Banking on key reforms for educational development : a critique of the World Bank Review

In the autumn of 1995 the World Bank produced an Education Review of the state of the world's educational development called 'Priorities and Strategies for Education.' In it the progress made since 1980, together with the ongoing problems are analysed and a number of key recommendations, or strategies for improvement are made. While claiming not to be a policy paper the Review is quite clearly aimed at policy makers in developing countries as well as Bank officials. It is couched in general terms, though there are specific references to developments in key regions of the World. The Mediterranean Region falls between two stools - Europe and the Middle East and North African Regions. It also suffers because there is little mention of small states and the Mediterranean has a number of these. Nevertheless, given the influence of the World Bank on helping to shape ideas and policies, this is an important paper for every region of the World. This paper, therefore, seeks to look at the rationale for the review, the main arguments and recommendations put forward and the concerns that are thrown up by these. It is probably more what is not in the review than what is that raises anxieties, but at the end of the day, because the Review is a banker's and an economist's document, those issues that concern social scientists and educationists are often the issues most frequently overlooked. Time alone will tell which approach is the right one.peer-reviewe

To Isolate, Or Not To Isolate

Keith Watson is a sophomore in the chemical engineering program at Louisiana Tech University. He is from Magnolia, Arkansas. He is a Christian and attends First Ruston. He also plays trumpet, tennis, and disc golf in his free time

Lei Rimana She stays

My concept is to re-evaluate and advance personal communication aids, generally, but not entirely, in the form of greeting cards, to a new level of interest and signification. The goal is to eliminate the passive viewer, and have the individual actively participate in the presentation. The computer-based, interactive media project is designed around three-dimensional sculptures, which serve as narrators, and put back the one-to-one interaction that is so often missing in non-verbal greetings. In combining technology with more traditional storytelling techniques, it will develop and express a personal message that will help reinforce the intent of the message by becoming multi-sensory, and allowing for a deep and rich experience

Nutrient cycling on organic farms

This paper examines the sustainability of nutrient cycling on organic farms. After a brief consideration of the principles of nutrient cycling in organic agriculture, data on soil P and K indices and farm nutrient budgets is used to assess the integrity of nutrient cycling, including some consideration of losses to the environment. An attempt is made to assess the wider sustainability of organic farming in the context of the limited amount of recycling possible

Line narrowing of AgGaSe2 optical parametric oscillator by injection seeding

Solid-state lasers are developed for atmospheric applications. Optical parametric oscillators (OPO) are being investigated as sources of tunable radiation in the 2.5-12 micron range where development of conventional lasers is subject to numerous difficulties. Parametric oscillation is a nonlinear optical technique for converting laser output to longer wavelengths. Incident photons, typically from a pulsed pump laser, are converted into two photons of longer wavelength, while satisfying energy conservation. The particular split of energy is determined by momentum conservation; the wavelength of interest is usually selected by angle orientation of the nonlinear material with respect to the direction of propagation of the pump beam. An OPO based on AgGaSe2 was considered

The Tor Network: A Global Inquiry into the Legal Status of Anonymity Networks

This Note seeks to provide an overview of the Tor anonymity network and its legal status under several different regimes of Internet control explores its treatment in four countries. Part II discusses Tor generally. Part III explores the treatment of Tor in the countries of the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. This discussion offers illuminating case studies on the issues that Tor faces. Part IV analyzes the internet kill switch and U.S. law, including considerations of how other countries monitor the Internet as described in the previous parts. In Part V, the Note concludes

A Survey and Distributional Analysis of the park Coccoid Fauna of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Evirons

