As the United States foreign policy under new President Donald Trump is still faltering and China refrains from becoming a full global playmaker, Russia and its post-Soviet helmsman Vladimir Putin are apparently calling the shots in the world stage.

From the Baltic in Europe to the South China Sea in East Asia, a Russian diplomatic cobweb has in fact been spun across the Eurasian continent and its appendices in North Africa. Now, the question is whether Moscow will be able to handle this strategic over-extension, which entails the use of considerable resources, while its economy is in bad shape.

Many believe that the Kremlins current transcontinental projection will not be halted by the countrys economic problems; and this because Russia included in its Soviet configuration has always been an imperial power capable of facing up to structural economic weaknesses.

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According to this vision, economic liabilities historically have never prevented the Russian bear from expanding its territorial boundaries to prop up the nations internal security. In this equation, the Russian rulers would have successfully leveraged on the deeply-rooted patriotic sentiment of their people, who have showed a strong resilience to material shortages through the centuries.

So, encouraged by the perceived vulnerability of the US, which is linked to many factors, among them former President Barack Obamas decision to shift focus from Europe and the Middle East to Asia-Pacific, Donald Trumps shocking electoral triumph, a confused presidential transition and a turbulent start of tenure for the new US commander-in-chief, it is reasonable to expect that Russia will continue to move on many fronts, regardless of its economic woes.

Moscows hunt for geopolitical influence is indeed remarkable, starting from its squabbling with the European Union (EU) and Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Eastern Europe, where it has been supporting separatist rebel groups in eastern Ukraine after annexing Crimea in 2014. The Kremlin is also developing a robust military apparatus in the Baltic area and reactivating military capabilities in the Arctic region.

The post-Soviet space from the Caucasus to Central Asia obviously remains Russias strategic backyard. Still, the Kremlin will insist on playing the kingmakers role in the Syrian crisis while trying to extend its clout in the Middle East and North Africa. In this sense, Moscow is enhancing ties with Egypt, eying a possible part in the Libyan peace process and cautiously monitoring developments in the worn-torn Yemen.

Furthermore, the Russian diplomacy is reaching out to Afghanistan, where it is working to find a diplomatic solution to the current civil war, quite separately from Washington. To conclude, Russia has a visible presence in the Pacific region, where it still has to settle the age-old territorial row with Japan over the Kuril Islands; Moscow is also an important stakeholder in dealing with the North Korean nuclear threat, discreetly teams up with China on the South China Sea territorial disputes and has even promised naval help to the Philippines against piracy in the Sulu and Celebes seas.

Russia/Soviet Union found itself in a similar situation between 1974 and 1979, when it raised the stakes in the confrontation with the US. In the space of six years, in fact, the Kremlin displayed a wide-ranging foreign policy that led many to believe that it was going to win the Cold War. All of this as Washington was struggling with a deep political and identity crisis amid a climate of widespread cultural contestation, marked by President Richard Nixons resignation due to the Watergate scandal and the countrys defeat in the Vietnam War.

Moscow tried to profit from the American apparent disorientation during that period and launched its multi-pronged challenge. It backed communist guerrillas in Central America and sent military advisers in Angola and Mozambique. In these two African countries, which had just gained independence from Portugal, the Russian troops supported along with Cuban soldiers the local Marxist armed formations in their efforts to seize power.

Then, Russian regular and irregular military personnel came to the rescue of Ethiopia as this was fighting the Ogaden War against Somalia. In addition, Moscow strengthened further its ties with the Baathist regime in Syria, buttressed the communist-leaning government in Southern Yemen, where it had naval facilities, and sustained Vietnams occupation of Cambodia against the pro-Chinese Khmer Rouge regime. Lastly, the Soviet Red Army placed the icing on the cake by invading Afghanistan.

This far-flung foreign commitment proved to be largely unsustainable in the short-run. In the 1970s, the Soviet Union was in a critical economic situation, largely dependent on grain and technology supplies from the US, with a centralized and inefficient political system and a natural resource-based economy resembling an underdeveloped countrys. A picture that has several similarities with the current health of the Russian economy, hit hard by years of budget deficit. Though a timid recovery is forecast in 2017, at the recent Gaidar Economic Forum, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned the nation against the structural problems of Russias economy, particularly its technological gap with developed countries, the dependence on commodity export at a time of low oil and gas prices and the excessive public role in the productive processes.

Thus, a hypertrophic foreign conduct, not backed up by a solid economy, contributed to the fall of the Soviet empire along with other geopolitical and cultural factors. If Russia wants to avoid this outcome and protract the Putinian Pax for a while, it will have to eliminate this antinomy; or, at least, it will have to find creative alternatives. The idea of using money and propaganda to bolster the rise of anti-EU and anti-NATO populist movements in Europe could serve this purpose. Unless, like in the 1980s, the Western world comes out with new, effective antidotes to the Russian advance.

Emanuele Scimia is a journalist and foreign policy analyst. He is a contributing writer to the South China Morning Post and the Jamestown Foundations Eurasia Daily Monitor. In the past, his articles have also appeared in The National Interest, Deutsche Welle, World Politics Review, The Jerusalem Post and the EUobserver, among others. He has written for Asia Times since 2011.

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Can Russia project power while battered by economic woes? - Asia Times

THUNDER BAY Thunder Bays population grew between 2011 and 2016, but not by much.

According to census data released on Wednesday by Statistics Canada, the city and surrounding communities grew by just 25 people over five years

Thunder Bays census metropolitan area population now stands at 121,621, slightly more than the 121,596 posted in 2011.

However, the city itself experienced a slight drop in population, from 108,359 five years ago to 107,909, a decrease of 0.4 per cent.

"I think it underscores the challenge that all northern, rural, smaller communities right across Canada (and) right across North America continue to have," said Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Mauro. "There is a level of large-scale urbanization that is taking place in our large centres -- Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto and the like.

"Communities like ours and hundreds of others are continually faced with work and an effort to try to grow and sustain their population. It's not easy to do."

Mauro said the key to turning things around is economic diversification and embracing a knowledge-based economy, while protecting resource-based jobs as best as possible.

"I think that's the goal, I think that's the best way for us to see increases in our population and we've actually had some successes in that regard."

Regionally, Terrace Bay experienced tremendous population growth over the past five years, jumping by 10.5 per cent to 2,798 residents last year when the census was taken. Nearby Schreiber, however, fell by six per cent to 1,059, down from 1,126.

The national average growth was five per cent, representing about 1.7 million people. The countrys population was 33,476,688 in 2011 and is now 35,151,728.

Sylvan Lake, Alta experienced the highest growth level between census periods, increasing in size by 19.6 per cent. Among communities with more than 100,000 residents, Calgary was the fastest growing, jumping 14.6 per cent to 1,214,839.

Campbellton, N.B. was the lowest performing CMA in the country, seeing its population drop by 9.3 per cent.

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Thunder Bay's population experiencing low growth - Tbnewswatch.com

= Despite many strategies, it has been difficult to achieve many development goals in agriculture. 1dayago

The country is in the throes of a ravaging drought with an estimated 2.7 million people facing acute food shortage.

Yet the country has settled into the frenzy of electioneering underlining the insensitivity of the political leadership. But this precisely underscores why we regard enough food and agriculture as a key agenda item in this election.

For many households, enough food is neither available nor affordable. However, this lack of enough food is not new. Since independence the government has declared its desire to have all Kenyans enjoy, at all times, safe food in sufficient quantity and quality to satisfy their nutritional needs that meets their cultural preferences, throughout their life-cycle.

Kenya Vision 2030 aspires to set the country on a prosperity path to be a globally competitive newly-industrialising, middle-income prosperous nation with a high quality life for all citizens by the year 2030, The Kenya Vision is being implemented through medium term plans.

The second medium plan identifies a number flagship projects for the agricultural sector including (i) policy, legal and regulatory reforms; (ii) Asal development in the Tana and Athi river basins; (iii) fertiliser cost-reduction; (iv) establishment of disease-free zones; (v) development of geo-spatial land use master plan; (vi) development of fisheries (blue economy).

Despite many strategies and efforts, many regrettably half-hearted, by the past and current government, it has been difficult to achieve many measurable aspirational development goals in the agricultural sector.

It is worth noting that agricultural systems in the country are characterised by eight agro-ecological zones suitable for different crops and livestock systems, based on altitude and rainfall patterns. Incidentally, human settlement has virtually followed the same geographical zonation.

Diverse agro-ecological potentials imply that different counties have varying economic opportunities in developing their crop and livestock sectors (and fish farming). Historically, counties with high or medium rainfall have received more public investments compared to those regions perceived to bear low potential such as the arid and semi-arid lands.

Public investments in agriculture have been considerably influenced by politics through policy making, public finance and donor funding.

As we enter another electioneering period, it can be safely said that there have been little efforts by our politicians to listen to voices of the farming community. During the election period, populist policies are promised to farmers in order to get their votes, and in many cases, little follow up is made to implement the promised projects.

