This is not surprising news, but The Grand Budapest Hotel director Wes Anderson’s highest-grossing film as well as the first to get him an Academy Award nomination. It combines many different aspects of his different films and brings them together into one incredible movie. The film is all about a hotel lobby boy, played by Tony Revolori, who starts a job at the Grand Budapest Hotel. Throughout the duration of the film, you are taken on an unpredictable roller coaster through Wes Anderson’s brain.
Ralph Fiennes is a phenomenon as M. Gustave. his interactions with every cast member and especially newcomer Tony Revolori are fantastic. The later holds his own weight beyond belief and the entire film is an amazing adventure with James Bond-style chases, a large murder mystery, the best-placed cussing and of course the sensational cinematography. The sets, models, angles and even the most nondescript characters come to life each on their own and together as a symphony of beauty. It's freaking brilliant; The Grand Budapest Hotel.
A priest giving the last blessing, to a Cuban peasant owner of his land, who refused to work for the Castrista Regime.. He was shot without the right to defend himself by order of "Che Guevara". But this picture you'll never see on a t-shirt.
Film director Michel Gondry came together with screenwriter Charlie Kaufman in 2004 and created the masterpiece that we know to be Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The main characters in the film are Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, which should say everything you need to know about how great the film really is. Joel Barish and Clementine, Carrey and Winslet’s characters, are involved in a romantic relationship that starts to go South, so they each get a procedure to erase each other from their minds. As expected, this isn’t as simple as they thought.
இப்படித்தான் உணர்கிறேன் வளர் இளம் பருவத்தில் எத்தனை அன்பின் இடுகைகள் அறிந்தும் அறியாமலும் வளர்ந்தேன்
வகுப்பறையில் நண்பன் ஒருவன் மூங்கில் கழியினால் அடிவாங்கிக்கொண்டிருக்கையில் அதே செயலுக்காக தப்பித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தேன்
தவறு செய்திருந்த போதும் தண்டனைகளிருந்து என்னைக் காக்க ஓராயிரம் கண்களும் ஓராயிரம் உதடுகளும் இருந்தன
சற்று வளர்ந்தேன் இளமை எனக்குப் பாதுகாப்பு வளையமாகவே மாறியிருந்தது
இன்னும் வளர்ந்தேன் வயது சுடர்கையில் என்னைக் கைக்கொள்ள நினைத்தவர் எத்தனை பேரென்று நான் அறிந்திருக்கவில்லை
மென்காற்று வீசுகையில் மதர்த்தெழும் என் அழகில் மயங்கிக் கிடந்த நான் வானத்தையளக்கும் பறவையை முற்றுமறிந்த கணத்தில் பெண் என்பவள் கையப்படுத்தப்படும் நிலம் அல்லவென உணர்ந்து நிமிர்ந்தேன்
நிலவு என் கைகளில்
என்னை வந்தடைந்த நிலவை அணைத்தபடி சூரியனை நோக்கி நகர்ந்து கொண்டிருக்கிறேன் .
வாழ்க்கைக்கும் மரணத்துக்கும் இடையே ஒரேஒரு சாலைதான்.
எனக்கு 'நியூரோ எண்டோக்ரைன்' புற்றுநோய் ஏற்பட்டிருப்பதை நான் அறிந்து வெகு சில நாட்களே ஆகின்றன. எனது சொல்வளத்தில் 'நியூரோ எண்டோக்ரைன்' புதிய வார்த்தை. இது அரிய வகை புற்றுநோய் என்றார்கள். அப்படித்தான் போல.
ஏனெனில், நான் அது குறித்து தேடியபோது மிக சொற்பமான தகவல்களே கிடைத்தன. அந்த வகை புற்றுநோய் பற்றிய ஆய்வுகளும் குறைவு என்பதால் தரவுகளும் குறைவாகவே இருந்தன. அதனாலேயே அதற்கு என்ன மாதிரியான சிகிச்சை அளிக்கப்படும் என்பதை கணிக்க இயலா நிலை என்னை சூழ்ந்திருந்தது. கிட்டத்தட்ட நான் முயல்வும் பிழைத்தலுமான சோதனை விளையாட்டில் இருந்தேன் என்றே சொல்ல வேண்டும்.
அந்த நோய் என்னுள் வரும் வரை நான் முற்றிலுமாக மாறுபட்ட விளையாட்டு ஒன்றில் இருந்திருக்கிறேன். ஒரு விரைவு ரயில் பயணத்தில் நானிருந்தேன். எனக்கு கனவுகள் இருந்தன. எதிர்கால திட்டங்களும், இலக்குகளும், ஆசைகளும் இருந்தன. நான் அவற்றால் ஆக்கிரமிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தேன்.
அப்போது திடீரென என் தோளை யாரோ தட்டினார்கள். திரும்பிப் பார்த்தால் டிக்கெட் பரிசோதகர். அவர் என்னிடம் "நீ இறங்க வேண்டிய இலக்கு வந்துவிட்டது. கீழே இறங்கு" என்றார். நான் குழம்பிப் போனேன். இது நான் இறங்குமிடம் இல்லை என மறுதலித்தேன். ஆனால், அவர் ஊர்ஜிதமாகச் சொன்னார் "இது தான் இலக்கென்று". வாழ்க்கையில் இப்படித்தான் சில நிகழ்வுகள் நடக்கின்றன.
