According to Answers.com, the definition of Kashrut is the state of being Kosher and/or the body of Jewish dietary law. Of course, there are many more meanings to the word Kashrut or Kosher. It does not simply apply to food. It can be in the way people are treated. However, in this article I will focus on kosher foods in the United States to help make it easier to find a kosher restaurant in Los Angeles or anywhere else.
The Hebrew word Kosher, Kashrut, etc. are all different titles given to the Jewish dietary laws. In the United States and the English language, we use the word Kosher. The word actually means fit or correct, as well as suitable according to the Jewish law. Pigs are (for some reason) most notable when it comes to non-kosher foods. If an animal is not slaughtered appropriately or is killed ferociously by its predator, it is not considered kosher.
Orthodox Judaism has a much stricter way of it 's laws than Conservative Judaism does.
In the United States, there are many laws stating that it is a crime if a company says that a food is Kosher when it really is not. This law is in effect in the following states:
- Arkansas
- California
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Texas
- Virginia
It is also a law in some parts of Florida and Baltimore.
According to Answers.com, there are many restrictions placed on food for it to be labeled kosher by the Jewish law. Here are some of those restrictions.
1. Mammals that live on the land have to eat food that they chew the cud and have cloven hoofs.
2. Birds of prey are not considered kosher.
3. Fish must have fins and scales.
4. Any dairy and meat products are not to be served at the same meal, cooked using the same dishes or tools, or stored inappropriately. They cannot touch each other.
5. A trained Shochet uses a particular way to slaughter animals known as shechits. A Shochet severs the jugular, carotid artery, esophagus, and trachea in one smooth cut with a sharp knife.
6. The blood is then removed from the animal. This can be done by broiling, soaking and salting.
7. If a kitchen has been used in a non-kosher way (such as a young Jewish couple moving into a new apartment) they must boil everything in that kitchen to prepare it to become kosher.
There are many laws in Judaism that pertain to kosher foods, but it does not end at just food. It is a way of living. It is the lifestyle of the Jewish and of the Jewish law. It has come over to the United States to appropriately welcome Jews into the country. Hopefully, someday all of the states in the United States will have a law on labeling foods kosher, and hopefully there will be more kosher restaurants in the United States.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
The Impact of MNEs
The United States is the home -country for the largest amounts of foreign licensing and direct investment. Therefore, its policies understandably arouse some of the major trade unions of such outward moments. One of these critics is organized labor, which argues that foreign production often displaces what would otherwise be US production. For example, big corporations have been criticized because they decided to shift some or all of their production to less costly countries, such as Mexico, because of the NAFTA agreement. Trade unions also cite many examples of highly advanced technology that has been at least partially developed through governmental contracts and then transferred abroad. An example is Boeing 's transfer of aerospace technology to China to produce aircraft parts. According to trade unions, if Boeing did not transfer the technology, China would purchase the products in United States, thus increasing U.S. employment and output.
Closely related to the question of job loss is the question of whether the outsourcing of production puts downward pressure on wages in the home country. On the other hand, there is anecdotal evidence that it does. For example, computer programmers in the United Kingdom, make three to six times, the monthly salary of programmers in India. So the possibility of moving more work to India has caused a recent drag on the real wages of U.K. programmers. On the other hand, there is evidence that moves by companies to lower-wage countries increase the overall home-country demand and wages for skilled labor. This is because the cost savings from producing abroad increase demand for the products produced abroad, such as Nike shoes, thus increasing the need for Nike to hire more managerial personnel in the United States.
Moreover, due to the size of many multinational enterprises (MNEs), there is much concern by trade unions that they will undermine through political means the sovereignty of nation-states. The foremost concern is that an MNE will be used as a foreign-policy instrument of its home-country government. The fact that companies depend primarily on their home countries is illustrated by the realization that from the 100 largest companies in the Fortune 500 list, only 18 have a majority of their assets outside their home-country and very few have a foreigner on their executive board. These companies are most internationalized in terms of their sales; however, fewer than half generate more than half of their sales outside their home markets. Because the home-countries of most MNEs are industrial ones, it is understandable that this concern is taken most seriously in less-developed countries (LDCs). But it is not restricted to them.
Two other sovereignty issues are raised less frequently. One is that the MNE may become independent of both the home and host countries, making it difficult for either country to take actions considered being in its best interests. The second is that the MNE might become so dependent on foreign operations that the host country can use it as a foreign-policy instrument against its home country or another country. Under this sphere of influence, trade unions exercise trade control, by enforcing trade restrictions, antitrust laws, and key sector control measures or even by forming state-owned enterprises. For example, much have been said about the US government 's attempt to apply its trading with the Enemy Act to foreign subsidiaries of US companies, in order to keep them from selling to certain unfriendly countries. Such measures, that restrict free trade and enhance the threat of reducing gains, drive MNEs either to accept the new roles of the global game or in most cases to oppose it.
Closely related to the question of job loss is the question of whether the outsourcing of production puts downward pressure on wages in the home country. On the other hand, there is anecdotal evidence that it does. For example, computer programmers in the United Kingdom, make three to six times, the monthly salary of programmers in India. So the possibility of moving more work to India has caused a recent drag on the real wages of U.K. programmers. On the other hand, there is evidence that moves by companies to lower-wage countries increase the overall home-country demand and wages for skilled labor. This is because the cost savings from producing abroad increase demand for the products produced abroad, such as Nike shoes, thus increasing the need for Nike to hire more managerial personnel in the United States.
