The Internal Revenue Code: a burden for taxpayers or an instrument for social change?

Social engineering in the tax code has been evident from the beginning of the U.S. tax history. Today, it is as much as ever a part of the fabric of the tax codification, but there is very little research that investigates 1) how social engineering plays a role in the creation of new tax law, and 2) whether tax law is effective in altering taxpayer behavior. This paper streamlines the history of social engineering in the most popular revenue-reducing measures and analyzes how they\u27ve affected the U.S. taxpayer, with notes on future policy implications

Amanda Murray and Heather White in a Joint Senior Voice Recital

This is the program for the joint senior voice recital of soprano-belter Amanda Murray and mezzo-belter Heather White. Ms. Murray and Ms. White were accompanied on the piano by Phyllis Walker. This recital took place on March 12, 2013, in the McBeth Recital Hall in the Mabee fine Arts Center

A cluster randomised control trial of a multi-component weight management programme for adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity

There have been few published controlled studies of multi-component weight management programmes that include an energy deficit diet (EDD), for adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity. The objective of this study was to conduct a single-blind, cluster randomised controlled trial comparing a multi-component weight management programme to a health education programme. Participants were randomised to either TAKE 5, which included an EDD or Waist Winners Too (WWToo), based on health education principles. Outcomes measured at baseline, 6 months (after a weight loss phase) and 12 months (after a 6-month weight maintenance phase), by a researcher blinded to treatment allocation, included: weight; BMI; waist circumference; physical activity; sedentary behaviour and health-related quality of life. The recruitment strategy was effective with fifty participants successfully recruited. Both programmes were acceptable to adults with intellectual disabilities, evidenced by high retention rates (90 %). Exploratory efficacy analysis revealed that at 12 months there was a trend for more participants in TAKE 5 (50·0 %) to achieve a clinically important weight loss of 5-10 %, in comparison to WWToo (20·8 %) (OR 3·76; 95 % CI 0·92, 15·30; 0·064). This study found that a multi-component weight management programme that included an EDD, is feasible and an acceptable approach to weight loss when tailored to meet the needs of adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity

Relationships and Resources: Supporting Exceptional Learners from Birth through Primary School

Bringing a child into your family is an emotional experience. New parents are excited to begin a new chapter with their new little ones but also apprehensive about what the future may bring. The hopes, joys, and anxieties of parenthood are unparalleled. When a child has any kind of special need, those emotions can be more pronounced and all-encompassing as parents and caregivers struggle to adjust to the unknown. This chapter will outline common milestones of young children, challenges experienced by parents and caregivers of young children with exceptionalities, and strategies and resources designed to support families on their journeys. The information is designed to be presented in a way to help set families and their little ones up for success. The content provided in this chapter is built on the premise that knowledge is power, that all children can learn, and that parent-professional partnerships are central to the growth of all learners

Where the Green Grants Went 6 : Patterns of UK Funding for Environmental and Conservation Work

The sixth edition of Where the Green Grants Went provides a comprehensive overview of grants to environmental initiatives from UK foundations, the National Lottery, and public sector funding programmes. The report focuses on 5,857 grants from foundations and the lottery which together were worth £383 million across the two financial years 2010/11 and 2011/12. Highlights include:detailed analysis of environmental grants from 180 foundations, with UK environmental philanthropy reaching £112 million in 2011/12, its highest ever levelinsights into the types of funding most needed by environmental groups, and the comparative advantages of foundation grants relative to other income sourcesperspectives from more than 100 chief executives on why they value philanthropic fundinginterviews with four experienced environmental philanthropistsa list of the 100 environmental organisations receiving the most money from UK foundationsanalysis of environmental grants from 31 lottery programmes, together worth £182.9 million across 2010/11 and 2011/12an overview of public sector grants programmes, and top-level analysis of their thematic and geographic focu