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There's some parallels between the Android/upstream scenario and Canonical's approach to upstream. Mark wrote a lengthy defence of Canonical's focus on components that they feel need development, while not putting development effort into things they feel are good enough already. That's pretty consistent with the discussions I had with him at the Ubuntu development meeting in Oxford over six years ago. Back then the focus was on taking all the excellent software that already existed and concentrating on providing it as a single polished and integrated product. It was successful - what's easy to forget now is that the first release of Ubuntu was massively more usable out of the box than any other Linux distribution available at the time, and it's absolutely undeniable that its release spurred increased efforts on the part of competitors. But I don't think the same focus is being applied any more.
The most obvious (and most controversial) example is the Ayatana project. Ayatana's a pretty explicit statement that Canonical don't view the existing Gnome UI as being suitable for their vision of the Linux desktop. That's absolutely fine. However, unlike many of the papercut projects, Ayatana is a set of complete reimplementations of functionality that behave differently to their upstream equivalents. There's no meaningful sense in which that's not a fork of Gnome. And, let me emphasise, I don't think that's a bad thing.
Let's go back to Android. While we talk about how much we'd have preferred it if Google had interacted with upstream before implementing wakelocks, the realistic outcome is that there's no way that we'd have accepted them even if they'd been posted years before hardware shipped. If there'd been a productive outcome to that aspect of the conversation it would have involved Android having a very different power management policy. Sometimes you're not going to convince people that something is better without implementing it and seeing how well it works. The problem with wakelocks is not that they exist or that Google feels they work better than the alternative, but that they end up integrated into drivers in a way that can cause divergence between mainline and Android.
Ayatana potentially has the same outcome. At some level, well-integrated applications have to be aware of the environment in which they're running. The application indicator patches are an example of that. Carrying conditional code increases maintenance burden, reduces test coverage and is a net loss in the long run. If upstream Gnome never gains support for this functionality, and if Ubuntu continues to depend on it, then Canonical have a delta that they'll have to carry forever. That benefits nobody.
Forking because you believe that your approach is better is a completely valid development model, but in the long run can cause problems if you don't have a long-term strategy for how to resolve that fork. For all we criticise Google's ability to get Android code into the mainline kernel, they've put orders of magnitude more effort into doing so than Canonical have in terms of getting Ayatana's code into mainline Gnome. This isn't a function of Google's relative size - the Android kernel team is on the order of 10 people. It's not enough of a difference to explain the disparity.
Canonical would be perceived as much better team players if there was an indication of their long-term plan in terms of Unity and the Ayatana projects and getting that code into mainline Gnome and integrating with the Gnome shell. It's completely unsurprising that they're viewed with distrust until that happens.


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After weeks of deadlock, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached an agreement with rival parties on Thursday to form a new government that appears set to address pressing domestic issues while putting peacemaking with the Palestinians on the back burner.
The new coalition government will be the first in years without ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.
The three main coalition partners are to sign an agreement Thursday after weeks of tough negotiations, a Yesh Atid spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity, pending a formal announcement.
"It's apparently the end. Or really the beginning," Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid wrote on his Facebook page.
Noga Katz, a spokeswoman for Netanyahu's Likud party said she expects the agreement to be signed after a meeting later in the day.
Talks had stalled over several thorny issues, including the division of key Cabinet portfolios and plans to reform the country's military draft. The new government is expected to end a controversial system of giving automatic draft exemptions to ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students.
If all goes according to plan, the government will be sworn in by Monday next week, two days before President Barack Obama visits Israel.
Although Netanyahu' Likud-Yisrael Beitenu bloc emerged as the biggest faction in the Jan. 22 election with 31 seats, he has struggled to form a coalition with the necessary 61-seat majority of 120 seats in parliament.
Netanyahu courted ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties who have been his traditional partners but coalition partners were unwilling to sit in government with them.
In recent decades, ultra-Orthodox parties have used their kingmaker status to secure budgets for their minority religious schools and seminaries. Tens of thousands of young ultra-Orthodox males are granted exemptions from military service in order to devote their lives, theoretically at least, to religious study.
The benefits have sparked animosity among the wider Israeli public.
Instead of the ultra-Orthodox, Netanyahu's bloc has now joined up with two parties led by charismatic newcomers who made big gains in the election.
Yesh Atid, founded by former TV personality Yair Lapid, won 19 seats in the election on a message promising relief to Israel's struggling middle class and an end to draft exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox.
As head of the second largest party in parliament, Lapid will serve as the new finance minister, a position with great influence over setting the government's budget. It will also control the Education Ministry.
The Jewish Home, a party linked to the West Bank settler movement led by high-tech millionaire Naftali Bennett, will control the Housing and Trade ministries.
Netanyahu's bloc will retain control of the powerful defense and interior ministries.
The new coalition is well-positioned to take on domestic issues. Both Bennett and Lapid formed a close alliance during the coalition negotiations, with near identical positions on the need to press the ultra-Orthodox to serve in the military and enter the work force.
For years, religious seminary students have been given exemptions from the draft, and allowed to collect welfare stipends into adulthood while continuing their studies. The system has led to widespread poverty in the ultra-Orthodox sector and bred resentment among the general public.
Social issues weighed heavy in the election and campaign promises for improving lives for the middle class attracted voters to both Lapid and Bennett. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in the summer of 2011 to demonstrate against the gaps between rich and poor, low wages and skyrocketing housing prices.
Yesh Atid and the modern Orthodox Jewish Home surged in popularity by promising to change the system and rallied Israelis under the promise to "ease the burden" on middle class Israelis who serve in the military, work and pay taxes while the cost of living continues to rise.
But the parties take far different approaches to peacemaking with the Palestinians.
Lapid has said he would not sit in a government that is not making a serious effort to reach peace. Yet his campaign made little mention of the Palestinian issue, focusing almost entirely on his social and economic agenda and raising questions about his commitment to the diplomatic arena.
Bennett, a former leader of the West Bank settlement movement, opposes any concessions to the Palestinians and has even advocated annexing large chunks of the West Bank, the heartland of any future Palestinian state. His nationalistic party supports building settlements citing biblical and historic reasons.
With peace talks stalled for the past four years, and Bennett skeptical that an agreement will ever be reached with the Palestinians, he has said he would not object to the government holding peace talks.
The Palestinians have refused to negotiate with Israel unless settlement construction ends in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war from Jordan which the Palestinians are demanding for their future state.
Former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who leads a small dovish party committed to reaching peace with the Palestinians, joined Netanyahu's coalition last month with promises that she would be his chief peace negotiator.
It remains unclear how much authority she will have, however, and Netanyahu has already signaled that he will make the final decisions in any negotiations. The Jewish Home party has indicated that it does not want the dovish Livni to handle the peace process.
This has raised deep questions about what Livni can hope to accomplish.As foreign minister, Livni served as the chief negotiator with the Palestinians under former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. While both sides have said they made great progress during that time, the talks collapsed in late 2008 and have remained virtually frozen since Netanyahu took office early the following year.
Despite their differences on many issues, namely talks with the Palestinians, Yesh Atid and the Jewish Home formed a united front in talks with Netanyahu, a tactic that made talks difficult and left ultra-Orthodox parties outside the government.
Netanyahu was granted an extra two week extension to try and reach a deal after he failed to reach an agreement a month after the election.
"We wanted a broader more stable coalition and we didn't hide that at any stage of the negotiations, unfortunately our partners wanted differently," Zeev Elkin of Netanyahu's Likud Party told Israel radio.
"Under the difficult near impossible conditions, we had no other option and more or less had to conduct coalition talks under extortion, there is no other expression to describe it, under these conditions I think we obtained the maximum," Elkin said.
Shas leader Arieh Deri told Army radio that he will join a fighting opposition. "Our first mission is to topple this government," he said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Re-Thinking Those Home Décor Ideas
by Amy Lignor
For those of us who have seen the "regrets" of home decoration choices up close and personal, it seems fitting that all homeowners get a feel as to the ideas that should be absolutely avoided when re-decorating those spacious areas. Most especially, if you are actually re-decorating your home in order to put the listing on the market; if this is the fact, the choices you make need to be the right ones.
There are homes where you bring the children with you (because they're invited, of course) and end up staring into a room filled with alabaster white seats. For the mother of those particular children, the fear runs through you. Especially if you've stopped at a fast food chain on the way to "the party" and the kids delved into some melting chocolate concoctions. Just think how the homeowner feels? Yes…let us think about that. White upholstery is something people think is a crisp, fresh look; a look that allows you to decorate the surroundings and paint the walls, etc., with any color you choose because the furniture doesn't get in the way. Trouble is, if choosing this look make sure that slipcovers are also part of the décor, because you will be dealing with chocolate stains sooner than you know it.
Staying with the children angle, walking into those homes with strange tables and chairs – perhaps those modern-art designs with edges as sharp as scissors – is a bad décor idea. Not only are you talking a safety issue but, as a homeowner, you are also talking about investing in a massive amount of insurance and a whole lot of prayer.
It is a big thing to 'do-it-yourself' when it comes to fixing up around the homestead. But more than one family member (usually the wife looking at the husband) will complain when that proverbial "project" goes halfway and no further. If you don't have a real professional who knows what they're doing running around the house, then getting someone who is becomes a must – especially if you want to sell.
Sitting down in a dining room once can become a major, unforgettable experience in your life…all because of the wallpaper. The term "busy" is one thing, but the term "what were they thinking?" is another. What happens when you are led into a dining room where the wallpaper boasts a fox and hound scene with more than one furry corpse hanging from the saddle of the horse that the well-dressed hunting equestrian is riding? Trust the fact that this is not something someone can see out of the corner of their eye while trying to digest food. Yes, it is a fact that some have bad taste and that a buyer of a home can certainly tear wallpaper down if they do not want it there. But taking the time to rethink the possibilities of your bare walls would be far easier. Also try to remember that a coat of paint may always be the right thing, seeing as that you can simply paint over it when the next re-decoration project comes around.
Now are those little extras that are thought about constantly when it comes to "finishing" a room. It is necessary to understand that a shag carpet went out in the 1970's. Not only is it an eyesore, but it's also extremely hard to clean and everything your favorite family pet loses on a daily basis from their own coats gets trapped in it. When it comes to colors, again, the pure white choice is not the right one – unless, of course, the room will be decorated and sealed from all visitors at all times, even your own pet.
When it comes to your windows and doors, the idea of having an "open" scheme to give the impression of a larger area is just fine, but not having even the faintest hint of some sort of curtains makes it feel not only open but still being worked on. Heavy curtains are not necessary; neither are screens or shades. But if you want to give that added color, there are swaths of ideas that can be chosen from the curtain arena.
In the end, make sure to really think about those home décor decisions before sinking time and money into the project. That way – whether wanting to update or wanting to sell at some point – the choices you make can never be regretted.
Source: GIG News


