Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/274637121?client_source=feed&format=rss
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বৃহস্পতিবার, ৩ জানুয়ারি, ২০১৩
Economy isn't the real beneficiary of fiscal cliff deal - The Term Sheet ...
By Mohamed El-Erian
The political attractiveness of the deal comes from the fact that both parties, and virtually every faction within each party, can claim at least a partial victory.
Led by a determined President, Democrats restored the pre-Bush tax rates on higher earning individuals and couples. In the process, they delivered on one of Barack Obama's most important and consequential election promises.
They also managed to secure an extension in unemployment benefits, one of the most tangible and targeted support measures for particularly vulnerable members of society. And they resisted pressure to cut entitlements that would have disproportionately hit the poor.
On their side, Republicans fought until the very end on tax rates, even willing to temporarily go over the cliff. In the process, they shifted Democrats away from the $250,000 threshold for tax rate hikes, securing instead a $400,000 level for individuals (though below the $1 million threshold Speaker John Boehner had proposed).
MORE:?11 worst predictions of 2012
They resisted Democrats' efforts to extend the payroll tax cut and to add stimulus measures. They secured concessions on the estate tax that speak to both exemptions and indexation. And they ensured that the two-month delay of the sequester, draconian spending cuts, was paid for by other spending cuts (and some revenue increases).
The political attractiveness to both parties of the messy compromise goes further.
By omitting a debt ceiling hike from the compromise and by delaying the sequester by only two months, the two parties will be returning to the bargaining table(s) within a few weeks. As such, and while each has already given something up, most factions retain the optionality that is so valued by politicians - especially in these fluid times when they are unsure of the reactions of their base.
The economic attractiveness of the deal is much more problematic.
On the positive side, the compromise averts a mix of tax increases and spending cuts that would have done more harm than just push the nation into another recession. It would have also seriously undermined the hard-earned healing occurring in the housing sector and in many families' stretched balance sheets. With that, our economy would have experienced a significant air pocket, and would have faced an even more difficult subsequent recovery.
As important as this gain is, it is unfortunately not overwhelming. The hard-negotiated political compromise does little to address the consistent headwinds that undermine growth, hold back corporate investment, and dampen job creation.
If the objective were to promote employment, the nation's most urgent challenge, the compromise prolongs crippling political uncertainty rather than removes it. This is reflected in the risk premium applicable to longer-term financial commitments (particularly corporate investment in new plant and equipment), discouraging a range of productive activities.
MORE:?Worst deals of the year
If the objective were medium-term fiscal reform, then there is no meaningful content in the fiscal cliff deal. Many longer-term budgetary issues remain unresolved. Also fiscal hawks will find little to appease their concerns about debt and deficits - especially as the scoring of the tax component (by the Joint Committee on Taxation/Congressional Budget Office) will likely add trillions in red ink to the ten-year budget projections.
If the objective were to place a down payment on all this pending full delivery of comprehensive policy initiatives, the tone coming out of the negotiations suggests rougher, rather than smoother, sledding ahead.
Finally, if the objective were to provide the economy with some short-term breathing space, what came out of Congress serves to somewhat diminish what is already a rather sluggish growth momentum.
This is not to say that Congress achieved little after so many months of posturing and brinkmanship.
In addition to temporarily covering the mess it created for itself 18 months ago, Congress has come up with more excuses to postpone really tough decisions on urgent economic and financial priorities for the nation! It has also managed to maintain its domination of the news coverage. And for that, it is only giving up on a salary increase that, in any case, would have proved quite controversial.
More seriously, there is an important serious silver lining to what, otherwise, should be regarded as one of the most uninspiring and wasteful Congressional dramas of all times. And this has to do with the social dimension.
MORE:?3 bright spots in the U.S. job market for 2013
For many years now, the rich have done very well in America while the middle class has stagnated and a growing number of poor Americans have fallen through the country's stretched safety nets. Even in the aftermath of a global financial crisis triggered by irresponsible risk taking and excessive concessions to powerful lobbies, the bulk of state support has gone to the better off segments of society.
The fiscal cliff compromise is the first meaningful attempt to redress this multi-year phenomenon.
By increasing tax rates on better off segments and by maintaining redistribution mechanisms, an effort is being made to stop years of steady deterioration in income and wealth inequalities. Yet the benefits will only prove durable and meaningful if the nation's overall economic context is addressed in a more comprehensive manner that improves economic growth and creates jobs. For that, we need a much more visionary, responsible and functional Congress.
Mohamed El-Erian is the CEO and co-chief investment officer of PIMCO.?President Obama recently?appointed El-Erian to head the U.S. global development council.
Source: http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2013/01/02/el-erian-fiscal-cliff/
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Deadpool No More: After Planning To Shut Down, Verelo Is Acquired By Enterprise DNS Company Dyn
Dyn, the New Hampshire-based Internet infrastructure-as-a-service company that provides DNS and email services, has acquired Verelo, the Toronto-based website monitoring startup. It's big news for Verelo and its users, since in mid-December, Verelo announced that it would be shutting down just six months after launch and returning its remaining funding to investors.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/EtPbwdRRnFA/
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বুধবার, ২ জানুয়ারি, ২০১৩
Ruthless Smuggling Rings Put Rhinos in Cross Hairs
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Driven by a belief that ground-up rhino horns can cure cancer and other ills, the horn rush has exploded into a worldwide criminal enterprise, drawing in a surreal cast of characters.
