This lecture is the inaugural Berkeley Distinguished Lecture in the Social Sciences (formerly the Moses Memorial Lectures) About this lecture In this lecture, Ted Miguel will present findings from a development economics research project based on a large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Kenya that he and collaborators have been conducting since 2014. He will start by discussing the rise of experimental methods and open science tools in economics research. Ted will then focus on new results from the Kenyan RCT that investigates the impact of cash transfers on infant mortality, leveraging a unique large-scale census of local households’ birth histories. The findings provide novel evidence on the broader impacts of cash transfers on the health and wellbeing of a poor rural population, and illustrate the value of the experimental approach in development economics for public policy.About Edward Miguel Edward (Ted) Miguel is Distinguished Professor of Economics, the Oxfam Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics, & Faculty co-Director of the Center for Effective Global Action at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned S.B. degrees in both Economics and Mathematics from MIT, received a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University, where he was a National Science Foundation Fellow. Ted’s main research focus is African economic development, including work on the economic causes and consequences of violence; interactions between health, education, environment, and productivity for the poor; and methods for transparency in social science research. He has published over 120 articles and chapters in leading academic journals and collected volumes. Prof. Miguel was elected as a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2020, and awarded the Econometric Society Frisch Medal in 2024.

The Dniester River delta, located on the territories of both Ukraine and Moldova, is a powerful, complex and fragile ecosystem with invaluable biodiversity. However, it poses a risk of extreme flooding as well as water scarcity for people.

“Following days of extremely heavy rains in July 2008, a severe flood hit the Dniester River area with devastating consequences for thousands of households and infrastructure in both Ukraine and Moldova,” says Viktoriya Boyko, Head of the Hydrological Forecasts Department of the Ukrainian Hydro-meteorological Centre.“It led to human casualties and huge economic damage in both countries. It was devastating.”

Boyko noted that in a changing climate, floods on the Dniester are expected to become more frequent and more intense. “It is critical that in the future, the disastrous consequences of floods be mitigated.”

[node id="246436" preset="medium" align="left" description="A dry section of the Zastoyniy channel before ecosystem restoration activities were started. (Lower Dniester National Nature Park/Volodymyr Gubanov)"]

Flooding threats

In the past, mainly structural solutions such as the construction of dams were used to mitigate flood risk. Those measures had high financial and environmental costs, and could lead to catastrophe in case of failure.

Today, new ecosystem-based approaches can mitigate floods by spreading water away from populated areas, and by slowing the flood’s volume and speed. “Ecosystem-based approaches to mitigating the risks of floods and water deficits have huge untapped potential for application in the Dniester river basin,” says Alexei Andreev, Head of the BIOTICA Ecological Society. “There is a clear need to learn more about their use,”

[node id="246446" preset="medium" align="right" description="Channel Zastoyniy after it was cleaned from silt and vegetation in April 2016. Small islands created along the channel for birds and other animals to use as shelter during flooding. (Lower Dniester National Nature Park/Nikolay Stepanok)"]

OSCE engagement

In spring 2016, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, and funding from the Austrian Development Cooperation, the European Union’s Instrument for Stability and the Government of Switzerland, conducted a pilot restoration project of a small watercourse connecting the Dniester floodplain and the main course of the Dniester delta in the Lower Dniester National Nature Park.

Leonid Kalashnyk, OCEEA Environmental Programme Officer, says that the restoration included clearing silt and vegetation from the Zastoyniy Channel, forming islets for birds and other animals along the channel. “We created a small shallow reservoir, and moved three cables that had crossed the channel and obstructed the water flow.”

Vladimir Gubanov, the park’s deputy science director, says that the restoration has certainly had a positive impact on biodiversity conservation including fish resources, flood mitigation and fire risk reduction. “Results will be further monitored and used for restoration activities in the Dniester delta.”

[node id="246451" preset="medium" align="right" description="A Great White Pelican flock flying above the Zastoyniy channel. (Lower Dniester National Nature Park/Nikolay Stepanok)"]

Co-operation saves lives

Even though these restoration activities are conducted in Ukraine, the effect is also felt across the border in Moldova. “The results of, and lessons learned from these restoration activities have also been shared with experts and relevant authorities in Moldova. This will contribute to the joint efforts undertaken by Moldova and Ukraine, including environmental NGOs from each country, to address the risks of flooding and drought in the Dniester Basin,” says Andreev.

Gubanov says that the improvement of fish nurseries in Ukraine increases fish populations in Moldova and supports animal migration within both countries. “Our experience within the project could be applied in the Moldovan part of the Lower Dniester. We are ready to share the know-how.”

