Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/265951181?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Sunday, November 25, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
I Am Thankful For?.. | Single Mothers by Choice
I am thankful for:
My two beautiful, healthy, smart, funny girls.
My amazing family, who are supportive, though many miles away.
My job, which was at risk for many months, but is once again mostly stable and secure.
My friends, without whose help some weekends would last months, and who have provided a local family for my family.
The internet, without which I never would have found SMC and the incredible community of women you are.
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For parents who, after struggling to accept me, are excited and supportive of my journey.
For friends, past, present and future, some of whom are other SMCs I?ve met through this wonderful community.
I am finally on my way to building the family I?ve wanted for so long. ?I?m 6 weeks pregnant today.
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I?m thankful for God?s perfect timing ? I was blessed with a family-perfect job and a larger apartment right on time for my journey into motherhood.
I am thankful for unexpected kindness and favor, which seems to be showing up more and more in my life.
I am thankful for having found a nurturing, spiritual home where I am challenged to do better, to be better, to raise my consciousness.
I am thankful for this beautiful baby boy growing inside of me; thankful for my big belly, swollen feet, unnumerable trips to the bathroom ? all of it is good because all of it is part of growing and nurturing my son.
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I am thankful for my loving, generous, gracious, reliable mom. Whatever may have come before, she is here, fully, now.
I am thankful for having true friends; people who love and support and cheer for me and who have my best interest at heart.
I am thankful for so many things that are easy to take for granted ? food, shelter, clean water, a peaceful city, fall folliage, a crisp, clear day.
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I am thankful that I had options on my path to motherhood.
I am thankful for the great job I have that made it possible for me to afford my IVF.
I am thankful for the SMC forum, ?and the local SMCs that I have become close to.
I am thankful for my supportive friends who have been sending me lots of positive light.
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I am thankful for the advances in medicine that allow premature infants, including my son, to survive and thrive.
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I am thankful for my beautiful, precious, wonderful, amazing, sweet baby boy. Every single day.
I?m thankful for my job, and my lifestyle that allow me to spoil him, and myself, occasionally.
I am thankful for all my friends and family. I?m thankful for my life, and everything in it.
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I?m so thankful for all the wonderful ways my life has changed in precisely one year.
Last year at this time, I was in the thick of battling my fears and undergoing my first round of medications after many unsuccessful attempts to conceive. This year I am 25 weeks pregnant.
It may have taken a lot longer than I thought it would, and a lot more tears and frustration, but I learned that I am a lot stronger than I ever believed I was ? for that, I?m grateful. And I?m grateful for every little kick I feel in my belly right now!
My precious, sweet, cuddly, funny, and wonderful daughter.
That we have family close by, so my daughter gets to spend time with her grandparents who love and spoil her.
For the advances in asthma medication that make it possible for my daughter to live.
That my mom loves to cook so I don?t have to cook on Thanksgiving at all!
And, of course, for this wonderful group of women who provide daily humor, insight and encouragement!
I am thankful that I discovered the concept of a Single Mother by Choice and had the emotional, financial and physical ability to become one.?
I am thankful for my amazing family and friends that really have gone above and beyond to help me.
And most of all, I am thankful for everything that God has given me this Thanksgiving. I am so totally in love with my baby and cannot believe he?s mine. Being a mom is the most amazing thing I?ve ever done.
I?m so thankful for this wonderful community, with whom I?ve shared almost every step of this journey.
I?m thankful for my donor, who may or may not have realized what a gift he was giving, but it was an amazing gift all the same.
I?m thankful for my REs, thankful for all the other medical professionals I?ve interacted with, thankful for my wonderfully supportive family.
And I?m thankful to be starting off a new life with this new little person!
For more discussion on this and other subjects, join SMC and take part in our discussions on our lively 24/7 Forum and at local chapter meetings.
Source: http://www.singlemothersbychoice.org/2012/11/22/i-am-thankful-for/
Monday, November 19, 2012
The 5 High Things To Know Earlier Than Buying Internet Hosting ...
Web hosting Not the only real Sector Planning Green
The Surge in Thoroughly clean, Green Power
The renewable energy sector is often a progressive local community, and it happens to be development amongst forward-thinking industries and nations is admirable. The world wide web internet hosting market, as an example, has the distinctive honor of using a powerful purpose while in the reduction of Co2 emissions by placing considerable pressure on knowledge facilities being considerably more electrical power successful. Although many internet hosts have not yet recognised this product, website owners and online business owners worldwide have. Internet business owners are moving their web-sites to green hosting providers in substantial quantities.
