(ECONOMICS) an alternative metric of poverty; used instead of the poverty level by some researchers.
Developed as a superior alternative to the federal poverty level to estimate the income required for families to pay for their basic needs. Computed at the county level, the SSS takes into account the costs of food, housing, health insurance, childcare, transportation, taxes, and other basic expenses, with component values varying across more than 70 different family types. SSS wages have been calculated to date for all counties in 35 states and the District of Columbia.
Developed as a superior alternative to the federal poverty level to estimate the income required for families to pay for their basic needs. Computed at the county level, the SSS takes into account the costs of food, housing, health insurance, childcare, transportation, taxes, and other basic expenses, with component values varying across more than 70 different family types. SSS wages have been calculated to date for all counties in 35 states and the District of Columbia.
Usually people are not concerned by reports of the large numbers of people living below the poverty level, because they assume it just means poor people have to tighten their belts.
The self-sufficiency standard (SSS), if explained, should change this. If a person's wages are below the SSS, then she is not only not making enough to meet her current needs, she's not making enough to preserve her ability to earn what little she has.
The self-sufficiency standard (SSS), if explained, should change this. If a person's wages are below the SSS, then she is not only not making enough to meet her current needs, she's not making enough to preserve her ability to earn what little she has.
by Primus Intra Pares July 17, 2010
(VIETNAMESE HISTORY) Army of the "Republic of Vietnam"; organization created, funded, armed, by the US government; mostly conscripts with no motivation to kill patriotic countrymen in the countryside (which is what the "Viet Cong" really were). Extremely poor fighting force; however, fairly self-confident at staging the occasional coup d'etat.
Collapsed completely in early months of 1975. Mostly behaved as one would expect a group of brutally terrorized conscripts serving a regime they despised to behave.
Collapsed completely in early months of 1975. Mostly behaved as one would expect a group of brutally terrorized conscripts serving a regime they despised to behave.
The other definition of ARVN includes a quote from the Stanley Kubrick movie, "Full Metal Jacket." It is used as a taunt of Vietnamese "cowardice" by young US soldiers. Of course, no sane conscript would risk his life to fight for occupiers, against an "enemy" consisting of patriotic citizens of his own country. So the taunt fell flat.
by Primus Intra Pares July 25, 2010
(ECONOMICS) an official definition of poverty, in which one third of one's income is spent on food. "Food," here, is defined as the most cost-effective way of meeting basic nutritional needs.
The definition has one advantage, which is that researchers can get comparable information about poverty for any country in the world. The disadvantage is that it's arbitrary (why one third? why food? why not shelter, health care, and heating?); the other is that the cost of living varies dramatically in different neighborhoods in different cities of different US states, yet the poverty level is the same (expressed in dollar amounts) everywhere in a given country.
A better measure is the self-sufficiency standard.
The definition has one advantage, which is that researchers can get comparable information about poverty for any country in the world. The disadvantage is that it's arbitrary (why one third? why food? why not shelter, health care, and heating?); the other is that the cost of living varies dramatically in different neighborhoods in different cities of different US states, yet the poverty level is the same (expressed in dollar amounts) everywhere in a given country.
A better measure is the self-sufficiency standard.
Living under the official poverty level can be a lot worse in affluent communities like San Francisco, where the cost of basic necessities is very high. On the other hand, it's also a lot worse in areas such as rural Mississippi, where public amenities (such as libraries equipped with computers for public use) are rare.
by Primus Intra Pares July 12, 2010
(US GOVERNMENT) Cabinet level position created by the Bush Administration in 2003. One of the most costly and poorly executed reorganizations in US history, it essentially blew hundreds of billions of dollars on unrelated and pointless government projects intended to reward members of congress who sided with the president.
The DHS budget's largest line items are:
*the Customs and Border Protection (CBP)-20%;
*the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA)-19%;
*the Coast Guard (USCG; formerly part of the Department of Transportation {DOT})-18%;
*the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)-12%;
*Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)-10%;
*Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS)-5%.
(Percentages are of the FY 2011 DHS Budget--$57 billion
The DHS budget's largest line items are:
*the Customs and Border Protection (CBP)-20%;
*the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA)-19%;
*the Coast Guard (USCG; formerly part of the Department of Transportation {DOT})-18%;
*the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)-12%;
*Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)-10%;
*Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS)-5%.
(Percentages are of the FY 2011 DHS Budget--$57 billion
The Department of Homeland Security was created to bring most federally-controlled law enforcement bodies into one single, union-free, whistle-blower-free, department. Riders to the Homeland Security Act cost taxpayers billions in useless programs.
by Primus Intra Pares June 19, 2010
(VIETNAMESE HISTORY) People's Army of Vietnam; armed forces of Communist state created in Vietnam in May 1945. Known as Viet Minh to 1954.
After the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu (1954), ceasefire and partition of Vietnam ended First Indochina War. Vietnam north of the 17th parallel known as Democratic Republic of Vietnam, with capital in Hanoi; Vietnam south of that line known as the Republic of Vietnam (ROVN); figleaf for continued Western colonial rule.
