Where the Grass Grows Again: Knowledge Exchange in the Sustainable Agriculture Movement1

Abstract Many analysts of sustainable agriculture have given considerable attention to issues of knowledge production, but in general they have not engaged social movement theory. This neglect is addressed by examining the emergence of intensive rotational grazing as a local expression of the sustainable agriculture movement. Conceptual frameworks drawn from recent contributions to social movement theory are used to describe the cognitive praxis of graziers along technological, cosmological, and organizational dimensions. Contrary to current interpretations, which emphasize the idiosyncratic character of local knowledge in agriculture, this analysis shows that through horizontal forms of organizing and information exchange, graziers overcome the limits of their personal experience and usefully share local knowledge in networks that they have forged expressly for that purpose.     

Simplified Containment Event Tree Methodology Applied to Peach Bottom SBO-ST Sequences1

The methodology presented here identifies an approach to accurately and economically analyze the effects on risk of various containment performance issues. Although this method facilitates the evaluation of potential containment improvements, it does so while utilizing the significant amount of information accumulated by the U.S. NRC Reactor Risk Reference Program. The use of hindsight and the acceptance of point estimate quantifications of risks allows the proposed methodology to be scrutable and understandable to the community as well as relatively simple and inexpensive to apply. A study of containment venting strategies was used to demonstrate the capabilities of the simplified containment event tree methodology. However, the methodology is flexible enough for a wide range of risk evaluations.     

Changing mortality patterns that led life expectancy in Japan to surpass Sweden’s: 1972–1982

Between 1972 and 1982, Japan caught up to and then surpassed Sweden as the country with the longest life expectancy. The contributions of different causes of death and age groups to life expectancy changes in males during this time period are examined in detail for these two countries. Even though cerebrovascular disease mortality rates remained lower in Sweden over the entire interval, the rapid gain made by Japan relative to Sweden for this cause of death was a prime factor in Japan's ending the period with a higher life expectancy. Important contributions to life expectancy improvement in Japan came from declining mortality rates in those aged 55 and older.     

Time,bounded utility,and the St. Petersburg paradox

The assumption of bounded utility function resolves the St. Petersburg paradox. The justification for such a bound is provided by Brito, who argues that limited time will bound the utility function. However, a reformulated St. Petersburg game, which is played for both money and time, effectively circumvents Brito's justification for a bound. Hence, no convincing justification for bounding the utility function yet exists.     

Two Kinds of Verbal Behavior Plus a Possible Third

The Analysis of Verbal Behavior - Speaking, writing, and signing (American Sign Language) are types of verbal behavior where each different verbal relation involves a different topography. It is...     

Racial variation in reaction to physical stigma: a study of degree of disturbance by vitiligo among black and white patients.

The effect of race on reaction to impaired appearance is explored in a sample of 158 patients with vitiligo, a disfiguring skin disease. Blacks and Whites do not differ in degree of disturbance by the disorder. Psychological coping resources and variables related to negative labeling of the stigma are associated with variation in degree of disturbance. Self-esteem and perceived stigmatization are associated significantly with degree of disturbance among both Blacks and Whites. Gender, age, and visibility of the condition are not related to difference in degree of disturbance within either race, although there is some evidence that they may have an indirect relationship to degree of disturbance. Importance of appearance is associated with degree of disturbance for Whites only, because of the threat of the depigmentation induced by vitiligo to the racial identity of Blacks. The implications of these findings for theory and practice are discussed.