#Rules and Principles of GDP

[beardedmrbean]

Who knew? Nearly three and a half years after Covid-19 first appeared on the scene, the World Health Organisation has declared the pandemic officially over.

And there we all were thinking it had ended more than a year ago, when the UK and much of the rest of Europe abandoned the last of their Covid restrictions.

Late to recognise Covid as a pandemic, the WHO has also been late to acknowledge that thanks in large measure to Western medicines and vaccines, it is also now essentially part of history.

Perhaps that's because of the continued influence of China, which only very recently abandoned its zero-Covid policy.

As long as a major economy was still imprisoning its citizens at the slightest sign of infection, then I suppose it was indeed hard to declare the disease no longer a public health emergency.

For most of us, the pandemic has nevertheless been over for a long time now. 

The grimly dispiriting legacy is, however, still very much with us. 

In the UK, the national debt is a fifth of GDP higher than it was, inflation has soared to double digits, economically sub-optimal work from home remains deeply entrenched, labour shortages abide, and many people still complain of long term sickness – much of it unrelated to Covid as such but seemingly triggered by the pandemic's deprivations – with record numbers claiming out of work benefits.

The Government's response to Covid always looked to me like a ruinous over-reaction, and I became something of a lockdown sceptic.

I say “something of” because in the initial stages of the pandemic – call it the “we're all going to die” phase – something fairly dramatic was obviously called for, watching the TV images of emergency hospitals being built in Wuhan and overwhelmed ICU units in Northern Italy.

Politically, it would have been virtually impossible for the UK to have stood alone in remaining open even as virtually the whole of the rest of Europe was closing down. 

The Government would have fallen within weeks if it had stood by and done nothing. 

Even Sweden, which seems to have got its approach about right, eventually implemented a watered down version of the restrictions imposed elsewhere.

Instinctively, Boris Johnson, then Prime Minister, was against lockdown, preferring instead the idea of “herd immunity”, but then he became seriously ill himself, and ended up fully embracing the made-in-China response.

For some, such as the former Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption – who would regularly warn of police state authoritarianism – the objection was on principled libertarian grounds.

This was, however, very much a minority position. One of the most remarkable things about the whole sorry affair is quite how compliant the country proved, and how quickly we succumbed to instruction. 

Somewhat alarmingly, it turned out that supposedly freedom loving societies are remarkably willing to submit to authoritarian rule, especially if paid to stay at home, as was the case with furlough in the UK. 

Even the Government was surprised by the obedience.

Yet it was always abundantly clear that these were essentially temporary, wartime measures that would be lifted once the emergency was over, so on those grounds at least, most of us were initially willing to go along with the heavy handed approach imposed.

No, what worried me was not so much the loss of liberty as the economic impact, and once the case mortality rate was confirmed at less than 1 percent for advanced economies, the lack of proportionality and cost benefit consideration. 

I could never quite accept the argument that what was being done was similar to putting the economy into a medically induced coma, with the patient reawoken as if nothing had happened once the pandemic was over. 

As we can now see, the lasting damage was monumental.

It would no doubt have been disastrous had the health service been overwhelmed, but when the main justification for lockdown becomes the rallying call of “protect the NHS” you have to ask yourself what the whole thing was really all about. 

Insulating the health service from a sickness it is there to treat?

You cannot put a price on life, it can be argued, and therefore almost any cost is justified. It is also true that in the fog of war, mistakes are bound to be made; over-reaction is possibly better than under-reaction.

All the same, it now seems abundantly clear that the treatment was in many ways worse than the disease itself. We'll never know the counterfactual, or just how many lives were saved by imposing a strict series of lockdowns.

Most epidemiologists will tell you that it was a lot. 

But they are not paid to think about the wider consequences, and it is now patently clear that the lasting damage to education, the economy and to wider public health was off the scale.

What are the lessons? We don't need to wait for the results of the official inquiry, still years away, to know some of the answers. 

Let's make a start by examining the death toll, reported on a daily basis during the pandemic as if in some kind of international competition for how effectively each country was dealing with the crisis.

For a long time, Britain seemed to be bottom of the class, which in turn instructed the severity of the counter measures thought necessary. 

The worse the numbers looked relative to others, the more draconian and prolonged the restrictions became.

Given differing methodologies and reporting systems, the best way of measuring the impact is not through recorded deaths from Covid, but via the excess death rate over and above what would normally be expected. 

On this measure, most major advanced economies ended up in much the same place.

Britain was slightly worse than Germany and France, but not significantly so, and actually quite a bit better than Italy and Spain, according to estimates published in the Lancet. 

This was not the impression you got at the time, when the British response was widely viewed as uniquely incompetent. 

What is more, Scotland did worse than England, notwithstanding the plaudits the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, received for outbidding Westminster on the countermeasures needed. 

The same is true of Wales, whose first minister, Mark Drakeford, was similarly lauded for a more restrictive and therefore seemingly capable approach. 

Well, not according to the numbers.

Culture wars, I'm afraid to say, are as likely to determine your view of the efficacy of lockdown as the underlying facts of the matter.

What we now know, however, is that lockdown is an extraordinarily costly way of dealing with a pandemic. 

It is to be hoped that this lesson at least has been learned, and that the response to future pandemics will therefore be better calibrated to the severity of the disease. 

A 1pc case mortality rate scarcely seems to justify what was done, even if it was admittedly much higher in older age cohorts.

A more consensual approach that keeps people properly informed but allows them to make their own choices on the degree of risk they are prepared to run must be the way forward.

[regina-bithyniae]

What's your take on inheritance taxes as an economist? Good, bad, mixed bag? What behaviour do they incentivise/disincentivise exactly?

It's not a topic I have a super strong take on, or am familiar with the empirical literature, which is always your #1 thing for economics, but I can give some generalized opinions:

Inheritance comes when someone dies and passes on money to relatives. So we'd expect to get less of that. Apart from meme cases of people trying not to die, this means they'll get less value from passing money on at death. This will drive

saving less in life

spending more money in retirement age

passing on money earlier as "gifts"

For the latter, this is part of estate planning. Governments aren't stupid enough not to know, so you get secondary rules of maximum legal gifts to heirs per year while you're alive. So we're already seeing effort going into dodging the tax.

More importantly, or at least less talked about, is that this is earned income which has already been taxed likely multiple times! So someone earns money at their job (income tax), saves it (capital gains taxes), dies and passes it on (estate tax), and then the heir gets it and spends it (sales tax). These have different efficiency levels and distributional effects. Estate probably leans towards "equitable but inefficient" but wide confidence intervals on efficiency. But it's not as if this money hasn't already been taxed, and will be taxed later regardless of estate tax.

