Fw: New Post from Global Voices, regards, Rodrigo González Fernández

----- Original Message ----- From: "Global Voices Online" <globalvoices.online@gmail.com> To: <globalvoices.online@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 9:34 AM Subject: New Post from Global Voices

> 'What is the world cooking?' > by Melissa De Leòn Douglass > > #1: From Malaysia &amp; UK, Yang-May Ooi's Lit BlogCurious Legacies: My GrandMother's recipe for Soy Sauce ChickenGrandma left us many recipes for dishes that have been in the family for years. They are old-fashioned and labor intensive, involving a lot of chopping and slicing and marinading to get just the right texture and just the right taste. In truth, I don't think I have the hours it can take to make many of them in their original form in my hectic life in London. But I can say that the most useful recipe Grandma left me is not really a dish but an attitude of mind. It's about adapting and innovating, taking what is safe and familiar and making it your own, moving with the times but on your own terms.So here is the recipe that is Grandma's legacy to me:Take pieces of chicken, chopped garlic and ginger and place in an oven proof bowl. Mix in soy sauce and ginger wine and some pepper. Cover with a lid or tin foil. Put in oven and cook at 180 degrees for 1.5 hours, opening it in the last half hour to brown the chicken. > > Serve with rice and pak choi fried with garlic and a dash of soy sauce. Human input time: 20 mins. It certainly beats doing it the old fashioned way standing at the iron wok sweatily frying for ages and stinking up my home with grease and smoke! It tastes pretty good, too. > > #2: From Jordan, Algeria, Ya Rayi Our Rai; MANSAF: The pride of Jordanian Cooking. > > In Jordan mansaf, the pride of Jordanian cuisine and the national dish of the country is usually prepared for and served to esteemed guests primarily on special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries.&nbsp; The dish possesses an important symbolic function within social gatherings, it being offered as the ultimate to the honored guest.Mansaf stands as the ultimate of Jordanian cuisine - a part of Arab gastronomy, which is one of the world's most sophisticated and elaborate cuisines.&nbsp; Jordanian food, although having some unique attributes, is part of this Middle Eastern distinctive culinary heritage, but stemming more from traditional Bedouin cooking.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; A mansaf feast is taken seriously, and hours are spent in its preparations.&nbsp; A dish of lamb seasoned with herbs and spices, it is served on a large platter on a bed of rice in a tangy yogurt sauce and sprinkled with almonds and pine nuts.&nbsp; Traditionally, the yogurt used is jameed, a type of salted dried goat milk. &nbsp; &nbsp; The main course of a mansaf meal usually begins with several varieties of mazza, or hors d'oeuvres and with several salads as side dishes.&nbsp; &nbsp;Bread, usually khoubz sh'rak, a large thin, round unleavened bread, accompanies every meal and a dessert or fresh fruit ends a meal.&nbsp; Lastly, comes the famous Arabic coffee without which no meal is complete.&nbsp; Continue reading this interesting edible essay... > > > #3: From Panama, Venezuela and Davis-California, U.S. More on exotic fruits and farmer's markets around the world. By the way, do not forget to blog about your favorite market and let us know :) > > If you are curious about how the pomarosa, maranon curazao y guava look like and what can you prepare with them? Take a look at the report and photos Elena shares from her last visit to El Valle, Panama. > > Greg's Food reports on his recent visit to Davis Farmer's Market. But, that is not all. He embraces a breathtaking appreciation for Farmer's Markets, he proves that photo after photo from this fantastic photo set. > > Her name is Zulmy Garcia and she lives in Caracas, Venezuela. She is a Farmer's Markets lover and her camera is always on hand. I won't call it an obsession, I would say it is a way for her to share the love she feels for the land, and specially the land were she lives and the delicious wonders that mother and father nature grant us. Her most recent posts were about Fresh cheese at the Market &quot;El Mercadito El Cafetal,&quot; and &quot;Mercedes: granos y sabores from El Mercadito El Cafetal too.&quot; > > #4: There are others: The 7th Annual Weird Food Festival. > > They may be look scrumptious to some of you, I'll pass this time...abstinence is good sometimes and this is the perfect example for moi to practice it :) I perfectly understand that its a matter of culture, traditions and how adventurous your taste buds are. Head over to their website and you will get a taste of what I mean!But then there’s this other group. It’s a sort of kinky culinary collective who call themselves the “Weird Food Fest.” Once a year, a relatively intimate group of about seven get together to eat. Their gathering may be small but their passion for food is big. To be specific, this group is really into food that is exotic, weird, uncommon, an acquired taste, extremely foreign or highly indigenous. Whatever label you want to place on it, it’s food that you won’t soon forget.On the buffet, silkworm pupae, laver bread, thousand year-old egg, fermented papaya, beef pizzle, lots of heart, AND other unmentionable things! > > #5: From The Philippines, Market Manila makes us, seafood lovers, just really hungry with an excellent report on Camilo: Spotted Hard Shelled Crab. The photos are scrumptiously sinful. Yes, that is the exact message I've gotten from them. Called Camilo in Batangas, the spotted crabs were from “deeper waters” and had the “sweetest meat,” she insisted. They certainly looked terrific so I decided to buy one large one to give it a try. Untied and totally fresh, this frisky fellow was difficult to get onto a scale and a plastic bag. Back home, I noticed they had given me a specimen with uneven sized claws, a sign that the crab had earlier lost one of its claws (whether by accident, in a tousle to save the honor of his crabby girlfriend, etc.) and had re-grown the limb. There was something fascinating about this which made the crab even more interesting to me. Imagine if I cut off one of my arms and it grew back but was shorter then my other arm? How bizarre would that be? Could my dress shirts and suits be altered to still look becoming? Not to mention cutting off other body parts… Head over to Market Manila and read more of this post!#6: From Israel, My Mom's Recipes and More has a step by step guide with photos to prepare a delicious Strawberry Jam. In addition to that fabulous creation, she commemorates Israel Independence Day - Yom Ha'atzmaut 58 sharing some old food postcards and information on the food they had available way back! Interesting... > > See you next weekend! > > You may view the latest post at > http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2006/05/01/what-is-the-world-cooking/ > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ > You received this e-mail because you asked to be notified when new updates are posted. > If you no longer wish to receive notifications of new posts then please visit: > http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/subscribe.php > > > Best regards, > The Global Voices Team > globalvoices.online@gmail.com >

VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE

                       

 

WHO SHOULD DIRECT YOUR COMPANY'S NEXT CASE?

THE NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL

DESDE News Wire

 

When faced with increasingly complex litigation, many corporations can benefit from employing national coordinating counsel -- outside counsel who provide a link between the company, the litigation and the local counsel who handle individual cases' day-to-day issues. Such coordinators can be crucial to ensuring a consistent defense strategy. Here are some tips on what to look for in a law firm and a lead partner if you ever encounter "bet the company" litigation.

Visit In-House Counsel

Incerely tours Rodrigo González Fernandez, lawyerschile.blogspot.com

                       

 

Fw: Law.com blog: One Way to Get Rid of the Billable Hour

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Legal Blog Watch

To: blog-html@majordomo.law.com

Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 9:05 PM

Subject: Law.com blog: One Way to Get Rid of the Billable Hour

Law.com Home Legal Blog Watch Home About The Bloggers

Legal Blog Watch More Well-Funded Plaintiffs' Actions, Coming Soon to ... In this post, Billions from corporations to tort lawyers, fueled by victories with contingency, Rees Morrison reports on a recent law review article that estimates that "contingent fees in tort cases are generating upwards of $22 billion in annual income and are increasing at a substantial rate." Even more interesting, Morrison notes that "the average effective hourly rate of the contingent fee bar has increased by 1,000 percent to 1,400 percent.  And much of this money is flowing from corporate defendants.  Plaintiffs firms then  invest those billions in more lawsuits, with the end result being more suits against companies and more work for their in-house and outside defense attorneys.  Morrison concludes that "Lucre like that will draw in talent and encourage investments, all to the detriment of law departments." Posted by Carolyn Elefant on April 28, 2006 at 04:15 AM | Permalink One Way to Get Rid of the Billable Hour In Bruce MacEwan's post, Let's Assume Everyone Here's An Adult, he floats one suggestion -- which he calls the McKinsey Billing Model -- that law firms could use to replace the billable hour.  Under the McKinsey model (so named after  McKinsey, a management consulting firm, which may be famous in some circles, but not even well-known to me; I had to look it up), no one at the firm has an hourly billable rate.  Consultants have a "per diem" rate but it is not disclosed outside the firm or even to clients.  Instead, McKinsey has three sizes of project teams, each of which have different monthly costs.  When a project comes in, it's assigned to the appropriately sized team, which will then given an estimate of project cost based on the predicted length of time that the assignment will require.  Bruce gives this as a hypothetical example of how the system works: "When a client asks McKinsey for help on something, McKinsey assesses the challenge and responds (hypothetically):  'Great; that will take a small team four months, so expect it to cost $880,000.'  The client decides whether that's a valuable economic proposition, and assuming they give the green light, McKinsey goes to work. "One of three things now happens:     * It indeed takes a small team four months, and the analysis/report/recommendation is delivered as promised.     * It turns out to be simpler than McKinsey thought, so they report after two months, 'We think we're done; we'd like to show you what we have, and if you agree, we've stopped the clock.'     * It turns out to be more complex than McKinsey thought, so they report after (say) two months, 'There's more to this than first appeared (if we're to deal with it in a fashion commensurate with our standards), and we now think it will take the team eight months.  Would you like us to proceed, or to call it off?'" As Bruce explains, the McKinsey model presumes that everyone involved being "an adult," that is, has an appreciation for, and can rationally assess for themselves, what is value for money.   