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Buy Bullet Mp3 Download
Bullet Mp3
Here's your guide to getting started. Here, I'll focus on the task of downloading them as audio files. Music is dynamic and crisp, with a nice and powerful sound in every aspect.
We're expecting to see many amazing announcements. You can search for videos by name or topic across a range of websites rather than having to hunt each site separately. YouTube offers its own app for listening to your favorite music. And you can create your own library of your favorite music.
Computing If your social media needs scrubbing, here's how to delete a YouTube video Posting a YouTube video isn't a mistake that has to last forever. Mainly dry but with a chance of some drizzle in places. Home Theater How to supercharge your Sonos system with the Plex Media Server Sonos is a fantastic music system, but there are some things it can't do on its own. But there's a risk of one or two showers later.
Copy and paste the link to a YouTube video in the search field. However, they will take up more space. Fire broke out in or near the derelict Electricity Works and people living nearby have called for the building to be properly secured.
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Intel argument is muddier than ever. Huge range of on ear headphones at low prices and next day delivery available. Lance Whitney Freelance Writer. Thursday will remain largely dry with sunny spells, although there is once again a chance of an isolated shower or two developing.
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Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram urge a government takeover amid continuing passenger woe. Simon Byrne was suspended and accused of bullying staff at Cheshire Constabulary before being cleared last year. You can use either the mobile app or the website to get the job done. Intel showed off two new dual-screen concepts at Computex, while Asus debuted its ZenBook Pro Duo with a massive Touch Bar-inspired secondary display made to enhance your workflow. Confused by the terminology?
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Language Learners as Ethnographers
Author: Celia Roberts, Michael Byram, Ana Barro, Shirley Jordan, Brian V Street
Hardback, Ebook(PDF)
Request an inspection copy
This book looks at the role of cultural studies and intercultural communication in language learning. The book argues that learners who have an opportunity to stay in the target language country can be trained to do an ethnographic project while abroad. Borrowing from anthropologists' the idea of cultural fieldwork and 'writing culture', language learners develop their linguistic and cultural competence through the study of a local group. This book combines a theoretical overview of language and cultural practices with a description of ethnographic approaches and materials specifically designed for language learners.
Celia Roberts is a Senior Research Fellow at King's College, London, Michael Byram is Professor of Education at the Durham University, Ana Barro is at University of Passau, Germany, Shirley Jordan is a Senior Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University and Brian Street is Professor of Language Education, King's College, London.


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Woke U.S. College Warns Faculty to Stop Using Evil Words Like 'American'
California's Stanford University has put out it's latest woke edict of what words it wants to ban on campus and has proclaimed the word "American" to be a word too evil to utter.
Stanford has published its latest index of purportedly "harmful language" that it wants to expunge from campus. Being a good, left-wing, Californian school, of course, it has deemed "American," among other common, inoffensive words, to be on the nix list.
Like the good fascists they are, Stanford says the ban list has been released to eliminate "harmful," "racist," "colonialist," "gendered," and "ableist" language from campus.
Per Fox News:
Among the words the university urges people to avoid in the imprecise language section is the term, "American." People are instead asked to use "U.S. Citizen" because "American" typically refers to "people from the United States only, thereby insinuating that the US is the most important country in the Americas." The Americas, the index notes, comprises 42 countries.
Other terms deemed harmful in this section include "abort," which offers the replacement of "cancel" or "end," because of moral concerns about abortion; "child prostitute" is replaced with a "child who has been trafficked," so the person is not defined by just one characteristic; and "Karen" is replaced with "demanding or entitled White woman."
Under the ableist section, the index urges people to use "accessible parking" instead of "handicap parking," "died by suicide" instead of "committed suicide" and "anonymous review" instead of "blind review." It also says people should use "unenlightened" as a replacement for "tone deaf," and a "person with a substance abuse disorder" as a replacement for "addict."
Parents, you really are a sap if you waste your money on this leftist indoctrination center posing as a university.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston
Previous: Woke Teacher Admits It: 'I Am in Fact, Indoctrinating Your Children'
Next: Leftist Actor Tim Robbins Suddenly Realizes Government's COVID Rules are Politics, Not Science


Two UW scientists are advising on NASA's project to get the clearest images yet of Earth's ice loss.
This Saturday, NASA will launch a high-resolution satellite designed primarily to measure the status of the world's ice. The satellite known as ICESat-2 uses lasers to measure the height of everything worldwide — from clouds to mountains to waves, even buildings.
"It's really exciting to think about what we're going to see that we've never seen before," said Benjamin Smith, a glaciologist at the University of Washington's Applied Physics Lab in Seattle. Smith was involved in ICESat-1, which launched in 2003 and didn't provide nearly the clarity that ICESat-2 is expected to deliver.
Smith is one of two UW polar scientists advising on the project. Oceanographer Jamie Morison is the other, who has spent decades studying the Arctic ocean.
"Basically, we have about half as much ice in terms of total mass, sea-ice, as when I started studying in the Arctic 40 years ago," Morison said.
With breakthrough precision and resolution, ICESat-2 can measure not only where ice is being lost, but where it's being added. The scientists say as the world warms, it's more likely new ice will form over the Antarctic. As it is now, the South Pole is essentially a desert adding only an inch or two of snow every winter. They say it's all about balance, ice melt vs. ice accumulation, and right now that balance is out of whack.
"One of the main objectives of ICESat-2 will be to examine the thickness of the Arctic and the Antarctic sea ice," Morison said.
But ICESat-2 will measure more than ice over the poles. It will give scientists a better sense of the world's glaciers, which are also shrinking. Smith says that's trickier over land. Measuring sea ice is easier they say, as the satellite can measure the height of floating ice above the water.
By measuring what they call "freeboard," they can calculate how much ice is below the water line, which is the vast majority of it. But glaciers on land are sitting on terrain. Yet with a baseline, ICESat-2 can measure the change in the years that the satellite is expected to be functioning in orbit. How fast are glaciers melting? Are any glaciers growing, thickening?
Morrison says the satellite could also more accurately calculate sea levels, even measure the height of wave and troughs in the oceans. Such measurements could prove invaluable for emergency managers in states vulnerable to hurricanes.
NASA is launching ICESat-2 on Saturday, September 15 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 5:46 a.m. local time.


