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Papandreou's Three Myths About the Greek Financial Crisis
U.S. News & World Report (blog)
Former Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has caused a bit of a stir in Athens over a recent series of paid lectures at American Ivy League institutions, including this week at Columbia University, where he will also lead a spring seminar series at ...
READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.usnews.com
Labels: negative
Flood waters encircle Greek capital
Fire department receives more than 1,500 calls to pump out water as torrential rains flood Athens and surrounding areas.
Greek Yogurt: Next Heinz Ketchup For Buffett-Style Investors?
The same thing is happening in yogurt, which has been sold as a healthy snack for years but only really hit the status of a multi-billion dollar staple category in recent years thanks to the soaring popularity of thicker, Greek-style yogurt. It's ...
READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT money.usnews.com
Labels: positive
Greece: Fierce storm causes blackouts, road havoc
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Torrential rainfall in Greece's capital Friday crippled traffic, inundated basements and streets, and was blamed for the death of woman whose car was trapped in floodwater, authorities said.
The overnight storm swept across greater Athens, flooding hundreds of homes, causing blackouts in parts of the city and forcing authorities to close major roads and a central subway station in Athens.
An abandoned house collapsed in the city center, but no injuries were reported, while a factory north of Athens was seriously damaged when floodwater eroded the ground beneath the structure.
READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.sfgate.com
Italy election: Bersani warns country could go the way of Greece
He says Italy should consider exiting the euro and defaulting on its €2 trillion debt, which at more than 120 percent of GDP is Europe's second biggest after Greece. Pollsters said Mr Grillo's political movement could win up to 20 per cent of the vote ...
Italy: elections fraught with uncertaintyThe Voice of Russia
Labels: unknown
Will Italy Get the Full Monti on Reform?
The Italian elections this weekend are perhaps the euro zone's single most important political event of the year. International investors favor a coalition led by Pier Luigi Bersani's Democratic Party that also involves outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti, thinking ...
Italy election: Bersani warns country could go the way of GreeceTelegraph.co.uk
Italian elections: why we should worry about the Berlusconi factorThe Guardian
Italian Election Campaign Ends With Grillo Filling Roman PlazaBloomberg
Reuters -MarketWatch -The Independent
READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT online.wsj.com
Jaw-dropping photos of Athens' worst flood in 50 years
Athens is cleaning up after its worst deluge in more than half a century, Reuters reports, with up to 34 gallons of rainfall per square yard falling in some areas. The city got as much rainfall in six hours as it usually sees in the entire month of February, according to the New York Times.
Greece: Fierce storm causes blackouts, road havoc; stranded driver dies
ATHENS, Greece - Torrential rainfall in Greece's capital Friday crippled traffic, inundated basements and streets, and was blamed for the death of woman whose car was trapped in floodwater, authorities said.
READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT
Italy election stalemate worst option for markets
By Simon Jessop. LONDON | Fri Feb 22, 2013 3:50am EST. LONDON (Reuters) - An inconclusive result in Italy's elections this weekend could prompt an even bigger sell-off in some markets than the return to power of scandal-mired Silvio Berlusconi, who led ...
Caving in to pressure: why Mario Monti's technocrats couldn't repair Italy after ...The Independent
'Operation Ohio' Hits Italy's Election CampaignBusinessweek
Berlusconi: Italy's most colorful, controversial public figureCNN
BBC News -Bloomberg -Telegraph.co.uk
WATCH: Torrential Rains Cause Massive Chaos In Athens
ATHENS, Greece -- Torrential rainfall caused extensive flooding in Greece's capital Friday, inundating basements and forcing authorities to close major roads and a central subway...
Flooding in Athens – in pictures
Torrential rainfall has caused extensive flooding in Greece's capital, swamping basements and forcing authorities to close major roads and a central subway station
READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.guardian.co.uk
UCF suspends all Greek life
WKMG Orlando
Florida Flambeau
The University of Central Florida has halted all Greek life activities in order to address alcohol and hazing related issues. The fraternities and sororities at UCF will be unable to hold any initiation process activities, have socials or any new ...
Binghamton University receives Coalition's Report on Greek LifeWBGH
UCF halts Greek Life over alcohol, hazing issuesWKMG Orlando
Fraternal Law Founder Speaks Out on UCF Greek Life SuspensionKnightNews.com
Orlando Business Journal -Central Florida News 13
READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.fsunews.com
Athens hit by worst storms in 50 years
A woman died and numerous commuters were left stranded in Athens after the Greek capital was hit by its worst storm in 50 years on Friday.
Is Slovenia Becoming the Greece of the North Balkans?
German Marshall Fund (blog)
The story much resembles that of Europe's enfant terrible in the southeast, Greece: its financial woes, and its obstruction of neighboring Macedonia from starting EU accession talks over a bilateral name issue, have become globally notorious. So is ...
READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT blog.gmfus.org
The four-day week: less is more
More free time, fewer carbon emissions and an answer to our economic woes. Why aren't we all working a four-day week?
In 2008, when much of the western world was reeling from the aftermath of the banking collapse, the US state of Utah quietly came up with a radical solution. The recession had hit hard, worsened by rapidly rising energy prices. Queues lengthened at food banks; unemployment and mortgage foreclosures rose dramatically. Money needed to be saved. The task fell to Jon Huntsman, the Republican governor. Instead of simply bringing a knife to public spending and pushing austerity measures, he surprised people with a new approach.
Back in 1970, an American management consultant called Riva Poor wrote a book advocating a revolution in work and leisure called 4 Days, 40 Hours. It caused a stir at the time, arguing that great benefits would flow from taking a longer weekend and working fewer but longer days. Then the issue went away. Quietly, though, a four-day week became a common option for public employees at city and county level. As a public administrator, Huntsman knew this, and he saw the opportunity to go further.
He realised that if swaths of public sector workers all worked a shorter week in unison, he'd be able to close public buildings on the extra day, so saving money. But something like this hadn't been tried state-wide before. All kinds of problems might emerge, from childcare to public anger over lack of access to services. "I thought, we can study this for another six months or we can do it, and figure it out as we go," Huntsman recalls.
At only a month's notice, 18,000 of the state's 25,000 workforce were put on a four-day week. Around 900 public buildings closed on Fridays, with even more partially closing. Many of the state's vehicles were left in their garages on the extra day, travelling 3m fewer miles. Only essential safety services and a few other staff were exempt. You might expect such a quick and significant change to cause turmoil.
"It started with a one-year test period, and there were hiccups at the beginning," says Professor Rex Facer, from Brigham Young University, an adviser on the initiative who also analysed its impact. "Some businesses complained about access to public officials on the day departments closed. But the agencies figured out the problems, the state communicated what it was doing better, and in six months complaints dropped to zero."
Facer looked into how the public and state employees responded. Eight out of 10 employees liked the four-day week and wanted it to continue. Nearly two-thirds said it made them more productive and many said it reduced conflict at home and work. Only 3% said it made childcare harder. Workplaces across the state reported higher staff morale and lower absenteeism. There were other surprises, too. One in three among the public thought the new arrangements actually improved access to services. "The programme achieved exactly what was intended," Facer says. "The public and businesses adapted to it. The extended opening times on the four days when employees worked were actually preferred by many. It was more convenient for them being able to contact public bodies before and after conventional working hours."
Falling energy prices reduced the expected economies, but the change still saved the state millions. Staff wellbeing went up with the longer weekend and with shorter, easier commuting outside the normal rush hour, which benefited other commuters, too, by reducing congestion. It wasn't the objective, but at a stroke the four-day week cut carbon emissions by 14%.
Then President Obama made Governor Huntsman his ambassador to China. In autumn 2011 the state-wide four-day week ended. Not because it had failed, but because it fell victim to a power struggle between the state legislature and the new, less committed governor's office.
Yet in spite of the repeal, the popularity of the shorter week meant it was kept by the state's larger cities, such as West Valley City and Provo, and was copied elsewhere, for example by the forestry department in Virginia. Far from being an evolutionary dead end for the workplace, the idea of changing the conventional five-day, 9am-5pm working week to reap a range of social, economic and environmental benefits is catching on.
Just weeks ago, Gambia announced a four-day week for public sector workers – not through economic necessity, but to allow more time for "prayer and farming". In Ghana there are calls to follow Gambia's example, to allow time for attending funerals on a Friday.
Yet mention shorter hours in Europe and people tend to think of the French 35-hour week, written off as a failure and largely repealed by former president Nicolas Sarkozy. Never mind that many French businesses kept their shorter week in spite of the change in the law – or that, quietly, over the last couple of decades, working less has also become the norm in the Netherlands. The Dutch seem to have found answers to all the practical problems that might come up. As in Utah, the public sector led the way in response to recession, this time in the early 1990s, by hiring new staff on 80% contracts.
Job-sharing in health and education is now standard. There are part-time bankers, surgeons and engineers. One in three Dutch men either works part-time or compresses his hours, as in Utah, introducing the term "daddy days" to the language. Many more women – three-quarters – work part-time. Polling suggests that almost all Dutch part-time workers do not want to increase their hours. The approach, backed by decent state childcare provision, allows for high levels of female employment.
But could it work in Britain, where we have the third longest working hours in Europe (behind only Austria and Greece)? The message from David Cameron and George Osborne appears to be that we can all expect to work longer and later in life, and very probably for lower pay. The state pension is being delayed until 68 for many, and if Britain renegotiates its relationship with the EU, as Cameron promises, even the current assurance of a maximum 48-hour week could disappear.
The last place you might expect a new, more progressive work culture to take root is in the bonus-fuelled City of London. But listening to 49-year-old Nick Robins, who analyses climate risks and challenges for HSBC, it seems the City could be hiding a little secret. "There's not much discussion of it," Robins says, "but if you want to work less, it seems to be quite open." He turned his back on the City's conventional long hours for a four-day week. "You may get 20% less pay but you get 50% more free time," he says. Other City workers are doing the same, Robins says, but without drawing attention to the fact. He finds the lack of discussion peculiar. "It is a strange thing that in the UK we haven't thought in a cultural sense about time. The debate is oddly absent, and then it comes up only to do with family – in other words, swapping one type of work for another."
Some businesses, though, are less shy about the benefits of a shorter week. Michael Pawlyn is one of the architects who worked on the Eden Project in Cornwall, and has gone on to become a world expert on biomimicry, taking lessons from nature on how to make things better. He'll explain how a beetle can teach you to harvest water in the desert or make fire detectors more sensitive. A big lesson from nature is the importance of fallow time: no ecosystem can be 100% productive all the time. Pawlyn gives staff at his own company "exploration days", when people can just go away and think. "It helps you to distinguish the things that are important from the things that are merely urgent," he says.
Jane MacCuish is a former colleague of Pawlyn's who works for Meadowcroft Griffin, an architecture firm where part-time working is the norm. Along with the company's directors and several of her colleagues, she works an unconventional shorter week. "I work only during school term time and the school day, from 9.30am-3pm," she says. "I work the same hours as my children, and I am efficient and productive in the time I have. The studio benefits from experienced people who need to balance their lives re-entering work, and you can't underestimate the value to society of having parents there after school for children."
The apparent indispensability of key professionals, in the health sector for example, is often used as an argument against shorter weeks. But Caroline Thould, a 39-year-old radiographer, found her employer, University College London Hospital, was open to the idea. She and her husband Peter both decided to go part-time after the birth of their second child, to share childcare.
"We'd both been full-time," Thould says, "and it was hard to lose the equivalent of a full-time salary, but we save on childcare. We still manage a holiday each year, and I think the children will benefit in the long run." In the time they claimed back, the couple helped build gardens at their children's nursery in Flitwick, Bedfordshire.
It's not only well-paid professionals who can afford to work less. Kathleen Cassidy is a 26-year-old community organiser on a low income who chose to work a 25-hour week. "I didn't have huge outgoings," she says. "Rent, food, not much on travel. I've never been much of a spendthrift, never really spent on holidays, cars or things like that. It simplifies life, having less money."
In her spare time, Cassidy has helped former prisoners with their rehabilitation, built a community garden for a housing association and been an activist with the campaign group UK Uncut. "It's about balance and having a passion," she says. "Also not being on a treadmill, where you just work, eat and sleep. I felt I wanted to produce things rather than consume all the time."
These people made choices to work less and adapt their lives. They are pioneers in a country like Britain, which does little to make it easier for people to work less. Choice matters, too. Research by the New Economics Foundation shows that voluntarily working less is positive for our wellbeing, but compulsion, especially in the context of an economy not designed to support part-time work, ruins the benefit.
There are, though, now several reasons we might all want and need to adapt. A recent report from the Centre for Economic and Policy Research suggested a worldwide shift to shorter working hours could reduce carbon emissions enough to halve additional expected global warming between now and 2100.
Then there's the fact that some people in Britain work very long hours, with often involuntary unpaid overtime. The TUC calculates that five million workers give the equivalent of a day's worth of free overtime to their employers every week. Yet we also have high unemployment, making for a divided country burdened with related social costs.
