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Over the past 40 years, Eager.one has built up a great deal of experience and knowledge within the world of heavy lift and specialized transport, which it has translated into a series of master classes on how to execute a safe and well-prepared project. Ton Raemakers, senior consultant, discusses some of the first steps that operators should take to prepare for a critical lift.
Have you ever opened a newspaper and seen an article about an accident involving a mobile crane on a construction site? In some cases, these incidents can result in serious injuries for workers and a large amount of damage.
A recent article spotted in a local newspaper said that an investigation into an accident found the main causes to be the crane’s lack of stability and weak ground-bearing capacity.
But why do we see so many accidents happening with mobile cranes? Are operators under-estimating external factors that impact on a crane’s functionality? Or, are they ignoring the manufacturer’s instructions and safety regulations and applying too much pressure on the machines?
Mobile cranes, according to European directives, are designed, built and operated in accordance with a comprehensive package of standards and safety legislation. They are very complex machines with a lot of different components that can be used in numerous configurations, to fit the proposed lifting job.
But, preparing for a lift using a mobile crane should start by focusing on the load itself: the weight, center of gravity, dimensions, lifting points, and other information provided by the manufacturer of the load.
Nothing should be assumed when preparing for a lift; all the information needs to be accurate and up to date. If there is any doubt, the load should be weighed to obtain the accurate data. After taking into account site conditions, it is time to focus on the crane and its configuration.
To judge which configuration should be used, the manufacturer’s instruction manual and capacity chart should be consulted. In this document, all the configurations are listed with the corresponding capacity charts, the relevant details and its limitations.
The weight of the load will not change during the lift and, from the starting point until the set-down position, radius and hook height need to be considered.
A key element here is the required load moment of the crane, which is the load (ton/tons) x radius (m) measured to the center of the slewing crane. It is defined in tons/meters and for ringer cranes, the center of the ring is considered as the basis for the radius.
The capacity of a mobile crane is, among other things, based on the tipping moment.
In accordance with the European standards (EN 13000) the maximum load in a capacity chart is based on 80 percent of the tipping load plus 10 percent of the boom mass. In other words, the tipping moment should be at least 1.25 times the stabilizing load moment.
Indeed, overloading is one of the most common causes of crane accidents. A load moment indicator acts as a part of the safety warning system for the crane and sounds an alarm when the load moment is reaching its maximum capacity.
Another important factor to be aware of is that any load indicated in the crane’s capacity chart excludes the weight of the rigging, the hook block and any lifting tackle. When preparing for a lift, it is essential that the net capacity be properly calculated.
External forces can play a role in causing an accident. For example, under-estimating the effect of the wind has been a common factor in a number of lifting accidents and crane collapses.
A capacity chart indicates what maximum wind force is acceptable. This figure should not be under-estimated and operators should not take any risk with these calculations.
The chart will also indicate a sailing area of 1 sq. m per tone load and a wind resistance factor of 1.2 is included in the design calculations. Usually, this covers the majority of the lifts. However, when there is a load with a large sailing area, you have to make a separate wind calculation. With this calculation you can determine the maximum allowable wind speed that is still safe.
Next, the crane should be placed on a flat and even platform. Even means even – an angle as small as 1 percent will increase the risks considerably.
The crane should also be placed on a platform with enough weight-bearing capacity – this is a critical issue. The ground bearing pressure from the crane or its outriggers can be calculated using standard software provided with the crane.
While the client should provide you with the maximum allowable ground bearing pressure, this is often a challenge in itself. It is recommended that for large crawler and ringer cranes, surveillance and investigative work be carried out in cooperation with geotechnical experts.
By thoroughly preparing for a lift, there can be a significant reduction in the inherent risk involved. For critical, non-routine lifts, more comprehensive preparation is required.
This includes extensive risk assessments, safety plans, lifting and rigging plans, all of which should be underpinned by rigorous calculations.
Still, there is another frequent cause of crane accidents that has not yet been considered – the human factor. This is key to a safe and well-prepared lift. To reduce the risk of human error, operators should have a solid understanding of crane safety and be properly trained on crane operations.
Clear instructions and good communication around the jobsite are also essential, as is having the right attitude towards the job.
Most crane accidents are avoidable, if the lifts are well-prepared and there is a strict safety procedure in place. And, if you think all of the above is a waste of time and money, try an accident.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Please contact us for specialist advice about your specific circumstances.
This article was also published in the September/October 2019 edition of HLPFI magazine. Read the online version here.
Enlarge article critical lifts
Our 40 years of experience provides the basis of a successful start of your project: right from the FEED phase. Preparation is vital. Therefore our concept studies, method statements and mission equipment offer you all the support you need.
Our aim is to optimize your project team’s results. With our exclusive knowledge of lifting and transportation we eliminate and manage risks. This is how we reach our collective goal: Zero Accidents, Zero Incidents.
We have built up a great deal of experience with the design of (mobile) cranes and bespoke heavy equipment such as piling machines and excavators. Our customer base includes the most prominent producers of cranes and heavy machinery worldwide.
Call +31 (0) 30 240 80 60 or use the contact form. We always respond within 24 hours. | https://eager.one/new-article-hlpfi-magazine-solid-foundations-for-critical-lifts/ |
Introduction:
Burn deaths and injuries are more common in people of lower socioeconomic status, and the survivors find their pre-injury poverty levels worsen after recovery. Many of these accidents are preventable by increasing knowledge in the community for fire safety. Research on fire-safety interventions in the United States suggests that simply giving people information is not enough unless behavior is changed by community participation, persuasive communication and directed self-monitoring.
Method:
This research is a preventative health intervention which could help minimize the risk and incidence of child burn injuries. It is based on an attempt to change community health behavior by impacting predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors of the health hazard. The intervention has four components: 1) enhancing pediatric counseling; 2) an on-site safety resource center; 3) home visits; and 4) fire safety Curriculum distribution. The essence of the intervention is community participation in the design, implementation, and monitoring processes, particularly through Participatory Rural Appraisal. Additionally, theoretical models of health behavior change are used to inform the intervention for persuasive communication, enhanced self-efficacy, modeling, and directed self-monitoring.
Results:
Research suggests that the most changeable and important factor for in-home child injuries is child-proofing. Child-proofing means making a home safer by simple in-home behavioral changes. Keeping this in mind pictography-based literature were designed; mothers from the intervention communities were selected to form a focus group for discussion and distributing the material to change the health behavior, e.g. girls from poor families are expected to start cooking at a young age, exposing them to fire and hot oil. Similarly, boys who are expected to work in dangerous circumstances, such as welding shops to make a living and support their families.
Conclusions:
This study identified specific patterns and risk factors of pediatric burns. Burn prevention efforts should be directed towards mitigating these risk factors as well as educating parents.
Applicability of Research to Practice:
The research carried out through the school-system, where children who are themselves the high-risk population of a fire hazard were educated on fire safety. Arguments in favor of this approach are that it would have greater cost-effectiveness than the actual acute burn treatment. | https://houseofcharity.com/fire-kills-you-can-prevent-it/ |
Since many accidents are due to poor training, it is recommended that only those who have been trained and licensed in accordance with OSHA standards be responsible for operating a forklift. Employers should evaluate their employees’ performance at least once every three years and supplement training with lectures, videos, software training, and demonstrations.
Wear Proper Clothing
Forklift operators should be dressed with the appropriate safety equipment, including safety shoes, hard hats, and a high-visibility jacket. Make sure to tuck away loose clothing to prevent it from getting caught on the forklift.
Know the Forklift Class
OSHA recognizes many different forklift types and classifications. Since each type has its own structure, weight limit, traveling speed, turning radius, and usage, it’s important to know your equipment in order to follow the best safety practices.
Inspect the Equipment Daily
Forklifts should be thoroughly inspected before every use. Daily checks with the shift supervisor and Operator are recommended to identify and log any problems or defects( use forklift operator’s daily checklist ) download below. Any equipment that requires repair should never be operated. Some of the recommended checks include:
- Test operating controls such as brakes, lights, horn, and steering wheel
- Check mast and overhead guard for damage
- Examine tire and fluid levels (hydraulic, brake, engine, fuel, and coolant)
- Check for water, oil, or radiator leaks
- Ensure the forks are in good condition (e.g. straight, no cracks, no distortion)
- Look for potential hazards
When using a forklift, it is important to follow all worksite rules, signs, and regulations. Here are some best practices to help you observe your operating environment and protect yourself and the other individuals on the worksite.
Maintain 360° Visibility
Keep forks low to the ground to provide clear forward visibility. If the load restricts your visibility, operate the equipment in reverse. Always ensure you have a good view of the rack when you are positioning the load. Additional best practices defined by OSHA are:
- Always make eye contact with pedestrians and other workers
- Always look in the direction of travel
- Use rear-view mirrors to boost visibility
- Use headlights if working at night, outdoors, or in areas where additional lighting is needed
You can read the rest of the tips on the OSHA website.
Implement a Floor Marking System
A floor marking system can help increase worker safety. Use yellow to mark physical hazards, such as areas prone to falling or stumbling, and red to delineate fire hazards, fire equipment and emergency switches. Place wayfinders and signs throughout the site to keep pedestrians away from forklift paths, lead forklifts along safe routes, and improve the overall flow of traffic.
Read more about :
Maintain Equipment Capacity
Be aware of the capacity of your forklift and any attachments used. Avoid hauling weight that exceeds the counterweight of the forklift. Overloading a forklift can cause the rear wheels to rise off the ground and the whole machine to fall over, causing injury to personnel and damage to the equipment and materials.
Never Carry Extra People
Do not allow other workers to ride on the equipment with you unless a second seat is fitted into the forklift. Do no use the forklift to lift people, as forklifts are designed to carry loads. If you need to lift a person, use only a secure work platform and cage.
Pay Attention to the Forklift’s Stability
Before using a forklift, make sure your hands and shoes are completely dry and sit in a comfortable position with all the controls within reach. In addition to seating yourself securely, take the following steps before operating the forklift to increase your safety.
Each forklift has a center of gravity – the point where the weight has equal concentration – that it shares with the load it carries. Forklifts are built on a three-point suspension system, called the “stability triangle” that operators must stay within to prevent it from tipping over. The heavier the load, the further out the center of gravity is from the load center, decreasing your forklift’s lifting capacity.
Ensure Loads are Stable and Secure
When placing loads on the loading dock, be sure to check them for balance. Travel with the load tilted backwards and keep forks as low as possible to increase the stability of the equipment, especially when navigating on ramps. Use ropes or bindings to secure stacks and heavy loads if necessary and make sure any pallets or skids used are the appropriate weight for the load.
( Read Operator dies when forklift falls off loading dock )
Move at the Appropriate Speed
Drive your forklift within the designated speed limits. It’s important to not stop, turn, change directions suddenly, or move fast when making sharp turns, as these actions can cause the forklift to tip over. If your forklift starts to dip, do not try to jump clear of the machine. Experts recommend staying in the vehicle, gripping the wheel, and bracing your feet.
Maintain a Safe Operating Distance
Always be mindful of the surrounding equipment on the worksite. Do not operate a forklift in close proximity to other machinery unless absolutely necessary, and keep a safe distance to allow you room to stop safely and avoid other machines that are moving in an unpredictable manner.
( Read Forklift Maintenance Tips)
Avoid Hazardous Areas of the Equipment
Avoid standing or walking under a load, lifting mechanism, or forklift attachment, as loads can fall off on anyone positioned below it. Keep hands and feet clear away from the forklift mast, as a moving mast can cause serious injury.
Refuel and Recharge the Forklift
It’s important to keep equipment fully charged and fueled. Be sure to recharge and refuel in specially designated locations, which are usually well-ventilated and flame-free areas. Be diligent in switching off the equipment every time it’s being refueled.
Park the Forklift at the End of the Shift
At the end of the shift, be sure to always park the equipment in the designated and authorized areas. The construction company should make sure the parking areas do not block pathways or obstruct any exits or entrances. Fully lower the forks until they fit the floor, apply the parking brake, turn off the engine, and remove the key from the ignition.
( Download : E-Books:Forklift Safety Guide )
Download the Checklists
These checklist not all-inclusive. You may wish to add to them or delete portions that do not apply to your workplace. Carefully consider each item as you come to it and then make your decision. Do not spend time with items that have no application to your workplace.
Forklift Operator’s Daily Checklist
More Forms
- Guides for Walking and Working Surfaces Safety Program
- Workshop Safety Guideline and free Posters
- Free Ergonomics Checklist for General Industry
- Work Area Safety Checklist
- Machine Safety and 43-Equipment Inspection Checklists
- Scaffold Safety self Audit and checklist
- Hot Work Controls and its Permit to work Form
- Safety Observation Report Template
- Forklift Operator’s Daily Checklist and safety Tips
- Inspecting Fall protection Equipment Forms
- Templates: HSE Incentives and rewards
- 35 Inspection forms for Rig Check
- Chemical Risk Assessment form
- 22-Safety Inspection Checklists
- Safety Task Assessment Form
- Suspended Scaffold Pre-Operation Inspection Checklist
- Photo of the day: New worker Orientation & Safety Orientation checklist
- Grating-Decking-Floor- handrail-Removal Form
- Electrical Inspection Checklists
- E-Books: Fire Safety Logbook templates
- General Safety Guidelines and Employee Acknowledgment form
- Annual Internal Audit Form
- Mobile Scaffold Inspection checklist
- Simultaneous Operation (SIMOPS) checklist
- Temporary Construction Facilities (TCF) Inspection checklist
- HIRA, HSE Hazards & Effects Management Process (HEMP) & Risk Register Template
- Hazard Identification Plan (HIP) Template
- Ladder Inspection Form
- Free Pre-Startup Safety Review Checklist (PSSR)
- Hazard Identification Checklist
- Workplace Housekeeping Checklist
- ISO 45001:2018 READINESS CHECKLIST
- Lifting Plan Audit Checklist
- Job Safety Analysis (JSA) Forms What’s Right and Wrong? | https://hsseworld.com/forklift-operators-daily-checklist-and-safety-tips/ |
3 Tips for Increasing Fire Safety in the Workplace
Fires can be caused by any number of risk factors from natural disasters like lightning strikes to electrical malfunctions. That is why it is important to develop a proper fire safety plan for your workplace. While you want to minimize hazards and prevent fires whenever possible, accidents can still happen. Luckily, there are several simple steps you can take to increase safety and reduce your risk in the event of a fire.
- Use Automatic Suppression Systems
If a fire does break out, automatic suppression systems like foaming hoods and sprinklers can put it out quickly before it spreads. They work to save time since no action is needed to activate them. That means you and your employees can focus on getting to safety instead of worrying about containing a fire.
- Maintain Fire Extinguishers
Automatica systems may not always be the best line of defense, especially for smaller fires that break out. That is why there should be an adequate supply of fire extinguishers available throughout your buildings and property. They should be inspected and recharged as needed, which can vary depending on a number of factors. Routine training on how to properly operate fire extinguishers NY metro area ensures that workers are familiar with their features in an emergency.
- Have a Clear Evacuation Plan
A key component of your fire plan should be the designation of clear evacuation procedures. Everyone should know the best way to get out of the building and to safety. A system should also be in place to account for everyone who was inside at the time. Mark exits so they are clearly visible, even if smoke is present.
While you cannot prevent all accidents and fires, you can take steps to minimize injuries and damage in case one breaks out. These should include adequate fire suppression systems and a plan to get everyone to safety during an emergency. | https://www.smallbusinessanalysis.us/business/3-tips-for-increasing-fire-safety-in-the-workplace.html |
According to accidents reported under RIDDOR in 2017, 9% of fatal injuries were found to be caused by contact with moving machinery. Improving facility safety is critical to to reduce the risk of accidents and safeguard staff, but did you know safety can impact productivity and machine effectiveness, too?
Consider
When installing a new machine, the plant manager must carefully consider how it fits into the manufacturing facility to develop safe and ergonomic working practices. The plant manager should conduct risk assessments to ensure that the environment is safe, considering factors such as machine emissions, which may impact the ventilation needed in a facility.
Each type of equipment will have different safety considerations. For example, electrical equipment will likely be covered by EN 60204-1, which specifies requirements for enclosures, isolators, actuators, and documentation.
Manufacturers must ensure their equipment has been manufactured according to the relevant standards—but also that they operate to them. Some equipment may have to comply with the ATEX 137 Directive or the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) if there is a risk of explosion. Compliance with these regulations is crucial in safeguarding your production facility, and more importantly, your staff.
Communicate
Without a full understanding of how to operate machinery, staff could be at risk of injury. Performing detailed training to help your staff get to grips with the correct processes and procedures for machine operation is essential in managing safety. This should also cover the required personal protective equipment (PPE) that is to be worn during operation.
Staff can be provided with checklists to help ensure operation and maintenance is performed correctly. There should also be a central person, such as a safety manager, that your staff can contact in case of confusion or query. This will help remove the risk of human error.
Connect
Adding sensors to the production line to monitor the performance of your equipment can improve workplace safety. By making the best use of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, plant managers can gather and analyze real-time information on the performance of their equipment and staff. This can help reduce common accidents and help identify any issues with machinery, which may also be a safety risk to staff.
The connected equipment can measure machine parameters to warn of any risk of overheating, which can be a factor in breakdown. If a serious risk is detected, staff can be evacuated. However, if it is simply a broken part, the connected system can warn the plant manager to order a replacement component, perform maintenance, and get the system back to running optimally.
Workplace safety is critical to reduce the risk of fatal and non-fatal accidents. Connecting systems to improve safety, productivity, and performance is essential. | https://www.machinedesign.com/motion-control/three-important-steps-achieve-machine-safety |
Certifiers shall satisfy themselves that adequate details have been prepared for all other elements, including secondary beams, trimmers, staircases, etc., and that sufficient calculations have been prepared in accordance with an acceptable methodology to demonstrate the adequacy of the design.
The Technical Handbook states:
‘In order to be safe, a building should be capable of resisting all loads acting on it as a result of its intended use and geographical location. To achieve this, the structure of a building should be designed with margins of safety to ensure that the mandatory functional standard has been met.’
Other elements of the superstructure will be those elements which are not regarded as principal loadbearing or stability elements and will include secondary beams, trimmers, staircases, suspended floors, plant room floors and their immediate supports and supports for significant items of building services, such as air conditioning plant, heavy ductwork and cable trays.
Calculations for any other elements should be carried out in accordance with the Codes and Standards listed in the Technical Handbooks accompanying the Regulations. Where design methodologies have been used which are not based on these then Certifiers must be satisfied that the alternative approach still meets the standard required by the regulations and clearly demonstrate how they have satisfied themselves in this regard.
The warrant plans should show all elements of superstructure and they should be consistent with the design calculations.
The level of checking undertaken will depend on a wide range of factors which include the complexity of the design and the risk associated with structural failure. For more detailed guidance refer to SER Guidance Note 11, ‘Guidelines for Checking the Structural Design of Buildings’.
As stated in other guidance structure is not explicitly defined either in the Act or the Regulations and therefore must be inferred from consideration of the requirements of the Regulations. In the context of Standard 1.1 Structure it can be implied to mean any part of a building that is required to sustain and transmit load. It is therefore important that the certifier checks to see that all the loadbearing elements of the building have been designed and detailed appropriately.
The design of any of the other superstructure elements clearly does not meet the requirements of Standards 1.1 and 1.2.
Absence of suitably checked structural calculations, load/span tables, test certification or other justification for the design of any other important elements of structure.
Absence of suitably checked drawings/details.
Grossly inadequate details for other elements on the warrant drawings.
Inadequate or insufficient details on the building warrant plans.
Inadequate or insufficient structural calculations, load/span tables, test certification or other justification for the design of any other element of structure.
October 2016
Previous PageNext Page | https://www.ser-ltd.com/ser-scotland/resources/certification-performance-criteria/b4-8-superstructure-%E2%80%93-other-elements |
Heating Oil Tank and Base Installations in the South West of England.
Regulations for oil tank installation might sound like a lot of responsibility for the average homeowner, but they’re in place for a reason: to protect you and your property and, importantly, reduce the potential risk of fires and the negative effects on the environment.
While every tank installation or relocation carried out by the CT Tanks team will be completed following OFTEC building regulations, it’s a homeowner’s duty to annually check that their oil tank still meets these fundamental requirements.
Let’s take a look at some of the key elements you’ll need to consider—covering new installations, tank relocations, oil tank bases, and general planning permission for certain cases.
Building regulations for oil tanks
For new domestic oil tank installations, relocation of existing tanks—or even replacing an old one that’s reached the end of its life cycle—you are required to review your local authority’s oil tank and building regulations. These standards are often liable to change, so you must ensure your current set-up or any planned works are in line with the most up-to-date legislation and determine whether planning permission is needed for these projects.
Indeed, as of 2022, regulations for extensions and oil tank installations were renewed, stating that planning permission won’t be required if:
If you’re planning to install an oil tank into a listed building, you will require planning permission, making sure to adhere to strict oil tank code. As well as identifying the requirements listed below, it’s also advisable to contact your local authority to confirm you’re following the most current regulations.
Planning permission requirements
On top of ensuring that your oil tank meets local authority standards, it’s also vital that your oil tank base is equally adherent to strict regulations, for both safety and environmental impact concerns. When then thinking about base installation, you must consider the following:
The weight of a full tank. Fuel oil weighs approximately one tonne per 1,000 litres, in addition to the weight of the tank itself. If we consider that a domestic oil tank can hold up to 3,500 litres, equal to 3.5 tonnes, you would require a base that can safely uphold that weight load, irrespective of the ground conditions.
Failure to supply a base that can support the weight of a full tank will result in leakages, and damage to your tank and its pipes, leading to expensive repair work, as well as the irrevocable damage a leak could cause to the soil and the environment.
Here at CT Tanks, we ensure that each oil tank base installation is done professionally and following strict guidelines and regulations. For peace of mind, rely on us to provide a safe and secure base for your tank, one that is built to last.
Let’s talk materials. It’s imperative that your base is impermeable in order to protect the soil from any contaminating leakages. The base must also be constructed from a non-combustible material such as stonework, concrete or paving; installed and set on a level bed and extend the perimeter of the tank by a minimum of 300mm. For pre-cast concrete slabs, the base is required to be at least 50mm thick and installed on a hardcore base while concrete cast must be at least 100mm thick.
Much like regulations associated with the position of your oil tank, you are also required to install the base in a location where there’s a minimal risk of fire spreading to nearby structures. Always be sure to review these regulations, while being safe in the knowledge that any installation or relocation project carried out by the expert team of installers here at CT Tanks will follow strict OFTEC building regulations.
If you’d like some further advice about domestic oil tank installation regulations, or to ensure your existing oil tank is meeting them, please don’t hesitate to contact the team here at CT Tanks. | https://www.ct-tanks.com/news/article/oil-tank-installation-regulations-a-guide |
Recently, train accidents have been occurring frequently in the news. The Metro-North train that derailed and collided with an oncoming train in Bridgeport has been especially frightening for those of us here in Connecticut who take the train to and from New York. Additionally, accidents in Maryland and California have brought a lot of attention to railroad safety. What few realize, however, is that train accidents are more common than one would think.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) reported 1,712 train accidents in 2012. Ten accidents were here, in Connecticut, and 34 were in New York. Despite how high the number seems, train accidents have actually been decreasing every year as more and more railroad companies are taking stricter measures to ensure safety.
Because trains are so massive and fast, there are inherent dangers to passengers on trains, railroad employees, and at railroad crossings. Many factors can contribute to an accident. However, the most common causes for train accidents are mechanical and electrical errors. Environmental conditions can also pose a safety threat, such as snow, ice, mud, or rocks on the track.
Human error is often another cause of train accidents. Negligence by the driver, conductor, rail operator, or the railroad company can cause devastating accidents. Just like in a car, a train accident by human error can result from violating speed limit restrictions, distractions such as cell phones, and ignoring safety regulations.
Railroad workers are the most at risk of being harmed in a train accident. The Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) protects railroad workers if they are injured on the job so they can receive compensation for their injuries from the company or the state. Passengers and all others injured by a train may also have a claim against the railway owner or state for negligence.
Whether the accident is a fire, a derailment, or a collision with another train, car, or pedestrian, it is up to the railroad company to ensure they are following federal and state safety laws. Compensation for injuries in a train accident can include damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost income. Since there are many different parties and errors involved in train accidents, pinpointing who was at fault is a much more complicated process than with a car accident.
For more information about motor vehicle accidents, click here.
What do you think about all of the recent train accidents? Let us know in the comments below! | https://www.welcomelawfirm.com/blog/2013/june/are-train-accidents-becoming-a-trend-/ |
Interview on Georgia-EU relations with Viktor Kipiani, the Chair of Geocase
- In Munich the Foreign Ministers of Associated countries of Eastern Partnership signed a joint statement concerning boosting of support in the implementation of the Associated Agreements by the European Union in Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.
How do you evaluate the abovementioned statement?
The joint statement of Associated countries of Eastern Partnership is important in the context of ongoing negotiations about the approval of a financial framework agreement on the budget for 2021- 2027. The Associated countries of Eastern Partnership underlined that the support for the implementation of the Associated Agreements should be appropriately reflected in the EU budget. Additional financial resources are significant for effective implementation of obligations under the Association and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements. Overall, the successful performance of these obligations will enhance the process of European integration.
The Foreign Ministers of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova believe that the European Union remains the key player in maintaining stability and development in the world. The EU is a strategic partner for Georgia in terms of enhancing democracy and economic development. The participant countries of Eastern Partnership have different level of readiness towards European integration. The statement of Associated countries is indicative of this circumstance.
- You mentioned that the effective performance of obligations under the Association Agreement will enhance the process of European integration. How do you assess the dynamics of implementation of Association Agreement?
In this context, it is essential to analyze the Association Implementation Report on Georgia. The recent report says: “The EU regards Georgia as a key partner in the region. Georgia continues to be fully committed to and actively participates in the Eastern Partnership multilateral architecture.” The report emphasizes that civil society remains very active in monitoring the implementation of the Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA). The document pays attention to the ongoing reforms at the legislative and executive levels. It highlights that the Parliament of Georgia adopted amendments to establish the new National Security Council, an advisory body to the Prime Minister. The report also emphasizes that the Government adopted a 2019-2020 action plan to implement the public administration reform roadmap for 2020. The document calls attention to security challenges emerged in the occupied territories. The EU continues to firmly support Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The report underlines Georgia’s contribution to the EU missions. It focuses on ongoing legislative reforms in the fields of competition, public procurement, intellectual property, judiciary. Georgia’s efforts in the area of the digital economy and society are positively viewed in the report. In the regional development context, the document says that the Government developed a decentralization strategy for 2019-2025, with the intention of devolving more functions and financial resources to local authorities. However, it is significant to continue reforms in order to be closer to the EU and achieve European perspective. The challenges, that are mentioned in the document, can be overcome only in the close cooperation with the European institutions and through consideration of their recommendations.
- You talked about Georgia’s European perspective. In your opinion, to what extent is it difficult for Georgia to become a member state of the EU?
-The EU is different from other regional international organizations with its legal nature. It has multilateral dimensions. Therefore, membership in the EU demands to implement various reforms. We need to continue our efforts to enhance democratic institutions, to take appropriate measures with the intention of using benefits of trading in the European Union based on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement and to implement legislative reforms for the legal approximation of Georgian legislation to the EU acquis. By using relevant procedures, this process will give us the opportunity to convince partners that we can meet political, economic and legal criteria of European integration. In this process, Georgia should meet the EU expectations, which serves Georgia’s national interests because in doing so Georgia establishes itself as a competitive international actor in long-term perspective.
Simultaneously, the issues of Georgia-EU agenda should be annually analyzed. On February 17, 2020, the representatives of legislative and executive branches met with the Diplomatic Corps accredited to Georgia within “Ambassadorial Chat”. This event was organized by Geocase. The parties discussed priorities of Georgia-EU relations.
The continuity and effective implementation of reforms will be the precondition to overcome challenges on the European integration path.
- How do you evaluate the role of Eastern Partnership in the context of European integration. Furthermore, within this framework, Georgia signed the Association Agreement. Also, visa liberalization came into effect for Georgian citizens allowing them to travel to the Schengen zone for a short stay without a visa.
The Eastern Partnership is not an instrument for membership in the European Union. It is a dimension of the European Neighborhood policy. Six Eastern European partners: Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan are involved in the format. The Eastern Partnership aims to develop cooperation with these countries and promote their democratic and economic development. However, effective implementation of reforms within the Association and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements will assist us to be prepared for the procedures of the EU membership.
The Eastern Partnership framework will provide the effective assistance to Georgia to enhance democratic institutions, to continue reforms in the judicial system and promote economic development in the future. Overall, it should bring prosperity to Georgian citizens. | https://www.interpressnews.ge/en/article/106241-viktor-kipiani-the-eu-regards-georgia-as-a-key-partner-in-the-region-and-underlines-that-georgia-actively-participates-in-the-eastern-partnership-multilateral-architecture/ |
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Federal agencies seek comments on third-party relationships
On July 13, the Federal Reserve Board, FDIC, and OCC announced a request for public comments on proposed guidance designed to aid banking organizations manage risks related to third-party relationships, including relationships with financial technology-focused entities. The guidance also responds to industry feedback requesting alignment among the agencies with respect to third-party risk management guidance. The proposed guidance provides “a framework based on sound risk management principles for banking organizations to consider in developing risk management practices for all stages in the life cycle of third-party relationships that takes into account the level of risk, complexity, and size of the banking organization and the nature of the third-party relationship.” The proposal addresses key components of risk management, such as (i) planning, due diligence and third-party selection; (ii) contract negotiation; (iii) oversight and accountability; (iv) ongoing monitoring; and (v) termination. Comments on the proposal are due 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
FSB addresses climate-related financial risks
On July 7, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) released several reports addressing climate-related financial risks. The FSB Roadmap for Addressing Climate-Related Financial Risks noted that a growing number of international initiatives are underway that address financial risks resulting from climate change. “Effective risk management at the level of individual companies and financial market participants is a precondition for a resilient financial system,” the report stated, adding that the “interconnections between climate-related financial risks faced by different participants in the financial system reinforce the case for coordinated action.” Among other things, the FSB set out a roadmap that focuses on four interrelated areas: (i) firm-level disclosures that should be used as the basis for pricing and managing climate-related financial risks at the level of individual entities and market participants; (ii) consistent metrics and disclosure data that can “provide the raw material for the diagnosis of climate-related vulnerabilities”; (iii) an analysis of vulnerabilities to provide the groundwork for designing and applying regulatory and supervisory framework and tools; and (iv) the establishment of regulatory and supervisory practices and tools to allow authorities to effectively identify climate-related risks to financial stability. FSB also released the Report on Promoting Climate-Related Disclosures, following a survey of members which explored national and regional current or planned climate-related disclosures. FSB presented several high-level recommendations, including, among other things, that financial authorities use a framework based on recommendations from the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) across both non-financial corporates and financial institutions to propose a more consistent global approach. FSB issued another report entitled, The Availability of Data with Which to Monitor and Assess Climate-Related Risks to Financial Stability, that suggested various priorities to address climate-related data gaps “to improve the monitoring and assessment of climate-related risks to financial stability.”
Additionally, Federal Reserve Board Vice Chair for Supervision, Randal K. Quarles, spoke before the Venice International Conference on Climate Change on July 11, in which he discussed the work of the TCFD and stressed the importance of improving data quality and addressing data gaps, as well as ultimately establishing "a basis of comprehensive, consistent, and comparable data for global monitoring and assessing climate-related financial risks."
FFIEC releases “Architecture, Infrastructure, and Operations” booklet
On June 30, the Federal Financial Institutions Examinations Council (FFIEC) published the “Architecture, Infrastructure, and Operations” booklet of the FFIEC Information Technology Examination Handbook, which provides guidance to examiners on assessing the risk profile and adequacy of an entity’s information technology architecture, infrastructure, and operations (AIO). According to FDIC FIL-47-2021, the booklet, among other things: (i) describes the principles and practices that examiners should review in order to assess an entity’s AIO functions; (ii) focuses on “enterprise-wide, process-oriented approaches regarding the design of technology within the overall enterprise and business structure, implementation of information technology infrastructure components, and delivery of services and value for customers”; and (iii) mentions “assessing an entity’s governance of common AIO-related risks, enterprise-wide IT architectural planning and design, implementation of virtual and physical infrastructure, and on assessing an entity’s related operational controls.” In addition, according to an OCC announcement, the booklet discusses how appropriate governance of the AIO functions and related activities can: (i) promote risk identification across banks, nonbank financial institutions, bank holding companies, and third-party providers; (ii) support implementation of effective risk management; (iii) assist management through the regular assessment of an entity’s strategies; and (iv) promote alignment and integration between the functions. The booklet replaces the Operations booklet issued in July 2004.
Texas permits banks to provide virtual currency custody services
On June 10, the Texas Department of Banking issued Industry Notice 2021-03, which notifies supervised Texas state-charted banks that they “may provide customers with virtual currency custody services, as long as the bank has adequate protocols in place to effectively manage the risks and comply with applicable law.” The Department noted that Texas state-chartered banks have long provided customers with safekeeping and custody resources through secure storage of assets, which is a critical role in the banking business. “While custody and safekeeping of virtual currencies will necessarily differ from that associated with more traditional assets the [Department] believes that the authority to provide these services with respect to virtual currencies already exists pursuant to Texas Finance Code §32.001,” the notice provided. In addition, the type of virtual currency a bank chooses to utilize will depend on that bank’s expertise, risk appetite, and business model. The notice also pointed out that the Department determined that custody services may be offered by a Texas state-chartered bank in a capacity that is fiduciary or non-fiduciary. A non-fiduciary capacity will allow the bank to act “as a bailee, taking possession of the customer’s asset for safekeeping while legal title to that asset remains with the customer.” Alternatively, in its fiduciary capacity, the bank will have oversight to control virtual currency assets as it would any other type of asset held in such capacity. The notice warned, however, that if a bank is offering virtual currency services, bank management must conduct due diligence and carefully examine the risks involved in offering a new product or service through a methodical risk assessment process.
OCC to host compliance risk management workshops
On May 26, the OCC announced a series of examiner-led virtual workshops for the boards of directors of community national banks and federal savings associations. The workshops will focus on emerging issues regarding compliance risk, and will provide training and guidance on implementing effective compliance risk management programs, as well as guidance on regulations such as the Bank Secrecy Act and ECOA. A schedule of the upcoming workshops is available here.
OCC examines effects of Covid-19 on federal banking system
On May 18, the OCC released its Semiannual Risk Perspective for Spring 2021, which reports on key risk areas posing a threat to the safety and soundness of national banks and federal savings associations. While, overall, banks maintained sound capital and liquidity levels throughout 2020, the OCC noted that bank profitability remains stressed as a result of low interest rates and low loan demand.
Key risk themes identified in the report include:
- Credit risk. The OCC reported that credit risk is evolving a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically as the economic downturn continues to affect some borrowers’ ability to service debts and government assistance programs start to expire.
- Strategic risk. Strategic risk associated with how bank manage net interest margin compressions and earnings is elevated. The OCC suggested that banks attempting to improve earnings could implement various measures, including cost cutting and increasing credit risk.
- Operational risk. Elevated operational risk can be attributed to complex operating environments and increased cybersecurity threats. A flexible, risk-based approach, including surveillance, reporting, and managing third-party risk, is important for banks to be operationally resilient, the OCC stated.
- Compliance risk. Compliance risk is also elevated due to the expedited implementation of a number of Covid-19-related assistance programs, including the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program and federal, state, and bank-initiated forbearance and deferred payment programs. These programs, the OCC noted, require “increased compliance responsibilities, high transaction volumes, and new fraud typologies, at a time when banks continue to respond to a changing operating environment.”
NYDFS tells industry to tighten third-party risk management
On April 27, NYDFS released a report warning the financial services industry to tighten third-party risk management measures, as the “next great financial crisis could come from a cyber-attack.” The report covers a December 2020 cyber-attack described as “part of a widespread, sophisticated cyber espionage campaign by Russian Foreign Intelligence Service actors” focusing on “stealth and stealing sensitive information.” According to the report, hackers installed malware into a software platform used by the government and financial services and telecommunications companies to monitor and manage the performance of their networks. This attack, NYDFS noted, is “the most visible, widespread, and intrusive information technology software supply chain attack” to date and “opened back doors into thousands of organizations, including almost 100 companies in New York’s financial services industry.” While none of NYDFS’s regulated entities’ networks were actively exploited, the regulator warned that these types of attacks highlight the financial services industry’s vulnerability to supply chain attacks. Moreover, because third-party risk management is a key part of NYDFS’s Cybersecurity Regulation, the regulator is “exploring ways to further address this critical component of cybersecurity.” Report findings highlight that, among other things, (i) the patch-management programs for many regulated entities “are immature and lack the proper ‘patching cadence’ needed to ensure timely remediation of high-risk cyber vulnerabilities,” and (ii) “supply chain” cyber-attacks are dangerous since “malware is embedded inside a legitimate product,” allowing “an attacker to access the networks of many organizations in a single stroke.”
The report provides several recommendations, including that entities should (i) include in their vendor risk-management policies and procedures “processes for due diligence and contractual protections that will ensure the company can monitor the cybersecurity practices and overall cyber hygiene of critical vendors”; (ii) adopt a “zero trust” approach and implement multiple layers of security and extra protection for sensitive information; (iii) address vulnerabilities in a timely manner through patch testing, validation processes, and deployment; and (iv) ensure their incident response plans address supply chain compromises.
Agencies issue MRMG; seek comments on BSA/AML compliance
On April 9, the Federal Reserve Board, FDIC, and OCC, in consultation with FinCEN and the NCUA, issued a joint statement on the use of risk management principles outlined in the agencies’ “Supervisory Guidance on Model Risk Management” (known as the “model risk management guidance” or MRMG) as it relates to financial institutions’ compliance with Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering (BSA/AML) rules. While the joint statement is “intended to clarify how the MRMG may be a useful resource to guide a bank’s [model risk management] framework, whether formal or informal, and assist with BSA/AML compliance,” the agencies emphasized that the MRMG is nonbinding and does not alter existing BSA/AML legal or regulatory requirements or establish new supervisory expectations. In conjunction with the release of the joint statement, the agencies also issued a request for information (RFI) on the extent to which the principles discussed in the MRMG support compliance by financial institutions with BSA/AML and Office of Foreign Assets Control requirements. The agencies seek comments and information to better understand bank practices in these specific areas and to determine whether additional explanation or clarification may be helpful in increasing transparency, effectiveness, or efficiency. Comments on the RFI are due within 60 days of publication in the Federal Register.
Fed targets Swiss bank for BSA/AML compliance deficiencies
On December 22, the Federal Reserve Board announced an enforcement action against a Swiss bank for alleged Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering (BSA/AML) compliance risk management deficiencies found during a 2019 examination of the bank’s New York branch. The consent order outlines a number of corporate compliance and governance measures that the bank is required to undertake, such as: (i) submitting a joint written plan by the board of directors, risk committee, and senior management within 90 days that outlines measures for strengthening their respective oversight of the bank’s U.S. operations’ compliance, including “provid[ing] for a sustainable governance framework that, at a minimum, addresses, considers, and includes actions to improve policies, procedures, and controls for BSA/AML compliance across the U.S. operations”; (ii) providing a written revised customer due diligence program for the New York branch within 90 days, which must outline measures such as risk-based policies and procedures to ensure complete and accurate customer information is collected, retained, and analyzed for all account holders; (iii) submitting a revised suspicious activity monitoring and reporting program demonstrating that the New York branch is engaging in timely suspicious activity monitoring and reporting; and (iv) implementing independent testing within the New York branch to ensure compliance with all applicable BSA/AML requirements.
OCC warns of key banking risks
On November 9, the OCC released its Semiannual Risk Perspective for Fall 2020, which reports on key risk areas that pose a threat to the safety and soundness of national banks and federal savings associations. In particular, the OCC noted the financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the federal banking industry, emphasizing that while economic activity rebounded in the third quarter, there is significant ongoing risk. The report discusses, as a special topic in emerging risks, growing trends in payment products and services. The report also highlights several key risk areas for banks: credit, strategic, operational, and compliance. Specifically, the report notes that credit risk is increasing as government assistance programs expire and the economic downturn has led to elevated unemployment levels. The report further notes that strategic risks affecting profitability is an emerging issue due to low interest rates, which historically have negatively affected profitability when low for a long period of time. Moreover, the report notes elevated operational risks due to complex operating environments with cybersecurity being a key concern. The increase in large-scale telework has created unique security and internal control challenges. Lastly, the report discusses elevated compliance risks due to the expedited implementation of a number of Covid-19-related assistance programs. | https://buckleyfirm.com/infobytes?field_blog_tags_tid%5B0%5D=290 |
The 4th African Medicines Regulators Conference jointly organised by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), African Union and World Health Organisation (WHO) came to an end on Friday, December 4 with a call on African nations to curb their dependency on foreign funding for health. It held for three days in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
The meeting sought to discuss ways of ensuring that there is support for countries to accelerate the pace of establishing functional medicines regulatory agencies at national, regional and continental levels and strengthening the capacities of existing in the region.
Throughout the three days, it was evident that the workshop set out to create a platform to review progress made in the implementation of the five-year action plan (2014-2018).
The review process was meant to strengthen the capacity for regulation of medical products in the Region and propose solutions for tackling challenges faced by countries.
In his opening address, Professor Aggrey Ambali, head and advisor of NEPAD Science, Technology and Innovation Hub, stressed the need for Africa to reduce dependency on external funding for health considering that the continent bears 25% of the global burden of disease.
He, however, said while less than two percent of the world’s medicines are produced in the continent, importing the medicines and commodities that people desperately need is unsustainable.
“Africa must invest in itself and the health of its people. It is the right thing to do, and it will deliver real economic and social returns.
“It would be also important to fast-track reforms in regulation of medical products and technologies in the continent by scaling AMRH across the continent through regional economic communities and regional organisations,” said Prof Ambali.
He underlined the need to expand the scope of African Medicines Regulatory and Harmonisation (AMRH) to cover other regulatory functions and products.
“NMRAs involvement in the elaboration of regional and continental medicines agencies – the African Medicine Agency. NMRAs utilisation of regional centers of regulatory excellence. Advocacy for domestication of the AU Model Law on Medical Products Regulation which will assist in strengthening NMRA governance in Africa, ensure effective regulation of medical products and technologies,” he said.
While discussions are focused on regulation and establishing regulatory bodies, the issue of advocacy for sustainable NMRA financing models and how NMRAs fund their participation to African Medicines Regulators Conferences remained a critical issue.
Other topical matters that aroise during the meeting include how to establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to monitor progress and assess impact of medicines regulation in promoting and protecting public health and its contribution to economic growth.
“We need strong NMRAs in Africa that can attain the status of Stringent Regulatory Authorities (SRA) that we currently see in Europe and US,” said professor Ambali.
But Dr Jane Byaruhanga from the African Union alluded to the fact that Africa’s leadership remains concerned about a continued disproportionate disease burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases and its negative impact on the continent.
