NPR MORNING EDITION (NPR), APRIL 20, 1998 -Transcript # 98042012-210

TYPE: INTERVIEW SECTION: Business; International LENGTH: 866 words HEADLINE: Kidnap Insurance GUESTS: Richard Johnson

BYLINE: Bob Edwards, Washington, DC

HIGHLIGHT: Host Bob Edwards talks with Richard Johnson, the vice president for the kidnap and ransom insurance division of Seitlin Risk Management. As more and more companies do business in Latin America, business executives are at a greater risk of being kidnapped. Some companies have paid as much as $2 million in ransom.

BODY:
BOB EDWARDS, HOST: Some U.S. companies have discovered that doing business in Latin America can bring an unbudgeted expense: ransom money. Kidnappings are a problem in various Latin American countries and business executives are a prime target. In Colombia, for example, about 85 Americans have been kidnapped since 1980.

Richard Johnson is with Seitlin Risk Management, a Miami-based commercial insurance broker that provides kidnapping insurance. He says the insurance pays for the ransom and all related expenses.

RICHARD JOHNSON, VICE PRESIDENT, KIDNAP, RANSOM AND INSURANCE DIVISION, SEITLIN RISK MANAGEMENT: I had a situation in Cali last February, a man and his daughter were kidnapped in their Mercedes and they had a lojack (ph) on board the car, but it turned out that the police did not have lojack equipment in Cali, so they had to fly it in from Bogota, and that was an expense, and rather sizable, that the insurance picked up.

The insurance also provides what we call crisis response consultants. So, when a kidnapping event occurs, they're immediately dispatched to the scene to aid the victim's family or the business entity in the negotiating process.

EDWARDS: What about smaller companies that would have difficulty paying high insurance premiums -- this discourage them from locating there?

JOHNSON: Well, what really determines the premium cost is the amount of time and the number of people who are gonna be in country. So, if you have smaller companies in the U.S. -- and we do have a number of such companies -- smaller companies who have people that travel throughout Latin America on a regular or periodic basis -- because they're just travelers and they're not resident in the country, the premiums actually can be very attractive, they can be very low, can be in the range of a thousand to three thousand dollars. So, depending upon the wealth of the company, that may be an attractive situation.

EDWARDS: And it's profitable for insurance companies to keep paying out these premiums and the other costs that the policies dictate and still stay in business?

JOHNSON: Well, yes. As a matter of fact, the loss experience that the insurance companies experience on this class of business over time has actually been very attractive. It's deteriorating somewhat these days because kidnapping is on the rise and has been for a number of years and more people are buying it. Some years ago, underwriters estimated that only 5 percent of all kidnappings were insured.

EDWARDS: But doesn't the payoff by the insurance companies ensure that there are going to be kidnappings?

JOHNSON: The answer to that is no, and one of the best examples of that is you can't give this insurance away in Chile. Kidnapping insurance does not cause kidnapping because the professional kidnappers in Colombia -- and that's always a good example, and Brazilian kidnapping are right behind them in terms of expertise -- they're gonna pick companies, they're gonna pick the wealthy local people, they're gonna pick multinational organizations, they're gonna target them, and it's really of no consequence as to whether or not they have insurance or not. They're picking people that they perceive to have the money, and usually they're very accurate about that.

In the more random kidnappings that occur, particularly in the rural areas of Colombia, the ransoms can be much less. Some years ago we got a new client, was a geologist headquartered in the U.S., who'd go around the world on behalf of companies. Two of their geologists were kidnapped in Colombia before they had insurance. And this was a very small company and they were able to negotiate a ransom of only $40,000, which in Colombia is chump change. And the even more interesting part of that was they paid approximately $15,000 down and the victims were released with the promise that the company would pay the balance within 60 days. So, installment payments on kidnapping situations.

And the company indeed did pay the balance of the ransom when it came due; otherwise their alternative would have been to pick up and get out of the country, which was not an economic alternative for them.

