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Wednesday, April 10, 2013
What Different Countries Eat to Cure Hangovers
Business and Technology Change Capabilities Primed for ...
April 08, 2013
Banks are already familiar with outsourcing various IT functions, but a new area has become ripe for banks to outsource to technology partners - their business and technology change processes, a new white paper from Capco, a consultancy, argues. Business and technology change processes are the projects and functions within the bank that help drive the ability to innovate new products, services and processes that help the bank do things like meet new regulations, replace legacy systems and build out new businesses. The white paper says that the typical in-house approach for managing and executing these ?change? projects and processes is inefficient, costly and in need of improvement.
The paper contends that a new outsourcing model it calls ?changeSourcing? should be adopted by banks to help them become more innovative by handling their business and technology change needs more effectively and with less cost. Most banks currently assign teams responsible for business and technology change projects to different areas of their organization. This model doesn?t work though because of the specialization that is required to understand the business and technology needs of each line of business, the paper says. If a bank suddenly needs to undertake a big business or technology change project in one part of the bank, the usual response is to shift staff from change teams in other parts of the organization, the paper says. But those staff from elsewhere other parts of the bank may not have enough understanding or experience with the line of business that they?re now working in.
[See Related: Inside IBM's Mega Outsourcing Projects With ABN Amro and Bank of Ireland]
This fragmented approach to staffing for change projects prevents banks from seeing their full resources that can be brought to bear on such projects, says Mark Reeves, a partner at Capco and author of the white paper. ?Many organizations are lacking the ability to identify who they have [working] in this change capacity,? he explains. ?They?ll say, ?We have about 500 people working in change projects and processes.? But then some of those staff have titles that have nothing to do with change.?
Additionally, the paper points out that personnel who work in business and technology change projects tend to receive very high compensation because of their specialized skills. And the tight budgets that exist across the industry can put the investments needed to follow through on major change-oriented projects on hold, delaying projects and costing the bank more down the line.
An outsourcing - or ?changeSourcing? - contract with a partner who can provide the personnel for these projects and processes would be more agile and cost-effective in meeting the needs of a bank, according to the paper. Capco, which is owned by bank technology vendor FIS, already has a such contracts with a couple of bank clients, according to Reeves.
An outsourcing contract for change projects offers the ability to put a fixed rate on a budget item that can fluctuate and spike when major new compliance needs to be met or legacy systems replaced, the paper says. If a major project has to be undertaken in a particular area the contract partner can provide the extra personnel with expertise in that area, rather than a bank having to shift resources from other parts of the organization.
?Banks have been dealing with tight budgets for a while and the costs [of change projects] are huge but everyone ignored the change cost line. Business and technology change was just something everyone had to invest in. But we?ve created an offer to jump at that cost line,? Reeves remarks.
Banks engaged in "changeSourcing" contracts also improve their change-oriented capabilities and processes by gaining a single view of the resources they can devote to those areas, Reeves says. "ChangeSourcing" providers can focus on growing talent that specialize in change projects, something that is not a priority for most banks, he adds. And the provider also delivers an outside view to examine the efficiency of the bank?s current protocols for managing and executing change projects.
Reeves advises that banks interested in pursuing the changesourcing model should start with smaller projects that have an impact but entail little risk for the bank. ?You also have to evolve the contract as a partnership over time. That takes maturity,? Reeves suggests.
Reeves says that "changeSourcing" will also grow more maturity within the organization in terms of its culture concerning change projects and innovation. ?Those staff that we?ve worked with are more excited and passionate about their ability to execute change because they see a more consistent view of their change capabilities. That has a positive effect on their ability to share and work together cohesively,? he notes.
Source: http://www.banktech.com/management-strategies/business-and-technology-change-capabilit/240152462
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Tuesday, April 9, 2013
UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione calls trans fighter Fallon Fox a ?sociopath? and ?freak?
Matt Mitrione is coming off a huge win. On Saturday, he won with a 19-second knockout of Philip de Fries. It was a hugely needed win after Mitrione suffered two losses in his last two fights. Now Mitrione is using the spotlight to talk about trans fighter Fallon Fox.
While on the MMA Hour, Mitrione repeatedly called the postoperative transgender female a "he." Mitrione also called Fox, who is scheduled to fight again in May, a sociopath and a freak.
"Because she's not a he. He's a he," he said. "He's chromosomally a man. He had a gender change, not a sex change. He's still a man. He was a man for 31 years. Thirty-one years. That's a couple years younger than I am. He's a man. Six years of taking performance de-hancing drugs, you think is going to change all that? That's ridiculous.
