Euro surges to 14-month high, Fed decision awaited

LONDON (Reuters) - The euro hit its highest level in over a year on Wednesday and shares, oil and metals were also on the rise, as confidence in the global economic outlook strengthened ahead of European data and the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest policy decision.

The Fed is expected to maintain asset buying at $85 billion a month when it concludes its meeting later and retain its commitment to hold interest rates near zero until unemployment falls to at least 6.5 percent.

European economic confidence data for January at 1000 GMT, ECB crisis loan repayments and Italy's sale of five and 10-year bonds will absorb most of investors' attention before then, as they look for further evidence of a pick-up in the region.

Share markets in London <.ftse>, Paris <.fchi> and Frankfurt <.gdaxi> opened little changed ahead of the data, leaving all eyes on a rally by the euro as it broke above $1.35 for the first time since December 2011.

Alongside the recent rebound in confidence in the euro zone, one of the drivers behind the recent spike has been the eagerness of banks to repay the crisis loans they took from the European Central Bank just over a year ago.

"It (the euro rise) is just a carry on with the current trend, risk is pretty healthy and equities are doing well," said Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi strategist Derek Halpenny.

"The danger is European policymakers allow a spike (in euro and market rates) as a result of a removal of one of the principle support measures ... With the Fed and the BOJ still easing the euro is clearly the path of least resistance."

An earlier rise in Asian equities meant the MSCI world share index <.miwd00000pus> was up 0.2 percent at a new 21-month high as European trading gathered pace. U.S. stock futures suggested a cautious start on Wall Street.

Strong U.S. housing data on Tuesday and China's promising economic growth forecast for 2013 also supported the upbeat mood and raised expectations for robust demand for fuel and industrial commodities, underpinning oil prices and lifting copper.

In the bond market, German Bund futures opened lower as investors made room for a sale of long-dated German paper and braced for solid demand at an Italian debt auction.

Italy will offer up to 6.5 billion euros of bonds maturing in 2017 and 2022. Traders expect the sale to benefit from yield-hungry investors but flagged the risk of indigestion after a bout of buying in recent months that triggered a sharp rally.

"(The auction) probably (goes) alright but I don't think it trades well afterwards," one trader said.

(Additional reporting by Ana Nicolaci da Costa; Editing by Giles Elgood)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asian-shares-gain-global-recovery-outlook-eyes-fed-034542268--finance.html

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Ottawa Hospital cuts 290 full-time jobs to trim $31 million

The Ottawa Hospital General campus. Ottawa Sun file photo

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Nearly 300 jobs at The Ottawa Hospital are on the chopping block.

As it tries to trim $31 million from its $1.04-billion budget for 2013-2014, the hospital announced Wednesday 290 jobs would be affected.

Of those jobs, 90 nursing jobs and 100 administrative positions will be cut, in addition to 100 other health care jobs including physiotherapists, psychologists and social workers.

Hospital president and CEO Dr. Jack Kitts told the Sun Wednesday it had informed the affected unions of the impending cuts and held ?open forums? with all hospital staff to outline the move. Individuals in the affected positions have not yet been notified, though the president of one of the unions said some managers had already informed staffers.

?They weren?t supposed to do that,? said CUPE 4000?s Bruce Waller.

The job cuts will save the hospital about $22 million, with the rest of the savings coming through other revenue sources, including ensuring payments to the hospital for services are received on time. Kitts stressed patient care won?t suffer as a result of the cuts and he doesn?t expect wait times to rise.

?(The goal) is to achieve quality care at the least cost,? said Kitts. ?What it is is really becoming more efficient.?

Kitts couldn?t say which hospital campus would be hit hardest by the cuts, saying the hospital taking a department by department approach to determine staffing needs.

To reduce the impact of the cuts, the hospital has promised to move as many of the affected employees as possible into 600 currently vacant positions.

When the hospital made cuts in 2002, just 12 non-union managers left ?involuntarily,? said Kitts.

The hope this time around is to achieve something similar. The hospital will also offer voluntary retirement packages to some staff.

Waller said he hopes most of affected workers can transition into vacant positions, but he was also being realistic.

?We still think there?s a possibility that some people still may up on the street,? he said.

Waller said health care is not the place to save money.

?We understand the government?s position, there?s a deficit,? he said. ?But are you going to take it off the backs of sick people and people who need medical attention??

Kitts also confirmed parking fees would not rise to help boost revenue.

?We don?t feel that this is an appropriate time in the current fiscal environment to ask our staff, and more importantly our visitors, to pay more,? he said.

Hospital cuts by the numbers:

Affected positions: 290, including 90 nursing jobs, 100 administrative/support and 100 other health professionals, including physiotherapists, psychologists and social workers.

Estimated savings from cuts: $22 million of estimated $31-million budget shortfall

Hospital budget for 2013-2014: $1.04 billion

Total positions at the hospital: 7,700 (full-time)

chris.hofley@sunmedia.ca

@chrishofley

Do you agree with the Ottawa Hospital cutting jobs to trim $31M from its budget?

Source: http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/01/30/ottawa-hospital-cuts-290-full-time-jobs-to-trim-31-million

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Japan's Abe to change post-war constitution

Japan's Abe to change post-war constitution
Thursday, 31 January, 2013, 11:02am
Agence France-Presse in Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Photo: AP

Japan?s hawkish Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told parliament on Thursday that he intends to change the country?s post-second world war constitution, lowering the bar for further amendments.

?I will start with amending Article 96 of the constitution, a move that many factions [inside his Liberal Democratic Party] support ? Abe told upper house lawmakers, referring to the clause stipulating amendments require a two-thirds majority in parliament.

In the run-up to his landslide election victory in December, Abe said he wanted to study the possibility of altering the definition of Japan?s armed forces contained in the document.

The country?s well-funded and well-equipped military is referred to as the Self-Defence Forces, and barred from taking aggressive action. Its role is limited to defence of the nation.

Abe has said he would like to look into making the SDF into a full-fledged military, a plan that sets alarm bells ringing in Asian countries subject to Japan?s sometimes-brutal occupation in the first half of the 20th century.

US occupying forces imposed the constitution in the aftermath of the second world war, but its war-renouncing Article Nine is held dear by many Japanese.

Japan's Abe to change post-war constitution | South China Morning Post

Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/china-far-east/232465-japans-abe-change-post-war-constitution.html

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DeWayne Wickham: U.S. military role in Mali probably won't be far off

DeWayne Wickham: U.S. military role in Mali probably won't be far off

President Barack Obama's administration's decision to give noncombat air support to French forces trying to beat back Islamic militants who are threatening to overrun Mali, so far, hasn't caused much

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Source: http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20130129/OPINION01/301290316/1014/rss03

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More Borneo elephants found dead, toll rises to 13

In this Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 photo released by Sabah Wildlife Department, a 3-month-old elephant calf tries to awake its dead mother at the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve in Sabah, Malaysia. Ten endangered Borneo pygmy elephants have been found dead in the Malaysian forest under mysterious circumstances, and wildlife authorities suspect that they were poisoned. (AP Photo/Sabah Wildlife Department) NO SALES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

In this Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 photo released by Sabah Wildlife Department, a 3-month-old elephant calf tries to awake its dead mother at the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve in Sabah, Malaysia. Ten endangered Borneo pygmy elephants have been found dead in the Malaysian forest under mysterious circumstances, and wildlife authorities suspect that they were poisoned. (AP Photo/Sabah Wildlife Department) NO SALES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) ? Malaysian authorities found remains of another three endangered Borneo pygmy elephants, deepening a mystery surrounding at least 13 such deaths this month.

