text:
6 Improving corporate governance and ensuring improved ethics and probity
In the preceding discussion, the issues of corporate governance surfaced in a number of areas generally related to the ownership, management and performance of SOEs. In the discussion of microeconomic impact, the argument against all forms of state ownership was challenged on the grounds that if appropriate forms of corporate governance were established, the traditional criticisms of state ownership (contractual incompleteness, information asymmetries and undue political influence) could be addressed. Therefore, the improved corporate governance is most needed to address these microeconomic concerns. There are, however, both practical and political reasons why the state may seek to improve corporate governance.
In practice, Government's relationship with the SOE sector was less than optimal over the past five years. Government's previous advisers, HSBC, noted in their handover report that a number of overlapping problems arose with the restructuring process between 1994 and 1999. Two of the key problems they raised concerned relationships between various departments responsible for achieving different objectives of Government, and the problematic relationships between Government and the management and/or boards of these enterprises.(1)
The different roles of Government
As noted from the first section, the state has a large number of strategic objectives for the restructuring process arising from the differing roles that it is called on to play. These differing objectives, all legitimate and equally important, are often difficult to reconcile, especially when they are represented by different line function departments:
International experience seems to suggest that restructuring has been less successful when the differing roles of the state overlap significantly.(2) This indicates that the separation of the roles of those tasked with formulating overall state policy, with regulation and with the restructuring process needs to be more clearly defined in South Africa. These issues were resolved at the IMCC Lekgotla in November 1999, where the Ministers agreed that while policy departments would continue to perform these functions in the sectors they oversee (for example, transport, communications, energy, defence etc.), the Department of Public Enterprises would take overall responsibility for the restructuring of enterprises. Similarly, the potential conflict between Government and regulators was clarified by restating that regulators need to operate within the framework of government policy rather than seeking to influence policy themselves. While these pronouncements will clarify the different roles of government agencies, these relationships will need to be spelt out more clearly in a formal document such as a refined Protocol on Corporate Governance or in the shareholder compacts.
A similar ambiguity in the roles of management and the boards versus that of the shareholder in the restructuring process has complicated this matter. These players may, in some cases, have taken actions during or before the restructuring process which were not necessarily fully aligned to Government's overall objectives. While both management and the boards have certain operational and fiduciary responsibilities or interests that are distinct from those of the state, in the absence of an accepted framework for corporate governance, it remains difficult to address these questions.(3) The experience with restructuring so far, particularly some of the problems with the Sun Air, Aventura and Alexkor deals, also suggests that the state, as the major shareholder, needs to play a more active role in the process.
Underlying the difficulties associated with these differing roles is the lack of agreement on a framework for corporate governance. Unfortunately, as long as the role of the state remains ambiguous, different stakeholders will exploit this for their particular ends. A framework for corporate governance (4) was finalised in 1997, and most major SOEs have indicated that they support this framework, but Government has only recently taken action to ensure compliance. More recently, the Public Finance Management Act, No. 1 of 1999 (PFMA) provided a clearer statement of fiduciary responsibility and accountability, which, if complemented by a revised protocol on corporate governance, should address these concerns.
In the ensuing sections, this chapter will highlight the main areas where the 1997 Protocol can be revised to bring it into line with the PFMA and international best practice. The shareholder compacts discussed below, coupled with a refined protocol on corporate governance should assure Government that its continuing interests in SOEs are better managed. It will also reassure investors, boards, management and the workforce because Government's intentions regarding the SOE will be spelt out in detail. The proposed shareholder compacts and a refined protocol should also assist the management and boards of SOEs in performing their duties with the confidence that their roles and responsibilities, and those of the state, are more clearly defined.
Refining the protocol on corporate governance
The importance of corporate governance lies in its contribution to both business prosperity and accountability. The latter has been the subject of much public debate over the past few years in many countries, including South Africa.(5)
This emphasis on accountability has tended to obscure the board's responsibility for enhancing the prosperity of the business. People, teamwork, leadership, enterprise, experience and skills are what really produce prosperity and there is no single formula to weld these together. Rules and regulations about structure will not necessarily deliver success. Accountability, by contrast, does require appropriate rules and regulations, of which disclosure is the most important element.(6)
In the discussion below, various elements of the 1997 Protocol on Corporate Governance are discussed and compared with international best practice. It shows where the 1997 Protocol conforms to international best practice, and where it may need refinement. Since the 1997 Protocol has received Cabinet endorsement, there is no intention to update it at this stage. The policy framework will, however, identify areas where the 1997 Protocol can be improved to meet international best practice, to facilitate a future revision. Where possible, the suggested revisions will be carried through into the shareholder compacts (discussed below) and then used by the Department of Public Enterprises in their day-to-day management of specific SOEs.
Appointment of the Board
The selection or appointment of the board follows a well-planned, formal and transparent procedure. This managed and effective process should ensure board appointments that provide a mix of proficiency, with people who are able to add value and bring independent judgement to the decision-making process. Only people of integrity who can bring a blend of knowledge, skills, objectivity, experience and commitment to the board, must be appointed. The board should be led by a capable Chairman who brings out the best in each member. It is crucial to have a proper and credible director selection process for executive and non-executive directors at both holding and subsidiary company level, to avoid the propensity for "cronyism" and "tokenism". Consequently, the composition of the board, its size and the succession programme should be planned with strategic considerations and objectives of the corporation in mind. This also applies to the appointment of the Chairman and the Chief Executive or Managing Director. The term served by all directors must be determined in advance and form part of a comprehensive letter of appointment. Where appropriate, performance contracts should be entered into.(7)
Board Structure
The Protocol suggests a unitary structure, in line with international best practice; this suggests that a unitary board with sufficient and credible non-executive directors would be the preferred option.(8) Although most international sources cite the need for a balance between executive and non-executive directors, private companies seems to have more non-executive than executive directors.(9) The Protocol suggests a balance between executive and non-executive directors, but this may need to be revisited as more non-executive directors would ensure better review of the performance of the board and the organisation.
The Protocol refers to the independence of the non-executive directors from management, but does not address the issue of undue political influence affecting the independence of such directors. It is important to distinguish between the state's influence as a shareholder and "undue political influence". In line with the above discussion of the impact of restructuring, it is argued that the state can use SOEs to meet some of its objectives, as long as this is accounted for in a transparent manner. This means that the state's ability as major shareholder to appoint the board, approve key strategic and business plans, and other aspects of performance management cannot be considered inappropriate if done in terms of acceptable and recognisable procedures. Similarly, the state's objectives to use SOEs to provide basic services can also be considered legitimate if done transparently, through either direct subsidies or visible cross-subsidies. State influence may be considered excessive (or undue), if it seeks to influence the SOE without being publicly accountable, e.g. through hidden cross-subsidies or private agreements to address objectives not clearly defined in the strategic and business plans. In these circumstances, it seems advisable that the boards use their independence to bring such practices to public attention.
The independence of directors, especially in SOEs, is considered a key feature in the international literature, especially since appointment of the board by the State makes this independence even more difficult. Independence is necessary, not just to protect against undue influence (whether this comes from management or the state), but also to ensure proper oversight of enterprise performance. In this regard, best practice indicates that it is better to keep the management, the setting of strategic direction and performance monitoring as discrete processes.
The independence of the board can be bolstered by the appointment of credible, objective and skilled non-executive directors. It may then also be prudent to ensure a majority of non-executive directors.(10) Non-executive directors should be independent of management; they may be directors or managers from the company's holding company, but have no executive responsibilities in the company.(11) While the current protocol addresses independence adequately, the experience of the next couple of years will indicate whether further provisions may be required, especially to deal with the issues of independence from undue political influence. These issues will however be addressed in SOE-specific shareholder compacts.