“The project’s long-term effects aim at increasing trans-boundary co-operation by sharing knowledge and expertise among regional and international stakeholders in the Lower Dniester area, notes Kalashnyk. “The pilot project in the Lower Dniester Delta is an important step towards restoring the ecosystem thereby reducing the risk of catastrophic flooding. Prevention is key.”

“During Soviet times we tried to control nature, rather than mitigate the effects of this natural phenomenon on people,” says Gubanov. “Now, we are working on correcting these mistakes and we seem to be on the right path.”

These flood mitigation activities are part of a multi-year effort under the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC), which has also included facilitating the signing of the Dniester Basin bilateral Treaty, developing and endorsing a trans-boundary Strategic Framework of Adaptation to Climate Change in the Dniester River Basin, and implementing a range of monitoring and flood mitigation measures in the basin.

The OSCE, UNDP, UNEP, UNECE AND REC have joined forces in the ENVSEC Initiative to help transform environmental risks into opportunities for co-operation in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and South Eastern Europe.

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It’s a sonic map of New Orleans music from the recording studios and nightclubs to jazz parades. Songs about life on Basin Street and Bourbon Street, to Rampart Street and […]

The post American Routes: A Music Map of New Orleans Lives – with Creole Jazz Singer John Boutté appeared first on KKFI.

Linkin Park have announced that they will be livestreaming the first six songs from their upcoming concert in Sao Paulo

Super Bowl champion Heath Evans offered advice to ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark after the former player said he would not and does not respect President-elect Trump.

Men often face challenges during the transition to fatherhood due to a lack of information and emotional support tailored to their specific needs, suggests

Грустная история про белку Арахис
внезапно стала историей про выборы
https://x.com/hodgetwins/status/1852531624094625858

New York democrats just raided this dudes home for having
a pet squirrel that he rescued

They stole the man's animal and killed it

* * *

Американец по имени Марк Лонго
нашел в лесу бельчонка, мама которого
погибла, вырастил и выпустил в лес,
но бельчонок вернулся с переломами,
и с тех пор жил у него на ферме;
Марк Лонго сделал белке страницу в
Инстаграмме, и имел с нее охуенно
много бабла и полмиллиона подписчиков,
потому что белка была потрясающе
фотогенична.

Походу на него очень много стучали: в каждом
штате дохуя абсолютно идиотских законов, которые
никогда не выполняются, но дают массу поводов
на кого-нибудь настучать. На Лонго стучали
зоозащитники, которые во всех демократических
штатах провели кучу законов о том,
что нельзя держать в качестве питомца "дикое
животное", потому что это жестоко по отношению
к "дикому животному". В итоге чиновники по борьбе
с жестокостью пришли к Лонго с вооруженной полицией,
примерно как приходят к в лабораторию по производству
наркотиков, после шестичасового обыска отобрали у него
белку и енота, и почти сразу усыпили.

В принципе, демократическая партия действует
таким образом более-менее везде, потому что
демократический избиратель этого просит.
Вот тут куча типичных партийных американцев
комментируют событие
https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/1gi9bts/whats_the_deal_with_a_squirrel_becoming_a/
почти все в духе "все правильно сделали, надо было
сначала получить лицензию, а без лицензии это жестокость
к животному, и государство должно с ней бороться".

В итоге вся сеть забита фотошопами с изображением
Трампа и Пината, который обещает отомстить партийной
сволочи за белку. Думаю, что ничего не получится,
фашизм не пройдет, потому что он пройти не может.
Но белку жалко.

Мемасики:
https://x.com/madhousemag2016/status/1852782913164578910
https://x.com/RenzTom/status/1852988414393483437
https://x.com/BowTiedMara/status/1852756897109020997
https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1852716944153043161
https://x.com/gentrywgevers/status/1852738878345793927
https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/president-donald-trump-will-save-elon-musk-hits-out-at-biden-govt-post-celebrity-squirrel-peanuts-euthanasia-11730631814885.html
https://www.reddit.com/r/JoeRogan/comments/1gi0bka/statement_on_peanut_the_squirrel/
https://www.foxnews.com/us/peanut-squirrel-social-media-firestorm-new-york-officials-euthanize-beloved-rodent
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/us-news/story/peanut-the-squirrel-death-euthanised-elon-musk-donald-trump-republican-2627214-2024-11-03

AI оплакивает белку в стихах и прозе:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Da6Vu8lRME
Justice for Peanut the Squirrel - EPIC BALLAD Song + Lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e6NZCt_fcg
RIP Peanut The Squirrel (AI video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa5epoOhDNU
Song for Peanut the Squirrel

Peanut Saves America

Peanut, a courageous and clever squirrel, discovers a
cosmic threat: a dark force of democrats intent on
collapsing America.