Nick Robins, whose work is all about horizon gazing, thinks we face a long-term future of low to no growth, meaning we might all have to reconsider how we work. "I think we could have to recognise that the norm of a five-day week for everyone is not possible or desirable," he says. Even when economists recall periods of so-called full employment in Britain, they refer to periods when women were homebound, providing the free maintenance of a mostly male paid workforce. Big changes will be needed to make shorter working weeks viable for low-income families.
Faced with systemic economic and environmental threats, we've been told we all have to work harder and find new technological fixes. Could it be that, instead, the best solution might be a simple, social innovation, an option we've had all along? If working less and better can reduce pressure on public services, create a healthier society and cut greenhouse gas emissions, is it time for national "gardening leave" for all? "I wish I'd spent more time at the office" are words few would carve on their headstones
• Andrew Simms is author of Cancel The Apocalypse: The New Path To Prosperity, published by Little Brown at £13.99 on 28 February. To order a copy for £10.99, go to guardian.co.uk.
Andrew Simms
guardian.co.uk © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Why Are There So Many French Hostages In Africa?
PARIS -- The red warning zones expand along with the numbers of French men, women and now children who have become the largest group of...
Eurozone recession set to continue
European commission backtracks on previous forecasts, blaming a lack of bank lending and record unemployment for the delayed economic recovery
The eurozone will remain mired in recession in 2013 and leading nations such as France and Spain will miss debt-cutting targets, the European commission has admitted, as it backtracked on forecasts that the 17 country-bloc will grow this year.
The European Union's executive body blamed a lack of bank lending to households and businesses, and record joblessness, for delaying the recovery. Unemployment in the eurozone is set to peak at 12% in 2013, or more than 19 million people, it said. Greece and Spain will be the worst hit countries, with jobless rates of 27% this year.
The estimate highlights the widening chasm between Germany and France, the two largest eurozone economies, amid warnings this week that France is drifting closer to the bloc's periphery than its main economic rival. The commission predicts that Germany will grow by 0.5% this year, while France is expected to eke out just 0.1% growth. Joblessness among the French is expected to hit 10.7%, compared with 5.7% in Germany.
Marco Buti, the commission's director general for economic and financial affairs, said unemployment remained "unacceptably high". This had "grave social consequences", he said, and could weigh on growth in the future if it becomes entrenched. The figures also have consequences for the UK because the eurozone is the economy's largest trading partner and is the fulcrum of hopes for an export-led recovery in Britain's finances.
The commission said the threat of a break-up of the eurozone had receded and financial market conditions had improved substantially, but the impact had not yet fed through into the real economy. As a result, it said the 17 eurozone economies would contract by 0.3% in 2013 rather than grow by 0.1%, as previously predicted.
The figures harboured bad news for Spain and France's debt-cutting targets. Under EU budget rules, eurozone states can face fines if they fail to take action to meet deficit targets – the difference between income and spending – set by EU finance ministers. The main struggler is Spain, which badly missed the deficit target of 6.3% of GDP for 2012 with a result of 10.2%. This year, Madrid will have a deficit of 6.7% rather than the 4.5% it has been set. And unless government policies change, Spain will have a gap of 7.2% in 2014 against the target of 2.8%, the commission said.
France will also miss its targets. This year's shortfall will be 3.7% rather than the 3% agreed with the EU, because of weaker-than-expected growth.
There was a silver lining in the figures for the wider zone, however. The commission said the region has bottomed out and it expects economic activity to gradually accelerate, with GDP 0.7% higher in the last quarter of 2013 than in the same period last year.
The commission expects domestic demand to rebound in 2014 and take over from exports as the main driver of strengthening GDP growth.
Economists said the grim forecasts could prompt the commission – which is part of the troika of lenders to crisis-hit countries – to ease its demands of austerity from eurozone governments, while the European Central Bank may be moved to adopt measures to boost the economy.
Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said: "A downward revision to the EC's economic growth forecasts for the eurozone suggest that governments will be given more time to reduce budget deficits without implementing harsher austerity measures, while at the same time putting more pressure on the European Central Bank to provide a further boost of stimulus, perhaps via a cut in its main policy rate."
Williamson said the weaker forecasts were a blow for the UK, which depends on the eurozone for export growth. "Given the outlook of persistent weak demand at home and a further year of contraction in the eurozone, there appear to be few drivers of UK economic recovery in 2013," he said.
The commission predicts that the UK economy will grow by 0.9% this year, although joblessness will rise to 8%. The wider European Union of 27 member states is expected to grow by 0.1% this year, with a jobless rate of 11%.
Economic growth (GDP)
Josephine Moulds
Dramatic rescue from flooded Athens
A woman stuck in her car is rescued from flood waters by residents during heavy rain in Chalandri suburb north of Athens February 22, 2013. REUTERS/John Kolesidis (GREECE - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)
Greece might stop paying salaries by summer
Greece's austerity policies could create a crisis of insolvency within the country, undermining the very reason they were implemented – to repay the country's debt - says the country's biggest labour confederation. "I am afraid that we may see a ...
Broadbandgaria: South Eastern Europe's Internet Hope? Startup Turkey Takeaway #5
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Heavy rainfall in Greek capital floods basements, disrupts public transport networks. Published February 22, 2013. Associated Press. cc8083d268553c062a0f6a706700d845.jpg. A woman shelters from the rain and the flodding at a bus stop, by standing on a ...
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PMB's Administration - Government That Listens To Us
Friday, July 31, 2015 at 3:34 PM by Khadijah Thabit
Editor's note: Undoubtedly, a good government is one that is sensitive to the people's opinions; there are no two ways about it. Can this be said about President's Buhari administration? Legit.ng guest columnist Arinze Esomnofu is convinced it can, and bring about the facts that prove him right.
The government of change headed by President Buhari has proved to pay close attention to the public outcries, and it is indeed a sign of the democrat in Buhari. Thumbs up, sir!
Neutralizing evils of Biafra
Firstly, I raised the issue of hate messages against the federation that my people hear every day under the disguise of Radio Biafra. If the radio and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, are not brought to investigation, they will bring about a calamitous dent to the image of the southeastern people, and lead to violence in the region, which I decisively oppose.
Disrobing Biafra, whether through print or online media, is never an easy task, because it is seen as the "Holy Grail" of us Igbos, for we grew up on the touching war stories. But it does not mean I will keep silent when someone tries to pursue a personal agenda forging on the weak sides of my people and calling Nigeria a zoo.
The complaint was forwarded by me and other columnists and political commentators through different articles focused on the radio and Nnamdi Kanu. The government of change has not only looked into it, but also sprung into action by blocking the transmission of the station and going after its engineers. Great move!
READ ALSO: Read Why Radio Biafra Is Causing Confusion In Enugu
Following the federal character
Later on, I made an overview of the appointments made by President Buhari that were to a large extent North-favouring. President Buhari responded through his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu. He stated that the president still had numerous appointments to make, and, as the Constitution stipulated, he was going to abide by the federal character. "I think President Muhammadu Buhari is sensitive to the diversity of this country… Therefore, why would anybody use less than 10 appointments to judge the president on this matter?... This government will make as many as 6,000 appointments. And he is bound, even if he doesn't wish it, by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to reflect federal character."
True to these words, the director general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr Ziakede Akpobolokemi, was fired, and on Tuesday July 21, Mr Calistus Obi from Ihiala local government of Anambra state was appointed acting head of NIMASA.
READ ALSO: EFCC Arrests Past NIMASA Boss 2 Weeks After Buhari Fired Him
Two week ago, after careful observation of Nigerians' reactions, President Buhari appointed new service chiefs. This time around they were not from one region, and the decision was made based strictly on meritocracy. Once again, kudos to the government of change!
When the infamous decision to remove the military checkpoints nationwide was taken by President Buhari, it was immediately followed by strong public disapproval. While a few political commentators opined that the president, as a man of military background, would stick to the guns, he listened to the voice of Nigerians and reversed the decision.
Prioritising the needs of Nigerians
To crown the piece, let me cite an article by Dele Momodu titled "An afternoon with President Buhari": "Fellow Nigerians, let me confess that in over 30 years of writing, no president has ever reacted directly or positively to my constant admonitions, lamentations or commendations. Rather, most of the time, their aides, cronies and acolytes used to fire darts and barbs at us from every direction." Dele Momodu has said it all: during 30 years of writing, only Muhammadu Buhari, a president of the most populous black nation, has shown humility and genuine interest in public opinion.
Don't get me wrong: no one should opine that the president only makes corrections after taking a wrong step, far from it. I have witnessed different scenarios, when a leader makes a terrible decision and stands by it either saying the decision will be appreciated in course of time, or that the decision was made for the national security reasons.
At the junction, fellow citizens, change is coming to us in a form of a listening president. For once in a long time our opinions matter, and they are sharp like the edge of a sword. Irrespective of the fact that democracy is presently reigning in Nigeria, I would also call our form of government "opintocracy" - a government based on public opinion.
Arinze Esomnofu for Legit.ng
Arinze Esomnofu is a political analyst, public commentator on trending political events and a motivational speaker.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Legit.ng.
Your own opinion articles and news/photo reports from your area are welcome at info@naij.com. Drop us an email at info@corp.legit.ng telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Legit.ng's step-by-step guide for guest contributors.
Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter.
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"Looking down I was struck by how much of our history - like that sunken vessel - lies buried under waves, its outline barely visible in the blue shadows", the Trinidadian-Canadian songwriter observes in his liner notes to Kobo Town's long-awaited third album, Where the Galleon Sank. Gonsalves continues: "Beneath this much-traversed patch of ocean lie Spanish galleons, slaving ships, pirogues (fishing boats), oil tankers and even U-Boat submarines – all covered by that vast water which serves as both a barrier and bridge between our islands and the wider world."
The barriers and bridges built by the colonial rule that governed Trinidad have long been at the heart of Drew Gonsalves' much acclaimed writing. On "Galleon", he sets out to raise some of that hidden past to the surface. He named his band Kobo Town after the historic neighborhood in Port-of-Spain where calypso was born. Over the past decade, the Toronto-based musician has reinvigorated and reimagined calypso, infusing this Caribbean folk music with reggae, ska, and an array of contemporary sounds to create Kobo Town's driving, joyous calypso rock.
On his new release, Gonsalves continues to explore 500 years of history through his Trinidadian lens, armed with his trademark wit and gift for melody. Belizean maverick producer Ivan Duran - integral to the success of 2013's Jumbie in the Jukebox - is once again manning the console, creating a warm, percolating, richly layered sound. The making of "Galleon", recorded in Montreal, Toronto and Belize, was delayed when Gonsalves and Duran became involved in one of the biggest musical comeback stories of 2016. Along with Manu Chao, they co-wrote and produced one of their childhood musical heroes, Trinidadian legend Calypso Rose, whose new album has already gone gold in France.
As on Kobo Town's two previous outings, "Galleon" is filled with buoyant music that stimulates both body and mind; propulsive, infectious grooves are juxtaposed with incisive lyrics that expose human folly and our tendency to repeat our mistakes. Part poet, part correspondent, Gonsalves delivers compelling dispatches from events both real and imaginary. "King Sugar" recounts the end of the sugarcane export which shaped the Caribbean, reminding us that today's extraction economies may not last forever. "Karachi Burning" is a first-hand account of the fiery expressions of grief after Pakistan's prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. "Smokestacks and Steeples" is a remarkable overview of the forces that shaped much of modern mankind - ingeniously crammed into a 3-minute pop song!
Kobo Town is a vehicle for taking Gonsalves' penetrating calypso journalism to the dance floor but, on "Galleon", another, more spiritual, side of the affable front man is also on display. "Before the Day Star" sees Gonsalves deliver a moving tribute to the human spirit, and the hushed final track "As They Sleep" paints a scene of perfection, serenity and gratitude as the singer watches his children sleep. The exquisite album closer is made all the more arresting as the very last note of the record is one of ambiguity and uncertainty. As if to say, don't take anything for granted. Enjoy it all while there's still time.
"Kaiso Newscast" opens the album with a tribute to calypso's ability to deliver the news with a cynical smirk. Kaleidoscopic percussion tracks, Latin horn stabs and chattering wah wah guitars support Gonsalves' droll delivery of the barbed lyrics. Boozy, funky horns, and a beat halfway between soca and dancehall, underpin the supernatural vision of "The Call," a reminder that love is all that matters in this life. "Postcard Poverty" rides a mellow ska groove, augmented by chiming Congolese-style guitar lines to deride the tourists who find the impoverished lifestyles of others to be quaint and picturesque. "Mr. Monday" and "Joe the Paranoiac" are old-fashioned calypsos with a contemporary twist. The first is the portrait of a victim of a mental illness forced to recycle bottles to make ends meet, while the second is the story of a man paralyzed by his inability to deal with the stress engendered by 24-hour newscasts and constant terror alerts. "Tic Toc Goes the Clock" ends the album on an exuberant note, with a complex genre-scrambling arrangement full of unexpected stops and starts and sounds that range from Edison's cylinders to ska, with a mind twisting lyric drawing from many sources, from Linton Kwesi Johnson to the King James Bible. "This song was included on the assumption that every album needs to finish off with a long-winded apocalyptic diatribe, peppered with muted trombones and allusions to dead English poets," Gonsalves quips.