நான் சற்றும் எதிர்பார்த்திராத அந்த திருப்பம் எனக்கொரு விஷயத்தை உணர்த்தியது. சமுத்திரத்தின் நீரோட்டத்தை நம்மால் கணிக்க முடியாது. அத்தகைய நீரோட்டத்தில் மிதக்கும் ஒரு தக்கை தான் நாம். ஆனால், நாம் வெறும் தக்கை என்பதை உணராமலேயே சமுத்திர நீரோட்டத்தை மீறியும் தக்கையை (நம்மை) கரை சேர்க்க முற்படுகிறோம் என்பதை உணர்த்தியது.
எதிர்பாராத திருப்பமாக நோய் எனக்குக் கொடுத்த அதிர்ச்சியில், அச்சத்தில், பதற்றத்தில் மருத்துவமனைக்கு சென்றிருந்தேன். அப்போது அருகிலிருந்த என் மகனிடம் ஏதோ உளறியதாக நினைவு. "நான் என்னிடம் இப்போதைக்கு எதிர்பார்ப்பது இந்த நோயை இதே மனநிலையில் எதிர்கொள்ளக் கூடாது. நான் என் நம்பிக்கையை இழந்துவிடக் கூடாது. அச்சமும், பதற்றமும் என்னை வென்றுவிடக் கூடாது. அது என்னை துயரத்தில் ஆழ்த்திவிடும்" என்று அவனிடம் கூறியிருக்கிறேன்.
ஆம், நோய் தரும் நம்பிக்கையின்மையை வெல்வதே எனது இலக்காக இருந்தது. ஆனால், அந்த வேளையில் தான் என்னை வலி கவ்வியது. அதுவரை நான் அனுபவித்த வலிகள் எல்லாம் அந்த பெரும் வலிக்கு அதன் தன்மைக்கு வீரியத்திற்கான முன்னோட்டம் என்பது போல் இருந்தன என்பதை உணர்ந்தேன்.
என்னை எதுவுமே சமாதானப்படுத்தவில்லை. எதுவும் ஆறுதலாக இல்லை. எதுவும் ஊக்கமளிப்பதாகவும் இல்லை. என் மனதில், நிலையற்றை தன்மை மட்டுமே நிலையானதாக இருந்தது.
நான் லண்டன் மருத்துவமனையில் பிரவேசிக்கும் போது முற்றிலுமாக சோர்ந்து போயிருந்தேன். சலிப்பு மிகுந்திருந்தது. என் சிறுவயதில் எனக்கு மெக்காவாகத் தோன்றிய லார்ட்ஸ் கிரிக்கெட் மைதானத்துக்கு எதிர்புறத்தில் தான் அந்த மருத்துவமனை இருந்தது. ஆனால், அதையெல்லாம் கருத்தில் கொள்ளும் நிலையில் நானிருக்கவில்லை.
என் வலிகளுக்கு மத்தியில் விவியன் ரிச்சர்ட்ஸின் சுவரொட்டி ஒன்றைப் பார்த்தேன். உண்மையில் எனக்கு ஏதாவது நடந்திருக்க வேண்டும். ஆனால், என்னுள் எதுவுமே நடக்கவில்லை. இந்த உலகத்திற்கும் எனக்கும் எந்த ஒரு தொடர்பும் இல்லை என்ற உணர்வு மட்டுமே இருந்தது.
நான் சிகிச்சை பெற்ற அந்த மருத்துவமனையில் நானிருந்த தளத்திற்கு நேர் மேல் தளத்தில் சுயநினைவை இழந்தோருக்கான (கோமா) வார்டு இருந்தது. ஒரு நாள் எனது அறையின் பால்கனியில் நான் நின்றிருந்தபோது, ஒரு திடீர் சிந்தனை என்னை உலுக்கியது.
வாழ்க்கை எனும் விளையாட்டுக்கும் மரணமென்ற விளையாட்டுக்கும் இடையே ஒரே ஒரு சாலைதான் உள்ளது என்பதை உணர்ந்த தருணம் அது.
எப்படி நான் சாலையின் ஒருபுறமிருக்கும் மருத்துவமனையில் நோயாளியாக நிற்க மறுபுறம் விளையாட்டு மைதானம் இருந்ததோ, எப்படி அந்த இரண்டையுமே யாரும் தனக்கு நிலையானதாக உரிமை கொண்டாட முடியாதோ அப்படித்தான் மனிதன் வாழ்க்கைக்கும் மரணத்திற்கும் இடையே நின்றுகொண்டிருக்கிறான் என்பதைப் புரிந்து கொண்டேன்.
பேரண்டவெளியின் மதிநுட்பத்தை, மிகப் பிரம்மாண்டமான சக்தியை அதன் தாக்கத்தை உணர்ந்தேன். நான் சிகிச்சை பெற்ற மருத்துவமனை அமைந்திருந்த இடம் எனக்கு அதை இடித்துரைத்தது. ஆம், நிலையின்மை மட்டும்தான் நிலையானது.
அந்த மெய் உணர் தருணம் என்னை யதார்த்த்தின் முன் சரணையடச் செய்தது. நான் பெற்றுக் கொண்டிருக்கும் சிகிச்சை 4 மாதங்களுக்குப் பின் அல்லது 8 மாதங்களுக்குப் பின் இல்லை இரண்டு வருடங்களுக்குப் பின்னர் என்னை எங்கு கொண்டு சேர்க்கும், விளைவு என்னவாக இருக்கும் என்ற எதிர்பார்ப்புகளை எல்லாம் கடந்து நடப்பவற்றிற்கு என்னை உட்படுத்திக் கொள்ளத் தூண்டியது.
