The experience of Canada in the mid- to late-1990s shows that it is entirely possible for a government to engage in relatively large spending cuts without plunging the economy into recession. The fact that Canada's "fiscal austerity" went hand-in-hand with plunging interest rates and soaring net exports isn't a lucky coincidence to be attributed to wise central bankers, but instead is the natural outcome from reversing the government's siphoning out of billions from the loan market. The Canadian government simply reversed the familiar stories of "crowding out" and "twin deficits" with beneficial results for its citizens. Other governments should learn from the episode.
And whoever said that this was not possible, if the domestic private sector or demand for exports provides sufficient aggregate demand?
That assumes the false loanable funds model of interest rates, when in reality the Bank of Canada sets the relevant rates, especially the "overnight rate", the rate at which the financial institutions lend to each other borrow for short term funds.
Modern nations have endogenous money supply, where most money is credit money which comes into existence because it has been demanded, and in turn the central bank supplies reserves as demanded by the private banks. There is no truly independent money supply function in such a system and attempts like yours to analyse interest rate changes under loanable funds are flawed and pointless.
If interest rates fell in Canada in the 1990s it was because the central bank set them exogenously, and whatever effect on investment and consumer credit interest rates had aren't due to government austerity.
At any rate, Canadian household private sector debt soared in the 1990s offsetting the austerity, in addition to rising demand for exports.
Debt to income did go up slightly, but I wouldn't call that soaring. It actually dropped in the late 90s, and increased much slower than the early 90s, the mid- to late- 80s, and after 2001. So the mid- to late- 90s was actually a slow-down period between two periods of fast increasing household debt.
As for the exports, wasn't that partially because of the government reducing borrowing, as Bob argued? The Krugman quote from Bob's piece: "The fallacy is following the chain of thought that says that higher national savings would lead to a lower trade deficit — which is true — and that therefore this would strengthen the dollar. What this misses is that higher savings lead to a smaller trade deficit precisely because they weaken the dollar." If austerity partially contributes to higher exports by increasing savings, then it seems like the austerity could offset the austerity, which doesn't really make any sense.
Also, LK, I'm confused about your discussion on interest rates. Note that I'm not an economist and have very little knowledge on this sort of stuff.
If the government stopped borrowing money, there would be more money available for loaning. So, if I was loaning the government $50 a year, and then suddenly they stopped borrowing money from me, it seems likely I would put some of it in a bank. The bank then, say, has $25 more, and so has less demand for new credit from the central bank. I assume you agree with this so far. But the central bank doesn't literally set interest rates, correct? They do so through lending/borrowing. If the Central Bank keeps how much they lend constant, wouldn't interest rates fall under this case?
No, I don't. For one banks demand high-powered money (or reserves) from the central bank (CB), not credit. Even when they borrow from CB, they borrow reserves.
Broad money supply is most "bank money" = credit money represented by the IOUs from demand-deposits, transactions accounts, etc.
Loans create deposits and hence broad money. Banks use reserves to clear obligations between themselves In turn, if the system gets short of reserves, private banks demand reserves from the central bank, and the central bank supplies new reserves by creating them.
The money supply is endogenous, and loanable funds is entirely the wrong model to understand it.
Okay, I'm definitely lost somewhere then. When the CB buys bonds or lends money to banks, are you saying none of that money is later loaned out? If so, how does the CB lending effect interest rates at all? If only a couple of people put money into a bank, then they would have very little money to lend out, so I don't see how the interest rates could be low regardless of how much high-powered money they have. On the other hand, if a ton of people put money into a bank, I don't see why they would keep rates high unless if the bank borrowed regular money (or sold bonds for regular money).
"When the CB buys bonds or lends money to banks, are you saying none of that money is later loaned out?
The private banks use reserves/high powered money for clearing their obligations to other banks and bank clients.
When you get a loan from a bank, they create a new bank deposit for you which means new braid money, because any demand deposits is form of broad money.
When banks "borrow" reverses from a CB, the this process sis different form how banks "lend" to clients.
What he is saying is that there is basically two kinds of money.
Reserve money (the kind the central bank creates) sits either in accounts at the central bank or is in circulation as cash. The account holders at the central bank are typically only banks, however there are certain institution who also hold directly accounts at the Central Bank. At the FED this would be the US government, other Central Banks and I don't know if other governments or institutions have that privilege. In any case you won't get an account there.
However all money people have on usual bank accounts, are just that accounts/numbers that inform them how much "reserve money" the Bank owes them, not how much reserve money is actually there. But those accounts are considered in the broad money supply because people treat them basically the same way as they treat cash (reserve money).
If you want to transfer money from Bank A to Bank B, then it is not enough for Bank A to transfer your account, because Bank B doesn't accept an accounting number from Bank A. Bank B only accepts "real" reserve money, either cash or a transfer on its account at the central bank. This means that Bank A either needs to cart cash to Bank B or more likely will tell the central bank that it should transfer money from their reserve account of Bank A to the reserve account of Bank B.
So whenever a real payment between different parties actually takes place, real reserve money from the central bank is needed to settle the transaction. And with this it should be clear why the central bank affects interest rates with their purchases of bonds or ABS. Whenever they increase reserve money (base money supply) more reserve money is available to the economy to settle transactions.
Thanks for the responses LK and skylien.
Alright, so the more reserves the central bank transfers to the private banks (either through lending or buying bonds), the more transactions the private bank is able to do. But, if I put cash in the bank, wouldn't they be able to perform more transactions for the same reason (because other banks and clients accept cash)? Also, if just the credit in the bank increased, wouldn't they actually demand more reserves from the central bank so that they could perform more transfers with the money? So even if the increase in credit doesn't lower interest rates directly, it would pressure the central bank to lower them, correct?
You open a demand deposit at a bank, then the bank has more reserves, yes.
But they can obtain them at the CB by selling bonds or borrowing at the discount window.
Correct. And the central normally supply reserves as needed: the monetary system is endogenous.
"A bank's ability to expand its balance sheet is not constrained by the quantity of reserves it holds or any fractional reserve requirements. The bank expands its balance sheet by lending. Loans create deposits which are then backed by reserves after the fact. The process of extending loans (credit) which creates new bank liabilities is unrelated to the reserve position of the bank.
This comment presupposes the unwarranted assumption that demand is the primary cause for economic growth.
People do not just spend for the sake of spending which then causes growth. It is the other way around. Demand is a consequence of healthy economic growth.
If a reduction in government spending is accompanied by a rise in private spending, it is incorrect to claim that if it weren't for the rise in private spending that there would have been unhealthy effects on people. The rise in private spending is a result of a growth caused by something apart from spending.
Murphy was referring to interest rates, meaning not just fed funds rate.
That is just one theory among more than one, and upon close inspection can be shown as untenable.
What you call "modern nations" is just any nation with a central bank. The most reasonable theory is that money is at any given time both exogenous and endogenous, in that both commercial banks and central counterfeiter institutions are capable of adding to the money supply on a given day, but in the long run, in terms of binding constraints, the causality goes from counterfeiting to credit created money. For if the counterfeiter ceased inflating, then it would be impossible for banks to continually expand loans/credit money ad infinitum. At some point, banks will no longer be able to expand loans unless they have more counterfeit money from an external to the banks institution. Now if we consider the vice versa, the same result of dependency does NOT hold. To wit, if the banks stopped expanding loans, then the central counterfeiter will not reach a point at which an absence of further bank loans prevents increading the base money supply.
In other words, whereas credit money is ultimately comstrained to the base money supply, the base money supply on the other hand is not constrained to the quantity of credit.
