I am delighted to be here today to speak to you about the great global challenges as Australia sees them, as well as our deep and enduring relationship with Europe, with this region of the eastern Mediterranean, and with Greece.
Here we are situated at the home of democracy.
And here in this wider region, we see peoples today struggling to bring about democracies in their own societies and in their own states.
We have all watched with profound interest and awe the unfolding of democratic movements across the Middle East.
We have seen political change occur in Tunisia - although we still wait to see the unfolding shape of the political system that will accompany that change in the months ahead. We also see changes unfolding in Egypt - a country often described as the 'Mother' of the Arab World.
Egypt is a vast country of more than 85 million people.
It boasts a civilisation of great antiquity.
For more than half a century, it has been a leading voice in the non-aligned movement and the Arab and Islamic worlds.
Therefore what happens in the future political evolution of Egypt will have far wider implications than in the country itself.
We believe that Egypt needs fundamental political reform beginning now.
We also believe that this process of reform must be delivered peacefully.
We are therefore deeply concerned at the violence that erupted today in Tahrir Square. This sort of violence is an anathema to Australians and we deplore it.
We call on the Egyptian authorities to ensure its people are able to undertake their peaceful protest safely. We again call on the Government to exercise maximum restraint and respond to peaceful protests without violence.
I conveyed directly to the Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa my concerns about this violence. He too was very concerned by today's events.
Difficult and dangerous days lie ahead in Egypt.
Around a million people took to the streets of Cairo yesterday.
Many will take to the streets again on Friday.
The Government and the people of Egypt have been presented with an historic opportunity to engineer peaceful democratic transformation - creating a modern democracy out of this most ancient land.
More broadly across the Arab world, the forces of democratic transformation are also at work.
These forces run headlong into the two, well established stereotypes of what has hitherto been believed to be politically possible in the Arab world.
One such stereotype is, that given the challenges of governance in the countries of the region, the only workable political system is an authoritarian dictatorship.
The other is that if you lift a lid on democracy, you open up the possibility of an Iranian-style revolution and a creation of an Islamist state.
The people on the streets of Cairo appear to be calling for another way: a democratic system of government capable of embracing a multiplicity of views within its political system.
This appears to be very much a popular movement from below - led by young people whose names by and large are unknown to the outside world; people whose incomes have not risen in recent years because economic growth has been so thin; an intellectual class which has long sought greater freedom of expression; by both new and long-standing opposition political figures who have often been in conflict with one another in the past; as well as those who are calling for a more central role for Islam in what since Nasser has been a secular Arab state.
The difficult challenge ahead lies in how these disparate elements might be melded together into a pluralist democracy while preventing radical Islamists from snuffing out the pluralist voices of the people.
While this represents a difficult challenge, more difficult is the prospect of hanging on indefinitely to the political absolutism of the past.
Political reform is necessary in the wider Arab world - although ultimately it's a matter for the Arab peoples themselves to determine its shape.
The Arab peoples are no different to others in the world who have found their democratic voice in recent decades - across Latin America, across Indonesia, across the former states of the Eastern bloc and across other parts of the world.
In Australia, we hold democracy to be a universal value - not one which is particular to one culture, one people or one set of intellectual traditions.
There is a basic animating principle of freedom to which all peoples strive - the freedom of political expression; accompanied also by economic freedom to unleash the full potential of all people.
This does not mean that the State has no role in maintaining law and order or in regulating economies.
But it does mean that these constraints must be bound constitutionally in order to offer genuine freedom to peoples everywhere as the proper condition of humankind.
Events in Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world also have potentially profound implications for the Middle East peace process.
It is possible that new democratic voices unleashed in Egypt and elsewhere will begin to challenge many of the assumptions underpinning the traditional views of moderate Arab states such as Egypt, Jordan and even Saudi Arabia.
In other words, the geopolitics of what flows to the region from the streets of Cairo are likely to have significant implications on the current state of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Many of us who are friends of Israel and friends of the Palestinian people are familiar with the broad architecture of a comprehensive settlement which would create a two state solution - an independent and secure Israeli state and an independent and secure Palestinian state.
These elements include the 1967 borders, with mutually agreed land swaps; the question of the right of return; the question of Jerusalem and the holy sites; as well as necessary security guarantees.
Ultimately this is a question of course for Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to resolve because what is at stake is the future of their respective homelands.
Given the possibility of opportunistic actions by Iran in the light of the political changes currently underway in Egypt and other parts of the Arab world; it therefore becomes more imperative than ever to bring the Middle East peace negotiations to a successful conclusion.
There is political capacity for this to be achieved on both sides of the negotiation table.
From Israel's perspective reaching such an agreement holds out the prospect of greater security for Israel and its people, and recognition and respect from its neighbours and the wider world.
Reaching such an agreement also holds the potential to transform the Arab world into an open market for Israeli goods and services, helping grow the Israeli economy as well as helping grow the economies and employment opportunities among its neighbours.
For the Palestinians, an independent and secure state would also enable its Government to get on with the task of improving the lot of its people.
And for the region at large, it would remove the Israel/Palestine question as the regional rallying point around which Iran seeks to bolster its political and diplomatic standing.
The governments of the region are carefully analysing the possible strategic consequences of what now unfolds from political reform on the streets of Cairo.
Countries like Greece and Turkey, which I have visited in recent days, are deeply engaged with the strategic stability of the eastern Mediterranean and the wider Middle East.
Countries such as Australia, while a long way removed geographically, from this region, are nonetheless deeply engaged with the countries and societies of the region.
We have significant Greek, Turkish, Arab and Egyptian communities in our country.
More fundamentally Australian foreign policy is animated by the principles of good international citizenship - and what we can do through the agency of creative middle power diplomacy with our friends and partners in the world to contribute to the development, maintenance and improvement of the regional and global order.
Furthermore, the axiom of the last half century continues to apply. The strategic and economic stability of the world continues to be shaped in considerable measure by the long term strategic and economic stability of the Middle East.
We all therefore, as responsible members of the international community, have a profound interest in seeing a satisfactory conclusion to the Middle East peace process - as well as the peaceful political transformation of the wider Arab world.
This, therefore, is one of the challenges we face today.
What I would like to do now is consider some of the other global and regional challenges that lie ahead in the decades before us.
Let me nominate just five such challenges.
One is the continuation of global economic stability. This is critical. The global economy is not permanently guaranteed to continue the recovery that has occurred since the global financial crisis.
We, together with other members of the G20, have worked long and hard to prevent what was emerging as the global recession of 2008-09 becoming a full blown global depression.
When the G20 met in London in March of 2009 global leaders looked across the cliff and saw the real possibility of a global economic depression.
The good news is that they acted, and they acted concertedly. They brought about guarantees to the banking systems across the world so that systemically important banks did not collapse.
They also brought about a five trillion dollar global stimulus package which enabled the impact of what occurred through the global financial crisis to be held within limits and not translate into a fundamental depression of the type we experienced in the 1930s.
In other words, the governments of the G20 and their economic and finance ministers drew heavily from John Maynard Keynes and the lessons of the 30s by maintaining strong private and public demand at a time when it was critical for the global economy.
That saved the global economy.
The challenge ahead lies in how to maintain global financial and economic stability for the future. And a key element of that is the nature and content of the financial regulatory regime which has been developed through the Financial Stability Board and the Basel Committee.
These are complex and real challenges. They require unprecedented coordination among economies of the world, and financial systems, and central bank governors.
But unless this is done properly through the agency of the G20, we face the risk of a repeat of what occurred in 2008-09.
The good news is the governments, the finance ministers and the central bank governors of the G20, are fully seized of this challenge.
The real problem will lie in harnessing the continued political will necessary to deliver the outcomes necessary to provide a guarantee for the financial system and the general economy into the future.
A second challenge that we face as a global community is in dealing with the inadequacy of global governance more generally.
This of course is important not just for the management of the global economy but for global political challenges as well.
Australia has long supported the reform of the United Nations Security Council and other global institutions. There is a gap in the readiness of current global institutions to confront and cat on some of the key challenges facing us.
If I can identify two specific examples: the United Nations Security Council has failed in the past in Darfur and in Rwanda over the last twenty years and we can not afford for it to fail again if things start to go wrong in southern Sudan.
Similarly the UN system through the UNFCCC has not risen to the challenge of dealing quickly and expeditiously with the global challenge that is climate change. That must occur as well, as it affects all countries and all societies and all economies everywhere.
The third is the failure so far of the WTO to deliver a new Doha round which will bring about global trade liberalisation and a large injection of confidence into the global economy.
To deal with these challenges in the future there is an opportunity, given the mandate of the G20, for it to begin to broker outcomes in these critical areas and then have them translated into the formal institutions of global governance through the UN for decision.
The third challenge, is how the international community deals with the rise of India and the rise of China.
Let's look at China in particular. There is constant speculation about when China is going to overtake the United States as the world's biggest economy. Goldman Sachs puts it at 2027, The Economist last month put it at 2019. What most people seem to have agreed is that it will happen whether it's in one decade or two.
And when it does, it will be the first time in centuries that the global economy does will not have a Western economy as the most powerful force. Also, it will be the first time in centuries that the world's largest economy is not a democratic country.
The other powerhouse of the Asia-Pacific region, of course, is India - tipped at some point over the next 15 years to overtake China as the world's biggest population.
But here is the challenge: these two great global economic powerhouses come from the Asia Pacific region, where the peace and stability is by no means guaranteed into the future.
These two global economic powerhouses are likely to drive the global economy into the 21st century through to mid-century. Yet this will be happening in a region which is characterised by 19th century security arrangements.
Let me look at the region more broadly. We have fundamental territorial disputes on the Korean Peninsula. We have territorial disputes between China and Japan over the East China Sea. We have territorial disputes over the future of Taiwan. We have territorial disputes over the South China Sea involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.
We have outstanding territorial disputes between India and China over the Sino-Indian border. We have outstanding territorial disputes, of course, between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.
My overall point is this: if you look at the region at large, what you see is a fairly brittle set of security policy arrangements.
Australia, in recent years, has advocated the development of an Asia Pacific community to form the institutional architecture to provide the support and the ballast for this brittle set of security arrangements.
In doing so we would seek to learn from our friends in the European Union. If you look at the history of Europe prior to the 1950s and the formation of the earliest manifestations of the European Union, Europe for the previous several centuries had gone through untold bloodshed.
One generation after another - the Second World War, the First World War, the Franco Prussian War, the Napoleonic Wars - these were large scale conflicts by any standard in global history.
And what happened at the end was that Europe agreed finally that we could not do this again. And they came together in an institution now known as the European Union.
For those that criticise the European Union, as an outsider I simply say this: reflect carefully on history. And reflect carefully on what Europe has achieved as opposed to what might be the ideal.
between the United States, China, Japan, India, the countries of South East Asia and ourselves.
The vehicle which now presents itself to do that is an institution which is called the East Asian Summit. It is something which Australia has been a member of since its beginning just five years ago.
Largely through Australian diplomatic effort we have secured admission to this body also for the United States and for Russia.
This is important because it brings all the principal players to the table with the mandate to discuss political, security and economic matters and to begin to form the rules of the road and the confidence and security measures that our region needs.
It's a very early step, but a necessary step, if these rising economic giants are not to be undermined by security policy misadventure around the region.
And I say to my friends in Asia and the Pacific this is now not just a matter for us to be concerned about in our neighbourhood. It is a matter for the world to be concerned about because if one of these economic giants was to collapse as a consequence of security policy pressure, the consequences for the rest of the world would indeed be drastic.
The fourth challenge is this: dealing with the threat of the proliferation of nuclear weapons - one of the greatest threats to peace.
Australia is an active participant in the non-proliferation field.
Since the United Nations convened the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference in March last year we have been active supporters of the implementations of its 62 recommendations.
To give effect to this, together with Japan, we've established a new cross-regional initiative with middle powers across the world dedicated to the implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference recommendations.
In particular we are focussed on two specific areas: the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty strengthened by IAEA safeguards; as well as to start what is called the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty negotiations.
People may regard these challenges as remote to day-to-day business and the economy. I would simply remind people that security underpins all.
Dealing with the question of nuclear weapons proliferation, dealing with the question that arises from other threats to security, both state-based and non-state based, is fundamental to the stability necessary for economic activity to flow, open economies to flourish and for people's living standards.
The last point I would raise is where I began my talk this evening.
What I call the "global democratic deficit" is an important challenge for the future.
I've spoken so far about what is happening in the Middle East and in Egypt, but here is a figure I would simply remind you all of here this evening: the independent watchdog Freedom House in its annual rankings found that in 2010 more countries in the world were either "not free" or "partly free" than were free.
Let me put that in numbers. It graded 105 countries around the world as either "not free" or "partly free" compared to 89 that are free.
For those that assume that democracy is simply the inevitable condition of humankind, here in 2011 we should reflect on that analysis.
No one should allow, least of all in this great city of Athens, for democracy to fall off the international agenda as a norm for all states to follow.
Ladies and Gentlemen thank you for your attention this evening.


