Price of Gun Ownership- or price of stupidity

Idaho toddler shoots and kills his mother inside Walmart | US news | The Guardian: "Police in Idaho say a two-year-old boy shot and killed his 29-year-old mother in a Walmart after finding the woman’s weapon in her purse.

The Kootenai County sheriff’s office said the woman was shopping with her son and several relatives in the store’s Hayden, Idaho location when the boy, sitting in the front of the shopping cart, found the gun in her purse and shot the woman at about 10.15am local time.

Deputies said the shooting appears accidental. The woman had a concealed carry permit, according to the Associated Press.

The shooting happened near the store’s electronics section. Police reviewed store video to determine the shooting was accidental, the Associated Press and local media reported. Police did not disclose what kind of gun was involved in the incident.

The victim has not been identified. Police are currently working to notify her family.

A Walmart spokesperson called the incident “very sad,” and said the store was “fully cooperating with the sheriffs deputies as they investigate this matter.”

The store will be closed for the evening, and reopen at 6am Wednesday, according to information provided to the sheriff’s office by store managers.

Hayden is a northern Idaho town of 13,000 people, about 35 miles east of Spokane, Washington.

In November, a woman in Oklahoma was fatally shot by her three-year-old with a semi-automatic handgun. Police said it appeared the child picked up the gun while his mother was changing a one-year-old’s diaper."



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Master of Winning, and MAster of WInning thoughts

Willpower the key for All-Ireland athletics master aged 90: "Official presentation
Athletics Ireland officials made a presentation to Hugh in Tullamore as the first Irish person to win track and field medals at over 90 years of age.
When asked about the key to his success, Hugh doesn’t hesitate.
“I don’t drink or smoke - never did. Nobody should if they want to live a fit, healthy, long life.”
Hugh is looking ahead to the 2015 season when he is eligible for the Over 90 category. “Competition is very keen in the Over 95 section at the moment so there’s plenty to look forward to.”"



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Master of Winning, and MAster of WInning thoughts

Willpower the key for All-Ireland athletics master aged 90: "Official presentation
Athletics Ireland officials made a presentation to Hugh in Tullamore as the first Irish person to win track and field medals at over 90 years of age.
When asked about the key to his success, Hugh doesn’t hesitate.
“I don’t drink or smoke - never did. Nobody should if they want to live a fit, healthy, long life.”
Hugh is looking ahead to the 2015 season when he is eligible for the Over 90 category. “Competition is very keen in the Over 95 section at the moment so there’s plenty to look forward to.”"



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How can I go green in 2015? | Lucy Siegle | Environment | The Guardian

How can I go green in 2015? | Lucy Siegle | Environment | The Guardian: "In 2015 there are no extra points for recycling, saving energy or using the bus, not the car – these are settled behaviours that you should be doing automatically. The kitchen and garden (or community garden or allotment), where we carry out transformative processes like composting, are at the heart of self-reliance. Take your lead from foodie trends that aim to localise parts of the food chain, wrestling them back from food corporations and their impactful supply chains.

One way to do this is by processing your own food. Get acquainted with archaic-sounding kitchen verbs: brewing, fermenting, brazing, curing. For the philosophy, see Michael Pollan’s Cooked: a Natural History of Transformation. For the practical, check out the abundance of courses out there: livingfood.co.uk offers fermentation and oosha.co.uk offers raw chocolate-making, or seek out kits and accessories like fermentation pots (peppermintheath.co.uk).

Growing your own food remains fundamental to ethical living, but things are getting aspirational here. Self-confessed “plant geek” James Wong’s Homegrown Revolution will have you growing saffron and goji berries on a UK allotment. Also try the UK’s biggest seed-swapping event, Seedy Sunday, in Brighton on 1 February. Presenter Kate Humble has a brilliant range of courses on everything from lambing (March/April) to growing your own wedding flowers (May) on her working farm in Wales (humblebynature.com).

Greening your money gives you a buffer from the vagaries and injustices of the global financial structure. Good Money Week is in October, but the principles last all year around (goodmoneyweek.com)."



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Pope Francis’ leadership on climate change, versus the Murdoch Global Machine

Pope Francis’s edict on climate change will anger deniers and US churches | World news | The Guardian: "He has been called the “superman pope”, and it would be hard to deny that Pope Francis has had a good December. Cited by President Barack Obama as a key player in the thawing relations between the US and Cuba, the Argentinian pontiff followed that by lecturing his cardinals on the need to clean up Vatican politics. But can Francis achieve a feat that has so far eluded secular powers and inspire decisive action on climate change?

It looks as if he will give it a go. In 2015, the pope will issue a lengthy message on the subject to the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, give an address to the UN general assembly and call a summit of the world’s main religions.

The reason for such frenetic activity, says Bishop Marcelo Sorondo, chancellor of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences, is the pope’s wish to directly influence next year’s crucial UN climate meeting in Paris, when countries will try to conclude 20 years of fraught negotiations with a universal commitment to reduce emissions.

“Our academics supported the pope’s initiative to influence next year’s crucial decisions,” Sorondo told Cafod, the Catholic development agency, at a meeting in London. “The idea is to convene a meeting with leaders of the main religions to make all people aware of the state of our climate and the tragedy of social exclusion.”"



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World Wakes Up to Climate Change, Takes Action in 2014

World Wakes Up to Climate Change, Takes Action in 2014: "According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment, released this year, the planet is well on its way to a 2-degree-Celsius rise in temperature above pre-industrial times. Experts agree that would trigger irreversible change, including rising seas and more frequent and intense storms and drought.  

Michael Oppenheimer, a professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University and an author of the IPCC assessment, said that unless governments act now to reduce heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, life on the planet could get much worse.


FILE - A man clears debris from the remains of his home that was damaged by waves from Typhoon Hagupit in Legazpi, Philippines, Dec. 8, 2014.
“If we are not judicious in our choices of what to do about restraining the emissions of the greenhouse gases," he said, "then by the end of the end of this century we could be several degrees Celsius warmer than we are now and put Earth in a condition that it has not seen in millions of years.”

While these predictions are grim, 2014 also brought some hopeful signs that the global community is beginning to take action on climate change."



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Ryanair launches US site calling on tourists to trade Route 66 for Wild Atlantic Way

Ryanair launches US site calling on tourists to trade Route 66 for Wild Atlantic Way: "“Being nice to people doesn’t come naturally to me,” he told the Deloitte Enterprise Ireland CEO Forum in Dublin in November. “I’d be more inclined to rob money out of people’s pockets. Now I want to put money back in their pocket and help them save money.”
“It’s not enough to be the cheapest anymore. We need to be the cheapest, the best and the friendliest.”"



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Ryanair launches US site calling on tourists to trade Route 66 for Wild Atlantic Way

Ryanair launches US site calling on tourists to trade Route 66 for Wild Atlantic Way: "The airline says American tourists continue to travel to Europe every year with London, Dublin, Barcelona, Rome and Paris the top destinations for US customers. It adds that most of these visitors come from California, New York, Texas, Florida and New Jersey.
A statement from Ryanair reports US customers are now able to book their flights in dollars and are entitled to bring a free small second carry-on bag on board their flight.
The new site also features Ryanair’s “Fare Finder” which allows customers to find the lowest fares on offer through price point and by specifying their route and travel period.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said in November he would like the airline to operate a low-cost transatlantic service from 15 European cities to about 12 US cities, but that sourcing the long-haul aircraft is a challenge.
“We would need a fleet of long haul aircraft. There is a historical shortage. We can’t get the aircraft we need for three or four years.”"



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Rising Temperature Triggered By Global Warming Is Killing The Corals Around The World | Morning Vertical

Rising Temperature Triggered By Global Warming Is Killing The Corals Around The World | Morning Vertical: "Researchers issued a warning that rising temperature in the seas is killing the corals around the word. Scientists are blaming Global Warming for the rapid temperature rise in the oceans around the world. Marine experts are saying that according to the pattern from the last few months the rising ocean temperature is damaging the coral reefs. According to experts coral is losing its ‘algae’ which produces the colors for the corals. The bleaching of the corals have already started due to global temperature rise in the ocean. The loss of algae is the reason behind the corals becoming white and in due course expire. According to data collected by the researchers the worst bleaching happened during 1998. During that time 15 percent of the world`s coral was wiped off due to increase in temperature.  Researchers are saying that in 2014 the temperature is higher than 1998 and the worst bleaching in recent history has happened throughout 2014. According to some marine experts it will get worse within the next 6 to 12 month."



