Resource allocation using constraint propagation

The concept of constraint propagation was discussed. Performance increases are possible with careful application of these constraint mechanisms. The degree of performance increase is related to the interdependence of the different activities resource usage. Although this method of applying constraints to activities and resources is often beneficial, it is obvious that this is no panacea cure for the computational woes that are experienced by dynamic resource allocation and scheduling problems. A combined effort for execution optimization in all areas of the system during development and the selection of the appropriate development environment is still the best method of producing an efficient system

Roof above the head : A qualitative assessment of rural housing in India

The development of rural housing in a manner that results in adequate, quality shelter for inhabitants of Mahatma Gandhi’s “real India” is a challenge before the nation. What are the issues confronting rural housing development in India? The litany of its woes is endless. At first impression, rural housing is vulnerable to weaknesses in the delivery system for housing materials and services. Gradually, it dawns on the observer that the sector is deeply affected by the infrastructure deficit – roads, electricity supply, drinking water and sanitation. It has been bypassed by the numerous economic revolutions that have made India a vibrant economic superpower. For instance housing finance, which played a key role in the urban housing explosion, is conspicuous by its absence in the rural setting. Additionally, the limited mobility of rural households, the lack of vibrancy in the market for village properties and the marked volatility in agricultural incomes combine to dampen the prospects of this nebulous sector.Housing

Improving the allocation and management of public spending

If a country's planning and budgeting system is dilapidated, an important first step is to rehabilitate basic budgetary and accounting functions and to generate public expenditure data that can provide a starting point for rational planning. This paper makes the point that many of the necessary reforms to the planning and budgetary systems are very simple (which is not to say that they are easily accomplished). Chapter II provides an overview of planning and budgeting processes and Chapter III discusses recurring budgeting issues. The financial woes of a country increase the value of external aid and the leverage exercised by aid agencies. In Chapter IV, the effects of these factors are discussed and ideas for effective aid management and coordination are suggested.Business in Development,Business Environment,National Governance,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,ICT Policy and Strategies

Play the cards, roll the dice – the integration of casinos within Asian tourism destination development strategy

New Asian casino destinations continue to emerge and expand their gambling options. The historical rhetoric of being a panacea to economic and tourism woes continues to dominant decades later. Yet the excessive regulatory environments and taxation regimes by authorities on the casino industry are unlike those applied to other destination tourism products. Once the domain of the United States in the 1990s with entertainment capitals such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the proliferation of legalised casino gaming is now accentuated in Asia in destinations such as Macao, Korea, Singapore and the Philippines. As a tourism product, this article highlights that the arguments for and against casinos are narrowly embedded in social and economic influences, with a limited emphasis on a broader holistic approach on the implications on overall tourism management and development. Observations to date suggest greater prominence and participation by Asia’s NTOs (National Tourism Offices) and DMOs (Destination Management Companies) are needed on the future of the casino’s role within the tourism system and destination master plan and vision

Can Central America overcome its energy woes?

Earlier this month, an ECLAC executive said that Central America would be more competitive once the regional energy integration system SIEPAC comes online and reduces energy costs. Meanwhile, four Central American nations are in the top 10 countries in the region in terms of fostering a climate for renewable energy projects, according to a report by the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank and Bloomberg New Energy Finance. After years of energy woes, is Central America finally makes strides? What challenges does the region face and are its efforts to address them adequate

Justice and Inclusive Governance in Nigeria: Rethinking the Niger Delta Problem

The Niger Delta issue besides attracting impressive attention continues to linger due to failure to find plausible explanation for issues of the region. The discourse woven around this issue leaves two clear lines of argument. One sees the region responsible for her development woes, the other hold the alleged flawed Nigerian federal system, responsible for the challenges of the region. This paper relied on triangulation of data to argue that the issue of the Niger Delta lingers because of injustice in the Nigerian governance. The paper concludes that inclusive governance capable of giving the troubled oil-bearing region needed sense of belonging, would be able to bring peace to the region. The paper found inverted justice system in resource politics in Nigeria responsible for the continued agitation of the Niger Delta region. It concludes that true federalism be adopted in Nigeria to birth healthy competition for development. Keywords: Nigeria, Niger Delta, Oil Politics, Inclusion, Justice, Development. DOI: 10.7176/DCS/12-7-03 Publication date:September 30th 202

The Unique Social Isolation Homosexual Adolescents Experience

A pioneering group of teenagers are identifying themselves as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender or Questioning (GLBTQ). GLBTQ adolescents experience a unique social isolation as compared with other minority and oppressed groups. However, current research and interventions is aimed at addressing their social isolation only once these adolescents have come out . It was hypothesized that before coming out the social isolation that GLBTQ feel may be lessoned by educating all children before they begin to explore their sexual identity. A booklet was developed using feelings, experiences and supports before and after the coming out process, as identified by GLBTQ adolescents. With the proposed use of this booklet in a middle school health class the possible perceived effectiveness was analyzed. The data revealed a strong argument for the possible effectiveness for this educational book for all adolescents. While the breakdown of data into sub-categories revealed some variations between professionals and gender, there were no significant differences and all revealed a considerably high average rating of effectiveness. The exploratory data revealed some very important feedback both positive and valid constructive criticism. This data should be considered and further research should include adjusting the educational tool with some of the proposed input, as well as further research with a larger sample size for increased external validity

