Ohio\u27s Abrogation of Sovereign Immunity - A Rude Awakening

The Ohio Supreme Court\u27s recent decisions have practically abolished the defense of sovereign immunity for state subdivisions and municipal corporations. For many years, governmental units such as municipal corporations have used this ancient legal doctrine to defend themselves from tort suits arising out of the negligence of their employees. The court\u27s decisions have sent municipalities searching for insurance coverage and have sent plaintiffs attorneys back into court, filing motions to vacate previous adverse judgements. The effect of such decisions have become more pronounced since the court\u27s decision in Marrek v. Board of Commissioners. In Marrek, the Ohio Supreme Court applied its recently revised standard of governmental liability, giving it retroactive effect, and discussed the only two types of governmental acts still retaining immunity. In light of the court\u27s recent decisions concerning sovereign immunity, it is necessary for any attorney litigating the liability of the state or its subdivisions to understand Marrek\u27s new definition of governmental liability in Ohio

The life history and population dynamics of the prairie vole (microtus orchrogaster) on the Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee

The study was conducted on a 28-acre pinetum located near Crossvllle, Tennessee, on the Cumberland Plateau. The objectives of this study wereI (1) to determine the density and structure of the population of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) on the study area, and (2) to relate indirect sign to population densities of prairie voles. Six one-acre plots were established on the pinetum and a live-trapping program was initiated to obtain data for describing the pop-ulations. Amounts of indirect sign were obtained from twenty circular plots, two feet in diameter, that were randomly established on each of the plots periodically during the course of study. Field work was begun in December, 1967, and concluded in May, 1969. Population densities varied greatly during the period of study and ranged from 10.00 to 122.50 voles per acre. Variations in density were closely related to the breeding activities of individuals and a highly significant correlation was observed between the percent of adults in breeding condition and fluctuations in population numbers. Seasonal changes in population structure varied with fluctuations in density. Males outnumbered females in most samples and were especially dominant during periods of high levels of sexual activity. The percent-ages of the different age classes varied during the period of study. Notable increases in the percentage of juveniles were observed following rises in population density after peaks in breeding activity. The average home range size for voles during the study was 0.082 of an acre and no differences in home range size existed between males and females. The overlapping of home ranges was common throughout the study area. The most characteristic sign of vole activity was their systems of runways and tunnels that were utilized by more than one vole at a time. Voles in this study were most active at night. A seasonal variation in weight was observed; mean weights of adults and subadults decreased significantly during the winter months of the study. Voles kept in captivity exhibited growth rates of one gram per day to an age of one month and 0.5 grams per day thereafter, until growth rates leveled off as adulthood was reached. The life spans of all voles were less than one year (x = 139.69 days), A highly significant difference was noted between the mean life span for males (129.62 days) and females (155.05 days). Fleas and lice were the most common parasitic arthropods of the prairie vole in this study. Ticks were less common but were most prevalent on juvenile voles. Examination of blood smears yielded no evidence of parasitic infestation. The percentage of fresh sign found in twenty random samples that were periodically established throughout the study area was a reliable estimate of the relative abundance of the prairie vole. The frequency of fresh sign, such as runways, droppings, and evidence of feeding activity, was significantly related to mean population densities