Money in central bank economies is ultimately exogenous, but in the short run it is both.
, where most money is credit money which comes into existence because it has been demanded, and in turn the central bank supplies reserves as demanded by the private banks. There is no truly independent money supply function in such a system and attempts like yours to analyse interest rate changes under loanable funds are flawed and pointless.
It presupposes that aggregate demand is a meaningful and measurable quantity that economists can benefit from studying.
Why exactly is credit constrained to the base money supply? I thought that anyone could offer credit to anyone else, if they should choose to do so. I don't see why I should ask the central bank for permission, I'd be more concerned about the character of the person I offer credit to.
The problem here truly begins with the use of the term "demand" in the sense that 1) as an aggregate it is both a "thing" and b) it is a thing that can and should be rightfully manipulated by the omniscient government. Such as use of the term allows the state to enforce shifts of wealth and purchasing power to solve a problem that does not exist, the alleged failure of the market.
Use the term in practice means the end of private property, private contracts and due process of law.
TYPO: Such A use of the term allows…….
Yet another definition of "austerity".
Now we have to measure private debt… hurrah!
We are going to need a flow chart diagram to help people figure out which definition to apply, in order to keep Keynesian logic intact.
There is no "new" definition of austerity. It is same one I have always used: government fiscal policy that contracts demand from the economy.
And if you seriously think there is no meaningful definition of austerity, then you had better break the news to Murphy, for his WHOLE argument depends on it.
* You cannot use this to make policy recommendations.
* You cannot determine causality either (umbrellas make it rain).
The reason for these problems is that you can only discover the definition of "austerity" after the fact. Thus we can look back and say that Reaganomics was not "austerity" because demand grew. However, that would have been no help to President Reagan at the time, he needed to come up with a policy without assistance from future hindsight.
It is not a tautology: it is a straightforward empirical statement of what government fiscal policy does.
That is B.S. If the UK government now were to announce plans for next financial year to raise taxes by 40% across the broad and eliminate any budget deficit, that would be contractionary fiscal policy, no doubt.
So "austerity" is defined by the policy of raising taxes then?
Not defined by the outcome: "contracts demand from the economy".
You may personally believe a relationship exists, but the definition can only be one or the other… else you are just presuming what you set out to prove.
Raising taxes and holding spending steady would be one type of contractionary fiscal policy, yes.
Contractionary fiscal policy is a type of activity that has a given effect, yes, but you can predict its effects in a qualitative, conditional manner, like a lot of other things.
The idea that you cannot make policy recommendations or "determine causality" is stupid beyond words.
Plenty of Keynesians predicted that Irish austerity would be a disaster, and it was.
Would a declining but positive government deficit that is associated with rising aggregate demand be contractionary because of the deficit or be expansionary because of aggregate demand?
The fiscal effects per se would be contractionary.
If AD were rising as this happened that would be because of private domestic I or C increasing or foreign demand increasing, which is expansionary.
I think LK is essentially correct here. The Post Keynesians and MMTers mock Austrians because they think not knowing this explanation is part of Austrian theory. My opinion is that this explanation exposes the current funny money system as even more adsurd, ad hoc, kleptocratic and evil than previously thought.
Lavoie, M. 2013. "Teaching Post-Keynesian Economics in a Mainstream Department," in Jesper Jespersen and Mogens Ove Madsen (eds.), Teaching Post Keynesian Economics. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, UK. 12–33, at 27.
This would be true of an unfunded deficit. But if the deficit is funded entirely by bond-sales , and the economy is at full employment , why would this be true ?
I agree with rob. LK's quote doesn't sound right.
I'm curious on what role that Canada, being a resource based economy, had on this effect during this time period in question.
Oil prices were very low until about 1999. NAFTA certainly did help the fruits of the U.S. stock bubble expand to Canada (but not to Mexico, which has enormous domestic problems preventing significant economic growth).
I vaguely remember that Australia and Brazil experienced similar growth at about the same time… a time when China was moving out of communism and taking on Western technology and boosting their productivity.
IMHO, China's run is not over, but they are already hitting diminishing marginal returns and their tech level is catching up rapidly with the West so improvements will be incremental from here. Those days in the 1990's aren't coming back.
Is there a good correlation between growth in central bank assets and monetary easing ? There are other factors (such as reserve requirements etc) that are also relevant.
Quick research (see blow) shows that M2 increased at a faster rate (just by eyeballing anyway) than (possibly) before and (definitely) after in Canada for the period in question.
$1 CDN = $0.89 U.S.. in March 1991.
The weaker CDN provided the export boost which offset the contractionary effects of Austerity.
Nice point. Another nail in the coffin of Bob's analysis.
In brief, the US is Canada's largest trade partner, taking most of its exports (e.g., in 2008 the US took a huge 77% of Canadian exports)).
Canadian austerity began from 1995, but most of the depreciation in the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar happened from 1991 to 1994 before the austerity.
Poor old Bob: his story even on the depreciation is problematic too.
Why would depreciation cause exports in future years to increase? The depreciation did indeed seem to stop from about 1995 to 1998, which is interesting.
Regardless, exports actually didn't seem to increase in 1995 and only slowly increased in 1996. The big jumps in imports seemed to happen before 1995 and after 1998: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/canada/exports (zoom in to just the year 1995 to see it more clearly; interestingly, exports actually fell until about half way through the year). Unless if this source is incorrect, I don't think exports can explain why there was no recession in 1995.
So I guess the question is, if in 1995 there was austerity, a relatively high interest rate, no growth in exports, no monetary depreciation and very low growth in the central bank's assets, why was there no recession?
There will generally be short term "contractionary effects" as the result of "austerity" when illicit government spending ends and people need to re-adjust to life off the dole. Since people are not only unaware of the process but are actively mis-educated about it by the statist school system, it might often be politically expedient to dilute the value of the local funny money so that exports sell for less than they would otherwise. There might be some evidence of "sticky prices" when there are shifts in a Keynesian spending and funny money regime because average people do not understand the process (which is intentional on the part of the authorities).
None of this is evidence to support the claim that the market fails or requires "stimulus", government spending or funny money dilution. When the apparent free lunch is cut off, the voters will generally be angry and must be dealt with.
LK keeps wondering why I ask for "austerity" to be well defined, but here is an excellent example. If you use the "debt accelerator" definition, then it comes down to government budget. So the highest Canadian deficit (as % GDP) was… 1986 at 8% GDP.
There was a round of deficit reduction (maybe this is "austerity" but some will no doubt say otherwise) up to about 1990 where it held fairly steady at about 5% of GDP until 1995.
A second round of deficit cutting happened after 1995 and the budget hit balance in 1999 then nudged to into surplus for a while.
At the same time per-capita GDP (PPP) showed good increase from 1993 up to around 2008 so at least we can say that the two rounds of deficit cuts did not significantly hamper growth, and no particular "stimulus" was required. There isn't a perfect correlation here, but when giving up the booze there is some delay before you start feeling good again (so they tell me).
This is strangely working its way into funding police and pensions. This is identical to the very issue that resulted in the final collapse of Rome when the armies began to sack cities to pay for their pensions.
I've been reading this website for years and still learn something new. Holy protection racket Batman, this isn't looking good.
Anyone else find it a little ironic (I mean in a good, jovial way) that a Christian (Bob) who is absolutely sure about God, has to educate those scientists, who are absolutely sure about their theories, to be more skeptical?
It's like scientists are saying be absolutely sure about scientific conclusions but doubt God, and theists are saying be absolutely sure about God but doubt scientific conclusions.
Interesting. The seminal work on 1990s Canada was by Pierre Fortin (1996), who pointed out that Canadian monetary policy was tight at the time, not loose.
So was it tight, or loose? Or is this just a question of needing more clarity on Krugman's timing regarding the shift from the one to the other.


