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newswire article reposts global 02.Feb.2015 06:31
corporate dominance | labor
TTIP: Redistribution of Power, not Free Trade
author: Harald Schumann, Ursula Engelen-Kefer and Werner Raza e-mail: marc1seed@yahoo.com
The TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) involves the redistribution of power away from the parliaments and to the executive and its unelected lobbyists. The TTIP does not involve freedom of trade. the greatest barrier to transatlantic trade is not discussed, the extremely fluctuating exchange rate between the dollar and the euro.
By Harald Schumann
[This article published on 12/19/2014 is translated from the German on the Internet, www.tagesspiegel.de In the Reuters photo, activists drag a chlorinated chicken at Oktoberfest 2014.]
The TTIP involves the redistribution of power, away from the parliaments and to the executive and its unelected lobbyists. TTIP does not involve freedom of trade. A Commentary
Free trade is a beautiful word. Trade is good in the land of record exports and bargain hunters. Who could be against "free"\? The German chancellor, her economics minister and the EU Commission rely on the sound of this word to sell Europe's greatest legislative project to the voters, the agreement called the TTIP, the Transatlantic Trade and investment Partnership, with the US. This is a "free trade agreement," it is repeated everywhere. Whoever criticizes it must be an enemy of progress.
Ultimately our prosperity rests on the international division of labor and the free exchange of goods and services.
"TRADE BARRIERS" ARE EVERYWHERE
But freedom of trade is not negotiated. Tariffs are hardly still important. All the rules and regulations complicating business on the other side of the Atlantic are up for negotiation. This extends from safety tests to the conditions for public contracts. They are all regarded as "trade barriers" that should be removed irrespective of the medical, ecological or social reasons for these regulations, even the procedures on how the EU and the US should deal with new products or dangers in the future, the methods of the legislation itself.
For example, officials on both sides should agree on their plans in common "regulatory councils" before the general public learns anything about this. Such a "regulatory cooperation" would be a deep incursion in Europe's constitution. The unelected officials of the EU Commission can already propose new laws. Financially strong interest groups increase their already great influence. If another transatlantic authority is added, Europe's legislation would be even more obscure and susceptible to manipulation.
EXCHANGE WITH THE US COULD BE FAR MORE INTENSIVE
The TTIP involves a redistribution of power, away from parliaments to the executive and its unelected lobbyists. Another amazing fact corroborates this suspicion: the greatest barrier to transatlantic trade is not discussed.
Exchange with the US could actually be far more intensive. German businesses export more to Austria and Switzerland than to the United States. Altogether trade with the US amounts to 5.5 percent of the foreign trade volume of the EU. That cannot be explained with transportation costs or legal barriers. Rather the most important reason is the extremely fluctuating exchange rate between the dollar and the euro as the economist Jan Priewe of the Berlin Academy for the Economy and Law explained in a study for the Friedrich-Ebert foundation. Since 2001 the value of the Euro has oscillated between 0.82 and 1.60 US dollar. Since May it has fallen ten percent.
A MONETARY COOPERATION WOULD BE MORE SENSIBLE
These fluctuations have almost nothing to do with development of the purchasing power of the two currencies, Priewe explains. Rather they reflect the mood and computer-driven speculation on the currency markets. This creates great uncertainty for trade. Importers and exporters can gain some time by purchasing currency contracts on the stock exchange. However protecting long-term investments against exchange rate risks is very expensive. Permanent structures must be created first. Therefore the trade between the countries of the Eurozone is much more intensive than with North America. Intra-EU trade does not have this risk.
TTIP: GENERAL ATTACK ON THE SOCIAL STATE
By Ursula Engelen-Kefer
[The following excerpts from an article published on July 8, 2014 are translated from the German on the Internet, www.nachdenkseiten.de/\?p=22297.]
What the dominant neoliberal forces in the EU could not do because of the financial crisis and the state- and bank bailout to the burden of taxpayers could become bitter reality via the free trade agreement with the US (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership TTIP). The social state of the European style could be ended. What the president of the European Central Bank, the Italian Mario Draghi, recently said in several interviews seems confirmed, that the social state has not future in Europe any more. This downward spiral has long been underway. In EU crisis countries, people must accept severe cuts in wages, pensions, health care and other social measures for the financial bailout measures. Even in Germany, restrictions have already been introduced for social security and public benefits.
The consequences are a record unemployment with hopelessness and lack of perspectives for young persons above all and not only in the crisis countries. In Germany, the economy and employment can remain at a relatively high level. The bitter price for 7 million employees with low wages and poverty and for taxpayers is a gigantic combined wage sector through Hartz IV at around 50 billion Euros a year.
This dissolution of socialism on the national and European planes should now be continued by an investment-protection agreement (Investor-State-Dispute settlement ISDS) in the framework of the TTIP to the benefit of European and US corporations. An enormous trade volume is involved corresponding to 15 percent of world trade. In 2012 the EU with 1.686 trillion Euros was the largest exporter of goods and at 1.791 trillion Euros the second largest importer of goods after the US. As a negotiating partner with the US for the free trade agreement, the European Commission promises a growth of jobs and prosperity but ignores the fact that the economy is given even more power over national governments, parliaments, unions and other civil organizations. The regulatory areas of the financial world and the economy, environmental- and consumer protection, education and culture, collective bargaining and labor law and social legislation would be exposed to lawsuits by corporations out of commercial interests before arbitration courts that are neither democratically legitimated nor controllable.
The expected increase in economic growth and employment through the TTIP is minimal as different analyses show. The average annual economic growth in the EU projected for 15 years is estimated at 0.034 percent of the gross domestic product and 0.028 percent in the US. The estimate for created jobs fluctuates between 13,000 (Bertelsmann foundation) and 1800 (Ifo) per year in Germany.
INVESTMENT PROTECTION - SUSPENSION OF DEMOCRATIC REGULATION
There are already many examples of massive attacks on national policy with gigantic sums by these kinds of investment protection agreements with lawsuits in private arbitration courts. Today more than half of direct foreign investments come from the other side of the Atlantic. The lawsuits are fueled by American and European law offices that are promised tremendous profits from these arbitration procedures - with hourly wages of $1000 legal costs and an average $8 million per procedure. Since May 2012 the Swedish energy conglomerate Vattenfall has sued the German government for 3.7 billion Euros compensation on account of the nuclear exit. The threat of lawsuits is often enou9gh to prevent important regulations of governments.
The dangers to governments and parliaments are clear in the 3000 international agreements and 514 investor-state lawsuits by the end of 2012. Arbitration courts of three private persons called litigating parties often meet behind closed doors in hotel rooms of the world metropolises London, Washington and Paris. The arbitral awards are binding and appeals are not allowed. NAFTA, the free trade agreement between Mexico, Canada and the US, is a prominent negative example.
1.	Lone Pine Resources Inc. started an arbitration proceeding against the government of Quebec that passed a moratorium on fracking in 2013 because of environmental- and health dangers.
2.	The oil multinational Chevron was ordered by an Ecuadorian court to remedy the environmental pollution from its oil production. Chevron has contested the judgment through an international arbitration proceeding.
3.	According to reports, a French corporation (Veolia, operating a waste disposal firm in Egypt)) filed a lawsuit in an international arbitration proceeding against raising the minimum wage in Egypt.
SOCIAL SECURITY - CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE EU AND THE US
The systems of social security play an existential role for people in Germany. Differences in philosophy, principles and practical policy between the US and Germany are very significant in this area. The embittered conflicts in the US over introduction of a legal health insurance are an impressive example.
Traditionally, private and company insurance through capital-covered security systems have a predominant role in health insurance and old age security in the US. In addition, there are different programs of health insurance for seniors and the socially weak as well as for unemployment and poverty that are financed together by the federal government and individual states. A general legal financial solidarity between different groups on the federal level and their common financing from contributions of employers and employees does not exist.
As European and international comparisons show, the share of the social security contributions in the labor costs in Germany is considerably higher than in the US and the larger part of their social security system is financed through taxes. The US has the lowest tax rate at 25.1 percent (Germany at 37.1 percent is in the middle of EU countries)... Thus the state system of social security in the US is clearly inferior to continental Europe.
The rate of social security taxes in Germany rose to 38.4 percent in Germany and will rise again...
US UNION-FREE ZONES
The permanent refusal of the US to ratify the international labor standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO) is characteristic. More is involved than the so-called core labor norms on adhering to union rights, collective bargaining, non-discrimination and prohibition of forced labor and child labor. Even if it cannot be assumed that the US violates the prohibition of slave- and child labor and non-discrimination, there are many examples of the prevention of unions in individual states of the US. Union-free zones are used by German corporations to keep labor costs as low as possible and avoid German labor law and social legislation, particularly joint-determination, industrial relations projects, industrial safety and health protection.
The failed attempt of Volkswagen to introduce a works' council at its branch in Chattanooga, Tennessee casts a light on the difficult situation. The majority of the workforce voted against this - obviously because of great public pressure from the political ranks of conservative Republicans. In any case, wanting to circumvent German labor law with this investment in the US should not be imputed to VW. The question of the investments of a huge German corporation in a union-free southern city is raised...
TWO-FACEDNESS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
The European Commission as one of the two negotiating partners of the TTIP is now attacked under the constant reproach of deficient transparency...
WHO PROFITS IN THE EU-US "TTIP" AGREEMENT\?
By Oliver Prausmueller
[This editorial in the Austrian Kurswechsel 2/2014 is translated abridged from the German on the Internet, www.kurswechsel.at.]
The debates over the reformability of the neoliberal European Union gain new explosiveness with the EU-US agreement "TTIP." Since the summer of 2013, The "Transatlantic Trade- and Investment Partnership" has been officially negotiated. Public criticism has grown in the course of the past six rounds of negotiations - and the pressure of democratically correcting the complex of negotiating executives and business-centered lobby networks. A newly germinating debate focuses on the political-economic state of the EU trade- and investment protection policy. With the "TTIP," the public perception threshold for a central shift in EU globalization policy has been crossed. A net of individual treaties with non-EU member countries should help in the acceptance of a new stage of the liberalization project, not the World Trade organization. The strengthened proliferation of this kind of agreement is not only an expression of an eroded "multilateral consensus" on progressive liberalization within the WTO...
In his article, Werner Raza first emphasizes the place of the TTIP project for European foreign trade policy and the trap of the continued export-oriented economic strategy "inside" and "outside" the EU... The TTIP agenda does not aim at dismantling the tariff levels between the largest trading blocs of the world that are already very low. So-called "trade barriers behind the border" and forcing "regulatory convergence" in norms, standards and legal conditions are underlined. The explosiveness of TTIP is manifest in how regulations on food security, health, vital necessities, consumer-, data-, environmental- and worker protection are treated in the agreement. As a "living agreement," it should contain institutional mechanisms and procedures that allow"effective" and "accelerated" revision of existing and future regulatory measures. These plans for a "rolling" TTIP agenda run the risk of undermining the democratic privileges of parliaments in determining the direction and contents of public regulations (cf. Soukup 2014). A form of negotiation leads to the dubious economic effects of the TTIP at the expense of democracy and the public interest. In her article, Pia Eberhardt takes up the debate on the extent of investor rights in the TTIP. First, the very controversial negotiations on anchoring special investor-state rights of action in the TTIP are criticized. The European Commission carried out a public consultation that represents a success of past protests. What lessons can be drawn for further resistance against the agreement\? In November 2014 the European Commission published its complete analysis and answer to the consultation. Eberhardt's "Five Theses" should be read before the next round of the discussion. The way from the 1st thesis "resistance against the corporate rights to sue bears fruits" to the 5th thesis "TTIP resistance needs a long breath and must be broader" shows how the European Commission will use the reform discourse to re-legitimate protecting foreign investments in the framework of TTIP.
In this debate forum, the question "Is another EU possible\?" led to the diagnosis that EU institutions are effectively screened "against the pressure from below" and their executive cumbersomeness favors "mammoth capital groups with a privileged access to the executive and its expert-bureaucracy" (Becker 2014). Is the neoliberal economic policy plagued by inertia or is the EU a bulwark of a constitutional agenda independent of the balance of power\? (Weber 2004) ... In the regime of international economic law and not only in the EU, a remarkable continuity of a constitutional agenda appears that limits the actions of politicians in a market-conforming way and aims at disciplining democratically legitimated regulations in favor of offensive business- and investor interests (Krajewski 2010; Gill/ Cutler 2014). TTIP can be understood as a crystallization point for the further development of this constitutionalist agenda. A striking test case occurs on political immunization. Does the intense public criticism of the TTIP project have an effect\? Can the negotiated documents be treated as classified documents\? Is there a focus on the "low hanging fruits" as the neoliberal Cato Institute (Ikenson 2013) recommends so the negotiations will gradually lead to success with a kind of "lose to win" strategy\? Can criticism be split up in "single issues," selective consultations and the targeted coopting of individual groups\? Can TTIP be a starting point for a more far-reaching discussion about a necessary change of course in European and global trade investment protection policy\?
TTIP: TRIFLING ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES AT THE EXPENSE OF DEMOCRACY AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST
By Werner Raza
EU-TRADE POLICY: IS GREATER INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS THE SOLUTION TO THE EU-ECONOMIC CRISIS\?
[This article published in: Kurswechsel 2/2014 is translated abridged from the German on the Internet, www.kurswechsel.at.]
The forced competition-orientation of EU economic policy is not a new phenomenon but was raised to the rank of a strategic goal with the Lisbon Agenda from 2000...
The outbreak of the global financial- and economic crisis did not change this political-economic-orientation. The answer of the EU to the economic crisis was marked by the firm belief that Europe can only overcome the crisis by improving its competitiveness. With its export surpluses, Germany is regarded as a model for the crisis-ridden countries of the European periphery. Behind that is the notion that a decline of the domestic demand through strict austerity measures together with a strong reduction of nominal wages would improve the cost-position of the European export industry and thus positively influence net exports. In fact, EU imports from the rest of the world collapsed in 2008-2009 as a result of the global crisis and only slowly recovered while EU exports to the rest of the world quickly picked up steam. Consequently the EU's balance of trade surplus rose eightfold since 2008 and amounted to 255 billion E (trade of goods and services) in 2012. A further increase of the surplus is predicted for 2013 and the following years.