அப்போது கவலைகள் பின்னடைவைக் கண்டன. அப்படியே சில நாட்களில் மங்கிப் போயின. அடுத்த சில நாட்களில் என் எண்ண வெளியிலிருந்தே கவலைகள் விலகியிருந்தன.
முதன் முறையாக நான் சுதந்திரத்தை உணர்ந்தேன். முதன்முறையாக சாதனை படைத்ததாக நினைத்தேன். அப்படி ஒரு வெற்றியை முதன்முறையாக சுவைத்தது போல் இருந்தது. அது வெற்றியின் மாயாஜாலம் என்பேன்.
அண்டவெளியின் மதிநுட்பத்தின் மீதான எனது நம்பிக்கை தீர்க்கமானது. அது என் உடலின் ஒவ்வொரு செல்லிலும் புகுந்தது போல் உணர்ந்தேன். ஆனால், அது அங்கேயே நிலைத்திருக்குமா என்பதை காலம் தான் சொல்லும். இப்போதைக்கு இந்த உணர்வு நன்றாக உள்ளது.
நோயுடனான எனது போராட்டப் பயணத்தில் மக்கள் என்னை வாழ்த்திக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள். உலகம் முழுவதும் பலர் எனக்காகப் பிரார்த்தனை செய்கிறார்கள். நான் அறிந்த நபர்கள் மட்டுமல்லாது, எனக்குப் பரிச்சியமே இல்லாதவர்களும் கூட என் நலன் விரும்புகின்றனர்.
அவர்கள் வெவ்வேறு இடங்களில் வெவ்வேறு நேர மண்டலங்களில் இருந்து எனக்காகப் பிரார்த்தனை செய்கின்றனர். அவர்கள் அனைவரின் பிரார்த்தனைகள் ஒன்றிணைகிறது. அது ஒரே சக்தியாக, ஒரே உயிரோட்டமாக உருமாறி எனக்குள் புகுந்தது. எனது முதுகெலும்பின் முடிவில் அதை நான் உணர்கிறேன். எனது புத்தியில் வளர்கிறது.
சில நேரம் மொட்டாக, சில நேரம் இலையாக, அப்புறம் தளிராக கிளையாக துளிர்க்கிறது. நான் அதை ரசிக்கிறேன். ஒவ்வொரு பூவும், ஒவ்வொரு கிளையும் கூட்டுப் பிரார்த்தனையால் விளைந்தவை. அவை என்னை ஆச்சர்யப்பட வைக்கிறது. எனக்குள் மகிழ்ச்சியையும், ஆர்வத்தையும் ஏற்படுத்துகிறது.
அதேவேளையில், ஒரு தக்கை சமுத்திரப் பேரலையின் நீரோட்டத்தை தனக்கானதாக தகவமைக்க வேண்டிய அவசியமில்லை என்ற மெய்யை உணரச் செய்கிறது. தக்கை அசைந்தாடுவது இயற்கை. இயற்கை தனது தொட்டிலில் உங்களை மென்மையாகத் தாலாட்டிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது என்று வாழ்க்கையை ஏற்கவும்.
And people stayed at home And read books And listened And they rested And did exercises And made art and played And learned new ways of being And stopped and listened More deeply Someone meditated, someone prayed Someone met their shadow And people began to think differently And people healed. And in the absence of people who Lived in ignorant ways Dangerous, meaningless and heartless, The earth also began to heal And when the danger ended and People found themselves They grieved for the dead And made new choices And dreamed of new visions And created new ways of living And completely healed the earth Just as they were healed.
Reprinted during Spanish flu Pandemic, 1919 Photo taken during Spanish flu
Information Theory is one of the few scientific fields fortunate enough to have an identifiable beginning - Claude Shannon's 1948 paper. The story of the evolution of how it progressed from a single theoretical paper to a broad field that has redefined our world is a fascinating one. It provides the opportunity to study the social, political, and technological interactions that have helped guide its development and define its trajectory, and gives us insight into how a new field evolves.
We often hear Claude Shannon called the father of the Digital Age. In the beginning of his paper Shannon acknowledges the work done before him, by such pioneers as Harry Nyquist and RVL. Hartley at Bell Labs in the 1920s. Though their influence was profound, the work of those early pioneers was limited and focussed on their own particular applications. It was Shannon’s unifying vision that revolutionized communication, and spawned a multitude of communication research that we now define as the field of Information Theory. One of those key concepts was his definition of the limit for channel capacity. Similar to Moore’s Law, the Shannon limit can be considered a self-fulfilling prophecy. It is a benchmark that tells people what can be done, and what remains to be done – compelling them to achieve it.
"What made possible, what induced the development of coding as a theory, and the development of very complicated codes, was Shannon's Theorem: he told you that it could be done, so people tried to do it. [Interview with Fano, R. 2001]
Quantum information science is a young field, its
underpinnings still being laid by a large number of researchers [see
"Rules for a Complex Quantum World," by Michael A. Nielsen;
Scientific American, November 2002]. Classical information science, by contrast,
sprang forth about 50 years ago, from the work of one remarkable man: Claude E.
Shannon. In a landmark paper written at Bell Labs in 1948, Shannon defined in
mathematical terms what information is and how it can be transmitted in the
face of noise. What had been viewed as quite distinct modes of
communication--the telegraph, telephone, radio and television--were unified in
a single framework.
Shannon was born in 1916 in Petoskey, Michigan, the son of a
judge and a teacher. Among other inventive endeavors, as a youth he built a
telegraph from his house to a friend's out of fencing wire. He graduated from
the University of Michigan with degrees in electrical engineering and
mathematics in 1936 and went to M.I.T., where he worked under computer pioneer
Vannevar Bush on an analog computer called the differential analyzer.
