Democracy and Development: Lessons from Turkish Experience Applied to Ethiopia

Ethiopia\u27s development problems are not unique. Similar problems have been (and are being) encountered in many other countries. Turkey\u27s successful transformation from a politically and economically backward, stagnant country into one of the most dynamic societies of our time offers an example of the kind of progress Ethiopia can hope for during the 21st century. How did Turkey transform itself in little over half a century? Turkey and Ethiopia have similarities. Both have complicated geography but lack major wealth in minerals and oil. Both have suffered strife and political turmoil. Both have unstable and aggressive neighbors. Both carry a heavy burden of history, but neither has ever been colonized or effectively conquered. When the modern Turkish Republic was proclaimed in 1923, it had barely 12 million people most of whom were illiterate and lived in a countryside which had barely changed over several thousand years. The country lacked infrastructure and industry. Its exports consisted of tobacco, nuts, dried fruit and carpets, produce of traditional peasant agriculture. It was equally backward politically. A small elite class led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk--who ruled as a benevolent but firm monarch--was determined to turn the country into an open society moving toward European civilization and modern development. Today Turkey has over 70 million people, almost all literate. All Turkish children go to school. Every Turkish village has electricity and running water. Everybody has access to doctors and medicines. Turkey\u27s exports totaled $60 billion in 2004 and included automobiles, televisions, and manufactured goods of many kinds, huge amounts of processed food and vast quantities of textiles and other consumer goods. A majority of Turks now live in cities and enjoy a steadily rising standard of living. More than 30 universities produce skilled specialists. Communication and transportation systems approach those of most countries in Europe. A network of super-highways is now being built. For more than 50 years Turkey has enjoyed a democratic political system, a free press, and lively cultural life. It is likely to join the European Union by 2020. Turkey\u27s experience offers comparisons and lessons worth considering as Ethiopia embarks on a period of accelerated development

Reflections on Development in Ethiopia

I visited Ethiopia frequently and traveled extensively in all parts of the country during the Derg period. I observed firsthand the deleterious effects of the Derg\u27s attempt to turn the country into a communist people\u27s republic .[1] Since the fall of the Derg in May 1991, I have made fifteen visits to Ethiopia, usually for periods of several weeks, totaling well over a year of travel in the country in all. During these same years I have also spent time in sixteen other post-communist countries, ranging from Slovenia and Armenia to Mongolia, observing the political, economic and social problems of recovering from communism and restoring cultural heritage. I delivered a paper summarizing some of this experience in comparison with Ethiopia at the 14th International Ethiopian Studies Conference in Addis Ababa in November 2000.[2] The present discussion is based on observations from travel in Ethiopia, discussions at conferences, and familiarity with literature relevant to the subject of economic and social development

Reflections on Development in Ethiopia

I visited Ethiopia frequently and traveled extensively in all parts of the country during the Derg period. I observed firsthand the deleterious effects of the Derg\u27s attempt to turn the country into a communist people\u27s republic .1 Since the fall of the Derg in May 1991 I have made eleven visits to Ethiopia (with a twelfth scheduled for June 2001), usually for periods of several weeks, totaling well over a year of travel in the country in all. During these same years I have also spent time in 16 other post-communist countries, ranging from Slovenia and Armenia to Mongolia, observing the political, economic and social problems of recovering from communism and restoring cultural heritage. I delivered a paper summarizing some of this experience in comparison with Ethiopia at the 14th International Ethiopian Studies Conference in Addis Ababa in November 2000.2 The present discussion is based on observations from travel in Ethiopia, discussions at the 14th IESC and other conferences, and familiarity with literature relevant to the subject of economic and social development

Testing normality in any dimension by Fourier methods in a multivariate Stein equation

We study a novel class of affine-invariant and consistent tests for multivariate normality. The tests are based on a characterization of the standard d-variate normal distribution by way of the unique solution of an initial value problem connected to a partial differential equation, which is motivated by a multivariate Stein equation. The test criterion is a suitably weighted L2-statistic. We derive the limit distribution of the test statistic under the null hypothesis as well as under contiguous and fixed alternatives to normality. A consistent estimator of the limiting variance under fixed alternatives, as well as an asymptotic confidence interval of the distance of an underlying alternative with respect to the multivariate normal law, is derived. In simulation studies, we show that the tests are strong in comparison with prominent competitors and that the empirical coverage rate of the asymptotic confidence interval converges to the nominal level. We present a real data example and also outline topics for further research

Assessment of the tissue distribution of transplanted human endothelial progenitor cells by radioactive labeling

Background— Transplantation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) improves vascularization and left ventricular function after experimental myocardial ischemia. However, tissue distribution of transplanted EPCs has not yet been monitored in living animals. Therefore, we tested whether radioactive labeling allows us to detect injected EPCs

J004457+4123 (Sharov 21): not a remarkable nova in M31 but a background quasar with a spectacular UV flare

We announce the discovery of a quasar behind the disk of M31, which was previously classified as a remarkable nova in our neighbour galaxy. The paper is primarily aimed at the outburst of J004457+4123 (Sharov 21), with the first part focussed on the optical spectroscopy and the improvement in the photometric database. Both the optical spectrum and the broad band spectral energy distribution of Sharov 21 are shown to be very similar to that of normal, radio-quiet type 1 quasars. We present photometric data covering more than a century and resulting in a long-term light curve that is densely sampled over the past five decades. The variability of the quasar is characterized by a ground state with typical fluctuation amplitudes of ~0.2 mag around B~20.5, superimposed by a singular flare of ~2 yr duration (observer frame) with the maximum at 1992.81 where the UV flux has increased by a factor of ~20. The total energy in the flare is at least three orders of magnitudes higher than the radiated energy of the most luminous supernovae, provided that it comes from an intrinsic process and the energy is radiated isotropically. The profile of the flare light curve appears to be in agreement with the standard predictions for a stellar tidal disruption event where a ~10 M_sun giant star was shredded in the tidal field of a ~2...5 10^8 M_sun black hole. The short fallback time derived from the light curve requires an ultra-close encounter where the pericentre of the stellar orbit is deep within the tidal disruption radius. Gravitational microlensing provides an alternative explanation, though the probability of such a high amplification event is very low.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 14 pages, 11 figure

Film calibration for the Skylab/ATM S-056 X-ray telescope

The sensitometry and film calibration effort for the Skylab/ATM S-056 X-ray telescope is summarized. The apparatus and procedures used are described together with the two types of flight film used, Kodak SO-212 and SO-242. The sensitometry and processing of the flight film are discussed, and the results are presented in the form of the characteristic curves and related data. The use of copy films is also discussed

Detection of mRNA using the BIACORE

We present the detection of native mRNA using the BIACORE system. The influence of different probes and flow rates on the detection is shown and compared to the hybridisation of oligonucleotides. Probes for mRNA detection were chosen by calculations of secondary structures using energy minimizing criteria based on the algorithm of Zuker. Probe concentrations were optimised as well as the regeneration conditions for the sensor surface. The influence of the flow rate appeared to be more marked for mRNA than for oligonucleotide hybridisation