The Effects of Tax-Based Saving Incentives On Saving and Wealth

This paper evaluates research examining the effects of tax-based saving incentives on private and national saving. Several" factors make this an unusually difficult problem. First, households that participate in, or are eligible for, saving incentive plans have systematically stronger tastes for saving than other households. Second, the data indicate that households with saving incentives have taken on more debt than other households. Third, significant changes in the 1980s in financial markets, pensions, social security, and nonfinancial assets interacted with the expansion of saving incentives. Fourth, saving incentive accounts represent pre-tax balances, whereas conventional taxable accounts represent post-tax balances. Fifth, the fact that employer contributions to saving incentive plans are a part of total employee compensation is typically ignored. A major theme of this paper is that analyses that ignore these issues overstate the impact of saving incentives on saving. We show that accounting for these factors largely or completely eliminates the estimated positive impact of saving incentives on saving found in the literature. Thus, we conclude that little if any of the overall contributions to existing saving incentives have raised private or national saving. *Portions of this article were published in the JEP, 1996, under title of "The Illusory Effects of Saving Incentives on Saving."

The Adequacy of Retirement Saving

macroeconomics, saving, retirement

Fine structure of an oceanic crustal section near the East Pacific Rise

In this study we model synthetically a complete seismic profile of roughly 20-m.y.-old crust located to the west of the East Pacific Rise, 3.37S, 114.13W. The results indicate a rather strong velocity gradient below the sediments with little evidence of layering in the upper crust and a slightly dipping oceanic layer. The crust-to-mantle transition zone appears sharp providing a relatively good wave guide for multiple Moho reflections which are modeled synthetically to further test the usefulness of a layered earth model in explaining entire seismograms. The mantle head waves decay abruptly near 50 km which can be explained by the onset of a low-velocity zone in the upper mantle at about a depth of 12 km below the ocean surface

Modeling the long-period body waves from shallow earthquakes at regional ranges

A procedure for modeling P and PL waves recorded on long-period WWSSN instruments at ranges 1° to 12° is presented. Following the experience gained by modeling explosions (Helmberger, 1972), we demonstrate that these long-period phases are adequately treated by a single crustal layer for most of Western United States. After generating the Green's functions at the various ranges for the three fundamental dislocation types, we need only construct linear combinations of these vectors to represent any arbitrary oriented earthquake. The waveform patterns produced from the various fault types are quite diagnostic with the dip-slip orientations showing a strong ringing nature which is caused by the vertical SV lobes. To test the usefulness of this technique, we construct synthetics for some well-studied west coast earthquakes where the orientation, time history, and moment have been determined independently. Comparing the predicted seismograms with observations, we find good agreement in waveshapes and amplitudes

Conical emission, pulse splitting and X-wave parametric amplification in nonlinear dynamics of ultrashort light pulses

The precise observation of the angle-frequency spectrum of light filaments in water reveals a scenario incompatible with current models of conical emission (CE). Its description in terms of linear X-wave modes leads us to understand filamentation dynamics requiring a phase- and group-matched, Kerr-driven four-wave-mixing process that involves two highly localized pumps and two X-waves. CE and temporal splitting arise naturally as two manifestations of this process

Do Saving Incentives Work?

macroeconomics, saving incentives

Low-Cost Electronic Microwave Calibration for Rapid On-Line Moisture Sensing of Seedcotton

In order to improve rapid on-line moisture sensing of seedcotton in cotton gins, a means by which to establish a reliable low-cost wide-band electronic calibration is critically needed. This calibration is needed to center the circuit due to changes in the internal signal delays and attenuation drift caused by temperature changes in the various system components and circuit elements. This research examines a hardware technique for use in conjunction with microwave reflective sensing probes having an extended bandwidth from 500 MHz through 2.5 GHz. This new technique was validated experimentally against known electrical propagation delay standards. Results of the measured propagation delay with this type of automatic electronic calibration method was found to agree with results using a vector network analyzer with a traditional S11 single port error correction calibration methodology to within 4% of the measurement, 95% confidence, with a standard error of +/− 18.6 ps for the delay measurements. At this level of performance, the proposed low-cost technique exhibits superior performance, over the typical geosciences time-domain reflectometer “TDR”, instruments in common use in soil moisture testing and is suitable for use in cotton gin moisture sensing

Human-machine networks: Towards a typology and profiling framework

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016. In this paper we outline an initial typology and framework for the purpose of profiling human-machine networks, that is, collective structures where humans and machines interact to produce synergistic effects. Profiling a humanmachine network along the dimensions of the typology is intended to facilitate access to relevant design knowledge and experience. In this way the profiling of an envisioned or existing human-machine network will both facilitate relevant design discussions and, more importantly, serve to identify the network type. We present experiences and results from two case trials: a crisis management system and a peerto- peer reselling network. Based on the lessons learnt from the case trials we suggest potential benefits and challenges, and point out needed future work

Modelling radiation-induced cell cycle delays

Ionizing radiation is known to delay the cell cycle progression. In particular after particle exposure significant delays have been observed and it has been shown that the extent of delay affects the expression of damage such as chromosome aberrations. Thus, to predict how cells respond to ionizing radiation and to derive reliable estimates of radiation risks, information about radiation-induced cell cycle perturbations is required. In the present study we describe and apply a method for retrieval of information about the time-course of all cell cycle phases from experimental data on the mitotic index only. We study the progression of mammalian cells through the cell cycle after exposure. The analysis reveals a prolonged block of damaged cells in the G2 phase. Furthermore, by performing an error analysis on simulated data valuable information for the design of experimental studies has been obtained. The analysis showed that the number of cells analyzed in an experimental sample should be at least 100 to obtain a relative error less than 20%.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Radiation and Environmental Biophysic

Blue justice : A survey for eliciting perceptions of environmental justice among coastal planners' and small-scale fishers in Northern-Norway

Ocean-based economic development arising from an increasing interest in the 'blue economy' is placing ecosystems and small-scale fisheries under pressure. The dominant policy response for dealing with multiple uses is the allocation of coastal space through coastal zone planning (CZP). Recent studies have shown that the rush to develop the blue economy and regulate coastal activity can result in social injustices and the exclusion of less powerful and unrecognized groups (e.g., small-scale fishers, women, Indigenous peoples and youth). To achieve a primary goal of the 2030 sustainable development agenda to "leave no one behind", it is important to understand the implications of coastal planning and development for these groups. Here, we present a social survey protocol for examining perceptions of justice related to small-scale fisheries (SSF) in the context of the blue economy in coastal areas. Specifically, we designed the survey instrument and sampling protocol to assess whether decisions about the use of the coastal zone over the last five years have i) followed principles of good governance, ii) recognized fishers' knowledge, culture and rights and iii) been attentive to impacts of changed coastal zone use on fisheries. The survey will engage coastal planners (N = app. 120) and fishers (N = app. 4300) in all the coastal municipalities (N = 81) in Northern-Norway. The sampling protocol is designed to ensure representation of different sectors of society, including those defined by gender, age, ethnicity and occupation (e.g., small-scale fishers, large-scale fishers, coastal planners).Peer reviewe