How do you know when you are assaulted? What exactly defines an assault situation? When do you switch from being safety cognizant and careful to being defensive and bringing the stun gun or defense pepper spray out? There are three situations that one must assess:

1. distance—your safety circle,


2. verbal assault,


3. physical assault.

If any one of these situations is perceived, do not hesitate to use your defense tool. Realize this only applies to stun guns or pepper spray. A firearm will be a different article. If you are wrong to shock or spray the guy, then you can apologize later. At least he will live. And you will not feel guilty of maiming this guy for life. If you are right to shock or spray the guy, you might have saved your very own life.

Distance—your safety circle

We all have a distance zone or safety circle we put up around ourselves. Our comfort level when our safety circle is violated varies from situation to situation. We feel fine with someone a foot away if we are standing in a crowded checkout line or elevator. Yet we become hypersensitive, uncomfortable, or even scared, if a total stranger is suddenly the same distance away in an open parking lot without a good reason to be. In other words, the size of our safety circle varies according to the situation at hand. The size of our safety circle is the result of our innate survival instincts. Whenever our safety circle is intruded or violated against our instincts, our bodies undergo the autonomic sympathetic response. This is the "fight or flight" response. Given this response should you react defensively with your pepper spray or stun gun.

Let us consider the following scenario. A woman leaves the grocery store carrying a large shopping bag and a purse. As she leaves, a young man loitering near the door about 15 feet away asks her for the time of day. She pauses and responds, "About 6:15," and continues walking toward her car. In this situation, the distance of 15 feet is enough for her to feel safe. This is her safety circle. She feels safe at this distance. Now consider that the woman approaches her car and finds the same person walking immediately behind her. Only he is 10 feet right behind her. Her safety circle is violated. She is isolated. The person is walking the same direction as her with no reason to be doing so. Should she be using her pepper spray or stun gun? Yes. In the absence of any other stimuli, she has every reason to believe the young man is after her. She has every right to defend herself in a potential mugging, robbery, or sexual assault.

The key is whether to not the safety circle involved gives you any choice. If the perpetrator is rapidly closing the distance between you and him, then you must react defensively especially if you are isolated or even partly isolated. If you are in an isolated position and cognizant of potential danger that is just too close, then react defensively!

Verbal Assault

Verbal assault is another situation that determines if a defensive reaction should be used. It can take the form of a threat, demand, or an indecent proposal.

Verbal assaults are usually in the form of demands. Threats are a good case for using defensive countermeasures. If a perpetrator approaches you and says, "Give me your purse or I'll hurt you," that is considered verbal assault. If a demand is made and the perp displays a weapon, that too is considered verbal assault. If a beggar approaches you and asks you for some change to buy food, then that is not assault.

Beware of street beggars especially if you find yourself in an isolated position. They may continue to press you on for change even if you do not oblige them. As long as they ASK you for money and do not DEMAND it, then verbal assault has not occurred. Therefore, you can not use your pepper spray or stun gun against him. The moment he DEMANDS money from you, attempts to detain you by grabbing you, blocks your path, or makes a verbal threat along with any of these actions, then the situation has escalated to verbal assault. This warrants the use of your defensive weapon such as your pepper spray or stun gun.

Sometimes, a perpetrator's "request" is simply a test to determine your reaction and your handling of the situation. He may be attempting to break down your natural defense instincts by using a non-threatening approach.

The same occurs with sexual assault. Sometimes the perpetrator will ask you simple questions like time of day or directions. He may go on to make suggestive remarks in order to get a rise out of you or harass you to gauge your reaction. Are you afraid and hesitant? Are you fearful to look them in the eye? Or are you confident and able to deal with them? This is what they look for in a victim. If a perpetrator feels you are weak-minded, he may resort to physical assault.

Do NOT allow this to happen. Stop an assailant dead in his tracks. A verbal reaction of "Get away!" or "Leave me alone!" should be enough. If he persists with harassing or verbally assaulting you, or goes beyond that such as physically touching you, be prepared to use your defensive weapon especially if he is following you! When you make a demand to be left alone, only then should you look him straight in the eye and verbalize, "Get away and leave me alone!" If he is stubborn and continues to follow you regardless of your demand, then use your self defense tool.