Moreover, due to the size of many multinational enterprises (MNEs), there is much concern by trade unions that they will undermine through political means the sovereignty of nation-states. The foremost concern is that an MNE will be used as a foreign-policy instrument of its home-country government. The fact that companies depend primarily on their home countries is illustrated by the realization that from the 100 largest companies in the Fortune 500 list, only 18 have a majority of their assets outside their home-country and very few have a foreigner on their executive board. These companies are most internationalized in terms of their sales; however, fewer than half generate more than half of their sales outside their home markets. Because the home-countries of most MNEs are industrial ones, it is understandable that this concern is taken most seriously in less-developed countries (LDCs). But it is not restricted to them.
Two other sovereignty issues are raised less frequently. One is that the MNE may become independent of both the home and host countries, making it difficult for either country to take actions considered being in its best interests. The second is that the MNE might become so dependent on foreign operations that the host country can use it as a foreign-policy instrument against its home country or another country. Under this sphere of influence, trade unions exercise trade control, by enforcing trade restrictions, antitrust laws, and key sector control measures or even by forming state-owned enterprises. For example, much have been said about the US government 's attempt to apply its trading with the Enemy Act to foreign subsidiaries of US companies, in order to keep them from selling to certain unfriendly countries. Such measures, that restrict free trade and enhance the threat of reducing gains, drive MNEs either to accept the new roles of the global game or in most cases to oppose it.
Are You Sufficient To The Task?
Let me ask you a question that may not be so simple: Why are you in business?
Of course, there are probably dozens of reasons you could point to....
- serve others
- contribute to the greater good
- meet a need that 's not being met
- grow your financial well-being
- express your purpose
- prove to the world that you can
Wait - whoa - what was that last one? Take another look...
That 's right. Although most people wouldn't admit it (even if they were conscious of it), there is often a hidden motivation that accompanies our most altruistic intentions. The desire to prove that we are enough.
Where does it come from?
Often, it comes from early childhood conclusions. Something happens, and you make your conclusions and assumptions about what it means. Maybe you have an older sibling, and were always trying to measure up (that 's me). Or, you were an older sibling, and were always trying to recapture the attention you felt you lost when the little squirt was born (that 's my older brother).
Of course, it doesn't have to be the result of a sibling relationship, or even anything "negative" at all that kicked off your pattern. Perhaps you were recognized positively for doing well in a school play, or sports event, and somehow you got it wired up that in order to get love and attention, you had to keep performing. And that conclusion has been running you ever since.
Great. Now what?
When you become aware of a previously-hidden intention, chances are pretty high that it casts a shadow over your day, and you'd like to be able to get rid of it. Because trying to serve two masters (your desire to work for both "higher" and "lower" reasons) can really throw you off your groove, toss your productivity in the toilet, and cost you significant amounts of time.
There are, of course, lots of ways to clean your intentions. One of the simplest ways is to take some time to feel the drive you have to do great things with your business. And as you do, let yourself be open to feeling both the altruistic intentions, and the ones that do it to prove something.
Then, once you're feeling that "yeah, then I'll be seen as x" intention, ask yourself, "And what if that didn't happen? What if I didn't get that payoff?"
That will show you the deficiency you're trying to compensate for; the conclusion you came to as a kid that you're trying to avoid, deny, or negate.
And once you see that, what 's going to heal it?
Perspective. No, not your perspective; Divine Perspective. If you could have dealt with this, you would have, long ago.
The only way to truly free yourself of those old conclusions is to go beyond the level of thinking you were at when you thought it (yes, echoes of that famous Einstein quote, "The significant problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.").
Once you can see more than what you saw before, the old conclusions will no longer have such a grip on you.
How?
The best way I've found is to engage your sense of connection, i.e. through awakening your heart 's connection to the Divine. Alone, you can only see what you can see. But together with a Higher Perspective, you can see everything you need to.
This can happen through heart-centered meditation (like the Remembrance), by connecting to your heart and feeling the greater, universal presence your heart is naturally connected to. If you're an "inner wisdom" person, then finding that still center within where you hear that wise, connected voice, is key.
However you get there, get there. And when you're there, ask to be shown what you couldn't see before that you need to see.
Example:
When I feel why I'm in business, I get a list of reasons, such as service to others, service to the earth and the Divine, family and financial well-being, etc. And, I feel a place that says, "People will look at me and think I'm great." (Whoops!)
So I ask myself, "And what if that didn't happen? What if I didn't get that payoff?" And what I feel is a strong sense of aloneness, and lack of love. That there isn't love in this world for me. (Bingo!)
Then, I connect in my heart, and feel the loving presence I've come to recognize as the Divine. And, I ask, "What do I need to see that I haven't seen before?"
And the answer that comes back to me is that this intention is trying to make it so I don't have to be needy of Divine support; that I can be self-sustaining, sufficient, and powerful in myself. But my heart knows (and it gets reinforced pretty quickly, doing this process) that I'm just human, and without Divine support, I'd be toast.
With that realization comes great relief, relaxation, and a lessening of the desire to prove anything about who I am through my work. What I hear is, "You are what you are because you've been made to be that - and no amount of your doing is going to increase, or decrease, that."
Pretty sweet stuff. In one moment, I'm both sufficient (just because I'm me), and utterly not sufficient, because it 's the Divine support that makes it all happen through me... not little ol' me, on my own.
