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The Pope on Climate Change, Science, and Morality: Can His Message Change the Conversation?
Angela Anderson, Director, Climate & Energy | June 12, 2015, 1:24 pm EDT
Pope Francis has something important to say about climate change, and deniers who have used religion as their last bastion should take note. In this Pope's world, science and religion are calling in harmony – and with urgency – for action on climate. The Pope is a leader of many firsts: the first Latin American pontiff, the first Jesuit, likely the first with a chemistry degree, and the first to issue a formal teaching for Catholics around the world that equates climate action with caring for one another. A recent poll indicates he will reach a very receptive audience.
I first learned of the Pope's pending encyclical on climate change while preparing to make remarks on climate change during the Earth Day service at my church. Questions about faith and science, climate change as a moral issue, and individual responsibility swirled in my mind as I struggled to create a message that would communicate the urgency of sea level rise, global average temperature increase, and the impacts of extreme weather — without triggering the polarization that is often triggered by discussions of this sort, especially in a suburban DC congregation.
I have never felt there was a disconnect between my Christian faith and my work for what scientists have told us about our planet – and neither does Pope Francis, who not only received a technical degree in chemistry, but has also benefitted from a Vatican convening of scientists and social scientists to inform the forthcoming encyclical.
A workshop organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and Religions for Peace on April 28, 2015 concluded with this decisive and urgent statement on climate change. Image: 350.org
Climate denial among religious conservatives confuses politics and faith
I came across an April speech by Cardinal Peter K A Turkson previewing the encyclical. In it he explained that the Pope was conscious of this same dynamic when developing the climate statement. The Cardinal reported that "the Holy Father said that one of the challenges he faces in his encyclical on ecology is how to address the scientific debate about climate change and its origins. The Pope knew that the encyclical would have its critics and challengers if it asserted that human causation was scientific fact."
Speculation on the reaction to the Pope's teaching on climate change began late last year. This Guardian article from December wonders about U.S. reaction given the existence of climate-doubting politicians and groups like the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation, which it said claimed to represent "millions of Evangelical Christians" and has previously declared the U.S. environmental movement to be a false religion.
As predicted, climate change foot-draggers and deniers have been gearing up to undermine influence of the encyclical. It is unfortunate that some conservatives, who speak more for an ideology than a religion, have already dismissed the Pope before reading his words. They stand not on scientific consensus but on shaky ground.
Katherine Hayhoe, a climate scientist and evangelical Christian, did an interview last week and discussed climate denial among Christians at length and pointed out that climate denial doesn't usually originate with religious leaders: "Where are we Christians getting the idea that the science is fake? Those ideas don't originate with our pastors or our Christian leaders (although many of them propagate the ideas). It's the conservative media, whose values and ideology many of us evangelicals agree with and trust, who are telling us it's not real. There's nothing in the Bible that says it isn't."
She goes on to say that climate denial among religious conservatives confuses politics and faith. "There is nothing in the Bible that says that you can't be a Christian if you care about creation and what climate change is doing to it. The problem is really not with our faith. The problem is that for many of us, we've forgotten what our faith is."
Sustainability and climate change are not political and economic issues — they are moral issues
News reports indicate that the encyclical will assert that sustainability and climate change are not political and economic issues — they are moral issues. It will point to harm to human beings that result from climate change – from reduced drinking water availability to growing hunger to complete inundation of communities — and sometimes entire countries — by rising seas. The encyclical will also bring a theological lens to the politicized climate conversation, citing scripture that links God's greatness with the grandeur of the earth; calling for stewardship, and calling out the failure to protect the earth as sacrilegious. And it will reaffirm that the burden of climate change or attempts to deal with climate change should not be borne solely by the poor – those whom Jesus called "the least of these" – but should be shouldered by those to whom the most has been given.
Throughout the Hayhoe interview, she echoed those themes, sliding seamlessly from science to scripture saying, "The Bible says that we humans were given responsibility over "every living thing" on this planet. It talks about how choices have consequences, and how we are called to love others as Christ loved us. All of this is compatible with caring for the creation with which God has entrusted us and, even more, caring for others who are being harmed by our actions or our neglect."
The Latin title of the encyclical is, "Praise be (Laudato Si'), on the care of our common home" from the Canticle of the Sun. I love this title. It signals to me that caring for each other is a value that supersedes our disagreements and debates. This theme follows from the notion that inflicting harm on the planet is morally wrong, because it inflicts harm on another human being. We should stop inflicting harm on the environment and instead use our energies to help the people most affected by it, who often have the least capacity to cope with it.
Feature image: Jeffrey Bruno/Flickr
Posted in: Global Warming Tags: climate-change, pope
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Anthony Endres
Fancis? Take care of the Pedophiles among your highest Church elites first, THEN you can line up at the end of that Bus of suggestions and commanding of what to do in regards to the faster anthropogenic Changing Climate. Accepting a Changing Climate's existence now does not make you the "expert", nor the leader of anything of particular importance. Just another non-denier of the obviously lesser deniable anymore, my good man Francis.
Lastly: It does not require courage nor some superstitious supremacist dumb old belief to stand for the undeniable, once it is undeniably dear Pope Francis and religious leaders of religious ideological self-importance.
Every idiot yield latest then, when human reality has turn undeniable! Best, A.O.
"In this encyclical, I especially propose to enter into discussion with everyone regarding our common home." Pope Francis
Hmm. So-so. If Francis truly wants a discussion with everyone regarding our common home, he would know that abandoning all religious beliefs and replacing subjective tribal dividing faith with objective scientific knowledge is the place to begin.
Ergo sadly: Neither Francis honorable as he might be, nor most believers are ready to do what it requires. Neither will the oldest big business institution of snakes-oil-selling abandon it's powers of illusions that easily.
Besides: Religion, a very old, very BIG business which flourishes the more humans suffer & are killed. #ReligionKills & so does the @KKK NRA ALEC GOP and ISIL too.
You don't dare keep this comment here anyway Union of Concerned Scientists,. . But you know as I do: As long as the human delusion called organized religion rules nearly everything via dynastic money, humans' minds are up their asses!
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I wonder if the Pope's message will resonate with those who already believe that climate change is real. If it does not convince the skeptics, let alone the deniers, then he will be 'preaching to the choir.'
I think there are two kinds of doubters about climate science. There are those whose sense of morality does not require a very strong commitment to the welfare of others. They believe it is up to each individual to 'pull himself up by his own bootstraps.'when it comes to solving these problems.
Then there are those like the Koch brothers. They are motivated by the wish to make as much money as possible. They don't care what impact their pursuit of 'happiness' has on the environment, let alone other people, as long as they can continue unfettered in their ways.
Has the Pope excommunicated any climate deniers yet? He has that prerogative!
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Fear mongering, bible thumping, planet loving climate blame "believers"? Too funny!
Since the Pope now embraces your climate blame "beliefs", will you inclusive and tolerant and accepting liberals now become; "anti-evolution, anti-gay and pro-life as well?
Denying the tropical fossils found under both polar caps denies evolution itself.
Mack Cyrill
Christian Liberals are pro-life as well…pro-children, anti-death penalty and anti-war…all pro-life. No one is "pro-abortion". Christian Liberals recognize that it is a difficult choice but it is between God and a woman. The Catholic Church is not anti-Evolution, and as far as gay rights are concerned, Liberal Christians are OK with that too. we don't have to change to be aligned with this Pope. You do.
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I absolutely recommend this article. It's like you know me (Being Catholic as well) and exactly how I feel about climate change. I'm very impressed! It gave me goosebumps.
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"It gave me goosebumps."
Worse than goosebumps, expect to be Willie the Woolly Mammoth Frozen.
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Angela Anderson is the director of the Climate and Energy Program.
Read Angela's posts >


With sweet crunchy corn in peak-season, it's readily available and at the height of its deliciousness. While fantastic simply steamed or boiled on the cob, corn is also wonderful grilled, and can take center stage as a featured ingredient in salads, salsas, and many other sides. When shopping for fresh corn, look for green moist husks that cling tightly to the corn. To determine if it's ripe, look for deep brown silk tips or ends — however, the whole silk should not be dried up — if it is, your corn is probably past its prime. A sure-fire way to make sure your corn is fresh and ripe is to peel back the husk slightly, and check the top row of kernels for plumpness. Dried or shriveled corn is a no-go. The ultimate test is to pierce a kernel with your fingernail. If it's milky, your corn is just right.
This flavorful fresh Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad is a perfect accompaniment to any summer meal. Try it with my Carne Asada, for a flavor-full fiesta!
1. In a small bowl, combine garlic, cumin and chili powder. Whisk in lime juice. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Add pinch of salt and dash of pepper.
2. Heat grill to high. Liberally brush corn with olive oil and lightly season all sides with salt and pepper. Grill with lid closed 10-12 minutes, turning every few minutes, until slightly charred on all sides.
3. Transfer corn to cutting board. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut off kernels. Place kernels in a large bowl and stir in onion, bell pepper and dressing. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add cilantro and avocado and toss gently to combine.
4. Serve immediately or cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.