This development is very remarkable amid stagnating worldwide growth rates. Firstly, it is based on the stagnating import demand in the EU, above all in the EU crisis countries. Secondly and more importantly, it is based on the strong export-growth of crisis-ridden cou9ntries like Spain and Greece, not only traditionally export-oriented countries like Germany. In 2012, Germany showed a balance of trade surplus of nearly 140 billion E and has more than doubled its surpluses with the rest of the world since 2008. Between 2008 and 2012, the exports of Spain to countries outside the EU rose around 43\% and the exports of Greece around 146\%.
On first view, these developments seem to confirm the EU strategies for overcoming crises.. Economically it is nothing but a beggar thy neighbor strategy to the burden of third parties...
TTIP aims primarily at extensive de-regulation, dismantling or harmonizing norms, standards and legal conditions, for example in the areas of agriculture, food security, the service sector or in awarding public contracts, liberalization and protection of investments and investors will play a central role. TTIP must be seen as a project with geo-political ambitions. TTIP is both a reaction to the growing economic and political influence of the BRIC-states, above all China, as an attempt to set a new global benchmark in regulating trade and investments.
UNDERMINING DEMOCRATIC POLICY - A CRITICISM OF THE TTIP NEGOTIATION MANDATE
The European Commission recently tried very hard to show the political and economic advantages that the TTP would provide the EU. Several studies were commissioned to corroborate the economic advantages from the agreement. The study of the London Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR 2013) quoted most frequently claims the annual income growth for the EU will amount to approximately 120 billion E. This is only 0.5\% of the GDP of the EU (2012). Moreover these advantages will first appear after a transition time of 10 years or more. Thus TTIP is by no means a short-term turbo growth as claimed by proponents of the agreement. Around 80\% of these welfare gains will result from the dismantling or simplification of regulations (standards, norms, approval procedures and others) and from the liberalization of trade in the service sector and publically commissioned works. The (temporary) loss of jobs is estimated at 0.2-0.5\% of EU workers. The methods for estimating consequences have serious shortcomings. They ignore adjustment costs, especially for public budgets and the labor market. A recent OFSE study estimates these adjustment costs at 30-60 billion E for the transitional time of 10 years.
TTIP will probably have a negative effect on intra-EU trade, that is on the domestic market and on the trade of the EU with non-EU member states, e.g. on countries of sub-Sahara Africa. Still the official numbers for TTIP are not impressive from an economic perspective. No appreciable economic advantages will be gained from the traditional trade liberalization - since the average tariff barrier between the EU and the US is already very low (around 3\%). TTIP proponents hope for advantages from dismantling so-called non-tariff trade measures, that is the huge number of technical norms, standards and legal regulations. Therefore the negotiations will concentrate on the so-called non-tariff trade measures and cooperation in the regulatory realm. According to the statement of EU Trade Commissioner De Gucht, this cooperation includes the following points: (i) formation of a process for cooperation in regulatory questions, (ii) harmonization of existing regulations and (iii) cooperation of regulatory authorities in the two economic blocs.
What may sound like a good idea on first view proves extremely problematic on second view. Firstly, the regulatory norms between the EU and the US are very different in areas of highly sensitive social-political significance like food security, health, animal- and plant protection and worker- and environmental protection. Secondly, the regulatory philosophies in dealing with high risk technologies are fundamentally different. The precautionary principle is in effect in the EU so genetically-altered food is not allowed. In contrast, the cost-benefit principle of the US led to the business-friendly cultivation of genetically-modified plants, utilization of hormones in meat production and application of chlorine-dioxide disinfecting animals for slaughter. The US has clearly signaled that it demands an abolition of EU regulations in these areas or a mutual acknowledgment of regulations. Thirdly, there are great differences in policy as to protection of privacy and exchange of data. There are diverging approaches which are expressions of unequivocal basic social convictions firmly anchored in legal norms and rules. Fourthly, a necessary democratic debate on all these questions with TTP is vital. Thus it is very worrying that both sides intend to call into existence "an institutional basis for further progress" with the rules... "An accelerated procedure" is proposed for changing sectoral supplements of TTIP and for adding new supplements through a simplified instrument that does not need any national ratification (European Commission 2013). The strengthened cooperation between the regulatory authorities for the TTIP undermines the democratic rights of parliaments in defining the direction and substance of public regulations.
That investors are granted special rights in the framework of TTIP is problematic. Besides granting rights of access to previously protected economic sections and limiting measures that once earmarked a discrimination of foreign businesses or protection of strategically important industrial areas, the Commission seems willing to allow an out-of-court international process for settling disputes between investors of the state (ISDS) in the framework of TTIP (cf. Eberhardt). While this procedure already exists in many treaties for bilateral and regional projects, it was not a theme of EU trade agreements up to CETA (EU-Canada free trade agreement). The ISDS enables investors to sue for their rights in international civil law tribunals. This will lead to civil law lawyers attempting to enforce the interests of their clients with lawsuits that could cost the states enormous amounts in compensation. States have no possibility of appealing decisions of these tribunals (ICSID - International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes).
Experiences show clearly that the danger of compensation demands by multinational corporations intensely restricts the readiness of governments to act in the public interest (so-called chill-effect). The ISDS was originally intended for international investment agreements to safeguard a fair treatment of investors in countries whose legal systems were deficient in many regards. This argument cannot hold up for the relations between the EU and the US where a fair treatment and fair procedures before courts are generally guaranteed.
The attractiveness of ISDS for transnational businesses is due to the comprehensive and co0mpletely exaggerated term expropriation which covered missed profits through investments for the originally planned running time and not only all damages arising from investment costs that accrued in the past (for example, through construction of a nuclear power plant). Thus an investor is presently justified in demanding compensation for missed profits when a government decides to exit from nuclear emerges and a nuclear reactor is closed 20 years before the expiration of the operating time. This happened in Germany when the Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall sued the German government in 2012 for 3.7 billion E compensation . As a result, more and more ISDS procedures were attempted in the last 20 years. According to data of the UN Trade and Development conference, 514 such cases were known at the end of 2012. Hardly surprisingly 123 of these procedures were initiated by US investors, followed by 50 cases by EU investors in the Netherlands, 30 from Great Britain and 27 from Germany (Seattle to Brussels Network 2013). Given the great range of bilateral investments between the EU and the US, the ISDS offers investors a welcome possibility for putting pressure on governments on both sides of the Atlantic by means of threatened lawsuits.
Another alarming development concerns the further liberalization of the financial services branch. Despite all experiences from the last global financial crisis, the financial industry should be granted more rights and protection while financial stability and consumer protection are inadequately considered. Interestingly enough, the European Commission seems to be following a more radical approach than the US. In the past, the government of President Obama formulated reservations to two fundamental EU demands regarding the cooperative framework of financial services in the agreement and the instrument of the ISDS for the financial industry (Vander, Stichele 2013). In view of this total concept, it is unlikely that people will agree in the negotiations on more than only the smallest common denominator in regulating the financial markets.
AN ALTERNATIVE EU TRADE POLICY IS URGENTLY NECESSARY
The TTIP negotiations are now oriented almost exclusively in the interests of businesses. This is because of the disproportional influence exercised by the lobby groups of the economy in the EU (and the US). Firstly, the negotiations must be more transparent. Both the European Parliament and civil society must be informed about the state of the negotiations and all documents must be published. Essential contents of the negotiations turn around central concerns of the public interest and therefore must be discussed in public.
There are even more hesitations as to the EU impact assessment. Unlike models that provide the desired result in advance, well-conceived economic models help in analyzing the consequences of a transatlantic agreement. Still they must be supplemented by other methodical approaches for estimating likely consequences of such an agreement. Individual studies should be occupied with the probably consequences of such an agreement as to the rights and working conditions of employees, the environment as well as the implications of the proposed institutional frameworks for the future of democratic politics, transparency and control. None of these themes has been discussed... With the help of such an approach, a realistic estimate and corroborated results on the effects of TTIP would be possible. Research institutes commissioned by EU institutions should be truly independent and not financed by business lobbies.
The public interest should be protected and negotiations marked by that guiding principle concerning the substantive organization of the negotiations. That guiding principle must characterize the negotiations. Concretely this means:
•	No lowering of standards in public health, public security, worker- and consumer rights and environmental care;
•	No de facto transfer of regulatory authority from democratic institutions to unelected technocratic groups;
•	No arbitration court proceedings for settling conflicts between investors and states (investor-to-state dispute settlement); the proposal of the Commission to refuse "frivolous claims" of investors is not enough;
•	No reduction of political action possibilities in important areas like public contracts for community projects and for realization of other public goals. Similarly, subsidies of cultural productions or educational activities must be protected.
When essential public interests are sacrificed to trifling and dubious economic advantages, the severe economic crisis in Europe is not overcome. Both successful crisis-management and the missing challenge of social-ecological transformation need a political system that strengthens democracy, expands action possibilities and subjects transnational capital again to social goals again. The TTIP negotiations in their present form cannot make any positive contribution to this.
EuroMemo Group (2014): The Deepening Divisions in Europe and the Need for a Radical Alternative to EU Policies, EuroMemo 2014; http://www2.euromemorandum.eu/uploads/euromemorandum\_2014.pdf.
European Commission (2013): Non-paper TTIP: Cross-cutting disciplines and institutional provisions, June 20th, 2013.
CEPR (2013): Reducing Transatlantic Barriers to Trade and Investment: An Economic Assessment.
Final Project Report, March 2013.
Nölke, A./Claar, S. (2012): Tiefe Integration: Konzeptuelle Grundlagen. In: Journal für Entwicklungspolitik 28 (2) 2012, 8-27.
Raza, W./Grumiller, J./Taylor, L./Tröster, B./Von Arnim, R. (2014): Assess\_TTIP: Assessing the
Claimed Benefits of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. ÖFSE - Austrian
Foundation for Development Research, Vienna. http://guengl.eu/uploads/plenary-focus-pdf/
ASSESS\_TTIP.pdf.
Seattle to Brussels Network (2013): A Brave New Transatlantic Partnership. The proposed EU-US
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP/TAFTA), and its socio-economic & environmental consequences, October 2013.
Vander Stichele, M. (2013): TTIP Negotiations and Financial Services. Issues and Problems for Fi
nancial Services Regulation. Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), October 16th 2013
Alternative Trade Mandate, December 2014 http://www.alternativetrademandate.org
John Hilary, TTIP: Deregulation and Attack on Jobs, 42 pp, February 2014 http://rosalux.gr/sites/default/files/publications/ttip\_web.pdf
http://www.rosalux.de
homepage: http://www.freembtranslations.net
address: www.alternativetrademandate.org
TTP & TTIP: Partners in Crime, 26pp 02.Feb.2015 13:23
Mike Dolan link
to read "TPP & TTIP: Partners in Crime" by Mike Dolan, Citizens Trade Campaign, January 2015, click on
http://www.rosalux-nyc.org/#pdf_modal_1
With the rise of the so-called BRICS countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—global capitalism has entered a new stage. For centuries Europe and the United States have dominated the world, but now the economic center of gravity may slowly be shifting from the West and the North to the East and the South. While it is too soon to say with any certainty what this means for global power relations, we are indeed witnessing a substantial change. In particular the economic rise of China, already leading the world in exports, is a harbinger of what is likely to come: the relative decline of the West and greater assertiveness from (some of) the BRICS and certain other countries in the global South.
The Western powers are not about to let such a tectonic shift in global power relations go unchallenged. They are trying to slow, if not stop, the trend in order to keep a firm grip on the world economy and protect their own interests. Most notably, Western (and in particular U.S.) policies toward China are dominated by a contemporary form of containment strategy.
In this context, the current negotiations around two large "trade agreements" have become a major instrument of the Western approach: along the Pacific Rim, the United States is negotiating a "Trans-Pacific Partnership" (TPP) with Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. Across the Atlantic, the "Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership" (TTIP) between the U.S. and the European Union is taking shape.
To be sure, these proposals are a response to the failure to create a common market in the Americas and to advance further the economic agenda of the West via the World Trade Organization—failures that themselves resulted from the global power shifts that these agreements seek to halt. However—and this is key to understanding these proposals—they do not really focus on questions of trade; not even their proponents claim that they would have a significant impact on trade or boost economic growth. Rather, they are about preserving the West's ability to set the standards for the world economy of the 21st century—designed to contain the rise of the BRICS, in particular China.
The United States Trade Representative is currently pushing hard for a quick passage of TPP and TTIP. And with the new, Republican-led Congress it seems feasible that the government will succeed in enlisting the support of a majority in both houses.
This outcome, however, is not set in stone, argues Mike Dolan, Vice-President of the Citizens' Trade Campaign, a national coalition of environmental, labor, consumer, family farm, religious, and other civil society groups based in Washington, D.C. In this study, he takes stock of the resistance against both TPP and TTIP in the United States and outlines the strategy we need if we want to prevent the passage of "trade" agreements that threaten to kill jobs, undermine labor standards and environmental regulations, limit access to generic drugs, and even aim to exempt corporations from the judicial process. If we can stop "fast track" in Congress and create a debate about the details in the proposals, Dolan argues, neither TPP nor TTIP will pass. Let's go for it!
- See more at: link to www.thomhartmann.com
http://www.alternativetrademandate.org
www.citizen.org
I've seen the secrets of TTIP, and it is built for corporations not citizens 10.Feb.2015 17:44
Molly Scott Cato link
to read the article by Molly Scott Cato February 4, 2015 in The Guardian, click on
link to www.theguardian.com
This week hundreds of protesters against TTIP have descended on the European parliament. They are quite rightly concerned about the threat that this treaty poses to the British government's ability to conduct its affairs in their interests. On a range of issues, from food safety standards and animal welfare to public services and financial regulation, there are deep concerns that the harmonisation of standards across the Atlantic really means a reduction of standards on both sides.
But how are we to know for certain? All discussions about TTIP have been hypothetical, since the negotiations are taking place in secret. In order to read even brief notes of what has been discussed I have to be reminded of my duties not to undertake espionage for foreign powers. Repeated complaints about secrecy from my fellow Green members have resulted in our being admitted to the restricted reading room but we are still not able to share what we discover there with our constituents or with journalists. What we do know is that 92% of those involved in the consultations have been corporate lobbyists. Of the 560 lobby encounters that the commission had, 520 were with business lobbyists and only 26 (4.6%) were with public interest groups. This means that, for every encounter with a trade union or consumer group, there were 20 with companies and industry federations.
http://www.theguardian.com


