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warc | 201704 | Among the many methods available to safeguard ones investment from stock market volatility, the most popular is to invest a fixed amount at periodic interval irrespective of market conditions. This is of course known in India as
systematic investment plan or SIP.
One could add an aspect of market timing by gauging returns with respect to a target portfolio with a pre-determined return. If after a specified period (usually a month as in SIP) the actual portfolio is less (more) than the target portfolio, the investor increases (decreases) the investment amount. Thus this is equivalent to investing more on market lows and less on market highs. The investor will have to fix a target return and nominal investment with which the target portfolio is calculated. A minimum investment (to be made when portfolio exceeds target) and a maximum investment (to be made when portfolio falls short) also need to specified. This approach is known as
value averaging investment plan or VIP. You can read more about this here.
Many people consider VIP a superior approach to SIP because although VIP does not always provide higher returns, the total VIP investment is expected to be typically lower. The answer to which is better depends on market trends that dominate the investment period. More importantly the effectiveness of any investment must always be checked with respect to the target portfolio.
Recently I had analyzed a report by Fundsindia in which they have taken a few mutual funds and compared both investment strategies. I found that for 10 out the 16 studies reported both SIP and VIP modes outperformed the target portfolio and for 5 out 16 studies both unperformed. Thus it is a bit like ‘
together we fall, together we conquer’.
We cannot jump to conclusions based on this result because: (1) 12 out of 16 studies reported were only for 3 year periods. (2) many of the funds are actively managed funds (as pointed out by Ramesh Mangal) (3) one should consider rolling averages over, say, a 10-year periods as Subra pointed out. To address the first two issues I have made a comparator with monthly Sensex returns (date source: Capitalmind).
One can choose any investment time period between 1980 to 2012 and see how VIP and SIP strategies respond to different market conditions.
Ideally, if I choose a 10 year period then I must choose
all 10-year periods between 1980-2012 (total of 24), average the performance and stare at the results before making conclusions. I will try and set this up in future. I think quite a bit interesting information can still be obtained by trying out a fixed investment period over different market conditions.
A look at the time evolution of Sensex suggests interesting periods to try out.
I: 1980-1991. A period of strong growth II: 1991-2001. A disappointing period to say the least. III: 2002-2007. A dream period (enough said!) IV: 2009-2012. Recovery + consolidation (in the eyes of an optimist that is!)
You can of course play with any period of your choice. Here are some results for these periods. I have passed a verdict on each method. Hopefully it is easy enough to understand.
VIP results for period II (1991-2001) are bizarre! In this 11 year period the stock market gave negative returns. A person who had started a VIP in 1991 would have invested 195% more than someone following the SIP mode and would still have fallen short of his target by 80%. Quite easily the worst possible advertisement for VIP! When the markets do well (periods I and III) it does not matter which mode you choose you will reach your target (duh!) Period IV is too short to say anything concrete. One thing is for sure if next year 11 years turn out to be anything like period II, then investors in index funds are screwed! Actively managed funds can be expected to perform better. However they will have to do
a lot better to enable investors achieve their goals. Perhaps intelligent stock picking is the only way in such market conditions.
Wait a minute! Haven’t we have heard that if one stays invested in the market for long periods there is virtually zero probability of
loss. We have also seen in many places that ‘long periods’ means at least 15 years. So let us look at the results for every 15 year period from 1980 and 2012:
In 10 out of the 19 possible 15-year periods
both VIP and SIP modes fell short of the target portfolio (53%) 🙁
In only 4/19 periods both VIP and SIP exceeded the target portfolio (21%)
In 4 out of the 5 remaining periods SIP scored over VIP!
Only once did VIP alone exceed the target portfolio.
“
When saving for financial goals people must invest some amount each month. Trying to vary that can yield disastrous results. Simplest VIP is to do a regular SIP (for the goal) and try to contribute another 2-3k or so on days whenever markets fall nearly 2% (say like Apr 4, 2013 ). Never miss SIP no matter what.”
What is of more concern is a 53% failure of
both modes in the periods studied. When the markets are heading nowhere (period II and now!), VIP can be disastrous idea. The problem is SIP doesn’t do its job either. I am quite uncomfortable about this. Of course one can take partial comfort in the fact that ‘target’ portfolio here represents ‘equity-target’ portfolio and not ‘goal-target’ portfolio. So a diversified portfolio which has significant non-equity components (debt, gold, real estate etc.) will not suffer as much. To me these results suggest the following: Invest substantially in equity only if your goal is at least15 years away Even then the equity component should be limited to somewhere between 60-40% irrespective of age, risk-appetite. Do not expect 15% from equity long-term or very long term. My goal calculations are all based only on 10% returns from equity. Nothing is guaranteed and a fallis a fall. Just that I prefer a drop from the 1 stfloor rather than the 5 thfloor. Ensure you invest each month systematically irrespective of market conditions. When the going is good, book some profit. Either systematically (that is rebalance with specific equity component in mind) or randomly (book some profit!). Ensure the booked profit is immediately reinvested in a debt instrument with minimum tax out-go. Investing in equity is the best bet to beat inflation. Remember it just a bet not a guarantee.
What do you infer from the above? Do you agree with me? Try out the calculator for different periods of your choice. If you find something interesting please let me know.
(.xlsx file made with Excel 2010. Except CAGR cells works with Excel 2007)
(.xls file Except CAGR cells works with Excel 2002)
Practical advice + calculators for you to develop personalised investment solutions |
warc | 201704 | Mutual fund investing can be stressful for many investors. The Ulcer index offers a way to measure this stress!bv
The
mutual fund risk and return analyzer now has a separate sheet for Ulcer index analysis. In this post, we evaluate the utility of this risk-return metric by considered a few popular mutual funds.
The standard deviation is a measure of deviations from an average. Both positive and negative deviations are accounted for. However since a positive deviation from an average implies a higher NAV, it is not a 'bad' thing. So why penalise it?
Why not penalise only the negative deviations? Thus was born many measures of 'downside' risk. The
mutual fund risk and return analyzer downside deviation and the downside capture ratios. With the inclusion of the ulcer index, the analyser now uses 20 metrics to assign a risk-return score to each mutual fund.
The Ulcer index is one such measure of downside risk.
Suppose the maximum NAV over a 2-week period is 15. If the NAV decreases from this maximum, the Ulcer index value increases pointing to an increase in investor stress! If the NAV increases further, the index decreases reflecting a decrease in stress!
The Ulcer index is designed in such a way that it penalizes downside (fall from the maximum) much more than other ratios. It was first published by Peter Martin and Byron McCann in their book
The Investors Guide to Fidelity Funds (1989).
At that time pretty much everyone thought stomach ulcers were caused by stress. We later came to know that stomach Ulcers are caused by bacteria - a Nobel prize winning discovery. Of course, the name Ulcer index stuck!
Now let us try out the ulcer index with a few mutual funds.
Higher the ulcer index, lower the downside protection and higher the investor stress.
So we require a fund which has an ulcer index consistently lower than that of its benchmark.
The
mutual fund risk and return analyzer evaluates ulcer index in three ways using a duration of 90 business days. Although this is much longer than the two week period recommended by Martin, the higher duration cuts out noise and should be good enough for the long term investor. An average ulcer index value is computed and is used as part of the risk-return score calculation. To see some samples of this calculation, see this post The ulcer index is plotted for different dates and compared with fund NAV and benchmark value movement. The number of times the ulcer index of the fund was lower than its benchmark for 1-8 year periods is computed as a percentage.
We will first focus on the plots in this post.
Let us start with something simple:
ICICI Pru Dynamic Equity
The ulcer index values for the fund and benchmark are plotted wrt the left axis. The fund NAV and benchmark values are plotted wrt right axis, see the arrows on top of the graph.
Notice that the funds ulcer index values are pretty much always lower than the benchmarks. This implies that the fund has excellent downside protection. Investors in this fund would be a relaxed lot!
The large peak in the ulcer index represents the behaviour during the 2008 crash when downside protection was non-existent and investors were pretty stressed out.
ICICI Focussed Blue Chip Equity
Again investors would be quite happy with this one as its ulcer index is consistently lower than the benchmarks. Early days though!
Mirae Asset India Oppurtunities Fund
Again relaxed investors because of consistent downside protection. Again early days though!
UTI Opportunities
Very good history of downside protection. Again relaxed investors.
Franklin India Blue Chip Fund
Good history of downside protection but seems to have slipped recently. Should have many investors worried about future performance!
HDFC Top 200
Now for Top 200. The downside protection seems to have vanished from end of 2011! Even during the recent rally (rectangular region) fund does not have enough downside protection. So this implies higher returns at higher risk. Not a good thing!
Quantum Long Term Equity
Now let us look at three regions.
region 1: Good downside protection during the 2008 crisis
region 2: excellent downside protection during the sideways market
region 3: A slip just before the recent rally.
All in all, pretty reasonable.
Reliance Growth
Nothing spectacular here. Would have given investors a very stressful time! Doesn't seem to have a consistent track record of downside protection. To me, the biggest drawback of this fund.
There you have it. The ulcer index gives you insights on the downside protection history of a fund. As far as I am concerned this is
the most important attribute of an actively managed fund. We pay high expense ratio only for this. Downside protection is the real source of alpha.
What do you think?
Practical advice + calculators for you to develop personalised investment solutions |
warc | 201704 | Woods Timber
There are two types of timber, called
hardwood and softwood. Softwood
Softwoods come from
coniferous trees which are evergreen, needle-leaved, cone-bearing trees, such as cedar, fir and pine. Hardwood
Hardwoods come from broad-leaved,
deciduous trees. The main hardwood timbers are ash, beech, birch, cherry, elm, iroko, mahogany, meranti, oak, obeche, sapele and teak. Metals
Most metals are extracted from their ores using a chemical reaction. Metals are rarely used in their pure form, and are usually mixed with other metals to improve their properties. This is called an alloy. Most metals are good conductors and can be recycled.
Ferrous metals contain iron. Examples are cast iron, mild steel, medium carbon steel, high carbon steel, stainless steel and high speed steel.
Cast iron 1200°C Hard skin, softer underneath, but brittle, corrodes by rusting Parts with complex shapes which can be made by casting Mild steel 1600°C Tough, ductile, malleable, good tensile strength, poor resistance to corrosion General purpose engineering material High carbon steel 1800°C Even harder than medium carbon steel and more brittle, can be heat-treated to make it harder and tougher Cutting tools, ball bearings Stainless steel 1400°C Hard and tough, resistant to wear and corrosion Cutlery, kitchen equipment
Metals continued Non-ferrous metals do not contain iron. Some common non-ferrous metals are aluminium, Duralumin, copper, zinc, brass, gilding metal and tin.
Aluminium 660°C Pure aluminium Good strength-to-weight ratio, light, soft, ductile, good conductor of heat and electricity Kitchen equipment, window frames, general cast components Copper 1080°C Pure copper Malleable and ductile, good conductor of heat and electricity, resistant to corrosion Water pipes, electrical wire, decorative goods Brass 900-1000°C Alloy Resistant to corrosion, fairly hard, good conductor of heat and electricity Ornaments, cast items such as water taps Tin 230°C Pure tin Soft, weak, malleable, ductile and resistant to corrosion Usually used for coating steel to form tin-plate, soft solder
Woods Continued Plastics Sources of Plastics: Natural sources of plastics include: plants- from which cellulose can be extracted trees- from which latex, amber and resin can be extracted animals- from which horn and milk (used to make glues) are obtained insects- from which shellac (used to make polish) is obtained
Synthetic plastics are chemically manufactured from:
crude oil coal natural gas Plastics continued Thermoplastics
Polyamide (Nylon) Creamy colour, tough, fairly hard, resists wear, self-lubricating, good resistance to chemicals and machines Bearings, gear wheels, casings for power tools, hinges for small cupboards, curtain rail fittings and clothing Polymethyl methacrylate (Acrylic) Stiff, hard but scratches easily, durable, brittle in small sections, good electrical insulator, machines and polishes well Signs, covers of storage boxes, aircraft canopies and windows, covers for car lights, wash basins and baths Polypropylene Light, hard but scratches easily, tough, good resistance to chemicals, resists work fatigue Medical equipment, laboratory equipment, containers with built-in hinges, 'plastic' seats, string, rope, kitchen equipment Polystyrene Light, hard, stiff, transparent, brittle, with good water resistance Toys, especially model kits, packaging, 'plastic' boxes and containers Low density polythene (LDPE) Tough, good resistance to chemicals, flexible, fairly soft, good electrical insulator Packaging, especially bottles, toys, packaging film and bags High density polythene (HDPE) Hard, stiff, able to be sterilised Plastic bottles, tubing, household equipment
Plastics Continued
Thermoset
Epoxy resin Good electrical insulator, hard, brittle unless reinforced, resists chemicals well Casting and encapsulation, adhesives, bonding of other materials Melamine formaldehyde Stiff, hard, strong, resists some chemicals and stains Laminates for work surfaces, electrical insulation, tableware Polyester resin Stiff, hard, brittle unless laminated, good electrical insulator, resists chemicals well Casting and encapsulation, bonding of other materials Urea formaldehyde Stiff, hard, strong, brittle, good electrical insulator Electrical fittings, handles and control knobs, adhesives
More Materials Composite materials
Composite materials are formed by combining a
reinforcing material such as wood pulp, and a bonding agent, such as glue. The wood pulp is made from the waste from cutting solid wood. MDF and GRP are examples of composite materials Smart materials
Smart materials are
reactive materials. Their properties can be changed by exposure to stimuli, such as electric and magnetic fields, stress, moisture and temperature. thermochromicpigments react to changes in temperature photochromicpigments react to changes in light levels
Photochromatic materials are used in the manufacture of sunglasses. Exposure to sunlight causes the lens of the glasses to darken to protect the eye. |
warc | 201704 | RESEARCH STUDIES ON MICROBIOLOGICAL HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOOD ANIMAL PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING ANIMAL FEEDS Release Date: April 22, 1998 RFA: FDA-CVM-98-1 Food and Drug Administration Application Receipt Date: June 1, 1998 SUMMARY The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is announcing the availability of research funds for fiscal year (FY) 1998 to study the microbiological hazards associated with the food animal production environment, including animal feeds. Approximately $1.0 million will be available in FY 1998. FDA anticipates making six to twelve Cooperative Agreement awards at $100,000 to $200,000 per award per year (direct and indirect costs). Support for these agreements may be for up to three years. The number of agreements funded will depend on the quality of the applications received and the availability of Federal funds to support the projects. DATES Submit applications by June 1, 1998. If the closing date falls on a weekend, it will be extended to Monday; if the date falls on a holiday, it will be extended to the following workday. ADDRESSES Application forms are available from, and completed applications are to be submitted to: Robert L. Robins Grants Management Officer, (HFA-520) Food and Drug Administration 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 3-40 Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 443-6170 For hand-carried or commercially delivered applications, the address is: Parklawn Building 12420 Parklawn Drive, Room 3-40 Rockville, MD 20852 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Regarding the administrative and financial management aspects of this notice: Robert L. Robins (address above). Regarding the programmatic aspects of this notice: David B. Batson, Ph.D. Office of Research, Center for Veterinary Medicine (HFV-502) Food and Drug Administration 8401 Muirkirk Road Laurel, MD 20708 Telephone: (301) 827-8021 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION FDA, CVM is announcing the availability of funds for FY 1998 for awarding cooperative agreements to support research studies on microbiological hazards associated with the food animal production environment including animal feeds. FDA will support the research studies covered by this notice under section 301 of the Public Health Service Act (the PHS act) (42 U.S.C. 241). FDA's research program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, No. 93.103. The Public Health Service (PHS) strongly encourages all award recipients to provide a smoke-free work place and to discourage the use of all tobacco products. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people. PHS urges applicants to submit work plans that address specific objectives of "Healthy People 2000." Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000 (Full Report, stock No. 017-00100474-0) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325, Tel. 202-512-1800. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background The FDA is mandated to assure the microbiological safety of foods including those derived from animals. The President's Food Safety Initiative (FSI) of 1997 calls for increased allocation of resources for research by FDA to identify and investigate microbiological hazards associated with food produced by animal agriculture. Even though the American food supply is among the safest in the world, millions of Americans are stricken by illness each year caused by the food they consume and some 9,000 a year, primarily the very young and elderly, die as a result. The goal of the FSI is to further reduce the incidence of food borne disease to the greatest extent possible. Specifically, FSI mandates research be conducted to develop the means to identify and characterize more rapidly and accurately food borne hazards, to provide the tools for regulatory enforcement, and to develop interventions that can be used as appropriate to prevent hazards at each step from production to consumption of food. The role of the FDA's CVM in this research relates to microbial hazards associated with pre-harvest phases of food animal production including aquaculture. The FSI specifically identifies a need for research addressing the microbial ecology of the animal production environment including animal feeds. This research will include: (1) development and/or evaluation of methods for the detection of human pathogens in the animal environment and feeds, (2) investigations of factors associated with the emergence, transmission and carriage of human food borne pathogens in or on food producing animals and edible products derived from them, and (3) investigations of the microbiological consequences of the use of antibiotics in the animal production environment including selection and elaboration of antibiotic resistant pathogens and possible interactions which would create conditions for increased pathogen carriage rates. Goals and Objectives The specific objective of this research program will be to provide financial assistance to investigators conducting research on microbiological hazards associated with the food animal production environment including animal feeds. It is of particular interest to FDA that this research advance scientific knowledge of human foodborne pathogens, such as salmonellae, Escherichia coli, and campylobacteria. Potential areas of investigation include transmission and fate in animal agriculture, antibiotic resistance development and dissemination in the animal production environment, and cultural/molecular methods evaluation/refinement for use in studying the microbiota of the animal production ecosystem. Projects that fulfill any one or a combination of the following specific objectives will be considered for funding: 1. Performance evaluation of the FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) cultural and molecular methods to identify and quantitate human foodborne pathogens in animal feeds, feed commodities, and the animal production environment, including feces, manure and litter. Optimization of the methods found not to perform satisfactorily. Development and testing of rapid detection methods and sampling strategies for use in animal feeds and the animal production environment. 2. Conducting surveys to establish baseline data on human foodborne pathogen content in feeds and feed commodities. Work of this type is of particular interest if it compares feed at the site of manufacture vs. feed at the farm. In addition, research to investigate survival characteristics of pathogens in feeds under various manufacturing and storage conditions is of interest. Identification of species/strain differences in survival/proliferation patterns in feeds is also a topic of concern. 3. Conducting research to investigate the fate and transmission dynamics of human foodborne pathogens, especially antibiotic resistant bacteria, after ingestion by an animal or animals or as an environmental contaminant in a herd or flock. 4. Research associated with human foodborne pathogen identification and carriage in fish (excluding protozoans) produced in various aquaculture conditions. 5. Research to develop background data on antibiotic resistance patterns and effects of antibiotics on human foodborne pathogen carriage rates associated with the animal production and aquaculture environments. Also investigations of the dynamic effects resulting from the introduction of specific antibiotics into animal production and aquaculture environments are of interest. Investigations of effects that antibiotic residues in the environment, including aquaculture ponds, may have on resistance development are also of interest. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS A Program Progress Report and a Financial Status Report (FSR) (SF-269) are required. An original FSR and two copies shall be submitted to FDA's Grants Management Officer within 90 days of the budget expiration date of the cooperative agreement. Failure to file the FSR (SF-269) on time will be grounds for suspension or termination of the grant. Progress reports will be required quarterly within 30 days following each Federal fiscal quarter January 31, April 30, July 30, October 31), except that the fourth report which will serve as the annual report and will be due 90 days after the budget expiration date. CVM program staff will advise the recipient of the suggested format for the Program Progress Report at the appropriate time. A final FSR (SF-269), Program Progress Report and Invention Statement must be submitted within 90 days after the expiration of the project period as noted on the Notice of Grant Award. Program monitoring of recipients will be conducted on an ongoing basis and written reports will be reviewed and evaluated at least quarterly by the Project Officer and the Project Advisory Group. Project monitoring may also be in the form of telephone conversations between the Project Officer/Grants Management Specialist and the Principal Investigator and/or a site visit with appropriate officials of the recipient organization. The results of these monitoring activities will be duly recorded in the official file and may be available to the recipient upon request. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT Award Instrument Support for this program will be in the form of cooperative agreements. These cooperative agreements will be subject to all policies and requirements that govern the research grant programs of the Public Health Service, including the provisions of 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. The regulations promulgated under Executive Order 12372 do not apply to this program. Eligibility These cooperative agreements are available to any public or private nonprofit entity (including State and local units of government) and any for-profit entity. For-profit entities must commit to excluding fees or profit in their request for support to receive awards. Organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1968 that engage in lobbying are not eligible to receive awards. Length of Support The length of support will be for up to three years. Funding beyond the first year will be noncompetitive and will depend on: (1) satisfactory performance during the preceding year, and (2) the availability of Federal fiscal year appropriations. DELINEATION OF SUBSTANTIVE INVOLVEMENT Inherent in the cooperative agreement award is substantive involvement by the awarding agency. Accordingly, FDA will have a substantive involvement in the programmatic activities of all the projects funded under this request for applications (RFA). Substantive involvement includes but is not limited to the following: 1. FDA will appoint Project Officers who will actively monitor the FDA supported program under each award. 2. FDA will establish an Project Advisory Group which will provide guidance and direction to the Project Officer with regard to the scientific approaches and methodology that may be used by the investigator. 3. FDA scientists will collaborate with the recipient and have final approval on experimental protocols. This collaboration may include protocol design, data analysis, interpretation of findings, and co-authorship of publications. REVIEW PROCEDURE AND CRITERIA Review Method All applications submitted in response to this request for applications (RFA) will first be reviewed by grants management and program staff for responsiveness to this RFA. If applications are found to be nonresponsive, they will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. Responsive applications will be reviewed and evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an ad hoc panel of experts in the subject field of the specific application. Responsive applications will also be subject to a second level of review by a National Advisory Council for concurrence with the recommendations made by the first level reviewers, and the final funding decisions will be made by the Commissioner of the FDA or his designee. Program Review Criteria Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the FDA to resolve any questions regarding criteria or administrative procedure prior to the submission of their application. All questions of a technical or scientific nature must be directed to the CVM contact and all questions of an administrative or financial nature must be directed to the Grants Management Officer. (See the "For Further Information Contact" section at the beginning of this document.) Responsiveness will be based on the following criteria: 1. Research should be proposed on microbiological hazards research that is within one or more of the five objectives listed in Section II. Research Goals and Objectives. 2. Whether the proposed study is within the budget and costs have been adequately justified and fully documented; 3. Soundness of the rationale for the proposed study and appropriateness of the study design to address the objectives of the RFA; 4. Availability and adequacy of laboratory and associated animal facilities; 5. Availability and adequacy of support services, e.g., biostatistical computer, etc., and; 6. Research experience, training and competence of the Principal Investigator and support staff SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS The original and five copies of the completed Grant Application Form PHS 398 (Rev. 5/95) or the original and two copies of the PHS 5161 (Rev. 7/92) for State and local governments, with copies of the appendices for each of the copies, should be delivered to Robert L. Robins (address above). State and local governments may choose to use the PHS 398 application form in lieu of the PHS 5161. Submit applications by June 1, 1998. If the closing date falls on a weekend, it will be extended to Monday; if the date falls on a holiday, it will be extended to the following workday. No supplemental or addendum material will be accepted after the receipt date. The outside of the mailing package and item 2 of the application face page should be labeled, "Response to RFA FDA CVM-98-1." METHOD OF APPLICATION Submission Instructions Applications will be accepted during normal working hours, 8am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday, on or before the established receipt date. Applications will be considered received on time if sent or mailed on or before the receipt date as evidenced by a legible U.S. Postal Service dated postmark or a legible date receipt from a commercial carrier, unless they arrive too late for orderly processing. Private metered postmarks shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing. Applications not received on time will not be considered for review and will be returned to the applicant. (Applicants should note that the U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide dated postmarks. Before relying on this method, applicants should check with their local post office.) DO NOT SEND APPLICATIONS TO THE CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (CSR), NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH). Any application that is sent to the NIH, not received in time for orderly processing, will be deemed unresponsive and returned to the applicant. Instructions for completing the application forms can be found on the NIH home page on the Internet (address https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html; the forms can be found at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/forms_toc.html). However, as noted above, applications are not to be mailed to the NIH. (Applicants are advised that the FDA does not adhere to the page limitations or the type size and line spacing requirements imposed by the NIH on its applications). Applications must be submitted via mail delivery as stated above. FDA is unable to receive applications via the Internet. Format for Application Submission of the application must be on Grant Application Form PHS 398 (Rev. 5/95). All "General Instructions" and "Specific Instructions" in the application kit should be followed with the exception of the receipt dates and the mailing label address. Do not send applications to the CSR, NIH. Applications from State and local Governments may be submitted on Form PHS 5161 (Rev. 7/92) or Form PHS 398 (Rev. 5/95). The face page of the application should reflect the request for applications number RFA-FDA-CVM-98-1. Data included in the application, if restricted with the legend specified below, may be entitled to confidential treatment as trade secret or confidential commercial information within the meaning of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4)) and FDA's implementing regulations (21 CFR 20.61). Information collection requirements requested on Form PHS 398 and the instructions have been submitted by the PHS to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and were approved and assigned OMB control number 0925-0001. Legend Unless disclosure is required by the Freedom of Information Act as amended (5 U.S.C. 552) as determined by the freedom of information officials of the Department of Health and Human Services or by a court, data contained in the portions of this application which have been specifically identified by page number, paragraph, etc., by the applicant as containing restricted information shall not be used or disclosed except for evaluation purposes.
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warc | 201704 | January 2013 diagnosed with hypothyroidism and, at the same time, other conditions that I am sure are a result of the hypothyroidism – more on this below. During the last six months day-dreams have been a bit of saving grace and I feel compelled to share this one.
The other day, on my way to work, I found myself imagining how brilliant it would be if they had a Strictly Come Dancing for ordinary members of the public (comme moi!). My partner would be Artem Chigvinstev and we would dance a hot salsa to Earth, Wind and Fire. I imagine our first meeting - I walk into a dance studio with floor to ceiling mirrors, and, by way of preparing him for our future routines I, after a few pleasantries, utter “I’ve got rhythm and osteoporosis.”
In this day-dream scenario, rhythm would be a definite strength. (I teach music.) However, I feel it important to establish my limitations in case of any difficult lifts…throws (…on reflection ….they don’t “throw” as such do they)….shall we say “manoeuvres” that he may be planning. At this point I found myself musing on whether any of the celebrities have osteoporosis, hypothyroidism (where DO they get all that energy…?) or the like.
To matters more serious. I have read that: “thyroid hormones help with normal bone growth”. (Thank you Mary Shomon: Living Well With Hypothyroidism.) I started breaking bones back in 2007 and it was, thankfully, a bone density scan, which I asked for in Autumn last year, then the follow-up blood tests that finally revealed the extent to which “things were out of kilter”.
Over the last few years as my health has deteriorated, so my diet (already good) has improved. I have noticed how, in comparison to everyone around me, I have to really (I mean REALLY….) look after myself. Sleep (or lack of it) has also been an issue since 2007 (a vintage year). In fact, as I have stumbled around in an exhausted fug (as opposed to day-dreaming!), I wonder about the extent to which the sleep problems have resulted in my intimate acquaintance with the local fracture clinic.
Whilst determined to look ahead, I now, with the benefit of hindsight, think that I can start to see how these seemingly random health “events” fit into the bigger picture. |
warc | 201704 | On this blog we’ve extensively looked at lots of things from deformation theory over the past few years. Deformation theory is in some sense a local examination of a more global object called a moduli space. Today we’ll start a brief series on moduli spaces.
Roughly speaking a moduli space is a “space” whose “points” are objects you are trying to classify. You could make the moduli space of elliptic curves in which the points are elliptic curves. You could make the moduli space of rank vector bundles over some . Each point of this space would correspond to a vector bundle of rank on (up to isomorphism). You could make a moduli space of morphisms between and .
In theory, any type of mathematical thing you think up you could try to make a space of them. Algebraic geometers do this a lot, but I see no reason why you couldn’t try to study Borel measures on some metric space by trying to make a space whose points correspond to Borel measures (maybe up to mutual absolute continuity or something).
We’ve talked about the deformation functor of an object. Roughly speaking you should expect something along the following lines. Fix an object . This corresponds to a point on your moduli space . The tangent space of at should correlated to the first order infinitesimal deformation of . Nearby points to on should correspond to more similar objects (whatever that means) and far away objects should correspond to quite different objects.
The reason I want to keep this series brief is that the subject turns incredibly technical quickly because there are lots of conditions that people impose on their objects to get the moduli space to be small enough and nice enough to study. We’ll restrict ourselves to some fairly straightforward examples.
The general idea behind constructing a moduli space is that by specifying what the type of object you want to make a space out of, you’ve told me what the functor of points of the space is. In order for it to be some sort of “space” all that we need to do is figure out what space represents this functor.
Let’s start with making some of this more precise. Unfortunately, even the easiest cases have some strange technical points that can’t be avoided. Fix an algebraically closed field (unnecessary in general), . The moduli functor will be a functor from schemes over to sets. The set is the set of equivalence classes of our objects “over” (which will have a meaning depending on the type of object).
The coarse moduli space (if it exists) for this functor is a scheme (a highly restrictive condition we’ll remove if this series goes very far) over with the property that there is a natural transformation such that is bijective and satisfies a universal property: given any other natural transformation where there is a unique map of schemes so that the original map factors .
If our moduli functor has a coarse moduli space , then we define a universal family for the moduli problem to be a family of objects over (i.e. an element of ) with the property that for each closed point , the object over is the one corresponding to under the bijection .
How should we think of this? Well, our coarse moduli space is just a scheme whose closed points are the objects we are considering. This was our motivating definition. (Un)fortunately, schemes have a ton more structure than their closed points. This is what is meant by “coarse”. Other than being the universal space in some sense and actually having as its points the objects we want the rest of the scheme structure is basically irrelevant for a coarse moduli space. The universal family is essentially geometrically designating to each point of the object that it corresponds to.
We’ll end on an extremely simple example that will become somewhat annoying next time when we want a better notion of moduli space. Let be the functor that classifies smooth, projective, genus curves over up to isomorphism. We need to make precise our notion of a relative curve over some if we want a well-defined functor on all of .
Define to be the set of which are smooth and projective with geometric fibers curves of genus . This is exactly what one would expect a family of genus curves to be. The functor’s value on is just a single point because all genus curves (over an algebraically closed field) are isomorphic. This easily shows that is the coarse moduli space and there is a universal family which is to just put the one object over , i.e. is the universal family. |
warc | 201704 | Monthly Archives: October 2011
On Sunday I will be traveling to Indianapolis to spend three weeks with fifteen practitioners of public history, the 2011 class of Developing History Leaders @SHA. We will engage in deep discussions with many leaders in our field, probing some of the
BIG about the relevance and future sustainability of our work. questions
Every two or three days I’ll post a summary of what we’ve been talking about. If you’d like to follow and comment on our discussions,
. sign up to follow this blog by clicking on the button to the right
During the first week our questions will center on the nature of our work in relationship to the people and communities we serve. Why is it that so many Americans find history, for the most part, boring and irrelevant? Why is it that they think of visiting a history museum, historic site, or any history organization as something nice to do occasionally, if at all, and certainly not on a regular basis? Is it because history is really not so important in today’s world?
Here are some specific questions we’ll be asking.
1.Whose history is it? Do we decide what’s important about the past, or do we let the people we serve decide? How do we share authority with them? How do we get them “involved” in history and still maintain standards of accuracy and authenticity?
2.What if they have different points of view among themselves? Do we take sides, or do we take a neutral stance? What is our role, and how do we best fulfill that role? This is an especially relevant question when one group of people has oppressed another group in the past.
3.Is it enough that we make history engaging by telling great stories and displaying evocative and provocative objects, or should we find ways to make history useful to present-day concerns? What roles should we play in our communities?
4.How can we be more creative in using authentic objects to involve people in exploring the past? For decades we have used objects to illustrate an interpretation of the past, displayed in cases, on platforms, and in room settings. Are there creative ways to use objects, not as illustrations, but as sources of evidence to enable others to develop their own interpretations?
5.How can we best use technology to enhance a person’s involvement with history? What are people already doing outside of our field? How can we take what’s out there and use it to our advantage?
6.Is there a limit to what we should do? Should that limit be determined only by available funding? Does everything old that comes our way have to be saved for the benefit of the public? How do we make choices?
Remember, if you’d like to follow our discussions, sign up for this blog. |
warc | 201704 | A Multi-Country Analysis of Lifecycle Emissions From Transportation Fuels and Motor Vehicles
General. This report provide an overview of basic assumptions and general results for all of the fuel, feedstock, and light-duty vehicle combinations treated in the LEM, and somewhat more detailed results and discussions for the longer-term advanced options, including compressed or liquefied hydrogen from natural gas, compressed or liquefied hydrogen from water via electrolysis, and liquid biofuels developed from wood, grass, or corn. It considers fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCVs) as well as internal-combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). Target years. The LEM has the capability of modeling lifecycle environmental impacts in any target year from 1970 to 2050. For this analysis we have estimated results for the near term (2010) and the long term (2050). (We originally proposed to run the LEM for three dates, 2005, 2020, and 2050, but for three reasons have modeled 2010 and 2050 instead: there is not enough difference between 2005 and 2020 to warrant separate runs; having three target years instead of two increases the already large number of results tables by 50%; and Nissan has the LEM and hence the capability to run any year it is interested in.) Countries. The LEM also has the capability of modeling lifecycle environmental impacts in up to 30 countries simultaneously. For this project, we have performed lifecycle analysis for Japan, China, the U. S., and Germany, using existing data in the LEM. (We originally proposed to run the LEM for Poland, Italy, and the U. K. as well, but for several reasons we omitted them: the data for these countries are not as good as the data for China, Japan, and the U. S.; presenting results for three more countries would greatly multiply the already-large number of results tables; and Nissan has the LEM and hence the capability to run any country it is interested in.) Results reported. The LEM produces a wide range of quantitative outputs related to lifecycle emissions from the use of alternative transportation fuels and modes. For this report we provide estimates of lifecycle CO2-equivalent GHG emissions in grams per mile, by stage of lifecycle and fuel/feedstock/vehicle combination; emissions of pollutants from the "upstream" fuel cycle (i.e., all stages of the fuel lifecycle excluding end use) in grams per million BTU of fuel, by individual pollutant including CO2-equivalent and fuel/feedstock combination; and emissions of pollutants from the vehicle and materials lifecycle, in grams per pound of material, by individual pollutant (including CO2-equivalent) and vehicle type. We discuss the key assumptions of the analysis and their impacts on the results. We pay particular attention to inputs and outputs that determine or reveal differences among countries, including kinds and sources of feedstocks for various fuel production pathways, differences in technologies, and differences in emissions regulations and fuel properties.
Length: Date of creation: 01 May 2005 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt8nf3606c Contact details of provider: Postal: 2028 Academic Surge, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
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warc | 201704 | Contractors: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. and the University of Minnesota Institute of Community Integration Background/Research Questions
This study is the third in a series examining the characteristics and school experiences of a nationally representative sample of youth with disabilities. NLTS 2012 focuses on students ages 13 to 21 (in December 2011) but also includes a small sample of students without disabilities to enable direct comparisons of students with and without individualized education programs (IEPs). It is part of the congressionally-mandated National Assessment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004, P.L. 108-446) and is supported with funds authorized under Section 664 of the Act. The study will address such question as:
Design:
Phase I of the study collects survey data (Spring 2012–Summer 2013) on a nationwide sample of 12,000 youth in school, of which 10,000 are students with IEPs across the federal disability categories. Surveys of both youth and their parents/guardians will be administered. This phase of the study also included, a systematic review of the research literature on post-high transition programs for students with disabilities..
Cost/Duration: $22,897,534 over 69 months (September 2010–June 2016) Current Status
Survey data collection was completed and analysis of the data is underway. Reports describing the survey results are scheduled for release in 2016 and will be announced on http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/. A report assessing existing research on the effectiveness of transition strategies for youth with disabilities was released August 19, 2013 (see http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20134011/index.asp).
Key Findings:
A systematic review of the evidence on transition strategies was conducted, to inform development of the surveys and interpretation of the survey results. The review found: |
warc | 201704 | English français Preliminary evidence for a fronto-parietal dysfunction in able-bodied participants with a desire for limb amputation
BACKGROUND: Reports of able-bodied participants with the persisting desire for limb amputation raise legal and ethical questions that are partly due to insufficient empirical knowledge about the condition. Here, we searched for potential neurological mechanisms in participants with desire for limb amputation in order to help develop adequate nosological classifications, diagnosis, and treatment. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 20 participants who self-identified themselves as able-bodied individuals desiring amputation of a limb. RESULTS: The results suggest that amputation desire is not unspecific, but in most cases specific for a circumscribed part of the body. Most frequently affected was the leg, mostly on the left, non-dominant side. Left-sidedness and limb specificity was associated with elementary and complex somatosensory disturbances of the affected limb akin to those reported by neurological patients. The most frequent neurological co-morbidity was migraine headache. CONCLUSIONS: These results document the existence of an unusual condition in able-bodied participants characterized by a person's desire for the amputation of one or more particular limbs. Left-sidedness, limb specificity and somatosensory disturbances of the affected limb are suggestive of abnormal brain mechanisms in right fronto-parietal cortex. Based on this association we suggest that desire for limb amputation may be conceptualized as asomatognosia due to disturbed integration of multi-sensory information of the affected body parts into a coherent cerebral representation of the own body. This suggestion has to be regarded with caution as we did not perform any neurological examination. |
warc | 201704 | English français Epigenetics of brain disorders
This chapter discusses the epigenetics of brain disorders. Epigenetic mechanisms play a pivotal role in higher-order brain functions under physiological and pathological conditions. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms is of utmost importance for the development of potential treatments against brain disorders involving aberrant epigenetic modifications. Promising results have already been obtained, in particular with the use of histone deacetylases HDAC inhibitors. However, most of these inhibitors are nonspecific, and more research is needed to better understand their mechanisms of action before any treatment can be safely administered. It is therefore important to not only identify more specific HDAC inhibitors, but also to determine which HDACs are involved in different disease states. In this direction, it was recently demonstrated that although HDAC1 and HDAC2 are structurally related class I HDACs that often form functional heterodimers, only HDAC2 is causally implicated in the negative regulation of memory formation and synaptic plasticity
EPFL-CHAPTER-190086 doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-375709-8.00034-4 Reference
Record created on 2013-10-31, modified on 2016-08-09 |
warc | 201704 | Why Businesses Should Environmental Initiatives Businesses have started to recognize that climate change poses both risks and opportunities, with strategic and financial implications The world is currently facing one of its most serious challenges, with consequences that go far beyond its effect on the environment: climate change. Today there is a scientific consensus that human activity is beyond reasonable doubt a significant factor behind the current rapid changes in the world’s climate. The production of energy using fossil fuels, and consequently the mass emission of greenhouse gases (GHG), is pushing the earth’s temperature to dangerous figures. Renewable energies could be the long-term answer for this challenge, using various sources of alternative energy such as tidal waves, and solar, wind and bio-mass technologies. However, these solutions will only become efficient enough to significantly replace fossil fuels several decades into the future. Today society is committed to working fast to amend this problem and prevent a global environmental disaster. Businesses have started to recognize that climate change poses both risks and oppor-
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tunities, with strategic and financial implications. Environmental challenges in recent years have increased the trend of “going green” in businesses like never before. There are two main factors that are currently pushing toward environmental-friendly business behaviors: harsher international and local regulations and the high fluctuations of fossil-fuel prices. In the category of international regulations, one major step in the fight against climate change is the Kyoto Protocol. This agreement is linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major feature
of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European Community for reducing greenhouse gases emissions. The business approach reflected in the protocol provides incentives through carbon trading (e.g. a company or a country finding it expensive to achieve an emission reduction can alternatively buy credits, so that the money can be used anywhere else on projects where an equivalent reduction of emissions could be achieved at lower cost). Although this protocol has not been signed by some major industrialized countries (including the
Why busi
Commit to By Guy Prooper, Calin Tudor Buzan and Chiara Garavaglia United States), over time, both international and local regulations are increasing environmental protection all over the world. Fossil-fuel prices are impacting both the economy and the environment. In recent years, the price of crude oil, and therefore the price of various oil products, has been dramatically unstable. The factors behind this instability are both commercial and political. Although the instability of oil prices is sometimes translated into dramatic drops (like the recent fall of more than 50 percent), the general trend is upward. Taking global industrialization into consideration, that means a constantly increasing demand for energy; since fossil fuel is a limited natural resource, we can expect continued instability in oil prices, with eventual increases to record-breaking figures. In organizations all around the world “green behavior” can come in many forms. While some environmental initiatives could have a direct positive impact on a company’s business performance, other initia-
tives might not offer immediate reciprocation. Although some environmental projects might not return the investment in the short run, they might result in a long-term financial contribution or in other benefits.
There are two main factors that are currently pushing toward environmental friendly business behaviors: harsher international and local regulations and the high fluctuations of fossil-fuel prices
Why should businesses commit to environmental initiatives? We believe that the answer to this question can be divided into three main categories: • Must-have initiatives • ROI-driven initiatives • Human-values-related initiatives To examine the development of environmental initiatives, we have chosen Romania as a case study. Romania has gone through two major transitions in the last two decades: the termination of the Communist regime and its entry into the European Union. Both processes have rapidly shifted its awareness to environmental protection and related legislation, thus imitating in a very short period of time processes that have taken half a century
Paul Nuber, General Manager, Nestle Romania
Markus Wirth, General Manager, Holcim Romania
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HSE - health, safety and environmental No matter which industry or sector a company belongs to, it will feel the effects of climate change. Even people skeptical about the dangers of global warming recognize that the phenomenon has wide-ranging implications. Many businesses must contend with higher costs of raw materials and energy as governments enact policies that place a cost on emissions. In addition, consumers increasingly are taking into account a company’s environmental record when making purchasing decisions. Companies need to manage and mitigate their
rules. We define an initiative linked to regulatory issues (policies such as new emissions standards) as being a “must-have initiative”; companies usually consider it a pure cost. As HSE issues increasingly become a matter of business rather than of compliance, top managers are starting to consider the impact and risk of HSE problems in evaluating alternative strategies and business scenarios. Transition is the need to assess business strategies according to HSE issues in a changeover period (e.g. passage from an industrial stage to a different stage). This need is strictly linked to the
Picture 1: the “4 Ts” model exposure to the risks associated with climate change, including lack of raw materials, water and energy. At the same time, they must seek new opportunities for profit and generate a competitive advantage over rivals in a carbonconstrained future. Usually the health, safety and environmental (HSE) needs of a company are linked to the challenges and risks it faces in a particular phase of its life cycle (see picture1). Transaction is the need to evaluate HSE liabilities during an M&A operation aimed at quantifying the potential risk and considering it in the purchase price. Transgression is the need to be compliant with HSE rules and laws to avoid wrongdoing. Transaction and transgression are the companies’ most common and basic HSE needs that are satisfied by adopting codified behaviors and
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existence of a business case. Risk assessment is the first step in identifying possible business scenarios and design sustainable business models, both economically and environmentally. ROI-driven initiatives lower CO2 emissions, waste, energy and water usage, while producing economic savings. Transformation is the need to create and implement a new sustainable business system. Creating a sustainable business system means redesigning the ecological, social and economic profile of an entire business system, using a holistic approach that involves different aspects of the business and considers the social impact of sustainability. Human-value-related initiatives aim to introduce a business model based on social-responsibility principles. Even if the concept seems counterintuitive, human-value-related initiatives could be a business opportunity.