And, what does that do for my business? By clearing up the illusions in my intentions for being in business, it helps me realize that I don't have to do it alone, that I am supported, and I can work from a much greater place of freedom and ease.
Of course, there are probably dozens of reasons you could point to....
- serve others
- contribute to the greater good
- meet a need that 's not being met
- grow your financial well-being
- express your purpose
- prove to the world that you can
Wait - whoa - what was that last one? Take another look...
That 's right. Although most people wouldn't admit it (even if they were conscious of it), there is often a hidden motivation that accompanies our most altruistic intentions. The desire to prove that we are enough.
Where does it come from?
Often, it comes from early childhood conclusions. Something happens, and you make your conclusions and assumptions about what it means. Maybe you have an older sibling, and were always trying to measure up (that 's me). Or, you were an older sibling, and were always trying to recapture the attention you felt you lost when the little squirt was born (that 's my older brother).
Of course, it doesn't have to be the result of a sibling relationship, or even anything "negative" at all that kicked off your pattern. Perhaps you were recognized positively for doing well in a school play, or sports event, and somehow you got it wired up that in order to get love and attention, you had to keep performing. And that conclusion has been running you ever since.
Great. Now what?
When you become aware of a previously-hidden intention, chances are pretty high that it casts a shadow over your day, and you'd like to be able to get rid of it. Because trying to serve two masters (your desire to work for both "higher" and "lower" reasons) can really throw you off your groove, toss your productivity in the toilet, and cost you significant amounts of time.
There are, of course, lots of ways to clean your intentions. One of the simplest ways is to take some time to feel the drive you have to do great things with your business. And as you do, let yourself be open to feeling both the altruistic intentions, and the ones that do it to prove something.
Then, once you're feeling that "yeah, then I'll be seen as x" intention, ask yourself, "And what if that didn't happen? What if I didn't get that payoff?"
That will show you the deficiency you're trying to compensate for; the conclusion you came to as a kid that you're trying to avoid, deny, or negate.
And once you see that, what 's going to heal it?
Perspective. No, not your perspective; Divine Perspective. If you could have dealt with this, you would have, long ago.
The only way to truly free yourself of those old conclusions is to go beyond the level of thinking you were at when you thought it (yes, echoes of that famous Einstein quote, "The significant problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.").
Once you can see more than what you saw before, the old conclusions will no longer have such a grip on you.
How?
The best way I've found is to engage your sense of connection, i.e. through awakening your heart 's connection to the Divine. Alone, you can only see what you can see. But together with a Higher Perspective, you can see everything you need to.
This can happen through heart-centered meditation (like the Remembrance), by connecting to your heart and feeling the greater, universal presence your heart is naturally connected to. If you're an "inner wisdom" person, then finding that still center within where you hear that wise, connected voice, is key.
However you get there, get there. And when you're there, ask to be shown what you couldn't see before that you need to see.
Example:
When I feel why I'm in business, I get a list of reasons, such as service to others, service to the earth and the Divine, family and financial well-being, etc. And, I feel a place that says, "People will look at me and think I'm great." (Whoops!)
So I ask myself, "And what if that didn't happen? What if I didn't get that payoff?" And what I feel is a strong sense of aloneness, and lack of love. That there isn't love in this world for me. (Bingo!)
Then, I connect in my heart, and feel the loving presence I've come to recognize as the Divine. And, I ask, "What do I need to see that I haven't seen before?"
And the answer that comes back to me is that this intention is trying to make it so I don't have to be needy of Divine support; that I can be self-sustaining, sufficient, and powerful in myself. But my heart knows (and it gets reinforced pretty quickly, doing this process) that I'm just human, and without Divine support, I'd be toast.
With that realization comes great relief, relaxation, and a lessening of the desire to prove anything about who I am through my work. What I hear is, "You are what you are because you've been made to be that - and no amount of your doing is going to increase, or decrease, that."
Pretty sweet stuff. In one moment, I'm both sufficient (just because I'm me), and utterly not sufficient, because it 's the Divine support that makes it all happen through me... not little ol' me, on my own.
And, what does that do for my business? By clearing up the illusions in my intentions for being in business, it helps me realize that I don't have to do it alone, that I am supported, and I can work from a much greater place of freedom and ease.
Money Can Corrupt A Good Person
A leprechaun frolicked from under the magnificent rainbow that caressed the once heavily laden rain soaked valley. A pot of gold lay beneath his feet and a smile paraded from his lips as a man tried with all of his might to catch the lively elf. His pursuit was quickly thwarted with the disappearance of the green man and the gold he guarded.
So many people are easy targets to con artists who prey upon good and honest people. Victims are hard working people who toil and slave to build a nest egg for the rainy days of life. People who fight to get ahead, but often times fall prey to scams and opportunities that don't exist.
People are deceived by credit card companies that convince them that they can have a new tool, a new piece of furniture, the new appliance, or something so necessary as the plumbing repaired that is leaking under the kitchen sink. Companies that exploit those who don't understand how interest expands and accumulates making a person pay up to three times the price for an item they may not really need.
Recently I moved a debt on a credit card over to a non-interest card for a year. When I did this I had no knowledge as to how the plan worked so I asked a lot of questions to the person who was helping me with this task. She explained that there was no interest for a year on the transfer, but if I used the credit card again towards any purchases then I would have to pay interest.
