Challenges in Protecting Vulnerable Populations

Fact Sheet
Office To Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
June 30, 2016

Too often, individuals around the world suffer extreme hardship or violence, experience discrimination, or face social marginalization. Service providers, researchers, and other witnesses have documented that human traffickers take advantage of such circumstances. Indeed, exploitation appears even more likely when a confluence of such circumstances besets particular communities. The cumulative effects can make certain populations—such as refugees and migrants; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) individuals; religious minorities; people with disabilities; and those who are stateless—especially vulnerable to human trafficking.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

In 2015, UNHCR reported that 76 countries criminalize consensual same-sex sexual conduct, with seven countries providing for the death penalty for certain offenses. These laws persecute and stigmatize LGBTI persons; even when not enforced, they validate discrimination and can lead to an increase in violence and harassment. This is particularly true when authorities do not act to protect all of their citizens and when they fail to investigate and prosecute crimes committed against members of particular groups. In several recent cases in countries that criminalize same-sex conduct, vigilante groups have carried out violent acts against LGBTI persons. In some communities, families who feel ashamed of an LGBTI relative have committed honor killings or sent them to clinics that practice “conversion therapy” to “rid them of homosexuality,” often by harmful methods.

In the United States, NGOs continue to report that LGBTI youth are over-represented among the runaway and homeless populations and have difficulties accessing tailored and non-discriminatory services. Those who are not self-sufficient are more susceptible to traffickers’ offers of shelter or food in exchange for performing commercial sex acts. Due to social biases, LGBTI victims are also more likely to be penalized for acts committed as a result of being subjected to trafficking. Because of this, victims are less likely to report their exploitation to local authorities or to access needed services.

More than a dozen countries have enacted anti-discrimination laws or conducted sensitivity training for law enforcement to protect LGBTI rights. Law enforcement agencies and service providers have benefitted from partnerships with organizations that have expertise on LGBTI issues to expand their service referral networks and learn how to develop inclusive environments for LGBTI victims. Governments can further strengthen their efforts by enhancing partnerships, especially with LGBTI survivors of trafficking, whose input is invaluable for trainings and discussions to strengthen understanding and improve support services.

Religious Affiliation

In many societies, members of religious minorities have a heightened vulnerability to trafficking. Traffickers have been known to target women and girls from religious minorities and force them into religious conversions and subsequent marriages, in which they may be subjected to domestic or sexual servitude. Religious minorities are also frequently discriminated against in job markets, especially in societies that formally restrict the exercise of rights by members of certain religions. This may make them more susceptible to traffickers’ fraudulent employment offers or other forms of abuse.

In certain countries where members of the religious majority control political power, government agencies, law enforcement entities, and judicial systems may be complicit in discriminating against religious minorities. In addition, certain countries still permit forced marriages, in purported adherence to local customs or religious beliefs. Victims from religious minorities forced into marriage or prostitution, or subjected to domestic servitude, may also face barriers or outright resistance when bringing forward allegations of human trafficking. Once in court, those who do not prevail may be returned to their traffickers.

Many states enforce anti-blasphemy statutes, which frequently restrict the activities of religious minority communities. This may serve as a direct disincentive to bring forward accusations against religious leaders or members of favored religious groups. In the most severe cases, in which governments have criminalized participation in minority religions, many individuals from minority religions are barred from receiving government services and protections if they do not convert or conceal their religious affiliation. Exclusion from public services, such as financial assistance and medical care, and barriers to building support infrastructures leave religious minorities more vulnerable to traffickers’ recruitment tactics.

Governments should denounce discrimination against and the persecution of religious minorities. Individuals from religious minorities should be afforded equal status and protection under the law and should have equal access to government services and protections. Without the rights granted to others in societies, individuals from religious minority communities, and particularly those who are the subject of governmental discrimination, will continue to be vulnerable to exploitation by human traffickers.

Migrants Fleeing Crisis

The unprecedented flow of migrants, including refugees, to Europe since the beginning of 2015 has shed light on the challenges of identifying human trafficking victims among migrant populations. Some trafficking victims have been identified among those fleeing civil war and unrest, and many migrants remain vulnerable to trafficking en route to or after arriving in Europe. The limited number of confirmed trafficking cases may not be indicative of the size of the problem, given the reluctance of victims to seek out authorities or self-identify. The greatly overburdened asylum systems across Europe have also created challenges to implementing effective identification and screening measures.

Migrants, including asylum-seekers, and refugees are susceptible to many crimes, including extortion, rape, and human trafficking. Many migrants fleeing conflict rely on smugglers at some point during their journeys and, in some instances, their smugglers are involved in schemes designed to deceive and trap them in sex or labor trafficking. Women, unaccompanied minors, and those denied asylum are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking, including while in transit and upon arrival in destination countries.

Some migrants arrive in Europe with no identity documents, which can increase their vulnerability to trafficking. Reports indicate traffickers sometimes urge victims to request asylum upon arrival, which allows traffickers to exploit them as they await asylum decisions. Some international organizations report that the reliance by authorities on improvised shelters has led to an increase in human trafficking. Of equal concern, human traffickers have attempted to illegally recruit refugees at migrant reception centers for low-paid work and prostitution.

It is critical that governments and international organizations make every effort to identify and help trafficking victims among migrant populations. This can be accomplished by making efforts to ensure adequate staffing in centers and training immigration officials, including those charged with interviewing asylum applicants, to screen for indicators of trafficking. Another important opportunity for prevention is at ports of entry, where authorities can facilitate the distribution of information to migrants, including refugees, on the risks of human trafficking and available resources from governments, international organizations, and NGOs. Inspections at worksites employing foreign laborers, training for police on indicators of sex and labor trafficking, and providing refugees and asylum-seekers with opportunities to work are all worthy prevention efforts.

Owing to cultural and societal stigmas, people with disabilities, including individuals with physical, sensory, mental, cognitive, behavioral, or other visible and invisible disabilities, often lack access to social support networks. Prejudices contribute to biases in law enforcement or judicial systems and often to unequal treatment by employers and government service agencies. Social support networks serve as one means by which persons with disabilities can pursue social and economic inclusion. Without these networks, and without effective enforcement of robust non-discrimination laws, fewer safeguards exist to protect against a variety of human rights abuses, including trafficking in persons.

Children and young adults with disabilities are especially vulnerable to the risks of human trafficking. Children with disabilities have been targeted by traffickers, for example, by being forced to beg because their disabilities—especially if highly visible—draw sympathy and charity from the public. In societies where children with disabilities are not expected to attend school, communities may be less likely to question why a disabled child is begging. All too often, young people with disabilities are regarded as undesirable and may even be subjected to trafficking by their own families. Children with less visible disabilities, such as cognitive or behavioral disabilities, are similarly at risk, as they also may be stigmatized by their families and communities, and may not be in school due to bias or lack of understanding of how to provide reasonable accommodations. Children with disabilities who do not participate fully in social or academic settings are more likely to be isolated from their communities, which may make them more vulnerable to trafficking.

Persons with disabilities also face many barriers to justice. Lack of training for police, prosecutors, and judges on how to accommodate persons with disabilities—for example, on providing physical access or sign language interpreters—can leave victims with disabilities unable to report their abuse or effectively participate in the criminal justice process. Lack of accessible information about judicial procedures and rights may also preclude them from approaching law enforcement or courts to report abuse; those who do may encounter social biases against the credibility of their statements and evidence. Reflecting such social biases, some countries have codified laws that prohibit persons with disabilities from testifying in court. Diminished access to the justice system and limited avenues of recourse to address abuse can empower traffickers to target persons with disabilities with a sense of impunity.

Governments can minimize these risks by outlawing discrimination, enhancing safeguards, and offering a wide range of community-based support services. Even in instances where trafficking victims do not have disabilities, the experience of being subjected to trafficking substantially increases the risk of victims acquiring disabilities as a result of physical and psychological trauma. It is, therefore, essential that victim service programs include resources for those with a wide range of disabilities.

