Land Use and Transportation Costs in the Brazilian Amazon

Transport infrastructure improvements are considered to be one of the most effective tools for stimulating economic activity; at the same time environmentalists have largely condemned most road building as being one of the greatest threats to tropical forests. In this paper we put forth some empirical evidence from the Brazilian Amazon that the relationship between roads and land clearing may be much more complex. In particular, we find that decreasing transport costs in areas that have established settlements is associated with lower rates of land clearing. Constructing roads into relatively pristine areas, however, has the expected effect of increasing agricultural land use and the rate of deforestation. Furthermore, our out of sample model evaluation exercises suggested that changes in land clearing tend to precede, rather than follow, changes in transport costs. Taken together our results suggest that intensifying road networks in settled areas of the Amazon region(as opposed to road building in virgin forest) may be a “win-win” strategy, both enhancing economic development and reducing environmental destruction.transport costs, roads, deforestation, Amazon

Land Use and Transportation Costs in the Brazilian Amazon

In this paper we put forth some empirical evidence from the Brazilian Amazon that the relationship between roads and land clearing may be much more complex than the conventional wisdom implies. In particular we find that in areas that already at least partially cleared, improving the road network (i.e. decreasing transport costs) may actually decrease the rate of deforestation. We argue that our methodology of explicitly modeling the dynamics should be preferred to the more common static, contemporaneous analyses found in the literature. Furthermore, we endeavor to provide an encompassing explanation of our results. In other words, not only do we show that dynamic modeling yields different conclusions from the conventional wisdom, but using our dynamic approach we are able to explain why so many other studies came to (possibly erroneous) conclusions using more traditional methods.

THE IMPLICATION OF PROPERTY RIGHTS FOR JOINT AGRICULTURE-TIMBER PRODUCTIVITY IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON

This paper examines whether better property rights will increase joint productivity of agricultural and timber products in the Brazilian Amazon. Farrell output-based technical efficiency and technological progress measures are derived by using DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) for Amazonian counties and are regressed on non-discretional variables such as land title. Land title is found to significantly improve the technical efficiency.Technical efficiency, property rights, DEA, two-stage procedure, Land Economics/Use, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

El latín de Extremadura a partir de las inscripciones

Se realiza un análisis lingüístico de esas inscripciones cuyos contenidos son relevantes para el estudio histórico y social de la región. Las principales características lingüísticas de estas inscripciones son las siguientes: hay pocos vulgarismos, hay arcaísmos y elementos prerromanos que no siguen el norma del latín. Las conclusiones que pueden inferirse de estos datos son: el latín de estas inscripción es el utilizado por los primeros soldados y colonizadores que se asentaron en esta zona. Este latín permaneció libre de vulgarismos de o los cambios experimentados por el latín de, por ejemplo, Italia, debido a que su base social era conservadora. Este carácter conservador también se manifiesta en el hecho de que un buea parte de la lengua previamente hablada en el área, probablemente celta, se conserva.This is a linguistíc analysis of those inscriptíons whose contents are relevant for the historical and social study of the region The main linguistíc features of these inscriptíons are the following: There are few vulgarisms, there are archaisms and pre-Roman elements which do not follow the Latín norm. And the conclusions which might be inferred from these data are: The Latín of these inscriptíon is the one used by the first soldiers and colonizers who settled in this area. This Latín remained free from the vulgarisms of or the changes undergone by the Latín of, for instance, Italy, because its social basis was conservative. This conservatíve character is also manifest in the fact that quite a few traist of the language previously spoken in the area, probably Celtíc, were preserved

Nebrija reformado en inglés. Johannes Hawkins (1631)