Knowledge centers second only into the airline market in Carbon dioxide emissions.
A research by Mckinsey & Co. predicted that knowledge centers all surpass the airline marketplace as the largest source of Co2 emissions by 2020 and called for information centers to double their electricity efficiency by 2012. Although many facts centers have not nevertheless gone green, there are a few progressive, forward-thinking facts facilities that already have green woven into their corporate culture.
Data center sector likely green and shifting toward strength efficiency.
Although many green data center projects are still on the drawing board, the plans are with the works for further and extra info facilities being built that utilize electrical power efficiency and renewable vitality. A number of green information center projects have however to break ground, but there are a few progressive pondering companies that already have green web hosting information centers in operation.
Airline field recognizes the importance of a lot more efficiency.
Amid rising concern about aviation pollution, British Airways introduced a ?CO2 emission calculator? on its website, letting passengers pay to offset the carbon dioxide generated by their flights. Continental Airlines has gone furthest among the major airline carries to green their operations. Besides spending a great deal more than $16 billion over the past ten years to replace its fleet with additional effective aircraft, it installed fuel-saving winglets that reduce emissions by up to 5% on most of its Boeing 737s and 757s, and reduced the nitrogen oxide output from ground equipment at its Houston hub by over 75% since 2000.
Banking business and climate-change investments.
In 2005 when Goldman Sachs became a pioneer between companies adopting environmental policies, critics said chief executive Hank Paulson was imposing his green ethos. Wrong. The bank has become even far more planet-friendly since Paulson left. Why? Because it is doing lots of green internet marketing business.
Goldman?s investment of $1.5 billion in cellulosic ethanol, wind and solar have paid off. Texas Pacific and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts turned to Goldman, which had built bridges to environmental groups, as they prepared a bid for Texas electrical power company TXU.
Nations are going green and increase renewable electricity use.
After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan opted to shut down all of its nuclear power stations and Germany followed suit after substantial public pressure. This seems to have paved the way for greater investment in solar and wind electricity projects across the globe.
Germany emerging as a leader in renewable strength.
Germany has always been a leader in renewable vitality, but if they want to replace nuclear power with something less damaging, then they will have to embrace wind power. A research from industry group Bundesverband WindEnergie suggests that the country will have to give 2% of the its land mass to wind farms in order to substitute nuclear power. By using 2% of Germany?s landmass, the country would be able to provide as much as 65% of the demand for electricity in the country. If they wanted to increase this, they could always construct additional offshore wind farms, which are proven for being a little more reliable than land-based ones.
High tech is falling all over itself to go green.
To meet the demands of business proprietors and corporations that seek green IT partners, nearly all vendors have promised to move their top suppliers to eco-friendly firms. Hewlett-Packard, one example is, has done the most to mitigate the wave of companies going toward green IT firms. HP owns massive e-waste recycling plants and has promised to cut vitality consumption by 20 percent.
Companies are battling for competitive advantage by likely green.
So how did green hosting become so influential for companies looking for a distinct advantage? In competitive industries, companies are trying to set the standard for detailed environmental accountability and one way to do this is to choose a green web hosting provider.
Traditional website internet hosting becoming obsolete.
Businesses can make a profit without losing their soul and customers are looking for progressive companies that demonstrate their environmental conscience by choosing a green hosting provider for their website. The Internet group is impressed to see how involved in sustainability their internet hosting partners are. Website owners are tremendously knowledgeable and want to do the right thing.
Green internet hosting is inside the movement that is bringing common sense back with the web hosting sector.
The Need For Proper Internet Hosting Companies gives excellent answers in regard to Find A Good Web Hosting Firm. Visit the backlink for additional information!
Related posts:
- The 5 Prime Things To Know Earlier Than Shopping For Internet Hosting Space
- The 5 Prime Things To Know Earlier Than Shopping For Web Hosting Space
- Internet Hosting Necessities
- How Am I Able To Install WordPress On My Internet Hosting Site
- Benefits Of Semi Devoted Internet Hosting
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Saturday, November 17, 2012
iPad Mini: All big tablets, please go home (review)
The iPad Mini is proof positive why technical specs don?t matter anymore. It?s slower than both the third and fourth-generation iPads, and it features a significantly lower resolution screen that doesn?t even meet HD video standards.