The wildlife department in Malaysia's Sabah state is bracing for the possibility of finding more dead elephants in the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve, where an unknown number of the animals roam, said Masidi Manjun, Sabah's environment minister.

Police are investigating suspicions that the elephants were poisoned. Officials have declined to say whether there are any suspects.

The first 10 known deaths captured wide attention when they were made public this week. Authorities released several photographs of the elephant carcasses and a particularly poignant one of a 3-month-old surviving calf that appeared to be trying to wake its dead mother.

"There is definitely a sense of urgency," Masidi said by telephone from Sabah on Wednesday. "We cannot discount the possibility of more bad news."

The orphaned male elephant, nicknamed "Joe" by his rescuers, was taken to a Sabah wildlife park. Officials say it is under observation and appears healthy.

The WWF conservation group estimates that fewer than 1,500 Borneo pygmy elephants exist. Most live in Sabah, one of two Malaysian states on Borneo island, and grow to about 8 feet (245 centimeters) tall, a foot or two shorter than mainland Asian elephants.

Known for their babyish faces, large ears and long tails, Borneo pygmy elephants were found to be a distinct subspecies only in 2003, after DNA testing.

Officials are working to have a laboratory analysis of samples from the dead elephants ready "as soon as possible," Masidi said.

Department veterinarians have said the elephants, believed to belong to a single herd, suffered severe bleeding and gastrointestinal ulcers.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-30-Malaysia-Elephant%20Deaths/id-a75a7fdc0c2e4d99b7def18a4c575df5

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AP Interview: Top US general confident in Afghans

KABUL (AP) ? The top commander of U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan believes government security forces have improved faster than expected and will be ready to take the lead in the 11-year-old war against the Taliban when foreign combat forces take a back seat this spring.

Marine Gen. John Allen told The Associated Press that the main job over the next two years for the International Assistance Force ? as the NATO-led troops in Afghanistan are called ? will be to advise, train and build the capabilities needed for Afghan forces to go it completely alone.

They will face their first test when the fighting season gets under way in the late spring and summer. During the harsh Afghan winter, snow often blocks roads and fighting dies down.

The Afghan security forces, which have nearly reached their full strength of 352,000, still need much work to become an effective and self-sufficient fighting machine, but a vast improvement in their abilities was behind a decision to accelerate the timetable for putting them in the lead nationwide, Allen said.

President Barack Obama announced earlier this month that the Afghans would take over this spring instead of late summer ? a decision that could allow the speedier withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.

The Afghan troops "are further along in their capabilities than we had anticipated, and I'm very comfortable frankly with their being in the lead in 2013," Allen said in a recent interview ahead of his departure. "This is an acknowledgment of their capabilities."

The general, who has led the military coalition for 19 months, is leaving Afghanistan on Feb. 10. The White House said it would nominate him to become the head of NATO forces in Europe after he was exonerated in a Pentagon investigation of questionable email exchanges with a Florida woman linked to the sex scandal that led his predecessor, David Petraeus, to resign as CIA director.

Allen, 59, of Warrenton, Virginia, said the investigation was troublesome, but he was confident that the process would clear him.

"I'll make no secret that it was on my mind, but my number one goals were the interests of the troops, the coherence of the campaign and doing all I could obviously to further our combined interests here," he said. "But it does weigh on you, and while it weighed on me it really weighed on my family, it really weighed on my family, and the findings ultimately were announced and I continue to move on."

If confirmed by the Senate, Allen would succeed Navy Adm. James Stavridis in the NATO post.

He would not comment on how quickly the remaining 66,000 U.S. troops would return home, or how many American soldiers will remain after the end of 2014, when all foreign combat troops are to leave Afghanistan ? saying Obama will make that decision.

"We are advising now, and for the foreseeable future and until the latter part of the spring we will be advising at the battalion level," Allen said, adding that the advising would progressively move up to larger formations until the work was completed. "This is in conjunction with the drawdown of our own forces and in a very measured way, in a way that the Afghans are familiar with and we are able to predict we will eventually move up to the corps level."

Afghan troops already have taken the lead for security on territory holding 85 percent of the country's population of around 30 million.

"In many respects they are already leading operations, 80 percent of operations across the country are being led by the Afghans right now. So I am confident that in this coming fighting season, where technically they will be in the lead across the country operationally, that they are ready and we will be in support of them," Allen said. "I think they are going to do fine this year and we will stay with them. There is much work still to be done."

The Afghan lead in fighting has already become apparent in the casualty figures.

U.S. troop deaths declined overall from 404 in 2011 to 295 in 2012. More than 2,000 U.S. troops and nearly 1,100 coalition troops have died here since the U.S. invasion in late 2001. Last year many of those deaths were at the hands of the Afghan forces they were partnered with or training. Deaths from so-called insider attacks ? Afghan police and troops killing foreign allies ? surged to 61 in 45 attacks last year compared with 2011, when 35 coalition troops were killed in 21 attacks

By comparison, more than 1,200 Afghan soldiers died in 2012 compared to more than 550 in 2011, according to data compiled by the Washington-based Brookings Institution.

Many are concerned that the Afghan forces will not be up to the task of securing the country after 2014. The size of the force will also have to be reduced after coalition forces leave because much of the funding for it will have dried up. At its summit in Chicago last May, NATO agreed on a fundraising goal to underwrite a force of about 230,000 that would cost about $4.1 billion annually.

When Allen took over from Petraeus in July 2011, the war was in full force. But the tide was turning, and public opinion in the United States and in coalition countries was tiring of a lengthy conflict that was widely seen as propping up a corrupt and thankless Afghan government.

In mid-2010, the United States had more than 100,000 troops and coalition forces totaled close to 150,000. The U.S. was spending billions of dollars on a costly counterinsurgency strategy that had all the hallmarks of nation-building. The Afghan army and police were rapidly growing thanks to a mostly U.S.-funded program that cost more than $20 billion, but their combat abilities did not match their numbers.

"When I got here we had virtually no battalion level operations under way, and the brigade level operation was only an ambition. Today, every day, there are brigade and corps level operations going on across Afghanistan," Allen said. He said those operations were being planned, carried out and often supplied by the Afghans, with foreign troops there in a mostly advisory role.

The improvements allowed Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai to announce the spring handover date earlier this month.

Allen said the decision was made after the withdrawal last September of the 33,000 U.S. troops who were part of a surge announced by Obama in December 2009. In early 2012, Allen said he was grappling with the question of how many combat brigades he could carve out of the 68,000 troops that would remain in Afghanistan after the withdrawal, but the drawdown actually provided an opportunity to thrust Afghan forces in the lead.

