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Bigger pig pens create challenges for farmers
FAIR OAKS, Ind. (AP) — Pigs cluster around a food stall like Black Friday shoppers waiting for the store to open. One pushes impatiently against the locked door with her snout, waiting for the sow inside to finish eating so she can take her turn.
After about 10 minutes, the sated sow sidles out the front gate and rejoins about 80 other pregnant pigs in a large pen surrounding the food stall. The hungry pig enters the stall through the now-open back door, and food flows in from a computer-controlled dispenser.
The big pens and electronic feeding systems at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana could be the future of the pork industry as consumers pressure farmers to move pregnant pigs out of individual stalls too narrow for the animals to turn around. The switch from gestation stalls is not as simple as many consumers believe, however. It's expensive, there are debates over pen designs and it takes time to train pigs to use feeders and other equipment. In short, farmers are spending millions of dollars with no certainty yet that the changes are best for the animals.
In this March 3, 2014 photo sows at Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Ind., lay in nesting boxes, left, inside a larger group pen, while another eats inside an electronic feeding stall, right. Animal rights activists have been pushing hog farmers to move pregnant pigs into group pens from individual gestation stalls often too narrow for the animals to turn around. (AP Photo/M.L.Johnson)
Most bacon, ham and chops come from hogs that never spend time in the narrow breeding stalls, though the hogs' mothers almost certainly did — if only a few days for insemination. More than four out of five sows in the U.S. remain in the stalls after they become pregnant, according to a 2012 study done for the National Pork Producers Council.
But a growing number are being moved into group pens as industry giants like Smithfield Foods and Cargill try to protect their brands from criticism by animal rights activists. Other major pork processors who have not required farms to convert are seeing some do so because image-conscious buyers, such as McDonald's, Oscar Mayer and Safeway, have called for an end to gestation crates.
Americans pig out on pork, eating an average of 45 pounds per person each year. Sales were worth more than $97 billion in 2011, according to industry groups.
Most of the hogs bought by Indiana Packers Corp., a major meatpacker, come from open-pen gestation and have for several years, President Gary Jacobson said. The switch has been hastened by laws in Michigan and Ohio requiring farmers to phase out gestation stalls by certain dates, but Jacobson said it also makes business sense.
"Given the controversy with the gestation crates, we would encourage people to look at the alternatives for that," he said.
The alternatives aren't cheap. Malcolm DeKryger, a partner in Fair Oaks' hog farm, said a 2,400-pig barn with gestation stalls typically costs about $1.8 million. The feeding system, other equipment and extra space required for group pens can push the cost to $2.5 million. He and his partner spent even more because their farm, about 1.5 hours south of Chicago, has observation areas for tourists.
DeKryger isn't entirely sold on group pens, which remind him of the farms where he worked as a teenager.
"We would throw feed over the gate, and the sows would all go crazy ... one sow would eat three times as much, and others would get gypped or didn't eat enough. And that system is happily gone," he said.
Gestation stalls became standard in the 1980s and enabled farmers to feed each sow individually. The stalls also prevented pecking-order fights and injuries caused by sows mounting each other.
Better technology addresses some of those problems in group pens. The sows at Fair Oaks go through a monthlong boot camp at about 6 months old to learn to use electronic feeders that ensure each one eats the right amount.
A scanner reads the sow's ear tag when she enters the stall, and computer-controlled equipment dispenses the recommended portion, usually about 5 pounds. When the sow leaves, the door can open either to the right for veterinary care or left to the group pen.
Farm workers are testing other ways to reduce conflict that can injure smaller sows and cause them to miscarry. For example, pigs in groups scrum to establish a pecking order. Fair Oaks workers aim to move sows into 80-pig pens all in one day so the order can be set and peace established. Later additions would cause new fights.
An alternative is to place sows in groups too big for them to notice when a new animal enters.
DeKryger said it's too soon to tell which method works best in reducing fights. And no system is perfect.
On a recent day, a bigger sow muscled her way into line at the feeder like a mean girl in middle school. A sow in another pen mounted a smaller one, leaving it with a limp. Yet another sow got its foot caught under rail, squealing and thrashing about until a worker freed it.
A foot or leg injury can mean death to a hog, and studies have shown such injuries are slightly more common in group pens than individual stalls because the animals move more.
"We can't fix a broken bone," DeKryger explained. "If they dislocate a hip, we have to euthanize."
He has five other farms in Indiana, most with gestation stalls, and said he's not sure what he would build next. Group housing requires more space and therefore a bigger investment, and thus far, he's seen no payoff in healthier animals or profits.
But, he said, "if my ultimate customer says this is what I know and want — and that's a very dicey observation ... is it smart for me to say, eh, you aren't qualified to know what I do, so I'm just going to tell you to take a hike?"
In this March 3, 2014 photo sows at Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Ind., are kept in large group pens with computer-controlled feeding systems. Animal rights activists have been pushing hog farmers to move pregnant pigs into group pens from individual gestation stalls often too narrow for the animals to turn around. (AP Photo/M.L.Johnson)
In this March 3, 2014 photo two sows push up against another entering an electronic feeding stall, center, at Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Ind. The electronic feeding system is aimed at preventing bigger sows from hogging all the food and lets each sow eat in peace. It is one of the tools farmers are using as they move pregnant pigs out of small, individual gestation stalls and into group pens. (AP Photo/M.L.Johnson)
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product description
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subset: commoncrawl


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Often decried by Republicans in the past, earmarking actually increased substantially after the GOP captured the congressional majorities in the 1990s. This fact was often cited among the ethics exposures of the Republican majority when it was dethroned in 2006.
Since then the issue of earmarking, especially the sneakier versions subject to little notice and less review, has become part of the assault on the restored Democratic majority in Congress. Republican Sen. John McCain made it a hallmark of his campaign for president in 2008.
This month, with the House ethics committee sorting through various cases of alleged corruption in earmarking -- and with House Democrats eager to counter the bad optics of freshman Rep. Eric Massa's flameout on unrelated issues -- new efforts to rein in the earmark have emerged.
Rep. David Obey, the venerable chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Rep. Norm Dicks, the successor to Murtha as chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, said there would be no more earmarks on behalf of for-profit companies. House Republicans, not to be outdone, countered by saying there should be a moratorium on earmarks of all kinds, including those for nonprofits, schools or other governmental entities.
Do they mean it?


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Squeem shapewear strives to be different than any other shapewear on the market. With Squeem, women get an instant sense of weight loss in a comfortable garment. Squeem waist cinchers are fabricated from 100% cotton on the inside to feel good against the skin and 100% latex covering. The boning not only shapes, but can improve posture. The latex actually increases perspiration removing toxins rapidly from the system. Squeem products produce intense compression, which not only slims and shapes, but has been known to correct posture and reduce back pain.
Squeem was created by South American company, Esbelt Brasil. Brazilian women have been wearing Squeem waist cinchers for decades to obtain a perfect silhouette. Squeem began making shapewear with their own innovative technology. A fusion process that combines a layer of cotton and a layer of natural rubber to produce a single thin layer of compressive fabric. This technology was inspired by an Orthopedic Cincher that provides aesthetic benefits, but also back support. If worn each day, the shapewear will reshape the body. Squeem wanted to be virtually invisible, but do its job for women. The products are also reversible. The rubber side causes you to perspire more leading to weight loss.
There are a few different styles to choose from so you can find the perfect shapewear for you. The high back waist cinchers has wide straps so the regular seamless Squeem shapewear will be a better choice under some shirts. A high back cincher gives an additional breast boost. Squeem's high back waist cincher and vest style waist cincher have been praised by post-partum women as excellent aids to regain the pre-baby figure. The Perfect Waist was featured under a strapless dress on the Martha Stewart Show. The line is a favorite with celebrity stylist, Robert Verdi. Squeem products were also featured on CBS Eyewitness News.
Customers praise the feel of the garments. One woman said, "I have had three large babies over 11 pounds by c-section, so I have a lot of loose skin that only gets worse the more weight I lose. The Squeem holds me in nice and tight and gives me a nice shape. No bulges hang out over the top or bottom. I especially like how long it is covering my lower abs where the problem is the worst." One woman raved about the Thong Body Shaper saying, "This is a very supportive, cotton lined rubber body suit that is comfortable for all day wear. The straps really help to elevate the chest and are simple bra straps in case they show. The breathable thong fabric is comfortable. I did a lot of research and I am very happy with this purchase. It took three inches off my waistline, including the lower abdomen since it is rubber all the way down, and keeps the tummy tucked in tight while seated. It doesn't show at all under clothing while being minimalist in design. It flattened the fat under the arms in the back also so there's no bulge. It also provides a lot of postural support.
Squeem shapewear aims to give an instant effect of weight loss. It is seamless and comfortable under clothing so you feel as if you are wearing nothing under your clothes. Squeem designers want you to be able to work out, go through the day and enjoy the night without worrying about your figure.


