WP 27 - Female income, the ego effect and the divorce decision: Evidence from micro data

During the 1960’s and 1970’s divorce rates in the United States rose dramatically. It soon became apparent that this phenomenon was not restricted to the geographic boundaries of the United States but affected most developed countries to varying degrees. This surprising social change led to rapid growth in the number of academic investigations seeking to quantify the causes and consequences of divorce. While there are undoubtedly many factors affecting the decision to dissolve a marriage, this research concentrates on three economic arguments that have persisted through the years. All three relate to the female’s ability to generate income in the labour market. The first argues that as the female increases her ability to generate income, she becomes financially more independent thereby making divorce more likely. The second argument contends that, as female earnings become a larger share of family income, marital friction results and the likelihood of divorce increases. Finally, it has also been argued that the family unit places a high value on the ability of the married female to earn income and, therefore, strives harder to avoid divorce as the female’s ability to earn income rises. The difficulty with quantifying these arguments is the very nature of the observable outcomes. It is possible to observe the income of married females. It is also possible to observe the income of divorced females. Unfortunately, it is not possible to simultaneously observe both outcomes for an individual female. This research attempts to resolve these difficulties by using micro data from the Current Population Survey in a sample selection procedure to estimate both income contingent on divorce and income contingent on marriage. This information is then used in a final “structural” procedure to test the validity of the income arguments. The statistical results indicate that the first two arguments clearly outweigh the third.

Engine Hydraulic Stability

An analytical injector model was developed specifically to analyze combustion instability coupling between the injector hydraulics and the combustion process. This digital computer dynamic injector model will, for any imposed chamber of inlet pressure profile with a frequency ranging from 100 to 3000 Hz (minimum) accurately predict/calculate the instantaneous injector flowrates. The injector system is described in terms of which flow segments enter and leave each pressure node. For each flow segment, a resistance, line lengths, and areas are required as inputs (the line lengths and areas are used in determining inertance). For each pressure node, volume and acoustic velocity are required as inputs (volume and acoustic velocity determine capacitance). The geometric criteria for determining inertances of flow segments and capacitance of pressure nodes was set. Also, a technique was developed for analytically determining time averaged steady-state pressure drops and flowrates for every flow segment in an injector when such data is not known. These pressure drops and flowrates are then used in determining the linearized flow resistance for each line segment of flow

Moments of Dislocation: Why the Body Matters in Ethnographic Research

Ethnographies originate in everyday interaction with others, but anthropologists’ analysis and interpretation of people’s social world is often restricted to their words and identifiable actions. Like in every social setting, much of the knowledge we acquire during fieldwork remains unarticulated and habitual. We often lack the tools to even become aware of it, let alone to bring it into the predicated realm. Still, its existence is the only basis we have for recognizing unarticulated experiences of others. Anthropologists have become very interested in bodily experiences, but have tended either to cognitively interpret the experience of others or to privilege their own experiences as a basis for ethnography. I argue that we should instead use our own bodily experiences to intersubjectively recognize those of others, and I propose avenues for doing so

Did Municipal Stabilization Funds Effectively Smooth Expenditures During the Great Recession?

