will not be posting much if any for next 6 months
My doctorate research studies have resumed, and for the next 6 months I will be focused on the research and the writing.
Labels: personal
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Tarek Hoteit Notebook   | profile|contact |
Shared information and research notes from and for Tarek Hoteit in the fields of social sciences.
Friday, February 27, 2009
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | 'Oldest English words' identified
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | 'Oldest English words' identified writes:
Medieval manuscripts give linguists clues about more recent changes
Some of the oldest words in English have been identified, scientists say.
Reading University researchers claim "I", "we", "two" and "three" are among the most ancient, dating back tens of thousands of years.
Their computer model analyses the rate of change of words in English and the languages that share a common heritage.
The team says it can predict which words are likely to become extinct - citing "squeeze", "guts", "stick" and "bad" as probable first casualties. "
Investor: 'Bernie Madoff Bought Me Lunch'
Scientists show that language shapes perception
Scientists show that language shapes perception writes:
"(PhysOrg.com) -- Advances in cognitive neuroscience (the science of how the brain works when we think) have shown that what our eyes see and what our brain interprets are two different things. Professor Guillaume Thierry, Dr Panos Athanasopoulos and colleagues report in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA that our language causes our brains to perceive colours differently."
..
“Dr Athanasopoulos explains: “Our language forces us to cut up the world in different ways. Greek speakers systematically use two different terms to refer to blue: the sky is ghalazio (light blue), never ble (dark blue), and a blue pen is ble but can never be ghalazio. English speakers would have no problem calling both the sky and a pen blue in an instant.””
Survey: Health care cost keeps the doctor away
Survey: Health care cost keeps the doctor away writes:
"In all, 53 percent of Americans in the Kaiser Family Foundation poll released Wednesday said they or a family member living with them cut back on health care in one or more ways to save money in the past 12 months.Most commonly, they relied on home remedies or over-the-counter drugs instead of seeing a doctor, or they skipped a visit to the dentist - about a third of respondents reported doing each. Nearly one in four postponed a recommended medical test or treatment. Nearly as many didn't fill a prescription, while 15 percent cut pills in half or skipped doses of medicine. Seven percent reported problems getting mental health
care.
Overall, 27 percent said their household postponed needed medical care. That included 16 percent who put off dealing with at least one serious problem: 10 percent delayed seeing a doctor for a chronic illness like diabetes or asthma, 6 percent postponed minor surgery in the doctor's office and 5 percent delayed major surgery requiring an overnight hospital stay. And 19 percent each skipped a doctor's visit for temporary illness or preventive care."
Labels: society, united states
Investors Who 'Gamble' In The Stock Market Have Same Characteristics As Lottery Players
Investors Who 'Gamble' In The Stock Market Have Same Characteristics As Lottery Players writes:
"Alok Kumar, assistant professor of finance at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin, presents evidence of this counter-productive stock-market behavior after studying the demographics and financial transactions of 70,000 anonymous investors."We found that people who took risks with lottery-type stock typically earned 2 to 3 percent less than other investors," Kumar said."
Labels: finance
People Are Consistently Overly Optimistic When Asked To Predict Their Own Future Behavior
People Are Consistently Overly Optimistic When Asked To Predict Their Own Future Behavior writes:
"People often fail to remember that the world is not ideal when they predict when they will complete a project, how frequently they will exercise, or how much money they will save. However, a subtle reminder of the difference between ideal and realistic predictions can yield a more accurate estimate, according to new research from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and the Wisconsin School of Business.In a series of experiments, Duke Marketing Professor Kurt Carlson and Professor Robin J. Tanner of Wisconsin found that people were consistently overly optimistic when asked to predict their own future behavior."
Labels: society
Unions do not undermine international competitiveness
Unions do not undermine international competitiveness writes:
by Josh Bivens
“The claim is often made that unions are a potential drag on a country’s international competitiveness. Although there is no single, generally accepted measure of competitiveness with which to test such claims, many analysts use a country’s trade balance as a proxy for competitiveness. The figure below, which includes the United States and several of its rich industrial peers, examines the relationship between union coverage rates (the share of a nation’s workers covered by a union contract) and the current account balance (an indicator that captures the amount by which a country’s exports exceed its imports). "”1
"
Psychologists Shed Light On Origins Of Morality
Psychologists Shed Light On Origins Of Morality writes:
““Morality is often pointed to as the pinnacle of human evolution and development,” says lead author Hanah Chapman, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology. “However, disgust is an ancient and rather primitive emotion which played a key evolutionary role in survival. Our research shows the involvement of disgust in morality, suggesting that moral judgment may depend as much on simple emotional processes as on complex thought.”The research is being published in Science on February 27, 2009. "
Labels: society
Pew Forum: Religious Differences Between Women and Men
Pew Forum: Religious Differences Between Women and Men writes:
" March is Women's History Month. A new analysis of data from the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, conducted by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, finds that women are more religious than men on a variety of measures.
Data: Pew Forum U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, conducted in 2007, released in 2008. "
Labels: religion
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Erin Schuman: Brain Plasticity during Learning and Memory
Erin Schuman: Brain Plasticity during Learning and Memory writes:
"{thanks mocost}
Erin Schuman: Brain Plasticity during Learning and Memory 5/9/2007
[56k modem] [broadband] [cable/DSL] 57 minutes
Information we learn about our environment is stored at neurons, the connections between brain cells. Between neurons are synapses—points of contact and communication. In a recent Watson Lecture, Erin Schuman, professor of biology and executive officer for neurobiology at Caltech, explained how synapses exhibit plasticity by varying in their size, strength, and number. This plasticity contributes to our ability to learn and remember."
Labels: science
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Lebanon 'moves right way' on ID
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Lebanon 'moves right way' on ID writes:
"Lebanon 'moves right way' on ID
Details on ID cards were used in the past as a way of discriminating
A recent decree by the Lebanese government has allowed its citizens to remove their religious affiliation from the identity cards. The BBC's Natalia Antelava, in Beirut, considers how the move will affect a divided country."
Labels: lebanon
SSRN-In Search of Homo Economicus: Preference Consistency, Emotions, and Cognition by Leonard Lee, On Amir, Dan Ariely
SSRN-In Search of Homo Economicus: Preference Consistency, Emotions, and Cognition by Leonard Lee, On Amir, Dan Ariely writes:
"Abstract:
Understanding the roles of emotion and cognition in forming preferences is critical in helping firms choose effective marketing strategies and consumers make appropriate consumption decisions. In this work, we investigate the role of the emotional and cognitive systems in preference consistency (transitivity). Participants were asked to make a set of binary choices under conditions that were aimed to tap emotional versus cognitive decision processes. The results of three experiments consistently indicate that automatic affective responses are associated with higher levels of preference transitivity than deliberate cognitive considerations, and suggest that the basis of this central aspect of rational behavior - transitivity - lies in the limbic system rather than the cortical system. "
Muslim Publics Oppose Al Qaeda's Terrorism, But Agree With Its Goal of Driving US Forces Out - World Public Opinion
Muslim Publics Oppose Al Qaeda's Terrorism, But Agree With Its Goal of Driving US Forces Out - World Public Opinion writes:
"A study of public opinion in predominantly Muslim countries reveals that very large majorities continue to renounce the use of attacks on civilians as a means of pursuing political goals. At the same time large majorities agree with al Qaeda's goal of pushing the United States to remove its military forces from all Muslim countries and substantial numbers, in some cases majorities, approve of attacks on US troops in Muslim countries."
Labels: politics
Many Religions One Community: Lessons from Islamic Spain for Today's World
Many Religions One Community: Lessons from Islamic Spain for Today's World writes:
" Many Religions, One Community is a nationwide grassroots dialogue project, offering the award-winning PBS film Cities of Light to organizations and groups interested in screening the film and hosting a community dialogue. Once you sign up to host a community dialogue, 20,000 Dialogues and Public Agenda will help you identify partners, plan your event program and facilitate your dialogue. After you sign up, you will be eligible to apply for financial support and technical assistance in hosting and facilitating your dialogue.
A 'Clash of Civilizations' or an Opportunity for Meaningful Community Dialogue? | Public Agenda
A 'Clash of Civilizations' or an Opportunity for Meaningful Community Dialogue? | Public Agenda writes:
"NEW YORK, NY– At a time of rising intolerance and growing cultural and religious discord, 20,000 Dialogues, a nationwide grassroots project using films about Muslims to promote dialogue and understanding, and Public Agenda, a nonprofit opinion research and civic engagement organization, have partnered on a joint initiative called “Many Religions, One Community: Lessons from Islamic Spain for Today’s World.” The initiative will offer the documentary film, Cities of Light: The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain, and an accompanying dialogue toolkit and website to help civic and religious organizations across the country host community dialogues about the past, present and future of interfaith relations.Endorsed by the World Economic Forum Top 100 Religious Leaders as a centerpiece for grassroots dialogues and recently broadcast on PBS, the film Cities of Light tells a story of vital importance for our contemporary world about the achievements and ultimate failures of a centuries-long period when Muslims, Christians, and Jews coexisted and built a society that lit the Dark Ages. The dialogue toolkit, developed using Public Agenda’s proven “Citizen Choicework” methodology for community dialogue, offers three contrasting views of the lessons that can be drawn from this historical period and its implications for religious pluralism today. "
Organizing Prosperity
Organizing Prosperity writes:
Organizing Prosperity: Union Effects on Job Quality, Community Betterment, and Industry Standardsby Matt Vidal with David Kusnet
“Strong unions can help improve working conditions within occupations and industries, going far beyond simply improving wages. Unions can help employers provide training, reduce turnover, and generally improve the work environment in ways that benefit employers and workers by helping ensure that competitive pressures do not bring out the worst tendencies in employers. Indeed, unions can help set and protect basic employment standards for entire industries.”
Read full text of this book [PDF]
Chapter 1 Hospitality Workers: In the winners’ circle in Las
Chapter 2 Nursing: Improving patient care and RN’s jobs
Chapter 3 The Grocery Industry: Islands of high
wages in the retail salesChapter 4 Meatpacking: The human costs of deunionization
Chapter 5 AT&T: High tech, high skills, and high wages
Chapter 6 Janitorial Services: Up from poverty
Chapter 7 Trucking: Deregulation and deunionization
drive down job qualityChapter 8 Brightside Academy: Teaching a lesson in how to reduce
worker turnover and improve child careChapter 9 Building Security: A union raises standards for skills and wages
Chapter 10 Construction: Unions build high skills and high wages
Chapter 11 Industrial Laundries: Unions clean up dangerous conditions
Chapter 12 Home Care: Bringing fairness and stability
Labels: society
Inexpensive depression screening tool works in resource poor countries
Inexpensive depression screening tool works in resource poor countries writes:
"A study published in the February 2009 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine reports that a highly reliable depression screening tool known as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) used across the United States and Europe can be effectively administered in resource poor Africa to HIV/AID patients, a population whose mental health needs have been underserved. The work also confirms that Kenyans with HIV/AIDS suffer depression at as high or higher a rate than those with HIV/AIDS in developed countries."
Study Links Internet Addiction To Aggression In Teens
Study Links Internet Addiction To Aggression In Teens writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 24, 2009) — Internet-addicted teens seem more prone to aggression than other adolescents, according to new findings from Taiwanese researchers. However, Americans who study violence are not ready to make any conclusions about a possible link."
Labels: society
Une pianiste dotée d'une dexterité incroyable
Labels: art
Arun Gandhi: Religion and Violence - On Faith at washingtonpost.com
Arun Gandhi: Religion and Violence - On Faith at washingtonpost.com writes:
"My understanding of religion is that it can have no justification for violence of any kind -- domestic or general. Violence is justified by priests in all religions by misinterpreting and/or misunderstanding a philosophy. Added to this is the tragedy that that we approach religion dogmatically.For instance, in the case of Hinduism, those who justify violence say the Bhagavad Gita, the Hindu sacred text, is all about a war between the forces of good and evil. According to my Grandfather, Mohandas K. Gandhi, this is a dogmatic approach. Firstly the text was written thousands of years ago and secondly it is written in the form of a poem and obviously the poet has taken literary license.
The war depicted was not meant to be taken literally but it was to be understood in the figurative sense as the war (or turmoil) that we all face everyday when we are called upon to choose between what we know at that moment to be good and evil. Similar arguments can be made about the depiction of turmoil in other religious scriptures. Grandfather said: When imperfect human beings (there is no one among us who can claim to be perfect!) translate scripture we reach an imperfect understanding of religion. God and religion is, and can only be, about love, compassion, understanding and not someone who is blood-thirsty for revenge."
Labels: religion
Peer Victimization In Middle And High School Predicts Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents
Peer Victimization In Middle And High School Predicts Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 25, 2009) — Peer victimization during middle and high school may be an important indicator of an individual's sexual behavior later in life. These are the findings of Binghamton University researchers Andrew C. Gallup, Daniel T. O'Brien and David Sloan Wilson, and University at Albany researcher Daniel D. White."
