July 12, 2007, 10:17 PM CT

Emigration of unskilled workers increases child labor

In a provocative new study appearing in the recent issue of the Journal of Labor Economics, economists Elias Dinopoulous (University of Florida) and Laixun Zhao (Kobe University) formally analyze the effects of globalization on child labor. The authors find that emigration of unskilled adult workers from poor countries to rich countries increases the occurence rate of child labor. Surprisingly, the authors also observed that child-wage subsidies, such as subsidized meals, increase the occurence rate of child labor by lowering the costs of child labor to employers.

The problem of child labor is arguably one of the most important issues of our time: Excessive effort, hazardous work, bonded labor, armed conflict, prostitution and pornography, long work hours, unhealthy working conditions, absence of schooling, malnutrition, and sexual harassment acquire a different meaning when applied to children, write Dinopoulous and Zhao. The phenomenon of child labor has been viewed as an epidemic of the global economy that must eventually be eliminated.

As per the International Labor Organization, about 15 percent of children worldwide between the ages of 5 and 14 are classified as child laborers. Of these working children, about 171 million children work in hazardous conditions and 5.7 million are forced to work against their will......... Posted by: Ethen      Read more         Source

July 12, 2007, 10:16 PM CT

Desperation affects reasoning

When our hopes are threatened, we often turn to the marketplace for help. Cant fit into the gorgeous outfit you bought for your high school reunion" Trying to get pregnant" Want a bigger house but afraid you cant afford it" A new study by scientists from University of Southern California argues that in situations like these, consumers are susceptible to motivated reasoning. We believe what we want to believe about products that promise to help even if the arguments dont come from credible sources.

Hope is threatened when people lose confidence that what they yearn for is possible, and this loss may result in a range of seemingly irrational behavior. Specifically, consumers interested in products that purport to enable goal-attainment will:

• Search for information from product-favorable information sources (including advertisements)
• Regard favorable information as more credible
• Be less discriminating about low-credibility message arguments
• Be more likely to judge the product as effective

In the recent issue of the Journal of Consumer Research, USC scientists Deborah J. MacInnis (Professor of Business Administration and Vice Dean of Research), David W. Stewart (Professor of Marketing and Chair, Dept. of Marketing), and their late colleague Gustavo De Mello outline three studies that demonstrate these phenomena......... Posted by: Ethen      Read more         Source

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 06:26:35 GMT

Falling Water

There are no great, dramatic waterfalls at Roundrock (yet). First of all, the streams we have only run after a heavy rainfall. Second, the fall of the land is not steep enuf to create a situation where a big waterfall might happen, even if intermittently.

Nonetheless, on our wet-day visit just over a week ago there was flowing water in the stream beds and a few places where it burbled over stones and fallen logs in an appealing and delightful way. I managed to get a couple of photos that almost captured the moment, and the one above is the best. (I’ve never claimed to be a photographer!)

I took quite a few unsuccessful pix of my little cascades before I realized that I needed to get down at the water level for the best effect. (It helped a great deal to be over my skittishness about getting my feet wet. When I could walk to wherever the shot needed to be taken, whole new worlds of discovery opened up. Yes, I know. Hyperbole. But it was kind of like that.)

What I am shooting here is not only the fall of the water but the pool of water below it. Both are rare sights in our forest. This shot was taken about half way up our Central Valley, somewhere between the headwaters of the lake and our western boundary. We were on our outbound hike (fearing a heavy storm that never came), but I still took a moment to snap a shot now and then. (That white image just to the left of the tree trunk is Libby, by the way.)

Among the many ambitions I have for Roundrock that I conveniently forget when we are in our post-lunch stupors in the comfy chairs under the shady tarp overlooking the intermittent lake is to build a waterfall in one of the ravines. I don’t think this would be too hard to do actually. There are a few places where the sides of the ravines are steep enuf to allow not too many stones placed just right to create a small wall. The water would flow over this wall and tumble into the pool that would form below it where the rocks were taken from.

There are some problems with this scenario. First of all, the wall would have to silt in sufficiently to prevent the collected water from seeping between the rocks in the wall. Okay, that could happen, and it could even be helped along. Second, the best spots for this are all remote (as remote as anything can be on 80+ acres anyway). So while having a lovely and euphonious waterfall is one thing, enjoying it is another. Third, it would only be a waterfall during the rain or briefly thereafter, and given the relative infrequency of our visits (as well as the relative infrequency of the rain), the convergence of stars or karma or whatever that would bring Pablo and the flowing falls together are exceedingly unlikely.