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I'm still weighing the grammaticality of that sentence. Maybe it's the "for a mind too lazy that doesn't" part of it.
God is a concept that Science is removing.
'God', that which remains after everything else is explained with some degree of success.
'Wonder/mystery', that which is thought/felt when we consider the meaning of our answers.
God (at least the Christian version) is a magical sorcerer with childish emotions.


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Topadalyne - Just Like Me [Unsigned Hype]
"video from the highly anticipated Topadalyne Special edition Hood Affairs DVD "Money Music" - TL
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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|Job Details
|Job Id/Status:
|Job Posted/Updated:
|Dental Assistant
|Job Type:
|Days of Week:
|Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri
|Marietta, GA 30062
|As a Dental Assistant at Johnson Ferry Dentistry and Orthodontics, a Pacific Dental Services supported office, you will have the opportunity to join a stable company that is experiencing a tremendous amount of growth, values your contribution, and provides you with a career rather than just a job. Responsibilities: – Prepare patients for oral examination and assist clinicians and owner doctors in providing treatment. – Communicate effectively with team members and patients. – Address problems and issues with practical solutions. Qualifications: – Completed state-mandated procedures, as necessary: coronal polish, radiograph exposure, ultrasonic scaling for orthodontic procedures, pit and fissure sealant application As a member of our team, you'll receive a competitive salary, excellent benefits and the solid support of an organization with a reputation for leadership and vision. A life of service is the highest calling, and we live it every day. Join us as a Dental Assistant at Pacific Dental Services and help us improve the quality of life for millions of people. Dentists of Chamblee Company Name: Dentists of Chamblee/ Pacific Dental Services (PDS) partners with individual owner dentists across the U.S., providing them with business support services so they can stay focused on their passion: dentistry. PDS and its supported owner dentists offer career opportunities nationwide. Established in xxxx, PDS has been ranked in Inc.'s xxx|xxxx list of America 's fastest-growing private companies for eight years in a row and continues to grow. PDS is founded on a core set of values that guides our daily lives, distinguishes the strength and character of our organization and directs our critical decisions. At PDS and in our supported offices, we aim to be the very best at everything we do. Fortunately, that helps us attract the very best team members – and we hope you'll be one of them.


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Moderators: Three Stars, dagny, pfim, netwolf
shafnutz05 wrote:Never, ever take Paul Martin off the 1st PP. Ever
Digitalgypsy66 wrote:Andrew McCutcheon is watching the game and Tweeting about it. Pretty cool.
malksby8771 wrote:that no goal call might have lit a spark for geno. watch out philly.
NashvilleCat wrote:That's as good as our powerplay has looked in a long time.
Users browsing this forum: BurghThing, Crashguy66, DelPen, Humperdink, lemieuxReturns, Pruezy11881, stonewizard51 and 43 guests


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New Moon Girls magazine and online is a place where girls ages eight to fourteen can connect and support each other. Each issue features poems, artwork, stories, videos, and more created by girls just like your daughter! She will enjoy reading and learning with the help of other children her age. Order your daughter's subscription to safe and educational fun by getting a discount New Moon Girls magazine today!
The creators of New Moon Girls magazine wanted to provide girls with a respectful and advertisement free environment to learn and express themselves. Each issue fully endorses this belief. This publication has even won the Parents' Choice Foundation Award seven times because of its efforts to support the well-being of young girls. Every issue of this magazine helps girls to discover their unique voices and learn to express themselves to the world.
Editorial Board
New Moon Girls magazine is unique from other children's publications in that about ninety percent of its content is from girls just like your daughter. Articles, features, and reader submissions are compiled by a group of eight to fourteen year olds for each edition after they choose that issue's theme. Your daughter will love reading and learning through the stories, poems, illustrations, and more in each issue, as well as submitting her own works.
Regular Features
While each issue has an individual theme, there are features that appear regularly in each New Moon Girls magazine. "Body Language" is one of these features and through it your daughter can learn about physical and emotional changes that occurs as she ages. Another great feature is "Women's Work." In this one, a woman with a unique career is interviewed so that your child can learn about different careers that she can have when she grows up. There are many, many more interesting and educational features that your child will love!
Provide your daughter with the opportunity to learn and share in a safe community with a discount New Moon Girls magazine subscription!