This comprehensive study on the coccoids (Homoptera: Coccoidea) of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) resulted in the collection of fifty-three species representing six families from which seven new collection records for Tennessee were obtained. Six species were discovered that possibly represent new species. Analysis of distribution and host relationships are provided. Keys to the families, genera, and species are provided as well as descriptions of scale covers or tests and distinguishing morphological characters of the adult females. A higher number of species were collected at lower elevational vegetative types and decreased inversely with elevation (y = 17.104 - 8.6125e - 3x; R2 = 0.679) as did the number of infestations sampled ( y = 38.301 - 1.1970e - 2x; R2 = 0.577). One exception to this relationship was the occurrence of a slightly higher number of species recorded and number of infestations sampled on the grassy balds at higher elevations. Coccoid distributions were positively correlated to host diversity. The hemlock-hardwood (HH) and the oakchestnut (OC) cover types supported more species than any other forest cover type. Many species were polyphagous and cosmopolitan, and other species had restricted hosts and a limited distribution. More species were collected in previously cutover and cultivated areas than any other type of vegetative habitat. Fifty-six plants in 27 families and 40 genera were recorded as coccoid hosts in the GSMNP. More species of Pinaceae and Rosaceae were recorded as hosts for coccoids and trees in the family Betulaceae supported more species than any other host family. Based on Shannon-Weaver diversity index values, thirty-three species were considered to be rare and only two species, Parthenolecanium corni (Bouche) (European fruit lecanium) and Abgrallaspis ithacae (Ferris) (hemlock scale), were considered to be abundant. P. corni was collected from 25 hosts from a wide elevational range represented the greatest potential to damage host in the GSMNP

Pion Production in 300 Gev Nucleon-Nucleon Collisions

Recent theoretical investigations of high energy nucleon-nucleon collisions support the two-center model of multiple meson production as discussed by Ciok, et al. To facilitate a prediction of the most probable distribution of shower particles as a function of laboratory energy, Farley's kinematical treatment of the "two-fireball" model is employed. A statistical determination of the multiplicity of pion (including neutrals) production per collision is assumed to be valid with possible corrections suggested through restrictions imposed by experimental values of the inelasticity, Κ_π

Ofgem RIIO-2 Consultation : Response from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC)

The RIIO (Revenue=Incentives+Innovation+Outputs) model, introduced in 2013, is designed to ensure that payments to companies running the gas and electricity transmission and distribution networks are fair to network users and permit the recovery of reasonable costs in developing, maintaining and operating the networks. The network licensees’ allowed revenue is linked to their performance and should therefore offer them incentives for securing investment, driving innovation and delivering the service that customers expect. However, some commentators have suggested that the licensees have been making unjustified profits. With network charges making up around a quarter of the average household energy bill, it is anticipated that the new price control framework will be tougher and provide lower expected returns for network licensees. The RIIO-2 framework consultation is welcome. Ofgem’s final view on price control allowances will be published by the end of 2020 with the new network price controls ('RIIO-2') due to be implemented in 2021. General comments In our submission we responded to the individual points raised in the call. We also note the following: We support the proposal to reduce the price control period from 8 to 5 years. The energy system is undergoing unprecedented change, not only with continued transformation of the generation background but also major changes to the way electricity is used, such as for transport and heating. However, the rate and precise locations of these changes is uncertain. A shorter price control period will provide the opportunity for incentives and cost recovery to be adapted to the changing circumstances. Maintenance of acceptable levels of reliability while facilitating the energy system transformation at least cost requires substantial innovation in technologies, business processes and commercial arrangements. The development of new innovations and associated benefits to consumers often takes years to be realised, sometimes beyond a price control period in which network company shareholders would expect a return. We therefore support the proposal to retain dedicated innovation funding but encourage greater clarity on the scope of activities that can make use of such funding and on best practice in the generation and dissemination of evidence on proposed innovations. We welcome moves to increase the accountability of the network companies and would urge Ofgem to concentrate on those measures that have a genuine and positive impact on the network companies’ activities in the context of the whole energy system. We note that this is not restricted to the business plans submitted under RIIO-2 but extends to a whole raft of codes and interactions. These include the evolving responsibilities of the Electricity System Operator (ESO), the relationships between the ESO, the transmission owners and the Distribution Network Operators, and the processes for ensuring that the full set of codes, standards and market arrangements are coherent and fit for purpose. This is a challenging task that requires constant attention to ‘the big picture’ and sufficient resources, commitment and expertise on the part of the network owners, system operators and Ofgem. In applying tighter controls that avoid excessive returns to the network licensees’ owners, the upside and downside risks should be clearly assessed and incentives for managing risk placed on those parties best placed to do so