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AbstractFrasier (1993–2004) remains one of television's most successful and memorable sitcoms. Its protagonist, Dr. Frasier Crane, shares many qualities with other comic protagonists. However, he is in fact unique in the pantheon of comic characters. As the show moves forward, Frasier Crane regresses in several ways, and which is often effected through the show's use of ironic parallels. Furthermore, Frasier Crane's comic arc (or fulfillment of the comic mythos) is in stark contrast to not only traditional comic characters but even more recent post‐ and post‐postmodern ones, all of whom either fulfill the comic arc or, at worst, remain static.

The aim of this article is to analyse the identity-making role played by the maritime factor in promoting the international picture of the young Finnish republic by using the case study of the frigate Suomen Joutsen on its international voyages from 1931 to 1939. The rituals of naval diplomacy meant that the political, diplomatic and commercial authorities of the nations visited were brought on board the ship and contacts were made with the recently established Finnish consular network. In addition to such contacts, the extensive use of the press and radio was an important factor in promoting the young Finnish republic. Moreover, in countries with important communities of Finnish emigrants, contacts were made with those groups. Finally, with a floating exhibition of Finnish products on board, it was possible to establish commercial relations. Hence, the international cruises of the Suomen Joutsen were fundamental channels for the representation of the young Finnish nation.

Abstract In this paper, we provide an economic interpretation of intercropping as a risk management strategy based on spatial diversification of production. We study vine intercropping, i.e., the scattering of vines across fields rather than concentrating them in specialized vineyards, a traditional practice in Italian agriculture. We argue that, in the absence of developed financial markets, spatial diversification provided a third layer of insurance for peasants operating in traditional agrarian economies, distinct from and in addition to crop diversification at the farm level and risk sharing through tenancy contracts at the estate level. Spatial diversification increased production costs, particularly transportation costs. Therefore, the price of this form of insurance (and the likelihood of its adoption) depended critically on rural settlement patterns. We test our model with data from Italy in the 1930s, when intercropping still prevailed in many areas of the country. We show that its adoption was positively related to the pattern of scattered dwellings that dated back to the late Middle Ages and reduced transportation costs to individual plots. The mass exodus from the countryside during the economic miracle of the 1950s and 1960s made intercropping no longer viable.