"That is a lying, sick, sociopathic, disgusting freak," he continued. "And I mean that. Because you lied on your license to beat up women. That's disgusting. You should be embarrassed yourself. And the fact that Florida licensed him because California licensed him or whoever the hell did it, it's an embarrassment to us as fighters, as a sport, and we all should protest that. The woman that's fighting him, props to you. I hope you beat his ass, and I hope he gets blackballed and never fights again, because that's disgusting and I'm appalled by that."
Mitrione earned a Bachelor's degree from Purdue in Law and Society, with minors in supervision and communications, and he doesn't have a medical degree. It's unlikely that he examined Fox, yet he speaks as if he is aware of the particulars of her anatomy.
If Mitrione doesn't think Fox should be allowed to fight, that's his opinion. State commissions don't agree with him, but he's not being forced to watch her fight. He is also not being forced to fight her, and the women who are walking into a fight with Fox know her history. They don't need to be saved by Mitrione.
For him to go off on such a hate-filled, uninformed tirade is just plain sad, particularly for someone who has been involved with anti-bullying initiatives in the past. Hopefully, Mitrione will keep bullied trans people in mind the next time he calls anyone a "freak."
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The Pros And Cons Of Buying Commercial Property | Sonipa.net
TIP! Have property professionally inspected before you decide to put it up for sale. If there is anything wrong with your property, have it fixed right away.
So, you have made the decision and are now ready to get into commercial real estate? This article will address the many questions of where to begin and how to go about executing a successful transaction. The following tips are a useful guide to anyone interested in commercial real estate, and should help to see that your endeavor is worthwhile.
TIP! Make sure you are completely aware of the available square footage. Two different measurements are commonly used in commercial real estate.
If you want to have commercial real estate investments financed, then you need to prove your financial stability through both personal and business statements. Without financial statements, a bank cannot verify your income and will not allow you to borrow money.
TIP! See to it that you?re dealing with companies that care about their customers before you engage them in a commercial purchase. Otherwise, you could be in for additional money later on due to their mistakes which could have been avoided in the first place.
Engaging in a commercial transaction often takes more time, and is more difficult than simply buying a home. Yet, you should realize that the extra focus on, and length of, the process is essential in order to gain a better return on the investment.
TIP! Closely check the surrounding environment of your property. You may be liable for cleanup of a property that has been environmentally damaged from prior use.
You will probably have to put a lot of effort into your new investment at the beginning. First, you will need to search for an opportunity and purchase the property, as well as perform any repairs that are required. Don?t abandon you commercial real estate venture because it currently consumes so much of your time. The investment will be repaid as time goes on.
TIP! When you are looking for a new home for your growing business, you should pay close attention to the size of the property. Unless you plan to move a few years later, look for a property that is large enough for your business to grow.
If you are investing in commercial real estate, be aware that dramatic inflation over time can have a negative impact on your results. Many leases used to include clauses to protect investors from inflation that would adjust the lease according to the CPI (Consumer Price Index). However, this is no longer common practice, which strips away one form of protection.
TIP! Make sure you have sufficient utility to access on any commercial piece of real estate. You will need access to electricity, water, sewer and maybe gas in addition to any unique need that your business has.
Look for property that has more units. By having access to a large number of units, you will be able to more easily spread your earnings across all of your units. Many investors tend to shun property with fewer than 10 units, as most subscribe to the idea that there is a direct correlation between the number of units and the amount of money that can be made.
TIP! If your real estate deal includes inspections (and it always should), make sure to ask to see the credentials of all of the inspectors. This is especially true of people who work with insect or pest removal, as there are many non-accredited people working in these fields.
To make sure you are working with the right real estate broker, ask what they consider as a success or a failure. Also be sure to ask their method of measuring results. Understand exactly how they do business with their clients, and which strategies and methods they employ. Do not partner up with a broker who is completely the opposite to you in beliefs and the way matters are addressed.
TIP! When you are purchasing a piece of commercial real estate, know in advance what you plan to do with it. Are you going to use it to run your business, or are you going to lease it? Establish clear goals for your investment to narrow down your possibilities, as much as possible.
Properties are subject to a life-cycle similar to ours, where they will eventually parish if not ordered and maintained. You could make an avoidable error by buying a property that needs a lot of upkeep in the future. Your building may need a new roof, or updates to the plumbing or electrical systems. Every building goes through a phase like this, but some do more than others. Estimate the cost of repairs over the years, and plan for them.
TIP! It is essential that you become aware of any environmental issues associated with properties you are considering. You don?t want to start off with any problems that could?ve been prevented.
