\u27Smile when you call me hillbilly\u27 : the modernization of country music and the struggle for respectability, 1939-1954

This study parallels changes occurring within country music and southern society in the years between 1939 and 1954. In doing so, it demonstrates how the period wimessed the modernization of country music, its evolution from a regional folk art form aimed at an audience composed primarily of white rural southerners to a nationwide phenomenon seeking to expand its audience and gain respectability on both a regional and national level. This transformation occurred within the context of changes in audience demographics and listeners\u27 preferences initiated by social and cultural developments. An investigation of changing performance styles demonstrates the process of acculturation into the American mainstream undergone by country music and its audience in the 1940s and early 1950s, while an examination of changes in the genre\u27s lyrical subject matter reveals southerners\u27 ambivalent feelings towards nationalization and the modernization of the South. While many embraced the economic benefits of modernization, others begrudged the social and economic consequences. Dividing country music into six sub-genres (Progressive Country, Western Swing, Post-War Traditional, Honky Tonk, Country-Pop and Country-Blues) provides the means for discussing these varying viewpoints as well as explaining country music\u27s expanding appeal. Analyzing over five thousand sound recordings from the era, this dissertation provides an understanding of the characteristics of the sub-genres and offers insights into reasons for fluctuations in their popularity. Additionally, this study presents the first in-depth examination of changes occurring within country music in the 1940s and early 1950s and explains why the modernization of the genre took place in the decade after World War II

Price Determinants of Ranch Horses Sold at Auction in Texas

A hedonic pricing model was used to determine parameters affecting ranch horse prices at two Texas auctions. Color, sex, age-sex interaction, sale order, and consigning ranch were all found to significantly affect price. Sire analysis found that progeny performance records did not significantly affect price.auction, hedonic model, ranch horses, Demand and Price Analysis, Livestock Production/Industries, C01, Q10,

Globally Convergent Algorithms for Maximum a Posteriori Transmission Tomography

This paper reviews and compares three maximum likelihood algorithms for transmission tomography. One of these algorithms is the EM algorithm, one is based on a convexity argument devised by De Pierro in the context of emission tomography, and one is an ad hoc gradient algorithm. The algorithms enjoy desirable local and global convergence properties and combine gracefully with Bayesian smoothing priors. Preliminary numerical testing of the algorithms on simulated data suggest that the convex algorithm and the ad hoc gradient algorithm are computationally superior to the EM algorithm. This superiority stems from the larger number of exponentiations required by the EM algorithm. The convex and gradient algorithms are well adapted to parallel computing.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/86016/1/Fessler101.pd

Estimating the Price of ROCs

The UK government introduced the Renewable Obligation (RO), a system of tradable quotas, to encourage the installation of renewable electricity capacity. Each unit of generation from renewables created a renewable obligation certificate (ROC). Electricity generators must either; earn ROCs through their own production, purchase ROCs in the market or pay the buy-out price to comply with the quota set by the RO. A unique aspect of this regulation is that all entities holding ROCs receive a share of the buy-out fund (the sum of all compliance purchases using the buy-out price). This set-up ensures that the difference between the market price for ROCs and the buy-out price should equal the expected share of the buy-out fund, as regulated entities arbitrage these two compliance options. The expected share of the buy-out fund depends on whether enough renewable generation is available to meet the quota. This analysis tests whether variables associated with renewable generation or electricity demand are correlated with, and thus can help predict, the price of ROCs

Equal or Just? Intergenerational Allocations within Family Farm Businesses

A multi-disciplinary literature review was conducted in order to integrate multiple perspectives pertaining to family farm business transfer. Factors affecting perceptions of equality in family farm transfers were identified. Preliminary survey results analyze perceptions of equality within farm families and how these perceptions affect family farm transfer planning and implementation.family farm succession, intergenerational transfer, Farm Management, Q10, Q12,

Parental Motivation in Family Farm Intergenerational Transfers

An intergenerational transfer model incorporating both altruism and exchange is presented for family farm transfers. A simulation study is conducted to test parental motivation in intergenerational transfers of family farm businesses. Results indicated that family farm intergenerational transfers are altruistically motivated.Family Farms, Intergenerational Transfer, Family Farm Succession, Consumer/Household Economics, Farm Management, Q10, Q12,

