Saturday 1 June 2013

Marijuana cannabinoids slow brain degradation and aging, reverse dementia: here's how



via Facebook http://www.naturalnews.com/040456_marijuana_cannabinoids_dementia.html

Marijuana cannabinoids slow brain degradation and aging, reverse dementia: here's how



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Cancer-killing dandelion tea gets $157K research grant

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Cancer-killing dandelion tea gets $157K research grant

shared a link

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Cancer-killing dandelion tea gets $157K research grant



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Cancer-killing dandelion tea gets $157K research grant



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British Columbia Kills West Coast Pipeline Plan

Mother Jones While we've been having a big fight over the proposed Keystone XL pipeline here in the US, Canada has also been debating a massive pipeline for exporting tar sands oil. And on Friday, the government of British Columbia put the kibosh on that whole idea:

via Facebook http://ow.ly/lB2Qf

British Columbia Kills West Coast Pipeline Plan

Mother Jones While we've been having a big fight over the proposed Keystone XL pipeline here in the US, Canada has also been debating a massive pipeline for exporting tar sands oil. And on Friday, the government of British Columbia put the kibosh on that whole idea:

via Facebook http://ow.ly/lB2Qf

Thursday 30 May 2013

StopaStalker - Empower Yourself

StopaStalker Empower yourself Empower yourself to stop being a victim, and take action against a stalker. Collect information, collate it, and report to authorities in a simple app made for victims of stalking. Made in conjunction with leading criminologists and victim support forums, StopaStalker is your tool to start fighting back. Record suspect, vehicle, witness and location details. Link to photos in your photo roll, or take photos in-app. Record court orders, with iOS calendar reminders. Produce PDF reports for authorities, friends and family, and email or AirPrint. Backup/Restore from Dropbox so trusted people can access. Setup emergency contacts and police numbers to call or SMS from within the app. Quick 'Victim Guide' with tips for surviving stalking. http://stopastalker.com/

via Facebook http://stopastalker.com/

StopaStalker - Empower Yourself

StopaStalker Empower yourself Empower yourself to stop being a victim, and take action against a stalker. Collect information, collate it, and report to authorities in a simple app made for victims of stalking. Made in conjunction with leading criminologists and victim support forums, StopaStalker is your tool to start fighting back. Record suspect, vehicle, witness and location details. Link to photos in your photo roll, or take photos in-app. Record court orders, with iOS calendar reminders. Produce PDF reports for authorities, friends and family, and email or AirPrint. Backup/Restore from Dropbox so trusted people can access. Setup emergency contacts and police numbers to call or SMS from within the app. Quick 'Victim Guide' with tips for surviving stalking. http://stopastalker.com/

via Facebook http://stopastalker.com/

Details About the S-300 Missile System That Syria Is Receiving From Russia

Silmya Details About the S-300 Missile System That Syria Is Receiving From Russia

via Facebook http://community.silmya.org/details-about-the-s-300-missile-system-that-syria-is-receiving-from-russia/?fb_source=pubv1

Buy any 4 packs from this range and get the cheapest pack FREE



via Facebook http://bit.ly/135F2B1

Details About the S-300 Missile System That Syria Is Receiving From Russia

Silmya Details About the S-300 Missile System That Syria Is Receiving From Russia

via Facebook http://community.silmya.org/details-about-the-s-300-missile-system-that-syria-is-receiving-from-russia/?fb_source=pubv1

Buy any 4 packs from this range and get the cheapest pack FREE



via Facebook http://bit.ly/135F2B1

Canned whale



via Facebook http://www.avaaz.org/en/days_to_stop_the_whale_slaughter_global/?fogYPab&pv=77

Canned whale



via Facebook http://www.avaaz.org/en/days_to_stop_the_whale_slaughter_global/?fogYPab&pv=77

In U.S., Record-High Say Gay, Lesbian Relations Morally OK



via Facebook http://www.gallup.com/poll/162689/record-high-say-gay-lesbian-relations-morally.aspx?utm_source=add_this&utm_medium=addthis.com&utm_campaign=sharing#.Uac47WSuH2k.facebook

In U.S., Record-High Say Gay, Lesbian Relations Morally OK



via Facebook http://www.gallup.com/poll/162689/record-high-say-gay-lesbian-relations-morally.aspx?utm_source=add_this&utm_medium=addthis.com&utm_campaign=sharing#.Uac47WSuH2k.facebook

FREE Marian Price NOW

FREE Marian Price NOW · 4,043 like this. 6 minutes ago · Fingers crossed for Marian today as the Parole Commissioners will decide on whether or not she is to be released.

via Facebook http://www.facebook.com/FreeMarianPriceNOW/posts/530663940323910

FREE Marian Price NOW

FREE Marian Price NOW · 4,043 like this. 6 minutes ago · Fingers crossed for Marian today as the Parole Commissioners will decide on whether or not she is to be released.

via Facebook http://www.facebook.com/FreeMarianPriceNOW/posts/530663940323910

Processed Meats Too Dangerous for Human Consumption

March Against Monsanto The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has completed a detailed review of more than 7,000 clinical studies covering links between diet and cancer.......Bottom line: Processed meats are too dangerous for human consumption.

