Crossroads of High Asia: A review article—books on Ladakh

Eva K. Dargyay and Ulrich Grüber, Ladakh, Innenansicht eines Landes. Düsseldorf/Cologne: Diederichs, 1980. 300 pp, colour photographs, bibliography, glossary, chronological table, index.

Heinrich Harrer, Ladakh, Götter und Menschen hinterm Himalaya. Innsbruck: Pinguin, 1983. 172 pp, photographs, end paper maps, bibliography.

Andrew Harvey, A Journey in Ladakh. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983. 236 pp., end paper maps, $13.95.

E. Joldan, Harvest Festival of Buddhist Dards of Ladakh and Other Essays. Srinagar: Kapoor Brothers, 1985. 104 pp., photographs, Rs. 30.

Detlef Kantowsky and Reinhard Sander, (editors), Recent Research on Ladakh: History, Culture, Sociology, Ecology. Munich, Cologne and London: Weltforum, 1983. 282 pp., photographs, diagrams, bibliography, DM 59.

Anneliese Keilhauer and Peter Keilhauer, Ladakh und Zanskar, Lamaistische Klosterkultur im Land zwischen Indien und Tibet. Cologne: DuMour, 1982. 414 pp., maps, diagrams, chronological chart, photographs, index, DM 36.

Sanyukta Koshal, Ladakhi Grammar. Delhi: Mortilal Banarsidass, 1979. 338 pp., index, Rs. 103.

Michel Peissel, Zanskar, the Hidden Kingdom. London: Collins, 1979. 205 pp., maps, photographs, index.

Janet Rizvi, Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1983. 224 pp., photographs, glossary, bibliography, end‐paper maps, Rs 140.

Margaret Schettler and Rolf Schettler, Kashmir, Ladakh and Zanskar: A Travel Survival Kit. South Yarra, Victoria, Australia/Berkeley, CA, USA, 1984.203 pp., maps, diagrams, photographs, index, $7.95.     

The nuclear family: Correspondence in cognitive and affective reactions to the threat of nuclear war among older adolescents and their parents

In order to assess the relationship between family members' cognitive and affective responses to nuclear war issues, 317 college students and their parents (n=559) independently completed a multifaceted questionnaire that included items concerning personal reactions, predictions, opinions, and attitudes about nuclear war. Results revealed a negligible relationship between the responses of college students and their parents, although the level of concordance between mothers and fathers was somewhat greater. Moreover, parents and students were relatively poor at predicting each others' nuclear threat attitudes, and the strength with which an attitude was endorsed did not enhance its predictability. Results are discussed with regard to heterogeneity in attitudinal and affective reactions within families, and with regard to the idea that infrequent communication concerning nuclear war issues may be occurring.Portions of this article were presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Los Angeles, California, August 25, 1985.Interested in clinical and counseling psychology, the psychological effects of the threat of nuclear war, and parent training.Interested in counseling psychology, nuclear war issues, and the concept-specific measurement of emotionality.Interested in counseling psychology, nuclear war issues, and factors influencing custody decisions.     

PUBLIC BUDGETING: CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS

Robert W. Burchell, James H. Carr, Richard L. Florida and Jarnes Nemeth. The New Reality of Municipal Finance: The Rise and Fall of the Intergovernmental City .
Government Finance Officers Association. Capital Budgeting: Blueprints for Change .
Edward A. Lehan. Budgetmaking: A Workbook of Public Budgeting Theory and Practice .
Thomas D. Lynch. Public Budgeting in America , 2nd Edition.
John L. Mikesell. Fiscal Administration: Analysis and Applications for the Public Sector , 2nd Edition.     

The Farm Crisis and the Future of Rural Local Governments

America's farmers are facing difficult financial times, andtheir problems are spilling over to rural local governments.Declining farm incomes and farm property values erode the localtax base. At the same time, demand for publicly provided servicesmay increase, creating a squeeze between falling revenues andhigher costs. This article documents the impact the farm crisishas had on local government tax bases in eight multi-countyregions in the Midwest. The impacts found, while severe, wouldgenerally be manageable in the absence of other shocks. However,when changes in the intergovernmental aid system–suchas the elimination of General Revenue Sharing and other cutsin federal aid—are factored in, local governments in agriculturallydependent areas can encounter financial stress. Higher taxesand lower service levels may permanently change the qualityof life in rural America.     

Actuarial status of the HI (hospital insurance) and SMI (supplementary medical insurance) Trust Funds

This article is adapted from the 1987 Annual Reports of the Medicare Board of Trustees. It presents a summary of the current financial and actuarial status of the Hospital Insurance (HI) and Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Funds. The Board found that the present financing schedule for the HI program is sufficient to ensure the payment of benefits over the next 12-14 years if the intermediate (II-A and II-B) assumptions underlying the estimates are realized. Although steps have been undertaken to reduce the rate of growth in payments to hospitals, the Board urges Congress to take remedial measures to bring future HI program costs and financing into balance. The Board found the SMI program to be actuarially sound but recommends that Congress take action to curtail the rapid growth in that part of Medicare.