Public or Private Operation of Publicly Owned Railroads

Railroads are now owned by state or local governments in most of the American states. Public ownership does not necessarily bring public operations; indeed, most of the publicly owned lines are privately operated. Public operation is more likely to be found in states with noncompetitive political parties, relatively low population density, higher levels of political corruption, and a higher proportion of public lines that serve port or terminal facilities.     

Observations on Soviet Imperial Disintegration

A prominent American specialist and observer of post-Soviet affairs examines the shifting balance between forces of disintegration and reintegration in the successor states of the former Soviet Union from the early 1990s to the present, with particular emphasis on actions taken by Russia. A concluding section focuses on observations relevant to an assessment of the extent to which recent trends toward reintegration may persist in the future. 8 references.     

浅论苏区文化建设

中国共产党一贯重视文化建设。早在民主革命时期,党就在苏区根据地建立了专门的文化教育组织机构,颁布了一系列方针政策,尤其是在知识分子政策上纠正了"左"倾关门主义错误,广泛吸收利用知识分子。由此,苏区的文化教育事业蒸蒸日上,取得了令人瞩目的辉煌成就。     

The Results of Soviet Research on Desalting of Water

A review of Soviet research on saline-water conversion lists installations in operation or planned in the USSR. Long-tube vertical distillation, multistage flash distillation, vapor compression distillation, solar humidification, freezing, and electrodialysis are discussed. Significant progress is noted in the design and construction of large industrial conversion plants, notably at the Caspian Sea ports of Shevechenko, Bek-Dash, and Krasnovodsk, including a dual-purpose atomic plant with a 1-million thermal kw reactor at Shevchenko. But research and development is lagging on small-capacity desalting units suitable for small scattered consumers under desert conditions.     

Length of the Cubit

Abstract

From excavations of Bronze Age Levantine sites only rarely has there been archaeobotanical evidence of a specific dietary event which may be seen to reflect the daily life of the people against the background of their farming economy. Even more rare is one that may be examined scientifically for evidence of dried or preserved foodstuffs. An Early Bronze Age archaeobotanical assemblage at Tell es-Sa'idryeh in the Jordan valley has provided an opportunity for such an investigation on food remains burnt by the sudden conflagration of the room in which they were found. Scanning electron microscopic examination and experimental replication of the charred remains have provided new and vital information regarding the role of pickled and stored plant foods within the diet at the site during the period. The results have also contributed towards a revised interpretation of the room containing the plant remains as well as a wider understanding of agricultural practices at the site.