Temper, Mounds, And Palisades: The Walford Site (22Su501) Of Sunflower County, Mississippi

The Walford site is a multicomponent site with Archaic, Woodland and Mississippian components located in the northern Yazoo Basin of Mississippi. The site has been recorded by several surveys, and was subjected to salvage excavations from 2003–2007. This excavation confirmed multiple components identified in previous surveys, and added a wider chronological range and occupation area. Current excavations also identified a palisade constructed before all of the adjacent Mississippian structures, as well as one of the mounds. Using stratigraphy, GIS, and ceramic analysis, the date of this palisade was determined to be Late Woodland or Early Mississippian

Martian Gully Formation and Evolution: Studies From the Local to Global Scale

Gullies in the mid- and high-latitudes of Mars were first observed in Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images in 1997. Appearing to be geologically young, they quickly became a feature of interest due to the implication of liquid water in their formation based on distinct morphological characteristics including incised channels, many exhibiting features indicative of fluid flow. However, the temperature and pressure conditions on the surface of Mars during its most recent geologic era have not been conducive to sustaining water in the liquid phase for extended periods of time; therefore, a number of “wet” (water-related) and “dry” (driven by CO2 gas or granular flow) gully formation mechanisms have been proposed. The goal of this thesis is to conduct a large-scale study of gullies on Mars in order to determine how they are likely to have formed and evolved. I begin with a comprehensive global inventory of martian gullies to determine how their geographic distribution correlates with the effects of past and present climate conditions based on recent models, as well as thermophysical properties of the surface. Then I move to a regional focus in Utopia Planitia in Mars’ northern mid-latitudes, using gullies as a stratigraphic marker for the relative timing of formation of other mid-latitude landforms found in the region. Lastly, I take a localized approach within Gasa Crater, a particularly active gully site in the southern mid-latitudes, to investigate methods of looking for recent changes in martian gullies

Don\u27t rain on my parade : barriers to ecological tourism

This research investigates the perceived risks and perceptions of visitor experiences associated with visitation to an ecological tourist destination. The research identified a significant consumption barrier which appeared to impact significantly and reflect juxtapositions with regard to tourists&rsquo; perceived (reflective) and lived (responsive) experiences with the tourist attraction. The conflicting reports of the &ldquo;over-commercialisation&rdquo; of the attraction and the enjoyment of the natural experience recorded at varying recollection periods, provided valuable insight into tourist consumption barriers to the establishment of relational bonds between tourists and ecological tourist attractions.<br /

An exploration of motives for attending Australian ecotourism locations and their influence on future intentions

This paper sought to explore the push [internal] motivations of eco-tourists and the influence of these motivational drives on their future ecotourism intentions. Findings from this exploratory study identified five key internal motivations, namely, \u27self-esteem\u27, \u27relaxation\u27, \u27social interaction\u27, \u27self-fulfilment\u27 and \u27thrill and excitement\u27. Further analysis identified that \u27self-esteem\u27, elaxation\u27 and \u27self-fulfilment\u27 motives were significantly related to ecotourist\u27s intention to volunteer as well as their intention to donate money to an eco-tourism destination. Additionally, \u27self-fulfilment\u27 and \u27thrill and excitement\u27 motives were identified as impacting upon eco-tourists&rsquo; future attendance intentions. Consequently, findings from this research provide eco-tourism operators with insight into eco-tourist motivations to inform product and brand development and promotional activities and assist in the ongoing development effective eco-tourist retention strategies.<br /

K-Band Spectroscopy of (Pre-)Cataclysmic Variables: Are Some Donor Stars Really Carbon Poor?

We present a new sample of $K$-band spectral observations for CVs: non-magnetic and magnetic as well as present day and pre CVs. The purpose of this diverse sample is to address the recent claim that the secondary stars in dwarf novae are carbon deficient, having become so through a far more evolved evolution than the current paradigm predicts. Our new observations, along with previous literature results, span a wide range of orbital period and CV type. In general, dwarf novae in which the secondary star is seen show weak to no CO absorption while polar and pre-CV donor stars appear to have normal CO absorption for their spectral type. However, this is not universal. The presence of normal looking CO absorption in the dwarf nova SS Aur and the hibernating CV QS Vir and a complete lack of CO absorption in the long period polar V1309 Ori cloud the issue. A summary of the literature pointing to non-solar abundances including enhanced NV/CIV ratios is presented. It appears that some CVs have non-solar abundance material accreting onto the white dwarf suggesting an evolved secondary star while for others CO emission in the accretion disk may play a role. However, the exact mechanism or combination of factors causing the CO absorption anomaly in CVs is not yet clear.Comment: Accepted in A