Why busi
in more-developed countries. With a population of almost 22 million, Romania joined the EU in January 2007. The country is still one of the poorest in central and eastern Europe, but since 2000 has enjoyed a very high rate of economic development. The recent economic history began in 1989 with the demise of communism in eastern Europe, with a largely obsolete industrial base. Environmental protection was not a great concern during the era of communism, and some of this industrial inheritance survived until 2007. Another interesting aspect is that between the years 1989-2000, pollution levels were reduced along with the decrease of industrial production due to inefficient productivity, thus producing less greenhouse gases. Due to years of permissive environmental regulations, and the strict European Union regulations imposed when Romania joined the EU, Romania was granted a transition period to comply with EU rules in specific areas concerning air quality, waste management, water quality and industrial pollution. This transition period was primarily justified by the substantial investment needed in infrastructure and technology to comply with EU legislation.
Must-have initiatives Current environmental issues faced by Romania are air and water pollution due to industrial effluents, soil ero-
sion and the degradation and contamination of the Danube delta wetlands. According to Romanian authorities, the costs of complying with EU environmental laws have been estimated at approximately €27 billion until the end of the transition period. These regulations will affect both the private and the public sectors. The private sector has received a significantly shorter transition period than the public sector to comply with EU legislation; it also has not received support from EU funds. The industry’s immediate effort, from the end of negotiations in April 2006 until entry to the EU in January 2007, was evaluated at €2.8 billion. Meeting EU environmental regulations was a bigger challenge for local and smaller companies. While these companies faced an even greater gap between past standards and the required performance according to EU legislation, allocating the capital required to close this gap was significantly harder. In many cases, multinational giants operating in Romania had an easier task facing new environmental standards. These companies were usually more prepared and, when needed, could more easily come up with the necessary investments. One such multinational company is Holcim, a Swiss-based international cement manufacturer. “On the environmental perspective, joining the EU did not have any effect on our
consumers increasingly are taking into account a company’s environmental record when making purchasing decisions
According to Romanian authorities, the costs of complying with EU environmental laws have been estimated at approximately €27 billion until the end of the transition period
inesses shoul 29
company, as Holcim emission standards are established internally and go far beyond respecting EU regulation,” said Markus Wirth, general manager of Holcim Romania. Between 1997 and 2007, Holcim Romania invested more than €26 million in environmental protection. Another example of a global group operating in Romania is Nestle. “I believe that no country has regulations as strict as Nestle’s regarding consumption of electrical energy, gas fuel and water,” said Paul Nuber, general manager of Nestle Romania. “When Nestle entered Romania, we applied our internal regulations for the protection of the environment and therefore did not have any difficulties complying with new regulations when Romania joined the EU.” We believe that the need to comply with tough environmental regulations will contribute to businesses’ aggregation process as more small local companies find it impossible to jump over this hurdle.
ROI-driven initiatives When it comes to environmental ROI (return on investment) initiatives, they are usually related to the reduction of energy consumption. The growing cost of energy affects all industries, but especially businesses such as automotive producers, electronics, tourism and construction. The increase in the cost of energy is encouraging
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investment in manufacturing technologies, shortening the return on investment for those projects. An example of such
that could help a business reduce its energy costs and thus provide a tangible return on investment. “Nestle has a
Largest investments required in private sector for adhering to EU environmental legislation (Capital business magazine, November 2005) Industry Refinery and gas sectors Steel industry Chemical industry Mining industry Pig and chicken farms
Total investments – million euros 440 458.7 559.6 180 112
a project is the replacement of Holcim’s old kilns with modern equipment and the production of electric energy in thermal power plants. Aside from the benefits of improved manufacturing capabilities and reduction of production costs, the project has also resulted in decreased greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide) emissions. Between 2004 and 2007, the
hard policy on consumption of energy in distribution,” Nuber said. “We manage this issue strictly and constantly audit our suppliers.” He cited the rapid changes taking place in Romania, adding, “The quality of local trucks is improving, and trucks today pollute much less than four years ago.” Increased energy costs also
The evolution of the price of electricity in Romania based on Eurostat (European Bureau of Statistics) 0.10 0.08
Euro/kWh
0.06 0.04
0.040
0.076
0.077
2005
2006
0.084
0.046
0.02 0.00
2003
2004
2007
Year total reduction of emission was quantified at 500,000 tons of CO2. There are also many different supply-chain investments
encourage the decentralization of production sites. As transportation costs grow, more and more companies prefer to position their pro-
Why busi
duction sites closer to their customers, willing to pay the price of lower manufacturing efficiency.
Human values Businesses today have a greater responsibility as their impact on society becomes more significant, and they do not always invest for the sake of foreseen business benefits. CEOs could point out that profits are not an end in themselves, but rather a signal from society that a company is providing things people want. By building social issues into strategy, big companies can recast the debate about their role in society. We can find many examples of the longterm business impact of social issues. For example, in the pharmaceutical sector, the past decade’s storm of social pressures stemming from issues such as public perceptions of excessive prices charged for HIV/AIDS drugs in developing countries has resulted in a general (and sometimes seemingly indiscriminate) toughening of the regulatory environment. In the food and restaurant sectors, the longescalating debate about obesity is now resulting in calls for further control on marketing of unhealthy foods. In the case of big financial institutions, concerns about conflicts of interest and misrepresentation of products have recently led to changes in core business practices and industrial structure. For some big retailers,
public resistance to new stores is constraining growth opportunities. And all this is to say nothing of the way social and political pressures have reshaped and redefined the tobacco, oil and mining industries, among others, over the decades. Just as important, these outcomes have not just posed risks to companies, they have also generated opportunities for value creation: in the pharmaceutical sector, for example, the growing market for generic drugs; in the case of fast-food restaurants, providing healthier meals; and in the case of the energy industry, meeting fastgrowing demand (as well as regulatory pressure) for cleaner fuels such as natural gas. Social pressures often indicate the existence of unmet social needs or consumer preferences. Businesses can gain advantages by spotting and supplying these before their competitors do. As people in Romania become more aware of the need for environment protection, more businesses operate various environmental initiatives as part of their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy. Holcim recognizes its social responsibilities and runs various programs for the benefit of the communities around its facilities. One successful Holcim story is a pilot project in 21 cities around Romania that started four years ago. The project consisted of giving to children from the 7th to 11th grades books with subjects
The increase in the cost of energy is encouraging investment in manufacturing technologies, shortening the return on investment for those projects
By building social issues into strategy, big companies can recast the debate about their role in society
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Case study: The review of waste management in process manufacturing A fast-growing company in the oil and energy sector (oil-refining and downstream) was experiencing an increase of 50 percent in waste-management costs over the last two years, which resulted in a deviation from the budget of almost 100%. The company was interested in determining the cost of waste management and optimizing effectiveness, while being in compliance to trim down costs. Tefen was brought in to identify and implement opportunities for optimization at every stage of the process. A process-mapping exercise of the whole waste-management process enabled the quantification of full waste-management costs (from generation to disposal) and the identification of a wide array of improvement opportunities. Through database building/analysis and interviews with the involved functions (ENV, PROC, OPS) a full analysis of cost was created. A dedicated team composed of company employees and Tefen’s consultants identified 21 quick-hit opportunities out of the analysis, from which seven have been considered for immediate implementation, and the related preparatory activities have been carried out. Another team carried out scouting visits, with the aim of further investigating the industry’s best practices. As a result, new waste-management model guidelines were developed. The project’s benefits were significant and immediate. In the short term, packaging and collection modes were optimized and remarkable waste volumes were managed “ad hoc.” For the mid term, packaging and disposal-service procurement was optimized and innovative tank-cleaning technologies were implemented. For the long term, waste-processing plants for the downgrade of delivered waste were introduced, along with the development of a global-service approach in waste management. The economic benefits of the improvements and the implementation of the new model for waste management enabled savings in excess of €6 million per year, equal to about 30% of the total As-Is.
related to the protection of the environment. The program was financed by Holcim for two years, after which the Ministry of Education introduced this program in all the schools in Romania. “If you want to educate the citizens of a country about the importance of the environment and how to protect it, you should start with the younger generation,” Holcim’s
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Wirth said, citing a similar level of environmental awareness in Switzerland decades ago, when school programs were able to enhance public awareness through children. One key element of Nestle’s green policy is water consumption. “The consumption of water is strictly controlled,” Nestle’s Nuber said. “The water is purified and there is a policy
of minimizing consumption, even if local authorities do not impose it. There is a strong pressure to reduce consumption each year.” “Nestle has more than 260,000 employees,” he said. “Add to that their families and our suppliers that have to meet our standards, and you can clearly see that our impact on society today is more significant than ever.” In conclusion, human-valuerelated environmental initiatives do not necessarily result in increased profits, but we can estimate that as the environmental-friendly trend grows in the future, companies committed to these initiatives will be leaders, and their businesses will profit either by better reputations or their compatibility to future and even stricter regulations. Regarding those initiatives, Nuber said, “Being ahead in everything also includes being ahead in environmental protection. Only by acting in this way are you capable of creating long-term competitive advantages for your company.” Nevertheless, we can add that the impact of these initiatives on company values can also prove beneficial today, as employees have a stronger bond and admiration for their company values.
Guy Propper, Associate Partner, Tefen Romania Chiara Garavaglia, Director, Tefen Italy Calin Tudor Buzan, Consultant, Tefen Romania
Why busi |
warc | 201704 | Weddings are entrenched in age old traditions and rituals that some of us in the modern world choose to partake in and others that we leave behind. Today we’re going to talk about some things that have been bothering me since I got engaged over 6 months ago and that, my friends, are wedding diets and bridal expectations.
I’ve had poor body image since sixth grade. My eating disorder began gradually in seventh grade and became uncontrollable my freshmen year of college. 3 months of inpatient rehab later, hours of therapy, an unbreakable support network of the best friends a girl could ask for, and I would consider myself in recovery for the last 6 years. I’m not perfect and my past with my eating disorder does not define me, but I still find it influencing my body image and relationship with food as years go by.
The reason I bring up this issue now is that in my last post I blogged about the joys of finding the perfect wedding dress. I absolutely LOVE my dress, I cannot wait to wear it for an entire day because it is beautiful and I feel beautiful in it. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t having an internal battle with myself and my dormant eating disorder. Wedding dresses are beautiful, but you aren’t always going to fit into the sample size dress. You are also sometimes going to get measured in front of a mirror in your bra and underwear, something I like to think of as my own personal hell. All I could think was, thank god this is happening now, when I am strong and stable in my recovery.
First thing’s first, a wedding diet is an option, NOT an obligation. Going on a wedding diet is not like hiring an officiant or getting a marriage license, it’s a choice, not a necessity and you can still tie the knot without one.
After you get engaged there are a slough of questions, where are you getting married? What color will your bridesmaids wear? Asking about a wedding diet or “new” exercise routine, should not be among questions that a bride gets during wedding planning. Asking about a diet or “new/special” exercise routine implies you need to go on a diet whether that is your intention or not. While externally I might respond with confidence and poise saying something to the effect of “absolutely not, Eric is marrying the me today not the me minus 20 pounds”. But internally, you have set off an alarm that sounds a little more like “oh gosh is she asking because my arms look flabby or she can see that my stomach does not resemble a six pack? Should I be going to bridal boot camp or joining hundreds of other brides in giving up carbs and sweets before their big day?”
Let’s get the record straight here, skinnier does not equal better or more beautiful. Shouldn’t it be more important that you look and feel like yourself? For hundreds of years society has been telling men and women that skinnier and more fit people are happier and more beautiful. Why do we continue to buy into this myth?
Lastly, your wedding day does not also have to be the day you will look the absolute best you will ever look, EVER. What kind of bar is that? Welcome to marriage, you can only go downhill from here. In fact, I want to go uphill, I want to get hotter with age like Jennifer Aniston or Julia Roberts. I don’t want to say that on September 24th, 2016 I peaked.
To make a long story short, if shedding a few pounds or toning your biceps are what makes you feel more confident and beautiful for your wedding then by all means, proceed. But getting married and going on a diet do not need to coexist. I could write a whole other blog post about the pressures women are feeling versus men in this whole wedding business, but alas I will end with this. Your partner is marrying you for who you are and how you make them feel and they are attracted to you as is because you are utterly beautiful and perfect in every way shape and form. And if your partner is anything like mine, he (or she) would prefer you to continue enjoying pizza and ice cream with them for the next year of wedding planning because what fun would wedding planning be without the cake tasting or a celebratory beer! |
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warc | 201704 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
As the consultation period for the recently announced Small Business Commissioner role closes, the Forum of Private Business highlights that 76% of the adult population believe the Government should penalise big businesses who act unfairly towards small firms, and calls on the Government to give the Commissioner the teeth to deliver real change.
• Late payment is an issue for 51% of small firms with 19% having to agree to long payment terms • 22% of small employers are bullied by larger firms and just 5% would be prepared to talk in confidence • 74% of adults in the UK feel big businesses have no concern for the UKs small business owners and 76% felt that the government should penalise big businesses who act unfairly towards small firms • The average small business awaits payments of around £32,000 – in comparison cash reserves are around £40,000 • 82% of Forum members wanted a strengthening of the Prompt Payment Code to be a priority for this government, 46% wanted the government to prioritise third party adjudication on contractual disputes. Late payment is an issue for 51% of small firms and this has increased since the recession despite the need for paying late reducing. Not only is there a monetary implication to this, £31,901 per business according the latest BACS survey, but it also impacts trust, inhibits supply chain innovation and ultimately costs UK jobs. Having a professional third party such as the Forum, or the Institute of Credit Management deal with contractual disputes can be effective as the business involved is able to remain anonymous. In a large number of cases, potential entrants to the Forum’s Hall of Shame have claimed the issue was a mistake and have taken remedial action. Others have been happy to deal with the associated bad press and damage to their reputation. “Good relationships with clients is absolutely essential to a small business and half of those who responded to the Forum survey stated that they would not take action against a ‘big business’ client in the recovery of an overdue debt” explained Ian Cass, Chief Executive of the Forum of Private Business, and a small business owner himself.“ “There was a mood before the election that something needed to be done about the behaviour of large companies with 76% of adults, according to a Comres poll, wanting the Government to penalise big businesses who act unfairly towards small businesses Although creating another mechanism for small firms is helpful, there is plenty that the government could do to support business by preventing poor payers from gaining public contracts or by supporting a kite mark scheme similar to the one suggested by Arla for the dairy industry.” “The lack of government sanction on the dispute resolution service is extremely disappointing and we feel that forcing large companies to report their average payment times is well overdue. We hope that when the Government has considered the input to the consultation they will ensure the Commissioner has the teeth to force through real change”. ENDS Notes to editors Representing thousands of small businesses across the UK – including retail, service providers and manufacturing companies – the Forum is recognised by the Government as one of the six main business support and lobby groups. It uses this position to influence decision-makers in the UK and Brussels on the issues that matter to small businesses. Broadcast media – the Forum has ISDN capability and can provide comment, in quality audio, at short notice. The Forum can also provide journalists with localised and sector-specific case studies. Twitter account - http://twitter.com/the_fpb Forum blog - http://blog.fpb.org About the Forum of Private Business: The Forum of Private Business is a proactive business support organisation focused on the growth and profitability of small businesses. Media contact for this press release Thomas Parry Research Manager Tel: 01565 626015 Mobile: 07885 888085 Email: [email protected] Leanda Hickman Marketing Manager Tel: 01565 626023 Email: [email protected]
16 Jan 2017 15:30
10 Jan 2017 15:30
For more information on JournoLink and how to receive more content like this, please visit https://journolink.com/journalists. |
warc | 201704 | To Dance Is Human To Dance Is Human A Theory of Nonverbal Communication
Choice called the book “one of the most important dance books yet written.”
Ashley Montagu, in The Sciences, stated, “One of the great contributions of this book is to make clear as never before what a multi-sensory, multidimensional behavior dance is. Hanna ranges through the whole calculus of the meaning of dance, from the private solo dance as interior dialogue or soliloquy to the urban ecosystem of dance. In between are invaluable discussions of dancer movement and the communication of sociocultural patterns, dance in religion, dance rites in political thought and action, warrior dances, and finally a chapter on directions for the future. The report of the author’s own ethnographic studies of dance in Africa, Mexico, the Caribbean and the United States add greatly to the value of the volume…Hanna’s splendid book is the best exposition of the science, art, and philosophy of dance that I have read.”
Lauren Corwin, in Dance Research Journal, wrote, “A significant contribution to the anthropological study of art forms of all kinds, not just the anthropology of dance.”
And in Dance magazine, Margaret Pierpont noted, “Hanna makes a strong case for the importance of research in dance in widening our knowledge of human behavior.”
Pulitzer prize winner for dance criticism, Alan M. Kriegsman, in The Washington Post, called To Dance Is Human a “landmark.”
To Dance Is Human has been deemed outstanding and has had a positive impact on dance scholarship. Laudatory reviews were widespread in the United States and abroad.
The book explains that dance is not merely emotion but why and how it is cognitive and language-like
. To Dance Is Human is the first published analysis to apply knowledge from the arts, humanities, and social sciences — especially anthropology — to further illuminate our understanding of dance. More than a synthesis, it presents original field research and a new method for probing for meaning in movement. The book fleshes out concepts of dance and its meanings. The concept of dance, not necessarily a particular dancer’s or group’s definition, attempts to permit cross-cultural discussion, especially important in our multicultural world. Describing the physical actions of dance, like transcribing speech, is a beginning step in studying dance; making sense of these movements (comparable to literary analysis) requires further effort. Because there were guides to describe physical movement, such as Rudolf Laban’s movement analyses, but none to probe for meaning in movement, To Dance Is Human presents a semantic grid as a tool for eliciting, reading, and interpreting the meaning of dance movement. Drawing upon semiotic analyses of visual and verbal texts and the variety of dance found in history and different places, the author identified what appear to be six devices and eight spheres of encoding meaning in the webs of significance people spin in kinetic images.
To Dance Is Human has been widely cited and used as a text in such places as UCLA, Indiana University, Tufts University, and Temple University. The work has been reaching a uniquely broad audience, including a mathematical theoretician in the membrane biology group, University of Toronto Department of Medicine. Studies of dance since 1979 have either supported the propositions in To Dance Is Human or have not invalidated them; the book’s theory and supporting data still may best explain the multiplicity that is dance, and offer a prologue to current and future investigation.
The book has served as a foundation for the author’s subsequent books, The Performer-Audience Connection: Emotion to Metaphor in Dance and Society, University of Texas Press (Choice, outstanding book), 1983; Disruptive School Behavior: Class, Race, and Culture, Holmes & Meier Publishers, 1988; Dance, Sex, and Gender: Signs of Identity, Dominance, Defiance, and Desire, University of Chicago Press, 1988; Dancing for Health: Conquering and Preventing Stress, AltaMira Press; 2006; Partnering Dance and Education: Intelligent Moves for Changing Times, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1999; Naked Truth: A Christian Right; Strippers and Democracy (University of Texas Press, 2012) and Nigeria’s Ubakala Igbo Dance: Life, Death, and the Women’s War (in progress).
The book undergirds articles in numerous journals such as Africana Journal, American Journal of Dance Therapy, Anthropology and Education Quarterly, Arts Education, Arts Education Policy Review, Ballet Review, Ballett International, City and Society, Critical Inquiry, Current Anthropology, Dance and the Child, Dance: Current Selected Research, Dance Research Journal, Dance Teacher Now, Dance Theatre Journal, Drama Review, Educational Researcher, Gestos, Interethnic Communication, Journal of Arts Management Law and Society, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Journal of Black Studies, Journal of Communication, Journal of Physical Education, Journal of Planning Literature, Recreation, and Dance, Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, Phi Delta Kappan, Polish Art Studies, Practicing Anthropologist, Semiotica, Stagebill, The Journal of Sex Research, Theology and Sexuality, Washington Post, and World of Music; and contributions to edited volumes such as American Folklore: An Encyclopedia, Dance, Gender and Culture, Dance of India, Dance/Movement Therapists in Action: A Working Guide to Research Options, Encyclopedic Dictionary of Semiotics, Encyclopedic Dictionary of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Encyclopedia of Human Emotions, Encyclopedia of Recreation and Leisure in America, The Encyclopedia of Religion, Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, Ethnomusicology: An Introduction, Gender and Performance, Homosexuality and Homosexuals in the Arts, International Encyclopedia of Dance, Nonverbal Behavior: Perspectives, Applications, Intercultural Insights, Popular Music and Communication, Semiotics in the Individual Sciences, Theatrical Movement: A Bibliographical Anthology, and Women and Social Protest.
To Dance Is Human led to invitations to publish on semiotics in Belgium, Germany, Poland, United Kingdom, Sweden, South Africa, Santo Domingo, and Jamaica and disseminate specific parts of the book in these countries, which has catalyzed further dance research and analysis. To Dance Is Human was a large element in the author’s receipt of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, William G. Anderson Award for significant contributions to the dance field (awardees include George W. Beiswanger, Jacques d’Amboise, Katherine Dunham, Arthur Mitchell, Genevieve Oswald, Walter Terry, and Edward Villella) and to being called as an expert court witness on dance and communication.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Dance? Psycho and Soma: Some Bases of the Human Phenomenon of Dance Dance Movement and the Communication of Sociocultural Patterns Dance in Religion: Practicality and Transcendentalism Dance Rites in Political Thought and Action Case A. Dance of Anáhuac: For God or Man in Prehistory Case B. Ubakala Dance-plays: Mediators of Paradox Warrior Dances: Transformations through Time The Urban Ecosystem of Dance Directions for the Future |
warc | 201704 | Energy metabolism of the severely infected
Project/Area Number 01480308 Research Category
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B).
Research Field General surgery Research Institution Niigata University Principal Investigator YOSHIKAWA Keiji Niigata University Hospital, Associate Professor, 医学部附属病院, 助教授 (60143765) Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) MATSUO Hitoshi Niigata University School of Medicine, Instructor, 医学部, 助手 (50199759) TAMIYA Youichi Niigata University School of Medicine, Instructor, 医学部, 助手 (70163681) MATSUBARA Youichi Niigata University Hospital, Assistant Professor, 医学部附属病院, 構師 (90111723) Project Fiscal Year 1989 – 1991 Project Status Completed(Fiscal Year 1991) Budget Amount *help ¥7,000,000 (Direct Cost : ¥7,000,000) Fiscal Year 1991 : ¥600,000 (Direct Cost : ¥600,000) Fiscal Year 1990 : ¥600,000 (Direct Cost : ¥600,000) Fiscal Year 1989 : ¥5,800,000 (Direct Cost : ¥5,800,000) Keywords Severe infection / Energy metabolism / Toral parenteral / Glucose turnover / [U- ^<14>C] -Glucose / [6- ^3H] -Glucose nutrition / Protein turnover / [1- ^<14>C] -Leucine / 重症感染症 / エネルギ-代謝 / 完全静脈栄養法 / ブドウ糖代謝回転 / 〔Uー ^<14>C〕ーブドウ糖 / 〔6ー ^3H〕ーブドウ糖 / 蛋白代謝回転 / 〔1ー ^<14>C〕ーロイシン / 蛋白合成率 / ロイシン / 分岐鎖アミノ酸 / ブドウ糖 / 脂肪酸 / ラジオアイソト-プ / Constant infusion法 / constant infusion法 Research Abstract
We studied the effects of glucose administration on whole body glucose kinetics by the primed-constant infusion method of [6- ^3H] - and [U ^<14>C] glucose during total parenteral nutrition (TPN) . Five beagle dogs were given glucose as an energy substrate via TPN route (O-10mg/kg/min) for 72 hours and showed marked increase in the glucose turnover rate (Ra) and oxidation rate (Rox) , while endogenous (hepatic) glucose production rate was significantly suppressed as compared to the controls. In addition, these results suggested the limited capacity of the whole body glucose oxidation. Furthermore, the infection increased both the Ra and the Rox.
We also investigated the effects of fat administration on whole body giticose kinetics using the same isotopic dilution method as that described above. Beagle dogs were divided into two groups ; animals that were given long-chain triglyceride (LCT) or those received medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) , in which 40% of no-n-protein calories were given by each fat emulsion and the 60% were supplied by glucose. There were no significant differences in plasma glucose levels and Ra between two groups. Plasma immunoreactive insulin levels were not significantly different between two groups. However, the Rox was significantly higher in dogs that were received MCT-TPN as compared to LCT-TPN group. Finally, we did the preliminary study to determine the whole body protein turnover rate and the leucine oxidation rate using the isotopic tracer method of [1- ^<14>C] -leucine. It has been established by us to determine the plasma [l- ^<14>C] -leucine specific activity that is the major obstacle of this analytical method. We will further study the effects of various energy substrates administrations on protein metabolism during TPN in severely infected patients. Report (5results) Research Output (16results) |
warc | 201704 | The advent of next-generation sequencing technologies has greatly impacted genomic research by providing a means for increasing the amount of sequence information in a cost effective fashion. Among the major next-generation sequencing technologies, the Roche 454 platform has been widely adopted in HIV research. We discuss a broad range of applications of the 454 pyrosequencing platform in the HIV field, with a particular emphasis on antiretroviral therapy and virus-host interaction-related research. We also highlight some of the bioinformatics challenges, as well as advantages and potential limitations of this "deep" sequencing tool, and hint at future research applications. |
warc | 201704 | A team of researchers from Brazil and Israel review in a recent paper the evidences linking
systemic lupus erythematosus and periodontal disease. The study entitled “ ” was published in the Possible evidence of systemic lupus erythematosus and periodontal disease association mediated by Toll-Like Receptors-2 and 4 (TLR2, TLR4) journal. Clinical & Experimental Immunology
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by the misguided attack of body tissues by the immune system. SLE onset and development are associated with genetic predisposition and environmental factors such as exposure to
sun light. Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory infectious disease, triggered by microbes that colonize the tissues that surround and support the teeth, i. e. periodontal tissues. The inflammatory process that characterizes this disease results in periodontal tissue destruction and might lead to teeth loss.
In this paper, researchers present evidences that the biological mechanisms leading to SLE and periodontal disease have similarities. The team focused in a special type of proteins present in the membranes of immune cells called
Toll-like receptors, which modulate immune responses against foreign pathogens. These proteins are found in higher amounts in the immune cells of patients with SLE and periodontal disease, suggesting that both diseases share analogous immune response pathways.
Toll-like receptors are crucial in periodontal disease development, and are responsible for recognizing the bacteria that infect the periodontal tissues and for initiating the strong inflammatory processes that characterize this condition. In SLE, Toll-like receptors activity is dysregulated, leading to an increase in antibody production and disease progression. Researchers believe that periodontal disease might accelerate SLE by maintaining a high expression of Toll-like receptors in immune cells. Toll-like receptors overexpression results in an excessive activation of immune responses, promoting the onset and progression of autoimmune reactions typical in SLE. These concepts are supported by the fact that periodontal treatment reduces Toll-like receptor numbers and therefore SLE symptoms.
It thus seems that Toll-like receptors play an important role in development of both diseases. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanisms leading and connecting both SLE and periodontal disease are still elusive. Authors finish their review suggesting the implementation of studies to further investigate the relationship between the two diseases and search for novel ways to minimize the effects of periodontal disease in SLE patients. |
warc | 201704 | GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced positive results from its BLISS-SC Phase 3 study testing the efficacy of Benlysta (belimumab) in patients with active and autoantibody-positive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who are receiving standard therapy. The results, detailed in “
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, 52-Week Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Belimumab Administered Subcutaneously Plus Standard Care to Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE),” were presented during the recent 2015 American College of Rheumatology/Association for Rheumatology Health Professionals (ACR/ARHP) Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
BLISS-SC is a randomized, placebo-controlled, 52-week study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of belimumab administered subcutaneously (200 mg weekly) to patients with active, autoantibody-positive SLE who are receiving standard of care (SoC) therapy. Benlysta is a human monoclonal antibody therapy that targets the B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS), important in the survival of B cells, and reduces autoantibody production. A total of 836 patients were enrolled in the study, with 556 receiving belimumab plus SoC and 280 receiving placebo plus SoC.
The primary endpoint of the study was reached, with significantly more patients treated with belimumab plus SoC (60.8%) showing reduced disease activity compared to placebo plus SoC (48.47%) as measured by the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Responder Index (SRI) at week 52. SRI is a comprehensive composite endpoint measure, whose components determine reduction in disease activity defined as clinical improvement (SELENA-SLEDAI score) with no significant worsening in any organ conditions (BILAG, or British Isles Lupus Assessment Group, score), and no worsening in overall patient condition (PGA or Physician’s Global Assessment score).
The two main secondary endpoints were time to the first severe SLE flare, and the percentage of patients whose prednisone (corticosteroid) dose was reduced more than 25% in weeks 40–52. Results here showed time to a first severe flare was significantly delayed in the belimumab group (170 days) when compared to the placebo group (116.5 days). A significant difference was not found in prednisone dosage, though more patients in the treatment group were able to reduce steroid dose by 25% or more (to ≤7.5 mg/day) during weeks 40–52 when compared with patients on the placebo group (18.2% versus 11.9%, respectively).
The safety profile was in line with the two previous BLISS studies, with a 31.3% incidence of adverse effects (AEs) in the drug group and 26.1% in the placebo group, most commonly infections. Discontinuation of treatment due to AEs was 7.2 % in patients treated with the belimumab versus 8.9% in the placebo treatment. A total of five deaths occurred, three with belimumab and two with placebo, a number similar, investigators said, to that found in all previous randomized controlled studies of belimumab in lupus.
“Despite use of current standard of care, such as glucocorticosteroids and immunosuppressants, about 60% of lupus patients continue to experience persistent symptoms and severe disease flares. This is GSK’s third successful Phase III study of belimumab in patients with lupus, the results of which reinforce our belief in the BLyS pathway as a means of reducing underlying disease activity,” said Paul-Peter Tak, Senior Vice-President and Head of the Immuno-Inflammation Therapy Area Unit at GSK, in a press release. “On the basis of these data, we expect to progress towards global regulatory filings for a belimumab subcutaneous formulation, which if approved, will provide appropriate patients with a new approach to treatment administration.” |
warc | 201704 | What is Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate)? Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) is a protein obtained from Whey Protein Isolate after having been subjected to a hydrolysis process. It offers a high content of proteins with a very low amount of carbohydrates, fat and sodium. Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) is a Whey Isolate Hydrolysate whose main functions will be: Promoting muscle growth Supplying a fast absorbing protein Accelerate post-training recovery
Indeed,
Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) belongs to the protein segment classified as Hydrolysates (WPH). Its molecular structure has been modified in order to improve absorption speed.
This type of hydrolysed protein, which can be found among the HSN Sports products, is the fastest absorbing protein source.
Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) dissolution is important, as the final texture is fantastic. It has been manufactured in EU certified laboratories and meets the most demanding quality controls, which you can see here. The relevance of Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) Evohydro (Hidrolizado de Aislado de Suero) is especially recommended for those people with digestive problems. This is thanks to the raw ingredients used in Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate), as it has been excipient reduced (fat and lactose). Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) can be used by people with lactose intolerance. Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) and its Absorption Rate
The most interesting aspect of
Evohydro (Hidrolizado de Aislado de Suero) is its fast absorbing ability due to this special manufacturing process: hydrolysis. Here, protein fractions are broken down in smaller units. These units are the amino acid chains that make up proteins. Thus, these chains have different types of amino acid bonds, which is known as peptides. There are di-peptides, tri-peptides, tetra-peptides, oligopeptides, etc.
Human body absorbs protein through peptides. And here is when
Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) stands out: Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) is composed by a great amount of di-peptides and tri-peptides. The higher the hydrolysis degree, the greater the absorption rate of protein. Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) Benefits Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) is a high performance protein that will prove its results as long as it is optimally combined with a good nutritional and training plan. This product stands out: Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) and Muscle Growth
This muscle mass growth needs 3 factors to occur:
Training: in order to generate the necessary stimulus to create new adaptations. Nutrition: to supply the necessary nutrients for our physical goal and condition. Including, of course, Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) Rest: a right rest will guarantee our body to assimilate training and synthesise structures.
Regarding protein needs, its necessary to take a daily amount to complete subjective requirements. However, including a fast absorbing protein and a high absorption rate in the right moments is key to make a difference in protein synthesis, as the consume of peptides near the training session can accelerate the recovery process.
Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) and Recovery
Recovery begins where training ends, as the body must get back to a normal basal rate. If our training routine is intense, taking
Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) can get to optimize recovery and prevent any damage. Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) and Allergies
There are many people intolerant to lactose who cannot consume dairy products, but they shouldnt suppress this whey supplement as
Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) has been specially designed to solve this problem. Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) and Satiation
Protein is the macronutrient with the highest satiation rate regarding fat and carbohydrates. Consuming a milk protein like whey Hydrolysate can affect cholecystokinin digestive hormone that is in the small bowel due to the opioid activity of peptides: they act on the gastrointestinal tract, slowing down intestinal transit and increasing satiation, as it reduces fluid secretion. A whey fraction called glycomacropeptide stimulates cholecystokinin, which modulates that satiating sensation.
Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) and Insulin Sensitivity
Insulin sensitivity is how our cells catch glucose and prevent it from accumulating in the fat adipocyte. A direct consequence is precisely an increase of insulin sensitivity due to an increase in GLUT4. Taking milk protein hydrolysates like
Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) enhances GLUT4 concentration, optimizing muscle mass glucose gathering. Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) and a Stronger Immune System
The amino acid content of a protein is an indicator of its quality. In this regard, certain elements of this type are not only used by the body as 'building tools' but also involved in other complex physiological processes. This is the case of the contribution of the amino acid L-Cysteine by
Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate); together with Glutamic acid and Glycine they will form a type of antioxidant called Glutathione, which will be the most powerful of our body. Its function is to reduce oxidative damage at a cellular level caused by the activity of free radicals. The ability of glutathione synthesis decreases over the years so that the contribution of such antioxidant precursor is very recommended, and in this sense, Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) will be an excellent way to raise glutathione levels. Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) has some features that make it different from Whey Protein Concentrate or Isolate, which is a molecular breakdown in small units to accelerate the absorption process. In fact, Optipep 90® Carbery is what makes this possible:
Each serving of
Evohydro (Hidrolizado de Aislado de Suero) delivers: Up to 85% of hydrolysed protein from Whey Isolate More than 5000 mg of BCAAs More than 4000 mg of Glutamine Enzyme Complex Aminogen® Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) and Optipep 90® Optipep 90® of Carbery is a protein formula with a high degree of hydrolysis from Whey Isolate, providing dipeptides, tripeptides and free amino acids. Thanks to this, the absorption capacity and effective delivery of nutrients to facilitate muscle growth and recovery gets maximized. Optipep 90® Features Excellent predigested protein with a unique composition rich in peptides High Biological Value: extraordinary source of essential amino acids (EAAs) and naturally high in Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): leucine, valine, and isoleucine Extremely low in lactose Extremely low in fat Suitable for vegetarians Optipep 90® Benefits Digestion and absorption rate Perfect digestibility High availability of amino acids to stimulate protein synthesis more efficiently and optimize muscle growth Filling muscle glycogen deposits for more intense workouts Mitigate muscle damage and reduce soreness of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) to reduce recovery time Support for building adaptations induced by high-intensity exercise to increase performance Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysed) and Aminogen® Aminogen® is a Digestive Enzyme Complex patented from protease enzymes Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus oryzae. Its main function is to improve the digestion of proteins, and thus optimize the process of absorption and delivery of nutrients to provide essential elements related to muscle regeneration. Also, another important benefit will improve symptoms that may be caused by a high protein diet, such as bloating or swelling. How to take Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate)
As previously mentioned,
Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) is a fast absorbing protein that we can use in the right moments of the day to obtain the right results. Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) is recommended: Just out of bed, fasting After training
This way it will guarantee its essential nutrients in two situations very similar nutritionally, after nocturnal rest and after a muscle impact along with an energy depletion
after training. Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) in this case will fulfill its function to get a positive nitrogen balance. Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate), Who Benefits? Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) is an excellent protein source whose characteristics make it a whole 'protein yield'. Among those who may benefit from taking this hydrolyzed protein: People, athletes or sportsmen with some lactose intolerance and seeking a safe product that causes no discomfort. Persons seeking to provide an excellent protein source to improve your health and promote benefits regarding body recomposition. Athletes or sportsmen looking for a tool to optimize the recovery phase, stimulate protein synthesis and muscle growth. Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) and Other Supplements
As a part of a nutritional plan including supplementation,
Evohydro (Whey Protein Hydrolysate) is totally compatible with the rest of products, such as: Other proteins Amino acids Carbs Multivitamins Supplements to help reduce fat Hormone enhancers |
warc | 201704 | Software and Technology Services Industry. The report contains detailed information about Tucows Inc. that gives an unrivalled in-depth knowledge about internal business-environment of the company: data about the owners, senior executives, locations, subsidiaries, markets, products, and company history. Another part of the report is a SWOT-analysis carried out for Tucows Inc.. It involves specifying the objective of the company's business and identifies the different factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective. SWOT-analysis helps to understand company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and possible threats against it. The Tucows Inc. financial analysis covers the income statement and ratio trend-charts with balance sheets and cash flows presented on an annual and quarterly basis. The report outlines the main financial ratios pertaining to profitability, margin analysis, asset turnover, credit ratios, and company’s long-term solvency. This sort of company's information will assist and strengthen your company’s decision-making processes. In the part that describes Tucows Inc. competitors and the industry in whole, the information about company's financial ratios is compared to those of its competitors and to the industry. The unique analysis of the market and company’s competitors along with detailed information about the internal and external factors affecting the relevant industry will help to manage your business environment. Your company’s business and sales activities will be boosted by gaining an insight into your competitors’ businesses. Also the report provides relevant news, an analysis of PR-activity, and stock price movements. The latter are correlated with pertinent news and press releases, and annual and quarterly forecasts are given by a variety of experts and market research firms. Such information creates your awareness about principal trends of Tucows Inc. business. About Tucows Inc.
Tucows Inc. provides domain names, email and other services to resellers through its reseller network and directly to consumers and small businesses through its retail and content groups.
Services OpenSRS Reseller Services OpenSRS provides three primary service offerings include Domain Services, Email Services, and Other Services. Domain Services: The companys Domain Services consist of its general Domain Service and its Personal Names Service. Its general Domain Service allows resellers to register domains on behalf of their end-users using Tucows' accreditations with 9 gTLD (generic top-level domain) registries and 22 ccTLD (country-code top-level domain) registries. The companys general Domain Service is available through its Web-based control panels, a hosted Storefront option, or API (Application Programming Interface). Additionally, ICANN-accredited registrars can also use its Domain Service to process domain registrations with their accreditation. Its Personal Names Service is based on its portfolio of approximately 40,000 domain names related to North American and international surnames. The Personal Names Service is offered on a per account per month basis, similar to its Email Service. The Personal Names Service allows resellers to offer individual end-users domain names and email addresses based on their names. Email Services: The companys Email Service offers resellers the ability to outsource the often problematic need to host email accounts for their end-users. It also allows email to become a part of the resellers' businesses. The Email Service is offered on a per account per month basis and provides resellers with a scalable white label email hosting solution that can be customized to their branding and business model requirements. The Email Service also includes spam and virus filtering on all accounts. End-users can access the Email Service through a full-featured multi-language AJAX-enabled Web interface, a WAP mobile interface, or through traditional desktop email clients, such as Microsoft Outlook or Apple Mail, using IMAP or POP/SMTP. Other Services: The company has a partnership with Verisign to provide resellers with wholesale pricing on a range of SSL certificate options that they can in turn sell to end-users, primarily businesses. SSL digital certificates allow Web sites to provide secure transactions and restrict access to information, and are sold on a per certificate per year basis. The companys Platypus ISP Billing Solution is a Windows-based software solution that ISPs install in-house and that provides ISPs with an industry-specific solution for billing, service provisioning and customer account management. Platypus includes an integrated help desk system that automatically routes, tracks and maintains customer support email and phone calls to improve service desk performance. YummyNames Domain Portfolio The company has various domain names in its private domain name portfolio. It purchases and renews names based on their ability to generate advertising revenue and their appeal for resale to consumers, businesses and other large portfolio owners. Its domain name portfolio is made up of four classes of domain names, including Gems, Premium Names, Direct Navigation Names, and Surnames. Surnames are domain names related to last names found in the United States and internationally. Hover Retail Services The company offers consumers and small businesses domain registration, email and other Internet services through Hover.com. Hover provides consumers and small businesses with bundled versions of OpenSRS' domain, email and personal names services. Hover customers choose between using Hover's services with a domain name, with a personalized surname-based address or with a free subdomain of hover.com on a trial basis. All Hover service bundles include domain privacy and security options, domain and mail forwarding, DNS management tools, iPhone directory services, a browser-based shortcut creator and unlimited customer support. Butterscotch.com Content Service The companys content services group operates two advertising supported Web sites that contain content to help consumers overcome the complexity of modern technology and the Internet. Competition The companys competition may be divided into various groups, including retail-oriented domain registrars, such as GoDaddy, Network Solutions, and Register.com who compete with its Resellers and its own retail operations for end-users; wholesale-oriented domain registrars, such as eNom, Wild West Domains (a division of GoDaddy) and Melbourne IT, who market services to resellers, such as its customers; Wholesale Email Service providers, such as Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Bluetie and MailTrust; and Ad-supported content providers, such as CNET's Download.com. History The company was founded in 1992. It was formerly known as Infonautics, Inc. and changed its name to Tucows Inc. in 2001.
The above Company Fundamental Report is a half-ready report and contents are subject to change.
It means that we have all necessary data in our database to prepare the report but need 2-3 days to complete it. During this time we are also updating the report with respect to the current moment. So, you can get all the most recent data available for the same price. Please note that preparation of additional types of analyses requires extra time.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
DISCLAIMER
1. TUCOWS INC. COMPANY PROFILE
1.1. Key facts
1.2. Financial Performance 1.3. Key Executives 1.4. Ownership and Major Holders 1.5. Company History 2. TUCOWS INC. BUSINESS OVERVIEW
2.1. Business Description
2.2. Major Products and Services 2.3. Markets and Sales Activities 2.4. Locations, Subsidiaries, Operating Units 3. TUCOWS INC. SWOT ANALYSIS
3.1. Overview
3.2. Strengths 3.3. Weaknesses 3.4. Opportunities 3.5. Threats 4. TUCOWS INC. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
4.1. Financial Statements
4.1.1. Income Statement 4.1.2. Balance Sheet 4.1.3. Cash Flow 4.2. Financial Ratios 4.2.1. Profitability 4.2.2. Margin Analysis 4.2.3. Asset Turnover 4.2.4. Credit Ratios 4.2.5. Long-Term Solvency 4.2.6. Growth Over Prior Year 4.2.7. Financial Ratios Charts 4.3. Stock Market Snapshot 5. TUCOWS INC. COMPETITORS AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS
5.1. Tucows Inc. Direct Competitors
5.2. Comparison of Tucows Inc. and Direct Competitors Financial Ratios 5.3. Comparison of Tucows Inc. and Direct Competitors Stock Charts 5.4. Tucows Inc. Industry Analysis 5.4.1. Software and Technology Services Industry Snapshot 5.4.2. Tucows Inc. Industry Position Analysis 6. TUCOWS INC. NEWS & EVENTS
6.1. News & PR Activity Analysis
6.2. IR Corporate News 6.3. Marketing News 6.4. Corporate Events 7. TUCOWS INC. EXPERTS REVIEW 1
7.1. Experts Opinion
7.2. Experts Estimates 8. TUCOWS INC. ENHANCED SWOT ANALYSIS 2 9. CANADA PESTEL ANALYSIS 2
9.1. Political Factors
9.2. Economic Factors 9.3. Social Factors 9.4. Technological Factors 9.5. Environmental Factors 9.6. Legal Factors 10. TUCOWS INC. IFE, EFE, IE MATRICES 2
10.1. Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix
10.2. External Factor Evaluation Matrix 10.3. Internal External Matrix 11. TUCOWS INC. PORTER FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS 2 12. TUCOWS INC. VRIO ANALYSIS 2 APPENDIX: RATIO DEFINITIONS LIST OF TABLES
Tucows Inc. Key Facts
Profitability Management Effectiveness Income Statement Key Figures Balance Sheet Key Figures Cash Flow Statement Key Figures Financial Performance Abbreviation Guide Tucows Inc. Key Executives Key Executives Biographies 1 Key Executives Compensations 1 Tucows Inc. Major Shareholders Tucows Inc. History Tucows Inc. Products Revenues by Segment Revenues by Region Tucows Inc. Offices and Representations Tucows Inc. SWOT Analysis Yearly Income Statement Including Trends Income Statement Latest 4 Quarters Including Trends Yearly Balance Sheet Including Trends Balance Sheet Latest 4 Quarters Including Trends Yearly Cash Flow Including Trends Cash Flow Latest 4 Quarters Including Trends Tucows Inc. Profitability Ratios Margin Analysis Ratios Asset Turnover Ratios Credit Ratios Long-Term Solvency Ratios Financial Ratios Growth Over Prior Year Tucows Inc. Capital Market Snapshot Tucows Inc. Direct Competitors Key Facts Direct Competitors Profitability Ratios Direct Competitors Margin Analysis Ratios Direct Competitors Asset Turnover Ratios Direct Competitors Credit Ratios Direct Competitors Long-Term Solvency Ratios Software and Technology Services Industry Statistics Tucows Inc. Industry Position Company vs. Industry Income Statement Analysis Company vs. Industry Balance Sheet Analysis Company vs. Industry Cash Flow Analysis Company vs. Industry Ratios Comparison Tucows Inc. Consensus Recommendations 1 Analyst Recommendation Summary 1 Price Target Summary 1 Experts Recommendation Trends 1 Revenue Estimates Analysis 1 Earnings Estimates Analysis 1 Historical Surprises 1 Revenue Estimates Trend 1 Earnings Estimates Trend 1 Revenue Revisions 1 LIST OF FIGURES
Tucows Inc. Annual Revenues in Comparison with Cost of Goods Sold and Gross Profit
Profit Margin Chart Operating Margin Chart Return on Equity (ROE) Chart Return on Assets (ROA) Chart Debt to Equity Chart Current Ratio Chart Tucows Inc. 1-year Stock Charts Tucows Inc. 5-year Stock Charts Tucows Inc. vs. Main Indexes 1-year Stock Chart Tucows Inc. vs. Direct Competitors 1-year Stock Charts Tucows Inc. Article Density Chart
1 – Data availability depends on company’s security policy.