“According to Gallup, peer aggression and victimization during adolescence is a form of competition for reproductive opportunities. Female college students who were frequently victimized during middle and high school reported having sex at earlier ages and more sexual partners than their peers, while males reported just the opposite.”
Labels: society
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Chili peppers help to unravel the mechanism of pain
Chili peppers help to unravel the mechanism of pain writes:
"Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers, is most often experienced as an irritant, but it may also be used to reduce pain. A new work published by Drs. Feng Qin and Jing Yao in this week's PLoS Biology uses capsaicin to uncover novel insight into how pain-receptor systems can adapt to painful stimuli. Sensory systems are well known to adapt to prevailing stimuli. For example, adaptation happens when your eyes adjust from a dark movie theater during a matinee to the bright sunlight outside. Whether pain receptors truly adapt or rescale their responses (versus simply desensitizing) has been an open question."
Labels: science
Monday, February 23, 2009
FRB: Press Release--Board launches new website section on credit and liquidity programs and the balance sheet--February 23, 2009
FRB: Press Release--Board launches new website section on credit and liquidity programs and the balance sheet--February 23, 2009 writes:
"The Federal Reserve Board on Monday launched a new section of its website expanding the information provided about the policy tools the Federal Reserve has employed to address the financial crisis and simplifying access to that information."
..
The new section of the Board's website can be accessed at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/bst.htm
In addition, as part of ongoing enhancements to the Board's website, a new tool has been added to allow for advanced searches of recent and historical Federal Open Market Committee material.
Labels: education, finance, united states
» The Washington Institute in Arabic Middle East Strategy at Harvard
» The Washington Institute in Arabic Middle East Strategy at Harvard writes:
"From David Schenker
As everyone who follows the Middle East knows, in recent years there’s been a veritable explosion of Arabic language news sources on the region. The proliferation of satellite news channels, blogs, and websites offers Middle Easterners and outside scholars a lot of choices.
Traditionally, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy has been focused on providing timely information and analysis for U.S. policymakers. Recognizing the importance of the Middle East audience, however, in early January, the Institute rolled out its new Arabic language website, here.
The site features translations of the analysis of Institute scholars, including articles from its Policywatch series and op-eds from U.S. newspapers. Translations of archived materiel will be added over time."
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Fw: Your IMF Weekly Update: 3 new items
Regards,
Tarek Hoteit
Walden University - Doctoral Student
tarek.hoteit@waldenu.edu
(214)770-9691 - Texas, USA
http://tarek.hoteit.org
-----Original Message-----
From: NewContent@InternationalMonetaryFund.org
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:10:46
To: <tarek.hoteit@waldenu.edu>
Subject: Your IMF Weekly Update: 3 new items
New items in your series of interest:
* Working Paper No. 09/28: Current Account Determinants for Oil-Exporting Countries
Author/Editor: Morsy, Hanan
Summary: The paper aims at characterizing the main determinants of the medium-term current account balance for oil-exporting countries using dynamic panel estimation techniques. Previous studies included a very limited number of oil-exporting countries in their samples, raising concerns about the applicability of the estimated coefficients for oil countries. Furthermore, current approaches are not specifically tailored to oil-producing countries because they fail to capture the effects of oil wealth and the degree of maturity in oil production. This paper explores the underlying determinants of the current account balance for a large sample of oilexporting countries, and extends the specifications commonly used in the literature to include an oil wealth variable, as well as a proxy for the degree of maturity in oil production. The paper therefore contributes to the existing literature both in terms of the sample studied as well as the variables considered. The results reveal that factors that matter in determining the equilibrium current account balance of oil-exporting counties are the fiscal balance, the oil balance, oil wealth, age dependency, and the degree of maturity in oil production.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22620.0
* Working Paper No. 09/29: The Cost of Aggressive Sovereign Debt Policies: How Much is thePrivate Sector Affected?
Author/Editor: Trebesch, Christoph
Summary: This paper proposes a new empirical measure of cooperative versus conflictual crisis resolution following sovereign default and debt distress. The index of government coerciveness is presented as a proxy for excusable versus inexcusable default behaviour and used to evaluate the costs of default for the domestic private sector, in particular its access to international debt markets. Our findings indicate that unilateral, aggressive sovereign debt policies lead to a strong decline in corporate access to external finance (loans and bond issuance). We conclude that coercive government actions towards external creditors can have strong signalling effects with negative spillovers on domestic firms. "Good faith" debt renegotiations may be crucial to minimize the domestic costs of sovereign defaults.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22653.0
* Working Paper No. 09/30: Are Capital Controls Effective in the 21st Century? The Recent Experience of Colombia
Author/Editor: Clements, Benedict J.; Kamil, Herman
Summary: This paper assesses the effects of capital controls imposed in Colombia in 2007 on capital flows and exchange rate dynamics. The results suggest that the controls were successful in reducing external borrowing, but had no statistically significant impact on the volume of non- FDI flows as a whole. We find no evidence that restrictions to capital mobility moderated the appreciation of Colombia's currency, or increased the degree of independence of monetary policy. We also find that controls have significantly increased the volatility of the exchange rate. Additional research is needed to assess the effects of capital controls on financial stability.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22665.0
***************************************************************
TAKE A LOOK: For tracking globalization and its impact on individual economies, please see the new IMF Survey magazine online at http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/home.aspx News, views, and analysis from the IMF.
Modify your subscription at: https://www.imf.org/external/cntpst/signinmodify.aspx
Questions or comments about this email? Don't reply to the sender of this message. Instead, send a message to webmaster@imf.org.
Tarek Hoteit
Walden University - Doctoral Student
tarek.hoteit@waldenu.edu
(214)770-9691 - Texas, USA
http://tarek.hoteit.org
-----Original Message-----
From: NewContent@InternationalMonetaryFund.org
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:10:46
To: <tarek.hoteit@waldenu.edu>
Subject: Your IMF Weekly Update: 3 new items
New items in your series of interest:
* Working Paper No. 09/28: Current Account Determinants for Oil-Exporting Countries
Author/Editor: Morsy, Hanan
Summary: The paper aims at characterizing the main determinants of the medium-term current account balance for oil-exporting countries using dynamic panel estimation techniques. Previous studies included a very limited number of oil-exporting countries in their samples, raising concerns about the applicability of the estimated coefficients for oil countries. Furthermore, current approaches are not specifically tailored to oil-producing countries because they fail to capture the effects of oil wealth and the degree of maturity in oil production. This paper explores the underlying determinants of the current account balance for a large sample of oilexporting countries, and extends the specifications commonly used in the literature to include an oil wealth variable, as well as a proxy for the degree of maturity in oil production. The paper therefore contributes to the existing literature both in terms of the sample studied as well as the variables considered. The results reveal that factors that matter in determining the equilibrium current account balance of oil-exporting counties are the fiscal balance, the oil balance, oil wealth, age dependency, and the degree of maturity in oil production.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22620.0
* Working Paper No. 09/29: The Cost of Aggressive Sovereign Debt Policies: How Much is thePrivate Sector Affected?
Author/Editor: Trebesch, Christoph
Summary: This paper proposes a new empirical measure of cooperative versus conflictual crisis resolution following sovereign default and debt distress. The index of government coerciveness is presented as a proxy for excusable versus inexcusable default behaviour and used to evaluate the costs of default for the domestic private sector, in particular its access to international debt markets. Our findings indicate that unilateral, aggressive sovereign debt policies lead to a strong decline in corporate access to external finance (loans and bond issuance). We conclude that coercive government actions towards external creditors can have strong signalling effects with negative spillovers on domestic firms. "Good faith" debt renegotiations may be crucial to minimize the domestic costs of sovereign defaults.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22653.0
* Working Paper No. 09/30: Are Capital Controls Effective in the 21st Century? The Recent Experience of Colombia
Author/Editor: Clements, Benedict J.; Kamil, Herman
Summary: This paper assesses the effects of capital controls imposed in Colombia in 2007 on capital flows and exchange rate dynamics. The results suggest that the controls were successful in reducing external borrowing, but had no statistically significant impact on the volume of non- FDI flows as a whole. We find no evidence that restrictions to capital mobility moderated the appreciation of Colombia's currency, or increased the degree of independence of monetary policy. We also find that controls have significantly increased the volatility of the exchange rate. Additional research is needed to assess the effects of capital controls on financial stability.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22665.0
***************************************************************
TAKE A LOOK: For tracking globalization and its impact on individual economies, please see the new IMF Survey magazine online at http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/home.aspx News, views, and analysis from the IMF.
Modify your subscription at: https://www.imf.org/external/cntpst/signinmodify.aspx
Questions or comments about this email? Don't reply to the sender of this message. Instead, send a message to webmaster@imf.org.
The role of childhood trauma in the neurobiology o...[Biol Psychiatry. 2001] - PubMed Result
The role of childhood trauma in the neurobiology o...[Biol Psychiatry. 2001] - PubMed Result writes:
"Epidemiologic studies indicate that children exposed to early adverse experiences are at increased risk for the development of depression, anxiety disorders, or both. Persistent sensitization of central nervous system (CNS) circuits as a consequence of early life stress, which are integrally involved in the regulation of stress and emotion, may represent the underlying biological substrate of an increased vulnerability to subsequent stress as well as to the development of depression and anxiety. A number of preclinical studies suggest that early life stress induces long-lived hyper(re)activity of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) systems as well as alterations in other neurotransmitter systems, resulting in increased stress responsiveness. Many of the findings from these preclinical studies are comparable to findings in adult patients with mood and anxiety disorders. Emerging evidence from clinical studies suggests that exposure to early life stress is associated with neurobiological changes in children and adults, which may underlie the increased risk of psychopathology. Current research is focused on strategies to prevent or reverse the detrimental effects of early life stress on the CNS. The identification of the neurobiological substrates of early adverse experience is of paramount importance for the development of novel treatments for children, adolescents, and adults."
Labels: society
'Waltz with Bashir' -Israeli movie over its invasion of Beirut ‘82
'Waltz with Bashir' pulses with electrifying images | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press writes:
“Ari Folman, who wrote and directed the film, focuses on the 1982 killing of hundreds of Palestinians in West Beirut's Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. The three-day killing spree by Israel's Lebanese allies was a reprisal for the assassination of popular Lebanese President Bashir Gemayel. The attacks against civilians, conducted under the nose of the Israeli military, shocked the conscience of the nation and led to a government shakeup in Tel Aviv.”
Labels: middle east, politics
'Worst is yet to come' for Middle East airlines, says IATA | Aviation
'Worst is yet to come' for Middle East airlines, says IATA | Aviation writes:
"Airlines across the Middle East lost $100m in 2008 due to high oil prices and the onset of the credit crunch, but the 'worst is yet to come', according to an industry expert."
Labels: middle east
FOXNews.com - Beheading of Wife Poses Another Test for U.S. Muslims - News
FOXNews.com - Beheading of Wife Poses Another Test for U.S. Muslims - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News writes:
"The crime was so brutal, shocking and rife with the worst possible stereotypes about their faith that some U.S. Muslims thought the initial reports were a hoax.The harsh reality of what happened in an affluent suburb of Buffalo, New York — the beheading of 37-year-old Aasiya Hassan and arrest of her estranged husband in the killing — is another crucible for American Muslims."
Labels: arab, united states
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Ali G - Who Wants to Win an Ounce
Labels: media
Syria (Tourism - Introduction)
"
HellFreezesOver78 writes
" Syria is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. Syrian people are friendly and peaceful Syria is probably the finest example you can see of many cultures on the same land succeeding ... Syria is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. Syrian people are friendly and peaceful
Syria is probably the finest example you can see of many cultures on the same land succeeding one after another," said Francois Tremblay "Canadas Musee de la Civilization de Quebec" "
Do Kids Really Need Homework?
CBS: In this edition of "Assignment America," Steve Hartman meets a precocious 11-year-old in the 5th grade, Ben Berrafato, who eloquently compares homework assignments to slavery.
Panel Discussion on “21st Century Skills” at The Core Knowledge Blog
Panel Discussion on “21st Century Skills” at The Core Knowledge Blog writes:
"Lots of blogging lately about the 21st Century skills movement. Now, E.D. Hirsch, Diane Ravitch, Dan Willingham and Ken Kay, the President of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills will have at it at a panel discussion in Washington, DC on Tuesday, Feb. 24, titled “What is the Proper Role of Skills in the Curriculum? A critique of the idea of 21st century skills.” Details on the program, which is hosted by Common Core and moderated by its co-chair, Antonia Cortese are here. If you’d like to attend send an email to info@commoncore.org."
Labels: education
C-SPAN Video Player - World Affairs Council of America Discussion on U.S.-United Arab Emirates Trade
C-SPAN Video Player - World Affairs Council of America Discussion on U.S.-United Arab Emirates Trade writes:
"World Affairs Council of America Discussion on U.S.-United Arab Emirates Trade Friday
The World Affairs Council of America 2009 National Conference continued with a keynote speech on commercial and bilateral trade between the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates. Lubna al-Qasimi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade was the keynote speaker.