Bruce believes that most large firm clients have this capability, but that law firms haven't tried the McKinsey model because no other firms are doing it and no one wants to be first.  While the McKinsey model has appeal, I'm not certain that it would work for all legal matters.  For litigation matters, I'm not sure that firms can predict the duration of litigation at the outset.  And once a client is stuck in litigation, the cost of stopping or switching to another firm could be exorbitant.   Put another way, the longer you're embroiled in litigation, the greater the value of sticking with a firm would be.  It seems like the McKinsey model would actually push upward rate pressure on clients to finish those jobs that can't simply be terminated mid-stream.  At least with the billable hour and forcing firms to give estimates, clients get some protection, as they do with "incentive" systems, where a firm, for example, charges a lower hourly rate up front and agrees to take a bonus for success.  But what protection do clients have in the McKinsey model? I'm also not sure how the McKinsey model helps firms increase revenues off tasks that firms perform repetitively as Bruce suggests.   True, where firms have done a particular transaction many times, they don't require as many billable hours for Transaction 25 as they did for Transaction 1.  But wouldn't the same hold true under the McKinsey model?  Wouldn't the firm give a lower estimate or assign Transaction 25 to a smaller or lower-priced team because its expertise would reduce the time involved.  Still, with so much time wasted on billable hours and the lack of incentives for efficiency inherent in the billable hour, I'd be curious to see what might happen if an alternative, even one like the McKinsey model, were implemented for large firm practice. Posted by Carolyn Elefant on April 28, 2006 at 04:10 AM | Permalink How Much Protection Do Employers Owe to the Public Are employers obligated to protect the general public from off-the-job activity by their employees?   That's the question that Mike Fox tackles in this post, Mr. Employer -- You Should Have Protected Me.   For example, if an employer is aware that an employee has a drinking problem, is the employer liable when its employee leaves work drunk and injures or kills someone in a car accident?   Or what about an actual case in New Jersey, where an employer has been sued by the mother, whose husband molested her child  (his step-child).  The mother argued that if the husband's employer had policed  his Internet use and turned him in for viewing sties with child pornography, the husband might not have photographed the daughter and posted her photos on the Internet.  The connection sounds far-fetched, but the court refused to dismiss the case. Fox summarizes: The basic concept -- negligence on the part of the employer in selecting or retaining an employee -- has a long history in American common law, but extending that responsibility to conduct not related to work is a dangerous precedent. The more extenuated the connection to the workplace the worst policy it becomes.  Carried too far, it could at some point completely shift the risk of harm to third parties for all but the unemployed. The other adverse policy that I see coming out of holding employers liable is that it gives employers incentive to ignore their employees' personal problems like drinking, drugs or pornography addiction or simply terminate employees for those issues instead of trying to work with them.  For example, in the drunk driving case, an employer would be better off simply ignoring an employee's drinking problem or firing him for showing up drunk, rather than directing him to counseling programs.  I don't think employers should be penalized for showing compassion towards employees with various problems and yet, that's the direction in which we're heading as we try to hold employers liable for employee conduct that takes place after working hours. Posted by Carolyn Elefant on April 28, 2006 at 03:50 AM | Permalink