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1) INFOGRAPHIC: How the millennial generation will transform the economy — based on research from Goldman Sachs
2) 'Unbelievable tragedy': Hot-plate fire kills 7 children in Brooklyn – CNNcom
3) California staring at decline in hydro-power due to drought | Uncover California
4) A billion dollars to help manage California's drought
5) Abe-Kuroda honeymoon soured by fiscal friction | Business | Reuters
6) World faces 40% water shortfall in 15 years: UN – MarketWatch
7) Truth Needle: Is $15 wage dooming Seattle restaurants? Owners say no | The Seattle Times
8) Great Britain and Laissez Not-so-Faire Economics | The Growth Economics Blog
9) Trillion Dollar Fraudsters – NYTimescom
10) The Grumpy Economist: Borio, Erdem, Filardo and Hofmann on the Costs of Deflation
11) China at cruising not 'break-your-neck' speed: OECD
12) Asia's Almighty Middle Class by Lee Jong-Wha – Project Syndicate
13) CPI Has Declined, and So Has Your Rent | Insights | Colliers International's Blog
14) Don't Let the Unemployment Rate Fool You, Labor Market Slack Remains – US News
15) An affordable housing crisis with no end in sight – The Washington Post
16) Are you paying for parking you're not using? How parking minimums make urban housing less affordable | Broken Sidewalk
17) Dr. Joan Clos: Putting housing at the center of urban strategy – YouTube
18) Thousands join anti-austerity march in Madrid – YouTube
19) OC for-sale home inventory up 45%, sales down 3.6% – OC Housing News
20) [Insurance] Fed still learning on insurance industry oversight -Lockhart | Reuters
21) [Insurance] AIG to Pay Nearly $1 Billion to Settle Class-Action Suit Brought by Shareholders – NYTimescom
22) Cyclone Pam lifts chance of El Nino this year in Australia, forecasters says
23) Climate one of "top risks" facing insurance industry – Mark Carney
24) Exchange Rates and Balance Sheet Effects – NYTimescom
25) Karl Aiginger: Europe and the Challenge of Re-Starting Growth – YouTube
26) Why Are U-3 And U-6 Important? – YouTube
27) A different vision, but the same goal: Merkel and Tsipras agree to cooperate – YouTube
28) Germany: Tsipras calls for an end to stereotypes of Germans and Greeks – YouTube
29) Paying for Climate Change: A Reinsurance Industry View – YouTube
30) Thomas Piketty: Student Loan Debt Is the Enemy of Meritocracy in the US | Big Think
31) Congressional Budget Plans Get Two-Thirds of Cuts From Programs for People With Low or Moderate Incomes — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
32) Where Now For Greece And The Eurozone? – YouTube
33) US leads the world's largest real estate investment market – SA Commercial Property News | South African Commercial Real Estate Marketplace
34) The Basics of Co-op Housing
⇧ INFOGRAPHIC: How the millennial generation will transform the economy — based on research from Goldman Sachs
This is actually a useful infographic.
The Millennial generation is the largest in US history and as they reach their prime working and spending years, their impact on the economy is going to be huge.
Millennials have come of age during a time of technological change, globalization and economic disruption. That's given them a different set of behaviors and experiences than their parents.
They have been slower to marry and move out on their own, and have shown different attitudes to ownership that have helped spawn what's being called a "sharing economy."
They're also the first generation of digital natives, and their affinity for technology helps shape how they shop. They are used to instant access to price comparisons, product information and peer reviews.
Finally, they are dedicated to wellness, devoting time and money to exercising and eating right. Their active lifestyle influences trends in everything from food and drink to fashion.
These are just some of the trends that will shape the new Millennial economy.
⇧ 'Unbelievable tragedy': Hot-plate fire kills 7 children in Brooklyn – CNN.com
This sort of story is always hard to read.
Firefighters found no evidence of smoke detectors in the first and second floors….
We wonder, among other things, how old the hotplate was and about the kitchen-outlet fuse or circuit breaker.
Did they own the home or rent?
⇧ California staring at decline in hydro-power due to drought | Uncover California
California is staring at a massive decline in the hydro-power as the state enters fourth year of drought….
The situation is troublesome in Washington and Oregon as well. Washington and Oregon administration recently declared drought emergencies in many regions as the snowpack is hovering at or near record lows.
⇧ A billion dollars to help manage California's drought
Not a word about solar-powered desalinization plants…:
On Thursday Governor Jerry Brown joined a group of Democrats and Republicans to announce legislation aimed at helping local communities cope with the continuing drought.
California needs to finance these projects through a state-owned bank (a public bank).
⇧ Abe-Kuroda honeymoon soured by fiscal friction | Business | Reuters
…the mask began to slip last year when Abe decided to delay a sales tax hike, making Japan's primary fiscal goal harder to achieve.
"The honeymoon days are over," said Izuru Kato, chief economist at Totan Research. "Kuroda must be frustrated over a lack of progress in structural reform and fiscal consolidation."
A former finance ministry bureaucrat, Kuroda feels Japan cannot afford to delay tax hikes and spending cuts given its dire fiscal state, while Abe prefers to focus more on boosting growth to raise tax revenues.
Though their intentions are likely good, neither of them completely knows what he's doing; but Kuroda knows less than Abe.
With all due respect and as we have stated repeatedly on this blog, we suggest you dump issuing bonds. They aren't necessary. Also, go back nearly to the way the Japanese economy was run before Japan mistakenly switched to American-style neoliberal financing. Go back to your war-footing industrial economy. Your problems will be over in less than a year.
In addition, hire Richard Werner and do what more he suggests on top of changing the basis of your currency (https://www.iexpats.com/invented-qe-banks-got-wrong-says-economist/). He knows more about what went wrong in Japan than anyone we've ever read or heard.
The money that's created doesn't have to cause an increase in governmental debt; but do you have the courage to plug your ears when confronted by the laissez-faire types who ruined your economy, cast off your bankers, and then run your economy debt-free and with zero monetary constraints for real growth? If not, do what Werner tells you to do short of all that. It would still be vastly better than what you're doing now.
⇧ World faces 40% water shortfall in 15 years: U.N. – MarketWatch
The biggest drain on water resources is agriculture, which uses about 70% of the world's fresh water supplies. Tapping into groundwater supplies to make up for surface-water deficits strains resources. The report said that 50% of the world relies solely on groundwater to meet basic daily needs and that 20% of the world's aquifers are already over-exploited.
There will be technological advancements on getting, cleaning, recycling, etc., water; but we should not simply do nothing now and depend upon technology later because we could cause a massive problem where we won't have the rate of advancement be able to get ahead of the problem before the environment is severely devastated and people are dying from thirst and where there is a lack of water to grow food.
⇧ Truth Needle: Is $15 wage dooming Seattle restaurants? Owners say no | The Seattle Times
The claim: Recent Seattle restaurant closures may have been linked to the city's new $15 minimum wage.
What we found: False.
An article suggesting the $15-an-hour minimum wage was a factor in some recent Seattle restaurant closures caught fire with national and conservative media this week. The only problem: When we asked the restaurateurs in question, they said it's flat wrong.
When it comes to the impact the $15 wage will have on restaurants, University of Washington researchers, University of California, Berkeley, researchers and an owner of seven local Subways agree that restaurants will have to raise their prices about 4 to 5 percent — meaning an additional nickel per dollar on Seattle restaurant checks.
⇧ Great Britain and Laissez Not-so-Faire Economics | The Growth Economics Blog
There is no necessary link between strict laissez-faire policies and growth. The first industrial nation in the world was anything but laissez-faire, and it intervened far more deeply into its economy than China, which functioned in some sense as the idealized "night watchman" state of Adam Smith. There is little to no evidence that government "just getting out of the way" leads to development.
⇧ Trillion Dollar Fraudsters – NYTimes.com
We decided to write our commentary after reading only the first two paragraphs of Paul Krugman's article just to see where we come down on it relative to how he ends up dealing with it in the balance of his piece. So, read Paul's first two paragraphs here and then our commentary below those paragraphs before reading the rest of Paul's post to see how closely our understandings match.
By now it's a Republican Party tradition: Every year the party produces a budget that allegedly slashes deficits, but which turns out to contain a trillion-dollar "magic asterisk" — a line that promises huge spending cuts and/or revenue increases, but without explaining where the money is supposed to come from.
But the just-released budgets from the House and Senate majorities break new ground. Each contains not one but two trillion-dollar magic asterisks: one on spending, one on revenue. And that's actually an understatement. If either budget were to become law, it would leave the federal government several trillion dollars deeper in debt than claimed, and that's just in the first decade.
Of course, and the object is this: cut spending and taxes while claiming it will increase the economy so that the general revenues of the federal government will rise even at the lower tax rates on the rich. Then when the growth in the economy doesn't happen and the government is in worse shape, blame spending; and go through the whole process again while denying that, that's what's going on. It's a scheme by the rich to rob the poor to pay the rich.
Now, if you read the rest of Krugman's piece, you'll see that we have the exact same view about what the rich Republican-backers are generally up to.
Paul says they're hiding by omission, but they're actually using the new "dynamic scoring" voodoo without mentioning it. It's just more of the laughable Laffer Curve, which is being used deliberately to kill Kansas for the sake of the Koch brothers, for one, who live there and whose state income-tax rates have apparently gone down, making them richer while further impoverishing the state.
Does this information getting out embarrass them? No. Has the quality of life for the average Kansan gone up as a result of the libertarian policies having been rolled out in Kansas? No. It's gone down. So why do such average Kansans go along with it? Paul says, "…the budgets must be sold as courageous efforts to eliminate deficits and pay down debt — which means that they must include trillions in imaginary, unexplained savings." That's only partly right.
The average person is constantly bombarded with anti-government rhetoric. Ronald Reagan declared, "Government is the problem," as if there can never be good government. At the same time, those same average Kansans are not told about the wicked deeds of corporations, not that all corporations are wicked any more than all government is.
There's an old saying, "He who governs least, governs best"; but that's saying that anarchy is best. By anarchy, we mean the original Greek sense of the term. We're not in favor of anarcho-capitalism at all.
The competitive spirit does not bridle itself. Given free rein, disorder and lawlessness result, always. The market does not correct this in time. People grab what they can while the getting is good, so to speak. It is irrational for posterity; and if the trend continues, it will speed up. In the here and now, it will bite those who cause it.
⇧ The Grumpy Economist: Borio, Erdem, Filardo and Hofmann on the Costs of Deflation
This is why we say there is good deflation and bad deflation.
John H. Cochrane:
Deflation remains the looming zombie apocalypse of international monetary commentary. Before we argue too much about cause and effect, it's nice to get the correlations straight. And the correlation between deflation and poor growth is much weaker than most people think:
That's true provided one is dealing with one who isn't referring to bad deflation when referring to the threat of poor or no growth or even a quickly shrinking national pie.
We have consistently said that lower oil prices may have an overall positive-growth impact (not that we want increased carbon burning; we don't). So, it would be good deflation in one sense while being a negative cost in another (a so-called externality).
⇧ China at cruising not 'break-your-neck' speed: OECD
The world's second-biggest economy has set a 2015 growth target of 7 percent; a goal with which the OECD concurs and one that would mark China's weakest expansion in 25 years.
"It's no longer break-neck speed, but when you are at break-neck speed sometimes you break your neck, so it's preferable to have a cruising speed that is more sustainable and we think that is the case," he added.
The economy expanded 7.4 percent last year, down from 7.7 percent in 2013 and a peak of just over 14 percent in 2007.
We don't think they'll hit it even using fudged numbers.
⇧ Asia's Almighty Middle Class by Lee Jong-Wha – Project Syndicate
This was the promise, but it was supposed to have happened a long time ago.
Most important, the rise of the middle class is likely to be accompanied by growing demands for political freedom and civil liberties, thereby fostering democratization. Indeed, an examination of a large sample of countries, from the nineteenth to the twenty-first centuries, reveals that a larger population of affluent, educated citizens — especially women — brings about more political participation and greater support for democracy, particularly in less-developed countries.
In the West, capitalism and democracy progressed in tandem, as the development of markets reduced the power of landlords and increased that of the working and middle classes. By participating actively in politics, basing their electoral choices on rational self-interest, and developing the sense of moderation needed to resist dictatorship, the middle class promotes democratic progress. At the same time, the growth of private organizations associated with the rise of the middle class prevents state institutions from monopolizing political resources.
In Asia, South Korea experienced a similar progression, with rapid economic growth spurring the rise of a large middle class, which in turn drove democratization in the 1980s. That history may repeat in China before long.
The only way it will happen is if the Chinese people throw off the one-party dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party. They won't go quietly.
⇧ CPI Has Declined, and So Has Your Rent | Insights | Colliers International's Blog
Kurt Stout:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently posted the January 2015 Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures and the results show that the measure declined 0.1% from a year ago*. This would be of little consequence to most non-economists, but federal landlords must take note because the decline in CPI — for most GSA-leased properties — means a decline in rental income.
⇧ Don't Let the Unemployment Rate Fool You, Labor Market Slack Remains – US News
Chad Stone:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' most comprehensive alternative measure of unemployment and underemployment (which it calls U6) includes the unemployed, the marginally attached and those involuntarily working part-time. It stood at 11 percent in February, 2.2 percentage points higher than at the start of the recession. By that measure, about 17.5 million people are unemployed or underemployed, or twice the 8.7 million people in the official unemployment measure.
⇧ An affordable housing crisis with no end in sight – The Washington Post
Petula Dvorak:
Six. That's the number of years that the District has been running a program that requires developers building fancy condominiums with custom floating Leicht vanities and subway tile backsplashes to set aside a certain percentage of units as affordable housing for lower-income folks.
And six. That's the number of condos sold under that initiative, the District's highly touted Inclusionary Zoning program, according to figures the city shared with advocates.
And that about sums up the fight to make the nation's capital a city for all.
It's not like those condos are housing any of the 700 homeless families that represent the face of the city's affordable-housing crisis. …
So move, you say? Not everyone gets to live in Paris or Manhattan; the District is becoming a rich-people's paradise. The problem is that moving isn't always an answer. Housing is pricey everywhere, and adding on the cost of commuting and child care and the other expenses that come with two extra hours of travel — not to mention the regional gridlock that comes with importing a workforce — makes a move equally unfeasible.
⇧ Are you paying for parking you're not using? How parking minimums make urban housing less affordable | Broken Sidewalk
This article really makes the case for changing the requirement in big, congested cities, such as Chicago. Yonah Freemark:
For most people, zoning requirements have little to no effect on everyday life. Indeed, zoning—which is defined by municipal governments and which regulates building features such as building size and allowed uses for new projects—is typically an issue that affects few others than developers and land use planners.
But sometimes zoning regulations get in the way for regular people, years after a building was built. That's especially true in the case of parking requirements attached to new building permits.
⇧ Dr. Joan Clos: Putting housing at the center of urban strategy – YouTube
Housing should be a big part of the urban planning and design conversation.
⇧ Thousands join anti-austerity march in Madrid – YouTube
Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Madrid, as the pain of austerity continues to strike.
Those here are calling for more jobs and affordable housing, with EU-imposed cost-cutting fueling poverty among Spain's worst off.
The so-called "Dignity Marches" have brought together more than two dozen groups from across the country.
"We have to think about the youth. So many people are going abroad because they cannot live here. This is a shame," said one man.
"This is unaccept…
⇧ OC for-sale home inventory up 45%, sales down 3.6% – OC Housing News
We think Larry Roberts is right.
Rumors of a surging real estate market are greatly exaggerated.
⇧ [Insurance] Fed still learning on insurance industry oversight -Lockhart | Reuters
The Federal Reserve is still coming to grips with how large insurance companies should be regulated to protect the financial system, Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart said on Friday.
The issue is being closely watched by the insurance industry….
⇧ [Insurance] A.I.G. to Pay Nearly $1 Billion to Settle Class-Action Suit Brought by Shareholders – NYTimes.com
Shareholders of the insurance giant American International Group have won approval of a $970.5 million settlement resolving claims that they were misled about its subprime mortgage exposure, leading to a liquidity crisis and $182.3 billion in federal bailouts.
Investors, led by the State of Michigan Retirement Systems, which oversees several state pension plans, accused A.I.G. of failing to disclose the risks it took on through its portfolio of credit default swaps and a securities lending program.
No comment. See the disclaimer section below this post for why.
⇧ Cyclone Pam lifts chance of El Nino this year in Australia, forecasters says
Cyclone Pam's impact may not be restricted to devastating the island nation of Vanuatu — it may also have boosted the likelihood of an El Nino event for later this year….
… With 2014 already declared the hottest year on record, another year of near-El Nino or stronger conditions could see 2015 turn out to be even warmer, climate scientists say.
The first two months of this year have continued the trend of 2014, with the 12 months to February the hottest such period in about 130 years of records, according to US data.
⇧ Climate one of "top risks" facing insurance industry – Mark Carney
"It's absolutely essential we discharge our duty to protect policy holders in the insurance industry," Mark Carney told a session of the House of Lords economic committee on Tuesday."In the re-insurance business one of the top risks is climate change — that is the assessed risk of those institutions with money on the line."
⇧ Exchange Rates and Balance Sheet Effects – NYTimes.com
Paul Krugman:
…if you paid attention to Asia in 1997-98 you were pre-inoculated against the temptation to fiscalize crisis narratives — the urge to see everything that goes wrong as the result of budget deficits. …
…I sometimes hear people declaring that until the 2008 crisis struck, economists paid no attention to private debt as a source of economic problems. But everyone who worked on Asia 1998 was very well aware of the problems debt and leverage could create. If we didn't realize how vulnerable the rise in household debt made America, that was a failure of observation, not a deep conceptual problem.
⇧ Karl Aiginger: Europe and the Challenge of Re-Starting Growth – YouTube
We've never heard the connection put over with more emphasis and clarity between higher wages for the working class and GDP.
We're assuming Marshall Auerback wrote this lede/video description:
The Eurozone is arguably the greatest economic casualty of the 2008 financial crisis. Whilst both the US and China have managed to exceed 2008 GDP levels, Europe continues to languish and in many cases (notably, Greece, Spain and Portugal) is worse relative to the impact of the Great Depression. If Europe in its current form is to survive, notes the economist Karl Aiginger, Director of the Austrian Institute for Economic Research (WIFO) [https://www.wifo.ac.at/jart/prj3/wifo/main.jart?rel=en], then restarting growth is both necessary and (more importantly), feasible.
But the new growth should not be more of the same, which is to say, attempted via a series of "beggar thy neighbor" internal devaluations (the economics of which are highly questionable). Rather Europe's policy makers must embrace a new growth path that is more dynamic, socially inclusive and ecologically sustainable. More importantly, it needs to go beyond metrics such as GDP growth, embracing a model which aims to lower carbon dioxide emissions, and also reduce unemployment and income differences. In effect, Ainginger is calling for a new kind of social contract that measures "economic success" via different outcomes of a country's socio-economic system (poverty risk, inequality, youth unemployment), as well as advocating an ecological pillar that evaluates environmental outcomes. Gone is the "low road model" of fiscal prudence and low inflation to all other countries and wage cuts to sustain an unsustainable economic mercantilism. Rather, Professor Ainginger urges Europe to embrace a more dynamic, more inclusive, more sustainable, and more stable European Union, one which serves the needs the real economy, rather than the narrow interest of the continents rentiers.
It's an important interview.
⇧ Why Are U-3 And U-6 Important? – YouTube
Short but sweet explanation:
Atlanta Fed vice president and senior economist John Robertson explains the difference between the U-3 and the U-6 unemployment rates, and why researchers think the difference is important.
The issue beyond this concerns retirement numbers.
⇧ A different vision, but the same goal: Merkel and Tsipras agree to cooperate – YouTube
"…Greece's economic problems were not the fault of any one country or institution." Of course they aren't, but Germany's decision is key. If Germany lets up on austerity, that will be that for the whole of Europe. It will be a very wise move on many, many levels.
In his first official visit to the German capital, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras pledged to honour his country's commitments following almost five years of austerity measures.
⇧ Germany: Tsipras calls for an end to stereotypes of Germans and Greeks – YouTube
The video is in Greek, but the following is the English transcript:
Alexis Tsipras, Greek Prime Minister (Greek): "I believe the two governments should set as their priority to break the stereotypes generated in the past five years. Greeks are not lazy and Germans are not to blame for Greece's suffering. We must work hard to break these stereotypes in both countries.
Secondly, we must work together to fight corruption which keeps Greece stuck. We would like Germany's help in this and a first step in this direction would be for the German authorities to provide judicial assistance in order for justice to be brought with regards to the actions of Siemens in Greece over the past decades.
Thirdly, we should resolve differences from the past which overshadow our bilateral relations. The issue of the occupation loan and war reparations is not a material claim but rather a moral issue which both countries should work to resolve for the sake of their own people who paid dearly in blood to fight the Nazi totalitarianism in a period that threatens to leave unhealed wounds."
He's right that Greeks are not lazy; however, Germany could, and should, lift the austerity measures and rather treat Greece as a 100% humanitarian crisis right now. Obviously, corruption must be cleaned up. Obviously, Tsipras knows it and wants that to happen. Help him. Help the Greeks.
⇧ Paying for Climate Change: A Reinsurance Industry View – YouTube
Video description:
The reinsurance industry insures insurance companies to help reduce risk associated with underwritten policies. Insurance rates have risen in areas with extreme weather events.
Frank Nutter, President of Reinsurance Association of America, says climate change is a big factor for reinsurance and insurance companies.
"The consequences of climate change are quite real to our industry and it will have a significant impact on the economy going forward," he says.
From the underwriters' perspective, encouraging people to build on coastal areas, barrier islands and other high risk areas inevitably raises the risk level and the exposure not only by property values –including high value homes — but by the cost of repair and recovery of property and public infrastructure.
"The cost of climate change has to be factored in both in public and private insurance," Nutter says. Also of concern – wildfires exacerbated by climate change that expose more and more homes and businesses to losses covered by insurance of federal disaster assistance.
Nutter calls for a long-term investment in mitigating losses, better land use planning, better building codes, the greater use of green infrastructure to protect properties and a change in philosophy in government.
⇧ Thomas Piketty: Student Loan Debt Is the Enemy of Meritocracy in the US | Big Think
Higher and more equitable growth in the United States requires more public support for higher education, argues economist and best-selling author Thomas Piketty. Changes are necessary for the stark reality of higher education to match the purported American values of meritocracy, hard work, and equal opportunity/mobility. If we really want to promote these things, says Piketty, we need to do something about student debt.
⇧ Congressional Budget Plans Get Two-Thirds of Cuts From Programs for People With Low or Moderate Incomes — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
If your tenants are low-middle- or low-income and if these planned cuts go through, many of your tenants won't be able to afford to remain in your properties. You'll have to cut maintenance expenses. Your properties will deteriorate. Your positive cash-flow will shrink while the value of your holdings will go down.
The US economy will be greatly harmed for a variety of reasons.
Richard Kogan and Isaac Shapiro:
The budgets adopted on March 19 by the House Budget Committee and the Senate Budget Committee each cut more than $3 trillion over ten years (2016-2025) from programs that serve people of limited means. These deep reductions amount to 69 percent of the cuts to non-defense spending in both the House and Senate plans.
Each budget plan derives more than two-thirds of its non-defense budget cuts from programs for people with low or modest incomes even though these programs constitute less than one-quarter of federal program costs. Moreover, spending on these programs is already scheduled to decline as a share of the economy between now and 2025.[1]
The bipartisan deficit reduction plan that Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles (co-chairs of the National Commission on Federal Policy) issued in 2010 adhered to the basic principle that deficit reduction should not increase poverty or widen inequality. The new Congressional plans chart a radically different course, imposing their most severe cuts on people on the lower rungs of the economic ladder.
None of the planned cuts are necessary at all, not even close. There are only two reasons for such cuts, ignorance or malignancy (whether intended or due to a lack of compassion, sympathy, or empathy).
Every cut could be easily avoided by the US converting from Federal Reserve Notes to United States Notes (which do not increase the National Debt one penny).
Switching to USN, would allow the US to pay off the National Debt via those notes.
The increase in GDP would more than make up for any one-off inflationary pressures.
⇧ Where Now For Greece And The Eurozone? – YouTube
Excellent discussion:
In this first episode of Social Europe Talk (SET) economists James K. Galbraith and David Lizoain as well as Maria Joao Rodrigues, the Vice-President of the S&D Group in the European Parliament, join Social Europe Editor-in-Chief Henning Meyer to discuss 'Where now for Greece and the Eurozone?'
⇧ U.S. leads the world's largest real estate investment market – SA Commercial Property News | South African Commercial Real Estate Marketplace
The U.S. has overtaken China to become the world's largest real estate investment market, according to research published by Cushman & Wakefield.
⇧ The Basics of Co-op Housing
What if you could live in a place with 50,000 other residents, but instead of owning your unit, you owned shares in the whole complex?
It's not something from a teen novel's dystopia. It's called cooperative living and for some homebuyers, particularly in New York and parts of the Midwest, it's a way of life.
A "housing cooperative" (or "co-op") is the legal term for a housing unit that is owned and controlled jointly by a group of individuals who have equal shares, membership, and/or occupancy rights to the housing.
A co-op is essentially a nonprofit corporation, complete with a board of directors, and each resident is a shareholder. This means the co-op owner does not actually own his or her unit, but instead owns shares of the co-op relative to the size and desirability of the unit.
This entry was posted in Editorializing, General Insurance News, General News of Interest, General Real-Estate News, News-Alerts Digests. Bookmark the permalink.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