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Opera VPN App Is Now Available For Download On Android Devices For Free
At last, Opera VPN is now available for Android users to download for free. It's worth mentioning that Opera launched the VPN for iOS users some months ago but now, both iOS and Android guys can now feel the paparazzi that VPN apps brings.
VPN, which means Virtual Private Network is a method used to add security and privacy to private and public networks, like WiFi Hotspots and the Internet. It allows you to have access to websites and any internet enabled platform even if it is blocked or restricted from the owners. VPN also allows you to change your Location and enjoy stuffs that are not available in your country. For example, using Netflix in a country that doesn't have access for it.
Opera as a company has often been on the news recently and this time around, the Internet company is offering a VPN app for FREE.
According to Opera;
"The Opera VPN app for Android sets itself apart from other VPNs by offering a completely free service without a data limit, no login required, advanced WiFi protection features and no need for a subscription," says Chris Houston, the president of Opera's SurfEasy VPN division, in today's announcement.
The app which is 46MB in size takes only a few seconds to set up.
Users can as well select from any five different regions, including the US, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, and Singapore.
But come to think of it, is this app totally free as Opera claimed? I don't think so because i know "nothing on the internet is completely free" 😁. So while the app itself is free to use, you will find ads on it and Opera also share anonymized data about your mobile usage habits with third parties:
Read the statement below;
This information is made available to third parties who are interested in better understanding the mobile ecosystem and how it's evolving. It's important to understand that this is not data about what you do with your phone, but rather this is data about how a large group of people use their phones.
WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD IT?
Download Opera VPN Apk Android App Here
What do you think about the app? Are you using it already? Oh yes the app size is big compared to other VPN apps like Psiphon, Pronet, Netify etc.
Tuesday, August 23, 2016WizyTechsApplications, Opera, VPN8 comments
Ebuka Awuzie August 23, 2016 at 9:06 PM
free browsing????
prosper chinemerem August 23, 2016 at 10:03 PM
Best VPN ever
can it b use for free browsing
krobo taylor-harry August 24, 2016 at 12:23 AM
What advantage, if any, those it have over notify, psiphon tweakwear etc asides it's *huge* size... Wizzy.?
WizyTechs Blog August 24, 2016 at 5:34 AM
No significant advantage. In fact Psiphon is better as it's lite weight and has handler features for Tweaking
govind dheda August 24, 2016 at 1:56 PM
Opera Launches Free and Unlimited VPN Service App for Android Users... www.themobileupdates.com/news/opera-launches-free-and-unlimited-vpn-service-app-for-android-users/
jowdjbrown August 31, 2016 at 5:53 PM
There is so much in this article that I would never have thought of on my own. Thank you for your clear information . Fast VPN
umair sheikh November 24, 2016 at 8:45 PM
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Medical Education News from AMSNY: March 2021
Now More Than Ever, it is Critical to Support Diversity in Medicine Programs
AMNSY scholarship recipient and SUNY Upstate Medical University med student Samantha Williams writes at syracuse.com why it is so important to support diversity in medicine programs like AMSNY's pipeline and scholarship programs now. Learn more.
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine Harlem: Dr. Nadege Dady. Dean of Student Affairs on Diversity in Osteopathic Medical School Admissions and the COMPASS Program
Successful recruitment of underrepresented minorities (URMs) to medical school is enhanced when prospective applicants are able to interact with minority medical students who have already overcome the barriers. These findings are published this month in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, "Diversity in Osteopathic Medical School Admissions and the COMPASS Program." Learn more.
Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell: Humans of Zucker: Rosemary Bassey, PhD
Rosemary Bassey, PhD, assistant professor of science education at the Zucker School of Medicine and structure lab facilitator, discusses her experience growing up in Nigeria and compares the differences in American and Nigerian cultures regarding anatomical donation. Learn more.
New York Medical College: Resiliency Curriculum Aimed at Combating Medical Student Burnout Continues to Grow and Evolve at New York Medical College
According to numerous studies, medical students are much more likely to experience burn out—emotional exhaustion associated with work-related stress, feelings of detachment toward patients and a low sense of personal accomplishment. In addition, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reports that medical students are three times more likely to commit suicide than their peers outside medical school are. At New York Medical College, a student-led initiative in 2018 to respond to this national mental health crisis resulted in the introduction of the Resiliency Curriculum. Learn more.
Albany Medical College Students Hone Teaching Skills through Bariatric Teaching Kitchen
Meals inspired by the Culinary Institute of America, brought to you by… the doctor's office? The Bariatric and Nutrition Clinic has launched a revolutionary "medicine-to-table" teaching model that provides patients with step-by-step cooking demonstrations that they are now offering to their patients online. The program is designed to keep the clinic's bariatric patients safe, well-nourished and on pace with their weight-loss goals during the pandemic. Learn more.
Weill Cornell Medicine Establishes Graduate Programs at Houston Methodist
In an expansion of its top-ranked biomedical education curricula, Weill Cornell Medicine is launching an additional site for graduate programs at Houston Methodist for the 2021-22 academic year. This new site, offered by the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences at Houston Methodist, exemplifies the culmination of a decade-long endeavor to establish a biomedical pedagogical presence in Houston and builds on the 16-year academic affiliation between the two academic medical institutions. Learn more.
New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine: Training an Army to Combat COVID-19
Mass vaccination is the nation's most powerful weapon against COVID-19. Yet, as states receive vaccine supply, concerns about shortages may shift from vials to manpower. To win the war on COVID-19, the United States will need an army of skilled vaccinators. NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) is training a corps and helping surrounding areas to meet the demand. Learn more.
SUNY Upstate Medical University: Four Upstate Pediatric Residency and Fellowship Programs Receive Accreditations
Upstate Medical University recently received four accreditations from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for pediatric-related residency and fellowship programs. The accreditations are for three existing programs and one new program, which is set to welcome its first fellow next year. The three reaccredited programs are Pediatric Residency, Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship and the Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship. The new accreditation is for the Pediatric Hospitalist Fellowship Program, which will train residents at Upstate in one of the fastest growing fields in medicine. Learn more.
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo's Human Rights Initiative Shares its Expertise
Since its inception in 2014, the University at Buffalo Human Rights Initiative, a medical student group, has played an important role in helping to document and assess evidence of torture in people seeking refuge and asylum in Western New York. The group, based in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB, is one of the most active in the Physicians for Human Rights' national network of medical school organizations that train medical students to do forensic exams on asylum-seekers. Learn more.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine: Graduate Students Create Antibody Test
Two of them had been studying Ebola infection. Another was working on mosquito- and tick-borne diseases. But last March, all three Einstein graduate students quickly switched gears to tackle a different bug. Within weeks they were playing key roles in creating an antibody test for the novel coronavirus.The antibody test was crucial for determining whether people had been previously infected and for evaluating whether serum from recovered patients could effectively treat patients ill with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Learn more.
Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University: Stony Brook Council Honors University Pandemic Leadership
In the face of an unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Stony Brook Council has honored and bestowed University Medals for Exemplary Leadership and Service to three members of its Stony Brook University leadership. The Stony Brook Council serves as an oversight and advisory body to the campus and to Stony Brook's president and senior officers. Learn more.
University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry: Lynne Maquat Awarded 2021 Wolf Prize in Medicine
Lynne E. Maquat, Ph.D., the founding director of the Center for RNA Biology at the University of Rochester, was honored with the 2021 Wolf Prize in Medicine. The acclaimed international award is given to outstanding scientists from around the world for achievements that benefit mankind. Maquat was selected for "fundamental discoveries in RNA biology that have the potential to better human lives." Learn more.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: Sixth Annual Mount Sinai Innovation Awards
Individuals and teams from the Mount Sinai Health System were honored for advances in biomedical research, technology, and medicine at the sixth annual Mount Sinai Innovation Awards ceremony, a virtual event held Tuesday, December 8, 2020. Mount Sinai Innovation Partners (MSIP) presented the award for Inventor of the Year to an eight-member team led by renowned virologists and pathologists, whose efforts led to the development of multiple diagnostic tests for the detection of antibodies against the COVID-19 spike protein—the principal target of neutralizing antibodies. Learn more.
Albany Medical College Med Students Advocate for Patients at Virtual Lobby Day
While rounding during the pandemic, medical students observed an increase in mental health issues at pediatric clinic visits. They also witnessed first-hand how health disparities impacted the underserved seeking preventative resources or care for COVID-19.They were lessons that could not be learned in books or the classroom, and they laid the groundwork for Albany Medical College's annual Lobby Day efforts. Learn more.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Says 'Thank You' to Residents who Joined Front-Line Workers During Pandemic Peak
There are many reasons why the Mount Sinai community should be thankful for the residents and fellows who help provide care every day. But their contributions during the height of the pandemic a year ago may be one of the most dramatic, and that was on the minds of many recently as they marked "Thank a Resident Day." Learn more.
New York Medical College Presents Black History Month Lecture and Unveils Notable Alumni Exhibit
Celebrating the achievements and contributions of African Americans and New York Medical College's (NYMC) proud history of diversity and inclusion, the annual Black History Month lecture on February 17, highlighted the remarkable story of the role of NYMC in the education of black physicians as well as Myra Adele Logan, M.D., Class of 1933, who was the first woman to perform open heart surgery and first African American woman elected a fellow to the American College of Surgeons. Learn more.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine: Einstein Celebrates Black History and Excellence
This February, a range of Einstein students, faculty, and staff honored the contributions of Black Americans and celebrated Black History Month with virtual events, community initiatives, and profiles of Black Americans. Einstein's office of diversity and inclusion recognized the contributions of Black women at Einstein, the borough, and the country with "Lab Fab," a story featuring five Einstein students and graduates and their journeys, challenges, and triumphs as Black women in science.Learn more.
New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine: A Discussion on Race, Medicine, and COVID-19
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic individuals are dying from COVID-19 at significantly higher rates than white Americans, with Black and African Americans nearly three times as likely to be hospitalized. Sadly, the pandemic is not exposing a new issue—it's shining a glaring light on the healthcare disparities that these communities have long faced. As the medical profession tries to reach these groups in an effort to promote COVID-19 vaccination, addressing these disparities is absolutely critical. Learn more.
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons: Leadership Appointments Announced at Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Two appointments have been announced that will strengthen the education mission at Columbia University's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Monica L. Lypson, MD, MHPE, a national leader in medical education now at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., has been named vice dean for education. Jonathan (Yoni) Amiel, MD, who served as interim co-vice dean for education since January 2020, has been appointed to a new role as senior associate dean for innovation in health professions education at VP&S. Learn more.
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University: Dr. Ovitsh Elected as AAMC's President-Elect of Directors of Clinical Skills Courses
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University announced that Rikki "Robin" Ovitsh, M.D., Associate Dean of Clinical Competencies and Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics in the College of Medicine, has been elected as the President of the Directors of Clinical Skills Courses (DOCS), an affiliate of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Established as a national organization in 2011, DOCS's mission is to improve the clinical skills of medical students across the country through the promotion of scholarship, development of best practices, and via the strategic sharing of ideas across the spectrum of clinical skills education. Learn more.
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons: How Columbia Women Are Changing Medicine
During March, Women's History Month, Columbia University Irving Medical Center is sharing the stories of some of the many women who are spearheading innovation through research, patient care, and education. Learn more.
Weill Cornell Medicine Redoubles its Efforts Toward Racial Equity in Medicine—for the Benefit of Clinicians, Patients and Society
Like so many others across America and beyond, second-year medical student Chimsom Orakwue was outraged by the harrowing footage that captured the last moments of George Floyd's life, as a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest late last spring. Something about the protests in the wake of Floyd's death felt different from the demonstrations against police brutality that Orakwue had marched in before. Learn more.
Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell: Dean Lawrence Smith Calls for a Revolution in Women's Health Care
Dr. Lawrence G. Smith, MD, MACP, Dean of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine, calls for a revolution in Women's Health Care. "In order to level the playing field, we can't just take baby steps—we need a revolution," said Lawrence G. Smith, MD, MACP, founding dean of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and Northwell Health's physician-in-chief. In a recent article published in Expert Insights for the Katz Institute for Women's Health, Dr. Smith writes about gender disparities in health care that still exist today and calls for specific actions to spark a revolution to move women's health forward. Learn more.
Previous: Biomedical Research News from AMSNY: February 2021
Next: Biomedical Research News from AMSNY: March 2021


