2,693 research outputs found
Others First: A Visual Roadmap 4 Transformation
Small rural churches tend to have an inward-focus mindset fueled by the need for self-preservation and survival. This transactional ministry mindset negatively impacts sharing the love of Christ with others, culminating in apathetic attitudes toward church functionality. The problem this DMin action research project sought to address is the inward focus of First Baptist Church of Ravenswood members. The church needs to improve its evangelism and discipleship efforts, embrace sharing their love of Christ with others, begin engaging guests on a meaningful level, and consider facility upgrades. Members were reminded of the importance of demonstrating their love of Christ to others and taking advantage of evangelism and discipleship opportunities through role-playing exercises. This DMin action research project involved hosting a training program called âOthers First: A Visual Roadmap 4 Transformation.â This program generated support for a strategic plan that addresses four areas of church operations. Thirty-two participants were involved in the training, representing half of all member families. Pre-and post-training assessments and group discussions were focal points. The goal was to shift participantsâ inward-focused mindset toward a transformational mindset emphasizing soul care. A positive correlation between training and discussion resulted in a renewed sense of purpose and vision for the church. The church adopted a declaration supporting the revitalization effort and appointed a vision committee to oversee implementation. This DMin action research project will assist other rural congregations that have found themselves with similar inward-focus problems
Filtering post-Newtonian gravitational waves from coalescing binaries
Gravitational waves from inspiralling binaries are expected to be detected
using a data analysis technique known as {\it matched filtering.} This
technique is applicable whenever the form of the signal is known accurately.
Though we know the form of the signal precisely, we will not know {\it a
priori} its parameters. Hence it is essential to filter the raw output through
a host of search templates each corresponding to different values of the
parameters. The number of search templates needed in detecting the Newtonian
waveform characterized by three independent parameters is itself several
thousands. With the inclusion of post-Newtonian corrections the inspiral
waveform will have four independent parameters and this, it was thought, would
lead to an increase in the number of filters by several orders of
magnitude---an unfavorable feature since it would drastically slow down data
analysis. In this paper I show that by a judicious choice of signal parameters
we can work, even when the first post-Newtonian corrections are included, with
as many number of parameters as in the Newtonian case. In other words I
demonstrate that the effective dimensionality of the signal parameter space
does not change when first post-Newtonian corrections are taken into account.Comment: 5 pages, revtex, 2 figures available upon reques
Nucleosynthesis Constraints on Scalar-Tensor Theories of Gravity
We study the cosmological evolution of massless single-field scalar-tensor
theories of gravitation from the time before the onset of annihilation
and nucleosynthesis up to the present. The cosmological evolution together with
the observational bounds on the abundances of the lightest elements (those
mostly produced in the early universe) place constraints on the coefficients of
the Taylor series expansion of , which specifies the coupling of the
scalar field to matter and is the only free function in the theory. In the case
when has a minimum (i.e., when the theory evolves towards general
relativity) these constraints translate into a stronger limit on the
Post-Newtonian parameters and than any other observational
test. Moreover, our bounds imply that, even at the epoch of annihilation and
nucleosynthesis, the evolution of the universe must be very close to that
predicted by general relativity if we do not want to over- or underproduce
He. Thus the amount of scalar field contribution to gravity is very small
even at such an early epoch.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, ReVTeX 3.1, submitted to Phys. Rev. D1
VIRTUAL REALITY GROUND FORCE COMMANDER TRAINER
The complexity of battlespace is guaranteed to increase over time. The problem arising is that with todayâs innovative battlefield and the ever-connected environment, our junior officers are receiving more information, data, and feedback than ever before. With this increased amount of information at their fingertips, we expect them to process this information and make these real-world decisions faster and more precisely than before. Suppose we do not train our leaders to properly handle this information and prioritize tasks, and help them to avoid becoming overwhelmed by the multiple tasks they address. In that case, we run the risk of them becoming cognitively overloaded and making bad decisions based on poor judgment or emotions. These impulsive decisions highly increase the chance of mission failure. Today, we are expecting more out of our ground force commanders (GFCs) in their doctrinal skill set, decision making abilities under pressure, and cognitive performance; however, we are failing to adapt and advance our training at the same pace and level that we expect them to perform. If we cannot teach it, how can we expect our operators to perform at this new level in a new environment? The question: How can Special Operations Forces improve cognitive decision processing under stress and prepare GFCs for future conflicts? Our conclusion is that the adoption of advanced training and technology will help to keep SOF GFCs at the leading edge of combat proficiency.Lieutenant Junior Grade, United States NavyLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited
On the Perturbations of Viscous Rotating Newtonian Fluids
The perturbations of weakly-viscous, barotropic, non-self-gravitating,
Newtonian rotating fluids are analyzed via a single partial differential
equation. The results are then used to find an expression for the
viscosity-induced normal-mode complex eigenfrequency shift, with respect to the
case of adiabatic perturbations. However, the effects of viscosity are assumed
to have been incorporated in the unperturbed (equilibrium) model. This paper is
an extension of the normal-mode formalism developed by Ipser & Lindblom for
adiabatic pulsations of purely-rotating perfect fluids. The formulas derived
are readily applicable to the perturbations of thin and thick accretion disks.
