Europe’s War on Loot Boxes

Among the more pernicious forms of video game monetization, the much-reviled loot box, a digital capsule of collectible goods, faces ever ratcheting calls for regulation within the European Union. This past June, a group of twenty consumer rights organizations from eighteen European nations formally called on EU authorities to regulate the industry practice viewed as deceptive and predatory. Accounting for $15 billion in revenue in 2020 alone, including$1.6 billion in sales from publisher Electronic Arts’ (“EA”) various sports titles, loot boxes comprise a sizable chunk of industry revenue streams. They are here to stay it seems, at least for now. With over three billion gamers in the world, the function of loot boxes, their current implementation, and the current landscape for regulation merits discussion in guiding American policy going forward. This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on November 7, 2022. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above

Cultural studies of greenhouse grown Eustoma grandiflorum

1984 Fall.Covers not scanned.Includes bibliographical references.Change in photoperiod had no affect on flower initiation of Sakata F-1 hybrid E, grandiflorum; however, plant flower buds developed faster, had increased stem length, greater number of bud nodes, and more plant fresh and dry weight when exposed to day growing temperature and relative humidities of 22° C and 70%, compared to 17° C and 30-50% respectively. Sakata plants grown in volcanic scoria, gravel, and idealite had better growth and production than those in soil medium. The removal of terminal shoots at the fourth, fifth or sixth leaf pairs above the base, had no effect on growth, however, the removal of the growing tip only, reduced the flowering time by 10 days. The Weddle hybrid of E. grandiflorum was more productive and had larger stems than the Sakata hybrids. Both hybrids had two definite flowering cycles per year, one from May through June, and a second from August to mid-October. The vase life of both hybrids ranged from 8 to 18 days, but was not increased by preservative addition of 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate, (8-HQC), plus sugar. E. grandiflorum was attacked by red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) and white fly (Trialeurades vaporariorurn) and was highly susceptible to Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium spp

Kobi'ler için para vakfına dayalı kredi garantisi modeli: Seçilmiş vakalar ve model önerisi

This conceptual paper primarily explores the current applications of credit guarantee (CG) in selected government institutions.Two CG government programs have been selected. The theoretical discussions have covered the underpinning concepts, mainly kafalah contract and cash waqf. To this effect, the shariah stand on charging fees for kafalah has been highlighted, along with the latest resolutions and decisions of shariah academies and institutions are cited. The discussions of the paper resulted in a conceptual CG framework based on cash waqf. The qualitative method is used, and an extensive literature review has been conducted. This paper found that the Malaysian CG program has a special Islamic scheme to offer CG, nonetheless, the program uses the concept of Kafalah bil-ujrah where it charges fees directly from the client with various rates. This paper argues that cash waqf perfectly fits as a source of funding for providing CG

Mikro programları desteklemek için zekat kullanımında en iyi uygulamalar

Zakah is one of the most effective tools in the Islamic fiscal policy and economic system that has been introduced to achieve a variety of socio-economic objectives. On top of those objectives are poverty alleviation and wealth redistribution. The former objective is clearly indicated in the hadith that is narrated by imam al-Bukhari when the Prophet (PBUH) commanded Mu'adh bin Jabal, his delegate to govern Yemen: “Inform them (the people of Yemen) that Allah has made a charity obligatory upon them, that is collected from their rich and given back to their poor...Bu makale, Mikro Kurumsal Destek Programlarında (MSP) Küçük ve Orta Ölçekli İşletmelerin finansmanı için zekat fonlarını kullanmanın uygun olup olmadığını araştırmaktadır. Makale, zekat fonlarının mikro işletmelerin finansmanında kullanıldığı iki vaka çalışmasını ele almakdatır; ilk vaka çalışması Malezya ve ikincisi Endonezya'dadır..