2 – These sections are available only when you purchase a report with appropriate additional types of analyses. The complete financial data is available for publicly traded companies. Enhanced SWOT Analysis
Enhanced SWOT is a 3×3 grid that arranges strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats into one scheme:
How to use the strengths to take advantage of the opportunities? How to use the strengths to reduce likelihood and impact of the threats? How to overcome the weaknesses that obstruct taking advantage of the opportunities? How to overcome the weaknesses that can make the threats a reality?
Upon answering these questions a company can develop a project plan to improve its business performance.
PESTEL Analysis
PESTEL (also termed as PESTLE) is an ideal tool to strategically analyze what influence different outside factors – political, economic, sociocultural, technological, environmental and legal – exert on a business to later chart its long term targets.
Being part of the external analysis when carrying out a strategic assessment or performing a market study, PESTEL gives an overview of diverse macro-environmental factors that any company should thoughtfully consider. By perceiving these outside environments, businesses can maximally benefit from the opportunities while minimizing the threats to the organization.
Key Factors Examined by PESTEL Analysis:
Political – What opportunities and pressures are brought by political bodies and what is the degree of public regulations’ impact on the business? Economic – What economic policies, trends and structures are expected to affect the organization, what is this influence’s degree? Sociological – What cultural and societal aspects will work upon the demand for the business’s products and operations? Technological – What impact do the technological aspects, innovations, incentives and barriers have on the organization? Environmental – What environmental and ecological facets, both locally and farther afield, are likely to predetermine the business? Legal – What laws and legislation will exert influence on the style the business is carried out? IFE, EFE, IE Matrices
The Internal Factor Evaluation matrix (IFE matrix) is a strategic management tool helping audit or evaluate major weaknesses and strengths in a business’s functional areas. In addition, IFE matrix serves as a basis for identifying and assessing relationships amongst those areas. The IFE matrix is utilised in strategy formulation.
The External Factor Evaluation matrix (EFE matrix) is a tool of strategic management that is typically utilised to assess current market conditions. It is an ideal instrument for visualising and prioritising the threats and opportunities a firm is facing.
The essential difference between the above mentioned matrices lies in the type of factors incorporated in the model; whilst the latter is engaged in internal factors, the former deals exceptionally with external factors – those exposed to social, political, economic, legal, etc. external forces.
Being a continuation of the EFE matrix and IFE matrix models, the Internal External matrix (IE matrix) rests upon an investigation of external and internal business factors integrated into one suggestive model.
Porter Five Forces Analysis
The Porter’s five forces analysis studies the industry of operation and helps the company find new sources of competitive advantage. The analysis surveys an industry through five major questions:
What composes a threat of substitute products and services? Is there a threat of new competitors entering the market? What is the intensity of competitive rivalry? How big is the bargaining power of buyers? How significant is the bargaining power of suppliers? VRIO Analysis
VRIO stands for Value, Rarity, Imitability, Organization. This analysis helps to evaluate all company’s resources and capabilities and bring them together into one aggregate table that includes:
Tangible resources Financial Physical Technological Organizational Intangible resources Human Innovation and Creativity Reputation Organizational capabilities
The result of the analysis gives a clear picture of company’s competitive and economic implications, answering the questions if the resources mentioned above are:
Valuable? Rare? Costly to imitate? Organized properly? |
warc | 201704 | Great news for those of us whose mouths are not constantly in a state of upturned bliss: finally, there is a cure for chronic bitchy resting face.
The Lipt (that’s lip + lift) is being touted as the latest plastic surgery craze in plastic surgery-crazed South Korea. The procedure pulls the corners of your lips upward by slicing and rearranging the muscles that want to pull them down, leaving you with a permanent "smiling impression." As with all plastic surgeries, internal happiness is not guaranteed.
Originally touted as a means to combat the gravity of age, the
Wall Street Journal reports that the procedure is increasingly being sought out by younger and younger people who are "concerned about facing criticism at work because of their expressionless miens."
Faced with hurtful remarks about sagging mouth corners, the impetus behind getting this surgery – especially in notoriously appearance-conscious South Korea – isn't entirely incomprehensible. An informational video created by South Korean clinic Aone Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery deftly explains that the Lipt is important because frowny faces make us look mean and are likely to scare away small children, while smiley faces make us look "bright and gentle," and, therefore, appealing regardless of the inner existential turmoil we constantly face as sentient human beings (is that just me?).
Nearly all of the patients shown in Aone's video are female, which is unsurprising given that women frequently have to deal with comments about our perceived level of happiness based on mouth orientation. "Show me a smile" is a pretty standard commandment of street harrassers, and the cultural expectation that women should be nice, agreeable, or friendly is well-established; if we're not perennial rays of sunshine in public, we're likely to be branded as bitchy or stuck up (remember that
New York Times profile that basically called January Jones a stone cold ice queen?). This surgery is just another reminder that our presence must always be a pleasant one, lest we forget we are not emotional beings ourselves but rather incidental characters in others' lives.
Personally, I'd rather retain the ability to express a full range of emotions than project a false air of serenity, but to each his or her own. And don’t worry if you can’t afford the Lipt. There is one other way to get a permanent smile: |
warc | 201704 | Got a press release today from Lisa Lefeber about big doings down at the Port…The Port of Everett received a $1.5 million grant from Washington state to help complete the second phase of its roll-on/roll-off cargo (Ro/Ro) facility, a project which will allow the Port to accommodate the largest Ro/Ro ships in the world.
Ro/Ro capabilities are critical to maintaining the Port of Everett’s ability to meet the shipping needs of the local aerospace industry and nearby military installation. Just recently, Governor Jay Inslee rolled out a strategy to ensure the 777X is assembled in Washington state. Among the list of strategies was the investment in the Port’s Ro/Ro dock.
Gov. Inslee wrote “Invest in the Port of Everett roll on/roll off cargo berth. This will boost efficiency and add capacity at the main point of entry for airplane parts manufactured in Asia, and help ensure the 777X and future Boeing airplane programs are built in Washington.”
The first phase of the project enhanced the existing dolphin berth to handle larger ships. With the additional funding, the Port will be able to begin the second phase of the project that further strengthens the dock for loading and unloading cargo. The port is also rebuilding the rail spur on the terminal with the help of a state rail bank loan.
“Our ability to support the aerospace logistics chain will be greatly enhanced with state funding for this project,” Port of Everett Executive Director John Mohr said. “I want to specifically thank Governor Inslee, Senators Harper and Hobbs and Representatives Dunshee, Sells and McCoy for their efforts to secure project funding.”
The key seaport project was also identified as a priority in Snohomish County’s Regional Priorities, as well as the Governor’s Working Washington Plan.
About the 777 and Port of Everett Partnership
The Port of Everett has been a critical piece of the 777 logistics chain since its birth in 1992. According to a Seattle Times article on Oct. 9, 1992, the Port of Everett Commissioners signed a multi-year agreement with the Boeing Company for use of its deep-water shipping facilities to transport the 777 parts from Japan to the manufacturing facility at Paine Field. This agreement was critical, as the 777 pieces were too large to travel by highway or rail for any distance. Since inking this deal, the Port of Everett has moved every oversized part for more than 1,000 777 airplanes that have been delivered to date. |
warc | 201704 | I’ve always been sceptical about league tables and my reaction to rankings of this sort is almost always in direct proportion to where the organisation I am working in is placed. (In the case of the University World Rankings, the IOE came 7th and so this must surely make us No. 1 in the UK as per my tongue-in-cheek tweet?!). Anyway, I digress.
I am writing about rankings to inform you that the Newsam Library’s DERA – which stands for Digital Education Resource Archive and which contains documents published electronically by the UK government and related bodies in the area of education- came 233rd out of 1654 repositories in the Ranking of World Repositories. This is quite an achievement when you consider that DERA is a new comer on the scene of the social science repositories for it was only launched in 2011.
Of note in this league table is the open access repository that takes first place – the Social Science Research Network . The Social Science Research Network or SSRN as it is commonly referred to was founded in 1994. The database is searchable and you can download full-text articles (preprint versions) upon registration. The search results are ranked by the number of downloads (which is a rather arbitrary ranking system of ranking). Although SSRN began in America, it is international in scope and many researchers use it to disseminate their work more widely. SSRN ensures quick distribution via mirror sites at European Corporate Governance Institute (London), Korea University (Seoul), Stanford Law School (California) and University of Chicago Booth School of Business (Illinois).
The IOE LibGuides on ‘Finding’ and ‘Accessing Resources Remotely’ lists the SSRN among other open access resources relevant to education and the social sciences at http://libguides.ioe.ac.uk/openaccess.
Nazlin Bhimani |
warc | 201704 | My recent posts have been about Gettysburg NMP’s 2014 goals. We have already looked at: addressing challenges at Little Round Top; the rehabilitation of North Cemetery Ridge; and a cultural landscape report for the first day’s battlefield. This week we’ll look at the fourth and final goal: a fire management plan for the park.
The park has identified the use of prescribed fire as a viable management technique to help maintain historically open fields of the Gettysburg battlefield landscapes, an important goal of our General Management Plan. In May the park will gather public comments for an environmental assessment for a fire management plan for Gettysburg NMP and Eisenhower National Historic
Site. As one step in the planning process, the first prescribed fire ever at Gettysburg NMP took place October 30, 2013. NPS fire specialists burned 13 acres of fields on the historic Snyder farm, in the southern portion of the battlefield.
The overall objectives for using prescribed fire are:
to maintain the conditions of the battlefield as experienced by the soldiers who fought here; perpetuate the open space character of the landscape; maintain wildlife habitat; control invasive exotic species; reduce shrub and woody species components; provide for public and employee safety.
We completed the fire test last fall, immediately before shrub and woody species move into dormancy, in order to reduce the plants’ energy reserves and diminish vigor and growth potential for the following spring.
Spring has only just arrived at Gettysburg – barely! Snow was falling just a few days ago. NPS specialists will soon be checking the test fire site to determine the effects of the fire on woody vegetation in
the open fields.
Use of prescribed fires would reduce herbicide use and impacts in the park. Success factors include ease of implementation, effectiveness towards meeting resource objectives, degree of impact on visitation, and cost effectiveness.
The 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy directs agencies to continue to “implement ecosystem based fire management programs to accomplish resource or landscape management objectives when consistent with land management objectives.”
On April 3 at the Gettysburg NMP Advisory Commission meeting one of the updates will be about the fire management plan. When the plan is available for review in May it will be online at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/GETT
-end-
Katie Lawhon, Management Assistant, March 20, 2014 |
warc | 201704 | In a new column in the Financial Times, Richard Thaler expands on some earlier thoughts about the efficient market hypothesis by way of a review of Justin Fox’s new book,
The Myth of the Rational Market.
What lessons should we draw from (the last two years)? On the free lunch component there are two. The first is that many investments have risks that are more correlated than they appear. The second is that high returns based on high leverage may be a mirage. One would think rational investors would have learnt this from the fall of Long Term Capital Management, when both problems were evident, but the lure of seemingly high returns is hard to resist. On the price is right, if we include the earlier bubble in Japanese real estate, we have now had three enormous price distortions in recent memory. They led to misallocations of resources measured in the trillions and, in the latest bubble, a global credit meltdown. If asset prices could be relied upon to always be “right”, then these bubbles would not occur. But they have, so what are we to do?
Read the full piece here. |
warc | 201704 | Joseph Kopser is being honored as a Veteran Advancing Clean Energy and Climate Security Champion of Change.
Henry Ford had a pretty great idea when he introduced the first Model T in 1908: make the automobile business more efficient and personal transportation accessible to everyone. He revolutionized travel, but for the last century things have remained largely the same.
I think it’s time for another change – we need to re-think transportation efficiency and Defense Energy.
I first became aware of our country’s Defense Energy Security policy in 2004 while serving with the Army in Iraq and helping with Iraqi national elections. The base had hundreds of Containerized Housing Units all powered by enormous generators. Speaking with local Iraqis, I was shocked to learn just how much fuel these housing units were wasting.
There we were – Americans serving to protect American interests in the Middle East, but using precious energy in a very inefficient manner. Since that realization I have dedicated my efforts to solving this pervasive problem. My goal is to lighten the load for the war-fighter. While never sacrificing mission effectiveness, I want to reduce energy demand with lighter, more efficient systems.
One of the most important things we can do to reduce our dependency on foreign oil is to simply use less of it. In the United States our daily commute is an incredibly inefficient use of resources – including oil, money, and time. We waste billions of gallons of fuel and hours of time just sitting in idle traffic. We can do better.
I created RideScout to present people with all their options to get from Point A to Point B. Inside the app are options for public, commercial, and private transportation – including Car2Go and SideCar – that allow the user to plan his/her transport depending on specific needs. When people see they can reach their destination in nearly the same amount of time without driving alone or fighting for parking, it changes their entire mindset.
RideScout is a tool that can help Americans reduce personal car use without sacrificing their sense of independence. Unlike Henry Ford, I don’t believe that freedom is tied to car ownership, but rather the ability to get to your destination with reliability and flexibility at an affordable price.
When we decrease the number of cars on the road, reduce our foreign oil use, and spend more time doing things we love rather than sitting in traffic, everyone wins.
As a country we need to focus our resources on a comprehensive solution to fixing our Defense Energy Security problem. Starting in central Texas, I believe we can assemble the right collection of industry, university, government, non-governmental organizations, and military leaders to tackle our biggest problems.
Joseph Kopser is the co-Founder and CEO of RideScout, a mobile app that shows all transportation options in one view. |
warc | 201704 | Samba: the sense of community in participatory music View Date2016 Author
Monteiro, Dana
MetadataShow full item record Permanent Linkhttp://hdl.handle.net/2144/19554 Abstract
This ethnographic study examined the relationship between the sense of community and music education within the community of Santa Marta in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and a public high school in New York City. Guided by Turino’s (2008) framework for participatory music making and McMillan and Chavis’s (1986) framework for the sense of community, the pedagogical and musical practices of Santa Marta were observed and analyzed to form a definition of a participatory music community. This definition was used to examine the impact of participatory practices on a samba ensemble within a New York City high school. The findings describe how participatory music education both influences and is influenced by the participants’ senses of community in both settings and explores applications of participatory music methods to school-based music, particularly within urban settings. Participatory characteristics were found to be imbedded in samba’s musical structure, including the repetition of rhythms, the simultaneous use of advanced and simplified patterns, and the flexibility of the size of the ensemble. Music events in Santa Marta often lacked artist-audience distinctions with situations of performance and learning occurring simultaneously. Decentralized group learning was found to be a pedagogical tool with information stored in the community’s memory. Inclusive pedagogies, which allowed players of various skill levels to perform together in the same ensembles, maximized participation in both sites. These characteristics created a pedagogical structure that addressed many of the identified challenges of urban school music and provided opportunities for active student engagement. This study presents a possible way forward for music education in urban settings, a path based on creating an inclusive educational environment. In schools where sequenced music programs, funding, and stabile student populations don’t exist, participatory music has the potential to create ways for students of varying skill levels to find a place in school music communities. |
warc | 201704 | Browsing by Subject "Design thinking"
Now showing items 3-5 of 5
(Desire Network. http://www.virksom.dk/DESIRE10_Proceedings.zip, 2010-08)MALINS, J. and GRANT, E., 2010. Designing creativity tools to support business innovation. In: B. T. Christensen, S. Boztepe and T. Kristensen, eds. Proceedings of the DESIRE ’10 Conference: Creativity and Innovation in Design. 16-17 August 2010. Aarhus, Denmark: Desire Network. Pp. 181-188There are a wide range of approaches and organizations, which have the common aim of supporting SME‟s to deliver new products and services. This paper examines the various approaches which have been taken and in particular ... (Elsevier. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2011.07.006, 2011-12)FAIRBURN, S. M., 2011. Designing transformations: schools of excellence. Acta Astronautica, 69 (11-12), pp. 1132-1142.For over 50 years, including some form of Space education in school curriculum has become an established approach for inspiring young minds to study the sciences and pursue science-based careers. Space camps and schools ... (University of Porto, School of Fine Arts/European Academy of Design. http://endlessend.up.pt/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/EAD9-Conference-Proceedings_r.pdf, 2011-05)MALINS, J. P., 2011. Innovation by design: using design thinking to support SMEs [online]. 4-7 May 2011. Porto: University of Porto, School of Fine Arts. Available from: http://endlessend.up.pt/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/EAD9-Conference-Proceedings_r.pdf [Accessed 2 December 2013]Small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are generally clear on the need for innovation; however they are very often less clear on how innovation can be brought about. One possible reason for this may be because of a ... |
warc | 201704 | Sometimes it’s tempting for an IT lawyer – or rather an academic IT lawyer – to feel that things are moving essentially in the right direction, that the subject is getting more mainstream, more understandable – and more importantly, more understood. In some ways, of course, that’s true – but in others, we need to remember that things are far from positive, and that in many ways the ‘establishment’ – the legal system, the politicians, even the public – still don’t really ‘get it’ at all. Perhaps the most important of these is the legal system. To a significant extent it seems as though the legal system – and the law – is just completely out of kilter with the reality of the IT world, and in particular the internet.
A couple of things in recent weeks have driven that home to me. Neither was surprising, but both were disappointing, particularly to those of us interested in privacy and autonomy. First of all, there was the announcement that there won’t be any prosecutions arising from the Phorm secret trials, something which has been greeted with dismay by privacy advocates. Secondly, and most recently, was the failure of the judicial review to overturn the Digital Economy Act.
In both cases, it’s easy to see how the results came about – and indeed to argue that from a precise legal standpoint the results might have been technically correct. In both – and in the case of the Digital Economy Act in particular – it shows that the legal system really doesn’t understand what’s going on in the internet, and how our online world functions. The Digital Economy Act – in its provisions concerning the policing of illegal downloading – is so clearly inappropriate that it’s hard to find an academic lawyer in the field who believes it’s appropriate or proportionate, or even who believes that it stands any real chance of being effective. Precisely the opposite. It won’t work. It misses the point. It will victimise the innocent. It shows a fundamental misunderstanding of both the nature of the internet and the habits of most of those who use it. It’s such a bad law it just makes many of us shake our heads in disbelief.
The Phorm story is a little less dramatic, but demonstrates some similar features. The CPS have decided not to prosecute – and they may be right that there might not be much chance of a result. That, however, just reveals that our legal system doesn’t have the teeth or the capability to deal with the reality of the internet – for what Phorm and BT did was something that the law should have been able to deal with. It was a serious invasion of privacy on a very serious scale – secretly tracking the entire internet activities of 30,000 people without their knowledge or consent – and yet the law seems to be incapable of dealing with it, incapable of providing people with the kind of protection that people need. The kind of protection that people have a right to expect. The law should do this – and in its current form it doesn’t.
In the grand scheme of things, neither of these two incidents are likely to matter in the end. Despite the failures of the law, Phorm still failed, brought down by a combination of the privacy advocacy of such excellent groups as the Open Rights Group and the Foundation for Information Policy Research, interventions by the European Commission, and the belated intelligence of businesses like BT who withdrew their support as they began to understand how things really work. Similarly, the Digital Economy Act is likely to end up an irrelevance, as the people who it is intended to catch find ways to sidestep it, as further legal challenges arise, and as embarrassing prosecutions fail – and something that gets closer to understanding the reality of the situation is brought in to replace it.
It feels, though, as if the legal system needs to be dragged kicking and screaming into the modern world. That’s the challenge for IT lawyers. People are thinking and writing interesting, informative and insightful things about the nature of the internet – but right now, it isn’t being sufficiently read or understood, and certainly isn’t finding its way into the mindsets of those creating or enforcing the law. It needs to be – for though other forces will (and have, in the case of Phorm) stop many of the worst things from happening, without the law being ‘fit for purpose’ everything is a struggle, and many people suffer along the way.
….and talk about the important part of that right in less emotive, less distracting, and more accurate terms. I’m not interested in rewriting or erasing history, I’m not interested in hiding my past – selectively or completely. I am, however, interested in cutting down the amount of data held about me for spurious purposes, and interested in having more control over what commercial enterprises do with the data they have on me. I don’t want a right to be forgotten – I want
a right to delete personal data!
I asked a question about this at the Westminster Media Forum a few weeks ago, and gave a presentation on the subject at BILETA in Manchester yesterday – but I think the subject needs more attention. At the Westminster Media Forum, there was a particularly acerbic attack on the right to forgotten by journalist Tessa Mayes, who seemed to think that the right was all about restricting journalists’ rights to report on past events. At BILETA, even though I made the point very directly that the right to delete data isn’t the same as a right to be forgotten, one of the biggest questions I got was actually exactly about how such a right would effectively mess up the historical archive that the internet provides. For me, the right to delete data isn’t like that at all – but calling it a right to be forgotten can easily mislead people into thinking it is.
The right to delete, as I set it out in my presentation (slides of which are available by email), is something that allows individuals control over what data is held about them – but it has a number of specific exceptions, situations where data should be allowed to be kept, regardless of the desire of the individual concerned. They include examples such as medical records, criminal records, electoral rolls and so forth – and appropriate historical archives. All that should be clear – and should prevent the problems that would be associated with a real ‘right to be forgotten’.
The point is, though, that those holding data should need to justify that holding – rather than the individual justify why they would like data to be removed. If there ARE good reasons to hold data, then say so. If not, then the individual should have the right to delete it. The key thing to understand, though, is that BUSINESS reasons – and in particular the fact that you can make money out of holding someone’s data – are not sufficiently strong to override someones right to delete data. Privacy is more important than that.
Forgetting is important too – as Viktor Mayer-Schönberger has described so eloquently and compellingly in his excellent book
Delete – but, as Mayer-Schönberger himself suggests, rights may not be the best way to bring it about. Talking about a bald ‘right to be forgotten’ doesn’t really help either the understanding of what is a complex and important issue, or about dealing with the important both practical and ethical issues surrounding rights over personal data.
So let’s forget about the right to be forgotten – but fight strongly for the right to delete personal data. |
warc | 201704 | Chemists create protein structure databaseSeptember 9, 2009 By Anne Ju in Chemistry / Other
(PhysOrg.com) -- Any chemist with access to the Internet can now use a powerful tool to help them accurately identify the structure of a protein, thanks to recently published work led by Harold A. Scheraga, Cornell's Todd Professor of Chemistry Emeritus.
The research team has created a comprehensive computational database that can quickly determine the quality of a protein structure by comparing observed and predicted chemical shifts, which are fingerprints of the conformations of individual residues in a protein. These changes provide useful information with which to validate, determine or refine protein structures.
The public service, called the CheShift server, is found at http://cheshift.com/ and is described in the Sept. 7 online
Early Edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"What we have provided is a methodology," Scheraga said. "Anybody can go to our Web server and get the information that we have provided."
A widely used method of imaging protein structures is called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, which works by detecting the magnetic spin of certain nuclei and using that information to deduce what the full structure looks like. In particular, chemists have long relied on measuring the chemical shift of carbon-13, a stable isotope of the element carbon that is incorporated in proteins for NMR experiments.
But with any given protein sample, the image produced by NMR spectroscopy may not exactly be correct. There can be up to 20 possible structures determined from NMR-derived data, and there is no easy way to tell which one is correct.
Using quantum-chemical methods, Scheraga and collaborators have computed all the possible chemical shifts for carbon-13 nuclei for all 20 naturally occurring amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, and uploaded them to the CheShift server. Users can simply upload their experimentally determined structures into the server. They can then compare their experimental values for the carbon-13 chemical shifts with those predicted by the server, to see if they match.
"When someone reports NMR-determined structures, how do we know if they are correct?" Scheraga said. "The field needed new reliable validation methods, and no one had provided the answer to that question. We believe that our server provides a solution to this long-lasting problem."
The CheShift server contains more than a half-million computed carbon-13 chemical shifts. It is the result of research conducted for about one year in Scheraga's lab in collaboration with Jorge A. Vila, a Cornell senior research associate and a researcher at the Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL)-IMASL-CONICET-Argentina; Yelena A. Arnautova, a former Cornell research associate; and Osvaldo A. Martin, a graduate student of Vila.
The research was funded primarily by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
"Chemists create protein structure database" September 9, 2009 https://phys.org/news/2009-09-chemists-protein-database.html |
warc | 201704 | Egypt's 'Moderate' and 'Pragmatic' Dictator
As Jonah Goldberg has long noted, one of the long-standing conceits of the Left and “progressives” is that they have no ideology, that they are simply “pragmatic,” just wanting to do what “works”:
Ultimately, much of philosophical (capital “P”) Pragmatism -- at least on the left -- was an attempt to make socialist or Marxist ideas -- or attempts to move toward those ideas -- seem practical and empirical rather than ideological. Much of the anti-ideological language of the left today is a byproduct of that project. “Ideology” (by which the left means conservative ideology) is bad because it stands in the way of “pragmatic” improvements. But those “improvements” aren’t pragmatic at all, they’re deeply ideological. Some of the most blinkered ideologues in American life, going back to FDR, have championed the idea that they “don’t believe in ideology” or “don’t believe in labels” when in fact what they really believe is that they don’t think ideologies they disagree with should be allowed to stand between them and implementing their agenda.
Here’s a canonical example of the thesis, from “liberal” Jonathan Chait:
The contrast between economic liberalism and economic conservatism, then, ultimately lies not only in different values or preferences but in different epistemologies. Liberalism is a more deeply pragmaticgoverning philosophy -- more open to change, more receptive to empiricism, and ultimately better at producing policies that improve the human condition -- than conservatism. [Emphasis added]
Got that? They’re “more receptive to empiricism.”
That’s why they continue to promote socialist policies that have failed everywhere they’ve been tried, often accompanied by the deaths of tens of millions, not because they’re ideological.
And in fact, there was a whole (“progressive”) American movement along those lines, started by socialist John Dewey, called American Pragmatism. Indeed, supporters of President Obama, despite his well-documented life-long devotion to communist, socialist, and generally Leftist causes, assure us that he is not ideological at all, but simply wants practical solutions to our nation’s problems. It’s purely a coincidence that his proposals always somehow end up increasing the size and power of the state.
I note this history because it came to mind when I read President Obama’s characterization of Egyptian president Morsi’s Gaza game, in which the latter won great acclaim by siccing his pit bull on the neighbors, and then modestly claiming credit as a peacemaker when he decided to (momentarily) pull back on the leash:
“Mr. Obama told aides he was impressed with the Egyptian leader’s pragmaticconfidence,” The New York Timesreported after the Gaza ceasefire Nov. 21. “He sensed an engineer’s precision with surprisingly little ideology.” [Emphasis added]
Yes, a major player in the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization whose ultimate goal is the imposition of sharia law on the world and the end of Western civilization, has no ideology at all. He just wants to do what “works.” And few things work better than a thuggish protection racket when there is no punishment for the extortionate behavior. In fact, the administration won’t even bring itself to criticize Morsi and his minions’ pro-jihad rhetoric, presumably because, like Joe Klein, and despite vast and obvious evidence to the contrary, they think that he is a “moderate” who might somehow become radicalized by any truth uttered about his behavior:
MS. NULAND: Well, I’m obviously not, from this podium, going to characterize the Egyptian view, nor am I going to speak for them and characterize our private diplomatic conversations. I will say that in all of the conversations that she has had, that the President had with President Morsi, we all agree on the need to de-escalate this conflict, and the question is for everybody to use the influence that they have to try to get there.
And all this, of course, was before he decided to make himself the new Pharaoh, arrogating unto himself almost unlimited political power, to which the administration’s response has been almost as anemic:
…asked point blank if the White House “condemned” Morsi’s move, Carney stopped short.
“We are concerned about it and have raised those concerns,” he said.
Carney said Obama has not spoken with Morsi since the Islamist Egyptian president helped achieve a truce between Hamas and Israel, but said Obama’s recent praise of Morsi was limited to those efforts.
Whence such a constraint now? After all, what could be more “pragmatic,” what works better than simply seizing power, given the opportunity? There’s nothing intrinsically ideological about dictatorship, so you’d think that this pragmatic non-ideological president would be totally down with it (perhaps even more than a little envious?).
And at the risk of Godwinizing this piece, I have to note that there were other people who, historically, were lauded for their pragmatism. For instance, Benito Mussolini reportedly “made the trains run on time,” which was supposedly a great feat in Italy, and was greatly admired by many American “progressives” for it (not to mention
mafiosi, and even if he didn’t really). And Adolf Hitler himself was as pragmatic as he needed to be, at least when coming to power. He built up his arsenal, in defiance of the Paris Accord, only after realizing that the French and English weren’t inclined to stop him. As Jonah Goldberg relates via email (so sorry, no link or source unless you subscribe, which you should): …when the fascist chancellor of Austria Engelbert Dollfuss (yes, you read that right) was deposed in a Nazi coup, the fascist dictator of Italy Mussolini sent troops to the Austrian border to defend Austrian independence from Nazi aggression. Hitler backed down, renounced the coup, and played nice. He was after all, a “pragmatist.”
And as for his moderation:
In 1938 former Labor Party leader and president of the British Peace Pledge Union, George Landsbury, proclaimed, “I think Hitler will be regarded as one of the great men of our time.”
And actually, as I wrote last spring, President Morsi has some other things in common with the Reichschancellor than just his pragmatism, moderation, and complete lack of ideology:
Do they promote a political system where the individual will is bent to that of the (Islamist) state? Check. Do they advocate a totalitarian regime, in which no personal decision lies beyond its reach? Check. Do they take as their guide a book written by the founder of their movement? Check. Are they willing, even happy to kill and terrorize innocents to maintain that power? Yup. Do they think Jews nonhuman, and wish them exterminated from the earth?
Well, OK, maybe there’s a
little ideology there. But you got to love that pragmatism.
https://pjmedia.com/blog/egypts-moderate-and-pragmatic-dictator/ |
warc | 201704 | Should all children receive a trophy or medal in sporting events even if they lose?
Introduction
A child receiving medals or trophies for participation during sporting events has been a debatable topic for several reasons but what does it really do to children? The question posed is whether children should receive a medal or trophy or whether they should not after sporting events, win or lose. Some say giving them participation awards doesn’t teach them winning or losing, but at what age does that become un-necessary? Whether or not it is acceptable people always have their own opinions.
In today's society...
Today, participation trophies and prizes are almost a given, as children are constantly assured that they are winners. What is this really saying to our children? It doesn’t matter if you win or lose; you will receive a trophy or medal. In today’s society almost all sports for younger children have participation trophies or medals, so children always get something out of their sport. For younger children under 5's for example, participation medals keep them involved
and wanting to continue to play.
Today’s kids are growing up in an unrealistic world where everyone goes home with a trophy, a medal or a ribbon for just showing up and doing nothing particularly special. Sports teams are passing out so many tokens of acknowledgment that this culture is over-rewarding kids. What happens when these kids don’t get into the college of their dreams? Will they be able to manage this loss? What happens when these kids start their first jobs? Are they going to expect a raise just for showing up?
FOR
Approximately 80% of people surveyed said that children should be receiving a participation medal if they are under the age of 10. Children over 10 are old enough to deal with loss if they are taught the right way by parents and coaches. Medals or trophies get them involved and makes them proud of their accomplishments of staying with the sport for the season. Children that young should receive some sort of small trophy or medal so that they don't end up upset when the other team wins something. Around 72% of people agreed that children should receive medals or trophies, as long as the actual winners receive a larger trophy to acknowledge their win.
Finishing Up...
In conclusion, from a non-biased view, the survey conducted showed that majority of the people surveyed agreed with children receiving trophies or medals only if there is an age gap. There are too many effects that it can have on children that can affect their future. If children always receive a trophy or medal for just participation they will get tired of it, and they may quit because they know they aren’t as talented as some of the other kids, making them feel bad. As cool as trophies or medals are, not all children want one for doing nothing.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://cutemonster.com/2012/05/participation-awards-good-or-bad/
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/26/give-children-a-chance-to-lose-and-win/?_r=0
http://blog.sfgate.com/sfmoms/2013/09/30/why-kids-need-to-learn-to-lose/
So.. What do you think? Should children receive a medal or trophy for participation or not?
For or Against participation awards?
AGAINST
20% of the surveyed population disagreed with the statement of participation medals, arguing that "If children receive trophies or medals even for losing, they wont learn to lose, because they must learn that they don't always get rewards for everything they do." Some of the kids don't care so they will put in minimum amounts of effort in the game, and laugh at their disobedience. If we give them a medal they wouldn't improve, this act would just encourage them to make no improvement and act badly knowing that they would get rewarded anyway. Losing teaches them that they do need to work to receive rewards, and that they don't just appear on their doorstep. Almost 30% of people said that only the winners should receive a large trophy for their success, recognizing their accomplishments, teaching the children that lost need to work hard, or work harder to win.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
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SLIDE 2
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SLIDE 14
SLIDE 15
SLIDE 12
Slide 10
Are you For or Against?
Many people believe children should receive medals or trophies after sporting events, no matter the score. Saying that win or lose, the children should receive something for effort. But just as many people are against this, and say that the children won't learn to lose in sport, and can make them a bad sportsman. So ask yourself, are you for or against? Through a survey conducted at my local tennis club, i posed the question: Should all children receive a trophy or medal in sporting events even if they lose?
By the age of 4 or 5, children aren’t fooled by all the trophies. They are surprisingly accurate in recognizing who succeeds and who struggles. Those who are beaten know it and give up, while those who exceed feel cheated when they aren’t recognized for their accomplishments, may too give up. When children pick up on this, they can feel cheated because they are only getting a trophy or medal out of pity. This can give them a feeling worse than losing itself, and cause them to quit and not return.
- Slide #4
- Slide #5
- Slide #4
Or were you in the middle?
Surprisingly, 0% of the people surveyed said that they were unsure of whether or not children should receive medals or trophies even for losses. Whether or not it was because there were too many factors to consider, or if they just didn't care either way. |
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You can change this under Settings & Account at any time. Environmental Psychology 2011 Transcript of Environmental Psychology 2011
studying individual level
study of behavior and mind is
not: psychiatry is a branch of medicine
of all psychologists, only clinical psychologists are engaged in therapy psychology is: landscape experience and preferences hierarchy of methods:
1 case study
2 correlational
3 experimental landscape, nature, environment, wildlife
built environment,
interior, place, garden these objects/environments are studied by other disciplines (geology, soil sciences, hydrology, ecology, rural sociology, resource economy, etc.) as well, so what's distinctive about environmental psychology? multiple meanings of landscape (environment/nature) Does EP not study the truth?
Yes, but the truth about mind, not about landscape See Chapter 2 in: Jacobs, MH (2006) The production of mindscapes: A comprehensive theory of landscape experience. Wageningen: Wageningen University Environmental psychology is a relatively young (sub)discipline
Term coined in 1964
First handbook in 1974: Proshansky, Ittleson, Rivlin
Born from psychology, roots in geography and architecture as well Today, two professional organisations that organize conferences:
EDRA (Environmental Design Research Assosication)
IAPS (International Organisation for People-environment Studies
Primary Journals:
Journal of Environmental Psychology
Environment and Behavior
Landscape and Urban Planning basics of perception outline of this course characteristics of environmental psychology See chapter 1 in: Bell, PA, Greene, TC, Fischer, JD, Baum, AB (1996) Environmental Psychology. Fort Worth etc: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. 1 Real life situations 2 Two directions 3 Problem-oriented Effect of environment on humans Effect of humans on enviroment 4 Variety of methods
descriptive
correlational
experimental Generic psychology uses seperate stimuli, EP studies naturalistic environments perception is the experience of the outer world in a meaningful way Conclusion:
We do not see the world as it is, but we organize stimuli by assigning meaning
See sections 9.2 and 9.3 in: Jacobs, MH (2006) The production of mindscapes. Wageningen: Wageningen University
(note: mental concepts is equivalent to meanings) proximity columns rows similarity closure surroundedness Gestalt theory:
Laws that describe how we tend to see stimuli as a whole Week 1 Introduction and landscape perception
Week 2 Nature, health, and well being - Agnes van den Berg
Week 3 Images of nature and environmental attitudes
Week 4 Human dimensions of wildlife
Week 5 Sense of place
Week 6 Consequences and summary Exam: 21 April - study all lectures and all literature
Activities: reading, attending lectures, in-class research
Contact: [email protected] visual quality assessment expert-approach problem! experiential qualities of the landscape are increasingly important in western societies as societies become more affluent ... ... landscapes change rapidly ... AND ALSO ... people have more financial and psychological freedom to care for non-subsistance issues, such as aesthetics and identity. policy makers, planners and architects strive for aesthetically appealing landscapes Berlyne Kaplan & Kaplan Appleton Expert judgments, however, may not be reflective of the public. E.g. polder landscapes often indicated as special by landscape architects, but also by tourism industry: most frequent landscape picture in tourist brochures But not liked by foreign tourists at all Solution: empirical research into landscape experience and preferences Question: which landscapes are experienced as beautiful? However, blind empirical research is nuts Theory is needed to guide systematic research Variety of theories has been developed Images of nature sense of place adapative approach today Adaptive approaches:
address relations between physical properties of landscapes and preferences
assume preferences are partly innate
emphasize commonalities in preferences Arousal theory - Berlyne Preference matrix - Kaplan & Kaplan Prospect refuge theory - Appleton Berlyne's arousal theory is a general theory of aesthetics.
Early environmental psychologists have adopted this theory as a framework for their research. hedoniv value arousal level Two primary concepts:
arousal
hedonic value landscapes that evoke an optimal arousal level have a high hedonic value and are therefore preferred These are according to theorists:
fairly complex landscapes
faily mysterious landscapes
i.e. optimum between order and chaos We need knowledge in order to survive in an environment.
Hence, we prefer landscapes that enable us to gather knowlegde. Which landscapes? We prefer landscapes that are:
Coherent
Complex
Legible
Mysterious low arousal high arousal coherent and complex coherent but not complex legible and mysterious legible but not mysterious landscape = habitat humans are predators and prey, hence, seeing without being seen is optimal. We prefer landscapes with prospect and refuge opportunities. prospect and refuge prospect but no refure refuge but no prospect Possible criticism on both arousal theory and preference matrix:
Relies on evolution theory, but is not very compatible with evolution theory
Evolution theory predicts that we are genetically predisposed to like things that enhanced survival of ancestors Hence: keep it simple:
We like those landscapes that enhance survival 1 landscapes with water (needed to survive)
2 landscapes with vegetation (food and shelter)
3 landscapes with prospect refuge opportunities Reading:
Sections 4.1 - 4.5 in Production of mindscapes
Chapter 3 pp. 37 - 46 in Bell et al. Review questions:
What is a core assumption behind the adaptive approach to landscape preferences?
Name three landscape preference theories that fall within the adaptive approach, as well as the psychologists who developed these theories
Can you explain the arousal theory as applied to landscape preference?
Can you explain the preference matrix?
Can you explain the prospect refuge theory?
Do you think the view that landscape preferences are partly innate makes sense? Please provide arguments for your view.
How could the insights obtained by the adaptive approach be useful for piolicy makers, planners, designers and managers? images of nature history of human-nature relationships part of nature nature as enemy mastery over nature now? "woeste gronden" (wild domains) or "te ontginnen gronden" (domains to be colonised)
becomes "nature"on maps meanwhile:
nature conservation profession is changing extinction rates 1000 times higher experts
communication
public informed management prehistoric times, before the advent of agriculture 10.000 years ago:
the advent of agriculture
in Middle east (probably currently Iraq) After Middle Ages:
Scientific and technological advancements
Nature is measured and explored
Nature is concurred Growing consensus that mastery comes to an end, e.g.:
climate change
natural disasters
human induced disasters increasing urban affluent population
not worried about sustenance needs
no daily contact with nature
concerned about belonging and aesthetic needs divergence changing relationships with nature development of new nature unprecedented in history cf. postmodern society enter: Images of nature research aim: to identify people's views on nature practical benefits:
inform managers and policy makers about the public
explain differences and conflicts what are images of nature? mental phenomena
consisting of meanings assigned to nature
that are relatively stable
and influenced by culture research field characterized by: theoretical and conceptual diversity
multi methods (semi-stuctured interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, content analysis)
however, some convergence in results images of nature approach 1: Keulartz et al. Images of nature comprise 3 components 1 cognitive component:
What is real nature? 2 normative component:
How should we manage nature? 3 expressive component:
What is beautiful nature? images of nature approach 2: Buijs image of nature cognitive normative definition of nature beliefs about nature values value orientations Continuum from untouched to man-made Continuum from hands off to intensive management Continuum from wild to well-kept Criticism Empirical research is so-so Focused on policy, not so much on the public Expressive dimension is operationalized in a pretty weird way bottom-up approach
no expressive dimension
studying actual people consequences Study:
Buijs, A.E. (2008). Lay people's images of nature. Society and Natural Resources, 22, 417-432. what are the effects of images of nature? what can policy makers, planners, designers do with images of nature? Relationships between images and ethnicity:
native Dutch adhere more often to wilderness image than immigrants
1st generation immigrants adhere more to wilderness image than 2nd generation Relationships between images and demographics:
Highly educated adhere more to wilderness image than lowly educated
Males adhere more to functional image, females more to inclusive image Relationships between images and landscape preferences:
Those with wilderness image prefer natural landscapes over managed landscapes (functional and inclusive not)
Those with inclusive image like all landscapes better than those with wilderness of functional image As future designers, planners, and policy makers, what do you think? environmental attitudes and behaviour context theory and measurement: TOP changing behaviour anthropocene = current geological epoch
Mankind has a central role in ecology and geology trends in society Most experts agree that, ultimately, human behaviour has te change, in order to reduce environmental impact environmental consequences are often: collective global Therefore, a need to understand environmental behaviour (what people do) and enviromental attitudes (what people think) ATTITUDE = mental disposition to favour or disfavour an object/person/situation/event with some degree Attitude is the most frequently employed concept in social psychology, also used a lot in environmental psychology Attitudes:
are evaluative in nature
are believed to precede intention or behaviour
are important for deliberate and voluntary behaviours Most famous attitude theory: Theory
Of
Planned Behavior TOP Icek Ajzen (http://people.umass.edu/aizen/) environmental attitudes Attitude towards an object is formed on the basis of a person's beliefs about that object Steps for measuring attitudes:
1 determine attitude object
2 elicit relevant beliefs
3 questionnaire and data collection
4 data analysis 1 determining attitude object Is oftentimes more difficult than people think 2 eliciting relevant beliefs semi-structured interviews "What do you see as the advantages of creating room for rivers?"
