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“In The Room Where It Happened,” Former Security Chief Exposes Trump’s Flaws

John Bolton
Former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

The fallout between Trump and John Bolton was inevitable. The former National Security Adviser was more confrontational in his approach to global issues, unlike his employer. His tough stance on Iran, North Korea, Russia and Afghanistan contradicted Trump’s approach.

When Bolton was sacked, other top officials in the White House were not surprised, though Bolton insisted he resigned. Their latest disagreement before his sack was on their approach to Afghanistan. Bolton took a step further after his sack to expose the deals and relationship between the US president and other world leaders.

Bolton’s major claim in his book, “The Room Where It Happened,” was that Trump has been appeasing foreign despots for his electoral return. The former NSA gave an instance where Trump supported the detention camp built by the Chinese communist government to detain Uyghur Muslims. Bolton wrote, “According to our interpreter, Trump said that Xi should go ahead with building the camps, which Trump thought was the right thing to do.” Bolton noted that in the 2019 G20 summit in Osaka, Trump also requested the Chinese President to help him with his re-election. “Make sure I win… Buy a lot of soybeans and wheat and make sure we win,” Bolton wrote.

The former NSA challenged any ideology governing Trump’s foreign policy. He wrote, “I am hard-pressed to identify any significant Trump decision during my White House tenure that wasn’t driven by re-election calculations.” His opinion that Trump’s relation with other nations was based on his re-election bid and not any foreign policy ideology that one would have thought about.

John Bolton wrote that the whole diplomatic talks with North Korea were about South Korea’s unification agenda. To him, there was no serious strategy by either Trump or Kim Jong Un. The former Security Adviser also made a mockery of how the President’s top aides often joke about the President’s decision. John Bolton also commented on how Russia’s President had taken advantage of the President’s ignorance of crucial issues and manipulated him to achieve his goal.

Donald Trump

Several attempts were made by the US President to block the book’s publication because it contained what he tagged as “classified information.” However, the appeal was ruled out. John Bolton’s book was not the only book to have demonstrated his lack of capacity and strength in the White House.

Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, also published her 2020 book titled “Too Much, and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man.” Like John Bolton’s book, Trump tried to block its publication but failed. What Bolton may have overstated due to the revenge of his sacking, Mary Trump documented out of love for her brother and the United States.

Public Speaking Tips From Barrack Obama

Barrack Obama
Barrack Obama, 44th U.S. President

It’s no news that Barrack Obama is regarded as one of the most notable orators of our time. His eloquence and depth of speech have spurred crowds into action many times. In fact, his public speaking skills are one of the endearing qualities that led him to be elected as the 44th president of the United States.

Imagine for a moment that you can address your counterparts and other notable members of society with the oratory prowess of Obama. That would be a big win for your career, right? In each of Obama’s speeches, we’ve noticed a pattern. These have been curated here as his public speaking tips. If you want to keep your audience spellbound, try out the following tips.

First, begin on a light mood even when it’s a serious address. Obama does this often by either making a light joke or commenting about a subject everyone can relate to. This usually puts the listeners in a relaxed mood and more receptive. It makes them want to keep hearing as well.

Also, get personal with your audience. In his speeches, Obama speaks about himself and his family. This warms up the listeners to him. They are reminded that he has much the same experiences as they do. So, make use of empathy to captivate your audience’s attention.

It is important you are well aware of your audience. When Obama makes a speech to a particular set of people, he speaks with a peculiarity to that audience. And when he speaks to the world, he carries everyone along. Regardless of where you’re from, you can resonate with what he has to say and even feel like he’s speaking directly to you.

Now, there are other things to note. For instance, ensure you hit your message clearly with punchlines. Making a long speech can sometimes have your listeners unsure of the crux of your message. This isn’t the case with Obama. He emphasizes his points with strong punchlines you’re bound to ponder upon. He then pauses for you to do just that. That’s how you make a statement!

The art of public speaking can’t be developed overnight. It can, however, be cultivated with time and practice. In this article, you must have learned a few tips on how Barack Obama does it effortlessly, and how you can do the same. Don’t forget to practice!