Examination of the relationship between preservice social studies teachers’ democratic values and attitudes towards today’s world problems

This study was carried out to examine the relationship between preservice social studies teachers’ democratic values and their attitudes towards today’s world problems. In this study, a survey design was used based on quantitative research methodology. The research sample consisted of 174 preservice teachers who were studying at the Social Studies Education Program of Anadolu University in the 2017–2018 academic year. During the study, the “Democratic Values Scale” developed by Selvi (2006) was administered to determine the preservice social studies teachers’ levels of democratic values. The “Attitude Scale for Today’s World Problems,” developed by Kılıçoğlu, Karakuş and Öztürk (2012), was employed to determine the preservice social studies teachers’ attitudes towards today’s world problems. In conclusion, it was found that there was a significantly moderate positive correlation between the preservice social studies teachers’ levels of democratic values and their attitudes towards today’s world problems.This study was carried out to examine the relationship between preservice social studies teachers’ democratic values and their attitudes towards today’s world problems. In this study, a survey design was used based on quantitative research methodology. The research sample consisted of 174 preservice teachers who were studying at the Social Studies Education Program of Anadolu University in the 2017–2018 academic year. During the study, the “Democratic Values Scale” developed by Selvi (2006) was administered to determine the preservice social studies teachers’ levels of democratic values. The “Attitude Scale for Today’s World Problems,” developed by Kılıçoğlu, Karakuş and Öztürk (2012), was employed to determine the preservice social studies teachers’ attitudes towards today’s world problems. In conclusion, it was found that there was a significantly moderate positive correlation between the preservice social studies teachers’ levels of democratic values and their attitudes towards today’s world problems

On-line path planning and robust adaptive path following for underactuated autonomous underwater vehicles

Autonome Unterwasservehikel (AUV) sind für den Einsatz in maritimen Gebieten mit harschen und lebensbedrohlichen Umgebungsbedingungen sowie langen Missionshorizonten unerlässlich. Die Planung solcher Missionen erfolgt dabei oft über einen übergeordneten Missionsplanungsalgorithmus, der auf Grundlage von Umgebungsdaten, wie z.B. Wetter-, Karten- und Sensordaten, Referenzwegpunkte generiert. Aufgrund zeitlich veränderlicher Missionsziele und dynamisch variierender Hindernisse, wie z.B. andere Seefahrzeuge, ist eine flexible Anpassung dieser Referenzwegpunkte zur Laufzeit unvermeidlich. Da in den meisten Anwendungsfällen eine möglichst genaue Durchquerung der Wegpunkte mit vertretbarem Stellaufwand gewünscht ist, fokussiert diese Dissertation auf die Bahnführung von AUV, die durch eine Kombination aus on-line Bahnplanung und nichtlinearen Folgeregelungskonzepten besteht. Wegen der Anforderungen von Folgeregelungen an die Glattheit der Referenzbahn (C2) werden im ersten Teil dieser Arbeit zunächst 3D Bahnplanungsalgorithmen auf Basis von Polynomen 5. Grades vorgestellt, welche die von der Missionsplanung vorgegebenen Wegpunkte interpolieren. Zur Verbesserung der numerischen Eigenschaften sowie der Reduzierung des Rechenaufwands wird dieser Ansatz auf B-Splines übertragen. Durch eine spezielle Pufferung/Fensterung einer bestimmten Anzahl an Wegpunkten wird die zusätzliche Anforderung an die on-line Planung adressiert. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit werden ausgehend von einer eingehenden mathematischen Modellbildung von AUVs nichtlineare Folgeregelungskonzepte für den vollaktuierten und den unteraktuierten Fall (mehr Freiheitsgrade als Stellgrößen) entwickelt. Für ersteren wird eine Feedback-Linearisierung mit beobachterbasiertem Ansatz und aktiver Störunterdrückung präsentiert. Für den zweiten Fall wird ein robustes, adaptives Regelgesetz zur Kompensation von Modellunsicherheiten und Störungen entworfen. Wegen der Unteraktuierung des Systems, stellt dies eine anspruchsvolle Aufgabe dar, welche basierend auf der direkten Methode von Lyapunov und adaptiver Backstepping-Verfahren gelöst wird. Zur Robustifizierung des adaptiven Reglers kommen Parameter-Projektions-Techniken zum Einsatz. Abschließend werden formale Nachweise der Stabilität der präsentierten Regelungen angeführt und die Leistungsfähigkeit der entwickelten Ansätze anhand von detaillierten Simulationen belegt.Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are indispensable for use in maritime areas with harsh and life-threatening environmental conditions as well as long mission horizons. The planning of such missions is often carried out via a generic mission planning algorithm. Based on environmental data, e.g. weather, map and sensor data, it generates position reference points or so-called way-points to be followed by the AUV. Due to time-varying mission objectives and dynamically varying obstacles, such as other maritime vehicles, a flexible on-line adaptation of these way-points is unavoidable. In addition, for most applications an accurate crossing of way-points is desirable. Therefore, this dissertation focuses on the path generation and following of AUVs, which consists of a combination of on-line path planning and nonlinear path following concepts. Due to the special requirements for path following controllers on the smoothness of the reference path (C2), in the first part of this thesis, we present a 3D path planning algorithm based on degree 5 polynomials which interpolates the way-points given by the mission planning. In order to improve the numerical properties and to reduce the computational effort, this approach is transferred to B-splines. Using a special buffering/windowing of a certain number of way-points, the additional requirement on the on-line planning is addressed. In the second part of the thesis, mathematical modeling of AUVs is carried out. Based on that, nonlinear path following control concepts for the fully-actuated and the under actuated case (more degrees of freedom than control inputs) are developed. For the former, a feedback linearization controller with an observer-based approach and active disturbance rejection capabilities is presented. For the second case, a robust, adaptive control law is developed for the compensation of modeling uncertainty and disturbances. Owing to the under actuation of the system, the controller design is a challenging task, which is solved based on the direct method of Lyapunov and adaptive backstepping techniques. Moreover, parameter projection is used to robustify the adaptive controller. Finally, formal proofs of the stability of the presented controllers are provided and the performance of the developed approaches is demonstrated by means of detailed simulations