Florence (Waterman) Best. They moved around the state and he received his education in several places including Great Falls and finishing in Harlowton.
He was a hard worker and worked many different jobs in his life including a gold miner, feed mill worker, and his passion driving truck. The last three years working for Nelcon Construction in Cartwright, ND. On June 7, 1980 he was united in marriage to Janine Hill in Harlowton, MT.
Bob was a man that lived his life to the fullest, a hard worker being the first one on the job and staying until it was completed. He was a man that could walk into a room and make everyone laugh or put a smile on their face. He was always busy even on his days off, but he always had time for his family, enjoying his grandchildren every chance he could.
He is survived by his wife Janine, son Kacy and daughter Jeri Forrest all of Harlowton, son Chazz Nevin of Carson City, NV; his mother Florence Best in Louisiana; brothers Mike of Harlowton and Andy of San Antonio, TX; sisters Cindy Johnson in Louisiana and Sandy Best in Arizona; grandchildren Brandon, Jayden and Ryan Forrest, Kyler and Charles Best, Kristyn and Alex Nevin and several nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life for Robert P. Best will Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. in the Moose Lodge in Harlowton.
Cremation has taken place; the Perkins Funeral Home & Cremation Service is assisting the family.
Friends are asked to make memorials to the charity of their choice and they may be left with Perkins Funeral Home at PO Box 313, Harlowton, MT 59036.
Ronald "Ray" Haskins, 74 of Harlowton, MT was born to Zenas and Marjorie (Pichette) Haskins in a small log cabin outside of Metaline Falls, Washington, on June 11, 1939. He died at age 74 near Harlowton, Montana on Oct. 18, 2013, working the job for which he maintained a passion for the past several years.