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English singer Joe Cocker dies aged 70

English singer Joe Cocker dies aged 70: "Cocker was born in May 1944 in Sheffield, where he lived until his early twenties.
He came to prominence in the early 1960s, famous for his distinctive gravelly voice.
His cover of ‘A Little Help From My Friends’ reached number one in the UK in 1968, and a year later he performed the song at the famous Woodstock Festival, which helped launch his career.
He won his first Grammy in 1983 and an Oscar for his duet with Jennifer Warnes, ‘Up Where We Belong’, from the Richard Gere film ‘An Officer And A Gentleman’. He received an OBE for his contribution to music.
A prolific artist, he released 40 albums during his lengthy career.
Away from music he enjoyed long walks in the mountains with his dogs, fly fishing, playing snooker with friends, and growing tomatoes in his greenhouse."



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Cantillon: The difference between Ireland and Iceland

Cantillon: The difference between Ireland and Iceland: "The Government is exceedingly pleased with itself after repaying €9 billion of the €22.5 billion IMF debt a few days ago, representing almost 40 per cent of the total liability. A similar IMF repayment by Iceland around the same time calls to mind the hardy days of 2008 when both countries faced banking collapse and associated perils. So what is the difference now between Ireland and Iceland?
Reykjavik’s latest IMF cheque reduced its outstandstanding debt by $400.6 million (€326.66 million). This is tiny compared to Ireland’s mammoth repayment but still represents about 20 pent of Iceland’s IMF €2.1 billion debt. Thanks to repayments in 2012, Iceland’s remaining obligation to the IMF is $345.1 billion. “This outstanding balance is projected to be repaid during 2015-16,” said the IMF.
Iceland has been busy repaying other debts, delivering some £1.36 billion (€1.73 billion) to the British treasury last week in respect of London’s interventions at the height of the financial crisis to meet the claims of British depositors in the collapsed Icelandic bank Landsbanki. British authorities have now recovered 85 per cent of the £4.5 billion they paid out to Landsbanki depositors and expect to get the full amount by 2017."



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Deforestation in the tropics affects climate around the world, study finds | Carbon Brief

Deforestation in the tropics affects climate around the world, study finds | Carbon Brief: ""The effects of tropical deforestation on climate go well beyond carbon," says Professor Deborah Lawrence, "[it] causes warming locally, regionally, and globally, and it changes rainfall by altering the movement of heat and water."

These are the conclusions of a worldwide study into the deforestation of tropical rainforests, which shows that cutting down trees can have immediate impacts on the climate and put agricultural productivity at risk.

Rainforests are more than just a carbon store

Deforestation and land use change account for approximately  11 per cent  of global carbon dioxide emissions. But the new research finds that cutting down trees doesn't only affect the  carbon they lock up.

The research, published in Nature Climate Change, reviews academic studies on deforestation of  tropical rainforests in the Amazon basin, central Africa, and southeast Asia. Many of the studies use climate models to simulate what happens if you remove these forests completely, and they suggest that deforestation in the tropics can affect the climate on the other side of the world.

The map below shows how far-reaching some of these potential impacts are. The triangles show areas where rainfall is expected to decrease because of tropical deforestation, and the circles show areas of increase. The colours indicate the link to where the deforestation occurs.

So the models suggest deforestation in the Amazon, for example, can reduce rainfall over the US Midwest and even in northeast China. Deforestation in central Africa can cause a drop in rainfall in southern Europe, and loss of trees in southeast Asian can bring wetter conditions in southern Europe and the Arabian Peninsula."



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Research Warns That Sea Levels Are Rising To Dangerous Levels - Pioneer News

Research Warns That Sea Levels Are Rising To Dangerous Levels - Pioneer News: "New research warns that coastal cities like Washington D.C. could be at great risk for severe flooding over the rest of this century. In fact, sea levels rise in Washington D.C.—and Wilmington North Carolina—have already passed what experts call the “tipping point”. Furthermore other East coast cities can now expect to reach the point where they could experience at least 30 days of “nuisance-level flooding,” every year by 2050.

Lead study author oceanographer William Street says, “Coastal communities are beginning to experience sunny-day nuisance or urban flood, much more so than in decades past. This is due to sea level rise. Unfortunately, once impacts are noticed, they will become commonplace rather quickly. We find that in 30 to 40 years, even modest projections of global sea level rise—1.5 feet by the year 2100—will increase instances of daily high tide flooding to a point requiring an active, and potentially costly response and be the end of this century, our projections show that there will be near-daily nuisance flooding in most of the locations that we reviewed.”"



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Sustainable education - The Hindu

Sustainable education - The Hindu: "ricsson has expanded the realm of its global education initiative ‘Connect To Learn’, launched in 2010 with the Earth Institute of Columbia University and Millenium Promise, by introducing it in India this year. Partnering with three globally prominent non-governmental organisations, Plan International, Smile Foundation and Pratham Education Foundation, it aims at providing quality education to underprivileged students through mobility, broadband and cloud solutions.

A subsidiary programme of Ericsson’s ‘Technology For Good’ which also includes several humanitarian projects like helping the refugees in Africa and collaborating with the United Nations for tele-communication services during disaster relief operations, ‘Connect To Learn’ focuses more on education of the girl child. The emphasis is also on providing vocational training and secondary education for the underprivileged.

In a recent conference held in the Capital, Elaine Weidman-Grunewald, Vice President, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Ericsson, said, “Connect To Learn uses Ericsson’s core business strengths to access content in low bandwidth environments and deliver content through mobile broadband. Thus, using mobility, broadband and cloud solutions, we hope to set up virtual classrooms in the remote villages of the world where the teachers will be trained appropriately to use the equipment. We have deployments in rural Millennium Villages in Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and Senegal, as well as Ethiopia and Rwanda. India for us is extra special, because we have a huge technological base here and the Open Source Cloud Solution was developed by the Indian technicians which shall be used for the future global programmes as well. The existing programmes will also soon convert.”"



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Sizing Up the College Rating System - NYTimes.com

Sizing Up the College Rating System - NYTimes.com: "roempty IL 3 minutes ago
Our system of K-12 and higher education has "democratized" education- anyone can get into K-12, and schools are incentivized to maximize the output of K-12. The higher education system provides thousands of options for students, at various price points, to get an undergraduate degree, irrespective of the student's academic and non-academic level of development. Sadly, public, with this level of education, is now demanding a single "rating" to assess the worth of a college. From a process viewpoint a College takes inputs of varying quality (incoming students), uses processes (curricular and non-curricular), and produces outcomes (the attributes of graduates). Assessing the value added by the educational process requires controlling for input quality, and defining the quality of the outcomes. If we want to have a high quality affordable "college education" we have to (1) recognize that not all K-12 grads should be able to go to College after graduation, (2) require that College assessments (exams, tests, etc.) be assessed far more rigorously, (3) require that non-teaching related expenses be less than a fixed (small) percent of teaching expenses, and (4) require that all information on process quality and outcomes be made public, along with the "true" prices. In many parts of Europe, not all high school grads can go on to college, there are significantly difficult assessments after high school, and in College students are given far more responsibility for their own education."



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Judge rules to keep gray wolves on endangered species list | Environment | The Guardian

Judge rules to keep gray wolves on endangered species list | Environment | The Guardian: "A federal judge on Friday threw out an Obama administration decision to remove the gray wolf population in the western Great Lakes region from the endangered species list – a decision that will ban further wolf hunting and trapping in three states.

The order affects wolves in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The US Fish and Wildlife Service dropped federal protections from those wolves in 2012 and handed over management to the states.

US District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington, DC, ruled Friday the removal was “arbitrary and capricious” and violated the federal Endangered Species Act.

Unless overturned, his decision will prohibit further wolf hunting and trapping in the three states, all of which have had at least one hunting season since protections were removed. More than 1,500 Great Lakes wolves have been killed since federal protections were removed, said Jonathan Lovvorn, senior vice president of the Humane Society of the United States. The group filed a lawsuit that prompted Howell’s ruling."



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England’s Christmas Gift to Ireland: Cheap Beer and Bites - Bloomberg

England’s Christmas Gift to Ireland: Cheap Beer and Bites - Bloomberg: "Stouts sell for 2.50 euros at the bar, compared with about 5 euros for a pint of Guinness in the city center. The company’s Irish bars don’t sell Guinness because Diageo wouldn’t supply it at the right price, according to Gershon.

Diageo says it reflects higher costs in Ireland than in the U.K. and that it’s up to landlords to set prices. Guinness accounts for about one in three pints sold in Irish bars.

“Guinness said, ‘well, you aren’t going to open without Guinness,’” Gershon said. “‘Well,’ we said, ‘we are.’ It hasn’t been an issue at all.”