Well that sounded right until she made one final statement. When I use the card for another purchase and I make a payment, then my payment goes towards the non-interest transfer. In other words I would not be able to pay off the interest credit until I had paid off the interest-free transfer first.
Suddenly a revelation came to my mind and I stated, if that 's the case, I will put this card up and not use it again until the transfer was paid. The woman on the other end of the phone realized that she had just revealed a secret used by the credit card companies. She was shocked on how quickly I comprehended what she said and she became very quiet.
People who are wise financially know how to trick people who are using credit to get ahead. They set snares to trap those who think that credit is a way to have the things that you want now. People who don't understand, become easily ensnared with too much debt.
Recently I took out a mortgage on my home. When I signed the papers, she explained that it would be best if I paid as much as possible the first few years over and above my payment, because it would solely go towards the principle of the loan. The principle was the original loan amount. The creditor has the right to take their interest first while paying the principle last. In other words very little of my monthly payment would go towards the real amount for my loan unless I paid extra at the beginning of the loan.
I was amazed at how the rich can rob honest, hard working people in the name of a loan. They have all the power and the intellect to pilfer and plunder those who have to use credit in order to have a home to live in.
Luke 16: 8, "As a result the master of this dishonest manager praised him for doing such a shrewd thing; because the people of this world are much more shrewd in handling their affairs than the people who belong to the light."
Every where I turn, I find money hungry people inventing schemes to take money from the poor and give it to the rich. Even our government has gotten into the act through the state funded lottery. People have been fooled into believing they can win money without working for it.
Luke 12: 2-5, "Whatever is covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known. So then, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in broad daylight, and whatever you have whispered in private in a closed room will be shouted from the housetops.
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot afterward do anything worse. I will show you whom to fear: fear God, who, after killing, has the authority to throw into hell. Believe me, he is the one you must fear!"
Creditors, people in government, friends, loved ones, beware that anything you do that hurts another human being will be seen by God and you will be judged for the pain you inflicted through charging excessive interest on loans. God sees everything and His judgment is final!
I saw a man in ragged clothes who looked like he hadn't eaten for a while. He unfolded a crumbled dollar bill and handed it to the clerk who promptly gave him a lottery ticket. He didn't win anything and he left the store with his head hanging down in defeat.
The poor are the easiest target for the rich! They believe what they are buying can save them from the hardness of life. They believe in the schemes of governments and people who are smart financially and as a result bankruptcy is filling our courts.
Of course the banks and credit card companies are not to blame. People make their own choices. If they can't handle their money then it 's their fault when they accumulate too much debt. They didn't have to buy the lottery tickets!
Still people are fooled and deceived easily sometimes from the very people they love. I loaned over fifty thousand dollars to a friend and she never paid me back. That is where the biggest hurt can happen. When the people who say they love you take advantage of you so they can get ahead. It would be different if she took responsibility, and at least tried to pay a little, but she didn't even try, she just cut me out of her life.
Luke 8:17, "What ever is hidden away will be brought out into the open, and whatever is covered up will be found and brought to light."
Our world is filled with evil and everything people do to each other will be found out. You cannot cheat and deceive people without coming under the judgment of God. Your deeds will be discovered and uncovered for all people to see.
Matthew 10: 26-28, "So do not be afraid of people. What ever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known. What I am telling you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight, and what you have heard in private you must announce from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell."
Money is the root of all evil for those who take advantage of people who are good. Money is evil when it is put into the hands of those who don't care about anyone other than themselves. Be ashamed creditors, bankers and even friends who think they can take whatever they want from those who are not as financially wise.
I have learned a lot and I pass on what I learn in hope that good people will not do evil. I pray if you are a person who works in a financial institute that you will explain clearly to all who borrow money. I pray to all friends who barrow without believing that it isn't necessary to pay it back that you listen and take heed that God is watching and He will repay those who think they got their money free and clear!
So many people are easy targets to con artists who prey upon good and honest people. Victims are hard working people who toil and slave to build a nest egg for the rainy days of life. People who fight to get ahead, but often times fall prey to scams and opportunities that don't exist.
People are deceived by credit card companies that convince them that they can have a new tool, a new piece of furniture, the new appliance, or something so necessary as the plumbing repaired that is leaking under the kitchen sink. Companies that exploit those who don't understand how interest expands and accumulates making a person pay up to three times the price for an item they may not really need.
Recently I moved a debt on a credit card over to a non-interest card for a year. When I did this I had no knowledge as to how the plan worked so I asked a lot of questions to the person who was helping me with this task. She explained that there was no interest for a year on the transfer, but if I used the credit card again towards any purchases then I would have to pay interest.
Well that sounded right until she made one final statement. When I use the card for another purchase and I make a payment, then my payment goes towards the non-interest transfer. In other words I would not be able to pay off the interest credit until I had paid off the interest-free transfer first.
Suddenly a revelation came to my mind and I stated, if that 's the case, I will put this card up and not use it again until the transfer was paid. The woman on the other end of the phone realized that she had just revealed a secret used by the credit card companies. She was shocked on how quickly I comprehended what she said and she became very quiet.
People who are wise financially know how to trick people who are using credit to get ahead. They set snares to trap those who think that credit is a way to have the things that you want now. People who don't understand, become easily ensnared with too much debt.