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There are 8 blog entries for September 2017.
Chicago's Avondale Neighborhood Named Among the Country's Hottest
Saturday, September 30th, 2017 at 11:04am.
As home prices in neighborhoods like Ukrainian Village, Bucktown, and Wicker Park continue to spike, heading a bit further north to begin a new home or condo search may not be a bad idea, at least according to the high-traffic website Lonely Planet.
Although their findings have little to do with purchasing a home, Lonely Planet dubbed Chicago's Avondale neighborhood one of the ten hottest in the country, and a "must-visit" for anyone traveling or planning to spend time in the Windy City.
Specifically noted in the area's top-notch culinary scene, as well as its "scruffy, artsy, lived-in magic," Avondale certainly has a lot to offer for both visitors and locals who call this part of Chicago home, and its highlights go far beyond just a couple good
Unique Triple Condo Listed at John Hancock Building For Record-Setting Price
Tuesday, September 12th, 2017 at 8:12pm.
A triple condo now on the market in the John Hancock Center could soon smash the old record sale price for a unit in the building. The latest offering is a newly redesigned condo that takes the square footage from three condos, forming a new 4,100 square foot home with four-bedrooms, four-baths and a massive, combined space, incorporating the kitchen, dining and living rooms into one L-shaped design.
Just as impressive as the condo's size is its current asking price. Now on the market for $2.5 million, the unit far surpasses the old record price for a condo sold in the building. A more than 3,000 square foot unit was purchased for $1.65 million back in May of this year.
While that particular unit was on the 91st floor of the John Hancock Tower, the
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New 10-Story, 70-Unit Residential Development Proposed For South Loop Parking Lot
What's now a parking lot could soon turn into a new 10-story building on Jefferson Street. A developer hopes to gain a special use zoning variation to construct the new residential mid-rise building close to Union Station.
Located at 315 S Jefferson, plans call for nearly 70 residential units to be constructed within the building. While the size of the planned building itself does not require a variance, the developer wants to change the required parking from a standard of 1 to 1 per residence to a total of five parking spots for the entire building.
Since the proposal hasn't been introduced to councilors yet, more detailed plans for the building are not yet public. Residences living within 1,000 feet of the site did receive a letter but it does not
Single-Family Homes in Chicago Selling at Fastest Pace in Over a Decade
Friday, September 8th, 2017 at 9:15am.
New data from the Chicago Association of Realtors is showing single-family homes in the city sold faster in July than at any other time over the last decade.
According to the numbers, single-family homes in Chicago averaged just 74 days on the market before moving, which represents the shortest amount of time on market since all the way back to January of 2007.
For comparison-sake, July of 2016 saw single-family homes in the city sell in 80 days on average.
Inventory is fairly tight around many of Chicago's top neighborhoods, prompting buyers to move a little faster than what we've been used to seeing.
Condos have also been selling faster in recent months, with June setting a new record of just 50 days on market. And in July, that average only
Proposal Revealed For New Riverfront Development Along Chicago River's North Branch
Thursday, September 7th, 2017 at 9:03pm.
A much-anticipated plan for redevelopment along the river just took another step forward, as developers officially filed zoning paperwork with the city. The land in question includes seven acres of riverfront land that currently belongs to the Chicago Tribune.
For some time, rumors have swirled about redeveloping the land, but now a potential project appears to have gained new momentum. According to the filed documents, plans call for four new towers to be built just to the south of Goose Island at 700 W Chicago Avenue.
Plans call for construction to start on Office Tower 1 first, with a delivery date as soon as mid 2019. That building would offer around 435,000 square feet of office space, including terraces with skyline views.
The next step of
A Look at Chicago's Most Expensive Condos Heading Into the Fall Season
Wednesday, September 6th, 2017 at 7:10pm.
With the busy fall season approaching, we thought we'd take a closer look at where some of Chicago's most expensive condos currently on the market are listed, and what each of these lavish and luxurious units have to offer. Not surprisingly, No. 9 Walton, Waldorf Astoria Chicago, and Trump Tower feature the three highest priced condos right now, each boasting a price tag of well over $12 million. Somewhat unexpected, just two condos over at Vista Tower are among some of the Windy City's 25 most expensive units on the market right now, which is the same number of units you'll see listed over at The Palmolive in that same category.
The spectacular new One Bennett Park condo tower also features a couple condos in the $6 million price range, and you'll
New West Loop Hyatt Hotel the Latest Proposal For Chicago's Hottest Neighborhood
Tuesday, September 5th, 2017 at 9:18am.
A beautiful new hotel project is being discussed for the West Loop and will be up for approval by the Plan Commission later this year.
If approved, the new West Loop Hyatt Hotel will be built over at 113 N. May Street and is expected to house trainees of McDonald's "Hamburger University" training program, which of course will also be moved to the city once the new McDonald's headquarters is finished right down the street.
The design of the new West Loop Hyatt Hotel has been slightly modified from the original proposal, which included a 19-story building with 220 rooms. The new revised design from Eckenhoff Saunders Architects now only stands 16 stories high with 200 rooms.
For additional information on the fabulous new West Loop Hyatt Hotel,
REPORTS: Spectacular New Cabrini-Green Project Put on Hold
Saturday, September 2nd, 2017 at 1:52pm.
The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) has apparently put plans to build a high-profile mixed-use development on hold, which would have included brand new retail space and at least 436 residential units.
According to a recent report from Crain's, the impressive Holabird & Root-designed complex, which is detailed in the video below, never really got far beyond the initial proposal phase thanks to the city essentially lacking the resource to develop three Cabrini-Green projects all at once.
Had the project moved forward, the complex would've been situated at a prime corner lot at Halsted and Division, which currently sits vacant just waiting to be developed.
As noted by Crain's, no timetable has been set for eventually building out the Halsted and
I'm moving from New York to Chicago, and Renee Jaquez made the long distance apartment search effortless. Not only did she provide options via MLS, but she also took…	Bailey Tomson