At the darkened interior of Buck Henry’s Bar and Grill on Dun Laoghaire’s main street, locals at the bar discussed the new arrival around the corner.

“It’s not realistic for us to charge those prices,” said Derek O’Brien, who runs the bar. “If we did, there wouldn’t be any pub, it just wouldn’t be sustainable. We offer things they don’t: table service, sports.”

O’Brien can see an upside, suggesting Wetherspoon will bring in customers, and that his bar, which opens until 2:30 a.m., can draw drinkers once Wetherspoon closes at around midnight."



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Student comments during yet another Fall Term - Fall 2014

Good morning, I got accepted for the MBAA Conference in Chicago. This makes me very happy and my family is very proud. I am so thankful that you encouraged me to apply for it and for all your support that you've given me. LW.

Thank you so much for the help! It's nice to have a professor that cares enough about graduates to help out after they're gone! I am currently looking in a wide array of industries right now. I have turned down 5+ job offers because I don't want to settle for a job when I know I can strive for something better with more growth... NP

I just wanted to let you know I've made my decision! I'm accepting ABC's offer. EFG left me a voicemail message today so I will call them back tomorrow and tell them no and then call ABC to accept. Thanks for all your help in my decision process! :)  EC

I really enjoyed your class this year. I feel as though I learned a lot -- especially from the SPSS and Conjoint Analysis tools. I also really enjoyed visiting Mariano's, and the simulation was a fun part of the course. Thank you for being such a great teacher and great advisor, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday break....NR

Of course I got an A in finance! I always fulfill my promises :)  MH


Thank you for your help today with the Indian showcase. I think it went well and I was pleased that the three students participated. I was really interested in your experiences growing up and in the intricacies of the languages. My apologies for leaving before you finished. BG

The plaque has been installed. It looks great. thanks for everything you have done for me... HN

 The fact that you thought I was nomination worthy is award enough for me! DM

Thank you so much for the email! I worked very hard for those grades and I truly appreciate the recognition.  NR

I'm AN, a junior this year.  I'm an Education Major and am thinking about adding a minor in business administration.  My brother,  said you would be a good person to talk to and get your perspective.

I hope you had as great of a summer as I did. Now it's finally time for me to find a big girl job. I might have an opportunity at a part time position for the moment at XYZ so I am wondering if you would be able to write a recommendation letter? I know this is a busy time for you with the new school year just starting, but I would really appreciate your help... ID

Thanks so much for your constant support  KK

Thanks so much for the interesting and eye-opening directed readings group!  IJ

I wanted to thank you both for such a wonderful educational experience.  I really enjoyed reading the book and being able to discuss as a group.  This class was truly eye-opening.  Thank you for all your work!  EV

I thought I should send a quick email and let you know how my job is going post graduation. I am still at .... I am enjoying it. I am learning a lot and the culture is great. I am also working with some bigger name clients which has been awesome. Thank you for all your help and advising me on what to do post graduation. I am really glad I took this position. The environment is great and the work is good too...  AT

Thank you again for all the help and guidance you have given me. I appreciate it beyond words. AG.

Your confidence in me has helped me to have more confidence in myself and the decisions I am making.  Though it took some thought, I did decide to go to Istanbul for the summer!  I will leave in mid-June and return in mid/early-August.  It is certainly an interesting time to visit and I am excited to finally get to visit the country I have spent so much time and energy learning about...CE

As my first year of college comes to a close, I am reflecting on my Elmhurst Experience and I am very pleased with my time at Elmhurst College. It truly went by so fast and I have been fortunate to experience what Elmhurst has to offer. Thank you for really helping my transition to Elmhurst College and your support! EC

I felt as though I gained applicable, real-world knowledge in the two classes I previously took with you, so if you have any upcoming recommendations for the Fall, J-term, or Spring of next school year, let me know. SJ

 It would be really great if you could be my mentor. I feel I can learn a lot from you and continue to grow my knowledge in the business world and more. EM

Bad News for Florida: Models of Greenland Ice Melting Could Be Way Off - NBC News.com

Bad News for Florida: Models of Greenland Ice Melting Could Be Way Off - NBC News.com: "Existing computer models may be severely underestimating the risk to Greenland's ice sheet — which would add 20 feet to sea levels if it all melted — from warming temperatures, according to two studies released Monday.

Satellite data were instrumental for both studies — one which concludes that Greenland is likely to see many more lakes that speed up melt, and the other which better tracks large glaciers all around Earth's largest island.

The lakes study, published in the peer-reviewed Nature Climate Change, found that what are called "supraglacial lakes" have been migrating inland since the 1970s as temperatures warm, and could double on Greenland by 2060.


UN Chief Calls For Drastic Action On Climate ChangeNBC NEWS



Paste HTML to embed video:

The study upends models used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change because they "didn't allow for lake spreading, so the work has to be done again," study co-author Andrew Shepherd, director of Britain's Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, told NBCNews.com.

Those lakes can speed up ice loss since, being darker than the white ice, they can absorb more of the sun's heat and cause melting. The melt itself creates channels through the ice sheet to weaken it further, sending ice off the sheet and into the ocean.

"When you pour pancake batter into a pan, if it rushes quickly to the edges of the pan, you end up with a thin pancake," study lead author Amber Leeson, a researcher at Britain's University of Leeds, explained in a statement. "It's similar to what happens with ice sheets: The faster it flows, the thinner it will be."



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Greenland ice loss more 'local' than thought, climate study says - LA Times

Greenland ice loss more 'local' than thought, climate study says - LA Times: "When it comes to melting ice on Greenland, climate change experts got everything right but the present.

That means Greenland’s contribution to sea level rise this century remains roughly the same – three inches – but where it comes from and how it gets to the ocean are now more clear, according to a new study that crunched 20 years of NASA data.

The findings will make climate models far more precise, according to the researchers.


Greenland ice sheet secret revealed: a chasm rivaling the Grand Canyon
Until now, the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change based its estimation of ice loss from Greenland on the four largest of an estimated 242 major outlet glaciers on that land mass, and admitted its modeling was at a “fairly early stage,” according to the study.

The new study, published online Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reconstructs ice thickness at about 100,000 sites, at a scale of single glaciers or drainage basins.

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“These are billions of measurements, so the actual number of observations is really huge,” said the study’s lead author, Beata Csatho, a geophysicist at the University at Buffalo, N.Y.

There are about 656,000 square miles of ice on Greenland, or roughly three times the acreage of Texas. If all of that ice melted, it would raise average sea levels about 20 feet, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center."



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Demon drink: greatest public health issue of our age

Demon drink: greatest public health issue of our age: "In my opinion, Ireland is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Recent media reports stated more than 1,000 people have died in Ireland from alcohol-related illness in the past 12 months. We are a nation of addicts at the mercy of an ambivalent Government with a neo-liberal agenda which panders to the demands of a self-regulating drinks industry.
Minimum alcohol pricing planned for the North
Canadian youth pushed to despair in poverty-stricken indigenous community
Areas with many pubs have triple the alcohol deaths - Scottish study
Policymakers ignore the fact we have a serious problem with substance abuse which ultimately poses a greater threat to the economic and social fabric of Irish life than any bank crisis or property collapse ever could.
There are 2.48 million people in Ireland who drink alcohol and 54 per cent of those drink harmfully. There were no tax increases on alcohol in this year’s budget, even though pricing is widely identified as an effective means of reducing use. The Public Health Alcohol Bill, announced in October 2013, aims only at reducing consumption and falls short of addressing the social factors behind alcohol abuse."



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Five Years- for FOIA to kick in

Department of Finance warned ministers viability of State was at risk: "“National debt is rising fast and, without action, will become unsustainable. Failure to take action now means that we risk a vicious circle whereby ever-more unpalatable decisions will have to be made just to service the debt,” the memo, dated October 8th, 2009, stated.
Confidential
The budgetary strategy memorandum, drawn up for consideration by members of the Fianna Fáil/Green administration, was released yesterday by the Department of the Taoiseach under the revised Freedom of Information Act. This allows for previously confidential government papers to be made available after five years.
The memorandum said tax revenue for 2009 would be €2 billion less than forecast.
It said a general government deficit of 12 per cent of GDP was likely for the year, rather than the planned rate of 10.75 per cent."



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Lima climate summit extended as poor countries demand more from rich | Environment | The Guardian

Lima climate summit extended as poor countries demand more from rich | Environment | The Guardian: "Climate talks in Lima ran into extra time amid rising frustration from developing countries at the “ridiculously low” commitments from rich countries to help pay for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

The talks – originally scheduled to wrap up at 12pm after 10 days – are now expected to run well into Saturday , as negotiators huddle over a new draft text many glimpsed for the first time only morning.

