Is inflation targeting best-practice monetary policy?

Monetary policy ; Inflation (Finance) ; Federal Open Market Committee

Responsible research on social networks : dilemmas and solutions

Researchers have found online social networks a goldmine for research into various aspects of social behavior and interpersonal communication. For example, observing social interaction between individuals and their engagement in conversations, or performing sentiment analysis on these communications, is often carried out for research in a number of disciplines such as health, sociology, or politics. Such studies introduce many challenges for conducting research in a responsible manner. Data may be repurposed or cross-correlated in ways that participants may not have anticipated or desired, private information may be collected, or legal requirements may not be met. This chapter explores some of the challenges and dilemmas faced by industry, academia, regulators, privacy advocates, and ultimately the individuals using these services. It discusses the pros and cons of the collection, analysis, and archiving of personal data for digital research. The chapter concludes by discussing theoretical and practical approaches that target these dilemmas.Postprin

Building community cyclone resilience through academic and insurance industry partnership

This paper presents research from collaboration between the Cyclone Testing Station (CTS) at James Cook University and insurer Suncorp over the last two years. A key outcome of this work has been an insurance premium reduction program by Suncorp known as the 'Cyclone Resilience Benefit'. Background research conducted for the program by the CTS is discussed and its details are briefly reviewed. Insights from the program delivery to over 14,000 homeowners to date are discussed. Although still in preliminary stages, the development of this industry program based on academic research demonstrates the benefits of strategic partnerships in the field of natural disaster risk mitigation

Building community cyclone resilience through academic and insurance industry partnership

This paper presents research from collaboration between the Cyclone Testing Station (CTS) at James Cook University and insurer Suncorp over the last two years. A key outcome of this work has been an insurance premium reduction program by Suncorp known as the 'Cyclone Resilience Benefit'. Background research conducted for the program by the CTS is discussed and its details are briefly reviewed. Insights from the program delivery to over 14,000 homeowners to date are discussed. Although still in preliminary stages, the development of this industry program based on academic research demonstrates the benefits of strategic partnerships in the field of natural disaster risk mitigation

The UCB particle monitor: A tool for logging frequency of smoking and the intensity of second-hand smoke concentrations in the home

Second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure generates a large public health burden. Recent legislation has moved to prohibit smoking in public places and there are concerns that this may lead to an increase in exposures in private homes. Measurement of SHS aerosol has tended to use active pumped samples or longer-term diffusive badges. Pumped methods are noisy and poorly tolerated in home settings while diffusive badges do not provide real-time data. The UCB particle monitor (UCB-PM) is a modified smoke-alarm device capable of logging changes in airborne particulate matter over extended periods and has been used successfully to measure biomass fuel smoke concentrations in developing world settings This study has examined the use of the UCB-PM to measure SHS aerosol in both controlled laboratory conditions and a pilot field trial over a 7 day period in a smoker's home. Comparisons with a pumped sampler (TSI Sidepak Personal Aerosol Monitor) indicate good agreement over a range of exposure concentrations but there is evidence of a threshold effect at approximately 0.5 mg/m3 of fine particulate measured as PM2.5. While this threshold effect undermines the ability of the device to provide useful data on the time-weighted average SHS concentration, the field trial indicates that that the UCB-PM has a sensitivity of about 71% and a specificity of 98%. The device has many advantages including zero noise operation, low cost and long battery life and may be a useful tool in quitting and smoke-free home intervention studies

Using sector-scan sonar for the survey and management of submerged archaeological sites

This paper reports the results of using a sector scan sonar to record a range of submerged archaeological sites in both shallow and deep water locations. The Kongsberg MS 1000 sector scan sonar was developed for the commercial sector typically to carry out underwater inspections and surveys of bridges, dams, ports and harbours. However, as will be demonstrated below, the ability of the device to rapidly generate high quality, geometrically accurate scans of submerged features, coupled with its relative ease of use and deployment, make it a potentially important new tool for the survey and effective management of underwater archaeological sites