Shas? solution to the party?s leadership crisis, the forum of three, has earned an envious spot in the weekly chareidi newspapers and magazines in Eretz Yisrael. Shas? own Yom L?Yom does not play modest, allocating significant real estate to tell the story and share the success, including the array of rabbonim whose photo appears alongside their bracha on the success achieved by Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita. The paper actually explains in depth that the credit for saving the party goes to Maran?s youngest son, HaGaon HaRav David Yosef, who heads the gadol hador?s Badatz Beit Yosef.
Rav Moshe?s efforts paid off big time in this case, at least for the time being, and the rabbonim who appear in the party-affiliated newspaper are not just Sephardim but prominent Ashkenazim including the Sanzer Rebbe Shlita, the Vishnitzer Rebbe Shlita and Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yonah Yechiel Metzger.
The Shas success begs the question if the Ashkenazim can achieve the same success, but with growing splits in the litvish and chassidic factions, such a reality appears unlikely at the present time.
(YWN ? Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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Gifted Workshops a 'Natural' Fit for ManyFuture College Students
DuBOIS ? Professionals with expertise in environmental and wildlife conservation are in high demand today, and a group of future college students got an up-close look at some career options in those fields at Penn State DuBois recently. More than 40 students from gifted programs at eight area school districts participated in a Gifted Workshop on campus. Open to middle school or high school students enrolled in a gifted program, the workshop was designed to introduce those bright students to educational opportunities that would get them working in careers related to environmental stewardship. To that end, faculty members from the campus' Wildlife Technology Program held sample classes and labs that provided hands-on lessons and field experience. "Some of my students are involved in scouting, some are interested in outdoor experiences, and they were very interested in these programs. I could see some of them going into things like environmental engineering," said Della Kurtzhals, the gifted program coordinator at Clarion Area High School. "This shows them that they have good options for that education close to home." In fact, the Wildlife Technology Degree is an option exclusive to DuBois, explained Admissions Counselor Holli Lashinsky. She said, "Wildlife Technology is unique to Penn State DuBois; we're the only campus in the Penn State system to offer it. The great thing about it is that we provide extensive lab and field experience, so students get hands-on learning opportunities." Some of those hands-on experiences the students sampled included learning how to estimate the age of white-tailed deer by examining their jaws and teeth. This is information that wildlife professionals would use to manage a deer herd and its habitat. They also had the opportunity to participate in placing leg bands on song birds, a tactic that professionals use to track movement and migration patterns. Additionally, students used radio-tracking equipment to locate radio collars hidden in a near-by forested area. This simulated the real-world work that experts do when tracking animals that have been tranquilized and equipped with radio collars. Once an animal is outfitted with a radio collar, they can be tracked using specialized radio equipment so that their migration patterns, feeding patterns, and more can be recorded. It's a technology that is used on everything from deer and elk, to bears, and even pheasants. Overall, each of the activities represented the gathering of information that wildlife professionals use to manage animal populations and habitats in the wild, for the overall best quality of life for animals, people, and the environment. "These workshops help students explore different opportunities that they may want to pursue in the future," Lashinsky said. "Or, it may introduce them to opportunities they never thought of before." She explained that many graduates of the Wildlife Technology Program go on to enjoy careers with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and numerous private organizations devoted to the study and preservation of wildlife and habitat. The fact that workshops like this allow students to see the important work that happens behind the scenes, that they may not be aware of, is what makes them so valuable according to some educators. Anne Young, the secondary gifted program coordinator at DuBois Area High School said, "This allows the students to come to Penn State DuBois and see exactly what is offered, and to see what the classes and courses of study are like. It allows them to think about their options and their higher education early, and really get the ball rolling and start thinking about college." In addition to gifted workshops, Wildlife Visitation Day is held three times each semester at Penn State DuBois. The day serves as an open house for the Wildlife Technology Program, where prospective students meet with program faculty members, tour campus, and receive enrollment and financial aid information. Wildlife Visitation Days are open to prospective students of any age, who want more information about the program and the careers for which it prepares graduates. For more information, call 814-375-4720, or visit www.ds.psu.edu/wildlife
Photo: Left to right: Tanner Fell, an eighth grader at Cranberry Middle School, and Kiela Vinson, a seventh grader at Clarion Area Junior/Senior High School, use radio equipment during an exercise that simulated the tracking of animals fitted with radio collars. Tracking animals with the collars is one method experts use to manage animal populations.
BRUSSELS (AP) ? Belgian authorities are seeking the public's help in solving the killing of an executive for ExxonMobil, the world's largest oil company, who was shot to death in front of his wife nearly two weeks ago on a street in a suburb of the Belgian capital of Brussels.
