A survey of laser lightning rod techniques

The work done to create a laser lightning rod (LLR) is discussed. Some ongoing research which has the potential for achieving an operational laser lightning rod for use in the protection of missile launch sites, launch vehicles, and other property is discussed. Because of the ease with which a laser beam can be steered into any cloud overhead, an LLR could be used to ascertain if there exists enough charge in the clouds to discharge to the ground as triggered lightning. This leads to the possibility of using LLRs to test clouds prior to launching missiles through the clouds or prior to flying aircraft through the clouds. LLRs could also be used to probe and discharge clouds before or during any hazardous ground operations. Thus, an operational LLR may be able to both detect such sub-critical electrical fields and effectively neutralize them

The weld-brazing metal joining process

Superior mechanical properties were obtained in metal joints weld-brazed between faying surfaces. Weld-braze applications and advantages are listed

Weld-brazing - a new joining process

A joining process designated weld brazing which combines resistance spot welding and brazing has been developed. Resistance spot welding is used to position and align the parts as well as to establish a suitable faying surface gap for brazing. Fabrication is then completed by capillary flow of the braze alloy into the joint. The process has been used successfully to fabricate Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy joints using 3003 aluminum braze alloy. Test results obtained on single overlap and hat-stiffened structural specimens show that weld brazed joints are superior in tensile shear, stress rupture, fatigue, and buckling than joint fabricated by spotwelding or brazing. Another attractive feature of the process is that the brazed joints is hermetically sealed by the braze material

Dealing with Climate Change Under the National Environmental Policy Act

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was an important environmental law for several decades before climate change became an issue of concern. Beginning in the 1990s efforts began to include in NEPA’s environmental assessments and environmental impact statements both the impact of federal government actions on climate change and the impact of climate change on proposed federal actions. These efforts were encouraged by the Council on Environmental Quality. However, implementation at the agency level has been uneven. Some Federal agencies have resisted making serious efforts to incorporate climate change impacts into their decision-making process. Moreover, the courts have not been consistent in their reviews of agency compliance with NEPA, and the judiciary often give substantial deference to an agency’s minimal NEPA compliance. Since 2017, determining NEPA’s requirements for climate change analysis has become more challenging because the Trump Administration is changing federal environmental policies and regulations in order to encourage fossil fuel energy development and use, which will increase the emissions of greenhouse gases

Defining the Role of School Personnel Directors in Urban School Divisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia

The purpose of this study was to identify disparities between perceptions of the public school personnel director\u27s role by both personnel directors and superintendents. The study was limited to personnel directors and superintendents employed by urban school divisions in Virginia. The study sought to identify (1) disparities between perceptions by personnel directors of their ideal role versus their actual role, (2) disparities between perceptions of personnel directors and superintendents of the personnel director\u27s actual role, and (3) disparities between perceptions by public school division superintendents of the personnel directors ideal role versus the actual role. A role analysis questionnaire was developed from current literature describing functions of personnel directors in both public and private sectors. Validity and reliability were tested through a pilot study of urban school divisions in Georgia. The questionnaire was revised and mailed to superintendents and personnel directors of each of the twenty-nine urban school divisions in Virginia. Twenty-two usable returns were received from each group representing a usable return rate of 75.9 percent. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques were utilized to examine the responses. Scheffe post-hoc tests were employed to make mean comparisons when significant F ratios were achieved. The analysis indicated a significant difference between the ideal role conception and actual role experience of personnel directors, as perceived by both personnel directors and superintendents. Both groups perceived that personnel directors\u27 ideal roles held more responsibilities than their actual roles in analyzing jobs and positions, training employees, providing staff development activities, solving problems, establishing quality of life programs, implementing odd-hour scheduling of employees, allowing employees to work at home, and helping administrators. Personnel directors perceived greater responsibilities in their actual roles regarding training, staff developments, job/position analysis, and disciplinary procedures than did superintendents. The findings suggest that standard guidelines for school personnel administrators would alleviate some of the role conflict and role ambiguity experienced by school personnel administrators

The Effect of Mobility on the Academic Performance of Grade Six Students in an Urban School

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of mobility on the standardized achievement test scores of grade six students in an urban school. The study sought to (1) identify the degree of mobility experienced by grade six students in the Chesapeake Public Schools; (2) identify the degree of mobility within the Chesapeake Public Schools; (3) determine the socio-economic, gender, and ethnic characteristics of the extra-city mobile, intra-city mobile, and non-mobile grade six students; (4) determine if there were differences in the standardized achievement test scores of extra-city mobile, intra-city mobile, and non-mobile grade six students; and (5) determine if there was a difference in the rate of retention between the extra-city mobile, intra-city mobile, and non-mobile student groups. The data collected were from the 1983-84 school year. The study employed three approaches: (1) a descriptive analysis of the grade six students by (a) mobility status, (b) socio-economic level, (c) gender, and (d) ethnic group; (2) a factorial analysis of variance with unweighted means analysis (The independent variables were: (a) three levels of mobility, (b) two levels of affluence, (c) two levels of gender, and (d) two levels of ethnicity.); (3) where appropriate, statistical means were tested using a Duncan\u27s New Multiple Range Test. The descriptive analysis revealed that the 1686 grade six students were (1) predominantly mobile (39.80% were extra-city mobile, and 14.00% intra-city mobile), (2) relatively affluent (only 28.53% required free or reduced price lunch); (3) slightly skewed with female students (52.08%); (4) predominantly white (66.37%). An initial examination of the analysis of variance appears to show student mobility as a significant factor (p \u3c .05) for reading, language arts, and the composite section, with the intra-city mobile students earning the lowest test scores. However, economic status, gender, and ethnicity impacted all four test sections and rates of retention with greater significance (p \u3c .001). The scores earned by the disadvantaged students, the male students, and the black students were consistently the lower. This confounding of the variables makes it difficult to support the initial thesis. While interaction effects compounded the depressing influence of mobility, it may have been the cumulative effect of all four variables