Physical Assault

Physical assault is defined as any unwanted touching, hitting, grabbing, shoving, or tripping. It is also the implied or obvious threat of physical action against you. If he touches, grabs, or rubs up against your breasts, buttocks, or genitals, this too is physical assault, but more specifically sexual assault! You must stop the perp before he has a chance to escalate the assault to rape or even worse, murder.

AT A GLANCE:

The international commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) recognizes the need for scaling up the volume and quality of aid. This commitment, stemming from a global consensus reached at the 2002 UN Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey, also calls for all development partners to share the responsibility of making aid more effective —and it calls for action on both sides of the aid relationship.

Nationally, governments are increasingly setting clear goals and targets linked to public actions, improving their budgeting and monitoring systems and embracing a more inclusive discussion of national priorities and policies. Donors are working harder to align and harmonize assistance with countries' priorities, and are trying to fill country-specific analytical gaps. Yet connecting results with resources remains a major challenge. Aid allocation based on country performance (in governance, policies and intermediate indicators of results) is on the rise.

The March 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, agreed to by more than 90 countries, represents a shift from past aid practices and appears to be slowly having an impact. In 2006, indicators of donor harmonization and alignment were collected and monitored for the first time.

But at the same time, the architecture of the global aid system is becoming more complex, with the emergence of new donors and a multitude of earmarked funds. Scaling up aid to meet the MDGs requires a more coherent 'aid architecture', with better donor coordination and less fragmentation and 'ear-marking' of aid.

The global community is also working on better practices to deliver aid to fragile states, where poverty is increasingly concentrated.

Recognition is growing that governance is crucial to ensuring aid effectiveness—the 2006 Global Monitoring Report on the MDGs(GMR) proposed a framework to monitor governance, including actionable indicators. Since then, developing countries, donors and international financial institutions began adapting parts of the framework to improve practices and to get more out of their development dollars. For its part, the World Bank is undertaking a new Governance and Anti-Corruption Strategy that places issues of institutional quality, accountability and better procurement and fiduciary rules at the center of the development agenda.

The 2007 GMR assesses recent trends in official development assistance (ODA) and examines the performance of international financial institutions (IFIs), since those entities aim to serve as standard-bearers for improved aid coordination, harmonization and effectiveness.

'Confronting the Challenges of Gender Equality and Fragile States' is the theme of the 2007 GMR. The report stresses that achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women (MDG3) is essential to advancing the other millennium goals of halving poverty, primary education for all, and a lowering of the under-five mortality rate. And, improving prospects for the 485 million people living in fragile states is vital as well.

"Sir, what are we to do about all this crime?," asked Captain John Downey, Melbourne's Chief of Police, to the Australian Minister of Security, Percy Sumner.

Captain Downey, tall, forty years old, square shoulders, close-cropped hair, and brown eyes, was speaking to the Minister in his huge office overlooking Melbourne Harbor in Australia. Minister Sumner was fifty years old, a short, heavy-set man, with a red, round face, brown hair, round eyes, and a small mouth.

One wall of the office had a huge map of Melbourne, with yellow, red, and blue pins stuck on the locations of recent crimes. The yellow was for burglary, red for rape, blue for murder. Alongside this map was a chart showing crime rates for each of the three crime categories. The chart showed a definite pattern — crime rates had been increasing in Melbourne over the last five years.

Downey said, "I don't know what to do anymore, sir. No matter how many police we put on the streets, no matter how much we increase prison sentences, the crime rates keep going up. I don't understand it, sir. I don't know how to stop it."

Minister Sumner tightened his little mouth. He said, "It's all those guns out there on the streets, Captain Downey, that's the problem. We've forced every gun owner in Melbourne to register every gun and rifle they own. We've planted our agents at gun shows. We've started suing the gun manufacturers. It's those damn guns. If so many Aussies didn't own guns, the crime rate would fall. I've been discussing this issue seriously with the Prime Minister, Captain. We have agreed that the only solution is gun confiscation. Confiscate every gun in Melbourne and the crime will stop. No guns, no crime, right Downey? That sounds like common sense, doesn't it?"

"Yes sir," Captain Downey said eagerly, "that's what I've been suggesting to you for the last year. Another reason we want to confiscate the guns is because when we make drug raids without warrants, sometimes our men get shot as intruders. Some home owners actually have the gall to try to defend their homes against our boys, who are just doing their duty. I don't want any home owner with a gun in his house. We should also make it a crime for a home owner to use a gun to defend himself in his home against a burglar. If we let him have that right, you never know when he might use that same gun against one of our men who break down his door on a drug raid."