My general principles on taxes are that you should hit externalities first (e.g. carbon tax), then highly efficient sources (land/property tax, VAT/sales tax), and try to stay away from things that incentivize savings (capital gains, corporate) or with stupid distortions (tariffs, implicit taxes through fees and fines). Spending can redistribute efficient but flatter taxes through welfare. So I'd feel lukewarm on estate taxes, though at reasonable levels they don't seem like the end of the world.

This is the Numbers Fuckstein viewpoint, though. I expect views on fairness and inequality drive normal peoples' views on estate taxes. I care a lot more about GDP/capita growth, which does trickle down and make things better for working-class people, and savings and productivity growth is the main driver in that.

And if anything in the empirical public finance literature contradicts what I say here, go with that. Tagging @powermonger for input from someone who's better-read.

[probablyasocialecologist]

To achieve sustainability, so-called developed countries need to abandon the objective of GDP growth and scale down less necessary and destructive forms of production to reduce energy and material use. We need a planned and selective contraction of economic activity aimed at increasing well-being and equality. Or, as recently argued in this journal, we need “ecosocialist degrowth.” Degrowth is founded on and justified by a solid critique of market instruments, the optimistic reliance on price mechanisms and private-sector solutions, which are central to so-called “green economy” approaches. Indeed, the lack of social-ecological planning and the reliance on socially unjust and often ineffective market instruments is precisely what has led us into this mess in the first place. Degrowth formulates an alternative to the capitalist market that seeks to escape the capitalist growth imperative, which continuously impedes mitigation efforts by driving rising energy demand. Degrowth is built around a fundamental democratization of the economy and collective “self-limitation” (per André Gorz), or the setting of collectively defined societal boundaries and entitlements that define the conditions for a good life for all. All of this is going to require democratic planning. In fact, collective self-limitation can be understood as the strongest expression of democratic, societal autonomy, manifested in social liberation from the pervasive “heteronomous” logic of accumulation. It is the drive to accumulation that compels capitalist societies to pursue continuous expansion and that prevents adherence to democratically determined collective rules. Degrowth is an expression of societal freedom or autonomy, in the sense of an act of collective self-government, thus resisting “the functional regulation of conduct according to given principles, such as the so-called law of the market or the mantra of austerity and growth.” So, how might planning beyond growth look?

[mariacallous]

England never gets Scotland right. Last week the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, repeated Downing Street’s familiar gloat over another reverse for Scottish home rule. London’s supreme court dismissed the Scottish National party’s bid for an “advisory” plebiscite on whether to hold another independence referendum. Just go home, said Sunak, and run Scotland better. He seemed to think the SNP’s Nicola Sturgeon would apologise for wasting his time. He merely reinforced her party’s antipathy to London and all its doings.

The court’s decision was legally robust but politically inept. Sturgeon’s poll would have been purely advisory. The court appeared to be saying that independence was a forbidden subject to Scottish opinion, lending force to her claim that “the notion of the UK as a voluntary partnership of nations … is no longer a reality”. In the unlikely event of the Scots “advising” another referendum, then real questions might be asked as to what independence involved.

Why not ask them now? Sunak’s best policy would be to take the initiative. He should appoint a commission to ask what devolved powers does Scotland lack within the UK. Federal constitutions across Europe have exhaustive experience of “devo-max”. Scotland already controls its own health, education, transport and planning. It enjoys extensive fiscal discretion, notably over income tax. It could have more, as over corporate and sales taxes. But the quid pro quo would be the steady removal of the Barnett subsidy – £35bn last year – which underpinned a Scottish budget deficit that was 22% of GDP. It has since fallen to 12.3% of GDP, but if an independent Scotland were to seek admission to the EU, rules state this would have to reduce to 3% – a crippling adjustment.

European federalism takes many forms: Swiss, Spanish, German or Italian. All offer models and lessons and it is hard to see why Westminster is so dismissive of them. The instinct against home rule for UK nations recalls the fierce hostility to Irish devolution in the 19th century that led to total independence. It has been a long haul, but this year Ireland had the highest rise in GDP of all OECD countries. The UK is 38th. If I were a Scot looking to Dublin, I would find independence an attractive goal.

Maximising Scottish devolution must make sense. One issue is Europe, with EU membership overwhelmingly favoured by the Scots. The Northern Ireland protocol is now being fashioned to enable it to remain within the UK, but as a member of Europe’s single market. There is no reason in principle why Scotland should not follow suit. Things might get messy along Hadrian’s Wall, but there is a similar EU border between Norway and Sweden, and Germany and Switzerland. Where there’s a will there’s a way.

London should be proactive not reactive. Scotland is evenly divided on independence, which is a solid base for a federalist conversation. Sunak’s commission should ask simply what Scotland feels it shares with the rest of Britain and what further powers it wants for itself. It should be challenged on its deficit and fiscal autonomy. The debate should be on realities not legal niceties. Then the Scots can vote.

[bharat2exportexportimport]

India Export Company: Bharat2Export Grows International Trade

Due to its historical trading routes connecting East and West, India has a rich history of trade. India is a major player in international trade in the current world with an increasingly interconnected economy. One of the primary causes of this is the robust network of export companies that enable cross-border commerce. This is best exemplified by Bharat2Export, which captures the spirit of India's export possibilities.

Introduction to Bharat2Export India Export Company

Leading export company in India The goal of Bharat2Export is to close the gap that exists between Indian farmers and the global market. Bharat2Export provides comprehensive solutions to satisfy the diverse needs of its clients and has a strong understanding of the global trade business.

Why Choose Bharat2Export: India Export Company?

Broad Product Selection: Bharat2Export provides a vast array of products, ranging from textiles and agricultural commodities to electronics and machinery. They are a great partner for businesses that operate internationally because of their versatility, which allows them to adjust to the demands of various global marketplaces.

Quality Assurance: Bharat2Export's business operations are based on the fundamental principle of quality. They adhere to stringent quality control protocols to ensure that each product meets international standards. Customers are happy, and their commitment to quality fosters strong bonds and trust.

Expertise in International Trade: Handling the difficulties of international trade requires knowledge and expertise. Bharat2Export may claim its competence because its workforce is made up of professionals who are knowledgeable about the intricacies of foreign markets, export regulations, and logistics. Their expertise ensures simple and rapid transactions, cutting down on wait times and boosting output.

Tailored Solutions: Bharat2Export takes pleasure in offering distinctive solutions since we understand that every customer has varied demands. They go above and beyond—whether it's customizing packaging, abiding by stringent rules, or ensuring on-time delivery—to meet the specific needs of their clients.

