Withdrawal symptoms: Social and cultural aspects of the October 6 coup

Abstract

Extract

In themselves, military coups are nothing new in modern (or ancient) Thai history. There have been at least eight successful, and many more unsuccessful, coups since the one that overthrew the absolute monarchy in 1932. It is therefore not altogether surprising that some Western journalists and academics have depicted the events of October 6 1976 as “typical” of Thai politics, and even as a certain “return to normalcy” after three years of unsuitable flirtation with democracy. In fact, however, October 6 marks a clear turning point in Thai history for at least two quite different reasons. First, most of the important leaders of the legal left-wing opposition of 1973–1976, rather than languishing in jail or in exile like their historical predecessors, have joined the increasingly bold and successful maquis. Second, the coup was not a sudden intra-elite coup de main, but rather was the culmination of a two-year-long right-wing campaign of public intimidation, assault and assassination best symbolized by the orchestrated mob violence of October 6 itself.     

Art as a Means to Disrupt Routine Use of Space

This paper examines the publicly visible aspects of counter-terrorism activity in pedestrian spaces as mechanisms of disruption. We discuss the objectives of counter-terrorism in terms of disruption of routine for both hostile actors and general users of public spaces, categorising the desired effects as 1) triangulation of attention; 2) creation of unexpected performance; and 3) choreographing of crowd flow. We review the potential effects of these existing forms of disruption used in counter-terrorism. We then present a palette of art, advertising, architecture, and entertainment projects that offer examples of the same disruption effects of triangulation, performance and flow. We conclude by reviewing the existing support for public art in counter-terrorism policy, and build on the argument for art as an important alternative to authority. We suggest that while advocates of authority-based disruption might regard the playfulness of some art as a weakness, the unexpectedness it offers is perhaps a key strength.     

对司法鉴定协会推行技术仲裁之论证

自黑龙江省2003年成立全国第一家司法鉴定人协会以来，全国绝大部分省均已陆续成立了省级司法鉴定协会。司法鉴定协会的传统作用和通常可预期的作用不外乎以下方面：业务指导和培训、学术交流、业务交流和调研、对外交流、信息共享、纪律约束和奖惩、会员维权、竞业协调、行业间协调、与相关国家机关间的协调、制订行业标准和技术规范、立法咨询、信誉等级评价、社会慈善。笔者认为，除了以上作用以外，司法鉴定协会还有更大的空间发挥其技术和社会团体的优势，至少在处理信访和投诉，减少重新鉴定率方面可以有明显的作为。     

The Renaissance of Comprehensive Planning: The Oregon Case

During the last decade, a popular pastime among planners and others has been to discredit the comprehensive plan and the process by which such plans are developed. Advocacy planning, strategic planning, policy planning, social planning, etc., were suggested alternatives to the traditional focus of planning-the comprehensive plan, The reasons for criticism were varied, but basically they boiled down to the fact that plans often ended up on shelves collecting dust. Plans failed as continuing guides to a wide variety of decisions since they were static end-state conceptions a supposedly better world. Plans and their associated regulatory devices were found inadequate to control or limit the effects of the market-plans were simply ineffective tools. So the searcH began for alternatives or modifications to the comprehensive plan.     

Sequencing of mitochondrial DNA and the problem of human specificity

When analysing trace materials and degraded DNA the issue of human specificity is highly important. Especially when it comes down to the analysis of mitochondrial DNA which is extremely susceptible to contamination authenticity is the main question. Therefore in the presented study mitochondrial primers were tested on their human specificity. In all cases it was possible to amplify DNA of animals with human mt-primers. These unintentional amplifications could only be decreased by choosing austere PCR parameters. The study implies the importance of comprehensive evaluation of primers, chemicals and PCR parameters.     

水牛原生殖细胞核移植的研究

以水牛原生殖细胞(PGCs)为核供体,成熟水牛卵母细胞为受体,采用电融合法和胞质内直接注核法对水牛PGCs的核移植进行了研究.从水牛胎儿的生殖嵴或生殖腺分离得到PGCs,在胎儿成纤维细胞饲养层上传代培养后,进行核移植.结果显示,当采用电融合法时,PGCs核移植的融合率、分裂率、囊胚率和总囊胚率均显著高于胎儿成纤维细胞(P＜0.05);当采用直接注核法进行核移植时,PGCs的核移植囊胚率显著高于胎儿成纤维细胞(P＜0.05),但分裂率差异不显著(P＞0.05).结果表明,水牛PGCs细胞是理想的核移植供体细胞.     

Net neutrality: A user's guide

Net neutrality is a complex issue that has generated intense levels of political discussion in the United States, but which has yet to attract significant attention from regulators in the UK. Nevertheless, the question of whether network operators should be prevented from blocking or prioritising certain network traffic or traffic from particular sources is a significant one for a wide range of stakeholders in the digital networked economy. Network operators contend that the build costs for the next generation of networks are so high that they must be permitted to monetise their control over this infrastructure as efficiently as possible. Meanwhile, an eclectic mix of interests including content and service providers, free speech and special interest groups and entertainers, argue that net neutrality regulation is necessary to guarantee that the Internet's core values and social utility are preserved. This article offers an introduction to net neutrality from a UK perspective. The authors explain the technical, commercial, political and legal considerations that underpin the issue and suggest that, whilst net neutrality regulation in its strongest incarnation is not practical or desirable, a level of regulatory action designed to enhance the choices of end users is the best way forward.     

Food aid,scarce resources,and difficult decisions

This article attempts to address the requirements of a methodology for evaluating food aid. It is an extension of an article by Fitzpatrick and Storey, which appeared in a recent issue of Development in Practice (Vol. 1, No. 3). The evaluation of food aid policies is considered from the perspective of a policy maker in a recipient country. Fitzpatrick and Storey analyse one particular project. But the value of evaluating one project depends on how far lessons can be learned which will influence future decisions. Is it worthwhile for a country to negotiate for food aid? Should food-aid policies be pursued, rather than others? Which particular type of food-aid policy should be followed? This article argues the case for an evaluation method that is potentially capable of facilitating these decisions. It then takes some hesitant steps towards defining a method.     

Building assets to reduce vulnerability: microfinance provision by a rural working people's union in Mexico

Proyecto Tequisquiapan (PT) provides protective microfinance services in a small region of rural Mexico, including, importantly, open access to deposit facilities. The authors report on new research which examined PT's record in enabling people with different degrees of vulnerability to build assets and protect themselves from both sudden shocks and more predictable demands for lump sums of cash. Proyecto Tequisquiapan was found to be relatively more useful for the most vulnerable households. Its successes rely on its small scale and on the commitment of its staff, whose salaries are subsidised, to innovation and experimentation in order to remain relevant to members' changing and differentiated financial lifeworlds. This stands in contrast to the current trend towards large‐scale commercialised microfinance. The World Bank, the authors argue, should take note.