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Public Benefits. Driver's License. Eligibility. Immigration Status And Identity Verification. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.

Initiatives

Amends Constitution to require providers of public benefits to verify whether applicants are lawfully present in the United States. Prohibits state or local public benefits for any aliens classified as ineligible under federal law. Requires state and local officials to report immigration law violations to federal authorities; failure to report is a misdemeanor. Requires state to verify driver's license applicant's identity and lawful presence in United States. Prohibits the state and its political subdivisions from accepting identification documents not issued by a state or federal jurisdiction. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on …

Consumer-Based Taxation At The Business Level: The Croatian Experience, Helena Blazic, Nikša Nikolic, Mario Pecaric

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

Croatia is the first country in the world to implement consumption-based direct taxation aimed at the individual as well as the business levels. Traditional corporate tax has been replaced by the so-called "interest-adjusted profit tax", which encompasses the corporate as well as the non-corporate sector. This paper analyzes the efficiency of this tax in Croatia with regard to its neutrality as well as its cost-effectiveness. This tax can be regarded as neutral in terms of investment, finance, inflation and organizational form. But the imperfections of financial markets in Croatia still cause distortions between debt and equity capital as well as …

How Do Banks Pick Safer Ventures? A Theory Relating The Importance Of Risk Aversion And Collateral To Interest Margins And Credit Rationing, Andrew E. Burke, Aoife Hanley

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

The paper augments the asymmetric information literature on bank lending to new ventures by focusing on the more neglected area of moral hazard; specifically the relationship between risk aversion, an entrepreneur?s wealth and the provision of collateral. The results highlight some interesting nuances which are not characteristic of the properties of models that have dominated the literature and which mainly focus on the problems of adverse selection. Contrary to models such as Evans and Jovanovic (1989) Blanchflower and Oswald (1998) our model shows that credit rationing does not necessarily have to be negatively related to an entrepreneur?s initial wealth. Our …

The Information Content In Trades Of Inactive Nasdaq Stocks, Peter Chen, Kasing Man, Chunchi Wu

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

In this paper we analyze the frequency and information content of small Nasdaq stock trades and their impacts on return volatility at the intraday interval. We employ an autoregressive conditional duration (ACD) model to estimate the intensity of the arrival and information content of trades by accounting for the deterministic nature of intraday periodicity and irregular trading intervals in transaction data. We estimate and compare the price duration of thinly and heavily traded stocks to assess the differential information content of stock trades. We find that the number of transactions is negatively correlated with price duration or positively correlated with …

Association Between Credit Rating Changes And High-Tech M&A In Taiwan, Jo-Hui Chen

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

The primary purpose of this study is to examine the impact of high-tech and non-high-tech mergers and acquisitions (M&A) on the credit rating changes in Taiwan. We utilized the ordered probit model with random effect for the empirical works. A variety of econometric tests were conducted using pooled data of 101 firms in Taiwan over the period Sep. 1996 to Dec. 2001. This paper tries to examine whether the financial and strategy factors affect the credit risks. Our results indicate that Insider Ownership and Leverage Ratio are negatively related to credit rating changes, while Return on Equity and High-tech Firm …

Letter From The Editor-In-Chief, Allan Young

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

With the present issue I've assumed the role of Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance and Business Ventures, with my colleagues at the School of Management, Syracuse University, David Wilemon and Chunchi Wu carrying on as Editors. In addition, Yochanan Shachmurove, who was instrumental in helping us put together our two previous issues, joins our Board of Editorial Advisors, as do William J. Baumol, and Lawrence R. Klein. Reflecting the diversity of the field itself, the present issue of the Journal is charactericized by many different concerns and approaches to the area of entrepreneurship. Accordingly, in the first article, …

Dynamic Linkages Between Trading Volume And Price Movements: Evidence For Small Firm Stocks, Cetin Ciner

