Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Yale Tries to Lock Up Law Professor Market With Yet Another Brand
It has long been known that one way to buy your way into law teaching, other than receiving a JD from a elite school, is to buy a LLM or a SJD from a comparable school. In fact, the highly ranked law schools offering those programs aggressively promote their graduates as potential law teachers. But now Yale is prepared to go one better. Yes, a Ph.D. for those who want to be law professors. OK, so what happened to the LLM and the SJD? My guess is that this is just a move to differentiate the product and the substance will not be that much different.
On the other hand, it could be very different. There are some things a law professor might be able to learn in a program specifically designed to prepare him or her for law teaching that might be left out of another program. Here are some courses that are likely to be offered:
LAW 200: Conserving and Promoting the Brand
At the end of this process, you will possess the Yale brand. Protect your investment. This course concentrates on preserving the Yale image. For example, should you have a vanity license tag? How about a sweat shirt? How can you mention you went to Yale and make it seem natural? How to ensure your children are admitted to Yale. How to make sure Yale grads are at the top of the list of people your future school will hire.
LAW: 300 Networking
The successful law professor networks. This means forming connections to people you do not know but who may be of use to you. Topics include: how to only network with those who can help you, how not to network with people who would like help, compliments to offer when approaching a potential network partner, remember what people look like, remembering names, name dropping, etc.
LAW 400 Confercating
A successful law professor never pays for a vacation. Instead they go to conferences. This course stresses how to create a conference, how to get invited to a conference, how to classify expenses to ensure reimbursement. A significant part of the course is field work in which conference venues around the world will be visited.
LAW 500 Ingratiating Behavior
This is cross listed as Butt-Kissing. Whose butt should you kiss? And when? This is a skills course. You must learn to stroke the egos of those who can help you but not in a manner that is obvious. In addition to class there is a 2 hour lab.
LAW 600 Planning Your Teaching Schedule
Your research demands long stretches of time unencumbered by pesky students. All classes should meet from 11-12 AM on Wednesday. Teaching on Friday interferes with Confercationing. Monday classes are not held at all at any reputable law school but if they are held you are entitled to claim it was a plot to impede your productivity.
LAW 700 Testing and Grading
One word here: Don't worry. In this course you will learn about delegating the entire process to others. Key areas are: How to download multiple choice exams from other sources, how to give the exam to your secretary to grade, and how to avoid students who have questions about the exam.
LAW 800 Getting What You Want
It is always better to get what you want in any manner other than by asking. Subject matter includes: Waiting to see if you can free ride on the requests of others, making pleas based in what is fair, claiming that not doing it your way is punishment, volunteering to do what you want to do instead of asking. For example, "I volunteer to travel to Rome."
Anonymous said...
Don't see what the problem is with this. They will take in 5 students per year, fully fund them, pay them a stipend and give them health benefits. Why the hate?
Jeffrey Harrison said...
Don't even know where to begin but here are some thoughts. There is a glut of lawyers, law schools, law students and, therefore, law professors. Just what we need even more. The program is not free. Every penny could be spent on something else and almost anything else would be more useful than 5 more law professors or even no more law professors but 5 more who are better at writing articles. Approximately 7000 law review type articles are written and published a year. Why would someone start a program to teach people to write even more. There will be something in this for the elitists who operate Yale. We know that, right?
Anonymous said...
We are talking five people per year. This isn't a factory. What this will really do, and I think that's their point, is to replace five non-Yale people on the market with Yale people. That's not going to add to the "glut" of lawyers, law students, and law professors. The five folks who commit to this would likely have been on the market at some point anyway. And won't there be at least five law profs who retire by 2015?
Yes, every penny could be spent on something else if you could convince the alum who donated the money to do that. That's an all purpose argument against everything and can be used in any situation. "You could have given your money to do the things I want you to do, instead you gave it to spend on something I don't want you do to."
Jeffrey Harrison said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jeffrey Harrison said...
You have asked a legitimate question so I will not be so snippy. You are right. There will still be a fixed or even lower number of law professors. The question is who gets those spots. For years those spots have been claimed by the privileged who go to so-called elite school. They are hired by people who went to the same schools on the basis of institutional authority. There is no indication that graduates of those schools are better law teacher. So Yale must be feeling some pressure to create yet another form of branding -- a Ph.D. in law. It is but another round in the battle among elite schools to have greater institutional authority. It has nothing to do with substance but is yet another little skirmish among members of the privileged class.
To me it irrelevant to being better teachers. It may serve the function of allowing some already privileged people to have a year to write an article so they will be more competitive in the job market. But if we assess success by prior productivity then someone who has written an article while hanging out on Yale's dime is not really any more productive than someone slaving away in a law practice. It seems like a bone head idea if the idea is to improve legal education. In the other hand, if it is to improve Yale's image in a non substantive way, it may work but only in the world of make believe,
Anonymous said...
I totally agree that law schools should recruit from a wider pool of schools than they do now. But, I cannot fault Yale for doing what it thinks best for its students. They spend a lot of time and energy on this-- for students who want to clerk, or to be in public interest jobs or traditional law firms--and they have the resources to do that. The more typical complaint from law graduates is that their schools do not do enough to insure their success once they leave school.
I don't see being angry at Yale for taking one more step in that direction. It is within the power of other schools to resist this (don't hire the Yale PhDs), if they think it's not in the best interest of their students.
Jeffrey Harrison said...
I guess we disagree although I appreciate your faith in the market. If we were taking about Nike, Apple or Ford, I agree. Here though there is no consumer protection. In this market Yale is selling to customers (law professors) who supposedly represent the best interest of students (the ultimate consumers). But they do not. Instead they are blinded by branding in part because have invested in the brand. Here is a good analogy -- a physician invests in a pharmaceutical house and only prescribes medicine from that manufacturer. Or to put it in different terms, Yale knows it is selling to people who have had too much of the Kool-aid.
Anonymous said...
Law School faculties as victims. They are powerless to stop the flood of Yalies.
Jeffrey Harrison said...
It's not Yale only, it's the flood of privileged people and the victims are the students.
Booktup said...
funny that you would mention social networking and finding people you don't know but will be useful to you. social networking is a lot of things but i have never heard it being used in such a way though I'm sure it happens.


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YOUR PURPOSE IS BIGGER THAN YOUR POSSESSION.
(Jeremiah 29:11) I know the thought that I have towards you. Thought of good and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Purpose determines the direction and destination of one's life. The discovery of purpose is the discovery of joy, satisfaction, accomplishment and fulfillment. Purpose is the key that unlocks your potentials. It is the key to insistence, passion, consistence and determination. To accomplish purpose is to go through life with minimal regrets and without a carry over. The discovery of purpose is the discovery of potentials. The skills, talents, abilities, and characteristics that enable you to fulfill His plans are already deposited in your spirit. Your responsibility is to discover what God designated you to do and how He planned that you would accomplish it. Here are more tips on how to discover purpose:
1. By service. Serving is the surest way to get connected with purpose. Purpose is discovered in the place of service. Until God finds you in the place of service, you will not find purpose for living. To avoid service is to be far from discovery of purpose. If you want to discover purpose, locate a department and get committed. As you serve, the purpose of your creation will be made manifest.
2. By solving problems. The world is full of problems. Solving of problems is the purpose why we are created. Purpose is hidden in the place of solving of problems. Solving of problems is the discovery of purpose and distance from finding solutions to problems is distance from purpose. As you solve problem, your purpose is discovered. If you want to discover purpose, identify a problem and find solution to it.
3. Having the right motive. Being with right motive is another birthplace for purpose discovery. The anointing is looking for servants and not masters. When you behave like a boss, you will end up in the box. Have the right heart.
Meditation: The discovery of purpose is the discovery of joy, satisfaction, accomplishment and fulfilment. The anointing is looking for servants and not masters. When you behave like a boss, you will end up in the box.
Prayer: Lord, help me to discover my purpose so that I can make impact. Today, I will live for the reason I was made in Jesus name, Amen.
RM: Discovering Purpose – Fulfilling Destiny
DBR: Romans 14:16