via Facebook http://www.realfarmacy.com/processed-meats-too-dangerous-for-human-consumption/

Processed Meats Too Dangerous for Human Consumption

March Against Monsanto The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has completed a detailed review of more than 7,000 clinical studies covering links between diet and cancer.......Bottom line: Processed meats are too dangerous for human consumption.

via Facebook http://www.realfarmacy.com/processed-meats-too-dangerous-for-human-consumption/

Slain journalist: Saleem Shahzad’s case is buried, forgotten | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) Police have closed investigation into the murder of journalist Saleem Shahzad, taking a stance that no clue has been found

via Facebook http://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/front-page/69384/slain-journalist-saleem-shahzads-case-is-buried-forgotten/

Slain journalist: Saleem Shahzad’s case is buried, forgotten | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) Police have closed investigation into the murder of journalist Saleem Shahzad, taking a stance that no clue has been found

via Facebook http://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/front-page/69384/slain-journalist-saleem-shahzads-case-is-buried-forgotten/

How to Recycle: Recycled Plastic Bottles Boat



via Facebook http://how-to-recycle.blogspot.com/2013/04/recycled-plastic-bottles-boat.html#.UabU5O-bCB0.facebook

How to Recycle: Recycled Plastic Bottles Boat



via Facebook http://how-to-recycle.blogspot.com/2013/04/recycled-plastic-bottles-boat.html#.UabU5O-bCB0.facebook

Facebook gives way to campaign against hate speech on its pages | Technology | guardian.co.uk

Facebook gives way to campaign against hate speech on its pages | Technology | guardian.co.uk


Facebook gives way to campaign against hate speech on its pages

Company agrees to update policies in response to protest by more than 100 advocacy groups
Young woman looking at Facebook
At least 15 of the social network's advertisers pulled their ads from the site in response to the campaign. Photograph: Alamy
Facebook has bowed to an outcry over content promoting violence against women after advertisers pulled ads in protest.
The company said on Tuesday it would update its policies on hate speech, increase accountability of content creators and train staff to be more responsive to complaints, marking a victory for women's rights activists. "We need to do better – and we will," it said in a statement.
The climbdown followed a week-long campaign by Women, Action and the Media, the Everyday Sexism Project and the activist Soraya Chemaly to remove supposedly humorous content endorsing rape and domestic violence.
Examples included a photograph of the singer Rihanna's bloodied and beaten face, captioned with "Chris Brown's Greatest Hits", a reference to the assault by her ex-boyfriend.
A photograph of a woman in a pool of blood had the caption "I like her for her brains".
Another photograph, of a man holding a rag over a woman's mouth, was captioned "Does this smell like chloroform to you?".
More than 100 advocacy groups joined the protest and demanded Facebook recognise such content as hate speech and train moderators to remove it.
Facebook, which is based in Menlo Park, California, initially rebuffed the complaints, citing freedom of speech. A spokesman told Huffington Post UK: "As you may expect in any diverse community of more than a billion people, we occasionally see people post distasteful or disturbing content, or make crude attempts at humour. While it may be vulgar and offensive, distasteful content on its own does not violate our policies."
The campaign gathered momentum, however, when tens of thousands of tweets and emails using the hashtag #Fbrape were sent to the social network's advertisers.
At least 15 pulled their ads, Women, Action and the Media said, including Nissan UK, Nationwide UK, J Street and WestHost.
Facebook bowed to the pressure in a lengthy statement which stressed its effort to balance free speech with a policy of banning hate speech.
"We prohibit content deemed to be directly harmful, but allow content that is offensive or controversial. We define harmful content as anything organising real world violence, theft, or property destruction, or that directly inflicts emotional distress on a specific private individual (eg bullying)."
It said it had miscalculated the balance. "In recent days, it has become clear that our systems to identify and remove hate speech have failed to work as effectively as we would like, particularly around issues of gender-based hate. In some cases, content is not being removed as quickly as we want. In other cases, content that should be removed has not been or has been evaluated using outdated criteria. We have been working over the past several months to improve our systems to respond to reports of violations, but the guidelines used by these systems have failed to capture all the content that violates our standards."
Facebook promised to review and update guidelines, improve moderators' training, establish more formal lines of communication with advocacy groups and increase accountability of the creators of content which is cruel or insensitive but does not qualify as hate speech. One recent innovation that obliges such creators to supply their authentic identity has already created a "better environment" and will continue to be developed, it said.
Jaclyn Friedman, executive director of Women, Action and the Media, praised Facebook's response and called the company admirable. "We hope that this effort stands as a testament to the power of collaborative action."