But I should build a waterfall nonetheless. There will come a day when I will move to Roundrock full time, and when I do, I will be able to hike to these “remote” points in my forest when the conditions are right and enjoy the fruits of my efforts. And if the stars really are aligned well, you’ll be able to join me!

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Another Fallingwater.

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Missouri calendar:

• Young raccoons leave dens.

Posted by: Roundrockjournal      Read more     Source

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 06:19:40 GMT

200 Cavier Treatment for Catherine's Hair

Good looks dont come cheap, especially for Catherine Zeta-Jones, who uses truffles and caviar as a substitute to shampoo and conditioner.

The elaborate treatment which costs 200 a time, just for the fish eggs, Miss Jones who discovered the treatment the last year is quite happy with the results. She credits the gourmet delights for the glossy shine of her naturally brown tresses.

The Beluga caviar, which is used in the hair treatment is specially flown in from Iran five days prior to her deep conditioning treatments at the celebrity beauty salon, Hari’s in South Kensington. During the two hours long pampering treatment, Jones hair is washed with a truffle-based shampoo and then smeared with the caviar, which is spread evenly and left to set. What makes the cavier formula a success is the essential fatty acids it contains which produce collagen and keratin, the proteins essential for great hair.

In 2005, Catherine was polled as the socialite with the best dressed hair.

What hubby, Michael Douglas, thinks of the beauty regime, is unknown, but the mans liking for Beluga caviar recipies is quite famous. On his wedding, he had ordered 12,000 worth of Beluga caviar to be served at the reception.

These celebrities should learn the value of money and utilize their affluence for the cause of charity, instead of indulging in such sick hair treatments.

Via Posted by: Nishtha      Read more     Source

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 05:13:51 GMT

A Green Need of the Future

Do you think that the plan of your new house is green…? Mostly all of us don’t even think about a green planet when it comes to planning and designing our new homes. The solution to this problem can be Prefab homes. Prefab homes or homes that are built in a factory and are assembled in your land were looked as if they will ruin all you expected in your dream home.


The reason for this could have been that people don’t want their home to be shipped in blocks and then assembled in a Lego approach. Now things will really change as D’b3haus Technologies Corporation from the Philippines have developed the bCube prefab house that the company claims is 100% green.

These Prefab homes offer an amazing way to pack people into their respective homes and also keep the environment clean. The only problem is that all these homes are developed in a similar manner that means they are exactly the same from outside. So if you want to stand out of the crowd then it will need some special interior designing skills.


Will these homes become popular…? Only future can provide an answer for this!

Via: Ubergizmo Posted by: Jolly      Read more     Source

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 13:46:50 GMT

Climate change litigation risk

Lawyers are cashing in on climate change. Law firms around the US are getting ready for an explosion of work. Attorneys expect a bonanza of climate-related work tied to government regulation, lawsuits against energy companies and new markets that will trade the rights to emit carbon.

"You're going to see some really serious exposure on the part of companies that are emitting CO{-2}," Steve Susman of Susman Godfrey in Houston told the Dallas Morning News. "I can't say for sure it's going to be as big as the tobacco settlements, but then again it may even be bigger. We're not going to know until the regulatory environment becomes clearer."

I predict that one of the crunch issues will be the claims that companies make about being carbon neutral. Are these claims real or not? A carbon trading regime might reveal a very different picture from what the companies have been portraying. I explain why we need to treat these claims with scepticism here.

Businesses are now entering into a new era of litigation risk, brought on by climate change. Posted by: leon      Read more     Source

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 13:44:51 GMT

MG Airline Flies High in Auction Sale

It was the 1930's when aircraft first began to influence automobile design, in appearance as well as aerodynamics. A lovely example of this was the MG Midget Airline, a special-bodied version of Morris Garage's lightweight British sports car. First seen on the P-Type Midget chassis with 4-cylinder engine, a small number of these graceful two-door coupes were built on the faster, softer-riding N-Series chassis between 1934 and 1937. They were designed by H.W. Allingham of London and sub-contracted to Carbodies for construction. Apparently only one 6-cylinder N-Type with an Airline body still exists and it was sold at RM's Ponder Collection auction, where it earned $398,750, far above an estimated $200,000-250,000. A lot of money for an MG, indeed the highest to date, but for such a rare and beautiful car perhaps not unreasonable. offers an interesting article on the MG Airline and the auction. Posted by: Philip Powell      Read more     Source

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 13:39:23 GMT

World Largest Colony of Endangered Monkeys

Scientists say they have found the world’s largest known population of an endangered monkey species in central Vietnam. Surveys since 2005 by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Conservation International have recorded at least 116 tree-dwelling, grey-shanked doucs, which are one of the world’s 25 most endangered primates. Like many primate species in Vietnam, their populations have been devastated by hunting and to a lesser degree by habitat loss.

