Rögnvaldur Hannesson, Ecofundamentalism: A Critique of Extreme Environmentalism

Abstract. Professor Rögnvaldur Hannesson, an authority on natural resource management, has written a well-argued, even if polemical, book against ecofundamentalism, which, for him, puts nature before man. He cogently discusses the difficulties in applying notions of sustainability and biodiversity to the human condition and suggests that in the foreseeable future mankind should continue mainly to use fossil fuels as energy sources. Hannesson regards models of global warming as scientific, but as too uncertain for mankind radically to alter its way of life.Keywords. Environmental economics, Resource economics.JEL. Q20, Q30, Q50

Psychokinetic attempts on a random event based microcomputer test using imagery strategies

This dissertation reports three pilot psychokinesis (PK) experiments and two imagery-based "training" PK experiments. The two imagery experiments attempted to increase PK scores (as measured by a computer test called "Synthia") of Ss through the practice of three visual-imagery strategies. In Synthia a trial is initiated by pressing the space-bar upon which the computer selects randomly one number. If this number corresponds to a target number randomly generated by the computer the trial is counted as a hit. A blue star appears on the computer screen and a beep sounds each time a hit is made in a feedback version of Synthia. In a nonfeedback version no such feedback is provided. The three strategies were process-oriented imagery (PO), goal-oriented imagery (GO), and end-oriented imagery (EO). In PO, Ss visualized energy building up inside their bodies and then sent it into the computer screen. In GO, Ss imagined the feedback (the beep and the star) provided for hits on the computer test. In EO, Ss visualized the final number of hits they wanted to achieve in each run on Synthia, and as shown on a display at the end of a 40-trial run. The three pilot studies were by and large conducted to test and refine the experimentation environment and the computer test. In the first imagery training study 24 selected Ss participated. Ss were divided into three groups of 8 Ss each. Each group practised one of the three imagery strategies on Synthia on six sessions. In the second imagery training study 52 selected Ss participated. Ss were divided into four groups of 13 Ss each. Three groups each practised one of the three imagery strategies on Synthia on four sessions. The fourth group was a control group which also did four sessions. Altogether 76 Ss participated in the two imagery experiments contributing to 352 "training" sessions. In both experiments the three imagery strategies resulted in neither significant PK scoring nor in an increase in PK scores over a period of time as had been predicted. The conclusion is drawn that PO, GO and EO do not work as a "training" method in a multi-session experimental set-up with a computer test such as the one employed. As predicted, Ss using PO spent significantly longer time on the PK task when they obtained feedback on their performance than in the absence of such feedback. Also as predicted, Ss using GO spent significantly longer time on the PK task in the presence of feedback than in the absence of feedback. This time effect was interpreted in terms of different degree of concentration. Three post-hoc findings were of interest: (1) In the latter imagery study, the control group increased marginally significantly (p=.051, 2-T) in total PK scores across sessions whereas the three imagery groups decreased nonsignificantly. Whilst acknowledging that this observation could be due to chance given the number of analyses conducted, a possible psi-based explanation discussed is that the experimenter psi-missed precognitively in deciding when to initiate the computer test. (2) In the second imagery experiment, the 27 "sheep" (those who believe in the existence of psi) showed a nonsignificant incline in PK scores between first and second half of the experiment, whereas the 12 "goats" (those who do not believe in the existence of psi) declined significantly (p=.009, 2-T). The difference between incline with sheep and decline with goats was significant (p=.007, 2-T). (3) Finally, an examination of 170 pilot / screening sessions indicated that the more Ss reported having had a PK experience the higher their PK scores tended to be on the computer test (an outcome of meta-analysis yielded z = 3.03, p=.001, 1-T). Three possible lines of research are suggested as a direct continuation of present experimentation

Improving unbiased left/right training of rats and use of physostigmine to counteract scopolamine-induced short-term memory impairment

Rationale: The DNMTP task measures short-term / working memory uncontaminated by learning capacity,  spatial abilities, motor performance or general motivational and arousal factors. However, DNMTP training  of rats can take two months, and we aimed to reduce this. Methods: Two experiments were conducted on rats  in an operant DNMTP task. Improvements were made on the training procedure. The method was validated  by replicating the effect of scopolamine on working memory. The experiments also explored the influence  of physostigmine in reversing impairment induced by scopolamine. Thus in experiment 1, ten Lewis rats  were trained in an operant DNMTP task (1, 2, 4 and 8 s delay intervals) before 9 of them received vehicle,  scopolamine, saline or combinations of scopolamine and physostigmine. In experiment 2, ten Lewis rats (5  old and 5 young) were trained in the same task (1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 s delay intervals). There were six treatments:  0.05 mg/kg scopolamine, 0.1 mg/kg physostigmine or 0.15 mg/kg physostigmine, control involving  saline or involving no injection and no handling, and finally a combined treatment of 0.05mg/kg scopolamine  and 0.15 mg/kg physostigmine. In both experiments scopolamine significantly reduced correct  responses, nose-pokes and lever presses compaired to control conditions. Furthermore, in experiment 2,  there was insignificant difference between saline and combined scopolamine/physostigmine for correct  responses and for delay prior to pressing the sample lever. As expected, there was significant difference  between scopolamine and combined scopolamine/physostigmine for correct responses, for delay prior to  pressing the sample lever and for delay prior to pressing the non-matching lever. As a result, the animals  were ready for drug injection after 17 days from habituation and the method ensured that there were no dropouts  due to left or right lever preference. This is a shorter training period than previously thought necessary.  The brief training method was validated by replicating the effect of scopolamine on working memory.