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

Recent theoretical and empirical studies suggest that volume conveys useful information to forecast stock price movements. We investigate the information content of volume for the stock indices of small-capitalization firms in the US and France. Information asymmetry problems tend to be more important for small-capitalization firms and it can be argued that the information content of volume should be more significant. We find that volume does indeed forecast returns of the small-capitalization stock indices. We also detect a positive contemporaneous relation between volume and absolute value of returns. The findings are qualitatively the same for data from the US and …

A Simple Utility Approach To Private Equity Sales, Robert Dubil

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

The paper examines the liquidity risk of a private equity firm that decides to dispose of a large holding in its portfolio. As the sale takes time, it requires a careful balancing act of the exposure to the fluctuations in the market value of the investment against the large sale-induced price depression. A mean-standard deviation utility framework is an appealing decision tool for optimizing protracted asset dispositions. The firm maximizes the expected profit from the sale strategy net of the price concession minus a penalty function for exposure to the price risk, with the penalty weight related to a loss …

Capital Budgeting And Entrepreneurial Organizations: A Survey Of Hospital Practices, Shih-Jen Kathy Ho, Lilian Chan, Daniel L. Tompkins

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

Efficiency and effectiveness for all entrepreneurial firms requires that limited resources be put to their best use. Thus the acquisition of long-term assets is an important decision for any entrepreneurial firm. For hospitals, which have become entrepreneurial to survive in today’s health care environment, long-term asset investment decisions have become critical to their survival. The objective of this study is to increase health care organizations’ awareness of the important considerations in selecting and monitoring long-term investments. Our findings from a small sample of American hospitals indicate that payback method is the primary criterion for evaluating hospital’s long-term investment projects. Also …

Letter From The Guest Editors, Ali Fatemi And Harold Welsch, Ali Fatemi

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

The 2003 meetings of the Academy of Entrepreneurial Finance Conference were held on the campus of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, April 30-May 2, 2003. The conference brought together a large number of academics, practitioners and policy makers from around the world. It accomplished its goal of bringing together those engaged in the scholarly investigation of entrepreneurial finance and practitioners and other professionals of the field. The conference provided for a forum to share the results of research, acquire state of the art information, and exchange ideas on a variety of topics. These included the entrepreneurial investment decision, the financing …

Collective Loans For Bulgaria's Self-Employed: A Field Study Of Social And Financial Capital On Enterprise Growth, Shad Morris

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of how collective lending strategies leverage social capital to improve firm performance. Drawing on economic and sociological perspectives and fieldwork in Bulgaria, I argue that social capital may enhance the effects of financial capital on firm performance in microenterprises. Findings show that a collective lending strategy facilitates greater firm performance than individual lending--due partially to the increased social capital it creates for the entrepreneur. These findings come from a multi-method field study conducted in Bulgaria, where qualitative data were collected from over 40 business owner interviews. The findings have implications for …

Geography Of White Supremacist Groups In The United States: Gis And Mapping, Catherine Lisa Kostyn

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to examine some of the common stereotypes related to the distribution of white supremacist groups in the United States; that the distribution of such groups are driven by education levels, poverty rates, income levels and the presence of an immigrant population. Research conducted by police departments such as the Chicago, IL and San Diego, CA police departments show no correlation between socioeconomic factors and the spatial distribution of such groups. This thesis examines the question at a national scale, and county level for a limited number of states. Statistical analysis and mapping were chosen …

Leaf And Wood Utilization In The Middle Missouri River, Kim Rager

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Hypnosis And Guided Imagery On The Performance Of Track Athletes, Johnathan C. Mossey

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although sport psychologists may utilize numerous hypnotic interventions and techniques intended to enhance the performance of athletes, many of these interventions have not been examined by systematic research. This exploratory study examined the effects of interventions using imagery and imagery plus hypnosis on the performance of track athletes. Twenty-nine students from a Midwestern high school track team were randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups: a) imagery and hypnosis or b) an imagery only group. Track team members at another high school served as the control group. The athletes in each group had their performance examined at track meets …

Does Exercise And Placement Technique Affect Triceps Surae Thermocouple Position As Measured By Magnetic Resonance Imaging?, Breanne A. Piatt