She noted sub optimal investments in the health care delivery system continues to hamper Africa’s progress not only in ripping the economic potential of a healthy human capital but also affected other sectors of the already fragile economies of various countries.
“The proliferation of sub-standard, spurious, falsely labelled, falsified, counterfeit medical products in our market further constitutes a public health emergency that has also severely impacted on the competitiveness of the local pharmaceutical industry,” she said.
Byaruhanga, therefore, said the forum would go a long way in facilitating and ensuring that continental frameworks and institutions established and endorsed by the African Union leadership are implemented at national, regional and continental levels.
“These frameworks include the pharmaceutical manufacturing plan within which the African Medicines Regulatory Hamornisation Programme was established and the African Medicines Agency, the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the African Union Model Law on Medical Product Regulation which was recently endorsed by the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Legal and Justice Affairs,” she said
Initially, the framework and institutions are intended to create the enabling legal and regulatory environment for the pharmaceutical sector development, and improve access to quality essential medicines promote and protect public health of our citizens.
Meanwhile, the AU and NEPAD have teamed up on how best to harness the global momentum that has been created towards addressing the issue of counterfeit medicines and willingness to support related programme in Africa while acknowledging the effort of regional economic communities. | https://www.environewsnigeria.com/africa-asked-lessen-dependency-external-health-funding/ |
Organizations across industries, sizes and locations continue to navigate the difficult challenges posed by ongoing response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. As legislation related to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, guidance regarding ongoing testing for non-vaccinated employees and legal challenges to these rules emerges, our compliance experts are maintaining a close eye on updates critical to employers.
In our two-part COVID-19 vaccine webinar series, our experts in benefits compliance, OSHA and employment law have come together to share their insight on these new rules. You can watch our first webinar covering an overview of the Federal Vaccine Mandate and our follow-up webinar clarifying these rules and addressing Legal Challenges to the Vaccine Mandate. For written guidance and summaries, defer to the related resources section at the bottom of this article to learn more.
For employers who are bracing themselves for a response plan in light of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant, organizations should continue to watch case numbers. Alera Group’s VP of Compliance, Employee Benefits, Danielle Capilla shared this, "the Omicron variant underscores what we already know—employers must remain agile and flexible in the face of the pandemic and the changing workforce,” in HR Executive’s recent article on the emerging topic.
For additional guidance on how organizational leaders have been navigating through COVID-19 decision, Alera Group invites you to join us on Thursday, December 16, for a webinar designed to provide some clarity. “Survey Results Are In: How U.S. Employers Are Tackling Their Next COVID-Related Decisions” will review the findings of our 2021 COVID-19 Employer Pulse Survey, which asked close to 800 U.S. employers of various sizes in multiple industries and regions about how they’re handling COVID-19 issues such as:
- Vaccination mandates and incentives;
- Benefit premiums and surcharges based on vaccinations; and
- Remote work and work-from-home policies.
As regulations continue to evolve, we will continue to share all critical updates on our online COVID-19 Resource Center.
Related Resources: | https://jmjwebconsulting.com/insights/what-employers-need-to-know-about-federal-vaccine-mandates-120621/ |
How can the metaverse support Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, sovereign rights and custodianship?
What are the challenges faced by Indigenous-led creative practices within persistent, concurrent, virtual contexts?
The metaverse – an always-online, persistent, spatial ‘second’ world and an emerging internet megastructure – is a landscape Serpentine Arts Technologies continues to interrogate through artistic commissions and culturally-led research and development. Under the leadership of Serpentine Legal Lab’s Principal Investigator, Alana Kushnir, legal issues in the metaverse concerning intellectual property, moral rights and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) are ongoing areas of discussion. Addressing these considerations is key to securing the future roles of both artists and cultural organisations in the metaverse.
This live event was presented by Alana Kushnir and Cultural Broker Vanessa Lee Ah-Mat on 20 October 2022 on @serpentineUK’s Twitch at 22:00 BST. It is the second of a series of Legal Lab Lives that have been created to explore legal pinch points associated with creative production within Metaverse infrastructure.
Credits: | https://dezignark.com/blog/legal-lab-live-indigenous-sovereignty-in-the-metaverse/ |
We found the 73 council financial statements completed to date are reliable and comply with relevant laws and standards. We also issued 72 audit opinions on entities controlled by councils.
Councils have been generally more timely in finalising their financial statements. Over the past five years, councils have reduced the average time required to finalise their financial statements by nearly six weeks.
Four councils, however, were unable to complete their financial statements by the date of this report.
Internal controls
This year we identified 834 internal control deficiencies across the sector, of which 251 were significant. Councils have shown progress in addressing these vulnerabilities, However, the volume of significant control issues indicates there are still systemic problems,
Councils need to place greater emphasis on internal controls and prioritise action to resolve control weaknesses.
An active audit committee and internal audit function can support a council in ensuring internal controls are effective and in monitoring the timely resolution of audit recommendations. We found that 18 councils still did not have an audit committee during 2018–19, and 14 councils did not have an active internal audit function.
Fraudulent attempts at councils have increased. There have been seven successful attempts since July 2018, where bank account details were changed as a result of a fraudulent email. Vigilance over payments, strong internal controls, and cybercrime awareness training are crucial for councils, regardless of their size.
Financial performance
Financial sustainability continues to be a challenge. More than half of the councils spend more delivering services to their community than they receive in revenue from rates, fees and charges, and grants.
Councils in remote areas often have significant infrastructure, despite low and sometimes declining populations. These communities also regularly struggle to attract and retain specialist skills. Despite these challenges, the councils still need to provide essential community services—water, sewerage, roads, and waste collection.
Councils need to know which services their communities value to make informed decisions when managing costs.
Councils maintain and renew a large asset portfolio worth $107 billion. Asset management is critical to the long term financial sustainability of the local government sector.
Future challenges and emerging risks
For grant-dependent councils, there is lack of certainty about the amounts that will be available in the future. This uncertainty makes it difficult to make some medium term decisions and to plan for financial sustainability in the long term.
The Department of Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs sets the ratios that councils use to measure sustainability. The department needs to consider if these ratios are still relevant or if they should be more fluid, to address the changing needs of councils.
The council elections in March 2020 may result in significant changes in some councils’ governance structures. During this time, councils will need to maintain effective internal control environments to protect their assets, deliver quality community services, and prevent fraud and error. Not appropriately addressing significant control deficiencies in a timely way may indicate weaknesses in a council’s broader internal control framework and unnecessarily expose the council to the risk of error or fraud.
For more information
For more information on the results, financial performance, and future challenges and emerging risks highlighted in this summary presentation, please see the full report on our website. | https://spark.adobe.com/page/wTuaEmFdEt6Kz/ |
Our specific Landscape Interaction Research projects are designed to address the general areas shown in our conceptual diagram. These areas are listed below along with the research descriptions. To address how climate, vegetation, and physical setting control the production of materials such as carbon and nutrients in soil waters, we monitor soil water chemistry and catchment export in areas of different geology in the Toolik area. To study how hydrology in turn controls the material export from soils to surface waters, we are conducting a Tundra watering experiment, have studied down slope soil water processing, and have built a hydrological-biogeochemical simulation model (Stieglitz et al. 1999, 2000). These exported materials have Impacts on aquatic ecosystems, and we are studying the impact of storm runoff events on lake ecology. Finally, we are synthesizing our observations in part by determining how these processes scale in space and time as shown in the Landscape Carbon balance and Landscape-level controls and scaling research projects.
Monitoring soil water chemistry and catchment export - the "Tussock Watershed" and the "LTER Experimental Plots"
Downslope soil-water processing - the "Sagavanirktok toposequence"
Impacts on Aquatic Ecosystems - the "Lake Inflows"
Landscape-level controls and scaling - the "Inlet Series"
Monitoring of soil water chemistry and catchment export: In 1991 we established a small experimental watershed (called the "Tussock Watershed") close to Toolik Lake for further investigation of land-water interactions. The watershed has an area of about 1.5 ha, is composed mainly of tussock tundra, and contains a primary stream with a birch and willow riparian zone. There are three transects of wells and lysimeters in the catchment, and an H-flume (right, photo by George Kling) is installed to gauge water flow near the bottom. The study area has been mapped for vegetation, soils, topography, and landforms at the 1:500 and 1:24,000 scales. The heterogeneity of landscapes plays a role in the production and export of nutrients and organic matter. This heterogeneity includes the local effects of water track or stream gradient and size, and the regional effects of landscape age, geology and geomorphology, vegetation, and soil composition. For example, there appears to be a consistent relationship between position on the drainage slope and groundwater dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in the experimental watershed; the relationship is independent of known effects of vegetation type on DOC, although the processes responsible are unknown. We maintain standard monitoring of biological and chemical processes, and are building a GIS database on key parameters such as thaw depth, soil characteristics, and chemical outputs. The lower part of the watershed contains an area underlain by glacial material that is only about 15,000 years old, compared to the 100,000 year old material covering the upper watershed. Because the age of the land surface controls the extent of weathering, there are large differences between young and old areas in the amounts of major ions draining into surface waters.
Soil water chemistry is governed by soil moisture, landscape age and geological substrate, and vegetation. Differences in parent material and soil age result in landscapes with varying soil pH and vegetation composition, which result in the "acidic" and "nonacidic" landscapes common around Toolik and throughout the Arctic.
Recently, we have started extracting soil water from LTER terrestrial plots over both geologically older (acidic plots) and geologically newer (nonacidic plots) landscapes (photo right: Kristi Judd and Erica Gwynn sample soil water at the LTER plots, photo by Alan Streigle). At these plots we measure the soil water under several treatment areas (greenhouse (warming), fertilized, and greenhouse+fertilized) and the control plots. The results of this research will help to determine what changes occur in soil water chemistry under global climate change scenarios (warming, increased atmospheric deposition, and increased precipitation (see Tundra Watering Experiment)). In tundra ecosystems, soil water is an important component of lake and stream water due to the shallow thaw depth lack of deep groundwater. Because soil water is also relatively quickly incorporated into the surface waters, changes in soil water chemistry can have a large impact on aquatic systems in addition to terrestrial systems.
Tundra Watering Experiment: To study the effect of increased precipitation on soil water chemistry and depth of thaw, water has been added to replicate 5m by 10m plots in the tussock tundra starting in 1996. Toolik lake water is pumped up the hill into 30 gallon (~120 liter) barrels. From 1996 to 1998, 30 gallons of lake water were delivered through perforated tubing to the entire treatment plot, and from 1998 to present, 60 gallons of lake water are added to the treatment plot each day. There are control plots on both sides of the treatment plot that receive no additional water. This addition to the treatment plot approximately doubles the average rainfall during the sampling season (late June - late August).
Downslope Soil-water Processing: Our initial study site (Shaver et al. 1990; Giblin et al. 1991) was a toposequence of six contrasting ecosystem types in the Sagavanirktok River valley about 40 km northeast of Toolik Lake. We learned a great deal about the controls over nutrient cycling as water flowed down the toposequence and into the river. Each of the six ecosystem types has a major and very different effect on the total amounts of NO3-, NH4+, and PO43- in the soil water, which has implications for the inputs of these nutrients to aquatic systems. Some ecosystem types, like tussock tundra and dry heath, are major sources of N to soil water. Other systems, particularly those occurring under or below late-lying snowbanks, are important N sinks and P sources to soil water. Poorly-drained wet sedge tundra is a P sink with a remarkably high N mineralization rate.
Impacts on Aquatic Ecosystems: Water entering the lakes through streams and overland flow carry nutrients and forms of carbon important to the lake organisms and in the cycling of nutrients. How and where these materials are delivered to and distributed within the lake is important to bacteria and primary production. Experiments have been conducted using dyes to trace water entering Toolik Lake. The inflow cartoon (below, by Sally MacIntyre) demonstrates the how the cooler water coming from Toolik Inlet (inflow at far right) mixes thoroughly in the initial shallow basins of Toolik Lake then flows into the main basins and sinks due to density difference; Above right, John Hobbie distributes rhodamine, a traceable dye, into E1 inlet into Toolik Lake using a syringe (photo by George Kling).
Lake Climate Stations: Conditions at the surface of the lake influence the mixing within the lake and the gas fluxes at the lake surface. To monitor these conditions, there are two floating climate stations, one on Toolik Lake (summers since 1998, and one station on Lake E5 (summers since 2000. The stations are deployed when the ice has melted (usually mid-late June - early July) and are removed in August when the Land-Water team leaves the research station. Both these stations measure wind speed and direction, air temperature, and humidity. The Toolik Lake station also measures upwelling and downwelling, shortwave and longwave radiation (see graph below for example of net radiation data collected over 6 days in 1999). Photograph is Toolik Lake Climate Station with Mandy Costa collecting data from station (photo by Kristi Judd). On the station, the anemometer is attached to top crossarm (approximately 2.5m above lake surface), temperature and humidity sensor in the cylindrical radiation shield approximately half way up main pole (approximately 1.5m above lake surface), and radiometer on long horizontal arm over water (approximately 0.5m above lake surface). Note that there are also land climate stations that are maintained by the Terrestrial group.
Landscape-level controls and scaling: The inlet stream to Toolik Lake has two major branches (see map below from Kling et al. 2000). One branch includes a series of eight lakes, I-1 to I-7 and I-swamp. The other major branch starts in I-8 headwaters and flows only through the tundra until it reaches lake I-8. It joins the main western branch at I-9, and together they form the major surface water input to Toolik Lake (see Impacts on Aquatic Ecosystems). Both branches have small and similar altitudinal changes (~66m) and similar lengths. A six year study of the inlet series (Kling et al. 2000) outlined the spatial and temporal patterns of change and chemical processing within and between the lakes and streams in this series. In general, processing within the stream segments (e.g. the inlet to I-Swamp minus the outlet of I-7) has the opposite trends in production and consumed as within lakes (e.g. the outlet of I-8 minus the inlet to I-8). For example, potassium and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were produced within lakes and consumed within streams. Also, the magnitude of production in lake sites and consumption in stream sites (or vice versa) was often similar.
Spatial patterns down the catchment were not apparent in the stream sites. In the lake sites, there were some patterns of increasing some major ions (conductivity, some cations, DIC, alkalinity and pH) down the catchment. The correlation of the given variables between pairs of lakes is called "temporal coherence" or "synchrony". It was shown that synchrony was negatively related to proximity of the lakes. Overall synchrony (average of all variables for the lake pair) was highest between pairs of lakes in close proximity and decreased as the distance between the lake pair increased. The synchrony of only major ions showed a similar relationship with the catchment:lake area (rank) ratio.
The inlet series provides an excellent example of the integration of processing in lakes and in streams at a landscape scale. This study required a combination of ideas from stream, lake and landscape ecology as well as the development of a conceptual view of landscape mass balance.
Landscape Carbon Balance: For the most part the movement of nutrients and other materials is unidirectional from land to water over geologically short time scales. A notable exception, and perhaps the most important feedback from water to land involves the cycling of carbon gases. The cycle begins by fixation of atmospheric CO2 by tundra vegetation, and the subsequent respiration of plant organic matter in the soil to produce CO2 and CH4. We have shown that these gases then dissolve in groundwater and are transported to lakes and streams where they are subsequently released to the atmosphere to complete the cycle. The flux to the atmosphere resulting from excess CO2 and CH4 in surface waters is a consistent feature of tundra areas. A 1995 study at Toolik lake showed that the magnitude and direction of the CO2 flux is related to the horizontal wind speed with greatest efflux occurring at medium wind speeds. The feedback of terrestrially produced carbon to the atmosphere from aquatic systems represents an important flux in the global carbon cycling of tundra environments, and is related in part to the diversity of terrestrial vegetation and landscapes. Organic matter in particulate and dissolved form dominates the nutrient and carbon budgets of arctic surface waters. While the response of aquatic organisms to dissolved nutrients input from land is well understood, the response to particulate and dissolved material washed in from land is less clear. We measure the amounts of these materials input to Toolik Lake, as well as the effects that these materials have on bacterial processing of organic matter. Our finding is that some fraction of the terrestrial DOC washed into the lake greatly stimulates bacterial activity. We also monitor the chain of lakes along the inlet to Toolik Lake (Landscape-level controls and scaling) in order to examine the chemical and biological processing in water as it flows through a series of connected lakes. The results suggest that during winter and summer the lakes act as reactors which process organic carbon into CO2. Processing over winter results in a large efflux of CO2 from the lakes to the atmosphere during spring ice-out, and processing during the summer results in a smaller but continuous efflux of CO2. On a larger scale, carbon balance of the entire Kuparuk Basin (9200 km2) was studied from 1994-1996 and it was found that the aquatic Carbon loss was 40%-100% of terrestrial Net Ecosystem Production.
Experimental manipulation of plant-soil mesocosms showed that hydrologic flushing and vegetation type are the dominant controls on the production and export of dissolved carbon from soil waters to lakes and streams.
Addition of 14CO2 to plant-soil mesocosms showed that carbon fixed by photosynthesis was rapidly transferred to soil waters as DOC, dissolved CO2, and dissolved CH4, indicating that recent photosynthates are important substrates for dissolved carbon production in soils.
Measurements in soil waters, lakes, and streams indicated a major pathway of dissolved carbon and trace gas movement from land to surface waters which is important from small (<0.1 km2) to large (>9000 km2) basin scales. Enough of this carbon that is lost from land to water is eventually released to the atmosphere or the ocean to account for ~20-80% of the net terrestrial carbon exchange with the atmosphere.
A series of LTER cross-site workshops determined that this land to water to atmosphere cycling of carbon at landscape-level scales is a common phenomenon throughout the world, and is not confined to arctic or wetland regions.
Experiments showed that differences in the quality of the organic carbon exported from land were related to its place of origin on the landscape and to the time of season, and this controlled the microbial metabolism of organic carbon to CO2 in lakes.
Measurements in a connected series of lakes and streams illustrate that over small geographic areas, and somewhat independent of lake or stream morphometry, consistent and directional (downslope) processing of materials helps produce spatial patterns that are coherent over time for many limnological variables. These results highlight that the integration of material processing in both lakes and rivers is critical for understanding the structure and function of surface waters, especially in a landscape perspective.
We developed a process model that combines a soil-energy column and water balance routine with topographic statistics of the watershed. The model predicts the surface runoff, soil temperatures and respiration, and carbon and nitrogen residence times for a small watershed near Toolik Lake.
Given our current knowledge of land-water interactions, it is apparent that three main factors regulate the transformations of terrestrial-derived materials and their transfers to surface waters: (1) water flow, (2) vegetation and soil uptake and release, and (3) landscape heterogeneity. Future research will concentrate on (a) determining the rates of soil production of dissolved C and nutrients and their transfer to and impacts on surface waters; (b) quantifying the interactions between different ecosystems across the landscape; and (c) mechanistic modeling of the transport of materials from land to water with the goal of predicting the impacts of future perturbations or global change.
Giblin, A.E., K.J. Nadelhoffer, G.R. Shaver, J.A. Laundre and A.J. McKerrow. 1991. Biogeochemical diversity along a riverside toposequence in arctic Alaska. Ecol. Monogr. 61:415-435.
Kling, G.W., G.W. Kipphut, M.M. Miller and W.J. O'Brien (2000) Integration of lakes and streams in a landscape perspective: the importance of material processing on spatial patterns and temporal coherence. Freshwater Biology, 43, 477-497.
Kling, G. W. 1995. Land-water linkages: the influence of terrestrial diversity on aquatic systems, pp. 297-310. In: F. S. Chapin and C. Korner (eds.), The Role of Biodiversity in Arctic and Alpine Tundra Ecosystems, Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Shaver, G.R., K. J.Nadelhoffer and A. E. Giblin. 1990. Biogeochemical diversity and element transport in a heterogeneous landscape, the North Slope of Alaska, pp.105-126. In M.G. Turner and R.H. Gardner (eds.), Quantitative Methods in Landscape Ecology. Springer-Verlag, New York.
Stieglitz, M., J. Hobbie, A. Giblin, and G. Kling. 1999. Hydrologic modeling of an arctic watershed: Towards Pan-Arctic predictions. Journal of Geophysical Research 104, D22, 27507-27518.
Stieglitz, M., A. Giblin, J. Hobbie, M. Williams, and G. Kling. 2000. Simulating the effects of climate change and climate variability on carbon dynamics in Arctic tundra. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 14:1123-1136. | http://dryas.mbl.edu/ARC/landwater/lw_sitedescript.html |
Overviews of the climate change work happening at Forest Service research stations.
Sort by date posted to CCRC | Sort by project title
Northern Research Station
The i-Tree suite of models is designed to link research with local data on tree populations to assess the services and values provide by trees. The model is constantly being updated with new features and is being used globally. The model estimates numerous ecosystem services, disservices, and values, and includes estimates of tree carbon storage and annual sequestration, and their effects on building energy and consequent emissions from power plants. For more, please see the i-Tree tools page.
Northern Research Station
Peatland ecosystems represent 3-5% of earth's land surface, but store 12-30% of soil organic carbon. However, this very large pool of carbon is vulnerable to loss to the atmosphere as CO2 because of climate change. Lowered water tables caused by climate change or human-caused drainage can shift peatlands from being net carbon sinks to net carbon sources. The PEATcosm experiment was initiated to study the relationships between water tables, plant communities, and carbon and nutrient cycling in peatlands in a controlled setting. Read more on the experiment here [pdf].
Pacific Northwest Research Station, Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center
Although basic outbreak dynamics and impacts of some bark beetle species have been described, characterizing and quantifying these impacts on ecosystem functions and services remains a significant challenge. The range of ecosystem services and resources impacted by bark beetles is wide and diverse, but most pest impact assessments and valuations are still based on timber production. New information addresses the wider range of impacts on non-timber services and resources but much of it remains scattered in the literature and databases pertaining to individual insect species. We will review and synthesize the literature involving currently used pest assessment methods, including monitoring and survey methods, summary analyses, valuation procedures, reporting metrics and standards and error and accuracy estimation.
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center
National Grasslands are large, diverse, and mostly intact native ecosystems that provide a wide variety of outputs and resource values. Approximately 86% of the 3.8 million acres of National Grasslands are located within the Northern Great Plains States of CO, NE, WY, SD, and ND, and may represent the last, large tracts of native short- and mixed-grass prairie in the United States. However, the structural and functional integrity of native grasslands are being threatened by intensive agriculture, urban and energy development, unmanaged recreation, and climate change. This project is strategically focused on National Grasslands issues that may adversely impact the diversity, productivity, and sustainability of what may be the last, large tracts of native grasslands in the United States.
Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center
The US Forest Service classifies ecological types consistently throughout the nation using a system called Terrestrial Ecological Unit Inventory (TEUI). Within this system, spatial regions are uniquely classified based on their climate, geology, geomorphology, soils and vegetation. We will expand upon a TEUI conducted by the by Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) to create an updated R5 Terrestrial Ecological Unit Inventory (TEUI) User Guide with specific applications for climate change planning, as well as a completed TEUI for the Inyo National Forest.
Rocky Mountain Research Station
Researchers are looking at long-term population dynamics, germination characteristics, response to disturbance, and climate manipulations for a suite of forbs found in central New Mexican grasslands.
Pacific Southwest Research Station
Using a longterm dataset (27+ years), researchers are examining the effect of weather patterns on avian abundance at the San Joaquin Experimental Range, an oak woodland savanna in California, to reveal potential climate change effects on demography and identify species at risk.
Rocky Mountain Research Station
Researchers are using a multi-scale approach to examine geomorphic, hydrologic, and vegetation influences on Great Basin meadow complexes, how these influences might change under future climates, and to develop guidelines and methods for maintaining and restoring sustainable riparian ecosystems.
Rocky Mountain Research Station
This multifaceted research program addresses the impacts of shrub encroachment, precipitation variability, and warming on carbon and nitrogen dynamics of arid grasslands along a latitudinal gradient from northeastern Colorado to southern New Mexico.
Pacific Northwest Research Station, Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center
Three major biomes intersect in the south-central region of Alaska: the western edge of the coastal rainforest, the southern edge of the boreal forest, and the eastern edge of the mostly treeless tundra and shrub ecosystems of southwest Alaska. Predictions of climate change responses for these ecosystems vary widely and substantial vegetation changes in this area will have large impacts on the area economy. This study will evaluate tree species' vulnerability to climate change in this area of AK. | http://www.fs.usda.gov/ccrc/climate-projects/research?page=3 |
What Are They Doing?
This study focuses on a leaf-to-watershed analysis at the Caribou-Poker Creek (BONA) Watershed in Alaska. The team will work closely with NEON (National Ecological Observatory Network). Specifically, they are looking to answer “What are the environmental and biological controls of photosynthetic phenology in permafrost-affected boreal forests?”. They will use an approach that incorporates high-frequency observations of solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) as an indicator of vegetation gross primary productivity (GPP), and L-band microwave backscattering intensity as an indicator of canopy water content. These measurements will be complemented by a suite of observations including leaf and ecosystem gas exchange, and environmental measurements (e.g., soil temperature, soil moisture, water flow velocity) along a soil-to-vegetation continuum.
Where Are They?
The team will be mainly working out of the Caribou-Poker Creeks Research Watershed NEON/BONA which is contained within the Bonanza Creek LTER research area. The Caribou-Poker Creeks Research Watershed was established in part to address the need to study Alaskan hydrological processes. The land at the Bonanza Creek LTER site is managed by the University of Alaska and has been set aside for scientific study. The 49.6 km2 (12,300 acre) site features a mix of hardwood forest, shrubland, wetlands, and scattered permafrost. The Caribou-Poker Creeks Research Watershed spans an elevation of 200 - 773 m (650 - 2500 ft.), with valleys and steep mountains within the watershed.
Latest Journals
Dr. Jennifer Watts grew up in northern landscapes and feels a personal connection to the places and ecosystems she studies. She is interested in patterns and mechanisms of change in terrestrial environments, particularly the tundra, wetlands and forests in the Arctic-boreal regions of Alaska and Canada. She is also very fond of the semi-arid grasslands in the Rocky Mountain West. Her work draws on remote sensing, carbon flux measurements, hydrology and ecosystem modeling to understand how climate change and human disturbance are affecting vegetation and soils and ultimately, the carbon cycle.
Howard Epstein is Professor and Chair of the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia, specializing in the ecology of arctic tundra, dry grasslands and shrublands, and temperate forests. His research focus is on vegetation dynamics, nutrient cycling, and plant-soil-atmosphere interactions. Dr. Epstein received his B.A. degree in Computer Science from Cornell University in 1986. He received an M.S. degree in Rangeland Ecosystem Science from Colorado State University in 1995 and a Ph.D. in Ecology from Colorado State in 1997. He conducted postdoctoral studies at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado. Dr. Epstein came to the faculty of the University of Virginia in 1998. He teaches courses in the Fundamentals of Ecology, Terrestrial Ecology, and Ecology of Grasslands and Tundra. He has published ~175 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He led the annual production of the Tundra Greenness essay for the NOAA Arctic Report Card from 2012-2018, and he has contributed to several international reports, including the 2019 IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and the Cryosphere. He served on the Board of Directors for the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. from 2013-2019. He has regularly traveled to the Alaskan, Canadian, and Russian Arctic for field research.
Xi Yang is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia. He designed an instrument to measure the fluorescence emitted by plants during photosynthesis. In this project, the team will use this instrument to monitor photosynthesis by evergreen and deciduous trees.
Wayne grew up in a rural, forested southern Virginia and has had a personal connection to nature since childhood. He is interested in understanding how terrestrial photosynthesis functions in harsh northern ecosystems, particularly forests in the boreal regions of Alaska. In particular, he is focused on better understanding how plants decide when to start photosynthesizing as you move from Winter to Spring and how this timing may change under climate change. His work primarily uses remote sensing, ecosystem flux measurements, and environmental monitoring to capture the full picture of how these ecosystems are changing and how these changes are affecting plants and, more broadly, the carbon cycle.
Jonas grew up in the town of Homer, Alaska. His work is dedicated to understanding threats to the Alaskan ecosystems he calls home. Jonas has a B.S. in Biology from Swarthmore College and plans to pursue a graduate degree to study the ecological effects of climate change in the boreal forest. He has worked as an interpreter, field technician and land steward in nature reserves across the western US.
Dr Parazoo is a Scientist in the Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His research focuses on an improved understanding of planetary ecosystem metabolism, the impact of climate change on carbon uptake by plants, and the feedbacks of changing ecosystem function to global climate. His PhD and Postdoc used aircraft and satellite observations with carbon models to quantify CO2 exchanges between land and atmosphere, and track CO2 movement through cloudy weather systems. His current research focuses on the use of remote sensing observations with land surface and atmospheric models to study terrestrial carbon climate feedbacks across natural and developed regions, including the Arctic, tropics, and megacities.
Ms. Kathleen Savage works in Woodwell Climate’s Arctic Boreal program. Her primary research focus is on the impacts of climate change on greenhouse gas (CO2, CH4, N2O) exchange in northern forest and wetland ecosystems. She had developed methodologies for continuous measurement of greenhouse gas fluxes, data quality protocols and taught those techniques to other scientists and students. One of her current projects involves investigating a novel approach to in situ quantification of CH4 oxidation in soils at the Howland Forest in Maine.
Ms. Savage obtained her B.Sc. at York University in Toronto and M.Sc. at McGill in Montreal. | https://www.polartrec.com/expeditions/investigating-ecosystem-carbon-response-in-boreal-forests |
LJMU expert contributes to the activities of the European Space Agency concerning the identification of key factors needed to maintain operational skill in astronauts and reduce accident likelihood during long duration space missions.
By 2020, the European Space Agency (ESA) wants to have conducted a mission to Mars. In 2010 researchers and experts from across Europe were invited to take part in the THESEUS project: Towards human exploration of space, a European strategy with the primary aim of developing an integrated life sciences road map to make this ambitious plan a reality.
A number of challenges were identified by the European Space Agency to look at the physical and psychological impact on astronauts of spending long periods of time in space in order to work effectively and maximise the safety of long duration missions into space. The psychological impact of working and living in space for prolonged periods of time can include boredom/monotony, human-system automation, which is particularly important in order to maintain operational skill and reduce likelihood of accidents. Understanding the limits of skilled performance is especially important in the context of safety-critical behaviour where human error has the potential to cause fatalities.
Researchers from LJMU’s Research Centre in Brain and Behaviour (Psychology and Health Research Group) have a track-record in conducting research with skilled operators, such as HGV drivers and passenger ferry crew, to look at how skill development and complex performance may deteriorate under conditions of duress, such as high mental workload, boredom or sleep deprivation.
They have conducted research using the framework of Operator Functional State (OFS); this describes the psychological capacity of an operator to deliver safe and effective performance. Expertise in OFS theory and methodology was developed at LJMU via studies of driving behaviour and aviation control.
By invitation, the research team contributed to an advanced research workshop which led to the development of a research report into Operational Functional Status Impaired Performance in Complex Work Environments. The report, commissioned by NATO’s Research and Technology Organisation (RTO), focussed specifically on how OFS could be defined and measured in the context of military systems.
This research expertise was applied to the THESEUS project leading to the identification of several key issues for long duration missions into space. These included: skill deterioration during long duration missions and need for on-board training, scheduling and delivery of task training, threats to skill maintenance such as monotony/boredom, isolation, task demand and scheduling of work/rest and sleep/wake patterns in space to prevent impaired performance. These key themes will require additional research and will feed directly into the European Space roadmap to inform operational procedures for space exploration.
Find out more about the research within the Research Centre in Brain and Behaviour.
Contact us
For more information about research at LJMU: | https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/research/impact-achievements/going-to-mars |
Nasa Medical Space Research Paper
Progress in four specific areas is profiled below, each of which is a NASA “Health and Human Performance Risk for Space Exploration”.8 All demonstrate linkages between basic and applied research and involve on-going collaborations between Space Biology and the HRP. These examples illustrate ongoing opportunities for synergy between basic and applied researchers and these NASA programs to enhance and accelerate health-risk reduction.
Immune response
The immune system is constantly adapting and is particularly responsive to unique environments such as those in spaceflight, especially for exposures of the long durations required by exploration missions beyond LEO. Immune system dysregulation (decreased responsiveness) has been seen during and after spaceflight and ground-space analog tests by studying humans,54 animals,55 and relevant cell cultures56 and are a priority area for study (AH13-15, Table 1). The specific causes are not yet clear, but are likely linked to one or more of the following factors: physiological stress, circadian rhythm disruption, microgravity exposure, isolation, altered nutrition, or radiation exposure.57 Further, the spaceflight environment compounds crew health risks as some microorganisms become more virulent (see below) and resistant to antibiotic drugs.
Even though the reactivation of latent viruses has been well documented in crewmembers,58 it is still unclear if the compromised immune response can lead to increased susceptibility to disease. There is not a sufficiently accurate ground-based analog to study immune suppression from spaceflight. However, extreme occupational environments such as Antarctica winter-over and the Aquarius undersea station enable aspects of immune dysregulation to be studied under similar stressors. Additionally, many valuable analog studies with animals and cells have been conducted, including unloading of rodents,59 and cell cultures and bioreactors.56,60 These studies have investigated immune response mechanisms and can allow the use of controlled diets, increased radiation levels and other factors that are not possible in human research.
Microbe-host interactions
Preventive measures limit the presence of many medically significant microorganisms during spaceflight missions, but microbial infection of crewmembers cannot be completely prevented. Spaceflight experiments have demonstrated unique and heterogeneous microbial responses in spaceflight ecosystems and cultures,61,62 although the mechanisms behind those responses and their operational relevance remain unclear. In 2007, the operational importance of these microbial responses increased, as the results of Space Biology experiments aboard STS-115 and STS-123 demonstrated that an enteric pathogen (Salmonella typhimurium) increased in virulence in a mouse model of infection,63,64 responding to recommendation AH15 (Table 1). These studies can improve our understanding of the potential consequences to astronauts of elevated microbial virulence during long-duration missions.
Evidence for increased microbial virulence has recently been collected and reported from both spaceflight-analog systems and actual spaceflight.61,65,66 Although the conduct of virulence studies during spaceflight is challenging and often impractical in humans, data are being collected as part of the ISS Microbial Observatory,62 recent astronaut and rodent microbiome studies,67,68,69 and the edible plant studies (e.g., Veggie).70,71 When available, these results can improve our understanding of the astronaut-microbe interaction and of the potential health risks to the astronaut.
Oxidative stress
The novel environmental conditions of spaceflight, and their combination, may affect both the generation and safe processing of reactive oxygen or nitrogen species.72,73 Evidence for oxidative-related issues in astronauts (or their analogs) can be found in the HRP Evidence Reports covering inadequate nutrition,74 extravehicular activity,75 and exposure to ionizing radiation.47,76,77,78,79 NASA has successfully used horizontally-integrated team science to understand and mitigate components of radiation-induced oxidative stress42,43,44 in mice.
Visual impairment/intracranial pressure (VI/IP)
During and after long-duration spaceflights, some astronauts have reported noticeable, persistent VIs accompanied by ophthalmic changes including globe flattening, choroidal folds, optic-disc edema, and optic-nerve kinking.80 To date, clinically significant changes have been observed in male, but not female, astronauts,81 identifying a not yet understood sex difference, CC10 (Table 2). Increased intracranial pressure and optic-disc swelling (papilledema) may underlie these potentially irreversible changes.81 Current research is analyzing the effects of lowering cranial hypertension by using lower body negative pressure in astronauts during flight and bedrest,82 supporting the CC2 goal (Table 2).
Clinical signs and symptoms observed in astronauts have informed and focused important mechanistic studies exemplifying reciprocal translation at NASA (i.e., applied to basic). For example, retinas of female mice flown on the shuttle (STS-133, STS-135), acquired by the BioSpecimen Sharing Program, exhibit altered gene expression and increased oxidative stress,83 possibly causing retinal damage, degeneration, or remodeling.84,85 Other basic research is examining morphological, histological, and molecular changes in the brains and eyes of rats exposed to head-down tilt.86
Altogether, these examples are in the early stages of mechanistic understanding and countermeasure development. Already each has benefited from translational approaches. We suggest that a more coordinated programmatic effort of horizontal and vertical integration will accelerate countermeasure development. In the closing section, we provide suggestions of how enhanced translational research could materialize at NASA.
Photo courtesy of NASA
By: Keith Ferrell
American scientists now have an out-of-this-world platform from which to conduct groundbreaking health and medical research. A recent agreement between NIH and NASA provides the basis for a U.S. national laboratory on the International Space Station.
Even as you read these words, there's a world of research going on high over our heads—approximately 200–215 miles up. The International Space Station (ISS), which has been taking shape for much of the past decade, is an orbiting laboratory for many kinds of research.
This past September, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) established a formal understanding that will make medical and health research an important ongoing part of ISS research activities. This new relationship between the nation's premier medical laboratories and the national space effort is a first, and already there is much excitement about the various advances to come from space-based research.
"There are many new frontiers and considerable new knowledge that medical researchers can gain from using the space station," says Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and NIH's liaison with NASA.
A Unique Laboratory
Continuously inhabited by astronauts and scientists since 2000, the ISS is a perfect place to research all manner of scientific, technical, and medical questions. In fact, some medical research can only be performed in orbit. That means aboard the space station, where there is no gravity. The same weightlessness that lets space-suited astronauts move massive objects easily also offers a unique learning opportunity.
Zero-gravity's effects on astronauts' skeletal systems and loss of bone and muscle mass have long attracted scientific interest, Dr. Katz says. "Research on the space station will help generate better understanding of how weightlessness affects the bone, muscle, and inner ear systems."
The more we know about how the various systems of the human body react to weightlessness and the other conditions found only in space, the better able we will be to ensure the health of ISS crew members, as well as those future astronauts and researchers who will journey to the moon (again), Mars, and beyond.
The benefits also will pay off back on earth:
- Increased understanding of bone-strength and loss of bone-mass may help patients suffering from delicate bones or musclewasting diseases.
- Without gravity to help orient them, astronauts experience changes in their sense of balance. Studying this phenomenon may yield insights into dizziness, vertigo, and balance problems and disorders related to the inner ear.
- Observing the behavior of microbes and other organisms in space can generate insights into the behavior of organisms on earth, and perhaps lead to better understanding of infectious diseases and the immune system's response to them.
Our health and medical knowledge and capabilities have grown greatly because of space exploration and the equipment and techniques developed for it. Remote health-monitoring sensors and temperature-lowering "cool suits" are just two examples derived from the lessons learned from orbital space suits. And medical imaging technologies and ultrasound procedures are based, in part, on NASA innovations.
NIH Director Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni and NASA Administrator Dr. Michael D. Griffin sign an agreement making U.S. resources on the International Space Station available for NIH-funded research. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (left), Senator Barbara Mikulski and NIAMS Director Dr. Stephen I. Katz witness the occasion.
Photo courtesy of NIH
Long-Term Space Research
Until the advent of the ISS, research missions in space were necessarily brief—usually only a few days or weeks, at best. With long-term human residence in space now made possible by the ISS, it is important that a certain percentage of each ISS crew be dedicated to vital medical research. As with everything connected with space travel, results will take time because of the planning, preparation, and training involved.
"An enormous amount of time will be required to develop the questions and experimental models for use on the space station," says Dr. Katz. "First, you have to make sure you're asking important questions. Also, the scientists' time is valuable, and it's very expensive to put the experiments together and transport them to the space station." Added to this is additional training the astronauts—many of whom are scientists —must complete to be able to perform the experiments correctly. Thanks to the formal agreement between NIH and NASA, the research will be carefully coordinated into high-priority areas, with promise of practical results.
"Both NIH and NASA are committed to real cooperation," Dr. Katz says.
This cooperation may serve as the foundation for a potential flowering of both space medicine and earth-based health care.
"We are extremely pleased that this collaborative effort is moving forward," adds NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni. "The International Space Station provides a unique environment where researchers can explore fundamental questions about human health issues, including how the body heals itself, fights infection, or develops diseases such as cancer or osteoporosis."
Research projects on the ISS funded by the NIH will be conducted on the U.S. segment of the space station and be consistent with existing NIH priorities and relevant to improving human health on earth.
Dr. Michael Griffin, NASA administrator, adds enthusiastically, "Not only will the station help to explore the moon, Mars, and beyond, its resources also will be applied to the much broader purpose of improving human health."
Inspired by the space suits Apollo astronauts wore to survive the moon's harsh climate, the Recharge™ Active Cooling System by Cool Systems Inc. helps patients with multiple sclerosis and heat-related neurological disorders manage their symptoms by lowering their core body temperature.
Photo courtesy of NASA
DIGITAL IMAGING BREAST BIOPSY SYSTEM— A non-surgical system developed with Space Telescope Technology that greatly reduces the time, cost, pain, and other effects associated with traditional surgical biopsies.
BREAST CANCER DETECTION—A solar cell sensor that determines exactly when x-ray film has been exposed to optimum density; it reduces exposure to radiation and doubles the number of patient exams per machine.
LASER ANGIOPLASTY—A "cool" type of laser, called an excimer laser, which offers precise non-surgical cleanings of clogged arteries and fewer complications than in balloon angioplasty.
ULTRASOUND SKIN DAMAGE ASESMENT—An advanced ultrasound instrument to immediately assess depth of damage, improving patient treatment and saving lives in serious burn cases.
HUMAN TISSUE STIMULATOR—A device employing NASA satellite technology that is implanted in the body to help control chronic pain and involuntary motion disorders through electrical stimulation of targeted nerve centers or particular areas of the brain.
COOL SUIT—Custom-made suit that circulates coolant to lower body temperature; it dramatically improves symptoms of multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and other conditions.
PROGRAMMABLE PACEMAKER—An implant connected to a physician's computer and used to regulate heart rate, incorporating multiple NASA technologies.
OCULAR SCRENING—An image-processing technique developed by NASA and now used to detect eye problems in very young children.
VOICE-CONTROLLED WHEELCHAIR—Robotic wheelchair manipulator that responds to 35 one-word voice commands, helping patients to perform daily tasks like picking up packages, opening doors, and turning on appliances.
WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEM—A municipal water treatment system for developing nations that uses iodine instead of chlorine to kill harmful bacteria. | http://qmzsu.webz.cz/504-nasa-medical-space-research-paper.php |
Space travel and the brain: URMC Researchers aim to understand its effects on function
M. Kerry O’Banion, M.D., Ph.D. has been awarded $1.8 million from NASA to explore the effect space travel has on the immune system and bone marrow, and how that impacts brain function.
The grant is one of 21 research proposals recently awarded by NASA to help answer questions about astronaut health and performance during future long-duration missions, including crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.
Using simulated space radiation produced by particle accelerators at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, O’Banion and his team will examine tissue and cellular changes in genes, blood flow, and immune cell function in mice. Behavioral tests and computer-assisted imaging will also be used to quantify damage and inflammation in the brain.
O’Banion – Professor of Neuroscience and Neurology in the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience – and colleagues previously worked with NASA on a study that showed exposure to a particular form of space radiation called high-mass, high-charged particles caused biological and cognitive changes in mice suggesting an accelerated risk for the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
This time around, O’Banion will be working with Laura Calvi, M.D., an endocrinologist and co-director of the UR Multidisciplinary Neuroendocrinology Clinic. Her preliminary data found space radiation changes in bone marrow suggestive of a skewed phenotype, in which white blood cells are changed into a more inflammatory phenotype. Similar changes are found with aging. “This helps to bind a common hypothesis about dysfunction and degeneration in multiple systems, with the bone marrow communicating to the brain through the vasculature,” O’Banion said.