FREE DOWNLOAD The position statement on drug-related risks from the French victims' organisation Amalyste provides valuable food for thought, both for healthcare professionals and for drug regulatory agencies, and has the potential to improve practice.
Amalyste is a French patient-advocacy group for victims of two very serious adverse drug reactions: Lyell and Stevens-Johnson syndromes. The aims of this organisation are to represent the interests of patients who have experienced these syndromes; to better inform the public about these syndromes; to provide analyses of drug-related risks; and to demand collective compensation for victims of serious adverse drug reactions.
Amalyste's position statement on drug-related risks (1), translated in the September issue of Prescrire International, provides valuable food for thought, both for healthcare professionals and for drug regulatory agencies, and has the potential to improve practice.
The group concludes that drug therapy currently resembles a gigantic game of Russian roulette. The "risk-benefit ratio" – the concept on which the current system is based – creates a situation in which society and drug companies reap most of the benefit while leaving a handful of victims to shoulder the risks.
How can this situation be remedied? Regulatory authorities must create a level playing field in which the community fully assumes its responsibility for the consequences of marketing a high-risk drug. This implies acknowledgement of the existence of the risk; an obligation to provide the means necessary to reduce drug-related illness (means compatible with the importance of the public health implications); an obligation to conduct research on adverse reactions to high-risk drugs; and proper management of the consequences when harmful effects occur, including financial compensation.
1- Amalyste "La gestion du risque médicamenteux grave". www.amalyste.fr accessed 8 February 2012: 7 pages.


