Overnight a huge meteor streaked across the skies of Chelyabinsk, Russia. What does this have to do with compliance? Apparently, Russian drivers regularly use these cameras to fight corruption.
BREAKING: Huge Meteor Blazes Across Sky Over Russia; Sonic Boom Shatters Windows by Phil Plait in Bad Astronomy
Apparently, at about 09:30 local time, a very big meteor burned up over Chelyabinsk, a city in Russia just east of the Ural mountains, and about 1500 kilometers east of Moscow. The fireball was incredibly bright, rivaling the Sun! There was a pretty big sonic boom from the fireball, which set off car alarms and shattered windows. I’m seeing some reports of many people injured (by shattered glass blown out by the shock wave). I’m also seeing reports that some pieces have fallen to the ground, but again as I write this those are unconfirmed.
Why are there so many Russian dash cam videos on the internet? by Ryan Whitwam in Geek.com
There are several hard truths that have led to the explosion in Russian dash cam videos, including poor road conditions. Those long, hard winters do serious damage to the roads and lead to really tough driving conditions when local governments can’t clear snow and ice. As a result, accidents do happen more frequently.
It’s not all the fault of the elements, though. Corruption is rampant in the Russian Federation, and that’s led most motorists to take matters into their own hands. It’s not uncommon for a driver to be pulled over by the notorious Russian Highway Patrol (GAI) and harassed into paying a bribe. Dash cams afford at least a little protection from baseless accusations.
The Temptation to Trade on Confidential Information by peter Henning in Dealbook
Everyone loves a sure thing. And in the case of insider trading, the profits may be just too tempting.
Two cases filed last week by the Securities and Exchange Commission epitomize just how quickly some have jumped at the opportunity to profit from confidential information, despite the risks of being discovered and the subsequent costs.
In one case, two information technology workers learned that their company was involved in merger negotiations when one helped the chief executive figure out how to attach confidential deal documents to an e-mail. The other involved a husband learning about a confidential acquisition from his wife, who is a lawyer, after an event with a client’s general counsel was canceled on short notice.
‘Frustrated’ Madoff Now Second Guessing His Guilty Plea by Scott Cohn in CNBC.com
Writing to me from the federal prison where he is serving a life sentence for his epic fraud, Madoff said he is not getting credit for what he calls his “instrumental” role in returning money to his victims. Madoff wrote that he is so frustrated, he is having second thoughts about having pleaded guilty four years ago.
Mary Jo White’s Latest Conflict of Interest by Jonathan Weil in Bloomberg
White is the white-collar defense lawyer and former U.S. attorney nominated by President Barack Obama to lead the SEC. Her financial disclosures say that upon leaving New York-based Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, the law firm will give her $42,500 a month in retirement pay for life, or more than $500,000 a year.
What else is needed to make change successful? by Tom Fox
I have recently been involved with two clients who are about to embark upon major change in their businesses. They are very different and each has a very unique style or culture. As they prepare to set off on their journey I have wondered what else is needed to succeed beyond the ‘usual suspects’?
John Kotter and others have all put forward their ideas, mostly honed after years of practice and delivery. They are all very useful and I have many of their books on my shelf. But I am always drawn back to the question above. After going through some of my own success stories and taking out the usual suspects, I have identified a few things that I believe really matter.
The Dangers of Social Media and Employee Discipline by Michael Volkov in the Corruption, Crime & Compliance Blog
As if compliance officers do not have enough on their plates. I have written about this before – the risks of interfering with employees’ “protected activity” on social media. What a nightmare and what a maze of confusion!
The National Labor Relations Board, which has been re-energized under the Obama Administration, affirmed an Administrative Law Judge’s ruling that the nonprofit, Hispanics United of Buffalo, Inc. violated the National Labor Relations Act by terminating five employees for comments they made on Facebook in response to a coworker’s criticism of their job performance.
