text:
How can free-market capitalism be made less inimical to democracy? America's editors raised this question last week:
The future of democratic government requires greater distance between finance and government, not an easy task given the modern expectation that government manages the economy. It also requires a rebirth of social responsibility and concern for the common good on the part of corporations and their leaders, and a renewed sense of moderation on the part of the public at large. But since government and the public continue to measure well-being almost solely in terms of economic growth, such moderation too may be out of reach‹until the markets bring on a collapse too great for even a government rescue.
Now an important follow-up and corollary to this question is, "How can capitalism and democracy become less inimical--or even partners with--the kind of Catholic social justice pioneered by Leo XII and now extended by B16 in his call for universal health coverage?" Jim Manzi, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, tackles this question in the cover story, "Unbundle The Welfare State: the Next Step in Capitalism's Evolution." Writing in the December 20, 2010 print edition of National Review, Manzi sets out to find a workable answer to this question. Thanks to NR for making this article available to America readers:
The fundamental issue of political economy in the Western world has been the same for at least the past 200 years: drawing the right lines between government authority and individual initiative. In the broadest terms, freedom has been winning. What the West has invented through Burkean trial and error has not been a libertarian utopia, however, but a workable hybrid that emphasizes freedom while creating a significant role for the government in domestic politics.
Certain aspects of capitalism accord with our commonsense understanding of evolved human nature. One important example is the right to property, which in the primitive sense of "mine, not yours" appears in legal codes, myths and stories as far back as we have writings...Capitalism can channel potentially destructive human characteristics--including greed, envy, and the need to establish personal and group dominance over others--into benign and socially productive work.
The welfare state appears to be concomitant with the growth that capitalism creates. As far as can be determined from history, the idea of an advanced capitalist society without a welfare system is misplaced nostalgia--or more accurately, an anachronism. It is like wishing for a commercial jet aircraft without wing stabilizers.
I am uncertain if either Adam Smith or Karl Marx imagined how their systems would be changed by an evolving universe. Manci addresses this very situation, and his delineation of the welfare system as including pensions, healthcare, education and welfare payments certainly suggests that the Welfare State has a strong role in governmental practice and supports the beatitudes once proclaimed on a small mountain top in Galilee, as well as in various papal encyclicals and statements including the most recent comments by B16 suggesting basic health care as a human right.
Jim Manzi does us all a favor, first by clearly stating the four major activities of a welfare state, then by unbundling the five elements that undergird the working welfare state. He argues that welfare programs provide a safety net; they incorporate varying levels of risk; they may require prudent behavior on the part of beneficiaries; they may redistribute wealth beyond the theoretical dimensions of an Adam Smith capitalism; and they may provide goods and services directly to recipients.
A careful reading of Manzi, I suspect, can help us to a common ground discussion rather than either/or arguments based on dogmatism or restatements of past ideologies. What do you think? Some possible questions for discussion: How much of a safety net should the state provide in pensions? Should state sponsored healthcare cover the smallers things or just emergencies? How do we determine who deserves welfare payments? What consitutes an adequate level of investment in public education?
I look forward to your responses.
William Van Ornum
Therefore, consider that the origin of the welfare element of our nation's government is not compassion but irritation. In order to avoid being irritated by the otherwise unavoidable presence of people who are suffering from lack of food, clothing, shelter, and, more recently, good health, we have been trying to find a way to eliminate these irritations in the most widely reaching way possible.
However, public programs that try to assure that the necessities of life are provided to poor people are thought of more and more as extravagent waste that encourages indolence rather than a system that protects us all from the effects of poverty. It's as though we have lost sight of why the social programs have developed. These programs are as much for the benefit of those who don't utilize them as they are for those who do. They are not meant to make us feel good about ourselves, but rather to prevent us from feeling bad.
I am grateful for your comments and interests, but today am going to ask that this pease be your only comment on this discussion. I don't myself want to get into an argument, nor do I want others to. I know many government workers who help then poor etc. out of a sense of compassion. With a broad comment above their good work is broghtn under unfair negativity.
Thanks for being understanding today and I look forward to our discussions on other topics.
best and amdg, bill
They cannot point the finger at George Bush since it would be hard to blame the excesses of the Celtic Tiger on him. So they point it at unbridled capitalism. I was in Ireland in July and August 2008 and all they talked about as they watched Irish Football was the Celtic Tiger. No one who waited on us at a pub or restaurant in Dublin was Irish. They were mostly Asians or from Eastern Europe. The Irish had moved on to higher level occupations. They didn't know it but they were blowing their rich uncle's bequeath to them in just a few short years.
There are many sources for the financial crisis and maybe Dr. van Ornum will pursue them over time. One that has not been addressed and it is one of the main one but far from the only one is the leverage requirements for financial institutions. Here is an article and a short video interview last week with a finance professor from the Stanford School of Business (Anat Admati) on Bloomberg where she says we are still playing with fire as the banks are just as leveraged as they were in 2007 and 2008.
The culprit is not necessarily capitalism but how it is channeled very often through government regulation.
1. With respect to the America editorial, I find it very confusing. It seems to aspire to, in different turns, a Jeffersonian agragrian "small" economy, a Puritan-esque "moderation" agenda, and financial doomsday scenario. What does "modern expectation" mean: the government has been involved in high finance since the days of Hamilton & Bank of the US. So do they rather the Jeffsonian agragrian model? Curious for a Wharton grad to desire. Second, with respect to a "rebirth" of corporate caretaking, what "golden age" of the American corporation are they aspiring to return to? I can hardly imagine a time in 20th century capitalism in which the corporation has not been more "socially concerned" than now. Perhaps I see this more because I am a corporate lawyer who has advised corporations with respect to Federal Securities laws disclosures requiring discussion of, among other things, climate change as well as dividends, directors, etc. This, notwithtanding, most American workers simply want their 401ks to remain stable. Overall I just find the editorial an unenlightening "mush".
2. With respect to the Manzi piece, just 2 thoughts. I think we need a demographic target of what "safety net" and welfare as it seems that (and I think Ross Douthat & Reihan Salam have made this case) what many see as "middle class" entitlements are largely gobbled up by upper middle class families. Thus Paul Ryan's idea to require "means testing" is something I find interesting. Secondly, I think its appropriate to ask with respect to welfare programs what the proper role of the FEDERAL government is, particularlay now as we see the long term fiscal health of this country is a threat to, among other things, the basic social safety net we have. We just cannot keep spending and spending like we do, and it is simply economic fact that you cannot simply tax your way out of the hole (albeit I am not opposed to slightly higher taxes). Unfortunately, I have found in my discussions (real & virtual) with liberals that both of these thoughts are met with howls and charges of racism, greed, ignorance, cold-heartedness, etc.
You have bitten off a large amount to chew on. There are probably a 100 different issues between the America article and the Manzi article that we could comment on. I mentioned one above in response to the America article which has no meaning at all when considering the Manzi article. The Manzi article alone could form a debate for months.
One thing that hit me from the Manzi article and relates to the America article is that we have an unemployment problem. The rapid growth of the economy from 1980 to 2008 was fueled by technology and an unleash of entrepreneurs to exploit this new technology. That is still happening but not to the extent that it was only 10 years ago. One side effect of the technology is that the products it provides requires fewer and fewer people to make it happen.
In the past as technology led to more efficient farming and sent people into the cities starting as early as the late 1700's and continuing into the mid 20th century they were absorbed by manufacturing. As the manufacturing economy became more automated we then transferred these people into the service economy which now dominates our economy. But we are getting so efficient at what we do that we do not need as many in these service industries and these types of jobs can often be done by computers and other technology. Just witness the automatic check outs on the internet.
The Kaufmann Institute which studies entrepeneurship estimates it will take the creation of about 50-100 new billion dollar companies each year to fully utilize the people we have and which will enter the work force. This ability or inability to utilize the efforts of everyone could upset all the thinking that Manzi so carefully laid out.
Can you explain more about how the NIT would work? And also about the movie Precious, which I haven't seen?
best, bill
A main point: certain current government policies are encouraging the wrong kind of leverage in banks? So certain specific government regulations need to be changed in this area?
The Paul Ryan concepts appear interesting:
But the size of Ryan's proposed voucher could be increased, to accommodate political realities, without doing violence to his overall vision of what government should be doing, and where it could be cut. And that vision is more appealing, I think, than many liberals are giving it credit for. What Ryan is proposing, ultimately, is a comprehensive blueprint for a conservative welfare state. A simplified tax code, consisting of a two-bracket income tax with a large standard deduction and a business consumption tax, would pay for a means-tested safety net, and a system of tax credits, risk pools and low-income subsidies would underwrite a free (or, well, somewhat freer) market in health care. In other words, Ryan would balance our books by shifting away from programs that shuffle money around within the middle and upper-middle classes — taking tax dollars with one hand and giving health-insurance deductions, college-tuition credits, home-mortgage deductions, Social Security checks and so forth with the other — and toward programs that tax the majority of Americans to fund means-tested support for the old, the sick, and the poor.
"If conservatives could design their ideal welfare state," Paul Pierson has written, "it would consist of nothing but means-tested programs." The Ryan blueprint doesn't go that far, but it takes serious strides in that direction. Depending on how you fiddle with the tax rates and where you set the subsidies, his overall framework could be the basis for a welfare state that's at once much smaller than the leviathan we're headed for at our current rate of spending and more progressive in the way that it distributes spending and tax subsidies. It's a conservative vision, clearly, and not a liberal one: It shifts much more responsibility to individual and families, overall, than anything most Democrats would be comfortable supporting. But in its broadest outlines, Ryan's roadmap holds out the possibility of at least some common ground between the limited-government right and the redistributionist left — and long-term solvency into the bargain.