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South African man dies naturally on same day as winning right to die
Retired advocate Robin Stransham-Ford in a photo from his professional website. Terminally-ill South African Stransham-Ford died of natural causes on Thursday on the same day that a court granted him the right to end his life, a ruling that could pave the way for assisted suicide legislation. -- PHOTO: LAWBARRISTER.NET
https://str.sg/3AhD
PRETORIA (AFP) - A terminally-ill South African man died of natural causes on Thursday on the same day that a court granted him the right to end his life, a ruling that could pave the way for assisted suicide legislation.
Retired advocate Robin Stransham-Ford, 65, was reported to be heavily sedated and a statement from his family did not say whether he died before or after the ruling.
"Since receiving the heartening news of the ground-breaking judgement, we are deeply saddened to announce that Robin has passed away," the family said.
"It was in the presence of his family and carers that Robin died peacefully."
Dignity SA, which lobbies for assisted suicide legislation, said that Stransham-Ford "died peacefully of natural causes".
The High Court in Pretoria on Thursday ruled that Stransham-Ford, who suffered from prostate cancer, could have a doctor help him end his life, and that the doctor would be protected from prosecution.
Medically-assisted suicide remains illegal in South Africa, but there have been growing calls for it to be legalised.
Judge Hans Fabricius said in his ruling that Stransham-Ford was entitled "to end his life, either by administration of a lethal agent or by providing the applicant with the necessary lethal agent to administer himself."
Dignity SA said it expected the judge's decision to "set in motion the process of legalising assisted dying in South Africa."
Assisted suicide is illegal in many parts of the world.
Switzerland is one of the few countries in Europe that allows doctors help patients end their lives.
In February, Canada's supreme court lifted a ban on doctor-assisted suicide for mentally competent adults suffering from an incurable disease.
A South African professor, Sean Davison, was in 2010 found guilty by a New Zealand court of helping his cancer-stricken mother take her own life by giving her a lethal dose of morphine.
The suicide occurred in New Zealand, where Davison was living. He was placed under house arrest for five months.
EUTHANASIA/ASSISTED SUICIDE


