Twine in the Baler

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Orr
Keyword(s):  
Political Activity ◽  
True Story ◽  
Public Meetings ◽  
Growth Industry ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Symbolic Gestures ◽  
As If

I recall a true story about an Ozark farmer who telephoned his neighbors one fine June day asking for help in getting in his hay. Arriving at the hayfield, people found the farmer baling his hay, but without twine in the baler. Unbound piles of hay, which would have to be entirely reraked and rebaled, lay all over the field. The farmer, with a bottle of whiskey in his lap, was feeling no pain, as they say, and did not seem to notice the problem, nor did the dozen or so men, similarly anesthetized, standing around the pickup trucks at the edge of the field. Believing the lack of twine to be a serious problem, one of the volunteers, a newcomer to such haying operations, suggested putting a roll of twine in the baler. To which an old-timer replied: “Naw, no need for that. Ol’ Billy-Hugh [the farmer in question] is having too much fun to stop now.” This story says something important about intention. Those of us who arrived on the scene ready to work failed to understand that the purpose of the event had nothing to do with getting in hay. This was a party, haying the pretext. Once we understood that, all of us could get in the flow, so to speak. A good many things, including politics, work similarly. One of the best books ever written about politics, The Symbolic Uses of Politics (Edelman 1962), develops the thesis that the purpose of political activity is often not to solve problems but only to appear as if doing so. The politics of sustainability, unfortunately, provide no obvious exception to this tendency to exalt symbolism over substance. And of symbols and words there is no end. The subject of sustainability has become a growth industry. Government- and business-sponsored councils, conferences, and public meetings on sustainability proliferate, most of which seem to be symbolic gestures to allay public anxieties, not to get down to root causes.

scholarly journals The formation and constitution of crystals of lead salts containing water-soluble colloid

1935 ◽  
Vol 235 (749) ◽  
pp. 125-164 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Selective Adsorption ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Lead Salts ◽  
The Subject ◽  
As If ◽  
Saturated Solutions

The influence of small amounts of dissolved foreign substances on the growth of crystals from saturated solutions has been the subject of much investigation. Usually the added substances have been electrolytes. Dyestuffs have not been neglected, but with some few exceptions comparatively little attention has been given to the effect of non-ionized water-soluble electrolytes such as gelatine or dextrine. As a rule, the presence of the foreign substances is found to cause the crystals to assume a different habit. Whenever this occurs the absorption must have occurred on certain crystal-faces in preference to others, but, although the added material is active by virtue of its close attachment to such faces, it is rarely found to be incorporated into the solid to any great extent. The growing crystals appear to reject the impurity—thrusting it outwards as the growth advances. The action of water-soluble colloids on the halides and certain other salts of lead is exceptional in several ways. Although when such colloids are present in small concentrations one can generally observe a modification of habit, at higher concentrations there may be little selective adsorption, and the result may be a rounded crystal on which no plane faces at all can be distinguished, as if the forces by which atoms are attracted to the structure had been equalized in every direction.

scholarly journals An attempt at clarifying Maximus the Confesor’s remarks on (the fate of) sexual difference in Ambiguum 41

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-203
Author(s):  
Sotiris Mitralexis
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Difference ◽  
Human Person ◽  
Close Reading ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Maximus The Confessor ◽  
As If

Maximus the Confessor?s Ambiguum 41 contains some rather atypical observations concerning the distinction of sexes in the human person. There is a certain ambiguity as to whether the distinction of the sexes was intended by God and is ?by nature? (as found in Genesis and asserted by most Church Fathers) or a product of the Fall. Namely, Christ is described three times as ?shaking out of nature the distinctive characteristics of male and female?, ?driving out of nature the difference and division of male and female? and ?removing the difference between male and female?. Different readings of those passages engender important implications that can be drawn out from the Confessor?s thought, both eschatological implications and otherwise. The subject has been picked up by Cameron Partridge, Doru Costache and Karolina Kochanczyk-Boninska, among others, but is by no means settled, as they draw quite different conclusions. The noteworthy and far-reaching implications of Maximus? theological stance and problems are not the object of this paper. In a 2017 paper I attempted to demonstrate what Maximus exactly says in these peculiar and oft-commented passages through a close reading, in order to avoid a two-edged Maximian misunderstanding: to either draw overly radical implications from those passages, projecting decidedly non-Maximian visions on the historical Maximus, or none at all, as if those passages represented standard Patristic positions. Here, I am revisiting this argument, given that the interest in what the Confessor has to say on the subject seems to be increasing.