And yet, its miniscule size and overall convenience makes it the best iPad I?ve ever used and the best tablet on the market.
The original 9.7-inch iPad basically created the modern tablet market, and Apple?s iPad line still accounts for more than 50 percent of new tablets sold (according to IDC). But I?ve never felt truly comfortable using any iPad for prolonged periods of time ? and the same goes for every other tablet I?ve used that?s around 10 inches. They?re tough to hold with one hand, and even with two hands, it?s not exactly effortless to hold large tablets for hours on end.
Smaller tablets don?t have any of those issues. You can throw a small tablet in a bag and forget it?s even there, and they?re generally light enough to hold with little effort, like a paperback book. Given their size and flexibility, they?re naturally more focused on content consumption.
With its 7.9-inch screen, the iPad Mini is slightly larger than its 7-inch Android counterparts. But it still has all the makings of a small tablet, and that extra screen real estate actually makes it far better for reading.
Apple has struck a balance between size and performance with the iPad Mini ? and it?s one that will resonate in the tablet market for years to come.
Our look at Apple?s smaller iPad.
Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat
Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat
Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat
Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat
Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat
Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat
Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat
The good: Smaller really is better
I can go on and on about the iPad Mini?s thinness and lightness ? but really, you have to hold this thing to understand why it?s so special. At just .68 pounds and 7.2 millimeters thick, it weighs about the same as a typical paperback book, and it?s thinner than the already ridiculously thin iPhone 5.
Holding the iPad Mini makes it clear that the sheer size of standard iPads are an issue, even though that didn?t stop more than 85 million consumers from making that tablet a huge success for Apple.
For a device that we?re holding in our hands most of the time, it makes sense that being more comfortable trounces having the better hardware. Together with the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire, the iPad Mini shows that smaller tablets are the ideal tablets.
It?s almost as if the bigger iPads are just a beta test. It was likely too difficult for Apple to successfully build something like the iPad Mini back in 2009 ? for one thing, hardware components probably weren?t small enough (just look at how thick the first iPad was). And while the bigger iPad isn?t going anywhere any time soon, the unceremonious way Apple revealed the fourth-gen iPad alongside the iPad Mini is telling.
Over the next few years, expect far more innovation from the iPad Mini than the standard iPad.
For me, great technology should be both uncompromising (which Microsoft?s Surface, sadly, wasn?t) and effortless. The iPad Mini hasn?t cracked the uncompromising nut just yet (more on that below), but it?s by far the most effortless tablet I?ve ever used.
Even though it has a bigger screen, the iPad Mini is 32 grams lighter (for the Wi-Fi model) and noticeably thinner than the Nexus 7, which has been my favorite small tablet so far. Ultimately, this means that everything ? reading, watching a movie, or playing a game ? simply feels better on the iPad Mini because it?s not a chore to hold. It also helps that the tablet feels so solid ? you can feel all of Apple?s experience with building the iPad and iPhone in the iPad Mini?s strong body.
Movies and games don?t look as sharp as they do on Retina Display-equipped iPads, but it?s a more than worthy tradeoff. It takes a discerning eye to notice the benefits of Apple?s Retina Display, but anyone can immediately recognize how much more convenient the iPad mini is. (And naturally, that?s a problem that will be fixed in future models when Apple brings Retina Display quality to the iPad Mini.)
With the iPad Mini, you?ll never think twice about taking it along when you leave the house or grabbing it to peruse Twitter while watching TV. And the device itself becomes practically invisible as you use it.
In the end, isn?t that exactly what a tablet should be?
The bad: Yes, we?re evolving backward (for now)
The iPad Mini is basically running the same hardware that powers the iPad 2. It has the same dual-core A5 processer and 512MB of RAM. And for the screen, instead of the lush Retina Display resolutions of 2048 by 1536, we get the same 1024 by 768 resolution we were so happy to run away from two years ago. (Since the iPad Mini?s screen is smaller, its resolution still looks sharper than on previous iPads.)
It?s difficult to recommend the iPad Mini to someone who?s already shelled out for a third-gen iPad. But in my experience, I still end up reaching for the Mini more than the sharper-screened iPad.
For most of the apps I?ve used ? including Twitter, news readers apps like Pulse, and Instagram ? the iPad Mini performed admirably. Games suffered the most with the older hardware, but most consumers won?t notice the slightly lower-res and less-detailed graphics, even with graphics-heavy titles like Infinity Blade 2.
