Digital Commons Network^™

Can Europe Be Democratic? Is It Feasible? It Is Necessary? Is The Present Situation Sustainable?, Yves Meny

Fordham International Law Journal

Democracy and democratization at the European level have long been a non-problem. The issues related to democracy after the Second World War were purely national (would Italy and Germany finally be able to build up and consolidate their new democratic systems?) or international (would the Western-type democracies be able to resist and counterweight the Soviet-style Eastern European regimes?). When the first foundations of what would become the European Union ("EU") were laid down, very few had a democratic vision in mind. The then-dominant concerns were both economic (how to facilitate the reconstruction of Europe while avoiding again the economic and …

Message From The Editor, Alexander N. Fondrier

Pepperdine Policy Review

Editor's introduction.

Here And Back Again: Us National Security Interest In The Arab/Israeli Conflict, Miriam Keim

Pepperdine Policy Review

It would be easy to characterize the Arab/Israeli conflict as simply a religious disagreement: fiery rhetoric, often fueled by religious beliefs, is preached by both sides as to the legitimacy of the existence of Israel. Religion cannot be completely removed from the equation, as many contested sites, particularly in Jerusalem, have deep religious significance to Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike. However, the main motivator behind the conflict is land, with both Israelis and Palestinians claiming their rights to the area now known as Israel, as well as the disputed Occupied Territories, including the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.1 Any …

Integration Of Visual Art For Small Worshipping Communities, Angela Mccarthy

Theology Papers and Journal Articles

A difficulty for small worshipping communities is having the resources and personnel to provide suitable enervating opportunities for reflection on the Word during worship that enriches and enlivens their community action. Research has shown that interaction with visual imagery assists contemplation and integration of text and will therefore assist those gathered to consider the Scripture of the day.

Student Ministry: Youth ‘Step Up’ To Lead And Serve, Chris Hackett, Shane D. Lavery

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This article is about student leadership and service in Catholic secondary schools. Initially the concept of leadership through service is explored with particular reference to the educational setting. The concept of “student ministry” is then considered in the light of this leadership and service. The article subsequently reports on an exploratory research study that focused on the experiences and reflections of principals and selected staff from three Catholic secondary schools involved in student ministry. Their experiences and reflections indicate that student ministry has the capacity to offer all students the chance to develop their leadership potential through acts of service, …

Increasing Use Of Renewable Energy: Legal Techniques And Impediments, Michael B. Gerrard

Faculty Scholarship

The current turmoil in the Middle East and the consequent rise in oil prices are highlighting the long-recognized need for the United States to reduce its dependence on foreign energy sources. The most promising way to do that is through increased efficiency in our use of energy. My last column (Jan. 13, 2011) discussed the legal aspects of that measure. Today’s column is devoted to the legal aspects of the second most important way – increasing the share of the energy that we use that comes from renewable sources.

Promoting L2 Reading In Less Commonly Taught Languages With Hypertexts, Theresa Catalano

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This study explores the use of hypermedia reading texts for the language classroom and more particularly for less commonly taught languages (LCTLs). In the article, I review relevant research on the use of hypertexts in the foreign language classroom and how they can be used to facilitate the teaching of reading. A qualitative study of the use of these hypertexts with Italian university students was conducted, along with an explanation of what hypertexts are available for LCTL teachers currently, and how teachers can create their own hypertexts and implement them in the classroom. The study suggests that although hypertexts have …

The Role Of Preservice Teachers’ Meaning Perspectives And Schemes In A Study Abroad Experience, Stephanie Wessels, Melissa Holmes, Socorro Herrera,

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This microethnographic case study focuses on patterns of interpretation and decision making of undergraduate preservice teachers as they participated in observations, co-teaching, and teaching in elementary schools in northern Mexico. At the core, this study explores the deeply embedded assumptions preservice teachers may bring to new cross-cultural interactions. Drawing from participant documents, surveys, and interviews, the study seeks to investigate the meaning perspectives and schemes (Mezirow, 1991) that study abroad participants used to make sense of their experiences. Also explored are ways the study abroad experience may have helped to alter or solidify meaning perspectives. Finally, recommendations based on lessons …