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Euchloridae is een familie van ribkwallen uit de klasse van de Tentaculata.

Geslacht
 Euchlora

Ribkwallen

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Providing temporary staffing services, employment placement and staffing services and managed staffing services; sourcing, recruiting, evaluating and training of temporary, temporary-to-hire, direct hire, payroll processing, part-time and full-time industrial personnel.
On Friday, July 25, 2003, a canadian trademark registration was filed for NOVA STAFFING by Nova Staffing Inc. 1550 Enterprise Road, Suite 302, Mississauga, ONTARIO, CANADA L4W4P4. The Canadian IP office has given the trademark application number of 1185597. The current status of this trademark filing is Registration published. The correspondent listed for NOVA STAFFING is KEYSER MASON BALL, LLP of FOUR ROBERT SPECK PARKWAY, SUITE 1600, MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA L4Z1S1 The NOVA STAFFING trademark is filed in the description of Providing temporary staffing services, employment placement and staffing services and managed staffing services; sourcing, recruiting, evaluating and training of temporary, temporary-to-hire, direct hire, payroll processing, part-time and full-time industrial personnel. .
Mark Disclaimer: The right to the exclusive use of the word STAFFING is disclaimed apart from the trade-mark.
(1) - Providing temporary staffing services, employment placement and staffing services and managed staffing services; sourcing, recruiting, evaluating and training of temporary, temporary-to-hire, direct hire, payroll processing, part-time and full-time industrial personnel.