According to a new market research report published by Credence Research "Medical Robotics Market (Surgical Robots, Rehabilitation Robots, Non-invasive Radio surgery Robots, Hospital & Pharmacy Robots and Others) – Growth, Share, Opportunities, Competitive Analysis and Forecast 2016 – 2023",the global medical robotics market was valued at US$ 7.24 Bn in 2015 and is estimated to cross the US$ 20 Bn mark by 2023.
The medical robotics market has witnessed substantial growth in the past few years, majorly in North America. With the overall rise in adoption of automation systems across different application sectors, the medical robotics market is estimated to witness strong growth in the coming years. Market players are focused towards development of advanced robotic systems that can assist/perform medical surgeries without any human intervention. Due to rising penetration of minimally/non-invasive surgical procedures, the demand for medical robots is estimated to surge substantially during the forecast period. Thus, there can be seen a trend of hybrid operating room (OR) going hand-in-hand with medical robotics. Nevertheless, high initial costs of the systems may hamper the market growth significantly for the next few years.
Kommentar hinterlassen on "Medical Robotics Market 2018 – Global Industry Size, Industry Share, Market Trends, Growth and Forecast to 2026"


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La III Convocatoria del Sóviet Supremo de la República Socialista Federativa Soviética de Rusia estuvo conformada por un total de 763 diputados, elegidos el 18 de febrero de 1951.

