992 research outputs found
Spectacular Developments: Guy Debord's Parapolitical Turn
No full textFollowing the attacks of September 11th, 2001, Guy Debord’s concept of ‘the
spectacle’ re-emerged in the work of a variety of theorists as a critical prism through
which the attacks and subsequent ‘War on Terror’ could be approached. Debord’s
first book on the spectacle (1967) was written in the context of France’s post-war
boom; his later reflections, contained in a series of minor works written throughout
the seventies and eighties, are heavily influenced by Italy’s ‘Years of Lead’ and a
broader geopolitical climate of armed struggle, terrorism, counter-insurgency and
espionage. Nearly all post-9/11 invocations of Debord’s concept draw on the version
elucidated in Debord’s 1967 book, with its emphasis on commodity fetishism,
ideology, and alienation, and fail to engage his later work and its focus on terrorism,
secrecy, and conspiracy. Among those that do in fact reference Debord’s later work
are several writers whose work could pejoratively be labelled ‘conspiracy theory’.
Looking at Debord’s oeuvre as whole, and investigating how it combines a critique of
late capitalism in its totality with parapolitcal concerns of ‘systemic clandestinity’,
Spectacular Developments: Guy Debord’s Parapolitical Turn provides a bolstered
conception of the spectacle that aims to reconfigure the conceptual foundations of this
debate. This conception of the spectacle allows one to approach the 9/11 attacks and
all that followed in their wake with both a precision and a breadth lacking in these
other works, demonstrating the superficiality of readings that make the concept
synonymous with the mass media or that attempt to unravel nefarious conspiracies of
power. Simultaneously, this approach foregrounds the epistemological and strategic
challenges faced by researchers, politicians and activists working in and on the
society of the spectacle
Guy Goffette : la biographie, la poésie et lui-même. L’écriture poétique dans les récits biographiques
No full textThe work of Guy Goffette biographer of Paul Verlaine (Verlaine d’ardoise et de pluie, 1996), Pierre Bonnard (Elle, par bonheur, et toujours nue, 1998) and H. Wystam Auden (Auden ou l’œil de la baleine, 2005) has produced extremely poetic texts in which the place of the author is very important. In this study we analyze the discursive and stylistic characteristics of the three biographies to detect the close relationship that binds the writer to the subject of his biography. In these three texts, Guy Goffette realizes a prose undeniably poetic, as long as the reader enters a textual space structured on a model dominated by poetic images and language as essentially assertive and allusive. The result is a high transparency of the figure of the author-poet in prose that turns up the prose into a poetic discourse.////////////// Le travail de biographe de Guy Goffette sur (Verlaine d’ardoise et de pluie, 1996), Pierre Bonnard (Elle, par bonheur, et toujours nue, 1998) et H. Wystam Auden (Auden ou l’œil de la baleine, 2005) a produit des textes extrêmement poétiques où la place de l’auteur est très importante. Dans cette étude on analyse les caractéristiques stylistiques et discursives des trois biographies pour déceler le rapport étroit qui lie l’écrivain à son biographé. Dans ces trois récits Guy Goffette écrit de la prose incontestablement poétique, du moment que le lecteur entre dans un espace textuel structuré sur un modèle poétique où prédominent les images et un langage essentiellement assertif autant qu’allusif. Il en résulte une forte transparence de la figure de l’auteur-poète qui plie la prose au discours poétique
Hedging Brevity Risk with Mortality-based Securities
Get PDFIn 2003, Swiss Re introduced a mortality-based security designed to hedge excessive mortality changes for its life book of business. The concern was apparently brevity risk, i.e., the risk of premature death. The brevity risk due to a pandemic is similar to the property risk associated with catastrophic events such as earthquakes and hurricanes and the security used to hedge the risk is similar to a CAT bond. This work looks at the incentives associated with insurance-linked securities. It considers the trade-offs an insurer or reinsurer faces in selecting a hedging strategy. We compare index and indemnity-based hedging as alternative design choices and ask which is capable of creating the greater value for shareholders. Additionally, we model an insurer or reinsurer that is subject to insolvency risk, which creates an incentive problem known as the judgment proof problem. The corporate manager is assumed to act in the interests of shareholders and so the judgment proof problem yields a conflict of interest between shareholders and other stakeholders. Given the fact that hedging may improve the situation, the analysis addresses what type of hedging tool would be best to use. We show that an indemnity-based security tends to worsen the situation, as it introduces an additional incentive problem. Index-based hedging, on the other hand, under certain conditions turns out to be beneficial and therefore clearly dominates indemnity-based strategies. This result is further supported by showing that for the same strike prices the current shareholder value is greater with the index-based security than the indemnity-based security.alternative risk transfer; insurance; default risk