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


1. Education
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Isobar Map
Map showing the lines of constant atmospheric pressure known as isobars.
Definition: Isobars are lines of equal atmospheric pressure drawn on a meteorological map. Each line passes through a pressure of a given value, provided certain rules are followed. The rules for drawing isobars are-
 1. Isobar lines may never cross or touch.
 2. Isobar lines may only pass through pressures of 1000 + or - 4. In other words, allowable lines are 992, 996, 1000, 1004, 1008, and so on.
 3. The atmospheric pressure is given in millibars (mb). One millibar = 0.02953 inches of mercury.
 4. Pressure lines are usually corrected for sea level so any differences in pressure due to altitude are ignored.
The picture to the upper right shows an advanced weather map with isobar lines drawn on it. Notice that it is easy to locate high and low pressure zones as a result of the lines on the maps. Also remember that winds flow from high to low areas, so this gives meteorologists a chance to predict local wind patterns as well.
Try drawing your own weather maps at Jetstream - The Online Meteorology School.
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How to Become a Sniper in Law Enforcement
In response to several sniping incidents against civilians and police officers around the country, police departments developed teams designed to react to emergency sniper situations, according to the Los Angeles Police Department website. The teams consisted of military marksmen and police officers who used their skills to protect innocent victims. Today, almost every police department has a SWAT -- special weapons and tactics -- team with a sniper division.
Police Officer Job
Before becoming a sniper in a police department, you must work as a police officer. The requirements for police officers vary by location. For instance, some facilities require police officers to have at least an associate degree, but other offices hire individuals with a high school diploma, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Completing your degree in criminology, sociology or criminal justice may improve your chances of getting a job. Expect to attend the police academy based on your state's requirements. During this time, focus on the shooting skills required to be a sniper.
Physical Conditioning
A sniper on the task force is generally a member of the SWAT team. These teams often enter high-stress situations that require excellent physical and mental conditioning. Creating a routine or hiring a personal trainer helps you meet the physical requirements of being a sniper. Incorporate weightlifting and cardio into the program to build up strength and stamina for best results.
Specialized Training
Police snipers have specialized training in shooting that often comes from prior military experience. While there are no national standards for police snipers, some facilities supply sniper training for the snipers on their SWAT teams. Organizations like the American Sniper Association offer certification for agencies with high training standards. Other schools and training programs also teach marksmanship skills required for snipers.
Apply to SWAT
The agency accepts applications internally for the SWAT team on an as-needed basis. Members of the team often train on a monthly basis, performing drills and target practice. To be considered for the sniper position, you must qualify by shooting more accurately and proficiently than the other team members on a consistent basis. For instance, when a maximum number of points is awarded for the drill, you should receive at least 70 percent to be considered for the sniper position, but this will depend on specific agency policy.


text:
Biodegradable polymeric iodine contrast agents for CT angiography.
Small Business Information
95 HORSEBLOCK RD, YAPHANK, NY, 11980-
AbstractDESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Recent advances in micro-CT machines have made it possible to image with a resolution of lt10 m. Scans take ~6 to 20 minutes to acquire, and current iodine contrast agents due to their short half-lives are not generally suitable. We recentl commercialized non-toxic gold X-ray contrast agent, AuroVist, but they are lot more expensive than iodine agents and their whole body clearance is very slow. We now propose biodegradable polymeric contrast agents that are composed of FDA approved components: hyaluronic acid or polylactide/polyglycolide and a derivative of iodine agent Iobitridol that are lot cheaper than our gold-based contrast agents and more absorptive than conventional iodine agents. The new agents can be labeledwith additional contrast agents, such as gadolinium or iron oxide, enabling multimodal imaging or double contrasting with dual-beam/dual-detector CT. When labeled with iodine agents and targeting molecules will enable in vivo visualization of organ function, angiogenesis, repair, tumor formation, metastasis, studies of response to drugs and other therapies or conditions, such as ischemia or radiation, and basic biological studies of animals including development, infection, immune response, cardiac studies, tissue injury and healing. The new contrast agents will provide more than four times the radiodensity as compared to the conventional iodine contrast agents and will enable longer imaging times as they are intravascular. These agents will more accurately identify vulnerable plaque by clearly identifying lipid core volume as a percentage of plaque volume, angiogenesis/inflammation, and stenoses, among other risk factors. In addition, their higher radiodensity will enable better imaging of obese patients,reduce radiation dose in normal sized patients and reduce nephrotoxicity to permit use in kidney compromised patients. These capabilities go beyond what other agents offer and if clinically implemented could, through screening, reduce the prevalence of coronary artery disease deaths. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed novel biodegradable polymeric contrast agents for computed tomography will provide higher contrast than conventional iodine agents, reduce X-ray doses tomillions of patents, and when used with gadolinium agents will enable multimodal imaging and double contrasting.
* information listed above is at the time of submission.


text:
If a product can kill a cockroach it is probably not good
for humans either. Many pesticides are extremely harmful to
the human nervous system, so safer, nontoxic remedies are
a wise choice. Boric Acid, a white powder mined from the Mojave
Desert in California, is nature's proven insecticide for long-term
elimination of Cockroaches, Palmetto bugs, Waterbugs, Ants,
Silverfish, Carpenter Ants, and Termites. Boric acid is also
acts as a preservative and a fire retardant.
The first use of borates as an insecticide was in 1922 when
P.F. Harris invented the Roach Tablet. It evolved into many
products including today's "Roach Motel". By 1985 there were
over 200 registered pesticides containing borates.
In 1955 framing lumber in New Foundland began being treated
with borates to control an epidemic of termite destruction.
Since then, none of the homes using borate treated wood has
had any infestation of termites or wood decay.
In the 1970's Europe and the US began studying borates for
wood preserving properties. There was a huge lawsuit involving
an US lumber company that put tropical hardwoods in over 1000
homes. The hardwood had beetles in the wood. The homes were
treated with borates and the hardwood mills in South America
began pre-treating their wood with borates. Since then there
have been NO problems with beetles.
Nature's Own Insecticide:This simple inexpensive,
household chemical is deadly to all insects. In combination
with certain chemical solvents ( such as propylene glycol
) it may migrate slightly into such objects as wood and concrete,
following the solvent, and providing some degree of lasting
protection. Commercial development of such products are Bora-Care,
and Boric Acid type insecticides & products.
As a general household insecticide, Boric Acid is safe enough
to use around children, and has been used in ointments and
salves for diaper rash on babies. It is also used, in a very
dilute solution, as an eyewash.
Boric Acid is the "secret ingredient" in many commercial
treatments for insect control. Boric acid (100%) powder is
odorless and nonstaining. Kills roaches,termites, fireants,
palmetto bugs,ticks,bedbugs, fleas, boxelder bugs, carpet
beetles, centipedes, crickets, earwigs, grasshoppers,millipedes,
scorpions, slugs water bugs,and many many more creepy crawly
- Ants: This past year have been on a rampage here
in Fl, the insect capitol of the world. This homemade treatment
has worked very well on both carpenter ants and pharaoh
ants. Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon of Boric Acid, 1 tsp of
Sugar, 4 oz water, Cotton Balls. Mix Boric Acid and Sugar
in a bowl. This can be poured over a cotton wad in a small
dish or bottle cap. Keep this from drying out for continued
effectiveness. Place Cotton balls in path of Ants.
- Termites: Boric acid when mixed with propylene
glycol (non-toxic version of anti-freeze) has proven to
be very effective against many types of termites. The glycol
helps the solution to penetrate into the wood and become
a part of the wood fiber. This solution is a terrific treatment
for dry rot in wood.
- Silverfish: Rid your home of silverfish, those
hungry, nasty-looking insects that live under your sink,
your drawers, or closets and feast on valuable clothing
and important papers. Mix a small amount of boric acid,
20% or so with an inert ingredient like "whiting" fold into
small packets and place them in dresser drawers, under your
sink, or closets to kill silverfish quickly with absolutely
A Safe Surface Insecticide may be formulated by dissolving
Boric Acid in plain water to make a 5% to 10% solution of
clear liquid. Heating the water first makes it easier to
dissolve the white powder. This simple inexpensive, household
chemical is deadly to all insects, is safe enough to use
around children, and on interior surfaces (test first on
a small hidden area to check for possible -- but rare --
discoloration of finishes). Don't expect instant results,
give it some time, occasionally additional applications
are needed. It lasts about a year, or until the surfaces
are washed. Many modern applications of this ancient item
are showing up in products, and commercial treatments.
To apply as a powder, you can use and old grated cheese
shaker [make sure it has lots of holes] or an inexpensive
mustard or condiment squeeze bottle. Some important places
to make sure you treat: around all pipe and drain entrances
in floors and walls in and under all cabinets, especially
corners and cracks around all baseboards, in corners and
on top of cabinets behind and under range, dishwasher, and
refrigerator In new homes, during construction, the powder
can be sprayed inside walls, soffits, and in the attic.
Also, it is a good idea to apply the powder along the top
of basement walls near the ribbon-plate [where floor joists
rest on the concrete wall of the basement]. For carpenter
ants drill holes in wood surrounding infestation, fill with
- Fleas: Simply sprinkle it on the carpet, ( same
mix as above for silverfish) brush it in so it settles down
and in the fiber, let it sit for about a week then vacuum
and fleas will be gone, eggs and all! An EPA assessment
of a boric acid pilot pest control program conducted at
the U.S. Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland found
that boric acid was both more economical and more effective
than a monthly spray treatment. Do to its unique mode of
action, insects do not gain resistance to borates. It is
water resistant, heat resistant and remains effective for
long periods of time. Borates are the most effective treatment
for many crawling insects including, cockroaches, silverfish,
larder beetles, carpenter ants, and other wood borers, as
well as wood decay organisms.
How does it work? Sodium borates act as a stomach
poison to insects. Insects can not digest and excrete excess
boron from their system like humans. The insects ingest the
powder from eating wood or from cleaning their legs after
walking in the powder. Upon accumulating the sodium borate
in their system the insect's metabolism and reproductive system
is inhibited and they die. In the case of ants, food is taken
back to the nest and fed to the other ants, which eventually
destroys the nest.
Precautions: There are some precautions that should
be taken when using sodium borate based products.
- Powder should not be broadcast over carpet and furniture
where children and pets are easily exposed. Sodium borate
products are generally safe. However, ingestion can cause
upset stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting. Because children
and pets tend to place their hands (paws) in their mouth,
care should be taken to avoid contact.
- Product should be applied in cracks and crevices, behind
counters, and in other protected locations to prevent contact
by children and pets.
- In small amounts sodium borate provides required nutrients
for plants. However, excess sodium borate can cause harm
to plants and vegetation. Do not broadcast in garden areas.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


text:
(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved. Contact us for information about using this image.
As the legal and illegal importation of African slaves into Brazil and Cuba continued in the early 1860s, antislavery advocates pressed the Buchanan administration to end the participation of U.S.-based ships. They contrasted the U.S. government's passive stance on this to the British government which since the 1830s, had stationed a squadron of ships in Africa dedicated to stopping and seizing vessels carrying slaves. This vigorous effort has been estimated by one historian to have cut the importation of slaves into Brazil and Cuba (the only major places where it was still legal to import slaves from Africa) by 30 to 50 percent in the 1850s. But despite the risks, some U.S. shipowners continued to trade in slaves: the profits often outweighed the risks.