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Coronavirus Treatment Developed By Gilead Sciences Granted 'Rare Disease" Status, Potentially Limiting Affordability
Posted By: Mark Taylor March 26, 2020
The Orphan Drug Act has helped pharmaceutical industry profits soar.
By Sharon Lerner & Lee Fang
The Intercept (3/23/20)
ON MONDAY AFTERNOON, the Food and Drug Administration granted Gilead Sciences "orphan" drug status for its antiviral drug, remdesivir. The designation allows the pharmaceutical company to profit exclusively for seven years from the product, which is one of dozens being tested as a possible treatment for Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Experts warn that the designation, reserved for treating "rare diseases," could block supplies of the antiviral medication from generic drug manufacturers and provide a lucrative windfall for Gilead Sciences, which maintains close ties with President Donald Trump's task force for controlling the coronavirus crisis. Joe Grogan, who serves on the White House coronavirus task force, lobbied for Gilead from 2011 to 2017 on issues including the pricing of pharmaceuticals.
"It's absurd that this would happen in the middle of an epidemic when everything is in short supply."
"The Orphan Drug Act is for a rare disease, and this is about as an extreme opposite of a rare disease you can possibly dream up," said James Love, director of Knowledge Ecology International, a watchdog on pharmaceutical patent abuse.
"They're talking about potentially half the population of the United States," said Love, adding that "it's absurd that this would happen in the middle of an epidemic when everything is in short supply."
The 1983 Orphan Drug Act gives special inducements to pharmaceutical companies to make products that treat rare diseases. In addition to the seven-year period of market exclusivity, "orphan" status can give companies grants and tax credits of 25 percent of the clinical drug testing cost. The law is reserved for drugs that treat illnesses that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. But a loophole allows drugs that treat more common illnesses to be classified as orphans if the designation is given before the disease reaches that threshold. As of press time, there were more than 40,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the U.S, and some 366,000 worldwide.
The distinction could severely limit supply of remdesivir by granting Gilead Sciences exclusive protection over the drug and complete control of its price. Other pharmaceutical firms, including India-based pharmaceutical firm Cipla, are reportedly working toward a generic form of remdesivir, but patients in the U.S. could be prevented from buying generics with lower prices now that Gilead Sciences's drug has been designated an orphan.
Stock price boom
Today, Gilead abruptly announced that it would no longer provide emergency access to remdesivir, telling the New York Times that "overwhelming demand" left it unable to process requests for the drug through its compassionate use program. Hours later, the FDA gave the drug orphan status. Almost immediately, Gilead's stock price shot up. Gilead did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House, on behalf of Grogan, declined to comment on the record.
The special orphan designation, which can also be granted to drugs when there is little reasonable expectation that a company will recoup its research costs, was given to remdesivir despite hefty support by the government for the development of the drug.
Gilead Sciences' remdesivir was developed with at least $79 million in U.S. government funding, according to a paper published last week by KEI. …


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Home / North America / United States / Montana /
11 Top-Rated Hiking Trails In Montana: For An Awe-Inspiring Hike (2023)
As far as nature is concerned, Montana is by far one of the greatest States in the entire United States. And for hiking enthusiasts, it is no less than a paradise. From the awe-inspiring hikes in the Glacier National Park to giant cedars in Kootenai National Forest, Crazy Mountains in Custer Gallatin National Forest, hiking trails and options in Montana knows no boundaries. You may visit any corner of the State and still avail benefits from a wide variety of recreational opportunities.
Outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, off-road bikers, and mountain climbers find them naturally drawn towards Montana. The hiking-based exploration here isn't just great but also unexploited. Considering Montana's lower population and lesser preaching, the hiking pathways here are still less touched, untapped, and kind of hidden. Though those who know Montana claims hiking is their favorite way to learn and understand the State. Its unparalleled and raw natural beauty is definitely a major draw. So why wait? Walk on these Montana Hiking Trails, and let your inner enthusiast soak into the vibe. Have a look:
11 Top-Rated Hiking Trails In Montana: For An Awe-Inspiring Hike
1. Jewel Basin Hiking Area
The Jewel Basin Hiking Area is a unique hiking space within the Flathead National Forest. The area is home to 35 miles of hiking trails that begins from the trailhead and goes all the way to the summit of Mount Aeneas. The pathway unwinds through a rough or managed route, several water bodies, and unending panoramic views. Depending upon the trails you choose, all of them are nearly four and six miles one-way. Some of the notable destinations that will open up on your way include Birch Lake and Crater Lake.
In contrast, the ultimate end is the summit of Mount Aeneas, which provides a 360-degree view of the valley underneath. On your way, you can expect mountain goats and other harmless wilds. If you plan your visit during summers, expect a great crowd.
2. The Ice Caves Trail
True to its name, the Ice Caves Trail in Montana leads all the way towards year-round ice caves. Yes, upon passing through this route, you can literally lead to some famous ice caves. The trail basically begins from the Crystal Lake Campground and, for the first three miles, ascends over 2,200 feet. Further, it passes through the flat top of the Snowy Crest, ultimately ending into the ice caves. These caves maintain iciness all year long. However, close to the caves, be careful as the seeping water makes the floor quite slippery. Apart from that, on the way, you may see multiple other mountain ranges, including Highwoods, Little Belts, Crazies, Judith, and more.
3. The Highline Trail
The most iconic Hiking trail in the Glacier National Park in Montana, the Highline Trail, is a favorite amongst enthusiasts. It begins from the highest vehicle-accessible point in Glacier Park, the Logan Pass. To reach the trailhead, travelers are required to drive through the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road, which is an attraction on its own. Highline Trail is mostly flat, and it goes nearly 7.6 miles towards the Granite Park Chalet. Even though the route is easy, near to the beginning, a steep ledge portion can make fragile hearts skip some beats. Throughout the way, the trail opens views of impressive mountains, grasslands, and all those features that make up the worldwide popularity of Glacier National Park. One of the best parts about Highline is the in-between and close to the trail; there are several camping grounds as well.
4. Mount Sentinel "M" Trail
One of Montana's popular and most-common hiking trails is the Mount Sentinel "M" Trail. This short and steep zigzag trail begins from just above the campus of the University of Montana. It leads towards the M landmark (Mount Sentinel), which is a destination in itself and provides a bird's eye view of the entire Missoula. Though the actual trail is nearly 0.7 miles long, hikers can continue another steep mile and reach the summit. The trail is definitely accessible with less technicality and dangers in between; but, your legs might start paining towards the end. However, if you are short on time and still want to go for a hike, the Mount Sentinel "M" Trail is definitely your route.
5. The Trapper Peak Trail
Trapper Peak, the granite giant of Montana, is where every adventure heart wants to reach. This majestic peak (10,157 feet) stands over the splendid Bitterroot Mountains. Though different trails lead towards the summit, the common one begins from the Trapper Peak Trailhead. This four-mile-long summit is nicely designated, steadily steep, and isn't very strenuous. However, it becomes technically demanding and challenging for many upon coming towards the very end. While a sharp eye and rigid foot can make you get over it, some silly mistakes can cause you much. The best time to follow this adventure is during summers. During Monsoons and winters, the hiking conditions can become dangerous and highly demanding. However, if you are an experienced hiker, all you need is some hiking gear and experience to summit Trapper Peak, regardless of the season.
6. The Sweetgrass Trail
The Sweetgrass Trail offers hiking opportunities in south-central Montana. The trail basically lies in the Crazy Mountains, mainly part of the Custer-Gallatin National Forest. Sweetgrass Trail is ideal for beginners who want to explore nature but aren't well versed with the stress of hiking (except walking). To begin with, reach the Halfmoon Campground, hike on the Big Timber Creek Trail (2.9 miles), and it will ultimately open your path into the Sweetgrass Trail. The main trail encompasses nearly 17 miles and is ideally for solid-day hikers or backpackers. On your way, you will come across Thunder Lake, Twin Lake, and several adventures pictures of the Crazy Mountains. Though because most of the land here is private, hikers are advised to stay in designated trails only. To avoid trespassing into private land, make sure you take a map along.
7. The Lava Lake Trail
Located in the Custer Gallatin National Forest, this hiking trail in Montana leads you to the gorgeous Lava Lake. It is nearly a 5.1-mile out-and-back steep trail that follows Cascade Creek and introduces you to some of the Greater Yellowstone region, the famed area of Montana. The course starts gaining elevation from the trailhead itself, which might lead to altitude sickness for many. The challenges at the beginning might require you to take various stops, drink water and grab some energy bars. However, after that, you will find some comparatively easy routes that will make you find ways of the oval-shaped Lava Lake. Upon standing on its banks, one can grab views of Jumbo Mountain to the southwest and Spanish Peaks to the southeast. And when the hiker looks into the reflection on the water, the image will prove why Montana is called the Big Sky Country.
If you are a fan of jaw-dropping views, this hike is something you must not miss.
Additional Popular Hiking Trails In Montana That Are Worth Exploring:
8. The Beehive Basin Trails in Big Sky
(There are multiple trails, both short and long, leading towards different destinations)
9. The Ross Creek Nature Trail in the Kootenai National Forest
(It is famous for a large family and group hikes and goes nearly 4 miles. The route brings close several giant western cedars, some even five centuries old).
10. The Palisade Falls outside Bozeman
(It is one of the most accessible hiking trails in the State. The hike is less than a mile, is ideal for kids, and opens up some stunning scenery of the city).
11. The Holland Falls National Recreation Trail in the Flathead National Forest
(A 1.6-mile national recreation trail climbs upon an elevation of roughly 750 feet, reaching towards the fall).
Special Mention: Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
(It is a vast 3,100-mile trail system of which 820-mile stretch through Montana. Within the State, hikers can access it from Lower Seymour Lake trailhead, Rocky Ridge trailhead, and the Homestake Pass. Or, if you are on a hike for a lifetime trip, you can accomplish this significant hike and walk across the country).
Best Time For Hiking In Montana:
The best time for going on a hike in Montana is during the months of July and August. It is when the crowd is not overwhelming, and the temperature is at its comfortable best.
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San Diego County's Homeless Population Drops 4 Percent
By Susan Murphy / Health Reporter
Regional Taskforce on the Homeless San Diego
Estimated four-year trend of homelessness in San Diego County.
A recent point-in-time count of San Diego County's homeless population found 8,520 people on the streets, in cars or in shelters – a 4 percent decrease from 2013.
The numbers were collected on Jan. 24 by 1,300 volunteers who scoured the county by foot and car during predawn hours to get a head count.
Katie Schoolov
Volunteers Barbara Palan and Shannon Quigley-Raymond help out in San Diego's 2013 homeless census.
The annual count, known as WeALLCount, is conducted in cities nationwide for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUDD) to determine where to direct funds.
San Diego County uses the information to identify strategies and services to address and alleviate homelessness.
The count is not an exact number, but rather a snapshot, Dolores Diaz, executive director of the Regional Task Force on the Homeless, said at a news conference Thursday morning at the United Way Building.
"It's important to note that volunteers cannot canvas every canyon, every part of the riverbed," Diaz said. "We have no way of knowing how many people were missed in abandoned buildings or hidden places."
On that day in January, 3,985 people were found to be unsheltered, a 13 percent decrease from last year's single-day count, according to the report.
The number of people staying in shelters was 4,305 – a 5 percent increase from 2013.
More than 60 percent of the homeless population was found in the city of San Diego. Of the 5,213 found within city limits, 2,745 were sheltered and 2,468 were unsheltered.
The inland region of North County represented the county's second largest homeless population with 1,024, and South County was third with 853 homeless persons.
Jeff Gering, CEO and director of the VA San Diego Healthcare System, said he uses the numbers as a benchmark of progress being made to end veteran homelessness as well as a measure for future HUD funding to permanently house homeless veterans.
"I was encouraged to see the numbers of unsheltered homeless veterans decline," Gering said. "The number of sheltered homeless veterans is about par from last year, which is a little bit disappointing."
Partly to blame is the increased number of veterans coming to San Diego, he said.
"Our workload at the Veterans Center is up 5 percent this year, and San Diego County is the No. 1 destination for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
San Diego has the fourth largest homeless population in the nation, according to a HUD report.
Economy HomelessnessVeterans
Susan Murphy
Susan Murphy is a former health reporter for KPBS, providing in-depth coverage of a variety of issues that impact San Diego County and the Imperial Valley — from infectious diseases and mental health to health care policy and medical breakthroughs. Susan started working in the KPBS Newsroom in 2003. She graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism.
See stories by Susan Murphy


