Category Archives: Golden Rule

Advertising industry veteran and Chairman of R K Swamy Hansa group Srinivasan Swamy was recently elected Chairman of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) for a term of four years. Here, he talks to SRABANA LAHIRI about his priorities for AFAA to make it future-ready, expanding its footprint, and why he is a strong believer in the power of delegation

Congratulations on being elected Chairman of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA). What will be some of your top priorities and action points over the next four years?

Thank you for your greetings. The Indian marcom industry is no stranger to AFAA, since we have had two stalwarts before me as its Chairmen Gautam Rakshit and Pradeep Guha. AFAA is present in 14 countries in the region through its regular voting members. Of course, we have a few more members but they do not have voting rights nor can they take part in the management of AFAA. The first obvious task is to see how to expand our footprint. The second aspect is to see how to serve our members better. Each of our members is an association who may have other associations as their constituents, or could be a body of big corporates as their members. The task is to engage with our members members, so as to get alignment on what we need to do, to improve the standards of our industry or address issues that confront the industry. The third task is to build on the properties AFAA has and ensure that more people participate in them. The last couple of years have been hard for everyone, and as the nations open their doors for visitors, we should have more in-location events and initiatives like DigiAsia, FastTrack, Olive Crown Awards, Ad Stars, AdAsia, etc. Many things can be achieved when there is personal warmth and that is possible only when acquaintances turn into friendships. Last but not the least, my job will be to review AFAAs constitution to make it future-ready with passage of time, some course correction may be needed in the way the association is structured and administered.

We have seen radical shifts as the industry adapts to the post-pandemic world. What will be AFAAs role specific to the region to support those shifts?

The communication industry has been in transition ever since the advent of digital, data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, AR/VR/MR, etc. The process has been put on fast-track mode by the pandemic. The media environment has changed with anytime viewing of content. You no longer wait for the morning newspaper to consume the news, or worry about missing out on your favourite TV shows when you could always catch on it on the OTT platform. Consumption, attitude and behavioural aspects of consumers have also changed. Given these and other aspects, AFAA will see where the gaps are in the industrys understanding and develop initiatives that address those. Given the language barrier in various Asian markets where English language alone may not be adequate, our initiatives would strive to overcome this handicap.

One of the objectives of AFAA is to centralise data and information relating to advertising and marketing on a regional basis. To what extent has this been achieved, and is the data accessible to industry stakeholders?

Data gathering and information sharing is a continuous process. In the last two years, there has seen some slack on this primarily because the bad news travels slower than good news! You will see renewed effort in this area and updated data will be on our AFAA website in 2022 for all our stakeholders.

Tell us about AFAAs FastTrack programme and how it has been benefiting young professionals in the region, especially India. What is the selection process?

One of the most important initiatives of AFAA is to encourage the next generation of professionals to be future-ready with the right kind of attitude and skills. The FastTrack workshops conducted in Kuala Lumpur take on 30-35 such future leaders from across Asia and put up an intense course to fast-track their careers. So far, over 200 fast-trackers have benefited from it. The idea is to scale this initiative and perhaps do this in various countries if we can get hold of the right faculty in those countries. We want to ensure that we on-board the right kind of young people who can benefit the most from this. A rigorous selection process comprising written as well as oral testing is done in this regard in various countries.

You have been deputy chairman of AFAA recently and associated with AFAA and other industry bodies for a long time. What are some insights that you have gleaned over the years?

As Vice Chairman, I have been an observer principally. But some of the initiatives like Leaders Speak and the newsletter to our members were done by us from India to keep the members engaged during the pandemic. Our involvement with Ad Asia Macao content development and procuring speakers was total.

What are your plans for the next AdAsia and other AFAA events? How do you want to add more to them? What are the challenges?

The next AdAsia will be in Seoul, Korea in 2023. Digi Asia will be in 2022 and 2024 in Taipei, Taiwan. Since we had AdAsia Macao as a virtual event, we will have the physical event at Macao in 2025. Much of the other plans are work in progress.

What needs to change in the advertising world of today?

Change, as they say, is constant. And the marcom world is changing with it. AFAA is striving to get its members to adapt to this changed environment through its programmes and initiatives. The pace of change is not equal across the region and issues also are not the same. We will have to devise initiatives that are most relevant to the countries through our members.

