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The pandemic keeps posing challenges to our well-being, even almost a year in. The increased time at home has allowed for more time to bond with family, but it has also made it harder to set boundaries between work and personal life. Balancing work, your kids’ schooling, chores, and more takes a lot of adjustment as an adult. But there are some simple practices to keep adopting to make sure your home remains a safe space physically, mentally, and emotionally. Five Home Habits And Skills To Build Physical health is of utmost importance during a pandemic. Sanitary procedures such as disinfecting groceries, deliveries, and proper disposal of used personal protective equipment, of course, remain essential. But there are things you need to keep doing to maintain a COVID-free home. 1. Keep Limiting Physical Contact With Other People While waiting for vaccinations to be rolled out widely, it is still the safest move not to have visitors come to your home. If you will have visitors over, set up an outdoor area to limit the risk of spreading the virus. Having older family members living in the same household necessitates extra caution, too. Prevent exposure by availing of home health services that can allow older adults to have regular therapies and checkups in the safety of your home. Inquire with your care providers about their COVID protocols, and have a designated area where they can tend to your family members. 2. Continue Cooking And Eating Healthy Staying put keeps the virus away. Maintaining a healthy diet gives you and your family stronger immune systems that can help fight COVID and other illnesses. Learn recipes that use fruits and vegetables to build a healthy diet while sharpening your cooking skills. Regularly having home-cooked dishes also benefits you by reducing your intake of processed foods. If you aren’t sure where the nutrition gaps are in your current meal plan, take advantage of online resources to find out where you may be lacking. Some of these websites and apps can even help you customize your meal plans. 3. Keep Your Exercise Routines Exciting Being stationary is bad for your bones and your overall health. A great way to stay motivated to exercise is by turning it into a group activity. Whether it’s working out with friends over a video call or doing group workouts with the family, it is better to involve other people to be accountable. There are many videos online to help you change up your exercise now and then. Exercise variations and different physical activities will keep your fitness routines exciting and enjoyable. 4. Continue Setting Specific Times To Clock In And Out Of Work The tendency when working from home is to attend to work matters from morning until evening. Not having a set time dedicated to accomplishing work tasks is the pandemic equivalent of bringing home more work after leaving the office. Not only does this leave you with no free time, but it also takes a mental toll on you. Set particular hours for yourself to log in and out of work responsibilities. This maintains a clear separation between work and personal life. It also conditions your mind and body to relax after a long day. 5. Keep Nurturing Your Hobbies And Interests Some people unwind by creating new things. If you like to draw, write, or knit, set aside time to complete passion projects that you enjoy. These kinds of activities are a healthy coping method during stressful seasons. Destressing doesn’t always have to be about creating something, though. Watching a TV show, reading a book, or playing games are also small ways to relieve stress. Your hobbies don’t require tangible end-products to benefit your mental health. Avoiding Digital Burnout Even before the pandemic, the world has been growing increasingly dependent on digital technology. It was only a matter of time before adults and young people alike experienced digital burnout. Then the pandemic interrupted the general pace of work and life. Many adults began to share a common routine of waking up to check their smartphones, turning on the TV to watch the news, and then being on the computer all day for conference calls and work deliverables. Being forced into a digitally dependent environment made it inevitable to feel exhaustion and restlessness in the situation. While you cannot single-handedly change how the world will recover from the virus, you can help yourself from getting burnt out. Keep the above practices in mind and always give yourself space to breathe outside of your online interactions. Remember: digital dependence isn’t a curse you have no control over. It is a mindset you can avoid with good, simple habits.	https://www.flippingheck.com/keeping-the-home-a-safe-place-physically-and-mentally/
When the Covid 19 pandemic struck, the need for reliable and ultrafast broadband was never more apparent. The effect of digital technology and its role in keeping us connected was evident. Showing its impact, 1.5 million people in the UK started using the internet for the first time in 2021, according to Lloyds Bank’s UK Consumer Digital Index. New activities included video calls, social media usage, access to online public services such as the NHS website Covid-19 information pages, and educational resources for parents thrust into homeschooling for the first time. Hospitals and care facilities like Northern Devon District Hospital received iPads and tablets to ensure they could fulfil video calls to patients’ families and friends during periods in hospital. The response was “overwhelmingly positive” from staff, patients and their loved ones. Many relied on the internet to get them through the uncertainty of Covid-19. What also became apparent was the digital divide prevalent throughout the UK. In this blog, we explore three critical components of the digital divide. In addition, we look at how full fibre networks like ours can begin to eradicate digital exclusion. What does digital inclusion mean? In their 2014 Digital Strategy, The Government defined digital inclusion as the process of ensuring people can use the internet to do things that benefit them daily. In today’s digital world, most of us rely heavily on the internet to access many online services, including social and economic tasks like online banking, shopping and paying bills. Being digitally capable has moved from a valuable skill to a necessity. Digital inclusion ensures everyone has the capability, the devices and the connection to access the online world. Digital Poverty At the height of the pandemic in 2020, The Guardian released an article stating that 1.9 million households had no access to the internet due to cost. Many reported they had to choose between feeding themselves and having internet access during the lockdown. Digital poverty hugely impacted homeschooling, and it continues to be a critical digital exclusion factor. Many teachers shared how many students could not participate in online lessons due to not having internet access. Lack of Skills Digital literacy is a crucial component in supporting digital inclusion. Digital exclusion extends across many demographics. However, lack of skills is a key reason why older people avoid the internet. AGE UK states we must take other steps before getting older people online. First, they must see the value of being online and the benefits it can bring to their lives. For many, being on social media is not something they want, so can they access their pension, get in touch with the doctor or reminisce on old times? They need to see that the internet isn’t the mammoth task they think it will be and the possibilities it can mean. Age UK also encourages group training instead of 1-1 sessions, as they can be a beneficial way of overcoming the embarrassment some may feel when getting to grips with something new. The feeling of being in it together is the helpful motivation many need to overcome their fears. Rural Areas Whilst lack of disposable income and skills are critical barriers to accessing the internet, the area where customers or their business reside is another obstacle to digital inclusion for others. FACTCO are proud to be one of the leading providers of full fibre, bringing broadband to rural parts of the UK through the Project Gigabit Voucher Scheme. The scheme provides funding from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Vouchers cover the building and installation of full fibre networks. One of the most rewarding parts of our jobs is giving people the power to work, learn and play effectively online, irrespective of where they live in the country. Is full fibre the solution? There is no doubt that fibre optic broadband will revolutionise the UK. Imagine trying to teach a class of older people how to send an email on their iPads, when the internet is continuously buffering. With speeds of up to 1000Mbps, even those in the most rural parts of the country can have broadband access. Speeds like this enable people to set up their dream business, work and learn from home and stay in touch easily. The Project Gigabit Voucher Scheme provides vouchers of £1,500 per household and £3,500 per business to cover installation costs. We pride ourselves on being customer-centric. Therefore, for the duration of your 12-36 month contract with us, you don’t have to worry about price increases! Click here to learn more about the scheme and register your interest in yourself and your community.	https://factco.co.uk/tackle-digital-exclusion/
Aim To investigate eHealth literacy about COVID-19 among older adults during the pandemic. Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic promoted the development of online healthcare. Higher demand for accessing information from the Internet was seen. Methods This was a sequential explanatory mixed-method study, involving a survey of older adults to explore the status and influencing factors of eHealth literacy regarding COVID-19. Semi-structured interviews were used understand experiences and challenges regarding information retrieval, judgment and utilization. Results A total of 337 older adults participated in the online questionnaire survey. Overall, older adults had slightly higher scores on eHealth literacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants? location in the past month and current health issues were associated with eHealth literacy. Qualitative data were collected from nine older adults and included that some older adults retrieved health-related information during the pandemic. However, those who used non-smartphones described difficulties in information retrieval. A glut of misinformation has resulted in an ?infodemic? which has not only increased the difficulty of judging information, but also posed challenges in information utilization for older adults. Conclusion Improving older adults? eHealth literacy is essential in promoting an improved response to major public health events and in providing better healthcare for this group in the future. It is essential that government health agencies and healthcare providers to provide evidence-based health information via social media platforms. Further efforts are needed to combine aspects of traditional and online healthcare services, and provide reliable and updated online information and resources for older adults. Implications for Nursing Management Mobilizing health care providers to provide health management for older adults in the context of public health events to meet the health needs of them. ABSTRACT Background: Enabling the use of spatial context is vital to understanding today's digital health problems. Any given location is associated with many different contexts. The strategic transformation of population health, epidemiology, and eHealth studies requires vast amounts of integrated digital data. Needed is a novel analytical framework designed to leverage location to create new contextual knowledge. The Geospatial Analytical Research Knowledgebase (GeoARK), a web-based research resource has robust, locationally integrated, social, environmental, and infrastructural information to address today's complex questions, investigate context, and spatially enable health investigations. GeoARK is different from other Geographic Information System (GIS) resources in that it has taken the layered world of the GIS and flattened it into a big data table that ties all the data and information together using location and developing its context. Objective: It is paramount to build a robust spatial data analytics framework that integrates social, environmental, and infrastructural knowledge to empower health researchers' use of geospatial context to timely answer population health issues. The goal is twofold in that it embodies an innovative technological approach and serves to ease the educational burden for health researchers to think spatially about their problems. Methods: A unique analytical tool using location as the key was developed. It allows integration across source, geography, and time to create a geospatial big table with over 162 million individual locations (X-Y points that serve as rows) and 5549 attributes (represented as columns). The concept of context (adjacency, proximity, distance, etc) is quantified through geoanalytics and captured as new distance, density, or neighbor attributes within the system. Development of geospatial analytics permits contextual extraction and investigator-initiated eHealth and mobile health (mHealth) analysis across multiple attributes. Results: We built a unique geospatial big data ecosystem called GeoARK. Analytics on this big table occur across resolution groups, sources, and geographies for extraction and analysis of information to gain new insights. Case studies, including telehealth assessment in North Carolina, national income inequality and health outcome disparity, and a Missouri COVID-19 risk assessment, demonstrate the capability to support robust and efficient geospatial understanding of a wide spectrum of population health questions. Conclusions: This research identified, compiled, transformed, standardized, and integrated multifaceted data required to better understand the context of health events within a large location-enabled database. The GeoARK system empowers health professionals to engage more complex research where the synergisms of health and geospatial information will be robustly studied beyond what could be accomplished today. No longer is the need to know how to perform geospatial processing an impediment to the health researcher, but rather the development of how to think spatially becomes the greater challenge. © 2022 JMIR Publications Inc.. All right reserved. ABSTRACT Outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) has resulted in lockdowns and many healthcare systems around the world getting overwhelmed. In time of pandemic, Internet of Things (IoT) and, especially, Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) can be leveraged to ease the strain put onto local hospitals and healthcare providers through preventive medicine and telemedicine. This paper offers state-of-the-art review of current use of Internet of Things within healthcare systems in the context of tackling COVID-19. It also suggests future research for battling COVID-19 through IoT, using it for purposes such as social distancing, contact tracing, health monitoring, and early diagnosing. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: As a result of the contact ban issued at the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in March 2020, psychotherapists provided significantly more video-based therapy (VBT) and most of them provided it the first time. To date, there is little research on how therapists experienced VBT during the pandemic and no studies are available that look at possible procedure-specific features. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to analyze what subjective experiences therapists of different guideline procedures had with the implementation of VBT in times of the COVID 19 pandemic and what advantages and disadvantages they experienced. METHODS: This was a mixed methods study with a cross-sectional online survey. In addition to quantitative data, seven open-ended questions were used to collect therapists' subjective experiences with conducting VBT and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The identified categories were subjected to a frequency analysis. Data from 174 medical or psychological psychotherapists were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Particularly frequently mentioned advantages were flexibility of location and time, continuity of contact during pandemic periods and avoidance of risk of infection. The most commonly cited disadvantage was the lack of sensory input, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and nonverbal communication. The VBT was well-accepted by most, but not all, patients. Technical problems made the implementation difficult. CONCLUSION: For many therapists VBT remained a stopgap solution that was not designed to last; however, VBT could help to solve known care problems (e.g., underprovision in rural areas) beyond the pandemic period. The results of the study make an important contribution to weighing up the opportunities and risks of VBT for psychotherapeutic care and for keeping an eye on possible dangers and difficulties. ABSTRACT People at risk of suicide tend to be isolated and cannot share their thoughts. For this reason, suicidal ideation monitoring becomes a hard task. Therefore, people at risk of suicide need to be monitored in a manner capable of identifying if and when they have a suicidal ideation, enabling professionals to perform timely interventions. This study aimed to develop the Boamente tool, a solution that collects textual data from users’ smartphones and identifies the existence of suicidal ideation. The solution has a virtual keyboard mobile application that passively collects user texts and sends them to a web platform to be processed. The platform classifies texts using natural language processing and a deep learning model to recognize suicidal ideation, and the results are presented to mental health professionals in dashboards. Text classification for sentiment analysis was implemented with different machine/deep learning algorithms. A validation study was conducted to identify the model with the best performance results. The BERTimbau Large model performed better, reaching a recall of 0.953 (accuracy: 0.955;precision: 0.961;F-score: 0.954;AUC: 0.954). The proposed tool demonstrated an ability to identify suicidal ideation from user texts, which enabled it to be experimented with in studies with professionals and their patients. ABSTRACT Purpose>This study aims to understand the eHealth literacy skills of chronic patients and to explore the relations, patterns between eHealth literacy skills and different factors such as demographics, search strategies and health information sources and to explain their effects on eHealth literacy in Turkey in Izmir in COVID-19 outbreak.Design/methodology/approach>A quantitative method was used in the study including a questionnaire. A total of 604 chronic patients responded to the questionnaire who applied the five popularly identified hospitals in Izmir in Turkey. CHAID analysis method was implemented to explore the strongest correlation between eHealth literacy and independent variables.Findings>Using different social media types were correlated with patients’ eHealth literacy scores. Using Facebook, Twitter were the supportive predictors for the eHealth literacy scores. However, digital literacy was highly important for eHealth literacy.Originality/value>This study shows that the social media channels which provides much more information such as Facebook and Twitter for the chronic patient. This could be beneficial for the eHealth tools and social media content developers in terms of the supply of health information. Moreover, the study gives ideas about the effect of digital literacy and the importance of health information provided. ABSTRACT Purpose>This paper aims to introduce the goal-oriented requirements extraction approach (GOREA). It is an elicitation approach that uses, specifically, healthcare business goals to derive the requirements of e-health system to be developed.Design/methodology/approach>GOREA consists of two major phases: (1) modelling e-health business requirements phase and (2) modelling e-health information technology (IT) and systems requirements phase. The modelling e-health business requirements phase is divided into two main stages: (1) model e-health business strategy stage and (2) model e-health business environment stage. The modelling e-health IT and systems requirements phase illustrates the process of obtaining requirements of e-health system from the organizational goals that are determined in the previous phase. It consists of four main steps that deal with business goals of e-health system: (1) modelling e-health business process (BP) step;(2) modelling e-health business goals step;(3) analysing e-health business goals step;and (4) eliciting e-health system requirements step. A case study based on the basic operations and services in hospital emergency unit for checking patient against COVID-19 virus and taking its diagnostic testing has been set and used to examine the validity of the proposed approach by achieving the conformance of the developed system to the business goals.Findings>The results indicate that (1) the proposed GOREA has a positive influence on the system implementation according to e-health business expectations;and (2) it can successfully fulfil the need of e-health business in order to save the citizens life by checking them against COVID-19 virus.Research limitations/implications>The proposed approach has some limitations. For example, it is only validated using one e-health business goal and thus it has to be authenticated with different e-health business goals in order to address different e-health problems.Originality/value>Many e-health projects and innovations are not established based on robust system requirements engineering phase. In order to ensure the success delivery of e-health services, all characteristics of e-health systems and applications must be understood in terms of technological perspectives as well as the all system requirements. ABSTRACT Background At present, few studies have explored the mediating effect of e-Health literacy and self-efficacy on prevention cognition and healthy lifestyle behaviors during the normalization stage of COVID-19 prevention and control. This study aimed to determine the associations among COVID-19-related prevention cognition, self-efficacy, e-Health literacy, and healthy lifestyle behaviors at university students. Methods By using a stratified cluster random sampling method, 971 students from five universities were recruited between May and August 2021 in Guangzhou, China. We collected participants' demographic characteristics, and assessed self-efficacy, COVID-19-related prevention cognition, e-Health literacy, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. A structural equation model was used for mediation analysis. Results The overall mean value of healthy lifestyle behaviors of college students was 0.307 (SD 0.389). Between COVID-19-related prevention cognition, e-Health literacy, self-efficacy, and healthy lifestyle behaviors (r = 0.132–0.505, P < 0.01) were a significant positive correlation. The COVID-19-related prevention cognition had a direct and positive predictive effect on healthy lifestyle behaviors, with a direct effect value of 0.136. e-Health literacy and self-efficacy played both an independent mediating and serial-multiple mediating roles in the association between COVID-19-related prevention cognition and healthy lifestyle behaviors, and the indirect effect values were 0.043, 0.020 and 0.035, respectively. Conclusions The results showed that the emphasis on improving college students' prevention cognition, supplemented by improving e-Health literacy and self-efficacy, could improve college students' healthy lifestyle behaviors. Limitations This study was a cross-sectional investigation with no causal relationship between variables. ABSTRACT Objective To describe the use of telemedicine in gynecologic oncology and identify patient characteristics associated with telemedicine use during COVID-19. Methods Single-institution retrospective chart review of patients with gynecologic cancer who participated in in-person and telemedicine visits (video and telephone) from January 2019 to November 2020. Patient characteristics, visit and treatment characteristics were collected. Comparisons between 2019 and 2020 and between in-person and telemedicine visits were performed. Cancer-specific visit details were described. Results From January to November 2020, 2,039 patients attended 5,240 ambulatory visits in our gynecologic oncology outpatient clinics with 4,304 (82.1%) in-person visits, 512 (9.8%) video telemedicine visits, and 424 (8.1%) telephone visits. In 2020, 936 (45.9%) patients participated in a telemedicine visit. Demographic characteristics did not differ between those who participated in any telemedicine versus in-person visits (p>0.05). Black patients represented a larger share of telephone visits but this was not significant. Patients aged > 65 years were more likely to use the telephone for a visit and less likely to use video visits compared to their younger counterparts. The majority of patients who attended a telemedicine visit also attended a visit in-person (88.0%). The most common purpose of the telemedicine visits was to discuss results and/or treatment plans (46%) with other appointments occurring for treatment check-ins and clinical trials. Conclusions The use of telemedicine drastically increased in 2020. Patient demographics were not different between in-person and telemedicine visits except that older patients were more likely to use telephone visits over video visits. Telemedicine can be used for a variety of care needs in gynecologic oncology but further work needs to be done to optimize implementation, assess cost-effectiveness and patient outcomes. ABSTRACT Background: Corona contact tracing apps are a novel and promising measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. They can help to balance the need to maintain normal life and economic activities as much as possible while still avoiding exponentially growing case numbers. However, a majority of citizens need to be willing to install such an app for it to be effective. Hence, knowledge about drivers for app uptake is crucial. Objective: This study aimed to add to our understanding of underlying psychological factors motivating app uptake. More specifically, we investigated the role of concern for one's own health and concern to unknowingly infect others. Methods: A two-wave survey with 346 German-speaking participants from Switzerland and Germany was conducted. We measured the uptake of two decentralized contact tracing apps officially launched by governments (Corona-Warn-App, Germany;SwissCovid, Switzerland), as well as concerns regarding COVID-19 and control variables. Results: Controlling for demographic variables and general attitudes toward the government and the pandemic, logistic regression analysis showed a significant effect of self-focused concerns (odds ratio [OR] 1.64, P = .002). Meanwhile, concern of unknowingly infecting others did not contribute significantly to the prediction of app uptake over and above concern for one's own health (OR 1.01, P = .92). Longitudinal analyses replicated this pattern and showed no support for the possibility that app uptake provokes changes in levels of concern. Testing for a curvilinear relationship, there was no evidence that "too much" concern leads to defensive reactions and reduces app uptake. Conclusions: As one of the first studies to assess the installation of already launched corona tracing apps, this study extends our knowledge of the motivational landscape of app uptake. Based on this, practical implications for communication strategies and app design are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) ABSTRACT The purpose - A critical analysis of the main literature contributions dealing with the digital transformation of social subsystems in COVID-19, focusing on digital government system innovations. According to the current research, the following research questions have been prepared: What state-of-the-art approaches and solutions emerged in the COVID-19 period (or increased digitalisation) and will be a key socio-technological factor in future development digitalisation of urban (smart) ecosystems? Design/methodology/approach - The automated content analysis was provided with the software Leximancer 5.0. The authors prepared a topic analysis function to determine the most frequent topics and contents and use the automated content analysis's extraction of statistically manipulative information about the presence, intensity, and/or frequency of thematic and/or stylistic features of texts. Findings - It is expected that the emergence of a cyber-physical ecosystem will arrive soon, with smart communities having an important impact on changing the existing approaches, for example, learning, medical treatment, and smart governance. Originality/value - The chapter presents the possible changes in the post-COVID-19 world, which will accelerate processes for the emergence of the technological advanced urban environment and will be based on the outgoing digitalisation of processes. Furthermore, the chapter aims to present new knowledge based on the current findings of the future possible interaction between the citizens and governance (from communication to decision making and self-governance tools). The issue of citizens' trust in sharing their data with public infrastructure is also addressed. Research/ Practical/ Social/ Environment implications - The COVID-19 outbreak caused massive disruption to the industry and urban social ecosystems. The pandemic impacted drivers of a nation's economy and caused changes, such as the emergence of remote working, a bike-riding spike, different smart city projects were postponed or re-aligned, and technological projects aimed at protecting against COVID-19 have been given priority. Attention must also be paid to smart technologies, such as contact tracing and surveillance tools, raising concerns about privacy and human rights. Research limitations - The particular research limitation of the chapter is that the authors used a mixed-method for literature content research ABSTRACT As part of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) within Biomedical Engineering, telehealth is an emerging field. Due to the recent events surrounding COVID-19, it has become obvious that Telehealth treatments must be developed as a means of protecting vulnerable patients in hospitals by reducing the need to visit and therefore reducing risk to physicians. This paper investigates the feasibility of developing a non-invasive remote neuro-stimulation system using internet-based transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). A hardware-based prototype tDCS device has been developed to be controlled using a remote command-line interface over the internet. As a result, a physician can remotely set the parameters for the tDCS treatment and monitor the treatment in real-time to ensure patient safety. In this study, the feasibility of a Tele-tDCS system was investigated, as well as the capabilities a Tele-tDCS system should offer to patients. ABSTRACT One of the most important issues of the period we are in is the COVID-19 virus. Corona disease has been officially named SARS-CoV-2 by the world health organization. Since March 2002, this disease has been declared as a global epidemic. The COVID-19 virus has killed more than 4 million people. Like many other diseases, early detection of this virus increases the chances of survival. It was observed that the oxygen level in the blood decreased in people who were infected with this virus. The oxygen level in the blood is measured in hospitals using special devices. Measuring the SPO2 value is time consuming and costly. The easiest and cheapest way to solve this problem is to measure the SPO2 value at home. The main purpose of this study is to present a device design that can measure SPO2 and BPM (blood pressure) at home using IoT peripherals in a low-cost way. In this presented design, the algorithm and the devices used are explained in detail. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG. ABSTRACT Background eHealth literacy (eHL) is considered an important competency among healthcare providers in healthcare systems, especially following the introduction of information and communication technologies. Objectives This study aimed to identify the relationship and direction of factors affecting nursing students' eHL in an online learning environment. Design A cross-sectional study. Settings Three nursing colleges located in Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do in Korea. Participants Participants were 259 nursing students aged 18–29 years who lived in the Seoul metropolitan area. Methods Self-reported data on variables including attitudes toward online learning, digital literacy, self-efficacy, and eHL, were collected and analyzed using an independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance. The mediating effects were verified through the bootstrapping method using the PROCESS macro for SPSS. Results The results indicated that although attitudes toward online learning affected digital literacy, they did not directly influence eHL. Additionally, digital literacy and self-efficacy were also found to be associated with eHL and mediate the relationship between online learning attitudes and eHL. Conclusions As online nursing education rapidly becomes commonplace due to the COVID-19 pandemic, attitudes toward online learning, digital literacy, and self-efficacy must be improved to enhance eHL. ABSTRACT Background and objective To develop targeted and efficient follow-up programmes for patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), structured and detailed insights in recovery trajectory are required. We aimed to gain detailed insights in long-term recovery after COVID-19 infection, using an online home monitoring programme including home spirometry. Moreover, we evaluated patient experiences with the home monitoring programme. Methods In this prospective multicentre study, we included adults hospitalized due to COVID-19 with radiological abnormalities. For 6?months after discharge, patients collected weekly home spirometry and pulse oximetry measurements, and reported visual analogue scales on cough, dyspnoea and fatigue. Patients completed the fatigue assessment scale (FAS), global rating of change (GRC), EuroQol-5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L) and online tool for the assessment of burden of COVID-19 (ABCoV tool). Mixed models were used to analyse the results. Results A total of 133 patients were included in this study (70.1% male, mean age 60?years [SD 10.54]). Patients had a mean baseline forced vital capacity of 3.25?L (95% CI: 2.99?3.44?L), which increased linearly in 6 months with 19.1% (?0.62?L, p <?0.005). Patients reported substantial fatigue with no improvement over time. Nevertheless, health status improved significantly. After 6?months, patients scored their general well-being almost similar as before COVID-19. Overall, patients considered home spirometry useful and not burdensome. Conclusion Six months after hospital admission for COVID-19, patients' lung function and quality of life were still improving, although fatigue persisted. Home monitoring enables detailed follow-up for patients with COVID-19 at low burden for patients and for the healthcare system. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing availability of telemedicine video visits during the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults have greater challenges in getting care through telemedicine. OBJECTIVE: We aim to better understand the barriers to telemedicine in community-dwelling older adults to improve the access to and experience of virtual visits. METHODS: We conducted a mixed methods needs assessment of older adults at two independent living facilities (sites A and B) in Northern California between September 2020 and March 2021. Voluntary surveys were distributed. Semistructured interviews were then conducted with participants who provided contact information. Surveys ascertained participants' preferred devices as well as comfort level, support, and top barriers regarding telephonic and video visits. Qualitative analysis of transcribed interviews identified key themes. RESULTS: Survey respondents' (N=249) average age was 84.6 (SD 6.6) years, and 76.7% (n=191) of the participants were female. At site A, 88.9% (111/125) had a bachelor's degree or beyond, and 99.2% (124/125) listed English as their preferred language. At site B, 42.9% (51/119) had a bachelor's degree or beyond, and 13.4% (16/119) preferred English, while 73.1% (87/119) preferred Mandarin. Regarding video visits, 36.5% (91/249) of all participants felt comfortable connecting with their health care team through video visits. Regarding top barriers, participants at site A reported not knowing how to connect to the platform (30/125, 24%), not being familiar with the technology (28/125, 22.4%), and having difficulty hearing (19/125, 15.2%), whereas for site B, the top barriers were not being able to speak English well (65/119, 54.6%), lack of familiarity with technology and the internet (44/119, 36.9%), and lack of interest in seeing providers outside of the clinic (42/119, 35.3%). Three key themes emerged from the follow-up interviews (n=15): (1) the perceived limitations of video visits, (2) the overwhelming process of learning the technology for telemedicine, and (3) the desire for in-person or on-demand help with telemedicine. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial barriers exist for older adults in connecting with their health care team through telemedicine, particularly through video visits. The largest barriers include difficulty with technology or using the video visit platform, hearing difficulty, language barriers, and lack of desire to see providers virtually. Efforts to improve telemedicine access for older adults should take into account patient perspectives. ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote patient monitoring technology, which offers exciting opportunities for expanded connected care at a distance. However, while the mode of clinicians' interactions with patients and their health data has transformed, the larger framework of how we deliver care is still driven by a model of episodic care that does not facilitate this new frontier. Fully realizing a transformation to a system of continuous connected care augmented by remote monitoring technology will require a shift in clinicians' and health systems' approach to care delivery technology and its associated data volume and complexity. In this article, we present a solution that organizes and optimizes the interaction of automated technologies with human oversight, allowing for the maximal use of data-rich tools while preserving the pieces of medical care considered uniquely human. We review implications of this "augmented continuous connected care" model of remote patient monitoring for clinical practice and offer human-centered design-informed next steps to encourage innovation around these important issues. ABSTRACT Intensive technology development as well as the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the increased interest in the telemedicine and mHealth sector. Increasing availability and use of mobile devices as well as the constantly growing number of nutritional mobile applications, resulted in creating new tools for food and meals nutrients calculation which can be used by patients with diabetes. Variety of mobile applications and multiple functions included in them enable finding applications focused on individual patients' needs. The scientific data coming from research conducted so far suggest that the regular use of mobile nutritional applications contributes to improving metabolic control of diabetes and the reduction of the value of glycated hemoglobin in patients with diabetes. Innovative solutions bring hope also for a significant improvement in the quality of life of patients. The aim of this article was to summarize the EBM knowledge about the use of mHealth in self-control and diet of patients with diabetes, especially type 1 and to present and assess the nutrition mobile applications available in polish language according to their functionality in diabetic self-control. Subject(s)COVID-19 , Diabetes Mellitus , Self-Control , Diabetes Mellitus/therapy , Humans , Pandemics , Quality of Life ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Intensive care units (ICUs) around the world are in high demand due to patients with COVID-19 requiring hospitalization. As researchers at the University of Bristol, we were approached to develop a bespoke data visualization dashboard to assist two local ICUs during the pandemic that will centralize disparate data sources in the ICU to help reduce the cognitive load on busy ICU staff in the ever-evolving pandemic. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to conduct interviews with ICU staff in University Hospitals Bristol and Weston National Health Service Foundation Trust to elicit requirements for a bespoke dashboard to monitor the high volume of patients, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We conducted six semistructured interviews with clinical staff to obtain an overview of their requirements for the dashboard and to ensure its ultimate suitability for end users. Interview questions aimed to understand the job roles undertaken in the ICU, potential uses of the dashboard, specific issues associated with managing COVID-19 patients, key data of interest, and any concerns about the introduction of a dashboard into the ICU. RESULTS: From our interviews, we found the following design requirements: (1) a flexible dashboard, where the functionality can be updated quickly and effectively to respond to emerging information about the management of this new disease; (2) a mobile dashboard, which allows staff to move around on wards with a dashboard, thus potentially replacing paper forms to enable detailed and consistent data entry; (3) a customizable and intuitive dashboard, where individual users would be able to customize the appearance of the dashboard to suit their role; (4) real-time data and trend analysis via informative data visualizations that help busy ICU staff to understand a patient's clinical trajectory; and (5) the ability to manage tasks and staff, tracking both staff and patient movements, handovers, and task monitoring to ensure the highest quality of care. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study confirm that digital solutions for ICU use would potentially reduce the cognitive load of ICU staff and reduce clinical errors at a time of notably high demand of intensive health care. ABSTRACT As the world continues to grapple with the pandemic, how competently people search and process COVID-19-related information online has serious ramifications. In this vein, a demographic segment that is particularly research-worthy includes older people, who are usually slower in technology adoption and use compared with younger people. For these reasons, the objective of this paper is to explore how people aged 65+ search and process online information related to COVID-19. Fifteen semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted in the UK. The older people were found to maintain varied and broad information portfolios. Many found the internet to be an efficient avenue to seek and share information. The participants generally dismissed social media but deemed authoritative information sources (e.g., the WHO website) to be reliable. They were cautious about scams and misinformation online, and were likely to adopt an 'if in doubt, avoid' approach to unfamiliar sites. The study shows that older people in their effort to avoid misinformation may limit their information consumption journeys;nevertheless, this practice keeps them safe. Based on these findings, several implications for theory and practice are discussed. © 2022 IEEE.	https://search.bvsalud.org/global-literature-on-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov/?lang=en&q=kw:%22eHealth%22
Our world is becoming increasingly lonely. More than one-third of Americans over the age of 45 reportloneliness, particularly those under 25. Nor is it a problem limited to Americans: Over nine million British people “often or always” feel lonely, and South Africa, Japan, and Brazil rank in the top 10 loneliest countries in the world. Perhaps it is no surprise that about one-third of Americans over 65 also now live alone — and half of those over 85 do. The average number of people living in single-person homes is 31 percent in the UK, 50 percent in Paris, and an amazing 94 percent in midtown Manhattan. This has led experts to call the current share of people living alone “wholly unprecedented historically.” But living in isolation isn’t the only cause of loneliness. There are many factors that determine whether a person suffers from this feeling, including income and education level. An older adult, for example, can be surrounded by people and still feel very lonely. Older adults may also become socially isolated due to losing friends after death. Among American adults, a lack of social contacts is associated with an estimated USD 6.7 billion in additional federal healthcare spending each year. Loneliness, in fact, is now considered an epidemic. The feeling is linked to low neuron count — nerve cells that transmit messages throughout the body — as well as other changes in brain function. It’s a medical risk factor that has implications for personal, economic, and societal well being. Studies have linked loneliness to many serious health problems, such as dementia, heart disease, depression, and stroke. Other research reports chronic loneliness can be as or more life-threatening as obesity and smoking. One study even suggests loneliness can increase the risk of premature death by 30 percent — making it as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Scientists are now running clinical trials on a pill to lessen the effects of loneliness. The medication is a neurosteroid called pregnenolone, which has been shown to alleviate stress-related disorders and reduce hypervigilance, a hallmark of anxiety. The study is currently in Phase 2 trials. Proponents argue that it’s not much different than medication for depression, and that the overall goal is to make it easier to make friends. But many questions are still unanswered: What are the potential side effects? And more importantly, to what extent can we medicate these kinds of feelings? Alternatively, a tech-enhanced life — meaning a quality of life improved through technology — might prove a better solution. New technologies, like Push to Talk, Alcove VR and Rendever are already on the market. These apps help connect caregivers to older adults, provide platforms for playing games online with others, or use virtual reality to help home-bound people continue to explore the world. Even existing tools, such as Alexa or Siri, could be better used to support healthy living. Voice services like this can encourage deep interaction with family and friends through voice and video calls. These connections are especially crucial, and fostering them digitally can help lead to increased in-person interactions. That’s true for more than just older adults: A tech-enhanced life can also help improve offline social networks. Meetup, for instance, is a service used to organize online groups that host in-person events for people with similar interests. While there’s a stereotype that older adults are distrustful of technology, this is far from the truth. The vast majority of people over 65 have a cellphone, and data from 2015 show that the greatest consumer group of Apple devices are men over 65. Increasing numbers of older adults are accessing the Internet, even if they use significantly fewer digital applications and spend less time online than younger adults. But they’re an unrecognized consumer: More companies need to engage older adults and design products for their needs. There are more people over 65 than children younger under 5 for the first time in human history. Companies would be wise to target this growing demographic, including people with dementia and people with disabilities. We still need to have a larger conversation around affordability, access to internet and technology, and who pays for innovations like virtual reality. But technology has the opportunity to make many older people’s lives better. The goal is not to increase technology addiction, but to use it as a force for positive change. To combat loneliness as a public health crisis, researchers, policymakers, and technology developers need to work together to ensure that everyone gains from innovation. Technology is an ever bigger part of everyday reality. Let’s use it to live longer and happier lives.	https://www.salon.com/2019/07/07/loneliness-is-an-epidemic-and-we-can-turn-to-technology-to-fix-it_partner/
Responding to instructions from the UK government to ‘stay at home’ during the Covid-19 pandemic, those with access to digital technology have moved their work, shopping, communications, relationships and healthcare online. Meanwhile, lockdown measures have deepened the plight of those who do not have access to nor the skills to use digital technology. These digitally excluded individuals have been expected to stay at home without income from digitally-mediated remote working, access to products/services and digital social networks. Consequently, those who are digitally excluded are now more socially and physically isolated than ever before. The 2020-1 pandemic has starkly demonstrated that what happens online can determine societal participation and also, directly impact the UK economy. In fact, digital technology has catalysed economic, social and political participation. Consequently, we must begin to accept digital exclusion as social exclusion. Accepting this argument is to build towards a digitally inclusive society. Digital inclusion can refer to the availability of hardware, software and internet services. Additionally, the term can also acknowledge that everybody must be digitally literate. Digital literacy is about that ability to understand, use and manipulate information and media from a wide range of sources when it is presented via digital devices. The challenge ahead is acute: the digital needs of individuals and communities are impossibly varied. For example, little is known about the quantity and quality of digital access for those individuals battling mental health challenges (Farooq et al. 2015). Second, refugee migrants arrive in a host country which has moved its essential services online. Without digital access and skills, migrants risk exclusion from mainstream information sources and subsequently fail to integrate and participate fully in that society (Alam and Imran 2015). Thirdly, those who do not speak or read English face tremendous barriers accessing digital services because digital resources primarily rely upon reading and writing English (Begoña 2017). Fourthly, it became clear that during the Covid-19 pandemic older adults missed out entirely on products and services (Hill et al. 2015). Their social isolation also increased because many did not use digital technologies to communicate. Fifth, young people with developmental disabilities continue to overcome pervasive exclusion from socioeconomic and community integration (Khanlou et al. 2020). Yet, digital technology can help these young people learn, work, travel, socialize, shop, and interact with their community, without being subjected to any physical barriers. For individuals to remain in control of their own resources during a pandemic and otherwise, they must surely have access to and the skills to use digital technology. Perhaps public and private stakeholders could work with communities to ensure local citizens are getting the access and skills they need? After all, we must work hard to ensure that an individual’s social capital is not eroded at the expense of state and privately-owned organizations, who are systematically moving their services online. Sources Alam, Khorshed and Imran, Sophia (2015), ‘The digital divide and social inclusion among refugee migrants’, Information technology & people (West Linn, Or.), 28 (2), 344-65. Begoña, Gros (2017), ‘APPS4ME: inclusion of immigrants and digital social platforms’, Italian journal of educational technology, 25 (1). Farooq, Saeed, et al. (2015), ‘Digital inclusion: The concept and strategies for people with mental health difficulties’, Aust N Z J Psychiatry, 49 (9), 772-73. Hill, Rowena, Betts, Lucy R., and Gardner, Sarah E. (2015), ‘Older adults’ experiences and perceptions of digital technology: (Dis)empowerment, wellbeing, and inclusion’, Computers in human behavior, 48, 415-23. Khanlou, Nazilla, et al. (2020), ‘Digital Literacy, Access to Technology and Inclusion for Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities’, Journal of developmental and physical disabilities, 33 (1), 1.	https://digitaltechpowerandcontrol.com/2021/05/28/covid-19-and-digital-inclusion/
This report is designed to give an accessible overview of media literacy among adults aged 60 and over in the UK. The aim of the report is to support people working in this area to develop and promote media literacy among this group. It is based on a much larger programme of research – Ofcom’s Media Literacy Audits, which were published in 2008(-1-). Access and regular use of media Compared to the general adult population, adults aged 60 and over are less likely to live in households with digital television and the internet, and less likely to regularly use newer media devices such as mobile phones, MP3 players and games consoles. By contrast, regular use of more traditional media such as television and radio is above the level for adults as a whole, and these are the most important media to older adults. Adults aged 60 and over without home internet access are less likely than the general adult population to say they will get access in the next year, mainly due to voluntary reasons related to a perceived lack of need among this group. However, among those who give an involuntary reason for not intending to get internet access at home, older people differ from the general adult population in that they are more likely to give reasons relating to a lack of understanding of the internet or how to use a computer, and less likely to give reasons relating to affordability. There are key differences in the take-up of newer media and intention to take up the internet within the population of adults aged 60 and over. These differences relate to age: adults aged in their sixties are more than twice as likely as adults aged 70 and over to be current or likely internet users. Similarly, while most adults aged in their sixties are mobile phone users, this applies to less than half of those aged 70 and over. Media preferences and use of different functions Media preferences among adults aged 60 and over are dominated by traditional media, and mobile phones are the only example of newer media used on a regular basis by a substantial minority of all adults aged 60 and over. Older adults are less likely than all adults to be interested in using the services and functions available to them through digital television, the internet and mobile phones. For example, older adults with a digital television service are less interested in using the interactive services available, and those with a mobile phone are less interested in taking and sending photos using the phone. As well as being less likely to have access to the internet at home, those older adults who do use the internet use it for fewer activities, and for less time in a typical week, compared to adults as a whole. However, for some types of internet activity the proportion of older adults carrying out activities weekly is comparable to all internet users: transactions (such as online banking), news, and public/civic activities. Funding and regulation Awareness of funding and regulation among older adults is generally higher for the more traditional media of television and radio, and lower for the newer media; mobile phones, gaming and the internet. Confidence, concerns and judgements Older adults using the internet are less confident than internet users generally in finding what they want online, in using the creative elements available to them, and being able to tell whether a website is truthful and reliable. While the general adult population has most concerns about the internet, older adults have most concerns about television. Older adults who use the internet are less likely to make any kind of judgement about a website before entering personal details than are internet users generally, less likely to be happy about entering some personal details online, less likely to use new websites and less likely to make checks before using those new websites that they do visit. Learning Older people are less likely than the general adult population to be interested in learning about digital technology. Interest in learning more is mostly limited to adults in their sixties, rather than those aged 70 or over. Within the population of adults aged 60 and over, males are more likely to be interested in learning about digital technology than females - this gender difference is also apparent within the general adult population. Other than a preference for learning through friends and family, older adults are relatively unlikely to have a way they would prefer to learn about digital technology. Footnotes:	https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/media-literacy-research/adults/digital-lifestyles-60
Invitation to Tender: Information and Digital Learning Module for library staffSep 07, 2021 Please note: we have important FAQs and clarifications for any individual or organisation which will help you in your application. 1. Introduction Libraries Connected are looking for a subject specialist to develop the content for two 30-minute online learning tutorials and liaise with our online learning provider on its production. The following further details are outlined in this document which is also available as an attached PDF: - The service to be provided - The information to be provided by tenderers - The terms of business relating to the award of any contract - Anticipated timetable for the programme. 2. Background 2.1 About Us – Libraries Connected Libraries Connected is a charity partly funded by Arts Council England as the Sector Support Organisation for libraries. We are also proud to remain a membership organisation, made up of every library service in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies.Our vision is an inclusive, modern, sustainable and high-quality public library service at the heart of every community in the UK. We work to promote the value of libraries, broker national partnerships, share best practice and drive innovation in the sector. We: - Represent the public library sector to communicate the value of libraries - Connect partners to local libraries by brokering national relationships with a wide range of organisations and individuals - Improve library services by developing and sharing best practice, providing training for library staff, and facilitating a network of library leaders in the UK - Drive innovation and new thinking on the role of libraries in a modern society. 2.2 The Universal Offers The Universal Offers were originally launched in 2013 to “demonstrate the power of public libraries to enrich the lives of individuals and their communities”. The Universal Offers represent a commitment to quality provision across core areas of public library services. These core areas are: Culture and Creativity, Information and Digital, Health and Wellbeing and Reading with learning at the heart of all four offers. The Universal Offers are central to the aim of Libraries Connected to help its members deliver their core library offer and develop new services. The offers were developed in partnership with stakeholders, such as The Reading Agency and Arts Council England, and informed by customer research and consultation with stakeholders. They aim to ensure that all aspects of the library service are accessible to everyone that wishes to make use of them. Each of the offers is underpinned by the Six Steps initiative to ensure access for people with visual impairments developed by Share the Vision and the Children’s Promise developed by ASCEL. The offers have both a strategic and a delivery element. 2.3 Our online learning offer Libraries Connected is committed to ensuring that everyone who works or volunteers in libraries have the tools they need to serve their local community. Supporting learning is at the core of the library ethos, and we want to help library staff to be confident and competent in delivering this fundamental offer to their communities. Learning Pool is our e-learning platform, and the courses offered have been developed with funding from Arts Council England. All the e-learning courses are available free of charge to public library staff in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies and our Six Steps Promise course is also available to staff in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Courses available to library staff include: - Digital information skills - Reading well books on prescription - Children’s library workforce - Six Steps Promise - Talking with readers - Culture and Creativity. The Information and Digital Offer The Information and Digital offer aims to inform, inspire and innovate. Libraries deliver this offer by providing access to quality information and digital services, opportunities for people to learn new skills and to feel safe when online. The offer helps children and adults to engage digitally and feel safe online. It ensures resources and opportunities are accessible and it embraces creative and innovative technology. Libraries perform an important role in enabling individuals and communities to develop skills to find answers and to inform life choices. We want to support all library services to improve the skills of their workforce by giving them practical support to implement and develop the information and digital offer. 3. Deliverables We are seeking to work with an organisation/s or individual who can create the content for an online learning package comprising of two 30-minute modules covering - Media and information literacy* - Key digital skills to support the activities of a modern future facing public library service. The modules will be hosted on the Learning Pool platform. * The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals definition of information literacy “is the ability to think critically and make balanced judgements about any information we find and use. It empowers us as citizens to develop informed views and to engage fully with society.” Target Audience: The courses will be undertaken by frontline library staff working in local libraries as well as staff who have a strategic overview of information literacy and digital services. We want the focus primarily to be on the practical skills and competencies needed to be confident delivering this offer. Assumption: Learners will have good ICT skills and basic internet search awareness with the ability to use blended learning such as video, online tests, texts and shared forum with other learners. The Digital and Information Offer group comprising of library representatives from each English region have identified the following areas of need that we would like to see covered by the modules in this package: Module 1: Media and information literacy - Introduction – what are the key information literacies and why are they needed - Practical library related examples of literacies for: - Everyday life - Health - Citizenship - The workplace, including the public library workplace - Information literacy and customer enquiry skills for the public library sector including: - Online ethics and legality - Online safety - Individual digital wellbeing and behaviour - Collaboration and content creation – with a focus on social media? - Finding information and discovery skills - Evaluating information - Critical thinking. Module 2: Key digital skills to support the activities of a modern future facing public library service - Introduction – what are the key digital skills needed for the public library workforce, including own professional skills and those needed to support the public. - Background to the Essential Digital Skills Framework and how libraries would support people to learn these skills. - Customer engagement skills, behaviour and knowledge including using digital technologies as part of a creative blended offer to our communities - Creative technologies including STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths) - Skills for remote engagement and online delivery including safeguarding, best use of social media and video and podcast production. The course should include information and practical guidance with interactive elements – quizzes, responding to scenarios and other activities, case studies, video links and links to further reading and resources. Where possible library examples should be used which allow library staff to strongly identify with the scenarios in their daily work. Learning outcomes: - A full understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion within the sector should be demonstrated. - Demonstrable understanding of how to support members of the public with key online transactions for everyday life, accessing national and local government services,managing their health, money, citizen participation and being able to find and assess good quality, reliable sources of information. - Improved personal awareness of information literacy, fake news, online safety and efficient digital skills. The successful supplier will work closely with Learning Pool and Libraries Connected to develop the content. Learning Pool have been commissioned to provide enhanced support which will include the services of a Learning Designer who will work with the successful supplier to develop the content into an interactive online module. 4. Contract management The contract will be managed by Sarah Mears, Programme Manager at Libraries Connected, and Dave Lloyd, Universal Information and Digital Offer Lead and Service Development Manager Coventry City Council. This project will report to the Digital and Information Offer Group representatives. 5. Workplan and milestones We envisage the project will follow this workplan, but proposals can set out an alternative timetable to meet the deliverables. Project initiation: Oct 2021 Shaping the module and liaison with learning pool: Oct-Nov 2021 Sourcing final resources: Dec 2021 Completion and sign off: Mar 2022 6. Budget £12,000 including VAT and travel and expenses. Any required meetings should be virtual but Libraries Connected will provide or pay for venues and catering for meetings integral to the work if required. It will also provide some administrative support for engaging with members as required. 7. Process for submitting proposals 7.1 Procurement timetable Invitation to tender sent out: 7 September 2021 Any FAQs published on Libraries Connected website: 23 September 2021 Deadline for proposals: 30 September 2021 Selection: 4 October 2021 Appointment and initiation: 11 October 2021 7.2 Proposal content The proposals should outline: - Understanding of the project and deliverables - Experience suited to the project subject and proposed methodology - Names and experience of individuals assigned to the project, to clarify their involvement with each phase or unit of the work - Costs, including breakdown for costs of each phase or unit of work, day rate of each team member and other costs or expenses. 7.3 Proposal submission Please submit proposals by email to [email protected]. Proposals must be submitted by 5pm on 30 September 2021. 7.4 Evaluation of proposals We will evaluate proposals using these criteria. The weighting is supplied in brackets after each criterion. Extent to which proposal demonstrates an understanding of the brief (25%) Knowledge and experience relevant to the project, including understanding of workforce development programmes, policy and strategy (25%) Quality of methodology and experience in relation to development of strategy and programmes through a process of consultation (20%) Proposed team composition and management (20%) Cost (10%) 8. Further information For an informal discussion about the work, please contact: Sarah Mears ([email protected]) or Dave Lloyd ([email protected]).	https://www.librariesconnected.org.uk/news/invitation-tender-information-and-digital-learning-module-library-staff
Writing Across Generations RSVP of Spokane County is piloting a virtual intergenerational project to connect students in grades 8-12 with AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers to share stories, forge connections, and promote the benefits of journaling and creative expression. We're looking for 40-60 students to participate in early Spring 2021. This project is a collaboration with researchers at McMaster University who are studying creative and supportive ways to improve the cognitive and social wellbeing of older adults. The platform they've developed, WritLarge, is an online resource for older adults to anonymously share personal life stories. Users can explore stories using themes, keywords, and other criteria, or use the 'Story Roulette' function to read randomly selected entries. Here's how Writing Across Generations works: - One AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer is paired with two students for 8-12 weeks, meeting once a week using Microsoft Teams breakout rooms - Volunteers will register as YMCA volunteers and undergo background screenings prior to participating - Sessions will be recorded for project staff review - - During the first four weeks, volunteers and students use prompts and stories from WritLarge to engage in group discussions - Participants write weekly journal entries and post them to the Writing Across Generations online platform (powered by WritLarge) - Group members will read and discuss each other's entries each week - - During the last four to eight weeks, student pairs choose a story from their volunteer mentor's life to reflect on and share in a creative way (via essay, video/digital story, podcast, performance, etc.) - The best stories will be selected to feature on our website and share with the greater Spokane community Our Mission RSVP of Spokane County promotes senior volunteer opportunities to build a stronger community through partnerships that impact community needs. About AmeriCorps Seniors AmeriCorps Seniors helps meet the needs and challenges of America's communities using resources provided by grants and the energy and efforts of citizens age 55 and over. Grants administered by AmeriCorps Seniors provide funding for the following programs: Foster Grandparents are role models, mentors, and friends to children with exceptional needs. RSVP volunteers utilize their skills and talents while serving in a variety of volunteer activities within their communities. Senior Companions provide assistance and friendship to older adults who have difficulty with daily living tasks, such as shopping or paying bills. If you are an 8th-12th grade teacher or school official interested in having your students participate in Writing Across Generations, or a volunteer interested in serving as a mentor, contact RSVP Director Justin Eisenstadt at [email protected] or (509) 720-5635.	https://www.rsvpspokane.org/writing-across-generations