text:
PCMag UK | Slideshow
Cheap and Easy Apps, Gadgets to Help You Stay in Touch Create a Shared Google Photos Albums
Cheap and Easy Apps, Gadgets to Help You Stay in Touch
While traveling abroad or living far apart from family and friends, tech can help you keep in touch
Scott Bay
23 Mar 2019, 12:56 p.m.
People move away. They go on trips, study abroad, or get new jobs. When we find ourselves thousands of miles from friends and loved ones, we look for ways to keep up with what's going on in each other's lives beyond Facebook and Instagram posts.
Whether you're the one making a change, or you're saying goodbye to a friend or family member, tech can help you bridge that physical gap. Be it shared photos or playlists, messaging and video chat apps, or even a long-distance friendship lamp, there's no shortage of ways to keep in touch.
We put together a list of the best (and often free) ways to keep in contact with loved ones across the globe.
Create a Shared Google Photos Albums
One of the best ways to share experiences and memories virtually is through photos and videos. There are endless useful features in Google Photos, but one of the most valuable for families and friends is the ability to create and collaborate on shared albums. Create and access albums on the web or the apps (iOS, Android); each album currently supports 20,000 videos and photos, and Google Photos offers unlimited storage if you agree to compress uploaded photos to 16MP (otherwise, they count toward your overall Google account storage tally).
The app has plenty of smart bells and whistles to make the experience more special, from built-in photo-editing tools to automated features that stitch together collages and memories with AI.
To get started, click the Albums tab on mobile and the web, and select the "+" button to create a new album. Give it a name, and select photos from your phone or computer. Then share it with others by tapping the share icon () on Android or the web, or the three-dot menu () > Share on iOS.
To add photos or video to an existing album, tap the "add to album" icon up top (square with a plus sign on the top right) and select photos from your phone or PC. Find updates to shared albums in the Sharing tab.
Create a Collaborative Spotify Playlist
Music is a powerful way to connect, but you don't have to be in a packed stadium, lighters (or smartphones) aloft, to be moved by a song. Music-streaming services let you take your tunes anywhere, and with Spotify, you don't have to make an old-school mixed tape to share your favorite music.
When you create a collaborative playlist on Spotify, any of your friends with access to that playlist can add or delete tracks. Creating one is simple—just right-click on any playlist and choose the "Collaborative Playlist" option. (If you find your friends are getting out of hand with their terrible music, shut off this option at any time.)
If you need help getting started, here's how to create a Spotify playlist.
Create a 'Close Friends' List on Instagram
Though many use Instagram as a way to connect with as many people as possible, the Facebook-owned photo-sharing app also lets you limit your stories to a "close friends list." So if you only want a select few to see a tour of your new apartment, vote on that night's outfit choices, or hear the latest drama, go to your profile, tap the hamburger menu (), and select Close Friends. Your follower list will appear; tap Add next to those you want as Close Friends. Then, when you go to post a story, you can share it with all your friends or just those on your Close Friends list.
Get Silly on Snapchat
Though Instagram has copied many of Snapchat's features in more easily shareable ways, Snapchat's ephemeral, disappearing snaps (which can be photos, videos, or text chats) can feel like a more personal way to stay connected and be silly with friends and family. There are endless ways to trick out your snaps, from different text styles, emoji and stickers, layered filters, and augmented reality masks and games. You can also customize icons and Snapchat groups for specific friends and group chats, and have fun keeping daily Snapchat streaks going with your closest friends and loved ones.
Chat on Your Own Time With Marco Polo
Marco Polo (Android and iOS) is a similar experience to Snapchat. The app is designed for busy people who want to catch up on-the-go, letting you to chat back and forth in video calls, but on your own time. Videos don't have to be live. You can give a tour of where you are staying abroad, say hi to the kiddos back home, or just chat without having to type. It's great for being able to see and hear loved ones, without having to set a specific time to meet for a Skype, FaceTime, or Google Hangouts call.
The most popular messaging app in the world, WhatsApp makes it super simple to stay in touch with friends wherever you are. All you need to set it up is a phone number. WhatsApp doesn't (yet) have ads, is available on a variety of platforms, and has an array of friend-specific chat features to share location, send filters and stickers, or launch audio or video chats with the knowledge that all your communication is end-to-end encrypted.
iMessage and FaceTime
Of course if you're a card-carrying member of the Apple ecosystem, iMessage and FaceTime should be your go-to ways to keep in contact. With iMessage, you can send messages back and forth with other iOS users (messages will be blue as opposed to green) without eating into your monthly text allotment.
Similarly, if you're on Wi-Fi, video chatting via FaceTime won't eat into your cellular data. (You can use FaceTime on cellular, if necessary. Make sure it's turned on via Settings > Cellular > FaceTime and toggle it on.) With iOS 12.1+, FaceTime supports group chat with up to 32 people; here's how to use it. (Skype can now handle up to 50 people if you have a truly humongous group.)
Connect a Friendship Lamp
If you'd rather have a physical object to feel close to a loved one, these long-distance friendship lamps might do the trick. The lamps can turn on, off, or dim with just a touch to let people know you're thinking of them. Each person connects their lamp to Wi-Fi, and with each touch the lamp cycles through a rainbow of colors. Assign each loved one a color so when they tap their lamp, yours lights up with their special hue.
Connect to a Smart Display
Smart displays makes it easier than ever to feel like friends and family far away are in the same room with you. More smart home devices are evolving from audio experiences to hybrid smart screen speakers with video chat capabilities, such as the Amazon Echo Show and Google Home Hub (or Facebook's Portal device.) As these smart displays become more popular in homes, you can cook dinner alongside friends or family, watch shows together, play games, or just chat in the living room or around the kitchen table as if the screen wasn't there at all.
Create a Newsletter
If you have an extensive list of people you'd like to stay in contact with, but don't have time to send everyone a separate email, consider a newsletter. With email marketing tools like MailChimp, you can create a daily, weekly, or monthly newsletter to blast out updates about your travels or other adventures right to your friends' inboxes. Just don't go overboard; you don't want them unsubscribing.