What is a golden rule that guides you as a business leader?

I believe in the power of delegation and empowering people. However, I would stay close to them to ensure that they dont stray from the course. It is akin to having someone drive the car while you assist them, being the non-intrusive navigator.

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I believe in being the non-intrusive navigator, says Srinivasan Swamy, new Chairman of AFAA - Free Press Journal

The Golden Rule is a children's picture book written by Ilene Cooper and illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska, which tells a story about a grandfather explaining to his grandson what the Golden Rule entails and answering all his questions about the rule.

Cooper's text is rather straightforward and rather heart-warming. The conversation between grandfather and grandson about the Golden Rule is wonderful, down to earth, incredibly innocent, and amazingly poignant without being too preachy. Swiatkowska's

Cooper's text is rather straightforward and rather heart-warming. The conversation between grandfather and grandson about the Golden Rule is wonderful, down to earth, incredibly innocent, and amazingly poignant without being too preachy. Swiatkowska's illustrations are phenomenal and reminiscent of oil paintings.

The premise of the book is rather simple it's a heart to heart conversation between a grandfather and his grandson about the Golden Rule. The grandson's questions about the Golden Rule are filled with childlike innocence and wonderment by the answer. I like the fact that the grandfather explained, while the term and wording of the Golden Rule may be Christian in nature all major faiths around the world has the same rule, worded differently, but has the same meaning. I also liked how the grandfather taught his grandson how to implement the rule in his life using examples that his grandson could understand.

All in all, The Golden Rule is a wonderful children's book about the meaning behind the law of reciprocity and how to live by it.

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The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper - Goodreads

Let us make an in-depth study of the Golden Rule of Capital Accumulation. After reading this article you will be able to learn about: 1. Meaning of Golden Rule of Capital Accumulation 2. Determining the Golden Rule Level of Capital 3. Condition for the Golden Rule of Accumulation 4. Explanation of the Condition 5. Importance of Saving in the Context of the Golden Rule.

The Solow model shows at least one thing very clearly how an economys rate of saving and the level (volume) of investment conjointly determine its steady-state levels of capital and income.

But higher saving rate is not always a good thing.

The aim is more consumption and improved living standards of the people. So every society has to take decision regarding optimal consumption and saving (capital formation).

Thus, pushing the saving rate to higher and higher levels is not always desirable. If, in an extreme situation, an economy saves its entire income, and there is no consumption, economic welfare, instead of rising, will fall. We can now use the Solow model to find out the optimal level of capital of a society which maximises the economic well-being of its members in terms of consumption spending.

The reason is that consumption is a measure of welfare, not saving or accumulation of capital. Saving is not an end in itself, but a means to an end.

No doubt, by fixing the saving rate, the policymakers can determine the economys steady state. And if the objective of economic policy is maximisation of social welfare, it is in the rightness of things for the policymakers to choose the steady state with the highest level of consumption.

The steady-state, value of k which maximises consumption per worker is called the Golden Rule Level of Capital, a term first coined by Edmund Phelps and is denoted by k*g.

In order to ascertain whether the economy is at the Golden Rule level, we have to determine first the steady-state consumption per worker. Then we can find out which steady state provides the maximum consumption per worker.

Since consumption (c) is the difference between output (y) and investment (i), for finding steady-state consumption, we have to substitute steady-state values for output and investment. Steady-state output per worker is f(k*), where k* is the steady-state capital stock per worker.

Moreover, in a steady state since capital stock is not changing, investment is equal to depreciation. If we substitute f(k*) for y and k* for i, we can express steady-state consumption per worker as

c* = f(k*) k*. (17)

Equation (17) suggests that steady-state consumption is what is left of steady-state output after making provision for steady-state depreciation. This equation makes one point quite clearan increase in steady-state capital has two opposite effects on steady-state consumption.

One is favourable, the other is not. On the positive side, more capital means more output. On the negative side, more capital also means that more output must be used to replace worn- out capital.

In Fig. 4.7 we show steady-state output and steady-state depreciation as a function of the steady-state capital stock. Steady-state consumption is the difference between output and depreciation. From this figure it is clear that there is only one level of capital stock the Golden Rule level of k* that maximises consumption.

The most important point which should not be missed while comparing steady states is that higher levels of capital affect both output and depreciation. If actual capital stock is less than the Golden Rule level, an increase in capital stock raises output faster than depreciation. As a result consumption rises.

