Joint Dominance and Tacit Collusion - An Analysis of the Irish Vodafone/O2 Case and the Implications for Competition and Regulatory Policy

The paper takes as its starting point the Irish telecom regulator ComReg’s finding of joint dominance by two firms in the mobile phone market in Ireland. The paper argues that the regulator’s decision was inconsistent with the facts in the case. However, it argues that the case raises wider questions about the whole concept of joint dominance as it has evolved under EU competition law which in our view is confused. We regard the approach of the ECJ in trying to use a single approach to joint dominance in merger analysis and in competition analysis as unjustified, misguided and at odds with economic analysis.

Biomass estimates of Pacific herring, Clupea pallasi, in California from the 1991-92 spawning-ground surveys

The spawning biomass of Pacific herring, Clupea pallasi, estimated from spawning-ground surveys in San Francisco Bay declined to 41,000 tons this season. This was the second consecutive year that the San Francisco Bay herring population estimate has declined. In Tomales Bay, the 1991-92 season spawning biomass estimate, including the catch of 24 tons from Bodega Bay, was 1,238 tons. This was the third consecutive season that the Tomales-Bodega area herring population has increased. The 1991-92 Humboldt Bay herring spawning biomass estimate of 225 tons, was nearly half of last season's estimate of 400 tons. December and January were the peak months of spawning activity in all areas surveyed. In San Francisco Bay, the first major spawn since the 1981-82 season occurred in the Sausalito area, and the Oakland-Alameda area accounted for 50% of all spawning activity. A total of 3.5 million m2 of eelgrass, Zostera marina, was measured in Tomales Bay this season. The eelgrass density declined in most beds this season. (46p.

A Comparison of External Loads in Division III Men\u27s Lacrosse Between High Competition Matches and Low Competition Matches

Lacrosse is an open field sport with limited knowledge of the physiological demands of gameplay at the Division III level. The purpose of this study was to investigate the external loads of Division III men’s lacrosse players during NCAA season games. Comparisons were made between the external loads placed on the athletes in high competition versus external loads placed on the athletes in low competition matches. Top competition matches were defined as matches against teams that qualified for the NCAA tournament whereas low competition matches included teams that did not meet top competition requirements. The dependent variables measured included total distance, work rate, intensity, 2D load, and 3D load. Defensive players were found to have significantly higher external load values for total distance (m; p=0.003), work rate (m/min; p=0.006 ), 2D load (AU; p= 0.039 ) and 3D load (AU; p=0.022), while there were no significant differences (p\u3e0.05) for other positions between competition level. Competition level exerts a higher external load for defensive players, but not attack, midfield, or specialists (goalie, face-off), which may indicate the need for specialized conditioning or active load management to deal with potential fatigue

Tagish and Tlingit place naming traditions of Southwestern Yukon: Evidence of language shift

National Foreign Language Resource Cente

Online Education: The Changing Face Of Higher Education

As the shift from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy advances, the demand for information will continue to rise. With knowledge becoming such an important asset, obtaining information is becoming more of a priority for our society. Higher education is responding to this demand with the use of online education. Technology now provides an avenue to obtain education over the Internet. Time, space, and distance limitations are no longer a deterrent to pursuing new information. As with any new technology, time is needed to refine and determine how to best use it. Online education is no different. In this research project, the author articulates how the underlying fundamentals of teaching and learning do not change because of the media used. Perceptions of both online proponents and opponents are presented together with current research. Finally, information is provided on techniques to convert classroom content to online content, and to develop goals and business plans, including cost, quality control, and techniques to evaluate online programs. Chapter 4 contains the power point presentation used to illustrate these points to participants. In addition, the author includes interviews with three online providers

International Teaching Faculty and a Monocultural Student Population: An Interpretive Analysis of Tertiary Teachers’ and Students’ Perceptions in the United Arab Emirates

