Consistency Conditions for Brane Worlds in Arbitrary Dimensions

We consider ``brane world sum rules'' for compactifications involving an arbitrary number of spacetime dimensions. One of the most striking results derived from such consistency conditions is the necessity for negative tension branes to appear in five--dimensional scenarios. We show how this result is easily evaded for brane world models with more than five dimensions. As an example, we consider a novel realization of the Randall--Sundrum scenario in six dimensions involving only positive tension branes.Comment: 18 pages, LaTex, refs. adde

Selected Fiscal and Economic Implications of Aging

This report considers pressures and potential benefits of an increased elderly population in Georgia. FRC Report 16

Revenue Estimates for Eliminating Sales Tax Exemptions and Adding Services to the Sales Tax Base

This report provides revenue estimates for alternative combinations of eliminating sales tax exemptions and adding services to the sales tax base. FRC Report 17

Third Circuit Buyers Beware: District Court in Litman Holds Unconscionability Defense Contravened by Federal Arbitration Act

Without even knowing it, just about everyone has agreed to settle disputes through arbitration and has waived any rights to proceed on a class-wide basis. While many consumers do not read the fine print in the agreements they sign, a variety of companies, from cell phone providers to car dealers, have consumers agree in sales contracts to arbitrate any claims and to waive the ability to proceed with a class action claim. This was the scenario in the case of Litman v. Cellco Partnership, in which a New Jersey federal district court held that the plaintiff cell phone customers could not use a state-law unconscionability defense to invalidate an agreement to arbitrate and a class action waiver, as the state law was preempted by federal legislation. Unfortunately, this holding misinterpreted state and federal law, as evidenced by prior precedent and cases decided after the fact. The holding also set an unfortunate precedent for consumers, stripping them of the only adequate remedy provided by law and subjecting them to a process that rarely rules in their favor

Advances in single-pixel imaging toward biological applications

2014 Summer.In this work, we discuss two new methods for single-pixel imaging. First, we leverage advances in laser metrology and frequency synthesis to measure small shifts in the center frequency of an optical pulse. Pulses acquire such shifts when probing a transient optical susceptibility, as in impulsive stimulated Raman scattering, which we use to demonstrate the technique. We analyze the limits of this technique with regard to fundamental noise, and predict detection sensitivity in these limiting cases. We then present work on imaging in two dimensions, both x-y and x-z, using single element detectors. We accomplish this by multiplexing spatial frequency projections in time, allowing rapid two dimensional imaging without an imaging detector. As we eliminate the imaging detector, the sensitivity to scattering is dramatically decreased, allowing the method to be used deep in scattering tissue. Results are shown for several geometries and experimental configurations, demonstrating imaging capabilities across a variety of sample types, including fluorescent and biological samples

Who is coming from Vanuatu to New Zealand under the new Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Program?

New Zealand's new Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) program allows workers from the Pacific Islands to come to New Zealand for up to seven months to work in the horticulture and viticulture industries. One of the explicit objectives of the program is to encourage economic development in the Pacific. In this paper we report on the results of a baseline survey taken in Vanuatu, which allows us to examine who wants to participate in the program, and who is selected amongst those interested. We find the main participants are males in their late 20s to early 40s, most of whom are married and have children. Most workers are subsistence farmers in Vanuatu and have not completed more than 10 years of schooling. Such workers would be unlikely to be accepted under existing migration channels. Nevertheless, we find RSE workers from Vanuatu to come from wealthier households, and have better English literacy and health than individuals not applying for the program. Lack of knowledge about the policy and the costs of applying appear to be the main barriers preventing poorer individuals applying.

Who is coming from Vanuatu to New Zealand under the new recognized Seasonal employer program ?

New Zealand's new Recognized Seasonal Employer program allows workers from the Pacific Islands to come to New Zealand for up to seven months to work in the horticulture and viticulture industries. One of the explicit objectives of the program is to encourage economic development in the Pacific. This paper reports the results of a baseline survey taken in Vanuatu, which the authors use to examine who wants to participate in the program, and who is selected among those interested. The findings show that the main participants are males in their late 20s to early 40s, and most are married and have children. Most workers are subsistence farmers in Vanuatu and have not completed more than 10 years of schooling. Such workers would be unlikely to be accepted under existing migration channels. Nevertheless, the program workers from Vanuatu tend to come from wealthier households, and have better English literacy and health than individuals not applying for the program. Lack of knowledge about the policy and the costs of applying appear to be the main barriers preventing poorer individuals applying.Access to Finance,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Labor Markets,Housing&Human Habitats,Work&Working Conditions