Add Cost Import Template in Allocate Exports: Cost data will be exported in an import ready template in both the Allocate Inputs and Allocate Outputs exports. This new template will be included in each export as a new tab.
Add UFR in Compare Scenarios Export: Additional column will be added withint he Compare Scenarios WIWO export to show the amount that was not funded for each Alternative in the scenarios selected.
What Are Decision Lens's Technical Specifications?
Why Can't I See Icons in Internet Explorer?


One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the ability of ERP to integrate all organizational activities. The Global ERP Software market has also been witnessing steady demand from small and medium-sized businesses. However, slow implementation processes and revenue turnaround times could pose a challenge to the growth of this market.
TechNavio's report, Global Enterprise Resource Planning Software Market 2011-2014, has been prepared based on an in-depth analysis of the market with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the Americas, and the EMEA and APAC regions; it also covers the Global ERP Software market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.
Key vendors dominating this market space include SAP AG, Oracle Corp., The Sage Group and Infor Global Solutions.
Commenting on the report, an analyst from TechNavio's Enterprise Computing team said, In a small business, it is relatively simple to track data, control business processes, and enter information in storage without too many issues. However, with organizational development this approach becomes less practical. ERP is a good way for a business to grow without necessarily increasing the number of employees. Bigger companies need a much more sophisticated system such as ERP software to manage various aspects of the day-to-day operations more effectively.
According to the report, many organizations have begun examining the potential of ERP solutions to improve their business processes. They are also trying to incorporate ERP software solutions in other segments such as web-based ordering, customer relationship management and product configuration. Due to the ever-growing supply chains, collaborate planning is gaining importance.


White Papers - Orasi Software, Inc.
Systematic Integration Holds the Key.
Becoming 100% agile may not be the most effective approach for many organizations. To address the various needs of software teams, savvy leaders are embracing a "bimodal" approach, where teams work with both traditional and agile execution models.
For any company using or implementing enterprise resource planning systems, such as SAP, a roadmap that includes a quality assurance process that will ensure success of software development, implementation, customization, accuracy, and consistency from beginning to end is a necessity.
Vulnerabilities in web-connected applications present one of the greatest risks for a breach, especially for organizations that develop, customize, or integrate in-house or third-party components, apps and front-end sites with SAP (or any other ERP system). To reduce the odds of a potentially crippling breach, such firms must implement robust security programs managed by trained specialists.
The mobile enterprise has created vast opportunities— and serious new challenges. IT is increasingly consumerized. "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD) is the new byword of today's on-the-move workforce.
Requirements management is not only part of the software development process—it is integral to the overall success of a given project. From the point at which a customer or user provides their needs, or once the overall development phase begins, requirements management comes into play.
With increased demand for more reliable and higher quality applications, meeting these demands are far more difficult. With an idea of available test types, as well as an understanding of where those fit into the life cycle of a mobile application, quality can be increased with a lower overhead due to more accurate test planning.
Mobility is rapidly becoming a ubiquitous and required element of any enterprise communications environment. As consumers and businesspeople adopt mobile technologies for communications, productivity, and enjoyment, organizations must adapt to provide a convenient and secure mobile experience.
In some cases, it's more cost effective to implement a manual solution versus an automated mobile testing environment. In other cases, the reverse is true. This paper will explore various examples and leave you with an analysis toolkit to determine which implementation should be used on a case-by-case perspective.
Organizations aspiring to high levels of user acceptance and satisfaction must develop an effective performance testing strategy. This paper will discuss some of the most common barriers and offer proven strategies for developing and executing a performance testing improvement program.
As testing on mobile devices continues to be explored, to mature and grow, so do the problems that it can reveal. With so many devices in the market, how can companies possibly test them all? This white paper discusses two testing solutions: emulators and using real devices.
Explore how Orasi experts eliminated massive data errors and optimized test cases for a new sales reporting system, allowing the firm to recapture millions of dollars being lost yearly due to flawed calculations and bad data.
Whether a platform migration or deployment, S/4HANA implementation will involve many technical and data migration projects. Organizations should plan for significant change management and a rigorous, detailed testing process to limit potential disruption to existing operations.
Mobile Application Testing presents several unique challenges. The most formidable of these is supporting the variety of operating systems, their versions, and hardware manufacturers.
As cloud and mobile computing gain rapid acceptance, IT departments are expected to provide fast and comprehensive testing of composite applications. By deploying advanced service virtualization, organizations can reduce development time and cost, while ensuring optimum quality from those crucial applications.
For organizations using and customizing third-party software as a service—and Salesforce in particular—performance testing can be tricky. This white paper will delve into strategies that can help companies ensure success with their custom Salesforce deployments.
Read how Orasi performance experts enabled a global organization to reduce historical data processing time from four months to 21 days, saving millions of dollars in delayed release costs.
The only way to ensure that an application can connect to and successfully interoperate with each web service, every time, is through adequate testing of the web services. Yet, the sheer volume of testing such an approach makes the process daunting to most firms.
Operations working together with engineers to get things done faster in an automated and repeatable way.
Today's enterprises need to conduct thorough functional testing of their mission-critical applications to verify that all business processes work as expected.
The new Continuous Delivery Automation (CDA) product from HP provides a model-driven approach to DevOps collaboration, automation of application deployment, and monitoring.
Agile software development processes help your organization keep pace with the application requirements of a fast-moving business.
Break the delivery logjam with HPE Service Virtualization.
Take control of your apps with service and network virtualization.
Make performance testing pay off with service virtualization.
Five mobile application monitoring truths IT must know.
My application is too slow, it crashes, and abuses resources—now what?
The need for application diagnostics tools.
One of the keys to developing applications that meet business requirements is to define the right requirements up front.
According to a Forrester survey, the primary business drivers behind application modernization efforts are business agility, innovation, and cost savings.1.
Focusing on key challenges to kick-start your DevOps journey.
We talked to a few of our customers and asked them to answer a simple question: How much have you saved with APM? Our customers did some calculations, and the results were pretty significant.