Armed with unparalleled agility and a heart full of
determination, Peanut rallies a team of unlikely allies,
including his human friend Martha, and a tech-savvy
raccoon, Fred. Together, they devise a plan to harness the
power of the stars, using light to combat darkness.

In an epic showdown, Peanut the Squirrel leads the charge,
proving that even the smallest hero can change the fate of
the universe.

With a flick of his bushy tail, he restores balance to
Make America Great Again for generations to come.

Привет

If you only owned the ground you stood on, how would you make the most out of it? A creative idea becomes a sustainable reality.

OM Russia partners with local churches to respond to the needs of Ukrainian refugees in Novosibirsk, Siberia.

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In a tragic incident in Gilgit-Baltistan's Diamer district, a bus carrying a wedding party fell into the Ind River, leading to the death of at least 26 individuals. This sorrowful event occurred on Tuesday when the bus, en route from Astore

Huh? What God of "green" hope? Why does The Message do this? -- Before we examine what seems suggestive of earth reverence/earth worship, let us restate some of what has been covered elsewhere about The Message: A generation has been raised on this disturbing "paraphrase" of the Bible. This is the primary version so many now rely on, and nationally known preachers quote from it with regularity. Yet, as we have seen, The Message flat out omits the sin of homosexuality from several key passages. We see this in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, and also in 1 Timothy 1: 8-11 (read about that here). -- Does the acceptance and use of The Message explain why many Christians are lukewarm on the issue of homosexuality? Certainly The Message is not the only factor-we dwell in a pro-homosexual media/culture-but place this "Bible" in a person's hands and it can have, over time, significant influence. How can we understand God's Truth when Truth is no longer there to be read? - "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart." (Proverbs 4:20-21) The beloved author of The Message, Eugene Peterson, has now endorsed two heretical books: The Shack, and Rob Bell's sly ode to universalism, Love Wins. - The Message, bluntly stated, seems written to make Christians less knowledgeable about the Word of God. While that may seem a strong comment, please consider what Eugene Peterson himself said about the Bible: "Why do people spend so much time studying the Bible? How much do you need to know? We invest all this time in understanding the text which has a separate life of its own and we think we're being more pious and spiritual when we're doing it….[Christians] should be studying it less, not more. You need just enough to pay attention to God….I'm just not at all pleased with the emphasis on Bible study as if it's some kind of special thing that Christians do, and the more the better." I believe The Message is forerunner to a christless, sinless bible that will be used by the false church. There will be a "christ" mentioned, but not our Christ. Not the sinless Savior of humanity. Sin will be addressed, of course, but perhaps more in line with the Alcoholics Anonymous generic theology of "wrongs" and "making amends."

Keir Starmer's arrival at COP29, with a promise to drastically cut the UK's carbon emissions by 81%, will be a small ray of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy start to the climate talks.

I work with a ton of small businesses, and I love it. I love seeing different business models, helping entrepreneurs with limited resources and experience, and getting unique perspectives that you just can not find in bigger, often more cookie-cutter business establishments. One-on-one, we can share information and insights, and build a strategy that is helpful for their business.

complete article

"About SBI" explains how I use its all in one place website building and optimizing tools to build e-businesses at home. The "action guide" in text and videos help you achieve work at home goals.

Healthy, nutrition packed dinner of sardines, brown rice with black olives, fresh garden salad.

Cuban shared his unique insights about the current and future state of  not just podcasting, but the entire media industry. We discussed both legacy media companies and independent creators.

Here are the main takeaways and my thoughts from our conversation:

1. Streaming is the future, and legacy companies need to get on  board in order to survive
2. These days, audio is just as competitive as video because the  barrier to entry is lower and there's no pressure to look nice
3. As new technology emerges, media will continue to evolve — and creators must keep up

“Change someone’s perception of reality, and they will act how you want.” Ranboo, in a post-game debrief Over sixty years ago the filmmaker William Castle released Mr. Sardonicus in theaters, telling the tale of a horrid wretch of a man whose face was frozen in a rictus grin. Over the course of the movie, audiences […]

The post This Horror Film Was Livestreamed: One More Round With Generation Loss first appeared on ARGNet: Alternate Reality Gaming Network.