Shannon's M.I.T. master's thesis in electrical engineering
has been called the most important of the 20th century: in it the 22-year-old
Shannon showed how the logical algebra of 19th-century mathematician George
Boole could be implemented using electronic circuits of relays and switches.
This most fundamental feature of digital computers' design--the representation
of "true" and "false" and "0" and "1"
as open or closed switches, and the use of electronic logic gates to make
decisions and to carry out arithmetic--can be traced back to the insights in
Shannon's thesis.
In 1941, with a Ph.D. in mathematics under his belt, Shannon
went to Bell Labs, where he worked on war-related matters, including
cryptography. Unknown to those around him, he was also working on the theory
behind information and communications. In 1948 this work emerged in a
celebrated paper published in two parts in Bell Labs's research journal.
Quantifying Information
Shannon defined the quantity of information produced by a
source--for example, the quantity in a message--by a formula similar to the
equation that defines thermodynamic entropy in physics. In its most basic
terms, Shannon's informational entropy is the number of binary digits required
to encode a message. Today that sounds like a simple, even obvious way to
define how much information is in a message. In 1948, at the very dawn of the
information age, this digitizing of information of any sort was a revolutionary
step. His paper may have been the first to use the word "bit," short
for binary digit.
As well as defining information, Shannon analyzed the
ability to send information through a communications channel. He found that a
channel had a certain maximum transmission rate that could not be exceeded.
Today we call that the bandwidth of the channel. Shannon demonstrated
mathematically that even in a noisy channel with a low bandwidth, essentially
perfect, error-free communication could be achieved by keeping the transmission
rate within the channel's bandwidth and by using error-correcting schemes: the
transmission of additional bits that would enable the data to be extracted from
the noise-ridden signal.
Today everything from modems to music CDs rely on
error-correction to function. A major accomplishment of quantum-information
scientists has been the development of techniques to correct errors introduced
in quantum information and to determine just how much can be done with a noisy
quantum communications channel or with entangled quantum bits (qubits) whose
entanglement has been partially degraded by noise.
The Unbreakable Code
A year after he founded and launched information theory,
Shannon published a paper that proved that unbreakable cryptography was
possible. (He did this work in 1945, but at that time it was classified.) The
scheme is called the one-time pad or the Vernam cypher, after Gilbert Vernam,
who had invented it near the end of World War I. The idea is to encode the
message with a random series of digits--the key--so that the encoded message is
itself completely random. The catch is that one needs a random key that is as
long as the message to be encoded and one must never use any of the keys twice.
Shannon's contribution was to prove rigorously that this code was unbreakable.
To this day, no other encryption scheme is known to be unbreakable.
The problem with the one-time pad (so-called because an
agent would carry around his copy of a key on a pad and destroy each page of
digits after they were used) is that the two parties to the communication must
each have a copy of the key, and the key must be kept secret from spies or
eavesdroppers. Quantum cryptography solves that problem. More properly called
quantum key distribution, the technique uses quantum mechanics and entanglement
to generate a random key that is identical at each end of the quantum
communications channel. The quantum physics ensures that no one can eavesdrop
and learn anything about the key: any surreptitious measurements would disturb
subtle correlations that can be checked, similar to error-correction checks of
data transmitted on a noisy communications line.
Encryption based on the Vernam cypher and quantum key
distribution is perfectly secure: quantum physics guarantees security of the
key and Shannon's theorem proves that the encryption method is unbreakable.
[For Scientific American articles on quantum cryptography and other
developments of quantum information science during the past decades, please
click here.]
A Unique, Unicycling Genius
Shannon fit the stereotype of the eccentric genius to a T.
At Bell Labs (and later M.I.T., where he returned in 1958 until his retirement
in 1978) he was known for riding in the halls on a unicycle, sometimes juggling
as well [see "Profile: Claude E. Shannon," by John Horgan; Scientific
American, January 1990]. At other times he hopped along the hallways on a pogo
stick. He was always a lover of gadgets and among other things built a robotic
mouse that solved mazes and a computer called the Throbac ("THrifty
ROman-numeral BAckward-looking Computer") that computed in roman numerals.
In 1950 he wrote an article for Scientific American on the principles of
programming computers to play chess [see "A Chess-Playing Machine,"
by Claude E. Shannon; Scientific American, February 1950].
In the 1990s, in one of life's tragic ironies, Shannon came
down with Alzheimer's disease, which could be described as the insidious loss
of information in the brain. The communications channel to one's
memories--one's past and one's very personality--is progressively degraded
until every effort at error correction is overwhelmed and no meaningful signal
can pass through. The bandwidth falls to zero. The extraordinary pattern of
information processing that was Claude Shannon finally succumbed to the
depredations of thermodynamic entropy in February 2001. But some of the signal
generated by Shannon lives on, expressed in the information technology in which
our own lives are now immersed.
Think of an economy as reflecting three fundamental features: capital, labor and what I will call the “efficiency factor.” A country’s stock of capital consists of machinery, buildings, land, etc. Labor consists of the country’s human resources that are used in production. The efficiency factor determines how well the country turns capital and labor into output.
