We address the issue of public or bank holidays in electricity load modeling and forecasting. Special characteristics of public holidays such as their classification into fixed-date and weekday ...holidays are discussed in detail. We present state-of-the-art techniques to deal with public holidays such as removing them from the data set, treating them as Sunday dummy or introducing separate holiday dummies. We analyze pros and cons of these approaches and provide a large load forecasting study for Germany that compares the techniques using standard performance and significance measures. Finally, we give general recommendations for the treatment of public holidays in energy forecasting to suggest how the drawbacks particular to most of the state-of-the-art methods can be mitigated. This is especially useful, as the incorporation of holiday effects can improve the forecasting accuracy during public holidays periods by more than 80%, but even for non-holidays periods, the forecasting error can be reduced by approximately 10%.
A comprehensive reference guide that covers over 3,500 observances. Features both secular and religious events from many different cultures, countries, and ethnic groups. Includes contact information ...for events; multiple appendices with background information on world holidays; extensive bibliography; multiple indexes.
Aims
To examine changes in illicit drug consumption between peak holiday season (23 December–3 January) in Australia and a control period two months later in a coastal urban area, an inland ...semi‐rural area and an island populated predominantly by vacationers during holidays.
Design
Analysis of representative daily composite wastewater samples collected from the inlet of the major wastewater treatment plant in each area.
Setting
Three wastewater treatment plants.
Participants
Wastewater treatment plants serviced approximately 350 000 persons in the urban area, 120 000 in the semi‐rural area and 1100–2400 on the island.
Measurements
Drug residues were analysed using liquid chromatography coupled to a tandem mass spectrometer. Per capita drug consumption was estimated. Changes in drug use were quantified using Hedges' g.
Findings During the holidays, cannabis consumption in the semi‐rural area declined (g = −2.8) as did methamphetamine (−0.8), whereas cocaine (+1.5) and ecstasy (+1.6) use increased. In the urban area, consumption of all drugs increased during holidays (cannabis +1.6, cocaine +1.2, ecstasy +0.8 and methamphetamine +0.3). In the vacation area, methamphetamine (+0.7), ecstasy (+0.7) and cocaine (+1.1) use increased, but cannabis (−0.5) use decreased during holiday periods.
Conclusions
While the peak holiday season in Australia is perceived as a period of increased drug use, this is not uniform across all drugs and areas. Substantial declines in drug use in the semi‐rural area contrasted with substantial increases in urban and vacation areas. Per capita drug consumption in the vacation area was equivalent to that in the urban area, implying that these locations merit particular attention for drug use monitoring and harm minimisation measures.
El Cinco de Mayo Hayes-Bautista, David E
2012., 20120401, 2012, 2012-05-05
eBook
Why is Cinco de Mayo—a holiday commemorating a Mexican victory over the French at Puebla in 1862—so widely celebrated in California and across the United States, when it is scarcely observed in ...Mexico? As David E. Hayes-Bautista explains, the holiday is not Mexican at all, but rather an American one, created by Latinos in California during the mid-nineteenth century. Hayes-Bautista shows how the meaning of Cinco de Mayo has shifted over time—it embodied immigrant nostalgia in the 1930s, U.S. patriotism during World War II, Chicano Power in the 1960s and 1970s, and commercial intentions in the 1980s and 1990s. Today, it continues to reflect the aspirations of a community that is engaged, empowered, and expanding.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to undertake a “real-time” assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the right to participate in hospitality and tourism and to illustrate where such ...rights are under threat.
Design/methodology/approach
This discussion is based on a review of current events, assessed through interpretation of a human rights lens.
Findings
Rights to participate in hospitality and tourism, particularly in parts of Asia, Europe and North America, were affected on a scale unprecedented in peacetime.
Research limitations/implications
The rights to participate in hospitality and tourism have been challenged as never before. The big questions that will need to be answered going forward are the extent to which such rights will be restored, post-COVID-19.
Originality/value
This is a “real-time” assessment and will require re-visiting as events unfold over the coming months and years.
The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the tourism business in Switzerland. Although it is a minor position in the Swiss export balance, it is nevertheless of considerable importance for ...those regions of the country that attract domestic and foreign visitors. As a consequence of the lockdown measures, combined with close borders and travel bans, tourism collapsed and only briefly and partly recovered in summer. Its future is uncertain and depends on people’s (future guests’) attitudes and decisions as much as on the economy, political measures and, of course, the progress of the pandemic. Will there be an ‘after’ COVID-19?.
Children's physical activity decreases during school holidays. Less structured days and reduced participation in organised activities may account for some of the decrease. Little is known about the ...factors that influence parents' decision to enrol their child in organised activity such as holiday clubs. This paper sought to explore parents' perceptions of their child's physical activity during school holidays and the factors that influence holiday activity-based decision making. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 42 parents of children aged 10-11 years in July 2017 or March 2018. Data were analysed using a combination of inductive and deductive content analysis to explore parents' perceptions of holiday-based physical activity and the factors associated with how they provide physical activity opportunities for their children. The data revealed that most parents consider their child's physical activity levels when planning for the school holidays. However, work commitments in the holidays meant many parents had to rely on both informal and formal childcare. Grandparents were the primary source of informal childcare, despite a perception that children were not as physically active when with them. Holiday clubs were also a viable option, but the cost, location and age-appropriateness of provision inhibit parents signing older children up to these regularly.
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