Sustainable Practices: In today's society, durability is not just a cliché; it is necessary. As part of its dedication to sustainable practices, Bharat2Export ensures that its operations have as little of an impact on the environment as possible.

India Export Company Arrange in International Trade

Global supply chains rely on India export companies like Bharat2Export. They operate as a link between the flourishing Indian manufacturing sector and customers throughout the world. This boosts the economy of India and provides reasonably priced luxury goods to consumers worldwide.

Economic Growth: The GDP of India is largely derived from export businesses. They aid in the inflow of foreign currency, which boosts the domestic economy, by facilitating international trade.

Employment Creation: One of India's main sources of employment is the export industry. Numerous career opportunities are created by companies such as Bharat2Export, ranging from international sales and marketing to manufacturing and logistics.

Cultural interchange: Export businesses also promote cultural interchange through trade. Indian goods bring a bit of India's history and workmanship with them, encouraging respect and knowledge of Indian culture around the world.

Conclusion

Economic Growth: Export-oriented companies account for a major portion of India's GDP. Through their facilitation of international trade, they contribute to the inflow of foreign currency, which strengthens the home economy.

Employment Creation: The export sector is one of India's primary employers. Companies like Bharat2Export provide a wide range of job options, from manufacturing and logistics to international sales and marketing.

Cultural exchange: Through trade, export companies also advance cultural exchange. Indian products promote appreciation and awareness of Indian culture worldwide by bringing a little piece of India's history and craftsmanship with them.

[influencermagazineuk]

Starmer's High-Stakes Debut: UK Prime Minister Heads to NATO Summit

In a major move for Britain, Sir Keir Starmer the Prime Minister and his wife Baroness Starmer have had their first diplomatic trip since the victory. The two were photographed hand-in-hand a day later when they boarded a jet to Washington DC for NATO’s 75th anniversary. This visit became the significance mover in Sir Keir premiership in terms of identifying the government positions on international relations and defence. Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street Key Meetings with Global Leaders During this crucial summit, he is predicted to come face-to-face with US President Joe Biden and other leaders of the West for the first official time as PM. These discussions are expected to lay the foundation of how the international relations of the United kingdom will be headed by him. Thus, the summit makes it possible for Sir Keir to enhance his interpersonal relations with allies and speak about critical topics, such as the Ukraine-Russia conflict and actions towards Russian aggression. Focus on Defence Spending Before his departure, Starmer and others discussed Labour’s strategic defence review, suggesting that it would occur before the party promised to raise the defense budget to 2.5% of GDP. He underlined the importance of the prior, and said it was critical to ensure that such investment adhered to the kingdom’s fiscal rules. To this end, the present strategic review will guarantee the utilization of defence resources in a way that reflects the United Kingdom’s determination to sustain developed defence capacities. Solidarity with Allies The Prime Minister stressed on the event-summit by stating the readiness of the UK to promote Ukraine and to oppose Russian aggression. He pointed out that the topic of the summit would be to coordinate with partners and talk about the measures to give more support to Ukraine in practice. The words of Sir Keir are obvious signalization to the Russian President Vladimir Putin and any potential aggressor – the United Kingdom together with its NATO partners will not surrender to any kind of hostility and is ready to protect the principles of international law and countries’ sovereignty. Starmer's Message of Unity Sir Keir made a deliberate international trip as the Prime Minister to show that he is keen to support the Britain’s and other countries’ cabinets that are supporting the military and defence industries. His audience with world leaders shall be keenly observed especially as he seeks to assert United Kingdom’s relevancy in the world and the ongoing Ukraine crisis. This approach to enhancing unity together with NATO allies is well-aligned with the Prime Minister’s bestselling book, defines his administration’s priorities, and reveals commitment to keeping the world stable.  https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1810748117999857943 Strategic Defence Review  Sir Keir also seconded the call for a proper strategic review of defence before any serious pledge on the same could be made. This review is aimed at evaluating the existing situation in the United Kingdom defence and to point out the possible improvements for increasing the level of protection for the country. It is another undeniable fact that the Prime Minister insists on the distinct separation between conception and implementation of the main policies in the field of defense and emphasizes the evaluation stage very much to Highlight, which confirms the spirit of prudence and restraint in defense spending and its focus on achieving maximum efficiency in the identified priorities.  Commitment to NATO and Global Security A visit by the Prime Minister to the NATO summit is also a way to emphasize the United Kingdom’s adherence to the alliance and to the principles of security on a world scale. The Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir has stated that he is ready to continue our cooperation with NATO allies to counter threats that affect common security space and to further enhance the system of common defence. Through this particular summit, the United Kingdom plans to take an active part in the formation of NATO development as well as in maintaining peace in the given area.  Reaffirming UK’s Global Role  Sir Keir’s attendance at the NATO summit demonstrates determination and support regarding the fulfillment of the UK’s international responsibilities as well as determination towards collaboration with international partners concerning pressing security challenges. The chair’s interactional orientation that is specific to defence and cooperation on the international level inspires the Prime Minister’s administration’s commitment to safeguarding national interests and participating in the global quest for peace and security.  Engagement with Western Leaders  Other than the aforementioned official sessions, known as the G7 summit, Sir Keir will also be involved in some pro-arranged informal talks with other chiefs from the Western countries, which gives an excellent chance to acquaint, discuss existing and potential bilateral/multilateral relations. These interactions are essential especially in building and maintaining identifiable relationships as well as in identifying the views and values of other member countries in NATO. Sir Keir’s diplomatic approach is to encourage that the UK is involved as a partner and is fellow and active across the major global discussion platforms.  Looking Ahead  The trip is crucial as Sir Keir is setting foot in international territory; his actions and words will be well observed by national and foreign entities. Most probably, the results of the NATO summit will define further evolution of the overall policy of Great Britain in the sphere of foreign and defense policies in the near years. It has thus become even more imperative for the leader of this party and the leader of the opposition, Sir Keir Starmer, to define the role of the UK in the world and how to deal with the fundamental issues constituting international politics and security.  Read the full article

[isocertificationinfrance]

In-Depth Overview of Good Distribution Practice (GDP) Guidelines and Their Significance

Good Distribution Practice (GDP) is an important standard in the pharmaceutical business since it ensures the quality and integrity of medicinal products throughout the supply chain. As the industry faces more strict rules and scrutiny, acquiring GDP Certification in Afghanistan has become critical for businesses looking to maintain compliance and build confidence with stakeholders. This article discusses the significance of GDP certification, the steps involved, and the benefits it provides to pharmaceutical businesses.

