles en Utah

2005-09-20T22:39:00.000-06:00

Con motivo de la celebración del Día de la Hispanidad, el Consulado Honorario de España y la Casa de España en Utah les invitan a una reunión social de la colectividad española en Utah.
El evento tendrá lugar el sábado 8 de octubre de 2005 de 19:00 a 21:00 horas en la universidad de Brigham Young “Centro Cultural’ segunda planta—UPC (University Parkway Center)
El edificio UPC se encuentra al oeste del estadio de fútbol Lavel Edwards esquina University Avenue y University Parkway.
En la reunión se tratarán temas consulares, inscripción matricular y electrónica y futuros eventos.
Se invita a los participantes que traigan algo para comer y/o beber para compartir. Gracias.

Espero veros allí.

Un saludo.

Tobacco regulation in Europe

2005-09-19T22:09:00.000-06:00

The tobacco industry is under fire in Europe. In my native country, Spain, the government requires tobacco companies to include warnings to the consumer covering at least 15 percent of the front of the pack. Now under new regulations coming from the European Union, tobacco companies will be forced to include a health warning to consumers covering at least 35 percent of the front of the pack. In addition to this the use of terms like “mild” or “light” will be banned. As you can imagine, these proposals have infuriated tobacco industry bosses. Still, there are many who think regulations should be even stronger. In my opinion, it is good to force tobacco companies to advise the consumers of the dangers of consuming tobacco products. Nevertheless, I also believe that businesses operating in free countries, like Spain, should be allowed some margin of market freedom. Although we know tobacco kills, so do hamburgers and a sedentary life. Should we force the fast food and furniture industries to include in their hamburgers and sofas labels warning the consumers that eating too much meat or becoming a couch potato may eventually kill you? I don’t think so. I don’t smoke, and I never will. I took this wise decision many years ago. Nonetheless, let us not forget that many others have taken the decision to smoke, and they have the right to do so. One last thing, if we force tobacco companies to shut down due to excessive regulations, who is going to take care of all the people who would become unemployed? That is something we have to take into consideration.

John D. Rockefeller

2005-09-18T00:32:00.000-06:00

I admire John D. Rockefeller and respect his ways of conducting business. He was a self-made man who, through his career, changed and improved the lives of many people. John D. Rockefeller never sought fame. Although he contributed to charity during all his life, he never put his name on companies or charities. His great ambition was to mind his own business as well as he could, which was very well. John D. Rockefeller brought to reality the American dream. He sprang from one of those migrating families coming to this country seeking a betterment of condition. To some people John. D Rockefeller appeared to be a man of glaring contradictions. He eagerly crushed his competitors, ruining hundreds in his pursuit of profit. Yet, he was a deeply religious man; he became a Baptist, was active in church affairs for many years and was a generous financial supporter of the church. In my opinion, John D. Rockefeller was a man who took clear advantage of the opportunities life put on his way. He was given the chance to do something great and he did it. John D. Rockefeller was a man who lived his religion and was convinced God had given him the gift of making money. He sure shared this gift with the needy throughout all his life. One of my goals in life is to learn something positive from all great men who have lived before me and apply what I learn in to my own life. From John D. Rockefeller I have learned that by working hard and believing in what one is doing, one can accomplish all goals.

Business Power

2005-09-17T22:36:00.000-06:00

Business has the power to shape or even change societies. The railroad and the car are two valid examples that show how society was transformed from the introduction of these products in the market. As we discussed in class today, C. Wright Mills and Thomas R. Dye asserted that America was controlled by a small group of people who held elite positions. While I do not disagree with them, I believe these people’s powers are somehow limited. They as managers, owners, or members of the board of directors, depend upon the workers to become part of the elite. The working class is the most important because we live in a society where Capitalism reigns. Capitalism is a system based on an unequal distribution of wealth and power whose heart is profit. A way to define profit is the difference between what a worker gets paid for his work and what his work is really worth. This profit goes directly to the pockets of managers and owners incrementing the gap between the rich and the poor. Nevertheless, it is the workers who ultimately have the power to change society because Capitalism depends on them to support it. Whenever workers take actions to increase wages or improve working conditions they cut into the profit of their bosses reducing their power.