Nicholas Mockford, a British national, was shot on Oct. 14 as he left an Italian restaurant in Neder-over-Heembeek. Belgian authorities declined to provide information on the crime at the time, which they said was common in investigations of serious crimes, although a Dutch-language television station aired a report the day after the shooting.
A spokesman for ExxonMobil said Friday that the company was "shocked by the very tragic death." Mockford had a long career with ExxonMobil, the spokesman said.
A Belgian police report made public Thursday said Mockford and his wife, Mary, were walking toward their car when a man threatened Mrs. Mockford, hit her in the face several times, and tried to grab her purse. Suddenly, a second man appeared and fired four shots at Mockford, who died on the spot, the report said. The assailants, who were wearing motorcycle helmets, initially escaped on foot but were later seen on a motorcycle, according to the report.
Shortly before the attack, a white van crossed the couple's path. Investigators are asking the driver of the van to come forward.
India Women v Thailand Women ? Asian Cricket Council Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup (Group A) ? Match Update
Aided by a concentrated bowling attack, the India Women claimed a comprehensive 77-run win over the Thailand Women in their Group A match during the ongoing Asian Cricket Council Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup, at the Guanggong International Cricket Stadium in
China, today on October 25.
The India Women won the toss and elected to bat first, and while Thailand?s Somnarin Tippoch (3-0-19-2) and Nattakan Chantam (4-0-15-1) attempted to keep their opponents in check, the India Women eventually posted a final total of 109 by the end of 20 overs.
Poonam Raut (8) and Mona Mehsram (17) opened the innings for their side, but the opening stand did not proceed beyond 16 runs. Raut fell prey to Chantam in the 6th over, but her successor, skipper Mithali Raj, top-scored for the team with 28,
in addition to setting up a 21-run stand with Meshram. The latter was sent back to the pavilion in the 10th over, dismissed via run out, but Player of the Match Raj soldiered on, establishing a 38-run stand with Harmanpreet Kaur (15).
Their combined efforts got the team up to 75 by the 15th over, after which Kaur was caught and bowled by Tippoch, and Raj also fell prey to Tippoch in the 17th over. Nagarajan Niranjana (16*) and Amita Sharma (13*) joined forces for
the final partnership of the Indian Women?s innings, setting up an unbeaten 28-run stand which got the team up to a final total of 109 by the end of 20 overs.
The team then followed up their batting performance with a fierce bowling display ? every one of their 6 bowlers, save one, claimed two wickets each, and displayed incredible economy. Aided by the efforts of Ekta Bisht (4-2-7-2), Rasanara Parwin (4-1-8-2),
Niranjana (4-1-9-2), Reema Malhotra (2-1-1-2), and Meshram (1.3-1-1-2), the India Women cut their opponents off, all out, at a paltry 32.
Nattaya Boochatham remained the top-scorer for the Thailand Women with a dismal 8-run contribution, while skipper Tippoch only managed a paltry 1, as did Naruemol Chaiwai and Rattana Sangsoma. Chantam, Nantanit Konchan, and Premwadee Doungsin were all dismissed
on duck, and by the final over, the Thailand Women were all out at 32, granting the India Women a 77-run win.
ScienceDaily (Oct. 24, 2012) ? Analysis of texture differences in satellite images may be an effective way to monitor changes in vegetation, soil and water patterns over time, with potential implications for measuring biodiversity as well, according to new research published Oct. 24 by Matteo Convertino from the University of Florida and colleagues in the open access journal PLOS ONE.
The authors designed statistical models to estimate two aspects of biodiversity in satellite images: the number of species in a given region, or 'species richness', and the rate at which species entered or were removed from the ecosystem, a parameter termed 'species turnover'.
They tested their models on data gathered over 28 years in a water conservation area in the Florida Everglades and compared their results to previous reports from the region. They found that their models were nearly 100% accurate when predicting species turnover; conventional methods only have 85% accuracy.
According to the authors, their automated method using satellite images could help improve the efficiency and decrease the cost of campaigns that monitor biodiversity and guide policy and conservation decisions. Convertino says, "Texture-based statistical image analysis is a promising method for quantifying seasonal differences and, consequently, the degree to which vegetation, soil, and water patterns vary as a function of natural and anthropic stressors. The application of the presented model to other fields and scales of analysis of ecosystems is a promising research direction.''
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Public Library of Science, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
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Journal Reference:
Matteo Convertino, Rami S. Mangoubi, Igor Linkov, Nathan C. Lowry, Mukund Desai. Inferring Species Richness and Turnover by Statistical Multiresolution Texture Analysis of Satellite Imagery. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (10): e46616 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046616
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
With negative sentiment toward China reaching an extreme in recent months, patient investors have been rewarded with this week?s news of improving data from the Asian giant. [In fact, according to BCA] this appears to be a good time to be investing in China, as stocks are historically cheap. Words: 760
So says Frank Holmes, CEO and Chief Investment Officer of U.S. Global Investors(www.usfunds.com)?in edited excerpts from his original article* posted under the title Chinese Stocks Looking Like a Bargain.