It?s a shame that Apple couldn?t at least deliver a Retina resolution, but this makes sense. It would have required a more powerful processor and graphics capabilities, which probably would have made the price of the iPad Mini even higher. For now, it?s a tablet that?s ideal for most consumers ? but those looking for Retina sharpness should wait for the inevitable upgrade in next year?s model.
The verdict: The best iPad experience yet
The iPad Mini is all about tradeoffs. Instead of a sharp Retina screen and powerful hardware, you?re getting a slimmer device that?s far more convenient. For me, the tradeoffs are worth it.
Big tablets certainly have their place, but I think we?ll see those becoming increasingly specialized. Most consumers would be better off with the size and price of the iPad Mini than splurging for the iPad fourth-gen. And as for big Android tablets, the Nexus 10 is really the only one worth considering.
I?ve been recommending the iPad Mini without hesitation over the past week. If you?ve been holding out on getting a tablet, it?s almost a no-brainer. You can save a bit by going for the $200 Nexus 7, but you?ll be giving up a far better tablet app ecosystem.
If you can?t swallow the compromise with the iPad Mini, then hold off until next year?s update. And if you already own one of the Retina Display iPads, then you?re probably better off waiting as well (or just starting pricing your iPad on a gadget reseller service like Gazelle).
If anything, I feel vindicated by the iPad Mini. Here?s a device that proves, once and for all, that smaller slates are far better at fulfilling the promise of tablets.
Source: http://feeds.venturebeat.com/~r/Venturebeat/~3/eHusnfABdAc/story01.htm
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GOP Moves Toward Obama on Taxes in Fiscal Cliff Talks
Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images
Obama and congressional leaders of both parties met Friday to discuss deficit reduction before tax increases and automatic spending cuts go into effect next year.The four top leaders in Congress all expressed confidence that they could avert the fiscal cliff after Speaker John A. Boehner offered up revenue and Democrats agreed to pursue spending cuts during an hourlong meeting Friday at the White House.
The Ohio Republican told reporters that he proposed a framework for dealing with the cliff that would tie revenue to spending cuts ?consistent with the president?s call for a balanced approach.?
?I believe that we can do this and avert this fiscal cliff,? Boehner told reporters outside the White House. He was flanked by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
All of the leaders made similar comments.
?We?re prepared to put revenue on the table as long as we solve the real problem,? McConnell said, pointing to growing entitlement spending.
?I feel confident that a solution may be in sight,? Pelosi said. She added that they hope to reach a deal before Christmas and suggested during the meeting that they lay out benchmarks for the size of the deal and deadlines before then to build public confidence that the cliff would be averted.
According to a Boehner aide, the speaker suggested that the leaders agree on long-term revenue targets for tax reform and spending targets for entitlement reform as well as enforcement mechanisms that would kick in if Congress fails to act on either next year.
?They would be in place unless or until more thoughtful policies replace them,? the aide said.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney also issued a statement calling the meeting ?constructive.?
The leaders ?agreed to do everything possible to find a solution? and find a ?balanced approach? including revenue and cuts while encouraging growth.
?Both sides agreed that while there may be differences in our preferred approaches, we will continue a constructive process to find a solution and come to a conclusion as soon as possible,? Carney said.
Talks will continue among staff and lawmakers over the Thanksgiving break. Leaders are expected to reconvene the following week.
After returning to the Capitol, Reid said he planned to have more talks with key players in coming days. ?It was a good meeting. There was no harsh words. There was a general feeling that we need to get something done, and both sides are going to have to give,? Reid said.
President Barack Obama at the start of the meeting called on the group to come together to avert the cliff.
Source: http://www.rollcall.com/news/gop_moves_toward_obama_on_taxes_in_fiscal_cliff_talks-219271-1.html
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Video: Boehner, Reid & Pelosi on Fiscal Cliff
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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/49857251/
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China has risen upto financial crisis challenges: Wen Jiabao
TOKYO, July 16 (Reuters): Pressure mounted on Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso? Thursday after ruling party lawmakers called for a meeting to debate the party's ailing fortunes at which his harshest critics are expected to seek his resignation.
Aso's plan for an election on August 30 -- announced just a day after the opposition Democrats trounced the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a Tokyo metropolitan vote-has sparked chaos in the ruling party.
Surveys show the opposition Democratic Party will win the national election, which must be held by October.