I note he is from Wisconsin, a state with a blend of conservatives on the farms and progressives is Madison. thanks, bill
Perhaps Manzi can keep us going for a while and that might be a good thing. at least for me he gives a framework where we can roll up our sleeves and explore new ground and ask questions of each other. When folks are doing such "discovery" work together, maybe it encourages learning together rather than bac-forth arguing. We have a complex problem in front of us!
re: Kaufman Institute. do they disucss how many "smaller" combinations of entrepeneur companies will be needed (ie is 500 100M companies the same as 50 1B companies).
Do business schools encourage entrepeneurship? I seem to recall an article in the past week in NYT how many college grads are now trying to start their own businesses rather than work for an established corporation.
Maybe the servant in the gospel who settled with the Master's debtors (rather than burying the Talent) would be patron 'saint' of sorts?
Manzi uses education as a model for possible entrepeneurs. As I have mentioned elsewhere, many physicians/health care specialists are encouraging their own sons and daughters to avoid medicine because the "entrenpeneurial" possibilities have vanished due to the managed care/insurance monopolies. This does not bode well for the health care system as a whole. I wonder if there are ways to encourage entrepreneurs in healthcare to target underserved locations, poor, terminal AIDS, etc. etc.
I didn't know he was Catholic, thanks for letting me know! I wonder if he was taught by Jesuits? bill
The Kauffmann Foundation did not elaborate on the study, just posting about it recently and mentioning what it would take to keep the economy growing.
Stanford has entrepreneur program in the engineering school. Silicon Valley essentially started from engineering programs at Stanford and mainly due to the efforts of Frederick Terman. Terman was instrumental in winning the Cold War and the research that flowed from Stanford funded and started Silicon Valley. Here is their website for the entrepreneur program:
The business school has a program too and a lot of the venture capitalist have come from Stanford
Yahoo and Google started at Stanford.
As far as Capitalism mitigating the destructive forces in human nature, more clarity is needed. Good laws do that which means sensible government interference. In recent years people like Bill Gates have branched out in an effort to remedy world poverty. It is certainly a mellowed Gates who destroyed such competitors as Netscape with his monopolistic system.
We now have the greatest gap between the rich and poor and in our history. So I would need help in understanding how capitalism is divinely sent. So this thread raises a lot of questions which might do better with a sharper focus.
Overall we might ponder that the reason Francis of Assisi chose poverty was because all the wars have always been about greed. So if one renounced money this would lead to a better world. Francis might have been quite idealistic. But his plan might have a better chance than benevolent capitalism.
After reading the comments that appear in America magazine I am greatly releived that Paul Ryan DID NOT go to Catholic high school or college. I have never known or heard of anyone of any prominance in economic, finance or businsess come out of a Catholic college. I know of many very distinguished economic and business leaderz who are Catholic such as Jake Welch but none of them came out of Catholic colleges. Catholic colleges just do not seem to distinguish themselves ll in economics,finance and business subject s but a loaded down with "social justice" theology which has no scientific basis. So the student of Catholic colleges get to heard theology but are hear little or no practicel arts and science. Recent articles in America on "Catholic Economics" were a real worry. When you mix economic science qith "social justice" philosphy you get both bad non-rigorous science and bad urealistic philosphy. America magazine is loaded with utopian social philosophy and fantasy economics that comes out of Catholic colleges. These "Catholic " solutions to serious policy of the nation just can n ot be taken seriously. And thank goodness you never hear of them mentioned in public forums such as C-Span.
Mercifully our national debate on
economic ????????????????p?o?l?i?c?y? does not i?ncl?u?d?e? ??????????????????????????????m?u?c?h? "C?a?t?h?o?l?i?c? ????E?c??o?n?o?m?i?c?????????s?"????????????????????????????? ?or utopian social justice philophy ????t?h?a?n?k? ?g?o?o?d?n?e?s?s?.?
??? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Let's move forward. Do you have comments on the articles? tx. bill
A good friend of mine has a bumper sticker 'Live Simply so that Others May Live." In many ways he embodies the Franciscan spirit of taking just enough of the Earth's resources for his family, treasuring simple activities like walks in the country with his friends, working just enough hours each week to meet the expenses. He grows alot in his own garden.
Is he contributing to the economy growth of the economy? Most definitely not. If everyone were like him, would the world be a better place? Yes, I have to think so, although I can't explain how this would effect the entire economy. In terms of the theorists, it would appear the economy might backslide...
I visited a Shaker community in the midwest last year and had a similar feeling. Yet the Shakers there are finding that there young people don't desire that lifestyle.
I'm not sure how any "system" can be viewed as divinely sent, and as one person noted, we seem to get into trouble when we start dealing with abstractions like "systems" which are complicated and merit further detailed and specifiic studies.
Catholic Worker, Quakers, Shakers, St. Francis, Dorothy Day, Missionaries of all kinds-their lives seem to show a better way that transcends the systems that those of us with academic bents construct and discuss.
I have to admit there is a partadox here that I don't undertand and can't put into words. And there is a saying "it is easier for a camel to ge through the head of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." And those who by chance of birth find themselves in a land gifted with greater natural resources etc. than other places have to do some serious thinking about how their life fits in with the entire planet, I think.
best, bill
This is indeed interesting. I happen to have here a list of Nobel Prize winners who have been Members of the Papal Academy of Sciences here and while I find many in Physics, Physiology, and Chemistryn I don't find any in economics.
"Catholic Colleges do not seem to distinguish themsleves in economics, finances, business.." Hmmm.....
When I look at what Manzi is doing above, it seems to me that he is combining economic philoosphy as it exists in the real world with Catholic ideas of social justice. Improving and extending the health care system, providing safety nets...
..sayingn that "These 'Catholic' solutions to the serious problems of our nation just cannot be taken seriously" is one of those statements that indicts everything and provokes others to become defensive or counter attack...not helpful, to me at least. Please, try to tone down the generalities that lead us down the path of abstract name calling, ok?
Your observation that Catholic universiites are noit turning out leaders in economics, however, is a specific one where we can gather more facts and then see where this leads. I hope others can comment to this specific observation with more factual info. Perhaps others have info that suggests your obsrvation is not a true generalization; others may support it. With more facts, we might then say, "what's to be done about it."
thank, bill
For all the adulation he gets from conservative columnist I don't see anything fundamentally new in Ryan's warmed-over trickle-down "free market" views-certaibly nothing "Catholic."
I haven't seen any articles about Ryan and his faith. I wrote to his press assistant and asked for a fifteen minute phone interview to ask him about this. If he doesn't respond, maybe this will tell us something?
Sorry if we're rehashing things. I was hoping we'd get into some of the specifics raised by Manzi. So maybe in trying to get out of the...er.....rut?.....we've all just fallen back in. Sorry. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Do you see any possible links between Manzi's article and Catholic teaching?
best and amdg, bill
Many thanks. Right now I am in the middle of 20 things. I will study each of these and make a posting by tonight.
Three collections....geesh.......
Thanks for taking the time to send these along. I will go over them. bill
I'm trying to split my ballot today, so to speak, as I usually try do to...more later..
I hope others weigh on on the "Catholic college" & "teaching of economics issue"
As i understand teaching, educators are encouraged (supposed to?) give both sides of issue to students so that students can make a choice.
if students are leaving Catholic universities ignorant of both sides of economics-or even worse-not knowing the basics of the field-is this not a problem?
any teachers/adminisgtrators at Catholic colleges/unversities among us today who wish to weigh in?????
more later...bill
- In fairness, much of the quantitative economic/public policy methodology I experienced in grad school is highly utilitarian, which can lead to a mechanistic view of human beings, and is quite contrary to basic Catholic moral reasoning. So I do appreciate that Catholic thought tempers/challenges this utilitarian reductionism with a view of human dignity. Its just that I have found in my experiences this tends to come out more as statements that we see lobbed in these comments everyday: ''corporations are just raping the country''; ''conservatives don't love poor people'' or ''conservatives just want poor people to die''. Even more troubling in my experience is the attitude that middle class/upper middle class values and habits are evil. So we were presented constantly with the Latin American ''struggle'' for liberation as the essence of what Catholics were called to do, and if you went on to become a middle manager at a busiess, or some other middle class job, you were selling out and just feeding the greedy machine. I still recall vividly the day I ran into an old religion teacher soon after I had graduated from law school and taken my first job at a rather successful corporate law firm. She looked at me at and said, in essence, ''well I guess you've totally sold out.'' No matter that I was proud to have economic indepdence from my family and supporting my new wife (and was getting paid more than any person in my family heretofore) or that I felt like I was helping small businesses. I was not risking getting my head blown off in Latin America (not that she did either), so I was a sell out. More than politics, I think this attitude has contributed to the defection among my classmates from high school and college from the Church because they see these statements and its totally divorced from reality in this country. To me, its the equivalent of the Church's birth control teaching. There is a massive silent defection by ignorance because the "teaching" is so divorced from reality. The economy most middle class Catholics experience is not the economy most Catholic social justice teachings proclaim, i.e. usually a varied from of Latin America.
The psychology programs in most Catholic universities also follow the quantitative trend of the field and I fear they also pick up the very un-Catholic philosophies that are common.
I suspect many students in Catholic colleges pick up on the disconnect you are speaking about. Their moms and dads are successful business people, often in small-family owned firms, and the college is certainly glad to have the tuition money, and some of the teachers who are funded by the whole cycle tear it apart. How much this happens I don't know but I think it happens enough that it is something to think about.
Yet at the same time I am certain there is a good proportion of students who see their parents involved in philanthropy and giving back to others and this is a force for the good.
But I must stop here...I'm starting to paint with the broad brush.