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Human resources key to national growth
Update: December, 15/2017 - 08:55
Themed "Miracle on Han River to Miracle on Red River", the forum enabled in-depth discussion among experts of both countries of policies to develop human resources. — Photo vtv.vn
HÀ NỘI — Education and investment in human resources (HR) are the driving force for economic development, HR experts and educators from Việt Nam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) agreed at the Global HR Forum held in Hà Nội on December 14.
Themed "Miracle on Han River to Miracle on Red River", the forum enabled in-depth discussion among experts of both countries of policies to develop human resources.
Hoàng Quang Phòng, vice chairman of the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that according to International Labour Organisation, 86 per cent of labourers in the country's textile and footwear sectors are at risk of future unemployment because of technological breakthroughs brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution that will automate their jobs.
Meanwhile, the demand for jobs in the sectors of electricity, information technology, electronics and mechanics is growing. The system of professional trainings will be comprehensively impacted by this trend, he said.
Jaime Saavedra, senior director for the Education Global Practice of the World Bank, said that automation poses new challenges to governments seeking to equip their citizens with skills for employment.
Automation is expected to significantly disrupt labour markets as many jobs disappear. Yet some other jobs such as teachers, psychologists and nurses cannot easily be automated. Some workers whose jobs cannot be automated, such as hairdressers and surgeons, will find that technology will make their jobs more productive, he said.
"In the same way that technology destroys jobs, technology also creates jobs," he said. "The ability of workers to compete with automation requires a strong educational system. The challenges for the educational system are now much more complex than what we tend to recognise."
He emphasised three skills that individuals need in order to take advantage of technological progress. They are technical skills, socio-emotional skills and foundational skills, meaning literacy and numeracy.
"Jobs that require high socio-emotional skills such as nurses and social workers are growing. We need to teach our children and youth how to navigate interpersonal and socio-emotional challenges effectively, with the ability to overcome obstacles, be reliable, good at teamwork, communication, leadership and self-control. Most important is that they learn how to learn," he said.
Việt Nam has a high level of commitment to investing in general education, he said. Many countries, including Việt Nam, should follow the path of RoK and provide 12 years of high quality education and build a world-class university system like Korea's, he said.
Yoon Dae Hee, former minister of Policy Coordination of RoK, said that RoK regards exports and quality and quantity of human resources as the driving force of its economic development strategy.
From a country which developed light industry in the 1960s with a low-skilled labour force from rural areas, RoK has shifted to a knowledge-based economy that develops human resources for the information technology sector.
He said that the RoK Government will provide training to low-income people and pay attention to both quality and quantity of human resources.
The RoK, specifically the Korea International Cooperation Agency, will continue its non-refundable assistance for Việt Nam for human resource development, he said.
To increase labour productivity, Việt Nam needs to train labourers with relevant skills in each sector and increase the number of people receiving training at universities and vocational schools. In particular, vulnerable groups such as women and low-income people should not miss opportunities, he said.
"Miracle on Han River" refers to the economic development plan of the RoK, based on achievements in technology, education and urbanisation. The plan has transformed RoK from a country heavily devastated by the war in the 1950s into one of the world's biggest economies. — VNS
Better access to information means better chances to thrive (July, 19 2019)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. When something goes wrong we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.
If you have a complaint, contact us with the details. What will happen next?
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3. We will acknowledge your reply to our acknowledgement letter and confirm what will happen next. You can expect to hear from us within a day of your reply.
We will pass your complaint to Mrs Sara Beaumont, our Complaints Manager, within 3 days.
She will then examine their reply and information in your complaint file and, if necessary, she may also speak to them. This will take up to 3 days from receiving their reply and the file.
5. Mrs Sara Beaumont will then invite you to meet her and discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. She will do this within 3 days of receiving all the details we need from the member of staff who acted for you.
We will ask our Local Law Society or another local firm of solicitors to review your complaint within 5 days. We will let you know how long this process will take.
8. We will let you know the result of the review within 5 days of the end of the review. At this time we will write to you confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons. If you remain unhappy you may refer that matter to the Legal Ombudsman as set out below and/or you can apply to the court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. The Legal Ombudsman may not deal with the complaint where application is made to the Court for an assessment. If you are still not satisfied you can contact them about your complaint.
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10. Although we do our utmost to resolve any complaint, there may be times when you may not be entirely satisfied with the outcome. Normally, you will need to be bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint or within six years of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring (or if outside of this period, within three years of when you should reasonably have been aware of it). The Legal Ombudsman can be contacted at PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ or by telephone on 0300 555 0333 or by internet at www.legalombudsman.org.uk.


Before starting my traineeship, I hadn't really considered the types of clients I would be acting for. Having now completed nine months of my traineeship I have discovered that there is no "average client" and each transaction and client has different nuances and needs.
My client base has been extremely varied during my time as a trainee. I recently acted for a couple who were first-time buyers and had a Help to Buy ISA. This was a challenging file for me. Buying a home is one of the most significant purchases you are going to make, and this was the couples' first home together. I found it very helpful getting to know the couple and understanding what was important for them. They were very nervous about making this purchase, so it was important that I kept them up to date on the progress of the purchase. Since this file, I have dealt with many young couples starting out together by buying their first home which I find very rewarding.
Girvan appears to be a hot spot for older couples looking to retire and move closer to the coast or to be closer to family who already live here. For clients who have not sold or bought a property in decades, it can initially be a daunting prospect. Again, I have found that it is important to meet with these clients and give them regular updates on the progress of their transaction but without any legal jargon! I have found that many clients appreciate seeing a face to discuss purchasing a property and feel more comfortable discussing it with you in person rather than on the phone or email (if they use them!), whereas younger couples prefer a quick email update.
We also often act for clients who are originally from Girvan but have moved down South but have decided to return to the Girvan area. The process in England of purchasing and selling property is different than here in Scotland. There is a lot more uncertainty in the English process, and I have found that it is important to manage clients' expectations from the outset and explain that there are different systems for Scotland and England so a slight delay may be inevitable.
Working in a rural community means we also act for a lot of farmers who are looking to purchase more land or other farms. These clients are trying to make their farm large enough to be viable and support their families as they grow and more generations appear. In these transactions, it is important to consider how the land is being bought as this can impact greatly on death or retirement. The McKinstry Company prides itself in building a relationship with our clients and so when undertaking these transactions we take the time to discuss our clients' personal affairs. This is particularly important when advising family businesses.
I am now three quarters of the way through my first year and feel that I am constantly learning and being challenged. I enjoy working with the variety of clients that we have. At The McKinstry Company we are a law firm for life, and it is important that our clients feel comfortable asking us questions about their transactions no matter how small! This helps create a lasting relationship that allows our clients to come back us to discuss other services they may need and it also makes me realise how much I have learned!
From helping you to purchase your first home through to retirement, The McKinstry Company is a law firm that will be with you every step of the way. With our wide range of services including property services, Wills and future planning and family law, we really are a law firm for life. Please contact us to discuss your circumstances and find out how our friendly team of solicitors can help you. Call us on 01465 713118 or fill out our online enquiry form.


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John Marshall Lee (ur. 14 października 1914 w San Francisco, zm. 11 września 2003 w Ennis w stanie Montana) − amerykański wojskowy, wiceadmirał United States Navy, uczestnik wojny na Pacyfiku podczas II wojny światowej i wojny wietnamskiej, później członek międzynarodowego sztabu wojskowego NATO i uczestnik rokowań traktatu rozbrojeniowego SALT I, po przejściu na emeryturę aktywny działacz na rzecz rozbrojenia nuklearnego.

Życiorys
Urodził się w bazie wojskowej Presidio w San Francisco. Był synem podpułkownika Alvy'ego Lee. W 1931 wstąpił do Akademii Marynarki Wojennej Stanów Zjednoczonych, którą ukończył cztery lata później, z trzecią lokatą. W 1940 poślubił Hope Gilmour Blandy (zm. 1999), córkę admirała Williama H. P. Blandy'ego.