What contextual factors make older adults unique? The definition of the term “older adults” can be manifold and complex depending on the context, with different age variables being used across different research fields. Examples are chronological age, which defines the numbers of years lived, biological age, which is used to describe the “individual’s present position with respect to his or her potential life-span” or social and psychological factors, such as societal roles . In medical sciences, the term “older adults” tends to include people over the age of 65. However, the diversity of people over 65 regarding health status is acknowledged, leading some researchers to adopt measures of frailty as an alternative to chronological age . My research draws attention to the importance of perceived and subjective age. These variables encompass people’s self-perceptions in terms of reference age groups . All participants in my project are self-defining older adults, as they are part of an older people’s organisation and engage in public activities in which they promote older people’s interests. Critiquing the strong homogenous and techno-solutionist focus on ageing in HCI research , I agree with Righi et al. 2017 that we should change our focus from age-related variables (such as defining older adults as people over 65) and the focus of designing for older adults towards acknowledging diversity in later life and promoting civic participation. This means moving beyond techno-solutionist designs that try and help solve the perceived burden of old age and take on human-centred approaches that have a day-to-day impact on the use of technologies and practical use for the communities involved. Why do you think aging is an interesting area to research? In ageing societies, the importance of including ageing research in the HCI context becomes apparent: through better health standards and improved living conditions, life expectancy is constantly rising as society becomes increasingly digitalised. Even though older adults will increasingly become consumers of new technological devices as time progresses, most technologies that emerge from HCI in an ageing context are assistive technologies . We as researchers need to be aware of the challenges that arise from this homogenous view in HCI ageing research. We should focus instead on supporting older adults and their community practices whilst being inclusive of everyone. In my view, one of the main challenges for HCI ageing research is looking at both older adults who benefit from assistive later life technologies, as well as older adults who want to make use of technologies as part of their civic participation. We should also consider how to combine the two viewpoints. Broadening the HCI ageing research agenda to addressing diversity in later life will challenge existing negative stereotypes on ageing in the CHI community and open up a potential for new engagements between researchers and communities, as opposed to solely focusing on older adults as a user group of technologies. What themes have you explored in your work? My PhD project addresses community and digital media technologies as a means to facilitate civic participation in later life. While the concept of using media for civic participation has been widely researched for younger people (e.g. [2,6]), there are few projects exploring how older adults make positive use of those technologies to have a voice in their communities. I work in collaboration with a local older people’s organisation and their Community Radio group to explore workflow structures and ways of their content-creation. For this community group, different themes in their media production and within the use of technologies are of importance: • social connectedness: the production of the community radio show functions as a “social hub” for the group to be connected and check in with each other • audience engagement: focusing on the strong civic participatory output of being of service to their community and creating content, that resonates with older adults across the city • learning: the motivation to improve the production workflow and enjoy learning new skills in later life Some of these themes have been reflected in other projects (e.g. audience engagement and social connectedness ) and seem to have an overarching relevance for older adults as content-creators in media. What research methods have you used to engage older adults in the design process or otherwise elicit relevant design criteria? The overall approach to my project methodology is Participatory Action Research (PAR), to support an inclusive and democratic process of researching with my local collaborators. Through using PAR, I ensure that the work we do has a “real” impact on the people involved and their community. Embedding myself as part of the team acknowledges the fact that we are all experts in our own life experience and considers the reciprocity between me as a researcher and the collaborating organisation. As a result, I have been able to learn a lot from my collaborators. Using workshops to work closely on identifying design spaces and exploring design ideas together has helped me to be flexible in my ideas of what the project “should be” and to design with my collaborators as opposed to for them. In addition to using workshops as a space for discussion, we are in a constant conversation about the design, whether it works or not and things that have to be improved (which can also include accessibility issues). I have also used semi-structured interviews as a way to seek feedback from users, which generates more personal insights on people’s relationship with a technology. However, the main feedback is gathered “casually” as part of conversations during training and user sessions. What aspects of aging, or what challenges in aging research, will continue to be relevant in decades to come, and why? One main aspect of ageing that will continue to be of relevance in the future is the issue of loneliness in later life. Even though HCI research has picked up on the issue and tries to implement technologies for social connectedness as a solution, the problem needs to be explored in more detail. To equate loneliness with social isolation is a dangerous assumption, as the former is a multidimensional phenomenon and a subjective feeling, characterised as a cognitive dissonance between a person’s actual and desired social relations , while the latter describes a lack of social relations. A challenge that technology research has to address is reducing this mismatch of a person’s desired relations and the ones they have, in addition to continue targeting social isolation – however being aware that both issues can be related, but don’t have to be. Additionally, it will be a challenge to consider the diversity of perceptions in loneliness in the development of new technologies. Even though communication technologies might help some people to feel more connected to their family/friends, it can also result in an increase in loneliness in others. HCI ageing research needs become more sensitive to the characteristics of a heterogeneous older population, which can be a challenge if we continue to use stereotypes and design for older adults as a user group. How will applications of the future differ from today for older adults? Considering civic and social participation as well as community interactions as part of the development for future technologies can support older adults in having their voices heard and taking on an active role in society. I think it is important that older adults don’t “become invisible” in our societies and across cities. Focusing on co-design processes as well as all participatory methods can help develop platforms and create ways for older adults to share their experiences and advocate for older people’s rights. Additionally, if we as researchers take on human-centred research and design approaches, the design process itself can be a positive experience and contribute to foster (intergenerational) relationships through our work. It is important that we aim to make all future technologies as accessible as possible to ensure that they can be used by many people. What are you hoping to get out of attending this workshop? I am particularly interested in the theme building and theme exploration activities, which I hope will contribute to an overview for the HCI ageing research agenda that goes beyond accessibility towards acknowledging a diverse and heterogeneous population of older adults. I hope that by sharing my ideas with other researchers I can get new angles and inspirations for my PhD project and raise my awareness of themes and problems that might have not emerged in my research. I would therefore appreciate space for discussions as well as taking enough time to summarise different parts of the workshop so we can take away an overview of the themes we have developed. Bibliography Arlind Reuter, Tom Bartindale, Kellie Morrissey, Thomas Scharf, and Jennifer Liddle. 2019. Older Voices: Supporting Community Radio Production for Civic Participation in Later Life. In CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Proceedings (CHI 2019), May 4–9, 2019, Glasgow, Scotland UK. ACM, New York, NY, USA, 13 pages. https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300664 References - Benny Barak and Leon G Schiffman. 1981. Cognitive age: A nonchronological age variable. ACR North American Advances. - W Lance Bennett. 2008. Civic life online: Learning how digital media can engage youth. Mit Press.	https://mobileage.scc-brutha.lancs.ac.uk/index.php/arlind-reuter-open-lab-newcastle-university/
How can prototyping support learning? In this third post from a series about the ACCESS project and how we went online with older adults during a pandemic I will present the topic of didactic prototypes. There are two different types of learning taking place during participatory design processes. First, there is mutual learning, which is the more common learning described in literature. It is a necessary process for the different stakeholders to go through when they come together and aim to either inform or co-create prototypes and digital artifacts together. The second learning process is connected to digital artifacts appropriation. Appropriation is often discussed as the final part of the design process. However, that is the appropriation of the newly designed tool. What is often overlooked is that another earlier appropriation is necessary – for some participants to be able to imagine and hence contribute to the design of the new tools, they need to be able to appropriate already existing technology. For example, to be able to contribute to the development and design of a mobile app, the participants need to understand what it means to use a smartphone in the first place and based on that build their experience of app use. Hence, the older users often need to learn what it means to appropriate new tools before the actual co-design can start taking place. In our project ACCESS we aim to address these different processes with so called didactic prototypes. Didactic prototypes are a set of learning resources, which intend to prompt learning of the people engaged in their creation as well as people who will later interact with them. The reason why they are called prototypes and not simply resources is because in the same way as prototypes only capture what we know at a certain point, these learning resources do the same; they welcome the learner to remake them and use them to communicate what they have learned; instead of being a “set-in-stone” kind of learning resource. Further, typical design prototypes communicate design ideas; meanwhile the didactic prototypes communicate a learning opportunity. Typical design prototypes communicate design ideas; the didactic prototypes communicate a learning opportunity. In our project we collect the different didactic prototypes into a mobile demokit, a website, which we use further on during our sustainable PD activities. So far, we have included four different types of didactic prototypes: Made by researchers The most common digital prototype on our website is developed by us researchers, based on our field work with the older participants. Here belongs often instructions of different types (for example, Zoom vocabulary) but also various prompts for our older adults, which we used to scaffold the participation of the older adults. Here belongs for example Telegram Bingo or videos made by the older adults about their experience of digital technology use Made by students Another growing category on the website are didactic prototypes made by students who conduct their student work in line with ACCESS interest. They are specific by using different groups of older adults than our participants. Here belongs for example a motivational video about how to use Alexa in a safe way including a story and instructions how to go about the different privacy setting Made by the older adults One type of the didactic prototypes have been developed by the older participants. Here belongs for example a PDF with instructions on how to use online banking, which one of the participants decided to make for his wife and later also share with the whole group. Co-created Final stage of our effort were didactic prototypes, which we have created together with our older participants. To be able to build them, we had to included in our activities long-term digital capacity building to enable our participants in this phase. An example here is a re-designing of a bank flyer so that it includes more meaningful information for older adults or instructions how to get online newspapers subscriptions. Overall, the didactic prototypes helped us explore the themes of self-evaluating by older adults, ownership and translating the demokit into different contexts and formats. To learn more about our didactic prototypes, you can read our paper published in Mobile HCI 2021. Katerina Cerna and Claudia Müller. 2021. Fostering digital literacy through a mobile demo-kit development: Co-designing didactic prototypes with older adults. In Adjunct Publication of the 23rd International Conference on Mobile Human-Computer Interaction (MobileHCI ’21 Adjunct), September 27–October 01, 2021, Toulouse & Virtual, France. ACM, New York, NY, USA, 6 pages.	https://www.eusset.eu/2021/11/23/didactic-prototypes/
FuJo’s Eileen Culloty was one of the speakers at recent event on news literacy organised by Media Literacy Ireland. Below is a version of her talk where she outlines reasons to be sceptical about news literacy as a solution to current problems with online disinformation. Like so many others who are concerned about journalism, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking and reading about news literacy over the past two years. But instead of going into the nitty-gritty of various research studies, I want to outline the broad challenges I see for the development of news literacy. Multiple Literacies: The first is a practical concern about over-stacking literacy education. Literacy education is increasingly viewed as a panacea for a wide-range of problems. So while we’re here this evening to talk about news literacy, we could just as easily be having a discussion about information literacy, digital literacy, or media literacy. And beyond media, there are reasonable calls for promoting environmental literacy, social literacy, emotional literacy, and so on. Undoubtedly, there is merit in each of these calls for new literacies, but we need to be realistic about what can be delivered and about what can be achieved from the perspective of the individual citizens who are supposed to benefit. Whether we’re talking about adults or young people, it’s not realistic to expect them to proceed through a parade of literacies. Moreover, there’s a risk of creating an overly didactic and confusingly piecemeal approach to what is essentially about empowering citizens. In my view, one way out of the multiple literacies problem is to focus on the core area of critical reasoning; skills that empower citizens to think clearly, to express themselves clearly, and to make informed judgements to the best of their abilities. On this view, news literacy is just one aspect or sub-set of a much larger goal of empowering citizens. In terms of news literacy specifically, there are some other points to consider: Socialisation: The first is about socialisation and how we are socialised to value news. For those of us who grew up in the mass media era, we were not formally taught about the importance of journalism. Instead, we assimilated this idea from daily life; from parents telling us to be quiet because ‘the news is on’ and from teachers coming to school with their newspapers every morning. Of course, many parents and teachers still consume news, but children don’t necessarily see it because it’s on smartphones where the news is interspersed with everything else we do online. Even though there is more news than ever more, the visibility and status of news has diminished. The loss of the old socialisation is not easily recovered so we need to think creatively about ways in which the importance of news can be re-asserted through daily routines. For example, there’s a great initiative in DIT (CLiC News) where their journalism students write news articles for schools and the children get to comment and respond to those articles. Here, multiple literacy goals are combined as the school children engage with news and current affairs while developing skills in reading and writing as well as civil participation in online comments. Older Consumers: Another issue concerns the needs of older citizens. Literacy education is typically focussed on the young; partly because the young are easier to access with educational programmes and the young are assumed to be more vulnerable. That’s not necessarily true of digital media and digital news. After all, it is primarily adults, not their children, who are responsible for re-sharing disinformation about politics, health, and climate change. Those who believe in and propagate disinformation are the most important stakeholders in the “fake news” problem. But an increased effort towards fact-checking and verification will not necessarily address those who are already sceptical about experts and feel alienated from ‘elites’. Moreover, the rapid pace of technological change has left many adults behind and I don’t just mean the elderly and people who are not online. I’m also thinking of people, perhaps in their late 30s or 40s, who have smartphones and Facebook accounts, but are not confident with technology and are not savvy, as many young people are, when it comes to telling the difference between a news article and a spoof article. Without addressing the lifelong literacy needs of older age-groups, there is a real risk of allowing a generation gap to escalate. A Realistic View of Journalism: Finally, I think we need to have a realistic view of journalism; about the various ways it is practiced and about how is perceived by the wider public. Because those of us interested in the future of journalism tend to emphasise the best of journalism. We talk about the social and democratic goods that quality journalism delivers and we discuss the fourth estate and the importance of holding power to account. But that’s not necessarily what most people bring to mind when they think about journalism; they are as likely, if not more likely, to think about sensationalism, bias, and intrusions on privacy. If we don’t honestly address concerns about poor journalism (whether by traditional or digital media), then any effort to promote the importance of journalism will seem hollow. In summary, there clearly is a need for news literacy, but how it can be delivered and what it can achieve are not as clear. With declining trust in news media and with attacks on journalism increasing worldwide, we should be critical when thinking about the claims of news literacy because the risks we’re facing demand robust and effective responses.	https://fujomedia.eu/sceptical-news-literacy/
The overall format is a pane discussion. After the initial introduction, each speaker will do a short presentation. After the presentations, a discussion will be held, engaging the audience and all speakers in the Q&A English The European vision for 2030 is a digital society where no-one is left behind. This is the cornerstone of the Digital Compass 2030, recently launched by EC President von der Leyen, when she announced Europe should secure digital sovereignty with a common vision of the EU in 2030. The Berlin Declaration (2020) also brought a set of actionable measures for the implementation of the digital society, reminding the societal priorities: social participation and digital inclusion, empowerment and digital literacy, trust, and human-centred systems. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the critical role of digital technologies in how we work, learn and live and pushed towards a drastic acceleration in the digital transformation pace. At the same time, it also illuminated an emerging issue: digital tools are becoming increasingly important for accessing public services, health information, shopping, and staying connected to family and friends. In some cases, services, activities and information moved exclusively online, or offline alternatives have been limited or restricted due to the measures put in place to contain the virus spread. Furthermore, shifting to digital services assumes people have the ability to access, understand and use them. The COVID-19 crisis has been a global wake-up call reminding stakeholders around the world of the fundamental need to design, develop, and deliver accessible ICTs to everyone. It is especially important to increase digital literacy and digital access of older adults, persons with disabilities, and unprivileged groups, as the digital divide leads to the spread of disinformation, uneven access to public services and to participatory democracy processes. How are the ideas for the sustainable digital European society being implemented in practice by e.g. the How are current European research & innovation projects projects and initiatives considering digital access and inclusivity? What’s the accessibility of those solutions when introduced to when to take their products to the market? From access to infrastructure, to online education, digital literacy and skills, to equal opportunities regardless of gender, race, disability, as well as adequate protection of workers’ rights and access to digital health information and services? This is what will be explored by the panel, linking the discussion to the IGF Policy Area “Economic and social inclusion and human rights”, especially to the sub-areas “Inclusion, rights and stakeholder roles and responsibilities” and “Promoting equitable development and preventing harm”. The focus is on Europe, which is closely observed by the decision makers and civil society representatives from the other parts of the world, given the attention raised around the European Data Strategy and other policy developments. We welcome the comments from the participants from other parts of the world to enrich the European perspective and inspire the global dialogue on the sustainable digital society. The session will consist of the short presentations, complemented by the slides, which will be shared with the public on the online venue. After each of the presenters, a short real-time poll will be conducted to engage the audience. The moderators will comment on the results of the poll and link them to the presentations, to make sure that all participants have the same understanding of the discussion. Additionally, the moderators will collect the questions from the audience through chat and by raised hands (onsite). They will also make a summary of the comments that are listed in the chat to present it to the onsite audience.	https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/content/igf-2021-day-0-event-52-are-we-shaping-the-digital-market-to-all-citizens
Remote Education provision: information for parents This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to pupils and parents or carers about what to expect from remote education where national or local restrictions require entire cohorts (or bubbles) to remain at home. For details of what to expect where individual pupils are self-isolating, please see the final section of this page. The remote curriculum: what is taught to pupils at home A pupil’s first day or two of being educated remotely might look different from our standard approach, while we take all necessary actions to prepare for a longer period of remote teaching. What should my child expect from immediate remote education in the first day or two of pupils being sent home? For the first day, your child will have a pack of work uploaded to the Google Classroom. Work will be set on Google Classroom for the individual child or year group. In addition, your child will be able to keep using online resources like Times Table Rock Stars and Literacy Planet. Following the first few days of remote education, will my child be taught broadly the same curriculum as they would if they were in school? We teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school wherever possible and appropriate, for example: English, mathematics, science, humanities and Religious Education. However, we have made adaptations to some teaching activities because of remote access. For example, we teach science using a printed topic activity booklet with links to examples of investigations. We make greater use of videos to demonstrate practical activities. Web links are also provided for PE and music activities. Remote teaching and study time each day How long can I expect work set by the school to take my child each day? We expect that remote education (including remote teaching and independent work) will take pupils broadly the following number of hours each day (this does not include daily reading and work on online resources like Times Tables Rock Stars): \| \| Primary school-aged pupils \| \| EYFS: Reception: 3 – 3½ hours Key Stage 1 (Years 1&2): 3 ½ - 4 hours Key Stage 2 (Years 3-6): 4 – 4 ½ hours Accessing remote education How will my child access any online remote education you are providing? Google Meets – Free Cloud Based Video Conferencing platform Google Classroom – Free web online classroom Oxford Owls - Online reading books and Literacy Planet - Comprehension skills support Times Table Rock Stars – Mathematics Support Busy Things – Interactive activities If my child does not have digital or online access at home, how will you support them to access remote education? We recognise that some pupils may not have suitable online access at home. We take the following approaches to support those pupils to access remote education: - The weekly engagement of pupils is monitored by the Leadership team. The school follows up with phone call to all families failing to engage online. The school offers to lend a device to pupils who have no device particularly our disadvantaged pupils. Also, parents who do not have a device can email the school on [email protected] requesting a device and an assessment of their situation will be made to support. - The school seeks and shares all available offers from companies with parents to help them sustain their internet connection or data to support home learning during the pandemic. Parents can email the school on [email protected] requesting advice and support for their internet if they have problems. - Our aim is to support all pupils with resources to engage with their learning online. We have also equipped all our pupils with whiteboards, pens, standard printed workbooks and blank exercise books. We use a combination of hard copies of books and online sessions and resources to support our remote teaching approach. - Parents who do not have internet to use on their laptop or iPad can still share work with their child’s teacher by emailing clear pictures of the child’s completed work by email on their mobile phones to [email protected]. This is the very last option if they are unable to share work through the Google Classroom platform. How will my child be taught remotely? We use a combination of the following approaches to teach pupils remotely: - Live Streaming: Every pupil from Years 1-6 has three remote teaching sessions daily. These sessions cover live mathematics, live English and live catch-up/feedback sessions. In Reception, pupils still have three live sessions daily covering maths, English and phonics and a storytime at the end of the day. - Printed Workbooks: All pupils have workbooks to support the remote home learning. These books will be used during live sessions or independently as homework. The books cover mathematics, reading comprehension, spelling, punctuation and grammar, science and handwriting. - Exercise Books: We provide exercise books for pupils to record independent work. Their independent work consolidates their learning from lessons and the workbooks. All pupils have an age-appropriate exercise book for their work. - Online Resources: - a) Literacy Planet is an online program with a range of interactive learning activities that cover the UK literacy curriculum. This resource offers personalised learning as every child can work hard to complete all activities at their own pace. Teachers can also set differentiated work for every child in their class. This is particularly used for reading activities. - b) Google Classroom is a free web-based classroom where differentiated tasks and activities are posted for children. Additional resources e.g. PowerPoints, videos, worksheets etc are linked into the lesson and instructions are given. Work set here can be submitted for feedback by the teacher. This resource is a vehicle for the delivery of many subject areas and brings the range of lesson resources together, selected by the teacher, in one place for the children to access. - c) Times Table Rock Stars is a mathematics online learning resources that helps boost times table recall. It is a sequenced programme of daily timetables practice. It is supports pupils’ engagement and builds on their key foundation skills to Mathematics. - Learning Packs: A learning pack is prepared to support home learning when remote learning goes on for longer periods (e.g. half a term or more) and this is known in advance. These consist of targeted activity workbooks, basic stationary, whiteboards & pens and exercise books. Engagement and feedback What are your expectations for my child’s engagement and the support that we as parents and carers should provide at home? - Create and display (for use in the home) a clear timetable for the week to help your child structure their day. This will also help older children to know when they should be on live streaming session, completing independent work, quiet reading and work on online resources. This will also help your child distinguish between weekdays and weekends, to separate school life and home life. - Identify and show your child a designated working space for their learning and studies during the day. During sessions ensure there are no distractions such as games or TV screens. - Live lessons: Help your child to follow the rules that parents and carers agreed to regarding: Behaviour Cameras on Screens muted Full participation. - Communication: Discuss the weekly timetable, posted on the school website, and the resources needed with your child. - Weekdays: Agree wake up times and bedtimes as though school is in normal session. Support your child to wake up and be dressed by 9:00am to start on independent tasks or join their live sessions. At the end of the day have a clear cut-off to signal school time is over. Treat homework at the weekend with less formality. - Every morning help your child to log into Google Classroom to check for any information and the independent tasks set for them. Keep login details in a visible place for easy view or reach. Decide if they should complete it on the device or in their book and then they could take a photograph to upload. - Balance Activities: Make time for short physical exercises and breaks throughout the day to keep your child active. Guidance is available on the school website. - Punctuality and Attendance: Ensure that your child is ready at the start of every live session and have their books to hand. Parents must make sure their child logs into their live sessions, which is similar to making sure your child attends school for education. - Daily Checks: Parents are responsible for checking that their child has completed their independent work on Google Classroom and have uploaded a picture or document for the teachers to view. Parents need to check daily that their child/ren is/are completing all the tasks set. - Support - Some children will need extra support to focus on learning through a Google Meet or accessing the Google Classroom. - Parents can communicate directly with teachers on matters concerning learning at [email protected]. How will you check whether my child is engaging with their work and how will I be informed if there are concerns? Attendance is taken daily in every session. Also, at the end of every week, teachers track engagement with learning tasks on Google classroom and record pupils who have completed all, some or none of the work set. Teachers also check for pupils engaging with online resources like Times Tables RockStars and Literacy Planet. Members of the Senior Leadership Team monitor this information. Parents and carers of pupils who fail to engage, are contacted through phone calls to discuss the reason for non-engagement, share learning expectations and explore if further support is needed. Where pupils, persistently leave sessions early, regularly struggle with punctuality or are not meeting their potential with their independent work on the Google classroom, parents would be informed seeking their support to address the concern. How will you assess my child’s work and progress? Feedback can take many forms and may not always mean extensive written comments for individual children. For example, whole-class feedback or quizzes marked automatically via digital platforms are also valid and effective methods, amongst many others. Our approach to feeding back on pupil work is as follows: - Work completed during live sessions will be marked and pupils will receive feedback immediately. - Independent work completed within 48 hours from the day it was set on Google Classroom will receive an acknowledgement or feedback depending on the subject and task. - Some work completed in live sessions or as a follow-up task would be marked in the next live session. We expect pupils to reflect on the success criteria of the lessons and self-evaluate the learning. Additional support for pupils with particular needs How will you work with me to help my child who needs additional support from adults at home to access remote education? We recognise that some pupils, for example some pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), may not be able to access remote education without support from adults at home. We acknowledge the difficulties this may place on families, and we will work with parents and carers to support those pupils in the following ways: - Work is planned, by the teacher, to meet the individual needs of the child - Learning packs that support the online learning and activities that suit the individual child’s needs. - Advice available to parents, from teachers and the SENCO on strategies to help their child engage with the learning online and the teaching time reduced to help the child stay focussed for the complete teaching sessions. - Younger children are learning through songs, stories and creative activities prepared by the teachers for online learning. - Welfare calls made to parents, by the SENCO Ms Largie, to check children are learning successfully at home. - In addition to our online offer, we also use the Nessy app for children with dyslexia. - A Resource Bank with resources such as hundred squares, number lines, word banks, phonics cards, useful websites are available to parents so they can support their child’s learning. - If interventions are required by external providers e.g. Outreach or Speech and Language, these will be communicated to parents so that Zoom sessions can be held. For safeguarding reasons, an additional adult would have to present during the call (either from home or school). Remote education for self-isolating pupils Where individual pupils need to self-isolate but the majority of their peer group remains in school, how remote education is provided will likely differ from the approach for whole groups. This is due to the challenges of teaching pupils both at home and in school. If my child is not in school because they are self-isolating, how will their remote education differ from the approaches described above? Pupils who are self-isolating will have their daily work set on Google Classroom to match the activities being covered in school. As usual work completed within 48hrs from the date it was set will receive feedback. Pupils can complete work in their home exercise books and then take a picture to upload their completed work. For pupils with additional needs or SEND the Inclusion department will plan and agree personalised support for the child’s remote learning. On the second or third day of self-isolation if needed by the pupil, a learning pack with targeted resources, worksheets and stationery will be dropped outside their house door, if the child lives within a 1.5 mile radius around the school. This depends on school having the available capacity to cover this.	https://www.st-marymagdalens.lewisham.sch.uk/Remote-Education-provision-information-for-parents/
The new senior center: San Diego Oasis takes shape as an online community While she was battling coronavirus, Spanish teacher Gladis Jiménez was thinking of her students from San Diego Oasis, a center offering lifelong learning and healthy living classes for students age 50 or older. Visitors weren’t able to come see her during her two-week stay in the hospital, and feelings of loneliness grew during her time there. “I learned my lesson from being in the hospital for two weeks, completely isolated,” she said. “The nurses came in and they just did their thing and left, so no conversation at all. I was thinking about these students that I have in Oasis.” The 52-year-old worried that the members of her classes, whom she’s become friends with over the years, were experiencing the same feelings of social isolation during the state’s stay-at-home order. Now that she has returned to her home in Hillcrest, Jiménez is back to teaching older adults online. In March, San Diego Oasis shifted from its regular in-person format to a smaller number of online-only classes. As the length of time people are stuck at home has increased, the virtual space has grown into a global senior center. So far, 3,122 people have participated in the 244 online programs. Older adults from across the country — and as far away as Canada and China — are participating in the courses, support groups and book clubs as a way to continue a sense of community, said Simona Valanciute, San Diego Oasis CEO and president. “The fascinating thing is that we used to be a very local, very family-oriented group of people,” Valanciute said. “Now that we’ve gone virtual, not only are we keeping our ‘family Oasis feel,’ we are also gaining people and perspectives from all over the world.” As more people join the platform, Oasis has been able to adapt quickly to their needs. Instead of the usual six-month lead time before a class starts, classes can be created and launched in real time based on student requests. As the state’s stay-at-home order was put in place, many organizations serving seniors shifted to online models because they can no longer serve the community face to face. The average student at Oasis is 71 years old, putting them in a demographic that’s vulnerable to social isolation and loneliness. Isolation can lead to a decline in physical health, according to the National Institute on Aging, so although social distancing is important in safeguarding older populations from coronavirus, they may suffer in other ways. Through the online classes and group meetings, students are able to socialize and catch up with their friends. And they’re learning new digital skills — like how to video conference — that they may not have used otherwise. “We know from a lot of research that seniors have a difficult time adopting new technology,” Valanciute said, “but with the correct support and pace for seniors to learn, once they master those technology skills, they will become the most loyal, consistent technology users.” Learning these tools now could have positive long-term affects on how seniors interact with friends and family in the future. Bob and Joann Mogg, who are both 61, have taken more than 187 classes at San Diego Oasis since they retired six years ago. They have participated in several classes since they were shifted to an online format in March to stay intellectually active. “I think getting out and getting exposed to different concepts and other people’s views is really valuable,” Bob said. The experience has inspired him to use Zoom for other purposes, like setting up Dungeons and Dragons quests with his friends. The tabletop role-playing game used to be one of his regular hobbies, until his friends became too busy to play. Bob thinks that it’s now a good time to restart while everyone is social distancing at home. “It’s hard to get a whole cast of people together,” he said. “I figure now that they’re trapped in their homes, they might start looking for entertainment, so it might be a little easier to put that together.” For more information on Oasis class offerings, call (619) 881-6262 or visit www.SanDiegoOasis.org. Get CaregiverSD in your inbox on Mondays Helpful tips, information and resources from caregiverSD.com in your inbox Monday mornings. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune.	https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/caregiver/news-for-caregivers/story/2020-05-19/the-new-senior-center-san-diego-oasis-takes-shape-as-an-online-community
Sorry, this vacancy is now closed and applications can’t be submitted! - Salary £26,000 - £27,000 pro rata (3 days/week) per year - Location Home-based,E16, London - Job Type Contract, Part-time - Category Training , Digital - Sectors Social Welfare - Job Reference : 0820 Job Description We are looking for an experienced multi-skilled person to take on the challenge of delivering online training and support to digitally unconfident older people. Role purpose Our face to face @online programmes have run successfully for several years, but have been paused due to the pandemic. The main purpose of the role is to work with the CEO, project trainers and volunteers, to reconfigure @online programme services for older people so that they are compliant with social distancing requirements and can continue to meet funder objectives, to market the revised services to partners in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, and to take responsibility for running the new programme, supported as required by trainers and volunteers. Aims of the services The overall aim of our @online club services for older people is to reduce social isolation through providing participants with the confidence and skills to go online to increase contact with family and friends, and by accessing information and undertake transactions that will maintain their independence and resilience. Service reconfiguration - To work with the CEO in developing a practical learning approach and protocols which allow older people to continue to learn online skills, compliant with social distancing requirements - To review (with the trainer) the current telephone advice line, and recommend adjustments Service delivery - To deliver training sessions within the postholder’s area of competence - To support external trainers/volunteers during groups sessional activity Monitoring and evaluation - To ensure member and volunteer feedback is captured and analysed in line with funder and Newham New Deal Partnership requirements Service quality and administration - To ensure Good Neighbours protocols are observed at sessions, and any barriers to users having a full experience are identified and addressed - To receive and process registrations of club members, in line with funder requirements, including entering data onto the Lamplight database - To develop/adapt information to learners as required - To work with the volunteer coordinator on volunteer protocols Service publicity - To promote services online - To undertake Zoom webinars to partner organisations - To work closely with partner organisations to deliver services to their members - Writing a regular @online club newsletter to club members Other - To maintain the stock of iPads and android devices, including updating/ recharging them as required - To work with volunteers/other members of staff as required The successful applicant will be expected to deliver loaned iPads to participating organisations. Please apply with a cv. and supporting statement demonstrating how you meet the personal qualities and experience specified in the job description. The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.	https://ncvo.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/newham-new-deal-partnership/digital-inclusion-worker-older-people-/706787?isVolunteerSearch=False&utm_source=NCVOSite&utm_medium=PoweredBySite&utm_campaign=SiteNCVO
By Tricia Toso Family can sometimes overwhelmingly preoccupy one’s time, thoughts, and energy, but few can say they have a PhD in family relations. Dr. Shannon Hebblethwaite, associate professor in Applied Human Sciences at Concordia University and co-applicant in the ACT project, researches the dynamics of families and their shared leisure time. The ambivalences and beliefs, pleasures and practices of family and family communications are as complex as common, yet often overlooked and understudied. Hebblethwaite’s work addresses some of the lapses in our understanding of the entanglements of family relations with place, presence, and technologies. Some of her more recent research looks at the ways in which information communication technologies (ICTs), (e.g., iPads, laptops, smartphones and platforms such as Skype, and FaceTime) are used in the maintenance of family relationships. I had a chance to speak with her recently about her most recent research and learn a little more about the complexities of family communications, in particular the benefits and challenges that grandparents experience. Expanding both geographically and conceptually on a previous research project (Grannies on the Net: Facilitating Intergenerational Family Communication Through Facebook) with Dr. Loredana Ivan of the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration in Romania that explored grandmothers’ experiences of Facebook, Hebblethwaite and Ivan are collaborating with researchers in Peru, Columbia, Israel, Spain and Italy to consider the ways in which different families in different cultures engage with ICTs. Digital platforms can often provide inexpensive and accessible means to communicate with family living abroad, but as Hebblethwaite points out there has been limited research done on the technological needs of older adults that allow for the strengthening of communications among geographically dispersed family members. Despite ageist stereotypes, grandparents, and in particular grandmothers, are increasingly using digital technologies to communicate with their children and their grandchildren to maintain intergenerational relationships. “Kids can see their grandparents and remember who they are and what they look like. They can be together, engaged with one another and not necessarily have to rely solely on the verbal exchanges you have to have over the phone; grandmothers say it is a huge benefit despite the rapidly changing technologies that they identify as challenging,” says Hebblethwaite. Her current work is broadening the research scope by thinking about the meanings family members attach to ICTs in the context of their families, friends, and leisure time. These meanings are of course situated in larger social phenomena such as increased global mobility and the assimilation of new digital technologies into everyday life, as well as the social discourses of ‘active aging’. It is here, at the nexus of ICTs, place, and aging that Hebblethwaite has been exploring the effects of new technologies and digital platforms on family relations. Through a range of platforms […] older adults have a means to participate in the daily family routines of their children and grandchildren… Social discourses on and representations of older adults’ use of ICTs range from the hopelessly incompetent to the exceptional super-user who navigates social platforms and audiences with aplomb. This diametric obscures the inequalities older adults face in regard to access to ICTs, as well as their reflective and measured use of digital media. As Hebblethwaite points out, despite the sense of uneasiness many older adults experience when technologies and social media platforms change, they do adopt and adapt to new media landscapes. Video chat technologies have become commonplace for grandparents, and through a range of platforms such as Facebook, Skype and WhatsApp, older adults have a means to participate in the daily family routines of their children and grandchildren who may live across the country or overseas. They also use ICTs as a leisure activity. Hebblethwaite says: “They use digital technologies as a way to have more regular contact with family, as well as their friends. Some of them play online games like Solitaire, or use it to help find a movie listing or plan trips. They didn’t necessarily conceptualize their use as a “recreational activity”, but there was a simultaneous leisure with ICT engagement as they watched TV and checked Facebook or messaged people.” Hebblethwaite’s research suggests older adults adopt a purposeful use that often centres around maintaining interpersonal relationships, rather than the self promotion younger generations often engage in (Hebblethwaite and Ivan, 2016). This measured use is understood by older adults as a way of keeping their families and homes safe from potential harm, as well as respecting social codes that define decency and appropriate public disclosure. Perhaps surprisingly, older adults also practice measured use of ICTs as a way of modelling good digital citizenry to their children and grandchildren. Hebblethwaite argues that grandparents use their interactions on social media platforms such as Facebook to instil in their children and grandchildren what is appropriate and safe to share in public and what is not. In addition, the use of digital media in role modelling extends beyond online behaviour. Grandparents use digital media to teach grandchildren about their family histories and stories, pass on values, and the sense of family as central. Young children learn to recognize their distant grandparents’ faces and school age children will practice reading with a grandparent through video calls. Hebblethwaite’s personal recollection of her parents playing hide n’ seek with their grandchildren via Skype demonstrates the potential for playfulness and use of ICTs in leisure activities. Grandparents can experience the feeling of being there’ as they interact and watch their distant families go about their everyday lives. Hebblethwaite has also observed that the intergenerational learning is reciprocal. As much as grandparents help with homework or give home decorating advice through digital media, their grandchildren teach their grandparents how to use things, how to update software and adapt to the various and continual changes in social media interfaces. “It is a fun intergenerational interaction to watch and to hear them talk about the kids who have shown them how use ICTs and social media platforms. How to take a video on their phone instead of a photo, or how to get onto FaceTtime, and the grandparents are amazed at what at a very young age kids are capable of at a very young age,” Hebblethwaite explains. She says that older adults embrace the opportunity to learn from their grandchildren. Grandparents are often very purposeful in these kinds of interactions Hebblethwaite suggests; that they are encouraging their grandkids to learn how to teach, whether it involves developing verbal and communication, or interpersonal skills. There is teaching within teaching that is both reciprocal and fosters intergenerational interaction. As Grannies on the Net: Comparative Case Study of Canada, Romania, Peru, Israel, Spain, Italy and Columbia expands to include focus groups from a number of countries around the world, Hebblethwaite is curious to see how different cultural norms and traditions intersect with the use of ICTs in family interactions. She cites the different understandings of grandparenting in Canada and Romania to explain. In Canada there is the concept of non-interference: grandparents are expected to be involved and available for child care or assistance, but not to meddle. Whereas in Romania there is no such notion. The expectation is that grandparents are going to meddle and be intrusive. The concept of non-interference grandparenting is often enacted on social media sites through the care Canadian grandparents will take in not posting potentially embarrassing photographs or comments on Facebook. She is interested in comparing how grandparents from different cultures interact with their children and grandchildren on social media sites, as well as how they use ICTs to pass on their cultural values and family histories. Despite some of the challenges older adults face in the adoption of ICTs into their everyday lives, Hebblethwaite says that their experiences have largely been positive, “it has facilitated them to be in more regular contact and involved in the everyday lives of their families without actually living in the same place. Video chat and seeing photos on Facebook makes a big difference in the grandparent-grandchild bond.” Ivan, Loredana and Shannon Hebblethwaite. “Grannies on the Net: Grandmothers’ Experiences of Facebook in Family Communication” Romanian Journal of Communication and Publication. 18 (1) April, 2016. 11-25. Tricia Toso is a PhD student in Communications Studies and a research assistant with ACT.	http://actproject.ca/skyping-grandma-the-role-of-icts-in-everyday-family-life/
Please donate and help the Mercer Area Library continue to offer its services to your local community. The library has served the community for 100 years and continues to enrich the lives of community members with access to educational and entertainment resources. The library is proud to provide services and help adults, teens, and children in many ways, including: - Becoming lifelong libary lovers and readers - Developing critical literacy and 21st Century Library skills - Locating a wide variety of resources in print and digital form - Finding employment and applying for jobs - Learning about Mercer's rich local history - Accessing eBooks and audio books - Exploring and learning more about technology and its applications - Participating in fun, interactive, and interesting activities Financial Donations: Your donations will go to books, programs, resources, and general library operations. Donations are tax-deductible. Please mail donations to: Mercer Area Library 110 E. Venango Street Mercer, PA 16137 You may also make contributions online through PayPal: Donate Books to the Library: The library accepts donations of gently used books, games, puzzles, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, and magazines. We often will add donated books to our collection, or we will also take donations for our used book sales. Donated items must pass a brief inspection. Please, no Reader's Digest books, encyclopedias, textbooks, dictionaries, video or audio cassettes, or damaged books. Please bring books to the circulation desk of the library.	https://www.mercerarealibrary.org/support
Great digital divide: technology advances at a high rate and senior adults cannot adapt to this rate on their own, so there are many actions that they cannot perform. - Intergenerational gap: young adults do not have the necessary social skills to interact with older seniors. OBJECTIVES - Improving the digital skills of senior adults to facilitate them using necessary digital tools and applications or those of standardized use, which will allow them to actively participate in society. - Increasing the training offer of adult education centers, with new strategies that invite people to participate in training based on the intergenerational learning methodology. - Enhancing the number of adults involved in education by designing new programs and strategies capable of attracting the attention of adults in a real way. TARGET GROUP - Direct target group: Seniors - Indirect target group: young adults, low-skilled, unskilled, unemployed or not in education or work (NEET); also, adult educators and senior center managers. WORKING PLAN The project lifespan goes from the 1st of December 2021 to the 30th of November 2023. PARTNERSHIP NEWSLETTER 1st Newsletter 2nd Newsletter 3rd Newsletter 4th Newsletter RESULTS - An international online learning community hosting successful projects and resources based on the intergenerational learning methodology that support the introduction of this learning methodology in centers, institutions and entities that work with young adults and seniors. - Audiovisual reproduction channel, based on an active and dynamic transnational network of transmission and instantaneous interaction of knowledge and experiences among adults, seniors and young people. Tutorials will be divided per areas of interest and will also be based on key competencies, such as: citizenship, family and values, labor market and professions, life experiences, health, environment, economy, etc.	https://www.asociaciondeses3.com/copia-de-safe-informed-volunteering
As you might expect of a hotel so blessed in its setting – fresh local produce is the particular speciality. Our extensive menus offer an interesting choice of traditional Scottish, and a few International favourites, chosen and carefully prepared by The Atholl Arms’ skilled team of chefs. Our chefs prepare special dishes daily. Freshly cooked, uncomplicated cuisine, easy on the palate with local flavours always shining through. Our chefs use Scotlands finest produce to compile menus to showcase the best qualities of these ingredients and present them in the glorious Baronial Dining Room, complete with minstrels' gallery - or the lounge bar, and characterful highland Bothy Bar. Be it an informal light meal or an evening meal you can be assured of the best quality food, fine wines and magnificent surroundings with an unmistakeably Scottish highland character and feel.	https://www.athollarmshotel.co.uk/dining/restaurant-and-bar.html
There’s more to books about food than just recipes. They can touch on the histories of culture, travel and more from around the world. Our collections reflect this diversity. They include books on edible plants and animal resources as they existed all over the world. They look at how cuisines evolved and ‘travelled’ across the world as explorers and adventurers travelled far and wide, bringing back with them foods and flavourings from their journeys. The ancient trade route known as “the Silk Road” is one such example which carried/brought so many aspects of life and living across from the Far East through to Italy and then the rest of Europe. The Library’s resources, both print and non-print, cover aspects of this culture – including food culture and the plants or animals consumed in a range of different combinations across countries. We also have a range of resources of foods on health and nutrition, as well as cookery for people with various allergies or health conditions. The Library’s resources – many not on display – also include books by renowned Australian chefs and restaurateurs and, in some cases, their papers in our Manuscripts collection. There are copies of menus from restaurants in our Pictures Collection – quite a few of the images are digitised and viewable online. We also have an excellent research guide to Food in Victoria, which will help interested persons search more fully the breadth and depth of our collections on this subject. In addition to the above link the Library’s website has interviews with famous chefs as well as images from our collections. Visit this fabulous Gusto microsite for more.	https://blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/our-stories/get-a-taste-of-the-cuisines-of-the-world/
This group includes various types of chefs who plan and direct food preparation and cooking activities and who prepare and cook meals and specialty foods. They are employed in restaurants, hotels, hospitals and other health care institutions, central food commissaries, clubs and similar establishments, and on ships. The employment outlook over the next few years for this occupational group is “good”, which indicates the chances of a qualified individual finding work is better than average when compared to other occupations in Nova Scotia. This is a fairly large occupation in Nova Scotia so job opportunities occur fairly regularly. The number employed in this occupation is expected to grow moderately over the next few years, which will likely provide some additional opportunities for employment. With a large percent of workers being 55 years of age and older, retirements are expected to be a key contributor to employment opportunities over the coming years. Chefs most commonly work full-time hours. Furthermore, the jobs are typically permanent positions. With employment conditions being somewhat seasonal, periods of downtime or layoff throughout the year affect some workers. The median employment income for 59% of Chefs who worked full-time, year-round in 2015 was $36,746. Across all occupations in Nova Scotia, 59% of those who worked full-time year round had a median employment income of $43,600. Plan and direct food preparation and cooking activities of several restaurants in an establishment, restaurant chains, hospitals or other establishments with food services. Consult with clients regarding weddings, banquets and specialty functions. Plan menus and ensure food meets quality standards. Estimate food requirements and may estimate food and labour costs. Supervise activities of sous-chefs, specialist chefs, chefs and cooks. Supervise activities of specialist chefs, chefs, cooks and other kitchen workers. Demonstrate new cooking techniques and new equipment to cooking staff. May plan menus and requisition food and kitchen supplies. Prepare and cook complete meals or specialty foods, such as pastries, sauces, soups, salads, vegetables and meat, poultry and fish dishes, and create decorative food displays for special events such as banquets. Instruct cooks in preparation, cooking, garnishing and presentation of food. Supervise cooks and other kitchen staff. This work requires initiative, imagination, and creativity. Knowledge of basic nutrition and cooking methods is needed. You should understand and apply the rules of hygiene, sanitation, and occupational safety. Organization, time management, and the ability to perform under pressure are important. You must have good physical health, physical stamina, and manual dexterity. You will be required to establish good working relationships with a variety of co-workers and customers and display a professional attitude. Cook's trade certification, which is available in Nova Scotia, or equivalent credentials, training and experience, are required. Executive chefs usually require management training and several years of experience in commercial food preparation, including two years in a supervisory capacity and experience as a sous-chef, specialist chef or chef. Sous-chefs, specialist chefs and chefs usually require several years of experience in commercial food preparation. Red Seal Endorsement (RSE) for cooks is also available to qualified chefs upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination. Chef de cuisine certification, administered by the Canadian Culinary Institute of the Canadian Federation of Chefs and Cooks (CFCC), is available to qualified chefs. There is some mobility among the various types of chefs in this group. Executive chefs may progress to managerial positions in food preparation establishments. This instructional program class includes any program that prepares individuals to serve under the supervision of chefs and other food service professionals as kitchen support staff and commercial food preparation workers. These programs include courses in kitchen organization and operations, sanitation and quality control, basic food preparation and cooking skills, kitchen and kitchen equipment maintenance, and quantity food measurement and monitoring.	https://explorecareers.novascotia.ca/occupation/249
The National Restaurant Association surveyed 1,791 American Culinary Federation member chefs in October-November, asking them to rate 223 individual food items, beverages, cuisines and culinary themes as a “hot trend,” “yesterday’s news,” or “perennial favorite” on restaurant menus in 2012. According to the survey the top 10 menu trends for next year will be: - Locally sourced meats and seafood - Locally grown produce - Healthful kids’ meals - Hyper-local items - Sustainability as a culinary theme - Children’s nutrition as a culinary theme - Gluten-free/food allergy-conscious items - Locally produced wine and beer - Sustainable seafood - Whole grain items in kids’ meals I've never been trendy, I mean, you should just see some of my junior high school yearbook photos (yikes). So to me "local" is a perennial favorite. Anyway, if you're food dork like me, you'll want to check out the entire survey results. What do you think of the list?	http://www.localfoodrocks.com/2011/12/local-remains-hot-trend.html
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The College Libraries are now open to the HCCC community - https://library.hccc.edu/reopening Visit HCCC.EDU My Account \| Library FAQs Toggle navigation HCCC Libraries About Library Hours Library Events Code of Conduct Library Policies Staff Directory Find Newspapers Books & eBooks Journals Videos Google Scholar Research Databases A-Z Research Guides Citation Help Off-Campus Access Ask a Librarian Services Archives Borrow/Renew/Return Collection Development Library Instruction MakerSpace Technology Information For Students Faculty & Staff Alumni Visitors Accessibility search this site HCCC Libraries HCCC Libraries Research Guides Culinary Arts Internet Resources Search this Guide Search Culinary Arts To assist students enrolled in HCCC Culinary Arts Program Home Kitchen Management Beverages Hot & Cold Food Preparation Healthy Cusine American Cuisine Ethnic Food Preparation Baking & Desserts Internet Resources Contact Us Menu Atlas Obscura: 38 Food Museums 38 Museums Devoted Entirely to Food, From the Delicious to the Disgusting Cookbooks and Home Economics These fascinating books take us back to an America in the early decades of the 20th century covering topics on cookery, textiles, family and home, budgeting, domestic sciences, and many other delightful topics. Cornell University Rare Cookery Book Collection The Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections contains more than 3,000 rare cookery books dating from the 15th century onwards. These materials trace the evolution of recipes and home remedies, restaurants, the rise of national cuisines, food production, distribution, and marketing, nutrition, dieting, and home entertaining. Other works feature the writings of great cooks and food authors, past and present. French culinary history is especially well represented by the works of noted chefs and gourmands, such as François Pierre de La Varenne, Menon, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, Marie Antonin Carême, and Auguste Escoffier. The Culinary Institute of America Historic Menu Archive Housed in the Hilton library, this special collection of more than 25,000 menus includes menus from CIA restaurants, along with gifts from major menu collectors, including George Lang, Chapman S. Root, Vinnie Oakes, and Roy Andries de Groot. Assembled over decades, the collection illustrates the history of dining in America and abroad. Menus come from all 50 states and more than 80 countries, as well as from ships, railroads, and airlines. Digest This Digest This is a weekly email newsletter featuring the most important food news from farm to fork culled from credible sources by award-winning food journalist Dave Joachim. He reads all the important food newsletters, newspapers, magazines, blogs, social media, and more, so you don’t have to. FoodKeeper The FoodKeeper helps you understand food and beverages storage. It will help you maximize the freshness and quality of items. By doing so you will be able to keep items fresh longer than if they were not stored properly. The FOOD Museum the food museum exploring and celebrating food Food Reference Website Foodreference.com is an information website - all about food. Long articles about food, short facts and trivia, cooking tips, recipes etc. Historic Menus Online This historic cooking web site contains thousands of links pertaining to open hearth, bake oven, wood stove and other pre WWI forms of cooking and related subjects, with more than 1,000 online historic cookbooks and about 300 museums with cooking demonstrations. Numerous categories include glossaries , period images of cooking , clothing , menus , stew stoves , recipe index , pictures, and historic measurements . International Association of Culinary Professionals IACP is a worldwide forum for the development and exchange of information, knowledge, and inspiration within the professional food and beverage community. Now with nearly 3,000 members from more than 32 countries, IACP's greatest resource is its multi-faceted membership, which includes chefs, restaurateurs, foodservice operators, writers, photographers, stylists, marketers, nutritionists, and academia, hailing from hospitality, tourism, publishing, and many other disciplines. Many of the resources under "Connect," such as newsletters, are freely available. Ira Silverman Railroad Menu Collection The Ira Silverman Railroad Menu Collection consists of 238 items: 227 menus and eleven pamphlets. Thirty-five United States and Canadian railroads are represented in the collection. All menus were issued by their respective railroad. Just Food Just Food provides daily, need-to-know news and insight on the global packaged-food industry. The international team of journalists and experts produces a diet of news, analysis, opinion, and interviews with top executives, focusing on the corporate strategies of branded and own-label food manufacturers. Looking at the industry through the eyes of a packaged-food manufacturer, Just Food reports on what the major events and trends in retail and foodservice mean for the suppliers in those channels. The site also explores what the emerging product, consumer, and technology trends could mean for the packaged food industry. Museum of Food and Drink Food is culture. Discover why at the Museum of Food and Drink. The Old Foodie: Online Menu A food history story and recipe every weekday of the year. The Oxford Symposium Explore food culture, history, and creativity. University of Washington Menus Collection This collection represents menus, placemats, and other graphic materials from many of the Puget Sound area's most famous restaurants and dining facilities in the years between 1889 and 2003. Materials can be used for classroom use, student projects, personal display, or research. Formal permission is required for all other uses. Other uses include, but are not limited to, publication, broadcast, products, commercial display, websites, etc. What's on the Menu? With approximately 45,000 menus dating from the 1840s to the present, The New York Public Library’s restaurant menu collection is one of the largest in the world, used by historians, chefs, novelists and everyday food enthusiasts. << Previous: Baking & Desserts Next: Contact Us >> Last Updated: Sep 13, 2021 12:41 PM URL: https://library.hccc.edu/CulinaryArts Print Page Login to LibApps Report a problem Subjects: Culinary Arts Tags: Cooking , cuisine , culinary food , culture , Food Preparation , Gourmet Cooking Information for: Students Faculty Alumni Visitors Accessibility Off-Campus Users Find us on Instagram YouTube FaceBook Twitter Library News Gabert Library 71 Sip Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07306 (201) 360-4360 NHC Library 4800 Kennedy Blvd, 3rd floor Union City, NJ 07087 (201) 360-4605 Database A-Z Research Guides Citation Help Ask a Librarian MakerSpace Library Instruction Academic Liaisons Library Staff Login © 2021 Hudson County Community College. All Rights Reserved.	https://library.hccc.edu/c.php?g=417998&p=6750573