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I didn't find out about the shootings in Newtown until early Friday afternoon. I don't spend my mornings watching the news and had spent all of Friday morning playing with Alex and writing my previous post.
When Alex went down for a nap, I settled in on the couch and pulled up Twitter, looking forward to catching up with my friends & posted links. That's when I found out. Tweet after tweet expressed shock, terror, anger, and talk about mental illness, gun control…As my mind scrambled to try to figure out what had happened, Bertski started yelling and cussing, his voice angry and choked up with emotion. I ran to the room and found him staring at his computer screen, his face a mix of anger and disbelief. Following his gaze, my eyes met the headline on CNN's front page. I stared at it, unable to process what I was reading. When I did I quietly went back to the couch and started reading what was coming in about the shooting.
20 children dead. Kindergarteners. First graders. Teachers hiding their students and sacrificing their lives to save those of their students. Assault rifle. A hundred rounds of ammunition. My whole body started shaking, my heart sank, tears blurred my vision. Pain, shock, and disbelief gripped me and rendered me unable to speak. I turned to Twitter to try to express my grief, only to realize that it was too much, too triggering, to overwhelming, the arguing and hateful comments too disgusting. I turned everything off and tried to focus on cleaning my house while processing the grief slowly consuming me.
What happened in Connecticut has shaken me to my core. I'm disgusted, enraged, and mourning the loss of life and desperately wishing the families affected could experience comfort and peace in the midst of their grief. I'm horrified that such young children were subjected to such terrifying, cold-blooded violence, and feel both grateful and guilty that Brennan had a fun-filled, SAFE day at kindergarten, while the children in Newtown did not and will never have the chance to again or become the people they were destined to be…..
Over the last few days, I've read hundreds of tweets and a large amount of posts by people expressing much the same emotions I myself have been feeling. I've found solidarity and join in with those expressing outrage and asking as my friend Stephanie did: "If not now, then when?" When will we care more about the lives of our children, and human life as a whole over our "right" to own an assault rifle, or an arsenal of weapons in our homes…even if they are for hunting or so-called "protection?" When will we look at the context of the time period and intent of our forefathers when they originally wrote the second amendment and realize, that the context in which our society now lives is drastically different from the one back in the 1700's? When we will look at updating an outdated perspective?
I've also seen people discussing mental illness, both the need for better mental health care and access to it, as well as the need to "protect" ourselves from such "dangerous and unstable" individuals. "Put them away where they belong, they aren't fit to function in our society." I've seen the media and others instantly assume that mental illness was to blame for the killer's actions, even BEFORE we knew he really did have some mental problems we now know were never addressed. I've seen heated arguments about gun control, rights, and people demanding we FINALLY do something to make it so these kinds of events are less likely to occur.
So I want to take the time today to address two very important things that I think need to be thought about and acknowledged in the aftermath of this latest tragedy to rock and horrify our nation. I waffled back and forth with whether or not to say these things and make them part of the conversations we're having with each other and the questions we're asking, the arguments we're making. After some thought-provoking and civil conversations with friends who urged me to share my thoughts, I've decided to just go ahead and say somethings that I know are not going to be well-received, seriously thought about, and given validation. As I discuss the following points I beg you to not forget that I am in NO WAY diminishing or intending to trivialize what occurred in Connecticut, Wisconsin or Colorado. Bear in mind that I am just as horrified, enraged and heartbroken as you are. But please open your mind up and seriously ponder what I have to say.
First: I hate the way each time something like this happens and captures national attention, the immediate conclusion people jump to is " this is SUCH a heinous act of barbaric violence that only someone who's mentally ill could commit such a crime." Do I believe that there are some mentally ill people who become violent? Yes, definitely. However I believe that it's a small percentage and know that the majority of those living with mental illness are not violent towards others and have no intent to be. I have a mental illness and while I've tried to harm MYSELF I've NEVER thought of actually committing a violent act against another human being. So when I hear people instantly associate senseless acts of violence with mental illness, it infuriates me, because I know that doing so only perpetuates the stigma surrounding mental illness, and compromises the efforts to make mental health and the resources it so desperately needs, a priority in this country. It damages & undermines the empathy and understanding of mental illness that thousands of people are trying to advocate for in this country as well. For more thoughts on this, please read this letter from a mother whose son has a mental illness: "I am Adam Lanza's Mother."
What I do believe more is that there are some very sick bastards out there with no conscience, who for whatever reasons they deem important, senselessly embark on killing sprees-either for fun, some kind of glory, revenge, or to send some kind of message they can't communicate in another form or fashion. I think instantly labeling such people as mentally ill, especially before it's even been verified, is not only sensationalistic in regards to the media, but also dangerous because it gives these killers a subtle immunity if you will from the justice system and public opinion. It gives these killers the opportunity to capitalize off of the insanity defense and increases the chances they will be institutionalized in an understaffed or funded mental health facility instead of in jail or on death row where they belong in my opinion. So, I firmly believe we need to be very careful about automatically associating mental illness with violence.
Second: This is going to be very hard for the majority of you to swallow and I'll be honest and let you know it's as equally difficult for me to say, because I know that when you force people to confront harsh realities outside of the bubbles they live in, their first reaction is a visceral one; they instantly get defensive and reject what's being presented because really listening to and acknowledging what's challenging their belief and world view requires asking themselves some rather uncomfortable and tough questions. I know, because I've experienced it myself, several times, especially within the past year and a half. I also know what I'm going to say will be met with a " this is NOT about race, race doesn't play a part in these tragedies, and you can't compare this to what has just happened." But I'm here to say that whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, race DOES play a role when it comes to violence and how we respond to it in this country. Socioeconomics also plays a role, but they really just intersect and sometimes overlap each other so I'm making these points understanding this fact.
Let me be honest and say that as senseless and horrific as what happened in Newtown is, and as heartbroken as I am over the loss of life, I'm also very aware that this kind of violence occurs EVERY day in minority & poverty-stricken communities and receives very little, if any, attention either on a state or national level. When senseless violence rocks these communities, no one in the media EVER instantly considers mental illness as a contributing factor, or as an explanation as to why someone decided to go on a killing spree. There are no "we need to ACT NOW and demand our elected officials to make access to weapons more difficult. This is UNACCEPTABLE!" expressions of outrage-at least not on a national level.
I also know that if there is any outcry or demands for change from citizens in these communities those cries for justice and real change are often ignored, stifled, and stalled by politicians who care more about advancing their own "more important" agendas than getting their hands dirty and dealing with the complicated and messy reality of life in urban areas.
You're going to hate me for saying this but do I believe the reasons for the lack of attention and demand for change are steeped in racial bias? Yes, you're damn right I do. I know it is, because I've witnessed and have family members who have lived it, pushed and argued for change, for help, and been ignored or beaten down by a system designed to stay broken instead of fix the problems. Now I know and have spoken over the years to lots of white friends, co-workers, classmates, etc who adamantly and even vehemently claim that what happens daily in the inner city is not on the same level as what happens in communities that don't experience violence everyday. I've even had heard white people during class discussions on violence and race say that it's not as serious of a problem because it's "expected" to happen in urban communities, because "that's just their way of life. That's the ghetto. Those people choose to live that way instead of choosing to live the right way."
My response to this bullshit (and yes, racist) argument? Tell it to the thousands of families that are slaughtered on a regular basis, in cold blood. Tell it to the thousands of school children who are shot and killed in school, walking home from school or while they are outside playing because one of their relatives had a "beef" with someone and that person decided the only way to handle being "disrespected" was to kill everyone attached to the person who supposedly wronged them.; to "send a message." Tell it to the families of those who are killed on street corners and the front steps of their homes…to the parents of children whose throats have been slashed and bodies thrown away in a dumpster.
Perfect examples of cities with this level of everyday crime are Chicago, Philadelphia, and Camden, NJ, a city that can't afford to pay their police force so they've laid them off. The crime and violence in Camden is so vile, that the city council has given up and reached out to the state and federal government for help. Are they getting it? Not enough to solve the crisis happening there. In Philadelphia where my mom is a school administrator in charge of dealing with students who have violated the district's "zero tolerance" policy, kindergarten-second grade students are constantly being brought into her office because a knife or gun was found in their book bag. One six-year-old girl told my mother she took the pistol from where her mother stored it because she wanted something to defend herself if something happened while she walked to and from school. She was terrified of that daily journey. 4 days later, after being in my mother's office, she was found dead in an alley down the street from her home with her backpack still on. Was there an outcry then? A demand for stricter gun control laws and a more threatening police presence? No. Why? Because it's an everyday occurrence. It's "expected" so "there's not a whole lot that can be done to fix it." Too much politics, too much bureaucracy, not enough REAL action or solutions being implemented. Murders in inner cities happen because that's what "we" do. It's normal. So we just "deal" with it as a way of life.
So what's my point?
- That when things like what happened in Newtown occur, the immediate response and assumption by the media and public is 1) if the killer is white, he probably acted so violently because he's mentally ill, and didn't get the adequate mental health care that could've prevented his violent actions. When it's a white man committing these kinds of horrifying crimes, the media and police work overtime to snuff out and explain his motives for doing so. If he has an illness, then that almost gives people some kind of…I don't know what the right word is, but it gives them something to partially explain away his behavior. "Of COURSE he did this because he's mentally ill and unstable." Me personally, my first response is that he must be some kind of vengeful son a bitch who decided for whatever sick & twisted reason that his relatives and the KINDERGARTENERS he didn't even know deserved to feel his wrath.
- There is never any national attention, sensationalism, outrage and calls for more restrictive gun control laws unless something this violent and senseless occurs in a predominantly white, suburban community where exposure to violence is not an everyday reality its citizens have to live with. It's not "real" or worth addressing until it happens in their backyards and touches them, and then there is outrage, there are vigils, there are relief funds, there is mourning. And guess what? There damn well should be. Yes- we need to stop and mourn the lives of those innocent children who died way too young & were robbed of becoming who they were destined to be. Yes, we need to help their families recover and offer them whatever they need to make it through this. Yes, we need to honor those who gave their lives to save others. Yes, we need to help the children who witnessed this unbelievable horror who will forever be traumatized and most likely develop PTSD as a result. But we should be doing the same for those who endure this everyday in communities deemed as lost causes. We need to be just as outraged, just as saddened, just as heartbroken, and just as vocal for the forgotten and broken down communities who don't have enough voices to speak & fight for them-for their children. They are American citizens too and their kids are America's children too. The fact that we only cry out for some and not others disgusts me just as much as the violence in Wisconsin, Colorado and now Connecticut.
Also? In President Obama's address to the nation on what happened in Newtown, he said we need to quit with the bullshit politics and get real about fixing this problem, "whether its at a temple in Wisconsin, a movie theater in Colorado, an elementary school in Connecticut, or a street corner in Chicago." Guess what? That was the FIRST time in my ADULT life I have ever heard an elected official in high office put the violence that happens everyday in urban communities on the same level as the violence that occurs in predominantly white communities and say we it's past time we deal with this shit.
We need to focus on mental health care in this country. We need to pressure our elected officials to change our gun control laws. But while we're focused on addressing the immediate needs in the aftermath of what happened in Newtown, we need to think long-term and look within to have a much larger conversation on the racial, and socioeconomic issues that breed violence period. We need to confront ourselves and get real about getting to the real roots of these problems. We need to change the way we teach our children about differences and tolerance of those who are different from them. We need to level the playing field for everyone, no matter what race, creed or sexual orientation. Until we do, the governing systems and climate of our culture will continue to be unbalanced, riddled with double standards, and experience the heavily resistant movement toward the "post racial/post modern" society we mistakenly claim to already be.
After I published this post yesterday, I came across an essay today expressing & expounding brilliantly on what I talked about here. It helped me feel proud for sharing my thoughts and it was gratifying to read someone else sharing similar thoughts. It was written by Tim Wise, a noted author & speaker on race relations and white privilege: "Race, Class, Violence, and Denial: Mass Murder and the Pathologies of Privilege." I've been an avid reader of his writing and perspective for close to a year now-I highly recommend taking some time to read and reflect on what he presents in his other essays.


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Wait, if the beer is great, then the name couldn't be pretentious!
I like La Folie but it's not my favorite sour. It's more acetic than I prefer but I've come to like it a lot more than I did the first time I drank it. Sadly, the price has gone up faster than my enjoyment of the beer. It used to sell for $6-8 for a bomber and now it sells for about twice that.
And Le Terrior is another good one - showed that you really can dry hop a sour!
It's a bit too sour for me, but I do think it is a matter of personal taste. I don't care for my sours to be salad dressing material. . But others seem to like them very sour.