In such a situation, the production function f(k*) is steeper than the steady-state depreciation line (k*). This means that the gap is vertical distance between the two curves which equals consumption per worker grows as k* increases. On the other hand, if the actual capital stock exceeds the Golden Rule level, an increase in the capital stock reduces consumption.

The reason for this is that the increase in output is smaller than the increase in depreciation. In such a situation the production function is flatter than the k* line. So the gap between the two curves which measures the level of consumption falls as k* rises.

At the Golden Rule level of capital, the production function and the line of depreciation have the same slope, this implies that consumption is at the highest possible level.

The Golden Rule level of capital is characterised by a simple condition. Since at the Golden Rule level of capital (k*) the slope of both the production function (i.e., the MPK) and the depreciation line (i.e., ) are equal, we have

MPK = (18)

Equation (18), which describes the Golden Rule, simply implies that at k*, the MPK is equal to the rate of depreciation.

Suppose an economy is having some steady-state capital stock k* and the government is planning to increase the capital stock by one unit to k* + 1 through some policy measure. The extra output that can be obtained from this extra capital k isf(k*+ 1 )-f(k*), which is indeed the MPK.

The amount of extra depreciation due to the increase in the stock of capital is 8. So the net effect of this extra unit of capital on consumption is then MPK . If MPK > 0, then increase in capital increases consumption.

This implies that k* has to be below the Golden Rule level. If MPK- < 0, exactly the opposite will happen. In this case, an increase in capital decreases consumption and k* must lie above the Golden Rule level.

Thus the Golden Rule of capital accumulation is described by the following condition:

MPK = 0 (19)

This means that at k*, MPK, net of depreciation, is zero. This condition can be used by a policy-maker for finding out the capital stock for an economy which maximises the level of consumption, i.e., the so-called Golden Rule capital stock.

It is very easy to derive the Golden Rule. We know that c* = f(k*) k*. To find the k* which maximises c*, we have to differentiate c* with respect to k*, i.e., dc*/dk* = f'(k*) and set this equal to zero, i.e., f'(k*) = 0 or f(k*) = . Here f'(k*) is the MPK. Thus we get the Golden Rule condition of the Solow growth model.

It may be noted that an economy does not automatically move toward the ideal situation, that is, the Golden Rule steady state. For attaining any particular steady-state capital stock adequate saving must be generated. Fig. 4.8 shows the steady-state saving rate used to generate the Golden Rule level of capital.

If the actual saving rate exceeds the rate (sg) shown in Fig. 4.8, the steady-state capital stock will be excessive. In contrast, if the saving rate is lower than sg the steady-state capital stock will be inadequate. In either case, steady-state consumption level will be less than it is at the Golden Rule steady state.

Thus to reach the Golden Rule steady state the economys saving rate has to be appropriate neither too much, nor too less. In other words, there is only one saving rate which generates the Golden Rule levei of capital (k*g).

Any change in the. rate of saving would shift the saving curve sf(k) and would move the economy to a different steady state in which the consumption level would be less than it was in the original steady state.

So there are two ways of finding out the Golden Rule steady state looking at steady- state consumption or looking the MPK, Both the methods yield the same result. So the routes are different but the destination is the same.

Since estimates of MPK are readily available the second method is more convenient for finding out whether an economy iscurrently at, above, or below its Golden Rule capital stock.

But information (estimates) about steady-state consumption at alternative savings rate is (are) not readily available. This is why the first method is not normally used for practical purposes.

Since saving is so important for the growth process, we may consider the impact of changes in saving propensity on the growth rate. Here we consider two situations: (i) one in which the economy starts with more capital than in the Golden Rule steady state and (ii) one in which it starts with less capital than in the Golden Rule situation. These two cases present two different problems from the point of view of policy-making.

Situation 1:

Starting with excessive capital:

If an economy starts with a steady state with more capital than it would have in the Golden Rule steady state, the appropriate course of action for the policymakers would be to reduce the saving rate in order to reduce the stock of capital.

Let us suppose, as shown in Fig. 4.9, that these policies succeed and at some point (say t0) the saving rate falls to such a level that, ultimately, the Golden Rule steady state is reached. We may now examine the effect of a fall in saving on output consumption, and investment.