For instance, in the last election cycle, Jubilee (and other opposing parties) made promises that cheap fertiliser would be made available to the poorest farmers, promises of reviving meat-processing facilities (such as Kenya Meat Commission, irrigation dams to be built and export markets to be sought. Often, many such promises are quickly forgotten once the elections are over, or are implemented in a half-hearted manner.

This cannot continue while the potential in agriculture to feed the nation, create gainful employment, revive our agro-based industries, and earn foreign exchange lies unexploited to the maximum possible limit? It is time to make some reality check on what agriculture can offer Kenyan citizens since the country aims to promote an innovative, commercially-oriented, and modern agricultural sector.

Irrigation reduces reliance on rainfed agriculture and that is reason several delegations have visited many countries, including Israel, to learn from what they do. However, the government has not done much on irrigation and neither have we benefited from the so-called benchmarking trips.

Four years ago, this government pledged to put one million acres under irrigation in five years. It identified 1.78 million acres in the Galana/Kulalu ranch (Kilifi and Tana River counties) for irrigation. A feasibility study was undertaken at a cost of Sh 1.2 billion.

The study recommended 10 investment plans, including beef and game ranching (49,085 acres), horticulture (42,817 acres), orchards (74,646 acres), sugarcane (177,136 acres), maize (93,540 acres), fish (9,577 acres), dairy (4,703 acres), bee keeping (4,611 acres) and agro-processing (5,334 acres).

It was expected that a total of about 25 million bags of maize were to be annually produced from Galana and thus bring the country back to the state of annul national food sufficiency with a surplus. So far, only 2,500 acres have been put under irrigation and produced 60,000 bags of maize.

It is disappointing. Perhaps it is time to look for any strategic lessons of the abandoned Bura irrigation scheme.

Maize consumption per person is estimated at 1.5 bags per year. Based on an estimated adult population of about 35 million, the countrys annual maize consumption stands at more than 50 million bags. Beans production stands at 6.8 million bags while consumption is an estimate 6.5 million bags, wheat production is 3 million bags, rice production is estimated at 113,000 tonnes while consumption is at 564,000 tonnes.

When shall Kenya have enough food? Any war is waged and won based on a definitive strategy.

One, there must be a deliberate political and policy shift to other ways and means of ensuring that enough food is available, accessible and affordable. Second, it is perhaps time to look for alternative ways to approach irrigation.

INVESTMENTS IN SMALL DAMS

It may involve investments in small dams using supplementary irrigation systems to reduce energy running costs.

Third, community ownership in irrigation and water management will be crucial and this brings into focus the role of county governments in driving agriculture as a devolved function.

Fourth, making water and improved sanitation easily accessible implies that girls would spend more time in school, and women would spend more time in productive activities, thus improving the general well-being of households. The UNDP estimates that for every Sh100 investment in water and sanitation leads to a Sh800 return in economic productivity.

Finally, while it is important that the country moves from dependency on rain-fed agriculture and maize, our national focus on food will require deliberate and sustained investments in better information services, use of modern agro-technologies to increase production, preservation and better use of food, investment in high-value traditional and non-traditional foodstuffs (agribusiness). Without value addition, agriculture, livestock and fisheries will be of little value to counties.

The government embarked on three-tiered fertiliser cost-reduction programme involving supply chain improvement in the market, blending of fertilisers and local manufacturing of fertiliser.

The policy objective was to reduce the cost of food production to enable the county have enough food. The average price of a 50-kg subsidised bag of top-dressing fertiliser was Sh 2,000 while market price was Sh4,500.

The fertiliser cost-reduction programme required multiple initiatives including (i) capacity building of farmers, farmers co-operatives / associations; (ii) estimating annual fertiliser demand, (iii) efficient fertiliser procurement and distribution systems, (iv) provision of warehousing (NCPB stores, large co-operative societies, etc.); and (v) addressing infrastructure challenges.

A fertiliser manufacturing factory has been completed (August 2016) at a cost of Sh120 billion in Eldoret although it is yet to be commissioned.

Kenyans will be waiting to see how the facility will contribute towards the reduction in the cost of fertiliser in the foreseeable future due to a number of potential bottlenecks.

First, Kenya is not endowed with substantial quantities of raw materials for manufacturing fertiliser except filler material such as limestone.

Second, the domestic market for fertiliser is too small for any viable fertiliser plant.

Third, key industry experts have never interrogated the contents of both the feasibility study and the independent appraisal to understand the parameters used for establishment of the plant in Eldoret.

Fourth, according to the presentation made to the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, the Eldoret plant is not a fertiliser manufacturing factory but a blending plant where the same fertilisers are imported and blended. There are several types and many types of fertilisers used in Kenya.

Land is perhaps one of the most contentious political, economic and social problems in the country and is at the core of most of the resource-based socio-economic challenges Kenya faces, the most profound being the 2007-2008 post-election violence. It touches the very fabric of national cohesion.

There have been many past attempts to harmonise and consolidate the legal framework touching on land and its administration in order to guide equitable and efficient utilization of land for different purposes (agriculture, industry, human settlement, wildlife and forestry).

There have been calls for a national land information management system, legislation of minimum acreage per person to reduce speculation, automation (digitisation) of land registries, development of a national geo-spatial land use master plan, amongst other measures, to safeguard individual and community claims to land.

Indeed, in some areas where land is not titled, this government pledged to issue six million title deeds. Although there was a recent setback, a number of titles have been issued although proper procedures were not fully followed, as was ruled by the High Court in January 2017.

Greater effort must be made to address the land question for various reasons, including providing incentives for greater use of agricultural land. Secure land ownership is the bedrock of all investments.

It is clear therefore that a significant investment in agriculture is key to resolving our challenges in food self-sufficiency, employment, economic development of the Asals and, the conundrum around land ownership and land management issues.

management issues. Blithe promises are inevitable during campaigns but Kenyans must be empowered to query political parties, and later governments, on such promises.

Traditionally, the main factors of production are land, labour and capital (including knowledge, credit). Taking energy as a proxy for labour, we have to use people, livestock and machines to increase the amount of energy for driving agriculture for production, processing, transportation and preservation.

In the early years, the country relied on human labour and animals in agriculture. However, the country must embrace mechanisation to reduce drudgery and offer the youth a viable motivation to engage in farming as a more dignified and dependable occupation.

Mechanisation promotes social recognition as it significantly reduces the hardship of employing farm labour. Hard work is regarded as a poor persons job or an occupation for people with little brains.

It will require specific and deliberate strategies to make appropriate mechanisation services (like hiring tractors) a profitable and sustainable investment for different agricultural processes. We can do it and those seeking leadership must demonstrate beyond the rhetoric that they understand this and have concrete plans to implement them.

The pastoral communities are amongst the hardest hit when we experience droughts and they are often the ones at whom empty promises are directed during elections.

The various challenges posed by drought as epitomized by periodic conflicts over pasture and water must be addressed in a holistic manner.

Kenya is a water scarce country and must improve water security, management of water catchments and wetlands, enhance water resources monitoring as well as increase investments in water infrastructure development.

Development of boreholes must take cognisance of underground water resources to guard against overexploitation as water will become salty and unusable. We, nonetheless, must end drought emergencies.

Kenyas livestock and livestock products are not perceived to meet international zoo-sanitary ( hygiene and safety) standards.

MEET MARKET ACCESS CONDITIONS

In order to meet international market access conditions, the government pledged to create six disease-free zones and three export abattoirs in the coastal zone (Kwale, Kilifi and Taita Taveta); Laikipia, Isiolo and Samburu zone; Makueni and Kitui zone; Tana River zone; Central Kenya zone and South Rift zone.

So far, a feasibility study and bill of quantities had been done for only the Bachuma disease free facility on a 15,000 acre land (Taita-Taveta County). The government will spend Sh2.6 billion. When completed, the Bachuma Disease Free facility will have a holding capacity of 24,000 cattle, 297,000 sheep and goats and 18,000 camels.

While commendable, it is time to revisit the issue of disease free-zone as a strategic investment considering the importance of the pastoralist economy and the perennial electioneering promises that have been pledged time and again. Perhaps, except for the Middle East, Kenya must focus on improving livestock production to meet domestic and regional demand.

Many farmers lose most of their produce, especially perishable commodities (like vegetables, milk, fish and tea). Post-harvest losses are estimated at between 30 and 75 per cent depending on the commodity.

These losses are mostly because of poor transport networks, low value addition, lack of storage and preservation facilities. This calls for effective strategies to invest in post-harvest management; cold storage facilities, value-addition and warehousing.

There are many investment opportunities (by both local and foreign entities) in many agricultural value chains (input supply, production, agro-processing and marketing) if marketing infrastructure is developed and expanded.

Can we address the land question?

Land is perhaps one of the most contentious political, economic and social problems in the country and is at the core of most of the resource-based socio-economic challenges Kenya faces, the most profound being the 2007-2008 post-election violence.

It touches the very fabric of national cohesion. There have been many past attempts to harmonise and consolidate the legal framework touching on land and its administration in order to guide equitable and efficient utilization of land for different purposes (agriculture, industry, human settlement, wildlife and forestry).