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Hey, look! There's this new thing on Google Chrome where you can build stuff with LEGO. It's part of a new partnership, and it's super cool. But don't judge by my horrendous creation that you see above.
You can build stuff right on the map of Australia or New Zealand in rotatable 3D, and share your (hopefully less ugly) houses and buildings and whatever else you come up with.
Coming from the daughter of two architects, I really should have done better. But in my excited haste to show you all Google's new partnership with LEGO Australia, my rushed house came out kind of crappy. It definitely won't pass inspection. Maybe I should consider turning it into a haunted house instead.


text:
Tigers stay undefeated at new arena
Towson improves to 4-2 on season
Marcus Damas scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Towson defeated University of Maryland-Baltimore County 75-60.
Damas went 7-of-11 shooting and netted four 3-pointers while Jerome Benimon poured-in 19 points and Rafael Guthrie picked-up 14 for the Tigers.
Towson (4-2) led 31-28 at the half and UMBC (2-5) stayed close until the Tigers produced a 13-4 run and led 61-46 with 5 minutes to play. That run started when Damas was fouled shooting a 3-pointer and he made all three attempts from the line. UMBC shot poorly from the field (29 percent) and were out-rebounded by the Tigers 45-32. The Retrievers allowed Towson 42 free throw attempts giving up 28 points from the penalty line. Towson blocked 11 of the Retrievers basket attempts.
Chase Plummer led UMBC with 17 points and Devarick Houston was the only other Retriever in double figures with 11 points.


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The PlayStation 3 just got updated, bringing the machine's firmware to v3.55. Sony say "this is a minor update that adds a security patch". What ever could they mean?
They're surely referring to a recent upsurge in "jailbreaks" for the console. A few months ago, devices went on sale that allowed the copying of PlayStation 3 games. While Sony was quick to block these devices' access to the console, recent improvements made to the jailbreak tools have let them back in the game.
This kind of tit-for-tat running battle between platform holders and hackers/pirates/people who just want to backup their own games is common place on the Wii, and has been for years now. Looks like it's about to be the same on the PS3.


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Civil Rights Game Beacon Awards Event Packages are on sale now. Packages range from $300 to $25,000, including a variety of events that you don't want to miss. The Eighth Annual Civil Rights Game promises to be the best one yet. Tickets are no longer available for purchase.
Tickets for this event are no longer available.


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Portland, Oregon: Oven & Shaker
Oven & Shaker
1134 NW Everett St, Portland OR 97209 (map); 503-241-1600
Pizza Type: Cali-meets-NW-meets-Neapolitan
Oven Type: Wood-fired
Price: $12-15 for 12-inch pizzas
Just like the bistro-style burger at Le Pigeon and the Fish Sauce Wings at Pok Pok, the pizza at Nostrana was a menu item deemed worthy of forming the foundation for a whole new restaurant. This formula is an apparent trend in the current Portland culinary scene, and the genesis of Oven and Shaker relied heavily on the weight of chef Cathy Whims' wood-fired pies. With the exception of cutting the pies before they arrive at your table (a Nostrana no-no), O&S's pizza style mirrors the mix of Italian tradition, Pacific Northwest seasonality, and farm-to-table sensibility that made Nostrana so popular.
Oven and Shaker offers $5 off pies during their nightly happy hour, and that's the best way to combat inflated Pearl district pricing. The Cauliflower ($7 for a 12" during happy hour) was topped with dainty, mildly caramelized florets of its namesake vegetable. Briny olives and vinegary Mama Lil's peppers fought for dominance, overpowering the sweet and earthy pecorino and cauliflower. Sparsely placed strips of red onion offered yet another layer of pungency, further burying the delicate nuttiness of the cauliflower which could only be enjoyed by picking petite pieces off the pie.
The Wild Fennel Sausage ($10 for a 12" at happy hour) was indeed fennel-y, and the slightly crisped potato medallions brought unexpected pockets of texture while absorbing some of the rendered pork fat. The pizza used a smoked mozzarella which just wasn't quite smoky enough, and clunkily cut raw scallions needed to be brushed aside to avoid palate fatigue. Delicate chile use and a mild tomato element added some acidity and zip, but were not present enough to add much overall. In essence, this was a fancied-up sausage and onion pie with a few curious bites here and there.
The Margherita ($7 for a 12" during happy hour) with salt-cured anchovy add-on ($3) was the highlight of the meal. The little fish preserved the balance between the fatty, fishy, and salty components, allowing the basil, cheese, and tomato to stand out individually. The artistically presented fresh basil was served uncooked atop the pie to preserve its garden freshness. The basic sweet and salty interplay of the tomato base showcased high quality ingredients used simply. Each flavor present complemented another, bringing an overall harmony to this pie. The cheese was the only problem area; the delicate, milky fresh mozzarella was cooked to a strange grainy texture which resembled ricotta in the final presentation, yet maintained a robust dairy flavor.
The integrity and quality of the crust was probably the best thing about Oven and Shaker's pies. Superficial charring provided the majority of the flavor to the cornicione, which varied from chewy, to brittle and flaky in spots. In contrast to the floppy character of a typical Nostrana pizza, the pies here had a relatively crisp and nicely spotted undercarriage, making the cut pie approach successful. Part of what keeps this pie from sagging may be the uniformly petite toppings. I get the strategy, but visually, it lacked that rustic quality. It's the price you pay for structural integrity, I guess.
After weighing the pros and cons, I decided that I enjoyed the pizza at Oven and Shaker (with caveats). I do think that work needs to be done on flavor combinations and visual presentation to bring these pies into the top tier of what Portland has to offer. Also noteworthy, is that I've based my opinion on the happy hour prices; I don't think the value or quality is quite up to par with the full dinner price of $15 per 12" pie. Lovely's Fifty-Fifty has the genre locked down at this price point, but the happy hour deals at Oven and Shaker are hard to beat.
About the author:Jim Bonomo was born and raised in Milford, Connecticut. He is currently eating and drinking his way through Portland, Oregon. Once all the pizza and beer is gone, he promises to go back home. You can follow him on Twitter at @goodbyeohio.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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On Monday, Devon Rodriguez singled to right field with Cal down 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and the bases loaded, and with his hit, the Golden Bears beat Baylor. It was a realization of the moment that every kid dreams of and narrates to himself on the neighborhood's playground diamond. It is unlikely, however, that that imagined narration ever sounds like Danny Fry, an announcer for the Berkeley student radio station KALX.
But then again, not every kid is a future Gus Johnson.
H/T College Baseball Daily.


text:
Having a well-stocked bar means more than just spirits and beverages, it means having all of the right equipment so your bartenders can continue their mixology madness. Besides, they already have to memorize hundreds of drink recipes, while keeping customers happy at the same time; so, maintaining the bar can make things a lot easier. From back bar accessories to speed rails, here's all of the bar equipment you'll need to keep your business running smoothly.
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text:
MRS Research Group adds"Global Sand Mill Market 2016 Share,Size,Trends and Forecast to 2022 Market Research Report"reports to its database.The research team thoroughly studies various aspect of the global and China Sand Mill 2016-2022 to understand better.Market segment has been classified on the basis of raw material, end –users, applications, geography which ever applicable to understand market more clearly.Market drivers, restraints and opportunities is given if any.Demanding sector or segment which is leading is in terms of product, application, technology etc. If second is available mention and give reason.Opportunities are expected to propel global and Chinese market growth in next few years.
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The report is created by analyzing primary and secondary research sources.Primary research is carried out with the help of first-hand information on market size, market trends etc.whereas, secondary search takeout information from annual reports, financial reports and others.This report represents unique information for a factually- and statistically-sound Industry research solution.The company is eyewitness for enormous growth in the leading segment with reason.Several factors are hamper growth of the market of achieve strategic position.The company focuses on a strategy which leads to growth in the global and China Sand Mill.Other opportunities have open new growth opportunities in the market which propel market demand in years to come.
Report offers a concise, step by step overview of the global and China Sand Mill..It includes profiles of key competitor in the global market with their key areas, company profile, strategies, company products, etc.The estimations and analysis of the report is carried out with highest accuracy and according to company guidelines.Expert's team has taken great efforts to make report more vibrant and clear.Client will get all crisp information on global and China Sand Mill.
Inquiry For Buying Report On Sand Mill @: http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/report/63760#inquiry-for-buying