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Realty Times - Harvesting Rainwater
In some parts of the world, harvesting rain is the only way to get water. About a decade ago, researchers from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) started looking at the benefits of using rain as a water source. They discovered that rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems in North America were not only rare, but in some municipalities they were prohibited.
Since then, CMHC and several governments and universities have worked to develop guidelines for RWH systems, and to change the building codes to allow rainwater harvesting.
In the City of Toronto, managing stormwater costs millions of dollars each year. A lot of the city?s surface has been paved over during the last 100 years, so there has been more and more stormwater to deal with and it is overloading aging sewer systems. This creates overflowing rivers and creeks, flooded basements and polluted beaches along Lake Ontario. Toronto?s water pumping and treatment facilities use 33 per cent of the city?s electricity in a year.
The city has already passed a bylaw that makes it mandatory for homeowners to disconnect their downspouts from direct connections to the sewer system. The idea is that rainwater will drain onto lawns and gardens and put less strain on the city infrastructure. RWH systems are the next step, taking that rainwater and using it outdoors to irrigate the lawn and garden. The most basic of these systems is a simple rain barrel that collects the water, which can then be used to water the plants and the lawn.
In many Canadian jurisdictions, rainwater can now also be used indoors for toilet flushing and laundry. The most extensive - and expensive - RWH systems have filters to create drinking water. CMHC says collecting and using rainwater is undergoing a modern-day revival, with RWH systems installed in several "green home" pilot projects, including one in the Riverdale area of Toronto. The federal housing agency found that one of the major barriers for RWH systems in Canada was the lack of information about how to design, install and manage them. That led to the creation of the Guidelines for Residential Rainwater Harvesting Systems as well as a training workshop that is now available.
There are six components to an RWH, says Riversides, an information service developed by the City of Toronto, Environment Canada and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. The collection surface is usually the roof of a building that drains to the downspouts. There is a filter screen that removes leaves and other debris before the water travels down to a storage cistern or tank. Then there is a chemical or organic filter to clean and treat the water, depending on its end use. Finally, there is a distribution system to carry the water to the building. This can be the main water source for the house or a line that is completely separate from the drinking water.
Riversides says a comprehensive system that is plumbed into a building requires expert advice for the design of the system, and for "assistance with seeking regulatory permission." Some other points to considers, says Riversides, is to ensure there is a warning not to cross-connect rain harvesting lines with indoor potable water lines. All the pipes and faucets that have non-potable water must be clearly marked.
The cistern or rain barrel should also have measures in place to deal with overflow water when the system is full, such as a "soakaway" pit, says Riversides. The guidelines include a section on overflow provisions.
The guidelines say: "Other considerations include how the design, installation and management of RWH systems can affect the quality of water saved and the quality of rainwater harvested, as well as cold weather suitability of the system."
A CMHC research paper (the project manager is Cate Soroczan) says: "The development of residential rainwater harvesting guidelines supports a water-conserving approach that will help improve the overall sustainability of housing and communities." It says the guidelines help to ensure a consistent, national approach to the design, installation, performance and management of RWH systems. It will also help in the development of commercially available systems and make both municipalities and homeowners more aware of the benefits of these systems.
"Though the requirements for the design and construction of RWH systems resides with the building authority having jurisdiction in any given area, the development of these guidelines will serve to promote a common approach to RWH systems, which can help facilitate more widespread acceptance and uptake of this technology," says CMHC.
The Guidelines for Residential Rainwater Harvesting Systems book is available here.
Guidelines specific to Ontario are available here.
Guidelines for Alberta are available here.
Published: January 1, 2013
Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
Source: http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20130101_rainwater.htm
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Wood Patio Cover Designs | Home Improvement | Patio Design Ideas
Moreover it?s the best materials to decide on in case you are also considering growing flowers or perhaps vines on the top as well as on the side of the patio cover. These kinds of flowers and vines will surely give more impressive result to the patio. Besides of their own magnificence and natural beauty,
wood patio cover designs
are usually liked by homeowners since they could be painted or stained along with any kind of color that fits their own choice. This characteristic makes it possible for you to fit your patio depending on the color within your house. When you finally colored your current patio cover using the colors which flesh out your entire house, you?ll absolutely enjoy the improved look that it?ll present.Furthermore, wood covers is pretty low-cost unlike another varieties of materials utilized for patio cover. Using this method you don?t need to panic about your financial budget will be out of control, but rather have fun with the extra cost savings which you will obtain. With simply a little amount of money, you are able to set up patio cover and that can be workable for a long time. Patio cover that made from wood will surely provide you with plenty of benefits. Nevertheless, before making your final decision, you need to have a look at their disadvantages.
Wood patio cover designs
need frequently maintenance and need to be taken care of for termite and also weather resistance. Wood patio cover it must repainted frequently due to the fact that wooden colors easily fade out. Therefore, when you decide on this choice, you must be prepared for the maintenance that?s requires and be sure that you spare extra time for that. Following these benefits and drawbacks mentioned to you, now you can make a decision if these types is the proper choices for your desired patio covers or perhaps not. If you feel these aren?t, check it out in the other available choices for example fiber, acrylic or perhaps aluminum.
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Source: http://tgoofikta.posterous.com/wood-patio-cover-designs-home-improvement-pat
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