International precedent indicates that the director's remuneration should at least in part be linked to the performance of the SOE and the board.(12) It also suggest that full disclosure of the total of executive and non-executive directors' earnings should be made in the annual report and that the directors' remuneration should be balanced between an amount which would lose significance for the director and a level at which the director may lose independence.(13) The Protocol deals adequately with the issues of performance-linked remuneration and disclosure, but there is little evidence that this is actually being implemented, as some annual reports do not contain this information. The issue of partial or even full liability (discussed below) may scare off some non-executive directors of SOE boards unless their remuneration is in line with their responsibilities. International precedent indicates that compensation should accurately reflect the responsibility and risk involved in being an effective director.(14)
The role and involvement of the shareholder in the final determination of the board remuneration need to be clearly defined. While it is general practice that a committee of the board may be tasked with the responsibility for investigating and recommending to the full board the remuneration structures and levels, the shareholder's involvement may be to consider the board's recommendations for approval. The shareholder's involvement is clearly to ensure that a uniform approach and common standards are applied by the enterprises in the determination of remuneration structure and, where appropriate, remuneration levels.(15)
Role of the board
The Protocol is very general as regards the function of the board and the responsibility of the directors. The specific nature of the relationship between legislation, regulation, shareholder interest and the board is not addressed adequately, although it does state that the board (directors) are individually and collectively accountable to the shareholder and must comply with and co-operate fully and at all times with government policy. The Protocol states that the board needs to maintain full and effective control over day-to-day management but does not mention the board's role in major capital decisions (acquisitions, disposals, etc.) and in appointing senior management. These functions are best performed by the shareholders, but they should be featured in the strategic and business plans of the enterprise, which requires board participation. There remains, therefore, some confusion over the roles and responsibilities of the board in the Protocol. This can be addressed in the shareholder compacts which makes explicit reference to the content of the strategic and business plans to be approved by the shareholder.
International precedent makes a number of suggestions that would help clarify these concerns. The first question that needs to be properly addressed is whether the board acts in a governing or an advisory capacity. If a unitary board structure is adopted (as in the Protocol), then it appears that the role of the board would be a governing or controlling one (sanctioned by the Minister). In fulfilling this role, the Minister would need to communicate with the boards and ensure they understand the nature and extent of authority delegated to them. The Minister should also establish measures of performance for the board. The board should also be provided with written guidance on how legislation, policies, administrative arrangements and conventions affect its decision-making ability.(16)
Notwithstanding the above, the boards would still have "total accountability for all corporate activity", with their roles and functions identified as follows in the international literature.(17)
It must be emphasised that the board members, individually and collectively, have a fiduciary responsibility to the corporation they serve. This responsibility dictates that the board must at all times ensure that the business enterprise is financially viable and properly managed, so as to protect and enhance the interests of the corporation and its shareholders over time.(18) However, during the restructuring phase, the shareholder will play a greater oversight role, especially in monitoring the management of the restructuring process. To this end, the shareholder will be responsible for the final approval of the senior management appointed by the board.
Performance management
Although the Protocol states the need for annual budgets against which performance can be monitored, this is probably not sufficient. International experience suggests that Government should define the elements of a performance contract and identify more criteria than just budgets for assessing performance of the board. The Protocol states what is expected from the board and the three duties of the directors,(19) but does not clearly indicate how the board's performance will be assessed. International best practice suggests that boards should have performance agreements in addition to existing legislative and regulative requirements, and it specifically indicates that the board's performance should be monitored along with that of the organisation.(20) The review of the board's performance can be conducted by the non-executive directors,(21) and a yardstick for measuring board performance is the availability of written rules and procedures for the board.(22) These could include (but are not restricted to) information on:
Decision-making by boards
The Protocol does not follow international best practice regarding decisionmaking guidelines and how decision-making should be addressed. The role of the shareholder in board decisions is also not clearly indicated. It is therefore suggested that the shareholder compact should include a section dealing specifically with decision-making procedures.
International precedents provide some guidelines. Best practice provides that boards should:(23)
Disclosure and transparency
The Protocol includes some principles concerning disclosure and transparency, but these are not grouped under a particular heading or section. In future revisions of the Protocol, it would be useful to have a specific section dealing with these issues, which would also identify all stakeholders and the information they should have access to. As noted in the section on microeconomic impacts, information asymmetries have caused a significant failure in SOE corporate governance relationships.
International precedent indicates that communication with shareholder(s) should be based on openness, with substance prevailing over form. Some better practices suggest that parts of board meetings be opened to the media and other stakeholders, and that the board should undertake field visits to assess the organisation at first hand. It is also suggested that information should be timely, accurate, regular and comparable, and that disclosure should include:(24)
Standards of behaviour
The Protocol covers this well, adding that a separate code of conduct can be drawn up to guide the behaviour of directors. Compliance testing is a requirement in the Protocol but, as with the disclosure of remuneration, actual practice is questionable. The Protocol could be clearer on what it prescribes in terms of compliance testing, perhaps with reference to third party assessment.
International practice indicates that the board should oversee the development of a formal code of conduct defining the standards of personal behaviour to which individual board members and all employees of the body would subscribe. The code could include the following provisions:(25)
The Protocol is not clear on the issue of liabilities. Given the difficult relationship between the boards and the shareholder (especially Government), issues pertaining to liabilities should be addressed in more detail in the revised protocol and/or the shareholder compact.
As power without accountability is dangerous, some degree of director liability is considered good practice. This should be based on stated roles and undertakings of the shareholder, board and the director. Director liability needs to be regulated and assessed in terms of both internal factors (i.e. financial health, restructuring, etc.), and external factors (specifically legislation and degree of shareholder support or interference).
International best practice suggests that a limited personal liability for directors is advisable, except that directors are held liable without limitation where reckless or fraudulent actions are involved. Where such personal liabilities exist, however, organisations can be expected to take out insurance to cover the liabilities of directors.(26) However, when "directives and controls" by the Minister result in questionable outcomes, Government may be liable as a principal and the SOE would be viewed as an agent.(27)
Financial reporting (including subsidiaries)
Much of the financial reporting requirements will now be governed by the PFMA and any applicable Regulations promulgated in terms thereof. The financial reporting aspects of the Protocol will serve only to supplement these reporting measures to the extent that they are not superseded. Any revised protocol would, however, need to address the relationship between the shareholder (Government), the holding company and the subsidiaries. Government will also have a final say over the appointment of board members to the subsidiary companies.
International practice supports the notion that there should be total independence of the audit process and that directors are ultimately liable for the integrity of the audit. It indicates that directors should describe in their financial statements the internal control procedures and measures that were introduced.(28) There is little mention of subsidiaries in the international literature, except for a suggestion that, in the case of subsidiary companies or divisions not reporting to the shareholder, they may "effectively be removed from political scrutiny and accountability". It would thus appear that subsidiaries should be liable for reporting to the shareholder, as is the holding company.(29)
Establishing shareholder compacts
The shareholder compact represents an agreement between Government as the major shareholder and the board of the SOE as regards performance expectations and parameters. It does not replace the strategic, business and other plans required for the effective and efficient management of the enterprise.
Rather, it complements these and, recognising the need for a controlled and managed involvement of the shareholder in its investment, describes the relationship between the signatories. Most of the standard and general principles of contract will therefore govern this relationship. The shareholder compact is based on the Protocol, which is time independent, as well as on the strategic, business and other plans of the enterprise, which are time dependent.
Shareholder compacts are being developed with the major SOEs. While the Department of Public Enterprises is using the 1997 Protocol and the above guidelines, the actual format and content will be the result of a process of negotiation and accommodation between the shareholder and the enterprise.
Although the provisions of the compact do not differ in substance from international best practice in both the public and private sectors, some boards may want to incrementally implement the provisions described below. Given that Government is seeking to improve its relationships with the SOEs within a developing framework of corporate governance, it will therefore accept a compromise around the original compacts. These are likely to be updated in the light of the experience with their implementation over the next couple of years.
