Google reaches deal with French news websites

Google reaches deal with French news websites (via AFP)

Google resolved a compensation fight with French news publishers on Friday that sees the US Internet search giant setting up a 60 million euro fund to help France's media adapt to the digital age. "There's been a global event ... the conclusion of a deal between Google and a news media grouping that…

Israel must pull all settlers from Palestinian land: UN

Israel must pull all settlers from Palestinian land: UN (via AFP)

Israel must immediately start withdrawing its settlers from the Palestinian territories, the United Nations said on Thursday in a report that the Jewish state immediately dismissed as "biased." "Israel must... cease all settlement activities without preconditions (and) must immediately initiate a process…

The Most Infamous Corporate Accounting Scandals in History [Infographic]

This graphic lists ten shocking accounting scandals that have occurred in the past fifteen years. Unfortunately, many companies "cooked the books" during this era, leading to enormous financial losses, lawsuits, incarcerations, and sometimes the destruction of entire companies. This led to a great deal of negative media attention.

This document begins in chronological order with the Waste Management scandal of 1998. This is followed by the infamous Enron scandal in 2001 that led to criminal convictions of the two highest-ranking members of the company. Eight more scandals are examined as well. For each incident, it lists several helpful categories of information - what happened, the main player(s), how they perpetrated the scandal, how they were eventually caught, the penalties, and miscellaneous fun facts.

The document provides insight into the similarities and differences between corporate accounting scandals. It also details the damage that the perpetrators do to the companies and the employees that work for them.

Giveaway Time: Join Us For The Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard Cosmic Blast!

On Friday 1st February, between 12:01am & 10am EST (5.01 am to 3.00 pm GMT), bestselling author, Lars Guignard is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card & 5 kindle ebook copies, here at LoupDargent.info to some of our lucky readers. 

Fill out the form in this post to enter! 

Open to anyone that can receive an Amazon.com Gift Card (Int.) 

Good luck to you all!  

Loup Dargent

 

Is It Good To Be Loud?

Many rock bands are legendary for their sound quality and I don’t mean the clarity! There is certainly a culture of loudness in rock music where excessive volume is worshipped but is this really a good thing? After all there is a point beyond which any instrument or tune becomes indistinguishable from another and the sound just becomes noise and then there are the health implications to think about. It is true, however that there is nothing to compare to the feeling you get watching and listening to a band rock the house! So who are the loudest band ever and does it matter?

Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng urges no compromise on changing China

Blind activist urges no compromise on changing China (via AFP)

Dissident Chen Guangcheng voiced confidence Tuesday that China's political system will eventually open up as he urged fellow activists and the United States not to compromise on human rights. In an address in the US Capitol complex, the blind self-taught lawyer offered his most philosophical remarks…

The Differences Between the Way Men and Women Think on Valentine's Day [Infographic]

Valentine's day is the one day of the year that most women hope their men will not forget about. We all know that it is not just about buying expensive gifts or flowers, but the truth is that most women in a relationship do like to feel appreciated in some way and receiving a bunch of roses, some chocolates, a bottle of wine or going out for a romantic meal will normally do the trick. The sad truth is that it is not uncommon for men to completely overlook this special day, so as a helpful reminder, this humorous infographic points out some of the major differences between the way that men and women think. As the saying goes, "men are from Mars, women are from Venus", but how much does this still apply these days? If the man in this infographic reminds you of someone that you know, you might want to consider dropping a few serious hints this Valentines day.

Know the Risks of Identity Theft [Infographic]

With nearly 12 million Americans reporting incidents of identity theft each year, now is the time to practice as much online caution as possible. Though many savvy users have passed the point of being scammed by a supposed Nigerian prince, there are still plenty of online thieves looking for their next prey.

In fact, online scams are becoming more and more intricate, so that sometimes it’s difficult to tell which online offerings are real and which are fake. Anyone who is unsure of a website’s legitimacy should research it. If a source of suspicion can’t be verified as legitimate, don’t offer up any personal information.

Many scams are easy to spot because they seem too good to be true. If someone offers you thousands of dollars for relatively little in exchange, it’s a good rule of thumb to assume this person is up to no good. When you flag such a scam, you could do a great deal of good by spreading the word. Tell your ISP or email provider when you come across a potential threat.

Let's Save The Bees!

Bees around the world are dying off and Europe’s food watchdog just said certain pesticides are part of the problem. We’ve got 48 hours before key meetings -- let’s get a 2-million-person swarm to save the bees. 

>> Click here to take urgent action now!

Talk of CIA prisons censored at Guantanamo hearing

Talk of CIA prisons censored at Guantanamo hearing (via AFP)

US authorities censored part of a preliminary hearing Monday at a Guantanamo military tribunal that touched on CIA secret prisons where suspected 9/11 plotters say they were tortured. Reporters watched the proceedings against the five 9/11 suspects at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba behind…

Estonia: Tallinn makes public transport free to cut pollution

Tallinn makes public transport free to cut pollution (via AFP)

Tallinn is the first EU capital to offer its residents free public transport, and though the move aimed at driving down car pollution is proving popular, visitors feel let down and others are accusing City Hall of a campaign gimmick. Since the start of the year, hopping on a bus, tram or trolleybus…

Demise Of The Firestone Building

The Great West Road in London was once referred to as the Golden Mile. The road was lined by factories built in the 1920’s and 1930’s and many were beautiful examples of Art Deco architecture. American companies dominated the area and had chosen to build there as the buildings fronted a main artery into London from the West and so afforded great visibility and an opportunity to advertise their brands. One of the iconic factories along the route was the elegant Firestone Building owned by the American Tyre manufacturing giant.