Composición

Liderazgo

 Presidente del Presídium del Sóviet Supremo: Mijaíl Tarásov (PCUS)
 Presidente del Sóviet Supremo: Leonid Soloviov (PCUS)

Diputados

Referencias

3ª

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Home Bengal Election political news Violence, Voter Intimidation and a Missing Polling Officer: Why West Bengal Votes the Way it Does
Violence, Voter Intimidation and a Missing Polling Officer: Why West Bengal Votes the Way it Does
On Sunday, Mamata Banerjee claimed that officers sent by the Election Commission (EC) as special observers were insulting the people of West Bengal, that the BJP was trying to run a parallel government in the state through two retired officers.
Her fiery comment came in reaction to EC special observer in Bengal Ajay V Nayak comparing the present situation in West Bengal to what Bihar was around 15 years ago, leading to the demand of central forces in the ongoing Lok Sabha. Speaking at Gayeshpur in Nadia, Banerjee said, "The officers are abusing and insulting the people of the state. Two retired officers have been sent to run the government, this is unconstitutional. They are trying to help the BJP."
Banerjee's allegation of a biased Election Commission working to aid the BJP isn't new. Neither is the EC's stance that in spite of electoral reforms across the country, electoral malpractices in Bengal remain a constant.
But political leaders from both the BJP and TMC admitted that the stakes in 2019 — that have already seen violence in the state, allegations of voter intimidation and a missing polling officer — were much higher. With Banerjee pitching herself for the top job of the country's Prime Minister and the BJP looking to win 20 seats in the state, one BJP leader said, "The first two phases have just been the trailer. There will be more violence."
'Scientific Rigging Machinery'
In opposition, Banerjee had famously accused the Jyoti Basu-led government of creating a 'scientific rigging machinery'. This, officials in the EC and state police told News18, still exists and is constantly evolving. "Traditionally, the party in power would try and enroll bogus voters, or identify and delete names of people who're likely to vote against them. Driving out the polling agents from rival parties…this happens less now," said an EC official.
Instead, the focus — two decades since TN Seshan effectively cleaned up elections elsewhere in the country — is on more subtle forms of intimidation and the "perfecting of the CPI(M)'s surveillance machinery that the TMC inherited", said a senior IPS official, adding, "If anything, the CPI(M) was an organised party. The TMC is more disorganised, so the results are often more visible. But equally effective."
But with electoral roll cleansing top on the priority for the EC, striking off bogus voters, the opposition alleged that the TMC's focus was instead on surveillance. A BJP state committee leader told News18, "In Bengal, everyone knows which ward they live in. Something unheard off in many parts of India. This is a legacy of the Left which organised its party down to the ward level. The TMC doesn't have the same structure, but it has a network of clubs that operate out of different areas and have the same function."
The function of this state machinery, the leader explained, is "to act as an all-seeing, all-knowing extension of the party that, most importantly, knows who will not vote for them."
'Violence is Inevitable, But Not Random'
"Jhamela to hobe," said a TMC leader at Barrackpore, when asked about the possibility of violence in the seat that will see the party's Dinesh Trivedi square up against former TMC strongman-turned-BJP-candidate Arjun Singh. The seat has seen the TMC allege on multiple occasions that Singh has violated the model code of conduct and has been threatening party workers. "A number of party workers have been threatened and many, out of fear, have joined the BJP. This changes the ground reality on the day of the polls," said the TMC leader.
Political violence and voter intimidation, the leader said, was just "part and parcel of politics here". He doesn't seem wrong. Consider this: During the second phase — when Darjeeling, Raiganj and Jalpaiguri went to polls — incumbent MP Mohammed Salim's car was vandalised when he went to caste vote within 100 metres of a polling station in Islampur's Patagara. Elsewhere, a journalist — attempting to film locals who claimed that they weren't able to vote — was allegedly attacked by TMC cadre at Raiganj. Locals at Chopra in Darjeeling blocked a national highway, claiming they weren't able to vote. At Jalpaiguri, the TMC cadre allegedly fired near a polling state at Jalpaiguri.
"Violence is inevitable here. But it is not random," said a retired IAS officer, on the condition of anonymity. "In Bengal, before an election, leaders will sit down with the details of a seat. Which ward voted for who, where, say the BJP led, or where the TMC led. Then on the basis of that, and on the basis of inputs from the local leadership, the violence on the polling day would be directed. Take Jalpaiguri for instance … after the shots were fired, no one came to vote for hours. That is a very subtle form of voter intimidation," the officer said.
Ahead of the 2016 elections, Lodhna village in Bardhaman's Khandagosh Assembly constituency, an area once synonymous with the Left and the manufacture of bombs for 'political purposes', post poll violence led to the death of two CPI(M) party workers. Mohammad Saifudin, a local resident, told News18, "Until then, many in the village were still holding on to the belief that the lal party (Left) would come back with support from the Congress. After the deaths and the result, the village sullenly switched to the TMC. It was a clear message."
The retired official added, "This isn't to say that it is localised to one party. Where the BJP is strong, it will do the same things. Since the TMC, like the Left before, dominates the state, you heard about them more. This is just how elections are done in this state."
The Missing Polling Officer
Arnab Roy, a 30-year-old nodal election officer has now been missing since Thursday from Nadia district in Bengal. He was posted at Bipradas Pal Choudhury Polytechnic College for poll duty on April 18 and was in-charge of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs) in the Ranaghat parliamentary constituency. The BJP has raised concerns regarding the sanctity of the EVMs.
The police said that at around 2pm on Thursday Roy went to eat lunch and hasn't been since seen. His two phones, police said, were switched off and his car was found parked in the college. The state EC has asked the district magistrate, Sumit Gupta, to look into the matter.
Election Commission special observer in Bengal, Ajay Naik, had told reporters that his disappearance was "personal" and that he may have been suffering from depression. "For now, it seems like the disappearance is not election-related. We have appointed someone else in his place," he said.
In response, his wife Anisha Jash wrote, "I want to clarify that my husband, Arnab Roy, is not suffering from depression and we have a healthy and hearty relationship. I request the media to stop spreading rumours and instead help me find him... I want my husband back."
The BJP, meanwhile, has raised concerns regarding the "sanctity of EVMs". BJP leader Sishir Bajoria told News18, "We are very concerned about his well-being and also of the sanctity of the EVMs as he is the nodal officer."
https://www.news18.com
Mamata Banerjee claimed that officers sent by the Election Commission (EC) as special observers were insulting the people of West Bengal, that the BJP was trying to run a parallel government in the state through two retired officers.
Read latest post filed under Bengal, Election, political news


