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warc | 201704 | State secondary schools are increasingly raising funds themselves from fees and private sources, an analysis of My School website data has shown.
Fairfax Media extracted data on more than 2000 Victorian primary and secondary schools from the My School website when the site was updated last week.
Fees and income from other private sources at the secondary schools analysed made up 10.7 per cent of those schools' total revenue in 2012, increasing from 8.7 per cent at the same schools in 2009. Contributions and private income at primary schools remained almost unchanged over this period.
However, the state government remains the overwhelming source of state school funds.
An Education Department spokesman said the inclusion of full-fee paying international students contributed to the increase at some schools.
But principals said they were also asking parents to contribute for equipment such as computers.
Koonung Secondary College in Mont Albert North is one of 25 state secondary schools where fees, charges, parent and other private contributions rose by more than 75 per cent compared with 2011. Principal Peter Wright said the spike was driven by the cost of notebook computers and optional school trips.
But he said the school ensured all students had a notebook even if their parents were unable to buy one. ''That's a very important part of our policy,'' he said.
Money raised by hiring out rooms to a language school and sports facilities was used to subsidise educational programs and additional teachers, Mr Wright said.
The school also has international students.
Fees and charges at Koonung increased from $946 a student in 2009 to $1848 a student in 2012, My School data shows, including $800 for notebooks if purchased through the school upfront. Combined state and federal funding increased by $272 a student at the school over the same period.
Australian Council of State School Organisations president Peter Garrigan said schools faced pressure to raise money for computers, expensive materials for vocational courses and some costs associated with overseas trips.
State schools may look to the fund-raising strategies of their independent counterparts, he said.
''Government schools still have to master the art of the old-boy network.''
Brighton Secondary College earned about $1 million from overseas students in 2012, but college principal Julie Podbury said schools also faced steep costs in caring for them.
Monash University education lecturer Scott Bulfin said many schools felt they had to offer modern digital equipment to compete with other schools. ''You can understand the pressure … in a highly competitive market,'' he said.
Monash and Melbourne university students collected data for this story. | 2,759 | 1,327 | 5,688.48832 |
warc | 201704 | Two posts that complement each other well caught my attention. I hope you’ll read both of them completely, they aren’t too long.
First there is What is sexism? by Lea Verou. Lea explains the idea in simple terms.
Both prejudice and gender-based discrimination are sexism. Prescriptive gender stereotypes are sexist (e.g. women have to be nurturing, men have to be tough) as they oppress the part of the population that doesn’t conform to them. Statistics aren’t sexist (e.g. “Many women are nurturing” isn’t a sexist statement, “Women are nurturing” or even worse “women should be nurturing” both are).
The second post, from Anil Dash, is If Your Website’s Full of Assholes, It’s Your Fault. Anil discusses a set of principles that will keep your website from turning into a morass of bad behavior. He introduces the principles with,
As it turns out, we have a way to prevent gangs of humans from acting like savage packs of animals. In fact, we’ve developed entire disciplines based around this goal over thousands of years. We just ignore most of the lessons that have been learned when we create our communities online. But, by simply learning from disciplines like urban planning, zoning regulations, crowd control, effective and humane policing, and the simple practices it takes to stage an effective public event, we can come up with a set of principles to prevent the overwhelming majority of the worst behaviors on the Internet.
Logical, clear-thinking words from two different sources that can help Internet communities that suffer from a plethora of assholes change to more productive and useful environments. | 1,697 | 897 | 3,064.816054 |
warc | 201704 | Sharpshooters becoming targets is unusual, but through an ambitious new research program that is what's happening to the glassy-wing sharpshooter, an insect pest costing California vineyards more than $14 million annually. The sharpshooter carries the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which causes incurable Pierce's disease of grapevines.
Taking a team approach to finding insecticides that can safely and effectively zap the sharpshooter, Agricultural Research Service scientists David H. Akey and Thomas J. Henneberry of the Western Cotton Research Laboratory in Phoenix, Ariz., allied with entomology professor Nick C. Toscano of the University of California, Riverside. They scrutinized the most promising compounds, with pyrethroids and neonicotinoids being the best performers.
In Argentina, scientists at the ARS South American Biological Control Laboratory at Hurlingham are investigating beneficial wasps that are powerful natural enemies of the sharpshooter. These wasps are egg parasitoids, meaning they lay their eggs inside the sharpshooter eggs. The wasp young then feast on the sharpshooter young.
ARS helps fund study
Helping to fund the Hurlingham studies is the ARS Beneficial Insects Research Unit in Weslaco, Texas. In addition, Weslaco researchers are seeking potential biological combat agents from other regions, particularly another egg parasitoid found in south Texas and northeastern Mexico. This parasitoid may be partially responsible for the lack of glassy-winged sharpshooters in those regions, according to Walker A. Jones, leader of the Weslaco unit.
White clay coating
Another technique for fending off the sharpshooters is coating the grapevines with white clay, which makes the vines inhospitable to the pests. ARS entomologist Gary J. Puterka co-developed the white clay coating, now sold by Engelhard Corp. under the trade name, “Surround.” Puterka works at the ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville, W.Va. At test vineyards in Kern County, Calif., Puterka and colleagues found the white clay coating outperformed insecticides, as growers needed only three clay coatings in contrast to six insecticide sprayings. | 2,183 | 1,130 | 4,182.473451 |
warc | 201704 | “The administration which has brought us to this state is seeking your endorsement for four more years of weakness, indecision, mediocrity and incompetence.” Ronald Reagan
Due to travel overseas, I missed both the Republican and Democratic conventions. I’m not sure what happened, but it seems Romney is floundering. It also appears that everyone is giving him advice. Not to be left out, here’s my advice. Forget about the focus groups and talk to America as adults. Take a tip from Ronald Reagan in 1980 and tell American what it needs to hear.
Here is his highly abridged acceptance speech:
Never before in our history have Americans been called upon to face three grave threats to our very existence, any one of which could destroy us. We face a disintegrating economy, a weakened defense and an energy policy based on the sharing of scarcity.
The major issue of this campaign is the direct political, personal and moral responsibility of Democratic Party leadership for this unprecedented calamity which has befallen us. They tell us they have done the most that humanly could be done. They say that the United States has had its day in the sun; that our nation has passed its zenith. They expect you to tell your children that the American people no longer have the will to cope with their problems; that the future will be one of sacrifice and few opportunities.
My fellow citizens, I utterly reject that view. The American people, the most generous on earth, who created the highest standard of living, are not going to accept the notion that we can only make a better world for others by moving backwards ourselves. Those who believe we can have no business leading the nation.
“Trust me” government asks that we concentrate our hopes and dreams on one man; that we trust him to do what’s best for us. My view of government places trust in the people.
The first Republican president once said, “While the people retain their virtue and their vigilance, no administration by any extreme of wickedness or folly can seriously injure the government in the short space of four years.”
If Mr. Lincoln could see what’s happened in these last three-and-a-half years, he might hedge a little on that statement.
Ours are not problems of abstract economic theory. Those are problems of flesh and blood; problems that cause pain and destroy the moral fiber of real people.
Our problems are both acute and chronic, yet all we hear from those in positions of leadership are the same tired proposals for more government tinkering, more meddling and more control — all of which led us to this state in the first place.
Can anyone look at the record of this administration and say, “Well done?” Can anyone compare the state of our economy when the Carter Administration took office with where we are today and say, “Keep up the good work?” Can anyone look at our reduced standing in the world today and say, “Let’s have four more years of this?”
I believe the American people are going to answer these questions the first week of November and their answer will be, “No–we’ve had enough.”
I believe it is clear our federal government is overgrown and overweight. Indeed, it is time for our government to go on a diet. Therefore, my first act as chief executive will be to impose an immediate and thorough freeze on federal hiring.
We are going to put an end to the notion that the American taxpayer exists to fund the federal government. The federal government exists to serve the American people. On January 20th, we are going to re-establish that truth.
There are concepts that stem from an economic system that for more than 200 years has helped us master a continent, create a previously undreamed of prosperity for our people and has fed millions of others around the globe. That system will continue to serve us in the future if our government will stop ignoring the basic values on which it was built and stop betraying the trust and good will of the American workers who keep it going.
This must stop. We must halt this fiscal self-destruction and restore sanity to our economic system.
Thanks to the economic policies of the Democratic Party, millions of Americans find themselves out of work.
It is time to put America back to work; to make our cities and towns resound with the confident voices of men and women of all races, nationalities and faiths bringing home to their families a decent paycheck they can cash for honest money.
The administration which has brought us to this state is seeking your endorsement for four more years of weakness, indecision, mediocrity and incompetence.
Tonight, let us dedicate ourselves to renewing the American compact. I ask you not simply to “Trust me,” but to trust your values–our values–and to hold me responsible for living up to them. I ask you to trust that American spirit which knows no ethnic, religious, social, political, regional, or economic boundaries; the spirit that burned with zeal in the hearts of millions of immigrants from every corner of the Earth who came here in search of freedom.
Can we doubt that only a Divine Providence placed this land, this island of freedom, here as a refuge for all those people in the world who yearn to breathe freely?
I’ll confess that I’ve been a little afraid to suggest what I’m going to suggest — I’m more afraid not to — that we begin our crusade joined together in a moment of silent prayer. God bless America.
James D. Best is the author of the Steve Dancy Tales and Tempest at Dawn, a novel about the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Look for his new book, Principled Action, Lessons from the Origins of the American Republic. | 5,814 | 2,702 | 12,112.141377 |
warc | 201704 | Vaccine Titer Tests: What They Can and Can’t Do
Posted at 01:44PM - Comments: (26)
One of the tests I asked for at Otto’s annual wellness exam last week was a vaccine titer test. These blood tests are able to detect antibodies that the dog has produced in response to a vaccination. Such positive results can confirm that the dog responded in the desired manner to the vaccination and is now protected against the diseases he was vaccinated for.
However, many of us owners who ask (and pay) for titer tests year after year are not doing this to assure themselves that their dogs are protected against disease. In my case (and that of many of my friends), we are paying $50 to $100 a year for the test to prove to our
veterinarians that our dogs are adequately protected against disease – to ward off the overzealous promotion of what we know to be unneeded (and thus excessive) vaccinations. Because once we have the first positive titer test results, it’s almost certain that he is protected for life from the diseases he was vaccinated for. The only exceptions to this are rare.
I adopted Otto from a shelter in June 2008. He was picked up as a stray two months prior, and was estimated to be about 7-8 months old. During his two-month stay in the shelter, he had received four combination vaccinations (for distemper, adenovirus Type-2, coronavirus, parainfluenza, and parvovirus); another vaccination for adenovirus type 2 (combined with parainfluenza and bordetella); and a rabies vaccine. The only vaccines he’s received since then are rabies vaccines: a 3-year vaccine given in April 2009, and another one given in late March 2012.
I brought Otto to a local veterinarian in spring of 2010 for a heartworm test and wellness exam. The vet was adamant that Otto also needed “booster” vaccines. The vet had been recommended to me as the best one in my town, so this was a bit discouraging. (So-called “boosters” do not, in fact, “boost” immunity. If the dog has wither circulating antibodies against disease OR immune “memory cells” -- cell-mediated immunity that has developed following a vaccine against or infection from the disease -- he’s got as much immunity as he CAN have against those diseases.) I asked the veterinarian if he would be content with the results of a vaccine titer test; if the test showed that Otto still had circulating antibodies to the vaccines he had received at the shelter, would he be satisfied that Otto did not need further vaccines? He said he would. So I paid for a titer test, which came back, as I expected, with a nice healthy positive result.
In spring 2011, however, I received a postcard from that veterinarian’s office suggesting that Otto was not just “due” but “OVERDUE” for a laundry list of vaccines. So this was going to be an annual argument, it looked like. I strongly believe in annual wellness examinations and blood tests, but I don’t think my healthy dog need to be vaccinated with anything but the state-required rabies vaccine again. I decided to seek out a new veterinarian – someone younger and, I hoped, more comfortable with the idea that Otto’s previous vaccinations and apparent good health meant he wouldn’t need further vaccinations for years, if ever!
I found a highly recommended veterinarian the next town over, a college town with a lot of progressive, younger doctors. He agreed that Otto was
probably protected by his previous vaccines – but wanted to repeat the titer test to “prove” this. I figured if it helped him feel more comfortable NOT recommending further vaccines, it would be a small price to pay to have access to this larger, better equipped, more modern clinic. We ran another titer test; nice and positive. Otto and later Tito saw the same vet later in the year for unrelated issues, and I was mostly pleased with those experiences.
In spring 2012, when I made an appointment at this clinic for Otto’s annual wellness visit and a heartworm test, despite requesting the vet who saw Otto the previous year, I was given an appointment with one of the (older) practice owners. And she wanted to talk to me about vaccines. She felt strongly that a positive result to a titer test was
not enough to prove that Otto was protected against disease. She told me that dogs whose titer tests reveal circulating antibodies may lack cell-mediated immunity (adequate T-cells) and be unable to defend themselves against illness. I have heard that, I responded, “but isn’t that rare?” She agreed that it was. “And can’t dogs with past positive titer tests be protected by cell-mediated immunity even if their later titer tests don’t show any circulating antibodies?” I asked. She agreed that this can be true – that previously vaccinated dogs may lack circulating antibodies, but retain immune memory cells that will “remember” experiencing a disease antigen, and mount a vigorous immune response if challenged with disease. But she wanted to stress that there are rare cases where dogs with nice high levels of circulating antibodies but a dysfunctional cell-mediated immune response failed to respond properly to a disease challenge. So her takeaway point was this: You should vaccinate your dog again, regardless of titer test results.
Back to the drawing board -- looking for a new vet.
I recently found a young doctor at a clinic in my town.
Before I made an appointment for Otto’s annual wellness exam and heartworm test, I asked the practice receptionist if I could have some time to talk to the vet and find out whether he was comfortable with the idea that Otto was not in need of any vaccinations. Later, talking to the vet on the phone, he said he would be willing to accept this – but would feel most comfortable with a current titer test showing a positive antibody result. Well, beggars can’t be choosers. I agreed, and the test came back positive. So far, so good.
It might seem crazy, paying as much as $100 for an unnecessary test annually in an attempt to prove that my dog doesn’t need a $20 vaccination. But I need a local vet who will work with me, happily, without feeling that “overdue vaccines” are putting my dog at risk. I spent 14 years with another dog whose severe allergies may well have been caused and worsened by the completely unnecessary annual vaccines I didn’t know enough to refuse in his first five or six years. I’m not going to risk putting another dog through years of suffering like that to save a few bucks. If the titer test is the price of a good local vet’s cooperation, I’m willing to pay it.
For a very thorough article on canine vaccinations and titer tests, see "Beware of Over-Vaccinating Your Dog". | 6,877 | 3,001 | 15,174.773076 |
warc | 201704 | Sun Causes Climate Change Shock Details Hauptkategorie: News Kategorie: Allgemein Erstellt am Samstag, 19. November 2011 18:21 Zuletzt aktualisiert am Montag, 22. Juli 2013 12:33 Veröffentlicht am Samstag, 19. November 2011 18:21 Geschrieben von Jutta Reichardt Zugriffe: 4885
If Michael Crichton had lived to write a follow-up to State of Fear, the plotline might well have gone like this: at a top secret, state of the art laboratory in Switzerland, scientists finally discover the true cause of "global warming". It's the sun, stupid. More specifically – as the Danish physicist Henrik Svensmark has long postulated – it's the result of cosmic rays which act as a seed for cloud formation. The scientists working on the project are naturally euphoric: this is a major breakthrough which will not only overturn decades of misguided conjecture on so-called Man Made Global Warming but will spare the global economy trillions of dollars which might otherwise have been squandered on utterly pointless efforts to reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions. However, these scientists have failed to realise just how many people – alarmist scientists, huckster politicians, rent-seeking landowners like (the late Michael Crichton's brilliant and, of course, entirely fictional creation) the absurd, pompous Sir Reginald Leeds Bt, green activists, eco-fund managers, EU technocrats, MSM environmental correspondents – stand to gain from the Man Made "Climate Change" industry. Their discovery must be suppressed at all costs. So, one by one, the scientists on the cosmic ray project find themselves being bumped off, until only one man remains and must race against time to prove, etc, etc…
Except of course in the real world the second part wouldn't happen. No one would need to go to the trouble of bumping off those pesky scientists with their awkward, annoying facts and their proper actual research. That's because the MSM and the scientific "community" would find it perfectly easy to suppress the story anyway, without recourse to severed brake cables or ricin-impregnated hand-washes or staged "suicides".
The science is now all-but-settled on global warming, convincing new evidence demonstrates, but Al Gore, the IPCC and other global warming doomsayers won’t be celebrating. The new findings point to cosmic rays and the sun — not human activities — as the dominant controller of climate on Earth.
The research, published with little fanfare this week in the prestigious journal Nature, comes from über-prestigious CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, one of the world’s largest centres for scientific research involving 60 countries and 8,000 scientists at more than 600 universities and national laboratories. CERN is the organization that invented the World Wide Web, that built the multi-billion dollar Large Hadron Collider, and that has now built a pristinely clean stainless steel chamber that precisely recreated the Earth’s atmosphere.
In this chamber, 63 CERN scientists from 17 European and American institutes have done what global warming doomsayers said could never be done — demonstrate that cosmic rays promote the formation of molecules that in Earth’s atmosphere can grow and seed clouds, the cloudier and thus cooler it will be. Because the sun’s magnetic field controls how many cosmic rays reach Earth’s atmosphere (the stronger the sun’s magnetic field, the more it shields Earth from incoming cosmic rays from space), the sun determines the temperature on Earth.
So if it's so great, why aren't we hearing more about it? Well, possibly because the Director General of CERN Rolf-Dieter Heuer would prefer it that way. Here's how he poured cold water on the results in an interview with Die Welt Online:
I have asked the colleagues to present the results clearly, but not to interpret them. That would go immediately into the highly political arena of the climate change debate. One has to make clear that cosmic radiation is only one of many parameters.
Nigel Calder, who has been following the CLOUD experiment for some time, was the first to smell a rat. He notes:
CERN has joined a long line of lesser institutions obliged to remain politically correct about the man-made global warming hypothesis. It’s OK to enter “the highly political arena of the climate change debate” provided your results endorse man-made warming, but not if they support Svensmark’s heresy that the Sun alters the climate by influencing the cosmic ray influx and cloud formation.
and
The once illustrious CERN laboratory ceases to be a truly scientific institute when its Director General forbids its physicists and visiting experimenters to draw the obvious scientific conclusions from their results
Lubos Motl, too, detects some double standards here:
One could perhaps understand if all scientists were similarly gagged and prevented from interpreting the results of their research in ways that could be relevant for policymaking. However, the main problem is that many people who are trying to work on very different phenomena in the climate are
notprevented from interpreting – and indeed, overinterpreting and misinterpreting – their results that are often less serious, less reliable, and less rigorous, perhaps by orders of magnitude, than the observations by the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
Moreover, this sentence by Heuer
One has to make clear that cosmic radiation is only one of many parameters.is really a proof of his prejudice. Whether the cosmic radiation is just one player or the only relevant player or an important player or an unimportant player is something that this very research has been supposed to determine or help to determine. An official doesn't have the moral right to predetermine in advance what "one has to make clear" about these a priori unknown scientific results.
But then, as Lawrence Solomon reminds us, this was never an experiment the scientific establishment wanted to happen in the first place.
The hypothesis that cosmic rays and the sun hold the key to the global warming debate has been Enemy No. 1 to the global warming establishment ever since it was first proposed by two scientists from the Danish Space Research Institute, at a 1996 scientific conference in the U.K. Within one day, the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Bert Bolin, denounced the theory, saying, “I find the move from this pair scientifically extremely naive and irresponsible.” He then set about discrediting the theory, any journalist that gave the theory cre dence, and most of all the Danes presenting the theory — they soon found themselves vilified, marginalized and starved of funding, despite their impeccable scientific credentials.
The mobilization to rally the press against the Danes worked brilliantly, with one notable exception. Nigel Calder, a former editor of The New Scientist who attended that 1996 conference, would not be cowed. Himself a physicist, Mr. Calder became convinced of the merits of the argument and a year later, following a lecture he gave at a CERN conference, so too did Jasper Kirkby, a CERN scientist in attendance. Mr. Kirkby then convinced the CERN bureaucracy of the theory’s importance and developed a plan to create a cloud chamber — he called it CLOUD, for “Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets.”
But Mr. Kirkby made the same tactical error that the Danes had — not realizing how politicized the global warming issue was, he candidly shared his views with the scientific community.
“The theory will probably be able to account for somewhere between a half and the whole of the increase in the Earth’s temperature that we have seen in the last century,” Mr. Kirkby told the scientific press in 1998, explaining that global warming may be part of a natural cycle in the Earth’s temperature.
The global warming establishment sprang into action, pressured the Western governments that control CERN, and almost immediately succeeded in suspending CLOUD. It took Mr. Kirkby almost a decade of negotiation with his superiors, and who knows how many compromises and unspoken commitments, to convince the CERN bureaucracy to allow the project to proceed. And years more to create the cloud chamber and convincingly validate the Danes’ groundbreaking theory.
Still, as you'd expect, the BBC remains dutifully on-message. Read this report by its science correspondent Pallab Ghosh and you'll be left in little doubt that a) the latest results are dull beyond measure and b) that if they do mean anything at all, it's that global warming is still very much man-made. Here's their tame expert, Reading University's Dr Mike Lockwood, on hand to provide them the perfect pull-quote:
Does this mean that cosmic rays can produce cloud? – No”
PS Welcome to all you American readers brought here by Drudge. Please come again. And if you want to read more about how the environmental movement got so powerful, how the junk scientists got away with it for so long, and why so many people fell for the biggest most expensive scam in history, you might enjoy my new book on the subject – Watermelons: the Green Movement's True Colors. (Also available on Kindle) | 9,389 | 4,391 | 19,579.838989 |
warc | 201704 | Learn something new every day
More Info... by email
Making your own bath salts is easy. You only need three ingredients: salt, essential oil and baking soda. The only other item you need to make bath salts is a glass jar or other glass container to store the salts in. Whether you make bath salts for yourself or for others for gifts, it can be quick and fun.
Epsom salt is the most popular type of salt used to make bath salts. You can buy it at most drugstores. Epsom salt tends to give a soft, refreshing feeling to the bath water. Sea salt can also be used. Don't use sodium chloride or regular salts such as kosher and rock to make bath salts.
Essential oils can be purchased in craft supply stores. An essential oil is an extract of a flower or plant and there are many different types to choose from. Vanilla and lavender are two popular essential oils used to make bath salts as they are considered to be relaxing and soothing types of scents. Baking soda is added to bath salts to help intensify the aroma of the essential oil.
To make your bath salts, take 2 cups of salt and blend in 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda. Next, add about 15 drops of essential oil and mix well. Be careful not to add too much of essential oil or you may get unpleasant smelling bath salts as a result. Place the bath salts into a glass jar. You may want to add a bit of ribbon or lace trim to the jar.
Homemade bath salts make excellent gifts for those on your gift list who love relaxing baths. You could present a pretty jar of your bath salts along with a pair of comfy slippers and a plush wash cloth in a basket. Stick to one scent if you decide to add other scented products to the gift basket. For example, if your gift is vanilla bath salt, you could include lip gloss and cologne that are vanilla-scented.
anon28797
Post 1
How much does this make?
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warc | 201704 | Learn something new every day
More Info... by email
Psychosis is a condition where people lose touch with reality, often having impossible ideas, or delusions, and experiencing hallucinations, where things are perceived which do not actually exist. The condition frequently occurs in people who have Alzheimer's disease, especially in the later stages of the illness. Alzheimer's is a disease where memory is impaired and thinking becomes difficult, which can affect recognition, speech, planning and movement. As the disease progresses, psychosis may develop in up to 50 percent of individuals, sometimes together with agitation and aggression. It is thought that, when Alzheimer's and psychosis occur together, this may represent a specific type of Alzheimer's disease, which could be linked to certain genes.
Different types of psychosis are associated with different diseases. In the case of psychosis and schizophrenia, what are called auditory hallucinations are more common, where a person hears things, typically voices, which are not really there. With Alzheimer's and psychosis, people more often experience visual hallucinations, seeing things which do not exist. Sometimes the hallucinations are pleasant, especially early on in the disease, often consisting of sightings of children or pets. As Alzheimer's progresses, the nature of the psychosis symptoms can change to become more upsetting.
While in schizophrenia the delusions experienced are often bizarre, with Alzheimer's and psychosis, any delusions commonly relate to everyday matters, such as one's home. Relatively often, delusions arise where people are convinced that they do not really live in their own house, but have another home elsewhere. It is also fairly common for a spouse to be misidentified and thought to be someone else. In a form of paranoid psychosis, a person with Alzheimer's may experience the delusion that people are sneaking into the home and stealing items.
Treatment in a person suffering from Alzheimer's and psychosis aims to reduce psychotic symptoms, while lowering the risk of unwanted side effects that would affect the person's quality of life. Possible complications of drug treatment can include drowsiness, abnormal movements, heart problems and changes in blood pressure, possibly leading to falls. Some authorities believe it is better to reserve medication for extreme cases and emergencies, and to use other methods of managing psychosis instead. Alternative approaches involve educating caregivers and modifying the routine and environment of the person with Alzheimer's. Strategies which have been shown to work include having a regular routine, in surroundings that are not too stimulating or too boring, avoiding setting up situations which are known to trigger psychotic symptoms, and learning how to prevent psychotic behaviors from escalating when they arise.
fify
Post 3
@ZipLine-- Yes, my dad. We are in the same situation as you.
How long do the psychotic episodes usually last for your dad? My dad's lasts for half an hour to an hour. When it happens, we call the social services worker and his doctor. He's actually been doing really well lately because his doctor put him on an anti-psychotic drug.
Psychosis is very common among Alzheimer's patients and unfortunately they can become violent. If at any point you fear for your safety, don't hesitate to call the police. I know it's sad, but during psychosis, our loved ones are not aware of what they're doing.
ZipLine
Post 2
Does anyone here have a loved one who becomes aggressive during psychotic episodes? What do you do when it happens?
My dad has Alzheimer's (stage 5) and recently started experiencing psychosis. He becomes violent.
discographer
Post 1
I had a distant relative who had an advanced form of Alzheimer's and psychosis. During the worst stage, she was convinced that she was married with six kids and had a home. She would even give an address for it. In reality, she had never been married and she didn't have any kids.
She was staying in a home and the doctors treated her psychosis with medications. She was better on some days and worse on others. I went to see her a couple of times when she was in the worst stage and she passed away soon after.
I wish there was an effective Alzheimer's treatment. So many people are suffering so much because of it.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK! | 4,612 | 2,140 | 9,892.093458 |
warc | 201704 | Editor’s note: Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin is an online, subscription intelligence news service from the creator of WorldNetDaily.com – a journalist who has been developing sources around the world for almost 30 years. The subscription price for the premium newsletter has been slashed in half and is now available for only $9.95 per month.
WASHINGTON — In the 1988 Hollywood hit “Die Hard,” starring Bruce Willis, a group of “terrorists” take over a Japanese banking institution in Los Angeles, hold hostages and make demands for release of “political prisoners.”
But it turns out the terrorists aren’t really terrorists. They are bank robbers trying to make off with the fortune in the bank’s vaults.
Could it be Osama bin Laden has seen “Die Hard”?
That is a question Scotland Yard and other law enforcement agencies are actually asking themselves following the July 7 London transit system attacks that killed 54 and injured scores more as they continue to scour the planet for evidence and additional conspirators.
Why? Because it appears some profited by short selling the British pound in the 10 days leading up to the attacks.
The pound fell about 6 percent (approximately 1.82 to 1.72) against the dollar for no apparent reason – until, of course, the terror attacks sent the British markets reeling still further.
“This was an almost unprecedented weakness and far too sharp to be a coincidence,” one economist with more than 35 years of experience in the investment industry, told Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin, the premium, online intelligence newsletter published by the founder of WND. “That is, after all, an annualized rate of loss of well over 100 percent.”
The fall did not go unnoticed by investigators, who are wondering whether the terrorist masterminds behind the attacks decided to make some money on their action or whether other investors with inside information about possible attacks took advantage of that knowledge.
“Currencies of establish countries simply do not fall that fast based upon any kind of economic or financial analysis,” said the economist. “Somebody – somewhere – knew something. Or maybe I should say ‘somebodies.'”
Could it be the terrorists have learned to make their attacks self-funding operations?
Could it be the terrorists are actually motivated by factors other than Islamic fanaticism?
These are some of the questions law enforcement agencies are asking – but they’re not really expecting to get answers.
The problem is that short selling of this kind can be done with near total anonymity.
“Trade currency futures through a Swiss or Austrian bank via an offshore company incorporated in Crete and you have a totally untraceable transaction,” the economist noted. “No one will ever know who made the really big money off this situation, but I guarantee you this – someone did.”
It’s not the first time suspicion about terrorists – or someone – profiting from short-selling prior to an attack.
Following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the U.S., David Ruder, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission from 1987 to 1989, raised the question of whether terrorists may have gotten away with profiting from their attacks by short-selling shares in the U.S. markets.
Then U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill confirmed the government was investigating possible short selling, but was not optimistic those responsible would ever be found.
Short selling allows investors to bet that stocks will fall by borrowing and selling shares in the hope of buying back at a lower price.
After Sept. 11, Chicago Board Options Exchange data showed 1,575 put options purchased in United Airlines’ parent company five days before the attacks. On an average day, only 390 such put options are purchased. Investors bought 2,258 put options in American Airlines parent company, compared with 220 on a typical day. Insurance and other stocks also experienced and upswing in short sales.
Investigators never revealed how much money was bet, but short sellers could have made 30 times what they invested, given the huge plunge in the stock prices of those companies.
Government investigators from around the world never learned the identity of the short sellers in 2001. And, despite vigorous efforts being made to find out who was behind the short selling of the British pound in early July, hopes are slim the culprits will be found.
Previous stories: | 4,603 | 2,265 | 8,909.294481 |
warc | 201704 | Despite the Supreme Court’s decision on the individual mandate to buy health insurance, the Affordable Care Act remains flawed because it will leave at least 26 million people uninsured and does nothing to reduce health-care costs. We need publicly funded universal health care – we need single-payer Medicare-for-all.
Instead of mandating everyone purchase insurance from a for-profit company, we should expand and improve what we already know works: Medicare, whose administrative costs are only 3 percent. With Medicare-for-all, we would save $400 billion annually.
Medicare is loved, cost-effective and should be improved and expanded to cover everyone under a single-payer health-care system.
Eighty percent of people currently uninsured are working people and their children. One of the reasons many of the working class cannot afford to purchase insurance is because their incomes have not kept up with medical cost inflation.
Over 84,000 people die in America every year because they lack access to affordable health care. That’s 230 people who die every day because we ration access to care based on ability to pay.
Anna Marie | 1,157 | 640 | 2,051.867188 |
warc | 201704 | Green Cabinets ~ No Added Urea Formaldehyde (UF) Healthy Homes ~ Healthy Families ~ Healthy Environment
No generation has ever been more aware of the impact we have on our environment, or of the impact our environment has on our bodies. At Wooden Concepts we are dedicated to manufacturing products that are not only environmentally friendly to our atmosphere, but also to our homes and families.
Indoor air quality has become a major concern in recent years. Depending on where you live, indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than the air outside, according the the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). As recently as June 2011 the U.S. Government issued a warning on the health dangers of formaldehyde.
Now, more than ever, it is vital to the health of our families to ensure that the products we use in our homes are safe. Fortunately, today's technology provides many options for reducing the amount of carcinogens that we are exposed to on a daily basis. Our company has partnered with environmentally responsible vendors and committed ourselves to providing the least toxic, most environmentally sustainable products on the market today.
Our cabinets are built to meet LEED and CARB compliance standards and contain no added urea formaldehyde in any component.
Hardwood Products – Sustainability should always be the first consideration in our industry. All of our wood products are obtained from sources that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), ensuring that the woods we use are grown and harvested in a manner that fosters environmental sustainability. Plywood Products – We use Columbia Forest Products PureBond Hardwood Plywood exclusively in the construction of our cabinet boxes. PureBond Hardwood Plywood is produced using Formaldehyde-free technology to prevent off-gassing of toxic chemicals into your home. PureBond Hardwood Plywood is certified by the FSC and meets LEED and CARB guidelines. Additionally, Columbia Forest Products recycles its scrap material to fuel their furnaces, and residual materials are sold to others who use it for mulch and other products, further contributing to reducing negative impact on the environment. Finishing Products – A high quality finish is a must in cabinetry applications. We have found Sher-Wood Kem Aqua Plus to be the ideal solution for responding to governmental regulations and ecological concerns. A Formaldehyde-free finish, Kem Aqua Plus provides excellent durability while maintaining the depth and warmth desired in a finished wood product. Kem Aqua Plus passes the strict testing requirements of the Kichen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA), so you can be confident that you are getting a high quality product without sacrificing the air quality in your home. Adhesive Products – We use only Titebond III adhesive in the construction of our cabinets. Titebond III is a Low-VOC, ANSI/HPVA Type 1 water resistant adhesive that is FDA approved for indirect food contact. PureBond® : Formaldehyde-free Hardwood Plywood Technology
Non-toxic technology. LEED® & CARB compliant. Cost competitive.
Sometimes, it's what you can't see that makes the biggest difference.
Winner, EPA's
Greener Synthetic Pathways Challenge Green Cabinets
Copyright 2002 Wooden Concepts: Custom Cabinets and Kitchen Design. All Rights Reserved.
Alaska's first choice for furniture grade custom cabinetry Alaska's first choice for furniture grade custom cabinetry | 3,486 | 1,659 | 7,234.658228 |
warc | 201704 | Recently, I’ve had a run of interesting advice calls about strange infectious diseases in dogs that have been imported from various countries. At a meeting the other day, I had some discussions with colleagues from across Canada who have also seen various infectious diseases in imported dogs.
Imported infectious diseases are a concern for a few reasons:
Some could spread to other dogs in Canada. Some could infect insect vectors and eventually establish themselves in Canada. Some could pose a significant risk to people (e.g. rabies). Diagnosis of foreign diseases in pets can be difficult because Canadian vets may have little knowledge about them, and they just don’t come to mind when evaluating a sick animal.
Some of these sick imported pets are animals adopted by people when traveling. Some arrive via organized rescue programs, both from the US and beyond (we’ll leave the discussion about the ethics and economics of importing stray dogs from different regions when we have no shortage of them here for later).
One thing that strikes me as bizarre is how easy it is to import a dog from any country. I do a fair bit of international research and regularly import samples like nasal swabs and fecal samples from different countries, and it’s more effort for me to get a nasal swab into the country than it would be to bring in the whole dog.
For example, if I want to get nasal swabs from dogs from a different country to test them for staphylococci, I need to:
Submit an import permit request to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) (and pay). Submit a facility certification form to the CFIA signed by our Biosafety Officer. Submit an import permit request to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Have a facility compliance letter from PHAC that’s based on a long questionnaire demonstrating that I have adequate facilities, protocols and training, along with a facility inspection by our Biosafety Officer.
For me to import a dog, I need:
Proof of rabies vaccination
That’s it… unless I want to import a dog less than 8 months of age and not accompany it into the country, in which case I also need a health certificate (which in itself is not much of an indication that there’s limited risk of infectious diseases).
Does that seem logical? | 2,319 | 1,144 | 4,595.430944 |
warc | 201704 | The 15 cm of snow that fell last night is as good of an indicator as any that agricultural fair season is over in this region. But, planning ahead is important (and often not done well with fair petting zoos), so it’s never to early to make a plan for next season. Petting zoos can be fun and educational, but are also associated with infectious disease risk. There’s always some inherent risk with any kind of animal contact, since all animals (and people) carry a multitude of infectious agents. However, understanding pathogen shedding patterns is useful to help determine the best control measures.
A recent study in
Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Roug et al 2012) looked at shedding of selected pathogens by cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, rabbits and horses at a California county fair. Here are some of the highlights: E. coliO157 was found in one animal. This is the main outbreak concern when it comes to petting zoos, because very low numbers of bacteria are required to cause disease and human infections can be very severe. Surprisingly, the positive animal was a pig, not a ruminant, as would be typical. Salmonellawas isolated from feces of 3 animals: 2 pigs and 1 chicken. Campylobacter jejuni, another potential cause of diarrhea in people, was found in 3 animals: 2 cattle and 1 sheep. The 2 positive cattle were adult dairy cattle and they represented 17% of all tested cattle. That’s a surprisingly high rate for adult dairy cattle, in my experience. Other Campylobacterspecies were found in 2 cattle, 3 goats (30% of all goats tested) and 1 chicken. Antibiotic-resistant E. coliwere common, particularly in pigs. The parasites Cryptosporidiumand Giardia, and the bacterium Vibrio, were not found.
The study didn’t look at other aspects of the petting zoo, such as the types of contacts that were allowed, but based on the pictures that were included with the paper, they weren’t optimal. Given the results, the picture of two children in the pen with the pigs (including one child who was sitting on the ground leaning against a pig) should raise some concern.
Does this study change anything? Not really, but more information can’t hurt. We know that petting zoo animals can carry pathogens, and we have to assume that every animal in a petting zoo is carrying something that could cause an infection given the "right" circumstances. That’s why there’s a focus on good general hygiene and infection control practices (especially hand hygiene), along with excluding animals that are at particularly high risk. As the authors say " The study findings should not be interpreted as a deterrent to visit agricultural fairs, but as a reminder that good hygiene and sanitation are critical in these settings." | 2,809 | 1,412 | 5,488.69051 |
warc | 201704 | Reich uses the term of 'symbolic analysts' to describe what he feels one of the three main job classifications of the future will be. The symbolic analysts will be someone who is a problem identifier, a problem solver, or an innovator who can visualize new uses of existing technologies. This class of workers includes scientists, engineers, and other scientific or technical specialties as well as marketers, investors, some types of lawyers, developers and a wide variety of consultants.
The symbolic analysts will have a high level of education, both in the classroom and on the job experience.
Reich believes that this new, actually redefined, class of workers will be the best bet for job growth and success into the next century. Opportunities for job growth will remain rather high. This is a result of two factors, a slowing growth in population and the future retirement of the baby boomer generation (Reich, 203).
It is not the number of jobs in the future that is the problem, its the quality of those jobs. On the whole, Reich identifies two trends in job quality. The number of mundane, manufacturing jobs will decrease as well as the number of in-person service jobs e.g. bank tellers, but growth in the number of symbolic analytical positions.
The loss of repetitive manufacturing is primarily a cost saving plan of American corporations. Corporations seeking to lower their costs of labor move their large, low-skilled manufacturing to points all over the globe in attempt to find the lowest wages. Replacement of some in-person services is attributed to technological change. Examples of this cutting of numbers can be seen in the blossoming of automated teller machines, unmanned self service gas stations, and home shopping capabilities.
The symbolic analyst, however, contains a commodity that is both valuable and... | 1,844 | 923 | 3,670.019502 |
warc | 201704 | For many small charities in the United States, May 17 may be remembered as the day their tax exemptions died. This was the deadline for charities with annual revenues of less than $25,000 to file Form 990 with the IRS.
The IRS uses Form 990 to verify that charitable organizations meet the conditions for receiving tax-deductible contributions and qualifying for tax exemptions. Until now, the smallest charities did not have to file 990s. But thanks to a seemingly minor provision of the 2006 Pension Protection Act, more than... | 533 | 345 | 818.811594 |
warc | 201704 | In Christie v (1) Department for Constitutional Affairs (2) Department for Work and Pensions EAT/0140/07, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that there is not a common definition of worker in European law. Therefore a part-time tribunal chair who was paid a daily fee could not claim that he was covered by the part-time workers regulations.
The materials and information included in the XpertHR service are provided for reference purposes only. They are not intended either as a substitute for professional advice or judgment or to provide legal or other advice with respect to particular circumstances. Use of the service is subject to our terms and conditions.
