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Nexon Korea's union holds rally to demand job security
James Brightman
With around 100 workers currently on standby after Nexon suspended four projects, the union held a demonstration earlier this week.
Nexon's labor union this week called on the Korean games company to guarantee employees' job security. As reported by the Korea IT Times (h/t GamesIndustry.biz), more than 600 unionized Nexon workers gathered outside the office building on September 3 to voice concerns about possible restructuring following the failed sale of the firm this year. Nexon was reportedly on track for a sale worth around $9 billion, but management ultimately canceled the effort when it could not find an acceptable suitor.
Nexon's workers, around 100 of which are currently on standby because of four suspended projects, are worried that ongoing reorganization at the company following the failure to sell will endanger their jobs.
"Stop making excuses for reorganization. Ensure job security. We cannot endure disorganization without countermeasures," the workers said at the rally, according to the IT Times.
The IT Times also reported that there's a document circulating at Nexon claiming that if the suspended workers are not relocated within three months, they will need to leave the company.
Bae Soo-chan, the head of Nexon's labor union, commented, "If the project ends or fails, there are interviews. They don't give jobs if workers don't pass the interview. We're here to make a reasonable claim about job security. In other words, if the project ends and the team is disbanded due to poor games, it is not certain whether the team's manpower will be relocated, which is why workers in the game industry suffer from constant job insecurity."
Although Nexon had been seeking a suitor, the company is not struggling financially. In fact, earningshave been strong over the first half of the year overall, with solid performances from MapleStory, Dungeon Fighter Online, and PC titles in China and Korea, such as EA's FIFA Online 4, which it publishes, and Counter-Strike Online (which it operates in China). Net profit did fall in the second quarter, but the company saw record revenues and is in the midst of acquiring Swedish developer Embark Studios, led by former EA executive Patrick Soderlund. Nexon seems to be streamlining its Western efforts and leaning on Embark as it shuttered two US offices last month.
NXC Corporation (Nexon's holding company) CEO and Nexon founder Jung-ju Kim had been considering a sale as his possible exit from the game industry. Now, the IT Times noted that Nexon is in the midst of an executive shakeup, as both Chung Sang-won, vice president for development, and Park Jie-won, global chief operating officer, offered to resign, while Heo Min, former CEO of Neople, is expected to join the management team.
Starting Point is the label for Nexon's labor union
Nexon's labor union is one of just a handful that exist in the booming global games business. When it formed a year ago, the union said that it hoped to spur on the entire games industry.
"The establishment of the Nexon union will act as a tow truck to improve labor conditions in the gaming industry as a whole," the union said in September 2018. "Labor conditions in the local gaming industry are very poor, although the local market has expanded to a 12 trillion won ($10.8 billion) business."
In that year since Nexon's labor union formed, we've seen a tumultuous landscape filled with layoffs at major publishers like Electronic Arts and Activision along with studios like Telltale and ArenaNet. Some of these staff cuts came with little warning or severance, and while some companies try to "relocate" jobs within the organization (as Nexon is looking at doing now), that doesn't always happen.
The rallying cry for unionization in the industry has been growing at the same time, particularly when there's a sense that high-powered executives are more concerned with profits than the livelihood of developers actually making games -- and that's especially true at larger, publicly traded firms that have to answer to shareholders. And that sentiment has only been fueled by a persistent crunch culture that treats developers like cogs rather than people. There's an effort by more studios to limit or eliminate crunch, but the problem is by no means solved.
Moreover, unionization remains a divisive issue. According to GDC's 2019 State of the Game Industry survey, less than half (47%) of games industry employees polled supported unionization, and another 16% were directly against it. More than a third, however, seemed unsure, answering with a "maybe" for supporting unionizing or a simple, "I don't know." As with political campaigns, for people who are pro-union, the battle is now to turn those undecided developers into "yes" respondents.
This is what advocacy group Game Workers Unite (GWU) has been striving to do. Game Workers Unite International Organizer Emma Kinema told GameDaily at the end of last year, "A lot of people know that unionization is essential for improving our industry's conditions, but those people are already supportive to this cause. Far more people need to actively see unionization in action before they are convinced, so seeing GWU UK make public strides to organize workers on a national scale is crucial to inspiring the vast majority of the industry's workers to get involved."
GWU UK is the only chapter that went on to become an official trade union, and laws for unionizing are going to be different from country to country. Because of that, the IGDA isn't sure that unionization is a one-size-fits-all solution to the industry's woes.
When asked for comment, IGDA executive director Renee Gittins told GameDaily, "Due to varying laws, cultures, and economic situations, the solutions that work in one country or industry may not be the right answers for other situations. The IGDA supports both our union and non-union members equally and works to improve conditions for game developers regardless of location, company, or union status.
"As a hit-based industry, job instability is an industry-wide problem that affects our ability as an industry to retain mid-career and veteran professionals. The IGDA urges all game studios and publishers to consider sustainability and the lives of their workers when growing and making workforce adjustments. We understand that studios will rise and fall, but we can all work together to approach management and growth in ways that provide the best employment stability possible."
Gittins' statement is slightly more neutral than her predecessor's, Jen MacLean, who came under fire after moderating a panel on the topic at GDC last year. MacLean was lambasted for voicing what sounded like "anti-union rhetoric" (according to The Verge), and IGDA's critics would argue that the organization doesn't truly represent all developers. In fact, on GWU's FAQ page, the group states that trade bodies like the ESA and professional associations like IGDA "are focused on the business owners in the industry, not the workers in the industry; and they are not labor unions."
Time will tell whether the game industry will ever support a broad unionization effort, but there is another option. Glory Society believes that more developers should be considering the simple idea of a cooperative, or a studio that "operates democratically in all aspects."
As Glory Society co-founder Bethany Hockenberry eloquently put it, "It prevents the sorts of power-hungry manager behavior that you hear about in the industry. We're legally-bound not to be dicks."
Wouldn't the industry be a lot better off with more anti-dick measures?
For more stories like this one delivered straight to your inbox, please subscribe to the GameDailyBiz Digest!
James has been covering the games industry since the early 2000s and was previously the editor of GamesIndustry.biz. He loves Zelda, Metroidvania-style games, action adventure and single-player narratives. He's also the proud father of twin boys and is obsessed with good coffee and Yankees baseball. You can reach him @bright_pixels on Twitter or you can email him at james.brightman@gamedaily.biz.
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Jop de Vrieze
How does someone become a conspiracy thinker?
Jop de Vrieze december 11, 2019 januari 2, 2020
A HEALTHY DOSE OF SUSPICION
Until recently, conspiracy thinkers were mainly studied to find out what derailed them. But a new generation of researchers is taking them more seriously. 'The important thing is not whether the theories are correct, but where the distrust is coming from."
Originally published in Dutch in EOS Magazine 20-2-2018
The 1990s. The age of The X-Files and other tv series full of dark practices, extraterrestrial life and government cover-ups. The young Jaron Harambam (1983), who grows up in Amsterdam, finds it mighty pretty. Years later – he has since started studying sociology – he again comes into contact with conspiracy theories. It is during the financial crisis and a friend tips him Peter Joseph's Zeitgeist documentaries, zooming in on conspiracy theories about religion, the attacks on September 11, 2001 and the banking system. Harambam is particularly fascinated by the latter: why didn't he read about this anywhere else? He discovers that a whole movement has arisen around Zeitgeist and he decides to attend a meet-up in Amsterdam, where he meets a wide range of people. At that moment he is just busy arranging a PhD position at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. Now he knows what he wants to investigate: conspiracy thinkers.
Until recently, conspiracy thinkers were only studied by science as oddities. Their ideas were considered bad science, so the creators and supporters of them must be crazy as well, was the credo. Researchers made connections with schizophrenia and paranormal delusions and studied how those people could have 'strayed' that way. The researchers invariably took the extreme types, who strongly believe in the most absurd theories. They also dealt with conspiracy theories with fear: if everyone starts to adhere to all sorts of different ideas, our modern society might collapse. But the generation of researchers which Harambam is part of, looks at conspiracy thinkers in a different way. They suspend their judgment and consider the conspiracy thinkers and their theories as a phenomenon that is characteristic of a society – and tells a lot about it.
Harambam decides to use a method for his research that has never been used before in the particular field: he immerses himself in the world he studies. On a daily basis, he visits well-known (Dutch) conspiracy websites such as Niburu, Zapruder and wearechange.org, he attends meetings and tries to find people to speak extensively. That turns out to be not a simple task. Many of the conspiracy thinkers that Harambam meets are suspicious of his project, because researchers and journalists are often writing negatively about them. In 2011, when he spoke to people at a lecture by British guru David Icke (who proclaims that we are governed by descendants of alien reptilians), he encountered many questions. "It took me time to gain their trust."
"When my son became sick again for days and days at the second and third vaccination, I thought: now I am no longer crazy"
Slowly he manages to convince them of his open mind, thanks in part to a blog, in which he draws parallels between 'normal' critical thinkers and conspiracy thinkers. The reason is a newspaper article in which Huub Schellekens, professor of pharmaceutical biotechnology at Utrecht University, talks about the abuses in the pharmaceutical industry, whereby the profits of the industry and the interests of the government are elevated above those of the patient. This is hardly different from the way many alleged conspiracy thinkers talk about that industry, says Harambam.