“We have shown in the past that reversing micro environmental changes can mitigate and decrease transformation of stem cells into leukemia,” said Calvi. “That’s really the motivations for pursuing this investigation in the setting of cosmic radiation.”
Whether these changes cause changes in behavior is another question O’Banion, Calvi, and colleagues will seek to answer. “It’s known that radiation reduces neural synapses which likely impacts cognition – but whether this effect depends on changes outside of the brain is unknown.” Understanding these mechanisms may help NASA develop countermeasures to protect or lessen astronauts’ risk to space radiation exposure. | https://urmcnewsroom.iprsoftware.com/publications/neuroscience/space-travel-and-the-brain-urmc-researchers-aim-to-understand-its-effects-on-function |
New research designed to open eyes on space travel and microgravity
In space, during long-duration flight, astronauts experience changes to their bodies—including globe flattening of their eyes—due to prolonged weightlessness in space.
Bone density drops. Muscles lose strength. And body fluids, instead of shifting generally down toward the feet under the force of gravity, shift up toward the head. This fluid shift can set the stage for the production of ocular anatomic anomalies that may lead to chronic visual acuity changes during and after long-duration space flight. Those anomalies might include disc edema, globe flattening, choroidal folds, and nerve-fiber-layer thickening.
The future of long-duration space flights—to Mars, for instance—could rely on how the human eye adjusts to living in space. Two recent studies focus on why changes occur in the eye. The desired result of the research is that a solution can be found to preserve or improve the vision of these space-traveling astronauts.
Effect of space travel on the eyes
For years, researchers have been studying physical and visual changes in the eyes that occur during space flight. At the 2016 Optometry's Meeting® in Boston, space pioneer and keynote speaker Buzz Aldrin mentioned that NASA was studying the effect of long stays in space on astronauts' eyes.
"In 2011, a report from the Space Medicine Division of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration proposed that elevated intrasheath cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSF) within the orbit was a possible mechanism that might explain optic disc edema, globe flattening and other findings reported in astronauts during and after long-duration space flight," says C. Robert Gibson, O.D., who provides eye care at NASA's Flight Medicine Optometric Clinic at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Gibson also is listed as a co-investigator/collaborator on NASA's current research on microgravity's effect on the visual, vascular and central nervous systems.
He adds, "This elevation in CSF pressure within the optic nerve sheath is thought to be caused by a rise in intracranial pressure transferred down the optic nerve sheaths from the brain and/or by the sequestration of fluid within the nerve sheaths as a result of localized events occurring at the orbital level with or without a rise in intracranial pressure. Regardless of specific etiology, elevated intrasheath CSF pressure is thought to cause the subarachnoid compartment within the orbit to exert an anterior force that indents the posterior sclera resulting in posterior globe flattening, choroidal folding and axial shortening. This ocular shortening appears to be the main culprit responsible for the visual changes."
Dr. Gibson is a contributor to a new study, "Persistent Asymmetric Optic Disc Swelling After Long-Duration Space Flight: Implications for Pathogenesis," published Dec. 5, 2016, in the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology. It is a case study of ocular changes in an astronaut, 45, during and after six months on the International Space Station (ISS).
Anatomic changes
In the study, the astronaut's eyes were examined pre-mission, during the mission and post-mission using ground and ISS-based fundus photography, ultrasound and optical coherence tomography (OCT).
"We documented asymmetric choroidal expansion in flight that largely resolved by 30 days post-flight, asymmetric disc swelling observed in flight that persisted for over 180 days post-flight, asymmetric optic disc morphologic changes documented in flight by OCT that persisted for 630 days post-flight, and asymmetric globe flattening that began in flight and continued 660 days post-flight," the authors write. "Interestingly, lumbar puncture opening pressures obtained at 7 and 365 days post-mission were 22 and 16 cm H20, respectively. These
"The persistent asymmetric findings noted above, coupled with these lumbar puncture opening pressures, suggest that prolonged microgravity exposure may have produced asymmetric pressure changes within the perioptic subarachnoid space with no significant concurrent rise in intracranial pressure," the authors conclude. "Thus, local compartmentalization of CSF within the orbital optic nerve sheath is likely responsible for the changes observed in this astronaut." Additional research on the impact of long-duration space flight on eyes was presented Nov. 28 at the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting. This research also examined the impact of cerebrospinal fluid on ocular changes during space flight. The research was presented by lead author Noam Alperin, Ph.D., of the University of Miami - Miller School of Medicine.
Dr. Gibson reviewed the results presented by Dr. Alperin. In Dr. Alperin's study, researchers performed high-resolution orbit and brain MRI scans before and after space flights on seven long-duration mission ISS astronauts versus nine short-duration space shuttle astronauts. Dr. Alperin's research further confirmed the link between CSF changes and globe flattening.
"Although the precise mechanism is unknown, our published research studies and Dr. Alperin's recent report strongly suggest that increased optic nerve sheath CSF pressure and volume changes are responsible for the disc edema, globe flattening and hyperopic shifts documented in astronauts during and after long-duration space flight," Dr Gibson says.
What doctors of optometry should know
An important takeaway from both studies is—unless a solution can be found—astronauts will continue to report blurred vision and anatomic changes to their eyes during long-duration space flights.
"These changes will undoubtedly result in visual acuity anomalies in some space travelers that, while correctable, may be unpredictable in magnitude," Dr. Gibson says. "As space travel becomes more commonplace and available to larger numbers of people, it would be appropriate for optometrists to be familiar with the possible impacts of space travel on the visual acuity of these space travelers."
He adds, "It appears that clinical optic disc edema, as documented by microscopic slit lamp exam, may last for months post-mission and OCT evidence may last much longer. So there is a gradual resolution of disc edema, but it can be very slow and vary from person to person. Other anatomic changes appear to be more persistent and perhaps permanent in some astronauts."
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It is a fact that all astronauts are experiencing blurry vision after long space travels or space flights. This is because of the changes their bodies undergo from space going back to the Earth and vice versa. According to a new study, commissioned to investigate complaints from cosmonauts about impaired eyesight, has revealed that microgravity could be causing erratic movement of the spinal fluid resulting in deteriorated vision.
Astronauts Are More Likely To Have Eye Problems Due To Too Much Space Travel
Scientists have long suspected astronauts who are sent on long duration space missions could go blind by the time they reach the planet. According to the official statistics, nearly two-thirds of astronauts who have gone on long-duration space missions have returned with one of the many eye problems. While a majority of the spacemen complained of blurry vision, there were cases of flattened eyeballs and inflamed optic nerves.
According to Digital Camera Planet Blog, the visual impairments are a cause of great concern since eyesight is one of the most crucial senses that astronauts have to rely on. Losing the ability to see for the space travelers could be disastrous in the vast emptiness of space, where there is no hospital to remedy the situation before it causes long-term and permanent damage. If ever, first aid kit are the only available.
“People initially didn't know what to make of it, and by 2010 there was growing concern as it became apparent that some of the astronauts had severe structural changes that were not fully reversible upon return to earth,” notes Dr. Noam Alperin, a professor of radiology and biomedical engineering at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, in Florida.
Alperin suspected that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was less able to adjust to the microgravity of space, as per The Washington Post. So, they performed high-resolution brain scans on seven astronauts shortly before and shortly after their long-duration to space. CSF is the clear liquid that floats around the brain and spine. It helps to deliver nutrients, remove waste products and cushion the nervous system from harm.
“The research provides, for the first time, quantitative evidence obtained from short- and long-duration astronauts pointing to the primary and direct role of the CSF in the globe deformations seen in astronauts with visual impairment syndrome,” Alperin said in a statement.
The Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, colorless body fluid found in the brain and spine. It is produced in the choroid plexuses of the ventricles of the brain. It acts as a cushion or buffer for the brain's cortex, providing basic mechanical and immunological protection to the brain inside the skull. The CSF also serves a vital function in cerebral autoregulation of cerebral blood flow.
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Astronauts on the International Space Station are not allowing vision issues to keep them from completing their important tasks on the orbiting laboratory. In fact, they are taking advantage of the opportunity to study why weightlessness alters vision.
Even after 50 years of human spaceflight, scientists still are making new discoveries about human health in microgravity. New research points to a permanent vision risk for astronauts living without gravity. A large part of the International Space Station's mission is to use this data to design future studies to mitigate, and hopefully eliminate the dangers.
"What we are seeing is flattening of the globe, swelling of the optic nerve, a far-sighted shift, and choroidal folds," said Dr. C. Robert Gibson, one of authors of the study published in the October 2011 issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. "We think it is intracranial pressure related, but we're not sure; it could also be due to an increase in pressure along the optic nerve itself or some kind of localized change to the back of the eyeball."
The study identified new risks for those who live in space for at least six months. Blurred vision was the primary issue reported by the seven astronaut test subjects.
"After a few weeks aboard the [station]," said Astronaut Bob Thirsk, a Canadian Space Agency physician who spent six months as a member of the Expedition 20 and 21 crews in 2007, "I noticed that my visual acuity had changed. My distant vision was not too bad, but I found that it was more difficult to read procedures. I also had trouble manually focusing cameras, so I would ask a crewmate to verify my focus setting on critical experiments."
The NASA-conducted post-flight survey included in the paper polled about 300 shuttle and station astronauts, documenting various vision changes. About 29 percent of shuttle astronauts and 60 percent of station astronauts reported a decline in distant -- and near -- vision clarity.
"Swelling of the optic nerve is a serious problem. If it's chronic, that could cause some permanent damage to the eyes," Gibson said. "We do see some change to the anatomy, to the structure of the eye; we see little wrinkles to the retina and the back of the eye, and change in the shape of the eyeball that may be permanent for some individuals."
Researchers are specifically looking at changes to refraction, which involves the way light rays focus inside the eye before images transfer to the brain. This may include alteration to the shape of the eyeball and signal a shift in vision. The swelling of the optic nerve seems to resolve over time, but the flattening of the back of the eye does not appear to return to normal.
Monitoring eye health is a routine activity for space station crews. Until recent years, however, NASA treated vision changes as a temporary problem to work around. The increase in reports of diminished focus in near-vision have now prompted more extensive testing.
"Our medical support team on the ground was superb," Thirsk said. "They launched an electronic ophthalmoscope on the next shuttle flight to the station. The retinal imagery from the ophthalmoscope, as well as ultrasound images of the backs of our eyes, helped our medical team determine the extent of our visual problems. I was really impressed with the responsiveness."
Pre- and post-flight testing includes taking pictures of the back of the eye, fully dilated eye exams, and an ultrasound of the optic nerve and eyeball to look for changes in the shape of the eye. Other screening techniques include optical coherence tomography, which measures swelling and other anatomical changes in the back of the eye, and high resolution MRI of the brain and eye.
In-flight diagnosis and treatment also are critical aspects when planning for future long-duration spaceflight missions, particularly those leaving low-Earth orbit, or extreme environment missions -- this would include trips to Mars or an asteroid, where communication may be delayed and where returning home in a short amount of time is not possible.
To help meet astronaut vision needs on orbit, NASA flies space anticipation glasses for crew members over the age of 40. These glasses are regular eyeglasses with a stronger prescription for use in the event of vision change. The crew also has access to SuperFocus glasses -- adjustable focus glasses eliminating the need for bi- and tri-focal lens associated with multiple vision adjustments. These specialized glasses are in addition to an astronaut's regular prescription glasses.
"During the first half century of spaceflight, we have encountered and addressed many medical problems associated with orbital missions," Thirsk said. "However, as we extend human presence further into the solar system and expand the scope of our activities, we can anticipate that new medical issues will arise."
Using these microgravity findings, along with ground studies, NASA can develop concepts for future studies. A six month stay on the space station is a critical model for understanding of the effects of microgravity on crews as NASA and its international partners plan for future exploration missions. Findings may also advance the development of new treatments for vision problems here on Earth.
by Lori Keith
International Space Station Program Science Office
NASA's Johnson Space Center
Find this article at: | https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/Astronaut_Vision_prt.htm |
Key results from the NASA Twins Study include findings related to gene expression changes, immune system response, and telomere dynamics.
A fully functioning immune system during long-duration space missions is critical to protecting astronaut health from opportunistic microbes in the spacecraft environment.
Further, the results identified key genes to target for use in monitoring the health of future astronauts and potentially developing personalised countermeasures.
The Twins Study gave us the first integrated molecular view into genetic changes, and demonstrated how a human body adapts and remains robust and resilient even after spending nearly a year aboard the International Space Station.
Scott participated in a number of biomedical studies, including research into how the human body adjusts to known hazards, such as weightlessness and space radiation.
NASA has a rigorous training process to prepare astronauts for their missions, including a thoroughly planned lifestyle and work regime while in space, and an excellent rehabilitation and reconditioning program when they return to Earth. | https://www.5thnews.com/2019/04/nasa-research-reveals-what-happens-to.html |
Frontiers in Neural Circuits published a new study that examines the changes in structural connectivity in brains after spaceflight over long durations. Results show significant microstructural modifications in several white matter tracts, such as the sensorimotor. This study will serve as a foundation for future research on brain changes that occur during human space exploration.
Our brains can adapt and change throughout our lives in terms of structure and function. Understanding the effects spaceflight has on our brains is essential as human exploration of space expands. Research has shown that spaceflight can alter the function and shape of adult brains.
A team of international researchers led by Dr Floris Wüyts of the University of Antwerp has been studying brains of astronauts through a joint project between Roscosmos and the European Space Agency (ESA).
Wuyts, along with his colleagues, have investigated for the first-time structural changes in brain after spaceflight at deep-brain white matter tracts.
The brain’s white matter is responsible for communicating between gray matter and the body, and between different gray matter regions. White matter, which is the channel for communication between gray matter and the body, is also where information processing takes place.
The learned brain
The researchers used fiber tractography, a brain imaging technique that studies brain function and structure after spaceflight.
“Fiber tractography gives a sort of wiring scheme of the brain.” Wuyts explained that this is the first study to use this method to detect brain changes after spaceflight.
Wuyts and his crew collected diffusion MRI (dMRI), scans of 12 male cosmonauts, before and after their spaceflights. Seven months after their spaceflight, they also collected eight follow up scans. All cosmonauts participated in long-duration missions lasting an average of 172 days.
Researchers found evidence of the concept of the ‘learned brain’, which is the amount of neuroplasticity required for spaceflight. Andrei Doroshin, Drexel University’s first author, said that he found changes in neural connections between motor areas of the brain.
These changes were still evident seven months after returning to Earth. The scans that followed up revealed this.
“From previous studies, we know that these motor areas show signs of adaptation after spaceflight. Now, we have a first indication that it is also reflected at the level of connections between those regions.”
The authors also offer a possible explanation for the anatomical brain shifts that were observed after spaceflight.
Wuyts explained that initially, we thought we had detected changes in the corpus callosum. This is the central highway linking both hemispheres. The corpus Callosum borders on the brain ventricles. This is a network of fluid-filled chambers that communicate with each other and expand due to spaceflight.
Wuyts stated that the structural changes found in the corpus Callosum were actually caused by dilation of ventricles, which induce anatomical shifts in adjacent neural tissue. We only see shape changes, where it was initially believed that structural changes were occurring in the brain. This changes the perspective of the findings.
Spaceflight research in the future
This study highlights the need to understand how spaceflight affects the body. Long-term research is needed on the effects of spaceflight on the brain. There are currently countermeasures for muscle and bone damage, such as the requirement to exercise for at least two hours per day. Future research could prove that countermeasures are needed for the brain.
“These findings give us additional pieces of the entire puzzle. Since this research is so pioneering, we don’t know how the whole puzzle will look yet. These results contribute to our overall understanding of what’s going on in the brains of space travelers. It is crucial to maintain this line of research, looking for spaceflight induced brain changes from different perspectives and using different techniques,” concluded Wuyts. | https://reallygood.com/8059-spaceflight-rewires-cosmonaut-brains/ |
NASA has released the results of a study on how the human body behaves during long-term space habitation. The study involved two twin brothers – NASA astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly. One of them, Scott, was on the ISS for nearly a year, while the other was on Earth. Many of the genetic, biochemical and other changes that were observed in Scott during his time in space disappeared when he returned from Earth.
The research involved twin brothersow Scott and Mark Kelly. The project began in 2015. One of the brothers – Scott was sent to the International Space Station (ISS), while the other stayed on Earth. For a year, the brothers were regularly subjected to the same medical tests. This has given NASA the chance to porovation of the resultoIn Scott, whoory spent a year in space, with the results of Mark, whoory is a genetic copy of itself, but for that year it stayed in its natural habitat, namely on Earth.
Humans have been flying into space for more than po³ age, but we still know little about how our bodies will behave during a long stay in space. When three years ago Scott Kelly wrohe came to Earth, he was 2 centimeters taller. His body weight also changed, his gut bacteria were completely different, his telomeres lengthened and the expression of his gene also changedow.
The results from the groundbreaking twin studyow from NASA were published in the journal „Science”. An integrated paper covering the work of 10 teamsow research reveals interesting data on how theob the human body adapted to the extreme environment of space, and how, after returning to Earth, Scott’s body reocials to their previous state.
Since the study involves only two people, the results are unlikely to be widely applicable to other astronautsow. But NASA hopes to use the information to develop astronaut health testing proceduresow and to plan future experimentsow. Understanding how theob the human body’s response to spaceflight in the long term, will be crucial to maintaining astronautow in health during planned long manned missions, such as a mission to Mars.
For decades, scientists have been studying how toob space environment with low gravity and high radiation affects the human body. With Scott and Mark Kelly, NASA was given an unprecedented opportunity to porownanie dwoch osob with nearly identical genetic information and similar life experiences.
Scott was in space for 340 days on the International Space Station during the study, but his total number of days spent in space is 520. Mark was in space for only 54 days, which consisted of four relatively krotic flights on the space shuttle.
For 25 months, ten teamsoin the study subjected the brothers romany tests. Scott and Mark were surveyed before, during and after Scott’s mission. Rohe difference was that Mark on Earth ate, drank and did whatever he wanted, while Scott was subjected to a strict diet and exercise regime aboard the space station.
– The study of the twins is the most comprehensive investigation into the human body’s response to spaceflight that we have ever had the chance to complete – said Susan Bailey of Colorado State University.
– This study was an important step toward understanding epigenetics and gene expressionoin space,” said J.D. NASA’s Polk. – Thanks to the Kelly brothers and the researchers, the valuable data collected from the study helped us realize the huge role of personalized medicine in maintaining healthy astronautsow during deep space exploration – added.
The findings indicate changes in the expression of genow, immune system responses, telomeric dynamicsoin whether changes in cognitive function. Many of the findings are consistent with data collected in previous studies and other ongoing research.
The first thing the scientists observed was the elongation of telomeresoin white blood cells in a spaceborne twin. Telomeres are the final fragment of a chromosome, whichorego’s function is to protect it from damage during copying. With each copying, telomeres become circularotsze. Under normal conditions, telomeres shorten with age, but after a year in space, Scott’s telomeres had clearly grown.
Researchers believe that the longer a person’s telomeres, the more likely he or she is to avoid the most unpleasant consequences of theoin aging and will become poSo. Telomere elongation observed by researchersow while being in space for a year can be called something of a rejuvenation of the body. However, as the results showed, enough poł year on Earth to make Scott’s telomeres returnocated to normal, someore of them even became krotsze. His brother’s telomeres remained stable throughout the study period. Because telomeres are important for the genomic stability of comorek, additional studies of telomere dynamicsow are planned for future missions to see if the results are reproducible.
The second key finding is that Scott’s immune system responded appropriately while in space. For example, a flu vaccine administered in space worked exactly as it did on Earth. A fully functioning immune system during long-duration space missions is crucial to protecting astronaut healthow against opportunistic microbes in the spacecraft environment.
The third major finding is the variation in gene expressionoin, ktora reflects howob, how an organism responds to the environment in which itorym resides. It gives an indication ofow scientists howob gene expressionow can affect the body during long-term flightsoin space.
While in space, scientists observed just such changes in Scott. And while most of the comebacksociated to normal after six months on Earth, is a small percentage of the genoin connection with the immune system and DNA repair does not returnocial to the initial state. In the study, scientists identified these genes. They are to be the subject of further research.
– During the flightoIn space, a number of physiological changes occur and the comorkowe,” said Jennifer Fogarty, head of theowny scientist of the Human Research Program at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. She acknowledged that this is very important work, but added that this is only the beginning of research into the behavior of the human body in space.
– This study has given us the first molecular insight into genetic changes and demonstrated howob The human body adapts to being in space and remains strong and resilient even after spending almost a year aboard the International Space Station. Data collected during this experiment will be studied for many years – added Fogarty.
Above the publication in „Science” A total of 82 scientists workedow of 12 universitiesow. Their work was coordinated by scientistsoin from NASA’s Human Research Program. | https://victims-unite.net/how-a-long-stay-in-space-changes-the-human-body/ |
Odie's mum Posts: 61 Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:31 pm. Post by Odie's mum » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:57 pm Hello all, Could anyone please tell me when my 5 month old doodle Odie will stop growing … You will also find that not long after a mini has stopped growing, it also reaches full mental maturity. It’s fairly obvious that if your Labrador is four years recent. Most small breeds of … Compared to the Bernese Mountain Dog, this is extremely fast. It will reach about half its adult weight at between four and five months of age (17-21 weeks). Generally, this is considered to be the point at which Yorkies stop growing in height. When Do Mini Bernedoodles Stop Growing? Do you want me to tell the exact age when they stop growing? The typical Labrador will weigh 55-80 pounds and stand 21-25 inches tall. All of these are signs that your dog has finally calmed down. Initially developed in Australia by combining the strength, loyalty, and intelligence of a Labrador Retriever with the low-shed … In fact, he will be quite close to his final adult Labrador height at around nine months of age. After 6 months, your Husky will have reached adulthood. Females leave their mothers around 18 months, but will continue to live with their herd. When Do Goldendoodles Stop Growing? Sep 03. At what age do Rottweilers heads stop growing? 15 posts • Page 1 of 1. I know - there are many discussions regarding this and many of them say to double the weight at 4 months and add 10 Lbs. This is one of the highly demanded breed following its hypoallergenic features and its miniature size as well. This usually starts between 9 and 12 months of age, although this varies. They are a cross between a Miniature or a Toy Poodle and a Golden Retriever. Most medium sizes reach their full height by a year old, and weight by 18 months. for small and medium sized breeds, 6-8 months is about the right time they stop growing, but giant breeds like the mastiff take longer. What age do Mini Labradoodles stop growing? More research needs to be done on the distinct illnesses or diseases that could affect this dog. Maximum height is achieved by 6-7 months, and soon after height by nine months. 0. Sep 03. Charlie my mini golden doodle is 16 pounds at 6 months. At what age does a Labrador stop growing? Sign up now and stay updated for all the latest news. Customer Question. Your dog's growth will begin to slow between 12 weeks and six months, and by six months your dog will be close to her adult size. How long does it take a Mini to be full grown and get their coat? Large breeds generally take longer to grow and mature when compared with other smaller breeds. like most dogs they stop growing at 9 months age or maybe 10. The Labradoodle comes in a wide variety of colors. If you're the proud owner of a new Rottie pup, it's important to bear in mind that this is a large, slow-growing breed, and your little one won't be considered 'mature' or fully grown until he (or she) is at least 18 months to 2 years old. At 6 months, your Husky's growth will slow down. Despite their great watchdog abilities, their friendliness and love of people do not make them good guard dog material. They understand more and use their training efficiently and don’t seem to get into as much trouble as before. The small percentage of Cocker Spaniel doesn’t change any of the growth mentioned above. As you well know, Labradoodles are a very active dog. What age do Neapolitan mastiffs stop growing? What age do Staffordshire bull terriers stop growing? The Standard Labradoodle is a mix of the Standard Poodle and Labrador Retriever. If your Maltipoo is a 1st generation and both dogs were within standard size for their breed & the sire or dam was a toy Poodle, your Maltipoo should stop growing at the 8 to 10 month range. He’s not visiting get any taller (though after all, he may get fatter). These lines are sometimes considered the original Labradoodles and have amazing breeding lines from Australia. Normal age for losing the teeth is between 4 and 9 months old, so you have no worries there. For starters, your Doodle will have an obvious stopping point in playtime. Depending on his parents and the particular mix of genes he inherits, he may be miniature, medium, or standard. Most common just after waking up and rarely occur during sleep. At what age do Maltese puppies stop growing? They should have reached the average weight of approximately six and a half pounds, or 3.17 kg. But if your adult dog is especially food motivated, they might start overeating the puppy food. You will notice that the Mini Poodle reaches full height by 6-7 months old and maximum weight by a year old. But what a couple of two-year-old research lab, or a one-year-old? These dogs are considered non-shedding, more information is on the Labradoodle Coat section of our website. What age do Boston terriers stop growing? What … I know - there are many discussions regarding this and many of them say to double the weight at 4 months and add 10 Lbs. However, many people state that isn't so. Dachshunds are bred with the chondrodysplasia (dwarfism) gene, so it takes longer than normal for their legs to fully develop. If your doodle is less than a year old, he or she simply has a huge surplus of puppy energy. Border Collies will settle into their final size between 12 to 15 months of age. Most Yorkshire Terriers slow down in growth by 9 to 10 months and usually finish growing completely by 12 months. The Dogo Argentino is a slow maturing breed. Small and medium dogs. Growth continues to be very rapid until the puppy is about seven months old, at which point it begins to taper off. What age do German shorthaired pointers stop growing? During this time, they will reach their full height and weight, although some breeds continue to fill out past 16 months. 0. Same thing with Miko! Females are generally 21.5 to 22.5 inches tall and 55 to 65 pounds. Orphaned puppies may be weaned around the same age. The height of the Mini Goldendoodle usually grows between 13 – 20 inches tall and on average, weighs between 20 – 45 pounds (give or take 5 pounds) depending on what type of breed you get. That is because although your dog might have reached physical maturity, it does not mean that they will quit acting like a puppy. Submitted: 12 years ago. July 2020 This group is slower growing, and most large puppies won't reach their full-sized frame until 15 to 18 months old and their full adult weight until they're about two years old. At what age do Mini Labradoodles stop growing? However, cognitive development isn’t usually completed until the 2-year mark. Yorkies are considered to be youngsters from six months of age up to ten months. Physically, he/she has done all the growing, he/she is going to do .Mentally he/she is capable of more complex learning and he/she has the capability of a long attention span. She has been around the same weight for the last month. July 2020 Let’s look at this size in more detail to find out which Labradoodle size is best for your family. I just wondered approx how big he will get and how high? So when does a Labradoodle stop growing? It’s small-sized dog at about 14 to 16 inches tall, weighing anywhere between 15 to 25 pounds. The females are faster maturing, reaching full maturity at two years of age. At what age do Yorkie puppies stop growing? They have an expected lifespan of 12 to 15 years with quality care. Most Mini Labradoodles even reach their full height by nine months old. How Long Do Miniature Labradoodles Live? Growth continues to be very rapid until the puppy is about seven months old, at which point it begins to taper off. Instead of playing nonstop for hours on end, your pup will slow down and give apparent signs that they are tired. Share this conversation. I do think you could probably choose a bed tho, at this stage. Yorkies are considered to be full-grown adults at four years old. Standard Goldendoodles continue growing from one to two years of age; they typically reach their full height by the first 12-14 months, and “fill out” (gain weight) for a few months until they reach their full size. They'll start to grow their hair long and have plenty of energy to play. When do pups stop growing? Another important factor that affects the growth of your Labradoodle is puppy food. In turn, this will begin making them overweight. Other lighter dogs could also weight up to 7 kgs. Transition to Adult Period: The German Shepherd is a large breed dog, and they can continue to mature up until they reach 36 months. By the time you take your puppy home at the age of 8 or 9 weeks, it will be roughly half its adult height. At what age do golden retrievers stop growing? There is a growth chart (link below) that says a dog is at 90% height and 70% weight at 26-30wks, but that is a statistical average. Your Doodle might also show their excitement in different ways. How To Survive Puppyhood With A Doodle. As a larger breed dog, the American bulldog reaches his full height between 12 and 18 months of age. Will she continue to have some growth in size & at what age do they stop … When puppies are teething, between the ages of 3 and 6 months of age, they are also chewing! Most will hit max height by year 1 and fill out after. Females have heat cycles throughout their lives because, unlike primates, dogs don't go into menopause as they age. He/she should be a well liked/loved member of the family. A Yorkie is done growing by the 1 year mark. A dachshund’s bones should stop growing by the time they’re 1 year old, although they might keep filling out for some time after that. The doodles are a bit lighter as compared to the other breeds with a full grown dog weighing not more than 13 kgs. However, they can be fully considered as an adult GSD or a full grown GSD until the male is already 2 ½ years and the female reaches two years or more. Top. What does it mean when my dog's urine is dark yellow? It is, thus, a perfect breed … While they may reach their full height, they still tend to fill out and continue to gain weight past this age. After a year, larger puppies will continue to grow about 1.5-2 pounds a week. Although Italian Greyhounds reach physical maturity between eight months and a year and a half, depending on their bloodline and their size (larger ones tend to keep growing for a longer period) most of them retain their puppy energy and playfulness well beyond that age. Full height is reached around one-year-old, weight by two, and mental maturity by 2-2.5. When do puppies stop growing therefore … Alaskan malamutes specifically generally stop growing between 18 months and 2 years old. Small Breeds. Sexually mature female dogs go through heat twice, or less commonly once, every year. The owner of this website, loverdoodles.com, is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking loverdoodles.com Review to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com This occurs at no extra cost to you, and we appreciate your support. At what age do Dogo Argentino stop growing? when do labradoodles stop growing. A lot of his growth after this point will be 'filling out' rather than getting taller. And with mixed breeds, you might wonder what to expect with maturity. They love to run and play and do activities with you, and most of them do these until they grow old. At what age do Bernedoodles stop growing? The medium dog is an English Springer Spaniel. Most large breed dogs finish growing between 10-and-16 months of age. On the other hand, Miniature and Toy Poodles are generally finished growing by 6-8 months of age. How Big Do Mini Goldendoodles Get? On average, small breeds typically stop growing by the time they reach 6 to 8 months of age, but giant breeds grow until they are 12 to 18 months old. At what age do Labradoodles stop growing? Unfortunately, you are unable to control how quickly and how large your Labradoodle becomes but you can expect them to stop growing around the age of 2 years. A mini only gets 15 inches tall, and 12-20 pounds, and most of this happens within a year. Guardado por Glamy's Kitchen Another sign that your Doodle is getting more mature is that they don’t eat as much. While they may reach their full height, they still tend to fill out and continue to gain weight past this age. gillwightman Posts: 407 Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 9:13 … Most Goldendoodles stop growing between 1 and 2 years of age. My breeder had estimated she will be around 23 pounds fully grown. The bad news is that if you haven't been working with your pup, he or she may continue to chew on things just for the fun of it. when do labradoodles stop growing. Male giraffes will stay with their mothers for 15 months before leaving to form a group with other males. Chewy Goody Box vs BarkBox – Pros And Cons. These sizes are all identical to the American standards as well. Medium-large dog breeds (Collies, Labrador Retrievers, Boxers) are at full growth by about 18 months and at their full weight by about 2 years of age. BarkBox Or PupBox – Which One Is Best For Me? Many breeders and show trainers do this for their dogs before rigorous training or breeding. On average, Labradoodles will stop growing at around 12 to 18 months. old, so I am more open to leaving open the possibility of growing. when does it end??? Labradors mostly grow till their second birthday. Article from blogtvdaily.com. It is usually a cross between the Labrador Retriever and the Poodle; a Toy, Miniature or a small Standard Poodle. By the time a pup is 7 or 8 weeks old, she should be completely weaned from her mother and no longer nursing. By two years old, the lab will gain all the weight that she needs. eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'loverdoodles_com-banner-1','ezslot_6',106,'0','0'])); While they might take just as long as standards to reach their adult height, they gain weight quickly afterward. Our Keenan grew an inch or TWO after 6mos. What age do Maltese puppies stop growing? Predicting Your Poodle’s Eventual Height What age do German shepherds stop growing? 2. when do labradoodles stop growing. A Yorkshire Terrier will begin to lose teeth at the age of 4 months and this phase is usually complete by the age of 8 months. These smaller sizes are only possible through artificial insemination of a Lab and Toy Poodle. At what age does a blue heeler stop growing? A standard Cockapoo bred from a Standard size Poodle parent will probably see their full growth at about 9 months. At what age does a Labradoodle puppy stop growing? 3. At what age do American Staffordshire terriers stop growing? Do you need a breeding license to breed dogs. Do not believe that all labradoodles or Australian Labradoodles are non shed dogs, some shed and some do not. Small-medium dog breeds (Toy Poodles, Beagles, Miniature Schnauzers) will finish growth by about 12-15 months and will have reached their full weight by about 18 months. Puppies experience the largest growth rate from birth to about six months of age. When do mini goldendoodles stop growing? Whatever our puppy winds up at is fine - I just would like to know at approximately how many months will they grow to that last inch (since weight can be controlled with food - I just want to know when he'll stop growing… Their maximum weight is 30-40 pounds and 18-20 inches tall. First, his canines will have grown to full size, which happens anywhere from 12 months to 18 months old. how big will my labradoodle... how big will my labradoodle get? While a bulldog may be classified as an adult at a year old, all of his growing may not be done until he reaches 18 months of age, states the Bulldog Rescue & Rehoming website. Where your puppy might have bounced off the walls, your mature dog will jump in place and wag their tails excitedly. Some have Toy Labradoodles. First, we will talk about Standard Poodles that give us the standard Labradoodle that we all know and love. Poodles put the Doodle in our Labradoodles. Read on to find out how big do Labradoodles get, what impacts the size of a Labradoodle, and when do Labradoodles stop growing! How Much Do Labradoodles Weigh If Bred From Miniature Sized Poodle Parent? Nipping is a habit that you can correct. Between 42 and 64.7 kg. Based on the typical sizes of the Miniature Poodle and Labrador, a Mini Labradoodle full grown will typically be 14 to 16 inches tall at the shoulder. His body may continue to bulk up until he reaches between 2 and 3 years of age. Australian Labradoodles come in the same three sizes as the American lines, standard, medium, and mini. These plates close up and fuse together when your dog finishes all of their growth spurts. Thank you. If your Doodle is getting close to maturity, you might wonder how to tell if your dog is still growing. They will then grow slowly … Miniature poodles can take up to a year to stop getting taller. When do standard poodles stop growing? when do labs stop growing When do labs stop growing? Although it might feel like forever, most puppies are biting and mouthing much less by the time they are 8-10 months old, and fully grown adult dogs (older than 2-3 years) virtually never use their mouths the way that puppies do. However, many people state that isn't so. As mentioned in the first paragraph the average lifespan of a Mini Labradoodle is 12 – 14 years. This is one of the highly demanded breed following its hypoallergenic features and its miniature size as well. If you notice that your puppy is not gaining as much weight, they will likely come to an end of the puppy years. Some Miniature Labradoodles are being bred as a first cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Miniature Poodle. Small-medium dog breeds (Toy Poodles, Beagles, Miniature Schnauzers) will finish growth by about 12-15 months and will have reached their full weight by about 18 months. Males are not fully grown until at least three years of age. He’s not visiting get any taller (though after all, he may get fatter). You can start training a puppy not to nip at around 6 to 8 weeks old, but he might not be able to stop himself during the teething process. Generally speaking, most Labradoodles stop growing at around 12 to 18 months. Around this time, a female Labrador Retriever becomes fully mentally mature, but she will still love playtime as much as a puppy. At two years old, your Standard Labradoodle will also start to reach mental maturity. Miniature or Toy Poodles tend to be full physically mature around 7-12 months. Doberman pinschers frequently attain their adult heights when they're around a year in age, although some exceptions do occur. Giraffes nurse from their mothers for 9 to 12 months. At what age does a rat terrier stop growing? Instead of dreading the required play, embrace it! While your pet's still a young puppy, consult the veterinarian regarding when exactly to switch him from puppy chow to adult food, as adults and puppies have different nutritional needs. How to Stop Puppy Whining, Crying and Howling when Crate Training; Pros and Cons of Poodles as Service Dogs At what age does a chiweenie stop growing? Discipline Your Doodle Dog Without Harsh Punishment? It can be more than a year but the rate of growth may not be noticable. They are not considered to be a cognitively adult dog until they reache two years of age. Labs stop growing during their second year. During this time, your Yorkie may chew on anything that he or she can get their mouth on.
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What is a Dog Warden?
Meg Austwick
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Do Labrador Retrievers Drool A Lot?
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Sad Dog – How To Cheer Up A Miserable Pup
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Gait Comparison of the Horse and Dog – An overview of the similarities and differences between the canine and equine locomotion. Variations in Metabolic Response to Activity Anticipation – Metabolic changes in Field Trial Labrador Retrievers related to pre-event excitation.
To buy at webstore click here:Issue 2(1): ~ An overview of the similarities and differences between the canine and equine locomotion. ~ Metabolic changes in Field Trial Labrador Retrievers related to pre-event excitation. | http://www.sportsvet.com/the-athletic-and-working-dog-newsletter-21/ |
Please check back often as we add more pictures of Labrador retrievers. Please help us build our photo gallery by sending us pictures of your Labrador.
Below are some great dog quotes:
1) If you want a friend for life, get a dog. - Harry S Truman
2) A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. - Josh Billings
3) Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole. - Roger Caras
4) Life is ruff, get a lab. – Unknown
5) When God made Labrador Retrievers, he was showing off. – Unknown
6) There is no psychiatrist in the world like a Labrador Retriever licking your face. – Unknown
7) The more people I meet, the more I like my Labrador Retriever. – Unknown
8) The Labrador Retriever – eager to please, easy to handle. | https://gottalovealab.com/labrador-quotes.html |
Service Dogs in Training
Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers train for 2 to 2-1/2 years to become full-fledged Assistance Dogs. They attend classes weekly with volunteer foster home trainers who take the puppies into their homes and hearts at age 8 weeks. Classes focus on learning the more than 70 cues the dogs will use to assist their lifetime partners.
Assistance Dogs learn early to watch attentively for cues plus basic skills such as sit, drop, stay, come, and walk nicely on a leash. They progressively learn more advanced skills, such as retrieving, opening and closing drawers and doors, turning on light switches, helping with clothing, and many more tasks that help support the independence of their future partner. By the time a dog is ready to be matched, he or she can pick up items as small as a dime and as thin as a credit card, help a person transfer into a wheelchair, retrieve a phone, and search for help in an emergency.
Throughout their training, Helping Paws dogs in training live in a home environment with their volunteer foster home trainers. The dogs are purposely exposed to many environments and experiences—such as restaurants, business offices and community gatherings—as they learn to stay focused on the person who needs them most, their lifetime partner. | https://helpingpaws.org/service-dogs-in-training/ |
Every language is constantly evolving to reflect societal shifts, such as technological developments or changes in what is politically acceptable. Language adapts to meet the needs of the speakers. New inventions need new vocabulary. We assigned the telephone a name of reference upon the time of invention. We changed the name of its development — the mobile phone — when it became, well, mobile.
Language is influenced by age, location, education, environment and other factors that cause us to pick up on variations in speech and word choice that signify a group identity. These variations can be the distinction between a southern accent from a New Yorker accent, or they can take the form of entirely different word choices, such as what Americans call a sweatshirt and what Australians call a jumper. We borrow words from other languages, sometimes even changing their meanings or grammatical structure. It’s a constant evolution.
Language and word choice are often used to signify a level of intelligence — or at least that’s what people think they’re doing when they try to integrate a word they learned this morning into their afternoon coffee chat. Three in five people use complex vocabulary to appear smarter, and 58% have used a word to sound “smarter” even when they didn’t understand its meaning. Using words that are seen as more advanced than words used in everyday language is often seen as an indication of having a broader vocabulary.
But how many times within a discussion has someone used the wrong word and completely thrown you off? While the person may know what they’re talking about, incorrect word choices can make their opinion seem less credible. Mark Twain stated, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is a really large matter — it’s the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug.” While word choice and the way we translate our intentions into language can clarify our perspective for others, overly complicated language can inhibit our ability to communicate effectively with others.
The whole point of writing my articles is that I want you to understand my opinion. I want to persuade you; I want you to agree with me. So why would I write in such an obtusely didactic way that you would simply click off my article or not fully comprehend my point? I’ve often been told to read when I have writer’s block, and I, as many do, read like a writer.
I decided to pick up one of my friend’s books on her bookshelf and was taken aback after reading a few pages of it. I had absolutely no idea what was going on. I knew the meaning of every word, yet the way the words were interlaced together left me questioning my abilities within the English language. Did the author even want the reader to have any clue what was happening in their book? I couldn’t tell. It made me wonder: Did this author become a writer to express their thoughts and emotions? Or to intimidate others with the “depth” of their thoughts or their perceived intelligence?
The English language has developed to become more applicable to those who use it so that we can more easily understand each other when communicating. So why do we create pieces that are linguistically inaccessible to others? Is it the fault of the reader for not having a high enough comprehension level to decipher the meaning? Or is it truly the writer’s inability to break down their “complex” thoughts into comprehensible literature? In the world of literature, we often blame it on the reader, claiming they don’t have the intellect to analyze the message knit into the nonsense. However, writers play a role in these misunderstandings too. Metaphors offer a profound beauty in which readers can interpret the phrasing in a myriad of different ways.
Within a metaphor, there is a literal meaning and an alternate meaning. Even though there are often many interpretations of the same metaphor, there is still the literal interpretation that unifies readers. When that literal meaning is removed due to intentionally complicated word choice, that unification is lost. This facilitates discussion and a range of points of view, triggering conversation. Increasing the distribution of knowledge exposes alternate points of view about society, culture, race, the best diet, how not to mess up your children, the true balance of work and life and even the meaning of life. A wider range of life experiences reflected in written works provides evidence to support these alternate points of view, and with the exclusion of some, there isn’t an accurate representation of the population.
The literary community is overtaken by elitism. Not until recently was the act of reading and writing something in which most people participated. Even in the 1940s, only 40% of Americans read literature. In the 19th century, it was only the upper-class elite who had the ability to read, write and document literary history. Their opinions were documented while the rest of society was not given the same access to this exclusionary collection of recorded knowledge.
While we’ve progressed from only absorbing the words and stories of upper-class white men, certain groups of people are still not adequately represented in this literary community. The continuous exclusion of underrepresented groups that exists today allows those with more widely accepted writing who benefit from literary elitism to feel above others and provides a sense of superiority for them. And while using advanced vocabulary is this same concept on a smaller scale, it still perpetuates the idea of boasting one’s intelligence.
With a median pay of $20,300 as of 2017, being a writer often does not provide a salary that is substantial enough to live off of without supplementary income. Therefore, a writer’s salary must often be supplemented by a partner’s salary or secondary jobs — a privilege that not everyone has. Not every writer has their breakthrough and is able to abandon their other responsibilities to focus on writing, which leads to a lack of socioeconomic diversity in the literary community. They can afford to write in confusing phrasing and to push their narrative onto a susceptible audience.