Stewardship-how resources and riches are used, not just the fact of their existence, appears to be an important factor.
When I was in grad school Loyola had a great program were a certain number of us joined the union each summer and became Chicago (CTA) bus drivers. Hardest job I ever had in my life. This really helped to pay the bills and appreciate academia.
Thanks for your persepctives. bill
The Manzi article is an intellectual argument for a set of policies that would be both socially just and consistent with conservative concepts. The problem is that it may be too idealistic to achieve and it would also require massive financial improvements in the economy that would be necessary. So we take short term stop gaps to solve our problems. These stop gap programs have in the long run negative effects such as the illegitimacy mentioned above but also institutionalize the stop gap policies that are truly sub optimal and make them almost impossible to eliminate. Getting rid of these policies and moving on to Manzi's idea would be a massive process. It is hard to imagine how we would implement it.
Moreover, this dovetails nicely with the comment re: Catholic education that I have been ruminating on & came to respond to. I'm generally sympathetic to the spirit of the point about Catholic education (although I don't endorse all the specific points made). This i based more on my anecdotal experience of 16 years of Catholic (Jesuit) education rather than "fact". Generally my point is that after my 16 years of Catholic education, I left what I considered a "liberal". My exposure to economics and capitalism in general was primarily thruogh my "social justice" classes in high school which generally focused on very abstract notions of "everyone should be treated equally". As I understand it, social justice says that charity is insufficient, but that the system itself needs to be changed. For inspiration, we were all pointed to the Latin American Jesuits, liberation theology,etc. (without any discussion about the crucial differences between North & SOuth American). All well and good I thought. I can agree with this. My first exposure to economics was in grad school at an Ivy League institution. It blew my mind. First, economics is highly empirical. There is very few "abstract" argument. I realized in hindsight that I had not real grounding in this discipline and that the impression I had formed of economics/capitalism was both highly superficial and totally inadequate. That was the beginning of my "conversion" to conservative thought; I was thrilled primarily with the intellectual rigor - ideas were actually discussed and (vigorously) debated. I did not encounter this same attitude with my generally very liberal grad school classmates. Instead there was a certain "groupthink" mentality (all capitalists are just greedy; conservatives are dumb, racist, greedy, etc.). So I think the point is that intellectual rigor is generally lacking in "social justice" theology classes that I think does not serve most Catholics very well in the public debate. Even now reading Economic Justice For All there is a slightly embarrassing lack of actual economic data that is the lingua franca of economics & public policy today.
This advocacy raps inself in the mantle of sacredness when in fact its actiist vasis concerned with certain precise economic outcomes such as distributing wealthby the agency of goverment is completely arbitrary and man-made and very much open to criticism,
Ignorance of economics is a profound disadvantage as a citizen when so much of government policy making involves economics such as bugdets, taxes, financing public debt, maintenance of economic growth and job creation and the management of safe public debt levels etc. But such critical economic can not be maeningfully discussed without a decent grounding in economics.. One of the reason that these dialogues degenerate is their is no common references to proven economics principles or idedas or hazards to be avoided. For instance Europe is showing us that too much public debt has a can cause national bankrupcy. Too much deficit spending can bankrupt a country and create hugh social problems and including political problem for years.
I would like to see Catholics be part of our economic solutions by ebing informed of the basic , tested real-world principoles of economics. If you want to cure disease you emplye modern medical science not religous faith healing or primitive concepts of what disease is all about.
Many of "social justice'" concepts ignore ecomomic concepts. They can be demonstrated to result in very bad outcomes be For example many Catholic nations specifically Argentina have inflated their national economcy in order to provide more cheap services to their people. The result in run away inflations whcih quicly led to long term economic depression. Good interions: super bad results.
Catholcs advocating economic policy must be solidly grou7nded in tested, real world economic principles or as a significant voting block in this country they will do the country great harm by their ignorance of economics.
Getting back to the question in particular, one might note that Joseph Kennedy SR was certainly big in finance. He was commissioned by FDR to reform the finance system which Kennedy knew so well how to reform since he abused it as well as anyone. Kennedy was big on insisting that his children attend Mass which seemed more a cultural practice than a devotional one.
Some believe that the external downplaying of money by the church discourages aggressive behavior in the market by Catholics. But in general it seems difficult to ferret it all out or make sense of it. For what it's worth here are some tidbits on Catholics and economics: http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2010/05/who-are-the-catholic-economists.html
These may not be typical. I love the one on facebook where the group of Catholic economists state that their common interest is 'beauty.'
One thing I like about Manzi's article is that it makes us aware that safety nets don't have to be forever and that recipient of them have certain responsibilities. So I like the idea of the government sponsoring someone to take a job where in combination the person can receive more money than being on the dole. AND...that there is a phase out time. So the beneficiary here is going to have to take a risk here that he/she can do better in the future.
I become a bit depressed when I drive through some lower-income areas where the are many government programs and see much obesity (Type II diabetes), run-down and dirty infrastructures where at the same time many able bodied people seem to be up and about although they are not working, and huge amounts of expensive electronic toys/games/wie screen televisions overflowing trash containers....it does appear we can reward "the dole"
You must have learned a great deal about human nature/motivation working in your field. bill
Point taken and understaood. Thanks! bill
Point taken and understood. Thanks! bill
I went over to the site and I imediately see names like Peter Kreeft, George
Weigel, and the Acton Institute. Now I have read material from each and have learned a great deal. But I suspect that overall many readers here opt for a different interpretation of Catholicism where it intersects economics. As we strive to be ecumentical with other Christian faiths, and tolerant with other religions, it seems good to try to learn from the diversity within our own church. And there is indeed diversity! :-)
I have heard that the Church is "land poor" and "art poor" and really does lack liquid capital. Having been to Europe and figuring out the immense costs of keeping some of those cathedrals/Vatican city stuff etc. going reinforces this.
amdg bill
Thanks for the clarifications...I am happy with people respecting each other and also thanks for pointing out there are more than two sides to everything. I had a differnt feeling from Manzi...kinda like, "Wow, here's a bridge between 'liberals' and 'conservatives'".....alas....maybe it is indeed hopeless ;-( but merry christmas despite this! bill
Again, as I noted to David, I got all excited when I read Manzi and thought he may be articulated a workable framework to "help the helpworthy" (okay, I didn't say social justice) while at the same time recognizing the reality of the economy. Perhaps I am just too naive.
merry christmas. bill
may rationalize the eye of the needle but there is only one parsing of The Rich Man and Lazarus. Certainly, how we use our goods is paramount. But riches do tend to make us forget God.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed."
I agree with you that Manzi offers an interesting alternative to help the helpworthy. I myself would love to find ways to do it and think that most conservatives would want similar outcomes. All I was saying was that to effect real social justice, the policies must actually help these helpworthy without causing something much worse. Too often people think because one takes money and throws it at something, that is a solution. Too frequently these programs have secondary and third order effects that are quite negative. Manzi is trying to avoid this.
I was finally able to read the full Manzi article and find that I agree with much of what he is saying, as a broad outline, and a general paradigm with which to begin. I too believe, like Mr. Cpsgrpve has stated, that we cannot just "throw money" at a problem and must be reasonably sure of the possible outcomes of any social program which is begun to help those in need.
My thought is that any safety net would want to provide a basic level, or quality, of life. Of course, many could argue what that would entail, but basic in the sense of having enough food, decent (not necessarily new) clothing. healthcare when needed for illness/emergency/basic preventive care, etc... And just as there are different people, situations and environments, the construct of the safety net could be flexibly designed to fit into more than one situation. The look of a safety-net-system in my small island community would, I would think, look quite different than a similar system in a large city.
I know this is short on specifics, but I am just beginning to look at these questions through the lens of the Manzi article. But when reading it, I was reminded of
2Thessalonians 2:6-12, with the foremost quote which came to mind: "when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat." (with the operative word being "willing"). And another thought - did Jesus say the government should take care of those in need of help? And if not the government, then who? Certianly, we are in a different world now, but as Catholics and Christians I do think we might give ourselves more credibility if we base more of our arguments (more openly) on a Biblical perspective.
Thanks, Michelle
Yes, the Rich Man has already gotten his reward. bill
Perhaps all of us who make suggestions for social change should adopt a version of the Hippocratic Oath: "Do No Harm".
That Law of Unintended Consequences seems to appear way too often.
It is good I think to have Manzi as a paradigm and I think I'm going to use his criteria as new programs come our way.
It always struck me as important how St. Paul supported himself. In this way he could honestly preach (i.e. You FOOLISH Galatians). Can you imagine a letter from a pastor or bishop using Paul's honesty? They can't be as honest, because to do so would be to offend too many people and lose contributions.
(So maybe we need a system of priests who work and whose support doesn't come from the Church so they can speak honestly? Now HERE'S an idea!)
In the area I live there are many crumbling infrastructures, much cleaning and beautifying that could be done, and a whole lot of conservation work that could be done. I suspect Manzi would be putting people to work here...
along one of our roads are beautiful stone walls and gigantic pine trees planted in a pattern..legacy of the WPA from FDR, who lived right down the road.
Yes, actually, that is a great idea. We had a priest here for several years who was a retired navy chaplain, was paid $50 (or some similar amount) each time he came over to say Mass at our church. He owned his own home, eventually bought a personal aircraft so he could fly over each week; so he had a "life", paid bills, owned property, etc... (I didn't know this was an option for priests). As a result, he had no problem speaking freely, and often did. And he could connect more easily with the people in the seats because his life more closely resembled their own.
Merry Christmas! Michelle


