NAFTA Revisited: Achievements and Challenges

NAFTA entered into force in 1994 after a bitter Congressional debate. But NAFTA in operation has proved no less controversial than NAFTA before ratification, for both supporters and opponents of trade liberalization have cited experience with the agreement to justify their positions. To provide a factual basis for this ongoing debate, the authors evaluate NAFTA's performance over the first seven years, comparing actual experience with both the objectives of the agreement's supporters and the charges of its critics. They then examine future challenges and opportunities in the trade and investment relationships among the three partner countries and the broader implications for new trade initiatives throughout the hemisphere.

The Doha Round after Hong Kong

Trade ministers from member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO) convened in Hong Kong in December 2005 to jump-start the flagging Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations. The ministerial accomplished more in spirit than in substance and placed more emphasis on negotiating process than on policy reform. The industrial countries offered up kernels of subsidy reform and development assistance, but all the big-ticket items were studiously deferred to future meetings. Progress on nonagricultural market access and services was microscopic. Without substantive offers in these areas, the United States and European Union will not be able to augment their offers on farm reforms. Developing countries are skeptical that the European Union will up the ante in agriculture even if they offer concrete reforms on goods and services trade. In any event, most developing countries are reluctant to lower their own market access barriers. So neither side moves. Trade ministers do not have the political authority to break this "Alphonse and Gaston" routine and approve reforms in sensitive areas that are needed to produce a comprehensive package of accords acceptable to all WTO members. To succeed, the Doha Round needs a political jolt. A trade summit involving heads of state of countries whose policy reforms are crucial to the success of the WTO talks must be convened to break the impasse.

Marine flora and fauna of the eastern United States Mollusca: Cephalopoda

The cephalopods found in neritic waters of the northeastern United States include myopsid and oegopsid squids, sepiolid squids, and octopods. A key with diagnostic illustrations is provided to aid in identification of the eleven species common in the neritic waters between Cape Hatteras and Nova Scotia; included also is information on two oceanic species that occur over the continental shelf in this area and that can be confused with similar-looking neritic species. Other sections comprise a glossary of taxonomic characters used for identification of these species, an annotated systematic checklist, and checklists of the 89 other oceanic species and 18 Carolinian and subtropical neritic species that might occur occasionally off the northeastern United States. (PDF file contains 30 pages.

High and Inside

Mike Barsen squirmed uneasily in his seat in the press box and peered over onto the playing field, now nearly completely shrouded by the shadows of the west grandstand and bleachers. The game had gone into extra innings, and there was apparently little hope for an immediat~ break in .the one-to-one .deadlock. Al Rosar was pitching for the GIants, startmg the game with a won-lost record of eight and thirteen for the 1948 season. But Mike Barsen, covering the game for the Gazette, knew, perhaps better than anyone else in the stands, how bitterly Al Rosar needed to win the game, for Mike had been in the Giant dressing-room not over a week ago when Al Rosar had lost his game with the Phils, and Mike had heard the conversation between Al Rosar and the young New York catcher, Tex Radcliffe. Mike had been standing in one corner of the locker room talking to the old man when Al and Tex had come down the ramp and in the door from the field. Mike wasn\u27t able to see the men as they talked, but he was close enough to hear the soft-spoken Texan

Using GIS-based and remotely sensed data for early winter moose (Alces alces gigas) survey stratification

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2005Stratification of moose survey areas is a key step to reduce population estimation variance. In the Yukon and Alaska, use of fixed-area grids for early winter moose counts combined with the increasing availability of GIS and remotely sensed data provide the opportunity to develop standardized and repeatable habitat-based stratifications. I used univariate comparisons, stepwise regression and AIC modeling to describe moose distribution as a function of landscape level variables for an area in west central Yukon during 1998 and 1999. Results quantified early winter habitat use of upland shrub habitats and support previous observations for early winter moose habitat use in Alaska, Minnesota and Montana. Number of patches, in association with areas of alpine and shrubs, were found to be highly influential for survey blocks where moose are expected to be present and in high numbers. Overall, model performance based on relative abundance of moose was less predictive than for blocks where moose were present or absent. Spatial resolution of GIS and remotely sensed data used in this study (25 m grid cells) provided sufficient spatial detail to generate correlations between moose presence and habitat for a first level stratification.Introduction -- Study area -- Early winter moose surveys -- Land cover mapping -- Habitat variables -- Statistical analyses -- Model development and assessment -- Results -- Early winter moose Surveys --Land cover mapping -- Moose presence and absence -- Univariate analyses -- Stepwise regression -- Model assessment -- High/low numbers of observed adult moose -- Univariate analysis -- Stepwise regression -- Model assessment -- Discussion -- Limitations of this study -- Conclusions and recommendation -- Recommendations for conducting habitat-based stratifications -- Literature cited -- List of personal communication -- Tables -- Figures -- Appendices

Understanding Masculinity: The Role of Father-Son Interaction

Although a significant amount of research has accounted for gender from a social constructionist perspective, research specifically examining the construction of masculinity is still a relatively new endeavor. Additionally, although gender is accounted for in various family communication theories, no theory specifically accounts for gender formation within the context of family interaction. The purpose of this study is to examine sons\u27 narratives of their recollections of father-son interactions. Studying the father-son dyad in this way may help us to better understand how men constitute masculinity in particular familial relationships. Although the purpose was to examine the themes of father-son interactions, the themes of masculinity are also salient. Therefore, this study also illuminates common masculine themes as reported in men\u27s stories of their fathers. Twenty-one men (age 18 or older) participated in semi-structured interviews that lasted 45-55 minutes. Qualitative data yielded 3 major themes and 26 sub-themes surrounding father-son interaction, as it pertains to men\u27s ideas about masculinity. Discussion of 4 major findings and 3 secondary findings are presented. Finally, strengths and limitations of the study are explored and directions for future research are suggested