Within everyday conversation, the use of confusing vocabulary is used to create a power imbalance between the speaker and those listening. The lack of ability to process communication from the speaker creates insecurity within the listener. Overall, the intelligence barriers created within language solely work to promote the inequalities of the literary community rather than to further develop the language to better adapt to society. So what can we do to battle these boundaries that are enlaced within the community? Highlight and promote the work of underrepresented groups. | https://www.michigandaily.com/opinion/columns/the-allure-of-gaudy-intellect/ |
Impact of small-scale conservation management methods on spider assemblages in xeric grassland
Hamřík T. & Košulič O.
Úvod
Bibliografie
Zpravodaj
Odkazy
Akce
Média
Přihlášení
Rok
2021
Autoři
Ing.
Ondřej Košulič
, Ph.D.
Tomáš Hamřík
Obsah
Seminatural grasslands are among the most valuable habitats for arthropod conservation in Central Europe. The abandonment of traditional farming has caused these areas to become overgrown and homogeneous, thereby resulting in loss of arthropod biodiversity. This traditional farming therefore needs to be complemented by active conservation management methods. An important question is whether small-scale conservation management may support arthropod diversity and habitat specialists inhabiting abandoned seminatural grasslands. We investigated the effects of mowing, prescribed burning, mechanical turf disturbance, and absence of active management on species richness, functional diversity and composition, conservation value, abundance of Red List species, and assemblage composition of spiders. The management methods were applied on small-scale (4 × 5 m) patches in protected xeric grassland. Spiders were sampled using pitfall traps and sweeping during 2017 and 2018. A total of 11,634 specimens from 154 species were recorded, including many rare and threatened species. The temporal responses of spider assemblages to active conservation management depended on the particular group of spiders. Changes in assemblage composition and resulting shifts in the community weighted mean values were distinct in the second year of the experiment. Management had no significant effect on the species richness of ground-dwelling spiders. Mechanical turf disturbance shifted the assemblage composition of ground-dwelling spiders towards habitat generalist species. Vegetation-dwelling spiders had the highest species richness in unmanaged patches. Their functional diversity was lower in disturbed patches. Burnt patches supported species of conservation concern for both spider groups. Prescribed burning had positive results for most of the studied indicators. Nevertheless, mechanical turf disturbance had a rather negative effect on the spider assemblages. Our results indicate that even small, patch-like interventions with minimal costs can considerably support the valuable spider assemblages of xeric grassland in the intensified landscape of Central Europe.
Citace
Hamřík T. & Košulič O.
(2021): | https://www.arachnology.cz/literatura/impact-of-small-scale-conservation-management-methods-on-spider-assemblages-in-xeric-grassland-3631.html |
Urbanization is a global process contributing to the loss and fragmentation of natural habitats. Many studies have focused on the biological response of terrestrial taxa and habitats to urbanization. However, little is known regarding the consequences of urbanization on freshwater habitats, especially small lentic systems. In this study we examined aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity (family and species level) and variation in community composition between 240 urban and 782 non-urban ponds distributed across the UK. Contrary to predictions, urban ponds supported similar numbers of invertebrate species and families compared to non-urban ponds. Similar gamma diversity was found between the two groups at both family and species taxonomic levels. The biological communities of urban ponds were markedly different to those of non-urban ponds and the variability in urban pond community composition was greater than that in non-urban ponds, contrary to previous work showing homogenisation of communities in urban areas. Positive spatial autocorrelation was recorded for urban and non-urban ponds at 0-50 km (distance between pond study sites) and negative spatial autocorrelation was observed at 100-150 km, and was stronger in urban ponds in both cases. Ponds do not follow the same ecological patterns as terrestrial and lotic habitats (reduced taxonomic richness) in urban environments; in contrast they support high taxonomic richness and contribute significantly to regional faunal diversity. Individual cities are complex structural mosaics which evolve over long periods of time and are managed in diverse ways, promoting the development of a wide-range of environmental conditions and habitat niches in urban ponds which can promote greater heterogeneity between pond communities at larger scales. Ponds provide an opportunity for managers and environmental regulators to conserve and enhance freshwater biodiversity in urbanized landscapes whilst also facilitating key ecosystem services including storm water storage and water treatment.
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This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Hill, M. J., Biggs, J., Thornhill, I., Briers, R. A., Gledhill, D. G., White, J. C., Wood, P. J. and Hassall, C. (2016), Urban ponds as an aquatic biodiversity resource in modified landscapes. Glob Change Biol. doi:10.1111/gcb.13401, which has been published in final form at 10.1111/gcb.13401. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving. | https://eprints.worc.ac.uk/4728/ |
The UE General Executive Board, meeting in Pittsburgh from June 5-8, 2018, adopted the following statement calling for support of the OFF Act, HR 3671, and the Clean Energy Worker Just Transition Act.
In 2017 the UE National Convention passed a resolution which:
- Actively urges the environmental movement to incorporate just transition into their platforms, and to push for solutions that curb the power of corporations rather than create market incentives;
- Demands that all environmental policies, including those targeting climate change, incorporate just transition for workers and communities affected;
- Seeks renewable alternatives to environmentally-destructive methods of energy production and distribution;
- Supports legislation mandating massive investments by state and federal governments and U.S. businesses to convert to a clean-energy economy and create millions of good jobs in the process;
- Reaffirms the solution UE proposed to the energy crisis in the 1970s: public ownership of the energy industry in order to end price gouging and preserve our environment.
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii has introduced the Off Fossil Fuels for a Better Future (OFF) Act, HR 3671. This legislation contains the basic components of the above UE resolution and, in addition, calls for clear timelines for a just transition of our nation to renewable energy (80% by 2027 and 100% by 2035) while protecting affected workers and communities. It addresses our concerns on wage and benefit protection and job training for workers in the fossil fuel industry, as well as provides clear pathways for renewable energy workers to exercise their right to join and organize a union. It addresses the historic exclusion of communities of color, indigenous communities, and low-income communities in the development and oversight of energy policy.
It does not, however, address the critical need for energy production and distribution to be in the hands of our communities through public ownership in order that this critical industry will be governed for the benefit of people – not profit. We encourage inclusion of these concepts into this legislation and any other legislation dealing with the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
The UE General Executive Board endorses HR 3167 and the similar Senate legislation, the Clean Energy Worker Just Transition Act, of Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), and Edward Markey (Mass.) and encourages UE locals and members to contact their representatives to secure their support and to sign on to these congressional bills. | https://www.ueunion.org/political-action/2018/support-the-off-fossil-fuels-for-a-better-future-act |
Newcastle is a major centre for coal exports. When Newcastle City Council flirts with any hint of fossil fuel divestment, expect controversy.
On August 25, the council approved a policy giving preference to “environmentally and socially responsible investments”. This was supported by Labor and Greens councillors, and opposed by Liberal and independent councillors.
The council was immediately condemned for supposedly undermining the coal industry. Critics included Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the Hunter Business Chamber, Labor Right MP Joel Fitzgibbon, and the Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) Northern Mining and NSW Energy District.
This was not actually fossil fuel divestment — just a baby step in that direction. The Labor mayor tried to hose down controversy by reassuring the coal industry and workers that Newcastle Council supported them and was not divesting.
Conflict within Labor about environmental policies is not new. Of concern here is the response of the local CFMEU District, which suggests that they will strongly oppose even a symbolic step away from coal by employing the “jobs versus environment” argument.
The local CFMEU District called on Labor councillors to reverse the decision. While criticising the council’s lack of consultation, they also labelled the decision “an example of self-indulgent, gesture-politics that puts working class people last. ... [Labor councillors] should not attempt to out-bid the Greens on who can destroy more blue-collar jobs”.
Greens councillor Therese Doyle told Green Left Weekly that the CFMEU had been “duped by coal corporations”. She hoped that, given their strong tradition of “defending industrial and community rights”, CFMEU members would “demand a sustainable future for themselves and their children”.
Greens councillors would have preferred that the council’s policy actually called for fossil fuel divestment.
The Newcastle Trades Hall Council took a broader view of the controversy. While affirming that it represented workers in a range of industries including coal, it stated that it supported “alternative investment that generates growth and employment opportunities” and refrained from criticising the council. Trades Hall secretary Daniel Wallace told Green Left Weeklythat after the steel industry closures, the council recognised that diversification was good for the region.
Today the Hunter Valley has a diverse range of industries. Coal mining, while very influential, is a minor employer with only 5% of local jobs in the coal industry.
Many supporters of the CFMEU would be disappointed by the stance of its Northern Mining District. We face a climate change emergency and all countries need to transition from coal quickly. Renewable energy is likely to displace coal soon. Ignoring this issue will not make it go away. However, affected communities do need justice.
Just Transition recognises that communities affected by the inevitable transition from coal will need new jobs, such as in the manufacture of sustainable technologies, like wind turbines and solar components, and new skills. It stresses that affected communities and their trade unions need to have a strong voice in the transition process.
Judging by the attack on the Labor–Greens dominated council, it appears that the CFMEU’s Northern Mining District is not planning for a life after coal. This does not help the futures of workers and communities who currently rely on coal jobs. It also ignores the health and wellbeing of communities affected by pollution and land degradation from coalmining.
We need to clearly differentiate between the interests of Hunter Valley workers and those of the coal industry. The industry has been willing to create division and distrust in the region and to ride roughshod over community concerns about health, environment and the loss of valuable farming land. The interests of local workers, however, are in the future wellbeing of their communities.
Some in the CFMEU are more proactive. Luke van der Meulen, president of the Victorian division (based in the Latrobe Valley) and a former Greens candidate, is a long-term advocate of Just Transitions. CFMEU General President Tony Maher recently endorsed Labor’s proposal for 50% renewable energy on condition of substantial financial assistance for affected workers.
Fossil fuel divestment campaigners 350.org also strongly promote just transitions, and hosted the national Just Transitions speaking tour by Bob Massie earlier this year. Newcastle Trades Hall secretary Daniel Wallace, for example, spoke at Massie’s Newcastle meeting.
A just transition to a low-carbon society needs to be planned and driven by workers and their unions. The free market will not provide social justice. It requires a strong role by government. Workers’ cooperatives for manufacturing sustainable technologies are also emerging. An example is the Earthworker Cooperative, driven by union activist Dave Kerin.
The CFMEU Northern Mining and NSW Energy District could be part of the solution, and could help drive a just transition for the people of the Hunter. Because coal is not the future of humanity.
A rescission motion against the new investment policy, initiated by Liberal councillors, failed at an extraordinary meeting of Newcastle Council held on September 8.
[Andrea Bunting is a member of Socialist Alliance and Climate Action Moreland, which campaigned with 350.org for Moreland City Council to divest from fossil fuels.]
Like the article? Subscribe to Green Left now! You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. | https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/how-should-mining-union-respond-coal-divestment-movement |
By:
Brian Champ
April 11, 2022
On March 29, the federal Liberals released a new climate plan which they claim will end subsidies to oil and gas, cut emissions 40-45% from 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve "net-zero" by 2050. They boast of spending $100 billion on climate action since coming to office, but they are the only G7 nation to see their emissions rise in that period. This plan promises urgent action, but throws a lifeline to the fossil fuel industry. The truly remarkable thing is the sophistication of the Trudeau Liberals' ability to obscure the dirty open secret at the centre of plan.
But before getting into these details, let's look at a few key features of the plan. They promise to "create new, middle class jobs for Canadians by making Canada a world leader in batteries to power the clean economy, helping industries adopt clean technologies to cut pollution, and supporting all workers to ensure no one is left behind.". The newly announced Lithium Ion battery plan in Windsor is a part of this - the Liberals also want to position the Canadian mining industry to "win the race" for critical minerals for the "net-zero" economy.
But whether or not such production facilities are part of a Just Transition depends on the involvement of Indigenous people and other communities whose land and livelihoods are affected by the mining of raw minerals, as well as the environmental sustainability of the battery plant itself. Maintaining and expanding the availability of green jobs requires the vigilance of workers in the production process to ensure that there is continual improvement in the environmental impact of production. Given the track record of Canadian mining companies for violating Indigenous land rights as well as human rights and leaving a path of destruction these workers will need to be vigilant indeed.
As for "clean technologies", which I've written about elsewhere, I'll just say that they include those that improve fossil fuel combustion efficiency when we should be moving off fossil fuels altogether. Improving the efficiency of combustion will lead to the expansion of emissions as the economy grows.
A lot of the promises made will not be met until 2030 or 2035, including promises around phasing out internal combustion vehicles, overall emissions targets and the "cap and cut" oil and gas industry targets. Thermal coal will be allowed to flow across Canada's borders until 2030. These timelines are too slow to avoid a harsh future - we need ambitious public programs to lead the way into the future, making fossil fuel companies who have profited from the lack of climate action through denial, obfuscation and deceit pay for the transition instead of giving them tax breaks and incentives to continue their destructive ways.
It includes investments of "$8 billion to accelerate green jobs and Canada’s industrial transformation, with an extra $1.75 billion of targeted support for the aerospace sector to accelerate the transition." Some of this investment may well be going to zero emissions projects, but a great deal of it, like the money for the aerospace industry, is to improve fuel efficiency rather than transition to zero emissions.
There are subsidies for building and home owners to do energy retrofits, as well as community level programs. There is $2 billion for workers and communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland to develop their own transition plans, and a promise to launch a Green Jobs Training centre. But all these programs need to be massively expanded.
Disgracefully, the plan almost completely ignores Indigenous communities. No mention in the section on Clean and Healthy Oceans. No mention in the section on Clean Water, despite (or perhaps because of) the failure of the Liberals to deliver clean water to dozens of First Nations reserves. No mention in the section on protecting Canadians from pollution, despite the fact that Vanessa Gray and others from Aamjiwnaang First Nation have chronicled the poisoning of their land and people by chemical valley in Sarnia. In the section on protecting old growth forests, there was mention of Indigenous stewardship but it's unclear how much of the paltry $50 million will go to First Nations. And there was mention of expanding Indigenous Guardian projects and the expansion of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCA) but no dollar amount was included.
It is not only shameful that it shows the continuing colonialism that characterizes the relationship of Canada with Indigenous peoples, but also because it is Indigenous led blockades of pipelines and hydrocarbon megaprojects that have delayed or stopped the equivalent of 25% of annual US and Canadian carbon emissions. Indigenous communities worldwide make up 5% of the world's population, yet are responsible for protecting 80% of biodiversity.
But the main theme of the Liberal climate plan, despite Trudeau's protestations to the contrary, is continuing support and subsidies to fossil fuel companies.
Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Subsidies to the fossil fuel industry were $8.6 billion in 2021. According to a report by Environmental Defence entitled Buyer Beware: Fossil Fuels Subsidies and Carbon Capture Fairy Tales in Canada, $5.8 billion in Canadian and provincial government money has flowed to carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) projects since 2000 yet have been ineffective, accounting for a miniscule 0.05% of Canada's total (official) emissions. Recent CCUS tests have shown that the process emits more carbon than it absorbs - any other project would have been shut down. The reality is that the only reason for CCUS to exist is as cover for oil and gas companies to continue operating and generating profits.
Continuing profitability for the fossil fuel sector is looking even brighter since the war in Ukraine has raised the price of oil enough to encourage tar sands and pipeline investments. Despite this, oil companies have not invested in CCUS to any great degree but rather are calling for $50 billion in subsidies for these projects. This climate plan includes support for other dubious climate solutions such as "blue" hydrogen and carbon offsets that allow companies to continue their business as usual.
It is criminal to continue peddling weak, market based solutions as the answer to the climate crisis while continuing to fund the companies driving the destruction. This is not a problem of the future, it is happening right now. The brunt of the crisis is being borne largely by women, Indigenous communities, racial minorities, LGBTQ+ people, young, older and poorer people. Any solution to the climate crisis needs to address the historic and ongoing inequalities that have been made more stark by pandemic conditions.
But for the Liberals, it is merely a political position. An example that demonstrates how little they care about climate commitments came in 2020, a year when the drop in demand for fossil fuels was an opportunity to make significant public investments into zero emissions energy production projects. But instead of increasing the roughly $1 billion that is spent on renewables, $18 billion was given to fossil fuels, twice as much as in a normal year.
But haven't they promised to cut public funding of fossil fuels?
There is no doubt that the Liberals feel vulnerable to criticism of their ongoing fossil fuel funding, so they have promised to "Develop a plan to phase-out public financing of the fossil fuel sector, including from Crown corporations, consistent with our commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050."
But more vague promises won't do. And neither will the peddling of false solutions that purport to allow things to "go back to normal".
These include: centering net-zero instead of emissions reductions; peddling market solutions like carbon taxes and incentives instead of directly investing in zero emissions infrastructure; implementing a cap and trade for the oil industry when we need to phase out fossil fuels; giving billions for carbon capture, utilization and storage to the fossil fuel industry instead of accelerating the development of renewables. The funding for these items in the current plan runs to around $9 billion, which might sound like a lot until you consider the price tag of up to $44 billion for the F-35 jets the Liberals are about to buy.
Canada's involvement in NATO expansion is driven, in part, by the desire of the Canadian LNG sector to replace Russia as the supplier to Europe. While it is important to call for Russian troops out of Ukraine and to support the right of Ukrainian self-determination, we also need to oppose Canada's role in driving NATO eastward increasing the tensions that could lead to wider global conflict. We also need to support the right to self-determination of the people ot South Yemen who are being bombed into the stone age by Saudi Arabia with equipment partly supplied by Canada.
Any war releases huge quantities of carbon through the burning of fossil fuels, but a war for control of fossil fuel resources amplifies this effect. If this war is between nuclear powers or on territory with nuclear power facilities there are further catastrophic dangers, not to mention the environmental destruction of "conventional" weapons including napalm, depleted uranium, and chemical and biological agents.
Every report on the climate crisis paints a more and more dire picture of the future, yet this climate plan has a limited budget and only affects particular programs and policies. The transition required to shift away from fossil fuels will need to affect all programs and policies, ensuring everything is in line with the emissions reductions goals. New fossil fuel projects need to be scrapped and fossil fuel production needs to be phased out as rapidly as possible. This requires ramping up the development of zero emissions energy production. For a just transition, workers who are phased out of their job would need to have access to training and jobs in the green economy.
But now the NDP has made a deal to support the Liberals, and the climate commitments promised are vague and weak. This is therefore also the NDP plan. This is disappointing yet hardly surprising - the NDPs pro-pipeline and tar sands positions have continually thwarted real climate action in Parliament. But time is running out.
We need climate justice politics to be a force in the mainstream, but this will only happen by building it from the bottom up in the streets, on the picket line and at the blockade.
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As the UN climate change talks or “COP27” get underway in Egypt, Guy Edwards, PhD student in the School of Global Studies, sat down with his supervisor, Peter Newell, Professor of International Relations, to discuss global and national climate politics. Here’s three key takeaways from their conversation.
Without a power shift away from fossil fuel actors, global polluting elites and state actors working to maintain the status quo, ambitious climate action will remain elusive.
- Newell’s last book, Power Shift, makes the case that in addition to major changes in technologies, markets, institutions and behaviours, a shift in power relations between and within countries and across political actors and societies are required to confront the climate and ecological crises.
- While the scale of the challenge to secure a just transition to sustainable economies is staggering, encouragingly, there are cracks in the armour of incumbent powers and corporations, which can be exploited. There are many ways to deepen those cracks such as pressure from employees and shareholder activism, tighter regulations, legal challenges, and direct action by activists.
- Another way is to weaken the fossil fuel industries’ social licence to operate. For example, activists are calling for British Cycling to cancel its new partnership with Shell, which is seen as a way for the oil major to maintain its legitimacy.
- We also need to challenge fossil fuel actors’ arguments they are ideally placed to deliver national priorities such as energy security or job creation. For instance, the International Energy Agency reported recently that clean energy jobs now outnumber those in fossil fuels and show the greatest potential for future growth.
- Fossil fuels companies appear rattled. Following years of climate denial and sowing doubt, they are now putting together net zero plans, which are full of loopholes and rely heavily on carbon offsets. But the fact they are acting suggests that ground is being gained and they have realized that doing nothing is no longer an option.
The proximity of fossil fuel interests to political power is a major issue as demonstrated by the recent comments by UK Climate Minister, Graham Stuart who said that fracking and oil drilling is “good for the environment” and economy.
- In response, Newell and UCL Professor Paul Ekins debunked these claims in a letter to The Guardian raising various points such as the International Energy Agency stating that there can be no new oil, gas and coal projects if we are to achieve the 1.5C goal and that new fossil fuel projects will lock in dependency on infrastructure that will become increasingly obsolete as the UK decarbonizes.
- One of the subtexts to these comments by Stuart is the narrative by fossil fuel actors and their supporters to use the energy crisis, driven largely by the war in Ukraine, as an opportunity to produce more fossil fuels under the pretext of energy security.
- This assertion is weak since in the UK most new oil wells need a decade to begin producing. A far better route would be to scale up investment in renewables combined with reductions in energy demand through home insulation, heat pumps and support for public transport. This approach would allow the UK to reduce its dependency on foreign regimes, which are often not outlined with our values.
The Support for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty continues to build including from Vanuatu, the European Parliament, and the World Health Organisation.
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that coal, oil, and gas are responsible for 86% of all carbon dioxide emissions in the past decade. The Paris Agreement does not reference fossil fuels and at present there is no global binding mechanism to limit fossil fuel production. While the commitments made by states to reduce fossil fuel consumption are encouraging, they are unlikely to deliver major reductions. For instance, the G20 and Multilateral Development Banks, are still spending at least US$55 billion per year on supporting fossil fuels abroad compared with US$29 billion for renewable energy projects.
- A Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty would aim to phase out fossil fuels, support dependent economies, workers and communities to diversify away from fossil fuels, ensure access to renewable energy globally and promote a just transition. Such a treaty would be complementary to the Paris Agreement, which has enough work to do on advancing mitigation, loss and damage, finance, and adaptation.
- Countries in the Global South with newly discovered fossil fuel reserves should not feel threatened by such a treaty. These countries would not be expected to relinquish their resources for some time with the focus on OECD and other countries that would have to act first. As part of the treaty, a global transition fund would be created to support countries in the Global South to achieve a just transition.
- A dedicated space to look specifically at fossil fuel production phase out and a just transition is gaining traction in part due to some countries’ frustration that the Paris process does not address this issue directly. Given the energy transition is unfolding in different parts of the world at various speeds, but also in quite a disorderly, unjust, disruptive fashion due to market volatility and war, the treaty would offer an institutional forum to tackle some of those issues in an equitable way.
- Within countries, it is important to address some of the assumptions around developing fossil fuels and their supposed benefits for poverty reduction. The literature on the resource curse shows that poor people within those countries often do not really benefit. In fact, quite the reverse because when people are paying taxes, they feel like they have a say over public spending. However, in some states there is less concern about being accountable to taxpayers as fossil fuel rents are so high, which can breed corruption and a lack of transparency.
- Some fossil fuel producers are beginning to consider the dangers of a disorderly transition, the threat of stranded assets and potential risks for public finance in a decarbonized world. The case for a more orderly exit, where there is scope for compensation, financing, and technological support, which would be included under a treaty, is getting stronger. Lastly, a look at the terms of trade or debt relief is necessary as one of the key drivers for countries to exploit fossil fuel reserves is to pay off debts.
Follow Peter Newell and Guy Edwards on Twitter who will be following developments at COP27 over the next couple of weeks. | https://blogs.sussex.ac.uk/global/ |
In light of the accelerating climate crisis, the damage from corporate actors is coming under increasing scrutiny. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) opened an opportunity for regulatory action when it requested public input on climate change disclosure, and dozens of climate advocates weighed in (for example Public Citizen/Americans for Financial Reform, Amazon Watch and Sierra Club).
The Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) submitted comment particularly as it relates to private funds managers like private equity.
Private Equity’s Impacts
Private equity firms’ portfolios are both contributing to climate change through energy use and fossil fuel investments, as well as being exposed to risks from climate change. The risks range from weather-related threats to physical assets, harm to frontline communities’ air quality or water sources from fossil fuel operations, the risks to conventional fuel-related assets from the transition to clean energy, and the opportunities and risks of investing in renewable energy sources.
The private funds sector has continued its two-decade growth spurt, reaching $7.4 trillion in global assets under management in 2020. Much of private equity’s capital is drawn from institutional investors with fiduciary obligations to public and private pension funds, all of which need fuller disclosure to understand the risks.
PESP urged the SEC to prioritize private equity’s billions invested in energy,across the fossil fuel industry, including pipelines, LNG export terminals, coal plants, power-generation plants, fracking and drilling. PESP strongly recommended the SEC to act now to protect investors by requiring disclosures by private equity firms of their exposure to fossil fuels and the leverage their funds assume, in order for investors to have adequate information to assess the risks of participating in comingled funds.
Regulatory Parity for Listed and Unlisted Firms
Several of the largest private equity firms are publicly traded, including The Blackstone Group, Apollo, KKR, the Carlyle Group. At the same time, there are large firms that remain privately held such as Warburg Pincus, TPG and Bain Capital. Hundreds of other firms are private with a wide range of assets under management.
For the publicly traded firms, current climate disclosures are inconsistent and vague and do not provide detail either on individual portfolio companies’ or sector-wide exposures to climate risk. At the same time, firms are not disclosing the contributions to climate change from portfolio companies’ direct and indirect emissions (scopes 1, 2 and 3).
PESP urged the SEC to establish disclosure standards across both listed and unlisted firms, to ensure that private market players are subject to equivalent disclosure requirements. Failing to do so would inadvertently further incentivize companies to avoid becoming publicly listed, meaning fewer companies would be subject to disclosures and therefore the publicly available information would be limited – impeding progress on providing investors with adequate information to evaluate climate-related risks.
Private Equity Continues to Invest Billions in Fossil Fuels
In 2020 and 2019, private equity firms expanded their exposure to energy, investing at least $100 billion more, according to the American Investment Council, even with the challenging conditions of the pandemic in 2020 that depressed energy demand.
Over the past decade, energy investments have largely underperformed, posting low or negative returns on investors’ capital, illustrating the combined financial and climate risks of conventional energy investments. Investors’ capital faces acute risk in private equity because the strategies rely on debt, which increases risks and amplifies losses when investments are unsuccessful or market conditions change. Instead, PESP argued, it is necessary for private equity firms to recalibrate their approach to fossil fuels, accounting for the impacts of current holdings and aligning undeployed capital with the IEA’s assertion that, “There is no need for investment in new fossil fuel supply in our net zero pathway.”
ESG Integration is a Myth
PESP warned that to date, private equity’s claims of integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors into investment decisions have been inadequate and investors have insufficient information to distinguish between greenwashing and genuine, meaningful integration of ESG.
PESP also highlighted how climate change’s impacts are uneven, with communities of color and the global poor already experiencing disproportionate harm. Continued reliance on fossil fuel energy will deepen racial disparities because communities of color have long shouldered the burdens of disparate health impacts of poor air quality or water contamination due to proximity to power generation facilities, refineries and oil extraction operations.
For investors to evaluate the risks, asset managers must disclose how portfolio companies have contributed to environmental injustice and their efforts to mitigate and repair the disparities. Simultaneously, private equity firms employ thousands of workers in conventional energy investments, who should participate in a just and equitable transition.
SEC Should Mandate Comprehensive Disclosures
Therefore PESP recommended to the SEC that disclosures should cover:
- Climate risks and impacts for the private equity firm overall
- Sectoral exposure that has climate impacts or risks, particularly to energy and fossil fuels
- Fund-level exposures to energy and fossil fuels, including comingled funds
- Individual portfolio companies’ risks, leverage and contributions to climate change
For each of the above, disclosures should include:
- Disclosures of direct and indirect emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3) as well as other climate impacts, spills, accidents, explosions, citations for environmental violations
- Plans and timeline with benchmarks to transition to a pollution free portfolio
- Plans to ensure a just transition both for the workforce of and for communities impacted by current fossil fuel holdings
- Political spending and how it aligns with the UN PRI’s Investor Expectations on Corporate Climate Lobbying including:
- Corporate and executive political spending – lobbying and campaign contributions
- Political spending by portfolio companies and their executives
- Membership in trade associations and how those trade associations’ lobbying positions align with the goals of the Paris Agreement
- A qualitative discussion of risk management and a firm’s business model and strategy under various climate-related scenarios, including a 1.5 degree warming scenario consistent with science-based emissions targets, as well as scenarios above 1.5 degrees
Consistent, meaningful disclosure rules for private equity firms would ensure that investors and the public have information to adequately assess the impacts these firms’ investments have in contributing to climate change, and how they are managing the risks and the transition to clean energy. | https://pestakeholder.org/news/pesp-to-sec-on-climate-risk-disclosures-private-equity-must-report-risks-and-impacts/ |
To successfully transition away from fossil fuels, policy-makers at every level need to consider equity, according to scientists on a recent panel about aligning climate goals and policies.
The panel – organized by SEI and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) – took place at the 2020 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. SEI Senior Scientist Peter Erickson joined experts in fossil fuel development and energy economics to discuss why policies that target fossil fuel extraction are crucial to meeting climate goals. Equity, they all agreed, was key to the success of a low-carbon transition.
Erickson outlined the challenge: the world is on track to produce 120% more fossil fuels than would be consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C. Governments encourage that overproduction, outlined in the recent Production Gap Report, through subsidies and ambitious energy plans.
Reversing that trend, Erickson said, includes policies on just transitions, which are “natural and essential complement[s] to fossil fuel reduction.”
Panelists discussed what an equitable transition looks like, both on the global and local level. Roberto Schaeffer, a professor in energy economics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, emphasized the need to consider how developing countries can manage a low-carbon transition when they rely on fossil fuel production for economic development.
Using integrated assessment models (IAMs), Schaeffer is investigating the possible outcomes of allowing developing countries to continue fossil fuel production while still meeting climate goals. That path, he said, would cost approximately USD 400 billion more than business-as-usual, because we would be exploiting more expensive fuels, and would need to invest more into advanced technologies to capture emissions. He suggested that rather than spend this money on allowing countries to further develop their fossil fuel industries, we could instead focus on helping countries “leapfrog” to more sustainable development.
At a local level, policy-makers need to consider vulnerable communities who suffer from the “overlapping and cascading impacts” of fossil fuel industries, said Tarika Powell, an expert on justice dimensions of fossil fuel development.
She emphasized that fossil fuel development has impacts on communities all along the supply chain, not just at the point of extraction. Coal dust can contaminate waterways and air along train routes, for example, and methane leaks along gas pipelines can be significant. The burden of these impacts often falls disproportionately on already disadvantaged communities, through “accidents of geography” that lead to more facilities being situated in low-income communities, and communities of color. Powell pointed to the US Pacific Northwest to give examples of how communities are pushing back against these impacts, using local land use regulations to limit the development of new fossil fuel facilities.
Emerging policies provide some hope that policy-makers are beginning to prioritize just transitions. Prompted by audience questions, panelists expressed optimism about the Green New Deal resolution, which emphasizes the need to retrain workforces and center the voices of vulnerable communities. Several countries have also adopted policies to help oil, gas and coal workers and their communities adjust as their industry declines.
Whatever the policy, a holistic approach – including regulations to restrict fossil fuel production and support for vulnerable communities – is necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. | https://www.sei.org/featured/why-equity-is-key-to-the-success-of-fossil-fuel-transitions/ |
The Paris climate goals demand a rapid, just transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. We’re pushing governments to lead the way by adopting policies to end oil and gas production.
OVERVIEW OF WORK
In order to achieve climate goals, governments and other decision makers must support a just and equitable move away from fossil fuels. We are pushing for precedent-setting leadership from governments to put policies in place to manage the decline of oil and gas and ensure a just transition for fossil-fuel dependent workers and communities.
Building from a growing group of first mover governments, we are pressuring for increasing numbers of national and regional governments to end new licenses and permits for oil and gas production, and to develop plans to wind down their existing production over time.
LATEST PROGRAM POSTS
"As many Global South countries face the worst debt crises we have seen in a generation and climate disasters at the same time, the IMF has a lot to answer for," said Bronwen Tucker.
Rep. Jared Huffman, Advocates Call on World Bank to Stop Financing Dirty Fuel-Based Transport Projects
"The World Bank is falling short by doubling down on fossil fuel transportation investments that will lock in climate chaos while creating new sources of sickening pollution for communities around the globe," said Collin Rees.
South Africa: Activists demand accelerating a just transition from fossil fuels after devastating flooding
After some of the most destructive flooding ever to hit South Africa last week, which resulted in over 400 killed and 40,000 displaced, climate activists are calling on the government to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels.
The communities most at risk from new fossil fuel extraction are primarily Black, Brown and Indigenous peoples, people of the global majority and those on the frontlines of fossil fuel industry expansion.
LATEST PROGRAM RESEARCH
This briefing shows that companies are set to make £11.6 billion windfall on UK oil and gas in 2022 and why the UK government is missing this opportunity to fund an energy transition.
This briefing explains why financial flows to fossil fuels matter and how to use the data provided by the Public Finance for Energy Database to help secure a just energy transition.
This report, Banking on Climate Chaos 2022, analyzes fossil fuel financing and policies from the world’s 60 largest commercial and investment banks. We reveal that fossil fuel financing from the world’s 60 largest banks has reached nearly USD $4.6 trillion in the six years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, with $742 billion in 2021 alone. | https://priceofoil.org/program-areas/global-policy/page/4/?bmi=15 |
The die is cast. The worst scenario of an ‘unjust transition’ materialized with the Russian invasion and devastation of Ukraine. A scenario that brought back to Europe the spectre of the Third World War and the reconsideration of the EU strategy for a just transition.
As the quintessence of the domination of nature by man, war is a minor ecological activity that humans might engage in. Not just for the most evident externalities of war on the natural environment. The very notion of the domination of nature by man “stems from the real domination of human by human” (Bookchin 1982, at 9) – i.e., what the essence of war is about. To accommodate humanity to war, exploitation, and political obedience “involves the undoing not only of human “first nature” as an animal but also of human “second nature” as a child who lives in dependency and protective custody under the eyes and the arms of its mother” (Ivi, at 421).
Out of the philosophical language and drama that the people of Ukraine and Russian dissidents live in, this war comes with shattering consequences for vulnerable workers and households from all around Europe. Due to the energy supply uncertainty associated with the enduring dependency on Russian oil and natural gas, many EU countries are experiencing an escalation of energy prices that exacerbates the post-pandemic inflation crisis. This is causing a series of dramatic economic effects – an erosion of the standard of living of low-income families and uncertainties about investments in new production – all of which depress the EU economy, worsen unemployment, and further disempower labour.
The social and environmental impact of the Ukraine crisis
This is a watershed moment for Europe, marking the end of a long post-war and post-1989 stability based on a rule-based international order. Still, the new geopolitical constellation also highlights the vulnerability resulting from a not-ambitious-enough energy transition. Whereas in 2011, the EU was number one in the world in renewable energy investments, from 2013 onwards, investments collapsed to remain at around half of their 2011 level, and the EU was overtaken by the US and China in particular (Galgoczi 2020). The resulting fossil fuel dependence was exacerbated by the naïve reliance on Russian oil and gas imports, fed by unfounded trust in the stabilising effect of trade relations (cf. the German geo-economic doctrine “Wandel durch Handel”). The tragedy of Ukraine is a game-changer, and the EU woke up to the moment to realize that only the speeding up of the energy transformation offers a solution. While there is no doubt about this for the mid-and long term, the short-term effects of this new energy crisis are more complex and ambiguous.
Regarding the short-term socio-economic effects of the Ukraine crisis, these even risk jeopardizing, or at least derailing, the EU transition away from fossil fuels. Since most EU countries cannot compensate for the sudden inflation of gas prices with renewables, coal regains some competitiveness and mining activities to extract oil and natural gas in Europe. Discourses on nuclear power generation are at the centre of the political debate even in countries that have firmly opposed this energy option, including Germany. On the other hand, the geopolitical and energy crisis makes the need to accelerate the clean energy transition and investments in green infrastructures.
The European Union is, therefore, at a crossroads. Decarbonizing Europe goes hand-in-hand with emancipating the European Union from the Russian (and American) economic and geopolitical stronghold. Since 2014, the EU has progressively imposed sanctions against Russia in response to its illegal annexation of Crimea and non-compliance with the Minsk agreement. More restrictive measures were taken in March 2022 to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Yet the EU has refrained from taking more incisive actions so far in fear of their possibly disruptive social and economic consequences, particularly in member states most dependent on Russian fossil energy imports.
EU policy responses to the war and the energy turmoil
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, on 8 March 2022, the European Commission published a new Communication called ‘REPowerEU: Joint European Action for more affordable, secure and sustainable energy’ setting out further actions to ramp up the production of green energy, diversify supplies and reduce demand focused primarily on gas. This plan integrates the Communication on tackling rising energy prices launched in October 2021 and explicitly aimed at making Europe independent from Moscow by reducing EU demand for Russian gas by two thirds before the end of the year. The objective is welcome, but its feasibility raises some questions about how this rapid conversion will be financed. Replacing two-thirds of Russian gas imports needs additional investments, and these need other resources. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen clearly said that the EU could no longer rely on a supplier who explicitly threatened its existence. In this connection, the need to act now to mitigate the impact of rising energy prices was emphasized, along with the importance of diversifying the EU gas supply for the following winter.
A further Communication was released on 23 March 2022 to present the benefits and drawbacks of concrete exceptional short-term measures to temper price spikes. These measures include income support, temporary state aid, reduced taxation, a cap on electricity prices, etc. The main hurdles are fiscal costs, competition distortion, and supply disruption. Although phasing out fossil fuel subsidies has been included in the Glasgow Climate Pact, and IMF researchers pointed to their inefficiency, some sort of direct subsidies seem to be unavoidable in the current situation. These must, however, be temporary and targeted to the poor. It sends a wrong message to provide subsidies to all. We do not need to subsidize fuel for SUVs nor gas to heat swimming pools. Furthermore, EU and Member States’ interventions should also reinforce the incentives for energy efficiency and savings to reduce energy bills and the erosion of real wages. The energy efficiency first principle is more relevant than ever and should be applied across all sectors and policies, with demand response measures complementing those on the supply-side.
All of these measures are far from being complimentary. They require significant state aid to be implemented. Hence, further to the EC Guidelines on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy adopted in January, on 23 March 2022, the Commission has launched a Temporary Crisis Framework to enable the Member States to use the flexibility foreseen under State aid rules to support the economy in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The new framework will enable the Member States to grant amounts of aid, in general, up to €2 million for the beneficiary and up to €50 million for companies in specified energy-intensive sectors affected by the current crisis or by the related sanctions and countersanctions. It will ensure that sufficient liquidity remains available to businesses and compensate companies for the additional costs incurred due to an exceptionally high gas and electricity prices. It is a welcome sign that the Member States are also invited to include sustainability requirements for granting aid for the additional energy costs linked to the high gas and electricity prices. The aid should therefore help businesses to tackle the current crisis while at the same time laying the ground for a sustainable recovery. Environmental NGOs, including E3G, rightly emphasize that the potential role of industry in reducing the EU’s dependency on natural gas is far from exploited, as energy savings up to 17%-26% could be achieved through efficiency measures in industry sectors and the electrification of industrial processes can replace half of industrial gas consumption.
IndustriAll union emphasizes that while reaching climate neutrality must remain the EU’s main objective, the current geopolitical situation and its impact on energy supplies and costs demand the mobilisation of all available means to secure affordable energy for all in the coming months.
Concluding remarks
At the roots of the European integration was the regulation of the fossil-fuels market as a prerequisite for peaceful development of the continent. Created in 1951, in the aftermath of World War II, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) brought together Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands to organize the free movement of coal (and steel) and to free up access to sources of production. Along with the EEC treaty, the Euratom treaty was signed on 25 March 1957, establishing the European Atomic Energy Community with the original purpose of creating a market for nuclear power in Europe.
Ironically, the end of peace in Europe came within the long and winding transition away from fossil fuels. How the Ukraine war will end and what the outcomes of the energy transition will look like are currently unpredictable. What is clear, instead, is that these outcomes will not be neutral for labour and the European trade unions.
Fossil fuels have contributed to creating the possibility of modern democracy but also set its limits (Mitchell 2011, at 1). The conversion of the energy system to oil was aimed to “permanently weaken the coal miners, whose ability to interrupt the flow of energy had given organized labour the power to demand the improvements to collective life that had democratized Europe” (Ivi, at 29). Mitchell says that “as early as the 1940s, the architects of the Marshall Plan in Washington argued for subsidising the cost of importing oil to western Europe from the Middle East, for weakening the coal miners and defeat the left” (Ivi, at 236).
As a highly capital-intensive resource, transported around the globe and far from the sites where work takes place, oil and its synthetic by-product goods have become the energy of globalization and consumerism, weakening human ability to interfere with economic activities and maintain them within the ecological boundaries. Besides its destructive effect on climate and environment, oil has also been a geopolitical tool of imperialist power. Now, when the fossil fuel era is approaching its end, oil and gas come back again for the last revenge in the context of Russia`s aggression.
These considerations can hopefully refocus the debate on the just transition to the critical issue of power. We need to bear in mind that eradicating the root causes of labour vulnerability is necessary to imagine any post-industrial (relations) vision of organised labour that could break the imperialist and corporate domination of energy. And to help society apply the power of public governance to create a new democratic energy system that can genuinely serve human welfare and advance working conditions in a way compatible with ecological limits (Tomassetti 2022). Retracing the miners’ modus operandi in the coal age, twenty-first-century trade unions should rediscover a power source in the energy market to augment their power within the labour market. Steering the energy transition towards a decentralised, community-based energy system would be a significant step forward. Greater independence from and influence on the energy market could give organised labour and communities the capability to contrast the root causes of energy poverty, allowing them to steer the sustainable development of the post-industrial society while maintaining the market space embedded within the broader socio-ecological one.
The EU needs to strike a delicate balance in this critical moment: turning away from Russian fossil fuel imports as fast as possible and cushioning the short-term price effects in a targeted and temporary manner while not letting a more ambitious energy transformation get derailed. | https://www.etui.org/news/ukraine-and-geopolitics-energy-transition-eu-crossroads |
The federal government is asking Canadians to provide feedback on potential elements of its proposed just transition legislation.
In an announcement Tuesday afternoon at Donovans Industrial Park in Newfoundland and Labrador, Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan launched a process that will consult provinces and territories; First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities; labour and non-governmental organizations; small business owners and industry on how to best make the transition to a “low-carbon future for workers and their families.”
“We’ll be sitting down with workers to hear exactly what they need from us,” O’Regan said at the announcement.
Starting in August and running through September, virtual consultations with workers, communities, provinces and territories, Indigenous people, and businesses will take place by invitation. Canadians not involved in those talks can email feedback to Natural Resources Canada and learn more at the government’s just transition website.
Federal Green Party leader Annamie Paul said it remains to be seen whether this is a serious commitment.
