Based in London, this gauge reflects the rates that freight carriers charge to haul basic, solid raw materials, such as iron ore, coal, cement, and grain.
But gauges reflect character: in sports cars, the tach looms larger, sometimes literally overshadowing the speedo.
Media commentator Roy Greenslade argues that the narrowing of opportunity for working-class people to find jobs in the media affects the ability of the media class to correctly gauge and reflect the mood of a community and of a nation.
The group that decides on the index's components have done a good job of altering the gauge to reflect the modern economy, he feels, even as they get a bad rap from critics who deride the index as stodgy.
The Child Gauge 2012 reflects on the potential of such measures, particularly social assistance, early childhood development, education and health care, to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and reduce inequality.
The other main gauges also reflected a broad scramble to buy stocks, one that forced some traders who had sold shares short in hopes of profiting from further declines to cover their positions, adding to demand.
The trees, fabricated in aluminum and painted with white enamel, serve as foils against which to gauge the changing seasons, reflecting sunlight and basking in the longer days of spring.
It is obviously only a crude gauge, but it reflects the economic factors that have caused trouble in the past.
These changes, however, could be purely local, so the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds sought a gauge that would reflect nationwide changes.
And, as a camp gay man, I have a special interest in gauging how it reflects our ongoing relationship with camp.
