Dairy Farm Survival in a Metropolitan Area: Dutchess County,New York, 1984–19901

Abstract The effect of nonfarm development on dairy farm survival in New York's highly developed lower Hudson Valley is analyzed. The major hypothesis is that significant losses of dairy farms during this period are the result of urban development pressures. Contrary to this hypothesis, however, the bivariate and multivariate analyses of data from a mail survey of all commercial dairy operators in Dutchess County as of 1984 and industry survivors, exiters, and new entrants through 1990 demonstrate that nonfarm development has a negligible effect on dairy farm survival; rather, survival is significantly affected by age of operator and by family disruption. Thus, demographic and family process factors are found to be more powerful determinants of dairy farm survival in this particular metropolitan context.     

Empirical likelihood confidence intervals for the mean of a population containing many zero values

If a population contains many zero values and the sample size is not very large, the traditional normal approximation‐based confidence intervals for the population mean may have poor coverage probabilities. This problem is substantially reduced by constructing parametric likelihood ratio intervals when an appropriate mixture model can be found. In the context of survey sampling, however, there is a general preference for making minimal assumptions about the population under study. The authors have therefore investigated the coverage properties of nonparametric empirical likelihood confidence intervals for the population mean. They show that under a variety of hypothetical populations, these intervals often outperformed parametric likelihood intervals by having more balanced coverage rates and larger lower bounds. The authors illustrate their methodology using data from the Canadian Labour Force Survey for the year 2000.     

Coping with work stress: Psychological benefits of exercise

Although the health-enhancing effects of physical exercise have been well documented, less is known about how exercise benefits stressed employees psychologically. This article examines exercise as a coping response, and identifies changes in self-schemata (a person's underlying belief systems about him or herself) as the means by which exercise affects coping resources. In addition, by drawing on schema theory and the exercise literature, the active components of an exercise programme and the individuals who might enhance their ability to cope with stress through such a programme are identified.     

数学教学中渗透创造性思维训练的尝试

通过对联想思维、求异思维、逆向思维、求通求变思维训练的分析,阐述了培养创造性思维的具体方法.     

从交流和传播的视角解读越文化

本组讨论以越文化研究为例,探索地域文化研究的方法与视角。朱文斌一文检讨了当前越文化研究范式的局限,提出了范式转换的问题;陈越、梁涌两文分别从空间与时间的存在与发展上对越文化作了动态描述。其中,陈文从文化模式的角度,把越文化概括为“剑—书”文化;梁文则从交流与传播的角度,揭示了越文化的形成与发展。     

奇葩争艳各领风骚——大学语文的比较阅读研究

比较阅读是学习大学语文的一种非常有实用价值的阅读方法.比较阅读包括对文本的文体比较、手法比较、人物形象比较、主题比较、语言比较、观点比较等等.通过比较,读者(大学生)能充分把握文学文本,解读文本.     

心中的牵挂

午后,沿着熟悉的小路,我慢慢走着。走进了这座城镇,便走进了我心中的牵挂……路两旁仍然是那一排排高高的梧桐树,树干那么直,那么粗,树冠那么大,它的叶子像一个个大手掌,它的果实像一粒粒小青豆。在夏季,梧桐树枝繁叶茂,张开着“大手掌”为我遮挡炎炎烈日。我喜欢行走在这些树荫里,微笑着看人们安静或嘈杂地从我身边走过。有如轻风吹过时,心神一爽。现在,两旁的梧桐树叶已变黄,秋天即至。眼前景色一片灿然。阳光从树中透出,细细碎碎的洒满一路,晃着人的眼睛。很美,但无可奈何地透着说不出的凄凉。一阵风吹过,凉凉地夹杂着几片梧桐树叶,…     

International Tax Competition: A Case for International Cooperation in Globalization

The liberalization of international financial flows and foreign direct investment has induced countries to use diverse measures to attract inflow of foreign capital and foreign direct investment, which is expected to have a positive effect on the growth of GDP and thus a positive effect on social welfare. Tax exemption, reduction of tax rate, tax holiday, or diverse subsidies are some of the most important measures used. In this paper we study international tax cooperation, i.e., countries change and especially reduce tax rate for corporate income or for asset revenues to attract inflow of foreign direct investment. Both theoretical and empirical studies have shown the sensibility of foreign direct investment decision with respect to tax rate differences between home countries and host countries. In general, more inflow of foreign direct investment can be expected if the tax rate of the home country is lower than that of foreign countries. This is the main reason for international tax cooperation. In this paper we propose a simple model to prove the sub-optimal Nash non cooperative solution in a two-country tax-competition game. The model shows that international tax cooperation can improve welfare of the participating countries. How to reach a cooperative solution for an international tax competition game (ITCG) is therefore an important issue for further discussions and studies. International institutions can play a crucial role to reach international tax cooperation or international tax harmonization.