Scientists believe fewer than 1,000 such monkeys exist in five central provinces of Vietnam - Quang Nam, Kon Tum, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, and Gia Lai. They had previously seen only one other colony of more than 100 animals. The gray-shanked doucs, or Pygathrix cinerea, was first described in 1997.

They are colobine monkeys with faces that look as if they have been painted orange and cream, with black hands and tufts of gray on their heads. They spend much of their time in treetops, subsisting on fruits and leaves.

A WWF survey team first discovered the new douc population in August 2005 while studying the region for possible establishment of a new protected area. Two recent joint surveys in adjacent areas involving scientists from WWFs Greater Mekong Program and Conservation Internationals Indo-Burma Office revealed the significance of the find.

The scientists have surveyed just a small section of Quang Nam Province so there is definitely a possibility that more endangered monkeys lurk in these elusive forests.

Image credit: National Geographic

Source: The Independent Posted by: Kanchan      Read more     Source

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 12:36:19 GMT

Accelerate Your Way to Luxury

Volkswagen has recently rolled out this print advertisement campaign to promote the Passat Turbos new 2.0 FSI turbo engine in gulf region. The campaign has apparently aimed at focusing on two aspects of the car, luxury and power. Therefore, Arabian horses used in the campaign as they are the best representative of both luxury and power. The advertisement is showing an infinite row of Arabian stallions, pulling the car forward. The advertisement is also highlighting the fuel efficiency of the car together with other attributes placed in the product. The advertisement is at present running across the GCC, Jordan and Lebanon.

The advertisement was undertaken, as customers wanted the car not to be only identified with luxury but with power as well. Therefore, the ad-men were asked to develop an advertisement, which would showcase luxury and power both. The punch line of the advertisement reads, accelerate your way to luxury. The campaign is developed by Gulf Promoaction DDB, Dubai.

Via Ad Blog Arabia Posted by: Balendu      Read more     Source

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 12:32:14 GMT

Chevrolet Malibu: Hybrid Yet Affordable

Chevrolet launched its Malibu Hybrid in a poles apart style with base ball stars in all star fan zone today.

Malibu is a customer friendly hybrid powertrain option and is characterized as the most refined new mid-size sedan with great fuel efficiency. Malibu hybrid has an EPA rating of 24 mpg in city and 32 mpg on highway. Most importantly it is an affordable hybrid option.

Chevrolet General Manager Ed Peper explains:

The beauty of the Chevy Malibu Hybrid is that customers don’t have to choose between a stylish, expressive, fuel-saving sedan full of standard content and the gasoline that goes in the tank.

Mr. Peper has lot of expectations of the hybrid and says that it has an uncompromised design and with its fuel efficiency it will take them to the top in the mid-size sedan segment whilst taking care of the Chevy customers wants.

The Hybrid is expected to start production this October and will hit the market thereafter with a powertrain option of the base LS model. Additionally it has features like electric power steering, automatic climate control and electronic stability control system.

It applies sophisticated controls and software. It is also fitted with 36 volt electric motor with a GM Powertrain 2.4L Ecotec VVT four cylinder engine and Hydra-Matic 4T45 four-speed transmission. The vehicle looks sporty and consumes comparatively less fuel.

The engine furnishes extra power as and when required by using the electric motor to boost the engine. It comes with an automatic accessory functionality when the vehicle stops to accelerate, so that the hybrid operations happen without the onboard passengers realizing the same.

It provides a perfect blend of cabin comfort with fuel economy. It has an air conditioning system with two modes to choose from. The unique one amongst the duo is the hybrid A/C mode which is a fuel saving system.

It is a fuel efficient vehicle and the factor which attributes to the fuel saving facet; are the 16 inch low rolling resistant tires with an operational hybrid system. It has a special gauge which features the operation of the hybrid powertrain.

Malibu hybrid comes with a five year or 100000 miles warranty, the most wide-ranging from all over the industry, definitely an important feature for the customers satisfaction. It also has an advance nickel metal hydride battery pack with an 8 year warranty.

Hope! with the entire package it is able to make an impact in the market and take Chevrolet to a higher level in terms of success.

[Via : Jalopnik] Posted by: Munish      Read more     Source