Facebook gives way to campaign against hate speech on its pages

yes

via Facebook http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/may/29/facebook-campaign-violence-against-women

Facebook gives way to campaign against hate speech on its pages

yes

via Facebook http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/may/29/facebook-campaign-violence-against-women

Monsanto | A Sustainable Agriculture Company

March Against Monsanto "Rumor has it the Monsanto web page has been Anon-hacked...it either doesn't load or an error message appears. Anyone out there heard anything else about this?" http://www.monsanto.com/

via Facebook http://www.monsanto.com/

Monsanto | A Sustainable Agriculture Company

March Against Monsanto "Rumor has it the Monsanto web page has been Anon-hacked...it either doesn't load or an error message appears. Anyone out there heard anything else about this?" http://www.monsanto.com/

via Facebook http://www.monsanto.com/

How I Got Hooked on Weeds—and Why You Should, Too

Mother Jones Wild plants might be more nutritious than cultivated crops, new research suggests:

via Facebook http://bit.ly/13hja4k

How I Got Hooked on Weeds—and Why You Should, Too

Mother Jones Wild plants might be more nutritious than cultivated crops, new research suggests:

via Facebook http://bit.ly/13hja4k

Wednesday 29 May 2013

Worldwide Suspension of Genetically Modified Seeds (1 MILLION SIGNATURES SOUGHT)



via Facebook http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Worldwide_Suspension_of_Genetically_Modified_Seeds_1_MILLION_SIGNATURES_SOUGHT/?fogYPab&pv=18

Worldwide Suspension of Genetically Modified Seeds (1 MILLION SIGNATURES SOUGHT)



via Facebook http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Worldwide_Suspension_of_Genetically_Modified_Seeds_1_MILLION_SIGNATURES_SOUGHT/?fogYPab&pv=18

Chris Crowstaff (chriscrowstaff)

http://pinterest.com/chriscrowstaff/

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Chris Crowstaff (chriscrowstaff)

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The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity - DiversityInc

http://www.diversityinc.com/the-diversityinc-top-50-companies-for-diversity-2013/ ??????????????????

via Facebook http://www.diversityinc.com/the-diversityinc-top-50-companies-for-diversity-2013/

The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity - DiversityInc

http://www.diversityinc.com/the-diversityinc-top-50-companies-for-diversity-2013/ ??????????????????

via Facebook http://www.diversityinc.com/the-diversityinc-top-50-companies-for-diversity-2013/

Transition Network

Transition Network [UK] Want to manage your own smallholding? The wonderful Ecological Land Co-op are looking for tenants new to eco-agriculture for 2 plots on their mid-Devon site

via Facebook http://www.facebook.com/transitionnetwork/posts/10151619719373622

Transition Network

Transition Network [UK] Want to manage your own smallholding? The wonderful Ecological Land Co-op are looking for tenants new to eco-agriculture for 2 plots on their mid-Devon site

via Facebook http://www.facebook.com/transitionnetwork/posts/10151619719373622

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Cover Your Tracks While Your Online

http://degwynedd.co.uk/cover-your-tracks

via Facebook http://degwynedd.co.uk/cover-your-tracks

Cover Your Tracks While Your Online

http://degwynedd.co.uk/cover-your-tracks

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Green Toolbox



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De Gwynedd (Blaenau Ffestiniog)

De Gwynedd (Blaenau Ffestiniog) 24 hour helplines: 01766 830 878 / 01758 701 005 Sub Office (Info Centre): Drws Agored, Stryd y Plas, Nefyn, Pwhelli. Please phone helpline for Information Centre opening times. Outreach services available to women and children. Please phone the helpline for details or visit the website www.degwynedd.co.uk or e-mail us at cif@degwynedd.co.uk PO Box 59 Blaenau Ffestiniog Gwynedd LL41 3BY Tel (24 Hour Helpline) 01766 830 878 / Pwllheli 01758 701005 Fax (01766) 830 878 Email/Ebost cif@btconnect.com

via Facebook http://www.welshwomensaid.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=146%3Ade-gwynedd-blaenau-ffestiniog&catid=38%3Agroups&Itemid=57

De Gwynedd (Blaenau Ffestiniog)

De Gwynedd (Blaenau Ffestiniog) 24 hour helplines: 01766 830 878 / 01758 701 005 Sub Office (Info Centre): Drws Agored, Stryd y Plas, Nefyn, Pwhelli. Please phone helpline for Information Centre opening times. Outreach services available to women and children. Please phone the helpline for details or visit the website www.degwynedd.co.uk or e-mail us at cif@degwynedd.co.uk PO Box 59 Blaenau Ffestiniog Gwynedd LL41 3BY Tel (24 Hour Helpline) 01766 830 878 / Pwllheli 01758 701005 Fax (01766) 830 878 Email/Ebost cif@btconnect.com

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Exploring the relevance of Townsend’s ideas in the 21st century. Key points Abbreviated/picked over by Mark Aldiss


Exploring the relevance of Townsend’s ideas in the 21st century. Key points

Abbreviated/picked over by Mark Aldiss

About the study
The research is mainly based on analysis of the first wave of the ESRC Understanding Society
household panel survey. The data relate to almost 100,000 individuals in nearly 40,000 households that are representative of the UK population. The interviews were conducted in 2009 and 2010.
The analysis of children’s participation utilises the separate Millennium Cohort Study; interviews were conducted with children and their parents or carers when the 19,000 sampled children were aged 8 in 2008. The findings are based on analysis using modern statistical tools.

Poverty, participation and choice



  • • Participation in society can be measured in terms of social relationships, membership of organisations, trust in other people, ownership of possessions and purchase of services. All are lower among people with low incomes.

  • • However, while participation generally drops as income declines, participation stops falling among the 30 per cent or so of people with the lowest incomes creating a participation ‘floor’; among this group, those with higher incomes do not have measurably increased living standards, greater social participation or higher levels of trust.