Noteworthy Facts About Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

It will interest you to know that Universal Pictures is one of the US’s outstanding media companies. It is one of Hollywood’s legendary ‘Big Six’ film studios founded in 1912. As it stands, it has become one of the most profitable media companies in America, with thousands of its movies dispersed. Here are some exciting facts on Universal Pictures:

To begin with, Universal Studios is unarguably the oldest film studio noted to have sprouted from America. It was established in 1912 and is notably the fourth oldest film studio in the world. The oldest film studio in the world was founded in 1895 in France – the Gaumont Film studio.

In 2003, Universal Studios was almost acquired by a fellow ace media production company named MGM. MGM sought strategic expanse and business partners and thought Universal Studios as a great option. They even tried to merge with Sony as well, but unfortunately for MGM, none worked out.

The year 2015 is noted to be one of the outstanding years of Universal Productions. For the first time in their history, they released three 1 billion dollar films, all in the same year: Jurassic World, Minions as well as Furious 7.

Furthermore, Universal Studios Orlando once housed a themed attraction that features quite a distressing ride that doesn’t exist anymore. Then, visitors would sail to Amity Harbor and subsequently get chased by a massive white shark. The attraction was built with $30 million but was shut down in 2011 and replaced with the Transformers ride.

It will further interest you to know that Universal Orlando is home to the largest collection of Harry Potter’s Merchandise.  There is absolutely no other place in the world that beats Diagon Alley in terms of Harry Potter assets, be it in mugs, accessories, wands, apparel, stickers, toys, pins, costumes, key chains, etc. Diagon Alley is simply a paradise for Harry Potter fans.

Lastly, one other fact is that the gloomiest ‘scene’ to ever take place at one of Universal’s theme parks was that, in 2015, a man committed suicide as he shot himself near the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride, in the Universal Studios. The news, however, was, to a large extent, contained in the U.S.

In conclusion, noted as one of the legendary film studios, not just in the U.S, but in the world, Universal Pictures has made quite a remarkable history so far, being home to several outstanding media content, particularly in the film world.

Reasons Why Companies Choose To Stay Private In Recent Times

WeWork IPO

Over the years, companies used to anticipate the times they would go public on the stock exchange floor. Going public for companies was the trend. Many company owners would dream of gonging the bell to open trading at the New York Stock Exchange. But, in recent times, there has been a paradigm shift. Many companies now prefer to stay private. Statistics even show that the number of companies that stay public dropped by 52% from the late 1990s to 2016. Here are some insights into the reasons for this latest trend.

Securities and Exchange Commission

It is essential to know that there is still an increasing passion for entrepreneurship in these times. But the idea of making companies go public has dropped abruptly. One major reason why companies now want to stay private is that they want to avoid the increasing numbers of regulations from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It is widely believed that the regulations are restricted to companies that trade publicly. So, to avoid being bound by these restrictions, they decide to stay private.

Another reason companies choose to stay private is to keep their business(es) in control. Privately traded companies are always able to exercise a higher level of control over their business. For instance, when they go private, the business (es) can be kept in the control of a select few or family members. So, these companies are not subject to the influence of any shareholders.

Furthermore, companies choose to stay private to avoid the volatility that is faced by publicly traded companies. That is because employees of privately traded companies can focus on their jobs. They don’t have to worry about the “ups and downs” of the stock market.

Again, companies often choose to stay private to avoid the substantial risk of an initial public offering. However, this is not to say that IPO is bad. It is very effective for companies that have access to large capital. But it is always very risky for companies that are just growing. The WeWork IPO debacle is an example of one such hazard of IPO.

In conclusion, a company can either go public or private. Both options are beneficial and viable. The most important thing is that companies should go for what best suits them.

3 characteristics of a professional virtual phone system

professional virtual phone system

A virtual phone system is necessary for any business nowadays, and the demand for their implementation and purchase has skyrocketed in the past 10 years. Because of the high demand increase, many companies have fallen in line to cash in. Often, this means that subpar products can be released which do not provide some of the functionality that others may and may not be worth the money.

