Digital Commons Network^™

State-Building In Afghanistan, Melanie Kawano, Amy Mcguire

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Since the U.S. intervention in Afghanistan in late 2001, Afghan citizens and members of the global community have been grappling with the question of how to build a state that can fill the void created by decades of conflict and violence. However, the concept of “state-building” is complex. The term describes both an internal process and international assistance; it requires short-term action as well as a long-term vision. While no precise formula for state-building exists, there are historical precedents and “models” of state-building expressed by great powers and multilaterals. In reality, however, these are based on best guesses that fail …

The Diggable City: Making Urban Agriculture A Planning Priority, Kevin Balmer, James Gill, Heather Kaplinger, Joe Miller, Melissa Peterson, Amanda Rhoads, Paul Rosenbloom, Teak Wall

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

In addition to an inventory of potential urban agriculture sites, the team also conducted a literature review, held focus groups with relevant stakeholders, conducted numerous interviews, and administered and analyzed surveys. The results of these outreach efforts greatly informed criteria development and recommendations, and expanded our understanding of the potential for urban agriculture in Portland. This project was conducted under the supervision of Sy Adler, Deborah Howe, and Connie Ozawa. A DVD version of this work produced in 2006 can be found at: http://search.library.pdx.edu/PSU:CP71113508690001451

The Effect Of Community Nurses And Health Volunteers On Child Mortality: The Navrongo Community Health And Family Planning Project, Brian Wells Pence, Philomena Nyarko, James F. Phillips, Cornelius Debpuur

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This report presents the child mortality impact of a trial of primary health-care service-delivery strategies in rural Ghana. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, under-five mortality in areas with village-based community-nurse services fell by 16 percent during the five years of program implementation compared with mortality before the intervention. Reductions were observed in infant (6 percent), early child (20 percent), and late child (41 percent) mortality. Community involvement and training of a local health volunteer were associated with an 11 percent increase in mortality, primarily driven by a 124 percent increase in early child mortality. Areas with both nurses and volunteers …

Ricardo Hausmann: Prisoners Of Geography Study Guide, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Decline And Recovery Of A High Arctic Wolf-Prey System, L. David Mech

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

A long-existing system of wolves (Canis lupus), muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), and arctic hares (Lepus arcticus) in a 2600 km² area of Canada’s High Arctic (80° N latitude) began collapsing in 1997 because of unusual adverse summer weather but recovered to a level at which all three species were reproducing by 2004. Recovery of wolf presence and reproduction appeared to be more dependent on muskox increase than on hare increase.

Un vieux système biologique composé de loups (Canis lupus), de boeufs musqués (Ovibos moschatus) et de lièvres arctiques (Lepus …

Bears Remain Top Summer Predators, Shannon M. Barber, L. David Mech, P. J. White

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

In the ten years since wolves (Canis lupus) were restored to Yellowstone National Park (YNP), elk (Cervus elaphus) numbers have substantially decreased. The northern range elk herd is the largest elk herd in Yellowstone, and constitutes the majority of the park’s elk population. During 1994–2005, early winter counts of northern Yellowstone elk decreased from 19,045 to 9,545. Also, during winters 2000–2004, calf:cow ratios declined from 29:100 to 12:100, and were among the lowest recorded during the past several decades. Though many factors (e.g., predation, hunting, and drought) likely contributed to this decreasing abundance and low recruitment, …

Unlv Magazine, Lori Bachand, Regina Barcolas, Barbara Cloud, Holly Ivy De Vore, Gian Galassi, Cayrn Key, Jennifer Robison, Gillian Silver, Jason Vaughan, John F. Gallagher, Cate Weeks, Diane Russell

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Lifelong Learning For Older Persons In Hong Kong, Sze Sze, Stephanie Hui

Lingnan Theses

Lifelong learning (LL) has been widely regarded as one of the activities that can enhance well-being of the society and benefit older persons in terms of psychological, physical, mental, and cognitive well-being. In foreign countries like the Unites States of America, the United Kingdom, Finland, France, Australia, and also China, LL among older persons had been developed successfully. Hong Kong, in contrast, has no systematic planning for the development of LL even though the aged population is increasing rapidly. This research aims at constructing a LL model for older persons in Hong Kong. The theoretical framework of study focused on …

Neotrusteeship In Iraq, Tim Melvin

Human Rights & Human Welfare

This section deals with literature that examines the role and effectiveness of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in administering Iraq from 2003 till 2004. Foreign rule plays an important role in developing failed state’s infrastructure and institutions. By examining critical elements of the CPA’s administration, this section focuses on the overall success and failures of the CPA administrative capacity, and what this means for the future of Iraq’s new government. Since the cessation of the CPA, the Iraqi government has had its ups and downs and is still heavily reliant on the American presence. But some positive elements have been …