Micro-Ultrasonographic Imaging Of Atherosclerotic Progression And Correlation With Inflammatory Markers In Apolipoprotein-E Knockout Mice, Rong-Juan Li, Ya Yang, Yan-Hong Wang, Jin-Jie Xie, Li Song, Zheng Wang, Yao-Zhong Zhang, Yan-Wen Qin, Zhi-An Li, Xiao-Shan Zhang

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

We studied prospectively whether atherosclerotic progression in apolipoprotein-E knockout mice could be noninvasively and accurately measured by use of high-resolution ultrasonographic biomicroscopy. We examined the correlation between the ultrasonographic characterization of ascending aortic atherosclerotic plaque and plasma C-reactive protein, interleukin-1, and interleukin-6 levels in these mice.

In 4 age groups (8, 16, 24, and 32 wk) of 8 male knockout mice each (atherosclerotic groups) and age-matched male C57BL/6 mice (control groups), we used ultrasonographic biomicroscopy to measure maximal plaque thickness or intima-media thickness in the ascending aorta. We compared the findings with corresponding histologic measurements, and we measured plasma C-reactive …

Notices

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

No abstract provided.

Self-Discrimination: A Field Experiment On Obesity, Pablo Brañas-Garza, Antonios Proestakis

ESI Working Papers

While it is well-established in the literature that obese people are dis- criminated against in the working environment, little is known about their own actual behavior. Our experimental setting investigates whether these potentially discriminated people respond in a di erent way when faced with the opportunity of earning a positive amount of money. Signi cant lower money requests by people who are self-reported as obese con rm our self-discrimination hypothesis, o ering an additional explanation for the wage gap; Thus, it seems that these obese people earn less not only because of discrimination against them but also because they themselves …

Resolving Conflicts By A Random Device, Erik O. Kimbrough, Roman M. Sheremeta, Timothy W. Shields

ESI Working Papers

We examine conflict resolution via a random device. We model conflict as a two-agent rent-seeking contest for a fixed prize. Before conflict arises, both agents may agree to allocate the prize by coin flip to avoid the costs of conflict. In equilibrium, risk-neutral agents with relatively symmetric conflict capabilities agree to resolve the conflict by randomization. However, with sufficiently asymmetric capabilities, conflicts are unavoidable because the stronger agent prefers to fight. Laboratory experiments confirm that the availability of the random device partially eliminates conflicts when agents are relatively symmetric; however, the device also reduces conflict between substantially asymmetric agents.

Real Effort, Real Leisure And Real-Time Supervision: Incentives And Peer Pressure In Virtual Organizations, Brice Corgnet, Roberto Hérnan-Gonzalez, Stephen J. Rassenti

ESI Working Papers

We propose a novel approach to the analysis of organizations by developing a computerized platform that reproduces relevant features of existing organizations such as real-effort tasks and real-leisure alternative activities (Internet). In this environment, we find strong incentives effects as organizations using individual incentives significantly outperform those relying on team incentives. Combining real-time peer monitoring with team incentives, we report striking evidence of positive peer effects as production increases by 50% and Internet usage decreases by 54% compared with organizations using team incentives alone. Peer monitoring allows virtual organizations using team incentives to perform as well as those using individual …

Unions Matter, John S. Thomas

Pepperdine Policy Review

Unions invested heavily in the last statewide election in California. It is worthwhile to examine the correlation between the political candidates’ campaign war chests and union political funding. Meg Whitman, while largely self-funded, suffered a massive defeat at the hands of Jerry Brown. A credible argument can be made that Jerry Brown’s message resonated, while Whitman was simply out of touch with the average California voter. On the surface this might be true, but digging deeper into the campaigns reveals another story. Jerry Brown was the beneficiary of over $30 million spent by unions on negative advertising against Meg Whitman, …

Given The Choice: Family Values In California’S Largest School Districts, Raija Churchill

Pepperdine Policy Review

Through a quantitative analysis of twenty-five school districts, which are among the state’s largest, this research asks what policies school districts choose to implement when California’s Education Code gives them freedom to adopt or ignore policies that impact traditional moral beliefs and parental rights. These beliefs recognize that parents hold primary responsibility—and therefore, primary authority—when it comes to deciding questions such as sexual education.