scholarly journals Teaching History and Civic Education in Slovenia

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 123-158
Author(s):  
Danijela Trškan ◽  
Špela Bezjak
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
History Textbooks ◽  
Democratic Citizenship ◽  
Political Activity ◽  
School Students ◽  
History Teachers ◽  
Teaching History ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Compulsory Subject

The article explains how civic education is included in the subject of history in elementary and secondary schools in Slovenia. History is a compulsory subject taught in elementary and secondary schools and plays an important role in the cultural, social and political education of young people – young citizens. The analysis of current history curricula indicates that they contain civic and patriotic elements in the general and specific objectives and learning outcomes, as well as in the content. The analysis of selected history textbooks shows that Slovenian textbooks include more European history than Slovenian history. The article explains what social and civic competences can be developed and fostered in the subject of history and how elementary and secondary school students can use various examples from the past to develop a positive attitude towards Slovenian identity and the protection of Slovenian cultural heritage, a respectful attitude towards human rights and democratic citizenship, towards different cultures, religions and nations, and responsible socio-political activity. It has been noted that history teachers have many opportunities to teach students the relevant values of democratic citizenship and to enable them to know and understand themselves as individuals and as members of the local and global communities. However, more attention should be paid to contemporary Slovenian history and active citizenship.

Notes and Comments

2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
JAMES C. GARAND ◽  
MARCI GLASCOCK LICHTL
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
The United States ◽  
Divided Government ◽  
The Political ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Growth Industry ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Political Media

In recent years the study of divided government has been a growth industry. Numerous scholars have sought to explain patterns of divided government in the United States, while others have attempted to explore the consequences of the phenomenon. No doubt this scholarly interest in the subject is due in large part to the attention paid by the political media to divided control of the presidency and Congress during the 1980s, as well as the resulting ’gridlock‘ that dominated policy making in Washington during that time period.

Postscript - The COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Professor John Swarbrooke
Keyword(s):  
Human Beings ◽  
Actual Number ◽  
Main Text ◽  
Death Toll ◽  
The World ◽  
Spanish Flu ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
As If

I completed the main text of this book a few days before Coronavirus, as it was called at the beginning, started to become a major story in the news in Europe. Now, just over three months later, as the book is about go for printing it seems as if the COVID-19 pandemic, as it is now called, is about the only story in the world’s media. In the circumstances, it seems important that I say something about the virus and its potential impact on the subject of this book. As I write these words, in early Ma y 2020, the pandemic has killed at least 264,000 people worldwide and some 3.8 million people are confirmed to have been infected, although the actual number is likely to be significantly higher as many people who have had the virus may not have had it confirmed through testing. To put this in context, the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 killed an estimated 50 million people, while the highly publicised outbreak of SARS in 2003 killed fewer than 1,000 people. The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in Africa resulted in the deaths of an estimated 11,300 people. So COVID-19 is far and away the largest pandemic, in terms of deaths, to hit the world in just over a century. Of course, we do not yet know the final death toll from it, for as I write it is still continuing. Furthermore, unlike SARS and Ebola this virus is a true pandemic, affecting virtually every part of the planet where human beings live.

Gerry Knowles, A cultural history of the English language. London: Arnold, 1997. Pp. x, 180. Hb $59.95, pb $20.00.

2000 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-133
Author(s):  
Richard W. Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Cultural History ◽  
English Language ◽  
Close Connection ◽  
Linguistic Form ◽  
Language And Power ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject ◽  
As If

In his preface, Knowles makes clear what his book is not. It is not a history of literary English, and it is not an account of changes in linguistic form; it is a “cultural history.” In the introductory chapter, he declares: “In view of the close connection between language and power, it is impossible to treat the history of the language without reference to politics” (9). Of course, books that purport to be histories of English have often “treated” the subject without apparent politics. Knowles is right in alleging that the politics of such books has often been implicit, since most of them provide information about the ascent of one variety of the language to the elevated status of a standard – as if that were an inevitable and desirable result of the spirit of goodness working itself out through speech.

