Introduction : themed section on care, values and the future of welfare

The papers in the themed section emerge from the work of the ESRC Research Group on Care, Values and the Future of Welfare (CAVA), based at the University of Leeds. CAVA was funded from 1999 to undertake a five-year programme of research into changes in parenting and partnering in Britain and their implications for future social policies. At the heart of CAVA's research is an investigation into the values that people attach to their parenting and partnering activities. We are interested in ‘what matters’ to people in their family lives and personal relationships, especially as they undergo change. This question lay at the centre of our core empirical projects, all of which were based on in-depth qualitative research. (An account of our methodology may be found in the Appendix to this Introduction). The projects focused on different aspects of change: motherhood, care and employment; kin relationships after divorce; care and commitments in transnational families; practices of care and intimacy amongst those who live without a co-resident partner; and collective values of care and support in self-help groups, voluntary organisations and trade unions. Each of these projects is represented in the following collection

Muon Background Reduction in CLIC

We report on a study concerning the reduction of muon backgrounds in CLIC using magnetised iron.Comment: Proceedings of the International Workshop on future Linear Colliders 2011 (LCWS11), Granada, Spain. 4 pages, 4 figure

Southern Infrared Proper Motion Survey I: Discovery of New High Proper Motion Stars From First Full Hemisphere Scan

We present the first results from the Southern Infrared Proper Motion Survey. Using 2 Micron All Sky Survey data along with that of the SuperCOSMOS sky survey we have been able to produce the first widefield infrared proper motion survey. Having targeted the survey to identify nearby M, L and T dwarfs we have discovered 72 such new objects with proper motions greater than 0.5''/yr with 10 of these having proper motions in excess of 1''/yr. The most interesting of these objects is SIPS1259-4336 a late M dwarf. We have calculated a trigonometric parallax for this object of $\pi = 276 \pm 41$ milliarcseconds yielding a distance of $3.62\pm0.54$pc. We have also discovered a common proper motion triple system and an object with a common proper motion with LHS 128. The survey completeness is limited by the small epoch differences between many 2MASS and UKI observations. Hence we only recover 22% of Luyten objects with favourable photometry. However the Luyten study is itself unquantifiably incomplete. We discuss the prospect of enhancing the survey volume by reducing the lower proper motion limit.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Planning Sidewalks: Implications of Regulating Sidewalk Space in the East Village

Sidewalks are the city’s most public space filled with diversity of both users and uses. This variety of programs and people create conflict within this space. Physical, programmatic, and social regulations construct sidewalk space, manage diverse usage, and attempt to mitigate clash and contention. Physical and programmatic regulations of sidewalks include the spatial dimensions through setback requirements, materiality of sidewalks, permitted uses in the space, and regulation of objects with sidewalk space such as newsstands, signage, and benches. Social regulations are twofold: use of the space is controlled through social norms and accepted behavior as well as legally acceptable behavior through quality of life enforcement. This research addresses the impacts of regulating sidewalks. The purpose of this research is to understand and examine the relationship between these regulations and behavior to better understand how sidewalks function and serve as public space. This study investigates sidewalk regulations in New York City, addressing city-wide regulations and specifically focuses on the sidewalks of the East Village to understand the implications of these regulations at the scale of the community. The density of regulations, both physical and social, create a highly controlled public space. Little research has been conducted to understand the impacts of these regulations within a comprehensive scope as most studies focus on particular elements of sidewalks and specific regulations which limits the understanding of the complexity of sidewalk usage. This thesis deciphers the complex web of regulations to understand how to plan sidewalks at the city level as well as understand the direct implications these regulations on the day-to-day pedestrians in order to recommend policies and practices to better plan sidewalks for public space

Regional policy and the location of industry: an application of attraction theory

An active regional policy is exercised both by the British Government and by most other industrial countries. A major part of this policy in the United Kingdom has been and still is the relocation of industries from the prosperous regions. It would therefore seem as though the theories of the location of economic activity would have some relevance to this problem. In reviewing the empirical work on location and industrial mobility, it is concluded, that they lack a rigorous theoretical and methodological base, such that little reliance can be placed on their results. These studies do however suggest certain factors that need further examination in explaining location. The theoretical work on location is found to be unable to generate many general results or suggest empirically testable models. These studies do however suggest certain analytical tools that are found useful to attraction theory. Attraction theory is examined and modified. The limitations and assumption underlying this theory are made explicit. It is concluded that this model may be a useful took in evaluating government policy on the relocation of industry; The results of the application to the United Kingdom data are presented. These results seem to explain why certain regions have had higher unemployment than the national average and also suggest certain policy prescriptions. In implementing the attraction model data from regional input- output tables are necessary. Therefore there is a discussion of various methods of constructing these tables. The results of the method considered most appropriate is given for purposes of comparison with the attraction results

Highway Safety Research, Development, and Technology Transfer

Late in 1987, the Federal Highway Administration assembled a seven-member panel which, guided by a primary contractor, Harrison Boyd & Associates, was charged with the task of developing a recommended five-year research, development, and technology transfer program for highway safety starting in the 1990s. As a part of the task, each panel member prepared an individual position paper to stimulate and focus panel discussions and, ultimately, to provide the basis for a consensus paper. This represents one such individual paper. Although it is believed that significant safety gains can be achieved in the 1990s and beyond simply by more extensive implementation of known and proven crash countermeasures, this position paper focuses on research activity, the generation or extension of information related to the enhancement of road safety. Quantum improvement in road safety as a result of highly focused new research appears unlikely. Accordingly, in the quest to achieve significant additional gains, the recommended approach tackles the road safety problem on a broad front, examining a wide variety of factors contributing to travel hazard and building incrementally on existing knowledge. Furthermore, emphasis has been placed on activities likely to yield results that, if implemented, could be expected to generate short-term gains, perhaps within a period as short as five or fewer years. Certainly no claim can ever be made that a specific research program will generate knowledge adequate to sustain high levels of travel safety over long periods of time. The recommended five-year research program is simply an immediate, short-term phase of a continuing process that seeks to retain or enhance a high level of personal safety in face of endless changes in human activity patterns and the highway systems built to accommodate them