Gross Employment Effects in the Renewable Energy Industry in Germany 2000 to 2018 — Employment halved

Erneuerbare-Energien Branche und Beschäftigung: Vergangenheit, Gegenwart, Zukunft [Renewable energies sector and employment: past, present, future]. German Trade Union Confederation. Feb 2 2021. https://www.dgb.de/themen/++co++634db526-6562-11eb-ac9f-001a4a160123

Chart there is adapted from this paper: Gross Employment Effects in the Renewable Energy Industry in Germany — An Input-Output Analysis from 2000 to 2018. Marlene O'Sullivan, Dietmar Edler. Sustainability 2020 , 12 (15), 6163; July 31 2020; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12156163

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide detailed insights into an approach to measure gross employment of the renewable energy (RES) industry in Germany in order to improve transparency and comparability. The method applied for the assessment of gross employment figures follows the input-output (IO) modeling approach and covers direct as well as indirect employment effects. All-in-all, four different approaches of applying the IO methodology are described. The analysis includes 11 different RES technologies. It provides information on employment in manufacturing and installation, operation and maintenance (O&M), as well as the provision of biogenic fuels. The results show the relevance of the manufacturing and installation sector as well as the influence of foreign trade on this sector. On the other hand,it reveals the growing importance of O&M as well as the provision of biogenic fuels and their role in providing a more stable development of employment in the RES industry. Our main methodological conclusions are as follows: (1) data availability is a major challenge in assessing employment effects of specific technologies; (2) there are many different ways to apply the IO-modeling approach to specific technologies and services; (3) the transfer of results to other countries is limited.(2) there are many different ways to apply the IO-modeling approach to specific technologies and services; (3) the transfer of results to other countries is limited.(2) there are many different ways to apply the IO-modeling approach to specific technologies and services; (3) the transfer of results to other countries is limited.

Keywords: renewable energy ; input – output analysis ; gross employment ; jobs ; laboratory

 

Selecting a long-term romantic partner is largely contingent upon identifying behavioral repertoires indicating an ability to foster individual & communal flourishing through benevolence & relational fidelity

Preliminary evidence for virtue as a cue to long-term mate value. Mitch Brown et al. Personality and Individual Differences, Volume 167, 1 December 2020, 110249, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110249

Highlights

• Two studies implicated virtue as highly desirable in a mate.

• Prospective mates espousing high virtue were more desirable as long-term mates.

• Sociosexually restricted individuals valuated the virtue of self-control.

Abstract: Selecting a long-term romantic partner is largely contingent upon identifying behavioral repertoires indicating an ability to foster individual and communal flourishing through benevolence and relational fidelity. Within this suite of socially desirable traits are virtues that could be critical in selecting long-term mates. The current program of research presents two studies investigating the extent people select mates embodying virtue. Study 1 tasked participants with indicating the desirability of prospective mates espousing high and low levels of the three fundamental virtues, as observed through the VIA Model: caring, self-control, and inquisitiveness. High levels of virtue were especially desirable for long-term mating, with the preference for self-control being largest. Study 2 considered dispositional preferences for long-term mating, as indexed through restricted sociosexuality, with sociosexually restricted individuals reporting aversion to prospective mates exhibiting low self-control. We frame results through an evolutionary context and recommend future research to understand the adaptive function of virtue.

Keywords: VirtueEvolutionary psychologyLong-term matingSelf-controlFlourishing

Ideological Asymmetries and the Determinants of Politically-Motivated Reasoning: We find little evidence for the asymmetry hypothesis

Ideological Asymmetries and the Determinants of Politically-Motivated Reasoning. Brian Guay, Christopher Johnston. Sep 1 2020. https://www.brianguay.com/publication_old/ja_2020_pmr_ajps/

Abstract: A large literature demonstrates that conservatives have greater needs for certainty than liberals. This suggests an asymmetry hypothesis: conservatives are less open to new information that conflicts with their political identity and, in turn, political accountability will be lower on the right than the left. However, recent work suggests that liberals and conservatives are equally prone to politically motivated reasoning (PMR). The present paper confronts this puzzle. First, we identify significant limitations of extant studies evaluating the asymmetry hypothesis and deploy two national survey experiments to address them. Second, we provide the first direct test of the key theoretical claim underpinning the asymmetry hypothesis: epistemic needs for certainty promote PMR. We find little evidence for the asymmetry hypothesis. Importantly, however, we also find no evidence that epistemic needs promote PMR. That is, while conservatives report greater needs for certainty than liberals, these needs are not a major source of political bias.

Check also Are Smarter Voters Better Voters? Michael Hannon. PhilPapers, Jan 2021. https://www.bipartisanalliance.com/2021/01/on-one-hand-informed-citizenry-is.html

We concluded the Google search engine may have shortcomings when used to obtain information on dietary supplements & cancer after we assessed the quality of online health and nutrition information

Using the Google™ Search Engine for Health Information: Is there a Problem? Case Study: Supplements for Cancer. Hannah C Cai, Leanne E King, Johanna T Dwyer. Current Developments in Nutrition, nzab002, February 3 2021, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab002

Abstract: We assessed the quality of online health and nutrition information using a Google™ search on “supplements for cancer”. Search results were scored using the Health Information Quality Index (HIQI), a quality rating tool consisting of 12 objective criteria related to website domain, lack of commercial aspects, and authoritative nature of the health and nutrition information provided. Possible scores ranged from 0 (lowest) to 12 (“perfect” or highest quality). After eliminating irrelevant results, the remaining 160 search results had median and mean scores of 8. A quarter of the results were of high quality (score of 10–12). There was no correlation between high quality scores and early appearance in the sequence of search results, where results are presumably more visible. Also, 496 advertisements, over twice the number of search results, appeared. We concluded the Google™ search engine may have shortcomings when used to obtain information on dietary supplements and cancer.

Keywords: Health Information Quality Index (HIQI), Google search, ranking, authoritative information, commercial, advertisement, online, nutrition