“If the government is serious about a just transition, if they’re serious about getting this work done that has been delayed for so long, then they should make sure that they don’t call an election in August or September, that they should get back to work in September after the summer recess and make sure that the consultations happen and that the bill is introduced,” she said.
NDP critic for environment and climate change Laurel Collins said it’s disappointing the Liberal government is only now talking about a Just Transition Act after promising one in 2019.
“It looks like they’re ramping up for an election, so it puts into question their sincerity and actually following through on the engagement promises, never mind actually implementing a Just Transition Act,” said Collins.
Engaging with workers is vital, she said, but the government should have started these consultations immediately instead of waiting two years.
At the announcement, O’Regan said part of the logic for not beginning work immediately was because of the instability of the oil and gas industry, and the pandemic. He said now that the industry is more stable, Ottawa can start the conversation.
Collins added that the outcome of this announcement should be not just an engagement process, but also the funding to create good jobs by investing in things like transportation infrastructure, green retrofits, and affordable housing. These investments will be necessary to facilitate an equitable transition, she said.
The government’s commitment to consult with workers is a positive move towards a just transition, said Luisa Da Silva, executive director of Iron and Earth, an oilpatch worker-led organization trying to ensure a prosperous transition towards global carbon neutrality by 2050.
“Ultimately, workers are the ones that are on the ground, they’re the ones that know the industry best, and they’re the ones that know what needs to happen,” said Da Silva.
But for these consultations to result in strong legislation, Da Silva said the process needs to be as inclusive as possible because many fossil fuel workers live in remote communities and may not be able to easily send in their feedback virtually.
“(The government) can’t rely only on virtual resources, they also have to make the effort to reach out to the more remote communities and anybody who is limited by virtual communication to ensure that their voices are also heard,” she said. “Especially since those are the communities that will benefit the most and be most affected by the just transition legislation.”
She hopes the government will listen closely to the needs of workers and see that what they need is paid upskilling programs to prepare them for the transition.
A recent poll from Iron and Earth and Abacus Data found that 90 per cent of fossil fuel workers surveyed believe they could transition to at least one type of net-zero technology with 12 months or less of training, but 61 per cent of workers worried about having to invest money for retraining.
Rapidly upskilling the whole fossil fuel industry workforce would cost upwards of $5.5 billion, according to Iron and Earth, and Da Silva said it will be necessary to ensure no fossil fuel or Indigenous workers are left behind.
The 2021 budget earmarked $2 billion to create new work opportunities over the next five years, including $250 million to help workers transition.
A discussion paper released Tuesday says the just transition legislation could establish a permanent external advisory body to advise the government on transition strategies, and is asking Canadians to weigh in on who should be on the advisory body, what its mandate should be, and other considerations.
When asked who would likely be part of the advisory body, O’Regan said that has yet to be determined, “but certainly those who are most directly affected take priority, and for me, the priority in this portfolio has always been workers and their families.”
Da Silva said it is important the advisory body has the authority to ensure workers’ needs are centred and shape the legislation. | https://www.wellandtribune.ca/ts/news/canada/2021/07/21/nows-your-chance-to-weigh-in-on-canadas-just-transition.html |
A new scientific study published in Climate Policy entitled, “Equity, Climate Justice and Fossil Fuel Extraction: Principles for a managed phase out” comes at a pivotal moment as governments face unprecedented recovery efforts from the combined COVID-19 and oil market collapse crises, amid the growing climate emergency.
There is widespread recognition that we must restrict fossil fuel supply in order to limit global warming. The key questions are where and by how much. This paper is one of the first efforts to answer these questions. The authors look at challenges to phasing out oil, gas, and coal production in different national contexts, and find that wealthy, diversified economies are best positioned to lead in a necessary just transition and phase out of fossil fuel production.
The authors articulate principles for transparent pathways forward as today’s top oil-producing countries clash to coordinate urgent production cuts due to COVID-19’s dramatic drop in demand, and as differences emerge between Saudi Arabia and Russia over how to restrain rising US shale oil output. Meanwhile, U.S. President Trump’s push to save American shale oil companies faces growing skepticism from Congress and Wall Street who have increased their commitments to stop financing fossil fuels.
The paper builds on the messages from the recent Production Gap Report which found that the fossil fuel industry is planning to produce, by 2030, 50% more fossil fuels than consistent with a 2C goal and 120% more than a 1.5C goal.
It comes on the heels of the World Economic Forum’s 2020 Global Risk Report, where CEOs ranked “climate action failure” as a greater global risk than weapons of mass destruction, and amid calls for renewed international cooperation to enable an equitable global transition away from fossil fuels and towards clean, low-carbon and energy efficient economies, including through a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The paper’s topline messages are that there is an urgent need for an equitable and just phase out of fossil fuel production in order to limit global warming to 1.5C, as laid out in the Paris Agreement.
Governments must act to phase out production through a just transition, and it will be easier for some producing countries than others:
- Wealthy fossil fuel producers with more diversified economies and more financial and technological resources are best positioned for rapid action;
- Poorer, less diversified producers will face a much more difficult and costly effort.
Wealthy producers well-positioned to begin a phase out include: Canada, UK, US, and Norway. These producers are currently not doing nearly enough, and in many cases continue to expand production.
International cooperation to support a just transition in poorer, less-diversified economies will be critical. Policy principles outlined in the paper include:
- Phase down global extraction consistent with 1.5°C
- Enable a just transition for workers and communities
- Curb extraction consistent with environmental justice
- Reduce extraction fastest where social costs of transition are least
- Share transition costs fairly
As it pertains to the current crisis:
- A managed phase out of fossil fuel production should be a pillar of a Just Recovery;
- Recent events have been a case study foreshadowing the coming economic chaos of the unmanaged decline of the oil and gas sectors, laying bare the critical importance of government action to manage a phase out with a just transition;
- Governments should not grant the fossil fuel sector unconditional subsidies and bailouts. Instead, governments should support workers and communities and use recovery efforts to shift capital to safe, clean, and renewable energy systems.
Responding to the paper’s release:
“Oil markets are now giving us only a glimpse of the future chaos our world faces if we don’t soon start a fair yet fast process for peacefully phasing-out oil production. The only larger risk we face is an accelerating catastrophe from climate action failure if we don’t get governments going on it ASAP; the Kartha-Muttit paper kick-starts the conversation by proposing clear principles for a pathway forward. Ideas such as this and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty are signs of a climate movement that is getting more serious about ending the Era of Fossil Fuels.”Victor Menotti, Senior Fellow, Oakland Institute.
“The UN science report last year shows that we are on track to produce 120% more fossil fuels than is compatible with climate goals. This new study shows how we can close that gap by planning and preparing for the end of coal, oil, and gas. A country like Bolivia is identified as needing international support in order to do so. This is a key part of the picture if we’re to realise our climate goals and make sure the cost is not paid by communities and workers. Confronting the Covid pandemic and recession means thinking about the economy we’re building for the future – it cannot be one that ignores the right to health nor one that fails to plan for the end of coal, oil and gas in every corner of our world.”Peri Dias, spokesperson for 350.org Latin America, based in La Paz, Bolivia.
“The current chaotic global economy is an example of what happens when nature forces a hard stop to business as usual. Climate change threatens a similar change but currently countries are not acting fast enough to ensure this transition is well managed. The Paris Agreement means there is no long term future for fossil fuels so countries need to start making the transition to cleaner, more sustainable forms of development. The post-coronavirus recovery packages are an opportunity to radically reshape national economies. Governments should use this moment to make that switch.”Mohamed Adow, Director, PowerShift Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya.
“This research demonstrates that not only is an immediate phase out of oil, coal and gas necessary, but that fairness in that process is key if we have any chance of avoiding total climate action failure. It also drives home the absurdity of countries like the U.S. seeking to bailout dirty industries to the tune of billions, instead of financing an equitable shift toward a system that protects the health of people and the planet. It is vital that equity is central in energy transformation policies and that those that have stood in its way are held accountable. The path to a better world should be in part financed through holding polluting industries that continue to undermine climate action liable for the damage they have knowingly caused. Now is the moment to make this fair transition possible by heeding the call of hundreds of organizations and hundreds of thousands of people around the world to make Big Polluters pay.”Rachel Rose Jackson, Director of Climate Research and Policy, Corporate Accountability.
“Fossil fuel extraction has wreaked havoc on workers and communities for too long: polluting their bodies, air, water and lands, destroying biodiversity, and contributing to climate catastrophe. With oil prices at an all time low due to the COVID-19 crisis, this important study reminds us why fossil fuel extraction will not bring development to our countries in the Global South, but benefit only corporations and elites. Never have the concepts of justice and equity been more important, as we call for a much-needed fossil fuel phase-out, and demand that those who have benefited most from dirty energy take on the biggest role in paying for a just transition. Climate change, COVID-19, economic crisis: the inter-related crises we face now are a wake up call for system change.”Dipti Bhatnagar, International Program Coordinator for Climate Justice and Energy, Friends of the Earth International, based in Maputo, Mozambique.
“The trillions of dollars being generated by rich industrial countries to rescue their economies in response to the 2008 financial crisis and the post-Covid stimulus packages, shows that if there is political will, there is additional finance available for developing countries to enable their just transition towards low-carbon pathways, moving away from fossil fuels in meeting their sustainable development needs. The developed countries should stop giving excuses that there is a lack of money if we are to save the planet and the poor.”Meena Raman, Third World Network, based in Penang, Malaysia. | https://demandclimatejustice.org/tag/fossil-fuels/ |
It's the most depressing day of the year. So it should come as no surprise for you to learn, then, that the Earth may be being weighed down by dark matter. Bummer, man.
Ben Harris–a GSP satellite expert and professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Texas–has a theory that there's a massive band of dark energy around the earth that is, in essence, adding to gravity. Harris studied the earth's gravitational pull on GPS satellites for close to a year and came to the conclusion that something more than just earth's gravity is keeping the satellites in orbit.
So, there's a possibility that something is out there. But science blogger and all-around smart person Matthew Francis says raises some interesting points about dark matter in a (well worth reading) rebuttal:
While you sit and read this blog post, dark matter particles are passing through your body, without you ever noticing. Whether you find that creepy or not depends on your mindset, of course; to dark matter, you're basically transparent. ...
Sure, it's possible that dark matter might clump up a bit around Earth if its constituent particles interact relatively strongly with each other.The effect has to be really tiny, though — we've measured the gravitational field around Earth very well, something known as the geoid. In the absence of such interactions, the density doesn't increase greatly in the vicinity of Earth or even the Sun. Gravity from those objects concentrates dark matter a little, but because it interacts so weakly with ordinary matter, it won't comprise a high fraction of the mass of our planet.
Is it worth getting worked up about? Perhaps not. Although it's certainly extremely depressing to think that there's a special band of dark matter around the earth, it may not be entirely factual. | https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/news/a26692/dark-matter-anxiety/ |
When you look back on your life, maybe 10 or 15 years ago, it’s surprising to see how much you have changed over time. Your experiences, your friends and your family have all shaped you into the person you are now. But where will you be in another few years? How will you have changed by then? Take some time to allow your students to dream about their future and keep these letters as a memento they can reread as they grow.
This exercise can help you and your students in many ways:
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- Each of your children will be encouraged to build creative thinking skills. So many times as we grow older, we lose the wonder and excitement of thinking outside-of-the-box. We focus on what’s important at this moment and forget to dream about what our future can bring. This exercise helps each child reach for the stars, realizing that the sky really is the limit!
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- By dreaming of their future, this writing assignment becomes personal and exciting. It’s no longer another boring assignment about someone else’s work, but instead it’s reflective of their own life and future. Now that they are engaged, it’s the perfect time to use all of those fun adverbs and adjectives, letting them discover their unique expressive voice. Keep a thesaurus close at hand so that when they need help finding more creative expressions, they can research the words as they go.
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- Writing a letter to themselves for the future will give each child goals to accomplish. No matter what the dream, they can start taking steps now while they are in school to pursue their passions. Every opportunity can be a stepping stone to get closer to that future goal.
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- Many parents would love the opportunity to see into their child’s heart, understanding their passions so they can better support their dreams. And this is the perfect opportunity to do so! Once your kids write their letters, you can work together and encourage them to pursue each of their future adventures.
When you share your hopes and dreams for the future, you’re not just expressing an idea. You’re also imparting your thoughts through words, which is one of the most important aspects of communication. And it’s a tool that your child will take with them for the rest of their life. The following PBS News Hour Extra lesson plan is a great resource for parents looking for a step-by-step guide to teaching their children how to write a letter to their future selves.
Remember to keep these letters safe and review at the end of each year to see the growth and changes in each of your children as time goes by. And down the road, once your kids are in high school, you can encourage them to respond to those letters by writing a letter to their younger self. You can address questions like, what wisdom would you impart to yourself? How has your perspective changed over the years? Are these still the same passions or goals that you currently have? How did those thoughts and dreams change and morph into what they are today? Learning how to take time and reflect on your growth gives students and adults a cathartic way to evaluate life and focus on their future.
What are some pieces of advice you would offer your younger self? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! And don’t forget to follow our blog and facebook page for more homeschooling tips. | https://homeschoolacademy.com/blog/february-homechool-creative-writing-prompts-for-kids-write-a-letter-to-yourself/ |
In today’s society, self-love is a tough thing to learn, develop, and practice. If you’re struggling with finding self-love, try writing these three letters to yourself and watch your self-love and self-compassion grow. Free printables included!
In our society, self-love is becoming harder and harder to practice in a healthy way. Between the constant comparing, the never-ending onslaught of beautiful pictures, the pressure to keep up with the Joneses, the fast-paced lifestyle, and the guilt, shame, and selfishness we feel when we do look at ourselves positively, self-love is no longer the norm. And we’ve got to change that.
Today I’m talking about finding self-love through writing three letters to yourself: a letter to your past self, a letter to your present self, and a letter to your future self.
If you could talk to the younger you, what would you tell her? For this exercise, you can choose a specific age to talk to, be really general, or go through various ages and stages within your letter.
Think about the things you worried about then that you now realize were no big deal.
Reflect on your past hurts or trials and how you view them now–how they’ve shaped you into the person you are today.
Think about what you know now that you wish you would have known then.
Compliment that younger you! Tell her just how amazing she is and how proud you are of her.
What do I wish I believed about myself?
What do I wish I knew to be true?
Who do I want to be right now?
What trials am I going through?
What do I want myself to believe about these trials?
Hopefully this letter will turn out to be a set of affirmations for yourself. Write down everything you really WANT to know, even if you don’t believe it one bit. Hopefully, over time, you WILL believe every word of it!
When we write this letter, we want to make sure it’s coming from a place of love. But when we’re struggling with self-love, it can be hard to use kind and encouraging words to ourselves. So here’s a tip: Write this letter as if you were writing it to your daughter (or if you don’t have a daughter, your future daughter or some other girl you know and love like a niece or a friend’s child). This will help you be kind and use words of love and encouragement.
When you’re done, put your letter somewhere you can access it easily for a boost of encouragement. You can even read it every day as a daily affirmation practice!
10 years from now, what do you want yourself to know? How do you hope you’ll feel about yourself? Where do you want to be emotionally? Write it all out!
This isn’t so much a physical goal type letter. Don’t say things like, in 10 years I want to have X job or have X number of kids or live in X. I want this to focus more on how you want to feel. Really narrow in on emotions for this exercise.
If you want, you can store your letter somewhere safe and set a reminder in your calendar to open it in 10 years!
Where do I want to be emotionally?
How do yI want to wake up each day feeling?
What do I want to be the focus of my life?
At the end of each day, what will make me the happiest and the proudest?
What emotion do I most hope to feel ten years from now?
The combo of focusing on the future and focusing on feelings will hopefully help us narrow in on what’s actually most important in our lives. Once we recognize that, we can put our focus there now, which will make us happier, which will make us feel more accomplished and proud of ourselves now, which will help us in turn love ourselves.
I created letter pages for you to write your notes on, if you would like. Depending on your preference, I have both lined and unlined versions of each. You can download them by clicking on the images below.
Writing these three letters will bring perspective. Each is important in its own way and will help guide your thoughts toward greater self-acceptance and self-love.
Which letter do you think is most important–past, present, or future?
« What is Self-Care and Why is it Important?
Asking ourselves questions is one of the best ways for growth! | https://www.colormyhappy.com/self-love-letters/ |
New Year, New Perspective
Every New Year we get the opportunity to look back on the success of the previous year and establish what we hope to accomplish in the new one. This year, we get 366 opportunities to live the best possible version of ourselves. We also get 366 chances to make peace with the past and find ways of further healing our pain.
As we discussed earlier in the month, January is thought to be named for the Roman God Janus. This two-faced deity oversees the gate between one’s past and future. He governs the movement from who you were, to becoming who you want to be.
Exercise One: Letter Writing
Consider the sacred time of the transition between years, or in this case decades. Find a quiet time and place to contemplate your journey from victim to survivor to thriver. Ground yourself with your breath and invite spirit in as you do this reflective work. Take a few minutes to meditate on what areas require further healing. Think about what you wish you knew then, or aspects that would have allowed you to feel less traumatized. Begin to write that version of you a letter. Go with a stream of consciousness style. There is no right or wrong way to do this exercise. Trust your inner wisdom. Try to focus on ways you can release feelings of shame or guilt, and instead replace those emotions with infusions of love, grace, and peace.
If you have additional time, consider writing a letter to your future self. Think about areas you want to nurture or aspirations you want to attain. See if you can visualize a fixed year for this future self. Share as much or as little as you would like. Again, there is no wrong way to do this exercise. When you feel satisfied with what you wrote, seal up the letter and write the year you visualized during the exercise on the outside. You can then reopen the letter in the future and see how your journey aligned or deviated from your prognostication! However, today end your session when you feel ready with gratitude and openness for the many lessons and blessings you will receive throughout this year.
Exercise Two: Get Organized
After the craziness of the holiday season, it might be time to do some “adulting”. Starting the new year with purging old and outdated items or even emotions allows you to better house or create opportunities for new more beneficial aspects to reside in your life. Whether physical, mental or spiritual, take stock of things in your life: What is needed? What needs to be replaced? What needs to be released? Feel free to tackle areas in small bits so you can give appropriate attention. Sort each area into groupings that are meaningful for you. Keep, release or identify was to improve as you are able. This is not an exercise that needs to be done quickly or even in a day. This is about better understanding yourself, your needs and what you to want to promote in your life. Once you get a handle on what you are capable of organizing and executing it, you can encourage and support other loved ones in helping to better organize themselves. Make sure to be patient, kind and nonjudgmental during the process. Above all, listen to your gut and Inner Wisdom. Trust that they are leading you in the right way doing their best to support your healing and personal growth.
We at Survivors to Thrivers want to hear your stories about how you are celebrating this New Year and New You! Send us an email or leave a comment on our social media channels. Together we can radiate light, love and hope to all those we touch daily. Your voice and vision are valued in this uplifting community. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey to help end the shame and empower people affected by sexual abuse.
Talk To Tambry
I am glad you have taken the time to engage with this blog. Sometimes it is helpful to process new insights that emerge. If you would appreciate brief time with a someone who understands, our Talk to Tambry offering is for you. For 30 minutes, you can receive support from Tambry who is a certified life coach, spiritual director and a survivor who has been on the journey as well. This is offered at a reduced rate of $50. | https://www.survivorstothrivers.com/beginnings/2020-1-15-new-year-new-perspective/ |
Graduate and professional schools typically require a written statement as part of the application process. Generally there are two types of application essays for graduate school – “statement of purpose,” or “letter of intent,” and the “personal statement” – but the purpose for you remains the same: to persuade the admissions committee of your qualifications, fit for the program, and your potential to contribute to the department.
The written statement is one of a handful of opportunities you have in the application process to sell yourself. A good way to approach it is to imagine you have five minutes to speak with the admissions committee. How would you make the best case for yourself while keeping the committee’s interest? What details must your pitch include? What can you afford to exclude? Your responses to these questions are critical to preparing an effective written statement.
Before answering those questions, you must ask yourself some others:
- Why do I want to pursue graduates studies in my chosen field?
This question implies that you’ve given serious consideration to the next step you are about to take.
- How does this school’s program match my aspirations? In other words, why am I applying to this specific program?
To answer this question, familiarize yourself with a number of comparable academic programs. You need to be able to cite specific reasons for your preference.
- What are my qualifications for admission to this program?
Good responses show a clear understanding of the program as well as how your academic (and extra-curricular) background relates to it. It’s useful to respond using the language of the field.
Graduate school is a serious commitment and applications require extensive preparation. These questions encourage you to reflect on your motivations for pursuing graduate studies. Admission committees prefer applicants who have a clear sense of what they’re signing up for, who have a clear goal in mind, and who have a clear idea of how they will use their education after graduation.
Ensure that your written statement focuses on your professional activities such as research interests and pursuits, academic strengths, and professional experiences. You may be tempted to write about personal characteristics and motives, as you may have done in your undergraduate application. Don’t do it. The authors of your recommendation letters are in a better position to comment on strong personal qualities.
COMPOSE A GREAT GRADUATE SCHOOL WRITTEN STATEMENT
While the type of prompts or questions asked varies, most graduate schools will limit the length of the written statement to no more than two pages. Written statements are difficult to write because those two pages must hold the attention of committee members who read hundreds – and who in their lifetime may have read thousands – of other essays. It goes without saying that you need to answer questions fully.
Follow these suggestions to write more compelling statements:
Relate past experiences and present interests to the future
Questions often prompt applicants to focus on the future. However, you still need to show how past experiences informed your current interests, and how your present academic work may be extended to the future or open avenues for new research. Include your career goals and plans for the future, and specify how the program fits into your plans.
Detail your qualification
Remember that committee members are experts in the field. They’ll be interested to read about any specialized work you’ve undertaken. This will help them better determine how your skills and research interest benefits their department. You need to maximize this opportunity by expanding on what is included in your resume. Be sure to provide concrete examples to explain the value and meaning of your experience.
Explain how you fit into the program
As you research academic programs, it’s important to compare your research interests with the research activities of the department’s faculty. In an ideal world, you would apply to programs where faculty are able to support your research interests. Be sure to avoid generic statements. Show familiarity with the program. Committee members understand student-professor relationships are maximized when there is good fit between the applicant and program. Use specific evidence to show how you and the program are perfect for one another.
Yes, it’s true. The personal statement requires extensive preparation and much work. While it’s possible to write a strong statement weeks before the application deadline, a strong, thoughtful piece usually is the result of extensive planning, false starts, and much revision. The sooner you start writing, the better. Writing raises new questions and generates ideas which ultimately leads to a stronger written statement. Let’s get started.
VerveSmith helps students find universities and programs that match their aspirations, and to develop an admissions application strategy. For additional help, contact us. | https://vervesmith.com/admissions/grad-school-personal-statement/ |
How do i write a letter about myself to Write the Different Kinds of Letters of Introduction Writing an informal introduction letter to introduce someone to a third party is rather simple. Be mindful of how you send that email. He asks you to introduce him to someone who works in an agency. When you send this letter of introduction, you would not cc Joseph on the email.
You know better than anyone just how great you are. The writer's block you may experience when it comes to writing your own letter of recommendation is normal and has nothing to do with lack of content. Beginning the letter and understanding what to include will have you on track and give you the boost of confidence. Types of Introduction Letters. In the other type of letter of introduction, you write to someone you haven’t met. You introduce yourself to ask them for a job referral or request assistance with a job search. A letter of introduction can be a useful way to network and gain job search advice, or even possibly a . Jul 19, · When writing a letter of introduction for yourself, the steps are almost identical with a few subtle differences: Dive right into who you are and what you do. Include a few lines about why you’re writing to them and specific details about what you’d like Provide information on how they can /5().
How to Write a Letter of Recommendation for Myself | 1abgowel.cf
How to Write Your Letter. While you can write to your future self from any time period, I recommend to start with a one year time frame. This way, it’s easier to envision your goals, and it also gives you a comfortable time frame to take action. Refer to today’s date. Imagine writing to Author: Celestine Chua. How to write a about myself. An example. At first, I was just playing computer games, but some time later, I noticed that I could do a lot more things with the computer, for example programming. Now, I can already programue in Pascal, C++ and HTML. I have my own site on the internet and I have done many programues. I hope that in the future 68%(2K). A: When constructing a letter about yourself, address the letter to the appropriate recipient, such as a friend, family member or potential employee; start the letter with an interesting fact or detail about personality traits or accomplishments to hook the reader; and write about interests, hobbies, work history, academic success, goals and dreams.
How to Write About Yourself (with Examples) - wikiHow
You can find his portfolio at www. You can also reach him at If you have time to talk, you can reach me at or shoot me an email at contact josephgardiner, how do i write a letter about myself. You can also review my portfolio of work at www. Thanks for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.
How can talented individuals in this situation play catch-up and get their career started? What Exactly is a Letter of Introduction? A letter of introduction is exactly what it sounds like. Types of Introduction Letters An introduction letter can be used to introduce yourself to someone new or to introduce a friend or colleague to someone you know.
Writing a letter introducing myself - ENGLISH 1º ESO
Introduction letters are either formal or informal. Typically speaking, an informal introduction letter is used in the second case where Person A is introducing Person B to Person C. | http://vejezms.gq/how-do-i-write-a-letter-about-myself-449090.html |
The turning point in my life came when I discovered the law of cause and effect, the great law of the universe, and human destiny. I learned that everything happens for a reason. I discovered that success is not an accident. Failure is not an accident, either. I also discovered that people who are successful in any area usually are those who have learned the cause-and-effect relationship between what they want and how to get it.
Determine Your Personal Growth and Development Values
To realize your full potential for personal and professional growth and development, begin with your values as they apply to your own abilities. As you know, your values are expressed in your words and actions.
You can tell what your values are by looking at what you do and how you respond to the world around you. Your values are the root causes of your motivations and your behaviors.
Clarify Your Personal Growth and Development Vision
Create a long-term vision for yourself in the area of personal growth. Project forward five or ten years and imagine that you are developed fully in every important part of your life. Idealize and see yourself as outstanding in every respect. Refuse to compromise on your personal dreams.
Set Goals for Your Personal Growth and Development
Now take your vision and crystallize it into specific goals. Here is a good way to start. Take out a piece of paper and write down ten goals that you would like to achieve in the area of personal and professional development in the months and years ahead. Write in the present tense, exactly as if you were already the person you intend to be.
Determine exactly what you want to be able to do. Decide who you want to become. Describe exactly what you will look like when you become truly excellent in your field and in your personal life.
Upgrade Your Personal Knowledge and Skills
Set specific measures for each of your goals. If your goal is to excel in your field, determine how you will know when you have achieved it. Decide how you can measure your progress and evaluate your success.
Perhaps you can use as a measure the number of hours you study in your field each week. Perhaps you can measure the number of books you read or the number of audio programs you listen to. Perhaps you could measure your progress by the number of sales you make as the result of your growing skills.
Develop Winning Personal Growth and Development Habits
Select the specific habits and behaviors you will need to practice every day to become the person you want to become. These could be the habits of clarity, planning, thoroughness, studiousness, hard work, determination, and persistence.
Action Exercise
Decide today to develop yourself to the point where you can achieve every financial and personal goal you ever set and become everything you are capable of becoming. Write down your goals and make sure to look at them every day, then ponder ways you possibly achieve these goals. | https://olutaller.com/become-everything-you-are-capable-of-becoming-brian-tracy/ |
First, let me be clear: the letter posted here is fairly generic. While it’;s naturally based on my own life experience, you are welcome to use the letter as your own. Since some of the specifics may not apply to you, I recommend you personalize it.
But it’;s better than no letter at all.
Is the concept even right for you? This I can’;t answer for you. Think about the experiences you’;ve had and seen. Do you have life lessons that you are afraid of losing by the time you might need them? Is there a family history of, to put it bluntly, stubbornness? Would you listen to such a letter?
In my opinion the risks of writing a letter to yourself are very small, and the potential benefit to yourself and to the people around you, is very large.
Customize the Letter. Write your own, or use mine as a template, but make sure it’;s meaningful to you. Or rather, try to make sure that it will be meaningful to your future self. In my case, drawing on my parents story is likely to remain an issue I can drawn on as I age. Perhaps it’;ll be something else for you. I believe that your future self is more likely to accept a personal message than a generic template.
Keep the language simple, and the message short. As scary as it is to contemplate, you may not have the cognitive ability that you do now.
Print it and Sign it. The letter should be on paper, and you should sign and date it yourself. Besides the risks of various technologies changing by the time the letter is needed, a real signature is likely to be another reminder to your future self of the process that lead you to write the letter, and of it’;s authenticity.
Give it to Someone you Trust If there’;s risk at all, it’;s that this letter, asking you to trust the bearer, will fall into the wrong hands.
You know, today, who the right person is. Probably a spouse or other family member whom you expect to be there for you as you age. (As an aside, I’;d encourage spouses to exchange letters to themselves.) Remember, it’;s this person who’;ll have the task of deciding when to remind you of your wishes when your actions seem inconsistent. That’;s a hard decision for a hard time.
Think of a letter to yourself as a kind of living will. Rather than providing instructions to those around you when you cannot, the letter is a way to convey instructions to yourself that you feel are important today.
A Letter To Myself is � 2004 by Leo A. Notenboom.
All rights are reserved, however permission is granted to use the example letter as a template or starting point for your own letter to yourself. This website may not be otherwise copied or reproduced without prior written permission. Contact leo (at) notenboom.org for more information. | https://ihelptostudy.com/writing-a-letter-to-yourself.html |
Upon entering my first day of senior year, I expected to be bombarded with feelings of nostalgia as I inhaled the smell of teenage angst and linoleum for the last “first” time or at the very least a sense of melancholy reflection at the sight of the hallways teeming with freshmen half my size with backpacks twice as large. However, to my surprise, I didn’t feel any of these emotions; in fact, I didn’t feel anything at all.
It wasn’t until I stepped foot into my English class that I was suddenly inundated with the overwhelming idea of the ominous future that most seniors, like myself, have mixed feelings about. In one sense, I was excited for what the future had in store and in another, absolutely terrified. My English teacher posed an assignment to the class in light of this shared feeling of anxiousness to write a letter to ourselves to read on graduation. Although this sounded dreadfully cheesy to “too-cool-for-school” first-day-of-senior-year-me, I obliged for the sake of my grade and began writing the letter which I expected to be a compilation of utter garbage messily thrown together to emulate something worthy of an A.
However, once I began writing, the idea of a dark, stormy future into which I could not see became slightly more exciting than nerve wracking. Writing a letter to my future self was cathartic in nature, easing my of the abundant stress of imminent college application deadlines and fees that loomed over my head. Therefore, my advice to those facing stresses they express little control over: write to yourself. It may help more than you think.
In my letter, I highlighted my goals for the future and what I would hope to accomplish by the time I’m reading it. Although I didn’t want to delve too in detail with my goals for college as to not depress my future self, outlining my aspirations for the future made them seem slightly more attainable than before by giving them a sense of reality and myself a sense of accountability (come on, I owed it to future me to live up to the high hopes of my letter).
Along with this, due to the uncertainty of the future, I also reminded myself of the positivity around me and a few of the happy, but easily forgettable, happy moments I had recently experienced that I was bound to forget later in the future because of my unfortunate tendency to focus on the negative. As I was sitting in my favorite class whilst aimlessly scribbling at my letter, I was surrounded by some of my favorite people and was able to jot down a few key highlights of my day to remind future me of the good in life, despite where I may be at graduation.
I also dished out some real advice to my future self that I hope I have the sense to take nine months from now. As a frequent advice giver and seldom a taker of said advice, one of my goals for the future is to actually start listening to myself and making decisions based on what I would advise other people. It is my hope that I will be wiser along with older by the time I read this next, so maybe I will have learned that sometimes, just sometimes, I actually know what I’m talking about.
Though writing letters to yourself is not an exact science, the process proved to be very therapeutic, at least for me. In the spirit of giving and taking advice, writing letters to yourself is one way to actualize your goals and provide your current self with some peace about the vague and uncertain future, while also comforting and uplifting your future self. Only time will tell how I actually fulfill my promises to myself, but I guess that’s what graduation is for. | https://affinitymagazine.us/2017/08/26/dear-me-get-it-together-the-benefits-of-writing-letters-to-yourself/ |
Looking for service and/or advocacy opportunities?
The document linked below lists organizations, events, and programs that provide opportunities for meaningful engagement.
Applying to graduate school or looking for a career?
Below are resources to help you.
Letters of Recommendation
Graduate schools and many places of employment will require letters of recommendation as a part of their application packet. In the past you may have obtained letters from people who know you or your family well. These were primarily character references and are very different from the ones you will need for graduate school or employment applications.
Generally you will be asked for three letters of recommendation from people who know you in an academic and/or work setting. You might want to get one letter from a supervisor at a job, if you know that your performance at your job met or exceeded your supervisor’s expectations. An important point to remember is that you are seeking strong letters of recommendation. It is important to keep in mind that you might need different letters of recommendation for different purposes. For example, a letter of recommendation for an application to graduate school will differ from a letter written for a job application or for a scholarship.
From your faculty you should speak to those with whom you have taken several courses in which you have distinguished yourself. If you are concerned that your teacher will not remember you from class (or might remember you for the wrong reasons!), perhaps you should not ask that particular teacher for a letter.
On the other hand, if you have conducted research with or under the supervision of a faculty member, then that faculty member will most likely remember you and be willing to write you a strong letter. You might also want to consider faculty who have worked with you in organizations or on committees. Have you been a member of Student Government or active in the Psychology Coalition or Psi Chi? Did you work with Student Volunteer Services with faculty members? These are good sources of letters. These will go beyond being a character reference and speak to your reliability, your conscientiousness, and your leadership skills.
When should you start working on obtaining strong letters of recommendation?
Now. Even if you are a freshman, it is not too early to start. By the time you are a senior, should have already distinguished yourself in your classes, become involved in research with one or more of the faculty, been deeply involved in at least one volunteer activity, and become involved in at least one organization. The theme is get involved. That is what faculty will notice more than anything – an involved B student will be noticed more than a passive uninvolved A student.
When you ask someone if he/she “feels comfortable writing a strong letter” (yes, phrase it just like that), also ask him/her what you can provide that might help him/her write the letter. Many faculty members like a list of courses, outside activities, employment, and other information about you that they might not know. If you have worked to put yourself through college, put that on your information sheet.
Many positions have forms to be filled out along with or in addition to letters of recommendation. On the form there will be a place for you to indicate whether you waive your right to see the letters of recommendation.Though you might be intensely curious, most references feel freer to be honest and open when they know that the letter will be kept confidential. The individuals on the committees (for jobs, schools, etc.) know this and are likely to more strongly consider letters that are written with the rights of the applicant waived.
Speaking of forms, please be sure to fill out as much of the form as you can for your letter writers before giving the forms to them. It might seem that there are only a few lines to fill out, but remember that your references are probably also writing letters for several other students. Each student might be applying to multiple positions. If four students ask for five letters each, the reference will have 20 forms to fill out (not including the letter ). You want to make this process as painless as possible for your letter writer.
Other small things that you can do to help your references include: providing a preaddressed stamped envelope for each letter (you might want to ask your reference about this, some prefer to use letterhead envelopes), arranging the forms/envelopes in order of the due-dates. Also, approach potential letter writers in advance. No one likes to be asked to do a favor … right now! Give your references as much notice as possible (at least three weeks). It might seem that it doesn’t take long to write a letter, but to write a strong letter takes thought and time – and, of course, it has to be fit into an already busy schedule. Use this recommendation form to organize your thoughts and materials before you request letters of recommendation.
Even a great letter cannot make up for a weak application, but a negative letter can destroy even a great application. This is why you really want to ask whether your potential reference is comfortable writing a strong letter of recommendation.
Writing a Personal Statement
Most graduate programs require applicants to submit a personal statement. Students often procrastinate and agonize over the writing of this statement because the nature of the task is ambiguous. Few graduate programs provide any guidelines for the types of information they are looking for, which leaves you wondering, “Just how personal am I supposed to be?” Based on our experiences of being former students in Ph.D. programs and of being on admissions committees to graduate programs in psychology, we provide you with the following suggestions to commonly asked questions:
How long should it be?
Check the graduate school’s website. Some schools will recommend or require a word-count, especially if the application is online. If you cannot find such information, a good rule-of-thumb is three to four double-spaced pages. This might seem long, but you need to sell yourself! Your application might be competing with 100 others for only 10 spots in a program. Shorter statements tend to provide too little information, glossing over important facts that leave the reader with questions about whether you are a good fit with the program. Longer statements tend to get repetitive and the reader might lose interest.
Always choose quality of words over quantity of words.
Does writing style matter?
Yes! Your writing must be professional, clear, grammatically correct, and free of typographical errors. A sloppy personal statement will give the impression that you are a sloppy, careless person who will turn in sloppy, careless graduate work. If you are required to electronically submit your personal statement, first write it using a word processing program and copy and paste the text into the website. Carefully proofread your statement several times. Ask someone in the Department’s Peer Mentoring Center or the Campus Writing Center to proofread your statement. Finally, ask a faculty member to review your statement. Note that a psychology faculty member will most likely agree to review the content of your statement, not the grammar.
How personal should I be?
Despite its name, the statement should not be very “personal.” This is not the place to describe your mental health history, your failed relationships, or your philosophy on life. Instead, consider the personal statement as a professional statement. Write about the professional and academic experiences leading you to apply to graduate school and that have prepared you for the challenges of graduate work.
What should I write about?
In general, your statement should cover five key components: 1) Your previous research experience, 2) your current research interests, 3) other relevant experiences (such as involvement in Psi Chi or Psychology Coalition, volunteer and work experience in the mental health field, a psychology class that had an impact, etc.), 4) your career goals, and 5) why you’re a great match for the program to which you are applying. | https://cbss.georgiasouthern.edu/psychology/graduate/resources/ |
Our no.
Short stories average 2, words, but may extend to 20, words. This does provide a helpful guide to show that you do meet their essential and desirable criteria on the your personal statement, to make you stand-out as more suitable than others.
Ask yourself and others others often know you better than you do about your qualities and make a list of them. This student speaks about their plans for university, as well as aspirations for the future.
Hennessy, B. A better, more concise version of this introduction could have read: This is your opening statement. Most of the other components of your application are numbers test scores, GPA, etc.
If you don't have any future plans then leave it out - you don't want to be asked about them at interviews. My statistical skills have been further enhanced whilst studying Biology through the use of equations such as standard deviation.
Personal Statement | Psychology Ponderings Top 50 Law. Your personal statement should also be used to explain any poor performance or major gaps in your education or work experience.
Unfortunately, UCAS deadlines have a tendency to creep up on most students. I feel like this is wrong.
In most cases writers have feelings or thoughts, and plunge into raw writing without knowing how words should be shaped. Here are some basic traits to jump start your thinking in no particular order: The idea of your personal statement is to show this - so once you've written it, have a read through and see if it answers these questions.
Writer Login The Personal Statement or Application Essay The personal statement or essay is probably the most dreaded and feared part of the actual medical school application.
Admission officers prioritize content over quantity.
Erp case study for manufacturing company a thesis or dissertation is critical for a graduate student, but most graduate students applicazioni per curriculum vitae to write their dissertations because of lack of structure. Lewis recommends that candidates divide their personal statements into three components. You should do everything you can to give the medical schools exactly the kind of letters they have requested.
They may even have involved an English professor or other people conformity in the crucible theme essay help them finalize their statements.
Words are laid down in a pile of ingredients, and structured writing shapes these ingredients into the form that gives meaning. They may even have involved an English professor or other people to help them finalize their statements.
You are compassionate. Top 50 Law. So, if you have deficits or major questionable items on application, the personal statement is the place to address some of these.
It is very write essay on honesty is the best policy to express this in your essay, but this will make your essay come alive to the reader and show your personality, character and attributes favorably instead of just listing them. How do I start writing my personal statement? I have typed my PS and it is right at including spaces I know I need to shorten thesis writing chapter 3 just a bit and it looks dramatically longer than many of the other personal stat Finally, always provide the writer with clear directions for electronic or hard-copy submission of the letter to the appropriate electrical engineering personal statement s.
Should I post my personal statement online?
The personal statement allows them to see you as a person, not just in terms of numbers and lists of accomplishments. You can also clear your text anytime you want by clicking on Reset. The following are the instructions for the Personal Statement length and Optional Essay instructions that are contained within each my personal statement is only 3000 characters.
I feel like this is wrong.
It is no surprise that writers understand word count very well. Admission officers do notice, however, the clarity of your thought and the effectiveness with which you convey your ideas. Like your Gran does. Oct 26, as part of your amcas application package, you'll be asked to write a personal statement not more than characters.
Some statements have a tendency towards flattery, with sentences like 'it would be an honour to be offered a place at your world-renowned university'. Jul 6, is the personal statement Write about why you changed your mind and what led you to medicine. | http://saddon.net/6254-my-personal-statement-is-only-3000-characters.php |
People may need to write down their feelings for many reasons. You may want to show gratitude or love to your partner, a friend or a loved one. They might feel anger, frustration, or hurt and want to put those feelings on paper before they become negative.
This is not something that everyone can do. Writing is a way for people to express their feelings, even though no one will ever read them. It is shameful because writing is therapeutic and cathartic.
It is worth considering that there are a lot of papers where you do not need to express your feelings. You can always turn to specialists and purchase research paper.
There are many steps that you can take to improve your ability to express yourself on paper, whether you’re interested in journaling or writing fiction. Continue reading for more information.
Get Free Writing
It is exactly what it sounds like: Free writing. There are no expectations or rules when you start writing. Write random words, then start a story. People often start by writing very random things, but then end up writing very structured and expressive things. Some people start with writing paragraphs and sentences, but then go on to explore more primal and raw emotions.
Free writing means that you just have to start writing. Don’t stop writing until the time is up.
Your experiences in the third person with yourself as your main character
Sometimes, it is possible to see the world from the outside in. This can give you a different perspective and help you gain clarity and insight. You can create a fictional story if you need to get past your emotions or understand how you feel about the situation. Make yourself the main character.
Sometimes it is easier to express your emotions and find a way to deal with them. This can be done by creating a story and character.
Write on a regular basis
Writing is a key part of many successful people’s daily lives. You can express yourself better if you write more. You should actually take the time to read your older writing. It may surprise you at the changes in your writing.
Write it as it was, then write it how you want it to be.
What should you do after a disappointing experience? Although you cannot change the past, you can sometimes come to an emotional resolution by rewriting things. Let’s suppose that your interview went poorly. It’s possible to write your way out of it.
Simply write the details of what happened in the first version as if it were a piece on a neutral topic. Perhaps you were not prepared or your resume was not as good as it could have been. Next, you should rewrite the resume to correct any errors. Although you cannot reverse the events, this can help to give you some peace of heart.
Use Simple Language
Big words can mask true emotions. Sometimes, expressing yourself in simple terms is the best way. Think about how children express themselves.
They can be happy, sad or mad. They don’t try to minimize or exaggerate their feelings. They don’t sugarcoat them. An adult might say, “This is what I think.”
Although I know you have a busy schedule, I was a bit disappointed that you missed our lunch date yet again. I felt really let down by the fact that we couldn’t spend as much time together as planned.