A stateless person is someone who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law. UNHCR estimates 10 million people, approximately one-third of whom are children, are stateless today. In many countries, stateless individuals lack identity documents, access to education, and economic opportunities. It is easier for unscrupulous employers to coerce undocumented workers into debt bondage or other exploitative conditions. Even if family members suspect or report a loved one has been subjected to human trafficking, it is difficult for authorities to trace an individual who lacks formal identity documents.

Some governments impose travel restrictions on stateless people, which—when coupled with their often dire economic situations and need to migrate for work—can push them to accept informal, sometimes fraudulent, job offers and to arrange transportation via middlemen and smugglers. Using unscrupulous middlemen, who often charge exorbitant interest rates, can lead to debt bondage. In Burma, for example, the government denies citizenship to an estimated 810,000 men, women, and children—most of whom are ethnic Rohingya living in Rakhine State. Their lack of legal status and access to identity documents significantly increases this population’s vulnerability to sex and labor trafficking. Rohingya have endured forced labor and dire social conditions within Burma. Many have fled, often with the help of smugglers, to neighboring countries, where some have been subjected to forced labor in agriculture, fishing, and domestic work.

Stateless populations encounter discrimination not only in their daily life, but also when interacting with law enforcement, which can significantly diminish their confidence in law enforcement and the justice system. As a result, stateless trafficking victims do not always report exploitative situations to the authorities, fearing either inaction or punishment. Some members of the Romani community, who became stateless following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, are penalized in Europe for committing crimes, such as petty theft, even when they do so as a result of being subjected to trafficking.

Until governments take measures to address and reduce statelessness, including registering and extending citizenship to stateless people, issuing identity documents, and developing programs to foster economic growth and trust between such groups and law enforcement, stateless people will continue to be vulnerable to trafficking in their own countries and abroad.

Although there is no exhaustive list of groups vulnerable to human trafficking, the experiences discussed above exemplify common challenges faced by populations at risk of modern slavery. Moreover, some individuals may be vulnerable for more than one reason, making their exploitation even more likely. Governments can take affirmative steps to consider those who may be uniquely vulnerable given their country’s culture, social structure, and history, and ensure those groups have access to the protections necessary to keep them from being targeted for human trafficking.


Tooltip in Blazor Diagram Component

7 Jul 20221 minute to read

In a Graphical User Interface (GUI), a tooltip is a message that is displayed when the mouse is hovered over an element. The diagram provides tooltip support when dragging, resizing or rotating a node, and when the mouse hovers any diagram element.

Default tooltip

By default, the diagram displays a tooltip that provides information about the size, position, and angle when dragging, resizing, and rotating diagram elements. The following images illustrate how the diagram displays the node information during an interaction.

Drag Resize Rotate
ToolTip During Drag ToolTip During Resize ToolTip During Rotate


Frequent question: What is meant by business ecosystem?

Ecosystem defined. … “A business ecosystem is a purposeful business arrangement between two or more entities (the members) to create and share in collective value for a common set of customers. Every business ecosystem has participants, and at least one member acts as the orchestrator of the participants.

What is business ecosystem example?

For example, a well-designed business ecosystem is the car industry value chain whereby several components go into a finished product with a large number of companies partnering to create more added-value. The more players within that ecosystem, the larger the value created and the larger the network advantage.

What do you mean by an ecosystem?

Why do we need business ecosystem?

Business ecosystems have an overarching purpose to create collective value for common customers, and thus require orchestration. Finally, the requirement that all brands be present is how we draw the line between ecosystem business models and strategic supply networks.

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What is an ecosystem and types?

An ecosystem consists of all the living and non-living things in a specific natural setting. … The major types of ecosystems are forests, grasslands, deserts, tundra, freshwater and marine. The word “biome” may also be used to describe terrestrial ecosystems which extend across a large geographic area, such as tundra.

What is ecosystem Class 11?

Answer. 138k+ views. Hint: This is the functional unit of nature in which all the living organisms interact among themselves and also with their surrounding physical environment. There exist different trophic levels in an ecosystem such as primary producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, and tertiary consumer.

What is an ecosystem Class 10?

Ecosystem refers to a system that includes all living organisms ( Biotic factors) such as plants, animals, microorganisms etc in a habitat as well as its physical environment ( Abiotic factors) such as weather, soil, earth, sun, climate, rocks minerals etc, functioning together as a unit.

What is an ecosystem Class 7 short answer?

Answer:Ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system.

What is ecosystem economy?

We are entering the era of the ecosystem economy, in which complex networks of companies across industries collaborate to provide seamless experiences for customers. The economic opportunity of operating in an ecosystem is sizable and unprecedented—but so are the risks.

What are the 3 main types of ecosystems?

There are three broad categories of ecosystems based on their general environment: freshwater, ocean water, and terrestrial. Within these broad categories are individual ecosystem types based on the organisms present and the type of environmental habitat.

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What are the 4 types of ecosystems?

What are the 5 types of ecosystem?

The different types of the ecosystem include:

  • Terrestrial ecosystem.
  • Forest ecosystem.
  • Grassland ecosystem.
  • Desert ecosystem.
  • Tundra ecosystem.
  • Freshwater ecosystem.
  • Marine ecosystem.


Learn the best suggestions for crafting an effective conclusion paragraph.The thesis is central to an argumentative essay. These strategies and thesis assertion examples will teach you the method to write a high quality essay introduction. Following the proof, the author must present an analysis of the proof that has been provided. Analysis is the writerâs analysis, interpretation, judgment, or conclusion of how the proof supports the paragraphâs primary concept or topic.

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Without a thesis, itâs hard to know what precisely youâre writing about, which makes it troublesome to write down anything. Craft even a primary thesis, and writing a paper turns into a lot easier. In a persuasive essay or argument essay, the coed strives to convince the reader of the deserves of their opinion or stance on a specific issue. To convince the reader of a perspective, or to take a specific motion, the student must utilize numerous persuasive methods to form a coherent and logical argument.

« Plan to crack down on web sites promoting essays to students announced ». Jean-Luc Godard describes his current work as « film-essays ». Two filmmakers whose work was the antecedent to the cinematic essay embrace Georges MÃ©liÃ¨s and Bertolt Brecht.

When in doubt consult along with your professor or educating assistant. If you are anticipated to choose your own subject, then the first step is to define the purpose of your essay. The topic you select must help the purpose of your essay.

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Argumentative essays are some of the well-liked types of essays youâll write at school. They mix persuasive arguments with fact-based research, and, when carried out properly, can be powerful tools for making someone agree with your viewpoint. If youâre struggling to write an argumentative essay or just wish to be taught more about them, seeing examples is normally a massive help. Primary support is taken into account robust when it relates on to the thesis. Primary assist ought to present, explain, or prove your major argument without delving into irrelevant details. When confronted with plenty of information that could be used to prove your thesis, you could assume you should embody all of it in your body paragraphs.

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Customs: ‘small accession’ to the EU is already happening

The successful preparation of Ukraine for accession to the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure (NCTS) will serve as a matrix for further steps to harmonize Ukrainian customs procedures with European ones.

Vytenis Ališauskas,
International Key Expert on custom reforms, EU4PFM

Despite the wartime, Ukraine is now in the process of ‘small accession’ to the EU in the customs sector. This statement is backed by Ukraine’s successful preparation for joining the European Convention on a Common Transit Procedure. At the moment, Ukraine is technically ready to join this Convention. This is an assessment given in early June by the Directorate General for Taxation and Customs Union of the European Commission (DG TAXUD). Other necessary components will be assessed by the assessment mission of the contracting parties to the Convention. The findings are expected in July. Why is the issue of joining the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure an important European integration marker?

How it happened in the EU

The EU was initially intended primarily as a customs union. Therefore, the issue related to customs, namely the free movement of goods between countries, was considered as one of the key issues in the course of the creation of the European Union.

A common transit procedure became a touchstone for the subsequent establishment of common customs processes. Subsequently, all new ideas were implemented in other customs procedures based on the successful example of common transit. That is why preparations for joining the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure are so important.

Why is this called a ‘small accession’ to the EU?

Ukraine commenced the process of joining the Convention immediately after signing the Association Agreement with the European Union. Ukraine followed an intensive work schedule, even during the war. Here and now, Ukraine has relevant legislation and procedures that are fully consistent with the EU Customs Code.