Washington, DC : 44 min."
Labels: middle east, united states
Robert Paterson's Weblog: What was it like on the inside during the financial meltdown? Frontline's Excellent Documentary
Open Online Access To Scientific Papers May Not Guarantee Wide Dissemination
Open Online Access To Scientific Papers May Not Guarantee Wide Dissemination writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 20, 2009) — If you offer something of value to people for free while someone else charges a hefty sum of money for the same type of product, one would logically assume that most people would choose the free option. According to new research in the February 20 edition of the journal Science, if the product in question is access to scholarly papers and research, that logic might just be wrong. These findings provide new insight into the nature of scholarly discourse and the future of the open source publication movement."
Labels: education
Friday, February 20, 2009
Middle East Online: Economic Truth and Airport Parking Lots
Middle East Online: Economic Truth and Airport Parking Lots – writes:
"The current economic recession is a moment that cries out for an Arab leader who can speak truthfully to his people on the issues of the day that really matter - including how many abandoned cars may be parked at the airport, says Rami G. Khouri."
…In a land of superlatives and seemingly endless hyper-growth, the scale of the stories circulating about the number of abandoned cars at the airport is equally gigantic. In the past few weeks in Beirut, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, I have heard friends and acquaintances report authoritatively that, variously, 15,000 or 10,000 or 6,000 cars have been parked and abandoned at the airport by their foreign owners. These people lost their jobs, did not have enough money to complete their car payments, and found the easiest way out was to park their car at the airport and leave town for good…
Labels: arab, finance, lebanon, middle east
If It's Hard To Say, It Must Be Risky
If It's Hard To Say, It Must Be Risky writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 20, 2009) — We all have different criteria for what we consider risky. However, numerous studies have suggested that we tend to perceive familiar products and activities as being less risky and hazardous than unfamiliar ones. If something is familiar, the thinking goes, it is comfortable and safe. But how do we know if something is familiar? We often rely on a simple shortcut: If it is easy to perceive, remember or pronounce, we have probably seen it before. If so, will a product's name and how easy it is to pronounce, affect how we view the product?"
Labels: society
How We Think Before We Speak: Making Sense Of Sentences
How We Think Before We Speak: Making Sense Of Sentences writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 20, 2009) — We engage in numerous discussions throughout the day, about a variety of topics, from work assignments to the Super Bowl to what we are having for dinner that evening. We effortlessly move from conversation to conversation, probably not thinking twice about our brain's ability to understand everything that is being said to us. How does the brain turn seemingly random sounds and letters into sentences with clear meaning?"
….
But how does the language brain act so fast? Recent findings suggest that, as we read or have a conversation, our brains are continuously trying to predict upcoming information. Van Berkum suggests that this anticipation is a combination of a detailed analysis about what has been said before with taking 'quick-and-dirty' shortcuts to figure out what, most likely, the next bit of information will be
…..
Journal reference:
- Van Berkum et al. Understanding Sentences in Context: What Brain Waves Can Tell Us. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2008; 17 (6): 376 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8721.2008.00609.x
Labels: education
New research helps predict stock market
New research helps predict stock market writes:
"(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from Massey University have developed a new way to predict stock markets that has been recognized with an award from New Zealand finance specialists."
..
Professor Ben Jacobsen, Associate Professor Ben Marshall and Dr Nuttawat Visaltanachoti have found that analyzing data on a daily basis or other shorter intervals - rather than monthly - offers a much higher success rate of stock market predictions…..Dr Marshall says the paper, Return Predictability Revisited, is an eye-opener both practically and academically. “While the change of intervals seems innocent enough, this new approach suggests that stock market returns are much more predictable than previously thought. Economic variables that seemed unimportant now may warrant a second look, but measured at a different interval.
Labels: finance
Not Exactly Rocket Science : Attendance at religious services, but not religious devotion, predicts support for suicide attacks
Not Exactly Rocket Science : Attendance at religious services, but not religious devotion, predicts support for suicide attacks writes:
"When it comes to discussing suicide bombers, the controversial topic of religion is never far behind. Scholars and pundits have proposed several theories to explain why people would sacrifice their lives to take those of others, and conjectures about religious views seem easy to defend. After all, anthropologist Scott Atran estimated that since 2000, 70% of suicide attacks have been carried out by religious groups, and Islamist ones in particular."
Labels: religion
Thursday, February 19, 2009
C-SPAN | NPC Address by Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke
C-SPAN | Capitol Hill, The White House and National Politics writes:
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke discussed current economic conditions at a Nat'l Press Club luncheon. Through the last 18 months, Bernanke has been at the center of U.S. efforts to ease the credit crunch, stabilize the U.S. banking system and restart U.S. economic growth.Washington, DC : 1 hr. 1 min.
Fed. Chair Bernanke: From Earlier
Transcript: Chair. Bernanke's NPC Speech"
Labels: finance
Review: Verizon Hub breathes life into home phone
Review: Verizon Hub breathes life into home phone
"February 19th, 2009 By GREG BLUESTEIN , Associated Press Writer in Electronic Devices / Consumer & Gadgets
Labels: technology
Joseph LeDoux and The Amygdaloids at 92nd Street Y
Joseph LeDoux is a member of The Amygdaloids, a band made up of neuroscientists Daniela Schiller, Nina Galbraith Curley and Tyler Volk, that hopes its music makes the field more accessible to the public. LeDoux is a professor of neuroscience and psychology at New York University, and the author of The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life and Synaptic Self: How Our Brains Become Who We Are.
Robots that monitor emotions of ASD children
Robots that monitor emotions of ASD children
Posted by: "Alex Spiroglou" On Behavioral Finance Yahoo Group
Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:45 am (PST)
Vanderbilt University researchers are experimenting with using robots to
take over some of the behavioral therapy that is one of the most time-consuming
and expensive aspects of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) treatment.
Their method uses physiological measurements, including heart rate,
changes in the electrical properties of the skin (galvanic skin response),
temperature and muscle response, to monitor the emotional state of individuals.
The researchers report that the physiological data can be used to develop
mathematical models for each individual that can predict his or her emotional
states of liking, anxiety and engagement with an accuracy of better than 80 percent.
And this information can be used in real time to alter the game configuration in ways
that significantly increase the children's degree of engagement.
http://www.physorg.com/news154119076.html
Implementing Enterprise 2.0: Social Networking & Community
Implementing Enterprise 2.0 writes: Joe Lennon, Software Developer, Core International
17 Feb 2009
The term Enterprise 2.0 is gaining traction in organizations across the globe. This article investigates the underlying concepts of Enterprise 2.0, its relationship with Web 2.0, and the various tools and services that apply to it. Examine the benefits of employing Enterprise 2.0 in your business, and explore some of the potential drawbacks associated with it. Use this article to help you decide how to best implement Enterprise 2.0 in your organization.”
Labels: technology
BBC NEWS | UK | Online networking 'harms health'
BBC NEWS | UK | Online networking 'harms health' writes:
"People's health could be harmed by social networking sites because they reduce levels of face-to-face contact, an expert claims.Dr Aric Sigman says websites such as Facebook set out to enrich social lives, but end up keeping people apart.
Dr Sigman makes his warning in Biologist, the journal of the Institute of Biology.
A lack of "real" social networking, involving personal interaction, may have biological effects, he suggests. "
Labels: society
GDP per inhabitant in 2006 ranged from 25% of the EU27 average in Nord-Est in Romania to 336% in Inner London
Eurostat News releases: “In 2006, GDP per inhabitant, expressed in terms of purchasing power standards, in the EU27's 271 NUTS-2 regions ranged from 25% of the EU27 average in the region of Nord-Est in Romania, to 336% of the average in Inner London in the United Kingdom.”
1-19022009-EN-AP.PDF (application/pdf Object)
Labels: world
US Census Press Releases:Census Bureau Data Show Characteristics of the U.S. Foreign-Born Population
US Census Press Releases writes:
" According to a new analysis of data about the U.S. foreign-born population from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS), a higher percentage of people born in India have a bachelors degree or higher (74 percent) than people born in any other foreign country. Egypt and Nigeria had rates above 60 percent. … Meanwhile, among the nation’s foreign-born, Somalis and Kenyans living in the United States are the most likely to be newcomers, and Somalis are among the youngest and poorest …The new data reveal the diversity among the 38.1 million foreign-born living in the United States in 2007, not only by where they were born, but also by where they live now.
Other findings available for foreign-born populations of 65,000 or more in areas with a total population of 500,000 or more include the following : click here to route to the Census Report
Labels: education, united states, world
RGE - The Worst Economic and Financial Crisis Since the Great Depression Reveals the Weaknesses of the Laissez Faire Anglo-Saxon Model of Capitalism
RGE - The Worst Economic and Financial Crisis Since the Great Depression Reveals the Weaknesses of the Laissez Faire Anglo-Saxon Model of Capitalism writes:
"Nouriel Roubini | Feb 19, 2009It is now clear that this is the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and the worst economic crisis in the last 60 years. While we are already in a severe and protracted U-shaped recession (as the deluded hope of a short and shallow V-shaped contraction has now evaporated) there is now a rising risk that this crisis will turn into an uglier multi-year L-shaped Japanese style stag-deflation (a deadly combination of stagnation, recession and deflation). The latest data on Q4 2008 GDP growth (at an annual rate) around the world are even worse than the first estimate for the US (-3.8%): -6.0% for the Eurozone; -8% for Germany; -12% for Japan; -16% for Singapore; -20% for Korea. The global economy is now literally in free fall as the contraction of consumption, capital spending, residential investment, production, employment, exports and imports is accelerating rather than decelerating."
Economies of major developed countries will shrink in 2009
Economies of major developed countries will shrink in 2009 writes:
" by Tony AvirganThe U.S. economy is not suffering alone. According to projections by the International Monetary Fund, an international organization that oversees the global financial system, the economies of all developed countries are also likely to shrink substantially this year. The United Kingdom, which was hit hard by the financial collapse of Iceland, will probably contract the most, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP). (See Chart) ..The International Labor Organization (ILO), a United Nations agency, predicts that 50 million jobs could be lost and 200 million more people could fall into absolute poverty around the globe in 2009.
"
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
BBC NEWS | Europe | Two sexes 'sin in different ways'
BBC NEWS | Europe | Two sexes 'sin in different ways' writes:
"Women are prouder than men, but men are more lustful, according to a Vatican report which states that the two sexes sin differently.A Catholic survey found that the most common sin for women was pride, while for men, the urge for food was only surpassed by the urge for sex.
The report was based on a study of confessions carried out by Fr Roberto Busa, a 95-year-old Jesuit scholar. "
Labels: religion
Rebalancing the World Economy: OECD Development Co-operation Report 2009
Rebalancing the World Economy: OECD Development Co-operation Report 2009 writes:
"The 2009 Development Co-operation Report calls upon the international community to stand by its commitment to fight poverty and promote economic development in poor countries. Donor countries should see development co-operation as a strategic part of successful - and stable - globalisation, benefiting all sides. And emerging economies must assume responsibility for their share of the partnership."
The full report is available at www.sourceoecd.org/developmentreport
The Islamization of Project Finance in the Gulf - Harvard - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
The Islamization of Project Finance in the Gulf - Harvard - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs writes:
"Journal Article, Oil and Gas Financial Journal, volume 6, issue 2February 1, 2009
Author: Justin Dargin, Research Fellow, The Dubai Initiative
Belfer Center Programs or Projects: The Dubai Initiative
From the introduction:
"While Islamic financial instruments currently make up a small proportion of global finance, they actually experienced an annual 15% growth from 2005 to 2008 (Fig. 1), with the energy-producing Gulf
nations in the Middle East responsible for much of the increase."Click here for the full text."
Labels: finance, middle east
Reading: Yours, Mine, Ours: When You And I Share Perspectives
Reading: Yours, Mine, Ours: When You And I Share Perspectives writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 18, 2009) — While reading a novel, as the author describes the main character washing dishes or cooking dinner, we will often create a mental image of someone in the kitchen performing these tasks. Sometimes we may even imagine ourselves as the dishwasher or top chef in these scenarios. Why do we imagine these scenes differently - when do we view the action from an outsider's perspective and when do we place ourselves in the main character's shoes?"
Labels: society
I Totally Empathize With You ... Sometimes: Effects Of Empathy On Ethnic Group Interactions
I Totally Empathize With You ... Sometimes: Effects Of Empathy On Ethnic Group Interactions writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 19, 2009) — Increased empathy toward minority group members is one way to reduce prejudice and promote more positive inter-group relationships. When individuals take on the perspective of someone from a different group, a number of processes and feelings are set in motion that should lead to more positive feelings toward members of that group. But University of Manitoba psychologists Jacquie D. Vorauer and Stacey J. Sasaki wanted to investigate the effect of empathy in actual interactions with minority group members."