text:
The Rise of the Corporate Economy
Published November 3rd 2005 by Routledge – 264 pages
Series: Economic History
First published in 1976, this much acclaimed book looks at the story of how today's large corporations have superseded the small competing firms of the nineteenth century. The long-run analysis confirms that the crucial periods in the formulation of the modern corporate system were the 1920's and 1960's. The merger wave of these decades was associated with a desire to improve the efficiency of Britain's industrial organization, and the author shows that it was in a large measure responsible for the trend improvement (by historical if not international standards) in Britain's growth performance.
Students of business, economic history and industrial economics will all welcome the return to print of a notable contribution to the continuing debate on the evolution and control of the corporate manufacturing sector.
1. Business: history and economics
2. The industrial inheritance; the growth of firms to 1914
3. The rationalization movement
4. Government: trustbuster or promoter
5. Capitalist ownership and the stock market
6. Management and the limits to growth
7. The rise of the corporate economy: dimensions
8. The rise of the corporate economy: directions
9. From the 1930's to the 1950's : continuity or change?
10. The modern corporate economy
11. The upshot for welfare


text:
Confirmed versus actual cases
Every day Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize provides the total confirmed cases and the increase in confirmed cases since the previous day. But how much can we really tell from these numbers?
Confirmed cases are only a fraction of the total cases in the country. Maybe the real number of cases is twice or maybe it is ten times the reported cases; we simply don't know. As testing scales up the picture may become a bit clearer. Unfortunately, in the past ten days or so the number of tests has declined from a peak of 8 066 on 27 March to 1 225 on 6 April. (Hopefully this will improve in the next few days if the government successfully rolls out the 45-minute GeneXpert testing machines.)
The number of confirmed cases depend on the number of tests done and how well those tests are targeted. All other things being equal, a sudden increase in testing capacity might result in a sudden increase in confirmed cases. This would not mean that there is definitely explosive growth in the number of cases; only that we would be finding more of them.
Similarly, it can become easier or harder over time to know who to test. Most of South Africa's early Covid-19 cases were people travelling back from overseas, where they probably contracted the virus. It made sense to focus testing on people with Covid-19 symptoms and who had travelled to affected countries. South Africa's travel ban came into effect on 18 March – effectively turning off this source of new infections. Now, as recent overseas travel has become a less important indicator of possible infection, it is becoming harder to know who to test.
All this probably explains why the daily increases haven't been that high in recent days. Every day from 23 to 27 March over a hundred new cases were reported in South Africa – from 28 March to 6 April the daily increases were under a hundred. Apart from all this, there will also be random fluctuations in the data. By chance you may find 80 confirmed cases one day and 60 the next day. In itself a decrease in confirmed cases like this means nothing. For all these reasons it's best to be cautious about how you interpret day-to-day changes in confirmed cases.
Making sense of fatality rates
Calculating the death rate is not as simple as dividing the number of deaths by the number of cases. For example, as of 7 April, 13 deaths in 1 749 cases were reported in South Africa - giving a death rate of 0.74%. But it is much more complicated than that. For one thing, most of the 1 749 people confirmed to have Covid-19 on 7 April were still infected and some of them may still die.
By the time South Africa had its 1 000th case, the country had no Covid-19 deaths. All our deaths have come subsequently. Similarly, Germany also had no deaths when it had its 1 000th case. As time has passed, the death rate in that country has crept up. It's now about 2%.
The death rates usually quoted in the media, and those above, are case fatality rates (CFRs): the number of deaths divided by the number of cases (multiply by 100 to convert to a percentage). Since the CFR only uses known cases and known deaths, it is heavily influenced by how well our Covid-19 testing and cause of death systems work.
The UK CFR rate is extraordinarily high, over 10% at the time of writing. Germany is only at 2%. This tells us more about how widely each country has tested for the virus than about the deadliness of the virus in the two countries. The UK has left wide-scale testing very late.
Testing differences between countries have been well-reported, but accurately tracking Covid-19 deaths (the other part of calculating CFR) is also not straight-forward. The Economist reports that in parts of Europe the number of expected deaths over the past few weeks has increased dramatically, and not all of these deaths have been attributed to Covid-19. This could mean people are dying of Covid-19 without being diagnosed with it (perhaps even at home), or that Covid-19 is putting so much pressure on health systems that people with other health problems who would normally be saved by the system are dying. It will be a while before we understand this properly.
While some differences in CFR are about how well cases and deaths are being measured, there are also real differences between how deadly Covid-19 is in different settings. Countries with older populations will likely have more Covid-19 deaths. But so might countries with younger populations but poorer health systems or less healthy populations. Treatment capacity also matters because people who may otherwise be saved, might not be saved if the capacity to provide intensive care is not available.
How infectious is the coronavirus that causes Covid-19?
We don't know. But the available data suggests this is a very infectious virus. At the beginning of the epidemics in China and Europe the average infected person was infecting at least two, maybe even three or four other people before recovering or dying. And they in turn were infecting two, three or four people. This resulted in the epidemic growing very quickly.
What we need to do to wipe out the epidemic is reduce the average number of times an infected person infects another person to below one. Then the epidemic will fade away.
The rate of new infections depends on three things: how many people the average person comes into contact with daily, how long people remain infectious, and how easily the virus transmits between two people in contact.
Let's say you are infected and you come into contact with ten uninfected people daily and the risk of infecting any one of them is 5% (these numbers are completely made up; we have no idea what they really are). Multiply these two numbers together and you get the risk that you infect any one person a day is 50%. If you are infected for four days, you will infect two people (it's more complicated than that in reality but this is close enough).
The point of the lockdown is to reduce the average number of people we come into contact with. If the same person instead of being in contact with 10 people a day is in contact with only two per day, then over four days that person might not infect anyone.
The point of getting people to wash their hands often and reducing how often they touch their faces is to reduce the risk of infection per contact. If we reduce both the number of contacts and the risk per contact enough, we may bring the epidemic under control.
Low is pursuing a PhD in infectious disease modelling at the University of Cape Town. Geffen is the director of the Centre for Science and Technology Mass Communication at Stellenbosch University. This article is co-published by Spotlight and GroundUp.
READ | Coronavirus in SA: All the confirmed cases
READ | Some coronavirus deaths caused by extreme reaction from immune system
READ | SA scientists make key coronavirus discovery - the lead researcher tells us more
Image credit: Getty Images