  • • The 30 per cent of people with the lowest incomes are also forced to choose between the basic necessities of modern life; they must decide which needs to neglect.

  • • For people affected by the floor, additional income may well be spent on upgrading the quality of necessary goods and services rather than adding to them.

  • • Averages mask important variation. The participation floor for benefit recipients is lower than for other groups on the same income.

  • • Most minority ethnic groups experience greater material deprivation than the white majority but social participation is, on average, higher.

  • • Children’s engagement in school life and friends is not directly affected by household income.

  • • However, parents on low incomes, on average, play less often with their children and spend less on activities. This is associated with poorer educational outcomes as judged by teachers.

  • • Low income parents frequently spend more time than affluent ones assisting children with their school work because they have fallen behind their classmates.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
This summary is part of JRF’s research and development programme. The views are those of the authors and not necessarily those 
of the JRF.

This is a summary of a larger report Poverty, Participation and Choice: The Legacy of Peter Townsend by Emanuele Ferragina, 
Mark Tomlinson and Robert Walker published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Read more summaries at www.jrf.org.uk
Other formats available
ISSN 0958–3084

Joseph Rowntree Foundation
The Homestead
40 Water End
York YO30 6WP
Tel: 01904 615905

email: publications@jrf.org.uk


Poverty, place and ageing society | Joseph Rowntree Foundation

1 Poverty, participation and choice Peter Townsend, the famous British sociologist who died in 2010, demonstrated that poverty prevents people being full members of society. This analysis of a large new dataset, Understanding Society, explores the relevance of Townsend’s ideas in the 21st century. Key points • Participation in society can be measured in terms of social relationships, membership of organisations, trust in other people, ownership of possessions and purchase of services. All are lower among people with low incomes. • However, while participation generally drops as income declines, participation stops falling among the 30 per cent or so of people with the lowest incomes creating a participation ‘floor’; among this group, those with higher incomes do not have measurably increased living standards, greater social participation or higher levels of trust. • The 30 per cent of people with the lowest incomes are also forced to choose between the basic necessities of modern life; they must decide which needs to neglect. • For people affected by the floor, additional income may well be spent on upgrading the quality of necessary goods and services rather than adding to them. • Averages mask important variation. The participation floor for benefit recipients is lower than for other groups on the same income. • Most minority ethnic groups experience greater material deprivation than the white majority but social participation is, on average, higher. • Children’s engagement in school life and friends is not directly affected by household income. • However, parents on low incomes, on average, play less often with their children and spend less on activities. This is associated with poorer educational outcomes as judged by teachers. • Low income parents frequently spend more time than affluent ones assisting children with their school work because they have fallen behind their classmates. APRIL 2013 The research By Emanuele Ferragina and Robert Walker, University of Oxford and Mark Tomlinson, University of Sheffield 2 BACKGROUND The British sociologist Peter Townsend died in 2010, but left a rich legacy of ideas and evidence to help us better understand poverty. He recognised that poverty was relative not absolute; someone is poor if they cannot afford to participate fully in the society of which they are part. Townsend’s key research was undertaken before Britain became the diverse multicultural society it is today. Nevertheless, this new research demonstrates that Townsend’s ideas remain profoundly relevant in 21st century Britain. What is participation? Participation is about belonging. Society imposes expectations on people in terms of what they should possess and what they should do. Many of society’s expectations require individuals and families to spend money. Like it or not, modern Britain is a consumer society in which people are assessed according to the income that they have, how they spend it and what they do with their time. Participation can be meaningfully and consistently defined with respect to three dimensions: freedom from deprivation; social relationships; and trust in people. Each dimension of participation can be measured by a combination of variables. • Deprivation has four components: –– material situation (the possession of consumer goods); –– housing circumstances; –– financial situation (whether people can pay the bills); and –– access to recreation (whether people can afford a holiday or to meet with friends). • Social participation is measured through the nature of people’s relationships with neighbours and their engagement in formal organisations, notably religious and political institutions. • Trust is the glue that holds society together and an essential prerequisite for people to engage with other people; it is measured by asking about trust in people generally and strangers in particular. Income and low participation Analysis demonstrates that all three dimensions of participation rise and fall according to a person’s income: the higher the household income, the greater a person’s participation in society (which means less deprivation, more social participation and higher levels of trust). Townsend thought that participation might decrease rapidly below the level of income at which people found it ‘particularly difficult to share in the customs, activities and diets’ typical of the society in which they lived. What, in fact, happens is that participation declines with reduced income until it reaches a level below which it generally does not continue to fall. There seems to be a minimum level of participation, a ‘floor’, that most people succeed in preserving, however low their income. The participation floor applies to about the 30 per cent or so of people with the lowest household incomes. (Incomes are adjusted in the analysis to take account of variations in household size and differences in needs.) Incomes vary markedly among the people affected by the participation floor, so the fact that participation remains constant is not because incomes are similar. Rather, within this group, rises or falls in income do not translate into measurable differences in participation. People may need to spend additional income on upgrading necessary goods and services rather than on