Labels: society
The Liberating Effects Of Losing Control
The Liberating Effects Of Losing Control writes:
"Tufts University psychologists Evan Apfelbaum and Samuel Sommers were intrigued by the notion that too much self-control may indeed have a downside - and that relinquishing some power might be paradoxically tonic, both for individuals and for society.They explored the virtue of powerlessness in the arena of race relations. They figured that well-intentioned people are careful - sometimes hyper-careful - not to say the wrong thing about race in a mixed-race group. Furthermore, they thought that such effortful self-control might actually cause both unease and guarded behavior, which could in turn be misconstrued as racial prejudice."
Labels: society
Anti-social behavior in girls predicts adolescent depression seven years later
Anti-social behavior in girls predicts adolescent depression seven years later writes:
"University of Washington social scientists tracked first- and second-graders for seven years and found that anti-social behavior among girls and anxiety among both sexes predicted depression in early adolescence. Surprisingly, early signs of depression were not predictive of adolescent depression."Anti-social behavior has typically been viewed as a big problem among boys, so it tends to be ignored among girls. Boys with early anti-social behavior typically go on to show more anti-social behavior while girls may turn inward with symptoms, morphing into other mental health problems such as depression eating disorders, anxiety and suicidal behavior during adolescence ," said James Mazza, a UW professor of educational psychology and lead author of the new study. He is currently serving as the past president of the American Association of Suicidology. "
Labels: society
In Defense of the Value of Social Neuroscience: Scientific American
In Defense of the Value of Social Neuroscience: Scientific American writes:
"Matthew Lieberman is associate professor of social neuroscience at the University of California, Los Angeles. In recent weeks, he’s also rebutted the claims of a recent paper, “Voodoo Correlations in Social Neuroscience,” which explored the high correlations between measures of personality or emotionality in the individual—such as the experience of fear, or the willingness to trust another person—with the activity of certain brain areas as observed in an fMRI machine. Mind Matters editor Jonah Lehrer chats with Lieberman about why most fMRI correlations aren’t false, the “reward” of intense grief and why accepting unfair offers seems to activate brain areas involved with self-control."
Labels: science
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Web users to write ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxies’
Web users to write ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxies’ writes:
"(PhysOrg.com) -- Today saw the launch of Galaxy Zoo 2, a website that invites members of the public to help create a detailed guide to some of the Universe's most fascinating objects. The online project is led by a team including scientists from Oxford University."
Labels: science
Arab-American women need supplement to boost dangerously low vitamin D levels
Arab-American women need supplement to boost dangerously low vitamin D levels writes:
"Arab-American women living in southeast Detroit whose conservative dress limits their exposure to sun should be taking a vitamin D supplement to boost their dangerously low serum levels, according to a study published by Henry Ford Hospital researchers."
..
“Researchers found that all 87 women involved in a small study showed vitamin D levels averaging 8.5 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter) for those who wore western dress to 4 ng/mL for those who wore the hijab, modest dress with a headscarf. A healthy vitamin D level is 30 ng/mL or higher.”
Labels: arab, united states
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Radio
"This film takes a critical look at how fear is transmitted by the news media, which intentionally amplify the most potentially alarming events, feeding anxiety within their audiences."
IMF: The Value of Institutions for Financial Markets: Evidence from Emerging Markets
The Value of Institutions for Financial Markets: Evidence from Emerging Markets writes:
"This paper investigates the value of political institutions for financial markets, using panel data from emerging market countries. We test the hypothesis that changes in political institutions, such as improvements in democratic rights and increased government accountability, have a direct effect on sovereign interest rate spreads. We find that financial markets value institutions over and above the economic and fiscal outcomes these institutions shape. Democracy and accountability generally lower sovereign spreads, political risk tends to increase them, and financial markets tend to view election years negatively."
Labels: finance
IMF: Can Markets Compute Equilibria?
Can Markets Compute Equilibria? writes:
"Recent turmoil in financial and commodities markets has renewed questions regarding how well markets discover equilibrium prices, particularly when those markets are highly complex. A relatively new critique questions whether markets can realistically find equilibrium prices if computers cannot. For instance, in a simple exchange economy with Leontief preferences, the time required to compute equilibrium prices using the fastest known techniques is an exponential function of the number of goods. Furthermore, no efficient technique for this problem exists if a famous mathematical conjecture is correct. The conjecture states loosely that there are some problems for which finding an answer (i.e., an equilibrium price vector) is hard even though it is easy to check an answer (i.e., that a given price vector is an equilibrium). This paper provides a brief overview of computational complexity accessible to economists, and points out that the existence of computational problems with no best solution algorithm is relevant to this conjecture."
Labels: finance
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Gaza population 'rising rapidly'
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Gaza population 'rising rapidly' writes:
"The population of the Gaza Strip increased by almost 40% between 1997 and 2007, according to the results of a Palestinian census.The survey, taken before Israel's recent offensive, showed the territory has a population of 1.4 million people.
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics estimated the annual growth rate at 3.3% and said the population would double in 21 years at that rate.
The UN estimates the world's current average population growth at 1.17%. "
Labels: middle east
Insights on Economic Choices From Game Theory and Cognitive Psychology
Insights on Economic Choices From Game Theory and Cognitive Psychology writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 15, 2009) — How game theory and insights from cognitive psychology can shed light on the economic choices people and corporations make will be the focus of a topical lecture presented by California Institute of Technology (Caltech) behavioral economist Colin Camerer at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).*"
Labels: society
Saturday, February 14, 2009
CNN - Saudi King appoints first woman to council
Sent from hoteit@gmail.com's mobile device from http://www.cnn.com.
Saudi King appoints first woman to council
Saudi King Abdullah has appointed a woman to the council of ministers for the first time as part of a Cabinet reshuffle, networks including Saudi state-run Channel One reported Saturday.
King Abdullah announced a new supreme court chief, minister of health, justice minister and information minister as part of the reshuffling, according to Channel One.
King Abdullah appointed Noor Al-Fayez to the Saudi Council of Ministers. She will serve in a new position as deputy minister for women's education.
"People are very excited about this," said Khaled Al-Maeena, editor-in-chief of Arab News, an English-language daily newspaper in Saudi Arabia. "This sends a clear signal that the King means business. Instead of appointing some bureaucrat, he appointed a woman."
Jamal Khashoggi, editor-in-chief of Al-Watan Daily newspaper, told CNN the reshuffle signals a major change in his country.
"This is a huge step forward, in education, women's place in society," said Khashoggi.
The new appointments are the largest council shakeup since King Abdullah took power in 2005.
Maeena also said the other new appointments by King Abdullah were very "progressive" moves.
Some other new appointments were:
-- Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed, new minister of education
-- Faisal Al-Moammar, new deputy minister of education
-- Sheikh Mohammed Al-Isa, new minister of justice
-- Abdulaziz Al-Khowja, new minster of culture and information
-- Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, new minister of health
-- Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Humain, new head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice
Saudi King appoints first woman to council
Saudi King Abdullah has appointed a woman to the council of ministers for the first time as part of a Cabinet reshuffle, networks including Saudi state-run Channel One reported Saturday.
King Abdullah announced a new supreme court chief, minister of health, justice minister and information minister as part of the reshuffling, according to Channel One.
King Abdullah appointed Noor Al-Fayez to the Saudi Council of Ministers. She will serve in a new position as deputy minister for women's education.
"People are very excited about this," said Khaled Al-Maeena, editor-in-chief of Arab News, an English-language daily newspaper in Saudi Arabia. "This sends a clear signal that the King means business. Instead of appointing some bureaucrat, he appointed a woman."
Jamal Khashoggi, editor-in-chief of Al-Watan Daily newspaper, told CNN the reshuffle signals a major change in his country.
"This is a huge step forward, in education, women's place in society," said Khashoggi.
The new appointments are the largest council shakeup since King Abdullah took power in 2005.
Maeena also said the other new appointments by King Abdullah were very "progressive" moves.
Some other new appointments were:
-- Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed, new minister of education
-- Faisal Al-Moammar, new deputy minister of education
-- Sheikh Mohammed Al-Isa, new minister of justice
-- Abdulaziz Al-Khowja, new minster of culture and information
-- Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, new minister of health
-- Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Humain, new head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice
Life expectancy, medical expenses, and old age saving | vox - Research-based policy analysis and commentary from leading economists
Life expectancy, medical expenses, and old age saving | vox - Research-based policy analysis and commentary from leading economists writes:
"The risks of living long and facing high medical expenses go a long way toward explaining elderly persons’ saving decisions. This column shows that the elderly, especially those with high lifetime incomes, keep large asset holdings to address these health concerns. Such behaviour is particularly strong in the US."
Friday, February 13, 2009
KAL's cartoon | Political cartoons by Kevin Kallaugher | The Economist
KAL's cartoon | Political cartoons by Kevin Kallaugher | The Economist writes:
Illustration by KAL
"
Labels: finance
Gulfnews: Arab joblessness is key challenge
Gulfnews: Arab joblessness is key challenge writes:
"And what gives urgency to the Mena region is the fact that in 2008 the region recorded the highest unemployment rate worldwide, according to the recently released ILO report."Last year, North Africa and the Middle East still had the highest unemployment rates at 10.3 and 9.4 per cent respectively followed by Central and South Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America," the ILO stated.
Unemployment "is the main economic, social and political" challenge for the Arab region in 2009, Ahmad Al Najar, an economic expert at the Cairo-based Al Ahram Strategic Studies Centre said. It disrupts other production elements, he added."
Labels: arab, middle east
The Science of Cute
"The "science of YouTube" guys are back, with a look at the true meaning of cute web videos".
thanks to Neuron Culture blog
Labels: science
Conn Hallinan - Israel Treated Gaza Like Its Own Private Death Laboratory | Sabbah
Conn Hallinan - Israel Treated Gaza Like Its Own Private Death Laboratory | Sabbah writes:
"Israel tested out a "focused lethality" weapon that minimizes explosive damage to structures while inflicting catastrophic wounds on its victims.Erik Fosse, a Norwegian cardiologist, worked in Gaza hospitals during the recent war."It was as if they had stepped on a mine," he says of certain Palestinian patients he treated. "But there was no shrapnel in the wound. Some had lost their legs. It looked as though they had been sliced off. I have been to war zones for 30 years, but I have never seen such injuries before."
Dr. Fosse was describing the effects of a U.S. "focused lethality" weapon that minimizes explosive damage to structures while inflicting catastrophic wounds on its victims. But where did the Israelis get this weapon? And was their widespread use in the attack on Gaza a field test for a new generation of explosives?"
Labels: middle east
The Mess That Greenspan Made: Things look even worse in black-and-white
The Mess That Greenspan Made: Things look even worse in black-and-white writes:
“This is the first recent photo to have crossed my desk with an unmistakable Great Depression look and it's a little bit haunting. Check that. It's very haunting. Disturbing, actually.”"
Psychologists reveal the secret of successful wooing
Psychologists reveal the secret of successful wooing writes:
"(PhysOrg.com) -- A new University of Sussex study shows that,without being consciously aware, we change our judgment of a person's attractiveness based on what they do, not their physical characteristics."
… “..faces of the opposite sex were more effective at directing participants' attention. In other words, women pay more attention to where men look and vice versa. The faces that gave accurate cues as to where the target dot appeared increased in attractiveness, but significantly more for the opposite sex.”
Labels: society
Stronger effort needed to prevent mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in young people
Stronger effort needed to prevent mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in young people writes:
"The federal government should make preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders and promoting mental health in young people a national priority, says a new report from the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine. These disorders -- which include depression, anxiety, conduct disorder, and substance abuse -- are about as common as fractured limbs in children and adolescents. Collectively, they take a tremendous toll on the well-being of young people and their families, costing the U.S. an estimated $247 billion annually, the report says."
Labels: society, united states
Family income linked to child language skills: study
Family income linked to child language skills: study writes:
"Children who communicate using a wide variety of gestures at the age of 14 months have a much larger vocabulary at age four-and-a-half, and fare much better in school, a study said……study found that socioeconomic status differences are clearly evident in the initial stages of language learning.
Labels: education
Thursday, February 12, 2009
BBC NEWS | UK | Education | Gestures 'develop infant speech'
BBC NEWS | UK | Education | Gestures 'develop infant speech' writes:
"Toddlers who use gestures more often have better vocabularies on reaching school age, US researchers say.Children who convey more meanings with gestures at 14 months have larger vocabularies at 54 months and are thus better prepared for school, they say.
Parents and teachers could help children learn to speak by encouraging the use of gestures, say psychologists from the University of Chicago. "
Labels: society
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas: Globalization and Monetary Policy Institute
Globalization and Monetary Policy Institute 2008 Annual Report
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In its first annual report, the Globalization and Monetary Policy
Institute reviews some of the research programs it is developing
to advance our understanding of what globalization means for
monetary policy.