Sinclair Philip, Co-Owner of Sooke Harbor House One of North America's most iconic chefs, Sinclair Philip has only worked in one kitchen, the kitchen at Sooke Harbor House, a 28-guestroom Vancouver Island resort that he took over with his wife, Frederique, in 1979. Ever since, the couple's cooking style has played a key role in defining British Columbia cuisine. American Gourmet Magazine even named Sooke Harbor House the "Best Restaurant in the World for Authentic, Local Cuisine." Today, Sinclair and Frederique work with a team of chefs to put the bounty of Vancouver Island onto a plate. They have a year-round garden, and as divers and foragers, they have cultivated an intimate knowledge of rare berries, mushrooms and fish. The menus at Sooke Harbor House also regularly feature ingredients traditionally used by First Nations people. 1. How do you describe Northwest cuisine? Broadly speaking, the term cuisine denotes a cooking style, but usually, it also implies a sense of tradition. Our region was historically home to local cuisines, but they differed from the more recognized cuisines of the world, such as regional Chinese; regional Italian, such as the two Sicilian cooking styles; regional Japanese; and regional French, since the latter stemmed largely from peasant agrarian societies. In regions with recognized cuisines, dishes are characterized by a collection of traditional, typical recipes that have stood the test of time and are largely based on a broad adherence to the use of local ingredients. A sense of belonging is also attached to the idea of cuisine, where people share a common understanding of how and why the ingredients are put together and the story this represents. For cuisine to exist, there must be a feeling of shared values and customs among the people, an incipient sense of belonging or wanting to belong. The people of these same areas recognize the dishes and cuisine as their own, and outsiders also recognize these cuisines to be of that region. For dishes to become part of a regional cuisine, they must also be accepted in home kitchens. Of course, cuisines evolve and, as a matter of course, new ingredients and techniques are gradually absorbed into the cooking style alongside local ingredients. In our region, in a very short period of time, we went straight from a hunter-gatherer to an industrial cuisine. Earlier food styles, whether First Nations, Native American, or early settlement, have largely disappeared, and today, our food style is primarily a globalized industrial model of cuisine with some regional characteristics rather than a clearly identifiable, regional cooking style based on a sense of our history, place and community. Many people in our broad region rarely cook and infrequently prepare their own food largely from raw ingredients. They often eat in their cars and in fast food outlets; they frequently microwave food from a can, a package or a freezer. Most of our food is manufactured, in part, or entirely, outside our home kitchens and takes little time to assemble or eat. Moreover, nearly half our calorie intake today comes from added fats and sugars, not from natural ingredients, and from ingredients from thousands of miles away. Our dining is very individualized, and our cooking is sometimes conspicuous for its stylistic chaos. Occasionally, it is a globalist mishmash without real relevance to the geography of our region. Meals based on ingredients from everywhere and pre-packaged food distribution are becoming increasingly the same in different parts of the world, as well as supported by thousands of advertising messages a year that are paid for by global food conglomerates. Our eating patterns, from very early childhood, are based not on customs, but on corporate profits and commodity pricing. Throughout our wider geographic region, just to give a few examples, historically, some restaurants such as Higgins, Wildwood, The Shelburne Inn, Stone Soup Inn , Burdock and Co., Aurora Bistro, Bishops and others have succeeded in actively showcasing foods from their immediate environs. In Seattle, the Herbfarm has done an outstanding job of educating the public and serving the best food this region has to offer with spectacular results and reviews. Here on Vancouver Island, our restaurant, the Sooke Harbour House has been growing and cooking with sustainable Southern Vancouver Island ingredients successfully for nearly 35 years. It is also encouraging that an increasing number of restaurants, such as Tojo’s in Vancouver and Camille's in Victoria, are serving more and more seasonal, regional, clean and ethically raised foods from their own areas and setting an example for other restaurants, one that home kitchens can follow. A similar trend is beginning to establish itself little by little in the Okanagan Valley. Rob Butters, Jeff Ven Geest, Jonas Stadtlander, to name only a few, are part of a new wave of chefs who increasingly understand the values and flavours associated with local ingredients. Many of these restaurants have helped promote regional consciousness and are building a local food movement, which may eventually lead to accepted area-based cuisines. Authors such as Don Genova on Artisan Foods of Vancouver Island; John Doerper with his series on Pacific Northwest Cuisine; Elizabeth Levinson in The Edible Journey; and Anita Stewart in Flavours of Canada, among many others, have worked to create awareness. Several excellent, regional journalists have also contributed greatly to the understanding of this place-based approach. On some levels, many people are attempting to rebuild a cooking style that is identifiable with a given area, if only to ensure that we have farmers, ranchers and food artisans in the our region in the future. The decline in our farm population is frequently accompanied by a loss of farmland. The knowledge and skills required to restore our farms, rural communities, fisheries and foraged and artisanal foods are rapidly being lost. For farming to remain viable, the economics of farming need to be restored, and small food producers need our encouragement. Others are also trying to combat global warming by buying locally, since the production, transportation, consumption and wastage of food contribute to somewhere between 25 and 50 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. By focusing on the re-localization of food production and purchasing, and encouraging smaller-scale production, cooks in the our region are learning to trust the food they eat again, and this helps to give people a renewed sense of belonging and commitment to a particular place, creating healthier communities and a fertile foundation on which a new regional cuisine can be built. Regional cuisines tend to develop from local ingredients and the enjoyment that nearby populations derive from the delectable dishes. Heavy emphasis on the relocalisation of our food supply would be the first logical step in the creation of Northwest cuisines and, ideally, with an emphasis on purchasing small-scale, certified or non-certified organic produce from neighborhoods when possible at the peak of their flavour, ripeness and healthfulness. In addition to a deeper understanding of the quality of ingredients, their reward will be delicious food. We need to develop a sense of terroir and place, to reassert a regional identity and to create a new sense of community. Some initial groundwork has been laid, and there is still time to build a regional cuisine of our own. ! 2. Who are six of your favorite purveyors that you regularly work with? ALM Farm, Sooke— They supply an excellent selection of certified organic food to our restaurant year-round. Tugwell Creek Meadery and Honey Farm, Sooke— They provide us with excellent meads and wildflower honey. Moonstuck Cheese, Saltspring Island— They make excellent organic, raw Jersey Cow milk cheeses. Venturi Schulze— They provide us with barrel-aged balsamic vinegar and excellent wine. Local wild mushroom purveyors— There are many who supply us with more than 30 kinds of wild mushrooms year-round. I am one of them. Seaflora, Sooke— On occasion, they, along with other foragers, supply us with more than ten kinds of delicious, edible seaweeds. 3. When you go out for a nice meal, what are two or three of your favorite spots? The Herbfarm in Woodinville Tojo in Vancouver Zambris in Victoria 4. Who are two other Northwest chefs that you admire? There are several Northwest chefs that I admire, and it is hard to narrow it down. Andrea Carlson, Burdock and Co., Vancouver— She is highly creative; she has a very fine touch with fresh herbs and flavourings; and she has always made very widespread use of local ingredients throughout her career. She did an extraordinary job when she worked at Sooke Harbour House and at Bishop's Restaurant in Vancouver. Chris Weber, the Herbfarm— He has quite a lot of flair using the ingredients of Washington and Oregon. He worked at Noma in Denmark, which I believe provides great technical and philosophical inspiration to the chefs of our region. Like me, he is an avid forager of wild mushrooms, which I believe connects him to our land and which gives him a direct familiarity with one of the unique wild foodstuffs of our region. He is a very young chef with a great future as an ambassador to the creative cuisine of our region. He has worked in this area for seven years, and there is no better place to learn the very best uses of the ingredients of a our region. 5. In your opinion, is there an area of Northwest cooking that doesn't receive enough attention? A. Geographically, I think that there are several chefs in Eugene-Springfield area that are worthy of our attention. B. I think that far more attention needs to be given to the wild bounty of our region, whether it be First Nations' food stuffs, the vast selection of mushrooms and wild foods including under-utilised seaweeds, fish and shellfish, including freshwater crayfish. 6. Looking toward the future, what are you most excited to do in the kitchen? We have as broad a variety of foods as anywhere else in the world. What excites me the most about this region is the extraordinary abundance of foods, many of which we rarely use, and understanding how to use them creatively.	http://www.ravenoustraveler.com/2015/07/interview-with-sinclair-philip-co-owner.html
“Flavors of Dayton” is a new event that is set to be as delicious as it is eye opening. Hosted at the Dayton Metro Library Opportunity Space, three back-to-back Tuesdays in October will run the new food event series highlighting the talents, cuisines and stories of foreign-born chefs. Funds raised will support Welcome Dayton to help ensure the organization can "continue to provide vital and effective services to the area's immigrants and refugees." • Tuesday, Oct. 15, is Rafael Santillan, Nelly from A Taste of Bolivia. • Tuesday, Oct. 22, is Theresa Barnes from Eden Spice Restaurant • Tuesday, Oct. 29, is George Daoud from CedarLand Bakery & Restaurant. Attendees will not only get to enjoy the food prepared by featured chefs, but chefs will also present the geographic region their food is coming from and conduct a cooking demonstration showcasing several food items from their native country. Welcome Dayton's top fundraising priorities, according to its website, include Program Evaluation, Immigration Legal Assistance and Immigrant Resource Specialists. Tickets for each separate event will no longer be sold five days before the event starts. Tickets are $65 a piece and can be purchased at eventbrite.com. WANT TO GO?	https://www.dayton.com/events/new-delicious-event-will-raise-money-for-immigrant-and-refugee-services/Jd2qFnrXRboLOmfo31Z3eO/
Her Highness, the Ingredient! Brazil is plural. It is a country of contrasts, where diversity is found in every aspect in the life of its people. The same goes for Brazilian cuisine. Choosing a single element to sum up Brazilian cuisine is at the very least challenging, since we are talking about a massive country with over 8.5 million square kilometers of territory and a population of over 200 million. Its people are a melting pot of different ethnic groups, including its indigenous people, Europeans and Africans. In addition to the multiculturalism, the diversification in Brazilian cuisine is also the result of the differences in the climate, terrain, soil types, vegetation and available raw materials that typify each region of the country. When asked about the factor that best explains Brazil's particular spot in the food world, renowned Brazilian chefs Mara Salles and Carole Crema, are unanimous in their response: the quality of local ingredients is the biggest differentiator in Brazilian cuisine. "Our cuisine is very much tied to the natural quality of the ingredient and tied to ground-based kitchens, outdoor cooking fires, the wood-burning stove, the fruit on the tree. We have still not undergone more ancient processes of transforming the ingredient. The cuisine does not have a lot of transformative processes," says Mara Salles, a chef at the Tordesilhas restaurant, located in the city of São Paulo, in southeastern Brazil. She recalls that this pure relationship between Brazilians and ingredients has its origins in the country’s indigenous roots. "The geography in Brazil made everything very easy for the indigenous people. We have a more favorable climate. In other countries in Latin America, such as Peru and Bolivia, in the Andes, the native people had serious problems with temperature; they had to make preserves, store food during the cold season, preserve potatoes in ash, that is, they had so many techniques that we didn't need. The native people here in Brazil harvested and ate. So, we ended up incorporating more of this natural quality, this simple thing, which makes the ingredient stand alone, makes it a protagonist," says Mara. Carole Crema, a cook and pastry chef at La Vie en Douce, also located in São Paulo, believes that local Brazilian ingredients are even better than those used in other famous regional cuisines around the world. "For example, there is a lot of talk about how amazing Mediterranean food is because of its amazing ingredients. But ours are much more incredible. We have an ingredient-based cuisine. It's very regional, very diverse. Brazilians in the north eat maniçoba, fish from the river. In the northeast they also eat a lot of cassava, coconut, there’s a huge variety in local fruit. This is Brazil. Our culture of food revolves around good ingredients," says Carole. And the chefs are right. The care and creativity that each region in Brazil uses to incorporate ingredients and local raw materials into their cooking has been built over the history of this interesting melting pot that characterizes Brazilian cuisine. Dishes made using typical coastal fish come from the famous northeastern culture, while "manteiga de garrafa," a type of clarified butter, and typical Brazilian jerked meats like "carne-de-sol" and "charque" represent the flavors of the sertão region. "The food of the northeast is one of my favorites, especially Bahian food. I like the African mix of coconut with fish and peppers," shares chef Carole Crema. At the other end of the country, in the south, in addition to the traditional gaucho grilled meats, the European influence on the local cuisine is also unique. This influence comes from the significant Italian and German colonization of the region from 1880 to 1930. And in the central-west region, the peculiarity of regional ingredients sets the original tone of recipes, where the stars are freshwater fish, guariroba palm, different types of pirão and fish broths, among other dishes. In the cooking of the southeast, one of the country's wealthiest regions, the cuisine of the state of Minas Gerais is among the most prominent. With its significant Afro-Indigenous influence, main ingredients include annatto, cassava, corn and native sprouts, in addition to pork and chicken, dishes such as arroz carreteiro (a type of dirty rice), tropeiro beans and cracklings make the food of Minas Gerais one of the richest, most flavorful and most appreciated in all of Brazil. "The cuisine of Minas Gerais has this rich quality of having learned from lots of people that came from elsewhere and left a very valuable heritage of flavors, dishes and rules that local cooks learned very well," says Mara Salles. Not only has food from northern Brazil become more popular in the country itself in recent years, but it is also known to delight foreign visitors. Exotic and made using indigenous techniques, it is a cuisine that is dominated by the fruit, fish and vegetables exclusive to the region. "Every type of food in Brazil has something special; they are all notable for something. But I would say that Amazon cuisine, because of the distance and how hard it is to access, is the most entrenched. I love it," says Mara. The two chefs think that the originality of Brazilian cooking is what currently guarantees that the country has such a high profile internationally, gaining more and more prominence among the world's best cuisines. This is partly due to a movement started a few years ago and led by popular local chefs and by trade media, which focuses precisely on appreciation of genuinely Brazilian ingredients. "Brazilians have surely begun to appreciate their products more in recent years. There is more of a focus on family farmers, in addition to a more intense exchange within the country itself between the different types of cuisines we have," says Carole Crema. For Mara Salles, Brazilian cuisine today is "returning to the natural quality of the ingredient, to a pure, good, clean product of good origins that is fresh. "I see a tighter connection between the cuisine and the product, with the premise of not interfering so much in the ingredient, of showing it how it truly is, with its skin, leaves and seeds. This aesthetic beauty of the pure ingredient has even been very much explored. It is a natural quality that has everything to do with our cuisine," says Mara.	https://rfsdelivers.com/restaurant-inc/brazilian-cuisine
So far, the company has made 60 humanitarian freights to transport 66 tonnes of medical supplies and essential goods. Furthermore, Transfesa Logistics has granted the storage of 500 tonnes of food and products in its facilities for the most vulnerable population. Transfesa Logistics has intensified its relief efforts in the last five months, collaborating with various administrations, institutions, and NGOs to face the pandemic. Until the end of July, the company has carried out 60 humanitarian freights in which 66,000 kilos (66 tonnes) of medical equipment and necessities have been transported for the most vulnerable groups. Also, it has given up space in its logistics facilities to store 500,000 kilos (500 tonnes) of food. One of the first social actions was to support shipments of the necessary equipment for the IFEMA field hospital from different points. The company itself also donated respirator masks and, since the beginning of April, the ozone equipment from its mechanical workshop in Alcorcón has been used for cleaning and disinfecting public service vehicles. Another ongoing charity initiative is supporting the Madrina Foundation in assisting children and mothers with insufficient resources. In these special circumstances, we collaborate in the daily distribution of menus prepared for nearly 2,000 families from Madrid and in the delivery of material donations. Likewise, additional space has been assigned to the Food Bank in the group's facilities in Alcalá de Henares. To all this, support is added in the dissemination of projects such as "Ferrosolidarios" to raise funds for the neediest families in the face of the current food emergency. Lastly, to guarantee the maximum possible support in transport and logistics to the institutions with which the Deutsche Bahn AG group collaborates, Transfesa Logistics has agreed to collaborate with DB Schenker and Arriva in the humanitarian initiatives carried out by each one of them against the coronavirus. One of the pillars of the company is a commitment to the environment in which it operates. For this reason, the different social actions, such as transportation and aid storage, will remain as a permanent activity.	https://www.magazine-industry-usa.com/news/30085-transfesa-logistics-transports-66-tonnes-of-humanitarian-aid-during-the-pandemic
A rare outbreak of typhoid fever has been linked to smoothies made with frozen mamey fruit pulp made by Goya. [AP] Molecular chefs in Scandinavia and elsewhere focus on terroir and local ingredients, often gathered by teams of foragers, rather than flavors made in a lab. [Wall Street Journal] Seoul, South Korea, has become quite the foodie city, with international cuisines now available and high-end Korean food becoming more commonplace. [Wall Street Journal] A new farm-to-city pipeline sends low-cost fresh fruits and vegetables from upstate New York to poor urban neighborhoods in the South Bronx and Harlem. [CP] New legislation in San Francisco would limit toy giveaways at fast-food restaurants, allowing only for “happy meals” with a total calorie count of 600.	https://www.villagevoice.com/2010/08/13/typhoid-outbreak-linked-to-smoothies-more-on-foraging-chefs/
As humans continue to alter tropical landscapes across the world, it is important to understand what environmental factors help determine the persistence of biodiversity in modified ecosystems. Studies on well-known taxonomic groups can offer critical insights as to the fate of biodiversity in these modified systems. This study investigated species-specific responses of 44 forest-associated bird species with different behavioural traits to forest disturbance in 171 transects distributed across 31 landscapes in two regions of the eastern Brazilian Amazon. The authors investigated patterns of species occurrence in primary forests varyingly disturbed by selective-logging and fire and examined the relative importance of local, landscape and historical environmental variables in determining species occurrences. Within undisturbed and disturbed primary forest transects, they found that distance to forest edge and the biomass of large trees were the most important predictors driving the occurrence of individual species. However, they also found considerable variation in species responses to different environmental variables as well as inter-regional variation in the responses of the same species to the same environmental variables. The authors advocate the utility of using species-level analyses to complement community-wide responses in order to uncover highly variable and species-specific responses to environmental change that remain so poorly understood.	https://www.sei.org/publications/idiosyncratic-responses-of-amazonian-birds-to-primary-forest-disturbance/
The phenomenon of bird migration has long fascinated its human observers, who have been continually impressed by the sheer scale and regularity of the movements. It has repeatedly prompted familiar questions about birds, such as where do they go or come from, how do they know when and where to travel, and how do they find their way? For more than a century now, bird movements have been subjected to scientific study, and by increasingly sophisticated methodology. In the past 25 years, hardly a year has gone by without the publication of a new book or symposium volume dealing with some aspect of bird migration, and each year dozens of papers have appeared in the scientific journals. In this book, I hope to provide an up-to-date synthesis of much of this information, taking account of both older and newer findings. However, the emphasis throughout is on ecological aspects: on the different types of bird movements, how they relate to food supplies and other external conditions, and how they might have evolved. It is mainly in the weight of attention devoted to ecological aspects -which have received scant attention in previous reviews - that this book differs from earlier ones. It is also in these aspects that, with my own background, I feel most at home with the subject matter. After a brief introduction and survey of methodology, the book is divided into five main sections. The first deals with the journeys themselves: with the constraints and limitations of bird flight, the influence of weather, fuelling needs, migration strategies, travel speeds, the problems of navigation, and vagrancy. The second section is concerned with the annual cycles of birds, with how migration relates to breeding and moult, and with the physiological control of these various processes. The third section describes geographical patterns in bird movements across the globe, and the various types of bird movements, such as dispersal, irruption and nomadism, emphasising the ecological factors that underpin them. The fourth section is concerned with the evolution of migration and other movement patterns of birds, with the role of glacial history in influencing current migration patterns, and with recent changes in migration related to climate change and other human influence. The fifth section discusses how the population ecology of migratory birds differs from that of sedentary ones, and the influence of migration events on the population levels of birds. In particular, it considers the extent to which migratory bird numbers are limited by conditions in breeding, migration or wintering areas. This section is followed by a glossary, references and index. Although the book is intended mainly for research students, I have tried to write simply, in the hope that the text will appeal to anyone with an interest in this fascinating subject, including the many bird-watchers and ringers who have contributed so much over the years to its development. To keep the book within bounds, I could not mention all recent work on bird migration, and have sought to cite examples rather than every study. Nevertheless, the reference list (up to and including 2006) relates to more than 2500 scientific papers and more than 50 books. It is inevitable in a book of this type that the same topics recur in different chapters, as they are relevant to more than one aspect of the subject, but I have tried to reduce this repetition to a minimum, and cross-refer between chapters. Nevertheless, each chapter is intended as a stand-alone read. So much of the book is concerned with geography that, while I have tried to provide some helpful maps in the text, some parts would be better read with an atlas, or preferably a globe, close at hand. For permission to reproduce diagrams and other material from scientific journals, I thank the various publishers, ornithological societies and individuals involved, and for providing electronic copies of particular diagrams, I thank John Croxall, Thord Fransson, Mark Fuller, Sidney Gauthreaux, Yossi Leshem and Richard Phillips. I owe a great deal to the many colleagues in the field who have discussed various aspects of the subject with me over the years, and to several friends for helpful comments on particular chapters, namely Bill Bourne (Chapter 4), Bill Clarke (Chapter 7), Alistair Dawson (Chapters 11 and 12), Barbara Helm (Chapters 11, 12, 20 and the Glossary), Lukas Jenni (Chapters 5 and 6), Peter Jones (Chapters 22, 24 and 25), Mick Marquiss (Chapters 15 and 18) and Tim Sparks (Chapter 21). Other colleagues, in their capacity as referees, commented helpfully on certain papers which preceded the book. I owe a particular debt to David Jenkins, who read the whole book in draft (some parts more than once), and offered many constructive suggestions for improvement. Finally, my wife, Halina, supported me through the writing process, and commented helpfully on the penultimate draft.	https://www.ecologycenter.us/breeding-areas/preface.html
USGS publications associated with the Bird Banding Laboratory. For a complete listing of USGS publications, go to the USGS Publications Warehouse. The U.S. Geological Survey Bird Banding Laboratory: an integrated scientific program supporting research and conservation of North American birds Evaluation of a two-season banding program to estimate and model migratory bird survival The management of North American waterfowl is predicated on long-term, continental scale banding implemented prior to the hunting season (i.e., July–September) and subsequent reporting of bands recovered by hunters. However, single-season banding and encounter operations have a number of characteristics that limit their application to estimating...Devers, Patrick K.; Emmet, Robert L.; Boomer, G. Scott; Zimmerman, Guthrie S.; Royle, J. Andrew Local fruit availability and en route wind conditions are poor predictors of bird abundance and composition during fall migration in coastal Yucatán Peninsula In migratory stopover habitats, bird abundance and composition change on a near daily basis. On any given day, the local bird community should reflect local environmental conditions but also the environments that birds encountered previously along their migratory route. For example, during fall migration, the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in...Feldman, Richard E; Celis-Murillo, Antonio; Deppe, Jill L.; Dorantes-Euan, Alfredo Divergent movement patterns of adult and juvenile ‘Akohekohe, an endangered Hawaiian Honeycreeper The movement patterns of birds across a landscape are often highly variable and influenced by complex interactions between individuals and environments. Because periods of movement can be marked by high mortality, especially among juvenile birds, understanding these patterns may be vital for the conservation of many bird species. However, these...Wang, Alex X; Paxton, Eben H.; Mounce, Hanna L; Gorresen, Paulo Marcos Transmitter effects on growth and survival of Forster’s tern chicks Radio‐telemetry is a commonly used scientific technique that allows researchers to collect detailed movement, habitat use, and survival data of animals; however, evidence indicates that using telemetry can affect behavior and survival. Using multiple breeding colonies and years, we investigated the effects of attached radio‐transmitters on growth...Herzog, Mark P.; Ackerman, Joshua T.; Hartman, C. Alex; Peterson, Sarah H. Adult survival of common eiders in Maine Although most species of sea ducks are poorly studied, much is known about the population dynamics of the American race of Somateria mollissma dresseri (Common Eider). Although Common Eiders typically have high adult survival and low recruitment rates, their populations in Maine have declined since the early 1990s. Wildlife managers...Allen, R. B.; McAuley, Daniel; Zimmerman, G. Community-based conservation and recovery of native species on Monuriki Island, Fiji The small uninhabited island of Monuriki (40.4 ha) in western Fiji is of national and international conservation concern for its several protected species. Exotic invasive species and a Category 5 cyclone have exacerbated conservation challenges. The cooperation of local, national, and international stakeholders continues to be crucial in...Fisher, Robert N.; Niukula, Jone; Harlow, Peter S.; Rasalato, Sia; Chand, Ramesh; Thaman, Baravi; Seniloli, Elenoa; Vadada, Joeli; Cranwell, Steve; Brown, J. Jed; Lovich, Kim; Thomas-Moko, Nunia Annual survival, site fidelity, and longevity in the eastern coastal population of the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) based on a 20-year mark-recapture/resighting study A long-term study of annual survival, longevity, and site fidelity in the eastern coastal population of the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) during the breeding season was conducted from 1999 through 2018 in the outer coastal plain of the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States. Painted Buntings were uniquely color-banded from 1999...Sykes, Paul W. Jr; Freeman, Mary; Sykes, Joan J.; Seginak, John T.; M. David Oleyar; Egan, Joshua P. Effects of leg flags on nest survival of four species of Arctic‐breeding shorebirds Marking wild birds is an integral part of many field studies. However, if marks affect the vital rates or behavior of marked individuals, any conclusions reached by a study might be biased relative to the general population. Leg bands have rarely been found to have negative effects on birds and are frequently used to mark individuals. Leg flags,...Weiser, Emily L.; Lanctot, Richard B.; Brown, Stephen C.; Gates, H. River; Bentzen, Rebecca L.; Boldenow, Megan L.; Cunningham, Jenny A.; Doll, Andrew C.; Donnelly, Tyrone F.; English, Willow B.; Franks, Samantha E.; Grond, Kristen; Herzog, Patrick; Hill, Brooke L.; Kendall, Steve J.; Kwon, Eunbi; Lank, David B.; Liebezeit, Joseph R.; Rausch, Jennie; Saalfeld, Sarah T.; Taylor, Audrey R.; Ward, David H.; Woodard, Paul F.; Sandercock, Brett K. Monitoring breeding and migration of neotropical migratory birds at Naval Base Coronado, Remote Training Site, Warner Springs, San Diego County, California, 5-year summary, 2013–17 We operated a bird banding station on the Naval Base Coronado, Remote Training Site, Warner Springs (RTSWS), in northeastern San Diego County, California, during the bird breeding season (spring/summer) from 2013 to 2017 and during migration (fall) from 2013 to 2016. The station was established in spring 2013 as part of the Monitoring Avian...Lynn, Suellen; Hall, Katie A.; Madden, Melanie C.; Kus, Barbara E. Post-spring migration colony-site prospecting by Roseate Terns (Sterna dougallii) We recorded banded Roseate Terns (Sterna dougallii) and unbanded individuals mated to banded individuals in May and the first third of June in 2001 and 2002 to quantify post spring migration prospecting by this species at Falkner Island, Connecticut, USA. In 2001, more than one quarter: 34/125 (27.2%) of those observed by 19 May and 38/150 (25.3...Spendelow, Jeffrey A.; Eichenwald, Adam J. Capture efficiency and injury rates of band-tailed pigeons using whoosh nets Catching ground feeding birds has typically been accomplished through small, walk-in funnel-style traps. This approach is limited because it requires a bird to find its way into the trap, is biased toward less wary birds, and does not allow targeted trapping of individual birds. As part of a large study on Band-tailed Pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata...Coxen, Christopher L.; Collins, Daniel P.; Carleton, Scott A.	https://www.usgs.gov/labs/birdb-lab/publications
Impact of climate change on communities: revealing species' contribution. Department/s: - Centre for Environmental and Climate Research (CEC) - Evolutionary ecology - Biodiversity - BECC - Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate Publishing year: 2013 Language: English Pages: 551-561 Publication/Series: Journal of Animal Ecology Volume: 82 Issue: 3 Document type: Journal article Publisher: Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and Blackwell Publishing Ltd Abstract english Although climate is known to play an important role in structuring biological communities, high-resolution analyses of recent climatic impacts on multiple components of diversity are still sparse. Additionally, there is a lack of knowledge about which species drive community response to environmental change. We used a long-term breeding bird data set that encompasses a large latitudinal and altitudinal range to model the effect of temperature on spatial and temporal patterns in alpha and beta diversity. We also established a novel framework for identifying species-specific contributions to these macroecological patterns, hence combining two different approaches for identifying climatic impacts. Alpha diversity increased over time, whilst beta diversity declined; both diversity metrics showed a significant relationship with recent temperature anomalies. By partitioning beta diversity, we showed that the decline was predominately driven by changes in species turnover rather than nestedness suggesting a process of replacement by more common species. Using jackknife analyses we identified how individual species influenced the modelled relationships of diversity with temperature and time. Influential species tended to be habitat generalists with moderate to large distributions. We demonstrate that different facets of avian diversity can respond rapidly to temperature anomalies and as a result have undergone significant changes in the last decade. In general, it appears that warming temperatures are driving compositional homogenization of temperate bird communities via range expansion of common generalist species.	https://www.biology.lu.se/ake-lindstrom/publication/42c6db50-9fe2-4de7-a540-fb472a200c76
We describe the design and implementation of Vildehaye, a family of versatile, widely-applicable, and field-proven tags for wildlife sensing and radio tracking. The family includes 6 distinct hardware designs for tags, 3 add-on boards, a programming adapter, and base stations; modular firmware for tags and base stations (both standalone low-power e... Lifjeld's comment provides an opportunity to illustrate the intricacies of the ‘regression to the mean’ (RTM) effect, to clarify the difficulty in teasing apart RTM from allocation bias, and to re‐examine our results in relation to RTM and in the context of related evidence. Here, we show that: a) The correlations between paternity change and initi... The role of microbiome in shaping animal’s behavior is well established. Accordingly, the use of antibiotics may have profound effects on behavior, which are seldom examined. Recently, the symbiotic magnetic-sensing hypothesis has been forwarded as a mechanistic explanation for the phenomenon of animal magnetoreception. It suggests a symbiotic rela... Testosterone plays a critical role in mediating fitness-related traits in many species. Although it is highly responsive to environmental and social conditions, evidence from several species show a heritable component to its individual variation. Despite the known effects that in utero testosterone exposure have on adult fitness, the heritable comp... Animal vocal communication is a broad and multi-disciplinary field of research. Studying various aspects of communication can provide key elements for understanding animal behavior, evolution, and cognition. Given the large amount of acoustic data accumulated from automated recorders, for which manual annotation and analysis is impractical, there i... The identity of a magnetic sensor in animals remains enigmatic. Although the use of the geomagnetic field for orientation and navigation in animals across a broad taxonomic range has been well established over the past five decades, the identity of the magnetic-sensing organ and its structure and/or apparatus within such animals remains elusive—‘a... Many closely related populations are distinguished by variation in sexual signals and this variation is hypothesized to play an important role in reproductive isolation and speciation. Within populations, there is considerable evidence that sexual signals provide information about the incidence and severity of parasite infections, but it remains un... Magnetoreception is a sense that allows the organism to perceive and act according to different parameters of the magnetic field. This magnetic sense plays a part in many fundamental processes in various living organisms. Much effort was expended in finding the ‘magnetic sensor’ in animals. While some experiments show a role of the ophthalmic nerve... Global warming alters various avian phenological processes, including advanced reproduction and migration schedules. In birds, individual appearance is largely determined by plumage, influencing, for example, bird attractiveness, social status and camouflage. Juveniles of most passerine species replace their nest-grown plumage during the first mont... Animal vocalizations are ubiquitous, produced by various taxa and represented in all habitats. Tracking and quantifying animal vocalizations is a basic necessity in various biological disciplines such as nature conservation and biomonitoring. With the advancement of digital recording technology, a huge amount of audio recordings is accumulated. Sin... Neighboring fetuses may impact their siblings in various respects, depending on their in utero location and sex. The effects of the intrauterine position (IUP) are widely studied in model organisms, especially laboratory bred murine strains that are characterized by short gestations and altricial offspring. In some species, the proximity to a male... Animal communication and specifically acoustic communication is in the focus of ecological and biological research. With the advancement of monitoring technology, a vast amount of acoustic recordings of birds is continuously accumulated. As manual segmentation and annotation of this data is impractical, development of efficient algorithms for accur... Population sex ratios naturally fluctuate around equality. It is argued that the production of an equal number of male and female offspring by individual parents should be favoured by selection, if all costs and benefits are equal. Theoretically, an even sex ratio should yield the highest probability for a fetus to be adjacent to a fetus of the opp... Under various ecological conditions, producing a biased sex ratio may be adaptive. However, the factors that translate specific ecological conditions into internal processes remain an enigma. A potential mediator is maternal testosterone, which may reflect physical, reproductive, and social conditions. The nutria (Myocastor coypus) is a polygynous... The ability to sense Earth’s magnetic field has evolved in various taxa. However, despite great efforts to find the ‘magnetic-sensor’ in vertebrates, the results of these scientific efforts remain inconclusive. A few decades ago, it was found that bacteria, known as magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), can move along a magnetic field using nanometric chai... Sexual selection plays a key role in the diversification of numerous animal clades and may accelerate trait divergence during speciation. However, much of our understanding of this process comes from phylogenetic comparative studies, which rely on surrogate measures such as dimorphism that may not represent selection in wild populations. In this st... Previous studies have shown that sexual signals can rapidly diverge among closely related species. However, we lack experimental studies to demonstrate that differences in trait-associated reproductive performance maintain sexual trait differences between the two closely related populations, in support for a role of sexual selection in speciation.... Population divergence in geographic isolation is due to a combination of factors. Natural and sexual selection may be important in shaping patterns of population differentiation, a pattern referred to as 'Isolation by Adaptation' (IBA). IBA can be complementary to the well-known pattern of 'Isolation by Distance' (IBD), in which the divergence of c... The level of expression of sexually selected traits is generally determined by genes, environment and their interaction. In species that use multiple sexual signals which may be costly to produce, investing in the expression of one sexual signal may limit the expression of the other, favoring the evolution of a strategy for resource allocation amon... We describe the design, manufacture, and deployment of advanced wildlife tracking tags (transmitters) based on integrated transceivers. The tags weigh as little as 2g and cost less than $20 each in relatively small quantities (tens). Abstract Sexual trait divergence has been shown to play a role in the evolution of reproductive isolation. While variation in multiple sexual signals is common among closely related species, little is known about the role of these different axes of phenotype variation with respect to the evolution of behavioral reproductive isolation. Here we study... Spermatozoa vary greatly in size and shape among species across the animal kingdom. Postcopulatory sexual selection is thought to be the major evolutionary force driving this diversity. In contrast, less is known about how sperm size varies among populations of the same species. Here, we investigate geographic variation in sperm size in barn swallo... Recent studies of several species have reported a latitudinal cline in the circadian clock gene, Clock, which influences rhythms in both physiology and behavior. Latitudinal variation in this gene may hence reflect local adaptation to seasonal variation. In some bird populations, there is also an among-individual association between Clock poly-Q ge... Speciation processes are largely determined by the relative strength of divergent selection versus the magnitude of gene flow. The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) has a broad geographic distribution that encompasses substantial geographic variation in morphology and behavior. The European (H. r. rustica) and East-Mediterranean (H. r. transitiva) sub... The differential functions of distinct morphological traits as sexual signals among closely related populations are associated with a potential role of sexual selection in population divergence and speciation. The cosmopolitan barn swallow Hirundo rustica complex consists of 6 subspecies, which differ substantially in tail streamer length and ventr...	https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yoni-Vortman-2
From ancient days the migration of birds has excited the wonder of thoughtful observers. (J. A. Thomson 1913.) The phenomenon of bird migration has long fascinated its human observers, who have been continually impressed by the sheer scale and regularity of the movements. It has repeatedly prompted familiar questions about birds, such as where do they go or come from, how do they know when and where to travel, and how do they find their way? For more than a century now, bird movements have been subjected to scientific study, and by increasingly sophisticated methodology. In the past 25 years, hardly a year has gone by without the publication of a new book or symposium volume dealing with some aspect of bird migration, and each year dozens of papers have appeared in the scientific journals. In this book, I hope to provide an up-to-date synthesis of much of this information, taking account of both older and newer findings. However, the emphasis throughout is on ecological aspects: on the different types of bird movements, how they relate to food supplies and other external conditions, and how they might have evolved. It is mainly in the weight of attention devoted to ecological aspects -which have received scant attention in previous reviews - that this book differs from earlier ones. It is also in these aspects that, with my own background, I feel most at home with the subject matter. After a brief introduction and survey of methodology, the book is divided into five main sections. The first deals with the journeys themselves: with the constraints and limitations of bird flight, the influence of weather, fuelling needs, migration strategies, travel speeds, the problems of navigation, and vagrancy. The second section is concerned with the annual cycles of birds, with how migration relates to breeding and moult, and with the physiological control of these various processes. The third section describes geographical patterns in bird movements across the globe, and the various types of bird movements, such as dispersal, irruption and nomadism, emphasising the ecological factors that underpin them. The fourth section is concerned with the evolution of migration and other movement patterns of birds, with the role of glacial history in influencing current migration patterns, and with recent changes in migration related to climate change and other human influence. The fifth section discusses how the population ecology of migratory birds differs from that of sedentary ones, and the influence of migration events on the population levels of birds. In particular, it considers the extent to which migratory bird numbers are limited by conditions in breeding, migration or wintering areas. This section is followed by a glossary, references and index. Although the book is intended mainly for research students, I have tried to write simply, in the hope that the text will appeal to anyone with an interest in this fascinating subject, including the many bird-watchers and ringers who have contributed so much over the years to its development. To keep the book within bounds, I could not mention all recent work on bird migration, and have sought to cite examples rather than every study. Nevertheless, the reference list (up to and including 2006) relates to more than 2500 scientific papers and more than 50 books. It is inevitable in a book of this type that the same topics recur in different chapters, as they are relevant to more than one aspect of the subject, but I have tried to reduce this repetition to a minimum, and cross-refer between chapters. Nevertheless, each chapter is intended as a stand-alone read. So much of the book is concerned with geography that, while I have tried to provide some helpful maps in the text, some parts would be better read with an atlas, or preferably a globe, close at hand. For permission to reproduce diagrams and other material from scientific journals, I thank the various publishers, ornithological societies and individuals involved, and for providing electronic copies of particular diagrams, I thank John Croxall, Thord Fransson, Mark Fuller, Sidney Gauthreaux, Yossi Leshem and Richard Phillips. I owe a great deal to the many colleagues in the field who have discussed various aspects of the subject with me over the years, and to several friends for helpful comments on particular chapters, namely Bill Bourne (Chapter 4), Bill Clarke (Chapter 7), Alistair Dawson (Chapters 11 and 12), Barbara Helm (Chapters 11, 12, 20 and the Glossary), Lukas Jenni (Chapters 5 and 6), Peter Jones (Chapters 22, 24 and 25), Mick Marquiss (Chapters 15 and 18) and Tim Sparks (Chapter 21). Other colleagues, in their capacity as referees, commented helpfully on certain papers which preceded the book. I owe a particular debt to David Jenkins, who read the whole book in draft (some parts more than once), and offered many constructive suggestions for improvement. Finally, my wife, Halina, supported me through the writing process, and commented helpfully on the penultimate draft. Ian Newton Was this article helpful?	https://www.ecologycenter.us/breeding-areas/preface.html
By using the most advanced genomics technologies available, scientists form the Departments of Environmental Sciences and Policies (Giulio Formenti and Nicola Saino) and of Biosciences (Matteo Chiara and David Horner) of the University of Milan, sequenced the barn swallow genome. The study, published by the international journal Gigascience, involves researchers from California State Polytechnic University and the University of Pavia, and was funded by the Banking Foundation of Lodi. The result represents one of the highest quality animal genome sequences ever produced, and the entire sequence has been made freely available to the entire scientific community. The knowledge of the DNA sequence of the barn swallow will boost the conservation efforts for this species and the study of the most fundamental aspects of the biology of this and of many other bird species, including migration, sexual behavior and adaptation to climate change. Despite the limited availability of high-quality whole genome sequences, previous studies on the barn swallow and other bird species have already demonstrated a strong genetic component to key survival traits, such as migration and reproductive behavior. The knowledge of the barn swallow genome sequence will be pivotal to identifying the genes that control key life history characters as well as individual variability. The barn swallow has been intensely studied by scientists, but it also has highly iconic cultural value due both to its ‘philopatry’, bringing individuals back to their homes even after a long migration, and its demographic decline - partly associated with climate change. The availability of a high-quality genome sequence will accelerate researchers’ efforts to understand how environmental changes interact with genetic factors to determine decline in numbers as well as allowing insights into the adaptive processes that could assist in the adaptation of populations to rapidly changing environmental conditions. The physiology, morphology and behavior of an organism (i.e. its 'phenotype') depends on environmental conditioning and genetic material. The study of genetic control of the phenotype is greatly facilitated by detailed knowledge of the genome sequence. The researchers' ability to 'assemble' genomes, i.e. to reconstruct the entire genetic information on each chromosome without gaps and without errors, took a leap forward this year with improvements to a technique called ‘optical mapping’ by Bionano Genomics (San Diego, CA). This approach allowed them to visualize individual megabase size DNA molecules while they flow inside silicon nanochannels, and use this long range data to build chromosome-arm length maps of the genome. The technology, available at the Functional Genomics Center in Zurich, coupled with long-read DNA sequencing from Pacific Biosciences allowed the production of a genome assembly of unprecedented quality for a wild species. Indeed, the quality of the barn swallow genome assembly is, in many respects, comparable to those of the intensively studied human and mouse genomes. A global project. The barn swallow genome project contributes to the Vertebrate Genomes Project, a colossal international effort to sequence, in the coming years, the genomes of all living vertebrate species (over 66,000). The Vertebrate Genomes Project, a project of the G10K consortium, will construct a genomic ark, containing the genetic information of all these species, many of which are in decline or endangered. This project brings together several renowned research centers in the world, including the Vertebrate Genome Laboratory (VGL) at Rockefeller University in New York and the Wellcome Sanger Institute in England and, the University of Milan, in Italy, with a study coordinated by Giulio Formenti and Nicola Saino. The G10K consortium has an open-door policy for scientists and others to join their international effort.	http://www.unimi.it/ENG/news/4796.htm
A University of Wyoming professor and some fellow researchers have discovered that extensive and severe wildfires and the smoke they generated led to mass deaths of various types of birds last summer. The wildfires during the 2020 fire season led to bird deaths in 12 Western, according to the university. At the same time, snowstorms in the late summer also may have affected bird migration by cutting off the birds’ food supply and prompting migration before the birds were physiologically ready to make the trip. Di Yang, an assistant professor in the Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center, headed a research group that investigated the environmental causes of massive bird die-offs by combining sociological data with observations of citizen scientists. “Migratory die-off events in the western U.S. are significantly related to smoke and toxic gases released from wildfires, combining with the heavy snowstorms in some areas (as determined) by using a series of satellite images,” Yang said. “More importantly, citizens played an important role in observing this massive die-off event and provided invaluable data to iNaturalist, which is a citizen science platform.” Yang is lead author of the research paper “Unprecedented Migratory Bird Die-Off: A Citizen-Based Analysis on the Spatiotemporal Patterns of Mass Mortality Events in the Western United States,” that was published in the April issue of GeoHealth. Other contributors to the paper were from Colorado State University, the University of Georgia, Oregon State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The study investigated bird migration and survival and how they were influenced by global climate change, natural disasters and ecological disturbance. The study covered Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The American robin, barn swallows, flycatchers, mountain bluebirds and Wilson’s warblers were the bird species hit the hardest by the die-offs, based on the death numbers reported. In Wyoming, during August and September, more birds were found in urban and forested areas compared with other types of lands. The researchers also found that the more cropland cover there was in an area, the more dead birds were found. Overall, the study’s findings suggested that air quality and distance to wildfires were two major factors that caused the high bird mortality rates. Fewer bird deaths occurred closer to the wildfires, except during mid-August to mid-September in California. Birds have evolved to cope with fires and adjust migration pathways, Yang said. However, due to the lack of forest management practices, such as prescribed burning and removing some standing dead trees, the wildfires burned far hotter and grew much larger than usual, which made it difficult for the migratory birds to adjust. “The toxic gases that were released from the smoke made an impact on the respiratory systems of migratory birds, and birds are very sensitive to the toxic gases during their exhausting long flights,” Yang explained. During the August and September 2020 study period, numerous dead birds were found by citizen scientists and were reported on the citizen science platform. The use of citizen scientists improved the accuracy of the study because their use significantly expanded the sample set Yang said. As a result, she and her research team were able to build a national-level model by adapting a quality-control framework to the citizen science data. The findings highlighted the impact of extreme weather and natural disasters on bird biology, survival and migration, which can provide significant insights into bird biodiversity, conservation and ecosystem stability.	https://sheridanmedia.com/news/48834/severe-wildfires-in-wyoming-last-year-killed-massive-numbers-of-birds/
Our environment is constantly changing—today faster than ever, thanks in large part to human activities. Understanding the forces and feedbacks that drive the state of ecosystems is an important first step to either adapting to our changing planet or preventing runaway climate change. The trouble is, the environment is a complex system. Many variables, processes, and feedbacks interact to produce the conditions of an ecosystem, and factors like rainfall—or its absence—can perturb that system’s balance. The complexity of these interactions makes environmental systems difficult to model and understand. Now, in a new study, Goodwell and Kumar present an information partitioning methodology that allows researchers to identify the unique (individual), redundant (overlapping), and synergistic (jointly acting) factors that drive behavior in an ecohydrologic system. In such systems, precipitation and atmospheric and soil processes all influence each other on various timescales; water, for example, can cause a plant to open its stomata in mere seconds, or it can carve canyons into hard landscapes over centuries. In a companion paper, Goodwell and Kumar applied their framework, called a Temporal Information Partitioning Network (TIPnet), to the study of short-term variability in an ecohydrologic system in the Midwest. The team constructed the TIPNet with minute-by-minute weather data from the Sangamon River Forest Preserve in central Illinois over a 180-day period in 2015 between April and October. A weather station has operated there on a restored prairie, surrounded by corn and soybean fields, since 2014, collecting data on solar radiation, wind speed, precipitation, humidity, temperature, and leaf wetness. The team compared daytime and nighttime data sets and those collected during dry periods to those with rainfall or dew formation to find out which variables under which conditions were the strongest drivers of the dynamic system. The study revealed that variables influenced each other on timescales between 20 and 40 minutes on average, and interactions tended to be faster on rainy days and dry nights. During the day, solar radiation and air temperature tended to redundantly influence other variables, indicating their synchronization. Meanwhile, wind speed and relative humidity usually influenced the ecosystem synergistically during the day, indicating their joint influence. At night, however, wind speed and temperature provided more unique influences over ecosystem variables. Citation: Wheeling, K. (2017), What causes ecological shifts?, Eos, 98, https://doi.org/10.1029/2017EO083237. Published on 03 October 2017.	https://eos.org/research-spotlights/what-causes-ecological-shifts
A new study by scientists at the Migratory Bird Center at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo shows that the factors determining where birds settle and nest in the first breeding season depends on the habitat they used during their first winter in the tropics. The determining factor in where a bird settles for its first breeding season relative to its hatching site—also known as natal dispersal—was previously unknown. By studying American redstarts, National Zoo scientists have shed light on the phenomenon that has important implications for rates of genetic differentiation. The study was published online in the Feb. 18 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Scientists looked at two distinct redstart habitats in Jamaica—one, a lush, food-rich habitat, and the other, a dry and harsher habitat. The study showed that birds that spent their first winter in the lush habitat left earlier for spring migration and traveled relatively short distances to breed. Birds that first wintered in the harsher habitat left later on migration and traveled a longer distance to breed. The difference in migration distance between birds in these habitats led to birds from the lush habitat dispersing south of their hatch site and birds from the dry, harsh habitat dispersing north of their natal site. Studying natal dispersal in migratory birds has previously presented a challenge to scientists. It is difficult to track small animal species across long distances as opposed to larger animals that can be fit with satellite collars. Scientists Colin Studds, a doctoral candidate in the Program in Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics at the University of Maryland (College Park), and Peter Marra, an ecologist at the Migratory Bird Center, investigated this phenomenon. They compared a chemical marker in the feathers of birds spending their first winter in Jamaica to the feathers they grew one year later after their first breeding season. This marker—a stable isotope of hydrogen—revealed the approximate latitude in North America where birds grew their feathers. Hydrogen isotopes vary predictably with latitude, and birds store the signature of their local area in their bodies through their insect-rich diets. By sampling redstart feathers in Jamaica, the researchers were able to piece together the hatching and breeding latitudes of birds they could not otherwise track for long distances. Natal dispersal is thought to be the main process affecting genetic mixing of bird populations. This study is first to show that conditions in tropical winter areas can influence natal dispersal patterns. The findings underscore the importance of developing conservation projects that take into account the annual cycle of a migratory bird.	https://phys.org/news/2008-02-tropical-winter-habitat-natal-dispersal.html
Correlates of timing of spring migration in birds: a comparative study of trans-Saharan migrants - Source: - Biological journal of the Linnean Society 2005 v.85 no.2 pp. 199-210 - ISSN: - 0024-4066 - Subject: - Passeriformes, breeding, color, data collection, environmental factors, latitude, males, mating competitiveness, migratory behavior, migratory birds, molting, nesting, nesting sites, sexual dimorphism, sexual selection, spring, winter, Africa, Europe, Mediterranean Sea, Sahara Desert - Abstract: - The evolution of migratory strategies in birds is likely to have been influenced by ecological as well as socio-sexual factors in both wintering and breeding areas. In this comparative study, we analysed timing of spring passage of 38 long-distance migratory bird species that winter south of the Sahara desert and breed in Europe, in relation to wintering and breeding latitudes, moult strategy, nesting site (open vs. cavity), and sexual dimorphism in size and coloration, which may reflect intensity of sexual selection. We employed a large data set consisting of more than 190 000 individuals ringed during spring migration in the Mediterranean Sea. We found that the species that migrated earlier were those wintering farther north, nesting in cavities and showing the largest degree of sexual size dimorphism (SSD). However, sexual dichromatism was not related to migration date. Among passerine species, moulting wing-feathers in Africa delayed migration. We found no support for the energetic constraint hypothesis, which proposes that early arrival selects for large male size, since early arriving species were not larger than late arriving ones. Thus, the observed associations suggest that variation in migration schedules at the interspecific level may have evolved in relation to ecological factors and SSD, possibly reflecting the intensity of mating competition. - Agid:	https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/catalog/6171030
Although the biogeographic history of thrushes (Turdidae) has been extensively studied, a concise discussion of this topic is still lacking. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate: (1) the evolutionary origin of the migratory behaviour of the Turdus thrushes in a biogeographic context including (2) trans-Atlantic dispersal events, (3) possible colonization routes into... The increasing demand for robust marine bird abundance and distribution assessments coupled with technological advances has led to the development of digital survey techniques for birds. Although digital surveys for bird monitoring are becoming a standard method in some countries, their strengths and weaknesses and comparability with traditional visual surveys remain... On the basis of long-term (2001–2017) and extensive data (> 1700 breeding attempts), we assess factors influencing breeding parameters in Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus), a medium-sized ground-nesting semi-colonial raptor breeding in cereal fields, in a study area in its core distribution range (Extremadura, Spain). We evaluated annual and long-term variation in breeding... In sex-role-reversed species, females are typically the more competitive sex, defending territories and access to mates, while males take care of the young, often without any help from the female. In males of species with traditional sex roles, testosterone levels generally rise during the breeding season and modulate territorial and aggressive behaviour. Similarly, testosterone... Many bird populations are made up of social units with differences in size and social status. Of these, the family and flock structure of geese Anserini are among the better known. However, how the association of juvenile geese with their parents in families influences the migration timing and space-use of populations, as well as the events leading to juvenile independence are... Female song in birds is more widespread than previously thought but remains poorly studied. Relatively few researchers have compared the structure and function of female song with that of conspecific males, especially in non-duetting species. Here we investigate male and female song in the White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus; hereafter ‘Dipper’), a highly territorial and... Species abundance is often spatially structured such that, within a species’ distribution, abundance peaks at one or more areas and declines from those points. Abundance may also increase or decrease over time, but the spatial structure of temporal changes in abundance has been infrequently examined. Here we use count data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) to... Nesting in old cavities may be adaptive for birds as it may offer an advantage of earlier laying and higher fitness through more recruiting offspring. Black Woodpeckers frequently use old cavities, which gives the opportunity to test how this behavior affects the timing and the success of reproduction. In this paper, we have tested a prediction that excavating a new cavity causes... The Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus prefer to use nest boxes to raise their young rather than nests in natural tree cavities. However, nest boxes provide a warm, humid microclimate that is favourable to the growth of rich bacterial communities. In this study we investigated how the bacterial community developed throughout the breeding season and whether it had any effect on egg or... Bergmann’s rule, defined as the tendency for endotherms to be larger in colder environments, is a biophysical generalization of body size variation that is frequently tested along latitudinal gradients, even though latitude is only a proxy for temperature variation. We test whether variation in temperature and aridity determine avian body size conformity to Bergmann’s rule... In Europe, woodland bird populations have been declining since at least the 1970s, and in Britain, around one third of woodland bird species have undergone declines over this period. Habitat change has been highlighted as a possible cause, but for some species clear evidence of this is lacking owing to an incomplete knowledge of the species’ habitat requirements. Here, we analyse... Most altricial birds remove their nestlings’ feces from the nest, but the evolutionary forces driving this behavior are poorly understood. A possible adaptive explanation for this could be that birds avoid the attraction of nest predators to their nests due to the visual or olfactory cues produced by feces (nest predation hypothesis). This hypothesis has received contrasting... After an historical absence, over the last decades Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia leucorodia have returned to breed on the barrier islands of the Wadden Sea. The area offers an abundance of predator-free nesting habitat, low degrees of disturbance, and an extensive intertidal feeding area with increasing stocks of brown shrimp Crangon crangon, the assumed main prey of P... Methods to assess environmental pollution and stress responses in birds with scarcely invasive or non-invasive sampling are highly sought after in ecology and conservation. For several years now, feathers have been promoted as non-invasive tools to assess stress physiology and environmental pollution in birds. This has mainly been applied in whole feathers, but more recently also... Rhynochetos orarius has been described from Holocene fossils as the sister species of the smaller extant Kagu Rhynochetos jubatus, a bird endemic to New Caledonia. However, we argue that there has never been evidence justifying the description of R. orarius. Additionally, for biogeographical reasons it seems unlikely that two Kagu species would have evolved in New Caledonia. We... Numerous birds use bryophytes as nest construction material but the species used and their biology remain largely unknown. Therefore, questions related to the selectivity of birds in their bryophyte use, and why they use/ignore particular species, remain unanswered. We studied the composition of bryophytes, including both mosses (Bryophyta) and liverworts (Marchantiophyta), in... Recent developments in next-generation sequencing technologies have greatly facilitated the study of whole transcriptomes in model and non-model species. Studying the transcriptome and how it changes across a variety of biological conditions has had major implications for our understanding of how the genome is regulated in different contexts, and how to interpret adaptations and... The immune system is a particularly costly activity that competes with other functions of an organism, such as reproduction, although research is lacking on the importance of environmental factors for the parental investment in offspring immunity. This study examines whether ambient temperature impacts the effect of a sheep red blood cell (SRBC) challenge of the adult female’s... The relative ratio of the two main leukocyte types, heterophils (H) and lymphocytes (L), is known to change proportionally to the concentrations of stress hormones in the circulating blood. Thus, analysis of leukocyte profiles serves as a reliable proxy of stress in vertebrates, as high H/L ratios indicate stronger stress response. Moult and migration are among the most... Translocations are a valuable tool within conservation, and when performed successfully can rescue species from extinction. However, to label a translocation a success, extensive post-translocation monitoring is required, ensuring the population is growing at the expected rate. In 2011, a habitat assessment identified Frégate Island as a suitable island to host a Seychelles... The population structures of sympatric Syrian and Great-spotted Woodpeckers (SW and GW, respectively) in urban areas of Poland were investigated with respect to the occurrence of mixed pairs and hybrids. It was estimated that 5.3% of pairs were mixed and that these interspecific pairs mainly comprised SW or hybrid females and GW males. In total, 3.6% of observed individuals and 6... Global urbanisation is rapidly increasing and can have profound impacts on wild flora and fauna. For many species, the impacts are detrimental and irreversible, whereas others are able to colonise and apparently thrive in these novel, human-made environments. Raptors are particularly susceptible to changes in the environment due to their position at the end of the food chain, yet... Species assessment of allopatric taxa is problematic. Here we consider the case of the Naung Mung Scimitar Babbler (Jabouilleia naungmungensis) from northern Myanmar. This bird was recognized as a new species in its original description, but was subsequently considered to be a subspecies of J. danjoui. We review the procedures used to make this assessment, and consider them in...	https://paperity.org/journal/6609/journal-of-ornithology
Regional and seasonal flight speeds of soaring migrants and the role of weather Submitted by avianbiology on 4 August 2014. Wouter Vansteelant holding a male Honey Buzzard that carried GPS-logger #56 from July 2009 till July 2011. Two spring migrations and one autumn migration of this bird were used for analyzing weather influences on the bird’s travel performance (photo by Willem Bouten). A big challenge for migration ecologists is to resolve how environmental conditions along the migration routes of birds affect their migration timing and individual fitness and this is one of our key research aims in the Computational Geo-Ecology group at the University of Amsterdam. Soaring migrants are an interesting case among migrating birds in the extent to which they depend on suitable weather conditions to travel long distances. Having spent many hours monitoring raptor migration with Batumi Raptor Count at the at the Black Sea coast of southwestern Georgia, I´ve seen very clearly that thermal convection and wind conditions strongly affect the migration itineraries of soaring birds. However, to be able to study the ecological relevance of such weather influences at the scale of full migrations one has to follow individual birds along their entire migratory journeys. In the Netherlands, two raptor species are being studied with high-resolution GPS loggers (www.UvA-BiTS.nl). Researchers at the University of Amsterdam in close collaboration with Treetop Foundation (www.boomtop.org) have been tracking Honey Buzzards since 2008 and collaboration with the Montagu´s harrier foundation (www.werkgroepgrauwekiekendief.nl) started in 2009. Because the breeding success of these migratory species is expected to depend on environmental conditions during migration and wintering stages, a key aim of both foundations is to study the birds´ ecology across their entire annual cycle. By using the same tracking system on both species we could compare their responses to weather relatively easily. Co-authors Almut Schlaich and Raymond Klaassen deploy a new generation GPS-logger on a male Montagu’s Harrier breeding in eastern Groningen (Netherlands) in spring 2014. Research on harrier migration with UvA-BiTS still continues today. Locating nest sites and catching and trapping raptors takes a lot of perseverance and we are deeply indebted to many volunteers who assisted in the process. During the breeding season, all individuals were being monitored meticulously by researchers, both in the field and behind the computer, such that we could upload measurement programs designed specifically for the migration and wintering areas just before individual birds departed southward. Every spring, we were awaiting the return of the birds in great anticipation. When the first migration data were retrieved from returning birds, we were terribly excited to see a great amount of variation in migration patterns between individuals, seasons and regions, which suggested weather conditions en route were playing a key role in the migration itineraries of these migrants For this paper we set out to determine to what extent the hourly speed and daily mean speed and daily travel distance of honey buzzards and Montagu´s harriers was determined by the convective and wind conditions which they encountered en route. We wanted to compare how the effects of weather conditions differed between the two species, because honey buzzards are known to have a stronger predisposition for soaring flight whereas marsh harriers use both soaring and flapping flight regularly. Moreover, we wanted to check if weather conditions during migration could explain regional and seasonal patterns in migration speed of these two species, because such patterns have been reported regularly for other long-distance soaring migrants. While regional and seasonal migration speeds of soaring migrants are often suggested to be due to adjustments in flight behavior, we found that both wind and thermal convection strongly influence migration speed along the entire migration route, explaining nearly all regional and seasonal variation in flight performance during travel. In summer 2012, Honey Buzzard #182 was retrapped by field researcher Peter van Geneijgen after three years of tracking. The logger had gone pale but was still functional after six Sahara-crossings on the back of this male bird. The logger caused no harm to the bird’s plumage nor body.	http://www.avianbiology.org/blog/regional-and-seasonal-flight-speeds-soaring-migrants-and-role-weather
