Canadian Investment in Northern New York: Impact of Exchange Rates on Foreign Direct Investment

This paper investigates the determinants of Canadian direct investment in Northern New York, focusing on the influence of changing foreign exchange rates. Hypotheses are formulated that new investment should be positively related to the value of the U.S. dollar while expansions of existing facilities ought to be unrelated to exchange rate movements. These predictions are supported by the data. Since Canadian investment is found to behave quite differently from domestic-source investment, we conclude that other factors besides exchange rates account for much of this difference.¹     

Acquisition-Based Assessment and Property Tax Inequalities after California's 1978 Proposition Thirteen

This paper examines the shift from current market value assessment to acquisition-based assessment as mandated by a little-noticed provision of California's 1978 Proposition Thirteen. The distributional effects of the reformed property tax system are studied for a 300-house, ten-neighborhood sample in Davis, California. Micro-area tax inequalities for similar properties greatly increased from 1978 to 1985. By 1988, however, intra-area and inter-area inequalities in tax payments were diminishing slightly due to a low inflation rate and increased property turnover (resales). Because of its social policy consequences, acquisition-based assessment is an element of California's tax revolt that other jurisdictions should not emulate.     

IDENTIFICATION AND PREVALENCE OF ERRORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF RADIOGRAPHS SUBMITTED TO AUSTRALIAN THOROUGHBRED YEARLING SALE REPOSITORIES

We aimed to identify common mistakes made when radiographing yearling sale horses. Radiographic examinations from repositories at eight yearling sales held in Australia in 2003 were assessed by one of four veterinary radiology specialists. Each radiographic examination consisted of a maximum of 34 radiographs. Each radiograph was assessed for errors associated with movement, exposure, positioning, labeling or marker placement, and processing, and categorized as either ideal, less than ideal or nondiagnostic. In addition, from the first 800 sets catalogued, 167 were selected randomly and read twice by the four radiologists for agreement analysis. A total of 81,297 radiographs were examined for errors affecting quality. Positioning errors were the most common reason for radiographs to be considered nondiagnostic (2432/81,297; 3%), with the flexed lateromedial (LM) metacarpophalangeal joint, LM metatarsophalangeal joint, and the dorsomedial palmarolateral (DMPaLO) carpal views being the most frequently involved. Overexposure (14,357/81,297; 17.7%) was the most common reason for radiographs being categorized as less than ideal with the LM stifle view the most represented. Agreement within and between radiologists for reporting errors in positioning of the flexed LM metacarpophalangeal joint, LM metatarsophalangeal joint, and DMPaLO carpal views varied from slight to almost perfect. The low repeatability within radiologists on some views suggests that before declaring a radiograph nondiagnostic it is worth considering rereading it at another time. Care should be taken in positioning of the flexed LM metacarpophalangeal, LM metatarsophalangeal, and DMPaLO carpus views to maximize radiograph quality.     

Growth of Pinus contorta at Different Water-Table Levels in Deep Blanket Peat

In an experiment in which the water-table in peat was maintainedat levels ranging from 0 to 34 cm, the height growth of Lodgepolepine was linearly related both to depth of water-table and toair volume in the surface horizons. Stem volume, tree weight,and foliage area, however, increased exponentially in responseto drying of the peat. Foliar nitrogen and phosphorus levelswere broadly related to treatment but, together with potassiumlevels, declined with time and showed no improvement as a resultof the drying and increase in rooting volume that followed canopyclosure.     

Analysis of Needle Fall as a Means of Assessing Nitrogen Status in Pine

Levels of nitrogen in needle-litter falling in October are relatedto foliage nitrogen in the previous October and to growth inthe same year. It is suggested that analysis of needle fallcould be used to monitor the development of nitrogen deficiencyin pines.