DEKONSTRUKCIJA MITA O RASTROŠNOSTI KORIŠTENJEM KRITIČKE TEORIJE I SOCIJALNOG KONSTRUKTIVIZMA: SLUČAJ GRČKE I NJEGOVE ŠIRE SOCIO-EKONOMSKE I POLITIČKE POSLJEDICE

This article is aimed at deconstructing the widely spread view according to many media outlets, policy analysts and commentators that the Greek crisis and the subsequent eurocrisis is the result of generous social welfare benefits and fiscal spending irresponsibility on the part of Greek politicians and citizens. The lesson to be drawn from this analysis is multifold. In attempting to do so, I will use critical theory of international relations in order to dissect the very structure of the EMU which inevitably led to the build-up of trade and fiscal imbalances in the EU’s periphery as a first theoretical line of argumentation in contesting this view. The second theoretical line of argumentation focuses on social constructivism and its credentials in dealing with the underlying issue of “Greek profligacy”. The diffusion of conservative attitudes regarding social welfare is put into the broader context of “new constitutionalism” and neoliberal politics. The application of both theories is aimed at identifying basic culprits which brought about the deadly mix of European banking crisis and sovereign debt crisis, and thereby points to a necessary change in policy stance toward “PIIGS” countries and the very foundation of the EMU.Ovaj članak ima namjeru dekonstruirati široko rasprostranjeno mišljenje, stvoreno i perpetuirano od strane medija, političkih analitičara, političara i komentatora, da pravi uzrok grčke i naknadne eurokrize treba tražiti u velikodušnim socijalnim transferima i neodgovornoj fiskalnoj potrošnji grčkih političara i građana. U toj namjeri oslanjam se na kritičku teoriju međunarodnih odnosa kao prvi pravac teoretske argumentacije kako bih secirao samu strukturu Ekonomske i monetarne unije (EMU) koja je neizbježno vodila prema akumuliranju trgovinskih i fiskalnih neravnoteža u zemljama EU periferije. Drugi pravac teoretske argumentacije fokusiran je na teoriju socijalnog konstruktivizma kao analitičkog oruđa u svrhu poimanja teze o “grčkoj rastrošnosti”. Posljedična difuzija konzervativnih stavova vezanih uz ulogu države blagostanja stavljena je u kontekst “novog konstitucionalizma” i neoliberalne politike. Primjena obje teorije važna je zbog identifikacije krivaca u smislu aktera, struktura i procesa koji su zajedno doveli do potencijalno smrtonosne kombinacije europske bankarske i krize suverenog duga po budućnost integracijskog projekta. Stoga ovaj članak ukazuje na potrebu promjene politike prema zemljama “svinjama” (PIIGS) kao i na reformu temelja Ekonomske i monetarne unije

Arctic ground squirrel (Spermophilus parryii) and american black bear (Ursus americanus) as models for human cryogenics researches

