Supplemental security income : disability program vulnerable to applicant fraud when middlemen are used : report to the Chairman, Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Senate /

"B-257888"--P. 1.

Middlemen in English business, particularly between 1660 and 1760,

"List of works cited": p. 429-442.

A model of market-making

The two essential features of a decentralized economy taken intoaccount are, first, that individual agents need some informationabout other agents in order to meet potential trading partners,which requires some communication or interaction between theseagents, and second, that in general agents will face tradinguncertainty. We consider trade in a homogeneous commodity. Firmsdecide upon their effective supplies, and may create their ownmarkets by sending information signals communicating theirwillingness to sell. Meeting of potential trading partners isarranged in the form of shopping by consumers. The questions to beconsidered are: How do firms compete in such markets? And what arethe properties of an equilibrium? We establish existenceconditions for a symmetric Nash equilibrium in the firms'strategies, and analyze its characteristics. The developedframework appears to lend itself well to study many typicalphenomena of decentralized economies, such as the emergence ofcentral markets, the role of middlemen, and price-making.

Painopaperin valinta painotuotteen ostossa, case Kesko.

Tutkielman tarkoituksena on selvittää, miten yrityksen sisäiset ja ulkoiset vuorovaikutussuhteet vaikuttavat tuotteen ostoprosessissa. Sisäiset vuorovaikutussuhteet esiintyvät yrityksissä organisaatio-, ryhmä- ja individuaalisella tasolla. Nämä vaikuttavat lähinnä siihen, missä ja kenen toimesta ostopäätökset tehdään. Ulkoisia vuorovaikutussuhteita yrityksillä on usein esimerkiksi myyjään, toimitusketjun väliportaaseen ja yrityksen omaan asiakkaaseen. Nämä vuorovaikutussuhteet voivat vaikuttaa ostovalintoihin joko suoraan tai välillisesti. Tutkimusmenetelmänä on soveltava case-tutkimus, johon case-yritykseksi on valittu Kesko. Tavoitteena on selvittää ensinnäkin, mitä erilaisia sisäisiä ja ulkoisia vuorovaikutussuhteita Keskon painotuotteen ostoprosessissa esiintyy, ja toiseksi, miten nämä vuorovaikutussuhteet vaikuttavat Keskon painopaperin valintaan. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on tukea markkinointistrategian suunnittelua UPM-Kymmenen kotimaan myyntiosastolla antamalla kuva painopaperimarkkinoiden rakenteesta ja Keskon painopaperin valinnan muodostumisesta.

Opportunities and constraints of peri-urban buffalo and dairy cattle systems in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan

In the big cities of Pakistan, peri-urban dairy production plays an important role for household income generation and the supply of milk and meat to the urban population. On the other hand, milk production in general, and peri-urban dairy production in particular, faces numerous problems that have been well known for decades. Peri-urban dairy producers have been especially neglected by politicians as well as non-government-organizations (NGOs). Against this background, a study in Pakistan’s third largest city, Faisalabad (Punjab Province), was carried out with the aims of gathering basic information, determining major constraints and identifying options for improvements of the peri-urban milk production systems. For data collection, 145 peri-urban households (HH) engaged in dairy production were interviewed face to face using a structured and pretested questionnaire with an interpreter. For analyses, HH were classified into three wealth groups according to their own perception. Thus, 38 HH were poor, 95 HH well off and 12 HH rich (26.2%, 65.5% and 8.3%, respectively). The richer the respondents perceived their HH, the more frequently they were actually in possession of high value HH assets like phones, bank accounts, motorbikes, tractors and cars. Although there was no difference between the wealth groups with respect to the number of HH members (about 10, range: 1 to 23), the educational level of the HH heads differed significantly: on average, heads of poor HH had followed education for 3 years, compared to 6 years for well off HH and 8 years for rich HH. About 40% of the poor and well off HH also had off-farm incomes, while the percentage was much higher - two thirds (67%) - for the rich HH. The majority of the HH were landless (62%); the rest (55 HH) possessed agricultural land from 0.1 to 10.1 ha (average 2.8 ha), where they were growing green fodder: maize, sorghum and pearl millet in summer; berseem, sugar cane and wheat were grown in winter. Dairy animals accounted for about 60% of the herds; the number of dairy animals per HH ranged from 2 to 50 buffaloes (Nili-Ravi breed) and from 0 to 20 cows (mostly crossbred, also Sahiwal). About 37% (n=54) of the HH did not keep cattle. About three quarters of the dairy animals were lactating. The majority of the people taking care of the animals were family workers; 17.3% were hired labourers (exclusively male), employed by 11 rich and 32 well off HH; none of the poor HH employed workers, but the percentages were 33.7% for the well off and 91.7% for the rich HH. The total number of workers increased significantly with increasing wealth (poor: 2.0; well off:2.5; rich: 3.4). Overall, 69 female labourers were recorded, making up 16.8% of employed workers and one fourth of the HH’s own labourers. Apparently, their only duty was to clean the animals´ living areas; only one of them was also watering and showering the animals. Poor HH relied more on female workers than the other two groups: 27.1% of the workers of poor HH were women, but only 14.8% and 6.8% of the labour force of well off and rich HH were female. Two thirds (70%) of the HH sold milk to dhodis (middlemen) and one third (35%) to neighbours; three HH (2%) did doorstep delivery and one HH (1%) had its own shop. The 91 HH keeping both species usually sold mixed milk (97%). Clients for mixed and pure buffalo milk were dhodis (78%, respectively 59%) and neighbours (28%, respectively 47%). The highest milk prices per liter (Pakistani Rupees, 100 PKR @ 0.8 Euro) were paid by alternative clients (44 PKR; 4 HH), followed by neighbours (40 PKR, 50 HH); dhodis paid lower prices (36 PKR, 99 HH). Prices for pure buffalo and mixed milk did not differ significantly. However, HH obtaining the maximum price from the respective clients for the respective type of milk got between 20% (mixed milk, alternative clients) and 68% (mixed milk, dhodi) more than HH fetching the minimum price. Some HH (19%) reported 7% higher prices for the current summer than the preceding winter. Amount of milk sold and distance from the HH to the city center did not influence milk prices. Respondents usually named problems that directly affected their income and that were directly and constantly visible to them, such as high costs, little space and fodder shortages. Other constraints that are only influencing their income indirectly, e.g. the relatively low genetic potential of their animals due to neglected breeding as well as the short- and long-term health problems correlated with imbalanced feeding and insufficient health care, were rarely named. The same accounts for problems accompanying improper dung management (storage, disposal, burning instead of recycling) for the environment and human health. Most of the named problems are linked to each other and should be addressed within the context of the entire system. Therefore, further research should focus on systematic investigations and improvement options, taking a holistic and interdisciplinary approach instead of only working in single fields. Concerted efforts of dairy farmers, researchers, NGOs and political decision makers are necessary to create an economic, ecological and social framework that allows dairy production to serve the entire society. For this, different improvement options should be tested in terms of their impact on environment and income of the farmers, as well as feasibility and sustainability in the peri-urban zones of Faisalabad.

En busca de tinterillos. Intermediarios en el mundo indígena ecuatoriano durante el siglo XX (Debates)

Este artículo aborda el papel de los abogados semiprofesionales, conocidos como tinterillos, en las comunidades indígenas de la sierra ecuatoriana, a partir de mediados del siglo XIX, quienes adquirieron una presencia aparentemente ubicua en las comunidades rurales del Ecuador. Muchas veces los tinterillos fueron parte de las élites locales con algo de educación. Inspiraban respeto entre los indígenas (quienes, en su mayoría, eran analfabetos) debido a su habilidad a manejar documentos escritos. Estos intermediarios comúnmente explotaron su posición privilegiada para su propio beneficio económico, social y político. Sin embargo, los indígenas llegaron a depender del apoyo de los tinterillos para denunciar ante el gobierno los abusos de los terratenientes. En ocasiones, en lugar de sentirse impotentes o víctimas, los indígenas aprendieron a negociar sus relaciones con esos intermediarios para su beneficio. El estudio de los tinterillos permite examinar las relaciones de poder que se negociaron entre diferentes culturas y a través de profundas divisiones de clase.