"The term that I used was they were better than we thought, more importantly they were better than they thought," he said.

But the Afghan forces still need work and to build up key capabilities, including their ability to sustain themselves on the battlefield ? from medical evacuations to fuel and ammunition ? and to carry out combined arms operations.

"The building of their capabilities will take time," Allen said, adding that he was "comfortable that our plan to do both these things is on track over time."

The Afghan military will have to make do without requested weapons such as heavy tanks and F-16 fighter jets, but Allen said the equipment that they will receive should give them considerable firepower. They include converting MI-17 transport helicopters to gunships and providing Afghan combat units at all levels with mortars.

He said the Afghans had to get used to the idea that they will not have the same air support in the future as they have today. Currently the coalition can provide air support to troops on the ground anywhere in Afghanistan within 12 minutes of a request.

"They have to get used to their own resources being the firepower necessary," he said.

___

Follow Patrick Quinn on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PatrickAQuinn

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-interview-top-us-general-confident-afghans-050634149.html

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Find It, Fix It, Flip It, Or Keep It Real Estate Investing Workshop ...

February 13, 20, and 27
Four Points Sheraton
275 Research Pkwy, Meriden, CT
6:00 to 9:00 pm

West Hartford, CT ? January 30, 2013 ? (RealEstateRama) ? No Matter Where You Are ? Beginner or Seasoned Pro ? Your Real Estate Investment Profits Will Soar With This 3 Day WORKSHOP Called ?Find It, Fix It, Flip It, Or Keep It?

Register at http://www.ctreia.com/events.php?a=v&i=515

CT REIA is pleased to present New England?s Number One Real Estate Investor?s workshop for new investors.

Finally Hammer Down the Nuts & Bolts Critical Information & Principles Currently Holding You Back From Wealth-Creation ? With soaring taxes, a dicey stock market and fear that your head will be next on the chopping-block at your job, you have just ONE last card to pull if you plan on securing the financial future you and your family deserve?real estate investing.

And with record-low interest rates, the writing on the wall is all but screaming out to you, ?NOW IS YOUR TIME TO CASH IN!?

Problem is, you may not know where to start?you may be afraid of losing the money you?ve worked so hard to save up?or you may be afraid that you don?t have enough money to invest.

If That?s Your Case You MUST Attend This Workshop

The ?Find It, Fix It, Flip It, Or Keep It? Workshop is designed to give new investors an opportunity to learn in detail the basics of getting started and following a proven, simple step-by-step investing process that works specifically for Connecticut investors ? as proven by us and hundreds of our students. If you are a new investor or simply new to the CT REIA association, plan to join us for this workshop.

At this 3-Evening Workshop, you will learn the simplistic ABCs of: Wholesaling, Rehabbing, Selling Quickly and Holding for long-term income?and how to easily decide which you should do in every situation!

You?ll be Able to:
* Create a Lead Generation Machine ? So you quickly fill your units
* Work with Realtors as Part of Your Buying and Selling Strategy ? You can profit and save time from their leg-work
* Be Able to Find Great Investment Properties ? We?ll show you how to spot the cash cow deals that only trained eyes see
* Inspect Properties With Confidence ? So you never have to realize your worst nightmare of buying a ?money pit?
* Evaluate Every Deal ? Using a simple formula that?s worked for decades
* Make Offers with Confidence
* Learn How to Wholesale Properties
* Estimate and Manage Projects with Confidence ? Eliminate management headaches so you can buy, hold and prosper
* Deal with Contractors ? Get things done fast, right and at a great price every time
* Learn the Art of Retailing
* Learn the Keeper Business (AKA Landlording)
* Create a Sure Plan to Create Wealth

Whether you?re a beginner who?s clueless about where to start, or you?ve got more strategies swarming in your head than an agitated bee hive, or you?re a real estate cash-flowing pro, this 3 Evening Workshop will help you prosper using reliable, sustainable, time-tested secrets.

Attend Totally Risk-FREE With Our 100% Money Back Guarantee

If by the end of Day 1 you don?t believe you?ve this information will help you make at least $10,000 in the next 12 months then simply request a refund and we?ll provide it! No questions asked, no problem. We?re that confident so don?t wait, RSVP right now!

Register at http://www.ctreia.com/events.php?a=v&i=515

About CT REIA
The CT REIA is the largest real estate investors & apartment owners association in the Northeast. Our mission is to provide educational, networking, and business-to-business opportunities for entrepreneurs in the real estate investment community. CT REIA has been featured on CNN Financial News, The New York Times, Hartford Courant, Meriden Record Journal , Channel 30-WVIT and Channel 8 News-WTNH. We?re firmly committed to promoting a sound understanding of ethical real estate investing principles and to help further develop our members? investing abilities.

Tagged as: connecticut real estate, investment training, investment workshop, real estate investing, rehabbing real estate, wholesaling properties

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Source: http://connecticut.realestaterama.com/2013/01/30/find-it-fix-it-flip-it-or-keep-it-real-estate-investing-workshop-2-ID0591.html

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Lindsay Lohan Freaks Out, Flies to L.A. For Court

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Google pledges fight over access to users' email

19 hrs.

Alina Selyukh, Reuters

Google will lobby?Washington this?year?to make it harder for law enforcement authorities to gain access to emails and other digital messages.

In a blog post on Monday, linked to Data Privacy Day, Google's chief legal officer, David Drummond, said the tech giant, in coalition with many other powerful tech companies, will try to convince Congress to update a 1986 privacy protection law.

He cited data, shared last week, showing that government requests for Google's user data increased more than 70 percent since 2009.

In 2012, Google said, it received 16,407 requests for user data affecting 31,072 users or accounts, more than half of them accompanied by a subpoena.

"We're a law-abiding company, and we don't want our services to be used in harmful ways. But it's just as important that laws protect you against overly broad requests for your personal information," Drummond said in the post.

The U.S. Electronic Communications Privacy Act, passed in the early days of the Internet, does not require government investigators to have a search warrant when requesting access to old emails and messages that are stored online, providing less protection for them than, say, letters stored in a desk drawer or even messages saved on a computer's hard drive.

The current system also makes complex distinctions, many disputed in courts, between emails saved as drafts online, in transit, unopened or opened. Some of them are to be released with subpoenas, which have a lower threshold than search warrants as they often do not involve a judge.

A warrant is generally approved by a judge if investigators have "probable cause" to believe that their search is likely to turn up information related to a crime.

Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and popular social media site Twitter ? among others ? have resisted turning over customer data.

They have put in place policies, based on the constitutional protection from unreasonable searches, that require search warrants for access to content of private communications.

Privacy activists say the outdated law should be reformed to extend the constitutional right to privacy online, but legislation limiting government requests will not face an easy road.

Last year, Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced a bill that would have updated the current law.

It triggered a wave of concerns from the police and FBI that new restrictions would impede crime investigations and possibly endanger victims.

"After three decades, it is essential that Congress update ECPA to ensure that this critical law keeps pace with new technologies and the way Americans use and store email today," Leahy said in a statement on Monday.