adding to 3 them. Approximately 40 per cent of the people affected are reliant on social security benefits for part of their incomes and the floor for this group is noticeably lower than for others on the same incomes. The participation floor does not seem to apply to the five per cent of people who report the lowest incomes of all. This group is very diverse, including many students, disproportionate numbers of selfemployed workers and fewer than expected numbers of social security claimants. Other researchers, employing different surveys, have cautioned against drawing firm conclusions about this group; there may, for example, be under-reporting of income. Participation and choice Townsend’s work was originally criticised for not taking adequate account of people’s tastes and the exercise of choice in determining the type and level of participation in society. The new analysis addresses this issue by examining the different kinds of participation observed at different income levels. (This entails, to use statistical terminology, simultaneously investigating mean levels of participation and the variation.) The analysis demonstrates that the 30 per cent or so of people with the lowest incomes find it difficult to afford all the basic necessities and are forced to make hard choices between them. This is indicated by the greater variation in the things that people own and do among people with the lowest incomes than those who are better off. This appears to be because people with higher incomes can afford to own or do all the things asked about in the survey; those towards the bottom cannot, and make different choices about what things they can afford, which results in greater variation. Other factors influencing participation While participation is strongly associated with income, it varies for other reasons too. Participation varies by education, age, gender and ethnicity, even after accounting for differences due to income. Participation is generally highest for those with good educational qualifications, among older people and among the self-employed. Indeed, trust and social participation are both more strongly related to educational attainment than they are to level of household income. Women experience more material deprivation and are less trusting than men. However, men and women with similar incomes do not differ in the extent to which they are likely to belong to associations and to be socially integrated into their neighbourhoods. Deprivation is higher than average among all the largest ethnic minority groups except those of Indian descent. Trust is lower than among white respondents for Indian and Caribbean groups only. In contrast, social participation is generally higher for minority ethnic groups than for their white counterparts. In the case of African, Indian and Bangladeshi respondents, high levels of material deprivation are more than offset by greater social participation, with overall levels of participation higher for these groups than for white respondents. The logic underpinning this last finding is that one component of participation substitutes or compensates for another. This indicates that respondents belonging to certain ethnic minorities rely, from choice or necessity, on social resources to offset limited material ones. There is evidence from other studies to support this statistical finding, but it is circumstantial and specially-designed research is required to further substantiate it. Children’s participation Townsend did not explicitly consider the impact of income on the lives and social participation of children. New analysis of 8 year-olds suggests that children are not generally consciously affected by low family income in terms of their own friendships, participation in physical activities or in their engagement with school. Parents with low incomes play less often with their children and engage with them less in activities that cost money. This in turn is reflected in children’s relative lack of educational success as assessed by their teachers. Irrespective of household income, mothers who work tend to play with their children marginally more frequently than those who do not, spend an equal amount of time helping their children with their education and actually spend a little more time attending paid for activities. Somehow, therefore, working mothers appear to be able to juggle their time in such a way that their children do not miss out. Parents on low incomes appear to protect their children from an awareness of the direct effects of poverty and spend extra time helping them with schoolwork to compensate for poor achievement. Even so, children from low income households still perform worse at school than their more affluent peers. Conclusion: Understanding difference As Townsend demonstrated 30 or more years ago, people in poverty are unable to engage fully in society; they experience material deprivation, socialise less and are less trusting than people with greater resources. However, while participation declines as income falls, there appears to be a point in the income distribution at which participation stops falling, creating a participation ‘floor’. The participation floor affects the 30 per cent of people with the lowest incomes, but varies in its level: it is lower for people who are reliant on social security benefits than for others on the same income. For the people affected by the floor, higher income is not reflected in measureable improvements in living standards or increased social participation, but seems instead to be used to sustain material and social existence. People confront circumstances in which nothing appears to be gained from additional income; a ‘nothing for something’ rather than a ‘something for nothing’ society. About the study The research is mainly based on analysis of the first wave of the ESRC Understanding Society household panel survey. The data relate to almost 100,000 individuals in nearly 40,000 households that are representative of the UK population. The interviews were conducted in 2009 and 2010. The analysis of children’s participation utilises the separate Millennium Cohort Study; interviews were conducted with children and their parents or carers when the 19,000 sampled children were aged 8 in 2008. The findings are based on analysis using modern statistical tools. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION This summary is part of JRF’s research and development programme. The views are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the JRF. This is a summary of a larger report Poverty, Participation and Choice: The Legacy of Peter Townsend by Emanuele Ferragina, Mark Tomlinson and Robert Walker published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Read more summaries at www.jrf.org.uk Other formats available ISSN 0958–3084 Joseph Rowntree Foundation The Homestead 40 Water End York YO30 6WP Tel: 01904 615905 email: publications@jrf.org.uk www.jrf.org.uk Ref: 2893 Please recycle this when you have finished with it.