Gandhi

2005-09-16T19:32:00.000-06:00

As Dr. Martin Luther said “We may ignore Gandhi at our own risk.” Gandhi was one of those few people who taught mankind by example. His politic of nonviolence changed the history of his native India.
Gandhi described nonviolence as the greatest force at the disposal of mankind; the mightiest weapon ever devised by humans. A person may ask; how is nonviolence even mightier than a nuclear bomb? Well, as powerful as the nuclear bomb might be, it only has the power to kill people. On the other hand, nonviolence has the power to change hearts; the power to eradicate prejudice; the power to destroy evil from its roots.
The world needs more leaders like Gandhi. With people like Gandhi governing the world, most of today’s problems would be solved. However, we all know that the world is not ready to be governed by saints. For some reason, humans prefer evil minds taking care of their country’s affairs and the future of their children.
People like Gandhi will always be remembered as relics from the past. We may praise their teachings, but the majority of us will never follow their examples. It is easier to kill people than to change their hearts.
In conclusion, Gandhi’s teachings are a great topic to be discussed in schools and symposiums; nevertheless, Gandhi’s teachings will have little repercussion in the overall history of mankind. The wisdom and example of this man became obsolete the same very moment his innocent blood was shed on the streets of his beloved country. We ignore Gandhi at our own risk.

Housing Katrina Survivors

2005-09-13T20:35:00.000-06:00

Today in class we had the opportunity to hear from the creators of katrinahousing.org. The goal of this site is to find a way to easily, rapidly, and powerfully setup a complete system for organizing the kindness of American citizens due to Katrina. The site was launched on September 1st, and since then about 5,000 survivors have been placed. The site has a nice and easy to understand design that allows survivors and those who want to help find information rapidly.

If you would like to donate your home to survivors, please visit the site and post your housing information. There are many who still need help. If you want to help, but don’t have housing to provide, don’t worry katrinahousing.org needs people to answer calls directed to their survivor hotline.

I personally wanted to thank you guys for donating so much of your time to help people in need. You are an example to the community. Keep on the good work

Power Battle in Spain

2005-09-08T14:39:00.000-06:00

Endesa SA (a Spanish power utility) rejected yesterday the unsolicited bid of 22.55 billion euros ($28.27 Billion) from Gas Natural SDG SA. According to Endesa’s CEO “The bid is hostile and does not reflect the real value of the company. In response of Endesa’s negative response, Rafael Villaseca, Gas Natural’s CEO, said that “It didn’t come as a surprise to us. In any event, it will be up to the shareholders to decide.” But, why is Gas Natural trying to acquire Endesa anyway? Well, the EU has begun opening its gas and power markets to competition and European energy companies are seeking more size. Gas Natural’s intention to acquire Endesa indicates that Gas Natural is seeking vertical integration in order to be able to control its own supply of raw materials. Gas Natural insists that by acquiring Endesa Spanish consumers would be better off as it would spur competition and gas prices will go down.

Want StatCounter.com? You got it.

2005-09-06T18:59:00.000-06:00

Hello Classmates!! To get this reliable and FREE web tracker, just click HERE. And since you are already here, why don’t take a look around and leave a comment? Thank you. You all have a great day.

The financial impact of Hurricane Katrina may not be as bad as US officials feared.

2005-09-03T18:40:00.000-06:00

Treasury Secretary John Snow and Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said in a recent interview that the impact of Hurricane Katrina would not have a significant long-term effect on the US economy, although growth would be slowed for a short period.
Much of the pressure on oil supplies has been relieved by the release of 60m barrels from emergency supplies.
Major towns and cities in the Mississippi area lie in ruins, dozens of oil rigs and refineries have been damaged, and some experts have put a price tag of $100 billion on the hurricane.
Hurricane Katrina has been one of the major natural disasters the United States of America has faced in its recent history. Thousands of people are feared dead and entire cities have been completely destroyed.