DRV initially hoped to reunite Vietnam in accordance with the terms drawn up by 1954 Geneva Agreements, but Ngo Dinh Diem and his CIA handlers set about purging Communists in South Vietnam. So in 1959, PAVN began preparations for infiltrating South Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh Trail).
In 1968, PAVN launched offensive against ROVN; disaster, loss of non-Communist allies in the South. Rebuilt with surprising speed, despite massive US bombing ("Rolling Thunder"). In 1972, offensive reduced ROVN control to small enclaves in the South. Increased US bombing ("Linebacker") of DRV, while US Army sought to train the Army of ROVN (ARVN). US troops withdrawn March 1973, resulting in collapse, PAVN victory.
In Dec 1978, after attacks by Khmer Rouge PAVN invaded and liquidated genocidal regime of Pol Pot in Cambodia. Khmer Rouge ally, China, invaded Vietnam March 1979, but PAVN defeated invasion.
After the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu (1954), ceasefire and partition of Vietnam ended First Indochina War. Vietnam north of the 17th parallel known as Democratic Republic of Vietnam, with capital in Hanoi; Vietnam south of that line known as the Republic of Vietnam (ROVN); figleaf for continued Western colonial rule.
DRV initially hoped to reunite Vietnam in accordance with the terms drawn up by 1954 Geneva Agreements, but Ngo Dinh Diem and his CIA handlers set about purging Communists in South Vietnam. So in 1959, PAVN began preparations for infiltrating South Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh Trail).
In 1968, PAVN launched offensive against ROVN; disaster, loss of non-Communist allies in the South. Rebuilt with surprising speed, despite massive US bombing ("Rolling Thunder"). In 1972, offensive reduced ROVN control to small enclaves in the South. Increased US bombing ("Linebacker") of DRV, while US Army sought to train the Army of ROVN (ARVN). US troops withdrawn March 1973, resulting in collapse, PAVN victory.
In Dec 1978, after attacks by Khmer Rouge PAVN invaded and liquidated genocidal regime of Pol Pot in Cambodia. Khmer Rouge ally, China, invaded Vietnam March 1979, but PAVN defeated invasion.
The PAVN is extremely tough, resourceful, skillful in battle, and experienced.
Their most famous commander is Vo Nguyen Giap (1911-).
Their most famous commander is Vo Nguyen Giap (1911-).
by Primus Intra Pares July 22, 2010
(IRANIAN HISTORY) A coup d'etat against the democratically elected prime minister of Iran, Muhammed Mossadegh (s.1951-1953). Perpetrators: the US CIA and the UK MI-6. The operation successfully replaced the constitutional monarchy of Iran with a dictatorship by Shah Muhammad Reza (August 1953). The motivation of the operation was to liquidate a genuinely popular nationalist leader who had stood up to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC) (whose assets had been nationalized by Mossadegh after it had robbed Iran for 42 years).
The AIOC's reputation was so stained with evil afterward that it changed its name to British Petroleum (or BP, p.l.c.).
Operation Ajax is often blamed for poisoning the relationship between the USA and the Islamic world. It was approved by John Foster Dulles, who also embroiled the USA in the Second Indochina War.
The AIOC's reputation was so stained with evil afterward that it changed its name to British Petroleum (or BP, p.l.c.).
Operation Ajax is often blamed for poisoning the relationship between the USA and the Islamic world. It was approved by John Foster Dulles, who also embroiled the USA in the Second Indochina War.
Operation Ajax actually was launched soon after the nationalization of AOIC's assets in Iran (1951). Initially the situation was hopeless, because Mossadegh was far too popular and because the previous arrangement with AOIC made Iran nearly impossible to govern. The UK suffered a balance of payments crisis because the AOIC was the single largest source of overseas payments.
John Foster Dulles, however, was very sympathetic to the oil company's plight.
John Foster Dulles, however, was very sympathetic to the oil company's plight.
by Primus Intra Pares July 19, 2010
(ECONOMICS) Bank for central banks. It takes deposits from central banks and provides financial services, including underwriting bills of exchange. It is based in Basle, Switzerland and was founded in May 1930, for the purpose of facilitating reparations payments by Germany to the Allies.
The BIS also provides a forum for international coordination of monetary policy, conducts financial research, and acts as an agent or trustee for international financial settlements. About 140 central banks and international financial institutions have deposits with the BIS. As of June 2010, currency deposits totaled approximately $303 billion dollars, or about four percent of world foreign exchange reserves.
The BIS also provides a forum for international coordination of monetary policy, conducts financial research, and acts as an agent or trustee for international financial settlements. About 140 central banks and international financial institutions have deposits with the BIS. As of June 2010, currency deposits totaled approximately $303 billion dollars, or about four percent of world foreign exchange reserves.
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) was created by the Dawes/Young Plan for coordinating the transfer of billions of Reichsmarks in reparations from Germany to the Allied powers after WW1. Almost at one, the BIS switched to managing international transactions of gold or hard currency. It also facilitated financial transactions between the Nazi regime and neutral countries during the War.
The BIS provides a very wide variety of specialized services, including underwriting and arbitration in fiduciary disputes.
The BIS provides a very wide variety of specialized services, including underwriting and arbitration in fiduciary disputes.
by Primus Intra Pares July 19, 2010