Reed Business Information Limited trading as XpertHR is an Appointed Representative of Abbey Protection Group Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. | 866 | 521 | 1,432.806142 |
warc | 201704 | www.ipea.gov.br/sites/000/2/ppp/pdf/ppp33.pdf
FIGURE 12
brazilian regional gender average earnings quotients (Rdq) Men North* Women Northeast Southeast South West-Center Source: IBGE-PNADs 1996 to 2006. Elaborated by the author. * Urban North, from 1996 to 2002. ... figures was based on the Brazilian average real labor earnings, and they show the same ... It was observed that in regard to real average gains of all Brazilian workers
www.cepal.org/ilpes/noticias/paginas/7/29107/inequality_latin_america_complete.pdf
Notes: Regressions estimated by Heckman maximum likelihood. Dependent variable: logarithm of hourly wage from primary job of individuals aged 25–55. Explanatory variables: educational dummies, age, age squared,
regional dummies, and urban/rural ... TABLE A.31 Dispersion in unobservables and gender wage gap Dispersion in unobservables All workers Urban salaried Men Women Men Women (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) Gender wage gap Urban salaried workers (v) Country Argentina Bolivia Urban National Brazil ... argentina, bolivia, brazil, chile, colombia, costa rica, dominican republic, ecuador, el salvador, guatemala, honduras, jamaica, mexico, nicaragua, panama, paraguay, peru, uruguay, venezuela
www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2012/09/14/000356161_20120914024739/Rendered/PDF/724610PUB0Publ067926B09780821386866.pdf
characteristics, suggests that the unexplained
gender earnings gap in the region reaches 20 percent of average women’s earnings. Indeed, the portion explained by gender ... the increase in the unexplained gender earnings gap after controlling for education ... Table 4.4 Original and Unexplained Components of Gender Earnings Gap
www.univ-brest.fr/gdr-amure/site-cedem/Proceedings_two_pages.pdf
PROCEEDINGS Various studies on
gender relations at work in Brazil have noted ... Table 1 – Artisan fishworkers receiving unemployment insurance according to sex and education in Brazil, Northern Region and Pará State - 2003 WOMEN MEN Brazil Brazil ... and the social security coverage. Gender analysts indicate that the inequalities found
ipl.econ.duke.edu/seminars/system/files/seminars/236.pdf
the composition of workers at the date of the first interview by
region and sex ... in Salvador. In Table 4 we show summary statistics of wages by region and sex and formal versus informal sector. On average, within each region and sector, males are paid more ... TABLE 3 Description of Data, by region and sex Sao Paulo Males Females Salvador Males Females Number of Individuals Unemployed Formal Informal Informality Rate
library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/genf/50036.pdf
for most of the increased inequality of income in this
region (Robinson 2001). tal ... Table 2.3: Gender disparities in selected countries in the early 1990s: The share of women in employment and earnings Government (Ministerial Level) (% women) Administrators &Managers (% women) Professional & technical staff (% women) Earned Income ... australia, brazil, bulgaria, china, costa rica, country, ethiopia, india, italy, japan, mexico, nigeria, spain, sweden, turkey, zambia
www.dbd.puc-rio.br/depto_economia/td406.pdf
Table 13 A - GROSS AND MARGINAL RATES OF CONTRIBUTION THEIL-T Universe : Longitudinal Data - 4 Observations - Always Occupied Mean
Earnings Across 4 Months GROSS MARGINAL Groups: Gender Age Schooling Working Class* Sector of Activity* Region Source ... Apart from reducing the volatility of earnings as discussed in the previous ... inflation in Brazil government bonds were indexed to inflation and very liquid. Agents
www.eclac.org/publicaciones/xml/8/22348/G2258iTrejosGindling.pdf
D. and L. Katz (1999): Changes in the wage structure and
earnings inequality ... and the distribution of education: a study of the evolution of regional differences in inequality in metropolitan Brazil, Journal of Development Economics, vol. 36, No. 1, Amsterdam, Elsevier ... APPENDIX Central America: Basic statistics of the earnings equations
www.espectador.com/principal/documentos/circulosvirtuosos_ingles.pdf
Around two-thirds of the informal-formal
average earnings gap is explained ... returns) Log earnings gap 10th quantile (low-pay jobs) Median ( average-pay jobs) 90th ... activity, gender, ethnicity, demographic and regional effects, and corrected
www.unaoc.org/communities/migrationintegration/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/MITI-english-2.pdf
– except the British –
earn on average less than the Portuguese. The Portuguese earn ... Brazilians working in Portugal in 2005 earned approximately €69 per month less ... for Cape Verdeans is, once more, very similar to the Brazilians. They earn slightly | 4,707 | 2,509 | 8,697.350339 |
warc | 201704 | Bitterly cold arctic air closed local schools today and Friday and is expected to shatter low temperatures records tonight while gusty winds drive wind chills down to levels more common to the Yukon.
Although the area has experienced piercing winter conditions for about two weeks, today is the first official day of winter.
Rob Edmiston, forecaster for the Kansas University Weather Service, said this morning that he is predicting a low temperature tonight of 21 degrees below zero, which would be 15 degrees below the previous record of minus 6 degrees set in 1916. If winds gust out of the north up to 30 mph, as forecasted, area wind chills could go as low as 90 degrees below zero.
On Friday, it is expected to warm to a high of 5 degrees below zero, which is not far from Friday night's predicted low temperture of 9 degrees below zero, Edmiston said.
SATURDAY, however, should warm to a comparatively tropical 12 degrees above zero, he said.
Despite the forecast for the remainder of the week, Edmiston did have some good news to report this morning temperatures are expected to return to normal by Christmas, with highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s. Light flurries are the only snow in the forecast.
In the meantime, Douglas County Health Department officials are recommending people not venture out of doors, and a local veterinarian offers advice to animal owners on how to help their pets through the cold spell.
Barbara Schnitker, a registered nurse and director of nurses at the county health department, said the most effective way to deal with the extreme cold is to stay inside.
However, people who must go outside are asked to layer their clothing. Air pockets between the layers act as insulation, Schnitker said.
Waterproof outerwear also is recommended to help ward off the damp weather. Wool garments are suggested because they provide warmth even when wet, she said.
INADEQUATE dress against the cold could result in hypothermia, a condition where the body's inner heat is lost, she said. The condition can result in a matter of minutes and, if not treated, could result in death in two hours, she said.
An adequate diet including plenty of fluids but not alcohol also is advisable for people planning to go outside, she said. Alcohol allows more heat to escape the body than usual, she said.
Kevin Kuenzi, a veterinarian at Bradley Veterinary Hospital, said this morning that pet owners should take special care of their animals during the extreme cold.
Pets kept outdoors should be provided with adequate shelter, which Kuenzi said could range from a cardboard box to an insulated doghouse. The shelter should be kept clean and dry and out of the wind, he said.
"They really don't mind the cold so much if they can get out of the wind," Kuenzi said.
PET OWNERS also should feed their pets a diet high in calories, which they can convert to energy to help them stay warm, he said. Fresh water should be supplied daily and checked regularly to ensure that it has not frozen.
Since many people are winterizing their cars, Kuenzi said antifreeze should be properly discarded because it is deadly to animals, who enjoy its taste. He said antifreeze's main ingredient tastes sweet to animals.
Pets kept indoors also should be kept away from Christmas tree water, which will make the animal sick if it drinks it.
JANET SCHAAKE, who with her husband, Roger, raises cattle east of Lawrence, said the livestock was able to withstand the cold as long they are fed often enough.
The cattle use the grain and hay they are fed to convert energy to heat, she said. The cows also huddle together to share warmth and have a barn into which they can retreat if the temperatures becomes unbearable, she said.
She and her husband have heated water troughs on their farm to prevent freezing.
Patty Flory, an employee at Dillon's on 23rd Street, said the store experienced a significant increase in business Wednesday and attributed the increase to the snow and cold weather.
She said business typically picks up during extreme weather conditions with people stocking their shelves in the event they become snowbound. | 4,148 | 1,980 | 8,635.381818 |
warc | 201704 | New York The physical and psychological damage caused by Hurricane Katrina is likely to reverberate across the global economy in ways that will curb growth well into 2006, economists say.
A spike in already-high energy costs in the United States and around the world tops the list of risks, especially since oil prices are unlikely to return to the levels of early 2004 when they were 50 percent lower than they are today, according to International Monetary Fund Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato.
Katrina shut down large portions of oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico at a time when worldwide energy output was already stretched thin. While the storm's impact was most acute in the United States, it also sent fuel costs higher around the globe, squeezing consumers in Europe and Asia and hurting everyone from truckers to fishermen to airlines.
The shock of higher gasoline prices and concerns about supply shortages appeared to cause a cutback in travel over the Labor Day weekend in the United States. Economists say a slump in consumer confidence is likely. "There's a psychological impact. Consumers aren't in a festive mood," said Mark Vitner, senior economist at Wachovia Securities in Charlotte, N.C.
The storm wiped away up to half a million jobs in New Orleans and other Gulf Coast areas. And its tab is almost certain to top $100 billion, with only about a quarter of that covered by insurance, according to an assessment by Risk Management Solutions of Newark, Calif.
The federal government has pledged billions of dollars of rebuilding funds, but it will take months for the basic recovery efforts to be completed before the money for reconstruction starts flowing. "This is such a different type of disaster than we're accustomed to dealing with," Vitner said.
The full extent of the damage to oil and natural gas infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico is not yet known, but it is expected to be weeks, if not longer, before output is back to normal. The same goes for the facilities that refine crude oil into gasoline, heating oil and jet fuel.
"It's quite likely that the impact of Katrina on energy production will end up dwarfing that of Ivan," said Antoine Halff, director of global energy at Eurasia Group in New York, referring to last year's Hurricane Ivan, which jolted global oil markets for months.
"We have an economy that has shown signs of slowing. With energy prices at extremely high levels - and now moving above those levels - this is kind of a double whammy," Halff said.
Unleaded gasoline now averages $2.86 a gallon nationwide, an increase of about 15 cents in less than a week, costing consumers an additional $57 million a day. That is still below the inflation-adjusted high of $3.11 a gallon reached 25 years ago, but it is getting close enough to become a significant threat to consumer spending in other areas, and not just in the United States.
In Katrina's aftermath, forecasts for U.S. economic growth in the fourth quarter have dropped from 3.5 percent on an annualized basis to 2.5 percent. And that is probably what gross domestic product will average for all of 2006, economists said.
When winter arrives and the higher cost of home-heating strikes the Northeast and Midwest, consumer spending, particularly among lower income families, is expected to take a noticeable hit.
Michael P. Niemira, chief economist at the International Council of Shopping Centers, said the U.S. retail sector will face its toughest Christmas since the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
The impact of higher energy prices is hitting hard in Europe, where up to 60 percent of the retail price is made up of taxes.
The price of gasoline rose to the equivalent of $6.70 a gallon in Germany and hit a record high in Switzerland. Spaniards were paying more than $5 per gallon at the end of last week, up nearly 7 percent from a week earlier.
Eurasia Group's Halff noted that the impact soaring energy prices will have on household budgets will be even more significant in emerging economies around the globe as governments begin to roll back costly fuel subsidies.
Andy Xie, an economist at Morgan Stanley in Hong Kong says that economic growth rates across Asia are down by a third to a half of last year, thanks mostly to higher oil costs. "Growth rates could decelerate by another 1 percentage point due to further rises in oil prices," he wrote in a recent report. | 4,426 | 2,231 | 8,725.032721 |
warc | 201704 | What is VMware vCAN? SLMS for VMware How to get started What’s new What are the costs associated with VMware vCAN?
The biggest challenge for new Service Provider Partners is to determine how much it will cost to license their environment through the vCAN program. The traditional model of paying a upfront fee for the number of licenses required does not apply.
Under the vCAN model, the Service Provider receives a pool of licenses upfront from which they pull the licenses required to build the virtualised environment required by the end customers. There is no initial cost to receiving the pool of licenses, but instead the cost of the licenses is paid for based on monthly reported usage. Usage may be determined by VM, vCenter Server, the reserved level of vRAM assigned to powered on VMs, depending on the products used, so costing is not a simple exercise of determining the number of licenses required to license an environment. To put it simply costing a vCAN installation is complex and not something that may easily be described here. To cost the environment accurately a Service Provider must have an idea of the configuration of their solution and talk to their aggregator to discuss how each of the elements of the environment is measured, how many points per month it would cost and how that relates to a monthly cost. Contact HPE SLMS to guide you through determining the vCAN monthly cost associated with your solution. vCAN Reporting
Similar to other “pay as you go” licensing models Service Providers must report the usage on a monthly basis and are invoiced based on the usage reported. Reporting usage under the vCAN program falls into two methods: Reporting via the vCloud Usage Meter and manual reporting.
The vCloud Usage Meterwas developed to simplify the reporting of the vCloud Service Provider Bundles, which include the vSphere, vCenter and vCloud Director products. The vCloud Usage Meter is a tool that monitors, measures, and reports on VMware product consumption at a Service Provider. It’s provided as a virtual appliance and may be configured to automatically report usage at the end of the month. As the vCloud Usage Meter only reports usage on some of the products available through the vCAN program, Service Providers must also introduce a Manual Reportingprocess to accurately report their full product usage on a monthly basis. The vCAN Product Overview document provides a full list of products available in the vCloud Service Provider bundles or the vCAN Product Usage Guide provides a detailed guide on all the products, what the product usage is measured by and which reporting method is required. Alternatively, simply contact HPE SLMS to explain your reporting requirements based on the products required to deliver your solution. What next?
If you’re a Service Provider new to the vCAN Program, sign up as a VMware Service Provider Partner if you haven’t done so already. There is no fee to signing up and you must be a Service Provider Partner before HPE SLMS can order your vCAN licenses.
If you have already subscribed to a vCAN monthly commitment level, are you reporting your monthly usage correctly, are you up to-date on the latest changes to the vCAN program, have you updated to the latest vCloud Usage Meter (currently v3.1)? For any questions you may have in relation to the program our hosting team is available to provide expert advice and assistance. Contact HPE SLMS. Using vCAN is not a choice but a requirement!
The normal End User License Agreements (EULA) does not allow for use of VMware hosted products in a multi-tenant / hosting environment. As part of the vCAN sign-up process, Service Providers receive an addendum to the standard EULAs in the agreement they sign with their Aggregator which makes the environment licensing compliant.
Therefore if you are a Service Provider / hoster and you wish to use VMware products as part of your solution, you may only obtain VMware licenses through the vCAN program. For a detailed explanation of when vCAN licenses are required we recommend you read the “Licensing Model Clarification” section of the vCAN Program Guide. | 4,185 | 1,787 | 9,683.813654 |
warc | 201704 | Those of us who regard socioeconomic inequality as a serious problem are often accused of envy, as though such concerns were simply a matter of begrudging someone elses having more cookies than we do.
I think this reaction misses the point in a number of ways; let me say just a bit about just one of those ways:
Suppose you forget to pay your power bill (or your phone bill, or your cable tv bill, or your internet access bill, or your credit card bill, or whatever). What happens? Your provider disconnects you, and youll probably have to pay an extra fee to get service reestablished. You also get a frowny face on your credit report.
On the other hand, suppose that, for whatever reason (internet glitches, downed power lines after a storm, or who knows), you suffer a temporary interruption of service from your provider. Do they offer to reimburse you? Hell no. And theres no easy way for you to put a frowny face on
their credit report.
Now, if you rent your home, take a look at your lease. Did you write it? Of course not. Did you and your landlord write it together? Again, of course not. It was written by your landlord (or by your landlords lawyer), and is filled with far more stipulations of your obligations to her than of her obligations to you. It may even contain such ominously sweeping language as lessee agrees to abide by all such additional instructions and regulations as the lessor may from time to time provide (which, if taken literally, would be not far shy of a slavery contract). If youre late in paying your rent, can the landlord assess a punitive fee? You betcha. By contrast, if shes late in fixing the toilet, can you withhold a portion of the rent? Just try it.
Now think about your relationship with your employer. In theory, you and she are free and equal individuals entering into a contract for mutual benefit. In practice, she most likely orders the hours and minutes of your day in exacting detail. As with the landlord case, the contract is provided by her and is designed to benefit her. She also undertakes to interpret it; and you will find yourself subjected to loads of regulations and directives that you never consented to. And if you try inventing new obligations for her as she does for you, I predict you will be, shall we say, disappointed.
These arent merely cases of some people having more stuff than you do. Theyre cases in which some people are systematically empowered to dictate the terms on which other people live, work, and trade. And we generally take it for granted. But its not obvious that things have to be that way.
When it comes to diagnosis and prescription, those of us who worry about socioeconomic inequality go in two different directions. Some identify the free market as the cause of such inequality, and government regulation as the cure; for others, its precisely the other way around. Im obviously with the latter group; all the phenomena I mentioned are made possible by systematic restrictions on competition. Libertarians need to spend more time focusing on liberty as the
solution to these pervasive asymmetries of power, rather than giving the impression that they find them unproblematic. | 3,186 | 1,589 | 6,365.984896 |
warc | 201704 | #StepUpScholastic for ALL children
Do you remember the excitement of getting the Scholastic catalog? Did the catalogs reflect the diversity in your community?
More than 50% of the children enrolled in public schools are people of color or Native American, but only 14% of children’s books published in 2014 were by or about people of color. Unfortunately, Scholastic's catalog is no exception.
We need books that are mirrors in which children can see themselves to affirm their own identities. We also need books that are windows that help children build understanding and empathy for people different than themselves. When books only reflect one image, all children are harmed.
The time is now for Scholastic to make a change and step up as a leader in the publishing industry.
#StepUpScholastic for ALL children.
We need children, teachers, and parents to tell Scholastic to publish and distribute children's books that reflect and affirm the identity, history, and lives of ALL children in our schools. Tell Scholastic to increase the representation of people of color and Native Americans to match their audiences.
Recently Scholastic, one of the largest and most trusted distributors of children's books, pulled a book off shelves nationwide after grassroots pressure, stating they “have an important responsibility to ensure that our history—both the good and the bad—is portrayed accurately in a way children can understand.” We agree. We are glad that Scholastic recalled the #SlaveryWithaSmile book, and has published a few new middle school titles by and about people of color and Native Americans, but there is much more to be done.
We urge you to critique the Scholastic catalog and then send a message to Scholastic.
Enter your contact information on this page and type your message on the next page. You can also send us an email or upload photos and videos here. | 1,913 | 925 | 3,881.838919 |
warc | 201704 | Bryan is fitness & life coach, entrepreneur and aspiring speaker/author who helps people create simple, healthy, extraordinary lives.
I live an active, healthy lifestyle and try, whenever possible, to make my work fit my schedule, rather than have it dominate my life. I prioritize my health and happiness.
I started my career in the corporate world as a civil engineer, but I soon realized I was unhappy. I was ticking all the boxes to society's definition of success, yet I was unfulfilled. I knew there was more out there. So, I quit my job, went backpacking in Asia and launched my blog Big Healthy Me to pursue my passion of helping others create simple, healthy, and extraordinary lives.
Through this crazy journey, I realized that only fear holds us back from starting something. Most of the time, getting started is the hardest part - once we do, momentum kicks in and things get a lot easier. Instead of worrying how to make a big thing happen, focus on the smallest step you can take right now, and once that is complete, move on to the next tiny step.
While I'm still an advocate for whole, real food meals, there are times when our schedules don't allow us to prepare something ourselves. Rather than just grabbing anything in sight, Ambronite presents a great quick snack option for busy people, without having to sacrifice quality or health.
Remember that what you put in your body is more than just calories or something to fill you up. You wouldn't put junk fuel in your car, so why do it to your body? | 1,525 | 845 | 2,739.585799 |
warc | 201704 | Matthew Lyons on Occupy Occupy movement: Anti-capitalism versus populism
Occupy Wall Street is one of the most exciting political developments in years, but like any social movement it has its contradictions. As I noted briefly at the end of my previous post, the Occupy movement is vulnerable to right-wing overtures to the extent that many progressive-minded activists lack clear anti-capitalist and anti-fascist politics. While some Occupiers have put forward a radical class analysis, others have voiced a sort of liberal populism, which identifies the problem as specific institutions, policies, or subjective behaviors rather than the capitalist system. Several leftists on other websites have addressed this political limitation and its unfortunate resonances with right-wing ideology. Here I want to summarize some of their main points, then offer an important counter-example of Occupy movement anti-capitalism – the plan by West coast Occupy movements to blockade ports on December 12th.
Against “corporate greed”
Bill Weinberg has urged Occupiers to take a clear stand against capitalism, rejecting the defensive slogan, “We aren’t against capitalism, we’re against corporate greed.” Weinberg counters: “The assumption behind this response is that with enough public oversight or (in the more reactionary versions) if Wall Street brokers acted with greater patriotism, capitalism could ‘work.'” Failing to target capitalism as a system, he argues, offers more room to “gold-standard crankery, Federal Reserve fetishism and other right-wing, pro-capitalist responses to the crisis” – including antisemitism.
Ross Wolfe similarly criticizes the tendency by many protesters to blame greed for the inequities of capitalism, arguing that this “mistakes an
epiphenomenalcharacteristic of capitalism for something more fundamental” and “ignores the way that the capitalists themselves are implicated by the intrinsic logic of capital.” Even the capitalist who enjoys the benefits of great wealth “is constantly compelled to reinvest his capital back into production in order to stay afloat.” Thus “capitalism is not a moralbut rather a structuralproblem.” Wolfe further argues that blaming capitalist inequities on rich people’s moral failings “ultimately amounts to what might be called the ‘diabolical’ view of society – the idea that all of society’s ills can be traced back to some scheming cabal of businessmen conspiring over how to best fuck over the general public. (The ‘diabolical’ view of society is not all that far removed from conspiracy theories about the ‘New World Order, the Illuminati, or ‘International Jewry.’…)”
Glorifying the “real” economy
The Occupy movement’s focus on banks presents a related pitfall, depending on whether banks are targeted as a major component of the capitalist system or as a parasitic growth on it. As BobFromBrockley points out in a wide-ranging discussion of Occupy, “the valorization of the good, honest, organic ‘real economy’ against the predatory tentacular finance capital is not just a feature of the Zeitgeist movement and antisemitic cranks,” but has also been taken up, for example, by liberal Christians. Bob continues:
“The idea that capitalism would be fine if we removed all that smoke and mirrors finance stuff and got back to the ‘real’ production of stuff is both deeply reactionary (based on nostalgia for something that never existed, and with a close kinship to the ‘socialism of fools’ that thinks the problem is Jew-financiers) but also empirically nonsense. Sweatshops where adults and children labour for long hours in appalling conditions to make clothes and electronic components are part of ‘the real economy’. As are the biofuel plantations that are eating up the rainforests that produce the air we breathe. As are the oil wells and oil pipes that poison our river deltas; the manufacture of weapons of torture and warfare; the coltan mines that central African child soldiers kill and are killed for; the soybean and rapeseed monocultures that we rely on for our daily meals, the beds we sleep on wrought from rainforest lumber; and so on. All wage labour involves exploitation, whatever part of the capitalist economy you’re in. The ‘real economy’ may be realer, but it is ultimately no better.”
West coast port shutdown and class politics In contrast with liberal populism, the plan by West coast Occupations to shut down West coast ports on December 12th defines the movement as confronting structural, class inequality. The action is specifically planned in solidarity with labor battles by port workers in Longview (Washington) and Los Angeles, but more broadly to “economically disrupt ‘wall street on the waterfront.'” The website for the action declares, “U.S. ports have…become economic engines for the elite; the 1% these trade hubs serve are free to rip the shirts off the backs of the 99% who turn their profits.” Occupy Seattle’s port shutdown statement declares further that “the Occupy movement is part of the workers’ movement,” whether its members are union members or non-members, unemployed, students, or homeless. The Seattle statement also draws connections between corporate union-busting, government budget cuts that target working people, and police violence and harassment of Occupy activists worldwide. (Occupy Seattle organizers have issued an emergency fundraising request to help charter buses for the port shutdown. Donations can be made at https://www.wepay.com/donate/42135.)
Anti-capitalism versus liberal populism is only one dimension of the Occupy Wall Street movement. This issue doesn’t capture the movement’s dynamism or fluidity: the way it has opened up important new space for people to tell their stories and debate what is happening in the economy and society, and the way people’s politics can shift and change – sometimes very quickly – when participating in mass activism or facing police repression. Critiquing capitalism as a system isn’t a full recipe for radical change, but it is a necessary ingredient.
Related articles Occupy Wall Street: saving capitalism from crony capitalists (seattletimes.nwsource.com) Occupy Ports (wcward57.wordpress.com) ANALYSIS | Neil Macdonald: The year capitalism became a dirty word in the U.S. (cbc.ca)
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Tags: Anti-capitalism, Bill Weinberg, capitalism, Occupy, Occupy Wall Street, Populism, Wall Street | 6,792 | 3,226 | 13,552.419095 |
warc | 201704 | The Economic Data calendar for the week of the 8th of August through the 12th is full of critical releases and events. Attached below is a snapshot of some (though far from all) of the headline numbers that we will be focused on.
Hedgeye CEO Keith McCullough handpicks the “best of the best” long and short ideas delivered to him by our team of over 30 research analysts across myriad sectors.
Positions in Europe: Short EUR-USD (FXE); European Financials (EUFN)
As Keith wrote today in this morning notes: “From a research/risk management perspective, yesterday was one of the best days we’ve had versus our sell-side competition since ‘08. It was also the biggest down day for stocks since ‘08, so that makes sense. Having 0% asset allocation to US/European Equities helps.
Every bear market gets immediate-term TRADE oversold, and that’s what I see this morning. That said, I want to be crystal clear on this, sell all rallies in Equities/Commodities because the Street is still too long and needs to take down gross and net exposures.”
As it relates specifically to Europe, European equities took it on the chin this week. On a one week performance basis: Finland’s OMX -14.0%; Italy’s MIB -12.1%; Greece’s ATHEX -11.8%;Germany’s DAX -11.7%; Ireland’s Overall Index -10.1%; France’s CAC -9.4%; and Portugal’s PSI20 -7.9%, to name a few indices. Neither the periphery nor the heart of Europe was immune to the decline.
The EUR-USD saw substantial day-over-day gains this week, but traded within our range of $1.40 to $1.43. Importantly, we want to stress that if both our TREND level of $1.43 and TRADE level of $1.40 on the EUR-USD pair break, we don’t see downside support until $1.28.
This week our Financials team had a call with Peter Atwater, and among his many astute comments I agree with his assessment that France is one key country to monitor as it relates to sovereign debt contagion. In particular, Atwater notes there’s a real threat that France could lose its AAA credit rating. This point is critical for the AAA rated bonds issued by the EFSF can only maintain this rating so long as the countries backing the facility maintain their AAA status. And France, behind Germany, has the second largest collateral guarantee on the facility—therefore a downgrade of France would be a huge impairment on the facility, which already looks significantly underfunded should Italy and Spain require assistance.
This leaves us increasingly comfortable to short France and Germany on a bounce. Below we show CDS spreads as one indicator of the building risk premium for the two countries commonly understood as Europe’s backbone. While both are far from CDS levels reached by the PIIGS, or even the 300bp line that we’ve noted as an important breakout line, both countries will be front and center on our screens.
Given that the EU parliament doesn’t return to session until mid September to vote on the terms of the newly crafted EFSF, we have a number of weeks of indecision ahead of us – we think this bodes poorly for a region that has struggled over the last two years to present credible plans to arrest sovereign debt contagion. Further, comments yesterday from ECB President Trichet that the Securities Markets Program (SMP) to buy up sovereign bonds would partially resume indicates that the Bank will need to continue to support demand for future PIIGS auctions, especially until the terms of the EFSF are finalized in September. On this score, we’re particularly worried about Italy and Spain, given their steep maturity schedules into year-end and rising bond yields.
Sentiment shock waves also came in the form of an announcement yesterday from Spain’s Treasury that it has suspended a bond auction originally planned for August 18th, but noted the cancellation of the auction was not a response to market turbulence (throat clear).
Below we show two charts that stood out in today’s data—UK input cost inflation, which highlights our call on the stagflation component of our sticky stagflation thesis in the UK; and slowing high frequency German data, including
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The DNKN visual below, (from http://www.dunkinfranchising.com) promoting Dunkin’ Donuts franchising opportunities, is a great visual that shows how truly regional the Dunkin brand is.
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Employment
The U.S. Monster Employment Index fell 2 points in July to 144. The fall in labor demand is in line with other surveys which suggest the U.S. labor market failed to improve markedly in July. A stronger U.S. recovery hinges on an improving labor market.
Consumer
According to the Bloomberg Weekly Consumer Comfort Index, sentiment fell from -46.8 to -47.6 for the week ending July 31st. The index has declined for two consecutive weeks and is at its lowest since May.
Subsectors
Yesterday was a bloodbath in the market – no subsector was “safe” – but food retail outperformed the other food, beverage and restaurants categories. Food processors traded down -6.2%, underperforming the other categories. The decline in the food processing stock was somewhat surprising given the significant decline in commodity costs.
PRICE ACTION
Consistent with the broader market, a number of stocks in the restaurant space fell on accelerating volume. The names that stand out that did not see accelerating volume are also some of the strongest fundamentally (valuation aside). In the QSR space: MCD, CMG, SONC, KKD, BAGL and GMCR. In the casual dining space: KONA, RRGB, DRI, RT, MSSR.
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The Macau Metro Monitor, August 5, 2011
MELCO CROWN EYES $600 MILLION HONG KONG IPO: REPORT West Australian
According to a Dow Jones source, MPEL is looking to raise $400-600MM for its HK IPO. The source also said the IPO would launch in Q4.
SANDS CHINA SIGNS DEAL WITH HILTON, IHG FOR COTAI PROJECT WSJ
Sands China has signed franchise agreements with Hilton Worldwide and IHG for hotels at Sands Cotai Central. Hilton's five-star Conrad is expected to open in 1Q 2012 with more than 600 rooms. A four-star Holiday Inn by InterContinental should also open in 1Q 2012 with more than 1,200 rooms.
Relied upon by big institutional and individual investors across the world, this granular morning newsletter distills the latest and most vital market developments and insures that you are always in the know. | 6,608 | 3,426 | 12,371.194396 |
warc | 201704 | The First Steps to Getting Out of the Gay Life The following is a short list of the steps or phases I went through in my own personal journey out of the gay community and gay life. I don’t claim they will work for you. I know they worked for me. 1 Get to know and approve of yourself
Psychologists, clergy and various activists are certainly right about that. Accept yourself; don’t hate yourself for who you are. In fact you can’t move on until you have learned who you are and to accept yourself with faults and all.
2 Be one hundred percent deadly honest with yourself
Be honest about what you see going on, what you yourself and others do, what you’ve been told and what actually goes on around you. Make a note of it, however painful and embarrassing it may be. Ponder the things that just don’t add up. It’s ok. Nobody is going to spy on you or read your journal notes (if you keep them in a good secure place). This is your own private and secret process. Ponder questions like: “why does my partner say they are faithful when it’s been proven that he/she has been unfaithful numerous times?”, “does he/she know that he/she is lying?”, “is he/she in control of his/her own actions or being controlled by his/her own compulsive behaviour?”, “how long has my longest relationship lasted?”, “are there things that just don’t add up about what I am being told and what I see going on?”, “do I find myself saying one thing and then suddenly, often impulsively doing another?”, “am I in complete control of my own actions?”.
Your Working Motto: “Words are cheap. Actions speak!”
3 Compare what you thought it would be like with how it actually has been
Life hardly turns out exactly as one has expected or dreamt. But what is meant here is that while we may have convinced ourselves that one day we would find warmth and companionship, we find that relationships have been short-lived (over and over again), purely sexuality-based and chaos has been the norm (together with extreme turmoil and pain). Have relationships consisted of pure infatuation (“limerance” to use a term from Dorothy Tennov’s very good book) without progressing to genuine friendship and companionship?
It may help to write down a scenario of how you perceive your life would be if you could have a good relationship. What does this partner do? Where do you live? How do you live? Do you find yourself only capable of writing a “shopping list” of physical characteristics? What about the personality traits or values? Is this person a fantasy figure or characature of a certain type of person or possibly a real personality type from the real world?
If you are only capable of infatuation and experience that you loose your attraction to a person once you get to know them with all of their quirks and flaws, if you notice a pattern of being more physically attracted to strangers than to someone you have gotten to know, then this could be a sign of inability to establish real intimate relationships. In other words, if you need the other person to be “bigger than life” or a “completely unknown quantity” in order to be interested in them, then this is likely not a real relationship.
4 Shop around and compare values
One activity that woke me up was to look at heterosexual personal ads in various media (men to women and women to men) and then compare the content with the “men seeking men” ads. I found a world of difference and experienced that although not heterosexual, I identified with and could relate to the content of the heterosexual ads (about family, living, companionship and shared interests) much more than to the homosexual ads I viewed (shopping lists of physical characteristics, explicit sexual references). Note, however, that I am referring to ads and venues that are known to be more upscale and reputable; not simply any internet dating site.
If you find yourself in arguments defending monogamy, stable relationships, varied interests and other subjects against those who officially represent you in the community, then chances are there is a values-related conflict. If most people there do not share your values then at least in that sense you are probably in the wrong crowd.
5 Take responsibility for yourself
Unfortunately, we have an innate tendancy to blame nearly all relationship failures and unhappy events directly or indirectly on society (specifically the “heterosexual society”). Let’s face it: never has there been such widespread legalization and acceptance in western society of same-sex relationships as there is in many western countries today and yet relationships (both heterosexual and homosexual) are short-lived and turbulent with most same-sex relationships ending after only a very short time. Statistics from countries with some form of registration of these relationships (insomuch as the local law requires immediate registration of changes) are alarming, as are those kept by police and social services agencies.
If we cannot even take responsibility for our own actions and must blame our own blunders on others, then it’s probably no wonder that we can’t make relationships work! A sign of maturity is being able to step up to the plate or look at oneself in the mirror and say those three words that are so difficult today:
I screwed up! 6 If it doesn’t work unplug it
In engineering we often have to record various things we’ve tried out to fix or make something work, measures that have failed (in order not to keep repeating them). My sister was the one who probably spoke the wisest words related to my personal growth and transfer out of the gay life many years before it happened.
She sent me a paper about viewing one’s life as a series of drawers or compartments. If one’s life is made up of many compartments and one or two of them turns out to be bad or a failure, then there are still many functional compartments left and no major harm is done. If, however, a life is made up of only a few compartments and even a couple of these modules turn out to be poor, then proportionally speaking, one’s life is largely in trouble. Sexuality and the longing for romantic relationships are at the very most a couple of compartments. Many other interests, activities and aspects can make up parts of a successful life, like friendships, community activities, educational edeavours, some important life quest, religion, family and maybe even belonging to the local Masonic lodge!
I found that one or two “compartments” were for me a source of nearly constant turmoil, upheaval and negativity in life from my middle teens onward until I was thirty-five. The best thing that ever happened to me was to turn away and leave behind those two rotten tomatoes!
To my knowledge (and that of most scientists), there is no proof that anyone has died for lack of sex. In fact numerous books have been written by authors who claim that life can actually be better “without sex”. And for those who are afraid of ending up “alone”, let me assure as one who has walked the path before, that I would much appreciate more time alone than I have today! The house is full of guests much of the week. Family calls or writes with questions and advice and friends make demands that I immediately come out to a cottage to talk into the wee small hours on a summer night.
In 2003 my life took a dramatic change- a change for the better. And for the past six years, after having followed the steps above, my quality of life has been much better than at any time since I was fifteen years old. In fact, looking back on those years of looking for my happiness in the gay life, I have never been so alone as I was during those darkest years of my life. | 7,937 | 3,630 | 16,748.600551 |
warc | 201704 | Post a brief synopsis of the mixed methods studies you found and provide the full APA citation, as well as a brief paragraph that explains the contribution the study makes to Managing multicultural workplaces, either directly or tangentially. In the text of your posting, introduce and summarize the mixed methods studies as a collection, and post at least two questions that will elicit suggestions and further responses.
Solution Preview
I have provided a lot of information for you to create the synopsis from. I also included my thoughts on how this will help multicultural workplaces.
I would ask:
Will any methods examined in this study work in all other industries? Why or why not?
Can using such a small sample be considered a good indication of the population as a whole?
This study investigates the attempts of sea and shipping companies to employ multicultural crews. The main reason stems from the need for crew and the multicultural nature of the crews hired. Most countries have shipping interests that hire their own nationality as officers and third world citizens as workers. However, the practice creates problems in multicultural exchanges, despite all using the maritime applied legal system. This system of hiring is most common in Europe and the Scandinavian countries. The paper examines the system and the effects on the performance of multicultural crews. The paper makes clear that such hiring practices have become more difficult since officers are more scarce in current times.
Studies have been done to analyze the risk of accidents when communication is weak because of multilingual crew. Osteng studied how workers' characterize their ...
Mixed methods research is examined. A brief synopsis of the mixed methods studies are provided. | 1,775 | 898 | 3,488.724944 |
warc | 201704 | Under the Obama Administration, the core of America’s space exploration effort — NASA — has been dismantled and its focus shifted to the study of “global warming.” The once-great organization is now overburdened by bureaucracy and political agendas. But while this is happening, Americans are still feeding nearly $20 billion per year into the agency, which begs the question: Where is it all going?
Unfortunately, a lot of NASA’s money has been re-directed to fund junk science. A prime example of this is the 2012, NASA-funded study, “A Minimal Model for Human and Nature Interaction.” The study turned out to be an anti-free market, pro-class warfare publication trying to prove that western society would collapse because of unnamed “elites.” Studies like these — and another titled “Socialism or Extinction” — show just how far NASA has fallen.
William “Matt” Briggs, an adjunct professor of statistical science at Cornell University and author of Breaking the Law of Averages: Real Life Probability and Statistics in Plain English, has debunked studies like the “minimal model” in recent years. Briggs didn’t pull punches when describing the study, stating that “nothing empirical went into these equations,” and the doomsday conclusions “have no applicability whatsoever to humans.”
The truth about NASA’s demise is unsettling. As young children learn about the greatness of men like the astronauts John Glenn and Neil Armstrong, the very organization they championed is crumbling into nothing more than a front for President Obama’s green energy initiatives.
Let’s hope it’s not too late to restore the greatest exploration organization our world has ever known to its rightful place.
For more on NASA’s dismantling, you can read the June edition of “Organization Trends” here.
This blog post was adapted from the June edition of Capital Research Center’s “Organization Trends,” by Art Harman. | 2,074 | 1,114 | 3,539.204668 |
warc | 201704 | Analysis and Management of Fluxes in Bacillus Pathways for Pesticide and Protein Production EPA Grant Number:R829589 Title:Analysis and Management of Fluxes in Bacillus Pathways for Pesticide and Protein Production Investigators:Grossmann, Ignacio E. , Domach, Michael M. Institution: Carnegie Mellon University EPA Project Officer:Richards, April Project Period:January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2004 Project Amount:$180,000 RFA:Technology for a Sustainable Environment (2001) RFA Text | Recipients Lists Research Category:Sustainability , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development Description:Acid by-product production by microorganisms lowers process yield and stability. To address the problem, we hypothesized that the coordination between energetic and synthetic reactions can be improved. Linear programming-based calculations suggested that attenuating pyruvate kinase activity would maintain cell function but less glucose would be directed to acids. B. subtilis cultures proved to produce nil acid when cultivated with a small amount of citrate. Data from 13C NMR studies were consistent with attenuated pyruvate kinase activity being linked to the desirable nil acid result thereby supporting the basic hypothesis. Recently, pyruvate kinase activity was directly eliminated from Escherchia coli and B. subtilis by genetic means. Both microbes exhibited nil acid production, which supports the hypothesis further. We now propose to investigate the application and extension of the metabolic engineering strategy in B. subtilis, and then parlay the results by metabolically engineering the agriculturally and commercially important microorganism, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Some sub-species of Bt form g-endotoxins that are toxic to some insects. Over 200 Bt-derived pesticide products are registered in the US, and it is desirable to improve the production of these alternatives to synthetic organic pesticides. Approach:Our plan has molecular biology and analytical components. In collaboration with another group, we aim to regulate the expression of pyruvate kinase in B. subtilis. Differential expression is intended to provide for faster growth than deletion mutants, but also minimize acid production. This experience will be transferred to Bt. Carnegie Mellon workers will further develop the metabolic network analysis algorithms and software to predict metabolic flux alternatives, design 13C NMR tracer experiments, and manage the performance of 13C NMR studies. The 13C NMR studies, will enumerate metabolic fluxes. This data, in turn, will document in detail the effects of strain manipulation as well as fully account for yield observations. Expected Results:We envision that we will develop high yield B. subtilis and Bt strains for recombinant protein and insecticide production, respectively. The data and constructs, in turn, will provide new insights on metabolic subsystem coordination. Additionally, advanced methods for integrating NMR-focused experimental design and data analysis will be developed. From a broader standpoint, the analytical tools we develop could aid the investigation of other environmental problems. For example, the pathways for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolism are now known. However, how the pathways integrate into the intact cell from a whole physiological perspective remains to be determined. Our network analysis and 13C NMR experiment design/interpretation tools could be used by other workers to solve such a problem. Publications and Presentations:Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 17 publications for this project Journal Articles:Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 4 journal articles for this project Supplemental Keywords: biology, modeling, measurement methods, engineering, agriculture., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Toxics, Sustainable Industry/Business, Chemical Engineering, cleaner production/pollution prevention, Environmental Chemistry, Sustainable Environment, Chemistry, pesticides, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Biology, Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, pesticide production, cleaner production, sustainable development, environmentally friendly technology, fluxes in bacillus pathwasy, clean technology, pesticide products, modeling, proteins, B. subtilis, agriculture, innovative technology, protein production, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), pollution prevention, green chemistry Progress and Final Reports:2002 Progress Report
2003 Progress Report
Final Report | 4,558 | 2,078 | 9,988.995188 |
warc | 201704 | If you could vote on exactly how Howard County spends $10M (just over 1% of its operating budget), would you take advantage of the opportunity? What if you could vote on how the county spends $100M?