EDWARDS: Is there unofficial insurance, what we call "protection?"

JOHNSON: Oh, yes. Oil companies operating in Colombia pay monthly, they pay money to the guerrilla group, the ELN or the FARC. In fact, they even set up hospitals for local villages and schools. The cost of "protection" as we knew it from the old days in Chicago, et cetera, is very real in Colombia.

EDWARDS: Richard Johnson is vice president of the Kidnap, Ransom and Insurance Division of Seitlin Risk Management in Miami.

This is a rush transcript. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

CONTINUED:

Tom,

have you heard about this? This article, besides talking about the nun's release, states that Fiori was released (as opposed to escaping). It also talks about FARC demanding radio broadcasts. Are kidnappings getting political down there?

Ken

Colombian Rebels Free Ailing Former U.S. Nun - 7.01 p.m. ET (2301 GMT) April 24, 1998

LOS ALPES, Colombia - Marxist rebels freed an ailing former U.S. nun Friday, in an act she called "a miracle'' a month after she and three other Americans were taken hostage by guerrillas just outside Bogota.

A team of Reuters journalists was on hand as Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels released Louise Augustine, 63, on the outskirts of this town in rugged mountains east of Bogota, near the site where her kidnap ordeal began on March 23.

The ex-nun, who was badly injured in a fall during her captivity, said she and her fellow captives were never threatened or mistreated by the rebels and stressed that she was "never frightened'' by them.

But she was clearly elated to regain her freedom.

"I prayed for a miracle and this is it,'' she said.

Two army helicopters and an OV-10 combat plane strafed hills just above Los Alpes with heavy machine gun fire shortly before the American woman's release, threatening to abort her handover to delegates from the International Committee of the Red Cross.

And three Reuters journalists came under fire from army troops just outside Los Alpes as they approached the town to cover the release ceremony, which had been announced by the FARC in phone calls to media Thursday.

A senior army official denied any deliberate effort to interfere with Augustine's handover, however.

The FARC, which specializes in kidnappings to fund its war effort, kidnapped Augustine, of Chillicothe, Illinois, along with Peter Shen of New York, Todd Mark of Houston and Thomas Fiori, of New York, at a roadblock set up across a major highway about 35 miles outside of Bogota.

THOMAS HART KEEPS YOUR KEYBOARDS BUSY!

Thomas Hart is the most outrageous asshole I have ever seen! Why do you keep publishing his shit?

Now he thinks he knows about the 12 Steps and Therapy.

Lose this guy!


FROM Bill P., [NO CITY PROVIDED], USA:

Thanks G21 for providing a constant place to stop here on the web for good writing! I love Fliss Ussher's work, Bob Powers, and Adam Smith is a good new addition.

Some of your other writers I don't read as much because they tend toward slang I don't understand and ranting.

Which leads me to ask, why doesn't Thomas Hart have a consistent weekly spot like your other strong writers?

And You Think You Get Spammed!

FROM Steve P. [NO CITY PROVIDED], USA:

Thought you and your readers/audience might get a chuckle out of this.

This is a one time mailing only as part of a publicity campaign. I hope it will be well received and that you will share it with your readers. Thank You.

Press Release!

At last! The new product the world has been waiting for has finally arrived. It's guaranteed to wrench you out of the doldrums, at least for a little while. A new company called Somfinc Different from Glen Burnie, Maryland has introduced the "Sit On My Face" pillow.

Somfinc Different claims, not only is their pillow novel, but their company is the only official and authorized source in the universe where you can get them. In fact, the initial success of the "Sit On My Face" pillow has been so great that the company's president, a native Californian, (should've guessed), recently announced that they have filed to Trademark the phrase "Sit on My Face" to discourage piracy.