Sponsor Spotlight 2006 Corporate Scorecard The American Lawyer's annual Corporate Scorecard rates the largest law firms by size and number of transactions, including M&A, Equities, IPO's, Debt Issues, Asset-Backed Securities, REITS, Bankruptcies and Mutual Funds. It also records not only the ranking of each firm in each transaction category, but the number and value of deals, for each year covered. Order online from ALM Research. Inside Opinions: Legal Blogs Robert Ambrogi's LawSites Blawg Review Adam Smith, Esq. I/P Updates Silicon Valley Media Blog InhouseBlog My Shingle Prism Legal Human Law May It Please The Court Law Department Management Insurance Scrawl Crime & Federalism The Wired GC The Common Scold Jottings by an Employer's Lawyer Future Lawyer The Professional Marketing Blog From the Law.com Newswire [about RSS] Law.com Privacy Policy

This Legal Blog Watch Alert is brought you by ALM's Law.com (http://www.law.com/service/aboutlaw.shtml). To unsubscribe from the Legal Blog Watch Alert, go to http://store.law.com/registration/unsubscribe.asp?p=lbw&f=html . Questions? Comments? Complaints? Send us an email at subscription@corp.law.com. By using Law.com's Legal Blog Watch Alert, you are agreeing to abide by our Terms of Service at http://www.law.com/service/terms_conditions.html. Copyright © 2005 ALM Properties, Inc. All rights reserved.

LEGAL BLOG WATCH

 

Limited Litigation in the Blogosphere
Cathy Kirkman blogs about the state of libel litigation in the blogosphere, linking to a recent  essay titled "Libel in the Blogsphere:  Some Preliminary Thoughts" by uberblogger Glenn Reynolds.   Kirkman writes that the paper posits two main reasons for a lack of online libel litigation:

(1) Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which immunizes  ISPs and others for publishing third-party comments; and

(2) technological and cultural aspects of the blogosphere, including  norms of rapid correction, third-party substantiation, and hostility to legal threats in the form of public exposure and criticism.

Of course, we're still in the early days of blogging, the initial honeymoon phase.   For me, the jury's still out on what happens when this initial infatuation wears off.

Posted by Carolyn Elefant on April 24, 2006 at 01:55 PM | Permalink

More on Law Department Sabbaticals
Rees Morrison again posts on the topic of law department sabbaticals.  Morrison cites statistics that 23 percent of businesses in the country offer paid or unpaid sabbaticals.  But while many of these companies have substantial law departments, Morrison notes that "I have never heard of one of their in-house lawyers who has taken such a leave."   Some companies allow lawyers to take a sabbatical as they wish, while others only permit the lawyer to work for a nonprofit. 

I'd certainly take time off if I had the option, particularly if the company paid for my leave.  I'd like to know why more lawyers don't take advantage of these programs.

Posted by Carolyn Elefant on April 24, 2006 at 01:47 PM | Permalink

Can A Firm Make Associates Enthusiastic Employees?
Bruce MacEwan starts this post with a quote about yet another disgruntled and unenthused law firm associate complaining about inefficiencies and poor management and treatment of employees at his law firm and others.  But unlike many other associates, this fellow did some research on management and came up with a book that MacEwan recommends to firms:  "The Enthusiastic Employee."  Granted, in today's law firm culture, an "enthusiastic associate" is almost an oxymoron. But it doesn't have to be that way -- and in fact, enthusiastic employees can substantially improve the firm's bottom line.  As the book's dust jacket reads:

"Enthusiastic employees far out-produce and outperform the average  workforce: they step up to do the hard, even 'impossible' jobs.  They'll rally each others' spirits in even the toughest times. Most  people are enthusiastic when they're hired -- hopeful, ready to work  hard, eager to contribute. What happens? Management, that's what."

Isn't that  what law firms want?   MacEwan thinks they should -- and  for those who don't believe the benefits, MacEwan reminds them:  "How much does it cost to replace an associate?"

Posted by Carolyn Elefant on April 24, 2006 at 01:14 PM | Permalink

Another Blawg Review
Brandy Karl  hosts Blawg Review #54, with a "through the looking glass theme."  Most interesting of her posts is the recognition of this month's trend toward the personification of the blogosphere. Among the in-person meetings between bloggers this month were last week's LexThink Lounge  and the Blog Law and Blogging for Lawyers conference and the Volokhs' planned get together at the Berkman Center's Bloggership conference. If you have the chance, jump on this new blogwagon and reach out and touch a blogger sometime soon.