Recently I took out a mortgage on my home. When I signed the papers, she explained that it would be best if I paid as much as possible the first few years over and above my payment, because it would solely go towards the principle of the loan. The principle was the original loan amount. The creditor has the right to take their interest first while paying the principle last. In other words very little of my monthly payment would go towards the real amount for my loan unless I paid extra at the beginning of the loan.
I was amazed at how the rich can rob honest, hard working people in the name of a loan. They have all the power and the intellect to pilfer and plunder those who have to use credit in order to have a home to live in.
Luke 16: 8, "As a result the master of this dishonest manager praised him for doing such a shrewd thing; because the people of this world are much more shrewd in handling their affairs than the people who belong to the light."
Every where I turn, I find money hungry people inventing schemes to take money from the poor and give it to the rich. Even our government has gotten into the act through the state funded lottery. People have been fooled into believing they can win money without working for it.
Luke 12: 2-5, "Whatever is covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known. So then, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in broad daylight, and whatever you have whispered in private in a closed room will be shouted from the housetops.
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot afterward do anything worse. I will show you whom to fear: fear God, who, after killing, has the authority to throw into hell. Believe me, he is the one you must fear!"
Creditors, people in government, friends, loved ones, beware that anything you do that hurts another human being will be seen by God and you will be judged for the pain you inflicted through charging excessive interest on loans. God sees everything and His judgment is final!
I saw a man in ragged clothes who looked like he hadn't eaten for a while. He unfolded a crumbled dollar bill and handed it to the clerk who promptly gave him a lottery ticket. He didn't win anything and he left the store with his head hanging down in defeat.
The poor are the easiest target for the rich! They believe what they are buying can save them from the hardness of life. They believe in the schemes of governments and people who are smart financially and as a result bankruptcy is filling our courts.
Of course the banks and credit card companies are not to blame. People make their own choices. If they can't handle their money then it 's their fault when they accumulate too much debt. They didn't have to buy the lottery tickets!
Still people are fooled and deceived easily sometimes from the very people they love. I loaned over fifty thousand dollars to a friend and she never paid me back. That is where the biggest hurt can happen. When the people who say they love you take advantage of you so they can get ahead. It would be different if she took responsibility, and at least tried to pay a little, but she didn't even try, she just cut me out of her life.
Luke 8:17, "What ever is hidden away will be brought out into the open, and whatever is covered up will be found and brought to light."
Our world is filled with evil and everything people do to each other will be found out. You cannot cheat and deceive people without coming under the judgment of God. Your deeds will be discovered and uncovered for all people to see.
Matthew 10: 26-28, "So do not be afraid of people. What ever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known. What I am telling you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight, and what you have heard in private you must announce from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell."
Money is the root of all evil for those who take advantage of people who are good. Money is evil when it is put into the hands of those who don't care about anyone other than themselves. Be ashamed creditors, bankers and even friends who think they can take whatever they want from those who are not as financially wise.
I have learned a lot and I pass on what I learn in hope that good people will not do evil. I pray if you are a person who works in a financial institute that you will explain clearly to all who borrow money. I pray to all friends who barrow without believing that it isn't necessary to pay it back that you listen and take heed that God is watching and He will repay those who think they got their money free and clear!
Value Creation Creates Wealth
One of the greatest fallacies pervading in the middle and low classes is the assumption that wealthy people have done something illegal or immoral or both to get the wealth that they possess. On the contrary. In general, rich people have found a way to create so much value for other people that other people are willing to give there money to the rich people for what ever service or commodity the rich people provide.
If you truly want to be rich then you need to find a way to create as much value in the world as possible. Rich people go around asking themselves what they can do better for other people. They understand that if they can make life easier and/or better for as many people as possible, they will get rich.
Poor people on the other hand go around thinking about what the rich people should be doing for them. The poor people have an entitlement mentality that makes them think they are entitled to the rich people 's money because, after all, the rich wouldn't be rich if the poor didn't buy product and services from them.
If the poor really wanted to be rich they would begin to think of other people before themselves. One of the greatest ways to get rich is to look at others needs and find something wrong with the world. When a person does this, they will begin to see opportunities to better the lives of those around them. When they turn that opportunity into a business venture, money will follow. It is a universal law that "Wealth follows value creation." As a person grasps onto these opportunities and creates as much value with them, money will follow.
An easy way to get out of entitlement and to start seeing what others need is to start looking at people as assets instead of things as assets. To often in business, people try to sell a product or service with only the desire to get the commission received from selling the product or service.
Though the end desire of the business owner is to sell, he/she will have much more success if he/she would ask "what can I do to create the greatest amount of value for this individual." Ironically by not focusing on the sell but rather the individual, the business owner will make more sells.
To often I see people treating everyone they meet as a potential customer. It seems like they are almost always trying to sell each person they meet something right at the onset of the relationship. If people would treat everyone they meet as an asset and look for every opportunity to create value for them, they will most times automatically become clients. The difference is a person makes friends before they become clients instead of the other way around.
A while back I heard a story of a man going into a car dealership looking for a car. He went up to the car salesman and told him, "I want this deal to be the greatest deal you ever made. I want you to make the biggest commission you ever have." Wow! How many people would tell a car salesman that. As a result the car salesman became one of the man 's clients also. As the man treated the car salesman as an asset rather than the car, he was able to create value in the salesman life and he received wealth in return.