What a child might say:
You lied about being there when you said that you would be coming to lunch. I felt sad and alone when I ate and didn’t have anyone to play with that afternoon.
Write Letters
It may feel a little like armchair psychoanalysis to suggest that people write letters to express their feelings. It’s something that we’ve all seen in articles on psychobabble magazines and on TV shows.
It can, however, be very effective if done right. It is important to express your feelings on paper, along with any ill will or resentments. Consider a loved one who has deeply hurt you. While your letter might address the behavior of that person, it’s also an opportunity for you to let them know some things. It’s great if the things you eat aren’t based on reality, reflect your biases and sometimes twisted memories.
You might find that your worst feelings disappear once you’ve finished writing the letter. This allows you to reach out to the person and resolve your problems.
Conclusion
Some of these suggestions may seem silly at first glance. They might seem awkward to carry around. You should give them a shot. These will teach you how to communicate your feelings in writing. This skill will be very useful for anyone. | https://sweetlovemessages.com/how-to-express-your-feelings-on-paper |
In this online course, you will explore methods to activate the power within yourself, achieve inner peace, remain centered and calm in times of uncertainty, and transcend limiting thought patterns.
You will also learn to tap into an expanded source of knowledge and guidance for your life, find tools for initiating personal changes and transformational growth, become more aligned with your life’s purpose, develop your intuition, bring more light into your body, and embrace a trusting, loving approach to living. Here is a description of each exercise that will be included in this course.
Exercise 1—Awakening Through Stillness
Learning to relax our bodies, quiet our minds and center our hearts brings countless gifts to us in the forms of deep inner peace, awareness of our true essence and enhanced connections to others and a greater source of love. By regularly taking the time to get quiet and refresh ourselves, we can generate more clarity, energy and centeredness in our lives.
In this exercise you will start by deeply relaxing your body so that your mind can easily follow. You will then be guided to let your mind get quieter, and calmer. Further into the exercise, you will experience two periods of pure silence, progressing in length, so that you become comfortable with longer periods of silence. It is in the stillness and quiet of our centered minds and hearts that we get in touch with our essential self. The essence of our feelings, wisdom and love. It is often a place beyond words, and it is in this place where the potential for higher transformation exists, the place of centered being.
Towards the end you will receive a memory encoding, which are words to say to yourself at a future time that will help you remember your still and centered state of being. You will then be guided to come back to being awake and alert.
Exercise 2—Equilibrium
By entering a centered state of being in our hearts, minds and spirits, we allow ourselves to remain calm and clear in the midst of change or uncertainty. When we operate from a place of ‘being in the center’, we can draw upon inner strength, access wisdom and respond appropriately in any situation. When centered, we become grounded, and aligned with our intentions. We can bend, flow along or stay rooted where we need to be in response to conditions around us, and we know how to move into our next step.
When in a state of uncertainty about our future, so often our habitual mindset will offer us words, images or patterns based on the past; often the negative aspects or perceptions of the past. We tend to project onto the future what we choose to remember, real or imagined, about the past. These thoughts can then influence our feelings and our energy levels in the present, lowering our vibrations and affecting our ability to remain in a positive mindset. But when we choose to create beautiful and positive possibilities in our minds, we move into a sweeter, clearer and stronger energy state that supports us in manifesting positive life situations.
In this exercise you are invited to enter a centered, loving state of being, and to practice sustaining this as you visit a particular event in your life that brings up feelings of uncertainty. You will have an opportunity to discover your feelings about this event, and then shift to a very positive, empowering perspective by using your own imagination and intentions. You will thereby create a new pattern for yourself, and achieve a state of inner equilibrium.
Exercise 3—The Limitless Self
There are times in our lives when we have touched into and fully experienced life from a higher level of love, awareness and understanding. It’s natural and enlightening for us to rise above and move beyond current perspectives, reactions and behavioral patterns that sometimes limit us. This rising above in awareness is known as a “transcendent” state of being. And the more comfortable we become with this state of being, the more we will evolve in alignment with our soul’s higher path.
The purpose of this exercise is to help you easily shift yourself (your mind and feelings) into an elevated, transcendent state of being—a state that will offer you a greater overview of your life, allow you to connect with your deepest and broadest aspects of self, and enable you to cross a bridge from the physical to non‐ physical states of awareness. This exercise will provide a movement through vibrational levels to help you consciously access more of your true essence, and enjoyment of your highly expanded self.
Exercise 4—Life Path Journey
As we bring the activities and interests of our daily lives into alignment with the truth in our heart and wisdom of our soul, we create a way of living that is full of clarity, richness, generosity and fulfillment.
When we look over the path of our lives from a different, elevated perspective, we often find marvelous well‐ orchestrated patterns placed with exquisite, yet sometimes curious, timing. These reveal to us a greater or higher plan unfolding. Periodically, however, we may feel the call to reevaluate or redirect where our lives seem to be going. We may need to reconsider what is or isn’t working for us, and find ways to align our outer actions with our inner wisdom. This is our spirit’s call to a new level of personal transformation (evolution).
In this meditation, from a centered state of being, you will be invited to experience a broader personal overview, which may help you recognize threads or patterns that exist in your larger life path. You will then explore how to align what is at the core of your being, your place of essential wisdom, love and understanding, with the activities and events you are manifesting in your life. Here there is an opportunity to get clearer about your life purpose.
You will also be able to visualize and help bring into reality harmonious choices and directions for your life which will assist you in creating more fulfilling possibilities for everyday living.
This is a self-guided course and so please note that Garrett Stevens will not be available for answering questions in a discussion forum. This Online Course comes with four downloadable MP3s from the six-track Inner States album. If you previously purchased the album, please contact us for special pricing on this course. If you need assistance, please contact us by email at [email protected].
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Thank you once again for being a part of our online community!
Our wish is that these practices make a significant difference in your life. Our very best to all of you on your journey.
Garrett Stevens, Hemi-Sync® and GlideWing
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The people that will read your letter of intent are busy people. They're in charge of bringing students in who can academically perform. They set program requirements, then receive applications from applicants that meet those requirements. Your application and letter of intent gives them the first hint of your interest in their program. They have many letters to review; your job is to get them to read yours and choose you. Your goal is to convince the reader to accept you into their school.
Look at the school's entry requirements for the program you want to write a letter of intent for. If it's a letter of intent for matriculating there, match their qualifications with your experiences. For example, if the school you want to enroll in requires you to have a 3.5 or better GPA, and your current GPA is lower, then you shouldn't write a letter of intent for that school.
Brainstorm experiences that match the school program you're applying for. Organize these thoughts into the following categories: Academic experience, job experience, volunteer, extracurricular and personal experience. Make sure these are related to what you're writing a letter of intent for. For example, if you're trying to go back to school after being suspended for academic performance, focus your letter on things you've done that proves that you've overcome your weaknesses. Then brainstorm experiences you have that prove that you can successfully complete the school's program.
Copy and paste the school's "letter of intent" instructions to your draft. Base your outline in this format; address the points they want you to make in your letter. Write the letter in business letter format, starting with the letter's date, followed by a line space, followed by the reader's name and address. This information is available with the instructions.
Continue the letter by professionally greeting the person, or people, that will review your letter of intent. Skip a space, then introduce yourself and state why you're writing to them. Follow with a statement of why you'd be a good candidate for what you're writing your letter of intent for.
Present the "proof" that you meet the university's standards for the program, or decision, that you're hopping to get approved for. Draw on the information that you brainstormed in Step 2. For example, if you're applying for a management program, and you're a senior in high school, explain how you've used management in your extracurricular activities and your after school job. If you're trying to get reinstated, tell them about how you've overcame the circumstances that held you back the last time. Use a related personal experience that proves that you can continue your studies. Use your experience to demonstrate how you're going to excel with their program. Conclude the letter by thanking them for reading your letter, provide them with your phone number, and let them know that you'll be happy to answer additional questions.
Warning
- Different schools will have different "letter of intent" requirements. This article provides a general outline of what you'd find in any letter of intent. Be sure that you follow your school's "letter of intent" writing guidelines and requirements. | https://classroom.synonym.com/write-letter-intent-school-4745274.html |
The rand — along with mining and manufacturing production and sales figures — will probably be one of the more closely watched aspects of economic data this week.
Emerging-market currencies including the rand came under pressure last week amid global concern about a brewing trade war between the US and China. The local currency touched its lowest level against the dollar in two weeks, breaking through the R12/$ mark on Friday.
Picture: REUTERS
A trade war could compromise improvements in global growth and demand for commodity exports, with knock-on effects for the mining and manufacturing sectors.
Economists are divided in their forecasts for production in these sectors in February. Official manufacturing statistics will be published on Tuesday and mining data will be released on Thursday.
Investec economist Lara Hodes, who is forecasting 3.2% year-on-year growth in February, said a dip in sales orders and business activity subindices of the Absa purchasing managers’ index (PMI) in March was worrying.
Makwe Masilela, chief investment officer at Makwe Fund Managers, expected 3.1% growth for manufacturing.
But FNB chief economist Mamello Matikinca said that despite a big positive jump in the Absa PMI FNB expected a less than significant acceleration as the market remained relatively subdued. FNB was also less optimistic on mining. Matikinca said gold and platinum group metals production had been “in the doldrums” and output was hampered by several mine stoppages. Platinum prices had continued to languish, while gold prices had risen on concern of a possible trade war.
But the stronger rand, until recently, was likely to offset some gains in the gold price. The headline mining number was likely to be supported by iron ore and coal production.
Masilela forecast a 2.9% increase and said: “One is expecting platinum group metals and gold to turn positive from the January negative as prices improved, and January was a short month as workers were coming back from December holidays.”
Tumisho Grater, economic strategist at Novare, said policy stability in the mining sector was still necessary especially as the Department of Mineral Resources had not yet indicated if it would appeal against last week’s court ruling in favour of mining firms. The ruling implies that companies where black economic empowerment levels dipped to 26% after an offering did not need to top up again.
National gold and foreign exchange reserves for March will be published on Monday. Tuesday will bring the first Monetary Policy Review for 2018, which provides an outlook for the economy.
On Thursday, the South African Chamber of Commerce will publish the March trade conditions survey. In February, trade conditions improved but were affected by poor growth, profit margins under pressure and a stronger rand, which affected income from exports. | https://www.bee.co.za/post/2018/04/10/economic-week-ahead-mixed-forecasts-for-mining-output-growth |
Nothing in life is certain. But there are some uncertainties that can be avoided, and markets particularly loathe it when they aren't.
Sequestration, tax increases, the fiscal cliff -- these are some of the punishments politicians could have avoided. But instead, we have increasing uncertainty, and that could hit the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI -0.61%), and the markets in general, like a ton of bricks as the year end approaches.
The Dow, the market's lovable yet odd index, appears apolitical on the surface. It's a price-weighted average of some of the United States' largest companies, and at first glance, it seems as if it doesn't care who's doing what in the political realm. But the Dow is based on stock prices, and those stock prices are determined by people like you and me who are buying and selling stakes in companies. Politicians have control over tax rates and government spending, which can no doubt have an effect on stock prices and along with them, the Dow.
For those of you who are curious, "sequestration" is the trip switch Congress passed that would automatically cut $1.2 trillion in defense spending over nine years. The fiscal cliff is the conundrum the U.S. faces if tax increases and sequestration go into effect. Both of these time bombs are set to go off at the first of the year, and the uncertainty leading up to it could send volatility, measured by the Volatility Index (^VIX 5.14%), skyrocketing. Yes, volatility has been pretty low since the dark days of fall 2008 (and has dropped 32% year to date) , but be prepared for a wild December ride in the markets. During the heart of 2011's debt-ceiling debate, the Dow dropped 15% over the course of a week and a half. If Congress doesn't act quickly, there may be more market plunges.
While the debt ceiling shouldn't have to be raised until the beginning of next year , Bush tax cuts and a payroll tax holiday are expiring at the end of the year, and Defense Department cuts must be dealt with during Congress' lame-duck period. Judging by last year's no-holds-barred debate over raising the debt ceiling, debate over the tax rate increase could bring an all-out brawl with little time for resolution.
The U.S. isn't the only one affected
It'd be one thing if our decisions affected only our country, but that isn't the case. Uncertainty was at the core of the International Monetary Fund's recent "World Economic Outlook" update, which painted a gloomy picture of economic activity for the remainder of 2012 and into 2013. Global growth estimates decreased from 2% to 1.5% growth for advanced economies and from 6% to 5.6% for emerging economies . And the U.S. wasn't spared, with GDP growth estimates reduced a tenth of a percent for 2013 . While these reductions are indeed worrisome, the IMF has based these reductions on a number of predictions, including: "U.S. policymakers avoid the fiscal cliff and raise the debt ceiling, while making good progress toward a comprehensive plan to restore fiscal sustainability."
While I think Congress is sane enough to eventually avoid the fiscal cliff, I also expect Democrats and Republicans to lead us to the very brink in a high-stakes game of chicken (think debt-ceiling debate redux). And if we fly right off that cliff? The IMF's current growth predictions for next year look downright rosy.
As the U.S. talks about taxes and program cuts, there are lessons to learn from our friends overseas. The eurozone's belly flop into fiscal austerity suggests that cutting too much too quickly exacerbates a slowdown.
Little growth for eurozone
|
|
Country
|
|
2009
|
|
2010
|
|
2011
|
|
2012 (Projection)
|
|
Germany
|
|
(5.1)
|
|
4.0
|
|
3.1
|
|
0.9
|
|
Italy
|
|
(5.5)
|
|
1.8
|
|
0.4
|
|
(2.3)
|
|
Spain
|
|
(3.7)
|
|
(0.3)
|
|
0.4
|
|
(1.5)
|
|
Greece
|
|
(3.3)
|
|
(3.5)
|
|
(6.9)
|
|
(6.0)
|
|
United States
|
|
(3.1)
|
|
2.4
|
|
1.8
|
|
2.2
Not much growth happening in Europe. According to the IMF, deficit reduction needs to be combined with efforts to boost growth, and monetary policy should be as supportive as possible. The report says, "IMF staff research suggests that fiscal cutbacks had larger-than-expected negative short-term multiplier effects on output, which may explain part of the growth shortfalls." So while we can talk about getting tough with our debt, any cuts and tax increases must be done with the long term in mind. These changes can't happen overnight.
Businesses are also joining in the debate. JPMorgan Chase's (JPM -0.70%) CEO, Jamie Dimon, recently took U.S. leadership to task, ripping them for failing to fix the fiscal calamity. He said JPMorgan has created a "fiscal cliff war room," and the company is prepared for the worst, but it's unbelievable that Congress keeps bickering as it takes us to the brink. Expect to see more companies -- financial, defense, and otherwise -- clamor for action.
Uncertainty will only increase as we speed toward the end of 2012. It would be wise for our country's political leaders to clear up that uncertainty. Politicians from all persuasions need to heed that advice as they begin to shape our country's budgetary landscape. Republicans (cut taxes) and Democrats (raise taxes) must realize that compromise and deal-making are key parts of the legislative process. "My way or the highway" might make a martyr of a politician, but it makes for a messy ride in the market and puts our economic grip at risk of slipping away. | https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2012/10/14/uncertainty-could-spell-disaster-for-the-dow.aspx |
1 in 8 people still do not have access to electricity. In order to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, it is necessary to increase the use of renewable energy from 25 % today to 38 % in 2025.
ACCIONA is positioning itself as a key player in addressing the growth in energy demand while curbing the progress of global warming and promoting the transition to a decarbonized energy model.
CLIMATE ACTION
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
The generation and use of energy is responsible for 74 % of total greenhouse gas emissions in the world. This activity is the largest contributor to global warming. Investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency and other low carbon technologies will continue to be essential to meet the new needs of humanity and to minimise their negative impact on the environment.
ACCIONA considers the fight against climate change and its related effects to be a strategic priority. The Company is working to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in order to contribute to the progress of society and respond to the main challenges of sustainable development in the areas of infrastructure, water and energy, leading the transition to a low-carbon economy.
ACCIONA participated in the humanitarian aid, as well as in the process of reconstruction of houses and the infrastructures affected by the earthquake.
One of the most obvious problems was the lack of knowledge of the urgent and specific needs of the affected population. Not only was humanitarian aid required in the form of products but there was also a need to rebuild the social environment and the regional economic networks.
For this reason, an alliance was formed with the AECID (Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation), AMEXCID (Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation) and the Melendre Committee, a community organization whose members are originally from the affected region, to attend damaged communities with the objective to work with craftsmen and producers of indigenous communities in the Isthmus to reactivate their activities, base of the local regional economy.
ACCIONA contributed in 3 projects, in the affected area:
- Adopt an oven: when reactivating an oven made of mud, of which more than 5.000 that were destroyed, a commercial community network is reconstructed with direct positive impact to families of different regions and areas.
- Knitting sisterhood: the preparation of each garment requires the effort of carpenters, draughtsman, weavers and dressmakers. It is worth mentioning that an important sector of the Isthmus population is dedicated to these traditional activities which were topped after the September earthquakes.
- Istmeña basic basket: The Melendre Committee, due to non commercial activities in the region, linked the donors from all over the country with regional producers and merchants for the benefit of the affected families. As an emergency, they were given a basket with regional food products supporting the local and regional economy.
The objectives of the initiatives are to improve the social and economic conditions of the beneficiaries after the earthquakes and take advantage of the negative effects to create synergies between the social and housing needs and the recovery of the local economy to cover those needs. With this project, approximately 795 beneficiaries have been reached.
The company's role has been financing 50% of the project and monitoring the progress and results.
The main lines of action are the following:
- Promote economic activities for the poorest
- Reduce inequality and vulnerability to extreme poverty and the crisis
- Respond to humanitarian crises.
This project is part of the bilateral cooperation between Mexico and Spain, and is developed as a Public-Private Partnership for Development (PPPD), in which all participating entities are partners of the project and share the objectives, resources, risks and achievements. | https://www.acciona.com/projects/post-earthquake-local-economy-reconstruction/ |
There can be a expanding consensus among many economists that the negative effects of globalization have been substantially exaggerated.
As a result, many are now advocating for a more positive effect of globalization on the world economy. The most recent example is those that predict that the negative effects of globalization will soon be seen by the market participants as a signal of economic recovery and accelerating growth.
On the other hand, there are those who would dispute this claim, arguing that globalization can only be an enriching and helpful experience for the world economy. They believe that globalization brings in new ideas, new sources of competitive advantage, and a more balanced financial system. The cost of investment and foreign direct investment has fallen significantly over the last few years, thereby helping to accelerate growth in economies around the world.
Of course, globalization can also bring in negative effects, and many observers argue that it is generally creating the conditions for instability and the emergence of new terrorist groups. In fact, some governments in Western Europe and in South America have already taken measures to address the negative effects of globalization, both through promoting trade and by discouraging immigration.
For the past several years, even many Chinese people have argued that their country’s severe and growing inequality and other negative effects of globalization had become counterproductive.
Most in the West, however, continue to argue that globalization has brought more growth and opportunity to all. Here are three reasons why the view that globalization has been an unmitigated good for the world economy has actually become more popular in recent years.
First, the benefits of globalization are far reaching. Before the end of the last century, the world economy was based on four major economic pillars – technology, telecommunications, information technology, and finance. During the last three decades, these four pillars have undergone significant changes. Because of globalization, more companies are operating in different locations, and more people are participating in the global market.
Second, globalization increases the capacity of the world economy to respond to the needs of both domestic and global customers. This in turn provides the foundation for improved living standards and higher productivity in an increasingly complex global market. And this is exactly what economists in almost reflective essay topics all countries argue that globalization is bringing.
Third, globalization delivers significant financial benefits to its beneficiaries. As economic development in the developing world grows, the global financial system remains relatively stable. The reason is that as countries become more developed, they also tend to concentrate economic activity in their own countries, making capital mobility more difficult.
The benefits of globalization are also realized through technological advances and innovations. The Internet, cell phones, e-commerce, and new communications technologies like satellite television and satellite internet are all examples of these benefits. And for business people, globalization also brings benefits through increased access to raw materials and resources.
But for all these positive effects of globalization, there are many questions that still need to be answered.
There are still many questions that need to be answered about how to best enhance the positive effects of globalization. For example, how can globalization create a fairer, more balanced financial system and help countries in the developing world become more economically viable?
Even more importantly, should China be allowed to join the WTO or should it be barred from joining at all? Indeed, this question remains highly controversial. The key player, that may hold the key answer to this question is China itself.
As globalization becomes more entrenched and more established, it will likely become a much more active component of the world economy. It will also influence the types of economic policies that countries enact. What these policies ultimately will be will depend on China, which holds the key to understanding the direction of the future of globalization. | https://glowitiacne.com/2020/01/31/are-the-negative-effects-with-globalization-overblown/ |
Government Expenditure no doubt is an important instrument for a government to control the economy of a nation. Economists have been well aware of the effects in promoting economic growth. Anyway, the general view is that government expenditure notably on social and economic infrastructure can be growth enhancing although the financing of such expenditure to provide essential infrastructural facilities including transport, electricity, telecommunication, water and sanitation, waste disposal, education and health can be growth retarding (Olukayode, 2009).
Nowadays, the relationship between government expenditure and economic growth has continues to generate sense or controversies among scholars in economic literature (Inuwa, 2012). According to him, the nature of the impact of government expenditure on economic growth is in conclusion, and from the view point of the student researcher is still not incontrovertible. As a matter of fact, while some author or researchers believed that the impact of government expenditure on economic growth is negative or non-significant (Tuban, 2010), others believed that the impact is positive and significant *Alexiou, 2009).
The structure of Nigeria government expenditure can bawdily be categorized into capital and recurrent expenditure (Muritala 2011). The recurrent expenditure is basically government expenses on administration such as wages, salaries, interest on loans, maintenance cost, etc. However, the expenses on capital project like roads, airports, education, telecommunication, electricity, generator, etc are generally referred to as capital expenditure (Muritala, 2011).
Ironically, the effect of government spending in Nigeria in relation to the economic growth is still a puzzle and an unresolved issue. Indeed theoretically, it is an unresolved issue. Although the theoretical positions on the subject are quite diverse, the conventional wisdom is that or spending is a source of economic instability or stagnation. Empirical research does not conclusive support the conventional wisdom, a few studies report position and significant negative relationship between government spending and economic growth while others find significantly negative or no relation between an increase in government spending and growth in real output.
It is against this backdrop, the study is undertaken to empirically evaluate the impact of government expenditure on economic growth in Nigeria. | https://runmyresearch.com/2017/02/09/impact-of-government-expenditure-on-economic-growth-in-nigeria/ |
Within the Discussion Forum area, write in no less than 150 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.
As with all businesses, Travel & Tourism companies are increasingly affected by environmental and social issues that can influence global demand and industry-wide profitability. Acting as the leading organization for world tourism, The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has a huge responsibility for safeguarding the environment and ensuring that the growth of our sector is managed responsibly, finding the balance between people, planet and profits. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) also plays a role in promoting international cooperation by stimulating and developing public-private sector partnerships, and encouraging the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.
Choose one of the following methods to assist for your paper submission.
Choice #1
- Explain how the UNWTO encourage member countries with tourist destinations to maximize the positive economic, social, and cultural effects of tourism.
- Select a country, identify and describe how positive tourism practices can minimize its negative social and environmental impacts.
- Identify some of the benefits they receive. | https://topchoicewriters.com/introduction-to-tourism-assignment-details-week-1-discussion-forum-help/ |
In economics, there is a great deal of thought and debate surrounding first and second order effects. In short, a first order effect is something that is directly caused by some change, while a second order effect is caused by the first order effect. In many instances it is the second order effects that countermand any of the first, rendering what may seem like simple solutions harmful. Frederic Bastiat’s broken windows fallacy is a perfect example, especially where the second order effect is hidden from view.
In February 2015, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman challenged his critics to come up with a Republican politician’s proposal that “would reduce after-tax-and-transfer inequality.” Importantly, Krugman added a qualification that, “Bank shots don’t count.” It was an interesting dare more so for what it said about economics in the mainstream, meaning that it raised the question about all economic theory as largely dependent on “bank shots” to begin with. To clarify, I have little interest in how any proposal might “reduce after-tax-and-transfer inequality”, only that I find the challenge to do so in a straight-forward (sounding) manner illuminating in an ironically indirect way.
Quantitative easing, for example, would not qualify under Krugman’s constraint. As then- Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke wrote in the Washington Post in November 2010 confidently championing QE2, its success would be just so indirect:
This approach eased financial conditions in the past and, so far, looks to be effective again. Stock prices rose and long-term interest rates fell when investors began to anticipate the most recent action. Easier financial conditions will promote economic growth.
The first order effect would have been “eased financial conditions” which thereby created second (and third, etc.) order effects that “promote economic growth” – to many judging with nothing more than common sense this was undoubtedly not just a “bank shot” but an exceedingly difficult if not unrealistic one. To economists it was a layup, especially those of Bernanke’s persuasion (arrogance).
The sudden appearance of weakness in late 2014 and really at the start of 2015 could fairly be characterized as themselves the second order effects of the “rising dollar” in sharp contrast to the layup scenario. Instead, however, economists insisted that and the “manufacturing recession” was nothing, not even effects at all but just “transitory” weakness unrelated to the baseline growth promoted still by “easier financial conditions.” This was, of course, an unscientific view since it presumed first “easier financial conditions” which the “rising dollar” itself disputed.
From the latter view, the “manufacturing recession” was not unrelated “transitory” weakness but rather second order effects of a far different monetary condition where QE’s byproducts (bank reserves) are properly viewed as wishful thinking instead of functional money. Those second order effects continued not just through last year but into this year, adding more evidence to the soundness of that proper monetary judgment.
Increasingly we are now finding third order effects in the direction of “tighter” financial (monetary) conditions. Among these are labor market indications that are almost uniformly describing deceleration; to what degree and from what starting point is debatable, but it is increasingly likely that there is significant slowing in what would be a third order effect of broadening “tightness.” Big ticket consumer spending items would also be included in this classification, especially autos and now housing.
Relatedly, there is a clear effect of slowing and/or “tightening” in construction spending – all conspicuously and importantly dating back to last summer. The first appearance was in public construction, peaking last June at $300 billion (SAAR). Since then, new announced public construction is down 10%, with August 2016 estimated to have been just $270.5 billion.
The slowdown in government construction might be significant on its own as especially local governments are constrained by both budgets (meaning taxes) as well as financial considerations (meaning “tightness” hitting bond flotations). But it isn’t just the public sector that has at least paused; private construction in especially the residential space has experienced sharp deceleration this year. Year-over-year residential construction (NSA) was up just 1.6% in August, the lowest growth since June 2011at the start of the real estate rebound.
Combined with deceleration across the whole private sector (non-residential construction spending was up just 5% year-over-year in August), total construction spending in the US economy fell slightly for the first time since the middle of 2011.
To get a sense of the possible degree of this current slowdown, during the dot-com recession total construction spending essentially stagnated for about a year and a half starting in the middle of 2001 after (lagging) the recession had already been officially declared. While the housing bubble was already ongoing at that time, it effectively canceled out what was a serious contraction in non-residential investment. Though overall spending peaked in March this year, construction in total has again been essentially flat for a little over a year now; suggesting like the dot-com era construction trajectory that at the very least a serious, negative economic climate has already developed.
Apart from the obvious second order effects of housing at the top of the housing bubble, construction spending by and large is a lagging or confirming cyclical indicator (third or fourth order). I don’t think the current economy qualifies under those terms, but overall analysis of the process still applies; meaning that the marked deceleration or even contraction in construction spending is further positive evidence that weakness is, first, quite real and, second, spreading or broadening. We aren’t (necessarily) looking for recession here, just evidence of what is really going on. From “rising dollar” to third order economic effects, it looks more and more like Bernanke’s “bank shot” is totally unraveling. | https://alhambrapartners.com/2016/10/03/the-third-order-of-unraveling-bank-shots/ |
Small Businesses Invest in Workers, Drive Growth
Small businesses invest heavily in staff development and are responsible for driving much of America’s economic growth.
That’s the take-away from “Voice of Small Business in America,” a Goldman Sachs report created with Babson College.
Published September 5, the report details the challenges faced by small businesses and the contributions they make to both employees’ careers and the country’s economy.
According to the study, small businesses are a leading force in workforce investments. They are more committed to wage growth, healthcare, and workforce training than their corporate counterparts.The report summarizes the opinions of 2,285 small business owners who took part in the online survey conducted by Morning Consult, an independent third-party market research firm. All of the participants were graduates of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses investment platform, which helps entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunity by providing financial and educational support.
Growth-oriented small-biz owners were asked to provide opinions on subjects such as innovation and job creation, as well as to answer questions about entrepreneurial growth.
The survey highlights a critical need for knowledge-sharing and dialog among small-business owners, capital providers, and policymakers.
While big companies can afford to hire people and simply replace them if they don’t work out, small businesses are more likely to invest in employees and help them succeed.
The survey’s most significant finding? A majority of respondents agreed that a healthy environment in which employees wish to stay, learn, and advance is more important than any other factor in achieving success.
On the other hand, finding the right people for the job still represents the biggest challenge for the survey participants. It’s especially hard in a tight labor market where employers bid against each other, competing on the basis of salary, benefits, and working conditions.
Key findings include:
Workforce challenges: Hiring and retaining good workers remains the biggest challenge for small businesses. About 76% of the 2,285 survey respondents reported difficulty in attracting, hiring, and retaining their employees.
Most respondents reported that when they revies job applicants, they value willingness, a positive attitude, and integrity over formal education and work experience.
Uncertainty about taxes, trade and government shutdowns: Respondents admitted uncertainty about macroeconomic indicators and their effects on their companies. More than 46% said that they do not know exactly how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 would affect the growth of their businesses. Participants said they were unsure about the effects of tariffs and trade policy changes as well.
Nearly 40% of government contractors reported they were negatively affected by the government shutdown in late 2018 and early 2019.
A higher minimum wage: Small businesses support a higher minimum wage, with nearly eight in 10 respondents indicating they would support a higher local minimum wage. Nonetheless, 65% said they would be negatively impacted by the increase.
This result uncovers the equation that torments small-business owners: finding a compromise between paying employees a robust wage while managing the bottom line.
Healthcare for employees: Although current law requires only 8% of respondents to provide health insurance, most said they provide health benefits to at least some of their employees - not because of laws or regulations, but because it’s the right thing to do.
Impact of automation: Although 71% of respondents say they have introduced some form of automation, only 5% have laid off employees as a result. Instead, 35% transferred existing employees into new positions. And 32% hired new employees after implementing automation programs.
Gender differences: Female owners showed less optimism about the economy than their male counterparts (65% v. 77%). About one-fifth of female respondents believed their gender negatively affected their ability to secure financing. Only 2% of men believed the same.
Capital challenges: Startup capital proved to be a major issue for a great majority of respondents, with 80% reporting that they have relied on personal finances to start their companies. Nearly half continue to do so in order to sustain and grow the business.
Minority business owners report having more trouble obtaining outside capital. Although people of color reported they were more likely to apply for external funding, they were also half as likely to receive financial help.
Albert Einstein is said to have identified compound interest as mankind’s greatest invention. That story’s probably apocryphal, but it conveys a deep truth about the power of fiscal policy to change the world along with our daily lives. Civilization became possible only when Sumerians of the Bronze Age invented money. Today, economic issues influence every aspect of daily life. My job at Fortunly is an opportunity to analyze government policies and banking practices, sharing the results of my research in articles that can help you make better, smarter decisions for yourself and your family.
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Severity level: Low – flaw will make finding real events a longer process.
Microsoft has issued a new signature to their Defender Antivirus system that mistakenly detects Electron apps such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Discord as prominent malware, also known as’Win32/Hive.ZY’, each time the apps are opened in Windows.
The issue of these signatures started on the morning of 4th September with Microsoft’s Defender signature update 1.373.1508.0.
Impact
The flaw with this latest signature update means that organisations using Microsoft Defender will accumulate a lot of false positives for Hive ransomware. This could cause confusion within the organisation’s network defence team and ultimately lead to a significant delay in accurate threat detection while the false positives are being triaged.
Vulnerability Detection
Vulnerability affects users operating the 1.373.1508.0 version of Microsoft Defender.
Affected Products
Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Containment, Mitigations & Remediations
Since issuing the faulty update, Microsoft has released further updates that resolve the issue. Customers experiencing negative effects from the faulty signatures should update their Defender software to the latest version as soon as possible.
Indicators of Compromise
Significant increase of Hive ransomware alerts connected to the use of Electron applications.
Threat Landscape
Unfortunately, disruptive updates such as this one will highly likely occur again in the future. Whilst legitimate Hive ransomware attacks cannot be ruled out and base level investigations should still be taken, it is likely that alerts highlighted while having this version installed will be false positives. | https://www.quorumcyber.com/threat-intelligence/microsoft-defender-hive-false-positives/ |
The country should prioritize avoiding severe exchange rate fluctuations as economic activity is expected to weaken next year given global headwinds.
Citing previous papers, authors PIDS senior research fellow Margarita Debuque-Gonzales, supervising research specialist John Paul Corpus and research analyst Ramona Maria Miral said sharp peso depreciation makes the fight against inflation even more difficult.
The peso returned to the P55:$1 level on Friday, strengthening for a seventh straight day to its best showing in more than three months.
They said it may also have negative effects on balance sheets, particularly for firms that have taken on a large amount of unhedged dollar-denominated debt, contributing to financial tightening.
More generally, high exchange rate volatility heightens business uncertainty, with the increase in transaction costs having a well-known negative effect on the growth of small open economies in the longer run, with trade and investment as the main channels.
As severe exchange rate fluctuations are avoided, the authors said the appropriate response must depend on the nature of the exchange rate shock, as well as its impact on the monetary and financial sectors.
“If the depreciation is due to fundamental factors (e.g., an appreciating US dollar and rapidly rising US interest rates, and current account deficits due to relative price shocks) and financial markets are not in turmoil, the correct strategy would be to simply adjust monetary policy to keep within inflation targets and allow the exchange rate to serve its role as an automatic shock absorber,” they said.
Debuque-Gonzales, Corpus, and Miral said letting the exchange rate depreciate, for instance, naturally reduces imports and encourages exports, helping bring down trade deficits and prevent the accumulation of external debt.
Apart from smoothening exchange rate volatility but maintaining flexibility, they also identified other policy priorities and proposals that have benefits cutting across different horizons.
These are controlling inflation without harming growth, pursuing fiscal sustainability but protecting those at risk, preparing for financial tightening and uncertainty, addressing the pandemic scars, and continuing the policy momentum on investments.
The economic outlook features significant challenges and downside risks, including persistently high inflation, an uncertain business environment, and a possible downturn in the world’s major economies. | https://financialmarketexaminer.com/2022/12/05/pids-warns-of-severe-forex-fluctuations/ |
Written by Robert Hoglund and Erik Pihl, this article was originally published in Swedish in the national newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.
The UN’s new development goals that will replace the millennium goals were put into place last Friday by the UN member states. The goals will be guiding the whole world’s development work for the next 15 years, so they’re extremely important. Overall, reading the new goals is a very encouraging experience. They aim to terminate poverty and hunger, to tackle climate change, to give everyone the right to healthcare and education, to achieve gender equality, make consumption sustainable and protect ecosystems. But among all these fantastic goals there is one that threatens the fulfilment of several of the other goals.
Goal number 8 stipulates that all the world’s countries shall have a strong GDP per capita growth. It is somewhat understandable since many poor countries still need economic development. But the goal risks creating the wrong effect and counteracting several of the other goals. In the text it says that the growth should be sustainable and inclusive, but that is already demanded by the other goals. Growth that is at best a means to reach certain welfare goals is redundant as a development goal in itself.
Increased GDP is normally connected to increased wealth, welfare and employment. That connection however is not a law of nature. So called jobless growth is seen in many countries and growth often fails to increase the standard of living for the poor and instead benefits the already rich. In the rich countries, there is no reason to prioritize increased GDP per capita. Poor countries can benefit from growth but not even for them should it be seen as a goal, but as one of several means that can improve poor people’s living conditions. As we know there are also other such means like redistribution of wealth, something that is not highlighted in the new development goals.
The biggest problem with making growth a goal is that it risks conflicting with other much more important goals. GDP-growth is historically and globally very closely connected to increased emissions of greenhouse gases, environmental destruction and increased usage of natural resources. To make growth sustainable the emissions and negative effects of growth must decrease fast at the same time as GDP rises. That has never happened before. Preliminary estimates said that emissions laid flat in 2014 as the world economy grew but unfortunately that turned out not to be true. Emissions and the use of fossil fuels continued to increase last year. It is technically possible to turn this development around, at least when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions and GDP, but it’s very uncertain whether it is possible in practice.
The point that is being suggested, that a nation has failed to reach the development goals unless they increase their GDP per capita, builds on a conviction that growth must be able to combine with a sustainable future. Even though measures for creating long-term welfare and a healthy economy, like increased protection of nature and reduced emissions might just as well slow down growth. At many occasions the goals will collide. Nations then will have to choose which goal to prioritize. It is a safe guess that many will continue to prioritize growth, just as they have been doing for the last couple of hundred years.
Making means into goals and demanding increased growth in all the world’s nations is counter-productive. The fixation with increasing GDP has no place among the important development goals that are supposed to safeguard an equal and sustainable future. Now these goals are what we have. Therefore hope lies with decision-makers making the right choices and choosing to prioritize social and ecological sustainability when conflicts of interest arise.
Robert Hoglund: Coordinator for the Swedish idea network Steg 3 (Step three).
Erik Pihl: Doctor of Technology, Energy and Environment, member of Steg 3.
Steg 3 is a network that gathers Swedish politicians, scientists, journalists, authors and others that want to problematize society’s current view on economic growth.
Image: Graphic made by Tegan Tallullah / Post Growth Institute. Background image has Creative Commons licensing, photographer unknown.
Certainly with you in practice–especially as averaging out GDP among a whole population tells you nothing about the actual distribution of the wealth. It could still increase hugely for a minority, as now, whilst the mode shifts further and further downwards.
However, if this was a flagship indicator it would serve to highlight the fact that no progress could be made without stabilising population sizes. In that respect, it is a good indicator to be up there for all to see, especially when so many campaigners have such unrealistic expectations of the possibility of ‘redistributing wealth equally’. | http://postgrowth.org/make-the-right-choice-when-economy-and-sustainability-collide/comment-page-1/ |
Politician Donald Trump, now leading in the Republican primaries, is strongly anti-immigrant. But Businessman Trump wants more high-skill visas and hires foreign workers in his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort. Which one is right?
Here is Politician Trump’s position on immigration on his website: “The influx of foreign workers holds down salaries, keeps unemployment high, and makes it difficult for poor and working class Americans – including immigrants themselves and their children – to earn a middle class wage.”
Related: Here’s the Problem With Trump’s Plan to Pay for the Border Wall
And here is Businessman Trump’s position in the March 3 Republican debate on Fox News, “They’ll go to Harvard, they’ll go to Stanford, they’ll go to Wharton, as soon as they’re finished they’ll get shoved out. They want to stay in this country. They want to stay here desperately; they’re not able to stay here. For that purpose, we absolutely have to be able to keep the brain power in this country.”
Will the real Donald please stand up? And let’s hope that it’s not Politician Trump.
Economic growth and employment in the United States could be improved by bringing in workers from abroad because employment is not a zero-sum game. Neither the economy nor jobs are a fixed pie to be divided, with more for some resulting in less for others. Rather, employment is a dynamic cycle always poised for growth. Greater immigration would allow the U.S. economy to operate more efficiently, creating more jobs for native-born Americans.
In 2014, immigrants represented 29 percent of all new entrepreneurs, according to the Kauffman Foundation’s 2015 Index of Startup Activity. According to the Index, “Immigrants continue to be almost twice as likely as the native-born to become entrepreneurs, with the Rate of New Entrepreneurs being 0.52 percent for immigrants, as opposed to 0.27 percent for the native-born.”
Related: Outrageous! $1 Billion to Post One Form on Immigration Site
Immigrants tend to have different skills from the native-born population that complement the skills of the U.S. labor force and have only a small effect on wages, concludes University of California at Davis professor Giovanni Peri. Immigrants make the economy more efficient by reducing bottlenecks caused by labor shortages, both in high-skill and low-skill areas.
Those skills and job preferences complement rather than substitute for native-born workers, too, making U.S. workers more productive and attracting capital that takes advantage of new opportunities for growth. Although immigrants will be substitutes for some primarily low-skilled workers, many of whom are also immigrants, the negative effect on such workers is much smaller than the positive effect for everyone else. The economy as a whole gains, with substantially more winners than losers, even in the short term. In our society, this makes it possible for the winners to compensate those who lose from immigration and still come out ahead.
Related: Trump Out of Step With Americans Over Immigration Policy
In 2014, 42 percent of students who got PhDs in physics and 37 percent who got PhDs in chemistry were foreign non-resident visa holders, according to National Science Foundation data. The United States would be better off if these students could stay here and add to the wealth of the country, as Businessman Trump has pointed out, rather than being sent home.
Previous research by Tel Aviv University professor Neil Gandal, University of Michigan professor Gordon Hanson, and Dartmouth University professor Matthew Slaughter has noted that the influx of Russian immigration to Israel did not lower wages. Nor did University of California (Berkeley) professor David Card find that the Mariel boatlift affected wages in Miami.
As Businessman Trump knows, America’s goal should be an immigration policy that fosters economic growth. We should be giving visas to those skilled and unskilled workers who can contribute to the U.S. economy. Politician Trump, it’s already time to retire.
This commentary was originally published on Economics 21, a website of the Manhattan Institute. | https://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2016/05/02/Donald-Trump-Speaks-Forked-Tongue-Immigration |
With the start of vaccine distribution, many people are regaining hope that 2021 will be better than 2020.
A lifelong bus driver, Marco Alarcón lost his job in March, as soon as the pandemic arrived in Santiago, Chile. Within two months he came up with the idea of making furniture out of wood that he found lying on the ground or discarded at construction sites. He had never done it before, but the need for income prompted him to try something different. "My passion has always been to transport passengers, but now I have seen that I can create things with my hands and that fills me with happiness," he says.
Better known as Tata Marco, his daughter publishes photographs of his products on Instagram and thus, little by little, he has managed to open an improvised work path, as thousands of people have done from Mexico to Patagonia.
Although the economic outlook is more encouraging for 2021, there is still a high level of uncertainty about how and when employment will be reactivated, one of the deepest traces that the recession has left after the lockdowns and the rapid spread of COVID-19. And despite the fact that official unemployment reached more than 10% in the region, the people most affected were informal workers who live from day to day and who are not counted in the statistics.
The problem is that even if the economy grows again in the region (around 3.7%, according to different estimates), indicators such as employment or poverty will take much longer to recover. And according to the International Labor Organization, in 2021 unemployment could rise to 11.2%.
"We have gone back ten years in ten months," said ILO regional director Vinicius Pinheiro in late December.
Therefore, he adds, the great challenge is to achieve economic growth with employment, an opinion shared by Daniel Titelman, director of the Economic Development Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC.
