The Topology of Conflict and Co-operation

The class of simultaneous 2x2 pure-strategy ordinal games (which include well-known games such as Prisoner’s Dilemma, Chicken and Stag Hunt) have received considerable attention, including complete classification schemes by amongst others Rapoport & Guyer (1978) and Robinson & Goforth (2005). This paper focuses on a particularly pertinent subset of these games, described as the ‘Co-operate-Defect’ (C-D) games, which are characterised by each player having a dominant preference for a particular strategy by the other player. These games are therefore relevant in a number of contexts, including arms race games and collective action problems. The C-D games may be efficiently classified by assigning each player one of six distinct types, a classification that cannot be naturally extended to the full class of 2x2 games. The six types and the resulting game forms are analysed, and the subclass of CD games are identified within a topological structure for the 2x2 games devised by Robinson & Goforth (2005).Conflict; co-operation; game theory; co-operate-defect games

Autonomous monitoring of cliff nesting seabirds using computer vision

In this paper we describe a proposed system for automatic visual monitoring of seabird populations. Image sequences of cliff face nesting sites are captured using time-lapse digital photography. We are developing image processing software which is designed to automatically interpret these images, determine the number of birds present, and monitor activity. We focus primarily on the the development of low-level image processing techniques to support this goal. We first describe our existing work in video processing, and show how it is suitable for this problem domain. Image samples from a particular nest site are presented, and used to describe the associated challenges. We conclude by showing how we intend to develop our work to construct a distributed system capable of simultaneously monitoring a number of sites in the same locality

Military Expenditure and Debt in South America

The debt crisis that struck South American countries in the 1980s led to severe recession, and chronic economic problems. This paper considers one potentially important contributor to the growth of external debt, namely military spending. It considers the experience of Argentina, Brazil and Chile. It finds was no evidence that military burden had any impact on the evolution of debt in Argentina and Brazil, but some evidence that military burden tended to increase debt in Chile. At the same time Chile was the least affected of the three countries by acute financial crises resulting from the debt problems, although their relative levels of debt were as high or higher. This suggests that military burden may be important in determining debt in countries, but it is only of significance when it is not swamped by other macroeconomic and international factors.Military spending; external debt; South America.

Determining Military Expenditures: Arms Races and Spill-Over Effects in Cross-Section and Panel Data

This paper considers the determinants of military spending, building on an emerging literature that estimates military expenditure demand functions in cross-section and panel data, incorporating ‘arms-race’ type effects. It updates Dunne and Perlo-Freeman (2003b) using the SIPRI military expenditure database for the period 1988-2003, finding broadly similar results. It also shows differences in results across panel methods, particularly the within and between estimates and illustrates the importance of recognising and modelling dynamic processes within panel data. Heterogeneity is also found to be an important issue and when countries are broken up into groups on the basis of per capita income there is no obvious systematic pattern in the results. This is seen to imply that the demand for military spending, even between two mutually hostile powers, may depend on the whole nature of the relationship between them (and other countries and events in the region), and not simply Richardsonian action-reaction patterns.Military Spending; Demand; Arms races; Spillovers; Panel data

Determining Military Expenditures: Arms Races and Spill-Over Effects in Cross-Section and Panel Data

This paper considers the determinants of military spending, building on an emerging literature that estimates military expenditure demand functions in cross-section and panel data, incorporating ‘arms-race’ type effects. It updates Dunne and Perlo-Freeman (2003b) using the SIPRI military expenditure database for the period 1988-2003, finding broadly similar results. It also shows differences in results across panel methods, particularly the within and between estimates and illustrates the importance of recognising and modelling dynamic processes within panel data. Heterogeneity is also found to be an important issue and when countries are broken up into groups on the basis of per capita income there is no obvious systematic pattern in the results. This is seen to imply that the demand for military spending, even between two mutually hostile powers, may depend on the whole nature of the relationship between them (and other countries and events in the region), and not simply Richardsonian action-reaction patterns.Military Spending; Demand; Arms races; Spillovers; Panel data

Every Mother\u27s Prayer

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/4869/thumbnail.jp

A Mother\u27s Prayer

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/5551/thumbnail.jp

Ariel - Volume 11 Number 4

Executive Editor Ellen Feldman Leonardo S. Nasca, Jr. Business Managers Barbara L. Davies Martin B. Getzow News Editor Hugh A. Gelabert Features Editor Aaron D. Bleznak CAHS Editor Joan M. Greco Editorial Page Editor Samuel Markind Photography Editor Todd L. Demmy Sports Editor Paul F. Mansfiel