In the strictest sense of the word, a conspiracy theory revolves around a small group of people, conspiring, usually in secrecy, to get something done. But conspiracy theories and conspiracy thinkers come in gradations, Harambam discovers during his research. Although there is a common denominator: according to conspiracy thinkers things are different than 'they' want you to believe based on the official narrative. And conspiracy theories are immensely popular. For example, a majority of Americans still believe that John F. Kennedy was killed not by one, but by a conspiracy of several perpetrators. A little less than one in three Americans fears that "a globalist elite" (the Illuminati?) Will eventually establish the new world order. Both in the US and in other Western countries, roughly one in five people believe that the US government was involved in the 9/11 attacks. More than half of the British believe that evidence for extraterrestrial life is being suppressed, and in the Netherlands nearly forty percent believe that the pharmaceutical industry can cure certain serious illnesses, but would rather earn money by treating the sick for a long time.
THE OTHERS ARE SHEEPLE
As he penetrates further into the conspiracy thinkers' community, Harambam finds out that it is anything but homogeneous. He meets a variety of types: with a high or low education, extremely rational or typically hippie, engaged and outlaw. He distinguishes three types of conspiracy theorists: the types seeking alternative facts and evidence, types see those facts and knowledge as local products and always relative, and the more spiritual types, which are open to more subjective truths.
Harambam discovers that the conspiracy theories that are prevalent in today's western societies, is that they are usually not about outsiders, but about the powerful people and institutions within our own society. In many theories, the conspiracy is not that specific either. People often refer to the 'power elite'. Even if it is about 'the other', as in the case of the supposed Islamization, the instigator is an elite who wants this to happen. Many of those conspiracy theories are about our own institutions, food production, medicines, money and the greater economic and geopolitical reality.
'In the Netherlands, almost forty percent believe that the pharmaceutical industry would rather make money from the long-term treatment of the sick than to actually cure them'
The theories are not anti-capitalist per se, but primarily focus on abuse of power. In it, conspiracy theories tie in with a general decline in confidence in politics, experts, and institutions – many "ordinary people" do see a grain of truth in such stories. Sometimes it works the other way and conspiracy theories are used by rulers or politicians to justify their policies or beliefs. This often happens in totalitarian regimes, but it also occurs in democracies: because Russia, China and Iran seem to systematically undermine our security and democracy, our secret services must be given more powers, for example. And because the left-wing political establishment is deliberately perishing the Western civilization, fanatic right-wing politicians must save us.
Typical of such conspiracies is that fervent conspiracy thinkers go a little further than others and not only see power structures, but deliberate deception. "They find intent where other people only see chaos or coincidence," says Stef Aupers, promotor of Harambam and now professor of media studies at the Catholic University of Leuven. "Conspiracy thinking is the icing on the cake of distrust."
According to psychologists the radar for seeing connections and deeper causes is set too sharply in the conspiracy thinker, which results in many false alarms. But what if they are right? According to Harambam, many people are basing their ideas too easily on the standard explanation given to them – their radar might be too weak. Similarly, the conspiracy thinkers themselves reason that non-conspiracy thinkers are sheeple – "sheep." They know better than the others.
VACCINATIONS AND IMMIGRANT JOBS
But what determines that one person goes through life with a healthy dose of distrust, and the other sees a conspiracy behind everything he or she hears or reads? Take vaccinations, for example: many people agree that the companies that produce them are mainly after profit and try to suppress any inconvenient facts about their products. A slightly smaller group also has doubts about the intentions of the government. But that does not mean that vaccinations 'undermine the immune system', that they 'contain toxic additives' and 'cause all sorts of serious side effects that are not recognized'.
Often, Harambam discovers, it is a combination of personal experiences and events and developments in society. The radical thinkers refer to conspiracies that have come true, such as the Watergate affair, the massive eavesdropping by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the interference of the Russians in the American elections. The one becomes a little suspicious of these examples, the other very much.
Take Katrijn Depoorter for example (not her real name, ed.). After her first son had the diphteria, tetanus, pertussis, polio shot, he fell ill for a few days. She called the consultation office, but was turned away. "When he got sick again at the second and third shot, I thought," Now I'm not crazy anymore, now it's them."" Later a doctor told her that that there had been something wrong with the batch of the DKTP vaccines her son's shot was part of and they had received a striking number of complaints about it. Depoorter still had her son and her two following children vaccinated, but not her fourth child. "I started to wonder what we are doing it for. I think that the advantages of vaccinations are being exaggerated, the government does not want any doubts and the pharmaceutical companies are making millions of them."
Guilly Koster, a Dutch media producer and presenter, also recognizes this combination of critical thinking and personal experiences. He worked for public broadcasting for years, but now runs his own site, the New Media Platform. Koster is not a fanatic supporter of very specific conspiracy theories, but mainly emphasizes the weaknesses in the official stories about events such as 9/11, UFOs and the assassination of Kennedy. "Look at Kennedy's murder, for example. Of three fired bullets, one of them is a kind of magic bullet that goes in at the right shoulder, comes out at the left shoulder, goes forward, and goes through another man's knee. Do you believe that? When the authorities did not want investigate whether more people had been involved, then something went wrong. Then I say: something else is going on here. "
For Koster, delving into conspiracy theories went hand in hand with events in his own life. At the broadcaster he noticed that because of his skin color and Surinamese background he only got the 'immigrant jobs' on his plate. When he rebelled against it, they told him to leave. "Anyone who doesn't obey to the system will be eliminated." According to Koster, there are three means to control the masses: religion, fear and money. In addition, you train people not to think further than you want. "The reason I believe in conspiracy theories is that I started thinking outside of that thing. At one point I said to myself, "I'm not buying this shit anymore."
Image: 9/11 truthers demonstrate by Wally Gobetz (Flickr Creative Commons)
GETTING RAILROADED
Over the course of his research, Harambam notices that he is starting to identify strongly with the ideas he comes across. About the financial world, he almost completely follows the reasoning of the conspiracy thinkers. About how multinationals look after their interests outside of our scope, and have the regulators such as the US Food and Drug Administration practically in their pocket as well. How the pharmaceutical industry finances, influences and puts away unwelcome scientific research in drawers, just as governments regularly do. 'The question is still on what scale it happens. But that it happens is certain, "says Harambam. "After all, it is the interests of countries and multinationals that are better represented than ordinary citizens."
In both the US and other Western countries, one in five people believe that the US government was involved in the 9/11 attacks. That does not mean that he goes along with all the stories that circulate in the scene. For his research, he explicitly does not check whether the theories make sense. He wants to know how the conspiracy thinkers themselves experience the reasons why they started to adhere to them. Yet it does make a big difference whether those people just drifted off to crazy ideas or ended up with truths that we 'sheeple' fail to see.
Those who do not check what is correct and what is wrong are quickly carried away by the stories, says Brecht Decoene, moral philosopher and author of the recently published book Suspicion (Achterdocht), between fact and fiction, about dealing critically with conspiracy theories. In his booklet Decoene warns that a conspiracy thinker, discussing a conspiracy such as the moon landing or 9/11, will easily railroad you. Entering a discussion unprepared is a big risk, because you give them the impression that they are right, while in fact that is often not the case, Decoene says. 'You just have to have very specialist and detailed knowledge to discover what I call 'thinking wells'. At a certain point, critical thinking turns into a theory whereby unwelcome information is ignored."
WAKING UP IN THE SUPERMARKET
Like so many, conspiracy thinkers such as Guilly Koster are opposed to the mainstream media. According to some conspiracy thinkers those media are part of the conspiracy, others say that they let themselves be abused in their laziness and naivety. These conspirary thinkers point to the bankruptcy of journalism, which, due to declining revenues and takeovers by large companies, is increasingly unable to control power. And so they have to take on that critical role themselves, with the internet as their most important source of information.
Harambam also notes that conspiracy theories can be very depressing. Halfway through the writing of his dissertation, he finds himself in a personal crisis, in which he can stop focusing on the dark side of things. "I saw abuses everywhere. I stood in the supermarket and thought: I cannot buy the vegetables, they are full of pesticides, not the fish, they are full of mercury, not the meat, they are full of hormones. What can I still buy? Where should I go? An enormous fear that the whole world was cheating on me came over me. Then I found myself identifying with the conspiracy thinkers, and the trajectories that they must have gone through. "
Conspiracy thinkers themselves call this process 'awakening', similar to unbelievers who convert to a religion. As with religions, there are also conspiracy thinkers who are keen to "awaken" others. Others keep awake more to themselves, or try to open others' eyes purely by sharing their experiences. The overall suspicion that Harambam experienced is recognizable to safety researcher Jelle van Buuren. He obtained his PhD at the University of Leiden at the end of 2016 on the question of how dangerous conspiracy thinking is for democracy. It is not so bad, concluded Van Buuren, because conspiracy theories rarely get large crowds of people into action or lead to concrete violence. Yet he recommends taking conspiracy thinking seriously, but in a different way: plot thinkers who eventually miss the point, often started off from a justified message. We need to focus on that underlying message. "
Van Buuren believes that conspiracy thinking is often being discussed in a too simplistic way. 'Something like' mistrust unjustified end of discussion'. But one can also think: There is distrust, what does that say about our society?" Van Buuren considers the conspiracy thinkers as canaries in the coal mine. He cites the idea that many people have about how politicians ignore the wishes of the people and only listen to lobbyists who serve the interests of large companies. 'If there is any discussion about that, and you propose abolishing the advisory referendum (which offers Dutch people the possibility to request a referendum on a voted law, ed.), As the Dutch cabinet recently did, then you're just asking for these theories to florish."