How to Report Hospital Negligence
Опубликовал Admin
22-07-2021, 07:30
Suffering negligent treatment in a hospital setting can be a tremendously upsetting thing. Unfortunately, in the US medical system, hospital negligence can be a tricky thing. While it is possible for hospitals to be held responsible for negligence, the process typically takes a lot of courage and persistence. Start with hospital administrators to see if you can get your issue resolved at that level. If the hospital administrators aren't willing to accommodate you, escalate your issue through state and federal levels. If nothing else works, talk to an attorney about filing a lawsuit.
Working with Hospital Administrators
 1. Create a written record of the negligence. Make your report as specific as possible so administrators will be able to properly address the issue. Include the date and time of each incident of negligence, as well as names of any hospital personnel involved.
 - For example, if your room wasn't cleaned during your stay, you would list the days you stayed in the hospital and the names of any nurses, orderlies, or other attendants you spoke with regarding the condition of your room.
 - If the negligence is an ongoing thing rather than a single incident, it's best to start a diary in which you record each separate incident while the details are still fresh in your mind.
 - If you're not up to doing this yourself, have a family member or trusted friend who visits you often help create the log for you.
 2. Write a detailed letter to hospital administrators. Putting your report in writing creates a record so you can prove that you notified the hospital administrators of the problem. Include specifics about the negligent treatment you experienced and state clearly what you want the hospital to do about it. Close with a deadline 2 weeks after receipt.
 - In the first paragraph, state your name, when you were at the hospital, and the nature of your complaint. Use the next paragraphs to provide details about the issue.
 - Use the final paragraph to describe what you want to happen. For example, you might write: "I expect a full written apology and $3,000 in damages I suffered as a result of this hospital's negligence. This amount can be applied to my outstanding bill. If I don't hear from you, I will follow up 2 weeks after the date you receive this letter."
 - Although you should do this as soon as possible, you might not feel up to it if you've just left the hospital and are still recovering. A friend or family member can write the letter for you — just make sure they include a statement about who they are and their relationship to you, and that you've given them permission to handle the issue on your behalf.
 3. Mail your letter using certified mail with return receipt requested. Certified mail ensures you know exactly when the hospital administrators received your complaint so you can follow up as you stated in the letter. It also gives you proof that the administrators received your complaint in the event they don't respond to it or take action to resolve the issue.
 - Most states require you to work with hospital administrators to resolve your complaint before you report it to the state health department. Keep the card you get in the mail showing that your letter has been delivered — if you go to the state health department, you may need it to prove that you first reported the issue to hospital administrators.
 4. Follow up on your letter 2 weeks after its receipt. When you get the card in the mail letting you know your letter was received, mark the first business day 2 weeks after that date on your calendar. If you haven't heard from the hospital administrators in that time, call to follow up on your letter.
 - When you call, you can simply say that you sent a letter that was received 2 weeks ago and hadn't heard anything, so you're calling to follow up.
 - If the hospital administrators refuse to work with you, feel free to contact your state health department.
 - You might also want to talk to an attorney about the possibility of a lawsuit. Most attorneys who deal with malpractice and hospital negligence offer a free initial consultation.
Contacting Your State Health Department
 1. Find out what state department licenses health care facilities. Your state health department has a specific division that licenses hospitals. That division also enforces state regulations that require hospitals to adhere to a specific standard of care. If that standard of care was not met, that hospital might be considered negligent and face regulatory fines and other penalties.
 - There's a list of state health department websites available at
 2. Search online for complaint forms that you can use. Most states have online complaint forms that you can use to write out your complaint and submit it quickly and easily online. Search for the health department's website, then click any links related to filing a complaint to find out what forms are available.
 - Make sure the site you're on is an official government site before you submit any complaints or provide any information, particularly personal medical information. The URL will typically have a ".gov" extension. You can also scroll down to the bottom of the page and look at the copyright or ownership information to confirm that it's a state government site.
 3. Write out a detailed letter if there are no forms. If your state's health department doesn't have online forms, or if you don't feel comfortable submitting your complaint online, you can also send a letter describing the negligence you experienced at the hospital. Include the following information in your letter:
 - Your name or the name of the patient and your relationship to them
 - The name and location of the hospital
 - The names of all doctors or nurses involved
 - The date or dates the negligence occurred
 - A description of the harm suffered as a result of the negligence
 - How the hospital administrators responded when you reported the issue to them
 4. Cooperate with health department staff who investigate your complaint. State health departments typically don't investigate all complaints. However, all complaints are reviewed. If the department requires any additional information from you, they'll send you a letter.
 - If the state health department requires additional documentation or information, try to get this to them as soon as possible. They might also want to talk to you or the affected patient about the incident.
 - If the state health department doesn't handle the type of incident you described, you'll typically get a letter with contact information for the agency that does.
 - If you had a friend or family member handle the complaint on your behalf, the health department may want to speak with you directly as part of their investigation.
 5. Use the state medical board to file a complaint against a specific doctor. Doctors and surgeons are typically considered separate from the hospitals where they practice. Their conduct is governed by the state medical board that licenses them. Use this complaint process if your complaint refers to a specific doctor rather than to other employees of the hospital or the hospital itself.
 - To find the website for your state's medical board, do an internet search for "medical board" along with the name of your state. On the home page, look for a tab or link to submit a complaint.
Filing Complaints with National Agencies
 1. Use the nearest QIO office if you're covered by Medicare. The Quality Improvement Office (QIO) nearest you handles complaints about quality of care if you or the affected patient are covered by Medicare. If negligence on the part of the hospital contributed to poor quality of care, let the QIO office know and they will investigate the matter.
 - You can get contact information for the right QIO office by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.
 2. Request a redetermination through Medicare for medical decisions. If the hospital's negligence resulted in you being discharged before you were medically ready, prescribed the wrong medication, or similar issues, Medicare will review that decision. The specific process you use depends on whether you have Original Medicare or a Medicare health plan.
 - If you have Original Medicare, wait until you get your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) in the mail. It will include information on how to request a redetermination. You have 120 days from the date you get your MSN to request a redetermination.
 - If you have a Medicare health plan, contact your plan's representative. You'll need to follow the appeals process for your plan's carrier.
 3. Submit a complaint to the national Joint Commission. The Joint Commission is a national nonprofit organization that is responsible for accrediting many of the country's hospitals. They review and investigate complaints about quality of care.
 - You can submit a complaint online through the Joint Commission's website. Look for a link to submit a new patient safety event or concern.
 - The Commission may talk to or visit the hospital to investigate your concern. However, they typically don't resolve individual complaints. In other words, they may address the negligent behavior at the hospital to keep it from happening again, they won't order the hospital to do anything to compensate you.
 - If you want to remain anonymous, your state might have a hotline you can call to make your complaint. However, if you remain anonymous, you won't get any follow-up attention or resolution for your specific issue.
 - This article covers how to report hospital negligence in the US. If you live in another country, the process may be different.
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text:
Gregg Reynolds wrote:
> What counts (no pun intended) is the
> mathematical rule of evaluation, which says that the LSD position is ones,
> the next over is tens, then hundreds, etc.
That is no rule at all, but a tautology. If we wrote one hundred twenty three
as 321, the "3" would be in the LSD position aka the one's place.
In fact, if we wrote it as 132, the "3" would still be in the LSD position aka
the ones place.
The actual *rules* seem to be as follows:
1) all digit strings are expressed internally with the MSD first;
2) all digits strings are displayed with the MSD on the left (except Tengwar
digits, which aren't in Unicode yet);
3) when typing on a computer, Arabic-Indic digits slide leftward, whereas European
digits stand still;
4) when writing in any other way, Arabic-Indic digits are written by skipping
leftward for a sufficient distance to make room for the digits, and then writing
> In Arabic, and Persian, and Urdu, etc., "first
> in reading order" means to the right of the remaining figures, and that
> means the LSD.
That is true only if you believe that the reading order of digits is necessarily
the same as the reading order of letters. Consider a digit-string such as a
phone number. How is it read? I will bet any reasonable amount that it is read
from left to right, such that _PHONE_ means (and is dialed) "one two three,
four five six seven" rather than "seven six five four, three two one."
> So although
> Persian written forms are LSD first,
If they are physically written LTR on paper, and they are entered MSD-first
on a computer, and they are read (when interpreted as a digit string rather
than a numeral) LTR, then I think they are LTR = MSD first, despite the
undoubted RTL order of the surrounding text.
Schlingt dreifach einen Kreis um dies! || John Cowan Schliesst euer Aug vor heiliger Schau, || _URL_ Denn er genoss vom Honig-Tau, || _URL_ Und trank die Milch vom Paradies. -- Coleridge (tr. Politzer)
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Jul 10 2001 - 17:21:05 EDT


text:
When we have two variables and want to swap them, we need to be careful about how we do this. We might try to just take what's stored in variable x and assign it to y, then take what's stored in variable y and assign it to x. This would NOT work! If we want to make a swap, we need to make a new variable to temporarily use to help us out. Let's check out some code to break this down:
let x = 110; let y = 101; // attempt with just these two variables x = y; // x is assigned the value 101 y = x; // y is also assigned the value 101
This attempt at swapping with only x and y did not work. We ended up losing 110, which was the original value stored in x, and both our variables ended up storing the value 101! So, now we'll see how using a third variable can help us get the results we want:
let x = 110; let y = 101; let temp = x; // temp is assigned the value 110 x = y; // x is assigned the value 101 y = temp; // y is assigned the value 110
This time it worked! We used the temp variable to store the original value of x so we could get it back later after we reassign x ( let temp = x; ).
Then, we assigned x to hold the value originally stored in y ( x = y; ).
After that, we wanted to get back our original x value which we put in temp and give it to y. To do this, we assign y to hold the value stored in temp ( y = temp; ).
This successfully performed the swap! x started as 110 and ended as 101, and y started as 101 and ended as 110!