There have been calls for a national land information management system, legislation of minimum acreage per person to reduce speculation, automation (digitization) of land registries, development of a national geo-spatial land use master plan, amongst other measures, to safeguard individual and community claims to land.

Indeed, in some areas where land is not titled, this government pledged to issue six million title deeds. Although there was a recent setback, a number of titles have been issued although proper procedures were not fully followed, as was ruled by the High Court in January 2017.

Greater effort must be made to address the land question for various reasons, including providing incentives for greater use of agricultural land. Secure land ownership is the bedrock of all investments.

It is clear therefore that a significant, strategically consistent investment in agriculture is fundamental to resolving, in a sustainable manner, our challenges in food self-sufficiency, employment, economic development of the ASALs and, the conundrum around land ownership and land management issues.

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Substantial investment in agriculture needed to ensure enough food for all - Daily Nation

PART I : KEY CONCEPTS 1. Decent Work and the Informal EconomyExplores the main conceptual issues including what is the informal economy, who is in it and what are the main drivers of informality ? It emphasizes that informality manifests itself in different ways according to different country contexts and labour market characteristics. 1.1 Key conceptual issues 2. Measurement of the Informal EconomyExamines the methodological issues related to the collection of accurate data on the informal economy. It highlights the innovations from the international statistical community which will enable data on the informality to be captured more fully. 2.1 Addressing statistical challenges PART II : POLICIES TO SUPPORT TRANSITIONS TO FORMALITY 3. Growth Strategies and Quality Employment GenerationExamines the complex relationship between economic growth and informality. It makes the case for employment-centred macro-economic policies explicitly targeted to curbing informality. 3.1 Patterns of economic growth and the informal economy 4. The Regulatory Framework and the Informal EconomyThis thematic area covers ten technical briefs, which are divided into three subsections (A) international Labour Standards, (B) Specific Groups and (C) Labour Administration. Among the briefs in this section are a survey of ILO Conventions and Recommendations most pertinent to the informal economy; the challenges of applying labour law to micro and small enterprises; a brief on the issues surrounding the employment relationship; technical briefs on gaps in the regulatory frameworks covering specific groups, and briefs examining the scope of labour administration and labour inspection to reach the informal economy. A International Labour Standards 4.a1 The Regulatory Environment and the informal economy: setting a social floor for all who work 4.a2 International Labour Standards (ILS): bringing the unprotected under the law 4.a3 Understanding the employment relationship and its impact on informality B Specific Groups 4.b1 Domestic Workers: strategies for overcoming poor regulation 4.b2 Homeworkers: reducing vulnerabilities through extending and applying the law 4.b3 Street vendors: innovations in regulatory support 4.b4 Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), informality and labour law: reducing gaps in protection 4.b5 Strategies for transforming undeclared work into regulated work C Labour Administration 4.c1 Labour administration: overcoming challenges in reaching the informal economy 4.c2 Labour inspection and the informal economy: innovations in outreach 5. Organization, Representation and DialogueSocial dialogue is an essential component of democratic policy making on the informal economy, and good governance in the labour market in general. This section looks at the diverse ways in which informal economy actors are organizing, mobilizing and engaging in social dialogue. 5.1 Social dialogue: promoting good governance in policy making on the informal economy 5.2 The role of Employers organizations and small business associations 5.3 Trade unions: reaching the marginalized and excluded 5.4 Cooperatives: a stepping stone out of informality 6. Promoting Equality and Addressing DiscriminationExamines issues of discrimination and exclusion from formal labour markets which pushes particular groups into informality. It also examines segmentation within informal labour markets and makes the case for inclusive approaches based on equal opportunities for marginalized groups. 6.1 Promoting womens empowerment: a gendered pathway out of informality 6.2 Migrant workers: policy frameworks for regulated and formal migration 6.3 Disability: inclusive approaches for productive work 7. Entrepreneurship, Skills Development, FinanceThis section comprises three briefs: the brief on informal enterprises examines the incentive structures, supports and services which can encourage them to both formalize and upgrade; the brief on skills development looks at how skills upgrading can enhance access to the mainstream economy and the brief on microfinance details how it can be used as a catalyst out of informality through incentives and targeting. 7.1 Informal enterprises: policy supports for encouraging formalization and upgrading 7.2 Enhancing skills and employability: facilitating access to the formal economy 7.3 Microfinance and the informal economy: targeted strategies to move out of informality 8. Extension of Social Protection This section currently contains four briefs. Firstly, on innovative practices in social security and health insurance in an effort to extend social security to all; and three briefs reviewing evolving practices in child care, maternity protection and measures to address the economic and social exclusion of those living with HIV/AIDS. 8.1 Extending social security coverage to the informal economy 8.2 HIV/AIDS: overcoming discrimination and economic exclusion 8.3 Extending maternity protection to the informal economy 8.4 Childcare: an essential support for better incomes 9. Local Development StrategiesThis section examines the potential of local development strategies to generate integrated measures to support the move out of informality for poor communities. 9.1 Local development: opportunities for integrated strategies for moving out of informality

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The Informal Economy and Decent Work: A Policy Resource ...

Whither interest rates? Photos by Pete Marovich/Bloomberg & Ethan MillerGetty Images

Todays news environment has ADD. Thats why business leaders must occasionally disconnect from the tweet-powered media whirlwind and think hard about factors that do not make good SNL sketch material but that will deeply influence our future. So todayinspired by new PWC research finding that by 2050 the U.S. economy will be only the worlds third-largest , after China and IndiaI invite you to figure out what you really believe about the American economys future. Ask yourself two short questions. Dont check the latest forecasts or opinion surveys. Just call upon everything you know and ask yourself what you truly think.

The two questions:

-Is todays economic stagnation really secular? Former treasury secretary Larry Summers is the chief proponent of the view that much of the global economy is in secular stagnation : long-term slow growth, low interest rates, and below-target inflation. Others vigorously dispute that view, saying the U.S. economy can bounce back if stimulated by lighter regulation and lower taxes. Since the end of World War II, the U.S. economy has grown at an average annual rate of 3.2%, yet we have now gone 11 years without 3% growth for even one year; last years growth was only 1.6%.

So has something fundamental changed, creating a low-growth environment as far as the eye can see? Or does the world just need different economic policies? For reference, President Trump intends to lift U.S. economic growth to 4%. The Feds forecast for 2017 is about 2%.

-Must interest rates revert to the mean? Ever since the Fed cut the Fed funds rate from 5.2% to almost 0% during the financial crisisand the 10-year Treasury rate fell from about 5% to less than 2%weve heard stern warnings that rates must eventually return to average levels. When that happens, our world will change. Interest on the federal debt will become massively crippling, retirees will again be able to earn decent yields on reasonably safe investments, and stock prices will plunge, for starters. Yet after nine years, it still isnt happening. Yes, the yield on the ten-year Treasury has risenbut only up to a measly 2.4%.

So here too, has something fundamental changed? Does a global economy based on information and services simply demand less financial capital than the old industrial economy did? Do high savings rates in the growing economies of China, India, and Africa supply more capital to global markets, just as demand for capital is weakening, making capital a low-cost resource from now on?

One thing that looks surer by the day is that our old models for predicting the future dont work anymore. Thats why Im asking you to consult your own deep instincts. Its not just what you think. Where do you feel the world is going?

When youve achieved a fairly comfortable point of view on the two questions, you can turn cable news back on.

Sign up for daily insights, updates, and opinion on leadership and leaders in the news at the Power Sheet .

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Ask Yourself These Two Questions About America's Economic Future - Fortune

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 2, 2017 /CNW/ -Morguard is projecting another year of stable real estate investment performance in 2017 as investors look to the Canadian market for relatively stable yields. While there is a dichotomy between the financial and technology driven economies and resource-based economies in Canada, there remains attractive opportunities for investment.

By the end of 2016, a record amount of capital, both debt and equity, was projected to flow into Canadian commercial real estate. Canadian investment transaction volume surged this past year reaching $27.4 billion in total over the first three quarters of 2016, compared with $16.9 billion over the same period in the previous year. Annual 2016 sales are projected to surpass the most recent annual peak of $32.1 billion in 2007. This immense growth in purchasing power, against a backdrop of moderately healthy Canadian economic fundamentals, was somewhat unique.

"For many domestic and foreign investors, Canada's commercial property market represents stability over the long term resulting in a willingness to place capital in this market," said Keith Reading, Director of Research at Morguard. "This sector has a solid record of performance which we anticipate will continue to drive investment decisions, against a backdrop of global political uncertainty."

The 2017 Economic Outlook and Market Fundamentals Research Report, released today by Morguard Corporation (TSX: MRC), provides a detailed analysis of the 2017 real estate investment trends to watch in Canada. The full report is available at http://www.morguard.com

Highlights - 2017 Real Estate Investment Trends

Financial and Technology Driven Sector: British Columbia and Ontario Remain Strong

While the Canadian economy as a whole has experienced relatively weak economic growth, British Columbia and Ontario continue to perform well above the national average. The Vancouver and Toronto markets have emerged and cemented themselves as the business hubs of the new Canadian economy. Both cities' financial and technology driven economies will continue to support high levels of interest from foreign and domestic investors, creating a real estate market fueled by strong competition, aggressive bidding and the potential to push prime asset values slightly higher.