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Area businesses are beginning to hire seasonal workers to get ready for the busy holiday season.
Area businesses are beginning to hire seasonal workers to get ready for the busy holiday season.
Ralph Leeds, Onslow County Career Center Coordinator, said anyone who wants to apply for seasonal work for the upcoming holiday season should do it soon as employers are most likely in the middle of the process now.
For people who want assistance finding a position, Leeds said they can come into the career center or use the center�s online resources.
�We�d be happy to assist them,� Leeds said. �Our new employment search engine is called NCWorks.�
NCWorks is a free engine at ncworks.gov with spidering technology that pulls from other job search engines as well as from employers who have previously listed with the career center.
The career center is part of the Division of Workforce Solutions under the N.C. Department of Commerce, and offers free classes to those looking for help on resumes, applications, dressing for success, and more.
Leeds said Onslow County doesn�t have a lot of seasonal hiring, because the military payroll creates such a stable economy, which allows spending throughout the year.
�The most seasonal hiring we see in the area is in the spring,� Leeds said, with beaches ramping up for the summer season.
He also said some businesses might not hire more employees for the holidays, but give their existing employees more hours.
However, he said those that will hire on more for the holidays will be the large retail stores like the big clothing and department stores and gift stores.
Davis Williams, assistant manager with the Career Center, said typically retail trade and service industries take on more workers for the holidays because they need sales people and stockers to keep up with the demand.
Williams added that most employers begin looking in October, because the busiest part of the year begins around October and November, as people gear up for Christmas. Employers want to get seasonal staff trained beforehand, Williams said.
Best Buy recently hosted a job fair and will hold another one from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 10 to find seasonal workers. Connectivity Sales Manager Josh Sutton said people can apply at the fair as well follow up on previous applications.
Sutton said fair attendees will have the chance to go through a screening process at the fair to even interview with a three-step process, ending with a final interview with the store�s general manager, all in the same day.
Sutton said those hired on as seasonal workers can expect to stay through January, and some could stay after the holidays.
�We want to keep good talent,� he said. �We are looking for people that are motivated and love to interact with people.�
The Jacksonville Kohl�s Store Manager John Styron said his location, which celebrated its one-year anniversary Thursday, started their seasonal hiring this past week, and they will be hiring up to 40 additional part-time associates for the holiday season.
He said people who want to work at the store can apply through kohls.com/careers, snagajob.com, or they can pick up an application at the store. Styron said they are hiring for all positions: sales floor associates, cashiers and people to stock shelves and unload trucks, adding that they can expect to work through the end of December.
Styron said there could be opportunities for some to be retained past the holiday season.
Cayley Machinsky, store manager of 2nd & Charles said she has already started looking at applications and will hire in the next few weeks for seasonal employees, adding that the handful of employees she brings on board will most likely be able to stay on past the holidays.
She is looking for people with knowledge of musical instruments to ensure the used instruments the store buys from customers to resell are in good condition, so customers can present loved ones with tip-top Christmas gifts. To apply, visit booksamillioninc.com to fill out an application.
Looking for seasonal work?
Try calling these businesses and job-search resources:
- 910-347-2122 Onslow County Career Center, 461 Western Blvd.
- 910-938-0078 Kohl�s, 2132 Gateway Drive South in Jacksonville
- 910-478-3145 Best Buy, 1116 Western Blvd in Jacksonville
- 910-938-7489 2nd & Charles, 1250 Western Blvd. in Jacksonville
- 910-938-9100 Lowe�s Home Improvement, 1255 Western Blvd in Jacksonville
- 910-326-3920 Dee�s Flowers, Leslie Lane off N.C. 24 in Swansboro


text:
Screening for
prostate cancer—checking for signs of the disease when
there are no symptoms—is done with the
digital rectal exam and the
prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. In the United States, about 16 out of 100 men will get prostate cancer, but only 3 will die because of it. That means about 97 out of 100 men will die of something other than prostate cancer.1
The number of deaths caused by prostate cancer
has dropped over the past 20 years. The decrease has been linked to more cases
of early diagnosis through PSA testing and to better cancer treatment. But it is not yet known if PSA testing actually saves lives or if the benefits of having PSA screening are worth the harms of follow-up tests and cancer treatments.
Finding prostate cancer early leads you to some
big decisions. Most prostate cancer grows slowly. And the side effects of
treatment can change your quality of life—mainly not being able to have an
erection (impotence) and not being able to control urination (incontinence). If
you are older with other serious health problems, these side effects may seem worse than
early-stage cancer that may not grow much during your lifetime. But for active or younger men, treatment may help them live longer.
So before you decide to have a
PSA test, talk with your doctor. Ask about your risk for prostate cancer, and
discuss the pros and cons of testing. Some men will not want to live with the
side effects of treatment. Other men are more concerned about survival. It is
important to learn all you can and talk to your doctor before making a
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against routine PSA tests to look for prostate cancer.
The USPSTF found that testing does more harm than good. Men who are tested may end up getting treatment they
don't need, and those treatments can cause other problems. Few, if any, men are helped to live longer by having
the test.
For more information, see the topic Prostate Cancer.
CitationsZelefsky MJ, et al. (2011). Cancer of the prostate. In VT DeVita Jr et al., eds., DeVita, Hellman and Rosenberg's Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 9th ed., pp. 1220–1271. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
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text:
Spatial Thinking in the Geosciences and Cognitive Sciences: A cross-disciplinary look at the intersection of the two fields
K.A. Kastens, T. Ishikawa
Boulder, CO: GSA Books Earth and Mind: How Geologists Think and Learn about the Earth (C.A. Manduca and D.W. Mogk Eds) p. 53-76.
This paper discusses major tasks that professional geoscientists and geoscience learners tackle, with a focus on the spatial nature of the tasks and underlying cognitive processes. Specific tasks include recognizing, describing, and classifying the shape of an object; describing the position and orientation of objects; making and using maps; envisioning processes in 3D; and using spatial-thinking strategies to think about nonspatial phenomena. [description taken mainly from the abstract]
This resource is referenced here:
Cutting Edge:Enhance Your Teaching:Visualization: Recommended Reading
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: Spatial Thinking
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Research on Learning
: Spatial Intelligence
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text:
Violence is running out of control in Mexico as rival drug cartels battle over the smuggling routes to America. Mexico's president has declared war on the gangsters but the only result appears to be an escalation of the killings.
Katya Adler journeys deep into the heart of a shocking conflict, uncovering the human stories behind the seemingly random and disturbing violence. She asks whether the continuing freedom of the world's most powerful drug runner, Joaquin 'Chapo' Guzman, is evidence that the Government's war is toothless.
Film Duration: 59 min
Rating: 7.1/10 (9 votes cast)


text:
As we look at these first live photos of the newly-defanged Z taken here at the Chicago Auto Show this morning, let's also take a quick recap of the differences between the 2012 Nissan 370Z and the new 2013 Nissan 370Z. All, like, two of them.
There's a refreshed front facia with vertical LED daytime running lights, red reflector on the rear fascia replacing an ugly black center cover. We've got some newly-revised 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels on the "Sport Package" models and new 18-inch wheels for the 370Z Coupe.
The "Sport Package" also gets red-finished brake calipers and Euro-tuned shock absorbers.
Ooh-ooh, there's also two new exterior colors — Magma Red and Midnight Blue.
The NISMO 370Z also gets a new Bose audio package with two more speakers and two more subwoofers, premium gun-metal dark-finish 19-inch wheels, and Nissan GT-R style high-rigidity brake hoses and performance brake fluid. Did you hear that? Brake hoses like the GT-R!
But — the NISMO 370Z does not adopt the new front fascia/rear reflector, Euro-tuned shocks or Midnight Blue exterior color. That's just for you special folks who don't want the NISMO package.
And, umm, yeah... that's about it.
But you know... New! Refreshed! LEDs! Less vampire-looking front end! Different!
Just take a look at the photos and see for yourself.