Yet another European nation is turning up the heat on Microsoft for extracting heaps and heaps of telemetry and other intelligence from Windows 10 PCs.
This time, it's privacy authorities in the Netherlands who are calling out Redmond for its hog-wild harvesting of data from machines that run Windows 10 Home and Pro. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) said on Friday it will impose sanctions on Microsoft should the American tech giant fail to make changes to its software.
Of particular concern to the agency is the way Windows 10 collects and transmits user telemetry data, and the way it gets user consent to slurp their goodies. Essentially, we're told, the operating system does not make it clear what information is beamed back to headquarters and why, and the Dutch want this clarified and made obvious to punters.
"Microsoft does not clearly inform users about the type of data it uses, and for which purpose. Also, people cannot provide valid consent for the processing of their personal data, because of the approach used by Microsoft," the DPA said.
"The company does not clearly inform users that it continuously collects personal data about the usage of apps and web surfing behaviour through its web browser Edge, when the default settings are used."
While the DPA does say it would consider imposing sanctions on Microsoft, both sides say they are willing to work out an agreement to bring Windows 10 back in line with the DPA's privacy guidelines.
Likewise, Microsoft says it will work with the agency to come with a solution, though Redmond also took issue with some of the DPA's findings.
"We welcome the opportunity to continue to work with the Dutch DPA on their comments related to Windows 10 Home and Pro, and we will continue to cooperate with the DPA to find appropriate solutions," said Windows and devices group privacy officer Marisa Rogers.
"We have also shared specific concerns with the Dutch DPA about the accuracy of some of its findings and conclusions."
PS: Microsoft president Brad Smith reckons North Korea was behind the WannaCry malware that infected the country's national health service earlier this year.


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text:
House committee rejects Senate common core plan
Published 12:00 am Friday, June 20, 2014
RALEIGH (AP) — Republicans in the General Assembly want to replace the state's Common Core testing standards for public schools, but can't agree on how to do it.
A House committee Thursday rejected the Senate's Common Core bill, and said it still supports its own plan. The vote signals that Senate and House members will have to work out their differences in a conference committee before they adjourn for the year in the coming weeks.
A Senate plan could potentially keep the door open for the state to keep some of the current Common Core standards. But Sen. Jerry Tillman, R-Randolph, insisted the proposal would scrap the program.
"There no doubt in anybody's mind…that both bills repeal Common Core. They repeal Common Core," he said. "A lot of people don't want to read that language …it's in both bills as clear as it can be …repeal doesn't have another meaning."
More than 40 states have adopted Common Core and Democrats remain skeptical of shifting away from it. It has been used in North Carolina for two years. House Democratic Leader Rep. Larry Hall of Durham said much of the dispute has come down to wording in the legislation.
The stricter House version wants to specifically prohibit any provisions from the national Common Core model from being used and directs the State Board of Education to stop participating in developing the standards for math and language arts. The board would then make changes following recommendations from a proposed standards commission.
"It's all a political rub, it really is … an election year political rub … this is a political exercise, not really a policy exercise," said Rep. Larry Hall, D-Durham, the House Minority Leader, who is on the House Education Committee.
One of the measures will have to pass both the House and Senate before going to Gov. Pat McCrory's desk. McCrory has expressed concerns about stepping away from Common Core.
Leading the way: Livingstone hosts leading health expert
Ford in leadership position as NC legislatures launch first bipartisan, bicameral caucus focused on HBCUs
Chief of police discusses department overview; several awards handed out
Stadium Lofts to be ready for baseball season


text:
Q: Remove observations from a panel data for which data is not available from both pre and post treatment period I have a panel data frame like this:
test <- data.frame(id = c("A", "A", "A", "B", "B"), year = c("2014", "2015", "2016", "2014", "2015"), income = c("100", "150", "200", "300", "200"))

Suppose 2015 is when the "treatment" took place.
Now, I would like to keep only those observations from which data are available both before and after 2015. In other words, my expected data frame will exclude all B's. Any input would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


It was inevitable that, at the start of the autumn term, horror stories about home-to-school services would surface.
One popped up on my screen this morning; parents of special educational needs children in Suffolk baffled by endless, late changes of vehicle, driver and operator, whether taxis or minibuses. Their comments cast doubt on the efficiency of the county council's SEN provision, and thankfully not on the operators.
It's absolutely no consolation to anyone, least of all operators, that the quantity and quality of home-to-school transport is plummeting, local authorities now providing the bare, legal minimum in every department as government austerity measures bite into budgets. So councils cannot be blamed, right?
Well, no. I have been writing about this industry for 30 years, and in all that time the disconnect between public transport subsidy and schools transport has remained; a bureaucratic chasm of inefficiency, created by ludicrous separation of budgets. In all that time, it appears that nobody has had the wit to permanently nail together local bus subsidies and school bus contracts.
In coming weeks, you'll be reading about Tom Weber, of WeberBus, who has started his fledgling business with a smart, refurbished 'decker and a school contract. He has a ticket machine. What he doesn't have is a bus route in Bedfordshire. His business plan is to pick up other schools work between the peaks – the usual pattern.
I fully understand that the morning peaks for commuters and schools are the same, but from four o'clock onwards, in common with most operators' schools vehicles, Tom's bus will be parked up. I cannot, for the life of me, work out why local authorities have not twigged that, SEN transport aside, the ideal situation would be a local service which, every morning and afternoon, performs a school run, but before, in between and after, provides a local bus service.
Running buses involves massive fixed costs. To pay those fixed costs twice, for a school bus and a service bus, is wasteful, to say the least. And yes, I know that where a stage carriage service exists, schools plug into them. It's just that a see no sign of the opposite, with new bus services plugging into the school bus run. I'd be pleased to hear otherwise.
With efficiency comes a massive benefit; instead of returning the savings to budgets, they could be used to improve the quality of vehicles and bring stability to local operators, reduce pollution, congestion and perhaps replace so many rural bus routes which have been dumped, and the people who use them isolated in their homes.