Mercury: An agent of poverty in Ghana's small-scale gold-mining sector?

There is consensus worldwide that the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector is comprised of individuals who are trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty, lacking the necessary financial and technological means to improve their standards of living. Minimal work, however, has been undertaken to identify the very factors behind miners' plight, which inevitably vary from country to country. This paper uses a case study of Ghana to argue that an increased dependence upon mercury for amalgamation In artisanal gold-mining communities is one such-albeit overlooked-"agent of poverty". There is mounting empirical evidence which suggests that dealings with the monoponistic middlemen who supply mercury, purchases of costly medicines to remedy ailments caused by mercury poisoning, and a lack of appropriate safeguards and alternatives to amalgamation, are preventing gold miners from improving their practices and livelihoods. The solution to the problem lies in breaking this cycle of dependency, which can be achieved by providing miners with robust support services, mercury-free technologies and education. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A problematização do lixo e dos catadores: estudos de caso múltiplo sobre políticas públicas sob uma perspectiva foucaultiana

Municipal government policies supporting recycling cooperatives at the start of the 1990s and in the first years of the current century have contributed to resemanticizing trash rather than improving the living conditions of the street scavengers in the city of Rio de Janeiro. This idea was based on multiple case studies conducted in three post-consumption recycling cooperatives which have resulted from such policies. Interviews were held with three municipal government managers and 66 scavengers between 2002 and 2004, during a period of field observation that varied from two to six months in each case. Following a Foucaultian analysis approach, in this thesis post-consumption trash is considered as a discursive production. For this reason, the discourses have been analyzed (through an archaeology and a genealogy) that animated this object as a target condition of public policies. Thus, problematization of the trash has been proposed ¿ characterized by the concomitance of discourses related to an environmental and economic issue surrounding it, which would have impacted the scavengers' work. This proposal made it possible to consider the conditions that enable the scavengers to participate in this discursive production concerning trash. Problematization means the social enhancement of trash (its resemantization as recyclable) and the government policies were an attempt to make the scavengers adapt to this conjuncture. The conditions have been investigated that enable the scavengers to participate in the construction process of the discourse concerning trash (preparation of the strategies), in consonance with public policies. According to the three organizations observed, the public managers assumed that it would be possible for the scavengers to participate in the rules of discourse on trash, when they achieved economy of scale and when they sold to middlemen. Through the findings of the studies, however, it has been concluded that the ways in which these three organizations were managed enabled the scavengers to accede to the rules of discourse regarding problematized trash only when they could control the strategies that allow them to attend what is set by such rules.

Morfologia e sedimentologia da plataforma continental brasileira adjacente a São Bento do Norte e Caiçara do Norte-RN/NE-Brasil

This dissertation the results of a research developed in the area of São Bento do Norte and Caiçara do Norte, northern coast of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, during the period of June of 2000 to August of 2001, in the ambit of the projects MAMBMARÉ (CNPq/CTPETRO) and PROBRAL (CAPES/DAAD). The objective principal of this research was the characterization of the sedimentary dynamics of this coast, with base in data of coastal process (winds, currents, waves and tides), with topographical risings (beach profiles and dunes), satellite images and sedimentary analyses. The more specific objectives were accomplished the coastal monitoring of this coast, to verify the maintenance of an erosive tendency or progradacional after the groynes construction for contention of the erosion in the beach of Caiçara do Norte, as well as to verify the influence of the features of bottom of the platform interns adjacent on the pole petroliferous of Guamaré. The executed monitoramento allowed to identify that the movement of the sediments, along the year, in that area, is cyclical, reaching the largest oscillations during the months of winter (deposition) and they will summer (erosion). The sedimentologic studies indicated a general tendency for sands quartzosas, with gravel presence, moderately to good selected, with asymmetry predominantly negative. In agreement with the parameter of Dean (1957), used in the identification of the state morfodinâmico of the beaches, monitored beaches, are basically reflectivas with tendency to middlemen, what frames that space of the coast norte-riograndense, as a space strongly vulnerable to erosive processes. The studies developed in the platform, it interns of this area, allowed to visualize for the first time, in large scale, the distribution of the features of the submarine bottom to the batométrico coat of 25 meters. Being pointed out the presence of a high one topographical submerged, with about 5 meters of height, 1 km of width and more than 24 meters of extension, located in the platform it interns in front of São Bento do Norte; coincident with the trend of the system of flaws of Carnaubais. This feature relay an important paper on the control of the sedimentary processes and oceanographic, as well as in the coastal evolution of this area of the RN state, and they affect the area of the pole petroliferous of Guamaré directly. These results contribute to a better knowledge of the processes in the area, and consequently as subsidies implantation of measures of coastal and environmental protection for the cities of São Bento do Norte and Caiçara do Norte, as well as to understand how the geological-sedimentary processes and oceanographic, in this area, are influencing the characteristics geoambientais of the pole petroliferous of Guamaré