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16 interesting and surprising products that are extremely popular on Amazon right now
By Connie Chen,
The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.
The Mighty Handle makes carrying bags way more convenient and comfortable. Each handle can carry up to 50 pounds.
Amazon has lots of hidden sections and unearthing them reveals some pretty interesting trends and products. "Movers and Shakers" is a cool section of Amazon that highlights the biggest gainers in sales rank over the past 24 hours. Sometimes the big sales rank jump happens because the product has been deeply discounted or it is a hotly anticipated new release. Other times, the explanation is not so clear and we're left wondering why an item is suddenly so popular.
We browsed the different departments to see what's trending and getting Amazon shoppers excited. Here is what we found:
"Game of Thrones" edible cake toppers
With the Season 7 finale airing in just a few days, it looks like fans are looking for additional ways to get their Game of Thrones fill and possibly planning fabulous watch parties.
CakeThat 24-Count Game of Thrones Edible Wafer Cake Toppers, $9.99, available at Amazon
"Rick and Morty" vinyl stickers
When people aren't talking about "Game of Thrones," they're talking about the animated sci-fi comedy "Rick and Morty." You can place these stickers on your car, laptop, fridge, skateboard, or anywhere you'd like to show off your fandom.
35-Piece Rick and Morty Vinyl Decal Set, $6.99, available at Amazon
Each pen now costs under $1 each. The flexible bristles and vibrant colors will allow you to execute your creative ideas beautifully.
Arteza Watercolor Brush Pens Set of 48, $37.99 (originally $119.99), available at Amazon
Pentatonix Christmas album
I personally can't handle Christmas cheer creeping up on me this early in the year, but that doesn't seem to bother the hordes of a capella fans who are eagerly pre-ordering this Christmas album.
A Pentatonix Christmas Deluxe Album, $11.98, available at Amazon
Frozen dessert maker
Get that ice cream texture and taste without the added sugar and fat by simply inserting any frozen fruit into the chute and pushing down.
Yonanas Frozen Healthy Dessert Maker, $49.99, available at Amazon
Mini bug zapper
Perfect for the summer, this 3000-volt zapper will kill pesky mosquitoes and other bugs instantly. At night, use the built-in LED light to light the way as you hunt down insects.
Zap-It! Mini Bug Zapper, $19.99 (originally $24.99), available at Amazon
Cafe Du Monde coffee
The iconic New Orleans French Market landmark Cafe Du Monde is open 24 hours a day, and now you can enjoy its coffee and chicory blend at any time from your home. Make some fresh beignets to complete the experience.
Cafe Du Monde 15-Ounce Coffee and Chickory, $8.65, available at Amazon
Gummy bear multivitamins
Containing important nutrients like vitamins A, C, D, and E, these gummy bears are nutritious and delicious. I have fond memories of eating these as a child and wondering if it was possible to die from eating too many at a time.
L'il Critters 190-Count Gummy Vites Complete Multivitamin, $9.39, available at Amazon
Clip-on phone lens
Take your iPhone photography to the next level and shoot new visual perspectives with these lens attachments. Use them for selfies, detailed close-ups, and more. The clip is compatible with any mobile device.
AUKEY 180° Fisheye Lens + 110° Wide Angle + 10x Macro Mini Clip-on Lens, $11.99 (originally $19.99), available at Amazon
Many of our colleagues at Business Insider recommended this toy for its durability and ability to keep their dogs occupied. You can add treats to the middle to extend playtime even more.
KONG Extreme Dog Toy (Large), $9.90, available at Amazon
Whether you're going camping or just want to hang out in your backyard, this lightweight nylon hammock is easy to set up and use.
Winner Outfitters Double Camping Hammock, $26.99 (originally $70), available at Amazon
Everyone tries to get their groceries to the final destination in as few trips as possible, a venture that often inflicts a lot of pain and loss of self-dignity along the way. The Mighty Handle makes carrying bags way more convenient and comfortable. Each handle can carry up to 50 pounds.
Mighty Handle 2-Pack, $9.99, available at Amazon
Interactive baby monkey
Personally, this toy monkey creeps me out a little, but kids love it because it can grab onto things, responds to sound, motion, and touch, and is a cute companion.
WowWee Fingerlings Interactive Baby Monkey, from $19.99, available at Amazon
Because some days call for eating Nutella straight out of the jar.
Nutella 2-Pack 13-Ounce Jars, $12.18, available at Amazon
Shampoo brush
The way you touch your scalp and wash your hair may be contributing to scalp problems like dandruff or scalp plaque psoriasis. This brush massages your scalp, distributes shampoo evenly, and scrubs shampoo away cleanly.
Scalpmaster Shampoo Brush, $3.40, available at Amazon
Marshmallow roasting sticks
If you're a frequent campfire cook, you'll want to invest in some quality stainless steel skewers. These can be used for marshmallows, sausages, and even fruit or vegetables. You'll have a firm grip and total control over your roast thanks to the rubber handle with finger indents.
mKitchen World Marshmallow Roasting Sticks, $16.99 (originally $37.64), available at Amazon
Connie Chen is a former senior reporter on the Insider Reviews team, where she led coverage of home textiles, home entertaining, and food and drink. While at Insider, she specialized in all the things that enhance life at home, from the most comfortable bed sheets and fluffy pillows to cool online wine clubs and bartender-approved cocktail shakers. She combined rigorous testing methods, conversations with professionals, and active knowledge of the home and kitchen space to help readers get the most out of their money. When she's not changing duvet covers or washing towels twice a day for articles, she loves talking about and trying the newest snacks, drinks, and food gifts. You can see more of her testing process and other behind-the-scenes of being a product journalist on her Instagram @connayreviews. Connie joined Insider Reviews as an early member in 2017 and has also reported on products and services in the style, tech, fitness, travel, and e-learning spaces, with a particular interest and expertise in emerging startups. She has represented the team at CES and moderated panels on media business and the future of retail. Connie graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in media studies and business administration, which help inform her perspective on and coverage of industry trends, as well as the competitive e-commerce landscape at large. Read some of her work: The 4 best cocktail shakers in 2021 The 7 best women's bathrobes in 2021 The 5 best wine openers and corkscrews we tested in 2021 The 5 best bed sheets we tested in 2021 The 5 best cordless vacuums we tested in 2021 12 direct-to-consumer kitchen startups that are changing the way we shop for cookware and knives 8 tableware startups changing the way we shop for dishes Even chefs experience cooking burnout — here's how they get re-inspired in the kitchen How businesses create successful virtual experiences 50 cookbooks from famous restaurants across the US that will help you recreate their best dishes at home Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test kitchen products.
You can purchase syndication rights to this story here.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
Read the original article on Insider Picks. Copyright 2017. Follow Insider Picks on Twitter.
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Never again fear the red wine stain.
This makes and excellent simple first course in the fall, when the late season radicchio has developed a pleasantly bitter taste that really sings with the Asiago and then dances like fireflies with the fresh crunchy and tart green apples.
White wine has long been in the purple shadow of red red wine when it comes to cheese pairings, but the tides are slowly turning.


A freshman and two sophomores are the standouts from these rosters. When I profile players, it means I'm pointing out only those who are currently professional level material or can be in short order. So … true quality!
Smooth, calm, and intelligent, the Northridge sophomore outside back demonstrates that the college game is too easy for him. If he's attacked … no problem, he's got it under control. When to delay, when to tackle, when to foul, etc … are all impeccable and executed with ease. On the ball, it is no different – quality touch and correct decision making.
But all of these attributes come to me as no surprise as he is a product of youth coach Rafa Moran.
Although Joe does have offensive projection, it is not as dangerous as it could be.
The lone player with quality on the UC Davis team. He embodies the essence of a holding midfielder – a defensive destroyer and simple distributor of the ball.
His touch, passes, and decision making stand out like a beacon of hope from the junk that is the Davis roster. In the true spirit of the D-mid position, he looks to feed his attacking mid or the wingers. If it's not on, he'll reset the play with the back line. All is done with the intention of keeping possession and commencing an orderly buildup to the attack.
To give you an idea of who he plays like … think Sergio Busquets.
Interestingly, Davis coach Shaffer started him in the offensive center mid role. I'm pretty sure the reason being that Jacob doesn't just launch the ball forward – and Shaffer's not having it. By placing him further up the field, Barron was forced to be more vertical.
He seems to be on his way to perfecting the D-mid role, but he needs work on that last 10% of the job. That is, the 1 out of 10 times when a holding midfielder should launch a vertical attack.
This is my first time watching him and I was impressed. The 18 year old defensive mid gives Northridge a proper build up out of the back. He rarely loses possession and plays the correct ball just about every time. Off the ball, he is constantly looking around to refresh his "map" of the field. This type of vision and awareness is a key differentiator between elite and non-elite players.
Alberto is an excellent centerpiece to build a team with.
I don't see him constantly barking orders!
Who in college do you think is pro quality? Let me know and I'll check them out.
I liked what I saw of Zarek Valentin and Perry Kitchen in the Milk Cup for the u-20s. Heard good things about Soony Saad in Michigan.
Otherwise, I generally just wait until they've hit MLS or whatever.
My brother was at Dallas Cup and did a complete report.
In short, he agrees with you about Zarek.
I know from USFC's Discover Europe tour where one of our players participated. He has good technique, but is brainless. No thank you.
Hah. Actually liked Zarek better at right back where he had some exceptionally good crosses.
Dunno how Kitchen looked in the u-17s, but he was fairly good in the Milk Cup. Maybe he's done some developing?
the "Multiple Touch buildups" starts out slow but there are some nice sequences later in the video (I'm about a quarter-way through).
I know Rafa well; and yes he is a good player.
The problem is he is not special. There are hundreds of Rafa's around the country. And that's just not good enough!
As a freshman, it looked like he was on his way to something and I would have listed him as a player to keep an eye on.
It's two years later and he's the same player. Regardless of his injury, there has been no development.
Absolutely not. Remember, I'm selecting the absolute best. If there are hundreds of Rafa Garcia's, then there are thousands of Camilo Rojas'.
You already know this, but look at any of the ex-players from Rafa's team(s). They are playing all over the country (mostly unheralded), but there are several playing locally too.
Rafa Moran is the best coach that you never heard of. You will not find a better coach in southern California (maybe the country) for getting youth players ready for the next level.
These are just a few off the top of my head. I'm sure I'm leaving out some great players, but you get the idea.
Hey Touchline! Good to have you here!
You are absolutely correct. Under his tutelage, these players all developed a high-level soccer brain. And most of them are the best on their respective college teams. I also predict there will be some professionals out of this crop.
If I owned an MLS franchise or were the AD for a university, I would be going bananas to hire him.
Is Rafa currently with a club? or is that training camp his teaching now?
As far as I know he is only training through "SWAP". I saw him yesterday and he didn't say anything about a new club, so I would guess NO.
I've heard so much about rafa's team. Is it true they played the best soccer in southern cali? Anyone have videos? Some one at a conference meet brought up his team as one of the best youth teams they have ever seen in the united states. Any Comments?
It's true that Rafa's team was very good. Whether they were the best or not is a matter of opinion. I had the pleasure of watching them many time and really enjoyed the style they played.
I have hours upon hours of video from this team, however most of the DVDs are poor quality.
I bet his player release to college must be great.. Just saw a list of about 15 kids from his team that are playing college. Is this videos of the academy or club team he had? I heard both teams were good.
His team/players were certainly among the best taught.
The best soccer? There were 3 teams in so-cal in that age group (90/91's) that played the right way. His was undeniably one of them.
In the first year of the DA, he added several quality players to the roster that made that team, in my opinion, the best in the nation.
US Soccer has DA games for sale. Maybe they have that LAFC team from 2007 – 2008.
What is the name of Rafa Moran's team? I can't find any information on who he currently coaches besides his training company.
The last team he coached was the 2007-2008 LAFC Academy team.