MISSOULA — Without a doubt, animal migration ranks as one of nature's most visible and widespread phenomena -- every minute of every day, somewhere, someplace, animals are on the move. The migrants span the animal kingdom, from whales to dragonflies and even salamanders -- but how do researchers decode the travels of birds? Throughout history, people have been mesmerized and yet baffled by the mysterious seasonal appearance and disappearance of birds. Back in the Middle Ages, people had imaginative speculations that suggested birds hibernate at the bottom of lakes and emerge in the spring. By the 19th Century, we started to grasp this wonder. By using a simple piece of metal with some numbers on it -- with a method called bird banding, The birds equipped with tiny rings on their legs have revealed secrets about their journeys, their whereabouts and the fate of individuals. Banding and marking birds can be used to estimate the numbers of birds in a population, estimate survival, and especially where these birds travel and when. Thanks to technological advances, researchers are now able to use lightweight tracking devices to follow these individuals as they migrate across the globe which has uncovered detailed evidence about this phenomenon. The advances are not just limited to providing a description of a bird's travels. They have also allowed for the development of DNA-sequencing technology that has opened up the possibility of linking information about these enormous migratory movements with in-depth analyses of individual birds at a microscopic level. These efforts aim to identify the components of migratory behavior inherited by their parents. Understanding how this complex behavior is caused to happen remains a tough nut to crack. Researchers believe it is becoming more crucial to uncover this given that continuing global change, whether that be of climate or habitats, poses challenges for migratory birds and also for the people trying to conserve threatened animal migrations. Predicted climate data provide remarkable insights into the probable historical formation of different migration routes and the separation of bird populations. In a study using GPS backpacks on peregrine falcons, it was discovered the annual journeys of the Peregrine populations happen within their own climate niches. That means individuals from the same population experience the same conditions, but conditions differ between the populations. This might be one reason why individuals seem to consistently use the same routes and the same wintering grounds. The study on peregrines also suggested that a specific gene might have a role in aiding the migratory behavior of peregrine falcons. The gene might also be functionally linked to aiding the long-term memory that could be particularly important for the populations that have to undertake longer-distance journeys. Learning most likely has a role in successful migration, and this research focused on identifying inherited genetic components that might enable learning through memory formation. In the context of investigating memory formation in relation to migrations, it is probably inevitable that studies similar to the Peregrine Falcon research will be undertaken to compare the first migration of juvenile birds with the routes they take as experienced adults -- and also following juveniles that are taught such as in crane families.	https://www.kbzk.com/news/montana-news/a-wilder-view-studying-how-animals-migrate
If you speak Spanish this may prove very interesting: Note the time 23.00 hrs. Something to do to round off your Migratory Bird Day activities. Heidi Lots, who has been one of our featured artists in the Wader Quest The Newsletter Vol 6 Issue 1 has sent us this information for Migratory Bird Day. Among the many things happening on the 9th of May for Migratory Bird Day, the Aves Gualeguaychu organisation will be presenting a conference entitled Migración en Sudamérica y en Argentina (Migration in South America and Argentina) with local expert Diego Tomas Tuero. Many waders (Red Knot, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and American Golden Plover for example) migrate to and within (Magellanic Plover, Rufous-chested and Tawny-throated Dotterels) South America and Argentina so this should be a very interesting presentation. - It will cover the general aspects of migration to be found in South America and Argentina. - It will talk about migrating birds themselves and the adaptations they have made to successfully undergo their annual journeys. - What we know about bird migration in South America and Argentina, and the behavior of the more than two hundred species that migrate within the continent, will be looked at. - Also, the importance of the contribution birders can make (citizen science) to better understand migratory patterns in South America will be discussed.	https://www.waderquest.net/2020/05/08/migratory-bird-day-for-those-with-a-little-spanish/
Available Online March 2014. - DOI - https://doi.org/10.2991/mce-14.2014.142How to use a DOI? - Keywords - The nonlinear;time delay; stability;chaos;financial - Abstract - Nonlinearity is an important characteristic of complex system, is generally believed that the nonlinearity is a necessary condition to produce complexity, no nonlinear no complexity. In addition, bifurcation, chaos in complex system, the dynamic behavior of the strange attractor, are inherently nonlinear. The nonlinear dynamic behavior, often by a certain amount (or large) nonlinear element (or subsystems) due to the combination and interaction, is essentially different from the linear element combination and interaction. In fact, the nonlinear factors in complex systems (internal and environmental) and their interactions is an important condition for the formation of complexity. Financial power system is a complex nonlinear system is a kind of typical, it may exhibit a variety of complex phenomenon and behavior, including chaos, many factors affecting the dynamic properties of the system, in which, the existence of time delays from the impact of various aspects of the stability of the whole financial system, and may even lead to financial crisis. In this paper, through the establishment of financial power system model with time delays, by using the theory of differential equations, characteristic of the system stability and chaos are discussed, from system to produce related behaviors and conditions, numerical simulation. Finally gives the conclusion of economic implications. - Open Access - This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.	https://www.atlantis-press.com/proceedings/mce-14/14190
Why do I feel so lazy and unmotivated all the time?Dr Tugnait says depression or anxiety can lead to feeling of lethargy and apathy. The expert says a person with low self-esteem is also at risk of feeling lazy all the time as they may believe they are not capable of accomplishing anything and may lack any sense of purpose. What causes laziness and lack of motivation?Low motivation can be a common symptom of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. You can practice self-help and self-care as much as you can, but you may find that seeking professional help is more helpful for your emotions. Online therapy is beneficial, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. How do I stop being lazy and unmotivated? How to overcome laziness - Make your goals manageable. Setting unrealistic goals and taking on too much can lead to burnout. ... - Don't expect yourself to be perfect. ... - Use positive instead of negative self-talk. ... - Create a plan of action. ... - Use your strengths. ... - Recognize your accomplishments along the way. ... - Ask for help. ... - Avoid distraction. Is it normal to feel unmotivated all the time?It's completely normal to feel unmotivated at times, especially about work. Maybe there's a task you've been ducking for weeks or a new project that's taken the wind out of your sails. Whatever the cause, it can be downright impossible to get things done when those feelings hit. And that's OK. Why am I lazy and dont wanna do anything?For some people, apparent laziness may actually be a sign of clinical depression, avolition, or other health conditions. Procrastination and lack of motivation may also be related to stress or burnout — something so many of us are feeling in the midst of the pandemic. "Why do I feel Lazy and Unmotivated All The Time?" \| Nick Keomahavong (Buddhist Monk) Is laziness a form of depression?No, laziness is not a formal symptom of depression. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders outlines eight symptoms of clinical depression (also known as major depression or major depressive disorder). Is being lazy a mental illness?Laziness may be a momentary state or an issue of character, but it is not a psychological disorder. Further, if you're concerned you might be lazy, ask yourself if you're feeling deeply sad, have disengaged from things you used to love, and are having problems with sleep, energy levels, or your ability to concentrate. What triggers lack of motivation?Lack of motivation may be caused by stress, life changes, or underlying mental health conditions like adjustment disorder or depression. Low motivation can be remedied with activities that increase dopamine output, like physical exercise, behavioral activation, mindfulness, psychotherapy, and for some, medication. Why do I have no energy or motivation?A lack of energy and motivation can be a sign of depression. Reach out to a mental health professional if you need help. They may be able to tell you if something else is causing your low mood. Is lack of motivation a mental illness?While a lack of motivation is not an inherent sign of a mental disorder, it is often symptomatic of clinical depression. Avolition can be the primary symptom of certain mood disorders, such as bipolar depression, or a secondary feature of an anxiety disorder, such as post-trauma stress syndrome (PTSD). Why have I become mentally lazy?Mental laziness and lack of motivation can also be caused by one simple problem: not having enough exercise and nutrients in the body. One should consider eating healthy food high in protein, such as green, leafy vegetables, and fatty fish. Research also suggests eating berries and walnuts and drinking coffee or tea. How can I get interested in life again? When you're feeling disinterested, it can be helpful to turn to friends and family for support. Let them know that you're struggling with this lack of interest. Sometimes just spending time around other people can lift your mood. ... ... - What Does Depression Feel Like? - Identify Your Emotions. - Cope With Your Emotions. What causes too much laziness?Many possible factors cause chronic fatigue, such as underlying medical conditions, nutrient deficiencies, sleep disturbances, caffeine intake, and chronic stress. If you're experiencing unexplained fatigue, it's important to talk with your doctor to find the cause. Is There A Cure For laziness?There's no simple cure for being lazy. The only way to overcome it is by setting your mind to the task and getting up and completing it. Start right now to develop the self-discipline you need to reach your goals. Am I lazy or is something wrong with me?Here are some questions to consider to determine whether you're lazy or depressed: Can I accomplish the task/s at hand with will power and determination? Am I having trouble getting any task/activity started? Am I avoiding certain tasks because they seem too complicated? Why am I not interested in anything?Anhedonia is a word that describes a reduced interest in activities an individual used to enjoy, as well as a decreased ability to feel pleasure. It's a core symptom of major depressive disorder, but it can also be a symptom of other mental health disorders. Why do I want to stay in bed all day?Spending excessive time in bed may be a sign of an underlying medical condition, such as depression. Depression is a mood disorder that has many symptoms, including decreased interest in activities or other people, weight changes, trouble sleeping, and fatigue. How can I regain my energy and motivation?Exercise almost guarantees that you'll sleep more soundly. It also gives your cells more energy to burn and circulates oxygen. And exercising can lead to higher brain dopamine levels, which helps elevate mood. When walking, pick up the pace periodically to get extra health benefits. Is loss of motivation a symptom of ADHD?Adults and children with ADHD have lower levels of dopamine, which limits their brains ability to both recognize rewards and seek them out. This results in a lack of motivation. Without recognizing rewards, the body is unmotivated to act in any direction. How do I fix extreme lack of motivation? What advice would you give to someone lacking in motivation? - Break tasks in to manageable chunks. ... - Write down each positive thing you experience throughout the day. ... - Give yourself credit for the small things you do. ... - Have some 'me time' ... - Be gentle with yourself. ... - Try to be present. ... - Attend helpful events. ... - Ask for help. What mental illness affects motivation?Some of the most common mental health conditions that can trigger difficulty with motivation include depression, anxiety, and ADHD. “Depression symptoms include low motivation, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, increases or decreases in sleep, and low self-esteem,” says clinical social worker Morgan Winder, LMSW. Is being lazy a red flag?Laziness Is A Health Red Flag, Not A Character Flaw \| RedRiver Health And Wellness Center. If you struggle with lack of motivation and low energy, you may beat yourself up and call yourself lazy. But science demonstrates laziness and lack of motivation are often red flags pointing to chronic inflammation. What does poor mental health look like?Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate. Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt. Extreme mood changes of highs and lows. Withdrawal from friends and activities. Can anxiety make you seem lazy?Anxiety Can Appear to be Laziness When someone struggles with anxiety, they typically want to do well. For those of you who know someone who has difficulty with anxiety, you also know they often avoid what makes them anxious. The feelings of anxiety are so overwhelming, it shuts them down. Is laziness inherited or learned?Researchers at the University of Oxford studied data from more than 90,000 people, and have identified a link between the newly discovered genes and activity levels. The discovery means that laziness could, in fact, be down to genetics. ← Previous question Which gender causes more divorce? 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Motivation is one of the most important factors, which affects the performance of an employee in an organization. It is the responsibility of an organization to satisfy its employees as it is the main reason for an employee’s sustainability. Motivation is the driving force behind all actions of an employee. The concept of motivation interrelates to motives, needs, desires, wants, drives, wishes and incentives. There is a general assumption that the higher the salary, the higher is the factor of motivation; however, according to the Expectancy Theory of Vroom, motivation does not merely depend on high salary. It involves the efforts, performance and outcomes of the employees . For example, a person might work hard to produce a product for valence in the form of pay. On the contrary, a manager might work hard to achieve the goals of the company for a promotion. Employee’s motivation depends upon the value they place on the outcome of their effort and the confidence that their effort would aid in achieving the goal. Individuals have personal goals that are different from organizational goals and it is the responsibility of the organization to recognize the employee needs and motivate them to achieve their goals. Vroom’s theory is consistent with the system of managing by objectives and fits the concept of harmony of objectives . It is also consistent a manager’s job is to design an environment for performance taking into account the differences in situations. Unfortunately, Vroom’s theory is difficult to apply in practice. In spite of its difficulty in application, the logical accuracy of the theory indicates that motivation is much more complex than the approaches of other motivational theorists. Another important factor in motivation is whether individuals perceive the reward structure as being fair. One way of addressing the issue is through the use of Adam’s Equity theory. According to the Equity theory, an individual’s subjective judgment about the fairness of the reward he or she gets is relative to the inputs, such as efforts, education and experience when compared to the rewards of others . There should be a balance between the inputs and outcomes of one person in comparison to another person. If individuals feel that they are receiving inequitable rewards, they feel dissatisfied and reduce the quantity or quality of output. In some cases, the employees may even leave the organization. If employees perceive the rewards as equitable, they continue to work at the same level of output. If people feel that the rewards are greater than the equitable rewards, they might work harder. One of the major issues of the equity theory is that certain employees overestimate their contribution and the rewards they perceive . While certain equities are tolerant for a short period, prolonged feelings of equity result in strong reactions within the employees. For example, a reprimanded employee for being late may get angry and quit the job not because of the reprimand, but because of the long standing feelings that the rewards for his or her contributions are inequitable in comparison with the rewards of others. Similarly, a person may feel satisfied with a weekly salary of $500 until he finds out that another person doing the similar work gets $10 more. Thus, Adam’s Equity explains about the impact of inequity on the levels of employee commitment, motivation, trust and performance. Frederick Herzberg and his associates researched to find a two-factor theory of motivation. According to Herzberg, company policy and administration, salary, job security, status, working conditions, interpersonal relations and personal life are only dissatisfiers and not motivators . If these factors exist in the work environment in high quantity and quality, they yield no dissatisfaction. Their existence does not motivate in the sense of yielding satisfaction, but their lack of existence would obviously result in dissatisfaction. Herzberg names these factors as maintenance, hygiene or job-context factors . On the other hand, Herzberg categorizes certain satisfiers, which are motifiers related to job content. They include achievement, recognition, advancement, challenging work and growth in the job. Their existence renders feelings of satisfaction or no satisfaction but not dissatisfaction. The dissatisfiers do not motivate people in an organization, yet they must be present, else it leads to dissatisfaction . The job content factors are real motivational factors as they have the potential of yielding a sense of satisfaction. Herzberg’s theory relates intrinsic factors to job satisfaction and extrinsic factors to dissatisfaction. If Herzberg theory of motivation is sound, it is the responsibility of the managers to give considerable attention to upgrading the job content. The well-known tendency of people to attribute good results to their own efforts and to blame others for poor results is a form of prejudice in Herzberg’s theory. The methodology used by Herzberg in his theory is questionable because the theory looks at mere satisfaction and ignores productivity of the employees . The theory also ignores situational variables. For example, an employee may dislike a part of his job, yet still thinks the job is acceptable overall. In spite of several detractors, Herzberg’s theory is a widely accepted theory and a majority of the organizations follow the theory in motivating their employees. The most important contribution of Porter and Lawler is the Porter and Lawler theory of motivation, which states that performance leads to satisfaction rather than satisfaction leading to performance . The theory considers motivation, performance and satisfaction as separate variables. Motivation does not equal satisfaction or performance and effort does not directly lead to performance as the abilities, traits and role perception are the mediating factors that lie in between motivation and performance. The theory majorly aims at what happens after the performance. It is the rewards that follow performance that determine satisfaction. The experience of the actual performance influences the perceived effort and the probability of actually achieving a reward. The actual performance in the job actually depends on the expended effort. For example, if individuals know that they can do a job or if they have already done it, they have a better appreciation of the necessary effort and a better knowledge of the probability of getting the reward. The Porter and Lawler theory of motivation is more complex than the other theories of motivation . However, it is certainly a more adequate portrayal of the system of motivation. To the practicing manager, the model means that managers should carefully assess their reward structure. Through careful planning, managing by objectives, and clearly defining duties and responsibilities through a good organization structure, it is possible to integrate the effort, performance, reward and satisfaction into the system of managing . Understanding and implementing motivation techniques is central for managing people in the hospitality industry. Moreover, customer’s perception of the employees’ effort has a major impact on customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry. In various studies conducted by the researchers, employees consistently ranked interesting work, appreciation and their work experience higher than good wages (Koontz & Weihrich, 2010). Employees are content with their jobs, because although line-level hospitality jobs do not pay well in comparison to the manufacturing jobs, they are less repetitive and hence more interesting in comparison to the manufacturing jobs. Opportunity for growth is a motivational factor for young workers in the hospitality industry, while the old workers prefer job security. A question that remains unanswered for hospitality applications of the motivational theory is the extent of quantifying customer service in a fully-accepted way by the employees. Although the motivational theories look at the general category of outcomes, it is evident that social rewards enhance the effectiveness of financial rewards. The prevalence of tipped profession in hospitality serves to incent or reward tipped employees for their excellent service, which is a form of motivation. Another factor to consider as an element of motivation in the hospitality industry is the social context as the industry involves the employees’ interaction with the customers (Hayes & Ninemeier, 2008). Social context plays a major role as people rely on their peers for information and judgments about ambiguous situations. The views and attitudes of the coworkers strongly affect the perceptions of the employees towards their work environment as well as their job. Commitment plays an important role in employee motivation. Since the hospitality industry is a dynamic industry, the boundaries of responsibility and authority motivate the employees. Employee fairness perceptions and behavioral integrity are the two relative issues that have profound consequences in the hospitality industry . It is an industry in which even the best of work teams require regular care and maintenance. Additional areas of staff maintenance concern relate to communications efforts designed to keep the employees informed about work-related issues. Since many employees in the hospitality industry hold more than one job, lack of motivation leads to serious concerns. In order to minimize the negative consequences associated with lack of motivation, it is important to follow the basic concept of fairness and quality employee relations. The motivational theories produce the best results based on the size and type of the hospitality. References Arthur, D 2004, Fundamentals of Human Resources Management. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Dessler, G 2005, Human Resource Management. Pearson/Prentice Hall. Hayes, DK & Ninemeier, JD 2008, Human Resources Management in the Hospitality Industry. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Koontz, H & Weihrich, H 2010, Essentials of Management. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Kusluvan, S 2003, Managing Employee Attitudes and Behaviors in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Lauby, S. J 2005, Motivating Employees. American Society for Training and Development. Reyes, M 2011, Employee motivation: Do incentives and/or threats really help to motivate employees? (Google eBook). GRIN Verlag. Saiyadain, M. S 2009, Human Resources Management. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Sapru, R. K 2013, Administrative Theories and Management Thought. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. Thomas, K. W 2010, Intrinsic Motivation at Work: What Really Drives Employee Engagement. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.	https://www.wepapers.com/samples/free-the-main-approaches-to-employee-motivation-essay-sample/
According to the online business dictionary, it is the “internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested in and committed to a job, role, or subject, and to exert persistent effort in attaining a goal”. Due to motivation people act in different ways and it’s brought by the exchanges. Motivation is the energizer of behavior and the mother of all action. It results from the interactions, active and subconscious issues among them being: The degree of the desire or want; the inducement or price value of the objective and the prospects of the individual. The forces that bring motivation are positive and negative. They are fear, need, intimidation or compulsion, and manipulation. How these forces are presented determines whether they could be negative or positive actuators. When these forces come from within an individual they are intrinsic and when they are external they are extrinsic. This gives rise to the main kinds of motivation i.e. intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is determined by circumstances, prize or retribution both materialistic and non-materialistic that bring gain to an individual. Intrinsic motivation on the other hand involves thought, behavioral pattern, or an achievement just for the sake without necessarily having an inducement. This paper will review the literature on motivation in the workplace giving attention to the fundamental theoretical assumptions in this subject and the experimental evidence it has produced. Little attention has been given to the ways of motivating employees in the employment sector. The research that has been done has mostly been data-oriented and the guidelines used have been based on the older theories which have not integrated modern-day research. This paper will be based on modern psychological experiments on motivation at the workplace about the distinctive characteristics of employees and the natures of their different jobs. In this line, I will be able to produce a form of job motivation highlighting changeable factors such as technical difficulties in work, objective content, and goal commitment. Overview of the theories of motivation. Maslow’s hierarchy of Needs Theory Maslow’s belief was that man is naturally good and people have a growing intrinsic drive with great potential. The needs hierarchy system developed by Maslow (1954) is a format for categorizing human motives. His hierarchy was based on two classes i.e. deficiency and growth needs. For the deficiency needs, a lower need has to be satisfied before proceeding to the next level. These levels are:Get your 100% original paper on any topic done in as little as 3 hours Learn More - Physiological: water, comfort, sex, hunger, sleep. Without satisfying these basic needs an individual will not feel any higher needs like social needs. - Safety and security from harm. This is met by medical attention, job security, and financial capability. - Social needs: acceptance and affiliations with others as friends, sense of belonging, the need to love and be loved. - Recognition and self-esteem. According to Maslow, a person will act on the growth needs after meeting the deficiency needs. He distinguished the growth need of self-actualization. (Maslow & Lowery, 1998). These other needs were: - Cognitive needs: knowledge and understanding. vi) Aesthetic needs and beauty. - Self-actualization and fulfillment. With this comes the quest for meaning, justice, and truth. - Self-transcendence is at the peak of the needs and attained after self-actualization. However, it is important to note that not everyone is motivated by needs that are similar as they will view different factors as motivators. For a manager to motivate his staff he/she should be able to understand their unique needs. Even though Maslow’s hierarchy may be sensible from an intuitive viewpoint, the evidence which may support its hierarchical aspect is scarce. (netMBA,2002). This is more so because some cultures view social needs as more important than others. Though it is very popular Maslow’s theory lacks scientific backing. Adams’ Equity Theory John Stacey Adams who was a behavioral psychologist advanced this work motivation theory in 1963. It states that there should be a balance between an employee’s inputs like commitment, skills, hard work, and his output i.e. remuneration, rewards, credit, and gratitude. According to the theory when this balance is maintained a strong stable and fruitful connection with the workers is established thus ensuring they are satisfied and motivated. Adams’s theory recognizes the fact that there are various aspects that determine an employee’s assessment and awareness of their connection with their job and the employer. It is based on the fact that employees can be de-motivated at the workplace should they feel that they are not rewarded by their inputs. Their reactions to this situation can be demotivation, lack of enthusiasm, dissatisfaction, and displeasure and may even be unruly in extreme cases. The employer should strive to balance the employee’s input into their work with equitable output. This may result in employee satisfaction. The employee inputs according to this theory are effort, loyalty, hard work, commitment, skill, ability, adaptability, flexibility, tolerance, determination, enthusiasm, trust in superiors, support of colleagues, personal sacrifice. The outputs on the other hand are financial rewards,( benefits, perks, etc.) and intangible rewards like recognition, reputation, responsibility, sense of achievement, praise, stimulus, sense of advancement/growth, and job security. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory of Motivation Victor Vroom advanced the Expectancy Theory of Motivation. The difference between him and Maslow and Herzberg is that he does not lay emphasis on the needs but instead emphasizes the outcomes. This is depicted in the following illustration.We will write a custom Leadership and Employee Motivation in the Workplace specifically for you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While Herzberg and Maslow consider the association between internal desires and the effort put into satisfying them, Vroom distinguishes effort originating from motivation, performance, and results. According to this theory, Vroom assumes that for an individual to feel motivated there has to be a connection between his input (effort) performance and motivation. His proposals for accounting to this are Valence, Expectancy, and Instrumentality. In the theory, Expectancy is the principle that an increase in effort results in improved performance. This implies that effort is directly related to the outcome. Expectancy is determined by factors such as: - Availability of the resources required e.g. time and raw materials - Availability of the personnel with the right skills for a particular task. - Availability of the essential support from the management to do the job. Instrumentality refers to the belief that a good performance results in an appreciated result. This is the expectation of a reward for something done. Instrumentality is influenced by: - The rule of the reward game, i.e. good understanding of the relationship between performance and results. - Trusting the decision-makers. These are the people making decisions on the outcomes. - Transparency in the decision-making process i.e. in the judgment of performance. The significance which a person attaches to the anticipated results is called Valence. In light of this, it’s important to understand that a person who is motivated by money or recognition will not view it as valuable other incentives. With the understanding of these connections, the implication is that an individual will alter the number of their efforts in consideration of how they value the rewards received from the process and on how they perceive the stability of the connections between their effort in the work and the results. All the three requirements must be fulfilled otherwise the individual will not be motivated, even if two out of the three requirements are met. This theory also suggests that people make comparisons of results for themselves with those of other people. Therefore they tend to change the amount of their effort to make them comparable with other people’s effort depending on how they may perceive it. Expectance theory mainly works on perception. It’s a theory that emphasizes the associations that people develop to achieve anticipated results and the contribution they are comfortable making towards them.Not sure if you can write Leadership and Employee Motivation in the Workplace by yourself? We can help you for only $14.00 $11,90/page Learn More Works cited Arrod. (2007) Expectancy Theory of Motivation. Web. Franken, R. (1994). Human motivation (3rd ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co. Kleinginna, P., Jr., & Kleinginna A. (1981a). A categorized list of motivation definitions,with suggestions for a consensual definition. Motivation and Emotion. Maslow, A. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review. Web. Mindtools eBook.(2007) Edams Equity theory. Mind Tools Ltd, 1997. Web. NetMBA (2006) business knowledge centre. Management. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Web.	https://business-essay.com/leadership-and-employee-motivation-in-the-workplace/
Here is a list of the most common psychological, physical and social symptoms that depression can cause. If you have experienced several of these symptoms persistently for more than 2 weeks you should speak to your doctor. You should not diagnose yourself and a diagnosis can not be made by a friend or family member. Only a properly trained health professional can determine if you have depression. Psychological symptoms: - Continuous low / ‘blue' mood or sadness - Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness - Low self-esteem, ·tearfulness - Feelings of guilt - Feeling irritable and intolerance of others - Poor motivation and poor interest / difficulty making decisions - Lack of enjoyment - Suicidal thoughts / thoughts of harming someone else - Anxiety / obsessive worries, acts, ruminations, or images - Reduced sex drive Physical Symptoms: - Slowed movement / speech - Change in appetite / weight (usually decreased but sometimes increased) / constipation - Unexplained aches and pains - Lack of energy / lack of interest in sex - Menstrual disturbance Social symptoms: - Poor work performance - Reduced social activities and contact with friends - Reduced hobbies and interests - Difficulties in home and family life Some of the symptoms associated with the manic cycle in bipolar disorder are: - Abnormal or excessive elation - Unusual irritability - Decreased need for sleep - Grandiose notions - Increased talking - Racing thoughts - Increased sexual desire - Markedly increased energy - Poor judgment - Inappropriate social behaviour Some medications as well as certain medical conditions can cause the same symptoms as depression, so a thorough physical and psychological assessment should be made before a diagnosis is given to rule out any underlying causes.	http://depression-world.org.uk/depression/symptoms
Motivation is impacted not only by classroom experience, but also by the mindset with which students interpret their classroom experience and the narratives they tell about their school experiences. Motivation is also affected by students’ attitudes, attributions and beliefs about school and about learning. Motivation can be really challenged when difficulties arise in learning something new. Some students regularly experience difficulties in learning. However, it is how students interpret those setbacks or difficulties that is key to the impact on motivation and engagement, rather than the presence of difficulties or setbacks. For example, students might attribute setbacks or failure to their ability or their effort, their strategies, to the difficulty or simplicity of the task, or simply to luck! If a student believes that their failure was due to a lack of effort or to using the wrong strategies, then they are likely to remain motivated and confident that they can achieve the task by making adjustments in these areas. These are modifiable characteristics that are within the student’s control. However, if a student believes that their failure was due to a lack of ability, which cannot be changed, then they experience a profound sense of hopelessness and reduced motivation. They develop a narrative of doubt regarding their ability to succeed and whether they belong in the class environment, which interferes with their capacity to learn. Motivation is strongest when students believe they can recover from error, that they have competence or can develop it. This is a growth mindset, in which students believe their intelligence can grow or develop in order to meet challenges. When poor performance is ascribed to a lack of effort or an inappropriate strategy, and when students feel a sense of personal efficacy aligned with meaningful goals, motivation increases, as students want to increase effort and change strategies. Struggling students may need help to restructure the way they think about success and failure and what they attribute these outcomes to. What to do when students are ‘failing’ - Ensure students base their criteria for success or failure on their own prior performance rather than how their peers performed. Refer to curriculum levels and learning goals rather than the work of other students. - Use errors to teach students to handle failure by adjusting strategies or applying stronger effort. When a student says ‘But I tried so hard’, ask them what they did while working hard, and talk to them about productive and non-productive effort. - Attribute failure to a lack of, or incomplete, strategies. Suggest a strategy that will accomplish the task, and attribute success to the strategy. - Remind students that new learning is frequently confusing at first. Set incremental goals together and provide students with scripts for self-instruction. Carefully structure the acquisition of new content or skill through instruction and feedback. - Develop student responsibility by asking students what contributed to the failure and what they might have done differently, using the following questions: The reasons I received this grade/score include: 1. 2. 3. How I prepared for this work: 1. 2. 3. What I plan to do differently next time:	https://theeducationhub.org.nz/motivation-for-struggling-students-2/
Unfortunately, employee engagement is sometimes an afterthought. Instead, engaging employees should be practiced at all levels of the business hierarchy and cultivated on a regular basis. But why exactly does employee engagement matter? Go to start of metadata Work Commitment "Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. Studies showing instances of high work commitment have also proven to highly relate to organizational performance. It affects all organizations at some level and enables companies to evaluate issues like turnover during times of varying economic stability. All of these attitudes interact to shape the conceptual framework of each individual's work commitment. The following information analyzes these attitudes as well as other organizational concepts, research, and real world applications. Importance of Work Commitment The success or failure of an organization is closely related to the effort and motivation of its employees. The motivation of employees is often the product of their commitment towards their job or career. Work commitment is an extremely important topic for organizations to understand. The level to which an employee engages in his or her work job involvementcommits to and believes in the organization's goals and purpose organizational commitmentdesires to work work ethicand commits to a specific career or profession can all have an impact on an organization. In today's economy, where organizations are expected to do more with less resources i. Communication is one of the best ways to keep employees engaged. It is important that employees are listened to, valued, and encouraged to provide feedback. By keeping channels of communication open, employers and employees can benefit from mutual trust and respect. In addition it is imperative that communication be across all levels of the organization, from top management down as well as internally and externally Stirling J. In short, the importance of work commitment is dependent upon the organization itself. If the organization wants to become competitive and grow, as in the example above, it will place a great deal of importance on the level to which employees are engaged in their jobs and how committed the employees are to the organization. On the other hand, if the organization is content with high turnover, low-producing employees, and high absenteeism, they should not be concerned with work commitment. However, the leaders of that organization must realize that, at some point in its organizational life cycle, the organization will undoubtedly have to compete with an organization that does place importance on work commitment, which could end up being detrimental to the continued existence of the organization. While it may be a common idea that every person possesses a certain level of need to work, this trait has differing levels ranging from individuals with very high levels, to individuals with very low levels, and to others that fall in between PSUWC, The notion of work ethic is a person's desire to work Pinder,has been found to be an individual differences variable, and often considered a personality trait PSUWC, Through his work Weber sought to explain "the fact that people pursue wealth and material gain the achievement of profit for its own sake, not because of necessity" and felt that the Puritan "concept of calling for the individual to fulfill his or her duty in this rather than the other world" explained their behavior Furnham, Thus, he believed Puritans sought salvation "through economic activity" Furnham, Today, however, work ethic has little, if anything, to do with "being Protestant or even religious" Mudrack,p. A more modern definition of work ethic places more emphasis on "dedication to hard work, deferment of immediate rewards, conservation of resourcesWhile there is a multitude of ways to increase employee engagement, utilizing corporate giving programs can be one of the most beneficial for employees, companies, and nonprofits alike. Learn more about using corporate philanthropy to increase employee engagement. When it comes to designing and communicating employee benefit programs, employee input and involvement can be a boon. After all, one of the best ways to gain buy-in for and to communicate employee. Concentrating on employee engagement can help companies withstand, and possibly even thrive, in tough economic times. The best leaders understand that when employees are engaged, productivity, performance and customer satisfaction all improve because employees become more motivated to contribute to the organisation's success and more willing to put in extra effort to . The APA Center for Organizational Excellence is a public education initiative from the American Psychological Association designed to educate the employer community about the link between employee health and well-being and organizational performance. \|Search form\|\|Print This Post Guiding Employees Through Change Change proves to be a challenge not just for supervisors and managers, but for employees as well.\| \|Download Center\|\|Employees represent a source of knowledge and ideas, but oftentimes that resource remains untapped.\| \|The Advantages of Employee Involvement in Decision Making \| caninariojana.com\|\|Downloads This report assesses existing research evidence on links between employee participation in organisational decision making, company performance and the quality of working life.\| \|Latest Products\|\|Does this describe you, your peers, or your employees? During and after the survey process, be sure to:\| This seminar paper discussed how employee involvement can contribute to improvement of occupational health and safety in workplace. The continuous development of technology since the industrial revolution has created hazards in workplaces endangers the health and safety of the work force.	https://ruvehurusuc.caninariojana.com/how-can-employee-involvement-contribute-to-36256ss.html
Generalized hypoxia is a condition in which the tissues of the body are deprived of the necessary levels of oxygen. Anemic hypoxia is a “relative” anemia caused by the decreased O2-carrying capacity of compromised hemoglobin. While anemic hypoxia can be due to massive blood. Hypoxic hypoxia (hypoxemic hypoxia): In this type of hypoxia, the tissues do not have enough oxygen because there is a lack of oxygen in the blood flowing to. Hypoxia is a reduction in oxygen availability, which can impair brain function and performance of operational and safety-critical tasks. HH. "Hypoxic hypoxia" redirects here. For other uses of the term "hypoxia", see Hypoxia (disambiguation). Generalized hypoxia is a condition in which the tissues. Hypoxic hypoxia or generalized hypoxia This refers to hypoxia resulting from an inadequate saturation of blood oxygen due to a reduced supply. Hypoxia is low oxygen content at the tissue level to meet the metabolic needs of the cells. The condition can occur in a patient for a variety. Stagnant hypoxia, as its name implies, refers to situations in which blood flow is abnormally low as occurs in shock, syncope or other “low-flow” states. This type of hypoxia occurs at the circulatory level. If the blood flow is compromised for any reason, then sufficient oxygen cannot get to the. Stagnant hypoxia, in which blood flow through the capillaries is insufficient to supply the tissues, may be general or local. If general, it may result from.	https://londonmistressallure.co.uk/2241.html
Difficult employees are a huge drain on an organization in terms of wasted time, reduced productivity, greater inefficiency, increased employee turnover and—in extreme cases—customer loss. Employees who work with difficult coworkers suffer from low morale, a declining commitment to their work, decreased job satisfaction and greater levels of stress and frustration. Read on to learn what motivates difficult employees, and how you can effectively manage them. Six Steps to Selecting a High Performance Employee This article is the second in a two-part series What constitutes a good employee – a real “winner”? Many people think there’s one profile for a position or one set of criteria cast in stone: “This is a winner.” But that’s just not the case. Winners are unique to your organization. Here are six steps to selecting a high-performance employee. With employee loyalty at an all-time low, really savvy companies recognize that people have never been more important to business success than they are today. One very practical means of emphasizing and maintaining our people as a valued resource is to establish, as most organizations have, a function known as human resources management to represent the best interests of our employees and thereby of management as well. What is strategy? Gerry Johnson and Kevan Scholes in “Exploring Corporate Strategy” define strategy as follows: “Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long-term which achieves advantage for the organization through its configuration of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of the marketplace and to fulfill stakeholder expectations.” This practical article contains an overview of how strategy can be adopted and implemented within your organization to give you a competitive edge. A company’s culture is its personality. It tells people how to do their work. It takes its signals from leaders. It underlies motivation, morale, creativity, and marketplace success. How do you manage it? When you are asking someone to perform a task, what you want done and what he or she thinks you want can often result in two totally different outcomes. This is easily compounded when brought in to the workplace. However, once a job description is in place, it offers both the employer and employee the clarity, focus and expectations for any position and, in doing so, eliminates this problem. Of equal importance, clear job descriptions help employees to work smarter and become more effective, thus increasing an organization’s effectiveness. Let’s face it—as employers focusing in on business, we can too easily lose sight of the rocks and potholes that can come our way with our employees. We think things are moving along well and WHAM! someone shares his or her distress over something or someone in the organization. These types of issues arise from a vast array of reasons, many resulting from a lack of clarity or focus within various areas of human resources. Below are some mistakes employers make that only expand and exasperate the people-problems within an organization. Being aware of these bumps in the road may help you avoid them and keep your organization on the right track. To adapt a quote from the well-known 18th century literary critic Samuel Johnson, the road to being sued by an employee is oft paved with good intentions. Whether it’s agreeing to an employee’s seemingly reasonable scheduling request, simplifying the payroll, or just saving a little money, an employer’s good intentions easily can lead to lawsuits. Here’s a list of the top 10 things employers often do with the best intentions, along with the reasons employers are likely to get sued for doing them.	https://www.amtec.us.com/blog/category/employers/page/55
Satisfaction • Results in increased commitment to the organization which may or may not result in increased performance. • Increased commitment normally results in lower absenteeism, turnover, etc. Motivation • Largely determined by the value of rewards and their contingency on performance. • An increase in motivation results in increased effort which (hopefully) in turn increases performance. Satisfaction & Performance • NO relationship between satisfaction and performance (for people). • A contented cow may give more milk, but a happier worker is not necessarily a more productive worker. Review of Satisfaction Studies • Over many studies, the correlation between satisfaction and performance was found to be .04 • On a scale of –1.0 to +1.0, .04 is essentially zero Theories of Motivation • Content Theories: Focus on what arouses, energizes, or starts behavior • Process Theories: Focus on the choice factor in motivation. Why people choose a particular behavior to satisfy particular needs Verbal Shorthand • “Motivate” • We don’t motivate anyone • We help create the conditions by which they motivate themselves Content Theories • Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs • Alderfer’s ERG Theory • McClelland’s Acquired Needs Theory Maslow • Self Actualization • Ego, Status, Esteem • Social • Safety and Security • Physiological Alderfer • Existence related to Maslow’s first two levels • Relatedness related to Maslow’s 3rd and 4th levels • Growth : related to 4th & 5th levels McClelland • NAch: Need for Achievement Maslow’s 4th & 5th • NAff: Need for Affiliation Maslow’s 3rd & 4th • NPow: Need for Power Process Theories • Vroom’s VIE or Expectancy Theory • Adams’ Equity Theory • Skinner’s Reinforcement Theory Vroom’s VIE or Expectancy • Deals with choosing a behavior that leads to attaining some reward • Represents a “slow down” in our thought process Vroom • Valence • Instrumentality • Expectancy Valence • Strength of a person’s preference for a particular outcome or reward Instrumentality • Perceived relationship between performance and rewards • P R Expectancy • Perceived relationship between effort and performance • E P Expectancy Theory • E P R Concert Seats Example • Effort: Time spent in line. The more time spent, the more effort exerted. • Performance: Place in line. The closer to the front of the line, the better the performance. Concert Seats Example • Reward: Tickets for the concert. The closer to the stage, the better the reward. Adams’ Equity Theory • Based on two premises: • We compare ourselves to others • Ifwe don’t like the results of the comparison, we take action Adams’ Equity Theory • What’d you get?	https://www.slideserve.com/oke/motivation
This Assignment covers Lec# 8 to Lec# 16. Thanks for this information. but koi solution b post kro g People-related problems: People-related problems in a software project are: • Low motivation: As the project manager it is your responsibility to ensure an ptimal level of motivation within the team. Lengthy projects, complex activities and scarce resources often decrease the motivation level in a software development team. However, you need to lead in such a way that the team is constantly motivated to do a good job. • Problem employees: Some members of any team always create a problem. For example, an employee may carry a 'holier-than thou' attitude. Problem employees raise the chances of conflicts and differences of opinions within the development team. They lower the efficiency and productivity of other team members and make it difficult to meet the objectives of the software project within the specified time. You need to ensure that employees are not allowed to create a problem for the rest of the team. Even if the employee is very competent, you need to assess the indispensability of such employees for the project. Moreover, you refrain from playing favorite with certain employees and treat everyone with the same measure. • Unproductive work environment: The work environment is a major factor that affects the productivity of the development team. For example, a noisy or cramped work space decreases the motivation levels of the employees. Similarly, unfriendly organizational policies also lower the motivation of the team members. As the project manager, you need to ensure that the team is protected from harmful external make the work space friendly to work in. • Inefficient project management style: the project manager needs to lead by example. The team members absorb the work culture, work ethic, and attitude of the project manager and implement it in their work style. If you display a lack of leadership qualities and weak ideals, the motivation levels decrease across software team. • Lack of stakeholder interest: For a software project to be a success, each stakeholder needs to take an active interest in the progress of the project. All stakeholders, including the customer, the management, and the software development team, need to commit to the success of the project. For example, if the software development team is not committed to the project, then their contribution may not be to the optimum level. • Ineffective project sponsorship by management: Lack of commitment of the senior management to a software project lowers the motivation level of the team members. If the management commits to the progress of a software project, and takes a keen interest in the progress, the confidence of the software development team will increase. Product-related Problems: There are many product-related problems that you can face in a software project. These are: • Product scope changed toward the end of the project life cycle: The project time, effort, and cost estimates for a software project can go up dramatically when the customer changes the scope of the product toward the end of the project. In such situations, you should verify the criticality of the scope change. However, if the change request is not critical, you should retain the original scope with a proper explanation to the customer. If the change request is critical, you should explain the situation to the customer. Usually, a customer gives more time and funds to a software project if proper justification is provided. In some cases, the scope change may also be because of a change in government policy. It may become mandatory for you to include such change requests. • Research-oriented software development: Many software projects digress from the original scope because of the nature of the software product or technology used. When a totally new kind of software is developed or a new technology is used, the software development team can lose focus of the objectives by getting into a research-oriented approach. It becomes your responsibility as the project manager to maintain the focus on the objective. • Defined scope: You need to define the scope of the software product in the initial stages of a software project. The scope of a software product is defined in terms of the functionality requirements, the performance requirements, the assumptions, and the constraints on the product. If the product scope is ill defined, the software project does not have a proper focus on the features required in the product. • Fuzzy users: You also need to clarify the background characteristics of the users of the final software product at the beginning of the software project. If the description of the users is fuzzy, then the software analysis, design, and development stages may reflect the ambiguity with regard to the functions and performance of the final software product. thanks Copy from book is ma just name dana ha ya description b likhni ha Headings + description both deni han. Kindly post some ideas about the solution...	https://vustudents.ning.com/group/cs615softwareprojectmanagement/forum/topics/assignment-no-2-cs615?commentId=3783342%3AComment%3A5338875&groupId=3783342%3AGroup%3A59161
Most companies, either large or small, now employ more impermanent temporary employees, than full-time (permanent) employees. Impermanent temporary employees usually bear the same workload as regular employees or even more. However, in terms of salaries or other facilities, it is completely different for temporary employees, so they tend to feel less comfortable at work. One of the problems that arise from the inconvenience is the lack of commitment of temporary employees to the organization. This study aims to discover the effect of job insecurity on organizational commitment of impermanent temporary employees from Anggrek and Cempaka units in PT Royal Korindah. Purbalingga. Variables used in this research are: ‘job insecurity’ as the independent variable and ‘organizational commitment’ as the dependent variable. This study involves 82 temporary impermanent employees of the units examined. The results of data analysis indicate that there is a effect of job insecurity toward organizational commitment of the temporary employees of Anggrek and Cempaka units in PT Royal Korindah Purbalingga. The results also showed that job insecurity affected to 38.5% of the organizational commitment, whereas other factors influenced organizational commitment in a proportion of 61.5%. A business will be more advanced if it applies better management practices so that the business can run more consistently and develop even more. In a company, there are many things to be managed not only assets, such as cash flow, machinery, or other equipment needed in producing an item, but also non-material assets, such as human resources. According to experts, human resources represent the most important element compared to other elements in the company. In a company, the focus of the production is not just about the profits, but also the attention to the manpower or employees who help the company achieve its goals. The company evolves not only because of the large capital or the financial result of many production factors but also because of the human resources factors who facilitate the production of goods or services. Different employment statuses result in different rights and obligations under each employment status. A temporary employee is a seconded employee to complete the company's routine jobs and there is no continuity of his working life. Contract employees have relatively shorter working periods and are less likely to be rehired by the company, than regular employees. In addition, impermanent employees also receive salaries below the average salary of regular employees (Booth et al., 2002; Mahaputra et al., 2013). Impermanent employees are also not entitled to employment period allowance, severance pay, and money refunds when his employment time expires. The phenomenon of impermanent employees in Indonesia itself has been going on for quite a long time, either practiced by local or foreign companies, private or government-owned companies. In fact, most companies, both large and small, now employ more impermanent employees than permanent employees. As part of the world capitalist economic system, the phenomenon of impermanent workers known as outsourcing is increasingly chosen as an alternative to get cheaper, faster, and less-risked employees. Usually a person listed as impermanent employee bears the same workload as a permanent one, but in terms of salaries or other facilities, it is a case of inequality and this provides many benefits for the company in terms of productivity for example, including the absence of clear severance terms if the company no longer uses the service of contracted labors. Many companies that facilitate outsourcing see this opportunity so companies that need impermanent employees can just hire according to the desired qualifications. However, the problems caused by this contract-based system seems to be endless. The problems may vary from unilateral layoffs, the absence of adequate severance pay, and moreover the absence of legal protection for impermanent employees who will claim their rights in court. The number of problems that arise in the workplace, especially dealing with the manpower or employees, is a challenge for all the concerned parties. Employees are a very valuable company assets that must be managed well by the company in order to contribute optimally. One of the problems that can arise is the lack of commitment of employees to the organization in the work. Any work can lead to both positive and negative reactions. Not only on what kind of work is charged, but also on the status of the worker in his work. Mowday et al. (1979) define organizational commitment as identification, job involvement, and loyalty expressed by an employee to his organization (Sianturi, 2011). Organizational commitment means more than just formal membership, because it includes the attitude of loving the organization and willingness to seek high levels of effort for the interests of the organization including loyalty to the organization, involvement in work, and identification of organizational values and goals. The organizational commitment strategy seeks to create a situation that generates a sense of belonging to each employee to the company where the employee is working. All of the positive impacts that come as a consequence of those employees who have a high organizational commitment level to the organization will be very useful for the company because without strong organizational commitment in the individual, there will not be possible for an organization to run maximally. If employees have a high commitment, then the company or organization will get a positive impact such as increased production, quality of work and job satisfaction and decreased levels of tardiness, absence, and turn over (Mathie and Zajac, 1990; Ermawan, 2007). Boshoff and Mels (1995) mention that committed employees are believed to dedicate their time, energy, and greater talent to the organization, compared to employees who are not committed to the organization. Similarly, Whitener (2001) conducted and analyzed a survey of 7,500 workers in the United States. The results of the study found that firms with high commitment employees for the organization got better results in the category "3 - years total return to shareholder (total company profit in 3 years)" (112%), compared to firms with employees who expressed a low commitment to the organization (76%) (Whitener, 2001; Suyasa and Coawanta, 2004). Therefore, the commitment of the employees for the organization or company should be maximized, meaning the company should try to fulfill the rights of employees so that employees have a loyal attitude and a high commitment for the company, because the employee’s commitment to the organization is the key towards improving the quality of work and achieving the goals organization. With a high commitment to employees, organizations or companies expect that employees can be more loyal to the organization, employees keep the organization secrets, employees will work best for the benefit of the organization and always motivated and willing to make more sacrifices for the organization’s success and have the spirit to move forward with the organization (Ermawan, 2007). Commitment for the organization is necessary, but in reality not all employees can show their commitment to the organization, especially in Indonesia. According to Suyasa and Coawanta (2014), in the report "Work Asia 2004/2005", it is said that the commitment of Indonesian employees to the company is lower than those in other Asian countries. The sample of the study was represented by 8,000 respondents from 46 companies in Indonesia, with a total of 115,000 respondents from 515 companies in 10 Asian countries (Suyasa and Coawanta, 2014). Baranduan (2011) survey results conducted by ESRC Center for Business Research conducted on 300 employees showed more than 44% of respondents feel that they only slightly trust the company where they work. Most of these employees feel that the organization is not on the same side as them. Interviews conducted by researchers with impermanent employees of Royal Korindah Co Ltd., especially in the production section of Anggrek and Cempaka units, showed that some employees lacked a sense of ownership of the company. Often, employees who do not go to work include a letter of excuse from the doctor so that their absence is not counted as absence from work though actually they are not really sick. Then the results of interviews with temporary employees who are hired simultaneously showed that some employees feel there is no reciprocity from the company for their performance. Usually, they work in various shifts for a long time but the status of work is not clear whether he will be appointed or not as a permanent or regular employee so that in the long run in the work he admitted do not do it maximally, only fulfilling the target instead of making effort to surpass the target. Based on the results of introductory observation conducted, researchers also found other problems where many employees come to work late. Then there was also information from one of the personnel staff of PT Royal Korindah Purbalingga that many employees who are mainly male employees do not go to work after receiving their salary. Psychological research results show that trust is the key to maintaining a sense of security from employees. Research conducted by Roskies and Guerin (1990) and Greenglass et al. (2002) concluded that the decline in working conditions such as insecurity in work will affect employees more than just losing jobs. These conditions also lead to the emergence of negative emotions, decreased psychological conditions and will affect employees' commitment to work (Baranduan, 2011). Allen and Meyer (1997) formulate a definition of commitment in organizing as a psychological construct that is the characteristic of the relationship of organizational members with their organization and has implication for individual decision to continue his membership in organizing. Based on that definition, members who are committed to their organization will be more able to survive as part of the organization than members who are not committed to the organization. Marchington et al. (2008) mention five factors that affect the organizational commitment: The physical condition of the work environment, the feeling or desire to work for a good leader or company, wage payments, rewards or opportunities in work, a sense of security in work, With the emergence of job insecurity conditions perceived by employees (Kurniawan, 2006). According to Ashford et al. (1989) the impact of job insecurity are low organizational commitment, job satisfaction, low organizational trust. Research conducted by Greenhalgh and Rosenblatt (2010; 1984) and Baranduan (2011) tried to examine the effects of job insecurity on work commitment and work behavior. The results that states that employees who can go through the stage of this sense of insecurity, showing a declining work commitment from time to time which means that the existence of job insecurity in employees also affect employees in the work or performance like being unmotivated to work. De Witte (2005) stated that job insecurity is the employee's perception of the threat of loss or job sustainability and concerns related to the threat. Employees who feel less able to control the situation in the work and less able to predict the situation to be faced, because the ambiguity of the situation, can perceive the existence of job insecurity (Ashord et al., 1989; Mahaputra et al., 2013). Joelsen and Wahlquist (1987) suggest that job insecurity is an individual understanding of workers as the first stage in the process of job loss (Wijaya, 2010). In fact, the population with job insecurity is always in greater numbers than workers who actually lose their jobs. It also discloses that vulnerable workers experience job insecurity, for example, those who are in danger of losing a job, a freelancer (a service worker who is not tied to an organization) and impermanent employees, new employees who are on probation, and employees of the secondary labor market (Minority ethnic groups, disabled workers, seasonal workers and employees coming from contract provider providers). Job insecurity level of an employee can be known from job insecurity aspect condition. Hellegren et al. (1999) distinguishes aspects of the dimensions of job insecurity into two, namely aspects of quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative aspects of job insecurity are worries about job loss. The qualitative aspect concerns employees' perceived concerns about the potential loss of job features that are considered important to an employee. Ruvio and Rosenblatt (1999) then clarify those three dimensions (Novliadi, 2009). First, the feeling of being threatened on the total work of a person, for example someone moved to a lower position in the organization, transferred to another job with the same level in the organization or temporarily dismissed. On the other hand a job loss may either happen permanently or someone may be fired or forced to retire too early. Second, the feeling of being threatened against the work performance. For example, organizational change may cause a person to have difficulty making progress in the organization, retaining salaries or increasing revenues. This may affect the position of a person in the company, the freedom to organize work, job performance, and job significance. Threats to the work display may also play a role in the difficulty of accessing previously ready-to-use resources. Third, job insecurity may play a role in a person's feeling for lack of control or inability to control events in his workplace, simply a feeling of being helpless (Ruvio and Rosenblatt, 1999). Job insecurity is the psychological condition of an employee who feels threatened or worried about the continuity of his work in the future due to the changing environmental conditions. This condition arises because of the many types of work that are impermanent or contract work. The increasing number of jobs with impermanent or non-permanent duration leads to an increasing number of employees experiencing job insecurity (Smithson and Lewis, 2000; Kurniasari, 2005). Nopiando (2012) states job insecurity as the emergence of fear or anxiety in relation to subjective perceptions related to the possibility of future job losses. While Burchell et al. (2002) define job insecurity as a subjective feeling towards the risk of losing a job as an expression of the worker himself. Within the limits of job insecurity, pressures can still be tolerated, but if it exceeds the limits of one's endurance it will result in the physiological destruction, psychological distortions and inharmonic condition among the people involved in the organization (Ermawan, 2007) with the various changes that occur within the organization, employees are likely to feel threatened, anxious, and insecure because of the potential changes to affect the conditions of work and the continuity of relationships and remuneration it receives from the organization. These circumstances can lead to job insecurity conditions or work inconvenience felt by employees in carrying out the work. Based on interviews conducted on temporary employees of Royal Korindah from Anggrek and Cempaka units, some employees say they are worried about their unclear work status whether they will be contracted, appointed as permanent employees or removed and have the contract from the beginning as the first time they work, moreover they both have worked for about two years and there is a little chance for job promotion in this small company. Employees are worried if later they are losing jobs and become unemployed especially at PT Royal Korindah Purbalingga as there is a job vacancy and the company accepts new employees to be employed almost every day. In addition, employees are also housed a month before the contract runs out or the term there is a cut off. If the contract is advanced, the laid-off employee will be contacted to work again but will have to start the contract again, from the beginning by submitting, an application letter. The following table presents the research basis data of cut off employees from Anggrek and Cempaka units Royal Korindah Purbalingga. Then strict supervision by the coordinator and limited space during work makes the employee feel uncomfortable because the employees sit continuously doing his work during working hours and can only leave the place to go to the bathroom or break time. Based on interviews conducted, the results showed that the condition of work space in production in Anggrek and Cempaka unit in Royal Korindah Purbalingga is less qualified, such as less air ventilation room and roof of "zinc" so that employees at work feel less comfortable because the air is too hot even though there is an indoor fan. In addition to feeling uncomfortable, the room is also very noisy and the workplace situation can cause job insecurity and that furtherly affect the employees while doing their job, because employees feel less attention by the company about the right of employees in obtaining the comfort of the work space. The situation of increasing unemployment and increasing job insecurity have a contradictory impact