Now let’s jump to the bottom line: which of these three factors is most responsible for differences in GDP per person in countries around the world? The answer: it’s the efficiency factor.
by Scott A. Wolla
"Open markets offer the only realistic hope of pulling
billions of people in developing countries out of abject poverty, while
sustaining prosperity in the industrialized world."1
—Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General
Many people mark the birth of economics as the publication
of Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations in 1776. Actually, this classic's full
title is An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, and
Smith does indeed attempt to explain why some nations achieve wealth and others
fail to do so. Yet, in the 241 years since the book's publication, the gap
between rich countries and poor countries has grown even larger. Economists are
still refining their answer to the original question: Why are some countries
rich and others poor, and what can be done about it?
"Rich" and "Poor"
In common language, the terms "rich" and
"poor" are often used in a relative sense: A "poor" person
has less income, wealth, goods, or services than a "rich" person.
When considering nations, economists often use gross domestic product (GDP) per
capita as an indicator of average economic well-being within a country. GDP is
the total market value, expressed in dollars, of all final goods and services
produced in an economy in a given year. In a sense, a country's GDP is like its
yearly income. So, dividing a particular country's GDP by its population is an
estimate of how much income, on average, the economy produces per person (per
capita) per year. In other words, GDP per capita is a measure of a nation's
standard of living. For example, in 2016, GDP per capita was $57,467 in the
United States, $42,158 in Canada, $27,539 in South Korea, $8,123 in China,
$1,513 in Ghana, and $455 in Liberia (Figure 1).2
NOTE: Liberia's GDP per capita of $455 is included but not
visible due to the scale. The Republic of Korea is the official name of South
Korea.
SOURCE: World Bank, retrieved from FRED®, Federal Reserve
Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=eMGq, accessed July 26,
2017.
Because GDP per capita is simply GDP divided by the
population, it is a measure of income as if it were divided equally among the
population. In reality, there can be large differences in the incomes of people
within a country. So, even in a country with relatively low GDP, some people
will be better off than others. And, there are poor people in very wealthy
countries. In 2013 (the most recent year comprehensive data on global poverty
are available), 767 million people, or 10.7 percent of the world population,
were estimated to be living below the international poverty line of $1.90 per
person per day.3 Whether for people or nations, the key to escaping poverty
lies in rising levels of income. For nations specifically, which measure wealth
in terms of GDP, escaping poverty requires increasing the amount of output (per
person) that their economy produces. In short, economic growth enables
countries to escape poverty.
How Do Economies Grow?
Economic growth is a sustained rise over time in a nation's
production of goods and services. How can a country increase its production?
Well, an economy's production is a function of its inputs, or factors of
production (natural resources, labor resources, and capital resources), and the
productivity of those factors (specifically the productivity of labor and
capital resources), which is called total factor productivity (TFP). Consider a
shoe factory. Total shoe production is a function of the inputs (raw materials
such as leather, labor supplied by workers, and capital resources, which are
the tools and equipment in the factory), but it also depends on how skilled the
workers are and how useful the equipment is. Now, imagine two factories with
the same number of workers. In the first factory, workers with basic skills
move goods around with push carts, assemble goods with hand tools, and work at
benches. In the second factory, highly trained workers use motorized forklifts
to move pallets of goods and power tools to assemble goods that move along a
conveyer belt. Because the second factory has higher TFP, it will have higher
output, earn greater income, and provide higher wages for its workers.
Similarly, for a country, higher TFP will result in a higher rate of economic
growth. A higher rate of economic growth means more goods are produced per
person, which creates higher incomes and enables more people to escape poverty
at a faster rate. But, how can nations increase TFP to escape poverty? While
there are many factors to consider, two stand out.
Institutions
First, institutions matter. For an economist, institutions
are the "rules of the game" that create the incentives for people and
businesses. For example, when people are able to earn a profit from their work
or business, they have an incentive not only to produce but also to continually
improve their method of production. The "rules of the game" help
determine the economic incentive to produce. On the flip side, if people are
not monetarily rewarded for their work or business, or if the benefits of their
production are likely to be taken away or lost, the incentive to produce will
diminish. For this reason, many economists suggest that institutions such as
property rights, free and open markets, and the rule of law (see the boxed
insert) provide the best incentives and opportunities for individuals to
produce goods and services.
North and South Korea often serve as an example of the
importance of institutions. In a sense they are a natural experiment. These two
nations share a common history, culture, and ethnicity. In 1953 these nations
were formally divided and governed by very different governments. North Korea
is a dictatorial communist nation where property rights and free and open
markets are largely absent and the rule of law is repressed. In South Korea,
institutions provide strong incentives for innovation and productivity. The
results? North Korea is among the poorest nations in the world, while South
Korea is among the richest.4
NOTE: While the Republic of Korea (the official name of
South Korea), China, Ghana, and Liberia had similar standards of living in
1970, they have developed differently since then.
SOURCE: World Bank, retrieved from FRED®, Federal Reserve
Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=eMGt, accessed July 26,
2017.
While this seems like a simple relationship—if government
provides strong property rights, free markets, and the rule of law, markets
will thrive and the economy will grow—research suggests that the
"institution story" alone does not provide a complete picture. In
some cases, government support is important to the development of a nation's
economy. Closer inspection shows that the economic transformation in South
Korea, which started in the 1960s, was under the dictatorial rule of Park
Chung-hee (who redirected the nation's economic focus on export-driven
industry), not under conditions of strong property rights, free markets, and
the rule of law (which came later).5 South Korea's move toward
industrialization was an important first step in its economic development (see
South Korea's growth in Figure 2). China is another example of an economy that
has grown dramatically. In a single generation it has been transformed from a
backward agrarian nation into a manufacturing powerhouse. China tried market reforms
during the Qing dynasty (whose modernization reforms started in 1860 and lasted
until its overthrow in 1911) and the Republic Era (1912-1949), but they were
not effective. China's economic transformation began in 1978 under Deng
Xiaoping, who imposed a government-led initiative to support industrialization
and the development of markets, both internally and for export of Chinese
goods.6 These early government-supported changes helped develop the markets
necessary for the current, dramatic increase in economic growth (see Figure 2).
