Archaeologists and Aborigines

Aboriginal hostility to archaeological work in Australia seem to be due mainly to lack of public understanding of what archaeology is all about. For this archaeologists themselves are chiefly to blame, because of their general disinclination or inability to communicate in a popular wa

The Cut : an Artist's Film (3 mins.)

The Cut (2010) is a short film by Kate Davis and David Moore, produced in conjunction with UK: ME/WE Productions. It was commissioned by the Bristol based artist and curator Louise Short for the exhibition Super8station3 and screened at Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol, during the Old Media season (25 Sept - 21 Nov 2010). Continuing her exploitations of surrealist tropes and methods, Davis & Moore, used machinic framing, chance encounter and the time it takes to boil an egg to construct the film narrative. The film was shot on a single reel of three minute super-8 film, edited in camera and sent un-seen to the exhibition. There is a direct correlation between the chosen subject, the apparently benign act of boiling an egg, and the short time limit of the film reel. Davis and Moore elaborate the surrealist concerns of the relationship between sexuality and violence and cycles of birth and death such as seen in the work of Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dali’s Un Chien Andalou. The Cut was shortlisted for the Swedenborg Short Film award, 2011, and screened along with the works of international filmmakers at the Swedenborg Institute, London (Dec 2011). It was included in the exhibitions: Mrs Darling’s Kiss at Arch 402, London (8 July - 5 Aug 2011); You Are Ok at De Toekomst, Amsterdam (5-15 July 2012)

Demographic Change, Social Security Systems, and Savings

In theory, improvements in healthy life expectancy should generate increases in the average age of retirement, with little effect on savings rates. In many countries, however, retirement incentives in social security programs prevent retirement ages from keeping pace with changes in life expectancy, leading to an increased need for life-cycle savings. Analyzing a cross-country panel of macroeconomic data, we find that increased longevity raises aggregate savings rates in countries with universal pension coverage and retirement incentives, though the effect disappears in countries with pay-as-you-go systems and high replacement rates

From the clinic to the lab (and back) : a call for laboratory research to optimize cognitive-behaviour treatment of pain

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the dominant psychological treatment for chronic pain. CBT covers a mixture of aims and a broad range of techniques, including attentional control, modification of maladaptive beliefs and coping strategies and flexible goal setting and acceptance. Patients are exposed to varying selections of these strategies, and a major challenge for clinical practice is to determine what works for whom in which context. We propose that incorporating laboratory research into translational behaviour medicine is a critical developmental step that will help optimizing CBT and provide examples of representative experimental research programs

The Coaching Workforce Survey 2010 - Baseline Report

This report provides information for Sport Northern Ireland on the characteristics of sports coaching in Northern Ireland and the issues and opportunities that coaches face. A sample of sports coaches responded to an online questionnaire promoted through governing bodies of sport. 1,679 coaches provided responses to the survey, of whom 1,467 were resident in Northern Ireland. The dominance of three sports in terms of participation is reflected in the survey. Coaches in football (176), Gaelic football (211) and rugby union (229) accounted for 42% of responses to the survey. Hockey coaches (143) accounted for a further 10%. As London 2012 approaches, the timing of the survey in 2010 allows an impression to be gained of coaches. On the one hand, the coaching workforce is young, well educated and well qualified. Furthermore, coaches are keen to develop their coaching skills. On the other hand, the majority of coaching is done on a voluntary basis by people who are married and hold down full-time jobs, generating conflicting demands. Survey responses confirm the importance of clubs in providing facilities and coaching opportunities for adults and juniors - 84% of coaches deliver sessions in a club setting. Sports coaching in Northern Ireland is very reliant on volunteers, particularly in the club context. The relatively small numbers of paid staff in the workforce are employed mainly by governing bodies and local authorities. Most coaches responding to the survey possess a valid coaching qualification and, of these, 39% are qualified at Level 2 or above. There is a clear desire expressed by a significant number of coaches to develop as coaches and achieve higher level qualifications in the process. Coaches frequently cite time and cost as the most significant barriers to their progress through the system. Coaches in Northern Ireland are well educated and well motivated, with most expressing a desire to develop as a coach. The overwhelming majority aim to continue coaching for the foreseeable future. They frequently identify and implement innovative solutions to the challenges of coaching, and exhibit a high degree of commitment to their roles

Pointwise characteristic factors for Wiener Wintner double recurrence theorem

In this paper, we extend Bourgain's double recurrence result to the Wiener-Wintner averages. Let $(X, \mathcal{F}, \mu, T)$ be a standard ergodic system. We will show that for any $f_1, f_2 \in L^\infty(X)$, the double recurrence Wiener-Wintner average $$\frac{1}{N} \sum_{n=1}^N f_1(T^{an}x)f_2(T^{bn}x) e^{2\pi i n t}$$ converges off a single null set of $X$ independent of $t$ as $N \to \infty$. Furthermore, we will show a uniform Wiener-Wintner double recurrence result: If either $f_1$ or $f_2$ belongs to the orthogonal complement of the Conze-Lesigne factor, then there exists a set of full measure such that the supremum on $t$ of the absolute value of the averages above converges to $0$.Comment: revised version includes referee suggestion

Integrated Project Teams: The MoD's New Hot Potato?

Since the announcement of Smart Procurement, much has been written on the potential benefits that IPTs will hopefully bring. It is supposed that they will improve the interface with industry, create a better understanding of requirements and establish an environment where industry is motivated to perform and so reduce cost, risk and time into service while improving product quality. The formation of a team should provide continuity, consistency, flexibility and ~ increased performance due to the integration of a wide-range of functional activities and decision-making, as well as increased motivation. These may well be gallant objectives, but how achievable are they? What obstacles does the MoD face in the implementation of the IPTs? Have they grasped a 'hot potato'