"What do you see as the disadvantages of creating room for rivers?"
"How much do you agree or disagree with creating room for rivers?" 3 questionnaire Select the salient modal beliefs
Measure belief strength and evaluation 4 data analysis strength * evaluation for each item
add all scores to calculated attitude various operationalizations and measurements, no standard has emerged yet New
Environmental
Paradigm Dunlap & van Liere Value
Belief
Norm theory Stern Environmental attitudes:
Mental disposition to favour-disfavour pro-environmental behaviour Values Beliefs Norms Behaviours Environmental values:
Biospheric
Altruistic
Egoistic Ecological worldview
(equivalent to value orientations):
NEP Awareness of consequences:
Knowing negative consequences of behaviours on environment Ascription of responsibility:
belief that one's actions have influence on the environment Proenvironmental norms:
Feeling of obligation to behave in environmentally friendly way Proenvironmental behaviour:
Activism
Public sphere nonactivism
Private sphere
In organizations Very general
(no context) Very specific
(context) VBN Not relevant In 1970s, new ideas about environment and ecology began to boil down from conservation and scientific communities to general public New Environmental Paradigm refers to this new worldview that places emphasis on environment Scales for questionnaires consists of 12/15 items, e.g.:
Humans are severely abusing the environment
Plants and animals have as much right as humans to exist NEP doesn't predict behaviour very well
(this was never the intention) Despite criticism,
it seems safe to say that humans have a severe and often negative influence on the environment Paul Stern (2000) Toward a theory of environmentally significant behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 56, 3, 407-424 Approaches to behavioural change 1 Moral appeal:
try to act on values Con: Values are often pretty resistent to change 2 Education: try to change attitudes Con: Many agents influence one's attitudes 3 Rewards and penalties: try to change behavior 4 Community management: influence collective norms Con: Behavior is guided by many external factors Con: Often hard to achieve Factors that influence behaviours:
Attitudes
Context
Capacities
Habits Principles for behavioural change:
use multiple approaches
understand the actors
try to act upon groups
adopt joint decision making Have environmental attitudes changed over time? Trends:
Proenvironmental trend 1960s-1990s
Stabilization or slight decline since While some are disappointed and skeptic, specific things have changed Also, proenviromental behaviour is not only a matter of psychology:
Economy
Institutions
Availability of alternatives Human dimensions of wildlife part 1: cognitions Roles of animals in our lives Social issues theory: cognitive hierarchy Wildlife value orientations Predictive value Wildlife Value Orientation Domination Mutualism Appropriate Use Beliefs Humans should manage fish and wildlife populations so that humans benefit.
The needs of humans should take priority over fish and wildlife protection.
It is acceptable for people to kill wildlife if they think it poses a threat to their life.
It is acceptable for people to kill wildlife if they think it poses a threat to their property.
It is acceptable to use fish and wildlife in research even if it may harm or kill some animals.
Fish and wildlife are on earth primarily for people to use. Hunting Beliefs We should strive for a world where there's an abundance of fish and wildlife for hunting and fishing.
Hunting is cruel and inhumane to the animals.
Hunting does not respect the lives of animals.
People who want to hunt should be provided the opportunity to do so. Social Affiliation Beliefs Caring Beliefs We should strive for a world where humans and fish and wildlife can live side by side without fear.
I view all living things as part of one big family.
Animals should have rights similar to the rights of humans.
Wildlife are like my family and I want to protect them. I care about animals as much as I do other people.
It would be more rewarding to me to help animals rather than people.
I take great comfort in the relationships I have with animals.
I feel a strong emotional bond with animals.
I value the sense of companionship I receive from animals. Estimated between 100 and 200 million international arrivals in 1994
This segment is increasing drastically
Wildlife is a primary attraction in many countries, especially developing countries
Even the most remote areas are opened up for wildlife tourists Wildlife tourism Humans have kept pets as companion animals for millennia
63% of US citizens are pet owners; 400 million pets in US
Pets are associated with health benefits pets There are thousands of zoos in the world
There are millions of zoo visitors
There are billions of euro’s involved
(and a lot of design issues) zoos TV documentaries about animals are very popular
TV-channel “Animal Planet” is broadcasted in many countries Mass media Animals contribute greatly to satisfaction of visiting local nature
Managers of parks facilitate animals and opportunities to view animals Leisure near home Solving social issues:
Policy
Planning
Design
Management To conclude, humans have special bonds with animals the primary scientific question: WHY? Strong oppositions for potential solutions to these problems E.g.:
About 50% finds killing problem geese acceptable
About 50% finds killing problem geese unacceptable E.g.: wolves are endangered species E.g.: connecting Oostvaardersplassen with Veluwe E.g.: building a dike for herbivores to hide for wind E.g.: shooting weak herbivores to prevent suffering Thus: A need to understand human thought and reasoning about wildlife, in order to find acceptable solutions and devise successful communication Two basic categories of mental dispositions:
1 Cognitions (today)
2 Emotions (Thursday) Values Value orientations Attitudes Intentions Behaviours Numerous
Faster to change
Periphecal
Specific to situations Few
Slow to change
Central
Transcend situations Cognitions:
Mental dispositions that are used in perceiving, remembering, thinking, and understanding Cognitions exits on different levels of abstraction:
"World consists of matter" is more abstract then "This tree is an oak" Attitudes: mental dispositions to respond favorably or unfavorably to an object or event.
E.g.: Attitudes towards killing geese that damage agriculture by professional managers in Wageningen in Spring 2011 Values: desirable end states, modes of conduct, or qualities of life that we individually or collectively find important E.g. honesty, freedom, respect
Values have no object
Someone's basic values don't change much
Socialization during formative years is crucial
Don't explain much variability
Don't dictate behaviour Wildlife value orientations: schematic networks of basic beliefs that give direction and meaning to fundamental values in the domain of wildlife 2 Primary wildlife value orientations:
1 Mutualism
2 Domination Example Value Value orientation Attitude Behaviour freedom freedom animals are free to walk around humans are free to consume animals anti-hunting pro-hunting joining party for animal rally joining hunting association person A person B Consequences The concept of wildlife value orientations is scientifically and practically interesting if it predicts specific thought WVO's are found to predict (up to 50%):
behaviours (e.g. hunting, fishing)
intentions (e.g. anticipated wildife viewing)
norms (e.g. accepting lethal control)
attitudes (e.g. favouring reintroduction of wolves in Rocky Mountains in Colorado Similarities with previous concepts Mutualism-Domination continuum seems equivalent to: functional to wilderness images of nature anthropocentric to biocentric environmental values change Studies suggest societal change towards mutualism as societies: Are more urbanized Are higher educated Are wealthier E.g. questionnaire measures:
Acceptance of management actions
Different animals
Different levels of problem situations
Different levels of severity of actions Study:
Jacobs et al. (2011)
Human Dimensions of Wildlife Human dimensions of wildlife part 2: emotions Components of emotions Physiological reactions
Bodily reactions
Behavioural tendencies
Emotion experiences Emotions are pervasive and form an important basis for human mental and behavioural functioning E.g.
It is highly unlikely you will continue contemplating a maths problem if a lion scares you Importance of emotions Components Working of emotions Emotions towards wildlife Normally, we stop whatever we're doing during an emotion and attend to the emotion and its cause Emotions guide:
motivation
action tendencies
behaviours
thought
perception why is that? Emotions have emerged in the course of evolution as adaptations scared of lion avoidance survival This only works if emotions take over control! E.g. Snakes are quickly detected, and even quicker by people with snake phobia Emotions form the basis for attraction to wildlife, wildlife related activities, and conflicts over wildife Thus, if we are to understand and explain human responses to and thought about wildlife, we must understand emotions Physiological responses, e.g:
increased heart beat
sweating
blushing
adrenaline release Bodily reactions, e.g:
facial expressions
erection of body hair
making big or small Behavioural tendencies, e.g:
approaching/avoiding
fight or flight
freeze core affects:
1 valence
2 arousal general working of emotions is applicable to many domains of research, e.g. landscape preferences, bonds with nature, human wildlife interactions Study:
Jacobs (2009) Why do we like or dislike animals? Emotional experiences discrete feelings,
e.g. sad, happy, angry emotionally laden thought Sense of Place relevance of the concept of sense of place theoretical approaches measurement and findings consequences Ultimately, spatial planning and design boil down to local interventions Even large scale planning is effective only if resulting in local interventions Since spatial planning/design ultimately changes local places it affects people: behaviours
opportunities and constraints
daily experiences Dwellers
Recreationists
Farmers
Tourists
Representatives of professional organisations (e.g. nature conservation agencies) Spatial planning/design is a form of social planning Sense of place comes into play e.g. opposing or accepting an intervention Definition Are definitions important?
1 Yes: we must know what we're talking about
2 No: Ultimately, measurement counts Connotative definition
(Analytical definition is typically the end result of years of research) E.g. Lightning is the light you see when you hear thunder
Lightning is caused by electrical discharge of the air onto the earth, resulting in bright flashes of light. Simple and liberal connotative definition:
Sense of place is the total set of meanings a person assigns to a place In the literature, lots of different more restrictive definitions can be found E.g.1:
Sense of place is restricted to those having first hand experiences of places for a long time E.g.11:
Sense of place must be constituted by emotional bonds My advice:
Don't get involved in pseudo-debates about definitions E.g. if accepting restriction 1: one has to invent a new term to denote somebody's sense of the Mount Everest, and one has not solved any substantial issue at all. "Mysterians":
Sense of place is a holistic concept that varies with person, culture, place and context.
Therefore, sense of place can not be broken down analytically. In my view, this reasoning is nonsense Compare:
Every human body is one whole and unique
Hence, a physiology of humans is impossible Planners and architects who do not take sense of place into account are producing landscapes for places without people Sense of the wilderness
Sense of gas stations
Sense of Wageningen
Sense of De Veluwe Others have tried to identify patterns Key features exitential outsider to existential insider (Relph) Level of attachment (Shamai) Deductive components Attachment (emotional bond)
Dependence (behavioural bond)
Identification (self-definition)
(Stedman and Jorgensen) Inductive categories:
identifying primary place meaning categories on the basis of an open approach Sense of place as part of bigger picture personal identity social identity sense of place place meanings beliefs about intervention attitudes towards intervention questionnaire Stedman and Jorgensen have operationalized sense of place into three sets of items Confirmatory factor analysis reveals validity of these components Semi structured interviews: Problems: insensitive to revealing other components
items without substantial content Jacobs and Buijs have created a semi-structured interview measurement instrument Place meanings:
What does this place mean to you?
How would you characterize this place?
How important do you regard this place for yourself?
What activities do you perform at this place?
What are your favorite characteristics of thisplace?
Are you satisfied with this place?
Do you experience any problems with respect to this place?
Do you feel connected to this place? 5 primary place meaning categories: functionality
beauty
biodiversity
attachment
risk Spatial interventions that bypass senses of place of stakeholders are increasingly likely to fail Differences in sense of place are an important source of conflict over places How to deal with non-residents? MORE? Study:
Jacobs & Buijs (2011) Place meanings
Williams & Stewart (1998) Sense of place culture and development Today's focus:
1 development
2 culture How do we get from a virtually blank mind to a mind loaded with cognitions and emotions related to the enviroment? How does culture influence human-environment interactions and how do groups differ? nested
questions Children and the development of human-environment relationships Newborn babies are absolutely egocentric TOM = Theory Of Mind Almost everything we know and can is learned Hardly any seperation between me and environment Environment is something out there, to be fully employed to one's own satisfaction Environment is populated with animated things, and experienced and enacted upon by others as well Environment extends beyond the directly experienced These innate preferences may exist in the sensomotor stage; innate emotions towads animals as well transformation from active to passive Implications e.g. 1 You can't create enviromental attitudes in young children
e.g. 2 Sense of place gets increasingly complex and changes in nature over the years Savannah landscapes prefered by young children; gradually, own landscape gets prefered Culture Cultural influence at different levels Global level: technological and economic circumstances National level: value structures in cultures Institutional level:
Laws and customs within subcultures
(e.g. farmers - ecologists) Inglehart Hofstede
Schwartz Group level:
shared meanings and attitudes Study:
Buijs et al (2009) No wilderness for immigrants Measures:
1 Images of nature
2 Landscape preferences
Immigrants and non-immigrants overview exam preparation Study for exam:
1 all lectures
2 literature Bell et al. (1996) Environmental Psychology, chapter 1, sections 1 and 2 (Why study environmental psychology and what is environmental psychology)
Bell et al. (1996) Environmental Psychology, chapter 2
Jacobs (2006) Production of mindscapes, chapters 2 and 3
Hartig et al. (2010) Health benefits of nature
Buijs (2008) Lay people's images of nature
Stern (2000) Theory of environmental behavior
Jacobs et al. (2011) Human dimensions of wildlife
Jacobs (2009) Why do we like or dislike animals
Jacobs & Buijs (2011) Place meanings and attitudes
Williams & Stewart (1998) Sense of place
Buijs et al. (2009) Images of nature among immigrants exam format open ended questions
4 or 5 subjects
4 questions per subject factual question
question about theory or concept
question to use knowledge straightforwardly to explain something
question to explain something that can be explained by creative thinking, even if you don't know the specific material E.g. Who formulated the preference matrix? E.g. Name three predictors of landscape preference according to the preference matrix E.g. According to the adaptive approach, humans have innate landscape preferences. Why do we have innate preferences? E.g. In recent debates concerning livestock in the Netherlands, many people indicate they would like to see more cows in meadows, instead of in stables. Why could people like to see cows in meadows? pencil and paper exam
answer boxes
give short and specific answers ? And:
Nature and health, restoration, and children by Agnes van den Berg Nature and health various studies indicate that nature has a positive influence on mental and physical health thanks for your attention and good luck with the exam |
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You can change this under Settings & Account at any time. how do vets use chemistry Transcript of how do vets use chemistry
use it all of the time in their daily work.
Veterinarians use chemistry when they
do things like laboratory test to diagnose
disease, to monitor disease progression or
responce to therapy, and when they screen
for the presence of underlying disease in
apparently healthy animals. A wide variety
of clinical chemistry test are offered by clinical
pathology laboratories for this purpose. What college classes do vets have to take? When a veterinarian is in college they must
complete an extensive educational program
before they can get their DVM so they can
practice in the real world. The courses they
have to take depends on the type of occupation
that they plan on holding. There is a wide variety
of courses from the bachelors level through
postgraduate work.
1st year-
biology(or zoology) 1&2 with labs
general chemistry 1&2 with labs
2nd year-
Organic chemistry 1&2 with labs
general physics 1&2 with labs
calculus(recomended, not required)
3rd year-
Biochemistry(half-year, lab recomended not required)
Microbiology with lab(half year; 3 semester credits) |
warc | 201704 | My Big Fat Greek Shotgun Wedding by Peter Tchir Posted May 11, 2011
. It seems clear that the citizens of Greece are sick and tired of dealing with the austerity being placed on them. I cannot imagine that they like the idea of selling assets to pay foreigners. Whether or not they fully understand the consequences of a default (or restructuring) it seems like they have made their choice. Only yesterday, I tried to compare the latest round of Greek bailout discussions to an arranged marriage. It is difficult to watch the protests on TV and read about the impact of the strikes and not think that the wedding has moved to the shotgun stage
So we have evolved from the image of a country going with hat in hand to its neighbors for a hand out, to a reluctant bride doing what they are told because it is expected of them, to someone who is being bullied and dragged to the altar to take part of something they not only don’t want, but now know is the wrong choice.
Greece has to do what is best for Greece
Recently, almost all the arguments against a near term Greek default (restructuring) are based on the fact that Germany, France, and the ECB would be hurt. It is not Greece’s responsibility to worry about what impact a default would have on outside creditors. The situation has gone beyond that. Greece has to act responsibly throughout the restructuring process so that it can access capital markets again over time, but honestly, that is a low hurdle. Wall Street and Investors have a very short memory, and if restructured Greek debt performs well, there will be plenty of money available for future new issues. The bottom line is that the situation has deteriorated to the point it is clear to everyone that this is a solvency issue, and regardless of the pressure brought to bear by other countries, Greece must do what is right for Greece.
A Default is not the end of the world for Greece
The ‘doomers’ (and yes it is strange for me to refer to someone else as a doomer) would have you believe that a default would send Greece back to the dark ages. Argentina defaulted in 2001. It is doing better than ever.
Were there some disruptions in Argentina at the time? Yes, but they fixed their problems and now have an economy growing at a rate much of the world is envious of. Default does not have to be a big negative on the people of that country. As I’ve argued before, defaulting now allows Greece to move forward with real long term solutions. It should be easier for people to accept reforms when they are part of a new sustainable Greece, rather than to meet the demands of foreign borrowers.
Since courts cannot really enforce injunctions against Greece, they can attempt to implement some policies that benefit internal debt holders, especially individuals. Greece can also attempt to use programs similar to Brady bonds to help banks avoid having to take immediate write downs. Given the focus on mark to market, I am not sure that would help as much as in the past (and personally I don’t think it should) but it is worth a try.
Greece doesn’t need to know what the future holds to restructure now
More people have jumped onto the bandwagon that Greece should keep taking IMF money and maybe even so new bailout money until they figure out what their long term capacity to pay debt is. I just don’t understand that at all. First off, this argument is coming for a lot of analysts who thought the problem was solved a year ago. Will there ever be a time when everyone will ‘KNOW’ the right debt level? Probably not, and even if they did, the borrower will want the maximum haircut while the lenders will want the minimum haircut. So negotiate now and deal with the future as it comes up.
The future will always be unclear so waiting is unlikely to provide much help, and in the meantime, real progress is delayed as the country is faced with work disruptions and growing bitterness towards the foreign bankers.
Whatever you do, do NOT pledge collateral or sell assets
Greek debt issued under International Law will help prevent Greece from hurting itself. I just do not see why Greece would agree to pledge collateral or sell assets to pay debt. I can understand (somewhat) why last year when the Greek government actually believed their problem was one of liquidity created by soon to be shirtless hedge funds, that they agreed to some collateral provisions with the IMF. But a year later, with the hedge funds wearing fancy new monogrammed shirts, the Greek government is aware that this isn’t merely a liquidity problem. There is a growing certainty that they cannot meet their future obligations, so any pledge of collateral is likely to be executed on. They should avoid this at all costs. The nature of a sovereign default puts them in the driver’s seat for any negotiation. Most investors will have trouble winning relief against the government in Greek courts, and then even more trouble enforcing those judgments. Providing specific collateral against further lending makes no sense at this time. Save it for the future.
If Germany, France, and the ECB are really so desperate to avoid a default, they will cave on this demand.
Written by aurick
12/05/2011 at 12:10 pm
Tagged with AIG, American International Group, Capital Markets, Creditors, European Central Bank, financial crisis, France, Germany, Greece, Greek debt crisis, Greek sovereign collapse, Insurance Companies, International Monetary Fund, Mark to Market, sovereign debt, sovereign default |
warc | 201704 | Background
These scenarios are used by me with live actors improvising at a workshop on assertiveness.
We’ve used them in the public and private sector in the UK.
This is a particular approach to applying drama and improvisation in training in which professional actors are the ones improvising. We then use methods such as
forum theatre to explore the issue of assertiveness. I’ve tried this in “role play” mode with participants and it doesn’t work nearly as well as skilled actors.
Interestingly it works better with actors who have life experience of the world of work, rather than actors who have only ever worked in the arts! Actors with work experience draw on this material as they improvise, making it believable and detailed where needed.
I recommend this as a powerful way to explore and practice assertiveness through direct theatre. Contact me if you want any further information to advice in using the activity.
Purpose of the Activity
This activity helps explore the issue of assertiveness and, by replaying the scenes in different ways, participants can explore different strategies for being assertive. The distance of participants from the live action takes away the pressure to perform and also allows the scenes to hold up a reflective “mirror” to participants so they can look at their own behaviours and identify areas for personal change.
Process
Participants are the audience. The actors play out the scenes and can then be “hot seated” afterwards. In debrief we can explore different behaviours, resolving issues, and allowing audience to experiment. So one approach is:
Watch the improvised scenes
Debrief, question and discuss
Replay different versions of the scenes
Further reflection and questions and possible further replaying of the scenes
Participants reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses and lessons from the process of watching and engaging with the characters
Variations on the activity
– allow chosen participants to freeze the scene by calling out “freeze” and re-directing them
– allow chosen participants to step into the scenes playing one or more characters (Personally, I am no fan of “role play” and think it usually works better letting the actors do the acting!)
The Scenarios
These are archeyptal assertiveness scenarios drawn from my past experience with client organisations. They can be rewritten, reworked and adapted as necessary. They serve as a brief to the actors.
Scenario 1 Angry Film Mark is taking a DVD back to a shop – Audi is the shop assistant. It was a present for his partner. A surprise. When they tried to play it kept freezing. Mark is aggressive rather than assertive. The solution to this problem is that when Mark is assertive rather than aggressive he is more likely to get a positive outcome. Suggestion: We’ll play this first as aggressive and then let participants explore how assertiveness can be more effective. Scenario 2 Appraisal Dan is Nina’s line manager. He is carrying out an annual appraisal, checking to see how things are going for Nina. Nina is very shy, friendly but giving short one word or short phrase replies. Nina is bored in her job and also feels that she’d like some more career opportunities. Dan knows that Nina is excellent at her job and this is an opportunity for her to say exactly how she’s like to develop in her career in the Arts Centre where they work. But Nina is reluctant to express what she wants. She’s done that in the past in other jobs and been disappointed, and also told off when she questioned things. Scenario 3 Two’s a crowd Ian and Megan are co-workers designing a web page in an IT Department for their company. They are discussing various colour schemes and animations for a client. There is a brief sheet but the brief is very open to their creative flair. Ian keeps interrupting Megan, not really listening to her ideas as much as she should. He isn’t nasty – he is just over-enthusiastic and not very skilled at working with another person. Megan finds it hard to be heard and gets frustrated. Scenario 4 It’s a gas This scene is done on the telephone. Neil is freezing cold. His heating has packed up. He lives alone. Neil is calling to get his central heating fixed – he is in a scheme which he pays for once a year. He wants them to visit at a time to suit his diary as he works every day. He is very good at asserting that he is cold and wants his heating fixed but is not good at asserting that it must be at a time to suit him. The discussion seems to result in the appointment getting further and further in the future. Neil has never called before for a problem and pays a lot for the service. But he gives too much away on the appointment time. The scene ends with him putting the phone down saying: “They are coming in 9 days time. 9 days? I’ll have to phone again” Scenario 5 Upward Feedback Debbie has come to see Cliff, a manager – not her line manager, but Cliff is above her. Debbie wants to give Cliff some feedback about how she felt he undermined the team meeting they were all just part of. She felt he made several sexist comments,. None about her personally, and also wasn’t listening to the concerns of their fellow team members about the new printing equipment being brought in that they would all have to use in their printing firm. She just wants to give Cliff the feedback and initially he tries to play it all down. Scenario 6 Mutual Anger In this scene both are being aggressive. Steve and Hilary are partners. They are arguing about the state of their flat. Neither has tidied for a week and the flat is a real mess. Both blame the other for being insensitive to the heavy workloads each has at work. Steve is a manager of a mail order gift firm and it is busy coming up to Christmas. Hilary works as a graphic designer and they have several major clients putting on the pressure. They are both being aggressive rather than assertive with each other. Neither is being heard. |
warc | 201704 | Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite stores. I love shopping there.
While I was at Caltech for graduate school, I lived in the Catalina Apartments. I can’t describe how happy I was to discover there was a Trader Joe’s where I could do all of my grocery shopping. Indeed, once a week or so, I would make the 0.3 mile trek (see my route) to the Trader Joe’s on S. Lake Street in Pasadena. I’d stock up on drinks, fish, fruits (bananas, and indeed all fruits and vegetables, are sold by the count, not by weight), bread, mochi ice cream, amazing blueberry scones, and so many other wonderful, delectable products. Usually, I’d leave with two bags filled to the top with food.
I am writing this post because of a really great article in
Fortune Magazine, “Inside the Secret World of Trader Joe’s”, which I read over the weekend. I encourage you to read it, but I highlight the most notable parts below. Trader Joe’s is no ordinary grocery chain. It’s an offbeat, fun discovery zone that elevates food shopping from a chore to a cultural experience. It stocks its shelves with a winning combination of low-cost, yuppie-friendly staples (cage-free eggs and organic blue agave sweetener) and exotic, affordable luxuries — Belgian butter waffle cookies or Thai lime-and-chili cashews — that you simply can’t find anyplace else.
Absolutely true. No other store I’ve been to has an equivalent experience. Every week I went to Trader Joe’s, I bought one new product which I hadn’t bought before. It was hard to buy more because virtually everything I bought, I enjoyed. After about a month or so of shopping there, I bought the same items (the frozen tilapia, for instance), but I still loved discovering new items every week.
It’s little wonder that Trader Joe’s is one of the hottest retailers in the U.S. It now boasts 344 stores in 25 states and Washington, D.C., and strip-mall operators and consumers alike aggressively lobby the chain, based in Monrovia, Calif., to come to their towns. A Trader Joe’s brings with it good jobs, and its presence in your community is like an affirmation that you and your neighbors are worldly and smart.
Monrovia is just a short distance away from Pasadena. The store I mentioned (on S. Lake Street) is not the only Trader Joe’s store in Pasadena (the one on Arroyo Parkway, where I shopped once, is the flagship store; trivia:
it is the flagship store because it was the first Trader Joe’s to open). Nevertheless, I really like the claim that people who shop at Trader Joe’s have a sense of affirmation of being worldly and smart. You’d think Trader Joe’s would be eager to trumpet its success, but management is obsessively secretive. There are no signs with the company’s name or logo at headquarters in Monrovia, about 25 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
Perhaps this isn’t surprising. But my thinking is this: if it works, why change things?
So how did Fortune Magazine find out about the chain?
To get inside the mysterious world of Trader Joe’s, Fortunespent two months speaking with former executives, competitors, industry analysts, and suppliers, most of whom asked not to be named. What emerged is a picture of a business at a crossroads: As the company expands into new markets and adds stores — analysts say the grocer could easily triple its size in the coming years — it must find a way to maintain its small-store vibe with customers. “They see themselves as a national chain of neighborhood specialty grocery stores,” says Mark Mallinger, a Pepperdine University professor who has done research for the company. “It means you want to create an image of mom and pop as you grow.”
Indeed, I can understand the challenge. If Trader Joe’s expands too rapidly, it loses its vibe and niche presence. I know that people who live in Atlanta drive
twenty or more miles to shop at a Trader Joe’s (when a Kroger or a Publix may be a few miles away).
Compared to most supermarkets, Trader Joe’s carries a smaller selection per product (the reasoning makes perfect sense to me):
Swapping selection for value turns out not to be much of a tradeoff. Customers may think they want variety, but in reality too many options can lead to shopping paralysis. “People are worried they’ll regret the choice they made,” says Barry Schwartz, a Swarthmore professor and author of The Paradox of Choice. “People don’t want to feel they made a mistake.”
But it’s the small things that matter. This is the most telling paragraph of the entire piece:
A ringing bell instead of an intercom signals that more help is needed at the registers. Registers don’t have conveyor belts or scales, and perishables are sold by unit instead of weight, speeding up checkout. Crew members aren’t told the margins on products, so placement decisions are made based not on profits but on what’s best for the shopper. Every employee works all aspects of the store, and if you ask where the roasted chestnuts are he’ll walk you over instead of just saying “aisle five.” Want to know what they taste like? He can probably tell you, and he might even open the bag on the spot for you to try.
A pleasant shopping experience, combined with personal attention, means you’re not only going to remember your purchase, but that you’re likely to become a loyal customer and keep coming back. As cliché as it sounds, shopping at Trader Joe’s is an experience. Like the food you purchase there, the experience is to be savored.
###
Have you ever shopped at Trader Joe’s? Do you have one in your area? Was your experience similar to mine? |
warc | 201704 | Ironic Technology: Old Age and the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator in US Health Care Author
Kaufman, Sharon R
Mueller, Paul S
Ottenberg, Abigale L
Koenig, Barbara A
Bibliographic Citation
Social science & medicine (1982) 2011 Jan; 72(1): 6-14
Abstract
We take the example of cardiac devices, specifically the implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, to explore the complex cultural role of technology in medicine today. We focus on persons age 80 and above, for whom ICD use is growing in the U.S. We highlight an ironic feature of this device. While it postpones death and 'saves' life by thwarting a lethal heart rhythm, it also prolongs living in a state of dying from heart failure. In that regard the ICD is simultaneously a technology of life extension and dying. We explore that irony among the oldest age group -- those whose considerations of medical interventions are framed by changing societal assumptions of what constitutes premature death, the appropriate time for death and medicine's goals in an aging society. Background to the rapidly growing use of this device among the elderly is the 'technological imperative' in medicine, bolstered today by the value given to evidence-based studies. We show how evidence contributes to standards of care and to the expansion of Medicare reimbursement criteria. Together, those factors shape the ethical necessity of physicians offering and patients accepting the ICD in late life. Two ethnographic examples document the ways in which those factors are lived in treatment discussions and in expectations about death and longevity.
Date2011-01 Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
Facing the Challenges of Influenza in Healthcare Settings: The Ethical Rationale for Mandatory Seasonal Influenza Vaccination and Its Implications for Future Pandemics Tilburt, Jon C.; Mueller, Paul S.; Ottenberg, Abigale L.; Poland, Gregory A.; Koenig, Barbara A. (2008-09-12) Ottenberg, Abigale L; Wu, Joel T; Poland, Gregory A; Jacobson, Robert M; Koenig, Barbara A; Tilburt, Jon C (2011-02)Despite improvements in clinician education, symptom awareness, and respiratory precautions, influenza vaccination rates for health care workers have remained unacceptably low for more than three decades, adversely affecting ... Management of Cardiac Electrical Implantable Devices in Patients Nearing the End of Life or Requesting Withdrawal of Therapy: Review of the Heart Rhythm Society 2010 Consensus Statement Kramer, Daniel B; Ottenberg, Abigale L; Mueller, Paul S (2010-12)Cardiac implantable electrical devices (CIEDs) are increasingly common interventions for a wide spectrum of cardiovascular diseases. Caring for patients with life-sustaining devices such as CIEDs at the end of life raises ... |
warc | 201704 | Home gardens are nothing new. During WW II, victory gardens were popular and in the 1960's there was a resurgence in, back-to-the-earth, holistic gardening. As people became concerned about pesticides and hormones used in commercial food production, backyard gardens became more appealing. But, how do we live "green" in today's busy, urban society? Join us and learn how to maximize your urban space for maximum production and perhaps start your own "cottage" business with the fruits of your labor.
There are no sections currently available for this course. |
warc | 201704 | I hate that cold season is upon us again, but for better or worse I am going to be ready for it. Surprisingly, I already needed to make a cold medication purchase earlier this week after getting caught in the cold and rain on my way to work. As soon as I started feeling a cold come on, I ran to the drugstore to purchase Robitussin Cough. There are so many options nowadays, but I opted for Robitussin because it is one of the only cough medications that breaks every symptom down and packages the medicine with just the combination that you need.
I only had a cough, so I opted on just the Cough Robitussin and none of the congestion, runny nose, or sinus offerings. I took the medicine as soon as I returned home from work and by six o'clock my cough was already getting better, even though it had not entirely disappeared. By the time I had a second dose of the medication, I was well enough to sleep through the night without any coughing to constantly be waking me up.
In just two days of taking the Robitussin cough medication I was back up and running without any cough to speak of. The cough I caught had the potential to be a lot worse, but because I nipped it in the bud right away, it hardly made any ripple in my life. I have been using Robitussin for years when I get a cold, and even though I have tried several other cough medications, none of them have worked as fast or as well as Robitussin. Robitussin works the best for me. |
warc | 201704 | Do more than wear the red, white, and blue this year! Show your patriotism with one of these all-American all-stars. These standout products excelled in GHRI tests and are all made in the U.S.A. Lodge Dutch Oven
Lodge has been producing classic cast-iron cookware out of its Tennessee factory for more than 100 years. The Porcelain on Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven from Lodge's Color line ($105, amazon.com) was a top performer in our test of casserole dishes, browning evenly on both gas and electric ranges and turning out a tender and flavorful beef stew. This induction-safe pot comes red, blue, green, pumpkin, and burgundy.
Viking Range
Manufactured in the Mississippi delta, Viking's ranges are standouts for both style and performance. The fire-engine red VDSC530B-SS ($4,999, amazon.com) was our top pick for a dual-fuel model in our last test. This professional-looking range proved simple to use and was the only one in the bunch to bake four cake layers evenly at once.
Nordic Ware Skillet
Family-owned Nordic Ware has been operating out of Minneapolis for nearly 70 years. Its Restaurant Cookware line ($69 for a 12-inch skillet, amazon.com) performed well in our skillet test, browning steak evenly and maintaining a steady simmer. The professional look will go well with any kitchen.
Anchor Hocking Food Storage
Since 1905, Anchor Hocking has been manufacturing its glassware in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The True Seal food storage containers ($8-$21, amazon.com) were top performers for glass in our 2009 test, doing the best job of any at keeping air out so food stays fresher.
Cutco Kitchen Knife
Cutco products have been made in New York since 1949. Its Petite Chef's Knife ($114, amazon.com) has a blade that’s slightly shorter than your average chef's knife — handy if you find a full 8-inch blade too large or hard to control.
Spic and Span Multi-Surface Cleaner
Made in the U.S., Spic and Span's Cinch Glass & Multi-Surface Cleaner ($4.49 for 32 oz., amazon.com) quickly cleared messes on stainless steel, glass, and laminate countertop. (The product promises to clean outdoor surfaces, car windows, and plenty more, as well.)
Weiman Carpet Cleaner
Based in Illinois, Weiman has been manufacturing cleaning products since 1941. The company's carpet cleaner ($4.99 for 22 oz., amazon.com) was our top trigger-spray formula, working quickly to dissolve fresh stains, especially spaghetti sauce, in our tests. The bottle carries the EPA's Design for the Environment label, meaning it contains the safest possible ingredients and it boasts an oxygen ingredient to safely lighten stains.
Mrs. Meyer's Dishwashing Detergent
Inspired by Iowa homemaker Mrs. Thelma A. Meyer, the Mrs. Meyer's line comes in a range of garden-fresh scents ranging from basil to geranium. Even better, the Clean Day Automatic Dish Pacs ($8 for 20, amazon.com) banished hard-water spots best of all the tablets in GHRI tests.
Green Toys Kitchen Toy
Made in the U.S. from recycled plastic, Green Toys' Salad Set ($20, amazon.com) gets healthy eating habits started early. Our imaginative kid testers had fun pretending to serve guests with its serving bowl, salad plate, serving utensils, condiments, and veggies ranging from mushrooms to peppers. This set is suitable for children ages 2 and up.
Buffalo Games Game
Made in Buffalo Games' New York factory, Gotcha! ($28, amazon.com) is great for older kids. The game is all about making and breaking rules; to make your way along the board, just follow the rules that pertain to you and catch others when they slip up. But be careful — the rules are constantly changing!
More from GOOD HOUSE KEEPING:
The Top 10 Products You Need In Your Kitchen
The Weirdest Beauty Ingredients You Should Start Using
How To Decode Your Dreams
*Yahoo! Shopping was not compensated by any brands listed within this article. |
warc | 201704 | Over the past 27 months, two magical and revolutionary concepts have changed the way we interact. The first is the Cloud; the second is the Personalized Web.
We all know what the cloud means, but the personalized web means that when I search Google, it no longer returns results based on the words I was searching for. It returns the results
it knows I wanted to see, based on a personal profile built up from information about my geolocation, the version number of my browser's rendering engine, and my degrees of seperation from Kevin Bacon.
Imagine this personalization concept carried through to Wikipedia. Rether than viewing a bland article entirely made of compromise and negotiation, I'd be able to read words and see pictures tailored to my point of view--based on my profile, previous reading habits and the kinds of edits I've made. I believe that the proposed changes are just the start of this kind of advanced personalized functionality.
Remember--choice is not censorship, people. And if the choices can be chosen for you in advance, so much the better!
RF energy doesn't give a fuck where you bought something.
Than is my new favourite quote. Genius!.
A lot of it is down to the famous 15 percent rule--the idea that their researchers and engineers are free to spend 15% of their time pursuing their own ideas.
Some of the younger developers at our place are in awe of Google having "invented" the whole one day a week innovating thing, and are shocked that some of the less cool corporations were doing this back in the sixties.
OK--perhaps it will have little effect on anybody taking decisions, but it won't take more than a few minutes of your time, and if it can drive stories in the press etc, so much the better.
Do I feel strongly enough about it to emigrate? The law as it stands in terms of freedom of speech has been much the same for centuries.
Please don't emigrate just yet—you may be in luck. The European Convention on Human Rights guarantees freedom of speech for all EU citizens. It was enshrined into UK law by the Human Rights Act in 1998; this was the biggest fundamental change in the law regarding freedom of speech for centuries.
The problem is, the way it is enshrined into UK law also introduces a significant number of restrictions, mostly around the areas of security, crime, and morals. But the government has to actually pass specific legislation to limit speech in these areas, and if these national laws fall short of the European Convention then they can be challenged in the European Court of Human Rights.
One of the weaknesses of the British constitutions is that most people—even most British people—seem to have been persuaded that we don't have one, so few people are willing to stand up and fight against unconstitutional laws.
Far from free speech not being a vote winner, it looks likely that reform of our libel laws will become a significant issue at the next election, for example with campaigns like libelreform.org causing a lot of unrest in political circles.
Committees have become so important nowadays that subcommittees have to be appointed to do the work. |
warc | 201704 | New South Wales is set to splurge more than $60 billion on infrastructure over the next four years as the state seeks to attack traffic congestion and provide for growth in key corridors such as Sydney’s West.
Unveiling the 2014/15 State Budget on Tuesday, the government said it would spend around $61.499 billion on infrastructure over the four year forward estimates period, including $15.038 billion in 2014/15 - up from the latest estimate of $14.135 billion in the current financial year.
And whilst investment in utilities is set to average just $4.3 billion per annum over the next four years (down from $4.6 billion per year in the three years to June 2014 and $5.9 billion per annum in the four years prior to that), the state’s own contribution general infrastructure will average $8.8 billion per year from 2014/15 to 2017/18 - well up, for instance, against the $5.9 billion annual average in the four years to June 2011.
A further amount of almost $9 billion over the forward estimates period will come from Commonwealth investment.
In 2014/15, around $863 million will be spent on the North West Rail Link whilst $398 million, $265 million and $103 million will go to WestConnex, the CBD to South East Light Rail and the South West Rail Link respectively.
The government will also fund a feasibility study into a Northern Beaches motorway tunnel, an extension of the F6 and route corridor for the M9 – North, South and West.
Meanwhile, in the housing sector, the upper threshold in order to qualify for the First Home Owners Grant will rise from $650,000 to $750,000.
The latest announcements come as the government forecasts a deficit of $283 million in 2014/15, along with an expected return to surplus the following year.
The 2014/15 result was negatively skewed by a decision on the part of Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey to bring forward a $703 million payment to the state relating to Pacific Highway upgrades which was originally slated for 2014/15 into 2013/14.
Without that, and recently announced federal cuts to school and hospital funding, the state government says the result would have been a surplus of nearly $2 billion.
Treasurer Mike Baird said the state’s infrastructure program was necessary to address congestion, especially in Sydney’s fast growing western suburbs.
“Each year a Sydney commuter, who goes to and from home, is subject to an extra 185 hours of travel time per year due to congestion. Stranded on a train platform, or sandwiched on a bus, sitting in a car on the M4, M5, M1, or on roads like Victoria, Parramatta, The Spit or the Princes Highway,” Baird said.
“An extra 185 hours equates to losing a full week, every year stuck in traffic. Every year, it’s costing the people of New South Wales $5 billion.
“We could, as Labor did, put up the 'no vacancy' sign, declare it all too hard, and not build for our future. Alternatively, we can take action to deliver generations of benefits.”
The budget follows last week’s announcement that the state government had approved a plan to sell off around 49 percent of the state’s electricity distribution network. |
warc | 201704 | You’ve made the leap, and now you’re the proud owner of a small business. Your company has been built from the ground up, and you’ve been there every step of the way. It’s easy to want to sit back and relax, to bask in the success of your venture. While marvelling at what you have created is an important part of your small business journey, it’s important to remember that the road does not end there. Promoting growth is essential to ensuring your business remains profitable. Here are five tips to push your startup into a flourishing business.
Craft effective business processes
You may have begun your small business as a one-person show, which allowed you to operate as you pleased. However, as you expand and bring employees on board, it’s essential that you develop clear plans and guidelines for how your business will operate. Those contributing to your business, both internally and externally, need to be aware of what their contribution is and how to deliver it best.
Effective communication and leadership skills are extremely important. If your business processes are well laid out, both operation and expansion will run smoothly.
Diversify your opportunities
Typically, customers don’t buy from you because they don’t want what you’re offering (or how you’re offering it). If your goal is to appeal to a new section of the market, it makes sense to expand the goods or services you are offering. If your bookstore is struggling to meet its targets, consider serving coffee and snacks.
Diversifying can generate multiple streams of income, which often can mitigate seasonal lows. An ice-cream shop that offers warm desserts in winter will find that they experience less of a cold slump. You’ll automatically attract new customers, who may then discover the delights of your original products.
Don’t cut corners
Building up a business is always expensive. Inevitably, something has to give. There are numerous ways to bring down your overhead costs, but don’t be tempted to shave off quality. Your customer base continues to buy your products or services because they believe they are getting the best value for money. Any tweaks to what is on offer will be noticed immediately. Customers hate change, and those who cut corners often find their business walks right out the door.
Build a loyal and efficient employee base
If you began this business with all the control, it can be difficult to put your faith in someone else. After all, no one knows your business like you do.
Your employees are the ones that support your customers when you can’t be there. They are the backbone of your company, and treating them well will pay off in spades. Well-trained, pleasant staff will grow your consumer base and even attract customers from the competition. The cost of retraining staff is high, both in time and money, and having employees that can work independently will save you a lot of anxiety when you have to be away from your business.
Believe in yourself—but don’t be afraid to seek help
Your skills, enterprising nature and blind faith have gotten you this far, so trust yourself to make the next step. Now that your business is up and running, you will face many difficult decisions, however, you have the resources to get yourself through every one of them. In saying this, it’s also important to recognise where your weaknesses lie and to not be afraid to seek advice from those more experienced than yourself. Financial advisors, industry groups or even your best friend have different skills to offer. Asking for help is often the difference between a business succeeding or failing.
Learn more about growing your business and develop an understanding of certain economic issues that come into play with an online postgraduate degree in commerce from RMIT University. Speak to an admissions manager today on 1300 701 171. |
warc | 201704 | Posted:April 19, 2012
After the space shuttle Discovery was ferried across the sky on the back of a specially-equipped 747 from The Kennedy Space Center to its new home at the Smithsonian, I was filled with a sense of bittersweet nostalgia. I grew up along with the shuttle program, as well as anything else that had to do with NASA and space. I probably watched close to every launch on the news if I wasn’t in school when they occurred.
If you asked most little girls in my kindergarten class what they wanted to be when they grew up, you would generally get a range of answers from
ballerina to teacher, while a select few would opt for attorney or doctor. But, I was the only one who wanted to be an astronaut or a pilot. This desire and love of all things space and flight-related was in part later fostered by my amazing fourth grade teacher who not only started and headed my elementary school’s ‘Young Astronaut’ program, but also built a ¼ size scale model of the space shuttle’s cockpit. She expertly attached white and black plastic sheets together that could be essentially blown up with big fans, like a giant balloon, and reinforced with plastic tubing so that it maintained its shape. We could crawl in and out of this “inflatable shuttle,” which we had to blow up in the gym because it was so big, and would have mock missions inside of it after school. It was a thing of beauty, and I don’t think any other classroom in the world had anything like it.
