“Baixa” geopolítica: agências de qualificação de risco

El reciente colapso de la economía mundial nos recuerda cómo el mundo se ha convertido en rehén de una serie de agentes cuyas actividades raramente han formado parte de los debates sobre geopolítica mundial. Uno de los aspectos más controvertidos ha sido el papel de las Tres Grandes agencias de calificación crediticia, que utilizan su influencia en términos de posesión de información como medio para ejercer autoridad, no solo en términos de poder coercitivo en la economía mundial, sino también sobre la deuda soberana estatal. Ya no podemos pretender desde un punto de vista empírico que los Estados monopolizan la autoridad soberana sin asociar e involucrar a otros actores públicos y privados de varios tipos. La apropiación de tierras ya no constituye el centro de las relaciones geopolíticas, sino que está siendo reemplazada por el control sobre productos y flujos financieros.The recent global economic meltdown serves as a salutary reminder of the ways in which the world has become hostage to the activities of a range of agents whose activities have rarely figured in discussions about global geopolitics. One of the most controversial aspects has been the role of the Big Three creditrating agencies, whose informational leverage is the way in which have come to exercise authority not simply coercive power within the world economy and over state sovereign debt. We can no longer pretend empirically that states monopolize sovereign authority without engaging and enrolling other private and public actors of various types and vintages. The expropriation of land no longer lies at the center of geopolitical relations but is being replaced by control over financial products and flows.O recente colapso da economia mundial nos lembra como o mundo tornou-se refém de uma série de agentes cujas atividades raramente têm sido parte dos debates sobre geopolítica mundial. Um dos aspectos mais polêmicos tem sido o papel das três grandes agências de qualificação de risco, que utilizam sua influência em termos de posse de informações como meio para exercer a autoridade, não só em termos de poder coercitivo na economia mundial, mas também sobre a dívida soberana estatal. Já não podemos esperar, partindo de um ponto de vista empírico, que os Estados monopolizem a autoridade soberana sem associar e envolver outros atores públicos e privados de vários tipos. A apropriação de terras já não constitui o centro das relações geopolíticas: está sendo substituída pelo controle sobre produtos e fluxos financeiros

The survival of witchcraft prosecutions and witch belief in South West Scotland

During the era of the Scottish witch-hunts, Dumfries and Galloway was one of the last regions to initiate witch prosecutions, but it was also one of the most reluctant to completely surrender all belief in witches until a comparatively late date. In the late seventeeth and early eighteenth centuries south-west Scotland, better known for the persecution of covenanters, took the practice of witchcraft and charming very seriously indeed, and for perhaps longer than other parts of Scotland, though the area has received surprisingly little scholarly investigation. The trial evidence is not incompatible with that found elsewhere though there is less demonic content. Accusations of witchcraft in this region were mostly concerned with the troubles of everyday life, agricultural problems, family tensions and disagreements between neighbours. From 1670 to about 1740, the very decades that were giving birth to the Scottish Enlightenment, learned interest in the supernatural was actually on the increase and the topic received an unprecedented level of questioning, investigation, and scrutiny. Ironically, the ‘superstitions’ that both church and state had been attempting to eradicate for some two hundred years were now being used to defend religion against the growing threat of atheism. The zeal of the ministers does seem to have contributed to the endurance of witch beliefs in the South West, as elsewhere. Against this backdrop, the survival of witch belief and the continued prosecution of witches in southwest Scotland is examined, thus contributing to our understanding of the individualistic nature of witch persecution and the various dynamics at play within the Scottish witch-hunting experience

Pesticide Application Research Demonstrated at a Field Day Event

single fungicide was applied through four nozzle-types and four water-carrier volumes targeting a common foliar disease in turfgrass. Most golf course superintendents surveyed use the same nozzle-type for all pesticide applications, but this field study indicated better disease control from the fungicide applied through certain nozzle-types and water-carrier volumes. As a result, most superintendents intended to make improvements to their pesticide application programs, and many had a highly favorable view of including this type of research at future field day events

The AMSC mobile satellite system

The American Mobile Satellite Consortium (AMSC) Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) system is described. AMSC will use three multi-beam satellites to provide L-band MSS coverage to the United States, Canada and Mexico. The AMSC MSS system will have several noteworthy features, including a priority assignment processor that will ensure preemptive access to emergency services, a flexible SCPC channel scheme that will support a wide diversity of services, enlarged system capacity through frequency and orbit reuse, and high effective satellite transmitted power. Each AMSC satellite will make use of 14 MHz (bi-directional) of L-band spectrum. The Ku-band will be used for feeder links

Mobile satellite service in the United States

Mobile satellite service (MSS) has been under development in the United States for more than two decades. The service will soon be provided on a commercial basis by a consortium of eight U.S. companies called the American Mobile Satellite Consortium (AMSC). AMSC will build a three-satellite MSS system that will offer superior performance, reliability and cost effectiveness for organizations requiring mobile communications across the U.S. The development and operation of MSS in North America is being coordinated with Telesat Canada and Mexico. AMSC expects NASA to provide launch services in exchange for capacity on the first AMSC satellite for MSAT-X activities and for government demonstrations

Randomized Controlled Trial of Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study expands previous equine-assisted intervention research by evaluating the effectiveness of therapeutic horseback riding (THR) on self-regulation, socialization, communication, adaptive, and motor behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Data collection for stock assessment of two Hakes (Merluccius Hubbsi and M. Australis) in international and Falkland Waters of the SW Atlantic