The evolution of children in Latin America's legal speech

[EN] Since the end of the 18th century and throughout the 20th century, the social sciences, in general, and the legal sciences, in particular, have provided us with a way of seeing, understanding and valuing the lives of minors. In fact, many of their original budgets still manage to endure (although not without some degree of difficulty). However, continuing to use the same conceptual frameworks that were developed alongside a reality that is no longer current could generate extremely adverse effects when analyzing the child of the 21st century. In this sense, in the present work we will analyze how the legal discourse has significantly influenced - since its inception and until today - the construction and maintenance of the representation of children. By defining it, modulating it and linking it with certain types of expectations, this discourse has contributed to rethinking, composing and coagulating the perceptions, senses and principles of action that govern adults. With this intention, from a historical perspective, we will visualize how the image of the child has been modified over time from the tutelary model to the paradigm of comprehensive protection. However, and despite these changes, we will indicate how the increase in specialized laws has not necessarily meant greater protection for children in Latin America. [ES] Desde fines del siglo XVIII y a lo largo del siglo XX, las ciencias sociales, en general, y las ciencias jurídicas, en particular, nos han proporcionado una forma de ver, entender y valorar la vida de los menores. De hecho, muchos de sus presupuestos originales aún logran perdurar (aunque no sin cierto grado de dificultad). No obstante, continuar utilizando los mismos armazones conceptuales que fueron elaborados a la par de una realidad que ha dejado de ser actual podría generar efectos sumamente adversos a la hora de analizar al niño del siglo XXI. En este sentido, en el presente trabajo analizaremos cómo el discurso jurídico ha influenciado significativamente -desde sus inicios y hasta la actualidad- la construcción y el sostenimiento de la representación de la infancia. Al definirla, modularla y enlazarle cierto tipo de expectativas, este discurso ha contribuido a retacear, componer y coagular las percepciones, los sentidos y los principios de acción que rigen en los adultos. Con esta intención, desde una perspectiva histórica, visualizaremos cómo la imagen del niño ha ido modificándose con el paso del tiempo desde el modelo tutelar al paradigma de protección integral. Sin embargo, y a pesar de estos cambios, indicaremos cómo el aumento de leyes especializadas no ha supuesto necesariamente una mayor protección para los niños en Latinoamérica.Universidad de Buenos AiresAzrak, AM. (2021). La evolución de la infancia en el discurso jurídico de Latinoamérica. Revista sobre la infancia y la adolescencia. 0(20):22-38. https://doi.org/10.4995/reinad.2021.13823OJS2238020- Ariès, P. (1992). El niño y la vida familiar en el antiguo régimen. Madrid: Taurus.- Bauman, Z. (2004). Modernidad líquida. Buenos Aires: Fondo de Cultura Económica.- Beloff, M. (2007). Reforma legal y derechos económicos y sociales de los niños: las paradojas de la ciudadanía. Revista Jurídica de Buenos Aires, 47, 69-88.- Beloff, M. (2011). La protección de los niños y las políticas de la diferencia. Lecciones y Ensayos, 89, 405-420.