Only 16.3 per cent of respondents to a poll published by Jiji news agency Thursday said they supported Aso and his cabinet, down 7.8 percentage points from a similar poll a month ago.
Asked which party they would vote for in the election, 37.4 per cent opted for the Democrats and 19.5 per cent for the LDP.
A Democrat victory would end more than 50 years of almost unbroken rule by the business-friendly LDP and improve chances of resolving a policy deadlock caused by a divided parliament, where the opposition controls the upper house and can delay bills.
A petition demanding the meeting of LDP lawmakers was handed to LDP Secretary-General Hiroyuki Hosoda, top government spokesman Takeo Kawamura told reporters.
Under party rules, the meeting must be held within seven days, although Aso could dissolve the lower house first.
Kawamura said Aso was ready to respond if the meeting was held, but would likely stick to his election plan.
"Our term of office is fixed and the prime minister's choice of August 30 is close to the deadline," he added. "I don't think the prime minister will change his mind."
Aso has come under fire for a series of policy flip-flops and gaffes at a time when Japan is suffering its worst recession in 60 years.
In a further sign of disarray, Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano-widely seen as the architect of the Aso administration's economic policies-and Agriculture Minister Shigeru Ishiba are among those who signed the petition.
The two met the premier Wednesday to press home their views on the party's difficulties following the loss in the Tokyo assembly election.
It was not clear, however, how many of those who signed the petition want to ditch Aso.
Aso has made it clear he has no intention of resigning and a majority of lawmakers at the meeting would be needed to bring forward a vote for the party leadership set for September. Only a handful of lawmakers have openly called for Aso to resign.
Although there are potential alternatives within the party, including Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe, analysts say a last-minute change of leadership ahead of the election would do little to boost the party's fortunes.
"Among those who signed the petition, there are some who want to change the party leader, while there are also opinions that we need to review the outcome of the Tokyo election," former prime minister Yoshiro Mori told a television programme Thursday. "Some also want to have a place to discuss the manifesto."
TOKYO, July 16 (Reuters): Pressure mounted on Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso? Thursday after ruling party lawmakers called for a meeting to debate the party's ailing fortunes at which his harshest critics are expected to seek his resignation.
Aso's plan for an election on August 30 -- announced just a day after the opposition Democrats trounced the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a Tokyo metropolitan vote-has sparked chaos in the ruling party.
Surveys show the opposition Democratic Party will win the national election, which must be held by October.
Only 16.3 per cent of respondents to a poll published by Jiji news agency Thursday said they supported Aso and his cabinet, down 7.8 percentage points from a similar poll a month ago.
Asked which party they would vote for in the election, 37.4 per cent opted for the Democrats and 19.5 per cent for the LDP.
A Democrat victory would end more than 50 years of almost unbroken rule by the business-friendly LDP and improve chances of resolving a policy deadlock caused by a divided parliament, where the opposition controls the upper house and can delay bills.
A petition demanding the meeting of LDP lawmakers was handed to LDP Secretary-General Hiroyuki Hosoda, top government spokesman Takeo Kawamura told reporters.
| Table 1: Savings, Investment, Current Account Balance 2006-09 (%GDP) | ||||
| Gross Domestic Investment | Gross National Savings | SavingsSurplus | Current Account Balance | |
| Bangladesh | 24.2 | 29.2 | 5.0 | 1.0 |
| India | 35.9 | 37.1 | 1.2 | -2.89 |
| Pakistan | 23 | 24 | 1.0 | -8.37 |
| Sri Lanka | 27.2 | 22.7 | -4.5 | -7.32 |
| Nepal | 28 | 28.5 | 0.5 | 2.62 |
| China | 42.9 | 48.7 | 5.8 | 10.00 |
| Vietnam | 38.7 | 32.8 | -5.9 | -9.38 |
| Source: Asian Development Bank (ADB) | ||||
????????? There is one more dimension to the paradox not to be ignored. There is a one-to-one relationship between current account of the balance of payments and national accounts. For several years running, our current account has been posting a modest surplus, which was close to one percent of GDP in the last fiscal year. A current account surplus implies that the economy generated more income from domestic production and foreign earnings (remittances) than it spent on goods and services ? domestic and foreign. In national accounting terms, this corresponds to the excess of savings over investment. That is to say, the savings-investment surplus should equal ? or approach equality with -- current account surplus, which should then be also 5 percent of GDP rather than only one percent. How do we explain the incongruence of the two figures?