text:
Dick Hebdige
Richard "Dick" Hebdige (born 1951) is an expatriate British media theorist and sociologist most commonly associated with the study of subcultures, and its resistance against the mainstream of society. His best-known work is Cut 'N' Mix (1987).
Hebdige received his M.A. from the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies in Birmingham, United Kingdom. He is best known for his influential book in subcultural studies, Subculture: The Meaning of Style, originally published in 1979. He has been teaching in art schools since the mid-1970s. Having served as the Dean of Critical Studies and the Director of the experimental writing program at the California Institute of the Arts before going to the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he is currently a professor of film and media studies and art.
Hebdige's 1979 book Subculture: The Meaning of Style builds on earlier work at Birmingham on youth subcultures. But whereas much of this research was concerned with the relation between subcultures and social class in postwar Britain, Hebdige saw youth cultures in terms of a dialogue between Black and white youth. He argues that punk emerged as a mainly white style when Black youth became more separatist in the 1970s in response to discrimination in British society. Whereas previous research described a homology between the different aspects of a subcultural style (dress, hairstyle, music, drugs), Hebdige argues that punk in London in 1976-77 borrowed from all previous subcultures and its only homology was chaos. In making this argument he was drawing on the early work of Julia Kristeva who also found such subversion of meaning in French poets such as Mallarmé and Lautréamont.
His 1979 book Subculture has been criticized for offering a semiotic reading of punk and adopting an omniscient position in relation to it. Dave Laing in One Chord Wonders (1985) provides more of a sociology of punk. For example he shows that many punk musicians actually came from middle-class families (43%) and that there was a strong influence of art school students.
Hebdidge also wrote Cut 'n' Mix: Culture, Identity and Caribbean Music (1987) on Caribbean music and identity, and Hiding in the Light: On Images and Things (1988) a book of essays that includes some further thoughts about punk.
In 2008 he contributed a chapter to Sound Unbound: Sampling Digital Music and Culture edited by Paul D. Miller a.k.a. DJ Spooky.
Cut 'N' Mix: Culture, Identity, and Caribbean Music (1987) - Dick Hebdige
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Dick Hebdige" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on original research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
Retrieved from "http://www.artandpopularculture.com/Dick_Hebdige"


Receiving your fully laid out book back from the designer is often the first time it feels like a 'real thing'. Even though all you get is an electronic file – usually a PDF – it looks like a real book for the first time.
But the job's not done yet. From the outset I have talked about the fact that a book is different from most other writing projects. It needs to be done right. More than right. It needs to be done as perfectly as possible. So the next step – proofreading – is as important as any other.
Proofreading is not copyediting. Yes, there are similarities of course. But where copyediting is like the final quality control check on a car (checking that nothing is missing, and that everything is in the right place), proofreading is like the final detailing before delivery – making sure your book really shines.
In a perfect world, editing will have got the text of your book into perfect shape. Proofreading will just be about finding glitches introduced during the design and layout process. In practice you will still find pesky typos at the proofreading stage, but the focus will, hopefully, be more on the layout than on the words.
By this point you will probably have read your book so many times that you are thoroughly tired of it. That can be a good thing. When proofreading, you want to be 'looking' at the words rather than reading them. When we read we scan and tend to skip over words. When proofreading it is all about the detail, and often typos will be hiding in places that are so 'obvious' you can't believe you haven't noticed them before.
One trick some people use is to proofread backwards, forcing you to look at the detail rather than reading the text. You are looking for an extra space, a missing word, a misplaced line break, the same word accidentally repeated. This is the stuff of the fine-toothed comb.
In addition to the text, proofreading should also involve: checking chapter headings and sub-headings; checking the 'running headers' at the top of the page; checking the page numbers; cross-referencing the table of contents and the page numbers; verifying illustrations and their captions, if used; verifying all numbering ... and so on. Rather than try and see all of these at once, it pays to sweep through the proof multiple times, checking one area on each sweep. You'll need to do the same with the book's cover.
Like copyediting, proofreading is hard to do properly when you are very close to a project – which you obviously are being the author. It is certainly worth doing yourself, but it is also a good idea to involve someone else. It's less important that this is a professional, though it is still a good idea. But someone who you trust as detail oriented could be quite effective too.
Your designer will appreciate it if the changes you make at the proofreading stage are kept to a minimum. This is not the time to be rewriting slabs of your work. The laid-out book is not a word-processing document: any major change that involves repaginating (inserting or removing pages) will be time consuming for the designer and risks introducing a new round of errors.
You'll generally need to go back to the designer two or three times. The first round of proofreading will find most of the glitches. The second round is mostly to check that the designer has understood your corrections and made them accurately. (Don't re-proof the whole book at this stage: focus on checking that the original errors have been dealt with.) The final round should be very minor, just double-checking the previous round's corrections.
Producing a book that is entirely error free is very hard to do. On the other hand, a dedicated approach to proofreading should result in a book that is very close to perfect, with one or two typos, at most, sneaking through.


"education Lucian Leape Institute NPSF patient safety"
One of the more interesting tidbits I heard at the NPSF Conference was the belief that medical schools are not teaching enough about patient safety. The Lucian Leape Institute released a paper outlining five concepts that are fundamental to improving safety in the healthcare system. The first of the five items the Institute addressed was medical education reform. The group recently released a white paper addressing their recommendations on medical education reform entitled, "Unmet Needs: Teaching Physicians to Provide Safe Patient Care".
Members of the Lucian Leape Institute held a panel to discuss their recommendations at the conference. I got the feeling from the discussion that medical schools have been very focused on the technical aspects of medicine without teaching much about safety issue. Some of the recommendations presented included a need to place a higher priority on patient safety, as well as promoting teamwork and collaboration. There was a lot of discussion around teaching and integrating patient safety science throughout the entire medical education experience. The University of Central Florida has recently opened a new medical school, and they are trying to include these recommendations in their teaching philosophy. For example, there has been a strong focus on the importance of handwashing included in their Microbiology course. The discussions gave me a sense that this philosophy has been well received by the UCF students, and it may promote a safety focused cultural change.
I have seen patient safety education in Pharmacy school. A little over a year ago, I attended the "Safety and Quality in the Medication Use System" course at the University of Wisconsin. The course was split into teaching the Human Factors principles behind patient safety and the application of them in pharmacy. It addressed many of the major safety concerns currently in pharmacy, while provided tools and methodologies to develop solutions. Even though the first half was a lot of review, I found the course to be helpful to better understand the safety issues of pharmacy. I came to find out that I was in the minority among my classmates.
The course was required for all 3rd year pharmacy students before they started their clerkships. The safety research presented was coming at the tail end of their classroom education at a time when they were pretty burned out. Most of the students that I talked to felt there wasn't much value to the course and were more interested in learning more about drug interactions and other technical aspects of their field. Whenever we did group exercises that looked at the root cause analysis of a medication error, my teammates generally would quip, "maybe the lighting was bad." They seemed to think bad lighting was always a safe answer to provide as a reason for an error to occur in a pharmacy. (To be fair, that is sometimes part of the reason.) I found it disheartening to see such a cynical attitude coming from the students. A few of the students would tell me they did not quite understand why they were learning engineering principles in the class. Some students could tell it was important, but just didn't want to deal with it as they really needed to focus on their other courses. I actually approached the instructors to get their take. What I was pleased to learn was the instructors were always listening to the comments and suggestions to improve the course in the future. They admitted that the timing of when they taught the safety principles may have been coming late in their education, and could relate to the overworked students.
That is why I was pleased to hear the recommendations at the conference. Not only do I hope it catches on with other medical schools, but I hope it is looked at the other healthcare disciplines. The sooner the students are educated, the sooner they can appreciate the science and research behind reducing medical errors. I agree with the concept of integrating patient safety science into their traditional training. Having it as a separate course seems to create a bit of a disconnect between those principles and the everyday work the students will be engaging in. I would imagine earlier and integrated lessons will build acceptance and promote a safer culture.
I'm curious to know if the Wisconsin course was unique or if there are others like it. How was patient safety taught in your education, if at all?
Newer PostToo many medical scans?