If you want to know what the early stages of an economic collapse look like, just walk around some of the downtown areas of our major cities. Today, nearly all large U.S. cities are either flat broke or they are on the way to being flat broke. Yes, New York City and Washington D.C. (and a few others) are still doing fairly well, but for most U.S. cities economic reality is catching up with them very quickly. Right now, there are a number of major cities that are so broke that they cannot keep the street lights operating. Down in St. Louis, parents in some areas are carrying golf clubs with them as they walk their kids to school in order to fend off roving packs of wild dogs. In other major U.S. cities, open-air drug markets conduct business without fear. All over the United States, cities that used to be clean and prosperous and full of hope are now being transformed into post-industrial wastelands. We are certainly not in "Mad Max" territory yet, but it doesn't take too much imagination to see where all of this is headed.
I have previously written about how Detroit is literally coming apart at the seams. Well, now in many areas of the city they can't even keep the street lights on anymore. There simply is not enough money, and even if there was, thieves are stealing the copper wiring out of the street lights faster than the city can repair them.
At this point, there are some neighborhoods in Detroit where up to 50 percent of the street lights are not functioning.
The following is from a recent article in The Detroit News about this crisis….
The war to keep the lights on in Detroit is a serious one. Thieves, antiquated equipment and a lack of funding have made it impossible for city officials to catch up to the problem.
City officials estimate 15-20 percent of the 88,000 lights in the Motor City are not working, and they acknowledge that figure could be as high as 50 percent in some neighborhoods.
But it is not just Detroit that is having a major problem. Over in Highland Park, Michigan the majority of the street lights have been repossessed because the city was not keeping up with the electricity bill.
So what are residents of Highland Park supposed to do?
Are they supposed to lock themselves in their own homes at night?
In Fresno, California the theft of copper wire from street lights has become a total nightmare. At this point, the loss of copper wire and the cost of repairing the street lights is costing Fresno about $50,000 a month. So far, approximately 2,500 street lights have been stripped of their wiring.
Down in St. Louis they are having a different problem. In some of the worst areas of the city, roving packs of wild dogs are a serious threat to children that are walking to school.
A recent report by the local CBS affiliate in St. Louis described the situation this way….
They say that they are going to try to put more money into animal control efforts if they can find it. But like most major U.S. cities, St. Louis is a financial basket case.
Moving west a bit, Las Vegas is a different kind of a problem. It was once a mighty symbol of American luxury and decadence, but now it is a microcosm of everything that has gone wrong with our economy.
The following description of the decline of Las Vegas comes from a recent article in The Telegraph….
But Las Vegas's days as a boom town are long gone. At 14 percent, unemployment is the highest in America (the national average is 9.1 per cent). House prices have fallen 58.1 per cent since their 2006 high – the biggest losses of anywhere in America, while according to the website RealtyTrac, which specialises in foreclosed properties, Las Vegas is the nation's foreclosure capital. Some 70 per cent of homes in Las Vegas are thought to be 'under water', or in negative equity, meaning their value is worth less than the amount owed on the mortgage, while foreclosure notices have been served on one in 16 properties. A survey last year by the local Las Vegas Review-Journal and Channel 8 News Now found that 34 per cent of locals would leave Las Vegas if they could find a job elsewhere, or if they weren't underwater on their home loan.
Last year, I wrote a piece entitled "The Death of Las Vegas". Since then, things have gotten even worse for the city in many ways.
Today, there are hundreds of people living in the tunnels underneath the streets of Las Vegas. You can see CNN video of some of these people right here.
But at least the "tunnel people" have a "roof" over their heads.
Over in "Lost Angeles", homelessness is absolutely exploding and there are thousands of people living in the streets.
The following is from a recent article by Nick Allen….
In Skid Row, a grimy pocket of downtown Los Angeles, the prostrate forms of homeless people lie strewn across the pavements.
The lucky ones have tents for shelter but others make do with a sliver of cardboard for a bed and a supermarket trolley to carry their rags.
At the last police count 1,662 people live on these streets, twice as many as a year ago.
And now amid the drug addicts and the drunks there are families who not so long ago had homes and ordinary suburban lives.
Wait, wasn't the economy supposed to be getting better?
So why has the number of people living on Skid Row doubled over the past year?
Los Angeles, like much of California, is rapidly falling apart. Decades of very foolish policies have turned the "California Dream" into the "California Nightmare".
Unemployment is rampant, crime is seemingly everywhere and the gangs appear to be getting bolder by the day. For example, 21 machine guns were recently stolen right out of an LAPD training facility.
But there are cities in California that are in even worse shape than Los Angeles is. If you go east of Los Angeles about 100 miles, you will come to the city of San Bernardino. 34.6 percent of the residents of San Bernardino are currently living below the poverty line. Among major U.S. cities, only Detroit has a worse poverty rate.
Heading back to the east coast, the city of Camden, New Jersey is representative of the post-industrial hellholes that you will find all over the mid-Atlantic region and up into New England.
In an extraordinary article entitled "City of Ruins", Chris Hedges did an amazing job of documenting how bad things have gotten in Camden. Today it is estimated that the actual rate of unemployment in Camden is somewhere around 30 or 40 percent. For most young people in Camden, there are very few legitimate opportunities for a better life, so many of them have resorted to selling drugs or selling their bodies in a desperate attempt to survive.
The following is a brief excerpt from "City of Ruins"….
The era of "American exceptionalism" is over. We have rejected the things that made us great. We have forsaken the truth and now we are paying the price.
At this point, we are rapidly becoming a joke to the rest of the world.
You know that things are bad when headlines such as this start showing up in major international publications: "America Must Manage Its Decline".
Is that what we are going to tell our kids and our grandkids?
Are we going to tell them that we must "manage" our decline?
Most Americans also realize that something is fundamentally wrong. According to a recent Time Magazine poll, 81 percent of the American people believe that the country is on the wrong track.
So why don't our cities just spend more money and fix all of these problems?
Well, it is because most of them are drowning in a sea of red ink. Instead of spending more money, most of them are desperately searching for more places to cut. If you can believe it, 72 percent of all U.S. cities are laying workers off this year.
The federal government has been pumping massive amounts of money into state and local governments in recent years, but that can't last much longer. As I wrote about yesterday, the federal government is in debt up to its eyeballs. In fact, the national debt has become so large that it threatens to collapse our entire financial system.
Sadly, the cold, hard truth is that we are now going to pay the price for decades of financial foolishness.
We thought that it would be our children and our grandchildren that would pay the price for our financial recklessness, but the reality is that we are going to pay the price too.
America is in a serious state of decline and things are going to get a lot worse in the years to come.
Take advantage of the relative prosperity that we are enjoying now to prepare for the lean years which are ahead.