text:
Bob Franks
Rep. Bob Franks
Former Representative for New Jersey's 7th District
Franks was the representative for New Jersey's 7th congressional district and was a Republican. He served from 1993 to 2000.
Contact Rep. Bob Franks
I live in New Jersey's 7th congressional district.
I want to urge Franks to take an action on a bill.
Visit Rep. Bob Franks's website »
Look for a contact form on Rep. Bob Franks's website to express your opinion.
Visit Franks's Website »
Head over to Rep. Bob Franks's website. If you are having a problem with a government agency, look for a contact link for casework to submit a request for help. Otherwise, look for a phone number on that website to call his office if you have a question.
Not all Members of Congress will accept messages from non-constituents. You can try your luck by visiting Franks's website. Otherwise, try contacting your own representative:
You are currently on the website GovTrack.us, which has no affiliation with Franks and is not a government website. Choose from the options above to find the right way to contact Franks.
Franks is shown as a purple triangle ▲ in our ideology-leadership chart below. Each dot was a member of the House of Representatives in 2000 positioned according to our ideology score (left to right) and our leadership score (leaders are toward the top).
The chart is based on the bills Franks sponsored and cosponsored from Jan 4, 1995 to Dec 15, 2000. See full analysis methodology.
Enacted Legislation
Franks was the primary sponsor of 1 bill that was enacted:
H.R. 3069 (106th): Southeast Federal Center Public-Private Development Act of 2000
Does 1 not sound like a lot? Very few bills are ever enacted — most legislators sponsor only a handful that are signed into law. But there are other legislative activities that we don't track that are also important, including offering amendments, committee work and oversight of the other branches, and constituent services.
We consider a bill enacted if one of the following is true: a) it is enacted itself, b) it has a companion bill in the other chamber (as identified by Congress) which was enacted, or c) if at least about half of its provisions were incorporated into bills that were enacted (as determined by an automated text analysis, applicable beginning with bills in the 110th Congress).
Franks sponsored bills primarily in these issue areas:
Government Operations and Politics (24%) Law (15%) Economics and Public Finance (13%) Science, Technology, Communications (12%) Commerce (11%) Labor and Employment (9%) Crime and Law Enforcement (9%) Families (8%)
Some of Franks's most recently sponsored bills include...
H.Res. 623 (106th): Regarding the adoption of Resolution 1322 by the Security Council of the ...
H.R. 5252 (106th): Release Our Reserve Now Act
H.R. 5227 (106th): 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act
H.R. 4849 (106th): Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2000
H.R. 4519 (106th): Baylee's Law
H.R. 4433 (106th): Charitable Contribution Tax Relief Act of 2000
H.R. 4076 (106th): Cybermolesters Enforcement Act of 2000
From Jan 1993 to Dec 2000, Franks missed 245 of 4,863 roll call votes, which is 5.0%. This is worse than the median of 3.0% among the lifetime records of representatives serving in Dec 2000. The chart below reports missed votes over time.
1993 Oct-Nov 134 0 0.0% 0th
1995 Jan-Mar 279 0 0.0% 0th
1996 Apr-Jun 182 2 1.1% 31st
1998 Oct-Dec 74 0 0.0% 0th
2000 Jan-Mar 95 27 28.4% 97th
2000 Jul-Sep 130 30 23.1% 96th
2000 Oct-Dec 101 92 91.1% 99th
Bob Franks is pronounced:


This Sunday, Dec. 23, showcases the last Grade 1 of the year for older horses - the Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) -- and it's a doozy, with Japan's top three money earners in the lineup – Cheval Grand, Satono Diamond, and Rey de Oro (who was also the fans' top pick). This year, just two days before Christmas, the Arima falls on the last official celebration of the birthday of the current emperor, and the 63rd running of this racing icon will also be the last of the Heisei Era.
The full gate of 18 is set to include eight Grade 1 (including jump G1) champions and six of the 10 horses Japan's racing fans most want to see. One that particularly stands out is Oju Chosan, the third most popular horse from a total of over 100,000 votes placed by fans.
Though not likely to be among the trackmen's top choices, Oju Chosan has captured hearts, not only because he's on an 11-race winning streak that includes nine jump graded-stakes wins, five of them jump G1, but also because, after only two low-level starts on the flat, he and Yutaka Take are aiming for the pinnacle, the Arima winner's circle. Getting there and bagging the race's first-place prize of 300 million yen is the stuff of dreams, something the Arima has always been about.
Nakayama Racecourse in Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo is host to the 2,500-meter turf event, set to get under way at 3:25 p.m. Races at Nakayama are run to the right and the Arima, as well as the Grade 2 Nikkei Sho are the only races run at the venue's 2,500-meter course. The inner "A" course measures nearly 1,700 meters around and the race starts just off the third turn on part of what is the outer course. The runners turn into the home stretch and pass once before the grandstand, then circle around again. The stretch has an upward slope beginning about 200 meters before the finish line, from where it rises 2 meters in less than 150 meters, a slope that the runners have to surmount twice.
The Arima Kinen is the 11th race on the Sunday Nakayama card of 12. It's open to 3-year-olds and up and horses carry 57 kg, with a 2-kg allowance given females and 3-year-old colts.
Zenno Rob Roy set the current race record of 2 minutes 29.5 seconds in 2004.
Here's a look at the expected top picks.
Rey de Oro – Likely race favorite and paired with regular rider Christophe Lemaire, Rey de Oro returns from winning the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and will be taking on his first race over a distance of 2,500 meters. He's won twice at 2,400, including the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and the Kobe Shimbun Hai (G2), so the extra half a furlong shouldn't be a concern. He's also won over the 2,200 meter course at Nakayama. It'll be the King Kamehameha-sired 4-year-old's first Arima Kinen, as he called it a year after running second in the 2017 Japan Cup. This year, Rey de Oro is being given five starts, as compared to only four in 2017, and his four so far have included a trip to Dubai, where he ran fourth in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1, 2,410 meters). It's been a tough year with some difficult race and close calls, but he edged Sungrazer for the win of the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and has had ample time to recover. After some R&R, Rey de Oro returned to Miho Training Center on Nov. 28 and is said to be refreshed and moving well. His trainer Kazuo Fujisawa has three wins of the Arima Kinen thus far. Another would tie the record currently held by Yasutoshi Ikee.
Kiseki – Kiseki, a 4-year-old son of Rulership, won the Grade 1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) last year but has missed the winner's circle in his six starts hence. He showed improvement after returning in the fall, finishing third in both the Mainichi Okan (G2, 1,800 meters) and the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000 meters). He came closest last out in the Japan Cup, with a strong race that saw him finish second a length and three quarters behind Almond Eye (running under 4 kg less) and nearly 4 lengths ahead of Cheval Grand. This will be only his second time over 2,500 meters and his second time at Nakayama. He finished in ninth place the first time in the Nikkei Sho this past March, his first start after returning from Hong Kong 4 1/2 months earlier. His last three runs, all under Yuga Kawada (pegged for the Arima ride as well), have seen him adhere to a more-forward running style, one which may help him hold on for a share of the big money.
Blast Onepiece – The Harbinger colt Blast Onepiece is one of only two 3-year-olds among the 19 Arima Kinen nominees and the one attracting the most attention. With four wins in six starts, including two wins of Grade 3 races (one amid older company) and a fifth and a fourth in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger), respectively. He's been doing well enough, but the Arima may be just what he needs to blast into the headlines. He has excellent speed and can run from any position. Though it'll be his first time at Nakayama, Blast Onepiece has proven himself over a right-handed track, as well as over softer ground. Based at Miho and trained by Masahiro Otake, he'll have the home advantage as well as the weight advantage carrying only 55 kg.
Satono Diamond – Though his recent performances have paled in comparison to his triumphant 3-year-old year, the now 5-year-old Satono Diamond may still be able to shine in what will be his last run. Winner of the 2016 Arima Kinen, the Deep Impact-sired Satono Diamond last year took the rest of the year off after returning from France and this year has managed only one win from five starts. Last out, he ran sixth under Joao Moreira in the Japan Cup a full 1.3 seconds behind the winner. Still, top Arima-winning trainer Yasutoshi Ikee has hope and says the Nakayama 2,500 is more forgiving than the Tokyo 2,400. "I'm hoping his experience and technique will help give him an edge." Expected to have the ride is Australian jockey Brenton Avdulla, who will be riding in the Arima for his first time.
Mikki Rocket – The 5-year-old Mikki Rocket, winner of this year's Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen, is somewhat surprisingly taking on his very first Arima Kinen. Returning after 4 months off for the Tenno Sho (Autumn) he managed a very respectable fifth, just 0.4 seconds off the winner. Mikki Rocket will be back at Nakayama for his first time since his Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) run, where he flubbed the start and finished 13th of 18. With one race under his belt and much better at the break, improvement is likely.
Not quite ready to be written off is Makahiki, on whom the odds are likely to be attractive, having failed to win since France in September 2016 and having failed to meet expectations in six of his eight starts since, including in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last out. Perhaps the rather flamboyant style of Yasunari Iwata, scheduled to ride Sunday for the first time, will give Makahiki the motivation he needs.


2008 / 6 to 2009 for 3 months: internship in Nanjing Zhongshan Hospital, during the practicum period to comply with hospital rules and regulations, completion of the operation seriously. Proactive work, hard, won and patients with favorite teachers.
Pro-active, hard, won and patients with favorite teachers.


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