The process of preparing for the introduction of common transit included the adoption of relevant legislation, the introduction of new roles and new structures. The same steps following the same pattern will need to be taken to harmonize other components of the customs sector. One might say that this is a ‘matrix’ which can be used in the future to harmonize other customs issues. That is the ‘matrix’ of the European integration process for Ukrainian customs has already been created and tested.

Importantly, this is not just about the implementation of some single IT system or a law, as one might think. It was a complex task that required developing and adapting technical systems, deploying them on hundreds of computers, training thousands of customs officers to work with the system, communicating and informing businesses, providing expertise, communicating with specialised European structures, developing and adopting a lot of new primary legislation and secondary legislation which complies with the European acquis. The updated transit legislation should now comply with EU norms, and, of course, make it possible (i.e. legal) for Ukraine to apply the common transit procedure in full, as is provided for by the Convention.

I am glad that European partners, including the EU Public Finance Management Support Programme for Ukraine (EU4PFM), had the opportunity to help Ukraine with every part of this complex process.

This was a new experience of working on such a complex task for Ukraine (I am talking about the customs sector now), and some might feel that everything is happening too slowly. Ukraine moved forward one step at a time. Yes, some said that Law 78 was enough to implement this system. Indeed, this law, together with the secondary legislation adopted to implement it, is sufficient on a national scale. And the system went live nationwide in March 2021. However, the introduction of transit simplifications, new guarantee mechanisms (corresponding to European ones), and the application of the system on the international level still required the adoption of a whole package of legislative acts. This process, which involved representatives not only of the State Customs Service, but also of the Ministry of Finance, the National Bank, business associations, has been uninterrupted and, as far as I am concerned (as a direct participant in this process), intensive.

Sure, there is no limit to perfection. However, Ukraine has demonstrated extraordinary efficiency compared to other countries, all of this despite the large territory, and the fact that war is being waged on your territory for four months already.

What actually happened

The contracting parties to the Convention agreed to a remote assessment mission to be held on 23–24 June to assess Ukraine’s readiness to join the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure.  This means that Ukraine is (a) technically ready for the international application of NCTS, (b) moving according to the agreed schedule for the development and implementation of the Phase 5 of NCTS, which is a prerequisite for joining the Convention.

This happened after Ukraine completed the last of the 3 stages of testing — international testing of the national application of NCTS. It was undertaken jointly by Ukraine and several contracting parties to the Convention: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Romania. Overall, the process of testing whether Ukrainian NCTS system is compliant with the requirements of DG TAXUD (the so-called Conformance Testing) has continued since September 2021. Successful completion of the Conformance Testing is a necessary condition for Ukraine to receive an official invitation to join the Convention.

I would also like to note the seemingly purely technical detail which had every chance of being fatal. This is the so-called Phase 5 of NCTS. Ukraine received the exclusive right to join Phase 4 of NCTS Convention, however, transitioning to Phase 5 of NCTS by the end of 2023 was one of the main conditions for joining. The thing is, all the parties to the Convention are now working on transitioning to Phase 5 and should complete this process by 1 December 2023. Ukraine has convinced its European partners that it is technically and practically able to proceed with Phase 5 in sync with all the contracting parties to the Convention. In May, a contract was awarded for the development of NCTS Phase 5 compliant national transit system software, which means that Ukraine has started preparations for the transition to NCTS Phase 5 on time and is progressing according to the agreed timetable in this matter. EU4PFM has been contracted by Customs to develop this system and finance it. Our experts have been sharing practical experience and, together with other partners, primarily RST of the Ministry of Finance, have been assisting in drafting the relevant legislation.

The next step of Ukraine towards the accession to the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure is the opinion of the assessment mission of the contracting parties to the Convention which will determine whether Ukraine needs to do any more homework in order to receive an invitation to join the Convention. We expect the opinion to be delivered in July.

The introduction of a common transit procedure will mean that in matters related to transit, Ukrainian customs will receive similar functions and become a full partner to the other 35 countries that signed the Convention. Transit procedures will become simpler, more transparent and understandable for businesses involved in international trade.

It is not an easy thing to do during war. As a representative of an EU Member State, I am proud that the European Union can provide practical assistance to Ukraine in the implementation of its European integration course.


More Art and Economic Thought

IMG_5309[1]It is a rare bird these days who has not felt the economic shift since the collapse of 2008/2009.  Resources have grown a bit more scarce, and budgets a bit more tight.  To those who have been working a s full time artists before the shift it is probably most evident that most art buying Americans have seen their expendable income shrivel, or dry up all together.  Thankfully that is not true across the board, as there is still a patronage of art buyers.   This economic shift has also driven governments at the state and local level to look for new revenue sources, and new ways to generate interest and spending.

In my quest to get my brain around the economics of the business of art i have been doing a lot of research.  Recently i found an amazing document online that was produces by the NGA (National Governors Association).  Titled “Art and the Economy: Using Arts and Culture to Stimulate State Economic Development”  is a sizable document that works through the idea of creating destinations of art, culture, and purposing to incorporate the arts in community development.

The idea of a community planning into its development a presence of the Arts appeals to me so much.  Having been associated in small measure with the rebirth and redevelopment of Tremont into the vibrant neighborhood that it now is I can see how Art can raise economic benefits.  Tremont was a wasteland of arsoned buildings, crack houses and a sad group of people unable to afford to bring change to their neighborhood.  I can remember when Tremont was a small town feel, local bakery, dry cleaner, grocer and the like in the 60s.  But as those who could afford to move made that decision they left a group of people who did not have that luxury.  By the last 1970s it was a rough place to be… and it was only those daring pioneers lured by location, inexpensive rent and amazing opportunity (if you are visionary).  Fast forward 30 years and that storefront that used to have a spray painted sign “Eddie Moved” became an amazing gallery, and art space.  Beautifully planted flower boxes and that fresh coat of paint attest to the rebirth of a community and a dream.

Planning for art tourism is a wonderful idea.  Hang around and do a little reading about the big art fairs in our nation and quickly someone mentions Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The grand daddy of them all draws a huge crowd for one weekend a year, with ripples into other events in that city.  It began in 1960 as a collaborative effort between Ann Arbor Art Association and the University of Michigan.  55 years later it has grown into 4 art fairs in one, packing everything from museum quality fine art to fine craft, and over 325 artists.  In that 4 days it is estimated that over 1 million people pass through those streets.  Everyone gets thirsty, hungry, may need a place to stay, or at least gas in the car, not to mention making that strategic purchase.

I think we can agree that art has a place in the economy.  I am thankful to be a part of that small percentage of the GDP of  the United States.


Where is she???

I’ve been thinking, searching really, for that little girl.

She is full of life, inquisitive, joyful, with not a care in the world because her parents give her safety and unconditional love. She has nothing to prove to anyone, let alone herself.

She’s uninhibited; sings out loud to her favourite songs and dances to the beats.

I’ve searched memories for the heart she held in her hands and her spirit. She’s still there; this I know.

When she laughs out loud; you know, those snorty, crying, barely can breathe chortles?

I feel her when she accepts people as they are, not as she thinks they should be. She accepts herself and she’s right there with empathy and compassion when consoling those who are hurting.

She’s riding her bike without a care in the world. Feeling the breeze in her hair and pushing herself to ride faster.

She’s on the swing set pumping her legs faster so she can skyrocket up into the sky.

Her imagination soars. One day she’s on the beach, next day she’s high up in the mountains, she excited to see where the following days take her.

She dreams of living by the sea where her best friends are the dolphins who swim in the ocean.

She watches in wonder as the sun rises and falls every day.

Her head may be in the clouds, but that’s where her spirit lies.

She has no cares or worries.

She’s not alone in the world as she’s surrounded by nature, wildlife, pets and those she holds dear in her heart.

She lives on intuition not past experience or judgement.

She’s herself… who else would she be? She is pure, gentle and sweet with a bit of fire inside.

She speaks her truth; she’s unique and authentically her.

Time to find that little girl.

Could she, be you?