In Fig. 4.9 we see that the immediate effect of a fall in the saving rate (at time t0) is to increase consumption and an equal fall in investment. With the passage of time, with a fall in the stock of capital all the three variables, viz., output, consumption and investment, fall together. This point requires a little elucidation.

The fall in saving rate causes an immediate increase in consumption and a fall in investment. Since investment and depreciation were equal in the initial steady state, investment will now fall short of depreciation. This simply means that the economy is not in a steady state any more.

The capital stock gradually falls, leading to fall in output, consumption and investment. All the three variables continue to dwindle until the economy reaches the new steady state. Since the new steady state is assumed to be the Golden Rule steady state, consumption must be higher than it was before the change in the saving rate, even though y and i are lower.

Situation 2:

Starting with inadequate capital:

When an economy starts with less capital than in the Golden Rule steady state, public policy can be used to raise the saving rate to reach the Golden Rule. In Fig. 4.10 the increase in the saving rate in time t0 leads to an immediate fall in consumption and a corresponding rise in investment.

With the passage of time as more and more investment occurs the economys capital stock continues to increase. With capital accumulation, output, consumption and investment continue to increase. The process comes to halt only when each variable reaches its steady state level.

Since the initial steady state was below the Golden Rule, an increase in saving ultimately leads to a higher level of consumption than what originally prevailed. However an increase in the saving rate can just enable an economy to move from one steady state to another.

This is known as the transitional dynamics of the Solow model. An increase in the saving rate cannot explain the sustained growth of Western countries since the 1950s.

The new steady state requires a sacrifice of consumption in the initial period. But, ultimately, the Golden Rule steady state raises consumption level arid, thus, the level of economic welfare. The opposite happens if the economy begins above the Golden Rule.

In such a situation the economy attains higher consumption at all points of time after reaching the Golden Rule. When the economy starts below the Golden Rule, it has to reduce consumption initially in order to increase consumption in the future if it is to reach the Golden Rule sooner or later. The contrast is significant.

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Golden Rule of Capital Accumulation | Economic Growth

James Madison observed that if men were angels we would have no need of government." Today he might say if people voluntarily got vaccinated, there would be no need for mandates.

I have been astonished and dismayed by the organized resistance to vaccination a proven way of controlling and possibly defeating a virus that has killed more than 700,000 Americans. Tennessee is rewarding people who refuse the vaccine by ensuring eligibility for unemployment benefits if they lose their jobs.

Are we becoming too stupid and selfish to govern ourselves? Throughout history, humans have struggled to define how people should live together. Most religions have promoted treating others as we would like to be treated. In the 18th century, philosopher Immanuel Kant expanded on the Golden Rule in his universal ethical principle: A person should act according to rules that could hold for everyone. By this standard you should refuse the vaccine only if you wish all other rational people to also refuse the vaccine.

If you exempt yourself from vaccination, then you are a free rider, expecting others to bear the burden of fighting the virus. It is a grave mistake when we elevate individual preferences above the welfare of the whole in a public health crisis.

We are not as rational as we like to think. We value gun ownership more than peace and public safety, Loyalty to a political party, regardless of the corruption and damage inflicted by party leaders, is irrational tribalism. Current tribalism has one party rooting for the downfall of the other, even if it means virus mutations continue to kill people and hurt the economy.

We could be better than this. There is a universal principle of love and kindness to which we can give support and promote or reject and ignore to our peril. Religion calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves and the American ideal of equality is still a beacon toward justice in government. Both require the better angels of our nature," so that we can work for the good of humanity instead of self-promotion.

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The unvaccinated should live by the Golden Rule - Maryville Daily Times

3. Reassess your budget.

Another golden rule of financial security: Make sure your monthly spending is less than your monthly income. Your needs may be far different than they were before the pandemic. So take an hour or two to review your outlays: Make a list of all your regular bills, such as your mortgage or rent, insurance, cellphone and utilities. Look at a few recent months of credit card and bank statements to see what youre spending on food, health care and the other expenses in life that are hard to keep track of. Its easy for things we dont value to get added to our budget over time without us realizing it, says Laura Cuber, a financial adviser in Schaumburg, Illinois. Look for places to cut: small items that add up, recurring charges for services you no longer need, or big changes that could have a major impact, such as moving to a less expensive area.