on employees' commitment to their organization. On the one hand, a decrease in satisfaction that goes hand in hand with work unrest tends to make people less motivated and committed. On the other hand, the fact that people actually have jobs means that this work becomes more important and more valuable, which can increase the organization's commitment. Some of the results of previous study (Baranduan, 2011) found the effect of job insecurity to employees, including: increasing dissatisfaction in work (Ashford et al., 1989), increasing psychological disorders, employees tend to withdraw from the environment (Ashford et al., 1989), an increasing number of employer turnover (Ashford et al., 1989). According to Roskies and Louise Guerin (1990), the deterioration of working conditions such as insecurity decreases the quality of the individual, especially his work, it will also lead to the emergence of demotion which ultimately lowers the psychological condition of the employee. The long run will show dissatisfaction in work and will lead to a desire to move. Job insecurity also affects work commitment and work behavior. Studies conducted by Greenglass et al. (2002) show that individuals who can go through the critical stages of insecurity will further decrease their commitment. Previous research has shown that job security involves a reduction in concerns of losing one's job (Berglund et al., 2014). Labor security emerges as a coping mechanism in situations of labor unrest (De Cuyper et al, 2008). Lee and Jeong’s (2017) study is consistent with previous research result found that job insecurity diminished the Organizational Commitment, which in turn reinforced the intention to move to a new company. Variables used in this research are job insecurity as independent variable and organizational commitment as dependent variable. Population in this research is impermanent employees from production section of Anggrek and Cempaka units at Royal Korindah Purbalingga with 235 employees. The sample in this study is 82 people, 35%, taken from the total 235 impermanent employees. Simple random method is used in this research by the selection of random samples by mixing subjects in the same population. Job insecurity scales and organizational commitment scales are used to collect the data. The job insecurity scale is structured based on three aspects: feelings threatened on total work, related to mutations, demotions, temporary fire, and permanent job loss. Feelings threatened against the appearance of work, relating to promotional difficulties, company policies and regulations, freedom of employment, job performance, and sustaining or increasing revenue. Powerlessness means that employees are not able to control events in their working environment such as poor working environment conditions and relationships with co-workers, superiors or subordinates. The scale of organizational commitment is based on three dimensions of organizational commitment, namely affective commitment, related to the emotional relationship of members to their organization, identification and involvement of members with activities in the organization. Continuance commitment is related to the awareness of members of the organization who may lose for leaving the organization. Normative commitment describes the feeling of belonging to continue to be in the organization. Reliability coefficient for job insecurity scale obtained r_count equal to 0,910 and reliability coefficient for organization commitment scale obtained r_count equal to 0,924. Subjects are asked to choose the degree of agreement and disagreement for each statement. There are 4 alternative answers, which are very suitable (SS), appropriate (S), inappropriate (TS), and highly inappropriate (STS). Scores of this scale move from 4 to 1 for a favorable item and move from 1 to 4 for unfavorable item. Simple linear regression is used ad the data analysis technique. From table 3, it can be observed that the percentage of respondents who have a very high organizational commitment is 1.22% (1 employee), 29.27% (24 employees) have high organizational commitment, 15.85% (13 employees) has a moderate organizational commitment, 47.56% (employees) have low organizational commitment, 6.10% (employees) have very low organizational commitment. From the description above, we can see that employees' job insecurity who are in the high category represent 21 people of the total sample. Characteristics of individuals experiencing high job insecurity are lacking in their ability to survive the pressures and are lacking optimism (Greenhalgh and Rosenblatt, 2010; Ermawan, 2007), are less able to control the situation in jobs such as changes in the company, and are less able to predict the situation to be faced (Ashord et al., 1989; Mahaputra et al, 2013). Characteristics of individuals who experience high job insecurity, as described above, are in accordance with the behavior of employees who experience high job insecurity and appear in the office, the employees are feeling worried about their work less, have a clear status whether the contract will be continued, whether or not they will be appointed as permanent employees, starting doing contracts again. Employees are worried that if they lose this job, they will become unemployed, especially in PT Royal Korindah Purbalingga. Almost every day there is a job application and new employees. The existence of new job applicants will certainly hinder the performance of employees because they feel threatened by their temporary status. Then strict supervision by the coordinator and limited space make the employee feel uncomfortable because the employees sit continuously doing his work during working hours and can only briefly leave the place. The situation of the workplace is uncomfortable for the employees, affecting employees while doing their job, because employees get less attention about the rights of employees in obtaining the comfort of their work space. While it is seen that there are 44 people who have low category of commitment of employee organizations. The characteristics of individuals who have low organizational commitment are having less commitment to the company and are not proud to be part of the company (Teresia and Suyasa, 2008), have lack of trust in the company, and feel that the company does not support them (Baranduan, 2011). Characteristics of individuals who have low organizational commitment as described above, are indicated by the employees who claim that they are relaxed in the workplace because their permanent work status is not important to them because they claim there are many other companies that will accept and hire them. In addition, employees feel there is no reciprocity from the company for their performance. Many people have already worked for long periods of time with a lot of workload without clear status, whether they will be appointed as permanent employees or not. Based on regression analysis result, the t_count value is equal to - 7.071 with p (0,000) <0,05. This result indicates that there is a significant effect between job insecurity and organizational commitment on temporary employees of Anggrek and Cempaka units in Royal Korindah Purbalingga. The magnitude of the influence of job insecurity on organizational commitment shown is based on the coefficient of determination (R square) of 0.385. This figure shows that in this research, job insecurity affected 38,5% of the organizational commitment, while the rest, of 61,5%, is affected by factors other than job insecurity factor. That is, if the ‘job insecurity’ variable is 0, then the ‘organizational commitment’ level is -0.656 and each addition unit of ‘job insecurity’ variable will decrease the organizational commitment by 0.656. The results are in accordance with those proposed by Marchington et al. (2008) and Kurniawan (2006), namely that the main factor that affects the organization's commitment is a sense of security in work, in this case related to the emergence of job insecurity conditions perceived by employees. Ashford et al. (1989) and Baranduan (2011) state that one of the effects of job is the decreasing organizational commitment. Job insecurity also affects work commitment and work behavior. The statement is reinforced by studies conducted by Greenglass et al. (2002) and Baranduan (2011) that show individuals who experience critical stages of insecurity will report lower levels of commitment. It cannot be denied that the company succeeds not only because of large capital inflows or the result of many factors of production, but also because of the factors related to quality human resources who produce goods or services. Employees are a very valuable company asset that must be managed well by the company in order for them to contribute optimally. If the temporary employees show symptoms of job insecurity, of course, this will affect employees in the workplace or their performance, such as being lazy to work or less motivation in work (Baranduan, 2011). In addition, high job insecurity leads to a low commitment for the organization. Without a strong organizational commitment in employee, it will not be possible for an organization to run at strong levels of performance. If employees have a high commitment, then the company or organization will get a positive impact such as increased production, quality of work and job satisfaction and decreased levels of delay, absence, and turnover (Mathie and Zajac,1990; Ermawan, 2007). The result that stated that organizational commitment of 61.5% is affected by other factors, except job insecurity, is supported by Marchington et al. (2008), who mention that organizational commitment is also related to the existence of job insecurity conditions perceived by employees. However, there are still other factors affecting organization's commitment, namely physical conditions of the work environment, the feeling or desire to work for a good company, salary payment, and rewards or opportunities at work. The results of this study indicate that low job insecurity will increase organizational commitment. A high organizational commitment on impermanent employees creates a good morale and work productivity because of a strong sense of belonging to a company that will have a positive impact on the company's progress. Based on the results of research and discussion about the effect of job insecurity of organizational commitment of temporary employees of Anggrek and Cempaka units in Royal Korindah Co Ltd. Purbalingga, it can be concluded that there is an effect of job insecurity toward organizational commitment. The effect that occurs in this relationship is negative and indirect, namely temporary employees who experience high job insecurity will have a low organizational commitment, and vice versa, if the job insecurity experienced by temporary employees is lower, then their commitment is higher. The effect of job insecurity on organizational commitment is 38.5%, and 61.5% of the effect comes from other influencing factors (unobserved factors). Limitations of this study refer to the fact that the researchers conducted the present research in one organization and in a limited number of production units for the company. Therefore, it does not have a clear perspective on the different environments and cultures throughout the organization. Based on these limitations, the researchers recommend further research covering various companies and workers other than the production units. The effective contribution of job insecurity to organizational commitment is 38.5% and there are still 61.5% other factors affecting organizational commitment. For further research it is desirable to examine other factors such as work environment, feeling or desire to work for a leader company, wage payments, and rewards or job opportunities. Allen, N. J. and Meyer, J. P., 1997. Commitmen in The Workplace Theory Research and Application. California: Sage Publications. Ashford, S., Lee, C. and Bobko, P., 1989. Content, causes, and consequences of job insecurity: A theory-based measure and substantive test. Academy of Management Journal, 32, pp.803-829. Baranduan, P.C.W., 2011. Pengaruh Job Insecurity dan Kompensasi Terhadap Kepuasasn Kerja Karyawan Pada Boshe VVIP Club Yogyakarta. Thesis. Yogyakarta: Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana. Berglund, T., Furåker, B. and Vulkan, P., 2014. Is Job Insecurity Compensated for by Employment and Income Security?. Economic and Industrial Democracy 35(1), pp.165–184. Booth, A.L., Francesconi, M. and Frank, J., 2002. Temporary Jobs: Stepping Stones or Dead Ends?. The Economic Journal, 112(480), pp. F189-F213. Boshoff, C. and Mels, G., 1995. A causal model to evaluate the relationships among supervision, role stress, organizational commitment and internal service quality. European Journal of Marketing, 29(2), pp.23-42. Burchell, B., Ladipo, D. and Wilkinson, F., 2002. Job insecurity and Work Intensification. New York: Routledge. De Cuyper, N., Bernard-Oettel, C., Berntson, E., De Witte, H. and Alarco, B., 2008. Employability and Employees’ Well-Being: Mediation by Job Insecurity. Applied Psychology, 57(3), pp.488–509. De Witte, H., 2005. Job insecurity: Review of the international literature on definitions, prevalence, antecedents and consequences. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 31(4), pp.1–6. Ermawan, D., 2007. Hubungan Antara Job Insecurity Dan Konflik Peran Dengan Komitmen Organisasi. Essay. Surakarta: Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta. [online] Available at: http://etd.eprints.ums.ac.id/1452/2/F100030039.pdf [Accessed on 2 February 2018]. Greenglass, E. R., Burke, R. J. and Fiksenbaum, L. (2002). Workload and burnout in nurses. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 11, pp.211-215. Greenhalgh, L. and Rosenblatt, Z., 1984. Job Insecurity: Toward Conceptual Clarity. The Academy of Management Review, 9(3), p.438. Greenhalgh, L. and Rosenblatt, Z., 2010. Evolution of research on job insecurity. International Studies of Management and Organization, 40(1), pp.6–19. Hellgren, J., Sverke, M. and Isaksson, K. 1999. A two-dimensional approach to job insecurity: consequences for employee attitudes and well-being. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 8, pp.179–195. Joelson, L. and Wahlquist, L., 1987. The Psychological Meaning of Job Insecurity and Job Loss: Results of a Longitudinal Study. Social Science and Medicine, 25, pp.179-182. Kurniasari, L., 2005. Pengaruh Komitmen Organisasi dan Job Insecurity Karyawan Terhadap Intensi Turnover. [online] Available at: http://www.damandiri.or.id/file/luvikurniasariunairbab2.pdf [Accessed on 2 February 2018]. Kurniawan, A., 2006. Hubungan antara Persepsi Manajemen Lini Terhadap Turnover di Manajemen Puncak dengan Komitmen Organisasi. Essay. Surakarta: Fakultas Psikologi Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta. Mahaputra, B., Riantoputra, C.D. and Respati, A., 2013. Peran Employability dalam Hubungan Job Insecurity dan Kepuasan Kerja., dalam Jurnal Makara Seri Sosial Humaniora, 2013, 17(2), pp.90-98. Marchington, M., Wilkinson, A. and Marchington, L., 2008. Human resource management at work: people management and development (4. ed). London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Mathieu, J.E. and Zajac, D.M., 1990. A review and meta-analysis of the antecedents, correlates, and consequences of organizational commitment. Psychological Bulletin, 108, pp.171-194. Mowday, R.T. Steers, R.M., Porter, L.W., 1979. The measurement of organizational commitment. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 14 (2), pp.224-247. Nopiando, B., 2012. Hubungan Antara Job Insecurity Dengan Kesejahteraan Psikologis Pada Karyawan Outsourcing. Journal of Social and Industrial Psychology, 1(2), pp.1-6. Novliadi, F., 2009. Hubungan Antara Persepsi Terhadap Organisasi Pembelajar Dengan Job Insecurity Pada Karyawan. Thesis. Medan: Universitas Sumatera Utara. [online] Available at: http://repository.usu.ac.id/bitstream/123456789/3645/1/08E00922.pdf [Accessed on 2 February 2018]. Roskies, E. and Louis-Guerin, C., 1990. Job insecurity in managers: Antecedents and consequences. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 11, pp.345-359. Ruvio, A. and Rosenblatt, Z., 1999. Job insecurity among Israeli schoolteachers: Sectoral profiles and organizational implications. Journal of Educational Administration, 37(2), pp.139-168. Sianturi, M.G., 2011. Psychological Capital Merupakan Pediktor Positif Bagi Job Insecurity. Essay. Medan: Universitas Sumatera Utara. [online] Available at: http://repository.usu.ac.id/bitstream/123456789/23616/7.pdf [Accessed on 2 February 2018]. Suyasa, P.T.Y.S. and Coawanta, J.A., 2004. Sikap Terhadap Budaya Organisasi Dan Komitmen Organisasi. Jurnal Psikologi, 2(1), pp. 1-21. Teresia, N. and Suyasa, P.T.Y.S., 2008. Komitmen Organisasi Dan Organizational Citizenship Behavior Pada Karyawan Call Centre Di PT. X. Phronesis Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi Industri dan Organisasi, 10(2), pp.154-169. Whitener, E.M., 2001. Do “high commitment” human resource practices affect employee commitment? A cross-level analysis using hierarchical linear modeling. Journal of Management, 27, pp.515–535. Wijaya, E., 2010. Pengaruh Job Insecurity, Komitmen Karyawan Dan Kepuasan Kerja Terhadap Intention to Quit (Studi Pada Pt. Bank Jatim Cabang Malang). Essay. Malang: Universitas Brawijaya.	http://business.expertjournals.com/23446781-605/
Where do you find yourself across these five stages of burnout? In an ideal world, nobody would experience burnout. It’s the state of mind that comes with long-term, unresolved stress, and it can negatively affect your work and your life. Stress can be both a positive and a negative state of mind. With burnout, the best option is to take regular steps to prevent it. What is burnout? Burnout is the loss of meaning in one’s work, coupled with mental, emotional, or physical exhaustion as the result of long-term, unresolved stress. Burnout can affect anyone, however, there is a growing number of entrepreneurs, business owners, and freelancers who are reporting symptoms of burnout up to 60% in the UK. General symptoms of burnout include: - Lower resistance to illness - A pessimistic outlook on work or life - Physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion - Lower productivity - Time away from work - Demotivation and detachment from your work - Depleted energy levels - A pessimistic outlook on work or life The 5 stages of burnout Burnout can affect anyone, at any time in their lives. However, burnout is most common in people between the ages of 25 and 44. Our guide is inspired by Winona State University’s burnout study, as well as our own psychological research. As with any illness, symptoms of burnout change from person to person, however, these five stages are commonly observed: 1. HONEYMOON PHASE When we undertake a new task, we often start by experiencing high job satisfaction, commitment, energy, and creativity. This is especially true of a new job role, or the beginnings of a business venture. In this first phase of burnout, you may begin to experience predicted stresses of the job, so it’s important to start implementing positive coping strategies, such as taking practical steps in your job or prioritizing your mental health. The theory is that if we create good coping strategies at this stage, we can continue in the honeymoon phase indefinitely. Common symptoms include: - Job satisfaction - Readily accepting responsibility - Sustained energy levels - Unbridled optimism - Commitment to the job at hand - The compulsion to prove oneself - Free-flowing creativity - High productivity levels 2. ONSET OF STRESS The second stage of burnout begins with an awareness of some days being more difficult than others. You may find your optimism waning, as well as notice common stress symptoms affecting you physically, mentally, or emotionally. Common symptoms include: - Anxiety - Avoidance of decision making - Change in appetite or diet - Fatigue - Forgetfulness - The general neglect of personal needs - Grinding your teeth at night - Headaches - Heart palpitations - High blood pressure - Inability to focus - Irritability - Job dissatisfaction - Lack of sleep or reduced sleep quality - Lack of social interaction - Lower productivity - Unusual heart rhythms 3. CHRONIC STRESS The third stage of burnout is chronic stress. This is a marked change in your stress levels, going from motivation to experiencing stress on an incredibly frequent basis. You may also experience more intense symptoms than those of stage two. Common symptoms include: - Anger or aggressive behavior - Apathy - Chronic exhaustion - Cynical attitude - Decreased sexual desire - Denial of problems at work or at home - Feeling threatened or panicked - Feeling pressured or out of control - Increased alcohol/drug consumption - Increased caffeine consumption - Lack of hobbies - Missed work deadlines and/or targets - Persistent tiredness in the mornings - Physical illness - Procrastination at work and at home - Repeated lateness for work - Resentfulness - Social withdrawal from friends and/or family - Uptake of escapist activities 4. BURNOUT Entering stage four of burnout is where symptoms become critical. When burnout is talked about more generally, this is the stage that is often referred to. Continuing as normal is often not possible, and it’s key that you seek intervention. Common symptoms include: - Behavioral changes - Chronic headaches - Chronic stomach or bowel problems - Complete neglect of personal needs - Continuation or increase in escapist activities - Desire to “drop out” of society - Desire to move away from work or friends/family - Development of an escapist mentality - Feeling empty inside - Obsession over problems at work or in life - A pessimistic outlook on work and life - Physical symptoms intensify and/or increase - Self-doubt - Social isolation 5. HABITUAL BURNOUT The final stage of burnout is habitual burnout. This means that the symptoms of burnout are so embedded in your life that you are likely to experience a significant physical or emotional problem, as opposed to occasionally experiencing stress or burnout. Common symptoms include: - Burnout syndrome - Chronic mental fatigue - Chronic physical fatigue - Chronic sadness - Depression How to prevent burnout from affecting you While burnout can cause issues at work, at home, and in life, it is always possible to take action and move towards Stage 1. Even if you are not experiencing stress or burnout now, the wisest course of action is to proactively take up self-care and build your mental resilience.	https://zadcc.com/2020/09/03/what-are-the-5-stages-of-burnout/
Alexander Lukas Bieri has been the curator of The Roche Historical Collection and Archive for twenty years. He is responsible for the in-house museums, collections and archives which include major assets on the history of pharmacy, medicine and art (and an anatomical collection). His publications include works on art and architectural history as well as on the history of science and business. He is currently chairman of the International Council on Archives’ Section on Business Archives and of the German Business Archivists Association’s Section on Archives of the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry. Alex is also a member of ICOMOS Switzerland and in this capacity a specialist for 20th century interior design. Based on a rare find in one of Roche’s collections, he developed an interest in the danse macabre a long time ago. He found out that the art form of the danse macabre offers a fascinating insight into the artistic development of the depiction of humans. It also allows to highlight the transformative power Andreas Vesalius’ “De Humani Corporis Fabrica” had on art in its time and beyond. Furthermore, the history of the danse macabre makes changing societal attitudes towards death understandable.	https://ishm2020.rsu.lv/alexander-lukas-bieri
Beyond Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic: A Retrospective Look at How Schools Have Responded to Changing Societal Needs. Second Edition. Colker, Laura J., Ed. Founded by the federal government in 1966 as an educational research documentation network, the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) has evolved in both scope and philosophy over the past years. This publication is a tribute to the ERIC program as it enters its fourth decade. The contents, which were chosen to chronicle the progress of educational development, focus on how the public schools, as agents of change, have adapted over time to selected societal trends. The volume presents documents dealing with four social trends that have occupied much of professional literature during the past 30 years: the increase in children and families living in poverty; the influx of children and families whose home language is not English; the "epidemic" rise in teen pregnancy and parenthood; and the widespread use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs by children at younger ages. The volume is divided into five sections. Each of the first four sections deals with one of the four societal trends. Each section contains an overview of the ways in which schools have responded over time to the trend in question, and highlights key elements that distinguish responses and approaches. At the heart of each section are the ERIC documents, which offer first-hand insight into how the schools have reacted, and which reflect the societal and educational mores of the times. The fifth section is a summary of the major themes. A list of additional ERIC readings pertaining to the subject areas is included. (LMI) Descriptors: Alcohol Education, Bilingual Education, Child Welfare, Early Parenthood, Economically Disadvantaged, Elementary Secondary Education, Federal Government, Federal Programs, Limited English Speaking, Poverty, Pregnant Students, Special Needs Students, Substance Abuse ERIC Document Reproduction Service, 7420 Fullerton Road, Suite 110, Springfield, VA 22153-2852; phone: (800) 443-ERIC. Publication Type: Information Analyses; ERIC Publications Education Level: N/A Audience: N/A Language: English Sponsor: Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. Authoring Institution: DynEDRS, Inc., Springfield, VA.	https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED413646
This is part 1 of a series inspired by the ‘Positioning Ballet’ Working Conference, hosted by the Dutch National Ballet, February 16 and 17. March 02, 2019 Last weekend, I was invited to attend ‘Positioning Ballet’, a working conference hosted by the Dutch National Ballet, which gave industry professionals, artistic directors and members of the press the opportunity to discuss the direction of ballet and the state of the art in the modern world. This not only gave insight into the workings of an elite organization, and the structures and pressures of an enclosed community, but provided broader lessons about the way cultural organizations are caught in a constant negotiation between reflecting and rejecting wider society. The panel began by addressing current threats to the arts, namely the external threat of the anti-social and isolating tendencies of modern populism and nationalism to art forms such as ballet. This isolating tendency stands in stark contrast to art forms like ballet, which aim to bring people together through a common code of etiquette, and thus generate something greater than themselves. This conversation evolved into examining the threat of ballet’s own inward-looking tendencies, and its failure to perceive dancers as artists in their own right, rather than mere conduits to the artform. “Ballet has allowed the exploration of gender and sexuality beyond the pace of general society” The bread and butter of modern repertoires are still largely classical works, dictated in part by audience preference and a necessary deference to revenues. Many non-ballet-goers will have heard of Swan Lake or The Nutcracker (composed by Tchaikovsky nearly 150 years ago) – fewer will have heard of contemporary ‘classics’ like Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations or Wayne McGregor’s Chroma. But like all art forms, the reliance on the canon risks overshadowing the innovation, complexity and cultural relevance of contemporary creations. True balletic tradition is about overthrowing the past: adapting it, rather than simply adopting historic choreography and performing it ad infinitum. Dancers and choreographers have historically reacted to socio-political crises, responding to external challenges by developing their own craft and articulating the anxieties of a culture within their own form. Ballet has allowed the exploration of gender and sexuality beyond the pace of general society – the male duet in Hans Van Manen’s 5 Tangos demonstrates how ballet has been a forum in which to challenge and confront boundaries. The piece was first performed in 1977, 24 years before the Netherlands legalized same-sex marriage. However, beyond continually creating new works, how can companies ensure the relevance of existing repertoires? History cannot be dissolved, and heritage should not be lost: to simply dismiss old works for their occasionally problematic storylines is a disservice to both artists and audiences of past and present. However, canonical ballets can, and should, be reworked and reinvigorated for contemporary audiences. Matthew Bourne’s reworking of Swan Lake with an all-male cast demonstrates this well. As we move further into the 21st century, ballet finds itself trapped between innovation and its own history – and within this conflict, it also needs to be aware of societal developments. Alistair Spalding, of Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, noted that ballet companies cannot be seen as microcosms of society, as they operate within their own rules, structures, and histories, but have the potential to be creative and artistic utopias. Yet with the world radically changing around it, ballet is caught in an existential dilemma: as the dance dramaturge Peggy Olislaegers noted, simply relying on prestige and authority isn’t enough anymore. But we can choose our own inheritance. From Brexit to Trump, we can see how sharply poor leadership affects not only society and communities, but arts and culture. Kevin McKenzie, of the American Ballet Theatre, argued that a national ballet company must be a leader – meaning its directors, in turn, need to be aware of not only its repertoire and revenue, but its location within society, and the importance of relevance and diversity to that position. Theresa Ruth Howard, founder of MoB Ballet (Memoirs of Blacks in Ballet) noted that “the lack of diversity [in ballet] is only a symptom of a culturally systemic problem.” She elaborated that sustainable change can only emerge through a study of both ballet’s modern leaders and of “the historical roots of the culture of ballet.” By confronting these roots, a more progressive and bountiful balletic tradition may be able to bloom. It is encouraging and exciting that working conferences of this scale are happening, and the weekend felt charged with energy to drive change within this important, yet sometimes insular, world. However, it would have been encouraging to have more members of the general press there, as well as directors of non-ballet artistic organizations. There is so much to gain from one another – I certainly learned a lot about the world behind the velvet curtain, and of the pressure ballet feels to respond to and reflect society. Events such as the ‘Positioning Ballet’ conference are a proactive and preemptive means to challenge current values, and take new lessons into the future. Interested in more? Read other parts of this series by clicking on the options below. Rebecca Took is a Masters’ Student at the University of Amsterdam. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Amsterdammer.	https://theamsterdammer.org/2019/03/02/magazine/opinions/positioning-ballet-behind-the-velvet-curtain/
Dakarai Akil of Cleveland, Ohio is a multi-talented artist, designer, and painter whose work has evolved out of his struggle to find his place in the world. He had an affinity for art and resourcefulness at a very early age, and as a teenager in 2002, he saw his vision begin to take shape. At that time, graffiti art was his medium of choice. After attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, majoring in Fashion and Retail Management, he then went on in 2011 to embrace collage art over everything else. He took up the form in earnest, building his public profile for the first time through a series of solo exhibitions at galleries throughout the Mid-Atlantic, including in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. In 2017, Dakarai took a role as a creative director at a friend's start-up record label in Pittsburgh. When the label folded only eight months later, Dakarai found himself homeless. He continued to practice his art but experienced little success, taking a job teaching art at local schools simply to feed himself. In 2018, he picked up his life and relocated to Los Angeles. In the years since his move, Dakarai has become an art program assistant for a community art studio in the Skid Row neighborhood of Los Angeles. Pivotal influences in his life have included KAWS, Keith Haring, Salvador Dali, Madlib, and Flying Lotus. He has crafted thousands of collages over the years, self-publishing two art books of his own collages and put together multiple solo exhibitions in galleries from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. In addition, he has won the Hometown Hero Award from Tiffany & Co. for his community work and launched the "Protect Black Women" t-shirt campaign benefiting Breonna Taylor's family and other women in need. Dakarai’s heart and soul, however, remain in community work. He has consistently collaborated with Los Angeles Community Action Network (LACAN) and Studio 526, a creative and safe space for people in the Skid Row community providing free art supplies and a means to connect with others and showcase their work. Through all of his work, both community and artistic, he seeks to inspire people and to drive conversations. He views his art not as changing the world but as changing the people of the world. In 2021, Dakarai continues to strive toward firmer expression and greater depths through his art, embracing the challenges that he has had to face and connecting them to the lifelong pursuit of art that has defined him. The art world has taken notice: he has raised valuable awareness of the issues closest to his heart, and his efforts have recently led to major features in Reader's Digest, WIRED magazine and New York Times.	https://www.aweinartfilms.com/dakarai-akil
Since 1987, the year of its inception, the Prix Ars Electronica has served as a barometer for trends in the digital arts. It is also the award offering the highest prize money for cyberarts worldwide. Geared towards topical issues, it documents the shift in societal and artistic approaches brought about by communications and information media. The artistic domains of contemporary media art are not only undergoing a fundamental change due to information technology applications, but are also expanding and transcending boundaries. Art in the social context has become just as pivotal for contemporary cyberarts as art-theoretical positions and discussions are. Digital acoustic spaces alter individual processes of perception, open-source programming languages generate new creative potential, digital images and sounds turn into material which can be remixed as desired. Once again the Prix Ars Electronica epitomizes where things stand in today´s culturally-oriented media discourse.	http://90.146.8.18/en/archives/prix_archive/prix_start.asp?iProjectID=13215
Alexandria, VA (Oct. 17, 2016) – HARD TRENDS are trends the Strategic Future Issues Work Group believes are permanent and that are ushering in cultural and societal change. Proactively adapting to these changes is the challenge that lies before us. In 2013, we identified seven trends: social culture, connected society, mobile and mobility, demographic/diversity transformation, growing availability of big data and actionable business intelligence, changing nature of insurance risk, and information security regulation. In early 2015, we began the process of reviewing and evaluating the 2013 trends to update them and highlight the major trends that will impact our industry over the next few years. These hard trends are the foundation for developing the industry’s “Must-Do” recommendations, action, and responses to the challenges and opportunities presented by the hard trends. We evaluated the trends within the context of the customer journey. Regardless of the trend, we assessed the impact the trend has on the customer’s experience interacting with our industry—a journey that for many begins in the palm of their hand. We recognize that many of the examples used to help define the hard trends are themselves constantly changing. While they may not be hard trends, they are “indicators” or “influencers” of the larger hard trends. Also, this is intended to be a living document that will grow and change over time. It’s designed to encourage dialogue, debate and discussion. The Hard Trends: - Mobile First - Social Culture/Digital Transformation/Internet of Me - Connected Society - Demographic/Segmentation & Personalization - Growing Availability of Big Data and Actionable Business Intelligence - Changing Nature of Insurance Risk - Information Security & Privacy Regulation – Cyber Liability Download the complete Hard Trends report for more details. Note: The Trends Report is the first phase of a two-part initiative. In phase one, the Agents Council for Technology (ACT) Strategic Future Issues Work Group identified the key trends that will affect the future of the independent agency system. In phase two, the report develops the industry “Must-Do” undertakings, which are the key action items the industry should pursue in response to the challenges and opportunities brought about by the hard trends. About Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Inc. The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big “I”) is a national alliance of more than a quarter million business owners and their employees who offer all types of insurance and financial services products. Unlike company-employed agents, Big “I” independent insurance agents and insurance brokers represent more than one insurance company, so they can offer clients a wider choice of auto, home, business, life, health coverages as well as retirement and employee-benefit products. Big “I” agents and brokers not only advise clients about insurance, they recommend loss-prevention ideas that can cut costs. If a loss occurs, the independent insurance agent or broker stands with the client until the claim is settled. Big “I” is a voluntary federation of state associations and local boards, with affiliates in every state and the District of Columbia. Its independent insurance agents and brokers are politically astute and are involved both locally and nationally. They monitor and affect consumer, insurance agent and broker, and small business issues in Washington through IIABA’s active, professional staff on Capitol Hill. SOURCE: Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Inc.	https://www.insurance-canada.ca/2016/10/17/act-strategic-future-issues-work-group-releases-hard-trends-report/
In 2009, the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities and the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) collaborated on the idea of a biannual ceramics exhibition not associated with their annual conference. The intent of the project reflected NCECA’s mission of introducing and educating the public on the vibrancy and diverse paths of contemporary ceramics, as well as the mission of the Arvada Center to make the arts an integral part of people’s lives and encouraging learning, innovation and creativity through high-quality arts experiences. In their third collaboration, the Arvada Center and the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts are producing Earth Moves: Shifts in Ceramic Art and Design , which sought out dynamic, contemporary ceramic works addressing creative responses to current shifts in the artist’s world and work. The exhibition features 8 invited artists and 42 juried artists from all over the United States who explore their shifting world of ceramics by examining new technology, trends and societal change. Our world is in flux, constantly moving and changing faster than ever. 3D Printers, Computer Numerical Controlled Machines, Oxygen probes and computer-controlled kilns affect concept and process, while commercially designed stains, decals and glazes reflect the latest trends in color and pattern sensibility. Less obvious, yet equally significant shifts occur as artists use the internet and social media in innovative ways to teach, market and connect with different audiences, as the information age affects both how and why an artist makes and shares their work. From trends influencing the domestic scene in the modern home to societal changes influencing the role of ceramics; the worlds of craft, fine arts, industry, design and education are intersecting with the world of ceramics. Purchase an exhibition catalog here! To Purchase an enhanced e-book, click here! Perception (n.): Process of registering sensory stimuli as meaningful experience. This summer’s Main Gallery Exhibition brings 21 artists together to explore what can be accomplished with three basic artistic elements and principles: color, line and pattern. Though artworks in this exhibition have been created over a span of 63 years (the earliest created in the 1950s and the latest works in 2013), they all utilize pattern, line and color to create optically intriguing works of art. Movements in the mid twentieth century such as Pattern & Decoration (P&D), Op-art, and the local Criss Cross movement played a role in the creation of many of the works in the exhibition. What all of these works have in common is an incredible acuity in technique and skill, as well as systematic and mathematical processes in rendering works that delight and exercise the eyes. Our eyes are always moving, and therefore always perceiving, and by simply looking, your eyes will become the subject of these works of art. The Arvada Center welcomes back Heidi Jung who began her career right here at the Arvada Center's Jefferson County High School Art Exhibition in 1989. Now, a thriving professional artist, she returns to launch the first Jeffco Alumni Exhibition. Jung’s works represent her classic yet haunting monochromatic botanical paintings and drawings. This exhibition will display her largest body of work to date, as well as collaborative pieces with the teacher that inspired her at the age of 15. Heidi Jung’s love of plants and insects began at an early age and serves as both her inspiration and subject matter. Classically trained as a photographer, Jung continues to see the world through a lens; aesthetically bringing a mix of detail and movement to the foreground for the viewer. Jung’s artwork resides in many collections including the Four Seasons, the Hyatt Beaver Creek, and the Libeskind designed Museum Lofts. Jung also has works in the collections of Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia and Kelsey Grammar to name only a few. Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities is proud to present Art of the State: A Juried Exhibition of Colorado. This statewide juried exhibition garnered 1,635 entries from 588 artists living and working in Colorado. Selections were made by Arvada Center Exhibition Manager and Curator, Collin Parson, and the Clyfford Still Museum's Director, Dean Sobel. Parson and Sobel chose 191 works by 160 artists that represent a wide range of approaches from traditional to experimental. Emphasizing the Arvada Center's commitment to supporting Colorado artists, this exhibition will showcase the quality, depth and diversity of works being created in the state by emerging and established artists. This juried exhibition was open to all Colorado artists in all media. For the first time, all three of the Arvada Center's galleries, over 10,000 sq. ft., will be dedicated to one exhibition, and there will certainly be something for everyone to enjoy. Opening Reception and Awards Presentation was held Thursday, January 24, 6 - 9 p.m. Opening reception beer compliments of Arvada Beer Company . All proceeds benefitted Galleries at the Arvada Center. ..."it does capture the nature of work in Colorado these days, which is to say much of it is good and some of it is great. There's a terrific diversity in the rooms, stretching from a recent piece by 80-something Bernice Strawn to up-and-comers like Zach Reini, who graduated from theRocky Mountain College of Art + Design just last year. " A juried effort at the Arvada Center, Art of the State, has been attracting big crowds: When I was there last week, the galleries were mobbed, but not as much as at the opening, says exhibition manager and curator Collin Parson, noting that more than 800 people showed up that night. "Colorado is home to a vast and diverse number of artists in all kinds of mediums, and the Arvada Center’s Art of the State exhibition is offering a snapshot of that talent." Thank You Colorado Hardscapes for a beautiful new floor and a great video piece to showcase us and your fine work!	http://www.collinparson.com/2013/
For the first time ever, Park Square and Mu Performing Arts will join forces to co-produce the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “Flower Drum Song.” Based on the 2002 book adaptation by Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang (“M. Butterfly,” “Yellowface,” “Chinglish”), the production will be directed by Mu Artistic Director Randy Reyes. Previously produced by Mu in 2009, this will be a fully reimagined production featuring new and familiar faces. “Flower Drum Song” takes audiences to the vibrant world of San Francisco’s Chinatown in the 1950s to Club Chop Suey, a nightclub owned by a Chinese-American family. Old World tradition clashes with New World trends as two generations, father and son, struggle to honor and protect their cultural traditions while adapting to the changing times. Phase I of the Hsiao-Ho Chinese Garden Path is now complete and has been open to the public as of Sept. 22. The path, stairs, and viewing platform are accessible. Three large scholar stones were donated to this project from a university in China. Phase II should be completed spring 2017. This will include a moongate, a path from the platform to the northwest end of the pond where a pavilion will be constructed. A garden with a Tree Peony display along with complimenting plants will be in the area. Phase 2 design planning is beginning for moon gate and contemplative pavilion. Many architectural firms attended the information session for submitting designs that was coordinated by University of Minnesota capital construction. As part of the community advisors for the Chinese Garden, artist/University of Minnesota instructor Hong Zhang has agreed to help with the artistic naming of the places and calligraphy, an essential part of any important Chinese Garden and artist Yudong Shen has agreed to assist with placement of some critical elements coming to the Garden. Dr. Carol Brash, director of Asian studies at St. John's University, has also been assisting in the development of our garden. She is currently writing a book on Chinese Gardens of North America. Liu Dan, born 1954, is one of China’s most renowned living artists, translating his fastidious observations of the world around him into ink through fresh ideas about composition and original brushstroke techniques. This expansive selection of his recent paintings — meticulous and unexpected landscapes, rocks, and still-lifes — showcase both his technical virtuosity and unrestrained imagination. Uniquely classical yet refreshingly contemporary, Liu’s paintings blend his deep appreciation of the Western art canon with the 2,000-year-old heritage of Chinese painting. Artistic traditions become a point of departure as Liu resists schematized brush techniques and stagnant notions of great art in favor of a new visual language all his own. “Ink Unbound” captures Liu’s remarkable contributions to contemporary Chinese ink painting while also offering a contemplative experience for all viewers. The exhibit will be on until Jan. 29, 2017, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis. Photo by Cory Weaver - San Francisco Opera's production of "Dream of the Red Chamber." Kevin Smith, president of the Minnesota Orchestra, was speaking to 119 guests at a banquet last Friday, Sept. 9, in the suburban town of Millbrae just south of San Francisco. The banquet, during which an army of waiters delivered a seemingly limitless round of Chinese delicacies – deep-fried milk, sea cucumber, bird’s nest soup, Peking duck – was a prelude to the main event the next evening, the premiere of “The Dream of the Red Chamber,” an operatic treatment by the San Francisco Opera of one of the landmarks of Chinese literature with music by Bright Sheng and libretto by playwright David Henry Hwang. The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) will launch an unprecedented long-term initiative to create innovative public programs, special exhibitions and new scholarship dedicated to Asian art. A $6 million bequest from Alfred P. Gale, the Gale Asian Art Initiative at Mia will allow for robust programming designed to foster broader understanding and appreciation of Asian art and culture. Mia’s collection of Asian art is comprised of some 16,800 objects ranging from ancient pottery and bronzes to works by contemporary artists, with nearly every Asian culture represented. Areas with particular depth include the arts of China, Japan and Korea. Each year, Mia will focus on a particular area of its collection with in-depth programming and events, and will begin with the art of China. Its Chinese collection includes ancient Chinese bronze that is generally considered one of the nation’s top collections of its kind. Important examples include a famous vessel in the form of an owl, superb silver inlaid works, and many other outstanding vessels from the Shang and Zhou dynasties (c. 18th–3rd century BCE).	https://chinainsight.info/arts.html?start=5
Born and raised in the Washington, DC area, I spent my childhood causing general artistic havoc around the house until my art eventually evolved to paper and the occasional canvas. It was just around this time, however, that my father brought home a computer from work. This computer and a couple of pre-bundled applications would form the basis of who I am today. The computer was a Mac Classic, and the programs were MacPaint and Hypercard. Back then you would find me in the basement drawing in MacPaint and copying the artwork over into my next Hypercard project. Whether it was some sort of address book or a clone of CrystalQuest, art and programing were my two passions and this has never changed. Email me at [email protected] or fill out the form below.	http://ericjbasti.com/about.html
08 November to 22 November 2006. Free entry. The works in Constantly in Motion offer a representative survey of developments, as well as current trends, in experimental film and video work in Germany. Included in the programme are not only complex masterworks, but also works that focus on experimenting with various techniques and skills and on developing personal artistic styles. The only restriction has been to limit the selection to single channel film and video work. Even though the field of media art continues to expand, media art projects that lack a linear structure require interactivity. Consequently multi-channelled works could not be considered. Since the beginning of cinematography the history of experimental film has evolved as a subdivision of the cinematic genre. Works of experimental cinema have nonetheless made important contributions to the development of mainstream film, to cinema as a stand alone art form, to the language of cinema and to film aesthetics. The experimental nature of this formal, and in terms of content and aesthetics, very heterogeneous genre is characterised among other things by the fact that for the most part the films were made, and are still being made, independently of the commercial structures of the film industry. In fact, as a rule, this survey constitutes a form of expression that opposes the mainstream. Without exception the selected projects are free, autonomous, and very personal works of art. All films are German, with English subtitles, and are divided into three collections with different themes: Images of the World - World of Images 76 minutes Wednesday 8 November 2006, 7.30pm A curiously ironic title to this selection of films by Kirsten Winter, Egbert Mittelstädt and Carsten Aschmann amongst others as the filmmakers confront their feelings about the world around them. Dis-Locations 85 minutes Wednesday 15 November 2006, 7.30pm. A range of films featuring formal innovations and/or playing with images sourced in distinctive ways such as surveillance footage, or images from the Arctic. Structure and Symbols 58 minutes Wednesday 22 November 2006, 7.30pm Filmmakers question how our perceptions of the real world are formed and at the same time provide their own alternate visions for their audiences. The Physics Room welcomes you to attend these screenings presented in association with the Goethe Institut.	http://www.physicsroom.org.nz/events/constantly-in-motion
The 1970s were a stimulating time for fiber arts. Spurred on by the counter culture, many people looked to crafts traditions and developed a renewed appreciation of working with textiles. Alternative schools located around the country such as Arrowmont, TN, Haystack, ME, and in Berkeley, CA—Pacific Basin School of Textile Arts (established in 1973) and Fiberworks Center for the Textile Arts (also established in 1973)—offered workshops in an exciting range of fiber techniques that ran the gamut of spinning, weaving, dyeing, basketry, tablet weaving, ikat, felting, quilting, and surface design. National magazines such as Fiberarts and Quilters Newsletter (founded in 1969 by Bonnie and George Leman) were chronicling the interest in textile arts. Yarn and quilt shops were opening, and supplies, classes, and information about different textile techniques, design, and craft was readily available. In 1977, a group of forward thinking women from the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association (SCVQA) founded the American Museum of Quilts & Related Arts, which began its own remarkable journey as the first museum of its kind to recognize, appreciate, and preserve quilts and other textile arts. Now in its 37th year and in its spacious permanent home on South 1st Street, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles (SJMQT) continues to celebrate and promote the art, creators, craft and history of quilts and textiles. Nationally recognized and among a handful of institutions in the world that focus on quilts and textiles, the Museum has a significant historical chronicle of traditional and contemporary exhibitions and programs. It offers a substantial range of exhibitions that draw from the museum collection, the national and international textile art movements (including groundbreaking, themed group shows which focus on particular topics or techniques—Scrap Art, Primary Structures, Navajo Weaving, Milestones), and the work and legacy of individual artists. Mark Adams, Mary Balzer Buskirk, Radka Donnell, Caryl Bryer Fallert, Jean Ray Laury, Therese May, Judy Mathieson, Eleanor McCain, Ruth McDowell , Katie Pasquini Masopust, Mary Walker Phillips, Yvonne Porcella, Deidre Scherer, Joan Schulze, Lydia Van Gelder, and Katherine Westphal, are a few of the many artists that have exhibited at the Museum. At this same time, a parallel experience was conceived in Athens, Ohio. The first Quilt National was inaugurated, and it too has grown and evolved during its 35 years. Establishing itself as the foremost and quintessential exhibit of contemporary art quilts, this ongoing biennial continues to showcase current trends and developments in the art quilt movement. Over the years the Museum had the opportunity to bring portions of four Quilt National exhibits to the West coast. artist and Quilt National juror Judith Content’s quilt Cenote Azul to the mix. Like previous years the range of quilts and artistic expression is formidable, imaginative, and outstanding. From the classical Amish inspired Bow Tie by Sylvia Gegaregian to an updated still life by The Pixeladies (Deb Cashatt and Kris Sazaki), American Still Life: The Weight of the Nation, there is amazing technical virtuosity and meaning in each of these works. Once again, Quilt National features a rich diversification of style (abstract to representational) and shows us thematic content that is imbued with personal symbolism and contemporary ideas. We are pleased to host Quilt National as it fulfills the museum’s artistic goals of bringing shows to San Jose that have a broad appeal and demonstrate that quilts are a transformative and compelling medium of artistic expression. In 2010 another connection to the Dairy Barn was forged. The Museum organized Cream of the Cloth: Quilts from the Marbaum Collection of Hilary & Marvin Fletcher that encompassed a 25-year survey of the art quilt movement and included work from previous Quilt National exhibits from 1985 – 2007. This private collection includes work by Michael James, Sue Benner, and Jane Sassaman. For over 20 years, Hilary Fletcher was a beloved and pivotal figure in the contemporary art quilt movement through her leadership of the Quilt National exhibitions. Under her advocacy, the biennial Quilt National exhibitions grew to be among the largest and most prestigious of contemporary art quilts in the world. She would certainly be pleased to know that pieces from her personal collection and Quilt National are still going strong and finding their way to San Jose. Deborah Corsini is the curator of the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles and in her seven year tenure has created a wide variety of historical and contemporary fiber art exhibitions. Some exhibition highlights include: Beyond Knitting: Uncharted Stitches, Changing Landscapes: Contemporary Chinese Fiber Art, Hawaii’s Alfred Shaheen: Fabric to Fashion, Scrap Art, and Milestones: Textiles of Transition. In her studio practice she focuses on tapestry and creates dynamic wedge weave and eccentric weave works. Her pieces are exhibited in national and international venues including the International Chinese Fiber Art Biennial and the American Tapestry Biennial. Her love and appreciation of quilts came from her previous job as the Creative Director and fabric designer for P&B Textiles, a manufacturer of quilt fabrics. She is active in the textile community and an advocate for contemporary fiber art.	http://quiltnationalartists.com/2014/04/
With Montsita Rierola, Jordi Lafon, Assumpta Cirera_Tuti, Ana M Palomo and Eva Marichalar. As part of the exhibition Goula. A project of art, games and memory. Tuesday 9th, 16th and 23rd, and Saturday 27th March 2021. Virtual format. Aimed at teachers registered with AE10 and open to all those interested in participating. A training seminar within the context of the exhibition Goula; a Project of Art, Games and Memory, included in the activities to celebrate 10 years of ART AND SCHOOL. An online course aimed at teachers who are enrolled in the 10th edition of Art and School and open to all those interested in participating. For teachers in Early Childhood Education, teachers in Primary and Secondary Education, and open to educators from museums and art centres. CALENDAR The seminar will be structured in four sessions: 3 online sessions, and one session comprising a walk outdoors. - 3 1-hour sessions on Tuesdays, March 9th, 16th and 23rd, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - 1 3-hour session on Saturday 27th March from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. CONTENT The main objective of the course is to present an artistic project organised via games and play. The seminar will include the exhibition’s artists, its curator and educator, and an artist and walker who will propose a participatory ludic outdoors activity. The intention is to publicise among the educational community the process and results of a games- and play-focused project which offers a space for critical reflection, in order to advance the implementation of educational models that take into account the links between formal and informal education, and so exercise an influence upon knowledge by means of the arts. 1. Immense Little Montsita Rierola and Jordi Lafon Tuesday March 9th, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The creators of the exhibition Goula; a Project of Art, Games and Memory will explain the various difficulties of artistic production with reference to a number of exhibited pieces, in order to explain their approach to the work, their chosen perspective, and how the work evolved during a process that lasted more than ten years. 2. Observe, connect and play Assumpta Cirera_Tuti Tuesday, March 16th from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Exploring in a practical session how observation, connection and play are involved in Jordi Lafon’s and Montsita Rierola’s artistic output. Approaching the creative fact with a thoughtful gaze and a playful outlook, providing new interpretations. 3. From artistic creations to the words that accompany them Ana M. Palomo Tuesday, March 23rd from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A discussion about the process of writing the words that accompany artistic creations. These texts make no attempt to explain nor to limit the interpretation of the exhibited work, but rather raise questions for critical reflection. The purpose of words is, perhaps, to mediate between the work and the visitor to the exhibition. 4. Changing the subject Eva Marichalar-Freixa Saturday, March 27th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meeting place at the Museu de l’Art de la Pell. (Comfortable walking footwear is recommended). Is changing the subject a way to get over it, or to go beyond it? Aren’t these two expressions synonymous? What would happen to us if we were to play at peeling away and changing the symbolic meaning of words? What if we were to take action by taking them for a walk? This workshop invites participants to walk around outside, talking about the pedagogical meaning of going out, getting lost, letting go, escaping, skirting. About the sense of changing the subject. Yes. With all its power. EDUCATORS Montsita Rierola, 1971. She is a visual artist and lecturer of Artistic Didactics at the Faculty of Education of the University of Vic. She holds a PhD in Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona with a thesis, Goula: Art, Games and Memory, From an Industrial Adventure to an Artistic Experience. In addition to the research project, her work centres upon drawing in notebooks while she walks, translating the experience into pencil-strokes as if it were a seismograph. Jordi Lafon, 1967. He is a visual artist. His works establish a relationship between objects, people and their environment to create a story of matter, space and time inscribed in a landscape understood as a setting from which relationships of attachment and conflict, poetic and political, arise. In his projects, he often advances participation and collaboration as ways of exchange and learning through shared experiences such as walking as an aesthetic practice, drawing, photography and writing. Assumpta Cirera_Tuti, 1962. Doctor in Artistic Didactics, specialising in providing ludic resources for approaching, learning about and enjoying art. Advisor to the Art and School programme. Her professional career has developed through establishing dialogues between formal and non-formal education. Ana M Palomo, 1961. Art historian. Art critic and curator of exhibitions, nationally and internationally, since 1985,. University lecturer, doctor and accredited member of the GETLIHC research group (Gender Studies Group, Translation, Literature, History and Communication). She regularly publishes articles in indexed journals, art catalogues and informative and / or critical texts in various written media. Founding member, and a member of the governing board of the H Association for Contemporary Arts, the organisation in charge of managing the ACVIC Centre d’Art Contemporani. Eva Marichalar-Freixa, 1973. She creates methodological spaces of encounter between art, research and learning, with special attention to creative processes located within the randomness of the moment, and in unconventional locations, or in the open air. She is the co-founder of Deriva Mussol and founder of La Fochs, through which she constructs the core concepts of her projects. She is a primary school teacher at the Escola Cooperativa Waldorf La Font, associate lecturer in Dramatic and Physical Expression at the University of Vic’s Faculty of Education, and coordinator in Expression and Language at Blank, the centre for movement and integrative health in Vic. BOOKING AND REGISTRATIONS Free activity > registration form for teachers (Departament d'Ensenyament) > registration form for all the publics The final date for booking a place in the workshop is Tuesday, March 2nd. Please note that there is a limited number of places, and that reservations will be made in order of receipt. Also please note that the organization reserves right to cancel the course, should it fail to achieve the minimum number of applications. For more information: ACVic. Centre d’Arts Contemporànies Sant Francesc, 1. Vic. Centre de Recursos Pedagògics d'Osona Palau Bojons, Plaça de Dom Miquel de Clariana, 3, 3r. Vic.	https://www.acvic.org/en/art-and-school/3371-the-air-that-stirs-things
All Keynesian roads lead to stagflation. This happened in the 1970s. Will it also be the case in the 2020s? Stagflation signifies the combined appearance of stagnation and inflation. In the 1970s, the main industrialized countries suffered from the combination of low economic growth, high rates of price inflation, persistent underemployment, and widening budget deficits. In the United States, the price inflation rate and the unemployment rate reached double digits from the 1970s until the early 1980s. Fiscal and monetary expansion prepared the way for the outbreak of the stagflation. Over the past 10 years, as a reaction to the crisis of 2008, governments and the monetary authorities applied similar policies. Will the result this time too be a global stagflation? Time Lag More than a decade of monetary and fiscal abuse preceded the onslaught of price inflation in the 1970s. Despite rising deficit spending and the expansion of the money supply, the price level had remained relatively stable throughout the 1960s. It wasn’t until 1973 that hell broke loose. In a short period of time, the inflation rate shot up together with the unemployment rate (figure 1). Confronted with stagflation, policy makers were at a loss. Keynesianism had become the leading paradigm. This school proclaimed that recessions were a thing of the past. With the appropriate fiscal and monetary policies, the economy could be kept forever on the path of inflation-free steady growth and high employment. Yet when the policy makers applied the recipe, each round of expansionary policies brought down unemployment only for a short time, and when the effect of the stimulus petered out, the level of unemployment was higher than before. As one can see in detail in the graph below (figure 2), the unemployment rate rose in waves. Each phase of expansionary measures had at first some effect of lowering the unemployment rate, but the effect was not lasting. After every new application of stimulus policy, the level of unemployment became higher than before. Economic Policy According to the Keynesian doctrine, the economy can be either in a deflationary or an inflationary gap but not in both states at the same time. The doctrine postulates that inflation could not show up together with recession. Likewise, a deflationary gap must come along with a falling price level and rising unemployment. As the Keynesian theory diagnoses recession as the result of a lack of demand, the government must apply expansive monetary and fiscal policies. In contrast, an inflationary gap results from an excess of demand, which leads to inflation and over-employment. Here, the Keynesian theory says, the right policy is a fiscal and monetary contraction (table 1). According to the economic model of the Keynesians, aggregate demand determines economic activity. Therefore, the policy recommendation says that if there is insufficient private demand, the public sector must jump in. With this theory, Keynesianism stands in contrast to classical economics, according to which the growth of an economy depends on production. For the classical economists, the supply of goods generates the means for the demand for goods, as stated by Say’s law. According to the classical theory, economic imbalances show that technical innovations or changes in consumer preferences or other disturbances require the restructuring of the economy’s capital structure — a task that falls within the competence of the entrepreneurs. For the Keynesians, in contrast, economic stabilization is the job of macroeconomic policy makers. Now, however, confronted with stagflation, the policy makers knew no answer. While doing away with unemployment would require expansive policies, the fight against inflation would need contractionary measures. Faced with stagflation, fiscal policy became inoperative because high unemployment and stagnant growth meant widening budget deficits and consequently a mounting public debt (figure 3). What Happened? In the 1960s, Keynesianism became the dominant doctrine of central banking. Interest rates had to be low, so the mantra said, to stimulate investment and economic growth. Consequently, the U.S. government ignored its obligation under the Bretton Woods Treaty to limit the dollar emission to the size of its gold stock, and the central bank put no brakes on a further growth of the money supply. This policy led right into a decade of inflation first and stagflation later. The oversupply of dollars destroyed this system. The central banks in Europe and Japan became the buyers of last resort for the weakening greenback. The world experienced a massive increase in liquidity originating from the oversupply of dollars, which spilled over to the other major currencies. When the central banks in Europe and Japan bought dollars with their own currencies to stabilize the exchange rate, they expanded their domestic monetary base. After a short liquidity-driven boost, the world economy slipped into the stagflation of the 1970s. At the same time, when Keynesianism was gaining its foothold in politics, monetarism received growing recognition in academia. According to the leading monetarist, Milton Friedman, it was not the market economy that was to blame for the Great Depression, as the Keynesians claimed, but the American central bank’s monetary policy. What the Keynesian diagnosed as insufficient aggregate demand was in fact a monetary contraction. The experience of stagflation led to a turnaround of monetary policy in the late 1970s when the U.S. central bank embarked upon the monetarist experiment. Now, it was the money supply that became the magic word and the most important guideline for central banking. In the 1980s, the rate of price inflation declined. However, this happened more by accident than by design, because with the onset of the monetarist experiment, the velocity of money circulation, which had been trend-stable for decades, contracted. What Next? The stagflation of the ’70s was the result of the mismanagement of the central banks and fiscal policy during the 1960s. In response to the crisis of 2008, the monetary and fiscal authorities have applied a host of expansionary measures. The result has not yet been a broad rise of consumer prices. Yet by implementing interest rates that are below any reasonable level, central bankers have fueled a global speculative frenzy of gigantic proportions. The combined effort of the central banks of the United States, Japan, and Europe to “stimulate” their economies has initiated an asset price bubble. Which way the present experiment will end — whether the asset price inflation will become a consumer price inflation or whether the collapse of the asset prices will provoke a deflationary depression — remains to be seen. In any case, the lesson to learn is the urgency to reform the current monetary system. The existing monetary regime is a political instrument for the exercise of power, which allows the unrestrained expansion of the welfare state and war-making and the accumulation of public debt. Abolishing the state monopoly on money and recognizing private money as a means of payment would be the first step on the way to reforming the monetary system.	https://www.aier.org/article/stagflation-can-it-happen-again/