Victims of the hurricane are clearly unhappy about the way President Bush has handled the situation. It took several days for the first relief troops to arrive to the area. Many believe the wars going on overseas have obviously debilitated the army’s capacity to respond to this kind of emergencies. Where was the National Guard? The National Guard was off in Iraq protecting the precious oil that will be exported to the US later at gold prices.

As I recall the day of the hurricane President Bush was still making speeches about Iraq and added some reference to Katrina as a sort of footnote.

But, after all, who cares about the dead? They were poor. The country has obviously more important problems to deal with, like oil prices.

Well done President Bush, you who spent millions of dollars in the search of inexistent weapons of mass destruction wouldn’t take appropriate measures to save the people who voted for you.

El huracán 'Katrina' sacude Nueva Orleans y se debilita mientras avanza hacia el Norte

2005-09-03T16:18:00.000-06:00

El huracán 'Katrina' ha irrumpido con vientos de 240 Km/h. sobre las islas del delta del Misisipí, tras tocar tierra en Grand Isle, al sur de Nueva Orleans. El ciclón continúa su avance hacia el norte debilitado ya hasta la categoría 1. Cientos de miles de personas permanecen evacuadas.
El huracán, cuyo vórtice evitó a última hora la populosa ciudad de Nueva Orleans registra vientos máximos de 120 kilómetros por hora y está a punto de convertirse en una tormenta tropical.
Sin embargo, las autoridades han hecho un llamamiento a la población para que no regresen aún a sus casas. Los servicios de emergencia siguen sin poder atender las llamadas de los ciudadanos.
Cuando el huracán tocó tierra en la zona de Grand Isle, en el estado de Luisiana y al sur de Nueva Orleans, sus vientos sostenidos llegaban a los 240 kilómetros por hora.
El Centro Nacional de Huracanes (CNH) calcula que la tormenta estará mañana, martes, al norte de Misisipi, donde se sentirán sus fuertes lluvias. Unas 24 horas más tarde pasará por Tennessee y Kentucky, y seguirá rumbo a Indiana y Ohio.
La entidad meteorológica de EEUU espera oleaje en las zonas costeras de entre 5,5 y siete metros, y fuertes lluvias que serán de entre 100 y 200 milímetros que causarán inundaciones.
Aunque Nueva Orleans está por debajo del nivel del mar y se han producido importantes inundaciones en algunos barrios de la ciudad, la televisión local WDSU informa de que no han sido tan graves como se había pronosticado y la mayor parte se han salvado. En otros barrios, sin embargo, sólo se ven los tejados de las casas.
Ahora que los efectos del huracán se han suavizado, las calles de Nueva Orleans han dejado de estar desiertas para dar paso a las escenas de pillaje, a pesar de la anunciada presencia de 4.000 agentes de la Guardia Nacional.
Evacuaciones
Centenares de miles de personas han sido evacuadas de Nueva Orleans, ciudad en la que se encontraban unos 1,3 millones de habitantes. Todos los españoles presentes en las zonas afectadas por 'Katrina' han sido evacuados o se encuentran a salvo en hoteles, informa el cónsul español en Nueva Orleans, Ramón Saenz de Heredia.
Sin embargo, 35.000 residentes de la ciudad que no han podido abandonarla por su estado de salud o por la falta de medios económicos se han refugiado en el gran estadio (Superdome) de Louisiana, que ha sufrido daños en el tejado.
Otros dos de los diez refugios habilitados por la ciudad para acoger a los habitantes que no pudieron huir han tenido que cerrarse por inundaciones.
Tres muertos durante la evacuación.
El diario local "The Times-Picayune" recoge en su página de Internet los mensajes de ciudadanos que solicitan ayuda y de testigos que informan de los lugares donde han visto gente subida a los tejados, ventanas rotas, árboles caídos o viviendas anegadas.
"Nuestra mayor preocupación ahora mismo es la incapacidad de ir a prestar ayuda o a confirmar lo que estamos oyendo", declaró al diario un responsable de los servicios de emergencia.
Las autoridades de Luisiana han confirmado la muerte de tres ancianos, probablemente por deshidratación, cuando estaban siendo evacuados de una residencia de Nueva Orleans. El huracán azotó el sur de Florida los pasados jueves y viernes dejando al menos nueve muertos, además de cuantiosos daños materiales.
Lo peor, por llegar
El presidente de EEUU, George W. Bush, ha declarado los estados de Luisiana y Misisipi como zonas catastróficas, lo que "permitirá que los fondos federales sean utilizados para desplegar recursos de ayuda en esos dos estados", precisó el portavoz de la Casa Blanca, Scott McClellan.
El alcalde de Nueva Orleans, Ray Nagin, insiste en que hay que estar preparados para "daños catastróficos" que "llevará semanas reconstruir".
Según la televisión WDSU, unos 770.000 clientes de la eléctrica Entergy no tienen suministro, y fuentes oficiales de la empresa afirman que la electricidad no será restablecida por completo en Nueva Orleans hasta dentro de un mes.
Más alarmante, el director del Centro de Salud Pública de la Universidad estatal de Luisiana, Ivor van Heerden, opinó que a causa de "Katrina" se puede experimentar un "equivalente al tsunami del sur de Asia en términos de daños".
La gobernadora de Luisiana, Kathleen Blanco, ha movilizado a cientos de soldados de la Guardia Nacional para que, en cuanto el huracán se mueva hacia el nordeste, comiencen de inmediato la tarea de asistencia y socorro a los damnificados, así como de limpieza.
El fiscal general, Charles Foti, atiende protestas de ciudadanos que denuncian que han sido extorsionados en establecimientos, como hoteles y gasolineras, que tratan de sacar partido de la situación.