Posted by Carolyn Elefant on April 24, 2006 at 01:05 PM | Permalink

The Sun Shines on Sons and Daughters Who Make Rain
Larry Bodine recognizes that women sometimes  have it tough  making it rain at law firms.  So he links to Ten Best Practices by Women Rainmakers, which lists various techniques that women can use to overcome obstacles to bringing in business.  These techniques include marketing as part of a team, focusing on a niche and seeing marketing possibilities in everything you do.  But those ideas benefit everyone, not just women.   In my mind, the tip labeled "Set Ground Rules" is the one that's most helpful to women (or men) concerned with maintaining a work-family balance.  Setting ground rules involves saying no to certain marketing endeavors, like after-hours cocktails, and instead proposing substitutes like breakfasts that better suit your schedule.  This kind of marketing rule ensures that women have an opportunity to market and to come up with marketing ideas that not only accommodate their own schedules, but might more readily accommodate a prospective client's schedule as well.

The article on best practices reminds us that successful marketing is the great equalizer in the legal profession.  As the article concludes:  "The sun shines on those who make rain."  So true.

Posted by Carolyn Elefant on April 24,

 

Espectacular blog:

FROM 800CEOREAD, UN BLOG ESPECTACULAR QUE COMPARTIMOS CON LOS LECTORES CHILENOS.

 

A-Ha!

Tom Peters wrote a terrific post called Ha! commenting on a Financial Times column citing the poor track record of companies that Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad cited in their book Competing for the Future. Here’s a great quote from Tom:

"I guess my perverse pleasure comes because almost every "big" management book seems to need to devote a paragraph to trashing the companies Bob and I picked. None cites even a dollop of data to support their point...which doesn't slow them down in the least. We did indeed make our share of mistakes—but the bunch-as-a-whole have been remarkably resilient.
Ah, well."

Not only is his short post excellent, but, as is often the case on his blog, so are the comments. One person cited an excellent Forbes piece on what's happened to the companies cited in Excellence.

Speaking of this financial smell test, I’d love to see portfolios of model companies cited in the top 25 business books of the past 20 years. Hold up the performance of Good to Great versus Execution, or, say, Lean Thinking versus Innovator’s Dilemma?

Posted by Tom Ehrenfeld, 800CE0READ, UN BLOG ESPECTACULAR , CON INFORMACION MUY RELEVANTE PARA EL MUNDO DE HABLA HISPANA Y PARA Chile en particular.  Saludos Rodrigo Fonzález Fernández, consultajuridica.blogspot.com

 

Espectacular blog:

FROM 800CEOREAD, UN BLOG ESPECTACULAR QUE COMPARTIMOS CON LOS LECTORES CHILENOS.

 

A-Ha!

Tom Peters wrote a terrific post called Ha! commenting on a Financial Times column citing the poor track record of companies that Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad cited in their book Competing for the Future. Here’s a great quote from Tom:

"I guess my perverse pleasure comes because almost every "big" management book seems to need to devote a paragraph to trashing the companies Bob and I picked. None cites even a dollop of data to support their point...which doesn't slow them down in the least. We did indeed make our share of mistakes—but the bunch-as-a-whole have been remarkably resilient.
Ah, well."

Not only is his short post excellent, but, as is often the case on his blog, so are the comments. One person cited an excellent Forbes piece on what's happened to the companies cited in Excellence.

Speaking of this financial smell test, I’d love to see portfolios of model companies cited in the top 25 business books of the past 20 years. Hold up the performance of Good to Great versus Execution, or, say, Lean Thinking versus Innovator’s Dilemma?

Posted by Tom Ehrenfeld, 800CE0READ, UN BLOG ESPECTACULAR , CON INFORMACION MUY RELEVANTE PARA EL MUNDO DE HABLA HISPANA Y PARA Chile en particular.  Saludos Rodrigo Fonzález Fernández, consultajuridica.blogspot.com

 

DESDE EL BLOG DE TOM PETERS

Twelve Books That Changed the World

I was enthralled by a great TV programme over the Easter Weekend. (His lordship!) Melvyn Bragg, the eminent writer and broadcaster, has selected the 12 books that he contends have been agents of social, political, and personal revolution. The only work of fiction that made the cut was William Shakespeare's first folio of 1623, with everything from Darwin's Origin of Species through to the First Rule Book of the Football Association being on the list. You can see all 12 here.

As Bragg himself explains, "When people think of things that change the world, they tend to think of extraordinary events: the assassination of leaders, the invasion of countries, the havoc wreaked by natural disasters. There is something less attention-grabbing, but just as powerful, which changes the world—books. The series aims to show that the lives we lead have been formed as often as not by a single book."