text:
I've been reading about juice fasts and the amazing health benefits of cleansing your body by eliminating all other foods for a period of time.
I decided to give it a go. On bank holiday weekend. Have I gone completely loopy? Perhaps. Yes…but then again, Bo and Bel are away this weekend, so I have no one to cook for AND three days off work. A three day fast. Surely I can manage that. And if I fail, well, it's not like my diet is so bad anyway…and if I succeed, maybe I'll feel great and do it again- or carry on for 10 days- hmmm, maybe that's ambitious.
So, today is day one. My fridge is stocked with three HUGE bags of kale, apples, celery, cucumbers, carrots, ginger and lemons.
Here goes. I made a large batch of juice this morning- I drank my usual water with lemon first thing this morning, then had a juice at about 10.30- a large glassful.
I went out, (drinking a few more glasses of water first) taking the other half of the juice with me, anticipating I'd be starving by lunchtime.
I have to say, I didn't feel particularly hungry and ended up having the second half of my juice at about 3pm, whilst watching a couple of friends come through the 52km point on the Isle of Wight challenge event. http://www.isleofwightchallenge.com/
It's now just gone 6pm and I've been guzzling water since I got back- just now I feel ready for my next juice.
I have an evening out planned with friends- mine will be fresh lime and soda- and will report back tomorrow on how day two goes…
Not too many adverse affects today- thought I might get a headache at one point-it didn't materialise, other than that, just a couple of speedy visits to the ladies room!
Have any of you tried a juice fast? I'd love to hear your stories ❤