????????? The aggregate economic relationship point to the fact that some of our national savings is not invested in the domestic economy but abroad. In the absence of capital account convertibility, this would not be permissible, though India has allowed Indians to invest abroad under limited convertibility of the capital account. It is common knowledge that a significant part of worker remittances might not be coming through official channels. That creates one scope, among others, for investment of national savings abroad. In addition, both exporters and importers have multiple conduits ? well known to those who mange the country?s financial system -- for parking resources abroad outside the purview of the non-convertible capital account regime.
????????? All this points to the fact that capital in the present day and age could be quite mobile. It would be na?ve to think that all savings of Bangladeshis are in the domestic economic system. Although our current account is convertible (done in 1994), non-convertibility of capital account puts numerous bounds on current account transactions. So the incentive for parking domestic capital outside is not eliminated. These days, with interest rates in developed financial markets being at near zero, the relatively high returns in domestic banks and financial institutions should attract resources parked outside the country to be ploughed back in though other uncertainties of life and limb in Bangladesh might still prompt the flight of capital. I reckon it is only a matter of time when restrictions on outward and inward movement of capital will have to be relaxed, even under the regime of non-convertibility.? This is more so because of the new initiative of government to encourage public-private partnership (PPP), particularly in mega-projects. Unless the restrictive rules of capital mobility are relaxed, it will remain a battle for private capital to move in or out; and an uphill task for those in the private sector trying to mobilize funds from international capital markets.
????????? Dr. Sattar is Chairman, Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh.
?Research support was provided by PRI?s Rubayat Chowdhury
zaidisattar@gmail.com
| Table 1: Savings, Investment, Current Account Balance 2006-09 (%GDP) | ||||
| Gross Domestic Investment | Gross National Savings | SavingsSurplus | Current Account Balance | |
| Bangladesh | 24.2 | 29.2 | 5.0 | 1.0 |
| India | 35.9 | 37.1 | 1.2 | -2.89 |
| Pakistan | 23 | 24 | 1.0 | -8.37 |
| Sri Lanka | 27.2 | 22.7 | -4.5 | -7.32 |
| Nepal | 28 | 28.5 | 0.5 | 2.62 |
| China | 42.9 | 48.7 | 5.8 | 10.00 |
| Vietnam | 38.7 | 32.8 | -5.9 | -9.38 |
| Source: Asian Development Bank (ADB) | ||||
????????? There is one more dimension to the paradox not to be ignored. There is a one-to-one relationship between current account of the balance of payments and national accounts. For several years running, our current account has been posting a modest surplus, which was close to one percent of GDP in the last fiscal year. A current account surplus implies that the economy generated more income from domestic production and foreign earnings (remittances) than it spent on goods and services ? domestic and foreign. In national accounting terms, this corresponds to the excess of savings over investment. That is to say, the savings-investment surplus should equal ? or approach equality with -- current account surplus, which should then be also 5 percent of GDP rather than only one percent. How do we explain the incongruence of the two figures?
????????? The aggregate economic relationship point to the fact that some of our national savings is not invested in the domestic economy but abroad. In the absence of capital account convertibility, this would not be permissible, though India has allowed Indians to invest abroad under limited convertibility of the capital account. It is common knowledge that a significant part of worker remittances might not be coming through official channels. That creates one scope, among others, for investment of national savings abroad. In addition, both exporters and importers have multiple conduits ? well known to those who mange the country?s financial system -- for parking resources abroad outside the purview of the non-convertible capital account regime.
????????? All this points to the fact that capital in the present day and age could be quite mobile. It would be na?ve to think that all savings of Bangladeshis are in the domestic economic system. Although our current account is convertible (done in 1994), non-convertibility of capital account puts numerous bounds on current account transactions. So the incentive for parking domestic capital outside is not eliminated. These days, with interest rates in developed financial markets being at near zero, the relatively high returns in domestic banks and financial institutions should attract resources parked outside the country to be ploughed back in though other uncertainties of life and limb in Bangladesh might still prompt the flight of capital. I reckon it is only a matter of time when restrictions on outward and inward movement of capital will have to be relaxed, even under the regime of non-convertibility.? This is more so because of the new initiative of government to encourage public-private partnership (PPP), particularly in mega-projects. Unless the restrictive rules of capital mobility are relaxed, it will remain a battle for private capital to move in or out; and an uphill task for those in the private sector trying to mobilize funds from international capital markets.
