Competitive pressure and labor productivity: world iron ore markets in the 1980s

Does the extent of competitive pressure industries face influence their productivity? We study a natural experiment conducted in the iron ore industry as a result of the collapse in world steel production in the early 1980s. For iron ore producers, whose only market is the steel industry, this collapse was an exogenous shock. The drop in steel production differed dramatically by region: it fell by about a third in the Atlantic Basin but only very little in the Pacific Basin. Given that the cost of transporting iron ore is very high relative to its mine value, Atlantic iron ore producers faced a much greater increase in competitive pressure than did Pacific iron ore producers. In response to the crisis, most Atlantic iron ore producers doubled their labor productivity; Pacific iron ore producers experienced few productivity gains. ; This article originally appeared in the American Economic Review. (c) American Economic Association.Labor productivity ; Steel industry and trade

A Catalog of GALEX Ultraviolet Emission from Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars

We have performed a comprehensive study of the UV emission detected from AGB stars by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX). Of the 468 AGB stars in our sample, 316 were observed by GALEX. In the NUV bandpass ($\lambda_{\rm eff} \sim 2310$z A), 179 AGB stars were detected and 137 were not detected. Only 38 AGB stars were detected in the FUV bandpass ($\lambda_{\rm eff} \sim1528$ A). We find that NUV emission is correlated with optical to near infrared emission leading to higher detection fractions among the brightest, hence closest, AGB stars. Comparing the AGB time-variable visible phased light curves to corresponding GALEX NUV phased light curves we find evidence that for some AGB stars the NUV emission varies in phase with the visible light curves. We also find evidence that the NUV emission, and possibly, the FUV emission are anti-correlated with the circumstellar envelope density. These results suggest that the origin of the GALEX-detected UV emission is an inherent characteristic of the AGB stars that can most likely be traced to a combination of photospheric and chromospheric emission. In most cases, UV detections of AGB stars are not likely to be indicative of the presence of binary companions.Comment: Accepted by ApJ; go spurs go

A Design Program for a Fraternity House Complex for the Development of the South Campus of the University of New Mexico

\u27The problem is to provide facilities for nine fraternities on the south campus of the University of New Mexico. The complex should have facilities for 300 men live-in. Dining facilities for 360 men, with one central kitchen should provide maximum space for special occasions. The possibility of separate dining areas for each fraternity with some type of removable partitions for large gatherings, to be used by one or two fraternities at a time should be investigated

Say What?: Filipino ESL Learners’ Semantic Formula in Expressing Complaints

Complaining is one of the difficult tasks one has to do because when one complains, one does not only express some displeasure but also expects some form of repair. Hence, it is important for language learners to be taught how to effectively do so. Despite this, the teaching of the speech act of complaint has been taken for granted: either very little is included or it is absent in the language classroom instruction. This study attempts to examine how Filipino ESL learners structure their complaints. Featuring 18 situations calibrated on three social variables (interlocutors’ social power and social distance, as well as the complainable acts’ degree of severity), the discourse completion task elicited respondents’ written expression of complaints, which were then analyzed using Schaefer’s (1982, as cited in Celce-Murcia & Olshtain, 2000) framework for analyzing the semantic formula of complaints. Results of the study provide a baseline data on respondents’ language of complaining, which provides many pedagogical implications and serves as a springboard for the development of classroom resource materials leading to an informed and judicious teaching of pragmatics

Assessing BEAR: Tool Usability for Wireless CTF

Capture the Flag (CTF) is a common and popular type of event in the cyber security space with audiences ranging from large security conference participants to even those in middle or high school. Event participants bring their favorite set of tools and any level of knowledge they have to compete against other teams in solving cyber security related challenges. These types of challenges can range anywhere from reverse engineering programs and hacking WiFi to utilizing interesting command line commands and messing with browser developer consoles. There are plenty of general CTF events that happen throughout every month, as well as plenty of resources for those. However, CTFs focused on wireless technologies are not as prevalent. Just this last year a Wireless themed CTF, named Wireless CTF (WCTF), became publicly available to participate in. With this CTF as the target, a tool set will be put together in this thesis to help introduce some of WCTF\u27s topics: WiFi penetration testing, POCSAG radio signal decoding, and Morse Code Signal Decoding. Tools will be chosen based on the BEAR scoring rubric, created in this thesis, to assess a given tools usability, and chosen tools will be used against challenge topics found in WCTF to test the validity of the scoring rubric and evaluate changes in a participants knowledge of each topic

Housing Subsidies: A Closer Look at the Issues

To improve poor household’s access to housing, the government has provided subsidies to lower production costs and make housing units more affordable to low-income groups. However, mechanisms should be implemented to ensure that the intended targets are the ones who receive it. This issue reviews the beneficiaries of subsidies, its transfer mechanisms and its budgetary implications. This hopes to eliminate the mismatch between what the government should provide and the estimated housing targets.housing finance, housing subsidy, subsidy

Abortion on the Air: Broadcasters and Indecent Political Advertising

Section 315(a) of the Communications Act--the anti-censorship provision--allows for the presentation of candidates\u27 unvarnished positions on issues important to the voting public. In the 1990s, ads centered around abortion caused a collision between the interests of political candidates and broadcasters. The Article reviews broadcasters\u27 attempts to use the indecency provisions of the Communications Act to channel controversial political advertisements. The Authors conclude that airing potentially indecent political ads is unlikely to result in sanctions for broadcasters

Abortion on the Air: Broadcasters and Indecent Political Advertising

Section 315(a) of the Communications Act--the anti-censorship provision--allows for the presentation of candidates\u27 unvarnished positions on issues important to the voting public. In the 1990s, ads centered around abortion caused a collision between the interests of political candidates and broadcasters. The Article reviews broadcasters\u27 attempts to use the indecency provisions of the Communications Act to channel controversial political advertisements. The Authors conclude that airing potentially indecent political ads is unlikely to result in sanctions for broadcasters