The Lima negotiations began on a buoyant note after the US, China and the EU came forward with new commitments to cut carbon pollution. But they were soon brought back down to earth over the perennial divide between rich and poor countries in the negotiations: how should countries share the burden for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and who should pay?

The talks were designed to draft a blueprint for a global deal to fight climate change, due to be adopted in Paris late next year. But developing countries argued that before signing on they needed to see greater commitments that the industrialised countries would keep to their end of a bargain to provide the money needed to fight climate change. After 10 days of talks, developing countries argued that those assurances were not strong enough."



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John Kerry warns of ‘moral failure’ at climate conference

John Kerry warns of ‘moral failure’ at climate conference: "Mr Kerry warned that the “window of opportunity” to address climate change was “closing quickly”, so the issue was urgent. “We need to get an ambitious climate agreement . . . giant, measurable clear steps forward that will set us on a new path”.
The former US senator said he found it “kinda troubling” that he been at all of the major UN climate conferences since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and here he was in Lima 22 years later and there was still no agreement on the issues.
“I know discussions can be tense and decisions can be difficult. I know the debates over who should do what, but the fact is we simply don’t have time. It’s everyone’s responsibility. It’s the net amount of carbon that matters, not each country’s share.”
Calling on all countries to play their part, Mr Kerry said he had come to the Peruvian capital, however briefly, “in order to make sure that we get this right . . . This is not insurmountable. Mankind created the problem and mankind can solve the problem.”
He cited the recent agreement between the US and China on curbing their emissions – together accounting for 40 per cent of the global total – as a “historic milestone” that other countries were already following, including EU member states.
Without naming any country, Mr Kerry said: “If you’re a big developed nation and not helping to lead, you’re part of the problem.” That was why US president Barack Obama and himself “recognise our responsibility to lead the global response”.
Addressing the development needs of poorer countries, the US secretary of state said: “Coal and oil may be cheap ways to power your economy in the short term, but look further down the road and there are far-reaching costs. It’s not cheaper.”"



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How Wal-Mart Made Its Crumbling China Business Look So Good for So Long - Bloomberg

How Wal-Mart Made Its Crumbling China Business Look So Good for So Long - Bloomberg: "After years of heralding China as one of its best markets, Wal-Mart (WMT) in August said its performance there was among the worst in its major countries. A management shake-up and job cuts have followed.

Although the reversals seem abrupt, cracks in the foundation of Wal-Mart’s retail business in China have been developing for years, hidden by questionable accounting and unauthorized sales practices, according to employees and internal documents reviewed by Bloomberg.

The practices -- including bulk sales to other retailers and some sales allegedly booked when no merchandise left the shelves -- made business appear strong even as retail transactions slowed and unsold inventory piled up, these people and documents say. Wal-Mart said in August that it was unhappy with inventory growth internationally."



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America's Health Rankings 2014 - Business Insider

America's Health Rankings 2014 - Business Insider: "ince the rankings began in 1990, Mississippi — which has high rates of obesity and diabetes, low availability of primary care, and high incidence of infectious disease — has always ranked among the bottom three. Hawaii — which has low rates of obesity, smoking, cancer deaths, and preventable hospitalizations — has always been among the top six.

The rankings are funded by the United Health Foundation and are based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Medical Association, the Census Bureau, and other sources. They take into account 27 distinct measures including rates of smoking, obesity, drug deaths, education, violent crime, pollution, childhood poverty, infectious disease, and infant mortality."



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ECB mulls €1 trillion bond move as Germany warns on QE

ECB mulls €1 trillion bond move as Germany warns on QE: "The head of Germany’s Bundesbank warned the European Central Bank on Friday against copying the money printing used in the United States and Japan, saying that it would not have the same impact in Europe.
Speaking a day after ECB president Mario Draghi signalled further action to shore up the euro zone economy as soon as early next year, Jens Weidmann cautioned that so-called quantitative easing may not work in Europe.
“You cannot simply apply the same formula in Europe that has enjoyed success in the US or in Japan,” Mr Weidmann told a conference in Frankfurt, commenting on the prospect of further money printing to buy assets such as state bonds.
Economics: Wait goes on for ECB presses to roll
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“In the USA, there is a central state that issues bonds that are very safe and secure. We don’t have that central state here,” said Mr Weidmann, who also cautioned that making it too cheap for countries to borrow could discourage them from reforming."



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Starbucks Expanding Lunch Menu in Bid to Draw U.S. Diners - Bloomberg

Starbucks Expanding Lunch Menu in Bid to Draw U.S. Diners - Bloomberg: "Facebook
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SBUX:US81.310.84 1.04%
Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) plans to expand its lunch offerings and bring beer and wine to more stores as it seeks to boost U.S. sales with menu items that draw customers after the morning rush.

The world’s largest coffee-shop chain is aiming to double food revenue to more than $4 billion in the next five years, the company told investors at a conference at its Seattle headquarters today. Part of that push includes serving beer and wine at more than 2,000 stores in the U.S. by the end of 2019.

The additional alcohol offerings are estimated to add about $1 billion in revenue as more customers visit Starbucks in the evening, when store traffic is slowest, said Cliff Burrows, group president for the Americas.

“Female customers, in particular, enjoy meeting friends for a glass of wine in the evening,” he said.

A menu expansion began earlier this year, helping food contribute 2 percentage points to same-store sales growth in recent quarters, Starbucks said. The chain has been testing new lunch sandwiches in the U.S. and adding more bakery items and breakfast fare.

Burrows said the key to boosting revenue during the morning rush is selling more breakfast sandwiches to coffee customers. In the company’s fiscal fourth-quarter, which ended Sept. 28, breakfast sandwich sales grew 30 percent, he said."



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Starbucks Expands Reserve Coffee Line With New Seattle Location - Bloomberg

Starbucks Expands Reserve Coffee Line With New Seattle Location - Bloomberg: "Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) is opening a store in Seattle that combines a cafe with a coffee bean roastery as the chain boosts production of its Reserve line of premium coffee.

The Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room is a 15,000-square-foot facility that will serve Reserve coffee, which is sourced in small batches and sells for more than $20 a pound. The store, which opens today, will let Starbucks double its small-batch roasting capacity and expand the Reserve coffee presence to 1,500 locations from 800 worldwide.

The world’s biggest coffee-shop operator is experimenting with new store formats, including smaller express stores in New York City and a three-story cafe in Bogota. Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz has said Starbucks is seeking to emulate the retail environments offered by Apple Inc. and Nike Inc.

The Seattle facility provides a blueprint for other major urban markets, Troy Alstead, the company’s chief operating officer, said in an interview."



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Left, right – what do labels matter when a homeless man dies on a freezing night?

Left, right – what do labels matter when a homeless man dies on a freezing night?: "The urge to attach labels to people is human. It makes life simpler. But labels stick if left unchallenged, so when a member of Aosdána tweeted that last week’s column was an example of “the class war credentials – pro-establishment – of the Irish media”, I reread it to see how I had offended and perhaps to atone.
To recap: I wrote that in my experience the people whom Paul Murphy TD describes as “ordinary” and “afraid of the government” can be startlingly outspoken when senior politicians come to canvass. If the gentleman tweeter disputes this, he has never been on a canvass.
The column also described politicians’ routine self-abasement before a demanding electorate in the perpetual mission to mind the seat, while suggesting that the same electorate should examine the mote in its own eye, given its abrupt U-turn towards Fianna Fáil in 2007."



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George Shultz Gone Solar. Now That's a Sign of Thawing in the U.S. Climate Debate - Bloomberg

George Shultz Gone Solar. Now That's a Sign of Thawing in the U.S. Climate Debate - Bloomberg: "As Ronald Reagan’s secretary of state, George Shultz faced off against Muammar Qaddafi, the Soviet Union and Chinese communists.

His latest cause, though, is one few fellow Republicans support: fighting climate change.

Two years ago, Shultz was alarmed when a retired Navy admiral showed him a video of vanishing Arctic sea ice and explained the implications for global stability. Now, the former Cold Warrior drives an electric car, sports solar panels on his California roof and argues for government action against global warming at clean-energy conferences.

Living a life powered “on sunshine,” Shultz, at 93, has a message for the doubters who dominate his own party: “The potential results are catastrophic,” he said in an interview. “So let’s take out an insurance policy.”"



