Credibly Committing to Property Rights: The Roles of Precedent and the Constitution.

In cross-national studies, scholars typically ignore the moderating effect of credibility on the relationship between property rights protection and economic growth. However, both theory and case evidence suggest that credibility is necessary for this relationship to exist. Using panel data spanning more than 100 countries from 1985-2005, this paper investigates if two credibility mechanisms - precedent and the constitution - moderate the relationship between property rights protection and economic growth. The findings suggest that a credible commitment to property rights protection is a necessary condition for such protection to enhance economic performance. The implications of these findings are twofold: 1) property rights reforms are unlikely to be successful in countries that cannot credibly commit to those reforms, and 2) unsuccessful property rights reforms at present may reduce the likelihood that future reforms will be successful

Why is Voting Habit-Forming: Evidence from Sweden

For decades, scholars of electoral behavior have noted persistence in individuals' turnout decisions and hypothesized that such persistence is the result of habit. Recent empirical studies provide persuasive evidence supporting the habitual voting hypothesis, but we still do not know why individuals develop habits for voting. One theory is that voting causes individuals' to view themselves as "voters," increasing their future probabilities of voting. Another theory asserts that voting may ease institutional barriers, making future voting less costly and changing conative attitudes towards voting. This study seeks to disentangle these two causal mechanisms by testing the habitual voting hypothesis in Sweden. Since institutional barriers to voting are minimal in Sweden, evidence in favor of the habitual voting hypothesis will lend credence to a psychological mechanism. The opposite result will point to an institutional mechanism. Ultimately, habitual voting is found in Sweden, which suggests the psychological mechanism is valid

Fluid-pressure meter can be calibrated without removal from flow line

The construction of a fluid pressure meter with two inlet ports, flexible diaphragms and a pressure-responsive transducer is described. One port can be connected to the line and the other to a source of standard pressures for calibration

Femiliar: An Artistic Exploration of Feminism Through Comedy

This project seeks to examine feminism through the widely accessible means of comedic performance. I have written, created, and acted in a web series that I established for several reasons: namely, to diffuse information about the oppressions that female-identifying individuals face in their everyday life as well as in the larger scheme of existence, but also to attempt to create a community of intersectional communication and collaboration where women can go to express their grievances and inspirations as well as seek comfort for the issues that plague them by nature of their gender identification. The show, Femiliar, is a sketch comedy web series consisting of one-minute episodes, released weekly, that satirize problematic ideologies pervasive throughout modern society. I have been able to garner hundreds of views on the various videos I have released and hope to continue to inspire a change of thought in people who are not affected directly by these issues, and to foster a sense of hope for those who are. I have addressed common issues such as catcalling and pop culture’s portrayal of women, but also less-recognized problems like oppressive female clothing and the perceived ownership of women by their spouses and fathers

Conversion Calls for Confrontation: Facing the Old to Become New in the Work of James Baldwin

Book Summary: The recognition and study of African American (AA) artists and public intellectuals often include Martin Luther King, Jr., and occasionally Booker T. Washington, W.E.B.DuBois, and Malcolm X. The literary canon also adds Ralph Ellison, Richard White, Langston Hughes, and others such as female writers Zora Neale Hurston, MayaAngelou, and Alice Walker. Yet, the acknowledgement of AA artists and public intellectuals tends to skew the voices and works of those included toward normalized portrayals that fit well within foundational aspects of the American myths reflected in and perpetuated by traditional schooling. Further, while many AA artists and public intellectuals are distorted by mainstream media, public and political characterizations, and the curriculum, several powerful AA voices are simply omitted, ignored, including James Baldwin. This edited volume gathers a collection of essays from a wide range of perspectives that confront Baldwin’s impressive and challenging canon as well as his role as a public intellectual. Contributors also explore Baldwin as a confrontational voice during his life and as an enduring call for justice. [From the Publisher] Chapter Summary: This discussion examines Baldwin\u27s novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953), and his essay collection, No Name in the Street (1972). Baldwin revisits the traditional biblical conversion narrative by challenging how the converted must learn to reconcile with their past, rather than simply turning away from it

Ballpoint probe gives optimum results in ultrasonic testing

Ballpoint-type ultrasonic probe assembly focuses its beam precisely on the bond lines of a composite thin face sheet structure when testing for bond integrity. It can scan in any direction, and eliminate external couplant spray

System for measuring roundness and concentricity of large tanks

Equipment measures the roundness and concentricity of large, massive tanks. The equipment includes a 34-foot rotary table, a variable reluctance displacement transducer, an electronics console, a digital computer, and a 5-foot plotter used for final data display

ECONOMICS OF BEEF COW CULLING AND REPLACEMENT DECISIONS UNDER GENETIC PROGRESS

Beef cow managers annually face the question of which animals to cull from the herd and replace. The results of this decision affect not only current revenues, but, by altering the genetic composition of the herd, also affect the future profitability of the herd. These genetic changes of the herd may, therefore, be represented as a form of endogenous technological progress to the cow calf producer. This article derives general asset replacement criteria for assets undergoing either exogenous or endogenous progress and illustrates their application with a Florida cow herd example.Livestock Production/Industries,

Cantilever clamp fitting

A device is disclosed for sealing and clamping a cylindrical element which is to be attached to an object such as a wall, a pressurized vessel or another cylindrical element. The device includes a gland having an inner cylindrical wall, which is threaded at one end and is attached at a bendable end to a deformable portion, which in turn is attached to one end of a conical cantilever structure. The other end of the cantilever structure connects at a bendable area to one end of an outer cylindrical wall. The opposite end of cylindrical wall terminates in a thickened portion, the radially outer surface of which is adapted to accommodate a tool for rotating the gland. The terminal end of cylindrical wall also includes an abutment surface, which is adapted to engage a seal, which in turn engages a surface of a receiver. The receiver further includes a threaded portion for engagement with the threaded portion of gland whereby a tightening rotation of gland relative to receiver will cause relative movement between cylindrical walls and of gland. This movement causes a rotation of the conical structure and thus a bending action at bending area and at the bending end of the upper end of inner cylindrical wall. These rotational and bending actions result in a forcing of the deformable portion radially inwardly so as to contact and deform a pipe. This forcible contact creates a seal between gland and pipe, and simultaneously clamps the pipe in position