Following this trend, technology companies located in the North East or along the West Coast of the U.S. are expanding or setting up offices in Canada given cost advantages. The less expensive Canadian dollar, coupled with the tremendous growth in the technology sector over the past year, has driven a significant portion of the office leasing demand in Vancouver and Toronto.

In contrast, markets supported by the resource sector continued to experience tepid economic activity in 2016, which is expected to improve gradually over the next few years with annual forecast expansion of roughly 2.0%. The commodities slump in Alberta, coupled with the weak growth in Quebec, Saskatchewan and parts of the Eastern provinces, has indicated that Canada's reliance on resources as an economic driver is decelerating in favour of the financial and technology markets in Vancouver and Toronto. However, there remains opportunity to find solid returns within these markets.Resource-driven market investors can expect continued stabilization in the retail sector. Leasing conditions will drive investment performance and draw capital back into the market. Demand is expected to increase in Winnipeg, Montreal, Edmonton and Calgary.

"Bottom line is that quality investment opportunities will be found in markets across the country," said Reading. "Low risk investors will continue to look to Vancouver and Toronto, especially at strategic locations for acquiring multi-suite residential properties. Opportunistic investors will look to markets that are depressed with the potential for longer-term success."

Investors looking to mitigate risk and increase returns are adapting to market conditions in practical ways. A significant number of larger investors continue to assess diversifying ownership of assets they already hold across regions and asset classes, against a backdrop of upward pricing pressure for the country's core assets.

About Morguard Corporation

Morguard Corporation is a major North American real estate and property management company. It has extensive retail, office, industrial, hotel and residential holdings owned directly and through its investment in Morguard REIT and Morguard North American Residential REIT. Morguard also provides real estate management services to institutional and other investors. Morguard's owned and managed portfolio of assets is valued at $20.7 billion.

For more information, please visit Morguard.com.

Forward Looking Statement Disclaimer

Statements contained herein that are not based on historical or current fact, including without limitation statements containing the words "anticipates," "believes," "may," "continue," "estimate," "expects" and "will" and words of similar expression, constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following: general economic and business conditions, both nationally and regionally; changes in business strategy; financing risk; existing governmental regulations and changes in, or the failure to comply with, governmental regulations; liability and other claims asserted; and other factors. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Publisher does not assume the obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Morguard Corporation

To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2017/02/c6042.html

For further information: K. Rai Sahi, Chairman and CEO, T 905-281-3800; Keith Reading, Director, Research, 905-271-3800

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Morguard - 2017 Real Estate Investment Trends to Watch in Canada - Canada NewsWire (press release)

Feb 06, 2017 (LBO) President Maithripala Sirisena has called upon all sections of the society to work with determination and commitment to win economic freedom through achieving the goal of sustainable development and poverty alleviation.

This goal will be achieved through the commitment of intellectuals, the strength of the labour force of workers and peasants, active participation of the youth of the nation as well as efficient utilization of innovative human resource force, the President said.

Addressing the nation on the 69th Independence Anniversary at the Galle Face, Saturday, he said economic freedom could be achieved through a knowledge based economy with innovative technical skill development.

The nation has the capacity and strength of skilled human resources and intellectuals as well as resourceful young generation to carry out such development endeavours, he said.

In the 21st century, the nations need knowledge based education, knowledge economy, innovative economy, digital economy and in this process the youths should play a pivotal role.

The President said the youth of Sri Lanka have the determination and desire for absorbing new technology and innovative skills, he said that the government would provide all the requirements essential for the youths to obtain that knowledge.

The young generation is the inheritors and custodians of the building process of the knowledge based economy.

I am trust that the youths, intellectuals, politicians, all other sections of the society would fulfill their responsibilities and duties with absolute commitment and determination to build the Motherland, President Sirisena added.

He said that there is a new meaning in todays freedom as we are talking about a freedom that blows freely across the skies.

This is an era in which the human freedom, media freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of thought and freedom to gather freely blow across the skies.

The President, pointing out that there are strengths and weaknesses in social democracy and market economy, said that we should understand those strengths and weaknesses in order to adopt a mixed system by obtaining positive segments of both the systems.

He emphasized the imperative need for eliminating corruption, bribery, malpractices, waste and fraud and said it is essential for the politicians and public servants to work honestly and with commitment.

When we attempt to achieve economic prosperity, it is essential for the politician to be a character of honesty and commitment. Furthermore I trust the politicians and public servants fulfill the responsibilities and duties honestly and with commitment to build the Motherland.

The President recalled the sacrifices made by all the communities to gain independence during various struggles from 1505 to 1948.

We have to remember that sweet fragrance of their great sacrifices with gratitude today.

During the 30-year old conflict to liberate the country from the LTTE, the heroic soldiers made many sacrifices. Hundreds of thousands people sacrifices, lives and limbs and their families also suffered immense difficulties. Economy was ruined. Today we have to ask the question whether all those who died were the losers and all those who are living are the victors? I believe that all of us should learn a lesson from that.

The President pointed out that the governments endeavour for reconciliation and communal harmony has been praised locally as well as internationally.

He said that he considers the opportunistic forces that are against reconciliation process as the forces against the country.

President Sirisena called upon everybody to fulfill the responsibilities and duties to build a nation which is economically prosperous, fortified in knowledge and maintains international goodwill.

Read more from the original source:

Younger generation inheritors of knowledge-based economy: President - Lanka Business Online

Colombo, 04 February, (Asiantribune.com):

Today our country completes 69 years of the freedom from colonial rule (1948 2017). I am very pleased with this occasion to hold this 69thindependence celebration with high dignity, pride and glory.

The 69th Independence Day celebration was held today at the Galle Face Green under the theme of the National Peace, and under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, ministers, parliamentarians and diplomats attended the ceremony which also included military parades

Addressing the nation on the 69th Independence Anniversary at the Galle Face this morning, the President said the economic freedom could be achieved through a knowledge based economy with innovative technical skill development. He pointed out that the nation has the capacity and strength of skilled human resources and intellectuals as well as resourceful young generation to carry out such development endeavors.

When we celebrate the freedom, we should talk about what the real freedom is. As far as I know more than 6000 languages are spoken by various nationalities living in the countries across the world. In all those languages the word independence is considered as a significant, incomparable and unconquerable word.

There is a difference between the ideas come into minds when we talk about the freedom during the time our country has been under foreign invaders from 1505 to 1948 and the freedom in the current era.

In 1948, D. S. Senanayake and contemporary national leaders who represented all communities; Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim gave a giant strength to the national struggle for freedom.

During that struggle, there were occasions when our national leaders were imprisoned. Thousands sacrificed their lives for the country and the freedom from 1505 to 1948. On this Independence Day, we should remember the sweet fragrance of the noble sacrifices made by the heroes in that historic era, who sacrificed their lives and shed their blood in the fight against colonial rulers.

During the decades of 1930 and 1940, as a result of the demands made by the leaders of this country, we got rid of some major grievances through the Donoughmore and Solbary Commissions. We succeeded in winning the freedom on the 4th of February 1948.

When we talk about the freedom it is essential to remember the valiant war heroes who fought to save our country from L. T. T. E. terrorism throughout 30 years. They sacrificed their lives. They lost their limbs. They became disabled and their families suffered heavily. Economy was ruined. About 100,000 people including civilians lost their lives. Thousands became disabled. Are the people who lost their lives in the 30 years long war were losers? Are those who saved their lives are winners? I believe that we, who saved our lives from that tragedy, should remember the lessons we learnt.

Today we talk about freedom in a more complex manner than it was discussed in the past. All of us know, at present when we talk about freedom primarily, we talk about a freedom blowing across the sky, including our human freedom, media freedom, the right to expression, right to thought and the right to assemble.

In the process of building our great Motherland as a modern state which is compatible with the twenty-first century, we have to work, giving priority to the political stability and the social development. All of you know that to achieve those goals, it is necessary to strengthen the national as well as religious reconciliation in the country. Specifically, I have to mention that we, as a Government, have given priority in this regard.

I clearly state that even though we receive accolades from locally and internationally for our commitment and determination to establish national reconciliation and peace in the country, there are some opportunistic elements who act against those noble efforts of the Government. I describe those opportunist forces as a section of society who acts against the country.

Today, all of us should commit ourselves to ensure the economic freedom of our country, when we define the word freedom. The knowledge and the ability of the intellectuals and scholars in the country, innovative skills and capabilities, and the efficiency of the skilled workforce as well as the strength of labor of all the people including the farmers and workers plus their commitment is essential to gain economic freedom to our country.

I believe this era as a period where our new generation is extremely interested in obtaining knowledge and the skills in the field of the high technology. I must mention that always as a Government we are giving priority to provide requisite guidance to our young generation to acquire new knowledge to conquer the world also to build this country based on the concept of the knowledge economy.