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2014 Is Likely to Be the Earth's Hottest Year Ever. Why It Doesn't Matter. - Bloomberg

2014 Is Likely to Be the Earth's Hottest Year Ever. Why It Doesn't Matter. - Bloomberg: "This is why arguments about global warming are so exhausting. The politics of climate change, which are messy and confusing, have nothing to do with the facts of climate change, which are fairly uncomplicated and straightforward.

The takeaway from today's news isn't that the Earth got hotter in 2014. It's that the Earth is getting hotter, period."



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Scam stories: an auditor’s accounts - The Hindu

Scam stories: an auditor’s accounts - The Hindu: "n the book, Rai indicts the government on five different scams. But before that, he tells us a little of his personal story. Joining the IAS in 1972, Rai’s early days saw him in limbo land as the government of Nagaland sparred with the Central government. The young Rai made the long journey from the training academy in Mussoorie to Dimapur and then Kohima, only to be told on arrival, to go right back. Such little anecdotes set the tone for Rai’s memoirs. As he moves on, to the Kerala cadre, Rai had his own share of mini standoffs with ministers, but is able to manage most, included one with the then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.

When Rai was appointed as the CAG in 2008, he took the office very seriously. In the chapter on the role of Audit for instance, he delves into history, on the powers and the respect accorded to his predecessors in Audit, as far back as the early days of independence. He made speeches on these matters, and evaluated very seriously all criticism directed at the CAG office. Some of this criticism was scathingly personal, and Rai quotes former Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Manish Tewari, as saying of him (Rai) “The R-virus has infected the India growth story”."



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Manufacturing Is Vulnerable to Blockbusting Hits

Manufacturing Is Vulnerable to Blockbusting Hits: "Manufacturing supply chains are the action stars of the business world. Everything depends on them, and they’re always ending up in tight spots. A natural catastrophe here, a geopolitical event there, and the next thing you know, your supply chain is involved in a cliffhanger.

In the wake of massive natural disasters in recent years, supply chain disruptions and risks have been in the news worldwide. “Manufacturing leads the way in the globalization of business,” says Erika Melander, Manufacturing Practice Leader at Travelers. “No other sector deals with so many components and sources in its supply chain, where a disruption to any single piece could derail the whole process—and the daily life of millions of people along with it.”"



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No end to victims' sufferings even after 30 years of Bhopal gas tragedy : North, News - India Today

No end to victims' sufferings even after 30 years of Bhopal gas tragedy : North, News - India Today: "Thirty years later, the tragedy of that industrial disaster lingers like in the case of Alfez. The victims have become the unmistakable scars of the tragedy. It is not just the old but the young also bear the scourge of the toxic leak even today.

Cases of babies born with severe birth defects are on rise, doctors and activists claim. According to the activists and organisations working for the welfare of the Bhopal gas tragedy victims, the reason behind the birth of children with defects is due to their families' exposure to toxic chemicals that poisoned the entire area and contaminated groundwater.

"There are at least 1,000 of these cases where children have been born with severe birth defects since the gas tragedy. The cases of second and third generation gas victims are rising by each day," Convenor of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan, Abdul Jabbar alleges."



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Animal Extinctions From Climate Rival End of Dinosaurs - Bloomberg

Animal Extinctions From Climate Rival End of Dinosaurs - Bloomberg: "Animals are dying off in the wild at a pace as great as the extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago because of human activity and climate change.

Current extinction rates are at least 12 times faster than normal because people kill them for food, money or destroy their habitat, said Anthony Barnosky, a biology professor at the University of California-Berkeley.

“If that rate continues unchanged, the Earth’s sixth mass extinction is a certainty,” Barnosky said in a phone interview. “Within about 200 to 300 years, three out of every four species we’re familiar with would be gone.”

The findings, due to air in a documentary on the Smithsonian Channel on Nov. 30, add to pressure on envoys from some 190 countries gathering next week at a United Nations conference in Peru to discuss limits on the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

“We might do as much damage in 400 years as an asteroid did to the dinosaurs,” Sean Carroll, a biologist who leads the Department of Science Education at Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, said in an interview. He was also interviewed for the documentary."



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Scottish parliament to get control over income tax and welfare spending | UK news | The Guardian

Scottish parliament to get control over income tax and welfare spending | UK news | The Guardian: "The Scottish parliament is to be handed direct control over billions of pounds of income tax and welfare benefits after an £11bn cross-party deal which will lead to the biggest shakeup to Britain’s taxation system in the modern era.

The historic move, which had been resisted by the Labour leadership in London, means powers to set income tax rates and bands are to be wholly devolved to Holyrood as the pro-UK parties move to outflank the Scottish National party, which has surged in popularity since the referendum on Scottish independence.

High-level talks to agree the full package of new powers continued late into Wednesday as negotiators from all the main parties at Holyrood thrashed out the details of a deal due to be revealed in Edinburgh on Thursday morning."



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Grossly United in Gobbling up SIckening amount of money, for delivering poor performance and leaving

United Technologies’ CEO Leaves With $172 Million Pay Package - Bloomberg: "Louis Chenevert, who retired as chief executive officer of United Technologies Corp. (UTX) in a surprise move three days ago, will leave with a nest egg of about $172 million.

That sum includes $109 million of vesting option awards and $32 million of vesting performance-based restricted-stock awards, based on the Nov. 25 closing price, and a pension worth $31 million as of Dec. 31, according to data from the company’s proxy filing released earlier this year.

The reasons behind Chenevert’s abrupt departure remain unknown and it came as a surprise to the investment community, which had been anticipating his appearance at an investor meeting on Dec. 11. A company spokesman said Chenevert’s leaving wasn’t related to financial performance. His corporate bio was already expunged from United Technologies’ website on Nov. 24, just hours after the company announced the management change, and the list of board members also disappeared."



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Rape Raises Question: Who Are Those College Boys? - Bloomberg

Rape Raises Question: Who Are Those College Boys? - Bloomberg: "Facebook
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The University of Virginia suspended its fraternities and related social activities... Read More
Whoever said the line is lost in our memory -- someone we knew? some public persona? -- but the line about parenthood, about why you’d rather have a boy than a girl, managed to stick.

It was something to the effect of, “When your son turns 16, you have a 16-year-old boy on your hands, but when your daughter turns 16, you have every 16-year-old boy on your hands.”

Now that Rolling Stone has blown open the issue of campus rape with its expose of the University of Virginia -- as if the scores and scores of other reports weren’t enough -- the line’s not as clever as it used to be.

Here’s a question for you: Would you rather your kid return from college as a rape victim or a rapist? Because while the young women in these circumstances are coming home shattered, the young men in them are returning as something worse.

In the aftermath of the UVA story -- and, just as an aside, when did Rolling Stone turn into an investigative outfit? -- we learned yesterday that the UVA administrator overseeing matters of sexual misconduct at school has never moved for the expulsion of a student nor, she says, ever even seen one expelled for sexual misconduct, even those who have confessed to it.

Nicole Eramo, the associate dean of students at UVA, is both lionized in the article by students for her dexterity in handling victims and undercut by the reporting, which shows the policies, and Eramo’s wielding of them, contribute to inaction and are complicit in keeping, well, rapists on campus.

We spoke to a recent female graduate of UVA, and guess what? Same thing happened to her. Not on the level of violence as described in the Rolling Stone article, but it was a sexual assault, occurring at the end of her sophomore year.

Which is to say, it wasn’t even at all difficult to find yet another story. Make a couple phone calls, and voila.

Yes, she told friends, but no one else, no one in a position of authority. She explained that, as unfortunate as the assault was, she didn’t feel like anything could be done about it. She said it’s difficult to have that kind of conversation with an administrator, and she just felt like she could deal with it better on her own, accept it and go on. In other words, she felt powerless."



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How does Scotland's equal gender cabinet compare with its UK equivalent? | News | The Guardian

How does Scotland's equal gender cabinet compare with its UK equivalent? | News | The Guardian: "As well as getting its first female leader, the Scottish government now has a cabinet on which both genders are equally represented.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said her cabinet was:

A clear demonstration that this government will work hard in all areas to promote women, to create gender equality and it sends out a strong message that the business of redressing the gender balance in public life starts right here in government

It certainly contrasts with the headlines bemoaning the poor gender split on the UK’s cabinet whenever there is a reshuffle. As the chart below shows Westminster has quite a way to go to catch up."



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World’s Oldest Spice Bears Vietnam Modern Riches: Southeast Asia - Bloomberg

World’s Oldest Spice Bears Vietnam Modern Riches: Southeast Asia - Bloomberg: "At a time when commodity producers are enduring a slump in prices for everything from crude oil to iron ore to soybeans, Vietnam’s pepper farmers are prospering.