This thought was prompted by a blog post touching on “participatory budgeting”, a movement that started in Brazil and has since spread to other jurisdictions in Latin America and elsewhere. To quote from the PB home site, “Participatory budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. Most examples involve city governments that have opened up decisions around municipal budgets, such as overall priorities and choice of new investments, to citizen assemblies.” See the blog post “How to Start Participatory Budgeting in Your City” for a good explanation of how it works in practice.
Some thoughts I had after reading these posts:
It’s no accident that this movement started in a developing country, and in particular in Brazil, one of the key rising nations in the world (along with China, India, Indonesia, Turkey, and perhaps a couple others). We worry in the U.S. that we have too much government. However the problem in most countries is not too much government, rather it’s corrupt and/or ineffective government. One of the selling points of PB is that it makes governments more responsive to citizens while at the same time increasing citizens’ sense of ownership in and trust of governments. It’s also no accident that this started as a local government initiative. Local governments touch citizens most directly, and also provide the most opportunities for citizens to make a real difference.
Note the discussion of PB as a driver of increased tax compliance: citizens see where their tax money is going and have some influence over how it’s spent, so they’re more willing to pay taxes in the first place. Even if you don’t like taxes as a matter of principle, this is an unmitigated good thing: Widespread tax evasion forces governments to raise nominal tax rates in order to fund a given amount of government services, and also induces them to impose harsh measures to force compliance. Higher rates discourage entrepreneurial activity and fall most severely on those who are honest, while encouraging the less honest to participate in a culture of corruption around tax evasion: bribing tax officers, hiding assets or moving them out of the country, selling on the black market, and so on.
Doing PB right requires making a major investment in encouraging citizen participation, including moving beyond the traditional “let’s have a hearing somewhere and announce it in the newspaper” approach, in which special interests and dedicated activists often dominate the agenda. Contrary to what many might think, local governments in developing countries may well be better positioned to do that than local governments in the U.S., since many developing countries are much more innovative than the U.S. in terms of exploiting mobile devices and applications, a key driver in reaching people where they are. But at the same time even low-tech measures can do the job: In Brazil they painted budget numbers on the walls of buildings to educate passers-by. (As a local analogy, think of Howard County putting budget visualizations and questions for citizens on the advertising signs in the Mall at Columbia.)
I’ll close with a final thought, prompted by this quote from one of the posts I referenced above:
"This all goes to show that innovations in open government go both ways, from developing to developed countries... The fact that people are not blogging about it in English does not mean that it does not exist. Sometimes people are just too busy making it happen."
There’s a lot of talk about “American exceptionalism” that often obscures the fact that many Americans (and American politicians) are fairly clueless about what goes on in the rest of the world, and believe the U.S. must inevitably be “number 1” in anything that matters. It’s not unpatriotic to point out that the reality is often quite different. If participatory budgeting ever comes to Howard County, the affluent home of “good government”, it will be because struggling jurisdictions in the “third world” showed the way. | 4,418 | 2,118 | 8,909.007554 |
warc | 201704 | Bank-less money is one way I've heard Bitcoin described, from some folks who have experience in the traditional finance system no less, because it is a more friendly way to explain it than “cryptocurrency” and exemplifies many of the advantages of the digital currency.
It is also a general feeling among the cryptocurrency community that Bitcoin is gift from up high that will bring the bankers and wall street jackals and debt traders to their knees. We like to imagine that Bitcoin represents the end of their reign as 'king of the debt slaves' and we imagine they sit in their high rise towers and fearfully devise plans designed to bring about Bitcoin's destruction.
The other popular image of banker's current thoughts on Bitcoin is that they are completely ignorant about it. That they, like the politicians they control, are completely out of touch with reality and see Bitcoin as an internet cultural oddity sure to pass just like Pants on the Ground, The Dancing Baby or Planking.
The truth, at least judging by a document detailing the Fed's recent meeting with the Federal Advisory Council, who, according to the Federal Reserve's website “is composed of twelve representatives of the banking industry” could be something much closer to how we look at the currency.
What little attention this document did receive from the press, including from the Cato institute, focused on the fact that the Banks are advocating regulation on Bitcoin, I do not mean to imply that is insiginifcant. What is especially important is that they are advocating for many of more unpopular aspects found in the BitLicense regulation. However, there is something else included in the report that I think is being overlooked: even bankers see the advantages inherent in the Bitcoin system.
The bankers in the meeting did not list Bitcoin as a threat to the industry in the short term. However, they noted that “Bitcoin’s longer-term impact could be more pronounced and require adaptation by payment processors.” Among the reasons why, are many of the same reasons Bitcoin evangelicals have been preaching the currency's adoption for years.
According to the document, the bankers note Bitcoin's low cost transaction fees (and its appeal to merchants) the advantages it offers the “unbanked” in the third world, its “geographic flexibility” and “faster settlement” (faster transactions) as the digital currency's main advantages.
Advantages that, the bankers say, “[do] not present a threat to economic activity by disrupting traditional channels of commerce; rather, it could serve as a boon.”
They even went as far as dispelling some misconceptions about Bitcoin, admitting that while Bitcoin is often used in illicit transactions “ sovereign-issued currencies and other precious goods are similarly used.” And wisely point out that Bitcoin is better described as pseudonymous rather than anonymous.
That said, it isn't all roses and sunshine. They do, as mentioned, suggest that Bitcoin be regulated in a fashion very similar to the BitLicense legislation making its way through New York right now. They also see some negatives preventing the currency from taking off, most notably its lack of stability and what many see as a positive, its finite supply.
But, it shouldn't be surprising to us that Bankers are calling for regulation of Bitcoin, even as they attempt to lessen regulation for themselves. What is significant here, is that Bitcoin's advantages seem undeniable, even to those that run the legacy system it seeks to replace.
Did you enjoy this article? You may also be interested in reading these ones: | 3,702 | 1,787 | 7,466.148853 |
warc | 201704 | People are talking more about bullying these days. It can happen at school, in the workplace, or online. How do you combat it? Educator and author Natasha Deen offers these three tips.
We’ve all been there. That purple end table that looked so fetch in the store is woefully out of place when you bring it back to your abode. The rational thing to do would be to return the item. According to a new study, instead, what we do is go out and buy more things like it to make it fit in.
High-calorie foods such as meatloaf, macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes can be harmful to your diet and overall health, but psychologists suggest they can partially counteract negative effects by making eaters feel better.
Warehouse stores like Costco and Sam’s Club attract an unqualified devotion of hardcore devotees, myself included. They provide havens that sap away your frugality and coax you to happily part with large sums of money and buy more food and supplies than you’ll logically go through in any imaginable length of time.
If you’ve ever strolled through IKEA, you’ve probably gotten the sense that you were in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory — enjoying yourself well enough and fascinated by the sights, but clueless as to how to get the hell out of there.
The moment before you make the final decision on whether or not to make a questionable purchase, your money makes one last plea to stay in your wallet rather than be traded for something superfluous.
Yahoo! has a piece from Women’s Day that lists 12 tricks that stores play on us in order to get us to spend more. One of them, putting nice fuzzy sweaters on tables, is a trick to get you to touch them. Once you touch them, you’re hooked!
If your teenager is quick to anger and depression, disagreeable and likes to break rules, video games may not just be letting him blow off steam, but may actually accentuate his dark tendencies, a study by professors from Villanova and Rutgers concluded.
If you’d like to save more money but find yourself unable to set anything aside after you pay your bills and buy such necessities such as MAD Magazine and lottery tickets, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance editor Janet Bodnar is out to help you. She put together 10 ways to trick yourself into saving.
The New York Times has an article about why consumers buy extended warranties for electronic products and other appliances, especially since we rarely have enough information at the moment of sale to make an informed decision. Here are three things to watch out for the next time you’re buying some fun electronic device.
Think that just because you know what a credit default swap is, you can speak the secret language of money? Think again. Psychiatrist/executive coach David Krueger has studied how we relate to our cash, and has put his research into a new book, “The Secret Language of Money: How to Make Smarter Financial Decisions and Live a Richer Life.” Lesson one from Dr. Krueger: “Money speaks to us and we speak with money. It’s kind of a Rorschach; we imbue it with whatever values or meanings we want.” Uh, okay.
Heather at The Greenest Dollar read How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer earlier this summer, and it made her see Costco in an entirely new way. The point behind all that crazy luxury stuff for sale at Costco isn’t just to sell it, she says; it’s to prime your brain with feel-good dopamine so that you’re far more likely to splurge on the more affordable items deeper in the store.
It’s one of those customer service calls you get in battle mode for. You set out all your papers and documents, you know exactly what you’re going to ask for, you have a glass of water ready, you take a deep breath, annnnnd – but wait. What if you had one more thing, just a little more edge that might tip the scales in your favor? An article in Pyschology Today talks about the classic customer service technique of “reciprocity.” At the call’s outset,
This story is a little old, but was just brought to our attention this weekend. Elsevier, which is sort of the Death Star of academic publishing, was caught offering $25 Amazon gift cards to professors who gave the book five-star reviews on Amazon.
A few months ago, we reminded you that your credit card company is building a psychological profile of you. But what about a short, convenient list of things that get credit card companies‘ notice? Marketplace has you covered.
Men…think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one. | 4,668 | 2,408 | 8,744.745847 |
warc | 201704 | Enter a search term such as “mobile analytics” or browse our content using the filters above.
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Please try again later. According to Econsultancy's State of Social 2011 report, produced in partnership with LBi and bigmouthmedia, two-thirds of companies have moved beyond the experimental phase of their social media strategies.
Following similar surverys in 2009 and 2010, this year’s research also shows that companies are now focused on the ‘big four’ networks. Not only this, but social media activity is more likely to be integrated with other marketing channels and across business functions.
Based on a sample of more than 1,000 businesses online, the report highlights that almost two thirds (64%) of respondents said that they are now beyond the experimental phase compared to 54% a year ago.
Lyndsay Menzies, CEO of bigmouthmedia and CMO of LBI International N.V., noted that since social media has moved well beyond the land-grab phase, this latest research underlines the fact that brands are now taking this seriously:
Businesses are embracing the opportunity that this presents to connect to their customer base. The increasing convergence of the channels, in particular search and social media, is fuelling adoption as awareness, advocacy and acquisition become intrinsically linked.
More than half of respondents (52%) said that their organisations use Facebook for reacting to customer issues and inquiries compared to only 29% last year.
Similarly, 50% of companies use Twitter for customer service, compared to only 35% in 2010. Half of organisations (51%) are also using Facebook for gathering customer feedback, compared to 37% last year.
The vast majority of companies surveyed use Twitter (87%) and Facebook (82%) as part of their social media marketing or online PR activities. More than two thirds of companies (69%) are using Google’s video-sharing platform YouTube and 57% are using business network LinkedIn.
Econsultancy's research manager Aliya Zaidi added:
When social media industry was in its relative infancy, there was much talk about the wide range of social channels available, including smaller platforms and the rise of niche social networks. In 2011, the social media landscape is dominated by the established ‘Big Four’ social networks, with the majority of companies using Facebook and Twitter for their social media activity.
Relatively small numbers of businesses are using other networks or web properties for social media activity such Google+ (14%), location-based platform Foursquare (15%) or question-and-answer network Quora (3%).
The research has also found that the trend expected to have the biggest impact over the next year is the increased use of mobile and smart devices such as tablets, deemed to be ‘highly significant ’by more than half of responding companies (54%).
The smartphone is overwhelmingly deemed to be the ‘most persuasive’ device for social media, according to 73% of respondents. Significantly fewer respondents cite other devices, such as the laptop, tablet and desktop computer.
The full report is available to Econsultancy subscribers here. | 3,420 | 1,674 | 6,784.83871 |
warc | 201704 | ERIC Number:ED153119 Record Type:RIE Publication Date:1977-Dec-19 Pages:75 Abstractor:N/A Reference Count:0 ISBN:N/A ISSN:N/A
Reevaluation Needed of Educational Assistance for Institutionalized Neglected or Delinquent Children. Report to the Congress by the Comptroller General of the United States.
Comptroller General of the U.S., Washington, DC.
This report by the Comptroller General of the United States describes the problems faced by institutionalized neglected or delinquent youths and suggests ways to enhance the effectiveness of Federal educational assistance made available for them. It begins by describing the administration and funding of the program, and stating the scope of the review. It presents detailed arguments showing that more selective funding of projects is needed. Finally, it questions whether academic educational assistance for institutionalized youth should be the highest priority for federal assistance. Appendices provide additional descriptive information. (Author)
Descriptors: Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Delinquency, Educational Finance, Elementary Secondary Education, Federal Aid, Institutional Schools, Needs Assessment, Research Projects, Youth Programs
U.S. General Accounting Office, Distribution Section, Room 4522, 441 G Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20548 ($1.00)
Publication Type:Reports - Research Education Level:N/A Audience:N/A Language:N/A Sponsor:N/A Authoring Institution:Comptroller General of the U.S., Washington, DC. Note:Some appendices of marginal reproducibility | 1,533 | 810 | 2,886.203704 |
warc | 201704 | Reid Ewing, Ph.D., is a Professor of City and Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah, associate editor of the Journal of the American Planning Association, and columnist for Planning magazine, writing the bi-monthly column Research You Can Use. Earlier in his career, he was director of the Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University, research professor at the National Center for Smart Growth, state representative from northwest Tucson, and analyst at the Congressional Budget Office. He holds master’s degrees in Engineering and City Planning from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in Urban Planning and Transportation Systems from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Ewing's work is aimed at planning practitioners. Ewing’s eight books include
Pedestrian and Transit Oriented Design, just co-published by the Urban Land Institute and American Planning Association; Growing Cooler – Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change, published by the Urban Land Institute; and Best Development Practices, listed by the American Planning Association (APA) as one of the 100 “essential” books in planning over the past 100 years.
His 90 peer reviewed articles include “Travel and the Built Environment: A Meta-Analysis,” given the 2010 Best Article of the Year award by APA; "Relationship Between Urban Sprawl and Physical Activity, Obesity, and Morbidity," the most widely cited academic paper in the Social Sciences as of late 2005, according to Essential Science Indicators; and “Is Los Angeles-Style Sprawl Desirable?” listed by APA as a Classic Article in urban planning. A recent citation analysis by Virginia Tech found that Ewing’s work is the seventh most highly cited among 997 planning academics in the U.S. and Canada. http://tomwsanchez.com/2015-urban-planning-citation-analysis/ He has two of the 10 most highly cited articles in the 80-year history of the
Journal of the American Planning Association. http://www.tandfonline.com/action/showMostCitedArticles?journalCode=rjpa20 | 2,073 | 1,060 | 3,940.65566 |
warc | 201704 | In or out of house
By Steve Kelman Sep 13, 2004
In the context of the Bush administration's competitive sourcing initiative, the attention of the information technology community has been focused mostly on whether some activities currently performed inside government would be more appropriate, in terms of cost and/or quality, to contract out.
But the Defense Department's use of contractors to interrogate Iraqi prisoners has brought a different question to the public's attention: Are there activities the government currently contracts out that belong in-house?
To answer that question, we need to go back to the basics of when it makes sense for an organization to buy something from the outside rather than make it itself.
Experts suggest that the most important rule for deciding between in-house production and outsourcing is: Keep your core competencies in-house and contract out the rest to organizations that specialize in those areas. The classic example would be running an agency's cafeteria or managing housing on a military base. These are not core competencies for government organizations, but they are the core competencies of companies that specialize in food service or housing management.
Likewise, developing and maintaining IT systems technologically are seldom core competencies for agencies, so they also are good candidates for outsourcing.
Based on that criterion, the government should develop its own business cases for IT investments, which are part of each agency's capital planning review process and must be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for approval.
For many government organizations, IT is mission-critical. As noted, this doesn't mean that the technology work must be performed in-house. However, when IT is mission-critical, the ability to make good decisions about IT investments — deciding what investments make sense and what capabilities IT applications should have — should indeed be an agency's core competency. This is something government officials need to be good at, rather than contracting out for the expertise. Outsourcing the creation of business cases inhibits the development of in-house skills the officials should have.
I think many young people would be interested in jobs researching and writing business cases. If the only argument for contracting out for such services is that agencies won't pay high enough salaries to attract good workers to the jobs, the solution is to establish appropriate salaries, not to outsource for that reason alone.
Moving business case development in-house is a good component of a strategy for improving the government's ability to successfully manage its increasingly crucial IT investments. With the growing recognition of the importance of government program management capacity, now is a good time to begin.
Kelman is a professor of public management at Harvard University's Kennedy School and former administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy. He can be reached at steve_kelman@harvard.edu. | 3,044 | 1,431 | 6,426.222222 |
warc | 201704 | Supervision and consumer protection are cornerstones of the FDIC’s efforts to ensure the stability of and public confidence in the nation’s financial system. The FDIC’s supervision program promotes the safety and soundness of FDIC-supervised insured depository institutions, protects consumers’ rights, and promotes community investment initiatives.
Examination Program
The FDIC’s strong bank examination program is the core of its supervisory program. At year-end 2007, the Corporation was the primary federal regulator for 5,257 FDIC-insured state-chartered institutions that are not members of the Federal Reserve System (generally referred to as "state nonmember" institutions). Through safety and soundness, consumer compliance and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), and other specialty examinations, the FDIC assesses their operating condition, management practices and policies, and their compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The FDIC also educates bankers and consumers on matters of interest and addresses consumers' questions and concerns.
In 2007, the Corporation conducted 2,258 statutorily-required safety and soundness examinations, including a review of Bank Secrecy Act compliance, and all required follow-up examinations for FDIC-supervised problem institutions within prescribed time frames. The FDIC also conducted 1,773 CRA/Compliance examinations (1,241 joint CRA/compliance examinations, 528 compliance-only examinations,1 and four CRA-only examinations) and 2,941 specialty examinations. All CRA/compliance examinations were also conducted within the time frames established by FDIC policy, including required follow-up examinations of problem institutions. The accompanying table compares the number of examinations, by type, conducted in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
FDIC Examinations 2005 - 2007
2007
2006
2005
Safety and Soundness:
State Nonmember Banks
2,039
2,184
2,198
Savings Banks
213
201
199
Savings Associations
3
2
1
National Banks
0
0
0
State Member Banks
3
1
1
Subtotal - Safety and Soundness Examinations
2,258
2,388
2,399
CRA/ Compliance Examinations:
Community Reinvestment Act - Compliance
1,241
777
815
Compliance - only
528
1,177
1,198
CRA - only
4
5
7
Subtotal CRA/ Compliance Examinations
1,773
1,959
2,020
Specialty Examinations:
Trust Departments
418
468
450
Data Processing Facilities
2,523
2,584
2,708
Subtotal - Specialty Examinations
2,941
3,052
3,158
Total
6,972
7,399
7,577
As of December 31, 2007, there were 77 insured institutions with total assets of $22.2 billion designated as problem institutions for safety and soundness purposes (defined as those institutions having a composite CAMELS2 rating of “4” or “5”), compared to the 51 problem institutions with total assets of $8.5 billion on December 31, 2006. This constituted a 51 percent year-over-year increase in the number of problem institutions and a 161 percent increase in problem institution assets. During 2007, 38 institutions with aggregate assets of $6.4 billion were removed from the list of problem financial institutions, while 64 institutions with aggregate assets of $26.5 billion were added to the list of problem financial institutions. The FDIC is the primary federal regulator for 47 of the 77 problem institutions.
During 2007, the Corporation issued the following formal and informal corrective actions to address safety and soundness concerns: 48 Cease and Desist Orders, three Temporary Cease and Desist Orders, one modified Cease and Desist Order, and 158 Memoranda of Understanding. Of these actions issued, 25 Cease and Desist Orders and 31 Memoranda of Understanding were issued based, in part, on apparent violations of the Bank Secrecy Act.
As of December 31, 2007, 43 FDIC-supervised institutions were assigned a “4” rating for safety and soundness and four institutions were assigned a “5” rating. Forty-two of the “4”-rated institutions were examined in 2007, and formal or informal enforcement actions have been finalized to address the FDIC’s examination findings. All “5”-rated institutions were examined in 2007.
As of December 31, 2007, eight FDIC-supervised institutions were assigned a “4” rating for compliance; no institutions were assigned a “5” rating. In total, three of the “4”-rated institutions were examined in 2007; three were examined prior to 2007 but are currently in various stages of appealing the ratings, and the remaining two were examined in 2006. With regard to the two for which examinations were last conducted in 2006, an informal enforcement action for one was issued in September 2007; therefore, an examination is not due until 2008. The other institution is operating under a Cease and Desist Order and the examination remains open.
The Corporation has issued enforcement actions to address the examination findings for all five of the institutions that were not in the process of an appeal. These actions include one Cease and Desist Order as noted above and four Memoranda of Understanding.
Joint Examination Teams
The FDIC used joint compliance/risk management examination teams (JETs) to assess risks associated with new, nontraditional and/or high-risk products being offered by FDIC-supervised institutions. The JET approach recognizes that to fully understand the potential risks inherent in certain products and services, the expertise of both compliance and risk management examiners is required. The JET approach has three primary objectives:
To enhance the effectiveness of the FDIC’s supervisory examinations in unique situations;
To leverage the skills of examiners who have experience with emerging and alternative loan and deposit products; and
To ensure that similar supervisory issues identified in different areas of the country are addressed consistently.
The JET concept evolved from the FDIC’s examination of state nonmember banks that were conducting payday lending activities through third-party vendors. Payday lending involved unique and complex products with significant safety and soundness and consumer protection risks for the institutions involved in this activity.
Subprime Hybrid Adjustable Rate Mortgages
In 2007, the FDIC continued to closely monitor the expansion of subprime hybrid adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), typically offered to subprime borrowers. Hybrid ARMs start with a low fixed interest rate for an initial period, which often lasts for two to three years, and then resets to a variable rate. Mortgage lenders typically qualified borrowers based on the low introductory payment amount rather than at the fully indexed interest rate, assuming a fully amortizing repayment schedule. Such underwriting standards and loan terms can cause payment shock, the consequences of which may not have been fully explained to borrowers. In addition, many lenders combined these loans with other potentially risky features, such as requiring little or no documentation of income, high loan-to-value ratios, and simultaneous second-lien mortgages, which could compound the risk to both borrowers and lenders.
To address these concerns, the FDIC joined the other federal financial institution regulatory agencies in issuing the Statement on Subprime Mortgage Lending (Subprime Guidance) on July 10, 2007. The guidance covers three primary areas: risk management practices, consumer protection principles, and control systems. The risk management section focuses on avoiding predatory lending, following prudent underwriting standards for qualifying borrowers, and encouraging institutions to work constructively with residential borrowers who are in default or whose default is reasonably foreseeable.
Working through Mortgage Resets
The FDIC became increasingly concerned about borrowers’ ability to service the higher debt load resulting from payment shock when their hybrid ARMs payments reset. Many borrowers, especially those who were qualified at a low introductory payment amount rather than the fully indexed interest rate and on a fully amortizing repayment schedule, may not have sufficient financial capacity to make the higher contractual payments owed on their home loans.
To address this concern, the FDIC led the agencies in issuing the Statement on Working with Mortgage Borrowers in April 2007. This guidance primarily addresses those instances when a financial institution has retained a residential mortgage loan on its books. The agencies issued the Statement on Loss Mitigation Strategies for Servicers of Residential Mortgages in September 2007 to provide guidance to entities that service residential mortgage loans for others. In addition, the FDIC joined the Conference of State Bank Supervisors and the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators in issuing the Supplemental Information for Loss Mitigation Strategies. This guidance encourages servicers to consider the borrower’s ability to repay modified obligations, taking into account the borrower’s total monthly housing-related payments as a percentage of the borrower’s gross monthly income.
The FDIC is encouraging servicers to adopt a streamlined approach to making the decision to grant loan modifications where necessary. Where the homeowner generally has been current at the starter rate, but cannot refinance in today’s market or make the higher payments after the interest rate resets, then the loan should be modified to keep it at the starter rate for a long-term sustainable period. Such modification arrangements would also benefit lenders and investors who would not only have a higher level of performing loans, but would also avoid administrative expenses associated with servicing delinquent debts or foreclosing on the property. In addition, financial institutions may receive favorable CRA consideration for programs that transition low-to moderate-income borrowers from higher cost credit to lower cost credit, provided that the loan modifications are made in a prudent manner.
Protection of Federal Benefit Payments
The FDIC, along with the other federal financial institution regulators, proposed guidance that encourages federally regulated financial institutions to follow best practices to protect federal benefit payments from garnishment orders. Federal law protects federal benefit payments – such as Social Security benefits and Veterans’ benefits – from garnishment orders and the claims of judgment creditors, subject to certain exceptions. Creditors and debt collectors are often able to obtain orders from state courts garnishing funds in a consumer’s account that do not meet the requirements of exempt funds. To comply with state court garnishment orders, financial institutions often place a temporary freeze or hold on an account upon receipt of a garnishment order, which can cause significant hardship for the account holder. The agencies developed proposed guidance, which includes best practices, to encourage financial institutions to minimize the hardships encountered by federal benefit funds recipients and to do so while remaining in compliance with applicable laws. The comment period closed in November 2007 and the agencies have reviewed the comments and will determine the best course of action during 2008.
Large Complex Financial Institution Program
In 2007, the FDIC led a comprehensive initiative to standardize data capture and reporting through the Large Insured Depository Institution (LIDI) Program. Under this Program, supervisory staff throughout the nation performs comprehensive quantitative and qualitative risk analysis on institutions with assets over $10 billion, or under this threshold at regional discretion. This information is used by various business lines to perform critical functions related to insurance, resolutions and supervision.
In 2007, the FDIC supported the insurance function in analyzing and setting appropriate insurance premiums for large insured financial institutions. The Corporation also led and supported various initiatives designed to better understand potential resolution challenges posed by complex insured financial institutions.
The FDIC continued to assess internal and industry preparedness relative to Basel II capital rules and was actively involved in domestic and international discussions intended to ensure effective implementation of the New Capital Accord. This included participation in numerous supervisory working group meetings with foreign regulatory authorities to address Basel II home-host issues.
Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering
The FDIC pursued a number of Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Counter-Financing of Terrorism (CFT) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) initiatives in 2007.
International AML/CFT Initiatives
The FDIC conducted three training sessions in 2007 for 57 central bank representatives from Algeria, Bosnia, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Tanzania, and Turkey. The training focused on AML/CFT controls, the AML examination process, customer due diligence, suspicious activity monitoring, and foreign correspondent banking. The sessions also included presentations from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on combating terrorist financing, and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) on the role of financial intelligence units in detecting and investigating illegal activities.
In addition to hosting onsite AML/CFT instruction, the FDIC provided guidance and resources for international AML/CFT financial system assessments and training. In 2007, the FDIC provided technical assistance in Yemen and Senegal to evaluate AML controls and each country’s AML statutory and legislative framework. Also, the FDIC delivered an AML presentation at the U.S.-Middle East/North Africa Private Sector Dialogue conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Finally, the FDIC met with representatives from the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Japan, the Korean Financial Intelligence Unit, the Banco Central del Uruguay and the Bank of Al-Maghrib, Morocco, to discuss the AML examination process, enforcement authority and the FDIC’s supervisory role in combating money laundering and other illicit financial activities.
Enforcement Actions
The FDIC, along with the other federal banking agencies, released the Interagency Statement on Enforcement of BSA/AML Requirements on July 19, 2007. The statement provides for greater consistency in BSA enforcement decisions and offers insight into how those decisions were made. The statement describes the circumstances and provides examples under which the federal banking agencies will issue a cease and desist order. Applicable statutes mandate that the appropriate agency shall issue a cease and desist order if a regulated institution fails to establish and maintain a BSA compliance program or correct a previously identified problem with its BSA compliance program.
Promoting Economic Inclusion
The FDIC pursued a number of initiatives in 2007 to promote inclusion of traditionally underserved populations in banking services and to ensure protection of consumers in the provision of these services.
The Advisory Committee for Economic Inclusion
The FDIC Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion (ComE-IN) was established by Chairman Sheila C. Bair and the FDIC Board of Directors pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The ComE-IN was chartered in November 2006, and provides the FDIC with advice and recommendations on important initiatives focused on expanding access to banking services by underserved populations.
Three ComE-IN meetings were held during 2007. The inaugural meeting addressed access to affordable small dollar loans. One recommendation that resulted was to launch a small dollar loan pilot program. The Board of Directors of the FDIC subsequently approved a two-year pilot project to review affordable and responsible small-dollar loan programs in financial institutions. The purpose of the study is to identify effective and replicable business practices to help banks incorporate affordable small-dollar loans into their other mainstream banking service offerings. Best practices resulting from the pilot will be identified and become a resource for other institutions.
The second meeting addressed the subprime mortgage situation, how it developed and possible solutions. The third meeting covered ways to ensure safe, available services for the money services businesses and examined their access to the banking system.
Alliance for Economic Inclusion
In 2007, the FDIC formally launched the Alliance for Economic Inclusion (AEI), a broad-based coalition of banks, community organizations, foundations, educators, and local, state and federal agencies in nine underserved markets across the nation – the Greater Boston area; Wilmington, DE; Baltimore, MD; South Texas (Houston/Austin); Chicago; the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast; Alabama's Black Belt; Kansas City; and Los Angeles. These diverse markets include low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, urban neighborhoods, minority communities and rural areas. The goal of the AEI initiative is to work with financial institutions and other partners in select markets to bring those who are unbanked and underserved into the financial mainstream. More than 700 banks and other organizations have joined the AEI. Under the auspices of the AEI, approximately 28,000 bank accounts have been opened; 29,000 consumers have received financial education; 41 banks are developing small-dollar loan programs; and 21 banks now offer remittance products allowing customers to send money to friends or family members outside the U.S. The FDIC has also included a component of its foreclosure prevention efforts within the AEI.
Affordable Small-Dollar Loan Guidelines and Pilot Program
Many consumers with bank accounts turn to high-cost payday or other non-bank lenders because they are accessible and can quickly provide small loans to cover unforeseen circumstances. To help enable insured institutions to better serve an underserved and potentially profitable market while helping consumers avoid, or transition away from, reliance on high-cost debt, the FDIC issued its Affordable Small-Dollar Loan Guidelines on June 19, 2007. The guidelines explore several aspects of product development, including affordability and streamlined underwriting. They also discuss tools, such as financial education and linked savings accounts that may address long-term financial issues that concern borrowers. The guidelines also note that FDIC-supervised institutions offering products that comply with consumer protection laws, and are structured in a responsible, safe and sound manner, may receive favorable consideration under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Additionally, on June 19, 2007, the FDIC Board approved a two-year pilot project to review affordable and responsible small-dollar loan programs in financial institutions and assist bankers by identifying and disseminating information on replicable business models for small-dollar loans.
Minority Depository Institutions
The FDIC’s Minority Bankers’ Roundtable series is a forum designed to, among other things, explore possible partnerships between the MDI community and the FDIC, as well as to seek input on how the FDIC can better promote the availability of technical assistance to the MDI segment of the industry. From the 2006 Roundtable sessions evolved ideas for two partnerships that were piloted during 2007. The first initiative, a “University Partnerships” pilot, is designed to do the following:
Promote financial literacy at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) or other schools with a significant minority population;
Provide the partnering MDI and the FDIC an opportunity to keep the business school deans aware of current industry issues and to build goodwill on campus; and
Offer both the MDI and the FDIC an opportunity to showcase their respective career opportunities.
The second 2007 Roundtable initiative involved partnering with the Puerto Rico Bankers Association to deliver a high-level specialized Compliance School. This event took place from November 6-9, 2007, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was attended by 150 bankers. This type of partnership was the first for the FDIC and was consistent with the goal of increasing usage of FDIC technical assistance.
In July 2007, the FDIC hosted the second annual National Minority Depository Institution Conference in Miami, Florida. This event was coordinated on an interagency basis and drew approximately 170 attendees. In addition to presentations by senior officials from all of the federal banking regulatory authorities, the program covered these topics: Broadening Access to the Financial Mainstream, Opportunities for NeighborWorks® America and Minority Community Bankers, and Capital Enhancement and Investment Opportunities, including a presentation on the Community Development Financial Institution Fund. The program also included workshops on Information Technology, BSA Emerging Issues, Compliance and CRA Hot Topics, and the Revised Interagency Policy Statement on the Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses. Feedback from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive. A third annual interagency conference is planned for 2008.
Information Technology, Cyber Fraud and Financial Crimes
The FDIC and other FFIEC regulatory agencies jointly issued guidance requiring financial institutions to strengthen account access credentials in an effort to curb online fraud and protect both consumer and commercial Internet banking customers. The guidance required the implementation of stronger authentication for most institutions on or before January 1, 2007. FDIC examiners tracked and reported on compliance with the guidance during various examination activities in 2007. Details collected suggest that an overwhelming majority (94 percent) of the institutions have complied with the provisions of the guidance. Most of the remaining institutions have plans to comply. Industry feedback suggests that stronger authentication has reduced online Internet banking-related fraud through more secure access credential management practices.
Other major accomplishments during 2007 in combating identity theft included the following:
Assisted financial institutions in identifying and shutting down approximately 1,400 “phishing” Web sites. The term “phishing” – as in fishing for confidential information – refers to a scam that encompasses fraudulently obtaining and using an individual’s personal or financial information.
Issued 323 Special Alerts to FDIC-supervised institutions of reported cases of counterfeit or fraudulent bank checks.
Participated on the President’s Identity Theft Task Force and five of its primary subgroups. The FDIC was one of seventeen federal agencies that participated. The Task Force submitted its report to the President on April 11, 2007. The report contains a comprehensive description of the problem as well as numerous recommendations concerning what the federal government and private industry can do to mitigate this serious problem. Since the report was submitted to the President, the FDIC continues to participate in several Task Force subgroups that are performing additional research on specific aspects of identity theft and plan to submit additional recommendations to the President in the spring of 2008.
The FDIC, in addition to the other federal banking agencies and the Federal Trade Commission, published a final identity theft red flag regulation and guidelines on November 9, 2007. The regulation and guidelines implement sections 114 and 315 of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003. Compliance is expected by November 1, 2008.
Consumer Complaints and Inquiries
The FDIC investigates consumer complaints about FDIC-supervised institutionsand answers inquiries from the public about consumer protection laws andbanking practices. In 2007, the FDIC received 11,624 written complaints,of which 4,457 were against state nonmember institutions. The Corporationresponded to over 93 percent of these complaints within timeliness standardsestablished by corporate policy. The FDIC also responded to 3,656 writtenand 3,321 telephone inquiries from consumers regarding state nonmember institutions.Overall in 2007, the FDIC handled 5,856 consumer telephone calls from thepublic and members of the banking community about consumer protection issuesnot including deposit insurance inquiries.
Deposit Insurance Education
The FDIC has an extensive deposit insurance education program consisting of seminars for bankers, electronic tools for estimating deposit insurance coverage, and written and electronic information targeted for both bankers and consumers. The FDIC also responds to thousands of telephone and written inquiries each year from consumers and bankers regarding FDIC deposit insurance coverage. The FDIC completed a multi-pronged effort in 2007 to update numerous publications and educational tools for consumers and bankers on FDIC insurance coverage, including consumer brochures, banker resource guides, videos and the Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator.
The FDIC hosted two identical series of telephone seminars for bankers on the FDIC’s rules for deposit insurance coverage. Each series consisted of topics on Basic Concepts of Deposit Insurance Coverage, Coverage for Retirement and Employee Benefit Plan Accounts, Trust Account Coverage, and Coverage for Business and Government Accounts. These free seminars were open to employees of all FDIC-insured banks and savings associations. The telephone conferences were attended by bankers in approximately 11,000 locations. Many of these locations represent bank branch offices where multiple employees took part in the training.
The FDIC coordinated with bank trade associations to conduct seven comprehensive seminars for financial institution employees on the rules for deposit insurance coverage. These seminars, which were conducted in classroom settings throughout the United States, provided a comprehensive review of how FDIC insurance works, including the 2006 changes to the FDIC’s final rules for insurance coverage.
The FDIC also completed a comprehensive and authoritative resource guide for bankers, attorneys, financial advisors and similar professionals on the FDIC’s rules and requirements for deposit insurance coverage of revocable and irrevocable trust accounts. The new trust guidebook will be published on the FDIC’s Web site in the first quarter of 2008.
In 2007, the FDIC received over 119,000 telephone and written inquiries from consumers and bankers regarding federal insurance coverage of bank deposits. Of these inquiries, 4,125 required formal written responses, 98 percent of which were completed within timeliness standards established by corporate policy.
Financial Education and Community Development
In 2001, the FDIC – recognizing the need for enhanced financial education across the country – inaugurated its award-winning Money Smart curriculum, which is now available in six languages, large print and Braille versions for individuals with visual impairments and a computer-based instruction version. Since its inception, over 1.4 million individuals (including approximately 200,000 in 2007) have participated in Money Smart classes and self-paced computer-based instruction. Approximately 163,000 of these participants have subsequently established new banking relationships. During 2007, the FDIC updated and enhanced the Money Smart curriculum and training tools. These changes included guidance on consumer-related concerns such as identity theft, remittances and how to assess mortgage product options.
In recognition that public schools are one of the best venues for reaching the next generation of consumers of all income levels, the FDIC embarked on a pilot project to expand its outreach and enhance the availability of the Money Smart financial curriculum in high schools. Over 339 schools, school systems and related entities have been contacted regarding the availability of Money Smart. Several hundred secondary school teachers and volunteers have been trained to deliver Money Smart. The FDIC also began work on developing a Money Smart curriculum for young adults.
The FDIC completed a major multi-year study in 2007 to evaluate the effectiveness of the Money Smart curriculum. The study, A Longitudinal Evaluation of the Intermediate-term Impact of the Money Smart Financial Education Curriculum upon Consumers' Behavior and Confidence, shows that the training can positively influence how people manage their finances. The survey examines the impact of financial education on the behavior of a broad audience up to one year after completing the training. The goal was to measure, over time, not only whether trainees’ knowledge of financial matters improved, and whether they intended to change their financial behaviors, but also whether, months after the training, they had actually acted on their intentions. Survey results indicate that those who took the Money Smart course were more likely to open deposit accounts, save money, use and adhere to a budget, and have increased confidence in their financial abilities whencontacted 6 to 12 months after completing the course. A majority of those surveyed reported an increase in personal savings, a decrease in debt, a better understanding of financial principles, and an increased willingness to comparison shop for financial services.
International Outreach
During 2007, the FDIC focused its international programs and activities toward the goal of helping to build strong and effective systems for protecting depositors, supervising financial institutions and resolving failures. Efforts included arranging and conducting training sessions, technical assistance missions and foreign visits, leadership roles in international organizations, bilateral consultations with foreign regulators, and many other activities and consulting services.
The FDIC’s strengthened international leadership role paved the way for the election of the FDIC’s Vice Chairman to the position of President of the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) and Chair of the IADI Executive Council. In addition, the Vice Chairman, as Chair of the IADI Training and Conference Standing Committee, developed and led the first-ever Executive Training Program, providing training to 35 IADI members from 27 countries. The FDIC was elected for the first time to serve on the Board of Directors for the Association of Supervisors of Banks in the Americas (ASBA) and to represent the North American Region. The FDIC’s leadership within ASBA included providing technical training to ASBA members on operational risk management and leading two working groups in developing ASBA guidance on key supervisory issues. The FDIC also established strong working relationships and presented at several European Forum of Deposit Insurers (EFDI) meetings, including theEFDI/IADI Joint Symposium on Cross Border Issues.