Hibernacija je proces od životne važnosti za organizme koji tijekom ekstremnih zimskih temperatura nemaju mogućnost migracije. Karakteristike svih hibernirajućih organizama su smanjen metabolizam, sniženje tjelesne temperature, povećana upotreba masnoća te još niz prilagodbi koje se razlikuju od jedinke do jedinke. Hibernacija sisavaca jedan je od najkompleksnijih oblika prirodnog hipometabolizma jer organizmi ne samo da su u stadiju mirovanja već periodično inhibiraju vlastitu termogenezu što omogućava drastični pad tjelesne temperature. Takvi procesi primjenjeni na čovjeka koriste se u svrhu ispitivanja kriogeneze koja u budućnosti obećava mnogo, od biotehnološke primjene do medicinskih ideja o dugovječnosti organizma. Proces kriogeneze omogućio bi jedinki ulazak u stanje mirovanja gdje su fiziološke i biokemijske aktivnosti potisnute, a potrošnja energije minimalna te po želji, ponovni povratak u normalni život. Ipak, do ostvarenja takvih želja potrebno je proučiti još velik broj hibernirajućih modela i povezati njihove prilagodbe s mogućim primjenama na čovjeka. Dva vrlo različita modela korisna za pručavanje prilagodbi na hibernaciju su arktička podzemna vjeverica i američki crni medvjed. Iako svaki organizam ima razvijene vlastite prilagodbe, zajednička karakteristika oba modela je opstanak u uvjetima snižene koncentracije kisika. Navedena prilagodba je moguća jer oba modela smanjuju broj otkucaja srca što dovodi do smanjene stope metabolizma i potrebe za kisikom. Arktička podzemna vjeverica ima prilagodbu srčanoga ritma na smanjeni broj otkucaja srca, no američki crni medvjed nema zbog čega mu se javljaju snažne varijacije u srčanome ritmu. Navedene prilagodbe te niz regulatornih molekula koje sudjeluju u procesima hibernacije, uz dodatni angažman i istraživanja, mogu se primjeniti na procese humane kriogeneze i medicinska unaprijeđenja.Hibernation is a process of vital importance to organisms that during extreme winter temperatures do not have the ability to migrate. Characteristics of all hibernating organisms are reduced metabolism, lowering body temperature, increased fat usage and a lot of adjustments that differ between individuals. Mammalian hibernation is one of the most complex forms of natural hypometabolism because organisms are not only in period of torpor but also periodically they inhibit their own thermogenesis, which allows drastic drop in body temperature. Those processes are used for the purpose of human cryogenics researches, which promises a lot in the future especially from biotechnological applications to medical ideas regarding extending the human lifespan. Cryogeneses would allow entry into a torpor where physiological and biochemical activities are suppressed, energy consumption is minimal and as desired, and returning to normal life in the desired moment. However, to achieve such a desire, it is necessary to study large number of hibernation models and to associate their adaptations with possible applications to humans. Two very different models useful for the research regarding the adjustments to hibernation are the Arctic ground squirrel and the American black bear. Although each organism has developed its own adaptations, the common feature of both models is survival in conditions of reduced oxygen concentration. This adaptation is possible because both models lower heart beating rate, which results in reduced metabolism and decreased oxygen demand. The Arctic ground squirrel has adjusted heart rhythm to the lowered heart beating rate, but American black bear did not develop this adaptation so that is the reason why he experiences strong variations in heart rythm. The aforementioned adaptations and a set of regulatory molecules participating in hibernation processes, with additional engagement and research, can be applied to human cryogenic processes and the advancement of medical services

STRUKTURNE NERAVNOTEŽE I PROLIFERACIJA FINANCIJSKIH KRIZA

This article deals with fundamental concepts that are the prime cause of financial crises proliferation such as fractional reserve banking system, overleveraging and structural imbalances created in such a fashion. It examines these issues in a completely new manner shedding the light on their alternative interpretation which contrasts conventional wisdom. Unchecked money supply is characterized as the main problem that causes overleveraging, which in turn reinforces property bubbles. The pattern of economic growth that is heavily dependant on rising debt is completely unsustainable. Inflation and increased taxes in order to serve public debt obligations under the privately-owned fractional reserve banking system are not only its by-products but also its vital components. The very logic of the compound interest problem causes spiraling debt, which cannot be supported by constant economic growth that is limited against the finite nature of Earth’s natural resources. Pending reform of the present monetary system is key to the solution of most contentious issues in the global economy.Ovaj članak bavi se temeljnim konceptima koji se smatraju osnovnim uzrocima proliferacije financijskih kriza kao što su bankarstvo djelomičnih rezervi, pretjerano korištenje financijske poluge te strukturne neravnoteže proizašle iz njih. Pristup problematici baca novo svjetlo na povezana pitanja te nudi alternativnu interpretaciju zbivanja koje proturječi konvencionalnoj mudrosti. Nekontrolirana ponuda novca okarakterizirana je kao glavni problem koji doprinosi pretjeranom korištenju financijske poluge i pojavi imovinskih mjehura. Obrazac ekonomskog rasta koji znatno ovisi o rastućem dugu s pravom se smatra potpuno neodrživim. Inflacija i povećanje poreznog tereta s ciljem servisiranja javnog duga u okviru privatnog sustava djelomičnih bankovnih rezervi nisu samo njegovi nusprodukti, već i njegove sastavne komponente. Logika složene kamate stvara dužničku spiralu koju ne može podržati konstantan ekonomski rast zbog ograničenosti Zemljinih prirodnih resursa. Predstojeća reforma monetarnog sustava ključna je u nastojanju da se riješe najspornija pitanja globalne ekonomije