The compacts will therefore seek to cover most of the following areas:
Introduction: The shareholder compact will state that it is based on the Protocol for Corporate Governance in the Public Sector (1997) and all its subsequent amendments, and on the strategic plan and the business plan of the SOE. It will include the critical assumptions about the operating environment, economic conditions and political relationships for the period covered by the compact. It will state who the signatories to the contract are and what their respective roles are.
Interpretation: There will be a clear definition of all terms that could be misunderstood or interpreted in different ways in the shareholder compact.
Primary relationship between the signatories: The compact will clearly indicate the role of the SOE Board and Management. This will include responsibility for key activities, e.g. appointment of senior executives, and capital decisions. It will also include requirements on nature and degree of contact between management and shareholder. The SOE's board mandate from the shareholder will be spelt out. The compact will put forward mechanisms to address violations of autonomy and independence.
Undertakings by Management of SOE: The compact will seek to cover what management undertakes to do or not to do, and the tasks for which management is responsible.
Undertakings by Shareholder: The compact will also spell out the role of the shareholder and what it undertakes to do or not to do. For example, the shareholder will undertake to issue instructions with sufficient warnings and response times. The compact will include a statement of intent by the shareholder on how it will fulfil its role as shareholder.
Governance: The statement of governance in the compact will outline the principles and protocols upon which it is based. It will spell out which legislation the SOE will have to comply with (for example, Companies Act, Eskom Act). It will specify requirements for ethical conduct and internal fraud control procedures. It will require a register of conflicts of interests. The compact will outline that directors are committed to duties of care and skill, loyalty and attention.
Corporate goals and objectives: The compact will spell out agreed weight allocations and/or priorities to goals and objectives contained in business and strategic plans (inclusive of main subsidiaries).
Key performance indicators: The compact will define agreed weighted performance indicators (e.g. financials before internal process efficiencies etc.)
Extraordinary reporting: The compact will spell out when extraordinary reporting is required and to whom, by whom, on what, and how.
Decision-making: The compact will contain clear statements on how decisionmaking is to take place at board level (e.g. voting or consensus seeking). It will also outline the role of the shareholder in decision-making.
Policies: The compact will define the role of policy-making departments as against the SOE and the shareholding department. It will include details on policies and legislative requirements that the SOE is obliged to implement, for example, employment equity and procurement policies. It will also outline the planned development of any other/additional policy frameworks, for example, strategic sourcing, share-option schemes, outsourcing, alternative employment models and concessioning.
Obligations to deliver service: The compact will include an undertaking by the SOE to deliver specified critical services, notwithstanding any restructuring policy/arrangements (until there is official notification that the SOE is relieved of those responsibilities). It will also state who can make changes to the service delivery obligations.
Liabilities: The compact will include agreements on the liabilities of management as against those of the shareholder, specifying when management liability falls away. It will also outline the liabilities of executive and non-executive directors. It will spell out insurance and indemnity clauses and arrangements. It will also specify areas where conduct can affect liability.
Penalties and rewards: The compact will define the penalties for non-achievement of agreed objectives (for example, redeployment). Similarly, it will define the rewards and/or bonuses for meeting or exceeding targets. It will also specify the process for confirming rewards and penalties, including reporting procedures, queries, defence submissions, third party assessments, etc.
Third party assessment: The compact will spell out the involvement of third party assessment in the assessment of performance results. It will define who will be responsible for the assessment of non-compliance with agreed roles, responsibilities and undertakings. It will outline how performance expectations can be adjusted flowing from third party assessment.
Notices: The compact will specify the format for notices and that they must be in writing. It will also specify when a notice will be deemed to have been received, depending on whether it is delivered by hand, posted, in the form of a telegram, faxed or e-mailed. It will also define when notices shall be regarded as adequate communication.
Whole agreement: The compact will specify the period it covers. It will also specify the extent of this agreement relative to others, and that the undertakings and annexures to the agreement will be declared active when signed.
Variations: The compact will specify that no variations shall be of any force unless these are in writing and signed by both parties. It will also specify the process for introducing variations (notifications, draft submissions, final).
Conflict with memorandum and/or articles of association: The compact will outline the relationship between the shareholders compact and the Memorandum or Articles of Association, and the procedures that should be followed in case of conflict.
Proposed annexures to the shareholder compact: The following documents will form annexures to the shareholder compact:
As should be evident from the above description of the scope of the shareholder compact (as currently being defined by the Department of Public Enterprises), it will cover all the key areas of concern mentioned in the review of the 1997 Protocol. The shareholder compact is understood to be an interim agreement designed to assist Government in managing the restructuring process. As the restructuring proceeds, a revised protocol on Corporate Governance is drawn up and is adopted by the SOEs, the compact will be revised and/or superseded by more formal corporate governance practice. Furthermore, since the compacts will largely define the relationship between specific SOEs and Government, each compact is being tailored to the distinct requirements of each enterprise.
Government therefore envisages a process whereby the shareholder compacts are used as an interim measure to establish better relations of corporate governance between itself and the main SOEs, and that these compacts will fall away once such an improved relationship is in place.
Refining the corporate governance protocol and establishing shareholder compacts
The review of the 1997 Protocol indicates that, while it covers many issues commonly found in other corporate governance frameworks, it will need to be refined in future to be brought into line with international best practice. However, it is still sufficiently sound to be used to establish the foundations for corporate governance over the next few years. The above discussion details the type of revisions that will be required when it is updated. In the interim, however, the IMCC directed the Department to ensure that the largest four SOEs (Eskom, Transnet, Telkom, and Denel) sign off on the 1997 Protocol. They also requested that the relevant shareholder Ministers to conclude shareholder compacts with these SOEs. Since the shareholder compact will primarily serve to develop an enterprise-specific relationship between Government and the SOE, most (if not all) the limitations listed above are expected to be addressed in the shareholder compact.
Ethics and probity in relation to corporate governance
The Protocol endorses the King Report and adopts both the Code of Corporate Practices and Conduct, and the Code of Ethics. The PFMA also aims at disciplined management of the public resources and establishes a culture of financial probity. These documents cover codes of conduct and conflict of interests, especially pecuniary interest and fraud control. In relation to these matters, the literature on best practice specifies that organisations should:
Imperatives of ethics and probity in business(30)
There is an argument which suggests that corporations that are properly managed and controlled by directors with long-term vision and purpose will, in their own enlightened self interest, ensure that they take proper account of these wider objectives. Corporations now rightly attach increasing importance to their corporate reputation for commercial success; this is underscored by increasing scrutiny from the regulators, the press, pressure groups, labour unions, employees and communities in which they operate.
In this regard, most contracts concluded by corporations involve mutual rights and obligations. This, in turn, involves trust and responsible management to ensure that the conduct of the corporation, internally and externally, is based on enterprise and integrity. The fiduciary duties and responsibilities of directors should, at all times, remain paramount. All stakeholders with a link to the corporation should feel confident that their dealings with the corporation are undertaken with honesty, openness and fairness. It is advocated that one of the responsibilities of directors of any business enterprise (whether private, public, family-owned or state-owned) should be to determine the moral and ethical climate of the business. This can take many forms (and is normally documented and widely disseminated in the organisation), but the conduct of the directors in their dealings both within the corporation and outside will set the example for others to follow.
Bribery and corruption (31)
Ethics is an aspirational objective, and should represent the intrinsic cultural values of the society in which the corporation operates, as well as the behaviour expected of the corporation in all its dealings with shareholders and other stakeholders generally. Where a corporation codifies ethical conduct, as it should, such guidelines should be succinct but sufficiently detailed to give a clear direction. Ethical practices and issues are both complex and vexed. No single or universal model can be defined or prescribed, other than to emphasise the significant importance that international institutional investors and other significant interested parties attach to this issue. While difficult to quantify in precise economic terms, the impact of bribery and corruption on countries, communities and business enterprises has been devastating. Given the many and subtle forms that this may take, the Asian Development Bank estimated that losses due to corruption can total more than a country's foreign debt in lost revenues and additional costs for goods and services
Ultimately, corruption and fraud, in any manifestation, are theft and criminality against the people of South Africa. In the context of continuing poverty and inequality, these practices can deprive people of homes, livelihoods and sustenance, and will not be tolerated.