The FDIC continued to enhance the effectiveness and broaden the scope and impact of its three primary international programs – technical assistance, foreign visitors and training. The FDIC provided technical assistance to 12 central banks, bank supervisors and deposit insurers from 11 countries. A highlight of this assistance was an expanded partnership with the Financial Services Volunteer Corp (FSVC) in supporting the Central Bank of Egypt in developing an examiner commissioning program. The FDIC also provided critical technical assistance to Albania on resolution practices and the legal framework for establishing the backup financial support from the government to strengthen the deposit insurance safety net. In addition, the FDIC hosted 66 foreign country visits, including 417 foreign visitors from 28 countries. Noteworthy among these visits was the second U.S.-China Seminar on Bank Supervision, delegations representing parliament officials from South Africa, United Kingdom, Sweden and Italy, and an extended visit by board members and staff of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation. Lastly, 168 foreign students from 17 countries received training in examinations, financial institution analysis, loan analysis, examination management, information technology examination, and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing.
The FDIC expanded relationships with key international banking and deposit insurance organizations by expanding the secondment program (detailing staff from one country to another), technical assistance agreements and initiating new supervisory information sharing agreements. Secondment Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) were entered into with Japan, Albania, Poland, Nicaragua, and Korea to allow for selected employees from these countries to come to the FDIC to receive training and gain expertise in areas of supervision, resolution management and deposit insurance. Technical assistance agreements were executed with the People’s Bank of China and the U.K. Financial Services Authority, providing FDIC subject matter expertise in promoting deposit insurance best practices.
1 Compliance-only examinations are conducted for most institutions at or near the mid-point between joint compliance-CRA examinations under the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, as amended by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999. CRA examinations of financial institutions with aggregate assets of $250 million or less are subject to a CRA examination no more than once every five years if they receive a CRA rating of “Outstanding” and no more than once every four years if they receive a CRA rating of “Satisfactory” on their most recent examination.
2 The CAMELS composite rating represents the adequacy of Capital, the quality of Assets, the capability of Management, the quality and level of Earnings, the adequacy of Liquidity, and the Sensitivity to market risk, and ranges from "1" (strongest) to "5" (weakest). | 34,418 | 12,770 | 91,462.39859 |
warc | 201704 | Dana Jennings was very seriously ill; he had prostate cancer and was given Lupron, which suppresses testosterone. He says it induced in him a state like menopause. In addition to severe hot flashes and inconvenient food cravings, he had some emotional effects. Which led him to announce this conclusion:
Even though I only got to spend a brief time on the outer precincts of menopause, it did confirm my lifelong sense that the world of women is hormonal and mysterious, and that we men don’t have the semblance of a clue.
And, guys, when your significant female other bursts into tears at the drop of a dinner plate or turns on you like a rabid pit bull — whether she’s pregnant, having her period or in the throes of menopause — believe her when she blames it on the hormones.
Yuck! And double yuck at the roughly 80%+ of the commenters who congratulate him on the beautiful column and his aquired understanding. Some comments, though, get it. It isn’t as though men don’ have psychoactive hormones – some of which may well contribute to making
some of them rapists, wife-abusers, self-seeking executives who can steal millions and millions, murderers, leaders who take their countries into war in order to prove themselves, and so on.
So what in the world is going on? We have the first Latina nominee for the Supreme Court and the right wing is going out of their way to be sexist and disgusting about her. Liddy is worrying about her peiods! So just very innocently the NY Times publishes an article suggesting menopausal women are like pit bulls?
Articles like this are not cute. It is surely strange to suppose that a man undergoing hormone therapy for a brief time will feel as a woman does. Among other things, by the time menopause starts most women have had well over 30 years of learning to cope with hormonal changes.
What about all those who agree with him? Well, hot flashes, cravings and weight gain are not fun. But in addition, people have an unfortunate tendency to buy into cliches which excuse bad behavior. It’s like the teenage boys who think that getting aroused means they can just say “I couldn’t help myself,” and the charge of rape will go away.
In the meantimes, maybe the NY Times could think a bit before it publishes an article that sides with the far right’s worries about mixing leadership and female hormones. And if it becomes one of the most emailed articles, maybe they could put something at least in the errata about not actually intending to defame women and recognizing the millions of professional women who are less pit bullish than some of the male colleagues.
———————–
**Title borrowed from a certain TV commentator whose name I am reluctant to mention ever since he declared Katie Curic a day’s worst person in the world for saying the coverage of Clinton was sexist. | 2,931 | 1,501 | 5,494.892738 |
warc | 201704 | On February 26, 2012, 17-year-old African American male Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old biracial (Caucasian and Peruvian) male in Sanford, Florida. Martin was shot and killed within a gated community, where he was visiting his father, Tracy Martin, and the latter’s fiancé. Martin, returning from a store where he had purchased a bag of Skittles and a bottle of Ice Tea, was unarmed. The encounter between Martin and Zimmerman proved fatal for Martin. As for Zimmerman, 45 days passed before he was charged with any crime. Pursuing Trayvon Martin: Historical Contexts and Contemporary Manifestations of Racial Dynamics attempts to capture what we, a critical cadre of scholars, think about this potentially volatile situation in the moment. The text addresses issues across various thematic domains, as we have delineated various concerns that are broad and yet relevant. Some of these themes include: how Trayvon Martin’s killing might be depicted within the specifically historical context of racism, especially as some have compared Martin’s situation to that of Emmett Till and Rodney King; how contemporary conceptions/perceptions and treatment of Black bodies and/or black embodiment from the historical perspective of white supremacy in the United States continue to function or not function in our contemporary moment; how we ought to think about the political and legal implications of the Trayvon Martin case within the context of the politics and laws that have historically informed and shaped black people’s lives; how we should think critically about the historical exclusion of black bodies/embodiment in public space and the ramifications for the ways in which black people must navigate public space today; and, finally, how we should think about the ways in which the historical negative gendering of black girls and boys/black men and women, with respect to their white counterparts, in a white supremacist society, have impacted various intersections of race and gender in our contemporary setting. | 2,083 | 1,039 | 4,121.894129 |
warc | 201704 | In BriefWorried about being remembered? Well, worry no more. This eternal 5D data storage could preserve the history of humankind for ages to come.
Previously, we shared an amazing breakthrough: The ability to store data on slivers of quartz glass for 300 million years.
Now, you don’t have to worry about what will happen to your data after those 300 millions years are up—researchers have upped the stor
age and l ifespan of the quartz glass. Your data can be stored safely for 14 billion years.
Let’s get some perspective:
The Earth is 4.534 billion years old The Universe is 13.82 billion years old
With this in mind, your data is essentially safe forever.
Small Storage Solutions
Researchers at Southamton University in the UK have developed the technique of storing data digitally using laser light. 360 terabytes of information can fit on
one sliver of nanostructured quartz. With this tech, we can store literally the whole of human history.
The technique uses femtosecond laser pulses to write data in the 3D structure of quartz at the nanoscale. The pulses create three layers of nanostructred dots, each just microns above the other.
The changes in the structure can be read by interrogating the sample with another pulse of light and recording the orientation of the waves after they’ve passed through.
Notably, this is referred to as a 5D storage device. These include the three dimensions of space, which are responsible for describing the physical location of the dot, and two additional dimensions that are encoded by the polarity and intensity of the beam that creates the dot.
The storage system, in addition to being long lasting, is also pretty safe—the quartz can withstand up to 157 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
Our Nano-Legacy
In the same way that the Pioneer Plaque is meant to be a communication tool between us and any extraterrestrial life, these tiny storage systems could someday inform other beings (maybe our far, far, far off descendants) about Earth and humanity after we are long gone.
The research team has written a series of major works on the small glass discs. These are the works that will outlive generations:
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Newton’s Opticks The Magna Carta The King James Bible
This new advance in storage makes the technique a genuine means of archiving vast quantities of information in perpetuity. We no longer have to fear the loss associated with tragedies like the Library of Alexandria. | 2,525 | 1,305 | 4,788.793103 |
warc | 201704 | At EPA, security is an inside job
By Richard W. Walker Jun 13, 2003
'Getting good, honest people to pay attention to security is a real cultural battle.'
'EPA's Mark Day Agency uses software to nab biggest threat to security'employee hackers
For Mark Day, deputy CIO at the Environmental Protection Agency, the insider threat always looms large'largest, in fact.
'There's a growing outsider risk, but the predominant risk is still inside,' said Day, EPA's director of technology, operations and planning. 'Insiders have the greater privilege, greater potential to do damage, greater knowledge about where to do the damage, and the damage they can do is larger.'
A case in point: About six months ago, EPA officials nabbed an employee who had set up on the environmental agency's network a bogus account used in a hacking incident, Day said.
Using vulnerability management software from BindView Corp. of Houston, investigators determined when the account was established, who established it, how it was established and how it was misused, Day said.
Innocent mistake
A malicious insider exploiting an innocent mistake is generally the biggest threat, he said.
'Getting good, honest people to pay attention to security is a real cultural battle,' he said. 'The greatest difficulty is getting good insiders to pay attention to the innocent mistake.'
BindView's bv-Control tools let EPA security managers analyze technical settings on servers across agency networks for such mistakes or deviations from security standards.
'One of the great things about it is you can do that centrally,' Day said. 'You don't need to go out and install software on these remote devices to check them. You can apply a single set of standards across the entire agency.'
From the data, EPA officials generate quarterly reports for managers that assess security vulnerabilities and tell them what needs to be fixed to achieve compliance.
Targeted problems
'The report says, 'You had 10 deviations from the account-administration standard, and here are the 10 accounts that deviate.' They know which 10 to go fix,' Day said. 'They don't have to go wandering through hundreds of settings to find the mistake.'
EPA officials rolled out the system about 18 months ago and have seen compliance across the agency soar to 93 percent from 38 percent over the period, Day said.
EPA's initial investment in the system was about $1 million, including the cost of the software and staff time. Day estimates maintaining the system will cost about $100,000 annually'which he called a real bargain.
'It's an enormous educational tool,' he said. 'I could have spent millions of dollars on training and education and not gotten the same cultural change. | 2,731 | 1,297 | 5,708.35852 |
warc | 201704 | First 611 words of the document:
BUSS2 Credit sales are just revenue because they have made
the money but it has not yet been paid. There are many sources of cash inflows but only 1 A good budget must be: source of revenue, customers. Be consistent with the aims of the business. Be based on the opinions of as many people as Costs and Cash Outflows: possible. Cash outflow is all money that leaves the business. Not decided by someone who has done little Costs are the outgoings that are directly involved research. with the running of the business. Set challenging but realistic targets. Credit purchases are costs but not outflows as the Specific, manageable, achievable, realistic and time- money has not yet left the business. based. There are many reasons for cash outflows but only Be monitored at regular intervals. one reason for costs, and these relate to the business Be flexible costs. Variance is the difference between the budgeted figure and Cash Flow: the actual outcome. This can be adverse of favourable. It is the Cash flow is the short term impact of financial process by which budgeted figures are examined and then decisions as it displays a monthly figure. compared to actual outcomes. Profit is the long term value of financial decisions. Cash flow problems: Profit or loss is the difference between the revenue and the To much outflow costs incurred within a business. To little inflow Inflows come after outflows Profitability is the ability of a business to generate profit or the efficiency in which they do so. Reasons for shortage of cash: Seasonal demand Net profit margin: Over trading from over expanding Compares the profit made with the total income. Over investment in fixed assets NPM(%)=net profit before tax/income x 100% Credit sales This tells you the % of the income that is profit. Poor stock management For this to have meaning, it must be compared to Unforeseen changes e.g. strikes, economic downturn previous figures and competitors. Low profits Return on capital employed (ROCE): Benefits of budgets: Compares the profit made with the amount of capital Set targets invested. Measure of success ROCE(%)=net profit/capital invested x 100% Avoid over spending This tells you the % of the total investment that is Forecast future profit. Portion spending This should be compared to competitors, previous Motivate staff figures and with bank interest rates as this is a more Improve efficiency secure form of investment. Encourage planning A business could increase their profitability by: Drawbacks of budgets Increasing the price of the profit: Do not count for changes in the economy o Could cause customers to cancel contracts. Unpredicted variables o Cancel self out of the market. Needs skill and large amount of research. o But would make more profit on each sale. Could be incorrect or unfair Cut Costs: People could make cuts and damage the business. o Higher profit. Difficult to monitor o Loss in quality of the product. Increase the sales volume: Revenue and Cash Inflow: o Marketing Cash inflow is all money that comes into the business. o Improve promotional campaign Revenue is all money made from the sale of their o Change the product (new design) service or product. o Improve the quality. Other pages in this set Page 2
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Labour turnover is the proportion of employees leaving a
business over a given period of time. They can have a narrow or wide span of control and this = number of leaving staff/average number of staff x describes the number of people under the supervision of any 100 one manager. Advantages and disadvantages of narrow: This must be compared to other businesses for it to Allow close management supervision (vital for be useful.…read more Page 3
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Managers must relinquish control in order to make Operations management is about producing the right amount
the sub ordinates feel trusted. of a good or service, at the right time, of the right quantity, at Advantages the lowest costs in order to meet customer expectations. Inexperienced employees are not required to make decisions. Maximum capacity is the maximum number of units of output, It frees up time for managers to concentrate on or customers they can serve, in a given period of time. strategic tasks.…read more Page 4
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Continuous improvement: this is small and regular Storage space is much less.
improvements in quality by each member of staff. Leads to big changed are a business's ethos. Computer Aided Manufacture Benchmarking: is where employees aim to meet the Robotics and machinery can 24/7 without breaks. same standards as the market leader. Need no motivation to work or salary. There is no risk of strike or down time as a result of employee Good customer service is where the business identifies and absence.…read more Page 5
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Specific skills needed o They have been developed to combat
o Personality unemployment in developed countries. Job evaluation is where the job is assessed compared Job centres to other jobs and is the salary is designated o Advertises job vacancies that employers accordingly. This encourages equal pay. It is subject send to them. This is accessible via their to opinion and thus people are often over and website or phone. underpaid.…read more Page 6
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It provides better means of communication with the
employee and the employer. Non-financial incentives: The employee understands how they could improve. Able to set new targets to motivate staff. Job enrichment is increasing the depth of the job by increasing the amount of authority to the employee. Financial incentives for motivation: Job enlargement is giving the employee a wider variety of Wages require workers to be at work for a number of specific tasks within a job description. hours. Usually paid weekly.…read more Page 7
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Below -1, the product is elastic. This means that the change in The behaviour of a product is standard. It goes:
demand is greater than the change in price so they should Research and development lower their prices. However, demand will be costly as higher Growth production needed and more profit may not be made. Maturity Saturation The 4 Ps! Decline/extension strategy PRICE Development: High cost per unit.…read more Page 8
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This is where a business will try to create a
good public image and reputation. Merchandising o Where a brand will use their logo or name in order to promote another product e.g. football club merchandise. Branding o Merchandise is given a brand name. The business can market the brand and not necessarily each individual product. Direct Marketing o This is where a firm will send a sales person to the customer in order to persuade them to purchase a product.…read more | 6,844 | 3,056 | 15,192.963351 |
warc | 201704 | . Reward management:
Reward management is an aspect of HRM that deals with the management of remuneration (extrinsic rewards) and management of intrinsic rewards.
Characteristics of rewards -
Whatever form it takes, a reward must have the following characteristics..
It must be relevant and important to the individual It must have a value in itself or because of what it represents It must be associated with, or serve, a purpose It needs to have a behavioural effect on the person recieving the award There must be conscious recognition on the part of the reciever and giver than an act of rewarding has taken place . Reward categories -
Rewards are usually placed in the following categories..
Intrinsic rewards - (psychological rewards, i.e. praise etc) Extrinsic rewards - (intangible rewards, i.e. money, company car etc)
The belief that certain kinds of rewards, particularly monetary incentives, can deliver significant improvements in performance is shared by managers and employees.
Issues in paying employees: Determining pay -
Overpaying or underpaying employees can both have serious consequences. Therefore, pay can be determined through job evaluation, as well as through external factors, including the levels of unemployment, and typical rates of pay locally.
. Typical hourly payment systems - Flat rate - (fixed amount over a fixed period of time) Piece rates - (paid per item of work completed) Group/team bonus - (measuring group performance and awarding payment to the group for increased output) Rates for skills, shift premium and overtime premium - (unusual times of work etc) Performance-related pay (PRP):
This uses financial incentives to link an individuals pay to his or her performance. PRP is often linked to performance objectives set for the individual as part of an annual apprasial process.
Incremental pay schemes - (length of service drives pay increases) Job evaluation - (the value of the job can be determined in a systematic manner) . following on Job evaluation - Non-analytical methods
- 'Job ranking' involves deciding the order of jobs, from the highest worth to the lowest.
- 'Paired comparison' involves each job being considered relative to each other job and is scored depeding on whether it is of lower, similar or higher value.
Analytical methods
- A points based system can be used, whereby the job is considered against a predetermined set of criteria and is scored against each of the criteria.
. Equal Pay: Under current legislation, equal value claims can only be made if the employee to whom the claimant is comparing themselves to is of the opposite sex. A points-based job evaluation scheme can help an organisation defend itself from claims, by demonstrating the different value of the jobs within the organisation. Employees can now submit an equal value questionnaire to their employer to assist them with submitting this claim. . Managing rewards | 2,929 | 1,416 | 6,019.34322 |
warc | 201704 | Biological Approach:
Gambling:
Initiation - genetics as PG can run in families, Black found that first degree relatives of PG are likely to be PG.
Maintainance - an underactive pituarity adrenal response, Paris found that when PGs were shown a gambling stimulus and a neutral stimulus their cortisol levels were no different. Zuckerman also found that PGs scored higher on a senstation seeking questionnaire.
Relapse - poor boredom tolerance as PGs need excitement.
Evaluation:
genetic explanations explain individual differences but fail to explain environmental or situational factors addiction could be caused by an interaction of several factors Bonnaire identified two types of PG: 1 type gamble to relive boredom whilst the other type gamble for arosal the biological approach fails to explain why some types of gambling are more addictive. Zuckerman found that males and females addicted to video gambling became PGs after 1 year whilst betting on horses or sport took 3 1/2 years to become addicted.
Smoking:
Initiation - hereditability of smoking is 39-80%, Vink in a newer study found the hereditability to be 42%.
Maintainance - Vink suggests that this is also primarily due to genetic factors for 75% of cases. Nicotine also affects brain chemistry and the release of dopamine in the reward pathway as a reponse to smoking. Pre-natal exposure also plays a role with those whose mothers smoked 20 or more day during pregnancy being at greater risk of becoming a regular smoking.
Relapse - twin studies show that 54% of the risk of quit failure is due to genetics.
Evaluation:
an Icelandic study found a specific gene varient on chromasome 15 which influenced smokers of over 10 a day. the biological approach neglects other determining factors such as environment and situational it does offer possibilities for pharmacological treatment methods. new discoveries suggest that people can be screened to find out who has a particular senisitivity to the possibility of smoking and thus advice could be distributed accordingly especially due to the high public health burden that smoking has caused. However, studies to date have not been very successful.
Cognitive Explanation:
Gambling:
Initiation - self medication model proposes that individuals purposfully treat psychological symptoms by engaging in pathological behaviour, some activities may be chosen because they help an individual overcome anxiety.
Maintainance - irrational beliefs such as 'gambler's fallacy' contribute as they believe a run of losses mean they 'deserve' a win. Griffiths demonstrated that those playing on a fruit machine who were regular gamblers used irrational vocalisation when they were playing.
Relapse - recall bias and the just world hypothesis suggest that gamblers overestimate wins and underestimate or rationalise losses.
Evaluation:
Li showed that PGs who gambled to escape reality often had other substance dependencies, they were also more likely to commit illegal acts to finance their habit. Delfabbro found that were more irrational in some forms of cognition but just as accurate at calculating odds. Furthermore, a study of university students found that those trained in statistical fields were no less susceptable… | 3,251 | 1,592 | 6,585.725503 |
warc | 201704 | The Effect of Early Cognitive Ability on Earnings Over the Life-Cycle
This paper utilizes information on cognitive ability at age ten and earnings information from age 20 to 65 to estimate the return to ability over the life-cycle. Cognitive ability measured at an early age is not influenced by the individual’s choices of schooling. We find that most of the unconditional return to early cognitive ability goes through educational choice. The conditional return is increasing for low levels of experience and non-increasing for experience above about 15-25 years. The return is similar for men and women, and highest for individuals with academic education. Only a small part of the return can be explained by higher probability to have a supervisory position.
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Volume (Year): 26 (2012) Issue (Month): 3 (09) Pages: 287-312
Handle: RePEc:bla:labour:v:26:y:2012:i:3:p:287-312 DOI: j.1467-9914.2012.00553.x Contact details of provider: Postal: Via Columbia, 2 00133 Roma
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Order Information: Web: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/subs.asp?ref=1121-7081 References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.: Haegeland, Torbjorn & Klette, Tor Jakob & Salvanes, Kjell G, 1999." Declining Returns to Education in Norway? Comparing Estimates across Cohorts, Sectors and Over Time," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 101(4), pages 555-76, December. Haegeland, T. & Klette, T.J. & Salvanes, K.G., 1999. " Declining Returns to Education in NOrway? Comparing Estimates Across Cohorts, Sectors and Over Time," Papers 14/99, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration-. Haegeland, T. & Klette, T.J. & Salvanes, K.G., 1999. " Full references(including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
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warc | 201704 | Stock exchange governance and market quality
No abstract is available for this item.
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References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.: Parisi, Franco & Nail, Lance & Soto, Catherine, 2002." Evidence of a leadership role in the Chilean stock exchanges," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 191-205, July. Chan, Louis K. C. & Lakonishok, Josef, 1993." Institutional trades and intraday stock price behavior," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 173-199, April. Petersen, Mitchell A. & Fialkowski, David, 1994." Posted versus effective spreads *1: Good prices or bad quotes?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 269-292, June. Marshall E. Blume & Michael A. Goldstein, . " Displayed and Effective Spreads by Market (Revision of 4-92)," Rodney L. White Center for Financial Research Working Papers 27-92, Wharton School Rodney L. White Center for Financial Research. Berkowitz, Stephen A & Logue, Dennis E & Noser, Eugene A, Jr, 1988." The Total Cost of Transactions on the NYSE," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 43(1), pages 97-112, March. Huang, Roger D. & Stoll, Hans R., 1996." Dealer versus auction markets: A paired comparison of execution costs on NASDAQ and the NYSE," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 313-357, July. Lee, Charles M C & Ready, Mark J, 1991." Inferring Trade Direction from Intraday Data," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 46(2), pages 733-46, June. Hasbrouck, Joel, 1993." Assessing the Quality of a Security Market: A New Approach to Transaction-Cost Measurement," Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 6(1), pages 191-212. Bessembinder, Hendrik & Kaufman, Herbert M., 1997." A Comparison of Trade Execution Costs for NYSE and NASDAQ-Listed Stocks," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 32(03), pages 287-310, September. Christie William G. & Huang Roger D., 1994." Market Structures and Liquidity: A Transactions Data Study of Exchange Listings," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 300-326, June. Paul Gompers & Joy Ishii & Andrew Metrick, 2003." Corporate Governance and Equity Prices," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 118(1), pages 107-156. Paul A. Gompers & Joy L. Ishii & Andrew Metrick, 2001. " Corporate Governance and Equity Prices," NBER Working Papers 8449, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. Paul A. Gompers & Joy L. Ishii & Andrew Metrick, 2002. " Corporate Governance and Equity Prices," Center for Financial Institutions Working Papers 02-32, Wharton School Center for Financial Institutions, University of Pennsylvania. Paul A. Gompers & Joy L. Ishii & Andrew Metrick, 2001. " Bessembinder, Hendrik, 1997." The degree of price resolution and equity trading costs," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 9-34, July. Michael J. Barclay & William G. Christie & Jeffrey H. Harris & Eugene Kandel & Paul H. Schultz, 1999." Effects of Market Reform on the Trading Costs and Depths of Nasdaq Stocks," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(1), pages 1-34, 02. Holthausen, Robert W. & Leftwich, Richard W. & Mayers, David, 1987." The effect of large block transactions on security prices: A cross-sectional analysis," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 237-267, December. Full references(including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
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warc | 201704 | How to Make Institutional Economics Policy-Relevant: Theoretical Considerations and an Application to Rural Credit Markets in Developing Countries
Welfare economics as the traditional, prescriptive theory framework used in agricultural economics has been criticised by institutional economists as being largely irrelevant to real-world policy issues. We therefore ask how normative statements are possible within an economic theory framework that does recognise the importance of institutional arrangements. Instead of applying established outcome-oriented criteria of social welfare, we examine whether the rules of economic interaction allow the acquisition of gains from cooperation. We suggest to reconstruct any interaction as an existing or repealed social dilemma. This approach helps to identify common rule interests which create room for improvement of all parties involved, and to suggest desirable institutional reforms. An application to credit markets in developing countries demonstrates the insufficiency of welfare economic arguments and the potential insights generated by a social dilemma heuristic. The latter sheds new light on the role of various forms of collateral and informal arrangements to overcome credit rationing.
Length: Date of creation: 2006 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:ags:iaae06:25702 Contact details of provider: Web page: http://www.iaae-agecon.org/
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References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.: Maitreesh Ghatak & Timothy W. Guinnane, 1998. " The Economics of Lending with Joint Liability: Theory and Practice," Working Papers 791, Economic Growth Center, Yale University. Ghatak, Maitreesh & Guinnane, Timothy W., 1999." The economics of lending with joint liability: theory and practice," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 195-228, October. Ghatak, M. & Guinnane, T.W., 1998. " The Economics of Lending with Joint Liability: Theory and Practice," Papers 791, Yale - Economic Growth Center. Maitreesh Ghatak & Timothy W. Guinnane, 1998. " The Economics of Lending with Joint Liability: Theory and Practice," Discussion Papers 98-16, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. Ghatak, Maitreesh & Guinnane, Timothy W., 1999. " Stiglitz, Joseph E & Weiss, Andrew, 1981." Credit Rationing in Markets with Imperfect Information," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 71(3), pages 393-410, June. Demsetz, Harold, 1969." Information and Efficiency: Another Viewpoint," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, April. Gardner, Bruce L. & Gale Johnson, D., 2002." Policy-related developments in agricultural economics: Synthesis of handbook volume 2," Handbook of Agricultural Economics, in: B. L. Gardner & G. C. Rausser (ed.), Handbook of Agricultural Economics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 42, pages 2215-2249 Elsevier. Bell, Clive, 1988." Credit markets and interlinked transactions," Handbook of Development Economics, in: Hollis Chenery & T.N. Srinivasan (ed.), Handbook of Development Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 16, pages 763-830 Elsevier. Eggertsson, Thrainn, 1998." Limits to Institutional Reforms," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 100(1), pages 335-57, March. Coco, Giuseppe, 2000." On the Use of Collateral," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(2), pages 191-214, April. Petrick, Martin, 2004." Credit rationing of Polish farm households: a theoretical and empirical analysis," Studies on the Agricultural and Food Sector in Central and Eastern Europe, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Central and Eastern Europe (IAMO), volume 26, number 93022. Buchanan, James M, 1975." A Contractarian Paradigm for Applying Economic Theory," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 65(2), pages 225-30, May. David de Meza & David C. Webb, 1987." Too Much Investment: A Problem of Asymmetric Information," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 102(2), pages 281-292. Full references(including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
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warc | 201704 | Expression of cytokines and cell adhesion molecules in nasal inflammatory diseases.
Project/Area Number 06671703 Research Category
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Section 一般 Research Field Otorhinolaryngology Research Institution Yamanashi Medical University Principal Investigator OKAMOTO Yoshitaka Yamanashi Medical University Professor, 医学部, 教授 (40169157) Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) 伊藤 永子 秋田大学, 医学部, 助手 (90006734) Project Fiscal Year 1994 – 1996 Project Status Completed(Fiscal Year 1996) Budget Amount *help ¥2,200,000 (Direct Cost : ¥2,200,000) Fiscal Year 1996 : ¥500,000 (Direct Cost : ¥500,000) Fiscal Year 1995 : ¥500,000 (Direct Cost : ¥500,000) Fiscal Year 1994 : ¥1,200,000 (Direct Cost : ¥1,200,000) Keywords nasal mucosa / cytokine / cell adhesion molecule / virus / nasal allergy / chronic sinusitis / 鼻・副鼻腔 / サイトカイン / 細胞接着分子 / ウイルス / アレルギー / 慢性炎症 / ハウスダスト / ヒト鼻アレルギー / トシル酸スプラタスト / マウス / RSウイルス / G糖蛋白 / F糖蛋白 Research Abstract
Expression of cytokines and cell adhesion molecules was evaluated in chronic sinusitis and nasal allergy, which are the most popular nasal inflammatory diseases. Also, the effect of viral airway infection on these expressions was investigated.
The results are summarized as follows. 1. Employing specific reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assays, mRNAs of various kinds of cytokines and cell adhesion molecules were detected in maxillary sinus mucosa of the patients with chronic sinusitis. The expression of IL-1alpha, beta was more frequently in acute phase of the disease. The mucosal T cells were thought to play an important role on the expression of these cytokines and on the pathogenesis of the disease. The extracellular matrix may participate in the persistent activation of these T cells. 2. An enhanced expression of the mRNA for various cytokines was observed in nasal mucosal samples of nasal allergic subjects after the administration of allergic antigen or substance P,although the expression of IL-2 and IL-4 was low. These cytokine production may induce the cellular infiltration and the late phase reaction through the activation of cell adhesion molecules. Also, substance P may regulate allergic reaction via enhanced production of certain regulatory cytokines. 3. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) enhanced Th-2 like cytokines production but not Th-1 like cytokines production in mitogen stimulated human tonsillar cells. In nasal epithelial cells, RSV induced the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 by itself but not through production of cytokines. The enhanced synthesis of Th-2 like cytokines and cell adhesion molecules in airway infected with RSV may contribute to the unique inflammatory processes. Report (5results) Research Output (21results) | 3,251 | 1,493 | 6,007.70864 |
warc | 201704 | Budget Amount *help ¥9,400,000 (Direct Cost : ¥9,400,000) Fiscal Year 2000 : ¥1,700,000 (Direct Cost : ¥1,700,000) Fiscal Year 1999 : ¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost : ¥2,300,000) Fiscal Year 1998 : ¥5,400,000 (Direct Cost : ¥5,400,000) Research Abstract
All of the brassinosteroid (BR) dwarf mutants isolated so far exhibit a short robust stature, dark-green leaves, and reduced fertility. In addition, most of the BR dwarfs display prolonged development, and exhibit varying degrees of de-etiolation when grown in the dark. Studies on BR mutants of Arabidopsis have been carried out to better understand BR biosynthesis and its regulation.
Biochemical and molecular analyses disclosed defective steps of BR biosynthetic mutants, and functions of the genes. The genes encoding many enzymes in the biosynthesis of BRs, FACKEL, DWF7, DWF5, DIM (DWF1), DET2, and DWF4 were shown to be involved in the C14-reduction, C5-desaturation, C7-reduction, C24-reduction, C5α-reduction, and C22α-hydroxylation, respectively. In addition, dwarfism in the above BR biosynthetic mutants was found to be due to a deficiency of bioactive BRs, indicating that BRs are required for proper growth and development. BR-insensitive mutants, bril, were also characterized. We showed that bril mutants accumulate very large amounts of BRs, and that the levels of BRs are positively correlated with allele and phenotypic severity, suggesting that BRI1 is required for the homeostasis of endogenous BR levels. Furthermore, bas1 mutant (phyB activation-tagged suppressor) was analyzed. The adult phenotype of bas1 mimics that of BR biosynthetic and response mutants. Dwarfism in bas1 was shown to be due to an inactivation of brassinolide by means of hydroxylation. The study also revealed that BAS1 represents one of the control points between multiple photoreceptor systems and BR signal transduction. In conclusion, the present study disclosed the functions of the genes involved in BR biosynthsis, catabolism and signal trasduction. The study also provided the compelling evidence that BRs are essential plant hormones for proper growth and development in higher plants. | 2,192 | 1,053 | 4,450.613485 |
warc | 201704 | Nur Fatema, a twenty-six year-old mother of 4, left her home in Arakan State and fled to Bangladesh along with her disabled husband eight years ago, because of brutal treatment by the Burmese Military.
“I along with my family members came to Bangladesh because of religious persecution and other human rights abuses such as forced labor, restrictions on movement and land confiscation, unfair taxation, extortion and arbitrary arrest by the military junta,” she told BNI in an interview.
Fatema, a mother of four children, sells food goods to feed her sons and disabled husband because she is not recognized by the UNHCR and Bangladeshi authority at Leda (Tal) In January 2003, she crossed the Burma-Bangladesh border at night by row boat illegally from Shapuri Dip, under the Teknaf police station.
After her arrival, she lived in a rented house in Teknaf for nearly six months, until Bangladeshi authorities started arresting Rohingya people living in the area illegally .
She moved the family to Dum Dum Mea unofficial camp for fear of being arrested by the Bangladeshi authorities.
They stayed at Dum Dum Meah camp without refugee status for nearly five years. They struggled to find food and survive in unhealthy living conditions . Flooding of the nearby river threatened to wash away their home .
Many unregistered refugees at Dum Dum Meah suffered from diarrhea and pneumonia. Many died as a result.
Unregistered refugee children from Leda Camp selling fire wood
Today, she is the sole provider for her four children and her disabled husband, who cannot walk or earn an income.
They all crowd into a very small hut, struggling to survive without support from any aid agency because the family is still not recognized officially as refugees by the UNHCR and Bangladeshi authorities.
She goes to Teknaf market every day and buys potatoes, dried fish, onions, beans, chili and tomatoes. She sells them in Leda camp, but struggles to feed her family on the 40 to 50 taka profit from her business, which is about 50 cents.
She said she is very sad she can’t send her son to school because the Bangladeshi authorities don’t provide school in Leda unregistered refugee camp.
“My child’s life is going to continue to be difficult with no education,” she said.
“We are still not recognized as legal refugees. How long can we live this way?”
So, Fatema calls for urgent intervention by the International Community, UNHCR and Bangladeshi authorities to provide official recognition as legal refugees, education, a higher standard of living, and equal rights for Rohingya people- recognizing their dignity as human beings in Arakan State, Bangladesh and wherever they live.
Like Fatema, many unregistered Rohingya refugee women and young children go to forest to collect firewood. Some go to Teknaf and purchase food stuffs to resell or make Rotee to sell in Leda camp.
A small boy carries firewood to his hut. He has never attended school
Refugees said in an interview most Rohingyas work as daily laborers and live in squalid conditions in the camp. So parents are not able to feed their children properly. The children suffer from malnutrition.
A refugee community member told Kaladan Press Network (KPN) that he has been struggling to survive at the unofficial refugee camp over ten years without legal refugee status.
First, he lived at Teknaf upazila (Tal) from 2000 to 2003. After that, the Bangladeshi authorities forcibly moved the refugees from Teknaf without giving any reason.
Later, they gathered at Dum Dum Meah of Teknaf, near the bank of the Naff river bank and close to Teknaf-Cox’s Bazar highway because they had nowhere else to go.
Many Rohingya refugees died in road accidents and from disease at that time.
The EU and UNHCR said in a report during a visit to the area in April 2006:
“Between 10,000 and 14,000 members of the unofficial Rohingya population live in the makeshift Dum Dum Meah camp near Ukhiya, approximately six kilometres north of Teknaf. The camp is situated between the bank of the Naf River and a highway. The river floods regularly, making refugee shelters vulnerable to being washed away and the highway has claimed a number of refugee children’s lives. Refugees leaving the camp to look for firewood and other provisions are frequently exposed to abuse and harassment from the local Bangladeshi community.”
The UN also said both the UNHCR and delegates from the E.U. who visited Dum Dum Meah makeshift camp condemned the Bangladeshi government for the conditions endured by the refugees sheltering there. The United Nations declared it a state of humanitarian emergency, while the E.U. expressed concern over the “miserable” conditions experienced by Rohingya refugees outside of the official camps and asked the Bangladeshi authorities to “rehabilitate undocumented refugees from Burma. In April 2006, the Bangladeshi authorities permitted Médecins Sans Frontières – Holland (MSF) to document the Rohingya refugees in Dum Dum Meah camp and to provide them with some humanitarian support including latrines, blankets, and etc. An MSF clinic was established at the site of the makeshift camp soon after.
Dipu-Moni, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, speaks at a press conference in Dhaka after returning from Burma
When the situation became worse day by day, all the refugees were moved again to Leda (Tal) from Dum Dum Meah makeshift camp by Bangladeshi government in June, 2008.
Now, over 10,000 Rohingya refugees have been living in Leda camp from 2008 to now in even worse conditions.
A refugee teacher from Leda camp said, “The Rohingya refugees of Leda camp frequently go to Teknaf as laborers and rickshaw pullers because they don’t get support from anyone. They must do this to feed their children. If they don’t find work outside the camp, they have to starve with their family members.”
He also said that the camp situation of Leda Tal is awful because refugees leaving the camp are harassed, beaten and robbed by locals when they return to the camp in the evening with food for their family members.
Over 80 Rohingyas from Leda camp were arrested and sent to Cox’s Bazar jail by Bangladeshi authorities two months ago, while on their way to find work to feed their families. They receive no food ration as illegal/unofficial refugees.
Some were released, but more than 50 unregistered refugees have been languishing in Cox’s Bazar jail because their family members are unable to pay money for their release, according to a prisoner.
Muslim Aid provides basic treatment and sanitation in the Leda camp but they don’t provide food, sources said
An elder from Leda camp said many unregistered refugees are afraid the Bangladeshi authority is planning to repatriate them.
The Bangladeshi government has already had discussions with the Burmese military regime about repatriating the unregistered refugees to Burma. It is not confirmed yet when they will start the repatriation.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said in a January 25, press conference she discussed various bilateral issues, including hydropower, border trade zones with the military regime and repatriation of both registered and undocumented Myanmar citizens (Rohingya), when she visited Burma last month.
The Foreign Minister also said the regime agreed to repatriate its refugees as early as possible.
Twenty-eight thousand registered refugees from Burma are living in Bangladesh, while 300,000 to 500,000 unregistered may live there.
“We should go back to our motherland if we get full equal rights and citizenship like other ethnic groups,” a refugee leader said.
“We want to stay in Bangladesh or elsewhere until democracy is established in Burma, so we can obtain citizenship which is a human right the regime denies Rohingya citizens.
“How can we go back to Burma again when nothing changed after the 2010 elections? It is the same junta, same rules, like old wine in new bottles,” he said. | 8,097 | 3,449 | 18,546.33227 |
warc | 201704 | American Journal of Transplantation vol:13 issue:1 pages:86-99
Article number:
10.1111/j.1600-6143.2012.04304.x
Abstract:
The impact of early histological lesions of renal allografts on long-term graft survival remains unclear. We included all renal allograft recipients transplanted at a single center from 1991 to 2001 (N = 1197). All indication biopsies performed within the first year after transplantation were rescored according to the current Banff classification. Mean follow-up time was 14.8 ± 2.80 years. In multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, arteriolar hyalinosis and transplant glomerulopathy were independently associated with death-censored graft survival, adjusted for baseline demographic covariates. Arteriolar hyalinosis correlated with interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy, mesangial matrix increase, vascular intimal thickening and glomerulosclerosis. Clustering of the patients according to these chronic lesions, reflecting the global burden of chronic injury, associated better with long-term graft survival than each of the chronic lesions separately. Early chronic histological damage was an independent risk factor for late graft loss, irrespective whether a specific, progressive disease was diagnosed or not, while T cell-mediated rejection did not. We conclude that individual chronic lesions like arteriolar hyalinosis, tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, glomerulosclerosis, mesangial matrix increase and vascular intimal thickening cannot be seen as individual entities. The global burden of early chronic histological damage within the first year after transplantation importantly affects the fate of the allografts. | 1,679 | 847 | 3,306.460449 |
warc | 201704 | Personal Relationships vol:10 issue:3 pages:307-331
Abstract:
Gender differences in the dismissing form of adult romantic attachment were investigated as part of the International Sexuality Description Project--a survey study of 17,804 people from 62 cultural regions. Contrary to research findings previously reported in Western cultures, we found that men were not significantly more dismissing than women across all cultural regions. Gender differences in dismissing romantic attachment were evident in most cultures, but were typically only small to moderate in magnitude. Looking across cultures, the degree of gender differentiation in dismissing romantic attachment was predictably associated with sociocultural indicators. Generally, these associations supported evolutionary theories of romantic attachment, with smaller gender differences evident in cultures with high-stress and high-fertility reproductive environments. Social role theories of human sexuality received less support in that more progressive sex-role ideologies and national gender equity indexes were not cross-culturally linked as expected to smaller gender differences in dismissing romantic attachment. | 1,187 | 597 | 2,352.128978 |
warc | 201704 | Advanced up to (5 users)US$ 2,495.00 Group up to (10 users)US$ 2,995.00 EnterpriseUS$ 3,495.00
It has been suggested that today’s dominant PV materials, crystalline silicon and cadmium telluride, are more likely to be replaced by entirely novel high-performance PV and thermoelectric technologies and materials, than today’s more well-known thin-film alternatives. Prior generations of PV were developed using traditional R&D methodologies, where experiments to optimize materials and structures were conducted in series over many years. Companies could reasonably expect it to take 10 to 20 years from first lab results through R&D to high-volume manufacturing. However, the next generation of PV is borrowing much speedier research methodologies from the pharmaceutical industry. In particular, it is using “combinatorial chemistry” systems that can perform dozens to hundreds of experiments in parallel, allowing a 10-fold acceleration in R&D and pilot line work. Consequently, new PV materials can now in principle be discovered, integrated, and fine-tuned for high-volume manufacturing within one to two years.
