Striking the balance: why we still need a plurality dialogue

Robin Foster is an adviser on strategy, policy and regulation in the media and communications sectors and a founding member of Communications Chambers. He previously held strategy and board level posts at Ofcom, Independent Television Commission, and the BBC and has provided senior level advice to leading organisations including BT, ITV, Channel 4 and BskyB. Here he argues for the continued need for a dialogue on media plurality between digital intermediaries, policy makers and other stakeholders

The Role of Superannuation in the Financial Sector and in Aggregate Saving: A Review of Recent Trends

Assets with superannuation funds represented the fastest growing of the major components of household wealth during the 1980s. This paper reviews the causes of that growth, and its effects on private saving and on the pattern of financial intermediation. It is found that the growth of superannuation funds during this period was mainly a result of the funds’ high earnings rates; there was relatively little change in the net rate of new contributions by members. This fact makes it hard to argue that growth of the superannuation sector came at the expense of other types of financial intermediaries. The relative stability of members’ contributions also helps to explain why superannuation has not yet had a noticeable effect on the level of private saving.

Museums and Urban Revitalization: Regional Museums as Catalysts for Physical, Economic, and Social Regeneration of Local Communities

Current perspective in museum discourse tells us the traditional model of museum-as-steward is no longer enough, that in order to fully serve their communities and respond to contemporary societal issues, museums must engage in community- building and socially relevant endeavors. Why is the old model of museum-as-steward no longer enough? How can museums engage with their communities in socially relevant issues and partner with civic and other social organizations in order to address current social and economic needs? This thesis addresses these questions and provides insight as to how and why social relevance is critical to the sustainability of museums as cultural institutions. One way in which museums can engage with their communities is through urban revitalization projects. Much has been written about the Bilbao Effect; however this thesis will not address that issue. This author will not explore how the architectural wonder of many of the world\u27s flagship museums have stimulated economic revival of their home cities, but rather how local and regional museums can partner with other community organizations for the purposes of physical, economic, and social revitalization, as well as how museums can act as the catalysts themselves for urban renewal. This thesis examines three Massachusetts museums, each of which has each created a web of partnerships within their communities to stimulate physical, economic, and social revitalization of those urban areas - The Revolving Museum in Lowell, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA) in North Adams, and the Springfield Museums, in Springfield. Finally, this author offers suggestions for practical application of urban revitalization objectives

Museums and Urban Revitalization: Regional Museums as Catalysts for Physical, Economic, and Social Regeneration of Local Communities

Current perspective in museum discourse tells us the traditional model of museum-as-steward is no longer enough, that in order to fully serve their communities and respond to contemporary societal issues, museums must engage in community- building and socially relevant endeavors. Why is the old model of museum-as-steward no longer enough? How can museums engage with their communities in socially relevant issues and partner with civic and other social organizations in order to address current social and economic needs? This thesis addresses these questions and provides insight as to how and why social relevance is critical to the sustainability of museums as cultural institutions. One way in which museums can engage with their communities is through urban revitalization projects. Much has been written about the Bilbao Effect; however this thesis will not address that issue. This author will not explore how the architectural wonder of many of the world\u27s flagship museums have stimulated economic revival of their home cities, but rather how local and regional museums can partner with other community organizations for the purposes of physical, economic, and social revitalization, as well as how museums can act as the catalysts themselves for urban renewal. This thesis examines three Massachusetts museums, each of which has each created a web of partnerships within their communities to stimulate physical, economic, and social revitalization of those urban areas - The Revolving Museum in Lowell, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA) in North Adams, and the Springfield Museums, in Springfield. Finally, this author offers suggestions for practical application of urban revitalization objectives

Hydrobiid Snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Rissooidea) from St. Andrew Bay, Florida

Heleobops sp. of Hershler and Thompson appears to be the only previously published record for the gastropod family Hydrobiidae Troschel in tidal waters of the St. Andrew Bay System, Florida. Six species occurred in bayous, marshes, and brackish ponds associated with the System during studies conducted between 1984 and 1999: Texadina barretti (Morrison), Texadina sphinctostoma Abbott and Ladd, Littoridinops monroensis (Frauenfeld), Littoridinops palustris Thompson, Onobops jacksoni (Bartsch), and Heleobops sp. A. The last is an apparently undescribed species closely related to Heleobops carrikeri Davis and McKee. Based in part on this study, Heleobops sp. A, which occurs in brackish habitats from the System westward to the Chandeleur Islands, is considered conspecific with Heleobops sp. of Hershler and Thompson (1992) as well as Heleobops sp. Forms B and C of Heard (1992). There are two ecophenotypic shell types of Heleobops sp. A, a grayish-brown, smooth-shelled, intertidal variant and a tannish, light-orange, striate, subtidal form, which represent Forms B and C of Heard, respectively. In addition to constituting new records, the occurrence of T. barretti and T. sphinctostoma in the St. Andrew Bay System represents eastern range extensions for both species. Although their ranges encompass northwestern Florida, L. palustris and L. monroensis are reported from the System for the first time. The relatively large egg capsules of Heleobops sp. A, L. palustris, and L. monroensis each contain a single ovum, and, depending on temperature, generally require 9 to 14 days before hatching as juveniles. The egg capsules of T. barretti, T. sphinctostoma, and O. jacksoni also contain a single ovum per capsule, but their capsules are distinctly smaller, and, when maintained at room temperature for 5 to 8 days, eggs hatch into free-swimming, shelled-veligers. The distributions of other brackish water hydrobiids known from Florida and the Gulf of Mexico are briefly reviewed