Turismo e economia solidária : uma análise nas cooperativas e associações de artesanato do Roteiro Seridó norte-rio-grandense

The present study has addressed the issues surrounding the Solidarity Economy and Tourism, their perspectives and contributions to the development process of local communities, as well as the connection point between the two. This study evaluated the extent to which social economy through cooperatives and associations in tourism has generated socio-economic improvements for the artisans of the tourist Seridó. The study made as to their objectives, was exploratory and descriptive, since it involved both standard techniques of data collection, questionnaires and systematic observation, and secondary research and case studies, which characterizes an exploratory research, according to Castro (2008 ). The results indicate significant improvements offered by the inclusion of members in groups (associations and cooperatives) in matters concerning health, education, interpersonal relationships, and access to consumer credit to the artisans. Through this study, one might also note that the inclusion of products and services in tourism is not a relevant factor for the socio-economic improvements observed for the elevated presence of middlemen in the marketing process

Monitoramento costeiro das praias de São Bento do Norte e Caiçara do Norte RN: implicações para o pólo petrolífero de Guamaré

This dissertation the results of a research developed in the area of São Bento do Norte and Caiçara do Norte, northern coast of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, during the period of June of 2000 to August of 2001, in the ambit of the projects MAMBMARÉ (CNPq/CTPETRO) and PROBRAL (CAPES/DAAD).The objective principal of this research was the characterization of the sedimentary dynamics of this coast, with base in data of coastal process (winds, currents, waves and tides), with topographical risings (beach profiles and dunes), satellite images and sedimentary analyses. The more specific objectives were accomplished the coastal monitoring of this coast, to verify the maintenance of an erosive tendency or progradacional after the groynes construction for contention of the erosion in the beach of Caiçara do Norte, as well as to verify the influence of the features of bottom of the platform interns adjacent on the pole petroliferous of Guamaré. The executed monitoramento allowed to identify that the movement of the sediments, along the year, in that area, is cyclical, reaching the largest oscillations during the months of winter (deposition) and they will summer (erosion). The sedimentologic studies indicated a general tendency for sands quartzosas, with gravel presence, moderately to good selected, with asymmetry predominantly negative. In agreement with the parameter of Dean (1957), used in the identification of the state morfodinâmico of the beaches, monitored beaches, are basically reflectivas with tendency to middlemen, what frames that space of the coast norteriograndense, as a space strongly vulnerable to erosive processes. The studies developed in the platform, it interns of this area, allowed to visualize for the first time, in large scale, the distribution of the features of the submarine bottom to the batométrico coat of 25 meters. Being pointed out the presence of a high one topographical submerged, with about 5 meters of height, 1 km of width and more than 24 meters of extension, located in the platform it interns in front of São Bento do Norte; coincident with the trend of the system of flaws of Carnaubais. This feature relay an important paper on the control of the sedimentary processes and oceanographic, as well as in the coastal evolution of this area of the RN state, and they affect the area of the pole petroliferous of Guamaré directly. These results contribute to a better knowledge of the processes in the area, and consequently as subsidies implantation of measures of coastal and environmental protection for the cities of São Bento do Norte and Caiçara do Norte, as well as to understand how the geological-sedimentary processes and oceanographic, in this area, are influencing the characteristics geoambientais of the pole petroliferous of Guamaré