Po przystąpieniu 7 grudnia 1941 Stanów Zjednoczonych do II wojny światowej i rozpoczęciu działań wojennych na Pacyfiku służył na krążowniku USS "Boise". Podczas walk o Guadalcanal pełnił funkcję oficera łączności okrętu i za swoją postawę podczas bitwy koło przylądka Ésperance został odznaczony Krzyżem Marynarki. W późniejszym okresie działań wojennych był zastępcą dowódcy i dowódcą na niszczycielach podczas dalszego ciągu kampanii na Wyspach Salomona i walk o Saipan i Guam. Pod koniec wojny został sekretarzem admirała Chestera W. Nimitza.

Po zakończeniu II wojny światowej był kolejno dowódcą niszczyciela USS "Benner", okrętu desantowego USS "Chilton" i krążownika USS "Northampton". W 1958 na drugim z tych okrętów uczestniczył w amerykańskiej interwencji podczas kryzysu libańskiego. W latach 1963–1965, już w stopniu kontradmirała, dowodził siłami amfibijnymi amerykańskiej Siódmej Floty operującymi na zachodnim Pacyfiku podczas wojny wietnamskiej.

Po przejściu do służby na lądzie pracował w Departamentach Marynarki, Obrony i Stanu. W latach 1967–1969 był zastępcą szefa międzynarodowego sztabu wojskowego NATO (Vice Director of the NATO International Military Staff). Od 1970, jako asystent szefa Agencji Kontroli Uzbrojenia i Rozbrojenia (US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency), brał udział w rokowaniach traktatu rozbrojeniowego SALT I. Na emeryturę przeszedł jako wiceadmirał w 1973.

W cywilu stał się aktywnym działaczem ruchu na rzecz ograniczenia zbrojeń jądrowych. W tej roli odbył szereg podróży po Stanach Zjednoczonych i zagranicznych. W 1985 był w grupie osób towarzyszących Kim De Dzungowi w jego powrocie do Korei Południowej i gwarantujących mu bezpieczeństwo. Udzielał się również w innych licznych komitetach i organizacjach.

Zmarł w 2003 i został pochowany na Cmentarzu Narodowym w Arlington.

Odznaczenia
 Navy Cross
 Navy Distinguished Service Medal – trzykrotnie
 Legion of Merit
 Brązowa Gwiazda z odznaką waleczności – trzykrotnie
 Medal Pochwalny Marynarki Wojennej z odznaką waleczności
 American Defense Service Medal – dwukrotnie
 American Campaign Medal
 Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
 Medal Zwycięstwa II Wojny Światowej
 Medal Okupacyjny Marynarki Wojennej
 National Defense Service Medal
 Vietnam Service Medal

Bibliografia
 Arlington National Cemetery Website • John Marshall Lee  [dostęp 2010-12-12]

Amerykańscy admirałowie
Odznaczeni Brązową Gwiazdą
Odznaczeni Krzyżem Marynarki (USA)
Odznaczeni Legią Zasługi
Odznaczeni National Defense Service Medal
Odznaczeni Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Uczestnicy II wojny światowej
Amerykańscy weterani wojny wietnamskiej
Pochowani na Cmentarzu Narodowym w Arlington
Urodzeni w 1914
Zmarli w 2003
Dowódcy amerykańskich krążowników
Dowódcy amerykańskich niszczycieli
Dowódcy amerykańskich okrętów desantowych
Ludzie urodzeni w San Francisco

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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JOIN THE FOXY DEER
The Foxy Focus
Laura Ashley The Tea Room Launches at Burnham Beeches Hotel
British Life - The Definitive Guide
15th August 2018 by Miss Deer
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Following the success of the first Laura Ashley The Tea Room in Solihull, the company has today announced the opening of the first Laura Ashley The Tea Room in the South of England, at Burnham Beeches Hotel, Burnham on the Buckinghamshire-Berkshire border near Slough.
Guests can expect all the British afternoon tea classics including a selection of freshly made finger sandwiches such as cucumber with cream cheese and dill on granary bread; Wiltshire ham with grain mustard on onion bread; and Loch Duart smoked salmon and lemon butter open on rye bread. The afternoon tea's fancy cakes and patisserie selection will change regularly and will include modern interpretations of British classics created using seasonal produce by Head Pastry Chef, Laura Zilio.
With prices starting from £24 per person, afternoon tea will be served with freshly baked fruit and plain scones with artisan jam and Cornish clotted cream including a selection of teas. Guests can opt for Prosecco or Champagne, or for a truly British affair, The Tea Room has partnered with Hattingley Valley English sparkling wines to serve afternoon tea with their classic multi-award winning English Sparkling Wine and English Sparkling Rosé.
The Tea Room is decorated in signature Laura Ashley style featuring products from Laura Ashley's accessories, furnishing and decorating ranges. Beautiful floral prints in muted colours including Baroque Pale Grape floral wallpaper are complemented by Pale Steel painted walls with a Grape colour feature wall. The bright and airy space with high ceiling and large windows, complemented by classic architectural features, makes for a striking backdrop against which to showcase Laura Ashley soft furnishings and decorative items including mirrors, ornaments and a small selection of vintage teapots, creating an elegant and comfortable space – perfect for indulging in the most British of pastimes.
Alex Robertson, General Manager of Burnham Beeches Hotel, said: "We are delighted to launch Laura Ashley The Tea Room at Burnham Beeches Hotel. It has been very exciting to see the project come to fruition after some extensive design work and implementation with quality workmanship and we are looking forward to welcoming guests to a whole new experience at Burnham Beeches Hotel."
The opening of The Tea Room is the first stage of Burnham Beeches Hotel's rebranding to become part of the Laura Ashley Hotels portfolio. In Spring 2019, the elegant 82-bedroom Burnham Beeches Hotel will be refurbished in line with Laura Ashley brand standards and will showcase the Laura Ashley Home range and its exquisite, inherently high quality British fabrics and furnishings throughout.
Laura Ashley The Tea Room is open from 12 noon until 6pm. Website launching early September, to book call 01628 429955.
The Foxy Deer team are also very excited to be able to offer a fabulous prize for the gorgeous new Tea Room.
WIN An English Sparkling Afternoon Tea for two (Afternoon Tea in Laura Ashley The Tea Room with a glass of Hattingley Valley Sparkling Wine)
To enter visit The Foxy Deer facebook page and like, share and comment on the following post
https://www.facebook.com/TheFoxyDeer/posts/2209613619081351
You can enter up until 31st August – Good Luck!
Competition Terms and Conditions: Prize winner and guest must be aged 18 and over. Prize to be redeemed and booked by 10/2/19 and is subject to availability. Reservation must be booked in advance (please contact the Foxy Deer team for contact details) Travel and accommodation expenses are not included. Any extras and drinks will be charged.
Miss Deer
Kathryn is a photographer and graphic designer based in South Buckinghamshire. She specialises in wedding, lifestyle and commercial photography and graphic and web design for small businesses. Her photography has featured in both digital and printed publications. Her design clients span the Chilterns, Thames Valley and London from a wide range of business sectors.
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The University of California is pleased to announce the results of the 2019 UC Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives competition.
Sixteen outstanding proposals, totaling more than $9 million over two years, were newly awarded as a result of the 2019 Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives (MRPI) competition. These awards, selected from a pool of 179 eligible applications, represent an investment in innovative, interdisciplinary research across a broad range of fields, engaging faculty and students across UC campuses, and supporting collaborations that strengthen UC's research enterprise and benefit UC and the people of California.
See the abstracts for active awards (pdf) for more details on current MRPI awards.


text:
keukengerei, zie garde (keukengerei)
een lijfwacht
pretoriaanse garde
Zwitserse Garde
Garde du corps du roi
Keizerlijke Garde
Russische Keizerlijke Garde
sommige ondergrondse groepen
IJzeren Garde
Zwarte Garde
een gemeente in de Spaanse regio Navarra, zie Garde (Navarra)
Franse gemeenten met La Garde of Lagarde
Garde (Gotland), plaats op het Zweedse eiland Gotland
Gardé, een schaakvereniging uit Soerendonk.