Slack It To Me
Slack is mostly for corporate communication, but it can also help you keep in touch with friends and family. The free version of Slack lets you communicate with a person or group within a shared workspace, and saves up to 10,000 messages before they get deleted. If you don't care about preserving your message history, you can keep chatting for free forever. You can also customize your Slack instance by setting up as many channels as you want, adding custom emoji and Slackbot responses, and integrating apps like Giphy. If things get a little disorganized, here's how to keep Slack tidy.
How to Add Music to an Instagram Story
What to Stream This Weekend
Video Game Streaming: What Kind of Games Work Best?
How to Optimize Google Stadia Performance
Scott Bay is an experienced digital journalist who reports on the latest technology trends, focusing specifically on travel, how to, wellness, and AI. You can reach him on Twitter @ScottBay_. See Full Bio
More From Scott Bay
8 Black Friday Tips to Help You Snag the Best Deals
How to Set Up Family Sharing for iCloud Storage
High-Tech Holiday Decorations for Geeky Smart Homes
How to Deck the (Smart) Halls With Amazon Alexa
PCMag Galleries
ZTE Blade A7 Prime
The ZTE Blade A7 Prime for Visible isn't perfect, but it's hard ...
Add music directly from Instagram or grab tunes from your favorite music ...
How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files
Need a YouTube to MP3 converter to download your favorite songs to ...
The Fujifilm X-Pro3 is a love letter to rangefinder aficionados, and does ...
New streaming goodness abounds and might make you laugh, but there are ...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Good news for the Donald LeBuhns of the world, newly uncovered patents filed by Apple show the company has been thinking about upping durability for portables. Future iOS devices may even be getting little airbags installed to prevent your precious mobile electronics from shattering on the first drop.
The patent was apparently filed in 2010′s Q2, and dug up by Pattently Apple who says that one of the patent inventors, Stephen Lynch, worked on the iPod touch and inductive charging projects.
One pathway the patent points to for enhancing the durability of devices—assuming scratch attracting plastic isn't considered—is to strengthen the glass. The thinner the device becomes, the thinner the glass cover window which can mean impact will crack or shatter it more readily. Alumino silicate, known as Gorilla Glass, is suggested, but future options to resist thermal shock include sodalime and borosilicate.
The main focus in the patent seems to be concerned with types of "apparatus, systems and methods for shock mounting a cover glass for an electronic device." One method involves cover glass and a shock mount—which is an elastic fastener—that buffers between the glass and the rest of the electronic mass. Another method discussed in the patent involves glass, shock mount and sensors which can sense a drop and retract and protect the cover glass.
There is also a tunable shock mount option which would create "compression and dampening, so as to isolate the cover glass from the remaining mass of the electronic device." The tunable option could have a shock mount made of polymyer, gel, foam, shape memory material, silicone rubber, viscoelastic material and other suitable types. The shock mount could also be made of an inflatable rubber bladder, or one filled with fluid that expands in shock events, e.g. an air-bag.
Of course, just because it's a patent doesn't necessarily mean it'll be implemented, but its nice to see some of the ideas being juggled by the Apple think tank.
Future portable Apple Inc. devices such as the iPhone and iPod Touch may soon be crack-resistant, after the tech giant filed a patent for a crack-resistant glass solution for its devices.
The new solution involves a tunable specialized shock mount that sits between the glass and the body of the device that could be instantly inflated if the device senses a drop, Patently Apple said.
"Apple's patent describes using exotic materials that could protect the glass from shattering. As a side bonus, Apple is also considering a solution that could provide portable devices with a new water damage prevention seal," it said.
Such a solution seeks to protect the relatively thin glass in a small form-factor device, Patently Apple said.
But it also noted the solution could also apply to larger devices like the iMac, Cinema Display, iPad, and MacBook and televisions.
One implementation of the solution would be to have a controller and actuator withdraw the cover glass at least partially into the housing if a drop is sensed.
Under the patent, electronics within a housing of a device could be protected from water damage with a water seal.
Patently Apple said the patent allows for an electronic device to have a cover glass with a tunable shock mount between the cover glass and the housing.
The cover glass could be suitably arranged with the tunable shock mount, which could be tuned to limit susceptibility to damage.
The tunable shock mount may provide compression and dampening, "so as to isolate the cover glass from the remaining mass of the electronic device."
Patently Apple said the tunable shock mount may be made of a polymer, a foam, a gel, a viscoelastic material, a shape memory material, an exothermic material, an optically transparent material, a silicone rubber material or other suitable material.
Also, the tunable shock mount could be tuned to have a resonant frequency that is substantially lower than the resonant frequencies of the cover glass and the remaining mass of the electronic device, and tuned "so as to be substantially critically damped."
On the other hand, Patently Apple said the tunable shock mount may use a micro inflatable bladder, like a form of air bag.
"Think of it as a form of air-bag for portable devices," it said.
Patently Apple said one aspect of this invention has already been put into place on iOS devices: using alumino silicate glass (Gorilla Glass).
But the patent also defines other glass materials that could be used in the future, including sodalime and borosilicate that may make the glass resistant to thermal shock.
"Moreover, the cover glass pieces can be chemically treated for further strengthening. One suitable chemical treatment is to place the cover glass pieces in a chemical bath containing potassium (e.g., KNO.sub.3) for a period of time (e.g., several hours) at an elevated temperature. The chemical treatment could desirably result in higher compression stresses at the surface of the cover glass pieces," it said.
It added the surface of the cover glass pieces includes the edges of the cover glass pieces.
A separate article on CNET said the idea "bears similarity" to an Amazon patent filing in August that detailed an airbag system for mobile devices that blows up just like airbags in a car.