The closest we get to a 'business' book that makes the final 12 is Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations, which set me thinking ... would any of the great business books from the 20th and 21st centuries qualify for such an esteemed status? Which of them could we say, hand on heart, have truly changed the way we lead our business lives? What's your nomination for the most influential business book since The Wealth of Nations? And what is your evidence of its impact?

Madeleine McGrath

 

PROYECTO DE LEY SOBRE JUEGOS DE AZAR ILÍCITOS.

Se nos consulta por los juegos de azar ilícitos, que normativa se aplicará…en que estado está , que objetivos tiene el proyecto, que se busca. Veamos

Marcelo Venegas en Gobernabilidad.cl ha desarrollado un excelente trabajo respecto del proyecto de ley de juegos de azar.

§         Origen. Proyecto de ley, iniciado en Moción de los Honorables Senadores señora Matthei y señores García y Ominami y de los ex Senadores señores Boeninger y Foxley, de 20 de julio de 2005

§         Estado de tramitación.Primer trámite constitucional, con informe de la Comisión de Constitución. Unanimidad (5-0)

§         Objetivos del proyecto. La iniciativa busca introducir modificaciones al Código Penal tendientes a crear una normativa ágil y moderna, que desincentive la actividad ilícita que las máquinas de juego conocidas como “tragamonedas” están generando en nuestro medio.

§         Concretamente, se propone elevar el nivel de las sanciones aplicables a los juegos de azar realizados al margen de la ley y se introduce una nueva tipificación referida a la comercialización e instalación de juegos de azar mediante máquinas de autojuego o “tragamonedas” en lugares no autorizados legalmente.

§         Constancia.La Comisión tomó en consideración una Moción del Senador Ávila, contenida en el Boletín N° 3.996-07, que introduce ciertas modificaciones a los Códigos Civil y Penal en materia de juegos de azar.

Moción de los Senadores señora Matthei y señores García y Ominami y de los ex Senadores señores Boeninger y Foxley.

Luego de la exposición de motivos, concluyen que se ha generado en Chile en los últimos años una actividad económica al margen de la normativa constitucional y legal vigente, de enormes repercusiones en la economía pública, generando una competencia desleal para las empresas de loterías que por ley han sido autorizadas para administrar juegos de azar sujetos a un estricto régimen jurídico y para los casinos dentro del ámbito territorial que la ley les permite, como también para los hipódromos que captan apuestas respecto de carreras de caballos, también en virtud de una autorización legal.

Puntualizan que la actividad de los juegos de azar ilegal afecta además a los beneficiarios de las empresas de loterías que están establecidos en la ley, que son instituciones de bien común y asistencia social indispensables en la vida nacional, como son Fonasa, Cruz Roja, Coanil, y Bomberos, entre otros.

Dicen que también afecta al Fisco, toda vez que los recursos que genera esta actividad ilegal van en desmedro de los aportes que le efectúan las empresas autorizadas por ley para administrar juegos de azar y apuestas, y por la no percepción de los tributos generales y específicos que los gravan, como el establecido en el artículo 2° de la ley N° 18.110, para las ventas de Polla y Lotería.

Aseveran que las normas legales contenidas en nuestro Código Penal relativas a la represión y sanción de juegos y apuestas ilegales se han visto superadas por los medios y avances tecnológicos y los resquicios que utilizan los partícipes de estas actividades ilícitas, razón por la cual el presente proyecto de ley viene a rectificar esta situación, modificando las normas penales correspondientes.

Informan que para reprimir adecuada y eficazmente el juego ilegal, el proyecto de ley tiene como objetivos:

1) Introducir mejoras y modernizar la tipificación de los delitos asociados al juego ilegal, generando cambios sustanciales en la legislación tendiente a la prevención y represión del mismo.

2) Incrementar las penas que castigan las conductas vinculadas al juego ilegal, ya que las sanciones actualmente existentes son leves e intrascendentes, lo que permite continuar sin inconvenientes el desarrollo de estas actividades ilícitas.

3) Imponer sanciones a los participantes o jugadores de las loterías no autorizadas que actualmente no son considerados por la legislación, para así desincentivar a la población en participar en juegos de azar desarrollados al margen de la normativa vigente.