Black pepper trades at about $9 a kilogram (2.2 pounds), from $2 a decade ago, while white pepper costs as much as $13, a threefold gain, according to the International Pepper Community, a producer group in Jakarta. Consumption has exceeded supply for about eight years, boosted by demand for seasoning as Asia eats more meat, said Greg Estep, the global head of spices and vegetable ingredients at Singapore-based Olam International Ltd.

The surge in the $2.5 billion pepper export market contrasts with a fourth consecutive year of declining commodity prices as supply gluts emerge. Vietnam’s crop expanded 15-fold over two decades, displacing India as the biggest supplier, the United Nations’ Food & Agriculture Organization says."



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Will A Gluten-Free Diet Really Make You Healthier? - Consumer Reports

Will A Gluten-Free Diet Really Make You Healthier? - Consumer Reports: "Just as fat was vilified in the 1990s and carbs have been scorned more recently, gluten—a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye—has become the latest dietary villain, blamed for everything from forgetfulness to joint pain to weight gain. "Gluten free" is a claim you see on everything from potato chips to bread to hummus—and even on cosmetics and laundry detergent.  Some people must avoid the protein because they have celiac disease—an autoimmune condition in which gluten causes potentially life-threatening intestinal damage—or gluten sensitivity. But less than 7 percent of Americans have those conditions.

According to a recent survey of more than 1,000 Americans by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, 63 percent thought that following a gluten-free diet would improve physical or mental health. About a third said they buy gluten-free products or try to avoid gluten. Among the top benefits they cited were better digestion and gastrointestinal function, healthy weight loss, increased energy, lower cholesterol, and a stronger immune system.

Yet there’s very limited research to substantiate any of those beliefs, notes Alessio Fasano, M.D., director of the Center for Celiac Research at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Unless you have celiac disease or a true gluten sensitivity, there’s no clear medical reason to eliminate it, Fasano says. In fact, you might be doing your health a disservice. “When you cut out gluten completely, you can cut out foods that have valuable nutrients,” he says, “and you may end up adding more calories and fat into your diet.” Before you decide to ride the wave of this dietary trend, consider why it might not be a good idea."



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Top 400 U.S. Households Paid 18% Average Tax Rate in 2010 - Bloomberg

Top 400 U.S. Households Paid 18% Average Tax Rate in 2010 - Bloomberg: "The top 400 taxpayers in the U.S. paid an average tax rate of 18 percent in 2010, the lowest since 2007, according to Internal Revenue Service data released today.

The wealthiest taxpayers earn a majority of their money from capital gains, which are taxed at preferential rates, letting them pay effective rates far below the 35 percent marginal income tax rate that year.

People who earn all of their income from wages often pay a higher tax rate than the very wealthiest Americans, said Leonard Burman, director of the Tax Policy Center in Washington. The comparable rate for all taxpayers in 2010 was 11.8 percent, and that includes more than 40 percent of households that paid no income taxes that year."



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Elephants are being wiped out, but not enough people seem to care | Bibi van der Zee | Comment is free | The Guardian

Elephants are being wiped out, but not enough people seem to care | Bibi van der Zee | Comment is free | The Guardian: "I asked a senior environmental journalist the other week what he thought was the single most under-reported environmental issue. He replied, unhesitatingly, wildlife poaching. “It’s as if the wildlife is just being hoovered out of Africa,” he said. “In the 1960s people campaigned around whales and wildlife. The Daily Mail actually put rhino poaching on their front page. But now there just doesn’t seem to be the same level of interest.” Dr Paula Kahumbu, a wildlife campaigner based in Kenya, echoes his sentiment, but adds that the UK public is still more active than most areas of the world. “Not a single African leader has spoken out on this,” says Kahumbu. “The silence is deafening.”

The scale of the “hoovering” is hard to comprehend. Take elephants, for example. In Africa, where some but not all of the poaching is concentrated, elephants are being slaughtered at a rate of 20,000-25,000 a year, from a population of just 420,000-650,000. The forest elephant population has dropped by 62% since 2002. There is a word for the killing of elephants (elephanticide) and a word for destruction of the natural world (ecocide) but oddly enough – given our magnificent form in this area – there doesn’t seem to be a word for killing off a whole species. We probably need one."



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Elephants are being wiped out, but not enough people seem to care | Bibi van der Zee | Comment is free | The Guardian

Elephants are being wiped out, but not enough people seem to care | Bibi van der Zee | Comment is free | The Guardian: "I asked a senior environmental journalist the other week what he thought was the single most under-reported environmental issue. He replied, unhesitatingly, wildlife poaching. “It’s as if the wildlife is just being hoovered out of Africa,” he said. “In the 1960s people campaigned around whales and wildlife. The Daily Mail actually put rhino poaching on their front page. But now there just doesn’t seem to be the same level of interest.” Dr Paula Kahumbu, a wildlife campaigner based in Kenya, echoes his sentiment, but adds that the UK public is still more active than most areas of the world. “Not a single African leader has spoken out on this,” says Kahumbu. “The silence is deafening.”"



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Elephants are being wiped out, but not enough people seem to care | Bibi van der Zee | Comment is free | The Guardian

Elephants are being wiped out, but not enough people seem to care | Bibi van der Zee | Comment is free | The Guardian: "I asked a senior environmental journalist the other week what he thought was the single most under-reported environmental issue. He replied, unhesitatingly, wildlife poaching. “It’s as if the wildlife is just being hoovered out of Africa,” he said. “In the 1960s people campaigned around whales and wildlife. The Daily Mail actually put rhino poaching on their front page. But now there just doesn’t seem to be the same level of interest.” Dr Paula Kahumbu, a wildlife campaigner based in Kenya, echoes his sentiment, but adds that the UK public is still more active than most areas of the world. “Not a single African leader has spoken out on this,” says Kahumbu. “The silence is deafening.”"



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NUI Galway ordered to promote lecturer overlooked over gender

NUI Galway ordered to promote lecturer overlooked over gender: "A botanist at NUI Galway has said she has “struck a blow for all female academics” after the Equality Tribunal found she was discriminated against on gender grounds when she was overlooked for a senior lectureship.
The tribunal has instructed NUI Galway to promote Dr Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, a long-serving and widely published lecturer who missed out on promotion in 2009 after a process described by the tribunal as “ramshackle”. The university must also pay her €70,000 and review its appointments system.
In her complaint, Dr Sheehy Skeffington – granddaughter of the suffragette Hanna Sheehy Skeffington – had claimed the application process for the post of senior lecturer was weighted against women.
The tribunal found that while on paper the promotion appeared to be a fair process based on definitive criteria, in practice it fell short. There was only one woman on the seven-person interview board. Of 17 promoted to senior lecturer for the whole university, only one was a woman."



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Ireland fighting fit as they rise to third in world

Ireland fighting fit as they rise to third in world: "Things are getting giddy again. Eventually subduing the team ranked 15th in the world 49-7 after labouring a tad to a 9-0 lead at half-time wouldn’t normally be the springboard for world supremacy, but defeats for England and Australia over the weekend contrived to leave Ireland third in the IRB world rankings behind New Zealand and South Africa.
Having also emerged unscathed from a six tries to one win over Georgia, Joe Schmidt can now recall ten players from the win over South Africa who were excused duty yesterday. He can also call on an 11th in Jack McGrath who remained in his tracksuit, two more who were limited to replacement cameos and another in Mike Ross who was hauled off after 45 minutes."



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Lightning Joins the List of Things Climate Change Is Making Worse - Bloomberg

Lightning Joins the List of Things Climate Change Is Making Worse - Bloomberg: "Lightning puts the fear of god in people, always has. Zeus throws bolts like footballs. Thor conjures it up with his hammer. People make it likelier with all their carbon dioxide pollution.

Wait, what?

A new study in the journal Science reports all that extra energy and moisture in the atmosphere these days may mean more lightning. Every rise in global average surface temperatures of one degree Celsius (about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) could bring with it 12 percent more lightning -- on top of the sea-level rise, warmer winters, hotter summers and other projected threats from climate change. Previous attempts to figure out the relationship between warming and lighting, the authors say, have varied wildly.

The scientists, who are based in California and New York, came up with a new way to estimate the frequency of bolts, or "lightning flash rate." They suggest that the answer is a combination of the amount of energy in the air -- heat -- and the amount of precipitation."



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Scots Nationalists Ready for New Battle as Support Surges - Bloomberg

Scots Nationalists Ready for New Battle as Support Surges - Bloomberg: "Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon said her country could end up being kingmaker in the U.K. after the general election next year.

