Franchise nations : the future of nations?

In this paper, I extend the notion of franchise nations, borrowed from Neal Stephenson’s cyberpunk novel Snow Crash (1993), in order to employ it as a device for thinking about the future of the nation. I argue the concept to be particularly well suited for such contemplation because of its sound grounding in the historical intermesh of economic, political and cultural motivations intrinsic to the concept as well as lived experience of the nation. I illustrate this very briefly by casting (mainland) China as the master franchisor and the overseas Chinese as franchisees. Specifically, I discuss the media events concerning China that took place during 2008, such as the protests and counter-protests that occurred at various legs of the Olympic Torch Relay, the Sichuan earthquake of 12 May and the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on 8 August, and reactions to these happenings from overseas Chinese located variously in Australia, Canada and the United States. I argue that employing the notion of franchise nations lays bare the commercial and political instrumentalism behind the promotion and courtship of diasporas by home nations but, crucially, also aids in the understanding of the reciprocal processes by which franchisees are fashioned out of these communities. Finally, I suggest that, aside from China, franchise nations may also be a useful approach for thinking about how nations like India and Singapore are expanded, exported and explained into the future.

An Approach Toward Homocalystegines and Silyl-homocalystegines. Acid-Mediated Migrations of Acetates in Seven-Membered Ring Systems

A short access to homocalystegine analogues silylated at C7 is described. The synthesis involves the desymmetrization of a (phenyldimethylsilyl)methylcycloheptatriene using osmium-mediated dihydroxylation, followed by the diol protection and a cycloaddition involving the remaining diene moiety and an acylnitroso reagent. Additions of the osmium and acylnitroso reagents were shown, through X-ray diffraction studies of the resulting major isomers, to occur anti and syn, respectively, relative to the SiCH2 substituent. N-O bond cleavage on the resulting cycloadduct then produces the aminopolyol having a silylmethyl substituent. Oxidation of the C-Si bond also afforded an access to unusual amino-heptitols having five contiguous stereogenic centers. In the course of this work, we finally observed a unusual rearrangement taking place on cycloheptanone 18 substituted by two acetyl groups and a neighboring Boc-protected amine. A profound reorganization of the substituents on the seven-membered ring effectively took place under acidic conditions (TFA) leading to the thermodynamically more stable homocalystegine-type compound., DFT calculations of the conformational energy of isomeric silyl homocalystegines indicated that the product observed upon the acid-mediated rearrangement was the most stable of a series of analogues with various distributions of substituents along the seven-membered ring backbone. A tentative mechanism is proposed to rationalize the acetate migrations and inversions of the stereochemistry at various stereocenters.

Space experimental device on Marangoni drop migrations of large Reynolds numbers

The space experimental device for testing the Marangoni drop migrations has been discussed in the present paper. The experiment is one of the spaceship projects of China. In comparison with similar devices, it has the ability of completing all the scientific experiments by both auto controlling and telescience methods. It not only can perform drop migration experiments of large Reynolds numbers but also has an equi-thick interferential system.

Migrations of yellowfin tuna tagged off the southern coast of Mexico in 1960 and 1969

ENGLISH: The map method, the Jones method, the variance-covariance method, and the Skellam method were used to study the migrations of tagged yellowfin tuna released off the southern coast of Mexico in 1960 and 1969. The first three methods are all useful, and each presents information which is complementary to that presented by the others. The Skellam method, as used in this report, is less useful. The movements of the tagged fish released in 1960 appeared to have been strongly directed, but this was probably caused principally by the distribution of the fishing effort. The effort was much more widely distributed in 1970, and the movements of the fish released in 1969 appeared to have been much less directed. The correlation coefficients derived from the variance-covariance method showed that it was not random, however. The small fish released in the Acapulco and 10°N-100°W areas in 1969 migrated to the Manzanillo area near the beginning of February 1970. The medium and large fish released in the same areas in the same year tended to migrate to the southeast throughout the first half of 1970, however. SPANISH: El método de mapas, el de Jones, el de la variancia-covariancia y el de Skellam fueron empleados para estudiar las migraciones del atún aleta amarilla marcado y liberado frente a la costa meridional de México en 1960 y 1969. Los tres primeros métodos son todos útiles, y cada uno presenta información que complementa la presentada por los otros. El método de Skellam, conforme se usa en este informe, es menos útil. Parece que los desplazamientos de los peces marcados y liberados en 1960 hubieran sido fuertemente orientados, pero ésto probablemente fue causado principalmente por la distribución del esfuerzo de pesca. El esfuerzo se distribuyó más extensamente en 1970, y parece que los desplazamientos de los peces liberados en 1969 fueran menos orientados. Los coeficientes de correlación derivados del método variancia-covariancia indicaron, sin embargo, que no eran aleatorios. Los peces pequeños liberados en las áreas de Acapulco y los 10°N-100°W en 1969 migraron al área de Manzanillo a principios de febrero 1970. Los peces medianos y grandes liberados en las mismas áreas en el mismo año tuvieron, sin embargo, la tendencia a desplazarse al sudeste durante el primer semestre de 1970. (PDF contains 64 pages.)

