Saturday, 12 October 2013

What Went Wrong?

 
Around 1923, the most powerful men of the day ruled the world of money:
  • Charles Schwab, president of the largest steel company in America.
  • Samuel Insull, president of the largest utility company.
  • Howard Hopson, president of the largest gas company.
  • Richard Whitney, president of the New York Stock Exchange.
  • Albert Fall, Secretary of Interior in President Harding's cabinet.
  • Jesse Livermore, the great "bear" on Wall Street.
  • Ivan Krueger, head of the world's greatest monopoly.
  • Leon Fraser, president of the Bank of International Settlements

These men were "movers and shakers," the kind many people envy and wish to be like. Yet something went terribly wrong with these men's lives.

Twenty-five years later:
  • Charles Schwab, left behind an insolvent estate with debts and obligations totalling 1.7 million.
  • Samuel Insull, died of a heart attack in a Paris subway station with 20 cents in his pocket.
  • Howard Hopson, died in a sanitarium
  • Richard Whitney had just been released from Sing-Sing prison.
  • Albert Fall died at home, broke.
  • Jesse Livermore committed suicide a week after Thanksgiving in 1940.
  • Ivan Krueger committed suicide.
  • Leon Fraser committed suicide.
Something went wrong during the process of their lives. It began in the inner man. Truth in the inner man is where the integrity battles are won or lost.

How's your inner man? And in twenty-five years from now?

Wednesday, 9 October 2013

London Evening Standard 9th October 2013 - The Liars Edition

Why have I called it that?

From the front page onwards its full of news of "liars".

Lying Barrister Forced to Quit

Exposed: Top City Lawyer with Bogus CV





Well I never!
However, read on and you soon see that he lied about some not all. Its just that when he lied he lied BIG time and many around him suspected as such (but then don't your so called colleagues usually say that about you when your gone??) And now the man is in hiding. But astonishing is the fact he worked in some great law firms.

Skip further along the Evening Standard and you come across yet more gems.

 

Kardashian Parents stop keeping up appearances




I suppose I must have thought the Kardashians HAD parents but never entertained the thought beyond that.. why would I (or anyone else really?)

So, here they are Kardashian parents saying they have been living a lie for about a year to keep up appearances. For who? For the program? The public? For their children? And why? Why not just do the most unusual thing and keep something private.

27 Arrests in Raids of Fake Car Insurance


This kind of lying hurt people like you and me. Conmen were selling fake insurance mostly to young motorists. As many as 20, 000 people could have bought these fake policies. Its is reported that people faced having cars seized if they are found driving under a fake insurance policy.

And finally I spotted this article:

Ex-ministers in fight for Labour target seat


It would appear that 2 Labour ministers who lost their place in Parliament after the expenses scandal are back on the scene - both with eyes fixed on the Brent south seat. Ignoring the Brent South seat I focused on the expenses scandal.

The candidates are:

Dawn Butler was brought down by claims for a whirlpool and for a second home when she had a home close to Westminster. She was exonerated. OK, so far, so good. And no lie found here. I wish her well in 2015 general election.

Tony McNulty was brought down by claiming for a home his parents lived. He claimed innocent. He paid £13,837. No word of being exonerated. Hmmmmmm......


 I guess if I had dug a little deeper I would find more but its late and I'm tired. I wonder what tomorrow will bring??



Inside Broadmoor

This was on TV just yesterday (Monday, 7th October 2013) and the comments that people made about those with schizophrenia was so sad I had to end my contribution to the discussion. Have we really reached 2013 and people still think that chaining people to a chair or bed, pumping people full of drugs until they are senseless, and locking them up forever is the best treatment?

And to add to this, today I saw a campaign on Change.org -
https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/thesunnewspaper

Yes, we are in 2013 and mental illness is being sensationalised in the media, still misrepresented and still feared by many. [Sigh]. Why?

I don't have answers just more questions. Like how do I treat those that I meet who tell me about their struggles with mental health issues? How do I respond? Am I open to hearing their stories? Or do I visibly back off and away? Do I name-call?

I guess, this entire issue confronts us and challenges us to think about our own behaviours and attitudes. And I am thinking on it... are you?
                                                                                                                                         

@TheSunNewspaper: Correct the sensationalism in your mental illness story and donate the profits from it