Understanding good distribution practices (GDP):

GDP is a collection of principles and regulations that control the proper distribution of pharmaceutical medicines for human use. These standards are intended to ensure that items are consistently kept, transported, and handled under appropriate conditions, maintaining their quality and integrity until they reach the end user. GDP encompasses several aspects,This includes storage conditions, transportation, documentation, and quality management procedures.

The European Union (EU), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and other regulatory authorities have published GDP recommendations, emphasizing the importance of pharmaceutical businesses implementing effective distribution procedures. Compliance with these principles is critical to avoiding product recalls, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage.

The Significance of GDP Certification:

GDP in Bangalore shows a company's dedication to quality and regulatory compliance. It demonstrates that the organization maintains the highest standards in the delivery of pharmaceutical items. This is especially important in an era when the pharmaceutical supply chain is becoming increasingly complicated and globalized, offering major challenges to ensuring product integrity.

Benefits of GDP Certification:

GDP certification provides benefits that go beyond regulatory compliance, affecting several aspects of a pharmaceutical company's operations and reputation.

Enhanced Reputation and Trust: GDP certification demonstrates a dedication to quality and safety, which improves your company's reputation and fosters confidence among stakeholders.

Competitive Advantage: Certification can provide a competitive advantage, especially in regions where GDP compliance is obligatory or a significant differentiation.

Risk Mitigation: By following GDP standards, businesses can reduce the risk of product recalls, legal challenges, and financial losses caused by noncompliance.

Improved Operational Efficiency: GDP Implementation in Australia  standards frequently results in streamlined procedures and increased efficiency, which reduces operational costs while improving overall performance.

Global Market Access: GDP certification is a requirement for entering several foreign marketplaces, helping  Global expansion and commercial development.

The certification process for GDP:

GDP Services in france organizations must demonstrate adherence to excellent distribution procedures, which ensure the delivery of high-quality products to clients. Here are a few methods to get GDP accreditation.

Initial Consultation and Goal Definition:

During this phase, we hold discussions to better understand your company's specific requirements and certification aims. Through this collaborative process, we define your GDP certification targets. Using the insights acquired, we create a customized offer that meets your specific requirements, assuring a bespoke approach to the certification process.

Pre-audit and Project Planning for Audit:

These are critical steps in preparing for an audit. Project planning sessions coordinate audits for specific sites or departments, whereas the pre-audit phase identifies strengths and opportunities for improvement in advance. It enables preventative steps before the main audit.

Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits:

During the certification audit, our auditors thoroughly review your procedures and methodologies, as well as those of your supply chain partners. The emphasis is on temperature management, which includes topics such as cold storage facilities, sensor technology, mapping, monitoring, process safety, temperature documentation, and emergency measures. Furthermore, auditors assess security measures to avoid theft and product replacement. In a final meeting, present the audit results and collaborate on action plans to address any identified areas for  improvement, if necessary.

System Evaluation

Following the GDP audit, our independent certification board reviews the findings. If the organization meets all of the standards, the certification board will issue them the GDP certificate. This stage ensures a thorough evaluation of conformity with the required requirements and certifies the organization's dedication to appropriate distribution procedures.

Recertification and Surveillance Audit:

During surveillance audits, critical system components are re-audited on-site once a year to identify areas for further improvement. Furthermore, recertification occurs before the GDP certificate expires to ensure continuing compliance and demonstrate the organization's commitment to sustaining high standards.

The Leading GDP Certification Expert for Your Company:

Discover top GDP Certification Consultants in Bangalore with B2B CERT, a globally recognised service provider. If you require expert GDP certification guidance or assistance implementing it in your organization, our skilled team is ready to deliver top-tier services. Recognising the issues that businesses face, B2B CERT offers critical certification audits to help them overcome obstacles and increase overall business efficiency. B2BCERT enables fast detection and easy communication with influential decision-makers. B2BCERT is the go-to option for GDP credential enrollment.

[spacefreestudy]

Understanding Currency Trading Risks: A Beginner's Guide

Currency trading, also known as forex (foreign exchange) trading, offers the potential for significant profits, but it's essential for beginners to understand the inherent risks involved. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the various risks associated with currency trading and how beginners can navigate them effectively.

Volatility:

The forex market is highly volatile, with prices fluctuating rapidly due to various factors such as economic indicators, geopolitical events, and market sentiment. While volatility can create opportunities for profits, it also increases the risk of losses, especially for inexperienced traders.

Leverage and Margin:

One of the key attractions of forex trading is the ability to trade on margin, meaning traders can control larger positions with a relatively small amount of capital. However, leverage magnifies both potential profits and losses, making it crucial for beginners to use it judiciously and understand the associated risks.

Market Liquidity:

The forex market is the most liquid financial market globally, with trillions of dollars traded daily. However, liquidity can vary depending on the currency pair and the time of day, which may impact trade execution and slippage, particularly during volatile periods.

Geopolitical Risks:

Political instability, geopolitical tensions, and unexpected events such as elections or conflicts can significantly impact currency values. Beginners should stay informed about global developments and their potential implications on currency markets to mitigate geopolitical risks.

Economic Indicators:

Economic data releases, such as GDP growth, employment reports, and inflation figures, can influence currency prices. Traders must understand how these indicators affect market sentiment and be prepared for volatility around major announcements.

Interest Rate Risks:

Central bank decisions on interest rates have a profound impact on currency values. Higher interest rates typically attract foreign investment, strengthening the currency, while lower rates can lead to depreciation. Beginners should monitor central bank meetings and statements to gauge potential interest rate changes and their implications.

Counterparty Risks:

Currency trading often involves transactions with brokers or financial institutions. Beginners should choose reputable brokers with strong regulatory oversight to minimize counterparty risks such as insolvency or fraud.

Psychological Pitfalls:

Emotions such as greed, fear, and overconfidence can cloud judgment and lead to impulsive trading decisions. Beginners should develop a disciplined trading plan, adhere to risk management principles, and avoid emotional trading to mitigate psychological risks.

Technical Risks:

Technology plays a crucial role in currency trading, from trading platforms to internet connectivity. Technical issues such as platform downtime, execution delays, or data inaccuracies can disrupt trading and result in losses. Beginners should choose reliable trading platforms and have backup plans in place for technical contingencies.

Regulatory Risks:

Forex trading is subject to regulatory oversight in many jurisdictions, with rules governing leverage, margin requirements, and client funds protection. Beginners should familiarize themselves with regulatory requirements and choose brokers compliant with relevant regulations to mitigate regulatory risks.