Anyway, aside from Mrs. Greenstein, my dad had always been a major role model in my life first and foremost. He used to be a pilot, and I always remember seeing him fly over my house in his little Piper Archer II. I would know it was him because he would quickly bank the plane back and forth, essentially wiggling the wings; a pilot’s wave from the air. I would point him out to my friends- that was MY dad and he was the coolest. He also has always been an amateur astronomer, and on summer evenings we would set up the telescope and spend the night looking at whatever we could find. He would even wake my mom and me up at whatever super early hour in the morning to see a meteor shower, and helped me put those little plastic glowing stars on my ceiling based on real constellations illuminated from his mini star projector.
These memories are some of the fondest of my childhood. In fact, Mrs. Greenstein would often invite him to come to our Young Astronaut meetings and talk about what it was like to be a pilot, and then he would also talk about how airfoils worked. Another fond memory was a tradition that we all did every year, where my classmates and I, along with our parents and Mrs. Greenstein, would get together at some point in the summer and have what we called a “star party.”
One of the reasons I am writing this post is to spread the idea if you haven’t heard of star parties already- they really are a lot of fun. We would go out to a field in a local park on a nice clear evening, bring as many telescopes as we could find, and aim each at something different in the sky. We would bring snacks, hot chocolate, and flashlights covered with red cellophane to reduce their brightness. We would spend the evening marveling at what we saw, while the adults taught us lessons about the cosmos. It was a humbling experience- realizing just how small we were in the vast scheme of things, and just how amazing the universe is when you are out there looking at it in all its splendor.
This sense of wonder as well as camaraderie has always inspired me to pursue science in school in one form or another. Whether from the grand scale of the universe to the microscopic scale in a biology lab, science has been a part of who I am. However, the National Center on Education Statistics has shown that only a small percentage of high school and college students choose to major in what they call ‘STEM’ (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. According to their research, students in these majors make up only 16% of all students throughout the country. The main reason that they feel this is the case is due to the sheer difficulty of these fields and the ensuing lack of interest due to this. The center also fears that soon there will be such a lack of students in these fields that the number of people available upon graduation will not be sufficient to meet the U.S. workforce demand.
This needs to change. I feel that if students can be properly inspired, they will have more of a drive to do well in STEM fields. I also feel that a love of science doesn’t just develop overnight. Perhaps an interest may, but a deep love is something that is nurtured over time. Let us find more teachers like Mrs. Greenstein and people like my dad to inspire kids to love science and to want to do well in it. Let parents get more involved in their kids’ education. Let the next generation experience and understand the sense of wonder that I felt throughout my childhood and want to strive to learn more. Maybe it can all start with star parties.
Posted:April 14, 2012
A boy who researchers called F.S. had a severed nerve in his arm. They did not mention his age, and his case is buried deep in a study published in 1936. But that severed nerve exposed an unusual phenomenon that has been a curiosity for many scientists since.
The nerve, called the median, is connected to the thumb, index and middle fingers. So, for F.S., those three fingers were numb. Scientists Thomas Lewis and George Pickering watched F.S. closely, hoping to learn more about the nerve’s function, and they found something bizarre and unexpected. When immersed in water, the fingers with feeling wrinkled, but the three numb fingers remained smooth. In fact, Lewis and Pickering wrote, wrinkling in F.S.’s entire palm was “almost sharply separated by a line” from his wrist to the base of his middle finger. After a few months, the boy healed naturally and full feeling returned to his hand.
The study, published in 1936 in the journal Clinical Science, brought a new mystery to the surface. Common perception is that wrinkling is a local effect on the skin, unconnected to rest of the body. But if that was the case, why would a nerve that stretches down the length of the arm be involved? Decades of research have since provided some answers, and some scientists believe these answers could help doctors diagnose diseases that disrupt the nervous system.
Einar Wilder-Smith, a neurologist at the National University of Singapore, has done research looking into the wrinkling effect over the past decade. His research suggests that finger wrinkling relies on nerve endings that entangle sweat glands and blood vessels in our fingers. “We always think of nerve fibers as motor function or sensory function,” says Wilder-Smith. “But there are many in the background that go unnoticed, and possibly only get noticed by wrinkling.” Many nerve fibers sit on key crossroads for blood, small arteries called arterioles which lead to tinier blood vessels. These nerves either tell blood vessels to constrict or allow them to relax depending on signals like temperature.
Palms are also riddled with sweat glands, especially in fingers. These sweat glands can act as a two-way street; not only does sweat come out, but water can go in. When water intrudes on a sweat gland, the water comes in contact with nerve fibers. The nerve fibers are collectively jostled from their sleep and begin to fire all at once, telling the arterioles to constrict. The arterioles constrict as a group and for a stretch of time, leaving an empty space between the blood vessels and the skin. The skin on the finger tips then slowly sinks inward, creating a set of folds like a collapsed tent. The end result is the prune-like fingertips that fascinate children and scientists alike.
So, unwrinkled fingers could mean that a major nerve has been entirely disabled, as was the case with F.S. “Cutting nerve is like cutting a power supply to your socket,” said Wilder-Smith. But it could also signify a less direct kind of nerve damage, such as the corrupting effect of a larger disease such as leprosy or diabetes. Because of this, some doctors are already using the wrinkle-effect as a diagnostic tool.
Andre van Rij, a surgeon with the University of Otago in New Zealand, sometimes uses the test took look for nerve damage from diabetes in patients’ legs and feet. Since sweating is also reliant on working nerves, he said, the classical way to look for general nerve damage is to see if feet sweat. The method is called the iodine and starch test; doctors swab iodine on the patient’s skin, let it dry, sprinkle on some white starch powder, then put the foot in a plastic bag. If the foot sweats, the iodine turns the starch dark blue, and doctors know there is nerve damage. But van Rij says it’s easier to look for wrinkling on feet. “It’s easy just putting someone’s foot in warm water, and you see if they don’t wrinkle,” he said.
Another study shows some correlation between finger wrinkling and the central nervous system — the brain and spinal cord. A 2001 study out of Tel Aviv University in Israel compared finger wrinkling in 18 Parkinson’s disease patients with nine healthy patients. The researchers counted the wrinkles on their research subjects’ fingers one at a time, and found that while those suffering from Parkinson’s still wrinkled, they wrinkled less than people without the disease. Wilder-Smith said the Parkinson’s study isn’t necessarily useful as a diagnostic tool. “The differences are much more subtle,” he said. But the study does demonstrate the connectivity of nerves throughout the body, he said, because when part of the central nervous system breaks down, still-working networks of nerves are more likely to try to compensate for what was lost.
Wilder-Smith has been looking for ways to use wrinkling as a diagnostic tool while avoiding water altogether. Soaking a hand in warm water can be inconvenient, he said, because it takes about half an hour of soaking for skin to wrinkle, which is about as long as a conventional neurological exam. He’s taken to using an anesthetic cream that causes blood vessel constriction called EMLA. Wilder-Smith says the cream produces wrinkles faster than water does and can be applied directly to the fingertips. “We’re not sticking hands in buckets anymore because it’s much more practical to put EMLA on the skin,” he said.
Posted:April 3, 2012
About two weeks ago I visited Fells Point, a neighborhood on the north side of Baltimore Harbor. Fells is one of those old-town districts with brick-paved roads, clothing and art shops, and taverns that offer live music seven days a week. But I wasn’t there for food and drink. I came to watch the night sky glow in a way I’d never seen before.
A little before midnight, I sat on the wooden boardwalk near the docks behind Henderson’s Wharf Inn. Few sounds interrupted the quiet. Just a pair of ducks quacking as they strolled through the water among the boat slips, and a fish jumping now and then. The water was so smooth that the nearby sailboats didn’t even rock, eliminating the usual sound of metal rigging pinging against masts.
My camera sat atop a tripod next to me, and I split my time between punching the refresh button on my laptop’s web browser and scanning the sky to the southeast. On a launchpad at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility about 100 miles away, five rockets were ready and waiting to launch.
I was in the best viewing-spot I could muster without driving an hour. The bright lights of downtown were behind me and the broad harbor to the southeast kept my view clear. Even the ships on the south side of the harbor were distant enough that their silhouettes weren’t worth complaining about. On my laptop was the NASA Wallops website, from which I was trying to squeeze a flight-status update. The launch window this night was from midnight to 3 a.m.
As the minutes ticked away, I worried that NASA would delay the launch for the third night in a row. I waited, but I am not a patient person. Tolerant? Sure. Patient? Not even close. Less than an hour passed before I gave up and drove home to get some sleep. I found out the next day that the launch was indeed delayed. A few days later, I discovered something else: I wasn’t alone in my eagerness to see the launch.
Three things made the launch worth watching. First, they’re rockets. Second, all five rockets were launching in the same direction from the same location about 80 seconds apart. Third — and this is the biggest attraction — when the rockets reached an altitude of 50 miles, they’d release trimethylaluminum (TMA), a liquid that reacts with oxygen. The result being a trail of glowing whiteness dozens of miles long near the East Coast. I didn’t want to miss it.
By the way, NASA would like you not to worry about trimethylaluminum. After it reacts with oxygen, all that’s left are aluminum oxide, carbon dioxide and water vapor, all of which occur naturally in the atmosphere.
Anyway, the participating rockets, between 20 and 25 feet long, are sounding rockets, named such because “to sound” means “to take measurements.” Just as mariners used to drop a weighted rope off the side of a ship to sound the water’s depth, scientists now use rockets to sound the atmosphere and space.
More than two years in the making, the five-rocket mission is called ATREX for Anomalous Transport Rocket EXperiment. Miguel Larsen, a physicist and professor of physics at Clemson University in South Carolina, is principal investigator for the ATREX experiment, through which he’s trying to understand a difficult layer of atmosphere. At an altitude of around 60 miles, right on the edge of space, the winds are whipping along at 200 to 300 mph and researchers don’t quite understand what’s going on. “The key question in this experiment is the nature of the turbulence,” Larsen said. “There’s a coherent movement…a coherent flow. What we don’t know is why it’s there. Why at this height, these high speed winds?”
ATREX is the latest in an ongoing effort to understand what’s over our heads. Since 1958, researchers have sent more than 500 rockets into the sky to release glowing gas and other tracers to better understand how the atmosphere flows at different altitudes. But this is the first time anyone has released a tracer from five rockets flying at the same time, Larsen said. Even more important, he said, is that this is the first time a series of rockets are flown along the same path at the same time to blanket such a large area of the upper atmosphere’s high speed layer.
The experiment is like dripping dye in a stream to observe the turbulence of the water. Squirting dye from one bottle might tell you something about one part of the stream, but when you get five people lined up in the river, each with their own bottle of dye, you can send a curtain of dye downstream and see the larger, more telling patterns of flow.
NASA put together a video about the mission, with cool graphics, a narrator, and music that sets the mood like it’s a futuristic military mission-briefing in a video game, only better because it’s about science. Check it out here.
By releasing a glowing chemical across hundreds of miles near high-altitude winds and recording the flow of the glow with cameras in North Carolina, Virginia and New Jersey, Larsen hopes to understand what’s happening and why. But if the sky is cloudy, the ground-based cameras can’t see the glow. Hence the launch cancellations.
On that note I’ll come clean. I didn’t go back out the next night to wait for the launch. Or the next night. I couldn’t keep staying up late to stand outside and stare at the sky. I was pretty sure my homework wasn’t going to do itself, and I wasn’t willing to confirm it the hard way. So I started forgetting about the launch. The rockets screamed into the sky around 5 a.m. March 27. I found out about it later that day from a Washington Post update on Facebook.
But a bunch of other East Coast folks saw it. If you watch the launch video, you’ll hear a voice in the control center reporting that people from Connecticut down to North Carolina saw the rockets, the glow, or both. But the launch was at 5 a.m.! Who were these people? Turns out Larsen knows who they are because he heard from some of them before launch. “Some were casual observers who were just hoping for a good photograph,” he said. “Some were amateur astronomers who were interested in more detailed information about the location and timing of the releases.” Others were atmospheric researchers, or simply people (like me) interested in the light display, Larsen said.
But I wasn’t the only one who missed the experience. As the experiment’s primary researcher, Larsen was stuck in the Wallops control center. “Really, all we get to see is on TV, on video monitors.” Larsen describes his seat as the “worst place to watch a launch.” But he was in it for the science, not the spectacle, and it sounds like he found what he was sounding for. When I heard from Larsen March 30, he said, “Everything went well, as far as we can tell so far.” The rockets, the payloads, and the ground-based equipment all performed as hoped, he said. Digesting the data will take time, though, because Larsen and his team plan to create a three-dimensional model of each glowing trail. For now, the preliminary results look good, he said. “There was quite a bit of turbulent structure evident in the trails, which is also what we were hoping for.”
Well, at least someone saw what they hoped to see. I guess I’ll keep checking the NASA Wallops Flight Facility website for the next launch. After all, not every rocket leaves Wallops at 5 a.m. Or maybe I’ll just have to start getting along with less sleep. Might be worth it to see some rockets make the sky glow.
Posted:April 1, 2012
The Sieve’s writers discussed a variety of topics in March, from log jams to fish to planets to GPS. Here are a few links if you missed them:
– Over a century go, there was an enormous log jam, over 100 miles long in the American South.
– When antidepressants get into the water, they can have screwy effects on fish.
– Three cheers for the coolness of outer space!
– We’re at a point where drivers take GPS tech for granted. So how does it figure out where you are exactly?
– Calvin and Hobbes had an undercurrent of science commentary and humor.
– Check out the secrets and subtleties of the National Cryptology Museum. |
warc | 201704 | Carry Me or I Will Carry You
Much more magical than any book in the Christian or Jewish Bible, the book of Parables in the Humanist Bible reads at times like the Humanist 1,001 Nights … stories within stories within stories, fables within fables with moral teachings smartly woven into them, and precious nuggets of wisdom thrown in every now and then for the philosophy-loving soul to ponder.
The book doesn’t just bestow entertaining parables. There’s also a celebration of the art of storytelling, where we learn the therapeutic value of narratives in themselves. The maxim “Carry me or I will carry you” is repeated from time to time. It signifies that we should tell stories to make our life journey bearable, that without meaning and without sense, life becomes unbearable and that these narratives contribute to the manufacturing of meaning.
There are several portions with advise for people who travel, and speak of how travel relates to the search for wisdom. These portions are reminiscent of the
Havamal‘s runes for griots or stray-singers. We learn that hunger ends friendships, that the rich are oftentimes mean whereas the poor are oftentimes kind, and that a crime is mitigated if you confess but is greater if you bring others to commit it.
Some of the most memorable fables are the tale of the monkey and the hiena, and the tales of the king of the fabled City of Stones.
Education as a Quintessential Human Value
Your book was leading you, not you it. – Parables 22:7
There is a portion in praise of books and learning, and we are encouraged to read a good book with a friend (15:1-5).
A word in celebration of Humanist values must be added here, particularly in light of recent events in various parts of the Muslim world.
It was recently announced that the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize was given to Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani girl who nearly lost her life for her advocacy of girls’ right to an education in her Islam-ridden country. Elsewhere in the Muslim parts of Nigeria, the West-hating terrorist organization Boko Haram abducted young girls whose only crime was attending a school. The speculation is that they’re being kept as sexual slaves. They have not been found. In contrast, we find a celebration of the education of girls in the secular humanist Bible.
The entire book of Parables ends with an entertaining legend about legendary sisters from a poor, isolated village who want to see the world and get an education. Eventually the girls end up founding a school under a tree.
And the past and future gather round you when you and your teacher are sitting there. – Parables 23:27
Further Reading: |
warc | 201704 | According to Greece’s former prime minister Lucas Papedemos, we better get used to calling the it a 16-nation eurozone, or even the 15 nation, since Greece is already making preparations to leave the currency. So what would a slimmed-down version of the euro look like, how would it function and what would happen to the countries that leave? Obviously there is a chance that it stays intact, but in this article we look at what Greece and Spain could look like if they were to untangle 60 years of history and leave the world’s most famous currency union. To be or not to be in the eurozone... First things first we need to discuss how a country untangles itself from the enormous web that is the currency bloc. There has been a lot of speculation about whether or not a country can even leave. When the original Treaty was written there was no get out clause. However, that was altered in 2007 with the Treaty of Lisbon, which added a clause that gave a member state the right to withdraw if they had the support from the majority of other members. That’s a green light for Greece to leave, if it wants to. Added to that Vienna Convention of the Law of Treaties, which came into force in 1980, says that if conditions change to such an extent that abiding with the Treaty causes social damage then it is legally possible to withdraw. It could definitely be invoked in Greece’s case. [Related feature: How to leave the euro] Eurozone-lite But both of these demand that the member states in question actually want to leave and we know that more than 75% of Greeks and a similar number of Spaniards want to remain in the eurozone. As we have seen in recent weeks countries such as Germany seem to have lost patience with Greece, and have suggested that its upcoming elections should be a referendum on euro membership. So if Greece doesn’t want to leave then how can a country like Germany “force” them out in the hope it would be cheaper for them in the long run and avoid future costly bailouts? There is no easy answer, but one way would be to negotiate Greece or Spain leaving the eurozone, while planning for it to maintain in the European Union with all of the trade and labour privileges membership includes. The UK and the Scandinavian countries have managed it and Switzerland’s largest trading partner is the eurozone even though it still has the franc. Thus, a Greece or Spain that returns to the drachma or the peseta need not cut its ties to Europe completely. [Related link: Free guide - How to trade currencies] Drachmageddon? Looking at Greece first, what would it look like outside of the eurozone? The negative impact of a return to the drachma is that it may fall in value versus the euro to the tune of 50% over the first five years of leaving the currency bloc, according to some predictions. This would push up inflation making necessities like food, energy products and even medicine expensive, as well as potentially out of the grasp of ordinary Greeks who could suffer years of high levels of unemployment. Even tourism, which accounts for 15% of the Greek economy, would suffer as potential tourists may be turned off by rising levels of social discord that would no doubt follow as living standards drop even further than they already have. Some have warned that Greece could return to the status of a developing country, and its likely inflation rates and unemployment levels would certainly make it feel like one during this period. [Related story: Nightmare foretold if Greece leaves the euro] Greece’s cultural advantage But, if Greece could get over the initial inflation shock and if the government could implement a fair and efficient tax collection system then it could target public sector spending at the tourism industry. Greece has a gorgeous coastline and some of the world’s most rare and interesting artefacts. Around the world people still learn about Greek mythology and history at school so there will always be a huge number of people who want t to visit the country. Preserving its coastline, artefacts, building new airports, hotels, business and leisure centres doesn’t cost too much and can reap dividends in a fairly short amount of time. If the government can use its “cultural” advantage then it could set Greece onto the right track especially with some savvy marketing to the fast-growing middle classes in India, China, Brazil and other fast developing nations. Shipping is a major industry for the Greeks since ancient times. Ironically, if Greece were to leave the eurozone it could bring stability to financial markets and help to foster global growth thus boosting world trade. This is something the Greek shipping industry could jump on the back of. So leaving the eurozone may have some upside benefits in the short-term. [Related feature: Greece embraces new myths about the euro] Coping with the de-valued peseta So what about Spain? The adjustment process might not be as bad, although the peseta needs to fall in value and remain weak, it does not need to fall to the same extent as the drachma. The price of Spain’s imports would rise and inflation would shoot up probably causing more unemployment, but Spain could negotiate contracts for energy with countries it already has close ties with in Latin America and produce commodities to try and lessen the blow from a de-valued peseta. The banks in Spain... Spain’s biggest problem is its banking sector, which is crippled by bad loans from its property bust. Right now the markets are trying to figure out just how large the liabilities are and if the Spanish government is going to end up on the hook for them, possibly to the tune of €200billion according to some estimates (we won’t know for sure until the government conducts its latest review later this summer). Inside the eurozone, Spain could potentially get official help to deal with these liabilities, but outside of it, even as a member of the EU, this may be harder to achieve. [Related story: Spanish banks need €100bn in aid to survive] No banks, no problem If you removed the banking sector, then Spain could do well outside of the eurozone with a weaker currency as its exports are worth approximately €250billion a year and its largest export partners are France and Germany. Added to that, its tourist industry is well developed and in 2007 it was the second most visited country in the world after France. It generated €60billion from tourism in 2010, according to the World Travel and Tourism council, and a weaker currency could see this grow even more. However, until we know the true extent of its banking crisis it is hard to see how Spain could cope without help from its eurozone neighbours to support its flagging banking sector. One thing is for sure, leaving the eurozone is not an “easy” option, as Greece may find out, although it the long term it could reap benefits and put the economy on a more stable footing. However, for Spain, until it sorts out its banking sector, it may find it pays dividends to remain on Germany’s good side. |
warc | 201704 | The basic principles of modern manufacturing have been around since the turn of the century. Assembly lines, mass production, and interchangeable parts made it possible to produce large numbers of products in a short time, and new manufacturing methodologies like quality engineering, six sigma manufacturing have made high levels of quality possible. This section will explore modern manufacturing methodologies, point out what an embedded systems engineer should know, and what parts of these methodologies can be applied to other areas of embedded systems engineering. An embedded needs to understand the basics of manufacturing because manufacturing is an important part of life cycle cost analysis. Also, its possible that some manufacturing techniques can be applied to other areas of embedded systems development. Quality techniques have become quite prominent in many ultradependable or safety critical systems. Software engineers are also exploring new software development methods that rely on some manufacturing principles. The Cleanroom techniques is one of these methods. It has proven quite effective in some cases, but it is still quite difficult to generalize to all types of software projects.
Henry Ford started a revolution by showing that complex machines like the automobile could be produced quickly and cheaply in a proper factory. He saw that an automobile made from standard, interchangeable parts could be replicated using a single construction method, and dividing this construction method into manageable sections allowed the creation of an assembly line to produce previously unheard of numbers of cars. This mass production of machines would allow Ford to out produce his competitors while keeping the machines cheap enough for his workers to buy. Thus began the era of the consumer machine; technology and complex devices became accessible to the masses through rapid advances in manufacturing techniques.
There are three main reasons for embedded systems engineers to study manufacturing. First, manufacturing's core principles are simple but powerful, and an embedded systems engineer should be aware of them. Those principles are the assembly line, mass production, and interchangeable parts; they are the foundation of modern manufacturing. Total Quality Management, automation, and design to manufacture have appeared during the latter half of the twentieth century. Second, understanding how manufacturing affects the cost of a product is a key element of total cost analysis and life cycle planning. Finally, the fundamental ideas behind modern manufacturing may be applicable in other areas of embedded systems design. Certainly the principles behind Total Quality Management have a place in organizations that produce high quality systems, and interchangeable parts and the assembly line may have some application to software development.
The traditional way to make a complex machine was to build each one from scratch. Each machine was a work of art created by a skilled artisan [maxton95]. During the Civil War, American engineers began to build complicated devices out of interchangeable parts. This took the artistic style out of construction, but it improved the manufacturability of the devices. Machines could be built the same way each time from a standard supply of parts. The standard construction method lead to the creation of mass production for complicated machines.
Mass Production had existed in the textile industry before Henry Ford began producing model T's in 1913. He combined interchangeable parts and a standard assembly procedure to make an assembly line. Since each car was assembled the same way, each worker only had to understand one very small part of the whole procedure This highly distributed labor was cheap and easily replaceable. Ford had other innovations. Before his factory, cars were built much like houses. The frame was set down and all of the parts were brought over to it for attachment. Ford decided to take the frame and move it to the parts. As it moved, the laborers would attach their part to the frame. In 1914 Ford built more cars then all of his competitors combined.
Mass production has proliferated in our society. From Toshiba
tm
to Taco Bell tm, everything we consume comes off an assembly line.
Clearly the basic principles behind mass production and assembly lines are
applicable to many areas of technology. Some attempts are even being made to
apply these methods to software development. If software could be manufactured
as easily as a walkman is manufactured, many bugs and headaches could be
eliminated from software development.
Since its invention, the digital computer has had a growing role in the design and manufacturing of complex machines [dorf94]. Robots have found a steady home on assembly lines, CAD software is used for drafting and design, and now there is interest in complete integration. Traditionally, the design of a machine progressed from design, to drafting, to a prototype, and finally to the setup of an assembly line for product construction. If these three areas could be integrated, the development cycle would me made much more efficient.
Computer aided drafting has obvious advantages: designs can be can be accessed and modified quickly, information is easier to share, and the computer can perform some analysis on the draft. Rule based CAD tools can help designers by providing an environment that gives immediate feedback. The same type of tools have made it possible to deal with the complexity of million transistor designs on integrated circuits. Design to manufacture advocates want to combine the CAD and drafting tools with the automated assembly lines. This would allow the designer to turn their designs directly into real products, saving a great deal of time and money. Modifications also would be much easier to make, and the potential for human mistakes would be reduced.
Unfortunately, removing humans from the latter phases of the design cycle produces some problems. First, some design decisions are best left to humans. Second, while computers usually make fewer mistakes than humans, software bugs will still exists and finding them hidden in a massive design to manufacture system will be quite difficult.
Businesses know that giving customers what they want helps them sell more products. Customers want quality, quality without an exorbitant price tag. Quality can be a high level of reliability, a desired functionality, or a constraint like low gas mileage. Its now a major motivating factor for high priced consumer industries like microchip companies, consumer electronics and household appliances. Its the biggest driving force in the automotive industry. Companies that achieve a high level of quality in their products and adapt to the customers needs will carry a great deal of weight in their industries.
The Japanese pushed around the American car makers in the late 70's and 80's because they were able to give the customers what they wanted, cheap cars that used little gas. [maxton95_2] They have been able to keep up with changing consumer demands, and forced American and European car makers to adopt their strategies. Quality is an artifact of good management. The Japanese proved this by opening car manufacturing plants in the United States, using American workers, and maintaining the same level of quality the had in Japan. [maxton95_3]
Achieving high quality in a product line requires a great deal of management control and complete cooperation from everyone in the company. From janitors to system architects to managers, everyone must have a common goal. This is why its so difficult to implement. Everything people working on the product do must be monitored so their process can be checked and improved if needed. High quality requires listening to the voice of the customer and assuring that the products do what the customer wants. Statistical quality control is used to monitor the product for quality defects. An acceptable value range is set for a product characteristic. If that characteristic is out of the allowable value range, then the product is rejected. Once a product is rejected the defect is tracked down and the process that caused the defect is improved. Since its possible to miss or find false defects, statistical analysis is used to determine the chance of either error occurring. The sampling rate can be adjusted to improve the error rate.
Any embedded systems organization can use quality techniques. Since testing cannot add quality to a product and complex programs cannot be proven correct, sometimes the best way to insure safety and reliability is to use a quality engineering techniques. This requires using a high quality design process and updating it as errors appear. Tracking down the source of defects found with statistical quality control is also important. Quality engineering is an effective technique for building complex systems.
Computer chip makers earn their money by selling chips, so any cost effective method that increases the yield will be a win. Chips with defects from the manufacturing process cannot be sold but still cost money to make. So the defect rate directly affects profits. The six sigma quality standard was created to help chip makers lower chip defect rates. [Fieler91]
Complexity abounds in microchip manufacturing, giving many opportunities for variation. It has been estimated that the mean value of a product attribute-- an attribute being something like desired input voltage-- may vary by 1.5 sigma. A sigma is one standard deviation from the mean. Six sigma quality means that a product was designed to withstand variations of six sigma from the mean of a design characteristic. The six sigma accounts for the 1.5 sigma variation in means, and gives a defect rate of 3.4 parts per million versus 6210 parts per million using a traditional process.
Six sigma quality can only be achieved with the cooperation of the design and manufacturing team. The design team can increase the tolerance of the product to variations, and the manufacturing team will reduce the amount of variation. Six sigma quality is very similar to total quality management; every level of the organization must buy into it. The first step in a six sigma program is to look at the production process. Everyone in the process is both a producer and consumer. Each person should look at the consumers of their product and try and figure out exactly what they need and what must be done to give them a high quality product. The second step is to clearly define the process used by an employee to make their product. Once the process is defined it needs to be refined to make it efficient and mistake resistant. As product development continues a persons process should be refined as problems arise. Statistical quality control is used to monitor the product and check for defects. The defects are traced back to their point of origin, and the process that causes them is fixed.
The six sigma method has been very effective at improving the quality of IC chips. By quantifying the development process, and using statistical quality control to check for defects, a great improvement in quality can be achieved. These methods may also be applicable to software development processes.
Estimating the manufacturing cost of a product can be quite difficult, but it may be worth doing a manufacturability review to check a chip board design, or larger piece of equipment, for ease of manufacturing and cost. Doing a review can potentially save money and improve a board's reliability. [web_1]
A Manufacturability review examines several features of a board. First, a spacing check is done to to check feature separation. Pad less, plated through holes in the circuit board should be at least 10 mils away from outer layer circuits and 12 mils away from inner layer circuits. This will reduce the chance of a misdrilled hole affecting any of the board wiring or devices. Second, a z-axis check looks for clearance and hole diameter problems.
Since cost is such an important part of any embedded system design, it may be worth while to have someone do a Manufacturability review of the product, but it may all depend on how many of the units are going to be made. If only 10 units need to be manufactured, there may be no savings in improving the manufacturing process. If 100,000 units will be made, then manufacturing costs will be a large percentage of of the overall system cost. Balancing all of these factors can lead to substantial cost savings.
Reducing the number of operations in an assembly procedure will reduce the cost of manufacturing the product. Part count is important, but it can be a deceiving number. Each part needs at least three movements to install it in a product: grasp, move, and insert. Grasp is picking the part up from a bin of some kind. Move is the movement of the part over to the product, and insert is actually installing the part in the product. There may be more movements depending on how difficult a part is to manipulate, and possibly even more movements not associated with any particular part. [dorf94_2, redford94]
Reducing movement saves cost by reducing the time needed to assemble the product and the complexity of the machinery, and fewer failures will occur along the assembly line. The part count is an important factor, but if it is possible, the movements required to assemble a product should be the most important issue.
A software factory provides a unified environment for handling the software life cycle. Most of the large electronics firms in Japan use them. A strong emphasis is placed on doing things efficiently, and reusing components. Here are some of the main principles:
The results reported by the Japanese have been impressive.
The software factory produces good productivity numbers and a low error rate, however some of the methods used may not translate well into other problem domains. Each software factory is tied to one of the large Japanese electronic firms, so it is tailor made for that corporation. The unified environment is nice, but it probably relies on seeing the same types of problems over and over again. This problem also affects code re-use, a major factor in the productivity of software factories.
The software factory seems to be most productive when it is used on a specialized set of problems, however, some of its ideas can be applied to general software development. Quality assurance is an idea that has taken off for software and hardware. Cleanroom software development separates design from test in a manner similar to the software factory, so that idea seems to have a good deal of merit.
Cleanroom software engineering can be seen as an adaptation of Six sigma quality manufacturing. Quality cannot be tested into a system; cleanroom relies on a high quality design process to prevent mistakes from being entered into a system in the first place. It uses statistical quality control at the user level and incremental updates to assure that each new piece is valid and workable. There is also a separation between the design phase and the testing phase of all software projects. NASA, IBM, and Ellemtel have all used the cleanroom method to achieve high levels of product quality and developer productivity. [mills87, Deck97, Deck97_2, Cobb90, Hausler94]
Project Size in KLOC Error Rate in Errors/KLOC Productivity NASA Satellite Control 150 3.2 69% higher than normal Ericsson OS32 350 50% improvement 70% for design productivty Flight Control 33 2.5 Finished ahead of schedule
Cleanroom software has gotten good results in all of the projects I've found. Its been around since the early 1980's and has been refined as more and more people use it. I believe that it can be a very effective way to achieve quality in a complex software system. Cleanroom also doesn't appear to be strictly tied to formal methods, which will undoubtedly help it spread to more development teams. Its main draw back is that it works best when it has been customized for a group's needs; this usually requires a well trained consultant.
Cleanroom is an evolutionary step. A combination of the statistical quality control methods used in hardware (six sigma) backed by some of the formalisms of software design. It may end up being an important software development method, but it is not a panacea. It appears to be an effective tool for process improvement, and it has worked amazingly well when used correctly.
Manufacturing and quality affect any topic concerned with
system life cycle issues. Manufacturing is an important part of a systems
life cycle and the cost of a system. Quality also has links to many other
topics. Any time there is a need to make a good product, say in software
safety, ultra-dependability, or reliability, quality becomes an issue.
This happens a great deal with software systems, because software engineering
is so concerned with processes. Since there isn't any mathematical proof
that verifies a system's quality or reliability, the process used to create the
system is the only thing that can be checked.
The first thing to take away from this paper is that manufacturing costs should be considered during the design phase of the project. Although consideration must be given to the number of copies of the product that must be manufactured.
The more interesting issue is if some of the fundamental methods behind manufacturing can be applied to other areas of embedded systems. Certainly quality and total quality management have found a place in embedded system development. Without an empirical way to certify that a system will be reliable or safe, most validation techniques look at the process. The more difficult question pertains to using mass production or interchangeable parts to make software.
The software factory attempts to make creating software as simple as
manufacturing televisions.
It seems to work well for a very specific problem domain, but it may be difficult to generalize the method. Essentially, each organization would have to set up their own unified development environment. It may be a lot of extra overhead without significant gain. Some of the aspects of the method are nice, however, giving developers a unified environment is a good idea. Also the separation of design and test has show to be effective in the cleanroom method, and having quality teams check the state of the product is an idea worth considering
Cleanroom may be the more promising development process. It is similar to the software factory but has proven to be more flexible. This is why I think it has a good chance of succeeding. Different development groups have been able to tailor cleanroom to give themselves very high production with a low error rate. Its main problem right now is the need for an experienced person to taylor cleanroom for each unique project that uses it. I do think that the amount of tailoring needed for cleanroom is less then would be needed for a software factory, and that when more groups begin to us it the tailoring will become easier.
Consider the partial separation of development and test, and the use of code
review, when doing a software project. It has worked well in the hardware
industry, and several development processes that use it have produced
remarkable results.
[maxton95] Maxton, Graeme P., Driving Over a Cliff? Business Lessons from the World's Car Industry, p.68 - 72, (c) 1995, Addison-Wesley Publishers Ltd.
[maxton95_2] Maxton, Graeme P., Driving Over a Cliff? Business Lessons from the World's Car Industry, p.83 - 88, (c) 1995, Addison-Wesley Publishers Ltd.
[maxton95_3] Maxton, Graeme P., Driving Over a Cliff? Business Lessons from the World's Car Industry, p.94 - 96, (c) 1995, Addison-Wesley Publishers Ltd.
A book on some of the business aspects of the automotive industry. I'm using it for its passage on the history of automobile manufacturing techniques.
[dorf94] Dorf, Richard C., Kusiak, Andrew, Handbook of Design Manufacturing and Automation, p. 123 - p. 137 (c) 1994 JOHN WILEY & SONS INC.
[dorf94_2] Dorf, Richard C., Kusiak, Andrew, Handbook of Design Manufacturing and Automation, p. 619 - p. 648 (c) 1994 JOHN WILEY & SONS INC.
This is a reference that covers how computers are affecting the manufacturing industry. It discusses CAD (computer aided design) and CAM (computer aided manufacturing) techniques.
[Fieler91] Fieler, Paul E.,, Loverro, Nick, Jr., "Defects Tail Off with Six-Sigma Manufacturing", IEEE Circuits & Devices Magazine, Vol. 7, no. 5, p. 18-20, 48
A brief overview of six sigma manufacturing. It give the mathematical definition of what it means and outlines some of the quality techniques used to achieve it. A more detailed reference should be sought if you want to begin a true six sigma manufacturing program.
[redford94] Redford, Alan, Chal, Jan, Design For Assembly, p. (c) 1994 McGraw-Hill International
A reference that covers a variety of design for assembly techniques. Mostly it is concerned with manufacturing and machining mechanical devices and building assembly lines, but it does have some applicability to embedded systems.
[matsumoto89] Matsumoto, Yoshihiro, Ohno, Yutaka, Japanese Perspectives in Software Engineering, p. 303 - p. 320 (c) 1989 Addison-Wesley Publishing Company
An overview of Japanese software engineering techniques. I have referenced the chapter that coves the software factory. It is a little lacking in hard details, but it gives a decent overview of the method.
[Cobb90] Cobb, R.H., and H.D. Mills, "Engineering software under
Statistical Quality Control," IEEE
Software, November, 1990, pp.
44-53 A detailed description of how to apply statistical quality control to software. This is one of the most important aspects of the Cleanroom method.
[Deck97] Deck, M.D., "Cleanroom Software Engineering Myths and Realities," Quality Week 1997, San Francisco, CA, May, 1997
A paper from a Cleanroom consultant that describes his experience with it over the last 15 years. It has some interesting points about what parts of the methodology are useful and what parts are ineffective.
[Deck97_2] Deck, M.D, and J. A. Whittaker, "Lessons Learned from Fifteen Years of Cleanroom Testing," Software Testing, Analysis, and Review (STAR) '97, San Jose, CA, May 5-9, 1997
A look at Cleanroom software engineering test strategies.
[Deck94] Deck, M.D., "Cleanroom Software Engineering: Quality
Improvement and Cost Reduction," Proc. Pacific Northwest Software Quality
Conference, October, 1994, pp. 243-258.
[mills87] H.D. Mills, M. Dyer, and R.C. Linger, "Cleanroom Software Engineering," IEEE Software, Sept. 1987, pp. 19-24.
The original reference for the clean room method by its creators. It is important to read, but remember that some parts of the method are more effective then others.
[Hausler94] Hausler, P.A., R.C. Linger, and C.J. Trammell, "Adopting a Cleanroom software engineering approach," IBM Systems Journal, VOL 33, No. 1, 1994, pp. 89-109
One of the IBM papers about how an organization can incorporate the cleanroom method. It discusses how much of the method to use depending on a design groups experience with it.
[web_1] http://www.automata.com/automata_new/services/expl2.htm
A web reference about designing for assembly with circuit boards.
http://www2.ford.com/display.asp?story=355 In 1914 Ford produced 308,162 cars, which was more than all 299 other auto manufacturers combined.
Here is a web page with some general references |
warc | 201704 | A grant proposal to rejuvenate Island shellfishing was rejected in a nine-figure National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stimulus program announced this week, and it is fair to say that Warren Doty, the Chilmark selectman who spearheaded the Vineyard bid, is somewhat miffed.
“There are no jobs for the little guys,” he told the Gazette. “Our proposal had $20-an-hour employees and a five per cent overhead. Meanwhile there was $8 million to Maine to build a dam and a big chunk of that goes to the contractor for their profits.”
The $125 million NOAA program, which is part of a national recovery stimulus package, awarded 50 projects across America and the territories, with the aim to create jobs and rejuvenate coastal zones and the Great Lakes.
“There were no shellfish projects in New England; the only grant in Massachusetts was a small grant for a fish passage in Brewster,” Mr. Doty said. “Why ask for shellfish proposals if you’re not going to award any of them?
“It’s very disappointing.”
Around five per cent of submitted projects ultimately received funding, with only those judged to have the most economic and environmental impact chosen from 800 proposals.
Mr. Doty theorized that the Vineyard may have been at a disadvantage due to a politically toxic perception of the Island as a haven for the rich.
“Maybe we had no chance from the beginning,” he said. He added that his gripe extended beyond Dukes County.
“What about New Bedford? I’m not just disappointed for us. The two Republican senators from Maine were crucial in passing the federal stimulus bill back in February and they got seven times more money than Massachusetts. That’s all I know, and maybe it’s just a coincidence . . . .” For her part, NOAA spokesperson Connie Barclay confirmed that NOAA employees only were involved in the three layers of review process and that there was no input from politicians.
Mr. Doty plans to take his proposal elsewhere, but finds the prospect of fund seeking daunting in the current economic climate.
“The only people with money are the federal government,” he said. “No one else has any; state and town governments are just trying to keep the services going that they already have. You have to think about that. It’s a great proposal; it’s Island-wise. I’d love to rework that grant and see where else we can go. I’m convinced it’s a great program and I already know we have people on the Island who can do the job well.”
The proposal put forward by the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish group called for $3.3 million to directly employ 20 staff and indirectly to help return Vineyard fishing to a 200-job industry.
Fishing communities have suffered across the country in recent years, faced with complex regulations and dropping fish populations, caused by overfishing and pollution.
Rick Karney, director of the shellfish group and co-author of the grant, remembers a far larger, healthier industry at work when he moved to the Island in the 1980s.
“Back not all that long ago there used to be three or more times the scallopers on the Island,” he said. “There was a big decline in the 1980s across the entire habitat.” |
warc | 201704 | EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES--Need for In-place Calibration of Marsh-McBirney Model 250 VMFM (Velocity Modified Flow Meters) In Reply Refer To: February 25, 1981 EGS-Mail Stop 415 Memorandum SURFACE WATER BRANCH TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NO. 81.03 Subject: EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES--Need for In-place Calibration of Marsh-McBirney Model 250 VMFM (Velocity Modified Flow Meters) A number of Marsh-McBirney flow meters are being used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to obtain flow data in storm sewers and in other places. Recent studies made at the USGS Gulf Coast Hydroscience Center (GCHC) emphasize the need for an in-place calibration of the meter. Measured discharges can be in error by as much as 60 percent or more without a calibration. Copies of the study reports may be obtained by request from the Surface Water Branch. The studies show that several actions need to be taken when using the VMFM for the monitoring of flow data. These are: 1. Disconnect the bubble gage from the VMFM velocity probe and move the orifice 6 to 12 inches upstream or downstream from the probe. The bubble gage orifice must be located perpendicular to the flow to minimize drawdown or pileup. 2. Check the depth-measuring system of the VMFM using the procedures described in the enclosure or using similar procedures. 3. Calibrate the VMFM with the meter installed in the location and under the conditions for which it is to be used. Independent discharge measure- ments need to be made for at least three discharges. Discharge measurements can be made using current meters, dilution methods, or other means which will provide accurate measurements. 4. Measuring the flow components of depth and velocity independently is recommended. The test showed that the determination of flow from the com- ponents differed significantly from the flow which the VMFM computed. The independent measurement of depth and velocity will allow the investigator to more easily determine if there are problems with the meter such as would occur from trash catching on the velocity sensor. Depending on the recording system used and/or the ability of the investigator, separation of the components may require a factory modification of the meter. 2 If separated, the components will have to be recorded separately and the dis- charge computed. Questions concerning the separation of the components can be directed to Jim Rorabaugh at the USGS Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility Instrument Development Laboratory, GCHC (FTS 494-2161). If the VMFM is modified to record depth and velocity separately, the meter must be calibrated as modified. Marshall E. Moss Acting Chief, Surface Water Branch Enclosure WRD Distribtuion: A, B, S, FO, PO "This memorandum does not supersede any existing SWB memorandum." |
warc | 201704 | Lawsuit Expanded To Include U.S. Department Of Education
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; [email protected]
LOUISVILLE, KY - On behalf of five families, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Kentucky filed an amended complaint in federal court today charging that segregating classes by sex in Breckinridge County Middle School is illegal and discriminatory. The ACLU's lawsuit expands a previous lawsuit filed by a private attorney against the Breckinridge County School District and other county entities to include the U.S. Department of Education.
"The Breckinridge County sex-segregated classrooms are not only unlawful because they deny boys and girls equal opportunities in education these kinds of experimental programs are also misguided in that they distract from efforts that we know can improve all students' education like improved funding, smaller classes, more parental involvement and better trained teachers," said Emily Martin, Deputy Director of the ACLU Women's Rights Project.
The ACLU lawsuit argues that Breckinridge County Middle School's sex-segregated classes are fundamentally unequal and unlawful and violate the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Equal Educational Opportunities Act, and the state sex equity law. It also argues that by issuing federal regulations that encourage school districts to segregate students by sex, the U.S. Department of Education has violated the law.