Obesity And The Struggle Within Ourselves, Maxwell Gregg Bloche

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The author argues that we ought to treat our eating, exercise habits, and girth as personal matters, for the most part, but that law can and should make a contribution, as an ally of our longer-term will against our immediate cravings. Law can be our ally in this fashion without command-and-control intrusion into our private lives. Such intrusion is at odds with our core beliefs and unlikely to produce public health success. It is more likely to provoke popular backlash--one reason why some who stand to gain from our unhealthy dining choices try to cast government efforts to inform these …

Trying To Save The Garden: What If “Rat Choice” Hadn’T Invaded Public Policy And Public Administration? A Public Administration Satire, Terence Garrett

Political Science Faculty Publications

The study of public administration is a huge garden of fruits and vegetables. There are a wide variety of different plant species that are beneficial to the public interest. Unfortunately, however, every garden also harbors pests, both of the plant and animal kind. In this essay, the “garden” represents the fruits enjoyed by a democratic public administration and the primary destructive force is the unchecked power of the rat.1 The rat represents the worst of capitalist behavior that undermines democracy and public service. First, we will make a simple salad comprised of fruit, nuts, and vegetables. Second, we will be …

Examining The Health Care Safety Net In The Portland Area, City Club Of Portland (Portland, Or.)

City Club of Portland

No abstract provided.

Public Opinion About Measuring And Reporting Of Student Body Mass Index, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

In response to growing public concern about childhood obesity, the 2003 Arkansas General Assembly passed a measure requiring that school officials measure and report to parents each student’s body mass index (BMI) annually (§20-7- 135). Beginning in the 2003-2004 school year, schools were required to do the following: • include as a part of a student health report to parents an annual body mass index percentile by age for each student; and • to annually provide parents with an explanation of the possible health effects of body mass index, nutrition, and physical activity. This measure was one element of a …

Community Development Assessment For The State Of Utah: A Guide To Utah's Community Development Environment, Community Development Department, Federal Reserve Bank Of San Francisco

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

The Community Affairs Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco has developed a new series of reports for the nine states in the Twelfth District that both detail the demographic, economic, governmental, and institutional underpinnings of each state and provide an analysis of the various community development needs within each state. These reports, which we are calling “Environmental Assessments,” are meant to provide a framework for the array of community development activities that the department undertakes across the District. The hope is that the reports will not only provide a helpful compilation of existing community development needs and …

The Relationship Between Locus Of Control And Nutrition Health Status Among Adult Wic Participants, Damita Jo Zweiback

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between locus of control orientation and the nutrition health status of adult WIC participants in Michigan. The locus of control variable is defined as the degree to which an individual perceives reinforcement or outcomes as contingent upon his or her own behavior. It ranges from internal to external. Internal locus of control is the individual's belief that s/he is an actor and can determine one's fate within limits. External locus of control is the person's belief that s/he is controlled by forces outside of one's self (Lefcourt, 1976; Koger, 1999). …

The Landmine Victim Assistance Component Implemented By The Oas In Nicaragua, Carlos Orozco

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In 1990, Nicaragua registered approximately 135,000 mines buried within its national territory and another 133,435 mines in military stockpiles as a result of the internal conflict witnessed in Nicaragua during the 1980s. Although I will not touch on the details related to the operations, it is important to note that Nicaragua is the most heavily mined country in Central America and on the whole continent. As of June 2004, approximately 27,400 anti-personnel mines remain buried within Nicaraguan territory.

Mainecare Managed Care Performance Report 2003, Catherine Ormond, Stuart Bratesman

Disability & Aging

No abstract provided.

Humanitarian Impact From Mines Other Than Anti-Personnel Mines, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This report summarises the capacity of the landmine clearance sector to respond to mines other than anti-personnel mines (MOTAPM), specifically anti-vehicle mines. It then looks at the humanitarian impact of MOTAPM contamination in a specific environment. A case study illustrates the efforts of humanitarian organisations to address problems faced by rural communities in Angola . These problems persist and are made worse because MOTAPM on roads prevent humanitarian organisations from gaining access to the population. MOTAPM are also seen to increase the cost of humanitarian assistance. The conclusions of the report complement evidence presented by the International Committee of the …

2004 October, Office Of Communications & Marketing, Morehead State University.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Morehead State University press releases for October of 2004.

When They Need Help The Most: Public Services For Immigrants, Miren Uriarte, Phillip Granberry

New England Journal of Public Policy

Ending unauthorized immigration is at the heart of current federal initiatives in both immigration and social policy. The intertwining of these two areas of policy is nowhere clearer than in the 1996 passage of both the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), better known as Welfare Reform, and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA). Immigration status became a key point of differentiation in access to public benefits as cutbacks were instituted with the stated goal of curtailing undocumented immigration. The denial of public benefits to limit unauthorized immigration has a disproportionate impact on those groups …

Masscap And The Caa Role In Advocating For Change, Joseph Diamond

New England Journal of Public Policy

Cites the efforts of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action Inc. and community action agencies (CCA) to alleviate poverty in the state. Programs offered by CCAs that aim to improve the quality of life of low income people; Efforts of the organization to call for changes in federal and state policies directed to the poor; Details of several initiatives assisted by the organization; Support for the adoption of the Massachusetts Self-Sufficiency Standard.

