Thursday, October 05, 2017

Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - October 5 Edition

Las Vegas, Remembrances


“…we continue our look now at the 59 people who died in the Las Vegas attack.
As more stories of heroism emerge, so do clearer pictures of the victims’ lives.

Here are 14 more.”

  

Guns, Gun Control

From June 2016:


“There has been plenty more gun violence in America, much of which doesn’t rise to national prominence. But the mass shootings tend to get our attention, at least for a moment.

Here, we look at three cases in which gun laws were tightened following tragic shootings—in
Australia, Scotland, and Finland.”



Foreign Policy, Iran, Nuclear Deal


“One of the most important restrictions, the 300 kg cap on Iran’s low-enriched uranium stockpile, is in place until 2030. Iran would need 1,400 to 2,800 kg of low-enriched uranium for one nuclear weapon. This barrier renders weaponization virtually impossible until 2030.

But as the deal’s detractors point out, what then? 

The reality is that these fears are overblown. Some prohibitions continue past 2030. For instance, continuous surveillance of centrifuge production sites lasts until 2035, while the monitoring of Iran’s uranium mines and mills goes on until 2040. During that time, if and when Iran jacks up its centrifuge production or starts moving suspect amounts of uranium, the international community will know. 

Other provisions will be in place in perpetuity. For instance, Tehran is and will forever be required to notify the agency when it decides to build a nuclear facility. In contrast, under its previous safeguard agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it was only obligated to alert the international community six months before the introduction of nuclear material into the country. This was the loophole that enabled Iran to construct several undeclared nuclear facilities, which were eventually discovered in 2002 and 2009. 

Assuming the other parties to the deal reciprocate by holding up their end of the bargain, Iran will ratify in 2023 the IAEA’s Additional Protocol, which allows short-notice inspections of undeclared facilities in Iran and which it is now voluntarily implementing. To date, no country on earth has developed nuclear weapons under the watchful eyes of the IAEA’s inspectors who are empowered by the access that the Additional Protocol affords them. And of course, under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran is forever prohibited from developing nuclear weapons. Of the four recent nuclear-weapon states, three (India, Israel, and Pakistan) never signed the NPT; North Korea withdrew before moving toward nuclear weapons. 

Although it is true that Iran could begin enriching uranium beyond the current 3.67 percent threshold in 2023 and will have more advanced centrifuges that will shorten the time needed to produce enough material for a nuclear weapon, without the JCPOA, Iran could start that process tomorrow. That is why scuttling the deal because of its sunset provisions is akin to committing suicide out of fear of death.

Even a better agreement will have to contain a sunset provision. All arms control deals do.”



Work, Personal Development


"Despite these findings, the night owl is not doomed to failure. In fact, being a night person may be used to your utmost benefit, especially when it comes to business.

Research published by the Department of Psychology at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan states that nocturnal types often experience, "being in a situation which diverges from conversional habit," which, "may encourage the development of a non-conventional spirit and of the ability to find alternative and original solutions." Find yourself doing your best work at night? You may also have the ability to shine when it comes to creativity and problem-solving. If there's a crisis at work, call in the night owls for help!

In addition, the amount of time that a night owl remains mentally alert is much longer than that of the early bird. Participants in a 2009 study by the University of Liege in Belgium found that early birds had, "lower activity in brain regions linked to attention and the circadian master clock," compared to night owls. Morning people may rise earlier, but night owls are more likely to stay mentally sharp for a longer amount of time after first waking up, which leads to increased productivity and efficiency."



Goals, Personal Development


What are the best habits that can change your life? originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

Answer by Anita Sanz, Psychologist, on Quora:

As a psychologist, I've given this a lot of thought, because no matter what someone coming into therapy says they want to work on, eventually the subject of habits comes up. Usually, we will work to get a particular healthy habit established or eliminate an unhealthy one.

But since I am rarely flat-out asked "What are the best habits to have?" I'm happy to take some time to answer the question here.”


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