As a result of this approach NanoMarkets expects to see opportunities for materials and technologies such as “earth-abundant” kesterites (such as CZTS), nanorods, quantum dots, multi-exciton generation (MEG), metamaterials and plasmonics. Thermoelectric films are also an up and coming opportunity in this space and are being developed to convert waste-heat into additional electricity. And PV cells are being integrated into systems that generate hydrogen gas from sunlight and water. Most will fail to meet the cost and scalability challenge, but a few will succeed and will ultimately reach the 25-40 percent efficiency that today can only be reached with the most expensive and exotic materials.
This new NanoMarkets report provides the first commercial assessment of the new PV and thermoelectric technologies that we believe will represent opportunities in the near future. In this report we analyze the progress that has been made technically in all the major areas of next-generation PV and related technologies and provide roadmaps to their future development. However, even more importantly, we also show where the first addressable markets for these technologies are likely to appear over the coming decade. In addition, we discuss how these newer technologies will compete with existing products. And, as with all NanoMarkets reports we include our eight-year revenue projections for the technologies covered and an analysis of the strategies of the companies currently seeking to develop them.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
E.1 PV market demands of the future
E.2 Accelerating R&D and pilot lines for PV
E.3 Next-generation PV opportunities for solar panel makers
E.4 Next-generation PV opportunities for materials firms
E.5 Firms to watch
E.5.1 Current and future venture capital activity in the next-generation PV space
E.6 Summary of eight-year forecast
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of this report
1.2 Objectives and scope of this report
1.3 Methodology of this report
1.4 Plan of this report
CHAPTER TWO: NEXT-GENERATION PV AND THERMOELECTRIC TECHNOLOGIES
2.1 Earth-abundant thin-films
2.2 Stacks of 2D films
2.3 Arrays of 1D rods
2.4 Quantum dot solutions
2.5 Multi-exciton generation (MEG)
2.6 Meta-materials and plasmonics
2.7 Thermoelectric technologies and PETE
2.8 Key points made in this chapter
CHAPTER THREE: MARKET REQUIREMENTS AND ADDRESSABLE MARKETS FOR NEXT-GENERATION PV AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES
3.1 Efficiency requirements for next-generation PV and related technologies
3.2 Environmental requirements for next-generation PV materials
3.3 Utility panels and high-volume manufacturing scaling
3.4 Concentrated PV (CPV) integration
3.5 Next-generation PV in the BIPV market and other large niches
3.6 Fabrics and flexible applications for next-generation PV
3.7 Hydrogen generation using next-generation PV
3.8 Key points made in this chapter
CHAPTER FOUR: EIGHT-YEAR FORECAST OF NEXT-GENERATION AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES
4.1 Forecasting methodology and assumptions
4.2 Eight-year forecast of next-generation PV for utility panels
4.3 Eight-year forecast for next-generation CPV
4.4 Eight-year forecast for next-generation BIPV
4.5 Eight-year forecast for next-generation PV in fabrics and other flexible substrates
4.6 Eight-year forecast for hydrogen generation using next-generation PV
4.7 Summary of forecasts
Abbreviations and Acronyms used in this report
About the author
Global Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) Market 2015-2019 US$ 2,250.00 Dec, 2014 · 91 pages
Low Power Next Generation Display Market (2009 - 2014) US$ 5,650.00 Jul, 2009 · 224 pages
Powering next-generation BI systems US$ 895.00 Nov, 2009 · 13 pages | 4,864 | 2,233 | 10,390.183609 |
warc | 201704 | Researchers identify elusive taste stem cellsFebruary 4, 2013 in Medicine & Health / Medical research
Scientists at the Monell Center have identified the location and certain genetic characteristics of taste stem cells on the tongue. The findings will facilitate techniques to grow and manipulate new functional taste cells for both clinical and research purposes.
"Cancer patients who have taste loss following radiation to the head and neck and elderly individuals with diminished taste function are just two populations who could benefit from the ability to activate adult taste stem cells," said Robert Margolskee, M.D., Ph.D., a molecular neurobiologist at Monell who is one of the study's authors.
Taste cells are located in clusters called taste buds, which in turn are found in papillae, the raised bumps visible on the tongue's surface.
Two types of taste cells contain chemical receptors that initiate perception of sweet, bitter, umami, salty, and sour taste qualities. A third type appears to serve as a supporting cell.
A remarkable characteristic of these sensory cells is that they regularly regenerate. All three taste cell types undergo frequent turnover, with an average lifespan of 10-16 days. As such, new taste cells must constantly be regenerated to replace cells that have died.
For decades, taste scientists have attempted to identify the stem or progenitor cells that spawn the different taste receptor cells. The elusive challenge also sought to establish whether one or several progenitors are involved and where they are located, whether in or near the taste bud.
Drawing on the strong physiological relationship between oral taste cells and endocrine (hormone producing) cells in the intestine, the Monell team used a marker for intestinal stem cells to probe for stem cells in taste tissue on the tongue.
Stains for the stem cell marker, known as Lgr5 (leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5), showed two patterns of expression in taste tissue. The first was a strong signal underlying taste papillae at the back of the tongue and the second was a weaker signal immediately underneath taste buds in those papillae.
The Monell scientists hypothesize that the two levels of expression could indicate two different populations of cells. The cells that more strongly express Lgr5 could be true taste stem cells, whereas those with weaker expression could represent those stem cells that have begun the transformation into functional taste cells.
Additional studies revealed that the Lgr5-expressing cells were capable of becoming any one of the three major taste cell types.
The findings are published online in the journal
Stem Cells.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg," said senior author Peihua Jiang, Ph.D., also a Monell molecular neurobiologist. "Identification of these cells opens up a whole new area for studying taste cell renewal, and contributes to stem cell biology in general."
Future studies will focus on identifying the factors that program the Lgr5-expressing cells to differentiate into the different taste cell types, and explore how to grow these cells in culture, thus providing a renewable source of taste receptor cells for research and perhaps even clinical use.
Provided by Monell Chemical Senses Center
"Researchers identify elusive taste stem cells" February 4, 2013 https://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-elusive-stem-cells.html | 3,433 | 1,629 | 7,180.006753 |
warc | 201704 | Jurassic World star and expert French braider Chris Pratt has a knack for saying what we're all thinking when it comes to sex and relationships. In this month's issue of Women's Health, he did that yet again by calling out people who engage in the most controversial of couple habits: public displays of affection.
When asked if he and wife Anna Faris were fans of public displays of affection, the 36-year-old actor responded by saying he was, with one caveat: "Yes. But it's a fine line. Keep it classy. Don't be gross.
I don't mind PDA; I do mind GPDA, which is Gross Public Displays of Affection."
Word.
How affectionate is too affectionate? To a degree, Pratt and Faris are just as guilty of being gushy in public as any other couple. The two are frequently photographed making out and groping each other on the red carpet. (Not that we're complaining, mind you.) But he's right that when it comes to public displays of affection, there's a fine line between a peck on the cheek and going to third base in front of other families during an afternoon stroll through the park.
Some people draw explicit lines in the sand, deeming certain types of PDA acceptable while others are strictly verboten. "Kissing is fine," one guy told
Glamour in a 2011 article about PDA. "Yeah, with tongue. Handholding is great. I don't want my lap climbed on in public, or any hands in the crotch area."
Others are just plain skeeved out by witnessing any physical contact whatsoever. In a United Kingdom poll by MSN, nearly 28% of people described themselves as uncomfortable with other couples' public displays of affection, from kissing to seemingly innocuous behavior like holding hands in public.
Our squeamishness with PDA applies on social media as well. In a 2014 study in the journal Personal Relationships, researchers showed Facebook users a series of fake profiles of people in relationships, which regularly posted gushy status updates like "Pining away for Jordan...I just love you so much I can't stand it!" Overwhelmingly (and unsurprisingly), those polled reported that they found Facebook users who posted the cloying status updates less likable than those who didn't.
So happy together: Even though we might not like couples who flaunt their happiness, IRL or on Facebook, they probably won't stop anytime soon. One study from Ohio State University suggests that couples who are outwardly affectionate tend to be happier than those who eschew physical intimacy in public. That bodes well for lovey-dovey couples like Faris and Pratt, even if it doesn't necessarily signal good things for the digestive systems of those nauseated by other people's PDA. | 2,673 | 1,424 | 4,981.841292 |
warc | 201704 | I recently attended the excellent Los Angeles domestic violence conference "From Ideology to Inclusion 2009: New Directions in Domestic Violence Research and Intervention." The conference featured many domestic violence dissidents--researchers and clinicians who do not believe that the mainstream domestic violence establishment and its "men as perpetrators/women as victims" conceptual framework is properly serving those involved in family violence.Denise Hines, Ph.D. is a research assistant psychology professor at Clark University and a research associate at the Family Research Laboratory and Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. At the conference, Dr. Hines detailed her findings on what happens when abused men call domestic violence hotlines or shelters seeking help. About a third of all domestic violence injuries are suffered by men. Hines' study included 302 heterosexual men, ages 18 to 59, who had been in a relationship lasting at least one month within the previous year, had been physically assaulted by their female partners within the previous year, and had sought outside assistance/support. The median age of the abused men was 40, and the median age of their abusive female partners was 38. The relationships had lasted on average a little over eight years, and 73% of them had minor children. About two-thirds were married, separated, or divorced. Of the abused men who called domestic violence hotlines, 64% were told that they "only helped women." In 32% of the cases, the abused men were referred to batterers' programs. Another 25% were given a phone number to call that turned out to be a batterers' program. A little over a quarter of them were given a reference to a local program that helped. Overall, only 8% of the men who called hotlines classified them as "very helpful," whereas 69% found them to be "not at all helpful." Sixteen percent said the people at the hot line "dismissed or made fun of them." One abused man said: They laughed at me and told me I must have done something to deserve it if it happened at all.Another said: They asked how much I weighed and how much she weighed and then hung up on me...I was told by this agency that I was full of BS.Twelve percent of the hotlines accused the man of being the batterer or responsible for the abuse. One abused man said: They told me women don't commit domestic violence -- it must have been my fault.Another said: They accused me of trying to hide my "abuse" of her by claiming to be a victim, and they said that I was nothing more than a wimp.Of the men who sought help by contacting local domestic violence programs, only 10% found them to be "very helpful," whereas 65% found them to be "not at all helpful." One abused man said: They just laughed and hung up the phone.Another said: They didn't really listen to what I said. They assumed that all abusers are men and said that I must accept that I was the abuser. They ridiculed me for not leaving my wife, ignoring the issues about what I would need to do to protect my six children and care for them.I'm not surprised by these men's experiences but my research on this issue gives a somewhat more positive picture of the domestic violence shelters. While preparing for a newspaper column I was doing in 2002 about men being denied services by domestic violence shelters, I decided to check for myself if men were really denied services. I posed as a male victim of domestic violence and called every domestic violence shelter in all of Los Angeles and San Diego counties. Not a single one would accept me or offer assistance, with the exception of Valley Oasis. Most flatly refused any assistance at all, but a couple did offer me space in a homeless shelter. When I asked, "Am I supposed to take my children to a homeless shelter?", they replied, "That's all we can do." To their credit, however, several of the shelter directors and workers did sympathize, telling me that we need shelters and services for men, and spending considerable time on the phone with me. While the domestic violence establishment is in general controlled by adherents to the feminist Duluth/'Man-as-Perp/Woman-as-Victim' model, it's not a monolith, and there are many unbigoted, well-meaning people within it who would like to see alldomestic violence victims served. To read all reports from the Conference, please click here. From Ideology to Inclusion 2009 featured some of the world's leading experts on domestic violence, many of whom serve on the Editorial Board of the new peer-reviewed academic journal,Partner Abuse , published by Springer Publishing Company. The conference was presented by the California Alliance for Families & Children and co-sponsored by The Family Violence Treatment & Education Association. Some of you may remember that I also wrote extensively about the 2008 conference--to learn more, click here. | 4,928 | 2,289 | 10,557.847095 |
warc | 201704 | Your cart is empty.
Colorado Plateau Life Zones
Plant and animal communities change as elevation increases.
The concept of life zones arose on the Colorado Plateau in the late 1800s. C. Hart Merriam studied the distribution of plants and animals from the Grand Canyon to the San Francisco Mountains. Across the gradient, he identified life zones based on the effects of elevation on temperature and moisture (or vice versa) and, in turn, on plants and animals. Scientists today recognize that additional factors contribute to the makeup of life zones, among them soil type, underlying rock, and past fires. Yet Merriam's concept for the arid southwest's life zones is still generally applicable. | 700 | 414 | 1,175.120773 |
warc | 201704 | Seems like old times! Bernie Sanders today announced that he will introduce legislation calling for the ‘public option’ for health care in the wake of Aetna exiting the Obamacare marketplace earlier this week.
The public option allows choice of health plans
The public option would allow all Americans access to health care. It is a close relative of the single-payer health care system that has long been a dream of progressives. Under the single-payer plan, a government entity would set the rules governing health care in the country and would pay all the costs.
Under the public option, individuals and employers are given the option of picking Medicare for their coverage or choosing a traditional private insurance plan. Everyone would have to choose one or the other. Having no health insurance would not be an option.
Just what version of the ‘public option’ would be best was a hotly contested issue during the primary campaign between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Under pressure from Sander’s supporter, Mrs. Clinton embraced a ‘public option’ late in the campaign that was closer to Sanders’s version.
Sanders is passionate about healthcare
The ‘public option’ was part of the original language of the Affordable Care Act but was dropped due to objections of moderate Democrats. If Clinton wins the White House and the Democrats regain control of the Senate, Sanders has indicated that he wants to become Chair of the powerful Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which would put Bernie back in the spotlight on an issue that he’s passionate about. | 1,649 | 833 | 3,139.632653 |
warc | 201704 | Health Services Users With Diabetes Mellitus: From Knowledge to the Use of Healthcare Rights Author
dos Santos, Ellen Cristina Barbosa
Teixeira, Carla Regina de Souza
Zanetti, Maria Lucia
dos Santos, Manoel Antonio
Pereira, Marta Cristiane Alves
Bibliographic Citation
Revista latino-americana de enfermagem 2011 Apr; 19(2): 285-92
Abstract
This descriptive study with qualitative approach analyzes the knowledge of individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) concerning their health rights. Open interviews were conducted with 12 individuals with DM in a university center in the interior of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Content analysis enabled the identification of two categories: the users' (lack of) knowledge concerning their rights and the unaware exercise of their rights. The results revealed that despite the legal advancements achieved in public policies, most users with DM are unaware of their rights, although they use the benefits that accrue from law in an unconscious way. Providing complete and sufficient information is essential so that individuals are able to make the best decision in relation to their treatment, preserving their autonomy.
Date2011-04 Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
Monteiro, Maria Adelane Alves; Barbosa, Régia Christina Moura; Barroso, Maria Graziela Teixeira; Vieira, Neiva Francenely Cunha; Pinheiro, Ana Karina Bezerra (2008-11) da Costa Kerber, Nalú Pereira; Kirchhof, Ana Lúcia Cardoso; Cezar-Vaz, Marta Regina; da Silveira, Rosemary Silva (2010-09)This study was carried out at a Family Medical Unit in a city in the south of Brazil, aiming at analyzing how the evaluation process takes place in a Brazilian public health unit, specifically considering a home care ... Invoking Health and Human Rights to Ensure Access to Legal Abortion: The Case of a Nine-Year Old Girl From Nicaragua Reyes, Heathe Luz McNaughton; Hord, Charlotte E.; Mitchell, Ellen M.H.; Blandon, Marta Maria (2006) | 1,993 | 1,147 | 3,412.599826 |
warc | 201704 | A Pilot Study of the Quality of Informed Consent Materials for Aboriginal Participants in Clinical Trials Author
Russell, F.M.
Carapetis, J.R.
Liddle, H.
Edwards, T.
Ruff, T.A.
Devitt, J.
Bibliographic Citation
Journal of Medical Ethics 2005 August; 31(8): 490-494
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To pilot informed consent materials developed for Aboriginal parents in a vaccine trial, and evaluate their design and the informed consent process. METHODS: Cross sectional quantitative and qualitative survey of 20 Aboriginal and 20 non- Aboriginal women in Alice Springs. Information about the proposed research was presented to Aboriginal participants by an Aboriginal researcher, using purpose designed verbal, visual, and written materials. Non-Aboriginal participants received standard materials developed by the sponsor. Questionnaires were used to evaluate recall and understanding immediately and five days later. Qualitative analysis of Aboriginal participants' interviews was performed. RESULTS: There were no differences between the groups in understanding of diseases prevented by the vaccine, the potential risks of participating, or the voluntary nature of participation. Most Aboriginal participants had difficulty with the concept of a "licensed" versus "unlicensed" vaccine. The non-Aboriginal group had a good understanding of this. Aboriginal participants identified the use of the flipchart, along with a presentation by a doctor and Aboriginal health worker, as preferred delivery modes. Group presentations were preferred rather than one-on-one discussions. The use of the questionnaire posed considerable methodological difficulties. CONCLUSIONS: A one-off oral presentation to Aboriginal participants is unlikely to produce "informed consent". Key but unfamiliar concepts require identification and particularly considered presentation.
Date2005-08 Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
Protecting Research Participants Review of Institutional Review Boards: Management and Function, Edited by R.J. Amdur and E.A. Bankert; Institutional Review Board: Member Handbook, by R. Amdur; Study Guide for Institutional Review Board: Management and Function, by S. Kornetsky, A. Davis, and R.J. Amdur; Principles of Clinical Research, Edited by I. Di Giovanna and G. Hayes; Informed Consent in Medical Research, Edited by L. Doyal and J.S. Tobias; the Complete Guide to Informed Consent in Clinical Trials, Edited by T. Hartnett; Tuskegee's Truths: Rethinking the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, Edited by S.M. Reverby; European Neonatal Research: Consent, Ethics Committees and Law, Edited by S. Mason and C. Megone; the Ethics of Medical Research on Humans, by C. Foster; Ethical Issues in Biomedical Publication, Edited by A. Hudson Jones and F. McLellan; Fraud and Misconduct in Biomedical Research (3rd Edition), Edited by S. Lock, F. Wells, and M. Farthing; Biomedical Research Ethics: Updating International Guidel Nicholson, Richard (2002-11) Pilot Study Demonstrating Effectiveness of Targeted Education to Improve Informed Consent Understanding in AIDS Clinical Trials Sengupta, Sohini; Lo, Bernard; Strauss, Ronald P; Eron, Joseph; Gifford, Allen L (2011-11)Assessing and improving informed consent understanding is equally important as obtaining consent from participants in clinical trial research, but developing interventions to target gaps in participants' informed consent ... | 3,445 | 1,680 | 7,021.238095 |
warc | 201704 | The economy of recognition [electronic resource] : person, market and society in Antonio Rosmini Responsibility Carlos Hoevel. Language English. Imprint Dordrecht ; New York : Springer, c2013. Physical description 1 online resource. Series Ethical economy ; 42. Access Available online More options Creators/Contributors Author/Creator Hoevel, Carlos. Contents/Summary Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and indexes. Contents Contents.- Acknowledgement.- 1. Introduction: From Autism To Recognition.- 2. A Philosopher In Search For The Economy.- 3. The Utilitarian Paradigm.- 4. Recognizing The Truth: Human Action Beyond Utilitarianism.- 5. Economic Action, Happiness And Personalized Self-Interest.- 6. Rethinking Labor, Wealth And Consumption.- 7. Recognizing The Other: Rights And Ethics In Market Relations.- 8. A Critique Of Political Utilitarianism.- 9. Paths Towards Social Recognition.- 10. Instruments Of Economic Policy Under The Light.- 11. State Institutions, Civil Society, Family And Religion.- 12 Conclusion: Towards A New Economic Science.- Bibliography.- Index. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9789400760578 20160615 Publisher's Summary Introducing an alternative philosophical foundation to the study of economics, this book explains and adopts the perspective of the Italian philosopher Antonio Rosmini (1797-1855), whose interpretation of economic action was fundamentally at odds with the prevailing and all-conquering utilitarianism of modernity. Rosmini, one of the most important Italian and Catholic philosophers of the modern age, eschewed the traditional concepts of subjectivism and individualism at the core of the utilitarian thesis, prefiguring today's critique of 'autistic economics' with his assertion that micro-economic formulae consecrating the 'maximization of utility' derive not from scientific principles or even hypotheses, but from uncritically adopted philosophical ideas. It was an assault on the determinism he perceived as the fatal flaw in accepted economic theory. Rosmini's notion of human and economic action, based on human beings' 'personal' capacities for objective knowledge, truth recognition, moral goodness and happiness, deeply transform the meaning of central economic activities such as labour, wealth creation and consumption, and become crucial factors in any analysis of the operation of the economy. After introducing the fundamentals of Rosmini's thought, the author details the theoretical and institutional features of utilitarian economics, tracing their influence on social norms. He juxtaposes these with Rosmini's alternative philosophy which places the concept of social justice at its heart, and which attempts to establish a framework for relations between the public and private realms. The contemporary case is then made for adopting Rosmini's principles, thus changing an economic paradigm widely held to be unassailable. The fruit of unprecedented and systematic research on Rosmini's economic ideas, this volume offers a detailed conceptual framework to guide alternative approaches to conventional neoclassical economics. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9789400760578 20160615 Subjects Bibliographic information Publication date 2013 Series Ethical economy, 2211-2707 ; 42 Available in another form Print version: Hoevel, Carlos The Economy of Recognition : Person, Market and Society in Antonio Rosmini Dordrecht : Springer, c2013 ( 9789400760578 ) ISBN 9789400760585 (electronic bk.) 9400760582 (electronic bk.) 9789400760578 | 3,515 | 1,750 | 7,056.111429 |
warc | 201704 | Don't trust
Fixed that for you.
Don't trust
Fixed that for you.
Bloatware, privacy, support, all send you to something other than stock.
T-Mobile stopped supporting my Relay at JB. At least with CM I've got KK, and there are words indicating that CM's successor is going to bring out Nougat for it. (Didn't know that could happen, thought the graphics was too primitive, but I'll take it.)
Virtually every top comment is a victim-blaming shitfest.
"Ooooh CRIME he's a hacker! Arrest the victim!"
"Every security expert encrypts every piece of technology they own regardless of circumstances! It's his own fault!"
".. and they ALWAYS take every possession with them everywhere they go, and never lock anything in their vehicle, because they're infallible! Clearly he's not an expert!"
"That poor thief.
Ugh.
I've got upwards of $1000USD to spend on my next phone. It will not be spent on any device which has a battery glued in.
Wany my money, Samsung? Stop gluing batteries into your flagship phones.
This isn't so much about modeling thought processes as it is about illustrating how even in a simplified model one of our debugging approaches fails.
The logic that they're arguing appears to be:
"If we can't even properly reverse engineer an extremely simple deterministic computer chip using fault modeling, it's extremely unlikely that we can infer the mechanisms of an extremely complex non-deterministic processor like the brain."
When your power grid management interfaces are directly connected to the Internet you must suffer. There's no excuse for that.
There are plenty good reasons. You're being extreme.
The grid management has to be connected to *some* network. That's so you can monitor the health of the grid from a central location, and coordinate a distributed response to events. (Heck, it's also useful if you can connect to control it even when weather conditions make it too hazardous to travel on-site).
[1] You could do that with suitable VPNing over the public internet. That way you benefit from its extensive reach, its cheap price, its resilience, the rapid repair time that ISPs offer. All you need to build is a network connection from each of your grid nodes to the nearest internet.
[2] Or you could do it with dedicated leased lines that aren't part of the internet. You'll pay a heck of a lot more, and loads of grid nodes won't have convenient connection.
[3] Or you could put up your own network. (You're a power-grid so you're used to putting up networks!) But this isn't your core competence, will suffer from longer outages, and will be most expensive.
Bear in mind that every subcontractor who prepares a bid using the public internet will produce a *LOWER* bid with *INCREASED* functionality. The only way that a higher-priced bid will ever win is if they someone demonstrate that the downside costs (in terms of expected cost of future hacks) will be significantly larger than the higher upfront bid. And any such attempted demonstration would be instantly met by the answer "why not use just a secure VPN to get best robustness at the cheapest price?"
So I think that infrastructure like this *can* and *should* be connected to the internet.
Quants have made billions predicting changes in valuations.
Yes, and ex-quants have lost billions, the difference between a casino and a financial market is that the casino can tell you the odds up front.
Turnabout is fair play.
Two wrongs don't make a right. Marked cards are cheating, period. He knew it was cheating and is only sorry he got caught.
Yep. And if anything, it's getting worse.
At least modern PCs truly are better; they're almost always faster, cooler, quieter, consuming less energy, etc.
Whereas, I'm still using a Note 3 with CM13. While I am quite happy with the performance, I would like a better camera with manual controls and more RAM. But there's nothing I can upgrade to without sacrificing something.
As far as I can tell, the Note 3 was
the last device made with a removable battery, MicroSD slot, temperature, humidity and barometric pressure sensors, AMOLED screen, 10,000mAH battery compatibility (ZeroLemon), GPS and a full 9dof IMU package. Some new phones came close (the v20 tempted me) but lacked a few of these features I use every day.
I fear that once this phone dies, I'll just have to find a used one on eBay to replace it with. The frustrating part is that I have no budget on this one; I'd pay $2000 to get a state of the art replacement that "does it all" and upgrades the CPU, camera, storage, etc.
"An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup." - H.L. Mencken | 4,722 | 2,471 | 8,924.216916 |
warc | 201704 | A spate of suicides in the mining industry has prompted an official inquiry into the extreme stresses and difficulties faced by fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers.
At least nine FIFO personnel have committed suicide in just the past year, raising concerns over the toll that strenuous work schedules are taking on young men employed by Australia's mining sector.
26-year old drilling engineer Rob, whose full name has been withheld from the public, was one of the nine FIFO employees who felt compelled to take their own lives due to the mental stresses induced by their intensive working hours.
The young engineer committed suicide at his place of work in Queensland, which was a coal seam exploration site operated by gas producer QGC, in November of last year.
According to Rob's partner Christine, who requested that both their surnames be withheld from the public by the press, the young engineer's work roster entailed working three weeks on and three weeks off at the remote site. She claims that while on shift Rob worked for 12 hours a day every day, sleeping and eating at the rig site itself and remaining on call for 24 hours.
Christine said her partner considered these working conditions to be a "living hell," and that his poor mental state was exacerbated by onerous work expectations, which included signing off on safety and environmental approvals that the 26-year-old felt beyond his expertise.
In response to the concerns raised by the families of mining personnel, the West Australian Parliament has launched an inquiry into the links between FIFO work rosters, poor mental health and suicide.
The Education and Health Parliamentary Standing Committees will investigate the key factors which lead to mental illness and suicide in FIFO workers, as well as Western Australia's existing legislation and policies in relation to workplace mental health, and potential improvements to initiatives already in place.
"It's important we look at the current initiatives employed by the government and by industry...what responsibility employees have and what responsibility employers have," said committee chairman Dr Graham Jacobs.
Remedy measures could include instituting a 3/1 week roster in place of the longer 4/1 schedule, which is commonplace in the industry and blamed by the unions for causing stresses in the personal lives of mining workers.
Due to the urgency of the issue, which has taken at least nine lives in just the past year, the Western Australia inquiry is expected to have a preliminary report ready for Parliament prior to the Christmas adjournment, and a final report on the first Thursday of 2015.
Christine has called for other states to follow suit, given that the problem is an "industry-wide" issue.
Leading members of industry have also voiced their concerns about the problem. Rio Tinto iron ore chief executive Andrew Harding, for example, joined the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention in July, and has spoken of the need for put mental health concerns on an equal footing with physical safety.
"Twenty years ago we were learning about physical safety. Mental health-type stuff has been quite a bit more recent," said Harding. "We're not at the very beginning of the journey, we're at the beginning of how we work with these sort of issues."
The demographic profile of mining workers in Australia already puts them at increased risk of suicide. WA mental health commissioner Tim Marney pointed out that 80 per cent of FIFO workers are men and their average age is 38, while the majority of suicides occur in the 15- to 44-year-old age bracket, and four out of five suicides are male.
According to Marney, FIFO schedules can then severely exacerbate this heightened risk level, given that "shift work..has been clinically proven to mess with mental health." | 3,834 | 1,834 | 7,954.400218 |
warc | 201704 | An architect behind London’s 30 St Mary Axe skyscraper – also known as the Gherkin – has suggested that it’s time to rethink glass buildings.
Writer and architectural historian Tom Dyckhoff spoke to a series of glass experts on the topic of windows and glass facades in the built environment. The BBC Radio interview, entitled
Room With A View, included comments from architect Ken Shuttleworth, who worked with Norman Foster on the 180-metre tall Gherkin skyscraper.
As cities become denser and skyscrapers continue to rise in urban areas, glass facades have become increasingly popular, offering inhabitants breathtaking views, absorbing sunlight for office workers and controlling solar gain to efficiently warm or cool a building.
The demand for light and ventilation at heights continues to rise. No longer are windows cut out of stainless steel structures, and people no longer have to exit a skyscraper at ground level to gain a breath of fresh air. Louvers and breathable facades provide ventilation while glass structures offer light and thermal comfort.
However, global warming has reignited the debate on whether glass is really as ideal as it may seem. In some cases, glass facades are causing concerns from energy inefficiency to creating intense glare.
The conversation comes just months after another landmark glass tower in London, 20 Fenchurch Street (also known as the Walkie Talkie skyscraper), was found to be reflecting intensified heat onto nearby buildings and streets. Late last year, it was nicknamed the “Walkie Scorchie” after its concave structure and glass façade was accused of melting cars, sizzling pedestrians and radiating extreme heat on the sidewalk.
Following months of research, the developers of the Walkie Talkie skyscraper (Land Securities) were given a planning permission to install a permanent “brise soleil” sunshade over the glass structure, which will replace a temporary system from last summer. Work is commencing on the sunshade this month, with the skyscraper still scheduled for completion this year.
The world’s first glass skyscraper, Ludwig Miles Van Der Rohe's 1921 Friedrichstrasse Skyscraper, was recognised for exploring glass in a modernist way in what MOMA called "the dawning of a new culture."
However, Shuttleworth would rethink his glass Gherkin tower if it were to be built today.
“The Gherkin is a fantastic building and I think it’s the most liked building in the UK at the moment,” he said in his interview with Dyckhoff. “I think if you were designing it today you’d probably make it different…it wouldn’t be the same product all the way around the building."
The architect said the cladding would likely be different, given the ways in which environmental attitudes have changed.
“And everything I’ve done over the last 40 years has been rethinking that," he said. "And I think it’s very important to actually grasp all that to meet the new (UK) building regulations to meet zero carbon by 2019... you know, we have to reduce the amount of windows in buildings or the glass industry has to come up with new products."
Trade association Glass for Europe said the notion that glass is not environmentally sustainable is ‘a preconceived idea.’
Glass for Europe offers a flat glass product - a solar control glass - that is designed to reduce or prevent solar heating of buildings.
"There are two approaches that can be used: the glass is either tinted (coloured) throughout the material (called a "body tint"), or else it has a microscopically thin and transparent coating on one side," Glass for Europe's website reads. "In the body tint approach, the colour causes the glass to absorb solar energy, which is then re-radiated back out and away from the building. Coated glasses immediately reflect the heat away."
"These technologies reduce the solar heating that tends to take place in large buildings, and thus reduce the need for air conditioning. It is therefore an energy-saving technology."
Last year, the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) developed a form of smart glass which can monitor and adjust heat transfer depending on the application of voltage.
The nano crystal smart glass has the ability to darken and reduce glare from the sun. The technology has been praised as a bold energy efficient solution for glass building facades, particularly if applied to large urban skyscrapers.
“Smart windows are able to dynamically control the amount of heat and light from the sun that enters a building,” said Berkeley Lab scientist and lead author of the research Delia Milliron in a video describing the technology.
“This is useful to improve comfort for building occupants and also to save energy that is used for thermal control and artificial lighting.”
There have also been developments in glass coating technology that help control the thermal comfort of the indoor environment.
However, in a market where the pressure is high to deliver green skyscrapers, other materials deserve consideration. Wooden skyscrapers are becoming a hot topic, with even the US Government backing them. Earlier this year, The White House Rural Council and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a climate-driven initiative that would see architects, builders and engineers trained in the benefits of wood as a structural material.
Wooden skyscrapers have also received support and recognition over several years from leading edge firms such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, who developed a structural system for tall timber buildings. | 5,734 | 2,710 | 11,764.221402 |
warc | 201704 | Why write a book about open-source software? (Not for the money. Trust me.) I’ve seen far too many “technical books” that merely regurgitate the documentation of a bunch of open source libraries. I’m happy to say that
Clojure Applied, by my friends and colleagues Alex Miller and Ben Vandgrift, is not in this category. They sent me a free copy in return for review, so here it is.
As my other colleague Luke VanderHart pointed out in his recent talk at ClojureTRE, the biggest gap in written material about about Clojure — and a good candidate for the source of most “documentation” complaints — has been the lack of
narrative. Clojure has great reference documentation, and lots of Clojure libraries come with great tutorials, but there aren’t many comprehensive stories about building complete applications. Clojure Applied tells a story about how to write Clojure applications. This is not just a book about Clojure, it’s a book about how to write software which assumes you’re going to use Clojure to do it. Clojure Applied would probably not be a good choice as your first Clojure book, although it would be an excellent book to read while you are learning Clojure.
The narrative develops like most successful Clojure programs: from the bottom up, starting with data. Instead of primitives or abstract concepts, the first chapter begins with modeling domain data using maps and records. This is the right place to start, and I could wish this chapter went into even more detail. For example, I would have liked to see a comparison of nested versus “flat” map structures (“flatter” is easier to work with).
Domain modeling is a difficult concept to describe, so I can’t fairly criticize Ben & Alex’s efforts here, but I do think they lose their way slightly by introducing Prismatic’s Schema library very early on. To be sure, Schema is a powerful library that a lot of Clojure developers find useful. But placed here, along with discussions of type-based dispatch, it leaves the reader with the idea that types are a central feature of domain modeling in Clojure. I disagree. Thinking in terms of types early in the design process often leads to unnecessarily restrictive choices, producing inflexible designs.
Further compounding the error of focusing on types, this chapter wanders into more advanced topics such as protocols and multimethods. There’s even a technique for dynamically extending protocols at runtime, an advanced tactic I would not recommend under most circumstances.
Embracing the possibilities of design in a dynamically-typed language requires a willingness to work with values whose types may be unknown
at certain points. For example, the type of the “accumulator” value in a transducer is hard to define, because for most transducers its type is irrelevant. The ability to ignore types when they are not needed is what makes dynamic languages so expressive.
On the other hand, I have seen many large Clojure programs drift into incomprehensibility by failing to constrain their types in any way, passing complex nested structures everywhere. In this case, the lack of validation leads to a kind of inside-out spaghetti code in which it’s impossible to deduce the type of something by reading the code which uses it. Given the choice between these two extremes, “over-typed” code will be easier to untangle than “under-typed,” so perhaps introducing validation early is a good idea.
Moving along, Chapter Two covers the other Clojure collection types. This is beginner material, but presented in terms of how and why you might want to use each type of collection. This chapter also covers some common beginner questions, such as how to search a sequential collection. Another advanced topic which I would not recommend — defining a new collection type implementing Clojure’s interfaces — sneaks in here, but I’ll give it a pass because it helps you understand the collection interfaces.
Chapter Three zeroes in on the sequential collections, in particular the sequence library. Here the narrative is about
combining sequence functions, in particular the pattern of filter-map-reduce. This pattern is so fundamental that an experienced Clojure programmer (or Lisp, or any functional language) might not even think about it, but it’s a critical step to becoming an effective user of Clojure. This chapter also introduces Transducers. Even though Transducers might be considered an “advanced” topic, I think they belong here alongside sequences. The concepts are the same, and Transducers are really quite straightforward if you’re only looking, as this chapter does, at how to use them and not how they are implemented.
Part II, “Applications,” is probably the best section in the book. This is the critical piece missing from the first-round books about Clojure (including my own). How do you start
combining all these little functional pieces into a working program?
The first chapter in this section describes mutable references with the most comprehensible real-world example I have seen, and also includes an excellent explanation of
identity versus state. Another chapter describes all the various techniques for using multiple cores, including an important discussion of pipelines and core.async
go blocks as
processes.
Then there’s an entire chapter devoted to
components as they are expressed in namespaces. Ben & Alex introduce all the concepts necessary to design and implement components without using my Component library, which I think is a smart choice. The Component library arrives in the following chapter, along with the idea of composing an application out of many components.
Part III, “Practices,” covers testing, output formats, and deployment.
The chapter on testing has a good description of the trade-offs between example-based and property-based testing, but doesn’t delve into the more difficult areas of integration or whole-system testing. Advanced testing techniques really deserve an entire book of their own.
“Formatting data” covers the usual suspects: JSON, EDN, and Transit. In my experience, the choice of data format is usually dictated by external constraints, but this chapter at least makes the trade-offs clear.
Finally, the chapter on deployment is a high-level overview of everything from GitHub to Elastic Beanstalk. There’s even a discussion of open-source licensing and contributor agreements. Heroku gets the most attention, which makes sense for a book targeted at mostly-beginners, but at least this chapter introduces some of the concerns one might want to think about when choosing a deployment platform.
After the last chapter, there’s a bonus pair of appendices. The first briefly covers the “roots” of Clojure, with links to source material. The second summarizes some principal motivations behind Clojure’s design as a guide to “Thinking in Clojure.” This latter section might have been more usefully incorporated into the text of the book, but that’s harder to write and can tend toward the preachy, so I can’t complain.
Circling back to where I started,
Clojure Applied is a great book to read while learning Clojure. It’s not a language tutorial. It’s not stuffed with revolutionary ideas. Most importantly, it doesn’t try to do too much. It’s just solid, practical advice. Even the recommendations I disagree with are not bad ideas, just different preferences. Follow Ben & Alex’s advice while building your first Clojure program, and you’ll have a solid foundation to explore your own ideas and preferences. | 7,809 | 3,505 | 16,698.560628 |
warc | 201704 | Sugar ? Mortal ?
Not only is sugar fattening but also mortal as the centers for disease control and prevention has proven this with its new study, "the risk of cardiovascular disease death increases exponentially as you increase your consumption of added sugar". The over consumption of sugar can lead down life threatening paths to heart disease risk factors ,high blood pressure , total cholesterol, smoking ,physical activity diet and weight. #whattheheartwants | 469 | 296 | 735.189189 |
warc | 201704 | The presence of a large pool of participants characterizes the competitive landscape of the global micro irrigation systems market. As the market faces intense competition, major players are focusing on innovations as well as the integration of latest technologies into their existent offerings in order to retain their position, finds Transparency Market Research.
In the recent times, a number of leading companies have introduced advanced micro irrigation systems. For instance, Netafim launched its next-generation low-flow drippers and Toro introduced Aqua-Traxx Flow Control drip tape in 0.13 GPH emitter flow rate. However, over the coming years, manufacturers will undertake strategic partnerships to expand their product portfolios as well as to increase their sales, notes TMR. | 790 | 472 | 1,317.224576 |
warc | 201704 | Humanyze, a unique new firm spawned in the MIT Media Lab, has developed a system that uses a smart employee badge to collect employee behavioral data, which it links to specific metrics with the goal of improving business performance. It announced $1M in seed funding today.
The funding was led by Romulus Capital with contributions from Boston Seed and dunnhumby Ventures.
Humanyze president Ben Waber says while sports teams have done a great job of using data to evaluate their employees (players), business to this point has not used data effectively to measure the productivity of its workers. They may look at spreadsheets about overall business performance, charts about sales conversion rates and the number of leads generated by marketing, but they don’t look at how employees interact with one another and what impact that has on the bottom line. Waber and his co-founders began studying human behavior and its impact on business several years ago at the MIT Media Lab. They spun out the company, originally called Sociometric Solutions in 2010.