Esta es una noticia tomeda del diario El Mundo. Por favor visite la web oficial de El Mundo para una mayor covertura.
www.elmundo.es

Globalization, Good or Evil?

2005-08-30T23:11:00.000-06:00

Globalization has some positives and some drawbacks. On the one hand globalization has helped to distribute capital and technology around the world. Another positive aspect of globalization is that, as times goes by, more and more politicians believe in the concept of free trade; CNOOC executives may not agree with this particular point though. Free trade is the cornerstone of economic development. On the other hand globalization has some drawbacks. For instance, globalization extends the use of child labor, despoils the environment, and increases the gap between the rich and the poor, thus; creating more inequality.
In order to best describe my opinion of globalization I am going to use an example. Although I believe inequality is an intrinsic part of any society, the issue on whether globalization leads to more or less inequality is a matter that has caught my attention for some time now. Does inequality mean poverty? Not necessarily. Let’s imagine a poor and unskilled worker in a small village of India. Let’s say that this person is working in a farm making $1.50 per day. Let’s imagine now that a multinational company opens a new factory in the village. The company hires this poor fellow and pays him $2.50 per day. Thanks to globalization our friend has raised his daily income by 60 percent. Nevertheless, he still remains poor. On the other hand, the managers of the company will see how their net profit will increase since production is cheaper and more goods are being sold to the market at a lesser cost. Managers and workers benefit from this association. The rich becomes richer and the poor less poor, yet poor nonetheless. In this example, some poverty has been relieved, but inequality has increased. Poverty and inequality—although not being exactly the same—are inherently interrelated. Inequality has always existed, even before the notion of globalization was invented. I believe globalization has the power to increase or palliate inequality. But in order to palliate inequality through globalization laws should be enforced and ethics should be applied.
I really enjoyed the Commanding Heights video. It helped me to become more educated on the topic of globalization and gave me a broader view of how different societies are affected by it. I would say that the Commanding Heights video has not changed my opinion of globalization. Globalization is the soul of the twenty first century. There is no other alternative.
Commanding Heights focused on three major points. First, globalization is an excellent tool to make the whole world more aware of poverty. Second, globalization is here to stay, and third, international terrorism is the dark side of globalization. Regarding this last point, there are many who think that the success of international terrorism depends on the very success of globalization.
I believe that international terrorism may have found a haven in globalization. Globalization facilitates the mobility of terrorists, and the scattering of their barbaric ideas. Nevertheless, I also believe it will be the very core ideas of globalization the mechanism that will trigger the defeat of terrorism. Barbarism makes no sense in a world that tries to reach global understanding and global prosperity.