According to Van Buuren, conspiracy theories are a kind of modern alternative to religion. They offer a simple division into us and them and into the good and the bad. They create an overview in the abstract and chaotic world. In that respect there is nothing more human than thinking in conspiracies, since there is nothing more human than forging conspiracies. Harambam takes a little more distance from the world around the completion of his dissertation. Slowly it becomes clear to him what the appeal of conspiracy theories is.
Successful conspiracy theories tie in with traditions, experiences, (pseudo) scientific explanations, sociological theories and visions of the future that people have. That is why we are so sensitive to them, even though they are often wrong. In addition, you should not underestimate the 'fun' factor, Harambam emphasizes. It is for good reason that conspiracy theories often pop up in films and pop music. 'It's all about thrills and sensation, and there's the detective factor. You do not have to take them serious all the time. Look at all those children who are spending their time with Illuminati stuff, how they deal with it, that is really playful. It is entertainment. It is playing with the boundaries between reality and fiction. "
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Ezra lives in State College with his wife Mieke and two wonderful children, both of whom are enrolled in the public school system. He is running for State Senate in Pennsylvania's 34th District, which includes Centre, Juniata, Mifflin, and parts of Huntingdon Counties. He is fighting for on-time state budgets that secure public funding for education and critical programs like CHIP, Medicare and Medicaid.
Additional Comments: The internet has become so essential to our lives, that allowing corporations to establish classes of information access would put many people at a disadvantage. This unequal, unfair access would hurt our economy by putting an undue burden on small businesses and consumers, particularly in rural and low-income areas.
Additional Comments: Raising the minimum wage will create economic growth and stimulate the economy. A living wage will bring many families out of poverty and allow them to spend more in their local communities. It will also reduce the need for families to rely on social safety net programs.
Additional Comments: Dangerous changes to our climate and global weather systems are happening and are caused by the burning of fossil fuels. We must address with great urgency the problem of climate change becuase the effects are being felt by all of us and the costs of the damage from extreme weather will be borne by the taxpayer. I support SB 1140, which sets aggressive yet attainable goals to realize a 100% renewable energy goal for Pennsylvania by 2050. Investments in renewable energy and a commitment to this transition will drive job growth, save us money, and prevent further damage to our environment.
Additional Comments: Gun ownership and hunting are very important parts of the fabric of who we are in central Pennsylvania. Any laws that we make, must respect and cherish these traditions. However, keeping our children safe in our schools and our communities must be our top priority. I believe that with common sense gun law, that we can all agree on, we can preserve the traditions and rights that matter to us, while also protecting our communities. For example, HB 2060 requires convicted domestic abusers to relinquish their firearms to law enforcement within 24 hours of their conviction. This measure is widely favored by law enforcement and will prevent many deaths related to domestic abuse.
Additional Comments: I support the legalization of marijuana because it is an opportunity to raise much need tax revenue and would benefit our economy. Legalization will also reduce our prison population, saving us money and preventing hardship for many families and communities.
Additional Comments: The opioid epidemic has ravaged every community in Pennsylvania. I believe that it is time to address the issue with a long-term vision by providing access to treatment and transitional support. The Acts that were signed by Governor Wolf allow for educating medical care providers and create preemptive measures such as limiting prescription durations to be put in place to stop opioid addictions before they begin.
Additional Comments: We must respect and empower the women in our society. Women deserve equal treatment under the law and equal compensation for their work.
Additional Comments: With so many people struggling to access healthcare, we need to ensure that additional barriers to that access are not created by our government. The role of government is not to control a woman's body. Abortion is a deeply personal decision that a woman has the right to make based on her medical needs and personal beliefs. Abortion must be safe and legal.


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› Opinion
Uncertain times
By Business Standard Editorial Comment | Last Updated at October 02 2018 22:52 IST
Market sentiment is notoriously fickle and the mood can swing from euphoria to despair without pausing to take the measure of the fundamentals. Such a change occurred in September. A month ago, valuations were close to all-time highs and investors gleefully predicted a continuing bull run. Now, the same people are talking in terms of a long bear market although the Nifty has corrected by just 7 per cent from the record peak levels. Rising interest rates in developed markets, a falling rupee and a widening current account deficit (CAD) in India have induced foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to sell Rs 210 billion (debt and equity combined) of Indian assets in September. Many FPIs feel that the currency risk has become unacceptable. There is a high probability that hard currency yields will rise some more as the Federal Reserve continues to hike rates and the European Central Bank gets set to taper off its quantitative easing programme. Some investors are also worried about political instability as the general election of 2019 draws close.
Domestic institutions have also been spooked by the non-bank financial companies (NBFCs) crisis, which was sparked by defaults in IL&FS and fears of a liquidity crunch in debt markets. Strong regulatory action by the Reserve Bank of India against three private banks has also made a dent. Retail investors, who have high levels of exposure to small-caps and mid-caps, have sustained major losses and have started licking their wounds. The darkened mood is indicated by the Infibeam incident. Investors suddenly focused on an adverse report about the e-commerce company's financials, which were first published in April, and sold the stock down 70 per cent in a session. Similar hammering took place in the Dewan Housing Finance counter when news broke that the company's non-convertible debentures had been sold at a discount. Other NBFCs have also seen selling. To be sure, many of these weaknesses — the rupee's decline, given the increase in crude oil prices or IL&FS defaults, etc. — were known earlier but simply shrugged off. The constitution of a board to credibly work out a rescue of IL&FS could help restore confidence in the bond market and in the NBFC sector, where valuations are looking selectively attractive.
Looking ahead, too many sectors seem plagued by systemic weaknesses. Nowhere is this truer than the Indian banking sector. While public sector banks have been the main culprits, private banks, too, have not covered themselves in glory. Unless this crucial sector recovers its health, it is unlikely that enterprises will prosper. Beyond banking, many other sectors from power to telecom are struggling with viability issues. While it is still early to conclude whether this is the beginning of a new bearish phase or whether this is just another correction, the opinion on the Street is that the Indian markets are staring at uncertain times ahead, with doubts over the earlier projected strong earnings growth for fiscal year 2019. Volatility could therefore continue, given that valuations remain high even after the recent decline, and risks of some moderation in growth in certain segments.
First Published: Tue,October 02 2018 22:41 IST
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Is Digital Money Making Us Spend More?
by designandfashionmagazine December 19, 2019 December 15, 2019
I have a memory as a boy, saving my pocket money by placing it in a special drawer, the golden pound coins collecting into a neat stack. (Although the stack never got too high to endanger its structural integrity.) I grew up in Hastings, a small coastal town in East Sussex, famous for 1066 and seaside charm. It has a reputation for being somewhat rundown and is forever "up-and-coming".
I got my first debit card when I was 14. Later, I saved up money for a gap year, by working at a bingo hall, and I put the money into a savings account. I avoided credit cards. Back then (2007) it was still around 5% interest rates, and I remember getting £70 ($91) one year, which made me feel very rich indeed.
Skip forward to 2018 and I was living and working in Beijing, China, as a freelance journalist. All around me Beijing residents were paying for everything using just their smartphones. They would walk up to a counter of a restaurant, shop, or convenience store, and offer up a QR code for the cashier to scan. Once scanned, the online system would immediately deduct the exact amount owed from the payer's e-wallet. No fumbling for cash and waiting for change. No swipe of a plastic card either. The transaction would take seconds.
But I was a stubborn holdout. My friends, both Western and Chinese, would make fun of me for being so traditional – for clinging onto "dirty cash" – seeing the crumpled paper bills as evidence of my Luddite ways. But there were a couple of reasons why I kept using physical money and avoided getting into e-payments and e-wallets. Firstly, it felt safer. I wasn't really aware of how electronic money would work on my smartphone and I feared it would somehow get easily siphoned off. Having physical cash just felt safer.
Secondly, I feared that by moving to electronic payments, and losing the greater friction of paying with cash, I would end up spending more. I was afraid that by losing the tangible, visible qualities of paper money, and the physical transaction – of fishing out my wallet, finding the required bills, and handing over the cash – I would lose all sense of how much, day by day, I would be spending.
Were these fears justified? As more and more people across the world shun cash, these are essential issues to consider.
Before we get into the twisty and tricky slopes of consumer psychology, and the conflict between classical economics and psychology that led to the birth of behavioural economics – let's first consider what money is exactly.
Money is an abstract concept – and today we take it for granted, not considering how a piece of paper, or pieces of metal, are valuable items in themselves. But money is a relatively recent invention, and it represented a fundamental change in human society, says Natacha Postel-Vinay, who teaches a course in the history of money and finance at the London School of Economics.
"It was completely different from barter," she says. "You don't need exact matching from two different people and their desires. If you wanted to buy some bread, the bread seller didn't need to have something specific from you; your coat or your garden veg. You just needed some silver."
The first recorded use of money was in ancient Iraq and Syria, in the Babylon civilisation, around 3000BC
In technical terms, money is a store of value, and should be a unit of account, which simply means that it must be of a standardized unit (like a currency).
The first recorded use of money was in ancient Iraq and Syria, in the Babylon civilisation, around 3000BC. In Babylonian times people used chunks of silver which were accounted according to a standardised weight known as a shekel. From Babylon, we have records of the first prices, recorded by priests at the Temple of Marduk, as well as the first ledgers and the first debts.