text:
Microsoft has delayed the beta release of its future server virtualization software. But fear not, intrepid server administrators, the final release of the software – code-named "Viridian" - remains on schedule for release in an update to Longhorn Server.
Mike Neil, Microsoft's GM in charge of virtualization, has disclosed that the public beta for Viridian will now ship in the second half of this year rather than the first half, as previously planned. You're all no doubt shocked to learn that a Windows package will arrive late.
In addition, the final release of Virtual Server 2005 R2 (SP1) has fallen to the second quarter rather than the first quarter. Virtual Server stands as Microsoft's current server virtualization product, which competes against similar code from VMware, XenSource, SWsoft and others.
Many of you must be thinking that there's no way in Redmond that Longhorn Server or Viridian will actually arrive on time given past and current trends. Well, have no fear, says Neil.
"Up front, it's important to know that Windows Server 'Longhorn' remains on schedule for beta 3, (which) will be this half (of 2007) and RTM in the second half," he writes in a blog post - the missing words were your globule tipoff.
After Longhorn ships, the Viridian package should arrive within 180 days. Viridian will finally provide Microsoft with a real hypervisor-based competitor to VMware and Xen.
Neil provides some explanation for the Viridian beta delay.
"The primary drivers (for the delay) are around meeting our internal goals for performance and scalability," he writes. "In an IT environment of ever-growing multi-core processor systems, Windows Server virtualization is being designed to scale across a much broader range of systems than the competition.
"We're designing Windows Server virtualization to scale up to 64 processors, which I'm proud to say is something no other vendor's product supports. We are also providing a much more dynamic VM environment with hot-add of processors, memory, disk and networking as well a greater scalability with more SMP support and memory.
"We still have some work to do to have the beta meet the 'scale up' bar we have set. Also, we're tuning Windows Server virtualization to run demanding enterprise IT workloads, even I/O intensive workloads, so performance is very important and we still have some work to do here."
Those following this market closely know that the virtualization wars have only just begun.
Microsoft's muddled acquisition of the Virtual Server software and tardiness shipping a hypervisor-based product has placed it years and thousands of customers behind Vmware. As a result, Microsoft has been thrust into the awkward position of partnering with open source, cancer-filled companies such as XenSource.
After years of biting its tongue, VMware has started to grumble about Microsoft's tactics in the virtualization game, saying Redmond makes VMware support tough on customers. Microsoft now gives away Virtual Server for free and will do the same with Viridian. See the Browser Wars and DoJ anti-trust lawsuit for more information on how such a strategy has played out in the past.
Of course, flipping your server virtualization vendor proves far more painful than installing a new browser. Microsoft should be allowed a large amount of leeway in this market where it's the true underdog. ®
Sponsored: Ransomware has gone nuclear