Global Warming

2005-08-30T22:47:00.000-06:00

The mainstream scientific consensus on global warming is becoming clearer every day: changes in our climate are real and they are underway. In the last 150 years, we have been witnesses of unexpected heat waves around the globe that have taken the elderly, the poor, and the young as propitious victims. Moreover, many glaciers are now disappearing, and scientists predict that, a majority of them will be gone by the year 2100. As glaciers continue to shrink, summer water flows will drop sharply, disrupting an important source of water for irrigation and power in many areas that rely on mountain watersheds. To prevent all this, a total of 140 governments ratified the Kyoto pact last month in an effort to reduce the industrial gas emissions, which many scientists believe are behind the increase in global temperatures during the last century. What are the pros and cons of this initiative for governments and society? Are we too late to stop a climatic change that will erase all forms of life from the face of the earth? This paper will try to answer these questions.
Governments Pros
By agreeing to reduce industrial emissions by the year 2010, all governments, which ratified the Kyoto pact, show their willingness to improve both environmental quality and human health. Energy-related environmental pollution figures prominently as a contributor to a number of diseases, including acute respiratory infections, chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. The ratification of the Kyoto pact is a sign most governments on this planet have not forgotten their duty of protecting the land and the people from any kind of threat. These governments are setting an example for all of us to follow. After all, governments have a social responsibility with their citizens and are directly responsible for the wellbeing of those individuals living within their borders.
Society Pros
Global warming is killing about 150,000 people a year, mostly in deprived and tropical areas, and the toll could raise dramatically if efforts are not made to combat climate change. According to the United Nations Agency, “the health of millions of people is under threat as a consequence of rising temperatures and uncertain weather patterns, which many scientists claim are caused by greenhouse gas emissions.” A later report by the same agency blamed global warming for 2.4 percent of diarrhea cases and 2 percent of all cases of malaria worldwide. The United Nations Agency also estimated that, by 2030, climate change could cause 300,000 deaths annually and that a further 5.5 million years of healthy living had been lost worldwide due to debilitating diseases caused by rising temperatures. The last heat wave in Europe last summer alone killed 20,000 people. Hopefully, the Kyoto pact will slow down the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere eventually saving the lives of thousands human beings. The ratification of the Kyoto pact is good news to society.
Governments Cons
The reduction of industrial greenhouse gases may affect the economy of those nations adopting the Kyoto pact. According to the Bush Administration, “adopting the Kyoto pact would seriously affect American businesses, with the result that U.S. goods would cost more, and more jobs would move overseas.” The United States is the only industrialized nation not adopting the Kyoto pact due to economic reasons. Nevertheless, other countries, which did adopt the treaty, also worry about an increase in the level of unemployment caused by cuts in output. For example, while the rest of the member of the European Union are required to cut their emission level by 8 percent, Germany (due to the still existence of coal-fired power plants in the former East Germany) is required to make a reduction of 21 percent. Dr. Werner Müller, German economy minister, said regarding this issue, “although we believe adopting the Kyoto pact is necessary to slow down global warming, we are concerned our economy will be seriously affected if we fail to monitor the reduction of greenhouse gases closely.” Those governments adopting the Kyoto pact sure had a difficult decision to make; on the one hand their willingness to contribute to slow down global warming makes them socially responsible, on the other hand if factories start closing down due to the strict requirements of the Kyoto pact and people begin losing their jobs, their initiative could backfire on them.
Society Cons
The added costs for pollution-control equipment and moving to new energy sources may distress the economy of needed capital and cost thousands of jobs in industries such as taconite and steel production. According to a study conducted by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, about 5 million workers may lose their jobs soon after the Kyoto pact is ratified. Plus another 10 million will lose their jobs successively. If these figures are true, society would be paying a high price to try to save the planet form the disastrous consequences of global warming.
Conclusion
Global warming can’t be stopped, we are too late for that, but it may be slowed down. 140 countries are willing to take the risk to see a recession in their economies to bring hope to future generations. Other countries, like the United States, which is actually the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, value their economic goals as being more important than the wellbeing of future generations. Unless we act now, our children will inherit a hotter world, dirtier air and water, more severe floods and droughts, and more wildfires. They will inherit a world where more frequent and more intensive heat waves could result in more heat-related deaths. In fact, they will inherit a more dangerous world than we know today. They will inherit a world threaten not by terrorists or nuclear weapons, but by the destructive power of nature.

