Project USA: American competitiveness and what must be done to restore it

The United States today faces a loss of influence as a world power, a reduction in American independence as a policymaker, and a decline in the standard of living on which Americans have come to depend. History teaches that nations weaker and less productive than the United States can rise to become economic powerhouses and rapidly increase their standards of living. History also teaches that nations failing to recognize their fundamental problems will inevitably decline. American politicians must face what is abundantly clear: the United States is losing ground and must act quickly to reverse its course. This White Paper outlines what must be done. Information about the nation's current status must be analyzed and communicated. Incentives to improve the level of competence in government must be provided and maintained. The emphasis of government policy must be changed to reflect broad economic and technological interests as opposed to special interests. Savings must be encouraged and increased. Infrastructure must be improved Tax laws must be modified to help bring these changes about. Economic and technological issues must be elevated to the importance they require. American thinking must reflect the new realities: that the age of leadership through military power is over, that the requirements for success in the world of the 1990s and beyond require a sound and growing economy that is internationally competitive. The US can accomplish these goals only through foundation-shaking, comprehensive, fundamental changealong the lines we propose herein.This paper is the executive summary (with minor editing modifications) of a white paper that is available from Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management.     

Indigenous floating cultivation: a sustainable agricultural practice in the wetlands of Bangladesh

Floating-bed cultivation has proved a successful means to produce agricultural crops in various wetland areas of the world. In freshwater lakes and wetlands, vegetables, flowers, and seedlings are grown in Bangladesh using this floating cultivation technique, without any additional irrigation or chemical fertiliser. No detailed study of this indigenous cultivation technique has been published to date, although the laboratory method, hydroponics, is well documented in the professional literature. Our study is focused on the nature and characteristics of the Bangladeshi system, where local farmers have demonstrated the potential for the sustainable use of such common-property local water resources. We seek to establish a reference point for further research into this technique for its possible refinement and an assessment of its suitability for replication.     

Probable causes for police corruption: Some theories

Theories and explanations of police corruption presented in recent social science literature are reviewed to develop a conceptual framework for future study of the problem. Theories of corruption due to individual failings, organizational deviance, cynicism, lack of deterrence, and the lack of consensus on victimless crimes and their effects, are discussed.     

Perceived Parenting Competencies following Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors may face specific challenges in their parental role because of the negative sequelae of their abuse. This study explored factors that might heighten or buffer the risk for problems in parenting for intrafamilial CSA survivors. A community sample of 54 CSA mothers completed questionnaires assessing the severity of their CSA experiences, current depressive symptoms, partner support, and key parenting dimensions. Six moderated mediational models revealed that CSA severity indirectly impacted the survivor’s bond with her child, limit setting ability, communication, and parental involvement through depressive symptoms at high levels of partner support. Partner support was protective against many difficulties in parenting at low levels of depressive symptoms, but did not promote, and at times hindered, effective parenting at high depressive symptoms. This study’s findings highlight the importance of attending to risk and protective factors in understanding parenting among CSA survivors.     

Book notes

Development in States of War. Edited by Deborah Eade. Oxford: Oxfam, 1996. Pp.109. £8.95. ISBN 0855983442

Yearbook of International Co‐operation and Development: 1998/99. Edited by Helge Ole Bergesen, Georg Parmann and 0ystein B. Thommessen. London: Earthscan for The Fridtjof Nansen Institute, 1998. £45. Pp.348. ISBN 1 85383 526 9     

Velocity necessary for a BB to penetrate the eye: an experimental study using pig eyes

PURPOSE: To determine the V-50 threshold velocity needed for a steel BB to penetrate the eye of a 230-pound pig. METHOD: BBs were shot at a distance of 10 feet into the corneas of pig eyes with a pump-action BB gun. RESULTS: The V-50 velocity for corneal penetration and serious disruption of the eye was found to be 246 ft/sec. CONCLUSION: Due to the nearly identical size and anatomy of the human eye to the pig eyes used in this study, it is felt that 246 ft/sec is a reasonable approximation of the velocity needed to penetrate the human eye.