His privacy legislation died in Congress last year after his counterpart in the House of Representatives, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican, drafted another version of that bill, which also tackled other issues but stripped out privacy reform language.

Last year, Goodlatte said he was willing to consider the privacy law reform, but that the timeline then was too short for a "thorough examination."

Leahy has now included the change of privacy laws as one of his top priorities this year.

(Reporting by Alina Selyukh in Washington and Alexei Oreskovic in San Francisco; Editing by Steve Orlofky)?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/google-pledges-fight-over-government-access-users-email-1C8149699

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Human Rights

Human rights, intrinsic to all humans as members of humanity, are the modern and secular version of the natural rights. All humans, being born equal are equally entitled to the Human Rights without any distinction of birth, gender, race, status, religion, language or nationality. Standing above the ideologies of the capitalism or communism, Human Rights reflect the concern for democracy, development and peace. It is widely acknowledged that the role of teachers in promoting democratic learning through active, participatory approaches is crucial. This is undoubtedly why ministers of education from the Council of Europe's 47 member states, in their Final Declaration of the Standing Conference of European Ministers of Education, cited citizenship competence as one of the five competences to promote democratic culture and social cohesion (the others being: intercultural competence; plurilingual competence; social commitment; a solidarity-based outlook; and multiperspectivity).

Creation of a strong and pro-active human rights community has been long overdue. Human rights can be most effectively imbibed through a well thought out education programme. In fact, education becomes purposive and relevant only when ingrained with human rights education. The task of human rights education can be focused at two distinct levels, namely: (a) at the level of the imparters of primary, secondary and higher secondary education, and (b) at the level of receivers of education.

There has to be a clear roadmap on how to make education perform this important role of transformation in the attitudes and psyche of persons engaged in teaching and education, else attaining these objectives will remain elusive. The planning to orient teachers of upper primary to secondary stages on human rights and evolving with the modalities of human rights teaching is based on certain basic premises that require total understanding of conditions of violation and sustenance of human rights. The primary aim of developing syllabus and curriculum guidelines of human rights education is to help the teachers' training across the board through a focused module that would enable grooming of teachers to be informed about the key human rights concepts with reference to realities in the country and abroad. As a cascading effect of this exercise, the children are able to develop human rights mindset in a school environment.

On the other hand, this helps them perceive the violations of human rights in the society at large as their own, and, on the other, will share their deprivations with those to whom human rights mean the most. Negotiating claims should not compromise the concerns of responsibility as a duty-bound citizen. The syllabus presented upholds this positioning very strongly. The coverage of this syllabus is designed keeping in mind that while teachers will know why there are human rights, they will also be informed about the genesis and basic tenets of human rights. The teachers learn how to infuse human rights components in the subject of study and then taking it down to the classroom to inspire students to acquire knowledge and capacity from the rights-based perspectives. The curriculum creates appropriate human rights education modules for teaching professionals dealing with students at various stages, which include primary, secondary and higher secondary.

It is at this juncture that the concept of human rights meets teaching as a profession. Overall, effective education for democratic citizenship contributes towards developing value- oriented knowledge, action-based skills and change-centered competences that empower young people and strengthen social justice. The Council of Europe, for instance, underlines the essential importance of EDC/HRE as encouraging and supporting learners to become active, informed and responsible citizens.

A number of linked themes, concepts, and dimensions is common to ECD/HRE. They include the themes of the preservation of something, such as a democratic society and its associated rights; the notion of participation in the society; the preparation or capacity building of young people for active and informed participation; a focus on inclusion or integration into society; a concentration on contemporary society; the encouragement of partnerships; and the promotion of an international perspective. Key concepts that underpin EDC/HRE include democracy, rights, responsibilities, tolerance, respect, equality, diversity and community. These concepts, as with EDC/HRE itself, may also be contested and problematic in different contexts. EDC/HRE also involves the dimensions of knowledge and understanding, skills, attitudes and values. These dimensions are brought about together through teaching and learning approaches, which have the primary goal of shaping and changing the attitudes and behavior of young people through their adult lives.

Since education is an important 'freedom' as theorized by Amartya Sen, the current efforts should focus on making education as a basic human right. It is universally accepted that education is the best source of social mobility, equality and empowerment both at the individual and collective levels. Therefore, education for peace and human rights should permeate all aspects of school life, with the implication for learners, teachers and administrators. In this regard, schools and teachers are held accountable by the wider society, which operate in the legal framework of human rights commitments.

"The preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society" (Convention on the Rights of the Child) is not possible when children are not made responsible in an environment where they experience freedom. The agreement that education "shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace" and shall be directed to the "development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and for principles enshrined in the Charter of United Nations", implies that "human rights education" and "peace education" should be included in the curriculum.

It is also equally important to note that the third World Congress of Human Rights (1990) urged that human rights education programs reach parents and policy makers. Hence, the horizon of human rights education as a concept may include (a) formal, (b) non-formal, and (c) informal education fields. Under the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education , the United Nations urged and supported all member states to make the knowledge about human rights available to everyone. It defines human rights education as "?.training, dissemination and information efforts aimed at the building of a universal culture of human rights through the imparting of knowledge and skills and molding of attitudes which are directed towards the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms

Human rights education should be made part of everyone's education. It fosters the development of human values, rights and duties through a new design of curriculums, textbooks, training and orientation of teachers, decision-makers, and etcetera. The school has an important role to play in helping children who will become citizens of the future to develop awareness of world issues in particular and peace and human rights in general. Since the adoption of the UN Charter in 1945 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Teachers' are better equipped to develop human rights perspectives and skills among their students.

Preparing teachers in all fields to teach for international understanding is a prominent theme in the activities of UNESCO since its inception in 1946. It is clear that teachers play an important role in the organization of human rights education and therefore it is imperative to develop the knowledge levels of teachers. It is now widely accepted that the most effective way to improve the quality and effectiveness of education program for human rights is to reach teachers and teacher educators. In other words, no system of education can rise above the level of its teachers. The teacher/teacher educator may develop a learning package that will help to transform learners in developing critical attitudes into active participation, conviction that human rights must be 'protected', 'respected' and 'promoted'. Unlike classroom instruction, the teaching of human rights does not involve the memorization of text or acquisition of skills; it is a matter of creating basic attitudes of tolerance and goodwill towards all human being.

Therefore, there is a need for strengthening knowledge, skills and attitudes of teachers, and for creating human rights ethos and learning environment in schools. The triangulated effects of knowledge, skills and attitudinal building will not only develop the awareness among teachers but they will develop the comprehensive perspective of human rights education as part of their role and responsibilities. In this regard, education of teachers - pre and in-service - has a significant role for transforming a lay person to a practitioner and implementer of human rights values.

The author is associated with the best UK custom essay writing service. For research papers, uk essays, term papers or any kind of academic work, feel free to contact our UK custom essay writing service.