In order to measure human behavior, the founders needed to a tool to collect data, so they developed a smart employee badge with a microphone, accelerometer, bluetooth connection and other tools typically found in a smart phone. (In fact, it looks a bit like a cell phone.) It measures things like how people moved through the day, who they interacted with, what their tone of voice was like, if they leaned into listen and other types of interactions that happen at every company every day.
Before you start looking at this as the ‘Big Brother’ badge, Waber says Humanyze has taken precautions to protect privacy. First of all, it’s entirely opt-in and they write a contract with the customer and end users ensuring privacy. “It’s written into our contracts that companies don’t have access to individual data, and we sign a contract (consent form) with our end users which says we will not give individual data to anyone else. We would be in violation of our contract if we do,” Waber said
There are also technical safeguards put into place — no content is ever recorded and is analyzed immediately without ever being saved to memory, names aren’t kept in the same location as behavioral data and so forth, he explained.
Once, they had this badge, they asked early customers to give them key performance metrics such as sales or customer service completion times to compare against the data, and there was lots and lots of data.
Each badge generates about 4GB of data per day, which gets uploaded to the cloud where Humanyze breaks down the 40 types of information it collects and pares it down to the 6 most important pieces for the client. They then link that to a key business metric dashboard, so the customer can see how behaviors are affecting the bottom line performance of the company.
Once they started collecting data, they could begin experimenting to see how changing certain factors can affect the numbers doing simple A/B testing. One group gets the tweak, one doesn’t and they see what happens.
They started working with the Bank of America customer service centers, a massive operation with 10,000 employees working at locations across the world. When they began studying the reps they figured the key indicator would be how they talked to customers, but they found that it was actually how the talked to one another that was most important because employees shared information and techniques.
They learned that employees talked most during the 15 minutes their lunches overlapped, so they tried giving one group lunch all at the same time and let the other group continue to have lunch according to the old staggered schedule. What they found surprised them.
Network cohesiveness, which measures how well they communicate went up 18 percent. This reduced stress (as measured by tone of voice) by 19 percent. All of this led to happier employees and lower turnover rates, which went down 28 percent. The key metric though, call completion time improved by 23 percent. These are numbers that on a scale of Bank of America could translate into billions in savings.
He claims the company has seen similar results at other early clients, which has resulted in massive efficiency increases. It has worked so well they have been able to bootstrap to this point. In other words, big companies will pay for these kinds of results.
Waber said, the company wants to use today’s funding to hire a Chief Product Officer and other employees and to allow them to scale up by adding additional pilot partners.
It also announced Deloitte as a new partner along with two other companies it couldn’t name.
Waber sees a bright future in this. If his company can work with customers to find cost savings and efficiency increases, it could be extremely lucrative, but it needs to prove it can scale this beyond the pilot stage to a full-fledged business.
Featured Image: CanStockPhoto (c)
Product photos courtesy of Humanyze. | 5,062 | 2,389 | 10,547.775638 |
warc | 201704 | In this blog entry, Lisa Ruchti, author of Catheters, Slurs, and Pickup Lines debunks assumptions about intimacy, race, gender and caring in the nursing industry.
With popular television shows about nursing today, e.g.
Nurse Jackie and HawthoRNe, one might think that we know all we need to know about nursing. Even if we don’t watch television, we probably think we understand nursing when we consider how often we or our loved ones find ourselves under nursing care. The truth of the matter is that we couldn’t possibly understand nursing the way a nurse does simply because nurses hide many aspects of their work as part of their job. They know that patients and family members don’t need to be bothered with the specifics of nursing when patients are really interested in their own illness and recovery.
In my research for writing
Catheters, Slurs and Pickup Lines, I found that most people did not understand nursing. Even the president of the hospital I studied said, “I don’t care how they do it; I’m just glad they do!” But after years of intensive study of nursing and eight months in a hospital setting, I can honestly say I understand some of the ins and outs of nursing.
Check these out. You might be surprised.
One: Patients are too weak to want sex.
I know it is hard to imagine a patient sexually grabbing a nurse, making lewd comments, or even having sex with their visitors. We don’t tend to think of patients as anything other than needy so it might be hard to imagine that patients can exhibit sexual desire. Yet, in an eight month study I conducted, nurses consistently reported these behaviors to me. I found that if nurses were successful at gaining trust of patients, patients sometimes felt entitled to service, attention, or even sex. Interestingly, when patients engaged in sexual behaviors toward nurses, many of which were legally defined as sexual harassment, most nurses did not define these acts as sexual harassment. While new nurses were surprised at sexual behaviors from patients, experienced nurses negotiated them as part of their daily work.
Two: Patients are never mean.
The majority of the 45 nurses I interviewed avoided describing patient care as involving conflict. They used words like nurture, kindness, and compassion to make it seem like nurses “being caring” was a natural personality characteristic characterized by goodness. Feminist philosopher Eva Kittay discusses this in her work: patients are not usually described as anything other than “needy,” and we don’t tend to think of needy people as causing conflicts for those who provide their care. In my study, however, I found that patients – “ordinary” patients, not “psychiatric” patients – yelled at nurses and even hit them. My focus on identifying conflict is as much about seeing patients clearly as it is about seeing the work of nurses clearly.
Three: Race does not matter in the provision of care.
Women of color nurses worked harder to negotiate racism and xenophobia from patients. For example, sexual harassment of women of color nurses incorporated multiple aspects of their identities. It is one thing for nurses to manage sexually explicit language or touches; it is quite another when those are combined with racial slurs and epithets. Imagine that a nurse not only walks in to check on a patient and sees him masturbating, but she is also called a “dirty foreigner.” Or, a nurse is giving a patient a bath, and the patient says you remind him of his mammy.
Four: Male nurses aren’t as caring as female nurses.
My study shows that men feel called to care and also care well. All the male nurses I interviewed were in the job because they cared. I watched male nurses take great care with their patients. I also observed male nurses have what seems like a “knack” for care, but is actually simply skilled expertise. My findings on men challenge the idea that men don’t want to care or can’t care just because they are men.
Five: You can’t teach someone how to be caring.
A lot of people, including nurses, think that the quality of care cannot be taught in nursing school. My study maps how experienced nurses care so that it can be taught in nursing school.
Filed under: african american studies, american studies, Anthropology, Education, gender studies, health, Labor Studies, Latin American studies, Mass Media and Communications, race and ethnicity, sociology, Uncategorized, women's studies | Leave a comment » | 4,592 | 2,117 | 9,617.821445 |
warc | 201704 | How Breastfeeding Benefits You and Your Baby!
Breast milk is best for your baby, and the benefits of breastfeeding extend well beyond basic nutrition. In addition to containing all the vitamins and nutrients your baby needs in the first six months of life, breast milk is packed with disease-fighting substances that protect your baby from illness.
That’s one reason the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months (although any amount of breastfeeding is beneficial). And scientific studies have shown that breastfeeding is good for
your health, too.
Here’s a look at some of the most important benefits breastfeeding offers you and your baby.
Breastfeeding protects your baby from a long list of illnesses
Numerous studies from around the world have shown that stomach viruses, lower respiratory illnesses, ear infections, and meningitis occur less often in breastfed babies and are less severe when they do happen. Exclusive breastfeeding (meaning no solid food, formula, or water) for at least six months seems to offer the most protection.
One large study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences showed that children who are breastfed have a 20 percent lower risk of dying between the ages of 28 days and 1 year than children who weren’t breastfed, with longer breastfeeding associated with lower risk.
The main immune factor at work here is a substance called secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) that’s present in large amounts in colostrum, the first milk your body produces for your baby. (Secretory IgA is present in lower concentrations in mature breast milk.) The substance guards against invading germs by forming a protective layer on the mucous membranes in your baby’s intestines, nose, and throat.
Your breast milk is specifically tailored to your baby. Your body responds to pathogens (virus and bacteria) that are in your body and makes secretory IgA that’s specific to those pathogens, creating protection for your baby based on whatever you’re exposed to.
Breastfeeding’s protection against illness lasts beyond your baby’s breastfeeding stage, too. Studies have shown that breastfeeding can reduce a child’s risk of developing certain childhood cancers. Scientists don’t know exactly how breast milk reduces the risk, but they think antibodies in breast milk may give a baby’s immune system a boost.
Breastfeeding may also help children avoid a host of diseases that strike later in life, such as type 1 and type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and inflammatory bowel disease. In fact, preemies given breast milk as babies are less likely to have high blood pressure by the time they’re teenagers.
For babies who aren’t breastfed, researchers have documented a link between lack of breastfeeding and later development of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Babies who are fed a formula based on cow’s milk or soy tend to have more allergic reactions than breastfed babies.
Scientists think that immune factors such as secretory IgA (only available in breast milk) help prevent allergic reactions to food by providing a layer of protection to a baby’s intestinal tract. Without this protection, inflammation can develop and the wall of the intestine can become “leaky.” This allows undigested proteins to cross the gut where they can cause an allergic reaction and other health problems.
Babies who are fed formula rather than breast milk don’t get this layer of protection, so they’re more vulnerable to inflammation, allergies, and other eventual health issues.
Breastfeeding may boost your child’s intelligence
Various researchers have found a connection between breastfeeding and cognitive development. In a study of more than 17,000 infants followed from birth to 6 1/2 years, researchers concluded from IQ scores and other intelligence tests that prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding significantly improves cognitive development.
Another study of almost 4,000 children showed that babies who were breastfed had significantly higher scores on a vocabulary test at 5 years of age than children who were not breastfed. And the scores were higher the longer they had been nursed.
Preterm infants with extremely low birth weight who received breast milk shortly after birth improved their mental development scores at 18 months when compared with preterm infants who weren’t given breast milk. In a later study, researchers found that the higher scores held at 30 months, and that the babies who received breast milk were also less likely to be hospitalized again because of respiratory infections.
Experts say that the emotional bonding that takes place during breastfeeding probably contributes to some of the brainpower benefits, but that the fatty acids in breast milk may play the biggest role.
Breastfeeding may protect your child from obesity
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding as a way to help reduce your child’s risk of becoming overweight or obese. An analysis of 17 studies published in the
American Journal of Epidemiology shows that breastfeeding reduces a child’s risk of becoming overweight as a teen or adult. The strongest effect is in children who were exclusively breastfed, and the longer the baby was breastfed the stronger the link.
Experts think that breastfeeding may affect later weight gain for several reasons:
Breastfed babies are better at eating until their hunger is satisfied, leading to healthier eating patterns as they grow. Breast milk contains less insulin than formula. (Insulin stimulates the creation of fat.) Breastfed babies have more leptin in their system, a hormone that researchers believe plays a role in regulating appetite and fat. Compared with breastfed babies, formula-fed infants gain weight more rapidly in the first weeks of life. This rapid weight gain is associated with later obesity. Breastfeeding may lower your baby’s risk of SIDS
A large German study published in 2009 found that breastfeeding – either exclusively or partially – is associated with a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The researchers concluded that exclusive breastfeeding at 1 month of age cut the risk of SIDS in half.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends breastfeeding for as long as possible to reduce the risk of SIDS.
Breastfeeding can reduce your stress level and your risk of postpartum depression
The National Institutes of Health reviewed more than 9,000 study abstracts and concluded that women who didn’t breastfeed or who stopped breastfeeding early on had a higher risk of postpartum depression.
Many women report feeling relaxed while breastfeeding. That’s because nursing triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin. Numerous studies in animals and humans have found that oxytocin promotes nurturing and relaxation. (Oxytocin released while nursing also helps your uterus contract after birth, resulting in less postpartum bleeding.)
One study found that women who had high amounts of oxytocin in their system (50 percent of breastfeeding moms as opposed to 8 percent of bottle-feeding moms) had lower blood pressure after being asked to talk about a stressful personal problem.
By the way, if you’re being treated for depression, you can still breastfeed your baby. Your healthcare practitioner can help you identify safe ways to treat your depression while nursing.
Breastfeeding may reduce your risk of some types of cancer
Numerous studies have found that the longer women breastfeed, the more they’re protected against breast and ovarian cancer. For breast cancer, nursing for at least a year appears to have the most protective effect.
It’s not entirely clear how breastfeeding helps, but it may have to do with the structural changes in breast tissue caused by breastfeeding and the fact that lactation suppresses the amount of estrogen your body produces. Researchers think the effect on ovarian cancer may be related to estrogen suppression as well.
Source:
Jennifer Burgis, M.D. – pediatrician and fellow in pediatric gastrointestinal medicine at Stanford University Lisa Dana, M.D. – pediatrician at California Pacific Medical Center and on the clinical faculty at the University of California, San Francisco Suzanne Dixon, M.D., MPH – behavioral and developmental pediatrician in private practice in Great Falls, Montana, and professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington Alberto Gedissman, M.D., MMM, FAAP – medical director of the pediatric obesity program at AltaMed Medical Group in Orange County, California Alanna Levine, M.D. – pediatrician in private practice and attending pediatrician at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New York K. T. Park, M.D., M.S. – pediatric gastroenterologist at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California Dawn Rosenberg, M.D. – pediatrician in private practice, San Francisco Nancy Showen, M.D. – pediatrician practicing in Oakland, California | 9,215 | 3,841 | 21,510.463421 |
warc | 201704 | A new platform launches today in the U.S. which lets users make micropayments of as little as $0.19 for individual news articles from some of Europe’s largest and most prestigious publications – and also lets the reader claim a refund for an unsatisfactory article.
Blendle, which has been called ‘iTunes for news’, launched in Europe in 2014, gaining over 650,000 users in the Netherlands (where the service is based) and Germany. Users are able to cherry-pick the most interesting news pieces in a customised article-stream, often from publications which had offered their content exclusively behind a paywall.
Blendle already had the European arms of several successful American publications on board, including The Economist, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, and today’s Stateside launch adds output from Newsweek, Foreign Affairs, The New York Review Of Books and Barron’s, amongst many others.
Blendle’s founder Alexander Klöpping heralded the U.S. launch, which rolls out initially to 10,000 users, on Medium today, commenting ‘Music has Spotify. Video has Netflix. But journalism still didn’t have it’s own dedicated platform. As a former technology journalist myself, I thought that the lack of such a platform for journalism was pretty strange. Spotify not only helps me access all music, it also makes it easy to discover the best songs, and makes paying for it feel like second nature.’
Blendle takes 30% of the money taken per article. The European prices for news pieces ranges between €0.09 for brief snippets and €1.99 for features. U.S. pricing ranges from 19 to 39 cents for newspaper articles, and 9 and 49 cents for magazine pieces.
According to Business Insider the service is aware of the cost of a traditional subscription for any particular publication, and will either recommend a subscription or stop charging if a user exceeds that amount from any one source. However it is not clear whether this cap is linked to a more expensive print subscription or a cheaper digital one; neither is it clear whether it represents a ceiling after which the reader can access that source’s content freely (which would be hard to calculate on an equivalent monthly basis), or whether the reader will continue to be charged after the warning.
Some aggregate problems
The model being proposed by Blendle is the latest to address the ‘signal-to-noise’ problem of a web saturated with consumer journalism. The pared-down interface and customisable feeds resemble the Apple News model superficially, but obviate the traditional need to intersperse ad content between ‘free’ content, with all the usual risk of blurring those lines – a problem that Apple has not been able to avoid.
Many articles and comments about Blendle today posit it as an experiment so promising that it could lead to a new ‘golden age of online journalism’. Others observe that the AWS-style click-per-item model might be friendlier in the form of a Spotify-like flat subscription model – though it is easy to imagine how difficult it might be to calculate percentages for the most successful contributing publications in such a case.
It seems to me that the Blendle model has a few significant challenges to face in its aim to re-create a traditional 1970s-style consumer-bought newspaper where the revenue streams split away to various publishers based on merit.
Lightning strikes rarely
Firstly, some of the hottest source material comes from sources which will never have a ‘hit’ again. In the field of tech news, such truly primary sources will often get posted to Ycombinator’s Hacker News as a kind of journalistic ‘source code’. Very often the entries in question are erudite and well-written in themselves, needing little or no further elucidation from journalistic middle-entities. This kind of democratic diffusion of information has been the perceived net benefit of ‘blogs’ or ‘citizen journalism’, which has not only threatened and eroded traditional print (and now online) journalism models but also kept them supplied with fresh copy.
Yet subscribing to such a primary source is pointless. A security researcher who finds one news-worthy flaw in some large and important system is very unlikely to find another one of the same magnitude; the next time such a discovery occurs, it will be from someone else digging in some other part of the haystack. Since this principle applies to most fields in news, it signifies that the rawest and least-diluted news will likely remain in the ad hoc field of blogging. Which leaves Blendle as a potential purveyor of the kind of high-funded, high-effort journalism which the current publishing scene has so little scope for.
Cream or scum at the top?
Or perhaps not: the widespread take-up of a Blendle-style service may indeed help the Washington Post to finance those in-depth features so many of the rest of us lack the resources for, but it also pushes a model where every single article must earn its supper on its own merits or form part of a non-hit stream of news which has developed a reliable audience for its niche topics or pursuits.
In real terms, this presents the possibility of exacerbating the last ten years’ trend towards clickbait – a syndrome to which Blendle is currently being widely touted as the antidote. If ‘hit’ articles cannot become effective loss-leaders for ambient content which is less broad in appeal, or for ads, then the Blendle model might not only need to compensate for a loss of depth, but also a less of revenue – and this pressure is not likely to increase the integrity of the journalistic output.
Integrity issues
Blendle currently interrogates users who ask for their money back on an article, but no details have been given as to what threshold there might be on article rejection. The current model seems to allow users to gain access to unlimited ‘premium’ content for free, so long as the user is willing to take a few seconds to tick a reason for not paying for the piece.
It could be that an Uber-style rating system would need to be adopted for articles in order to identify users abusing the right-of-refusal. In any case mainstream publishers taking an increasing interest in paywalls in the last two years seem unlikely to be willing to gamble long-term on consumer integrity in this regard.Home | 6,512 | 3,131 | 13,096.794634 |
warc | 201704 | Instead of preparing for my 24 hour mountain bike race this weekend, I’m writing about veganism and getting worked up over bike/pedestrian policy here in Los Angeles and nationwide. Six and seven years ago when I first got involved in bike advocacy in Los Angeles the bar was low, as were my expectations. Any improvement or mere mention of bikes outside of our circles was reason for excitement. Fast forward to 2010 and I’m almost overwhelmed with the progress. Almost. We are making gains, but now I want more. It makes so much sense in our unique position today with the economy, environmental concern and a renewed interest in urbanity to shift resources to promote bicycling and walking. But then LA Dept of Transportation General Manager Rita Robinson says stuff like I wish we were New York and could magically make things happen. Argh.
It’s up to us to show her it is not magic. To start here is a post by the US Dept of Transportation in support: What we know about bike infrastructure: people want it. This is the freakin US DOT!! I never could imagine seeing this just a few years ago. And here we are. But, and this is a big but, too many people are not seeing this. Or understanding it if they are. Too few people get this:
As anarchist academic and hero-to-many Howard Zinn says, ‘You can’t be neutral on a moving train.’ Everything is political. Your actions do matter. If you ride a bike, exclusively or occasionally, it’s up to you to share the statement above. AND its political importance. Bicycle infrastructure is good for everyone. Fewer people in fewer cars has social, environmental, health and personal benefits. So study up and share with others. We cannot wait for policy change to come from people like Rita Robinson. We need to change ourselves and to share these benefits with our circles.
www.la.streetsblog.org
www.streetfilms.org
www.howwedrive.com
Donald Shoup’s page at UCLA
are a good start.
Here’s a challenge. While I am riding my single-speed mountain bike for 24 hours this weekend, can you send one of the links above to 24 people? | 2,128 | 1,151 | 3,832.618593 |
warc | 201704 | The demand for ultrafine cement is increasing, and our main object in the present invention is to devise a new and improved method of manufacturing it. Broadly stated the method of the invention is an improvement in the manufacture of ultrafine cement in which cement clinker is ground to a fineness of ordinary Portland cement,<a href="http://www.sellercrusher.com/project/slag-crushing-plant.html">slag crushing plant</a> the ground clinker is cooled and then the cooled cement is ground in a mill with the use of grinding bodies having a maximum average weight of about 6 grams.
Ordinary Portland cement is a hydraulic cement generally consisting of various silicates of calcium which when mixed with water, sand and gravel or other substance forms the common material of construction. It has a fineness which usually corresponds to a specific surface of from 3,000 to 5,000 cm.2 /g. measured by the Blaine method, is readily available and constitutes a very suitable starting material in the production of ultrafine cement. Because the preliminary grinding of the clinker to a fineness corresponding to that of Portland cement is performed in another mill, and not in that in which the ultrafine grinding takes place,<a href="http://www.sellercrusher.com/project/coal-crusher-machine.html">coal crusher machine</a> heat developed in the preliminary grinding does not increase the temperature attained in the final grinding. Cooling the starting material before feeding it to the mill in which the ultrafine cement is produced means that less cooling is needed during the grinding and so a higher mill output is obtainable.
In grinding clinker such very small grinding bodies would have no effect as their individual weights would be too small compared to the weight of the pieces of clinker, but in grinding Portland cement to an ultrafine cement they are found to have excellent grinding efficiency. It is also found that such very small grinding bodies do not become coated to any appreciable extent even in the absence of grinding aids. | 2,051 | 947 | 4,424.702218 |
warc | 201704 | Feb 3, 2009 Fractals: The Intelligence of God’s Design – Is Creation a Series of Divine Algorithms?
THIS ARTICLE APPEARS IN prophecyinthenews.com
enjoy.
Nando
Fractals: The Intelligence of God’s Design – Is Creation a Series of Divine Algorithms?
by Gary Stearman
The illustrations accompanying this article are designs derived from a mathematical discipline that produces images called “fractals.” This word was coined by the French theorist Benoit Mandelbrot in 1975, and was used to describe the bizarre configurations that emerged from his unique mathematical analysis of the physical world. In that year, he revolutionized the way that science looks at a landscape. Two years later, he published the landmark
What is a fractal? The
The word itself is derived from French, and the Latin
Observe that in the above definition, everything from crystals to galaxies can be described by fractal geometry. Large structures can be broken down into smaller and smaller ones,
The
Plants, trees, land forms, mountains and clouds can now be modeled, using a few simple formulas. Mandelbrot’s ground-breaking discovery is that nature – from the very large to the very small – is formed of a myriad of repeating shapes. For the Christian observer, an intelligent pattern and plan emerge into plain sight. His imitators have inadvertently discovered that God chose to build the universe, using a system of repeating shapes.
But for the secular scientific mind, the natural patterns have simply evolved according to the mathematical rules of fractals. At the heart of the debate: Did God create fractals, or do fractals create God? To the household of faith, the answer seems plain enough.
As we think of it today, the scientific method dates back to the 16
The rigorous discipline of the scientific method was once used to glorify God. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Isaac Newton visualized God as the one and only Master Creator whose existence was proven by the mathematical perfection of the universe. Now, the method has come to be called, “doing science.” It prides itself on being ahead of religious thought. Yet, from the Christian perspective, everything science discovers simply confirms biblical truth.
This is especially true since the invention of computers, which have lately achieved the capacity to model reality so effectively that it is sometimes difficult to tell that you aren’t looking at the real thing.
Using Mandelbrot’s formulas, clouds, mountains, water and every form of landscape can be duplicated by simply entering the appropriate formulas into video programs. Computer realism is daily becoming more spectacular. To believers, this scientific achievement reveals more the creative power of God than the mind of man. After all, the computer is only imitating that which is already real in nature … that which was created by God.
Galileo, sometimes called “the father of modern science,” is held up as a scientific hero for discovering the moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn and the craters on the Moon. He upheld the heliocentric view of Copernicus that the Earth rotates around the Sun. However, Catholic authorities imprisoned him for making statements they called heresies. Galileo made them, based upon common observation. For example, he reported that our Moon has craters, Jupiter had its own moons, and Saturn had “ears,” his name for its rings, as seen through a primitive telescope. The priests objected, saying, among other things, that God’s creation is perfect, and that the Moon would not have blemishes like craters.
After a series of epic battles with the Roman church, he was forced to recant his view that the earth rotates around the Sun. The closing years of his life were spent under house arrest. But time proved his theories to be correct. It wasn’t long before he came to be regarded as a hero in the quest for the scientific method.
In a way, his conflicts with the religious authorities of the 17th century set the tone of the disagreement that persists to this day. Scientific authority still sees itself as ascending over theology, which it views as a stubborn and ignorant throwback to the superstitions of the past.
Science now shapes the contours of society. It proudly expresses itself through supercomputers crunching massive quantities of data through speeding streams of electrons. With increasing rapidity, complex formulas become everyday reality. Boeing uses them to build airplanes; General Motors uses them to build cars. From the computer screen to the runway or test track is a symphony of keystrokes and robotic syncopation.
In short, science creates, and never hesitates to celebrate its new role. Increasingly, as it has reduced nature to the intricacies of mathematical formulas, it has come to view itself as the creator.
It has gone beyond the physics of the past, but in a way, it still worships them. The sacred geometry of Pythagoras, who lived five hundred years before Christ, has become the virtual reality of the computer screen. The Greeks believed that geometric forms held the mystical answers to creation, but their mathematics was not sufficiently developed to see how true their suppositions really were.
The basic ideas of the ancient philosophers would have to rest through the centuries, until the development of modern mathematics, and then a while longer, for the invention of the computer. Today, tiny microprocessors can perform in seconds what would have taken a lifetime for a mathematician with pen and paper. Little could the ancients have known how right they really were.
Their conjectured unknowable and untouchable god was, in fact, the very knowable Judeo-Christian God of Creation. And His methods actually express themselves as geometry. But it is a geometry that the Greeks could scarcely have imagined.
It is based not only upon calculation, but million-fold reiterations performed at lightning speeds. The mathematical models of science enter daily life in make-believe worlds seemingly without end. Everything from “A” to “Z” – from astronomy to zoology, and all stops in between – is digitized, stored and studied with the thought of improvement. Science now looks at disease, poverty, pollution and starvation as shortcomings to be perfected. It foresees a man-made utopia.
That, of course, is the dominant thought of twenty-first century culture. Computers have not only advanced science; they have become the dominant medium for public entertainment. The imaginary has become so realistic that an entire world of secular faith has been established.
Movies become video games and alternate realities, in which one’s entire identity can be submerged in a fictional electronic world. This generation is accustomed to viewing life as a synthesis of digits, displayed on a video screen as imaginary worlds that surpass daily life.
An entire generation has grown to adulthood in the 26 years since 1982, when a film called
His artificial world bore little resemblance to our everyday physical world. It was a bizarre place of simple geometry … an artist’s conception of microchips given life. It seemed that almost overnight, this blockbuster movie gave birth to the idea of a computer-generated reality.
Tron was the first film of its kind. The significance of this film is its convincing attempt to propose the reality of an electronic world. In rapid succession and increasing believability, other filmmakers quickly brought their digitized worlds to the silver screen.
Films like
As mentioned earlier, these worlds are only feeble imitations of the one that God has already created. But importantly, computer programmers have learned techniques, which now give us remarkable insight into God’s creation. In effect, they have “reverse engineered” the earth’s existing panoramas to produce the pictures that are so persuasive to the human eye.
To do this, computers are programmed, using what are called “algorithms” to turn patterns of numbers into pictures. An algorithm is simply a written pattern, procedure or routine for solving problems in mathematics. To create fractals, these algorithms are repeated hundreds, thousands or millions of times. The result of one logic loop feeds back into the next, and so on, until the desired end is reached. There is not a human being alive who could write fast enough over a long period of time to perform the required number of operations.
In short, algorithms are instructions that can be followed by a computer. Their translation into visual realization had to await the invention of the high-speed computer.
As computers of ever-higher speed repeat these algorithms over and over again (in operations numbering perhaps in the millions), they weave a recognizable picture. More than that, they are so convincing that human beings respond to them in an emotional manner. They have the air of
They become spheres, loops, branches, mounds, peaks, swirls and every possible combination of the shapes that greet us as we go about our daily business on planet Earth. The illustrations that accompany this article demonstrate the range of fractal visualization.
They might be vegetable, like the real-world fractal in a stalk of broccoli, a fern or a branching tree. They might be animal, insect-like or a variety of marine life. They might be mineral, like rocks and mountains. In fact, they have revolutionized the motion picture industry, creating the impressive visual landscapes that back up the action/adventure melodramas that blaze across the movie screens of the world. They are the vistas of science fiction; the fiery demise of a burning space platform, or the “middle earth” of
Repeated fractals can make everything from mountains to a convincing head of hair. But the main point that should not be forgotten is this:
The incredible reality of these screen-worlds is possible only because they successfully mimic God’s creation. From the human perspective, they are quite complex; but when compared with the actual creation, they are ridiculously simple. Nevertheless, on a limited scale, they reveal the way our world is assembled.
The more one thinks about the creative process, the more one is convinced that this world was created by programming a series of algorithms. God gave instructions that acted not only to create matter out of nothing, but to shape it into the familiar forms and systems observed in our daily lives. He even built it to reproduce itself!
But where man’s algorithms create only a flickering screen shot, His create reality:
Here, we have one of the most familiar Scriptures in the Bible. It speaks matter-of-factly about the act of the original creation. In plain language, it asserts that out of nothing, our world — our universe — was created. Given our experience with computerized imagery, this is not at all difficult to believe. If we can write instructions that create a picture, why can’t God do the same to create a universe?
The raw material of creation was light; the instruction for its assembly was the
As we have often observed, this explanation is not new. The righteous sages of ancient Israel not only identified the
Referring to the 19th century rabbi considered the father of Hasidic Judaism (Israel ben Eliezer, called Baal Shem Tov), Michael Munk writes:
“The Baal Shem Tov explained that the ‘word’ of God to which the verse [Genesis 1:6] refers is His utterance, ‘
“The Psalmist answered these questions when he said: Forever, Hashem [Lord] Your word stands firm in heaven. The word of God that brought the heaven into being remains within them. The heaven continues to exist because not an instant goes by without God continuing to say, in effect ‘Let there be a firmament’– otherwise they would return to the status that prevailed before God’s will was uttered. So it is with every aspect of Creation. God’s original Ten Utterances are repeated constantly in the sense that the Divine will of the original six days remains in force. Otherwise, everything would revert to the nothingness of before Creation.
“Just as the ‘word of God’gave being to the heaven, it is His word that gives being to everything. Let us try to understand further what is meant by God’s ‘word.’And how do the specific, limited utterances of Creation account for the infinite number of species and objects in the universe?”
For thousands of years, the Jews have taught that God began His work of creation by creating the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. They offer this figurative statement to assert that God used them to create the universe.
Munk continues, “The twenty-two sacred letters are profound, primal spiritual forces. They are, in effect the raw material of Creation. When God combined them into words, phrases, and commands, they brought about Creation, translating His will into reality, as it were.”
The rabbinic idea that God supports the Creation on a continuing basis is well supported in the New Testament. The epistle to the Hebrews goes out of its way to assert this fact to its Jewish readers:
Here, we find a statement that reflects the beliefs of Israel’s sages. The writer begins the epistle with the statement that the Son of God continuously proclaims the existence of our reality. His word is power; it has substance and reality. It states the instructions of actuality.
According to Jewish sources, this idea dates back to Abraham and those who preceded him. The letters of the Hebrew alphabet represent “cosmic spiritual forces,” that God can use as tools to create what we call “reality.”
In Revelation, we see still another example of the word of power. It is a metaphor that would be puzzling, but for the fact that we have some understanding of the actual effectiveness of His Word. When the risen Christ appeared to John, His glory was practically indescribable:
Here, in a display of transcendent light, Christ is pictured with a sword — the Word — emerging from His mouth. It would be difficult to paint a picture that properly represents this image. But we can understand it as a metaphor for His “word” of creation. That which He speaks is so palpable, so substantial, that it is seen by John as having shape and form. We think of it as having the power to create. He speaks, and His words become form.
How is this different from what computer scientists now call an “algorithm?” Even as we ask this question, we recognize that the best man-made computer is but a dim bulb next to God’s absolute light. But it was, in fact, light of a different order that He crafted into the universe that we understand only in an incomplete way. The opening words of John’s Gospel make it clear that it was “light” that shines into empty darkness that became our world. The “Word” and “Light” are metaphors for our Lord the Creator:
These words are so simple that the average six-year-old can understand them. But they transcend even the comprehension of the most brilliant physicist. They are not simply metaphoric; they are what we call shape, form and reality.
The Bible opens in a bold declaration of this fact. God injects light into a dark, formless void. As He does this, detailed form congeals into what we call reality.
In a strange sense, when God caused His light to shine into the darkness of the pre-Creation void, He performed an action that science attempts to duplicate. In a miniscule imitation of His act, we recall His creative light every time we turn on a computer. To the believer, its illuminated screen is a humble reminder of God’s grandeur.
Our scientists, working to discover the secrets of His creation, stare at their screens, wishing for greater accuracy and more definition. Even now, they are working to bring forth the first truly three-dimensional presentations. Not so long ago, their screens were grainy black-and-white. Then came color, and higher resolution followed by digital high-definition, which will inevitably lead the way toward 3-D, then high-definition 3-D.
Will that satisfy the research engineers? Certainly not. They’ll still be working to achieve the first holographic, stand-alone images, in higher and higher resolution presentations. It is certain that they won’t be satisfied until they have fully modeled an actual creation that can be
One thing is certain. The multiple strategies of theoretical mathematics are really systems for decoding God’s algorithms of creation. They are aimed at unlocking the mysteries of absolute creation. But another thing is equally certain. They will never achieve their goal.
To these celestial interlopers, the Lord would speak clearly. As a superior to inferiors, He would “interview” them, and they would be without answers. Once, he asked Job a series of questions that might be very similar to the ones he would put to the scientists. Essentially, he asked Job to comment upon five aspects of the physical creation:
First, the Lord asks Job to present himself as a reliable witness concerning the earth’s
The second question: The Lord inquires of Job about the
The third question: The Lord asks “who?” In other words, who actually stretched out a measuring line (from the Hebrew
The fourth question: In the King James version, the Lord asks in what way earth’s “foundations” are “fastened.” In the Hebrew, He is asking, “Upon what are its bases sunk?” A base, being a translation from the Hebrew
Finally, the fifth question: He asks Job who hurled down the earth’s cornerstone? Would this be its core, its mantle or perhaps some reference to the Solar system in general? Again, human beings cannot answer any of these questions.
All of which brings us back to computer-aided design and the world of fractals. Science has discovered that regular geometric figures hold the secret, both to the world and to its myriad of organic life forms. Mountains and coastlines are subdivisions of triangles; trees correspond to forked lines of smaller and smaller proportion; spirals and circles model the endless variation of curves … from snail shells to river beds to solar systems to galaxies.
When the Lord spoke, His utterances were what we now understand to be algorithms. To realize this is not to understand it, but to be awed by it | 18,705 | 8,072 | 42,042.221878 |
warc | 201704 | At the heart of the Church of England’s (CoE) response to the Government’s Equal marriage: a consultation is an argument about the existence and importance of canon law on marriage. The CoE pins its objection to same-sex marriage on the assertion that its ‘teaching on marriage is embodied in law’ and that the Government has failed to consider the significance of canon law in its proposal to change the statutory organization of civil marriage.
What exactly is canon law and how does it relate to marriage?
Canon law (or Canons Ecclesiastical), as set out in the Canons of the Church of England, is primary legislation that determines
inter alia the doctrine and form of worship of the CoE. Since the First Act of Supremacy 1534, canon law has been formally subservient to ‘state law’ – it has become progressively subsumed by both common and statutory law – but has often retained a strong influence, particularly in respect of marriage. | 985 | 545 | 1,698.899083 |
warc | 201704 | Re-thinking group mission
One of the features, over the past decade or more, of the British university system has been the so-called ‘mission groups’. These have included the Russell Group, the 1994 Group, the University Alliance, Million+, Guild HE. All in all, these groups do not have a major presence in Scotland, though some Scottish universities are members of one or the other of them. However, mostly the mission groups are so totally focused on England that any Scottish membership is not much affected. In Ireland, leaving aside for a moment the membership by University College Dublin of the international group Universitas 21, mission groups have not been a feature. In Northern Ireland Queen’s University Belfast was allowed to join the Russell Group a few years ago, though its performance particularly in research might have raised questions about its suitability for inclusion in that particular collection.
Be all that as it may, the scene may be experiencing some significant change, even in England. In recent years some of the members of the 1994 Group, which had set itself up as an umbrella group for small research-intensive universities, jumped ship and joined the Russell Group, which is the self-declared representative of ‘leading UK universities which are committed to maintaining the very best research, an outstanding teaching and learning experience and unrivalled links with business and the public sector.’ Increasingly asset stripped by its larger rival grouping, the 1994 Group has now decided to close shop.
This could be seen as a victory for the Russell Group. But the latter has now become so large and diverse that some are wondering whether it will start developing smaller sub-groups and eventually break up. But maybe a more fundamental question should be asked: should such groups exist at all? In a system that should celebrate diversity and, where appropriate, competition, mission groups sometimes look like defensive cartels that seek special advantages for their members. Of course universities should collaborate, but whether such collaboration is better or more appropriate through exclusive clubs is open to question.
Thankfully, my university (Robert Gordon University) is not affiliated to any mission group. And that’s how it will stay. In this way we will drive forward with purpose and ambition; and any university is welcome to work with us.
Explore posts in the same categories:university comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site. | 2,549 | 1,271 | 5,037.834776 |
warc | 201704 | AS Creation is one of my core holdings. It is the clear market leader for wallpaper in Germany, however subject to an Anti Trust probe. Historically, AS Creation has produced rock solid returns. Currently there is some grwoth potential in the stock as they are building up a significant joint venture in Russia.
I was not aware that there is a UK listed company specialising in wallpaper as well. Interactive Investor Blog (highly recommended by the way) had a very nice summary post on
Colefax Plc a few days ago.
So I thought it might make sense to compare the two companies “head to head”. I am not sure if Colefax and AS Creation are really competitors. Colefax sells most of its products in the US and the UK and only a relatively small part in Europe, whereas AS Craetion is more focused on Germany with some French wholesale activities.
Colefax has a market Cap of ~31 mn GBP, AS Creation around 62 mn GBP.
Let’s have a quick look at
“traditional” valuation metrics
Colefax AS Creation P/B 1.19 0.77 P/B tang 1.19 0.86 P/S 0.41 0.36 P/E 7.7 11.1 EV/EBITDA 3.31 4.75 EV/EBIT 4.6 9.1 Debt/Capital 0% 27%
Apart from Price/Book and Price sales, Colefax looks a lot cheaper than AS Creation. AS Creation has some debt on its balance sheet vs. Colefax which actually shows net cash. AS Creation used to have little debt or net cash as well, however the investments in the Russian JV have been funded with debt.
Let’s look at
historical profit margins next:
Net margin ACW CFX 1999 5.66% 4.67% 2000 5.75% 5.61% 2001 5.38% 3.77% 2002 5.23% 2.78% 2003 3.94% 3.05% 2004 5.00% 3.43% 2005 5.33% 4.13% 2006 6.68% 5.49% 2007 5.95% 5.20% 2008 5.06% 2.51% 2009 4.14% 3.43% 2010 4.55% 5.88% avg 5.22% 4.16%
From 1999 to 2010, AS Creation managed to earn 1% more margins on average with a lower volatility than Colefax. So one could conclude that AS Creation at least historically had better pricing power than Colefax.
However if we look at ROE and ROIC, the picture changes completely:
AS Creation Colefax ROE ROIC ROE ROIC 1999 12.98% 6.90% 26.01% 17.82% 2000 14.87% 8.19% 30.92% 20.42% 2001 13.52% 10.39% 17.72% 13.15% 2002 12.42% 9.83% 12.83% 10.37% 2003 8.79% 7.74% 14.83% 12.81% 2004 11.53% 9.63% 17.55% 19.24% 2005 12.41% 11.05% 20.22% 18.01% 2006 14.93% 12.54% 25.34% 22.55% 2007 13.45% 10.42% 23.57% 26.94% 2008 11.36% 7.86% 9.07% 22.37% 2009 9.14% 7.97% 10.75% 16.55% 2010 9.73% 8.00% 18.85% 21.06% avg 12.10% 9.21% 18.97% 18.44%
Colefax shows almost twice the returns on equity and invested capital compared to AS Creation. The absolute amount achieved by Colefax is remarkable as well, even if some of the difference could be explained by differences in UK and EUR interest rates.
