And so the probe continues. The current issue surrounding the cheap medical treatment and attention that US troops have been getting from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center seems to be escalating as more issues are being unraveled as the days go by. Finger pointing and getting to the bottom of all issues concerned is certainly something that has been common and it would not be surprising to see President Bush’ name among the people to be blamed.

To date, former Army Secretary Francis Harvey has been forced to resign because of the issue and it will not take long before some other big names would follow. The US troops have become a sensitive issue as of late and with this dilemma now brought into the open, the media will certainly have a field day in exposing the issue at hand. Perhaps even the candidates may use this as leverage in their campaign since attending to the current needs seems to be more important to get those votes in their corner.

[tags]walter reed medical center, us troops, war vets, iraq[/tags]

If Saddam Hussein was alive and kicking today, he may be laughing his heads off seeing the US government fighting among themselves. Ironically, the issue for their squabbles is about the continuing issue of the war in Iraq. US government officials including President Bush should be ashamed at their acts and get themselves back in composure.

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For weeks now, the headlines have been all about the elections and the war in Iraq. The issue? When will the Iraq war end and when will there be a definite picture of the overall security of the nation? These are the questions that are surely in the minds of US citizens which are not being answered as their continuous arguments seem to be never ending.

As it stands now, the US is in disarray because of it and such has been making the nation divided. Unless something concrete or a resolution is agreed on, it seems hopeless to read the papers on the latest developments of the controversies in the area of politics today.

[tags]saddam hussein, president bush, iraq, war, whitehouse, senate, congress, democrats[/tags]

Healthcare, an obviously growing market to which a large chunk of income is expected to pass through has been tagged as the area to which proper taxation should be imposed. The US government has been busy catering towards the current tax issues on various fields that it has totally forgotten about other areas that can help in financing it budget issues, most of which have been garnering insights with regards to budget issues for tax reforms to date.

As always, the frontrunner in pursuing this is no one else but President George Bush, who is totally aware that health insurance and coverage are becoming popular locally. Health has been given a lot of importance to date with people becoming more aware of its role in the life of any person, both young and old.

Health insurance is only normal since the rising cost in the medical field is a need to keep people healthy. However, it should be noted that people will have to be properly educated that taxes corresponding to such a source is helpful not only for the government but in funding affected areas that a country has to attend to as well.

[tags]health insurance, Bush, us budget[/tags]

Fundraising has always been known to be something that would help the people in need such as the disabled, people living in poverty and the aged. But for Presidential candidate Barack Obama, the funds were given for a worthy cause.

A large chunk of the funds from his recent fundraiser in Los Angeles came from the bigwigs of the movie industry such as George Clooney and Barbara Streisand. Rolling in the funds was a form of support to help candidates in bankrolling the estimated amounts for the upcoming campaigns to help candidates.

Other candidates including that of President Bush are expected to follow suite in the coming months. This is in preparation for the 2008 elections where various issues, the major one of which is that of the Iraqi War, are to be attended to.

The ability of Obama to convince and solicit the supporting funds from the stars of Hollywood may be eye-popping, but perhaps Obama truly has something up his sleeve to help the ailing nation in need of a true leader.

[tags]barack obama, presidential elections 2008, hollywood, fundraising[/tags]

Among the usual headlines that leading newspapers would offer are about the current economic situation and the world order. The struggles for power in both the local and international aspect are what make the world both interesting and pathetic in the eyes of people today.

Hunger for power and world domination starting from their homelands can be attributed to the fact that country officials have a high degree of satisfaction with regards to how a country is run, most of which would draw the usual comments and reactions on how to establish better economies and sound social functions.

But the most talked about issue today would have to deal with the constant bickering for the right to power and control. The United States and most of the allied nations of the U.N. would attest to the fact that this is the issue that everyone would want to address and put to rest. While all nations are seen to be at peace, internal shortcomings and ideas are kept in cold storage until the time comes for them to be put into discussion.

It is not feasible to become courageous enough and start a panic when it comes to the overall peace and order of the world and its composing nations. Conservative overviews on how to go about the situation must be exercised if people would want to hold back their plans for the meantime.

[tags]world peace, allied nations, united nations[/tags]

 

It has been a couple of days before the celebrated execution of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and there have been separate reactions from different parts of the world. Some sectors have condemned the decisions while others have heaved a sigh of relief citing that justice has been served for the many people who were victims of Hussein’s reign of terror.

A lot of people are questioning the manner to which the trial was conducted. Some groups were surprised at the speed to which the death sentence for Hussein was carried out. The fast verdict drew various reactions all over the world, especially the dictator’s hometown.

This issue has created more issues at the moment and it will take some time before it officially dies down. The United States, particularly the Bush administration, has been receiving a lot of criticism on having a hand on the speedy decision. This is due to the fact that the United States was the main benefactor of casualties, notably the World Trade Center Attacks of September 11, 2001.

The issue on the fate of Iraq is far from over and there seems to be no sight with regards to finally closing the issue at hand. Moreover, the issue seems to be acting as pressing issues between President Clinton and the Joint Chief of staff today with regards to the deployment of additional troops to man the troubled nation that is continuously at war.