Business ethics(32)
This concept means various things to various people, but it generally relates to knowing what is right or wrong in the workplace and doing what is right regarding products/services and in relationships with stakeholders. Wallace and Pekel explain that attention to business ethics is critical during times of fundamental change, as now faced by SOEs. In such times, values that were previously taken for granted are strongly questioned, and many are no longer followed.
Consequently, there is no clear moral compass to guide leaders through complex dilemmas about what is wrong. Attention to ethics in the workplace, therefore, sensitises leaders and staff to how they should act, providing them with a strong moral compass in times of crises and confusion. However, attention to business ethics provides numerous other benefits; these are listed later in this document.
Management of business ethics(33)
Managing business ethics holds tremendous benefit for leaders and managers.
However, the field of business ethics has traditionally been the domain of philosophers, academics and social critics. Consequently, much literature about business ethics is not geared toward the practical needs of leaders and managers, the people primarily responsible for ethics in the workplace. This lack of practical information is the outcome of insufficient involvement of leaders and managers in discussion and literature about business ethics. Lack of involvement of leaders and managers in the field of business ethics has spawned considerable confusion and misunderstanding among leaders and managers about business ethics. Consequently, many managers believe business ethics to be irrelevant as business ethics training often avoids the real-life complexities in leading organisations.
Two broad areas of business ethics(34)
There are two areas that business ethics needs to address:
Managerial mischief: this includes "illegal, unethical, or questionable practices of individual managers or organisations, as well as the causes of such behaviours and remedies to eradicate them". A great deal has been written about managerial mischief, leading many to believe that business ethics is merely a matter of preaching the basics of what is right or wrong. More often though, business ethics is dealing with dilemmas that have no clear right or wrong answers.
Moral mazes: this includes the numerous ethical problems that corporations must deal with on a daily basis, such as corruption, bribery, dishonesty, potential conflicts of interest, wrongful use of resources, mismanagement of contracts and agreements, insider trading or financial interest.
Benefits of managing ethics in business and the workplace(35)
Managing ethics in business and the workplace has various benefits. Ethics programmes:
Managing ethics as a programme(36)
Organisations should establish ethics management programmes that can convey corporate values. These programmes often use codes and policies to guide decisions and behaviour, and can include extensive training and evaluating, depending on the organisation. They provide guidance in ethical dilemmas, as they balance competing values and reconcile them.
The following guidelines can be used to establish an ethics programme:
It is necessary to develop guidelines for managing ethics as a programme in the workplace. It must be recognised that the programmes are more process orientated than most management practices. The bottom line of an ethics programme is accomplishing preferred behaviours in the workplace and creating the ability to handle ethical dilemmas so as to prevent these from occurring in the first instance. Organisations are expected to make ethics decisions in groups, make decisions public as appropriate, and integrate ethics management with other management.
Key roles and responsibilities in ethics management(37)
Depending on the size of the organisation, certain roles may prove useful in managing business ethics in the workplace. These can be full-time, or part-time functions assumed by someone already in the organisation. Small organisations certainly will not have the resources to implement each of the following roles using different people in the organisation. However, the following functions point out responsibilities that should be allocated somewhere in the organisation:
Codes of ethics
A credo generally describes the highest values to which the company aspires to operate. It contains the "thou shalt's". A code of ethics specifies the ethical rules of operation. It's the "thou shalt not's". Some business ethicists feel that codes have no value, as too much focus is put on the codes, and these codes are not influential in managing ethics in the workplace. Many ethicists note that developing and continuing dialogue around the code's values are most important.
However, when managing complex issues, especially in a crisis, having a code is critical.
In the development of code of ethics, large organisations may consider an overall corporate code and then a separate code to guide each programme or department. The following are some guidelines in the development of codes of ethics:
Examples of ethical values might include:
In developing their code of ethics, organisations and corporations must focus on the top ethical values needed in the organisation, which will avoid the most likely potential ethical dilemmas. There are numerous examples of codes of ethics, but organisations should generate their own codes rather than review examples from other organisations.
Codes of conduct
Codes of conduct specify actions in business and in the workplace, as opposed to codes of ethics, which are generally guidelines. Developing codes of conduct for large organisations may entail developing an overall corporate code of conduct, and then a separate code to guide each of the organisation's programmes or departments.
The following recommendations may assist in the development of codes of conduct:
Principles of Ethical Conduct(38)
The following principles of ethical conduct are recommended for consideration by SOEs, which should ensure their applicability to all employees. It is expected that by adopting such principles, SOEs will ensure that all stakeholders have confidence in the integrity of the institution:
Policies and procedures(39)
The development of policies and procedures should also entail the development of an overall policy manual. The following guidelines may serve in the development and application of policies:
Resolving ethical dilemmas(40)
Perhaps too often, business ethics is portrayed as a matter of resolving conflicts in which one option appears to be the clear choice. However, ethical dilemmas faced by managers are often highly complex, with no clear guidelines in either law or religion. An ethical dilemma exists when one is faced with a choice between alternatives. Organisations should develop and document a procedure for dealing with such ethical dilemmas. Ideally, these dilemmas should be resolved by a group within the organisation, e.g. an ethics committee comprised of top leaders or managers and/or members of the board.
The ethics programme will not work unless all staff members are trained about what it is how it works and their roles in it. The nature of the system may invite suspicion if not handled openly and honestly. In addition, no matter how fair and up-to-date a set of policies is, the legal system will often interpret employee behaviour (rather than written policies) as de facto policy. Therefore, all staff must be aware of and act in full accordance with procedures.
The following guidelines should serve in the development and application of ethical training:
Principles and characteristics of an ethical organisation(42)
The following are principles and characteristics of ethical and integrity organisations:
Integrating ethics and probity into corporate governance
Further to improving the general climate of corporate governance in the SOE environment, Government is committed to ensuring that the management and boards of the SOEs uphold appropriate standards of ethics and probity. Many of the SOEs have already established codes of conduct for their management and boards, and Government will use performance monitoring to ensure adherence to these codes. In ensuring that these standards are adhered to, SOEs will need to demonstrate that an ethics and probity management programme is in place. This programme should include the following measures applicable to boards and management, to be approved and monitored by Government:
Moreover, through reference to international best practice, Government will encourage the SOEs to periodically review and update these ethics and probity management programmes. It will also ensure that those managing the restructuring process are subject to similar ethical standards to those expected of SOEs. They should also be subject to appropriate probity investigations, and any evidence of misconduct will be fully investigated and prosecuted where applicable. Not only will this focus on ethics and probity constrain corruption and rent-seeking behaviour but also, by encouraging adherence to international ethical standards, Government will reassure potential foreign investors that financial and other corporate misbehaviour will not be tolerated. Government's commitment to ensuring world-class standards of probity will be demonstrated through its emphasis on ensuring that the management of restructuring process will be both transparent and accountable. Investors and stakeholders will be able to monitor the process, and hold Government accountable for deviations from the published process and programme.
HSBC's Handover Report, October 1999.
Shirley. 1995. Getting bureaucrats out of business: obstacles to state enterprise reform. Megginson, Nash & Van Randenburgh. 1996. The privatisation dividend.
HSBC's Handover Report, October 1999.
Protocol on Corporate Governance, HSBC, 14/10/1997.
The comparative analysis of corporate governance related to the Protocol on Corporate Governance in the Public Sector (hereafter referred to as "the Protocol") was based on the following sources:
CACG guidelines: Principles of Corporate Governance in the Commonwealth (CACG)
OECD Principles of Corporate Governance (OECD)
Committee on Corporate Governance – Final Report (CCG – UK)
Performance Audit report: Corporate Governance (Audit Office of New South Wales) (NSW)
Perspective on Directors' Duties – Deloitte & Touche (D&T)
HSBC handover report (HSBC)
Views from various Deloitte & Touche Specialists (Views)
CACG, King Report, CCG-UK, Views.