The Breckinridge County School District instituted sex-segregated classrooms in its middle school in 2003, shortly after the U.S. Department of Education announced its intention to loosen federal restrictions on sex-segregated education. According to the Department of Education's own review in 2005, there was no strong evidence that sex-segregated instruction was beneficial to students or improved their education. Nevertheless, the Department of Education issued regulations in October 2006 that, for the first time in 30 years, allowed public coeducational schools to segregate students by sex. In doing so, it broke with over 20 other federal agencies that continue to have regulations on the books forbidding such segregation, which apply to many public schools including Breckinridge County Middle School. Nevertheless, in the wake of the Department of Education's actions, public school districts across the country have created single-sex programs.
At Breckinridge County Middle School, the classes for boys, the classes for girls, and the coeducational classes differ from each other significantly, apparently using different textbooks and covering academic material at different rates. Although in previous years parents were given the option of whether to participate in sex-segregated classes, in the 2007-2008 school year, students were assigned to all-male, all-female, or co-educational classes with no input from the students or parents. Only after parents complained did the school notify parents - several weeks later - that they could opt out of the segregated classes.
However, because in at least some instances the available coeducational classes were not equal to the sex-segregated classes, parents who would otherwise have preferred their children benefit from the diversity of a coeducational setting could not remove their children from the same-sex classes without sacrificing the best instruction available for their children. In addition, when the best class in a particular subject was a single-sex class, students of the opposite sex were unable to participate in the best education the school had to offer.
"More and more public school districts around the country are experimenting with sex-segregated schools and classrooms, often presenting these programs as quick-fix solutions to an array of problems facing their local public schools," said Michael Aldridge, Executive Director of the ACLU of Kentucky. "Sex-segregated education diminishes real diversity in education. One of the strengths of public schools is the opportunity they provide for students of different sexes, races, and religions to learn from each other."
Frankie Anthony, whom the ACLU is representing, has two daughters who attend Breckinridge County Middle School. He is concerned about the school's sex-segregated program and wants the best education possible for his daughters. His older daughter, Nikki, is a talented math student assigned to an all-girl math class.
"I think my daughters will be less prepared to succeed in the world if they can't socialize, compete and work together with boys in school, but I can't take my daughter out of her math class without compromising her education, because it's the best math class in the school. At the same time, boys don't even have the option to be in her math class," said Anthony.
"Real life doesn't put boys in one room and girls in another," added Nikki Anthony. "I don't think it's fair that the smartest boys in my grade can't take math with me or that I can't take English with them."
Compounding the problem, the Breckinridge County School District has recently hired as a consultant David Chadwell, Director of Single-Sex Initiatives in the South Carolina Department of Education and board member of the National Association for Single Sex Public Education - an organization that advocates questionable "brain science" theories that sex segregation is necessary because boys' and girls' brains are so different. In his writing and on his website, Chadwell urges teachers to treat boys and girls very differently - for example, allowing boys to talk loudly in class and insisting that girls remain quiet; encouraging boys - but not girls - to toss balls while answering questions; and giving boys - but not girls - time limits for academic tasks.
Organizations that have previously opposed the single-sex regulations promulgated by the U.S. Department of Education include the National Education Association and the American Association of University Women.
The case is
A.N.A. et al. v. United States Department of Education et al. Attorneys on the case include Martin, Lenora Lapidus and Araceli Martinez-Olguin of the ACLU Women's Rights Project and David Friedman and William E. Sharp of the ACLU of Kentucky.
The ACLU complaint can be found online at:
www.aclu.org/womensrights/edu/35388lgl20080519.html
Sample lesson plans for sex-segregated classes in South Carolina, where Chadwell is Director of Single-Sex Initiatives, are posted on the South Carolina Department of Education website at: http://ed.sc.gov/agency/Educational-Services/Public-School-Choice/
SingleGender/LessonPlansforBoys.html
Podcasts of the Anthony family and Martin discussing the sex segregation in the Breckinridge County School District and more information on the ACLU Women's Rights Project's work on sex segregation is available at: www.aclu.org/womensrights/edu/30129res20070614.html
More information on the ACLU Women's Rights Project's work on sex segregation is available at: www.aclu.org/sexsegregation |
warc | 201704 | Researchers at Cornell University have investigated the copper–zinc interaction in two soils with different textures, using soybean growth and metal uptake into leaves to evaluate both the toxicity and availability of these metals to the plants. Soils were amended with copper and zinc sulfate and allowed to age one year prior to planting soybean crops in pots in the field in two successive years. Copper and zinc were added to individual soils to provide 0, 50,100, 200, and 400 mg kg–1 of each metal as well as every possible combination of the two metals. The results from the study are published in the November–December issue of the Journal of Environmental Quality.
Interactive effects of copper and zinc were observed both in the soil as well as in the soybean toxic response. In the soil, high copper had a strong effect on inhibiting zinc adsorption on soil particles, thereby causing zinc to be more easily extractable and available. Conversely, there was only a moderate interactive effect of zinc on copper adsorption, which was probably explained by the higher affinity of copper for soil adsorption sites, particularly those associated with organic matter.
The toxic effects of copper and zinc on soybean growth were found to be additive to a large degree, as measures of both extractable copper and zinc in the soils were needed to adequately explain the inhibition of plant growth over all treatments. However, the toxic effect of copper was stronger than that of zinc, which could be explained by the observed severe impact of copper on soybean root development.
Soil texture had a marked influence on the degree of copper and zinc toxicity and availability to soybeans, which is consistent with numerous studies that have shown coarse-textured soils to be more susceptible to the toxic effects of heavy metals on crops.
In summary, the results indicate that guidelines for tolerable upper limits of copper and zinc concentrations in soils are likely to require allowance for the presence of a second toxic metal at elevated concentrations, which could lower the tolerable limit for either copper or zinc. Furthermore, tolerable limits for copper and zinc in soils are likely to be lower in coarse-textured soils. |
warc | 201704 | Survey reveals potential for virtual visits to impact health system referrals
A nationwide survey of 2,016 primary care doctors conducted by American Well® in collaboration with QuantiaMD found that 57 percent of physicians are willing to conduct video visits with their patients. Just 12 percent of physicians were unwilling to see a patient over video, while 31 percent remained uncertain. Work-life balance was the most popular reason physicians cited for seeing patients over video, followed by increased earning opportunity, and improved patient outcomes.
The study “Telehealth Index: 2015 Physician Survey” sought to determine physicians’ perceptions on video doctor visits. Overwhelmingly, 69 percent of physicians cited video as superior to phone or email communication for making accurate diagnoses for new patient consults. Physicians panned email and text messages for clinical assessment, with just 5 percent choosing email as best for diagnosis and only 1 percent saying text is best.
“There’s a sea change going on within the physician community,” said Roy Schoenberg, MD, CEO of American Well. “Doctors see value in virtual visits for their patients and also in managing their own work-life balance. We’ve seen weekly physician inquiries about practicing online triple in less than six months.”
The survey also found that physicians see many clinical applications for video visits beyond urgent care. Among physicians willing to see patients via video, 86 percent believe video visits are appropriate for medication management and prescription renewals; 80 percent saw video visits as appropriate for chronic condition management; and 70 percent gave the thumbs up for behavioral health.
Video Consults May Impact Hospital Referral Patterns
Importantly, the study found evidence that health systems may be able to increase referral revenue by adding peer telehealth consults to their specialty care programs. When asked, 60 percent of all primary care physicians surveyed said that if a nearby hospital offered them a chance to consult with specialists via video, it would increase their likelihood of referring patients to that hospital. Physicians also revealed their priorities for peer clinical consults. Dermatology, psychiatry, infectious disease, pain management, and neurology were the top specialty consults desired by primary care doctors.
Access the full Telehealth Index: 2015 Physician Survey or join the live webinar June 25 to learn more. Physicians interested in a virtual practice can learn more at americanwell.com/telemedicine-physicians.
This survey was conducted online within the United States by American Well, in partnership with QuantiaMD in May 2015. The survey included 2,016 primary care providers from across the country.
About American WellAmerican Well, the nation’s largest telehealth service, has delivered healthcare into the homes and workplaces of patients for close to a decade. Serving the nation’s top health systems, health plans, as well as hundreds of national employers, American Well provides a modern healthcare experience by connecting consumers with board-certified healthcare professionals via video over web or mobile. American Well has the most downloaded telehealth app and became the first company to receive accreditation by the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) earlier this year. American Well, Amwell, and Amwell Therapy Associates are trademarks of American Well Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks used are the property of their respective owners. For more information, visit AmericanWell.com or follow American Well on Facebook and Twitter. |
warc | 201704 | Submitted to: Plant Biology Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/16/2005
Publication Date: 7/21/2005
Citation: Xin, Z., Chen, J., Mandaokar, A., Last, R., Browse, J. 2005. Esk1 encodes a novel regulator of freezing tolerance[abstract]. American Society of Plant Biology. Paper No. 31001.
Interpretive Summary:
Technical Abstract:
Many temperate plants acquire an increased freezing tolerance in response to a period of low nonfreezing temperatures through an adaptive process known as cold acclimation. Like many other temperate plants, Arabidopsis improves its freezing tolerance from -5 to -12C after 2d acclimation at 4C. To study the mechanisms of cold acclimation, we have carried out a genetic screen to isolate constitutively freezing tolerant mutants that bypass the requirement for a prior exposure to low nonfreezing temperatures. A constitutively freezing tolerant mutant, esk1, could survive -10C in the absence of cold acclimation. Transcriptome analysis in a missense allele and a knockout allele of the esk1 mutants revealed that 169 genes were up-regulated and 137 genes were down-regulated for two-fold or more in the esk1 mutants. The ESK1-mediated genes overlapped with that induced by cold acclimation and ABA treatment. Some were also regulated by overexpressing CBF/DREB transcription factors at warm temperatures. Positional cloning of ESK1 gene uncovered a large family of plant-specific proteins whose function has not been characterized previously. The recessive nature of esk1 mutations and the wide-spectrum of genes altered in the mutants suggest that the ESK1 protein may be a novel negative regulator of cold acclimation. |
warc | 201704 | (Received 28 November 2011; accepted 7 May 2012)
Published Online: 2012 CODEN: GTJOAD
Format Pages Price 4 $25 ADD TO CART
Cite this document
The interpretation of the load test results presented in the paper may mislead design engineers to an unconservative estimation of design loads for bridge subfoundations. Lack of error checking in the authors’ finite element analysis (FEA) model might have resulted in invalid assessment of the validity of the FB-MultiPier FEA software program.
Author Information:
Chung, Jae H.
Director, Univ. of Florida, Dept. of Civil and Coastal Engineering, Bridge Software Institute, Gainesville, FL
Bollmann, Henry T.
Senior Engineer, Univ. of Florida, Bridge Software Institute, Gainesville, FL Stock #: GTJ104583 ISSN: 0149-6115 DOI: 10.1520/GTJ104583 |
warc | 201704 | In California, a two year old law exist requiring all information brokers to notify all California residents when data files have been stolen. Without this law, we believe that information brokers probably would not voluntarily make this information available.
For instance, in the recently publicized "ChoicePoint" case involving hackers gaining access to thousands of records (name, address, social security numbers..), 35,000 Californians were notified under this new law that their personal information had been stolen or otherwise compromised. After this notification, other victims across the country learned of the breach. In another case and on March 9, 2005, Reed Elsevier Group (LexisNexis unit) disclosed that hackers had gained access to 310,000 consumer accounts.
Other Reporting Issues: Do You Really Know How Bad the Problem Is?
Would companies like ChoicePoint and LexisNexis report this information without this California law? Probably not. For example, it has been discovered that back in 2002, a similar incident took place at ChoicePoint (before the California law) and the hacking theft was never reported. Not even to the victims so that they could take precautions. ChoicePoint continues to decline to discuss the 2002 incident. If you are someone you know is a victim of identity or personal information theft and, you have suffered damages because of the theft, you may have legal rights against not only the thief, but also the information service (like ChoicePoint or LexisNexis) for negligence or fraud. The law is relatively new and consistently developing in this area so please feel free to contact us for the latest developments.
Things You Can Do to Protect Yourself
Protect yourself from your own bank. Make sure you have the latest virus, Trojan horse and firewall protection on your computer. In more than one case, bank account numbers and passwords are stolen from victim's home computers by criminals and then used to electronically transfer large amounts of funds out of the U.S. Believe it or not, banks are refusing to replace the funds and are instead presenting the defense that their customers are at fault for not using antivirus software robust enough to detect the virus.
You can avoid this problem by simply using the latest virus and firewall protection and keeping it automatically updated on a daily or weekly basis. So long as you take reasonable steps to protect your information, the banks will be hard pressed to argue that you are the one who should be held responsible for the loss. |
warc | 201704 | Weather changes from day to day and season to season. But what exactly is weather and how is it created? Readers will discover the answers to these questions and many other weather wonders. Bright, full-color photographs, inviting text, and engaging questions introduce readers to the different types of weather in our world and how it affects our lives.
Everywhere you go, there are things to explore in nature. What do you think you'll see?
This book examines bacteria that are found in virtually every environmentincluding those that are characterized by extreme heat, cold, and depthand, of course, bacteria that are found inside our bodies. Case studies examine the development of new vaccines against bacterial diseases and the use of bacteria to help fight pollution.
How Is Soil Made introduces children to the concepts of organic and inorganic parts of soil, the nutrient cycles of plants, and decomposition. Complex processes such as weathering, erosion, and deposition are also made easy to understand.
Young readers will be astounded by the tiny organisms that live in soil, their ecological roles, and how they adapt to living there. Children will learn the value of even the smallest bacteria and be amazed by the impact that soil degradation has on an entire ecosystem.
Soil Erosion and How to Prvent It helps young readers see the real impact of erosion on all life. This intriguing book describes the processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition, the impact of erosion on plants and animals, and kid-friendly steps to preventing erosion.
Taking information out of one living thing and putting it into another is what genetic engineering is all about. How do scientists do it? Why do they do it? What are the results of their experiments with these amazing genetic materials? Through colorful photos, diagrams, and stories, you can understand the basics of genetic engineering. You can even see what the future of this science holds, from Enviropigs to designer pets! |
warc | 201704 | AT&T, Comcast Face New Web Rules as Agency Sets Vote
A U.S. regulator said he’d press to pass Internet-service rules for companies led by AT&T Inc. and Comcast Corp., setting up a clash with Republican lawmakers who told him Americans recently voted against expansive government.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski today asked the agency to vote Dec. 21 to bar Internet-service companies from blocking or slowing Web users’ access to lawful content and applications. The net-neutrality rules “ensure that the Internet remains a powerful platform for innovation and job creation,” Genachowski said in a speech in Washington.
Genachowski, a Democrat appointed by President Barack Obama, proposed net-neutrality rules in September 2009, and debate has expanded to involve Congress, courts and companies. Proponents including technology companies said regulations are needed to keep the Internet free of restrictions, while opponents such as telephone and cable companies said rules aren’t needed and may stifle investment.
“If last month’s election told us anything, it’s that Americans are exasperated by the explosive growth of government,” Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the House’s No. 2 Republican, said in an e-mailed statement. “Imposing net-neutrality requirements would significantly harm a key industry by shackling it with unnecessary and anti- competitive regulations.”
‘Clearest Winners’
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, which oversees telecommunications policy, said she would “explore all options” to keep the FCC from instituting the regulations. Republican Representative Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee in an interview on Bloomberg Television said the FCC had a “hysterical approach” and aims to put a “chokehold” on the Internet.
Time Warner Cable Inc., Cablevision Systems Corp. and telephone companies are among the “clearest winners” under Genachowski’s proposal because it averts the prospect of harsher regulation and clears a path for flexible pricing for high-speed Internet service, Paul Gallant, a Washington-based analyst with MF Global, said in an interview.
“Those are very welcome developments for Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision,” he said.
The FCC recognizes “the importance of business innovation” including usage-based pricing, Genachowski said in his speech.
Good for Stocks
Share prices “will respond well” if cable operators adopt usage-based pricing, charging more to customers who gulp data, for instance by downloading videos, and less to attract lighter Web users, Craig Moffett, a New York-based analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Inc., said in a note to investors today.
The regulations would give Internet-service providers flexibility to deal with congestion or harmful traffic, Genachowski said. Wireless networks would be subject to different regulations that include a no-blocking rule, and the FCC would “be prepared to step in” to deal with anti- competitive behavior, he said.
AT&T, the largest U.S. telephone company, and Verizon Communications Inc. said the issue should be left to Congress.
The FCC should make “any rules it adopts interim, rather than permanent,” Verizon Executive Vice President Tom Tauke said in an e-mailed statement.
“We are pleased that the FCC appears to be embracing a compromise solution,” Jim Cicconi, AT&T senior executive vice president, said in an e-mailed statement.
‘Careful, Balanced Approach’
Comcast Executive Vice President David Cohen said in an e- mailed statement, “The careful and balanced approach laid out by the chairman today has our support.”
Charlie Ergen, chief executive officer of Dish Network Corp., which provides on-demand movies to subscribers using Internet lines, in a statement called Genachowski’s proposal “a solid framework for protecting the open Internet.”
Verizon rose 34 cents to $32.35 at 4:01 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. AT&T advanced 49 cents to $28.28. Comcast rose 80 cents, or 4 percent, to $20.83 in Nasdaq Stock Market trading.
Genachowski said his rules build upon a proposal made in September by Representative Henry Waxman, a California Democrat, who suggested less-stringent rules for the mobile Web than for service delivered over wires.
Net neutrality encompasses the idea that Internet-service providers can’t interfere with content they deliver to subscribers, or favor their offerings. Technology companies backing regulations include search company Google Inc., Internet-retailer Amazon.com and Dish.
Managing Traffic Growth
Cable and phone companies that provide Web service say rules may make it difficult to manage the growing traffic on their networks and would limit investment in Internet capacity. AT&T and Verizon, the majority owner of the largest U.S. mobile provider, Verizon Wireless, have told the FCC that rules aren’t needed for wireless networks.
Google and Verizon, the second-largest U.S. phone company, struck a compromise in August that didn’t call for rules on wireless Internet service. The proposal wasn’t adopted by officials.
Obama, as a candidate, made net neutrality a campaign issue and has called himself a “big believer” in the approach.
Democratic lawmakers released a letter yesterday urging Genachowski to act on Web regulations this year to ensure “that the Internet remains an open network.” The letter was signed by Senators John Kerry of Massachusetts, Byron Dorgan of North Dakota and Ron Wyden of Oregon.
Three Votes Needed
The regulations need three votes to pass at the FCC, where two Democrats join Genachowski to form the agency’s majority.
“I strongly oppose this ill-advised maneuver,” Robert McDowell, one of two Republican commissioners, said in an e- mailed statement. “Such rules would upend three decades of bipartisan and international consensus that the Internet is best able to thrive in the absence of regulation.”
Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker, a Republican, said the agency doesn’t have authority to act and called Genachowski’s proposal “a mistake.”
Genachowski said he had abandoned his proposal to put Internet service under the regulatory regime used for telephone service -- a prospect opposed by companies that said such a move might lead to rate regulation.
Not applying rules for telephone companies would benefit AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision, Gallant said in a Nov. 19 note to clients.
Telephone regulation offered a way to reclaim authority undermined by a U.S. court, Genachowski said in May. Judges ruled in April the FCC lacked authority to punish Comcast for interfering with subscribers’ Web traffic.
“I am satisfied that we have a sound legal basis” for proceeding without using telephone rules, Genachowski said today.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Allan Holmes at [email protected] |
warc | 201704 | This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
Health Insurance Report™ helps you track and analyze legal, legislative, and regulatory developments affecting the health-insurance industry throughout implementation of the Affordable Care Act...
Jan. 22 — The denial of tax credits to individuals who buy health insurance through federally facilitated exchanges would have “disastrous consequences” for individuals and insurance markets in states that have elected not to create their own exchanges, the Obama administration told the U.S. Supreme Court Jan. 21.
Government attorneys told the high court that challengers to an Internal Revenue Service rule that makes tax credits, or subsidies, available to all purchasers, regardless of whether they buy insurance through an exchange run by a state or the federal government, have construed the Affordable Care Act incorrectly. If their argument that the ACA makes credits available only to those who buy insurance on state-run exchanges is accepted by the court, then they have doomed insurance markets in the remaining states to death spirals, the government’s response brief said.
Additionally, in the brief responding to arguments posed by petitioner David King and others, the government said that more than 5 million of the people who obtained coverage through exchanges in 2014 lived in one of the 34 states with an exchange run by the federal government. The “overwhelming majority of those people relied on tax credits to pay their premiums every month,” the brief said.
Through this lawsuit, the petitioners “seek to upend the Act and extinguish the coverage of millions of Americans,” the government said.
The challengers' position, set out in a Dec. 22 opening brief on the merits, is that the Internal Revenue Service overstepped its bounds when it published a rule, 26 C.F.R. § 1.36B-1, that would allow individuals access to tax credits for buying insurance on either a state-run or federally facilitated exchange.
The challengers argued that the ACA, in a section codified in the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 36B, limited the availability of subsidies to individuals who buy insurance on exchanges established by the states. This would mean that subsidies aren't available to individuals who live in states that have elected to allow the federal government to operate exchanges within their borders.
The government disputed this argument, saying the ACA section on which it was premised doesn't, in fact, so limit the subsidies' availability. Section 36B provides that a tax credit shall be allowed for any eligible taxpayer and that the amount of the credit shall be determined based on the premium paid for an insurance plan “offered in the individual market within a State” that was “enrolled in through an Exchange established by the State under” 42 U.S.C. § 18031.
The act provides for the creation of exchanges by the states in Section 18031, but it gives the states “flexibility” in meeting the requirement. A state may elect to set up its own exchange, but if it doesn't, the federal government “shall establish and operate such Exchange within the State,” 42 U.S.C. § 18041(c)(1).
Each federally facilitated exchange, though run by the Health and Human Services Department, “is the same state-specific Exchange the State otherwise would have established,” the government said in its brief. Insurers offering policies on the exchanges are regulated by the states, and the premiums are based on factors unique to each state.
Contrary to the challengers' argument, the phrase “an Exchange established by the State” under Section 18031 “is a term of art that includes both an Exchange a State establishes for itself and an Exchange HHS establishes for the State,” the government said.
Section 18041(c)(1) says the HHS shall “establish and operate such Exchange within the State,” if the state elects not to do so. “The term ‘such Exchange,'” as used in this section “conveys that an Exchange HHS establishes as a statutory surrogate for a State fulfills Section 18031(b)(1)'s requirement that ‘[e]ach State' establish an Exchange,” the government's brief said. For the ACA's purposes, therefore, a federally facilitated exchange is “an Exchange established by the State” under Section 18031.
Competitive Enterprise Institute General Counsel Sam Kazman criticized the government's argument in a Jan. 22 press release. “The government takes an incredibly carefree approach to the English language by arguing the text of the Obamacare law plays second fiddle to the law’s alleged overriding purpose,” Kazman said.
“By claiming the phrase ‘established by the state’ reflects ‘style and grammar,’ the government argues ‘establish’ is no longer a verb; it's an ornament.” Kazman referred to a section of the brief that claimed the phrase “established by the state” only identified the exchange in a particular state and “reflects style and grammar,” not a substantive limitation on the type of exchange. CEI, in Washington, is coordinating and funding the case.
Robert Weiner, of Arnold & Porter in Washington, disagreed. The government's brief is “devastating,” he told Bloomberg BNA Jan. 22. “It provides example after example of how the Petitioners’ interpretation is not only inconsistent with other provisions of the Act, but renders them inoperative.”
The government's argument also “shows how the Petitioners make their ‘plain meaning' argument only by disregarding the inconvenient fact that Congress defined the terms that are in dispute,” Weiner said. “When Congress provides a definition, that is what the word means in the statute, not what we might understand them to mean if we were talking on the street.”
The government also asserted that the availability of tax credits to purchasers on all exchanges is “essential to the Act's nationwide insurance market reforms.” The act “relies on three interdependent reforms,” it said. The act prohibits insurers from denying coverage or raising premiums based on a person's medical history; it imposes a tax penalty on people who fail to obtain and maintain coverage; and it subsidizes the purchase of insurance by people who otherwise couldn't afford it.
The third and second prongs are essential to the success of the first prong, the government said. It noted that some states, in the past, adopted anti-discrimination provisions that prohibited insurers from refusing to insure or raising rates for people with certain medical conditions. These provisions, however, often led insurers to pull out of the states because they couldn't afford to do business under those terms. An inability to raise rates, married with a dearth of healthy subscribers, led the insurance markets in those states to fall into a “death spiral,” the government said.
By requiring everyone to have health insurance, and by providing subsidies for people who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it, the ACA ensures that insurers will get paid, even if they may not exclude certain individuals or charge them more for their coverage. Without the subsidies encouraging people to buy insurance, the markets would face the same “death spiral” that they previously faced in the states, the government said.
The government also argued that the ACA's “structure and design” confirmed that tax credits are available on exchanges in every state, and that the law's legislative history didn't support the challengers' claim that the subsidies were meant to act as “carrots” to induce states to establish exchanges.
It was “well understood when the act was passed” that not every state would establish its own exchange, the brief said. Still, the tax credits weren't “structured as a conditional-spending program designed to induce the States to take action.” The credits are federal in nature, and are provided to federal taxpayers as “an integral part of
national reforms” intended to apply regardless of state action, the government said.
Moreover, the brief said, “no Member of Congress ever suggested that tax credits would be available only in States that established their own Exchanges.”
The case is at the court for review of a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit that upheld the IRS rule. In an unusual move, the court granted review in November 2014, even though there was no existing circuit court split on the issue. There are at least three other pending cases that raised the same issue.
Oral arguments are scheduled for March 4.
Donald B. Verrilli Jr., Joyce R. Branda, Ian Health Gershengorn, Edwin S. Kneedler, Beth S. Brinkmann, Brian H. Fletcher, Mark B. Stern, and Alisa B. Klein of the U.S. Department of Justice, Washington; Christopher J. Meade, of the Department of Treasury, Washington; M. Patricia Smith, of the Department of Labor, Washington; and William B. Schultz, of the Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, represented the government.
To contact the reporter on this story: Mary Anne Pazanowski in Washington at [email protected]
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Fabia Mahoney at [email protected]
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warc | 201704 | The Human Auditory Development Lab (HADL) is located on the 3rd floor of the Boys Town National Research Hospital – East Campus. We study auditory development, and are particularly interested in understanding how infants and children hear and process target sounds in the presence of competing background sounds.
Infants and children must learn about speech and other important sounds in natural acoustic environments. These environments are usually noisy. There are several gaps in our understanding about the factors that influence how well children hear in noisy environments, including specific challenges faced by children who are hard of hearing.
We use behavioral measures to assess hearing in the laboratory. Some of our studies are focused on obtaining normative data from infants and children. Other studies are aimed at understanding how hearing loss influences the development of complex auditory skills. The results of our studies will improve our understanding of how hearing develops. Our results may also lead to enhancements in how sounds are delivered to infants and children who are hard of hearing.
We collaborate with faculty scientists, audiologists and trainees at Boys Town National Research Hospital. We also work closely with researchers at other US institutions, including The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Case Western Reserve University.
Lori Leibold, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
Lori Leibold is the Director of Hearing Research at Boys Town National Research Hospital. She completed her Master's degree in Audiology at the University of Western Ontario. After working as a clinical audiologist, she completed her Ph.D. in Lynne Werner's Infant Hearing Laboratory at the University of Washington. Next, she completed postdoctoral training with Dr. Walt Jesteadt and Dr. Donna Neff at Boys Town National Research Hospital. Dr. Leibold was a faculty member in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for nine years before returning to Boys Town National Research Hospital in 2015.
Jenna Browning, Au.D., Research Audiologist ([email protected])
Jenna Browning's research interests include children's speech perception in complex listening environments and assistive listening technology for children with hearing loss. She completed her Au.D. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a recipient of two grants that emphasized the training; of Pediatric Audiologists. While at UNC, she worked with Dr. Leibold in the Human Auditory Development Laboratory and then moved to Omaha to complete her clinical training in Audiology. She is grateful that Dr. Leibold and the lab moved to Omaha as well.
Heidi Lang, B.A., Research Assistant II ([email protected])
Heidi Lang studied English and Italian at Creighton University. Before joining Boys Town National Research Hospital, she worked as a marketing manager at MED-EL headquarters in Innsbruck, Austria. She plans to pursue graduate studies in speech-language pathology.
Margaret K. Miller, Au.D., Research Audiologist ([email protected])
Maggie Miller completed her clinical audiology training at the University of Texas in Austin in 2011. Before coming to Boys Town, Dr. Miller worked as a research audiologist at the New York University School of Medicine, with a focus on cochlear implant adaptation and bimodal listening. Currently, Dr. Miller is responsible for recruiting and testing research participants in a wide variety of auditory development studies, as well as general lab organization. In fall 2016, she will take on the position of project coordinator on an upcoming grant related to clinical bilingual speech perception. Dr. Miller's main clinical and research interests include cochlear implants and auditory development related to speech perception in complex listening environments in both pediatric and adult populations.
Paula Garcia, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow ([email protected])
Paula Garcia is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Human Auditory Development Laboratory at Boys Town National Research Hospital. Previously, she had completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Speech Perception and Acoustics Laboratory at Boys Town. She holds a B.S in Special Education from Universidad de Manizales, Colombia. After working as a school teacher for 10 years, Paula went back to school and completed a Master's degree in Neuroscience and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. In 2014, she received her PhD in Speech and Language Pathology from the same institution. Paula's doctoral work focused on examining behavioral and neurophysiological measures of non-native speech perception in bilingual children and adults. During the postdoctoral fellowship, she has been studying the effect of noise and linguistic maskers in the speech perception performance of Spanish-English bilingual children and adults.
Mary Flaherty, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow ([email protected])
Mary Flaherty completed her Ph.D. in cognitive psychology at SUNY Buffalo, studying the effects of knowledge and experience on the perception of speech in humans and birds. Dr. Flaherty is currently transitioning into work with children and infants and is involved in studies that examine how these age groups hear in complex listening environments. Her research interests also include finding ways to improve listening performance in children with hearing loss.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders |
warc | 201704 | Toggle My BrainyQuoteSign UpLoginFavoritesCollectionsSettingsLogoutToggle My BrainyQuoteSign UpLoginFavoritesCollectionsSettingsLogoutHomeAuthorsTopicsQuote Of The DayPicturesSign UpLoginMy BrainyQuoteFavoritesCollectionsAccount SettingsLogoutAuthorsTopicsPicturesQuote Of The DayAuthors:ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZPlease enable JavascriptThis site requires Javascript be enabled to provide you the best experience. Some features may not be available with Javascript disabled!Financial Markets QuotesPrev123NextOur economy is increasingly dependent on the success and integrity of the financial markets.Michael DouglasSuccess,Integrity,EconomyIn Asia, a lot of successful economies that had been living on their own saving, decided to open up their financial markets to international capital in the early 1990s. So here were countries doing quite well, but they decided they'd borrow a bit more and do even better.Jeffrey SachsFinancial,Successful,DoingThe financial markets generally are unpredictable. So that one has to have different scenarios... The idea that you can actually predict what's going to happen contradicts my way of looking at the market.George SorosFinance,Financial,LookingWhat we have seen in financial markets should bring home to us all that the central organising principle of this 21st century is interdependence. For the century just past, interdependence may have been one option among many. For the century that is to come, there is no longer an alternative.Kevin RuddHome,Past,FinancialThings like the financial markets - a proper grounding in mathematics could help the common man. I believe that if people are more familiar with mathematical concepts... it can help deal with modern life, which is increasingly complex.Viswanathan AnandLife,Mathematics,ManI put forward a pretty general theory that financial markets are intrinsically unstable. That we really have a false picture when we think about markets tending towards equilibrium.George SorosFinancial,Forward,ThinkSelling drug secrets violates a trust that is fundamental to the integrity of both scientific research and our financial markets.Chuck GrassleyTrust,Integrity,FinancialA second reason why science cannot replace judgement is the behavior of financial markets.Martin FeldsteinScience,Financial,BehaviorLet us not be defeated by the tyranny of the world financial markets that threaten peace and democracy everywhere.Stephane HesselPeace,World,FinancialBusiness chief executive officers and their boards succumb to the pressures of the financial markets and their fears of takeovers and pour out their energies to produce quarterly earnings - at the expense of building their companies for the long term.J. Irwin MillerBusiness,Financial,LongIn rising financial markets, the world is forever new. The bull or optimist has no eyes for past or present, but only for the future, where streams of revenue play in his imagination.James BuchanFuture,Eyes,PastThe Federal Reserve has a responsibility to ensure the safety and soundness of financial institutions and to contain systemic risks in financial markets.Bernie SandersResponsibility,SafetyFavouring employment versus the financial markets is a decent policy; certainly not beneficial for the currency or the gilt market, but beneficial for the people.Bill GrossFinancial,People,PolicyAnd finally, no matter how good the science gets, there are problems that inevitably depend on judgement, on art, on a feel for financial markets.Martin FeldsteinArt,Good,ScienceThe middle and working classes are paying the debt that the financial markets created.Javier BardemFinancial,Working,DebtThe new social question is: democracy or the rule of the financial markets. We are currently witnessing the end of an era. The neoliberal ideology has failed worldwide. The U.S. movement Occupy Wall Street is a good example of this.Sigmar GabrielGood,Financial,DemocracyIn Germany it is good if as many people as possible join initiatives and peaceful demonstrations against the rule of the financial markets. Worshipping the unfettered freedom of global markets has brought the world to the brink of ruin. We now need social and ecological rules for the market economy.Sigmar GabrielGood,Freedom,WorldThere are still deep-seated structural problems that threaten the economic balance in the world: Between the United States and China, for example, but also within Europe. We have taken a few steps toward taming the financial markets, but we haven't come nearly far enough to rule out a repetition of the crisis.Peer SteinbruckBalance,World,FinancialThe stability of global financial markets is a public good. If governments fail to protect this public good, then those who suffer are the working people of the world whose jobs, whose homes, and whose standard of living depends on it.Kevin RuddGood,World,FinancialThe United States has the most sophisticated financial markets in the world, which does not leave much room to maneuver. But it also offers investors the greatest access to information and the ability to execute trades quickly and efficiently. So it is a mixed bag of opportunity.Andrew LoOpportunity,Greatest,WorldI do believe women have different ways of taking risks, of ruminating a bit more before they jump to conclusions. And I think that as a result, particularly on the, on, you know, on the trading floor, in the financial markets in general, the approach would be different.Christine LagardeWomen,Financial,BelieveRemember that all financial markets are filled with good but not necessarily innocent people looking after their own self-interests before they look after yours.Robert KiyosakiGood,Financial,PeopleDevelopments in financial markets can have broad economic effects felt by many outside the markets.Ben BernankeFinancial,Economic,OutsideWell, the U.S., of course, is the world's largest economy. It's about a quarter of the world's output. It's also home to many of the largest financial institutions and financial markets.Ben BernankeHome,World,FinancialThe crisis in Europe has affected the U.S. economy by acting as a drag on our exports, weighing on business and consumer confidence, and pressuring U.S. financial markets and institutions.Ben BernankeBusiness,Confidence,ActingIf we leave the European Union, there will be an immediate economic shock that will hit financial markets. People will not know what the future looks like.George OsborneFuture,Financial,PeoplePopular TopicsLifeQuotesInspirationalQuotesMotivationalQuotesLoveQuotesFriendshipQuotesPositiveQuotesFunnyQuotesHappinessQuotesPopular AuthorsMartin Luther King, Jr.Albert EinsteinBarack ObamaAbraham LincolnDonald TrumpWinston ChurchillBuddhaMahatma GandhiPrev123NextShare this page:Explore TopicsLifeQuotesInspirationalQuotesMotivationalQuotesLoveQuotesFriendshipQuotesPositiveQuotesFunnyQuotesHappinessQuotesBrainyQuote DesktopBrainyQuote MobileSiteHomeAuthorsTopicsQuote Of The DayPicturesTop 100 QuotesProfessionsBirthdaysSocialBQ on FacebookBQ on TwitterBQ on PinterestBQ on Google+BQ on InstagramShopBrainyQuote StoreAppsiPhone/iPad appQuote Of The Day FeedsJavascript and RSS feedsWordPress pluginQuote of the Day EmailAboutAbout UsContact UsSubmitPrivacyTermsCopyright© 2001 - 2017 BrainyQuote |
warc | 201704 | Powders have been studied extensively because they arise in a wide variety of fields, ranging from soil mechanics to manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Only recently, however, with the deepening understanding of fractals, chaos, 1/f noise, and self-organization, has it been useful to study the mechanical properties of powders from a fundamental physical perspective. This book collects articles by some of the foremost researchers in the field, including chapters on: the role of entropy in the specification of a powder, by S.F. Edwards (Cambridge); discrete mechanics, by P.K. Haff (Duke); computer simulations of granular materials, by G.C. Barker (Norwich); pattern formation and complexity in granular flow, by R.P. Behringer and G.W. Baxter (Duke); avalanches in real sand piles, by A. Mehta (Birmingham); micromechanical models of failure, by M.J. Adams (Unilever) and B.J. Briscoe (Imperial College); mixing and segregation in particle flows, by J. Bridgwater (Birmingham); and hard-sphere colloidal suspensions, by P. Bartlett (Bristol) and W. van Megen (Melbourne). |
warc | 201704 | This page is a historical archive and is no longer maintained. For current information, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/media/ Media Advisory CDC Announces Healthy Swimming Video Contest
For Immediate Release: June 6, 2011
Contact: CDC Online Newsroom (404) 639-3286 WHAT
To help us educate swimmers, CDC's Healthy Swimming Program is asking the public to make short, creative videos that feature simple steps everyone can take to ensure a healthy and illness-free swimming experience.
WHY
Win $1,000 and have your video seen by thousands of people while helping to improve swimmer health! Contrary to popular belief, chlorine does not kill all germs instantly. Each summer, thousands of Americans get sick with recreational water illness (RWIs) after they go swimming. RWIs are illnesses caused by germs found in places where we swim. Simple steps like not swimming when you have diarrhea and keeping water out of your mouth can help prevent the spread of germs that cause RWIs. Preventing RWIs is easy, but CDC needs your help to spread the word!
HOW
Your video can be a rap, sketch, dance, slide show, or anything you want it to be, as long as it includes CDC's four key healthy swimming messages and appeals to a broad audience. The top videos will be posted on CDC's YouTube Channel for a public vote. The first-place winner will receive $1,000, courtesy of the CDC Foundation. The winning video will also be featured on CDC's Healthy Swimming Website and CDC's YouTube Channel for thousands to see.
WHEN
The deadline for submission is Monday, July 4, 2011 at 11:59pm ET
WHERE
Submission guidelines can be found at http://healthyswimming.challenge.gov/.
For more information and to enter the contest, please visit http://healthyswimming.challenge.gov/. For more information about RWIs and healthy swimming, go to www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming.
###
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Historical Document: June 6, 2011 Content source: Office of the Associate Director for Communication, Division of News and Electronic Media Notice: Links to non-governmental sites do not necessarily represent the views of the CDC. Get e-mail updates
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warc | 201704 | Under the Clean Air Act 1993, Croydon declared the majority of the borough as a smoke control area. To find out if you are in a smoke control area please contact the Pollution Team using the contact details below.
If you live in a smoke control area you must comply with the following:
It is an offence to emit smoke from a domestic chimney. It is an offence for any person or company to obtain or deliver unauthorised fuels to a building, unless an exempt appliance is in use. Ordinary wood and bituminous coal are not authorised fuels. Smoke control areas only restrict smoke from domestic chimneys and do not cover garden bonfires or bonfires on building and construction sites. For further information on bonfires see 'Are bonfires necessary'.
For more information on the location of smoke control areas, approved fuels and a list of exempt appliance, see UK Smoke control areas or download the 'Using wood and coal for home heating' guide below. |
warc | 201704 | I wonder if that’s why the Office of Adolescent Health notes that “Adolescents ages 15-24 account for nearly half of the 20 million new cases of STD’s each year,” and says that “Today, four in 10 sexually active teen girls have had an STD that can cause infertility and even death.” Relatedly, as has been repeatedly pointed out over the past few years, states with no sex education or abstinence only curriculums have the highest rate of teen pregnancies, while “teenagers who received some type of comprehensive sex education were 60 percent less likely to get pregnant or get someone else pregnant.”
We can’t empower adolescents to take responsibility for their own sexual health when you don’t teach them what it means to be sexually healthy in the first place. |
warc | 201704 | by Gregory Acs The Urban Institute 2100 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20037 May 1999 I. Introduction
In his 1999 State of the Union Address, President Clinton hailed the US economy, proclaiming that America was in the midst of the longest peacetime economic expansion in history and citing the creation of 18 million new jobs, the lowest unemployment rate in four decades, and wages rising at twice the rate of inflation. But despite this strong economic growth in the 1990s, the earnings of the lowest paid 20 percent of workers in 1997 were still below their 1989 levels. This apparent paradox raises three inter-related questions:
(1)
Why has a strong economy failed to raise the wages of the
lowest earning workers?
Some analysts argue that recent economic growth has been "skill-biased," allowing the economy to expand, rewarding highly-skilled workers handsomely, and leaving less-skilled workers behind (Levy 1999). The problem is systemic. Alternatively, the strong economy could have drawn many less-skilled individuals into the labor market--if this is the case, then the fact that earnings have not grown among lower paid workers may indicate that these new workers simply have fewer skills than the lower paid workers of a decade ago. If this is the case, then the "problem" reflects the changing composition of the work force.
(2)
Should we be concerned about the wages of the lowest earning
workers?
Concern over low wages generally stems from concern for low-income families. Finding that workers holding low paying jobs are young indivi2duals without children or secondary workers from higher income families blunts the impetus for policy interventions aimed at raising wages. Finding that the earnings of low wage workers represent a substantial share of their families' incomes and that these workers support children would indicate a more urgent need requiring attention.
(3)
What can be done about low wages?
Depending on the nature and seriousness of the problem, a host of interventions are available to policy makers. If workers with persistently low wages have few skills, education and training initiatives may be beneficial. If low wages reflect rigid institutional factors, then raising the minimum wage and making it easier for workers to enter into collective bargaining agreements with employers will raise wages. And if wages are low because demand for workers is low, then wage subsidies and public sector job creation may well raise wages. Finally, it may prove to be more effective to raise family incomes through transfers and the tax system rather than to intervene in the labor market in an attempt to raise wages.
This paper begins to address these questions by profiling the low-wage workforce in 1997. I find that over one-quarter of all workers earned less than $7.50 an hour, but only one out of every ten workers were low-wage workers living in low-income families. In the following sections, I discuss the meaning of the term "low-wage worker" and then adopt a working definition. Next, I present a profile of low-wage workers and their jobs based on data in the March 1998 Current Population Survey (CPS) reflecting earnings and employment in 1997. Finally, I discuss how the characteristics of low-wage workers can inform the debate over policy interventions aimed at raising wages. |
warc | 201704 | Nymox Announces New Positive Results at 54 Months in Long Term Study of NX-1207 for Benign Prostatic HyperplasiaHASBROUCK HEIGHTS, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 30, 2008 - Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation (NASDAQ: NYMX) today announced new positive results from a long term outcome study of NX-1207 for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The study evaluated symptomatic progress of U.S. patients involved in the Company's two Phase 1-2 studies initiated in 2003. Patients treated with NX-1207 were followed-up on an unselected and as available basis and assessed for symptomatic improvement, treatment outcomes, and durability of efficacy 54 months after NX-1207 treatment. These subjects were last assessed at 42 months after treatment.
Overall, 75% of the patients in the new outcome study treated with NX-1207 reported no current drug treatment for their BPH and had a mean improvement of 11.1 points in AUA Symptom Score. In addition, 38% of the patients reported no other approved treatments at any time for their BPH since their original treatment with NX-1207, with a mean improvement of 9.8 points. This sustained improvement in BPH symptom score after NX-1207 treatment compares favorably to the 3.5 to 5 points reported in published studies of currently approved BPH drugs, which, unlike NX-1207 treatment, require uninterrupted, daily administration to be effective.