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ADT Unlocks the Power of Home Security
ADT Unlocks the Power of Home Security
BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ADT is introducing its latest feature for its home automation solution ADT Pulse® - remote door locks, putting a "master key" at consumers' fingertips. ADT Pulse users will now be able to lock or unlock any door in their home using their tablet, smartphone, or the computer on their desk. ADT spent more than a year testing the quality and speed of its remote door locks, ensuring the delivery of a fast, reliable product for its 6.4 million customers. Remote locking is the latest feature to be added to the groundbreaking ADT Pulse system. Already, ADT Pulse users can remotely arm and disarm their security systems; access real time video of their premises; manage their energy consumption by controlling thermostats, small appliances and lights from any web-enabled device; and receive notifications and alerts via phone, email or text.
ADT Pulse customer Sarah Dusto1 of Frisco, Texas, says, "If I forgot to lock my door, I can lock it with the touch of a button through my phone no matter where I am. With four kids, I always have my hands full, so simply being able to unlock the front door without searching for keys makes my life a lot more convenient."
"ADT Pulse allows me to take shortcuts in my daily routine, making my life so much easier," comments ADT Pulse customer Kyle Luckie, of Leesburg, Georgia. "I can now unlock the door when a delivery person arrives with a package, and then lock the door again when the package is safe inside. Now I know my family and possessions are always secure."
Supported by Kwikset, ADT's remote door locks are easy to have installed and even easier to use. Once the locks have been installed, customers can use the ADT Pulse application for iPhone, iPad and Android to remotely lock and unlock with one touch of a button. For business travelers, this means no more keys under the doormat, and for working parents, peace of mind knowing kids can get into the house when they're home from school.
"Enabling our customers to control access to their home - from wherever they are, with the touch of a button - that's what remote door locks represent," said Tony Wells, chief marketing officer at ADT. "They also show that we understand connectivity, mobility, and the 24/7 pace of today's digital world."
For more information about remote door locks or ADT Pulse, visit www.adtpulse.com.
About ADT
The ADT Corporation (NYS: ADT) is a leading provider of electronic security, interactive home and business automation and monitoring services for residences and small businesses in the United States and Canada. ADT's broad and pioneering set of products and services, including ADT Pulse interactive home and business solutions, and home health services, meet a range of customer needs for today's active and increasingly mobile lifestyles. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, ADT helps provide peace of mind to more than six million customers, and it employs approximately 16,000 people at 200 locations. More information is available at www.adt.com.
1 Ms. Dusto was given a free ADT Pulse system as well as monitoring services.
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All In The Family...
Dennis was moved today from ICU to Medical-Surgical. He still has most of his paraphernalia attached to him, but he did leave behind the automatic blood pressure cuff and the sensors that had been attached to his chest.
Tomorrow, they will start having him sit up a little, first on the edge of the bed and then on a chair. His ribs are really sore, so that won't be much fun for him.
I came home for a couple of hours in the afternoon and they moved him during that time. When Isaac and I came back, Dennis was in the new room and had already had three visitors and a phone call. He was tired from the move and the conversation, so we left at about 7:00 p.m. so he could sleep.


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Mining brings no prosperity to communities: report
Coal mining and poor communities go hand in hand in New Zealand, according to new research by the Coal Action Network Aotearoa.
New Zealand's coal mining communities generally have fewer full time jobs and lower per capita income than their surrounding region or district, says the new research, in the network's "Jobs After Coal" report released today.
The report outlines ways in which communities can transition away from coal to new sources of prosperity and jobs as international markets and climate change concerns lead the phase out of coal.
"Coal is a boom and bust industry. When the bust comes, coal mining communities have been left with no support – except for plans for more boom and bust coal mines," said one of the report's lead authors, Jeanette Fitzsimons.
"Our research shows there are only 1259 jobs in coal mining in New Zealand. The Government continues to go on about the need for coal mining jobs, pushing coal as a job creator, yet it barely blinks at the nearly 40,000 jobs lost in manufacturing in the five years to 2012."
Plummeting coal prices caused by an oversupply in the market, along with China's moves to shut steel mills and move to recycling scrap metal, meant that the New Zealand coal industry was unlikely to recover any time soon.
"Talk of a carbon bubble is now gaining traction as people begin to understand the idea that we have only a small 'budget' of carbon we can afford to emit to keep global warming below two degrees C.
"Coal is a sunset industry, and fossil fuel investments will be left as stranded assets. Indeed, we could pretty much consider Solid Energy as a 'stranded asset' these days, with banks forced to back a company that will continue to fail under the ongoing 'perfect storm' of low prices and the high dollar."
Jobs After Coal sets out many alternatives to mining, especially in renewable energy and an expanded use of wood. Mining skills are applicable over a wide range of different industries. However, this transition will not happen without. planning, leadership, resources, and involvement of the whole community.
"We have to draw a line in the sand for the end of coal in New Zealand, then plan for the day that this happens. Involve the whole community and plan a transition that doesn't dump people out of jobs overnight like the coal industry has done in recent years."
"The sooner we prepare for a future where mining towns can determine their own paths without dependence on the vagaries of a dying industry, the better."
Previous page: Current Events


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Monday Results (ABC carried NFL football in Boston and CBS carried the game in Houston):
"The Voice" improved on its 8-9 p.m. hour of the previous week (3.8 vs. 3.7) and from the comparable episode of the prior cycle (3.8 vs. 3.5 on May 7 from 8-9).
"The Voice" is #1 for the night in total viewers on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.
* From 8-9:01 p.m. ET, "The Voice" (3.8 rating, 10 share in adults 18-49, 12.2 million viewers overall) won the 8-9 p.m. ET hour among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49 and is up versus 8-9 p.m. results for the prior week (3.7) and the comparable episode of the prior "Voice" cycle (3.5 that hour on May 7). "The Voice" was the #1 show of the night on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in total viewers. From its first half-hour to its second, "The Voice" grew in all key ratings categories.
* From 9:01-10:01 p.m. ET, the premiere of "Take It All" (2.2 rating, 5 share in adults 18-49, 7.2 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in the time period among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49 and total viewers ahead of Fox's "American Country Awards" (1.5/4 in 18-49, 5.4 million viewers overall in that hour) and ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (1.5/4 in 18-49, 5.7 million viewers overall). "Take It All" out-rated the hour's Fox and ABC competition in all other key ratings categories.
* At 10:01 p.m. ET, "Michael Bublé: Home for the Holidays" averaged a 1.4/4 in adults 18-49 and 5.8 million viewers overall, and ranked #2 among ABC, CBS and NBC in the hour in adults 18-49, adults 18-34 and other key demos. "Michael Bublé: Home for the Holidays" is up 13 percent versus NBC's average in the time period last season in total viewers (5.752 million vs. 5.106 million).
In Late-Night Metered Markets Monday night:
* In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4.
* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 0.8/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.
* At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).
* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.
NOTE: All ratings are "live plus same day" from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise indicated. Season figures are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day."


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I think Jasper tells Bella that they're going hunting, winks, and jumps down from her windowsill. Or something like that. I'm too lazy to search through BD at the moment.BlueStarlight wrote:I imagine Edward was very anxious during his "bachelor party." I thought he told Bella that they were just going to hunt... my copy of BD is lent-out, so I can't check to see if that's what they did.
And, since she's been so neglected, I think I'd like to see Esme's point of view. But when? Hmm.. Well, the baseball game, for one. I think I'd also like to see Esme's point of view at Edward and Bella's wedding, Bella's brithday, when she and Edward tell her that she's using her birthday present, when everyone returns from AZ, and *thinks really hard* after the almost fight with the Volturi.
I love Esme. She's really neglected. =(


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Kitchen Renovation Inspiration: Colorful Cabinets
Kitchen cabinetry is no longer restricted to plain black and white or natural wood. We have been inspired by two-tone cabinets, colorful kitchen islands, and cabinet interiors painted in bright hues, but these kitchens go bold with all over color.
1. Citrus yellow cabinets with concrete worktops in a modern South African abode. From House to Home.
2. Cheerful chartreuse cabinets. From Better Homes and Gardens.
3. An all over teal color wash sparkles in a high gloss finish. From Country Living.
4. A bright and happy LA kitchen inspired by the sunny weather of California. From Elizabeth and David's Home.
5. A bold butler's pantry in chartreuse. From House Beautiful.
6. Cameron Diaz's emerald kitchen is a Kelly Wearstler designed jewel box. From Elle Decor.
7. Red cabinets are made modern with sleek subway tile and soapstone countertops. From HGTV.
8. Benjamin Moore's Hemlock brightens up a small kitchen by catching light. From House Beautiful.
9. Bold navy blue is lightened up with open shelving. From Better Homes and Gardens.
10. This year's hottest pastel color is the perfect match for a country kitchen. From It's Your Home.