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Gov. Greitens Invites New Voices to the Innovation Table
by Andrew Smith | Sep 06, 2017
Four months ago, I wrote a blog entry entitled "Governor Greitens Deserves a Seat at the Innovation Table." At the time, there was a fair amount of anxiety in the St. Louis innovation ecosystem over the future of the Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC), the primary state funding vehicle for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial support organizations over the last 10 years. Gov. Greitens' budget proposed $5 million for funding MTC while the legislature was contemplating zeroing it out altogether. The final number came in at $2.5 million.
Yesterday, the Governor's Innovation Task Force released its report, a 100+ page document that I'm confident will serve as the gold standard for joint public-private problem solving for other states.
The report was the result of one of the most collaborative, thoroughgoing processes I've ever witnessed. Thousands of Missourians took surveys, voted, participated in roundtables, and offered their input. Its scope is truly comprehensive, taking into account everything from K-12 curriculum reform to deregulation to alternate funding mechanisms for entrepreneurs and support organizations. The report presents a clear, detailed picture of where Missouri stands today, what strategic advantages we enjoy, and what challenges we face in the future. With a research team led by a former McKinsey partner as well as the head of Accenture's St. Louis office, it stands up to the very best work being done on this subject anywhere in the world.
Some may complain that it did not "throw down the gauntlet" by offering specific recommendations or identifying a mythical silver bullet, but this was never the goal. The governor told the steering committee in June that he wasn't interested in a watered-down, consensus-oriented white paper. What he wanted was rock-solid research and an unbiased presentation of the best options, even if some of them conflicted with each other. And that's exactly what he got.
The challenge going forward will be to evaluate these options and decide which ones to prioritize. That is no small task. Different players will have different views depending on their needs and their roles. We saw that clearly throughout the summer.
And that really goes to the heart of the challenge facing Missouri; we are a fragmented state. We have fault lines along geography (KC vs. STL), culture (rural vs. urban), industry, and so on. If nothing else, the process this summer helped bridge some of those divides by getting people out of their comfort zones. It forced people to think in terms of what is best for Missouri—all of Missouri—rather than personal best interests. That's progress. Like it or not, we are all in this together, and we can't reach our goals without helping our neighbors reach theirs.
I'm incredibly proud of the work of the Task Force. Gov. Greitens not only took a seat at the table, he expanded the table to include voices that haven't been heard. This is the essence of collaborative leadership and it is the right way to get to the right answers on innovation and other important matters.


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Hoy becomes most successful British Olympian ever
7th August 2012, 5:19 pm
Updated: 7th August 2012, 5:21 pm
Sir Chris Hoy has become the most successful Briton in Olympic history
Sir Chris Hoy has become the most successful Briton in Olympic history with six gold medals after winning the keirin at the London 2012 velodrome.
After watching Laura Trott become a double Olympic champion with victory in the omnium and the retiring Victoria Pendleton denied a golden goodbye and a third Olympic gold as a result of a 2-0 sprint final loss to perennial rival Anna Meares of Australia, Hoy triumphed.
The 36-year-old took his Olympic gold medal-winning tally to five – level with Sir Steve Redgrave – on Thursday with victory in the team sprint and won the keirin in trademark fashion to send a partisan crowd into raptures.