text:
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Boston College takes down women's tennis in first round of ACC Championship
April 18, 2019 Riley Vance
By Riley Vance — No. 14 seed Louisville women's tennis faced No. 11 seed Boston…
Virginia sweeps women's tennis 7-0
April 7, 2019 Riley Vance
By Riley Vance — Women's tennis (10-10) traveled to Virginia this Sunday, April 7 only…
Women's tennis tallies eighth consecutive loss
By Riley Vance — Women's tennis (10-10) traveled to Virginia Tech (7-12) this Friday, April…
Recap: Boston College defeats women's tennis 5-2
March 31, 2019 Riley Vance
By Riley Vance– Women's tennis (10-10) hosted Boston College this Sunday for their senior day,…
Women's tennis falls to Syracuse, rebounds with win over Clemson
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text:
Big pictorial: ChessFest 2022
by ChessBase
8/2/2022 – Despite a searing heat and at least 32 degrees Celsius, the second ever ChessFest was staged by Chess in Schools and Communities in London's famous Trafalgar Square on Sunday 17th July, with sister events held in Hull and Liverpool. The UK's largest one-day chess event saw over 10,000 people visit, nearly double the number from last year.
ChessBase 17 - Starter Package
The main component of ChessFest was live re-enactments of two very famous games that are celebrating anniversaries: Game 3 from Fischer-Spassky, Reykjavik 1972 is celebrating its 50th birthday, while Game 6 from Kasparov-Deep Blue happened 25 years ago! The moves were given a dramatic interpretation by professional actors, accompanied by commentary and a 2D chess position being relayed on the giant screen
A raft of top players were drafted in to give lessons and simuls, including WGM Katarzyna Toma, warming up for Chennai...
GM Stuart Conquest showing his skills.
London's iconic Trafalgar Square, at a shade over 52 acres, was perfect for a mass participation outdoor chess event - and plenty of sun!
The Mayor of Westminster, Labour's Hamza Taouzzale, made the ceremonial first move to kick off ChessFest (left), seen flanked on either side by ChessFest commentators, Chris Ward and Malcolm Pein, while (right).
All day the fountains helped to keep the simul givers relatively cool.
With provision for over 500 people to play at a time and free chess lessons given by Chess in Schools and Communities' tutors, both the Casual Chess and Teaching Zones were full from start to finish. Some visitors came a fair way, but can you spot yourself or any of your club mates?
Executive Editor, Chief Executive of Chess in Schools and Communities, and ChessFest supremo, Malcolm Pein, donned a mask to give a demonstration of blindfold chess...
... while Editor Richard Palliser mainly gave simuls, but also briefly held court in the Challenge a Chess Master tent.
The above feature is reproduced from Chess Magazine August/2022, with kind permission.
About CHESS Magazine
CHESS Magazine was established in 1935 by B.H. Wood who ran it for over fifty years. It is published each month by the London Chess Centre and is edited by IM Richard Palliser and Matt Read.
The Executive Editor is Malcolm Pein, who organises the London Chess Classic.
CHESS is mailed to subscribers in over 50 countries. You can subscribe from Europe and Asia at a specially discounted rate for first timers, or subscribe from North America.
ChessBase Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.


text:
IPC President Parsons calls for vigilance but insists Paralympics can take place safely - as Japan records 20,000 daily COVID-19 cases for first time
By Patrick Burke
International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons insists he is confident the Games will be delivered safely when they commence on August 24.
Parsons is overseeing his first Summer Paralympic Games at Tokyo 2020, having been elected IPC President in 2017, but the comments come amid another rise in coronavirus cases in the Japanese capital.
The Brazilian is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and said the Olympic Games held in the Japanese capital from July 23 to August 8 provides a clear blueprint for the Paralympics to work from.
"With the Olympic Games, Tokyo and Japan has shown to the world that a major global sport event can be delivered safely, giving the world a much-needed morale boost," Parsons said in a pre-Paralympics message.
"For this achievement, I'd like to acknowledge the tireless work of Tokyo 2020, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Japanese Government and local authorities, and the IOC.
"The Games have proven that the COVID-19 countermeasures, which form the cornerstone of the playbooks, work.
"This can only give us confidence as we gear up for the Paralympic Games."
A third version of the playbooks was released by Tokyo 2020, the IOC and IPC in June, detailing COVID-19 protocols which all those involved at the Games must follow.
These include approximately 680,000 screening tests from July 1 to August 8, and around 43,000 airport tests
The playbooks also detail strict rules on wearing masks, limiting social contact and swift departures from Japan.
However, Tokyo has been reporting an increase in COVID-19 infections, and today the city once again post record figures - 5,773 new positive cases and 227 people hospitalised with severe symptoms.
Japan's daily figure of new coronavirus cases surpassed 20,000 for the first time today.
Andrews Parsons said the Tokyo 2020 Olympics provided a positive example of how the Paralympics can be held safely, and called on those involved to remain vigilant ©Getty Images
Tokyo is one of six prefectures in Japan under a state of emergency until the end of August, and Parsons is urging those involved in Paralympics to show vigilance.
"While it is encouraging that the Olympic Games were delivered safely and successfully, those attending the Paralympic Games should not get complacent," Parsons warned.
"We cannot ignore the current case numbers in Japan and Tokyo, and I urge every single stakeholder for the Paralympic Games to be vigilant and follow all measures outlined in the playbook.
"By doing this will we deliver safe Paralympic Games for all stakeholders, as well as the Japanese people."
The IPC President also expressed his excitement ahead of the start of the action, which will showcase Para athletes from almost 60 countries across 22 sports, and believes the Games will provide a significant boost to Para sport across the globe.
"With the Olympics now over, my excitement levels for the Paralympic Games are increasing by the minute, I just cannot wait to see 4,400 of the world's greatest Para athletes take centre stage," Parsons remarked.
"During the transition period, we are working hand-in-hand with the Organising Committee to finalise several matters that are unique to the Paralympic Games.
"The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games have the potential to be a game-changer not just for Japan but the wider world, in particular the 1.2 billion persons with disabilities who make up 15 percent of the global population.
"Since Tokyo won the right to stage the Games in 2013, we have been working with the Organising Committee and authorities to ensure the Paralympics can be a catalyst for change, leaving a wonderful legacy.
"The I'mPOSSIBLE schools programme is just one such example, and I sincerely hope the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games have a positive impact on Japanese children as this will go some way to a more inclusive society for years to come."
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games are scheduled to run from August 24 to September 5, with the Paralympic Torch Relay currently underway.
Parsons is expected to stand again for another term as President at the IPC General Assembly in December in Taipei City.
August 2021: Agitos logo to replace Olympic Rings monument for Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
August 2021: Paralympic Flames lit in Japan to mark beginning of Torch Relay
August 2021: Spectator ban in Tokyo and neighbouring prefectures likely to remain in place for Paralympics
July 2021: IPC President predicts "historic" Brisbane 2032 Paralympics
May 2021: IPC President claims Tokyo Paralympics will be "most important" in event's history
Patrick Burke Junior Reporter
Follow @pburke_cl1907
Patrick Burke is a junior reporter at insidethegames.biz, having joined the team in 2021. He started out as the programme editor for local non-league football club Cammell Laird 1907 in 2014 at the age of 15, and went on to serve as the club's media officer for six years, all on a voluntary basis. He studied history at the University of Sheffield from 2017, graduating with a first-class honours degree in 2020 where his dissertation was on the People's Olympiad in Barcelona in 1936. Whilst at Sheffield, Burke was sports editor and then deputy editor of Forge Press, one of the United Kingdom's leading student newspapers. Burke spent a summer studying at Waseda University in Tokyo in 2018, and during sixth form travelled to Sierra Leone on an immersion retreat as well as the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Contact Patrick
Read more of Patrick's articles
Follow @pburke_cl1907 on Twitter
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Andrew Parsons International Paralympic Committee COVID-19


Opinionated discussions are inevitable in the workplace, but what happens when those discussions start to get heated? What do you do when conflicts between your workforce progresses into a dispute or even develops further and you unnecessarily lose a valuable member of a team?
Offering independent workplace mediation either before, or after a formal grievance is raised, intervenes and quickly resolves disputes by taking the focus away from "who is wrong and who is right" and instead guides the parties to move towards their own resolution.
Mediation can be between any two parties, be it employees, managers or even between limited liability partners.
Mediating situations before disputes amplify will prevent the breakdown of relationships beyond repair and will improve the chances of reaching a resolution at a quicker rate.
By gaining the trust and confidence of each party, mediation ultimately improves communication, preserves working relationships and helps parties to work productively together again.
The mediator is a fully trained unbiased individual who does not enforce a decision. So, a decision made as a result of mediation is likely to be more effective and last longer as nothing will be decided jointly by the parties.
Mediating grievances is significantly more cost effective than resolving a legal case.
Allowing an outsourced partner to provide mediation will offer greater impartiality and consequently higher levels of trust from the individuals involved.
Outsourced mediators are trained to deliver effective results; a more cost effective and convenient alternative to training internal staff in mediation management.
Here at The HR Dept we offer onsite or offsite workplace mediation with trained mediation officers, at a cost-effective price.


Joe D's Appliances in Fairfield, NJ is an authorized dealer of Miele Products. Miele is a German manufacturer of high quality domestic appliances and machines for commercial applications. The company was founded more than 114 years ago in 1899. Miele aims to manufacture the highest-quality domestic appliances and commercial equipment in the world and to be seen by markets worldwide as providing an absolutely top-class household product.
So if you are looking for Miele products in Fairfield, Wayne, North Caldwell, Montclair, New York, West Caldwell, Montville, Verona, Clifton, Totowa and Livingston, or if you have any questions about Miele products, please feel free to call us at (973) 546-4444 or simply stop by Joe D's Appliances at any time and we would be glad to help you.


The Kundalini Yoga In Your Life workshop with Har Nal Kaur on Sunday 19 October 2014 will now start half an hour earlier than originally advertised, beginning at 3.00 instead of 3.30 pm and running to 5.30 instead of 6.00 pm.
The reason for the earlier timing is to allow an extra half-hour at the end of the workshop from 5.30 to 6.00 pm for questions about the Level 1 Training. The workshop itself is now FULLY BOOKED but if you didn't manage to get a place and would like to come along at 5.30 pm for the Q&A you are very welcome.
Like the workshop preceding it, the Q&A session will take place at Evolve, 10 Kendrick Mews, South Kensington SW7 3HG. If you're considering doing the Level 1 training, it's a great opportunity to ask any questions that aren't answered in the registration pack and to get to know lead trainer Har Nal and her team as well as some of the other students.
Click here to download the Level 1 Teacher Training 2014–15 info pack.