Before jumping to the conclusion that Colefax is the cheaper and more capital efficient company, we should chekc 2 major items which may distort return on capital numbers and Enterprise Value (EV) multiples:
– pension liabilities
– operating leases
Pension liabilities:
Interestingly enough, Colefax seems to be a very untypical UK company. They have only a tiny defined benefit plan (DBO) with liabilites of 1 mn GBP. AS Creation’s DBO liablities are higher at around 7 mn EUR. So no big impact in both cases (remark: to be on the safe side, DBO should always be added to finanical debt)
Operating leases
This is more interesting. AS Creation only records 600 tsd EUR of Operating leasing liabilities whereas
Colefax has around 25 mn GBP gross liabilites. If we look at the different components of assets required to run the busines we see some intersting numbers:
Colefax AS Creation Sales 77,722 184,603 Non-Current Assets 7,282 50,770 Net WC 11,881 66,424 Operating Leases 25,258 600 NCA/ Sales 9.4% 27.5% NCA+OL/Sales 41.9% 27.8% Net WC/Sales 15.3% 36.0% NCA + NWC+OL 44,421 117,794 in % of Sales 57.2% 63.8% EV/EBITDA 3.31 4.75 EV/EBITDA OL 7.20 4.80 Net Debt+OL+pension/total Assets 47% 14.4%
Non Current Assets (ex Goodwill) at Colefax in percentage of sales is only a fraction of AS Creations non -current assets. However taking into account the (gross) operating leases, the picture suddenly shifts dramatically.
Both, EV/EBITDA and leverage ratios suddenly shift to AS Creations favour if one accounts for the operating leases.
Colefax still uses less capital in percentage of sales, but this is “only” due
to much lower working capital requirements.
I don’t really understand why Colefax needs to rent such a large amount of land and buildings if they are not producing the stuff. Do they have a warehouse in Central London ?
Business models
One thing I forgot to mention is that the two companies
have very different business models, despite both selling mostly wallpaper. Colefax only designs and distributes their products, whereas AS Creation creation really produces all the wallpaper themselves.
“Producing” wallpaper is basically only a specialised version of printing, with the big advantage that at least so far the internet has failed to come up with a paperless alternative in contrast to many other printing products.
Despite having outsourced production, Colefax employs 305 persons (fy 2011) for 77 mn GBP in sales whereas AS creation generates 172 mn EUR sales with 706 employees (2010).
The differences in the business model can be easily seen if we look at the major cost blocks compared to sales:
Colefax AS Creation Staff cost 14,933 39,336 – in % of sales 19.2% 21.3% Marketing, distribution & admin 36,345 27,166 – in % of sales 46.8% 14.7% COGS 34,929 96,064 -in % of saless 44.9% 52.0%
Colefax needs to spend a lot more on advertising and administrative expenses than AS Creation. I am somehow surprised that Colefax seems to buy their merchandise cheaper in relation to sales than AS Creation has to pay for the raw material.
Staff costs are relatively comparable, which is interesting as well.
First results:
– Colefax “design and distribute” model is less capital intensive than AS Creation’s “full production” operations
– taking into account operating leases, the major advantage seems to be a lower amount of required working capital – surprisingly, Colefax seems to require a lot of fixed investments if one includes operating leases – however return on invested capital is still higher for Colefax despite slightly lower profit margins – the higher voltality in Colefax profit margins ist most likely due to higher leverage through off balance sheet operating leases – so far I can see no clear “winner” between the two companies. Both copmpanies have problems but also opportunities. – Colefax might be a good diversification in order to gain exposure to UK and US housing recovery while AS Creation has growth opportunities in Russia and benefits from a still strong domestic market
In the second part I will try to come up with a valuation for Colefax Plc to see if it is an interesting investment for the portfolio. | 7,039 | 3,356 | 14,356.959178 |
warc | 201704 | Details Published on Wednesday, 03 February 2016 20:04 An Interview with General Coordinator Elizabeth Mpofu [1]
February 2, 2016
By Simone Adler (Other Worlds)
Who we are fighting for is every single peasant farmer – more than 200 million – on the planet. People are eager to join hands in building a global voice.
Transnational corporations are pushing policies in African countries for industrial farming and the use of GMO [genetically modified] seeds, while grabbing our land and [stealing] our natural resources. No one should come and tell us how to produce food.
In Via Campesina, we believe in controlling our land and seeds and producing the healthy food that we want, the way we want. Our response is to fight for food sovereignty against these transnational corporations that are connected to the [New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition of the] G8, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, the World Trade Organization, and free trade agreements that don’t recognize the needs of peasants or the poor.
Details Published on Wednesday, 06 January 2016 16:28
(Ramallah, January 2016)- the Union of Agricultural Work Committees distributed palm seedlings for farmers in Zubaydat village in Jericho and Jordan Valley governorate within " Struggle for land: Defense of Palestinian Land Rights in the Jordan Valley" project, which is funded by the Medico International Foundation.
Details Published on Wednesday, 25 November 2015 18:23
(Seoul, November 24, 2015) The Korean peasant movement organised and mobilised a big protest on the 14th November. Over 30,000 peasants were among the 130,000 people gathered in central Seoul to protest against rice imports among other issues and called for the resignation of South Korean President Park Geun-hye.
The police used water cannons against the protesters. They also used barricades to stop the protesters. Many people were hurt, some arrested. The attack with the water cannons left a peasant brain dead. Because of this people did a vigil and lit candles.
The Korean peasant movement is planning one more struggle 5th December. Details Published on Thursday, 19 November 2015 17:18
November 18, 2015
Dear Ministers,
As the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the EU is set to meet this November 16 in Brussels, European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC) would like to, once more, bring to your attention, our deep concern over the situation of the European dairy sector in this serious and unprecedented crisis which will destroy the economy in many rural areas. Among other things, this is caused by a loosening of market regulations, of which the removal of EU milk quotas stands out.
After the new measures package was released by the Council and the Commission following the meeting held last September 7, the situation of the dairy sector is still critical all over Europe due to the low milk prices that the producers are faced with. The industry’s pressure for low prices on the one hand, and European distribution on the other, is leading towards the disappearance of the model of production which best fulfils the needs of the European citizens in regards to food quality and safety, animal welfare, environmental protection, and maintaining the countryside. | 3,274 | 1,678 | 6,311.912992 |
warc | 201704 | Current Scheduling, Teaming, and Curriculum Practices In Virginia's Middle Schools Date1998-10-15 Author
Harris III, Charles H.
MetadataShow full item record Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe the current schedules employed, teaming practices, and curricula used by the middle-level schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and it was conducted through the use of descriptive statistics. A questionnaire was sent to experts in the area of middle school education for review and field-tested with practicing administrators in middle-level education. The questionnaire was revised and mailed to 237 principals of the public schools in Virginia which have at least three grade levels drawn from five, six, seven, or eight but not grade levels four or nine. Principals from 134 schools, 57 percent of middle schools in Virginia, returned the questionnaire. Data collected from these questionnaires were used to describe the types of schedules employed, teaming practices, and curricula utilized by the participating middle schools. The number of middle schools in Virginia has continued to grow since their reported existence in the 1970's and the Virginia Department of Education's emphasis on the use of middle school practices in 1986. In 1985, Jessie Charles Zedd reported that there were 110 middle schools in the state. By 1996, the Virginia Educational Directory listed 237 middle schools, a percentage gain of 46. An increased use of middle school flexible scheduling and interdisciplinary teaming has occurred since that study. Most of the middle-level schools that participated in this study were mid-sized schools with 501 to 1,000 students and housing grades six, seven, and eight. The majority of middle-level schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia was found to utilize interdisciplinary teaming and a core curriculum. Flexible scheduling is utilized in most middle schools at grades six and seven but traditional schedules are used more frequently at grade eight. The use of flexible scheduling and teaming decreases from the sixth grade to the eighth grade in middle schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Ability grouping was reportedly used in more than 75 percent of middle schools participating in the study. Students are required to take all core subjects in most middle-level schools in Virginia and are offered high school level classes even before the eighth grade. The emphasis on the importance of middle-level education continues to be stressed nationally as well as within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Middle-level practices such as flexible scheduling and interdisciplinary teaming have served as examples of effective practices being considered and utilized by high schools. Advocates, practitioners, administrators, and teachers of the middle-level schools need to continue their emphasis on effective middle-level programs and practices for the continued improvement and success of middle schools. Improvement in the use of flexible scheduling, interdisciplinary teaming, and fewer grouping practices should be a goal of many middle-level schools to become exemplary schools. Middle schools should have high expectations for all and make their programs accessible to all students. Recommendations and data reported from this study may be used as a resource by administrators and other interested practitioners to restructure their programs in order to better serve middle-level children.
Collections Doctoral Dissertations [11451] | 3,483 | 1,458 | 8,306.166667 |
warc | 201704 | Microbial fuel cells coupled with open pond for wastewater treatment: is it viable? Date2015-06-21 Author
Xu, Bojun
MetadataShow full item record Abstract
Sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) is a special type of microbial fuel cells that can be deployed in a natural water body for energy production and contaminant removal. This MS project aims to explore whether it will be viable to apply SMFCs for wastewater treatment. Experimental SMFCs were studied in several configurations and operational modes for organic removal, nitrate reduction, and energy recovery. When treating an artificial secondary effluent for nitrate removal, the SMFC could remove 44% of the nitrate, higher than that without electricity generation. The enhanced removal was attributed to the supply of electrons to nitrate reduction in the aqueous phase through oxidizing the organics in the sediment. The lack of a proper separator between the anode and the cathode led to the failure of the SMFC when treating an artificial raw wastewater. Ion exchange membranes were incorporated into the MFCs that were installed in a lab-scale open water pond (150 L in volume). Such a system achieved 100% COD removal and more than 75% removal of ammonium nitrogen. However, denitrification remained as a challenge because of a lack of anoxic zone. To reduce the cost of the cathode catalysts, a polymer-based carbon cloth was investigated and exhibited better performance than bare carbon cloth. The results of this MS project have demonstrated that SMFCs in the absence of a proper separator cannot be applied for wastewater treatment. A membrane-based MFC system integrated with open pond may function as a wastewater treatment system, though nitrogen removal efficiency must be improved.
Collections Masters Theses [16646] | 1,796 | 931 | 3,453.104189 |
warc | 201704 | There is an identity crisis among Christian teens. They don’t know who they are in Christ. They do not fully understand that their Heavenly Father actually owns the palace. If they did, they would understand their position. They wouldn’t be living in spiritual poverty. Helping young …
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With decades of ministry experience, Michelle Anthony and Megan Marshman capture the guiding essentials of life-changing family ministry. These seven essentials for children and student leaders emphasize: 1. Empowering families to take spiritual leadership in the home 2. Forming lifetime …$9.59$15.99Save: $6.40 (40%)
God is infinite, beyond our understanding—yet He chooses to reveal Himself in ways that spark questions rather than settling them all. Instead of making Himself smaller, God invites us into a larger faith. One that has room for questions, victories, failures, and mystery. Because belief …$9.74$14.99Save: $5.25 (35%)
What am I supposed to do next? How does this Jesus thing work? These are only a few of the difficult questions you may ask when you make the decision to follow Christ. There should be a simple plan that explains the essentials of Christianity for young believers—a step-by-step resource …$3.74$4.99Save: $1.25 (25%)
Young people are not ashamed of their faith in Jesus. They are just scared to share it with others because the approaches they have learned to “evangelize” feel forced and unnatural. Tell 21 takes the fear out of telling others about Jesus. It makes sharing your faith about simply sharing …$3.74$4.99Save: $1.25 (25%)
Felt the pull of God? Answered it? Freaked out about what to do next? As Brian Tome was talking to a new Christ-follower in his office, he realized that he had nothing on his bookshelf that would give her the "straight talk" on the radical new life she was about to begin. So he penned …$8.99
Ask a crowd of Christians whether they believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and all hands will go up. Ask the same crowd whether they live like Jesus, and most of those same hands will come down. Why is this? Why is it so hard to bridge the gap between belief and real life? Respected …$9.59$15.99Save: $6.40 (40%)
Church Is a Team Sport shows proven ways to push believers, new and mature, toward growth as both Christians—and leaders. Through this powerful, thought-provoking volume, ministers both in the congregation and on staff will discover how to expand the church one soul at a time. Making …$10.19$16.99Save: $6.80 (40%)
This provocative and timely primer on the just war tradition connects just war to the concrete practices and challenges of the Christian life. Daniel Bell explains that the point is not simply to know the just war tradition but to live it even in the face of the tremendous difficulties …$14.30$26.00Save: $11.70 (45%)
When Jesus called his disciples, his invitation was simple: "Follow me." But what Greg Sidders soon found after deciding to follow Jesus is that this simple invitation is harder and scarier than it sounds. In The Invitation he invites readers to venture beyond risk-free Christianity and …$8.44$12.99Save: $4.55 (35%)
Your phone is always ringing; your neighbors are silently pleading; your church is beckoning; and your community and school are begging you to respond to their needs. You want to minister to and influence those around you. But what can you do? What should you do? Everything is calling, …$7.49$9.99Save: $2.50 (25%)
Our world is alive with fascinating new ideas, discoveries, and technologies. But for Christians this can also present problems—especially when the values of postmodernism and secular university life conflict with basic Christian principles. What should Christians do when their beliefs …$9.09$13.99Save: $4.90 (35%)
"The church must be distinct from the world to reach the world." - From Chapter 1 "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 …$8.44$12.99Save: $4.55 (35%)
2011 Retailers Choice Award winner! “Why are Christians against same-sex people getting married? . . . Why do you believe God exists at all? . . . Why would God allow evil and suffering? . . . Why trust the Bible when it’s full of mistakes? . . . How could a loving God send people to …$9.59$15.99Save: $6.40 (40%)
This guide looks at the essential elements of discipleship while encouraging readers to think and journal through Scripture. Christians are disciples of Christ. Since our entire identity is defined by Christ, we do well to think carefully about what it means to be a disciple. Bill Clem, …$9.59$15.99Save: $6.40 (40%) | 4,880 | 2,412 | 9,569.817579 |
warc | 201704 | By all intents and purposes, the emergence of the internet created a space for women to freely publish their art and share their experiences without
banging their heads on the glass ceiling.
The internet offered, not only a platform for women writers and other artists, but anonymity- should it be required.
Initially, although not necessarily by design, the freedom to publish on the world wide web began to tip the scales of the social arrangement. Not only did women bloggers, artists, journalists and scholars have a platform from which to freely share their experiences and opinions; but women outside of the public sphere were able to engage in the discussion, too.
The inclusive nature of publishing and commenting on the internet
appeared to render the somewhat nuanced and westernised forms of woman silencing null and void. Womens voices were becoming louder; they could no longer be ignored.
And whilst the anonymity of the internet empowered many women from the around the world, unfortunately, it also invited some deeply embedded misogynistic strategies to silence; insults, intimidation and threats.
These tactics are as old as the hills. Frequently used, not just when women present a strong and credible argument and not just when women ask men uncomfortable questions which may or may not be related to gender arrangements, but just because a woman has dared to speak.
This form of gender based censorship generally follows a well established pattern. The aggressor will attempt to dehumanize; a woman who resembles an animal is too ugly to be taken seriously; she is stupid, demonise, discredit and finally silence. He will also present himself as virtuous in comparison to his female opponent, he will remind her of her place in relation to his.
In the video below, David Starkey, a rather controversial British Historian, is accused by Laurie Penny, a well known British journalist and blogger who writes from a feminist and left leaning perspective, of playing Xenophobia and national prejudices for laughs. The debate focuses on Britishness and what it means to be British. Note his reaction. | 2,126 | 1,106 | 4,065.542495 |
warc | 201704 | Tags
ab889, california, california assembly, california domestic workers, california law, california legislation, california legislators, california senate, california women law, california workers, CHIRLA, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, deportation fears, domestic workers, domestics, equal rights, housecare workers, housecare workers bill, human rights, human rights committee, ilo, immigrant domestics, immigrant women, immigrant women deportation, immigrant workers, immigrants, immigration california, immigration status, indigenous women, international labour conference, international labour organizaiton, labour protections, latina human rights, latina rights, metered, mexica immigrants, mexican women, migrant women, migrant women california, minority women, Mujeres Unidas y Activas, national domestic worker alliance, national labor relations act, navi pillay, office of the high commissioner for human rights, OHCHR, state of califoria, underpaid women, underpaid workers, undocumented workers, unethical employers, United Nations, united nations commission, united nations human rights, united nations human rights committee, united nations ohchr, united states immigrant workers, united states immigrants, united states workers, vulerability at work, women equal rights, women human rights, women immigrant visas, work dangers, workers california, workers laws, workers rigths, workers us
“I worked in a facility where they housed pilots and worked long days – often up to 16 hours at a time. They only paid me $1.00 per day and sometimes less than that,” said Reina, a domestic worker.
“The connection between a domestic workers’ immigration status and her employment is exploited by employers to discourage the reporting of violations,” cautions the UN Commission.
“Our society does not really value this kind of work like it should,” stressed Andrea Mercado, Organizing Director for Mujeres Unidas y Activas and The California Coalition of Domestic Workers.
“I think the fact that most of them are immigrants and the fact that they don’t understand fair labor standards contribute to the workplace abuse,” Mercado continued. “…that also speaks to the fact that this work has never been valued or respected. It’s work that’s happening behind closed doors in private homes with no legal protections. Many people compare it to the wild west where you are really at the mercy of your employer.”
The California Domestic Workers Bill of Rights – AB899
Human rights advocates in California are now seeking fair treatment for immigrant domestics under the AB889 bill, but the legal guidelines for the Bill have been falling hard with acceptance in some circles.
“My mother was a domestic worker that worked for a family. She started taking care of one person and at the end she was taking care of 3 people for a wage of $1,000 dollars a month 24/7,” outlined Claudia Reyes from Mujeres Unidas y Activas, which is one of many organizations that are part of The California Household Workers Rights Coalition. “Even though my mother worked next door to our house, she didn’t have the choice to come home and spend 10 minutes with us or even to take meals with us,” added Reyes.
Nicknamed ‘The Babysitter Bill,’ AB889, which is officially called the California Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, was created to provide a protective law for immigrant women hired to work ‘under the surface’ in California.
“This legislation helps us to bring a critical workforce out of the shadows and into the light of day. Domestic workers must be assured the rights and protections that all California workers deserve,” said V. Manuel Pérez, co-author and chair of the California State Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy.
But not everyone agrees the Bill is good for California or the U.S.
“This is the type of legislation that drives everyday Californians crazy,” said Republican and California Senator Doug La Malfa in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times.
“Now parents have to worry about getting sued for not having a detailed wage statement, workers’ comp and having meal and rest breaks for your baby-sitter? The cost of date night just went way up,” he continued. La Malfa is a self-described fourth generation rice farmer and business owner who has lived in Northern California all his life. He is also currently running for U.S. Congress.
Passing forward through legislative levels in California’s Assembly in June 2, 2011 and on through the Senate Labor Committee on July 6, 2011, the Bill stalled five weeks later as it was close to making law on August 15. It was shelved by a unanimous ballot by the California Senate Appropriations Committee placing it in the Appropriations Suspense file. This means that the legal motion is currently considered by a majority of California legislators to be too expensive for the State of California to manage.
But why did this happen after the bill has traveled so far? Some say it may have come from a rising tide of tensions against race in California, especially against those newly entering the State from Mexico. But the ‘official’ reason states it is based on analysis that AB889 has the potential to cost the State of California too much outgoing expense with an estimated $385,000 monthly to process any possible complaints made by domestic workers against their employers once the law was in effect.
But even with this discouraging outcome advocates and immigrant domestic workers are not giving up on this bill.
“We passed through the [California] assembly in June and then went to the senate labor committee,” said Andrea Mercado of the California Domestic Worker Coalition. “Then we got stuck in senate appropriations in August. I think it will be a huge victory for domestic workers. This bill would be like our Oscar,” Mercado added.
“We’re not asking for extra rights, we’re just asking for equal rights and basic human rights that other workers have,” explained Claudia Reyes.
“Millions of domestic workers around the world are vulnerable to serious violations of their human rights,” said the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Navi Pillay to the Employers Group at the 100th session of the International Labour Conference sponsored by the ILO – International Labour Organization held in Geneva, Switzerland in June 2011. “This vulnerability is compounded by the fact that most of them are women, many are migrants, and, of these, a significant number are in an irregular situation in their country of employment,” outlined Pillay.
__________________________________________________________________
Taking care of our homes, children, elders, and growing our food, is some of the most essential human work, but it is not valued by our society. It is work done by people of color, immigrants, women. And this devaluation is institutionalized. Domestic workers and farmworkers were left out of the National Labor Relations Act in the 1930’s to appease Southern segregationists, who were afraid of African-American organizing. But today, once again, domestic workers are organizing. There are over 30 grassroots domestic worker organizations across the country, grappling with how to win respect and dignity for these workers. Together they have formed the National Domestic Worker Alliance. This 7:18 min October 2011 video is part of a series for TEDxFruitVale productions. __________________________________________________________________
For more information on this topic:
“
Why a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights?” UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, Lauren D. Applebaum, Ph.D., December 2010;
“
Domestic Workers Rights in the United States,” University of North Carolina School of Law Human Rights Policy Clinic for the United Nations Human Rights Committee, July 2006;
“
Left Out – Assessing the Rights of Migrant Domestic Workers in the United States – Seeking Alternatives,” Human Rights Center UC Berkeley with International Human Rights Clinic Boalt Hall School of Law, November 2003.
________________
Additional sources for this WNN story include the Los Angeles Times, The National Domestic Workers Alliance, United Nations Human Rights Committee, Mujeres Unidas y Activas, International Human Rights Clinic Boalt Hall School of Law, Human Rights Center UC Berkeley, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), University of North Carolina School of Law Human Rights Policy Clinic, TEDx and the California Domestic Workers Coalition.
_________ An avid community organizer and author, WNN human rights journalist Jessica Buchleitner possess a strong desire to change the world starting at the community level. Advocating for global women’s rights in 2009, Buchleitner compiled her upcoming book, “50 Women” for The 50 Women Project, which includes interviews with fifty women from thirty different countries. “The book covers stories of women’s strength and perseverance,” says Jessica. In addition to publishing on WNN, Buchleitner has contributed to The Western Edition San Francisco and The San Francisco Chronicle. “I have always believed the heart of all global communities lie with women,” says Buchleitner.
______________________________
©2012 WNN – Women News Network
No part of this article release may be reproduced without prior permissions from WNN. _________ | 9,737 | 4,050 | 22,493.672099 |
warc | 201704 | Pennsylvania politicians haven’t passed protections for LGBTQ residents in the wake of the Orlando shooting, yet they found time this morning to debate the cost of imprisoning doctors.
You read that right.
Members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives plan to vote on this bill this afternoon. Click here to urge them to vote NO.
Pennsylvania lawmakers supporting HB1948 spent the morning debating how much it would cost per year to imprison a doctor, if he or she violated the double abortion ban they are fast-tracking through the General Assembly.
If passed into law, House Bill 1948 would criminalize almost all abortion by any method after 19 weeks’ gestation, with no exceptions for rape, incest or fetal anomaly. In addition to making abortion after 19 weeks a felony, HB 1948 includes an additional provision that attempts to criminalize a procedure known as a D&E at any stage of pregnancy. The D&E abortion procedure is the same procedure that is used to complete a miscarriage. Some doctors caring for pregnant women experiencing sudden or severe fetal complications, such as microcephaly, the condition associated with the Zika virus, would be forced to abandon patients in desperate need of care.
To give you a hint regarding the medical validity of this kind of ban, the politicians greasing it through the process explicitly rejected input from medical experts—twice. Perhaps they suspect doctors would not feel it is good policy to be forced to choose between following HB1948 and keeping their professional oath to provide the best medical care to their patients.
And now today, they debated the cost of imprisoning any doctors who would choose the latter.
HB1948 is anti-science, anti-doctor and anti-women.
Call or email your Representative and urge them to vote NO on abortion ban HB1948.
The Women’s Law Project is the only public interest law center in Pennsylvania devoted to advancing the rights of women and girls. | 1,977 | 1,029 | 3,738.816327 |
warc | 201704 | food interaction for KINASE N alcohol interaction for KINASE N pregnancy interaction for KINASE N lactation interaction for KINASE N
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warc | 201704 | MAGNATION water and energy-saving systems makes dollars and sense. It reduces water needs by 10 to 30%, a cost saving that feeds directly into the city’s budget. It adds further savings by reducing scaling, a major source of costly maintenance. Providing water to parks, ball fields, shrubbery, grass, flowers, and trees represents only a fraction of the load put on a city’s water budget. Add to that the recurring cost of pipe replacement from scaling. These dollars that could have been supporting city services and programs are lost to watering and maintenance demands. MAGNATION water and energy-saving systems pays itself back virtually overnight, reversing the flow of money back into the city budget through substantial savings. It employs magnetic science to create healthier, hydrating water that carries benefits for plants and humans alike. It fits the spirit of this planet’s future: doing more with less. When magnetized by the The Magnation Industrial NEXT GENERATION and BIG BLUE Pump & Irrigation systems take less water to get the job done better, providing solid fiduciary results.
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warc | 201704 | Summary:
This paper examines the substance and history of animal anti-cruelty law in Canada. In doing so, it discusses the controversy surrounding the last amendments to the existing law (Bill C-50) introduced in parliament last year.
CANADIAN ANIMAL
ANTI-CRUELTY LEGISLATION
Charles Hall [1]
Generally Canada is considered a socially progressive country. However, its animal cruelty statute is uncharacteristically antiquated. Despite its antiquated animal cruelty statutes, there have been numerous attempts since 2000 to revise them. In late November 2005 the ruling minority government in Canada received a vote of no confidence forcing to the wayside much legislation, including the fifth attempt since 1999 to amend the Canadian animal anti-cruelty laws that were promulgated well over a century ago. This paper examines the animal anti-cruelty movement in Canada , the current law and the most recent proposed amendments, and seeks to determine why the proposed law failed.
The Canadian animal anti-cruelty movement has a long history dating back to the early 1800s. After the English passed first anti-cruelty statute, the Martin’s Act in 1822, [2] Nova Scotia passed the first anti-cruelty legislation in North American in that same year. [3] The English founded the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in 1824, and the first Canada chapter was founded in 1869 in Montreal . [4] Hughes and Meyer assert that the early animal humane societies focused on treatment and conditions of working animals and blood sport animals. [5] Therefore, the early focus of the humane societies was toward abuse of the animals, including physical abuse and overuse, as well as the banning of bull fighting and cockfighting. [6]
According to Hughes and Meyer, the social movements of the 1970s were coupled with two movements that went further than the traditional humane societies. Namely, there were two movements with roots that predated the 1960’s cultural revolution: 1) the animal welfare movement and 2) the animal rights movement. [7] The animal welfare movement advocates humane treatment of animals, while the animal rights movement asserts that animals have rights inherent. While the lack of progress on the amendments might be a reflection that Canada is stuck in the 19
th century, there is ample evidence in the mounting pressure to amend the antiquated statutes. This in itself has been brought about by a section of society recognizing that changes need to be made.
The current Canadian animal anti-cruelty provisions were first promulgated in 1892. The 1892 version stands today only with minor changes from the 1950s. [8] The Canadian animal anti-cruelty provisions are in sections 444 to 447 of the Criminal Code of Canada. [9]
To truly get a grasp of the Canada anti-cruelty provisions, one must understand that there are two key principles protected by these provisions: 1) animals should not be damaged by third parties because they are property of another; and 2) because animals have the capacity to suffer, they should not have inflicted on them unnecessary cruelty. [10]
The Canadian Criminal Code does not allow humans to inflict “unnecessary” pain to animals. However, it does allow humans to kill animals for lawful purposes, but to do so in ways that minimize pain and suffering. Significantly, the Canadian Criminal Code places the animal anti-cruelty laws under
Part XI , Wilful and Forbidden Acts in Respect of Certain Property . Property, precisely defined in the legal world, is the relationship among people with respect to things. Nowadays, however, it typically means any thing over which the rights of possession, use, and enjoyment are exercised. [11] Part XI of the Canadian Criminal Code defines property as “real or personal corporeal property.” [12] Canadian society, consistent with any Western society, treats animals as property. Animals typically are treated as things over which humans can exercise rights of possession, use, and enjoyment in exclusion of other humans. Therefore, animals are property in Canada , and the Criminal Code recognizes this by placing animals under Part XI, which is titled Wilful and Forbidden Acts in Respect of Certain Property .
Canada Criminal Code § 444 provides property protections for owners of cattle. If anyone kills, maims, wounds, poisons or injures cattle, one is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to a prison term of up to five years. Traditionally, cattle have great economic value for North American societies. These animals provide economic sustenance to farmers, through milk production, meat, and leather. Damage to cattle results in direct economic damage to the interested parties. Therefore, Canada Criminal Code § 444 is solely interested in the economic interests of the individual who owns the cattle. The well-being of the cattle for the cattle’s sake is not of any concern in this section.
Canada Criminal Code § 445 provides property protections for owners of “dogs, birds, or animals that are not cattle and are kept for a lawful purpose.” Like Canada Criminal Code § 444, this section provides criminal punishment for those who violate the property rights of another. This section is solely focused on protecting the property interests of the owner, and again is not concerned with the interests of the animal.
Canada Criminal Code § 446 is different, however. While § 444 and § 445 are clearly designed to protect the property interests of the property owner (the owner of the animal), § 446 treats the animal as something more than an inanimate object (i.e. a crops, books, or a building). In these provisions, third parties
and owners of the animal are penalized for inflicting unnecessary pain and suffering on the animal. If the animals were being treated as an inanimate object--the typical type of object to be subject to property interests--then the owner would not be penalized for inflicting pain or suffering.
Canada Criminal Code § 446 (1)(a) concerns any offender who “willfully causes . . . unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to an animal or a bird.” Interestingly, § 446(1)(a) also subjects
the owner who “willfully permits to be caused unnecessary pain, suffering or injury.” While dealing with the non-owners can be interpreted to protect the property rights of the owner of the animal, subjecting the owner to the same penalties for unnecessary pain, suffering, or injury to the animal does not protect the property rights of the owner. In fact, it removes a few of the sticks from the bundle of rights of the property owner. Here, there is a clear indication that the Canadian Criminal Code is protecting more than simply the property rights of the owner; it is also protecting the rights of the animal to be free from unnecessary pain and suffering from anyone, including the animal’s owner.
Canada Criminal Code § 446(1)(b) further protects animals or birds from damage or injury caused by willful neglect while being transported. Again, this provides a protection for the owner of the animal against property damage by third parties. However, this clause also subjects the owner to the same penalties for the same actions against his own property. Here, there is another indication the Canada Criminal Code is interested in more than simply protecting the property rights of the owner.
Section 446(1)(c) subjects owners or custodians of animals or birds to criminal prosecution for abandoning any animals or birds in distress, or willfully neglecting or failing to provide appropriate “food, water, shelter and care.” Interestingly, this is the first time that we have come across a provision in the Canada Criminal Code that is
written solely for the purpose of protecting the animal against the owner or custodian .
Section 446(1)(d) subjects to criminal penalty anyone who “in any manner encourages, aids or assists at the fighting or baiting of animals or birds.” Here even the owners of animals are not allowed to permit fighting or baiting of that animal. Once again it is clear that the property rights of the owner of the animal are not exclusive, that society has retained certain interests in the animal. This provision, while it may have been enacted for the well-being of the animal, also exhibits another concern - the morality of society. Since this is an older provision, it expresses society’s concerns about illegal gambling.
The next provision, § 446(1)(e) protects animals against third parties or the owner from being injected with a poison or harmful drug without reasonable excuse. Once again, it is clear that the animal is being protected from abuse by both owner and third parties. Section 446 (1)(f) provides liability for anyone who is involved with the releasing of captive birds for the purpose of shooting them when they are liberated, and § 446(1)(g) provides liability for the “owner, occupier or person in charge of” such premises.
The sentencing provisions for § 446 violations are listed in § 446(2), which provide that those guilty of any § 446 offenses are “guilty of an offense punishable on summary conviction.” Section 446(3) relates to § 446(1)(a)-(b), and provides a rebuttable presumption of failure “to exercise reasonable care or supervision of an animal or a bird thereby casing it pain, suffering, damage or injury was caused willfully or through willful neglect. One who is found present at the “fighting or bating of animals or birds” is given a rebuttable presumption of guilt for encouraging, aiding or assigning in the fighting or baiting of animals or birds in § 446(4). Section 446(5) empowers the courts to prohibit § 446(1) offenders the right to own, hold in custody, or control an animal or bird for up to two years, and § 446(6) makes such a violation an offense punishable on summary conviction.
The last section provides two provisions against those who maintain cockpits. First, § 447(1), makes it an offence punishable on summary conviction of anyone who “builds, makes, maintains or keeps a cockpit on premises that he owns or occupies, or allows a cockpit to be built, made, maintained or kept on such premises.” Second, § 447(2) states, “A peace officer who finds cocks in a cockpit or on premises where a cockpit is located shall seize them and take them before a justice who shall order them to be destroyed.”
The latter statutes especially make it clear that the Canadian parliament had two principles in mind: 1) the protection of the rights of property owners, and 2) the protection of animals against unnecessary pain and suffering. Therefore, the current provisions of the Canada Criminal Code recognize animals not only as property, but also as living beings that can feel pain and can suffer, and have value in and of themselves to be protected from unnecessary pain and suffering.
Despite these progressive goals of the original enactments, there has been no real substantive change to these laws in over one hundred years. Five amendments have been proposed since 1999 to revamp the animal anti-cruelty provisions in the Canada Criminal Code. However, each time the legislation has failed, primarily due to terminated terms of parliament. Each of the failed proposals has been essentially the same. The amendments all proposed moving the animal anti-cruelty legislation from under
Part XI: Wilful and Forbidden Acts in Respect of Certain Property into a new section, Part V.1: Cruelty to Animals . [13] Six years later the status will likely experience the same fate. The most recent amendment proposal will also fail because the minority ruling government received a no-confidence vote and elections will soon be scheduled.
An examination of the most recent attempt (Bill C-50) is instructive. Bill C-50 consists of four clauses. Clause one is by far the longest and most important. It contains eight provisions, including a significant definitional section. Proposed section 182.1 (“PS 182.1”) defines animal as any vertebrate, but for a human. This is different than current legislation, which does not identify the term animal. However, implicit in the current legislation is the assertion that a bird is not an animal. This confusion is corrected by defining an animal as a being with a vertebrate, except for a human.
An improvement of the proposed law over the current law deals with intent. Clause One clarifies the level of intent necessary under the law. Offenses that were once on a standard of willful conduct are now judged by either willful or reckless conduct standards. This in turn expands the scopes of the law to include negligent action instead of merely intentional acts.
PS 182.2(1)(a), like Canada Criminal Code § 446(1)(a), provides animals protection from both third parties and the owner from unnecessary pain, suffering or injury. But, PS 182.2(1)(b)-(c) remove the distinctions in the current §§444-445 between cattle and other animals that provide higher penalties for killing or poisoning the cattle. Unfortunately, the language in PS 182.2(1)(b) has added the somewhat controversial “brutally or viciously” standard to those who kill animals or owners who allow their animals to be killed.
While aboriginal hunting rights are protected under PS 182.6, other groups including slaughterhouses and hunters raised opposition to the “brutally or viciously standard.” What exactly is “brutal” or “vicious?” Bill C-50 would let the courts decide this matter. This, in effect has created perhaps the greatest impediment to the bill’s passage.
PS 182.2(1)(c) provides that it is an offense to kill an animal without lawful excuse. PS 182.2(1)(d) consolidates all the poison clauses (§§ 444(b), 445(b), 446(1)(e)) and updates them due to the technological advances since 1892, including the now common technique of administering medical substances (including poisons) to animals through needles.
One aspect of the amendments that remains consistent with the original law is the increased valuation of commercial animals versus companion animals. The above mentioned proposed sections apply the higher cattle penalties of § 444 to all animals. The current law provides higher penalties in §444(b) for those who kill, maim, wound or injure the cattle of another, than for those who kill, maim, wound or injure any other animal or bird (§445). The new proposed provisions include the tougher indictable penalties of §444(b) with a prison sentence of up to five years, and add in the alternative for offenses punishable through summary conviction a punishment of a fine up to ten thousand dollars and/or up to eighteen months imprisonment (182.2(2)(a)-(b)). These penalties are much stiffer generally than the penalties in the current code (at least with regard to animals that are not cattle).
Despite this different treatment in types of animals, the new amendments outlined n PS 182.3 (1) contain three offenses that concern non-commercial animals. The first is the negligent infliction of unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to an animal. (182.2 contains a similar offense, but with the standard of willfulness or recklessness). The second offense is for owners and custodians of animals who willfully or recklessly abandon an animal or negligently fail to provide “suitable and adequate food, water, air, shelter and care.” The third offense is for the negligent injuring of an animal while in transit. PS 182.3(3)(a)-(b) provide for punishment for PS 182.3(1) violations. Indictable offenses are punishable for imprisonment of not more than two years, and offenses punishable on summary conviction are subject to a fine of five thousand dollars and/or imprisonment of up to six months. While these amendments reflect the concerns initially outlawed in Section 446 et seq., the penalty provision is greatly enhanced.
The amendments also reflect the changing position of animals in society, especially with concern to law enforcement animals. PS 182.7, provides penalties of up to five years for an indictment or ten thousand dollars and/or imprisonment of up to eighteen months for willfully or recklessly poisoning, injuring or killing a law enforcement animal while it is in the line of duty. In addition, the guilty party must pay all reasonable costs associated with killing or injuring the animal.
One of the great improvements made by Bill C-50 over the current provisions is the changing of “willful neglect” (undefined and ostensibly unclear in its meaning) to the negligence standard. In addition, in PS 182.3(2) the statute defines “negligently” for the purposes of the three provisions in 182.3(1) as “departing markedly from the standard of care that a reasonable person would use.”
In addition to the increased penalties, PS 182.4(1)(a) empowers the court to prohibit the accused from “owning, having the custody or control of or residing in the same premises as an animal for any period that the court considers appropriate.” This provision provides a minimum penalty of five years for repeat offenders. The court may also order that the accused pay for care costs for the animal. Finally, PS 182.4(2) provides that those who disobey court orders under PS182.4(1)(a) are guilty by summary conviction to up to six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to 2,000. [14] Additionally, PS 182.4(2) makes the Canada Criminal Code restitution orders applicable to orders under section 182.4(1)(b).
While at first blush many of the enhanced penalty provisions of the new amendments appear heavy-handed, certain procedural safeguards have been implemented. PS 182.5 provides that the defenses set out in § 429(2) of the Canada Criminal Code apply, when relevant, to Bill C-50. Additionally, PS 182.6 provides that the laws and treaties with aboriginals are not abrogated by this proposal.
While clause one is the heart and soul of Bill C-50, other provisions bear mention. The remaining clauses contain single sentences. Clause two simply provides for deleting in Criminal Code § 264.1(1)(c) the words “or bird.” Section 264.1 currently prohibits threatening to kill or injure an animal or bird that is property of a person. Since the PS 182.1 includes a definition for animal that includes birds (amendment states that an animal is a vertebrate) having “or bird” in the §264.1 is unnecessary.
The final clauses reflect the functional aspects of the new law rather than any further substantive changes. Clause three states that the current provisions (§§444-447) are repealed, and clause four states that the clause will come into force on the date set by the governor in Council.
Bill C-50 provides many important refinements of existing law, including defining animal in a scientific way that is readily understandable by scientists, lay people, and the legal profession. Additionally, outdated terminology has been changed by legal terms of art that are understandable by both the legal profession and the lay community. The higher penalties that previously applied only to cattle would apply to all animals
. Finally, provisions have been added to protect animals assisting law enforcement personnel.
If Bill C-50 is so much greater than the current animal anti-cruelty legislation, then what is so controversial about Bill C-50? Why has this bill failed, in its different manifestations, five different times over the past six years? First, it is important to understand the process through which a bill is drafted in the Canadian parliament. [15] Generally, a bill goes through a series of readings in the first house. If it passes through these series of readings, then it goes to the Senate and must be passed in the exact form. Upon approval by both houses, the bill is presented for Royal Assent by the Governor General or the Deputy Governor General in a formal ceremony in the legislature. The ruling party has proposed the bill in its differing manifestations over the past six years, the very party that has been vulnerable to no-confidence votes and calls for early elections. What this effectively means is that the bill had to restart from the very first step numerous times because of political maneuvering. Ultimately, this has prevented a vote on this bill’s many manifestations over the past six years. Sadly, just as this bill seemed to be approaching an up or down vote in 2005, the Liberal Government received a no-confidence vote, forcing early elections and killing pending legislation, including Bill C-50. With the Liberal Government’s significant defeat in early 2006, it seems unlikely that the animal cruelty statute will be amended in the near future.