From Babylon we have many of the essential things required for a monetary economy. These include the fact the silver was regularly tested for its fineness and there was a stabilising force, such as a King or government, which people could trust to guarantee the value of the money. "At all times, in order for money to have value, trust is needed," says Postel-Vinay. But there have been many developments in money along the way. Babylon had money, but it was still bulky and had to be weighed – it wasn't as advanced as coins. From about 1000BC other civilisations were using precious metal, and in ancient Greece, in the Kingdom of Lydia, the first coins were minted.
The first paper bills were used in Imperial China during the Tang dynasty (AD 618-907), which existed as privately issued bills of credit or exchange notes, but Europe wouldn't cotton on to the idea until the 17th Century.
Nowadays, money is not tied to physical objects that are in themselves valuable commodities, such as gold or silver coins, but we use a form called fiat money which is a currency that a government has established as legal tender.
The concept of credit (and debt) existed long before credit cards were invented. "It doesn't need to be physical in order for it to be money," explains Postel-Vinay.
The bank-issued credit card was invented by John Biggins of the Flatbush National Bank of Brooklyn in New York in 1946. Subsequently, credit cards were promoted to travelling salesmen, for them to use while on the road, in America. In the UK, Barclays issued the UK's first credit card on 29 June 1966.
The first debit card appeared in the UK in 1987. Chip and pin was introduced in 2003, and contactless credit cards followed four years later.
In China, meanwhile, scanning QR codes with your smartphone, or generating QR codes on your smartphone to be scanned by merchants, was co-opted as a means of making payments. China's rapid adoption of electronic payments is explained by the ubiquity of WeChat in the country, a super-app that includes e-payment/e-wallet, messaging, and social media functions; the popularity of e-commerce platforms, such as Alibaba's Taobao platform; and the fact that China has relatively low rates of credit card usage. From around 2015, adoption of e-payments in day-to-day usage became much more prevalent.
Countries that have the highest rates of cashless spending include Canada, where having more than two credits cards per person is a norm. In Europe, Sweden is the most cashless society, with just 13% of Swedes reporting that they used cash for a recent purchase, according to a nationwide survey conducted last year, down from around 40% in 2010. In comparison, around 70% of Americans still use cash on a weekly basis, according to a recent Pew Research Center study.
Emelie Svensson, a Swede who works in New York City as a broadcast journalist, says the two countries are very different when it comes to the use of cash. "It's based on tipping and a lot of stores don't even take cards, or it's a minimum $10 purchase," she says, referring to her experience of living in America. "It's getting better though, just five years ago I paid my rent in cash!"
And although the UK might be increasing in its use of non-cash payments, it still has a long way to go. For Moa Carlsson, a 20-year-old butcher from Gothenburg, the country feels quaint in comparison to her native Sweden. "I guess it's a bit of fun and almost strange in a way to use cash," she says, when she visits the UK. "England feels a bit more old-fashioned in itself. I would almost feel strange not to use cash there. I feel like the pound is a big part of England, much more so than the krona for Sweden".
For people who live in these increasingly cashless societies, the benefits of electronic payment are obvious. "It's very convenient. You don't have the feeling of having £200 in your pocket or [the hassle] of having to go take out money. 'Where is the cash machine?' It's there in your pocket," says William Vanbergen, a British entrepreneur who first arrived in China in 2003, and was a late adopter of e-payments.
Like Carlsson, he says dealing in cash feels antiquated. When Vanbergen travels to Hong Kong for work, where cash is still the more usual payment method, or back to his native England, he says it's like going back in time.
Does spending without using physical cash make people spend more?
But what of the supposed disadvantages?
Does spending without using physical cash make people spend more? This is a complicated question and it involves seeing humans as fundamentally irrational creatures, in various ways. For instance, it has been shown psychologically that people feel more pain when they lose £100 than the joy they feel on gaining £100. In other words, the pain of the loss stings more, even though the two sums are exactly the same.
This kind of psychological insight has powered enormous change in the field of economics. Whereas before, in classical economics, academics based their theories on the assumption that people behave rationally (so that the loss and gain of an equal sum would be treated the same by an individual), this was shown to be false by psychological studies. This led to the discipline of behavioural economics and branches such as consumer psychology.
One of the great researchers in this relatively new discipline is Drazen Prelec. The MIT professor once conducted a study that involved a silent auction. The auction was held for students at the prestigious Sloan business school, for tickets to sold-out NBA basketball games. The researchers told half the bidders they could pay only with cash, while the other half were told they could pay only with a credit card.
The results astonished the researchers. On average, it was found that the credit card buyers were bidding more than twice as much as the cash buyers. What this means, according to Prelec, is that the psychological cost of spending a dollar on a credit card is only 50 cents.
Spending on a credit card clearly has effects on how people spend, which numerous studies have borne out. However, it's also been shown that credit card bills, when they arrive, cause enormous pain for the receiver. So much so, in fact, that behavioural economists believe this explains the continuing popularity of debit cards.
But what about using e-wallets? What's important is feedback, explains Emir Efendic, a post-doctoral psychologist and behavioural economist at the University of Louvain. "With credit cards, you don't get instant updates. But with online banks, you see the amount deducted immediately," says Efendic. "If you lose feedback, then yes you'll be spending more".
Neural pathways light up almost like brief physical pain when we part with our money
With credit cards, the pain of payment is delayed (until that monthly bill arrives, anyway). The great ability of credit cards, in other words, is that they wield the psychological power of separating the pleasure of buying from the pain of paying.
But with e-wallets, users can see that money is deducted immediately. Emily Belton, a British ex-pat who uses WeChat Pay in Beijing, says she likes getting a notification each time she pays with it, and her balance and payments are updated in real-time. This is instant feedback and so does not have the same effect as a credit card.
However, Prelec has found that neural pathways light up in what he describes as a "flinch moment", almost like brief physical pain, when we part with our money. Although there is no similar research yet on paying with e-wallets, it could be hypothesised that the flinch moment could be missing when paying with a smartphone. But this needs more research.
This pain of parting with our money can keep us from overspending, but the negative aspect is that it can rob us some of the joy in consuming. This psychological cost, what Prelec calls a "moral tax", can be reduced in various ways. Pricing instruments such as bundling – including "free" goods along with the purchase of a main good, can take away some of this "moral tax". Prepayment is another method, even when there is no financial advantage. For example, people have been shown to prefer to pay in instalments for vacations (even though they're losing some of their cash liquidity).
And once they're abroad they also find it easier to spend in foreign currency, treating it with much less seriousness than with the "real money" of their native country. Companies such as Club Med have latched onto this kind of psychology, where their resort guests buy plastic chips to use instead of cash.
For me, I eventually transitioned to using e-payments in Beijing. I've found the cashless system quite staggering in its seamlessness, its convenience. It is like living in a world where you get all the benefits of spending, without the pain of paying.
Perhaps this is better for economies, where it could be beneficial if people spend their money more freely, and many governments around the world are trying to encourage this. There is an old English saying: "Money, like manure, does no good till it is spread." But sometimes, this kind of free spending, without any friction at all, leads to a kind of uneasiness.
Perhaps this is the "moral tax" Drazen Prelec refers to, which is a psychological tendency to feel opportunity costs as real pain. In other words, I might be feeling this uneasiness because I am imagining that I could be spending that money on other things instead.
As more societies move from cash-based to cashless, the way we spend might change. But money will remain a governing force in the lives of humans.
This article is part of our Weird West series. Back in 2010, a team at the University of British Columbia pointed out that psychology research contains a major flaw: much of it is based on samples entirely from Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich and Democratic – or Weird – societies. The researchers often assumed that their findings would be applicable to people anywhere. But when they did a review, the university team found that from reasoning styles to visual perception, members of Weird societies are, in fact, "among the least representative populations one could find for generalising about humans".
From the mainstream media to academia, however, it remains common to see the Weird as "normal" – or at least as a "standard" against which other cultures, and people, are judged. In this series, we dig into what this looks like in everyday life. What habits and ways of thinking are common in Weird societies that people living elsewhere in the world might find, well, weird? And what does this tell us, not only about cultural differences, but about ourselves? From when we shower to how we shop, this series re-examines the behaviours often taken for granted – and explores how the "standard" is rarely the best, or only, way.
Lu-Hai Liang
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Fada 103 Fadalette: A tabulation of voltages in this set on D.C. The D.C. and A.C. readings are for a 110 V. line. Bias readings are taken across respective bias resistors. The D.C. input is 34 W., and the A.C., S6 W.
Stewart-Warner Companion Chassis Series 108 and 108-X, Models 10 to 20. With the volume control tuned full on, the following approximate voltages should be read to the frame of unit C (using a high resistance voltmeter).
All sets of the "universal current" type now on the market require that the Service Man check the position of the power plug in its socket to determine whether it is correctly poled. It is seldom that the chassis frame connects directly to the power line. Circuit oscillation at the high-sensitivity setting of the volume control is normal in many models. The results obtained with ultra-midget sets will greatly depend upon local reception conditions.


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Migraine Prophylaxis
Renu Kadian
Migraine Prophylaxis CME
Recurrent migraines can be functionally disabling and can impair quality of life.
After the treatment of acute migraines, all migraine patients should be evaluated for preventive therapy. The purpose of preventive therapy is to decrease the frequency, severity, and duration of migraine attacks. Furthermore, preventative therapy can increase responsiveness to acute migraine therapy and improve the quality of life.
