希腊危机会使欧盟解体

随着希腊金融危机持续恶化,已不能再简单地把过错归责在欧洲单一货币的设计上.希腊危机是欧洲一体化的危机,受到威胁的不只是欧元,还有整个欧盟.     

Farm demand for quality potato seed in Indonesia

Seed is the one of the most costly components of potato production in developing countries. Since potato is a vegetatively reproduced crop, diseases such as viruses build up and yield declines as tubers are saved from one harvest for use as seed the next season. Replacing farm‐saved seed with clean seed is one means to increase yield, but information asymmetry between buyers and sellers on seed quality may restrict market supply of this input. In this article we develop a model of the seed market in which clean seed is treated as a capital good providing benefits over several seasons. To determine farm demand for clean seed, we conducted a survey of 182 potato farmers in the major potato growing areas of Indonesia to elicit their perceptions of seed quality from different sources, and derive farmers' “willingness‐to‐pay” for quality potato seed. Results indicate that the effects of information asymmetry on seed supply may be partially offset by the “reputation” of specialized seed producers. Nevertheless, marginal returns to disease‐free seed appear to significantly exceed marginal costs, indicating that improving supply of quality seed will contribute strongly to productivity growth in potato. We discuss several policy options to encourage supply and utilization of quality potato seed.     

难解的两种能源危机

多么令人震惊啊!澳大利亚国防部长布伦丹·纳尔逊说了几句大实话,让人们倒吸了几口凉气.他上周说,中东是"能源,尤其是石油的重要供应区",因此,人们"应当认真思考从伊拉克草率撤军的后果".