The One Percent Props to New Scientist for highlighting this report, which identifies a network of 147 tightly clustered entities that control 40 percent of the world's wealth. The top 20 included Barclays Bank, JPMorgan Chase & Co, and The Goldman Sachs Group. Here's the direct link to the study, found in PloS One: The network of global corporate control From my perspective, not only is the concentration of ownership exceptionally dangerous (as Cory Doctorow says, "one disaster could sweep like wildfire across them all") it is also deeply undemocratic. These companies and their directors answer to nobody, and there is no electoral process to unseat them. The article explains: "The idea that a few bankers control a large chunk of the global economy might not seem like news to New York's Occupy Wall Street movement and protesters elsewhere (see photo). "From Orbis 2007, a database listing 37 million companies and investors worldwide, they pulled out all 43,060 TNCs and the share ownerships linking them.
RT @thinkshrink: Excellent post on Paxil (Seroxat in UK) with emphasis on "discontinuation syndrome" I suspect many adolescents... http: ... ‘ePortfolios’ are out, ‘bPortfolios’ are in (apparently) #ePortfolio #bPortfolio Whilst waiting for my iOS5 update to proceed I did quite a bit of reading, and one item that caught my eye was this post called “At Last – Recognition for Blog-based Portfolios” by Jim Shimabukuru, which reported on an academic paper written by a group of 6 US professors – “bPortfolios: Blogging for Reflective Practice“. The abstract for the academic paper is: “Web 2.0 technology, such as blogging, allows for locally developed, cost effective, and holistic alternative portfolio assessment systems. By enhancing critical reflection and fostering social interaction, blogging portfolios are seen as an integral learning tool for all students enrolled in a university program.” Quite what the difference is, for the student’s final portfolio, between the blog and portfolio edition is still not clear yet, but it is obviously an alternative solution, and one that ought to be considered. The highlights of using a blogging system (like WordPress) as the portfolio system are:
RT @riazdharamshi: When Allyson Pollock talks, the NHS should listen HT @clarercgp @mellojonny Health and Social Care Bill 2011 House of Lords – Committee stage, 25 October 2011 BRIEFING ON CLAUSE 1Prepared by Allyson Pollock, professor of public health research and policy, Queen Mary, University of London David Price, senior research fellow, Queen Mary, University of London Peter Roderick, public interest lawyer Tim Treuherz, retired head of legal services, Vale of White Horse District Council 22 October 20111. Introduction The Committee stage of the Health and Social Care Bill begins on Tuesday 25 October 2011, with consideration of Clause 1. Clause 1 impacts on the legal framework underpinning a comprehensive and universal national health service. The briefing is intended to assist peers supporting any of the amendments designed to restore the current statutory framework, although our preferred option is to omit Clause 1 and revert to the wording of the National Health Service Act 2006. [The briefing does not discuss the various amendments that have been tabled to Clause 1. 2. 3.
GOSH continued……… This is the letter I wrote to GOSH following the interview I did with BBC London. The program did not appear until later the following week. BBC London had succeeded in getting a full copy of the Sibert Report under Freedom of Information. GOSH have responded to the letter below and I will post their response to my allegations over the weekend. 8th June, 2011 Dear Baroness Blackstone Re: Call for investigation into Dr Jane Collins’ actions in withholding of information by GOSH from the original Serious Case review into the death of Peter Connelly (Baby P). I am writing to you on a matter of grave concern. From information I have now received it appears that the Chief Executive of Great Ormond Children’s Hospital (GOSH),Dr Jane Collins, withheld vital information from the 1st Serious Case Review (SCR) into the death of Peter Connelly (Baby P). In January 2008 a report (the Sibert Report) was commissioned by Dr Collins. The depth of the deception that has been perpetrated is unbelievable.