He’s Just a Dog

He’s just a dog

At 11 weeks old he entered our home, full of piss and vinegar and to the chagrin of our other dog Mattie. Mattie (who would become his surrogate mom) would put him down many times when he got out of control, but he’s just a dog.

He guarded his food with aggression from all in the house. It took time to teach him manners and trust, but he’s just a dog.

With his wombat puppy look he endeared himself to our friends, neighbours and us, but he’s just a dog.

He would run and run and run for hours chasing anything that moved, but he’s just a dog.

He fell in love with our neighbour’s daughter and up until the day they moved, he would wait every afternoon until she exited the school bus to greet her, but he’s just a dog.

He loved little puppies until one day a pup thought his private part was a nipple, but he’s just a dog.

His bond with Mattie became unbreakable and they played and played until she couldn’t play any longer; from that moment on he would lie down next to her, but he’s just a dog.

He barked at anything and everything. We noticed his sight was diminished. We asked ourselves is that why he barks and is protective? Then again, he’s just a dog.

He went on long walks with me in secluded forests, but he’s just a dog.

The day I had to say goodbye to Mattie, he cuddled up to me on the couch as if to say, “It’s going to be okay, I’m here.” He’s just a dog.

We brought another friend home for him named Layla. He wasn’t happy at first, she was 6 months old and he wasn’t impressed. He’s just a dog.

After a couple of days, he and Layla were inseparable. She gave him a new lease on life and kept him young, but he’s just a dog.

He and Layla would run around the house for hours playing. Sometimes he would be in the lead, other times she would take it, but he’s just a dog.

He would love to run through his favourite people’s legs, but he’s just a dog.

He was a nervous dog; shaking and drooling at the vet’s until we found a vet who would do home visits. He’s just a dog.

He had a thing with vinyl, ceramic and linoleum floors. He couldn’t do it…. Couldn’t walk on it and most definitely wouldn’t enter other people’s homes if any of those floors existed. Oh yeah, he’s just a dog.

Years of running the property and at times into trees due to his limited sight took its toll on his body, but he’s just a dog.

He was a trooper when we had to move three provinces away. As long as we had little carpets to put down on the floor in motel rooms, he was good. He’s just a dog.

A year at his new home in a new province he has slowed and has a permanent limp accompanied with limited eyesight and hearing, but he’s just a dog.

Now we watch him sleep, struggle with stairs down to the fenced yard where he takes a long nap, but he’s just a dog.

12 years old, the one who always made us laugh out loud is slowly deteriorating before our eyes, but he’s just a dog.

For those who do not know Fergus, yes, he’s just a dog, but to others, he is a sweet soul who lived hard, played hard, loved hard and weaved his way into our hearts and soul.

We wait until the day he tells us he’s ready, because we know he’s not ‘just a dog’, he’s our comedian, companion, friend, and heart centre.

Getting old is shit, but…. he’s just a dog.

From The Outside Looking In

I am in the process of taking an online course (well many really), but the one that hits me hard in the heart is the ‘Indigenous Canada – Looking Forward / Looking Back’ course through the University of Alberta.

When I was younger (ages 8-11) I attended school in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was a Catholic primary school run by the Sisters of St. Ann, called Immaculate Conception. As a child, who moved from one school to another, this was the longest I attended any one school prior to high school. It was also the place I began to learn about the Indigenous people of Canada, or so I thought.

In those pivotal years, I learned about the Colonists who landed on the shores claiming the land for either England or France. As a kid, I learned the history that was part of our curriculum, but little did I know, it had many holes and missing parts.

In our class, we had a few Indigenous children who were bussed in from their ‘reservation’. They, like all of us, had to wear the required uniform. I wasn’t friends with any of the Indigenous kids and to this day I don’t know why. Were we segregated? My memory fails me. I do know that the girls were roughly taken by the Nuns to wash up every day due to their unkempt hygiene. I do know that the girls were quiet and kept to themselves. What I didn’t know, was that most likely these children had no choice but to attend our school. The only positive (if there is any for these children) is that they were able to go home every day to their family and community, as our school was not a boarding school.

I always had the impression that residential schools were church operated only. I had no idea that it was also financed by our government. Of course, the church mission was to ‘Christianize’ the children by educating them, but the government’s mandate? The government covered the education cost of each Indigenous child to make them ‘more civilized’ and to take them out of their ‘savage state’. In other words, assimilate them into western society and strip them of all their language, customs and life.

The boarding schools, known as the Indian Residential Schools, began in 1883 thanks (or no thanks) to Prime Minister John A. MacDonald. These Boarding schools were set far away from the indigenous districts so that the children would have no contact with their family and community. By the year 1920, it was mandatory that all Indigenous children from the age of 7 to 15 attend these schools. What is worse than that? Separating parent from child, child from parent? Perhaps, that parents who refused to have their children taken away, would be punished by fine or even imprisonment. If you feel incensed right now, good! I’m not done.

I’ve learned that the children who resided in these boarding schools lived under horrendous conditions. Not only were these schools (run by the Church) unsanitary but these children (remember they are just kids taken away from their parents and community) experienced sexual assault by the hand of those running the schools, beatings, poisonings, starvation, freezing and electric shock. Some children were used as experiments (sounding a little too familiar – think WW2). Documented by some of the survivors one school had used an ‘electric chair’ to discipline the children. St. Anne’s Catholic Residential School that was open from 1904-1973 housed an electric chair in their basement, until the school closed. WTF?

I’ve only touched the surface of these atrocities made by Canada against the Indigenous community and culture. There continues to be an enormous impact for survivors and their family directly from the Residential school fall out. It is called ‘intergenerational trauma’. If you know anyone who has suffered any childhood trauma, you have heard of the damage done and how it stretches out to family and community. The consequences of childhood trauma can be witnessed through domestic violence, drug use, addiction, suicide, etc.

I reflect back to my childhood; how lucky I was having two parents who provided a home full of love and safety, how I was blessed to have grandparents who shared stories of their childhood and traditions, and last but not least, how I am able to pass down family stories to the next generation. I then begin to think about all the Indigenous children who were stolen from their parents and are now but a veil of their people. Whatever stories they carry, remain as scars on their heart and spirit.

I don’t know how to end this, other than to say… I’m angry. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I’m sorry. I see now … my eyes are wide open. I’m sorry.

Canada Day is tomorrow. Let us not forget the Indigenious people. Let us continue to tell stories to the young and teach one another. Let us reflect on how we have treated each other. Let us think of how we can make Canada a safe, balanced and cultural society where we respect one another’s traditions and history. Let us learn from one another. Let us move forward never forgetting about the past. Let us have compassion and love for one another!

Happy Canada Day!

Bag meet Balloon…

I only realized lately that I carry loads of suitcases and a balloon. This baggage at times can be awkward and a burden that weigh me down, while the latex filled bubble is light and airy, changing colour, not unlike a chameleon.

Of course, I will always choose the balloon in order to float upwards, but how can I rid myself of all the baggage? You see, there are things in the suitcases that are a part of me. Some good, some bad. How do I determine which is which? What do I keep and what do I let go?

The balloon retains all my dreams, inspirations, and hopes for the future. My suitcases on the other hand, hold my past experiences, feelings, and ego. Can you see my dilemma? To reopen some of the bags will bring tears, regrets, and grief. Travelling down the old gravel road is like a wound that will not heal. It means facing self-doubt, self-sabotage, toxicity and my old self head-on. Is this something I want to do? I can sense the anger, hurtful words, and ignorance bursting within my effects. Why would I want to do this to myself? Because knowing one’s self, is the only way to shift and turn the switch to the ‘on’ position, rather than the ‘on-hold’ position.

I will pick through each bag as if I’m seeing it for the very first time. I will be non-judgmental and accepting of each item that bears my trademark. I will feel compassion and love for each element enclosed. I will forgive myself for those items where I didn’t know any better. I will also forgive myself in times where I DID know better. I will have patience. I will give myself time.