Ruling out any coalition with the governing Conservative Party, Sturgeon told her party’s conference in Perth today that Scotland would wield more power over its affairs if a Labour Party government needed its support.

“Scotland could well hold the balance of power in a Westminster parliament with no overall majority,” Sturgeon said in her maiden address as leader after formally succeeding Alex Salmond yesterday. “Think about how much more we could win for Scotland from a Labour government if they had to depend on SNP votes. They’d have to deliver real powers for our parliament.”

Sturgeon, 44, will take over as Scotland’s first minister next week following Salmond’s decision to step down in the wake of the unsuccessful campaign for independence in a referendum two months ago. She is buoyed by a surge in support for the SNP, with membership more than tripling since the vote.

She paid tribute to Salmond, 59, who will now consider his next move and whether to stand for a seat in the U.K. Parliament in the May election, calling him a “hero of our movement.”"



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Obama to pledge at least $2.5bn to help poor states fight climate change | Environment | The Guardian

Obama to pledge at least $2.5bn to help poor states fight climate change | Environment | The Guardian: "Barack Obama will make a substantial pledge to a fund to help poor countries fight climate change, only days after his historic carbon pollution deal with China.

In a one-two punch, America plans to pledge at least $2.5bn and as much as $3bn over the next four years to help poor countries invest in clean energy and cope with rising seas and extreme weather, according to those briefed by administration officials.

The financial commitment will be unveiled as world leaders gather for the G20 summit in Brisbane, sending a powerful signal of Obama’s determination to act on climate change despite the Republican takeover of Congress in mid-term elections.

The pledge to the Green Climate Fund was seen as critical to UN negotiations for a global climate deal. Developing countries have said they cannot sign on to emissions cuts at climate talks in Lima later this month without the funds.

Analysts said the $2.5bn figure under discussion before the Brisbane summit was just about enough to demonstrate that the US was willing to put up the cash."



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Climate Change - QuickTake - Bloomberg

Climate Change - QuickTake - Bloomberg: "Climate scientists have pretty much stopped arguing about whether humans are warming the planet. A United Nations panel confirmed that rapid industrialization has put the globe on a path to exceed the goal of limiting the temperature gain to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and that the world is ill-prepared to face the impacts of climate change. Yet the only international treaty to control greenhouse gases has been rendered nearly useless by a lack of targets for the biggest emitters. The latest findings add urgency to UN talks for a new global agreement. Poor countries argue that they need cheap fuel to power development and small island nations clamor that their existence is threatened by melting glaciers and rising seas."



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SABMiller Challenge: Convincing People There’s a Water ‘Problem’ - Bloomberg

SABMiller Challenge: Convincing People There’s a Water ‘Problem’ - Bloomberg: "The SABMiller executive later addressed The Economist water summit in London on Nov. 6, calling for greater private sector involvement in tackling shared resource risks such as water scarcity.

“Water needs to be seen by both businesses and policymakers as far more than simply an environmental issue. It is a social issue, a health issue, a development issue, a business issue and an economic issue,” Lippert said."



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The campaign for death relief

The campaign for death relief: "When I visited the Web Summit for the first time, this week, I was struck by how much the tech start-ups pitching for business looked like on-course bookmakers at a racetrack. They had the same narrow stands, with just enough room for a display board including names and logos. They also had satchels – at least metaphorically – in which to stuff the money of anyone who wanted to place a bet with them.
The big difference from actual bookmakers is that each of them was itself a horse. And the trick for investors was to guess which of these horses – some very dark – might emerge from this year’s field of 2,160 and become the next Google.
I didn’t notice any start-up offering the prospect of eternal life. Yet that is, generally speaking, one of the big potential growth areas for entrepreneurs – at least according to Peter Thiel, a star speaker at the summit. And he should know.
Thiel has backed many of the most successful horses of recent times. He set up Paypal, took an early share in Facebook, and presides over an investment company with $2 billion assets. But as well being very rich, and having a talent for identifying businesses that will make him even richer, he is also a philanthropist, contrarian, and deep thinker, who expects more from investments than mere money."



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ECB says Irish policymakers to blame for economic crash

ECB says Irish policymakers to blame for economic crash: "The European Central Bank (ECB) has issued a forthright defence of its actions in the course of Ireland’s bailout, saying domestic figures were responsible for the unsound policies which led to the crash.
In a six-page paper published as the ECB released key correspondence from 2010 with the late Brian Lenihan, the Frankfurt-based institution said Ireland was not “pushed” into the bailout programme by a letter from its then chief Jean-Claude Trichet.
Citing the 2008 banking guarantee and other Irish decisions, the ECB said it was the very scale of the domestic crisis that made it necessary for Ireland to apply for an EU-IMF adjustment programme.
‘Inadequate policies’
“While it is understandable that Irish citizens feel acutely aggrieved by the legacy of the crisis, it was domestic policymakers who were responsible for the inadequate policies relating to banking supervision, public finances and the loss of competitiveness.”"



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CBS at 87 Plunges Into Web-TV With Sony, 24-Hour News - Bloomberg

CBS at 87 Plunges Into Web-TV With Sony, 24-Hour News - Bloomberg: "CBS Corp. (CBS), the 87-year-old broadcaster, is embracing online television with the gusto of a tween.

Today, the company started a 24-hour online news channel, CBSN. Yesterday, Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves said he’ll supply Sony Corp. (6758) with programs for a Web-only TV service. And last month CBS All Access made its debut, offering the most-watched television network online for $5.99 a month.

With these moves, Moonves has leapfrogged his peers, going straight to consumers to make virtually all of CBS’s programs available on the Web at the same time as they are on TV. The company wants to deliver news and hit series like “NCIS” to the growing market of young people who watch video on phones and tablets, without undermining the $104 billion TV industry."



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Good economic news dampened by water issues

Good economic news dampened by water issues: "The Irish Water debacle has left Ministers on the defensive as they struggle to bed down the contentious new regime. For all the complaints of political incompetence, a fresh batch of positive economic news yesterday provides further evidence that economic recovery is taking hold.
The National Treasury Management Agency sold 15-year debt for the first time since 2009; new exchequer returns indicate tax revenues will come in well ahead of target by the end of the year; and the European Commission pinpointed Ireland as virtually the only bright spot on an arid euro zone landscape in a new forecast.
If the Government’s prime difficulty these days is that many people see little evidence of a turnaround in their daily lives, a drop in consumer sentiment last month points to a sense of caution on the street. Even with a modest tax cut to come in January, such data suggests uncertainty over the extent of the water charge still weighs heavily on consumers."



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Australia Loses 24,400 Jobs as Bureau Revises Employment Data - Bloomberg

Australia Loses 24,400 Jobs as Bureau Revises Employment Data - Bloomberg: "Australia’s labor market is weaker than previously reported, the nation’s statistics bureau said in a review released today, sending the currency lower as traders bet on an extended interest-rate pause.

The total number of Australians employed in September was 24,400 fewer than previously reported and the jobless rate was 6.2 percent, compared with the prior 6.1 percent, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said in a statement today.

The ABS said last month, when it ordered the review, that it was unable to explain a sudden bout of volatility in labor figures. It said anything from new survey questions to a waning mining boom prompted the seasonal adjustment of raw data to show a record 121,000 jobs gain in August, and if applied in September, a 172,000 loss."



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IPCC: rapid carbon emission cuts vital to stop severe impact of climate change | Environment | The Guardian

IPCC: rapid carbon emission cuts vital to stop severe impact of climate change | Environment | The Guardian: "Climate change is set to inflict “severe, widespread, and irreversible impacts” on people and the natural world unless carbon emissions are cut sharply and rapidly, according to the most important assessment of global warming yet published.

The stark report states that climate change has already increased the risk of severe heatwaves and other extreme weather and warns of worse to come, including food shortages and violent conflicts. But it also found that ways to avoid dangerous global warming are both available and affordable.

“Science has spoken. There is no ambiguity in the message,” said the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, attending what he described as the “historic” report launch. “Leaders must act. Time is not on our side.” He said that quick, decisive action would build a better and sustainable future, while inaction would be costly.

Ban added a message to investors, such as pension fund managers: “Please reduce your investments in the coal- and fossil fuel-based economy and [move] to renewable energy.”

The report, released in Copenhagen on Sunday by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), is the work of thousands of scientists and was agreed after negotiations by the world’s governments. It is the first IPCC report since 2007 to bring together all aspects of tackling climate change and for the first time states: that it is economically affordable; that carbon emissions will ultimately have to fall to zero; and that global poverty can only be reduced by halting global warming. The report also makes clear that carbon emissions, mainly from burning coal, oil and gas, are currently rising to record levels, not falling."