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Bravo to Brigitte Gabriel for telling it like it is about the Muslim Brotherhood (see interview clip here). Any questions?! (...except for why does the U.S. Government continue to do business with them?)
Oh, and regarding that statement from "a former member of the CIA", who was quoted in a Washington Post article as saying that if we alienate them [i.e., the Muslim Brotherhood], they will retaliate; if we don't engage them on a certain level we're going to create more anti-Americanism... : Disregard it, for the simple reason that it's astoundingly mindless.
Is that now our new & improved national security policy, i.e., we won't fight those who seek our destruction because by fighting our enemies, we create more enemies?! (Anyone want to hire Osama bin Laden? That'll engage him!)
Excellent Debate
Quite the good debte between Lt. Col. Ralph Peters and Andrew McCarthy (although sounds as if Lt. Colonel Peters is living in La La Land, when it comes to the Muslim Brotherhood...).
See video clip HERE.
It's (Not) The Size, Stupid
You'll all be happy to hear that Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano is back in the U.S., after a grueling, week-long "security-focused" trip to Europe and the Middle East (including a stop in Afghanistan, where she counseled the Afghans on border security, an area of great expertise on her part, which border states such as Arizona and Texas will no doubt confirm).
One of her stops was in Israel, where she received a guided tour and detailed review of security procedures at Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport, widely-considered among the best in the world.
So what were Sherlock Napolitano's findings?
"There are real differences...in size and scale between Israel and the United States," she said, noting that the U.S. has 450 international airports, while Israel has only one major international airport, and what's effective in Israel, a nation of 7.3 million, would not necessarily work for America, with 310 million.
Got it? According to Sherlock Napolitano, it's the size that counts, not the system.
For those interested in hearing/learning more than a simple it won't work 'cause we're big and they're small, check out this radio interview (below) with Israeli airport security expert, Rafi Sela.
Spreading Holiday Cheer The Islamic Way
As is often the case with followers of the Religion of Peace, below is a sampling of what they've been doing this Holiday Season, to spread cheer and goodwill throughout the world:
In PAKISTAN, a female suicide bomber killed at least 45 and wounded more than 100, at a food distribution center on Christmas Day; Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Story here.
In CENTRAL NIGERIA, at least 32 people were killed in bomb blasts during Christmas Eve celebrations. Story here.
In NORTHERN NIGERIA, at least 6 people were killed by Islamists in Christmas eve attacks on churches. Story here.
In THAILAND, Islamic militants shot and killed three people, including a married couple, for selling pork at a weekly market. Story here.
In PAKISTAN, an evangelist was beaten and set on fire by six Muslim men, for preaching the gospel. Story here.
In BAGHDAD, Iraqi Christians marked somber Christmas in the same church where less than two months ago, dozens from their beleaguered community were killed by Muslim extremists intent on driving them from Iraq. Story here.
In PHILIPPINES, 11 people were wounded Saturday when a bomb went off in a church during Christmas mass, in an area that is a stronghold of al-Qaida-linked militants. Story here.
In PAKISTAN, religious parties are planning protests this Christmas weekend against any attempts to change the country's blasphemy laws. The laws, which mean anyone convicted of insulting Islam can be punished, have been brought into focus by the case of a Christian woman who's been sentenced to death. Story here.
And the list goes on and on, so here's a suggestion for Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and wife Daisy Khan, i.e., organizers of the Ground Zero mosque: Rather than going around spreading multi-culti understanding here in NY, or going on a nationwide speaking tour (next month) to encourage tolerance and interfaith dialogue in the U.S., how about spreading some of that tolerance and understanding where it's needed most, i.e., among your co-religionists throughout the world?!
Free Colonoscopies For Everyone
The DailyMail.co.uk reports today that al-Qaeda "fanatics" (are there any other kind?!) may be planning horrific "Frankenbomber" suicide attacks by implanting explosives into a human body.
Surprised? I'm not, since it was only a matter of time until these so-called fanatics figured out a way to evade the latest TSA brainstorm.
Yes, I know (or so I'm told), the new & improved Grope-a-Dope and Scan screening methods used at our airports today make it that much harder for fanatics to give way to their fanaticism, while in the meantime, TSA can look for better ways to protect the flying public. Well, that's great except that they, i.e., the fanatics, are always leaps and bounds ahead of us, and we're always focused on the last security breach.
I'm not against using security measures at our airports, I am against using STUPID security measures. Smart security measures would include looking to others for inspiration, like the Israelis - who've been successful in thwarting attempted terrorist attacks for decades now - and incorporating their methods into our system (e.g., focusing on the individual rather than the items they're carrying on board; hiring/training screeners who are capable of exercising some discretion and doing more than robotic pat-downs/scans, etc.).
In fact, a good place to start would be with our military vets, who've just returned from Afghanistan and Iraq. How about hiring/training (and properly paying) these folk to do airport security, since they actually know what an enemy looks/acts like?!
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SAF and FPC Sue New York City Over 'Proper Cause' Requirement for Carry Permits
From the Second Amendment Foundation:
The Second Amendment Foundation and Firearms Policy Coalition today filed a federal lawsuit against New York City regulations that essentially combine to ban average law-abiding citizens from carrying loaded handguns outside the home for personal protection. The case is known as Greco v. City of New York.
SAF and FPC are joined by George Greco, a private citizen in New York. Named as defendants are the City of New York and Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, in his official capacity. The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Plaintiffs are represented by attorney David Jensen.
The lawsuit challenges the inability of ordinary law-abiding citizens to obtain licenses to carry handguns in New York City. While honest citizens have a fundamental right to bear arms for self-protection, the complaint explains, the New York Police Department requires applicants to provide a "proper cause," which amounts to demonstrating a special or heightened need. As arbitrarily enforced, this requirement prevents average citizens from obtaining a carry permit, which violates their fundamental right to bear arms outside the home.
"The right to bear arms must be available to all citizens in New York, not just wealthy people and celebrities," said SAF Founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb. "Like other rights protected by the Constitution, that right is not limited to the confines of one's home. Ever since the SAF Supreme Court victory in McDonald v. City of Chicago ten years ago, the Second Amendment absolutely applies in New York."
"People in New York have a right to carry a loaded handgun in public for self-defense, and contrary to what Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio think, the Constitution fully applies in the City and State of New York," said FPC President Brandon Combs. "The Supreme Court in Heller was clear that to 'bear' arms means to 'carry' them on the person in case of confrontation.' Anything that denies a law-abiding citizen the ability to exercise that right is unconstitutional, period."
"Like the lawsuit against New Jersey's carry ban we filed earlier this week, we are suing New York City over their unconstitutional ban that prevents typical, law-abiding people from carry loaded, operable handguns on their person in public places," explained attorney Adam Kraut, FPC's Director of Legal Strategy. "The State of New York and New York City have enacted broad criminal laws to prohibit the carry of handguns, and then set up an unconstitutional requirement for the issuance of a license to carry, thus completely foreclosing the right. This case seeks to strike down these laws and allow New Yorkers and visitors to exercise the right to bear arms as they are entitled to."
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
Tagged: Carry, City, FPC, Permits, Proper, Requirement, SAF, Sue, York
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New Brunswick Scotties Tournament of Hearts 2012 - turniej wyłaniający mistrzynie Nowego Brunszwiku i reprezentację tej prowincji na Scotties Tournament of Hearts 2012. Turniej finałowy odbył się w dniach 25-29 stycznia 2012 w Oromocto na lodowisku Gage Golf & Curling Club.

Czwarty raz z rzędu tytuły mistrzowskie wywalczył zespół Rebekki Atkinson, w finale wynikiem 7:5 pokonał ekipę Mary Jane McGuire. W mistrzostwach Kanady drużyna wygrała 5 a przegrała 6 spotkań i została sklasyfikowana na 7. miejscu.

Drużyny

Klasyfikacja końcowa

Play-off

Finał

Półfinał

Round Robin

Sesja 1.

Sesja 2.

Sesja 3.

Sesja 4.

Sesja 5.

Sesja 6.

Sesja 7.

Zobacz też
 Sezon 2011/2012 w curlingu

Bibliografia
 Oficjalna strona internetowa New Brunswick Scotties Tournament of Hearts 2012