Source: http://articles.submityourarticle.com/human-rights-308230

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Cadavers honored in med student dissection lab

In this photo taken Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, in Gary, Ind., medical student Jimmy Beasley, left, speaks with Joan Terry, about her sister, donor Judy A. Clemens, after a memorial service for bodies donated to science at Indiana University School of Medicine - Northwest. During the hour long service, relatives of donors gather around the steel tables where their loved ones were dissected along with the medical students who worked on the bodies during the previous semester. The students read letters of appreciation, clergy offer prayers, and tears are shed. The program is geared towards teaching the medical students that this is not merely a cadaver, but a person, and their first patient. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green

In this photo taken Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, in Gary, Ind., medical student Jimmy Beasley, left, speaks with Joan Terry, about her sister, donor Judy A. Clemens, after a memorial service for bodies donated to science at Indiana University School of Medicine - Northwest. During the hour long service, relatives of donors gather around the steel tables where their loved ones were dissected along with the medical students who worked on the bodies during the previous semester. The students read letters of appreciation, clergy offer prayers, and tears are shed. The program is geared towards teaching the medical students that this is not merely a cadaver, but a person, and their first patient. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green

In this photo taken Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, in Gary, Ind., family members watch as a medical student lights a candle atop the remains of their grandfather, donor William N. Kelly, during a memorial service for bodies donated to science at Indiana University School of Medicine - Northwest. During the hour long service, relatives of donors gather around the steel tables where their loved ones were dissected along with the medical students who worked on the bodies during the previous semester. The students read letters of appreciation, clergy offer prayers, and tears are shed. The program is geared towards teaching the medical students that this is not merely a cadaver, but a person, and their first patient. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

In this photo taken Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, in Gary, Ind., A military honor guard folds the flag of a Viet Nam veteran and anonymous donor, during a memorial service for bodies donated to science at Indiana University School of Medicine - Northwest. During the hour long service, relatives of donors gather around the steel tables where their loved ones were dissected along with the medical students who worked on the bodies during the previous semester. The students read letters of appreciation, clergy offer prayers, and tears are shed. The program is geared towards teaching the medical students that this is not merely a cadaver, but a person, and their first patient. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

In this photo taken Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, in Gary, Ind., Linsdey Ellingsen, granddaughter of donor William N. Kelly, wipes a tear from her eye as a song is sung during a memorial service for bodies donated to science at Indiana University School of Medicine - Northwest. During the hour long service, relatives of donors gather around the steel tables where their loved ones were dissected along with the medical students who worked on the bodies during the previous semester. The students read letters of appreciation, clergy offer prayers, and tears are shed. The program is geared towards teaching the medical students that this is not merely a cadaver, but a person, and their first patient. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

In this photo taken Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, in Gary, Ind., medical student Sarah F. Shaaban reads from the Quran during a memorial service for bodies donated to science at Indiana University School of Medicine - Northwest. During the hour long service, relatives of donors gather around the steel tables where their loved ones were dissected along with the medical students who worked on the bodies during the previous semester. The students read letters of appreciation, clergy offer prayers, and tears are shed. The program is geared towards teaching the medical students that this is not merely a cadaver, but a person, and their first patient. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

GARY, Ind. (AP) ? When medical students have finished their study and practice on cadavers, they often hold a respectful memorial service to honor these bodies donated to science.

But the ceremonies at one medical school have a surreal twist: Relatives gather around the cold steel tables where their loved ones were dissected and which now hold their remains beneath metal covers. The tables are topped with white or burgundy-colored shrouds, flags for military veterans, flowers and candles.

The mixture of grace and goth at the Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest campus might sound like a scene straight out filmmaker Tim Burton's quirky imagination. Yet, despite the surrounding shelves of medical specimens and cabinets of human bones, these dissection lab memorials are more moving than macabre.

The medical students join the families in the lab and read letters of appreciation about the donors, a clergy member offers prayers, and tears are shed.

Family members are often squeamish about entering that room. This year's ceremony was last Friday, and relatives of one of the six adult donors being honored chose not to participate. And some who did attend had mixed feelings.

Joan Terry of Griffith, Ind., came to honor her sister, Judy Clemens, who died in 2011 at age 51 after a long battle with health problems including multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis. Terry said she felt a little hesitant about being in the dissection lab and was relieved that nothing too graphic was visible.

"I was kind of looking forward to coming," Terry said. "This is ... like a closure. I know Judy's not with us anymore. I know that she's dancing on the streets of gold in heaven. She's probably smiling knowing that her body's helping other people, helping these young doctors learn something about her, because that's what she wanted. That's the type of person that she was. She was always giving."

More than three dozen students, donors' relatives and campus staff members crowded the anatomy lab during Friday's memorial, surrounding the tables and standing solemnly along the room's perimeter. Some dabbed their eyes as prayers and remembrances were said, but faces were mostly stoic and there was no sobbing. The lab's usual odor of formaldehyde was strangely absent, masked perhaps by the sweet aroma of bouquets decorating the cadaver tables.

Some donors' relatives wore formal funeral attire. Terry, noting her plain pink T-shirt, said her sister wasn't a fancy person, either. Terry closed her eyes and struggled not to cry during the service, saying beforehand that Clemens "would be upset if I did."

Abdullah Malik, a medical student who worked on Judy Clemens, thanked her in a letter he read aloud during the ceremony.

"To have the courage and fortitude to endure as much as she did is a testament to her strength and an inspiration to us all," he read, standing next to Clemens' sister beside the dissection table holding Clemens' remains.

Ernest Talarico Jr., an assistant professor and director of anatomy coursework, created the unusual program and began holding the laboratory ceremonies in 2007. The cadavers are considered the medical students' first patients, and students are encouraged to have contact with the donors' families during the semester, too.

At other medical schools, donated bodies remain anonymous and students never meet the families. Talarico said his program humanizes the learning experience.

Talarico views the services as life-affirming and a chance to give thanks. The education these donated bodies have provided is invaluable, he says, teaching doctors-to-be how the body works, and what causes things to go wrong.

"We look at it as a celebration of the lives of those individuals and the gift that they have given to us," Talarico said.

He considers the location fitting.

"I think it is appropriate in that we honor them in the setting in which they desired to give what they viewed as their last gift to humanity," he said.

Malik, the medical student, said knowing the donors' identities and meeting their families enriches the students' medical education.

"Once you put a name and a face to the body that you're working with, once you kind of put an identity to it, you kind of connect to it in a really meaningful and powerful way," he said.

Medical student Kyle Parker said he admired the donors' relatives for showing up, and wondered if he were in their shoes, "would I be willing to meet the people who have actually dissected my family member?"

Parker said he hopes the answer would be yes.

___

Online:

Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest: http://iusm-nw.medicine.iu.edu

___

AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner can be reached at: http://www.Twitter.com/LindseyTanner

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-29-Cadaver%20Memorial/id-015833758b8a440bbea0198148c2bd7d

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US stocks mixed after uneven economic signals

U.S. stocks meandered between small gains and losses Monday, cooling off after a rally that had pushed the Standard & Poor's 500 index above 1,500 for the first time since December 2007. Encouraging news about manufacturing provided an early boost, but stocks fell later after a report on the pace of home sales fell short of expectations.