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Poverty, place and ageing society | Joseph Rowntree Foundation

1 Poverty, participation and choice Peter Townsend, the famous British sociologist who died in 2010, demonstrated that poverty prevents people being full members of society. This analysis of a large new dataset, Understanding Society, explores the relevance of Townsend’s ideas in the 21st century. Key points • Participation in society can be measured in terms of social relationships, membership of organisations, trust in other people, ownership of possessions and purchase of services. All are lower among people with low incomes. • However, while participation generally drops as income declines, participation stops falling among the 30 per cent or so of people with the lowest incomes creating a participation ‘floor’; among this group, those with higher incomes do not have measurably increased living standards, greater social participation or higher levels of trust. • The 30 per cent of people with the lowest incomes are also forced to choose between the basic necessities of modern life; they must decide which needs to neglect. • For people affected by the floor, additional income may well be spent on upgrading the quality of necessary goods and services rather than adding to them. • Averages mask important variation. The participation floor for benefit recipients is lower than for other groups on the same income. • Most minority ethnic groups experience greater material deprivation than the white majority but social participation is, on average, higher. • Children’s engagement in school life and friends is not directly affected by household income. • However, parents on low incomes, on average, play less often with their children and spend less on activities. This is associated with poorer educational outcomes as judged by teachers. • Low income parents frequently spend more time than affluent ones assisting children with their school work because they have fallen behind their classmates. APRIL 2013 The research By Emanuele Ferragina and Robert Walker, University of Oxford and Mark Tomlinson, University of Sheffield 2 BACKGROUND The British sociologist Peter Townsend died in 2010, but left a rich legacy of ideas and evidence to help us better understand poverty. He recognised that poverty was relative not absolute; someone is poor if they cannot afford to participate fully in the society of which they are part. Townsend’s key research was undertaken before Britain became the diverse multicultural society it is today. Nevertheless, this new research demonstrates that Townsend’s ideas remain profoundly relevant in 21st century Britain. What is participation? Participation is about belonging. Society imposes expectations on people in terms of what they should possess and what they should do. Many of society’s expectations require individuals and families to spend money. Like it or not, modern Britain is a consumer society in which people are assessed according to the income that they have, how they spend it and what they do with their time. Participation can be meaningfully and consistently defined with respect to three dimensions: freedom from deprivation; social relationships; and trust in people. Each dimension of participation can be measured by a combination of variables. • Deprivation has four components: –– material situation (the possession of consumer goods); –– housing circumstances; –– financial situation (whether people can pay the bills); and –– access to recreation (whether people can afford a holiday or to meet with friends). • Social participation is measured through the nature of people’s relationships with neighbours and their engagement in formal organisations, notably religious and political institutions. • Trust is the glue that holds society together and an essential prerequisite for people to engage with other people; it is measured by asking about trust in people generally and strangers in particular. Income and low participation Analysis demonstrates that all three dimensions of participation rise and fall according to a person’s income: the higher the household income, the greater a person’s participation in society (which means less deprivation, more social participation and higher levels of trust). Townsend thought that participation might decrease rapidly below the level of income at which people found it ‘particularly difficult to share in the customs, activities and diets’ typical of the society in which they lived. What, in fact, happens is that participation declines with reduced income until it reaches a level below which it generally does not continue to fall. There seems to be a minimum level of participation, a ‘floor’, that most people succeed in preserving, however low their income. The participation floor applies to about the 30 per cent or so of people with the lowest household incomes. (Incomes are adjusted in the analysis to take account of variations in household size and differences in needs.) Incomes vary markedly among the people affected by the participation floor, so the fact that participation remains constant is not because incomes are similar. Rather, within this group, rises or falls in income do not translate into measurable differences in participation. People may need to spend additional income on upgrading necessary goods and services rather than on adding to 3 them. Approximately 40 per cent of the people affected are reliant on social security benefits for part of their incomes and the floor for this group is noticeably lower than for others on the same incomes. The participation floor does not seem to apply to the five per cent of people who report the lowest incomes of all. This group is very diverse, including many students, disproportionate numbers of selfemployed workers and fewer than expected numbers of social security claimants. Other researchers, employing different surveys, have cautioned against drawing firm conclusions about this group; there may, for example, be under-reporting of income. Participation and choice Townsend’s work was originally criticised for not taking adequate account of people’s tastes and the exercise of choice in determining the type and level of participation in society. The new analysis addresses this issue by examining the different kinds of participation observed at different income levels. (This entails, to use statistical terminology, simultaneously investigating mean levels of participation and the variation.) The analysis demonstrates that the 30 per cent or so of people with the lowest incomes find it difficult to afford all the basic necessities and are forced to make hard choices between them. This is indicated by the greater variation in the things that people own and do among people with the lowest incomes than those who are better off. This appears to be because people with higher incomes can afford to own or do all the things asked about in the survey; those towards the bottom cannot, and make different choices about what things they can afford, which results in greater variation. Other factors influencing participation While participation is strongly associated with income, it varies for other reasons too. Participation varies by education, age, gender and ethnicity, even after accounting for differences due to income. Participation is generally highest for those with good educational qualifications, among older people and among the self-employed. Indeed, trust and social participation are both more strongly related to educational attainment than they are to level of household income. Women experience more material deprivation and are less trusting than men. However, men and women with similar incomes do not differ in the extent to which they are likely to belong to associations and to be socially integrated into their neighbourhoods. Deprivation is higher than average among all the largest ethnic minority groups except those of Indian descent. Trust is lower than among white respondents for Indian and Caribbean groups only. In contrast, social participation is generally higher for minority ethnic groups than for their white counterparts. In the case of African, Indian and Bangladeshi respondents, high levels of material deprivation are more than offset by greater social participation, with overall levels of participation higher for these groups than for white respondents. The logic underpinning this last finding is that one component of participation substitutes or compensates for another. This indicates that respondents belonging to certain ethnic minorities rely, from choice or necessity, on social resources to offset limited material ones. There is evidence from other studies to support this statistical finding, but it is circumstantial and specially-designed research is required to further substantiate it. Children’s participation Townsend did not explicitly consider the impact of income on the lives and social participation of children. New analysis of 8 year-olds suggests that children are not generally consciously affected by low family income in terms of their own friendships, participation in physical activities or in their engagement with school. Parents with low incomes play less often with their children and engage with them less in activities that cost money. This in turn is reflected in children’s relative lack of educational success as assessed by their teachers. Irrespective of household income, mothers who work tend to play with their children marginally more frequently than those who do not, spend an equal amount of time helping their children with their education and actually spend a little more time attending paid for activities. Somehow, therefore, working mothers appear to be able to juggle their time in such a way that their children do not miss out. Parents on low incomes appear to protect their children from an awareness of the direct effects of poverty and spend extra time helping them with schoolwork to compensate for poor achievement. Even so, children from low income households still perform worse at school than their more affluent peers. Conclusion: Understanding difference As Townsend demonstrated 30 or more years ago, people in poverty are unable to engage fully in society; they experience material deprivation, socialise less and are less trusting than people with greater resources. However, while participation declines as income falls, there appears to be a point in the income distribution at which participation stops falling, creating a participation ‘floor’. The participation floor affects the 30 per cent of people with the lowest incomes, but varies in its level: it is lower for people who are reliant on social security benefits than for others on the same income. For the people affected by the floor, higher income is not reflected in measureable improvements in living standards or increased social participation, but seems instead to be used to sustain material and social existence. People confront circumstances in which nothing appears to be gained from additional income; a ‘nothing for something’ rather than a ‘something for nothing’ society. About the study The research is mainly based on analysis of the first wave of the ESRC Understanding Society household panel survey. The data relate to almost 100,000 individuals in nearly 40,000 households that are representative of the UK population. The interviews were conducted in 2009 and 2010. The analysis of children’s participation utilises the separate Millennium Cohort Study; interviews were conducted with children and their parents or carers when the 19,000 sampled children were aged 8 in 2008. The findings are based on analysis using modern statistical tools. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION This summary is part of JRF’s research and development programme. The views are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the JRF. This is a summary of a larger report Poverty, Participation and Choice: The Legacy of Peter Townsend by Emanuele Ferragina, Mark Tomlinson and Robert Walker published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Read more summaries at www.jrf.org.uk Other formats available ISSN 0958–3084 Joseph Rowntree Foundation The Homestead 40 Water End York YO30 6WP Tel: 01904 615905 email: publications@jrf.org.uk www.jrf.org.uk Ref: 2893 Please recycle this when you have finished with it.