Styrmir Gunnarsson: Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn: Átök og uppgjör

Í umsögn gagnrýnanda kemur meðal annars eftirfarandi fram: Bók Styrmis Gunnarssonar um átökin í Sjálfstæðisflokknum 1970-1991 er barmafull af fróðleik, oft óvæntum. Hún er lipurlega skrifuð og um mikil og hörð átök, sem öll þjóðin fylgdist með agndofa. Hún er líka merkileg söguleg heimild. Ég fann engar stórar villur í henni. Höfundur er sanngjarn og beiskjulaus, og vörn hans fyrir trúnaðarvin sinn er vel af hendi leyst, þótt ekki verði allir sammála honum

Psychokinetic attempts on a randon event based microcomputer test using imagery strategies

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:D90731 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Alistair Darling and the Icelandic Bank Collapse

UK Chancellor Alistair Darling played an important role in the 2008 Icelandic bank collapse, refusing to include Icelandic-owned banks in the UK in the immense rescue package for British banks, closing them instead, and imposing an anti-terrorism law on Iceland. His hostility to Iceland is demonstrated in many places in his 2011 book on the international financial crisis. He wrongly asserts that Icelandic bankers donated money to the Conservative Party, and that Icelandic officials travelled around in jumbo jets. He also makes unfounded statements such as that Iceland was becoming insolvent in 2008, that the Icelandic Prime Minister had preferred a Russian loan to participating in an IMF programme and that the Prime Minister had tried to negotiate down payments requested from Iceland to the UK. In the midst of the crisis, Mr. Darling gave an inaccurate account publicly of a conversation with the Icelandic Finance Minister, as a House of Commons committee later concluded. What caused Darling’s hostility towards the Icelanders? Possibly two facts: in the UK, the Icelandic banks competed fiercely with traditional banks, thus causing resentment; and Iceland was before the collapse held up as a model by the Scottish nationalists to whom Mr. Darling was, and is, strongly opposed

Jöfnuður og sanngjörn skattlagning

FræðigreinÞví er stundum haldið fram að skattabreytingar síðustu sextán ára hafi aukið ójöfnuð á Íslandi, ekki síst lágur fjármagnstekjuskattur. En það er misskilningur að fjármagnstekjuskattur sé 10% og tekjuskattur á atvinnutekjur 36%. Fjármagnstekjuskattur er 26,2% á eigendur fyrirtækja, auk þess sem þeir verða að reikna sér endurgjald og greiða af því tekjuskatt. Fjármagnstekjuskattur er rösk 36% á þá sem njóta vaxta- eða húsaleigutekna. Söluhagnaður af eignum er ekki reglulegar eða eiginlegar tekjur og ætti ekki að vera skattskyldur. Tekjuskattur á atvinnutekjur er vegna skattleysismarka breytilegur eftir tekjum, árið 2007 0% upp að 90 þús. kr. mánaðarlaunum, 18% þegar mánaðarlaunin eru 180 þús. kr. og hækkar síðan með tekjum, en nær aldrei alveg 36%. Eini hópurinn sem greiðir hærra hlutfall af tekjum sínum en eigendur fyrirtækja eru þeir sem hafa hærri laun en nemur meðaltali. Það er líka rangt að tekjuskipting á Íslandi sé ójafnari en annars staðar á Norðurlöndum. Hún er tiltölulega jöfn samkvæmt alþjóðlegum mælingum. Ýmis rök eru gegn stighækkandi tekjuskatti, sem sumir vilja taka upp. Hann flækir í fyrsta lagi skattlagningu. Önnur rök eru að hann eykur ábyrgðarleysi, þegar einn hópur getur velt þungum byrðum á annan með afli atkvæða. Hin þriðju eru að við hann dregur úr verðmætasköpun. Lítil sneið af stórri köku getur verið stærri en stór sneið af lítilli köku, eins og samanburður Sviss og Svíþjóðar sýnir og einnig reynsla síðustu ára á Íslandi. Þótt skattar hafi verið lækkaðir jafnt á fyrirtæki og einstaklinga, hafa skatttekjur ríkisins stóraukist. Leiða má rök að því að með frjálsara og opnara atvinnulífi hafi jöfnuður frekar aukist en minnkað á Íslandi