Prophylactic treatment is not curative, and most patients will still need abortive medications for acute migraine. Before starting prophylactic medications, it is imperative to evaluate if patients are using proper and adequate abortive therapies. Overuse of abortive medications can cause rebound headaches. [1][2]
Approximately 28 million Americans older than the age of 12 suffer from migraine headaches. Around 18% of women and 6% of men in the United States suffer from migraine headaches. Around 38% of those with a migraine headache need to be on preventive therapy; whereas, only 3% to 13% of migraine sufferers use preventative therapy.[1][2]
Prophylactic migraine treatment should be considered in patients with more than 3 migraine headaches per month or at least 8 headache days in one month. Patients with severe debilitating headaches despite appropriate acute treatment or those who are intolerant or have contraindications to acute therapy. Prophylaxis should also be considered in patients with medication overuse headaches, certain migraine subtypes like hemiplegic migraine, basilar migraine, migraine with prolonged aura, or if the patient prefers.[1][2][3]
Prophylactic treatment for Migraine Headache
It is important to determine the frequency, duration, and severity of headaches and any triggers that may precipitate the headaches.
All patients with migraine headaches should maintain a headache diary to determine the frequency, severity, and duration of headaches. It also helps identify any triggers that can cause a migraine headache. Some common triggers include environmental factors such as noise, odor, medications (like OCP, HRT, H2 blockers), food (cheese, wine, chocolate), and behavioral factors such as sleep deficit or excessive sleep. If triggers can be identified and modified, preventive drug therapy may not be needed.[2][1][3] [4]
1. Pharmacological therapies for migraine prevention
Various medications are available for migraine prophylaxis and prevention. Choosing the right agent is important. The efficacy, side effects, contraindications, cost, and compliance should be considered when deciding the right agent. It is also crucial to consider comorbid medical conditions and drug interactions. Efficacy of treatment can be assessed only after a 2 to 3-month trial; a full trial may take up to 6 months. Always start at a low dose and titrate up slowly. Monotherapy is preferred as there are no significant benefits of using more than one drug unless indicated for other comorbid conditions. Patients should be re-evaluated, and medications preferably discontinued after 1 year, even if they show improvement in symptoms. Successful therapy is defined as a reduction of migraine attacks by at least 50%.[2][1][3][5]
Migraine attacks are associated with neuronal activation, which is thought to be due to cortical spreading activation (CSD) or a brainstem generator. Preventive medications inhibit CSD through various mechanisms, such as blocking calcium and sodium channels, blocking gap junctions, and inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases.[6][7]
Propranolol is the most common and one of the most effective first-line medications used for migraine prophylaxis. The starting dose is 40 mg to 160 mg and can go up to 320 mg daily. It may take up to 12 weeks at an adequate dose for therapeutic benefits to become apparent.
Other beta-blockers that can be used are timolol, atenolol, and metoprolol. They should be considered in patients with underlying cardiovascular disease. Common side effects of this group of medications are fatigue, nausea, dizziness, decreased exercise tolerance, and depression. Contraindications include severe asthma, peripheral vascular disease, severe bradycardia, and heart blocks.[2][8]
Depakote and sodium valproate are two anticonvulsant drugs that are used for migraine prophylaxis. They are amongst the first-line agents used for migraine prevention. They are particularly useful for prolonged and atypical migraines. Common side effects include nausea, drowsiness, hair loss, tremors, and hyperammonemia. They are contraindicated in patients with severe liver disease and pancreatitis. Sodium valproate cannot be used in pregnancy because of teratogenicity.
Topamax is another drug used as a first-line treatment option for migraine prophylaxis. Topamax has comparable efficacy to propranolol for preventing migraine headaches. It should be started at a low dose with 25 mg daily and slowly titrated up to 100 mg twice daily. Patients should continue treatment for at least 2 to 3 months before the treatment efficacy is evaluated. Common side effects include memory and concentration problems, paresthesia, fatigue, nausea, and anorexia. Topamax can cause metabolic acidosis and also precipitate kidney stones, acute myopia, and angle-closure glaucoma.
Gabapentin has little efficacy for migraine prevention. The recommended dose is from 1200 to 2400 mg per day. Common side effects include somnolence and dizziness.[2][8][9][10][11][12]
Amitriptyline is shown to have some benefit in migraine prevention. It may be more effective than propranolol in mixed migraine-tension type of a headache. Response to treatment can be seen in up to 4 weeks and is more rapid than with beta-blockers. The dose used is 20 to 75 mg daily.
Another antidepressant that is probably effective in migraine prevention is venlafaxine. It is probably as effective as amitriptyline. The dose used is 150 mg daily. Fluoxetine has also been used for migraine prophylaxis. Common side effects include weight gain, drowsiness, dry mouth, and urinary retention. Contraindicated in concurrent use with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).[2][8][13]
Calcium-Channel Blockers
The efficacy of calcium channel blockers in the preventive treatment of migraine is weak.
Verapamil has shown weak efficacy in preventing migraines. It is used as one of the second-line pharmacological options for migraine prophylaxis.
Flunarizine is a nonspecific CCB that has shown evidence of some efficacy. It is not available in the United States.[2][8]
Angiotensin Blockers: ACE-Is/ARBs
Lisinopril and candesartan have some shown some, although weak efficacy for migraine prevention.[2][8]
They are used for the prevention of menstrual migraine. Start treatment a few days before the anticipated start of the menstrual cycle and continue for the first few days.[14]
Triptans
Zolmitriptan, frovatriptan, and naratriptan have shown benefits in the short-term prevention of menstrual-related migraines. They are started several days before the expected onset and continued for 5 to 6 days.[14]
Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Therapy
U.S. FDA approved Erenumab for the treatment of migraine prevention in May 2018. It is a monoclonal antibody that mediates transmission of migraine pain by binding to the calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor. It comes as a monthly subcutaneous injection. Common side effects include injection site reaction, constipation, and cramps.[2][15][8]
Some other medications that have some but little efficacy for migraine prevention include Magnesium, Vitamin B2, Coenzyme Q10, Botulinum toxin.
Benefits of Botulinum toxin A have not been statistically proven for the treatment of an episodic migraine headache; however, it is proven to be effective for treating chronic headaches.
Methysergide and phenelzine are used as last resorts for severe and refractory cases. Use for more than 6 months can cause cardiac and retroperitoneal fibrosis.[2][3][5][8][13][16][17]
Butterbur and feverfew are two herbal medications available for use for migraine prophylaxis. Studies have failed to prove any substantial benefit with feverfew. Butterbur extract made from underground parts of the plant has been endorsed by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society to reduce the frequency of migraines.[2][16]
2. Non-Pharmacological Therapies
Identifying and modifying the trigger if possible. It is important to maintain headache diaries to identify triggers and follow responses when triggers become modified.
Therapies that can help prevent migraines include relaxation, acupuncture, massage, cognitive behavior therapy, and biofeedback techniques.[2][18]
The FDA approved a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device in March 2014 for migraine prevention. More studies are needed to determine its long-term efficacy.[8][18]
2012 AHS/AAN Guidelines for Migraine Prevention in Adults
Medications are divided into 3 groups:
Level A (medications that have proven effectiveness and should be offered to patients who require migraine prophylaxis): Sodium valproate, valproic acid, propranolol, timolol, topiramate, butterbur.
Level B (medications that are probably effective and should be considered for migraine prevention): Amitriptyline, feverfew, naproxen, fenoprofen, ketoprofen, ibuprofen, magnesium, atenolol, venlafaxine, riboflavin, histamine.
Level C (medications with possible effectiveness and may be considered for migraine prevention): Candesartan, carbamazepine, lisinopril, pindolol, nebivolol, clonidine, cyproheptadine, coenzyme Q10.[19]
Migraine Prophylaxis in Children
Propranolol is commonly prescribed for migraine preventive treatment in children, although studies have shown conflicting results. Similarly, topiramate is commonly prescribed for children, but efficacy is questionable.
Data is insufficient for other medications like cyproheptadine, amitriptyline, and valproic acid. Flunarizine is believed to be effective for preventing migraines in children but is not available for use in the United States.[2][20] [21]
Migraine Prophylaxis in Pregnancy
It is imperative to maintain a cautious approach. Risks and benefits should be discussed with the patient in detail. Labetalol at a dose of 150 mg twice per day has shown some benefit in pregnant women. Propranolol, topiramate, amitriptyline, fluoxetine, and gabapentin are pregnancy category C drugs. Valproic acid is teratogenic and contraindicated, and the use of lisinopril and candesartan is not recommended for pregnant women.[22]
Clinical Significance
Recurrent migraines are often functionally disabling and can impair quality of life. Prophylactic therapy may decrease the frequency, severity, and duration of migraine attacks, increase responsiveness to acute migraine therapy and improve quality of life.