Conjectural History and Scottish Philosophers

"Conjectural history" is used here to "denote any rational or naturalistic account of the origins and development of institutions, beliefs or practices not based on documents or copies of documents or other artifacts contemporary (or thought to be contemporary) with the subjects studied." Many recent historians have focused on the apparent emergence within Scotland of a large number of sophisticated conjectural histories around ¡750, and analysed them within the framework of a Marxist-oriented social science. This paper argues that such a perspective is "inappropriate and misguided." If one looks at these works as an outcome of what went before, rather than a forerunner of what came after, they begin to lose their modernistic flavour.Conjectural histories of the Scottish Enlightenment were based essentially on four sources: the Bible and its commentaries, the classics, modern works of philosophy and travel accounts. Each had an influence on the works produced. The parallels between the Biblical and the secular conjectural histories are, for example, instructive and it is clear that no Scottish historian could consistently hold a doctrine of economic deter- minism or historical materialism and still reconcile this position with his Calvinist beliefs. Works such as Lucretius' On the Nature of Things had influenced the con- jectural histories of the Renaissance and continued to be used by the Scots just as they were by the English deists, whose speculations about historical development were also helpful to Scottish writers. Travel accounts provided information concerning mankind at various stages of civilization, but no explanation of the developmental process.While the study of history was a popular pursuit during the Scottish Enlightenment this inte rest followed trends on the continent and elsewhere. Furthermore, an examination of the great works of this period suggests that they were firmly based on the writings of scholars of a generation before. Certainly the leading writers of the "golden age" from roughly 1730 to 1790 gave a more sophisticated, detailed and elaborate treatment cf these ideas, but the sources, problems and concepts which they elucidated were not new. In their analyses, they did not employ historical materialism or economic determinism, though they were undoubtedly more political-economic, dynamic and secular in their attitude. They desired change for Scotland out of a patriotic regard for the comparative backwardness of their country, but the causes and cures for that condition were not fundamentally economic in nature. If these writings are examinedas a unit, and seen in context, the conjectural historians of the Scottish Enlightenment appear to be an understandable outcome of their intellectual milieu. The author supports this conclusion by a close examination of the work of Hume and Smith. This further explicates his theme that a nascent economic determinism was not the impetus for this writing that recent historians have read into these works.L'expression "histoire conjecturale" est utilisée ici pour "définir toute description rationnelle ou naturaliste des origines et de l'évolution des institutions, croyances ou pratiques, description qui n' est pas fondée sur des documents ou des copies de docu- ments, ou sur d'autres artefacts contemporains (ou jugés contemporains) des sujets étudiés". Récemment, plusieurs historiens ont porté leur attention sur l'émergence apparente d'un grand nombre d'histoires conjecturales en Ecosse, vers 1750. L'exposé qui suit soutient qu'une telle perspective est "impropre et peu judicieuse". Si l'on considère ces travaux comme le résultat de ce qui s" est produit auparavant, plutôt que comme précurseurs de ce qui a suivi, ils commencent à perdre leur saveur moderniste.Les histoires conjecturales du siècle des lumières en Ecosse étaient fondées essentielle- ment sur quatre sources: la Bible et ses annotations, les classiques, les ouvrages modernes de philosophie et les récits de voyages. Chacune a eu une influence sur les travaux réalisés. Par exemple, les parallèles établis entre les histoires conjecturales bibliques et séculaires étaient instructives, et aucun historien écossais ne pouvait soutenir en toute logique une doctrine de déterminisme économique ou de matérialisme historique, tout en conciliant cette position avec ses propres convictions calvinistes. Des travaux tels On The Nature of Things de Lucretius, ont influencé les histoires con- jecturales de la Renaissance et continuent d'être utilisés par les Ecossais tout comme par les déistes Anglais dont les spéculations relatives au développement historique étaient aussi utiles aux écrvains Ecossais. Les récits de voyages fournissaient des renseignement sur l'humanité à divers degrés de civilisation, mais aucune explication du processus de i évolution.Alors que l'étude de l'histoire était une activité répendue en Ecosse pendant le siècle des lumières, les tendances vers cet intérêt se retrouvait aussi sur le continent et ailleurs. De plus, un examen des grandes oeuvres de l'époque permet de croire qu'elles étaient fermement fondées sur des travaux d'érudition réalisés une génération plus tôt. Assuré- ment, les principaux auteurs de cet "âge d'or" entre 1730 et 1790 approximativement, traitaient ces idées avec plus de rafinement et de détail, mais les sources, les problèmes et les concepts qu'ils élucidaient n'avaient rien de nouveau. Dans leurs analyses, ils n' utilisaient pas le matérialisme historique ne le déterminisme économique, quoique leur attitude était indubitablement plus politico-économique, dynamique et séculaire. Leur désir de changement pour l'Ecosse découlait d'un sentiment patriotique, suscité par le relatif retard de leur pays; mais les causes et les solutions à cet état de fait n'étaient pas de nature fondamentalement économiques. Si ces écrits sont étudiés comme un tout et placés dans leur contexte, les historiens conjecturaux écossais du siècle des lumières apparaissent comme une émanation compréhensible de leur milieu intellectuel. L'auteur appui cette conclusion par un examen attentif du travail de Hume et Smith. Cela explique plus à fond son thème qui est que, contrairement aux impressions des historiens contemporains, un déterminisme économique naissant n'est pas la force dynamique sous-tendant ces écrits

Book Reviews

Reviews of the following books: Benjamin Browne Foster: Down East Diary edited by Charles H. Foster; Maine During the Federal and Jerffersonian Period: A Biographical Guide compiled by Ronald F. Banks; York Is Living History by Neil Rold

Policy implications, eligibility and demographic characteristics of people with intellectual disability who have access to self-directed funding in the United States

This study identifies factors (state of residence, personal characteristics, and living situation) associated with access to self-directed funding (SDF) for adults with intellectual disability in the United States. Data from 10,033 participants from 26 states in the 2012–2013 National Core Indicators Adult Consumer Survey were analyzed. We examined state, age group, residence type, disability diagnoses, mental health status, and type of disability support funding used. Availability of SDF for people with ID varied by state and aligned mostly with state-by-state policy data on SDF eligibility and availability. The results of a logistic regression analysis demonstrated that access to SDF was lower in older adults and higher for people who lived in their parents' or relatives' home, an independent home, and with certain personal characteristics. Potential influences from policy and practice, and approaches to increase access to SDF are discussed

Estilos de personalidad y síndrome de Burnout en efectivos policiales de la ciudad de Piura, 2013

La presente investigación se llevó a cabo con los efectivos policiales de la Ciudad de Piura teniendo como objetivo de medir la relación existente entre "Estilos de Personalidad y Síndrome de Burnout en los Efectivos Policiales de la Ciudad de Piura, 2013”. El diseño de investigación que se utilizo fue transaccional / diseño no experimental (descriptiva - Correlacional), la cual se orienta a la determinación de grado de relación existente entre las dos variables.Se utilizó el método de Gamma para establecer la correlación de las variables de estudio. Se realizó la aplicación de las evaluaciones a una muestra conformada por 270 efectivos policiales; Se efectuó la evaluación, utilizando el Test de MIPS que mide los estilos de personalidad de TheodoroMillon. Y para medir los niveles de burnout el instrumento MBI, de Maslasch Cr. Ambos instrumentos gozan de confiabilidad y validez.Los resultados indican que no existe relación significativa entre Estilos de Personalidad y Síndrome de Burnout, encontrándose cinco correlaciones significativas entre las dimensiones de Estilos de personalidad y las escalas del Síndrome de Burnout; preservación y despersonalización, extraversión y realización personal, retraimiento y despersonalización, insatisfacción y agotamiento emocional, insatisfacción y realización personal