Smart School Budgeting: Resources for Districts

In an era of aggressive public education reform, school districts face increasing pressure to produce higher levels of student performance with increasingly limited resources. The economic downturn has forced many districts to tighten their belts, and careful thought must be given to how each and every dollar is spent. Optimally, district leaders should work with stakeholders in their communities to set goals, analyze current spending, provide transparency in their budgeting, and consider cost-saving and reallocation strategies. The Rennie Center has created a toolkit, Smart School Budgeting: Resources for Districts, aiming to assist district leaders in decision-making about school budgeting. Smart School Budgeting is intended to push school leaders to take a more deliberative approach to school budgeting. The resources presented in the toolkit act as a starting point for districts examining their own budgeting processes. The document is designed as a user-friendly summary of existing literature and tools on school finance, budgeting, and resource allocation that directs district leaders and school business officials to practical and useful information to shape resource decisions. Each section includes an overview of a critical topic in school budgeting, summaries of useful documents and resources, relevant case studies (if available), and a resource list with hyperlinked documents for easy access. The toolkit is organized around the following topics: introduction and context for school budget analysis; setting goals; types of budgets; strategies for analyzing spending; tools for budget analysis; and cost-saving strategies.This toolkit was released at a public event on October 3, 2012

The Great Wave: Margaret Thatcher, The Neo-liberal Age, and the Transformation of Modern Britain

Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1979-1990. During this period she implemented policies that profoundly changed British society, politics, and its economy through neoliberal policies. This work seeks to analyze those policies and its impact on Great Britain. From Thatcher’s economic policies of neoliberalism, social policies toward the unemployed, and her foreign policy of national reinvigoration, this work seeks to provide a panoramic analysis of Thatcher’s premiership and its long term impact on Britain.This work will also seek to argue that Thatcher and her policies were both revolutionary in their thinking and contributed to realigning British political thought. It is because of this these profound changes that these policies were so controversial as it shaped the modern political debate within Great Britain as this work seeks to demonstrate. This work will also argue further that Thatcher’s policies and their impact are still being felt today in Britain and and will likely continue to do so due to the sheer transformative nature of those policies this work will analyze

Road Expansion and Urban Highways: Consequences Outweigh Benefits in Kathmandu

Rapid urbanization has transformed Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, one of the fastest growing metropolitan regions in South Asia. This urbanization, in turn, is leading to considerable social, economic, and environmental stress. The region has seen unplanned growth despite continued planning exercises. In 2011, in response to the rapid urbanization then Prime Minster Baburam Bhattarai initiated road expansion throughout the city to reduce traffic congestion. By mid 2015, it was clear that the road expansion induced greater demand leading to further traffic congestion rather than alleviating the problem. Today, non-motorized (pedestrians and bicycle) road users are more unsafe on the roads than ever before, and the plight of public transport users has remained the same. Traffic congestion has become a more serious problem. Air pollution associated with road construction and an increasing number of vehicles has turned the Kathmandu Valley into a dust bowl with potential for serious human health consequences. Along with road expansion, the government’s inability to regulate land use has contributed to Kathmandu’s current urban sprawl. Road expansion done without proper planning has threatened traditional settlements, many with heritage sites, and led to loss of public spaces and temple courtyards to make space for increasing demand for parking. Another major landscape change has been the building of concrete embankments and exclusive motor roads along the river corridors. The road expansion campaign is still ongoing and is a top priority of the government’s efforts to reduce congestion and improve urban transportation. It is high time the government of Nepal rethinks its vehicle-centric urban transport policy and adopts policy where mobility of people is prioritized. Urban transport planning should work to build a more equitable and inclusive city while addressing accessibility, safety, and environmental health risks of its growing urban population. Today, non-motorized users (pedestrians and bicycle users) are unsafe on the roads than ever before, and the plight of public transport users has remained the same. Road expansion has led to destruction of traditional settlements many with heritage sites and loss of public spaces and temple courtyards to make space for increasing parking demand. Another major landscape change has been the building of concrete embankments and exclusive motor roads along the river corridors. Air pollution associated with road construction and increasing number of vehicles has turned the valley into a dust bowl with potential for serious human health consequences. Along with the road expansion, the government’s inability to regulate proper landuse has contributed to Kathmandu’s current urban sprawl. The road expansion drive is still ongoing and is still the priority for government’s urban transportation initiatives within the Valley. It is high time the government of Nepal rethinks its vehicle-centric urban transport policy and adopts policy where mobility of people is prioritized. Urban transport planning should work on building more equitable and inclusive city while addressing accessibility, safety, and environmental health risk associated for its growing urban population