Fiscal Policy and Educational Attainment in the United States - A Generational Accounting Perspective

In this paper, we investigate the consequences of the rise in educational attainment on the US generational accounts. We build on the 1995 accounts of Gokhale and al. (1999) and disaggregate them per schooling level. We show that low skill newborns are characterized by a negative generational account (-15.4% of their lifetime labor income) whilst medium and high skill newborns have positive accounts (26.8% and 32.3% of their lifetime labor income). Compared to Gokhale et al., our baseline forecast is more optimistic. Nevertheless, the rise in educational attainment is not strong enough to restore the generational balance. The current fiscal policy generates a long-run deficit. Balancing the budget requires increasing taxes (by about 1.2%) or reducing transfers (by about 2.7%). These results are rather robust to growth and discounting assumptions as well as to the treatment of education spending. They are sensitive to assumptions about the schooling level of future generations.Generational accounting Human capital Fiscal policy

Experimental Measurement of a UAV Propeller\u27s Thrust

At present, there are several types of propellers in the field of the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with unknown parameters, where it is necessary to provide information about their thrust, current consumption and maximal rotational speed (RPM). Commonly used methods for measurement of a propeller\u27s thrust are mostly based on the usage of a single purpose system, on short measurements without data storage or on inaccurate sensors. The goal of this article is to develop a universal experimental measuring system for more accurate measurement of propeller\u27s parameters (thrust, current consumption, maximal RPM). For more accurate measurement, the battery voltage, temperature and humidity of the environment were also measured. To acquire, measure and store the data safely on a micro SD card, a processing circuit based on an ATmega2560 microcontroller was developed. This innovative approach allowed to analyse the behaviour of the propeller and to measure the dependencies of the RPM on pulse width, of the current on RPM and of the thrust on RPM at different input conditions. The measurements have shown that the dependencies can be approximated by cubic functions. The mathematical description allows predicting the behaviour of the propeller in unmeasurable conditions

Electoral transfers of power and presidential candidate selection in Sub-saharan Africa

Drawing on Tsubura’s studies (2019a; 2019b) that analyse how presidential candidates have been selected and critical defections avoided among dominant parties in countries of sub-Saharan Africa (hereinafter referred to as Africa) that have regular presidential succession, the present paper examines presidential candidate selection among ruling parties that have failed to establish one-party dominance in Africa. Specifically, this paper explores whether electoral transfers of power in the region are attributable to the failure to maintain party coherence in the selection of new presidential candidates. The paper conducts a two-stage analysis. First, it proposes a typology of electoral transfers of power in Africa by identifying two major dimensions: 1) whether ruling parties were dominant or non-dominant when they first lost multi-party elections and 2) whether ruling parties lost incumbent or open-seat elections. This classification reveals that no dominant party has lost open-seat elections in Africa, suggesting that, once one-party dominance is established, the dominant party is likely to continue managing leadership succession successfully. The second stage of the paper analyses presidential candidate selection of 1) non-dominant parties that lost open-seat elections and 2) a dominant party that lost an incumbent election. The two sets of analysis suggest that the maintenance of party cohesion in presidential candidate selection may have been more critical for the establishment of dominant-party systems than for their endurance in Africa

Experimental Investigation of Impacting Flow between a Sub-Scale Twin-Rotor Configuration

In this paper, a series of experiments have been performed to understand the semi-quiescent and the impacting flow structure beneath the twin-rotor configuration body using a multipurpose test stand with a sub-scale model airframe in the ground effects. So, the main purpose was to perform a qualitative investigation on the recirculated impacting flow between the twin-rotors. Pressure and velocity measurements were performed by the pressure ports embedded longitudinally along the airframe. The results show that for a single rotor an impinging jet-like small region and rearward and upward flows were below the body. The presence of the second rotor in configurations causes an impacting flow formation in the longitudinal center region below the airframe and a semi-quiescent flow formed there. The positive effects of this flow includes increasing the sub-body pressure and lifting force, the pressure distribution balance, and desirable pressure gradient on sidewalls of the airframe. Tuft tests observations confirm that the location of the impacting flow formation is affected by the pressure and velocity measurements. The mentioned impacting flow aerodynamic effects must be taken into account in design of the flight controls trims and stability systems of twin-rotor configurations