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: Intramuscular temperatures are commonly recorded with the use of implantable thermocouples. Currently, there are 2 techniques of inserting intramuscular thermocouples, a traditional technique, which inserts the thermocouple with a sterile hypodermic needle, then retracts the needle, and a catheter-assisted technique, which uses a spring-loaded catheter to insert the catheter then a thermocouple is fed through the catheter to target position. Objective: The purpose of this study was first to investigate whether or not target position is obtained with either insertion method. A second purpose of this study was to quantify the amount of movement that occurs after exercise. Lastly, …

Hiv Risk Behaviors In Adults With Serious Mental Illness: Testing The Imb Theory Of Hiv Risk Reduction, Leslie D. Bjork

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has proliferated substantially since its initial identification in 1981. Studies ofHIV seroprevalence indicate a recent statistical surge in rural AIDS cases relative to urban locales (McKinney, 1998; Stephenson, 2000). Data also suggest adults with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) evidence higher behavioral risk for HIV infection than individuals in the general population (Carey, Carey, & Kalichman, 1997; McKinnon, Carey & Cournos, 1997). This study examined HIV risk behaviors in rural adults with SPMI, including analyses of sexual behaviors, psychiatric severity, and substance problems. In addition, Fisher and Fisher's (1992) Information-Motivation-Behavior (1MB) theory ofHIV risk …

Nectar Rewards Of Insect-Adapted Flowers In A Forest/Farm Landscape: Measurement Challenges And Ecological Questions, Theresa Bordenkecher Dailey

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Native forest wildflowers of the Midwestern United States forests now compete with agricultural weeds for the attention of insect pollinators. The tiny quantities of nectar secreted by these insect-pollinated flowers are measured using laboratory techniques such as colorimetry. However, these techniques are used with the tacit assumption that nectar sugar identity does not affect estimates of carbohydrate content. I tested this hypothesis using fructose, glucose, and sucrose and found that after reaction with anthrone, fructose products differed from those of other sugars in light absorbance measured by a spectrophotometer. Potential error from using an inappropriate sugar standard is greater than …

The Relationship Of Health Beliefs And Health Value In Cardiovascular Outcomes, Kimberley Schaub

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite extensive theoretical information regarding Schwarzer's Health Action Process Approach the utility of the model pas yet to be explored within a chronic illness population. Using Schwarzer's Health Action Process Approach (Schwarzer, 1992), the purpose of this study was to investigate cardiovascular outcomes based on health beliefs and health value. Participants were eighty-one adults ages 42-87 with cardiovascular disease recruited from a cardiac rehabilitation program in Central Indiana. Participants completed instruments that assessed (a) health beliefs, (b) health value and, (c), quality of life. Measurements of physiological outcome (resting heart rate, distance walked, and metabolic equivalent) were also obtained. A …

The Future Of Grassroots America: Local Perspectives On Current And Emerging Issues Facing Urban, Suburban And Rural Communities, Center For Urban Research And Learning, Philip Nyden, Gwendolyn Nyden, Amanda Fox

Center for Urban Research and Learning: Publications and Other Works

CURL worked with the National Neighborhood Coalition (a coalition of national and local organizations concerned with building the capacity of neighborhood-level organizations throughout the U.S.) to collect survey data and conduct focus groups that gave NNC an understanding of current and emerging policy issues at the local level. CURL worked with NNC in presenting these results at a Neighborhood Development Trend Summit in Washington, DC in June 2003. The summit engaged community leaders, private and public sector thought-leaders, policy makers, and funders in dialogue about the most significant trends and issues affecting the future of neighborhoods.

Based on the research …

Grand Valley Forum, Volume 028, Number 18, December 1, 2003, Grand Valley State University

2003-2004, Volume 28

Grand Valley Forum is Grand Valley State's faculty and staff newsletter, published from 1976 to the present.

