On the (non-)equivalence of capital adequacy and monetary policy: A response to Cechetti and Kohler

The instrument problem in monetary policy is back on the agenda. Until recently interest rate policy was widely thought to be sufficient for the attainment of appropriate monetary policy goals. No longer. In the wake of the international financial crisis there is much pressure on monetary authorities to incorporate the goal of financial stability more explicitly in policy. This requires an expansion of the instruments typically used by central banks. Cechetti and Kohler (2010) recently considered this new version of the instrument problem in monetary policy by analysing the distinct role and potential for co-ordinating (i) interest rates and (ii) capital adequacy requirements. In this paper we connect this modern debate with an earlier version of the instrument problem, famously discussed by Poole (1970). Then, as now (we claim), the main message of the analysis is the non-equivalence of these instruments and the structural features of the economy on the basis of which one would prefer a particular combination of these instruments. These results are demonstrated with a set of simulations. We also offer a theoretical criticism of the modelling approach used by Cechetti and Kohler (2010).Monetary policy, Instrument problem, Interest rates, Alternative monetary policy instruments, Balance sheet operations, Policy co-ordination

Asenet se Drievoudige Transformasie. Vergelykende Momente in die Apokriewe Verhaal “Josef en Asenet” en die Pauliniese Corpus

Among theologians the apocryphal story of “Joseph and Aseneth” has in the majority of cases been interpreted as a narrative of transformation of Aseneth from a pagan to the Jewish religion of the God of Joseph. This one sided interpretation has dealt with the religious and cultural transformation but not with the gender transformation as such, namely the transformation of the woman from pagan reclusion, becoming a queen in her own right. Added to the religious and cultural transformation should be added the third transformation, the gender issue. This threefold transformation can be compared to the Pauline metaphor of “putting off” and “putting on” (of clothing) in Colosians 3:9-10. The primary concern in this passage is with a transformation of someone’s total being and outlook from the old to the new in a holistic way.Article in Afrikaan

Narratological perspectives on John 13:1-38

The text of John 13 as a literary phenomenon is taken as narrative communication. Emphasis is laid on the pragmatic dimension, in which the relation between the sign and the recipient is highlighted. This article describes John 13 as a structured narrative in which a specific ideological perspective is reflected. Retrospectively viewed, John 13 provides an interpretative framework for meaningful discipleship. The modem reader is challenged to seek for deeper significance in the narration of the footwashing

Teachers' attitude to using information and communication technologies in the classroom

A research report submitted to the Wits School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education by combination of coursework and research Johannesburg, 2015The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of teachers in four secondary schools in Pretoria to the use of Information and Communication Technologies in their classrooms. Digital technology has become an integral part of modern society. Participating teachers completed an online questionnaire based on the Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, Bagozzi, & Warshaw, 1989) to gauge their attitude towards using technology in the classroom as well as their intentions to use the technology. Variables such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, technical support, attitude towards using technology and intention to use technology were used. Results revealed that teachers had a positive attitude towards the technology being used at school and their behavioural intention to use the technology was high

Was Jesus volgens Lukas se vertelling ’n politieke faktor?

Was Jesus in any sense politically involved in the social and cultural activities of his day? The answer is yes and no! An analysis of the social-political situation in Palestine during Jesus’ ministry shows that political aspirations and religious convictions were interlaced. It was a complex situation in which the political, social, economical and religious background contributed to the understanding of the message of Jesus. The Romans, priests, Sadducees, Pharisees, Zealots and Essenes, each chose their own social-political solution. According to Luke, Jesus had his own stance regarding the poor, the infirm, and aspects like riches oppression, injustice and violence. He manifested a strong concern for the poor; called upon those with surplus possessions to use them to benefit the poor and recommended to his disciples to find ways to enable the poor to participate fully in community life (cf. Luke 14:12-14). Jesus also did not submit to the social patterns and political practices to which the Romans were committed. Although he rejected violence, as manifested in the attitude of the Zealots, Jesus was al least potentially a serious threat to Roman rule in Palestine in propagating a new community style of love and humility

DNA fingerprinting of spore-forming bacterial isolates, using Bacillus cereus repetitive polymerase chain reaction analysis (Bc-Rep-PCR)

Bc-repetitive extragenic palindromic polymerase chain reaction (Bc-Rep PCR) analysis was conducted on seven Bacillus thuringiensis isolates accessed from the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen (DSMZ) culture collection and on five local isolates of entomopathogenic spore-forming bacteria. The five isolates were three strains of B. thuringiensis, one strain of B. cereus and one strain of Brevibacillus laterosporus. All five isolates were distinguished from each other using Bc-Rep PCR analysis. The three B. thuringiensis isolates were closely related. The isolate of B. laterosporus was not related to any of the B. cereus group isolates. Serotyping was also conducted on the five local isolates. However, only one of these isolates could be identified with serotyping and was identified as B. thuringiensis subsp. kenyae.Keywords: Bc-repetitive extragenic palindromic polymerase chain reaction, Bacillus sp., serotypingAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(14), pp. 1598-160