Just in case we face yet another year of natural disasters, inventory your possessions and review your homeowners or renters insurance. Use your smartphone to take a video of everything in your home, says Eileen Freiburger, a financial planner in Sebastopol, California. Narrate while taping to give context and to highlight things of value. Open your drawers and closets: Make sure its all there so later you arent trying to guess, she says. Save the file online in case you have to make a claim. Separately, verify that you have enough coverage to rebuild your home if its destroyed a problem after the California wildfires, says Kathryn Peyton, a financial adviser in Sonoma County, California. For a good estimate, she recommends asking a builder about local construction costs per square foot for your type of home.

You may have accumulated a variety of retirement accounts from former employers through the years. Track down those accounts and weigh the benefits of consolidating them into one account an IRA or, if youre still working, possibly your current 401(k). That makes it easier to track required minimum distributions; you might also save money by switching out of high-fee investments in one account into low-fee funds in another. Im a really big proponent of trying to consolidate, says Michelle Morris, a financial planner with Brio Financial Planning in Quincy, Massachusetts. Either you do it while youre still alive, or your heirs will have to find everything.

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10 Money Moves to Start the New Year Right - AARP

Set a budget and stick with it. That's the advice that's been pounded into our heads as a golden rule of personal finance. But for many people, creating a budgeting plan is overwhelming, and following it is an even harder task.

As a financial analyst and host of the podcastPopcorn Finance, I get to hear about the effective strategies people use to make budgeting easier.

One of my favorites comes from money expert Sahirenys Pierce, who created the "High-5 Banking Method" as an easy way to manage her finances and build wealth.

True to its name, the High-5 Banking Method involves holding what Pierce calls the "perfect number of banking accounts" two checking accounts and three savings accounts.

The goal is to track individual budget areas in your accounts rather than in a spreadsheet, all while establishing a routine of transferring money to separate accounts each payday.

"When we teach kids how to count, we start with the basics of counting fingers from one to five, then move on to six to 10," says Pierce. "I wanted to make it that easy for us to remember how many bank accounts you need: just look at your hand."

High-5 Banking Method

Credit: Sahirenys Pierce

Each finger represents either a checking or a savings account:

This is for mandatory expenses, which typically take up a large percentage of your income. But not paying them can quickly affect your life and your credit score.

Examples:

This is for all your "wants." Transfer a set amount of money into the account each payday to cover whatever brings you joy. Once the account reaches zero, stop your spending until your next deposit.

Examples:

This financial safety net is reserved for potential future mishaps and unexpected expenses. Most experts recommend keeping at least three to six months' worth of living expenses.

We all have big dreams with a big price tag. This account allows you to easily track progress over time and allocate money to any goals that will take longer than 12 months to reach.

Examples:

The fifth and final account is for short-term goals that you want to reach within the next one to 12 months.

Examples:

You don't need to open all five accounts at once, says Pierce, especially if you don't have the financial means.

You can start with the three most important ones bills, lifestyle and emergency fund and then work your way up as you're able to contribute to different savings goals.

A few other tips Pierce recommends keeping in mind:

Chris Browningis financial analysis and creator and host of the award-winning podcastPopcorn Finance. He holds a bachelor's degree in finance and also works as a financial analyst specializing in revenue analysis. Follow him on Instagram.

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A money expert says this is the 'perfect number of bank accounts' to havehere's how she sets it up - CNBC

Every citizen can have a role in responding to hate speech with positive language and mutual respect. This was one of the key messages at the launching event of the joint awareness-raising campaign of the European Union and the Council of Europe, Block the hatred. Share the love!, held today in Podgorica.

The Prime Minister of Montenegro, Zdravko Krivokapic, addressed the event and pointed out that we live in an environment in which many things have been imposed on us, but that hate speech does not happen only in Montenegro, but in every corner of the planet, somewhere less, and somewhere more often. This is why the old saying Do nothing you wouldnt want others to do to you should be the golden rule and measure of our lives everywhere - from family, through school, to university and beyond. And we should always have three characteristics in front of us. These are: tolerance - which, unfortunately, we do not have much today; respect - which has always been the greatest value in Montenegro and in the family and beyond, and, of course, understanding. An initiative such as this campaign should make us aware of the moment we live in and to more or less awaken our need to understand others", said prime minister Krivokapi.

