It's just another war!

This article describes the increasing use of private military corporations (PMCs) and the implications for International Humanitarian Law (IHL). After considering the development of the laws of war alongside the rise of corporations the author questions the likely effect this new development may have for sovereign states and the notion that only states have the right to control military power. The author argues that this development will have consequences for sovereign democracies, IHL and Human Rights

Are Books Becoming Extinct in Academic Libraries?

Purpose: Academic librarians who are planning for the future need to be knowledgeable about the short- and long-range outlook for print. They must also consider what will happen if libraries abolish most or all of their books. Current and future academic e-book usage is explored, and ideas for response to collection changes are suggested. Design/methodology/approach: This article examines a wide range of studies and comments on this timely topic. Findings: The disparity between the reception of e-books in the general population and the adoption of them in the academic world suggests that print is still important to faculty and students. Given the advances in e-book technological, the increasing popularity of online/distance education courses, the adoption of the new EPUB 3 format, and the ubiquity of mobile devices, e-books are expected to increasingly replace print volumes in academic libraries. Originality/value: What has received little attention in the literature is the complexity of the issue of e-book reception in the academic world. This article looks at current and future e-book usage from the perspective of several large studies on diverse aspects of academic life, including students’ perceptions of libraries, their information-seeking behaviors, faculty research habits and information needs, students’ reading habits, and the impact of emerging technologies on teaching and learning. Providing insight into current and future academic e-book trends, this article suggests practical ways to respond to these trends

On the monodromy of Milnor fibers of hyperplane arrangements

We describe a general setting where the monodromy action on the first cohomology group of the Milnor fiber of a hyperplane arrangement is the identity.Comment: 10 page

Payday Loans: Federal Regulatory Initiatives

CRS_April_2005_Payday_Loans.pdf: 2070 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020