If you are looking to upgrade your business communication and implement a virtual phone system, then you will need to wade through a sea of products. It can become complex when looking for which one to choose, as a virtual phone system needs to fit perfectly into your environment and situation to receive the most benefits possible.

There are certain characteristics to look out for when looking for a professional virtual phone system, as these will determine whether the product is professional and worth paying for. A virtual phone number can provide a huge number of benefits which make them essential for a business operation, and these benefits come from the functionality, convenience and accessibility that come with the product. However, you will only be able to reap these benefits if you choose the right product.

Here are 3 characteristics of a professional virtual phone system:

After hours greeting and call transfer

A virtual phone system is able to provide customers with after hours greetings and call transfer options. You may have experienced these before, as they work to keep the customer engaged and connected even after work hours. If a customer calls after work hours, the virtual phone system will be able to tell them that the business is currently closed and when it will reopen. This is effective, as often customers can become frustrated when a call will not go through and they are unaware that the business is closed. Having the greeting will inform them and ensure they do not waste their time. Moreover, a virtual phone system is able to provide the customer with options to direct their call to the correct person. Doing so means that the customer will be able to engage and connect with an employee who can help them with their enquiry, rather than wasting time finding out who is best for them. It also expresses an image of professionalism and can help to increase productivity amongst the employees. Customer image of the brand is also important and having call transfer options conveys the professionalism of your business through the use of a virtual phone system.

Call recording

Call recording is another characteristic of a virtual phone system. Call recording is an important feature to utilize, as it allows you to use the recordings for training purposes or to analyse for later use. With traditional systems, it can be difficult to record calls and often requires external hardware in order to do so, which can increase costs unnecessarily. With a virtual phone system, call recording is an in built feature which should be utilized for just about any call. Call recordings can act as data which can be analysed so that customer behaviour can be tracked, and strategic decisions made based on this data. This is especially helpful for businesses within certain sectors such as finance, as well as for businesses which want to implement voice recognition for their customers and products. You may have encountered these types of calls, where you can use a spoken phrase to access an account. Call recording is required for this to work, and therefore a virtual phone system is necessary for this level of sophistication.

Conference calling

Conference calling is a necessity within the business world nowadays. More often than not, you will need to have conference calls with multiple customers and/or other businesses. Using traditional hardware can make this difficult, and the process can be complex to link multiple callers into one call. With a virtual phone system, the ability to group multiple callers into one call is simple and is a built in feature of any virtual phone system.

In summary, a virtual phone system will have many characteristics that you should look out for before purchasing. The aforementioned characteristics are the basics that you should look out for in a virtual phone system to ensure that it is worth paying for.

Fast-growing branch of media in America is the digital news industry

Fast-growing branch of media in America is the digital news industry

One fast-growing branch of media in America is the digital news industry. And as it stands, it poses quite a complex future. Many Americans keep acquiring news via the Internet, which has made employment at digital-native outlets increase. However, digital news has been clothed with issues that affect the broader media environment.

An increasing percentage of American adults are noted to prefer getting news online via websites, apps, and social media. But TV remains the most popular source of news. The reason for the preference is not farfetched.  Online platforms are a fast means of getting information. They are also an easy and convenient way to do so. Technology is to thank for that.

There have been several job creations spurred from the digital news industry, as the number of digital-native newsrooms keeps increasing. This has led to the decrease of newsroom jobs over the years, even though newspapers had, for a long time, received lots of media attention. More Americans get news on social media than from newspaper prints, with Facebook dominating as the most used site for news by Americans.

The problem with the digital news industry is that Americans are still quite skeptical about the authenticity of the information they see on social media, although they regularly turn to social media for news. That’s pretty much ironic but true. The concerns regarding the inaccuracies on social media news keep getting prevalent even among users who prefer to acquire their news there.

All these, in the end, have changed the way Americans use social media as a result of potential inaccurate news. Many have stopped following certain news sources. And many still stay with those online sources they ‘feel’ or have validated that their news sources are authentic and prompt.

In sum, the digital news industry in the United States does not show signs of slowing down, as technology, with a view to making life easy and less stressful, keeps accentuating its usage, especially through social media and accessible gadgets smartphones. The big question that pops up on this issue is, ‘to what extent can technological advances be trusted regarding the spread of authentic news via the digital media industry in this present age?’

