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Dealing with Questionable Content

Monday, July 19th, 2010

Workers who screen websites for explicit content are increasingly in demand, but many companies are failing to provide these employees with adequate psychiatric care.

  • Internet content reviewers, people who police popular websites in order to identify and remove inappropriate content, are being hired in ever greater numbers.
  • Although these jobs are in high demand, they do not pay well, and many companies that hire internet content reviewers don’t guarantee them psychiatric help in order to deal with the hundreds of graphic and disturbing images they see every day.
  • The psychiatrists who have interviewed these workers have concluded that many of them have been psychologically affected by their jobs. These findings are troubling, especially considering that companies want to hire ever more screeners, young people are often attracted to the work, and the jobs are being increasingly outsourced.

Facts and Figures

  • At one company, Telecommunications on Demand, 50 internet content reviewers examine a combined average of 20 million images per week.
  • These employees are paid $8-$12 per hour.

Best Quote

“You have 20-year-old kids who get hired to do content review, and who get excited because they think they are going to see adult porn. They have no idea that some of the despicable and illegal images they will see can haunt them for the rest of their lives.” – Hemanshu Nigam, Former chief security officer at MySpace

Luxury Sites Replace Luxury Stores

Friday, July 16th, 2010

In a struggling economy, online shopping might replace even the highest high-end stores.

  • In the wake of the recession, luxury stores are forced to sell merchandise on the web.
  • Selling clothes online, though less atmospheric than a downtown boutique, allows profits to go directly to the company by cutting out the costs of a store.
  • Technology’s infinite possibilities has increased the number of high-end online stores, allowing boutiques to make their websites seem as impressive and exclusive as their boutique.

Facts & Figures

  • In 2009, when the worldwide luxury-goods industry fell 8%, luxury sales online were forecast to grow 20%

Best Quote

“These brands are finally taking the plunge to establish an online retail presence. The recession forced these manufacturers to realize they needed to look for revenue wherever they could.” – Jeffrey Max, Chief Executive, Venda E-Commerce Sites

Strong Quarter, Weak Economy?

Friday, July 16th, 2010

Although second quarter reports look strong, the economy may start to level out.

  • Fear of an economic slowdown caused the stock markets to dip.
  • Airlines are expected to make their first annual profit since 2007  due to fuller planes and higher fares.
  • Stronger Asian economies are increasing exports, which helps struggling U.S. shipping companies.
  • Despite all this, there has been poor job growth in the U.S in the past few months.

Facts and Figures

  • New home sales fell 33%, and existing home sales fell 2.2%.
  • Air shipments (mostly Asian exports) increased 30% from last year.

Best Quote

“Bottom line is earnings may hold up, but sales growth is slow and companies aren’t going to invest their record cash holdings until it improves.” – Howard Silverblatt, Senior Index Analyst of Standard & Poor

Following Gates, Co-Founder Of Microsoft Plans To Donate $13.5 Billion

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Billionaire co-founder of Microsoft plans to leave the majority of his fortune to philanthropy.

  • Paul Allen is worth an estimated $13.5 billion and has announced that he’s donating most of it to continue the work of the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.
  • This public announcement was in response to Bill Gates’ and Warren Buffet’s campaign to encourage billionaires to donate half of their wealth to charity.
  • Allen’s Foundation was started 20 years ago, and it has distributed 3,000 grants totaling about $400 million.
  • For the most part, the Foundation has remained local (Pacific Northwest) and personal.

Facts and Figures

  • Paul Allen is 57 years old.
  • Forbes ranked Allen as the 37th richest person.
  • Allen has donated approximately $1 billion in his life to date.

Best Quote

“As our philanthropy continues in the years ahead, we will look for new opportunities to make a difference in the lives of future generations.” – Paul Allen, Co-Founder of Microsoft

First Impression Of The New iPhone: Negative

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Apple’s newest flashy iproduct might not be making quite the positive splash they’d hoped for…

  • Consumer feedback has been harsh on the latest iPhone, reporting that when it is held a certain way reception is sketchy and calls are sometimes dropped.
  • As a result, shares of Apple Inc. have dipped, leaving the company scrambling to issue software updates and attach a bumper accessory to fix the problem.
  • Analysts, however, are doubtful that this blip in Apple stock will have any lasting effects. Apple products like the iPad and iPhone are still too widely popular to truly lower Apple’s stock valuation.

Best Quote

“Checks into Apple’s supply chain do not indicate slowdown in build plans or demand. But a greater focus on this issue could create risk to estimates.” – Shaw Wu, Analyst, Kaufman Bros.