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NYC Employers: Watch For Proposed NYC Legislation Limiting the Use of AI in Hiring
New York City is considering proposed legislation that would regulate the use of artificial intelligence in hiring.
If passed, the new law would (effective January 1, 2022) require that, in order to sell an "automated decision tool" in New York City, the tool's developer must:
 1. Be able to show that the tool was the subject of a "bias audit" conducted in the past year;
 2. Offer, at no additional cost, an annual bias audit and provide the results of the audit to the purchaser; and
 3. Include a notice (aimed at the purchaser) stating that the tool is subject to the provisions of this law.
One potential issue here is that "automated decision tool" is defined in a way that may sweep in a broad range of selection tools:
"Any system whose function is governed by statistical theory, or systems whose parameters are defined by such systems, including inferential methodologies, linear regression, neural networks, decision trees, random forests, and other learning algorithms, which automatically filters candidates or prospective candidates for hire or for any term, condition or privilege of employment in a way that establishes a preferred candidate or candidates."
Notice to Candidates
In addition to imposing requirements on a tool's developer, any employer who uses such a tool must provide a notice to candidates (within 30 days of them being screened) of:
 1. The fact that an automated decision tool that is required by the law to be audited for bias was used in connection with their candidacy; and
 2. The job qualifications or characteristics that such tool was used to assess in the candidate.
The law doesn't address the degree of specificity with which "qualifications or characteristics" must be described in the notice. We believe that general descriptions of broad competencies (e.g., "customer orientation" or "problem-solving") should suffice.
Bias Audit
The required "bias audit" is defined as "an impartial evaluation," of the tool "to assess its predicted compliance with the provisions of section 8-107" of the New York City Code. Section 8-107 is the anti-discrimination section of the City Code. It includes, among other provisions, a prohibition against employment practices that have disparate impact. In general, this provision tracks the definition of disparate impact from federal law, with one very significant difference. While federal law focuses on disparate impact on the basis of race or gender (and expressly requires the collection of race and gender data to assess adverse impact), the City Code encompasses disparate impact based on any protected characteristic, meaning "age, race, creed, color, national origin, gender, disability, marital status, partnership status, caregiver status, sexual and reproductive health decisions, sexual orientation, uniformed service or alienage or citizenship status."
That last aspect could create a significant compliance hurdle for employers, since they generally do not (and cannot, without running afoul of other laws) collect information about applicants' protected characteristics other than race and gender, making it difficult to see how a tool developer could test whether or not its tool is likely to have disparate impact on other groups.
While the law continues to work its way through committee, businesses that are based in or hire employees for positions in New York City should review their pre-employment selection tools and confer with their vendors to determine if they utilize learning algorithms and, therefore, could be subject to the new law.
Scroll to the top of the web page anchor link.


TY - JOUR T1 - OUtcomes and processes of care related to preoperative medical consultation AU - Wijeysundera DN AU - Austin PC AU - Beattie W AU - Hux JE AU - Laupacis A Y1 - 2010/08/09 N1 - 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.204 JO - Archives of Internal Medicine SP - 1365 EP - 1374 VL - 170 IS - 15 N2 - Background Preoperative consultations by internal medicine physicians facilitate documentation of comorbid disease, optimization of medical conditions, risk stratification, and initiation of interventions intended to reduce risk. Nonetheless, the impact of these consultations, which may be performed by general internists or specialists, on outcomes is unclear.Methods We used population-based administrative databases to conduct a cohort study of patients 40 years or older who underwent major elective noncardiac surgery in Ontario, Canada, between 1994 and 2004. Propensity scores were used to assemble a matched-pairs cohort that reduced differences between patients who did and did not undergo preoperative consultation by general internists or specialists. The association of consultation with mortality and hospital stay was determined within this matched cohort. As a sensitivity analysis, we evaluated the association of consultation with an outcome for which no difference would be expected: postoperative wound infection.Results Of 269 866 patients in the cohort, 38.8% (n = 104 695) underwent consultation. Within the matched cohort (n = 191 852), consultation was associated with increased 30-day mortality (relative risk [RR], 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.25; number needed to harm, 516), 1-year mortality (1.08; 1.04-1.12; number needed to harm, 227), mean hospital stay (difference, 0.67 days; 0.59-0.76), preoperative testing, and preoperative pharmacologic interventions. Notably, consultation was not associated with any difference in postoperative wound infections (RR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.95-1.02). These findings were stable across subgroups as well as sensitivity analyses that tested for unmeasured confounding.Conclusions Medical consultation before major elective noncardiac surgery is associated with increased mortality and hospital stay, as well as increases in preoperative pharmacologic interventions and testing. These findings highlight the need to better understand mechanisms by which consultation influences outcomes and to identify efficacious interventions to decrease perioperative risk. SN - 0003-9926 M3 - doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.204 UR - _URL_ ER -


text:
TRONDHEIM, Norway, Oct. 3, 2012 — An international collaboration of space agencies aims to improve cameras for future missions by adding a third dimension.
The European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA need improved and less resource-intensive systems than the conventional 2-D cameras currently deployed on spacecrafts and space rovers. Those now in use resemble the digital cameras in mobile devices but are significantly better quality.
Now, scientists at Thales Alenia Space of Belgium, Danish space sensor manufacturer Terma, and SINTEF, the largest independent research organization in Scandinavia, are conducting a study on behalf of ESA to identify better imaging options for current and future space missions.
The comet chaser Rosetta meets asteroid. Courtesy of ESA.
Cameras are used everywhere in space: for docking space stations, for navigating on foreign planets, and for landing spacecraft safely. In all of these scenarios, 3-D data is required for operations, but the cameras available are incapable of providing this information when used alone. Instead, 3-D images are created by mounting several cameras together in stereo configurations, and by using complex computations to measure the third dimension. These calculations are unreliable and power-hungry, making them unattractive for space use.
Thales Alenia Space has mapped the requirements for a 3-D camera system in space; based on that, SINTEF has evaluated a variety of time-of-flight technologies to determine their relative strengths and weaknesses in such a setting. Terma will build a breadboard prototype, which will be tested and evaluated by ESA and all three companies.
The technology may also be useful in industrial settings. The real-time 3-D measurements enabled by time-of-flight technology have the potential to open new applications in industrial automation, inspection and navigation, and its relatively low cost could enable widespread adoption.
For more information, visit: _URL_


the truth in 100 words
Image by VIRGINIA THOMSEN from Pixabay
"The truth will set you free, but not until it's finished with you." David Foster Wallace
Have choices you made in the past led to consequences that are still working themselves out?
When you look back on those turning points, have you felt that the truth was right there but you missed it? Or that you persuaded yourself not to believe it?
Regret can can be a motivator for change, and can facilitate our journey to truth.
Writing helps.
writing prompt: in 100 words, write a story in which the main character makes a choice with regrettable consequences before believing what has always been true.