All of us agreed that to ensure full democracy in the country in this 21st Century, first we should achieve the economic prosperity. In that context, we give priority to our new generation. I should specially mention here the inheritors and custodians in the process of building an innovative economy based on the knowledge, is our young generation.

President Maithripala Sirisena called upon all sections of the society to work with determination and commitment to win economic freedom through achieving the goal of sustainable development and poverty alleviation. This goal will be achieved through the commitment of intellectuals, the strength of the labor force of workers and peasants, active participation of the youth of the nation as well as efficient utilization of innovative human resource force, the President said.

The President said that in the 21st Century, the nations need knowledge based education, knowledge economy, innovative economy, digital economy and in this process the youths should play a pivotal role. Stating that the youth of Sri Lanka has the determination and desire for absorbing new technology and innovative skills, he said that the government would provide all the requirements essential for the youths to obtain that knowledge. The young generation is the inheritors and custodians of the building process of the knowledge based economy.

I trust that the youths, intellectuals, politicians, all other sections of the society would fulfill their responsibilities and duties with absolute commitment and determination to build the Motherland, President Sirisena said.

He said that there is a new meaning in todays freedom as we are talking about a freedom that blows freely across the skies. This is an era in which the human freedom, media freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of thought and freedom to assemble, freely blow across the skies.

The President, pointing out that there are strengths and weaknesses in social democracy and market economy, said that we should understand those strengths and weaknesses in order to adopt a mixed system by obtaining positive segments of both the systems.

He emphasized the imperative need for eliminating corruption, bribery, malpractices, waste and fraud and said it is essential for the politicians and public servants to work honestly and with commitment. When we attempt to achieve economic prosperity, it is essential for the politician to be a character of honesty and commitment. Furthermore I trust the politicians and public servants fulfill the responsibilities and duties honestly and with commitment to build the Motherland.

The President recalled the sacrifices made by all the communities to gain independence during various struggles from 1505 to 1948. We have to remember that sweet fragrance of their great sacrifices with gratitude today.

During the 30-year old conflict to liberate the country from the LTTE, the heroic soldiers made many sacrifices. Hundreds of thousands people sacrifices, lives and limbs and their families also suffered immense difficulties. Economy was ruined. Today we have to ask the question whether all those who died were the losers and all those who are living are the victors. I believe that all of us should learn a lesson from that.

The President pointed out that the governments endeavor for reconciliation and communal harmony has been praised locally as well as internationally. He said that he considers the opportunistic forces that are against reconciliation process as the forces against the country.

President Sirisena called upon everybody to fulfill the responsibilities and duties to build a nation which is economically prosperous, fortified in knowledge and maintains international goodwill.

Soon after President Sirisena's address, the smart parade comprised of tri-service Officers and Other ranks, Police and Civil Security Department personnel, including National Cadet Corps (NCC), dressed in their respective ceremonials was reported by the Parade Commander to the Chief Guest who took the Salute in accordance with military traditions.

Thousands of troops, attired in their ceremonial attire afterwards began their march-past, according their salute to His Excellency, the President, the Chief Guest on the occasion.

Rhythmic cultural troupes, made up of well-known artistes, school students and others from provincial levels added variety and magnificence to the parade as the days programme drew to a close.

Religious dignitaries of all denominations and a massive crowd of spectators witnessed the National Independence Day proceedings in Colombo.

More than two thousand artistes representing Colombo and all other districts in the country, in addition to some five thousand tri-service, Police and Civil Security Department personnel took part in the parade.

Many cultural events and marches by tri forces, police and the civil defence forces colored the event.

- Asian Tribune -

Read the original:

Economic freedom achievable through knowledge based economy, innovative technical skill development - President - Asian Tribune

Adrian Calcaneo

E. Adrian Calcaneo is the founder of the Council for North American Policy, a think tank whose mission is to foster an understanding of the contempora

The Trump administrations proposed Mexico policies regarding immigration and trade will make Americas fears a reality.

Minutes after descending from the golden escalator at Trump Tower, Donald Trump fired the first salvo at what would eventually become one of his favorite electoral targets during his presidential campaign: Mexico. Trump attacked the southern neighbor from two different fronts: immigration and trade. In hisfirst speechas a presidential candidate he stated clearly his adversarial vision of Mexico:

When do we beat Mexico at the border? Theyre laughing at us, at our stupidity. And now they are beating us economically. They are not our friend, believe me. But theyre killing us economically. The US has become a dumping ground for everybody elses problems When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best Theyre sending people that have lots of problems, and theyre bringing those problems with us. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists.

On the surface, these two issuesimmigration and tradecould seem unrelated. In reality, these are two policy areas that are heavily intertwined and, along with national security, are the main pillars of one of the United States most important relations with a foreign nation.

The focus on immigration, particularly undocumented, soon gave birth to one of Trumps greatest campaign devices: the building of a wall between the US and Mexico. Taking the issue further, not only was he advocating that the wall be built, but also proposed thatMexico pays for it. Build That Wall became a campaign rallying cry in subsequent months and one of the key promises of the Republican candidate.

The purpose of the wall came along with thepromiseto secure the border and create a deportation force to remove the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants living in the US. Since about half of the undocumented US population is thought to come from Mexico, this narrative quickly added toxicity to the rhetoric that the Trump campaign had toward Mexico.

The electoral benefits of such a stance were evident, as hard talk on immigration remains one of the best ways to mobilize the conservative base. Moreover, adding trade and NAFTA to the rhetoric allowed Trump to break a traditional democratic stronghold and gain support of middle-class workers whose jobs prospects might have suffered due to globalization.

This perception of a southern border being overrun by undocumented people, however, is very different from what the numbers say. The Pew Research center recentlyreportedthat more Mexicans are leaving the country than coming in, and the US Border patrol statistics show that apprehensions at the border, a metric used to calculate undocumented crossings, are currently at a 40-year low. In other words, the facts regarding immigration from Mexico do not match Trumps campaign rhetoric.

Among the most important reasons for this shift is the fact that Mexican population growth has decreased considerably. In 1970, Mexican fertility rate was almost seven births per woman, one of the worlds highest. A couple decades later, about the time where the population born in the 1970s reached adulthood, the US experienced a peak in undocumented immigration from Mexico. The Mexican fertility rate since 2000 has been just above two births per woman and declining. In short, there are simply not enough young Mexican people for the migration levels to return to the levels of the 1990s.

Immigration is usually composed of both push and pull factors. The example of high fertility rates combined with the macroeconomic mismanagement Mexico experienced in the 1980s and 1990s were obvious push factors that led to more Mexican migration to the US. Since the late 1990s, macroeconomic management in Mexico has been prudent and has not experienced any self-inflicted recessions.

Economic growth, while not at the countrys full economic potential, has been consistent and allowed the economy to create enough jobs and stability to produce a pull effect that allowed Mexicans to have other options rather than immigrating to the US. The impact of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the opening of the Mexican economy to the world were key components of this new Mexican reality.

Regarding trade, Trumps statement that Mexico was killing us economically was the preamble of another great campaign device: the desire to renegotiate or repeal NAFTA. Early in the campaign, NAFTA became one of Trumps favorite targets, often referring to it as the worst trade deal ever.

Along with China, Mexicothrough NAFTAwas blamed for the loss of thousands, if not millions, of US jobs, particularly in manufacturing. Through this anti-free trade rhetoric, Trump was able to tap into the anger of certain strata of the population, particularly those in the manufacturing sector, who saw their factories close and move abroad over the last few decades. This allowed him to break the so called Democratic blue wall and capture the support of people in the rust belt and key states like Ohio and Wisconsin that paved the way for his presidency. Mexico, in the eyes of someTrump supporters, is not only a source of undocumented immigration, but also a country that is taking jobs away from the US.

According to theUS Census Bureau,in the first 11 months of 2016 trade between Mexico and the US reached $482 billion dollars, making Mexico the third largest US trading partner and second largest destination for US exports in the world. As a matter of perspective, during the stated period, Mexico bought more US products than China, Japan and the United Kingdomthe third, fourth and fifth export destinations for the US,combined.

One of Trumpsmain argumentsto support his animosity toward Mexico and China is the current trade deficit the US holds with these countries. The US Census Bureaudatashows that while the trade deficit with China is by far the greatest($319 billion),the deficit with Mexico is much smaller ($58.8 billion) and similar to other US trade deficits with Germany ($59.6 billion) and Japan ($62.4 billion). It goes without saying that none of these three countries are part of NAFTA.

Deficits cannot be solely attributed to free trade agreements. One explanation for President Trumps focus on China and Mexico could be outsourcing. Companies are not known to move US jobs to Germany, Canada and Japan, but there is no denying that this has occurred to some extent with China and Mexico.

However, placing outsourcing to China and Mexico in the same category is a gross misunderstanding of current international trade trends and the benefits of regional integrated supply chains. When a company moves jobs to China, it takes the vast majority of the production chain with it. This makes sense from a geographical standpoint, since production requires proximity to the supply chain.