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Generation Rent: ignored, insecure – and on the rise | Barbara Ellen | Comment is free | The Guardian

Generation Rent: ignored, insecure – and on the rise | Barbara Ellen | Comment is free | The Guardian: "Interesting to see the predicted figures from campaign group Generation Rent, saying that renters could outnumber homeowners in 104 out of the 650 UK constituencies by the year 2021. Forty-nine of the predicted renter-heavy constituencies would be in London – northern cities are already more likely to be renter dominated. This trend is already established: the number of constituencies where those who rent are in the majority has grown from 38 in 2001 to 65 in 2011.

Through pure dumb luck, I have never consistently rented. In the years when I first moved to London, I went from a series of squats, to housing co-ops, to a mortgage. These days, I reserve the right to roll my eyes at younger people, who seem to expect to be homeowners, or at least living in salubrious abodes, basically achieving the lifestyles of their parents, by their early 20s.

Once again, nation’s yoof, be reasonable! “Generation rent” or not, most people have to rough it for a bit. When I squatted, it may have been free, but usually it was in rough areas, with vermin and frightening gas smells aplenty and, at one low point, only a couple of bin-liners taped over a gaping hole separated what I laughingly called “my bedroom” from the street. Is this what you mean by people like myself screwing your generation over?"



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Starbucks Sales Lag Behind Estimates on U.S. Breakfast Battle - Bloomberg

Starbucks Sales Lag Behind Estimates on U.S. Breakfast Battle - Bloomberg: "Starbucks has been introducing new food and drinks to draw diners later in the day while competitors are pushing more breakfast fare. McDonald’s Corp. (MCD) is advertising white-chocolate lattes and has been giving away free coffees, while Dunkin’ Donuts recently brought back its spicy smoked-sausage sandwich. Starbucks, which also has been strengthening its mobile application, yesterday said it would add delivery in “select markets” in the second half of 2015.

“The environment is getting competitive,” said Asit Sharma, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based analyst at the Motley Fool, who recommends buying the shares. Still, “they’ve got a long lead in mobile -- any of their competitors now to catch up is going to require a lot of capital investments.”

Same-store sales in Starbucks’ Americas region gained 5 percent in the quarter, trailing the average estimate for a 6.2 percent increase, according to Consensus Metrix."



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Apple warns it may have to pay Irish back-tax

Apple warns it may have to pay Irish back-tax: "Apple has warned shareholders it may have to pay a material amount of back-tax to Ireland if the European Commission’s inquiry into its arrangements in the Republic finds they constituted state aid.
The company has further warned shareholders that a ruling against Ireland could mean the company would have to pay more tax on its profits in future years.
It is normal for public companies in the US to warn shareholders of so-called “risk factors” that could have a material effect on their results.
No figures for the possible size of any such repercussions are given. However the latest annual return for Apple, filed recently with the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, DC, makes clear the enormous role played by Ireland in the multinational’s global structures."



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Germany issues warning over ‘patent boxes’ tax subsidy

Germany issues warning over ‘patent boxes’ tax subsidy: "Germany has warned that corporate tax subsidy arrangements known as “patent boxes” are acceptable in the European Union only as a reward for research and investment by companies in member states, not as a new tax-avoidance tool.
It comes as the Minister for Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton said US multinationals plan to advise the Government on what should be in the proposed “knowledge box” tax scheme.
Speaking on a five-day US trade mission, Mr Bruton said he had received “very positive feedback” on the budgetary changes in meetings with US companies in Boston on Monday and the Washington DC area yesterday."



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Global warming has doubled risk of harsh winters in Eurasia, research finds | Environment | The Guardian

Global warming has doubled risk of harsh winters in Eurasia, research finds | Environment | The Guardian: "The risk of severe winters in Europe and northern Asia has been doubled by global warming, according to new research. The counter-intuitive finding is the result of climate change melting the Arctic ice cap and causing new wind patterns that push freezing air and snow southwards.

Severe winters over the last decade have been associated with those years in which the melting of Arctic sea ice was greatest. But the new work is the most comprehensive computer modelling study to date and indicates the frozen winters are being caused by climate change, not simply by natural variations in weather.

“The origin of frequent Eurasian severe winters is global warming,” said Prof Masato Mori, at the University of Tokyo, who led the new research. Climate change is heating the Arctic much faster than lower latitudes and the discovery that the chances of severe winters has already doubled shows that the impacts of global warming are not only a future threat. Melting Arctic ice has also been implicated in recent wet summers in the UK."



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GMO wheat mishaps foster skepticism of USDA

GMO wheat mishaps foster skepticism of USDA: "WASHINGTON — The discovery of another unapproved variety of genetically modified wheat in Montana has increased pressure to tighten the regulation of biotech crops, a change that could cause havoc for farmers in Iowa and across the U.S. eager to get their hands on the newest varieties.

The popular crops are staunchly defended by farmers who depend on genetically altered seeds to provide them with higher yields, better-quality products, and lower consumption of chemicals to rebuff attacks from weeds or insects. The result is a boon to their bottom line.

The United States is by far the world's largest grower of biotech crops, planting 173 million acres in 2013 — almost 4% of all biotech acreage globally. In Iowa, 95% of all corn planted this year came from genetically engineered seeds.

But food and environmental groups are skeptical about the safety of these crops in everyday foods and in the environment in which they grow. The discovery of unapproved wheat has renewed calls for regulators to adopt a slower, more stringent approval process."



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The last of a dining breed

The last of a dining breed: "Whenever office-bound workers drag themselves away from the desk for midday food these days, it’s likely to be eaten on the run. As for the long, boozy lunch – once a staple of the journalistic profession, among others – that’s dead. Even if people do make it to a restaurant, the meal will usually be both abstemious and short.
It’s an international trend, begun by latter-day puritans in the US but now spreading everywhere in the western world. Even Paris has succumbed. Although apparently some people do still eat in the daytime there, I’m told that many Parisian waiters don’t even bother offering them the wine menu any more. Quelle horreur.
My colleague on Monday couldn’t drink, as it happened, because he was driving. So to take the bad look off it, I had a single glass for us both. And over this we marvelled, not for the first time, at the prandial feats of our predecessors.
Journalism has a rich folklore relating the heroics of former editors and reporters who spent half-days over lunch, draining cellars, and still managed to get back to the office (often armed with indiscretions leaked by inebriated guests) in sufficient shape to get a newspaper out."



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Urban light pollution: why we're all living with permanent 'mini jetlag' | Cities | The Guardian

Urban light pollution: why we're all living with permanent 'mini jetlag' | Cities | The Guardian: "Astronomer Dr Jason Pun of the Hong Kong University department of physics has been studying light pollution for nearly a decade. He says people often ask him if he’s crazy. “‘Hong Kong is supposed to be bright,’ they say. ‘Why are you even talking about light being some kind of pollution?’”

This is a city that is famous for its nightscape: neon signs advertising market stalls, pawn shops and steakhouses; illuminated skyscrapers; swanky malls that stay open – and stay lit – well into the night. “When I walk at night around some of these commercial centres, it’s so bright you almost want to wear your sunglasses,” Pun says.

Indeed, in our collective imaginations, cities are meant to be bright. But as studies begin to show that too much light can be detrimental to health, and fewer of us are able to see the stars when we look up, are cities getting too bright for our own good?

Hong Kong isn’t alone in celebrating light. Paris is still known as the City of Light; only slightly less glamorous Blackpool relies for tourism on its annual illuminations, when more than 1 million bulbs light a distance of 10km."



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Rubber bandits

Rubber bandits: "Word of the tyre-based landscaping quickly reached the ears of street urchins from a neighbouring suburb who had a plan of their own – for a giant Halloween bonfire up at the back of St James’s Hospital somewhere. So even though the tyres were behind security fencing, there followed nightly attempts to liberate them, some successful.
This looked like one of the successes. And as two tyres were wheeled past the pub, the men in the doorway looked on, more or less amused. “Where’s the guards?” asked somebody. “Out fitting water meters,” quipped another.
But in general, the onlookers were indulgent. “We did worse ourselves,” said one. “We did of course,” said another. And with that, they were off on down Memory Lane, while the tyres headed up Bow Lane, in the opposite direction.
There’s a certain phrase that, in my opinion, is vastly overused these days in the context of corporate plans. Even so, in this case, it would have been fully justified, both for the landscapers and the pyromaniacs.
In fact, if the bonfire planners were in the habit of issuing press releases, they would surely have predicted the “roll-out” of all the remaining tractor tyres by October 31st. But a bit like Irish water, which had a similar deadline, they ran into logistical difficulties."



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