text:
Manlleu () is municipality in the comarca of Osona, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, northern Spain.

Manlleu is located in a large plain, La Plana de Vic, at around 460 metres above sea level on average. The highest point is Puig Agut church at around 594 m above the sea level. It is surrounded by mountains with altitudes over 1000 m.

The Ter River, which starts in the Pyrenees, snakes through Manlleu, and ends in the Mediterranean Sea, near Pals and the Illes Medes.

Climate
The climate is cold in winter, maximum temperatures between 10 °C and 7 °C during the day and night temperatures between 0 °C and -8 °C, reaching -15 °C some winters. The absolute minimum record is about -22 °C in 1950s. Fog is common in autumn and winter and rain normally falls around October/November, but it becomes drier in December, January and February.

Spring is variable with rain and sun. Temperatures is around 5 °C/25 °C during the day but with cool/cold nights. Summers are warm and temperatures can reach around 35 °C/40 °C, although nights are cool with 12 °C/15 °C.

Main sights
The main square, Plaça Fra Bernadí.
The "Passeig del Ter", a walkway next to the river Ter,  running for approximately 1,5 km. It is lined by numerous varieties of trees, including  poplars, plane trees, white poplar, blue Atlas cedar from the mountains of north Africa, weeping willows and common willow, lime trees, horse chestnut, evergreen oak, lime trees and a Chinese windmill palm among others.
The church of Santa Maria, built of round river stones from the river Ter.
Old buildings around the neighborhood  of Dalt Vila and Baix Vila, the older parts of the town.
The church/chapel of Sant Esteve de Vilacetrú and  the Sanctuary of Puig Agut
The dovecot building to control pigeons in an ethical way, on the "Passeig del Ter".
The textile Industry Museum (Museu Industrial del Ter), located between the river Ter and the industrial canal.
Old farmhouses in the countryside include Mas Corcó, Mas Bellfort and Mas la Rierola which offers rural tourism.

Political
The mayor of Manlleu is Àlex Garrido i Serra. The government of Manlleu is coalition of ERC and Junts x Cat.

Economy
Agriculture is active in Manlleu's neighborhood with numerous farms.

References

External links
 Government data pages

Municipalities in Osona

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
"use strict";

// atob is not available in React Native
// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/42829838/react-native-atob-btoa-not-working-without-remote-js-debugging

const base64Charset =
  "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+/=";

const decodeBase64 = (input) => {
  const str = input.replace(/=+$/, "");
  let output = "";

  if (str.length % 4 === 1) {
    throw new Error("Malformed base64 string.");
  }

  for (
    let bc = 0, bs = 0, buffer, i = 0;
    (buffer = str.charAt(i++)); // eslint-disable-line no-cond-assign
    ~buffer && ((bs = bc % 4 ? bs * 64 + buffer : buffer), bc++ % 4)
      ? (output += String.fromCharCode(255 & (bs >> ((-2 * bc) & 6))))
      : 0
  ) {
    buffer = base64Charset.indexOf(buffer);
  }

  return output;
};

class Jwt {
  constructor(encodedJwt) {
    this._encodedJwt = encodedJwt;

    this._userId = null;
    this._expiresAt = null;

    this._decode();
  }

  get encodedJwt() {
    return this._encodedJwt;
  }

  get userId() {
    return this._userId;
  }

  get expiresAt() {
    return this._expiresAt;
  }

  get expired() {
    return Math.round(Date.now() / 1000) > this.expiresAt;
  }

  _decode() {
    const payloadRaw = this._encodedJwt.split(".")[1];

    if (!payloadRaw) {
      throw new Error("Invalid JWT format");
    }

    let payload;
    try {
      payload = JSON.parse(decodeBase64(payloadRaw));
    } catch (error) {
      throw new Error("Invalid JSON payload for JWT");
    }

    this._userId = payload._id;
    this._expiresAt = payload.exp;
  }
}

module.exports = { Jwt };

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Resort Airline Check-In Service is a benefit offered to Guests of select Disney Resort hotels who are departing from Orlando International Airport on participating airlines.
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You can pay baggage fees with MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover Card.


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In the first six months of 2012, Vermonters with Medicare saved nearly $1.5 million on their prescription drug costs, Vermont's congressional delegation -- Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Peter Welch -- announced today. The savings come from reforms enacted through the Affordable Care Act.
New totals released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services focus on Medicare enrollees hit by the prescription drug coverage gap know as the "donut hole." On average, 2,047 Vermonters affected by the coverage gap saved $692 on the cost of their prescription drugs in the first six months of 2012.
In a joint statement, Leahy, Sanders and Welch said, "This is good news for Vermont seniors and individuals with disabilities who too often have to make tough decisions when it comes to paying their bills or taking their medications, especially in a tough economy. There is much more to be done but this is a positive step in the right direction."
The health care reforms mean a 50 percent discount on covered brand-name prescription drugs and a 14 percent discount on generic medications for people who reached the coverage limit. The generic discount doubled from seven percent in 2011 to 14 percent in 2012.
By 2021, when the donut hole is closed, Medicare beneficiaries will have saved an average of nearly $4,200 between 2011 and 2021, and those with high prescription costs could save as much as $16,000 in that same period.


SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – A generous gift was given to a very deserving San Diego local today. Navy veteran Erick Dorsey received keys to a Toyota Tacoma.
After nearly losing his eyesight due to his 20 plus years in the military, Dorsey is currently a full time student and relies on public transportation with his limited income.
This gift is thanks to Caliber Collision and Allstate insurance, who volunteer their time to donate vehicles to people in need of transportation.
Members from Allstate met with Dorsey at the Marriott on Harbor Drive earlier today to hand him the keys to his new car.
Dorsey was nominated to receive a car by STEP, a San Diego-based nonprofit that supports military service members and their families.