Plans and organizes area coverage and sales approach to assure effective development of assigned sales area in solicitation of new leads and accounts, which includes cold calling.
Provide close personal service to develop long-term customer relationships, seek out and develop new business and product sales, and increase market share.
Utilizing a consultative approach, position and qualify the primary customer need and situation to align solutions and services.
Develop and manage lead generation activities including but not limited to webinars, email campaigns, and outbound calling for assigned territory.
Conduct prompt follow-up on leads from activities including but not limited to strategic partners, trade shows, and marketing activities.
1-3 years inside sales experience.
Ability to gain appropriate level of knowledge through self-study, training, and experience.
Knowledge of administration practices, including use of CRM systems.
Proven ability to work effectively in a team environment.
Strong creative-thinking and analytical skills.
Self-motivated, goal and detail-oriented, persistent and dependable with strong probing skills.
Amplify is an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities, Females, Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. This position may be funded, in whole or in part, through American Recovery & Reinvestment Act funds. Amplify Education, Inc. is an E-Verify participant.


text:
Adam Townsend
@adamscrabble
1/ This is a kick a*s thread about China, tech theft, its food supply and its pollution. You are about to become an expert, lets begin... Technology... CFIUS (Committee on Foreign investment in the US) is made up of 32 different federal agencies... pic.twitter.com/2b9n5nlNKw
Replying to @adamscrabble
2/ that review foreign purchases that could affect U.S. security such as access to technology, military contracts, installations or other sensitive information. Agriculture isn't part of the CFIUS mandate nor is the USDA or FDA.
3/ The committee isn't required to review any deals, relying instead on outsiders or other government agencies to raise questions about the appropriateness of a proposed transaction. The most common foreign investor that hits the CFIUS radar is China. Let's peel that onion
4/ President Obama stopped a Chinese investment fund from acquiring the U.S. subsidiary of a German semiconductor manufacturer In September 2017, Trump halted a China-backed investor from buying the American semiconductor maker Lattice
5/ A Chinese company's plan to acquire the American money transfer company MoneyGram fell apart after CFIUS expressed their concerns that the personal data of millions of Americans would be exposed
6/ CFIUS advised against a Chinese group's attempt to buy Xcerra, a Massachusetts HQ'ed tech company Trump blocked the purchase of the chipmaker Qualcomm by Singapore-based Broadcom Ltd.on the advice of CFIUS Now we gotta talk about Chinese pollution. Buckle up...
@adamscrabble Replying to @adamscrabble
7/ Only (about) 11 percent of Chinese land can be farmed. Most of its tremendous land mass is inarable, degraded by erosion, salinization, acidification, industrial effluent, sewage, excessive farm chemicals and mining runoff.
5:25 PM - 19 Feb 2019
8/ Chinese rivers have been drying as demand from farms and factories have depleted them. Of the ones that remain, 75 percent are severely polluted, and more than a third of those are so toxic they can't be used to irrigate farms, Now we gotta talk about food…
9/ Chinese authorities have encouraged companies to gain greater control over the entire supply chain for imported agricultural products. Enter the United States…China's average annual water resources are less than 2,200 cubic meters per capita. The United States, by contrast
10/ is about 9,400 cubic meters of water per person The United States has six times more arable land per capita Pork The Chinese currently eat 88 pounds per capita annually (Americans eat 60 pounds) They produce and consume half of the world's pork, so...
11/ when there are fluctuations in their domestic production – even small fluctuations – it can really increase their need for imports. To meet the growing demand, China's hog farms have grown and multiplied, and more than half of the globe's pigs are now raised there.
12/ But even so, its production can't keep up with the pork emand US pork exports to China went from about 57,000 metric tons in 2003 to more than 2.31 million metric tons (mt) in 2016 which converts to $5.94 billion It's cheaper to produce pork in the US than in China.
13/ Our meat industry churns out hogs for about $0.57 per pound, versus $0.68 per pound in China's new, factory-scale hog farms. The main difference is feed costs. US pig producers spend about 25% less on feed than their Chinese counterparts. We have more abundant land, water...
14/ ...and grain resources. "Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people." So, China buys Smithfield Pork… In an effort to cut out the middleman, China is trying to circumvent the American farmer. Instead of buying food from farmers who...
15/ ... work their own land, they want to own and operate these American farms themselves—as well as the livestock barns and slaughterhouses. Chinese consumers, pay a large premium for US pork as it is viewed as higher quality due to our strict food safety laws. Shaunghui,...
16/ a Chinese meat-processing company in 2013, purchased Smithfield for 30 percent over its market value. It was the largest purchase of a U.S. company by a Chinese firm and the first acquisition of a major American food company by a Chinese business. U.S. Treasury Department
17/ allowed the purchase to go forward after assurances from Smithfield CEO Larry Pope that there was no connection between Shaunghui and the Chinese government. A year later it was discovered that the Chinese government did have a connection to Shaunghui.
18/ he Communist Party supported the Smithfield purchase with "preferential policy", as well as "investment," Zhang Taixi, the government-appointed president of WH Group (the corporate name Shaunghui adopted in 2014), told reporters!
19/ The WH Group advanced the China Communist Party aims to own the entire production chain for pork with the least geographic distance between U.S. pork production and the Chinese market. One of the benefits to owning every aspect of production from feed through packaging...
20/ is that you can increase production on demand. ChemChina, a China Communist Party owned company, recently bought Syngenta, a Swiss agrichemical company, for 43 billion dollars, and this creates a bigly foothold in feed production. pic.twitter.com/N8rlnSo559
21/ What if the Chinese government becomes of the largest players in American agriculture. We've handed over a vertically integrated system to a foreign government.
22/ Side effect of that is the damage left in its wake, production leads to more barns being built and, in turn, waste coming out of those barns. You need more feed for those pigs, so you're raising more row crops and putting more of that waste onto the fields.
23/ Between 2007 and 2012, Iowa had the largest increase in hog and pig sales of any state in the country, a jump of $1.9 billion. The number of polluted Iowan waterways increased 15 percent between 2012 and 2014. Not only do the waste pits used to capture manure...
24/ ...from large hog operations produce antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the pathogens can travel miles away. When a foreign investor buys land, local population loses farming rights, which can lead to people losing their homes, livelihoods, and access to resources like water.
25/ ...to preserve its well-being, Iowa outlawed selling farmland to foreign buyers. The median age of the American farmer is 55, in the next five years about 92,000,000 acres will go up for sale. pic.twitter.com/mZODNxGdR7
BONUS!!!! Meet Himshee, my smart good boy cat!!! pic.twitter.com/Zfd7L0SyaW
Epilog(s) A good time to do follow up(s): "Whatever happened to Smithfield pork? Has the North Carolina pollution gotten worse? Is China being a good neighbor?" Rivers of hog waste newyorker.com/news/news-desk…
China is not a good absentee landlord newsobserver.com/opinion/articl…


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Home » Art Culture » Books » Turkish author Ahmet Altan prefers prison in his own...
Turkish author Ahmet Altan prefers prison in his own country to exile with 'no roots'
16 Jan 2022 12:01:PM
Turkish author Ahmet Altan says he feels an added urgency to write after spending nearly five years in jail on tenuous charges. (Photo credit: Bulent Kilic /AFP)
Altan has sold nearly seven million books worldwide and was one of tens of thousands of Turks jailed or fired from their jobs after the 2016 coup.
Freed after nearly five years in jail for alleged involvement in a failed coup, Turkish journalist and author Ahmet Altan, 71, now counts his time by the number of books he has left to write.
Celebrated in the West — particularly Germany and France, where he won literary prizes while still behind bars — Altan remains in a tricky situation back home, where he faces the threat of further prosecution.
But speaking to AFP in his Istanbul flat, Altan said he would rather spend his last days in a Turkish prison "where I spoke my native language" than be a free man in exile, where "you are nearly no one (and) have no roots".
"Writers are very anxious because every minute is a minute that you can write, you can do your job, so every minute that you don't write, you feel regret," he said in fluent English.
"I feel it now much more than before prison," he confided, ensconced in a black leather chair flanked by stacks of books.
'Revenge'
Altan, who has sold nearly seven million books worldwide, was one of tens of thousands of Turks jailed or fired from their jobs in purges that followed a 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkish writer Ahmet Altan returned home to his family after the European Court of Human Rights ordered his immediate release last April. (Photo credit: Bulent Kilic/AFP)
The soft-spoken intellectual was locked up in Silivri, an Istanbul prison complex fitted out with Turkey's largest courtroom — the main venue for mass trials that saw more than 2,500 suspects jailed for life.
Altan was partially singled out for his work with Taraf, a newspaper he founded. The government closed the paper on allegations it had obtained financial backing from a US-based Muslim cleric Erdogan blames for the coup plot.
Released less than halfway through his 10.5-year sentence last April by order of the European Court of Human Rights, which found "no evidence" of wrongdoing, Altan returned to his family having written two more books in jail and nearly completed a third.
The first, a prison memoir called I Will Never See the World Again, was translated into 28 languages but never published in Turkey.
He describes the second, a novel called Lady Life, as an ode to freedom and his personal "revenge".
It became a best-seller in Turkey after his release, scooping up France's Prix Femina foreign book prize in 2021.
"It's kind of saying, 'you couldn't steal those five years from me'," the silver-bearded writer said of the novel, between cigarette puffs.
He recalled writing "eight or nine hours a day", while his two cellmates nagged him about the endless cigarette smoke.
'Exile would be harder'
One day in prison he stumbled across FlashTV, a "low-end" channel that showed voluptuous women singing and dancing in skimpy dresses.
Writer Ahmet Altan is resolute about staying in Turkey, despite facing further prosecution, calling life in exile 'harder then prison'. (Photo credit: Bulent Kilic/AFP)
"They were the only ladies I could see while in prison… I really liked to watch it but my cellmates were very religious," laughed Altan, who describes himself as an atheist who is passionate about religion.
Lady Life, a story of a literature student who falls in love with two sensuous women, "came in this atmosphere", he said.
"I lived in some other world," he said. "If you can write, there is nothing to complain about."
Altan's jailing sparked international outrage, turning him into a symbol of oppression in Turkey after the coup attempt.
Thirty-eight Nobel laureates — including JM Coetzee and Kazuo Ishiguro — published a letter in Britain's Guardian newspaper in 2018 calling on Erdogan to secure the writer's release.
Aware of his high profile and the new court proceedings he faces, Altan shies away from answering overtly political questions today.
But while he vows to publish his future books abroad before trying his luck at home, Altan sounds resolute about staying in Turkey, no matter what.
"It's not because of courage. But being in exile is something I believe is harder than being a prisoner," he said.
In exile, "you may be safe and secure … but you cannot feel like you are (sleeping) in your own bed, in your own home. I'd rather be in prison."