III. Experimental researches in electricity. ─Twenty-fifth series

1851 ◽  
Vol 141 ◽  
pp. 29-84 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Force ◽  
Central Line ◽  
General View ◽  
Axial Line ◽  
Electric Induction ◽  
Other Substances ◽  
Iron Nickel ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Experimental Researches ◽  
As If

2797. The remarkable results given in a former series of these researches (2757. &c.) respecting the powerful tendency of certain gaseous substances to proceed either to or from the central line of magnetic force, according to their relation to other substances present at the same time, and yet the absence of all condensation or expansion of these bodies (2756.) which might be supposed to be consequent on such an amount of attractive or repulsive force as would be thought needful to produce this tendency and determination to particular places, have, upon consideration, led me to the idea, that if bodies possess different degrees of conducting power for magnetism, that difference may account for all the phenomena; and, further, that if such an idea be considered, it may assist in developing the nature of magnetic force. I shall therefore venture to think and speak freely on this matter for a while, for the purpose of drawing others into a consideration of the subject; though I run the risk, in doing so, of falling into error through imperfect experiments and reasoning. As yet, however, I only state the case hypothetically, and use the phrase conducting power as a general expression of the capability which bodies may possess of affecting the transmission of magnetic force; implying nothing as to how the process of conduction is carried on. Thus limited in sense, the phrase may be very useful, enabling us to take, for a time, a connected, consistent and general view of a large class of phenomena; may serve as a standard of meaning amongst them, and yet need not necessarily involve any error, inasmuch as whatever may be the principles and condition of conduction, the phenomena dependent on it must consist among themselves. 2798. If a medium having a certain conducting power occupy the magnetic field, and then a portion of another medium or substance be placed in the field having a greater conducting power, the latter will tend to draw up towards the place of greatest force, displacing the former. Such at least is the case with bodies that are freely magnetic, as iron, nickel, cobalt and their combinations (2357. 2363. 2367. &c.), and such a result is in analogy with the phenomena produced by electric induction. If a portion of still higher conducting power be brought into play, it will approach the axial line and displace that which had just gone there; so that a body having a certain amount of conducting power, will appear as if attracted in a medium of weaker power, and as if repelled in a medium of stronger power by this differential kind of action (2367. 2414.).

scholarly journals Belgian Multinationals and Public–Private Partnerships in Economic Diplomacy

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-50
Author(s):  
Jennifer Kesteleyn
Keyword(s):  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Institutional Context ◽  
Multinational Companies ◽  
Political Activity ◽  
Public Private Partnerships ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Public Officials ◽  
Corporate Political Activity ◽  
Economic Diplomacy ◽  
The Subject

Summary This article analyses public–private partnerships in Belgium’s economic diplomacy from the perspective of multinational companies (mncs). The concept of corporate political activity (cpa) is therefore introduced. cpa is seen as a part of business diplomacy (bd), which companies use in order to defend their interests. Eight stock-listed Belgian multinationals (bmncs) were interviewed using single, semi-structured interviews. This exploratory study focused on whether or not companies contact public officials, which strategies they use and how these strategies are organized in order to defend their interests abroad. The empirical data revealed that bmncs enter into relationships with national and supranational actors. Information-sharing is the central aim of these relationships, because of the mutual realization that these contacts are important. This was less so, however, at the international level. In short, bmncs will, depending on the subject and/or the institutional context, rely on the services offered by Belgian economic diplomacy. They will initially, however, also include diplomatic functions of their own.

The Work of an English Mathematical Student

1913 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-153
Author(s):  
H. Bateman
Keyword(s):  
Point Of View ◽  
The Subject ◽  
As If

A few weeks ago Professor Babb invited me to give you a short address on some topic connected with the study of mathematics at English schools and universities. In thinking over the subject I have naturally tried to recall the various impressions I received during my school and college days, leaving out, of course, the marks of the cane. For a little while it has seemed just as if time had been put back ten years or so, that I was again looking at things from the point of view of the student and comparing experiences and opinions with my college friends.

I. Portraits

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 ◽  
pp. 5-28
Keyword(s):  
Art History ◽  
Classical Antiquity ◽  
Roman Art ◽  
Roman World ◽  
Art Form ◽  
Roman Coins ◽  
Country Houses ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Point Of Departure ◽  
As If

Portraiture is among the most obvious legacies of classical antiquity. Roman busts of rulers and private individuals, sculpted in marble or occasionally cast in bronze, are the frequent inhabitants of museums and country houses. Imposing portrait-statues survive in great numbers, albeit frequently missing some of their extremities. We also have many smaller and more subtle images like those carved in gems and semiprecious stones, and, of course, the heads on Roman coins whose influence on the design of modern money is still obvious. The very custom of modern portraiture itself is, broadly speaking, derived from Rome, though it is easy to take it for granted as if it were an obvious or universal art-form. The Roman world was truly crowded with portraits. They are the subject of intense study and interesting debate. As such they present a useful point of departure for this survey of Roman art history.

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