Around 18% of women and 6% of men in the United States suffer from migraine headaches, with an estimated total prevalence of around 16%. It is a common cause of ER and clinic visits and causes significant financial and health burden. Less than 13% of migraine patients are believed to be on prophylactic therapy, whereas it is estimated that around 38% of episodic migraine patients would actually benefit from prophylactic therapy. It is important to educate all headache patients about identifying their headache type and frequency. Simple strategies like maintaining a headache diary to help identify frequency, severity, and triggers of headaches can help identify patients needing prophylactic treatment.[1][2][20]
[1] Lipton RB,Bigal ME,Diamond M,Freitag F,Reed ML,Stewart WF, Migraine prevalence, disease burden, and the need for preventive therapy. Neurology. 2007 Jan 30 [PubMed PMID: 17261680]
[2] Ha H,Gonzalez A, Migraine Headache Prophylaxis. American family physician. 2019 Jan 1 [PubMed PMID: 30600979]
[3] Silberstein SD, Preventive Migraine Treatment. Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.). 2015 Aug [PubMed PMID: 26252585]
[4] Kelman L, The triggers or precipitants of the acute migraine attack. Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache. 2007 May [PubMed PMID: 17403039]
[5] Starling AJ,Dodick DW, Best practices for patients with chronic migraine: burden, diagnosis, and management in primary care. Mayo Clinic proceedings. 2015 Mar [PubMed PMID: 25744118]
[6] Noseda R,Burstein R, Migraine pathophysiology: anatomy of the trigeminovascular pathway and associated neurological symptoms, CSD, sensitization and modulation of pain. Pain. 2013 Dec [PubMed PMID: 24347803]
[7] Spierings EL, Mechanism of migraine and action of antimigraine medications. The Medical clinics of North America. 2001 Jul [PubMed PMID: 11480266]
[8] Silberstein SD,Holland S,Freitag F,Dodick DW,Argoff C,Ashman E, Evidence-based guideline update: pharmacologic treatment for episodic migraine prevention in adults: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society. Neurology. 2012 Apr 24 [PubMed PMID: 22529202]
[9] Mulleners WM,McCrory DC,Linde M, Antiepileptics in migraine prophylaxis: an updated Cochrane review. Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache. 2015 Jan [PubMed PMID: 25115844]
[10] Linde M,Mulleners WM,Chronicle EP,McCrory DC, Valproate (valproic acid or sodium valproate or a combination of the two) for the prophylaxis of episodic migraine in adults. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2013 Jun 24 [PubMed PMID: 23797677]
[11] Linde M,Mulleners WM,Chronicle EP,McCrory DC, Topiramate for the prophylaxis of episodic migraine in adults. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2013 Jun 24 [PubMed PMID: 23797676]
[12] Linde M,Mulleners WM,Chronicle EP,McCrory DC, Gabapentin or pregabalin for the prophylaxis of episodic migraine in adults. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2013 Jun 24 [PubMed PMID: 23797675]
[13] Xu XM,Liu Y,Dong MX,Zou DZ,Wei YD, Tricyclic antidepressants for preventing migraine in adults. Medicine. 2017 Jun [PubMed PMID: 28562550]
[14] Silberstein S,Patel S, Menstrual migraine: an updated review on hormonal causes, prophylaxis and treatment. Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy. 2014 Oct [PubMed PMID: 25100506]
[15] Goadsby PJ,Reuter U,Hallström Y,Broessner G,Bonner JH,Zhang F,Sapra S,Picard H,Mikol DD,Lenz RA, A Controlled Trial of Erenumab for Episodic Migraine. The New England journal of medicine. 2017 Nov 30 [PubMed PMID: 29171821]
[16] Rajapakse T,Pringsheim T, Nutraceuticals in Migraine: A Summary of Existing Guidelines for Use. Headache. 2016 Apr [PubMed PMID: 26954394]
[17] Simpson DM,Hallett M,Ashman EJ,Comella CL,Green MW,Gronseth GS,Armstrong MJ,Gloss D,Potrebic S,Jankovic J,Karp BP,Naumann M,So YT,Yablon SA, Practice guideline update summary: Botulinum neurotoxin for the treatment of blepharospasm, cervical dystonia, adult spasticity, and headache: Report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2016 May 10 [PubMed PMID: 27164716]
[18] Schwedt TJ,Vargas B, Neurostimulation for Treatment of Migraine and Cluster Headache. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.). 2015 Sep [PubMed PMID: 26177612]
[19] Loder E,Burch R,Rizzoli P, The 2012 AHS/AAN guidelines for prevention of episodic migraine: a summary and comparison with other recent clinical practice guidelines. Headache. 2012 Jun [PubMed PMID: 22671714]
[20] Smitherman TA,Burch R,Sheikh H,Loder E, The prevalence, impact, and treatment of migraine and severe headaches in the United States: a review of statistics from national surveillance studies. Headache. 2013 Mar [PubMed PMID: 23470015]
[21] Lewis D,Ashwal S,Hershey A,Hirtz D,Yonker M,Silberstein S, Practice parameter: pharmacological treatment of migraine headache in children and adolescents: report of the American Academy of Neurology Quality Standards Subcommittee and the Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society. Neurology. 2004 Dec 28 [PubMed PMID: 15623677]
[22] Silberstein SD, Headaches in pregnancy. The journal of headache and pain. 2005 Sep [PubMed PMID: 16362655]


text:
People flee South Sudan amid food shortage, ongoing conflict
The ongoing conflict in South Sudan and the resulting food insecurity is forcing people to flee for Sudan, the UN refugee agency said on Tuesday. South Sudan's crisis continues despite an ongoing peace agreement between the warring factions.
This instability has resulted in some 38,000 people leaving for parts of Sudan since the end of January, and UN officials believe the situation could worsen.
Sudan finally signs deal to end use of child soldiers
The Sudanese government on Monday signed an action plan with the UN to end the use of child soldiers in the country. But advocates question the official commitment to the agreement, noting the government's participation comes after years of denying its use of child soldiers, even as some rebel groups in the country already signed similar deals.
U.S. missionaries, Ugandan pastor die in car crash
Two U.S. missionaries and a Ugandan pastor died Monday in a car accident outside Uganda's capital, Kampala.
Captured suicide bomber: I was kidnapped from Chibok
A female Nigerian suicide bomber who surrendered to Cameroonian authorities claims she is one of the 276 girls abducted from a boarding school in Chibok by Islamic militants nearly two years ago, authorities revealed on Saturday. The Nigerian government is working with Cameroon to verify the claim. If true, it would be the first news related to the kidnapped girls in many months.
The girl, estimated to be about 15 years old, was one of two girls with explosives arrested by local authorities in northern Cameroon on Friday.
Angola struggles through yellow fever epidemic amid stagnant economy
Angola is battling its worst yellow fever outbreak in 30 years. The disease has infected more than 450 people and killed 178, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported Thursday. The epidemic erupted as the oil-dependent country struggles through a decline in oil prices and severe budget cuts.
The outbreak was first reported in December in Viana, a poor suburb in the capital city Luanda. It has since spread to six of the country's 18 provinces.
Nigerian troops rescue 800 Boko Haram hostages
Nigerian troops rescued more than 800 hostages held by Boko Haram in a Tuesday operation in parts of Borno state, the army announced Thursday.
Spokesman Sani Usman said the troops killed 22 fighters and rescued 309 captives while clearing terrorists from 11 villages. They freed another 520 hostages in Kusumma village, where they killed three terrorists and arrested one.
Mission groups strain to feed the hungry in drought-stricken Africa
Relief organizations in eastern Africa are grappling with increasing humanitarian needs as some countries continue to struggle with the worst drought in decades.
Warmer El Niño weather conditions have left stark effects across some southern and eastern African countries. The drought has affected about 36 million people, with 1 million children already experiencing severe acute malnutrition, according to UNICEF.
Gunmen target EU headquarters in Mali
Gunmen on Monday evening attacked the European Union military training headquarters in Mali's capital, Bamako, in the latest attack on Western presence in the region.
The EU training mission released a statement saying its headquarters, housed in the Hotel Nord-Sud, was attacked by small arms fire, but no personnel had been wounded.
Armed forces killed at least one of the attackers and continued the search for three others, according to Malian special-forces spokesman Cmdr. Modibo Naman Traore.
Militants kill Egyptian security forces in checkpoint attack
An Egypt-based Islamic State (ISIS) affiliate killed 15 policemen on Saturday in a mortar attack on a checkpoint in the city of el-Arish.
Witnesses reported the militants also peppered ambulances with gunfire as they tried to reach the wounded. Security forces killed five of the assailants.
Is Libya's unity government doomed to fail?
The prime minister of Libya's UN-backed unity government on Thursday said the new governing body will move from Tunis to Tripoli, Libya's capital, "within a few days." But disapproval of the new leadership among Libya's warring factions raises concerns the unity government, seen as the sole hope for resolving the country's conflict, may fuel more chaos in Libya and its neighbors.


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Why France Is Such a Mess
A huge government sector, ridiculous bureaucrats, and outrageous taxes put their economy in real danger.
Daniel J. Mitchell
Politics France Elections Economy
What best symbolizes France's statist political culture?
Is it bloated public sector that consumes more than half of the economy's output?
Is it a tax system that is so onerous that households sometimes pay more than 100 percent of their income to government?
Is it cossetted bureaucrats with cars and drivers who nonetheless still rack up giant taxi expenses?
Those are good examples, to be sure, but I've actually already shared an everything-you-need-to-know story dealing with lavish perks for France's protected bureaucrat class.
But there's no rule that says I can't have multiple everything-you-need-to-know anecdotes.
The Electoral Scoop.
Here's a story that reveals why France is in trouble. The Wall Street Journal reports that a French presidential candidate is arguing people shouldn't get upset that he used taxpayer money to give his wife a no-show job because a big chunk of the money then went back to the government because of punitive taxes.
François Fillon…apologiz[ed] to the country for having employed his wife and children as parliamentary aides while rejecting accusations the jobs were phony. …Mr. Fillon characterized it as unfair for media reports to state his wife received nearly a million euros over a 15-year period, saying after taxes her monthly average income came to only €3,677 ($3,964). …The privileges traditionally available to France's ruling class were exposed with rare candor."
So I guess Fillon wants people to think it's okay to divert funds to family members if they "only" pocket about $48,000 per year after paying taxes.