Budget stabilization fund (BSF) is a general term for rainy day funds, contingency funds, and reserves. Historically, researchers have studies BSFs at the state level. However, after the Great Recession municipalities have increasingly adopted BSFs. So far, there are several unknowns surrounding municipal BSFs. The intent of this paper is to start addressing some of these unknowns. The paper seeks to answer the question, did municipal BSFs smooth expenditures over the Great Recession? This study uses data from Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and eleven comparable municipalities. The municipality BSF literature is in its infancy. Previous research has focused on state BSFs. The optimal size for state BSFs is inconclusive, and the literature agrees that there should not be a one size fits all BSF fund size for states. The literature also agrees that states should consider revenue volatility when establishing a BSF policy. Municipal BSF research is limited and only examines cities within the same state. This study will add to the literature by looking at cities across state lines. Analysis for this capstone adopts a model that Justin Marlowe (2005) and Yilin Hou (2003) used to study if municipal BSFs smooth expenditures over the Great Recession. I created a unique trend line for each city using data from 1997 to 2001 to predict future spending. A positive expenditure gap is the result of a city spending more than predicted. A negative expenditure gap is created if the city spends less than predicted. Using a fixed effect model, I regressed the expenditure gap on four categories of explanatory variables: fund characteristics, financial measures, institutional factors, and demographic/ economic factors. Results show that cities divide themselves into two groups: always positive expenditure gap cities, or always negative expenditure gap cities. Positive expenditure gap cities had BSFs that were 14 percent of total revenues, and negative expenditure gap cities BSFs were 6 percent of total revenues, on average. Regression results indicate the size of a BSF is only statistically significant for negative expenditure gap cities, and as the BSF gets larger, the negative gap becomes more negative. The only variable that was statically significant for both positive and negative expenditure gap cities was income per capita. However, income per capital worked in opposite directions for the positive and negative expenditure gaps. The small sample size limited the scope of the study, and future research should have a large sample of cities across several states. With a larger sample size, it will be possible to look at expenditure gaps before, during, and after the recession. Additionally, this study created one expenditure trend line using data from 1997 to 2001, which was a period of high growth. It is possible expenditures during this time was not a good predictor for future expenditures and should be explored further. Over the course of this study, the number of cities with BSF policies increased from six to eleven. As more cities adopt BSF, the need for a better understanding of BSF and polices used to create and regulate becomes more pressing. There will not be a policy suitable for all cities, and when creating a policy, cities should consider the volatility associated with its top revenue sources, income per capita, and vulnerability to unemployment. While a withdrawal policy will be beneficial to limit excessive use of the fund, it should not be so restrictive that money cannot be accessed when needed. Along similar lines, establishing a minimum amount to be in a BSF will ensure there is money available during an economic downturn. However, the minimum needs to be flexible to allow the funds to be used during a recession. The minimum policy could include a plan to replenish the funds if they are drawn down

Arsenic and Old Lace

The uproarious saga of two charming old ladies who murder numerous people with arsenic in their Brooklyn mansion.https://collected.jcu.edu/plays/1006/thumbnail.jp

New mobilities management: mobility pioneers between first and second modernity

"Der Autor präsentiert Ergebnisse aus dem Projekt 'Mobilitätspioniere. Zum Strukturwandel der Mobilität unter den Bedingungen reflexiver Modernisierung' im Münchner Sonderforschungsbereich 536. Er beschreibt unterschiedliche idealtypische Strategien von 'Mobilitätsmanagement', wobei er den Akzent auf die Beschreibung von Konstellation von Mobilität und Immobilität, Bewegung und Bewegungspotenzialen (Motilität) legt. Er wirft die Frage auf, ob die gezeigten subjektorientierten Strategien im Umgang mit dem Mobilitätsdruck der Moderne eine veränderte Perspektive auf den strukturellen Wandel im modernen Mobilitätskonzept und der Mobilitätspraxis eröffnen. Die Relevanz dieser Frage und der empirischen Ergebnisse wird hier vor dem gesellschaftsdiagnostischen Hintergrund der Theorie reflexiver Modernisierung diskutiert. Als Fazit im Hinblick auf weiterführende Forschungen schlägt der Autor eine Unterscheidung von Transit- und Connectivity-Räumen vor. Dadurch werden die neuen Konfigurationen aus räumlicher, sozialer und virtueller Mobilität unter den Bedingungen reflexiver Modernisierung sinnvoll erforschbar." (Autorenreferat)"The article presents empirical data from a research project on mobility pioneers. It shows different strategies of 'mobility management' and describes constellations of mobility and immobility, movement and motility (mobility potential). The author raises the question as to whether the reported subject-oriented strategies for coping with the modern 'mobility imperative' open up a perspective on a structural change in the modern concept of mobility and mobility practice. The theory of reflexive modernization is used to discuss this question and to help to understand the relevance of the empirical findings. In concluding, the paper focuses on further mobility research and introduces a distinction between 'transit spaces' and 'connectivity spaces' as relevant issues for research on new configurations of spatial, social and virtual mobility." (author's abstract