This edition of "Fantastic Feats" – a series of feats based around a certain theme or subject – features feats for the investigator.
The Investigator is a combination of alchemist and rogue. They have a curiosity about the world around them and can use their knowledge as a weapon. They can be cunning advisors or explorers of mysteries. Having an investigator on your side is preferable to having one on your tail.
Experienced Mentor - Level bassed effects are treated as if you are one level higher.
Improved Recollection - You gain a bonus to all knowledge checks.
Improved Resistance - You can re-roll FORT of poison checks, once a day.
Improved Strike - Studying a target now grants an increased chance to hit.
Keen Eye - Your great eyesight makes perception checks and disarming easier.
Poison Knowledge - You gain a bonus to DC rolls related to crafting or neutralising poisons.
Talented - You can re-roll any dice roll related to Investigator talents.


text:
Health News of Thursday, 3 October 2019
Source: ghananewsagency.org
African CSOs strengthen capacity for fighting AIDS, others
Ghana's Non-State Actors, (NSA) a coalition of Health and Gender activists, is participating in the fourth Annual Anglophone Civil Society and Community Group Learning and Experience Sharing forum, which is underway Nairobi, Kenya.
The forum, being hosted by the Eastern Africa National Network of AIDS and Health Service Organizations (EANNASO), aims at having a regional response that contributes to effective halting and reversing of the trends of the AIDS epidemics, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa.
More than 80 participants from 25 African countries are attending the two-day forum being organised in collaboration with the Kenyan AIDS Non-governmental Organisation Consortium (KANCO) and the Global Fund.
Mrs Cecilia Senoo, President of NSA-Ghana, in a presentation, outlined various programmes and measures being rolled out in Ghana under a partnership with the government and the civil society groups in managing and addressing the three diseases.
She said the Ghana Health Service had partnered civil society and trained some key population members as paralegals who champion their human rights issues.
There were also TB Champions, comprising cured TB patients, who embarked on community education and mobilised TB patients to seek better treatment and reduce stigma.
As part of the forum, participants share their experiences and best practices, while they take stock of "what worked well and what challenges persist in the 2017-2019 Global Fund grant cycle".
They would also discuss strategies for strengthening the engagement of Civil Society and Community Groups in the Global Fund's 2020-2022 funding request development process in their respective countries.
Dr Gemma Oberth, Coordinator of the Regional Platforms, and Community Rights and Gender Strategic Initiative, the Global Fund, said such regional fora had provided a good feedback on activities of countries and of civil society organisations' contributions toward the national efforts at managing HIV and AIDs, TB and Malaria.
She said: "There have been real results as people meet to discuss and share their experiences and challenges on managing the three diseases".
She urged the participating organisations and personalities to harness the opportunities of the Global Fund and of member countries to help in the fight of diseases among vulnerable groups and key populations in Africa.
According to Dr Oberth, the Global Fund allocated four billion dollars every year towards AIDS, TB and Malaria activities globally, and appealed to African countries to be more proactive in allocating resources towards the management of the diseases, especially HIV, which continued to record new infections daily.
She urged countries to partner with civil societies and community rights and gender groups at the community level, to help do away with stigma, and human rights abuses among key populations and vulnerable groups in Africa.
Key populations are noted to face much higher rates of HIV and AIDS than the general population and are most at risk for contracting HIV.
UNAIDS identifies key populations as female sex workers, men who have sex with men and injecting drug users.
EANNASO, as the host of Anglophone Africa Platform CRG Strategic Initiative (CRG SI), on behalf of the Global Fund AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM), plays a key role in enhancing knowledge and improving meaningful engagement of communities through creating the space for dialogue sharing forum.
This article has no comments yet, be the first to comment