Trade
Second, international trade is an important part of the
economic growth story for most countries. Think about two kids in the school
cafeteria trading a granola bar for a chocolate chip cookie. They are willing
to trade because it offers them both an opportunity to benefit. Nations trade
for the same reason. When poorer nations use trade to access capital goods
(such as advanced technology and equipment), they can increase their TFP,
resulting in a higher rate of economic growth.7 Also, trade provides a broader
market for a country to sell the goods and services it produces. Many nations,
however, have trade barriers that restrict their access to trade. Recent
research suggests that the removal of trade barriers could close the income gap
between rich and poor countries by 50 percent.8
Conclusion
Economic growth of less-developed economies is key to
closing the gap between rich and poor countries. Differences in the economic
growth rate of nations often come down to differences in inputs (factors of
production) and differences in TFP—the productivity of labor and capital
resources. Higher productivity promotes faster economic growth, and faster
growth allows a nation to escape poverty. Factors that can increase productivity
(and growth) include institutions that provide incentives for innovation and
production. In some cases, government can play an important part in the
development of a nation's economy. Finally, increasing access to international
trade can provide markets for the goods produced by less-developed countries
and also increase productivity by increasing the access to capital resources.
Notes
1 Globalist. "Kofi Annan on Global Futures."
February 6, 2011; https://www.theglobalist.com/kofi-annan-on-global-futures/.
2 Data from the World Bank retrieved from FRED®;
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=erxy, accessed July 26, 2017.
3 World Bank. "Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2016:
Taking on Equality." 2016, p. 4;
http://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/poverty-and-shared-prosperity.
4 Olson, Mancur. "Big Bills Left on the Sidewalk: Why
Some Nations are Rich, and Others Poor." Journal of Economic Perspectives,
Spring 1996, 10(2), pp. 3-24.
5 Wen, Yi and Wolla, Scott. "China's Rapid Economic
Rise: A New Application of an Old Recipe. Social Education." Social
Education, March/April 2017, 81(2), pp. 93-97.
6 Wen, Yi and Fortier, George E. "The Visible Hand: The
Role of Government in China's Long-Awaited Industrial Revolution." Federal
Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review, Third Quarter 2016, 98(3), pp. 189-226;
https://dx.doi.org/10.20955/r.2016.189-226.
7 Santacreu, Ana Maria. "Convergence in Productivity,
R&D Intensity, and Technology Adoption." Federal Reserve Bank of St.
Louis Economic Synopses, No. 11, 2017; https://doi.org/10.20955/es.2017.11.
8 Mutreja, Piyusha; Ravikumar, B. and Sposi, Michael J.
"Capital Goods Trade and Economic Development." Working Paper No.
2014-012, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 2014;
https://research.stlouisfed.org/wp/2014/2014-012.pdf.
Factors of production: The natural resources, human
resources, and capital resources that are available to make goods and services.
Also known as productive resources.
Capital resources: Goods that have been produced and are
used to produce other goods and services. They are used over and over again in
the production process. Also called capital goods and physical capital.
Standard of living: A measure of the goods and services
available to each person in a country; a measure of economic well- being. Also
known as per capita real GDP (gross domestic product).
Trade barrier: A government-imposed restriction on the
international trade of goods or services.
The use of blooms for therapy was pioneered by English physician Dr. Edward Bach back in the 1930s. A bacteriologist and homeopath, he introduced the idea of using the essence of flowers for aromatherapy. To tap the healing power of flowers, he prepared medicines by placing blooms in a pot of water and exposing them to the sun for a certain number of hours. He then took the essence and turned them into healing essences and pills.
Dr. Bach discovered a total of 38 flowers which correspond to specific human states. Floral therapy is, in a way, a form of vibrational healing, meaning that it uses energy to heal a patient’s energetic field. This connects to the concept of floral therapy created by color expert Eiseman which suggests that the pattern and colors of different flowers affect our mental states. Additional scientific researches which claim that flowers and plants, in general, affect our mind and emotions support this, too! So you see, that happiness you feel whenever you get a bunch of blooms isn’t just you being sappy–it’s actually a natural response you get from an improvement of your emotional health!The action of the flower essences raises the vibration of the being.... They cure by flooding the body with the beautiful vibrations of the highest nature - in whose presence there is the opportunity for disease to melt away like snow in sunshine - EDWARD BACH
Flower therapy is of two types:
a) Bach Flower Therapy: Healing certain physical and mental ailments through oils extracted from some special flowers
b) Eiseman Flower Therapy: Enhancing our moods through colors and patterns of floral arrangements.
Bach Flower Therapy
The therapeutic use of flower essence therapy in the treatment of depression and other psychological disorders is not new. Flower essence therapy was introduced by the English physician Dr. Edward Bach in the 1930's. It is a form of Aromatherapy. Dr. Edward Bach, also called the father of Flower Medicines, was a London based bacteriologist and consulting homeopath.
Not satisfied with his homeopathic practice, he turned to flowers as a source of medicine. He discovered 38 flowers as corresponding to 38 human states.These flower medicines are prepared by placing flowers in a pot of water exposed to the noon sun for about three hours. The essence thus formed is combined with alcohol, for preservative purposes, and dispensed as liquid or in the form of pills.