Devolution: The Retreat Of Government, Judith Kurland

New England Journal of Public Policy

Devolution as practiced in much of the world is decentralization of program authority and responsibility to achieve greater administrative efficiency or program standards. Devolution as practiced by the Bush administration and the Republican Congress is not that, nor is it a diminution of federal power and the strengthening of states’ rights. Rather, it is a radical restructuring of government to prevent the expenditure of funds for traditional Democratic programs of the New Deal and the Great Society, and to prohibit states from being either more generous in social programs or more stringent in regulating industry than this administration desires.

Moving Target: The Dilemma Of Serving Massachusetts Poor Families, Randy Albelda

New England Journal of Public Policy

While Community Action Agencies’ original mission of serving the poor has changed little over the last three decades, government commitments to the poor, the population of poor individuals and families, and women’s economic expectations have changed considerably. This article documents the trends in family structure, women’s employment patterns, and poverty policies in Massachusetts between 1970 and 2000. The increase in poor, single-mother families and poverty policies that emphasize employment present dynamic challenges for Community Action Agencies (and others who serve the poor), but also create some new organizing opportunities.

Interrupted Progress: Forty Years Of Child Poverty, Deborah Weinstein

New England Journal of Public Policy

In the last forty years since the beginning of the war on poverty, the condition of poor children has improved and the percentage of children living in poverty has declined. Children and their families made the greatest gain when there was a good economy and an increase in government supports. But when such investments shrink, as they have in recent years, progress is impeded. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) must be reauthorized by Congress. The legislation now under discussion does not encourage states to replicate programs that have increased work and family income and helped children.

Ideas Of Reform: Like Buddhist Souls, Peter Marris, Martin Rein

New England Journal of Public Policy

In 1967 Martin Rein and Peter Marris wrote an important book exploring the projects leading to the development of community action and related programs of the Great Society. In it they describe reform as a diffuse process in which preferences clash and evolve. Purposeful reform rarely has the intended consequences. The selection below is taken from the concluding remarks of their book, The Dilemmas of Social Reform, copyright University of Chicago Press, and is reprinted here with permission.

Day 3: Friday, August 6, 2004: Cbm And Unconventional Gas Development, Gary Bryner, Ken Wonstolen

Energy Field Tour 2004 (August 4-6)

19 pages (includes illustrations and maps).

Examining The Meaning And Experience Of Self-Determination And Its Impact On Quality Of Life For Individuals With Cognitive Disabilities, Carol Marie Sundberg

Dissertations

There is a national agenda for advancing self-determination for persons with disabilities. Broadly defined, self-determination means having control over ones own life. The purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of self-determination and its effect on the quality of life of persons with cognitive disabilities. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was selected. Ten individuals from a community mental health system in southwest Michigan participated in the study. Participants had a developmental disability and were dependent on others for their care. The research combined qualitative interviews with behavioral observations and proxy interviewing, and included the audiotaping of those interviews. …

Science-Based Organic Farming: A Resource For Educators, Charles A. Francis, Mindi Schneider, Brad Kindler

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Organic farming is an important and growing part of the United States food system. The organic sector has grown by at least 20% per year for the past two decades, and currently shows no indication of slowing in this growth. There is increasing consumer concern about where and how food is produced, and people want to be assured access to safe and healthy food products. Interest and concern about food security, and discussion about the merits of a local food system as compared to the vulnerable globalized marketplace are also becoming increasingly important. In Nebraska we have only limited local …

Child Welfare And Devolving Federalism: An Analysis Of The Effects Of Federal Funding Schemes On Selected Child Welfare Outcomes In Michigan, Timothy J. Kangas

Dissertations

Child abuse and neglect has become a pervasive problem across the United States. Between 1985 and 1995 the foster care population in the United States grew by 79%, with costs soaring into the billions. During the mid-1990s, in an effort to address this issue, the federal government shifted from using a funding scheme identified with a traditional model of federalism to one identified with devolving federalism. In Michigan, the focus of this research, this shift in approaches occurred through the issuance of block grant funding for child welfare programming. The intent of this shift was to decentralize elements of the …

Celebrating 4-H, Youth, And Technology: The Nebraska 4-H Cyber Fair, Patricia Fairchild, Diane Vigna, Jamie Fassett

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

What began as a meta search for 4-H curricula available on the Internet became a phenomenon that has served more than 18,000 Nebraskans in an amazing example of creating partnerships; blending resources; and celebrating 4-H, youth, and technology. Welcome to the Nebraska 4-H Cyber Fair. When the Nebraska 4-H Office conducted an extensive review of Web-based curricula and CD-ROMs created by Cooperative Extension and 4-H nationwide, it became apparent that considerable material was available for delivery by computer. Although some of the material discovered was Nebraska-based, it was not necessarily known to Nebraskans involved in 4-H programming. Nebraska youth in …