Emirati students studying at the University of the Emirates, one of three major public institutions of higher learning in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have a wide demographic of faculty members teaching them an equally wide variety of courses. All of these courses are mandated to be taught in English. These faculty members bring with them their own cultural assumptions, methods, expectations, educational practices and use of language. While previous studies in multiculturalism explore how faculty members engage, know and understand a multicultural student population, one focus of this thesis is to explore how an international faculty affects a monocultural student body (Brown-Glaude, 2009). Speaking specifically to the students who study in a second language, Badger & MacDonald (2007) argue that there is a difference of culture between learners and educators and acknowledgement of that difference is crucial in understanding students’ needs and academic progress. Often what occurs in the classroom is the students bring with them their own cultural assumptions, ideas, tendencies and expectations while the teacher comes in with what may be completely differing sets of each. This idea is noted by Mughan (1998) who states “In order for language learners to apply the language skills fruitfully and effectively, a knowledge of the cultural environment is essential” (p.124). The aim of the research is to shed light on the effects that an international faculty have on a monocultural student body and vice versa. Specifically, it will look at how divergent attitudes and practices, directly attributable to culture, impact the educational practices in the daily operations of the faculty members and the students. Through this research, I seek to better understand the how the dynamic of having an international teaching faculty differs from what one might call a more traditional cultural education setting in which both the faculty members and students are of the same national culture. The research questions address three themes. First explored are the benefits and pitfalls of having an international faculty with a monocultural student population. Included in this are perceptions of the necessity for such an international faculty, what advantages it offers to students as well what real and potential problems it creates. Secondly, the perceived levels and development of intercultural competence in both faculty members and students is looked at. I examined the perceptions of my participants as to the need for this as well as including why and how this skill set is so important within such an international education environment. Additionally explored was how the significance of that skill set might differ from an educational setting which is not so diverse in culture. Lastly, I wished to have a better understanding of the differences of ontology and epistemology at the University of the Emirates between the international teaching faculty members and their students. Considering the wide spectrum of worldviews that may exist from faculty member to faculty member and how these worldviews may differ from Emirati culture, I felt the practices and operations of such diversity warranted further discussion and exploration. Data were collected via structured interviews with faculty participants and focus groups with student participants. Data were then coded using NVIVO and analyzed through the lens of the literature on multiculturalism in education, development and measurement of intercultural competence and the sociological issues in the contemporary UAE. Findings suggest experience and time served in a multicultural environment remain significant factors in the development of one’s intercultural competence and this should be recognized and better utilized. Also questioned by myself and the participants is the readiness of the UAE as a country and a people for such multiculturalism considering the expedited development and diversity of the current demographics. Results suggest that there is a variance in attitudes regarding the need for multiculturalism in the context of the UAE. Contentions are made regarding the perceived necessity and effectiveness of several aspects of multiculturalism in teaching faculty, as well as the effectiveness or lack thereof of the institution’s preparation of newly-arrived teaching faculty and new students for the cultural diversity they will encounter while teaching and learning at the U of E and in Dubai. The honed-skill of intercultural competence serves as an influential factor throughout the research. Findings presented exemplify how and why it serves as a central skill set to have not only as a globalized member of an international teaching faculty but how and why it is a significant skill fresh graduates must develop during their undergraduate careers at the U of E. Further implications are presented regarding the missed opportunity by the institution to prepare both newly-arrived teaching faculty and students alike for the multicultural education they are to encounter. Aspects of such a multicultural approach include the rationale for having it as well as the mandate of English as a medium of instruction. Examples such as these and others are explored from multiple viewpoints. Additionally, the content which orientation programs include need to be revisited and scrutinized by the institution. The growing field of international education and the implications that effectiveness or ineffectiveness of employment of an international teaching faculty serve as exigencies as to why this research is pertinent to modern education systems. All parties involved, being an international teaching faculty, any student who encounters multiculturalism in education and any administration that employs such multiculturalism in education are stakeholders for whom such findings are relevant

Performance, carcass characteristics, and ultrasonic estimates of muscle development and fat deposition of boars, barrows, and gilts

In recent years a marked improvement has been made in the type of hogs going to market. Much of this success can be attributed to the use of swine improvement programs. Testing stations are used (1) to test progeny; (2) as a guide in selecting full or half-sibs of animals being tested; and (3) as an indicator of the tested pig\u27s merit as a potential breeding animal where slaughter is not a requirement of the testing procedure. Ultrasonic evaluation techniques have been intro-duced in recent years and serve as a tool to measure depth of backfat and loin eye area. This process eliminates the sacrificing of potential breeding animals to determine the loin eye area. Accumulation of more fundamental knowledge of growth and develop-ment in swine is needed before effective control of the pig as a meat- producing animal can be achieved by the breeder and feeder. It is fitting that swine producers encourage development of new and improved methods of live animal evaluation which will result in a superior market product. It should be recognized, however, that market hogs of different sex should not be directly compared in performance and carcass traits. For example, boars generally make more efficient gains and have less backfat than do littermate barrows or gilts. Although there is sound evidence that sex differences exist in many traits, few adjustments are currently being made among the sexes. Research work has demonstrated that boars can be fed to market weight more economically than barrows or gilts. The possibility of marketing boars for slaughter at 190-220 lb. could well be one of the major steps forward for the swine industry in the forseeable future. The objectives of this experiment were to expand existing know-ledge on growth and development of the pig, to determine the effect of sex on performance and carcass characteristics, and to measure the relia-bility of the somascope for improving accuracy in selection for superior performance and carcass traits in swine

Forest Recovery, Nutrient Cycling and Carbon Sequestration in a Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forest

In order to fully understand the magnitude of the benefits that forests provide, it is crucial to understand the full suite of ecosystem services that they offer. A southern Appalachian red spruce-Fraser fir forest was intensively analyzed using a variety of methodologies to determine the nature and quantity of some of these services. Many hypotheses exist regarding the future of these spruce-fir forests, which were heavily disturbed by the non-native balsam wooly adelgid during the 1980s. Direct measurements over the course of a decade assessed these hypotheses and indicate that this forest is recovering structure and function. The forest is accruing overstory biomass, with vegetation composition on a trajectory towards historic conditions. By using a total forest inventory of all vegetation from overstory trees to understory mosses, rates of productivity and nutrient cycling were determined. Productivity of this forest at low elevations has returned to pre-adelgid levels, while at high elevations productivity is approaching these levels. In the absence of an intact overstory, forest understory vegetation can compensate by disproportionately cycling and retaining nutrients such as nitrogen that would otherwise leach offsite. The understory of this forest provides an important service in nutrient cycling. Our ability to actively manage forests in order to manipulate levels and rates of carbon sequestration was assessed using stand data and the Forest Vegetation Simulator Growth and Yield Model. Silvicultural intervention proved effective at sequestering additional carbon over a no action alternative by the end of our simulation period. This forest provides a variety of ecosystem services and has retained its ability to recover their function after catastrophic disturbance