Heel High Ankle TAOFFEN Open Purple Shoes Toe Strap Women Sandals Fashion Forefront in the Schools: We provide tools, resources, support, and training for each school to develop a comprehensive suicide prevention and mental health promotion program.
Strap Shoes TAOFFEN Open Purple Ankle Fashion Heel High Women Sandals Toe Connect with us! Join our Facebook page to stay up to date on Forefront Suicide Prevention news and events!
Sandals Ankle TAOFFEN Fashion Women Purple Heel Shoes Strap Toe Open High Support our mission by donating today! Your gift will help save lives.


text:
<?php

namespace gamringer\PHPREST\Exceptions;

use gamringer\PHPREST\Resources\Resource;

class MethodNotSupportedException extends RoutingException
{
    protected $resource;

    public function __construct(Resource $resource, $message = '', $code = 0, $previous = null)
    {
        $this->resource = $resource;

        parent::__construct($message, $code, $previous);
    }

    public function getResource()
    {
        return $this->resource;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Оришка — річка в Україні, яка протікає в межах Гусятинського району Тернопільської області. Права притока річки Нічлавки з басейну Дністра.

Джерело знаходиться поблизу села Оришківці. Довжина 6,14 км. Впадає до Нічлавки між селами Теклівка та Гадинківці.

Назва, за легендою, походить від жіночого імені Орися (одна з народних форм імені Ірина).

Джерела

Річки Гусятинського району
Статті про річки Тернопільської області без зображення в картці

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Grandparent visitation and particular-case jurisdiction – published opinion from Ky Court of Appeals
•February 24, 2018
•Case Law - Kentucky, Elizabeth M. Howell, Grandparent Visitation, Jurisdiction
GOODLETT V. BRITTAIN, ET AL.
Father took custody of his two minor children after the death of mother. Maternal grandparents filed a Petition for grandparent visitation which was granted by the trial court.
The Court of Appeals first addresses a jurisdictional issue. Grandparents filed a Petition for grandparent visitation, withdrew without serving Father, and then subsequently filed a motion under the same case number to re-open without alleging grounds under CR 60.02. The case was reopened and Father replied. The Court of Appeals held that "the trial court did not act outside of its general subject-matter jurisdiction, but only outside of its particular-case jurisdiction. Therefore, Father "effectively consented to the trial court's exercise of jurisdiction over the particular case, and waived any right to raise the issue on appeal."
Father primarily argues that grandparents "failed to overcome the presumption that he is acting in the best interests of the children." The Court of Appeals holds that "where a grandparent seeks the intervention of the courts to compel visitation, the decision of the parent must prevail absent a clear and convincing showing by the grandparent in favor of such visitation." In this case, the trial court only identified the long-established and close relationship between the grandparents and the children, but failed to make findings as to the grandparent visitation factors set by the Kentucky Supreme Court in Walker v. Blair. It was not clear if the trial court properly gave "presumptive weight" to Father's "superior rights as a parent", or to the fact that the grandparents had the burden of proof. Thus, the Court of Appeals vacated the award of grandparent visitation and remanded for "additional findings of fact in accord with the standard set out in Walker v. Blair and Waddle v. Waddle."
Digested by Elizabeth M. Howell
Case Law - KentuckyElizabeth M. HowellGrandparent VisitationJurisdiction
AAML (32) Adoptions (49) Agreements (30) Appeals (44) Asset Home (20) Attorney Fees (38) Blog Musing (78) Business Valuation (18) Case Law - Kentucky (733) Case Law - National (70) Child Abuse and Neglect (111) Child Custody and Visitation (267) Child Support (134) Civil Procedure and Local Rules (78) Collaborative Family Law (21) Constitutional Issues (23) Custody Home (32) Debt Division (20) Divorce Home (26) Divorce Practice Resources (54) DVO and EPO (86) Elizabeth M. Howell (141) Emily T. Cecconi (58) Evidence (25) Grandparent Visitation (53) Home (23) International (20) Jurisdiction (74) Legislation (33) Maintenance (40) Maintenance Modification (18) Marital Property (74) Mediation (56) Nathan R. Hardymon (77) News (139) Nonmarital Property (38) Paternity (78) Relocation (26) Retirement Plans (31) Same Sex Issues (45) Seminars (52) Tax (19) Tech (17) Termination of Parental Rights (75) Uncategorized (148)
Pre-divorce Planning
Complex Issues
High Asset Concerns
Appeals & Post-Decree Matters