subset: commoncrawl


text:
After playing 86 games, the Red Sox are 53-33 at the All Star break; an impressive first half indeed. That means 76 games remain in the season's second half.
If the Red Sox suddenly went cold, perhaps suffering another injury in their starting rotation, and played just .500 ball the rest of the way, they'd still finish the year with 91 wins. In past years, that likely would have earned a Wild Card berth.
Not this year. With the Tigers (59-29) and the White Sox (57-31) playing lights out ball in the AL Central, it would require a catastrophic meltdown of historic proportions for any other team to win the Wild Card. That means the Red Sox will have to maintain their torrid pace, and win the AL East for the first time since 1995, to make it back to the post season again.
What's disturbing is that the Yankees, despite a rash of injuries, have hung tough in second place and remain just 3 games back in the standings. And the Blue Jays, minus their big offseason free agent acquisition A.J. Burnett for most of the first half, remain within striking distance at just five games out.
Without a doubt, the second half will be both interesting and exciting.
Playoff contenders in both leagues will be fishing in the same small pool of worthwhile trade bait, and most will be looking for pitching -- as always. Low supply, coupled with high demand, will equal high prices.
While it's difficult to imagine the Red Sox, a team of savvy veterans and talented youngsters, falling apart in the second half, they will be hard pressed to continue winning at a .616 clip. But the heat will be on, and at this point waiting for a Yankees collapse is a fool's game. After all, they've won nine of the last ten AL East titles.
The Red Sox will have their work cut out for them, but at this point they have to be considered the favorite in the East.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.


text:
Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Digital Photography and other Digital Photography topics.
Ricoh has never been a power player in the camera world. But they've produced some nice cameras over the years. (Perhaps someone remembers the Hi-Color 35 Marine System from the 1970's?)
But Ricoh's latest offering - the GXR - has me scratching my head and asking, "What were they thinking?"
Instead of interchangable lenses - such as on Panasonic's G1 "four-thirds" digital camera - the GR has lens modules that slide in and out of the body. Each module includes a lens, a sensor and a processor in an "airtight" housing.
The one real advantage of this arrangement - no dust problem - makes some sense. But from every other angle, I just don't get this digital camera.
Ricoh makes much of the idea of coupling each lens with an optimum sensor. For instance, the 50mm f/2.5 macro lens comes with an "APS-C" sensor. That's the same size as found on most "prosumer" digital SLR's. So far so good.
But the 24 - 72mm zoom is coupled with a tiny 1/1.7" sensor. With a reported $440 price tag - and that's without the $549 body! - this tiny zoom/tiny sensor combo just doesn't compute. For two-thirds of that price, I could buy a Leica D-Lux 4.
Yes, the GXR has lot's of manual control. And, yes, Ricoh is promising a whole series of lens modules. But Canon, Olympus, Nikon and Sony all offer DSLR's - with a 14 - 42mm or 18 - 55mm lens - priced under $500.
Their compact size gives four-thirds system cameras a selling point that makes them worthy of consideration. But I can't find anything about the GXR that justifies the premium price.
|Guru Spotlight
|Mary White


text:
The results of the Taking Stock exercise for Roman Catholic churches have been put online.
This initiative began in 2005 and aimed to assess the historical and architectural importance of every Roman Catholic church and chapel within a diocese, with details shown on the Taking stock website.
The project is a partnership between the Patrimony Committee of the Bishops' Conference, Historic England and individual dioceses.


text:
5955 University Parkway
Directions Winston Salem, NC 27105
Modern Chevrolet serving Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point, and Kernersville, NC
Feel free to explore our diverse range of used cars at your convenience. Not quite sure what you're looking for? Ask one of our friendly associates - we'll get to know you, your commuting habits, and exactly what you're after behind the wheel. That way we'll stay focused on vehicles that are up for the type of driving you do and in a price range that works for your financial needs.
Modern Chevrolet is your source for reliable used cars in the High Point, Kernersville, Mt Airy and Greensboro areas. But we're so much more than that. Our auto service and maintenance team makes sure that each and every used vehicle is up to the highest standards - i.e. the same we hold to our lineup of new cars. So once you've found a model that you're ready to drive home, you can be sure that you'll get the most out of the all-important victory lap.
* While every reasonable effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions contained on these pages. Prices may include Chevy rebates and may not be eligible for special APR offer. All available rebates used in Sale Price, but Sale Price does not include dealer installed accessories. Prices may include down payment assistance that may require financing with Ally, GM Financial, or Wells Fargo. Price excludes tax, title, registration, and $589 dealer fee. Please verify any information in question with Modern Chevrolet.