text:
\section{Introduction}

The experimental investigation of the $\beta\beta$-decay of $^{136}$Xe has been started more then 20 years ago. But both two neutrino and neutrinoless modes of this process for $^{136}$Xe was not observed. The results of last experiments are presented in Table \ref{tab1}. The theoretical estimations of half lifetime for $\beta\beta2\nu$-decay are presented in Table \ref{tab2}. It is necessary to mention that in \cite{4} only one spectrum (measured with enriched $^{136}$Xe) was obtained. To calculate their limit it was assumed that at any effect/background ratio in the energy range under investigation the effect did not exceed the actually measured background increased by a systematic error given in $\sigma$ units ($\sigma$ is a standart deviation). In our work the measurements were performed with both enriched xenon and natural xenon simultaneously.
\begin{table*}
\caption{The results of some experiments for the search of $\beta\beta$-decay of $^{136}$Xe}. \label{tab1} \centering
\begin{tabular}{c|c|c}
\hline
Experiment & T$_{1/2}$ ($\beta\beta2\nu$), yr & T$_{1/2}$ ($\beta\beta0\nu$), yr\\
\hline
\hline
Gran Sasso \cite{1} & $\geq$1.6$\cdot$10$^{20}$
(95$\%$ C.L.) & $\geq$1.2$\cdot$10$^{22}$ (95\% C.L.)
\\
GOTTHARD \cite{2} & $\geq$3.6$\cdot$10$^{20}$
(90$\%$ C.L.) & $\geq$4.4$\cdot$10$^{23}$ (90\% C.L.)
\\
BNO INR RAS \cite{3} & $\geq 8.5 \cdot 10 ^{21}$
(90\% C.L.) & $\geq 3.1 \cdot 10 ^{23}$ (90\% C.L.)
\\
DAMA/LXe \cite{4} & $\geq$1.0$\cdot$10$^{22}$
(90\% C.L.) & $\geq$1.2$\cdot$10$^{24}$ (90\% C.L.)
\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table*}

\begin{table*}
\caption{The theoretical estimations for $\beta\beta2\nu$-decay of
$^{136}$Xe}. \label{tab2} \centering
\begin{tabular}{c|c}
\hline
Authors & T$_{1/2}$  ($\beta\beta2\nu$), yr\\
\hline
\hline
E. Caurier et al. \cite{5} & 2.1$\cdot$10$^{21}$ \\
O.A. Rumyantsev, M.G. Urin \cite{6} & 1.0$\cdot$10$^{21}$
\\
A. Staudt et al. \cite{7} &
1.5$\cdot10^{19}\div2.1\cdot10^{22}$
\\
P. Vogel and M.R. Zirnbauer \cite{8} &
1.5$\cdot10^{20}\div1.5\cdot10^{21}$
\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table*}

\section{Experimental setup}

The measurement was carried out with two high pressure copper proportional counters (CPC $N$1 and CPC $N$2). While one of them is filled with enriched xenon (93$\%$ of $^{136}$Xe), the other one is filled with natural xenon depleted by light isotopes (9.2$\%$ of $^{136}$Xe). Both CPC-s are surrounded by passive shield consisting of 20 cm of copper (keeped in underground facilities over 20 yr), 8 cm of borated polyethylene and 23 cm of lead (see Fig.\ref{inst}a).
\begin{figure
\includegraphics*[width=8cm]{fig1.eps}
\caption{\label{inst} a) - the schematic view of the installation and  b) - the electric scheme of installation,
PA - preamplifier, A - amplifier, DO - digital oscilloscope.}
\end{figure}
\begin{figure
\includegraphics*[width=7cm,,angle=0.]{fig2c.eps}
\caption{\label{pulse} The samples of the pulses (initial pulse,
reconstructed pulse and normalised pulse).}
\end{figure}
The installation is located in the deep underground laboratory of the BNO INR RAS at the depth 4900 m w.e,
where the flux of muons is decreased by factor 10$^7$ and evaluated as 2.23$\cdot 10 ^{-9} cm ^{-2} s ^{-1}$ \cite{9}.
The parameters of the CPC-s are: working pressure - 14.8 bar, fiducial volume - 8.39 l, biased voltage - 3900 V.
Signals were read out from the end of anode wire through charge sensitive preamplifier (PA). Then they were supplied to the digital
oscilloscope through amplifier (see Fig.\ref{inst}b).

To exclude the influence of PA capacity charge decay the pulses were reconstructed by software (taking into account this decay). The amplitudes of the reconstructed pulses (A) were used to construct the energy spectrum. For detailed analysis the following pulse shape parameters was used: the pulse rise time ($\tau$) and parameter $\delta$ defined as:
\begin{equation*}
    \delta =1000 \cdot(1-\frac{\sum{(y_{i}-g_{i})^{2}}} {\sum{(y_{i}-\overline{y})^{2}}}),
\end{equation*}
where the $y_{i}$ is value of normalized current at the point \emph{i}, $g_{i}$ - value of gaussian at the same point,
$\overline{y}$ - mean value of the normalized current in fitting region. The region of fitting by gaussian is
restricted by point of pulse beginning and point where the reconstructed pulse get a value 0.9$\cdot$A. In Fig.\ref{pulse}
samples of the pulses are shown.

\section{Data treatment}

From previous experiments \cite{3} it was seen that significant part of the counters background is due to $\alpha$-particles produced in gas volume. To define parameters of $\alpha$-particle events the measurement of background of one of CPC-s filled with xenon with admixtures of $^{222}$Rn ($\alpha$-particles with energy of 5.49 MeV, 6.02 Mev and 7.69 Mev) was performed. The results of this measurement are presented in \cite{10}.
\begin{figure}[pt]
\includegraphics*[width=6cm]{fig3.eps}
\caption{\label{calibr} The calibration spectra of $^{137}$Cs and $^{22}$Na sources.}
\end{figure}

Main measurements performed in 4 runs. In the first run CPC $N1$ was filled with natural xenon and CPC $N2$ with enriched xenon. Duration of the run was $\geq$4000 h. Then first CPC was refilled with enriched xenon, second one with natural xenon, after each run the refilling procedure was repeated. Such a procedure allows eliminate systematic error from possible differences between counters.To exclude the contribution of $^{222}$Rn (which goes from gas purification system) to the CPC-s background the data of the first 500 h of measurements were not used for analysis. The calibration of the counters was carried out every $\sim$4 weeks ($\sim$700 h). The samples of calibration are presented in Fig.\ref{calibr}.

Distribution of the background events (3300 h of measurements), $^{22}$Na and $^{137}$Cs source events versus energy-$\tau$ and energy-$\delta$ are presented in Fig.\ref{et}(\emph{a}-\emph{c}) and Fig.\ref{ed}(\emph{a}-\emph{c}) respectively.
\begin{figure}[pt]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics*[width=7cm]{Fig4.eps}
\caption{\label{et} Distribution of events versus energy and
$\tau$ - \emph{a},\emph{b} and \emph{c} for the background ($\Delta t=3300$ h), $^{22}$Na- and
$^{137}$Cs-source respectively.}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
\begin{figure}[pt]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics*[width=7cm]{Fig5.eps}
\caption{\label{ed} Distribution of events versus energy and
$\delta$ - \emph{a},\emph{b} and \emph{c} for the background ($\Delta t=3300$ h), $^{22}$Na- and
$^{137}$Cs-source respectively.}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
It is seen that distribution of the background events differ from $^{22}$Na events significantly. This difference is clearly seen in distribution of events versus energy and $\delta$ for energy greater then 800 keV (see Fig.\ref{ev_cut}.).
\begin{figure}[pt]
\includegraphics*[width=7cm]{fig6.eps}
\caption{\label{ev_cut}Distribution of the background events and $^{22}$Na-source versus energy and $\delta$ in the region for $\delta>900$  (cut of the events with $\delta>990$ is shown).}
\end{figure}
\begin{figure
\includegraphics*[width=7.0cm]{fig7.eps}
\caption{\label{n_e_sel} The energy spectra measured during 4900 h, blue curve - before rejection of pulses with $\delta > 990$, orange curve - after rejection.}
\end{figure}
It was used to separate $\alpha$-particle events and electron events (events from $\alpha$-particles have $\delta >990$, most events from electron have $\delta\leq990$). The transformation of the background spectrum after such rejection is seen in Fig.\ref{n_e_sel}.

\begin{figure}[pt]
\includegraphics*[width=8.0cm]{fig9ab.eps}
\caption{\label{n_e_tot} \emph{a}) - the energy spectra measured during 13200 h and \emph{b}) - difference in spectra between enriched and natural xenon.}
\end{figure}