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No, you will only get charged for seconds which have been viewed during play. If you skip ahead to next part of the movie, pause or if there is buffering you will not be charged during that time.
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text:
Budget 2008: opinions of a Panel of Economists
This premium content has been made freely available
Chairperson: Mr N Nene (ANC)
The Industrial Development Corporation said that the global economy had expanded rapidly in the last five years mainly due to strong growth in emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil. Another key feature had been the relative decline in significance of the US economy as a factor in world economic growth. According to the International Monetary Fund the risk to the global growth outlook was tilted to the downside.
In South Africa a solid growth performance had been driven by strong domestic demand but that this had moderated recently. The domestic outlook was characterised by rising inflation, reduced consumer consumption, production capacity constraints and a rising balance of payments deficit.
Against this background the 2008 Budget had striven to underpin government policy on economic growth, job creation, infrastructure investment, boosting exports, small business development, skills upgrading, public service delivery, public infrastructure spending and national savings. The Budget therefore planned for a continuing strong revenue stream, supply side measures to support economic growth, a surplus of 0.7% of GDP over the MTEF, tax relief for households of R7.7 billion, real growth in non-interest expenditure of 6.1% and support for the Eskom capex programme of R60 billion.
Sanlam said that despite the global and domestic constraints such as declining growth, the electricity crisis and post Polokwane uncertainty around the future direction of government economic policy, the Budget had been 'bold, remarkable and oozing with confidence'. It had affirmed the vision of long-term sustainable growth, embraced globalisation and showed commitment to the modernisation of the State. They concluded that the Budget had contributed to the acceleration of growth, advancing social development and reducing inequality.
Regional Business Analytics said that the Budget was moving the economy in the right direction but that it had not gone far enough. In particular, it had not done enough to create a significantly more positive environment in which small businesses could flourish by, for example, reducing the administrative burden of VAT by raising the threshold for tri-annual VAT payments to R5 million bringing it in line with BEE requirements.
Government expenditure on infrastructure investment in recent years continued to be insufficient and in part this had contributed to the current economic problems facing South Africa. The tax to GDP percentage ratio remained unacceptably high and there was continuing inefficiency in terms of expenditure in relation to outcomes.
Industrial Development Corporation Presentation
Mr Lumkile Mondi, Chief Economist, said that global economic growth had declined in 2007 and would decline further in 2008. Since the 1990s the growth rates of developing economies had overtaken those of the advanced economies. The influence of the US economy on global growth had declined while the importance of emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil had increased.
South Africa's export basket 2007 showed that 52.4% went to the US, Japan and the EU, markets whose GDP growth was in relative decline, while only 13.6% went to Africa, an expanding market. Other countries combined accounted for the remaining 34%.
The US economy was facing a possible recession in 2008. In South Africa, the small decline in real GDP growth in 2007 was forecast to be more pronounced in 2008. While the contribution to real GDP growth of domestic consumption and net exports was expected to decline further, the key driver of growth was expected to be fixed investment. The IDC forecast for total GDP growth, at 3.4%, was slightly lower than the Treasury prediction of 4%.
Domestic demand had exceeded domestic supply since 2003 at an ever-increasing annual rate and this has resulted in a widening output gap. While a recent moderation in demand has been observed, domestic supply must be augmented, notwithstanding current production capacity constraints.
Inflation increased sharply in 2007, reaching a four-year high of 8.6% in December. The major contributors were rising food and fuel prices. Although the growth in demand for private sector credit had slowed in recent months, a number of upside risks to the inflation outlook remained, including a weaker currency and higher global inflation. The IDC forecast on CPIX up to 2010 was slightly higher than that of the Treasury at just over 5%.
The balance of payments deficit was set to increase over the next three years, mainly due to imports associated with fixed investment activity – especially relating to intermediate goods such as cement, steel and timber- and domestic consumption. The IDC forecast was similar to the Treasury at 8% of GDP or just under R220 billion by 2010.
The key objectives of the 2008/09 Budget were robust economic growth, job creation, investment in infrastructure and productive capacity, export growth, a more enabling environment for small business, skills development, improved public service delivery and maintaining the fiscal surplus.
Total government revenue as a percentage of GDP was forecast to rise slightly from 28.4% in 2007/08 to 28.6% in 2010/11, despite the stated aim of eventually reducing this rate to 25%. The budget balance as a percentage of GDP was expected to fall slightly from 1% in 2007/08 to 0.7% in 2010/11. Debt service costs as a percentage of GDP were expected to fall from 2.6% to 1.9% in the same period.
More than R100 billion in additional revenue has been raised over the last four years, largely due to strong economic growth and more efficient tax collection. Real terms non-interest public spending accelerated by and average of 10% per annum over the last five years, although this will moderate to 6.1% over the coming three years. Government is budgeting for an average surplus of 0.7% of GDP over the next three financial years. A new measure for fiscal stability, the cyclically adjusted budget balance, has been introduced. In the global context, South Africa's budget balance compares very favourably to most advanced economies, including the US, the EU and emerging markets such as India and Brazil – al of whom are running budget deficits of between -3% and -1%.
Total government debt as a % of GDP has been steadily falling since 1994, largely due to sound fiscal policies. The increasing proportion of foreign debt, albeit from a very low base, has meant less pressure on domestic financial markets. South Africa's total government debt to GDP ratio of about 24% is well below the global norm of 60%.
The Budget reduced the corporate tax rate to 28% and the Secondary Tax on Companies (STC) was switched to a 10% withholding tax on dividends, thus reducing the corporate tax rate substantially. The tax regime for small businesses was simplified, raising the VAT threshold to R1million for general companies, and to R1.5 million for farmers and businesses submitting bi-annually or tri-annually. Tax relief for individuals amounted to R7; 7 billion bringing the total tax relief to R10.5 billion and the tax threshold for annual income was increased to R46, 000 (R74, 000 for over sixty fives). The tax-free threshold for interest and dividend income was raised to R19, 000 and R27, 000 for under and over sixty fives respectively.
An electricity levy of two cents per kilowatt-hour was proposed to support energy efficiency and general fuel levies were increased by six cents per litre with an additional five cents per litre for the Road Accident Fund. The Bio diesel fuel tax concession was raised from 40% to 50% while Bioethanol remained outside the fuel tax net but subject to VAT.
The so called 'sin taxes' were increased on wine per litre, beer per 340ml and cigarettes per pack of twenty by twelve, five and sixty six cents respectively.
A venture capital tax incentive was introduced to improve access by Small and Medium Enterprises to equity finance and the urban development zone incentive was extended for a further five years to allow more private sector participation.
Personal income tax remained the key source of government revenue although the proportion in relation to tax on companies declined slightly.
Expenditure was increased on road infrastructure development by R13.4 billion. Tax incentives and policy initiatives for industrial development were allocated R5 billion and R2.3 billion respectively. There was significant support for electricity productive capacity in the form of a R60 billion loan to Eskom. The proportion of expenditure on social services overall fell slightly from 51.7% to 49.5%, mainly due to a decline in spending on housing and community development.
There was increased spending to municipalities by R6.5 billion, to provinces by R33.2 billion, on social grants by R12 billion and on HIV/AIDS by R2.1 billion.
Government infrastructure investment will continue to increase strongly in the next three years, rising from 6.1% of GDP in 2007/08 to 7.6% by 2010/11. There was a dramatic increase in the capital expenditure estimates of state owned enterprises (SOEs) from R313.4 billion (2007 to 2012) to R494.5 billion (2008 to 2013), principally in energy (R342.9b) and transport (R78b).
Exchange controls were largely eliminated and replaced with a system of 'prudential regulation' to be monitored by the Financial Surveillance Department of the SARB, formerly the Exchange Control Department.
A number of measures were proposed which require further review and analysis before implementation. These include a wage subsidy to encourage job creation, additional taxes on CO2 emissions and incentives to encourage more environmentally friendly technologies.
Of particular interest were the measures on industrial policy support totalling R7.6 billion over the next three years, and the increased expenditure in the Trade and Industry vote on the Customer Sector Programmes, which will be administered by the IDC. Also of interest were the increased budget for land reform and the investment in the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor.
SANLAM Presentation
Mr Jac Laubscher, Group Economist, called the 2008 National Budget 'a remarkable document'.
In a global context there was uncertainty about the prospects for growth and there were specific concerns about the whether the US economy was heading for a recession. If this was already the case then it might be short lived, as previously. The FED had taken strong measures to counteract the threat by aggressively cutting interest rates. The conventional wisdom was that cutting rates like this would stimulate the economy since banks were more likely to lend and people were more likely to borrow if money was 'cheaper'. But this time around the system may not respond like this mainly due to the impact of 'sub prime crisis', which meant that the banks might remain reluctant to lend so freely despite the low interest rates. In nay case, since China now accounted for a quarter of world economic growth it was even possible that a recession in the US would not result in a global slump. The continuing high commodity prices reflected the basic strength of the world economy.
In South Africa, growth had declined somewhat, there was a major electricity production crisis and there were also perceptions that government's economic policies may shift post-Polokwane. Against these global and national contexts his assessment was that the Budget was 'bold, confident, visionary'. It laid the foundation for sustainable growth while also moving towards the goal of a globalised modern state. The decision on exchange controls was especially bold.
Despite the perceived political pressures post-Polokwane, it was clear that the Budget was anti-cyclical in its stance and did not depart from the long-term strategy adopted in previous years. It was important to distinguish between the cyclical and structural aspects of macroeconomic policy. Unemployment in the US for example, was cyclical in nature whereas unemployment in South Africa was structural in character and that therefore a purely monetary policy approach would prove to be inadequate.
On inflation targeting it had been pointed out that there was a difference between a policy goal and a policy strategy. The goals was stable prices and if there was a better way to achieve this than inflation targeting suggestions were welcome, the Minister had challenged his critics.
Comparing the volatility of interest rates pre -2000, when inflation targeting was introduced, with the relative stability post 2000 could see that the policy had yielded positive results. In the US by contrast, the same average had been achieved but the pattern had been much more erratic.
In terms of policy continuity, it was the case that many of the Polokwane proposals were already part of government policy and that the so-called shift was more perceived than real.
Sanlam's projections for the key economic indicators were broadly in line with Treasury forecasts. The timing of the relaxation of exchange controls sent out a message of confidence in the South African economy and recent warnings by some of imminent large capital outflows had proved to be an overestimate. The flexible exchange rate would act as a regulator, encouraging two-way trade and offering fund managers enhanced hedging possibilities.
He wondered when the Reserve Bank would reach the point where sufficient reserves had been accumulated. It actually cost the country to hold such large reserves.
On the electricity crisis – there was a strong argument that tariffs should increase. The challenge would be to manage the economic impact. There was a long-term environmentally sensitive energy policy, which would override the short-term electricity supply problems.
Revenue projections were predicted to rise by 12% in 2008/09 and by an average of 10.8% per annum over the next three years. The tax base had been broadened, with an additional 280,000 new individual taxpayers in 2007, largely due to increased employment levels and greater compliance. The simplification of tax compliance for small businesses could also draw more into the formal tax net.