En el año 1631 aparece en Londres una Sintaxis latina, obra de un médico llamado Johannes Hawkins, que es, en su mayor parte, una traducción al inglés del libro IV, o libro de la Sintaxis, de la Gramática latina de Nebrija, pero del Arte reformada por el padre jesuita Juan Luis de la Cerda. El interés de esta obra, interés que ponemos de relieve en este trabajo, está en los siguientes datos: en primer lugar, el propio hecho de que se traduzca al inglés la Gramática latina de Nebrija es importante para la historia de esta obra que tantas veces fue editada en los siglos XVI y XVII. En segundo lugar, es de interés el hecho de que sólo se traduzca al inglés el libro de la Sintaxis y no el resto de la obra de Nebrija: ello es indicio de modernidad. En tercer lugar, es significativo que, si bien es indicio de modernidad traducir sólo la sintaxis, se prescinde, en ella, de uno de sus pilares doctrinales: la doctrina sobre las figuras gramaticales; ello sólo se explica por el deseo del traductor, Hawkins, de alejarse y distinguirse de otro médico y gramático inglés, Linacro, quien había introducido en la teoría gramatical del xvi la doctrina sobre las figuras gramaticales. Y en cuarto lugar, el traductor introduce, en una gramática latina, datos de las lenguas de la Biblia y del Corán (hebreo, arameo, árabe): ello es un dato que indica la conexión entre lengua y religión en algunos estudios de la época.In 1631 a Latin Syntax appeared in London, written by a doctor called Johannes Hawkins. Most of the content of this work is a translation to English of the book iv, or “libro de la Sintaxis” of Nebrija’s Latin Grammar, particularly of the Jesuit Juan Luis de la Cerda’s reformed Ars. The interest of this work, that we would like to highlight here, is given by the following issues: first of all, the fact that Nebrijas’s Grammar is translated to English is itself important for this work history that was repeatedly edited in 16th and 17th centuries. Secondly, it is also interesting the fact that only the Syntax book is translated the and not the rest of Nebrija’s work: that is an evidence of modernity. In third place, it is noteworthy that, although translating only the Syntax is interpreted like a sign of modernity, this also disregards one of its doctrinal basis: the doctrine on the grammatical figures; this can only be explained through a deliberate desire of the author, Hawkins, of moving further away and differentiate from another English doctor and grammarian, Linacer, who had introduced in the theoretical Grammar of the 16th century the doctrine on grammatical figures. Finally, the translator introduces, in a Latin Grammar, data about the languages of the Bible and the Koran (Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic): this is also a sign that shows the connection between language and religion in some of the studies at that time.Realizado en el marco del Proyecto de investigación "Teoría y enseñanza de la gramática latina en Europa durante los siglos XVI y XVII" (HUM 2005-01420)peerReviewe

El género de los "de viris illustribus" de Jerónimo a Ildefonso de Toledo: su finalidad.

De San Jerónimo a Ildefonso, el propósito y la intención de las biografías sobre hombres ilustres han cambiado de acuerdo a los intereses de los respectivos momentos en los que se han escrito estas biografías: en el siglo IV cuando el contraste entre la cultura cristiana y la cultura pagana es ardiente, Jerónimo insiste principalmente en escritores; deja que prevalezca el criterio literario. En el siglo V cuando florece la vida monástica y surgen las herejías centradas en los problemas cristológicos, Genadio insiste sobre todo en los monjes que escriben textos monásticos y en los autores de escritos heréticos. En el inicio del siglo VII, cuando por un lado, la memoria del arrianismo sigue viva en la Hispania visigoda y, en el otro lado, la conciencia de un Hispania importante para la concordancia del mundo occidental romano y latino ya emergente, Isidoro todavía insiste en autores de escritos heréticos. Pero él agrega ya el tema de los obispos y autores de la España visigótica. Y a mediados del siglo VII, finalmente, cuando el poder de la Monarquía visigoda en España se ha consolidado, con sede en Toledo, Ildefonso sólo está interesado en los obispos con sede en España y especialmente en Toledo.From Jerome to Ildephonse, the purpose and intention of the biographies about illustrious men have changed according to the interests of the respective moments in which these biographies are written: in the fourth century, when the contrast between the Christian culture and the Pagan Culture is ardent, Jerome insists chiefly on writers; he lets the literary criterion prevail. In the fifth century, when monastic life flourishes and heresies centring the christologic problems arise, Gennadius insists particularly on monks who write monastic texts and authors of heresiological writings. In the beginning of the seventh century, when, on the one hand, the memory of Arianism is still vivid in Visigothic Hispania and, on the other hand, the consciousness of an Hispania important for the concordance of the Roman and Latin Western world already emerges, Isidore still insists on authors of heresiological writings. But he already adds the theme of the bishops and authors of Visigothic Spain. And in the middle of the seventh century, finally, when the power of the Visigothic Monarchy in Spain has been consolidated, with seat in Toledo, Ildephonse is only interested in the bishops with seat in Spain and especially in Toledo

El superlativo relativo, ¿comparativo o superlativo?. Una vieja polémica gramatical

Since Greek authors is has been traditionally agreed that comparison is a three degree-system: positive, comparative and superlative. Doctrine also argues that superlative can compare, specially in case of relative superlative, which compares a term with another of the same category. According to this doctrine, relative superlative is, therefore, a comparative rather than an elative. Against this traditional idea, the most rational grammatic since Prisciano to Brocense argues that superlative, even the relative one, is superlative and not comparative and that the genitive that sometimes depends on it is not a second term of comparison, but a partitive. This idea is based on two arguments: first, the functions which doctrine ascribes to relative superlative -for example, to connect a term with another of the same category- can also be worded by a comparatife and, hence, superlative is not needed for this function and the compolement which depends on a comparative is not a second term of comparison but a partitive, so that the complement which depends on a relative superlative must be aso partitive and not comparative. Second, it is necessary to prove with some texts that tripartite system of comparison, in fact does not exist: that is to say that texts and facts demonstrate that comparative is comparative and superlative, even relative superlative, is superlative. We believe that true is, as always, in aurea mediocritas

Student-Teachers in Higher Education Institutions’ (HEIs) Emotional Intelligence and Mathematical Competencies

As manifested by various studies conducted, the present state of Mathematics education in the teaching-learning process is relatively declining and the existing effort to identify emotional intelligence and mathematics competencies of Mathematics major student-teachers at Higher Education Institutions in Isabela is an attempt to help alleviate the degenerate situation, in more especially that these student-teachers will eventually enter the teaching profession in the soonest possible time. It aimed to determine the emotional intelligence of the student-teachers in terms of emotional literacy, emotional quotient competencies and emotional quotient values and attitudes and determine the level of competence of the student-teachers in elementary algebra, intermediate algebra, advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry and statistics. The level of emotional intelligence of student-teachers in terms of emotional literacy, emotional quotient competencies and emotional quotient on values and attitudes of the respondents registered “Vulnerable” results and their level of mathematical competence in elementary algebra, intermediate algebra, advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry and statistics were rated “Satisfactory”. Keywords: aptitude, proficienc

Choque entre sistema y uso. Hechos del nivel pragmático

En ciertos usos de las categorías gramaticales sucede, por motivos fundamentalmente pragmáticos, es decir, debido al nivel de locución o al de los generadores de mensajes en su propia producción del lenguaje, que el valor de un identificador a nivel de uso o de habla no concuerda con el valor de su identificador en el nivel de lengua o de gramática, de hecho, no sólo puede ser diferente, sino que es totalmente opuesto (un plural con un significado singular, un pasado con el significado de presente; un pasado con el sentido de previamente que “se utiliza con el significado de después”; lo irreal que significa real, etc.) Es decir, el sentido de una unidad gramatical "frente al nivel del discurso con su valor en el plano gramatical”. En estos casos, lo siguiente ocurre a menudo, como esperamos mostrar: cuando hay un choque entre el valor de un elemento de un sistema gramatical y su valor de uso particular, el tema pierde su valor y adquiere uno nuevo o una nueva función. Esto se explica casi siempre desde un punto de vista pragmático, es decir, desde la perspectiva particular, el grado de intensidad, emoción o énfasis, del generador del mensaje.In certain uses of grammatical categories, and for fundamentally pragmatic reasons, that is, because of the degree of a speaker or message-producer's involvement in his own language production, it happens that the value of a token at the level of use or speech does not accord with the value of a token at the level of langue or grammar; indeed, it may not simply be different but completely opposite (a plural with a singular meaning; a past with present meaning; a tense which in the system means previously' used with the meaning of after'; the unreal which means real, etc.). That is, the meaning of a grammatical 'unit at the speech level clashes with its value at the grammatical level. In these cases, as we hope to show, the following often happens: when there is a clash between the value of an item in a grammatical system and its value in a particular use, that item loses its system value and takes on a new value in another system or a new function. This can nearly always be explained from a pragmatic point of view; that is, from the particular perspective, the degree of intensity, emotion or emphasis, of the message-producer.notPeerReviewe