Through the Looking Glass: Why the "Cosmic Horizon" is not a horizon

The present standard model of cosmology, $\Lambda$CDM, contains some intriguing coincidences. Not only are the dominant contributions to the energy density approximately of the same order at the present epoch, but we note that contrary to the emergence of cosmic acceleration as a recent phenomenon, the time averaged value of the deceleration parameter over the age of the universe is nearly zero. Curious features like these in $\Lambda$CDM give rise to a number of alternate cosmologies being proposed to remove them, including models with an equation of state w = -1/3. In this paper, we examine the validity of some of these alternate models and we also address some persistent misconceptions about the Hubble sphere and the event horizon that lead to erroneous conclusions about cosmology.Comment: Accepted for publication by MNRAS, 6 pages, 3 figure

THE IMPACT OF MIGRATION AND REMITTANCES TO RURAL MIGRATION-SENDING HOUSEHOLDS: THE CASE OF THE LIMPOPO PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

The research question is to assess the contribution of migration to rural livelihoods through remittances to the migration sending rural households. The paper presents empirical findings from a household survey conducted in the Limpopo Province of South Africa in 1999/2000.The survey covering 585 households in 24 villages. The results indicate that migration is prevalent, and is a source of support for households to supplement their livelihood. The majority of migrants moved away from home to look for a job, with the first period of migration taking place between the ages of 15 and 30 (mean of 23). Remittances form a significant proportion (32%) of the total rural household income, surpassed only by salary and wage earnings (46%). Even though the amounts of remittances and their uses are extremely varied within and between countries, regions and even villages, they provide one of the important means through, which migrants maintain close links with the households left behind, and contribute significantly to the livelihood of a large proportion of the rural population. On the average, local wage and salary income contribute almost R17 230 per annum. This is by far the dominant source of income; it is followed by migrant remittances (cash and goods), which average R14,342 per annum.Consumer/Household Economics, Labor and Human Capital,

MIGRATION AND RURAL ASSETS: EVIDENCE FROM SURVEYS IN THREE SEMI-ARID REGIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA, INDIA AND BOTSWANA

Consumer/Household Economics,

The Relationship Between Variation in Social Complexity and Cognitive Performance in Brown Capuchins (Cebus [Sapajus] apella)

The cognitive demand on animals to learn, maintain, and remember the complexities of social relationships is higher for individuals who live more complex social lives. Previous research has suggested that both across and within species, as social complexity increases so does the ability to flexibly learn and manipulate information. Elucidating the relationship between social complexity and cognition is therefore essential to understanding how evolutionary pressures have shaped cognitive development. In this study, I determined if there was a relationship between social complexity and cognitive performance on two standard tests of learning, associative learning and reversal learning. Subjects were 16 members of a socially housed group of brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus [Sapajus] apella). Each subject completed up to five rounds of testing on a series of associative learning and reversal learning tasks. A general learning score was extracted from a principal component analysis on cognitive testing performance across the two tasks. Behavioral observations of affiliative and grooming interactions were used to characterize the complexity of each monkey’s social life in the social network of the group. Generalized linear models revealed that learning performance was best explained by centrality in the grooming social network (p= 0.076), although this relationship was not significant. While results from these analyses were interpreted with caution as data collection is ongoing, results clearly do not show strong support for a positive relationship between learning performance and social complexity as predicted. Brown capuchins may gain a social benefit from cognitive abilities not tested or when the information learned has direct social implications. My findings suggest that there may not be a clear link between cognition and social behavior, or that our methods were not appropriate for answering this question

The Impact of Economic Growth and Distribution of Zakat Funds on Poverty (Survey in the Third District of West Java Province Period 2011-2016)

Indonesia is a developing country that measures its development success in terms of its economic growth. West Java Province is one of the provinces that is the center of development because it has a large population and has good economic growth and increases every year seen from the GRDP at constant prices. In addition, there are many strategic economic sectors located in West Java Province. So that the potential and collection of zakat funds is the highest compared to other provinces. This is expected to alleviate poverty problems in West Java Province, especially in Region III of West Java Province. This study uses secondary data from 2011-2016. The analysis technique used is panel data regression. Based on the results of the analysis found that economic growth and the distribution of zakat funds simultaneously have a significant effect on the number of poor people. Partial economic growth has a negative and significant effect on the number of poor people. While the partial distribution of zakat does not have a negative and insignificant effect on the number of poor people. Variables that have the most dominant influence on the number of poor people are economic growth variables.     Keywords: Economic Development, Poverty, Economic Growth, Distribution, Zakat Distribution Fund

THE EFFECT OF RURAL INEQUALITY ON FERTILITY, MIGRATION, ENVIRONMENT AND THUS AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY: A CASE STUDY IN THE ARID AND SEMI-ARID AREAS IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCE OF SOUTH AFRICA

Food Security and Poverty,

Poverty and inequality profile of households in the Northern Province of South Africa

The paper gives an overview of the socio-economic profile of access to resources and social behaviour of rural households of the Northern Province of South Africa. It is based on the survey conducted in 24 villages covering 586 households. The preliminary results reflect a number of disparities among men and female household heads and their occupations. Women farmers tend to dominate the agricultural sector, while men are predominantly in the service and industry sectors. Also, male headed households have more members than female headed households, which are mostly single parents and have higher percentage of members under fifteen (reflecting high fertility rates). Unemployment is rife, coupled with a significant number of old (retired) people, and more women involved in subsistence agriculture. Migration is prevalent, and is a source of support for households to supplement their livelihood, since farming is not enough to meet household requirements. There is still a gap in access to water and land resources. These results pose major challenges for agriculture in the new millennium since access and distribution of resources will be imminent.Food Security and Poverty,

THE RATE OF RETURN ON EXPENDITURES OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (ARC)

All the rate of return estimates, regardless of methodology or the level of aggregation, are entirely consistent and logical. The returns show that the ARC has been extremely successful economically and has followed a sound strategy of exploiting spillovers from foreign R&D systems. However, there must be a strong socio-economic component to the ARC's efforts if it is to reach the disadvantaged.Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,