"The same goes for the women. We can't allow them to carry a gun, either in their home or on the streets. If they think a mugger is threatening them or might rape them, they should contact the police. We'll be there within an hour. What if the woman owned a gun and didn't know how to use it? You know how stupid women are with guns, Minister. We can't trust them with a gun. And women are so careless, they'll leave the gun lying around the house where children can find them. It's worth confiscating everyone's guns, just so one child doesn't die from a gun accident."

Minister Sumner nodded his round head vigorously in agreement. He said, "Good ideas, Downey, I'll suggest them to the Prime Minister. I think we'll be able to get the confiscation laws passed in about a month. Thank you for your time, sir. I'll talk to you again in about four months. By that time, our wall charts should start showing a big decrease in crime. Good day, sir."

"Good day, Minister. Thank you for your help in this matter. We'll put a dent in the crime, wait and see." With that, Captain Downey confidently walked out of the Minister's office.

FOUR MONTHS LATER:

In the same office. Outside the window, the late afternoon sky was dark and cloudy, and the two men were having another heated conversation.

"Look at the charts, Captain Downey. By God, look at them!," said Minister Sumner. "The graphs are going straight up, there going off the wall! What in blazes is going on? Our crime rate is triple what it was four months ago. Didn't you confiscate all the guns in Melbourne, Captain? What the hell is going on?"

"Yes, sir, we did confiscate all the guns," replied Captain Downey, pacing nervously in front of the Minister's desk. "I just don't understand it. We put out the confiscation order the day after we spoke at our last meeting. It was in all the newspapers. We think most law-abiding Melbourne citizens complied. Our local police stations report that over thirty thousand registered guns were handed in."

"Thirty thousand, did you say?," asked the Minister. "I thought our gun-registration rolls showed ninety thousand register guns in Melbourne. Why only thirty thousand handed in? What is going on? Didn't you indicate on your confiscation orders and newspapers ads that anyone not handing in their guns would be subject to prosecution and five years in prison?"

"Yes we did, sir," stammered Captain Downey. "But all of a sudden, every owner we contacted said they had lost their gun, so couldn't hand it in. What are we going to do sir, get search warrants to search the homes of sixty thousand gun owners? If they're hiding their guns, we probably won't even find them."

"Not only that, sir, as usual the criminals are not paying attention to our confiscation laws. They get their guns illegally, like they always have. We've caught a few house burglars and interrogated them, sir. They have been going on a rampage. They used to hit a few houses a week. Now they are hitting a dozen a week, sir. We were puzzled. We asked them why? They just looked at our interrogators with contempt, like our men were idiots. What do you think they said, sir?"

"What?," asked Minister Sumner?

"They thanked me, sir."

"Thanked you, Captain? What the devil do you mean? Why did they thank you?"

"Because, sir, they thanked me for the new gun confiscation laws, and the laws forbidding home-owners from owning or using a gun for self-defense. They thanked me for making their job so much easier and safer. They said they now just knock on the mark's door, pretend to be the gas man, barge into the house with their guns drawn, and loot the house. They said they're not afraid of getting shot anymore by the home owner. Some of them had the effrontery to tell me to thank you personally, sir," Captain Downey said with outrage.

"They did, did they?," Minister Sumner said, getting red in the face. "We'll see about that. I'm going to suggest to the Prime Minister some new gun-control laws. I want him to give us the power to make random searches without warrants in every house and apartment in Melbourne. I want him to increase the prison terms for gun possession to thirty years without chance of parole. I want him to forbid all gun clubs and guns shows — that's probably where the burglars and murderers get their guns. I'll also ask him for the power to confiscate anyone's car, home, or bank account who is caught with a gun. That will solve the problem, by God."

"But sir," Captain Downey protested meekly, "we're already getting hundreds of complaints about the increasing, heavy-handed tactics of our gun squads. There's been some nasty newspaper articles mentioning our Constitution, 'rights of the people,' and all that crap."

"The hell with that," Captain. "What do we care about so-called 'rights?' We have a crime spree. It's an emergency. Our efforts must not be thwarted by silly notions about rights and Constitutions. Guns are killing people every day. That's all that matters."

