Analog solar system model relates celestial bodies spatially

Portable analog planetarium indicates the relative time and space angular locations of the sun and planets. Distance measuring scales, angular direction indicators, and typical probe trajectories are included

A Textual Taylor Rule: Estimating Central Bank Preferences Combining Topic and Scaling Methods

Scholars often use voting data to estimate central bankers' policy preferences but consensus voting is commonplace. To get around this, we combine topic-based text analysis and scaling methods to generate theoretically motivated comparative measures of central bank preferences on the U.S. Federal Open Market Committee leading up to the financial crisis in a way that does not depend on voting behavior. We apply these measures to a number of applications in the literature. For example, we find that FOMC members that are Federal Reserve Bank Presidents from districts experiencing higher unemployment are also more likely to emphasize unemployment in their speech. We also confirm that committee members on schedule to vote are more likely to express consensus opinion than their off schedule voting counterparts and show that it is Dovish rather than Hawkish members who are more likely to want to amend the official monetary policy statement

Financial development, remittances, and real exchange rate appreciation

For developing countries, remittances are an important and expanding source of capital, equivalent to two-thirds of overall foreign direct investment and nearly 2 percent of gross domestic product. ; This article examines the relationship between remittance inflows, financial sector development, and the real exchange rate. The authors test whether financial sector development can prevent appreciation of the real exchange rate. In particular, they show that well-developed financial sectors can more effectively channel remittances into investment opportunities. ; Using panel data for 109 developing and transition countries for 1990–2003, the authors find that remittances by themselves tend to put upward pressure on the real exchange rate. But this effect is weaker in countries with deeper and more sophisticated financial markets, which seem to retain trade competitiveness.Emigrant remittances ; Foreign exchange rates

An uneven playing field: larger EU member states receive weaker Commission oversight than smaller states

The EU’s fiscal oversight mechanism, the Stability and Growth Pact, which sets limits on states’ budget deficits and debt levels, was insufficient to prevent the Eurozone crisis from occurring. Nicole Rae Baerg notes that if European states are to learn from this failure, it is important to understand why the system lacked credibility. Presenting evidence from a recent study, she writes that larger and more Eurosceptic states have received weaker levels of oversight from the Commission than smaller states, and that the ability of more powerful states to alter Commission recommendations should be a key area of concern for policymakers who would like to see credible European safeguards put in place

Detection of Coherent Vorticity Structures using Time-Scale Resolved Acoustic Spectroscopy

We describe here an experimental technique based on the acoustic scattering phenomenon allowing the direct probing of the vorticity field in a turbulent flow. Using time-frequency distributions, recently introduced in signal analysis theory, for the analysis of the scattered acoustic signals, we show how the legibility of these signals is significantly improved (time resolved spectroscopy). The method is illustrated on data extracted from a highly turbulent jet flow : discrete vorticity events are clearly evidenced. We claim that the recourse to time-frequency distributions lead to an operational definition of coherent structures associated with phase stationarity in the time-frequency plane.Comment: 26 pages, 6 figures. Latex2e format Revised version : Added references, figures and Changed conten

This is Research; Jason Baerg: ᓭᓭᓯᐤ / Sêsêsiw / Yellow Legs

A new body of painting and video-projection work, created through a collaborative process including Skype and cell phone conversations with local Indigenous people. In this space of understanding, Baerg welcomes visits from the Ancient Indigenous stewards of this place. Shown at Neutral Ground Artist Run Centre

Physical activity of children with developmental coordination disorder in the presence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder : does gender matter?

Baerg, S., Cairney, J., Hay, J., Rempel, L. and Faught, B.E. (2009). Physical Activity of Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder in the Presence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Does Gender Matter? Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, CANADA. Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have difficulties in motor coordination. Attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is considered the condition most co-morbid with DCD at approximately 50%. Children with DCD are generally less physically active (PA) than their peers, while children with ADHD are often considered more physically active. It is not known if the physical activity patterns of children with DCD-ADHD resemble those of children with primarily DCD or that of their healthy peers. The primary objective of this research was to contrast physical activity patterns between children with DCD, DCD-ADHD, and healthy controls. Since boys are generally reported as more physically active than girls, a secondary objective was to determine if gender moderated the association between groups and physical activity. A sample of males (n=66) and females (n=44) were recruited from the Physical Health Activity Study Team (PHAST) longitudinal study. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (2nd Ed.) was used to identify probable cases of DCD, and Connor's Revised Parent Rating Scale- Short Version to identify ADHD. Subjects (mean age=12.8±.4 yrs) were allocated to three groups; DCD (n=32), DCD-ADHD (n=30) and control (n=48). Physical activity was monitored for seven days with the Actical® accelerometer (activity count, step count and energy expenditure). Children completed the Participation Questionnaire (PQ) during the in-school session of data collection for the PHAST study. Height, weight and body mass index (BMI) were also determined. Analysis of variance showed significant group differences for activity count (F(2,56)=5.36, p=.007) and PQ (F(2,44 )=6. 71, p=.003) in males, while a significant group difference for step count (F(2,37)=3.55, p=.04) was found in females. Post hoc comparison tests (Tukey) identified significantly lower PQ and activity count between males with OCD and controls (p=.004) and males with DCD-ADHD and controls (p=.003). Conversely, females with DCD-ADHD had significantly more step counts than their controls (p=.01). Analysis of covariance demonstrated a gender by DCD groups negative interaction for males (activity count) (F(2,92):;:3.11, p=.049) and a positive interaction for females (step count) (F(1,92)=4.92, p=.009). Hyperactivity in females with DCD-ADHD appears to contribute to more physical activity, whereas DCD may contribute to decreased activity in males with DCD and DCDADHD. Further research is needed to examine gender differences in physical activity within the context of DCD and ADHD

agriCULTURE: An agricultural approach to international perspectives

Agricultural educators are in a unique position when it comes to approaching globalization and multicultural diversity in the classroom. Agriculture is rich with diversity as food and fibers are produced in all corners of the world. It is the perfect environment to share cultural diversity and investigate other ways of life while investigating food and fiber production. agriCULTURE is a curriculum designed to provide teachers with a resource to bring multicultural diversity into the classroom through the exploration of agriculture around the globe. The general objectives are to: 1) Increase cultural competency among secondary students. 2) Introduce students to agricultural products from around the world. 3) Challenge student’s current perspectives on global cultures. 4) Develop an appreciation for global cultures. The curriculum is delivered on a web-based platform and can be accessed free of charge