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Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) - guide29 June 2011
by eub2 -- last modified 30 June 2011
This Memo provides answers on the main aspects of the proposals put forward by the Commission for the Multiannual Financial Framework. It covers (1) the main background elements on MFF definition and functioning, (2) the main novelties proposed by the Commission on policies and (3) new ideas on the financing of the future budget.
1. Definition, historical background and procedures
What is the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)?
The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) translates into financial terms the Union's political priorities for at least 5 years. Article 312 of the Lisbon Treaty provides that the MFF is laid down in a regulation adopted unanimously by Council after obtaining the consent (adopts or rejects the whole package, no amendments) from the European Parliament. It sets annual maximum amounts (ceilings) for EU expenditure as a whole and for the main categories of expenditure (headings). It is not as detailed as an annual budget.
Why do we need a Multiannual Financial Framework?
By specifying the spending limits for each category of expenditure, the MFF imposes budgetary discipline and ensures that the Union's expenditure develops in an orderly manner within the limits of its own resources and in line with Union's policy objectives. In addition, this system ensures a predictable inflow of resources for the Union's long-term priorities and gives greater certainty to beneficiaries of EU funds, such as SME's, regions catching up, students, researchers, civil society organisations...
The MFF sets the cornerstones for the annual budgetary procedure. It considerably facilitates agreement on the yearly budget between the European Parliament and the Council which are the two branches of the Union's budgetary authority. At the same time it ensures continuity towards achieving the priorities set for the benefit of Europe. The financial framework also lays down any other provisions required for the annual budgetary procedure to run smoothly.
Have we always dealt with budget through multiannual frameworks?
The MFF is part of the European Union's functioning since 1988 and has covered periods varying from 5 to 7 years.
The first Financial Framework, the so called Delors Package I, covered the years 1988-1992 and focused on establishing the Internal Market and consolidating the multi annual research and development framework programme.
The second framework 1993-1999, the Delors Package II, gave priority to social and cohesion policy and the introduction of the euro.
The "Agenda 2000" covered the period 2000-2006 and focused on the
enlargement of the Union.
Finally, the MFF 2007-2013 gave priority to sustainable growth and competitiveness, in order to create more jobs.
The next MFF will present the budgetary priorities of the Union for the years 2014 to 2020.
How does the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009 affects the MFF 2014-2020?
Prior to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, MFF was the result of an interinstitutional agreement. Yet, the article 312 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union also confers a legally binding value to the Multiannual Financial Framework to determine "the amounts of the annual ceilings on commitment appropriations by category of expenditure and of the annual ceiling on payment appropriations". Besides, under the new treaty, the decision on the MFF will have to be taken by the Council deciding unanimously after receiving the Parliament's consent.
Why should the Financial Framework be agreed no later than 2012?
It takes 12-18 months to agree on the legal bases for all the multi-annual programmes and projects which will be financed under the MFF, in areas such as research, education, cohesion, development aid, neighbourhood policy etc. In order to allow these programmes to start in January 2014, a political agreement on the ceiling in the MFF should be taken no later than one and a half year before the framework enters into force. Furthermore, the political agreement will need to be translated into a Council Regulation requiring the consent of the European Parliament.
What happens if there is no agreement?
If there is no agreement before the end of 2013, the 2013 ceilings will be extended to 2014, plus a 2% inflation adjustment. The Treaty also foresees the extension of the "other provisions" corresponding to the last year of the financial framework. This means that all the provisions on the adjustments and revisions of the financial framework and instruments outside the financial framework would be extended.
Whether or not there is an agreement on the next MFF, there will be financial framework ceilings in place for 2014 and the budget could thus be adopted in conformity with the Treaty.
The absence of an agreed financial framework 2014-20 would considerably complicate the adoption of new programmes. And in the absence of new legal bases, including their indicative financial envelopes, no commitments could be made for those multiannual spending programmes for which the legal base expires in 2013.
So, as in the case of late agreement, the 2014 budget would probably only cover the agricultural payments and the payments on outstanding commitments. In other terms, citizens benefiting from EU-funds, such as researchers, students, civil society organisations, would face severe drawbacks.
2. Novelties on expenditure side of the MFF
What is new for Common Agriculture Policy?
The Commission proposes to allocate 36,2% of the MFF to CAP as compared to 39.4% in the previous exercise (41.5% in 2013).
The basic two pillar structure of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be maintained. The main changes proposed by the Commission are as follows:
Greening of direct payments: to ensure that the CAP helps the EU to deliver on its environmental and climate action objectives, 30 % of direct support will be made conditional on "greening". This means that all farmers must engage in environmentally supportive practices which will be defined in legislation and which will be verifiable. The impact will be to shift the agricultural sector significantly in a more sustainable direction, with farmers receiving payments to deliver public goods to their fellow citizens.
Convergence of payments: the levels of direct support per hectare will be progressively adjusted (while taking account of the differences that still exist in wage levels and input costs) in order to ensure a more equal distribution of direct payments.
The allocation of rural development funds will be revised on the basis of more objective criteria and better targeted to the objectives of the policy. This will ensure a fairer treatment of farmers performing the same activities. In order to avoid a reduction in farmers' income, the Commission will propose to allow Member States, if they so wish, to maintain the current nominal level of funding through transfers from Pillar Two to Pillar One.
Capping the level of direct payments by limiting the basic layer of direct income support that large agricultural holdings may receive, while taking account of the economies of scale of larger structures and the direct employment these structures generate. The Commission proposes that the savings be recycled into the budgetary allocation for rural development and retained within the national envelopes of the Member States in which they originate.
The Commission proposes to allocate €281.8 billion for Pillar I of the Common Agricultural Policy and €89.9 billion for rural development for the 2014-2020 period. This funding will be complemented by a further €15.2 billion.
What is new for Cohesion policy?
The Commission proposes to allocate 36,7% of the MFF to Cohesion policy as compared to 35% in the previous exercise.
The main changes proposed by the Commission are as follows:
The proposal foresees the creation of a category of intermediate regions whose GDP is between 75% and 90% of the average EU GDP. This new category will complement the two existing ones (convergence regions and competitiveness regions).Those "transition regions" should retain two thirds of their previous allocations for the next MFF period. The poorest regions and Member States of the European Union would then be helped in priority in order for them to catch up with the more prosperous Member States.
Introducing conditionality in cohesion policy: it will be based on results and incentives to implement the reforms needed to ensure effective use of the financial resources. In addition, 5% of the cohesion budget for each Member State will be set aside as a performance reserve and allocated, following a mid-term review, to those Member States whose programmes have contributed most to progress in meeting agreed milestones set in the development and investment partnership contracts.
The Commission proposes the creation of a common strategic framework for all structural funds to translate the Europe 2020 objectives into investment priorities. In operational terms, the Commission proposes to conclude a partnership contracts with each Member State. These contracts will set out the commitment of partners at national and regional level to utilise the allocated funds to implement the Europe 2020 strategy.
The European Social Fund (ESF) will continue to play a key role in fighting unemployment and high rates of poverty, and delivering headlines targets of Europe 2020. The ESF will represent 25% of the budget allocated to cohesion policy, i.e. €84 billion.
The Commission proposes to allocate €376 billion to Cohesion policy instruments in general (including the Connecting Europe facility – see below).
What is new for Infrastructure and Interconnection of Internal Market?
The Commission proposes the creation of a Connecting Europe Facility to accelerate the infrastructure development in transport, energy and ICT across the EU to the benefit of all. Experience shows that national budgets will never give sufficiently high priority to multi-country, cross-border investments to equip the Single Market with the infrastructure it needs. EU budget can secure funding for the pan-European projects that connect the centre and the periphery.
This Facility will be centrally managed and will be funded from a new section of the budget. Co-financing rates from the EU budget will be higher when the investments take place in 'convergence' regions than in 'competitiveness' regions. Local and regional infrastructures will be linked to the priority EU infrastructures, connecting all citizens throughout the EU, and can be (co-) financed by the structural funds (cohesion fund and/or ERDF, depending on the situation of each Member State/region).
The Connecting Europe Facility offers opportunities for using innovative financing tools to speed up and secure greater investment than could be achieved only through public funding. The Commission will work closely with the EIB and other public investment banks to combine funding of these projects. In particular, the Commission will promote the use of EU project bonds1 as a means of bringing forward the realisation of these important projects.
The Commission proposes to allocate €40 billion to this priority, to be complemented by an additional €10 billion ring fenced to related transport investments inside the Cohesion Fund. This amount comprises €9.1 billion for the energy sector, €31.6 billion for transport (including € 10 billion inside the Cohesion Fund) and €9.1 billion for ICT.
What is new for Research policy?
The creation of a common strategic framework in research and development (to be called Horizon 2020), which means that the existing three research and innovation instruments (7th framework programme, Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme and the European Institute for Innovation and Technology) will be brought together. It will be closely linked to key sectoral policy priorities such as health, food security and the bio-economy, energy and climate change. The European Institute for Technology will be part of the Horizon 2020 programme and will play an important role in bringing together the three sides of the knowledge triangle – education, innovation and research – through its Knowledge and Innovation Communities.
On the financing side, innovative financial instruments will help leveraging private investments. Public Private Partnerships, as well as Public to Public Partnerships, will be promoted. Funding schemes will be standardized and simplified. Likewise, there will be one single set of rules for participation, audit, support structures, dissemination of results and reimbursement schemes, across all funding schemes.
The Commission proposes to allocate €80 billion for the 2014-2020 period for the Common Strategic Framework for Research and Innovation. This funding will be complemented by important support from the Structural Funds (€60 billion for 2007-2013).
What is new for Environment and Climate action policies?
Environmental policy and Climate change Action priorities will be 'mainstreamed' into all the major EU funding instruments, including cohesion, agriculture, maritime and fisheries, research and innovation, as well as into external aid programmes. The Commission intends to increase the proportion of climate related expenditure to at least 20%, with contributions from different policy fields subject to impact assessment evidence. This approach will maximise synergies between environmental policies and other areas, recognising that the same actions can and should pursue a variety of complementary objectives. This approach will also help to avoid a proliferation of programmes and to minimise administrative burden.
In addition to mainstreaming, the Commission proposes the continuation of a dedicated environmental programme as successor to the current LIFE+ programme. The Commission considers that the future programme should remain centrally managed, but that management tasks could to a large extent be delegated to an existing executive agency, such as the Executive Agency for Competitiveness & Innovation. The Commission proposes to allocate €3.2 billion for 2014-2020 to the LIFE+ programme (0.8bn on climate and 2.4bn for environment).
Is there something new for Education and Training?
A simplification of the current structure to one main programme is foreseen in order to avoid fragmentation, overlapping and/or proliferation of projects lacking the critical mass necessary to a lasting impact. The New Education Europe programme will include three key priorities. First, it will support trans-national learning mobility. Strict quality conditions for mobility, concentration on key policy objectives where critical mass can be achieved and complemented with other EU programmes will be instrumental in ensuring very high European added value. Secondly, it will foster co-operation between education institutions and the world of work in order to promote the modernisation of education, innovation and entrepreneurship. Thirdly, it will provide policy support to gather evidence on the effectiveness of education investments and help Member States to implement effective policies.
The Commission proposes to allocate €15.2 billion in the area of education and training. This funding will be complemented by important support from the Structural Funds (€72.5bn for 2007-2013).
Is there anything for the challenges of migration and home affairs?
The Commission proposes to reduce the number of programmes to two: Migration and Asylum Fund and an Internal Security Fund. Both funds will have an external dimension ensuring continuity of financing, starting in the EU and continuing in third countries (for example concerning the resettlement of refugees, readmission and regional protection programmes). They will simplify the expenditure instruments and ensure the smooth creation of an area without internal borders, where EU citizens and third-country nationals with legal rights of entry and residence may enter, move around, live and work.
The Commission also foresees a move away from annual programming towards results-driven, multi-annual programming, thus reducing workload for the Commission, the Member States and the final beneficiaries.
The Commission proposes to allocate €8.2 billion for the 2014-2020 period in the area of home affairs.
What about Enlargement, Neighbourhood and External relations?
Several important changes to be noted:
A single integrated pre-accession instrument is proposed as the financial pillar of the Enlargement Strategy, encompassing all dimensions of internal policies and thematic issues. It will be implemented through national/multi-beneficiary programmes agreed with the beneficiaries and will also mirror the Structural Funds, the Cohesion Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
The European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) will be the financial instrument through which the bulk of EU assistance to neighbouring countries is provided. It will support the European Neighbourhood Policy and bilateral partnerships (including bilateral Association Agreements). In addition to the ENI, partner countries will also benefit from other instruments, such as the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights or the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Co-operation and responding to crisis situations (Humanitarian Assistance, Macro Financial Assistance, Instrument for Stability). The Neighbourhood Investment Facility, which the ENI will continue to support, will also provide a flexible and effective financial tool to support investment in partner countries in the areas of transport and energy interconnections, environment and climate change and economic development.
The Commission proposes to discontinue funding of programmes in industrialised and emerging countries and instead to create a new Partnership Instrument to support public diplomacy, common approaches and the promotion of trade and regulatory convergence in those cases where funding can contribute to strengthening the EU's partnerships around the world. This reflects international changes now underway.
Also, the proposal foresees the creation of a pan-African instrument to support the implementation of the Joint Africa Europe Strategy, focusing on the clear added value of cross-regional and continental activities. It will be flexible enough to accommodate contributions from EU Member States, African States, financial institutions and the private sector.
The Commission proposes to allocate €70 billion for the 2014-2020 period for traditional external instruments. This will be complemented by funding out the budget and the MFF for the European Development Fund (€29.9 billion).
3. Financing and own resources
Where does the money come from?
The European Union has three types own resources to finance its expenditure:
traditional own resource (sugar levies and agricultural and customs duties),
VAT-based own resource (a portion of the national VAT collected by Member States at national level),
GNI-based own resource (the "national contributions" based on each Member State GNI).
In 2011, 76% of the revenue of the EU budget will come from the GNI-based resource, 12% from customs duties and sugar levies and 11% from the VAT based resource. The remaining 1% comes from taxes paid by EU staff and from other miscellaneous sources such as fines on companies that breach competition or other laws, unspent amounts from previous years.
Why propose new own resources?
Because the current system has a number of drawbacks. It is opaque and complex. It is perceived as lacking fairness by most Member States – notably with regard to corrections, of which the British rebate is the most well known, but it is less known that Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden have exceptions from financing the UK reduction (a "rebate on the rebate!"). The same countries have lower rate of their VAT contributions and the Netherland and Sweden in addition decreased national contributions based on a country's GNI. The current financing also relies excessively on national contributions. For many, these are seen as expenditures to minimize and for which a national return must be justified. Finally, with the exception of customs duties stemming from the customs union, existing resources do not display a clear link to EU policies.
Our aim with this proposal is therefore to decrease national contributions and thus contribute to budgetary consolidation efforts in the Member States; to create a link between EU policy objectives and the EU financing; and to make the system more transparent and fairer. This is not about increasing EU budget.
Has the financing of the EU budget been changed before?
Six own resources decisions have been adopted since 1970. In fact, the structure of the financing side has evolved considerably over time. Reforms on the expenditure side have generally been accompanied by reforms of the way the Union is financed. The contribution based on Gross National Income (GNI), i.e. proportional to each Member State's wealth, has taken on a growing importance and now represents three-quarters of the budget. And a large number of complex corrections and special arrangements have been introduced over time, both on the revenue and expenditure side of the budget.
The result of these changes is that budget negotiations have recently been heavily influenced by Member States' focus on the notion of net positions ("juste retour" debate) with the consequence of favouring instruments with geographically pre-allocated financial envelopes, rather than those with the greatest EU added value.
Who decides on own resources?
The Council adopts a decision by unanimity, after consulting the European Parliament. In order to enter into force, this Decision must be ratified by all Member States, in accordance with their constitutional requirements (art 311).
What would be the new resources then?
The changes proposed by the Commission are as follows:
Simplify Member States' contribution by ending the complex VAT-based own resource from 2014. This will render the system of contributions simpler and more transparent.
Introduce two new own resources: a tax on the financial transactions (FTT) and a modernized VAT. This will facilitate budgetary consolidation in the Member States by reducing their contributions to the EU budget, bring a new impetus to the development of the Internal Market in the areas of VAT and financial sector taxation.
Reform the correction mechanisms by replacing all existing corrections by a simple and transparent system of lump sums related to the prosperity of the Member States.
The present Commission proposals make full use of the possibilities offered by the Lisbon Treaty to establish new categories of own resources or to abolish existing ones. The report on the operation of the own resources system highlights how each of these proposals relates to and complement the others.
Why dropping the VAT-based resource?
The Commission proposes to eliminate the complex VAT-based own resource. Compared to the GNI-based own resource, the current VAT-based own resource has little added value. To create a comparable tax base, VAT-based contributions result from a mathematical calculation rather than passing directly from the citizen to the EU. Furthermore, VAT-based contributions are capped in proportion to GNI and thus, partly comparable to GNI-based contributions. As such the VAT-based own resource contributes to the complexity and the opacity of the EU budget financing system.
Why choose EU taxation of the financial sector and EU VAT?
The analysis of the various potential candidates as own resources gave rise to a substantial technical work. The following key elements were highlighted:
EU taxation of the financial transaction (FTT): It would give extra room for manoeuvre to national governments and contribute to general budgetary consolidation efforts. Such taxation exists at national level in some Member States, but action at EU level could prove more effective and efficient, and it could play a role in reducing the existing fragmentation of the Internal Market. The Commission will make this proposal after the summer.
Modernized VAT: It would create a genuine link between national and EU VAT and foster additional harmonization of national VAT systems. It would provide significant and stable receipts to the EU with limited administrative and compliance costs for national administrations and business. It forms part of a broader recent Commission initiative launched in December 2010 with the issuance of the Green Paper on the future of VAT aimed at reducing the extent of tax-induced distortions in the internal market. Broadening the tax base, reducing the scope for fraud, improving the administration of the tax and reducing compliance costs administrative cooperation in the context of a broad reform of VAT could deliver important results and generate new revenue streams for the Member States and the EU.
How much revenue do you expect from those new own resources?
It is estimated that by 2020, the new own resources could amount to almost half of EU Budget revenue, while the share of GNI-based contributions will go down to around one third (from over three quarters today). The national contributions of Member States will decrease accordingly, in proportion to their respective GNI (that is in proportion to their relative wealth).
What are the correction mechanisms?
The 1984 Fontainebleau European Council set out important guiding principles to ensure fairness in the EU budget. It indicated in particular that "expenditure policy is ultimately the essential means of resolving the question of budgetary imbalances". It acknowledged, nevertheless, that "any Member State sustaining a budgetary burden which is excessive in relation to its relative prosperity may benefit from a correction at the appropriate time". These principles have been confirmed and consistently applied in successive own resources decisions.
Different complex correction mechanisms have been added since then, including:
a correction in favour of the UK (UK rebate);
reduced financing of the UK correction for Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden ("rebates on the rebate");
a share of 25% retained by Member States as "collection costs" for traditional own resources (notably customs duties), which constitutes a hidden correction to the benefit of a limited number of Member States;
temporary reduction in VAT-based contributions for Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden; and
temporary reduction in GNI-based contributions for the Netherlands and Sweden.
What is going to happen to the UK rebate?
The Commission proposes to transform the current mechanism into a lump sum gross reduction on the GNI-based own resources payments. A system of lump sums would be transparent and easy to understand, thus making it more open to public and parliamentary scrutiny; it would be fair, by treating large contributors to the EU budget in line with their economic prosperity, and ensuring a balanced financing of the corrections; its ex ante nature would pre-empt any perverse incentives.
The analysis behind this proposal is the following. At the time of its introduction, in 1984, the UK correction offered a response to what was clearly an inequitable situation: the UK was facing an excessive budgetary burden in comparison to its relative prosperity. However, this situation has evolved. The UK is now one of the most affluent EU Member States, able to fully contribute to solidarity with the poorer Members of the Union. The budgetary burden of the UK is also now more in line with that of some other net contributors, due to the progressive reduction of the share of the CAP in EU budgetary expenditure, which is expected to continue decreasing in the next financial framework, and the share of the existing VAT-based own resource in EU own resources, which the Commission proposes to eliminate fully beyond 2013. In addition, with the elimination of the current VAT-based own resource, essential data for calculating the UK correction will no longer be available.
Source: European Commission