(D&T, CACG-King report.)
(NSW, CACG,CCG-UK,D&T, OECD, Views.)
(Duty of loyalty, Duty of care and skill, Duty of attention.)
(NSW, CCG-UK, CACG, OECD, D&T, Views.)
CACG, the Protocol, King Report, Final Report (CCG – UK).)
(Carter, M. 1999. Complete guide to ethics management: an ethics toolkit for managers. Wallace & Pekel.)
(Carter, M & Thompson, T. 1991. Managing business ethics. Canadian Public Administration.)
(Masden, P & Shafritz, J. 1990. Essentials of business ethics. New York: Penguin.)
(Genfan, H. 1987. Formalizing business ethics. Training and Development Journal; Kissane, D.E. 1990. Managing values: a systematic approach to business ethics. Training and Development Journal.)
(Genfan, Kirrane, Thompson)
(Dean, P.J. 1992. Making codes of ethics "real". Journal of Business Ethics.)
US Executive Order 12731. 1998. Principles of ethical conduct.
Dean, Genfan, Masden & Shafritz, and Strong, K.C. & Meyer, G. 1992. An integrative descriptive model of ethics. Journal of Business Ethics.


text:
: is a blended concentrated material designed to seal
leaks in virtually any material
: can be applied for leaks in the shell and works equally well
in plumbing
: will seal holes 1/8" in diameter
: will form a permanent seal
Use 8 oz. per 1,000 gallons for minor leaks. A second bottle can be added for larger leaks.
Keep out of Reach of Children.
Can cause severe eye and skin irritation. Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing. Harmful or fatal if swallowed. Avoid contamination of food. Rinse empty container thorougly with water and discard.
In case of contact, immediately flush eyes or skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. For eyes, contact a physician. Remove and wash contaminated clothing before reuse. If swallowed, drink milk, egg whites, gelatin solution. It these are not available, drink large quantities of water. Call a physician immediately.
*Shake Well Before Using*
1. Bypass Filter before adding FIX-A-LEAK to water.
2. With pump running add FIX-A-LEAK slowly through skimmer or in front of any other suction intake.
3. FIX-A-LEAK is very heavy and will sink to the lowest point rather quickly. It must be stirred back into suspension every 4-6 hrs. during circulation of water.
4. Continue to recirculate water until the leak has stopped.
5. After the leak has stopped, give it the proper time to cure (24-48 hrs.). You may then return to normal filtration.
6. Treatment can be repeated if necessary.
*NOTE* Never allow cartridges or DE elements to dry before they are
cleaned. Rinse clean with water.
It is advisable, if your spa is a foam insulated type and has been leaking for a long period of time:
Once you determine the leak has stopped, drain your tub. Properly wipe down the spa with a wet cloth, nothing abrasive. Allow to dry for 4-5 days to all FIX A LEAK to properly cure.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Kelli Stopczynski
From politics, courts, crime, special investigative reports, tornadoes and heartwarming stories about people pulling together in a time of need -- Kelli's covered just about every type of story in Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan. But her job is never boring. She rarely knows what her daily assignment will be until she arrives at work each morning, and even then, a breaking news story can change her day in an instant.
Kelli's won awards for her work at WSBT 22, including investigative reports on Sextortion and dangers some social media apps pose for local kids, as well as an exclusive interview with a Metro Homicide detective about the case involving the gruesome beating death of 10-year-old Tramelle Sturgis.
In 2015, she was honored as Indiana's best reporter by the Associated Press.
Reporting on local issues is important to Kelli because she and her husband and their two young sons are also building their lives in this community.
A Central Illinois native, Kelli moved here from WICD-TV in Champaign, Ill. in 2006, where she learned how to shoot and edit video, run live trucks and report. Kelli earned a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Go Illini!
When she's not on the job, you'll probably find Kelli spending time with her family, squeezing in a quick work out or gardening. One of Kelli's favorite things to do is connect with and meet new people, so if you ever see her out and about be sure to say hello!
You can watch her reports on WSBT 22 Monday through Friday at 4, 5 and 6 p.m.
Email her at: email@example.com
Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.


text:
Wednesday Jul 01 2009
Looking Back
By: Compiled Howard Mehl and Howard Stitt
From the archives of the Loomis News
50 YEARS AGO (July 3, 1959 Issue) R.E. Horton returned to his position as postmaster at the local post office after a three-week vacation in the state of Nevada. He and Mrs. Horton attended the Silver City Centennial at historic Virginia City, visited Reno and Fallon, and in Carson City had the pleasure of meeting and visiting with the governor of Nevada at the state capitol. They also spent 11 days with friends in Dixie Valley, 80 miles from Fallon. 25 YEARS AGO (June 28, 1984 Issue) The Japanese American Citizens League awarded $200 scholarships to two Del Oro graduates. Elizabeth McDowell received the funds offered by the California First Bank of Roseville. Bill Tsuji awarded the JACL's own scholarship to Susan Katto. Both awards were presented at the Del Oro awards assembly. 10 YEARS AGO [July 1, 1999 Issue] Bud Pisarek concluded his column, "Bud's Beat," with the following: "Where's Loomis? It's a little corner of the world where... All the sidewalks are wide, the streets are lined with trees, and the appliances are just an added attraction." The 5 Cities Softball Major All-Stars earned first place in their first tournament. Players included Kate Heffernan, Leslie Carroll, Kim Hill, Ashley Gibson, Brittany Smolen, Melissa Sirola, Katie Payne, Randi Andersen, Christine Fisher, Donna Sue Ayotte, Marci Allendale, Jennifer Christensen and Sandi Draper/ Veterinarians Rick Frey, Corey Cherrstrom, and their staff prepared to hold a vaccination and heartworm clinic with proceeds donated to the Sarah Davis Family Fund. Sarah was severely injured in an accident. Placer County Sheriff's Detective Mark Reed concluded an investigation of a local burglary in which over $33,000 in property was stolen. Three young suspects were arrested. Earning degrees from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo were Albert Campos, Tamiya Davis, Courtney Jones, Bret Moore, Robert Barger and Julie Mcleod Barger. Sandra Shockley made the scholastic honor roll at Oregon State University. Lt. Jason Schearer of the Loomis Fire Protection District said, "We're set to go," when asked about the upcoming Loomis Fire Festival. The event was to commemorate the July 12, 1915 fire that destroyed most of downtown Loomis. Merl Coburn submitted a picture showing his father Charles Coburn in his shoe repair shop, one of many businesses destroyed in the fire.


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Allotments - Some Tips to Get You Started
This article is courtesy of Stephen Watts aka Maxsalad. He grows in Sheffield, England and is into organic growing, sustainable living and even writes poetry.
If you can't grow in your back garden (most of us) find the allotment site that is as close to you as possible (ideally walking/cycling distance) and put your name down.
If the council says that there's a ten year waiting list you have to make a choice:
You can wait
Put your name down on another site list but remember that if it means traveling a long distance you might end up neglecting it
Move house! (Bit extreme)
So my advice is to walk up and down the site close to you and find someone who works on the allotments and ask them if there are any abandoned plots that the owner has neglected and try and get to share a plot.
Get into wild food – this has its limits and to most it is totally inapproachable but if you're like me then you could get a lot out of this method
Ask a friend if you can use his garden or a part of it. Gardensharing is becoming very popular.
Start small – if you're a beginner 10ft by 10ft is recommended.
Grow the easy stuff first – the best people to speak to this about are the old timers from your area.
Give the soil priority – getting the soil fertile is more than half the work done and will give satisfying results.
Having good tools and a shed to keep them in makes things easy.
