Contributions of the Old Residents' Historical Association, Lowell, Mass

Mode of access: Internet.

Annual report of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church

Imprint varies.

Energy security in the news:North/South perspectives

Analysis of newspaper reporting on the topic of energy security in eight countries – four from the global North (France, Germany, the UK, and the United States) and four from the global South (China, India, Brazil, and South Africa) – produces no support for the thesis that news is disseminated from core countries to the periphery and semi-periphery. There is an important difference between China and the other three fast-developing countries and a highly asymmetric flow of news not aligned to old core-periphery boundaries. In general, energy security is mainly covered in trade and business outlets and less in newspapers with mass circulation, indicating that the topic is still an elite concern. In some instances, attention has surged at the same time in different countries. But very few of these instances show a homogenous coverage across countries. Despite increasingly globalised media, news is created and consumed at a national level.

Chemical composition of <0.001 mm grain size fractions of bottom sediments and cementing mass of basalt breccia from the North Atlantic

A comprehensive study of 102 samples of grain size fractions 0.010-0.005; 0.005-0.001, and <0.001 mm showns that clay mineral compositions from bottom sediments of the Faroe-Iceland Threshold and Faroe-Shetland Trench are different. In the first case it is essentially smectite-chlorite, in the second - mainly hydromicaceous. The difference in composition of clay minerals is due to influence of different source areas of terrigenous material.

(Appendix) Petrographic record from excavation profiles in Old-Luebeck (Liubice), north Germany

Die Frage einer Küstensenkung spielt seit Jahrzehnten bei der geologischen Erforschung des norddeutschen und niederländischen Flachlandes eine große Rolle. Der Schwerpunkt der bisherigen Arbeiten lag im südlichen Nordseeraum. Gerade dieses Gebiet bereitet aber wegen seines Aufbaues aus jungen, teilweise stark setzungsfähigen Gesteinen, des von Ort zu Ort und im Laufe der Zeit unterschiedlichen Einflusses der Gezeiten sowie wegen mancher anderer Bedingungen sehr große methodische Schwierigkeiten. Deshalb überrascht es nicht, daß die einzelnen Untersuchungen noch in den letzten beiden Jahrzehnten für die verschiedenen Abschnitte zu sehr abweichenden Folgerungen kamen, so daß die heute bekannten Einzeltatsachen nur ein recht widerspruchsvolles Gesamtbild ergeben. Da eine Klärung der Probleme durch eine Neubearbeitung an der Nordsee zunächst wenig erfolgversprechend erscheint, wird die Aufmerksamkeit unvermeidlich auf die Verhältnisse im südwestlichen Ostseeraum gelenkt. Hier bestehen in mancher Hinsicht einfachere Bedingungen, die eine derartige Untersuchung begünstigen. Vor allem die Nachbarschaft des skandinavischen Hebungsgebietes am gleichen Wasserbecken, die sehr geringen Gezeitenwirkungen und die hier weit verbreiteten Sandschüttungen bieten bessere Vergleichsmöglichkeiten und schalten viele Fehlerquellen aus. In der voliegenden Arbeit wurden die litorinazeitlichen und die nachlitorinazeitlichen Vertikalbewegungen des Landes und die eustatischen Schwankungen des Wasserstandes im südwestlichen Ostseeraum mit geologisch-morphologischen Methoden und durch die Auswertung von Lage und Verbreitung ur- und frühgeschichtlicher Funde sowie unter Auswertung von pollenanalytisch datierten Bohrprofilen und Pegelaufzeichnungen untersucht.

Stable isotope record, calcium carbonate conentrations, and sea surface temperture reconstructions of sediment cores from the North Atlantic

We analyze five high-resolution time series spanning the last 1.65 m.y.: benthic foraminiferal delta18O and delta13O, percent CaCO3, and estimated sea surface temperature (SST) at North Atlantic Deep Sea Drilling Project site 607 and percent CaCO3 at site 609. Each record is a multicore composite verified for continuity by splicing among multiple holes. These climatic indices portray changes in northern hemisphere ice sheet size and in North Atlantic surface and deep circulation. By tuning obliquity and precession components in the delta18O record to orbital variations, we have devised a time scale (TP607) for the entire Pleistocene that agrees in age with all K/Ar-dated magnetic reversals to within 1.5%. The Brunhes time scale is taken from Imbrie et al. [1984], except for differences near the stage 17/16 transition (0.70 to 0.64 Ma). All indicators show a similar evolution from the Matuyama to the Brunhes chrons: orbital eccentricity and precession responses increased in amplitude; those at orbital obliquity decreased. The change in dominance from obliquity to eccentricity occurred over several hundred thousand years, with fastest changes around 0.7 to 0.6 Ma. The coherent, in-phase responses of delta18O, delta13O, CaCO3 and SST at these rhythms indicate that northern hemisphere ice volume changes have controlled most of the North Atlantic surface-ocean and deep-ocean responses for the last 1.6 m.y. The delta13O, percent CaCO3, and SST records at site 607 also show prominent changes at low frequencies, including a prominent long-wavelength oscillation toward glacial conditions that is centered between 0.9 and 0.6 Ma. These changes appear to be associated neither with orbital forcing nor with changes in ice volume.

1885 north Abington, Plymouth County, Mass., looking west.

Relief shown pictorially.

