We present a theory of why some countries negotiate trade agreements during economic downturns. We argue that political leaders can gain from such agreements because of the signals they send to their publics. Publics are less likely to blame leaders for bad economic conditions when they have implemented sound economic policies, such as signing and implementing agreements designed to liberalize ...

Demonstrating compliance with the applicable regulations for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) requires an assessment of the Iong-term performance of the disposal system. Scenario development is one starting point of this assessment, and generates inqui~ about the present state and fiture evolution of the disposal system. Scenario development consists of four tasks: (i) identi&ing and clas...

The economic performance of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) over the past two decades has been disappointing. The initial explanation for this poor performance focussed on deficient macroeconomic policies. However a number of SSA countries have undertaken and sustained a reasonable measure of macroeconomic reform and still see no significant expansion in the growth of manufactured exports. This sugges...

The problem of slaughterhouse waste water can be resolved by mixing it with serum from lacteal industry to produce a biogas. The effect of serum addition on the anaerobic co-digestion of solid and liquid slaughterhouse waste has been studied. The experimental device consisted of a continuous digester by recirculation of biogas produced in the anaerobic digestion. The input effluent was a mixtur...