Migrations of yellowfin and skipjack tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean as determined by tagging experiments, 1952-1964

ENGLISH: Totals of 59,547 tagged yellowfin and 90,412 tagged skipjack were released during 1952-1964 throughout the range of the fishery in the eastern Pacific Ocean during that period. Most of the fish were released from commercial baitboats, either on regular fishing trips or on chartered trips to catch fish for tagging. There we re 8,397 yellowfin and 4,381 skipjack returned from these releases. There appear to be two main groups of yellowfin in the eastern Pacific Ocean. There is considerable intermingling among the fish of the two groups, however. The fish of the northern group (west coast of Baja California, Gulf of California, and Revillagigedo Islands) first appear in the Revillagigedo Islands in about April, and migrate north along the Baja California coast during the spring and summer and south along that coast during the fall. Recruits to the southern group (Tres Marias Islands to northern Chile) appear at many points or continuously along most of the coast. The fish which first appear in the northern Panama Bight in April migrate rapidly northwest to Central America and Mexico and south to the Gulf of Guayaquil. There also appear to be two main groups of skipjack in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The fish of the northern group (west coast of Baja California, Gulf of California, and Revillagigedo Islands ) perform about the same migration as do the yellowfin of the same area, but most of the skipjack apparently then migrate to the central Pacific Ocean during the fall and/or winter. Recruits to the southern group (Central America to northern Chile) appear mostly in or near the Panama Bight. The fish which first appear in the northern Panama Bight in April migrate rapidly northwest to Central America and south to the Gulf of Guayaquil. The proportions which migrate in these directions vary considerably from year to year, this perhaps being dependent on differences in the sea-surface temperatures. SPANISH: Durante el período de 1952-1964 se liberó a través de todos los límites de distribución de la pesquería en el Océano Pacífico oriental un total de 59,547 aleta amarilla y 90,412 barriletes marcados. La mayoria de los peces fueron liberados de barcos de carnada comerciales, o en viajes regulares de pesca o en viajes en los que se fletaron los barcos para capturar atunes y marcarlos. De estas líberaciones se recapturaron 8,397 aleta amarilla y 4,381 barriletes. Parece que haya dos grupos principales de aleta amarilla en el Océano Pacífico oriental. Sin embargo, existe una entremezcla considerable entre los peces de los dos grupos. Los peces del grupo septentrional (costa occidental de Baja California, Golfo de California y Islas Revillagigedo) aparecen primero en las Islas Revillagigedo alrededor de abril, y durante la primavera y el verano se desplazan al norte a lo largo de la costa de Baja California y durante el otoño al sur a lo largo de la costa. Los reclutas del grupo meridional (Islas Tres Marias hasta el norte de Chile) aparecen en muchas partes o continuamente a lo largo de la mayoría de la costa. Los peces que aparecen primero en la región septentrional del Panamá Bight en abril se desplazan rápidamente al noroeste a la América Central y México y al sur al Golfo de Guayaquil. Parece también que existen dos grupos principales de barrilete en el Océano Pacífico oriental. Los peces del gr upo septentrional (costa occidental de Baja California, Golfo de California e Islas Revillagigedo ) realizan casi la misma migración que el atún aleta amarilla de la misma área, pero aparentemente la mayor parte del barrilete se desplaza luego al Océano Pacífico central durante el otoño y/o en el invierno. Los reclutas al grupo meridional (América Central al norte de Chile) aparecen en su mayoría en el Panamá Bight o cerca a este lugar. Los peces que aparecen primero en la región septentrional del Panamá Bight en abril se desplazan rápidamente al noroeste a la América Central y al sur al Golfo de Guayaquil. Las proporciones que se desplazan en estas direcciones varían considerablemente de año a año; tal vez esto depende en las diferencias de temperatura de la superficie del mar. (PDF contains 227 pages.)