The government said before trading began that orders for long-lasting goods rose in December by 4.6 percent, helped by a 10 percent gain in orders for new aircraft. The report was a sign of strength for the manufacturing sector, a crucial driver of economic growth.

Heavy equipment maker Caterpillar said separately that its fourth-quarter net income exceeded analysts' expectations, after adjusting for the cost of a soured deal to buy a Chinese maker of roofing supports for mines. Caterpillar said it took a big charge in the quarter because the Chinese company had misrepresented its finances.

Caterpillar Inc. said it expects growth in China to improve without regaining the levels seen in 2010 or 2011. The stock was the biggest gainer in the Dow Jones industrial average, rising $1.82 to $97.40 in afternoon trading.

A half-hour after trading began, the National Association of Realtors said that its index of pending home sales fell in December, suggesting that sales of previously occupied homes may slow in the coming months. The report, which was weaker than many economists had expected, helped push stocks lower for much of the morning. By midday, they were roughly flat.

The Dow rose 70 points to 13,895. The S&P 500 fell a fraction to 1,502. The Nasdaq composite index rose 9 to 3,159.

Economic data may have less impact on the indexes because traders have become harder to impress as the data have strengthened in recent weeks, said Bill Stone, chief investment strategist with PNC Asset Management Group.

"Before, even if you came in just at expectations, that was like a victory," he said. Because of the market's recent upturn, he said, "you get less of a pop for just making the numbers."

Among companies in the S&P 500 that reported earnings Monday, Biogen Idec Inc. said its fourth-quarter net income slipped nearly 3 percent because of a tax charge and higher expenses. Still, the biotech drug maker was one of the top gainers in the S&P 500, rising $4.29, or 2.9 percent, to $150.49.

Roper Industries Inc., which makes medical and industrial equipment, said its fourth-quarter net income rose 18 percent. But the company issued mixed guidance for the current quarter and full year 2013. It rose 36 cents to $119.19.

Hess Inc. rose after the company said it plans to sell its U.S. terminal network, shutter is New Jersey refinery and focus on its shift to exploration and production. Hess also said Elliott Associates plans to seek regulatory approval to buy a major stake in the company. The stock added 6 percent to $62.48.

Several big tech companies are set to report after the market closes, among them web portal Yahoo Inc., hard disk maker Seagate Technology PLC and cloud computing provider VMWare Inc.

Strong corporate earnings helped push the S&P 500 through the 1,500 milestone Friday after several calm, relatively news-free weeks. In addition to companies' performance, traders have been encouraged by signals that housing market is improving steadily and hiring is picking up, albeit slowly.

There will plenty of fresh data to drive trading this week, including retail sales, economic growth and the government's report on hiring and employment in January, which is due out Friday. More than one-fifth of the companies in the S&P 500 will report fourth-quarter earnings this week.

Stone said stocks are trading sideways in part because many investors are awaiting economic reports later this week, especially the employment report. There is agreement among economists and analysts that the economy slowed in the fourth quarter, he said, and this week's numbers will help answer the question of "how slow, and how much did it impact employment."

The yield in the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.99 percent from 1.95 percent late Friday, reflecting lower demand for ultra-safe investments. After Monday's factory orders report, the yield rose briefly above 2 percent for the first time since April. A bond's yield rises as demand for it decreases.

___

Daniel Wagner can be reached at www.twitter.com/wagnerreports .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-stocks-mixed-uneven-economic-signals-172449359--finance.html

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American pastor sentenced to 8 years in Iran

BOISE, Idaho (AP) ? The U.S. State Department says an American pastor who has been jailed in Iran since September has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

Spokesman Darby Holladay said Sunday that the department is calling on Iran to respect Saeed Abedini's human rights and release him.

Earlier this month Iran's semi-official news agency, ISNA, quoted Abedini's attorney as saying his client stood trial in the Revolutionary Court on charges of attempting to undermine state security by creating a network of Christian churches in private homes.

The pastor, who is of Iranian origin but lives in Boise, Idaho, has rejected the charges.

Holladay says the State Department is in close contact with Abedini's family and actively engaged in the case.

The agency says it condemns Iran's continued violation of the universal right of freedom of religion.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/american-pastor-sentenced-8-years-iran-000503847.html

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For Chipotle&#39;s Steve Ells, less is more - Business Management Daily

Leaders of large organizations cannot meet regularly with every employee to reinforce important points. So a CEO needs to take creative steps to communicate to a far-flung workforce.

At Chipotle, the burrito chain, founder and co-CEO Steve Ells sends messages through multiple channels. He designs each restaurant to maximize interaction between customer and food preparer, which re??minds employees to connect with each visitor and deliver personal service.

As people give their order, employees maintain eye contact and rarely turn their backs. In competing fast-food joints, by contrast, employees often turn and walk away from the customer after taking an order.

Similarly, Ells commu?nicates the im??portance of serving fresh food by positioning his employees behind the counter grilling meat and stirring rice. Customers can see their dishes being prepared; if they order guacamole, employees are trained to say something like, ?It?s a good batch. I just made it.?

To convey the value of quality ingredients, Ells takes a minimalist ap??proach. He communicates powerful messages with few words. For example, he told managers that ?Chipotle was eliminating onion-?cutting machines in favor of having staffers cut each onion by hand. They knew this would be more time-?consuming, but Ells simply said, ?It tastes better.?

Ells faced a different kind of communication challenge in 2011 when he wanted the public to know Chipotle buys vegetables from local farms and supports sustainability in other ways.

So he commissioned a two-minute film called ?Back to the Start? to air on television during the Grammy Awards.

The story follows a farmer doing business locally. It contains no speaking, and the only promotion of Chipotle is as it ends?when the word appears on the side of a delivery truck. Viewers learn of Chipotle?s devotion to buying from local farms without feeling subjected to a preachy commercial.

? Adapted from ?America?s most inspiring CEOs,? A.J. Jacobs, www.esquire.com.

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Male dancers signal their strength to men and women

Jan. 28, 2013 ? Heterosexual men pick up clues about other men's physical qualities from their dance moves just as heterosexual women do, say researchers at Northumbria University.

A study, led by psychologist Dr Nick Neave and researcher Kristofor McCarty, used 3D motion-capture technology and biomechanical analyses to examine the extent to which male dancing provides clues about the dancer's physical strength and fitness to both male and female observers.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Human Biology, suggest that male observers pick up on the strength of their potential rivals for female mates.

Researchers at Northumbria's School of Life Sciences filmed 30 males, aged 19-37, as they danced to a basic drum rhythm. Participants also completed a fitness test and assessments of upper and lower body strength. The dance clips were converted into virtual humanoid characters (avatars) and rated by women and men on perceived dance and physical qualities. The ratings were then correlated with various biomechanical indices.

The results showed that both sexes found significant positive associations between an individual's hand grip strength and their perceived dance quality, these qualities were picked up by the size and vigour of the movements of the upper body and arms.

Although it is traditionally thought that signals given off by men when they dance have been designed -- like animal mating displays -- to be interpreted as clues of their physical attributes to the opposite sex, it seems that heterosexual men are also making use of these signals, presumably to detect a potential love rival.

