It's not just tax. How PwC, KPMG and other consultants risk influencing public health too

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It's not just tax. How PwC, KPMG and other consultants risk influencing public health too     Concerns about the use of private consultancy firms advising government – such as PwC, KPMG, Deloitte and EY – has led to a Senate inquiry.Until now, much media interest has centred on PwC’s advisory role to the Australian Tax Office while also advising private clients on tax matters. Continued here

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The Donkey and the Meaning of Eternity: Nobel-Winning Spanish Poet Juan Ram     Each month, I spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars keeping The Marginalian going. For seventeen years, it has remained free and ad-free and alive thanks to patronage from readers. I have no staff, no interns, not even an assistant — a thoroughly one-woman labor of love that is also my life and my livelihood. If this labor has made your own life more livable in the past year (or the past decade), please consider aiding its sustenance with a one-time or loyal donation. Your support makes all the difference.Beneath our anxious quickenings, beneath our fanged fears, beneath the rusted armors of conviction, tenderness is what we long for — tenderness to salve our bruising contact with reality, to warm us awake from the frozen stupor of near-living. Tenderness is what permeates Platero and I (public library) by the Nobel-winning Spanish poet Juan Ramón Jiménez (December 23, 1881–May 29, 1958) — part love letter to his beloved donkey, part journal of ecstatic delight in nature and humanity, part fairy tale for the lonely. Continued here

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Three Differences Between Managers and Leaders     You’re probably counting value, not adding it, if you’re managing people. Only managers count value; some even reduce value by disabling those who add value. If a diamond cutter is asked to report every 15 minutes how many stones he has cut, by distracting him, his boss is subtracting value. Continued here

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Are You Failing to Prepare the Next Generation of C-Suite Leaders? - SPONSOR CONTENT FROM DAGGERWING     For many people leaders, that’s been the mantra for the past three years. “Let’s just get through this moment in time, focus on the short-term solutions for our immediate needs, and when things go back to normal, we’ll deal with all the issues we’ve been putting on the backburner.” Continued here

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How to Negotiate with Powerful Suppliers     In many industries the balance of power has shifted from buyers to suppliers. Companies that have gotten into a weak position need to tackle the problem strategically, the authors argue. They should consider the following actions and implement the least-risky one that is feasible for their organization. Continued here

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The Myth of the Mainstream     Our summer special report helps leaders gain a comprehensive view of risks, learn how to overcome market disrupters, and manage the analytical tools that provide predictive insight for decision-making.Our summer special report helps leaders gain a comprehensive view of risks, learn how to overcome market disrupters, and manage the analytical tools that provide predictive insight for decision-making.For years, McDonald’s seemed to embody everything that was wrong with the American diet. The brand had become a symbol of food choices that were driving escalating rates of obesity and hypertension. Continued here

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How will extreme temperatures and heatwaves change how we work?     Earlier this month, the World Meteorological Organization recorded the hottest week on record. The scorching temperatures have not abated as heatwaves continue in Europe, North America, Asia, North Africa and more.As the planet warms, people are getting “stuck” in persistent weather patterns for longer durations, says John P Abraham, a professor of thermal sciences at the University of St Thomas School of Engineering, US. “What used to be a 1-to-2-day heat wave is now 3-to-5 days. People who can handle a day or two of excess heat will have many more problems with longer durations,” he says. Continued here

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The 'Depression Burger' of Route 66     In El Reno, a small industrial town just west of Oklahoma City on Oklahoma's portion of Route 66, Sid's Diner is hopping during lunch. With the sharp smell of crisping onions and burger grease in the air, most of the diners in the joint are munching down on a sandwich that was born out of poverty but made famous by love.Adam, the second-generation owner at Sid's Diner, taking over from his father Marty Hall, is working the flat iron grill. He presses the patty of beef mince made juicy with a mess of sweet onion slivers onto the searing heat. As meat cooks to a nice crispy crust, he flips the burger onion-side down, letting the grease and the grill cast the magic of caramelisation. Continued here

