Mine gas and coal dust explosions and methane outbursts - their causes and prevention.

A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering.Ignitions of methane and coal dust have caused considerable loss of life and damage to installations in South African collieries during the past century. The phenomenon of methane outbursts have also resulted in the creation of dangerous conditions underground. The dissertation examines the causes of methane outbursts and the seven main ignition sources leading to methane and coal dust explosions. These ignition sources were derived from an examination of Mines Department inquiries extending back to 1891. the date of the first known ignition of mine gas. Selected incidents were chosen from the official Inquiries for each ignition source and these are dealt with in detail. This includes an investigation into the many factors which developed prior to the individual explosions and the effects of the aftermath such incidents. Precautions to be adopted to prevent methane outbursts and minimise the risk of methane and coal dust explosions as a result of the seven ignition sources are detailed at the end of each chapter.Andrew Chakane 201

An argument for the nationalization of railroad rights-of-way

Transportation is a crucial element in any economy. With such a large portion of the United States\u27 economy centered around transportation, an efficient system of moving goods would be in the nation\u27s best interest. Competitive markets are the most effective mechanism for allocating resources efficiently. An efficient transportation system, therefore, would be one where competition among carriers is the norm. 1 Enormous infrastructure costs prohibit new railroads from entering the market, and prevent existing railroads from competing with trucks for freight transportation revenues. This paper focuses on the lack of competition in the railroad industry and attempts to demonstrate why trains are a superior mode of transportation than trucks. This paper will also show that increasing competition in the railroad industry can reduce freight transportation rates, increase service quality, reduce pollution, and reduce fossil fuel consumption. Nationalizing railroad rights-of-way in the United States would significantly improve competition in the transportation sector. Before discussing nationalization as a socially desirable policy for railroad rights-of-way, it is appropriate to first examine the competitive conditions that exist in the railroad and trucking industries

Observations on the early public health movement in Scotland

The observations which follow represent a.n attempt to arrive at an understanding of certain aspects of the background to the early public health movement which seemed obscure. By all accounts the 18th century in Scotland represented a period of material progress and increasing prosperity. The economic advance continued in the early 19th century, yet the rise in the prosperity of the people did not seem to keep pace with it. The investigations into the conditions of the people in the 1830's, which played such an important part in the sanitary reform movement, indicated an actual deterioration in welfare for many of the common folk. This association of increasing economic power and diminishing prosperity seemed anomalous at first glance: and the fact of a break in the upward trend of general prosperity was difficult to accept without further study.in attempting to understand these difficulties, the first step was to examine events during the 18th century to find out whether the supposed improvement in the welfare of the people during that period was genuine. for this purpose the increase in population which took place during that century was selected for special study, and an attempt was made to discover the causes of this increase. The next step was to look into conditions in the early 19th century to find out whether or not a deterioration actually did take place at that time. Ioor this purpose certain trends of the death rates and the incidence of disease were examined: and the environment and financial condition of parts of the population were investigated. ï+finally an attempt was made to arrive at an understanding of the history of some of the early developments in public health reform in Scotland in the light of such facts as had been elucidated

Talking ‘bout poor folks (thinking ‘bout my folks): Perspectives on comparative poverty in working class households

This paper explores concepts and narratives of comparative poverty articulated by residents of six working class neighbourhoods in Britain and examines how individuals’ assessments of self were influenced by comparisons to other social groups. The paper presents empirical findings to suggest the need for more nuanced sociological and policy understandings of working class experience and alternative explanations for quiescence with inequality. Our findings suggest disconnections between research emphasising relative deprivation and stigmatisation, a drive to evaluate economic status and the centrality of a comparative relational framework for perceptions of poverty; and the actual lens’ through which many working class individuals conceptualise their circumstances. The denial of a social comparative paradigm was generated by circumstances being doxic (or taken for granted), the rejection of a ‘poverty’ label, the importance of self-trajectories and the ambivalent and nuanced relationships between material wealth, happiness and moral worth. However, a limited comparative gaze upon more affluent groups was contrasted with strong narratives of respectability and legitimacy juxtaposed with those groups deemed not to adhere to these working class values. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for housing policy