????????? Dr. Sattar is Chairman, Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh.
?Research support was provided by PRI?s Rubayat Chowdhury
zaidisattar@gmail.com
| Inter-city High Speed Train Image |
Elevated Light train passing through population centers:? In addition to a light train line planned (as per RAJUK map) from Kaliganj to Gazipur via north of Uttara, Savar and other places there, a light train or elevated light train service may start from Tongi to touch Pallabi, Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Dhanmodi, New market, Azimpur, and proceed further to Saidabad, Jatrabari and Demra.
Circular railway, elevated light train: ?As in most of the big cities with land constraint, a circular railway touching all population centers of the city, from where long distance railway and roads move out tangentially or radially to link satellite cities, may be built in Dhaka and Chittagong..? Many new roads or railway lines may have to be elevated to save wetland, canals and rivers.
Train Stations:? The train stations may not initially be costly structures. Most of the railway stations must be easy to access, have entrance level platforms, have sufficient parking space, and have provisions for bus stops to pick up and unload passengers, have places for taxis to wait in line to pick up passengers, and other facilities.??????
Public Bus service shall be an essential mode of transport, but it must be systematic and planned. Buses and their operation must be standardized. One route may be licensed to any one city bus operator company. The practical management aspects may be documented for effective, smooth transport suited to all age group of passengers. Ad hoc measures should? be avoided.Manufacture of Railway coach locally: The railway workshops which already undertook some manufacturing works may be revamped and given technological input for local manufacture of various rail line equipments.
Railway Test Track:? To maintain or improve the quality of the railway service, railway authority shall build and use a 7- to 15- km test track for test, experimentation and improvement.
Development of Water way: ?We may fully develop and utilize our river and waterway transport system by utilizing part of the existing infrastructure, which the government is also considering.
Subway:? Subway may not be our immediate choice, in view of risk of inundation of major areas of the city every year and our lack of technological capability to counter the effects? immediately. In future it may be essential for connecting missing links.
About 15-feet wide footpath may be necessary for subway exit and entrance. Management of traffic and establishment of continuous, safe foot path will ease much of the existing traffic congestion within the city immediately, but it will not solve the problem without mass transit and public transport system.
Railway, neglected since 1880s, is now drawing governmental? attention for its development. If the government can show political will and courage to take initiative, massive work may be started without much or any foreign loan.
?We expect our government will not compromise with long-term national interest. Our economy is already bleeding. Let us start acting wisely, deploying relevant development policy instruments before it is too late.
?
(The writer is Chairman, The Institute of Development Strategy (IDS), Dhaka.
The views expressed here are his own, and not necessarily of the organization he represents. E-mail: idsrahman@msn.com Tel: 02-8855112) Sweden wins Eurovision Song Contest
Favourite Loreen has triumphed for Sweden at the 57th Eurovision Song Contest, with her club track Euphoria. The former Swedish Idol contestant led from early on in the voting at Baku, challenged only by Russia's Buranovo Grannies, Serbia and hosts Azerbaijan.?? BBC. ly uncertain in key trading partner countries, particularly in Europe due to the unfolding sovereign debt crisis. The United States is showing some signs of recovery but overall the growth prospect for 2012 in advanced economies remains bleak while growth has slowed in developing countries (see Box 1).
Commodity prices continue to represent a key country risk. Global food prices remain at elevated levels. However, international rice prices have fallen thereby helping to keep domestic rice prices in check. Oil prices have fluctuated and crude oil prices rose sharply in the months leading to March 2012 due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. The price of a barrel of crude oil averaged USD 117 in March 2012, 13 per cent higher than its average in December 2011, and 8.0 per cent higher than a year earlier. Since then concerns over the global recovery has led to decline in commodity prices generally, with Brent crude oil dropping under USD90 a barrel for the first time since December 2010. However a further round of quantitative easing in advanced countries in light of the current Eurozone crisis could lead to speculative flows into commodity markets. Moreover the uncertainties in the Middle East continue to persist. Hence the current easing of commodity market prices may not sustain itself in 2012/13.