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5 reasons why an end to child marriage will improve maternal health

The Elders 5 reasons why an end to child marriage will improve maternal health: guest blog from Girls Not Brides

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5 reasons why an end to child marriage will improve maternal health

The Elders 5 reasons why an end to child marriage will improve maternal health: guest blog from Girls Not Brides

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This Is NASA's New Solar-Electric Propulsion Engine

The ion engine is finally here

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This Is NASA's New Solar-Electric Propulsion Engine

The ion engine is finally here

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3D-Printed Splint Helps Baby Breathe Again

Wow (-:

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3D-Printed Splint Helps Baby Breathe Again

Wow (-:

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Poverty, participation and choice | Joseph Rowntree Foundation

http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/poverty-participation-and-choice

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Poverty, participation and choice | Joseph Rowntree Foundation

http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/poverty-participation-and-choice

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IBMWatson and the 'Please do not respond to this message' problem | punpht



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IBMWatson and the 'Please do not respond to this message' problem | punpht



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V for Vendetta Mask

March Against Monsanto V for Vendetta masks are on sale here.

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V for Vendetta Mask

March Against Monsanto V for Vendetta masks are on sale here.

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Force Facebook To BLOCK All Child Pornography

https://www.causes.com/stopchildpornonfacebook

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Force Facebook To BLOCK All Child Pornography

https://www.causes.com/stopchildpornonfacebook

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Monday 27 May 2013

Stand with Afghan women fighting for a better future



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Stand with Afghan women fighting for a better future



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Peru: Is Junk Food Synonymous with Freedom? · Global Voices

"The Constitutional Court has decriminalized presumably consensual sexual relations with minors of 14 to 17 years of age. Now we have a law that supposedly prohibits the sale of “junk food” to these same minors. In other words, an adult can bed a 14-year-old girl, but cannot sell her a hot dog on a bun…:S #yodigonomás (that's all I have to say) :S"

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Peru: Is Junk Food Synonymous with Freedom? · Global Voices

"The Constitutional Court has decriminalized presumably consensual sexual relations with minors of 14 to 17 years of age. Now we have a law that supposedly prohibits the sale of “junk food” to these same minors. In other words, an adult can bed a 14-year-old girl, but cannot sell her a hot dog on a bun…:S #yodigonomás (that's all I have to say) :S"

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Media Ignores Worldwide March Against Monsanto

Media Ignores Worldwide March Against Monsanto

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Media Ignores Worldwide March Against Monsanto