There was pressure from the Treasury on departments and the lower spheres of government to raise performance levels and this was to be welcomed.
The government debt to GDP ratio was declining, as was the interest on public debt as a percentage of GDP. This created room for other public sector borrowers and the PSBR was set to increase.
There was the potential for long-term growth through the measures adopted on corporate tax, infrastructure spending, skills enhancement, industrial policy and the emphasis on productivity and export capacity. But 'big government' taking redistribution 'too far' and thereby undermining future growth could bedevil this.
He concluded by warmly congratulating the Treasury on its budget and was of the view that it contributed towards accelerating growth, advancing social development and reducing economic inequality.
Regional Business Analytics Presentation
Mr Mike Schussler, independent Economist, said that in general the economy was slowing down as indicated by falling business confidence even before inflation started picking up and the Eskom crisis began. He agreed with Mr Manuel that we were in an economic 'storm' but that this was part of the normal business cycle.
It should be remembered, however, that South Africa was relatively rich by African standards and it was by far the largest economy on the continent. But one of the reasons for the storm is the historically low level of investment in infrastructure. Inflation will be higher in the next period, driven by rising energy, food and fuel prices, which will turn out to be much higher than most people have anticipated.
He said that the things he liked about the budget were the low debt to GDP ratio and the projected annual fiscal surpluses; He also liked the tax relief for individuals although it was insufficient to fully offset fiscal drag due to rising inflation. He applauded the small business proposals on VAT thresholds and the easing of administrative burdens but felt they did not go far enough. He suggested that the rules for small businesses need to be simplified even further by for example having only one threshold for all the rules relating to small business. This could take the R5 million annual turnover threshold that applies to BEE as the 'across the board' benchmark.
On the negative side, he said the tax revenue to GDP ratio of close to 30%, if local taxes are included, was far too high for a country like South Africa. As a developing economy it was not good that our tax rates were higher than Ireland or Japan and nearly as high as Switzerland. Our corporate tax to GDP ratio was the third highest in the world and it was more common in other countries to use more indirect taxes. He pointed out that as far back as 1997, a corporate tax rate of 25% had been promised, but that we were no nearer to achieving this goal. Only 5.3 million people carried the whole tax burden, while there were 4 million people dependent on social grants. Effectively, each business owner supported up to thirty-four dependents, if you included state employees and those on social grants. This was an unsustainable scenario.
Of even more concern was the low level of government investment, despite the rhetoric of recent years. Mr Schussler argued passionately that if you believe in the future, you invest, and government does not believe in this country's future. In the 1960s government accounted for 40% of fixed investment, the private sector 53% and state owned enterprises 7%. But by 2000 government only contributed 16%, public enterprises 11% and the private sector 73%. It is the private sector that believes in the future, not government.
The problem was not just under investment by the State, but investment in the wrong things. Spending on housing for example has resulted in a situation where 28% of households are single people and 66% only have three persons or less. There has not been an emphasis on housing families first. The government should rather invest in roads, harbours and power plants. This was why we were experiencing a crisis in electricity production today. Home ownership rates in South Africa were amongst the highest in the world. Yet 26% of the population were living on social grants. In reality, each person in a job was supporting two people on welfare. He did not know of another country in the world where this was the case.
In education, South Africa has one of the lowest ratios of children completing schooling, even when compared to other emerging markets in Africa. Similarly, the percentage of young people achieving a university exemption was very low by global standards. We are not getting value for money from the education system. The world average spend on education as a percentage of GDP was 4.7% but in SA we spent 5.4%. Yet we have fewer teachers per capita at both primary and secondary levels. When compared with the rest of the world, SA has 3% of its workforce educated to degree level, but other developing nations average 9% and the OECD countries have 18%. So while we tax like a rich country our outcomes were far below many developing countries.
He urged the Committee to ensure that future budget reviews also included statistics on whether the ever-increasing level of expenditure was matched by improved outcomes and performance. He concluded by stressing that it was easy to talk about the tax and income side of the national 'household' budget but the real challenge was in addressing the expenditure side, and making sure that there were measurable deliverables and outcomes.
Mr Mnguni (ANC) asked about small business and trade liberalisation.
Mr Marais (DA) asked about the future direction of industrial policy. SA did not export enough and there was low government investment. How were these issues to be addressed?
Mr Marais asked if SA could afford land reform given a stated goal of 30% transformation by 2014.
Mr Moloto asked what advice the economists had on the VAT rate.
Mr Mondi responded that small businesses below the R1 million VAT threshold could still register with SARS even though they would be exempt from the tax and that this ensured they could participate in tender opportunities.
A member asked about Eskom, social grants and farming.
Mr Laubscher responded that it could be a loan but preferably an equity injection.
Mr Mondi responded that giving a social grant was a short-term strategy but investment was a long term one. SA needed to boost local production capacity but input costs were high. The IDC did not give support to local farmers. This was the mandate of the Land Bank. They only supported sectors with an export potential such as horticulture and abalone farming.
Mr Schussler argued that the government should just give the ten billion rand to Eskom and not make it a loan as this would merely end up as another tax on consumers.
He believed that the payment of social grants could be linked to school attendance of their children. No attendance would mean withdrawal of the grant. A voucher system could be introduced in the education and health sectors to improve consumer choice and raise outcomes. He said that a visionary investment plan was needed, part of which could include a public works programme.
Mr Laubscher responded that the notion of conditional grants was already in the budget review. There was a need to be aware of not increasing the disconnect between the wealth producers and their enjoying the fruits of their labour by over zealous re-distribution policies. In a world where skilled labour was highly mobile there was a risk of accelerating the brain drain even further.
A member asked about the IDC's successes and failures, tariffs and bond market.
Mr Mondi explained that the IDC had been formed in the 1940s and had, in partnership with the DTI, helped to establish and grow many of the country's leading companies. But the challenge was to be bold and experimental with investment strategy. He believed in investing to innovate.
He argued that a bolder approach was required on energy production and that tariffs should have been increased by more than 2c/kw to allow for investment in alternative, sustainable and greener energy sources for the health of future generations.
He charted the rise of inflation post 2000 starting with escalating commodity prices, credit expansion due to the bringing into the formal financial sector of millions of hitherto unbanked black people and exogenous factors such as global rises in food and fuel. He was at odds here with the SARB Governor regarding the interest rate strategy.
Mr Schussler explained that the current inflation story was due to supply side shocks and it was perhaps inevitable that interest rates would rise still further. He acknowledged that inflation targeting was not a perfect strategy but that it was the best we had and at least it had produced stability in real interest rates since 2000.
A member asked how effective the budget surpluses would be in safeguarding the economy in the face of unexpected 'shocks'.
Mr Laubscher responded that a shock such as a drastic reduction in revenue projections could be cushioned by such surpluses since the only other way would be to cut government expenditure, something it was not easy to do in the short term. This could be effective therefore as long as the 'shock' did not result in a deficit in excess of 3% of GDP.
A member asked about direct versus indirect taxes, VAT rates and tariffs.
Mr Schussler responded that in OECD countries the average VAT rate was about 17% and that raising South Africa's to this level would enable a reduction in companies tax. Many other countries generated more income from indirect taxes such duties on wines and spirits. Excise duties in SA were also very low by international standards. He warned that the rise in electricity tariffs was an indirect tax and would have about a 1% impact on inflation. He repeated that government should focus attention on improving the infrastructure that helps business to be competitive and efficient such as roads, energy and telecommunications.
Mr L Greyling (ID) noted that the panel wanted a reduction in company tax but also were happy with the cyclical surplus. How then did government find the resources to fund infrastructure investment? He agreed that there was insufficient return on investment in education for example but wondered if it was not the case that we did not under fund departments and then still expect delivery. He disagreed strongly with the proposal to 'give' Eskom R10 billion towards its recapitalisation programme especially as this was focussed on unsustainable fossil fuel stations. It would be better to either make it a loan or at least insist that it be used to fund renewable energy programmes. On the question of an experimental and bold industrial policy he was supportive but he wondered if we always picked the 'winners' here. He cited Denel and the pebble bed reactor as two examples of 'losers'.
Ms J Fubbs (ANC) asked from where was the extra cash needed for infrastructure investment to come? On education and value for money, she wondered whether the panel could give an example of a country that had faced similar challenges to South Africa. On home ownership, she argued that most South Africans regarded houses as primary assets. She agreed that small businesses had the potential to create more jobs but wondered how they could do this without being competitive. She also doubted if cutting taxes still further would result in improved competitiveness.
Mr Laubscher responded that it was not necessary to finance infrastructure with cash so it was not really a budgetary issue. It should rather be financed through long-term borrowing.
Mr G Schneeman (ANC) asked what was the role of the private sector in stimulating job creation.
Mr Singh noted the role of social grants for the elderly and infirm but agreed that young people should be encouraged to be self-reliant. He felt that there was often a 'turf war' between different departments and agencies in terms of grants and interventions and that there needed to be more co-ordination within government in order to be more effective and not waste resources.
Mr Marais asked again about the ability of the economy to sustain the land reform objectives by 2014.
The Chair asked Mr Schussler to clarify the sources for the data in his presentation.
Mr Schussler responded that UIF data showed that the average firm employed about twelve or thirteen people. These could be categorised as small businesses and these are the firms that need to grow. The Small Business Project survey showed that on average small companies spend about 8-9% of their turnover on the administration of taxes. This area needed simplifying. Sometimes it is more of a burden for small business to deal with the administration of a tax than the tax itself. The source of his data on housing was the StatsSA annual household survey and the UN for international comparisons. Examples of countries that had turned their economic situations around in a relatively short time were the Philippines and Indonesia. They were poorer than many African countries in the 1980s but they are now much richer.
Mr Mondi also referred to the experience of countries such as Taiwan and Malaysia, who took bold measures to industrialise in the 1960s and who are now reaping the benefits of this forward thinking. South Africa needed to be bold and experimental too, despite the risk of failures from time to time. On the issue of inflation targeting he argued that the SARB needed to take the general interests of all the people into account and this might mean a more pragmatic approach.
Mr Schussler concluded that the key issues going forward were raising educational standards and establishing a climate in which business could create more jobs.
Mr Mondi concluded that key issues were raising the level of savings, especially through the formal financial services sector, and the relaxation of exchange controls, which gave a clear signal that the country was confident of maintaining economic growth going forward.
The Chair thanked the panel for their input.
The meeting was adjourned.
Write to this committee
080226pchealth_0.mp3
Budget 2008: opinions of a Panel of Economists [Part 1]
Regional Business Analytics presentation [Part 2]