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TEPCO posts $4.3bn profit
Source: PennEnergy
At a time when other Japanese utilities are asking the government for financial help, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) has posted a $4.3 billion profit.
TEPCO reported a 438.65 billion yen profit in the fiscal year that ended in March, compared to a net loss of 685.3 billion yen ($6.7 billion) in the previous fiscal period, according to the Jakarta Globe. The earnings were due in part to a $12.8 billion government bailout in 2012 and increasing electricity rates. The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant also booked a special gain of 1.8 trillion yen ($17.6 million) based on funds from the bailout as well as asset sales.
Hokkaido Electric Power Co. and Kyushu Electric Power Co. in April asked the Japan-owned Development Bank of Japan for bailouts. Hokkaido requested $486 million, while Kyushu asked the bank to buy $9.6 million of preferred stock in the company. Kyushu said it estimated a net loss of $1.2 billion for the year ended March 31.
Read more: http://www.pennenergy.com/articles/pe/2014/05/tepco-posts-4-3bn-profit.html
Posted by bananas | Thu May 1, 2014, 06:56 PM (7 replies)
Glonass Failure Caused by Faulty Software
http://www.gpsdaily.com/reports/Glonass_Failure_Caused_by_Faulty_Software_999.html
Moscow (RIA Novosti) Apr 29, 2014
Recent failures in Russia's Glonass satellite-based global navigation system were caused by mathematical mistakes in software, the head of the Russian space agency said Thursday.
Oleg Ostapenko said during a press conference that the programmers who had designed the satellites' new software had committed several mathematical mistakes, but the problem was not major and has practically been solved.
"There were some mathematical mistakes, but they have been corrected," he said.
Ostapenko added that the remaining problems would be solved by mid-May and there is next to a zero chance of a similar failure happening in the future.
Posted by bananas | Wed Apr 30, 2014, 06:18 PM (1 replies)
U.S. expects about 10 pct of nuclear capacity to shut by 2020
http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/04/28/utilities-nuclear-eia-idINL2N0NK23D20140428
HOUSTON, April 28 Tue Apr 29, 2014 4:23am IST
(Reuters) - Lower natural gas prices and stagnant growth in electric demand will lead to the loss of 10,800 megawatts of U.S. nuclear generation, or around 10 percent of total capacity, by the end of the decade, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in a report issued on Monday.
About 6,000 MW of nuclear capacity will shut by 2020 in addition to six reactors totaling 4,800 MW that have already shut or plan to shut in that time period, the EIA said in its 2014 annual electric output study.
Rising natural gas prices after 2020 may support continued operation of U.S. nuclear plants for several years, but many reactors will reach the end of their 60-year operating license beginning in 2029 and shut permanently.
In its 2013 report, the EIA projected only 7,700 MW, or about 7 percent, of nuclear capacity would retire by 2040. The report did not mention the number of units that are likely shut after operating for 60 years after 2029.
Posted by bananas | Wed Apr 30, 2014, 03:57 AM (2 replies)
Reaching Critical Will and Article 36 have published a paper on a treaty banning nuclear weapons
https://www.facebook.com/reachingcriticalwill/posts/10152320838681084
Reaching Critical Will
Yesterday at 2:32pm
Hot off the press! Reaching Critical Will and Article 36 have published a joint paper on a treaty banning nuclear weapons. The paper explores the development of a legal framework for the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons and argues that such a treaty is urgent, feasible, and practical. It's available online in PDF and hard copies will be available at the NPT PrepCom in New York later this week. We'd love to hear your thoughts!
http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/resources/publications-and-research/publications/8654-a-treaty-banning-nuclear-weapons
http://www.article36.org/nuclear-weapons/a-treaty-banning-nuclear-weapons/
Despite the growing recognition of the risk of a nuclear weapons detonation, nuclear-armed states and those in military alliances with them continue to rely upon and invest in nuclear weapons. However, the renewed focus on the humantiarian consequences of nuclear weapons has opened space for consideration of the most appropriate political and legal responses to the existence of nuclear weapons.
The ban treaty approach discussed in this paper can bridge the gap between long-held aspirations for nuclear disarmament and the seemingly intractable legal and political landscape that exists today. A new legal instrument could provide a framework for the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons. While participation of all states would be welcomed, such a treaty could be developed even without the participation of the nuclear-armed states and would still have significant impact in both normative as well as well practical terms.
The paper looks at possible principles and provisions of such a framework; how it could be accomplished; and its potential normative and practical impacts.
Published in April 2014 by Article 36 and Reaching Critical Will
Written by Ray Acheson, Thomas Nash, and Richard Moyes
Risk of nuclear accidents is rising, says report on near-misses
Source: Guardian
A report recounting a litany of near-misses in which nuclear weapons came close to being launched by mistake concludes that the risk of potentially catastrophic accidents is higher than previously thought and appears to be rising.
Too Close for Comfort: Cases of Near Nuclear Use and Options for Policy, published by Chatham House, says that "individual decision-making, often in disobedience of protocol and political guidance, has on several occasions saved the day", preventing the launch of nuclear warheads.
The report lists 13 instances since 1962 when nuclear weapons were nearly used. In several cases the large-scale launch of nuclear weapons was nearly triggered by technical malfunctions or breakdowns in communication causing false alarms, in both the US and Russia. Disaster was averted only by cool-headed individuals gambling that the alert was caused by a glitch and not an actual attack.
The Chatham House authors say the risks appear to be rising. Nuclear weapons are spreading – most recently to North Korea – and disarmament is stalling. Russia and the US still have an estimated 1,800 warheads on high alert, ready to launch between five and 15 minutes after receiving the launch order – a fact that becomes all the more significant with rising tensions over Ukraine.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/29/nuclear-accident-near-misses-report
American Geophysical Union To Make Journals Freely Available Online
http://news.agu.org/press-release/valuable-earth-and-space-science-research-now-more-accessible-to-the-public/
VALUABLE EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE RESEARCH NOW MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC
Washington, D.C.— The American Geophysical Union (AGU) and Wiley today announced that, starting 1 May, all AGU journal content from 1997 to content published 24 months ago will be made freely available. This change will apply to all articles and supplementary materials from journals that are not already open access, as well as AGU's weekly newspaper, Eos. It currently represents more than 80,000 journal articles and issues of Eos. Additional content will continue to become open every month, on a 24-month rolling cycle.
"As the largest publisher of Earth and space science research, not only is it AGU's responsibility to advance our science and support the execution of high-quality research, of equal importance is our responsibility to share that knowledge as widely as possible," said Carol Finn, President, AGU. "Our journals are leading the way in a number of areas, including the quality of our peer review, and we have a wealth of content that is relevant to the interests of the public and civic leaders, policymakers, educators, and citizen scientists. Improving their access by unlocking this content serves our mission to promote discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity . . . and it will lead to a deeper understanding of natural hazards, water and air quality, land use, ocean resources, use and monitoring of natural resources, and many other critical societal issues."
In addition to increasing free access to journals online, AGU has also joined the innovative Access to Research initiative through its publishing partner, Wiley. This program provides patrons of U.K. public libraries instant online access to journal content from 1997 to the present at the library.
Posted by bananas | Tue Apr 29, 2014, 09:23 PM (0 replies)
Russia Ships First Arctic Oil, Fortifies Oil Defenses
Source: Environment News Service
Riding on his pride in the first export of Russian Arctic oil earlier this month, President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that allows oil and gas corporations to establish private armed security forces to defend their infrastructure, upping the ante for protestors.
On the same day, April 22, Earth Day, Putin also met with the Russian Security Council. There he said, "Oil and gas production facilities, loading terminals and pipelines should be reliably protected from terrorists and other potential threats. Nothing can be treated as trivia here."
On April 18, Gazprom loaded the first cargo of oil produced from the Prirazlomnoye field, presently the only Russian hydrocarbon development project on the Arctic shelf.
Demonstrating the importance of Arctic oil exports to Russia, President Putin was on hand and gave the command to start loading the first shipment of Arctic oil onto Sovkomflot's specially designed ice-class tanker, the Mikhail Ulyanov.
The shipment is on its way to Russia's first customer, the French company, Total, the international nonprofit organization Greenpeace revealed.
Read more: http://ens-newswire.com/2014/04/29/russia-ships-first-arctic-oil-fortifies-oil-defenses/
(Long article, lots of information).
Mikhail Ulyanov oil tanker arrives at the Prirazlomnaya platform to load Russia's first shipment of Arctic oil. April 2014 (Photo courtesy Gazprom Neft)
Lies, Half Lies and Nuclear Distortions: There Ought to Be a Law - by William S. Becker
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-s-becker/lies-half-lies-and-nuclea_b_5227183.html
Lies, Half Lies and Nuclear Distortions: There Ought to Be a Law
William S. Becker
Executive Director, Presidential Climate Action Project
The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to rule soon on whether a state can make it illegal for a political candidate to lie about his or her opponent in an election campaign.
Expect the Court to side with the old saw that "all's fair in love and war." After all, this is the Court whose majority ruled that dark money is free speech, corporations are people, and the Constitution is a flak vest for pretenders who lie about being decorated war heroes.
Wouldn't the world be a better place if political candidates were held accountable for lies, intentional distortions, character assassination and over-the-line hyperbole? And wouldn't it be interesting if entire industries were held to the same higher standard?
Another example of corporate distortion is coming from the nuclear power industry in its new Nuclear Matters campaign. The campaign's leaders, who include several former public officials, are promoting nuclear energy as critical to cutting the nation's carbon emissions.
Posted by bananas | Tue Apr 29, 2014, 06:26 AM (0 replies)
Taiwan Rocked by Anti-Nuclear Protests; Ruling Party Concedes on Halting Nuclear Power Plant
http://thediplomat.com/2014/04/taiwan-rocked-by-anti-nuclear-protests/
Taiwan Rocked by Anti-Nuclear Protests
Anti-nuclear protesters have taken to the streets of Taipei to demand the end of atomic energy on the island.
By J. Michael Cole
Less than a month after the unprecedented occupation of the Legislative Yuan by the Sunflower Movement, riot police and water cannons were once again deployed on the streets of Taipei. But this time, the object of the protests wasn't a controversial services trade pact with China, but rather nuclear energy, a major point of contention since the 2011 nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi power plant in Japan.
At the center of the storm is the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant currently under construction in Gongliao, New Taipei City. Though ostensibly a much safer design than earlier generations of reactors, fears remain that the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) at the Fourth power plant is an unstable assemblage of various systems — a nuclear Frankenstein monster, if you will. Moreover, opponents of the project argue that Taiwan, a highly active seismic area, is too vulnerable to natural catastrophes, including tsunamis and powerful typhoons. Also, they argue that the small size of the island and proximity of nuclear power plants to high-density urban centers raise questions about the ability of the government to evacuate the population in case of a nuclear emergency.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-28/taiwan-ruling-party-concedes-on-putting-nuclear-plant-on-hold.html
Taiwan Ruling Party Concedes on Halting Nuclear Power Plant
By Yu-Huay Sun 2014-04-28T05:56:49Z
Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang party agreed with the opposition on suspending construction for a nuclear power plant that attracted tens of thousands in a demonstration last weekend.
Premier Jiang Yi-huah said the government won't be seeking additional funding to complete the project, located 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Taipei, as a gesture of goodwill to the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, during a press briefing carried on cable television networks.
Pressure was mounting on President Ma Ying-jeou's administration to halt the NT$283.8 billion ($9.4 billion) project, after about 28,500 people rallied against it in front of the president's office yesterday, according to police. Opposition DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang last week called for a suspension of the project in a televised meeting with Ma. A former chairman of Su's party has been on a hunger strike since April 22.
"We're putting the No. 4 nuclear power plant on hold in the spirit of leaving the next generation an option," President Ma said on a post on his Facebook page yesterday, after a meeting with cabinet members including the premier, ministers of economy and atomic energy, as well as Taipei and Taichung city mayors. "When we need it in the future, it can offer an additional choice."
mPower Pullback Stalls Small Nuclear; Navigant: even our lower forecast seems optimistic now
http://www.forbes.com/sites/pikeresearch/2014/04/28/mpower-pullback-stalls-small-nuclear/
mPower Pullback Stalls Small Nuclear
Richard Martin , Contributor
4/28/2014 @ 12:58PM
Nuclear technology supplier Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) has slashed funding for its Generation mPower program, an effort to develop a small modular reactor (SMR) for power generation and other applications. The pullback represents a major blow to the development of SMRs, which have been hailed as the next step forward for the nuclear power industry.
B&W, which had a cost-sharing agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and a reactor construction contract with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), has cut funding for the program from $60 million to $80 million per year to less than $15 million, let go the head of the mPower unit, and will lay off up to 200 employees who worked in Tennessee and Virginia on the project. The TVA mPower reactors were to be built at the Clinch River site in northern Tennessee, once slated to be the home of the similarly ill-fated Clinch River Breeder Reactor, which itself was terminated in the 1980s after around $8 billion in investment. Clinch River has become the place where nuclear power innovation goes to die.
In our report, Small Modular Reactors, Navigant Research developed two forecast scenarios for worldwide SMR capacity in 2030. Under the base scenario, total capacity would reach 4.6 GW in 2030; the conservative scenario projects 18.2 GW by the same year. Even the lower forecast seems optimistic now.
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Small single-storey, rubble and slate. 8-lying-pane timber sash and case windows (see NOTES). Early 19th cent.
The lying-pane windows were installed circa 1980, replacing latticed windows; latticed windows were also used in other buildings on Pitmuies Estate.


This unit boasts a direct view over the Bloubergstrand beach, with a view of Table Mountain and is perfect for a couple. Just hop over the road and you are on the beach! The unit offers a single bedroom upstairs with single beds, which can be converted to a double bed. The bathroom is en suite.
Enjoy the downstairs area, which is spacious and homely with a fully equipped kitchen and private entrance. The unit is 93 square meters, but not including the outside sundeck.


text:
Chevrolet and GMC Announce CNG Pricing Options
Image © General Motors
Bi-fuel options, allowing either compressed natural gas or gasoline to power the 2015Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD pickups, will start at $9,500. A dedicated CNG option on the 2015 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana cargo and passenger short-wheelbase vans starts $10,825 for the three-tank system and $12,090 for the four-tank system.
"Based on current average fuel prices, CNG is more than a dollar cheaper than an equivalent gallon of gasoline, giving drivers and businesses an incentive to use CNG to power their vehicles," said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president, General Motors Fleet and Commercial. "Given the consistent cost savings and expanding infrastructure, both commercial and individual interest in CNG vehicles continues to grow."
The bi-fuel CNG option will be available on all 2015 Silverado and Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD single-rear-wheel models. The Express and Savana vans have fully dedicated CNG fuel systems – available in three- or four-tank models on cargo vans and exclusively with the three-tank design on passenger vans.
GM warrants and validates the fuel systems on all of its CNG trucks, vans and the upcoming bi-fuel Chevrolet Impala sedan through its five-year/100,000-mile – whichever comes first – powertrain limited warranty. All major components associated with the CNG system also carry GM service part numbers for availability throughout the largest dealer network in the United States.
CNG versions of the Silverado and Sierra 2500HD double cab and crew cab and the full-size Express and Savana vans are on sale now. The Silverado and Sierra 2500HD regular cab and all 3500HD pickups go on sale in July.
Labels: Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
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