Flower essence therapy is a form of vibrational healing, which treats with pure energy to generate changes in the energetic field of the patient. Healing with flower essences is an extension of the time-honored tradition of herbal medicine, successfully returning people and animals to balance and health. Flower essence therapy has proven particularly useful in assisting animals that have been abused, neglected or that have become stressed and anxious.
This is a quick reference guide to each of the 38 remedies discovered by Dr Bach. Each remedy is directed at a particular characteristic or emotional state. To select the remedies you need, think about the sort of person you are and the way you are feeling.
For more information on each remedy in this list click the relevant link. It might help to read some case studies first to see how they work.
Remedies
Agrimony – mental torture behind a cheerful face
Aspen – fear of unknown things
Beech – intolerance
Centaury – the inability to say ‘no’
Cerato – lack of trust in one’s own decisions
Cherry Plum – fear of the mind giving way
Chestnut Bud – failure to learn from mistakes
Chicory – selfish, possessive love
Clematis – dreaming of the future without working in the present
Crab Apple – the cleansing remedy, also for not liking something about ourselves
Elm – overwhelmed by responsibility
Gentian – discouragement after a setback
Gorse – hopelessness and despair
Heather – talkative self-concern and being self-centred
Holly – hatred, envy and jealousy
Honeysuckle – living in the past
Hornbeam – tiredness at the thought of doing something
Impatiens – impatience
Larch – lack of confidence
Mimulus – fear of known things
Mustard – deep gloom for no reason
Oak – the plodder who keeps going past the point of exhaustion
Olive – exhaustion following mental or physical effort
Pine – guilt
Red Chestnut – over-concern for the welfare of loved ones
Rock Rose – terror and fright
Rock Water – self-denial, rigidity and self-repression
Scleranthus – inability to choose between alternatives
Star of Bethlehem – shock
Sweet Chestnut – extreme mental anguish, when everything has been tried and there is no light left
Vervain – over-enthusiasm
Vine – dominance and inflexibility
Walnut – protection from change and unwanted influences
Water Violet – quiet self-reliance leading to isolation
White Chestnut – unwanted thoughts and mental arguments
Wild Oat – uncertainty over one’s direction in life
Wild Rose – drifting, resignation, apathy
Willow – self-pity and resentment
The original system also includes an emergency combination remedy. Other pre-mixed combinations are offered by many remedy producers, but they tend to be ineffective because they are not chosen individually.
To get help selecting remedies contact a local Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner.
Eiseman Flower Therapy
While Bach's therapy is all about extracts from flowers, color experts like Eiseman opine that the very colors and the patterning of flowers influences the mental states.
According to Eiseman, flowers in conjunction with their design and color schemes create feelings that enhance our moods.
Additionally, scientific research shows that flowers and plants have a beneficial impact on state of mind and emotions. Rutgers University's behavioral studies have proven that flowers provide a simple way to improve emotional health.
Hence the local florist, who in a weirdly possible way can act as a therapist, could arrange the flowers with specific colors in specific arrangements so as to suit the needs of the customer.
Eiseman identifies five emotional color palettes that are expressed through color combinations in floral arrangements and the flowers that bring them to life.
Nurturing:
A true sense of caring is created by a combination of colors that are fragile, soft and tender. Arrangements in pastel shades and the softest yellows, peaches, warm pinks, creamy whites and subtle greens make us feel safe, snug and loved. Consider a nurturing floral arrangement for a new mother, a sick friend or a grieving loved one - anyone who would benefit from a caring, loving embrace.
Romantic:
A sensation of intimacy, nostalgia and comfort is captured in this color palette, a blend of delicate warm and cool colors with lavenders and pinks at its heart. Romantic arrangements express loving sentiments and admiration to mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, best friends, significant others and brides-to-be. Eiseman flower therapy is just romantic!
Sensuous:
The rich, luxurious color combinations of the sensuous palette set the mood for sophisticated, passionate and even seductive settings. Robust reds and purples, hot pinks and spicy oranges are at the soul of this dynamic floral feeling. Consider a sensuous arrangement for a very special evening or an elegant dinner party - anywhere you want to feel magnetic and extravagant. How sensuous is Eiseman flower therapy? It is just wonderful.
Tranquil:
Serenity and relaxation are the essence of this color scheme. Its peaceful palette, reminiscent of sky and sea, is dominated by clear, light shades of green, misty blues and other cool hues. A vase of tranquility is perfect for busy moms, harried professionals and those who seek a moment of calm from life´s stressful situations. Eiseman flower therapy arrangement just recreates the tranquility of moon.
Whimsical:
Fun-loving, free-spirited, playful feelings are conveyed by the whimsical palette, which is characterized by bold, contrasting colors. Floral arrangements featuring these hues set an upbeat tone and are ideal for birthdays, graduations, promotions and other celebrations.
When it comes to achieving Flower Therapy, all you need to do is just consult a professional florist to ensure your desired emotion is expressed just the way you want it.
Eiseman flower therapy is just practical. Eiseman flower therapy is simple as well. By following these simple tips from the Society of American Florists, anyone can order flowers with confidence, send the perfect floral gift for any occasion, and choose a gift that takes into account the feelings of recepients.
When ordering floral gifts, describe the recipient´s personality, as well as favorite hobbies or colors. Your florist can match the floral arrangement with the recipient´s personal preferences.
Tell your florist if the gift is for a special occasion (birthday, anniversary or other personal milestone) or just because. He or she can offer suggestions on how to best create an emotion with flowers.