text:
The news about how can change ur Sony Dash.Enjoy the post…
The verdict is still out on whether or not Sony's Dash is a world changer, but while we patiently await the first mod to shove a battery into this thing and make it a bona fide tablet, we're going to flick through your suggestions on tweaking what we've got.
If a dad unwraps one this Father's Day, tell him it replaces his alarm clock and puts the Internet on his bedside table. If a grandparent opens it, you can hype how its touchscreen makes checking the weather and enjoying family updates on Facebook nice and easy. If a teenager receives it, point out how it plays Netflix movies, streams music, and juggles social networking. (Oh, and, shoppers, tell whomever balances the family checkbook that the Sony Dash costs a fraction of the iPad's price.)
With all of these features, the $200 Dash may find a spot on many people's shortlists this Father's Day. However, Sony Dash review scores deem this do-it-all alarm clock as a good gadget – not a great one. Here's a roundup of the pros and cons.
Hardware-wise, the Dash is pretty straightforward: there's a seven-inch capacitive touchscreen and stereo speakers on the front, a snooze bar / menu button and volume buttons on the top, a USB port and headphone jack under a chunky flap on the left, and a power connection tucked into a recess on the bottom," writes Engadget. "Most of the wedge-shaped case is covered with a you-tell-us-if-it's-attractive grippy rubber material, which means you don't worry about dropping it when you pick it up.
Above all else, you should know that the Dash takes 100 percent of its features from the Internet. If you don't have Wi-Fi in your home, the Dash is about as useful as a baked potato," jokes CNET, who rated the Dash as "very good." "There are thousands of apps to choose from, ranging from New York Times headlines and Twitter, to gossip news and a virtual bubble wrap popper. All of the apps are free. Like most app stores, however, the ratio of usefulness to silliness isn't in your favor.
There are some basic limitations with the Dash that I just can't wrap my head around. The first is the lack of battery. A device like this would be so much more appealing if you could lounge on the sofa with it, or use it at the kitchen table," explains PC Mag, who thought it was "a fantastic alarm clock." "Alas, the Dash tries to do too much. Like the Chumby One, it offers a stream of Internet apps that are often underwhelming in their abilities.
With Sony Dash you can:
1.Streamline your life with its free apps. The 1,000-plus apps available for the Dash Personal Internet Viewer deliver the information and entertainment you want – weather, traffic, social networking, music & more – right to your kitchen, bedroom, living room, or office.
2.Listen to what music you want. Dash Personal Internet Viewer is a compact audio multi-tool: listen to Internet Radio out loud with the built-in stereo speakers, or privately by using the headphone jack (headphones not included).
3.Customization Option. Customizing the Dash Personal Internet Viewer home screen to fit your own personal needs and style is easy. Simply choose your favorite apps and theme that you want displayed and its that easy.
Access to Contents from Sony. Get complimentary access to the best Sony has to offer: movie trailers, minisodes, music videos, game trailers, and celebrity themes.
4.LCD Touch Screen (Diag) 7″. The WVGA 800×480 LCD touch screen displays crystal clear photos and video from a wide viewing angle, and automatically adjusts the display for an upright or tilted orientation.
Simple way to Setup. Connect to the internet quickly and easily through your home or office wireless network.
5.Elegant look and Space Saving Design. The compact footprint maximizes counter, bedside, and desktop spaces, and the timeless design blends in with any decorations.
6.Easy to use Clock and Alarms. When you select your location, the device automatically sets the time for you. Set up custom alarms, either one-time or recurring, with the option of waking to Internet radio stations, apps, built-in alarm sounds, or your favorite video clip.
7.Multi-Source Video Content. Access a variety of video services for online music and viral videos, full-length feature movies, and TV shows on the 7" LCD touch screen display.
8.Convenience when Used. Stream the web content you choose. It's always on, always fresh, and available at a glance.
9.Online Photo Access and Sharing. For a great photo viewing experience, the Dash Personal Internet Viewer conveniently loads and displays your photos from online services such as Photobucket. The touch screen user interface allows you to set effects, rotate photos, zoom, and play or pause photo slide shows.
What you think of this device is largely going to depend on what you want from it. To me, this device's best tagline would have identified it as a 'wake-up station'…telling you everything you need or want to know as you wake up to begin your day," writes Amazon user "tsukata" in his 4 out of 5 review (the most common Sony Dash rating on the shopping site). "My rating of this device is based on what I expected out of it: in short, a glorified alarm clock.
Were your hopes dashed (ahem) when Sony revealed that this thing was meant to be used inside? Are you happy with the widget software loaded on? Is this thing superior to your existing Chumby device? Feel free to really let loose here — we get the feeling that Insignia's Infocast is just waiting around the corner to take your advice before Sony can pop out a revised edition.
Resources :usatrends.info,csmonitor.com,engadget.com


text:
The Urban Casual Top has a notched neckline with half placket button fastening and embroidery detail at the neck. Simple but stylish, this top is a great addition to any spring wardrobe.
100% cotton.
The original price refers to the full retail price of the product immediately prior to the product being first reduced to clear and may not have applied immediately prior to this sale. An interim price reduction may have occurred.
Hi. We've noticed you aren't signed up for our promotional emails. Don't miss out hearing about our new arrivals, exclusive offers and exciting competitions straight to your inbox! Just check the box below and we'll keep in touch.


text:
British Secret Visa Bans Over Death of Russian Sergei Magnitsky
Posted by Info on 03/10/2011
At least 60 Russian officials implicated in the controversial death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky have been secretly banned from entering the UK by the British government.. He was working for Hermitage Capital Management, a British-based investment fund, when he exposed a tax fraud worth £144m, the biggest in Russian history.
After making accusations against Interior Ministry officials, he was arrested and then died in police custody after being denied medical care. Human rights activists say that the father-of-two was tortured and badly beaten in the hours before his death in November 2009. John McCain, the former US presidential candidate, and others have called for sanctions against Russian officials implicated in Magnitsky's death.
The move, follows the lead of the US, which introduced visa bans for individuals accused of involvement. Washington's decision last August provoked Russia's foreign ministry to draw up its own blacklist of banned US government officials.
Former UK foreign minister Chris Bryant had confirmed the British visa ban to him.
The Home Office said it would not comment on individual cases, but added: "We can refuse a visa when an individual's character, conduct or associations make entry to the UK undesirable."
A number of individuals allegedly implicated in the Magnitsky case have been routinely allowed into the UK…among them are a convicted fraudster and two senior Russian detectives against whom the lawyer had testified over their role in the fraud.


text:
Social excursions are offered by numerous visit administrators and envelop a wide assortment of interests and side interests. A few people might need to stroll in the strides of their most loved creator, investigate locales of popular fights, take in whatever number craftsmanship exhibitions as could be expected under the circumstances or appreciate some fantastic musical drama exhibitions. One the of the most prominent sorts of social excursions are those centered around history as individuals appreciate figuring out how a nation has formed into what it is today. There are a lot of incredible destinations for those hoping to book social treks, however here is a rundown of the main 6 most loved destinations for the individuals who adore all things verifiable
Every locale in Italy has an intriguing history and a lot of case of it for a guest to investigate. Most likely one of the best however truly must be Rome. Not just does it have sublime case of engineering and figure however it has been the motivation for craftsmen, for example, George Eliot, Shelley, Oscar Wilde and numerous, some more. There are some heavenly exhibition halls to visit here and they all have splendid ancient rarities and advisers for help guests transport themselves back in time. Has a brilliantly vivid history and is pleased with it as can be prove in essentially every district and city that you go to. Barcelona has a lot of exhibition halls and elements to be delighted in, yet a portion of the less known towns are recorded diamonds and ought to presumably be top of the rundown.
Observe Valladoid, which was the home of Christopher Columbus and Miguel De Cervantes or Salamanca – an UNESCO world legacy site and the best place in Spain to find out about and test genuine tapas. A nation is loaded with history that has the additional advantage of brilliantly warm individuals, heavenly view and scrumptious nourishment. Dublin is the capital and has some truly fascinating kulturrejser that individuals can visit to find out about the nation's turbulent past. Dublin, as with a hefty portion of the bigger Irish urban communities, likewise makes them force places of worship and churches. New Ross is home to the Dunbrody, which is a case of a settler ship that was utilized to take the Irish away to America, where numerous went amid the potato starvation that crushed the populace.