One thing I’ve learned is that we all have suitcases dragging behind us. The real journey is opening those bags, learning from each item contained within, then setting free those which do not serve us anymore. Perhaps you are thinking… ‘that’s easier said than done’. Of course it is, no one ever said life was easy, but then again, maybe the human race make it harder than it needs to be. I don’t have the answers, in fact, I have more questions as I make this journey. But, isn’t that what we are here for; to discover, investigate, and connect with others?

The balloon? I’m energized to see where it takes me. Each day as I eliminate a bag, I find myself lighter and sailing upwards. I feel freedom from past mistakes and mishaps. I feel that every day IS a new day. I leave behind old habits and develop new routines. I meditate daily. I look at nature in childlike wonder. I question. I’m attentive to what and who is around me. I’m grateful for my family, my fur-family, along with old and new friends who open my heart and expand my world.

I may forever carry a bag or two, but in addition, I will increase my balloon to perhaps, two? When others whisper, ‘her head seems to be in the clouds’, I will grin casually, because I know, the clouds are where I’m destined to be.

The Great Pretender…

Do you ever feel like you are an imposter?

Going through life acting as someone else?

Taking the road most travelled?

Authentically, not you?

I’ve been asking myself these questions for the past 24 hours. What makes me think I can discover who I am? What makes me think I want to? What is hidden so deep inside? Do I want to know? What will be the outcome if I continue on the road less travelled? Will it be a positive experience? Will I have many regrets? So many questions and hardly any answers.

Self-discovery is uncomfortable! It’s difficult to explain to the younger generation. As a baby boomer born to the Silent Generation, my upbringing was in contrast to generation X, Y, Z, and the current Millennials.

My parents, a product of the silent generation, felt it unwise to speak up and out. Any type of anger demonstrated by children was deemed insolent, impolite, and out of line. Children had strict rules to follow. “Children are to be seen, not heard” and “Respect your elders” were the words echoed throughout time. Sensitivity was seen as weakness. Catastrophic events, such as suicide, alcoholism and mental illness were swept under the carpet and hidden in hushed corners. This precept continued outside the home through the school system. This is not a blame game. I’m not criticizing The Silent Generation, because without them, the following generations would not have evolved. The Silent Generation had their reasons as to why they kept quiet, to which I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg. I am saying out-loud to myself; have patience.

I’m trying to fit into this new world, but have to admit, I feel I’m on a seesaw. The inner conflict stemming from past episodes, scholarly teachings, career choices, and religious upbringing, swirls in my belly, travels and clumps in my throat. On a good day, I speak my truth. I challenge myself to learn and explore. I feel free just as the wind breaths into the quietness of the forest. On a not so good day, I doubt my voice. I am confused and begin to shut down. Self-sabotage is an awful emotion, that jittery pessimistic throbbing in your heart. I have decided that I will not run from self-doubt anymore. I will face it head on.

Maybe I’m not an imposter. Maybe I’m going through stages like a butterfly. Maybe I’ll come at the other end of all this a better human being. It is feasible that with inner exploration and conversations with like others in awareness of ‘compassion’, my journey will take me to a destination I never imagined.

Albert Einstein was quoted as saying: “You never fail until you stop trying.”

I will keep trying… I will continue to speak my truth… I will make progress in stripping off my mask…I will support others in this thing called ‘life’ and… perhaps….one day those ‘not so good days’ will be far and few between.

Blind of what was ahead, she gently placed her hand on the doorknob and turned. It had been years since she felt this free, still hesitantly, she walked through the threshold. She stepped over the stones to the towering chestnut tree. She didn’t look at anything else. In full bloom with weeping leaves and broad bulbous ivory blooms, he beckoned her. Looking up at the large tree, she lightly touched the aged bark. Somehow, she felt a oneness with him. He invited her to sit at his feet. She accepted. She settled at his base and pulled her legs up to her chest.

“Breathe”, he reverberated.

“Breathe”, he repeated.

She slowed her breathing and closed her eyes.

She was instantly enveloped in awareness.

The words came from every direction, “You are not good enough… Are you sure you want to do that…? Take the familiar road, don’t take the one less travelled…don’t be different…make everyone like you…. Ignore your gut, it’s always wrong…. You are too old…. You are too young… keep that to yourself… In order to get anywhere you can’t be liked by everyone…No one will love the ‘real’ you…you can change him…”

The words swirled around her, then suddenly, went silent. She opened her eyes. The tree branch brushed her shoulder.

The forest glowed in bright pink. She was about to run but was stopped by the animals who approached her. A rabbit hopped into her arms and a deer grazed at her feet. The dog who she had loved and lost, snuggled beside her.

Without a sound, she began to weep. The dog nuzzled closer, the deer looked into her soul, the rabbit curled up within her lap. The tree? He stayed rooted, held her thoughtfully, and swayed in the soft breeze.

It was like the forest knew she didn’t want to leave, when it responded;

“You must leave now, but you can come back anytime you wish. You still have much to do and many hearts to touch. Step carefully, be grateful, and use your compassion to teach others.”

She slowly stood up and hugged the big chestnut tree and looked down at her old companion. With tears in her eyes, she held her friends head in her hands.

“I miss you the most but am grateful you taught me unconditional love. I will come back soon.”

The old dog nodded and pushed her back towards the door as if to say,

“Go now and shine. I will always be here, my energy floats through the universe with you. And one more thing; promise me, you will see yourself as I see you.”

The girl nodded and walked towards the door. She looked back at all the beauty she was leaving behind; a single tear fell down her cheek.

Walking through the doorway she felt something. Was it strength? Was it acceptance? She closed the door behind her and said aloud…

“I am!”

Unsung Heroes

A hero is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. Like other formerly solely gender-specific terms, hero is often used to refer to both men and women.

As I sit comfortably in my home self-isolating, my thoughts wander to those living and working in long-term care facilities across the country…

Here’s to the unsung heroes in long-term care…

What is everyone going through right now? What is the nursing staff up against with staffing, personal protective equipment, and caring for each and every resident? What is the environmental department doing? How many times can they disinfect an entire home, resident’s rooms, staff areas, and washrooms? With limited staff in housekeeping and laundry, how exhausted are they? How is the recreation department handling activities? With 1 full-time recreation aide per 60 residents (which is the…

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Unsung Heroes

Here’s to the unsung heroes in long-term care…

What is everyone going through right now? What is the nursing staff up against with staffing, personal protective equipment, and caring for each and every resident? What is the environmental department doing? How many times can they disinfect an entire home, resident’s rooms, staff areas, and washrooms? With limited staff in housekeeping and laundry, how exhausted are they? How is the recreation department handling activities? With 1 full-time recreation aide per 60 residents (which is the norm), how are they working to keep the residents engaged? Now that there are no entertainers, volunteers, and pet therapy visits, where does that leave the residents? How do family members feel now that they can no longer visit, reassure and touch their loved ones?

Long-term care in this country is messy. A great number of those working in long-term care are part-time workers, which saves the home money, but to what expense? Now that provincial governments are mandating that no staff member can work at two or more homes, where does that put resident care? In fact, where does that put the part-time worker? For those part-time workers who give up one of their jobs, they may see their hours increased at the home, but how much stress and burnout will LTC see in the very near future? Stress is like a snowball; it runs downhill gathering quickly and emanating towards the vulnerable persons who need care 24/7.

The individuals who work in long-term care are a special breed. The majority are caring, empathetic and loving people who don’t do the job because of the pay, as the wage is lower than most would imagine. They do the job because they actually fall in love with their residents. LTC is a second home for those working in the facilities, especially the smaller homes with 65 or less residents. Most staff spend more time at the care home then at their own homes. This is why my heart breaks for these unsung heroes and residents.

Point blank: the system is broken. Those living and working in LTC will eventually fade away, disappear and die. Harsh words and horrible picture, but as seen in each and every province, this nightmare is only beginning. I experienced the SARS outbreak when my Mother was in a LTC facility. Some would think that this would have been a lesson for government and owners of facilities, but memories are short and pocketbooks shallow.