Migrations of yellowfin tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean as determined from tagging experiments initiated during 1968-1974

ENGLISH: Data from tagging experiments initiated during 1968-1974 in the eastern Pacific Ocean were used to study the migrations of yellowfin tuna in that area. The map method, the parallel-area method, and the Jones method were employed in the analyses. The map method gives a useful impression of the distances and directions traveled, but does not express these parameters in quantitative terms. The parallel-area method is particularly useful for determining whether or not there is net movement in particular directions, i.e. inshore-offshore, east-west, or north-south. The first of these is of particular interest, as the incidence of smaller fish is much higher in the catches made inshore than in those made offshore, and it is desirable to know whether this is due to relatively greater abundance or to relatively greater vulnerability of the smaller fish in the inshore areas. If the former were the case an offshore movement of the fish as they grew older would probably be detected. Such a movement was not detected, however, so it appears likely that the differences in the catches of smaller fish in the inshore and offshore areas are due mainly to differences in vulnerability. Few or no east-west or north-south tendencies in the movements of the fish were detected. The Jones method indicates that the movement is not random, but reveals no pronounced directional tendencies. SPANISH: Se emplearon los datos de los experimentos de marcado, iniciados en el Océano Pacífico oriental durante 1968-1974 para estudiar los desplazamientos del atún aleta amarilla en esa zona. En los análisis se emplearon los métodos cartográficos, de las zonas paralelas y de Jones. El método cartográfico ofrece una idea útil sobre la distancia y dirección de los desplazamientos, pero no expresa estos parámetros en términos cuantitativos. El método de las zonas paralelas es particularmente conveniente para determinar si existe o nó un desplazamiento neto en una dirección especial, es decir, hacia la costa-fuera de la costa, este-oeste o norte-sur. El primero de éstos tiene un interés especial, ya que la incidencia de peces más pequeños es muy superior en las capturas realizadas cerca de la costa que en las de mar afuera, y se desea conocer si ésto se debe a la abundancia relativamente superior o a las vulnerabilidad relativamente mayor de los pequeños peces en las zonas costeras. Si el caso fuera el primero, se podría descubrir probablemente un movimiento de los peces mar afuera a medida que crecen. Sin embargo, no se ha descubierto tal movimiento, así que es probable que las diferencias en las capturas de peces pequeños en las zonas costeras y mar afuera se deban principalmente a diferencias en la vulnerabilidad. Se descubrió poca o ninguna tendencia en los peces a desplazarse este-oeste o norte-sur. El método de Jones indica que el movimiento no es aleatorio, pero no revela una tendencia pronunciada a orientarse direccionalmente.

Intermingling and seasonal migrations of Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) populations determined from tagging studies

A total of 7244 Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides, Walbaum) were tagged in Greenland waters between 1986 and 1998 to increase information on stock delineations, to clarify migration routes, and to describe the seasonal movements of fjord populations. At present 517 recaptured Greenland halibut have been recorded. For Greenland halibut released in Davis Strait, Baffin Bay, and the fjords of southwestern and eastern Greenland, a substantial portion of recovered fish demonstrated migratory behavior, up to 2500 km, primarily to Denmark Strait between Greenland and Iceland. The recaptured fish provided evidence of intermingling between the population in Denmark Strait and the populations in Davis Strait and the southwest Greenland fjords. These observations support those of other studies that indicate that Greenland halibut inhabiting Davis Strait and the fjords of southwestern and eastern Greenland originate in the spawning grounds west of Iceland. The high mobility of offshore Greenland halibut within Baffin Bay and Davis Strait suggests that Greenland halibut migrate extensively between feeding and spawning areas. Greenland halibut in the fjords of northwestern Greenland appear to be resident in behavior and do not intermingle with offshore or more southerly inshore populations. A seasonal pattern in the recovery of these fish indicates that Greenland halibut aggregate in the inner part of fjords during the second half of the year (when inshore waters are not covered with ice).

Thermocapillary migrations of drops and bubbles

The transport phenomenon of drops or bubbles is a very important topic in fundamental hydrodynamics research and practical applications such as material processing and the chemical engineering. In microgravity environment, if drops or bubbles stay in a continuous phase with non-uniform temperature ¯eld, they will start to move as a result of the variance of the interface tension. This kind of movement is called the Marangoni migration. This review tries to sum up the main results in this ¯eld on theoretical analysis, numerical simulations and experiments. So far the theoretical analysis is still limited to the linear or weak nonlinear steady questions, while the current numerical simulations can already obtain the time- dependent process of the bubble/drop migration when the e®ect of heat convection is small. For strong heat convection problem, or when the Marangoni number is bigger than 100, no numerical result is in consistence with those of experiments so far. Some of the lastest numerical results are shown when heat convection is strong, and the main di®erence between strong and weak heat convection is analyzed. Finally, we also discuss the main unresolved problems in this ¯eld and some possible directions in the future.

Competitiveness in a globalised world: Michael Porter on the microeconomic foundations of the competitiveness of nations, regions, and firms.

In this paper, we provide the text of an interview with Professor Michael Porter discussing his research and ideas relating to the microeconomic foundations of global competitiveness. The discussion provides a microeconomic perspective on some of the key issues relating to recent research on competitiveness, productivity, clusters, US economic leadership, economic growth and development.