text:
Guide to Conflict Resolution at BU
This guide is designed to assist individual staff, faculty or students to clarify whether what they are experiencing is interpersonal conflict, discrimination or harassment. Individuals can use the guide to determine if their situation rises to the level of discrimination/harassment, and where it does not, to give them some general guidelines of how to attempt to resolve the situation positively. Managers and others who may play a facilitating role can also use this guide to better understand the dynamics of conflict, and what options are available to them to solve it.
This guide is a tool for resolution and prevention. Unresolved conflict can escalate to become harassment, bullying or even workplace violence. The more comfortable every member of the university community is with resolving conflict at its early stages, the more harmonious the work environment can be.
Conflict is unavoidable. Conflict itself is neither good nor bad, but its outcome can be either positive or negative depending on the way it is handled.
Each person involved in a conflict contributes to the situation, and can choose their actions and reactions.
We cannot know someone else's intentions without asking them. Likewise, others cannot know their effect on us unless we tell them.
Pure discrimination/harassment is rare. Unless the behavior is severe or imminently dangerous it is recommended that you initially treat situations as conflict. If the offending party does not cease the behavior when asked to, this is proof that there is choice and intention behind it, and may point to discrimination/harassment.
Brandon University expects students, staff, faculty and visitors to conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner. This means recognizing when your words or actions have offended someone, and taking steps to correct this. It also means communicating with others when they have offended you, and giving them the chance to change future behavior.
In almost every situation, conflict is best resolved directly by the parties in conflict. This means that a face to face discussion should take place where the involved parties agree to communicate in a respectful way, with an aim to resolve the problem between them.
Where individuals are not confident in their ability to resolve conflict on their own a supervisor, Dean, Human Resources personnel or Student Services personnel may assist them with the process – it is still the responsibility of the parties involved to find a workable resolution.
Solutions to conflict are possible and should aim to give each party at least some of what they need.
Both parties must be present at the table in order for conflict to be resolved. Conflict cannot be resolved if one party wishes to remain anonymous, or does not participate in solving the issue in good faith.
What is Interpersonal Conflict?
Conflict is normal and unavoidable. We work with people who think and respond differently from ourselves.
Conflict is often a result of poor communication, misunderstandings or assumptions.
Conflict is often a result of loss of emotional control.
Conflict is usually isolated and happens only occasionally.
Both parties in the conflict contribute to the situation.
Often one or both parties are unaware of the effect they are having on the other.
What is Discrimination/Harassment?
Discrimination/harassment is not "normal" everyday behavior.
In discrimination/harassment there is sometimes an imbalance of power.
Usually discrimination/harassment is intentional. It is designed to humiliate, threaten, insult, control, intimidate…
Discrimination/harassment is often repeated and purposeful behavior.
The harasser/bully may derive satisfaction from hurting the other person.
Bullies show no remorse and don't attempt to resolve the situation.
Is it Discrimination/Harassment or Conflict?
When we are offended or hurt by another, it is human nature to assume that it was the intention of the other person to offend or hurt us. By taking a step back from the situation and asking ourselves a few questions we can often gain a different perspective on the situation which can allow us to approach it as a problem to be resolved. If you agree with most of the statements in the left hand column below, chances are you are experiencing conflict. If you are unsure, it is often productive to treat the situation as conflict until it proves to be discrimination/harassment.
For some suggestions on how to respond to conflict see the applicable section:
"Responding to conflict (for the offended party)" if it is you who has been hurt or offended
"Responding to parties in conflict (for facilitators)" if you are trying to help someone else navigate conflict
If you agree with most of the statements in the right hand column below, you may be experiencing discrimination/harassment. See the section on "Responding to discrimination/harassment".
|I have not told the other person the effect they are having on me.||I have shared with the other person the effect their behavior is having, and the behavior continues.|
|I am reacting to this behavior differently because of who it is – if this was coming from a friend I would react differently.||The behavior is completely unacceptable and I would not tolerate it from anyone. (Violent, sexual, discriminatory or otherwise extreme)|
The behavior only happened once.
|The behavior is repeated and possibly intensifying.|
|The behavior only happens in emotional situations.||
The behavior seems to be very controlled and calculated.
|My reactions to the behavior have been less than respectful or professional.||I have maintained a respectful and professional response to the behavior at all times.|
|I have some power to change the course of this relationship.||
I feel powerless to change the course of this relationship.
|When I ask the other person to change a behavior they are open to it and make an honest attempt to change.||When I ask the other person to change a behavior they show no interest in working with me.|
Responding to conflict (for the offended party)
In most cases conflict is best dealt with directly between the parties in conflict. At times there may need to be some support from a third party who is skilled in conflict resolution. It is NOT recommended that parties in conflict communicate via email or other electronic or written means, as these formats often lead to misinterpretation. Some ways to deal with conflict include:
- Speak directly to the other person (face to face)
- Seek coaching from supervisor, next level supervisor, Human Resources, Student Services personnel or BUSU prior to speaking directly to the other person (face to face)
- Request support from supervisor, next level supervisor, HR, Student Services personnel or BUSU to facilitate a face to face meeting (perspective check)
- Request support from supervisor, next level supervisor, HR, Student Services personnel or BUSU to mediate.
- Request support from supervisor, next level supervisor, HR, Student Services personnel or BUSU to act as arbitrator
Responding to parties in conflict (for facilitators)
It is important that supervisors, Human Resources personnel, Student Services personnel and some members of BUSU be comfortable facilitating conversations in order to resolve conflict in its early stages. Remember, it is for the parties in conflict to resolve the issue, not you.
Some important things to remember if you are asked to take on this role:
- Timing is important. You should allow emotions to subside, but avoid leaving the conflict for too long as it may escalate, or the parties may decide they don't need to resolve it.
- Sometimes it is okay for the parties to decide they don't need to resolve it, but only when both are truly prepared to let it go.
- It is best to speak with each party at least once individually prior to bringing them together:
- Prepare each party to share the behaviour (specific instances) and how it has affected them personally. They should avoid attacking the person and using blaming language or making assumptions about the other person's intentions.
- Prepare each party to take ownership of their part in the conflict. Remember that in true conflict both sides play a role.
- Prepare each party to speak to what they can do differently going forward.
- Do not document the discussion/mediation. This is solutions-focused, so the only documentation should be any agreements the parties come up with about future interactions.
- You cannot force the parties to sit down and have a discussion. If either or both are unwilling to meet, the appropriate administrator (a supervisor, director or Dean) should do their best to gather information from both parties prior to determining next steps.
Responding to discrimination/harassment
Where initial information suggests that:
- there have been attempts to resolve the conflict in the past and one party has not followed through on their commitment,
- no attempt has been made to resolve the conflict, but the behavior is so egregious that any reasonable person would know it is unwelcome,
- the behavior is repeating and/or escalating,
- the offending behavior is linked to one of the grounds for discrimination under the Manitoba Human Rights Code,
- the offending behavior is violent in nature,
- the offending behavior is sexual in nature,
the behavior should be documented and referred to the Diversity and Human Rights Advisor, Sexual Violence Education and Prevention Coordinator or Student Services for investigation and action. Where the offending behavior breaks a law, the appropriate authorities should be contacted.
This document is available in PDF and Microsoft Word format on the Brandon University website. A printed copy can be attained from the Diversity and Human Rights Office, Room 333 Clark Hall. Persons involved with the processes outlined in this policy (complainants, witnesses or respondents) may conduct their involvement verbally or with the assistance of an interpreter upon request.


text:
U.S. EPA has developed a system that ranks chemicals based on their
chronic toxicity to human health as part of its Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) project, which is used to evaluate the potential health impacts of chemical releases reported to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). The RSEI system assigns a toxicity weight to a chemical depending on where its risk assessment value falls relative to other chemicals with risk assessment values for cancer and noncancer health effects. Separate toxicity weights are assigned for ingestion and inhalation exposures.
WHAT DO THE SCORES MEAN?
EPA's toxicity weights indicate how a chemical compares with others in terms of its capacity to cause chronic human health effects (either cancer or noncancer effects). The graphic shows where a chemical's toxicity weight falls relative to all chemicals that have been ranked using the RSEI system, and indicates whether a chemical is more or less toxic than most chemicals. Chemicals that score at the far right end of the scale are significantly more hazardous (in the worst 5%
according to this scoring system).
Scorecard places all chemicals scored by a system into "bins" defined by percentiles (e.g., a chemical's score is in the least toxic 25% of chemicals scored by a system). The graphic illustrates which bin a chemical falls in according to each scoring system in Scorecard. Looking across these different systems, it is possible to identify chemicals that consistently score as high or low hazards, as well as chemicals that score high on some measures (such as human health hazards) but low on others (such as ecological hazards).
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THIS TYPE OF SCORING SYSTEM
Chronic exposure human health toxicity weights are based only on toxicity considerations, and have important limitations because they do not consider variations in exposure potential across chemicals. (The complete RSEI system considers exposure by generating site-specific dose estimates for facilities that report to TRI. Scorecard uses this facility-level exposure data to conduct screening-level risk assessments in its reports on chemical releases from manufacturing facilities). EPA's chronic exposure human health toxicity weights also do not take acute toxicity into account.
EPA's RSEI system scores chemical health hazards by route of exposure. The higher of a chemical's cancer and noncancer toxicity weights is selected as the final score for a specific exposure route. The RSEI system does not sort carcinogens by their relative potency in causing cancer, nor does it sort non-carcinogens by their relative ability to cause other adverse health effects. RSEI scores integrate cancer and noncancer health risk concerns to yield separate scores for ingestion and inhalation exposures (although the model can be run to produce cancer risk indicators only).


Idaho's Regional Economists are Source for Economic Information
Behind the scenes at the Idaho Department of Labor are six individuals who spend their days converting economic data into employment solutions.
"As regional economists, we take the data produced by the research analysts and tell a story with it," said Ethan Mansfield, regional economist for southwestern Idaho. "Data is meaningless unless someone is there to communicate it and interpret it, and that's our job."
Each region in Idaho has a designated economist who provides a link between those who produce economic data and those who need this data. The regional economists repackage and explain raw data to make it easily understandable, enhancing the community's economic knowledge.
Regional economists respond to information requests from private industries, public officials, economic development organizations, media organizations, government entities, employers, grant writers and job seekers.
Regional economists use their knowledge of labor market information to collect and analyze the most helpful information for each individual or organization.
"Often, users don't even know the data they need, let alone how to find it," Mansfield said. "We assist these folks by understanding the question they are trying to answer and identifying the data that will answer their question."
The work of a regional economist is beneficial for both businesses and employees.
"I frequently pull data on the number of openings, the number of job seekers and current and projected employment for specific occupations," Mansfield said.
Mansfield has been working on multiple tasks to create a broader understanding of the state's economy. One recent project was pulling data and projections to estimate the supply of nurses in Idaho.
"I am also working on defining and pulling data for the high-tech sector in Idaho," Mansfield said. "And I am working on a project to estimate vacancy rates using job postings from around the state and identifying the major hiring activity by employer and occupation."
Additionally, regional economists administer Workforce Development Training Funds. These funds are used to reimburse employee training costs to eligible companies bringing jobs to Idaho, adding jobs or upgrading skills of current workers to keep them employed.
"I love doing research. I love using numbers and statistics as little pieces of the puzzle to answer difficult questions and understand the bigger picture," said Christopher St. Jeor, regional economist for eastern Idaho. "I enjoy the one-on-one interaction with the public and working with them to answer their questions."
Find a Regional Economist near You
Northern Idaho
Sam Wolkenhauer
_PHONE_
North Central Idaho
Kathryn Tacke
_PHONE_
Ethan Mansfield
_PHONE_
South Central
Jan Roeser
_PHONE_
Dan Cravens
_PHONE_
Chris St. Jeor
_PHONE_