Life history of a wide-ranging deepwater lantern shark in the north-east Atlantic, Etmopterus spinax (Chondrichthyes: Etmopteridae), with implications for conservation

In this paper, the population biology of the velvet belly lanternshark Etmopterus spinax was studied and life-history coefficients determined. Age was estimated from sections of the second dorsal spine and validated by marginal increment analysis. Males attained a maximum age of 8 years while 11 year-old females were found. Several growth models were fitted and compared for both size-at-age and mass-at-age data, showing that even though this is a small-sized species, it has a relatively slow growth rate. This species matures late, specifically at 49.6 and 42.5% of the maximum observed ages for males and females, respectively. It has a low fecundity, with a mean ovarian fecundity of 9.94 oocytes and a mean uterine fecundity of 7.59 embryos per reproductive cycle. This species seems to have a long reproductive cycle, and even though no conclusive data were obtained, a 2-3 year cycle is possible. The estimated coefficients indicate that this species has a vulnerable life cycle, typical of deepwater squalid sharks. Given the high fishing pressures that it is suffering in the north-east Atlantic, this fish may already be facing severe declines or in risk of facing them in the near future. (C) 2008 The Authors Journal compilation (C) 2008 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

Volcanic sulphate and Arctic dust plumes over the North Atlantic Ocean

High time resolution aerosol mass spectrometry measurements were conducted during a field campaign at Mace Head Research Station, Ireland, in June 2007. Observations on one particular day of the campaign clearly indicated advection of aerosol from volcanoes and desert plains in Iceland which could be traced with NOAA Hysplit air mass back trajectories and satellite images. In conjunction with this event, elevated levels of sulphate and light absorbing particles were encountered at Mace Head. While sulphate concentration was continuously increasing, nitrate levels remained low indicating no significant contribution from anthropogenic pollutants. Sulphate concentration increased about 3.8 g/m3 in comparison with the background conditions. Corresponding sulphur flux from volcanic emissions was estimated to about 0.3 TgS/yr, suggesting that a large amount of sulphur released from Icelandic volcanoes may be distributed over distances larger than 1000 km. Overall, our results corroborate that transport of volcanogenic sulphate and dust particles can significantly change the chemical composition, size distribution, and optical properties of aerosol over the North Atlantic Ocean and should be considered accordingly by regional climate models.

Europe and the Media: Building a new kind of Europe; is mass media the key?

The book is a joint effort of eight academics and journalists, Europe specialists from six countries (Australia, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States). They give sometimes divergent views on the future of the so-called “European Project”, for building a common European economy and society, but agree that cultural changes, especially changes experienced through mass media, are rapidly taking place. One of the central interests of the book is the operation of the large media centre located at the European Commission in Brussels – the world’s largest gallery of permanently accredited correspondents. Jacket notes: The Lisbon Treaty of December 2009 is the latest success of the European Union’s drive to restructure and expand; yet questions persist about how democratic this new Europe might be. Will Brussels’ promotion of the “European idea” produce a common European culture and society? The authors consider it might, as a culture of everyday shared experience, though old ways are cherished, citizens forever thinking twice about committing to an uncertain future. The book focuses on mass media , as a prime agent of change, sometimes used deliberately to promote a “European project”; sometimes acting more naturally as a medium for new agendas. It looks at proposed media models for Europe, ranging from not very successful pan-European television, to the potentials of media systems based on national markets, and new media based on digital formats. It also studies the Brussels media service, the centre operated by the European Commission, which is the world’s largest concentration of journalists; and ways that dominant national media may come to serve the interests of communities now extending across frontiers. Europe and the Media notes change especially as encountered by new EU member countries of central and eastern Europe.

From Deep North to international governance exemplar : Fitzgerald's impact on the international anti-corruption movement

In pre-Fitzgerald Queensland, the existence of corruption was widely known but its extent and modes of operation were not fully evident. The Fitzgerald Report identified the need for reform of the structure, procedures and efficiency in public administration in Queensland. What was most striking in the Queensland reform process was that a new model for combatting corruption had been developed. Rather than rely upon a single law and a single institution, existing institutions were strengthened and new institutions were introduced to create a set of mutually supporting and mutually checking institutions, agencies and laws that jointly sought to improve governmental standards and combat corruption. Some of the reforms were either unique to Queensland or very rare. One of the strengths of this approach was that it avoided creating a single over-arching institution to fight corruption. There are many powerful opponents of reform. Influential institutions and individuals resist any interference with their privileges. In order to cause a mass exodus from an entrenched corruption system, a seminal event or defining process is needed to alter expectations and incentives that are sufficient to encourage significant numbers of individuals to desert the corruption system and assist the integrity system in exposing and destroying it. The Fitzgerald Inquiry was such an event. This article also briefly addresses methods for destroying national corruption systems where they emerge and exist.

From deep North to global governance exemplar : Fitzgerald's impact on the International Anti-corruption Movement

In pre-Fitzgerald Queensland, the existence of corruption was widely known but its extent and modes of operation were not fully evident. The Fitzgerald Report identified the need for reform of the structure, procedures and efficiency in public administration in Queensland. What was most striking in the Queensland reform process was that a new model for combating corruption had been developed. Rather than rely upon a single law and a single institution, existing institutions were strengthened and new institutions were instituted to create a set of mutually supporting and mutually checking institutions, agencies and laws that jointly sought to improve governmental standards and combat corruption. Some of the reforms were either unique to Queensland or very rare. One of the strengths of this approach was that it avoided creating a single overarching institution to fight corruption. There are many powerful opponents of reform. Influential institutions and individuals resist any interference with their privileges. In order to cause a mass exodus from an entrenched corruption system, a seminal event or defining process is needed to alter expectations and incentives that are sufficient to encourage significant numbers of individuals to desert the corruption system and assist the integrity system in exposing and destroying it. The Fitzgerald Inquiry was such an event. The article also briefly addresses methods for destroying national corruption system where they emerge and exist.