The Protestant Ethic Thesis: An Internal Critque

Max Weber's thesis of a relation between a Protestant ethic and a spirit of capitalism is examined. The Calvinist calling is taken as the central notion of Weber's thesis. Weber fails to demonstrate that the doctrine of the calling would channel the motivational force of religious interests into ascetic, economic activity that could be innovative in the face of traditional patterns ofbehavior. He fails in two ways: (1) he does not demonstrate a strict logical, meaningful relation between these elements; and (2) he does not account for the changing historical dynamics of Calvinism itself. If the configuration of events occurred as Weber argued, then nonreligious factors would be crucial in bringing it about. Yet, such factors take us outside of the framework in which Weber was working and, more seriously, they contest the very basis of his argument: the influence ofreligious forces on the capitalistic spirit

Buoyant Venus station mission feasibility study for 1972 and 1973 launch opportunities. Volume 3 - Configuration definition. Part 2 - Appendixes Final report

Buoyant Venus station mission study for 1972 - 1973 launch period - backup data including atmospheric models, heat shield requirements, etc

Timber: Mine or Crop?

Excerpts: Three outstanding measures are necessary to bring about the growing of timber crops on forest lands. The first is to stop unrestrained forest exploitation, the denudation which is a direct result of timber mining. Timber mining has already left 81 million acres of forest land largely barren, has made 250 million acres more only partially productive, and is adding to these areas from 5 to 10 million acres each year. With little systematic provision for the renewal of our privately owned forests, with a cut four times the present growth of wood, the remaining timber supplies have become so localized as greatly to decrease their general utility. The second step required is to reduce waste in the use of timber. Out of a cut of 22 1/2 billion cubic feet, we waste each year more than 9 billion feet. By the elimination of obvious waste in the woods, in the manufacture of lumber, and in its remanufacture and use, by the general application of technical knowledge already available, and by thorough-going research in the properties, protection, and utilization of wood, it should be possible to save at least 6 1/2 billion board feet of lumber each year and additional amounts of other material. The possible saving in lumber alone is equal to the present yearly growth on 170 million acres. The third important objective is to increase timber production to the full capacity of the land. Only by this course can we hope to grow the equivalent of our present consumption of 22 1/2 billion cubic feet. Full production will require the planting of areas now denuded which will not reforest themselves though fires are kept out. It involves careful methods of cutting areas now bearing timber and their protection from insects and diseases

Aging and the negative geotaxis response (NGR) of adult Drosophila.

<p>The NGR of outcrossed wild-type control male and female flies (<i>w¹¹¹⁸/+</i>) was used to determining changes in average climbing index (CI, distance traveled within 5 seconds) between the ages of 1 and 4-weeks. *** P ≤ 0.001. See <b><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0132768#pone.0132768.s001" target="_blank">S1 Fig</a></b> for the design of the NGR apparatus and additional details.</p

Aging and Autophagic Function Influences the Progressive Decline of Adult Drosophila Behaviors

<div><p>Multiple neurological disorders are characterized by the abnormal accumulation of protein aggregates and the progressive impairment of complex behaviors. Our Drosophila studies demonstrate that middle-aged wild-type flies (WT, ~4-weeks) exhibit a marked accumulation of neural aggregates that is commensurate with the decline of the autophagy pathway. However, enhancing autophagy via neuronal over-expression of <i>Atg8a</i> (Atg8a-OE) reduces the age-dependent accumulation of aggregates. Here we assess basal locomotor activity profiles for single- and group-housed male and female WT flies and observed that only modest behavioral changes occurred by 4-weeks of age, with the noted exception of group-housed male flies. Male flies in same-sex social groups exhibit a progressive increase in nighttime activity. Infrared videos show aged group-housed males (4-weeks) are engaged in extensive bouts of courtship during periods of darkness, which is partly repressed during lighted conditions. Together, these nighttime courtship behaviors were nearly absent in young WT flies and aged Atg8a-OE flies. Previous studies have indicated a regulatory role for olfaction in male courtship partner choice. Coincidently, the mRNA expression profiles of several olfactory genes decline with age in WT flies; however, they are maintained in age-matched Atg8a-OE flies. Together, these results suggest that middle-aged male flies develop impairments in olfaction, which could contribute to the dysregulation of courtship behaviors during dark time periods. Combined, our results demonstrate that as Drosophila age, they develop early behavior defects that are coordinate with protein aggregate accumulation in the nervous system. In addition, the nighttime activity behavior is preserved when neuronal autophagy is maintained (Atg8a-OE flies). Thus, environmental or genetic factors that modify autophagic capacity could have a positive impact on neuronal aging and complex behaviors.</p></div

Progressive accumulation of neural aggregates in normal aged Drosophila.

<p>Sequential protein extracts were prepared from adult male fly heads at different ages (1-day to 4-weeks) and used for Western blot analyses of Ref(2)P and ubiquitinated proteins. The Triton-X Fraction contains the Triton X-100 soluble proteins, while the SDS Fraction identifies the Triton X-100 insoluble/SDS-soluble proteins that have taken on aggregate-like characteristics.</p