The case of Mexico is very different. As a general rule, companies moved only part of their production to Mexico. In most cases, it was the low-skilled, labor-intensive portions of the production process. This allowed companies to keep higher-skilled jobs in the US by leveraging the cheaper labor in Mexico to produce parts and other necessary components of production. In other words, by moving some low-skill jobs to Mexico, manufacturers are allowed to keep part of their production in the US as opposed to sending the whole production chain to China.

The results are quite clear. According to theWilson Center, a Chinese export has about 3-4% of US made contents/inputs, while a Mexican export product has, on average, 40% of US made content/inputs. Out of the $270 billion Mexican exports to the US, $108 billionaround 40%eventually end up back in US companies due to the benefits of supply chain integration.

As an example, the number one US import and export with Mexico is the automobile. Due to supply chain integration, cars cross the border multiple times during production. One can argue that there is no such thing as a US, Mexican or Canadian-made automobile but rather a North American one. In the words of President John F. Kennedy: A rising tide lifts all boats.

President Trump continuously boasts his business acumen and credentials. Is it good business to ostracize your second largest customer? Furthermore, supply chain integration with Mexico makes the US and its exports more competitive worldwide. The US Chamber of Commerce states that trade with Mexico supports up tosix million US jobs. A high percentage of these jobs will be put in jeopardy if relations are meddled with. Is it wise to trade those jobs for the estimated 800,000 low-skilled and low-paid jobs that the US lost to Mexico?

As stated, thinking of immigration and trade policy as two different issues is a mistake. Along with national security, these are deeply intertwined and one must be careful to act without considering the implications across all three realms.

Unfortunately, so far this is what Trumps policy toward Mexico appears to be doing. The historical low levels of apprehension at the border, not seen since 1973, hardly justify building a $25-billion wall on the border. Indicating that NAFTA is the main culprit of the loss of manufacturing jobs in the US without mentioning advances and growth in robotics used in manufacturing only tells a small part of the story.

Mexico has made tremendous strides during the last decade toward creating economic incentives to keep its citizens within its borders. A large part of these economic incentives is derived from the burgeoning trade with the US. In 1993, the year before NAFTA was implemented, US-Mexico trade was$81 billion dollars, according to the US Census Bureau. In comparison, through November 2016, yearly total trade between the countries reached more than $481 billion dollars. Mexico made the transition from a natural resource-based economy into one based increasingly on complex manufacturing.

Prosperity in Mexico has several benefits for the US: less undocumented migration, increased security and higher demand for US products. It is hard to find a better example of a win-win-win.

The frontal attack of the Trump administration on this equilibrium, particularly NAFTAand hence the stability of Mexicocould have dire consequences for both countries. A withdrawal from NAFTA could prove disastrous in the short term for Mexico as 80% of its exports are destined for the US. Mexico could easily end up in a steep recession that could cost millions of Mexicans their jobs and sources of income. It is easy to imagine the consequences of what would happen if up to a million maquiladora workers right across the US-Mexico border suddenly find themselves unemployed. If history serves as guide,Mexico will see a spike in organized crime activity and migration to the US.

While the argument has been that current undocumented immigration numbers do not justify President Trumps focus and escalation on the border, his nationalistic vision on trade could end up destabilizing Mexico to the point where people begin migrating north in numbers large enough to make the need for a wall a reality. His proposed policies are, therefore, counterproductive for both the US and Mexico as they could deteriorate this delicate balance to the point that his pessimistic and largely unsupported by facts vision becomes a reality.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observers editorial policy.

Photo Credit:Ruskpp

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Trump's Flawed Logic Regarding US-Mexico Relations - Fair Observer

This is the chapter by Kelly Mitchell omitted from his book Gold Wars, and we publish it here alongside his letter to us.

Economy means efficiency - a lack of waste Peter Joseph

Imagine a world without telemarketers, without advertising, without someone trying to sell you something constantly, without a propaganda industry trying to convince everyone their empty lives will be filled by the latest gadget/fragrance/object, without logos, and without soulless consumption. Imagine a world without money. Money is useful as a medium of exchange, but a world where all human needs (and most reasonable desires) are readily fulfilled is only possible without money. We are the sole species that pays to live on this planet. This society would simply terminate private property as an arcane, useless and even wasteful fixation. The age of ownership would recede into memory a necessary, but immature phase in our societal growth. Sounds insane, right? But if all human needs can be met, if most non-harmful and physically possible desires can be universally met, then property would be pointless - merely a pathetic, failed means to bolster the self-worth of adult children. Such a world moves through purpose, not paper. It is sustainable. Its called a Resource Based Economy (RBE). The ethic of the resource based economy is to align with natural law. We cannot consume past the earths ability to provide. An RBE catalogs and utilizes planetary resources in the most efficient method we can create for the good of all humanity. Money is not necessary and everyone has access to all goods and services. Planetary resources cannot be claimed by individuals, but are publicly owned. Many proponents of the system now exist, most notably the Zeitgeist Movement.

Conceptual cities have been detailed with full energy independence, complete food self-sufficiency, and awesomely convenient public transportation. Designed cities can have immensely higher efficiencies than the ad hoc ones currently in use. They can maximize human satisfaction through good planning, clean air, water, and organic food. This would not restrict anyone living in the country and fully utilizing technology, either. All choices are voluntary - there is no coercion. If someone is using property, it is not available for others, of course. But no one could own immense tracts of land, letting them lie fallow with no public access.

Certain mandatory measures toward a more sustainable direction must be met the economy must change from a growth to a steady state economy. 1) The monetary system must be eliminated - it creates scarcity. 2) We must move from a competitive to a collaborative model. This will eliminate redundant products, just for monetary competition. It will also eliminate inferior products because all players have full knowledge access and there is no financial incentive to build junk. In a collaborative world, every innovation can draw on all knowledge - nothing is proprietary or withheld. 3) Total open source knowledge. Centralization of knowledge requires distribution of production, but in a coordinated manner. Locally produced goods would be available for all needs. Earth could be catalogued and inventoried as per resources and energy supplies. Action could be taken well ahead of time to avert crisis. A simple form of this is feasible right now, but knowledge is proprietary and resources are owned by elites. Open-source knowledge would eliminate duplication of efforts and mass resource wasting. It would allow for the best understanding and processes to emerge without the current artificial constraints. Global collaboration would overcome the barriers of competition and proprietary knowledge. Humanity would experience an explosion of progress in knowledge, ideas, ideologies, and technology. Eliminating the monetary system would remove the need to suppress competitive technologies like alternative energy (which threatens big oil). Without the need to create energy scarcity for oil profits, those technologies would no longer be restricted.

4) Deliberate automation. The economy is headed to automation already. Artificial means of creating jobs exist (largely as public sector workers), just because the capitalist system demands work for pay. Virtually all factory workers could be replaced in a few years. All jobs with no social benefit (Wall street, finance, and so many public sector jobs) would be pointless. 65% of all jobs could be eliminated with current knowledge right now. Productivity is inverse to employment. The higher the productivity, the lower the employment. Its a marketplace function - people are much more expensive than machines. They need a house, food, car, etc. Machines only need their raw energy inputs and maintenance. Some machines can even repair themselves.

5) Eliminate property rights in favor of universal access for all goods and services. If all goods and services are freely available, multiple problems are instantly eliminated. Shared resources create abundance nothing is owned by individuals without ever being used. Nothing sits idle, so all that idle time is now useful time, requiring only a tiny percentage of current material goods to fully satisfy all human needs. Hoarding uses an enormous amount of resources. A car in constant use takes care of 20 people instead of 1. The problem of theft is entirely eliminated - if no one owns anything (or everyone owns everything) theft is pointless. 98% of all crime would disappear overnight. We can provide an excellent quality of life for all humans many times over, while eliminating war, crime, poverty, destitution and displacement. There is no need for any of that.

Many people have the feeling that the idea of a resource based economy is actually quite good, but it could never work. Obviously, an unlimited list of tedious procedural problems can be drafted what about people wanting land to homestead, for example? Rural versus urban vehicle use? Vandalism? But such a list are merely wrinkles to iron out through human ingenuity. The most common significant objections are some variation of the following: 1) This is communism. 2) Its utopian. 3) Its dystopian - a machine governed, totalitarian prone society/ technocracy. 4) Owning private property is fundamental to human life and society. 5) People will not be motivated to do unpleasant and dangerous jobs. 6) Its overwhelming. 7) The powers will never let it happen.

Some of these are valid concerns; some are merely philosophical dislikes. Its difficult to give complete answers because we are talking about a total restructure of society on a global level. Lets take the objections one at a time.

1) This is Communism! An RBE is not communism. First, capitalism and communism are not mutually exclusive systems - they work in tandem within a society. If we call any socialized project a shade of communism (as some do), then the military is a perfect example. It performs, in theory, a societal benefit - it defends the country. All the people pay for it through taxes. The military is the ultimate socialist institution. Roads, schools, hospitals, courts, police - many of the things we take for granted are socialized - paid for by the public and there (ostensibly) for the public good. Most people drive, want clean air, land and water in their town, need to feel safe, and believe in education as a right. These are socialist values, and they can exist right alongside of capitalist values of earning a living, owning property, and engaging in the marketplace economy. In fact, every family is communist do children pay rent? Do they work? No in a family, the unspoken rule is from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. One parent makes the money, the other takes care of the house, and the kids eat and live for free and go to school. Capitalism simply makes no sense for the internal operating structure of a family.