Media Ignores Worldwide March Against Monsanto

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Woolwich murder - the "why?" should be obvious - Using Our Intelligence

"Posted on May 26, 2013 by Annie Machon The bru­tal murder in Wool­wich last week of Drum­mer Lee Rigby rightly caused shock and out­rage. Inev­it­ably there has been a media feed­ing frenzy about “ter­ror­ist” attacks and home-grown rad­ic­al­isa­tion. Brit­ish Prime Min­is­ter, David Cameron, felt it neces­sary to fly back from a key meet­ing in France to head up the Brit­ish secur­ity response." Excellent article - Thank you Annie

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Woolwich murder - the "why?" should be obvious - Using Our Intelligence

"Posted on May 26, 2013 by Annie Machon The bru­tal murder in Wool­wich last week of Drum­mer Lee Rigby rightly caused shock and out­rage. Inev­it­ably there has been a media feed­ing frenzy about “ter­ror­ist” attacks and home-grown rad­ic­al­isa­tion. Brit­ish Prime Min­is­ter, David Cameron, felt it neces­sary to fly back from a key meet­ing in France to head up the Brit­ish secur­ity response." Excellent article - Thank you Annie

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Hackney Homes (HackneyHomes) on Twitter

https://twitter.com/HackneyHomes Seem to be kicking out disabled children... more to follow

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Hackney Homes (HackneyHomes) on Twitter

https://twitter.com/HackneyHomes Seem to be kicking out disabled children... more to follow

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Prop 37 Poster | Sunfood Articles and Recipes

Prop 37 Poster This is a great infographic to share. The best way to win the fight to know what’s in our food, is to support Non-GMO Project & the companies who supported Yes on Prop 37. Also, support the stores who stock these products; if your local grocery doesn’t carry what you want, TELL them! Don’t be shy, you’re their customer! (infographic via The Cornucopia Institute - or direct to a 1650X2550 pixel copy at http://www.sunfood.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/prop37poster.jpg

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Prop 37 Poster | Sunfood Articles and Recipes

Prop 37 Poster This is a great infographic to share. The best way to win the fight to know what’s in our food, is to support Non-GMO Project & the companies who supported Yes on Prop 37. Also, support the stores who stock these products; if your local grocery doesn’t carry what you want, TELL them! Don’t be shy, you’re their customer! (infographic via The Cornucopia Institute - or direct to a 1650X2550 pixel copy at http://www.sunfood.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/prop37poster.jpg

via Facebook http://www.sunfood.com/blog/newsletters/prop-37-poster/

Vatican defies Pope's teachings, Is the Pope still 'infallible'?

"Pope talking rubbish! Atheists are going to hell no matter what he says" ????? Vatican defies Pope's teachings, Is the Pope still 'infallible'? http://tinyurl.com/q7sevou

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Vatican defies Pope's teachings, Is the Pope still 'infallible'?

"Pope talking rubbish! Atheists are going to hell no matter what he says" ????? Vatican defies Pope's teachings, Is the Pope still 'infallible'? http://tinyurl.com/q7sevou

via Facebook http://www.anticbcp.com/2/post/2013/05/vatican-defies-popes-teachings-is-the-pope-still-infallible.html

What, let gays get married? We must be bonkers

William Relton - Marvellous. Compulsory, very funny, reading!

via Facebook http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/what-let-gays-get-married-we-must-be-bonkers-8629685.html

What, let gays get married? We must be bonkers

William Relton - Marvellous. Compulsory, very funny, reading!

via Facebook http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/what-let-gays-get-married-we-must-be-bonkers-8629685.html

Metem Technology



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Metem Technology



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Sunday 26 May 2013

Knowledge of Today



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Knowledge of Today



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Global march challenges Monsanto's dominance: TIMELINE — RT News

March Against Monsanto GREAT - Many Pictures and Videos ! But one Korrektur : We had global over 450 Marches, in over 55 Countrys from Japan to Hawai from Cape Town to Oulu

via Facebook http://rt.com/news/march-against-monsanto-gmo-776/

Global march challenges Monsanto's dominance: TIMELINE — RT News

March Against Monsanto GREAT - Many Pictures and Videos ! But one Korrektur : We had global over 450 Marches, in over 55 Countrys from Japan to Hawai from Cape Town to Oulu

via Facebook http://rt.com/news/march-against-monsanto-gmo-776/

Truth Teller

March Against Monsanto Be sure to stop by Truth Teller's Page and show your support with a page "LIKE" and SHARE! Many of the informative articles that have been posted on this page are from her website CovvHa.Net :)

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Salp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yay!!! for Salps :-)

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Salp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yay!!! for Salps :-)

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March Against Monsanto

March Against Monsanto Well over a thousand #mam Waikiki today at #gmogroundzero huge success big mahalo to marchers around the world! Aloha!

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March Against Monsanto

March Against Monsanto Well over a thousand #mam Waikiki today at #gmogroundzero huge success big mahalo to marchers around the world! Aloha!

via Facebook http://www.facebook.com/MarchAgainstMonstanto/posts/603686199649904

Flickr - projectbrainsaver

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projectbrainsaver's A Point of View photoset projectbrainsaver's A Point of View photoset