Top 5 Art Pieces You Should Be Aware Of

Andrew Newell Wyeth

Artworks are considered to be an expression of how an artist feels and sees the world. They can be used to communicate the artist’s view on a particular subject on life. Art has been the means through which civilizations and people have passed across messages. The value has risen over the years, superseding the original intent. In this article, we would look at 5 of the best art pieces that have garnered reputation and allure.

The artwork by Andrew Newell Wyeth is probably one of the greatest from the United States, especially this painting of Christina’s world. This artwork depicts Christina Olson, a paralyzed woman in a parched-out field. The anguish of her struggle can be seen in the depiction. This, amongst other things, makes the painting a classic.

Monalisa has been considered widely as the most valuable painting in the world. This noble artwork was painted by the great Leonardo DaVinci, depicting a beautiful woman whose identity has been lost in time. Monalisa is currently the property of France, as it presently sits at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Not many would have thought of Warhol’s style of art as a classic, but his work has laid a field for diversification in Contemporary Art. His work on Triple Elvis in 1963 shows the famous pop king Elvis Preston in a triple image form. As one of Andy Warhol’s many artworks, this still stands out to have stood the test of time.

Another great artwork is the sculpture of Perseus holding the head of Medusa by Benvenuto Cellini. This bronze sculpture was built between 1545 and 1554. And it is currently in Florence, Italy.

Jackson Pollock’s Mural of 1943 is one of America’s top-rated paintings you could come across. Through the painting, Pollock showed he could present his talent and creativity on canvas. Mural currently sits at the University of Iowa Museum of Art and stands out as Pollock’s biggest painting.

Art is an inherent part of the human way of life and would continue to hold much importance as long as the world exists.

 

America’s Most Asked Question On Health

America's Most Asked Question On Health

For a few years now, the curiosity on how to lower blood pressure topped America’s most-searched question on health. About 103 million Americans have high blood pressure, a third of America’s population. The figures are more frightening, with only 54% having it under control, according to the US Centre for Disease Control. One obvious thing is the quest for Americans to learn about the condition.

High blood pressure is generally diagnosed when a person has a blood pressure reading higher than 130/80. The upper number is referred to as systolic blood pressure, while the bottom number is called the diastolic blood pressure. The case becomes extremely severe when the blood pressure reads 180/120. In that case, seeing a doctor becomes extremely crucial.

The major causes of high blood pressure are smoking, obesity, excess alcohol consumption, inactivity, stress, old age, diets high in fats, and sleep apnea.

Do the causes reflect America’s condition?

It’s more interesting answering such a question with facts. 14 of every 100 US adults smoke according to the United States Centre for Disease Control. The figure shows that 34.2 million Americans smoke. The numbers have been on a decline from 40% in the 1960s.

42.4% of America’s adults over the age of 20 are overweight, according to the Centre for Disease Control.  Drinking alcohol has also been on the rise in the last 20 years, with an average American consuming 2.3 gallons of alcohol every year. According to a report by the Associated Press, high alcohol consumption has led to a corresponding rise in deaths related to drinking.

Inactivity has also been a major concern in the United States, with only 20% of jobs requiring moderate physical activity. The Centre for Disease Control also reported that 80% of Americans don’t get enough exercise. Unarguably, the figures correspond with the number of high blood pressure in the United States.

Necessary lifestyle changes?

The curiosity to learn more about the condition shows Americans are willing to adjust their lifestyle and live healthy. The major adjustment should be an inclusion of regular exercise in daily routines. At the same time, smoking and alcohol consumption must be reduced drastically. More sleep will also be a perfect addition while reducing meals high in fats should be considered. Most importantly, a regular check-up is essential to know when it’s important to see a doctor.

Can lawmakers help?

There was a ban on alcohol in the 1920s when the consumption was excessive. Apparently, America now consumes more quantity than they’ve ever done. Another legislation could be helpful for some time. The punishment for drink driving was imposed in the 1990s, and it drastically reduced alcohol consumption for some time. The imposition of cigarette taxes in the United States also led to a drastic reduction in Americans’ smoking rate.