Paul Averback, CEO of Nymox, said, "This new data on NX-1207 showing sustained symptomatic improvement after 54 months provides further evidence of enduring benefits from NX-1207 treatment for BPH. NX-1207 thus far has had none of the well known sexual and other bothersome side effects of other BPH treatments."
In the NX-1207 studies, subjects received a one-time single dose of NX-1207 administered by intraprostatic injection by a urologist in an office setting. The entire procedure lasted on average 5-10 minutes, with the injection taking 1-2 minutes, and did not require anesthesia or catheterization. There have been no significant side effects from NX-1207 in the trials to date.
Overall, subjects in the most recent study's Intent-to-Treat group who received 2.5 mg of NX-1207 reported a mean improvement in total AUA BPH Symptom Score of 9.71 points after 90 days as compared to the mean improvement of 4.13 points for subjects randomized to finasteride, an approved drug treatment for BPH. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). The AUA BPH Symptom Score measures self-assessed severity of BPH symptoms in 7 areas: 1) sensation of incomplete emptying of the bladder; 2) need to urinate frequently; 3) stopping and starting during urination; 4) urgent need to urinate; 5) weakness of urinary stream; 6) need to push or strain during urination; and 7) urination during sleep (nocturia). Published studies of currently approved drugs for BPH show AUA BPH Symptom Score improvement typically in the 3.5 to 5 point range.
The results of the blinded clinical trials to date have shown that men treated with NX-1207 reported statistically significant improvement in BPH symptoms 3 months after a single NX-1207 treatment. In two multi-center Phase 2 U.S. prospective randomized blinded clinical trials, the aggregated mean improvement in the Primary Endpoint of BPH Symptom Score for 2.5 mg NX-1207 was 10.3 points or a 44% improvement in Symptom Score. To date, subjects treated with NX-1207 have reported no serious side effects from the treatment, including no (0%) significant sexual side effects.
BPH treatment represents a growing market with more than 100 million men worldwide being estimated to suffer from BPH symptoms. The disorder is a common affliction of older men, affecting approximately half of men over age 50 and close to 90% of men by age 80, and is associated with growth in prostate size as men age. BPH causes difficulties with urination associated with aging, such as urination at night, urge to void frequently, hesitancy, weak stream, and other problems, and can cause acute urinary retention requiring immediate medical attention.
More information about Nymox is available at www.nymox.com, email: [email protected], or 800-936-9669.
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and the actual results and future events could differ materially from management's current expectations. The conduct of clinical trials and the development of drug products involve substantial risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from expectations. Promising early results do not ensure that later stage or larger scale clinical trials will be successful or will proceed as expected. Such factors are detailed from time to time in Nymox's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities.
Contact
Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation
Roy Wolvin, 1-800-93NYMOX www.nymox.com
Posted: April 2008 |
warc | 201704 | Working Paper Series, UCD Centre for Economic Research 09/18
Abstract:
Kanazawa (2007) offers an explanation for the variation across countries of average intelligence. It is based on the idea human intelligence is a domain specific adaptation and that both temperature and the distance from some putative point of origin are proxies for the degree of novelty that humans in a country have experienced. However the argument ignores many other considerations and is a priori weak and the data used questionable. A particular problem is that in calculating distances between countries it implicitly assumes that the earth is flat. This makes all the estimates biased and unreliable.
Subjects:
Intelligence Measurement error International comparisons |
warc | 201704 | This article, along with the one someone posted demonstrating that half of all American children will exist on food stamps... ...well, it's just incredibly sad. 58% of Americans receiving the bulk of their income from government, and Shilling's forecast of an official rate of unemployment of 23% (he used a model that focused on the massive number of baby boomers retiring, and the 'skewing' that this trend creates) is something to contemplate. How the Government Is Swallowing the Economy http://www.usnews.com/money/blogs/flowchart/2009/11/09/how-the-government-is-swallowing-the-economy By Rick Newman Posted: November 9, 2009 You know about the bailouts, the stimulus plan, cash for clunkers, and moola for mansions. But for all the anxiety they've caused, those government giveaways are just a tiny part of a mushrooming problem. By one measure, the government already plays an outsize role in our so-called free-market economy--and it has little to do with the recession. Economist Gary Shilling has calculated that 58 percent of the population is dependent on the government for "major parts of their income," including teachers, soldiers, bureaucrats, and other government employees; welfare and Social Security recipients; government pensioners; public housing beneficiaries; and people who work for government contractors. By 2018, Shilling estimates, an astounding 67 percent of Americans could be dependent on the government for their livelihood. The implications aren't comforting. Tea-party ranters might cite this as evidence of liberal policies run amok, but the growing-government phenomenon transcends party politics. In 1950, the starting point for Shilling's analysis, just 29 percent of the nation depended on government for its income. By 1980, that had risen to 61 percent--higher than it is today--thanks to demographic factors and the needs of a changing nation. The military got larger and defense spending grew as America took up its role as a superpower. Baby boomer kids required many more schoolteachers. The number of Americans receiving payouts from Social Security, enacted in 1935, increased 10-fold. Food stamps and other safety-net programs of the 1960s and '70s began to reach millions of Americans. From 1980 to 2000, Americans became less dependent on government. California and other states cut their budgets and reduced spending. The military got smaller after the Cold War ended. Welfare reform in the 1990s kicked many people off the dole. And the private sector boomed during those two decades, accounting for a larger share of the labor force. By 2000, the portion of the population dependent on government had drifted down to 54 percent. But it reversed course after that, and it seems poised to keep going up. The size of government has generally held steady since 2000, but globalization, technology, and other factors have led to weak private-sector job creation over the past decade. And that was before the recession destroyed more than 8 million jobs. So the government has employed an increased share of Americans. The other big change since 2000 has been a near tripling of food-stamp recipients, as low earners got left out of the housing and stock-market booms and then suffered worse during the recession. The next big shift will come as baby boomers begin to retire, boosting the number of Social Security recipients 27 percent by 2018 and threatening the solvency of the program. Shilling has another dire prediction: Economic growth will be so weak for the next several years that without government support, the unemployment rate will rise to 23 percent in 2018. Since that's politically intolerable, government will continue to spend money to create jobs, he predicts, with nearly 25 million additional Americans employed as a direct outcome of government spending by 2018. If that happens, more than two thirds of the nation will owe their livelihood to the government, which is unsustainable for a number of reasons. It will require federal deficits far larger than the $1.4 trillion bogy we've got now, which is already alarmingly high. If irate voters don't rein in America's debt binge, market forces will, perhaps because foreigners will stop lending us the money or the rates they demand will rise and effectively bankrupt the country. Higher taxes would help solve the problem--and are probably inevitable--but enacting them on rich people alone won't be enough. At some point not too far off, the U.S. government will have to close the vast gap between its income and its spending, and the pain will be widespread. Some economists are more optimistic than Shilling, with stronger projections for economic growth that might eliminate the government's need to create 25 million new jobs. But rosier scenarios are taking their time to materialize. The unemployment rate has soared to 10.2 percent, a 26-year high, with no indication that companies will start hiring again anytime soon. So instead of restraint by government, Congress and President Obama have extended housing subsidies and unemployment insurance, cut taxes on struggling companies, and even made plans to send a $250 check to every senior citizen, just as a nice gesture. Americans who can get in on this bonanza should get theirs while they can. Sooner or later, the door is going to slam shut. |
warc | 201704 | What are the different types of orange juices?
In my chemistry project, I am looking at different types of orange juices that claim to be sugar free. I will check if they really are sugar free and need many different types. I know there are concentrated juices, then syrups and extracts...what else? Are there any more? Thank you.
1 Answer | Add Yours
Orange juice is obtained from mature oranges of the species
Citrus sinensis or of the citrus hybrid commonly called Ambersweet. Orange juice is commonly marketed in three forms: as a frozen concentrate, which is diluted with water after purchase; as a reconstituted liquid, which has been concentrated and then diluted prior to sale; or as a single strength, unconcentrated beverage called NFC or Not From Concentrate. The latter two types are also known as Ready To Drink (RTD) juices.
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warc | 201704 | Premium
Venturi scrubbers with FORCE FLUX Condensation technology and Wet Electrostatic Precipitators for industrial, municipal, sewage sludge and pathological waste incinerators to remove micron, submicron particulate, heavy metals and acid gases. Special quencher/scrubber systems for dioxin removal. HCL scrubbing from PVC plastic waste burning. Fine particulate, acid gases and NOx removal on munitions destruction. Cleanup of all pollutants from liquid waste incinerators and other high temperature destruction processes. Acid and particulate emissions from electronic board and metals recovery operations.
By Bionomic Industries Inc. based in
Mahwah, NEW JERSEY (USA). Premium
The process of electricity generation from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas is water-intensive. Between 40-50% of all water abstracted and used in developed countries is used in the generation of electricity. Thus, a reliable, abundant and predictable source of raw water supply to a power plant is a critical factor in site selection. Water supplies are required to provide various process waters for the following essential main purposes such as make-up water, cooling water for steam turbine condensers, and auxiliary plant cooling water.
The primary application of modern water treatment technology is to maintain the integrity and performance of the power plant. Critical plant applications have water purity or conditioning requirements that must be adhered to for safe, reliable and efficient power generation. Experience has shown that integration of water technology treatments with power plant design can be very important in reducing operational problems and component failures At power plant worldwide there are increasing limitations on water availability and environmental restrictions on discharges. This is expected to promote measures for water conservation and to have an increasing influence on water treatment decisions. At power plant, the recycling of internal wastewater streams can extend from the recovery of individual high-quality waste streams, which can be reused either directly or after only limited treatment, through to the development of fully integrated water/wastewater treatment systems for zero liquid discharge. However, the application of reuse schemes requires site-specific assessment, as not all waters may be viable options for recovery.
By Industrie De Nora S.p.A. | De Nora Water Technologies based in
Milan, ITALY.
In shipbuilding, high standards of reliability as well as increasingly the energy efficiency of the systems are important prerequisites for the economical-technical overall evaluation in the technical procurement process. Ships as self-sufficient systems are particularly dependent on the reliable functioning of all installed components, including the pumps. They fulfil many tasks on board which are vital for the operation of the vessel: Delivery of ballast water and wastewater, boiler supply, condensate recovery, drive engine cooling and of course the reliable supply of fire fighting systems.
By EDUR-Pumpenfabrik Eduard Redlien GmbH & Co. KG based in
Kiel, GERMANY.
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warc | 201704 | Demonstration project with university researchers involves cleaning biogas to develop renewable energy options for farmers.
A MINNESOTA dairy - the Haubenschild family farm near Princeton - is making history by becoming the first demonstration project in the world to run a hydrogen fuel cell from the biogas captured from cows. For five years, as reported in BioCycle, the Haubenschilds have been operating an anaerobic digester to process manure from their cows (now numbering 900) as well as recycled newspaper used as bedding. The hydrogen fuel cell is the latest innovative project on the farm. Once the biogas from the digester is cleaned, it is converted to hydrogen fuel which produces electricity in the fuel cell.
In 2003, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) was awarded a grant ($221,000) to conduct fuel cell research using digester biogas as fuel. According to Matt Drewitz of the MDA, funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCMR). Along with the MDA, Haubenschild, the University of Minnesota Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department, and the Minnesota Project are all partners in this project. The purpose is to investigate use of alternative technologies for producing electricity from biogas produced from livestock. The project focus was on technologies that have the potential to be more environmentally friendly and easier to maintain than conventional engine generator systems. The fuel cell was selected as the technology to research. Through this project, the University of Minnesota has looked at a number of aspects of employing a fuel cell with anaerobic digestion, which include: fuel cell type, installation and operation, gas clean up, fuel cell emissions, and economic feasibility.
A small portion of biogas from an the existing plug flow anaerobic manure digester on the Haubenschild dairy farm was routed into a research building that housed the fuel cell, gas clean up equipment, and monitoring equipment. A 5 kW proton electron membrane (PEM) fuel cell (Plug Power Inc.) was used for the research project. University of Minnesota researchers (Dr. Phil Goodrich, Rich Huelskamp, and David Nelson) worked on developing and implementing the gas piping and monitoring strategy. The greatest challenge was cleaning the biogas of impurities (H2O, CO2, and H2S) so it could be safely used in the fuel cell and its reformer. In January, 2005, the fuel cell was operational on pure natural gas and in February, 2005 the fuel cell was run on biogas for the first time. At this point, the fuel cell has only been run intermittently on biogas for a few hours at a time. Data has been collected on the performance of the fuel cell and also the emissions given off during operation when using biogas. The University of Minnesota researchers are anticipating running the fuel cell continuously for longer durations in the near future. For more information, contact Dr. Phil Goodrich with the University of Minnesota at [email protected].
“Expansion of energy harvesting and conversion to rural areas will bring business expansion, jobs and continued vitality,” says Goodrich. “Fuel cells and anaerobic digestion are part of this opportunity. Hydrogen may be one of the primary drivers of the economy within 10 years, since it is clean, can be stored, and does not pollute the atmosphere.” |
warc | 201704 | [Federal Register: October 15, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 199)] [Notices] [Page 59414-59415] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr15oc03-104] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Draft Recovery Plan for Sidalcea oregana var. calva (Wenatchee Mountains Checker-mallow) AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and comment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (``we'') announces the availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for Sidalcea oregana var. calva (Wenatchee Mountains Checker-mallow) for public review. This endangered plant is found only in Chelan County, Washington. This draft recovery plan describes the status of the species, recovery objectives and criteria, and specific actions needed to reclassify Sidalcea oregana var. calva from endangered to threatened, and to ultimately delist it. We solicit review and comment from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public on this draft recovery plan. DATE: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or before December 15, 2003, to receive our consideration. ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the following location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Central Washington Field Office, 215 Melody Lane, Suite 119, Wenatchee, Washington 98801 (telephone: 509-665-3508). Requests for copies of the draft recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding the plan should be addressed to the Field Supervisor at the above address. An electronic copy of this recovery plan is also available at http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim McCracken, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, at the above address. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Recovery of endangered or threatened animals and plants is a primary goal of our endangered species program and the Endangered Species Act (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Recovery means improvement of the status of listed species to the point at which listing is no longer appropriate under the criteria set out in section 4(a)(1) of the Act. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for the conservation of the species, establish criteria for downlisting or delisting listed species, and estimate time and cost for implementing the measures needed for recovery. The Act requires the development of recovery plans for listed species unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act requires that public notice, and an opportunity for public review and comment, be provided during recovery plan development. We will consider all information presented during the public comment period prior to approval of each new or revised recovery plan. Substantive technical comments may result in changes to the plan. Substantive comments regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in changes to the recovery plan, but will be forwarded to appropriate Federal or other entities so that they can take these comments into account during the course of implementing recovery actions. Individual responses to comments will not be provided. This draft recovery plan was developed by Service biologists coordinating with botanists, plant ecologists, and planners from the Natural Heritage Program and Natural Area Program, Washington Department of Natural Resources; and the U.S. Forest Service. We also consulted with various experts from universities, agency representatives, and non-governmental organizations in the development of this plan. Sidalcea oregana var. calva was listed as an endangered species on December 22, 1999 (64 FR 71680). This rare, attractive member of the mallow family (Malvaceae) is endemic to Chelan County, Washington, where it is found in wetlands and moist meadows of the Wenatchee Mountains. Just five populations are known, and four of these five number from only eight to a few hundred individuals. Populations occur on a mixture of private, State, and Federal lands. Critical habitat was designated for this species on September 6, 2001 (66 FR 46536). The primary threats to Sidalcea oregana var. calva include habitat fragmentation, degradation, or loss due to conversion of native wetlands to orchards and other agricultural uses; rural residential development and associated impacts; altered hydrology; competition from native and nonnative plants; recreational impacts; woody plant encroachment; and activities associated with fire suppression. To a lesser extent the species is threatened by livestock grazing, road construction, and [[Page 59415]] timber harvesting and associated impacts including changes in surface runoff. The species is highly vulnerable to extirpation from demographic factors or random, naturally occurring events due to the very small size of most of the remaining populations. The interim objective of this draft recovery plan is to stabilize the existing populations and accomplish increases in population sizes and geographic distribution across the historical range of the species sufficient to consider downlisting of Sidalcea oregana var. calva to threatened status. The primary objective of the plan is to recover the species to the point that it can be delisted. Actions proposed to achieve the recovery of Sidalcea oregana var. calva include maintaining the current geographical distribution of the species through effective management and coordination with private landowners and other agencies; identifying potential habitat and developing a sound protocol for reintroducing the species within its historically occupied range; conducting research and monitoring essential to the conservation of the species; collecting seed representing the genetic diversity of the species across its range and storing it in a secure facility; surveying to identify potential additional populations; and developing outreach materials to provide information about the species, its habitat, and management recommendations to local landowners. Public Comments Solicited We solicit written comments on the draft recovery plan described. All comments received by the date specified above will be considered in developing a final recovery plan. Authority: The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). Dated: August 11, 2003. Don Weathers, Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 03-25983 Filed 10-14-03; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P |
warc | 201704 | The new realm for IT sourcing managers is that they must update their Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC&C) solutions to support the changing workplace or be left behind. Legacy products not originally designed to support mobile workers need to be removed, as they do not easily accommodate the multitude of measures in which people need to work together today. This means sourcing managers must focus on solutions that connect across platforms, increase user participation, improve the quality of meetings, support mobility, ensure security and drive enhancements in total cost of ownership (TCO) – and the answer to all this is Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS). |
warc | 201704 | The new realm for IT sourcing managers is that they must update their Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC&C) solutions to support the changing workplace or be left behind. Legacy products not originally designed to support mobile workers need to be removed, as they do not easily accommodate the multitude of measures in which people need to work together today. This means sourcing managers must focus on solutions that connect across platforms, increase user participation, improve the quality of meetings, support mobility, ensure security and drive enhancements in total cost of ownership (TCO) – and the answer to all this is Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS).
The success or failure of an organization completely relies on its ability to communicate and collaborate effectively. Every organization has different groups of employees, both internal and external, which it needs to keep on one platform for effective and continuous business communication. Whether the organization is looking to accelerate innovation, increase efficiency or improve customer experiences, building and streamlining quality communication connections between employees has always been essential.
In the IT industry, solutions that assist to build and maintain these real-time quality connections are known as unified communication and collaboration (UC&C). UC&C was introduced more than a decade ago but, until recently, the adoption rate of UC&C was low and it failed to deliver on its potential of transforming how organizations communicate, collaborate, work, and share information. However, challenges associated with UC&C such as adoption and usage challenges still remain, including identifying and deploying the technologies, features, and applications that are most suitable for each organization. More specifically, challenges related to operation include the inherent complexity of UC&C and lack of end-user training.
However, the shift to less capital mode, easier-to-deploy, and more IT-friendly UCaaS solutions will address some of these challenges. UCaaS is a combination of communication and collaboration technologies delivered over the cloud, which offers organizations a flexible, hosted service substitute that delivers cost-effective, easy-to-manage UC&C functionality, with pre-determined monthly costs and SLAs. Sharing knowledge and impeccably working together anytime, virtually through any device or any location is fueling much of the current market momentum.
UCaaS offers organizations a pay-as-you-go model, so they can better predict costs and pay for only what they use without needing any additional investment or expense to get started. Mobility and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), the growing popularity of videoconferencing and exploding demand for collaborative applications and cloud delivery models are key to the adoption and success of UCaaS.
In today's fast-paced and increasingly mobile, global, and virtual environment, clear communications and collaboration are crucial in maintaining operational efficiency, superiority of employees and constant developments. Successful organizations are driving business innovation through unified access to new methods of communicating and collaborating, and by investing in UCaaS solutions. Moving communications systems to UCaaS helps organizations transform the process of operations at every juncture of the business cycle, from strategy formulation to execution and implementation. At the same time, UCaaS allows IT teams to focus on core, strategic projects that drive the company’s objectives and business. Some of the benefits of UCaaS includes: opex and capex cost savings, reliable and secure communication, business continuity, increased agility, simplified operations and greater flexibility.
The evolution and maturity of the cloud and UCaaS market has also enabled service providers to broaden their scope of offerings. System Integrators have realized the value of UC&C implementations on the cloud, and have taken an active role in deployment and support of UCaaS. Broader suites of offerings in terms of consulting, managed services, and integration capabilities to the communications market has shifted the focus of CIOs from UC&C to UCaaS.
For enterprise buyers, UCaaS has enabled them to switch their sourcing strategy from a multi-vendor best-in-class sourcing to a single vendor managed service provider. This change enables buyers to draw cost savings of approximately 50%-60% on UC&C expenses. In regard to direct benefits associated with UCaaS – it assists organizations to realize savings worth $400 - $600 annually, per employee, including a 14%-15% reduction in capital costs. Further, implementation of UCaaS involves indirect benefits, which include 3%-4% increased worker productivity through enhanced collaboration tools, improved first-reach metrics and a 4%-5% reduction in travel expenses through universal global connectivity platform between employees. |
warc | 201704 | Abstract
This briefing considers some of the major issues that currently exist in relation to data on migration and development, highlighting examples of 'best evidence' in the areas of macro, micro and contextual/impact data. The briefing also discusses policy areas where hard evidence is difficult to find, and considers key areas that are often overlooked by policy-makers but where better data collection is theoretically possible. Finally, it outlines some of the steps that could be taken to improve data on migration flows and their relationship with development.
Citation
Sussex, UK, DRC on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty, 4 pp. |
warc | 201704 | Abstract
This study on \"innovation systems\" is one of a group of cross sectoral synthesis studies that examine a set of common issues within the ten research programmes of the RNRRS with a view to distil the experiences and lessons learned. The RNRRS programme has been operating from 1995 to 2005, with ten individually contracted research programmes, and over 1600 research projects. The RNRRS framework has been characterised by significant changes and evolution over its life. This was largely driven by DFID, as the donor, which initially stressed \"research\" and \"scientific publications\" but increasingly laid greater emphasis on the poverty impact of research on poverty. DFID did not use the language of innovations earlier (although they were implicit) but have been made more explicit recently.
This synthesis report shows that many of the elements that make up the 'innovation systems (IS) approach' have been increasingly incorporated within the different RNRRS programmes as they evolved. A number of key elements, such as capacity development, communications, participatory and action research became standard practice (and are being analysed in the other synthesis studies that have been undertaken in parallel with this one). But this report suggests that the developments of these elements have been largely unsystematic across the programmes while individual programmes developed and incorporated many elements on their own with some taking a more deliberate and formal approach.
The document discusses the principal elements of the innovation systems (IS) approach and the methods used for this study. It cautions that without indicators of impact it is particularly difficult to demonstrate that one approach to research fund management has more impact than another. It points to impacts that they are often diffuse, cumulative over long periods of time, and difficult to attribute to particular research inputs. This quick synthesis of a vast range of materials and activities meant that much has to be inferred and the conclusions are largely qualitative.
The report discusses the evolution of different programmes, at differing speeds, to differing degrees and with differing effectiveness along a number of common dimensions suggested by the IS approach. Then the report discusses special features that were exhibited by some of the programmes and states that these differences arose from their different history, their internal capacities (e.g. social and other science perspectives), and the nature of the problems they were addressing. There appears to have been little systematic 'institutional learning' between the various RNRR programmes. Much of that appears to have been due to the inability of DFID to manage several functions.
Finally, the report draws some lessons for the future. The main lessons are (a) the IS framework provides a useful framework to guide research managers wishing to achieve innovation.(b) an initial \"system diagnosis\" in particular are crucial and can be simple or complex (depending on the resources available). (c) innovation projects can have impacts in reducing poverty but if they are also to provide it is necessary to invest explicitly in this learning process to extract the higher level generalisation both about the process (programme management and innovation) and the content of the innovation process.
Citation
The Policy Practice Limited, 30 pp. |
warc | 201704 | Each central government department has published their plan for how they will deliver the government’s priorities and manifesto commitments.
All 17 central departments have published detailed plans setting out how they will deliver the government’s priorities and manifesto commitments over this Parliament.
Read the government’s single departmental plans for 2015 to 2020.
Launched today (Friday), each single departmental plan brings together efficiency, spending review and activity plans into a single, clear road map for the first time. The plans will provide a new way of monitoring performance against department objectives and improve financial management across government.
Available on GOV.UK, the plans form a new framework to monitor and hold departments to account. For the first time, the public will be able to track a department’s progress against its objectives using a set of indicators and view updates on a wide range of government work including education, housing and employment, all of which have a major impact on the everyday lives of working families.
Each department has developed their own plan which sets out key objectives and how they will deliver these with the resources they have been allocated at the Spending Review. The plans include indicators to show progress towards achieving each objective. Each department will update their plan with new data, as this becomes available, or provide narrative updates on performance where more appropriate. They also include links to more detailed published data sources.
The formulation of single departmental plans has been led by John Manzoni, Chief Executive of the Civil Service, as a way of business planning for each department, identifying clear commitments, driving efficiency and detailing how they will be delivered. The plans reflect government’s priorities and outlines in detail how the department will become more efficient and further improve the effectiveness of services, including use of office space and digitising of services, cementing the government’s position as a digital leader.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Letwin said:
Single departmental plans will enable the public to see how government is delivering on its commitments, many of which will have a major impact on the everyday lives of people across the UK.
All 17 plans have been agreed between departments and the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, which will allow the government to drive more effective implementation of its programmes and policies, track on-the-ground impact, and get the best results for the British public.
Minister for the Cabinet Office Matt Hancock said:
These plans are an important step in our commitment to being the most transparent government ever.
They are a valuable and vital tool for the Cabinet Office to use and providing challenge, support and expertise to each department, ensuring we are delivering an effective and efficiently run government.
We will hold departments to account to ensure we are delivering the promises we have made to the public, providing better services and delivering value for money for all.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Greg Hands said:
At the Spending Review, we set out how the government will deliver on its priorities, to eliminate the deficit, and deliver economic security and opportunity for working people.
Whilst we’ve already made significant progress in strengthening financial management across government, the introduction of the single departmental plans is the next step to ensuring departments deliver the government’s priorities.
The plans will not only increase transparency and accountability, but by focusing resources where they are needed the most, we will ultimately be able to guarantee greater value for money for taxpayers.
Notes to editors single departmental plans are the performance framework for this Parliament. All 17 government departments are publishing their plans: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministry of Defence Department for International Development Department for Communities and Local Government Home Office Cabinet Office Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Department for Work and Pensions Department for Culture, Media and Sport Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Department of Health Department for Education HM Treasury Department for Transport Department of Energy and Climate Change HM Revenue and Customs Ministry of Justice Territorial Offices are also providing short summaries that outline their priorities for this Parliament the plans cover manifesto commitments, but also include key business as usual activities by the departments and their respective arm’s length bodies single departmental plans will constitute a single, clear roadmap for departments, which bring together their plans to deliver their objectives and to become more efficient. The development of the plans has been aligned with the Spending Review and all plans must be delivered within the department’s agreed spending envelope the plans are owned by departments within a consistent framework, designed in partnership by Cabinet Office and HM Treasury. Single departmental plans will form an agreement between departments and the centre on each department’s priority objectives and work plan |
warc | 201704 | Thin capitalisation: practical guidance: creating agreements between HMRC and the group: covenant conditions
A thin cap agreement should clearly state the financial conditions under which it is made and the consequences if they are not satisfied. This is a vital aspect of the agreement.
The following points should be covered by the agreement:
the specific ratios used in the agreement and the values by reference to which arm’s length interest will be determined. Examples of appropriate ratios include: debt/EBITDA, debt/equity, interest cover, or any other appropriate measures of the borrower’s ability to support and service the debt. There should normally be two ratios in an agreement, one debt related, the other governing interest. A debt cap, that is, an absolute monetary limit on borrowing, is not regarded as a main covenant, but may be an additional feature. A statement of the years for which the ratios will apply, clearly identifying the value applicable for each period. an explicit statement of what will happen in the event that the company fails to comply with one or more of the financial conditions, including how disallowed interest is calculated and any withholding tax consequences. See INTM520060 for the text of a paper issued by Business International setting out HMRC’s views on what should happen in the event of a breach of covenant. if more than one covenant is breached, and both lead to a disallowance, it should be specified in the agreement that it is the greater disallowance of the two that will apply. HMRC has received proposals for a disallowance based on an “average” between the two breach amounts. There is no basis for this. explicit statements of the methods of calculation of the financial ratios, for example, whether EBIT or EBITDA (see INTM515020 and INTM515060) will be used and how any interest receivable will be treated. Where there is any complexity to the calculations, it may be useful to append to the agreement a worked example in hypothetical figures which can serve as the model for the annual compliance report. |
warc | 201704 | GSA Administrator Martha Johnson Visits Kentucky Electronics Recycler Federal government recycling its electronics could mean big business for companies.
GSA# 10812
Aug. 9, 2011
Sara Merriam, 202-501-1231 [email protected]
GEORGETOWN, Ky. – Today, GSA Administrator Martha Johnson visited Global Environmental Services, an electronics recycling company in Georgetown, Ky. Johnson visited GES to tour the facility and discuss opportunities created by a recent announcement that all government electronics must be either reused or recycled by a certified recycler.
“By some estimates, the federal government goes through 10,000 computers a week. Requiring that each of those machines end their useful lives at a certified recycler could mean big business,” said Johnson. “Ultimately, the federal government is set on making the country’s largest consumer of electronics the country’s most responsible user of electronics.”
Certified electronics recyclers can anticipate a wealth of opportunities in working for the U.S. government.
"Such opportunities will inevitably create job growth, thus stimulating our economy at a time when it certainly needs it,” said Global Environmental Services CEO Kenny Gravitt.
On July 20, GSA teamed with the Environmental Protection Agency and the White House Council on Environmental Quality to release the Obama administration’s “National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship” – a strategy for responsible electronic design, purchasing, management, and recycling that will promote the burgeoning electronics recycling market and jobs of the future here at home.
As the federal government’s centralized procurement arm, GSA is responsible for $65 billion a year in procurements, including $3 billion in information technology equipment. The administration’s strategy calls on GSA to encourage the more environmentally friendly design of electronic products and to direct federal agencies to reuse or recycle discarded electronics at a certified recycler.
Global Environmental Services is an electronics recycler with a state-of-the-art 70,000-square-foot facility employing 60 people in Kentucky’s heartland. Click here to read Administrator Johnson's remarks at the July 20, 2011 announcement.
# # #
As the federal government's workplace solutions provider, the U.S. General Services Administration works to foster an effective, sustainable and transparent government for the American people. GSA’s expertise in government workplace solutions includes:
• Effective management of government assets including more than 9,600 government-owned or leased buildings and 215,000 vehicles in the federal fleet, and preservation of historic federal properties; • Leveraging the government’s buying power through responsible acquisition of products and services making up approximately 14 percent of the government’s total procurement dollars; • Providing innovative technology solutions to enhance government efficiency and increase citizen engagement; and, • Promoting responsible use of federal resources through development of governmentwide policies ranging from federal travel to property and management practices. |
warc | 201704 | Nootropics are dietary supplements or synthetic compounds that improve brain function. They sound obscure, but actually the most popular drug in the world could be considered “nootropic.” I’m talking about coffee (caffeine). Although the cognitive enhancing effects of caffeine are modest, some studies have shown that it increases mood, attention and performance on certain types of mental tasks [1].
In the last couple of years, interest in nootropics has exploded. Take a look at this Google trends plot for the query “nootropics.”
There are hundreds of documented nootropics, with varying levels of evidence supporting their effectiveness. Many of them are fairly expensive. For example, phenylpiracetam – a popular nootropic on the subreddit r/nootropics – can cost up to $10 per dose.
I’ve seen many people inquire about the best way to spend $x dollars on nootropics from Amazon. This post is my two cents on the issue.
Unexpectedly, Amazon is an excellent source for finding supplements to stack with heavy hitters like racetams, modafinil, or nicotine.
But let’s clear one thing up. You’re not going to find obscure racetams like coluracetam, or modafinil analogues like flmodafinil on Amazon. (But Amazon does allow some of these products to be sold in countries outside the United States. For example, you can buy adrafinil on Amazon.ca – which is the Amazon website in Canada).
Amazon has a really compelling value proposition. They have some of the most competitive pricing for bulk supplements, often with free 2-day shipping if you’re a prime member. So if I only had $70 to spare for the best nootropics, here’s how I would spend it on Amazon.
#1 Bulk L-theanine
Bulk powders are admittedly less convenient than encapsulated supplements, but you’ll save a lot of money in the long run buying powders. I was reluctant to buy powders for a long time, but I was glad when I made the switch.
L-theanine is particularly useful for taking the edge off of stimulants and stimulant-like nootropics. If you take modafinil, adrafinil, or ADHD medications like Adderall or methylphenidate, you certainly stand to benefit from l-theanine.
L-theanine promotes relaxation without sedation. It also mitigates the deleterious effects of chronic stress. L-theanine synergizes particularly well with caffeine [2]. L-theanine is a non-dietary amino acid naturally present in tea, which also contain neuroprotective catechins and caffeine. But watch out for excessive tea consumption, because tea can also have a lot of fluorine in it.
Bulk L-theanine is available from Amazon here ($17.96).
#2 CDP-choline
I’m big fan of choline precursors like CDP-choline or Alpha-GPC. Supplementation with choline derivatives like CDP-choline is a great way to replenish endogenous acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter that plays an important role in memory formation, but also mood. Blocking acetylcholine receptors (muscarinic or nicotinic) reliably produces amnesia. Uridine is also a nootropic in its own right – there is some tentative evidence that it enhances dopamine function.
I’ve bought Jarrow’s CDP choline ($17.95) and PowderCity’s CDP choline ($26.37) on Amazon, with good results. In this case, the cost savings of buying a bulk powder isn’t enormous, so Jarrow’s CDP choline is a reasonable choice.
One thing to watch out for is that choline supplementation can exacerbate depression. There’s this theory – it’s called the “acetylcholine theory of depression” (source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4829619). The idea is that too much acetylcholine tends to increase rumination and REM sleep, which contribute to depression.
There’s also some pretty convincing evidence that block acetylcholine receptors can relieve depression. Consider Wellbutrin, scopolamine and tricyclic antidepressants in general. They all antagonize nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, muscarinic receptors – or both – and they’re effective antidepressants.
#3 Vitamin D3
Just about everyone knows that vitamin D is synthesized in the skin, and that this synthesis is a light-dependent process. The reaction requires the absorption of a photon. But the fraction of time humans spend outdoors is declining, and excessive sun exposure can be mutagenic (e.g. pyrimidine dimers).
The obvious solution is to supplement vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is also a potent neurosteroid in the brain that modulates multiple signal transduction pathways.
For example, it was recently reported that vitamin D protects dopamine neurons. (Dopamine is that neurotransmitter that underlies reward, motivation, and pleasure. If there’s a “happiness molecule” – then it’s dopamine).
Check out this article, published February, 2016.
The Role of Vitamin D3 in the Development and Neuroprotection of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons (2016):
Vitamin D has long been synonymous with bone health. More recently, new health benefits are continually being associated with vitamin D, including a burgeoning field on neuroprotective properties. This has generated a huge explosion of interest in recent years in the potential for vitamin D to be used not only as a therapeutic in neurodegenerative disease, including Parkinson’s disease, but also as biomarkers and for risk association. With an emphasis on Parkinson’s disease, this chapter will discuss recent evidence supporting the assertion that vitamin D can be a useful therapeutic agent used as an intervention therapy to be combined with existing treatments; and the case for further development of novel treatments utilizing the potential of vitamin D.
In addition, we present novel, previously unpublished evidence showing that in a unilateral model of Parkinson’s disease, vitamin D can not only reduce the extent of denervation, but that this is also reflected in functional benefit to the animals. The potential of vitamin D is slowly being realized; in the future, it will be widely associated with far more than just bone health and may even contribute to an elusive treatment of neurodegenerative illness.
Here’s one highly-rated vitamin D product on Amazon for $7.88.
I’m going to be totally honest – I chose this product because it seemed to be the best value – not because I like my nutraceuticals in gummy form. We’ve spent $17.96 + $17.95 + $7.88 so far, so we have $26.21 remaining out of our $70 budget.
#4 Curcumin (Tumeric)
Curcum has well-documented cognitive benefits [3]. It’s been hypothesized that the lower incidence of neurodegenerative disease in India is related to curry consumption. Most of the evidence of curcumin’s beneficial effects comes from animal models or in vitro studies. It’s unclear to what extent these salutary effects will translate to humans.
Curcumin has low bioavailability, which limits its clinical utility. Two ways to enhance curcumin bioavailability is (1) co-ingestion of piperine (pepper) and (2) suspended curcumin in a liposome.
I recommend hedging your bets and doing both 1 and 2 to get the most out of curcumin.
Liposomal curcumin is available from LongVida, but it’s pricey. I’ve never bought from them before, so I can’t vouch for them, but I’ve heard good things about them.
On Amazon, you can buy organic tumeric root powder for $13.99.
#5 Cacao Nibs
Ever tried to ingest raw cacao powder? It’s pretty hard to get down. It’s very powdery and water insoluble, so it will stick to the roof of your mouth and teeth. Health-wise, eating chocolate isn’t quite as good as cacao because it often contains a lot of sugar.
The cognitive benefits of cacao are numerous. Cacao potently increases cerebral blood flow, neurogenesis and protects against oxidative damage. Take a look at the following study.
The neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance (2013):
Cocoa powder and chocolate contain numerous substances among which there is a quite large percentage of antioxidant molecules, mainly flavonoids, most abundantly found in the form of epicatechin. These substances display several beneficial actions on the brain. They enter the brain and induce widespread stimulation of brain perfusion. They also provoke angiogenesis, neurogenesis and changes in neuron morphology, mainly in regions involved in learning and memory. Epicatechin improves various aspects of cognition in animals and humans. Chocolate also induces positive effects on mood and is often consumed under emotional stress.
In addition, flavonoids preserve cognitive abilities during ageing in rats, lower the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease and decrease the risk of stroke in humans. In addition to their beneficial effects on the vascular system and on cerebral blood flow, flavonoids interact with signalization cascades involving protein and lipid kinases that lead to the inhibition of neuronal death by apoptosis induced by neurotoxicants such as oxygen radicals, and promote neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity. The present review intends to review the data available on the effects of cocoa and chocolate on brain health and cognitive abilities.
If you want a specific recommendation, I use these caocao nibs ($10.50). But I’ve bought other cacao nib products on Amazon and they’re generally all comparable in quality.
If we bought these 5 items on a $70 budget, we’d have $1.72 to spare. Good luck in your nootropic endeavors!.
Author Bio: |
warc | 201704 | Top10Doctor insights on:Can St Ds Caused Cancer 2doctors agreed: 1My throat has been dry and a bit sore for 2 weeks. Slight blood in the mornings. It started after unprotected, rough oral sex. I'm worried I might have caught an std/throat cancer? It's dry/bit sore. 2doctors agreed: Get tested:If you have had unprotected oral sex, then there is a real possibility of a STD. You should definitely be tested. Don't worry about throat cancer which is extremely unlikely in a woman your age. It is most likely related to the sex, but even very rough oral sex should not cause soreness that lasts for 2 weeks. Get checked, get treatment if needed, feel safe, protect yourself in the future....Read more 4,224doctors shared insights
Cancer is a group of diseases that is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth leading to invasion of surrounding tissues that spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can begin anywhere in the body and is usually related to one or more genetic mutations that allow normal cells to become malignant by interfering with internal cellular control mechanisms, such as programmed cell death or by preventing ...Read more
1doctor agreed: 1doctor agreed: 3doctors agreed: 3doctors agreed: Yes, yes and yes:Yes! hpv, or the virus that causes genital warts, is responsible for all cervical cancer, most vaginal, vulvar and anal cancers, most head-and-neck cancers, most non-melanoma skin cancers, etc... If that isnt enough cancer, then hepatitis b causes liver cancer as well. Get vaccinated against both hpv and hep b and your risk of these cancers drops drammatically!...Read more 7doctors agreed: 7doctors agreed: HPV:Virtually all cervical cancer is caused by a single virus - human papillomavirus (letters capitalized to show why it is called hpv). Certain types of hpv are associated with cancer risk. Other types are associated with benign lesions. There are screening tests for hpv as well as traditional cytological tests - such as pap smears. There are vaccines to protect against acquisition of some types....Read more 6What does HPV rank amongst STDs? Compared to Herpes, is HPV worse & will it cause any health issues other than cancer? Will it affect my health?! Perspective:Each STD has its own set of complications.There is evidence,prior to the HPV vaccine, that as many as 70% of college age women had evidence of prior disease.It can produce genital warts or give you cancer.Herpes is painful and recurrent,hard to treat & can kill your baby.Gonorrhea or chlamydia can make you sterile.Others have specific issues. Take your pick. HPV for most is relatively mild....Read more 5doctors agreed: 5doctors agreed: 10Why does HPV causes cancer where herpes for example doesn't? What makes it more dangerous when both are STDs & viruses? Will I get rid of HPV16 ever?? Your HPV will clear:HPV and herpes are different viruses. Not every virus causes the same health problems as others. Neither herpes nor HPV is very dangerous, and it isn't sexual transmission that makes anything dangerous. Most HPV infections (type 16 and others) are cleared by the immune system over 1-2 years and do not cause cancer. People tend to get freaked because of association with sex, but there's no need....Read more |
warc | 201704 | Top10Doctor insights on:Can Stool Softeners Give Me Diarrhea 2,085doctors shared insights
Loose stools is a symptom in which a person's stool (poop) does not hold its shape after it goes into the toilet. Instead of remaining a shaped piece of poop, the poop spreads out in the toilet bowl water. Very loose stool is called diarrhea. Loose stool can be caused by infections, certain foods or drinks, ...Read more
226 yr old. Had constip. Went semi normal after fiber and stool softener. Now diahrea. Could diet change and softeners be the cause? Scared. 3Have cdiff but constipated. What can I do. I am on vancomycin and forastor. I never have diahrrea like a lot do. Should I take stool softener or what? 4My daughter, 14 months is constipated despite giving her fluids. Used stool softener for a month. If I stop medication, she is constipated again. Constipation:3 important facts: 1 did she pass meconium or the dark sticky stool in the 1st day of life? 2 did this start when you transitioned her from formula to whole milk? 3 are you attempting potty training if the answer to all 3 is yes then this is likely transient and will pass with time. I would continue the stool softener and hold off on potty training for now. Wean the stool softener. ...Read more 5My 5yr oh hold her poop till she throws up. Then she still hold it. She has accidents constantly says it hurts. Can i give her stool softener everyday? Please see doctor:I think the simple answer is a yes, 'but answer. This sounds like a significant situation that must be fully studied. I am sure your pediatrician can help and even recommend a specialist for pediatric gastroenterology. Please do not just give your daughter stool softeners without a full evaluation and diagnosis of the underlying problem....Read more 3doctors agreed: 6I think my 1 year old son could benefit from stool softener. Is there a natural remedy or OTC product I can give him? Will prune juice do the trick? 3doctors agreed: Prune juice / karo:You can try some prune juice or karo syrup. You can give a tablespoon for every 4 oz of milk. Less or more depending on stool frequency....Read more 1doctor agreed: 7Why did they give stool softener pill plus milk magnesia. And how do I have bm if pelvis fracture? 1doctor agreed: Avoid constipation:Pelvic fractures can lead to slowing of peristaltic movement of colon, which controls bowel movements. Bed rest and pain medications are often the only initial treatment for pelvic fractures; these two markedly slow down normal colon movements. Do whatever necessary to get those bowels moving: drinks lots fluids, including prune juice, stool softener, fiber combined with fluid, senna, mom......Read more 1doctor agreed: 8My mother is 82 year old recently she been constipated been give lots of water, fiber, fruits, prunes juice, and stool softener she has very bad hemor? 1doctor agreed: 3,228doctors shared insights Talk to a doctor live online for free Stool softeners diarrhea Probiotics give me diarrhea Yogurt gives me diarrhea Ask a doctor a question free online Coffee gives me diarrhea Gatorade gives me diarrhea Beer gives me diarrhea Alcohol gives me diarrhea Talk to a urgent care specialist online for free |
warc | 201704 | Policy documents do not recognize the problem of charcoal/fuelwood use as a cause of deforestation. The draft forest bill suggests that 10 out of the 350 Ksh. paid by urban dwellers for each bag of charcoal should go back to the forest areas, especially drylands, and be used for reforestation. Even this small step may need further fine-tuning before it can be implemented, however (Mwangi 2000).