Another great way to create value is for a person to find and discover his/her own unique abilities and talents. Everyone does something that no one else can do. Even if some people can do similar things, no one can do it exactly the same. Everyone is unique and different.
It is these differences that bring great variety to this earth. If a person looks within himself/herself and discovers his/her unique abilities, he/she has just unlocked great opportunities to create value. Thus he/she has created great opportunity for creating wealth.
Everyone has great potential to create value and to receive the wealth they want. They just need to focus on what others need, not what they feel they are entitled to.
If you truly want to be rich then you need to find a way to create as much value in the world as possible. Rich people go around asking themselves what they can do better for other people. They understand that if they can make life easier and/or better for as many people as possible, they will get rich.
Poor people on the other hand go around thinking about what the rich people should be doing for them. The poor people have an entitlement mentality that makes them think they are entitled to the rich people 's money because, after all, the rich wouldn't be rich if the poor didn't buy product and services from them.
If the poor really wanted to be rich they would begin to think of other people before themselves. One of the greatest ways to get rich is to look at others needs and find something wrong with the world. When a person does this, they will begin to see opportunities to better the lives of those around them. When they turn that opportunity into a business venture, money will follow. It is a universal law that "Wealth follows value creation." As a person grasps onto these opportunities and creates as much value with them, money will follow.
An easy way to get out of entitlement and to start seeing what others need is to start looking at people as assets instead of things as assets. To often in business, people try to sell a product or service with only the desire to get the commission received from selling the product or service.
Though the end desire of the business owner is to sell, he/she will have much more success if he/she would ask "what can I do to create the greatest amount of value for this individual." Ironically by not focusing on the sell but rather the individual, the business owner will make more sells.
To often I see people treating everyone they meet as a potential customer. It seems like they are almost always trying to sell each person they meet something right at the onset of the relationship. If people would treat everyone they meet as an asset and look for every opportunity to create value for them, they will most times automatically become clients. The difference is a person makes friends before they become clients instead of the other way around.
A while back I heard a story of a man going into a car dealership looking for a car. He went up to the car salesman and told him, "I want this deal to be the greatest deal you ever made. I want you to make the biggest commission you ever have." Wow! How many people would tell a car salesman that. As a result the car salesman became one of the man 's clients also. As the man treated the car salesman as an asset rather than the car, he was able to create value in the salesman life and he received wealth in return.
Another great way to create value is for a person to find and discover his/her own unique abilities and talents. Everyone does something that no one else can do. Even if some people can do similar things, no one can do it exactly the same. Everyone is unique and different.
It is these differences that bring great variety to this earth. If a person looks within himself/herself and discovers his/her unique abilities, he/she has just unlocked great opportunities to create value. Thus he/she has created great opportunity for creating wealth.
Everyone has great potential to create value and to receive the wealth they want. They just need to focus on what others need, not what they feel they are entitled to.
It 's All About The Money, Isn't It
Advertising is a competitive field; there is no question about it. Having been in this industry for over twenty years, I have seen many changes: some good, some bad but the core basics of the business remain constant. What used to take weeks to accomplish fifteen years ago virtually takes days but the flip side of that is that in order to do that, you have to stay up with technology and constantly learn. I often laugh with colleagues that one day my head will truly explode with all the information it is being fed.
The reward, however, is the final product and glory for each client. The bottom line in advertising always was and still is one thing: the client.
Within the industry I am known as a 'relationship' builder -- I like to network and combine talents and see people soar. In my career, I have been extremely fortunate to have been given many chances way before I was ready simply because someone believed in me. The most valuable education I have ever received had been through the jobs I acquired early in my career receiving the guidance of some of the most talented Art Directors in New York.
One disturbing change I see today within my industry is the lack of teamwork that was rampant twenty years ago. Today, it is everyone for themselves, which unfortunately, is short-term thinking. Years ago, people did whatever it took to achieve a deadline and everyone on board was a dedicated pro. Today, the pro 's are few and far between and dedication has a price which, unfortunately, usually is not worth the price.
Although I have a talented and competent staff, I like to give 'new talent' a chance and perhaps create new opportunities for them. Last year, I had put together a very simple website for myself and asked a young man I knew if he would code it for me. The understanding was that if he did a good job within a reasonable amount of time, I would consider hiring him for ongoing work. That seemed fair especially since he had so little on his resume.
Since this is my business, I was fully aware that the website should have taken a few days to do but I was experimenting with new talent so I let it go it 's course.
The results were interesting and something I have experienced often in the recent years. This young man actually took two months to complete a very simple project without ever returning one phone call to me. The final invoice given to me was astronomical -- not worth the work and I was charged for work that he never did. Instead of breaking things down, he literally charged me for two months of nothing -- including his sleep time.... Needless to say, I have no use for this gentleman to ever join my advertising agency and I doubt he will go far.
Technology has created new rules within my industry that has opened up a 'Wild-West' mindset: basically anything goes because the average client has absolutely no idea what is involved to make their project happen nor should they. Although I do not expect my clients to know how to do what my agency does, I do work very closely with each client educating them of the process and what is available for them within their budget. Every job is different and I am a firm believer in building as you go and expand as a business creates revenue. Oftentimes, clients do not think past a design or logo and run out of money during the most vital part of the process: the marketing. Let 's face it; what good is a highly expensive design or a ten thousand dollar book cover if there is no money left within the budget to market that product?