Captain Downey said, "Yes, sir. I hope you're right. I surely do. I am just a little afraid of civil unrest, sir, that's all."

"To hell with civil unrest, Captain, said Minister Sumner. "That's what our riot police and prisons are for. We know best how to solve this problem, and we won't let a bunch of agitators stop us. I will ask the Prime Minister to put my new suggestions into place immediately. You'll see quick results."

"Yes, sir. I hope you're right, sir. Please let me know when the new laws are in place, sir, so my men can start enforcing them."

"Very good, Captain. I will do so. I will then meet with you in another four months. Good day, Captain."

"Good day, Minister."

Of course, four months later, in that same office, the charts where now going ballistic. Crime rates were soaring. Australia had gained the international distinction of having the second highest crime rate in the world (after England, who also has strict gun control and confiscation laws).

In an attempt to understand the situation in Afghanistan better, I interviewed Afghan journalist Daud Khan. The online interview session took place on 27th September, 2006.

Q)The United States and other nations have given millions in aid to Afghanistan. But reports say the people have not benefited from aid because a large sum of money is being wasted by corrupt officials. Do you, as a person living in the country; have felt the benefit of reconstruction?

A) No doubt, huge sums have been poured in into Afghanistan in terms of foreign aid since the ouster of Taliban and formation of the Karzai-led government in 2001. However, a major chunk of the money either goes into the pockets of corrupt officials (both NGOs and the Afghan government) or being given in salaries and other expenditures like office keeping, expensive cars, employment of consultants etc.

Furthermore, the Afghan government complains that they were not given full right over the amount to be spent on reconstruction projects.

Till February 2006 (London Donors Conference), the Afghan government could spend only 22 percent of the pledged amounts while the rest were being spent through NGOs. After the London Conference, the Afghan government was allowed to spend 40 percent of the amount while the NGOs will spend 60 percent.

Corruption in almost all governmental departments and NGOs (both local and foreign) is rampant. The Afghan government has no proper mechanism to keep a check and audit the funds.

Senior officials like ministers, provincial governors, police chiefs etc are appointed on basis of their ethnic background and the power they enjoy on the basis of their private armies.

The reconstruction projects are not equally carried out in the whole country. In the north and western parts, tremendous amounts are being spent on reconstruction projects, while the south was ignored. The southern and eastern parts of Afghanistan are inhabited by Pashtuns, who forms more than 50 per cent of the total population.

Furthermore, life in Kabul is altogether different from life in the provinces. Even in Kabul, roads are still in dilapidated condition, electricity is a rare commodities, little health facilities, no schools and teachers etc. Non-availability of those facilities plus the ever-increasing sense of insecurity due to the rising insurgency have spread frustration among the people.

Q) Women of Afghanistan suffered a lot during the Taliban regime. They were not allowed to work, have an education or come out in public. Has it changed? If not do you think the problem of discrimination against women is something deep rooted in the society which cannot be resolved by a mere change of government?

A) Women are at least free as for as the government policy is concerned. However, they are being threatened by the remnants of Taliban and other hardliner forces in the provinces.

Girls schools are being burnt in the night in provinces and teachers are warned through night letter, not to attend schools. Only four days back, letters were distributed in Kapisa province, situated some 40 kilometers north of the central capital Kabul, warning women to stay at homes instead of attending offices. They were issued death threats. Provincial officials told this scribe, majority of women employees of NGOs and government did not attend their offices after the threats.

Furthermore, Afghan society is basically a tribal and male-dominated society, where male members of family dominate. They consider women as a symbol of their honor and coming out in public is against traditions in majority parts of the country. Being an Islamic society as well, women are required to wear veils.

Q) How do the people view American invasion? What is the public image of America? Liberator or a conqueror?
A) Honestly speaking, there are different views about the US invasion and their presence among people of Afghanistan. But majority of Afghans don't like their presence.

Reason:

In the beginning, (2001, the year when Taliban were ousted), majority of people welcomed the US and foreign forces as liberators. But with the passage of time, frustration among Afghans, especially due to widespread unemployment, non-availability of basic facilities of life like health, education, schooling, pure drinking water, roads etc and widespread lawlessness, increased. Now the situation is that even those people, who celebrated the ouster of Taliban, want them back because they have at least ensured security in the country.

