A study of the effects of repeated commercial launderings on the performance of 50/50 polyester/cotton momie cloth

Samples of brown 50% polyester/50% cotton momie cloth with a fluorocarbon finish were commercially laundered using a carbonate-built detergent in soft (0 ppm) water. The appearance of the laundered samples was assessed by subjective pilling ratings and instrumental colour determinations; the performance properties examined were tear and tensile strength, abrasion resistance and ability to release oil. The results showed that pilling was at its maximum after 20 launderings. The depth of colour decreased with increased number of cycles and, in most cases, was not accompanied by change of hue Tear and tensile strength were not affected by the laundering process. The fluorocarbon finish on the unlaundered control increased the weight loss due to Accelerator abrasion, thus that due to repeated launderings was significantly less. The finish protected the fibres from flex abrasion, increasing the number of cycles required to rupture the fabric and only the sample laundered 60 times had significantly greater resistance. The ability to release oil decreased with increased number of launderings. Oil remaining in the fabric was located in the interstices between yarns.     

The Joy of Giving or Assisted Living? Using Strategic Surveys to Separate Public Care Aversion from Bequest Motives

The “annuity puzzle,” conveying the apparently low interest of retirees in longevity insurance, is central to household finance. Two possible explanations are “public care aversion” (PCA), retiree aversion to simultaneously running out of wealth and being in need of long‐term care, and an intentional bequest motive. To disentangle the relative importance of PCA and bequest motive, we estimate a structural model of the retirement phase using a novel survey instrument that includes hypothetical questions. We identify PCA as very significant and find bequest motives that spread deep into the middle class. Our results highlight potential interest in annuities that make allowance for long‐term care expenses.     

Capital Market Experience for Financial Accounting Students*

Abstract. In this paper we present an innovative teaching tool for introductory financial accounting students that promotes active learning using methods at the frontier of market research. We describe the implementation of an asset market where students assume the role of traders in order to learn the role of information in price formation. We discuss the pedagogical questions which are addressed in the design of this market, and we relate the responses to questionnaires distributed to students at the end of the quarter. When we control for prior grade point averages (GPAs) of students, we find that those who participate in the market had better classroom performance. Résumé. Les auteurs présentent ici un instrument pédagogique innovateur, à l'intention des étudiants des cours d'introduction à la comptabilité financière, favorisant l'apprentissage dynamique grâce à l'utilisation de méthodes voisinant de près l'étude de marché. Ils décrivent la mise en place d'un marché de biens où les étudiants assument les fonctions de négociateurs en vue d'apprendre quel est le rôle de l'information dans la formation des prix. Ils analysent les questions pédagogiques que soulève la conception de ce marché et font état des réponses des étudiants aux questionnaires qui leur sont distribués à la fin du trimestre. Lorsqu'ils contrôlent les notes moyennes antérieures des étudiants, les auteurs constatent que ceux qui ont participé au marché font preuve d'un rendement supérieur en classe.     

Responding to Agenda 21: purchase and waste behaviour and the introduction of weight-based billing – a case study

In many societies unsustainable consumption patterns are currently being recognized as a critical problem receiving increasing public attention. Communities in many parts of the world are responding to United Nations Agenda 21 by attempting to increase public awareness about the necessity of increasing recycling, by increasing fees and taxes on products that are harmful to the environment, by introducing re-use systems, and by changing legislation. These are just a few examples of the kinds of measures that are being employed in an attempt to move towards an ecocyclic society. This article reports a case study from a Swedish municipality, Varberg, and the focus is on the relationship between household routines related to purchases of everyday commodities and waste management. In 1994, Varberg introduced a weight-based billing system for household waste and at the same time a green shopping campaign was launched by the authorities. The article reports findings from a study of 39 households, located in two different areas, a town area with rented apartments and a suburban area with owner occupied, one-family houses. Data have been obtained through interviews and weighing of household waste. Results show that there are important differences between these areas with respect to awareness of the information launched in the campaign, knowledge of the goals of the campaign and in the manners in which dwellers felt affected by the message conveyed. Households in the suburban area, for instance, had a better knowledge of green labels and what they stand for. There are also clear differences in concrete actions that can be taken by those living in the two areas. In the area with rented apartments, weight-based billing for the individual household is not possible, nor is composting a viable alternative. For the suburban families living in their own houses, there are a broad set of measures that could be taken to modify purchase behaviours and waste management towards more environmentally friendly alternatives.     

Where Are Saskatchewan Farmland Prices Headed?

An adaptive expectation model is employed to estimate Saskatchewan farmland values based on land rent. The estimated model is then used to forecast future agricultural land values, given a number of commodity price scenarios. The model illustrates the importance of expectations in the farmland purchase decision. Furthermore, it explains why swings in land prices tend to lag behind what current financial conditions would suggest. Nous avons utilisé un modèle adaptable de détermination des attentes pour déterminer la valeur des terres agricoles de la Saskatchewan à partir du prix de location. Le modèle estimatif est ensuite utilisé pour prévoir la valeur future des terres agricoles, compte tenu ?un certain nombre de scénarios ?évolution des prix des produits. Le modèle montre ?importance des attentes des gens dans les décisions ?achat de terres agricoles. Il explique en outre pourquoi les variations observérs dans les prix des terres ont tendance à marquer un certain retard par rapport à ce que les conditions financières existantes devraient laisser prévoir.     

Een criterium voor het kiezen van een proefopzet

A characterization of D-optimality is given together with several examples where D-optimal designs are computed.