This is disgusting. At least Fillon should have wasted taxpayer money more elegantly, like France's current president, who doesn't have much hair but still gave his stylist big bucks.
What makes Fillon's story especially amusing is that he is the candidate trying to appeal to French voters who want to reduce the role of the state.
Considering that two of his major opponents are Marine Le Pen, a big-government populist, and Benoît Hamon, a socialist who favors a taxpayer-provided basic income for everyone, maybe Fillon actually is the only choice for French voters with libertarian impulses, but that's a rather sad commentary on the state of French politics. So I don't even know if I'll endorse a candidate, like I did back in 2012.
What makes the situation particularly tragic is that the fiscal mess in France has become so bad that even parts of the government are concluding that some market-based reforms are necessary.
Corporation tax in France is too far above the European average, according to a report by the French Court of Auditors. The experts said a cut from 33.3% to 25% would allow companies to compete with their European counterparts. EurActiv France reports. The amount of tax paid by businesses in France has been steadily climbing for the last two decades. Today, they pay the highest rates in Europe. But this growth has not been good for the country, according to a report published by the Court… France has not always been a high tax jurisdiction, compared to other EU countries. In 1995 it was more or less at the European average. But it has steadily increased over the last 20 years. At the same time, other EU member states have been moving in the opposite direction. According to the report, most member states have lowered tax on business revenues, or have imminent plans to do so. The UK, for example plans to cut corporation tax to 17% by 2020. The average tax rate paid by EU companies fell from 33% in 1999 to 25% in 2015."
France's suicidal fiscal regime is why – with my tongue planted firmly in cheek – I agreed with Paul Krugman back in 2013 that there is a plot against France. But I pointed out the conspirators against France were the nation's politicians.
P.S. Actually, perhaps the story that tells you everything you need to know about France was the poll last decade revealing that more than half the population would flee to America if they had the opportunity.
P.P.S. If it wasn't for France, we never would have had the opportunity to enjoy this very clever and amusing Scott Stantis cartoon.
P.P.P.S. Or watch this rather revealing Will Smith interview about French taxation.
Reprinted from International Liberty.
Daniel J. Mitchell is a Washington-based economist who specializes in fiscal policy, particularly tax reform, international tax competition, and the economic burden of government spending. He also serves on the editorial board of the Cayman Financial Review.
More by Daniel J. Mitchell
Quantifying the Economic Benefits of Reducing the Regulatory Burden
Daniel J. Mitchell - July 02, 2019
Why Job Growth Is 80% Stronger in Low-Tax States Than High-Tax States Since December 2017
Daniel J. Mitchell - June 27, 2019
6 Facts Obama Got Wrong about Guns While Speaking in Brazil
California Town Sees Businesses Vanish Following Minimum Wage Hike
Daniel J. Mitchell - May 31, 2019


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On June 2, 2017, in the wake of the widespread cyberattack caused by the WannaCry ransomware cryptoworm, the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) added to its arsenal of cybersecurity guidance a checklist to assist HIPAA Covered Entities and Business Associates in responding to cyber-related security incidents (the Cybersecurity Checklist).1 The Cybersecurity Checklist focuses on entities' execution of their incident response plans as well as external reporting obligations, and encourages entities to perform certain mitigating efforts, including sharing information with private-sector information-sharing and analysis organizations (ISAOs). In addition, recent OCR enforcement matters and the June 23, 2017 Anthem breach settlement provide lessons for all regulated healthcare organizations in what is required for compliant breach preparedness.
Ransomware is a unique type of malicious software, or malware, that is used to deny a user access to systems or data. HHS has described ransomware as malware that "exploits human and technical weaknesses to gain access to an organization's technical infrastructure in order to deny the organization access to its own data by encrypting that data."2 While recent attacks have grown exponentially in reach and sophistication, ransomware historically has first infected organizations through spearphishing emails, which use social engineering methods to induce the recipient to click on a link that in reality loads malware onto the user's computer. The malware then holds the affected organization's systems or data hostage by encrypting data, and demanding a ransom payment to unlock the user's access to their own information. According to the security firm Kaspersky, ransomware attacks in the first quarter of 2017 had risen to 218,625, compared with 61,832 attacks in the last quarter of 2016, representing an increase of 250percent.3 In the last two months alone, two separate global cyberattacks relying upon weaponized versions of ransomware have affected organizations worldwide.
In May 2017, the WannaCry strain of ransomware (also known as Wanna Decryptor, WannaCrypt, and WCry), infected more than 300,000 computers in more than 150 countries.4 WannaCry likely started through spearphishing emails, where an employee clicked on an infected link, such as a malicious Microsoft Word file, to enable the ransomware. However, once enabled, the ransomware could then spread through the organization's entire network, making WannaCry the world's first "ransomworm," according to Lee Kim, director of privacy and security for Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) North America, a non-profit focused on better health through information technology.5 Upon infecting a computer, WannaCry encrypted the computer's files, rendering them unreadable to the user, and demanded $300 in Bitcoin for unlocking encrypted files, with the price doubling after three days. WannaCry threatened to delete all encrypted files if the ransom wasn't paid in a week.
WannaCry exploited a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows called EternalBlue that the National Security Agency (NSA) had discovered. The hacker group known as the Shadow Brokers leaked EternalBlue to the internet in April 2017. Microsoft had issued a software update in March 2017 for its most recent operating systems that protects against exploitation of this vulnerability, but some organizations and users had not implemented the patch or were running old Windows operating systems for which the patch was not made available. After news of the attack hit, Microsoft released an additional emergency patch, taking the unprecedented step of providing direct support for unsupported operating systems, like Windows XP.
In the Cybersecurity Checklist, OCR highlights the importance of mitigation efforts, noting that it considers all mitigation efforts taken by a Covered Entity or Business Associate during any particular breach investigation. Mitigation efforts include voluntary sharing of breach-related information with law enforcement agencies and other federal organizations and ISAOs.
On Friday, June 23, 2017, Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. (Anthem) announced that it will pay US$115 million to settle the multidistrict class action ligation relating to the 2015 cyberattack that exposed personal information of more than 78 million individuals. According to a January 6, 2017 press release issued by the California Department of Insurance, the data breach began on February 18, 2014, as a result of a phishing email that, once opened, permitted the user's computer to download malicious files and also allowed hackers to gain remote access to that computer, as well as a number of other Anthem systems, including Anthem's data warehouse.24 In December 2016, Anthem reached a joint settlement with members of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) relating to the 2015 cyber breach, which required Anthem to, among other things, implement a number of enhanced security measures and continue cybersecurity monitoring (NAIC Settlement Agreement). Even though the NAIC- led investigation found that Anthem's pre-breach cybersecurity was "reasonable and included the implementation of technologies and procedures consistent with or exceeding those of a typical organization of its size and type," and Anthem had already incurred US$115 million of costs relating to security improvement, Anthem still agreed to make a number of enhancements to its information security systems as part of the NAIC Settlement Agreement.
In recent enforcement actions, OCR has increasingly focused on the affected organization's security compliance programs, including particularly the sufficiency of an entity's enterprise-wide security risk analysis and the implementation of a subsequent risk management plan to address any identified risks and vulnerabilities to the entity's ePHI. As noted in the 2016 OCR Guidance, compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule can prevent the introduction of malware, including ransomware.
On April 24, 2017, OCR announced a settlement for potential HIPAA violations with a wireless health services provider, CardioNet, including US$2.5 million Resolution Amount and a Corrective Action Plan (CAP). CardioNet reported an employee's stolen laptop to OCR in January 2012, which resulted in the impermissible disclosure of ePHI of 1,391 individuals. OCR's investigation indicated that CardioNet had insufficient risk analysis and risk management processes in place when the laptop was stolen. While CardioNet had policies and procedures in draft form, they had not yet been implemented.
On April 12, 2017, OCR announced a settlement for potential HIPAA violations with Metro Community Provider Network (MCPN), a federally qualified health center based in the greater Denver, Colorado metropolitan area, which had experienced a phishing event in 2012 when a hacker accessed employees' email accounts and obtained 3,200 individuals' ePHI. MCPN paid a US$400,000 Resolution Amount and entered into a CAP with OCR. OCR noted that MCPN failed to implement a security management process to safeguard such ePHI. OCR's investigation indicated that MCPN had not conducted a risk analysis to assess the risks and vulnerabilities in its ePHI environment and therefore did not implement a corresponding risk management plan to any such risks and vulnerabilities that would have been identified through such a risk analysis. OCR further noted that subsequent risk analyses conducted by MCPN were insufficient to meet HIPAA Security Rule requirements.
Similarly, on November 22, 2016, OCR announced a settlement for potential HIPAA violations with the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass), including a US$650,000 Resolution Amount and CAP. On June 18, 2013, UMass had reported to OCR that one of its workstations had become infected with malware, resulting in the impermissible disclosure of ePHI of 1,670 individuals. UMass determined that the malware had gained access to its ePHI because no firewall was in place. OCR's investigation indicated that UMass did not conduct an "accurate and thorough risk analysis" until September 2015 and failed to ensure that firewalls were in place.