- Carli, S. (2006). Notas para pensar la infancia en la Argentina (1983-2001). En Carli, S. (comp.) La cuestión de la infancia. Entre la escuela, la calle y shopping. Buenos Aires: Paidós.- Cillero Bruñol, M. (1999). El interés superior del niño en el marco de la Convención Internacional sobre los derechos del niño. En UNICEF, Justicia y Derechos del Niño.- Corea, C. y Lewkowicz, I. (1999). ¿Se acabó La Infancia? Ensayo sobre la Destitución. Buenos Aires: Lumen.- Dávila Balsera, P. y Naya Garmendia, L. M. (2006). La Evolución de los Derechos de la Infancia: Una Visión Internacional. Encounters on Education, 7, 71-93. https://doi.org/10.15572/ENCO2006.04- De la Vega, E. (2015). Anormales, deficientes y especiales. Buenos Aires: Novedades Educativas.- Donzelot, J. (2008). La policía de las familias. Buenos Aires: Nueva Visión.- Duschavsky, S. y Corea, C. (2002). Chicos en banda: los caminos de la subjetividad en el declive de las instituciones. Buenos Aires: Paidós.- Gimeno Sacristán, J. (2003). El alumno como invención. Madrid: Ediciones Morata.- Llobet, V. (2010). ¿Fábricas de niños? Las instituciones en la era de los derechos de la infancia. Buenos Aires. Novedades Educativas.- Moreno, J. (2010). Ser humano. La inconsistencia, los vínculos, la crianza. Buenos Aires: Letra Viva.- Narodowski, M. (1999). Después de clase. Desencantos y desafíos de la escuela actual. Buenos Aires: Novedades Educativas.- Plácido Vilcachagua, A. (2008). Infancia y adolescencia: de objeto de tutela a sujeto de derecho con capacidad progresiva para ejercer derechos fundamentales, documento electrónico, Recuperado el 15 de marzo de 2020, de http://blog.pucp.edu.pe/blog/alexplacido/2008/07/24/infancia-y-adolescencia-de-objeto-de-tutela-a-sujeto-de-derecho-con-capacidad-progresiva-para-ejercer-derechos-fundamentales/- Postman, N. (1994). The Disappearance of Childhood. New York: Vintage books.- Recalcati, M. (2014). El complejo de Telémaco. Barcelona: Editorial Anagrama.- Varela, J. y Álvarez-Uría, F. (1991). Arqueología de la escuela. Madrid: La Piqueta

An Empirical Analysis of Inflation Targeting in Dual Banking System: Case Study of Turkey.

Inflation has many important macroeconomic issues in many countries like Turkey. The uncertainty resulting from high inflation is one of the negativities that closely affect the financial sector. The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of inflation targeting monetary policy in the dual banking system. The study investigates the long-run relationship between inflation rate, interest rate, real effective exchange rate, narrow money, and profit rate. The data collected were monthly and the period is from 2007 to 2017. The result of the study showed that interest rate and narrow money have a positive correlation with the inflation rate. Inflation targeting may not be a proper monetary policy for the financial system of Turkey. Because of the high sensitivity, it is not always easy to achieve targeted inflation. Instead of inflation targeting, interest rate targeting may help monetary policies to exert more influence on the financial sector. Keeping the interest rate under control may be a more useful monetary policy. In this way, the effects of monetary policies will be reflected more directly in the financial sector. If the monetary policies implemented are become more effective for both types of finance, their contribution to the economy will be enhanced, and controlling the macroeconomic targets will be more easily fulfilled. Thus, controlling the interest rate will give the authorities more control over Islamic finance in the sector