The small-scale urban reservoir fisheries of Lago Paranoá, Brasília, DF, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Estudo comparativo do uso da terra em unidades de produção familiar no Nordeste Paraense

O contexto histórico de formação territorial do Nordeste Paraense, está relacionado com os diversos períodos de ocupação que a região Amazônica sofreu, desde os primórdios da colonização, passando pelos fluxos migratórios, a partir da década de 1950, até sua configuração atual. O Nordeste Paraense é composto pelas microrregiões do Salgado, Bragantina, Cametá, Guamá e Tomé-Açu, ocupando cerca de 135 mil quilômetros quadrados, ou seja, 10,6% da superfície estadual, englobando 49 municípios, possuindo 1,8 milhão de habitantes, 27% da população estadual. Após quase um século de utilização as áreas de mata virgem fazem parte do passado. O padrão de uso da terra baseia-se no manejo de parcelas de floresta secundária (capoeiras), em rotação com culturas anuais e a implantação de culturas perenes e de pastagens. Neste contexto este trabalho objetivou compreender a dinâmica do uso da terra em unidades de produção familiar, para assim subsidiar alternativas para o planejamento das propriedades. A pesquisa foi realizada em trinta e três unidades, dispostas nos municípios de Bragança (apresenta uma ocupação mais antiga, com diferentes históricos de ocupação e uso da terra, aproximadamente 300 anos), Capitão Poço (representa uma ocupação e uso intermediários, 60 anos) e Garrafão do Norte (com um processo de ocupação mais recente cerca de 20 anos). A metodologia baseou-se na observação direta, na aplicação de questionários, entrevistas semi-estruturadas, registros fotográficos, elaboração de mapas mentais e utilização do Sistema de Informações Geográficas, para construção de mapas temáticos e análise das imagens de satélite. Pode-se observar que o padrão de uso não se diferencia nas três áreas, pois não é o ambiente somente que irá influenciar nas práticas estabelecidas, mas sim a territorialidade de cada agricultor, ou seja, a sua carga cultural que é impressa sobre o território. Constatou-se que a paisagem de uma propriedade será mais ou menos fragmentada em função do número de pessoas que fazem uso dela. A vegetação secundária é um elemento importante nesta dinâmica, pois sua presença ou ausência contribuirá para que uma propriedade seja mais ou menos resiliente as pressões de mercados, ou seja, a existência deste recurso florestal, juntamente com outros sistemas produtivos, permitem que aquela propriedade tenha uma variedade de produtos a serem disponibilizados na esfera da família e para o mercado. Assim é necessário que estratégias de planejamento da propriedade sejam elaboradas, para garantir a sustentabilidade social e ambiental.

A pesca comercial dos tucunarés Cichla Spp. (Peciformes, Cichlidae) no Reservatório da UHE-Tucuruí, Rio Tocantins, PA