"The social costs that the pandemic has produced are going to be with us for a long time and that is why it is important that fiscal policy helps mitigate and offset those effects," says Titelman
To reactivate the economy, he adds, ECLAC projects that Latin America will face 5 major risks in 2021:
1 - The evolution of the pandemic and the availability of the vaccine are uncertain
The scenario that ECLAC considers for its economic projections is that the negative effects of the pandemic would improve in the first half of 2021, as there is a higher level of mobility than that registered in mid-2020. It also means that during 2021 the vaccination process will advance in the region. If that is the case, the economic impact of vaccines on growth could occur from the second half of 2021. But if the expected conditions are not met, without a doubt the economic growth projection for the region of 3.7% in 2021 could decrease.
2 - Premature withdrawal of monetary and fiscal stimulus policy measures
The elimination of fiscal stimulus and the measures that the central banks have taken to boost recovery could stunt economic growth with a negative impact on the region. For this reason, the organization recommends that fiscal aid be maintained and that monetary policy continues to guarantee the availability of liquidity worldwide.
3 - Worsening of global financial conditions
The growth estimated for Latin America also depends to a great extent on the fact that international financial conditions are similar to those of the second half of 2020. For the poorest countries, access to financing is essential. But a worsening financial outlook could create a big problem for those countries that have increased their debt levels in the context of the pandemic.
Another issue refers to the possible depreciation of currencies, given a lower "risk appetite" on the part of investors, who in crisis situations seek refuge in more stable currencies. If there is a downward trend, this would put severe pressure on those countries with higher levels of debt in foreign currency.
4 - Potential drop in commodity prices
Estimates suggest that there will be an increase in the prices of basic products in 2021. If this projection is not met, the countries of South America, a net exporter of these products, will suffer a severe blow that would affect their income level and its growth prospects.
5 - Increase in social and geopolitical tensions
The increase in unemployment, poverty and inequality could intensify latent social tensions in Latin American countries and affect their economic activity. These internal tensions are compounded by geopolitical conflicts, including technological and trade frictions between countries.
"The brutal fall in income generates social tensions and challenges to fiscal policy", argues Titelman.
For this reason, he adds, "governments must make an important effort to continue supporting and thus mitigate the social effects of the pandemic."
An opportunity
"With this crisis there is an opportunity to move towards a more sustainable and inclusive development," says the economist.
A positive point of view, he explains, is that what we have experienced in 2020 is a lesson to overcome the great structural challenges of the region such as poverty, inequality, unemployment, labor informality and low social protection. What the pandemic did was put on the table those great challenges that have affected Latin America for decades, he says.
From their perspective, the ideal would be that countries not only take measures to reactivate the economy in the short term, but also look to the future and include environmental and industrial policies to transform the development model. | https://en.enusanewspaper.com/copy-of-ron-santa-teresa |
The current housing downturn will only get worse if The Labor Party pushes with its proposal to overhaul negative gearing rules, a study by SQM Research predicted.
The study analysed how several scenarios would play out in the coming years, assuming that Labor enforces policy changes on negative gearing by July 2020.
SQM Research said that the proposed changes could trigger further price falls in the housing market over the period from 2020 to 2022. While there could be a brief recovery before the passing of the legislation, prices would likely to fall again as investor demand dwindles, the firm said.
If the cash rate drops by 50 basis points, rental yields rise between 60 to 95 basis points, and the capital gains tax shoots upwards, then capital cities in Australia would see overall prices fall by another 4% to 8% during the period.
SQM managing director Louis Christopher said interest rate cuts would cushion the effects of negative gearing changes, albeit only slightly.
"Even so, the market would still record dwelling price falls. Housing construction; already in a slump, would likely fall further due to the lack of investor demand. This would set up a shortage of housing come later 2020, based on current strong population growth rates," he said.
The decline will be worse if the Reserve Bank of Australia decides to maintain the cash rate and should rental yields grow by as much as 120 basis points, the study predicted. If this scenario plays out, home prices could fall by as much as 12%.
Christopher said this is just one of the issues that could arise should Labor continues with the changes.
"Such a tax change during a housing downturn is, in our opinion, a risky move for the economy, and so we encourage discussion of perhaps a phase-in period for such legislation that would reduce the economic shock that this tax change could create," he said.
He called for the Labor Party to take a look at possible investor issues: from the pricing of off-the-plan developments to the likely losses it would eventually spur.
"While we take the view that negative gearing reform is a good thing over the long term, such reform should be executed as part of a wider property tax reform that should be phased in over time," Christopher said.
The table below shows how dwelling prices in each state could be affected in each scenario. | https://www.yourmortgage.com.au/mortgage-news/will-labors-negative-gearing-changes-only-worsen-the-housing-downturn/261542/ |
NABARD should work with greater focus in the agriculture sector so as to strengthen the rural economy of the state.
This was asserted by Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the NABARD state Credit Seminar 2021-22 on ‘Collectivization of Agricultural Produce for Enhancing Farmers Income’ here today.
The chief minister also released NABARD State Focus Paper-2021-22 and a booklet on ‘Various Refinance Schemes of NABARD’ on the occasion.
The chief minister hoped that the ‘The State Focus Paper’ would act as an input for the credit and infrastructure planning by bankers and state government to prioritize allocation of funds for development.
He said that this annual exercise aimed at promoting the increased production in agriculture and allied sectors and generating job opportunities in the farm as well as non-farm sector by the envisaged credit support.
Thakur said that being a special state, on account of its hilly terrain and other socio economic conditions, planning needs of the state cannot be equated with other states of the country. He said that the state needs special parameters, while working out its credit and developmental needs and while implementing development strategies.
He said that average land holding in Himachal Pradesh was one acre and constitute 88 percent of total land holdings of the state against the national average of 1.15 hectare and 86.21 percent respectively and 80 percent of the total cultivated area in the state is rain-fed.
All these factors of the low productivity and production of agriculture pose challenges for the planners and stakeholders, he added.
While appreciating the concept of Farmer Producers’ Organizations (FPO) of NABARD, Jai Ram Thakur said that the main objective of the FPOs is collectivization of agricultural produce, value addition and collective marketing so that farmers can fetch better prices of their produce. He said that the cumulative assistance had been sanctioned to the state under RIDF was Rs. 8679.28 crore as on date which is a major facilitator in creation of infrastructure in the state.
The chief minister said that bankers should issue Kissan Credit Cards to each and every eligible farmer in the State to facilitate them in availing credit as per their needs.
He said that NABARD has estimated credit potential for the year 2021-22 for the State for priority sectors was Rs 27724.04 crore, which shows an increase of 7.22 percent over the previous year plan of Rs. 25857.26 crore. This now needs to be executed appropriately by the bank and stakeholders in the process, he added.
Thakur said that the year 2020 has not been very kind and supportive in terms of promoting economic growth because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that it is also a great challenge before the government as well as to the institutions like NABARD, to ensure the best possible growth, and more so, in the rural areas since a large population of the nation still lives in these areas. | https://www.thestatesman.com/cities/shimla/nabard-work-greater-focus-agri-sector-jai-ram-1502940890.html |
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See reviews of all our schools in Greece & Chania (Crete)
Lexis - Centre of Greek Language & Culture
The language school Lexis - Centre of Greek Language & Culture was founded in Chania (Crete), Greece in 2000. Lexis Centre is located at the historical square Splantzia, close to the Municipal Market of Chania, the Venetian Harbour, and the heart of the modern city and its commercial centre.
Facilities
Cafeteria
Kitchen for student use
Fridge for student use
Library
Movie room
Balcony / terrace
Copy machine
Printer for student use
Free coffee
Free WIFI
Classroom equipment
TV in all classrooms
Air conditioning in all classrooms
Heating in all classrooms
Ample natural light in all classrooms
Number of classrooms:2
Number of public PC workstations:1
Prices include
- Organized activities
- Wireless LAN zone at school
- Free certificate of course attendance
- Language level placement test before arrival
- For adult courses: a minimum of one free organized leisure activity per week
Course material:
Average number of students
- Adult courses in summer: 60
- Adult courses throughout the year: 50
- Junior courses in summer: 10
Average age of students
- in summer: 30 years
- throughout the year: 35 years
- Read our recommendations for students over 30.
Average number of levels
- Adult courses in summer: 9
- Adult courses throughout the year: 7
Minimum age of students
- 15 years
- 7 years for specific Junior courses
Greek teacher qualifications
- 100 % hold a university degree
- 100 % hold a recognised language teaching qualification
Languages spoken by school staff (cannot be guaranteed by school):
Airport transfer
Best arrival airport is Daskalogiannis Airport of Chania.
Days without classIn 2018 (including national and regional bank holidays): 01.Jan.2018 - 05.Jan.2018, 19.Feb.2018, 02.Apr.2018 - 13.Apr.2018, 01.May.2018, 28.May.2018, 13.Aug.2018 - 17.Aug.2018, 24.Dec.2018 - 31.Dec.2018
School policy regarding bank holidays: | https://www.languagecourse.net/school-lexis---centre-of-greek-language--culture-chania-crete.php3 |
This school does not make their fees public for the academic year 2022/2023.
All the details about this school in their own words
|Number of students||
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The school has capacity for 150 students.
|Number of nationalities represented in the school||
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We've had students and teachers from diverse countries such as Belgium, Canada, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Taiwan, UK and the USA.
|Most common nationality||
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Most of our students are Brazilians.
|Ratio of local students to international students||
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Currently about 20% of our students are international.
|Max. number of students per class||
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The size of the classroom varies according to the age group. The maximum is 20.
|Average number of students per class||
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15
|Does the school employ teaching assistants?||
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Yes
|Native English speaking teachers||
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Homeroom teachers are usually native speakers for the students age 3 and older,
|Language support for students not fluent in English||
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Yes, for students from age 6.
|Additional language classes offered by the school||
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Portuguese lessons for students of all ages. In Year 3, we introduce Spanish as a foreign language.
|Use of technology in the classroom||
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Yes.
|Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures)||
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Yes, we have an online programme in place.
|Uniform required||
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Yes
|Waiting list||
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Because we are a new school, we do not have a waiting list, but some classrooms get filled faster than others.
|Entry evaluation for students||
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Yes
|Brief description of entry evaluation required||
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Students are evaluated but it is not a screening process. It is just to understand where the student is in the learning curve so we can better plan for him or her.
|Deadline for registration (new academic year)||
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We accept students all year around.
|Students can join after academic year begins||
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Yes
|Do students practice religion at the school? What religion?||
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No.
|School bus service available||
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No, but we assist parents in finding a solution.
|School start time||
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Early Years: 7:30
|School finish time||
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Early Years: 15:30
|Supervised care before/after school||
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Yes, until 17:00. (not available during health crisis)
|Extracurricular activities or clubs offered||
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The school offers extracurricular activities from 15:45 to 16:30. The activities are defined with the school community at the beginning of each academic year.
|School provided lunches||
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Yes
|Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc)||
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Yes. This is previously discussed with the parents and adjustments are made based on student's needs and restrictions.
|Sports activities included||
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Yes.
|Sports facilities at the school||
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We have a sports court on roof top.
|Qualities and characteristics best defining the school||
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We are an IB World School and we offer a modern, challenging and international educational programme according to the standards set by the International Baccalaureate (IB)*. Our language of instruction is English, and we have international teachers in our faculty. Brazilian culture and the Portuguese language are also valued through Portuguese classes and typically Brazilian activities and celebrations. Our academic year follows the northern hemisphere calendar (beginning in August and ending in July).
Our mission is to provide expatriate and local families with an international education that is broad, balanced and challenging.
|Teaching approach of the school||
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Our teaching follows the guidelines for the Primary Years Program of the International Baccalaureate (IB). Through the creative use of technology and authentic, inquiry-based learning experiences, we aim to empower youngsters to be responsible lifelong learners.
In early childhood education, we adopt the Reggio Emilia approach, a philosophy of education aimed at early childhood that, in addition to being very innovative and inspiring, sees the child as strong, capable, resilient and full of wonder. | https://www.international-schools-database.com/in/sao-paulo/gis-the-international-school-of-sao-paulo |
As per July 7, 2020, Academic Senate decision:
- Professors will be delivering in person all the 2020-21 courses scheduled for the first semester, regardless of the year of the course. Students can have access both in person, compatibly with the necessary safety measures, and remotely with live sessions, except for those courses with mandatory in-person attendance. Students will also have access to pre-recorded lectures and off-line educational material. Students who cannot attend in person – including international and off-campus students – can attend remotely.
- university facilities will supply the largest number of physical classrooms at their disposal with multimedia equipment;
- access to classrooms must be scheduled so as to guarantee all students, regardless of the year of enrolment, the possibility to attend in person as much as possible, with particular attention to first-year students;
- the programme calendar must be optimized so that students can have continuous and non-split periods of presence in the classroom. It is also necessary to limit as much as possible the movement of students to distant classrooms/locations;
- potential first-year students interested in degree programmes without admission test are required to register on Infostud from September 1, 2020, until September 15, 2020, and indicate the course(s) they intend to enrol in;
- to access the classroom students will be asked to register through a reservation system set up for this purpose.
[10.07.2020 Update]
Phase 2: Online and In-Person Exams and Graduation Sessions
During Phase 2, exams will continue remotely and in person. Read the news
Online oral exams as per D.R. n. 1026 – 01.04.2020 [01.04.2020 Update] Click on the page
Online written exams as per D.R. n. 1141 – 17.04.2020 [23.04.2020 Update] Click on the page
[29.05.2020 Update]
In-person graduation sessions will follow the guidelines issued by each Faculty. Online graduation sessions will continue to adhere to the guidelines issued on D.R no. 869/2020 – 10/03/2020 as per D.R. no. 869/2020 - 10/03/2020.
Read the Rectoral Decree (in Italian)
[17.06.2020 Update]
Curricular and extracurricular Internships
From June 3 until August 2020, unless otherwise specified, it is possible to:
- activate new curricular internships, online or mixed modality (remotely and in-person);
- add, for internships that have been already activated and suspended or carried out remotely, the mixed modality option: distance learning activities and in-person activities at the hosting institution/organisation;
- continue curricular internships remotely;
For extracurricular internships, please consult our Internships and Traineeships page with the different regional regulations.
[03.06.2020 Update].
For further information on services and office hours, please visit this page. | https://www.uniroma1.it/en/notizia/covid-19-phase-3-person-and-online-classes-exams-and-graduation-sessions |
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1 Rue de la Victoire de la Marne,
Montpellier,
France
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"I have had a great time at Ecole Klesse! The classes are very small which, at Ecole Klesse, guarante..."
Course type
Total price
No. of Students
Accommodation type
Transfer from and/or to the airport
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Number of classrooms: 12
Average nº of student per classroom: 6
Minimum student age: 14
Level test on first day:
Distance from the airport: 8 km.
Closest airport: Montpellier Méditérannée
Year school opened: 1965
School opening times: 8:15 - 17:00
School close dates:
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•Personal care of each student who is welcomed at Ecole Klesse. The accommodation is organized by the school. We take care of your personal wishes and we book for you the accommodation you wish.
The student is welcome, the starting day, 15 min. before his French course (8.30). | https://www.languagebookings.com/learn-french/france/montpellier/ecole-klesse-montpellier.html |
The chair of the City Council’s education committee has proposed legislation that would reduce the number of students per classroom, which was quickly endorsed by the United Federation of Teachers.
City Council Member Mark Treyger, a former city Teacher, wants to amend the city Administrative Code to raise the minimum amount of space required per student in a classroom from 20 square feet to 35 square feet for first-through-12th graders.
Limit of 14-21 Students
The average classroom is 500-to-750 square feet, according to Mr. Treyger and Council Member Danny Dromm, also a former educator. Only 14 students would be allowed in a 500-square-foot classroom, while the maximum number of students in a 750-square-foot space would be 21.
If passed, the legislation would greatly reduce class sizes, an issue that plagued the public schools well before the coronavirus pandemic. Some classrooms have more than 34 students, the maximum number allowed per class at the high-school level under the UFT's contract.
“Class size is a public-health issue, and our ability to provide all of our kids a safe, healthy, equitable education is a public-health priority for the City of New York,” Councilman Treyger said during a July 29 press conference near City Hall Park.
UFT President Michael Mulgrew said that for years, nothing has been done to reduce overcrowded classes. Doing so was one of the promises made by Mayor de Blasio during his initial 2013 campaign.
“This city will never have a plan until it is forced to do it by legislation,” the union leader said.
Hinders Reopening?
Overcrowded classrooms have hindered the ability of schools to reopen safely, Mr. Treyger noted. This fall will mark the return to full-time in-person learning, but many Principals are facing the challenge of finding enough classroom space for their entire student bodies while also adhering to three-feet social-distancing rules.
“Right now, we’re facing a September opening where we have quite a few schools that are severely overcrowded and basically the answer we’ve gotten from the city for months is ‘Let the school figure it out.’ That’s not acceptable. That is not a plan,” Mr. Mulgrew said.
He stated that many schools would have to improvise to find alternative classrooms, including using auditoriums and libraries or creative class schedules. He estimated that about 200 schools were severely overcrowded and would be out of compliance with COVID safety rules come fall.
Mr. Dromm pointed out that reducing class sizes not only was important for health reasons, but would allow students to learn better.
'Get More Attention'
“Kids will get the individualized attention that they need in order to improve student outcomes. So this is a win-win in many ways for students across the system,” he said.
The changes would not take effect right away, though: if the bill were enacted, 33 percent of schools would be expected to meet the new spacing requirements by the 2022-2023 school year, while all schools would have to be in compliance by September 2024.
Although the proposal would not help address the immediate class-size dilemma, Councilman Treyger believed that it would help deal with future health crises.
Mr. Mulgrew added, “this legislation will force the City of New York to deal with overcrowding issues forever, and that’s why were trying to get this legislation passed.”
We depend on the support of readers like you to help keep our publication strong and independent. Join us. | https://thechiefleader.com/news/news_of_the_week/uft-backs-council-bill-to-limit-number-of-students-in-classes/article_b2411072-f173-11eb-b2a4-97ff203d4af0.html?utm_source=thechiefleader.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fheadlines%2F&utm_medium=email&utm_content=read%20more |
How to build your own school district
Mayport, Florida (Reuters) – You can build your school district in your backyard or you can build a better one.
You can build an elementary school with a single building and a single playground.
You could also build a new elementary school for the elderly, a nursing home, a high school or an elementary high school.
There are many ways to build a school district, but in Florida, a number of different options exist.
Here are some of the best ways to create a school in your home:The primary school building could be used as a home office, or a school office with desks and a classroom, or even a classroom.
There is no limit to the number of classrooms, and there is no need to build multiple classrooms.
A single classroom can be divided into two or more classrooms.
It can have two or three classrooms, or more than two.
A single classroom is designed to have one child per room.
A school in a house or on the street could be divided and made available for use by students, or used for classroom activities.
A school in the garage or on a drive could be split into three classrooms.
You might be able to build school districts that are larger or smaller than those you have in your neighborhood.
A larger school may have classrooms for up to 500 students.
A smaller school may only have one classroom.
A classroom that has a wall or an overhead mirror can be made into a playground.
A playground with a playground area is more appropriate than a playground that is located in the basement.
A smaller school is better suited for families who are older, more active and need to be separated from the rest of the students.
School districts that include elementary, middle and high schools could be built in a variety of different areas, including a home, on the streets or even in the middle of a park.
A public elementary school is the best option for schools that are built to be flexible, such as a small town school, a community elementary school or a suburban school.
A secondary school, in which students have a teacher and can use computers and other facilities, is a better option than a primary school.
An elementary school has to have classrooms that are close to each other.
If you can’t build a single classroom, you might be better off creating a smaller one.
The biggest advantage to having a smaller school than a larger one is that the smaller school will be used by more students.
The number of students will be smaller, and the school will have fewer resources.
A large school may be more suitable for older, school-age children and parents who are more active.
A small school might be a good option for students who are only in school for a short time, such a a daycare.
Schools that have multiple classrooms and multiple facilities will provide more than one classroom to each child.
You will also have more options to add facilities to your school.
Some schools may have a separate playground for each child, a school library, or other school facilities.
The cost of a school building depends on many factors, such the size of the school, the location of the building and the type of equipment used.
The construction costs are lower when you build in your own backyard.
The main benefit of the home building option is that it does not require the use of costly building materials, such wood, concrete and asphalt.
You do not have to purchase a home with any of these materials.
In addition, you do not need to purchase building materials that are not easily available.
For example, if you can find and buy cement and a lot of it, you can make your own cement and build a concrete school in just a few hours.
A number of home-building methods are available.
You could build your home in a garage, which is a convenient option for a family that wants to save money on the construction of their home.
You may choose to buy your home with a few items, such an air conditioner, plumbing and electricity.
You also can use an easement, or easement that allows you to build on a private property.
You must provide your own electrical and water and sewer lines, but you may have access to an outside utility company.
In order to build the school yourself, you will have to buy materials from a home improvement company.
If you choose the cost of your own materials, it will be a lot less than the materials you will need for the building of a home.
You can make a lot more money building your own home.
If the cost is too much for you, you may be able buy a school from a private company.
You would be able for your child to live in a public school and take care of school activities while your child is at home.
It is a great idea if you are in need of help with the cost.
If there is a school that you could afford to buy, you would not need any special tools or materials. | https://mayportelementarypta.com/how-to-build-your-own-school-district/ |
This is the sixth post in our A Dozen Days, A Dozen Ways to Vote Your Profession series.
At issue: Research shows that smaller classes improve education by increasing the interaction between teachers and individual students, minimizing discipline issues, improving classroom management, boosting teacher morale and producing dramatically better educational outcomes for students. Studies have linked a rise in scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to reductions in class size, especially after class-size limits were first adopted in Texas. State law limits classrooms in grades K-4 to no more than 22 students per teacher. However, the law allows schools to request waivers of the 22:1 class-size limit if they have limited facilities, a shortage of teachers or an unexpected surge in enrollment. Although the law has been tightened and made more transparent in recent years, thousands of schools still routinely request class-size waivers each year.
Class-size limits are a necessary and worthwhile expenditure: It costs money to keep classes small, and class-size limits are unpopular among politicians who want to cut education spending wherever possible. Larger classes often require less physical space and fewer teachers. That’s why class size is usually one of the first quality control measures sacrificed whenever money is limited. Immediately after the drastic education budget cuts of 2011, the number of 22:1 class-size waiver requests more than tripled.
Students deserve more one-on-one instructional time with their teachers, a distraction-free classroom and, above all else, a safe learning environment: Opponents of class-size limits typically argue that school districts should have more “flexibility” and “mandate relief” so that they can staff and fill classrooms as they see fit. They also insist that high-quality teachers should be able to successfully teach a greater number of students. Critics of 22:1 tend to ignore the fact that class size affects not only instruction but also student safety and classroom discipline. Consider the many sad incidents of school shootings reported in the news and the heroic acts of many teachers involved. When teachers are tasked with keeping their students safe, even in potentially life-threatening situations, do we want their classes to be larger or smaller? Despite the obvious safety issue, legislators continue to try to weaken or abolish the 22:1 law every legislative session.
You can help educators and students by voting for candidates who respect the importance of class-size limits: Teach the Vote has many resources to help you find pro-public education candidates. For instance, ATPE asked all legislative candidates in a survey, “Would you vote to maintain a hard cap on the number of students per class, or should school administrators be given more flexibility to increase class sizes?” You can read their responses by visiting our 2014 Races search page, looking up the candidates in your district and opening the Survey Response section in each candidate’s profile. Don’t forget that the early voting period continues through Friday, and election day is March 4. | https://www.teachthevote.org/news/tag/naep/ |
Kindergarten classe meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The length of the school year is determined by the number of instructional hours required by Montana law which, with the
school’s current schedule, is approximately 162 days.
Arrival and Dismissal
Parents are responsible for the daily transportation of their children to and from school. Teachers
arrive for school at 7:30 a.m. for prayer and to prepare for the day’s lessons. To safeguard
teachers’ prayer and preparation time, students are not permitted to enter the building until 7:45am.
Upon arriving at school, elementary students assemble outside their respective teacher’s classroom
until the door is open. Because there is no adult supervision in the morning, parents are
requested to not drop off their children before 7:45am unless prior arrangements have been made.
Dismissal at the end of the day is from each teacher’s classroom door. Teachers instruct their
classes where they should wait outside for their rides. Students should stay with their classmates
at their designated waiting area until their ride arrives, at which time they should enter the
vehicle and remain in it until it leaves. Parents must notify the office whenever a student will
ride home with someone other than his/her parent. Parents are requested to stop at the curb only
to pick up or drop off children and to not park at the curb. To alleviate traffic congestion in the
parking lot, class dismissal times are staggered by grade as follows: Pre- Kindergarten andKindergarten: 3:05 P.M.;
grades 1-2: 3:15 P.M.; grades 3-6: 3:25 P.M.; grades 7-12: 3:30 P.M.
Parents should make every effort to pick up their children by their dismissal time. Heritage does
not provide supervision for students waiting for rides and it is not appropriate for students to
remain outside or in their teachers’ classrooms or the office after school hours. In the event that
a student needs to stay later than 3:30, parents should make prior arrangements with the teacher.
In such cases the student will be expected to stay in his/her classroom under the teacher’s
supervision or in the office until the parent picks up the child. Students who participate in afterschool
extracurricular activities are permitted to remain after school provided that they are under
the supervision of a teacher or staff member in the office or his/her classroom. | https://www.heritage-christian.org/school_hours.cfm |
School's webpage:
Contact:
Is this school a perfect match for you?
All the details about this school in their own words
We have organised the information available for this school into 3 sections and 24 questions. Click or tap on the name of each section to read more.
|Number of students||
|
800
|Number of nationalities represented in the school||
|
5
|Most common nationality||
|
Indian
|Max. number of students per class||
|
30
|Average number of students per class||
|
25
|Does the school employ teaching assistants?||
|
Yes
|Native English speaking teachers||
|
No
|Language support for students not fluent in English||
|
Yes
|Additional language classes offered by the school||
|
French, Malayalam , Hindi , Urdu , Arabic
|Use of technology in the classroom||
|
Integrated Technology
|Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures)||
|
Yes
|Do teachers assign homework to their students?||
|
Yes
|Approximate hours of homework given||
|
1 hour
|Uniform required||
|
Yes
|Waiting list||
|
Yes
|Entry evaluation for students||
|
Yes
|Brief description of entry evaluation required||
|
Basic Evaluation
|Deadline for registration (new academic year)||
|
March
|Students can join after academic year begins||
|
Yes
|Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation||
|
NA
|External examinations or assessments available||
|
ASSET , GL , | https://www.international-schools-database.com/in/abu-dhabi/international-indian-school-abu-dhabi |
The administration is currently looking into a proposal to shorten the 15-minute interval between classes to 10 minutes. This proposal is being considered as part of a solution to improve the efficiency and usage of classrooms and lecture halls on campus.
The proposition, along with several others, is being discussed in order to provide a solution to the growing needs of UCSD. In particular, the rising number of students and the subsequent demand for additional classes poses a scheduling problem for the university, as the number of available classrooms and lecture halls will more than likely remain the same.
“”Because of a record number of applications to the UC system, UCSD is being asked to raise its target of 3,625 and 1,200 enrolled new freshmen and transfer students, respectively, by 200 to 300 additional students,”” said Joseph Watson, vice chancellor of student affairs.
The need for additional classes to accommodate this rapid influx of new students at UCSD has become a conflict, however, since classrooms and lecture halls are already stretched to maximum usage between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
“”We’re just faced with a major problem,”” Watson said. “”Our enrollments have gone up, our classrooms have not kept pace with the enrollment growth and as a result we can’t get classes within the traditional or preferred times of the day, and we’ll have to spread the day out.””
One solution being discussed within the administration is the possibility of shortening the interval between classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 15 to 10 minutes. Classes would then start on the hour every hour.
If implemented, the first class of the day would start at 8 a.m. and end at 8:50 a.m. Students would have 10 minutes to get to their next class, which would start at 9 a.m. This cycle would repeat throughout the rest of the day, freeing up about 50 minutes, which administrators would use to squeeze in an extra class for every classroom or lecture hall.
Other solutions on the table for discussion include scheduling classes in the evenings, starting classes at 7:30 a.m. and even the possibility of holding classes on Saturday.
Some administrators claim that the 10-minute proposal, however, would create various scheduling benefits for the university.
First, under the 10-minute proposal, additional classes would not have to be scheduled either late at night or early in the morning, a move the administration fears would be unpopular with both students and faculty.
Second, the 10-minute proposal can be implemented relatively quickly, responding to the current and increasing demand for classroom and lecture halls needed for additional classes.
Third, the 10-minute proposal is cost efficient. While the logical solution is to simply build more classrooms and lecture halls, funding from the state for such projects will not come easily. Therefore, supporters of the 10-minute plan point out that using the existing classrooms and lecture halls more efficiently provides a solution that bypasses any financial obstacles imposed by the state.
Several years ago, UCSD operated under a 10-minute interval between classes. The change to 15-minute breaks was thought to provide students with several benefits.
“”It was done for a number of reasons,”” Watson said. “”One, it gave students a little more time, so they wouldn’t have to either leave early from a class or come in late to a class. Also, it provided some extra time for students to speak to faculty members outside of class.””
Shortening the breaks between classes has provoked some concern among the administration. The growing size of the campus, for instance, has led many to believe that 10 minutes is simply not enough time to traverse from one end of the campus to the other.
Specifically, the walk between York Hall and Warren Lecture Hall raises significant concern. For many students, this walk takes longer than 15 minutes. Students who have a class at York Hall followed by a class at Warren Lecture Hall will inevitably be late for class.
The administration is anticipating some opposition from students.
“”I think that the administration should look at other options before doing that,”” said Katie Martin, a Roosevelt sophomore. “”It really takes a lot longer than 10 minutes to walk all the way across campus.””
Nonetheless, the university is facing real problems that warrant an immediate solution. The administration acknowledges that reverting back to a 10-minute break may not be popular among students and faculty members, but it may be the best solution in light of the demand for additional classroom and lecture hall space.
“”One of the things we must try to do is work this out in a collective fashion,”” Watson said. “”One of our roles is to try to present to the faculty and students what’s needed, what classes need to be taught, how to schedule them and then what’s the best way.””
Discussion and extensive consultation will continue on in the future before any new policies are implemented.
The professors and students who comprise the Academic Senate will make the final decision, which may not take place until January of 2002. | https://ucsdguardian.org/2001/03/05/administration-proposes-modified-schedule/ |
This resource provides a grantee spotlight on Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood in a series of videos that highlights PNs' work to target the cradle-to-career pipeline in improving student and family outcomes. This video focuses on Chila Vista's use of leveraging community partnerships to prepare...
A Look at K-12 in East Lubbock Promise Neighborhood
This resource provides a grantee spotlight on East Lubbock Promise Neighborhood in a series of videos that highlights PNs' work to strengthen partnerships between schools, the school district, and partners. This video focuses on the grantees' work to target students in K-12.
Postsecondary Success in Promise Neighborhoods
This report shares strategies for sustaining postsecondary results over time for college and career success of young people living in PNs. It highlights the successful place-based efforts of Harlem Children's Zone, the Education Fund of Miami-Dade County, and the Center for Educational Partnerships...
Integrating Family Financial Security into Cradle-to-Career Pipelines: Learning Lessons from Promise Neighborhoods
This report provides information Policy Link's collaboration with Citi Foundation and PNs to illuminate strategies for embedding financial security into pipeline of supports. It shows interventions aimed at financial education tied to skill-building opportunities.
Successful Research Collaborations: Rules of Engagement for Community-Based Organizations
This report provides considerations for community-based organizations , particularly PNs, when working with external evaluators and researchers. It aims to share HCZ's experiences and perspective about this collaboration and recommendations based on this.
Promoting Postsecondary Educational Success in the Promise Neighborhood
In this presentation, Berea College provides tips for encouraging positive post-secondary education transition and success. They share how to build a college-going culture and provide transition supports.
How to Use Case Management Data
This video provides guidance on improving your comprehensive community change initiative.
Community of Practice: Turning the Curve on Early Childhood Indicators and Early Lessons Learned about Implementation
This presentation focuses on using data and results-based framework to impact early childhoor indicators in PNs. It addresses the 10 PN results and how to work on these areas through the Results-Based Accountability structure.
What's Needed to Build a Results Oriented Case Management Data System
In this presentaton the Director of Research and Evaluation from the Los Angeles PN highlights LAPN's data infrastructure with a focus on program alignment, staffing, and data systems.
Long-term ChangeTakes Real-time Data
This video emphasizes the need for collecting data to successfully implement place-based initiatives, like Promise Neighborhoods. The blog includes a video that serves as a guide to improving a comprehensive community change initiative. | https://promiseneighborhoods.ed.gov/resources/field_resource_type/presentation-57/field_content_focus/post-secondary-success-39/field_resource_type/video-28/field_content_focus/data-management-systems-38/field_resource_type/report-26 |
The Network of Competence of Industrial Plasma Surface Technology e.V. (INPLAS) offers the possibility to show the importance and potentials of the plasma technology in Germany. It is a network for the technology’s industry, research and application alike. Plasma is an important tool in the production of high-grade thin layers and key for innovative surfaces and new products. The association was founded in order to strengthen the integration between actors of research, commerce, politics and society.
Through our work we pursue following goals:
Securing and expanding our companies’ and research institutes’ global leading position
Visibility of plasma technology for political institutions and the general public
Joint strategic orientation, support for research and development
Communication, cooperation and education
Focus
Experiences and research strategies are exchanged in topic focused and technology oriented workgroups by the representatives of the companies for the following application fields:
- Optics and glass
- Automobile and aerospace
- Energy management
- IT and electronics
- Environmental engineering and life science
- Mechanical Engineering and Tools
- Plastics Technology and Textile Engineering
INPLAS organizes meeting between leaders from politics and industry. In 2009 a Parliamentary Evening with more than 100 guests took place in Berlin for the first time. In collaboration with all sponsoring companies of Plasma Germany new research topics and strategies have been successfully developed and communicated since 2010. The information film “Plasma - a bright advantage” was awarded the Silver Dolphin of the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards in 2010. The aim of the film is to promote the plasma surface technology and to raise awareness in public as well as to illustrate possible applications. Working groups active in different fields of technology, special events and trade fairs support the exchange of expert opinions and the solution of technological questions.
More information
- Recommend this page: | https://www.clusterplattform.de/CLUSTER/Redaktion/EN/Cluster/go-cluster/competence_network_inplas.html |
This 90-minute webinar explored the topic of linking and leveraging energy efficiency and renewable energy (EE/RE) programs for limited-income households, including the need to coordinate with other energy assistance programs. It presented case studies of organizations that have successfully advanced connections among available programs and funding sources.
Resources
Showing results 1 - 6 of 6
Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC), an independent nonprofit organization created by the State of Colorado, is a one-stop shop for low-income energy services in the state, including programs for affordable multifamily housing. EOC developed partnerships with a variety of organizations across Colorado, leveraged multiple funding sources, and created new and expanded programs to address gaps in low-income energy assistance. This case study highlights EOC’s key features, approach, partners, funding sources, and achievements, as well as their keys to success and tips for replication and sustainability.
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on unique challenges for energy efficiency and weatherization programs serving lower income residents in single-family and multifamily housing. Speakers include American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Elevate Energy, and Energy Outreach Colorado.
In this presentation, state and nonprofit leaders in Colorado and Connecticut discuss their policy and program efforts to offer rooftop and community solar and weatherization services and how they are scaling their programs to meet the needs of the underserved income-eligible market.
This webcast highlight effective efforts by state and local agencies, non-profits, and utilities to bring energy efficiency and renewable energy (EE/RE) to low-income households.
This case study addresses multifamily energy upgrade experiences by two members of the Better Buildings Residential Network—Elevate Energy and the International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology (ICAST). | https://rpsc.energy.gov/resources?f%5B0%5D=organization_or_program%3A780&f%5B1%5D=organization_or_program%3A848&f%5B2%5D=program_component%3A2&f%5B3%5D=state_or_territory%3A99&f%5B4%5D=type%3A77&f%5B5%5D=type%3A83 |
LEGISLATIVE YUAN PASSED THE AMENDMENT OF THE "FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ACT"
In order to promote the immediate and efficient transfer and utilization of the research and development results driving from the Governmental Scientific and Technological Research and Development Programs executed by public schools, public research institutes (organizations) and public enterprises, excluded from certain restrictions on the transfer of technology, procurement and the concurrent serving restrictions of these units, the Executive Yuan has proposed the draft to amend the "Fundamental Science and Technology Act"(hereinafter Fundamental S&T Act). This draft has formally been introduced to the Legislative Yuan, and successfully passed in the end of November, 2011....[more]
In coping with the Taiwanese enterprises´ increasing frequency of being sued for patent infringement in recent years, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) launched the patent strategy report in May 2011, which has decided to establish the Taiwan Intellectual Property Bank (IP Bank) to help domestic companies defend patent lawsuit triggered by foreign companies and strengthen the long-term patent portfolio of the emerging industry....[more]
In order to follow up with the international treads of the human biobank managements, the Legislative Yuan passed the Human Biobank Management Act last year. And the competent authority is the Department of Health of the Executive Yuan. The Taiwan Government hopes through the enforcement of this Act to provide securer protection for personal information and data in the biotechnology area....[more]
After the "Regulations on Ownership and Utilization of Research and Development Results Achieved Under Scientific and Technological Research and Development Programs Commissioned or Subsidized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Its Subordinate Authorities" (經濟部及所屬各機關科學技術委託或補助研究發展計畫研發成果歸屬及運用辦法) announced by MOEA in 2000, it had been amended three times and the last amendment was announced on December 9, 2005....[more]
Earlier this year, Taiwan´s National Communications Commission (NCC) issued a forenotice of the regulation to limit the communications industry to proceed cross-border data transmission to China...[more]
On Oct. 27, 2011, the Ministry of Justice (hereinafter "MOJ") announced to the public the draft amendment of the Enforcement Rules of Computer-Processed Personal Data Protection Law. The draft amendment is now under review by the MOJ considering the comments received from the public....[more]
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Abstract: | https://stli.iii.org.tw/en/epaper_hx.aspx?auid=388 |
Committed to life-long success
Our student-centered approach to teaching attracts both students who are already high-performers, as well as those who need personalized attention to succeed. Our small, right-sized classes ensure students are known and part of a learning community that leverages technology in innovative ways to enable learning. Our student retention, graduation rates and leveraged career services establish a high bar for Fort Lewis College. Through committed partnerships with businesses and other organizations, the School of Business Administration, our faculty, and our students have catalyzed a major Center for Economic Development and Innovation for the Four Corners region.
At Fort Lewis College School of Business Administration, we are committed to enabling life-long success.
The FLC School of Business Administration develops career-ready students in an inclusive, experiential, and student-focused environment. We facilitate and strengthen our commitment to innovative business education and diverse scholarship by faculty members’ engagement in our community.
The School of Business Administration at Fort Lewis College continues to educate the next generation of business value-based innovators, who will be responsible stewards of our resources, people, community, and world.
These principles aim to cultivate learners and innovators who…
We believe that the learning experience is enhanced when classes are offered in smaller, more personal settings and taught directly by highly qualified faculty. Student growth is enhanced when students have the opportunity to participate more fully in their education and interact with other students and faculty in close learning communities.
We believe that rich, diverse learning experiences are instrumental to students’ intellectual, professional, and personal growth. In fulfilling our commitment to develop the whole person, we are committed to providing a curriculum diverse in experiential and applied learning activities. We also demonstrate this commitment by providing opportunities for international and community-based learning experiences.
We believe that a balance of quality assurance, continuous improvement, and innovation is vital to our ability to successfully carry out our mission and adapt to the ever-changing needs of our students and community. We are committed to planned, thoughtful quality assurance and continuous improvement in accordance with AACSB processes and standards, but not at the expense of creative experimentation and entrepreneurial pursuits. Our commitment to quality assurance is demonstrated by our rigorous and thorough assessment process.
We believe that excellent teaching is informed by faculty actively engaged in research, scholarship, and professional pursuits. Our faculty produce research published in peer reviewed journals and other recognized outlets for intellectual contribution that advance the scholarship of teaching, business practice and disciplinary knowledge. In addition, our faculty engages with our external stakeholders – the Durango and Four Corners business community, local and state economic growth organizations, our alumni, and Native Americans with whom Fort Lewis College has an historical connection.
We believe that the activities our students and our faculty perform should have a positive impact on the stakeholders we serve. Through their diverse expertise and competencies, our faculty and students make a positive difference in our local and state communities by engaging with organizations to advance their practice and prepare new business leaders; in their respective disciplines by producing intellectual contributions concerning business theory and practice; and in business and economic education through pedagogical intellectual contributions. | https://www.fortlewis.edu/academics/schools-departments/school-of-business-administration/about-soba/mission-and-philosophy |
Insurance companies in the US, the UK, and Germany are well on their way to making the most of digital strategies in their business. However, for many, the success of digital initiatives is threatened by a lack of focus on the customer experience according to a survey commissioned by Infosys. The study surveyed 200 IT and business decision-makers at insurance companies.
The study reported that 47 percent of insurance companies strongly believe that digital can play a major role in their growth, while 44 percent agree it can drive a unified customer experience.
On the other hand, the study also reported that organizations face several challenges and obstacles in leveraging digital for customer portals. 60 percent of insurers highlighted that they are hindered by poor quality customer insights, meaning that some insurers could be making wrong choices in their digital investments. The report also revealed that:
Reflecting this, the Forrester study states that “Insurance organizations would be well served to grow their digital capability investments that drive better customer and agent experience by adopting customer-centric technology, organization, and process change.”
Infosys is enabling many insurance organizations unlock business value by enhancing customer experiences, driving operational effectiveness, and nurturing business innovations by leveraging digital technologies. | https://www.infosys.com/newsroom/features/Pages/digital-insurance-greater-focus.aspx |
In just over two decades, Dr. Rubar S. Sandi has created a company of global significance. More than twenty years ago, Dr. Sandi realized the pivotal role of emerging markets in the global economy. His vision, as well as his core business principles of leading through an informed strategy, capitalizing on market and urbanization trends, leveraging global supply chains, green building and sustainability, establishing clear project objectives and performance benchmarks, preserving history, heritage and culture, successful technology and knowledge transfer among others, has been well rewarded and earned him credibility and trust by his peers and the many TSG employees. Under Dr. Sandi’s supervision and from Asia Pacific to Africa and the Middle East to the homeland, TSG has successfully overcome many challenges and exceeded expectations in providing the people of these markets with real estate and industrial development, information, training, financing and technology, which benefit their economies and aspirations. In every market TSG has been active in, the company has played a major role in the development of the private sector and in the process, created thousands of work opportunities for local citizens. Working with governments around the world, Dr. Sandi has guided the restructuring of investments, creating profitable developments and steering economic infrastructures toward successful restoration. Dr. Sandi has consulted the United States and foreign governmental agencies, foreign policy experts, and global media outlets regarding the implementation of innovative management strategies, which provide sustainable economic solutions to challenging regions of the world. Dr. Sandi manages a network of strategic partnerships and businesses responsible for creating new companies and organizations, restructuring existing companies, and transferring management, technical skills and knowledge to local markets. | http://tsg-globalholdings.com/sandir.html |
Business leaders from Japan and India warmly welcome the appointment of Mr. Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of India. Business leaders have high hopes that Prime Minister Modi will accelerate the reforms process to improve the business environment in India and promote trade and investment between Japan and India. It is expected that the leaders of both nations will further strengthen their strategic global partnership to help India and Japan drive the world economy forward.