Widespread corruption in government departments and non-redress of people's complaints is the other reason. The thirds reason is that former commanders and warlords are still at the helm of affairs in the country despite the passage of five years of US forces in Afghanistan. In some parts, the commanders and warlords are still enjoying clout and forcing people to pay them taxes.

Q) What do you have to say about the role of Pakistan in Afghanistan?

A) Despite being the closest neighbors and Islamic countries, relations between the two countries were never stayed without doubts and suspicions. The root cause is Afghanistan's claim over a part of territory which is now part of Pakistan. That is the Pashtun region of NWFP in Pakistan.

The people of Pakistan have no doubt rendered great sacrifices for their Afghan brethren after the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The government of Pakistan extended all possible support to the mujaheddin to liberate Afghanistan. Besides, Pakistan housed more than three million Afghan refugees and they are still living there.

However, the era of Taliban and Pakistan's support to the hardliner regime left deep scars on relations of the two countries. Afghanistan believes Pakistan and its secret agencies are behind the recent surge in insurgency in Afghanistan. Pakistan denies and allegations and says the Afghan government was responsible for creating instability in Pakistan's border areas in connivance with India, Pakistan's arch rival. Pakistan denies support to Taliban and says it was itself victim of Taliban's and al-Qaeda terrorism.

Q) In your personal view, what do you see in the future for Afghanistan?

A) The future of Afghanistan is bleak unless the Afghan government and the international community recognize some facts:

That Pashtuns, the largest ethnic community, must be given their due share in all the governmental slots and the reconstruction projects.

The former mujaheddin era prime minister and chief of the largest part of Afghanistan (Hezb-i-Islami) Gulbuddin Hekmatyar must be allowed to return to the country and join the government.

The Taliban must be called for negotiations.

All warlords and commanders must be disarmed.

A sincere war on poppies must be carried out.

Those are the major steps which are mostly related to security. And when peace is achieved, other problems like corruption, provision of basic facilities etc would be automatically achieved.

This interview also appears on American Chronicle, Associated Content and Gather.

Been thinking of the impact of India's economic growth on Tourism? We too!

The developing world has immensely contributed to the economic boost that India is currently enjoying and it's tourism sector has not been left out of the share of profits either- a major achievement for the image of brand India build up by a successful financial system in place in our country.

Some economists credit this fiscal feature of success of Indian financial system to the income generated by the tourism segment, movements across the cross-section of rising business opportunities, agricultural and educational sectors opening up as well as novel and attractive packaging of brand-building for India that have in turn, benefited the travel industry as well. Besides this, strategic planning of excursion packages, eco-tourism, sports events that bring the spot-light on India and greater patronage by greater number of MNC's heading to our shores as well as diversifications of the Indian open industries norm have contributed to the growth of Indian economy and thereby, Indian tourism.

The WTO (World Tourism Organization) reports that as many as 698 million people traveled to a foreign country in 2000, spending over US$ 478 billion while on tour; if India too had a share in these results, then surely the impact of Indian economy as a contributor to rising world economy and its impact on tourism cannot be ignored. More of free spending of disposable incomes, greater markets opening up and better scope for industrialization and earning opportunities have led the way for India's economy to successfully launch the enhanced tourism sector.

What has contributed to the economic growth of India and the tourism sector at large are factors of industrialization, education, higher number of qualified professionals, opening up of foreign markets, liberal trade policies and better advertising and strategic marketing.

The above factors have been collectively responsible for boosting our country's economic reserves and the impact of India's economic growth on tourism is increasingly being felt in specialty sectors like spiritual tourism, spa tourism, student/senior citizen or family vacation plan segments in tourism as well as (surprise, surprise!) adventure tourism! Better amenities and modernization of roads, infrastructure in hotels, local lodging options, accreditation of genuine travel operators and guides etc., training being imparted by government and private sector individuals interested in developing specific regions for tourism promotion and encouraging global gains for India have all been strategized well. These policies put in place after significant contribution from field experts like market watchers, tourism ministry and education and foreign affairs ministry support systems are governed by the needs of tourists visiting India for a certain cultural flavor, yet, not be deprived of comforts, hygiene, security and conveniences that are world-class.

