Archive for March, 2010

The Lance Armstrong Foundation

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

The Lance Armstrong Foundation was founded by one of the world’s most successful and influential athletes. Earlier in his life, Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer. The disease had already metastasized into his brains and lungs.

The disease temporarily halted his cycling career. However, after going through therapy, Lance Armstrong managed to get back onto his bike and win the Tour de France for seven consecutive years. His experience with testicular cancer has prompted him to start a foundation that helps cancer patients.

The Lance Armstrong foundation has spread cancer awareness with the use of yellow rubber bracelets. These iconic bracelets, which are emblazoned with the word “LIVESTRONG,” are sold through the LIVESTRONG website and numerous Nike retailers. By selling each bracelet for a dollar, the Lance Armstrong Foundation was able to garner enough funds to support various cancer research and other related causes.

The LIVESTRONG Lance Armstrong Foundation has dedicated a substantial amount of money to research and community grants. In fact, it has raised more than $14 million since its inception in 1997. As of today, the iconic LIVESTRONG wristbands are worn by more than 55 million people all over the world.

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Pro-Basketball Player Sentenced to 18 Months in Jail

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Retired basketball player and former NBA star Jayson Williams has pleaded guilty in front of Court and took full responsibility for the accident that claimed the life of his limousine driver in 2002. Williams was charged with assault and agreed to serve at least 18 months in prison.

He was first charged with reckless manslaughter, an offense that would have landed him 10 years in jail, for which he pleaded not guilty. He pleaded guilty to the less severe assault count for the death of Costas Christofi.

With his personal life already rocky, Jayson Williams stated that it was his recklessness that killed his driver. He said that he did not look in the direction where the muzzle of the gun was pointed and this led him to accidentally claim the life of his driver. He has taken full responsibility for the tragedy.

Calm and collected during the entire procedure, Williams was also charged with drunken driving last week after running his SUV into a tree in New York. Several stitches oculd be seen in his right eye while he listened to all the charges against him.

The assault case carries a minimum of 18 months in federal prison because a gun was involved while the reckless manslaughter Williams was initially charged with could have given landed him in a federal prison for 10 years. Williams posted bail after he was charged with the assault.

Williams recounted that what happened almost eight years ago was a tragic accident. He was giving some of his friends a tour of his New Jersey home on February 14, 2002 and when they reached his bedroom, he started showing them his gun collection. He then admitted that he failed to check one barrel of a double-barreled 12-gauge shotgun that went off and eventually killed his driver. Williams maintained that what happened was purely an accident and that panic got to him after the incident. Years of legal proceedings followed until charges were finally placed last January 11, 2010.

Williams had a career spanning nine years in the NBA playing for the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets. He was forced to retire in 2000 due to injuries and has since then taken a downward spin in his personal life.

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Profiles in Business: Li Ka-shing

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Li Ka-shing is an 81-year old wealthy business tycoon from Hong Kong who is considered to be one of the most powerful people in Asia. He is the 16th richest person in the world, the richest person in Hong Kong, and the richest among people of East Asian roots in the world. He had an estimated net worth of about $16.2 billion as of 2008. He holds the position of Chairman of Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL) and Cheung Kong Holdings.

Li Ka-shing has established himself as the largest operator of container terminals, as well as being the largest retailer of health and beauty products in the world. His personal portfolio extends to being one of the major suppliers of electricity in Hong Kong and a successful real estate developer.

Li Ka-shing has achieved honors from different international publications. Asia Week named him as “Asia’s Most Powerful Man” in 2001, while Forbes Magazine honored him as a recipient of the first ever Malcolm S. Forbes Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. He has also received other recognition and awards such as the Grand Bauhinia Medal, position of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and a recognized Commander of the Légion d’honneur. His peers in the corporate world often call him “Superman” for his excellence in leadership and success in businesses. His portfolio of businesses involve a variety of industries in Hong Kong, including retail, real estate, electricity, telecommunications, shipping, and the Internet. His Cheung Kong Group’s assets reached $82.9 billion by the end of 2009 after operating in 55 countries while employing around 260,000 people worldwide.

Along with these lifetime achievements, no one can deny the generosity he has shown to others. He is a great philanthropist and has called a foundation he has established his “third son.” He pledged to give out one-third of his accumulated wealth to charity and other philanthropic endeavors across the world.

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Zerona Laser: The Latest Innovation in Cosmetic Treatment

Friday, March 5th, 2010

A lot of people have been talking about the Zerona laser, one of the latest innovations in laser technology used in cosmetic treatments. The Zerona laser is a relatively new technique that was only introduced in the market last 2008. Developed by Erchonia, one of the leaders in laser technology used in healthcare and wellness industries, Zerona is a new, non-invasive body-sculpting laser that works by stimulating the fat cells in the body. This causes the fat cells to burst, eliminating the fat stored inside. The fat is then released from the body through the lymphatic system during the normal course of detoxification. The whole treatment takes about six visits, with each session lasting forty minutes. It is clinically proven to be effective in reducing a patient’s waist, hips, and thighs by a couple of inches.

Initial tests were conducted to analyze the procedure’s effectiveness. It was also presented to the American Society of Lasers in Medicine and Surgery in 2008, and it received FDA market clearance for usage in the United States. In May 2009, it was featured in Cosmetics Surgery Times in a controlled study. The study revealed that the Zerona laser was proven to reduce body fat and the size of waist, hips, and thighs by an average of four inches.

This procedure is a slimming technique that is safe because it is painless during and after the procedure and it has no downtime. It is a convenient means to contour one’s body as it doesn’t need incision or marks from the treatment, doesn’t require wearing compression garments, and has no reported side effects. Thus, this technique, unlike other traditional procedures like liposuction, allows the treated patient to function normally throughout his or her daily regimen without the hassle of experiencing discomforts such as pain from surgery, wounds, or garments.

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Profiles in Business: Ingvar Kamprad

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Ingvar Feodor Kamprad is an 83-year old Swedish businessman who founded IKEA, a home furnishing retail chain. Born in March 30, 1926, he is currently the richest person in Europe and the 5th richest person in the world, as listed in Forbes magazine. He has amassed an accumulated wealth of around $22 billion.

Kamprad was born in Älmhult, Kronoberg County and spent his childhood on a farm called Elmtaryd in Småland, Sweden. The would-be tycoon started creating businesses at a young age. As a teenager, he sold matches, pens, cards, decorations, fish, and other items with his bicycle. At 17 years of age, he was given money by his father for becoming a successful student. He used that cash to startup a business that has since then grown into what we know today as IKEA.

The name IKEA comes from his initials, I.K. and the initials of the farm’s name where he was born, Elmtaryd, and the small nearby village of Agunnaryd. He opened his first IKEA store and began selling furniture in 1947.

In contrast to the wealth he has accumulated, Ingvar Kamprad has been known to live a private and frugal lifestyle. He has not owned any expensive luxury cars and has avoided eating lavish meals in expensive restaurants, mostly opting for the cheaper ones. He flies only economy class.

Ingvar Kamprad has been retired from IKEA since 1986, but has still been active as the company’s senior adviser. Despite personally retaining little ownership in the company, he has led the company in the right direction with utmost dedication. He has guided the company to growth and profitability over the years. IKEA sells around 9,500 products and has now expanded in 36 countries.

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