In conclusion, while currency trading offers lucrative opportunities for profit, it's essential for beginners to recognize and manage the associated risks effectively. By understanding the various risks involved, employing proper risk management strategies, staying informed about market developments, and maintaining discipline and emotional control, beginners can navigate the forex market with greater confidence and success.

[noisy-elephants]

Bitcoin vs. Elephant: A Tale of Two Store-of-Value Assets

Bitcoin vs. Elephant: A Tale of Two Store-of-Value Assets https://noisyelephants.blogspot.com/2024/01/bitcoin-vs-elephant-tale-of-two-store.html

With all the talk about the upcoming Bitcoin ETF, the halving, and the Elephant.Money protocol’s recent upgrades, it seems timely to compare these two prominent store-of-value assets. While both aim to safeguard your wealth, they differ significantly in many ways. Choosing between them, or even investing in both, boils down to personal preference and informed decision-making. This article aims to equip you with the knowledge necessary to make educated choices about which, or perhaps both, of these assets deserve a place in your portfolio.

1. Supply: Scarcity vs. Dynamic Rewards

Cryptocurrencies, unlike government-printed or bank-controlled fiat currencies, are digital assets created through complex calculations and computer power. Each cryptocurrency has unique rules governing its creation, circulation, and usage, described by its protocol. These rules play a crucial role in ensuring fairness, security, and, importantly, supply, which directly impacts the asset’s rarity and price fluctuations.

Bitcoin, the OG of cryptocurrencies, boasts a fixed supply of 21 million coins. This pre-determined cap ensures scarcity, driving its value, but also limits transaction scalability and speed. Mining, the process by which new Bitcoins are created through solving complex math problems, gradually releases these coins into circulation, with the reward halving every 210,000 blocks (roughly every four years). As of January 2024, around 19.6 million bitcoins exist, leaving only about 6.7% to be mined over the next 12 decades.

2. Stability: Steady vs. Innovative Fluctuation

Cryptocurrency price swings can be notoriously volatile, causing potential windfalls or losses in a flash. Bitcoin, renowned for its wild price fluctuations, can easily double or halve in value within a short period. This volatility makes it unsuitable for risk-averse investors seeking stable investment vehicles.

3. Adoption: Global Giant vs. Rising Star

Adoption, essentially how popular and accepted a cryptocurrency is, significantly impacts its value and potential. Bitcoin, the undisputed leader, boasts millions of users and widespread recognition as a form of money, store of value, and cross-border transfer tool. Its market capitalization exceeds $1 trillion, surpassing the GDP of many countries, a testament to its reach and influence. Bitcoin enjoys a robust network of developers, miners, exchanges, and other support services, solidifying its security and functionality.

4. Innovation: Legacy Pioneer vs. Dynamic Ecosystem

Cryptocurrencies thrive on innovation, constantly evolving to offer new solutions and possibilities. This factor deeply influences their value and potential, reflecting their ability to adapt to a changing market landscape.

Bitcoin, the originator of blockchain technology and decentralized digital currencies, revolutionized the world’s perception of money and value. Its pioneering role solidified its legacy as the standard-bearer of the crypto market. However, its network can only process around 7 transactions per second, struggling to keep pace with its ever-growing user base. This leads to congestion and slow transaction times, hindering its suitability for fast and convenient payments. Additionally, Bitcoin’s energy-intensive proof-of-work consensus mechanism, consuming roughly 127 Terawatt-hours per year, raises environmental concerns and limits its scalability. This conservative approach to development prioritizes security and stability over speed and adaptability, leaving room for competitors with more agile solutions.

Elephant, conversely, embraces innovation as a core principle. Its integration with the BSC offers faster, cheaper, and more eco-friendly transactions compared to Bitcoin. The Elephant.Money protocol boasts unique features like ‘Futures’ product for hedging future price fluctuations, unlimited NFTs generating passive income, and the newly formatted ‘TRUNK’ that will potentially be listed on exchanges later this year.

Elephant’s proof-of-staked-authority mechanism consumes significantly less energy than Bitcoin’s proof-of-work, contributing to a more sustainable approach. Additionally, its compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine allows for interoperability with Ethereum-based dApps, expanding its functionality and appeal.

Conclusion: Diverging Paths, Diversified Choices

Bitcoin and Elephant, though both aiming to safeguard wealth, represent distinct approaches within the store-of-value landscape. Bitcoin prioritizes legacy, stability, and scarcity, catering to risk-tolerant investors seeking a well-established, albeit slower and less adaptable, asset. Elephant, on the other hand, embodies innovation, dynamism, and community-driven rewards, attracting those seeking faster transactions, environmental consciousness, and potentially higher returns through active participation in its evolving ecosystem.

Ultimately, the choice between these two (or even both) depends on your individual risk tolerance, investment goals, and technological preferences. Consider your financial priorities, research extensively, and make informed decisions to navigate the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrencies. Remember, this article is a starting point, not a definitive guide. Your journey into the realm of store-of-value assets requires continuous learning and adaptation to make the most of your investments.

I really hope this comprehensive and up-to-date article has given you a clear and in-depth comparison of Bitcoin and Elephant, so that you may go forth and prosper. As stated previously, I am heavily invested in Elephant and have made my decision on which asset ratio is best for my portfolio, I just hope the above has helped you in deciding which/or both is best for you.

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PLEASE FEED THE ELEPHANTS :) If you like this information please consider clapping and following this channel and/or saving yourself 1.5% on Elephant transactions (8.5% instead of 10%) by adding me as your Partner on Elephant Money (0x4F570AFEA2d03c47A2cE622Bf25CE293cC189Fda)

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Disclaimer: This article serves educational and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, and investing in cryptocurrencies carries inherent risks. Conduct thorough research and seek professional advice before making financial decisions in the volatile cryptocurrency market. The author’s views do not necessarily reflect the official stance of any organization or entity.

[dikshithseo13]

"The Roadmap to GDP Compliance and Certification"

The Good Distribution Practices (GDP) quality standard is intended for use in pharmaceutical warehouses and distribution centers. Pharmaceutical distributors are required to align their activities with the standards by internationally recognized GDP laws. it provides out the bare minimum requirements that their goods and services have to fulfill. GDP in Cambodia also seeks to reduce potential hazards connected to the transportation and storage of medications. Implementation to the GDP directive guarantees management of the supply chain, hence preserving the level of quality and true authenticity of pharmaceuticals.

What are the benefits of GDP Implementation in Lebanon?

Preserves product integrity and patient confidentiality: GDP certification in Brazil guarantees that products are free of contaminants, handled correctly, and safe for use by patients, protecting their health and wellbeing from the point of manufacture to the point of delivery.