It’s heartbreaking to imagine what is occurring right now in LTC. How frightened are the residents who suffer from different forms of dementia when they cannot recognize their caregiver due to personal protective equipment? How difficult is it for staff and residents not to hug one another? During outbreaks in units, how challenging is it to keep 30 or more residents in their rooms and have meal tray service delivered? What about those residents who cannot feed themselves? How much extra work is there for staff when they have to feed each resident individually? What about those who are mobile and need to wander throughout the unit, how does the staff care for them?

There are many crevices in the system that have grown into craters. I’d like to think Covid-19 might be the change we need to re-work our long-term care facilities, but unfortunately death of the vulnerable will be our cost.

To all working with our vulnerable in an unprecedented time, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To the government, I say, it’s time to step up! Talk is cheap. It’s time to dig deep and increase staffing in LTC on a permanent basis. It’s time to take care of our elderly and vulnerable in LTC, before it’s too late.

Meditation & Mindfulness on a Monday

Turning corners, taking the left fork in the road instead of the right, rediscovering who you are and what you’re here to accomplish in your years on this planet. Whether it’s a move, a new job, or new friends, we all need time to reflect.

We come into this world as a perfect baby; no hang-ups, no preconceived ideas, no prejudice, no anything for that matter. We are held in a shroud of light, love and feel protected. We are shielded from the craziness of the world and its dark side. What happens as we grow and begin to learn? Our first teachers are our parents, who we realize as we age, are far from perfect. We reach our teens knowing everything and challenge all we’ve been told. Oh, those were the days.

Our twenties and thirties are filled with schooling, jobs, perhaps a marriage and family of our own. The forties march in and before we know it, we are in our fifties. One leg in the grave, some may say.

I’m not that ‘some’. The fifties are an introspective time. A time to rediscover what is important and what our purpose is here on earth. It’s a time to lead and a time to learn. It’s a time to reflect on our definition of perfection. It’s a time for a higher realization. It’s a time for meditation.

Through loss of jobs, family and friends our lives are constantly changing. Sometimes for the better, other times not so much. But if we keep in mind that kindness, empathy and higher learning overcome doubt, sadness, and the ugliness that appear throughout our life, then we can enjoy our golden years.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, ‘What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.’

I bow my head and dream of today while living in the present because I can’t do anything to change the past and have no idea what lies in my future.

I meditate, examine my life thus far, and ask that I explore the beauty of this day.

To all my beautiful family and friends, take a minute to breathe deeply and rediscover the child within. Namaste!

‘Crying out for Care’ feedback

It has taken me awhile to gather my thoughts following the ‘Crying out for Care’ episode (http://www.cbc.ca/marketpla…/…/2017-2018/crying-out-for-care) aired on Marketplace. “What makes you an expert?” you may ask.

Here’s the reader’s digest version of MY story in point form.

  • My Mother, at the age of 63, was diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer’s disease in 1997. By the year 1999 I had to place her into long-term care in a Municipally funded home in a specific area for Dementia residents. At that time she could still walk, but no longer could speak (other than gibberish), nor could she make decisions, dress herself, shower or even remember to go to the bathroom. She exhibited many outbursts and behaviours at the time, which was handled with medications to sedate her.
  • Throughout the 8 years in long-term care she declined rapidly mainly due to the age she developed Alzheimer’s disease – the younger a person develops the disease, the quicker the decline.
  • She experienced 2 falls that required medical attention (one being a broken pelvis). Following the fracture she never walked again. I can only assume it was because her brain wouldn’t allow her to relearn the task at hand. Add in a wheelchair combined with her disease made her more vulnerable to neglect and resident on resident adverse behaviours; one being a resident entering her room to try to sexually assault her. A family member witnessed this and immediately ran to the nursing station. My mother was examined and it was determined that she had not been sexually assaulted (they had caught the other resident right before he tried anything). As a daughter I was outraged, disgusted, and told the home that I didn’t want my mother in the same wing as the other resident, otherwise I would call the police. Within an hour my Mother was transferred to another floor and placed in a respite room until a bed arose on that floor. Following a few weeks, she had her own room, and lived the remainder of her life on the second floor receiving outstanding care.
  • Jump to the year 2005. I decided at the age of 41 to return to school full-time and study activation in gerontology at the downtown Toronto George Brown campus. I graduated in 2007 with honours. I found a full-time activation aide job almost immediately at a privately run home in Bolton (King Nursing Home). Eager and excited to be working with residents and staff where I could bring both my personal and schooling experience to was a dream come true. How was I to know, at that time, and years later throughout my career at different facilities, it would become a nightmare?

Your story on Marketplace was correct in the lack of staffing in the nursing department, but what you never touched on was the lack of staffing and sometimes education of staff in the recreation department.

  • Recreational and Social Activities

(a) have a post-secondary diploma or degree in recreation and leisure studies, therapeutic recreation, kinesiology or other related field from a community college or university; or(b) are enrolled in a community college or university in a diploma or degree program in such a field.

* You will notice that the issues with the designated lead and staff qualifications is that individuals who have a social worker diploma or OTHER can also work in long-term care in the recreation department. It takes special education to deliver holistic programs to work with individuals who are elderly, suffer from different forms of dementia, and those who are cognitively alert yet physically challenged. In comparison, I ask that you refer to the LTC act for the personal support worker qualifications.

Every licensee of a long-term care home shall ensure that on and after the first anniversary of the coming into force of this section, every person hired by the licensee as a personal support worker or to provide personal support services, regardless of title, has successfully completed a personal support worker program that meets the requirements in subsection (2).
(2) The personal support worker program,
(a) must meet,
(i) the vocational standards established by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities,
(ii) the standards established by the National Association of Career Colleges, or
(iii) the standards established by the Ontario Community Support Association; and
(b) must be a minimum of 600 hours in duration, counting both class time and practical experience time.

I have to question why is there a difference in qualifications/education for personal support workers versus the recreation/activation/life enrichment/programs department? I believe that many people are unaware of the on-going training needed to work in long-term care and with residents. Recreation staff makes up an integral part of the residents lives, but sadly is many times overlooked in the homes by the MOHLTC and management.

  • PSW’s deliver ADL (activities of daily living for e.g.: getting resident up out of bed, dressing, bathing, bathroom duties, brief changes, feeding, etc.)
  • Recreation takes over from there.

The Recreation department endeavours to run small, large and one-on-one programs tailored to the specific needs, abilities and challenges of each and all residents. Yet once again, as in the staffing for PSW’s, there is no ratio of recreation per resident set out in the LTC act.

  • For example, when I was Program Manager at Eatonville Care Centre that housed 247 residents set out on four floors, I had one full-time recreation staff member per 60 residents. How can one person meet the different needs of 60+ people every day? How can recreation complete paperwork in a timely manner when they are being pulled in different directions on the floor? Recreation staff is constantly called upon by nursing when resident behaviours get out of hand. “Take Mary with you into the program, she keeps yelling out in the hallway”, “We need something for Harry to do, can you do something with him?” etc. etc. etc. With the reduction of prescription use of antipsychotics in long-term care (which should have occurred years ago), I have to say that I have witnessed more challenging behaviours exhibited by some residents ergo more trained recreation staff is needed. Recreation staff who have been specifically educated in recreation in gerontology are trained to diffuse unwanted behaviours such as: delusions, hallucinations, fear, anxiety, depression, anger, etc., but it takes time (diffusing unwanted behaviours doesn’t happen in two minutes).

One of the questions you asked in your expose was: Is long-term care in Ontario in crisis? No, we are beyond crisis, and we are failing each resident residing in a long-term care facility. Whether it’s a thirty-nine year old MS resident, a fifty-nine year old schizophrenic resident, a seventy-five year old massive stroke resident, a sixty-five year old Alzheimer resident, or an eighty-seven year old resident – should it matter? Hell YES, it matters! We as a society and province OWE it to each and everyone of them to properly care for their needs, and more importantly care for them as a ‘person’ with dignity and empathy, not as an inconvenience or annoyance…Our system grades an F for fail on all accounts; failing staff and more importantly failing residents, their families and loved ones. I only hope that with more conversation and education our system can be rebuilt as soon as possible, otherwise just ship me out on an iceberg when it’s my time.


Compute the internal rate of return of a sequences of transactions made at irregular periods.