Narratives Of Longevity From The Perspective Of Seventh-Day Adventist School Administrators In North America: A Multiple Case Study, Janet Ledesma

Dissertations

Problem. The average length of stay for school principals in the Seventh-day Adventist system of education in North America is 2.5-4.0 years. Elementary principals remain in leadership for 2.5 years, day academy principals stay for 3.6 years, and boarding academy principals stay for 4.0 years. Many studies have identified reasons why school principals leave their jobs. However, few studies have been conducted to understand why principals in the organization stay.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of principals who have remained in leadership in the Adventist system of education in North America longer than 10 …

The Relationship Between Community Service Involvement And Student Outcomes In Mexican Higher Learning Institutions, Raul Lozano

Dissertations

Problem. Although Mexican Seventh-day Adventist higher learning institutions involve their students in diverse forms of community service, it is not clear whether involvement in service-related projects in these institutions is producing the desired prosocial, spiritual, and personal development in the students.

Method. A mixed methods design combining qualitative and quantitative research approaches was carried out to understand the way community service is implemented in Mexican Adventist higher education and its impact on students. In the qualitative stage, three cases were studied in which 18 people from three Seventh-day Adventist universities in Mexico participated in interviews and focus groups. Data were …

Beyond The American Dream : Tales Of Hispanic Mutimillionaires Who Rose Above Poverty After Immigrating To The United States, Ricardo Norton

Dissertations

Problem. A review of the literature on Hispanics reveals the absence of academic studies on the conditions and life experiences that helped poor Hispanic immigrants become multimillionaires after arriving to the U.S. at 18 years of age and older and without conversational English. Most Hispanic immigrants live in poverty right after arriving to the U.S. and only a few become multimillionaires. A study on how they rose above poverty has the potential to uncovering useful information for other poor immigrants who are still looking who seek financial success. Such study will also add to the larger body of literature information …

Growing South Dakota (Winter 2011), College Of Agriculture &. Biological Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 2 Introducing iGrow: New Web Portal Brings Information To One Location
[Page] 4 Crops, Cattle & Much More: Opportunities Farm Cultivates Research, Teaching And Scholarships
[Page] 7 College News
[Page] 8 Funding Fundamentals: Budget Cuts Have Far-Reaching Impact
[Page] 10 The Value Extension: Three Producers Share How They've Benefited [Page] 12 A Vision for Precision: Gregg Carlson Has Helped Guide Agronomy
[Page] 13 A Boost for Beginning Beef Producers: Training Program Offered Through USDA Grant
[Page] 14 Ethanol's Evolution: Promising New Research Goes Beyond Corn
[Page] 16 New Era for Cereal Grains: Seed Technology Lab Inspires Innovation
[Page] 18 …

The Impact Of Melbourne's Yiddishists, Deborah Gurt

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Carlton, the gritty inner-city section of Melbourne, served as a first point of entry for many new immigrants to Australia, my father among them. It also was a center of intellectual activity emblematic of the emerging Jewish culture in Australia in the 1930s and 40s. Its cheap rents and proximity to public transit and the city center made it a logical place for immigrants to cluster as they strove to secure their footing in Australia. The immigrants stuck together for support, companionship, and common language, as the cultural gap yawned between new Polish and German immigrants and most established Australian …

The Report: Spring 2011, Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration; California Polytechnic University - San Luis Obispo

The Report

No abstract provided.

Airborne Lead In El Paso, 1977-1999, Ingrid B. Camacho

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Airborne lead is an important component of the biogeochemical make-up of ambient air. Most of the lead emitted to the atmosphere has been in the form of particulate matter.

This study evaluated airborne lead levels in the El Paso airshed at different intervals over the span of three decades between 1977 and 1999. Levels of lead and related metals for a number of years and from a number of sampling stations in El Paso were available from Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses previously conducted in Prof. Pingitore's laboratory at UTEP.