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The Economist this week has an excellent article on giving cash transfers, conditionally or unconditionally, to poor people to alleviate their poverty. Calling it "possibly the single best piece of journalism on cash transfers that I've seen so far," Chris Blattman—one of the scholars whose research has provided grist for this mill—laments that such writing "tends to make the Pulitzer committee fall asleep in bed." Maybe so, but the idea is potentially transformative.
That cash conditional on sending your children to school or taking them for a medical checkup improves health and education outcomes has been established for some time now. More recently, some studies show that unconditional cash transfers could have the same effect. Chris's work demonstrates that giving cash to idle young people leads to higher business earnings than if the money were used to run vocational training courses for these people.
In parallel, Todd Moss at the Center for Global Development and my colleague Marcelo Giugale and I (along with several others) have been exploring the idea of transferring oil revenues to citizens as cash transfers, as a way of reducing the resource curse that afflicts many resource-rich countries, especially in Africa. Gabon for instance, with a per-capital income of $10,000 has the second-lowest child immunization rate in Africa. Marcelo and I show that, with just 10 percent of resource revenues' being transferred directly to citizens (in equal amounts), poverty can largely be eliminated in the smaller resource-rich African countries.
Furthermore, the technology for making transfers has improved significantly. Alan Gelb and Julia Clark show that biometric ID cards can be had for a few dollars each. The Indian government is rolling these out to its 1.2 billion citizens (about 300 million already have them). With these cards, cash can be transferred electronically and, possibly, through mobile phones. Not surprisingly, there is a lively discussion in India of replacing its poorly-targeted and inefficient subsidies with cash transfers.
Up to now, criticisms of the idea of cash transfers has been that poor people will waste the money on alcohol or tobacco, rather than using it to educate their children or start a business. [When I presented the idea in South Sudan, I was told that "people will use the money to take another wife (sic)."] The research largely counters this criticism. But the debate misses another important aspect of replacing traditional public expenditures, such as free schools and clinics, and subsidized energy, water, and food with cash transfers. It shifts the accountability for these services to the government. When governments provide free or subsidized goods and services, poor people have little choice but to consume what is provided. Often, the quality or even access is poor. But when they are given cash with which to "buy" these services, poor people can demand quality—and the provider must meet it or he won't get paid. As a farmer in Andhra Pradesh, India, after subsidized water was replaced with full-cost pricing, put it, "We will never again allow the government to give us free water."
Likewise, in resource-rich countries, the oil revenues go directly from the oil company to the government without passing through the hands of citizens. As a result, citizens may not know how much revenues there are and, worse, may not have as much incentive to scrutinize government spending, because they don't think of it as "their money" (even though it is). With cash transfers, citizens will at least know something about the size of the revenues and, possibly, have greater incentive to scrutinize how it is being spent.
The criticism of cash transfers—which usually comes from senior government officials--may have less to do with a concern that the money will be misspent and more with the loss of discretion in government spending. Put another way, cash transfers have the potential to shift not just poverty-reducing policies but also the balance of power between government and its citizens, in favor of the latter.
Excellent article!! Let's
Excellent article!! Let's make it happen as soon as possible---Now! Get cash from mineral revenues directly into the ands of the citizens.
This makes sense. Perhaps a
This makes sense. Perhaps a pilot project in Detroit or the South Bronx should be undertaken.
Good idea. The next phase
Good idea. The next phase would be to explore posibilities of giving to urban poor lather that subsidizing the rich in the water sector. Although politically it sounds very good by starting that you will not band of water tariff, the poor ends up paying more especially if get water from water vendors.
Shanta,I fully agree with you
Shanta,I fully agree with you!! This will also help reduce corruption and improve governance. Not surprisingly, governments of resource rich countries would prefer status quo because it lets them off the hook of accountability. It also makes them principals instead of agents of the people. May be the Alaska formular can also be considered.
Olu, thanks for the comment.
Olu, thanks for the comment. I'm glad you agree. I wonder if we can implement an oil-to-cash scheme in your country. There will be plenty of opposition from those in government, but it could also be popular among the public. In Venezuela, the opposition adopted such a platform as part of its political campaign. Best regards, Shanta
Great idea, as always. How I
Great idea, as always. How I wish you were still in our region!!! We could have easilly organized a multi-country study on the benefits and cost of Rent-to-cash schemes for resource rich heterogenous African countries!!
I think this Economist
I think this Economist article is getting way overblown. The project that Blattman evaluated wasn't just a cash transfer, but included training and facilitation to help groups of young people get together and write proposals for funding. There's no evidence to suggest that young people would spontaneously get together if they were just given cash. Overall the evidence that cash transfers (or other purely demand-side programs) alone improve high level health and education outcomes (e.g. Reduced Maternal mortality) is spotty.
Is there any evidence that conditional or unconditional cash transfer programs improve the quality of basic services through the mechanism that you suggest? The most successful cash transfers in Latin America occurred after decades of public investment in public schools and clinics. In poor, rural areas (like those in Indonesia) where service utilization tends to be low, there are often no alternatives to the run down public school or clinic. Do private markets for basic services spontaneously emerge in the wake of cash transfers? Seems to me that the best policy is to combine with supply-side strengthening programs.
Rob, thanks for your probing
Rob, thanks for your probing questions and comments. On the Blattman et al. study, the training and facilitation in getting together was given to all groups, but only a random sample of these groups were given the money. In other words, the control group also received training, so it was the cash and not the training that explained the difference between the treatment group and the control group. [They note that having to prepare a proposal may have served as a commitment device]. Furthermore, having received the money, the treatment group spent only a small part of the grant on further skills training, and most of it in tools and materials.
On your question about supply-side responses to demand-strengthening programs, there is now quite a bit of evidence on the effects of school vouchers in poor areas. In places as diverse as the slums of Bogota, Colombia (Angrist et al., American Economic Review, 2002) and rural Bangladesh (the Female Secondary School Assistance Program), these have been shown to increase the quantity and quality of education. Perhaps the most compelling evidence is the proliferation of low-cost private schools in many developing countries (India, Pakistan, South Africa, etc.). If the private sector responds without there being cash transfers, think how much more it will respond with such transfers. I am not too optimistic about "combining [cash transfers] with supply-side strengthening programs," however. The reason we are advocating cash transfers is that the government's supply interventions are not working (witness teacher absenteeism, lack of materials, etc.) Indeed, this is why low-cost private schools are cropping up. If the government was failing to provide these services to begin with, why do we think a program to strengthen them will now succeed?
Best regards, Shanta
Excellent article. Shanta,
Excellent article. Shanta, has anyone explored the implications on inflation?
Gareth: The implications on
Gareth: The implications on inflation would be marginal because we are talking about replacing one form of public expenditures (schooling, health, subsidies) with another (cash transfers). So the fiscal deficit is unaffected. There might be some effect on the current account (and hence on the exchange rate) because of the tradable/nontradable composition of government expenditure v. private expenditure, but this effect is likely to be second-order. Shanta
I thought it was a good idea
I thought it was a good idea too but with a caveat. But there must also be some safeguards put in place. Many great ideas went wrong because new ways were created by interested parties to reap its benefits.
Chandran: This is an
Chandran: This is an extremely important point. If the elites could capture the current system, what's stopping them from capturing the new, cash transfer system? The only thing I would say is that the system of biometric ID cards, where each individual is identified by his or her iris, makes it difficult to defraud the system and claim someone else's money. But we should be vigilant. Regards, Shanta
Cash transfer as one of the
Cash transfer as one of the main tools to mitigate poverty, increase access to service and if conditional in long term change behavior, has been and will always be part of debates on Social policy. As experiences have shown the impact of it has been different in different countries this due to different factors. But what sparks my interest in this article is freedom of choice that Shanta suggest. Giving cash to citizens is giving them freedom to chose. Giving them freedom to chose will naturally nurture the skill of doing smarter choices. But "cynicism" that money will be diverted to other non priority expenditures kills the essence of empowerment and debilitate the capacity of citizens to make choices. For whatever good or bad reason, government feel safe to have more control on programming and delivering what thinks citizens should have. To prove wrong this "cynicism" and build evidence based facts to support cash transfer as positive and right based approach, I suggest that cash transfer shouldn't remain a stand alone process. Monitoring of impact of cash transfer in community level might be a good tool to understand how cash is been spend by a family, how much has improved its economical condition, nutrition intake, life quality and so forth. Education, promotion, training, parenting guidance could be some of community programme which can help citizens to improve their knowledge, education, and increase capacities in better decision making and better citizenship.
Erinda: Thank you for your
Erinda: Thank you for your thoughtful comment. The question you ask, how people spend their cash transfers, is exactly the one that the many impact evaluations of these schemes attempt to answer. For example, the study by Berk Ozler and colleagues (cited in my blog post) shows that, in Malawi, there were fewer teen pregnancies among those who received unconditional cash transfers or UCTs (compared with those who received conditional cash transfers [CTs], where the condition was staying in school). Even though there was a higher dropout rate among those receiving UCTs, the cash appears to have enabled them to prevent early pregnancy. More generally, the vast literature on how people spend cash transfers indicates that they do so in a manner that those giving the transfers would approve of. So the main argument for conditional cash transfers is political: Rich people are more likely to vote for cash transfers to the poor if they think that it will be used to send children to school and clinics and thereby build the next generation. Shanta
The Economist article does a
