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Author Archives: Carlos Garcia

Confederate Flag is Symbol Around the World

Square land battle flag of Confederate States of America.
Square land battle flag of Confederate States of America.

In the wake of the senseless massacre of nine African Americans in their historic church in South Carolina last week, Governor Nikki Haley has said that she will ask that the Confederate flag be removed from flying over from the capital. Other southern states, which have been flying the flag, a symbol of racism and hatred for many, have joined in the call to remove the symbol, finally, after over 150 years since the defeat of the south in the Civil War.

This welcome move does not mean, however, that the Confederate flag will not continue to fly in other parts of the world. And not because its symbolism is lost on those who fly it, but because they know exactly what that flag stands for.

In Brazil the descendants of southerners fleeing from the mayhem of the Civil War and post-Civil War Reconstruction, fly the flag to remember their heritage. During the 1860s Brazil offered US refugees land grants, and thousands took Brazil up on the offer. Slavery was also still legal in Brazil at the time.

“To me it’s a positive symbol of my heritage,” said a participant in a festival to celebrate the heritage of the descendants of southerners. “For us, it doesn’t have a negative connotation at all.”

In Italy the symbolic message of the flag speaks to the sense of loss Southern Italians experienced when they lost their independence when they became part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.

“We too are a defeated people,” a professor in Naples said. “Once we were a rich and independent country, and then they came from the North and conquered us and took our wealth and power away to Rome.

Not surprisingly, skinheads and neo-Nazis in Germany have also adoped the Confederate flag as a symbol of their feelings about racism and white supremacy. Civil War reenactments have also been gaining in popularity in Germany, with many Germans identifying with the Confederate rebellion.

Social Media in Business

Social media is becoming an essential marketing tool for businesses today. However, many business leaders are unfamiliar or unaware of the different tactics and methods used to create and manage effective social media pages on any platform. It is important to consider goals, objectives and metrics when using social media to promote a business, as… Continue Reading

Los medios sociales en los negocios

Los medios sociales se están convirtiendo en una herramienta de marketing esencial para las empresas hoy en día. Sin embargo, muchos de los líderes de las empresas desconocen o son inconscientes de las diferentes tácticas o métodos que pueden ser utilizados para crear y administrar las páginas o cualquier otra plataforma de medios sociales de… Continue Reading

Los Ejecutivos de Negocios Medianos Muestran más Optimismo que los Propietarios de Negocios Pequeños

Los resultados de encuestas recientes revelan que, mientras que los propietarios de negocios pequeños en los Estados Unidos están volviendo a confiar en la economía, aún se sienten desconfiados con respecto a sus propios negocios. De acuerdo con la investigación, el 35% de los participantes de la encuesta creen que la economía está mejor que… Continue Reading

Los Hoteles Venture Ingresan en la Industria del Vino

De acuerdo con USA Today, los hoteles están irrumpiendo en la industria del vino. Varias cadenas de hoteles líderes están lanzando clubs de vino y eventos, mientras algunas están creando sus propias marcas. Muchos de estos hoteles están ofreciendo su vino gratis. En los hoteles Kimpton, por ejemplo, hay vino gratis disponible durante ciertas horas… Continue Reading

Hotels Venture into Wine Industry

According to USA Today, hotels are breaking into the wine industry. Several leading hotel chains have launched wine clubs and events, while some are even creating their own labels. Many of these hotels are actually offering their wine for free. At Kimpton Hotels, for example free wine is available during certain hours as part of… Continue Reading

A New and Improved Siri

Recent reports suggest that Apple may be fixing its iPhone voice-enabled task and search manager by boosting its speed and accuracy. Siri, though loved by many users, is often very slow. Business Insider explains that this is “because your voice commands are being transferred to Siri’s brain, which is online in the cloud, before an… Continue Reading

Un Nuevo y Mejorado Siri

Un informe reciente sugiere que Apple podría mejorar el administrador de tareas y buscador activado con la voz de  iPhone, aumentando su velocidad y  precisión. Siri, a pesar de ser amada por muchos usuarios, es a menudo muy lenta. Business Insider explica que eso pasa “porque los comandos de voz son transferidos al cerebro de… Continue Reading