Vote Bying I: General Elections

We examine the consequences of vote buying, assuming this practice were al- lowed and free of stigma. Two parties compete in a binary election and may purchase votes in a sequential bidding game via up-front binding payments and/or campaign promises (platforms) that are contingent upon the outcome of the elec- tion. We analyze the role of the parties' and voters' preferences in determining the winner and the payments to voters.vote buying, political economy, campaign promises.

Vote Buying II: Legislatures and Lobbying

We examine the consequences of lobbying and vote buying, assuming this prac- tice were allowed and free of stigma. Two "lobbyists" compete for the votes of legislators by offering up-front payments to the legislators in exchange for their votes. We analyze how the lobbyists' budget constraints and legislator preferences determine the winner and the payments.vote buying, lobbying, legislatures, political economy.

Thermionic Properties of Carbon Based Nanomaterials Produced by Microhollow Cathode PECVD

Thermionic emission is the process in which materials at sufficiently high temperature spontaneously emit electrons. This process occurs when electrons in a material gain sufficient thermal energy from heating to overcome the material's potential barrier, referred to as the work function. For most bulk materials very high temperatures (greater than 1500 K) are needed to produce appreciable emission. Carbonbased nanomaterials have shown significant promise as emission materials because of their low work functions, nanoscale geometry, and negative electron affinity. One method of producing these materials is through the process known as microhollow cathode PECVD. In a microhollow cathode plasma, high energy electrons oscillate at very high energies through the Pendel effect. These high energy electrons create numerous radical species and the technique has been shown to be an effective method of growing carbon based nanomaterials. In this work, we explore the thermionic emission properties of carbon based nanomaterials produced by microhollow cathode PECVD under a variety of synthesis conditions. Initial studies demonstrate measureable current at low temperatures (approximately 800 K) and work functions (approximately 3.3 eV) for these materials

[Identity theft]

"A new survey by the Federal Trade Commission indicates that over the last five years one in four American households has been hit by identity theft, which can result in thieves tapping their victims' credit cards or bank accounts" (1 page)