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The list of Harry Potter cast members is a list of actors who voiced or portrayed characters appearing in the Harry Potter film series based on the book series by J. K. Rowling. Daniel Radcliffe who had only ever got the role as Harry Potter from his best friend Tarren Patel, not only a friend to him but also a role model. Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, who have played and will play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger in all the films, were virtually unknown when they were cast. Complementing them on screen are some of the most renowned actors of the United Kingdom and Ireland, including Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Richard Griffiths, Richard Harris, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Miranda Richardson, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, Imelda Staunton, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters and Mark Williams, among others. Fifteen actors have appeared as the same character in all eight films of the franchise.
Some well-known British actors who have not appeared in the series are asked in jest why they haven't yet been cast. In 2007, when Yates was directing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Bill Nighy said, "I joked with [Yates] that maybe now I wouldn't be the only actor in England who hadn't been in 'Harry Potter'". But "nobody called," Nighy added.[1] Ironically, in 2009, Nighy was cast as Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour in Deathly Hallows, which Yates is directing. Nighy said, "I am no longer the only English actor not to be in Harry Potter and I am very pleased."[2] Jude Law has quipped, "Nobody's asked me. I was a bit too old for Harry".[3] When a reporter compared Potions professor Horace Slughorn's obsession with famous names to the series' connection to "every notable British actor," Jim Broadbent, who plays Slughorn said, "Well, not every actor gets invited. I know some who are still waiting."[4]
The list is sorted by film and character, as some characters have been portrayed by multiple actors.
- (v) indicates the actor or actress lent only his or her voice for his or her film character.
- (y) indicates the actor or actress portrayed the role in a flashback scene or when the character was young.
- (f) indicates the actor or actress did not appear in any new footage for the film; footage from an earlier film or films was used.
- (p) indicates the actor or actress portrayed a character under the effects of the Polyjuice potion.
- A "white" cell (such as the one in the "Aurora Sinistra" row in "Philosopher's Stone" column) indicates the character does appear in the film adaptation, but by an unidentified actor or actress.
- A "light grey" cell (such as the one in the "Charity Burbage" row in the "Philosopher's Stone" column) indicates the character was not in the film adaptation.
Video GamesEdit
In the video games, some characters are voiced by the original actors from the film (ex. Rupert Grint as Ron). However, Harry and Hermione have never been voiced by Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, respectively. Here is the complete cast:
Notes and referencesEdit
- ↑ O'Sullivan, Michael (2007-05-25). "Underneath It All, He's Still Bill Nighy", The Washington Post. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
- ↑ "Bill Nighy to star in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", Newsround (2009-07-06). Retrieved on 2009-07-06.
- ↑ Adler, Shawn (2007-10-04). "Say Jude, Let's Find You A Role In 'Harry Potter'", MTV. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
- ↑ Boucher, Geoff (2009-01-11). "Jim Broadbent joins the 'Harry Potter' honor roll", The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2009-01-10.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named
- ↑ Dale, Paul (2010-02-28). "Greenberg revealed at The List Surprise Movie at GFF", The List. Retrieved on 2010-07-02.
- ↑ On Castingcallpro.com the actor is credited as playing "Terry Skeres", this character is not in the books, but could be a made up character as in the case of Bem.
- ↑ "Rumor Alert: Bathilda Bagshot Casting for Deathly Hallows and More (Updated)", The Leaky Cauldron (2009-04-03). Retrieved on 2009-04-05.
- ↑ http://ajmanagement.co.uk/clientDetail.asp?intClientID=157


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Biography of Mable Ringling
Mable Burton Ringling (1875-1929)
When and how Mable Burton met John Ringling is today a matter of conjecture. What is known is that they married on December 29, 1905 when she was thirty and he was thirty-nine. By all accounts their marriage was a happy one in which they delighted in their shared interests in travel, art and culture.
A Woman of Humble Origins
Like her husband, Mable Burton Ringling was a woman of humble origins. Born on March 14, 1875 in the farming community of Moons, Ohio, Mable was one of five daughters and a son born of George Wesley and Mary Elizabeth Burton. By the turn of the 20th century, she left Ohio to pursue her future.
Creating Ca' d'Zan
During her travels with John, Mable fell in love with the grace and grandeur of Venice. In 1923, they commissioned the architect Dwight James Baum to build their dream home, modeled on the Doge's Palace and the Cá d'Oro in their beloved Venice.
Mable oversaw every aspect of the construction, from the glazing of the tiles to the mixing of the terra cotta. She designed much of the original landscaping on the grounds of the estate, including her Rose Garden and Secret Garden. And while the house was to be called Ca' d'Zan, Venetian dialect for "House of John", it was really, as one writer later observed, truly "John's love letter to Mable."
The house, completed in 1926, soon became the site of lavish musicales, as well as garden and dinner parties. There were Gatsbyesque parties that lasted till dawn, with an orchestra playing from the Ringling yacht moored just off the marble terrace, entertaining guests such as the Governor of New York Al Smith, comedian/philosopher Will Rogers, New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker and famed producer Flo Ziegfeld and his wife Billie Burke, best known as Glenda, the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz.
A "Conspicuous Buyer"
Though it was John who took the lead in building the collection that has become the foundation of the Museum of Art, Mable was listed on the Museum's charter as a Director and Vice President of the Museum's Corporation.
Like John, she favored purchasing items at auction. At the George J. Gould estate sale in 1924, she drew attention as a "conspicuous buyer," purchasing many items well above their estimated worth, among them a $10 phone for which she bid and paid $75. Among the Museum's archives her notes to herself about not only what to buy, but also about where she wanted her purchases placed in the mansion.
A Rich Legacy
Suffering from diabetes and Addison's disease, Mable passed away on June 8, 1929. It was a loss from which John never really recovered. They had found in one another a shared love of travel, art and culture, of things Italian and of Sarasota, where this remarkable woman left the rich legacy we are fortunate to still enjoy today.


