Regulating behaviours on the European Union internet,the case of spam versus cookies

This article examines the soft-law politics of regulating behaviours on the internet in the European Union (EU) context. It shows the struggles behind internet standards, and delegation of power to commercial actors, while looking at spam and web-cookies as a case study. This article argues that by creating a false division between private and public spaces on the internet, it was possible to legitimize certain practices over others, despite being similar. In this way, spam was categorized as unsolicited communication associated with private space, whereas web-cookies were categorized as wanted communication in public space. By influencing and lobbying EU legislation and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) technical standards, the advertising industry and tech companies simultaneously authorize and institutionalize their own practices and illegalize people’s ‘problematic’ behaviour and other advertising companies. In this way, EU legislation and internet standards create a naturalized discourse that institutionalizes the roles of different actors in the online market, while emphasizing the central role of commercial actors in creating, defining, managing and enforcing the online market. Thus, spam operates as a regulatory tool applied to any type of behaviour that can interfere with the functioning of the EU e-commerce.     

Quantification of human mitochondrial DNA using synthesized DNA standards

Successful mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) forensic analysis depends on sufficient quantity and quality of mtDNA. A real-time quantitative PCR assay was developed to assess such characteristics in a DNA sample, which utilizes a duplex, synthetic DNA to ensure optimal quality assurance and quality control. The assay's 105-base pair target sequence facilitates amplification of degraded DNA and is minimally homologous to nonhuman mtDNA. The primers and probe hybridize to a region that has relatively few sequence polymorphisms. The assay can also identify the presence of PCR inhibitors and thus indicate the need for sample repurification. The results show that the assay provides information down to 10 copies and provides a dynamic range spanning seven orders of magnitude. Additional experiments demonstrated that as few as 300 mtDNA copies resulted in successful hypervariable region amplification, information that permits sample conservation and optimized downstream PCR testing. The assay described is rapid, reliable, and robust.     

Significant extension to the ASA’s remit allows members of the public and rival businesses to complain via the ASA about statements made on webpages and social networking sites

On 1st March 2011, the scope of the CAP Code was extended, giving the Advertising Standards Authority significantly expanded powers to regulate marketing claims made by advertisers on their own websites and in other non-paid-for space under their control, such as social networking sites and company blogs. The ASA’s extended remit will apply to all sectors and all businesses and organisations which are operating from the UK, regardless of size, in a move to ensure the same standards of consumer and business protection in the digital space as in other media. The extension aims to plug a regulatory gap following a formal recommendation from a wide cross-section of UK industry.     

Opportunity Lost? Victorian Labor's Enactment of Community Development 1999–2006

The idea of community development has been evoked by Australian governments over many decades. The expressions of community have differed widely, often as a result of politics rather than informed policy. In 1999, after seven years of radical neo‐liberal restructuring in Victoria, the Bracks government found itself unexpectedly elected to power. They faced new challenges such as a diminished public sector, growing social inequality and climate change. The first two terms of Victorian Labor were a seminal period in terms of the role they would invoke for ‘community’. Did grass roots participation take a central place, or did rhetoric rule over substance? The evidence points to a government maintaining a neo‐liberal trajectory, and thereby losing an opportunity to enable an active citizenry.     

关于刑事证明标准的三点新认识

证明存在于诉讼角色独立的两方之间。证明标准是一方说服另一方的最低限度要求,因此证明标准存在于司法审查程序中。同时,由于有罪或无罪的判决结果对控辩双方都有重要意义,所以控诉方为了自己的利益往往设立内部标准来把握案件。当然,由于司法审查程序在整个刑事诉讼程序可能有多种,为了更好地实现公正,保护诉讼参与人的权利,真正做到在每个诉讼阶段更为严格地对案件进行把关,立法应当确立不同层次的证明标准由不同的司法人员来把握与适用。     

当代青年的择偶标准及其性别差异——对1255则征婚广告的内容分析

通过对《现代家庭》杂志2000年1月至2010年10月所刊载的1255则征婚广告进行内容分析,并与1990年的统计结果对比发现：性格与品德已成为青年择偶时最为关注的因素;健康、对感情的重视程度、户口、住房等因素发挥着越来越重要的作用,被关注的程度上升;年龄因素仍很重要,排名第二,但已有淡化之势;身高、婚史状况、受教育程度、职业、事业心等因素的关注度呈现下降趋势,尤其事业心作为隐性潜能并未被征婚者所重视;兴趣爱好因素至少在通过征婚广告择偶的人群中被忽略;性别是影响择偶标准的一个敏感因素;在许多择偶标准上,男女存在显著差异。     

The null hypothesis is not called that for nothing: statistical tests in randomized trials

This article aims to update readers on different ways to arrange one’s thinking about conventional null hypotheses in randomized trials. It covers basic criticism of conventional hypotheses and, beyond this, covers relevant developments in methodological, organizational, and science policy arenas. This article includes coverage of new ways to frame null hypotheses, new technical resources, standards for registering trials and reporting on them, cumulating results, common mistakes, and post-trial analysis of null results. The paper includes ideas for research and development on each topic.

The maquiladora electronics industry on Mexico’s northern border and the environment

The electronic sector, in particular, the computing industry, has become an increasing concern because of the environmental impact of its products throughout their life cycle. The United States, Europe and Japan as the greatest consumers of electronic goods have given special attention to this issue. The fast computer obsolescence and its difficult confinement, because of the hazardous substances contained, have required a special effort of technical innovation. Nevertheless, this effort seems to respond mainly to the standards required by the countries in which these goods are produced, consumed and confined, which are radically different in developed and developing countries. Though an important part of the production process (assembling) is done in developing countries, little attention has been paid to the environmental quality at this production stage. This study examines the environmental problems and strategy of the electronic assembly industry in the three northern border cities of Mexico. Almost half of 200 electronic maquiladora enterprises surveyed had not undertaken any active environmental policy and there was a limited environmental standards enforcement. Evidence was found that the firms that had operated for a longer period of time had better chances of taking better care of the environment. Environmental firm policies became weaker as one descended from the head office to the subsidiaries and then to their suppliers. It is also found that some transnational corporations operate with double standards in Mexico and thus strong national policies on environmental standards in Mexico are required to change this practice.

“首要标准”下监狱企业转型发展的实践与思考

监狱企业的发展必须服务于"首要标准",以实现其价值功能为最终目标,这是最大的现实。应分析监狱企业发展,在职能上实现其经济型向改造型转变,在结构上实现复合型向单一型转变,在管理模式上实现监管劳动型向社会劳动型转变。监狱企业服务于"首要标准"的现实途径是:重视"首要标准"下监狱企业立法,以适合罪犯劳动改造为基点调整产业结构,健全劳动改造管理机制,建立劳动竞争和报酬机制,规范劳动现场管理,强化罪犯劳动的教育功能。