Well, the unfortunate truth is that many players within my industry (who basically are my competition) really don't care and the irony is is that their success rate is not very high.
Another interesting situation followed only a few weeks ago. Recently, I have added videos to my services to market books and products. My thought process was that if the movie industry can create movie trailers to entice the public, why not do the same for an upcoming book? The success has been enormous for the authors I work with and we have a ball putting an authors book 'to the big screen',
A California IT firm wanted to merge with my agency and asked to view my most recent book promo video, Seduced by Fear. What I didn't expect was that he retouched my work and the final result looked similar to the old Japanese movies where the lip sinking did not match -- the spoken words within my video were going much faster that the mouths were moving. Even more disturbing was that I was charged $5,000.00 for tampering with my work. What was that all about? Well, it doesn't matter because there was no merge nor was any check written.
My concern is and always has been with each client. Too many innocent people are getting taken advantage of by 'professionals' who are really amateurs trying to 'play with the big boys' and make a quick buck. When clients comes to me for work, I insist that they do their 'homework' before committing to any contract and check my references as well as 'interview' a few other Agencies. With the onset of the Internet, businesses can seem much more successful or larger than they actually are and it is easy to get fooled and...ripped off.
The benevolence within me will always continue to seek out new talent. Optimistically speaking, once in a while, I am happy to say, I really do get lucky. In order to be successful, integrity must be combined with talent and it saddens me that so little is found today. On my more dramatic days, I sort of like to think of myself as the 'Elliot Ness' of advertising -- weeding out those who do bad business to protect the public. After all, without clients how can Advertising be successful?
The reward, however, is the final product and glory for each client. The bottom line in advertising always was and still is one thing: the client.
Within the industry I am known as a 'relationship' builder -- I like to network and combine talents and see people soar. In my career, I have been extremely fortunate to have been given many chances way before I was ready simply because someone believed in me. The most valuable education I have ever received had been through the jobs I acquired early in my career receiving the guidance of some of the most talented Art Directors in New York.
One disturbing change I see today within my industry is the lack of teamwork that was rampant twenty years ago. Today, it is everyone for themselves, which unfortunately, is short-term thinking. Years ago, people did whatever it took to achieve a deadline and everyone on board was a dedicated pro. Today, the pro 's are few and far between and dedication has a price which, unfortunately, usually is not worth the price.
Although I have a talented and competent staff, I like to give 'new talent' a chance and perhaps create new opportunities for them. Last year, I had put together a very simple website for myself and asked a young man I knew if he would code it for me. The understanding was that if he did a good job within a reasonable amount of time, I would consider hiring him for ongoing work. That seemed fair especially since he had so little on his resume.
Since this is my business, I was fully aware that the website should have taken a few days to do but I was experimenting with new talent so I let it go it 's course.
The results were interesting and something I have experienced often in the recent years. This young man actually took two months to complete a very simple project without ever returning one phone call to me. The final invoice given to me was astronomical -- not worth the work and I was charged for work that he never did. Instead of breaking things down, he literally charged me for two months of nothing -- including his sleep time.... Needless to say, I have no use for this gentleman to ever join my advertising agency and I doubt he will go far.
Technology has created new rules within my industry that has opened up a 'Wild-West' mindset: basically anything goes because the average client has absolutely no idea what is involved to make their project happen nor should they. Although I do not expect my clients to know how to do what my agency does, I do work very closely with each client educating them of the process and what is available for them within their budget. Every job is different and I am a firm believer in building as you go and expand as a business creates revenue. Oftentimes, clients do not think past a design or logo and run out of money during the most vital part of the process: the marketing. Let 's face it; what good is a highly expensive design or a ten thousand dollar book cover if there is no money left within the budget to market that product?
Well, the unfortunate truth is that many players within my industry (who basically are my competition) really don't care and the irony is is that their success rate is not very high.
Another interesting situation followed only a few weeks ago. Recently, I have added videos to my services to market books and products. My thought process was that if the movie industry can create movie trailers to entice the public, why not do the same for an upcoming book? The success has been enormous for the authors I work with and we have a ball putting an authors book 'to the big screen',
A California IT firm wanted to merge with my agency and asked to view my most recent book promo video, Seduced by Fear. What I didn't expect was that he retouched my work and the final result looked similar to the old Japanese movies where the lip sinking did not match -- the spoken words within my video were going much faster that the mouths were moving. Even more disturbing was that I was charged $5,000.00 for tampering with my work. What was that all about? Well, it doesn't matter because there was no merge nor was any check written.
My concern is and always has been with each client. Too many innocent people are getting taken advantage of by 'professionals' who are really amateurs trying to 'play with the big boys' and make a quick buck. When clients comes to me for work, I insist that they do their 'homework' before committing to any contract and check my references as well as 'interview' a few other Agencies. With the onset of the Internet, businesses can seem much more successful or larger than they actually are and it is easy to get fooled and...ripped off.
The benevolence within me will always continue to seek out new talent. Optimistically speaking, once in a while, I am happy to say, I really do get lucky. In order to be successful, integrity must be combined with talent and it saddens me that so little is found today. On my more dramatic days, I sort of like to think of myself as the 'Elliot Ness' of advertising -- weeding out those who do bad business to protect the public. After all, without clients how can Advertising be successful?