Understanding and fulfilling needs of global tourists for quality vacationing: the kick-off for creditable performance and strong impact of India's economic growth on Tourism

Indian tourism receipts combined with better passenger transport systems and customized food and lodging preferences taken into consideration by exclusive tour operators has meant a niche segment of the country's top travel agencies generating considerable income for their industry. No wonder, as things stand, tourism has become the number one export earner, ahead of automotive products, chemicals, petroleum and food for India and this would not have been possible without the combining of governmental, community and private industry powers through diversification in the economy. This diversification of economy is a sign of health for India as a developing nation fast emerging as a major player in the tourism sector, which has got a shot in the arm thanks to better management at local and urban levels. The only issue of concern is that should India or any of its major tourism generating regions become dependent for its economic survival upon one industry, it can put major stress upon this sector and its people, who may be compelled to perform well consistently. One solution for easing the burden of India's welcome economic growth off the shoulders of the locals is for our developing country to explore other resources, apart from embracing specialized tourism pockets, as a way to boost the economy.

Why do parking lots scare many of us when it comes to violent crime? It starts with the fact that similarly to hotel hallways, they often seem to be void of people, especially at night. Combined with the other truth that many high-rise garage parking lots are designed with security-unfriendly areas such as walls, pillars and elevation changes (where people may be lurking) and we begin to see the reason why our common sense makes us apprehensive. Even large open parking lots like the ones attached to shopping malls can offer a thief or violent predator great visibility to watch for security patrols, escape routes and potential victims.

Types of Crime

The most common parking lot crime is vandalism or theft. The most common violent crimes are purse snatching, robbery, carjacking and abductions.

The design, lack of people, and the horror stories we've all heard about all combine with our natural instincts to bring forth apprehension around certain lots and garages. This is a good thing. Without normal apprehension we'd be walking off cliffs, walking into traffic, and in short, doing some real stupid, dangerous things. Of course, I'm simplifying a bit about the positives of our natural common sense; however, our natural instincts are real and useful. You do not need to feel foolish if you find yourself nervous in circumstances where common sense dictates apprehension. The key for you is to not become over apprehensive. Calm, awareness of dangerous possibilities is needed.

Tips

There are certain things we can do to lesson our chances of being victims of violent crime in and around lots. Here are some important tips:

Park in well-lighted areas—well lit means you can see 100 feet at night

Go out of your way and spend the extra time to park in well-traveled, busier areas

If you are alone, come and go with groups of people who may be walking your way

Lock your vehicle doors when you leave your car

If available, and you feel uncomfortable, ask for a security officer to walk you to your car

Do not walk with your mind consumed by thoughts such as what you need to buy or other tasks you may have to attend to later. Be aware about what is going on around you now. Are there suspicious people in the area or near your car? Is there a van parked next to your vehicle that wasn't there before? Be aware of present dangers and act accordingly
Get in your car as quickly as possible. Most abduction's occur when people are getting into or loading up their vehicles

Immediately, lock your doors. This should become second nature, like putting your seat belt on whenever you get into your car
If available, and you can afford it, use valet parking.

You can also choose to carry self-defense weapons such as Pepper-Spray or other legal items for your safety and security. If you chose this option, remember to become truly knowledgeable in their use and have it close and ready at hand.

Calm, realistic awareness is the beginning step you need. In addition to your awareness, stay mindful of the tips mentioned and you'll be much better off going to and from your parking lot destinations.

In our founding documents it states that the United States of America is a nation built by the people and for the people. Unfortunately most of the laws in our society and civilization have been reshaped by lawyers and sometimes in a self-serving way. One cynical person in our online think tank stated; "America; By the People, For the Lawyers!"

Of course immediately one of the lawyers in the group labeled him a cynical person, which he immediately admitted freely. But he said; "just because I'm a cynic does not mean I am not correct." So the question is what do you think? This is an article of pure opinion as you can tell.

Are we still a nation built by the people and for the people or are we a modified hybred; being built by the lawyers and for lawyers. If lawyers make our laws and we have to hire a lawyer to tell us what those laws are and then hire another lawyer if those laws are inadvertently or accidentally broken then who are we truly serving; ourselves "The People" or the lawyers to whom we have to pay money to for advice on how to live or run our businesses.

The cynic in the group suggested that in his business, which is a successful construction firm, he had to call his lawyer every time he wanted to use the company restroom to make sure it was okay? Indeed, it has not got that bad yet, but it surely could at the present rate in my humble opinion.

I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.