text:
Largest naval battle in history
The title of "largest naval battle in history" is disputed between adherents of criteria which include the numbers of personnel and/or vessels involved in the battle, and the total tonnage of the vessels involved. While battles fought in modern times are comparatively well-documented, the figures from those in pre-Renaissance times are generally believed to be exaggerated by contemporary chroniclers.
- Salamis, September (28?) 480 BC. 371 Greek ships defeated 300-600 Persian ships in this decisive battle. Greek triremes had a crew of about 200 while their small penteconters had 50 oarsmen, which would suggest that approximately 200,000 sailors, soldiers and marines took part.
- Red Cliffs, winter AD 208. A decisive naval engagement between forces of Cao Cao and the allied forces of Liu Bei and Sun Quan resulted in the defeat of Cao Cao and confirmed the separation between southern China and northern China along the Yangtze River Valley. Between 270,000 and 310,000 soldiers participated in the engagement.
- Yamen, fought March 19, 1279; saw the fall of the Song empire during the conquest of China by the Yuan Dynasty of Mongolia.
- Lepanto, 7 October 1571. 212 Holy League galleys and galleasses against 272 or more Ottoman galleys, galliots etc. (484+ total). The forces of the Holy League inflicted a crushing defeat on the Ottoman fleet. This was the last major naval battle in the Western world to be fought entirely or almost entirely between rowing vessels, and one of the earliest for which there is a reliable count of ships and personnel involved. Around 150,000 personnel took part in the battle. The Turkish fleet lost more than 200 vessels and suffered at least 20,000 casualties.
- Cartagena, March 13–May 20, 1741. A British fleet composed of 29 ships of the line, 22 frigates and 135 transport ships carrying between 27,400 and 30,000 men under the command of Admiral Edward Vernon attempted the take of Cartagena de Indias, a city of the Viceroyalty of New Granada, present day Colombia. The Spaniards could only oppose 6 ships and between 3,000 and 4,000 under the command of Blas de Lezo. The city was successfully deffended by the Spaniards causing estimated losses of betweenn 8,000 - 11,000 british soldiers, 7,500 injured men and 50 ships. Spanish casualties amounted to 800 deaths, 1,200 injured and the loss of the 6 ships.,
- Jutland, May 31–June 1, 1916. The largest battle in terms of tonnage of ships engaged and in terms of the total tonnage of ships involved in a single action. The largest surface action and the largest ship-to-ship action, in terms of the tonnage of the ships engaged. The Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet commanded by Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer, consisting of 16 dreadnought and 5 pre-dreadnought battleships, 5 battle cruisers, 11 light cruisers, and 61 fleet torpedo boats, was engaged by the numerically superior British Grand Fleet under Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, composed of 28 battleships, 9 battle cruisers, 8 armoured cruisers, 28 light cruisers and 78 destroyers. Material losses were heavier on the British side, but the High Seas Fleet only narrowly escaped destruction and never again risked a decisive encounter with the Grand Fleet.
- Philippine Sea, June 19–20, 1944. The largest aircraft carrier battle in history, the largest single naval battle of World War II, and arguably the largest in history, involving 15 US fleet and light carriers, nine Japanese carriers, 170 other warships and some 1,700 aircraft. The US Fifth Fleet's Task Force 58 is (in terms of tonnage) the largest single naval formation ever to give battle.
- Leyte Gulf, October 23–26, 1944. The largest in terms of tonnage of ships in the combined orders of battle, if not necessarily in terms of tonnage of the ships engaged. Also the largest in terms of the tonnage of ships sunk, and in terms of the size of the area within which the component battles took place. The United States 3rd and 7th Fleets, including some Australian warships, comprised 8 large aircraft carriers, 8 light carriers, 18 escort carriers, 12 battleships, 24 cruisers, 141 destroyers and destroyer escorts, many other ships, and around 1,500 aircraft. They won a decisive victory over Japanese forces, which consisted of four aircraft carriers, nine battleships, 19 cruisers, 34 destroyers and several hundred aircraft. The opposing fleets carried a total of about 200,000 men. Leyte Gulf consisted of four major subsidiary battles: Battle of Sibuyan Sea, Battle of Surigao Strait, Battle off Samar and Battle of Cape Engano, along with other actions. These are counted together by virtue of their all being caused by the Japanese operation Sho-Go, which was aimed at destroying the Allied amphibious forces involved in the invasion of Leyte. However, the individual battles were separated by distances as great as two hundred miles.
|This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2012)|
- Fuller, J.F.C. The Decisive Battles of the Western World and their Influence upon History, 3 vols. (Eyre & Spottiswoode, London, 1954-6)
- Volume 1: From the earliest times to the battle of Lepanto
- Volume 2: From the defeat of the Spanish Armada to the battle of Waterloo
- Volume 3: From the American Civil War to the end of the Second World War
- A source for entries on Salamis, Actium, Sluys, Lepanto, the Defeat of the Spanish Armada, Trafalgar, Midway and Leyte Gulf.
- The Battle for Leyte Gulf
- Cutler, Thomas (2001). The Battle of Leyte Gulf: 23-26 October 1944. Annapolis, Maryland, U.S.: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-243-9.
- Hornfischer, James D. (2004). The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors. Bantam. ISBN 0-553-80257-7.
- Morison, Samuel Eliot (1963 (reissue 2004)). Leyte, June 1944-January 1945, vol. 12 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Champaign, Illinois, U.S.A.: University of Illinois Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-252-07063-1.
- Sauer, Howard (1999). The Last Big-Gun Naval Battle: The Battle of Surigao Strait. Glencannon Press. ISBN 1-889901-08-3.
- Woodward, C. Vann (1947 (reissue 2007)). The Battle for Leyte Gulf. Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 1-60239-194-7.


Editorial: Professor sued over casual touch
Marta Sanchez, a student at the University of Virginia Law School, is claiming that an incident of personal contact between herself and Professor Kenneth Abraham during one of his lectures caused her severe mental anguish and is seeking $35,000 in damages. This lawsuit should not be allowed to continue. There must be a reasonable agreement made before university professors are left defenseless in their classrooms.
During a lecture, Abraham was explaining a legal issue and to demonstrate his point (adding that he probably shouldn't do what he was about to do) proceeded to lay his hand on the shoulder of the student closest to him. That student happened to be Marta Sanchez.
At age 11, Sanchez, who is from Panama, became a victim of repeated physical, mental and sexual abuse and, as a result, experiences great difficulty with personal contact. The incident made Sanchez very uncomfortable, and she took her concerns to university counselors. Sanchez found the outcome of a meeting with Abraham unsatisfying and decided to bring a civil lawsuit against Abraham.
There is no doubt that Sanchez was affected by the incident because of her sensitivity to personal contact, but there is no way that Abraham could have known that. Holding him accountable for this action is setting a precedent that will cause any friendly relations between professor and student to be grounds for litigation.
Professors cannot know the history of each student, and though Abraham's actions were harmless, it is best if they keep their hands to themselves. It should also be understood that personal contact is not always avoidable. Furthermore, Sanchez's suit should be thrown out when it reaches circuit court because, by all accounts, she had no reason to believe that Abraham would make any kind of inappropriate advance toward her, and he made the context of his actions quite clear.


text:
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]چکیده [English]
The normalized full gradient (NFG) method defined by Berezkin (1967, 1973 and 1998) is used for downward continuation maps. Analytical downward continuation is a method to estimate the field closer to the source and consequently results in a better resolution of underground rock distribution. However, the usefulness of this process is limited by the fact that the operation is extremely sensitive to noise. With noise free data, downward continuation is well defined; we do not attempt to continue below the source level. In the presence of noise, the amplification of high frequencies is so strong that it quickly masks the information in the original profile. Low-pass Fourier filtering, while suppressing such noise, also blurs the signal, overcoming the purpose of sharpening by downward continuation.
Despite the above-mentioned problems, most geophysical experts have long been interested in this technique because of its importance to the mineral exploration. Furthermore, this method is a fast and cheap way to determine the initial depth of the subsurface features, especially where there is no other geophysical or well-logging data. A good analytical downward continuation process could provide subsurface general images, allowing an enhanced interpretation. Also, analytical downward continuation has the ability to determine accurately both horizontal and vertical extents of geological sources.
This method is concisely described in the following section. The 2-D NFG of gravity anomalies is defined as (Berezkin, 1973):
Where GH(x, z) is the NFG at point (x, z) on a cross-section x-z; Vzz(x, z) and Vxz(x, z) are the first vertical derivative and the first horizontal (along the x-direction) derivative of gravity anomalies (or Vz) at point (x, z), respectively; G(x, z) is the full (total) gradient of gravity anomalies at point (x, z); GCP(z) is the average of the full gradient of gravity anomalies at level z; and M is the number of samples in a data set.
Berezkin (1973) expressed the gravity anomalies over the range (-L, L) by the finite Fourier sine series,
L is the integral interval or length of the gravity profile; and N is the number of harmonics of the series. From Eq. (2) it follows that
Defining a smoothing factor for eliminating high-frequency noise resulting from downward continuation, we have,
Where, m is known as the degree of smoothing. It was suggested to choose m =1 or 2 to reach reasonable results. Finally,
Substituting Eqs. 8 and 9 into Eq. 1, the NFG is calculated.
The NFG method nullifies perturbations due to the passage of mass depth during downward continuation. The method depends on the downwards analytical continuation of normalized full gradient values of gravity data. Analytical continuation discriminates certain structural anomalies which cannot be distinguished in the observed gravity field. It can be used to estimate location, depth to the top and center of the deposit that is applied also for detecting oil reserviors and tectonic studies. One of the important parameter to estimate accurate shape of the deposit is true selection of the harmonic number. In this paper, the correct range of the harmonic number is determined and then this method will be tested for noise-free and noise-corruption synthetic data. Finally, 2D and 3D of this method are applied on real data, Dehloran Bitumen.