The Works of Will James: His Contribution to the Mythologizing of the American Cowboy

The life of Will James is one of mystery. His works, however, tell the story of a life he was meant to live. Born Joseph Ernest Nephtali Dufault in 1892 in Saint-Nazaire-d’Acton, the boy grew up yearning to be a cowboy. Dufault headed to western Canada in 1907 to fulfill his dream. By 1910 he had crossed the Canadian-United States border into Montana and changed his name to Will James. During his travels James managed to steal cattle, survive jail and a hospital stay, and attend art school. These events, and the people he encounter along the way, played an important role in his decision to become a full-time artist and author. The individuals in the literary, artistic, and entertainment industries prior to James’s arrival laid the groundwork for the artist to extend and update the iconic cowboy imagery. Pining for the Old West, Will James illustrated the American cowboy before the effects of barbed wire and the automotive revolution took place. In his depictions the cowboy almost invariably accompanies the horse and cattle. To James the three were indispensable to his way of life. His drawings and paintings not only served as illustrations for the books and short stories he wrote but also helped shape and extend the historical, cultural, and mythological perceptions of the cowboy-hero in American culture. The life and works of this forgotten legend have endured through avid collectors, artists, and historians. Marginalized to the far corners of western American art, Will James’s work endures, inspiring a new generation and creating a love for the Old West

Interaction, Virtuality, and Heavy Rain: An Exploration of Character and Interactive Narrative

This thesis has been a departure from the traditional English classes offered to me at the University of Colorado at Boulder and a journey into a passion of mine: character. While I had originally planned to write about characterization in the more traditional world of Jane Austen novels, in 2011 the interactive narrative Heavy Rain caught my attention. I have seen many games, but the narrative strength of this particular piece meant that I could not forget about it. With a focus on character, I wrote a thesis focusing on the historical, present, and future development of the interactive narrative. There are not many published books and articles on this particular subject, but I was incredibly lucky to have the opportunity enlist the aid of scholar Maire-Laure Ryan in discussing and critiquing my own ideas. Through this project, I have come to the conclusion that interactive narrative is an important vessel for the future of literature, and the development of stories such as Heavy Rain is incredibly exciting for the genre

A discussion of the information needs of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and the implications for information provision based on a national UK survey of people with MS

This research took place between January and October 2002. It was conducted by the Department of Information Science at Loughborough University and was commissioned and funded by the Multiple Sclerosis Trust (MS Trust). In this article the identified information needs are discussed and possible solutions explored including the use of Extensible Mark–up Language (XML) and Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL). Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to study the information needs of people with multiple sclerosis (people with MS) in the United Kingdom. 103 people with MS were involved in focus groups that helped to identify significant situations that people with MS had experienced. 4100 people with MS were sent questionnaires (approximately 5% of the MS population). 2030 (49.5%) responded in the time specified. Categories of information need were identified. Their importance and difficulty in obtaining them quantified. The research highlighted how, although people shared many information needs, there were significant differences in terms of: ♦ people’s desire for the information (some people did not want apparently useful information); ♦ the topics they were interested in (due to their situation); ♦ how they wanted that information (due to the physical and psychological condition of the person). Information provision to people with MS was found to have improved dramatically over the last seven years. Out of those respondents who had been diagnosed in the last five years 71% thought they had received information whereas 29% did not, whereas only 29% diagnosed in 1980 stated that they received information. Taking the total surveyed population 43% thought they had not received information. Information provision was found to be inconsistent in terms of subjects covered. However it should be borne in mind that at the time of diagnosis, and also afterwards, it may be difficult for people to take on board information for a variety of reasons. Furthermore, as indicated above, different individual needs means that information provision is a complex task. Many intervening factors can make it fail. The research made it clear how access to relevant information, provided in an appropriate way, could significantly improve the quality of life of the person 2 with MS and that there is considerable scope for improving provision of information to people with MS