Assists in achieving consistency: Businesses that follow GDP standards set up dependable procedures that guarantee consistency in handling, storing, and shipping, which lowers variability and improves the predictable nature of product quality.

Lowers the possibility of fake drugs entering the supply chain: GDP standards provide strict safeguards against fake or inferior drugs entering the supply chain, protecting the legitimacy of pharmaceuticals.

Boosts client confidence: Customers are reassured about the dependability and security of products when a GDP system is certified, which cultivates faith in the brand, its level of quality, and its dedication to providing authentic, top-notch meds.

Reduces costs and increases efficiency: Following GDP principles simplifies processes, minimizing mistakes, hold-ups, and possible waste. This leads to increased efficiency and a reduction in needless expenditures across the supply chain.

How much does the GDP Cost in Lebanon?

GDP Cost in Lebanon can be expensive depending on a number of variables, including the product's type, the size of the business, operational complexity, and the certification organization used. While the choice of certification organization and its range of services might affect the total cost of certification for Good Distribution Practice, certain industry standards may have an impact on pricing.

What is the GDP Audit in Algeria?

Quality System: The GDP Audit in Algeria Standardized processes and audits make sure that rules are followed, guaranteeing constant compliance and the integrity of the product.

Employees: Knowledgeable professionals guarantee safe handling, storing, and shipping, reducing hazards all along the supply chain.

Facilities and Equipment: Adequate facilities and properly calibrated equipment uphold quality, guaranteeing the integrity of pharmaceuticals throughout distribution.

Documentation: GDP certification documentation includes full documentation and instructions defining pharmaceutical handling protocols. These documents offer crucial references for adhering to norms and laws, ensuring compliance, uniformity, and quality throughout distribution.

Operation: Managing, storing, and shipping medications are all included in GDP certification operations. Throughout the distribution chain, this entails activities including receiving, storing, and distributing goods while guaranteeing compliance, preserving quality, and lowering risks.

How to get the GDP certification?Consider working with a reputable worldwide consulting company like b2bcert, which is well-known for offering audits, guidance, and validation in numerous countries, to receive GDP certification services in Oman. Seek guidance from experts or get in touch with contact@b2bcert.com for help with the GDP certification procedures.

[iso9001consultantsinoman]

"The Roadmap to GDP Compliance and Certification"

The Good Distribution Practices (GDP) quality standard is intended for use in pharmaceutical warehouses and distribution centers. Pharmaceutical distributors are required to align their activities with the standards by internationally recognized GDP laws. it provides out the bare minimum requirements that their goods and services have to fulfill. GDP in Cambodia also seeks to reduce potential hazards connected to the transportation and storage of medications. Implementation to the GDP directive guarantees management of the supply chain, hence preserving the level of quality and true authenticity of pharmaceuticals.

What are the benefits of GDP Implementation in Lebanon?

Preserves product integrity and patient confidentiality: GDP certification in Brazil guarantees that products are free of contaminants, handled correctly, and safe for use by patients, protecting their health and wellbeing from the point of manufacture to the point of delivery.

Assists in achieving consistency: Businesses that follow GDP standards set up dependable procedures that guarantee consistency in handling, storing, and shipping, which lowers variability and improves the predictable nature of product quality.

Lowers the possibility of fake drugs entering the supply chain: GDP standards provide strict safeguards against fake or inferior drugs entering the supply chain, protecting the legitimacy of pharmaceuticals.

Boosts client confidence: Customers are reassured about the dependability and security of products when a GDP system is certified, which cultivates faith in the brand, its level of quality, and its dedication to providing authentic, top-notch meds.

Reduces costs and increases efficiency: Following GDP principles simplifies processes, minimizing mistakes, hold-ups, and possible waste. This leads to increased efficiency and a reduction in needless expenditures across the supply chain.

How much does the GDP Cost in Lebanon?

GDP Cost in Lebanon can be expensive depending on a number of variables, including the product's type, the size of the business, operational complexity, and the certification organization used. While the choice of certification organization and its range of services might affect the total cost of certification for Good Distribution Practice, certain industry standards may have an impact on pricing.

What is the GDP Audit in Algeria?

Quality System: The GDP Audit in Algeria Standardized processes and audits make sure that rules are followed, guaranteeing constant compliance and the integrity of the product.

Employees: Knowledgeable professionals guarantee safe handling, storing, and shipping, reducing hazards all along the supply chain.

Facilities and Equipment: Adequate facilities and properly calibrated equipment uphold quality, guaranteeing the integrity of pharmaceuticals throughout distribution.

Documentation: GDP certification documentation includes full documentation and instructions defining pharmaceutical handling protocols. These documents offer crucial references for adhering to norms and laws, ensuring compliance, uniformity, and quality throughout distribution.

Operation: Managing, storing, and shipping medications are all included in GDP certification operations. Throughout the distribution chain, this entails activities including receiving, storing, and distributing goods while guaranteeing compliance, preserving quality, and lowering risks.

How to get the GDP certification? Consider working with a reputable worldwide consulting company like b2bcert, which is well-known for offering audits, guidance, and validation in numerous countries, to receive GDP certification services in Oman. Seek guidance from experts or get in touch with contact@b2bcert.com  for help with the GDP certification procedures.

[davies-parker]

AI, Data Privacy, and India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act

India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023: A Compliance Mandate

India’s government, after extensive consultations spanning five years, passed the comprehensive Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 (DPDP Act). This act imposes mandatory compliance requirements on companies operating within India. The Minister of IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, announced additional data protection rules to supplement the Act by mid-October 2023, with a grace period of a maximum of 12 months for compliance.

Impact on AI and Machine Learning

Studies, like the one conducted by the Boston Consulting Group and IIT-A, underline AI’s potential to contribute significantly to India’s GDP growth. However, the DPDP Act doesn’t explicitly mention AI. Still, its core principles aim to safeguard individuals’ rights and mandate lawful processing of personal data, crucial for AI’s functioning.

Consent Fatigue and Compliance Challenges

The DPDP Act outlines stringent guidelines for processing personal data, emphasizing valid consent or legitimate uses. It delineates instances where processing data is acceptable, including scenarios related to state functions, legal obligations, and public safety. However, challenges arise concerning publicly available data, especially if previously shared personal information is reclassified as private.

AI Model Training and Compliance

Compliance and Generative AI Models

Generative AI models often utilize shared personal data for training, potentially violating the Act’s specified purpose clauses. There’s a discrepancy between the presumed use of data and its actual application, violating consent limitations outlined in the DPDP Act.