This requires reusable techniques for the detection of changes between different process models and the computation of dependencies and conflicts between changes. In this paper, we propose a framework for the construction of process model change management solutions that provides generic techniques for the detection of differences and the computation of dependencies and conflicts between changes. The framework contains an abstract representation for process models that serves as a common denominator for different process models. In addition, we show how the framework is instantiated exemplarily for BPMN.}, author = {Gerth, Christian and Küster, Jochen and Engels, Gregor}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the ACM/IEEE 12th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems (MODELS'09). Denver (CO, USA)}, pages = {152--166}, publisher = {Springer}, title = {{Language-Independent Change Management of Process Models}}, doi = {_URL_ volume = {5795 }, year = {2009}, } _USER_{8011, abstract = {Enterprises are transforming into enterprises which follow from a business as well as from an IT perspective a service-oriented paradigm. This change towards service-oriented enterprise and IT architectures has to be reflected in the methodologies of developing whole application landscapes as well as individual applications. Quasar (Quality Software Architecture) has been developed as the standard architecture and development method of Capgemini sd&m for individual applications. For the development of service-oriented enterprise application landscapes, Quasar Enterprise has been designed. Both Quasar and Quasar Enterprise are integrated with each other within a holistic software engineering method to seamlessly cover the full development lifecycle of service-oriented application landscapes, from business modeling and service design to actual software development. In this paper, we illustrate how a company-wide ontology of development artifacts serves as the key feature for integrating both methods.}, author = {Baumann, Andrea and Engels, Gregor and Hofmann, Alexander and Sauer, Stefan and Willkomm, Johannes}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the First NAF Academy Working Conference on Practice-Driven Research on Enterprise Transformation (PRET 2009), Amsterdam (The Netherlands)}, pages = {1--17}, publisher = {Springer}, title = {{A Holistic Software Engineering Method for Service-Oriented Application Landscape Development}}, doi = {_URL_ volume = {28}, year = {2009}, } _USER_{8016, author = {Güldali, Baris and Mlynarski, Michael and Wübbeke, Andreas and Engels, Gregor}, booktitle = {Proceedings of Euromicro SEAA Conference 2009, Special Session on "Model Driven Engineering"}, pages = {121--124}, publisher = {IEEE Computer Society}, title = {{Model-Based System Testing Using Visual Contracts}}, year = {2009}, } _USER_{9735, abstract = {Die Entwicklung piezoelektrischer Tr{\"a}gheitsmotoren basiert derzeit auf Erfahrungswissen und Prototypenbau. Es existiert kein allgemeines Modell und keine Methodik f{\"u}r die systematische Entwicklung dieser Motoren. In diesem Beitrag stellen wir einen Ansatz zur Entwicklung einer solchen Methodik und den von uns aufgebauten Versuchsmotor vor. Der Motor ist modular aufgebaut; er besteht im Wesentlichen aus einer piezoelektrischen Antriebseinheit, einem Antriebsstab und dem zu bewegenden Schlitten. Eine wesentliche Aufgabe bei der modellbasierten Entwicklung von Tr{\"a}gheitsmotoren ist die hinreichende Beschreibung des dynamischen Verhaltens der Antriebseinheit. Um ein geeignetes Modell zu finden, bzw. um nachzuweisen, dass einfache parametrische Modelle gen{\"u}gen, wird die Antriebseinheit des Motors detailliert untersucht. Es zeigt sich, dass der derzeitige Aufbau eine Reihe von Nachteilen aufweist, die durch eine teilweise Neukonstruktion der Antriebseinheit beseitigt oder zumindest entsch{\"a}rft werden k{\"o}nnen.}, author = {Hunstig, Matthias and Hemsel, Tobias}, booktitle = {6. Paderborner Workshop Entwurf mechatronischer Systeme}, editor = {Gausemeier, Jürgen and Rammig, Franz and Schäfer, Wilhelm and Trächtler, Ansgar}, issn = {_PHONE_}, keyword = {Piezoelektrischer Tr{\}, pages = {85--96}, publisher = {Heinz Nixdorf Institut, Universität Paderborn}, title = {{Modellbasierte Entwicklung piezoelektrischer Trägheitsmotoren}}, volume = {250}, year = {2009}, } _USER_{9742, abstract = {New mechatronic systems, called self-optimizing systems, are able to adapt their behavior according to environmental, user and system specific influences. Self-optimizing systems are complex and due to their non-deterministic behavior comprise hidden risks, which cannot be foreseen in the design phase of the system. Therefore, this paper presents modifications of the current condition monitoring policy, to be able to cope with this new kind of systems. Beside avoiding critical situations evoked by self-optimization, the proposed concept uses self-optimization to increase the dependability of the system. In this case, the concept is applied to the active guidance module of an innovative rail-bound vehicle.}, author = {Sondermann-Wölke, Christoph and Sextro, Walter}, booktitle = {Future Computing, Service Computation, Cognitive, Adaptive, Content, Patterns, 2009. COMPUTATIONWORLD '09. Computation World:}, keyword = {condition monitoring, mechatronic systems, rail bound vehicle, rail guidance module, self-optimization, self-optimizing function modules, condition monitoring, mechatronics, railway rolling stock, self-adjusting systems}, pages = {15 --20}, title = {{Towards the Integration of Condition Monitoring in Self-Optimizing Function Modules}}, doi = {10.1109/ComputationWorld.2009.47}, year = {2009}, } _USER_{16524, author = {Blesken, Matthias and Ruckert, Ulrich and Steenken, Dominik and Witting, Katrin and Dellnitz, Michael}, booktitle = {2009 NORCHIP}, isbn = {9781424443109}, title = {{Multiobjective optimization for transistor sizing of CMOS logic standard cells using set-oriented numerical techniques}}, doi = {10.1109/norchp.2009._PHONE_}, year = {2009}, } _USER_{17887, author = {Peckhaus, Volker}, booktitle = {Rainer Piepmeier, „Wenn wir aber nicht hören wollen". Eine Aporie der Praktischen Philosophie – Abschiedsvorlesung}, pages = {3--7}, title = {{Zur Verabschiedung von Rainer Piepmeier am 15. Juli 2008}}, volume = {114}, year = {2009}, } _USER_{17262, abstract = {A difficulty in robot action learning is that robots do not know where to attend when observing action demonstration. Inspired by human parent-infant interaction, we suggest that parental action demonstration to infants, called motionese, can scaffold robot learning as well as infants. Since infants knowledge about the context is limited, which is comparable to robots, parents are supposed to properly guide their attention by emphasizing the important aspects of the action. Our analysis employing a bottom-up attention model revealed that motionese has the effects of highlighting the initial and final states of the action, indicating significant state changes in it, and underlining the properties of objects used in the action. Suppression and addition of parents body movement and their frequent social signals to infants produced these effects. Our findings are discussed toward designing robots that can take advantage of parental teaching.}, author = {Nagai, Yukie and Rohlfing, Katharina}, issn = {_PHONE_}, journal = {IEEE Transactions on Autonomous Mental Development}, number = {1}, pages = {44--54}, publisher = {Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE)}, title = {{Computational Analysis of Motionese Toward Scaffolding Robot Action Learning}}, doi = {10.1109/TAMD.2009._PHONE_}, volume = {1}, year = {2009}, } _USER_{17267, author = {Lohse, Manja and Hanheide, Marc and Rohlfing, Katharina and Sagerer, Gerhard}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 4th ACM/IEEE international conference on Human robot interaction - HRI '09}, keyword = {SINA, human robot interaction, biron}, pages = {93--100}, title = {{Systemic interaction analysis (SInA) in HRI}}, doi = {10.1145/_PHONE_._PHONE_}, year = {2009}, } _USER_{3693, abstract = {Erbschaftsteuer | Inheritance tax | Steuerreform | Tax


text:
The Cambridge Companion to Martin Luther Paperback / softback
Part of the Cambridge Companions to Religion series
Martin Luther (_PHONE_) stands as one of the giant figures in history.
His activities, writings, and legacy have had a huge effect on the western world.
This Cambridge Companion provides an accessible introduction to Martin Luther for students of theology and history and for others interested in the life, work and thought of the first great Protestant reformer.
The book contains eighteen chapters by an international array of major Luther scholars.
Historians and theologians join here to present a full picture of Luther's contexts, the major themes in his writings, and the ways in which his ideas spread and have continuing importance today.
Each chapter serves as a guide to its topic and provides further reading for additional study.
The Companion will assist those with little or no background in Luther studies, while teachers and Luther specialists will find this accessible volume an invaluable aid to their work.
- Format: Paperback / softback
- Pages: 340 pages
- Publisher: Cambridge University Press
- Publication Date: 10/07/2003
- Category: Christian theology
- ISBN: 9780521016735