The Renormalization Group According to Balaban - I. Small fields

This is an expository account of Balaban's approach to the renormalization group. The method is illustrated with a treatment of the the ultraviolet problem for the scalar phi^4 model on a toroidal lattice in dimension d=3. This yields another proof of the stability bound. In this first paper we analyze the small field contribution to the partition function.Comment: 52 pages. Some corrections, additions, reorganizatio

The Renormalization Group According to Balaban - III. Convergence

This is an expository account of Balaban's approach to the renormalization group. The method is illustrated with a treatment of the ultraviolet problem for the scalar phi^4 model on a toroidal lattice in dimension d=3. In this third paper we demonstrate convergence of the expansion and complete the proof of a stability bound.Comment: 37 page

Sine-Gordon Revisited

We study the sine-Gordon model in two dimensional space time in two different domains. For beta > 8 pi and weak coupling, we introduce an ultraviolet cutoff and study the infrared behavior. A renormalization group analysis shows that the model is asymptotically free in the infrared. For beta < 8 pi and weak coupling, we introduce an infrared cutoff and study the ultraviolet behavior. A renormalization group analysis shows that the model is asymptotically free in the ultraviolet.Comment: 43 pages, Latex 2.0

Most Say Disaster Spending Does Not Require Offsetting Cuts: A Pew Research Center/Washington Post Survey

As Oklahoma recovers from severe damage caused by last week's tornado, a majority of Americans (59%) say federal spending in response to natural disasters is emergency aid that does not need to be offset by cuts to other programs, while 29% say such spending must be offset by cuts to other programs.While there are partisan differences in opinions about how disaster aid should be treated, majorities of Democrats (69%), independents (57%) and Republicans (52%) say that federal spending in response to natural disasters does not require offsetting spending cuts elsewhere.The national survey by the Pew Research Center and the Washington Post, conducted May 23-26 among 1,005 adults, finds broad support across demographic groups for the view that federal spending in response to natural disasters is emergency aid and does not need to be offset by cuts to other programs. Comparable majorities of those living in the Northeast (62%), Midwest (58%), West (58%) and South (57%) all agree that federal spending in response to disasters is emergency aid