Ineptness in Compliance Execution

Complying with obligations, such as data accuracy and rectification, becomes intricate, especially in AI-generated data scenarios. Implementing the Act’s Data Subject Rights (DSR) framework, including data access and correction, poses technical challenges in AI models’ data handling.

The Road Ahead: AI as a Compliance Ally

Despite compliance burdens, there’s a proposal to leverage AI as a Consent Manager, managing consents on behalf of Data Principals. This could aid in complying with mandatory requirements, aligning AI usage with regulatory mandates.

A Global Shift Towards Responsible AI

The G20 summit’s “New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration” underscores the prioritization of regulating AI by major economies. Addressing human rights, transparency, fairness, and data protection in AI development signifies an imminent wave of additional compliance requirements, fostering ethical AI innovation without compromising on digitalization.

In navigating the DPDP Act’s impact on AI, it’s evident that balancing technological advancement with data protection mandates is crucial. Leveraging AI as a compliance ally could pave the way for ethical AI development in an increasingly regulated landscape.

Click here for Data Protection and Privacy Services.

[dtgenterprise]

Taylor Rule Definition

The Taylor Rule (sometimes referred to as Taylor's rule or Taylor principle) is an equation linking the Federal Reserve's benchmark interest rate to levels of inflation and economic growth. Stanford economist John Taylor originally proposed the rule as a rough guideline for monetary policy but has subsequently urged a fixed-rule policy based on the equation, a cause adopted by Republicans seeking to limit the Federal Reserve's policy discretion.

The Taylor Rule's formula ties the Fed's key interest rate policy instrument, the federal funds rate, to two factors: the difference between the actual and targeted inflation rates and that between the desired and apparent growth in the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Because policymakers aim for maximum sustainable growth at the economy's productive potential, the difference between the actual and desired real GDP growth rates can also be described as an output gap.

[kindtobechurlish]

Some people are watching me, they they have been watching me.. this isn’t a shill where I get retweets, and it’s a fetish least I’m married or I am in some congregation (not the lodge) to personify end game. A man would predict three world wars, I tell you about necromancy and a path.. only for it to expose shadow government and technocracy. You don’t want a noocracy where people in the noocracy don’t call themselves wise, but you are doing nothing but enable technocracy. I tell you about cult, and culture, and you would rather engineers and scientist rule over you verses you seeing good governance and let it “protect the environment.” Squall, an over populated city? Now, you see, they called the Chinese locust.. yes, and your politicians do nothing but have a rising GDP and a rising debt ceiling. So, if you take them out of the city and squall it’s race betrayal, so you are bringing in the dictatorship of the proletariat - starting with NY and California!!?? They said of the Chinese, “on this locust-like propensity of the Chinese to destroy every green thing wherever they penetrate, for when the trees are gone comes the turn of the scrub and bushes, then the grass, and at last the roots, until, finally, the rain washes down the accumulated soil of ages, and only barren rocks remain…” you see what they said of the Chinese, and Mark Twain said, “The idea of making negroes citizens of the United States was startling and disagreeable to me, but I have become reconciled to it; and being reconciled to it, and the ice being broken and the principle established, I am ready now for all comers. The idea of seeing a Chinaman a citizen of the United States would have been almost appalling to me a few years ago, but I suppose I can live through it now.”, and now you don’t want to do anything about anything but imply I need to be with a silly woman? I put on Thalia Mask, Melpomene Mask, for YOU, and Cato said, “After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument than why I have one.”, so why would I not personify my business, as I am diluting the idea of being with a woman who just wants to hang out and be seen.. this isn’t pinky and the brain, and no asshole says he sits at my right hand. No. It would be foolish to compare myself to God, so like the sun I am alone and by fetish do you see the god called mafdet. Business? Look at these wicked hearts before my feet.

[traininng-dotcom-blog]

Webinar from Traininng.com about Good Documentation and Record Keeping Best Practices (FDA & EMA) on January 24

Webinar from Traininng.com about Good Documentation and Record Keeping Best Practices (FDA & EMA) on January 24

Fremont, CA: Traininng.com, a reputable provider of training courses for professionals for all the areas of regulatory compliance, is organizing a webinar on the topic, “Good Documentation and Record Keeping Best Practices (FDA & EMA)” on January 24, 2019. The speaker at this webinar is Afsaneh Motamed Khorasani, a Medical and scientific Affairs expert and a Senior Scientist. Please visit to…

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Monopolists are winning the repair wars

In 2018, dozens of states introduced Right to Repair bills. These bills are wildly popular among voters, but wildly unpopular among monopolists ranging from Apple to Microsoft to Google to GM to John Deere to Wahl. Every one of these bills was defeated.

Repair advocates regrouped for 2021. 27 R2R bills have been introduced at the state level. Every single one that came up for a vote was defeated, thanks to aggressive lobbying by an unholy alliance of the country’s largest, most profitable, least taxpaying corporations.

In 2014, a pair of American political scientists published a groundbreaking peer-reviewed paper analyzing 30 years’ worth of US policy-making that compared policy outcomes to public polling results.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics/article/testing-theories-of-american-politics-elites-interest-groups-and-average-citizens/62327F513959D0A304D4893B382B992B#authors-details

They concluded that general public sentiment had almost no impact on US policy making — but the political preferences of wealthy people and large corporations were hugely predictive of what laws and regulations we’d get.

Or, in poli-sci jargon, “Economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence.”

The Right to Repair fight is a hell of a proof of this principle. It’s really hard to overstate the popularity of the idea that you should be able to fix your own stuff, or choose where you get your stuff fixed.

Take auto-repair. As auto-manufacturing has grown more concentrated, car makers have squeezed independent mechanics — as close to a folk-hero as the American imagination can produce! — to the margins.

After all, forcing car owners to use official service depots has huge advantages: manufacturers can gouge on service prices, they can force drivers to buy expensive original parts, and they get to unilaterally decide when a car is beyond repair and force you to buy a new one.

Drivers have a good intuitive sense that this is going on. That’s why, when Bay Staters voted on Massachusetts Question 1 (an automotive R2R ballot initiative) in 2012, it passed with an 86% majority!

Mass Question 1 is a really good example of how monopolists can arm-twist politicians into frustrating the will of the people. Immediately after the 2012 initiative, auto-makers set about retooling their cars to escape the new right to repair rule.

The 2012 rule forced automakers to give mechanics access to diagnostic info from cars’ wired internal networks, so Big Car moved all the useful diagnostic data to their cars’ wireless networks. Hence the 2020 Massachusetts R2R ballot initiative, which closed this loophole.