5.3.3. Degazetting and encroachment
As noted, by far the most severe pressure on forests is their permanent conversion to agriculture. Recently, there has been a spate of illegal encroachments and excisions and this is seen as a precursor of official degazettment of forest reserves. As 2002 elections approach, this is expected to continue to be used as a short-term safety valve to calm populations clamoring for more agricultural land. The current Forest Act, CAP 385 permits the Minister to degazette forests areas with very little public notice. Fortunately the proposed Forest Bill makes excision procedure very cumbersome by introducing requirements such as undertaking of environmental impact assessment and final concurrence of the Parliament before excision takes place. In addition, the Bill makes a provision for a watchdog quasi-independent board to oversee such decisions (Mwangi 2000). The board may include institutions, such as the Kenya Forest Service, KWS, Moi University, and National Museums of Kenya. Observers anticipate policy statements to be implemented through the new bill which will be enacted by the end of the calendar year. Penalties for removal of forest products will also be higher, based on 10-50 percent of the market value – higher for higher value products (Mwangi 2000).
5.3.4. Forest productivity
Plantation forests in Kenya are generally very low yielding at the present time. Almost all plantation areas have been severely degraded, degazetted, and converted to agriculture, or just generally mismanaged. Kamweti (1999) postulates that if these areas were to be brought back under active and sustainable management at 30-year rotations, there would be 5,333 ha annually to be harvested. At an annual yield of 20m3/ha, total volume would be 600 m3 per ha at harvest or 3 million m3 from an area of 5,333 ha. At a royalty of Kshs.1000 per m3, income would be Kshs.3 billion. If the costs of establishing and maintaining a forested area are about 30 percent, a balance of Kshs.2 billion could be put back into forest conservation and the rest could go to the Treasury.
5.3.5. Relative severity of threat to forest resources in general. If the pace of change and loss continues as today, the severity of threat to forest ecosystems and plantations is very severe indeed – possible disappearance within five years! Disappearance, however, is not the only difficulty with forest loss – there are inevitably also impacts on related ecosystems to consider. Through erosion and increased sedimentation of waterways, water catchment stability is the biggest potential impact on downstream ecosystems. Even today, deforestation in montane areas, such as the Aberdares, Mt. Kenya, and Mt. Elgon watersheds, is a serious threat to ecosystem health downstream (Kamweti 2000). Connections with energy needs in Kenya are a significant factor in deforestation and demand for wood products, and are inadequately addressed in the forestry sector. How the new forestry law, once in place, will change the situation is unclear. Certainly, more power will be in the hands of local communities, District environmental officials, the private sector, and the NGO community to participate in decision-making about forest use, gazettement and degazettement, and other activities (Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources 1999). How well it is enforced will determine its level of success. 5.4. Agricultural resources and land use 5.4.1. General statistics and trends.
Land is the most sought-after resource in Kenya. Land has deep cultural importance for Kenyans, and in the current economy, represents the only livelihood option for many. Sadly, agricultural
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warc | 201704 | to equalize heterosexuals with homosexuals, a basic human right Nussbaum suggests everyone is entitled to is lacking.
Nussbaum’s tenth capability pertains specifically to equality issues in the workplace. Section B of capability ten claims employment rights are material and that everyone should have the right to seek employment on an equal basis with others (Garrett, 2002). Without a nondiscrimination policy guaranteeing equality for homosexuals at work, the material right Nussbaum suggests is an essential human property becomes a privilege for those who are not traditionally oppressed.
By encompassing the rights of gays and lesbians into her theory of human rights, Nussbaum creates argument in support of homosexuals in-relation to many of the major civil liberties, rights, and equalities gays and lesbians strive towards. And her capabilities provide a foundation for thought on the humanistic characteristics basic human rights afford to all individuals, not just gays and lesbians. The data from this study suggests that the majority of registered nurses would support some type of workplace nondiscrimination policy that protects gay men and lesbians. Nussbaum might argue this as a vital component to the work setting rather than a governmental obligation as proposed by Rawls. In conclusion, not only does the data from this study support policies at work that protect gay men and lesbians. The theoretical foundations of the social justice theories of John Rawls and Martha Nussbaum also validate their importance, maybe even beyond the realm of employers but into government social policy as well.
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warc | 201704 | Credit insurance
1 August 2014
A technical report on the consumer credit insurance (CCI) market in South Africa was recently released for comment.
The report, compiled by National Treasury and the Financial Services Board, identifies certain abuses in market conduct and business practices in the CCI industry.
The technical report identifies the following issues:
Lack of transparency in the total cost of credit. High premiums. Difficult to compare due to differing products. Needs of target market not being covered.
Comment is sought on three areas in particular:
Regulating the pricing of CCI. Regulating market conduct non-pricing practices. Protecting consumers through insurance cover for credit providers.
A final policy document will be drawn up, after which draft legislation will be formulated.
Treasury indicated that workshops with key stakeholders will be arranged to enhance the quality of input.
Comment is invited until 30 September 2014. |
warc | 201704 | Technology for social justice $1.6 million builds digital careers for young people facing disadvantage
Infoxchange, Microsoft and Victoria Polytechnic have teamed up with Victorian businesses to support young people experiencing homelessness, mental health issues and those on the autism spectrum to build their digital technology careers.
Funded by the Victorian Government and Microsoft, the $1.6 million Youth IT Careers program supports young people, who have struggled to find employment or remain in school, to complete training and a traineeship with a local business.
Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, the Honourable Philip Dalidakis, joined past and present students, participating businesses and youth workers at Victoria Polytechnic today to celebrate the program as part of the Victorian Government’s Digital Innovation Festival.
Infoxchange CEO, David Spriggs, says the program that was established with Microsoft is one of a kind.
“Youth IT Careers has a unique delivery model, connecting training with real-life job experience while providing support outside the classroom to help our trainees overcome any obstacles,” David says.
“We’re partnering with Victorian Polytechnic to deliver this in the West, where youth employment is a growing issue.”
Vice President of Vocational Education at Victoria University, Grant Dreher, says the program enables Victoria Polytechnic to reach students they would never have been able to before.
“Youth IT Careers shows what can be achieved when organisations effectively partner together, each contributing its unique expertise and passionate staff to deliver great outcomes for young people,” Grant says.
Nick, a trainee in the program with local business BizData, says without Youth IT Careers he would still be struggling to find a job.
“Youth IT Careers has given me a chance, unlike any other program that I have come into contact with. It has shown me that I can make something of myself despite not having had the best start in life,” he says.
Businesses signed on to offer traineeships are from across the corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors, including BizData, Optus, Department of Health and Human Services and ACSO.
“Australia needs 100 000 more digital technology professionals by 2020 and we believe these opportunities should be open to young people from all walks of life,” David says.
“We have had significant interest from other states to replicate the program and we’re excited to be expanding into Sydney later this year with the support of Microsoft.”
“Building on the success of the program over the past two years in Melbourne, Microsoft is delighted to see Youth IT Careers expand to provide opportunities for young people experiencing disadvantage in Sydney,” Anna Howarth, Philanthropies Manager for Microsoft Australia says.
“Not only does this program benefit the young people who participate, but it gives organisations an opportunity to diversify their workforce by giving a trainee the chance to develop on the job.”
The Youth IT Careers program is funded by Microsoft and Victoria Polytechnic through the Victorian Government’s Back to Work scheme. Media enquiries : Liz Greenbank, +61 476 784 0230
David Spriggs, Minister Dalidakis, Vice Chancellor Prof Peter Dawkins and Emma Fawcett.
Minister Dalidakis with Youth IT Careers and Infoxchange staff. |
warc | 201704 | Alibaba’s Tmall Global now features goods from 14,500 overseas brands, 80% of them selling in China for the first time.
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Other findings from the survey include:
55% of shoppers say they are likely to shop on Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving, compared to 53% in 2012, and 44% in 2011. However, 30% say they will do most of their Black Friday shopping online, compared to 25% in 2012. 38% of shoppers surveyed say they are likely to shop on Thanksgiving. Of those shoppers, 41% indicate that they will be out shopping between 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day and 5 a.m. on Black Friday. 73% of respondents say they have already started their holiday shopping or plan to do most of it by the end of November. Of the 20% of consumers planning to spend more than last year, 21% intend to raise their spending by $500 or more, and 55% say they will increase their spending by $100-$499. Consumers list treating themselves and their families after a tough year (41%), and increased discretionary income (37%) as top reasons they plan to spend more. 52% plan to use cash they had saved specifically to pay for holiday gifts to buy presents. Among consumers planning to hit the shops on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday, 38% expect to visit four or more stores and more than one-third (36%) plan to shop before midnight on Thanksgiving Day. And for those planning to shop on Black Friday, 32% say their primary reason to shop that day is to take advantage of deep discounts or doorbuster deals, compared with 26% in 2012. 25% say such deals will be the main lure for shopping on Thanksgiving Day. 41%, meanwhile, are content with taking a nap after their turkey and will not be shopping Thanksgiving Day. Discount stores are top destinations with 76% of shoppers planning to shop as such stores. Gift cards are No. 1 on consumers’ shopping lists with 56% planning to purchase such items. 67% of consumers buying gift cards say they will buy between one and six gift cards this season, and 33% of gift card buyers expect to spend $26-$50 on each card. Gift cards for discount retailers ranked first with 40% of gift card buyers planning to buy cards for discounters. Restaurants ranked second with 34%. 37% of gift card buyer respondents say they will purchase their gift cards at the supermarket. Gift cards as gifts were followed by apparel, cited by 54%, toys (44%) and personal electronics, including laptops, tablets and smartphones, with (27%). 21% plan to buy home electronics (compared to 15% in 2012), and 19% intend to buy home furnishings, such as appliances and furniture (compared to 10% in 2012). |
warc | 201704 | A staple of southern U.S. and southeast Asian cuisines, okra is a classic addition to stews, sauces and bakes. However, the small vegetables are tasty on their own, becoming a great finger food for dipping and stuffing when deep-fried. Whether cooking a large quantity and freezing for later, or purchasing frozen pre-fried okra at your local grocery store, the best way to reheat these morsels so you retain both the flavor and crunch is through baking. The heat allows the outside to crisp up without becoming soggy.
Preparation
Prepare a baking sheet for the okra by lining it with parchment paper. Take the individual pods and place them on the sheet in one even layer, ensuring that there is space between each. Don’t stack the pods on the baking sheet, as this makes them soggy where they touch. Set the oven rack to the middle setting — this allows the heat to evenly circulate around the pods as they cook.
Temperature
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or the temperature called for on the okra package. Each individual okra pod or piece is so small that this high temperature cooks the pieces through without allowing them to go soggy. If wanting a deeper browned color than a light golden when the okra is ready, turn the temperature to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for several minutes at this temperature, tossing the vegetables frequently.
Time
Bake the okra for only a short time in the oven. Generally between 15 to 20 minutes is long enough to cook the vegetables through as well as provide a crispy exterior. If cooking on a lower heat than 400 degrees Fahrenheit, extend the time accordingly, adding on 5 to 10 minutes for each 25-degrees-Fahrenheit decrease.
Alternatives
For a lighter option, purchase okra that has been prepared and frozen, but is not fried. Bake it the same way you would the fried version and while it may not have as much flavor, it still retains the crunch gained through the baking process. Fried okra is often done in a deep-bottomed skillet, and can be reheated the same way. Place the okra in single layer in a skillet with a small amount of oil drizzled in the bottom. Fry on medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
References and ResourcesBarnes Jewish Hospital: Oven-Fried Okra
Fat-Free Vegan Kitchen: Oven-Roasted Okra |
warc | 201704 | Personal Statement
Find numerous Gynaecologists in India from the comfort of your home on Lybrate.com. You will find Gynaecologists with more than 41 years of experience on Lybrate.com. You can find Gynaecologists online in Mumbai and from across India. View the profile of medical specialists and their reviews from other patients to make an informed decision.
Info Location Book Clinic Appointment Consult Online Services Endometrial Ablation Procedure Treatment of Treatment of Breast Cancer Management of Abortion Hormonal Replacement Therapy Treatment Caesarean Section Procedure Contraceptive Advice Delivery Procedure Treatment of Gynae Problems Gynecology Laparoscopy Procedures Hpv Vaccination Treatment Of Female Sexual Problems Treatment Of Menopause Related Issues Treatment Of Menstrual Problems Treatment of Mirena (Hormonal Iud) Pap Smear Procedure Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Treatment Ureteroscopy Procedure Treatment of Uterine Bleeding Antenatal And Postnatal Exercise Antenatal Checkup Feed I am pregnant by 7 weeks. I am vomiting regularly and not able to eat anything. Which food will be best for me doctor .please can you help mee. My wife is 21 week pregnant and gone with cervical stitches at 13 week, now in test it sugar level shows 160 fasting, what will I do. There are 40-50 pus cells also reported in urine and traces of sugar. I recently had an medical abortion and I taught it was over with the bleeding. During the 3 week that I taught it was done I still went and had intercourse and the guy come in me is it possible I am pregnant. I have anal and vulvar itching, at time and I also have vaginal itching? What should I do? Please help.
Indulging in the regular intercourse routine starts getting monotonous and might take a toll on your love life in a big way. Thus, it is absolutely necessary to add spice to your regular diet, it is also important to spice up your sex life by adding more variation.
Here are seven ways in which you can work up the spice levels in your sex life: Indulge in foreplay:Foreplay is like warming up before the real run. Adding more variations of foreplay to your sex routine will help spice it up. You could opt for oral sex and more fingering and caressing before the actual intercourse which will help in heightening your orgasm as well. Diverse sex positions:Instead of sticking to the same old missionary position, try and spice up your sex life by trying out more positions like doggie, 69,G-whiz etc. Exploring new positions add variation to your sex life and help in arousing the different stimulation points in your body for maximum pleasure. Don’t restrict yourself to the bed:Go beyond the bed and explore newer areas to have sex in such as the kitchen slab or in the shower. This change in location will add more thrill to your sex life. Talk dirty:Moan and talk dirty to your partner occasionally during sex. This will arouse them as well as you and make things more exciting. You could also address your partner as master/sir/mistress/ma’am during sex for an exciting role-play. Incorporate food into your sex routine:You could smear chocolate sauce or whipped cream all over your partner’s body and lick it off. This will add a fresh element to your foreplay. Also, invest in aphrodisiac foods such as chocolate, strawberries and bananas during sex. Feel sexy:You can only appear to be sexy when you feel sexy and confident internally. Pamper yourself with sexy lingerie and aromatherapy oils which will make you feel like a sex Goddess instantaneously. Invest in sex toys:With a huge range of sex toys available in the market, it would only make sense to invest in them in order to spice up your sex life. You could go for vibrators and penis rings for starters and if you and your partner are the experimental kind, the sky is your limit.
If you wish to discuss about any specific sexual problem, you can consult a specilized sexologist and ask a free question.
I got married before 6 months now a days I didn't get any pregnancy. Daily we are doing sex except period times. After sex that spam will come out in a few minutes. If that come means I am not able to get pregnant. Please tell me. Dear Doctors, My sister is 4 month pregnant and has cardiac disease (Supra Ventricular Techy Cardia). She is being treated conservatively due to high risk because of pregnancy. As per cardiologist, ablation [procedure to cure SVTC] can only be performed post-delivery. I want to know, is it correct that she is on high risk if ablation gets performed before delivery. Another question is, if she continue with conservative treatment [oral medicine] then how complicated her delivery would be due to this disease? Is there any risk to delivery? What does the below ultra sound report tells? Both ovaries shows mild changes of pcodRight ovary measures 31*30*26mm vol. 13.2ccLeft ovary measures 27*29*25mm vol. 10.4 cc. I got intimate with my girlfriend without any protection 3days before her period. Is there any chances to be pregnant? Please inform me quick. I am 25 years old, got married in december 2015. I am experiencing frequent urge to urinate at about 20 min, but volume of urine is less. Got blood spots two days. My periods came on 16 april. I had intercourse on 26 april. What could be the reason? Help? Hi Doctor, I had sex on 14th day of my menstrual cycle. It was unprotected in the beginning for hardly a minute. Then, he wore a condom. I also took Ipill after 15 hours of the act. Now, it's the 5th day since I took Ipill. But, no bleeding or signs of bleeding yet. Read on internet that even 5-6 seconds of penetration without condom can put you at risk. The fact that I was in fertile period makes me more worried. I have 28 days cycle n regular. Last period was on 19th April. Can I be at risk? We used condom after 5-6 seconds n also took Ipill. Still at risk? Hello. My frnd age is 25 female. She is in a periods today is first day of her periods. She took the regestrone tablets today to postpone her periods .as she already in a periods and took that tablet to postpone her periods. Is there any problem to her? Already she took one tablet but periods is going on nd she says that will take more two tablets is that okay or it cause any problem to her. Suggest me. I was suffering from irregular periods because I had consumed ipill frequently my gynaecologist advised me to take femilon I took it for one month and the next month I did not have irregular periods but now I again recently took 2ipill in a week and from two days I am again suffering from periods I had my last period on 28october and 15november I again had periods so I am thinking to start dosage of femilon again and permanently stop contraceptives Will that be fine.
Are you aware of the different consequences that may occur if you have multiple sexual partners? The more sexual partners you have, the risks of you getting an STI or sexually transmitted infection are enhanced. These infections are hard to treat, especially in patients with HIV. Until the infection is treated, your viral load may get pushed up. This makes it more likely that many people pass on the HIV virus by having unprotected sex.
What are the circumstances?
If you have sex with several partners, and one of them is infected with an STI, the virus is capable of being passed between you and all your partners. Many people end up having sex with each other without asking about STIs. This is risky as you can never tell if a person is infected by looking at them or having sex with them. If you are in a relationship with a mutual agreement of having sex outside the relationship, you need to be open and honest regarding any risk that you might have taken is a necessary part of looking after the sexual health of each other.
Things to Keep in Mind:
People have multiple sexual partners because of various reasons. These may include the thrill of having sex, the need to be desired, and also because of drugs and alcohol use because of which inhibitions are reduced. However, drugs and alcohol are very harmful to your body, leaving a negative impact and weakening your immune system. Several drugs and excess alcohol consumption affect the way your immune system tackles STIs.
Alcohol and drugs also make it more likely for you to practice risky sex, and take decisions which are unusual and unlikely to you in a sober state. Clouded judgement makes you avoid condoms while having sex. This might make you have sex with a partner despite knowing that you have got HIV. When your judgement is clouded, you may even skip the part of telling your partner about the fact that you have HIV.
For minimising your risk, in spite of having multiple sexual partners, you must always carry condoms with you. You should also avoid having sex when under the influence of alcohol and drugs. These are effective steps you should take to protect yourself and your sexual partner or partners from getting affected by HIV. You can also join a support group or consult a counsellor for advice regarding your situation. Having multiple sexual partners can also result in psychological disturbances.
I had cesarean delivery through spinal anesthesia process on 10th nov 2016. After that my waist and rib pains a lot. Sometimes I feel numb on my tail bone and waist part. Even it becomes hard to get up from bed putting pressure on my waist till someone helps me to turn or get up.
Sexually transmitted diseases can often be shortened to STDs. STDs often do not show any symptoms. It is possible that you may have had a disease such as chlamydia and not even known you had it. However, it is crucial that you get yourself tested as soon as possible so that the sexually transmitted disease can be treated in the best way possible. Since there are many sexually transmitted diseases and they all have different symptoms and treatment, here are the symptoms and treatment for the most common ones:
HPV:HPV stands for Human papillomavirus and it may display no symptoms, whatsoever that you have the disease. However, when you do get symptoms, you will get symptoms such as genital warts, infection of the throat and mouth as well as cervical cancer, penile cancer and various other cancers. The treatment for HPV is to take a vaccine; as if you have not been vaccinated, it is hard to cure. Chlamydia:Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease, however only 25% of women and about 50% of men show any symptoms of it. However, the most common symptoms when they do appear is a discharge from the vagina or penis which is not regular and it may even cause a painful or burning sensation. Since this is a bacterial disease, it can pretty easily be treated with antibiotics. Gonorrhea:Gonorrhea is yet another common sexually transmitted disease. It usually occurs along with chlamydia. The symptoms and treatment for gonorrhea are also extremely similar to chlamydia. Syphilis:Syphilis is another common sexually transmitted disease. However, it is a little hard to treat because the symptoms appear in stages. In the first stage, there is only one main bump on the body. This bump may look like a cut, a sore or even an ingrown hair. In the second stage, this bump becomes a rash, which goes all over your body and it may develop sores in your mouth, vagina or anus. Symptoms usually completely disappear in the third stage. However, if there is a fourth stage, the brain or organ damage may occur. Antibiotics are used to treat syphilis as well. Related Tip: "3 Ways You Can Prevent STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) " |
warc | 201704 | I want to let out my property; do I need to tell the mortgage lender?Yes, you must obtain permission from your mortgage lender and inform us of any special conditions that they impose. We may require written evidence of this. I don't have the time to manage my property can you provide any assistance?We offer four service packages to our landlords, so no matter how much or little involvement a landlord may want in the process of letting their property, one of our flexible solutions will provide the required level of support. Do I need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?It is a legal requirement for all rental properties in England and Wales to have an EPC. Once obtained the certificate it is valid for 10 years. An EPC measures the energy efficiency of a property using a scale of A-G. How do I know how much rent to charge?We will assess the potential rental value in current market conditions and recommend the type of tenant that would be most suitable for the property. We will also agree with you the terms on which the property will be marketed, including any restrictions. If I let out a property do I have to provide the tenant with any furniture?No, you can let out your property; fully furnished, partly furnished or unfurnished. However when deciding whether to provide furniture with a property or not consider the type of tenant you are targeting and what their needs are likely to be. It is also important to note the condition of the furniture provided in the inventory. How do I know I am getting a good tenant?We conduct identity and residency checks on all applicants. We also obtain a credit reference and take up employer and current landlord references. For applicants who have a clean credit history but who are financially weak for the rental commitment we either ask for a guarantor or obtain full settlement of rent in advance for the tenancy term. For non-UK applicants we have access to international referencing facilities, which cover many countries. What do I do about a deposit?We collect a security deposit from the tenant as cleared funds before the Tenancy Agreement is signed and register the deposit with an approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme. Who has to pay the council tax on the property?A tenant is responsible for the payment of council tax during the period of the tenancy (as long as this is stated in the Tenancy Agreement). However when the property is vacant the landlord or homeowner is responsible for paying the council tax. Who is responsible for the TV licence, the tenant or the landlord?It is both the landlord and tenant's responsibility to ensure that the address has a valid TV licence. However the responsibility on who has to pay for the licence is usually stated in the Tenancy Agreement. However if the landlord provides a television with the property then they would be expected to pay for the TV licence, particularly in any communal areas. What is an inventory?A list detailing every item contained within a rental property and the condition each listed item is in, usually checked by all parties on the day the tenant moves in and signed by all parties. Martin & Co can provide a comprehensive inventory service for landlords. What happens about insurance when I let out a property?It is a good idea for the landlord to have insurance on the property and for any contents, such as furniture and white goods they have provided in the property. Tenants are responsible for insuring their own contents left in the property (however it is a good idea to state this in the tenancy agreement). How do I receive my rental income?We arrange for the tenant to sign a standing order or direct debit mandate for rent and account to you for all rent received, less outgoings, fees and commission accompanied by a statement, normally within 7 days of rent being cleared into our account. What should I do if a tenant has left furniture in the property after they have moved out?Property left behind is still classed as the tenants and if removed, or sold a claim can be made against the landlord for the value of the goods. The landlord becomes a bailee when the goods are left behind and can only legally sell or remove them under the Torts (interference with goods) Act 1977. Landlords are not permitted to sell the goods for compensation on any damage caused by the tenant or for any unpaid rent. However in practice a landlord cannot get a court order for each tenant that leaves property behind, and a landlord has to make a judgement, and with items of value keep clear evidence that they have done all they can to contact the former tenant in question. Who can help me if I have problems with my local Martin & Co office?If you have a complaint about the service that you have received from a Martin & Co local office you should put your concerns in writing to the Martin & Co office concerned. The correspondence will be acknowledged within 3 working days. The matter will then be investigated and a full response sent to you within 15 working days. If you feel the matter remains unresolved you need to address your complaint to the proprietor at the relevant Martin & Co office, marked for the attention of the proprietor, who will conduct an investigation and will give a final viewpoint. In the unlikely event that you remain dissatisfied then you may refer the matter to the Property Ombudsman at the following address:
The Property Ombudsman
Milford House
43-55 Milford Street
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP1 2BP
If you still have any questions, please contact your local Martin & Co office. |
warc | 201704 | Sweet Tooth Integration
One of the pre-requisites of online purchasing is Trust. As before, word-of-mouth (and its online version – reviews and recommendations by people you know) is still the most effective mediums of marketing.
Online Trust Level Diagram by Sweet Tooth
Customer loyalty rewards programs have a ready arsenal of tools that are much more “sticky” when it comes to the long-term effect on the customer, as compared to coupons and discount codes. Which opportunities do you use to engage your customers and get them to trust you and to keep coming back to your store? Let’s explore why you should consider using customer loyalty rewards, if you aren’t already doing so.
Why Use Customer Loyalty Programs
For several decades the fiercely competitive airline industry has known that reward programs – the quasi-currency “airline miles” – simply work better than outright discounts. Take a look at one of our customers’ loyalty program, Fly Blue, aiming to get customers to sign up and start spending.
Flying Blue KLM loyalty program screenshot
Consider the message to the customers: “you are missing out on important benefits by not signing up!” Good marketers know that loss aversion – the fear of missing out – is a tendency that’s psychologically stronger than gain acquisition. Exclusive offers and time-constrained opportunities also work well – and all of those tools become available to you with a properly implemented loyalty rewards program. The rewards program is an ace up your marketing sleeve. Not enough customers recommend you to their friends? Reward them for referrals! Your products are not getting customer reviews? Reward them for approved reviews! You get the idea: a loyalty rewards program is a tool to nudge store visitors to perform desired actions that will attract new customers and get your existing ones to buy more. In return, customers earn reward points, which they in turn can spend on future purchases and exclusive perks. To a business, loyalty programs are essentially deferred discounts and preferences, but their mechanism is much better suited for creating a two-sided, long-term relationship for your brand to connect with your customer.
Sweet Tooth for Magento Ecommerce
Let’s review the Sweet Tooth extension for Magento – a particularly aptly named product, defined as “a craving for sweet foods” – hopefully describing the feelings your customers get towards your e-commerce offerings.
How Customers Earn Rewards
Almost any trackable purchase behavior can be incentivized with Sweet Tooth.
Sweet Tooth reward conditions screenshot
Rules can be set up to offer various levels of rewards for users arriving from different traffic sources (Social, Organic Search, CPC, etc.) and for specific products or product categories. If you use marketing automation or have a CRM system, getting customers to create accounts is a challenge – one that can be resolved by awarding customers with points for signing up! If you use Newsletter marketing, then getting customers to sign up is another case where rewards will increase your registrations. Need to improve SEO for your store? Rewards will also help solve that problem when you grant them for product sharing over social media and for published product reviews. Overall, Sweet Tools allows reward scenarios for a wide variety of customer actions:
order type (including orders containing items suggested for cross-selling) product type (applicable to specific products or product types) signups (account signup, newsletter signup) social media sharing (sharing products, specials, completed orders) reviews (product reviews, company reviews) Magento user Sweet Tooth rewards program detail How Customers Spend Rewards
With all the different reward scenarios available you may think that a loyalty rewards system can get expensive! Yet the rewards shouldn’t be more expensive than the costs associated with coupons and discounts. Sweet Tooth allows setting limits to number of points earned and you can set point expiration period.
Sweet Tooth reward spending option
Sweet Tooth admin setting are built right into the Magento Admin panel and can be turned on or off by clicking checkboxes. You can have customers spend rewards on exclusive products, on discounts, or on things like free shipping (which is a great tool for loyal customers, but can get expensive if it is offered to all website shoppers).
Starting with Sweet Tooth
Starting with Sweet Tooth requires a few days for installation and setup, with optimization recommended down the road. Plans start at $59/month for stores with less than $100,000 in annual revenue. The plan for stores with less than half a million dollars in revenue for $149/month offers free installation for Magento store users – which is a great deal! Feel free to contact Maven if you are having difficulties and need assistance with your Sweet Tooth installation.
Summary
We recommend Sweet Tooth as the industry standard in loyalty programs, with extensive features allowing to gamify the process of turning your customers into your brand advocates on social networks and your store product pages. The effectiveness of any loyalty program depends on its ability to incentivize your customers to 1. perform actions that promote your store to new customers and 2. increase sales frequency from your current customers – and we think that Sweet Tooth excels in this task. |
warc | 201704 | A Social Influence Model of Technology Use ISBN: 0803935307 Abstract
(from the chapter) begin by summarizing traditional models of media use / show how these theories are incapable of adequately explaining a whole range of findings on media use in real-life organizations / develop a model of social influences on media-related attitudes and behavior in organizations / review research results that shed light on the validity of the new model compared to traditional theory / outline the implications of the social influence perspective for management practice / provide suggestions to guide research on communication technologies in organizations ((c) 1997 APA/PsycINFO, all rights reserved)
Readership Statistics 24Readers on Mendeley |
warc | 201704 | News & Articles Another Climate Change Study Debunked, Pulled
By Diana Anderson
A study on the American Associate for the Advancement of Science’s website projected an increase in temperature of 2.4 degrees Celsius and worldwide food shortages in this decade. The study has since been pulled from the site after experts discovered multiple errors and deemed the findings flawed.
The inaccurate study was also posted on numerous international news agencies, including Agence-France Press (AFP).
Climate scientist Rey Weymann told AFP that the “study contains a significant error in that it confuses ‘equilibrium’ temperature rise with ‘transient temperature rise.’”
Weymann also said study author Hisas was told of the problems in advance of the report’s release.
“The author of the study was told by several of us about this error but she said it was too late to change it,” he noted.
Scientist Scott Mandia emailed Hisas before publication to explain why her figures didn’t compute and why it would take “quite a few decades” to reach a warming level of 2.4 degrees Celsius.
“Even if we assume the higher end of the current warming rate, we should only be 0.2C warmer by 2020 than today,” Mandia wrote.
In an email to AFP, AAAS spokeswoman Ginger Pinholster wrote, “A reporter with The Guardian alerted us yesterday to concerns about the news release submitted by Hoffman & Hoffman public relation.
“We immediately contacted a climate change expert who confirmed that the information raised many questions in his mind, too. We swiftly removed the news release from our website and contacted the submitting organization.”
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, whose figures were cited as the study’s basis for its projections, and Al Gore won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2007 “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change,” the prize committee said at the time.
Osvaldo Canziani, who was part of the 2007 Nobel Prize winning panel, was also the scientist listed as scientific advisor to the faulty report. On Tuesday, Canziani’s spokesman said he was ill and unavailable for interviews.
This is not the first “climate change” or “global warming” study to be debunked. Many others have also been debunked, as has Al Gore’s documentary AN INCONVENTIENT TRUTH.
Obviously, ideology, not science, is fueling much of this “research.”
– Source: Yahoo News, 01/19/11.
Photo by Andrea Zeppilli. |
warc | 201704 | RE/MAX Int'l, Inc. v. Smythe, Cramer Co.: Ohio Lawsuit between RE/MAX and Smythe, Cramer Proceeds
An Ohio federal court has considered allegations made by a national franchisor of real estate brokerages against a large real estate brokerage firm operating in Ohio arising from a 2000 settlement agreement between the parties
RE/MAX International, Inc. ("Franchisor") is a franchisor of real estate brokerage firms throughout North America. The Franchisor uses a concept of paying commissions that varies from the traditional real estate brokerage model, where licensees retain almost all of their commissions and in return pay monthly fees to their broker for office space and other office-support related expenses. The licensees also pay the Franchisor an annual fee and receive access to resources offered by the Franchisor, such as a national referral network.
Smythe, Cramer Company ("Brokerage") is large Ohio brokerage firm which uses a more traditional brokerage business model. In 1994, the Franchisor's regional subfranchisor and several franchisees in northeast Ohio filed a lawsuit against the Brokerage and another Ohio brokerage firm, based on the brokerages' practice of paying a lower commission split with licensees associated with the Franchisor. The lawsuit alleged that the brokerages had entered into an illegal agreement to pay these lower commissions, in violation of the antitrust laws.
After a complicated procedural history, the parties settled the lawsuit. The settlement agreement ("Agreement") provided that the brokerages could pay a lower commission split to the Franchisor's representatives, so long as its decision to pay the lower commission split was similar to the payment method it applied to other brokers. The decision to pay the lower commission amount could not be based solely on the fact the licensee was associated with the Franchisor, and the Agreement also provided that any disputes between the Franchisor's representatives and the brokerages were to be resolved by arbitration.
In 2001, the Brokerage adopted a policy of paying a lower commission split to brokers who had left the firm. Following the adoption of this policy, letters were sent to brokers formerly affiliated with the Brokerage informing them of this new policy. The policy affected several of the Franchisor's Ohio franchises. Eventually, the Brokerage withdrew this policy. The Franchisor filed a lawsuit against the Brokerage alleging breach of the Agreement as well as violations of both the state and federal antitrust laws. The Brokerage filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
The United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, dismissed part of the Franchisor's lawsuit but allowed some of the allegations to proceed. The court first considered the Franchisor's allegations over the Brokerage's alleged breach of the Agreement. The Brokerage made three arguments on why these allegations should be dismissed. First, the Brokerage argued that the Franchisor could not enforce the Agreement because the agreement was between the Franchisor's franchisees and the Brokerage, not the Franchisor. Second, it argued that even if the Franchisor could argue a breach of the agreement, it must pursue those claims in an arbitration proceeding and not in court. Finally, the Brokerage argued that even if the Franchisor could bring lawsuit alleging breach of the Agreement, there was no breach. The court rejected all of these arguments, finding that nothing in the Agreement barred the Franchisor from challenging the Agreement; the court had jurisdiction to enforce the terms of the Agreement; and the allegations made in the complaint were sufficient to withstand a motion to dismiss. Thus, the breach of contract allegations were allowed to proceed.
Next, the court considered the tortious interference with a business relationship allegations. Ohio law states that a tortious interference with a business relationship occurs when an individual, without legal justification, causes a third party to not enter a business relation with another. The Franchisor argued that the Brokerage's actions interfered with its relationship with potential franchisees and licensees. The court ruled that the Franchisor's allegations in its complaint were sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss, and so these allegations were allowed to proceed as well.
The court considered the defamation allegations made by the Franchisor. The Brokerage argued that the alleged defamatory statements concerned brokers affiliated with the Franchisor, not the Franchisor. The court ruled that the Franchisor could only bring a lawsuit based on defamatory statements concerning the Franchisor, and so the court dismissed the defamation allegations.
Finally, the court considered the antitrust allegations made by the Franchisor. The Franchisor alleged that the Brokerage had conspired to prevent licensees from affiliating with the Franchisor, including current as well as past licensees affiliated with the Brokerage. The court found that the Franchisor's allegations did not contain enough specific information about who was involved in the conspiracy as well the time, place, and effect of the alleged conspiracy, and so should be dismissed. The court also found that because real estate salespeople are required to be supervised by a broker, the intra-corporate doctrine barring antitrust lawsuits for conspiracies within the same corporation barred the Franchisor's lawsuit. Further, the court found that even if a conspiracy had been properly alleged, the Franchisor had still failed to show how the conspiracy would harm competition or cause damage to the public because the Franchisor did not allege that the Brokerage had conspired with another brokerage firm, as testimony in the first lawsuit had demonstrated that such an action would be economically damaging to the Brokerage and not consumers. Thus, the court dismissed the Franchisor's antitrust allegations.
In summary, the court allowed the Franchisor's lawsuit to move forward with the breach of the Agreement allegations and the tortious interference with a business relationship allegations, but dismissed the defamation allegations as well as the antitrust allegations.
RE/MAX Int'l, Inc. v. Smythe, Cramer Co., No. 1:03-CV-040, 2003 WL 21283891 (N.D. Ohio May 20, 2003). [This is a citation to a Westlaw document. Westlaw is a subscription, online legal research service. If an official reporter citation should become available for this case, the citation will be updated to reflect this information]. |
warc | 201704 | The records of 22 patients who received portosystemic shunting for portal hypertension from 1985 to 1995 inclusive at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children (RAHC) were retrospectively reviewed. There were 11 girls and 11 boys. The average age at operation was 8 years, 3 months (range, 2 years, 3 months to 16 years, 7 months). The aetiology was idiopathic portal cavernomatous transformation (n = 9), billiary atresia (n = 4), cystic fibrosis (n = 3), documented neonatal portal vein thrombosis (n = 3), congenital hepatic fibrosis (n = 2), and portal vein obstruction after liver transplant (n = 1). The major presenting problem was upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Two patients had recurrent melaena from Roux-en-Y jejunal loop and caecal varices, respectively. Before receiving shunts, 12 patients had endoscopic sclerotherapy, 1 had gastric transection, and 2 had gastric varices oversewn. Portal pressure at preoperative splenoportogram averaged 28 mm Hg (range, 20 to 41). Urgent shunts were performed on 13 patients. Two disadvantaged patients had prophylactic shunts for severe hypersplenism. The types of shunts used were reversed splenorenal (n = 13), splenoadrenal (n = 6), inferior mesenteric renal (n = 1), portocaval (n = 1), inferior mesenteric caval (n = 1), and superior and inferior mesenteric caval (n = 1). In all, 22 patients had 23 shunts. The patency rate was 96% on 6 months to 10 years follow-up (average, 5.8 years). No spleen was lost. There were 2 late deaths. Two cystic fibrosis patients and one child with extrahepatic portal hypertension experienced post-shunt encephalopathy. Three patients rebled in the early postoperative period despite a patent shunt. Two patients subsequently received liver transplantation without any additional difficulties. Thus, portosystemic shunting using a method appropriate for the patient is a reliable option for treating children with portal hypertension in whom variceal sclerotherapy is inappropriate or has failed. |
warc | 201704 | It's easy to bemoan the digital age and how it's turned us all into self-centered addicts of individualism. But really, all this has done is made us much more American than ever before.
I was discussing this the other night with an old college friend from back East. He and his family had come to California for the first time in years to visit a sister in San Diego and a brother in San Francisco, with a little Los Angeles tossed into the middle of the mix. We talked about my mother (in Florida by way of the Bronx) and my cousins (still in Yonkers, just north of New York City). We are, we noticed, scattered -- in a very typically American way.
We both have friends and family in southern Europe (Spain and Italy) and went on about how family-centered life is there. There's the good friend from Manhattan who moved back with his wife and daughters to Spain despite a thriving career because they wanted to be closer to parents and relatives as the children grew up and they themselves grew older. There is my cousin from a small town outside Naples who now lives far away in Milan but gets home once a month or more -- and spends every vacation he gets back with family.
It's the main reason that a place like Spain has not imploded from its 25 percent unemployment rate (with much higher rates among the young). Younger workers stay with their families in a structure that provides a socially encouraged shelter from the slings and arrows of outrageous economic fortune. Imagine what 25 percent unemployment would do to modern America: The fabric would shred in a society defined far too sharply by measurements of success that include independence and individualism.
New York
Times columnist Ross Douthat writes that we are more atomized than ever because of the digital revolution. However, he also sees within that revolution a hunger for community and connection via Facebook, Twitter and the like.
But it's a very American connection -- it is "community" on any given individual's terms. I reach out to you and send you a message when I have the thought, the time. You respond whenever it fits into your life. We never really "connect" voice-to-voice (e.g. the telephone) or face-to-face (wow, an actual meetup). These digital tools don't add to our social interconnectivity; they replace it.
Again, very American. We move a lot, we leave others behind, as we seek our own way on "the road less traveled," fully aware we "can't go home again." It is bred in our bones -- digital media just gives us new ways to get there.
As my friend and I were wrapping up our conversation, I noted reports that show hard economic times here have actually slowed down mobility among the young. They are staying at home longer or are moving back in. Maybe that would shift the American dynamic? I wondered.
No, my friend declared. The Spanish do it, and they like it. Americans do it because they have to, and they hate it. We are closer physically, but psychologically and emotionally? No.
It's just not who we are.
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warc | 201704 | The first anniversary of the economic collapse is not one anyone wants to mark, but we note it this week.
A year ago the news of Lehman Brothers’ collapse and AIG’s near collapse stunned our nation, led to a global economic crisis and was followed by an infusion of hundreds of billions of bailout dollars to preserve the country’s financial system.
Our Catholic Charities’ clients had made us well aware that an economic downturn was already underway, but we could not have fathomed what was about to occur last September. Nor could we envision the thousands of families who would seek assistance for the first time: they were now poor.
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Catholic Charities aid rose in 2009 and still rising in 2010 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The need for our services has catapulted to unprecedented levels. Parents who lost their jobs or now work reduced hours; children hungry for a healthy meal; senior citizens incapable of paying the heating bill: they all knock at our doors. We, in the best way we know how, serve them without question. Catholic Charities works with and among the poor every day. We know them. They trust us. Their numbers are increasing.
Last week the Census Bureau reported the nation’s poverty rate climbed to 13.2 percent in 2008 – 39.5 million Americans - up from 12.5 percent in 2007. 46.3 million have no health insurance. The number of unemployed persons has risen by 7.4 million since the recession began.
During this time our 1,700 agencies across the country served 8.5 million people, an increase of 10.2 percent from 2007. This is not a cause for celebration. It is a deplorable fact. Clients needing basic services (clothing, utilities, prescriptions and emergency financial aid) increased 11 percent. Clients seeking housing services increased 12 percent. Employment services increased 35 percent.
These disconcerting reports do not include the impacts on the hundreds of thousands who lost their jobs or health insurance during the first eight months of 2009.
The economic downturn has stretched Catholic Charities’ resources and forced us to do more with less.
t A Catholic Charities clinic in Pittsburgh adds 100 patients monthly. They see people who were not uninsured before.” It's scary for them,” says the administrator, “they're not used to asking for help.” tIn Delaware, Catholic Charities receives thousands of requests for assistance from neighbors throughout Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Many who ask for help have never before been in this position. tThe food pantry at Catholic Charities of High Springs, Florida, like others around the country, has empty shelves and is in need of food. “The demand for food has been higher and the donations have been lower,” says its director. “I’m not even giving as much as I want to give. I send everybody off with a bag. Whatever I’ve got, that’s what I give.” tIn Scarsdale, New York, where the estimated 2007 median household income was $222,000 (median income was $53,514 in New York), Catholic Charities held a Career Counseling Seminar for high level professionals who find themselves unemployed in a tough market – a new experience.
Glimpses of financial recovery now buoy some but the journey out of poverty will be long and arduous for those we serve.
In July Pope Benedict urged all nations to rebuild their economies in a way that works towards the common good and the real needs of our neighbors. “Every Christian is called to this charity,” he states. He challenges business enterprises, governments, unions and individuals to reexamine their economic responsibilities in the light of charity governed by truth. He calls all men and women to think and act anew.
We must heed this call. After all, Jesus did not ask us to think about caring for our neighbor. He called us to act. He said, “Love your neighbor.”
In a few weeks Catholic Charities USA begins our centennial year. We will spend the next 365 days rallying the nation to rebuild our nation in a way that leaves fewer people behind. We challenge our leaders to muster the same urgency and creativity they brought to the banks’ bail out by now addressing the needs of those whom the economic crisis has hit the hardest.
Patching the social safety net is not enough. We must design the 21st century “New Deal” with new and innovative 21st century solutions. We will pursue solutions through our agencies and in partnership with business and government.
When we succeed in providing for the least among us we benefit all of society. Then when we gather in Washington next September to celebrate our centennial, we truly will be a richer nation.
Father Larry Snyder is the president of Catholic Charities USA Advertisement |
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