text:
Risk of theft increases with start of school year
ECPD: Theft Rate Rises at Start of School Year (9/6/19)
ECPD Reports Increase in Thefts (9/6/19)
By Denton Postlewait |
Posted: Fri 7:09 PM, Sep 06, 2019 |
Updated: Fri 8:07 PM, Sep 06, 2019
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - The fall semester is in full swing at UW-Eau Claire.
Several vehicles were broken into Thursday night.
Thursday, several cars on East Tyler Avenue were broken into and had cash stolen from them
We spoke with Eau Claire Police Dept., UW-EC students and a victim of that theft to find out just how safe they feel on campus and around the city.
"The more you can secure your property the better,"
That is the message from Eau Claire Police Department officer Bridget Coit as the fall semester gets underway. With the increase of students in Eau Claire, comes the increased risk of theft and burglary.
"We do commonly see an increase in burglaries in the fall semester due to all those college kids moving back, leaving doors unlocked, leaving the front porch unlocked, potentially a garage or another outbuilding unlocked in which they have personal property in such as a bike, or some of the other common transportation items," she said.
Thursday night, several cars were broken into on East Tyler Avenue.
"It looked like it was quick money or cash was taken out of those vehicles," she said.
Residents of that neighborhood, like Rebecca Boettcher who is one of the victims, said the area has always felt safe until now.
"I was shocked and I felt a little bit violated and just really surprised because we take pride that it is a safe and family friendly neighborhood. We've never felt unsafe here."
Back on campus of UW- Eau Claire, most students said they feel safe.
"I don't think I'd have an issue here safety wise," said junior Chris Lofgren.
"For the most part it's a really safe community and really safe campus," said sophomore Max Haslow.
"I've always felt pretty safe here. There is light everywhere and all kinds of security things," said sophomore Kaylin Sonen.
"It's probably one of the safest places I've ever been. I'm from Milwaukee," said sophomore Patrick Smith
Most of these students said they live on campus, but those who don't said they always lock up their bikes and doors. Something Coit said is the best way to prevent issues.
"With residences, especially in those college neighborhoods, if roommates are coming and going in the evening, making sure those front doors are locked, those windows are closed and locked as well," she said.
For residents with bikes, Coit said they have a bike registration program.
Coit we have our free bike registration program; we are encouraging college students this time of year and the general public to get signed up for that."
Although most students we talked to today said they feel safe and have not had anything taken, one student told me her bike was stolen this summer and she had to get a new one before the fall.
SPONSORED: Accessing cancer treatment in rural areas Sponsored
REACH President and CEO to retire at the end of March
Chippewa Valley honors Martin Luther King Jr.
Diocese of La Crosse releases list of clergy with substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse
Sheriff: Son arrested for the death of his father in Dunn County
Diocese of La Crosse addresses clergy sexual abuse allegations in letter


text:
NAME: Ancolie
IT'S: A health food spot that serves all its food in jars
OPENED: November 11th, 2016
WHO'S BEHIND IT: Owner/chef Chloe Vichot
DID YOU KNOW: Chloe raised $55,000 on Kickstarter to get the project off the ground
LOCATION: Greenwich Village
ADDRESS: 58 West 8th Street, NY 10011
CLOSEST SUBWAY: Christopher Street
OPENING TIMES: Mon-Fri 8am-7pm Sat 9am-7pm Sun 9am-5pm
By Emma Geary
@ emma
Ancolie is the latest restaurant opening in Manhattan's West Side, and it's the best new place to get your health food fix.
Remember when Mason-jars were used for traditional uses, like shaking up craft cocktails and stuff? Well now a new spot in Greenwich Village has just gone and made a whole food menu full of them – Ancolie.
It is safe to say that New York is not short of health-focused cafés to get their nutrients from – nearby openings in Greenwich Village include the likes of the Urban Vegan Kitchen, Yves and even vegan-sweet-treat spot, Sweets By CHLOE. have popped up within the area – but Ancolie is New York's first jar-food-dedicated café.
The focus on the Mason-jars isn't just a gimmick or a new way to make the salads look more photogenic however. Owner and chef Chloe Vichot, has a focus on sustainability and reducing food waste as much as possible. As part of her effort to reduce waste, customers who return their mason jars will receive a $1 credit on the next purchase and those that bring a reusable cup for their hot drinks will receive a $0.50 discount.
The menu at Ancolie will change seasonally, but right now, expect items like coconut chia pudding, a winter salad with butternut squash and cranberries and a rainbow salad with red cabbage, turmeric infused cauliflower rice and miso dressing.
There will also be a variety of warm soups and warm jars that will change daily, and desserts like chocolate cake and apple compote round the menu off. The coffee beans will also change seasonally to ensure that the coffee served is fresh from the harvest.
Ancolie, located on West 8th near Sixth Avenue, is a small space with just a few covers but the aim of the game here is to grab and go. Then, come back with your jar and save the world one healthy, nutrient-filled salad at a time. Ancolie is now open for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Greenwich Village.
People who liked Ancolie also checked out these...