 

Deploying military troops to a war inhabited nation is not a laughing matter. It is really something that needs deeper analysis prior to the final decision to be handed down. The Iraqi war will always be found on every front page today and what the U.S. government does not need right now is creating internal conflicts that the media will sure to elevate to make the front page. Let the war be left between the Iraqi’s and the U.S. military troops and leave out the innocent decision-makers from starting their own wars.

While a number of topics are currently being discussed in the United States, one of the most controversial is that of the right to privacy. This hot button issue is made more complex in a post 9-11 environment. We struggle to find and maintain a balance between personal rights and public safety.

Most people would vigorously defend the right to privacy, feeling that the accessibility of too much personal information is not only an invasion, but morally wrong, and unconstitutional. After all, prior to September 11th, the United States had not been subjected to the overt terrorism that had plagued other countries.

The events of September 11th pervaded our false sense of security and caused us truly question if the enemy was in a far off country or our next door neighbor. In our post 09/11 world, the government’s responsibility to protect Americans has taken on new meaning. In an aggressive effort to protect us from the threat within, the government has adopted a “by any means necessary” approach even if that means listening in to phone calls, reading emails, reviewing library records or scouring through websites. The recent foiled plot of airline bombings in Britain is an example of how invasion of privacy can in fact keep us safe. The individuals stopped for this heinous crime were discovered first by a tip but second from police monitoring private activity which included phone calls.

In the instance where a terrorism plot is averted because of the invasion of privacy there can be no argument to the validity of the practice. Yet, we also know that innocent people have had their privacy invaded when they did not pose a threat to national security.

The national debate over privacy has repercussions on a smaller level as well. Corporations and employees struggle with privacy issues in the workplace. Companies also are seeking to protect themselves from a different kind of terrorism – that of legal and financial exposure caused by the actions of its employees, whether innocent or intentionally malicious.

Privacy is legally protected by the Constitution of the United States, and at the very core of America’s existence. As politicians, voters and special interest groups debate these constitutional issues, employees and employers seek to understand the rules of engagement within business.

Does an employee have privacy rights at work? How far can employers go in monitoring the activities of employees to ensure that they are protected from liability?

Employers not only have a right to monitor the activities of employees but a responsibility. Computer activity, including e-mails and phone calls can be monitored by the employer. In fact, some degree of monitoring is recommended. Emails are discoverable in legal action exposing employers to a great degree of risk. Even if the employer has a policy that expressly states that personal emails are allowable, the company still has a right to monitor individual emails.

Phone calls, except those placed on designated “for personal use” phones, can also be monitored. Call center and customer service employees are routinely monitored for quality assurance and training. There are however, federal and state regulations which must be adhered to which in many locations including notifying parties that the call is being monitored. Most employees will need to place or receive a personal call from work at some point in time. However, as a best practice, employees should use pay phones or cell phones when they must conduct personal business during the work day.

As we seek to balance privacy and protection on a national stage, we will undoubtedly make adjustments on a more personal level. We have already become accustomed to much of our lives being monitored through security cameras, electronic tracking and internet use so it is possible that what is now viewed as invasion will simply become normal. In the interim, it is wise to assume that what happens in Vegas, may not stay in Vegas!

c/o-: Richard Hall; Buzzle.com

As one who receives criticism quite frequently, both in person and in a virtual forum such as on this blog, it might be helpful to talk briefly about the difference between online and offline critcisms.

As an indvidual, a friend, and a leader, I strive very hard to never blog or write anything that I wouldn’t say to the person sitting next to me. Granted, I’m an incredibly blunt individual and don’t leave much on the table. But I try to speak my mind appropriately.

Blogging seems to have raised the criticisms and bluntness of things to an entirely new level.

Want to slam someone? Write it on your blog.

Want to attack someone’s idea? Write it on your blog.

Want to make baseless accusations against someone? Write it on your blog.

Sometimes, I think we all forget that this is a business – and it’s not about emotion or personal feelings, but about what makes money.. and those attacks and baseless accusations – instead of upfront, honest dealing with each other, will eventually catch up with you.

For the people who have not had the chance to work in a proper office setting, getting used to the environment of such work places may come as a shock, especially for people who are wet behind the ears and have no background on proper business ethics. For one, the office place is a totally new place, and it is something that will need adjusting for people to be able to adopt towards the manner and practices inside the office and the protocols that need to be followed as laid out in the company’s policies and procedures.

A business is something that needs strategy, and while some sectors may find some business practices unethical, it entirely depends on the purpose and the actual belief of the people behind the organization and its business development goals. In most cases, new people will not appreciate nor grasp the purpose of the business; hence a united mission and vision from the labor force must be put into retrospect.

Business ethics is truly something that is misunderstood. A company would stand for something, practice the professional way of business to the best of their abilities for the sake of identity and awareness. Internal or external practices will truly be crucial and the best way for any employee to understand and get into the groove of things, is to initially grasp the purpose of the organization. Only till this time will the company be able to work like a well-oiled machine with complements coming from the staffing and work force and the various assets and strategies of the company.