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PGF Personal Golf Fan: The Only Patented Foan Designed To Fit In Your Golf Cart Cup Holder.
Description: Are you tired of being hot on the golf course? We know every golfer has had the same experience- it's a hot day, the group ahead of you is taking forever, the sun is beating down, and you are starting to sweat. You can try stopping under whatever meager shade is available, or hoping for a breeze, but these only offer temporary relief from the oppressive heat. To make your rounds of golf more comfortable, CYNWARK Corporation developed and patented this high quality portable fan that fits in a golf cart cup holder. The Personal Golf Fan provides relief from the heat and is truly one-of-a kind! Main Features: 1.High air flow for outdoor use. Feels like a 20 MPH wind! 2.Approximate run time of 6½ hrs. on normal speed and 3¾ hrs. on high speed with fully charged battery 3.Battery charge time is under 3 hrs., if completely discharged. 4.High efficiency, high power, ball bearing, long lasting brushless motor. 5.New chemistry Lithium-Ion battery, will not lose charge over time. 6.Portable and designed to fit in 5 different golf carts. 7.Overall height is 19 inches and has a weight of 2 lbs. 8.Battery and charger have built in safety circuits. 9.Fan blade winglets to increase airflow. 10.Includes water resistant carry bag and quick cover raincoat. 11.1) Year Warranty
Price: $199.99


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May 10, 2005
Almost 700 athletes from 50 different countries will compete in 20 different sports in Bjerringbro, when Grundfos holds the Grundfos Olympics during Whitsun 13-16 May. The purpose of this big event is to strengthen the solidarity across nations and cultures.
In between the competitions there will also be time for social events, where the Grundfos employees are very eager to present examples of their individual cultural characteristics to their foreign colleagues. The photo shows Chinese employees preparing a "Dragon Dance". In China the dragon is originally a royal symbol.


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New! Voice, Videos and More in UltraKey 6
June 01, 2015 by Art Willer #UltraKey improvements voice stretches interface management0
New! Voice, Videos and More in UltraKey 6
Thanks to customer requests and suggestions, UltraKey never stops evolving! And owners of the current generation get all the improvements at no extra charge.
If you ever want to check whether a newer UltraKey is available, just log into the management side of UltraKey and choose Updates from the Help menu.
If you need to upgrade your UltraKey to the latest major version, or you have just decided to get UltraKey for the first time, please request a quote.
The latest UltraKey 6 updates include...
Tina Meazell Guides Users to Typing Success!
Voice actor Tina Meazell leads UltraKey users through all the critical steps of learning to keyboard. For those who prefer, the voice can be turned off, but customers are already telling us how much they enjoy Tina's praise and enthusiasm. The UltraKey voice has always helped with English learners, early readers and students needing help with attention. Tina makes typing fun by being a friend along the way!
Lifelike Graphics Model Safe Stretching
UltraKey has always recommended stretching at regular intervals to prevent and relieve muscle pain and tension. Thanks to stunning 3D animation from Gunnar Games, the newest UltraKey leads users in a variety of stretching exercises, and teaches new typists how to stretch safely. Played on demand, twelve videos feature a stunning 3D model, with narration by Tina Meazell. To see for yourself, play one of the twelve stretch videos now.
Dynamic Buttons Show the Way
When teachers prefer, students can be required to complete UltraKey activities in sequential order. But how can students visually tell what is next? When sequencing is controlled -- this can be turned on and off in management -- activities that cannot be accessed are either grayed or not visible. Other student interfacing elements have been fine-tuned/ Of course, Tina Meazell's added guidance makes it easy for even the youngest children to know what comes next.
Management Interface Streamlined
UltraKey features a record management system that can handle everything from operation on a few standalone computers, to many schools with thousands of users.
The flexibility and power in the system naturally makes it challenging to offer teachers and instructors an administration interface that is easy to use, while providing all the needed choices. While offering a wide array of controls and customizations, UltraKey remains user-friendly and easy to follow. To sum it up, we have reviewed every message and function, distilling them down to what is essential to our customers. Your input is vital to us. We listen and UltraKey responds!
Enrollment Power Increased
When any school district looks for software to provide instruction in all of its schools, questions have to be asked about the software's record keeping ability, and the amount of work required to maintain records. UltraKey 6 has always had the ability to manage over 50 schools at a time, but the flexibility and speed of its enrollment engine has just recently multiplied several times. Imagine enrolling or transferring over 9,000 students in under an hour! Read on...
One District -- One Host: Administration Made Easy
Hosting thousands of records at one time is a problem UltraKey solved years ago, but until now each school or site has required its own host. UltraKey is now able to house all the records in a district or enterprise on a single host, making it possible to conduct district-wide enrollments and record transfers.
The ability to choose your class and choose your record is still an option for student login style, but customers can now opt for student ID logins instead. The latter approach simplifies district-wide deployment and home study logins.
Teachers Still Control The Instruction
The latest UltraKey build series 6.4 lets central administrators enroll and transfer students when needed -- as seldom as once a year -- while teachers can manage student records day to day at the school level.
This is accomplished by providing teacher accounts, which give them access just to the classes they teach or create. When the central office processes new enrollments and transfers, the organizational structures teachers have created, remain untouched.
You can purchase UltraKey right now.
For additional information or comments, contact us.
For specific pricing on an UltraKey license or subscription to suit your needs, request a quote.


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This is Larry Roth's second appearance on the IA 25. Read his extended profile from the 2012 IA 25 here. Click here to view the complete list and Special Report schedule for extended profiles for each of the 2013 IA 25 honorees.
"It's been seven days a week for five years. I haven't seen a weekend since the wheels came off in 2008," said Larry Roth without an ounce of self-pity. Quite the contrary, he seemed jazzed by the challenge his schedule brings, and said so: "All of this gives me energy; I see it as a real treat."
His definition of "treat" aside, the "this" he refers to is his role as 2013 chairman of the Financial Services Institute, chairman of the Insured Retirement Institute and his day job as president and CEO of Advisor Group, one of the largest independent broker-dealer networks.
Think about this the next time someone complains about not being able to "find the time" to get involved.
We weren't sure where to begin, so we let him take the lead.
"FSI has been around for a number of years now," he said. "It's led by Dale Brown, who has brought in people to fill key positions who are CEOs of independent broker-dealers. Most of the big firms are now represented, as are mid-size firms and those that are privately held. He is a great guy, a good manager, and he keeps all the committees moving forward."
Brown does it, Roth explained, by having every member of the board sit on an operating committee, which makes sense: If you want to continually move things forward, be sure to leverage the leadership of people who run businesses on a daily basis.
And leading they are.
"On the fiduciary issue, for instance, we're engaging with three national regulatory bodies, as well as 50 states. Of those 50 states, a dozen have become more active with the fiduciary issue. So it's not just the DOL fiduciary rule that we are dealing with, and all of that takes some doing."
Other areas of active engagement involve the independent business model itself, which Roth said "is being stressed."
"Advisors are aging. There are a lot of baby boomer advisors. How do they stay in business, effectively serve clients, deal with an expensive regulatory environment, and quite frankly, how do they make a buck with interest rates so low? These are all issues FSI is tackling."
Specific to the Advisor Group, which is owned by AIG, the thing Roth said he is most excited about is the fact that the network is "back in growth mode."
"We have 6,000 advisors and a retention rate last year of 97%. We also acquired Woodbury Financial in 2012 [from The Hartford], and I am really excited to work with president and CEO Pat McEvoy and his team. We retained 98% of Woodbury advisors after closing."
In addition to recruiting financial advisors from other broker-dealers, Advisor Group is exploring ways to bring new advisors to the industry. For example, it's partnering with a sister AIG life and retirement company, AGLA, "to transform its career distribution force."
"AGLA is home to nearly 2,000 career agents who focus primarily on the middle market," Roth explained. "Advisor Group is partnering with AGLA to transform the distribution structure for AGLA career agents who want to adopt a broader, full-service financial planning model. It's a unique way to bring new advisors to our industry and one we're confident will be successful."
After watching Roth work for a number of years now, we're inclined to believe it.