Dr Nick Neave believes that this increased sensitivity to male qualities by other heterosexual men may be due to intrasexual rivalry -- men sizing up the strength and virility of their competition.

He said: "Rated dance quality was positively associated with actual grip strength and these clues of upper-body strength were most accurately picked up by male observers. This ability to discern upper-body strength is principally because men are looking for cues of 'formidability' in other males.

"Upper-body strength is highly related to fighting ability as it reflects the ability to do damage, especially in intra-sexual conflicts. The ability to gauge strength before potential conflicts is sensible, especially to other males."

Also part of the research team were Northumbria University academics Dr Nick Caplan and Johannes H?nekopp, with Bernard Fink, from the Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of G?ttingen, Germany.

The study, "Male body movements as possible cues to physical strength: a biomechanical analysis", is published online in this month's American Journal of Human Biology

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Northumbria University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. N. Neave et al. Male body movements as possible cues to physical strength: a biomechanical analysis. American Journal of Human Biology, 2013

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/P6rh0QRlHrQ/130128081946.htm

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Better survival rates seen with lumpectomy compared with mastectomy for early breast cancer

Public release date: 28-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Amy Molnar
sciencenewsroom@wiley.com
Wiley

A new analysis has found that lumpectomy plus radiation for early breast cancer may provide patients with a better chance of survival than mastectomy. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the results provide confidence in the efficacy of breast-conserving treatments even among patients with aggressive, early disease.

Lumpectomy combined with radiation is a good treatment choice for women with early breast cancer; however, over the past 10 years, a growing number of women have been choosing mastectomy even for very small cancers. In certain populationssuch as women who are young and those living in urban areas with high socioeconomic statusthis trend has been most pronounced due to the perception that outcomes may be better with mastectomy than with lumpectomy.

Shelley Hwang MD, MPH, of the Duke Cancer Institute, and her colleagues looked to see whether some populations of women do in fact have better outcomes after mastectomy compared with lumpectomy and radiation. The researchers obtained information regarding all women who were diagnosed in the state of California with stage I or II breast cancer between 1990 and 2004 and who were treated with either mastectomy or lumpectomy plus radiation. The investigators followed 112,154 cases through 2009, and they looked for patterns among different age groups and across different breast cancer types.

In the first three years after surgery, women who underwent mastectomy had a higher risk of dying from heart disease and other diseases than women who underwent lumpectomy, possibly indicating that the latter group was generally healthier, according to Dr. Hwang. Over the entire study period, women were more likely to survive breast cancer after undergoing lumpectomy plus radiation than mastectomy. This was true among all age groups and cancer types, with the biggest benefit seen in women over 50 years of age with hormone-sensitive breast cancer. These women had a 14 percent decreased risk of dying from breast cancer during the study compared with their counterparts who underwent mastectomy.

"The findings in this study should reassure women that among all age groups and tumor types, lumpectomy continues to be an excellent choice for women with small early breast cancers," said Dr. Hwang.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 28-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Amy Molnar
sciencenewsroom@wiley.com
Wiley

A new analysis has found that lumpectomy plus radiation for early breast cancer may provide patients with a better chance of survival than mastectomy. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the results provide confidence in the efficacy of breast-conserving treatments even among patients with aggressive, early disease.

Lumpectomy combined with radiation is a good treatment choice for women with early breast cancer; however, over the past 10 years, a growing number of women have been choosing mastectomy even for very small cancers. In certain populationssuch as women who are young and those living in urban areas with high socioeconomic statusthis trend has been most pronounced due to the perception that outcomes may be better with mastectomy than with lumpectomy.

Shelley Hwang MD, MPH, of the Duke Cancer Institute, and her colleagues looked to see whether some populations of women do in fact have better outcomes after mastectomy compared with lumpectomy and radiation. The researchers obtained information regarding all women who were diagnosed in the state of California with stage I or II breast cancer between 1990 and 2004 and who were treated with either mastectomy or lumpectomy plus radiation. The investigators followed 112,154 cases through 2009, and they looked for patterns among different age groups and across different breast cancer types.

In the first three years after surgery, women who underwent mastectomy had a higher risk of dying from heart disease and other diseases than women who underwent lumpectomy, possibly indicating that the latter group was generally healthier, according to Dr. Hwang. Over the entire study period, women were more likely to survive breast cancer after undergoing lumpectomy plus radiation than mastectomy. This was true among all age groups and cancer types, with the biggest benefit seen in women over 50 years of age with hormone-sensitive breast cancer. These women had a 14 percent decreased risk of dying from breast cancer during the study compared with their counterparts who underwent mastectomy.

"The findings in this study should reassure women that among all age groups and tumor types, lumpectomy continues to be an excellent choice for women with small early breast cancers," said Dr. Hwang.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/w-bsr012513.php

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Video: Curfew imposed as violence persists in Egypt

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50608968/

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Addressing Critical Business Issues Through Strategic Planning ...

In the past we?ve talked about addressing risks, assumptions and impediments during strategic planning, but what about current critical business issues? Should those be solved outside the process of strategic planning or be brought into the strategic loop of business forethought?

Strategic Planning Is Also About the Present, Not Just the Future

Strategic planning is not just about an organization?s future. Current critical business issues can also be strategic in terms of their immediate and long-term impacts and must be solved in harmony with the organization?s strategy. H.L. Mencken said that ?for every complex problem there is a simple solution? and it is always wrong.? Critical business issues are usually tangled up with lots of business process, organizational structure and threads of the enterprise?s strategy. The simple solution of assigning a task force, key executive, or consultant (or taking other ostensibly obvious steps) in times of urgency may not be the best approach to serving an organization?s mission. Such isolated approaches to problem resolution can disconnect the solution from the integrated actions already underway or in development as part of the corporate strategic planning process.

The present and the future tension existing between the tactical and the strategic should not be cause for concern. We have referred before to this ?yin and yang? duality that always exists when strategic planning is done well. Both must be represented within the strategic plan in order for the programs comprised in the strategy to be both forward-thinking and remain realistic in addressing the immediate needs of the business (see #8 in our list of Eight Critical Success Factors For Improving Strategy Execution for more on this topic).

This tension represents a dichotomy between solving immediate critical business problems, addressing basic organizational issues and other tactical short-term work to be accomplished in a balanced plan that also accommodates larger sweeping strategic initiatives. A good strategic planning process moves everyone out of their comfort zones, systematically challenges their own assumptions and leverages an un-biased prioritization approach to find the best strategy and sequencing of programs that support the organization?s mission (see Managing Assumptions, Risks and Impediments In Strategic Planning). It is a fact that certain elements of strategy are dependent on having organizational impediments, risks and critical business issues addressed in order to pave the road for faster progress later on in the process.

The reality is, strategic planning is also about the present, so identifying and addressing true critical business issues is the right course of action in most cases.

What Constitutes A Critical Business Issue?

A critical business issue can be thought of as ?A problem or opportunity that is critical to the overall success of the organization?.