Evgenia Giakoumoupolou, Head of Operations at the Council of Europe Programme Office in Podgorica, welcomed the participants joining the event online and in-person. In her remarks she pointed at a very practical dimension of citizenship engagement to counter hate speech: Countering hate speech requires an unequivocal legislative and institutional framework that condemns it and combats it. But beyond that, and most importantly, it calls for a collective response from the whole of society to say no to stigma and prejudice, to end the propagation of harmful stereotypes that affect families, friendships and ultimately the fabric of society. Each of our actions, no matter how small, can act as a multiplier to counter hatred and contribute to building an inclusive society, safe for all, and rich of its diversity.

Tamara Srzentic, Minister of Public Administration, Media and Digital Society, highlighted that beyond the institutional and regulatory framework, combating hatred requires a change in the mindset of people, at the societal level. It means making citizens aware of how their individual attitudes, words, gestures count. I consider that accepting, or rather embracing, diversity is the first step towards a more inclusive, hate-speech free society, said minister Srzentic.

Through implementation of the mandate of the Ombudsperson Institution in Montenegro, we are obliged to point out the key elements of our work which are reflected in proactive, promotional and preventive action in the protection of human rights and freedoms. In such a situation, the Ombudsperson's active role in preventing hate speech is a natural social need and an institutional reaction that is expected, sought and insisted on in preserving the human dignity and basic rights of all people whose freedoms are threatened by abuse of freedom of expression", said Sinisa Bjekovic, the Ombudsperson of Montenegro. The exhaustive list of reasons why restrictions on freedom of expression can be introduced clearly warns of the increased responsibility of all relevant state entities not to allow the cult of violence (which hate speech is in part) to prevail over a culture of dialogue, tolerance and understanding", he concluded.

Oana Cristina Popa, Ambassador of the European Union in Montenegro, underlined that the EU dedicates utmost attention to the topic of hate speech. We are witnessing a continuous increase in hate speech and there seems to be very little understanding when it comes to respecting differences, including difference of opinions. This is a very worrying trend, noted also here in Montenegro, specifically online. Children and young people are growing up seeing adults who are angry, disrespectful and intolerant towards others. There are too few role models spreading tolerance and love, and too many spreading hate. Our differences should stimulate love and empathy, rather than trigger hate and this is why this campaign is very much needed, she said. Ambassador Popa called upon all Montenegrin institutions, civil society organisations, social partners and the private sector to join the joint campaign for equality.

Jeroen Schokkenbroek, Director of Directorate of Anti-Discrimination of the Council of Europe, recalled the role of this Organisation at the forefront of the fight against hate speech in the continent. Through the No hate speech campaign and movement we involved thousands of young activists across Europe. This and many more actions seek to raise awareness of the harmful effects suffered by those targeted by hate speech, to counter the risk of alienation and radicalization and repair the damage to the cohesion of society. This week in Strasbourg, experts from our member states are working hard to agree on comprehensive new European standards for combating hate speech. But we cannot win the battle against hate speech without active engagement by the public. Respecting the dignity and the inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the responsibility of everyone in a democratic society, he said.

The Block the hatred. Share the love! campaign aims to combat various forms of hate speech targeting specific communities and individuals in Montenegrin society. It also aims to inform and educate the society and especially youth, about the role that everyone has in the fight against hate speech.

It will be rolled out online through the social media dedicated channels, in the media, as well as through public events. These activities will involve prominent public figures, institutions and activists, who will promote diversity and equality in Montenegro and in the region, through personal storytelling, testimonies and exchange of good practices.

The No-Hate Speech Ambassadors, prominent public figures such as tennis player Danka Kovinic; the Olympic Champion in high jump Marija Vukovic; Paralympic bronze medal winner in tennis table Filip Radovic; opera singer Tamara Radjenovic; and actress Dubravka Drakic decided to respond to the call of this campaign and engage actively with counter-narratives and behaviours. They will also join and actively take part in this movement.

The campaign is implemented within the action Promotion of diversity and equality in Montenegro, that is a part of joint European Union and Council of Europe programme "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022".

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European Union and Council of Europe launch the Block the hatred. Share the love campaign in Montenegro - Council of Europe

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CyrusOne Inc. (NASDAQ: CONE), a premier global data center real estate investment trust (REIT), announced that it has joined the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge. The pledge calls upon CyrusOne and participating organizations to accelerate diversity and inclusion programs. Signing the pledge provides CyrusOne an enhanced framework to engage with stakeholders on DE&I issues, bring third-party expertise to existing DE&I efforts, and provide access to additional resources.