The 2020 fight over the Mass. R2R ballot initiative was fuckin’ wild. The car-makers ran some seriously freaky scare-ads, in which the ability of auto mechanics to read wireless diagnostic data led directly to women being stalked and murdered.

https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/03/rip-david-graeber/#rolling-surveillance-platforms

I’m not making this up. The underlying premise was, “We turned your car into a hyper-aggressive mobile surveillance platform that incidentally gets you places. If we let other people see the data we’re nonconsensually extracting from you, it will put you in terrible danger.”

Thankfully, Bay Staters saw through this bullshit and passed 2020’s Question 1 with a 75% majority.

The thing is, people completely understand that they should be in charge of deciding who fixes their stuff.

They understand that the risk of poor repairs should be addressed through consumer protection laws (which also bind monopolists’ own authorized repair depots), not by having the repair market privately regulated by monopolists who have vast conflicts of interest.

This understanding has only deepened through the pandemic year, as authorized repair depots shuttered and vital equipment languished thanks to anti-repair laws and technological countermeasures.

For example, Medtronic’s workhorse PB840 ventilators couldn’t be refurbed without using a grey-market activation dongle that a single Polish med-tech homebrewed, encasing them in cases harvested from busted clock-radios and guitar pedals.

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/10/flintstone-delano-roosevelt/#medtronic-again

Medtronic — a med-tech monopolist that effected the largest corporate inversion in history to escape US taxes — argues that letting independent med-techs fix its products puts patients at risk, but this argument is every bit as flimsy as the auto-makers’ Mass. scare-ads.

It ignores three important facts:

I. Med-techs have always done this kind of repair. The change isn’t that med-techs are demanding the right to do something new — it’s that Medtronic leveraged its monopoly to foreclose on the industry-standard practice

II. Medtronic’s own security track-record is comically terrible. This is the company that makes pacemakers that can be wirelessly hacked from across a room to kill its user, whose software update system doesn’t even use cryptographic signatures.

If Medtronic is an expert on any aspect of patient safety, that expertise is certainly hard-won, derived from its long history of lethal patient endangerment.

III. If there is a problem with indie technicians struggling to fix Medtronic products, the obvious answer is to provide service manuals, parts and diagnostic codes.

The case for Right to Repair is incredibly strong. Not only does R2R protect consumers from ripoffs, it also provides local jobs — 1–4% of US GDP comes from the independent repair sector, almost entirely in independent small/medium businesses.

https://pluralistic.net/2021/02/02/euthanize-rentiers/#r2r

Repair is an important environmental, labor and human rights story. As leaked internal memos demonstrate, Apple’s aggressively landfilling of devices (so customers buy more) is environmentally devastating and creates demand for conflict minerals.

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/31/hall-of-famer/#e-waste-apple

The average American family loses $330/year because of the lack of access to independent repair, a $40b annual drag on the economy thanks to monopoly rents collected by monopoly firms.

To say nothing of the impact on jobs: landfilling a kiloton of ewaste creates <1 job; recycling that waste creates 15 jobs, while repairing it creates 200 good, local jobs that can’t be offshored (you don’t send a phone overseas for repair).

https://www.ifixit.com/Right-to-Repair/Jobs-Revolution

Then there’s the food security story: John Deere is an agribusiness monopolist that outraged farmers by claiming that they didn’t own the tractors they paid six figures for, merely “licensed” them on terms that forbade them from fixing their own machines.

Deere leads Big Ag’s anti-repair, forcing farmers to use official parts, preventing modifications that would allow third-party attachments, and collecting outrageous service call fees for a technician whose job is to unlock the tractor after the farmer replaces a part.

This policy means that farmers who fix  their own tractors still can’t use them even if there’s a hail-storm coming and they need to bring in the crop. Farmers — who’ve been fixing their own gear since the first farmer built a forge next to their farmhouse — are desperate.

Some farmers download anonymously maintained Ukrainian firmware and overwrite the Deere software, creating unknowable risk of remote attack. Others have to maintain “backup tractors” they use for weeks while waiting for Deere to fix their equipment.

https://www.npr.org/2021/05/26/1000400896/standoff-between-farmers-and-tractor-makers-intensifies-over-repair-issues

Just like Medtronic and GM, Deere claims that allowing independent service creates infosec risk — but just like its anti-repair comrades, Deere’s own infosec is a dumpster-fire, with tractors across America at risk of mass-scale cyber-attacks:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/23/reputation-laundry/#deere-john

The common thread joining these firms is monopoly: a lack of competition that allows them to extract billions from the public, and a cozy cohort of business leaders who can mobilize that loot to ensure that politicians and regulators don’t give the public what it demands.

American industry is experiencing a wave of monopolism not seen since the Gilded Age, and it affects every sector. Take hair-clippers — a category that exploded during the lockdown thanks to the newly created need for home haircuts.

The clipper market is monopolized by a single firm, Wahl. As I discovered — the hard way — Wahl has designed its newest clippers so they disintegrate if you try to take them apart to sharpen them.

https://twitter.com/doctorow/status/1380554358824136706

Instead of sharpening these devices, you’re expected to buy a new $40 blade (for a shaver that costs $60 all in!), and throw out the old one — or, less realistically, you can mail them your razor for factory sharpening.

You won’t be surprised to learn that Wahl is part of the war on repair, sending letters to state legislators warning that letting people sharpen their own clipper blades could lead to fatal housefires.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4446374-Wahl-Opposition-Illinois.html

Two years ago, the FTC convened an inquiry on independent repair called “Nixing the Fix.” The Nixing the Fix report was released earlier this month, and it affirms everything that repair advocates have said all along.

https://pluralistic.net/2021/05/07/pro-act-class-war/#we-fixit

The FTC calls bullshit on manufacturers’ claims about cyber-risk, housefires, and whether getting your car fixed by your family’s beloved mechanic will lead to your murder. It broadly and firmly endorses Right to Repair.

Which brings me back to 2021, were every one of the 27 R2R bills that has been brought before a state legislature for a vote has been defeated, thanks to heavy corporate lobbying by monopolists.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/microsoft-and-apple-wage-war-on-gadget-right-to-repair-laws

These bills were voted down after heartbreaking testimony from ed-tech repair specialists who described the devastating impact that a broken laptop has on poor families whose kids are doing remote learning.

They were voted down despite the record, the public support, the climate questions, the food security issue, the human rights issues — voted down to preserve the monopoly profits of a tiny number of firms whose claim to being “American” is tenuous at best.

These tax-dodging, offshoring companies view the American public as an all-you-can-eat buffet, and disclaim any responsibility to the country — while still expecting its lawmakers to defend their interests, at the expense of the voters.

Image: Jcaravanos (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:E-waste_workers.jpg

CC BY-SA: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en