Read it at http://dallasfed.org/institute/annual/2008/index.cfm
Labels: finance
FRB: Federal Reserve Bulletin 2009:Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2004 to 2007: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances
FRB: Federal Reserve Bulletin 2009 writes:
Brian K. Bucks, Arthur B. Kennickell, Traci L. Mach, and Kevin B. Moore
February 12, 2009
The Federal Reserve Board's Survey of Consumer Finances for 2007 provides insights into changes in family income and net worth since the 2004 survey. The survey shows that, over the 2004-07 period, the median value of real (inflation-adjusted) family income before taxes was little changed, while mean income climbed 8.5 percent. Unlike family income over this period, both median and mean net worth increased; the median rose 17.7 percent, and the mean rose 13.0 percent. This article reviews these and other changes in the financial condition of U.S. families, including developments in assets, liabilities, and debt payments. PDF (398 KB)"
Labels: finance, united states
Webinars | Facing Up
Webinars | Facing Up writes:
Webinars
Balancing the budget in an economy like this one is going to take some ingenuity and fresh thinking. But in sitting down to talk about tough problems like this one, we've found that a little experience – and a few tips from our public engagement experts – can be extremely valuable.
Students Face Up to the Nation's Finances is offering that help online – for faculty members using any part of our curriculum, and for students and civic leaders interested in leading discussions on the federal budget and national debt, the ways they are shaping our future, and choices we face in fighting the tide of red ink.
Webinars conducted by Chris Haller and Gwen Wright, both from Public Agenda's Public Engagement team, are available free of charge to registered academic and civic users of the FacingUp.org website. We urge you to register now for the webinar that best suits your needs."
CEO bailouts? How about the homeowners?
"The housing crisis is not just a problem for families facing foreclosure it is a problem for every homeowner in America. As long as foreclosures persist, home values will keep going down, and everyone loses."
Tip: Getting to scholarly papers online - The Efficient Academic | Google Groups
Tip: Getting to scholarly papers online - The Efficient Academic | Google Groups writes:
This tip from LifeHacker:http://lifehacker.com/5083065/get-around-academic-paper-restrictions
enables you to get around restrictions and see academic papers online. Useful. "
Labels: education
Al-Ahram embarks on major initiative for technology re-modernisation with KnowledgeView UK | KnowledgeView
Al-Ahram embarks on major initiative for technology re-modernisation with KnowledgeView UK | KnowledgeView writes:
"On 10 Feb 2009, at 18:49, PR Newswire wrote:Al-Ahram, Egypt's number one publishing house with over 40 publications and a distribution of 1.5 million for flagship daily newspaper Al-Ahram, has embarked on a major initiative for their publishing re-modernisation with KnowledgeView Ltd. "
Labels: media, technology
List of cognitive biases
List of cognitive biases writes:
Cognitive bias is distortion in the way we perceive reality.
Many of these biases are often studied for how they affect business and economic decisions and how they affect scientific and experimental research..
For more information about the topic List of cognitive biases, read the full article at Wikipedia.org, or see the following related articles:
Cognitive bias — A cognitive bias is any of a wide range of observer effects identified in cognitive science and social psychology including very basic statistical, ... > read more
Memory bias — Memory biases may either enhance or impair the recall of memory, or they may alter the content of what we report remembering. There are many memory ... > read more
Confirmation bias — In psychology and cognitive science, confirmation bias (or confirmatory bias) is a tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that ... > read more
Anchoring bias in decision-making — Anchoring or focalism is a term used in psychology to describe the common human tendency to rely too heavily, or "anchor," on one trait or piece of ... > read more"
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
New happiness research demonstrates when material items are the best option
New happiness research demonstrates when material items are the best option writes:
"It matters whether you give your loved one a material gift or an experience for Valentine's Day, say researchers at The University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business and Washington University in St. Louis."
..
“when considering the perfect romantic gift, it may be best to forgo the risky adventure vacation (with its risk of danger and bad weather) in favor of a safer gift, such as a piece of jewelry. A bad choice of an experience could make your valentine unhappy for a much longer time than will a badly chosen material gift. On the other hand, if you have a good reason to suspect that the purchase will turn out well (if it is her favorite restaurant, for instance, or the movie tickets she has been hinting about) then experiences are the way to go and will leave your valentine happier (and more appreciative) longer than any material gift could.”
Labels: society
Multilingualism brings communities closer together
Multilingualism brings communities closer together writes:
"Learning their community language outside the home enhances minority ethnic children's development, according to research led from the University of Birmingham. The research, which was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, found that attending language classes at complementary schools has a positive impact on students."
Labels: education
Born to be wild? Thrill-seeking behavior may be based in the brain
Born to be wild? Thrill-seeking behavior may be based in the brain writes:
"Sky diving and base jumping are not for everyone. However, for certain people, the more risk and adrenaline involved in an activity, the better! What draws some people to daredevil behavior while others shy away from it? Psychologists Jane E. Joseph, Xun Liu, Yang Jiang and Thomas H. Kelly from the University of Kentucky, along with Donald Lyman of Purdue University were interested in testing how the brains of sensation-seekers differ from those of us who avoid risky behavior."
..
“The brain images showed that when high sensation seekers viewed the arousing photographs, there was increased activity in the brain region known as the insula. Previous research has shown that the insula is active during addictive behaviors, such as craving cigarettes. However, when low sensation seekers looked at arousing photographs, there was increased activity in the frontal cortex area of the brain. The researchers note that this was an interesting finding because that region is important for controlling emotions. The results show that high sensation seekers respond very strongly to arousing cues, but have less activity in brain areas associated with emotional regulation.”
Labels: society
The Daily Star - Business Articles - ArabAd names Mustapha Assad man of year
The Daily Star - Business Articles - ArabAd names Mustapha Assad man of year writes:
BEIRUT: ArabAd magazine named Mustapha Assad, CEO of Publicis, as the 2009 man of the year for his distinguished advertising career since 1967. "ArabAd's choice of Mustapha Assad as man of the year 2009 is the tradition of honoring those personalities who have cemented the foundation of the communications industry and whose recognition is, but a token of their contribution that will always shine and light the way for future generations," the publisher of ArabAd's publication Walid Azzi said in its lead editorial."
Guilty pleasure? It's all in the mind's eye
Guilty pleasure? It's all in the mind's eye writes:
""Research suggests that consumers are unlikely to indulge themselves when they don't see good reasons to justify it, yet our findings consistently indicate that consumers' actual enjoyment of indulgences is independent of justification, in contrast to what consumers believe," said Norbert Schwarz, a marketing professor at Michigan's Ross School of Business who is also affiliated with U-M's Department of Psychology and Institute for Social Research."
Labels: society
Neural Circuitry Of Near-misses May Explain The Allure Of Gambling
Neural Circuitry Of Near-misses May Explain The Allure Of Gambling writes:
"Although the gambler loses their bet on a near-miss, where the slot machine reel stops one position from the 'payline', the researchers found that near-miss outcomes make people want to carry on gambling and caused brain activity in areas that normally process winning money.The study, published in the journal Neuron, scanned the brains of 15 people while they gambled on a computerised slot machine that delivered occasional 50p wins."
Labels: society
A-R-A-B: The Rap
Labels: middle east
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Report: Visual Media Hampers Critical Thinking Skills at The Core Knowledge Blog
Report: Visual Media Hampers Critical Thinking Skills at The Core Knowledge Blog writes:
"The “informal learning environments” of television, video games, and the Internet are producing learners with a new profile of cognitive skills, says UCLA psychology professor Patricia Greenfield. Our visual skills are improving, while our critical thinking abilities are in decline, according to a review of 50 studies on learning and technology conducted by Greenfield and published in the journal Science. "
Neurophilosophy : The neurological basis of intuition
Neurophilosophy : The neurological basis of intuition writes:
"According to a new study, our gut feelings can enhance the retrieval of explicitly encoded memories - those memories which we encode actively - and therefore lead to improved accuracy in simple decisions. The study, which is published online in Nature Neuroscience, also provides evidence that the retrieval of explicit and implicit memories involves distinct neural substrates and mechanisms."
Labels: science
» Middle East seen from Freedom House Middle East Strategy at Harvard
Freedom in the World survey:
“Israel was the only country in the region to enjoy a status of Free, although as the occupying power in the Palestinian territories, Israel is largely responsible for the Not Free status of the areas under its control.”
» Middle East seen from Freedom House Middle East Strategy at Harvard writes:
Freedom House has just released its Freedom in the World survey for 2009, rating the level of political rights and civil liberties worldwide. Freedom House divides countries into three categories: free, partly free, and not free. In its “Map of Freedom” (download here), free countries are shown in green; partly free in yellow; and not free in blue. Here is the Middle East portion from the 2009 map.
"
Labels: middle east, politics
Luxury, or Necessity? - Economix Blog - NYTimes.com
Luxury, or Necessity? - Economix Blog - NYTimes.com writes:
"In response to coverage of strapped households, a reader points us toward the Pew Research Center’s 2006 report on what kinds of goods Americans consider “necessities” versus “luxuries.” The results show that, as their incomes rose, Americans have gotten somewhat needier over time. For example, the percentage of Americans who call microwaves a “necessity” rather than a “luxury” has more than doubled in the past decade, from 32 percent in 1996 to 68 percent in 2006:
Chart (c) 2005-2009 Pew Research Center"
Labels: united states
Mediterranean Diet Associated With Lower Risk Of Cognitive Impairment
Mediterranean Diet Associated With Lower Risk Of Cognitive Impairment writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 9, 2009) — Eating a Mediterranean diet appears to be associated with less risk of mild cognitive impairment—a stage between normal aging and dementia—or of transitioning from mild cognitive impairment into Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals."
Labels: world
Robert Shiller’s lecture on behavioral finance « Nudge blog
Robert Shiller’s lecture on behavioral finance « Nudge blog writes:
"Robert Shiller, who has organized a behavioral finance workshop with Richard Thaler since 1991, lectures on the subject in his Financial Markets class. Runs about an hour."
Financial Markets (ECON 252)
Behavioral Finance is a relatively recent revolution in finance that applies insights from all of the social sciences to finance. New decision-making models incorporate psychology and sociology, among other disciplines, to explain economic and financial phenomenon, such as erratic stock price variations. Psychological patterns such as overconfidence and perceived kinks in the value function seem to impact financial decision-making, but are not included in classical theories such as the Expected Utility Theory. Kahneman and Tversky's Prospect Theory addresses such issues and sheds light on irrational deviations from traditional decision-making models.
Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses
Predictably / Irrational » Blog Archive » The Psychology of Pain: “I didn’t mean it!”
Predictably / Irrational » Blog Archive » The Psychology of Pain: “I didn’t mean it!” writes:
"Harvard researchers Kurt Gray and Daniel Wegner recently found that we experience greater pain when we perceive it to be deliberately inflicted, rather than by accident."
Labels: society
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan- Philosophical Qawwali
thanedar1 wrote “ This Qawali is written by "Naaz Khailvi" a very humble but dervaish poet of a high stature. He lives in faisalabad pakistan. As Nusrat FA khan also belonged to the same city, so NAAZ Sb wrote that qawali for him. We can't say if the poet also got something out of the fortune of fame of this poem. However, one thing is for sure that nobody can stop oneself praying for the poet and his genius after listening to it. Nusrat sb really gave a world fame to this poetic work of very humble man.”
FarhadBa wrote
“Part one:
You have painted heart which such colors
It is kind of mysterious art work u designed
What is the secret behind all this?
Which kind of game are you playing since the beginning?
Part Two:
You locked the free soul in the cage of the body
And then you created dead to limit the soul even further
You made us free like a bird, ambitious and hopeful
Even though you already recorded our limitations in our destiny
Part Three:
You said that you designed the whole universe by yourself
But you also, already planned when to destroy it by yourself
You said that you have no location, no where to be found
On the other hand you stated your location being Nahno, Aqrab (heavens I think)
You clarified that this s good and that s bad: this s paradise and that is hell
But tell me why all this, what s the mystery behind it
Part four:
The sin was committed by Adam (AS),but the offspring s suffering the consequence
Alas, what a nice justice standards you have (sarcasm)
You elected certain humans as your messengers on earth
I don't know which kind of show you are trying to put on
Darwin Day Celebration - http://www.darwinday.org
Darwin Day Celebration writes:
Welcome to the Darwin Day Celebration website
“Darwin Day is a global celebration of science and reason held on or around Feb. 12, the birthday anniversary of evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin. This year marks the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth.On this website you can find all sorts of information about Charles Darwin and the Darwin Day Celebration. If you are hosting a Darwin Day event, you can post information about it on our events listing. You can also locate Darwin Day programs near you by searching our events section.
We have also provided resources for hosting Darwin Day events, including promotional support and a list of potential Darwin Day presenters.”
BBC - Panorama - The Panorama Middle East Archives: Divisions
BBC - Panorama - The Panorama Middle East Archives: Divisions writes: 
"Panorama has been on the ground covering events in the Middle East for the last six turbulent decades. Below is a brief history of events in the region as told through the Panorama archive.