The Economist article does a service by opening a crucial debate and underscoring principles and realities that are sometimes forgotten when development interventions are designed. The discussion can also spur us all to think (and act) more creatively and resolutely to maintain a couple of key principles: first is the utmost importance of agency and individual/local knowledge; second is the device of market exchange (in well-functioning markets) for improving quality and value of services. Myths persist about the poor, farmers, women, or ethnic minorities, but the evidence from some of the evaluations discussed in the article (and its publication in a leading periodical) provides a useful corrective to those who tend to consider others' choices as irrational. While there will always be examples of people who do not always act in their long term interests or the interests of their children, by and large under the right conditions people can be trusted to make decisions that improve their well being and the well being of their children -- whether it is to invest in a business, shift resources inter-generationally, or send their children to school. But the question is also those certain conditions.
To remain consistent with this principle, strict conditionality about a particular outcome (say, school enrollment) -- even if more effective in achieving that outcome -- may not be appropriate. Forcing people into corner solutions is rarely optimal, and while it is difficult to argue against pre natal care, nutritional supplementation, and schooling, assuming that we "know" what is best for households and individuals who must make difficult choices with limited resources remains problematic. Rather, the goal of CTs could be to expand the choice set, offset distortions, and improve the quality of the choices available, while also transferring the means to choose among goods and services.
Although the role of experts in aid is rightly being questioned, it remains necessary to consider the underlying issues in a given "market" and whether the conditions are in place may be can also be commitment problems (i.e., in saving or investing today), collective action problems, spillovers, information failures, and other market failures that cash transfer programs may not always be useful for addressing, or which they could address if well designed. Rather than thinking in terms of "unconditional" versus "conditional" CTs, perhaps the discussion should be about the appropriate type and degree of conditionality, based on the type and severity of the "failures". In general, some degree of unconditionality seems optimal nonetheless for improving well-being (even if paired with strict conditionality in some dimension). Cash transfer programs could be, for example, designed to let people choose what mix of assets to invest in (education, training, health care, livestock, funeral bonds, etc.), while also providing the commitment device and financial means for them to better their lives -- including, perhaps, through collective action.
In this vein I wonder whether one could one use CTs as an element of a more comprehensive strategy to eliminate poverty. I do not believe that one can ignore the broader enabling conditions of an economy or governance and simply transfer cash. Is there a way to exercise some influence on these conditions as part of a broader portfolio/strategy? Could transfers of cash to the needy semi-conditionally (perhaps through grants rather than loans) provide the leverage to spur governments to change as well? (Answering this may require help from our political economist colleagues). Simply put, policy and institutional reforms are often needed to allow markets to respond (with minimal information asymmetries, public or private monopolies, etc.) to meet new demands. While market exchange can provide the accountability and disciplining device needed where public services have traditionally failed, this would not work as well where information asymmetries are important (e.g., in the quality of training or health care provided), or where basic physical security and property rights are not guaranteed -- where corruption is high, the rule of law is weak, or common property resources are being mis-appropriated. Thus, I wonder whether the CT approach can be scaled up effectively and made part of a broader strategic engagement with countries which is cross-"sectoral" and linked to improved governance.
Theresa, thank you for your
Theresa, thank you for your thoughtful comments. Just two points. First, you are right to question whether conditions actually contradict our notions of consumer sovereignty or the basic fact that parents often know what's best for their children. In fact, my friend and former colleague Lant Pritchett created a storm about a year ago when he pointed out that CCTs are actually harming families that are forced to send their kids to school, where they are often abused, because that was the only way the family could get the grant (http://blogs.worldbank.org/impactevaluations/seeing-a-child-like-a-state-holding-the-poor-accountable-for-bad-schools-guest-post-by-lant-pritchet).
Secondly, your point that CTs should be accompanied by other reforms to correct market (and government) failures is, of course, correct. But if a government has not corrected a market or government failure before, why do we think they would in the presence of CTs? Do you think the increased demand from citizens will mobilize them into action? The evidence is mixed. In fact, what we do see is a private-sector response (e.g., private schools cropping up) in response to the increased demand. My own view is that the objections to cash transfers are usually an indicator of who is earning the rents from the current system of public expenditures. So we learn a lot by proposing cash transfers and watching the debate. Once we know who is earning the rents, perhaps we have a better chance of reforming public expenditures by targeting these people and trying to reduce their rents. And public support from those receiving the cash transfers could help in this campaign. Best regards, Shanta
I agree that the key issue is
I agree that the key issue is creating stronger incentives for government responsiveness and accountability. In some contexts, it is hard to see how CCTs alone would do this. Although in your education example competition from private schools could induce some improvement in the public schools, too (depending on funding formulae for public schools, information flows, and shifting norms (?))But what if there is an effective state monopoly? Suppose for example that poor people are underserved by electricity. The government effectively refuses to raise electricity tariffs to cost recovery levels (which would also allow for future investment and expansion), because of fear of a political backlash. However, the inability of the sector to self-finance through customer charges alone impedes both accountability for improved service and expanded access. The private sector is unable to compete or expand access given existing regulatory frameworks, and may under-provide service in any case, given the inability of governments to commit to non-confiscation (where positive returns occur only years in the future and assets are immobile). This situation precludes expansion of lower cost energy to the poor, but as long as the urban middle and upper classes do not see their bills go up, and the government can blame the "independent" electricity utility for poor service quality (hamstrung as it is by government regulation), the government stays in office. The benefits of reform are indirect and will come only in the future. The poor are not an important political constituency, and transferring cash to them will not change this, with or without the electricity sector reforms. We already know who is earning the rents -- current electricity consumers, in direct proportion to their consumption. A donor seeking to help remedy the situation may opt to simply supply expensive electricity (at a high opportunity cost) through off- grid technologies. But this will have a limited sustained effect on growth and may defer needed reform. Suppose instead that the donor tries to tackle the central issue, including tariff, institutional, and regulatory reform. The government pushes back, saying that the poor cannot afford higher tariffs. Never mind that the poor lack electricity and already pay much more for energy than these tariffs (using kerosene, battery storage, etc.) Although the incidence of implicit subsidies can be pointed out to the government and its constituencies, this would not, at least immediately, alter their political calculus, because the support of the urban population is politically necessary -- as is, in some cases, the ability to appoint friends and relatives to high paying positions within the utility. The typical donor approach would be to (periodically) provide large capital construction loans in exchange for a pretense of conditionality that tariffs will be raised in the future. This has been shown time and again to be a self-defeating strategy -- political payoffs come too far in the future and political pain too soon. But would the option of cash transfers alter the political calculus? Perhaps. A transfer of cash to the poor, nominally to pay for connections and possibly electricity use itself -- and other items if they wished, could be made on a pari passu basis with progress towards reform if all sign up to a more effective commitment device. This may even include temporary transfers for the non-poor, which would decline with objective measures of improved quality or service. But as part of a larger package, with cash transfers to improve political viability, and these transfers managed by an independent payment agent entrusted with disbursing only when agreed steps have been taken, it has a chance of working. Alternatively, one can let the situation deteriorate until such time as businesses apply pressure for a fix -- but this assumes a certain political economy dynamic that may not exist either -- certainly if donors are ready to subsidize the status quo.
Theresa: The picture you
Theresa: The picture you paint is very realistic. In these circumstances, I don't think cash transfers can resolve the deep, political issues. But they could provide poor people with additional money with which to pay the (high cost) alternative energy sources, such as candle power and batteries, that you mention in your note. These are important issues that require further work. Thanks for raising them. Shanta
this is wonderful ... I like
this is wonderful ... I like one of the clarification in this article which says..
"cash transfers have
the potential to shift not just
poverty-reducing policies but also
the balance of power between
government and its citizens, in
favor of the latter."
I totally agree with the break down of the article.
George, thanks for those
George, thanks for those supportive words. I wonder if you have any examples or experience to share that illustrate the point about cash transfers empowering poor people (or subsidies and public expenditures dis empowering them). Shanta
Congratulations Mr. Devarajan
Congratulations Mr. Devarajan this excellent article.
You show that this idea is relevant in "poor" countries. In my opinion, it is also the case for so-called "rich" countries.
To speak only of Europe, I would like to report the existence of a European Citizens' Initiative for Basic Income (ECI), developed by a vast network of individuals and organizations in Europe (independent from any political party), which aim is to urge the European Commission to seriously consider the political and economic option of Basic Income .
There are still two months to get a million signatures needed. A boost from a leading economist of the World Bank would probably be a great help to show the public and policy makers that this idea is not the one of some dreamers but of people watching lucidly the changing world.
Hi Shanta,
Hi Shanta,
This is a great piece on cash transfers. Where I work, we give Gifts in Kind to beneficiaries and rightfully so, people often ask for cash instead. We have used our gifts in kind to incentivize participation in programs like immunizations, etc. which has proven somewhat successful, but of course, nothing substitutes cash. The worry we have and question I have for you is do you think cash transfers would create dependency?
Lydia: Thanks for your
Lydia: Thanks for your question. I was describing cash transfers as an alternative to other forms of aid to the poor, such as subsidies or the gifts-in-kind you describe. So we are talking about the same amount of aid being given--the only difference is how it is given, in kind or in cash. In this sense, cash transfers do not create any more dependency than other forms of aid. In fact, there is evidence (see the Blattman study mentioned in the post) that they may create less dependency because poor people have the opportunity to invest the money and improve their well-being. Regards, Shanta