Cole Train | V.2, No.1 (Fall 2003), Houston Cole Library

Library Annual Reports & Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Identification Of Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Secondary Succession Changes In Altamira, Brazil: Integrating Remote Sensing And Gis Technology, Hui Li

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been extensive use of remote sensing to study secondary succession of moist tropical forests in the Amazon Basin. However, scientists have not totally understood the dynamic processes of secondary succession of Amazon forests. A lack of consensus remains about what is the best approach for biomass estimation in the Amazon Basin using remotely sensed data. It is not clear which spectral wavelength bands have the best relationship with biomass values and what are the specific relationships between biomass and TM satellite radiance. The strategies in this research, based on analysis of detailed ground-based data and satellite TM image …

Satellite Estimation Of Population And Housing Density In Marion County, Indiana, Guiying Li

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The world population and associated housing area have experienced a high growth rate in the past century and generated great pressure on Earth resources and environments. Accurate and timely population and housing estimates and distributions become important for many applications, such as regional design and development, policy-making, etc. This research reviewed four categories of methods to estimate population and housing using remotely sensed data in a previous study and explored the potentials of integration of Landsat ETM+ data with census data to estimate population and housing density in Marion County, Indiana. Spectral signatures, principal components, vegetation indices, fraction images, texture, …

Identification Of Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Secondary Succession Changes In Altamira, Brazil: Integrating Remote Sensing And Gis Technology, Hui Li

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been extensive use of remote sensing to study secondary succession of moist tropical forests in the Amazon Basin. However, scientists have not totally understood the dynamic processes of secondary succession of Amazon forests. A lack of consensus remains about what is the best approach for biomass estimation in the Amazon Basin using remotely sensed data. It is not clear which spectral wavelength bands have the best relationship with biomass values and what are the specific relationships between biomass and TM satellite radiance. The strategies in this research, based on analysis of detailed ground-based data and satellite TM image …

Decisionmaking In Mediation: The New Old Grid And The New New Grid System, Leonard L. Riskin

Notre Dame Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Prescribed Burns On Cation Exchange Capacity In An Oak Savanna, Christopher Michael Gentry

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources estimates that fire-maintained, tallgrass savannas once covered approximately 15% oflndiana. During the 1800's, settlers cleared savannas for their rich soils, which are well suited for agricultural use, and fire was suppressed from the remaining savannas because of the threat to farmland. Today, prescribed bums are being used in savannas as a management tool to reduce competition from non-native species, encourage community density, and promote patch dynamics. This research examines how fire affects Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) in post fire soil samples. CEC is an important soil characteristic that helps to describe soil fertility. With …

Speaking Law To Power: Joan Fitzpatrick, 1950-2003 (Obituary), Jennifer Moore

Faculty Scholarship

Her scholarship embraced the rights of refugees and migrants, legal limits on the waging and methodology of war, due process before international tribunals, and essential restraints on the exercise of state power in self-proclaimed emergencies, including the war on terrorism.

New Studies Initiated By The U.S. Geological Survey: Effects Of Nutrient Enrichment On Stream Ecosystems, Mark D. Munn, Pixie A. Hamilton

United States Geological Survey: Publications

In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program began an intensive study of nutrient enrichment—elevated concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus— in streams in five agricultural basins across the Nation (see map, p. 2). This study is providing nationally consistent and comparable data and analyses of nutrient conditions, including how these conditions vary as a result of natural and human-related factors, and how nutrient conditions affect algae and other biological communities. This information will benefit stakeholders, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and its partners, who are developing nutrient criteria to protect the aquatic health of streams …

Unopa Notes, Volume 42, Issue 4, December 2003

UNOPA: Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Serotonergic Agents And Alcoholism Treatment: A Simulation, Scott F. Stoltenberg

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Background: Those with early-onset alcoholism may better respond to ondansetron (a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist) than to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment, whereas those with late-onset alcoholism may present the reverse response pattern. Johnson and colleagues proposed a model that attempts to explain the observed treatment response patterns of those with early and late alcoholism onset by focusing on the influence of a common genetic variant in the serotonin transporter regulatory region (5-HTTLPR) on serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) system function.
Methods: The present study formalizes and extends Johnson’s descriptive model into a computer simulation consisting of differential equations. For …