Mehatronički sustav automatkog mjenjača s dvostrukom spojkom i mehaničkim aktuatorom

U ovom radu se opisuje automatski mjenjač s dvostrukom spojkom koji ostvaruje kontinuirani prijenos snage poput planetarnog automatskog mjenjača, te istovremeno ima visok stupanj korisnosti poput ručnog mjenjača. Prvo je opisana kinematska struktura i princip rada automatskog mjenjača s dvostrukom spojkom. Zatim su detaljnije opisani elementi mjenjača relevantni za njegovu regulaciju. Neki dijelovi mjenjača su opisani pomoću dijelova konvencionalnog ručnog mjenjača te su napomenute razlike. Nakon toga se daje pregled metoda upravljanja u situacijama kod pokretanja vozila, rada o odabranom stupnju prijenosa te izmjeni stupnja prijenosa. Na kraju su opisane metode regulacije kojima postižemo željena stanja

Whose Monster? A Study in the Rise to Power of al Qaeda and the Taliban

This thesis seeks to determine which factors and parties were most responsible for the transformation of the Mujahedeen who pushed the Soviet Union out of Afghanistan into what would eventually become al Qaeda and the Taliban in the 1990s. First brought to America\u27s attention due to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, they would gain increased notoriety as the decade progressed due to the Taliban\u27s treatment of Afghan women, and finally culminating in the tragic terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001

Polynomiography for the Polynomial Infinity Norm via Kalantari's Formula and Nonstandard Iterations

In this paper, an iteration process, referred to in short as MMP, will be considered. This iteration is related to finding the maximum modulus of a complex polynomial over a unit disc on the complex plane creating intriguing images. Kalantari calls these images polynomiographs independently from whether they are generated by the root finding or maximum modulus finding process applied to any polynomial. We show that the images can be easily modified using different MMP methods (pseudo-Newton, MMP-Householder, methods from the MMP-Basic, MMP-Parametric Basic or MMP-Euler-Schroder Families of Iterations) with various kinds of non-standard iterations. Such images are interesting from three points of views: scientific, educational and artistic. We present the results of experiments showing automatically generated non-trivial images obtained for different modifications of root finding MMP-methods. The colouring by iteration reveals the dynamic behaviour of the used root finding process and its speed of convergence. The results of the present paper extend Kalantari's recent results in finding the maximum modulus of a complex polynomial based on Newton's process with the Picard iteration to other MMP-processes with various non-standard iterations

Generalized Control Allocation Scheme for Multirotor Type of UAVs

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are autonomous or remotely guided aircraft, which can potentially carry out a wide range of tasks. Multirotor type of UAV has unique ability to perform vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), a stationary and low-speed flight where certain configurations can achieve very complex and precise movements. Therefore, they are suitable for performing tasks such as delivery of first aid kit, firefighting, infrastructure inspection, aerial video, and many others. In this chapter, a generalized control allocation scheme for a multirotor UAV is presented, which describes the mapping of rotor angular velocities to the control vector of the aircraft. It enables control and design of multirotor configurations with diverse geometrical arrangement and characteristics of the propulsion subsystem depending on the task, which multirotor has to carry out. The inverted scheme, which is implemented as a motor mixer, maps the control inputs into a set of aircraft actuator outputs

Measuring Currency Power from 2005 to 2018: Greenback Still Unrivaled or Increasingly Constrained by Its Rivals?

The main research goal of this paper is to empirically assess the state of US currency power relative to its main rivals in the period between 2005 and 2018. The most novel aspect of our inquiry is the design of three new composite indices called: Monetary Capability Index (MCI), Quality of Governance Index (QGI) and Currency Internationalization Index (CII). We argue that those indices are indispensable in an attempt to empirically measure the concept of currency power, both its underlying material and non-material resources, as well as the degree of their effective exploatation. Based on the conducted analysis it is visible that material resources are a necessary but not sufficient condition to wield and exert currency power which we proxy by currency internationalization. In that regard quality of governance remains indispensable to this effort. Our measurement shows that US currency power remains unshattered by the global financial crisis (GFC) and US dollar is still placed firmly at the top of international monetary and credit hierarchy. In spite of dangers emanating from Trump’s erratic policy, US rivals either face weakening of their currency power in terms of their monetary capability or still lag far behind the US in terms of their quality of governance