Moción del Senador Ávila

La iniciativa busca especificar la calidad jurídica en la que se encuentra el uso de las máquinas de apuestas de monedas y la interpretación que hace nuestra legislación de éstas y otros juegos de azar físicos, eléctricos y electrónicos.

El autor señala que dado el sistema de importaciones que nuestro país exhibe, se advierte que es el libre mercado el que permite la internación de todo tipo de insumos, artefactos, materiales y utensilios, a excepción de aquellos que expresamente la ley prohíbe. Y, concluye, ha sido nuestra legislación la que no ha sabido interpretar certeramente el status jurídico con el cual debe analizarse la operación y uso de estas máquinas.

En virtud de estas razones, su iniciativa pretende especificar la calidad jurídica que tendrá el uso de las máquinas de apuestas en referencia.

Antecedentes legales

Constitución Política

Artículo 19, N° 21. En su párrafo primero, asegura el derecho a desarrollar cualquiera actividad económica que no sea contraria a la moral, al orden público o a la seguridad nacional, respetando las normas legales que la regulen.

Artículo 63, N° 19. Señala que sólo son materias de ley aquellas que la misma norma establece, entre las cuales figuran, como número 19, las que regulen el funcionamiento de loterías, hipódromos y apuestas en general.

Código Civil

Artículo 1466. Dispone que hay objeto ilícito en las deudas contraídas en juego de azar, en la venta de libros cuya circulación es prohibida por autoridad competente, de láminas, pinturas y estatuas obscenas, y de impresos condenados como abusivos de la libertad de la prensa; y generalmente en todo contrato prohibido por las leyes.

Código Penal

Artículo 275. Establece que es lotería toda operación ofrecida al público y destinada a procurar ganancia por medio de la suerte.

Artículo 276. Prescribe que los autores, empresarios, administradores, comisionados o agentes de loterías no autorizadas legalmente, incurrirán en la multa de once a veinte unidades tributarias mensuales y perderán los objetos muebles puestos en lotería.

Agrega que si los objetos puestos en lotería fueren inmuebles, la pena será multa de veintiuna a treinta unidadestributarias mensuales. Manda que en los casos de reincidencia se les aplicará además la reclusión menor en su grado mínimo.

Artículo 277. Dispone que los banqueros, dueños, administradores o agentes de casas de juego de suerte, envite o azar, serán castigados con reclusión menor en cualquiera de sus grados y multa de once a veinte unidades tributarias mensuales.

Artículo 495. Expresa, en su número 14, que será castigado con multa de una unidad tributaria mensual el que en caminos públicos, calles, plazas, ferias u otros sitios semejantes de reunión estableciere rifas u otros juegos de envite o azar.

Ley N° 19.995, sobre Bases Generales para la Autorización, Funcionamiento y Fiscalización de Casinos de Juego

Su artículo 3° define “juegos de azar” como “aquellos juegos cuyos resultados no dependen exclusivamente de la habilidad o destreza de los jugadores, sino esencialmente del acaso o de la suerte, y que se encuentran señalados en el reglamento respectivo y registrados en el catálogo de juegos.”.

El artículo 4° establece que sólo se podrán desarrollar los juegos incorporados oficialmente en el catálogo de juegos y siempre que se sometan a las disposiciones que esta ley y los reglamentos determinen.

El catálogo de juegos, así como sus modificaciones, se aprobarán mediante resolución fundada de la autoridad fiscalizadora y será confeccionado con arreglo a los criterios que especifica.

El artículo 5°, por su parte, dispone que los operadores sólo podrán explotar los juegos de azar que esta ley y sus reglamentos autoricen y siempre que cuenten con la licencia para ello.

Por último, su artículo 6° establece que los operadores sólo podrán utilizar las máquinas e implementos de juegos de azar que se encuentren previamente homologados e inscritos en el registro que al efecto llevará la Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego.

Opinión de Superintendente y operadores de máquinas:

El Superintendente de Casinos de Juego,señor Francisco Leiva. Señaló que, en la medida en que tales máquinas constituyan juegos de azar, su funcionamiento y explotación en dichos lugares estaría infringiendo el ordenamiento jurídico vigente, de conformidad con lo establecido por el Código Penal, el Código Civil y el artículo 63 número 19 de la Constitución Política. De acuerdo con esta normativa, los juegos de azar en Chile constituyen una actividad excepcionalmente lícita, sólo para aquellas situaciones expresamente autorizadas por ley, como son los casos de los juegos de azar administrados por Polla Chilena de Beneficencia y Lotería de Concepción, los hipódromos y los casinos de juego.