[The Conversation Africa] Four in every five people in Africa cook using wood, charcoal and other polluting fuels in open fires or inefficient stoves. This releases harmful pollutants and leads to respiratory illnesses and heart disease, particularly among children.

[The New Humanitarian] Nairobi -- While it may be clear from a forecast when a good time to act might be, with regards to livelihoods it is never straightforward to decide what exactly should be done.

Sudanese entrepreneur brings Sudan’s culinary traditions to Egypt, aiming to introduce Egyptian palates to Sudanese culture

Pythons Have Surprising Social Lives  The New York Times

How do we understand God’s grace and providence in the direction of our lives? Is there such a thing as chance and coincidence, or is it simply our lack of spiritual perception that makes it seem so? Join Michael as he thoroughly explores this topic and shares personal examples, thoughts and the insights that apply to all of us.

Join Michael as he explores the webs and patterns of our life, and uses poem, story, myth, metaphor, and examples from his own life to show how we can recognize God and continuity within our myriad choices, and know His peace.

Many of us have read the book Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives by Elder Thaddeus which is packed with holy wisdom. However, our thoughts gives rise to our actions, and our actions in turn reflect our thoughts. We are held to account by God for both what we think and what we do. Join Michael as he discusses the relationship to thoughts and actions, how we often entertain and get seduced by the wrong thoughts, and can make philosophy, psychology, and even theology and excuse to not have the right thoughts or take the right actions.

In this episode, Danielle speaks about St. Morwenna with Laura Jansson, contributor to the book Seven Holy Women. They discuss the significance of prayer, vulnerability, and struggle within the faith, and how we can apply lessons from St. Morwenna's life to our own Orthodox journey.

Is there a way to approach the Old Testament with our children in a fascinating and dimensional way? Elissa encourages us to teach Old Testament stories on three different levels.

As much as we do not like to acknowledge it, Christ’s Kingdom is not about giving us religion or anything else on our own terms. He calls us to offer Him “the fruits [of our lives] in their seasons.”

Across the centuries, the Lord has raised up such unusual saints in order to shock us out of our complacency about the alleged harmony between the narrow way leading to the Kingdom and what passes for a conventionally respectable life in any time or place.

John the Baptist was unspotted from the world due to the spiritual strength he gained from a life of asceticism and prayer, and he called people to follow him in preparing the way of the Lord as they bore “fruits worthy of repentance” and treated other people with the care appropriate to the children of God.

Christ calls us all to become like the Good Samaritan, binding up the wounds of our neighbors and refusing to narrow down the list of those whom we must learn to love as ourselves. Like St. John Chrysostom, let us refuse to think that we can rightly worship the Lord by confining our piety only to what we do in liturgical services. Instead, we must make every dimension of our life a point of entrance to the Kingdom of our great High Priest.

Fr. John Parker begins a short series showcasing the lives and impact of OCMC missionaries, especially the role of mission work in Africa.

Fr. Ted reminds us that only in Orthodox Christianity do we have the totality of Holy Tradition.

Fr. Ted invites us to silence the many thoughts which fill minds, so that we can put our minds in a place where God can speak to us.

Fr. Apostolos shares about the importance of oil in the Old Testament, the New Testament (the myrrh-bearing women), and today. "If our desire is for the Spirit of the Lord to come mightily upon us, we must walk in the anointing power of the Holy Spirit, for we are an anointed people. We are consecrated to God and we are destined for eternity. So, let us follow the bold example of the myrrh-bearing women and take a step of faith in our lives."

Fr. Apostolos Hill delivers a short homily on what we will all write in the New Year on the pages of the books of our lives.

The healing of the paralytic is a wonderful gospel scene rich with meaning for us. Fr Tom reminds us that God demonstrates His power when formerly "paralyzed" lives are healed and transformed to become living testimonies to the truth of Christ.

When we repent, when we seek to change our lives and our relationship to Christ, what is “at hand”? What is near? What is about to happen? The kingdom of heaven!

Let us make the sign of the cross, and invite the Presence of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit into our lives—into our hopes and our fears. God already knows those hopes and fears, but sometimes He waits for us to share our lives with Him privately, to be honest with Him, so that He can then be honest with us, through revealing some of the fullness of Himself to each of us.

Fr. Dn. Emmanuel says often God’s purpose is not immediately clear to us in our own lives or in the lives of others. We are aware that God is there—that God is present in our lives and in the world, but what exactly is God’s purpose for us and for the world? How can we order our lives?

Fr. Emmanuel Kahn suggest that by praying and by seeking to live a good life, we can be transformed.