Study Project 99/016 “Data collection for stock assessment of two hakes (Merluccius hubbsi and M. australis) in international and Falkland waters of the SW Atlantic” ran from January 2000 to December 2001. The main objective of the project was the collection and collation of already existing and newly acquired fishery and biological data needed for preliminary assessment of two hake species occurring in the study area. In addition to this basic remit, additional objectives included the creation of a common database, study of spawning seasons and areas, discard pattern and length-frequency composition of target and non-target species, estimation of annual by-catch rates, analysis of trophic relationships, marine mammals by-catch and sightings, morphometric analysis for stock differentiation, and developing GIS applications for analysis of the data collected. Historical fishery and biological data series available from IEO and FIGFD (since 1988 and 1987 respectively) were provided to the project. New fishery and biological data were collected by scientific observers provided by IEO, ANAMER and FIGFD, and placed on board Spanish fishing vessels operating in the study area during the project period. Data on fishing activity included effort, catches and discards of target and non-target species on a haul-by-haul basis. Biological information (size, sex, maturity stage, etc) of target and non-target species was recorded on a daily basis. Data on landings and effort were provided by ANAMER to its subcontractor (MG OTERO) for processing and estimation of total catch and effort of the whole Spanish fishing fleet in the area; MG OTERO was also responsible for organisation of observers in collaboration with ANAMER staff in Vigo and Port Stanley. Ancillary data on location, time of fishing, depth, SST, SBT, sea roughness, wind, etc, was recorded on a haul-by-haul basis. This type of information was essential for development of GIS at AU to relate the species distribution to physical and environmental factors. Other information collected was about by-catches and sightings of small cetaceans and seabirds, and biological samples such as otoliths, stomachs and whole specimens of hakes for subsequent studies on growth (IEO, FIGFD), diet and morphometrics (AU). All the historical and new data collected during the project were collated and integrated into a common database designed by all participants and built at IEO. The information was used for preliminary assessment of two hake populations co-ordinated by RRAG during a workshop held in London in July 2001. All these data will be analysed and written up for future publications. Discard rates of target species were generally low in all areas and seasons with the highest discard rate for Notothen sp. (around 100% of the catch). Illex squid was found to be the major by-catch for hake fishery in the 46 S area. IEO observers reported data on incidental catches of marine mammals and sea birds since 1993 and the analysis of this information was made by AU. The observed mortality in the fishing gears comprised small numbers of black-browed albatross, gentoo penguin and the hourglass dolphin. The species most frequently sighted was the Peale’s dolphin, although this species did not appear in by-catches, followed by the hourglass dolphin. The project provided an opportunity to collect and integrate for the first time at European level the necessary fishery and biological data for the development of partial stock assessment for the future rational management of the fisheries in the area. Such management is needed for the sustainability of the commercial fisheries, the conservation of the onshore and offshore jobs and the supply of fish to the most important markets worldwide.EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE GENERAL FISHERIES – DG XI

Estimating the Worldwide Extent of Illegal Fishing

Illegal and unreported fishing contributes to overexploitation of fish stocks and is a hindrance to the recovery of fish populations and ecosystems. This study is the first to undertake a world-wide analysis of illegal and unreported fishing. Reviewing the situation in 54 countries and on the high seas, we estimate that lower and upper estimates of the total value of current illegal and unreported fishing losses worldwide are between $10 bn and$23.5 bn annually, representing between 11 and 26 million tonnes. Our data are of sufficient resolution to detect regional differences in the level and trend of illegal fishing over the last 20 years, and we can report a significant correlation between governance and the level of illegal fishing. Developing countries are most at risk from illegal fishing, with total estimated catches in West Africa being 40% higher than reported catches. Such levels of exploitation severely hamper the sustainable management of marine ecosystems. Although there have been some successes in reducing the level of illegal fishing in some areas, these developments are relatively recent and follow growing international focus on the problem. This paper provides the baseline against which successful action to curb illegal fishing can be judged

Tales of the venerable Honolulu tide gauge

Author Posting. © American Meteorological Society, 2006. This article is posted here by permission of American Meteorological Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Physical Oceanography 36 (2006): 967-996, doi:10.1175/JPO2876.1.Surface expressions of internal tides constitute a significant component of the total recorded tide. The internal component is strongly modulated by the time-variable density structure, and the resulting perturbation of the recorded tide gives a welcome look at twentieth-century interannual and secular variability. Time series of mean sea level hSL(t) and total recorded M2 vector aTT(t) are extracted from the Honolulu 1905–2000 and Hilo 1947–2000 (Hawaii) tide records. Internal tide parameters are derived from the intertidal continuum surrounding the M2 frequency line and from a Cartesian display of aTT(t), yielding aST = 16.6 and 22.1 cm, aIT = 1.8 and 1.0 cm for surface and internal tides at Honolulu and Hilo, respectively. The proposed model aTT(t) = aST + aIT cosθIT(t) is of a phase-modulated internal tide generated by the surface tide at some remote point and traveling to the tide gauge with velocity modulated by the underlying variable density structure. Mean sea level hSL(t) [a surrogate for the density structure and hence for θIT(t)] is coherent with aIT(t) within the decadal band 0.2–0.5 cycles per year. For both the decadal band and the century drift the recorded M2 amplitude is high when sea level is high, according to δaTT = O(0.1δhSL). The authors attribute the recorded secular increase in the Honolulu M2 amplitude from aTT = 16.1 to 16.9 cm between 1915 and 2000 to a 28° rotation of the internal tide vector in response to ocean warming