Be sure to only focus on one investment at a time. You will get better results if you stick to a single type of investment rather than doing land leasing, apartments, and offices all at once. Each kind demands and is worthy of your complete and focused attention. Master one type of investment at a time. Mediocre profits from several types of investments aren?t worth the effort, but major profits from one type of investment is.
TIP! If you plan to rent out a commercial property, you should do all you can to make sure they stay occupied. When you have an open space, you have to shell out the money to keep it looking great and running well.
Before formally making an offer, you must first locate a suitable lender. Communicate with everyone in your network including friends and fellow investors to come up with a brief list of the preferred lenders in your region. Before you even embark on a course to buy commercial real estate, do some research and choose the one lender that can meet your needs. Taking any time needed to line up things properly can make the difference in loan qualification.
TIP! Negotiating is essential. Make it clear that you wish to be heard and refuse to accept an unfair price.
Before you jump into a commercial real estate deal, you want to get a lay of the land first. This means considering and examining the general income levels in the area, how high or low unemployment rates are, and looking at the hiring practices of employers within the vicinity of where you intend to invest. If the building is near certain specific buildings, including hospitals, universities, or large companies, you might be able to sell it faster and for more money.
TIP! As you comb through possible brokers, search for those who have extensive experience in commercial markets. Make sure they are specializing in the desired area that you?re selling or buying in.
You need to think over the community any commercial property is in before you commit to it. If you are buying the property in a more expensive neighborhood your business will most likely be a lot more successful, people there have more to spend. If your business services will do better in a poor neighborhood, buy property there!
Don?t become greedy and over-inflate your real estate asking price. Market conditions can vary greatly; therefore, an appraisal may not be the best indicator of true market value.
TIP! Get a site checklist if you are viewing more than one property. Accept the proposal responses during the first round, but before going further, notify all the property owners involved.
Be aware of the potential tax benefits of investing in commercial property. Not only are there interest deductions, but also depreciation benefits to be aware of. ?Phantom income? is when an income is taxed but never received as cash, by the investors. It is important to know about this kind of income prior to investing.
Verify that the pro forma and the rent roll match the terms. If you concentrate on these points, you can find an issue with the property.
TIP! Bigger is better in commercial realty investments. If you were considering purchasing a property with a dozen units, consider the fact that managing twenty is probably just as easy.Take photographs of the property. Your pictures should portray any damage or defect in the property. Common things you should look for include any cracks or holes in walls, and damages to the carpeting.
TIP! Query a real estate firm about their practices and sources of income over the past year. Honest brokers will be open about this, so you can tell if your interests will be at odds.
Standard release forms are not something you should rush to sign. Sometimes, a long lease contains not only standard lease clauses, but extra agreements that the real estate company sneaked into the lease without discussing with you. Always read any commercial lease before you sign it. Be aware of what you?re agreeing to and don?t sign the lease if anything makes you uncomfortable. Taking the extra time to read through your lease now helps you avoid problems later.
TIP! Figure pest control into your rented or leased commercial real estate property costs. Look over your rental or lease agreement, and know if you are covered, especially if you live in an area with known infestations.
Now, you will now be more prepared when you are dealing with commercial real estate. You thought that you were ready before, well look at you, now! This article probably gave you some ideas that you can use to invest in commercial real estate and make profits, doing so.
Whenever you are getting into something new, you?ve got to learn as much as you can on the subject. You need to learn and understand what you?re doing if you want to be successful with the subject of why you need to diversify your stock portfolio today. Take your newly gained knowledge, and move forward on the path to success.
Source: http://www.sonipa.net/the-pros-and-cons-of-buying-commercial-property/
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Politicians fed up with North Korea
Kim Jong Un on horseback in an undated photo (KNS/Getty Images)
Politicians and pundits painted a pretty bleak picture of the situation in North Korea on the Sunday talk-show circuit, with South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham predicting a "major war" breaking out if Kim Jong Un attacks South Korea.
"The North Koreans need to understand if they attack an American interest or an ally of this country, they're going to pay a heavy price," Graham said on NBC's "Meet The Press" on Sunday. "I could see a major war happening if the North Koreans overplay their hand this time, because the public in South Korea, the United States, and I think the whole region, is fed up with this guy."
"I think we have to convince this new, young, inexperienced leader that he's playing a losing hand," Michele Flournoy said. "The only way out of the box to get the economic development he wants, to get the progress that he wants, is to ratchet back the rhetoric. Come back into compliance with the international obligations."
Since assuming power in late 2011, the provocative Kim has defied U.N. sanctions by continuing to develop North Korea's missile program.