All the parts can be connected with wires as following diagram and no soldering is needed. The Arduino OBD-II Adapter provides OBD-II connectivity for the Arduino Nano as well as DC 5V for Arduino Nano and its attached components. There is no need for additional power cord.
Note: Arduino Nano only has one hardware serial which is also used by USB serial. You need to upload sketch through USB before connecting the adapter.


Scallop Gable Box from the gorgeous Mon Trèsor collection.
These sweet and stylish little boxes are perfect for any celebration.
Fill them with any type of goody you fancy.
Ribbon not supplied but please take a look at our beautiful collection in our Wrap & Tie section.


While a toxic employee can wreak havoc in any workplace, such a person can be especially damaging to a small business, where interactions are frequent and quarters close. Others on staff have difficulty escaping the negativity, and a small business leader who fails to address the problem may soon find everyone's energy drained.
The best solution would be for small business owners not to hire toxic workers in the first place. Warning signs during interviews may include talking negatively about former employers, blaming co-workers for problems, and failing to acknowledge the role of others in accomplishments. Speaking with references can be revealing; they may hint at attitude problems or provide lackluster answers that raise red flags.
Unfortunately, preventative measures don't always work, so it's important to stay alert to possible toxicity on your staff. Probe when customers request a different contact. Look at the facial expressions of team members when around the individual in question. Ask yourself how you feel when interacting with the suspect. Complaints, looks of frustration, avoidance, and a general bad vibe spell trouble.
If you discover a toxic employee on your team, take action. While speaking up may be awkward, let this finding spur your courage: Research shows that good employees are 54 percent more likely to quit when they work with a toxic employee. Do you really want to risk losing valuable talent?
Call the team member in question in for a private chat. The person may not be aware of the behavior and its effect on others. Stick with facts and specifics to drive the point home and lower defensive reactions. Listen when the person responds. A personal problem may be carrying over into the workplace, or perhaps a work-related issue might be brought up that you can help solve. Knowing the behavior has been noticed may be enough to squelch it.
Some people, however, need more motivation to change their tune. Outline your expectations, and clearly state what will happen if they aren't met. Attitude may improve when a promotion, raise or even continued employment is on the line.
An employee who truly wants to improve will likely keep up the good work if rewarded with praise and attention. Such actions also demonstrate that you aren't holding a grudge based on past actions and instead are interested in moving forward for the sake of the small business.
Finally, remember that negativity may simply be a way to get heard, so providing positive means that serve the same purpose may reduce the need to complain and blame. Suggestion boxes, employee surveys, town-hall style meetings, and open-door policies encourage engagement and solutions over aimless expressions of discontent. You may even choose to meet regularly with your "problem" employee. Scheduling a productive conversation every two weeks beats depleting everyone's time and energy daily.


If Filipinos keep on throwing away more than 163 million plastic sachets daily, Metro Manila will be covered almost knee-deep in plastic waste in one year, an environment group said on Thursday.
Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (Gaia) described the environmental nightmare as it released findings of its five-year trash audit, a week before a meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly to discuss plastic pollution.
"The problem is the huge amount of single-use plastics being produced—not just the way waste is managed," said Froilan Grate, executive director of Gaia Asia-Pacific.
Filipinos were also throwing away 48 million plastic shopping bags, 45 million thin-film bags, and three million diapers every day, Gaia reported.
The audit, which was conducted by Mother Earth Foundation (MEF), collected trash samples from households in 21 selected sites across the Philippines, including six cities and seven towns.
According to the report, the average Filipino uses 591 pieces of plastic sachets, 174 shopping bags and 163 plastic "labo" (translucent) bags yearly.
The study was meant to "expose" the role of manufacturers in the global proliferation of plastic waste, and "unmask" how the industry has supposedly passed on the blame for the disposal and cleanup of waste to local governments.
Cities and towns deal with a greater number of "branded" plastic waste—comprising about 54 percent of total residual waste—than "unbranded" plastics, it said.
Ten companies are responsible for 60 percent of "branded" plastics and four multinational companies account for 36 percent.
"Plastic is a pollution problem, and it starts as soon as the plastic is made. The only way to manage single-use plastic is to make less of it," Grate said.
MEF chair Sonia Mendoza said the findings should prompt local governments to find better ways of addressing plastic waste.
The sheer volume of trash is "beyond the capacity of local governments to manage," Mendoza said.
Under Republic Act No. 9003, or the Solid Waste Management Act, local governments are tasked with solid waste management in their respective areas.
Local governments can use the data to ban or regulate the use of plastic packaging and to compel companies to acknowledge their liability for plastic pollution, Mendoza said.
"Cities can strengthen regulations, improve waste management services and reduce waste volume," she said.
Von Hernandez, national coordinator of Break Free From Plastic, said the study reinforced the need to pass on the burden to manufacturers.
The study called on the government to regulate the production and use of single-use plastics, and pressed manufacturers to find alternative means of packaging products.
Organic waste accounted for more than half of the waste produced in the Philippines, which supposedly affirmed organic waste management as an "important strategy" to create "substantial waste reduction" for local governments, it said.