Hedging Brevity Risk with Mortality-based Securities
Get PDFIn 2003, Swiss Re introduced a mortality-based security designed to hedge excessive mortality changes for its life book of business. The concern was apparently brevity risk, i.e., the risk of premature death. The brevity risk due to a pandemic is similar to the property risk associated with catastrophic events such as earthquakes and hurricanes and the security used to hedge the risk is similar to a CAT bond. This work looks at the incentives associated with insurance-linked securities. It considers the trade-offs an insurer or reinsurer faces in selecting a hedging strategy. We compare index and indemnity-based hedging as alternative design choices and ask which is capable of creating the greater value for shareholders. Additionally, we model an insurer or reinsurer that is subject to insolvency risk, which creates an incentive problem known as the judgment proof problem. The corporate manager is assumed to act in the interests of shareholders and so the judgment proof problem yields a conflict of interest between shareholders and other stakeholders. Given the fact that hedging may improve the situation, the analysis addresses what type of hedging tool would be best to use. We show that an indemnity-based security tends to worsen the situation, as it introduces an additional incentive problem. Index-based hedging, on the other hand, under certain conditions turns out to be beneficial and therefore clearly dominates indemnity-based strategies. This result is further supported by showing that for the same strike prices the current shareholder value is greater with the index-based security than the indemnity-based security
Creating insurance markets for natural disaster risk in lower income countries: the potential role for securitization
Get PDFThis paper considers the potential for securitizing index-based insurance products that transfer weather and natural disaster risks from lower income countries. The paper begins with a brief overview of why markets for natural disaster risks are important in lower income countries and a review of some recent activities using index-based weather insurance. Next, the paper explains how natural disaster risks are handled in higher income countries. These examples along with the example of an innovative index-based livestock insurance pilot project in Mongolia illustrate how layers, or tranches, of natural disaster risk can be financed during the product development phase by creating structures similar to the Special Purpose Vehicles used in catastrophe bond, mortgage bond, and the emerging microfinance bond markets. We refer to these investment alternatives as micro-CAT bonds since the principal amounts would be small relative to the existing CAT bond market.Catastrophe risk, index insurance, weather risks, socially responsible investing, reinsurance, Risk and Uncertainty,
"The speciall men in every shere": the Edwardian regime, 1547-1553
No full textThis thesis examines clienteles during the reign of Edward VI, particularly those of the dukes of
Somerset and Northumberland, and the role of the county elite in political society in order to
reassess politics from the perspective of clientage. Edward's reign has not been extensively
studied from this perspective but work by Dr Adams, Professor Guy and others on other periods
provided the necessary context to reassess Edwardian politics. The aim was to investigate whether
the regime continued to rely on the same core within the county elite employed in the 1520s and
1530s and again in Elizabeth's reign. This has involved extensive archival research since 1996 (in
St Andrews, London and the Midlands). I have found that the privy council tried to foster a closer
working relationship with the county elite in order to maintain stability and prevent faction during
this period of minority government. The regime depended on the same core of gentlemen in the
shires to act as commissioners of the peace and to fill the other vital local offices. Even within this
group there was an inner-ring. This relationship was a two-way process and the clientage that
underpinned early modem society was central to it.
This study has also explored the extent to which Somerset's and Northumberland's clienteles were
involved in central and local government to reassess how much the dukes operated as courtcentred
or county-centred politicians. Both men dominated government in turn and their clienteles
were vitally important. These were made up of their servants, family, friends and clients and were
mutual self-support groups that reinforced their political and social status. Although principally
intended as a political study, this research has come to incorporate military and local history. It
has looked at how clienteles operated during periods of stability and crisis (the activities of Lord
Seymour of Sudeley, the 1549 rebellions, the October coup, the second fall of Somerset and the
succession crisis in 1553) in order to demonstrate how they really functioned
Do Salivary Proteins Play a Role in Tasting Bitter Substances?