A simple rule of thumb for categorizing a problem as a critical business issue is to determine if two or more of the following are true:

1. The problem is related to a core organizational function
2. The problem affects a significant number of people directly or indirectly
3. The problem is adversely affecting customers and/or key stakeholders, is promoting illegal activity or causing a break in regulatory compliance

When taking action on such a problem is tantamount to the overall success of the organization, it constitutes that the issue not only be considered for its criticality, but also its strategic implications. When critical business issues have strategic implications, they need to be addressed as part of organizational strategy and not in some disconnected loop that operates outside of the planning process and strategy governance structure (see more about The Office of Strategy Management).

Leverage Your SWOT Analysis To Identify Critical Issues

Organizations should proactively be seeking to identify critical business issues as a part of their planning process. Since most companies already utilize some form of SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) analysis, that can be a starting point for targeting critical issues as a part of the planning cycle. SWOT, which has been in use since the 1960s, is a simple tool that can help companies address critical problems (perhaps addressing an area of weakness) by building on strengths and/or opportunities. Strengths are characteristics of the business that give it an advantage over others. In the SWOT context, weaknesses are characteristics that place the organization at a disadvantage relative to others. Opportunities are therefore elements or core competencies that the can be leveraged to the businesses advantage.

A critical business issue could also be identified as a current (actual) or potential (risk) gap between the company?s business performance and one of the following:

• A key competition?s performance
• Customer?s expectations
• Executive?s performance expectations

Likewise, an opportunity might exist to make significant improvements in a business area currently experiencing no performance problems ? but at risk of decline based on market intelligence. In some cases, the critical business issue can be very large-scale, requiring the implementation of a major change in the organization.

Policy and Process Example

Las Vegas Sands Corp. has overhauled its compliance procedures to address potential money-laundering schemes tied to international bank transfers.? The company added ex-FBI agents with the right expertise to help strengthen an area of weakness and has made significant process changes to address the critical business issue.

Market Trend Example

Dell, the personal-computer maker that lost almost a third of its value last year, is said to be in the process of a leveraged-buyout to take the company private. The critical business issue Dell faces is a rapidly declining PC market in recent years as consumers shun desktop and laptops in favor of tablets and smartphones. The strategy is to go private to allow the company time to overall its business and begin focusing primarily on B2B computer sales as well as IT services.

Recap

Strategic planning is not just about an organization?s future. It is also about what is causing the organization pain at this moment. By planning strategically and refreshing plans operationally in shorter cycles, strategic critical business issues can be addressed as a part of the overall strategy and not in disconnected ?special-projects? loops.

***

Resources for Taking Action

Free Strategic Planning Article Compilations and PDFs:

1??????? Free access to the Strategic Planning Monthly: Archive

2??????? Free Online Strategic Planning Articles Library

3??????? Free Strategic Planning PDF Downloads

4??????? Information about Strategic Planning Learning and Development Programs

Source: http://blog.vistage.com/business-strategy-and-management/addressing-critical-business-issues-through-strategic-planning/

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Old-Fashioned Motherhood: From the Comments: Frustration in ...

Dear friends,

This morning, I checked my e-mail inbox to find that I had a new comment on an older post of mine called "The Incredible Shrinking Family". I could feel the pain of the writer so clearly in her words, and I wanted to reach out to her. Who of us have not been frustrated, tired, and just plain worn-out?

Here's what she wrote:

Hi! I came across your blog today and loved reading this post. I agree with everything you have to say ... in principle. But in practice I find this very difficult. I want to love children and love being a mother, but I just don't!

I have two darling little girls who I love, but I don't love being a mother. Pregnancy was miserable, the sleep deprivation of newborns was horrendous and the tantrums and potty training of toddlers has been torture! Like you say, it takes sacrifice, but I sometimes feel like it is just too much for me. I long for a life outside of my children, for some part of me to be left-over at the end of the day for my husband, for something besides diapers and disciplining and dishes!

So yes, children are important and families are vital and I believe in the LDS doctrine of the family ... but I just can't have more children. I feel it would be disastrous for me, for my marriage and for the children we already have. So I guess what I'm saying is that I totally get why some women do not want to have children or do not want to have a lot of children. I understand what they are feeling!

I would have never guessed that I would be saying this. As a young LDS teen, I yearned for a large family. But now, when reality has set in, I am just not enjoying it at all! I feel like overall I have a good attitude around my children and love them, do all of the good stay-at-home-mom things, but deep-down, I am miserable. Any advice?

I know that often people may think that my posts are so idealistic that I must never have bad days or frustrations, or a bad attitude. I'm sorry if this is a disappoinment, ladies, but I have had those days when I want to throw in the towel. I have moments where I hold my head in my hands and think "What have I done?!"

:-)

But those days don't last forever (Thank goodness!) and with the Lord's help we can do the difficult and succeed-- and have joy! (I promise!!!)

Here was my response to her, and to all moms who have those times and seasons where they feel they can't take another step, change another diaper, or wash one more dish:

I am so sorry that you are so overwhelmed and discouraged. Boy, have I been there! But there really is hope and peace on the horizon...

First of all, you are deep in the trenches of one of the hardest times of motherhood! I advise you take a deep breath and try to see into your future five, ten or fifteen years from now.

You will NOT always be sleep deprived and mired in the difficulties of trying to be and do everything on your own. Those little ones you have now WILL grow, they will learn to do more for themselves, and they will not always be so demanding.

The time you take now to patiently, lovingly train them will buy you more liberty and breathing room in your not-too-distant future. Is it hard? YES. But from experience, I can tell you, that when you work hard at training those first few little ones, then they become more helpful to you in your duties AND with any other little ones that may be in your future.

Toddler-hood really is the time that ALL moms want to throw in the towle and say "I'm not cut out for this!" You are FAR from being alone in those feelings, I promise!

It is okay to take a break and let your body and your heart heal for a time. But the secret to that and to surviving and moving forward in everything is to PRAY. HARD. Ask for a blessing from your husband, now and then. Pray for peace. For direction. For patience.?

Good grief, I even once had to start praying that I could LOVE my kids!!! LOL! The beauty and blessing was that MY PRAYERS WORKED.

Anything worth doing is difficult-- that's the test of this life. But you don't need to hold your breath as you try to make it through the difficult years. Come up to the surface and breathe deeply in the Father's love, mercy and help.

None of us can succeed at this alone. We need Christ, and He is willing and waiting to take those troubles and burdens from us if we will just give them to Him.

Please don't struggle alone when you don't have to! The Lord loves you and sees every sacrifice and tear and sleepless night.?

Don't worry about having another baby right now. Just work on your relationship with Christ. Then everything else will fall into place.

We can "do all things through Christ." But we should not run faster than we have strength. We NEED to take time to be healed by the Lord. He will give us all we need and then some, helping us to do all things "in wisdom and order."

I know the writer and I would love to hear any other advice from my readers. Do you have more to add?

With love to all my sisters in the motherhood trenches,

Source: http://blog.oldfashionedmotherhood.com/2013/01/from-comments-frustration-in-motherhood.html

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