More to the point of the resource based economy, however it is not Communism because the labor supply side is totally missing. The labor is supplied primarily by machines. Certainly, some workers will be needed for planning and maintenance, but many, many people simply enjoy these activities. They will volunteer. People like work and they love to feel meaning in their work. Moreover, its not to each according to his needs. Each person has full access to anything they currently have - and a whole lot more. Because goods are well-made and communally owned, they are always available and far more durable.

2) Its utopian. This criticism stems from the fact that people do not have to work and have all needs provided. While true, there is far more needed for a utopian society. People will still have to deal with innate meaning, relationships, personal development and other social concerns. An RBE could never hope to solve such issues, but it can create far better opportunities for us to work on them, rather than being imprisoned in an increasingly senseless monetary system.

3) Its dystopian. This comes from the notion that it will be a centrally planned system, subject to political tyranny by controllers. While the need for central administration is obvious in terms of resource logistics, distribution and manufacturing, it need not translate into a political control. In any system, preventing dictators from seizing political control is incumbent on the population itself. People must remain aware. No economic system is immune. In fact, the monetary system of control allows for far easier dictatorial control because it creates an impossibly disproportionate distribution of wealth. A few people who control trillions of dollars and even the creation of currency exert so much control that the citizenry is rendered powerless. That is the current situation and it is a definition of oligarchical dictatorship. The people have no true voice, only the illusion.

4) Owning property is fundamental to humans. This is completely false. Ownership is largely an illusion - all you have is temporary possession and use. Even pre-historical societies were completely egalitarian all possessions were commonly owned. Societies exist now without individual property rights all resources are communally owned. They function on a tribal scale, so the challenge is to scale up. It is a formidable challenge, no doubt, but it is doable, if we all see the virtue and strive toward it. People do not need property or possessions, they need and desire the benefits of these things. If you always have access to a home and privacy within that, or to a sailboat, why would you want the individual expense of owning it? Even property taxes would cease - no one would complain about that. A limited ownership would still exist mainly the right to use something as long as needed. What other point is there to ownership?

5) Motivation. The basic problem is conceiving of an RBE through the lens of current reward system programming. As Dan Pinks book Drive showed, monetary incentives create a detrimental effect in terms of motivation and creativity. True motivators are autonomy, mastery and purpose. In an RBE, a sense of civic duty toward humanity would be easy to cultivate. Many people have such a desire already - its why we have philanthropy and volunteerism. Most difficult, dangerous and unpleasant jobs would be machine-doable anyway. All we would need is the technological push, which would come readily through complete open-source knowledge.

6) Its overwhelming. Very true - the project is inconceivably massive. Most people drop it initially but if they come across the ideas again, it seems more appealing. The concept is so alien to our current social programming that it feels a bit repugnant, strange, incomprehensible, or absurd. All I can do is encourage you to take an open mind and just ponder it dream a bit about the profound human potential. Any large task can seem overwhelming, but with many people, it becomes possible. And with enough people, it becomes inevitable. Even a total restructure of society can be done if we all wish it.

Now is the time for a change. As Barack Obama told the banking CEOs, My administration is the only thing between you and the pitchforks. People are angry. The system is teetering. Power is shifting. The world is almost ready for a major change. If a determined global movement pushes, a simple move of capitalist power from West to East can be diverted to a more fundamental paradigm shift.

7) The powers will prevent it. This assumes they can prevent it. They can certainly hinder it, but powerful ideas, when they take hold, live longer than people. The current leaders will die and be replaced. Eventually a more conciliatory group will emerge, subject to a nascent ideology. From that perspective, we make a better world not for ourselves, but our children. We will never see it, but it is worth all the more for that. On a more immediate frame - leaders cannot resist a truly determined, awakened populace. Our leaders have ruled by some assumption that they (or a persons chosen subset) have better insights into managing society. That illusion is failing fast. Politicians are almost universally despised and seen as corrupt. No one trusts them to make decisions that honestly benefit society. They are no better than the average person and often they are far, far worse. All it will take is the people to unify under a greater vision and thats the real challenge of a resource based economy. People have enormous resistance based on previous societal conditioning. However, in a very immediate sense (the next few years), a paradigm shift is happening. Political power is being drained from the corrupted West and headed to an East anxious to prove its integrity to gain the worlds trust so that it can take the mantle of leadership by popular approval. In such a power shift, ideological doctrines have a way of inserting themselves and gaining serious traction. At a deeper level, capitalism may be unsustainable for the reasons listed above, especially on a planet with a ballooning population. From that perspective, all that is needed is to wait for the real collapse, educating as many people as we can in the meantime.

It may sound too good to be possible, but that is just a thought. It may be the only rational solution to our current predicament - for all its power, the monetary system has become open failure, detrimental to humanity. We may be forced to develop an RBE just to maintain a decent standard of life. We have based our society on enlightened self-interest, only to find that is a chimera a totally self-interested society devolves into narcissism and vulgar consumption. Our choice may boil down to global abundance or global destruction. In the end, all that limits us is our ability to transcend our social programming. If we can see a better world, one where basic goodness is known to live in every being, one where global abundance exists by the simple generosity of sharing like we teach children to do, one where conservative means to not waste resources and destroy the place, one where we do not own the Earth because you cannot own your mother, one where hubris becomes humility and greed becomes gratitude if we can visualize such a world, we can make it real.

Comment:

Much of this of course, we can agree with. Except we would point out that the type of society described here has always accurately been referred to as socialism or communism, as they mean the same thing the social or common ownership of the means of living. That so-called Communist countries (really systems of state-run capitalism) like the former USSR, China, East Germany, etc abused the term is not in our view a reason to disassociate ourselves from it. After all, these states called themselves democratic too!

Regarding, the Zeitgeist Movement, we agree there are a number of positive features of this loosely structured organization, but there are sadly many problems with it too. Not the least of which is its lack of democratic internal attitudes and structures, as well as the fact a great many TZM members arguably the majority have views more focused on attempts to reform capitalism (and its banking system, etc) than on the only solution to the social and economic problems of our time real socialism.

Editors

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A Resource Based Economy - worldsocialism.org

The resource-based economy (RBE)

Whilst the term resource-based economy could just as easily apply to the localised gift economy I advocate, its now more commonly understood to be a high-technology, globalised version of a non-monetary economy. Proponents of such an economy include Peter Joseph of the phenomenally popular The Zeitgeist Movement (TZM)(38) and Jacques Fresco of The Venus Project (TVP),(39) two projects which up until 2011 had been strongly associated with each other.

Their central premise is that in order to enjoy what these members perceive to be a high standard of living, people dont need money, but instead resources such as food, water, minerals and other materials. In fact, they claim that monetary economics actually prevents the fair distribution of such necessities of life. Advocates of such a system argue that the world is abundant, and that all of its resources could be utilised much more wisely and shared equally amongst all of humanity, not just those with financial prowess. Fresco advocates using the high levels of technology that humans are capable of creating, but within a resource-focused, economic model in which built-in obsolescence(40) makes zero sense. It is an economic model in which machines do any job that can be automated, and are used not to replace human labour in a way that leads to unemployment and all the social implications of that, but instead to shorten the working day for all, meaning much more leisure time and complete and free access to all the resources of the Earth and the technologies that are produced. It is a design where human ingenuity is tapped to collectively create the most efficient and sustainable technologies based on best practice and highest quality, and not reduced by the pressures of the competitive market where duplication and waste are inherent and rife. The monetary economy, they argue, and again I agree, is based on scarcity, whereas a resource-based economy is based on collective abundance.

Much of this I find admirable, especially the intentions behind it. Peter Joseph,(41) in particular, is a fascinating man whose analysis of many of the major problems we face today is insightful and his courage and dedication in raising awareness of the destructive consequences of monetary economics is exemplary. Yet I feel that by aiming for a high technology, highly complex version of a non-monetary economy, both TZM and TVP are making their vision almost impossible to realise.

Why? Aside from the fact that high technology has proven to be entirely counter-productive to our sense of happiness and connection to local place and community, a point Ill explain a little further on, for it to happen would require the entire worlds nations to get on board before we could even begin to think about achieving such a grand plan, as many of the minerals and materials that would be used (to make all the high technology products that RBE proponents want) come from all over the planet oil from the Middle East, copper from China, minerals from Africa, rubber from South America. Unless all of these diverse countries and regions signed up to such an economic model and philosophical perspective, it would be unworkable. Considering the complexities of the world and its nations, politics, cultures, laws and religions that I outlined earlier, this is highly unrealistic.

With a localised economy, anyone can start living in the non-monetary economy fairly immediately without having to wait for the political and corporate leaders of the US, Iran, Namibia and Mexico to relinquish their control and unite with their entire populations under a new moneyless world order. Not that I am suggesting that TZM or TVP are advocating that we ask permission from our governments to start enacting elements of their vision they certainly arent, and again on that I agree.