Supporting and investing in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives is a core tenant of our company. Signing this pledge means a great deal to us. At CyrusOne, our golden rule of respect for each other and the values that we each bring as individuals is paramount. Every day we strive to embrace different cultures and engage with our colleagues and customers in a way that reflects and respects their unique perspectives and experiences, said David Ferdman, Interim President and CEO of CyrusOne. It takes all of us across every industry to make impactful change, and I am excited to join this effort to make the necessary changes to push us forward.

The pledge includes four components and we have committed to action under each of them:

We appreciate the pledges framework to help us shape and sharpen our thinking on this crucial topic. For more information on programs at CyrusOne, visit the ESG pages on CyrusOne.com.

About CyrusOne

CyrusOne (NASDAQ: CONE) is a premier global REIT specializing in design, construction and operation of more than 50 high-performance data centers worldwide. The company provides mission-critical facilities that ensure the continued operation of IT infrastructure for approximately 1,000 customers, including approximately 200 Fortune 1,000 companies. A leader in hybrid-cloud and multi-cloud deployments, CyrusOne offers colocation, hyperscale, and build-to-suit environments that help customers enhance the strategic connection of their essential data infrastructure and support achievement of sustainability goals. CyrusOne data centers offer world-class flexibility, enabling clients to modernize, simplify, and rapidly respond to changing demand. Combining exceptional financial strength with a broad global footprint, CyrusOne provides customers with long-term stability and strategic advantage at scale.

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CyrusOne Signs CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge - Business Wire

Youve just formed the word Dad in American Sign Language.

The way people communicate is fascinating, and its something as an editor and father of two girls I think about quite a bit.

Three years ago, I had no idea how to sign much of anything. Then, I began joining my daughter for weekly speech and physical therapy classes. We put our masks over our faces, marched into the classroom and worked on communication with Zoey, whose smile and laughs speak more beautifully than words can express.

Zoey does not talk. Ive never heard my 3-year-old daughter say Dad. She signs it, in her own way, just by pointing at her forehead.

The quick explanation is Zoey has a growth disability, and many children with Russell-Silver Syndrome struggle with speech. Her endocrinologist (growth doctor) assures us she will talk on her time, but in the meanwhile we communicate mostly through sign and expression.

My wife and I have beautiful people in our lives -- from day care providers to speech and physical therapists, family and friends -- who are encouraging and remind us of the importance of pushing ahead with Zoey.

Surrounding ourselves with support is needed in a world that has too many people who take thoughtful communication for granted.

Mitchell Republic Editor Luke Hagen.

Take, for example, a 150-word text message I got from a community member. She made sure to share a barrage of thoughts and opinions on vaccines, mandates and what she called misinformation. I never responded.

Social media comments are getting more outrageous. Ive heard the excuse that technology is polluting the world. But its not that.

We should be using these platforms for networking and sharing goodness instead of arguing.

In fact, my wife and I have found online groups for parents of children with RSS. Just the other day, a mom asked if anyone else was struggling with speech for their youngster. I spoke up. So did others, and just like that, a whoosh of knowledge and help was available.

Its easy to send questionable comments from behind a computer screen, but ask someone who deals with the general public if theyre immune from personal attacks and out-of-the-blue outrage.

My wife works in customer service and takes horrible phone calls and comments from people, people who have never met her, that leave her speechless. Why are people so mean? she asks me. The benefit of working from home, she says, is a black lab is one hug away from feeling better.

The point, though, is when did we lose sight of the Golden Rule? When did we forget that words have meaning? Has all of this grown from people living in their own world, and anything that makes them uncomfortable or challenges their viewpoint sets them off?

Especially in the news business, we realize what job we signed up for -- writing and reporting on stories that not everyone will like. You have to have thick skin, and thats that. For as long as Ive been working at this newspaper, and for as long as news stories will be written, we expect to hear from our readers. We want feedback -- we want your opinion, but make it a respectful response. Were hardly the only business that deals with all of this.

Unfortunately, we live in a time when people are willing to give feedback raw and unfiltered more than ever.