Lorimer Wilson, editor of www.FinancialArticleSummariesToday.com (A site for sore eyes and inquisitive minds) and www.munKNEE.com (Your Key to Making Money!), has edited the article below for length and clarity ? see Editor?s Note at the bottom of the page. This paragraph must be included in any article re-posting to avoid copyright infringement.
Holmes goes on to say, in part:
Retail Sales, Disposable Income and Export Numbers
CLSA Sinology?s Andy Rothman reported that in September:
retail sales growth rose 13.2 percent, which was the fastest pace of the year,
real urban disposable income grew nearly 10 percent and
real rural disposable income rose more than 12 percent during the first three quarters of the year and,
while export numbers are weak, China has so far avoided the large-scale export-sector layoffs that led to 2009?s massive stimulus.
Commodity Imports
There was strength in commodity imports, too.
Copper imports into China increased 11 percent compared to the previous month due to increased demand from power infrastructure, white goods restocking and auto production.
Iron ore rose a modest 4 percent compared to the previous month, which is encouraging.
There was also a sharp rebound in oil imports most likely due to holiday restocking and lower international prices. In fact, Pareto Securities found that Chinese implied oil demand came in at an all-time high of 9.8 million barrels per day in September.
?
Fixed Asset Investment
The markets also saw an increase in fixed asset investment (FAI), a measure of capital spending, which grew at ?the fastest pace since October 2011,? says CLSA. According to Credit Suisse, ?a surge in transportation spending in the month of September is starting to reflect the project approvals for highway, rail, airport, and metropolitan transport projects announced in May and June.?
While Credit Suisse says FAI growth was boosted by government investment stimulus, CLSA also notes that fixed asset investment and capital spending by private firms has been rising faster than state-owned firms for 30 of the last 31 months.
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Money Supply
Money supply, a key lubricant of the economy and markets, also continued to increase, and this has historically driven Chinese equities. Take a look at the chart below, which shows the year-over-year money supply compared to the MSCI China Index over the past decade. Over the past 10 years, after the supply in money bottomed, stocks soon rebounded.
On January 31, 2012, money supply hit a near decade low of 12.4 percent year-over-year growth. Since then, the number has been creeping higher, rising sharply to 14.8 percent in September, and shortly thereafter, equities responded.
?
Stock Prices & Investor Sentiment?
The Wall Street Journal recognized the improvement in Asian stocks and investor sentiment this week, suggesting that the ?region?s economy could be nearing the end of a slowdown? and that??if the Chinese economy shows sustained signs of stabilizing, it would remove a major overhang of worry for investors in Asia, and may spur more capital raising and other deals as investors become confident enough to switch money out of bonds and back into equity markets.?
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This appears to be a good time to be investing in China, as stocks are historically cheap. At the beginning of October, BCA noted that there was a ?prevailing pessimism? around China and that the stocks were ?currently trading at hefty discounts to world averages and even to euro zone stocks.? The firm indicated that Chinese shares had a forward price-to-earnings ratio of below 9 times; the world and U.S. benchmarks traded at 12 and 13 times, respectively.
Chinese stocks are also cheap compared to emerging markets. In 2007, China traded at a 75 percent premium to emerging markets. Today, Chinese stocks trade at a 20 percent discount. If you look at a comparison of price-to-earnings in China to those in emerging markets, you have to go back to 2006 to find that ratio as low as it is today.
?
The low price-to-earnings indicates to me that the negativity pendulum has swung too far. ?Investors have turned from euphoria at the height of the ?China mania? five years ago to extreme pessimism,? says BCA.
Conclusion
Back in April, I listed three trends that global investors should watch in China: A rebound in the liquidity cycle signaling a rally in equity prices, a new leadership with an incentive to maintain growth, and Chinese stocks reverting to their mean, as history appears to favor Chinese stocks landing in the top half of emerging markets [see table below].
Editor?s Note: The above post may have been edited ([ ]), abridged (?), and reformatted (including the title, some sub-titles and bold/italics emphases) for the sake of clarity and brevity to ensure a fast and easy read. The article?s views and conclusions are unaltered and no personal comments have been included to maintain the integrity of the original article.