text:
I have trouble with this, daily… As my mind expands, my senses are heightened. Continue reading "Adjusting to Expansion"
Category: Quotes
Check yourself
Derrick A. Bell
"Education leads to enlightenment. Enlightenment opens the way to empathy. Empathy foreshadows reform."
Andrew Boyd
"Compassion hurts. When you feel connected to everything, you also feel responsible for everything. And you cannot turn away. Your destiny is bound with the destinies of others. You must either learn to carry the Universe or be crushed by it. You must grow strong enough to love the world, yet empty enough to sit down at the same table with its worst horrors."
Daily Afflictions: The Agony of Being Connected to Everything in the Universe


text:
The Photographers'
Railroad Page
Home Archives Submission Guidelines
Edition #3, April 1, 2005
Pure Serendipity
Photographer: Mel Patrick
Photo © by Mel Patrick
Pure Serendipity
About the photo: Pure serendipity.
The location is near Klondike, Calif. on the ATSF main (I think like an old-timer about route designations) and the time is about 10pm, as if that mattered. Fellow traveler Mike Valentine and I are returning from Winterail via the ATSF main. Mike had flown to Denver from Detroit via US Air who managed to destroy his own tripod in transit. So, on the trip we traded using the one working tripod.
While Mike was using the tripod at Klondike, I simply put the camera on the ground with a 16mm fisheye, pushed a few stones under the lens to frame the scene, and opened the shutter with a cable release. A full moon and train headlights lit the scene, exposure about 2 minutes at f/2.8 with Provia 100. A warm desert night, bright moonlight and lots of railroad action. This is fun.
Mel Patrick
March 2005
Contact The Photographers' Railroad Page
Click Here to join The Photographers' Railroad Page update list and be notified of new editions.
This site is sponsored by Lightsource Photo Imaging
The Photographers Railroad Page
Copyright © 2005 by The Photographers Railroad Page. All rights reserved.
Revised: 07/15/09 10:26:58 -0400


text:
The Awbury Team
Alex Dubitsky (email@example.com) has been with the company since its inception in 2010. He is responsible for Awbury's strategic direction and core relationships, and leads the company's key expansion initiatives. Alex also serves on the board of Awbury and its group companies. Prior to joining Awbury, Alex was a Managing Director at both Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs, where he built a number of successful ventures, including insurance businesses in both the credit and life and longevity areas. Mr. Dubitsky led and served on the boards of multiple financial services and insurance companies in the US, Ireland and Bermuda. Prior to his experiences in the insurance space, Alex was a member of the emerging markets group at Credit Suisse, and practiced law for several years at the Washington DC offices of Hogan Lovells.
Mr. Dubitsky holds an LL.M. from Yale Law School and an MBA from University of Chicago.
David Ensor (email@example.com) is responsible for overseeing and managing all aspects of Awbury Insurance Ltd.'s operations, supported by Awbury's key advisors and service providers, including policy issuance, management accounting, governance and regulatory compliance. He also chairs the Underwriting and Binding Committee.
Prior to joining Awbury, David held the position of global Chief Credit Officer for Chartis (AIG). In that role, he had responsibility for the control, approval and management of all credit risk assumed by any Chartis business units in over 130 countries, including captives, political risk, reinsurance, surety and trade credit. David was also the global "Risk Expert" for credit risk within the firm's Enterprise Risk Management Group and managed a portfolio of credit risk exposures totaling c.$200BN. Before assuming his role at Chartis in 2009, David was responsible for all credit risk taken by AIG in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and a member of its 10 person global sovereign-rating committee.
David read Law at St. John's College, Cambridge, and has a MA from the University of Cambridge. He is also an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, London, and has over 35 years of broad international experience in the financial services industry.
David Goldman (firstname.lastname@example.com) is responsible for Awbury's new product development, implementation and execution.
Prior to joining the firm Mr. Goldman spent 11 years at Credit Suisse where he built a career designing solutions for clients in the insurance and reinsurance markets, as well as asset managers with a focus on structured credit and longevity risk. David's years of experience in structuring, risk analysis, and relationship management, together with his intimate knowledge of the drivers of value in both the banking and insurance sectors, allow Awbury to design products that meet the needs of insureds while ensuring strict alignment of interests between all parties. David has served on the boards of multiple regulated insurance financing entities, and has extensive experience in cross-border transactions, including the establishment of offshore debt issuance vehicles and the launch of several international specialized investment funds.
Mr. Goldman graduated cum laude with a B.S. in economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Andrew Kaplan (firstname.lastname@example.com) is Awbury's Chief Risk Officer, overseeing all of the firm's underwriting functions and risk decisions.
Mr. Kaplan has been actively managing risk and building financial services businesses since 1990. His experience in trading and risk management extends across both credit (structured and illiquid) and insurance products. From 2007 to 2010, Mr. Kaplan was a Managing Director at JPMorgan. During his tenure at the firm, he was responsible for the successful development and implementation of risk management and operational systems, which were held to the standards and satisfaction of both the Federal Reserve Bank of NY and the FSA. Among other things, Mr. Kaplan served on the board of a leading industry trade association. Prior to joining JPMorgan, Andrew co-founded the longevity trading business at Credit Suisse. Previous experience includes 10 years of trading and managing illiquid fixed income derivatives risk within the emerging markets units of Credit Suisse and JPMorgan.
Mr. Kaplan received his MBA in finance from Fairleigh Dickenson University and his B.S. in engineering from Cornell University.
Koby Feingold (firstname.lastname@example.com) is responsible for Awbury's legal, regulatory and compliance matters.
Prior to joining Awbury, Koby practiced law in the insurance group at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP and its predecessor firm, LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP, with a focus on corporate transactions and regulatory matters involving insurance and reinsurance companies. Koby has significant experience in the areas of structured finance, complex restructurings and mergers and acquisitions.
Prior to joining Dewey & LeBoeuf and its predecessor firm, Koby served as a law intern for The Honorable T.S. Ellis III, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia. In addition, prior to his legal career, Koby was a supervisor in the receiving operation of a major supplier of industrial items to commercial facilities worldwide.
Mr. Feingold received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and his B.A. from Haverford College.
Nick Meynell (email@example.com) is the Managing Director of Awbury UK Limited.
Nick is responsible for Awbury's outward reinsurance program and originating clients for the insurer's European-related business. He joined Awbury UK Limited in 2015 from Marsh Ltd, where he focused on structuring and placing Awbury Insurance Ltd's reinsurance facilities as well as facultative placements.
Nick has more than 20 years of experience working with insurers and banks. Prior to his service at Marsh Ltd, he was an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs International where he had responsibility for hedging all longevity risk emanating from their buy in/buy out pension business. From 2007 – 2010, Nick, working through his own US based company, focused on structuring insurance and reinsurance protection for the life and longevity businesses at Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse and J P Morgan. Prior to that, Nick worked for Willis in the US and UK structuring and placing Political Risk and Credit insurance protection for major US and European banks.
Nick is a qualified Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Joseph Curran (firstname.lastname@example.com) is Awbury's Chief Operating Officer.
Joseph Curran has over 20 years of experience in technology and finance, and serves as Awbury's Chief Operating Officer. Joe's prior experience includes serving as the Chief Operating Officer or Chief Technology Officer for numerous firms within the alternative investment space, including Sivik Global Healthcare, Traxis Partners and Wexford Capital.
Joe has led major business integration and transformation projects and has first-hand experience providing solutions to the operational and technological challenges faced by financial organizations. He has expertise in risk management, budgeting, cost controls, business continuity, security and financial modeling.
Joe has a B.S. in Mathematics from New York University, a B.S. in Engineering from The Cooper Union and a M.S. in Engineering from Binghamton University.
John Mawe (firstname.lastname@example.com) is responsible for transaction structuring, execution and new product development.
John has over 25 years of financial markets experience, primarily focused on structured finance. Prior to joining Awbury, John was a Managing Director at Lehman Brothers in charge of origination, structuring, and distribution of structured debt obligations. His past roles have included similar positions with Prudential Securities and Citicorp Mortgage Securities. Mr. Mawe began his career as a licensed CPA with Coopers & Lybrand, auditing broker dealers and mortgage companies, and was a founding member of the firm's securitization practice.
Mr. Mawe is a CFA charter holder and member of the New York Society of Security Analysts. He received a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and earned a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Schuyler Edwards (firstname.lastname@example.com) spent five years with Credit Suisse in its Longevity Markets Group, focusing on asset origination and portfolio management. Schuyler was responsible for pricing, execution and maintenance of a $10 billion portfolio of complex insurance assets. He also played a key role in establishing best in class control processes for origination, servicing and claims management for the group.
Prior to his front office experience, Mr. Edwards was a member of Credit Suisse's Legal and Compliance Department supporting fixed income businesses. Schuyler has extensive international experience having spent two years in Chennai, India managing a 150 person outsourced servicing team and 1.5 years in Beijing, China as part of the legal team at Beijing Sanyou Intellectual Property Agency Ltd.
Mr. Edwards attended Michigan State University.
Sokha Au-Ferris (firstname.lastname@example.com) is responsible for Awbury's accounting, controls, and treasury functions, including financial and regulatory reporting, compliance, forecasting and planning, and premium and expense management.
Prior to joining Awbury, Mrs. Au-Ferris was a VP, FP&A with Torus Insurance, where she developed the financial and business planning activities for the group's U.S. operations, and managed special projects including the SOX and ERM implementation for Torus Americas segment. Sokha has previously worked for Endurance Reinsurance, where she managed the annual SOX attestation, and focused on development of process improvements and best practices, as well as risk management. Before focusing on (re)insurance, Mrs. Au-Ferris started her finance career at Deloitte LLP in the United Kingdom. Sokha is a Chartered Accountant with the ICAEW, a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), and a member of ISACA and the AFP.
Mrs. Au-Ferris graduated cum laude with distinction with a B.A. in psychology from Yale University.
Awbury has assembled a best-in-class team of advisors and representatives including:
- Oliver Heyliger
- Appleby (Bermuda)
- KPMG (Bermuda)
- Appleby (Bermuda)
- Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer (London)
- Hogan Lovells (Washington D.C.)
- Holland & Knight (New York)