Government And Tsunami Relief

2005-01-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

On December 26, 2004, more than 150,000 people lost their lives victims of a tsunami that devastated the shores of Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, and other countries with waves of up to forty-five feet tall. Since then, governments, businesses, and citizens of the world have been urged to do something to alleviate such devastation. As of last Monday, the U.S. government’s contribution to help the victims of the tsunami stood at more than $350 million. However, is the U.S. government doing the right thing by dedicating this money to such a cause? What are the pros and cons that this initiative will have in the government itself and society? This paper will try to answer those concerns.
Government Pros
By pledging an assistance of $350 million to aid the tsunami victims, the U.S. government consolidates its role as one the most powerful entities on earth. Moreover, the mere act of helping people who live outside the boundaries of the United States washes out the preconceived image of a country only concerned with expanding its borders by military power. In a recent interview on ABC television, President Bush said: “the U.S. relief efforts will fix the U.S. image abroad.” Taking into account that a majority of Americans and most citizens of the world are getting tired of the war on terror, the money America is sending to help the tsunami victims may become the best ambassador of a government needing drastic reconstructive surgery. Hopefully, words like “bombing” and terms like “collateral damage” may be substituted by more useful ones like “charity” and “service.”

Government Cons
Although the government is acting in good faith, the decision to send money to the victims of the tsunami may have some drawbacks. There are those who think that the government is simply making a mistake by aiding the tsunami victims. Why? Because the money is not the government’s to give. Every penny the government is sending to countries like Sri Lanka and India comes from the pockets of faithful American taxpayers. Many Americans are asking themselves; by what right does the government take our hard-earned money and give it away? Even though the money is for a good cause, many believe the government should ask the taxpayers before taking any action. A large number of Americans are concerned with the fact that by ignoring their voice, the government shows a clear disregard for its own citizens. They believe that American citizens should have the right to decide whether they want to send their money to aid the tsunami victims or not.
Society Pros
More than two million tsunami victims in need of food and shelter depend on the donations of foreign governments, private businesses, and individual citizens to survive. The world has donated so far more than $4 billion to help the tsunami survivors in an unprecedented act of charity that speaks volumes. By sending money to help those in need, the U.S. government, along with other governments, is encouraging the citizens of the world to become more aware of the need to help those who suffer. The world lost more than 150,000 souls to the furious waves of the sea; nevertheless, each one of us may have gained something of extreme value. We have gained the notion of fully understanding our duty as part of a big family where government and society’s finest attributes are needed to survive.
Society Cons
Sadly, sometimes we need a part of society to suffer before any action is taken. A big disaster, like the tsunami, must occur for governments in particular, and society in general, to take action. A couple being literally swallowed by the sea on national TV is an image powerful enough to trigger the alarm. It is only then that we decide to help. Sadly enough, the image of children dying of starvation in the villages of Africa has become part of our daily life routine. These children also deserve the attention of powerful governments. They also deserve the money of large corporations. Currently, these children are not getting the help they need to stop their suffering. We let them die just because their cries were not silenced by a massive tidal wave, but by our negligence to accept their suffering as a major social and governmental problem. This is the biggest sin of society and the shame of all governments.
In summary, the government of the United States is making a mistake by not asking its citizens in a referendum whether their hard-earned money should be used to aid the tsunami victims. By doing so, the government would not only be gaining the respect of its citizens, but also it would awake a sense of self-involvement in each American household. Being part of society means more than just titles or nationalities; we are all part of a big family that has forgotten its roots. Our self-centered daily lives prevent us from becoming parts of a natural environment that connect us, in an intrinsic way, to every other human being on this planet. When people, whose lives could have been prevented from being lost, die, part of us, our governments, and our society dies with them. Governments should become more sensitive to the needs of society by overcoming the tidal waves of injustice.

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