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Food safety policy neglects informal markets in developing countries - 3 ways this can change     The food industry in many low- and middle-income countries is dominated by the informal sector. Numerous micro and small businesses, which are not legally registered and mostly compete on the basis of price, handle much of the food that people eat. This includes meat, fish and fresh fruit and vegetables. Informal businesses also dominate when it comes to out-of-home eating.Fresh foods are important vectors of food-borne diseases, chemical contaminants and other hazards. But in the informal sector there are widespread deficiencies in food safety awareness and in the way food is stored, prepared and handled. Hygiene is not always good at places where vendors work. Consumers are mainly focused on price and have limited ability to protect themselves from unsafe foods. Continued here

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Albanese government to make it easier for casuals to become permanent employees     Casual workers will be given a new path to becoming permanent, with the security that brings, in industrial relations reforms Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke will introduce later this year. Under the change, promised in Labor’s election campaign, there will be a new definition of when an employee can be classified as “casual”. Continued here

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How Canada is a children's TV powerhouse, from 'You Can't Do That On Television,' to 'Paw Patrol'     The children’s show Paw Patrol, launched by Spin Master Entertainment 10 years ago, is broadcast in more than 30 languages across nearly 180 countries and reaches 350 million households. Retail sales of Paw Patrol merchandise have surpassed US$14 billion. Yet, despite its huge international success, it isn’t celebrated as a Canadian success in the same way other Canadian TV shows such as Schitt’s Creek or Murdoch Mysteries have been. Continued here

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ChatGPT and Threads reflect the challenges of fast tech adoption     ChatGPT recently experienced a decline in user engagement for the first time since its launch in November 2022. From May to June, engagement dropped 9.7 per cent, with the largest decline — 10.3 per cent — occurring in the United States.Meanwhile, Meta’s Threads platform experienced a significant drop in user numbers, going from more than 49 million users on July 7 to 23.6 million active users by July 14. In the same time frame, the average time users in the U.S. spent on the app dropped from a peak of 21 minutes in early July to just above six minutes. Continued here

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The obesity epidemic is fuelled by biology, not lack of willpower     Assistant (Adjunct) professor, Deptartment of Internal Medicine, McMaster University Megha Poddar is the Medical Director of the Medical Weight Management Centre of Canada. She has participated in the development and delivery of continued medical education with pharmaceutical companies who have obesity medications including Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Continued here

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School-approved Cheetos? Why we must protect school food from corporate interests     Universal access to healthy school meal programs is essential for children’s well-being, but Canada lags behind its peers in providing nutritious food to children. While the federal government committed to a national school food program in the 2019 budget, it has not funded its implementation. Continued here

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National pride and sorrow: attending the 150th Latvian Song and Dance Festival as the daughter of refugees     “With song we have achieved freedom. With song we have gone to war. With song we have been victorious.” These were the words of the newly elected president of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, at the closing ceremony of the 150th Latvian Song and Dance festival, held from June 30 to July 9. Continued here

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Glide poles: the great Aussie invention helping flying possums cross the road     Next time you’re road-tripping along the east coast, keep an eye out for a little-known Aussie invention piercing the skyline: glide poles. For Australia’s gliding possums, or gliders, they’re the next best thing since tall trees. These tall timber structures, with timber cross arms near the top, give gliders a way to cross big roads. They can shimmy up a pole on one side of the road and then leap to another (and another) to get to the other side. Continued here

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'More obviously needs to be done': how to make Australian universities safe from sexual violence     Allison Henry was the Campaign Director for The Hunting Ground Australia Project 2015-2018 and in this capacity worked closely with advocate groups referred to in this article. She is an Associate of the Australian Human Rights Institute at UNSW.Sexual assault and harassment on campus is affecting the wellbeing of students and staff, and their ability to succeed. Continued here

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Does a woman's menstrual cycle affect her athletic performance? Here's what the science says     During the Women’s FIFA World Cup, it has been wonderful to see the spotlight turn to female athletes. One thing we still don’t know enough about is the effect of the menstrual cycle on athletic performance. Continued here

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Has Russia contained the Prigozhin threat? Its long history of managing violent mercenaries suggests so     A month on since pundits declared the imminent start of a new Russian civil war, we’re still waiting. Moreover, we still know very little about what went on when Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin launched a brief rebellion against the Kremlin.The basic outlines of what happened are as follows: after months of conflict between the various power brokers around Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin made a move. Continued here