Vulnerability Patching: The key takeaway from the WannaCry cyberattack is that patch management policies deserve the highest priority, as well as ensuring adequate staffing and resources to carry out this work. While the HIPAA Security Rule does not specifically address vulnerability or patch management, firewalls, or monitoring of inbound and outbound traffic, appropriate risk management will in turn mandate close adherence to these prevailing security practices. Therefore, the senior executives of any regulated healthcare organization should require formal, documented patch management policies, and regular reporting on whether they are being followed in practice. IT staff must remain up to date on available patches created to correct known software security vulnerabilities and, when appropriate, promptly apply patches to the organization's computer systems after However, older systems running on outdated (unsupported) operating systems and end-of-life applications require equal attention. In 2014, the Anchorage Community Mental Health Service paid OCR a US$150,000 Resolution Amount as part of a settlement for potential HIPAA violations, including a failure to apply software patches that had contributed to a 2012 malware-related breach affecting more than 2,700 individuals. As The Wall Street Journal has noted, "organizations that use mission-critical software, such as hospitals … often have no choice but to use outdated operating systems. In fact, it can be disastrous for them to patch their computers when an update becomes available" because software could cease to function, affecting patient care.25For these organizations, compensating controls — which can be discovered and addressed through a Risk Analysis and Risk Management Plan, as described below — are vitally important to have.
Risk Analysis: Enterprise-wide risk assessments should occur annually, at a minimum, as an expected best practice. Successful HIPAA compliance requires a common-sense approach to assessing and addressing the risks to ePHI on a regular basis. This includes reviewing systems for unpatched vulnerabilities and unsupported software that can leave patient information susceptible to malware and other risks. HHS has also flagged email (anti-phishing measures and training) as a key risk area for hospitals, as email attachments commonly deliver malware.
Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan: Healthcare organizations should update their incident response plans to reflect specific threats — including nation- state attacks, hacktivists, ransomware, insiders, and inadvertent data leakage, among others — and to itemize internal and external reporting obligations. This provides decision makers with a documented roadmap for a timely and compliant response in a crisis. Many healthcare organizations are quite experienced and efficient with breach notification to individual affected patients and HHS, but are less rehearsed or prepared to handle major operational disruptions that flow from ransomware and other types of cyberattacks. Healthcare organizations should make sure their plans have the right breadth and depth for multiple scenarios.
Training: Healthcare organizations should train their workforce members to understand the warning signs of cyberattacks and should ensure that workforce members are familiar with internal reporting obligations. Over-training against phishing attacks is probably not possible.
Risk Management Plan: Healthcare organizations should implement a plan for categorizing threat- vulnerability pairings identified by the Risk Analysis, and for prioritizing remediation of pairings that create the highest risk to the organization. With ransomware widely known as a top threat, backup and recovery plans will fall under close scrutiny. Paying a ransom to avoid impacts to patient care may seem a reasonable trade-off and even be the best option; however, as a follow-on matter, regulators may very well investigate and question why a payment was necessary at all. Redundancy and rapid restore capabilities are expected for systems and operations critical to patient care. Healthcare organizations should consider whitelisting applications, segmenting networks and back-up systems, and taking other basic steps to prevent the rapid spread of malware within the organization.
DO WE DO NOW? (2017), available at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cyber-attack-checklist-06-2017.pdf (Cybersecurity Checklist).
at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/RansomwareFactSheet.pdf (2016 OCR Guidance).
3 Roman Unuchek, Fedor Sinitsyn, Denis Parinov, Vladislav Stolyarov, IT threat evolution Q1 2017. Statistics, SECURELIST.COM (May 22, 2017, 9:03 AM), available at https://securelist.com/it-threat-evolution-q1-2017-statistics/78475/.
4 See Rob Sloan, A Response Checklist, in WSJ PRO CYBERSECURITY, THE WANNACRY CYBERATTACKS: DEALING WITH THE RISKS (2017).
5 Greg Slabodkin, Few U.S. Healthcare Organizations Affected by WannaCry, HealthDataManagement.com (May 16, 2017, 7:09 AM), available at https://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/us-healthcare-organizations-appear-to-dodge-wannacry-bullet.
6 Robert McMillan, David Gauthier-Villars, and James Marson, Cyber Attacks Hit Major Companies Across the Globe, WSJ.com (June 27, 2017, 8:24 P.M.), available at https://www.wsj.com/articles/cyberattacks-hit-global-companies-in-europe-1498575793.
7 Joe Uchill, Massive ransomware attack not actually ransomware: report (Jun. 28, 2017 1:25 P.M.), available at http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/339860-massive-ransomware-attack-not-actually-ransomware- report?utm_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=9523.
8 Melanie Evans, Cyberattack Causes Some Surgeons to Cancel Operations, WSJ.com (June 28, 2017, 5:55 P.M.), available at https://www.wsj.com/articles/cyberattack-causes-surgeons-to-cancel-some-operations-1498686899.
9 Greg Bell & Michael Eber, Health Care & Cyber Security: Increasing Threats Require Increased Capabilities, KPMG.com (2015), available at https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2015/09/cyber-health-care-survey-kpmg-2015.pdf.
10 Adam Janofsky, For Some Organizations, Patching Isn't an Answer, in WSJ Pro CyberSecurity, The WannaCry Cyberattacks: Dealing with the Risks (2017).
11 See Trend Micro, Massive WannaCry/Wcry Ransomware Attack Hits Various Countries, BLOG.TRENDMICRO.COM (May 12, 2017, 1:39 PM), available at http://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/massive-wannacrywcry-ransomware-attack-hits- various-countries/.
12 See Thomas Fox-Brewster, Medical Devices Hit for the First Time in US Hospitals, FORBES.COM (May 17, 2017, 9:00 AM), available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2017/05/17/wannacry-ransomware-hit-real-medical- devices/#4a87a972425c.
13 Greg Slabodkin, Few U.S. Healthcare Organizations Affected by WannaCry, HEALTHDATAMANAGEMENT.COM (May 16, 2017, 7:09 AM), available at https://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/us-healthcare-organizations-appear-to-dodge-wannacry-bullet.
AND REPORT! (2017), available at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/may-2017-ocr-cyber-newsletter.pdf (2017 OCR Guidance).
16 To subscribe to this listserv, visit https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa.exe?SUBED1=OCR-PRIVACY-LIST&A=1.
17 HHS Update #4: International Cyber Threat to Health Care Organizations, dated May 17, 2016, available at https://list.nih.gov/cgi- bin/wa.exe?A2=ind1705&L=OCR-PRIVACY-LIST&F=&S=&X=8BB672EFA06311B957&P=6618 (password protected for subscribers only).
18 Consistent with the Guidance to Render Unsecured Protected Health Information Unusable, Unreadable, or Indecipherable to Unauthorized Individuals, issued by the Secretary of HHS under section 13402(h)(2) of Public Law 111-5, PHI is rendered unusable, unreadable, or indecipherable to unauthorized persons if it has been encrypted under (1) a valid encryption process for data at rest consistent with NIST Special Publication 800-111, Guide to Storage Encryption Technologies for End User Devices; or (2) a valid encryption process for data in motion which complies, as appropriate, with NIST Special Publications 800-52, Guidelines for the Selection and Use of Transport Layer Security (TLS) Implementations; 800-77, Guide to IPsec VPNs; or 800-113, Guide to SSL VPNs, or others which are Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 validated.
19 HIPAA Breach Notification Rule at 45 C.F.R. §§ 164.402-410.
20 HHS ASPR/CIP HPH Cyber Notice: Current International Ransomware Campaign, dated June 28, 2017, available at https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=OCR-PRIVACY-LIST;9151234a.1706 (password protected for subscribers only).
50 (codified at 6 U.S.C. §§ 1502, 1504).
22 HHS Update #4: International Cyber Threat to Health Care Organizations, dated May 17, 2016, available at https://list.nih.gov/cgi- bin/wa.exe?A2=ind1705&L=OCR-PRIVACY-LIST&F=&S=&X=8BB672EFA06311B957&P=6618 (password protected for subscribers only).
23 Kate Fazzini, Ransomware Presents Complex Compliance Risks, in WSJ Pro CyberSecurity, The WannaCry Cyberattacks: Dealing with the Risks (2017).
24 Investigation of major Anthem cyber breach reveals foreign nation behind breach, dated Jan. 6, 2017, available at http://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2017/release001-17.cfm.
This post comes to us from Latham & Watkins LLP. It is based on the firm's client alert, "How Can Healthcare Organizations Prepare for the Next Cyberattack?" dated July 10, 2017, and available here.


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UGA's master plan endeavors to create the optimal student environment by extending the characteristics of historic north campus to other campus precincts. The master plan emphasizes the creation of connected greenspaces to promote a safe and pleasant pedestrian environment with minimized vehicular conflicts. In general, automobiles are routed to the campus edges, reserving the campus interior for infill buildings and memorable pedestrian spaces. Parking decks are being constructed along the campus perimeter, and pathways are designed to move people safely into the campus core.
The Alternative Transportation Program provides incentives for people to reduce the use of personal automobiles on campus. UGA is also assisting development of the N. Oconee River Greenway to provide alternative commuting options between campus and the community.
UGA promotes the use of bicycles on campus through developing bike lanes on campus roadways and providing bike racks at each building. Where possible, covered bike parking and shower facilities are provided. (Click to view the Bike Master Plan or for a Map of Bike Racks on campus.)
UGA boasts the largest Campus Transit system in the country. Visit the Campus Transit website for detailed bus route and schedule information or to arrange for special transportation needs. Members of the campus community can also ride Athens Transit "The Bus" for free with a valid campus ID.
Motorcycles / Mopeds / Scooters
Designated parking areas for these vehicles are provided in various campus locations. A map of current Motorcycle / Moped parking locations can be found here.
In total, UGA offers approximately 18,000 parking spaces on campus. Visit UGA Parking Services for detailed transportation and parking information.