Related Articles:
1. The China Syndrome ? Fully Understanding China?s Economic Prospects: Michael Pettis
In order to argue that we will not see a sharp slowdown in Chinese growth, it is not enough to claim that a) some expert or institution has predicted that Chinese growth will not slowdown, b)that China has enough savings in its coffers to bail itself out of a crisis or c) that Beijing leaders cannot tolerate growth below 8%, so of course growth will not drop below 8%. As greater evidence for the bear camp surfaces, China bulls need stronger justifications for their positions or risk losing credibility. [In fact, they need precise answers to 3 questions put forth in this lengthy but extremely insightful (dare I? say, absolute best, article on the China sydrome to have ever been written!) article. Words: 4130
2. The Rationale for Investing in China Now Instead of the U.S. or Europe Is?..
I believe that the engine of global economic growth for the next five-year period will be China. I firmly also believe that it?s not only appropriate, but critical for investors, even those whose focus is trading rather than investing to now take a look at China equities based on long-term investment horizons. [This article does just that with some specific investment suggestions.] Words: 1581
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Efforts to overturn war?s verdict futile Zhong Sheng
The Chinese have highly valued credibility and integrity since ancient times. There is a time-honored proverb that ?credibility is a trump card to sustain governance and win public support.? In order to keep a foothold in the international arena, a country has to win respect and trust from other countries, keep its promises, and behave in an open-minded and upright way.
The Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation are the legal basis for the establishment of the international order after World War II. On August 10, 1945, the Japanese government offered to surrender to the Allies. On August 15, the Japanese emperor Hirohito announced Japan?s acceptance of the terms of the Potsdam Declaration.
In the surrender document, Japan clearly promised to ?accept the provisions in the declaration issued by the heads of the Governments of the United States, China, and Great Britain 26 July 1945 at Potsdam, and subsequently adhered to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.?
If, as some in Japan have recently claimed, the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation are unilateral announcements without binding force, how can Japan explain its signature on the surrender document? And why did the surrender officially mark the end of the war?
The Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation were the prerequisites for the Allies to end the war against Japan, and prerequisites for the international community, especially Asian countries, to reaccept Japan in the post-war era. By their recent questioning of the two documents, some in Japan actually seek to negate the fruits of the world?s victory in the anti-fascist war and challenge the post-war international order.
Japan?s recent provocations over the Diaoyu Islands issue did not happen accidentally. The fundamental reason is the increasing expansion of domestic right-wing forces, which are attempting to negate Japan?s history. In international media, articles warning against Japan?s ?turn to the right? are often published.
On October 10, Japanese ambassador to the US Ichiro Fujisaki published an article on the Huffington Post, saying that external arguments about Japan?s growing nationalism and its turn to the right are ?vastly exaggerated.?
Nevertheless, facts cannot be erased. In the post-war era, Japan has been reluctant to either deeply reflect upon its history of invasion or thoroughly settle with its militarism. In recent years, there are constant arguments made within Japan that deny the Nanjing Massacre in 1937 and the organized and forced prostitution run by the Japanese military.
Some Japanese politicians even actively seek to revise the Peace Constitution and the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. It is frequently reported that top Japanese officials, including former Japanese prime minister and newly elected chief of the Liberal Democratic Party Shinzo Abe, visit the Yasukuni Shrine.
Aren?t all these signals of Japanese politics? ?turn to the right?? Shouldn?t Asians and people across the world be alert to these signals?
In 1970, German Chancellor Willy Brandt knelt in front of a monument to the Warsaw Ghetto victims and delivered a silent apology to those who suffered during World War II. This helped improve the image of Germany. No politician in Japan has taken a similar stance. On the contrary, many seek to publicly distort and even deny its past invasions. This is exactly why Japan still fails to look graceful in front of people in Asia and the world at large.
Japan has been saying that it wants to become a ?normal country.? However, Japan first needs to have a normal mentality, completely cleanse its legacy of militarism and win external trust through practical deeds.
After World War II, Japan created an economic miracle. But economic success doesn?t mean normalcy in politics. The recent provocations over the Diaoyu Islands issue make people wonder whether Japan will advance toward peaceful development or will return to the path of militarism. Its Asian neighbors and countries across the world are watching.
The author is a commentator with the People?s Daily. The article is the third in a series on the Diaoyu Islands originally published in the People?s Daily.
Shas? solution to the party?s leadership crisis, the forum of three, has earned an envious spot in the weekly chareidi newspapers and magazines in Eretz Yisrael. Shas? own Yom L?Yom does not play modest, allocating significant real estate to tell the story and share the success, including the array of rabbonim whose photo appears alongside their bracha on the success achieved by Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita. The paper actually explains in depth that the credit for saving the party goes to Maran?s youngest son, HaGaon HaRav David Yosef, who heads the gadol hador?s Badatz Beit Yosef.
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patient investors have been rewarded with this week?s news of improving data from the Asian giant. [In fact, according to BCA] this appears to be a good time to be investing in China, as stocks are historically cheap. Words: 760