Become aware of the weather and garden instinctively – if you listen and watch carefully it will tell you what needs doing next.
Remember you have other commitments as well as food growing; don't neglect important things for the sake of say, "a few weeds"
Squash, broad beans, leeks, garlic, shallots, kale, purple sprouting broccoli, spinach beet, Swiss chard, corn salad, are some of the easy ones I recommend to start with because they will all grow in shady sites provided the right soil preparation is made and many allotments are shady.
The real value of allotments is in salad greens (rocket, kale, mustard, cress, claytonia, etc..) since they are ridiculously expensive in the shops yet a relatively easy crop to grow, and they simply don't keep more than a day or two so you have to get them fresh, preferably everyday, and that means having them growing as close to your mouth as possible!
I hope that whoever reading this may find something useful in this information and are now inspired to grow some of your own. I strongly recommend buying some local seeds. SOFI (Sheffield organic food initiative) is an excellent source-you get so many more than you will get commercially.
One thing I love about food growing is all the wonderful metaphors for life that it contains in the process. Not "growing" the plant but creating the right conditions for the plant to grow its self; sowing seeds in the dark earth to emerge into the light; reaping what you sow
More Articles from Stephen Watts


text:
Compact fees help fund city functions
ELKHART — Want to replace the traditional compact fee with a surcharge for commercial sewer customers outside of the city?
If that would happen, city leaders would have to figure out how to — or whether to — fund a long list of services and expenses.
Mayor Dick Moore warned last week that abandoning the compact policy in exchange for a surcharge would devastate the Greater Elkhart Fund.
That's because state law requires that revenues from utility surcharges be returned to the utility.
The traditional compact fee, which is computed with assessed property values, has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for years and represents the majority of money that flows into the Greater Elkhart Fund.
Among the areas funded with compact fees:
Trash and recycling, Lerner Theatre, Elkhart Environmental Center, New York Central Railroad Museum, the planning department, liability insurance, the Interurban Transportation system and money used to improve dangerous intersections and street sign replacement.
Moore said the fund has allowed the city to continue to provide many things that make Elkhart "a complete city" in spite of the loss of significant property tax revenues in recent years.
The fund has also been a source for incidentals. If a city truck is destroyed or a city building roof is damaged, the city often looks to the Greater Elkhart Fund.
In fact, the administration will seek to use the fund Monday, July 1, when it introduces an appropriation request to the council to spend $200,000 on annexation plans that are part of the city's overall approach to resolving the commercial sewer compact dispute.
The council will weigh that request and plenty of other issues Monday when it meets at 7 p.m. in council chambers.
Republican councilman David Henke, who authored the surcharge proposal, concedes there would be a significant impact by shifting to a surcharge.
He said he finds it ironic that the city is concerned about those potential losses of revenue, "but cannot understand" the same plight of businesses that have faced large hikes in charges under the existing policy that Moore and the council are now working to alter.
However, Henke said the 15 percent proposal is a "starting point" and that he'd open to other ideas, including some kind of "multiplier" formula.
The city has used a "multiplier" under the old sewer service agreements in which commercial properties paid 300 percent of the city sewer rate.
Henke said he shares a different outlook in how he views the use of fees. He believes fees derived from utility services should be directed back to the utility.
Henke said the city needs to stop looking for more taxes and fees to collect and focus on business and employment growth "that would spawn a positive financial growth for the city."
Henke added, "Lets make it clear, this is not to be a revenue stream but a coverage of cost of service. How is it that the compact money funds all the other things but is not needed to cover actual cost of utility operations?"


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Doing Business
About HAS
HAS Headlines
Media Kit
Press Releases
Traffic and Statistics
Important Notices
Houston Airport System Lands Major Awards
Winners of Excellence in Aviation Marketing & Communications Contest
Houston Airport System
September 3, 2010
© Houston Airport System
The Houston Airports Today television program and social media efforts were just two areas where the HAS team excelled.
From the 40th Anniversary television show to social media and the launch of the Fresh Air Cargo - IAH facility, Houston Airports shined in several categories of the 2010 Airports Council International-North America Marketing & Communications Contest.
And for the first time in the ACI-NA contest history, communications and marketing professionals from all over the country served as judges to review contest entries through the web.
This year, 55 airports and airport authorities submitted over 250 entries in the contest, which provides airports the opportunity to be honored for the quality of their work.
There are seventeen categories ranging from brochures, advertising, marketing and public relations campaigns, newsletters, special events, video and film productions, to social media campaigns and websites. HAS team members received recognition in five of the seventeen categories. "These awards reflect the outstanding effort and expertise of our staff in promoting the Houston Airport System, new air service, innovative amenities and our international city as a whole," said Rob Wigington, HAS chief public affairs officer. "It's great to be honored by our peers in the aviation industry." Members of the Houston Airport System team took honors in the following categories:
Video & Film Productions - 1st Place
Public Relations Campaign - 3rd Place
Social Media Campaigns - 3rd Place
Annual Report - 3rd Place
Creative Innovations/Technology - 3rd Place
Video & Film Productions
- Houston Airports Today As part of its community outreach efforts, the Houston Airport System produces a thirty-minute television program entitled Houston Airports Today. The show highlights topics which range from new air service recently established at either George Bush Intercontinental or William P. Hobby Airports, to the vital role played by Houstons general-aviation-reliever facility, Ellington Airport.
Public Relations Campaign
- The opening in December 2009 of Fresh Air Cargo IAH, facility at IAH to handle time and temperature-sensitive products, created a special opportunity to develop this new line of business in Houston. The goal is to establish Houston as a viable alternative to other markets for shipping fresh vegetables, fruits (in addition to flowers and fish) from Latin America.
Social Media
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) launched Twitter on June 14, 2010. By building a relationship with IAH customers using Twitter, the goal of the Houston Airport System (HAS) is to make their limited time in Houston as efficient and relaxed as possible. Since the awards, HAS has added a Hobby Twitter account and Facebook for Ellington Airport. HAS also produces informative videos, which can be found on the popular website YouTube.
Annual Report
- In an effort to provide an overview of the Houston Airport System, a special federal initiatives briefing booklet was created to educate and inform the Houston Congressional delegation. HAS prepared a comprehensive living annual report (federal agenda) highlighting the three airports and showcases the overall economic impact to the Houston region, community involvement, customer service, and airline and air cargo service.
Creative Innovations/Technology
- In March 2010, the Houston Airport System ordered solar cell phone chargers as a promotional item. The item was ordered primarily for airline network planners who travel the world as they evaluate new routes. The giveaway items feature a solar powered cell phone charger that works anywhere, eliminating the need for bulky international electrical converters.
Since its inception in 1990, the contest has generated tremendous interest throughout the industry. Award winners will be recognized at the ACI-NA 19th Annual Conference & Exhibition in Pittsburgh.
Copyright © 2010 - Houston Airport System
Privacy Policy
Press Room


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Strike Force III Son
Fri, 2006-12-08 19:32 — tavis
Tonight we welcome you to the HP Pavillion in San Jose California. Here we will witness Strike Force 3. There are 13 bouts tonight so i plan on seeing some good action.
The first under card starts and a local Raul Castillo takes on Andrew Montanez from East Coast some where.
Raul is expected to take tonights fight between the 2 middle weights,
As the anouncer gives the introductions the two fighters stare at eachpther going through their syke out routtine.
THe fight begins
After Raul begins the fight with a leg kick the two stall breifly. The wrestler montanez trys to return some stries but quikly trys a half shot half shit into guard.
Raul takes the back but doesnt sink the hooks. A couple times Montanez pulls off a nice roll to escapes the turtle. Eventually Montanez finds himself with the back exposed and Raul flattens him out.
The next minute is Raul hitting Montanez from behind in the arms and head.
Herb dean stops the fight. The Fight could have gone on, but was stopped either way Raul was going to win.
