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
ECB sharply cuts forecasts as economic outlook deteriorates
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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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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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