Marketed exclusively from its' recently opened worldwide web-site in the internet shopping mall, www.choicemall.com, this unique company reproduces your or your loved ones/significant others face on the front of a giant 24"x24" fluffy pillow, emblazoned with the phrase "Sit On My Face". Not only does the pillow serve as an ice breaker or statement, it's large enough to actually sit on as a floor pillow to augment your furnishings.

Although the company previously experimented with the controversial "Sit On My Elbow" and "Sit On My Foot" versions unsuccessfully, the new and improved "Sit On My Face" model has company executives scrambling to fill the orders. As one observer put it, "They're up to their ass in 'Sit On My Face' pillows." "It wouldn't be so hard to keep up with all the orders if customers were just sending in a picture of themselves or their honey," said one company spokesman. "However, a lot of people are sending in photos for Bill Clinton, Monica Lewinsky or celebrity 'Sit On My Face' pillows as well." The customer has to provide the photo, drawing, rendition or transparency/slide, which is returned unharmed.

How can you get one or more of these timeless conversation pieces? The best way is through their web-site in the mall, www.choicemall.com, where you can not only see the product, but download their order form as well. If you have your selected photo in your computer memory or have a scanner, you can order by E-mail. They also receive orders by phone, mail or fax, but you still have to get a good photo to them.

So, what can possibly follow such a class act as the "Sit On My Face" pillow? The scuttlebutt in the home office is the "Sleep With Me Honey" sheets, (also trademarked), with your and your honey's face on matching pillow cases. You can contact Somfinc Different at their web-site, write to them at 7838 Woodside Terrace, Suite 104, Glen Burnie, Md. 21061 or fax them at (410) 969-8403.


FROM Grupo Catho, [NO CITY PROVIDED], BRAZIL:

Prezado(a) Internauta:

Na procura pelo emprego, nao basta ter um curriculo impecavel. A aparencia do executivo influencia muito no sucesso do candidato. Uma recente sondagem com 1356 executivos feita pelo Grupo Catho mostra que existe um estereotipo do candidato preferido, e este estereotipo esta¥ ficando mais radicalizado no periodo pos-Plano Real.

Os 1356 executivos indicaram que o candidato masculino preferido, em 86% dos casos, se apresentava em terno azul-marinho ou cinza. Segue uma tabela das porcentagens que indicam as preferencias para as diferentes cores de ternos. O azul-marinho e¥ destacadamente o favorito, com 67% da preferencia.

As Cores Preferidas pelos Entrevistadores

____________________________________________________ | | % Preferencia | | | | | Cor do Terno |------------|------------| | | Pos-Plano | Pre-Plano | | | Real-1997 | Real-1994 | |--------------------------|------------|------------| |Azul - Marinho | 67,12 | 50,67 | |--------------------------|------------|------------| |Cinza | 18,57 | 32,91 | |--------------------------|------------|------------| |Preto | 9,71 | 5,62 | |--------------------------|------------|------------| |Marrom | 1,19 | 3,45 | |--------------------------|------------|------------| |Bege | 2,47 | 5,40 | |--------------------------|------------|------------| |Verde | 0,09 | 0,95 | |--------------------------|------------|------------| |Branco | 0,85 | 0,97 | |__________________________|____________|____________| Fonte: Grupo Catho

Para o candidato masculino, em 90% dos casos, os candidatos sem barba e bigode tem preferencia sobre os que usam bigode ou barba. Em 99,7% os candidatos com cabelos curtos sao os preferidos, em detrimento aos de cabelos compridos. Nos somos constantemente surpreendidos com a quantidade de executivos que insistem em usar barba e cabelos compridos na procura pelo emprego, tendo inclusive varios casos de candidatos que nao conseguiram colocacao ate tirarem a barba.

Existe, tambem, um estereotipo para a candidata do sexo feminino. O tailleur (blazer e saia do mesmo tecido) e¥ o campeao nas preferencias. Em 2∫ lugar neste "ranking" vem o blazer, blusa e saia de tecidos diferentes. Segue uma tabela que mostra a diferenca de opiniao entre o executivo masculino e o feminino.