Click on the links below to learn more and watch a Panorama archive clip.
Labels: middle east, politics
What Impact Does Inflation Targeting Have on Unemployment?
Author: Jose Angelo Divino
Series: One Pager # 74
| The author argues that inflation targeting does not exacerbate unemployment, but it also has no impact on economic growth. |
Labels: finance
Saturday, February 07, 2009
When Humans Need a Nudge Toward Rationality - NYTimes.com
When Humans Need a Nudge Toward Rationality - NYTimes.com writes:
"THE flies in the men’s-room urinals of the Amsterdam airport have been enshrined in the academic literature on economics and psychology. The flies — images of flies, actually — were etched in the porcelain near the urinal drains in an experiment in human behavior.
Images of flies in airport urinals have taught a lesson about human behavior, says Richard Thaler, the behavioral economist.
After the flies were added, “spillage” on the men’s-room floor fell by 80 percent. “Men evidently like to aim at targets,” said Richard Thaler of the
University of Chicago, an irreverent pioneer in the increasingly influential field of behavioral economics.Mr. Thaler says the flies are his favorite example of a “nudge” — a harmless bit of engineering that manages to “attract people’s attention and alter their behavior in a positive way, without actually requiring anyone to do anything at all.” What’s more, he said, “The flies are fun.”
Labels: finance
Dubai Real Estate Crash !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Dubai Real Estate Crash !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Max Keiser Peter Schiff Jim Rogers Marc faber gerald celente world Iran UAE emirates nakheel persian gulf palm the artificial island sea real estate and Emirates Airline bankrupt bankruptcy bailout Abu Dhabi Doha Qatar KSA Saudi"
Labels: middle east
Buying Experiences, Not Possessions, Leads To Greater Happiness
Buying Experiences, Not Possessions, Leads To Greater Happiness writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 7, 2009) — Can money make us happy if we spend it on the right purchases? A new psychology study suggests that buying life experiences rather than material possessions leads to greater happiness for both the consumer and those around them."
…
“The study demonstrates that experiential purchases, such as a meal out or theater tickets, result in increased well-being because they satisfy higher order needs, specifically the need for social connectedness and vitality -- a feeling of being alive.”
Labels: society
Unemployment Rate Continues to Climb - January 2009 | Perot Charts
Unemployment Rate Continues to Climb - January 2009 | Perot Charts writes:
"Washington – Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 6, 2009Nonfarm payroll employment declined sharply in January, and the unemployment rate rose from 7.2% to 7.6% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor"
Labels: finance, united states
Paul Halsall: Internet History Sourcebooks Project
Paul Halsall/Fordham University: Internet History Sourcebooks Project writes:
The Internet History Sourcebooks Project is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted historical texts presented cleanly (without advertising or excessive layout) for educational use."
THE INTERNET HISTORY SOURCEBOOKS
Internet Ancient History Sourcebook
A "classroom usable" sourcebook of copy-permitted material for Ancient history and civilization courses.
This is an online source book of copy-permitted, although not necessarily copyright-free, source material for Medieval Studies. It is the largest online resource of medieval and Byzantine textual sources.
Internet Modern History Sourcebook
Now with almost as many online texts as the Medieval Sourcebook, this also constitutes a "classroom usable" sourcebook of copy-permitted material for Modern European history and Modern Civilization courses. North American and Latin American documents are located within its structure.
SUBSIDIARY SOURCEBOOKS
The following consist of thematically based subsets of texts, with some additional documents and links, of the three main Sourcebooks listed above.
Labels: education
Encyclopedia of World History, Volumes 1 - 5
Encyclopedia of World History, Volumes 1 - 5 writes:
"The Berkshire Encyclopedia of World History is the first true encyclopedic reference on world history. It is designed to meet the needs of students, teachers, and scholars who seek to explore -- and understand -- the panorama of our shared history of humans. Anyone who loves history -- including those who are making history today -- will find this work an endless source of fascinating, thought-provoking coverage of events, people, patterns, and processes.
The encyclopedia takes a dynamic world history perspective, showing connections and interactions and change over time and place. Major articles by leading scholars, including Martin Marty and Immanuel Wallerstein, examine essential themes and patterns such as Art, Disease, Government, Religion, Science, and War and Peace. Branching out from these overviews are hundreds of articles on processes, movements, places, events, and people. Students and teachers at the high school and college levels, as well as scholars and professionals, will turn to this definitive work for a connected, holistic, view of world history -- the story of humans and their place in the universe."
Modern History Sourcebook: Wallerstein on World Systems
Modern History Sourcebook: Wallerstein on World Systems writes:
"A Summary of Immanuel Wallerstein, The Modern World System: Capitalist Agriculture and the Origins of the European World Economy in the Sixteenth Century (New York: Academic Press, 1974)In his book, The Modern World System: Capitalist Agriculture and the Origins of the European World Economy in the Sixteenth Century, Immanuel Wallerstein develops a theoretical framework to understand the historical changes involved in the rise of the modern world. The modern world system, essentially capitalist in nature, followed the crisis of the feudal system and helps explain the rise of Western Europe to world supremacy between 1450 and 1670. According to Wallerstein, his theory makes possible a comprehensive understanding of the external and internal manifestations of the modernization process during this period and makes possible analytically sound comparisons between different parts of the world."
Labels: world
Friday, February 06, 2009
Diet key to blood pressure
Diet key to blood pressure writes:
"It's not clear how fruits and veggies exert their effect, though it likely has something to do with vitamin and mineral content. A new study from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute sheds light on this, suggesting that higher vitamin C levels are linked to healthy blood pressure. In the Growth and Health Study, 242 girls ages 8-11 were followed for 10 years, and their blood pressure and vitamin C blood levels were measured regularly."
Labels: society
How to create less selfish societies?
How to create less selfish societies? writes:
“The work, by scientists in Portugal and Belgium, reveals that an increasing range of behaviours among the individuals of a population leads to cooperation, supporting the idea that democracy - where individuals are free to act as they wish - is in fact the path for better societies. Jorge Pacheco one of the authors of the study says: "The results support the idea that behavioral differences, on a grand scale, are instrumental in shaping us as the most sophisticated cooperating machines on this planet what is particularly interesting as it contradicts some social and political dogmas - such as Maoism and Stalinism - which, sometimes with rather unfortunate outcomes, have tried to enforce reduced behavioral diversity, supposedly with an aim to improve society."”
3.5 million jobs since the start of the recession in De 2007
The January employment report released this morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the U.S. economy has shed nearly 3.5 million jobs since the start of the recession in December 2007, with 2.8 million jobs lost in the last five months. With the unemployment rate now at 7.6%, it is at its highest level in over sixteen years.
The Gavel » Blog Archive » What 3.6 Million Jobs Lost Over 13 Months Looks Like
"
Labels: finance, united states
KERA Art&Seek Blog - Dallas Art Fair: High Expectations
KERA Art&Seek Blog - Dallas Art Fair: High Expectations writes:
Richard Prince’s Nurse in Love, McClain Gallery"
Labels: art
Cognitive Training Can Alter The Biochemistry Of The Brain
Cognitive Training Can Alter The Biochemistry Of The Brain writes:
"Researchers at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet have shown for the first time that the active training of the working memory brings about visible changes in the number of dopamine receptors in the human brain."
Labels: science
Do Children Understand How Feelings Affect School Performance?
Do Children Understand How Feelings Affect School Performance? writes:
"But do children understand the link between feelings and performance? A new study by researchers at the University of Washington and the University of California, Davis, tells us that children comprehend the influence of one on the other, but only under certain circumstances."
..
they found that children of all ages understood that negative emotional and physical states would lead to poorer school performance. The fact that young children knew that negative emotions could cause poor school performance was especially surprising, since parents and teachers often focus on the physical side of getting ready for school (hence the advice to get lots of rest or eat a good breakfast), and rarely talk about the emotional side (for example, advising children to try not to feel sad). The researchers also found that children understood that levels of interest, effort, and classroom noise would affect performance.
Labels: society
The Origins of Suicidal Brains: Scientific American
The Origins of Suicidal Brains: Scientific American writes:
"Suicide rates in the U.S. have increased for the first time in a decade, according to a report published in October by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. But what leads a person to commit suicide? Three new studies suggest that the neurological changes in a brain of a suicide victim differ markedly from those in other brains and that these changes develop over the course of a lifetime.”
Labels: society
Cost of Living - Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Spending - NYTimes.com
Cost of Living - Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Spending - NYTimes.com writes:
"Borrowing money to buy a home or a car, or to complete an education, might be necessary. But carrying credit card debt for months or years is a red flag signaling that you can’t afford your life. The cycle is a brutal one. You can’t afford your life, and thus fall into debt; so how can you afford to pay your way out of it while still living your life?"
Labels: finance
BBC NEWS | Americas | Latin America poverty 'may soar'
BBC NEWS | Americas | Latin America poverty 'may soar' writes:
"The global financial crisis could cause poverty to rise in Latin America by as much as 15% this year, a senior UN official has warned."
Rebeca Grynspan, regional head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), said Latin American governments needed to take action urgently.
She expressed particular concern about smaller countries, saying they might not cope with such a big shock.
Analysts fear 2.4 million Latin Americans may lose their jobs.
Labels: world
Madoff 13,500 Client List | The Big Picture
Madoff 13,500 Client List | The Big Picture writes:
"The following is the Madoff client list — released by the bankruptcy court — 160 pages, 13,500 clients.
Labels: finance
Paradox? What Paradox? at The Core Knowledge Blog
Paradox? What Paradox? at The Core Knowledge Blog writes:
“Although American teachers spend more working hours in classrooms than do instructors in some of the top-performing European and Asian countries,” says an Education Week story on a new professional development study, “U.S. students routinely post below-average scores on international exams.”Why is this a “paradox” as EdWeek observes? If you spent more hours on the job than top-performing European and Asian workers, would you expect to be wealthier than they are? Time on task only makes a difference if you’re using it wisely. Doing more of what doesn’t work won’t change the outcome."
Labels: education
Buy American is bad for America (and everyone else) | vox - Research-based policy analysis and commentary from leading economists
Buy American is bad for America (and everyone else) | vox - Research-based policy analysis and commentary from leading economists writes:
"The “Buy American” provision in the US stimulus package would violate US trade obligations, damage the US' reputation, and have almost no real impact on US jobs. Moreover, the provisions will be read as an Obama trade policy that leans toward protectionism – with severe consequences abroad."
Labels: finance, united states
Study finds high level of medical mistrust among minority women impacts quality of health care
Study finds high level of medical mistrust among minority women impacts quality of health care writes:
"Nearly 70 percent of minority women agree that health-care organizations sometimes deceive or mislead patients, one of the key findings of a Michigan State University study that researchers say can prevent women from getting breast cancer screenings."
Labels: science
Land and People: Palestinians in Lebanon: new study
Land and People: Palestinians in Lebanon: new study Zurayk writes:
""Although Palestinian refugees cannot legally contribute much to the Lebanese economy through employment, the sheer amount of them living in the country (more than 400,000) means they count for 10 per cent ($352 million) of all private consumption in Lebanon. Food, healthcare and rent constitute their top spending priorities.The report also found that despite a 60-year presence in Lebanon and extreme vulnerability as a group, Palestinian refugees "do not appear to have constituted a burden on the safety net system provided by the Lebanese welfare system." The report stated UNRWA, NGOs and faith-based organizations represented the primary safety net for the Palestinian refugee community. "
Labels: lebanon, middle east
Land and People: Land of poverty and inequality
Land and People: Land of poverty and inequality Rami Zurayk writes:
"31% of the Lebanese are poor and 3% are obscenely rich, says this UN report (Arabic article)
in 2 parts"
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Education And Money Attract A Mate; Chastity Sinks In Importance
Education And Money Attract A Mate; Chastity Sinks In Importance writes:
"Men are increasingly interested in an educated woman who is a good financial prospect and less interested in chastity. Women are increasingly interested in a man who wants a family and less picky about whether he's always Mr. Nice Guy.That's according to a study by University of Iowa sociologists Christine Whelan and Christie Boxer. They analyzed results of a 2008 survey of more than 1,100 undergraduates at the UI, the University of Washington, the University of Virginia and Penn State University, comparing the results to past mate-preference studies."
Labels: society
World Vision » Gaza: Psychosocial help for children a priority for World Vision
World Vision » Gaza: Psychosocial help for children a priority for World Vision writes:
"JERUSALEM-WESTBANK-GAZA - Emergency psychosocial interventions are beginning this week in Gaza, supported by World Vision, to help some 2,200 children begin recovering from the emotional trauma resulting from their exposure to violence, death and loss during the recent military incursion there."
Labels: middle east
Did You Know?
