Identification of Natural Images and Computer‐Generated Graphics Based on Statistical and Textural Features

To discriminate the acquisition pipelines of digital images, a novel scheme for the identification of natural images and computer‐generated graphics is proposed based on statistical and textural features. First, the differences between them are investigated from the view of statistics and texture, and 31 dimensions of feature are acquired for identification. Then, LIBSVM is used for the classification. Finally, the experimental results are presented. The results show that it can achieve an identification accuracy of 97.89% for computer‐generated graphics, and an identification accuracy of 97.75% for natural images. The analyses also demonstrate the proposed method has excellent performance, compared with some existing methods based only on statistical features or other features. The method has a great potential to be implemented for the identification of natural images and computer‐generated graphics.     

The Democratic Contribution of Political Market Researchers

Although we know that candidates, parties and governments conduct political market research and engage in heated debate about it, market research in politics remains a largely hidden activity. This article presents the perspectives of practitioners involved in collecting and using market research including advisors to 11 presidents and prime ministers and demonstrates that market analysis in politics is a multi‐varied activity, carried out within a complex context. The over‐simplistic criticism that political marketing means politicians simply follow focus groups needs to be revised, and although poor practice will always occur, practitioners are developing more fluid and mature ways to utilize research in politics. Political market research can play a valuable role in informing the decisions politicians make and enhance the relationship between the government and the public. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Understanding public agency communication: the case of the Swedish armed forces

This article suggests a diagnostic framework of public communication intended to capture new communication strategies used by Armed Forces across Europe to legitimize new tasks and recruit new personnel. Three distinct communicative models that impact differently on democratic values and public support are suggested: an Old Public Administration (OPA) model influenced by bureaucratic values, a New Public Management (NPM) model fuelled by market values and a deliberative model labelled ‘New Public Service’ (NPS) that is largely influenced by proponents of ‘e‐democracy’. A case study of the communication of the Swedish Armed Forces identifies a lingering bureaucratic (OPA) ideal. The market ideal (NPM) however clearly dominates. The article concludes that communication along market purposes, principles and practices risks distancing Armed Forces further from society. Yet, an embryonic deliberative ideal (NPS)—much fuelled by the use of social media such as blogs—was also identified. This growing ideal holds the potential of infusing deliberative vigor into the organization and presumably facilitates the bridging of the gap to society. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The iteration deficit in responsive regulation: Are regulatory ambassadors an answer?

One reason that regulation is difficult is that repeated encounters between regulator and regulatee are rare. We suggest diplomacy as a model for reconfiguring regulatory institutions in response. Ambassadors for Regulatory Affairs who would be agents for all state regulatory agencies could be based in most large firms and small and medium enterprises that pose unusual regulatory risks. In rural towns, police would be trained as regulatory ambassadors. Just as a US Secretary of State can launch a “diplomatic surge” in Myanmar from 2009, so regulatory surges are possible in market sectors of high risk or high opportunity. We propose strategies of indirect reciprocity as a way in which reciprocity that is only episodic in these strategic ways can promote more general responsiveness. Indirect reciprocity is reciprocity that we do not personally experience, but learn from the experience of a culture. This means that so long as we sustain regulation as a relational as opposed to a purely technocratic process, indirect reciprocity might civilize regulatory compliance in an historical process informed by the theories of Elias and Putnam.     

Covenant of Mayors: Reasons for Being an Environmentally and Energy Friendly Municipality

The Covenant of Mayors (CM) is the mainstream European movement involving local authorities who voluntarily commit to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources within their territories with the aim of reducing CO₂ emissions and meet the European Union objectives by 2020. One country that has a greater number of signatories of this agreement is Spain. This article analyzes which factors influence the decision of Spanish local authorities to join the ever‐growing movement. An empirical model is formulated to describe the behavior of Spanish local governments, this being a binary choice model which is a function of various political, economic, and technical factors. Among the prominent factors that influence this decision are population, availability of renewable energy, fiscal and environmental stress, citizens’ political preference, the contagion effect of neighboring municipalities, the existence of covenant coordinators, and finally, economic motivations.     

直接以起诉方式解除合同的效力

当事人一方在未通知对方的情况下,直接以提起诉讼的方式依法主张解除合同的,人民法院不能不予受理或者裁定驳回起诉。当事人的起诉状可以视为解除合同的通知,其解除合同的诉讼主张被人民法院确认的,该合同自起诉状副本送达对方时得以解除。     

论职务发明奖酬立法的优化思路及具体措施

我国现行职务发明奖酬立法由于法出多门、体系化不足,相关法律规定存在诸多不一致及不合理之处.在驱动知识产权强国战略的新要求下,针对奖酬立法存在的问题,需要坚持明确新人本主义基础上的利益平衡理念、促进职务发明奖酬立法体系化、体现奖酬意思自治原则的宏观思路,对整个职务发明奖酬立法体系和具体措施加以优化,避免职务发明奖酬立法成为职务发明奖酬实现的阻碍.     

现代民主宪制理论的两种思想形态——以韦伯与施密特的差异为焦点

韦伯的政治著述是现代政治理论的典范,对当代世界政治和法律理论研究具有划定问题史的意义.施密特脱离韦伯政治理论的体系与前提,极端化地推演了韦伯的决断主义与克里斯玛型领袖民主等范畴,为纳粹极权体制的极端价值相对主义进行辩护,与韦伯政治著述的根本价值关切严重对立.哈贝马斯既反思了韦伯民主理论的规范性真空这一缺陷,又继承了韦伯对现代性与理性化铁笼困境的诊断,致力于批判与根除纳粹德国非理性思想传统的影响,并以商谈理论重构了自由、民主和法治的规范性基础,为填补韦伯的规范性真空作出了贡献.以哈贝马斯提出的思想史问题为切入点,阐释韦伯民主理论的总体问题意识与内在价值链条,分析施密特与韦伯理论的外在联系与根本差异,能清晰呈现关于现代民主的经典思想形态及其内在张力.     

War Hypotheses: Drug Trafficking,Sovereignty and the Armed Forces in Mexico

This essay analyses how Mexican presidents have interpreted the concepts of drug trafficking and national security and how these particular connotations have redefined national sovereignty and the specific role of the armed forces in protecting this sovereignty. A qualitative technique of discourse analysis is used to examine public speeches by Zedillo (1994–2000), Fox (2000–2006) and Calderón (2006–2012). The conclusions suggest that drug trafficking and US omnipresence are the two main issues that shaped Mexico's national security threats during this period, with qualitatively distinct trajectories.