"He's kind of reckless right now," U.S. Gen. James Thurman, the top U.S. military commander in South Korea, said on ?This Week with George Stephanopoulos" on ABC. "If they decided to, you know resume hostilities, I think we've got to be ready to go."
Earlier Sunday, U.S. officials said Thurman?who was expected to travel to Washington this week to appear before the Senate and House Armed Services Committees?will stay in Seoul as "a prudent measure."
When asked to speculate on the outcome of a war, Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: "The North loses and the South wins, with our help. That's what happens."
[Related: Rodman says Kim Jong Un wants Obama to ?call him?]
On "Meet The Press," former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson called Kim's leadership "belligerent," but cautioned against U.S. military action.
"I think the goal should not just be to calm them down, to cool the rhetoric down," Richardson said. "The goal has to be [to] get North Korea back to the negotiating table on nuclear proliferation, on de-nuclearization. They have to do it, because that whole Asian area is a tinderbox."
Greta Van Susteren, who has visited North Korea three times, said negotiation is not something on the minds of most North Koreans.
"The whole time we were there, all we saw was preparation for war," Van Susteren said. "If you go inside, they have been at war with us since the early 1950s. They think that every single one of us is spending every Saturday night sitting around planning how to get them while we're busy ordering pizzas and Chinese food carryout, they think that we're getting ready for war."
Graham said the United States needs to keep its eye on Syria, too.
"Crazy people and nuclear weapons who proliferate those weapons throughout the world, who support terrorist organizations, are incredibly dangerous," Graham said. "That's why we need to stop Syria from getting chemical. Chemical weapons need to be controlled in Syria; the ayatollahs in Iran are just as crazy as this guy in North Korea."
He added: "This could be a nightmare in the making with these chemical weapons falling into radical Islamists. The number of radical jihadists on the ground in Syria today is growing every day this war goes on."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/north-korea-kim-jong-un-war-201715650.html
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French in Mali face Islamist insurgency of unknown strength
Insurgent raids into Timbuktu and Gao in supposedly secured northern cities put a question mark over France's aspirations to wrap up its military intervention in Mali soon.
A Malian soldier walks in Gao, northern Mali, in early February. Timbuktu has been hit by a prolonged battle between Islamic extremists and the Malian and French armies, residents and a Malian military spokesman said Sunday.
Jerome Delay/AP/File
EnlargeHandfuls of Islamist radicals are slipping in and out of towns in northern Mali on hit and run operations, putting a question mark over France's aspirations to neatly wrap up its military intervention soon.
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This weekend brought a suicide car bomb in Timbuktu that rattled residents and sparked a brief, intense skirmish with French and Malian troops who say they will now more strongly garrison the ancient trading post town.?The French deployed air craft to crack down on rebels, whose identity in this attack remains unclear. Malian officials said 21 rebels were killed.
As French politicians and senior officers prepare to partly exit Mali this month, having largely assuaged fears of a new Afghanistan developing in northwest Africa, they are facing a new low-level radical insurgency of yet uncertain numbers, capability, and intent.
"The fighting is heavy and it is ongoing," Malian Army Capt. Modibo Naman Traore told Reuters on Sunday, adding that the Army was in the process of "encircling" the militants.?
Last week in Gao, the largest city in the Malian north, rebels killed six locals in a similar attack. That operation, which French forces reportedly rebuffed quickly, was claimed by the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, a group that partly controlled the city last fall.
In January the French quickly drove out a loose but effective Islamist insurgency that last year took over huge swaths of Mali using weapons siphoned out of Libya after its civil strife ended.
But having liberated Gao, Timbuktu, and other northern towns, the French have focused on Islamists in the northern mountains; days back French forces confirmed killing a significant rebel leader Abou Zeid. Yet apparent French?indifference to, or even collaboration in recent weeks with, ethnic Tuareg rebels, reported here by Peter Tinti in The Christian Science Monitor, has strained relations between government, military, and local populations.
Much of the media coverage and information of sensitive war operations in Mali by the French is under strict control. The New York Times today, reporting out of Paris, writes about the rebels in Timbuktu that,
?They had said Timbuktu was secured,? the mayor [of Timbuktu] lamented. The fighting had ceased by about 3 p.m. on Sunday, he said, though military aircraft, presumably French, continued to circle in the skies above Timbuktu. Two patrols of French fighter aircraft had been sent to Timbuktu, according to Colonel Burkhard, the military spokesman, but they did not fire any munitions.
Analysts continue to ask whether, after a successful effort to put Al Qaeda-linked rebels on the run, Mali itself can continue to hold together.
Mali has announced new elections in July and the French force levels are to draw down from more than 4,000 to 2,000 by that time.?
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