Well before the Great Recession of 2009 put fiscal policy debates in the front burner commodity-exporting countries had to deal with important fiscal policy dilemmas stemming from revenue volatility and eventual depletion. Chilean policymakers have been at the forefront in this area since adopting a ... Determinantes del ahorro privado en Chile Uno de los argumentos que se oyen con más frecuencia en Chile en los últimos años es que se debe aumentar la tasa de ahorro para que este país retome la tasa de crecimiento que exhibió desde mediados de los 80 hasta 1998. El punto es que para crecer a tasas elevadas (7%) se requiere una mayor inversión, ... Resource revenue management: three policy clocks Economies in which the extraction of a non-renewable natural resource is a significant activity pose two distinctive challenges for economic policy: Revenues are likely to fluctuate because commodity prices have historically been volatile. Furthermore the revenue from extraction is generated by depleting ... Central banking after the crisis By the mid-2000s both academics and central banks had come to a remarkable consensus on what central banks’ basic strategy should be. However with the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 the world of central banking changed forever. The worldwide financial crisis revealed that some of the ... The passthrough of large-cost shocks in an inflationary economy This paper surveys and modestly extends the theory of menu-cost models of the behavior of the aggregate price level after large-cost shocks. It does so in the context of an economy with a high underlying rate of inflation. It concentrates on the effect of large permanent and unexpected increases ... A decade of inflation targeting in the world: what do we know and what do we need to know? The emergence of inflation targeting over the last ten years represents an exciting development in central banks' approach to the conduct of monetary policy. After initial adoption by New Zealand in 1990, a growing number of central banks in industrial and emerging economies have opted for inflation ... Sources of uncertainty in conducting monetary policy in Chile Monetary policy is made in an environment of substantial uncertainty. Consequently, academic researchers have sought to formally demonstrate the implications of uncertainty, as well as the ways in which central banks can manage it. The theoretical literature on uncertainty distinguishes between three ... Monetary policy in Latin America in the 1990s For decades until the early 1990s, Latin America was the region of the world with the highest average level of inflation. High inflation was the cumulative result of a long history of activist economic policies based on a disregard for macroeconomic stability. These policies culminated in large ... Spillovers to emerging markets during global financial crisis At the heart of the debate on how the 2007–09 global financial crisis spread from the United States to the rest of the world lies the global banks. Using a large sample composed of advanced and emerging economies since the 1980s Abiad and others (2013) show that the effect of financial linkages on ... The response of sovereign bonds yields to U.S. monetary policy To provide further stimulus to the economy in response to a cascade of shocks that roiled financial markets in the latter part of 2008 the U.S. Federal Reserve started to aggressively employ unconventional monetary policy measures after the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) lowered the target for ...	https://repositoriodigital.bcentral.cl/xmlui/handle/20.500.12580/69/discover?filtertype=docType&filter_relational_operator=equals&filter=Art%C3%ADculo
A strong US dollar and high inflation have been the defining global macroeconomic trends of the year. In an interview with The Hindu, Eswar Prasad, a professor at Cornell University and the author of “The Dollar Trap: How the US Dollar Tightened Its Grip on Global Finance”, argues that the rising US dollar is a reflection of more robust economic fundamentals in the US than in other major economies. He also elaborates on how Western central banks lost control over inflation, the economic costs of inflation, the future of central bank independence, and more. How did the US Federal Reserve and other central banks in the developed world lose control over inflation that was relatively benign in the last few decades? The world has been hit by a series of supply disruptions that have turned out to be quite persistent. This includes COVID-related disruptions to global supply chains (including the effects of China’s zero-COVID policy), the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and a number of natural disasters. Economic theory is clear that monetary policy is generally the wrong tool to counteract price increases due to supply disruptions. However, one element that some central bankers seem to have misread is how consumer demand has remained strong and added to inflationary pressures, particularly in economies such as the United States. The enormous amounts of central bank money creation and government spending in the years since the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, both of which were ramped up further to deal with the COVID-related recession, also created latent inflationary pressures. These pressures remained dormant until the combination of strong demand and weak supply eventually triggered the recent surge in inflation. The risk for central bankers is that they lose control of the inflation narrative if expectations about future inflation become entrenched. Rising inflation expectations can become a self-fulfilling prophecy as workers demand higher wages and firms increase prices in tandem, making it very difficult to then rein in inflation. Why should rising prices bother us if incomes are also going to rise in tandem with prices? What exactly are the economic costs of high inflation that are forcing central banks to raise interest rates? High inflation is often accompanied by rising wages as workers try to protect the purchasing power of their incomes. The effects of high inflation usually fall hardest on the poor, who may not have steady incomes or formal sector employment that allows them to make wage gains to match inflation. Spending on food and energy constitutes a large share of the consumption baskets of poorer households, so high inflation in food and energy is particularly hard on them. Moreover, they would not benefit from the increase in the nominal value of financial assets simply because they tend to have few such assets to begin with. High inflation also tends to be more volatile; in turn, this volatility and uncertainty can dampen investment by firms, which has adverse effects on employment and output growth. High inflation also corrodes confidence in the government and the central bank, which can create a dynamic of rising inflation that can spin out of control and cause further economic disruption. Why has the US dollar strengthened over the last decade and a half despite the easy monetary policy adopted by the US Federal Reserve since the financial crisis of 2008? Is this a sign that other central banks adopted monetary policies that were far worse? The dollar’s strength is symptomatic of and also a contributing factor to economic and financial distress around the world. The dollar’s continued rise reflects a combination of more robust economic fundamentals and stronger inflationary pressures in the US than in most other major economies, which together presage further interest rate hikes by the Fed. A stronger dollar will help to slightly moderate inflationary pressures in the US, although it is far from sufficient to overcome the supply-side constraints and robust demand that are driving those pressures. On the other hand, a strong dollar makes a bad situation worse in the rest of the world. The Fed’s rate hikes and the strong dollar have together tightened financing conditions in global markets and increased debt servicing burdens for developing countries whose governments and corporations have borrowed heavily in dollars. Many currencies that have depreciated against the dollar have in fact not changed much in value against other currencies on a trade-weighted basis. [The Indian rupee is an example—down by about 10-12 percent relative to the dollar over this year but the trade-weighted nominal exchange rate of the rupee is down only by about 2-3 percent]. Nevertheless, depreciation relative to the dollar does add to inflationary pressures in many economies since much of their imports are denominated in dollars. A strong dollar worsens the already difficult circumstances that many countries find themselves in and could spell even further trouble down the road for countries that have little room left for macroeconomic policy maneuver to deal with rising inflation and falling growth. For a long time, the inflation rate in developing countries like India was higher than the inflation rate in developed economies like the US But today inflation rates in developed countries are as high as those in the developing world. Do you see this as a temporary or a more permanent (secular) shift in global inflation trends? The risk is that high inflation becomes entrenched in advanced economies, which could influence the behavior of workers and firms, and in turn could make it harder to corral inflation and bring it back to reasonable levels. Many advanced economies are now facing the combination of steep currency depreciations (relative to the US dollar), rising government bond yields, strained public finances, and tightening policy constraints that have long characterized periods of economic and financial stress in emerging market economies. My sense is that the major advanced economy central banks are all committed to bringing inflation down to moderate levels in line with their respective inflation targets. To this end, they appear willing to tolerate lower GDP growth, higher unemployment, and possibly even recessions. All of these are painful consequences of tighter monetary policy but the consensus appears to be that any delay in reining in inflation could cause even greater economic pain and turmoil down the road. Are central banks today being used increasingly more often to finance government spending? If yes, what are the implications of the compromise in central bank independence? The great recession of 2008-2009, which mainly hit advanced economies but whose aftershocks were felt around the world, was met with a suitably aggressive response from national governments in the form of massive increases in debt-financed government spending to fend off economic collapse. This pattern was repeated amid the COVID-related worldwide recession, even though it was a short-lived one. During the prolonged period of near-zero policy interest rates in advanced economies, central banks took to printing money and buying a lot of these government debt securities. They did this in order to try and stimulate consumption and investment by keeping long-term interest rates low. Pressures on central banks to finance government deficits has been a long-standing problem for central banks in emerging market economies but, with their actions over the past few years, central banks in advanced economies have also set a similar unfortunate precedent. This poses a threat to the autonomy of central banks, although it is likely that their institutional independence will allow advanced economy central banks to fend off any political pressures to continue financing government debt accumulation. Is there a way out? Governments and central banks no longer have the luxury of unfettered fiscal and monetary stimulus to stabilize growth and offset adverse shocks. At a minimum, governments must avoid unhelpful populist policies (especially poorly targeted fiscal measures), do what they can to overcome supply bottlenecks, and support central banks as they strive to bring inflation under control. Faced with limited room for maneuver, monetary, fiscal, and other economic policies must act in concert in alleviating short-term inflationary pressures and focusing on measures that can improve long-term growth. Mitigating constraints on labor supply and trade, for instance, in addition to incentives for investments in green technology and various forms of infrastructure, could be helpful. Such measures in turn are essential to underpin both private sector demand and confidence in the short run while helping re-anchor inflation expectations.	https://ittechnicalsol.com/index.php/2022/11/06/rising-us-dollar-reflects-more-robust-economic-fundamentals-in-the-us-than-in-other-major-economies-cornell-university-prof-eswar-prasad/
Dear Mr. Prime Minister What has the COVID-19 pandemic taught us as a nation? This crisis proved to us that we must prepare and plan economically, socially, financially, and sustainably. If we aren’t moving in this direction, then the answer to the question earlier is that we have learnt nothing from the pandemic. The time to learn from our past mistakes is now. Why now? Well for starters, the global economy is on the brink of a recession and policy experts believe that economic conditions will deteriorate as we enter 2023. So, what will we do with the remainder of time we have left to ensure that we can survive in the bear market? The better question is what are we doing to prepare for the inevitable? Recessions have a history of hurting emerging markets and developing countries more since these countries/industries are extremely reliant on manufacturing countries. In this segment, we will discuss The Bahamas’ outcomes and opportunities as we brace for another cycle of a global growth slowdown. Tough decisions As a developing country, we need to prepare both monetary and fiscally, to deal with the spillovers from global actions to tighten financial conditions and the slowdown of global growth. If you take a closer look at the news in recent times, business owners, leaders, government officials and policy makers around the world are preparing for a recession. Central banks around the world are simultaneously increasing interest rates to combat inflation and policy experts are constantly warning us about the sharp decline in global growth. All of these are actions to brace for what is inevitable, a global recession. Due to supply chain disruptions and labor market pressures, inflation has continuously led to an increase in prices across various global industries. Agencies such as the Federal Reserve and other central banks have responded by increasing interest rates with hopes to slowing down demand. However, inflation continues to rise and as a result, global gross domestic product (GDP) could potentially slow down into what is considered a recession threshold. Some experts believe that this threshold would mean a GDP growth rate of 0.5 percent in 2023, which is a 0.4 percent contraction. Considering this news, the Bahamian government must prepare now for such an occurrence through the central bank and policy responses. Everything should now be looked at from a demand and supply perspective. Demand should be stabilized by creating price stability through monetary policy. Fiscal policy should be used to stabilize debt. On the supply side, measures should be put in place to help address constraints facing labor markets, energy, and trade. Policy responses Since the last recession in 2008, we must ask ourselves what have we put in place as a buffer to ensure that the impact of inflation or any economic downturn does not dent the economy for many years after? Presently, we are still in the policy stages of diversifying our economy to bring in new industries. We are still struggling to fund national disasters, crime initiatives national emergencies, pensions, and other things that can determine our future as a country. We have been using knee jerk responses for quite sometime and while this is not a bad idea for desperate times, it is not meant to be a permanent solution. It’s apparent that the policy responses we sometimes take have little to no effect, since they are not well drawn out nor measured based on outcomes. For instance, the number of homicides that occurred earlier in the year and continue to occur almost everyday has not signaled an emergency response to shift policies in the judicial or legal system. What it has signaled is a task force that will be used to discuss best steps. But how will this yield a different impact on the rise of crime? To make matters worse, studies have shown that there is a direct relationship between unemployment and increased crime rates. If the recession plays out in full effect, unemployment may rise or hiring freezes will be put in place, leaving many new and remaining members of the workforce without a job. We should ask ourselves, what percentage of that segment will resort to some form of crime? Policy example: Price control Price control has a long history of not working yet we continue to use it as a political tool especially in hard times such as inflation. There are two types of price control: ceiling, and floors. Ceiling are price controls on goods and services and a floor is minimum wage. The government has recently implemented a mix of both by increasing the minimum wage to $260 and imposing additional price control measures on grocery retailers to combat the rising costs of food during this period of inflation. But this temporary solution comes at a time when retailers are faced with the rising costs from vendors. There are a handful of key players in the grocery retail sector in The Bahamas. These grocers employ a significant percentage of the retail sector but if their retained earnings are impacted for an extended period, they would likely only break even in terms of profit, put in place hiring freezes or reduce staff costs. The impact is even worse for smaller grocery retailers who would inevitability be forced to shut their doors due to rising supply costs and lower demand. In addition, price controls lead to the inefficient allocation of goods and services because it only appears to reduce costs but, it does not. Using price controls is like putting on a mask to cover inflation, because it can cause shortages that are far worse than the original setback caused by inflation. This can lead to major shortages in groceries, consumer goods and gasoline. What can we do? We need to hear more from the government on what solutions can work. Governments around the world are using their monetary and fiscal policies to combat inflation, so, can’t we? Despite the lack of diversification in the economy, we can do better than interfering with the growth of the private sector especially with an economic recession on the brink. We need to increase growth as much as possible rather than stifle it. Doing this can be harmful and indeed shift a business’ focus from production to more so meeting the government’s needs and being at their whim. There are some monetary and fiscal policies that prove to do more harm than good but at least we have can learn from them. The objective of monetary policy is always to offset an economic downturn by reducing the cost of borrowing for consumers and cost of investing for businesses. There are many ways to achieve this across monetary and fiscal tools such as discretionary spending, reserve regulation or discount lending. At the same time, governments can only do so much to ensure its citizens are not severely impacted by downturns in the economy. We also need to tighten our spending and budget even more. We need to save where we can and brace ourselves for what could be a very uncomfortable period. While keeping in mind that a little planning goes a long way, we will get through this. • Roderick A. Simms II is the past BCCEC Family Island Division director. Email: [email protected].	https://thenassauguardian.com/dear-mr-prime-minister/
Cautious Stimulus Exit Essential to Avoid Hurting Recovery, Head of BIS Warns While global policymakers can give themselves a pat on the back for averting economic disaster during the pandemic, the fog over the global economy has not lifted fully, head of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) warned Tuesday, noting even bigger uncertainties lie ahead as economies rebound. As policymakers gradually scale back stimulus, they now face a long-term challenge in normalizing safety margins for both fiscal and monetary policies for future crises, with interest rates at exceptionally low levels and public debt at a post-World War II peak, General Manager Agustín Carstens of the Switzerland-based BIS said in a speech during the release of the institution’s annual economic report. In an interview with Caixin, Carstens said the exit of fiscal and monetary policies requires careful coordination and adequate communication. “There is a risk that both policies are normalized simultaneously and in an abrupt fashion, and recovery could be aborted,” he said. “And we don’t want that to happen.” Carstens noted in his speech that fiscal support will need to become more targeted to preserve policy space, while monetary policy will have to be “flexible and prudent.” Read more Caixin Summit: Bank Regulatory Official Warns of Inflation’s Impact on China’s Businesses In recent months, concerns have grown that the world is entering a period of rapidly accelerating inflation, as global demand has recovered from the pandemic more quickly than supply in the wake of massive fiscal and monetary stimulus in major developed countries, including the U.S. Carstens, a former governor of Mexico’s central bank, drew attention to the increase of consumer prices in the U.S. as transitory. “The U.S. Federal Reserve is giving a chance for full employment to return. We believe this process will converge nicely at the end of the day. Yes, we will have a period of high inflation running above the 2% target, but it will not be rampant,” he told Caixin. Central banks “face a delicate balancing act” as they need to reassure markets of their willingness to support the economy while demonstrating they are prepared to beat inflation when needed, the BIS report said. Since the second half of 2020, the global economy has rebounded more strongly than expected, albeit unevenly, the report stated. This was a result of unprecedented joint monetary and fiscal policy support deployed by central banks and governments, which included asset purchase programs and refinancing facilities for banks that helped keep financial markets stable and funds flowing to the real economy. China, which was the first economy to enter recession, rebounded particularly quickly. “It grew by 2.3% in 2020, on the back of strong business fixed investment and export demand. In turn, China’s economic recovery lifted growth in some East Asian EMEs (emerging market economies) through GVCs (global value chains),” the report said. Established in 1930, the BIS is the oldest international financial institution in the world, according to its website. Dubbed the central bank of central banks, it is owned by 63 central banks, representing countries from around the world that together account for about 95% of world GDP. Contact reporter Kelsey Cheng ([email protected]) and Joshua Dummer ([email protected]) Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter.	https://www.caixinglobal.com/2021-07-02/cautious-stimulus-exit-essential-to-avoid-hurting-recovery-head-of-bis-warns-101735300.html
In monetary economics, monetarism is a school of thought that emphasizes the role of governments in controlling the amount of money in circulation. Monetarists believe that variation in the money supply has major influences on national output in the short run and the price level over longer periods, and that objectives of monetary policy are best met by targeting the growth rate of the money supply rather than by engaging in discretionary monetary policy. Monetarism today is mainly associated with the work of Milton Friedman, who was among the generation of economists to accept Keynesian economics and then criticize Keynes' theory of gluts using fiscal policy (government spending). Friedman and Anna Schwartz wrote an influential book, A Monetary History of the United States, 1867–1960, and argued "inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon." Though he opposed the existence of the Federal Reserve, Friedman advocated, given its existence, a central bank policy aimed at keeping the supply and demand for money at equilibrium, as measured by growth in productivity and demand. The result was summarized in a historical analysis of monetary policy, Monetary History of the United States 1867–1960, which Friedman coauthored with Anna Schwartz. The book attributed inflation to excess money supply generated by a central bank. It attributed deflationary spirals to the reverse effect of a failure of a central bank to support the money supply during a liquidity crunch. Friedman originally proposed a fixed monetary rule, called Friedman's k-percent rule, where the money supply would be automatically increased by a fixed percentage per year. Under this rule, there would be no leeway for the central reserve bank as money supply increases could be determined "by a computer", and business could anticipate all money supply changes. With other monetarists he believed that the active manipulation of the money supply or its growth rate is more likely to destabilize than stabilize the economy. In the ensuing short term, unemployment in both countries remained stubbornly high while central banks raised interest rates to restrain credit. These policies dramatically reduced inflation rates in both countries (the United States' inflation rate fell from almost 14% in 1980 to around 3% in 1983 ), allowing liberalization of credit and the reduction of interest rates, which led ultimately to the inflationary economic booms of the 1980s. Arguments have been raised, however, that the fall of the inflation rate may be less from control of the money supply and more to do with the unemployment level's effect on demand; some also claim the use of credit to fuel economic expansion is itself an anti-monetarist tool, as it can be argued that an increase in money supply alone constitutes inflation. In the late 1980s, Bill Clinton reappointed Alan Greenspan, and kept him as a core member of his economic team. Greenspan, while still fundamentally monetarist in orientation, argued that doctrinaire application of theory was insufficiently flexible for central banks to meet emerging situations. The crucial test of this flexible response by the Federal Reserve was the Long-Term Capital Management. Some have argued that 1997–1998 represented a monetary policy bind, just as the early 1970s had represented a fiscal policy bind, and that while asset inflation had crept into the United States (which demanded that the Fed tighten the money supply), the Federal Reserve needed to ease liquidity in response to the capital flight from Asia. Greenspan himself noted this when he stated that the American stock market showed signs of irrationally high valuations. In 2000, Alan Greenspan raised interest rates several times. These actions were believed by many to have caused the bursting of the dot-com bubble. In late 2001, as a decisive reaction to the September 11 attacks and the various corporate scandals which undermined the economy, the Greenspan-led Federal Reserve initiated a series of interest rate cuts that brought the Federal Funds rate down to 1% in 2004. His critics, notably Steve Forbes, attributed the rapid rise in commodity prices and gold to Greenspan's loose monetary policy, and by late 2004 the price of gold was higher than its 12 year moving average; these same forces were also blamed for excessive asset inflation and the weakening of the dollar . These policies of Alan Greenspan are blamed by the followers of the Austrian School for creating excessive liquidity, causing lending standards to deteriorate, and resulting in the housing bubble of 2004–2006. Since 1990, the classical form of monetarism has been questioned because of events that many economists have interpreted as being inexplicable in monetarist terms, namely the unhinging of the money supply growth from inflation in the 1990s and the failure of pure monetary policy to stimulate the economy in the 2001–2003 period. Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the Federal Reserve System, argued that the 1990s decoupling was explained by a virtuous cycle of productivity and investment on one hand, and a certain degree of "irrational exuberance" in the investment sector. There are also arguments linking monetarism and macroeconomics, and treat monetarism as a special case of Keynesian theory. The central test case over the validity of these theories would be the possibility of a liquidity trap, like that experienced by Japan. Ben Bernanke, Princeton professor and former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, has argued that monetary policy could respond to zero interest rate conditions by direct expansion of the money supply. In his words, "We have the keys to the printing press, and we are not afraid to use them." Progressive economist Paul Krugman has advanced the counterargument that this would have a corresponding devaluationary effect, like the sustained low interest rates of 2001–2004 produced against world currencies. These disagreements — along with the role of monetary policies in trade liberalization, international investment and central bank policy — remain lively topics of investigation and argument. ^ Doherty, Brian (June 1995). "Best of Both Worlds". Reason. Retrieved July 28, 2010. ^ Thomas Palley (November 27, 2006). "Milton Friedman: The Great Conservative Partisan". Retrieved June 20, 2013. ^ a b Friedman, Milton (1970). "A Theoretical Framework for Monetary Analysis". ^ "Economy tables: GDP, interest rates and inflation history, unemployment". This Is Money. Retrieved June 20, 2013. ^ "History – James Callaghan (1912–2005)". BBC. Retrieved June 20, 2013. ^ "The Challenge of Central Banking in a Democratic Society: Remarks by Chairman Alan Greenspan At the Annual Dinner and Francis Boyer Lecture of The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Washington, D.C". Federal Reserve Board. December 5, 1996. Retrieved June 20, 2013. ^ "Scope of monetary policy". European Central Bank. Retrieved June 20, 2013. Andersen, Leonall C., and Jerry L. Jordan, 1968. "Monetary and Fiscal Actions: A Test of Their Relative Importance in Economic Stabilization", Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review (November), pp. 11–24. PDF (30 sec. load: press +) and HTML. _____, 1969. "Monetary and Fiscal Actions: A Test of Their Relative Importance in Economic Stabilization — Reply", Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review (April), pp. 12–16. PDF (15 sec. load; press +) and HTML. Brunner, Karl, and Allan H. Meltzer, 1993. Money and the Economy: Issues in Monetary Analysis, Cambridge. Description and chapter previews, pp. ix– x.	http://community.worldheritage.org/articles/eng/Monetarism
Fiscal policy is government economic policies that rely on economic regulation and control exercised through government taxation and budgetary policy. These 'fiscal policies' are in contrast to monetary policy which seeks to influence the direction of the economy and regulate levels of economic activity and inflation by control of both the rate of interest and the amount of money available within an economy. Monetary policy is part of the fiscal policy. Fiscal measures are frequently used in tandem with monetary policy to achieve certain specific goals. Taxation and public expenditure are the main fiscal policy instruments. Monetary Instrument Problem Revisited: The Role of Fiscal Policy - Soyoung Kim. Abstract: The monetary instrument problem is examined in an endowment economy model with various stochastic disturbances, with minimizing the variance of inflation as the policy objective. Following current developments in the theory of fiscal determination of the price level, for different monetary policies, active or passive fiscal policy is specified to guarantee a unique equilibrium. The responses of inflation to various structural disturbances in the constant money growth rate-passive fiscal and the constant interest rate-active fiscal regime are explained based on monetary and fiscal policies role in financing government deficit changes and satisfying the government budget constraint in each regime, which is different from the explanations of past research following Poole. One of interesting findings is that an increase in the steady state real value of nominal government debts (bonds) reduces the variance of inflation in the passive monetary-active fiscal regime. Searching for Non-Keynesian Effects of Fiscal Policy - Francesco Giavazzi, Tullio Jappelli, Marco Pagano. Abstract: We search for the circumstances in which the response of national saving to fiscal policy contradicts conventional Keynesian predictions, using data from 18 OECD countries. The data suggest that non-Keynesian effects tend to be associated with large and persistent fiscal impulses. Such responses can be traced to changes in taxes and transfers more than to changes in government consumption and are stronger for fiscal contractions than expansions. During large contractions an increase in taxes has no effect on national saving. High or rapidly growing public debt is not a good predictor of non-Keynesian effects. Finally, the composition of the fiscal impulse matters: the non-Keynesian effects of a large fiscal contraction are amplified when this is carried out primarily by raising taxes. Product Differentiation, Fiscal Policy, and Free Entry, Luis F. Costa Abstract: Entry is recognized to be an important issue in macro models considering imperfectly competitive markets. However, two lines of research have been kept apart: the homogeneous-product oligopoly approach, where entry means more firms in the industry, and the monopolistic competition approach, where it means more brands. Competition works at both the intraindustry and sector level. Decisions on both taxes and government expenditure are taken by the economys government, i.e., fiscal policy is decentralised within the monetary union. Fiscal policy is shown to be effective on aggregate output under the three cases. Fiscal Policy to Stabilise the Domestic Economy in the EMU: What Can We Learn from Monetary Policy? - Lars Calmfors, Institute for International Economic Studies, Stockholm Univ. An important issue for the EMU countries is to what extent fiscal policy can be used to stabilise the domestic economy in the case of asymmetric macroeconomic shocks. The paper reviews possible reforms of national fiscal policy institutions in order to promote efficient fiscal stabilisation policy. The conclusion is that the Fiscal Policy Committee solution has much to speak for itself. It seems possible to delegate fiscal stabilisation policy decisions, in much the same way as monetary policy has been delegated to central banks, at the same time as fiscal policy decisions focusing on income distribution and social efficiency are kept in the political sphere. Such delegation can be made compatible with democratic accountability. Analyzing the Interaction of Monetary and Fiscal Policy: Does Fiscal Policy Play a Valuable Role in Stabilisation? - V. Anton Muscatelli and Patrizio Tirelli. This paper provides an overview of recent papers which use estimated New Keynesian models to study the extent to which fiscal policy can be used to stabilize the economy. We use a variety of different New Keynesian models, estimated on data for both the US and for the Euro area, and highlight the diverse transmission channels through which fiscal policy acts in these models. Although we find that fiscal policy can provide a useful complement to monetary policy, especially in models where consumers have finite horizons, there are important limitations to the value added of fiscal policy. The Macroeconomic Role of Fiscal Policy - Christopher Allsopp, David Vines. Abstract: This article examines the new consensus that fiscal policy should have no macroeconomic role in flexible inflation targeting regimes. There is little basis for this presumption. Fiscal policy remains important in setting the policy mix and in managing shocks and imbalances. However, when interest rates cannot be used, the role of fiscal policy must be different. For asymmetric shocks and adjustments in EMU, fiscal policy needs, ideally, to substitute for the interest-rate policy reaction function of the consensus, but the difficulties are very great. There is a serious danger that orthodox views about fiscal policy, drawn from the consensus, will be inappropriately applied, especially in Europe. Fiscal Policy and the Democratic Process in the European Union - William Roberts Clark, Matt Golder, Sona Nadenichek Golder. The construction of a monetary union with a single currency in Europe raises serious concerns for those who understand the democratic process as one in which social groups compete on different ideological programs. This is because it increasingly constrains national governments of different partisan hues to follow similar fiscal and monetary policies. We test this argument using data on fiscal policy from European Union countries between 1981 and 1992. We find that there is still no systematic evidence for partisan differences. Given this, it is hard to see how EMU can add to the democratic deficit in the European Union. Partisan Politics and Fiscal Policy - THOMAS R. CUSACK. Does the partisan character of governing parties play a role in the formation of fiscal policy? The conventional view is that the left tends toward excessive deficits, whereas the right practices a more prudent fiscal policy; however, strong arguments have been advanced that whatever room existed previously for partisanship in fiscal policy making has been sharply reduced by developments in recent decades. The evidence suggests that the relationship between partisanship and fiscal policy is contingent on macroeconomic conditions. The evidence also suggests that these differences have been reduced over recent decades. The Political Economy of Fiscal Policy and Economic Management in Oil Exporting Countries: Benn Eifert; Alan Gelb and Nils Borje Tallroth. Despite massive oil rent incomes since the early 1970s, the economic performance of oilexporting countries- with notable exceptions-is poor. While there is extensive literature on the management of oil resources, analysis of the underlying political determinants of this poor performance is more sparse.	http://sociologyindex.com/fiscal_policy.htm
As someone who came of age in the 1970s, I remember inflation very well. As a college student taking economics courses, I remember being taught many of the prevailing thoughts on inflation in the early 1970s. Since we are facing another inflationary period, it probably makes sense to revisit those thoughts. Generally governments have two sets of tools to impact the economy -— monetary policy, undertaken by the central bank, and fiscal policy, undertaken by the government. When the economy is in the recessionary phase of the business cycle, the central bank and government take steps to stimulate the economy. The key is to invigorate the economy just enough so that it does not overheat. When the economy recovers, central banks and governments are supposed to stop the stimulus and apply both fiscal and monetary restraint to prevent inflation. Central banks stimulate the economy by increasing the money supply. The banks don’t literally print more money. Rather, they create money by making deposits in commercial banking institutions and by lowering interest rates to encourage debt-financed economic activity. After the economy recovers, central banks apply economic brakes by contracting the money supply and raising interest rates. This is more of an art than a science as it is difficult to determine whether the measures taken were appropriately implemented until after the fact. Governments, on the other hand, can stimulate the economy during economic downturns by increasing government spending and lowering taxes. Doing so typically results in deficits, which increase the national debt. Theoretically, when the economy has recovered, taxes are supposed to be raised and the resulting government surplus is used to repay debt. Unfortunately, such actions are politically unpopular, so governments find this difficult. There is one other historical note: Pandemics are typically followed by periods of inflation because the supply of goods is impaired by the pandemic. In the middle ages when plagues swept across Europe, the serfs who grew the crops suffered the brunt of the contagion and were unable to grow crops during the pandemic. Because so few survived the disease, there were not enough serfs to resume post-pandemic crop production. We see a similar problem today with the supply chain issues that make it impossible to obtain many goods and services. But the current coronavirus pandemic is probably merely a catalyst for an inflationary period that is inevitable. Since the Great Recession about a dozen years ago, central banks and governments around the world continued to apply extraordinary stimulus to the global economy. Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve Board chief at the time of the Great Recession, spent his career studying the Great Depression of the 1930s and believed that another similar-sized depression could be avoided by implementing unprecedented monetary and fiscal stimulus. He was right, as enormous monetary stimuli were provided to prevent a collapse of our banking system. Interest rates plunged as the money supply was increased by coordinated actions of central banks around the world. It is interesting to note that the tax cuts at the time were generally modest, but governments spent like drunken sailors as the national debts of most nations grew to historically high levels. The economy slowly recovered, but the stimuli proved addictive and governments found it hard to wean themselves off the monetary and fiscal actions that were undertaken. By 2012, governments were trying to take their foot off the pedal, but the global economy still exhibited underlying weaknesses. In the U.S., there was a measured tax increase and by 2016 the government reduced the annual deficit considerably. The Fed was still keeping interest rates low, as the economy appeared to be recovering. Job creation was robust and the supply of goods and services kept pace with the demand. In 2017, there was a major tax cut while the government sustained spending levels. Many nations, including the U.S., incurred record levels of governmental debt. The economy was clearly approaching the peak of the economic cycle and by 2019 there were signs (such as increasing housing prices) that inflation was around the corner, until the pandemic hit the global economy. We currently have a perfect storm for inflation: pandemic-induced shortages, an expansive money supply coupled with unprecedented levels of government spending. I suspect that remediating inflation will be a long and painful process. Jim de Bree is a Valencia resident.	https://ugolini.co.th/ugolini/jim-de-bree-inflation-is-no-surprise-nor-is-the-fix-quick/
Stimulatory Measures – 3rd Quarter September 2020 Stimulatory measures are typically used by governments and central banks as a package of economic measures put together to stimulate a stagnating economy with the objective being to reinvigorate the economy and prevent (or reverse) a recession by “stimulating” employment and spending. In the U.S. markets rose in Q3 on the back of continuing facilitating Federal Reserve monetary policy and early signs of a pickup in economic activity. The Federal Reserve will now employ average inflation targeting in setting interest rates which is indicative of prolonged liquidity easing. The provision of additional fiscal stimulus measures remains deadlocked as the parties, Democrats and Republicans, dispute as to the quantum of the stimulus to be provided.	https://gtc.co.za/stimulatory-measures-3rd-quarter-september-2020/
Scooper - Technology News: How can we boost global demand? How can we boost global demand? The global economy faces a chronic problem of deficient nominal demand. Japan is suffering near-zero growth and minimal inflation. Eurozone inflation has again turned negative, and British inflation is zero and economic growth is slowing. The US economy is slightly more robust, although even their recovery from the 2008 financial crisis remains disappointingly slow, employment rates are well below 2007 levels, and annual inflation will not reach the Federal Reserve’s 2% target for several years. But the debate about which policies could boost demand remains inadequate, evasive, and confused. In Shanghai, the G-20 foreign ministers committed to use all available tools – structural, monetary, and fiscal – to boost growth rates and prevent deflation. But many of the key players are keener to point out what they can’t do than what they can. Central banks frequently stress the limits of their powers, and bemoan lack of government progress toward “structural reform” – a catch-all phrase covering trade liberalization, labor- and product-market reforms, and measures to address medium-term fiscal challenges, such as pension age increases. But while some of these might increase potential growth over the long term, almost none can make any difference in growth or inflation rates over the next 1-3 years. Indeed, some structural reforms, such as increasing labor-market flexibility (by, say, making it easier to dismiss workers), can initially have a negative effect on consumer confidence and spending. Vague references to “structural reform” should ideally be banned, with everyone forced to specify which particular reforms they are talking about and the timetable for any benefits that are achieved. If the core problem is inadequate global demand, only monetary or fiscal policy can solve it. But central bankers are right to stress the limits of what monetary policy alone can achieve. The Bank of Japan recently introduced negative interest rates, and next week the European Central Bank will probably take its own rate still further into negative territory or launch yet more quantitative easing (QE). But these levers can make little difference to real economic consumption and investment. Negative interest rates are intended to spur credit demand among companies and households. But if banks are unwilling to impose negative rates on depositors, the actual and perverse consequence could be higher lending rates as banks attempt to maintain margins in the face of the running losses they now make on their central bank reserves. As Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, has noted , negative interest rates should be used only in ways that stimulate overall global demand, rather than simply to move demand from one country to another via competitive devaluation. But achieving such stimulus via negative interest rates may be impossible. The potential for yet more QE to change behavior in the real economy is equally unclear. This means that nominal demand will rise only if governments deploy fiscal policy to reduce taxes or increase public expenditure – thereby, in Milton Friedman’s phrase, putting new demand directly “into the income stream.” But the world is full of governments that feel unable to do this. Japan’s finance ministry is convinced that it must reduce its large fiscal deficit by hiking the sales tax in April 2017. Eurozone rules mean that many member countries are committed to reducing their deficits. British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne is also determined to reduce, not increase, his country’s deficit. The standard official mantra has therefore become that countries that still have “fiscal space” should use it. But there are no grounds for believing the most obvious candidates – such as Germany – will actually do anything. And there is no certainty that even if all the countries that have fiscal space used it, the boost to global demand would be sufficient. These impasses have fueled growing fear that we are “out of ammunition” to fight inadequate growth and potential deflation. But if our problem is inadequate nominal demand, there is one policy that will always work. If governments run larger fiscal deficits and finance this not with interest-bearing debt but with central-bank money – nominal demand will undoubtedly increase, producing some mix of higher inflation and higher real output. The option of so-called “helicopter money” is therefore increasingly discussed . But the debate about it is riddled with confusions. Both assertions cannot be true; in reality, neither is. Very small money-financed deficits would produce only a minimal impact on nominal demand: very large ones would produce harmfully high inflation. Somewhere in the middle there is an optimal policy – a common-sense proposition that is often missing from the debate. Amid the confusion, the one really important political issue is ignored: whether we can design rules and allocate institutional responsibilities to ensure that monetary financing is used only in an appropriately moderate and disciplined fashion, or whether the temptation to use it to excess will prove irresistible. If political irresponsibility is inevitable, we really are out of ammunition that we can use without blowing ourselves up. But if, as I believe, the discipline problem can be solved, we need to start formulating the right rules and distribution of responsibilities. One thing is certain: Relying on structural reform, on purely monetary policies, or on the fiscal policies available to governments that believe that all deficits must be financed with debt will not reverse the world’s chronic deficiency of nominal demand.	https://m.scoopernews.com/detail?newsId=173107
What is Monetary Policy? Monetary policy is an economic policy that manages the size and growth rate of the money supply in an economy. It is a powerful tool to regulate macroeconomic variables such as inflation and unemployment. These policies are implemented through different tools, including the adjustment of the interest rates, purchase or sale of government securities, and changing the amount of cash circulating in the economy. The central bank or a similar regulatory organization is responsible for formulating these policies. Objectives of Monetary Policy The primary objectives of monetary policies are the management of inflation or unemployment, and maintenance of currency exchange rates. Inflation Monetary policies can target inflation levels. A low level of inflation is considered to be healthy for the economy. If inflation is high, a contractionary policy can address this issue. Unemployment Monetary policies can influence the level of unemployment in the economy. For example, an expansionary monetary policy generally decreases unemployment because the higher money supply stimulates business activities that lead to the expansion of the job market. Currency exchange rates Using its fiscal authority, a central bank can regulate the exchange rates between domestic and foreign currencies. For example, the central bank may increase the money supply by issuing more currency. In such a case, the domestic currency becomes cheaper relative to its foreign counterparts. Tools of Monetary Policy Central banks use various tools to implement monetary policies. The widely utilized policy tools include: Interest rate adjustment A central bank can influence interest rates by changing the discount rate. The discount rate (base rate) is an interest rate charged by a central bank to banks for short-term loans. For example, if a central bank increases the discount rate, the cost of borrowing for the banks increases. Subsequently, the banks will increase the interest rate they charge their customers. Thus, the cost of borrowing in the economy will increase, and the money supply will decrease. Change reserve requirements Central banks usually set up the minimum amount of reserves that must be held by a commercial bank. By changing the required amount, the central bank can influence the money supply in the economy. If monetary authorities increase the required reserve amount, commercial banks find less money available to lend to their clients and thus, money supply decreases. Commercial banks can’t use the reserves to make loans or fund investments into new businesses. Since it constitutes a lost opportunity for the commercial banks, central banks pay them interest on the reserves. The interest is known as IOR or IORR (interest on reserves or interest on required reserves). Open market operations The central bank can either purchase or sell securities issued by the government to affect the money supply. For example, central banks can purchase government bonds. As a result, banks will obtain more money to increase the lending and money supply in the economy. Expansionary vs. Contractionary Monetary Policy Depending on its objectives, monetary policies can be expansionary or contractionary. Expansionary Monetary Policy This is a monetary policy that aims to increase the money supply in the economy by decreasing interest rates, purchasing government securities by central banks, and lowering the reserve requirements for banks. An expansionary policy lowers unemployment and stimulates business activities and consumer spending. The overall goal of the expansionary monetary policy is to fuel economic growth. However, it can also possibly lead to higher inflation. Contractionary Monetary Policy The goal of a contractionary monetary policy is to decrease the money supply in the economy. It can be achieved by raising interest rates, selling government bonds, and increasing the reserve requirements for banks. The contractionary policy is utilized when the government wants to control inflation levels. Related Readings CFI is the official provider of the Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst designation for financial analysts. To continue learning and advancing your career, these additional CFI resources will be helpful:	https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/economics/monetary-policy/
Functions of Central Bank Introduction In the banking system, the central bank is recognized as the most powerful financial institution. It is considered to be an important part of a country's economic and financial structure. The central bank is an independent authority in charge of supervising, regulating, and stabilizing the country's monetary and banking framework. The Reserve Bank of India is the country's central bank. It was founded in 1935. Central banks are in charge of ensuring the country's Financial Stability and Economic sovereignty. The meaning of central bank is a financial institution that has the privilege of producing and distributing money (and credit) for a country or a group of countries. The central bank, in the modern economy, is also responsible for regulating member banks and formulating monetary policies. This article will acquaint you with the importance of the central bank with a focus on the functions of the central bank of India. Features of Central Bank The basic nature of Central banks is that they are non-market-based and also anti-competitive institutions. The key features of a central bank are: Most central banks are centralized though there could be central banks that are not government agencies. Even if the central government does not own a central bank, the law establishes and protects the privileges of a central bank. It has a legal monopoly status that enables it to issue cash and banknotes as opposed to private commercial banks that can issue only demand liabilities, for example, checking deposits. Functions of Central Bank A central bank is deemed as the lender of the last resort, as per Hawtrey ( a British economist). The central bank is the organ of the government which controls major financial operations of the government. Through its various operations, the objectives of the central bank are to support the economic policy of a country by influencing the way financial institutions behave. The central bank of India is RBI or Reserve bank of India and it is a statutory bank. The primary role of RBI in India is to print currency notes and manage the money supply in the economy of India. Let us now delve into the central bank and its functions where we will discuss the role of the central bank in the money market: Regulator of Currency- The main function of the central bank is to print currency notes and RBI has the sole right in the country for this operation. RBI prints money of all denominations apart from 1 rupee note. It is the ministry of finance that issues 1 rupee note. Banker and Advisor to the Government- This role of the central bank is of a fiscal agent to the government where the RBI keeps the deposits of both central and state governments. It also makes payments on behalf of the government, along with buying and selling foreign currencies. The various functions of a reserve bank as an advisor is to tender useful suggestions to the government regarding monetary policies and other economic matters. Custodian of Commercial Banks- As per law, commercial banks need to keep a reserve that is equal to a certain percentage of the NDTL (net demand and time liabilities). These reserves help commercial banks clear cheques by transferring funds from one bank to another. The resee bank facilitates these transactions as it acts as a custodian and lender of cash reserves to the commercial banks. Custodian and Manager of Foreign Exchange Reserves- To keep the rates of foreign exchange stable, the reserve bank buys and sells foreign currencies at international prices. If the supply of foreign currency decreases in the economy, RBI sells them at foreign exchanges, and in case of surplus supply, it buys them. RBI is also an official reservoir of foreign currencies and gold. RBI sells gold to monetary authorities of other countries at fixed prices. Lender of the Last Resort- The RBI grants accommodation to commercial banks, financial institutions, bill brokers, etc. in the form of collateral advances or re-discounts. This step is taken in times of stress so that the financial structure of the country is saved from collapsing. This lending is done on the basis of government securities, treasury bills, government bonds, etc. Controller of Credit- The Reserve bank of India controls the credit created by commercial banks. The credit flow in the country is regulated by means of two methods; quantitative method and qualitative method. RBI applies tight monetary policies when it observes that there is enough supply of money which may cause an inflationary situation. It squeezes the money supply to keep inflation in check. Transfer and Settlements- The central bank acts as a “clearinghouse” by providing free services to commercial banks in transferring and settling their mutual claims. Since the RBI holds reserves of commercial banks, it facilitates the clearing of cheques by transferring funds between banks. The principle of bookkeeping is followed in this procedure to make transfer entries into their accounts. There is a separate department operated by the central bank in big cities and trade centers to transfer and settle the claims of one bank on the other. Importance of Central Bank The central bank is the heart of the monetary system of any country. A country’s economy is influenced heavily by the actions taken by its central bank. They are the key governing body that ensures the boom and bust cycle of the economy and financial markets does not hamper the direction of the country’s economy. Its central bank ensures the steady and stable growth of the economy of a country. The Functions of a Central Bank can be discussed as follows: Currency regulator or bank of issue Bank to the government Custodian of Cash reserves Custodian of International currency Lender of last resort Clearing house for transfer and settlement Controller of credit Protecting depositors interests Examples of Central Banks Some of the well known central banks across the world are: Federal Reserve (USA) Reserve Bank of India (India) People’s Bank of China (China) Bank of England (UK) European Central Bank (EU or European Union) FAQs on Functions of Central Bank – Explanation, Importance, and FAQs 1. What is a Central Bank? A central bank is a financial institution that has sole control over the generation and distribution of money and credit in a country or group of countries. The central bank is normally in charge of establishing monetary policy and regulating member banks in modern economies. Central banks are inherently anti-competitive, if not anti-market. Because many central banks are not government bodies, they are sometimes seen as politically independent. Regardless of whether the central bank is technically owned by the government, its rights are enshrined and guaranteed by law. The legal monopoly that allows central banks to issue banknotes and cash is a unique feature that sets them apart from other banks. Only sight liabilities, such as check deposits, are permitted to be issued by private commercial banks. 2. What are the key takeaways of the Central Bank? Key takeaways are- A central bank is a financial entity in charge of monitoring a country's or group of countries' monetary system and policy, as well as regulating the money supply and establishing interest rates. To keep a country's economy on track, central banks use monetary policy to loosen or limit the money supply and credit availability. Central banks have legislation governing the banking industry, including the amount of cash that banks must hold in connection with their deposits. A central bank can lend to failing financial institutions and even governments as a lender of last resort. 3. What are a few functions of the Central Bank? Functions are- Custodian of International Currency: Maintaining a minimal foreign currency balance is an important function of the central bank. The goal of maintaining such a balance is to manage unexpected or emergency foreign reserve requirements, as well as to avoid any negative balance-of-payments deficits. Lender of Last Resort: In times of cash shortages, the central bank serves as a lender of last resort, giving funds to its member banks. It carries out this job through issuing loans secured by securities, treasury bills, and rediscounting bills. This is considered one of the central bank's most important functions, as it assists in preventing the financial structure of the economy from collapsing. Clearinghouse for Transfer and Settlement: The central bank serves as a clearinghouse for commercial banks, assisting in the settlement of mutual indebtedness. To settle interbank payments, representatives from several institutions gather in a clearinghouse. Controller of Credit: Central banks also serve as credit regulators in the economy. Commercial banks create a lot of credit in the economy, which causes inflation to rise. By engaging in open market operations or modifying the CRR, the central bank can influence how commercial banks create credit. 4. What is the role of a bank for the government? The role is as follow- Currency Regulator or Bank of issue: In a given economy, central banks have sole authority over the production of currency. The world's central banks are all involved in issuing currency notes to the economy. This is one of the central bank's most significant duties in an economy, and it is for this reason that the central bank is sometimes known as the bank of issue. Previously, all banks were free to print their own notes, resulting in an unorganized economy. To avoid this, governments around the world authorized central banks to act as currency issuers, resulting in consistency in circulation and a balanced supply of money in the economy. Bank to the Government: One of the central bank's most essential functions is to serve as the government's bank. The central bank is a financial institution that receives deposits and distributes funds to the government. It's also in charge of making and collecting government payments. Central banks also provide short-term loans to the government to help it recover from economic downturns. In addition to serving as the government's bank, it also serves as an advisor and agent for the government, giving guidance on economic policy, capital markets, money markets, and government loans. Furthermore, the central bank plays an important role in the design of monetary and fiscal policies that aid in the regulation of money in the market and inflation control. Custodian of Cash Reserves: Commercial banks in a country's commercial banks hold a portion of their cash balances in the form of deposits with the central bank. When there is a strong demand for cash, commercial banks can draw on that sum and pay it back when there is a low demand for cash. The central bank is known as the banker's bank as a result of this. The central bank also has a significant impact on commercial banks' loan creation policies. 5. What are the objectives of the Central Bank? Due to calamitous economic events, central banks' goals have shifted dramatically throughout time. In the 1970s, for example, central banks' primary purpose was to ensure full employment. The concentration on employment, on the other hand, diverted central banks' attention to inflation. Instead of maintaining price stability, central banks would inject money into the economy to keep people employed. However, this came at a price: inflation. In 1973, for example, there was a severe oil crisis known as the 'OPEC crisis.' It resulted in a significant increase in unemployment rates throughout the industrialized countries. In response, central banks opened the taps and pumped money into the economy in the hopes of spurring investment and job creation. While the plan was successful in increasing employment in the near term, it had long-term consequences. Throughout the 1980s, there was double-digit inflation, and employment suffered as a result. As a result, central banks have realized that a more balanced approach is required, one that concentrates on multiple goals rather than just one. 6. Give a Brief History of Central Banks. The Bank of England and the Swedish Riksbank were the prototypes of central banks in the world. These banks were established in the 17th century. The Bank of England first acknowledged the role of the central bank as the lender of last resort. Some of the other early central banks are Germany's Reichsbank and Napoleon's Bank of France. These banks were established as the means to finance military operations of the respective countries, which were quite expensive. The reserve bank of India was nationalized on January 1st, 1949 by the RBI Act 1948. Before RBI, the Imperial Bank of India was performing all the functions of a central bank. The main purpose of the nationalization of RBI was to prevent the centralization of shares in the hands of non-government shareholders. 7. What are District Central Cooperative Bank Functions? The DCCB or district cooperative central banks are the cooperative banks that operate at the district level in several parts of India. They have the following functions: They fulfill the credit requirements of the member societies. Provide financial and banking support for the livelihood in rural areas, especially the agricultural sector. They act as a balancing center for PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies). There is close and continuous contact between DCCBs and PACS where DCCB provides leadership and guidance support to PACS. They can also perform non-credit activities.	https://www.vedantu.com/commerce/functions-of-central-bank
Tight fiscal policies are being pursued in many countries to deal with high public-sector deficits that resulted from the deep recession of 2008/9. This has put the main onus on monetary policy as the means of stimulating recovery. As a result we have seen record low interest rates around the world, set at only slightly above zero in the main industrialised countries for the past 4½ years. In addition, there have been large increases in narrow money as a result of massive programmes of quantitative easing. The US economy has been showing stronger growth in recent months and, as a result, the Fed has indicated that it may soon have to begin tightening monetary policy. It is not doing so yet, nor are other central banks, but the concern that this may happen in the medium term has been enough to persuade many investors that stock markets are likely to fall as money eventually becomes tighter. Given the high degree of speculation on stock markets, this has led to a large-scale selling of shares as investors try to ‘get ahead of the curve’. Central banks have responded with a new approach to monetary policy. This is known as ‘forward guidance’. The idea is to manage expectations by saying what the central bank will do over the coming months. The USA was the first to pursue this approach. In September 2012 the Fed committed to bond purchase of $40bn per month (increased to $85bn per month in January 2013) for the foreseeable future; and record low interest rates of between 0% and 0.25% would continue. Indeed, as pointed out above, it was the ‘guidance’ last month that such a policy would be tapered off at some point, that sent stock markets falling in June. The Fed has since revised its guidance. On 10 July, Ben Bernanke, the Fed Chairman said that monetary policy would not be tightened for the foreseeable future. With fiscal policy having been tightened, QE would continue and interest rates would not be raised until unemployment had fallen to 6.5%. Japan has been issuing forward guidance since last December. Its declared aim has been to lower the exchange rate and raise inflation. It would take whatever fiscal and monetary policies were deemed necessary to achieve this (see A J-curve for Japan? and Japan’s three arrows). Then on 4 July both the Bank of England and the ECB adopted forward guidance too. Worried that growth in the US economy would lead to an end to loose monetary policy before too long and that this would drive up interest rates worldwide, both central banks committed to keeping interest rates low for an extended period of time. Indeed, the ECB declared that the next movement in interest rates would more likely be down than up. Mario Draghi, the ECB president said that the ending of loose monetary policy is ‘very distant’. The effect of this forward guidance has been to boost stock markets again. The hope is that by managing expectations in this way, the real economy will be affected too, with increased confidence leading to higher investment and faster economic growth. While the unemployment rate remains above 7%, the MPC stands ready to undertake further asset purchases if further stimulus is warranted. But until the unemployment threshold is reached the MPC intends not to reduce the stock of asset purchases from the current £375 billion. The Bank of England’s unwavering commitment to price stability and financial stability is such that this threshold guidance will cease to apply if material risks to either are judged to have arisen. In that event, the unemployment threshold would be ‘knocked out’. The guidance will remain in place only if, in the MPC’s view, CPI inflation 18 to 24 months ahead is more likely than not to be below 2.5%, medium-term inflation expectations remain sufficiently well anchored, and the FPC has not judged that the stance of monetary policy poses a significant threat to financial stability that cannot otherwise be contained through the considerable supervisory and regulatory policy tools of the various authorities. The two inflation knockouts ensure that the guidance remains fully consistent with our primary objective of price stability. The financial stability knockout takes full advantage of the new institutional structure at the Bank of England, ensuring that monetary and macroprudential policies coordinate to support a sustainable recovery. The knock-outs would not necessarily trigger an increase in Bank Rate – they would instead be a prompt for the MPC to reconsider the appropriate stance of policy. Similarly, it is important to be clear that Bank Rate will not automatically be increased when the unemployment threshold is reached. Nor is 7% a target for unemployment. The rate of unemployment consistent with medium-term price stability – a rate that monetary policy can do little to affect – is likely to be lower than this. So 7% is merely a ‘way station’ at which the MPC will reassess the state of the economy, the progress of the economic recovery, and, in that context, the appropriate stance of monetary policy. The articles in the updated section below consider the implications of this forward guidance and the caveat that the undertaking might be abondoned in certain circumstances. Is forward guidance a ‘rules-based’ or ‘discretion-based’ approach to monetary policy? Is it possible to provide forward guidance while at the same time pursuing an inflation target? If people know that central banks are trying to manage expectations, will this help or hinder central banks? Does the adoption of forward guidance by the Bank of England and ECB make them more or less dependent on the Fed’s policy? Why may forward guidance be a more effective means of controlling interest rates on long-term bonds (and other long-term rates too) than the traditional policy of setting the repo rate on a month-by-month basis? What will determine the likely success of forward guidance in determining long-term bond rates? Is forward guidance likely to make stock market speculation less destabilising? Is what ways is the ‘threshold guidance’ by the Bank of England likely to make the current expansionary stance of monetary policy more effective? Is 7% the ‘natural rate of unemployment’? Explain your reasoning.	https://pearsonblog.campaignserver.co.uk/tag/natural-rate-of-unemployment/
After 5 years of zero interest rates, negative real yields, trillion dollar annual fiscal deficits, trillions of dollars of asset purchases by the Fed, and hundreds of stimulus measures by foreign central banks, the global economy just limps along. It is counter-factual to know what the state of the global economy would be without these measures, but isn’t there a point when the actual benefits of doing ever-more is questioned? As Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Let’s assume for the moment that after the Fed cut rates to zero and established various liquidity facilities that QE1 and QE2 were still necessary to stabilize markets (QE1) and then to combat deflation (QE2). It could be argued that after those actions, the Fed could have refrained from beginning the open-ended asset purchase program without causing any adverse market reaction. When QE-infinity began, inflation was stable, equities were higher by over 15% (70% above 2009 lows), and the unemployment rate had moved in the right direction from 10%+ to 8.2%. The Fed was already so highly-accommodative that staying put may not have been criticized, especially after the extraordinary actions it had taken. Furthermore, at the time, the Fed was just starting to be accused of complicating its exit strategy and enabling fiscal polarization. Doesn’t the Fed’s continued expansion of its balance sheet risk doing too much? History is full of Fed-induced boom to bust cycles. Once signs of asset bubbles or inflation appear, it is often too late. The US economy is like an oil tanker where it takes over 5 miles to stop and requires a turning circle of over 2 miles. Therefore, the idea of micro-managing via “data dependency”, or via Rosengren’s “dimmer switch” analogy, makes little sense to me. Moreover, investors are now unproductively hyper-sensitive to each economic data point. Policy today may not fully filter into the broader economy until 12 to 18 months from now. The overly easy policy of Arthur Burns (‘70s) never successfully lowered the unemployment rate, but instead caused destructive inflation that was only contained a decade later, after the harsh medicine of Paul Volcker. As the Fed begins the ‘tapering’ process, investors may soon be able to discern whether or not its policies have been beneficial for the long run, or whether little has been achieved other than a temporary turbo-charging of asset prices. Unintended consequence and ‘collateral damage’ may begin to appear. It seems that should another financial crisis arise, the ability for governments to respond is compromised, as the easy bullets have been expended. Many of the factors that led to the 2008 economic crises – high debt levels, global imbalances, unfinanced social entitlements – are at even higher levels today. Economies are still too reliant on debt-driven consumption. Reductions in household debt levels have been replaced by public sector borrowing. Banks deemed too-big-to-fail are now even bigger. Speculation in financial assets has reached new highs. NYSE Margin Debt is at an all-time high level. Policy officials believe that growth and inflation would fix the problem of large debts, but growth fueled by public spending that is financed by debt or central banks is not sustainable. Like most Ponzi schemes, it doesn’t end well. Reducing total debt was always a better solution, but it would have resulted in even slower economic activity and lower living standards. However, in the long run, the system would have been purged of unsustainable excesses. ‘Short term pain’ for ‘long term gain’ is often shunned for fear of electoral defeat and lobby group pressure. Now, we are stuck with financial repression. Investment is being directed toward funding the public sector. Policy rewards debtors over creditors. Such policy cannot go on forever. In reality, “unlimited” rarely means unlimited, because imbalances become too great. The Fed’s current quagmire has aspects resembling the Triffin Dilemma. The recent adverse spillover from Fed policies in emerging market economies and currencies may be the first hint of cracks in the global monetary system. At a minimum, foreign central banks have deviated from good policy in order to prevent sharp destabilizing fluctuations in the value of their currencies and to arrest volatile inflows and outflows of capital. Time to buy vol and replace some financial assets with real assets.	https://marketmakeredge.com/summary-of-the-current-situation/