Its too bad more folks dont realize how much wisdom there is in silence. Not everything needs an immediate, thoughtless response.

What better time of year than now to reflect upon how we talk to each other?

There really is a lot of value in words. Just ask Zoey.

Here is the original post:

Hagen: Have we forgotten that words have meaning? - The Daily Republic

The term binge-watch was a contender for the Oxford English Dictionarys 2013 word of the year. Although it didnt win (selfie ultimatelytook the crown), this pointed to the rise of what was becoming a popular activity of watching multiple episodes of a TV show in a single sitting.

Today, millions of us including me regularly consume our favourite series in this way.

The proliferation of streaming services over recent years has made it very easy to do. Unsurprisingly, during Covid-19 lockdowns,research showsmany of us spent more time binge-watching than usual.

But can binge-watching become problematic or addictive? And if you cant tear yourself away, what can you do?

Problematic binge-watching isnt defined by the number of episodes watched (although most researchers agree its at least two in a row), or a specific number of hours spent in front of the TV or computer screen.

As with other addictive behaviours, more important is whether binge-watching is having a negative impact on other aspects of the persons life.

Over many years studying addiction, Ive argued that all addictive behaviours comprisesix core components. In relation to binge-watching, this would mean:

In my view, any person who fulfils these six components would be genuinely addicted to binge-watching. A person who only fulfils some of these may be exhibiting problematic binge-watching, but wouldnt be classed as addicted by my criteria.

Like many other behavioural addictions, such as sex addiction, work addiction and exercise addiction, binge-watching addiction is not officially recognised in any psychiatric manuals.

We also dont have accurate estimates of the prevalence of problematic binge-watching. But research into this phenomenon is growing.

A LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE

In thelatest studyon this topic, a research team in Poland surveyed 645 young adults, all of whom reported that they had watched at least two episodes of one show in a single sitting. The researchers wanted to understand some of the factors underlying problematic binge-watching.

The authors (who based their definition of problematic binge-watching partly on mycomponents model of addiction) used a questionnaire they developed in anearlier studyto assess problematic binge-watching among participants.

Questions included: How often do you neglect your duties in favour of watching series? How often do you feel sad or irritated when you cant watch the TV series? and How often do you neglect your sleep to binge-watch series?

Participants had to give answers on a six-point scale from one (never) to six (always). A score above a certain threshold was deemed indicative of problematic binge-watching.

Using a range of other scales, the researchers found that impulse control difficulties, lack of premeditation (difficulties in planning and evaluating the consequences of a given behaviour), watching to escape and forget about problems, and watching to avoid feeling lonely were among the most significant predictors of problematic binge-watching.

Using the same data, the researchers reported in anearlier studythat problematic binge-watching had a significant association with anxiety-depressive syndrome. The greater the symptoms of anxiety and depression, the more problematic a persons binge-watching was.

Other studies have reportedsimilar findings. A study ofTaiwanese adults, for example, found problematic binge-watching was associated with depression, anxiety around social interaction and loneliness.

AnAmerican studyfound the behaviour was associated with depression and attachment anxiety. Most related studies likethis onefrom Portugal have also shown escapism to be a key motivation of problematic binge-watching.

In terms of personality traits,researchhas shown that problematic binge-watching appears to be associated with low conscientiousness (characterised by being impulsive, careless and disorganised) and high neuroticism (characterised by being anxious and prone to negative emotions).

We see these types of associations in addictive behaviours more generally.

BREAKING THE HABIT

If you want to cut down on the number of episodes you watch in one sitting, my golden rule is to stop watching mid-way through an episode. Its really hard to stop watching at the end of an episode as so often the show ends with a cliff-hanger.

I also suggest setting realistic daily limits. For me, its 2.5 hours if I have work the next day, or up to five hours if I dont. And only start watching as a reward to yourself after youve done everything you need to in terms of work and social obligations.

Remember, the difference between a healthy enthusiasm and an addiction is that the former adds to your life, whereas the latter detracts from it.

If you feel binge-watching is taking over your life, you should seek a referral from your GP to see a clinical psychologist. Most addictions are symptomatic of other underlying problems. THE CONVERSATION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mark Griffiths is director of the International Gaming Research Unit and professor of Behavioural Addiction at Nottingham Trent University.

Link:

How to know if you binge-watch too much and what to do about it - TODAY