Digital vinyl systems have a multitude of names. They're often referred to as DVS, but some applications have their own branded version of the tech, such as Traktor Scratch. Whatever the name, all do pretty much the same thing - allow a digital DJing application to be controlled by the more traditional means of CDJs or vinyl turntables. This is done via the use of control vinyl or CDs, which use a timecode to relate the position of the deck to the software.
Why use one? The most common use is for DJs who want to use turntablism techniques, such as scratching, with their digital music. There are other reasons to consider a DVS setup though. If you already own a set of turntables and want to make the jump to the digital realm without losing the 'hands-on' feel of vinyl, a DVS system might be for you.
It can also make things easier if you play sets in clubs, allowing you to connect your laptop up to the pre-installed CDJs or turntables instead of having to make space for your own controller.
Most major software incorporate some kind of digital vinyl system, although it often requires an add-on purchase and/or the use of a special hardware interface. Check the software's manual or website.
Current page: What is a 'digital vinyl system'?
Prev Page Do I need any extra hardware? Next Page Where should I download music from?


Esophagus is the tube that connects mouth to the stomach. This tube helps the food move from the mouth into the throat and down to the stomach to be digested. Esophageal cancer is malignant tumor that occurs in the esophagus. This can happen anywhere along the tube, though it is generally concentrated on the lower part of the esophagus. It usually begins with the cells that are lined in the esophagus. Esophageal cancer can be classified as adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
The cells in the esophagus develop mutations in their DNA and divide way out of control. The abnormal, accumulated cells grow into a tumor and infiltrate structures close to it and spread into the body.
Squamous cell carcinoma: Squamous cell carcinoma is associated with drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and excessive smoking. Squamous cells are thin and flat lining the surface of the esophagus. It often occurs in the middle of the esophagus.
Adenocarcinoma: Adenocarcinoma is common and associated with GERD – gastroesophageal reflux disease which can result in Barrett esophagus conditions. It starts with the mucous-secreting glands lodged in the esophagus.
Other: There are other rare types of cancer that may occur in the esophagus such as lymphoma, melanoma, sarcoma, choriocarcinoma and small cell cancer.
Difficulty in swallowing: Dysphagia is a very common symptom of esophageal cancer. It feels as if food is stuck in the throat or chest. It starts mildly but later intensifies. If cancer is severe ,swallowing of even liquids become difficult to.
Chest Pain: Individuals experience pain and discomfort in the middle of the chest which is not related to eating or swallowing.
Regurgitation: Reverse movement of food is through the esophagus is experienced without being able to swallow food completely.
Weight loss: Fifty percent of the people lose weight progressively. This is due to inability to swallow food.
Biopsy: Cells and tissues from the esophagus is taken and examined under a microscope for cancer.
Endoscopy: A thin tube called an endoscope is passed down the throat. An endoscopic ultrasound apparatus attached to its tip utilizes sound waves to give more information about the tumor.
Doctor here provides best Esophagus Cancer Treatment in India.


