The Internet - The first Worldwide Tool of Unification ("The End of History")

" ... Now I give you something that few think about: What do you think the Internet is all about, historically? Citizens of all the countries on Earth can talk to one another without electronic borders. The young people of those nations can all see each other, talk to each other, and express opinions. No matter what the country does to suppress it, they're doing it anyway. They are putting together a network of consciousness, of oneness, a multicultural consciousness. It's here to stay. It's part of the new energy. The young people know it and are leading the way.... "

" ... I gave you a prophecy more than 10 years ago. I told you there would come a day when everyone could talk to everyone and, therefore, there could be no conspiracy. For conspiracy depends on separation and secrecy - something hiding in the dark that only a few know about. Seen the news lately? What is happening? Could it be that there is a new paradigm happening that seems to go against history?... " Read More …. "The End of History"- Nov 20, 2010 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll)

"Recalibration of Free Choice"– Mar 3, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: (Old) Souls, Midpoint on 21-12-2012, Shift of Human Consciousness, Black & White vs. Color, 1 - Spirituality (Religions) shifting, Loose a Pope “soon”, 2 - Humans will change react to drama, 3 - Civilizations/Population on Earth, 4 - Alternate energy sources (Geothermal, Tidal (Paddle wheels), Wind), 5 – Financials Institutes/concepts will change (Integrity – Ethical) , 6 - News/Media/TV to change, 7 – Big Pharmaceutical company will collapse “soon”, (Keep people sick), (Integrity – Ethical) 8 – Wars will be over on Earth, Global Unity, … etc.) - (Text version)

“…5 - Integrity That May Surprise…

Have you seen innovation and invention in the past decade that required thinking out of the box of an old reality? Indeed, you have. I can't tell you what's coming, because you haven't thought of it yet! But the potentials of it are looming large. Let me give you an example, Let us say that 20 years ago, you predicted that there would be something called the Internet on a device you don't really have yet using technology that you can't imagine. You will have full libraries, buildings filled with books, in your hand - a worldwide encyclopedia of everything knowable, with the ability to look it up instantly! Not only that, but that look-up service isn't going to cost a penny! You can call friends and see them on a video screen, and it won't cost a penny! No matter how long you use this service and to what depth you use it, the service itself will be free.

Now, anyone listening to you back then would perhaps have said, "Even if we can believe the technological part, which we think is impossible, everything costs something. There has to be a charge for it! Otherwise, how would they stay in business?" The answer is this: With new invention comes new paradigms of business. You don't know what you don't know, so don't decide in advance what you think is coming based on an old energy world. ..."
(Subjects: Who/What is Kryon ?, Egypt Uprising, Iran/Persia Uprising, Peace in Middle East without Israel actively involved, Muhammad, "Conceptual" Youth Revolution, "Conceptual" Managed Business, Internet, Social Media, News Media, Google, Bankers, Global Unity,..... etc.)


German anti-hate speech group counters Facebook trolls

German anti-hate speech group counters Facebook trolls
Logo No Hate Speech Movement

Bundestag passes law to fine social media companies for not deleting hate speech

Honouring computing’s 1843 visionary, Lady Ada Lovelace. (Design of doodle by Kevin Laughlin)

Saturday, March 19, 2011

IBM Agrees to Pay $10 Million to Settle SEC Foreign-Bribery Allegations

Bloomberg, By Tom Schoenberg and Joshua Gallu - Mar 18, 2011

International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), the world’s largest computer-services provider, agreed to pay $10 million to settle U.S. regulators’ accusations that it gave cash and gifts to Chinese and South Korean officials in connection with about $54 million in government contracts.

The company, without admitting or denying wrongdoing, will pay $5.3 million in disgorgement, $2.7 million in interest and a penalty of $2 million to settle a lawsuit filed today by the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington federal court, according to court papers.

The SEC alleged the bribes, which included travel and entertainment, occurred from 1998 through 2009 in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

“Deficient internal controls allowed employees of IBM’s subsidiaries and joint venture to use local business partners and travel agencies as conduits for bribes or other improper payments to South Korean and Chinese government officials over long periods of time,” the SEC said in the complaint.

The improper payments were made by employees at three subsidiaries of Armonk, New York-based IBM, as well as LG IBM PC Co., a joint venture between the company and LG Electronics Inc., according to the lawsuit.

The SEC said cash payments to South Korean officials from 1998 to 2003 totaled $207,000. The payments were connected to contracts worth almost $54 million, the SEC said.

Bags of Money

Some of the money paid to Korean officials was delivered in shopping bags at specific drop-off locations, such as restaurant or apartment parking lots.

In China, the IBM employees created “slush funds” at local travel agencies that were used to pay for overseas excursions by Chinese government officials. IBM employees also gave gifts, such as cameras and laptop computers, to Chinese government officials, the SEC said.

“The misconduct in China involved several key IBM-China employees and more than 100 IBM China employees overall,” the SEC said.

The SEC lawsuit doesn’t say what IBM received from China in return.

“IBM insists on the highest ethical standards in the conduct of its business and requires all employees to follow its policies and procedures for conducting business,” Doug Shelton, an IBM spokesman, said in an e-mailed statement.

The settlement agreement, filed in court today, was signed by IBM’s general counsel on Jan. 6.

No Insurance

IBM agreed in the settlement, which requires approval from a federal judge, not to pay the monetary penalties from any insurance policy.

Alisa Finelli, a Justice Department spokeswoman, declined to comment on whether there’s a criminal investigation of the matter.

IBM expects that revenue from geographic growth markets, including China and South Korea, will be about 30 percent of total sales in 2015, up from 21 percent last year, according to company executives.

The case is SEC v. International Business Machines Corp., 11-cv-00563, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia (Washington).

To contact the reporter on this story: Tom Schoenberg in Washington at tschoenberg@bloomberg.net; Joshua Gallu in Washington at jgallu@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: David E. Rovella at drovella@bloomberg.net.


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