Isolation of entomopathogenic gram positive spore forming bacteria effective against coleoptera.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.Fourteen spore-forming bacterial strains were isolated and screened for entomopathogenic activity. Five displayed toxicity towards the common mealworm, Tenebrio molitor L., (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The majority of the isolates were obtained from insect larvae and insect rich environments. The three bacterial species identified were Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, Brevibacillus laterosporus Laubach and Bacillus cereus Frankland and Frankland. Bioassays were conducted using T. molitor larvae. The one isolate of B. cereus required the highest concentration of bacterial cells to achieve its LC50, whereas one of the isolates of B. laterosporus required the lowest cell concentration to achieve its LC50. Dose response curves were generated for the five best isolates, which showed that the isolate of B. laterosporus (NDR2) was substantially more toxic than the other isolates

Numeric competence, confidence and school quality in the South African wage function: towards understanding pre-labour market discrimination

Highly convex estimates of average returns to education commonly found in South Africa are usually rationalised as being the result of a surplus of unskilled workers and a shortage of skilled workers in the economy (Keswell & Poswell, 2004). However, due to the absence of appropriate micro level data in the past, unbiased estimation of these returns has been difficult. This paper investigates potential sources of estimation bias using the NIDS 2008 survey, one of the first to contain concurrent information on individual labour market outcomes, numeric proficiency and quality of education received (which is highly diverse and unequal across the population). We compare naïve estimates in all relevant sub-samples with estimates that attempt to correct for the sample selection on numeracy (as the test was voluntary), as well as selection into employment. We also correct for (and exploit information on) the choice of test difficulty given to respondents, an option which was not intended in the design stage of the survey. This feature allows rough estimates of the influence of respondents’ confidence in their abilities on wages. More importantly, the sample selection adjustments allow us to control for numeracy and school quality, which influence the classic problem of ability bias in returns to education. We estimate the bias in returns to education as well as the extent of racial labour market discrimination that can be accounted for by schooling outputs rather than other features of the labour market. We assess whether convex returns to education can be explained by an unequal distribution of school quality, or whether conventional explanations (such as labour demand) remain the main explanation. Suggested remedies for selection on the endogenous numeracy measure include instrumental variables and a “Double Heckman” approach. Typical instrumental variables used in labour market analysis are poorly captured and restrict sample sizes to the extent that estimates often become nonsensical. The latter (non-standard) adjustments for sample selection issues show some promise but further evaluation and tests are required to fully rely on these results. Convex returns to education remain strongly present in the African population (after accounting for inequalities in schooling outputs), while they are concave for the white population. Bias in these returns is unreliably estimated for whites and Asians, but is highest for the more educated at a peak of 4.55 and 5.84 percentage points for the African and coloured populations respectively. Returns to numeracy, when more reliably identified, are convex. School outputs (measured in numeracy test scores and historical school performance) constitute a sizable part of discrimination estimates, accounting for between 18% and 36% of unexplained racial wage premia.School quality, Labour Market Discrimination, Returns to Education, South Africa, Affirmative Action, Cognitive Skills

An assessment of South African college and university dining policies and procedures regarding handling of food allergies

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Paulus se vernuftige vervlegting van antropologie en eskatologie in 2 Korintiers 4:7-5:10

Paul's ingenious intertwining of anthropology and eschatology in 2 Corinthians 4:7-5:10: It has been said that Paul is not really Pauline in his eschatological thoughts in 2 Corinthians 4:7-5:10. What could be the reason for that? The discourse is very personal. What emerges in the foreground are Paul's tribulations and suffering in his apostolic ministry. It is narrated in such a way that it forms the basis for understanding his anthropology and eschatology. His apostolic existence runs between two poles: his faith in Christ and his eschatological hope. Therefore, his anthropology is only to be understood in the light of his eschatology and his eschatology in the light of his anthropology.Continued 2001 as 'Verbum et Ecclesia'Spine cut of Journal binding and pages scanned on flatbed EPSON Expression 10000 XL; 400dpi; text/lineart - black and white - stored to Tiff Derivation: Abbyy Fine Reader v.9 work with PNG-format (black and white); Photoshop CS3; Adobe Acrobat v.9 Web display format PDFhttp://explore.up.ac.za/record=b102527