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text:
The real estate privacy scare
Privacy: Real estate's Achilles heel (Part 2)
by Glenn Roberts Jr. |
Editor's note: Privacy and real estate are intertwined in many ways. This three-part series explores the Patriot Act and its impact on real estate companies, what the industry is doing about privacy compliance, and how realty professionals are protecting their businesses and clients.
Editor's note: Privacy and real estate are intertwined in many ways. This three-part series explores the Patriot Act and its impact on real estate companies, what the industry is doing about privacy compliance, and how realty professionals are protecting their businesses and clients. (See Part 1: Your home vitals on the Web and Part 3: Patriot Act puts a chill in real estate.)
The privacy policy at Realtor.com, a National Association of Realtors-affiliated Web site is 10 pages long if you decide to print it out. If you read it on your computer screen, that's a lot of onscreen mouse-scrolling. But it is light reading compared with the 45-page final federal rule that stems from the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999. That act applies to real estate privacy for appraisers, mortgage lenders and mortgage brokers, among others.
The list of federal and state privacy laws is, in itself, a lengthy read, and real estate associations have worked to keep members abreast of new and pending laws in the privacy arena.
But as a practical matter, enforcement of the laws is weak, and consumers often have little recourse even if there are privacy violations. In this modern economy that is increasingly linked to the collection, control and transfer of data, the privacy issue will continue to be a matter of public debate and a factor in public policy, they say.
"I don't think there's any question right now that privacy laws are going to become some of the more prevalent laws passed," said Mark G. McCreary, a lawyer at Fox Rothschild in Philadelphia who is an expert on intellectual property law, Internet law and privacy law. "I think they're overdue at this point."
Existing privacy laws don't offer a lot of recourse for consumers in the event their private information is released, he said. "You have to prove how you were hurt–without proving damages you don't have much to go on," McCreary said.
While many states have passed privacy laws, new federal legislation could give legislative teeth to these state laws, he said, especially as they related to e-commerce. In the case of junk e-mail, often referred to as spam, he said there are so many companies that don't play by the rules and existing legislation has not been effective.
So far, there haven't been a large number of enforcement actions taken for privacy violations, McCreary said. "It has been quite limited in scope–it has not been significant," he said. And because of this, it's quite possible that some companies are knowingly violating the rules and banking on the assumption that they will not get caught. He said these companies may be "ignoring the law–'Take your chances and hope you don't get caught.'"
Is the real estate industry being responsible about protecting consumer privacy? Take a survey.
Large financial services companies, such as banking and credit firms, are most likely to abide by privacy rules, he added, as they may have the most to lose. But corporate policies are not enough to guard against privacy breaches. There have been cases where employees have stolen data from their employers for the purpose of using, selling or transferring that data. And security breaches can also come in the form of outside cyber-attacks that are aimed at gaining access to customer or employee personal information.
Linda M. Johnson, a spokeswoman for the National Association of Realtors, said the association launched a Realtor Secure certification program last year that sets standards for data security. In order to receive certification, companies must complete a self-review, select a third-party evaluator from a list and undergo a final approval and certification by the association's Center for Realtor Technology.
Realtors' telemarketing efforts are also subject to Do Not Call and Do Not E-mail laws, Johnson said, and the association has produced a list of questions and answers regarding these laws and produced a field guide to aid members about this anti-solicitation legislation. Our state associations have undertaken similar educational efforts to keep their members up-to-speed," she said.
The association collects home address and home phone numbers of its more than 1 million members, but does not display this information online in any directories, Johnson said. "In addition, anti-screen-scrapping techniques have been implemented to prevent the collection of public information on our members by automated means," she added. And the association pays two outside firms to perform security scans of its network seven times a year, she said.
"MasterCard requires NAR to pass four security scans annually in order to continue use of their services," she said. "In addition, NAR independently has three penetrations tests performed to determine if any weaknesses exist in the network. If any are discovered, they are immediately resolved."
The association, which has a strong lobbying arm, is now keeping a close eye on federal legislation that applies to the use of faxes, and is also following the provisions of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act that relate to affiliate sharing of consumer information for marketing purposes, Johnson added.
June Barlow, general counsel for the California Association of Realtors, said Realtors typically don't handle the type of consumer personal information that is at the core of many privacy laws, and as a result real estate agents are largely "at the edges" of privacy legislation unless the real estate brokerages are also in the mortgage loan business. The information that is typically the subject of privacy laws is more applicable to mortgage loan companies, she said.
The California Online Privacy Protection Act, a new privacy law in California that went into effect July 1, shouldn't have much impact for the online real estate industry, she said. "The people who are in the online world…pretty much stay on top of that," she said, and the legislation was "not remarkable" among the hundreds of other pieces of legislation that the association tracks for its membership each year.
If the association received a consumer complaint related to privacy, Barlow said it would likely direct that complaint to the real estate broker who is the subject of the complaint. "We're not a decision-maker in that. That is something that would be between the consumer and the broker."
The Direct Marketing Association, a trade association that represents direct, database and interactive global marketers, and has about 4,700 member companies in the U.S. and abroad, has a committee that reviews complaints relating to consumer privacy. "We do monitor and make sure that these companies are doing what they say they are doing," said Jordan Cohen, public policy manager and spokesman for the association.
The group opposes spam, as it muddies the "effectiveness of legitimate commercial e-mail," said Cohen. "We support all kinds of legal action against spammers." The group regularly communicates to members to keep them informed about privacy laws, he added. "Our advice is generally to take the most restrictive (path) when there's a lack of clarity," he said. The latest briefing to members, released this week, relates to the need for marketers to get up to speed in e-mail authentication technology trends so that they can continue to send marketing e-mails.
Cohen said federal laws seem to be the most effective at regulating online companies. "Everything regulating the Internet we think should be at a federal level," he said. "E-commerce has a lot of promise," he said, and it's important to "allow businesses to operate in a manner that they can remain viable or even prosper."
The association maintains its own do-not-call, do-not-e-mail and do-not-mail lists.
Peter P. Swire, a law professor at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, who served as U.S. chief counselor for privacy from 1999-2001 under the Clinton Administration, said, "The rise of the Internet made privacy a concern. The rise of e-commerce made privacy a bigger concern."
Swire said lenders, as participants in mortgage transactions, "had incentives for a long time to share customer information."
With the spread of e-commerce, it can be difficult for consumers to track the sharing of personal information between companies, Swire said. "For customers, it's hard to know where the data is going. Consumers' biggest concern is that the data will be sent to unknown third-parties," he said.
He noted that there haven't been a lot of enforcement actions relating to privacy violations under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, "Perhaps because the major players are basically complying." The penalties for violations have the potential to "get very serious, very quickly," and can include severe fines and even cease-and-desist orders, he said.
Those companies that choose to ignore privacy laws could face consumer and regulator wrath if they are caught, he said. "If real estate companies surprise their customers in how they use data, they run a political risk and public-relations risk. It might seem worth it to grab data and use it in a very aggressive way, but Gramm-Leach-Bliley…and other laws show that Congress will react if the industry violates customers' expectations."
Tomorrow: The Patriot Act: what real estate businesses need to know.
Send tips or a Letter to the Editor to glenn@inman.com or call (510) 658-9252, ext. 137.


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