2012 w curlingu
2012


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Publications of HSE
Китай в период мирового кризиса: бенефициар, жертва или виновник?
Higher School of Economics
National Research University
HSE Academic Journals
HSE Publishing House
HSE Working Papers
HSE Data Books
business informatics
IT and mathematics
state and public administration
Middle-Class Russians Reduce Spending When It Comes to Themselves but Not Their Children
Middle-class Russians are more likely to reduce spending on the development of their own human capital and prioritize investing in their children instead, particularly when it comes to their children's education. This is evidenced by a study conducted by the Centre for Studies of Income and Living Standards of HSE University.
How Lockdown Has Changed Life for Russian Women
Researchers Yulia Chilipenok, Olga Gaponova, Nadezhda Gaponova and Lyubov Danilova of HSE – Nizhny Novgorod looked at how the lockdown has impacted Russian women during the COVID-19 pandemic. They studied the following questions: how women divided their time; how they worked from home; how they got on with their partners and children; and how they dropped old habits and started new ones in relation to nutrition, health, beauty, and self-development.
Catastrophe and Opportunity: HSE University Experts Learn the Lessons of Crises of the Last Hundred Years
The idea for the project, which studies the crisis experience, was born at HSE University's Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs last spring, when it became clear that the pandemic and lockdown had given rise to a new systemic crisis, based on numerous contradictions that have accumulated in the world over the past decades. The results of the scientific Lessons from the Crises of the Past project have been presented to the portal's news service by Igor Makarov, Head of HSE University's School of World Economy.
Chapters of books
Research at HSE
Вопросы экономики. 2010. № 9. С. 93-114.
Мозиас П. М.
Research target: Economics and Management (including Public Administration)Political Science (including International Relations)
Priority areas: economics
Keywords: финансово-экономический кризиснорма сбережениявалютные резервыинфляциядефляциярынки капитальных активовспекулятивный капиталКитайкитайская экономикамировая экономикаэкономика отдельных странэкономика постсоциалистических странэкономические проблемы развивающихся странэкономические циклы и кризисыстабилизация экономики
Черные лебеди и биржа
Алескеров Ф. Т., Егорова Л. Г. Экономический журнал Высшей школы экономики. 2010. Т. 14. № 4. С. 492-506.
Analyzing the reasons of financial crises in the book «The Black Swan» N.N. Taleb concludes that modern economic models badly describe reality for they are not able to forecast such crises in advance. We tried to present processes on stock exchange as two random processes one of which happens rather often (regular regime) and the other one - rather rare. Our answer is that if regular processes are correctly recognized with the probability a bit higher than 1/2, this allows to get positive average gain. We believe that this very phenomenon lies in the basis of unwillingness of people to expect crises permanently and to try recognizing them.
ФИНАНСОВЫЕ КРИЗИСЫ, биржа, пуассоновский процесс, financial crises, Stock exchange, Poisson processes
Россия и Китай: возможности и развитие региональной интеграции
Шарко С. В. М.: ООО «Ин-кварто», 2010.
Added: Oct 7, 2012
Общий обзор китайского рынка облигаций
Афонина С. Г., Ван Ц., Лапшин В. А. Финансовая инженерия, риск-менеджмент и актуарная наука. WP16. Высшая школа экономики, 2013. № WP16/2013/01.
The paper presents an outline of the Chinese bond market. It gives an overview of the Chinese bond market history and western research on this topic. The paper also gives a description on the market structure, infrastructure, regulation, participants and trading instruments of the today's Chinese bond market.
Экономический рост и бизнес-циклы в экономике
Н. Новгород: Нижегородский филиал ГУ-ВШЭ, 2007.
Азия и новый энергетический мир 2030
Синицын М. В., Жуков С. В. В кн.: Азиатские энергетические сценарии 2030. Магистр, 2012.
Россия и Договор Энергетической хартии
Белый А. В. ЭКО. 2010. № 6. С. 97-114.
Development of standards of international controllability is reviewed in the article. Institutional approach is applied to development of international legal regime of Energy Charter. Definition of controllability is connected to development of international standards of dispute settlement, which are described in the article in detail. In connection with controllability, Russian interest, defense of investment in European Union and ecological investment encouragement, is reviewed in the article.
мировое управление и управляемость, Мировая экономика, международное экономическое право, энергетическая хартия, International control and controllability, International economics, international economic law, Energy Charter
Realeconomik. The Hidden Cause of the Great Recession (And How to Avert the Next One)
Yavlinsky G. A. New Haven; L.: Yale University Pre, 2011.
This book directly confronts uncomfortable questions that many prefer to brush aside: if economists and other scholars, politicians, and business professionals understand the causes of economic crises, as they claim, then why do such damaging crises continue to occur? Can we trust business and intellectual elites who advocate the principles of Realpolitik and claim the "public good" as their priority, yet consistently favor maximization of profit over ethical issues?
Former deputy prime minister of Russia Grigory Yavlinsky, an internationally respected free-market economist, makes a powerful case that the often-cited causes of global economic instability—institutional failings, wrong decisions by regulators, insufficient or incorrect information, and the like—are only secondary to a far more significant underlying cause: the failure to understand that universal social norms are essential to thriving businesses and social and economic progress. Yavlinsky explores the widespread disregard for moral values in business decisions and calls for restoration of principled behavior in politics and economic practices. The unwelcome alternative, he warns, will be a twenty-first-century global economy in the grip of unending crises.
Grigory Yavlinsky is a Russian economist and founder and member of the Russian United Democratic Party (YABLOKO). As deputy prime minister of Russia in 1990, he wrote the first Russian economic program for transition to a free-market economy, 500 Days. He lives in Moscow.
"Grigory Yavlinsky's book is an important contribution to understanding the interplay between social norms and modern economy. The current global crisis makes his analysis especially relevant."—George Soros
"Reading Grigory Yavlinsky's remarkable book, I was reminded of Adam Smith, also a moral philosopher concerned with the correlation between individual aspirations and the enlightened evolution of society. It is invaluable to have the perspective of an intellectual such as Yavlinsky writing in the shadow of swiftly moving events on the global stage. He explains how market mechanisms influence international developments ranging from instability in European markets to the recent 'Great Recession' in the United States."—Vartan Gregorian, President, Carnegie Corporation of New York
"Yavlinsky provides a new and in-depth interpretation of the events leading to the current recession and broader interpretations of how to avoid future ones. Realeconomik has my enthusiastic endorsement."—Michael D. Intriligator, University of California, Los Angeles
"With clarity and eloquence, Yavlinsky argues that the deepest cause of the global recession was the erosion of the world economy's moral dimensions. As a professional economist who has long been a leader of the Russian opposition, he knows how to splice politics and economics. As a politician who has repeatedly declined high office on grounds of principle, he lends the book additional authority. Realeconomik is a work that will, I believe, help to spark a public debate on issues of profound importance for humankind."—Peter Reddaway, George Washington University
Мировая экономика – площадка для решения водных проблем
Лихачева А. Б. В кн.: XII Международная научная конференция по проблемам развития экономики и общества. В четырех книгах. Книга 2. Кн. 2. М.: Издательский дом НИУ ВШЭ, 2012. С. 95-105.
Those Unpredictable Recessions
Smirnov S. V. Economics. EC. Высшая школа экономики, 2011. No. 02.
Contemporary global economic life is measured in days and hours, but most common economic indicators have inevitable lags of months and sometimes quarters (GDP). Moreover, the real-time picture of economic dynamics may differ in some sense from the same picture in its historical perspective, because all fluctuations receive their proper weights only in the context of the whole. Therefore, it's important to understand whether the existing indicators are really capable of providing important information for decision-makers. In other words, could they be useful in real-time? Why then was it so difficult for the experts to recognize the turning points in real time? What hampers this ability to recognize? Can a turning points' forecast be entirely objective? The paper answers these questions in terms of three cyclical indicators for the USA (LEI by the Conference Board, CLI by OECD and PMI by ISM) during the last 2008–2009 recession.
Deconstructing the BRICs: Structural Transformation and Aggregate Productivity Growth
de Vries G. J., Erumban A. A., Timmer M. P. et al. Economics. EC. Высшая школа экономики, 2011. No. 04.
This paper studies structural transformation and its implications for productivity growth in the BRIC countries based on a new database that provides trends in value added and employment at a detailed 35-sector level. We find that for China, India and Russia reallocation of labour across sectors is contributing to aggregate productivity growth, whereas in Brazil it is not. However, this result is overturned when a distinction is made between formal and informal activities. Increasing formalization of the Brazilian economy since 2000 appears to be growth-enhancing, while in India the increase in informality after the reforms is growth-reducing.
Компании интернет-индустрии как участники мировых политических процессов
Зиновьева Е. С. В кн.: Негосударственные участники мировой политики. М.: Аспект Пресс, 2013. С. 72-80.
Added: Mar 16, 2013
Экономическая активность населения России в 1990-е гг.
Гимпельсон В. Е. Проблемы рынка труда. WP3. Высшая школа экономики, 2002. № 01.
Барбер М. Приказано добиться результата. Как была обеспечена реализация реформ в сфере государственных услуг Великобритании / пер. с англ. под науч. ред. Я.И. Кузьминова, А.В. Клименко. М.: НИУ ВШЭ, 2011. 394 с. (рецензия)
Жулин А. Б., Кнутов А. В., Синятуллина Л. Х. Вопросы государственного и муниципального управления. 2012. № 1. С. 185-190.
Edited by: М. А. Пильгун Вып. 12. М.: АПК и ППРО, 2012.
Формирование и развитие инновационной экономики: материалы международной научно-практической конференции
Edited by: Г. В. Жданкин, Л. Н. Ирхина, А. Чиликов Н. Новгород: Нижегородская государственная сельскохозяйственная академия, 2010.
Социально-экономические преобразования и проблемы
Edited by: З. М. Саралиева, А. А. Иудин Вып. 1. Н. Новгород: Издательство НИСОЦ, 2011.
The impact of state-controlled banks on the Russian banking sector
Vernikov A. V. Eurasian Geography and Economics. 2012. Vol. 53. No. 2. P. 250-266.
The paper examines the structure, governance, and balance sheets of state-controlled banks in Russia, which accounted for over 55 percent of the total assets in the country's banking system in early 2012. The author offers a credible estimate of the size of the country's state banking sector by including banks that are indirectly owned by public organizations. Contrary to some predictions based on the theoretical literature on economic transition, he explains the relatively high profitability and efficiency of Russian state-controlled banks by pointing to their competitive position in such functions as acquisition and disposal of assets on behalf of the government. Also suggested in the paper is a different way of looking at market concentration in Russia (by consolidating the market shares of core state-controlled banks), which produces a picture of a more concentrated market than officially reported. Lastly, one of the author's interesting conclusions is that China provides a better benchmark than the formerly centrally planned economies of Central and Eastern Europe by which to assess the viability of state ownership of banks in Russia and to evaluate the country's banking sector.
Институт минимальной заработной платы в странах ОЭСР
Вишневская Н. Т. Проблемы рынка труда. WP3. Высшая школа экономики, 2005. № 03.
The paper examines the institute of minimum wage in developed and transition economies and in a number of the developing countries. First of all the institutional mechanism of minimum wage fixing is considered. One of the sections explores the dynamics of absolute and relative levels of minimum wage. The special attention is paid to the impact of the institute of minimum wage on the labour market. The author considers the mechanism of transmission of the minimum wage increases on the employment and unemployment dynamics. The paper also contains the result of the empirical research. The experience of many countries witnesses that large increases in minimum wage levels lead to the stagnation of the employ-ment, especially of the disadvantaged groups. The negative effect is larger for the companies with higher share of labour costs and more active use of unqualified labour, that is small businesses and agricultural enterprises. One of the main conclusions is that the minimum wage is not an effective tool of the poverty reduction as the majority of the recipients live in households of average and upper average income.
Анализ предложений по надзору за деятельностью финансовых конгломератов
Пеникас Г. И., Малков Е. С. Банковское дело. 2012. № 5. С. 30-32.
The paper examines the principles for the supervision of financial conglomerates proposed by BCBS in the consultative document published in December 2011. Moreover, the article proposes a number of suggestions worked out by the authors within the HSE research team.
Численность и состав российской бюрократии: между советской номенклатурой и госслужбой гражданского общества
Экономика и управление: проблемы и перспективы развития. Сборник научных статей по итогам международной научно-практической конференции г.Волгоград 15-16 ноября 2010 г.
Ч. 1. Волгоград: Волгоградское научное издательство, 2010.
Competition impact of market structure: The case of banking services markets in two Russian regions
Anisimova A. I., Muradyan P. A., Vernikov A. V. SSRN Working Paper Series. Social Science Research Network, 2011. No. 1919817.
This empirical paper adds to competition and industrial organization literature by exploring the interplay between industry structure and competitiveness on local, rather than nation-wide, markets. We use micro-level statistical data for banks in two Russian regions (Bashkortostan and Tatarstan) to estimate Herfindahl-Hirschman index, Lerner index, and Panzar-Rosse model. We estimate Panzar-Rosse model in two ways: via the widely used price-equation that accounts for scale effects and then via a revenue-equation that disregards scale effects as suggested by Bikker et al. (2009). We find both regional markets to be ruled by monopolistic competition, although estimation by revenue-equation does not reject monopoly hypothesis for Tatarstan. Existence of sizeable locally-owned and operated institutions does not necessarily lead to higher competitiveness of the given regional market, and the results from non-structural methods of estimation suggest that bank competition in Bashkortostan is stronger than in Tatarstan. Going further away from aggregated analysis we compute Lerner indices in two product segments of Tatarstan – retail and corporate loans – and find that retail segment is significantly more competitive. Local banks exert more market power in corporate loans, while federal branches – in retail loans.
Обновляемый образовательный ресурс "Экономическая школа НИУ ВШЭ"
Added: Feb 22, 2013
Влияние выбора целей и инструментов политики денежных властей на уязвимость экономик
Трунин П. В., Дробышевский С. М., Евдокимова Т. В. М.: Издательский дом «Дело» РАНХиГС, 2012.
Правовые институты в России 2000-2007 годах: взгляд со стороны бизнеса
Яковлев А. А. Общественные науки и современность. 2008. № 4. С. 21-37.
An Optimal Incentive Contract Preventing Excessive Risk-Taking by a Bank Manager
Penikas H. I. Financial Economics. FE. Высшая школа экономики, 2012. No. 03.
The Basel Committee of Banking Supervision initiated a discussion on the most efficient practices to prevent bank managers from excessive risk-taking. This paper proposes a game-theoretical approach, describing the decision-making process by a bank manager who chooses his own level of risk and effort. If the level of risk implies the variability of the future outcome, the amount of effort applied affects the probability of a positive outcome. Although effort is unobserved for the bank's stakeholders, the risk level is under control, and is associated with certain indicators such as capital adequacy ratio or leverage level. The risk-neutral utility function of a bank manager and a binary game outcome of gaining profit or loss for a bank are assumed. Starting from the general incentive contract scheme having the fixed and variable parts of remuneration, it is proposed that differentiating the variable part of remuneration is sufficient to motivate bank managers to make fewer risky decisions. More precisely, the variable part of remuneration (e.g. the share of the bank's profit) needs to be higher in proportion to the higher variance of outcome for the high -risk outcome case to stimulate a bank manager to opt for lower-risk decisions in place of higher-risk situations.
На океанских волнах. Россия в мировом кризисе
Уринсон Я. М. Вестник Европы. 2014. № 38-39.
Added: Feb 5, 2018
Modeling policy response to global systemically important banks regulation
Penikas H. I., Titova Y. Financial Economics. FE. Высшая школа экономики, 2012. No. 02.
In this paper we elaborate a simple model that allows for the predicting of possible reactions from financial institutions to more stringent regulatory measures introduced by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) in regard to global systemically important banks (G-SIBs). The context is framed by a 2011 BCBS document that proposes higher capital requirements for global systemically important banks. We attempt to analyze bank interactions in an oligopolistic market that is subject to demand constraints on loan amounts and additional loss absorbency requirements introduced by the regulator. We distinguish between the bank's announced funding cost that determines both the loan amount issued and the market interest rate, and the bank's true funding cost that has a direct impact on retained earnings. We conclude that in a two-stage game both banks will announce the highest funding cost, thus reducing the amount of loans granted (in line with the regulator's objective), but at the expense of a higher cost of borrowing established in the market. If the game is repeated, then both banks also choose lower loan amounts in the periods prior to the last one in which the declared funding cost is the lowest possible. It should be noted that the designated outcome also coincides with the findings of the Monetary Economic Department of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
Применение различных вариантов правила передачи голосов
Карпов А. В., Вольский В. И. Полития: Анализ. Хроника. Прогноз. 2011. № 2. С. 162-174.
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Dine indoors surrounded by beautiful murals, or enjoy the charming outdoor patio, which, of course, is dog friendly! Mediterranean inspired food and an excellent wine list make this affordable and comfortable restaurant a great choice for both locals and visitors. If you choose the patio, you can relax around the stone fire pit and every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 6pm – 9pm you can also enjoy live music.
Hours: Brunch is served from 10am – 4pm daily and Lunch/Dinner is available daily from 10am 'til late.