Even if a unification of world ideologies was possible, within this version of a resource-based economy there seems to lie the assumption that advanced technologies make us happy. If this were true, why is it that in easily the most technologically advanced period of human history, humankind has never been more depressed? Ive no doubt proponents of a globalised non-monetary economy would point out that the reasons for our current unhappiness are much more complex than that, and theyd be right, they are. At the same time, it is widely documented that those who live in low technology societies, past and present, express stronger feelings of happiness, contentment and connection to community and place than those of us in the global West, who survive on a collective diet of quick-fix antidepressants, escapism and self-help gurus.

Research such as The Happy Planet Index(42) by the New Economics Foundation (NEF)(43) backs up much anecdotal evidence to that effect. I and many people I know have travelled the length and breadth of undeveloped countries (the only thing developing about them is their debts to the International Monetary Fund and their cronies) and have encountered people in every village and town much happier, and more generous with their time, food and material possessions, than the vast majority of people I encounter in the advanced country I live in. A twenty year study by Helena Norberg-Hodge(44) of the modernisation of the Ladakhi people, as documented by her film Ancient Futures Learning from Ladakh,(45) powerfully demonstrates the effect of technology and its potent ability to destroy the very fabric of our communities. In their experience, after modernisation they had many more time-saving gadgets, yet somehow much less time. The story has been the same everywhere, and we all have experienced this to some extent.

Having lived both a high and low technology life myself, I can unequivocally state that my physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health increased as the role of high technology in my life decreased and the degree to which my life was localised increased. I dont want my table to be made by a machine, I want to make it with my own hands, or at least by the hands of my friend. Using our hands is crucial to our well-being, our sense of creativity, our relationship with the land. The only argument for a high technology non-monetary economy would be if it enabled us, and the rest of life on Earth, to live happier, more meaningful and freer lives. I have yet to see any evidence of that being the case, whilst our history is littered with examples of the opposite.

I would also argue that the separation from the rest of Nature that such high technology would inevitably cause would further diminish the lack of understanding of ecology and natural cycles, while simultaneously heightening the trauma that we endure from having no interaction with Nature in its wildest states. This disconnection would lead to the very same problems we have today and the deluded sense of self that gives rise to them. If humanity has no daily relationship and intimate connection with the Earth, how can it develop any sense of interdependence with it, or care or respect for it?

That said, there is still much we could learn from both the philosophy and practical solutions proposed by RBE advocates, and it all adds into the mixing pot of new ways of viewing economics and how we meet our needs in a more caring, sustainable and life-affirming manner. It is certainly not my intention to be unjustly critical of high technology RBEs (as I have nothing but the utmost respect for many of its intentions and efforts), but instead to help refine our collective thinking and unite us to some cause that we can actually achieve to some meaningful extent in our lifetimes.

Pay-it-forward

Pay-it-forward is a beautiful idea, popularised by a Hollywood film of the same title. It is a perspective that when you do something for somebody, and they ask you what they can do to help you in return, you tell them not to pay you back, but instead to look out for an opportunity to pay the favour forward by doing something useful for someone else, possibly someone theyve never even met before. Whilst there is still the tiniest element of conditionality about it (i.e. a request has still been made), its the most generous, loving form of conditionality I know of.

Regardless of whether you want to start applying some of these ideas, to various degrees, in the inner city or the woods, there will be both internal and external challenges to overcome, and Ill examine these, along with proposing transition strategies to navigate them successfully, in chapter four. These challenges will take time to overcome however, even if you do want to fully live beyond the need for money. To help you make the transition, or to simply incorporate degrees of moneylessness into your life, Ive co-created a tool to help you: the Progression of Principles (POP) model.

Read more here:

Resource-based economy and pay-it-forward | The Moneyless ...

Recruitment (hiring) is a core function of human resource management. Recruitment refers to the overall process of attracting, selecting and appointing suitable candidates for jobs (either permanent or temporary) within an organization. Recruitment can also refer to processes involved in choosing individuals for unpaid positions, such as voluntary roles or unpaid trainee roles. Managers, human resource generalists and recruitment specialists may be tasked with carrying out recruitment, but in some cases public-sector employment agencies, commercial recruitment agencies, or specialist search consultancies are used to undertake parts of the process. Internet-based technologies to support all aspects of recruitment have become widespread.[1]

In situations where multiple new jobs are created and recruited for the first time or vacancies are there or the nature of a job has substantially changed, a job analysis might be undertaken to document the knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs) required or sought for the job. From these the relevant information is captured in such documents as job descriptions and job specifications. Often, a company already has job descriptions for existing positions. Where already drawn up, these documents may require review and updating to reflect current requirements. Prior to the recruitment stage, a person specification should be finalized.[2]

Sourcing is the use of one or more strategies to attract or identify candidates to fill job vacancies. It may involve internal and/or external recruitment advertising, using appropriate media, such as job portals,local or national newspapers, specialist recruitment media, professional publications, window advertisements, job centers, or in a variety of ways via the internet.

Alternatively, employers may use recruitment consultancies or agencies to find otherwise scarce candidateswho, in many cases, may be content in their current positions and are not actively looking to move. This initial research for candidatesalso called name generationproduces contact information for potential candidates, whom the recruiter can then discreetly contact and screen.[2]

Various psychological tests can assess a variety of KSAOs, including literacy. Assessments are also available to measure physical ability. Recruiters and agencies may use applicant tracking systems to filter candidates, along with software tools for psychometric testing and performance-based assessment.[3] In many countries, employers are legally mandated to ensure their screening and selection processes meet equal opportunity and ethical standards.[2]

Employers are likely to recognize the value of candidates who encompass soft skills such as interpersonal or team leadership.[4] Many companies, including multinational organizations and those that recruit from a range of nationalities, are also often concerned about whether candidate fits the prevailing company culture.[5]

The word disability carries few positive connotations for most employers. Research has shown that employer biases tend to improve through first-hand experience and exposure with proper supports for the employee[6] and the employer making the hiring decisions. As for most companies, money and job stability are two of the contributing factors to the productivity of a disabled employee, which in return equates to the growth and success of a business. Hiring disabled workers produce more advantages than disadvantages.[7] There is no difference in the daily production of a disabled worker.[8] Given their situation, they are more likely to adapt to their environmental surroundings and acquaint themselves with equipment, enabling them to solve problems and overcome adversity as with other employees. The U.S. IRS grants companies Disabled Access Credit when they meet eligibility criteria.[9]

Many major corporations recognize the need for diversity in hiring to compete successfully in a global economy.[10] Other organizations, for example universities and colleges, have been slow to embrace diversity as an essential value for their success.[11]

Recruitment Process Outsourcing, or commonly known as "RPO" is a form of business process outsourcing (BPO) where a company engages a third party provider to manage all or part of its recruitment process.

Internal recruitment (not to be confused with internal recruiters!) refers to the process of a candidate being selected from the existing workforce to take up a new job in the same organization, perhaps as a promotion, or to provide career development opportunity, or to meet a specific or urgent organizational need. Advantages include the organization's familiarity with the employee and their competencies insofar as they are revealed in their current job, and their willingness to trust said employee. It can be quicker and have a lower cost to hire someone internally.[12]

An employee referral program is a system where existing employees recommend prospective candidates for the job offered, and in some organizations if the suggested candidate is hired, the employee receives a cash bonus.[13]

Niche firms tend to focus on building ongoing relationships with their candidates, as the same candidates may be placed many times throughout their careers. Online resources have developed to help find niche recruiters.[14] Niche firms also develop knowledge on specific employment trends within their industry of focus (e.g., the energy industry) and are able to identify demographic shifts such as aging and its impact on the industry.[15]

Social recruiting is the use of social media for recruiting including sites like Facebook and Twitter or career-oriented social networking sites such as LinkedIn and XING.[16][17] It is a rapidly growing sourcing technique, especially with middle-aged people. On Google+, the fastest-growing age group is 4554. On Twitter, the expanding generation is people from ages 5564.[18]

Mobile recruiting is a recruitment strategy that uses mobile technology to attract, engage and convert candidates. Mobile recruiting is often cited as a growing opportunity for recruiters to connect with candidates more efficiently with "over 89% of job seekers saying their mobile device will be an important tool and resource for their job search."[19]

Some recruiters work by accepting payments from job seekers, and in return help them to find a job. This is illegal in some countries, such as in the United Kingdom, in which recruiters must not charge candidates for their services (although websites such as LinkedIn may charge for ancillary job-search-related services). Such recruiters often refer to themselves as "personal marketers" and "job application services" rather than as recruiters.[20][21]

Using Multiple-criteria decision analysis tools such as Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and combining it with conventional recruitment methods provides an added advantage by helping the recruiters to make decisions when there are several diverse criteria to be considered or when the applicants lack past experience; for instance recruitment of fresh university graduates.[22]

In some companies where the recruitment volume is high, it is common to see a multi tier recruitment model where the different sub-functions are being group together to achieve efficiency.

An example of a 3 tier recruitment model:

Excerpt from:

Recruitment - Wikipedia