  • xirr

Downloads in past

2711.1.02 years ago6 years agoMinified + gzip package size for xirr in KB

Internal Rate of Return
The internal rate of return of an investment made at irregular intervals is the constant rate of return which would yield the equivalent value.
For example, suppose you purchased $1000 in a stock on January 15, then $2500 on February 8 and finally another $1000 on April 17. The value of the stock on August 24 is $5050. The internal rate of return could be computed by:
```` javascript var xirr = require('xirr'); var rate = xirr(
{amount: -1000, when: new Date(2016, 0, 15)},
{amount: -2500, when: new Date(2016, 1, 8)},
{amount: -1000, when: new Date(2016, 3, 17)},
{amount: 5050, when: new Date(2016, 7, 24)},
); console.log(rate); // Prints 0.2504234710540838 ````
This means annualized rate of return is 25.04%. That is, an equivalent investment would be a savings account of with an interest rate of 25.04%. (And if you happen to know of such a savings account, please let the author know immediately.)
This calculation can be used to compare disparate investments.

It doesn't converge?!

If your calculation doesn't converge, try defining different values for the guess property in the options argument. This is particularly likely to happen when the solution is near -1.
Pull requests with superior methods for determining the starting point for Newton's method are welcome.

require('xirr')(transactions , options)

Given a sequence of transactions, computes the internal rate of return.
  • transations: an array of objects with the following properties:
- amount: the amount of the transaction - when: the Date when the transaction occurred
  • options: Options to pass directly to the underlying Newton's method implementation, newton-raphson-method. In addition, if the guess property is defined, it will be used as the initial guess for the algorithm.

Returns: the annualized internal rate of return as a decimal in -1,∞)
  • Error:
- when the amounts of the transactions are all the same sign - when there are fewer than two transactions - when the transactions all occur on the same day (time is ignored) - when the
newton-raphson-method fails to converge

Implementation Details

To compute the irregular rate of return, you must find the constant rate of return which yields a present value of zero over the set of transactions. The present value of a transaction is determined by the formula A(1+r)Y, where A is the amount, Y is the duration of the investment represented by the transaction in years and r is the rate to solve for. The sum of the present values is the function for which we need to find the zero.
To find the zero of a function, we use Newton's method as implemented by the newton-raphson-method module. To use Newton's method, we need the derivative of the present value with respect to r. Fortunately this is easily determined using the power rule. The derivative is the sum of the terms AY(1+r)Y-1 for which Y is not zero.
I had a very elegant proof of the above but unfortunately the margin is too small to contain it.


Now You Can Earn Wall Street Games Tokens On Polygon

Wall Street Games is a blockchain-based gaming platform where players fight for tokens. Its WSG token is a great opportunity for investors to complement their portfolio and for players to participate in battles. This coin provides many benefits: users will be able to buy NFT goods and features, will be awarded by playing games, and can play more games per day than those without a token. Like most platforms, this one also allows holders to contribute to its development by voting and participating in various decisions. The best advantage is to create designs and get rewards for doing so when selected by the management/community.

Wall Street Games (WSG) - Price, Chart, Info | CryptoSlateThe token price at midnight was $ 0.000000144. After 4 hours, it fell sharply by 14.5%, and there were no significant changes in the following hours, therefore, now WSG costs $ 0.000000129 with a trading volume of $ 3.523.637. Its market cap is $ 42,679,948, making it # 746. eToro and bitFlyer are the best platforms to buy WSG as the former charges low commissions and fees and the latter is a licensed financial institution. Recently it was announced that WSG extends to Polygon. This means that you can host WSGs on Polygon, for which you need the Anyswap Bridge. Moreover, QuickSwap liquidity has been added.


Humans vs AI: Here's who's better at making money in financial markets

Humans vs AI: here's who's better at making money in financial markets
AI is all about analysing huge amounts of data so why isn’t it used more in trading? Credit: Fit Ztudio/Shutterstock

Artificial intelligence (AI) has now closely matched or even surpassed humans in what were previously considered unattainable areas. These include chess, arcade games, Go, self-driving cars, protein folding and much more. This rapid technological progress has also had a huge impact on the financial services industry. More and more CEOs in the sector declare (explicitly or implicitly) that they run "technology companies with a banking license."

There is also a rapid emergence and growth of the financial technology industry (FinTech), where technology startups increasingly challenge established financial institutions in areas such as retail banking, pensions or personal investments. As such, AI often appears in behind-the-scenes processes such as cybersecurity, anti-money laundering, know-your-client checks or chatbots.

Among so many successful cases, one seems conspicuously absent: AI making money in . While simple algorithms are commonly used by traders, machine learning or AI algorithms are far less usual in decision-making. But as machine learning is based on analyzing huge data sets and finding patterns in them, and financial markets generating enormous amounts of data, it would seem an obvious match. In a new study, published in International Journal of Data Science and Analytics, we have shed some light on whether AI is any better than humans at making money.

Some specialist investment companies called quant (which stands for 'quantative') hedge funds declare that they employ AI in their investment decision-making process. However, they do not release official performance information. Also, despite some of them managing billions of dollars, they remain niche and small relative to the size of the larger investment industry.

On the other hand, academic research has repeatedly reported highly accurate financial forecasts based on machine-learning algorithms. These could in theory translate into highly successful mainstream investment strategies for the financial industry. And yet, that doens't seem to be happening.

What is the reason for this discrepancy? Is it entrenched manager culture, or is it something related to practicalities of real-world investing?

AI's financial forecasts

We analyzed 27 peer-reviewed studies by academic researchers published between 2000 and 2018. These describe different kinds of stock market forecasting experiments using machine-learning algorithms. We wanted to determine whether these forecasting techniques could be replicated in the real world.

Our immediate observation was that most of the experiments ran multiple versions (in extreme cases up to hundreds) of their investment model in parallel. In almost all the cases, the authors presented their highest-performing model as the primary product of their experiment—meaning the best result was cherry-picked and all the sub-optimal results were ignored. This approach would not work in real-world investment management, where any given strategy can be executed only once, and its result is unambiguous profit or loss—there is no undoing of results.

Running multiple variants, and then presenting the most successful one as representative, would be misleading in the finance sector and possibly regarded as illegal. For example, if we run three variants of the same strategy, with one losing -40%, the other one losing -20%, and the third one gaining 20%, and then only showcase the 20% gain, clearly this single result misrepresents the performance of the fund. Just one version of an should be tested, which would be representative of a real-world investment setup and therefore more realistic.

Models in the papers we reviewed achieved a very high level of accuracy, about 95%—a mark of tremendous success in many areas of life. But in market forecasting, if an algorithm is wrong 5% of the time, it could still be a real problem. It may be catastrophically wrong rather than marginally wrong—wiping not only the profit, but the entire underlying capital.

We also noted that most AI algorithms appeared to be "black boxes," with no transparency on how they worked. In the real world, this isn't likely to inspire investors' confidence. It is also likely to be an issue from a regulatory perspective. What's more, most experiments did not account for trading costs. Though these have been decreasing for years, they're not zero, and could make the difference between profit and loss.

None of the experiments we looked at gave any consideration to current financial regulations, such as the EU legal directive MIFID II or business ethics. The experiments themselves did not engage in any unethical activities—they did not seek to manipulate the market—but they lacked a design feature explicitly ensuring that they were ethical. In our view, and AI algorithms in investment decision-making should observe two sets of ethical standards: making the AI ethical per se, and making investment decision-making ethical, factoring in environmental, social and governance considerations. This would stop the AI from investing in companies that may harm society, for example.

All this means that the AIs described in the academic experiments were unfeasible in the real world of financial industry.

Are humans better?

We also wanted to compare the AI's achievements with those of human investment professionals. If AI could invest as well as or better than humans, then that could herald a huge reduction in jobs.