\section{Results}

The effect from $\beta\beta2\nu$-decay of $^{136}$Xe is determined with comparison of total spectra measured with enriched and natural xenon (see Fig.\ref{n_e_tot}).
Number of events in the energy region $0.7\div2.48$ MeV registered by CPC \emph{N}1 and CPC \emph{N}2 at 3300 h in each run of measurements are presented in Table \ref{tab3}.
\begin{table}
\caption{The number of events with energy 0.7$\div$2.48 MeV,
registered in CPC $N$1 and CPC $N$2 during 3300 h of measurements
for each run.} \label{tab3} \centering
\begin{tabular}{c|c|c}
\hline
run & CPC \emph{N}1 & CPC \emph{N}2 \\
\hline
\hline
1 & 2396 ($^{nat}$Xe) & 2591 ($^{136}$Xe) \\
2 & 1953 ($^{136}$Xe) & 1968 ($^{nat}$Xe) \\
3 & 1259 ($^{136}$Xe) & 1224 ($^{nat}$Xe) \\
4 & 1383 ($^{nat}$Xe) & 1477 ($^{136}$Xe) \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
The evaluated effect is 309$\pm119(stat)\pm72(syst)$. The total deviation is $\sigma_{tot}=\sqrt{\sigma^{2}_{stat}+\sigma^{2}_{syst}}=139$.
So effect is $+2.22\sigma_{tot}$. Taking into account efficiencies and the different content of $^{136}$Xe in two samples we obtain the half lifetime for $\beta\beta2\nu$-decay:
\begin{eqnarray}
\nonumber
T_{1/2}(\beta\beta2\nu) &=& \frac{ln(2) \cdot t \cdot N \cdot \epsilon}{309\pm139}= \\
\nonumber
& & \\
\nonumber
                     &=& 5.5 ^{+4.6} _{-1.7}\cdot10^{21} {\texttt{ yr (67\% C.L.)}}, \\
\nonumber
& &
\end{eqnarray}
where: $t=13200$ h $=1.507$ yr - measurements time, $N=3.06\cdot10^{24}$ - difference in quantity of $^{136}$Xe atoms in xenon samples, $\epsilon=0.535$ - efficiency after rejection of events with $\delta>990$ and $E<700$ keV.

\begin{table}
\caption{The number of events with energy 2312$\div$2646 keV,
registered in CPC \emph{N}1 and CPC \emph{N}2
for four series of measurements of the counter background.}
\label{tab4}
\begin{tabular}{c|c|c|c}
\hline
Run &  Meas. time, hours  & CPC \emph{N}1 & CPC  \emph{N}2 \\
\hline
\hline
1 & 3300 & 2 ($^{nat}$Xe) & 0 ($^{136}$Xe) \\
2 & 4170 & 6 ($^{136}$Xe) & 1 ($^{nat}$Xe) \\
3 & 6410 & 1 ($^{136}$Xe) & 4 ($^{nat}$Xe) \\
4 & 3400 & 3 ($^{nat}$Xe) & 1 ($^{136}$Xe) \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

To evaluate the $\beta\beta0\nu$-effect the energy spectra in region
2312$\div$2646 keV were analyzed.
The data for the analysis $0\nu$-mode have been taken for 17280 hours of measurements.
This energy region is determined from calculated energy resolution for 2479 keV electrons (R=7.0$\%$, $2\sigma=147$ keV) and systematic error in definition of peak position ($\pm 20$ keV). Number of events in the energy region $2312\div2646$ keV registered by CPC \emph{N}1 and CPC \emph{N}2 in each run of measurements are presented in Table \ref{tab4}.
Using recommendation given in \cite{11} and assuming that mean background is 10 events
and measured one is 8 events, we obtain:
\begin{equation}
\nonumber
    T_{1/2}(\beta\beta0\nu\geq\frac{ln(2) \cdot t \cdot N \cdot \epsilon}{4.22}=4.9\cdot10^{23} {\texttt{ yr (90\% C.L.),}}
\end{equation}
where $t=17280$ h $=1.97$ yr and $\epsilon=0.5$.

This work was supported by the RFBR (Grant No. 07-02-00344) and the Neutrino Physics Program of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


text:
Seznam zahrnuje i místní části Arnultovice a Bukovany (včetně osady Chomouty).

Nový Bor

Arnultovice

Bukovany

Janov

Pihel

Odkazy

Související články
 Seznam kulturních památek v okrese Česká Lípa

Externí odkazy

 Novém Boru
Nový Bor
Kultura v Novém Boru
Stavby v Novém Boru

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The COB Rockets U16 Regional team made the 30 minute trip to Coventry Tornadoes worthwhile as they recorded their first league win of the season. The hard fought 9 point victory was exactly what the team needed as this newly formed group of boys grew in confidence through the game. The first half of the game saw COB Rockets more than match their opponents with their superior offence and competitive defence, Coventry rallied in the 3rd quarter to dominate proceedings and led going into the final quarter but "hustle" and superior fitness told as James and Gordon made telling fast break lay-ups and a sublime 3 point from Knowles ensured COB Rockets could see out the game and sign-off with a win.


text:
China Hands Over Ferries to Guyana
Above: the two ferries are valued at $14.4 million (Photo: GINA)
By the Caribbean Journal staff
The Chinese government has handed over two roll-on, roll-off ferries to Guyana, doing so in a ceremony yesterday.
The two ferries are valued at a total of $14.4 million.
The Sabanto and Kanawan vessels were handed over by Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Yu Wenzhe, joined by representatives of the Guyanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"These two vessels, which will be used across the Essequibo River, will greatly facilitate the movement of people and commodities," Yu said. "This, in turn, will greatly facilitate an improved livelihood of the people and the production of agriculture and other goods on both sides of the river."
The Ambassador said 2012 marked 40 years of cooperation and friendship between Guyana and China.
"We hope to take this opportunity this year to have a series of activities to celebrate the 40th anniversary and deepen the friendship and close cooperation," he said. "The two ferries are yet another example … which will benefit the ordinary people, workers, farmers and the people on both sides, China and Guyana."
The boats have been described as a New Year's gift by the Chinese embassy.
Each ferry has the capacity seat 800 passengers with 20 lorries or 44 cars.
Guyana, News
china, china news, essequibo river, guyana, guyana news, kanawan, sabanto
Caribbean Airlines Just Launched a New Route to Guyana
Caribbean Airlines has launched the company's newest route, a nod to the growing business travel demand for Guyana. The carrier has launched new nonstop flights between Houston, Texas and Georgetown, Guyana, including onward connectivity to Port of Spain, Trinidad. Guyana's …
Caribbean Airlines to Launch Houston-Guyana Flights
Turks and Caicos' InterCaribbean Airlines Is Expanding Again
Hyatt Is Opening Its First-Ever Hotel in Guyana
Rum Journal: Bacardi's New Sherry Cask Finish Rum


Trickle Vents are located in the Kerb.
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text:
World / Europe / Croatia / Plitvice Lakes National Park in Winter, Croatia

Courtesy of www.AirPano.com

Plitvice Lakes National Park in Winter, Croatia
Plitvice Lakes National Park is located in the central part of Croatia and covers an expanse of almost 30,000 hectares. In 1949 this area became the national park, and 30 years later it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Register. The park is forested with beech, spruce, and fir; and is the home for hundreds of species of plants, animals and birds. But it is mainly known for its water areas: rivers flowing through the limestone carved the landscape and formed natural dams, cascades of lakes, waterfalls and caves.
There are 16 large karst lakes and a lot of smaller ones; the total area of their coverage is 217 hectares. These lakes are fed by five rivers: the Korana, the Crna, the Bijela and the Rječica. The lakes are arranged in cascades, the highest one is the Prošćansko at 636 meters above sea level. The lowest one is lake Novakovića-Brod at an altitude of 503 meters.
There are more than one hundred waterfalls in the park and new ones appear annually. This process is the result of the way the travertine barriers are formed: these barriers are made not from rocks, but from the deposition of plants. The trees and branches fallen in the water get calcified and create solid depositions blocking rivers. The water gradually erodes the dams giving the way to new waterfalls. Sastavci is considered to be the most beautiful one with a height of 72 meters.
One more interesting feature of the national park is its caves; some of them being located right under the waterfalls. Sometimes they bear rather strange names: Šupljara ("cave without floor and ceiling", "hole-cave"), Crna pećina ("black cave"), Mračna ("sombre cave"). The bats living in these caves among stalactites and stalagmites can vouch for the accuracy of the names!
The park had been inaccessible to visitors until 1958, but then the tourist infrastructure began developing. Pavements and footpaths were created, routes for diesel and eco-friendly electrical trains, ferries and boats were developed. The park is a popular destination during the warm season. It's a pleasure to watch multi-coloured landscapes, emerald-green water and trees featuring all shades of green.
In winter, nature falls into slumber, but it still reveals all kinds of its beauty. The bright colours are replaced by sparkling whiteness, the waterfalls are frozen and the trees bend under the weight of snow; these landscapes seem to have leapt from the pages of a fairytale. The AirPano team wants to show you the Plitvice Lakes just exactly as they are: gorgeous and elegant.
Photos by Sergey Shandin and Stas Sedov
Sastavci Waterfall Pevalek falls Old mill above the waterfall Pevalek falls The winter time in the National Park Gradinsko Lake Great Waterfall (Veliki Prštavac) Plitvice Lakes in winter Grey heron Veliki slap Waterfall Plitvice Lakes National Park in winter Great Waterfall (Veliki Prštavac)
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Among thousand fishes. Diving with Caranx
Add your review about "Plitvice Lakes National Park in Winter, Croatia"
任何一个角度都是一幅绝美的画面,谢谢你们让我看到这些美丽。
enlong xiang, China
Very beautiful video and photo. Velikii ozero.
Thank you! Spasiva!
Bellissimo articolo e foto del Lago di Plitvice in Croazia, non l'ho mai visto ghiacciato, è incantevole!
Maria Grazia De Nardi, Italy
BOGDAN TANKOSIĆ, Croatia
Amazing, beautiful and perfect winter video of NP, your documentary work is perfect !!!! thank you


The Trump administration has put on its regulatory agenda a regulation to be released potentially in 2019 or 2020 that would place new restrictions on the ability of foreign students to work temporarily in the U.S. via the OptionalPractical Training (OPT) program. Since the stated purpose of the regulation would be to "improve protections of U.S. workers who may be negatively impacted by" foreign students doing OPT, this economic analysis of the impact of such students on U.S. workers may help policymakers assess whether new restrictions on OPT or even more dramatic steps, such as eliminating the part of the program that extends the eligibility of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors, have a rational basis or are more likely to harm the U.S. economy, technological innovation and American universities.
The Optional Practical Training program offers foreign students an opportunity to work in the United States temporarily during or soon after completing their studies at a U.S. college or university. Eligible students can work for 12 months (OPT), and students with a degree in a STEM field currently have the option to extend their work period by another 24 months (STEM OPT extension), for a total of 36 months.
This study presents and analyzes new data covering a 9-year period (2008 to 2016) on foreign students with STEM majors approved for OPT after they complete their studies (either via the 12-month post-completion OPT component of the program or via the STEM OPT extension component of the program) and their impact on potentially competing workers. It uses data released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.


