The spacetime attribute of matter

We propose that spacetime is fundamentally a property of matter, inseparable from it. This leads us to suggest that all properties of matter must be elevated to the same status as that of spacetime in quantum field theories of matter. We suggest a specific method for extending field theories to accomodate this, and point out how this leads to the evolution of fields through channels other than the spacetime channel.Comment: 6 pages, no figures, REVTe

Protected areas, wildlife conservation and local welfare

The establishment and expansion of protected areas in Africa have been motivated by the aspiration of increased wildlife abundance. During the past decades, however, this practise has been subject to a massive debate. While some claim that protected areas have failed in preserving African wildlife, others claim that existing protected areas are successful. This paper adds to this debate by presenting a bio-economic analysis of protected area expansion. The model considers a hunter-agrarian community located on the border of a protected area. An expansion of the protected area means less land for agricultural cultivation and hunting. Depending on the economic conditions in these activities, it is demonstrated that protected area expansion may reduce the degree of wildlife conservation. In addition, it may reduce the welfare of the local people.protected areas; wildlife conservation; hunting; agriculture; local welfare

Designing Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs): Illegal hunting, wildlife conservation and the welfare of the local people

This paper develops a bio-economic model to explore the effect on illegal hunting, wildlife conservation and human welfare of the most common instruments of existing ICDPs. It is demonstrated that stimulating working opportunities in the formal sector has the potential of promoting conservation, while money transfers and distribution of game meat to the local people fail, if not explicitly linked to the conservation objective. The analysis shows that such links, modelled as a risk of being excluded from the project if caught in illegal hunting, may be a more durable mean for ICDPs to reach its goal of improved wildlife conservation and human welfare. The model is illustrated by numerical calculations with data from Serengeti, Tanzania.

Wildlife Conservation Policies and Incentives to Hunt: An empirical analysis of illegal hunting in western Serengeti, Tanzania

This paper investigates factors determining participation and effort in illegal hunting, using cross-section survey data from households in western Serengeti, Tanzania. One purpose of the analysis is to study the impact on illegal hunting of the integrated conservation and development project established in this area, namely the Serengeti Regional Conservation Project (SRCP). The paper also investigates how the pattern of crop production in agriculture, market accessibility and wildlife-induced damage to crops and domestic animals affect illegal hunting. The empirical results suggest that effort in illegal hunting is inversely related to participation in SRCP. The results also show that the likelihood of illegal hunting is a decreasing function of the amount of agricultural land cultivated for maize production. Further, the hunting effort is negatively related to the size of cotton- and maize land, as well as wildlife-induced damage to crops and domestic animals.

Centralized or decentralized financing of local governments? Consequences for efficiency and inequality of service provision

Compared with most countries the Norwegian system of financing local governments is highly centralized. Grants make up a substantial part of revenues and local taxes are highly regulated by the center. The development of the system was motivated by a desire to equalize service provision throughout the country. The purpose of this paper is to analyze possible consequences of more decentralized financing with local tax discretion. Contrary to the conventional wisdom the analysis indicates that decentralized financing is likely to give more equal provision of local public services. In addition, substantial efficiency gains can be obtained.Centralized financing; Decentralized financing; Tax discretion; Efficiency gains; Equalization

An Update on Cosmological Anisotropy in Electromagnetic Propagation

We review evidence for a new phenomenon in the propagation of radio waves across the Universe, an anisotropic rotation of the plane of polarization not accounted for by conventional physics.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, LaTeX. Contributed to the Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on the Intersections of Particle and Nuclear Physics (Big Sky, Montana, 1997), to be published by the American Institute of Physics (Editor: T. W. Donnelly). For more information, please see http://www.cc.rochester.edu/college/rtc/Borge/aniso.htm