Data consisted of some 200 samples, each a …

La Vida En Un Click, Ana Lourdes Cardenas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Abstract not available

Improvement Of Complex Decision Making Using System Dynamics And Zachman Framework Techniques, Bharath Bhushan Dantu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Modeling representations of complex systems useful for the examination of changes that occur in any part or whole of these systems must allow for the performance of a requisite variety of essential analyses, in order to cover decision contingencies that have the potential to sway outcomes to extreme values. The purpose of sophisticated modeling techniques is to make the model as realistic a reflection of the real world as possible, considering all constraints of available data, analyst time availability, and computational resources needed to evaluate the model. The fundamental purpose of decision making methods is to create a quantitative representation …

Sacramento, Marlena Fitzpatrick

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Inspired by entertaining, opinionated voices with debatable, controversial messages I wrote "Sacramento." EVA RIVERA, a 32 year old Honduran poet is captured and incarcerated by the "Maduros Guerrilla" due to her controversial political activism through a network called "Las Hijas Del Maiz." After being held captive, tortured and raped, she miraculously escapes. She manages to return home, gather her belongings and cross the border, all the way to New York via Canada. FATHER MARTIN RODRIGUEZ, a 35 year old Chilean Catholic Priest has disgraced his faith by keeping a promise he made his brother on his death bed: he will …

Era[C]Ing Diversity: A Critical Rhetorical Approach To Race And The New Citizen, Theresa Donovan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Era[c]ing Diversity is guided by a broad question of inquiry regarding the formation and reformation of subjectivity through the filling out of "blank" forms such as the application for naturalization. This dissertation examines how the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service uses and distributes race, and how subjects participate in the social reproduction of the dominant ideology to create a society where individuals think: I am White; He/she is Black, or Asian, or Native American etc. Era[c]ing Diversity examines how the N-400 constructs the new citizen and the ways that permanent legal residents of Mexican origin disrupt or reify this construct. …

The Border Mural In The Electronic Age: Xican@ Literacy As Rhetorical Agency, José Angel Maldonado

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Border Mural in the Electronic Age is a project that responds to blanket statements, not only about a people's literacy (or illiteracy), but to the ways in which we define and measure literacy in the electronic age. In this study, literacy is located on the US-México border, and this specific location serves as the social, political, and economic grounds on which to study the types of literacies used by the local population. A cultural ecology approach is necessary when studying niche literacies, and in today's world, traditional literacies coexist among emergent forms of literacy most likely attributed to technological …

Development And Evaluation Of A Personalized Normative Feedback Intervention For Hispanic Youth At High Risk Of Smoking, Holly Mata

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Despite reductions in overall smoking rates, data show that adolescents continue to smoke at higher rates than adults and that adolescents living in the Texas-Mexico border area are more likely than their counterparts living elsewhere in Texas to smoke. While adult smoking in the Paso del Norte Region has decreased significantly over the past decade, area youth smoking rates exceed both state and national averages. Recent estimates report cigarette smoking among El Paso youth in the past month to be slightly more than 28% as compared with 21% among Texas youth participating in the 2009 statewide Youth Risk Behavior Survey …

Supramolecular Organization Of Nanoparticles, Brenda M. Porta Linnell

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The study of supramolecular structures with nano-architectures has become an active area of research in recent years. They have the potential to generate functional materials with applications in medicine and emerging technologies. In this dissertation, the supramolecular organization of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and other nano-scale structures such as discrete styrene-based polymers was investigated. The synthesis and characterization of metal-mediated AuNPs systems using pendant ligands on the AuNP such as 11-diethylenetriamine-undecane-1-thiol, 11-Mercapto-undecanoic acid [2-(2-amino-ethylamino)-ethyl]-amide, Bis(11-oxo-nicotinic acid, undecine)disulfide, and 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid, and using Cu(II) to mediate the formation of supramolecular AuNP systems with sizes of 200 nm ¡V 3 fÃ?m, are …

Mexican American High School Dropouts: A Look At Nine Personal Attributes That Place Students At Risk, Oscar A. Rico

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This project examines nine attributes pertinent to Mexican Americans and the decision that many of them take to drop out of school prematurely. Millions of Mexican American students drop out of school every year in this country. For many of these students dropping out of school usually represents entering a workforce an a society that they will be unprepared to encounter. Dropouts will face increased levels of poverty, incarceration, unemployment along with many other ailments.

This project presents dropping out not as a single event in which a student decides to endure such conditions inexplicably from one day to the …