A Wave-centric View of Special Relativity

An approach to special relativity is outlined which emphasizes the wave and field mechanisms which physically produce the relativistic effects, with the goal of making them seem more natural to students by connecting more explicitly with prior studies of waves and oscillators

The Importance of Scholarship to Law School Excellence

As we have learned from Dan Coquillette, Bob Kaczorowski, and John Sexton, access to substantial funding is undoubtedly a prerequisite for a law school to enjoy excellence. Funding, that is, is a necessary, but not sufficient condition for excellence. Something else—intellectual vision—is also required

Unstable Anisotropic Loop Quantum Cosmology

We study stability conditions of the full Hamiltonian constraint equation describing the quantum dynamics of the diagonal Bianchi I model in the context of LQC. Our analysis has shown robust evidence of an instability in the explicit implementation of the difference equation, implying important consequences for the correspondence between the full LQG theory and LQC. As a result, one may question the choice of the quantisation approach, the model of lattice refinement, and/or the role of the ambiguity parameters; all these should in principle be dictated by the full LQG theory.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figure

Tachyonic decay of unstable Dirichlet branes

We consider an unstable bound system of two supersymmetric Dirichlet branes of different dimensionality ($p,p'$ with $p'<p$) embedded in a flat non-compactified IIA or IIB type background. We study the decay, via tachyonic condensation, of such unstable bound states leading to a pair of bound D$(p-1)$, D$p'$-branes. We show that only when the gauge fields carried by the D$p$-brane are localised perependicular to the tachyon direction, then tachyon condensation will indeed take place. We perform our analysis by combining both, the Hamiltonian and the Lagrangian approach.Comment: 12 pages; two minor modifications to match version accepted for publication in PR

Criteria for central bank assets: lessons from pre-ECB Germany

The Deutsche Bundesbank was formed in July 1957, when the two-tier central bank system set up following World War II was consolidated. That previous system had been established by the Allies in imitation of the Federal Reserve System and consisted of independent regional banks (the Land Central Banks) and a governing body. Under the new system, the Land Central Banks became offices of the Bundesbank. As was true under the previous system, the Bundesbank was made independent of the federal cabinet by law and was particularly proscribed from lending to the public sector except for short terms. Acquisitions of public debt occurred exclusively in the open market.Deutsche Bundesbank ; Banks and banking, Central - Germany ; Monetary policy - Germany

Criteria for central bank assets: lessons from pre-ECB France

The Banque de France was founded in 1800 to discount bills and issue currency. Initially, it was a private institution run by its stockholders. The Banque was nationalized in 1936 and its governing council was staffed by officials with a mandate to represent various interests in society. The Banque's autonomy was largely restored in 1973, and the Banque became officially independent in 1994. Whereas the Banque had originally lent appreciable sums to the Treasury, such lending was scheduled to be eliminated beginning in 1993 as part of the move toward monetary union. At that time the monetary policy operations of the Banque were revised substantially. The Banque also operates as a commercial bank, including taking deposits and holding an investment portfolio, although such activities are secondary to its responsibilities as the central bank.Banks and banking, Central - France ; Banque de France ; Monetary policy - France

Profits and balance sheet developments at U.S. commercial banks in 1997

U.S. commercial banks had another excellent year in 1997. Their return on equity remained in the elevated range that it has occupied for five consecutive years, and their return on assets reached a new high. Banks maintained their profitability while also adding significantly to assets. The year's strong economic growth increased the demand for credit; banks more than met that demand, gaining market share. In addition, banks departed from the pattern of recent years by sharply increasing their holdings of securities. Compared with 1996, banks earned a somewhat lower average rate on their interest-earning assets and paid a bit more on their liabilities, but these developments were more than offset by higher fee income and increased efficiency. Loan losses remained low relative to loans.Banks and banking - Accounting ; Bank assets