We discovered that the handful of AI-powered funds whose performance data were disclosed on publicly available market data sources generally underperformed in the market. As such, we concluded that there is currently a very strong case in favor of human analysts and managers. Despite all their imperfections, empirical evidence strongly suggests humans are currently ahead of AI. This may be partly because of the efficient mental shortcuts humans take when we have to make rapid decisions under uncertainty.

In the future, this may change, but we still need evidence before switching to AI. And in the immediate future, we believe that, instead of pinning humans against AI, we should combine the two. This would mean embedding AI in decision-support and analytical tools, but leaving the ultimate investment decision to a human team.

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Citation: Humans vs AI: Here's who's better at making money in financial markets (2022, February 2) retrieved 13 August 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-02-humans-ai-money-financial.html

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Often asked: How Far Did Indian Ocean Tsunami Shift The Earth?

The waves were able to reach as far inland as 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) in various locations. Because the 1,600 km (1,000 mi) fault line that was damaged by the earthquake was approximately north–south oriented, the tsunami waves had the greatest intensity in the east–west direction.

How far did the Indian Ocean earthquake travel?

The epicentre of the earthquake was roughly 250 kilometers south-south-west of Banda Aceh, 30 kilometers beneath the seabed. It caused a series of massive waves that traveled at speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour in shallow water, with the most severe effects seen in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, according to preliminary estimates.

Did the 2004 earthquake shifted the earth’s axis?

Gross had previously used the approach to estimate the shift induced by the 2004 Sumatran earthquake, which resulted in the tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean. The Earth’s axis was displaced by 2.3 milliarcseconds as a result of the 9.1 magnitude earthquake, and the length of a day was decreased by 6.8 microseconds.

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How far did the tsunami travel?

Miyako city experienced run-up heights (the height above sea level at which the wave surges inland) of up to 128 feet (39 meters), and the tsunami waves traveled inland as far as 6 miles (10 kilometers) in Sendai. The tsunami waves reached run-up heights of up to 128 feet (39 meters) at Miyako city and traveled inland as far as 6 miles (10 kilometers) in Sendai. Tsunami waters covered an estimated area of around 217 square miles (561 square kilometers) in Japan, according to official estimates.

How did the 2004 tsunami affect the earth?

NASA scientists concluded that the earthquake in Indonesia had an impact on the Earth’s rotation, reduced the length of the day, somewhat modified the shape of the globe, and relocated the North Pole by millimeters based on data from the earthquake. The earthquake that triggered the massive tsunami also caused the Earth’s rotation to be thrown off kilter.

How long did the 2004 tsunami last?

Over the following seven hours, a tsunami—a series of massive ocean waves—caused by the earthquake swept across the Indian Ocean, wreaking havoc on coastal communities as far away as East Africa and beyond. When the waves hit the shoreline, several locales claimed that the waves had reached a height of 30 feet (9 metres) or higher in some places.

What struck you most about the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004?

In the early hours of Sunday, December 26, 2004, a strong underwater earthquake off the coast of Sumatra island, Indonesia, triggered the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which was also known as the Christmas or Boxing Day tsunami due to its timing. A large tsunami was triggered by the earthquake, which caused the ocean bottom to rapidly rise by as much as 40 meters.

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How far did Japan move after earthquake?

According to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake shifted Japan’s main island of Honshu eastward by 2.4 meters (8 feet) and caused a 0.6-meter decrease in the sea level over nearly 400 kilometers (250 miles) of coastline (2 feet).

How much did this category 9 earthquake shift the earth on its axis?

According to experts, the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that slammed Japan on Friday was severe enough to shorten Earth’s day by 1.8 microseconds and add an extra 6.7 inches (17 cm) to the planet’s wobble, according to the United Nations.

Did the island of Japan move?

Earth’s day was shortened by 1.8 microseconds as a result of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that slammed Japan on Friday, according to experts. The catastrophe also threw the planet’s wobble an additional 6.7 inches (17 cm).

How far inland did the biggest tsunami go?

Lituya Bay, Alaska, in 1936. The largest flooding distance was 610 metres (2,000 feet) inland along the north side of the bay, according to the National Weather Service.

How far inland did the 2011 tsunami go?

The tsunami’s maximum inland reach was 6 miles (10 km) in Sendai, which is where it originated. The total area of land covered by tsunami waters is approximately 217 square miles (561 km sq) The speed of a tsunami over open water is around 500 miles per hour (800 kilometers per hour).

How much damage did the Indian Ocean tsunami cause?

The Consequences A staggering quarter million people (227,899) were murdered or went missing and assumed dead, including tourists, making this the worst tsunami in history, according to the United Nations. Approximately 1.7 million people were displaced as a result of the disaster. The total cost of the destruction was projected to be over $13 billion (2017 dollars).

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How tall was the Indian Ocean tsunami?

At a hill between Lhoknga and Leupung, on the western coast of the northern point of Sumatra, near Banda Aceh, the tsunami’s largest run-up height was measured, and it reached 51 meters (167 ft). The tsunami heights in Sumatra ranged between 15 and 30 meters (49 and 98 feet) on the west coast of Aceh. On the Banda Aceh shore, the waves are 6–12 meters (20–39 feet) high.

How long did it take to rebuild after the 2004 tsunami?

Individuals were back in their own houses, frequently on their own property, within five years, in communities that had new schools and, in many cases, upgraded infrastructure.

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Often asked: How Far Is Next Sun From Earth?

Hey Google How Far Away Is The Sun From The Earth?


What is the integral of hyperbolic functions?

tanh(x)+c. Example 2: Calculate the integral . Solution : We make the substitution: u = 2 + 3sinh x, du = 3cosh x dx. Then cosh x dx = du/3….Integrals of Hyperbolic Functions.

Function Integral
sinhx coshx + c
coshx sinhx + c
tanhx ln| coshx | + c
cschx ln| tanh(x/2) | + c

What is the derivative of hyperbolic?

(sinhx)′=(ex−e−x2)′=ex+e−x2=coshx,(coshx)′=(ex+e−x2)′=ex−e−x2=sinhx. We can easily obtain the derivative formula for the hyperbolic tangent: (tanhx)′=(sinhxcoshx)′=(sinhx)′coshx−sinhx(coshx)′cosh2x=coshx⋅coshx−sinhx⋅sinhxcosh2x=cosh2x−sinh2xcosh2x.

What is the integral of hyperbolic sin?

The integration of the hyperbolic sine function is an important integral formula in integral calculus. This integral belongs to the hyperbolic formulae. As we know that by definition integration is the inverse process of the derivative, so the integral sign ∫ and ddx on the right side will cancel each other out, i.e.

What is sinh equal to?

The hyperbolic sine and cosine are given by the following: cosh  a = e a + e − a 2 , sinh  a = e a − e − a 2 .

How do you integrate Coshx?

Integral cosh(x)> cosh x dx = sinh x + C.

How do you integrate Tanhx?

Proof: Integral tanh(x) tanh x dx = ln (cosh x) + C.

Does sinh mean sin 1?

Sinh is the hyperbolic sine function, which is the hyperbolic analogue of the Sin circular function used throughout trigonometry. It is defined for real numbers by letting be twice the area between the axis and a ray through the origin intersecting the unit hyperbola .

Can a hyperbolic trig function be expressed as an inverse?

Inverse Hyperbolic Trig Derivatives And just as trigonometric functions can be expressed as inverses, hyperbolic trig functions can similarly be defined. Again, you will notice how strikingly similar the inverse trig and inverse hyperbolic trig derivates are, just with a slight sign change.

How to calculate derivatives and integrals of hyperbolic functions?

Apply the formulas for derivatives and integrals of the hyperbolic functions. Apply the formulas for the derivatives of the inverse hyperbolic functions and their associated integrals. Describe the common applied conditions of a catenary curve.

What are the differentiation rules for hyperbolic trigonometric functions?

Together we will use our new differentiation rules for hyperbolic trigonometric functions combined with our other important derivative formulas and skills for polynomials, exponentials, and logarithmic functions too! Let’s jump right in! Get access to all the courses and over 150 HD videos with your subscription

How are the derivative and integral of trigonometric functions related?

Graphs The graphs of function, derivative and integral of trigonometric and hyperbolic functions in one image each. The graph of a function f is blue, that one of the derivative g is red and that of an integral h is green. abs is the absolute value, sqr is the square root and ln is the natural logarithm. Trigonometric Functions

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