AbogadoHéctor Salazar. En particular, destacó que el proyecto en estudio es represivo y afecta la libertad de emprender garantizada por la Carta Fundamental. No persigue, aseguró, defender la salud mental y moral de la población, sino mantener el monopolio del Fisco en este rubro. Es decir, dijo, el tema comprometido es netamente económico y vulnera una actividad comercial perfectamente lícita. En cuanto a la naturaleza de las máquinas que opera la Asociación que representa, resaltó que el principal argumento esgrimido por los entes fiscalizadores se basa en la premisa de que estos juegos son de azar y soslayan el hecho de que no se ha presentado ningún estudio pericial realizado por personal calificado que así lo demuestre.

El texto aprobado por la Comisión es el siguiente:

“Artículo Único.- Introdúcense las siguientes modificaciones en el Código Penal:

1.- Sustitúyese el artículo 276 por el siguiente:

“Artículo 276. Los autores, empresarios, administradores, comisionistas o agentes de loterías no autorizadas legalmente serán castigados con reclusión menor en su grado mínimo y multa de cien a trescientas unidades tributarias mensuales.

En caso de reincidencia, la pena se elevará en un grado.“.

2.- Agrégase el siguiente artículo 276 bis:

“Artículo 276 bis. El que comercialice, distribuya o instale en cualquier lugar, ya sea en espacios públicos o privados que no sean casinos de juegos autorizados en conformidad a las leyes vigentes, equipos de autojuego electrónicos o mecánicos, que entreguen premios en dinero o canjeables por éste, en los cuales el jugador debe efectuar el pago de un precio o prestación avaluable en dinero, destinado a procurar ganancia por medio de la suerte o azar, serán castigados con reclusión menor en su grado medio a máximo y multas de cien a trescientas unidades tributarias mensuales. En el evento que estos equipos de autojuego electrónicos o mecánicos se instalen en casinos de juego, se les aplicará toda la normativa contenida en la ley Nº 19.995.

Los que jugaren en loterías no autorizadas legalmente serán castigados con reclusión menor en su grado mínimo y con una multa de once a veinte unidades tributarias mensuales.”.

3.- Modifícase el actual artículo 277 del Código Penal, sustituyéndose la frase “serán castigados con reclusión menor en cualquiera de sus grados y multa de once a veinte unidades tributarias mensuales”por “serán castigados con reclusión menor en su grado medio a máximo y multa de trescientas a seiscientas unidades tributarias mensuales.”.

4.- Agrégase, en el inciso final del artículo 495 del Código Penal, antes del punto (.) final, precedida de una coma(,) la siguiente frase: “y la multa para la falta señalada en el número 14 será entre cincuenta a cien unidades tributarias mensuales.”.”.

Proyecto de ley sobre juegos de azar ilícitos: Un muy buen trabajo que servirá a los estudiantes, profesionales , a todo el mundo de la profesión legal, saludos “ Rodrigo González Fernández” , consultajuridica.blogspot.com

 

DARE TO NOMINATE YOUR FIRM FOR THIS

"Lawyers and innovation are not words that people automatically put together," is how the FT starts its announcement of the launch of a ranking of the most innovative law firms, and individual lawyers, co-sponsored by the accountancy BDO Stoy Hayward and managed by RSG Consulting, a new firm to me identified as "a legal research company."

Why this?  Why now?  As the FT explains it, the world is changing:

• "Before 2000, no law firm could claim to be genuinely global."   Did you notice that's no longer so?
• Clients are becoming savvier and more demanding about fees and firm selection.
• The Clementi Commission has set the stage for what I believe will be law-firm-land's equivalent of the "Cambrian Explosion."
• "Deliver[ing] the law and deliver[ing] it competently" are merely, as they should be, table stakes; clients are demanding more.
• Top law firms are rethinking aspects of the traditional partnership model and looking at management techniques of large corporations.

And, most simply, the existing array of awards for innovation in business have heretofore simply ignored law firms; the FT plans to fill this gap.

Here are the submission guidelines.  The categories are:

• value for money
• billing
• client service
• management
• use of technology
• legal expertise/strategy
• HR/employee relations
• pro bono/corporate social responsibility (CSR)
• general/open, and
• individual lawyers.

Submissions should be no longer than 1,000 words and are due 5:30 pm Friday, May 5.  Let the games begin.

Posted by Bruce