Floors and ceilings The "interest on excess reserves" (IOER) debate and the safe assets issue are two sides of the same coin. On one side we have the central bank and the system of regulated banks: on the other side we have non-banks and the Treasury. Together, all of these make up the financial system. (larger version here) In the US, this means a "corridor" of 0 to 0.25%, with the zero lower bound as the floor and the IOER rate as the ceiling. Thus the debate on the US's supposed "floor" system entirely missed the point. What the US actually has is a corridor system with rate inversion. (larger version here) Since the 1980s there has been a somewhat antagonistic stance between government and central bank. As one economist puts it, "central banks and governments are constantly sparring in a policy chess game": inflation targeting by central banks effectively dampens any attempt by the fiscal authorities to either loosen or tighten policy, and there is a presupposition that politicians can't be trusted to manage economic policy. This in my view is outdated, if indeed it was ever true. After all, a central bank is only as independent as politicians allow it to be. Our present arrangements - monetary dominance, under-use of fiscal tools, fiscal and monetary policy cancelling each other out - cause the needs of non-banks to be neglected and encourage preferential treatment of banks. It is essential that monetary policy encompasses the whole financial system, not half of it. Whether we like it or not, things that are not banks but do bank-like things are here to stay: they have existed in various forms for hundreds of years, and although the current direction of regulation appears hostile to some of them, they perform useful functions. It's worth remembering that non-banks are not just hedge funds and SPVs - they include, among other things, insurance companies, wealth funds and thrifts (building societies). The role of the Treasury in supporting non-banks should be recognised, and fiscal tools should become an essential part of monetary policy. Therefore the antagonistic stance of central banks and governments that arose from the fiscal and monetary mismanagement of the 1970s must end. Cooperation, not competition, should be the order of the day.	https://www.coppolacomment.com/2013/02/floors-and-ceilings.html?showComment=1361283851384
Economists have been asking this question for well over a century (or perhaps since Sweden established the Riksbank in 1668.) The answers have changed over time; however, in the 1990s, economists seemed to have reached a consensus that price stability is the primary objective, if not the sole objective, for central banks. Clearly, the financial recession of 2007 to 2009 or 10 obliterated this comfortable consensus but left central bankers without a well-defined focus for their attention. Should price stability be the only goal? What about economic stability? If economic stability, how should central bankers measure and interpret it? This blog posting revisits these questions and concludes, in agreement with former Bank of England Governor Mervyn King, that the uncertainties and complexities of modern economies yield no definitive answers. Furthermore, given such volatile factors, political processes are unlikely to prescribe appropriate instructions for central bankers; however, legislators should indicate in broad terms the goals central bankers should use in setting policy. Paul Volcker died at the age of 92 on December 8, 2019. Although he only chaired the Federal Reserve (FED) for 8 years (1979 to 1987), he should be remembered as the central banker who brought credibility back to the FED by treating inflation as “public enemy #1” and taking actions consistent with that objective. Within four years, partly as a result of leading the Open Market Committee of the FED to set a federal funds target rate of interest as high as 20% in March of 1980, the inflation rate came down from over 13% in 1979 to below 4% by 1982. This decline was much more rapid than most economists anticipated. Of course, one consequence was a major recession with the unemployment rate exceeding 10%, but inflation was permanently tamed, stable economic growth returned, and the Fed had regained its credibility. When President Obama needed to gain credibility in establishing macroeconomic policy in light of the great recession (2007-2009), he appointed Volcker to head the Economic Recovery Advisory Board. One result was insertion of what became known as the Volcker Rule in the Dodd-Frank legislation to reform financial markets. This rule sought to ensure that banks with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) don’t do proprietary trading on their own account; that is, it separated how insured depositors’ funds could be invested from what financial markets (both debt and equity investors) allowed banks to do. In a December 9th Washington Post obituary, Catherine Rampell eulogized Volcker as follows: But the more lasting impact of his life’s work lies in his own demonstrations of moral and political courage. …Volcker did things that made him unpopular with presidents, with Congress and with the general public. He elicited their enmity not because he was a provocateur or masochist. He undertook unpopular actions because he believed they were the right things to do, and he cared more about the long-run health of the country than he did about his own career. When I first thought about the question posed in the title to this blog posting, Frederic Mishkin’s Homer Jones Lecture at the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank in 2000 came to mind . Mishkin identified seven principles that should guide central bankers: • Price stability provides substantial benefits; • Fiscal policy should be aligned with monetary policy; • Time inconsistency is a serious problem to be avoided; • Monetary policy should be forward looking; • Accountability is a basic principle of democracy; • Monetary policy should be concerned about output as well as price fluctuations; and • The most serious economic downturns are associated with financial instability. To satisfy these principles, Mishkin argued that legislators should set the goals for central banks (hence accountability to those elected to represent a country’s citizens), but the governors of central banks should be free to choose how to meet those goals. Furthermore, price and financial stability rise to the top, as necessary conditions to meet all seven principles. For further discussion on how central banks can be both held accountable and deliver on these stability goals, I encourage you to read his lecture. In recent times, largely because legislators have failed to align fiscal policy (the intentional use of budgetary policy) with monetary policy (interest rate and capital adequacy) to delivery stable output or time consistency, central banks have become, as Mohammed El-Erian has opined, The Only Game in Town . Thus, we have seen the primary central banks in the industrial world (the Bank of Japan, the Bank of England, the European Central Bank, and the Federal Reserve) resort to NIRP (negative interest rate policy), ZIRP (zero interest rate policy), and near ZIRP policies. I have addressed the economic distortions created by these policies in a previous blog posting. In short, such interest rates put long term economic growth and stability in jeopardy. Former chief economist for the IMF and governor of the Reserve Bank of India Raghuram Rajan stresses the cost of having central bankers as “the only game in town.” In a recent Project-Syndicate opinion piece, he argued that central banker success in taming inflation while generating relatively stable economic growth in the 1990s and early 2000s generated lofty expectations for them to constructively respond to all sources of economic instability including to policies that are known to increase rather than decrease it. Consequent, he opines that central bankers have become the “fall guys” for many economic ills. It is no surprise that populist leaders would be among the most incensed at central banks. Populists believe they have a mandate from “the people” to wrest control of institutions from the “elites,” and there is nothing more elite than pointy-headed PhD economists speaking in jargon and meeting periodically behind closed doors in places like Basel, Switzerland. For a populist leader who fears that a recession might derail his agenda and tarnish his own image of infallibility, the central bank is the perfect scapegoat. Rajan, however, finds a silver lining in these efforts to knocking central bankers from their high “priesthood” status. Shattering the mystique surrounding central banking could open it to attack in the short run, but will pay off in the long run. The sooner the public understands that central bankers are ordinary people doing a difficult job with limited tools under trying circumstances, the less it will expect monetary policy magically to correct elected politicians’ errors. Not surprisingly, the economics profession no longer holds a consensus regarding what actions constitute optimal monetary policy. In The End of Alchemy: Money, Banking and the Future of the Global Economy, former governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King argues that in an era of radical uncertainty, central bankers must decide whether to target the long term, real equilibrium path for the economy or short term price stability. For him, this choice goes well beyond the single mandate of price stability set by many central banks (e.g., the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England and the European Central Bank) and the dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment set by the Federal Reserve Bank in the U.S. As I summarized previously, King believes central bankers should consider the following in setting monetary policy. - In the contemporary world economy, many shocks to the economy are unpredictable; thus, one cannot use probability-based forecasting models to design policy to stabilize economies. As King puts it, “stuff happens;” we can’t plan in advance for failures in large, highly leveraged investment banks, country defaults, common market dissolution, or other disruptive political forces. - Policies designed to stabilize economies in the short run, such as aggressive monetary and fiscal policies, leave a residue inconsistent with long run economic growth unless stagnation is viewed as the desired norm. - Central banks that serve as “lenders of last resort” may evolve into “lenders of continuous resort,” as seems to be the case for the Bank of Japan and the European Central Bank (despite legislated statements that state the primacy of price stability.) To ensure long term economic stability, King concludes that central banks should evaluate the assets of banks on a regular basis and, if illiquidity arises, lend only to institutions that have assets that would be acceptable as “good collateral” – consistent with what is required by the Federal Reserve Act (1913) and Walter Bagehot’s prescription in Lombard Street (1873.) In short, the uncertainties and complexities of modern economies make “the proper role of a central bank in guiding the economy … thorny and controversial…” (King, page 172). In my view, if monetary policy is left to politicians who are elected on a relatively short term basis, countries face incentives to manipulate monetary policy to serve short term ends. Such incentives are strengthened by recognition that the lag between monetary policy and output is much shorter than that between monetary policy and both inflation and financial fragility. We need the Paul Volckers of the world to sustain long term economic viability by targeting both price and financial stability. I, for one, recognize his contribution to economic vibrancy in the United States and mourn his passing.	https://noconecon.blog/2020/01/07/what-should-central-banks-do-central-bankers-volcker-mishkin-rajan-and-king-provide-excellent-guidance/
Beginning in the 1970s, much was made of the importance of central banks operating as independent entities. The point was that they must be immune from political partisanship, the exigencies of contemporary conditions, or ideologies that might undermine macroeconomic stability, or those that served the narrow interests of financial sector actors. Central bank independence was deemed to be necessary to halt what was then a trend towards accelerating price inflation, leading to the phenomenon known as “stagflation.” An independent pursuit of price stability would help curb borrowing-and-spending urges of politicians by allowing market-driven interest rates to rise in response to increased deficits. For the most part, there has been general acceptance that central banks largely achieved their independence to choose monetary instruments or goals without being guided by or serving in support of national Treasuries. While the success of choking off stagflation in the 1970s was a high water mark for central bank independence, they have since lost domestic independence by giving in to external pressures (see, “taper tantrum”). They are now locked in a codependency relationship with the goals of domestic political and financial forces as well as the models of their global counterparts. It turns out that their loss of independence might not be the fault of central bankers, as such. As in all aspects of life, “incentives matter” and those are determined by the institutional framework within which choices are made. There are reasons to believe that much of the analysis of central bank behavior, including the theory that guides their “monetary” policies is within a theoretical framework that may no longer be applicable. For their part, central bankers rely on monetary theory to provide an explanation and anticipation about how changes in the circulating medium impact on the behavior of economic agents. However, none of the circulating media issued by any government have some other important attributes of “money.” For example, commodity-backed money could be converted into an asset (e.g., gold), and because paper certificates issued as debts (e.g., private bank notes or government-issued notes) are convertible, those debts can be extinguished. The convertibility available in a true (commodity-based) monetary system limited the supply, and it also put the “demand for money” at the heart of monetary theories. Conversion of paper bills into specie (or “hoarding” commodity-based coins) imposed supply-side limits on issuers of the circulating medium (e.g., private note-issuing banks or governments) that reduced their capacity to inflate the monetary system. The concern for the demand side involved understanding the economic and financial effects arising from changes in decisions to hold more or less of one’s income or portfolio in liquid form. For example, if more money was withheld from circulation, there would be discernible effects on the real economy and financial sector (e.g., higher interest rates, decreased output and employment, lower price levels). In other words, an increase in the “demand for money” matters. By contrast, the circulating media of the current global regime of fiat currencies constitute debts of the issuers (i.e., governments or central banks) that are neither convertible nor redeemable. Without constraints on how many pieces of paper or digital entries can be issued, fiat currencies originate as a form of debt supported by other debts (e.g., Treasuries). While fiat currencies can be considered an asset by those who choose to or are forced to accept them as legal tender, they constitute debts of the issuer (e.g., central banks) that can accumulate without limit. (Indeed, this is a “germ” of truth in the otherwise dubious claims of supporters of Modern Monetary Theory.) When it comes to demand for fiat currencies, there are different incentives and outcomes of increased idle cash balances (i.e., “hoarding”) that would be observed under a system of true (commodity-based) money. Since fiat currencies tend to depreciate over time, individuals or firms mostly hold their cash balances on deposit within the banking system so that they are potentially available for others to use if they wish to borrow them. As such, it is inappropriate to speak of “hoarding” within a fiat currency system. But it is also misleading to speak about “demand for money” since the properties and attributes of this circulating medium are different from “money.” This puts monetary economists in a bind, since the system they are studying is a chimera that does not comport with the realities of the current global system of circulating meda. If central bankers follow models provided by monetary economists, they are in pursuit of the same chimera, one that has led them down an unlikely path of embracing “unconventional policies” (e.g., ZIRP and NIRP, QE, LSAPs, etc.). In sum, the disappearance of a system of true (commodity-based) money since 1971 left central bank policy unmoored from a relevant theory and so from reality. With ample indicators that central banks have largely succumbed to external pressures, their claims of behaving independently ring hollow. Facing irresistible pressures to aid and abet spending requirements of politicians, central banks have lost much of their political and operational independence. They have also been pressured to follow the policies of their global counterparts rather than acting according to their own domestic needs. On the one hand, the Federal Reserve has never been a truly independent central bank, if it were taken to mean that their policies are conducted independently of fiscal policy. From its beginnings in 1914, the Fed provided funding for the Federal government, especially during the two World Wars. (And the US Treasury receives about 95% of the Fed’s net earnings.) Consider that zero-interest rate policy (ZIRP) benefited the Federal government and those financial institutions that the Fed supposedly oversees. The introduction and perpetuation of ZIRP lowered borrowing costs for fiscal deficits, while ZIRP itself depended on extensive purchases of Treasury debt under quantitative easing (QE). By following unconventional policies, the Fed created conditions for endless and increasingly large fiscal deficits by monetizing freshly-created debt instruments issued by the Treasury, and by relying on open market operations. An unhealthy cycle emerged from historically-low interest rates. As politicians seized the opportunity to borrow more due to low debt servicing costs or using a “crisis” to justify spending hikes, the Fed became a handmaiden to profligate fiscal policy. The Fed will face an impossible choice of reducing monetary growth rates to offset price inflation, but will be reluctant to do so since that would push up interest rates. The persistent adherence to unconventional monetary policy has central banks stuck between “the devil” of sustained and rising price inflation or “the deep blue sea” of sovereign insolvencies. With the annual interest expense on US Federal debt already exceeding half a trillion dollars, if interest rates returned to their historical average, the annual interest on that debt would exceed $1.3 trillion. Of course, the Fed is not alone. Consider the statement on the European Central Bank (ECB) website: “The political independence of the ECB is instrumental to its primary objective of maintaining price stability.” But when Mario Draghi was ECB President, his comment to do “whatever it takes” to save the euro erased any pretense of independence. His statement gave a general perception that euro-member governments could expect the ECB to rescue their economies, no matter what they did on the fiscal side. If central bank independence required that policies not serve the interests of financial sector actors they are meant to regulate, the advent of unconventional policies put that possibility to rest. By manipulating the spread between interbank borrowing costs and deposit rates, ZIRP boosted profits for private banks. Meanwhile, most purchases during the first round of quantitative easing were private-sector assets, including distressed mortgage-backed securities as well as corporate debt and junk bonds. Whatever the intention, the results show clearly that central bank policy provided clear advantages to commercial and investment banks. On the other hand, besides losing independence from a domestic perspective, few central banks act independently of their international counterparts. As it is, almost all follow the same (flawed) monetary model, with few rejecting or even questioning the negative consequences of unconventional monetary policy. In particular, the Modern Quantity Theory of Money encourages a myopia concerning the efficacy of monetary policies, with the response of aggregate price levels being the single most important metric. And so it is that since 2007-08, central bank policy decisions across the globe tend to mirror the moves taken by the Fed, itself having taken a cue from the Bank of Japan’s response to the bursting of asset bubbles in the 1990s. An ongoing synchronization of policies contributes to an uninterrupted global buildup of fiscal imbalances and microeconomic distortions. In the distant past, central banks faced disciplining effects of a commodity standard that operated whereby changes in specie and capital flows or changes in interest and exchange rates would inhibit or punish “bad” behavior. Even after the gold-exchange standard ended in August 1971, similar punishments would be meted out to countries if their central bankers operated outside of the global norm. The collapse of Japan’s “bubble economy” at the end of the 1980s and the 1997 economic crisis of East Asia were corrections for the imbalances and distortions from an export-led growth model and monetary policies that supported it. With most central bankers embracing similar unconventional policies, they are less fearful of the punitive effects of international flows. Unfortunately, when one or more central banks move away from the current consensus policy stance, the wheels may come off the global economy. (More on that in a moment.) Ironically, central bankers have seen their capacities and influence increase in the wake of crises while also losing much of their independence from a domestic and an international perspective. For example, recent legislation in the US expanded the Fed’s oversight of commercial banks, including expanded supervisory powers and a larger role in bank resolution. As such, the Fed is obliged to exceed its essential duty to maintain macroeconomic stability, involving monitoring and curbing price inflation while also taking steps to keep unemployment rates low. For example, the moratorium on the eviction of renters issued by the CDC increases the difficulty faced by the Fed to fulfill its statutory obligations. Unable to proactively oppose actions of an executive branch cabinet official that clearly threaten the integrity and solvency of the banking sector provides more evidence that claims of independence are hollow. As commercial banks see their balance sheets erode as landlords holding mortgages lose rental income and the ability to service their debts, foreclosures and bankruptcies will have macroeconomic knock-on effects. It is also likely to have significant microeconomic effects, in that there will be a decrease in affordable housing as fewer units will be in play, an outcome that will disproportionately harm low-income tenants. And so unconventional monetary policy combined with erosion of central bank independence has allowed the formation of multiple asset price bubbles, with the largest and most troubling being the global debt bubble. Sooner or later, there must be an “exit strategy” away from unconventional policies. Perhaps it will begin by raising policy rates to curb rising expectations of price inflation. But when they do, there will be an increased risk of a debt crisis that could trigger a severe recession. Yet if they continue their policy stance, they might encounter excessive price inflation that could be a prelude to stagflation, as widespread negative supply shocks occur from rising bank insolvencies and company bankruptcies. The upward movement in interest rates is likely to cause a widening of interest rate spreads paid by governments and private sector actors. If there is a combination of rising inflation and greater economic uncertainty, the premium paid by private borrowers will rise further to cover increased inflationary and recessionary risks. As private debts in advanced economies become unsustainable as interest spreads relative to safer government bonds become ever wider, defaults will occur among highly leveraged firms and their shadow-bank creditors. Next will come insolvencies of highly-indebted households that will have knock-on effects for the banks that provided them with financing. It could play out as in the 1970s with nominal government fixed-rate debt in advanced economies being reduced or eliminated by unexpected price inflation. Meanwhile, emerging-market governments that have debts denominated in foreign currency would almost certainly be forced to default or unilaterally restructure their debts. As financial markets react by dumping assets to avoid further capital losses, the foreign exchange value of the currency would plunge, contributing to a spiral of crisis. It turns out that unconventional monetary policies have been almost certainly baked into a debt crisis that cannot be avoided, making it a matter of when, not if. Alas, blame for this grim outcome will likely fall at the feet of the usual suspects, “neo-liberal” policies and unfettered markets. Meanwhile the true culprits, the global fiat currency regime and unrepentant central bankers, will be absolved of their sins.	https://www.aier.org/article/illusions-of-central-bank-independence/
Inflation, in economic terms, can be loosely described as an increase in the prices paid by individuals and companies for goods and services, or a fall in the purchasing power of money. It can be caused by increases in the prices of imports, or by wage demands which are not accompanied by corresponding increases in productivity, or by an increase in the effective supply of money. Governments can literally ‘print money’, putting more currency into circulation, but recently several central banks have introduced ‘quantitative easing’ – where they buy back government bonds and thereby increase the liquidity of the bond-holders. This could increase the velocity of circulation of the money in the economy, which has the same effect as printing money: it stimulates the economy by helping consumers to borrow and buy, but also causes prices to rise and causes inflation. In practice, though, when quantitative easing was used after the great recession it did not result in inflation because banks built up their reserves rather than lending it to consumers – reducing the velocity of circulation. It causes nominal prices and incomes to rise, which reduces the fiscal deficit by increasing the tax revenue. Those who lend money to governments by buying fixed-interest securities find that their real value has been diminished by the time that repayment falls due. Inflation is a politically easy solution. By the time its effect is felt, people don’t connect the pain to the political decisions that caused it, but it reduces the real value of their incomes and savings so very high inflation causes hardship; money becomes almost worthless – as described in an Economist article about the hyperinflation in Germany in the 1920s, entitled Loads of money. Deflation (falling prices), as experienced during the Great Depression and in Japan in the 1990s and described in an Economist article entitled Diagnosing depression, is the opposite of inflation but is equally serious because it creates unemployment as businesses fail. Some governments have attempted to apply direct controls to prices and incomes, but this has been unsuccessful (3.3.6). Governments can increase interest rates to reduce people’s willingness to borrow, which reduces the money supply and thereby controls inflation with the type of ‘monetarist’ approach that was advocated by Milton Friedman, among others. This policy also reduces economic activity by reducing demand and by increasing the costs of providing goods and services. When it was applied in the UK during the 1980s, to correct a previous period of high inflation, the resulting unemployment was painful. It is also possible to restrain inflation by increasing taxes to reduce demand and slow the rate of economic growth; this in turn reduces wages, as there is less demand for labour, and shoppers become keener on finding lower prices. Keynes advocated this use of fiscal policy to control inflation, but monetarism is more popular now. Nowadays the central banks manage inflation in most countries, in accordance with targets set by government, using a monetarist approach. A depoliticised monetary policy prevents governments from using easy credit as a way of engineering an economic boom to win an election, but a disciplined fiscal policy is also necessary to maintain stability and avoid what the Economist described as Boom, bust and hubris when describing the British government’s reluctance to raise taxes prior to the 2005 General Election. On 28 August 2015, Mises.org published a helpful article by Frank Shostak entitled Money Supply and the Velocity of Money; it was available in April 2018 at https://mises.org/blog/money-supply-and-velocity-money. Despite some minor inaccuracies in the text, it was clear and was simply expressed. On 8 November 2013, economicshelp.org published a reply to a reader who wanted to know why quantitative easing had not resulted in increased inflation. The article was entitled Velocity of circulation and inflation and was available in April 2018 at http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/9373/inflation/velocity-circulation-inflation/. Gene Epstein described how inflation had the effect of reducing a government’s debt repayments, in an EconTalk podcast in June 2008. The 1985 reform that indexed the federal tax brackets reduced, but has not eliminated, the phenomenon. The relevant point appears in paragraph 3 of the text transcript of the podcast highlights, which was available in April 2018 at http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2008/06/gene_epstein_on.html#highlights. Milton Friedman’s contribution to economic thinking was summarised in a special article: A heavyweight champ, at five foot two, in the Economist, 23 November 2006. The article, which was available in April 2018 at http://www.economist.com/node/8313925, cited his 1971 book A Monetary History of the United States, 1867-1960, which demonstrated the link between money supply and inflation. The January 2018 report from the Office of National Statistics, available in April 2018 at https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/january2018#unemployment, showed UK unemployment figures dating back to 1971. Unemployment peaked at 11.9% in 1984, before returning to the more normal figure of around 5% of the workforce in Britain. Samuelson and Nordhaus compare the efficacy of fiscal and monetarist policies in chapter 23 of Economics.	https://www.patternsofpower.org/patterns/economic/markets/macroeconomics/inflation/
The antiwar movement against Vietnam in the US from 1965-1971 was the most significant movement of its kind in the nation’s history. The United States first became directly involved in Vietnam in 1950 when President Harry Truman started to underwrite the costs of France’s war against the Viet Minh. Later, the presidencies of Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy increased the US’s political, economic, and military commitments steadily throughout the fifties and early sixties in the Indochina region. Prominent senators had already begun criticizing American involvement in Vietnam during the summer of1964, which led to the mass antiwar movement that was to appear in the summer of 1965. This antiwar movement had a great impact on policy and practically forced the US out of Vietnam. Get a personal essay quickly and without loss of quality For Only $13.90 per page! order now Starting with teach-ins during the spring of 1965, the massive antiwar efforts centered on the colleges, with the students playingleading roles. These teach-ins were mass public demonstrations, usually held in the spring and fall seasons. By 1968, protestersnumbered almost seven million with more than half being white youths in the college. The teach-in movement was at first, a gentle approach to the antiwar activity. Although, it faded when the college students went home during the summer of 1965, other types of protest that grew through 1971 soon replaced it. All of these movements captured the attention of the White House, especially when 25,000 people marched on Washington Avenue. And at times these movements attracted the interestof all the big decision-makers and their advisors. The teach-ins began at the University of Michigan on March 24, 1965, and spread to other campuses, including Wisconsin on April 1. These protests at some of America’s finest universities captured public attention. The Demonstrations were one form of attempting to go beyond mere words and research and reason, and to put direct pressure on those who were conducting policy in apparent disdain for the will expressed by the voters. Within the US government, some saw these teach-ins as an important development that might slow down on further escalation in Vietnam. Although several hundred colleges experienced teach-ins, most campuses were untouched by this circumstance.Nevertheless, the teach-ins did concern the administration and contributed to President Johnson’s decision to present a major Vietnam address at Johns Hopkins University on April 7, 1965. The address tried to respond to the teach-ins campus protest activity. The Johns Hopkins speech was the first major example of the impact of antiwar. Johnson was trying to stabilize public opinion while the campuses were bothering the government.In 1965, the US started strategically bombing parts of Northern Vietnam, catalyzing the antiwar movement public opinion ofwhat was going on in Indochina. These bombings spawned the antiwar movement and sustained it, especially as the North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh refused to listen to American demands. The antiwar movement would have emerged alone by the bombings, and the growing cost of American lives coming home in body bags only intensified public opposition to the war. This movement against the Northern bombings, and domestic critics in general, played a role in the decision to announce a bombing pause from May 12 to the 17, of 1965.Antiwar activists carried on through the pause with their own programs, and the scattered teach-ins had become more of a problem for President Johnson when their organizers joined in an unofficial group, the Inter-University Committee for a Public Hearing on Vietnam. This new committee began planning a nationwide teach-in to be conducted on television and radio, of which would be a debate between protesters and administrators of the government. The antiwar movement, through the national teach-in, contributed to the resignations of many government officials, including the resignation of McGeorge Bundy inearly 1966. This well-publicized debate made the antiwar effort more respectable. As supporters of the war found themselves more popular, they were driven increasingly to rely on equating their position with”support for our boys in Vietnam.”. The antiwar movement spread directly among the combat troops in Vietnam, who began to wear peace symbols and flash peace signs and movement salutes. Some units even organized their own demonstrations to link up with the movement at home. For example, to join the November 1969 antiwarMobilization, a unit boycotted its Thanksgiving Day dinner. One problem of the antiwar movement was the difficulty of finding ways to move beyond protest and symbolic acts to deeds that would actually impede the war. Unlike college students and other civilians, the troops in Vietnam had no such problem. Individual acts of rebellion, raging from desertion to killing officers who ordered search-and-destroy missions, merged into mutinies and large-scale resistance. Between the late summer of 1965 and the fall of 1966, the American military effort in Vietnam accelerated from President Johnson’s decisions. The number of air sorties over Northern Vietnam now increased again, from 25,000 in 1965 to 79,000 in 1966. The antiwar movement grew slowly during this period and so did the number of critics in Congress and the media. A ban on picketing the White House was recommended. Instead, President Johnson and later Nixon combated the picketers through a variety of legal and illegal harassment, including limiting their numbers in certain venues and demanding letter-perfect permits for every activity.The picketers were a constant battle, which the presidents could never claim total victory. By 1967, US military authority was breaking apart. Not only was it the worst year for President Johnson’s term, but also one of the most turbulent years in all of American history. The war in Southeast Asia and the war at home in the streets and the campuses dominated the headlines and the attention of the White House. To make matters worse, 1967 witnessed more urban riots; the most deadly of which took place in Detroit. It was also the year of the hippies, the drugs, and a wholesale assault on morality and values; and all of these singular happenings were magnified by the media.The antiwar effort was crippling Johnson’s presidency and paralyzing the nation. Now the war was becoming more unpopular at home. By the middle of 1967, many Americans began telling that the original involvement in Vietnam had been a costly mistake. And for Johnson, only a little more than a quarter of the population approved of his handling the war in 1968. Many of those fed up at home were the hawks. The hawks were the group of people that supported the war. They wanted to remove the shackles from the generals and continue the bombings over Vietnam. However, Johnson’s critics among the doves were far more troubling. The doves were usually blue-collar workers and wanted to end Vietnam immediately. In the first place, they were far more vocal and visible than the hawks, appearing at large, well-organized demonstrations. Even more disconcerting were the continuing defections from the media and the Democratic Party. The antiwar movement that began as a small trickle had now became a flood. The most important antiwar event of 1967 was the March on the Pentagon in October, which was turning point for the Johnson administration. With public support for Johnson’s conduct of the war fading, the president fought back by overselling modest gains that his military commanders claimed to be making. This overselling of the war’s progress played a major role in creating the domestic crisis produced by the Tet Offensive in early 1968, sparked from the protesters’ actions. Although these marcherswere unable to levitate the besieged Pentagon, their activities ultimately contributed to the redirection of the American policy inVietnam by 1968-and the destruction of the presidency of Lyndon Johnson. Johnson finally realized-the energized antiwar forces spelled the beginning of the end for American involvement in the war. Thus, the administration dug in for a long and dramatic time of protests, uncivil disobedience, and numerous arrests. The size of these demonstration crowds often varied but there were no disagreements about the major events of protest. They began with peaceful series of speeches and musical presentations. Then many of the participants tried to march the various government grounds, most importantly taking place at the Lincoln Memorial. For most Americans, the events were symbolized by television images of dirty-mouthed hippies taunting the brave, clean-cut American soldiers who confronted the unruly demonstrators. Americans were soon shocked to learn about the communists’ massive Tet Offensive on January 31, 1968. The offensive demonstrated that Johnson had been making the progress in Vietnam seem much greater than it really was; the war was apparently endless. Critics of the administration policy on the campuses and Capitol Hill had been right after all. For the first time, the state of public opinion was the crucial factor in decision making on the war. Johnson withdrew his candidacy for reelection in March of 1968, and he was offering the communists generous terms to open peace talks. In the meantime, as the war continued to take its bloody toll, the nation prepared to elect a new president. The antiwar movement had inadvertently helped Richard Nixon win the election. As Johnson’s unhappy term of office came to an end, antiwar critics and the Vietnamese people prepared to do battle with their new adversary. The new president expressed more outward signs from hawks not the doves, now that Johnson now out of office. Like many of his advisors, Nixon was bothered with the antiwar movement since he was convinced that it prolonged the war. He could not understandhow the current generation of young people could include both brave young marines and hippies and draft-card burners. Richard Nixon assumed the presidency with a secret plan to end the war. Although most doves did not believe in the new president to do so, they were prepared to give him time to execute the plan. Nixon had a plan to end the war. He wanted to increase the pressure on the communists, issue then a deadline to be conciliatory, and to keep this entire secret from the American public. Thus, the number of casualties increased in the late winter and spring as the bombings of Northern Vietnam continued once again. It did not take long for the antiwar critics and organization to take up where it had left off with Lyndon Johnson. They got readyfor another campaign of petitioning and demonstrating with the center of it all involving the middle-class. The deadline for the communists past, and the failure to follow with his strategy was the rejuvenation of the antiwar movement centered on the very successful demonstrations in October of 1969. Nixon now feared that the public, led by a confident antiwar movement, would demand a much quicker withdrawal from Vietnam than he had planned. With that deadline approached, Henry Kissinger, the most important Vietnam policymaker asked a group of Quakers to give Nixon six months, if the war is not over then, “You can come back and tear down the White House.”. In May 1970, Nixon gambled that he could buy time for Vietnamization through an attack on Cambodian sanctuaries to destroy communist command-and-supply buildings, while containing the protest that he knew his action would provoke. His gamble failed, when poorly trained National Guardsmen killed four students at Kent State University, on May 4. This made the expected protests much worse than anyone in Washington could have foreseen. The wave of demonstrations on hundreds of college campuses paralyzed America’s higher-education system. The Kent State tragedy ignited a nationwide campus disaster.Between May 4 and May 8, campuses experienced an average of 100 demonstrations a day, 350 campus strikes, 536 colleges shut down, and 73 colleges reported significant violence in their protests. On that weekend, 100,000 people gathered to protest in Washington. By May 12, over 150 colleges were on strike.Many of Nixon’s activities during the second week of May revolved around the Kent State crisis. On May 6, he met with thedelegation of the university. But with the storm of people on the outside of the White House, the government never completely stopped. Despite Nixon’s claims that the media did not portray his serious intentions accurately, his own records reveal almost no discussion of Vietnam, Cambodia, or Kent State at the time. On December 15, Nixon announced his intention to withdraw an additional fifty thousand troops in 1970. Even the president’s faith in that position was shattered after the unprecedented nationwide protests against his invasion of Cambodia in the spring of 1970. As the Nixon administration tried to piece together in the weeks after the crisis, a dramatic decline in antiwar occurred once the colleges closed. The nationwide response to the Cambodian invasion and the Kent State killings was the last movement by the people, which had such an impact like the summer of 1970. Nixon began to plan a new and even more vigorous offensive against the movement. However, Nixon and his aides still felt undersized during the summer of 1970-from the media, movement, and Congress. For whatever reasons, campus demonstrations and general antiwar activity declined after the spring of 1970. The number andsize of marches and protests declined as reported by the mass media. For Nixon, the nation was full with marches, strikes, boycotts, and other forms of activism during the last two years of his administration. Some protesting still lingered, and in the late summer on August 7, 1970, when a young researcher at the University of Wisconsin was killed when the building in which he was working was fire bombed. But the Dove rallies were poorly attended; the movement was winding down. It was not just that the movement was doing poorly, as Nixon himself was doing much better, becoming a popular Democratic spokesperson. On September 16, he appeared to cheering crowds at Kansas State University.The antiwar movement figured indirectly in the outcome of Vietnam. After Saigon fell, the Watergate affair crippled Nixon’spresidency and dominated his political life until his resignation in August 1974. During this period, he was far too weak to contest with Congress over a renewal of American military involvement in Vietnam. As the crisis in Southern Vietnam now deepened in the middle of 1974, the new president, Gerald Ford, wanted to increase military aide to the faltering Saigon regime. Congress refused his requests to what it saw as pouring more money and lives away. Continuing in 1974 to 1975, the public with the movement, led by Congress and the media, all influenced the arguments presented to more financial and militarycommitments in Vietnam. The struggle of the American minds was over, for there would be no more Vietnams in the near future.Among the most convincing theories of the movement were that it exerted pressures directly on Johnson and Nixon it contributed to the end of their policies. The movement exerted pressures indirectly by turning the public against the war. It encouraged the Northern Vietnamese to fight on long enough to the point that Americans demanded a withdrawal from Southeast Asia; it influenced American political and military strategy; and, slowed the growth of the hawks. It is now clear that the antiwar movement and antiwar criticism in the media and Congress had a significant impact on Vietnam. It’s key points being the mass demonstrations by the college students across the country and the general public opposition to the war effort inVietnam. At times, some of their activities, as displayed by the media, may have produced a patriotic backlash. Overall, the movement eroded support for Johnson and Nixon, especially by the informed public. Through constant dissident, experts in the movement, the media, and the campuses helped to destroy the knee-jerk notion that “they in Washington have created.” Thus, from the beginning of the US involvement in Indochina’s affairs, the antiwar movement in the US from 1965-1971 was the most significant movement of its kind in the nation’s history. Bibliography:	https://edulearn14.org/antivietnam-movement-in-us/
New WowEssays Premium Database! Find the biggest directory of over 1 million paper examples! Vietnam War was a cold war fought between the years 1957 and 1975 over controlling of South Vietnam. North Vietnam, a communist political regime formed by partitioning erstwhile Indo China through the Geneva Accord in 1954, and its allies including China and the Soviet Union fought against South Vietnam and its allies including the United States of America, South Korea, Australia , Thailand and many other countries. The original intention of America to join hands with South Vietnam was to check communism from spreading across South East Asia even as the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies, the Vietnamese Congress, in South Vietnam were fighting to form a united Communist Vietnam. American military forces were fighting in favor of South Vietnam in small numbers since the 1950s, and their number gradually increased during the 1960s. By the year 1969, the number of American military personnel fighting in Vietnam increased to 500,000 (Spector). However, the communist North Vietnamese regime, which was strongly supported through advice, weapon and other supplies by the strong communist Soviet Union and China, gave the American military a tough fight. Even though America and its allies had powerful and advanced war equipage, the huge war expenditure and death toll, and popular opposition to its involvement in the war at home forced America to withdraw all its fighting units by 1973, thus leaving South Vietnam fully under the control of North Vietnamese communist command by 1975. Vietnam was a colony of the French post World War II. Since America needed France as a supporter in Europe against Russia, it helped out France to consolidate its hold in Vietnam. However, in 1954 a pro-communist majority group called Viet Minh, supported by the Soviet Union defeated the French, thus dividing the country into North and South Vietnam. Viet Minh wanted to reunite Vietnam in 1956 through a general election. President Eisenhower feared that the communists would take control of Vietnam if elections were held, and created a puppet South Vietnam government dependent on America to fight against the communist North Vietnam government. Eisenhower introduced the theory of “falling domino,” which believed that like an entire row of dominoes fall at the knock the first one, entire South East Asia would fall into the hands of communist rulers (“President Eisenhower’s News Conference”). The following governments led by John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson also supported Eisenhower’s theory, and justified their actions of increasing American military and economic assistance to South Vietnam. The war cost America $350 billion to $900 billion inclusive of veteran benefits that significantly burdened the economy (“What was the impact of the Vietnam War?”). “End the war and feed the deprived” was a popular slogan used by the socially mindful to protest against the government’s strategy of diverting funds that the poor desperately needed to the war. In 1969, President Richard Nixon sent Henry Kissinger the American Security Advisor to meet representatives of the Vietnamese Congress and the Government of South Vietnam under the presidency of Nguyen Van Thieu. Nixon’s plan was to end war by withdrawing troops from Vietnam by gradually equipping South Vietnam to fight North Vietnam without the help of American troops. When Nixon took over the presidency of America, the American Military had already lost thirty thousand troops, even as Nixon enjoyed majority support of the American nationals for the war. However, the developments in Vietnam in the same year stunned every American; the American infantry unit, frustrated over a failed mission to rout the Vietnamese Congress, slaughtered more than five hundred civilians including children and women at My Lai village. The massacre in fact exposed the deteriorating morale of the American troops. More than one third of the troop became addicted to the use of drugs (Chong 41). In 1970, Nixon sent American troops along with South Vietnamese army to Cambodia to chase away North Vietnamese Communists with the intention of demonstrating American supremacy to the whole world. The ensuing uproar prompted tragedy at many university campuses in America, including the Kent State university where National Guardsmen set fire on a group of students leading to the death of four students and injuring nine (Chong 41). The human price America had to pay toward the war included: death of 58,000 Americans in the war; 300,000 army personnel returned back wounded; 600 captured by communists; 1,300 reported missing while in action in the war. Street demonstrations in which returned war veterans participated followed, and the Congress realized the pointlessness of the war. This made President Nixon to change the war policy in Vietnam to “Vietnamization,” or handing over the responsibility of waging war against the communist forces, to South Vietnam. America, while fighting North Vietnam, failed to estimate its strength and will; in fact, America made a local civil war between two regions with contradicting ideologies into a major war. Also, South Vietnam was not a resourceful and vital base as America believed in the beginning. Besides, South Vietnam itself was a corrupt and ineffective regime, which did not enjoy the wholehearted support of its citizens, not to mention the adverse public outlook in America about its fighting North Vietnam (Astore). Besides, events like the massacre of innocents at My Lai put the American military’s claim of moral war ethics, superiority and its prestigious status of defender of world freedom at jeopardy. American public also lost confidence in the government following the Watergate scandal, which alleged President Nixon of secretly recording the conversations in the Oval Office. Eventually public distrusted the government, particularly its military decisions. By the end of 1970, majority of the American public began to view the involvement of US military in Vietnam a serious mistake. The advancement of technology came in handy for the media to take video footages of the real war to the public. Martin Luther king Junior rightly expressed the opinion of the Americans when he said “If the soul of America is fully poisoned, a piece of the autopsy would read Vietnam.” With even the very cause of the war appearing insignificant to the fighting Americans, the Vietnam War ended in a debacle for America. Fighting in an unfamiliar place for an indirect cause, lack of knowledge about the culture of the new place made the war still burdensome to the American public and the government. Thus, even though America and its allies were economically and technologically superior to the enemies, the Vietnam War ended in favor of its enemies due to the huge cost and death toll involved, which ultimately invited negative opinion about the war among the public in America and the world over. Works Cited Astore, W.J. "How the U.S. Could Have “Won” the Vietnam War." The Contrary Perspective. 19 Apr. 2014. Web. 7 Mar. 2015. <http://contraryperspective.com/2014/04/19/how-the-u-s-could-have-won-the-vietnam-war-1982/>. Chong, Denise. The Girl in the Picture: The Story of Kim Phuc, the Photograph, and the Vietnam War. New York: Viking, 2000. Print. "President Eisenhower's News Conference." The Pentagon Papers, Gravel Edition Vol. 1 (Boston: Beacon Press, 1971) (1954): 597-98. Print. Spector, Ronald H. "Vietnam War." Encyclopedia Britannica. 29 Oct. 2014. Web. 6 Mar. 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/628478/Vietnam-War>. "What Was the Impact of the Vietnam War?" Teh Vietnam War. 8 June 2013. Web. 7 Mar. 2015. <http://thevietnamwar.info/vietnam-war-impact/>. - APA - MLA - Harvard - Vancouver - Chicago - ASA - IEEE - AMA Please remember that this paper is open-access and other students can use it too. If you need an original paper created exclusively for you, hire one of our brilliant writers!	https://www.wepapers.com/samples/america-and-the-vietnam-war-essay-examples/
Extracts from this document... Introduction Why did the United States withdraw its forces from Vietnam in 1973? The Vietnam War pitted America against Communism and was a classic example of Cold War conflict. Before the Second World War Vietnam was part of the French Empire but during the war the country had been overrun by the Japanese. In 1945 a man named Ho Chi Minh declared independence for Vietnam after the Japanese retreated, however, this was faced by French opposition. After the French were defeated in 1954, Vietnam was split in two along the 17th parallel of latitude. The North was Communist, led by Ho Chi Minh and the South was Capitalist, under Ngo Dinh Diem. Diem was a fanatical Catholic and as communism hated religion, Diem hated all that communism stood for. This is why he got America's support and one of the reasons why America got involved with Vietnam. Diem's rule was in the era of the Domino Theory and anyone who was anti-communist in the Far East was far more likely to receive American backing. The Domino Theory was the creation of America's Secretary of State and he believed that if one country was allowed to fall to communism, the country next to it would be the next to tumble just as when one domino falls, the rest go with it if they are connected. ...read more. Middle One event that contributed to the reason why America withdrew its forces from Vietnam was the My Lai Massacre. This incident occurred on the 16th March 1968 when US helicopters landed close to the village of My Lai. Three platoons began a search and destroy mission and one of those platoons were ordered to kill villagers suspected of supporting or actually being Vietcong guerrillas. They had no proof who was who so there was brutal killings of innocent civilians and overall, around 175 - 500 people died. This is significant to America's withdrawal from Vietnam because Americans at home saw the images of the dead bodies of men, women and children on their TV and knew they had been killed by young Americans at war. The Americans public increased the pressure on the Government to withdraw from Vietnam. Protests were also an influence as to why Americans withdrew their forces from Vietnam. Probably the most famous of these protests is the student protest at Kent University in Ohio in May 1970. Some students joined hippy communities that preached love not war. They protested in a number of ways and some of these include teach-ins on why the US should leave Vietnam; Sit-ins to disrupt the draft offices; Blocking railway lines with human barricades to prevent the movement of supplies and troops and the burning of their draft papers. ...read more. Conclusion The Ceasefire lasted no time at all and the North attacked what was left of the South's army. By April 1975, the capital of South Vietnam (Saigon) had fallen. It was renamed Ho Chi Minh City and a united Vietnam came into being. In this essay, I have covered aspects of the Vietnam War that lead up to the inevitable withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam. I have looked at the evidence and I believe that the public and the media had a lot to do with the withdrawal, especially put alongside the events that happened in Vietnam. If images of the Tet Offensive or The My Lai Massacre hadn't have been broadcast across US televisions screens, the public wouldn't have realised the horror of the war, put pressure on the Government to withdraw and participated in the backing down of Johnson and the election of Nixon. There are clearly a lot of factors that lead up to the withdrawal in 1973, such as the lack of experience the American soldiers had, the advanced methods of guerrilla warfare and protests. However, for me, the media relate to the public, which evidently participated in the actions taken in, and concerning, Vietnam. I believe that the media and the effect this had on Americans at home was the greatest factor contributing to the withdrawal of forces from Vietnam in 1973. ?? ?? ?? ?? History Coursework February 2005 ...read more. This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our AS and A Level International History, 1945-1991 section. Found what you're looking for?	http://www.markedbyteachers.com/as-and-a-level/history/why-did-the-united-states-withdraw-its-forces-from-vietnam-in-1973.html
Ho Chi-Minh was the founder and first leader of Vietnam’s nationalist movement. Starting at an early age at the dawn of the 20th century, Ho became a strident voice for an independent Vietnam. He was inspired by the Bolshevik Revolution and joined the Communist Party traveling to the Soviet Union and China to spread the socialist doctrine into South East Asia. At the end of World War II, he appealed to the United States to assist him in liberating Vietnam from French control. But the post-war world order was not in his favor and he allied the hopes of his country with the Soviet Union and Communist China. Known as “Uncle Ho,” he became the symbol of Vietnamese liberation and the arch rival to the United States during the Vietnam War. During World War II, Germany had taken over France and other European countries, leaving Indochina up for grabs. Japan moved in to fill the vacuum occupying much of Indochina. Ho Chi-Minh slipped across the border from China to rally his people toward independence. Ho and his military advisors developed a unique theory of warfare that relied on hit-and-run guerrilla tactics. Both men and women were recruited as foot soldiers from all parts of society. Both sexes saw combat and participated in support services, moving equipment, supplies and troops. Some were forced to join, others volunteered willingly. Seeking support from anyone who would give it, Ho formed alliances with American diplomats and intelligence officers who also were looking for alliances to defeat the Japanese. Together, they worked to address a famine that had killed millions of Vietnamese in 1943-44. Agents from the Office of Strategic Services (OSS, the precursor of the CIA) supplied Ho’s inexperienced forces with arms and some training to raid Japanese food storage to feed the starving Vietnamese people. Ho’s use of Jefferson’s prophetic words was inspired but also calculative. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had promised a postwar world that would respect the right of all people to choose their form of government. But Roosevelt was now dead. America’s alliance with the Soviet Union had collapsed and Premier Joseph Stalin’s forces occupied Eastern Europe. French President Charles De Gaulle warned President Harry Truman that if France couldn’t regain its colonies, it may fall to the communists. Ho Chi-Minh traveled to Paris to persuade the French to honor their promise of more autonomy for its colonies including Vietnam. But the French were not listening. In 1946 France returned to Vietnam to gain control of their colony, and Ho returned determined to fight for independence. Why Did the United States Aid the French? In 1950 Communist Chinese leader Mao Tse-tung formally recognized Vietnam as an independent country. The Soviet Union soon followed. Americans were envisioning South East Asia as a row of dominos, precariously positioned to fall one at a time to communism. Under political pressure for having lost China and failing to contain the communist threat, U.S. President Harry Truman approved a $23 million aid program for the French to maintain control of Vietnam. After eight years of war, the French were defeated at the battle of Dien Bien Phu and forced to withdraw from Vietnam. At the Geneva peace talks, Vietnam was divided into communist North and non-communist South. Ho Chi-Minh became the president of North Vietnam and was determined to reunite his country under communist rule. Ho initiated a land reform campaign in 1954. Patterned after Chinese land reform programs, the plan proved to be a failure within two years and so unpopular among the Vietnamese peasants that they revolted. Nearly five thousand Vietnamese farmworkers were killed by Ho’s government in its determination to make the plan work. In 1960 Ho Chi-Minh formed the National Liberation Front or Viet Cong to resist the American supported non-communist government in South Vietnam. Clashes between the NLF and South Vietnamese forces brought the United States precipitously into the conflict. During the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations, aid was limited to equipment and military advisors in the field. But by the end of 1963, 400 U.S. troops had died in Vietnam and America was about to get more involved. In 1965 President Lyndon Johnson escalated the U.S. war effort with a bombing campaign in North Vietnam and increased troop deployment in the south. Ho Chi Minh became the face of the revolution to the people of Vietnam. The infamous Route 559 that ran along the western border of Vietnam and Laos was nicked named the “Ho Chi Minh Trail.” By this time, Ho Chi Minh had turned over much of the war effort to his political and military advisors Le Zuan and Vo Nguyen Giap. Ho himself would make public appearances for speeches and rallies, but for the most part was not directly involved in the war effort. Ho Chi-Minh was born Nguyen Sihh Cung on May 19, 1890, in Nghe province in central Vietnam. He was brought into the struggle for independence almost from birth. Nghe was the center of resistance to China’s one thousand-year control of Vietnam. Ho’s father was a minor official in the French regime and an ardent critic of French colonialism in Vietnam. He would eventually resign from his position to protest French control. Ho Chi-Minh attended the National Academy in Hue, a city on the coast of central Vietnam. He was expelled for protesting against the puppet emperor Bao Dai and the French officials who controlled him. Ho left Vietnam on a French steamer and traveled to several ports of call: Boston, New York, London and eventually settling in Paris, France. There he joined the Communist party and discovered the writings of Vladimir Lenin. Adopting the name Nguyen Ai Quoc or “Nguyen the Patriot,” he lobbied unsuccessfully for Vietnamese independence during the Versailles Peace Conference in 1919. In 1923 Ho was invited to Moscow to attend the Comintern, an organization created by Lenin to promote worldwide revolution. He trained as a Soviet agent, but often was criticized for being a nationalist first and a communist second. He was then sent to China to help establish the Indochina Communist Party with other Vietnamese exiles. By 1967 Ho Chi-Minh’s health was in decline. He made few public appearances but his legacy was kept alive in North Vietnamese for propaganda purposes. His political struggles with the West were nearly over. He was moving toward the image of national hero. In North Vietnam he was widely viewed as the father of the nation and often referred to as “Uncle Ho.” On September 2, 1969, Ho Chi-Minh died of heart failure at his home in Hanoi. He was 79. It would be almost six years before the South Vietnamese government would collapse and U.S. forces would withdraw ending the war in Vietnam. Kim Il-sung served as premier and president of North Korea and ran the country for decades, spearheading the creation of an Orwellian regime.	https://www.biography.com/political-figure/ho-chi-minh
November 6, 2019; LitHub We think of sleep as neutral; it’s a literal and figurative expression of passivity. But social movements in the US have viewed and used sleep differently, and as such, it plays a major role in the tactics and conversations around how movements and government interact in public. Franny Nudelman examines this link in her recent book, Fighting Sleep: The War for the Mind and the US Military. Nudelman, a professor of US Culture and History in the English department at Carleton University in Ottawa, explains that sleep has played a major role in some of the most significant movement conflicts of our time. For example, in 1968, counterculture and anti-war groups came to Chicago to disrupt the Democratic National Convention. Thousands of people surrounded the event, but what sparked the riots was law enforcement’s attempt to enforce an 11pm curfew against protestors who were planning to camp out in city parks. More poignantly, Nudelman describes Operation Dewey Canyon III, when hundreds of Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) came to Washington, DC to protest the continuing war in Vietnam. Setting up camp—to cook and sleep and organize daily activity—simulated the routines of an invading army, a parallel of symbolic and practical value for the vets. President Nixon and the federal courts challenged VVAW’s rights to camp out on the National Mall through several appeals. The final compromise made by VVAW lawyer Ramsay Clark and the Justice Department allowed the veterans to stay on the mall past the 4:30 park closing, but only if they remained awake. They could sing, dance, or hold meetings, but if they fell asleep, they would be arrested. The vets caucused by state and determined to defy the order and sleep on the mall. Nixon’s Justice Department didn’t have the nerve to arrest hundreds of indigent veterans, so on the mall they stayed. Why does sleep play such an important role in protest space? For one thing, it challenges the popular view of protestors as disruptive, violent, or criminal. Its passive nature forces police to actively disrupt or suppress peaceful public activity, belying the “just keeping the peace” narrative law enforcement prefers to project. It forces audiences to consider that the civic status quo is a choice—one actively enforced and protected by institutions—rather than a default, and choices have consequences. The American Indian Movement demonstrated this facet of protest when they camped out on Alcatraz for 19 months in 1969. Nudelman writes, “If militarism, racism, and colonialism infiltrated the most routine aspects of daily life—a perspective increasingly embraced by movement activists—it was these habits, they maintained, that must be liberated. Protest camps allowed demonstrators to practice such reinvention and put their efforts on public view.” The Alcatraz occupation, like the Vietnam veterans’ campout, also put government failure on show for the public. The sight of hundreds of veterans camped out on the National Mall because they couldn’t afford motels forced people to confront how badly they had failed to care for those who had served. Similarly, the Native community on Alcatraz provided a very visible example of the kind of Native communities the US disrupts by its very existence, and how the US has failed to provide sufficient land, resources, and support for those communities. There’s a vulnerability about sleeping in public that makes people uncomfortable because, like the veterans’ campout, it forces civic actors to confront the people whom they have failed. Think about the many states and cities that have attempted to criminalize homelessness; Las Vegas passed a ban just yesterday. Those bans don’t do anything to help the people sleeping outside; they just push them out of public view, because confronting that vulnerability and need is difficult for the citizens with more civic clout. That cultural impulse that makes us uncomfortable to confront sleeping people isn’t limited to the US; in India, Jasmeen Patheja used the vulnerability of sleep to organize protests for women’s safety in public space. Nudelman goes on to discuss the rejuvenating properties of sleep and how “the same rampant extraction and governance-for-profit that endanger our drinking water and our food supply also endanger our sleep.” Maybe so, but more pertinently for protest purposes, sleep is unproductive. To forbid sleep in public is to demand that any existence in public is not just living, but working. To tell the Vietnam vets or Chicago protestors they could stay in the park all night, but could not sleep, was to refuse to recognize them as people engaging in protest who also had reasonable human needs.	https://nonprofitquarterly.org/exploring-the-connection-between-sleep-and-movement-action/