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For more than 32 years, Oracle has been a technology innovator, transforming the way business is conducted. To learn about Oracle's latest technologies, visit the Innovation Showcase during the 100 days before Oracle OpenWorld. See oracle.com/innovation for more information.
Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) is the world's largest business software company. For more information about Oracle, please visit our Web site at http://www.oracle.com.
Eloy Ontiveros
Letty Ledbetter


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U.S. Growth Outlook Stuck in Neutral
With second-quarter earnings season in full swing, one thing is becoming apparent: earnings growth is weak and revenue growth is weaker, and that's a reflection of an economy that is slowing down. Ben Casselman discusses on MoneyBeat. Photo: AP.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... ay ay mm mm ... second-quarter earnings season is in full swing and one thing is quickly becoming apparent ... earnings growth is weak revenue growth is weaker and that is a reflection on the economy is slowing down ... once again disappointing the optimists who hoped ... we achieved ski velocity is today's the one story on the Wall Street Journal you can see right there on the reporter wrote ... Ben Casselman joins us this morning on MoneyBeat to talk about it ... happy Monday morning I in many migrated Wu who got the royal baby who has worked out ... that the hacking the ... UK the Holy see about what's wrong about our Proms on why it seems like every year ... in the early part of the year looks like things are going to have one ramps up the the expectations ... and then all around this time it seemed a little late this year from around the time the economy starts to support e on has recurring pattern above we think things are getting better and then they're not ... we've seen the IQ to them looking backwards now Hrithik into estimates for for GDP ... many of them now coming in below one percent and on average around one a half percent I mean that's lousy in bed to the acceleration us but the optics ... on its ... concerted thinking this is concerning behavior is resigning the GDP is under one percent for the quarter ... that the ... Fed number and is the second time in three quarter right and the problem is as we know we had it happen in the at the end of last year and we sit well with an inventory ... ships it was a little bit of aam oddity no big deal ... he wants to look better he won with a little better but in the end it didn't look a lot and I were right back here again what's what's doing this what strives for ... to some extent right they should not be a surprise is why we have weak overseas growth no surprise there the sky exporters' hit manufacturers ... we had the sequester which were starting to really feel now that was mostly EQ two story indeed the story ... and then of course we still got paid the tax increases to start the one that are still getting consumers ... to some extent we all we should of seen this coming we got a little bit blinded by some good numbers early in the one ... hand and now we're feeling the effects of my youth of our ... in its earnings season ... I mean you seen the company at the company if the numbers aren't flat the outlooks of that if the numbers ... are good this up and he is the revenue is finding the holes this morning Kimberly Clark this morning ... yet on inspiring reports really just a lots of stagnant growth ... yes I would say there have been it's been a wee seen some stronger numbers from the industrials Ryan was suggested that a bit of a strengthening in the European outlook but look nobody is suggesting that that things are taking off which again was Khona what we thought we might start it we we we start to see some real strength in the second half of the year and is not alone in a cage that no deal on very disappointing retail sales report the offer was refused to help ... he is telling us something about with the second half is going or consumer spending is going to the concern is that the consumer has really been a strong piece of the economy lately so anything that suggests that that's not happening as the real Laurie ... the thing that got me endeavors the restaurant sales were really weak and I'm kind of indication of discretionary spending ... to be clear retail sales on the whole have not been bad consumer confidence remains pretty good there's no suggestion that the piece the economy is falling off a cliff but anything that slows there is a potential profit ... and of course now we can and cannot talk about the economy how weak it is without some of that yet I how does that complicate the picture for us to complicate the picture ... for the family then break-even precautions Yelp bumbling day want to wind down QE they want the economy that they want to get out of this program they know that ultimately ... he is in his de stabilize ... will look to the markets ... for the markets The Trivandrum daughter of us ... look if ... if the growth comes in the way we think it in queue to Italy exceedingly exceedingly unlikely that then we're going to ... get the full year growth targets that the Fed had on ... does that actually mean that they're going to hold back a Ben burn Anqi was very clear last week ... that all of the market expectations the September is when the Kiwi is can a star winding down when the taper begins ... that is not set this down write this depending on what happens in the outlook ... I don't know that we've seen anything yet that is so weak so clearly ... negative and ... that that's going to change the whole direction of the Fed but they're clearly to me watching these numbers very closely over next couple of months I think hassling think you're a much coming on


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Last weekend, Illinois' surprising unbeaten start was 4.4 seconds away from running head-on into a wall.
Gardner-Webb, an opponent any Big Ten school is expected to beat at home, was up by two with the clock winding down on the strength of a banked-in 3-pointer, the kind of good-grief shot that tells the opponent it just might not be their night.
Last weekend, Illinois' surprising unbeaten start was 4.4 seconds away from running head-on into a wall.
Gardner-Webb, an opponent any Big Ten school is expected to beat at home, was up by two with the clock winding down on the strength of a banked-in 3-pointer, the kind of good-grief shot that tells the opponent it just might not be their night.
A season ago, Illinois probably would have cracked under that pressure. That team — essentially the same group of players — lost 12 of its last 14, missed the NCAA tournament and saw its coach fired.
Not this time.
Senior forward Tyler Griffey, just a minute or so removed from a bad miss that could have drained his confidence, buried a long 3 for the win.
The Illini (8-0) woke up the next day ranked 22nd in the country. So far they've won the Maui Invitational title, blowing out Butler in the championship, and are averaging 11 3-pointers a game. That's more than any team in the country, and this start is more than anyone expected after the big collapse.
What turned last year's fragile team into this tough, hot-shooting bunch? Some point to the energetic, relentlessly upbeat new coach, John Groce.
"He's a really, really positive guy, and I think his team feeds off of it," said Gardner-Webb coach Chris Holtmann, who was a member of Groce's staff at Ohio and both played in the early 1990s at tiny Taylor University in Indiana. "His kids are going to play with great confidence, they're going to play really loose and aggressive, they're going to be in attack mode."
Griffey, a 6-8 forward who has struggled the past three seasons to win and keep a place in the team, agrees.
"Positive encouragement goes a really long way," he said. "He is very big on that."
Teammate Brandon Paul, another senior and a big reason Illinois is hitting all those 3-pointers, says last season's long, slow demolition is playing a role, too.
"We've been through a lot here. We have toughness in us and that allows us to finish games," said Paul, who is averaging a team-leading 18.3 points per game and has hit 22 of his 53 3-pointers.
A 15-3 start last season included wins over two ranked teams, Gonzaga and Ohio State. But Illinois then had a head-scratching loss to Penn State, a defeat that started something rolling downhill that neither the players nor coach Bruce Weber could stop. Weber lost his job and Groce — after at least two higher-profile coaches said no — was hired.
Groce has gone to great lengths to say he won't judge these players by that collapse. But he believes that what they went through is a source of strength.
"They've seen so much, these guys," he said.
If Weber was the good-guy coach who slowly lost the team, Groce is the energetic newcomer who came to town to help them pick themselves up again. It isn't just the positive approach, the players say. Groce says he's tough on them, particularly Paul, when he needs to be.
"I was on him in the film session now. I mean, I was on him," Groce said. "And that sends a message to the other guys — 'Whoa, like man, he's going at him, man, everybody's held accountable around here.' "
Paul and others say they enjoy the up-tempo style Groce preaches, too. He encourages them to push the ball up the floor, to take shots — a bunch of them, even if they miss.
D.J. Richardson, another senior guard who is the team's leading rebounder and a hard worker on defense, has launched 62 3s, almost eight a game. Paul is averaging almost seven 3-point attempts a game.
"I just feel like in this offense, it fits my game a lot more than the past offenses have," Paul said. "I think everyone has the confidence to play the game."
Even at 8-0, though, everything isn't perfect.
Tracy Abrams, the sophomore point guard who Groce figures will run his offense, is struggling and has been on the bench when the last two games were on the line. Paul, for the most part, has had the ball in his absence with super-sub Joseph Bertrand taking Abrams' spot in the lineup.
The Illini are also weak inside. They have been outrebounded even in two of their biggest wins, over Butler and a comeback over Hawaii. While scoring 79.5 a game, they're getting just 26 of those in the paint.
And the schedule hasn't included a ranked team yet. That'll come soon, with No. 12 Gonzaga on Dec. 8, No. 16 Missouri on Dec. 22 and Big Ten play to follow. Five other conference teams are in the Top 25, including No. 1 Indiana and two others in the top five.
What happens if long jumpers stop falling, the way they did last season?
Groce says he's working on the answer, starting with better rebounding. He says that's at the top of a long list of things he needs to address in practice, something the Illini haven't had enough time for with their hectic early schedule. Not many teams have played anything close to eight games so far.
And Groce says he's not reading much into the early success or the ranking.
"What's it mean in terms of the long-term mission that we're on to try to be the best basketball team that we can be in February and March?" he asked. "Not a whole lot."
Follow David Mercer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidmercerap


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Free-to-Play Company of Heroes Online Beta Shutting Down March 31
Revealed on the game's site, Relic notes that following the beta's closure it will have to "evaluate the next steps for the Company of Heroes series." The beta will close in both North America and Asian territories.
Reaction to the news has a mixed bag of users unclear as to whether the game has been completely canceled and those who are angry for being "duped." According to a forum post on August 30, Relic told users it did not plan to execute a database wipe between the open beta and the full launch window, saving users from losing their progress during the test. Now, according to replies from the company in the game's forum, Relic has confirmed all statistics will be removed.
"We believed that this was the case at the time," Relic's Associate Online Community Specialist Jeffrey Simpson wrote in response to the news of a stat wipe and accusation the developer had lied to its users. "Nobody has lied here," he added. It's possible the stat wipe is an indication that the game will not see an official launch; however, at this time that is only speculation.
The fate of Company of Heroes Online is still in the air; however, with THQ's quarterly financial results planned for release today, it's possible the publisher will reveal the future of the franchise.
Those participating in the beta are no longer able to purchase in-game cash but can use previously acquired COHO bucks until the end of the beta. Retail cash cards can be redeemed and used until March 1, Relic said. As an offer (or perhaps an olive branch to fans) to registered users, Relic is offering the Company of Heroes: Gold Edition for $4.99.
A Company of Heroes Online closed beta first launched last summer before moving to an open beta in September. Before the announcement of closure, Relic had been updating the game on a regular basis including new content last week.
Speaking with Big Download, a THQ representative said he was not aware of any job losses hitting Relic due to the beta's closure.
I really liked COHO and am sad about this news (two rank 47 commanders, lots of level 5 heroes, purple items, $10 in coho cash down the drain)...
but I will be happy as long as they do SOMETHING to keep company of heroes going, and announce it SOON.
It's by far my favourite online strategy game. No other RTS gives me the same spectacle, adrenalin and sense of satisfaction.