No full textThe detection of bitterness occurs via well characterized receptors located in taste buds on the tongue surface. However, genetic variations in these receptors do not account for all the variations between subjects in their perception of bitter substances, which suggests there may be a role for salivary proteins or other factors in their detection. Several groups have shown associations of bitterness perception with carbonic anhydrase 6, proline-rich proteins and cystatins either by GWAS studies or proteomic studies, suggesting they potentially play a role. Some preliminary data is shown by the authors which provides further evidence that salivary proteins may play a role but the responsible protein is not determined, which may reflect the multifunctionality of salivary proteins.</p
Bacuma madiensis Quicke, Guy, Noort, Broad & Butcher, 2017, sp. nov.
No full textBacuma madiensis sp. nov. Quicke & Butcher (Figs 4, 5) Material examined. Holotype female: “ Uganda, Madi – v.1927 G. D. H. Carpenter ” (BMNH). Paratype female same data as holotype (BMNH). Diagnosis. Can be distinguished from all other species by the combination of large body size, ochreous body colour and crenulate posterior of propodeum. Length of body 24.5 mm, of antenna 13 mm, fore wing (damaged) approximately 28 mm, and of ovipositor 40 mm. Head. Antenna with 66 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 1.4 and 1.5 x longer than 2nd and 3rd respectively. Width of head: width of face: height of eye = 1.9: 1.0: 1.0. Inter-tentorial distance: tentorio-ocular distance = 1.17: 1.0. Frons deeply impressed postero-medial to antennal sockets, but only abruptly demarked laterally immediately behind antennal sockets, with hardly any trace of a carina. Shortest distance between posterior ocelli: transverse diameter of posterior ocellus: shortest distance between posterior ocellus and eye 1.1: 1.0: 2.3. Length of eye in dorsal view 1.2 x length of head behind eye. Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.7 x longer than high. Scutellar sulcus almost entirely smooth. Propodeum largely smooth and shiny, but with distinct crenulations superimposed on fine colliculate sculpture postero-medially on anterior part of lunule. Wings. Fore wing. Lengths of veins r-rs: 3 RSa: 3RSb = 5.8: 3.8: 1.0. Lengths of veins 2RS: 3 RSa: rs-m = 1.1: 1.9: 1.0. Vein (RS+M)a distinctly bent posteriorly after arising from distinct vein 1RS. Vein 2CUa quite sharply angled posteriorly. Base of hind wing with only small glabrous area adjacent to vein cu-a. Legs. Lengths of fore femur: fore tibia: fore tarsus = 1.0: 1.0: 1.25. Lengths of hind femur: hind tibia: hind tarsus = 1.0: 1.47: 1.27. Metasoma. Second metasomal tergite with coarsely striate mid-basal triangular area approximately 2 x wider basally than long; 1.1 x wider than long. Median length of 3rd tergite 0.73 x 2nd tergite. Foveate-rugose sculpture of tergites 2–4 becoming longitudinally aligned medially. Colour. Body and legs largely dark ochreous yellow except frons and occiput black. Wings yellow with dark brown transverse band basal to pterostigma, brown or dark brown distal to pterostigma. Pterostigma yellow on basal half, blackish distally. Males unknown.Published as part of Quicke, Donald L. J., Guy, Travis J., Noort, Simon Van, Broad, Gavin R. & Butcher, Buntika A., 2017, New species of Bacuma Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae) from Kenya and West Darfur with a key to species, pp. 43-71 in Zootaxa 4263 (1) on page 55, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4263.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/57252
Towards the tumble resistant microlight
No full textThe tumble mode is a pitching departure from controlled flight which leads to a pitch autorotation that is generally unrecoverable – resulting in vertical ground impact, usually preceded by in-flight breakup (the mechanism for which, surprisingly, can sometimes prevent loss of life). This was identified in work led by the British Microlight Aircraft Association beginning in 1997 as a response to a number of fatal accidents in Rogallo winged microlight aeroplanes, although the tumble is also known to occur to hang-gliders. This paper explains how this class of aeroplane is controlled, and how it has been found that they can enter the tumble mode. The mechanism by which the tumble can be entered is described. This has led to work showing how flight testing can be used to establish and demonstrate resistance to tumble entry – particularly important with increasing number of very high performance flexwings. These flight tests will be explained, together with the significance of the results. Recent accident investigation work has also shown a new mechanism of tumble entry, through partial failure of the A-frame structure and the pitch-trimmer mechanism. Also described is a possible relevance to well known historical accidents to flying wing aeroplanes– specifically the YB-49 and dH-108, and discovered data on the characteristics of the BKB-1flying wing glider; are also described
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