text:
A US-based risk advisory group has warned that foreign direct investment into energy sectors of marginal African oil producers will decline as the US and China ramp up shale oil production.
DaMina Advisors says acceleration in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technologies has catalysed domestic shale oil boom in the US, "altering the future landscape of global energy". The US is poised for energy self-sufficiency in six years.
China is also boosting its domestic shale oil and offshore developments in disputed islands. Further, the world's second largest economy is seeking to secure "a more proximate stable oil source" through a pipeline from neighbouring Russia.
"… marginal African energy producers, who are also heavily dependent on oil export revenues to fund national budgets and maintain social cohesion, face a growing threat to state stability as both the US and China curb African oil imports," the firm warns.
Its analysis shows that US oil imports from key African exporter — Nigeria, Angola and Algeria — have declined by a cumulative 180 per cent over 10 years.
"Unless marginal African energy producers such as Chad, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Uganda, Kenya, the Congo's and Equatorial Guinea dramatically alter their energy sector fiscal and regulatory regimes to increase attractiveness to investors, the region will see a drastic shortfall in FDI in coming years," DaMina warns.
It says the asymmetry of a heavy state reliance on oil and gas exports revenues, plus a declining global export market due to rising US energy self-sufficiency and declining Chinese demand for African oil, will leave many key African economies facing major fiscal imbalances which will ultimately threaten state stability.
It points to other key threats such as high taxes, rising political risk, surging royalties, new foreign exchange controls, harsh local content laws and unstable regulatory regimes.
"Resource-rich countries are also at the mercies of world prices for their products. For every boom there is a burst," the IMF warned recently.
Source: The Star


text:
OR you can use the filters below:
Please lesect a filter
Can be find in e escort listing or l escorts. She is 170 tall, excellent conversationalist and is sophisticated girl available in Hendon. With a amazing look and rafined figure, this escort looks extremely sexy. Amira`s blonde hair and lovely brown eyes will charm you. Say good morning to the passionate, cute that is called Amira escort. This Indian bisexual sophisticated lady, is the perfect combination. Amira escort is a 23 years old Indian girl. 34D bust size, charming and elegant escort provides the perfect date.
Amira's Rates
Did you find all the informations you need?


text:
What Uri Dromi says about Hamas is pure and poisonous Israeli propaganda (This Hamas hallucination, 23 January). In every respect his article is almost the exact opposite of the truth. Dromi claims that: "The Orwellian mindset of the organisation is as much a barrier to peace as the rockets it fires." But it is the newspeak of Israeli propagandists like Dromi that is truly Orwellian.
Over the last four weeks the powerful Israeli propaganda machine has been churning out lie after lie about Hamas in order to excuse its own inexcusable onslaught. Israel stopped journalists going into Gaza, preventing any independent reporting on the war crimes its forces were committing. Truth is usually the first casualty in war. Gaza was not even a war in the conventional sense of the word; it was one-sided carnage.
Here are some of the facts Dromi ignores or wilfully misrepresents. First, Hamas is the democratically elected government of the Palestinian people, not the corrupt regime led by Mahmoud Abbas. Second, Hamas spokesmen have repeatedly declared their readiness for a long-term ceasefire. Khalid Mish'al recently did so on these pages (Comment, 6 January). Third, Hamas has a solid record of observing ceasefires, while Israel has a consistent record of sabotaging them. Fourth, even during the ceasefire Israel did not lift its economic blockade of the 1.5 million inhabitants of Gaza, a form of collective punishment forbidden by international law. Fifth, the offensive unleashed in Gaza was illegal, immoral and unnecessary. If all Israel wanted was to stop rocket attacks from Gaza, all it had to do was to observe the ceasefire brokered by Egypt in June 2008.
Professor Avi Shlaim
January 26, 2009
Israel's pure poisonous propaganda in Comment is free
Avi Shlaim had this letter published in today's Guardian. It's headed the Newspeak of Israeli propagandists and what he complains of will be instantly recognisable to those of us who take our news from the mainstream. I should point out that Shlaim is countering a crude zionist propagandist in one of the main zionist stamping grounds on the web, Comment is free.
Curiously the editor of Cif has seen fit to simply allow Dromi a short swipe at Shlaim that deals with none of the specifics. Check it for yourself but when a zionist propagandist has to turn to an Egyptian minister for back up we're talking desperate here.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Attending the event were representatives from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Colombo city's administration, and the Sri Lanka – Vietnam Solidarity Association and a large number of Vietnamese people who are residing, working and studying in the country.
Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Pham Thi Bich Ngoc extended her best greetings to Vietnamese nationals in the South Asian country.
After reviewing Vietnam's outstanding achievements and spotlights in bilateral ties last year, the ambassador lauded activities of the Vietnamese community and urged them to stay united and further contribute to traditional friendship between the two nations.
Participants enjoyed traditional Vietnamese foods and music performances.
Source: VNA
Type the code from the image


text:
Home Visits
If a disability prevents surgery attendance and a home visit is necessary, please contact the surgery before 11:00am. The Patient Advisor will ask for brief details in order for the Doctors to be able to plan their calls. Please remember that home visits are very unusual and are only recommended for the terminally ill, truly housebound or for those patients for whom travel to the surgery by car would cause a deterioration in their medical condition.
It is not harmful to take a child with a fever outside. Home visits are performed at the doctor's discretion. Sometimes the doctor may feel it is more appropriate to telephone you and offer advice rather than to visit. Equally the doctor may arrange for another member of the Primary Care team, such as the District Nurse, to visit rather than the doctor.
For further information, please click here to view our Home Visit Policy.