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From hotels to ballrooms, racquet clubs to elegant manors, Houston has its fair share of breathtaking wedding and reception locations
read more
Men's formalwear and formal accessories; the perfect match for your wedding dress and your bridesmaids' dresses. Custom tuxedos, pocket squares, slider ties, bow-ties, vests, tuxedo ties, custom cravats, neck ties, cufflinks, and much more.
We have the largest selection in Tuxedos, and a full line of formal wear accessories specialties. Quick Fix Formal Wear conveniently serves Downtown, Midtown, Montrose and surrounding Houston areas.
Gorman's Cleaners has been offering museum quality cleaning and heirlooming for over 55 years.
Give your wedding gown a life-giving treatment that can preserve your heirlooms for future generations. Entrust them to us for the ultimate in care – cleaning, treating and protective packaging.
We offer tuxedo rentals in a large range of styles, whether you prefer more traditional tuxedos or more trendy you'll find your look at Ortiz Formal Wear.We carry the largest selection of in stock tuxedo rentals, bowties, vests, shirts and shoes in Southeast TX.
Whether you visit us in-store or use our online tools, we have expertise that can help you create the perfect look for your big day.
We often say that we aren't just preserving a customer's garment, we're preserving a memory.
Celebrate your wedding in style, with your formal wear from Royal Tuxedo!
Our beautiful store has been serving the Celtic community of Central Texas since 1997, and features some of the finest Celtic products.
Let Tuxedo Junction help you bring your dream wedding to life.
For the gentlemen in your wedding party, we carry two full lines of tuxedos from which to choose.
This is the most important gown in your life. Preserve it in the hope that it will someday be worn again..either to repeat your vows or by a future family member.
Peerless has the staff, training and expertise to take care of all your dry cleaning and laundry needs.
We offer tuxedo sales and rentals for all your wedding needs.
From everyday wear, to designer business suits, to formal gowns, Pilgrim provides highly skilled professionals to do the job right. Pilgrim also does wedding gown heir looming.
It's your Wedding Gown, so the choice is simple. Only the very best will do. You may choose Museum Hanging Method, or Museum Quality Boxed Application.
Travel to your wedding in style with the latest designer fashions from Rex Formal Wear.
Imagine the look on his face when he opens up that special pair of cufflinks that you picked out for him. He will be amazed at the quality and you will be happy with the price you paid.
We provide a free groom's tuxedo for your wedding party. Our wedding professionals will be looking forward to making sure that your special day exceeds your standards.
Your wedding gown is one of your most precious possessions. Proper care will be given to your wedding gown in cleaning it in preparation for your wedding.
From formal business events to social functions, we have a huge inventory of stylish tuxedos suitable for every occasion.
Whether your special event is a prom, wedding or any other formal event we are sure to have the look and style to suit your every need.
Professional dry cleaning involves many different operations, all performed by our skilled employees, and designed to make your garments fresh and clean.
You have a wedding gown or special garment that needs to be preserved and heir loomed? You have come to the right place.


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All content © Copyright 2000 - 2018 KUAM. All Rights Reserved. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service, and Ad Choices.
Serves 4
- 1 chayote squash, cut into ½-inch cubes and brushed lightly with olive oil*
- 1 16-oz. package of frozen carrot coins
- 1 teaspoon (2 cloves) garlic, minced
- 1 16-oz. can low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 16-oz. can evaporated skim milk
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Roast squash in a preheated 400 F oven for 30 minutes, or until the cubes start to blacken around the edges. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a medium pot on medium-low heat, steam carrots according to package directions. Transfer cooked carrots to a blender, and add garlic and chicken broth. Puree the mixture until smooth, and then return it to the pot and turn the heat on low. Stir in the milk and the pepper, and bring the soup to a simmer. Ladle the soup into bowls. For garnish, add a spoonful of roasted chayote squash to the center of each bowl.
*Chayote squash is pale green and firm, with a mild white flesh. If you cannot find it, a summer squash such as pattypan or yellow zucchini would be a good substitution.
Nutritional analysis: Calories: 171 Kcal, Fat: 1.9 g, Cholesterol: 6.5 mg, Fiber: 3.2 g, Sodium: 269 mg, % Calories form Fat: 10%
Courtesy of www.5aday.com
*DISCLAIMER*: The information contained in or provided through this site section is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be and is not a substitute for professional advice. Use of this site section and any information contained on or provided through this site section is at your own risk and any information contained on or provided through this site section is provided on an "as is" basis without any representations or warranties.


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Customer Service
Choosing Safe Cleaning/Deodorizing Products
If you think about it, it's easy to understand how your ferret's health is closely related to the cleanliness of his cage. For example, ferrets use the litter box several times a day. If waste is allowed to build up in the cage, it can quickly create unsanitary conditions. Ferrets will often go outside the litter box if it is too full, which can contaminate food and water or soil bedding. If the odor is strong for you, think how much stronger it is to a ferret with their keen sense of smell. Now imagine living surrounded by such a strong odor - it would be as though your living room was in the middle of a landfill.
However, as important as it is to your ferret's health to clean the cage regularly, it's also important to consider the cleaners that you're using. It's important to choose ferret-safe products to clean the cage and to use them as directed. Additionally, many of these cleaning products will help. With common sense and an established cleaning routine, you can keep your ferret's cage sanitary and provide him with the safest of living conditions.
Some effective, ferret-safe deodorizing products include:
The following is a typical cleaning schedule, and you can use it as a foundation for your own cleaning schedule. The number of ferrets you have will affect how often you need to do the following tasks. Those owners with three or more ferrets may find that they need to clean more regularly.
Whenever you clean any part of your ferret's cage or a cage accessory, be sure to rinse it completely! Dry soap or cleaning product residue can be harmful to your ferret if the instructions don't specifically say to allow the product to dry on the item being cleaned.
When you are cleaning your ferret's cage, remove your ferret. Allow the cage to dry completely before allowing the ferret back inside. We recommend that you put your ferret in another room, an exercise pen, or a traveling cage while you are cleaning. Aside from being safer for him, this will also make cleaning much easier for you!
Other Products You Can Use to Control Odors
The products listed below aren't cleaning products, but they can help to reduce odor. These ferret deodorizing sprays, waste deodorizers and other items will help to keep him smelling sweet.


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Sunday, November 06, 2011
8 comments:
My pumpkin won! I am so happy!
I am sad that this might be the last contest. I enjoyed entering every year.
- November 06, 2011 1:50 PM
OH MY GOSH... OH MY GOSH... OH MY GOOOOOSH...I'm so grateful! Thank you so much for such an honor :D Heather told me I won and I stumbled to my computer to check if I did and I nearly died in the process since I'm working on another costume right now and was wearing a high heel boot on one foot and not the other. I find it Ironic that my word verification is hapalli...whick sounds like Happily...and I am very Happy.
- November 06, 2011 2:48 PM
Aww, this is your last costume contest? Such a bummer, I always look forward to seeing all of the entries! D:
Hope all of the projects you're working on remain successful for you both :]
I know Veve really wanted to enter her Alejandro costume since last year. She literally finished her outfit right after she made mine && barely missed the deadline. So congrats to her && to the Cody Jack-O-Latern!
Big congrats to everyone that entered! There were really cool entries this year, I just wish there were more! <3
- November 06, 2011 5:54 PM
Why is this going to probably be the last contest?
- November 19, 2011 4:10 PM
- u813247 said...
I'm not sure if my previous message was sent, so here I go again: If this is going to be the last Halloween contest, that's too bad, but even without prizes I hope you keep the tradition of receiving and publishing pumpkins and costumes photos.
On the other side, I showed you already a Flash animation by a young and talented Argentinian artist, and here she comes back with another wonderful job that I'd like you to check it: http://mechathefox.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d4gzrpl
- November 27, 2011 4:19 PM
good job when does total drama revenge of the island come to tvs?
- December 02, 2011 8:59 AM
Ok I have two questions.
1.Is there ever going to be another post on here or are you just starting to post less or are you taking a break and why?
2.When is season 4 premiereing? Will it ever premeire?
- December 21, 2011 11:29 PM
Owen/Geoff is kind of cute...
- December 22, 2011 7:24 PM