Selected fluorescent lights for color vision testing

Results on color vision tests were compared using the Macbeth Easel Lamp and three fluorescent lamps each as the source of illumination . Tests used were the HRR Pseudoisochromatic Plates, the Davidson and Hemmendinger Color Rule, the Farnsworth D-15, and Farnsworth 100-Hue. All three fluorescent lamps appeared to be adequate replacements for the detection and classification of color anomalies with the tests used, with the possible exception of the D & H Color Rule . On the Color Rule, Ultralume and Cool-White showed poor differentiations between protanomalous individuals and normals. For careful quantifications of color anomalies, none of the three fluorescent lights gave quite the same results as the Macbeth Lamp. The Vitalite appeared most similar to the Macbeth overall, next the Ultralume 5000, and lastly the Cool-White

Low-noise 0.8-0.96- and 0.96-1.12-THz superconductor-insulator-superconductor mixers for the Herschel Space Observatory

Heterodyne mixers incorporating Nb SIS junctions and NbTiN-SiO/sub 2/-Al microstrip tuning circuits offer the lowest reported receiver noise temperatures to date in the 0.8-0.96- and 0.96-1.12-THz frequency bands. In particular, improvements in the quality of the NbTiN ground plane of the SIS devices' on-chip microstrip tuning circuits have yielded significant improvements in the sensitivity of the 0.96-1.12-THz mixers relative to previously presented results. Additionally, an optimized RF design incorporating a reduced-height waveguide and suspended stripline RF choke filter offers significantly larger operating bandwidths than were obtained with mixers that incorporated full-height waveguides near 1 THz. Finally, the impact of junction current density and quality on the performance of the 0.8-0.96-THz mixers is discussed and compared with measured mixer sensitivities, as are the relative sensitivities of the 0.8-0.96- and 0.96-1.12-THz mixers

Constitutional Law - Moore v. U.S. House of Representatives: A Possible Expansion of Congressmen\u27s Standing to Sue

In Moore v. U.S. House of Representatives,I the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit addressed the question of whether individual congressmen have standing to sue the Congress. In Moore, members of the House of Representatives sought declaratory relief to invalidate the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA).2 The congressmen contended that TEFRA originated in the Senate in violation of the origination clause of the United States Constitution, 3 which requires that bills for raising revenue originate in the House of Representatives. Although the District of Columbia Circuit ultimately denied relief on the basis of prudential considerations, 4 it held, significantly, that the congressmen had standing to bring suit in federal court.5 Thus, the Moore court determined that the federal court had jurisdiction over the controversy but that, because of prudential concerns, that power should not be exercised. Part I of this comment outlines the facts and holding of Moore. Part II examines the standing analysis which the court employed and concludes that the Moore court\u27s finding of standing does not comport with traditional tests for standing. Finally, Part III discusses the court\u27s decision to deny relief based on prudential considerations. This comment concludes that, contrary to the Moore holding, denial of relief should have been the consequence of constitutional command rather than judicial discretion

Mitral Annular and Coronary Artery Calcification Are Associated with Mortality in HIV-Infected Individuals.

BackgroundHIV infection increases cardiovascular risk. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) and mitral annular calcification (MAC) identify patients at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to examine the association between MAC, CAC and mortality in HIV-infected individuals.Methods and resultsWe studied 152 asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and computed tomography (CT). MAC was identified on TTE using standardized criteria. Presence of CAC, CAC score and CAC percentiles were determined using the modified Agatston criteria. Mortality data was obtained from the Social Security and National Death Indices (SSDI/NDI). The median age was 49 years; 87% were male. The median duration of HIV was 16 years; 84% took antiretroviral therapy; 64% had an undetectable viral load. CVD risk factors included hypertension (35%), smoking (62%) and dyslipidemia (35%). Twenty-five percent of individuals had MAC, and 42% had CAC. Over a median follow-up of 8 years, 11 subjects died. Subjects with CAC had significantly higher mortality compared to those with MAC only or no MAC. The Harrell's C-statistic of CAC was 0.66 and increased to 0.75 when MAC was added (p = 0.05). MAC, prior CVD, age and HIV viral load were independently associated with higher age- and gender-adjusted CAC percentiles in an adjusted model (p < 0.05 for all).ConclusionIn HIV patients, the presence of MAC, traditional risk factors and HIV viral load were independently associated with CAC. Presence of CAC and MAC may be useful in identifying HIV-infected individuals at higher risk for death