The Vietnam War Was Different The Vietnam War Was a Unique American ExperienceGoing forward, my references to ‘Vietnam,’ go beyond the war and its mission. Obviously, you cannot study the Vietnam War without understanding the battles and the blood-fueled turbulence in Southeast Asia. Nor can you ignore the discord within American society starting in the mid-1960s. The social breakdown that manifested during that period never went away. But when referring to the Vietnam Era, I am really referring to all of those puzzle pieces and more importantly, how every element fits together perfectly to provide not just a holistic image of a tragic human disaster but how that catastrophe impacted every aspect of American society. Of even more relevance, is how that image – the story of the Vietnam Era continues to impact American culture and politics in ways that many do not fully understand or recognize. Vietnam was the first war that America lost. Certainly, if you lived in one of the eleven states of the Old Confederacy, you had to count the Civil War in the loss column. But Vietnam came on the heels of the total victory in Europe and Japan. The 18 and 19 year-olds that fought in Southeast Asia were the sons of the victors and products of the baby boom which saw massive economic growth following the Axis Powers’ surrender. For white Americans, life after World War was perceived as idyllic, even if families were poor. You know, Americans have a tendency to reflect back on prior ages and view them through rose-colored lenses. The 50s was one such decade. America had very little economic competition in the years following World War II and we used that to our advantage. We poured money into Western Europe and Japan and in doing so, created markets for our manufactured goods. We built a military-industrial complex that created jobs, pensions, and security that the World War II generation had not experienced during the Great Depression. There was no reason to believe that prosperity would not continue. Social and Political Division What set Vietnam apart from other wars and movements was its social and political divisiveness. I would not presuppose that America had never experienced internal opposition to public and foreign policy. Of course, we had. But those protests were short-lived and never adversely impacted America’s power abroad. Consider the July 1863 New York City draft riots. Congress had passed new draft laws earlier that year in order to resupply dwindling federal troop levels. But Congress included a “get out of jail for $300” card. Wealthy draftees could pay someone to go in their place, which resulted in a backlash from the working classes. But then, what started as opposition to the unfair burden of the draft, and the war itself placed on the working classes, soon turned into a race riot. Mostly white Irish immigrants turned their frustrations on black New Yorkers. And while the Civil War was much more culturally divisive than our standard history texts would imply, we know the outcome. We also know what American successes came directly following the Civil War. Massive industrialization, westward expansion (at the expense of the Native Americans of course) and gradual economic and political power rose from the ashes of that devastating conflict. We have been taught not to focus on the failures of Reconstruction Policy or the nepotism and party machines that corrupted politics at the time. We just know that it eventually “worked out,” and America became a world superpower. That did not happen with Vietnam. Tens of thousands of soldiers fought in that country under miserable conditions and on the side of an ally that was at times, corrupt itself. They were there fighting a war that their country said needed to be won, just like their fathers had done after Pearl Harbor. These soldiers knew they were not winning. They knew the commanders were falsifying body count and covering up war crimes. But they were there because the government said they were needed – or they were forced because their draft number was called. These were kids – the baby boomers – who had been born and raised by a generation that had witnessed what was possible and had come to be convinced that America could do anything if she just put her mind to it. The World War II generation passed that belief on to the next generation – to the soldiers who went to Vietnam, and to the activists that stayed behind. The idea that America could still fail even if we marshaled the right resources, was a tough lesson to learn, once it became evident that despite all efforts, the war could not be won. The Media, Protests, and Television All of this played out on television. During previous military conflicts and periods of intense social change, Americans did not see the consequences in their living rooms every day. Certainly, those that lived in urban centers understood the impact of industrialization and poor working conditions. The densely populated cities allowed for faster communication and more cohesive organization leading to collective bargaining, unionizing and strikes. But what happened in the cities was slow to be reported in other parts of the country. Radio and later television changed all of that. Even in World War II, war updates were slow to arrive, as compared to Vietnam. To those born after 1990, the idea of not having instantaneous updates is an insane prospect. But that is how quickly, technology has changed and how quickly it has impacted our cultural and social expectations. But back in America, while teenagers barely out of high school were fighting a guerrilla war with convention tactics, the world had fallen off its axis. The support and patriotism that had automatically been afforded to those returning veterans from Europe and the Pacific, was noticeably absent to Vietnam veterans. Protests had started in the mid-60s and just escalated from there. For another 10 years, American families would sit down to dinner and watch the evening news to get the latest on Vietnam. Later, they would not only hear the latest body count but also see the violent protests in American streets that the war had provoked. And remember, the riots at that time were not solely about the war. Women’s rights and human rights were mixed with the melee of anti-war demonstrators. The Civil Rights Movement was far from over. The Black Panther Movement, the Nation of Islam and the Weathermen agitated on the far left. For any American citizen, the chaos of that time had to be surreal, perhaps more so than the disorder we see today. But then factor in what it must have been like for families to have a brother or a husband fighting in the war and then every night, watching American citizens denigrating their efforts. Burns and Novick illustrate these conflicting perspectives throughout the series but the viewer can actually feel the tensions rise between factions (supporters of the war, supporters of Nixon, anti-war activists, far left militant extremists, the military and the “Silent Majority.”). They interview veterans that came home injured and with post-traumatic stress disorder that then turned against the war, choosing to give back medals in a show of anger and support for those soldiers to left fighting in Southeast Asia. Other returning veterans were more visible and outspoken. John Kerry, who served as a Lieutenant in the Navy from 1966-1970, upon returning to the United States, became heavily involved in the anti-war group Vietnam Veterans Against the War. As its representative, Kerry testified before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in April 1971. His testimony was carried out within the confines of the Fullbright Hearings which were held between 1966-1971. As part of standard oversight responsibilities, the SFRC interviewed dozens of individuals about our activities in Vietnam. John Kerry was adamant in his charge that America was losing the war and must withdraw as soon as possible, lest more innocent soldiers die. He testified that the United States had no vital interests in Vietnam and that it was just a war of independence. He also accused the American government of supporting a corrupt region in South Vietnam. When Kerry ran for president in 2004, these words would come to haunt him as Vietnam veterans, insulted by his comments started to question events surrounding his actions that eventually led to several military commendations. The controversies were proven false but their existence helps explain the lasting pain from the Vietnam War.	https://thetruthmatters.blog/2017/10/08/vietnam-war-differentorderasc/
8th May 2020 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Moratorium mass rallies across Australia during 1970. The Vietnam War Moratorium mass movement was a united front of Australian people from many different walks of life, opposing military conscription and Australia’s involvement in US aggression against the people of Vietnam fighting for national liberation and self-determination. It was an anti-imperialist movement. The Vietnam War movement emerged in 1962 and grew from a handful of activists into a nationwide mass struggle throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. In 1970 under immense pressure and persistence by the majority of Australian people the Liberal government started to withdraw Australian troops from Vietnam. In 1972 the newly elected Whitlam Labor government finalised the withdrawal of all troops and ended conscription. The unyielding resistance of the Vietnamese people under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam inspired and mobilised struggle against US imperialism around the world. The global struggles against the Vietnam War and US imperialism were part of the worldwide movement and rebellion against imperialism and capitalism in that period. Organisation of the nationwide 8th May Moratorium mass rallies across Australia was the culmination of years of mass work, protests, and wide ranging activism by broad cross sections of Australian people. Mass resistance and civil disobedience, defying and breaking laws; arrests and imprisonments; strikes and stop work meetings by workers, unions, university and school students; militant protests outside US embassies and corporations; occupations of universities, US chemical and weapons companies and magistrate courts; signing petitions, letterboxing millions of homes, street meetings and public protests; passionate discussions and arguments in homes, workplaces and in the community, characterised a vibrant and dynamic people’s movement. The Vietnamese people’s struggle for national liberation and socialism The Vietnamese people’s war against US imperialism was extension of their long revolutionary struggle for national liberation from French colonialism and Japanese militarism. In the early 1950s, the US, alarmed at the French defeats at the hands of heroic Vietnamese people, intervened to help the French colonialists to crush the national liberation struggle. In early 1954 the Vietnamese people, led by Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam, overthrew the French colonial rule. The US saw an opportunity for themselves to replace the French as the foreign power controlling Vietnam. Vietnam was temporarily divided into 2 zones at the 17th parallel, with elections scheduled within 2 years. However, the US and its puppet South Vietnamese governments ensured no elections were held. Instead, for the next 20 years the US installed and bankrolled a succession of corrupt and brutal puppet regimes unleashing a reign of terror on the people of Vietnam. “US leaders had no intention of allowing a free election because they knew - President Eisenhower actually made the admission – that more than 80 per cent of the population would have voted for Ho Chi Minh against former emperor and pro-Western puppet Bao Dai. Washington swiftly wheeled in a new stooge, Ngo Dinh Diem, a Vietnamese aristocrat living in New York with absolutely no following in Vietnam. Diem, described by President Johnson as the ‘Churchill of Vietnam’, immediately cancelled the elections promised for July 1956.” (Joan Coxsedge, Background to the Vietnam War) In 1960, Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam provided political leadership for the formation of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam. The NLF was a united front of many groups in South Vietnam - peasants, urban and rural workers, health workers, teachers, doctors, engineers, Buddhists, patriots, Communists, liberals. Guerrilla resistance by the National Liberation Front to US occupation and the brutal puppet government strengthened and intensified. By 1967 the US had sent 485,600 soldiers and military personnel to crush the Vietnamese people’s fight for national liberation. The US dropped more bombs on Vietnam than the overall number of bombs dropped on Europe during WW2. The US sprayed more than 21 million gallons of toxic defoliants and herbicides over South Vietnamese villages and countryside to uncover and flush out the NLF guerrilla fighters. The defoliants included most poisonous chemicals Agent Orange and Dioxin. In the ten years nearly 400,000 tons of napalm was dropped on the Vietnamese people. “All the way with LBJ” - Australia follows Uncle Sam In 1962 the Australian government, a compliant and loyal ally of the US since WW2, dispatched 30 military advisors to serve alongside the US army and its South Vietnamese puppet government forces. In 1964 the US called again on its most obedient “ally” to start sending combat troops to South Vietnam. The Australian government jumped to the US command and, even before parliament officially declared war on Vietnam in 1965, the National Service Act (conscription) was legislated in November 1964, making it compulsory for all 20-year-old males to register for national service to fight in Vietnam. On a visit to the US in June 1966 the Australian PM Harold Holt pledged Australia’s servitude to the US and its President Lyndon Johnson, proudly declaring Australia was “all the way with LBJ”. Between 1965 and 1972 about 60,000 Australia ground troops, naval and air force men were sent to fight in South Vietnam. 521 Australian soldiers were killed and 3,000 wounded. Struggle, unity, resistance and mobilisation against the Vietnam War The 8th May 1970 Vietnam War Moratoriums are mainly known for the mass rallies that drew between 150,000-200,000 people into the streets of cities and regional centres across the country. They were the biggest protests in Australia’s history up to that time. The 8th May mass mobilisations were the culmination of many years of organised work and struggle by tens of thousands. It was a broad and diverse anti-war movement engaging and uniting people from different walks of life, political views and backgrounds. The political direction of the anti-war movement was constantly discussed, vigorously argued and tested in practice. Calls for the defeat of US imperialism and support for the National Liberation Front and the Vietnamese people’s armed struggle for national liberation were widely explained, promoted and acted on. With experience, and increasing exposures of US aggression and growing respect for the heroic Vietnamese people, calls to end US imperialist aggression and Australia’s subservience to US imperialism were more widely accepted. Many in the anti-war movement understood the necessity for principled unity to build a broad mass movement on key demands. In the unity and struggle within this broad united front, anti-imperialist working class politics were vigorously promoted. Opposition to Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War had started in 1962 and built up almost immediately after parliament passed the National Services Act (conscription) in 1964. At first a small number of women set up Save our Sons, a national network of women opposing conscription. A few young men started to refuse to register or declared themselves conscientious objectors. By 1972 more than 100 draft resisters and conscientious objectors were in hiding or served time in gaol under the Crimes Act. Many were on the run for years, protected and hidden in people’s homes and union offices. Hundreds of active grass roots anti-Vietnam War groups and organisations sprung up across the country in workplaces and unions, schools, universities, religious organisations, communities and neighbourhoods. Organising local discussion groups, public meetings and rallies in workplaces, communities and neighbourhoods. There were millions of homes letterboxed and poster paste ups during the night. Anti-war concerts, performances and street theatre in the suburbs and shopping centres. Stop Work to Stop the War! The core and backbone of the anti-Vietnam War movement in Australia was the organised working class and militant unions without whom the movement could not have grown in numbers, militancy and strength. Militant workers and unions led and inspired the anti-war movement. Workers’ and unions’ call Stop Work to Stop the War echoed across the country. Wharfies, seafarers, metal workers, plumbers, printers, electricians, shearers, mining workers, food workers, teachers, meat workers, railway and tramway workers, public servants stopped work to attend rallies. In factories, offices, schools and universities motions and resolutions calling for an end to conscription and the Vietnam War were enthusiastically supported. Hundreds of thousands signed petitions. As early as 1966 builders’ labourers, wharfies and seamen, led by Communists, regularly walked off the job in opposition to conscription and US imperialism. Wharfies and seafarers in Melbourne and Newcastle refused to load and crew military cargo ships Boonaroo and Jeparit bound for Vietnam. In Sydney, seafarers placed a ban on U.S. warships. The nation wide Penal Powers struggle led by Clarrie O’Shea and the Victorian Tramways Union members in May 1969 inspired and instilled confidence in workers, unions and many others. The working class was active in the political class struggle against imperialist wars, echoing Clarrie O’Shea a year earlier “If the workers confine themselves merely to economic questions, they confine themselves in a very narrow sphere. It is necessary to go further than mere economic questions. For myself, I believe you must end capitalism altogether…It is all coming to a great fight. And I believe the workers and working people must prepare for this.” The power of mass movements It was a truly broad united front mass movement. People joined in activities at all levels from signing petitions, attending local suburban meetings and rallies, holding meetings in workplaces, people’s homes and streets. For years angry and militant protests were held outside the US embassies and consulates, calling out “Yankee Go Home”. US flags were burned and public declarations of independence from US imperialism were made outside US Consulates on the 4th July. Occupations in universities, schools, government offices and even a Melbourne Magistrates’ court. Defying the Crimes Act and the threat of long gaol sentences, workers and students publicly collected funds for the Communist led National Liberation Front of South Vietnam. By 1969 the majority of Australian people were calling for our troops to be brought home from Vietnam. More young men refused to register or declared themselves as conscientious objectors. In early 1970 a national Vietnam Moratorium committee was formed. It was an organisational expression of the united front mass movement of hundreds of grass roots and official organisations (unions) united on immediate demands to end conscription, withdraw Australia from the war and end Australia’s support for US imperialism and the US-Australia alliance. On 8th May close to 200,000 people poured into the streets of major cities and regional centres demanding an end to the war. In Melbourne 100,000 took over the streets of 5 city blocks and sat down in the centre of the city. The sheer numbers of protestors from different walks of life shocked and paralysed the 1,000 police hiding behind state parliament, on standby ready to provoke and attack the protestors, make mass arrests and break up the march. In Adelaide the 8th May Moratorium rally led to the 4th July becoming an annual expression of anti-imperialist action. In Sydney tens of thousands of workers, teachers and students walked out and marched through city streets and sat down in the middle of the city. The peaceful rallies on 8th May were in stark contrast to Moratorium rallies held later in the year with police removing their badges and viciously attacking protestors. By 1972 the Vietnamese people were winning the war against US imperialist aggression, bolstering confidence of the anti-war movements across the world, including Australia. The consistent and patient mass work over the years amongst workers and in communities laid the groundwork for significant growth and success of the campaign against Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. It was the independent mass movement of tens of thousands relying on mass mobilisations, not parliament, that ended conscription and Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. The 1960s and early 1970s Vietnam War struggles galvanised the fight to end US imperialist control of Australia. The legacy of the anti-Vietnam War campaign and mass movement holds many lessons for us today in the unfinished struggle to end US domination in the fight for an independent socialist Australia. 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Fifty years ago, on May 8, 1970, one of the greatest mass mobilisations in Australian history took place — the first Vietnam Moratorium against the country’s involvement in the murderous United States-led invasion of Indochina. An estimated 200,000 people took part in rallies and marches in capital cities and country towns around Australia on that day. This total includes about 100,000 in Melbourne, 30,000 in Sydney and up to 10,000 in some other major centres, with sizeable rallies in dozens of regional towns. The Vietnam Moratorium, which took its name from huge anti-war rallies in the US in 1969, was a turning point in the long campaign to force the then-federal Liberal-Country Party government to withdraw troops from Vietnam. The Vietnam War was a decisive event in post-World War II history, which divided the entire world into pro- and anti-war camps and fundamentally changed the social and political history of the capitalist world. For the US and its imperialist allies, such as Australia, the war was intended as a decisive blow against the “advance of Communism”, and also against the national liberation movements of the Third World, which were challenging imperialist domination internationally. Youth radicalisation Within the advanced capitalist countries, the Vietnam War accelerated the 1960’s youth radicalisation then sweeping the West. In the US and Australia, which were directly involved in the invasion and occupation of Vietnam, the introduction of the draft (conscription) for military service in Vietnam effectively threw petrol on the growing flames of anti-war sentiment among young people. In 1965, then-Liberal Prime Minister Robert Menzies ordered Australian troops into Vietnam and introduced conscription for 20-year-old males. This lit a small brush fire of anti-war opposition, which grew to become a huge bushfire by the end of the decade. I was one of those 20 year olds, whose birthday marble came out of the barrel in early 1966 in what became known as the “Lottery of Death”. While, in the end, I managed to stay out of the army, this began my personal journey of determined opposition to the Vietnam War and the capitalist system, which generated such wars and oppression. I was a university student at the time and became increasingly involved in anti-war activities, that began as small protests and teach-ins and gradually grew to become larger demonstrations, public meetings, anti-war committees of various kinds, as well as the draft resistance movement. Tet Offensive In early 1968, the Tet Offensive by the National Liberation Front of Vietnam (NLF) and the North Vietnamese Army was a decisive blow against the occupying forces of the US and its allies. It demonstrated that the US war drive could be defeated and that the Vietnamese liberation forces were capable of winning the war. From that point the anti-Vietnam War movement gained a decisive edge over the pro-war forces, and public opinion turned in favour of withdrawal. From 1968 onwards, the US, Australia and other invading governments were on the defensive against the Vietnamese freedom fighters and a growing anti-war movement was on the march at home. In Australia, this culminated in the development of the Vietnam Moratorium movement, which brought disparate peace groups into a broad coalition, primarily around the demands “Troops out now” and “End conscription” In Melbourne, where the anti-war movement was strongest, this led to mass Moratorium committee meetings, involving up to 1000 activists in the Richmond Town Hall on more than one occasion. The final detonator for the May 8, 1970, Moratorium marches was news of the Kent State University massacre, in which Ohio National Guard soldiers shot and killed four students and wounded another nine, at a campus anti-war rally on May 4. This resulted in a wave of outrage around the world, including in Australia, and it drove up attendance at the Moratorium marches here. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, with the fall of Saigon to Vietnamese liberation forces at the end of April 1975, I wrote in the May 3, 1995, issue of Green Left: “The anti-war movement was now a gigantic force, but even we activists didn’t realise just how big. “Preparations for the first Vietnam Moratorium of May 1970 were growing apace. The movement was now very broad, with local committees and suburban protest actions breaking out all over.” “[Labor left spokesperson] Jim Cairns was the central figure in the Moratorium campaign. But the movement was a unique coalition of the entire left and progressive movement, from the radical left, to the Communist Party, to the churches and various liberal organisations. “There were many debates on strategy and tactics over mass action versus small-group direct action, and over demands, such as ‘Troops Out Now!’ versus ‘Negotiations Now!’ But it was a period of great ferment of ideas, and a tremendous movement of people’s power. “On the morning of the [first] Moratorium, hopes were high, but even the activists were stunned at the crowd which filled the entire centre of Melbourne, bringing the city to a standstill. More than 100,000 marched to stop the war, coming from every age group and walk of life. “The government had accused marchers of being ‘bikies pack-raping democracy’, and one elderly grandmother replied by carrying a placard, ‘I’m a pack-raping bikie!’ “The stunning success of the first Moratorium in Melbourne and other cities marked the beginning of the end of Australia’s intervention in Vietnam.” Mass action strategy I was then a member of the Socialist Workers League/Socialist Youth Alliance. We were campaigning for all the troops to leave and for conscription to be ended once and for all. We wanted to continue the mass-action strategy until the imperialists were forced back. Two more Moratorium mobilisations were organised in Australia: in September 1970 and June 1971. Around the country, they were of a comparable size overall to the May 1970 event. Socialists continued to play an important role within the anti-war movement, which had dwindled after the Gough Whitlam Labor government was elected in December 1972. Whitlam withdrew the remaining Australian troops from Vietnam and ended conscription, an immensely popular move. Labor’s election was the result of movements for change after 23 years of Liberal-Country Party reaction. A new era for political change had opened up, and alongside that new challenges for the left. We continued to organise anti-war protests against US policy, until that famous day in April 1975 when NLF troops entered Saigon and the US puppet regime finally collapsed. Anti-war activists felt that we had played some modest part in this great victory. We understood that US and Australian imperialism had suffered a major blow, and that the national liberation movements of the Third World would be inspired to greater efforts by this victory. The Vietnam Moratorium experience holds some important lessons for the movement against war and for social progress more broadly, including the necessity of building a united coalition for broad action around concrete, winnable demands, as a first step. The key to winning immediate struggles against right-wing governments and their ruling class masters is to build the biggest movement possible by bringing together all sections of society who support the specific progressive aims. Only by doing this can we apply the maximum political pressure on the ruling class. In the course of struggle, mass consciousness can and does change, often including toward more radical ideas about how society could function. Winning against powerful forces also changes political consciousness. Forcing the withdrawal of imperialist troops and the victory of the Vietnamese liberation forces also generated the long-term political impact — the so-called “Vietnam Syndrome”. It became a lot more difficult for US, Australian and other governments to carry out and sustain invasions of Third World countries for decades afterwards. The death of about 50,000 US troops, and 500 Australian soldiers in Vietnam helped make foreign wars very unpopular at home — even when they can be forced through, as in Iraq and Afghanistan. The successful Moratoriums were a major turning point in the history of political struggle against the ruling elites. They were also an important example of international working class solidarity because they helped the Vietnamese people win their freedom. Today’s movements for climate action, workers’ power and social justice can learn a lot from the Moratorium movement, particularly the tactic of building a mass movement with enough political clout to force substantial progressive change.	https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/out-now-vietnam-war-moratorium-50-years
The Vietnam War was one of the most divisive wars in the history of the United States. The war divided generations, families, and classes. All told, the United States lost over 58,000 men and women in a fruitless struggle to halt the spread of Vietnamese nationalism, while spending anywhere from $112 to $155 billion to defeat North Vietnam. That total increases when widows benefits, pensions, and other indirect costs of the war are included. If we add those indirect costs the actual cost reaches a staggering $925 billion! The Second Vietnamese War has received very little attention in most history classes on both the secondary and post-secondary levels. Often there is not enough time at the end of the semester to do justice to this pivotal period in U.S. and world history, which drove one president from office and contributed to the fall of another. The public often fails to realize that this war occurred at a time of great change during the 1960s, not only in the United States, but also worldwide. Those changes involved the quest for civil and political rights for African Americans, the development of a student protest movement, the rise of feminism, and the counterculture, highlighted by the birth of the Age of Aquarius as seen by the hippies in the East Village and Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco. America's longest war was fought within this milieu. It is the purpose of this course to explain and to outline the conflict, and to highlight the diplomatic, military, political, and social aspects of the war. Even more disturbing is that United States has embarked on another unpopular military action, this time not in Southeast Asia, but the Middle East. Are the two wars similar as some contend? If so, how? If not, why? What were the lessons, if any, of Vietnam? Those and many other engaging questions will be reviewed during the course of the semester. To do that, students are expected to read the assigned readings, discuss the materials in the chat room and answer the questions posted on the discussion board.	http://esuhistoryprof.com/vietnam-war.html
Another American betrayal in the works. “Oh, when will they ever learn.” — Lyrics from Pete Seeger’s antiwar song “Where have all the flowers gone,” sung by Peter, Paul & Mary to protest the Vietnam War. As if we learned nothing from America’s betrayal of South Vietnam. Nor from the human rights violations that ensued when we effectively helped turn the country over to the repressive, communist regime in North Vietnam. Now, we’re repeating that betrayal as we withdraw troops from Afghanistan. It will be the end of Afghanistan as an American ally. It will open up the country for the nurturing of terrorist groups that have America in their deadly sights. It will make meaningless the two-decade sacrifice of American lives and treasure. It will be the end of kite flying. And, it will be yet another betrayal of a country to which America had made promises of protection as an ally in our war against terror. Just like in Vietnam. When America negotiated a “peace” and an end to the Vietnam War, we heard the same kind of talk. The provisions included an international peacekeeping force and South Vietnam self-determination. Oh sure. This is what eventually followed: In early March the North Vietnamese launched the first phase of what was expected to be a two-year offensive to secure South Vietnam. As it happened, the South’s government and army collapsed in less than two months. Thousands of ARVN troops retreated in disorder, first from the central highlands and then from Hue and Da Nang. Gerald R. Ford, who had succeeded Nixon as U.S. president, pleaded in vain with Congress for additional military aid that might at least raise Saigon’s morale. But members of Congress, like most of their constituents, were ready to wash their hands of a long and futile war. On April 21 Thieu resigned and flew to Taiwan. On April 30 what remained of the South Vietnamese government surrendered unconditionally, and NVA tank columns occupied Saigon without a struggle. The remaining Americans escaped in a series of frantic air- and sealifts with Vietnamese friends and coworkers. A military government was instituted, and on July 2, 1976, the country was officially united as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam with its capital in Hanoi. Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. The 30-year struggle for control over Vietnam was over. Among those betrayed were the Montagnards, the central highlights people who fought valiantly on the American side. Their fate: In battle, the Montagnards were indefatigable. “They were never defeated,” said George Clark, a 5th Special Forces Group Green Beret who served with MIKE Force between 1967 and 1970. “They may have been overrun, but they always took it back. We had full faith in the Montagnards.” Although roughly 61,000 Montagnards aided the US by the Vietnam War’s end, once the US military pulled out, support for them evaporated. “When we pulled out of Vietnam,” Clark said, “those villages were screwed, and we knew it.” The Montagnards, some 12,000 total, fled the jungles of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, and from 1975 to 1992, formed the Front de Liberation des Hauts-Plateaux Montagnard (FLHPM) to fight against the communist government of Vietnam. They were targeted and pursued through military action, killed by tigers and snakebites, and died of disease and starvation. Only 600 are believed to have survived. This is not a partisan issue. The scheduled withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan began under ex-President Donald Trump and accelerated by President Joe Biden. They’re responding to the growing isolationist sentiment among Americans. Just like in Vietnam, the Afghan government and military resistance is collapsing. Reported CBS, “But the situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating. The Taliban retook the northern region overnight, sending more than 1,000 Afghan soldiers fleeing into neighboring Tajikistan.” The thousands of interpreters who assisted American forces now are begging for their lives. Said one, ” “We are right now at the final stage. They are going to slaughter us anyway.” Why there’s any question whether every last one should be granted asylum in America is beyond me. Especially when tens, no hundreds, of thousands of illegal immigrants are being allowed into the United States to seek asylum without being in the same live-threatening danger. The wisdom and morality of both wars can be argued forever, but one fact is indisputable: Many, many people will suffer, some will die, because of our sellout.	https://www.chicagonow.com/dennis-byrnes-barbershop/2021/07/afghanistan-vietnam-all-over-again/
The goal of the game is for the CIA to unveil the secret agent/spy. KWL Chart The "Containment" Policy America's Cold War Foreign Policy KWL: Chart Recap... The most important change in the U.S. Policy after WWII was the beginning of the Cold War The Cold War is known as an era of distrust and hostility between the United States & the Soviet Union Cold War Relations... The United States & the Soviet Union were super powers and rivals who dominated world politics ... During this era both countries had competing ideologies ... Know the major ideological differences between the USA and USSR? The Battle of Ideas... hostility, proxy battles, and a near nuclear war. You can't say bomb on an airplane? Do you remember the Manhattan Project ? The U.S. had a monopoly on nuclear weapons... In response the U.S.S.R. began building the bomb. ARMS RACE At the close of WWII... Eastern Europe: -Stalin wanted a "buffer zone" between the USSR & the democratic nations in the West. -He used his army to install communist gov'ts in these areas. Western Europe: -Capitalism and Democracy prospered Because ... In 1949, the United States formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ): a military alliance among democratic countries in Europe & North America In 1955, the Soviet Union initiated the Warsaw Pact : this was a military alliance of eight communist countries Warsaw Pact & NATO The Spread of Communism... "Domino Theory": The US feared that communist countries would turn their neighbors into communist In response, The U.S. created a foreign policy called Containment to stop Soviet influence & the spread of communism Iron Curtain These differing concepts/ideas led to distrust, How would the US will the US do to stop the dangerous spread of totalitarianism? When the USSR began to pressure Greece & Turkey to turn communist, the U.S. created the Truman Doctrine, promising economic & military help to any nation threatened by communism The Truman Doctrine worked & neither Greece nor Turkey fell to communism Truman Doctrine Marshall Plan The U.S. created the Marshall Plan which offered $13 billion to help rebuild post-war Europe By 1952, Western Europe recovered & Communism never took root Recap... Which of the American Cold War foreign policies (1945-1952) were the most logical to you? Illogical? The fall of China & the Korean War How did the United States successfully contained communism in Europe? Recap... What do you know about China and the Korean War? Buffer zone? Iron Curtain? George Kennan? Sphere of Influence? Berlin? Arms Race? China... 1949 Communist forces led by Mao Zedong took control of China and the Cold War spread to Asia The fall of China was a shock to the USA & President Harry Truman took the blame for “losing China” Civil War Meanwhile in the USSR... The Soviets create the Hydrogen Bomb . Why didn't the US save China from Communism? -Culture? -Trade? Problem with Korea... -During WWII Korea was ruled by Japan . -After WWII it was divided just like Germany... North=USSR, South=USA -38th parallel was made the division point. -Both the US and the Soviet Union wanted a unified Korea ...Korea will be a battle ground for Cold War Politics. What initiated this "proxy war"? - In 1950, North Korea (using Soviet supplied weapons ) crossed the 38th parallel ° & attacked South Korea. - The Soviets and the North Koreans were able to push the South Korean people down to Pusan . - When South Korea appealed to the United Nations, the USA sent troops to Korea to contain communism. - But, when the USA pushed too close to China , the Chinese Army entered the war & helped North Korea. - After the war, Korea was divided along the 38th parallel °with a communist gov’t in North Korea & a democracy in South Korea. The United Nations met about North Korea crossing the 38th parallel and invading South Korea -Soviet Union was absent at UN meeting -The Security Council decided to seek them as an aggressor ( Police Action ) NSC-68 -Truman signed " NSC-68 " into law. This quadrupled ( 4X ) the size of our military spending . -This is when the U.S. decided to make containment in Asia a high priority. (National Security Council - memo #68) Meanwhile, in America... . The Red Scare (Round 2) - Truman initiates his " Loyalty Program. " - 3,000,000 federal employees are investigated - 3,000 are forced to resign or are dismissed... mostly "New Dealers"...why ? - Would we continue to enjoy our freedoms in a Cold War climate ? - The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) - Richard M. Nixon becomes a well known Commie investigator - The " Alger Hiss Trial " gains national attention and encourages more " Red Hunts " Red Scare (Round 2...continued) - McCarthyism - Russian bomb tests validated the fear that bomb secrets were "leaked" - Julius and Ethel Rosenberg (Jewish American/Soviet Spies) were executed for leaking secrets to the Soviets - Senator Joe McCarthy (WI) accused Dean Acheson (Sec. of State) of hiring 250 employees that were commies... no significant convictions!!! - McCarthyism becomes a massive " witch hunt " that charged many Americans of being "Red." - " The Hollywood Ten "... no significant convictions!!! - " The Army McCarthy Hearings "... no significant conviction!!! - Little to no valid evidence was ever found that Communists had infiltrated our gov't - McCarthy died of alcoholism 3 years after the Army Hearings. The Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban History - Prior to 1952, America and Cuba had a long-lasting and profitable relationship with each other. - In 1952, a tyrannical General ( Batista ) seized control of the island and created an oppressive regime in Cuba. - In 1956, after a failed 1st attempt, Fidel and Raul Castro took over the island through revolution and created a Communist political system. - This crippled the relationship it had with America !!! The Bay of Pigs Fiasco (1961) - In April of 1961, the CIA planned an invasion of Cuba to oust Castro - Once the invasion began, President Kennedy denied to provide them with Air support. The invasion failed. The refugees were tortured for info. - This led to Castro aligning Cuba with the Soviet Union for military and financial aid. - The stage was now set for a Cold War standoff in the Western Hemisphere !!! The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) - U.S.-Cuban relations were further worsened when Castro allowed the installation of medium-range nuclear missiles on Cuba. - These missiles would have placed most of the U.S., Canada, and Latin America within the range of attack. - When the missiles were discovered by a U-2 spy plane , the Kennedy administration ordered a Khrushchev to remove his missiles from Cuba - Khrushchev brought up the American missiles that had been placed in Turkey ....that we didn't know he knew about...Whoops (again). - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 Conclusion: - As nuclear warheads headed to Cuba on Soviet ships, the Soviet Union agreed to withdraw its missiles from Cuba if the U.S. would secretly withdraw its missiles from Turkey and pledge not to invade Cuba . Both sides agreed and the crisis was concluded. Why, in your opinion, is the Korean War known as America's " Forgotten War ?" In your opinion, does the Red Scare of the 1950's strengthen or weaken our understanding of our American Civil Liberties ? Douglas MacArthur - The Hero of the Pacific returns. MacArthur lands behind enemy line at Inchon MacArthur wants to use "the bomb" "Truman is a fool" "You have no decency, sir!" U-2 Spy Plane Bomb "em! Bomb 'em! Bomb 'em! Bomb 'em! The Vietnam War - Now the spread of communism in Asia led the U.S. to become involved (yet again) in a civil war in Vietnam. - Involvement in Vietnam from 1950 to 1973 proved to be America’s longest & most controversial war. -Since 1887, France controlled the colony of Vietnam in SE Asia -By 1945, Communist leader Ho Chi Minh led a war of independence for Vietnam -Truman & Eisenhower feared the spread of communism in Asia (“ domino theory ”) & sent aid to France. -Vietnam won independence in 1954 but was divided along the "17th parallel." Ngo Dinh Diem became democratic president of South Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh gained control of communist North Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh’s communist supporters in the North were called the Vietminh In South Vietnam, a group of communists called the Vietcong were formed to oppose Diem & unify Vietnam -South Vietnamese President Diem led a corrupt government, offered little assistance to the poor, & oppressed Buddhists. -Presidents Eisenhower & Kennedy supported Diem despite his growing unpopularity. In 1963, Buddhist monk Quang Duc immolated himself to protest Diem’s regime In 1963 President Kennedy recognized that Diem had lost control of Vietnam & gave approval for the assassination of Diem -After JFK’s death in 1963, the responsibility for Vietnam fell to Lyndon B. Johnson ("LBJ") -Diem’s assassination led to chaos in South Vietnam The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, 1964 - "Reports" of North Vietnamese gunboats had attacked the USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin. -LBJ and Congress responded with the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which gave Lyndon Johnson broad powers to “defend Vietnam at any cost.” - This was a "blank check" to fight war. Vietnam "Escalation" Troop escalation By 1968, over 500,000 U.S. soldiers were fighting in Vietnam In “ Operation Rolling Thunder ,” the U.S. military began bombing North Vietnam. Fighting in Vietnam The goal of U.S. military was to defeat the Vietcong & support democracy in South Vietnam...Problems: But, the Vietcong lived among the civilians in Vietnamese in cities & villages ( who is the enemy? ) The Vietcong used guerrilla tactics to combat U.S. military superiority Jungles made fighting difficult The air force bombed villages & supply lines (Ho Chi Minh Trails) Soldiers were sent on deadly “search & destroy” missions into the jungles to find the Vietcong Despite overwhelming military superiority, the U.S. could not win in Vietnam & the war became unpopular at home Television made Vietnam a “living room war” TV broadcasts reported body counts, atrocities, declining troop morale, & lack of gains in the war The “Living Room War" General Westmoreland & the Credibility Gap The American public believed their was a “ credibility gap ” between what the gov’t was saying & the reality of the Vietnam War “Vietcong surrender is imminent” “The U.S. has never lost a battle in Vietnam” “There is a light at the end of the tunnel” The Tet Offensive, 1968 -In 1968, the Vietcong launched the Tet Offensive against U.S. forces in South Vietnam. -The attack was contrary to media reports that the U.S. was winning the Vietnam War. -The war was now truly "lost." The Tet Offensive was a turning point in the Vietnam War American attitudes towards the war changed & anti-war movement grew President Johnson began to question whether the war could be won & LBJ announced that he would not seek re-election in 1968!! The Tet Offensive, 1968 Protesting the Vietnam War Since 1965, U.S. troops had been in Vietnam… but 1968 was the height of the Vietnam War & the year of the disastrous Tet Offensive As more men were drafted into the war, the larger the anti-Vietnam protests became. Many men started " draft dodging " Student protests, the killing of civilians, the drafting of large numbers of African Americans, Hispanics, & high-school dropouts increase the Anti-War movement . LBJ’s decision not to run for re-election & the assassination of Robert Kennedy left the Democrats divided for the election of 1968. Republican Richard Nixon took advantage of the divided Democrats & won the 1968 election (The Rise of Conservativism) . "Vietnamization" Nixon & National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger developed a plan called Vietnamization : gradually withdraw U.S. troops & replace them with South Vietnamese soldiers But, Nixon really wanted a “knockout blow” in Vietnam & secretly sent U.S. troops Cambodia & ordered bombings of Cambodia and Laos -When Americans found out about Nixon’s attacks on Cambodia & Laos, it set off the largest protest in U.S. history. -250,000 people, mostly students on college campuses, protested the war & some protests turned violent. -4 students died when the National Guard shot into a crowd of violent protestors at Kent State University in 1970 -In 1973, the U.S. & North Vietnam agreed to a cease fire & the U.S. withdrew troops from Vietnam ( Gerald Ford ) -In 1975, North Vietnam violated the cease fire, invaded South Vietnam, & unified the nation under a communist government - By 1975, the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell & Vietnam became unified under the Communist government -Vietnam proved Containment could not be sustained "The war ends with a whimper" "We've got to get rid of this guy." I'll send military " advisers " to assist the South Vietnamese, but this is " their war. " My support = $, but that's it. I'll take it The Ho Chi Minh Trails "Baby Killers" "Murderers" "Pigs" "Military Advisers" (Special Forces/Green Berets) The Rosenbergs Joesph McCarthy "The Hollywood 10" The Army-McCarthy Hearings Republican Candidate Richard Nixon - The Alger Hiss Trial Kennedy's Upon Election Failed Bay of Pigs Invasion Kennedy holding press conference after failed invasion Krushchev and Castro Kennedy and Krushchev Kennedy meeting with National Security Advisers Kennedy meeting with Soviet diplomats Kennedy viewing missile installations Tense meetings with Krushchev Kennedy's holds regular press conferences to keep Americans updated on the on-going dilemma John and Robert "Bobby" Kennedy US planes and war ships enforce the "quarantine" Quarantine is the most contentious moment of the Cuban Missile Crisis Kennedy is viewed as a successful, diplomatic, and fearless leader Kennedy dies a little more than a month later Dallas Texas Fidel and Raul arming a "people's revolution" Fidel and Raul in 2014 Present Remotely Send the link below via email or IMCopy Present to your audienceStart remote presentation - Invited audience members will follow you as you navigate and present - People invited to a presentation do not need a Prezi account - This link expires 10 minutes after you close the presentation - A maximum of 30 users can follow your presentation - Learn more about this feature in our knowledge base article Origins of the Cold War No description byTweet Jerrid Harrison 17 April 2017 Comments (0) Please log in to add your comment.	https://prezi.com/zfqoc5orm6hs/origins-of-the-cold-war/
The Pentagon has just launched a multi-year national public relations campaign to justify, glorify and honor Washington’s catastrophic, aggressive and losing war against Vietnam — America’s most controversial and unpopular military conflict. President Barack Obama opened the militarist event, which was overwhelmingly approved by Congress four years ago, during a speech at the Vietnam Wall on Memorial Day, May 28. The entire campaign, which will consist of tens of thousands of events over the next 13 years, is ostensibly intended to “finally honor” the U.S. troops who fought in Vietnam. The last troops were evacuated nearly 40 years ago. • The first is to legitimize and intensify a renewed warrior spirit within America as the Pentagon emerges from two counter-productive, ruinously expensive and stalemated unjust wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and prepares for further military adventures in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Within days of Obama’s speech, for instance, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced a big increase of U.S. Navy forces in the Pacific, a move obviously targeting China. At the same time the Obama Administration’s drone wars are accelerating as the Oval Office’s kill list expands, and the president engages in cyber sabotage against Iran. • The second is to dilute the memory of historic public opposition to the Vietnam war by putting forward the Pentagon’s censored account of the conflict in public meetings, parades and educational sessions set to take place across the nation through 2025. These flag-waving, hyper-patriotic occasions will feature veterans, active duty military members, government officials, local politicians, teachers and business leaders who will combine forces to praise those who fought in Vietnam and those on the home front who supported the war. There won’t be much — if any — attention focused on the majority of Americans who opposed this imperialist adventure, except as a footnote describing how tolerant U.S. democracy is toward dissent. The principal theme of the president’s address was that American troops have not received sufficient laurels for their efforts to violently prevent the reunification of North and South Vietnam. He did not point out that there would have been no war had the United States permitted nationwide free elections to take place in Vietnam in 1956 as specified by the 1954 Geneva Agreement ending the French colonialism in Indochina. Washington recently decided that the war “officially” began in 1962 (although U.S. involvement dates back to the 1950s), allowing the commemoration to begin during the “50th anniversary” year. President Obama told the large, cheering crowd of veterans and their families at the Vietnam Wall exactly what they — and all those who still resented the era’s large antiwar movement — wanted to hear: “One of the most painful chapters in our history was Vietnam — most particularly, how we treated our troops who served there…. “You were often blamed for a war you didn’t start, when you should have been commended for serving your country with valor. (Applause.) You were sometimes blamed for misdeeds of a few, when the honorable service of the many should have been praised. You came home and sometimes were denigrated, when you should have been celebrated. It was a national shame, a disgrace that should have never happened. And that’s why here today we resolve that it will not happen again. (Applause.)…. “So here today, it must be said — you have earned your place among the greatest generations. At this time, I would ask all our Vietnam veterans, those of you who can stand, to please stand, all those already standing, raise your hands — as we say those simple words which always greet our troops when they come home from here on out: Welcome home. (Applause.) Welcome home. Welcome home. Welcome home. Thank you. We appreciate you. Welcome home. (Applause.)…. There was virtually no criticism in the corporate mass media about the president’s gross exaggerations concerning the “mistreatment” of Vietnam era veterans. True, there were no victory parades, but that was because the U.S. Armed Forces were defeated by a much smaller and enormously outgunned adversary — the guerrilla forces of the South Vietnamese National Liberation Front (NLF) and regular forces from North Vietnam. In addition the government and its “partners” will be distributing educational materials about the war, according to the Pentagon, but it is unlikely that the Vietnamese side of the story or that of the multitude of war resisters in the U.S., civilian and military, will receive favorable attention. Many facts, including the origins of the war will undoubtedly be changed to conform to the commemoration’s main goal of minimizing Washington’s defeat and maximizing the heroism and loyalty of the troops. Officially, the Vietnam war lasted 11 years (1962-1973), but U.S. involvement actually continued for 21 years (1954-1975). The U.S. financially supported the restoration of French colonial control of Vietnam and all of Indochina after the defeat of Japanese imperialism in 1945 (Japan earlier displaced French rule). By 1954, Washington not only supplied money and advisers but sent 352 Americans to Vietnam in a “Military Assistance Advisory group” supporting the French against liberation forces led by the Vietnamese Communist Party. The liberators defeated the French army at the historic battle of Dien Bien Phu that same year. It is doubtful that the commemoration is going to emphasize the fact that the U.S., led by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, used its power to prevent nationwide elections from taking place when it became clear that Ho Chi Minh would win 80% of the vote. Eisenhower acknowledged this in his memoirs. Instead, Washington allied itself to right wing forces in the southern sector to declare “South Vietnam” to be a separate state for the first time in history and set about financing, training and controlling a large southern military force to prevent reunification. The U.S. dominated the Saigon government throughout the following war. When Paris withdrew remaining French troops in April 1956, according to John Prados in “Vietnam: The History of an Unwinnable war, 1945-1975” (2009), “their departure made America South Vietnam’s big brother,” i.e., overlord and military protector against popular liberation forces in the southern half of the country. There were three main fronts in the Vietnam war, in this order: First, the battlefields of Indochina. Second, the massive antiwar movement within the United States and international support for Vietnam. Third, the Paris Peace Talks. Well over 60% of the American people opposed the war by the late 1960s-early ’70s. The first peace protest took place in 1962; the first very large protest took place in Washington in 1965. Subsequently there were thousands of antiwar demonstrations large and small in cities, towns, and campuses all over America. Most of the allegations about insults directed at solders or vets from war opponents have been fabrications to discredit the antiwar forces — falsehoods Obama chose to repeat as part of the Pentagon’s campaign to reverse history’s negative verdict on the war in Vietnam. The peace movement’s targets were the warmakers in Washington and their allies abroad, not members of a largely conscript army. Perhaps the most notorious of the false accusations were frequent reports about antiwar individuals “spitting” at GIs and vets. The rumors were so wild that sociologist Jerry Lembcke wrote a book exposing the lies — “The Spitting Image: Myth, Memory, and the Legacy of Vietnam,” New York University Press, 1998. It’s extremely doubtful that the war commemoration will dare touch honestly upon the movement of active duty troops against the war and the hundreds of cases killing their own officers. One of the key reports on GI resistance was written by Col. Robert D. Heinl Jr. and published in the Armed Forces Journal of June 7, 1971. He began: “The morale, discipline and battle worthiness of the U.S. Armed Forces are, with a few salient exceptions, lower and worse than at anytime in this century and possibly in the history of the United States. “By every conceivable indicator, our army that now remains in Vietnam is in a state approaching collapse, with individual units avoiding or having refused combat, murdering their officers and non-commissioned officers, drug-ridden, and dispirited where not near mutinous. Elsewhere than Vietnam, the situation is nearly as serious. Another former Army colonel in Vietnam, Andrew J. Bacevich Sr. (now a professor of international relations at Boston University and a strong opponent of U.S. foreign/military policy) wrote a book about how the U.S. military labored for a dozen years after the defeat to revamp its war strategy and tactics. (“The New American Militarism: How Americans Are Seduced by War,” Oxford University Press, 2005.) One major conclusion was that a conscript army may become unreliable if the war is considered unjust in nature and unpopular at home. This is why conscription was ended for good and the Pentagon now relies on better paid professional standing military supplemented by a large number of contractors and mercenaries, who perform many duties that were once handled by regular soldiers. Veterans’ movements from the professional military of contemporary wars, such as Iraq Veterans Against the War and March Forward, as well as from the Vietnam era, are still out in the streets opposing imperialist wars, and public opinion polls reveal that over 60% of the American people oppose the Afghan adventure. Hanoi has several times extended the welcome mat to former antagonists, urging Americans and residents of southern Vietnam who now live abroad to “close the past and look to the future.” Wherever touring U.S. citizens — including former GIs — travel in Vietnam, they are met with the same respect as visitors from other countries. In the U.S., the Vietnam war still evokes fighting words in some quarters. Some Americans still argue that the U.S. “could have won if it didn’t have one hand tied behind its back” (i.e., used nuclear weapons), and some continue to hate the antiwar protesters of yesteryear, just as they do demonstrators against today’s wars. And some others — in Congress, the White House and the Pentagon — still seem to continue fighting the war by organizing a massive propaganda effort to distort the history of Washington’s aggression and unspeakable brutality in Vietnam.	https://www.globalresearch.ca/history-reversing-the-vietnam-verdict/31296
From 1954 to 1975 Vietnam was divided into two countries, North Vietnam (the Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (the Republic of Vietnam). After its defeat at Bien Dien Phu, France signed an independence agreement with the victorious Viet Minh in Geneva. Why did Vietnam split into north and south? The Geneva Accords in 1954 partitioned the country temporarily in two with a promise of democratic elections in 1956 to reunite the country. However, the United States and South Vietnam insisted on United Nations supervision of any election to prevent fraud, which the Soviet Union and North Vietnam refused. How was Vietnam divided 1954? In July 1954, the Geneva Agreements were signed. As part of the agreement, the French agreed to withdraw their troops from northern Vietnam. Vietnam would be temporarily divided at the 17th parallel, pending elections within two years to choose a president and reunite the country. What war was in 1954? Vietnam War, (1954–75), a protracted conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, against the government of South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. What year did the war between North and South Vietnam actually end? Having rebuilt their forces and upgraded their logistics system, North Vietnamese forces triggered a major offensive in the Central Highlands in March 1975. On April 30, 1975, NVA tanks rolled through the gate of the Presidential Palace in Saigon, effectively ending the war. Is Vietnam still divided today? Vietnam is no longer divided. Are North and South Vietnam one country now? Vietnam, a one-party Communist state, has one of south-east Asia’s fastest-growing economies and has set its sights on becoming a developed nation by 2020. It became a unified country once more in 1975 when the armed forces of the Communist north seized the south. Why did the US get involved in Vietnam after 1954? This had happened in Eastern Europe after 1945. China had become communist in 1949 and communists were in control of North Vietnam. The USA was afraid that communism would spread to South Vietnam and then the rest of Asia. It decided to send money, supplies and military advisers to help the South Vietnamese Government. Why did the US get involved in Vietnam? The U.S. entered the Vietnam War in an attempt to prevent the spread of communism, but foreign policy, economic interests, national fears, and geopolitical strategies also played major roles. Why did Vietnam get divided? The Vietnam War had its origins in the broader Indochina wars of the 1940s and ’50s, when nationalist groups such as Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh, inspired by Chinese and Soviet communism, fought the colonial rule first of Japan and then of France. Which president started the Vietnam War? November 1, 1955 — President Eisenhower deploys the Military Assistance Advisory Group to train the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. This marks the official beginning of American involvement in the war as recognized by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Why did the French finally decide to leave Vietnam in 1954? In July 1954, after one hundred years of colonial rule, a defeated France was forced to leave Vietnam. … This decisive battle convinced the French that they could no longer maintain their Indochinese colonies and Paris quickly sued for peace. Who ruled North and South Vietnam in 1954? The northern half was to be governed by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, which had been proclaimed by Ho Chi Minh, and the southern half would be governed by the noncommunist State of Vietnam until 1956, at which time the two zones were to be reunified following internationally supervised elections. What is the most dangerous animal in Vietnam? The most dangerous creatures in Vietnam - The Vietnamese Giant Centipede. Also known as the red-headed centipede, this fast-moving, 100-legged menace feeds on everything from bats to wolf spiders. … - Bats. Come dusk, every street lamp in the country teems with bats. … - Gaur. … - Mosquitoes. 19 янв. 2017 г. Why did America lose in Vietnam? America “lost” South Vietnam because it was an artificial construct created in the wake of the French loss of Indochina. Because there never was an “organic” nation of South Vietnam, when the U.S. discontinued to invest military assets into that construct, it eventually ceased to exist. How many draftees died in Vietnam? WASHINGTON, Feb. 11—The war in Vietnam has claimed more than 12,000 deaths among draftees, most of them in the army, the Pentagon said today. This means that about one of every 104 draftees from June, 1965, the beginning of the Vietnam build‐up, to June, 1969, was killed in action.	https://visatonkin.com/vietnam-cities/when-did-north-and-south-vietnam-separate.html
not only for what happened overseas but also for the many events that occurred within the United States during the war. On the home front one of the best remembered controversies due to the Vietnam War was the draft, or conscription. Conscription is “compulsory enrollment, especially for the armed forces; draft.”(http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=conscription). Conscription allowed the government to increase the number of troops fighting in Vietnam at any time. The draft was a system in which, “There were 366 blue plastic capsules containing birth dates placed in a large glass container and drawn by hand to assign order-of-call numbers to all men within the 18-26 age range specified in Selective Service law.” (http://www.sss.gov/lotter1.htm) Ultimately people would try everything that they could to avoid serving in the war. Some would even flee the United States entirely and find safety in Canada. “In active protest against United States involvement in the Vietnam War, many Americans publicly burned draft registration cards, risking imprisonment; others fled to other countries, such as Canada.” (http://www.answers.com/topic/draft-dodger) Many draft dodgers went to Canada for the Canadian government was very welcoming even though the Americans were committing federal crimes in the United States. “During the Vietnam War, about 100,000 draft dodgers, in total, went abroad; others hid in the United States. An estimated 50,000 to 90,000 of these moved to Canada, where they were treated as immigrants. Though their presence was initially controversial within Canada, the government eventually chose to welcome them. Draft evasion was not a criminal offence under Canadian law.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draft_dodger) Even though many people were dieing overseas defending the principles of the United States, people in the home front were trying their best to put themselves first and not the defense of freedom for the other people living in America. During the Vietnam War major developments occurred in the Executive Branch of the United States government. Toward the beginning of American involvement in Vietnam, a new president took office due to the assassination of Kennedy. “In November 1963, President Kennedy visited Texas to patch up feuds among Texas Democrats. On November 22 … Oswald fired three shots that wounded Texas Governor John Conally and killed the president… Vice President Lyndon Johnson took the oath of office as president on Air Force One while the blood-spattered Jacqueline Kennedy looked on.” (Goldfield, 904-905). With the assassination of President Kennedy the country changed a great deal, the new president, Lyndon Johnson, began to implement his own goals which were similar to Kennedy’s but were actually implemented. He made significant advancements in the civil rights movement to give rights to blacks. Johnson enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which outlawed segregation in public accommodations and it outlawed employment discrimination for federally assisted projects. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was created as a result of the act and it included gender in the list of categories protected against discrimination. Another act implemented under the command of Johnson was the Voting Rights Act signed on August 6, 1965. This was also advancement in civil rights and it outlawed literacy tests and provided for federal voting registrars in seven southern states. (Goldfield, 906-907). This greatly affected the view of the American people concerning politics for now far more people were able to vote and also blacks were much closer to being equal with whites. Due to the Vietnam War, a large number of Americans decided to remove themselves from traditional society and to not follow the law. As a result of the youth culture and counterculture decided to display their alienation from society by experimenting in drugs and simply ignored traditional standards set by society, they were known as hippies. (Goldfield, 919). The hippie movement was one of the few downsides to the Vietnam War. Even though African Americans gained many rights during the 1960s, racial riots occurred in cities across America. “Riots in Rochester, Harlem, and Brooklyn in July 1964 opened four years of racial violence. Before they subsided, the riots scarred most big cities and killed two hundred people, most of them African Americans.” (Goldfield, 920). One famous riot occurred in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles starting on August 11, 1965. A Los Angeles police officer pulled over motorist Marquette Frye [who was with his brother Ronald]; he suspected Marquette of driving drunk. While officers questioned them, a crowd of onlookers had begun to form. When Rena Frye, the boys mother showed up, a struggle ensued which led to the arrest of all 3 members of the Frye family. More officers had arrived on the scene and had hit the brothers with their batons. The crowd had grown and by this point had become angry. After the police left the scene, the crowd & tension escalated and sparked the riots, which lasted 6 days. More than 34 people died, 1000 wounded, and an estimated $50 - $100 million in property damage. (Watts Riots). The one riot was bad but the cause of the riot was determined yet the problem was never resolved only creating more tension between the races. After the riots, then Governor Pat Brown named John McCone to head a commission to study the riots. The report issued by the Commission concluded that the riots weren't the act of thugs, but rather symptomatic of much deeper problems: the high jobless rate in the inner city, poor housing, bad schools… no great effort was made to address [the problems], or to rebuild what had been destroyed in the riots. (The 1965 Watts Riots). The violence continued in many different cities due to discrimination of blacks and Hispanics. The riots all seemed to follow a consistent scenario. Police action would draw a crowd, when the police are unable to disperse crowds the onlookers become rioters. After the police withdraw, the disorder would continue and escalate until the National Guard arrives, consequentially causes deaths when the soldiers fire on crowds they feel to be threatening. (Goldfield, 921). The riots in the United States were simply more violence not needed since many brave soldiers were dying fighting in Vietnam. Another movement taking place in the home front during the Vietnam War was the rise of “Black Power.” This in turn led to an increased interest in the Nation of Islam giving power to people such as Malcolm X. Malcolm X preached ideas such as black people should stop allowing white people to set the terms by which blacks are judged. Malcolm X also emphasized the African cultural heritage and economic self-help and proclaimed himself an extremist for black rights. Malcolm X was assassinated in February of 1965 due to internal rivalries. (Goldfield, 922). Malcolm X was one of many prominent American figures assassinated in the 1960s. Martin Luther King Jr., a man who wanted equality for all and used nonviolent methods to try and achieve his goal. He was killed on April 4, 1968 by James Earl Ray. Only a few weeks later on June 5, Robert Kennedy, John F. Kennedy’s brother, was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan ensuring the Democratic nomination for Humphrey who lost to Nixon in the election of 1968. (Goldfield, 926). These assassinations shook the foundations of America for many great leaders were killed standing up for what they believed to be right. The Vietnam War was a major event, but a great deal occurred on the home front. During the war many things changed in America ranging from culture to the leadership of the country. Had it not been for the war the United States would have had drastically different events take place on the home front. Works Cited “The 1965 Watts Riots.” USC Online. Internet. 2 June 2006 Available http://www.usc.edu/libraries/archives/la/watts.html. “Conscription.” Online. Internet. 2 June 2006. Available http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=conscription. “Draft Dodger.” Online. Internet. 2 June 2006 Available http://www.answers.com/topic/draft-dodger. “Draft Dodger.” Wikipedia Online. Internet. 2 June 2006 Available http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draft_dodger. Goldfield, David. The American Journey. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2001. “The Vietnam Lotteries.” Selective Service System Online. Internet. 2 June 2006 Available http://www.sss.gov/lotter1.htm. “Watts Riots.” PBS Online. Internet. 2 June 2006 Available http://www.pbs.org/hueypnewton/times/times_watts.html From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Image File history File links Defoliation_agent_spraying.jpg (152KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons. The description on its description page there is shown below. Description: Vietnam. Defoliation Mission. A UH-1D helicopter from the 336th Aviation Company sprays a defoliation agent on a dense jungle area in the Mekong delta., 07/26/1969 Source: US Archiv ARCWEB ARC Identifier: 530626 Post-Work: User:W.wolny Licence: Public Domain This work is in the public domain because it is a work of the work of the United States Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code. This applies worldwide. See Copyright. Note that this DOES NOT apply to any work of any US state. File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Agent Orange Vietnam War Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Defoliation_agent_spraying.jpg" Defoliation_agent_spraying.jpg (152KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) image/jpeg The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed):	http://vietnamwar3.tripod.com/id2.html

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