Recent economic developments: In FY10 and FY11 the global economy was reeling from the global financial crisis of 2009 and in order to avert an impact on the Bangladesh economy, broad money growth and specifically private sector credit growth were eased. The Bangladesh economy as a consequence of this stance, and other pro-active measures, emerged largely unscathed from the global crisis, averaging over 6.0 per cent growth between FY09 and FY11. In FY12 the economy faced a different set of challenges related to rising inflation and balance of payments pressures. In order to address these challenges BB's monetary stance was more restrained than earlier years and yet able to accommodate a private sector credit growth rate (18.5 per cent) which was more than sufficient to meet the initial GDP growth target. The monetary growth targets set in January 2012 were met and the outcomes - falling inflation and containment of external sector pressures - were achieved.
Domestic output growth was projected at 7.0 per cent in the FY12 Budget assuming stable domestic and global economic conditions. Provisional figures from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) estimate economic growth of 6.32 per cent in FY12 compared to 6.71 per cent in FY11. The main reason behind the lower number appears to be a slowing of agricultural growth which according to these provisional numbers has slowed from 5.13 per cent in FY11 to 2.53 per cent in FY12. This is largely due to the base effect of two consecutive years of record growth but also they could be revised upwards once the 'Boro' rice crop is accounted for. Yet industrial growth, which is the sector most affected by access to timely credit, is estimated at 9.47 per cent in FY12, higher than the 8.20 per cent in FY11. An important driver of this higher industrial growth is faster growth of small scale industries which increased from 5.84 per cent in FY 11 to an estimated 7.18 per cent in FY12. Service sector growth of 6.06 per cent in FY12 was marginally lower than the 6.22 per cent achieved in FY11 (see Table 1).
economy, broad money growth and specifically private sector credit growth were eased. The Bangladesh economy as a consequence of this stance, and other pro-active measures, emerged largely unscathed from the global crisis, averaging over 6.0 per cent growth between FY09 and FY11. In FY12 the economy faced a different set of challenges related to rising inflation and balance of payments pressures. In order to address these challenges BB's monetary stance was more restrained than earlier years and yet able to accommodate a private sector credit growth rate (18.5 per cent) which was more than sufficient to meet the initial GDP growth target. The monetary growth targets set in January 2012 were met and the outcomes - falling inflation and containment of external sector pressures - were achieved.
Domestic output growth was projected at 7.0 per cent in the FY12 Budget assuming stable domestic and global economic conditions. Provisional figures from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) estimate economic growth of 6.32 per cent in FY12 compared to 6.71 per cent in FY11. The main reason behind the lower number appears to be a slowing of agricultural growth which according to these provisional numbers has slowed from 5.13 per cent in FY11 to 2.53 per cent in FY12. This is largely due to the base effect of two consecutive years of record growth but also they could be revised upwards once the 'Boro' rice crop is accounted for. Yet industrial growth, which is the sector most affected by access to timely credit, is estimated at 9.47 per cent in FY12, higher than the 8.20 per cent in FY11. An important driver of this higher industrial growth is faster growth of small scale industries which increased from 5.84 per cent in FY 11 to an estimated 7.18 per cent in FY12. Service sector growth of 6.06 per cent in FY12 was marginally lower than the 6.22 per cent achieved in FY11 (see Table 1).
Challenges in sourcing cotton: Bangladesh has been facing enormous challenges to sourcing cotton to feed its twenty billion-dollar apparel industry for the last couple of years. For a country considered a rising textile power, the challenges have been the painful reminders of the intractable problems plaguing Bangladesh. India, for example, has been serving as one of the most important sources of cotton for Bangladesh. However, for the last couple of years, it has been proven to be one of the most unreliable and undependable sources.
Several events that marked the 2010-11 cotton-year, have changed the landscape of the Bangladesh cotton industry. It is widely believed that these events will continue to have impact on the cotton industry for a foreseeable period of time. Series of Indian governmental ban on cotton export in 2010 and 2011 triggered a rally in the cotton market that never experienced in the history of cotton. As a result, the New York ICE futures settled at an unprecedented level of 214 cents/lb in March 2011.
The Bangladeshi spinners took a considerable position in Indian cotton before the export ban in April 2010, only to find the Indian merchants default on contracts en masse, citing the governmental export ban. However, the import data suggests that the Indian cotton continued to pour in Bangladesh with a peak volume of 52,000 MT just in April 2010. Unfortunately most of the cotton did not reach to its intended buyers; rather, it was deliberately shipped to other buyers for extra profits, taking the advantage of already soaring market price. Indian merchants circumvent the system to ship cotton elsewhere to take advantage of the higher cotton prices.
Source: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=80345&date=2009-10-01
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