Beyond the government’s laws, a lifestyle change is the most effective way to fight an increase in blood pressure. Every American should consider adopting such an effective approach.

The Motion Picture And Video Industry In The US

Motion Picture

The motion picture can also be referred to as the movie or film. It is a series of still pictures on film being displayed in quick succession on a screen through the means of light. With the persistence of vision, it gives the illusion of continuous and smooth movement. It has become perhaps the most influential and popular media of the 21st century. It is now further developed as an artistic and creative expression in diverse areas like cinematography, music, acting, screenwriting, costume, and design, of which all is quite prevalent in the US.

What It Produces

The United States motion picture industry is known to produce some of the world’s feature films and recorded TV programs as we know it. Also, the industry is noted to further produce music videos, documentaries as well as commercials. Post-production services include film and tap transfers, editing, credits, titling, subtitling, closed captioning, animation, special effects, and computer-produced graphics.

The industry is influenced by many large studios, which are mostly based in Hollywood. However, with the ever-growing popularity and worldwide availability of cable TV, computer graphics and editing software, digital video recorders, and the Internet, other independent filmmaking companies have emerged to fill the increasing demands for entertainment content.

Revenue Range of the US Motion Picture and Video Industry & the Key Players

A good idea can be summed up to the year 2018, when the industry generated its highest revenue from TV programs to domestic licensing of rights, as it brought in over a whopping 15 billion US dollars, and the estimated total revenue for that year amounted to 69.9 billion US dollars for the entire US motion picture and video production & distribution industry. Since 2005, the estimated revenue generated hardly ever falls below 60 billion US dollars, and that’s largely accredited to the big industry folks like Universal Studios, Walt Disney, Sony Pictures, and Warner Media, who have been successful in the business.

In sum, this goes to say that the Motion picture and video industry in the US is booming with no signs of slowing down, as it remains relevant in also accommodating prospective giants and highly artistic and creative media enthusiasts in a fertile industry.

Inside America’s Most Controversial Election Of The Century

election

For many reasons, the U.S 2016 election was not the best that the country ever had. The parties had low-quality candidates and ran negative campaigns against each other. Lack of experience, bankruptcies, womanizing and allegations of misogyny were a part of Trump’s history. Clinton had a fair share of lack of transparency, which was evident in her leaked deleted mails.

The build-up to the election was barely based on policies. It was the personality of the candidates that dominated the headlines. The election was the first to witness external interference. Four years after the election, the United States is still trying to clear the thorns and memories of the 2016 election, which is often considered negative precedence to future elections.

Cambridge Analytica, a British political consulting firm that combined data mining and analysis with strategic communication, was accused of interference. Donald Trump employed the service of the company in the build-up to the election. An undercover investigation report by Channel 4 News exposed the founder, Alexander Nix claiming they had influenced the election. New York Times and The Observer reported in 2018 that the company acquired and used personal data about Facebook users from an external researcher who told Facebook he was collecting the data for academic purposes.

A Russian-American, Alex Logan, created a Facebook app called “This Is Your Digital Life.” The company obtained data of about 270 thousand Facebook users. Through the user’s friend network, the app obtained data of about 87million Americans to create psychological data without people’s permission. The company had violated Facebook’s privacy policies, but the British company wasn’t the only party that influenced the election.

Russian led organization called “Internet Research Agency,” based in St Petersburg, also created thousands of social media accounts to spread misinformation with fabricated articles. Additionally, computer hackers affiliated with Russian military intelligence sources (GRU) infiltrated the Clinton campaign and publicly released stolen files and emails.

It is alleged that the data obtained by Cambridge Analytica was used by Russia to run ads in America. Russia backed companies dented the reputation of Clinton and gave Trump a victory he desired. Four years later, Mark Zuckerberg still appears before the congress, grilled about the 2016 election by democrats.

The election remains America’s most controversial election, from the pre-election season to four years after the election. Though democracy is often a government by the most popular candidate, merit must be considered by parties in selecting their candidates.