2nd fight of the night funny enough is my old high school friend David Barrios fighting Anthony Figueroa in a light weight match. David having served in the Military and a black belt in Taekwondo is looking to stop the agressive Figuerora.
3 rounds later Anthony lands more hits than David and hits him in the nuts twice . David didnt seem to have the stamina that was needed
Next fight Drew D Vs Scott Graham. After 3 rounds of ok back and forth Graham takes the fight via a decision.
Next fight David Smith Vs Sean Basset - the Local Sean basset recieves a good response becuase he's.... well a local boy.
After a brief period of feeling out David catches basset with as stornf hard left. Bassset hits the mnay but recovers. Basset returns woth some head shots of hhis own.
The two tangel on the cage. The refee separates them,. Basset catches David against the fence and lands some good shorts. The two tier and make their way to the center of the ring. Again a hard left t by David catches basset and stuns him.. The two hit the fence and basset get s a take down. After the first round the fight looks pretty even.
On a side note so far everyone that is involved in cornewring a fighter has said that the strike force organization is a good one that takes care of the fighters needs.
Round 2.
During the 2nd David catches basset with some hard shots standing and the round looks to be his. However Basset scores a takedown and lands some strikes on the ground that couls help him save the round. As I see it Basset is losing the fight 2 rounds to none. He had better come with some damage against david in the 3rd or Basset is going to lose this fight.
Round 3
The 3rd is controlled by David. Smith lands some hard shots standing and causes Basset to fall. After some intense ground and pound the referee stops the fight with the victory going to David Smith by Referee stoppage.
On a side note Basset's face looks thrashed.
Tagged: Off The Mat
Fri, 2006-12-08 21:01 — tavis
Ronald ' The Machine Gun " Jun Vs Eugene Jackson.
Main Bouts Strike Force 3!
The First main bout of the evening is between Kyle Leviton and Rex Richards.
The two big boys throw blows. Oh yeah i didnt mention that each guy weighs in at over 290 pounds. Scary to think that maybe one of them had to cut weight.
So after a brief exchange in punches the two end up on the ground. The bigger of the two fighters Rex looks like he has some ground skill early on and trys to set up an arm bar. Kyle escapes.
Minutes later Rex gets kyle in a key lock and submits him by tap out.
Next Bout Paul Buentello Vs Ruben Villareal.
The 1st round is owned by Paul who lands good hand strikes but is unable to get Ruben to the canvas. He 1st round ends with both fighters breathing heavy and Rubens face showing the punishement.
2nd round is also all Paul's round. After a lethargic 1st couple of minutes the 2nd round picks up. Paul lands some hard shots to the head with his hands and the referee jumps in to stop the fight.
Ronald ' The Machine Gun " Jun Vs Eugene Jackson.
The fight starts with each fighter feeling the other out. Jackson lands some good shots and ends up scoring big with a right hand that takes Jun to the mat.
Jackson gets full mount for a while and lands some smallers punches. At 2:01 into round one Eugene Jackson gets the back , the rear naked and then the belt for middle weight with the Strike Force Organization.


text:
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See All Contributors »
LeBron 20 pts at the end of 1. Will be break 60?
28 pts 5 reb and 5 ast at half. On pace for triple double and 56 points
6 pts in the first 2 minutes of the 2nd half
Gets a triple double with 52 pts 10 reb and 11 ast. Not a bad game
Dang. Not as much as Kobe, but dang.
Not a bad encore at all. 52, 11, 10. That's one helluva game. LeBron is something special and I hope everyone realizes what we are witnessing right now
"These are my new shoes. They're good shoes. They won't make you rich like me, they won't make you rebound like me, they definitely won't make you handsome like me. They'll only make you have shoes like me. That's it." - Charles Barkley
Originally Posted by cyclonez7
Dang. Not as much as Kobe, but dang.
But LeBron got 11 assists and 10 rebounds, while Kobe only got 3 assists and 0 rebounds.
This kid might turn out OK.
Kansas Must Be Destroyed
Sic Semper Jayhawks
Lebron is great. Best athlete since Bo Jackson
He doesn't have the killer instinct of Kobe yet. Still young though
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We have everything you need for a relaxing stay. Start your day with an invigorating workout in the fitness center, take a dip in the 60-ft. indoor heated pool or tee off the nearby golf course.
Our on-site restaurant and bar will keep you satisfied all day. Enjoy class British cuisine at Britisserie Restaurant, open for breakfast and dinner. Start your day with a cup of coffee and fresh pastry from Costa Coffee and unwind in the evenings at Court Bar for cocktails and snacks.
What better place to host a meeting, wedding or special event than in the heart of the United Kingdom. We offer a picturesque location and flexible event space for up to 200 guests. Celebrate your dream wedding in the elegant Elgar Suite and let our events team handle all the special details.


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Public Information & Marketing
(April 30, 2012) - Residents of Oklahoma City and neighboring communities can dispose of obsolete or broken electronics at an eCycling Drop-Off Event between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, May 5, at the State Fair Park. No proof of residency is needed.
The free eCycling event makes disposing of electronics
easy and convenient.
and is sponsored by the City of Oklahoma City, Waste Management Recycle America, LG Electronics and Keep Oklahoma Beautiful.
Residents may stay in their vehicles while crews collect acceptable electronic products from trunks or pickup beds. Products not acceptable for eCycling will be left in vehicles.
The eCycling event offers an environmentally friendly option for disposing of old electronics. By recycling old electronic products, useful materials such as glass, plastic and metal can be re-used in the manufacture of other products. Recycling electronics minimizes the amount of potentially hazardous waste in the landfills. Equally significant, replacing older TVs and computer monitors with new ENERGY STAR® qualified models helps consumers save energy and money while saving the planet.
Residential eWaste Includes:
Computers – CPUs
Computer monitors
Computer peripherals
Fax machines
Home and office phones
Cell phones
Consumer electronics
Not Included for eCycling:
Smoke alarms and detectors
Fire alarms and detectors
Large appliances (refrigerators, etc.)
Medical equipment (Not decontaminated)
Any unit with sludge or liquids
"LG Electronics is taking a proactive approach to helping consumers responsibly dispose of end-of-life electronics by joining forces with the City and Waste Management to offer this free collection and recycling program to OKC residents," said Timothy McGrady, Environmental Manager for LG Electronics USA. "We encourage consumers to take advantage of this opportunity to dispose of unwanted electronics in an environmentally responsible manner. Life's good when it's green."
Waste Management provides recycling services to more than 230,000 residents in the Oklahoma City and surrounding areas. Extracting more value from the material we handle is one of WM's sustainability transformation goals," said Doug Sims, manager, Public Service Solutions, and "working with municipalities that provide a role for everyone in the community to make the planet a better place for future generations is an effort we applaud."
"Service to the community is the ultimate demonstration that you love where you live," said Matthew McKenna, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful. "Participating in events like the Great American Cleanup can become a foundation for uniting friends, family, neighbors and communities in activities that both serve the community and make it more effective at overcoming challenges."
About Waste Management
Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Our subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. We are also a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Our customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.
About LG Electronics USA
LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a global force and technology leader in home appliances, consumer electronics and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells stylish, innovative home appliances, home entertainment (consumer electronics) products, mobile phones and business solutions under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more information, please www.lg.com.
Contact: Debbie Ragan (405) 297-3363, City of Oklahoma City
Pam Ducas (214) 601-1886, Waste Management


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who's online (29)
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58-year-old Female
Seeking Men: 55 - 70
Muncie, Indiana
United States
Last Activity:
1 week ago
friends (31)
getting back to the person I used to be....
About myself
Been married for many years, too many really, and have lost my identity. I am ready to just be me again, and looking for some fun to put a smile on my face, which has not happened for quite awhile. Not looking for a spouse, a commitment, not sure what I am looking for really, but looking forward to doing the looking itself.