What was so controversial about Bill C-50? Some groups that engage in traditional industries and sports (slaughterhouses, hunting, fishing, etc.) were concerned about why the bill was moving the animal provisions from under the property section of the Criminal Code to a newly created section. Was this an indication of the inauguration of a new classification of animals as being something other than property?
Some of these traditional industries and sporting groups were also concerned about 182.2(1)(b)’s newly created “brutally or viciously” liability standard. What exactly does brutally or viciously mean? Are current slaughterhouse provisions in Canada brutal or vicious? What about hunting for sport and food? Is it brutal to shoot a deer or to trap an animal for its fur? Is all killing brutal by definition?
While these groups may be expressly what they see as legitimate concerns, the true controversy lies not in substance be in politics. Until the amendments get to a point where a true vote can be taken, their terms do little more than to spark debate.
While Canada would be served well by having implemented the modern and comprehensive Bill C-50, the Bill could have carried most of its concerns without creating a new quasi-category for animals. A vast majority of Canadians were in support of increasing the penalties for those engaged in cruelty to animals. While this bill certainly fills in many of the gaps of the previous language, some feel it also goes too far too fast, bringing it in strong opposition with more traditional groups.
What is wrong with a pragmatic compromising approach? As is evidenced by the 1892 laws, animals are recognized as sentient beings, not to be subjected to unnecessary pain, suffering and death. No laws to date (except by suggestion in some EU laws) give any animal a right to inherent self-interest. The laws simply recognize an ability to experience pain and suffering. If the law already recognized this, why move the categorization of animals from under property to another section? Why not simply expand the current provisions that recognize this, but keep them under the property provisions? This would have weakened opposition to the bill.
Why did the “brutally or viciously” kill standard need to be in the bill when there are several provisions that cover the same acts?
The unfortunate repeated failure of Canada ’s proposed animal anti-cruelty amendments are brought in part by an all or nothing approach. If the amendments are to be successful, the bill must be resubmitted with conciliation in mind. For instance, legislators could leave the bill in the property section and eliminate 182.2(1)(b), the inflammatory “brutal and vicious” killing standard. In other words, lawmakers should take into consideration the two key opposition points from the meat and poultry business and from hunting groups if the goal is truly to get the amendments passed. The misfortune in all of this is that current approach evidenced by the current government has resulted in absolutely no progress for animal protection. In the end, all concerned parties, animals and proponents of the measures, lose.
[1] J.D. Candidate, Michigan State University College of Law, 2006; M.A. (Religion), Wake Forest University , 2005; B.A. (Religious Studies), Washington University in Saint Louis , 2000. I wish to thank Rebecca Wisch, Esq., for her wonderful insight and extensive editing which resulted in a more enlightened and easier to read paper.
[2] Elaine L. Hughes and Christiane Meyer,
Animal Welfare Law in Canada and Europe , 6 Animal L . 23, 25 (2000).
[3]
Id . at 26.
[4]
Id .
[5]
Id .
[6]
Id. at 27.
[7]
Id. at 28.
[8] Robin MacKay,
Bill C-50: An Act to Amend the Criminal Code in Respect of Cruelty to Animals (LS-509E ), Aug. 18, 2005 at 3, available at http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/chambus/house/bills/summaries/c50-e.htm . For a link to the actual text of the first reading of the bill (available in English and French) see http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/chambus/house/bills/government/c-50/c-50_1/c-50_cover-e.html .
[9]
Id .
[10]
Id . at 4.
[11] Black’s Dictionary , 8
th ed. (2004), at www.lawschool.westlaw.com.
[12] Canada Criminal Code , Part XI, § 428 (2004).
[13] Reference has been made throughout this section to MacKay,
supra note 8.
[14] MacKay,
supra note 8, at 13. Mackay provides these insightful details, which are otherwise cross referenced in Bill C-50 to other provisions in the Canada Criminal Code. | 25,625 | 9,801 | 65,444.278645 |
warc | 201704 | By Rachel L. Sheedy, Managing Editor, Kiplinger's Retirement Report
For many Americans, Social Security benefits are the bedrock of retirement income. Yet future retirees could find themselves on shaky ground. The Social Security Board of Trustees, in its latest annual report, estimated that the retirement program would only be able to pay out 75% of scheduled benefits starting in 2033, three years earlier than projected last year.
You can't control how the government might fix that problem. But you can educate yourself about Social Security to ensure that you claim the maximum amount of benefits to which you are entitled. Here are 10 essentials you need to know.
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10 Things You Must Know About Social Security
Your age when you collect Social Security has a big impact on the amount of money you ultimately get from the program. The key age to know is your full retirement age. For people born between 1943 and 1954, full retirement age is 66. It gradually climbs toward 67 if your birthday falls between 1955 and 1959. For those born in 1960 or later, full retirement age is 67. You can collect Social Security as soon as you turn 62, but taking benefits before full retirement age results in a permanent reduction of as much as 25% of your benefit.
Besides avoiding a haircut, waiting until full retirement age to take benefits can open up a variety of claiming strategies for married couples. (More on those strategies later.) Age also comes into play with kids: Minor children of Social Security beneficiaries can be eligible for a benefit. Children up to age 18, or up to age 19 if they are full-time students who haven't graduated from high school, and disabled children older than 18 may be able to receive up to half of a parent's Social Security benefit.
To be eligible for Social Security benefits, you must earn at least 40 "credits." You can earn up to four credits a year, so it takes 10 years of work to qualify for Social Security. In 2012, you must earn $1,130 to get one Social Security work credit and $4,520 to get the maximum four credits for the year.
Your benefit is based on the 35 years in which you earned the most money. If you have fewer than 35 years of earnings, each year with no earnings will be factored in at zero. You can increase your benefit by replacing those zero years, say, by working longer, even if it's just part-time. But don't worry -- no low-earning year will replace a higher-earning year. The benefit isn't based on 35 consecutive years of work, but the highest-earning 35 years. So if you decide to phase into retirement by going part-time, you won't affect your benefit at all if you have 35 years of higher earnings. But if you make more money, your benefit will be adjusted upward, even if you are still working while taking your benefit.
There is a maximum benefit amount you can receive, though it depends on the age you retire. For someone at full retirement age in 2012, the maximum monthly benefit is $2,513. You can estimate your own benefit by using Social Security's online Retirement Estimator.
One of the most attractive features of Social Security benefits is that every year, the government adjusts the benefit for inflation. Known as a cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, this inflation protection can help you keep up with rising living expenses during retirement. The COLA, which is automatic, is quite valuable; buying inflation protection on a private annuity can cost a pretty penny.
Because the COLA is calculated based on changes in a federal consumer price index, the size of the COLA depends largely on broad inflation levels determined by the government. For example, in 2009, beneficiaries received a generous COLA of 5.8%. But retirees learned a hard lesson in 2010 and 2011, when prices stagnated as a result of the recession. There was no COLA in either of those years. For 2012, the COLA came back at 3.6%. The COLA for the following year is announced in October.
Marriage brings couples an advantage when it comes to Social Security. Namely, one spouse can take what's called a spousal benefit, worth up to 50% of the other spouse's benefit. Put simply, if your benefit is worth $2,000 but your spouse's is only worth $500, your spouse can switch to a spousal benefit worth $1,000 -- bringing in $500 more in income per month.
The calculation changes, however, if benefits are claimed before full retirement age. If you claim your spousal benefit before your full retirement age, you won't get the full 50%. If you take your own benefit early and then later switch to a spousal benefit, your spousal benefit will still be reduced.
Note that you cannot apply for a spousal benefit until your spouse has applied for his or her own benefit.
If your spouse dies before you, you can take a so-called survivor benefit. If you are at full retirement age, that benefit is worth 100% of what your spouse was receiving at the time of his or her death (or 100% of what your spouse would have been eligible to receive if he or she hadn't yet taken benefits). A widow or widower can start taking a survivor benefit at age 60, but the benefit will be reduced because it's taken before full retirement age.
If you remarry before age 60, you cannot get a survivor benefit. But if you remarry after age 60, you may be eligible to receive a survivor benefit based on your former spouse's earnings record. Eligible children can also receive a survivor benefit, worth up to 75% of the deceased's benefit.
What if you were married, but your spouse is now an ex-spouse? Just because you're divorced doesn't mean you've lost the ability to get a benefit based on your former spouse's earnings record. You can still qualify to receive a benefit based on his or her record if you were married at least ten years and you are 62 or older.
Like a regular spousal benefit, you can get up to 50% of an ex-spouse's benefit -- less if you claim before full retirement age. And the beauty of it is that your ex never needs to know because you apply for the benefit directly through the Social Security Administration. Taking a benefit on your ex's record has no effect on his or her benefit or the benefit of your ex's new spouse. And unlike a regular spousal benefit, if your ex qualifies for benefits but has yet to apply, you can still take a benefit on the ex's record if you have been divorced for at least two years.
Note: Ex-spouses can also take a survivor benefit if their ex has died first, and like any survivor benefit, it will be worth 100% of what the ex-spouse received. If you remarry after age 60, you will still be eligible for the survivor benefit.
Once you hit full retirement age, you can choose to wait to take your benefit. There's a big bonus to delaying your claim -- your benefit will grow by 8% a year up until age 70. Any cost-of-living adjustments will be included, too, so you don't forgo those by waiting.
While a spousal benefit doesn't include delayed retirement credits, the survivor benefit does. By waiting to take his benefit, a high-earning husband, for example, can ensure that his low-earning wife will receive a much higher benefit in the event he dies before her. That extra 32% of income could make a big difference for a widow who has lost her husband's stream of Social Security income.
One option for a spouse who is delaying his benefit but still wants to bring some Social Security income into the household is to restrict his application to a spousal benefit only. To use this strategy, the spouse restricting his or her application must be at full retirement age. So the lower-earning spouse, say the wife, applies for benefits on her own record. The husband then applies for a spousal benefit only, and he receives half of his wife's benefit while his own benefit continues to grow. When he's 70, he can switch to his own, higher benefit. Exes at full retirement age can use the same strategy -- they can apply to restrict their application to a spousal benefit and let their own benefit grow.
Here's a Social Security claiming strategy that's perfectly legal and potentially lucrative. Let's say a husband decides he wants to delay taking his benefit until age 70 to maximize the amount of his monthly check. But he wants his wife to be able to take a spousal benefit, because it would be higher than her own benefit.
To make that happen, the husband, who must be at full retirement age, can file for his benefits and then immediately suspend them. Because he has applied for benefits, his wife can now take a spousal benefit based on his record. And because he suspended his own benefit, his benefit will earn delayed retirement credits for each year he waits until age 70.
Most people know that you pay tax into the Social Security Trust Fund, but did you know that you may also have to pay tax on your Social Security benefits once you start receiving them? Benefits lost their tax-free status in 1984, and the income thresholds for triggering tax on benefits haven't been increased since then.
As a result, it doesn't take a lot of income for your benefits to be pinched by Uncle Sam. For example, a married couple with a combined income of more than $32,000 may have to pay income tax on up to 50% of their benefits. Higher earners may have to pay income tax on up to 85% of their benefits.
Bringing in too much money can cost you if you take Social Security benefits early while you are still working. With what is commonly known as the earnings test, you will forfeit $1 in benefits for every $2 you make over the earnings limit, which in 2012 is $14,640. Once you are past full retirement age, the earnings test disappears and you can make as much money as you want with no impact on benefits.
But the good news is that any benefits forfeited because earnings exceed the limits are not lost forever. At full retirement age, the Social Security Administration will refigure your benefits going forward to take into account benefits lost to the test. For example, if you claim benefits at 62 and over the next four years lose one full year of benefits to the earnings test, at age 66 your benefits will be recomputed -- and increased -- as if you had taken benefits three years early, instead of four. That basically means the lifetime reduction in benefits will be 20% rather than 25%. | 10,401 | 4,201 | 25,667.023804 |
warc | 201704 | This Stock Is Keeping OPEC up at Night
OPEC should be worried. Surging production from new shale plays like the North Dakota Bakken and the Texas Eagle Ford have already pushed the United States ahead of Russia and Saudi Arabia in energy output. Just this year America looks to take the title of the world's largest energy producer. Day by day, the once dominant oil cartel is losing its biggest customer.
But one company is sitting on an oil field that could be larger than the Bakken and the Eagle Ford
combined. And smart money investors like George Soros, T. Boone Pickens, and John Paulson are building their positions. Yes, this is a stock keeping OPEC up at night. The biggest find since the BakkenI'm talking of course about Pioneer Natural Resources. And there's good reason to believe this company could join the ranks of big oil in the near future.
Pioneer is sitting on a massive oil find in West Texas called the Spraberry Wolfcamp. For decades, this field was considered the largest discovery in the world second only to Saudi Arabia's Ghawar. The problem was that the oil was packed into tight shale rock. There was no way to profitably exploit it.
But new technologies like hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have finally unlocked the Wolfcamp's bounty. According to early estimates provided by Pioneer, the field contains some 50 billion barrels of oil. And that figure could be revised higher as the company completes its exploration.
But what makes the play so exciting is that the formation is actually several hydrocarbon-rich layers. This allows drillers to target several plays with a single vertical well. In some parts of the field, the pay zone can be a much as 3,500 feet thick. As CEO Scott Sheffield describes, "It's like having eight Eagle Fords or eights Bakkens on top of each other."
What's really encouraging are the strong exploration results other Wolfcamp operators are reporting.
Devon Energy , which owns 250,000 acres in the play, drilled 34 horizontal wells in the play with plans to bring 19 online in 2013. Many of these wells have posted 24-hour initial rates above 1,000 BOE/d. Approach Resources also has a footprint in the Wolfcamp with about 170,00 gross acres in the play. Last quarter, the company completed a horizontal well, targeting the Wolfcamp A bench. This well flowed at a 30-day initial production rate of approximately 600 BOE/d, made up of 86% oil. A solid operator tooYet Pioneer is the single best way to play this development with over 700,000 net acres in the region. In August, the company announced that it will spend $425 million of its 2013 $1.6 billion capital expenditure budget developing the Wolfcamp with plans to double its rig count in the play over the next two years.
But Pioneer is no riverboat wildcatter. The company has great assets in other proven plays like the Eagle Ford and the Barnett Shale. Much of this is in premium, liquids-rich acreage that generates plenty of cash flow. Assuming oil prices hang above $80 per barrel, Pioneer should be able to generate enough to fund its expansion program without any major equity issues.
This is why the stock is backed by some of the smartest investors in the industry. Oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens has held onto his 30,000 share stake since the company was formed in a 1997 merger with MESA. But other billionaires like George Soros and John Paulson are also building positions.
Foolish bottom lineThe Spraberry Wolfcamp is still a speculative play, and investors should watch incoming drilling results closely. But if the formation can live up to a fraction of the hype, then Pioneer Natural Resources could be a big winner. It's certainly a company investors -- and OPEC -- should keep on their watchlist. More bad news for OPEC Imagine a company that rents a very specific and valuable piece of machinery for $41,000... per hour (that's almost as much as the average American makes in a year!). And Warren Buffett is so confident in this company's can't-live-without-it business model, he just loaded up on 8.8 million shares. An exclusive, brand-new Motley Fool report reveals the company we're calling OPEC's Worst Nightmare. Just click HERE to uncover the name of this industry-leading stock... and join Buffett in his quest for a veritable LANDSLIDE of profits!
The article This Stock Is Keeping OPEC up at Night originally appeared on Fool.com.
Robert Baillieul has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Devon Energy and EOG Resources. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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disclosure policy. | 4,883 | 2,408 | 9,853.196429 |
warc | 201704 | Caterpillar misses, and Boeing gears up for a re-launch.
The major averages last week suffered their biggest losses since last June. The Dow Industrials and the S&P 500 both fell 2.1 percent, and the Nasdaq dropped 2.7 percent.
But Barron's annual survey of money managers shows record levels of bullishness, despite ongoing concerns about the European financial crisis and Fed policy. The poll indicates the Dow could hit 16,000 by the middle of next year.
Quarterly earnings are set to dominate the action again this week, and there has to be some concern with the numbers from one bellwether company: Caterpillar's (CAT) profit and sales came in short of expectations. It also forecast that sales for the full year will be below target levels, because of slow growth in the world economy.
Hasbro's (HAS) operating net and sales both topped expectations. The company pointed to strong sales of games, as well as toys intended for girls.
After the close, we'll hear from chip-maker Texas Instruments (TXN) and from Netflix (NFLX).
Boeing (BA) is installing its re-designed battery packs on its troubled 787 Dreamliner today. It could start carrying passengers again next month after the FAA late on Friday approved the new battery system. The worldwide fleet of 787s was grounded in mid-January.
A trial starts today in a trademark infringement case against Facebook (FB). A company named Timelines sued Facebook back in 2011 after the social-networking giant introduced the timeline feature on its user pages.
General Motors (GM) says it will build four new manufacturing plants in China over the next three years. The goal is to increase production capacity to 5 million units a year.
Ameriprise Financial (AMP) is reportedly preparing a bid for the asset management unit of Lloyd's Banking of the U.K. According to the Sunday Times the bid could be valued at $1.2 billion dollars.
And Orbital Sciences (ORB) sent a rocket on its first test flight last night. The company is competing with a firm owned by Elon Musk to take cargo to the International Space Station.
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With the various incentives to use credit and debit cards, cash can often seem like an afterthought. After all, obtaining, tracking, and toting it can seem more hassle than it's worth. But if credit-card swiping is turning into mindless spending with month-end statement shock, it might be time to switch from plastic back to paper.
A once-weekly withdrawal from a no-fee ATM can help keep spending on everything from incidentals to luxury items in check. Want to take it up a notch? Try budgeting and paying cash for purchases larger than the daily latte: groceries, gas, mass transit tickets, or an evening out.
Bank of America offers its customers the chance to Keep the Change. The premise is simple. For every purchase a customer makes with his or her debit card, Bank of America will round up to the nearest dollar, and deposit the difference into your savings account. The bank will even match the difference for the first three months, up to $250. The catch? B of A charges a $12 monthly maintenance fee for customers who don't use direct deposit or maintain a $1,500 minimum balance.
The old-school alternative? A mason jar and a daily ritual of emptying pockets and purses of any loose change left over after paying for items with cash.
There's something inherently charming about the old Holiday Club and Vacation Club accounts. They call to mind days when every $5 received in a birthday card was squirreled away; when banks still gave out toasters, and lined their counters with jars of lollipops.
It might sound quaint, but the discipline works. Socking away a few dollars a week over the course of several months to help fund a vacation or holiday shopping adds up. The cash out at the end of the term is like winning the lottery -- one lump sum comprised of tiny, barely noticeable amounts throughout the year.
Previous generations knew their banker by name, knew his or her children's names; they swapped stories, were part of the same community. While it's temping and convenient to complete most banking transactions online or rush in and out of a branch when needed, what's lost is a personal connection that email alerts and social-media posts simply can't replace.
There are tangible benefits to getting to know local branch staff. Having a face-to-face connection with bank staff can be helpful in resolving charge disputes, being kept abreast of rate changes, and getting information on specially tailored products.
Before the days of the large international bank, most people had their financial needs met at the corner savings and loan. If big banking has lost its appeal, seek out smaller, local banks, many of which aren't publicly traded, or credit unions, which are not-for-profit. The difference between these two types of banks and large, publicly traded ones is that banks that don't have to appease shareholders can focus on its customers first.
According to the Independent Community Bankers of America, local banks focus on "personal service, local credit decisions and ownership, and reinvestment in the community." And according to the Credit Union National Association, credit unions exist to provide financial literacy for their members, serve the needs of their members regardless of means, and offer lower rates than traditional large banking models.
While no one would recommend stashing savings under a mattress or issuing I.O.U.s for groceries, adopting some old-fashioned tactics for financial management might be just the ticket to thriving in the modern world. | 5,741 | 2,951 | 11,112.365978 |
warc | 201704 | A:The EMG or Electromyography is a muscle-nerve test performed to determine basically 2 things: the muscles electrical activity and the conduction of the electrical impulses along the nerves. EMG may help to diagnose peripheral nerve compressions or injuries (like Carpal tunnel syndrome), nerve root compression or injury at the level of the spine (sciatica, discs hernias), and other less common conditions as: muscular dystrophies, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Myasthenia gravis. May be you will experience some discomfort related to the needle insertion, they used disposable needles (very thin like the ones used in acupuncture) and small electrodes are placed on the skin, generally you will experience mild shocks. They may ask you to contract your muscles, and the technician will be monitoring this activity through a special screen and speakers during the test.This test needs no special preparation and may take approximately 30-60 minutes.
(*)These Q&A’s are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship. | 1,240 | 709 | 2,154.696756 |
warc | 201704 | (Received 21 April 2005; accepted 8 December 2005)
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Cite this document
This paper describes the lasting effect of sand capping techniques on nutrient release reduction from contaminated sediments. Bottom sediments in Tokyo Bay are very contaminated as the results of eutrophication behavior. From the sediments, a large amount of nutrients are released into seawater bodies. In order to know the effect of the sand capping technique on nutrient release reduction and its lasting effect, we carried out the undisturbed sediment sampling at Yokohama Port. Then we carried out the laboratory tests to estimate the nutrient release rate. From the study, it is concluded that the sand capping technique has a still effect on nutrient release reduction from the contaminated sediments, and the effectiveness is dependent upon the thickness of mud layer accumulated on the capped sand.
Author Information:
Murakami, K
Professor, Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo,
Nobusawa, Y
Research Engineer, Nishihara Co. Ltd., Tokyo,
Kameyama, Y
Research Engineer, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Yokohama, Stock #: JAI13887 ISSN: 1546-962X DOI: 10.1520/JAI13887 | 1,241 | 681 | 2,219.585903 |
warc | 201704 | Published: Jan 1992
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Temperature of washing, detergent type, detergent concentration, prewash product use, and level of water hardness were evaluated for completeness of methyl parathion residue removal from unfinished and repellent finished cotton/polyester fabrics during laundering. The objective was testing of models of detergent type, concentration and mineral content of water with temperature of refurbishment. As level of water hardness increased, residue removal was less complete; however, use of a prewash product was effective in off-setting the decreased cleaning efficiency. Refurbishment was more effective at the elevated temperature, but detergent concentration was seen to compensate for lower refurbishment temperature.
Keywords:
Pesticide, pesticide residue, protective clothing, laundering, functional finish
Author Information:
Laughlin, JM
Professor, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE Committee/Subcommittee: F23.30 DOI: 10.1520/STP19209S | 1,089 | 608 | 1,907.541118 |
warc | 201704 | ASTM has released a new HSS standard, A1085 - 13 Standard Specification for Cold-Formed Welded Carbon Steel Hollow Structural Sections (HSS), which will result in the production of improved hollow structural sections (HSS). This specification is a big step forward in simplifying HSS design and usage, thereby making it a more desirable option for HSS.
"We were committed to the development of the new ASTM A1085 specification as it was needed to improve the performance of HSS used in structural applications such as seismic load resisting systems, bridge structures and other dynamically loaded structures," said Brad Fletcher, senior sales engineer with AISC-member Atlas Tube. According to Fletcher, round and square members from 6 in. and up will likely be the main shapes Atlas initially produce under the new specification.
Benefits include:
Tighter material tolerances and a single minimum yield stress of 50 ksi. Because of the more stringent wall tolerances and the addition of a mass tolerance, it's anticipated that AISC's Committee on Specifications will shortly issue guidelines allowing the full nominal wall thickness can be used for design of HSS. This means no longer needing to reduce the nominal wall thickness by 0.93 as prescribed in the AISC Steel Construction Manual for both member selection and connection design. And more area available for design and a higher minimum yield mean that HSS will become a more economical and efficient design option. Maximum specified yield stress of 70 ksi. This will result in a lower expected yield strength for seismic design, and thereby reduce capacity design requirements when HSS are the yielding element. For example, with ASTM A1085 HSS braces in a braced frame, the beams and columns will have lower required strengths. ASTM A1085 is the only HSS specification used in North America or Europe that limits the maximum yield stress. Standard requirement for notch toughness. The specification will require all HSS to meet a minimum Charpy V-notch (CVN) value of 25 ft-lb at 40°F, which corresponds to AASHTO Zone 2 requirements. Having the minimum CVN required makes HSS more suitable for use in dynamically loaded structures.
"A1085 makes designing with HSS easier and more efficient for both building and bridge construction," said John Simon, vice president of sales with AISC-member EXLTUBE. "We are hearing a great response from structural engineers who have begun to learn about this new spec through efforts at NASCC: The Steel Conference and other communications, and we're working closely with AISC and the Steel Tube Institute to begin promoting A1085 to our customers. EXLTUBE will be supporting these efforts with inventory as soon as we've determined the sizes the market will require from us."
John Tassone, marketing manager for AISC-member Independence Tube, also commented: "We will be manufacturing and inventorying the product as the need arises," adding that the company will likely concentrate on squares and rounds 4 in. and above to start.
For specific price and availability information, please contact HSS producers and service centers. Contact information is available at www.aisc.org/hss.
About the American Institute of Steel Construction The American Institute of Steel Construction, headquartered in Chicago, is a not-for-profit technical institute and trade association established in 1921 to serve the structural steel design community and construction industry. AISC's mission is to make structural steel the material of choice by being the leader in structural steel-related technical and market-building activities, including: specification and code development, research, education, technical assistance, quality certification, standardization, and market development. AISC has a long tradition of service to the steel construction industry of providing timely and reliable information. | 3,911 | 1,852 | 8,212.677646 |
warc | 201704 | EU Stress Tests on Banks `Urgent,' IMF Economist Blanchard Says: Tom Keene
Stress tests on European banks are “most definitely” needed, the International Monetary Fund’s chief economist said.
“We need to understand exactly the interaction between sovereign risks and financial risks,” Olivier Blanchard said in a Bloomberg Television interview on “Surveillance Midday” with Tom Keene today. “We need to understand the balance sheets of the banks,” he said, adding it was “very urgent.”
The European Union’s 2010 stress tests were criticized for not being stringent enough because lenders in the 27-nation region were shown by regulators to need only 3.5 billion euros ($4.9 billion) of new capital, about a 10th of the lowest analyst estimate. This year’s exams will be managed by the London-based European Banking Authority, which was created on Jan. 1 as part of an overhaul of financial supervision in the EU. The results are due to be published in June.
Asked about rising yields on Greek bonds and bills, Blanchard said ‘it’s very clear Greece has a long way to go.”
“We know they cannot afford to pay 16 percent,” he said of the cost of Greece’s two-year debt. “That’s why we’re providing financing.”
IMF officials have been saying the institution is ready to give Greece more time to repay its loan to the fund if European nations, which provided the bulk of a joint 110 million euro package, agree to do it too.
Tough, Long
“Financing has to be there long enough that Greece can actually get out of the hole,” Blanchard said. “It’s going to be tough, it’s going to be long but we hope it’s going to happen.”
Blanchard, who earlier this week hosted a two-day conference in Washington on growth policies, said that participants have realized they have to “revisit some of the things that were very dear to our hearts before” the global financial crisis.
Speakers ranging from Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz to Former European Central Bank Chief Economist Otmar Issing discussed the approach of central banks now that monetary policy has new targets, such as output and financial stability, on top of keeping inflation in check, Blanchard said.
“When you have one target, one instrument, it’s fairly easy,” Blanchard said. “When you have many targets, many instruments, many of them you’ve never used,” he said, citing capital rations as an example, “then it becomes a very complicated game.”
Emerging Markets
Blanchard said that “in a number of countries,” especially in emerging markets, there are signs that inflation is picking up.
“Once you’ve chosen an inflation target, it’s important for you in terms of credibility to actually try to achieve it,” Blanchard said when asked about central bankers’ recent concerns about inflation. “Now, maybe later on you may want to revisit the inflation target but as long as you have it, the job of a central bank it to make sure you don’t go too far away from it.”
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet took investors by surprise last week when he announced policy makers may raise the benchmark rate from a record low of 1 percent in April to combat mounting inflation pressures.
Blanchard said that inflation targets chosen in the past may have been too low and that policy makers should perhaps revisit them for the next 20 years.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net | 3,677 | 1,783 | 7,028.163769 |
warc | 201704 | Time for Tough Call on Nuclear Power Plants: Brendan Greeley
A German group frequently meets in front of nuclear plants wearing T-shirts that read “aussteiger,” or dropout. On March 12 they had planned a protest in front of Neckarwestheim 1 and 2, reactors that squat together on the Neckar River near Germany’s border with France. Germany gets more than a quarter of its power from nuclear reactors, but the group was not attempting to improve safety features or tighten regulatory control; they want Germany to drop out of nuclear power altogether.
They may get their wish. As news of explosions at Japan’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant reached Germany, the rally swelled to tens of thousands, and protesters ran a human chain from Neckarwestheim 30 miles south to Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg. Two days later, mindful of looming elections in the region, Germany’s conservative chancellor, Angela Merkel, agreed to power down five of the country’s oldest reactors -- including Neckarwestheim 1 -- pending a national safety review. Previously, Merkel had reversed her predecessor’s plan to end the country’s nuclear program by 2022. A lot has changed since March 11, Bloomberg Businessweek reports in its March 21 issue.
It’s hard to disagree with a nuclear safety review. Switzerland, China and the U.K. have announced them, as has the Obama administration. Representative Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, wants the U.S. to go further and suspend permits for any reactor in seismic areas. These steps all seem sensible and may prove smart politics. They also fail to address the problem.
Public Debate
The U.S. does not want for safety assessments of nuclear power; what it lacks is an honest public debate about it. Anyone who would take reactors off line has to explain what carbon-free alternative would replace them. Anyone who would keep them has to explain why they’re not being replaced over time by newer plants with more safety features and, more importantly, has to admit that there is no such thing as a zero-risk nuclear plant. As tempting as it is to poke fun at the German Left, the U.S. suffers from a different strain of the same denial: The Germans, at least, have a plan, even though it’s unrealistic. We’ve ignored the problem altogether.
“People in democratic societies,” says Bill Kinsella, “don’t know how to talk about a phenomenon as complex as nuclear energy.” An associate professor at North Carolina State University, Kinsella has spent his career studying how societies communicate about nuclear power. Nuclear reactors, he says, seem too potent and mysterious for an ordinary person to understand, so citizens tend to respond in two ways -- they either reject nuclear power out of hand (Germany’s Green Party) or defer to expert opinion (the U.S., at least for now).
Reactor Risk Modeling
Experts and safety reviews can inform our decisions, but they can’t make them for us. David Okrent, who advised the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on reactor safety for 20 years, points out that reactors are designed for only a set of defined events. “The early nuclear reactors weren’t designed for tornadoes,” he says, “until one came along in Arkansas, and then we thought, ‘We gotta design for tornadoes.’ It’s not easy to be all-knowing.”
Reactor risk modeling, like financial risk modeling, he says, stops short of accounting for truly rare events. While working for the NRC, Okrent spoke to seismologists, whose opinions only diverged on low-probability events. “It’s hard to quantify a rare event. When you get to rare events, the design is usually up-to-but-not-including.” This is where the experts begin to arrive at irreconcilable differences of opinion. It is up to us, the consumers of energy, to reconcile them.
New Madrid Fault
If President Obama’s safety committee were to heed Representative Markey’s advice, it would have to tell Arkansas to power down its Russellville Nuclear 1 plant, which lies 180 miles from the New Madrid Fault line and supplies 30 percent of the state’s power. We don’t need a safety review to tell us this; we need to decide whether we’re willing to accept the risk of a New Madrid earthquake. If we aren’t, we need to decide what will replace Russellville Nuclear 1. Will it be a newer reactor, farther away? A coal-fired plant?
For almost 30 years, the U.S. has been able to put off answering these kinds of questions. The years after the partial core meltdown at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in 1979 saw a convenient detente between market forces and anti-nuclear activists. New plant orders slowed, then stopped. Since then, however, a new generation of reactors has begun to come on line overseas, reflecting the lessons of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. These newer reactors feature “passive” safety systems that protect the reactor without human intervention, reducing the risk of operator error. One of them, the EPR, under construction in France, Finland and China, is designed to withstand the impact of a jetliner.
Risks
This is not to say the new plants are without risks -- risks we haven’t yet grasped are waiting for us to stumble upon. But in assuming that all reactors, in all places, carry the same risk, we’ve indulged in a spurious calculation; we’ve decided that fewer reactors means less risk. Germany made a more conscious decision to avoid new plants. Its Green Party made opposition to nuclear power an electoral issue; once in power in the late 1990s it made good on it. But both countries are now stuck with the same problem. Germany and the U.S. get 21 and 29 percent of their power, respectively, from nuclear plants. They haven’t broken ground on a new one in decades. A little more risk creeps in with every new year of denial.
Michael A. Levi, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, believes that four factors can explain the way a country looks at nuclear power: resources, technical competence, the role of public opinion in policy making, and the relative power of green parties.
Oil Shock
The first spike in reactor builds came after the oil shock of 1973, and France, in particular, embraced reactors as a defense against oil boycotts. But that country’s love of nuclear power is failing to live up to its reputation. In January, a survey found 46 percent of the French saw “mainly drawbacks” to nuclear power, a number that’s nearly doubled since 1994. “It’s part of the myth that French people are fanatics about nuclear power,” says Mycle Schneider. “It’s just wrong.” Schneider, an independent nuclear industry consultant near Paris, sees public opinion beginning to diverge from France’s technocratic elite. On nuclear power, she says, “you have political party consensus, not social consensus.”
China, unburdened by a green party or the need for social consensus, has vast nuclear ambitions, with 28 plants under construction, almost half of the world’s current builds. “China’s building a bunch of different designs, trying them all out,” says Malcolm Keay, senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies. China has high safety standards, he says, but their waste standards are “different.”
China temporarily stopped approving new nuclear projects “until safety and improved long-term development plans are cleared,” the State Council said March 16. In the March 15 edition of the state-run China Daily newspaper, Xu Mi at the China Institute of Atomic Energy wrote that the country’s younger nuclear plant fleet is safer than Japan’s, which mostly came on line in the 1970s.
These distinctions matter. Even if, for the sake of argument, we ignore the threat of climate change, it’s still hard to imagine a future in the U.S. without nuclear power. That we halted production of plants a quarter-century ago was an accident, but it’s become an excuse, a way for our democracy to avoid complicated decisions. It’s no longer enough to be for or against nuclear power. We have to be for or against BWRs and PWRs, the AP1000 and the EPR. (These are different technologies and brands of reactors; voters will need to learn to tell them apart.) And we will need to look squarely at the truth that there is no such thing as a zero-risk reactor, decide how safe is safe enough and, when we do, we will have to build some plants. Events of the past year -- in the Gulf, in the mines of West Virginia and now on the coast of Japan -- have again taught us that there is no energy without risk. At the very least, as the four reactors in Fukushima smolder, they should compel us to make some tough calls.
To contact the writer of this column: Brendan Greeley in Washington at bgreeley2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this column: Brad Wieners in New York at bwieners@bloomberg.net | 9,137 | 4,282 | 18,709.298459 |
warc | 201704 | BBA with a Concentration in International Business Prepare Yourself for the Challenges—and Opportunities—of a Global Marketplace With CalSouthern’s BBA With a Concentration in International Business
The proliferation of technology continues to break down barriers of culture, communication, and—importantly—commerce. Ours is now truly a global economy, which presents many challenges, but also a wealth of new opportunities for those that have the right skills and education. Whether you want to work for a domestic corporation looking to expand into international markets or for a multinational company with an established global presence, an international business degree can set you apart from the competition. And CalSouthern’s Bachelor of Business Associations (BBA) with a concentration in international business is an excellent choice.
CalSouthern’s School of Business faculty is comprised of gifted professors who are not only skilled in teaching via CalSouthern’s proprietary online learning platform, but who are also experienced business professionals and leaders in their respective fields. They will mentor you—one-on-one—as you work toward your degree. They, like the rest of CalSouthern’s administration and staff, are responsive to your needs and committed to your success—it’s what sets our school apart and it’s what we take pride in. You’ll be given all the academic tools and support you need to earn your BBA with a concentration in international business.
In this degree program, you’ll supplement your core business courses with specialized expertise in international business topics, such as international management, international business law, global marketing, international finance, and global economics. You’ll also be able to engage, exchange ideas, and network with CalSouthern’s international student body.
Whether you utilize your BBA to distinguish yourself from the competition in an increasingly competitive marketplace, or use it as a stepping stone to your master’s degree, it’s a valuable and timely degree program in our increasingly complex, global economy.
International Business Courses IB 2403 Global Marketing Credits :3
This course will study marketing strategy addressing global customers, markets and competition to formulate a business strategy. It will observe marketing on a worldwide scale in order to meet global objectives through an understanding of opportunities, similarities and differences. In addition, the reality facing the marketing manager in today’s global firm as foreign markets open up and new markets are ready to be entered is discussed.
Learning Outcomes: Describe the development of global marketing. Explain how different world religions affect marketing. Identify pressure groups that affect international marketing. Describe ways in which one global competitor can address another. Explain the steps involved in the market research process. Explain the pros and cons of choosing markets on the basis of marketing similarity. Assess the ways in which the Internet has affected the international entry strategies employed by firms. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of global brands versus local brands. Explain the five key areas of global logistics management. Explain the importance of global account management. Evaluate course concepts critically and competently through interaction with Learners and Faculty Mentor. Practice ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology. | 3,591 | 1,614 | 7,736.001859 |
warc | 201704 | Big and tall drivers need interior space in order to enter, properly operate and exit a vehicle. Forget about chop shop stories like that of former NBA center Manute Bol, who at 7-foot-7 was forced to remove the front seat of his first car so that he could drive from the back. Unmodified, the following Read on! →
Good cars never die, even if they’re barely large enough to qualify as more than your child’s Hot Wheels. Jalopnik reports that the Peel P50 and Peel Trident mid-engine microcars from the Isle of Man have returned from the automotive grave. Neither has been built since 1966, but a new company has taken up the Read on! →
Congested highways filled with gas-guzzling vehicles have helped create dirty air and countless budget sinkholes for consumers. Improved methods of public transportation and more fuel-efficient green vehicles have helped this problem to a great extent, but there is still room for improvement. Present options for change are frequently quite expensive. But when it comes to Read on! → | 1,050 | 636 | 1,685.613208 |
warc | 201704 | Approaching the problem of homelessness from a broad public policy perspective, Lang focuses on the American political economy and how it permits community development patterns based on racism and self-interest. This interdisciplinary study challenges the belief that homelessness is entirely due to the Reagan administration's cutbacks. Instead, it suggests the need for reform in our housing and employment policies. The book reviews competing socioeconomic paradigms that can explain why meaningful and effective programs are difficult to enact. Homelessness Amid Affluence discusses housing, community development patterns, economic segregation, and problems of the urban underclass, as well as proposed solutions. The interdisciplinary nature and historical perspective of this volume make it informative reading for sociologists, social workers, policymakers, and researchers. This volume is divided into five sections. The first section provides a conceptual overview. Section Two deals with the urban policy context from which a solution to homelessness must emerge. Section Three covers low-cost housing while Section Four deals with specific policies and programs developed in response to the needs of the homeless. A case study based on the author's experience with the efforts of Camden County, New Jersey is included. The last section analyzes some new policy approaches and ends with an assessment of the likely policy outcomes to emerge from this continuing debate. | 1,482 | 770 | 2,848.519481 |
warc | 201704 | Product Description
Man’s most precious treasure is his genetic heritage which guides the health and proper development of future generations. Undoubtedly, one of the most emerging branches of the medical science in the present day world is Genetics, because of its practical value in human welfare. It is now evident that there is a genetic basis for most diseases including periodontitis. Most importantly identifying specific genetic risk factor and applying genetic information and technology to the diagnosis, prevention, and therapeutic strategies of periodontitis is academically appealing and conceptually compelling, but there is an equal significant need for the clinician to maintain a realistic prospective of the clinical utility of genetic information.
SKU : COC94207 Author Dr. Vishakha Grover,Dr.Anoop Kapoor and Dr.Ranjit Singh Uppal Language English Binding Paperback Number of Pages 128 Publishing Year 2011-07-21T00:00:00.000 ISBN 978-3845405735 Edition 1 st Book Type Dentistry Country of Manufacture India Product Brand LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing Product Packaging Info Box In The Box 1 Piece Product First Available On ClickOnCare.com 2015-08-14 00:00:00 | 1,191 | 734 | 1,917.93188 |
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