William Davies: The Political Economy of Unhappiness New Left Review 71, September-October 2011 william davies For the majority of its history, Britain’s National Health Service has scarcely ever considered the specific health needs of working people, other than those of its own staff. Almost by definition, the nhs was originally dedicated to supporting people who were outside of the labour market—new mothers, children, the sick, the elderly and the dying. ‘Wellbeing’ provides the policy paradigm by which mind and body can be assessed as economic resources, with varying levels of health and productivity. Waddell’s findings suggested that, even where work is primarily physical, medical and economic orthodoxy had underestimated the importance of psychological factors in determining health and productivity. There was another, more urgent reason for the new policy paradigm. Click here to open a larger version of this picture in a new window Depressive hegemony Depression is the iconic illness in this respect. Thinking pleasure
Professionals Against Child Abuse » 2011 » September Preamble PACA believe that Dr Sabah Al Zayyat has been appallingly treated. It has taken a long time to get something in print, but at last one of our members has managed it, albeit on a personal basis. PACA wonders about the nature of scapegoating, and whether it is normally done deliberately, or associated with wilful blindness. For the article you may follow the link below, or just click on the title above to read it here: The article is concerned as to whether there has been a cover up with regard to the Sibert and Hodes report and the implication of dishonesty and bad faith by Great Ormond Street Hospital [GOSH]. The concern is with GOSH management’s accountability for a whole series of actions with regard to the death of Peter Connelly. At present the general public’s understanding of the failure to protect Peter is that it lies with Dr. The article describes the circumstances of Dr. Dr. GOSH continued to employ Dr.
RT @timekord: Why Chomsky is wrong about Twitter VIA @GrahamBM Good read Noam Chomsky has been one of the most important critics of the way big media crowd out “everyday” voices in order to control knowledge and “manufacture consent.” So it is surprising that the MIT linguist dismisses much of our new digital communications produced from the bottom-up as “superficial, shallow, evanescent.” We have heard this critique of texting and tweeting from many others, such as Andrew Keen and Nicholas Carr. And these claims are important because they put Twitter and texting in a hierarchy of thought. Among other things, Chomsky and Co. are making assertions that one way of communicating, thinking and knowing is better than another. Chomsky, of course, is a left-wing icon. Back in March, Chomsky did an off-the-cuff interview with a D.C. “Text messaging, Twitter, that sort of thing […] is extremely rapid, very shallow communication,” he said to interviewer Jeff Jetton. “Well, let’s take, say, Twitter,” he said. Chomksy, of all people, ought to take note.
RT @clarercgp: US are moving away from competition, financial incentives and the market just as we are moving towar ... The current reorganization of health care could make it better and cheaper for everyone, harnessing real creative and competitive energies to build the “next health care” —or it could lead to local monopolies, higher prices and less real competition where it matters. The many and various moves toward accountability, competition and transparency could defeat themselves. The theme of the reorganization is clear: new types of cooperation between physicians, hospitals and other providers that cut down on duplication and unnecessary procedures and tests; that make the system accountable both for processes and outcomes; and that share economic risk among the providers. This new and strange cooperation comes in many types, typically labeled “accountable care organizations” (ACOs), “bundling,” “patient-centered medical homes” (PCMHs) and “co-management.” Legal hurdles These new structures are absolutely necessary for the new era. Not for comfort Redesigning markets Competition. Buyers. Region.
RT @vincristine: Really excellent podcast on adult education on @radionz today "Don't Lecture Me" @meducate @amcun ... by Emily Hanford College students spend a lot of time listening to lectures. But research shows there are better ways to learn. And experts say students need to learn better because the 21st century economy demands more well-educated workers. Lecturing was invented as a way to share information in a time before books were widely available. The traditional college lecture has never been a good way to learn. In the past 30 years, scientists have discovered a lot about how people learn. The Tomorrow's College series is funded by a grant from Lumina Foundation, which is committed to enrolling and graduating more students from college, and by a grant from the Spencer Foundation, which is dedicated to the belief that research is necessary to the improvement of education.