A pesca na Amazônia se destaca entre as regiões brasileiras pela riqueza de espécies exploradas, quantidade de pescado capturado e dependência da população a esta atividade. Este estudo descreve a pesca comercial dos “tucunarés” Cichla spp. no Baixo Rio Tocantins-PA, norte do Brasil, na área de influência da UHE-Tucuruí, com ênfase no reservatório. O estudo foi dividido em 2 capítulos. O primeiro descreve a pesca em relação às artes de pesca, estratégia dos pescadores, ambientes explorados, sazonalidade e o manejo local segundo a percepção dos pescadores. Ainda neste capítulo, foram analisados o conhecimento local dos pescadores, a classificação etnobiológica dos “tucunarés”, e aspectos sócio-econômicos e ecológicos envolvidos. Foram realizadas entrevistas com os pescadores e observações diretas em campo. A pesca dos “tucunarés” no lago da usina tem grande importância na vida sócio-econômica desses pescadores, e se caracteriza como principal fonte de renda. A pesca ocorre em locais específicos e utiliza métodos e equipamentos rudimentares. Segundo os pescadores, a produção é influenciada por variáveis ambientais e pelo uso da rede de emalhar, a qual afasta os “tucunarés” dos ambientes de pesca. O uso do espaço é o principal conflito entre os pescadores. As relações sociais no sistema de parceria e a presença do atravessador diminuem a rentabilidade da pesca para o pescador. Os pescadores possuem conhecimento consistente sobre a ecologia dos “tucunarés”. O seu sistema de classificação reconhece três etnoespécies, duas das quais, constituem uma única espécie científica. No capítulo II, são analisados dados de captura dos “tucunarés” coletados pela ELETRONORTE de 1997 a 2003 e a unidade de esforço de pesca mais adequada para os dados. A captura foi analisada por porto, arte de pesca, tipo de embarcação, área de pesca e ciclo de enchente do rio. Os dados demonstram que as frotas dos diferentes municípios possuem características próprias e exploram as áreas de pesca mais próximas. Os maiores níveis de captura são encontrados nos períodos que o nível do rio está subindo ou descendo, sendo a pesca com “caniço”, responsável pela maior parte da captura. As canoas são as embarcações mais utilizadas. Os dados demonstram que a pesca dos “tucunarés” é mais importante nos municípios e áreas de pesca localizados no lago da usina. A CPUE só apresenta comportamento estatístico adequado quando analisada por área de pesca e as unidades de esforço mais adequadas são números de pescadores e de dias de pesca após sofrerem transformação logarítmica.

Diagnóstico da pesca no litoral do Parque Nacional do Cabo Orange e sua área circundante, município de Oiapoque estado do Amapá

O estado do Amapá apresenta-se com 70 % dos seus 14.281.458,5 ha de extensão transformados em áreas protegidas, entres as várias categorias de Unidades de Conservação e terras indígenas, por sua vez, muitas dessas áreas adentras as águas litorâneas do atlântico, ora pelos seus limites, ora pelos seus entornos (área circundante), tornando conflitante a atividade pesqueira na linha da costa amapaense. O Acordo de Pesca assinado em 2007 entre pescadores do município do Oiapoque e gerencia do Parque Nacional do Cabo Orange (ICMBIO) busca o controle das pescarias pela frota do Oiapoque e diminuir conflito na faixa de 20 km em águas marinhas, que pertencem ao seu limite e área circundante. Este estudo investigou as características da pesca na região do estuário do rio Oiapoque, faixa marinha do Parque e sua área circundante. A metodologia contemplou entrevistas formais e informais de vários atores do setor pesqueiro no Oiapoque, monitoramento de 488 desembarques e viagens aos locais de pescarias. Foram obtidas as CPUE’s em função do rendimento por dia de pesca por pescador (Kg/dia/pesca para cada tipo de embarcação). Foram mapeados os pesqueiros considerados importantes e tradicionalmente explorados pela frota do Oiapoque, dentro dos limites do Parque Nacional do Cabo Orange e em sua área circundante. Os pescadores do município realizam pescarias de subsistência, artesanal de menor e maior escala. Por sua vez, são as pescarias artesanais de menor escala que predominam na área do parque particularmente as embarcações do tipo “barco de pequeno porte” (BPP), que se destacaram em número, cerca de 60 % das cadastradas na colônia. O volume de pescado desembarcado no município do Oiapoque foi 766 toneladas no ano de 2008. São principalmente alvo das pescarias a corvina (Cynoscion virescens) e a pescada branca (Plagioscion spp), desta capturada de pescarias de menor escala, principalmente em embarcações de capacidade até 1 tonelada do tipo barco motorizado (BOM). A produção é comercializada diretamente dos pescadores para intermediários (balanceiros) que por sua vez, vendem para o mercado local, os dois grandes centros consumidores do Amapá (Macapá e Santana) e para outros estados (Pará, São Paulo etc).