A Strategy To Prevent AIDS For Everyone

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

America is diverse, so a strategy to prevent a national problem has to be just as varied.

  • On Tuesday, President Barack Obama issued the first national AIDS plan, a strategy that is considered a milestone in the history of AIDS in America.
  • In America, AIDS users are diverse and the causes of the disease vary according to geography and economic background. Therefore, one single method of prevention cannot be applied to everyone.
  • Obama’s plan links nonprofits, organizations, businesses, and philanthropies with local governments to tailor specific prevention programs according to the surrounding demographic of AIDS users.

Facts & Figures

  • 1 in 30 adults in Washington, D.C. are infected with HIV
  • HIV is the leading cause of death among black women of childbearing age

    Does An Increase In Donations Mean A Recovering Economy?

    Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

    In the first quarter of 2010, charitable donations rose sharply, which may indicate an economic recovery.

    • After donations to charity fell in 2009 due to the recession, first quarter reports indicate that 2010 looks much more promising.
    • Many charities are working on new fund-raising approaches in order to make donations seem more personal.
    • Even though things are looking up, it will still take a while for nonprofits to fully recover from the recession.

    Facts and Figures

    • The median rate of growth for the 73 charities that The Chronicle of Philanthropy polled was 14%.
    • Donations decreased by about 12% in 2009.
    • The 73 organizations polled raised a total of $564.4 million more in the first quarter of 2010 than in the first quarter of 2009.

    Best Quote

    “The economy has certainly loosened up a bit, and that has loosened up how our donors feel and how we all feel.” – Joe Kender, Vice President for Advancement at Lehigh University

    BP May Have Something To Be Optimistic About

    Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

    BP originally planned to cap the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico in mid-August, but they now plan to do so by the end of July.

    • BP claims that the clean-up efforts are ahead of schedule.
    • July 27 – the target cap date – is also the day 2nd quarter earnings are reported.
    • BP states that they have several back up plans in case primary capping efforts fail.
    • BP was encouraged by the Environmental Protection Agency to create a new device – an “autonomous subsea dispersant system”– to monitor and measure chemicals used underwater to break up the oil.

    Facts and Figures

    • BP has lost almost half of its market capitalization since the spill in April.
    • BP is currently drilling 2 relief wells.
    • Hurricane season – which directly affects the Gulf – is imminent and worrisome.

    Best Quote

    “Force yourself to think each one will fail. We’re in new territory full of perils, and nothing is a slam dunk.” – Steve Chu, United States Secretary of Energy

    Consumer Reports Criticizes iPhone 4

    Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

    Because of a faulty antenna, Consumer Reports refuses to recommend the iPhone 4.

    • Consumer Reports tested the newest iPhone and discovered that it lost reception when held to the ear in a certain way.
    • Apple claims that most cell phones lose reception when gripped a certain way and that the software can be easily fixed.
    • The faulty antenna is located on the outside of the phone in the form of a metal band running around its frame.
    • AT&T has been criticized for poor reception and the inability to handle the network usage of data-guzzling iPhones.

    Facts and Figures

    • This is the first time Consumer Reports has not recommended an Apple phone.
    • The antenna problem hasn’t slowed demand for the iPhone 4 – the phone is currently on backorder for about 3 weeks.
    • Apple sold more than 1.7 million iPhone 4s in the first 3 days, making it the company’s most successful product launch ever.

    Best Quote

    “Our findings call into question the recent claim by Apple that iPhone 4′s signal-strength issues were largely an optical illusion caused by faulty software.” – Consumer Reports

    A Microfinance Company’s Surprise Shutdown

    Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

    The recent downsizing of one of the world’s largest microfinance companies raises the eyebrows of its staff and supporters…

    • Unitus, a Seattle based microfinance NGO, laid off its entire staff last week despite recent claims of overwhelming success in the field.
    • The company’s unprecedented announcement raised confusion among its staff and supporters. Experts speculate whether or not the decision was a conscious act to preserve Unitus’ philanthropic capital, or whether it cloaks more serious problems within the company.
    • In recent months, experts have become increasingly skeptical about the effectiveness of microfinance. Some are concerned that Unitus’ change in direction is actually a product of a shaky operation that was on the brink of collapsing.

    Best Quote

    “Microfinance has great promise and a fantastic mission. The question on everybody’s mind is, does it work?” – Deyan Vitanov, Chief Executive, Philanthropedia

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