Since its establishment in 2007, the Indian and Japanese members of this Forum have cooperated in resolving many bilateral issues, including those related to the implementation of the Japan-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The business communities of Japan and India will collaborate with their governments from a business perspective to enable both countries to play their roles as growth engines for the global economy. To this end, the Japanese and Indian business leaders decided to establish a mechanism for working with their respective governments to follow up progress on issues raised in this Forum, and as a part of the follow up, Japanese side will send a business mission to India before the next Summit meeting to discuss issues of mutual interest.
The business leaders submit the following report to the heads of the two governments.
1. Improving the Business Environment through Effective Use of Japan-India CEPA
Both Indian and Japanese business leaders expressed concern over reducing trend of bilateral trade during the last few years. They suggested following measures are necessary to further enhance Japanese trade and investment in India, especially in high-tech industries, as well as to enhance value added Indian product exports to Japan:
As a key element of institutional infrastructure, CEPA is essential to further accelerate and consolidate business activities including investment and trade between Japan and India. The Japanese and Indian business leaders again stressed the need to further promote understanding of CEPA provisions and the benefits of utilizing them among the customs authorities and business communities in both countries. The business leaders requested that in order to further improve the business environment to increase investment, manufacturing, and job opportunities in India, the governments of both countries should regularly hold meetings of the Sub-Committee on Improvement of the Business Environment set up under the CEPA framework. In addition, the two sides recognized that to further promote free trade globally, there is a need to create better enabling environment for trade and investment.
Business leaders of the two countries noted with concern that the bilateral trade between India and Japan has declined to $16.3 billion in 2013-2014 as compared to $18.5 billion in 2012-2013. Business leaders expressed hope that the volume of bilateral trade should be commensurate with the size of the two countries' economies.
The business leaders urged regulatory authorities in Japan and India to initiate discussions on domestic regulations regarding the mutual recognition of qualifications, as mandated by CEPA, with a view to further promote bilateral trade in services.
The Indian side highlighted the need to address India's concerns regarding access for marine and agricultural products in the Japanese market and removal of non-tariff barriers. Indian business leaders also requested the development of mechanisms to streamline testing, inspection, and record-keeping procedures for the export of food, especially seafood, from India to Japan.
The Indian side specifically highlighted the need to lift the ban on 17 food additives which are registered in India, reducing the cost of certification by Japanese agencies and relaxing the maximum residue levels of Ethoxyquin on various products. The Indian side also suggested that a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) in pharmaceutical sector should be concluded, which would enable both the countries to identify the testing procedures and standards used in the other country for their goods.
Indian Industry would like Japan to facilitate improvement in movement of natural persons in such areas as relaxation of academic qualifications criteria in issuing visas for computer engineers as well as introduction of mutual recognition agreement on services professionals such as lawyers and accountants when such services are called for by Japanese clients.
In addition, Indian side also suggested that the Withholding Tax of 10% on dividend, royalty and technical service fees should be eliminated.
The Japanese side stressed the importance of promptly resolving outstanding business environment issues including: simplification of land acquisition; early implementation of a goods and services tax; resolution of inconsistencies in tax collection between central and state governments; rectification of the discrepancy between real profit and assumed profit in the context of deemed taxation; application of transfer pricing taxation which does not reflect reality of the businesses; issues related with taxation on permanent entity (PE); allowing inspection data on electrical and electronic appliances by method stipulated by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC); provision of one-stop services for procedures relating to customs and interstate trade; allowing maximum price label to be tacked on after landing in India to reduce risks associated with time required to go through the customs; removal of restrictions on granting foreign financial institutions permits to operate in city centers; relaxation of restrictions on foreign capital investment in Indian banks (4.99 percent under new bank approval guidelines and 26 percent under the revised banking law) to allow the exchange of financial expertise between the two countries; greater deregulation in the financial and insurance sectors including relaxation of restrictions on external commercial borrowing (ECB); and operation of intellectual property laws relating to such areas as patent and trademark rights and securing of their international conformity.
The business leaders of India and Japan welcome the proposal of the Indian cabinet to raise the foreign investment limit in insurance to 49% from 26%.
The Japanese business leaders expressed continued interest in the Indian government policy towards foreign investment in retailing business. Both Indian and Japanese business leaders welcomed the partial relaxation of ECB regulations announced in June 2014 by the Reserve Bank of India as another step toward creating a more favorable investment environment. Furthermore, both sides welcomed the initiative of the two governments in developing an Action Plan to expand bilateral FDI through Japan-India business partnership, cooperation with central and state governments to encourage investment, and enhancement of the business environment.
The Indian service sector has a strong interest in the Japanese market, especially in fields such as IT, IT Enabled Services, and professional services. Indian pharmaceutical companies with strong global reputations and solid records have also shown interest in accessing the Japanese market. Indian companies again urged for improved access to Japanese markets to enable them to operate on equal terms with Japanese companies.
Both sides agreed on the importance of developing internationally competitive Indian industries, particularly in manufacturing and promoting investment by Japanese SMEs in India through the creation of favorable business conditions including rental factories / plug and play factories. Japanese SMEs can create more jobs for young people in India and contribute to the development of supporting industries. This will also encourage the decision of the Prime Minister of India to promote the "Make in India" campaign.
Smooth procedures for acquiring visas are essential to facilitate human exchanges between the two countries. Business leaders welcomed the Japanese government's decision in July 2014 to simplify the issuance of multiple-entry visitor visas for Indian citizens and expressed hope that the procedure for the issuance of multiple-entry business visas for Indian citizens would also be simplified soon. In additions, both sides expressed the need for visa issuance procedures to be further simplified and streamlined including reduction in the volume of document that are currently required for submission of visa applications.
The business leaders from both sides also called for prompt implementation of the Agreement between Japan and the Republic of India on Social Security, which was ratified in 2013 but is yet to be put into effect.
2. Importance of Infrastructure Development and Japan-India Cooperation
Japanese and Indian business leaders appreciate the direction for infrastructure development set out in the Indian government's 12th Five-Year Plan, sharing the view that the development of industrial and social infrastructure throughout India, including power supply, smart grids, water supply with water treatment and recycling, roads, railways, transport connectivity through Mass Rapid Transit Systems, high speed rail and ports, along with the development of logistics and industrial parks, is an urgent requirement to promote the development of industry in India.
The Indian business leaders welcomed progress on the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and the Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC) as symbols of economic cooperation between Japan and India. They expressed the view that promoting DMIC and CBIC related projects within the comprehensive framework of the National Manufacturing Policy of the Government of India and smart city concepts with manufacturing as a key economic driver will bring major benefits to both countries while acting as a catalyst for manufacturing and urbanization, and should enable the flow of next-generation cutting edge technologies to India.
Both sides agreed on the need to encourage swift and steady progress towards completing the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) between Delhi and Mumbai. With a view to also forge ahead on the DMIC and the Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor, the business leaders urged both governments to steadily resolve the issues through forums such as the Ministerial-Level Public-Private Policy Dialogue, the DMIC Vice-Ministerial Taskforce, and sector-specific discussion in order to facilitate swift progress on related projects being undertaken by Japanese companies and harness Japanese technology, expertise, and long-term funding in all aspects of infrastructure development. Both sides welcomed the establishment of a US$4.5 billion DMIC facility, investment by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and the appointment of JBIC members to the board of the DMIC Development Corporation. They expressed the hope that measures taken by the Indian government will lead to the creation of innovative cutting-edge technologies in a range of infrastructure sectors including smart community development. Indian members also urged for an early start to work on other development projects including the Bengaluru Mumbai Economic Corridor, Mumbai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor and the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor and the East Coast Economic Corridor with the Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor as its first phase.
The business leaders agreed to continue requesting the governments of Japan and India to relax legal restrictions relating to infrastructure development; improving transparency and speed of processing by Central and State Governments; provide support for minimizing project risks to increase the number of Japanese companies to participate in infrastructure projects in India; and facilitate public-private partnerships through comprehensive de-risking and government guarantees wherever necessary to mitigate risk on demand side. This will require establishment of a forum for regular dialogue between the public and private sectors of both countries.
For enabling the availability of quality and uninterrupted power supply for Japanese companies in India, particularly in Industrial Parks, both sides agreed on the need for smooth approval procedures for land acquisition, and environmental, and other required permits, ample and stable supply of key fuels such as natural gas and coal at appropriate prices, transfer of fuel price rises to electricity users, deregulation relating to electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and sales, and conclusion of medium and long-term contracts for these services.
3. Cooperation in Strategic Areas
Japanese and Indian business leaders recognized the need to expand bilateral energy cooperation on a commercial basis and called for further exploration of ways to deploy Japanese energy sector technologies in India. The Indian side again requested for greater participation of Japanese companies, showcasing their cutting edge environmental technologies, in various trade fairs being held in India. Both sides also expressed hopes for steady progress in the Japan-India Energy Dialogue. The two sides expressed interest in expanding cooperation in Indian Universal ID (UID) system through which improvement in governance can be expected. Cooperation in upgrading Indian agriculture by use of ICT technologies are also under trial.
The business leaders of the two countries welcomed the decision of the Indian government to develop infrastructure for high speed rail connection between Mumbai and Ahmedabad and a diamond quadrilateral of bullet trains to connect the four major cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.
Both sides recognized the need to place greater emphasis on manufacturing and introduction of state-of-the-art technologies in fields of automobiles, machinery, material sciences, electronic hardware, telecommunications equipment, heavy industries, and rail transport management systems. At the same time, technological exchanges are also required in agriculture and environment management fields such as water treatment, sanitation, and recycling.
Japan-India cooperation in constructing nuclear power plants is a strategically important aspect of improving electricity sector infrastructure in India. Business leaders urged their governments to boost cooperation in this field, including the signing of a nuclear power agreement, while continuing to assure the maximum levels of nuclear power plant safety.
Both sides called for broader and deeper cooperation between the two countries in fields of science and technology, human resources development, R&D, and innovation, since efforts in these areas will increasingly define the path of economic development and manufacturing competitiveness in coming years.
The business leaders voiced hopes for new joint Japan-India initiatives to develop strategically important resources in India, including rare earths.
Development of high-caliber human resources as a form of intangible infrastructure will be essential to implementing joint projects in such strategic fields. The business leaders reaffirmed the importance of cooperation in skills enhancement through initiatives including training and certification, bilateral student exchanges, and corporate internships.
4. Global Cooperation
Japanese and Indian business leaders agree that the birth of ASEAN Economic Community targeted for 2015 will offer both nations considerable opportunities to expand their cooperation in trade and investment. They are confident that the Japan-India Strategic and Global Partnership will have a positive effect on the economic development of the Asia Pacific Region.
Both sides agreed to continue joint initiatives aimed at ensuring that the ongoing Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations bring widespread benefits. This partnership will help to expand production networks and strengthen supply chains in the region by standardizing rules of origin and liberalizing investment and trade in goods and services.
As part of the global partnership between Japan and India, the business leaders also recognized the importance of promoting cooperation between the public and private sectors of both countries for projects in other regions including the Middle East and Africa.
The Way Forward
To have a follow-up mechanism in place, business leaders from both sides agreed to study further on setting up of sectoral Joint Working Groups as necessity arises. Indian side introduced initiatives of CII in setting up Japan Investment Desk and Japan-India B2B portal to facilitate Japanese investment in advanced manufacturing and high technology areas. Japanese business leaders highly welcomed CII initiatives.
Conclusion
Japan and India have historically shared strong bilateral relations based on an abiding sense of mutual respect and cooperation. Both countries have great potential to develop strategic economic partnerships into an alliance based on mutual complementarities and geopolitical significance. For example, partnership between Japan and India can be effective for addressing the problem of piracy in the Indian Ocean, which is important for securing sea routes. The business leaders of the two countries again called for greater cooperation in the fields of cyber security and counterterrorism.
Business leaders from Japan and India firmly believe that joint efforts by the two leading democracies in Asia can contribute to the stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.
Finally, members of this Forum wish to express their appreciation for the trust placed in them by H. E. Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan and H. E. Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India. | http://www.keidanren.or.jp/en/policy/2014/072.html |
This webinar highlights professional development programs in PNs to promote the academic achievement of low income children of color, focusing on black boys and men. It spotlights the Northside Achievement Zone's work and partnerships.
Building Infrastructure to Support Cross Sector Integration in Early Childhood Work
This webinar is a spotlight on Hayward PN in building cohesive systems to coordinate services to ensure children enter kindergarten with readiness for school. It is hosted in collaboration between PNI and ZERO TO THREE.
Addressing the Impact of Trauma on Academic Proficiency and Chronic Absenteeism
This webinar describes the impact of traumatic events on students' learning and trauma-informed strategies to improve academic and attendance outcomes for students living in PNs. Addresses issue of chronic absenteeism and lower academic proficiency of students in underserved communities
Successful Research Collaborations: Rules of Engagement for Community-Based Organizations
This report provides considerations for community-based organizations , particularly PNs, when working with external evaluators and researchers. It aims to share HCZ's experiences and perspective about this collaboration and recommendations based on this.
Leveraging Policy Advocacy to Keep Students Healthy
This webinar shares the essence of using policy advocacy to achieve healthy nutrition and active living in PN students. St. Paul PN spotlight on efforts to achieve and sustain PN results through strong partnerships
Some Considerations Pertinent to a Promise Neighborhoods National Evaluation
This report discusses issues for understanding a comprehensive evaluation of performance and impact of PN grantees. It provides insight from the perspective of organizations working with evaluation and practice and who hope to improve outcomes for children and families.
Building Out a Successful Case Management System
In this webinar, staff from two PNs and the Urban Institute assert that a robust case management system is essential to tracking progress and improving youth and family outcomes. The presenters share best practices for case management systems based in Results-Based Accountability framework that...
Preparing and Fielding High-Quality Surveys: Practical Strategies for Successfully Implementing Neighborhood and School Climate Surveys in Promise Neighborhoods
This report is intended to help with planning, management, and documentation for neighborhood and school climate surveys. The report provides example from PN sites that have had success with developing and fielding these surveys.
Promise Neighborhoods Restricted-Use Data Files: Technical Specification and Requirements
" This specification document details the format of Promise Neighborhood data to be collected for a data file to eventually be made available to researchers via restricted use license from the Department of Education (the Restricted Use Data File). The data include characteristics of persons and... | https://promiseneighborhoods.ed.gov/resources/field_content_focus/data-management-systems-38/field_resource_type/webinar-29/field_resource_type/report-26/field_content_focus/health-and-wellbeing-16/field_content_focus/data-security-and-confidentiality-34 |
in America's economic, political and social life. Unfortunately, low income,
rural and minority families are still much less likely to have access to
computers and the Internet. Gore would work to ensure that all Americans
benefit from the Information Age.
He would launch a new crusade to make the Internet as universal as the
telephone in every American household. As president, Gore would encourage
public/private partnerships to bring affordable Internet access to the hardest-to-reach
urban and rural communities. In April, he announced that the administration
had allocated funding to enable America's one-millionth classroom to be
connected to the Internet. Gore knows that technology is fueling the engine
of our new economy and that by connecting all our children to the Internet,
we will put a whole new world of knowledge and information at their fingertips.
Gore fought for the "E-rate" program to provide low-cost Internet access
to the schools that serve our nation's most disadvantaged children. As president,
he would make sure we finish connecting every classroom and library in America
to the Internet, train all teachers to use technology effectively, expand
access to modern computers and multimedia, and encourage the development
of high-quality educational software and online resources.
As president, Gore would work with the private sector to establish a
national network of Community Technology Centers in low-income neighborhoods,
where people can learn how to use computers and the Internet. He would also
work with private and community-based organizations to support the development
of applications that would empower low-income families — such as adult literacy
courseware that would allow low-income workers to compete for higher-wage
jobs.
GEORGE W. BUSH
Closing the digital divide in our nation must begin in our nation's
schools, and it must be paired with the fight to close the achievement gap.
Bush believes that reading is the building block for success, and success
in reading must be the foundation for education reform. That is why he would
commit his administration to the ambitious goal of ensuring that every disadvantaged
child can read by the third grade, with federal investments including the
Reading First Initiative.
Through the Reading First Initiative, we would invest $5 billion over
five years to conquer illiteracy among disadvantaged children. Once reading
is mastered, Bush believes that our nation's children have a tremendous
opportunity with the advancement of our new economy. At this point, it is
critical that we ensure that all students have the tools they need to be
successful in the technology era.
The real divide is in educational achievement, not just digital access.
Focusing on the percentage or number of wired schools misses the point.
Technology is a tool, and the goal must be improved student performance.
To encourage the use of technology as a means to student achievement, Bush
wants to enact a number of reforms, including a package of new initiatives
totaling $400 million over five years.
To provide schools with maximum flexibility in the use of federal education
technology funds to help close the achievement gap, as president, Bush would
establish a $3 billion Enhancing Education through Technology Fund by consolidating
the FCC's Schools and Libraries program with eight of the Education Department's
technology programs. He would also free states and schools from federal
regulations to allow maximum flexibility in using federal funds for such
purposes as teacher training, software purchase and development, and system
integration. And he would continue to give priority to rural schools and
schools serving high percentages of low-income students.
However, Bush would not continue to accept poor results with federal
money. With federal funding and local control would come accountability.
If a program is found to be ineffective, it should be changed so that our
nation's children receive the very best education possible. He would also
promote a clearinghouse for information, which would provide educators with
materials that have proven to be effective teaching resources.
In addition to providing schools with more information about the uses
of technology for improving student performance, Bush would do two more
things:
* Provide $65 million annually to the Education Department's Office
of Education Research and Improvement for universities and other research
institutions to conduct research on which methods of education technology
boost student achievement.
* Provide $15 million annually to establish the Education and Technology
Clearinghouse to make available to schools and states information on effective
education technology programs, best practices and the latest research studies.
When it comes to the global digital gap, too often the federal government's
export policies are arbitrary and irrational — overtaken by the very technology
they attempt to regulate. Yesterday's supercomputer is today's laptop. Yet
current rules don't take this into account. And there has been too little
opportunity for America's high-tech exporters to make their case about what
should be restricted and what should not.
As president, Bush would fix the export control system by developing
a tough-minded, common-sense export control policy that significantly narrows
the scope of restrictions on commercial products while building high walls
around technologies of the highest sensitivity. He recognizes that our national
security and commercial competitiveness — as well as global competition — have been compromised by a broken export control system.
Too often the system penalizes our high-tech companies by controlling
technology that is widely available from other countries while failing to
prevent unique technology from falling into dangerous hands. Moreover, controls
often lag behind technological developments. And because the international
regime for coordinating export controls was disbanded under the Clinton/Gore
administration, the United States now frequently finds itself trying to
single-handedly prevent diversion of sensitive technology. We need a sensible
export policy — a policy that protects our national security — but we must
also recognize that the competitiveness of our high-technology sector is
itself a critical component of that security. Such a policy must consist
of several key elements.
Bush also wants to develop a tough-minded, common-sense export control
system that safeguards military technology while allowing American companies
to sell technology that is readily available in the commercial market. First
and foremost, we must strengthen America's intelligence and counterintelligence
capabilities to staunch the theft of sensitive military technology at home
and identify threats abroad before they arise.
Second, we must allow American companies to sell products in the international
marketplace when those products are readily available from their foreign
competitors. That means easing export controls on computers and encryption
products that can already be purchased on the open market. At the same time,
as the use of encryption programs increases, American law enforcement must
always have the resources to stay ahead of the criminal use of that technology.
In addition, Bush supports bipartisan Senate legislation that reauthorizes
the Export Administration Act (EAA) and allows companies to export products
when those products are already readily available in foreign or mass markets.
Under the current system, controls are generally based on technical
specifications (such as raw computing power) that consistently lag behind
technological developments, resulting in unilateral U.S. restrictions on
widely available technologies. Such restrictions needlessly penalize U.S.
businesses while failing to strengthen our national security.
For those items not already available in foreign or mass markets — and
therefore requiring a license — Bush would work to streamline and expedite
the license approval and post-shipping reporting processes. This effort
would recognize the brief nature of most product cycles for the limited
number of high-tech products that require a license.
To further streamline the export review process, Bush would establish
the president's Technology Export Council (PTEC), which would report regularly.
PTEC's membership would include technology-sector representatives. It would
meet regularly to monitor the implementation and operation of the EAA, with
special attention to whether products are already available in mass or foreign
markets.
The world is changing and so must the attitude of government. As president,
Bush would work to lift barriers to innovation and fight efforts in the
United States and overseas to impose new obstacles. One priority would be
pursuing an international agenda that supports America's high-technology
companies.
Finally, Bush understands that to be prosperous as a world economy,
we Americans must embrace free trade. So he would fight to tear down the
international barriers to innovation that have already been raised and work
to ensure that new ones are not erected. Among other things, Bush would:
* Make the Internet a duty-free and tariff-free zone worldwide.
* Fight to tear down nontariff barriers to trade in information technology.
* Step up efforts to combat piracy of American ideas and intellectual
property.
* Promote the development of internationally compatible standards for
e-commerce.
In all these things, Bush is committed to encouraging and supporting
solutions conceived, developed and led by industry itself, wherever possible.
He also plans to establish a stable environment that encourages research
and innovation without attempting to direct them. One key way to spur creativity
is enacting a permanent tax credit for research and development. The R&D
Experimentation Tax Credit would encourage long-term investment in research
by high-technology companies and thereby strengthen America's technological
leadership. It is time to get rid of the temporary on-again, off-again nature
of this credit, which confuses and disrupts corporate planning. As president,
Bush would lead Congress toward making the tax credit permanent. He has
also proposed doubling the research budget of the National Institutes of
Health.
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During her tenure, Suzette Kent pushed on policies including Trusted Internet Connection, identity management and the creation of the Chief Data Officers Council
Essye Miller, DOD's outgoing principal deputy CIO, talks about COVID, the state of the tech workforce and the hard conversations DOD has to have to prepare personnel for the future.
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Alamo Pharma Services, Inc.’s Peter Marchesini serves as chairperson of featured Patient Impact tract during the eyeforpharma 2018 meeting
Known for providing customized recruiting of sales teams, leading sales training, and other commercial services, Alamo helps pharmaceutical and biotech companies successfully bring products to market.
DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (April 18, 2018) – Peter Marchesini, Chief Operating Officer of Alamo Pharma Services, Inc. (“Alamo”), recently participated as a “chairperson” of the “Patient Impact” tract panel discussions at the eyeforpharma 2018 meeting held in Philadelphia April 10-11. The annual gathering of more than 800 senior-level pharmaceutical executives encouraged inspiring and forward-thinking leaders from the pharmaceutical industry to share ideas, lessons learned, and case studies on how they have transformed insights from patients and customers into healthcare innovations.
As part of his role, Marchesini provided an opening address to the attendees that set up lively discussions on how to “strengthen relationships through partnerships and collaborations” and ways industry leaders can “demonstrate the impact of the clinical educator on adherence.” In these discussions, Marchesini and fellow presenters shared the importance of using real patient insight to influence decision making and promoting a patient-centric culture within their organizations.
Peter Marchesini, Chief Operating
Officer of Alamo Pharma Services, Inc.
“Being a part of the Patient Impact section of the eyeforpharma 2018 meeting was both an honor and a valuable learning experience,” says Marchesini. “The speakers representing the very best of pharma, biotech, patients, patient advocates, and industry partners provided a great perspective and thought provoking discussions. I am proud to represent a company that thinks about the world from a patient perspective and brings this thinking to every client we have the privilege to support.”
During his time with Alamo, Marchesini has utilized his more than 25 years of pharmaceutical leadership experience to guide the organization from inception more than seven years ago through today. He personally focuses on the business development and operational efforts of the company. Alamo is a key member of the Mission Family of Companies, and Marchesini works closely with the parent company’s leadership to develop and implement plans that assure both Alamo and Mission’s continued growth. Known for his effective leadership style and strategic thinking, Marchesini was recognized in both 2009 and 2017 as one of the “PharmaVoice 100,” a selection of 100 most inspiring people in the pharmaceutical industry. He has great passion and talent for teaching and is part of the Rutgers University Pharmaceutical MBA program faculty.
Some of the key takeaways of Marchesini’s eyeforpharma panel discussions include:
- The importance of pharmaceutical companies establishing win-win partnerships with advocacy groups and patient organizations to help support patients and ensure the patient voice is heard
- The need for industry leaders, whenever possible, to establish the goal of having their companies become go-to trusted sources of information for patients by improving outreach to smaller sub-populations of patients and ensuring greater levels of support
- The necessity for companies to develop best practice examples of how to work with external groups while remaining compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and other regulations
To learn more about the eyeforpharma 2018 meeting, visit eyeforpharma.com/philly.
About Alamo Pharma Services
Founded in 2011, Alamo Pharma Services offers pharmaceutical and biotech companies vital solutions to bring their products to market efficiently and successfully. Based out of its offices in Doylestown, Pa., Alamo offers companies vast commercialization experience, customized recruiting of sales teams, superior training, and committed support services. For more information regarding Alamo, please visit alamopharmaservices.com or email [email protected].
Alamo is part of the Mission Family of Companies, a collection of wholly-owned subsidiaries created by Mission Pharmacal to diversify offerings and build forward-thinking partnerships with other pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Other Mission companies include BioComp Pharma, Inc., a generic drug marketer; ProSolus, Inc., a transdermal drug developer and manufacturer; Espada Dermatology, Inc., a prescription and esthetic dermatology company; as well as BexR Logistix, LLC and their subsidiary company, EPIC Fulfillment, Inc., the logistics and fulfillment arms of Mission. To learn more, please visit www.missionfamilyofcompanies.com.
# # #
Alamo Media Contact: | https://www.missionpharmacal.com/press-release/alamo-pharma-services-inc%E2%80%99s-peter-marchesini-serves-chairperson-featured-patient |
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Steve Case, one of the nation's most accomplished entrepreneurs, co-founder of America Online and author of the New York Times bestselling book "The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future," will visit Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.
Case will speak on "The Changing Landscape of Entrepreneurship" at 6 p.m. April 19 in Room 2075 of the Hodge Hall Undergraduate Center, 1309 E. 10th St., in Bloomington.
A reception will follow the program, which is free and open to students, faculty and the public.
He is chairman and CEO of Revolution LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based investment firm he co-founded in 2005. Revolution partners with visionary entrepreneurs to build significant "built-to-last" businesses.
Revolution invests in and actively helps build companies leveraging technology to disrupt existing markets. The firm has backed more than 30 companies, including Zipcar, Sweetgreen, LivingSocial, BigCommerce and Revolution Foods.
He also chairs the Case Foundation, which he established with his wife, Jean, in 1997. They have invested in hundreds of organizations, initiatives and partnerships with a focus on leveraging the internet and entrepreneurial approaches to strengthen the social sector.
Case is taking a break from a cross-country "Rest of the Rest" bus tour, which introduces investors to entrepreneurs in "flyover country," away from coastal tech centers such as Silicon Valley.
"We're thrilled to provide our students with this opportunity to meet and learn from someone so passionate about finding new pathways to success," said Donald F. Kuratko, the Jack M. Gill Chair of Entrepreneurship and the executive and academic director of the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Kelley School.
"That Steve Case sees potential at fast-growing businesses away from the hubs of San Francisco and New York encourages our students that their entrepreneurial visions can be realized anywhere," Kuratko added. "We look forward to hearing his views of the 'changing landscape.'"
Case's career as an entrepreneur began in 1985 when he co-founded America Online, or AOL. Under his leadership, AOL became the world's largest and most valuable internet company and was the first one to issue a public stock offering. At its peak, nearly half of internet users in the United States used AOL. In 2000, he negotiated the largest merger in U.S. business history, between AOL and Time Warner, and then stepped down as CEO.
Since then, Case has founded the Startup America Partnership, an effort launched at the White House to accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship throughout the nation, and was the founding co-chair of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
He was a member of President Barack Obama's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, where he chaired the subcommittee on entrepreneurship.
A revised edition of his bestselling book, "The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future," will be released April 18. The book presents Case's insights from his nearly four-decade career.
He argues that our society is entering the "third wave" of the internet. The "first wave" saw AOL and other companies lay the foundation for consumers to connect online. Companies like Google and Facebook built on top of the internet to create search and social networking capabilities, riding the "second wave."
Case now argues that our society is entering a new period, in which entrepreneurs will transform major "real-world" sectors such as health, education, transportation, energy and food and as a result change the way we live our lives. | https://news.iu.edu/stories/2017/04/iub/releases/10-steve-case-aol-founder-kelley-school.html |
With over a decade of experience in the fields of management, communications and marketing, and social entrepreneurship, Hafez Neeno has played a vital role in enhancing the public’s perception of some of the most prominent organizations and companies operating in Jordan and the region today. As a Senior Program Manager at the International Youth Foundation (IYF), Neeno is credited with the creation and development of Starbucks Jordan’s youth leadership institute, BADIR, leveraging over USD 500,000 in support and maintaining multi‐stakeholder relationships with partners in Kuwait, the U.K. and the U.S. He continues to lead this youth entrepreneurship program, which has positively impacted the lives of more than 150,000 people to date.
Before joining IYF, Neeno developed and oversaw marketing and communications strategies for a variety of businesses, focusing particularly on Corporate Social Responsibility and on projects that aimed to give back to the local community. Acting as Marketing and Communications Manager at Astra – Arab Supply & Trading Co.; Senior Accounts Manager at Wunderman; and, before that, as Training and Events Specialist for USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project, Neeno carried out duties including marketing planning, launching public relations campaigns, brand development, budget development and more. Working collaboratively with peers and officials across organizations, Neeno has coordinated efficiently with governmental and non-governmental entities, adhering to external and internal communications protocols to produce and disseminate material that successfully fulfill the communications objectives of his companies and clients.
Neeno graduated from the New York Institute of Technology in 2006 with a B.A. in Business Administration and a concentration in communication. Over the course of his career, he has managed accounts such as Emaar MENA, Samsung Levant, Jordan Investment Board, Greater Amman Municipality, Team Y&R, Visa, Abu Khader Automotive, Damac, LG Electronics, Chopard and Jordan Commercial Bank. | http://youthactionnet.org/people/hafez-neeno |
Our virtual thought leadership roundtable events are 90-minute executive-level sessions led by a KOL and are limited to six life sciences decision-makers. Sessions are designed to network with peers, share best practices, and learn about new industry developments.
About these sessions:
💥Live executive Q&A roundtable
💥Limited seats
💥E-learn in a small group
Session 1
Operational Excellence in Pharma Long Term Go-to-Market
March 22, 2022 | 11 A.M. CET
This event explores the critical role that go-to-market teams are playing in reshaping how their customer organizations use digital capabilities to deliver commercial success. We discuss:
• Understanding the elements of a digital strategy.
• How to equip an organization to build its long-term go-to-market capabilities to better address customer challenges and opportunities.
• Building the tactical framework to understand and determine the optimal tactics to deliver success across digital, hybrid, and traditional channels.
Session 2
Omnichannel Commercial Strategies - Leveraging Digitization & Personalization
March 24, 2022 | 11 A.M.CET
This event focuses on leveraging personalization, a critical digital component in a successful omnichannel commercial strategy, and what’s needed from a content and execution standpoint. We'll discuss:
• How does digital contribute to designing a successful commercial framework?
• New channels, behaviors, and expectations; how do you orchestrate winning omnichannel experiences for your customers, stakeholders, and organization?
Session 3
Digitalization of Omnichannel Medical Customer Engagement
April 26, 2022 | 11 A.M. PST
This event explores how to successfully transition from a field-focused multichannel to a digital-first, omnichannel medical strategy, the importance of embracing a customer-centric mindset through digital transformation, how to plan and access the progress of channel tactics, and what data to use as a benchmark of strategy success. We'll discuss:
• Identifying the foundations for an omnichannel strategy to meet the evolving expectations of HCP's and their patients.
• Measuring the impact of digital initiatives and the engagement data points to be considered as a benchmark of success.
Session 4
Digital Transformation in Life Sciences – Sales & Marketing for the CIO
May 12, 2022 | 11 A.M.CET
CIOs play an increasingly important part in enabling their organizations to develop productive customer relationships at scale and with an intense focus on costs. This session focuses on strategies that IT leaders can use to build a shared vision for how business teams can work collaboratively to power the experiences customers need to receive to drive growth. We'll discuss:
• From technology to trust, what does it take to nurture an alliance between the CIO and the customer organization?
• Powering the digital enterprise, how are CIOs planning to transform their organizations to experience powerhouses?
Session 5
Engaging HCPs in an Evolved Market Though Customer Experience Orchestration
March June 9, 2022 | 11 A.M.CET
This event explores what it takes to optimize digital delivery at scale to deliver impactful customer experiences for HCPs. How to move from one-size global content to the information needed to deliver personalized experiences to HCPs via channels that work for them. We will also examine why designing experiences with strong feedback loops are essential to HCP engagement success. We'll discuss:
• Building and scaling effective customer experiences.
• Why feedback is often overlooked as a critical component in building memorable and effective customer experiences.
Session 6
Know your Customer Building Individualized Commercial Strategies
June 14, 2022 | 11 A.M.PST
This session focuses on the tactics pharma companies are creating and adapting to maximize the return from their commercial organizations as they undergo unprecedented change.
• The importance of one customer. How individualization delivers commercial success from customer experience.
• Digital as the friend of the commercial team. How commercial agility and organizational adaptability is creating a new, better commercial function. | https://blog.exeevo.com/virtual-thought-leadership-roundtable-series-for-life-science-executives |
- more updates...
Economy in Brief
U.S. Housing Affordability Fell Back in February, but Still in Recent Range
The NAR U.S. Fixed Rate Mortgage Housing Affordability Index decreased 7.6% (-1.4% y/y) in February to 173.1...
European New Car Registrations Remarkably Strong Yet Forgettable
Car registrations are not going to be the only statistic that bears these dual and seemingly dueling characteristics...
U.S. Retail Sales Soar in March
Total retail sales including food service and drinking establishments increased 9.8% (27.7% y/y) during March...
U.S. Industrial Production Rebounded in March
Industrial production rebounded in March, rising 1.4% m/m (+1.0% y/y)...
U.S. Home Builder Index Edges Higher in April
The NAHB-Wells Fargo Composite Housing Market Index rose 1.2% to 83 during April...
Viewpoints
Commentaries are the opinions of the author and do not reflect the views of Haver Analytics.
Fed's Inflation Problem: Easy Money Creates More Market Than Reported Inflation
A Rising Tide Isn't Yet Lifting All Boats
Monetary Policy Blunder: Not Managing Economic & Financial Outcomes Equally
Monetary Policy at a Crossroad: Policymakers Need to Break Promise of Easy Money to Avoid Boom-Bust
by Tom Moeller March 30, 2015
Personal income rose 0.4% during February (4.5% y/y) following a revised 0.4% January increase, last month reported as 0.3%. Expectations had been for a 0.3% rise in the Consensus Economics Forecast Survey. Wages & salaries improved 0.3% (4.5% y/y) following a 0.6% jump. Transfer payments firmed 0.6% (5.9% y/y) as Medicaid payments surged 1.5% (11.7% y/y), roughly the same as in January. These gains were offset by a 0.5% decline (+3.0% y/y) in proprietors income, off sharply for the third month in the last four, but rental income increased 0.6% (6.9% y/y). Dividend income jumped 2.8% (11.0% y/y) with improved corporate profitability but interest income continued 0.5% lower (-1.2% y/y). Disposable income gained 0.4% (4.3% y/y) after a 0.5% jump, revised from 0.4%.
Personal consumption expenditures nudged 0.1% higher (+3.3% y/y) following two consecutive monthly declines. The increase disappointed expectations for a 0.2% rise. The PCE chain price index improved 0.2% (0.3% y/y), the first rise in four months.
Real disposable income increased 0.2% (4.0% y/y) after a 0.9% rise. Real personal spending slipped 0.1% (+3.0% y/y) after a 0.2% gain.
In constant dollars, motor vehicles and parts purchases fell 2.8% last month (+8.6% y/y) following a 1.1% jump. Furnishings & appliance spending slipped 0.1% (+8.0% y/y) after a 0.5% rise. Recreational goods & vehicles purchases also edged 0.1% lower but remained up 9.3% y/y. Apparel purchases slipped 0.1% as well (+3.8% y/y), the third consecutive monthly shortfall. Real services purchases ticked 0.1% higher (2.6% y/y) after two months of 0.2% rise. Spending on restaurants and hotels retrenched by 0.5% (+4.3% y/y) for the second straight month.
The strength in income accompanied by the weakness in spending continued to lift the personal savings rate, last month to 5.8%, the highest level since December 2012. Personal saving rose 20.4% during the last twelve months.
The 0.2% rise (0.3% y/y) in the chain price index was the first gain in the last five months. Energy prices rose 1.0% (-19.9% y/y), the first increase since June as gasoline prices gained 2.2% (-32.0% y/y). Food prices improved 0.1% (2.6% y/y). Durable goods prices rose 0.1% (-2.6% y/y) while nondurable goods prices rose 0.4% (-3.4% y/y). Services prices ticked 0.1% higher (2.1% y/y) after a 0.2% rise. The price index excluding food & energy edged up 0.1% (1.4% y/y), about the same as during the last eight months.
The personal income & consumption figures are available in Haver's USECON database with detail in the USNA database. The consensus expectation figures are in the AS1REPNA database. | http://www.haver.com/comment/comment.html?c=150330B.html |
Islington Demographics (NSW) Local Stats
Islington (2296) is a suburb of Hunter Valley, Newcastle, New South Wales. It is about 117 kms from NSW's capital city of Sydney. Islington is in the federal electorate of Newcastle.
In the 2011 census the population of Islington was 1,806 and is comprised of approximately 50.2% females and 49.8% males.
The median/average age of the population of Islington is 34 years of age.
77.7% of people living in the suburb of Islington were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were 2.6% England, 1.2% New Zealand, 0.8% Congo, Democratic Republic of, 0.5% China , 0.5% Italy, 0.4% Germany, 0.4% Hungary, 0.4% Ukraine, 0.4% Malaysia, 0.4% Philippines, 0.3% South Africa, 0.3% Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia , 0.3% South Sudan, 0.3% United States of America.
84.7% of people living in Islington speak English only. The other top languages spoken are 6.8% Language spoken at home not stated, 2.6% Other, 1.0% Italian, 1.0% Mandarin, 0.6% Hungarian, 0.6% German, 0.5% Greek, 0.5% Spanish, 0.4% Macedonian.
The religious makeup of Islington is 36.8% No religion, 20.7% Catholic, 14.5% Anglican, 10.4% Religious affiliation not stated, 2.8% Uniting Church, 2.3% Buddhism, 2.1% Baptist, 2.0% Presbyterian and Reformed, 1.9% Other religious affiliation , 1.6% Christian, nfd.
25.6% of people are married, 55.2% have never married and 11.7% are divorced and 3.9% are separated. There are 54 widowed people living in Islington.
59.6% of the people living in Islington over the age of 15 and who identify as being in the labour force are employed full time, 28.0% are working on a part time basis. Islington has an unemployment rate of 7.9%.
The main occupations of people living in Islington are 28.4% Professionals, 14.8% Technicians & trades workers, 13.3% Clerical & administrative workers, 12.6% Community & personal service workers, 9.4% Sales workers, 8.8% Labourers, 8.5% Managers, 3.3% Machinery operators & drivers, 0.9% Occupation inadequately described/ Not stated.
The main industries people from Islington work in are 16.8% Health care and social assistance, 11.1% Accommodation and food services, 10.9% Education and training, 8.9% Retail trade, 7.6% Professional, scientific and technical services, 6.5% Construction, 6.4% Public administration and safety, 6.4% Manufacturing, 4.4% Transport, postal and warehousing.
20.3% of homes are fully owned, and 31.1% are in the process of being purchased by home loan mortgage. 46.0% of homes are rented.
The median individual income is $639 per week and the median household income is $1148 per week.
The median rent in Islington is $280 per week and the median mortgage repayment is $1800 per month. | https://localstats.com.au/demographics/nsw/hunter-valley/newcastle/islington |
Baldivis Demographics (WA) Local Stats
Baldivis (6171) is a suburb of South Western, Heartlands, Western Australia. It is about 42 kms from WA's capital city of Perth. Baldivis is in the federal electorate of Brand.
In the 2011 census the population of Baldivis was 15,883 and is comprised of approximately 50.6% females and 49.4% males.
The median/average age of the population of Baldivis is 29 years of age.
64.1% of people living in the suburb of Baldivis were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were 14.9% England, 4.6% New Zealand, 2.5% South Africa, 2.2% Scotland, 0.6% Netherlands, 0.6% Wales, 0.6% Zimbabwe, 0.5% Germany, 0.5% United States of America, 0.5% Canada, 0.4% Ireland, 0.3% Singapore, 0.3% India, 0.3% Italy.
90.5% of people living in Baldivis speak English only. The other top languages spoken are 3.7% Language spoken at home not stated, 2.0% Other, 0.4% Dutch, 0.4% Italian, 0.4% Spanish, 0.2% German, 0.2% French, 0.2% Indonesian, 0.2% Other .
The religious makeup of Baldivis is 31.3% No religion, 22.3% Anglican, 18.5% Catholic, 7.4% Religious affiliation not stated, 3.5% Christian, nfd, 3.5% Presbyterian and Reformed, 3.2% Uniting Church, 1.8% Baptist, 1.1% Pentecostal, 1.0% Jehovah's Witnesses.
56.4% of people are married, 33.1% have never married and 5.9% are divorced and 2.9% are separated. There are 194 widowed people living in Baldivis.
65.5% of the people living in Baldivis over the age of 15 and who identify as being in the labour force are employed full time, 24.5% are working on a part time basis. Baldivis has an unemployment rate of 4.1%.
The main occupations of people living in Baldivis are 21.4% Technicians & trades workers, 15.6% Clerical & administrative workers, 14.5% Professionals, 11.1% Managers, 11.0% Community & personal service workers, 8.5% Labourers, 8.3% Sales workers, 8.2% Machinery operators & drivers, 1.5% Occupation inadequately described/ Not stated.
The main industries people from Baldivis work in are 12.3% Construction, 11.1% Manufacturing, 9.6% Retail trade, 9.5% Health care and social assistance, 9.4% Public administration and safety, 6.9% Education and training, 6.6% Mining, 5.1% Professional, scientific and technical services, 4.4% Accommodation and food services.
15.7% of homes are fully owned, and 62.8% are in the process of being purchased by home loan mortgage. 20.0% of homes are rented.
The median individual income is $837 per week and the median household income is $1931 per week.
The median rent in Baldivis is $370 per week and the median mortgage repayment is $2383 per month. | https://localstats.com.au/demographics/wa/south-western/heartlands/baldivis |
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