Uniforme da Candidata

_______________________________________________________________ | | % que indica a preferencia | | A Roupa mais | | | apropriada |----------------|----------------| | | Respondente do | Respondente do | | | Sexo Masculino | Sexo Feminino | |-----------------------------|----------------|----------------| |Tailleur (blazer e saia do | 62,99 | 66,67 | |mesmo tecido) | | | |-----------------------------|----------------|----------------| |Blazer, blusa e saia de | 10,79 | 9,89 | |tecidos diferentes | | | |-----------------------------|----------------|----------------| |Saia e Blusa | 6,22 | 4,96 | |-----------------------------|----------------|----------------| |Vestido | 13,96 | 6,38 | |-----------------------------|----------------|----------------| |CalÁa comprida/blazer | 5,45 | 9,89 | |-----------------------------|----------------|----------------| |CalÁa comprida/blusa | 1,15 | 0,35 | |_____________________________|________________|________________|

Fonte: Grupo Catho

Note que os homens colocam em penultimo lugar a apresentacao da mulher em calca comprida e blazer, enquanto as mulheres acham que esta apresentacao e' bem adequada. Existe um ditado em ingles muito comum e que cabe perfeitamente neste caso: "Who wears the pants?", ou "Quem veste as calcas?", para definir aquele que manda. O machismo ainda influencia e e¥ recomendavel que a candidata executiva nao se apresente com calcas, evitando perder pontos com os entrevistadores, em sua grande parte, homens.

A pesquisa tambem revelou que em 90% dos casos a mulher com cabelos curtos e maquiagem leve e' a candidata com mais chance de sair vitoriosa, como evidenciam as tabelas abaixo.

Comprimento dos Cabelos - Candidato do Sexo Feminino

_________________________________________________________ | Preferencia | Respondente do | Respondente do | | | Sexo Masculino | Sexo Feminino | |---------------------|------------------|----------------| | Cabelos Curtos | 90,06% | 87,03% | |---------------------|------------------|----------------| | Cabelos Longos | 9,94% | 12,97% | |_____________________|__________________|________________|

Fonte: Grupo Catho

Estilo de Maquiagem Mais Adequada

_______________________________________________________________ | | % que indica | | A mais | a preferencia | | apropriada |----------------|----------------| | | Respondente do | Respondente do | | | Sexo Masculino | Sexo Feminino | |-----------------------------|----------------|----------------| |Maquiagem leve | 88,57 | 94,90 | |-----------------------------|----------------|----------------| |Sem maquiagem | 10,41 | 4,81 | |-----------------------------|----------------|----------------| |Com muita maquiagem | 1,03 | 0,32 | |_____________________________|________________|________________|

Fonte: Grupo Catho

Para sua proxima entrevista de emprego, lembre-se do velho proverbio "a primeira impressao e¥ a que fica" e que raramente surgira' uma segunda oportunidade para desfazer uma ma' primeira impressao. Entao, prepare-se para agradar aos entrevistadores!

Esperamos que estas informacoes tenham sido uteis e interessantes. Caso V.Sa. nao queira receber mais informacoes de nossas pesquisas, favor solicitar a retirada de seu e-mail para catho@catho.com.br.

Atenciosamente,

Thomas A. Case, Ph.D.
Fundador do Grupo Catho
mailto:thomasca@catho.com.br
http://www.catho.com.br

Sao Paulo Sao Paulo Case Consultores Catho Recolocacao de Executivos Divisao de Recrutamento e Selecao mailto:catho@catho.com.br mailto:casecons@catho.com.br Tel.: (011) 251-2799 Tel.: (011) 284-7033

Grupo Catho - Sao Bernardo do Campo Grupo Catho - Campinas mailto:cathoabc@planetabc.com.br mailto:catho-ca@cas.nutecnet.com.br Tel.: (011) 414-3022 Tel.: (019) 232-6866

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