Having an Affair at Work? 3 Ways Your Employer can Find Out
It used to be the stolen kisses in the cleaning closet and the joint business trips, but today 's tracking of illicit employee behavior has reached a new level of surveillance. Almost every communication and every message is tracked, recorded and cataloged by a company 's IT department. Here are three things to watch out for if you are personalizing your work communications:
Email - In the US, organizations own the email that their employees use to conduct work. They own all the communication, even email flagged as private. Routinely companies are being required to capture and store all electronic emails in the case of litigation and discovery.
This means that if you are using the company 's email system to send notes and messages to your lover while at work, there is an extremely high likelihood that it is being captured, stored, and indexed for later retrieval. There is third-party software on the market that is able to actively monitor internal email within a corporation.
Two examples are Mimesweeper for Microsoft Exchange from Clearswift and Reveal for Novell GroupWise from GWAVA. And don't think you are being sneaky by deleting those emails right after you send them. Today, most email systems allow the employee to delete the email from their local storage, but retain a copy on the corporate email server that is later backed up.
A rule of thumb with email...life is short, email is forever.
Instant Messaging - Relatively new in the corporate space, IM has been around a long time amongst teens, now referred to as Chat. Instant messaging allows instantaneous communication between two computers. One person writes something which appears instantly on the other person 's computer. The other recipient is able to instantly respond back in real-time.
Instant Messaging used to be considered a fairly safe means of communicating something in secret, but today many companies track the ports through the company 's firewall that allows chat. This monitoring oftentimes includes capturing of all chat messages for storage as part of the electronic communication of the organization.
Chat also allows the sending of live video feed as well as documents. Chat messages oftentimes pass through a third-party server and can be captured and stored; also, most Chat software today has automatic archiving built in. Even if you believe it is being deleted on your side, the other side might be capturing everything.
Dateline 's To Catch a Predator is an excellent example of people who thought they were chatting in private only to have their secret messages read aloud on national television. A company delivering Instant Messaging Monitoring is Pearl Software with their IM Echo product.
Texting - With the advent of mobile devices, texting has gained popularity in the US, especially within companies deploying BlackBerry devices. Texting is the ability to send a text message between devices similar to the manner that Instant Messaging sends messages between computers.
Referred to as SMS, or Texting, these devices can send short or long messages straight to the recipient without using an email client or email server. More and more companies are now using software Retain for BlackBerry Enterprise Server from GWAVA to track the communication of their employees using texting devices.
One company deployed BlackBerry SMS and PIN tracking software with a sampling of their corporate log files. Within the first hour a Senior Executive was identified as having an affair with another employee simply from the content of the text messages.
In the good old days you could avoid getting caught at work having an affair by being discreet and not showing any outward signs, but today, a short email, an errant instant message, or a quick indiscreet text can get you tracked, caught, and exposed almost as fast as you sent the message in the first place. A word of advice, don't leave an e-trail. Stick to love notes passed under the desk. Your career may just thank you.
Email - In the US, organizations own the email that their employees use to conduct work. They own all the communication, even email flagged as private. Routinely companies are being required to capture and store all electronic emails in the case of litigation and discovery.
This means that if you are using the company 's email system to send notes and messages to your lover while at work, there is an extremely high likelihood that it is being captured, stored, and indexed for later retrieval. There is third-party software on the market that is able to actively monitor internal email within a corporation.
Two examples are Mimesweeper for Microsoft Exchange from Clearswift and Reveal for Novell GroupWise from GWAVA. And don't think you are being sneaky by deleting those emails right after you send them. Today, most email systems allow the employee to delete the email from their local storage, but retain a copy on the corporate email server that is later backed up.
A rule of thumb with email...life is short, email is forever.
Instant Messaging - Relatively new in the corporate space, IM has been around a long time amongst teens, now referred to as Chat. Instant messaging allows instantaneous communication between two computers. One person writes something which appears instantly on the other person 's computer. The other recipient is able to instantly respond back in real-time.
Instant Messaging used to be considered a fairly safe means of communicating something in secret, but today many companies track the ports through the company 's firewall that allows chat. This monitoring oftentimes includes capturing of all chat messages for storage as part of the electronic communication of the organization.
Chat also allows the sending of live video feed as well as documents. Chat messages oftentimes pass through a third-party server and can be captured and stored; also, most Chat software today has automatic archiving built in. Even if you believe it is being deleted on your side, the other side might be capturing everything.
Dateline 's To Catch a Predator is an excellent example of people who thought they were chatting in private only to have their secret messages read aloud on national television. A company delivering Instant Messaging Monitoring is Pearl Software with their IM Echo product.
Texting - With the advent of mobile devices, texting has gained popularity in the US, especially within companies deploying BlackBerry devices. Texting is the ability to send a text message between devices similar to the manner that Instant Messaging sends messages between computers.
Referred to as SMS, or Texting, these devices can send short or long messages straight to the recipient without using an email client or email server. More and more companies are now using software Retain for BlackBerry Enterprise Server from GWAVA to track the communication of their employees using texting devices.
One company deployed BlackBerry SMS and PIN tracking software with a sampling of their corporate log files. Within the first hour a Senior Executive was identified as having an affair with another employee simply from the content of the text messages.
In the good old days you could avoid getting caught at work having an affair by being discreet and not showing any outward signs, but today, a short email, an errant instant message, or a quick indiscreet text can get you tracked, caught, and exposed almost as fast as you sent the message in the first place. A word of advice, don't leave an e-trail. Stick to love notes passed under the desk. Your career may just thank you.
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