text:
Posted on September 20, 2012 by Richard Solomon
The Oriental Economist's Richard Katz explains why Japan is not Greece
Many economists believe that Japan will become a net debtor nation. Analysts differ about when. Earlier this year we reported that Jesper Koll, managing director of research at JPMorgan Securities Japan, said, "The time is now… It's here. It's 'Sayonara Japan' as a net creditor country." Richard Katz believes that point is years away — he's not even sure it is going to happen or if it does, that it will cause capital flight as has happened in Greece. Katz is editor-in-chief of the Oriental Economist Report. He is a distinguished lecturer, a former adjunct professor, and an economist who has written about Japan and US relations for three decades. Joining us to explain his latest thinking, is Katz –
Solomon: Why is Japan not going to become the next Greece?
Katz: The point at which Japan is in danger of capital flight, like Greece, is when Japan's current account becomes chronically in deficit. Some people say that could be five or ten years from now. I think it will be later — I'm not even sure it's going to happen. Japan will most likely become a chronic trade deficit country within this decade, but the current account is different. The current account is the sum of Japan's trade balance plus the income earned on Japan's overseas assets (profits of overseas subsidiaries as well as stocks and bonds held outside Japan). Japan is not vulnerable now because it runs a big current account surplus. Even though the trade balance has been in deficit so far this year, the current account is still in surplus and will remain so for some time to come. If and when Japan does turn into a chronic deficit country, that would be a game-changer which would gradually raise the now-tiny risk of a Greek type crisis. But it would not spark an immediate crisis because Japan has a cushion of $3.3 trillion in net overseas assets.
Solomon: Why is the current account so crucial?
Katz: Running a current account deficit means that you are borrowing money from foreigners, who can easily withdraw it. All of the Euro-crisis countries had not only big government debts, but also big chronic current account deficits. Other European countries with government debts just as big, but without big current account deficits, did not go into crisis. To see this, take a look at the four quadrants of this chart. On the horizontal axis is net government debt as a percentage of GDP. The vertical axis is the current account as a percentage of GDP and presented as averages for the period from 2005 to 2010. Every one of the crisis countries — Greece, Portugal, Spain and Ireland — are in the right hand lower quadrant represented by the big boxes. The countries that were borrowing huge amounts of money from abroad got into trouble when the Lehman shock sent their deficits way up. They were vulnerable to capital flight; foreigners started taking their money away.
Yet not a single country in the upper right-hand quadrant has gone into crisis. These countries have a current account surplus, which means they can finance their debt by themselves. They're not vulnerable to capital flight. Not even all the countries in the lower-right hand quadrant have gone into crisis — not the UK, not France, nor the US.
Even when Japan runs a current account deficit, that will not immediately make it vulnerable because it has a big cushion of built-up foreign assets. Here's the same chart, but replacing the current account as a percentage of GDP on the vertical axis with Japan's net international assets.
Again, crisis countries are in the lower right-hand quadrant. They owe a lot of money because they've been borrowing for many years. Yet all the countries in the upper right have been running surpluses for many years. They have built up a cushion of assets.
When a country has both internal and external imbalances, that's when you have a crisis. A domestic crisis alone is manageable. That's why Japan isn't Greece.
Solomon: How would that cushion work in practice?
Katz: Suppose Japan were running a current account deficit and, for some reason, foreigners became reluctant to lend to Japan. In that case, Japan could easily sell some of their international assets. At the end of 2011, the Ministry of Finance's foreign exchange reserves amounted to $1.29 trillion. At today's exchange rate, that is equal to 20% of GDP. In addition, net private overseas assets at the end of October 2011 amounted to $2 trillion (¥155 trillion). That equals another 33% of GDP. About 60% of those private assets are liquid financial assets, such as stocks, bonds and bank loans. That foreign investors can see this cushion is yet another reason they are unlikely to bet against Japan's creditworthiness for years to come, just as deposit insurance reduces the chance of a run on the banks.
Solomon: Why would private parties that own foreign assets feel pressured to sell them? They're not under the control of the Japanese government.
Katz: If Japan were having a capital flight crisis that raised interest rates at home, it would pay private investors to shift some of their overseas bond and stock investments back to Japan to take advantage of those higher rates. Also, if Japan is running a big current account deficit, that means that private parties in Japan are building up debts to foreigners that they must pay in foreign hard currencies — mostly in dollars. They need to get these dollars from somewhere. Japanese overseas assets are one source.
Solomon: Would not the government's sale of $1.29 trillion in foreign reserves simply increase the budget deficit? The ratings agencies and bond vigilantes, I think, would take notice.
Katz: They have no impact on the budget deficit, but do have an impact on the balance of payments and on the government's cumulative balance of international assets and liabilities. That is a flow issue vs. stock issue. Rating agencies actions do not seem to have had much impact on market rates of government notes and bonds. Total overseas assets amounting to 55% of GDP, 20% owned outright by the government, should be enough to deal with bond market vigilantes.
Solomon: Can you explain why it doesn't affect the budget deficit?
Katz: Today, Japan is running a current account surplus. Its net stock of private and government-owned foreign assets is increasing. If the current account turned negative, those assets would decrease. In this scenario, the government and private entities are not issuing new bonds to finance the current account deficit; they are selling existing assets, just as if they had sold a bridge to pay down debt. The net international assets of Japan as a whole would decline. But this action would no more increase the government budget deficit, than the Ministry of Finance increasing its reserve assets lowers the budget deficit today. The balance of payment and budget deficit issues in this case are separate issues, because Japan does not have to issue new debt to finance a current account deficit.
Solomon: Earlier this year I asked J. Koll to comment on the notion Japan had a huge cushion of overseas assets on which it could rely to finance its trade deficit. He said, "The income account is not huge. It is only 2% of GDP, almost nothing….. As anyone who has ever tried it, living off your assets is a very difficult thing to do." How do you respond?
Katz: The income account is about 3% of GDP, not 2% as you can see by the gray area in this chart.
The goods and services trade deficit expanded to 1.5% of GDP in the first half of 2012. It would have to double to wipe out income surplus and end the current account surplus. The trade deficit would have to triple to bring the current account to a deficit of about 1.5%. While I was wrong in expecting the trade surplus to return this year, it remains to be seen how that will go in the coming years. I still think Japan is heading to toward a chronic trade deficit, but its size is uncertain. I thought six months ago that this would occur in the 2015 to 2020 period. It may come forward a bit because of the combination of the nuclear shutdown and the ongoing troubles in Europe. A lot depends on the price of fossil fuels, which no one has been good at predicting in periods of economic uncertainty. It depends, for example, on demand from Europe and China, which is uncertain. It also depends on expansion of oil and natural gas production in the US. The upshot is the picture for the current account balance is uncertain, but I think the likelihood of Japan turning to chronic current account deficit by 2015 is very low. It will be driven by the trade situation, and the domestic investment-savings balance will adjust to that.
Solomon: Is the critical factor for Japan's trade surplus its exports to China and Asia?
Katz: Japan's exports to China and the rest of Asia hinge on China/Asia's own exports to the US and Europe.
Most of Japan's exports to Asia serve as capital or parts inputs for these countries' own exports. It is the sluggish recovery in the US and the travails in EU that count the most for Japan's exports. It is the nuclear shutdown and price of fossil fuels that count the most for imports.
Solomon: What does all of this mean of policy going forward?
Katz: The good news is there is no urgency to raise taxes when the global economy is still weak and uncertain. The consumption tax hike passed by the Diet should be delayed until Japan is in better economic health. Second, Japan has the breathing room to apply structural reform to improve long-term growth while being able to use fiscal stimulus as the anesthesia to make the pain of structural reform bearable. Fiscal stimulus need not mean bridges to nowhere. It could be a combination of temporary consumer-oriented tax cuts and public works that help the economy. For example, linking suburban and semi-rural homes to sewage lines and gas pipelines — homes now served by septic tanks and propane gas tanks — would greatly reduce air and water pollution while cutting Japan's energy needs. That would eliminate the need for trucks to service the septic tanks and propane tanks.
Richard Katz is editor-in-chief of The Oriental Economist Report. Katz has written about Japan and US relations for over three decades. He was a visiting lecturer in economics at the State University of New York in Stony Brook and an adjunct professor of economics at New York University Stern School of Business. He's authored two books about Japan — "Japan, the System That Soured: The Rise and Fall of the Japanese Economic Miracle" and "Japanese Phoenix: The Long Road to Economic Revival". In "A Nordic Mirror", he explained why Scandinavia has recovered from similar structural defects far more quickly than Japan. Richard holds a BA in history from Columbia University (1973) and holds a masters degree in economics from NYU (1996). www.orientaleconomist.com
Tagged Economy, Japan, Japan's Current Account, Jesper Koll, Richard Katz, Yen


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text:
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;

namespace A01Processes
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Process p = new Process
            {
                StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo(".\\a01subprocess.exe")
                {
                    RedirectStandardError = true,
                    RedirectStandardOutput = true,
                    UseShellExecute = false,
                    CreateNoWindow = false
                }
            };
            p.ErrorDataReceived += (s, a) => Console.WriteLine($"Calling process received on stderr: \"{a.Data}\"");
            p.OutputDataReceived += (s, a) => Console.WriteLine($"Calling process received on stdout: \"{a.Data}\"");

            p.Start();
            p.BeginOutputReadLine();
            Console.ReadLine();
            p.Kill();
            p.WaitForExit();
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub