Organic Crop Production Overview

This publication provides an overview of the key concepts and practices of certified organic crop production. It also presents perspectives on many of the notions, myths, and issues that have become associated with organic agriculture over time. A guide to useful ATTRA resources and to several non-ATTRA publications is provided

El Brasileño y su ego-coche: una visión sociológica europea sobre el acto de dirigir en un "país del futuro"

Urban transport is a quite uncommon topic for a sociological anlaysis - not only in Brasil. The issue is considered belonging to urban planning and not to sociology. With the establishment of modernist urban planning as the hegemonic model in the aftermath of World War II its airm was to guarantee a rapid individual fluxus based on the private property of a automobile. But aside of this functionalist aproach, transport is also a "fait sociale". Urban transport is constitutive for the urban public space - especially in Brasil. There is hardly any other place where we could watch social codes and conditions of the Brazilian society presented so obviously: the severe class distinctions and the quoditian violence. Whereas sociologists are referreing to violence mainly with respect to increasing numbers of weaponed assaults in Brazilian cities, this essay is focusing on forms of violence on a low level: the violence of car-drivers against weaker participants of Brazilian street transport like pedestrians, bicyclists and motor-bikers. Based on the methodology of the Visual Sociology (Gegner 2007) this research approach also integrates ethnographic methods in the traces of Claude Levi-Strauss (1955). The scientfic alienation of the researcher is backed by the cultural gap between European and Brazilian urban traditions. This allows to discuss habits and circumstance critically that are "normal" for most Brazilians and that are therefore not even questioned. So the Chicago School type of the "sociological eye" (Hughes 1971) is enforced by the "natural" alienation of the researcher. With these European eyes - accustomed to very different codes in the sociabilities of transport - Brazilian habits on the street seem be a permanent violation of human rights, e.g. the right of personal integrity and the right to live without fear for life. As urban transport is a dominant social space in the life of most Brazilians, it effects on the mental life of the individuals cannot be neglected. This essay stresses that agressiveness and counter-agression in transport is rather a symptom but not the cause, it is rooted into structural problems of the Brazilian society. The hypothetical explanation of this "low-level-violence" links it with modernist urban planning. As this has been implemented in Brasil in the most radical form its effect on the mentality of the urbanites is also most radical: Combined with the individual psychological constitution based on the deep class distinctions and the social inequality, the featured individals within modernist planning, car-drivers, show hardly any respect for "the other", they behave like "masters" on the roads.El transporte urbano es un tema bastante inusual para un análisis sociológica - no solo en el Brasil. Se considera el asunto perteneciente a la planificación urbana y no a la sociología. Establecer la planificación urbana modernista como modelo hegemônico después de la 2ª Guerra Mundial, tenía el objetivo de garantizar el flujo rápido e individual con el coche propio. Pero, además de esa aproximación funcional, el transporte es también un hecho social. El tráfico constituye el espacio público - especialmente en el Brasil. Difícilmente podemos observar códigos y conductas sociales en otros lugares que en la sociedad brasileña son tan explícitas: la gran diferencia de clases y la violencia cotidiana. Mientras sociólogos normalmente se refieren a la violencia como el número creciente de asaltos armados en las ciudades brasileñas, este artículo focaliza formas de violencia en nivel más pequeño: la violencia de conductoras de coches contra transeuntes más débiles en las calles del País, tales como pedestres, ciclistas y motoqueiros. Con base en la metodología de la Sociología Visual (Gegner 2007), este enfoque de pesquisa también integra métodos etnográficos en la línea de Claude Levi-Strauss (1955). La alienação científica del investigador encuentra apoyo en la laguna cultural entre las tradiciones urbanas europeas y brasileñas. Eso posibilita la discusión crítica de hábitos y circunstancias que son "normales" para la mayoría de los brasileños y que, por lo tanto, no son siquiera cuestionadas. Así, el "ojo sociológico" (Hughes, 1971) de la Escuela de Chicago es reforzado por la alienação "natural" del investigador. Para los ojos europeos - acostumbrados a códigos bien diferentes en la sociabilidade del tráfico - los hábitos brasileños en las calles parecen ser una violación constante a los derechos humanos, como el derecho a la integridad personal y el derecho de vivir sin miedo. Como el transporte urbano es un espacio social dominante en la vida de la mayoría de los brasileños, sus efectos en la psique de los individuos no pueden ser negados. Ese artículo resalta que agressividade y contra-agresión en el tráfico son un síntoma, pero no la causa. Esta está enraizada en problemas estructurales de la sociedad brasileña. La explicación hipotética para este "nivel más pequeño de violencia" está en la planificación urbana modernista. Una vez que fue implantado de forma más drástica en el Brasil, los efectos psicológicos de los habitantes también son más drásticos: combinando la constitución psicológica individual, con base en la gran diferencia de clases y desigualdad social, los individuos de destaque dentro de la planificación modernista, los conductores de coche, casi no muestran ningún respeto por el "otro", comportándose como "dueños" de las calles.O transporte urbano é um tema bastante incomum para uma análise sociológica - não apenas no Brasil. Considera-se o assunto pertencente ao planejamento urbano e não à sociologia. Estabelecer o planejamento urbano modernista como modelo hegemônico após a 2ª Guerra Mundial, tinha o intuito de garantir o fluxo rápido e individual com o carro próprio. Mas, além dessa aproximação funcional, o transporte é também um fato social. O trânsito constitui o espaço público - especialmente no Brasil. Dificilmente podemos observar códigos e condutas sociais em outros lugares que na sociedade brasileira são tão explícitas: a grande diferença de classes e a violência cotidiana. Enquanto sociólogos normalmente se referem à violência como o número crescente de assaltos armados nas cidades brasileiras, este artigo focaliza formas de violência em nível menor: a violência de motoristas de carros contra transeuntes mais fracos nas ruas do País, tais como pedestres, ciclistas e motoqueiros. Com base na metodologia da Sociologia Visual (Gegner 2007), esta abordagem de pesquisa também integra métodos etnográficos na linha de Claude Levi-Strauss (1955). A alienação científica do pesquisador encontra apoio na lacuna cultural entre as tradições urbanas européias e brasileiras. Isso possibilita a discussão crítica de hábitos e circunstâncias que são "normais" para a maioria dos brasileiros e que, portanto, não são sequer questionadas. Assim, o "olho sociológico" (Hughes, 1971) da Escola de Chicago é reforçado pela alienação "natural" do pesquisador. Para os olhos europeus - acostumados a códigos bem diferentes na sociabilidade do trânsito - os hábitos brasileiros nas ruas parecem ser uma violação constante aos direitos humanos, como o direito à integridade pessoal e o direito de viver sem medo. Como o transporte urbano é um espaço social dominante na vida da maioria dos brasileiros, seus efeitos na psique dos indivíduos não podem ser negados. Esse artigo ressalta que agressividade e contra-agressão no trânsito são um sintoma, mas não a causa. Esta está enraizada em problemas estruturais da sociedade brasileira. A explicação hipotética para este "nível menor de violência" está no planejamento urbano modernista. Uma vez que foi implantado de forma mais drástica no Brasil, os efeitos psicológicos dos habitantes também são mais drásticos: combinando a constituição psicológica individual, com base na grande diferença de classes e desigualdade social, os indivíduos de destaque dentro do planejamento modernista, os motoristas de carro, quase não mostram nenhum respeito pelo "outro", comportando-se como "donos" das ruas

Crash, Boom, Bang - reload: Metamorphosen eines Softwareprojekts in Zeiten des New Economy-Hypes

In diesem Essay werden die Metamorphosen eines Software-Projekts nachgezeich-net, das von der choice mobilitätsproviding GmbH initiiert wurde. Das Ziel des Vor-habens war, die informationstechnische Unterstützung für eine Dienstleistung des Integrierten Verkehrs bereit zu stellen. Das Papier verfolgt die drastischen Volten im Projekt, welche in Folge des Anpassungsdrucks an sich permanent ändernde Umweltbedingungen vorgenommen wurden. Das Projekt kann als Fallstudie des Auf-stiegs und Niedergangs der New Economy angesehen werden: Zunächst war da eine gute Idee von enthusiastischen Gründern. Dann brach der Internet-Boom aus und es konnte eine beträchtliche Summe Geld für die Realisierung der neuen Software akquiriert werden. Wenig später tauchten die Glücksritter der New Economy auf und transformierten die anwenderspezifische Mittelstands-Software in eine Big-Busi-ness-Application. Dafür benötigten sie immer mehr Geld. Schließlich kam der große Knall. Die New Economy-Blase platzte, und nachdem die ausführende Software-Firma beinahe bankrott gegangen wäre, stellte sie alle Arbeiten daran ein. Das Millionen-projekt endete als Datentorso. Trotzdem gab es für das Projekt ein Leben nach dem Tod. -- This essay analyzes the process of a software-project launched by the choice mobility providing company. The project's purpose centered around creating suitable information technology (IT) to integrate different means of transportation. The paper traces the changes the project underwent due to the successions of startling rup-tures within the business environment. The project could serve as a case study for the decline of the New Economy. First, a good idea emerged that was promoted by enthusiastic founders. Next, during the time of the internet boom, considerable financial support was poured into the project. The soldiers of fortune appeared and completely changed the character of the project. The new driving force transformed the project from a small, customer-related application into a big business case. This required more money. The project collapsed during the big bang of the new economy bubble, thereby affecting the executing firm. The IT-company reached a near-bankrupt and the project ended in ruins. Nevertheless the project could be reanimated under newly changed conditions

Pseudoscalar top-Higgs coupling: Exploration of CP\mathrm{CP}-odd observables to resolve the sign ambiguity

We present a collection of $\mathrm{CP}$-odd observables for the process $pp\to t\,\left(\rightarrow b {\ell}^+ \nu_{\ell}\right) \bar{t}\,\left(\rightarrow \bar{b} {\ell}^-{\bar{\nu}}_{\ell}\right)\,H$ that are linearly dependent on the scalar ($\kappa_t$) and pseudoscalar ($\tilde{\kappa}_t$) top-Higgs coupling and hence sensitive to the corresponding relative sign. The proposed observables are based on triple product (TP) correlations that we extract from the expression for the differential cross section in terms of the spin vectors of the top and antitop quarks. In order to explore other possibilities, we progressively modify these TPs, first by combining them, and then by replacing the spin vectors by the lepton momenta or the $t$ and $\bar{t}$ momenta by their visible parts. We generate Monte Carlo data sets for several benchmark scenarios, including the Standard Model ($\kappa_t=1$, $\tilde{\kappa}_t=0$) and two scenarios with mixed $\mathrm{CP}$ properties ($\kappa_t=1$, $\tilde{\kappa}_t=\pm 1$). Assuming an integrated luminosity that is consistent with that envisioned for the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider, using Monte Carlo-truth and taking into account only statistical uncertainties, we find that the most promising observable can disentangle the "$\mathrm{CP}$-mixed" scenarios with an effective separation of $\sim 19\sigma$. In the case of observables that do not require the reconstruction of the $t$ and $\bar{t}$ momenta, the power of discrimination is up to $\sim 13\sigma$ for the same number of events. We also show that the most promising observables can still disentangle the $\mathrm{CP}$-mixed scenarios when the number of events is reduced to values consistent with expectations for the Large Hadron Collider in the near term.Comment: 28 pages, 7 figures. Published versio

Extension of effort for lunar flight handbook detailed technical report

Lunar flight handbook - orbital departure windows, libration points, and lunar flight orbit estimation, theory, and operation

Crash, Boom, Bang - Reload: Metamorphosen eines Softwareprojekts in Zeiten des New Economy-Hypes

"In diesem Essay werden die Metamorphosen eines Software-Projekts nachgezeichnet, das von der choice mobilitätsproviding GmbH initiiert wurde. Das Ziel des Vorhabens war, die informationstechnische Unterstützung für eine Dienstleistung des Integrierten Verkehrs bereit zu stellen. Das Papier verfolgt die drastischen Volten im Projekt, welche in Folge des Anpassungsdrucks an sich permanent ändernde Umweltbedingungen vorgenommen wurden. Das Projekt kann als Fallstudie des Aufstiegs und Niedergangs der New Economy angesehen werden: Zunächst war da eine gute Idee von enthusiastischen Gründern. Dann brach der Internet-Boom aus und es konnte eine beträchtliche Summe Geld für die Realisierung der neuen Software akquiriert werden. Wenig später tauchten die 'Glücksritter' der New Economy auf und transformierten die anwenderspezifische Mittelstands-Software in eine 'Big-Business-Application'. Dafür benötigten sie immer mehr Geld. Schließlich kam der große Knall. Die New Economy-Blase platzte, und nachdem die ausführende Software-Firma beinahe bankrott gegangen wäre, stellte sie alle Arbeiten daran ein. Das Millionenprojekt endete als Datentorso. Trotzdem gab es für das Projekt ein Leben nach dem Tod." (Autorenreferat)"This essay analyzes the process of a software-project launched by the choice mobility providing company. The project's purpose centered around creating suitable information technology (IT) to integrate different means of transportation. The paper traces the changes the project underwent due to the successions of startling ruptures within the business environment. The project could serve as a case study for the decline of the New Economy. First, a good idea emerged that was promoted by enthusiastic founders. Next, during the time of the internet boom, considerable financial support was poured into the project. The 'soldiers of fortune' appeared and completely changed the character of the project. The new driving force transformed the project from a small, customer-related application into a big business case. This required more money. The project collapsed during the big bang of the new economy bubble, thereby affecting the executing firm. The IT-company reached a near-bankrupt and the project ended in ruins. Nevertheless the project could be reanimated under newly changed conditions." (author's abstract

A DECADÊNCIA DA CIDADE EUROPÉIA:: tendência social ou repetição de uma figura retórica?

Há décadas, a sociologia urbana discute a “decadência da cidade européia’’. Nas diagnoses de teóricos como Saskia Sassen ou Manuel Castells, a cidade européia é descrita como conceito antiquado que não tem futuro nas condiçoẽs da globalização. Ultimamente, na Alemanha, se pronuncia um novo sintoma desse desenvolvimento: o “encolhimento da cidade’’. De fato, os dados demográficos indicam uma diminuacão da população metropolitana. Mas... será que isso significa uma decadência? Em uma revisão crítica da sociologia urbana alemã contempôranea, o artigo discute se se trata de uma tendência social ou apenas mais uma variacão de uma figura retórica de uma disciplina científica em crise

Die politische Ästhetik der öffentlichen Architektur Berlins: Vom Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts bis zum Ende des Kaiserreichs

In diesem Buch wird der politisch-ästhetische Diskurs über öffentliche Gebäude im Berlin des 19. und beginnenden 20. Jahrhunderts nachgezeichnet. Mit einem interdisziplinären Ansatz werden ästhetische Merkmale der Architektur in Bezug zu politischen Aussagen und Handlungen gesetzt. In 'Disziplinaranstalten' wie Kasernen, Schulen und Krankenhäusern, in Stätten des 'Wahren, Schönen und Guten' wie Museen, Theatern und Wissenschaftseinrichtungen, in der Architekturtheorie und im öffentlichen Wohnungs- und Städtebau wird dem Verhältnis von Ästhetik und Politik nachgespürt. Dabei treten die zeitgenössische Suche nach einem 'deutschen Stil' nach 'Reinheit' und 'Einheit' und schließlich die 'vaterländische Verantwortung' für die 'Wehrhaftigkeit' der Bevölkerung deutlich zu Tage. Die Architektur spiegelt die politischen Veränderungen im Kaiserreich von der Reichseinigung mit 'Blut und Eisen' bis zum aggressiv formulierten Anspruch auf einen 'Platz an der Sonne' deutlich wider