We provide explicit expressions for thin disks, employing results from previous
relativistic analyses of adiabatic normal modes of oscillation. In this case,
we find that viscosity causes the fundamental p- and g- modes to grow while the
fundamental c-mode could have either sign of the damping rate.Comment: Accepted for publication by The Astrophysical Journal. 11 pages, no
figure
The 67 Hz Feature in the Black Hole Candidate GRS 1915+105 as a Possible ``Diskoseismic'' Mode
The Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) has made feasible for the first time
the search for high-frequency (~ 100 Hz) periodic features in black hole
candidate (BHC) systems. Such a feature, with a 67 Hz frequency, recently has
been discovered in the BHC GRS 1915+105 (Morgan, Remillard, & Greiner). This
feature is weak (rms variability ~0.3%-1.6%), stable in frequency (to within ~2
Hz) despite appreciable luminosity fluctuations, and narrow (quality factor Q ~
20). Several of these properties are what one expects for a ``diskoseismic''
g-mode in an accretion disk about a 10.6 M_sun (nonrotating) - 36.3 M_sun
(maximally rotating) black hole (if we are observing the fundamental mode
frequency). We explore this possibility by considering the expected luminosity
modulation, as well as possible excitation and growth mechanisms---including
turbulent excitation, damping, and ``negative'' radiation damping. We conclude
that a diskoseismic interpretation of the observations is viable.Comment: 4 Pages, Latex (emulateapj.sty included), to Appear in ApJ Letters,
Vol. 477, Final Version with Updated Reference
Bond Repurchases: A Teaching Case
Companies can buy back and retire their own bonds before maturity, resulting in a possible gain or loss on the extinguishment of debt. What would happen if a company repurchased its own bonds before maturity but did not retire them, potentially holding them for resale later before the bonds mature? This case gives students an opportunity to explore how the repurchase of bonds held for resale should be accounted for, including the repurchase transaction, the disposition of any gain or loss, and the possible transaction to resell the bonds later
Ohio\u27s Modern Courts Amendment Must Be Amended: Why and How
A 1968 amendment to the Ohio Constitution granted the Supreme Court of Ohio the authority to promulgate ârules governing practice and procedureâ for Ohio courts. The amendment also provided that â[a]ll laws in conflict with such rules shall be of no further force or effect after such rules have taken effectâ and that no rule may âabridge, enlarge, or modify any substantive right.â
Although the amendment was explicit about automatic repeal of existing laws, it says nothing about whether the General Assembly may legislate on a procedural matter after a court rule takes effect. That silence has caused enduring confusion. Since 1968, the Supreme Court of Ohio has considered dozens of cases in which a court-promulgated rule appears to conflict with a subsequently enacted statute.
The court has reached two views on whether later-enacted statutes that conflict with existing court rules are constitutional. One holds that, because the constitution grants rulemaking authority exclusively to the court, the General Assembly has no authority once the court promulgates a procedural rule. It has also held the opposite: the General Assembly may legislate on a procedural matter already addressed in a court rule if the legislature intends to remake that âmatter of practice or procedureâ into a âsubstantive right.â These contradictory interpretations cannot both be right, yet each remains controlling precedent in Ohio.
Neither of the courtâs contradictory rulings rests on a cogent textual analysis of the 1968 amendment. This failing, however, is no reflection on the court. A definitive resolution of the conflicting interpretations is impossible because the sparse language of the amendment simply does not contain enough textual foundation from which to derive a compelling, permanent answerâone way or the other.
The authors propose an amendment that would add language to the 1968 amendment. By providing a textual basis for the courtâs second interpretive ruling, it would make clear and permanent the legislatureâs authority to share in the process of forming court rules. It would align Ohioâs rulemaking process with Congressâs participation in rulemaking for federal courts and with the large majority of states that preserve for their legislatures at least some participation in forming the content of rules of practice and procedure
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