If you can afford to attract attention, an electric or plug in hybrid car may be a good choice. There are some used ones available, perhaps for as little as $100, if you are confident about your ability to fix or modify. Typically they are cheap because the battery is marginal or worse. If it won't run at all, you can't really determine how much else needs fixing. Some rather small light weight lithium ion batteries are available at better prices than last year. So you take out the old battery and install lithium ion batteries to total the same or slightly more voltage than the original battery. I think you figure 3.6 volts per cell, but according to one source the 50 cells should stop trickle charging when the total voltage reaches 210 volts = 4.2 volts per cell. Possibly the original battery was more than 200 volts. If you have to build your own charger, a full wave bridge rectifier will trickle charge to a bit over 320 volts with nothing, but a fuse or circuit breaker in series, with 240 volts input. Multiple batteries are good as you can lift them without a fork lift or equivenent and you may decide to sell the first vehicle and buy a different one with a different battery voltage. Do get all the same amp-hour rating, preferably with the same cells. Most lithium ion battery packs come with installed safety devices which will possibly interfer with charging the packs in series. Your range may only be a few miles, but now you can test drive the car and the existing systems. It should perform better than new with the reduced weight. The over charge protection may not be adequit for the lithium ion battery, so you will have to be careful about over charge.
More likely the chargers that you got with the car won't fully charge your lithium ion battery, but 80% or so charge is fine for lithium ion batteries, except for reduced range. They are best charged early and often. Most of them are damaged by discharging below about 3 volts per cell. Even undersized by amp-hours, they can easily provide more kilowatts than the original battery and can be charged safely to about 90% in minutes instead of hours, if the charging system can produce 50 KW or so. Likely you can't get 50KW from your main circut breaker in your house until you pay your utility a big bundle of money for an up grade as 50 KW is about 220 amps at 230 volts, which is likely more volts than you will get from the utility companies transformer at 220 amps, even if your main circuit breaker is 300 amps.
Have you done this successfully? What did you use..... car and components?
The original Honda Civic hybrid was 120 NiMH D cells in series (144 volts) behind the back seat--but you couldn't find that out in the user's manual.
I have a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid. I have a vague memory that the battery system is 55 volt, though I don't know for sure.
This is the third hybrid our family has had. My wife has a 2003 Civic hybrid that still runs great, I had a 2005 Escape hybrid that I retired just last year at 207,000 miles (not because of battery problems) and at that time bought the used 2008. None of them have had battery problems. I work with a guy that has 3 Priuses in his household. My impression is that the hybrid batteries are an uncommon failure mode of hybrids.
Sounds about right, Neil. Swift, you're blessed! I have a friend whose Prius battery pack tanked around 120k miles. He's getting it fixed, but it's not covered under warranty, so it's quite expensive.
Yeah, your friend had the worst case. I know on the Ford and Honda (and I think Toyoto too), the battery is covered up to 100k, so your friend missed it.
This Ford Escape Hybrid wiki ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Escape%23Hybrid ) says it has/had? 250 NiMH cells producing 330 volts.


as possible. There have been several cases where the client neglected to give the investigator a certain piece of crucial information which was extremely important to the outcome of the case. The investigator, (OK, it was me), eventually figured it out, but it took twice as long as it would have if the client would have supplied the information initially. The investigator also needs to be aware of what questions to ask the client. Sometimes there is not much information to go on, but the investigator should be experienced enough to know what to ask the client for. You are better off with too much information than too little. I would personally rather have too much information than not enough!
directly with the client over the phone. A few years back we had a case where is was necessary for our client to contact us immediately and inform us that the subject of the investigation was going to be arriving where he previously worked to sign some papers. Since we had no idea what this individual looked like or what he drove, the client needed to stay on the phone and inform us when the individual arrived and when he was walking out the front door. It turns out that doing this was absolutely critical to solving the case. Without good communication, I doubt it would have worked out as well as it did.
The next thing you should expect from any reputable investigations company is, can they tell you what their background is and where they received their training? Can they tell you how long they have been doing investigations and roughly how many cases they have worked on. If you are dealing with a large investigations company you should be able to speak with the particular investigator directly and determine what his experience or specialty is.