If the flowers are for decorating or entertaining, describe the environment where they will be placed so your florist can create an arrangement that complements the style and colors of your home.
Healing flowers for natural health:
Now we’re not saying you have to wait for someone to give you a bunch of flowers to enjoy this kind of therapy. It is the 20th century, and as strong, independent women, we can all go ahead and buy our own bouquet to try this holistic approach to natural health without waiting for a prince charming! Give the following seven florals a try for your DIY flower therapy.
Rose:
The queen of flowers symbolizes many things depending on its color. Red stands for passion, white for innocence, pink for gratitude, and yellow for friendship. Under Dr. Bach’s list, wild roses can help heal apathy and motivate people to take charge by creating positive changes in their health. According to several pieces of evidences, wild roses can also help bring enthusiasm to someone and can be a long-term healing partner for those who want to renew their flow of vitality.
You can use this flower in the form of a tincture, where you need to take it orally, ideally a few minutes before drinking or eating anything. To use it externally, apply your rose flower essence to acupuncture and marma points of the body.
Lavender:
Lavender flower essence is widely known in aromatherapy for its calming properties. In floral therapy, it is mainly prescribed to those in agitated, high-wired states for the refined awareness and spiritual sensitivity that it offers. It is also prescribed for insomnia–just add a few drops of it to an infuser and you’ll be calm enough to be whisked off to dreamland. Just like rose essences, lavender essence can also be taken orally from a dropper bottle or mixed with a glass of water.
Chamomile:
Another popular essence for flower therapy, chamomile is commonly taken in the form of tea. Since the flower is a sun-loving plant, it is closely associated with releasing emotional tension which is usually held in the solar plexus of our body. Other uses of it in flower therapy is in relieving depression and improving digestion.
Jasmine:
Besides from smelling SO good, jasmine flowers and their essential oils are commonly used in botanical medicine. In flower therapy, the blooms of this plant are believed to enhance mental clarity and induce relaxation. It is also said that jasmine was used historically before as an aphrodisiac or as a helpful agent in promoting the flow of breast milk when its flowers are crushed and applied directly on the breasts. To use jasmine oil for natural health, one can apply it to the abdomen to relieve pain like PMS or massage a drop of it over the heart if to invite emotions like love.
Hibiscus:
There are many flower meanings for hibiscus, depending on where you are from. For example, in North America, giving the flower to a female means to complement her perfection, while in the Victorian era, it is a sign of one’s delicate beauty. In flower therapy, the essential oil of this bloom is believed to energize the first and second chakras of the body, helping undo blockages in the spine and lower back. Similar to jasmine, hibiscus is also believed to stimulate passion and sexuality, helping release pent-up forces in the womb. This flower can be taken as a tea or applied directly on the body.
Dandelion:
You might not think much of this flower as something more than just a weed, but dandelions are pretty helpful in flower therapy. Similar to how its seeds drift into the wind, carrying wishes to a lover, the essence of this flower gives the person a love for life. Dandelions are believed to help people get in harmony with others, and ease the psyche of an over-planner and an overthinker. Dandelion can be used as a massage oil to help relax muscles and relieve body tension.
Honeysuckle:
Included in Dr. Bach’s list of healing flowers, honeysuckle is categorized to be helpful to people who are living in the past and having trouble moving on to the present. These are the ones who spend their time looking back to old memories–like how an elderly person would reminisce their younger days out of the belief that they can no longer experience new things. Honeysuckle is a flower remedy that can aid someone in recalling their past without the painful process of reliving it, guiding the person to take joy in the present. As an essential oil, honeysuckle can be used as a massage oil to relieve stress. A few drops of it can also be added to a warm bath for comfort.
Wrap Up:
Flower therapy may be old school, but it is a beautiful type of natural therapy we should all give a try. Not only are they believed to target emotional parts of us that advanced medicine doesn’t always address, but the science behind them are also just so plainly, breathtakingly beautiful.
A true sense of caring is created by a combination of colors that are fragile, soft and tender. Arrangements in pastel shades and the softest yellows, peaches, warm pinks, creamy whites and subtle greens make us feel safe, snug and loved. Consider a nurturing floral arrangement for a new mother, a sick friend or a grieving loved one - anyone who would benefit from a caring, loving embrace.
A sensation of intimacy, nostalgia and comfort is captured in this color palette, a blend of delicate warm and cool colors with lavenders and pinks at its heart. Romantic arrangements express loving sentiments and admiration to mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, best friends, significant others and brides-to-be. Eiseman flower therapy is just romantic!
The rich, luxurious color combinations of the sensuous palette set the mood for sophisticated, passionate and even seductive settings. Robust reds and purples, hot pinks and spicy oranges are at the soul of this dynamic floral feeling. Consider a sensuous arrangement for a very special evening or an elegant dinner party - anywhere you want to feel magnetic and extravagant. How sensuous is Eiseman flower therapy? It is just wonderful.
Serenity and relaxation are the essence of this color scheme. Its peaceful palette, reminiscent of sky and sea, is dominated by clear, light shades of green, misty blues and other cool hues. A vase of tranquility is perfect for busy moms, harried professionals and those who seek a moment of calm from life´s stressful situations. Eiseman flower therapy arrangement just recreates the tranquility of moon.
Fun-loving, free-spirited, playful feelings are conveyed by the whimsical palette, which is characterized by bold, contrasting colors. Floral arrangements featuring these hues set an upbeat tone and are ideal for birthdays, graduations, promotions and other celebrations.