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Apple After Steve Jobs
Author of "Haunted Empire, Apple After Steve Jobs", Yukari Kane discusses what she's learned about Tim Cook, Apple's evolving relationship with its suppliers, and whether or not she believes Apple has lost it's way since Steve Jobs' death.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... shoot ... you put a Wall Street Journal in sentences go ... today we're joined by Ari went on a chain ... she is a new book coming out called haunted and hire Apple after see jobs ... going out on a March eighteen ... so obviously any ... book that talks about kind of Apple after C jobs has focused on Tibco can you done a lot of reporting on that ... you know what he found that out and he's kind of a mysterious figure ... yet you know I think I probably at ... and as much as anybody can find out about him I went to ... it's down to visit is that my hometown checking our Tomkins teachers taught to swimwear some of his friends ... you know it than they are stopped by the council and staff ay ay ay ay ay ... separately a key step in the Pensacola historical Society to help me do some research to ... men that I have a lot of people helping me and done ... now he ... is still in in in ... Ligue one of the things that fascinates me about him and he said ... everybody knows about him at least ... I he he ... he loves to change that ... now can do and how a higher as the UN and dad that she's an exercise junkie ... he's a really intense guy he's a nice that he's awesome really intense kind of perfection as an instrument by ... a constant desire to improve ... and operations ... I ... he knew what we think I'd still ... in fact you know I am still not sure where he was going to mean everybody is under the impression that he ... was planning Roberts now I know for fact that his family moved to Pensacola Florida in his early years ... and before that it was just a circle and in a store ... you know the reason is really known for his company's ... overall ... but it's the joint ... in late nineteen nineties ... um but ... you don't make loans ... the nature of the leadership of Apple ... and suppliers hence the sudden change ... seems likely that the ... higher the tree ... you ... point out that maybe that's not always the case ... I think is ... the new Mini stifling ... they can and have a low quality and a CV and hospital infections last minute ... and David Ayer lot more than most customers to cry ... and so at the uni ... I the eye ... contact and I'm excited for the business has been described ... as ... a ... reward at the end in tears and say oh and I think ... that as Apple's ... CEO's pay for private fleet from U ... S miner ... and word is diminished and then you know that cost more if ... the calculation and and and and some believe this is huge credit than he and I ... found so are you now lot of that last Wednesday now I'm trying now it's just during ... winter when he just concentrate on ... their ... huge market ... rather than ... a year and we have acts working for a finish line ... well you know the one big question hangs over Apple anyone who follows Apple ... is you know ... how they lost their touch you know is Apple still ... um you know can go ... and ... after two years and Oyster conclusion ... you know I think the answer is obvious to me I like the EU have antennae have cited the affluence of the company to ... have revolved around Steve Jobs for so long that was something that scenic absence of anonymous way to make sure of ... and the people there are so conditioned to operates to play off of his strengths and weaknesses and I knew God ... is completely out this than ... I and and to cut it to its ... I think brilliant in in many ways and different way is ... and so they're going through some growing pains from that but also ... in the night you know I when you really pointing out it's just that Apple um it's just as mortal ... enemy of the company ... any company or business will go through ... a transition of them ... in when their visionary founder die ... and that unit there are around ... a lot of challenges that that you commonly thinking of motivation and innovation ... I'm in it especially if you're a successful Apple had to keep people ... motivated when you when anybody says she sits as ... I wouldn't change the world several times over what's what's the next rewarded editing that will keep people ... wanting to work for them ... us so I'm ... still higher than that ... so ... a normal great company but maybe no longer an iconic company ... brand ... but thanks adjoining us and any car in the book is coming out on March eighteen ...


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Note: This is part of an example political science literature review and research design. An abstract and table of contents are also available.
Before the ample literature on economic and political freedom in post-Communist societies is examined, some work on geographic determinism will be reviewed. Specifically, an overview of geographic determinist viewpoints will be presented, examples of geographic determinism with respect to democracy earlier in the literature will be highlighted, and an interesting synthesis on geography, democracy, and war will be examined.
Without getting bogged down into the morass of terminology that Lewthwaite (1968) explores, it is important to say that geography is an important factor in development without being the only factor. As Spykman (1938) writes
It should be emphasized, however, that geography has been described as a conditioning rather than as a determining factor. The word was chosen advisedly. It was not meant to imply that geographic characteristics play a deterministic, causal role in foreign policy. The geographical determinism which explains by geography all things from the fourth symphony to the fourth dimension paints as distorted a picture as does an explanation of policy with no reference to geography. The geography of a country is rather the material for, than the cause of, its policy, and to admit that the garment must ultimately be cut to fit the cloth is not to say that the cloth determines either the garment's style or its adequacy. But the geography of as state cannot be ignored by the men who formulate its policy. The nature of the territorial base has influenced them in that formulation in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
Understanding the conditioning effect of geography, one may look at previous studies of how geography impacted the development of certain states.
The field is limited for detailed geographic-political examinations of specific states. Williams (1927) is an example of this literature. While not ignoring the effects of illiteracy, ethnicity, regionalism, and political culture, Williams examines geographic factors that led to corruption and lack of freedom for the east coast of Nicaragua. "[O]ne of the prime purposes of thus making the [east coast]'s head an appoint of the central government is to overcome the centrifugal influence of difficult transportation and so to furnish a federal or national "safety-first…". After some further exposition, where he looks at a geographic-taxation nexus, Williams looks at corruption:
From this same geography of isolation there follows another factor which causes discontent and instability not only in Bluefields and on the coast, but in many other isolated parts of the almost roadless nation. His usual remoteness from the capital not only permits but practically forces the Commandante or district governor to demonstrate the absolutism of a Spanish regent, rather than the leadership of a republic's civil servant. All the difficulties of the jungle forbid his getting daily orders, just as they make extremely unlikely any sort of check-up of his actions by the distant federal powers which appointed him. The natural result is that every province is likely to feel — and fell in proportion to the square of the distance — the pressure of the Commandante's belief that his services are wroth considerably more than his regular monthly salary.
An inspiration for this paper is a comment made by Ricardo Hausmann in 2001. While outlining his theory of latitude dependency in development, Hausmann notes:
Nations with populations far from a coastline also tend to be poorer and show lower rates of economic growth than coastal countries. A country whose population is farther than 100 kilometers from the sea grows 0.6 percent slower per year than nations in which the entire population is within 100 kilometers of the coast. That means, for example that the post-Soviet republics will experience as much difficulty battling their geographical disadvantages as they will overcoming the aftereffects of communism…
This study will look at the absence of sea borders, or being landlocked, instead of the more precise measure of distance from a coastline. However, the theory is the same: lack of access to the ocean retards commercial interchange with the rest of the world, slowing growth and reducing a population's exposure to political norms such as democracy.
While looking at earlier research on the development of Democracy, Midlarsky (1995) highlights the importance of sea-borders on the development of democracy. These reasons are relevant, because they point to problems that states without sea-borders, those that are landlocked, would have. Midlarsky relates that an earlier quantitative study has demonstrates that democratic outliers, that is "those countries least well explained by domestic variables" were highly connected to the sea. States like Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Ireland, and Greece were much more democratic than predicted by existing models. However, these same states were islands (and so the opposite of land-locked) or peninsulas.
Another argument is that sea borders minimize the threat of war. That is, the more land borders a country has the more its chances of war are maximized (Starr and Most 1978). Summarizing the first study that found this, Lewis Richardson's Statistics of Deadly Quarrels, Starr and Most explain:
Although Richardson reports a positive association between borders and war and eventually concludes that the relationship operates from frontiers toward war, he fails to develop explicit hypotheses or a theoretical explanation about why this relationship should be expected to exist. And an explicit level, however, Richardson's argument appears to develop in two stages. First, he conceptualizes frontiers as creating opportunities for internation interaction. Quite simply, nations with large numbers of borders have greater opportunities for interacting with other countries than those countries which have only a few borders. Going a step further, Richardson then draws an analogy between war and murder. Asking why nationals tend to slay each other rather than foreigners, he concludes that the explanation lies in the very simple fact that nationals have few contacts with foreigners. One is most likely to be murdered by one's close relatives and friends because close contacts and high levels of interaction provides opportunities for such actions. Returning to the problem of the border / war relationship, Richardson then makes the obvious linkages: if frontiers create opportunities for interaction, and the greater the opportunities the greater the level of actual interaction, then the greater the number of frontiers the greater the probability of war.
To demonstrate his theory of geographical influences on development, Midlarsky first gives the standard explanations or why Britain developed a democratic culture, including high average rainfall, geographic safety, industrialization, and land inequality:
England may be the archetypical example of a country that experienced very early democratization and that also embodies the four principal variables examined here. Average rainfall is consistently high. As an island nation, especially after the subjugation of surrounding peoples such as the Irish, Scots, and Welsh, she was relatively free from the threat of war. At the very least, she had leeway in choosing her time of entry into continental wars and with force sizes pretty much at her own discretion. The English economy, of course, industrialized earlier than any other, leading to a very high gross domestic product (GDP) / capita (CAP) and consequent impact on democracy. Also, land inequality, especially in terms of land holdings by the nobility, was substantial. … "No Continental landed elite in the nineteenth century owned so large a part of its nation's territory as did the English" … His explicit comparisons are with the French, Spanish, Prussian, and Russian elites, all of whose societies, of course, democratized at much later dates than did the English."
Midlarsky also cites another state that also had high rainfall, geographic safety, and industrialization yet veered towards authoritarianism. This demonstrates the role of another important factor that is central to this paper: land borders
One of the closest counterparts to the English-landed elite in terms of residence patterns, political dominance of the local countryside and thence of the state, and inheritance laws that tended to maintain entire estates intact over time was the Prussian. And here, this basic similarity that might have led to a similar democratic evolution is vitiated strongly by the Prussian military tradition. Where as the English-landed elite opposed standing armies and evolved a strong libertarian tradition, it was said of the Prussian, "What they loved best next to their estates was an army and all that went with it — splendid uniforms, military pomp, and chivalric codes of honor"… What is obvious here is the critical role of the maximization of the threat of war by many land borders and its diminution of th positive impact of other variables on the evolution of democracy."
This study seeks to go one steep beyond Midlarsky's earlier work. Midlarsky was looking at land-borders from the perspective of being surrounded by the sea (either through being on an island or a peninsula). Other geographic-conditioning studies, such as Enterline (1998), also looked at neighboring states. This research, by contrast, will examine sea-borders from the perspective of being surrounded by land (that is, being landlocked). In order to make the examination more readily testable, the economic and democratic fate of the ex-Communist states will be compared with respect to their being landlocked or not