"Fantastic video on the progression of information technology, researched by Karl Fisch, Scott McLeod, and Jeff Bronman, remixed "
University In the Student Eyes Movie Competition (Arab world) - corrected
{Sorry for the mistake in the date of the conference. It should be 4-6 May 2009.Please find attached the corrected announcement. }
Dear Colleagues
The attached is an announcement about a competition among students and awarding the 10 best short films on university. I need your help in disseminating this announcement to your students as well as to all relevant addresses (e.g. students’ organizations).
Thanks a lot.
Adnan ElAmine
Adnan El Amine,
Coordinator,
Arab Regional Conference on Higher Education (ARCHE + 10)"
Labels: arab, education, middle east
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
iPhone coming to United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia | iPhone Central | Macworld
iPhone coming to United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia | iPhone Central | Macworld writes:
"While the iPhone is currently available in a slew of countries ranging from Senegal to Japan, we'll soon be able to add two new Gulf countries to the list: the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. This deal marks the first new markets for the iPhone in 2009."
Labels: middle east, technology
Pew Forum: Religious Groups' Opinions of Evolution
Pew Forum: Religious Groups' Opinions of Evolution writes:
Source: Pew Forum U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, conducted in 2007, released in 2008"
Labels: religion
Pew Forum: State Laws and Regulations on Teaching Evolution in Public Schools
Pew Forum: State Laws and Regulations on Teaching Evolution in Public Schools writes:
"In recent years, voters, educators and policymakers in a number of states have become involved in the debate over how public school students should learn about life's origins. The debate has taken place at various levels of state government, from legislatures to local school boards. In some states and localities, evolution opponents argue for academic freedom in an effort to grant teachers and students the right to question evolutionary theory. Supporters of teaching evolution counter that such efforts could replace science with religiously based notions in the classroom. What follows is a sampling of recent action in 14 states in which the teaching of evolution has stirred controversy."
click here for the list of actions per each state
Labels: education
Rich Man, Poor Man: Body Language Can Indicate Socioeconomic Status, Study Shows
Rich Man, Poor Man: Body Language Can Indicate Socioeconomic Status, Study Shows writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 5, 2009) — Socioeconomic status (SES) is determined by a number of factors such as wealth, occupation and schools attended. SES influences the food we eat, hobbies we participate in and can even have an impact on our health."
Labels: society
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Number of alien worlds quantified
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Number of alien worlds quantified writes:
"Intelligent civilizations are out there and there could be thousands of them, according to an Edinburgh scientist.The discovery of more than 330 planets outside our solar system in recent years has helped refine the number of life forms that are likely to exist.
The current research estimates that there are at least 361 intelligent civilisations in our Galaxy and possibly as many as 38,000.
The work is reported in the International Journal of Astrobiology. "
Labels: science
Why Sensory Perception Changes When the Brain Rests
Why Sensory Perception Changes When the Brain Rests writes:
"Even when our eyes are closed, the visual centers in our brain are humming with activity. Weizmann Institute scientists and others have shown in the last few years that the magnitude of sense-related activity in a brain that’s disengaged from seeing, touching, etc., is quite similar to that of one exposed to a stimulus. New research at the Institute has now revealed details of that activity, explaining why, even though our sense centers are working, we don’t experience sights or sounds when there’s nothing coming in through our sensory organs."
Labels: science
No Need to Whisper: Talking and Treating Erectile Dysfunction
No Need to Whisper: Talking and Treating Erectile Dysfunction writes:
"Men don't necessarily need medications to have a romantic Valentine's Day. In fact, there are steps they can take to treat their erectile dysfunction without heading to the doctor or drugstore. Here are three simple tips to improve their performance in the bedroom."
..
1) Stop smoking: Diabetes and high blood pressure restrict blood flow to the penis, leading to erectile dysfunction. But if you can rule those conditions out as causes of ED, the next culprit in line is cigarettes. “The number one thing we can do to stop erectile dysfunction is to stop smoking. It’s the number one environmental cause of ED in our society,” says Mydlo. Again, smoking restricts blood flow. The catch? Don’t expect better erections the minute you stop lighting up. He says it takes 12 to 24 months for better function once you quit the habit.
2) Control cholesterol: Cholesterol is a trigger of sorts for ED. “Men with a cholesterol level of 240 or higher have almost a twofold increase of ED compared to a man who has lower cholesterol numbers,” says Mydlo. That’s because high levels of cholesterol lead to plaque buildup in tubes (corpa cavernosa) in the penis and arteries, which can greatly reduce blood flow. And no blood flow means no erection. So start exercising and check with your doctor about cholesterol-lowering medications.
3) Cut back on fat: Obesity is to blame not only for men with self-esteem issues involving their appearance, but also their performance. “Adipose tissue in body fat converts testosterone to estrogen, and lower levels of testosterone can make it difficult for a man to achieve an erection, no matter how many pills they take,” says Mydlo. Losing weight will improve the testosterone to estrogen ratio, which may improve sex drive, or libido, as well as erections. It also decreases cholesterol, which will help improve blood flow.”
Labels: society
Les amoureux
"Émission : ça se discute .. deux petits amoureux de 5 ans :-) .. cé trees mignon "
Negative emotion more likely to cause false memories, researchers find
Negative emotion more likely to cause false memories, researchers find writes:
"Remembering negative events tends to result in more false memories than remembering neutral events, according to Cornell professor of human development Charles Brainerd."
Labels: society
Education May Not Affect How Fast You Will Lose Your Memory
Education May Not Affect How Fast You Will Lose Your Memory writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 2, 2009) — While a higher level of education may help lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease, new research shows that once educated people start to become forgetful, a higher level of education does not appear to protect against how fast they will lose their memory. The research is published in the February 3, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology."
Labels: education
Research Lab Combines Psychology with Technology
Research Lab Combines Psychology with Technology writes:
"A unique laboratory has been established at The University of Alabama in Huntsville that combines psychology with technology to focus on the interaction between humans and complex systems."
Labels: technology
The Whole World Is Rioting as the Economic Crisis Worsens -- Why Aren't We? | Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace | AlterNet
The Whole World Is Rioting as the Economic Crisis Worsens -- Why Aren't We? | Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace | AlterNet writes:
"Americans are rightfully angry about the economic decline, but with a few small exceptions, quietly so. Why? It depends on whom you ask."
Labels: politics, united states
Research shows reading classic literature can improve personal ethics
Research shows reading classic literature can improve personal ethics writes:
"(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of researchers, including John Johnson, professor of psychology at Penn State DuBois, have discovered that literature may inspire readers to be ethical members of society. "As an evolutionary psychologist," said Johnson, "I am especially interested in the impact of literature on the emotions of the reader, and in what function these emotions serve.""
Labels: education
15-year-old Theory About The Nervous System Disproved
15-year-old Theory About The Nervous System Disproved writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 3, 2009) — A delay in traffic may cause a headache, but a delay in the nervous system can cause much more. University of Missouri researchers have uncovered clues identifying which proteins are involved in the development of the nervous system and found that the proteins previously thought to play a significant role, in fact, do not."
Labels: science
What your mother did when she was young has an effect on your memory
What your mother did when she was young has an effect on your memory writes:
"A mother's life experience can affect the biology of her offspring, according to new animal research in the February 4 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The study shows that a stimulating environment improved the memory of young mice with a memory-impairing genetic defect and also improved the memory of their eventual offspring. The findings suggest that parental behaviors that occur long before pregnancy may influence an offspring's well-being."
Labels: society
Effects of brain exercise depend on opponent
Effects of brain exercise depend on opponent writes:
"Playing games against a computer activates different brain areas from those activated when playing against a human opponent. Research published in the open access journal BMC Neuroscience has shown that the belief that one is playing against a virtual opponent has significant effects on activation patterns in the brain."
Labels: science
wii
no comment
Labels: media
Do you know where your kid is? Check Google's maps
Do you know where your kid is? Check Google's maps writes:
"A screen grab showing Google's upgraded mapping system is seen in this photo provided by Google Inc. The new software to be released Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009, will enable people to use mobile phones and other wireless devices to automatically share their whereabouts with family and friends.
Labels: technology
Monday, February 02, 2009
Tarek Hoteit | Walden University | Papers
Tarek Hoteit | Walden University | Papers writes:
Arab American BilingualismThe paper is the results of a knowledge research module at the university on human development and consists of three components :the "breadth component" that compares the classical language-acquisition theories of Piaget, Chomsky and Skinner, the "depth component" that synthesize recent researches on bilingualism and its impact to the cognitive development of children as well adults, and the "application component" that details Arab-American bilingualism in the United States followed by a set of suggestions for improved bilingual development in such society.
Labels: arab, personal, society, united states
New insights into growth factor's role in brain development
New insights into growth factor's role in brain development writes:
"New research sheds light on a neural growth factor called proBDNF, finding that it is present and potentially active during the perinatal period when the brain's circuitry and memory-encoding regions are being refined. Led by Weill Cornell Medical College investigators with those at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), and reported in the Jan. 11 issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience, the study could lead to a better understanding of brain development and the formation of memories."
Labels: science
Google Earth dives into ocean exploration
Google Earth dives into ocean exploration (Update) writes:
"Online search powerhouse Google launched a new service Monday to allow Internet users to explore the depths of the world's oceans from the comfort of their homes on dry land."
Labels: technology, world
Financial Darwinism » The Book
Financial Darwinism » The Book writes:
"What is Financial Darwinism?
A roadmap to the new financial order & an essential guide to adapting and succeeding in it.
Today’s complex economic and financial landscape requires a radically new way of thinking and making decisions on the part of executives, financial professionals, regulators, policy makers, and investors. Global systemic financial crises, astonishing losses, and ruin of once-venerable institutions serve as convincing evidence on what happens otherwise. Financial Darwinism is a road map to the new financial order and an essential guide to adapting and succeeding in it."
Labels: finance
NASA and Google Launch Virtual Exploration of Mars
NASA and Google Launch Virtual Exploration of Mars writes:
"(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA and Google announced Monday the release of a new Mars mode in Google Earth that brings to everyone's desktop a high-resolution, three-dimensional view of the Red Planet."
Labels: science, technology
Is Baby's Stress Inherited from the Parents?: Scientific American
Is Baby's Stress Inherited from the Parents?: Scientific American writes:
"Some babies stay calm when something changes in their life or environment, whereas others get fussy and fidget at even the slightest deviation from the norm. Researchers do not fully understand why some children are able to cope better with stress or whether kids’ response to such situations is influenced by parenting or genes. According to a new study, it is shaped by both."
Labels: society
Exploring the Folds of the Brain--And Their Links to Autism: Scientific American
Exploring the Folds of the Brain--And Their Links to Autism: Scientific American writes:
"The cerebral cortex is the structure that gives the organ its convoluted surface. It is involved with high-level processing of our perceptions, thoughts, emotions and actions. Intricate folding permits the expansive cortex to fit inside a skull with limited surface area. Recent discoveries have shown that mechanical tension between neurons creates the hills and valleys of the cortex. The cortical landscape differs between healthy people and individuals with brain disorders that originate during development, such as autism. These shape differences suggest that connections between brain regions of affected individuals also depart from the norm."
Labels: science
Scientists Explore the Mysteries of Why We Sleep
Scientists Explore the Mysteries of Why We Sleep writes:
"Together, Matthew Walker, who directs Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory, and Allison Harvey, who leads the Sleep and Psychological Disorders Laboratory, have discovered that sleep does far more than refresh the body and mind. Enough sleep, or a deficit of it, are directly linked to our immune systems, metabolic control, memory, emotional functioning and learning."
Labels: science
What are you looking at?
What are you looking at? writes:
"(PhysOrg.com) -- Why do we look when another person looks? Are we looking for objects of interest or perhaps a warning of impending danger? Or are we just plain nosey? Human tendency to follow another person's gaze - `gaze following' - can be traced back to man's most distant relatives, according to a new scientific report."
Labels: science
On further knowledge acquisition
A wise statement from Descartes in his "Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason":
(travelling here means knowledge of historical ideas, and ancient literature across various disciplines such as science, medicine and mathematics.)
"But when one employs too much time in travelling, one becomes a stranger in one's own country, and when one is too curious about things which were practised in past centuries, one is usually very ignorant about those which are practised in our own time.) (Discourse, part I)
(travelling here means knowledge of historical ideas, and ancient literature across various disciplines such as science, medicine and mathematics.)