The person I would like to meet
A nice guy. yep, first and foremost, a nice guy. No meanies, no control freaks, just want the laid back type of guy now. Now don't get me wrong, there is a time and a place for some aggressiveness, some gumption, some get up and go. so guess I look for the guy that knows when where and how to go about that.
About my work
I love my job. Feel as if I make a difference in lives, and that is important to me. I do have a need to be the best at my job than anyone has ever been. Can't help it, is just me.
What do you like to do for fun/hobbies?
OK Don't laugh. I do like to mess with tools and such. Can't always do such a good job, but love trying, so much more satisfying than housework. and I do have a different kind of hobby, wherein comes the don't laugh part, I have the chickens that lay the blue and the green eggs, and I love messing with them. I incubate them every spring, get a kick out of hatching day every year. ok now stop laughing, again, can't help it, is just me and one of the things that I enjoy.
My idea of a great date
Doesn't have to be some big production. Easy to please in this area. Am up for just about anything. I occasionally go to the movies, went bowling yesterday, like to bike some, and even go mudding on four wheelers. so surprise me.
If you are divorced/widower, you can talk about how that happened here.
no comment
What is your fantasy vacation?
I am not sure, really. suggest something.
What is your academic background?
Well, I ain't totally stupid, although I have done some stupid things in my time.
Where did you last vacation and did you like it?
Florida, and yes, of course I enjoyed it. It was cold here and warm there, so kind of self explanatory.
What do you find attractive in people?
Personality personality personality. Love a quick wit, intelligence, good sense of humor, not in a sarcastic way, but teasingly, and in good taste. Looks are NOT the most important thing to me. Can be the handsomest guy in the world, and be terribly boring. So now that I am older and wiser, I look for the nice guy for starters. The other stuff, we can work out.
What do others do that irritate you?
Being stuck up, thinking that they are better than someone else for whatever reason. No compassion.
What do you think is your best quality?
I will talk to anyone anywhere anytime. and guess I am pretty happy most of the time too. can't think of anything else. you tell me.
What one thing would you change about your personality if you could?
I am kind of shy, backward, bashful, kind of low self esteemed. so wish I could get up in front of the crowd sometimes and just let go.
What one question would you want answered in an initial email from another member?
what exactly are you looking for or expect?
Describe your physique.
oh come on now, I am in my late forties and have had three kids. Puhleeeeeze! Gravity has taken it's toll, could lose a few pounds, but all in all, I still turn a few heads. OK OK so the heads that turn are of dirty old men, but hey, I happen to like dirty old men.
What do you do well sexually?
I have never taken a survey on that one, nor been graded on it. Guess I will have to ask someone. but who? maybe you? who knows, we'll see.
What is the favorite thing you like sexually done to you?
trial and error will have to do on this one.
What fantasy(s) are you still waiting to experience?
no comment
What fantasy(s) have you already experienced?
maybe later
Do you have any STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases)?
Heavens, NO!
Are you looking for a one night stand, to play for a while, or a long-term Adult relationship?
I don't know. depends. just depends.
Free Space. Say anything you want!
are you serious? Pretty much said it all already. feel like I wrote a book. if you ask me something though, I will probably tell you.
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Business News
08 Dec. 2009
FIRST EUROPEAN HOLLISTER BOWS IN FRANKFURTThe much anticipated first Hollister store in Continental Europe will open its doors on Dec. 10 at the new MyZeil shopping mall in Frankfurt/Main. The store is expected to carry the complete Hollister portfolio on a total area of 700 sq. meters. The interior is marked by dark colored furniture, oversize chairs, chandeliers and various artwork illustrating the brand's philosophy. Hollister Co. belongs to retailer Abercrombie & Fitch that was founded by David Abercrombie in 1892. The brand is sold in over 1,100 stores and targets younger customers. Until 2007, the brand was only available in the US; it later expanded to London.
—Melanie Gropler
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Upcoming Tradeshows


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Fashion News
21 Sep. 2010
Married to the Mob & Burton Snowboards toast their first collaborationIconic women's streetwear brand Married to the Mob and Burton Snowboards celebrate the Burton x Married to the Mob Capsule Collection for women, hitting select stores worldwide beginning next month. Married to the Mob founder and owner Leah McSweeney says: "For years, Greg from Burton and I have been talking about doing a collab, and we finally got our shit together and did it. I'm really happy with how the whole collection turned out."
The 2011 Burton x Married to the Mob (MTTM) women's snowboard collection includes four jackets, one outerwear pant, gloves, a beanie and of course, a snowboard. Burton gave the girls at Married to the Mob a blank canvas for the collection, starting with the board which features bold graphics including the quote "Well-behaved bitches seldom make history." The jackets and accessories also scream MOB with the love letter print and signature Married to the Mob lips featured throughout the line. The end result is a powerful, yet tongue-in-cheek statement about women taking charge that blends well with the spirit of women snowboarders, who are strong, stylish and independent in their own right. "I've always been impressed with what Leah's done with Married to the Mob. She really is one of the pioneers in the women's streetwear game, and she's created a very signature look. I knew that the MOB style would translate really well into Burton gear, and the final line is super fresh," says Greg Dacyshyn, Chief Creative Officer at Burton Snowboards. Select pieces are now available online and in stores. And the entire collection will be available in October.
Isabel Mühlbauer
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Upcoming Tradeshows


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His limp has improved into an actual, normal walk.
"Now," Danilo Gallinari said, "we'll have to see if I can run."
The Nuggets' starting small forward, battling a left ankle injury, said he's a "game-time decision" for Wednesday's season opener at Philadelphia.
"It's better than yesterday, but it's a sprained ankle, so we'll see how it goes tomorrow in shootaround," Gallinari said Tuesday before leaving for Philly.
If Gallo doesn't play, coach George Karl said: "Corey (Brewer) would move up a slot. I don't know if he'd start, but he'd get some of the minutes that Gallo would have gotten. Wilson (Chandler) will get some minutes. Maybe (Evan) Fournier and Jordan (Hamilton)."
Gallinari has had some good games in the preseason for Denver, averaging 15.3 points, four rebounds and three assists per game.
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294, firstname.lastname@example.com or twitter.com/nuggetsnews


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What is RM Cash
"Customer service is priority #1 at Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. We value our customers and strive to be the best shopping experience- when you buy from us, you are buying lifetime service."
-Dan Thomas, CEO and Founder
We take pride in offering no hassle returns. In the event of a return, please call, email or chat with us to receive a solution to the problem. For apparel that doesn't fit quite right, Click here to see our Fit Guaranteed Program.
We will stand behind all products we sell with regards to manufacturing defects in workmanship and material. Most products are limited to the manufacturer's warranty. However, we will do everything in our power to take care of the problem.
Each review submitted enters you into a $100 gift card monthly drawing, and a $500 gift card quarterly drawing!
Comments On Dec 27, 2013:I couldn't think of a complaint if I tried. Great bag. Keeps the gear inside as clean and dry in the rain although sometimes a little dust gets in but I would expect that as it's not a completely air-tight seal but its nothing to be concerned about. It fits perfectly on the front rack. I carry small regularly used items like maps, camera, etc in one side box, a cooler in the other with a small strap connecting the lid to the base to hold the cooler in as it is about double the height that the box is and then coats/jackets in the center section.
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Comments On Jul 15, 2012:I bought this bag for a week long trip that included several weather types (dust, mud, rain, sleet). The magnetic lids are GREAT!!! I opened them a LOT and they remained tight/secure the whole trip. That was over a year ago and they are still going strong. The rigid sides to the compartments held up great with some heavy cargo (tool bag) bouncing around in them for over 400 miles. They clean up easy and my cargo remained dry despite riding through some very heavy rain.
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Comments On Jun 21, 2012:The design of the strap & buckle attachments is poor. In order to attach the bag to the machine securely you lose approximately 50% of the capacity of the 2 side bags.
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