Challenges and Innovation of Indonesia Overseas Election in Tokyo

Overseas election by Indonesia was started since 1955. However, the regulation of overseas election in Indonesia have a problem in the absence of specific rules regarding the law and almost no distinguishment between overseas and domestic election. It turns out that the Implication of lack of specific regulation are constraining the overseas election committee (PPLN) to run smooth simultaneous election and influencing quality of election. While Indonesia election are mostly done through a traditional based on paper election and manual data collection, PPLN promoting innovations to overcome the challenges. PPLN Tokyo face these constraints by applicating innovation technology solutions. Hence, several innovations done can be a lesson learned to be replicated domestically and to create better election quality

Draught of a bill transmitted by the Secretary of the Interior, to amend an act to restore a part of the Round Valley Indian Reservation, in California, to the public lands and for other purposes, approved March 3, 1873

Round Valley Indian Reservation, California. [1607] Amendment to an act to restore part of the reservation to public lands

A study of waterbirds in Shanks Creek: An investigation on Smith Island, MD

A&N Electric Cooperative provides electrical power to the communities of Smith Island via a distribution line that runs above water for approximately 1.8 miles along Shanks Creek. In 1999, a waterman reported observing a large number of Brown Pelicans falling from the power line near the mouth of Shanks Creek. The opinion was expressed that these birds may have been electrocuted when their weight caused two wires to make contact and complete the circuit. It has been further suggested that fish concentrations under the power lines may have led the pelicans to use them as hunting perches. The area surrounding Shanks Creek supports one of the largest communities of colonial waterbirds in the Chesapeake Bay. A report that power lines may pose a hazard to waterbirds has led to concerns on the part of both A&N Electric and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The broad objective of this study was to assess the magnitude and nature of the use that the distribution line receives from waterbirds. The association of waterbirds to electrical structures in Shanks Creek was monitored during 36 three-hour observation periods distributed among the relevant phases of the breeding cycle and tidal stages. A total of 3,623 observations of birds perched on electrical structures was made during the course of 432 surveys. Nearly 90% of these birds were perched on power poles and associated wooden structures with virtually all of the remainder perching on the top wire. The top wire serves as a guide and does not carry electrical current. Estimated loads experienced by wires averaged 2.1 Kg with a maximum observed load of 5.04 Kg. These loads are relatively insignificant and no visible depression of wires was observed. During 72 hours of direct observation, more than 4,000 birds were observed to fly across the power line within a distance of 10 m. None of these birds was observed to fly between wires or to strike any wire. There is no indication that waterbirds within and surrounding the Shanks Creek area experience any elevated risk of mortality compared to birds associated with the thousands of miles of exposed power lines found throughout the Chesapeake Bay and the broader mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. No birds were observed to be electricuted during survey periods, no dead birds were detected during fieldwork, and no burn marks were observed along distribution lines. The suggestion that large numbers of Brown Pelicans are attracted to Shanks Creek for foraging and that they collectively perch hunt from wires was not supported by the observations made during the breeding season of 2000. In more than 100 hours of observation across the breeding season, only two pelicans were observed to contact any electrical structure. These included two young of the year birds that landed on the top wire for a period of approximately 10 seconds. Although many pelicans were observed to forage in Shanks Creek, they used the traditional methods of plunge diving and “seigning” in the shallows. The highest number of birds observed to be perched on a single wire span was three Double-crested Cormorants. These birds would have resulted in a combined load of 5.04 Kg. This load appears to be inadequate to result in a significant increase in the probability of a wire to wire contact

Legal Ethics and \u3cem\u3eA Civil Action\u3c/em\u3e

This Article shows how A Civil Action can be used to supplement a course in Professional Responsibility. A Civil Action contains many events that can similarly be used to introduce students to ethical dilemmas they will confront when they enter the profession. These events can breathe life into otherwise dry discussions of acceptable ethical behavior as set out in ethical codes. In accord with the Lessons from Woburn Project\u27s goal to make A Civil Action and its associated materials into a powerful teaching tool, the book\u27s events vividly illustrate the ethical parameters within which a lawyer must operate, ethical parameters that exist regardless of how tired a lawyer may be or how antagonistic the opposing party may act

Legal Ethics and \u3cem\u3eA Civil Action\u3c/em\u3e

This Article shows how A Civil Action can be used to supplement a course in Professional Responsibility. A Civil Action contains many events that can similarly be used to introduce students to ethical dilemmas they will confront when they enter the profession. These events can breathe life into otherwise dry discussions of acceptable ethical behavior as set out in ethical codes. In accord with the Lessons from Woburn Project\u27s goal to make A Civil Action and its associated materials into a powerful teaching tool, the book\u27s events vividly illustrate the ethical parameters within which a lawyer must operate, ethical parameters that exist regardless of how tired a lawyer may be or how antagonistic the opposing party may act