"But when one employs too much time in travelling, one becomes a stranger in one's own country, and when one is too curious about things which were practised in past centuries, one is usually very ignorant about those which are practised in our own time.) (Discourse, part I)
Regards,
Tarek Hoteit
Walden University - Doctoral Student
tarek.hoteit@waldenu.edu
(214)770-9691 - Texas, USA
http://tarek.hoteit.org
LiveLeak.com - Pac-Man.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Fw: Your IMF Weekly Update: 8 new items
Regards,
Tarek Hoteit
Walden University - Doctoral Student
tarek.hoteit@waldenu.edu
(214)770-9691 - Texas, USA
http://tarek.hoteit.org
-----Original Message-----
From: NewContent@InternationalMonetaryFund.org
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 23:13:09
To: <tarek.hoteit@waldenu.edu>
Subject: Your IMF Weekly Update: 8 new items
New items in your series of interest:
* IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update -- Global Economic Slump Challenges Policies, January 2009
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/update/01/index.htm
* Working Paper No. 09/14: Bank Efficiency in Sub-Saharan African Middle Income Countries
Author/Editor: Chen, Chuling
Summary: We use bank level data to study the efficiency of banks in Sub-Saharan African middle-income countries and provide possible explanations for the difference in the efficiency levels of banks. We find that banks, on average, could save 20-30 percent of their total costs if they were operating efficiently, and that foreign banks are more efficient than public banks and domestic private banks. Among the factors that could affect the efficiency levels are macroeconomic stability, depth of financial development, the degree of market competition, strong legal rights and contract laws, and better governance, including political stability and government effectiveness. Our findings point to the importance of policies that aim to build stronger institutions, promote more competition, and improve governance.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22577.0
* Working Paper No. 09/15: The Determinants of Commercial Bank Profitability in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author/Editor: Flamini, Valentina; McDonald, Calvin A.; Schumacher, Liliana
Summary: Bank profits are high in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) compared to other regions. This paper uses a sample of 389 banks in 41 SSA countries to study the determinants of bank profitability. We find that apart from credit risk, higher returns on assets are associated with larger bank size, activity diversification, and private ownership. Bank returns are affected by macroeconomic variables, suggesting that macroeconomic policies that promote low inflation and stable output growth does boost credit expansion. The results also indicate moderate persistence in profitability. Causation in the Granger sense from returns on assets to capital occurs with a considerable lag, implying that high returns are not immediately retained in the form of equity increases. Thus, the paper gives some support to a policy of imposing higher capital requirements in the region in order to strengthen financial stability.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22572.0
* Working Paper No. 09/18: On Impatience and Policy Effectiveness
Author/Editor: Bayoumi, Tamim; Sgherri, Silvia
Summary: An increasing body of evidence suggests that the behavior of the economy has changed in many fundamental ways over the last decades. In particular, greater financial deregulation, larger wealth accumulation, and better policies might have helped lower uncertainty about future income and lengthen private sectors' planning horizon. In an overlapping-generations model, in which individuals discount the future more rapidly than implied by the market rate of interest, we find indeed evidence of a falling degree of impatience, providing empirical support for this hypothesis. The degree of persistence of "windfall" shocks to disposable income also appears to have varied over time. Shifts of this kind are shown to have a key impact on the average marginal propensity to consume and on the size of policy multipliers.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22560.0
* Working Paper No. 09/17: Does Global Liquidity Matter for Monetary Policy in the Euro Area?
Author/Editor: Berger, Helge; Harjes, Thomas
Summary: Global excess liquidity is sometimes believed to limit sovereign monetary policy even in large economies, including the euro area. There is much discussion about what constitutes global excess liquidity and our approach adjusts liquidity for longer-term interest rate and output effects. We find that especially excess liquidity in the U.S. leads developments in euro area liquidity. U.S. excess liquidity also enters consistently positive as a determinant of euro area inflation. There is some evidence that this result may be related to a weakening of the effectiveness of monetary policy in the euro area during times of excessive U.S. liquidity.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22612.0
* Working Paper No. 09/19: An Index Number Formula Problem: The Aggregation of Broadly Comparable Items
Author/Editor: Silver, Mick
Summary: Index number theory informs us that if data on matched prices and quantities are available, a superlative index number formula is best to aggregate heterogeneous items, and a unit value index to aggregate homogeneous ones. The formulas can give very different results. Neglected is the practical case of broadly comparable items. This paper provides a formal analysis as to why such formulas differ and proposes a solution to this index number problem.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22557.0
* Working Paper No. 09/21: Causes, Benefits, and Risks of Business Tax Incentives
Author/Editor: Klemm, Alexander
Summary: This paper provides an updated overview of tax incentives for business investment. It begins by noting that tax competition is likely to be a major force driving countries' tax reforms, and discusses tax incentives as a possible response to this. This is complemented by other arguments for and against tax incentives, and by an illustrative analysis of different incentives using effective tax rates. Findings from the empirical literature on tax incentives are also presented. Based on the overview of theoretical and empirical findings, the paper then suggests a matrix of criteria to determine the usefulness of different tax incentives depending on a country's circumstances.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22628.0
* Working Paper No. 09/20: Capital Inflows and the Real Exchange Rate: Can Financial Development Cure the DutchDisease?
Author/Editor: Saborowski, Christian
Summary: This paper argues that, in improving the efficient allocation of resources, financial sector development could dampen the appreciation effect of capital inflows. Using dynamic panel data techniques, the paper finds that the exchange rate appreciation effect of FDI inflows is indeed attenuated when financial and capital markets are larger and more active. The main implication of these results is that one of the main dangers associated with large capital inflows in emerging markets-the destabilization of macroeconomic management due to a sizeable appreciation of the real exchange rate-can be mitigated partly by developing a deep financial sector.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22639.0
***************************************************************
TAKE A LOOK: For tracking globalization and its impact on individual economies, please see the new IMF Survey magazine online at http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/home.aspx News, views, and analysis from the IMF.
Modify your subscription at: https://www.imf.org/external/cntpst/signinmodify.aspx
Questions or comments about this email? Don't reply to the sender of this message. Instead, send a message to webmaster@imf.org.
Tarek Hoteit
Walden University - Doctoral Student
tarek.hoteit@waldenu.edu
(214)770-9691 - Texas, USA
http://tarek.hoteit.org
-----Original Message-----
From: NewContent@InternationalMonetaryFund.org
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 23:13:09
To: <tarek.hoteit@waldenu.edu>
Subject: Your IMF Weekly Update: 8 new items
New items in your series of interest:
* IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update -- Global Economic Slump Challenges Policies, January 2009
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/update/01/index.htm
* Working Paper No. 09/14: Bank Efficiency in Sub-Saharan African Middle Income Countries
Author/Editor: Chen, Chuling
Summary: We use bank level data to study the efficiency of banks in Sub-Saharan African middle-income countries and provide possible explanations for the difference in the efficiency levels of banks. We find that banks, on average, could save 20-30 percent of their total costs if they were operating efficiently, and that foreign banks are more efficient than public banks and domestic private banks. Among the factors that could affect the efficiency levels are macroeconomic stability, depth of financial development, the degree of market competition, strong legal rights and contract laws, and better governance, including political stability and government effectiveness. Our findings point to the importance of policies that aim to build stronger institutions, promote more competition, and improve governance.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22577.0
* Working Paper No. 09/15: The Determinants of Commercial Bank Profitability in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author/Editor: Flamini, Valentina; McDonald, Calvin A.; Schumacher, Liliana
Summary: Bank profits are high in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) compared to other regions. This paper uses a sample of 389 banks in 41 SSA countries to study the determinants of bank profitability. We find that apart from credit risk, higher returns on assets are associated with larger bank size, activity diversification, and private ownership. Bank returns are affected by macroeconomic variables, suggesting that macroeconomic policies that promote low inflation and stable output growth does boost credit expansion. The results also indicate moderate persistence in profitability. Causation in the Granger sense from returns on assets to capital occurs with a considerable lag, implying that high returns are not immediately retained in the form of equity increases. Thus, the paper gives some support to a policy of imposing higher capital requirements in the region in order to strengthen financial stability.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22572.0
* Working Paper No. 09/18: On Impatience and Policy Effectiveness
Author/Editor: Bayoumi, Tamim; Sgherri, Silvia
Summary: An increasing body of evidence suggests that the behavior of the economy has changed in many fundamental ways over the last decades. In particular, greater financial deregulation, larger wealth accumulation, and better policies might have helped lower uncertainty about future income and lengthen private sectors' planning horizon. In an overlapping-generations model, in which individuals discount the future more rapidly than implied by the market rate of interest, we find indeed evidence of a falling degree of impatience, providing empirical support for this hypothesis. The degree of persistence of "windfall" shocks to disposable income also appears to have varied over time. Shifts of this kind are shown to have a key impact on the average marginal propensity to consume and on the size of policy multipliers.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22560.0
* Working Paper No. 09/17: Does Global Liquidity Matter for Monetary Policy in the Euro Area?
Author/Editor: Berger, Helge; Harjes, Thomas
Summary: Global excess liquidity is sometimes believed to limit sovereign monetary policy even in large economies, including the euro area. There is much discussion about what constitutes global excess liquidity and our approach adjusts liquidity for longer-term interest rate and output effects. We find that especially excess liquidity in the U.S. leads developments in euro area liquidity. U.S. excess liquidity also enters consistently positive as a determinant of euro area inflation. There is some evidence that this result may be related to a weakening of the effectiveness of monetary policy in the euro area during times of excessive U.S. liquidity.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22612.0
* Working Paper No. 09/19: An Index Number Formula Problem: The Aggregation of Broadly Comparable Items
Author/Editor: Silver, Mick
Summary: Index number theory informs us that if data on matched prices and quantities are available, a superlative index number formula is best to aggregate heterogeneous items, and a unit value index to aggregate homogeneous ones. The formulas can give very different results. Neglected is the practical case of broadly comparable items. This paper provides a formal analysis as to why such formulas differ and proposes a solution to this index number problem.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22557.0
* Working Paper No. 09/21: Causes, Benefits, and Risks of Business Tax Incentives
Author/Editor: Klemm, Alexander
Summary: This paper provides an updated overview of tax incentives for business investment. It begins by noting that tax competition is likely to be a major force driving countries' tax reforms, and discusses tax incentives as a possible response to this. This is complemented by other arguments for and against tax incentives, and by an illustrative analysis of different incentives using effective tax rates. Findings from the empirical literature on tax incentives are also presented. Based on the overview of theoretical and empirical findings, the paper then suggests a matrix of criteria to determine the usefulness of different tax incentives depending on a country's circumstances.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22628.0
* Working Paper No. 09/20: Capital Inflows and the Real Exchange Rate: Can Financial Development Cure the DutchDisease?
Author/Editor: Saborowski, Christian
Summary: This paper argues that, in improving the efficient allocation of resources, financial sector development could dampen the appreciation effect of capital inflows. Using dynamic panel data techniques, the paper finds that the exchange rate appreciation effect of FDI inflows is indeed attenuated when financial and capital markets are larger and more active. The main implication of these results is that one of the main dangers associated with large capital inflows in emerging markets-the destabilization of macroeconomic management due to a sizeable appreciation of the real exchange rate-can be mitigated partly by developing a deep financial sector.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=22639.0
***************************************************************
TAKE A LOOK: For tracking globalization and its impact on individual economies, please see the new IMF Survey magazine online at http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/home.aspx News, views, and analysis from the IMF.
Modify your subscription at: https://www.imf.org/external/cntpst/signinmodify.aspx
Questions or comments about this email? Don't reply to the sender of this message. Instead, send a message to webmaster@imf.org.
BBC NEWS | UK | Children's lives 'harder today'
BBC NEWS | UK | Children's lives 'harder today' writes:
"Children's lives are more difficult now than they were in the past, according to the largest survey into childhood ever to be conducted in the UK.The finding comes despite the authors saying children have better education, health and more possessions.
It states children need to be loved and sets out recommendations to parents, teachers and the government on how they can better care for children.
The Sunday Times says the Children's Society report had 35,000 contributors. "
Economic View - Social Changes, Not All Bad, Accompany Recessions - NYTimes.com
Economic View - Social Changes, Not All Bad, Accompany Recessions - NYTimes.com writes:
"AS job losses mount and bailout costs run into the trillions, the social costs of the economic downturn become clearer. The primary question, to be sure, is what can be done to shorten or alleviate these bad times. But there is also a broader set of questions about how this downturn is changing our lives, in ways beyond strict economics."
Labels: society
Genetic Link Found Between Sleep Disorders And Depression In Young Children
Genetic Link Found Between Sleep Disorders And Depression In Young Children writes:
"ScienceDaily (Feb. 1, 2009) — A new study in the journal Sleep was the first to use twin data to examine the longitudinal link between sleep problems and depression. Results of this study demonstrate that sleep problems predict later depression; the converse association was not found. These findings are consistent with the theory that early treatment of sleep problems may protect children from the development of depression."
Labels: science
Evolution war still rages 200 years after Darwin's birth
Evolution war still rages 200 years after Darwin's birth writes:
"Two centuries after Charles Darwin's birth on Feb. 12, 1809, people still argue passionately about his theory of evolution."
…
“Was Darwin right? Should schoolchildren be exposed to contrary views in science class? These two controversies continue to rage, partly because both sides are evenly matched.
Most scientists and courts that have ruled on the matter say that overwhelming evidence backs Darwin's explanation of the origin and evolution of species, including humans, by natural selection.
Many people, especially religious and social conservatives, strongly disagree.”
Labels: science
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