The Threat of Social Media to Society and National Security: A Call for Social Media Policy and Legislation

In the Constitution, We the People affirm ourselves to domestic tranquility, our common defense and general welfare to secure the blessings of Liberty. As such, statesmen are charged with developing policy to ensure social media is safe, accessible and usable to all. Currently, social media companies and use of their platforms pose a threat to national security and the societal fabric of our nation. No longer just a communication tool to bring communities and people together, social media is now leveraged to disrupt and diminish faith in our democratic republic, its people, systems and institutions. Citizens, public and private organizations, elected officials, alt-leaning media, etc. are able to write, share, and spread misleading-to-false information through various social media platforms without consequence. Social media companies, protected from liabilities of the intended or unintended effects of information found or shared over their platforms through various policies and liability protections, are the sole determinant of content and user reach. Other innovations, scientific advancements, and medical breakthroughs, such as nuclear power, vaccinations, and abortion, are limited by policy or regulation because of the real and unmitigated threats they pose to life, security and society. Due to its global reach, impacts and capabilities, social media policy must be examined. Analysis shows social media legislation is warranted due to dangers associated with its current use; a tool capable of inflicting harm, damages, and causalities (physical and emotional), and able to bypass, usurp and dismantle the principles upon which the United States was founded

Flight measured and calculated exhaust jet conditions for an F100 engine in an F-15 airplane

The exhaust jet conditions, in terms of temperature and Mach number, were determined for a nozzle-aft end acoustic study flown on an F-15 aircraft. Jet properties for the F100 EMD engines were calculated using the engine manufacturer's specification deck. The effects of atmospheric temperature on jet Mach number, M10, were calculated. Values of turbine discharge pressure, PT6M, jet Mach number, and jet temperature were calculated as a function of aircraft Mach number, altitude, and power lever angle for the test day conditions. At a typical test point with a Mach number of 0.9, intermediate power setting, and an altitude of 20,000 ft, M10 was equal to 1.63. Flight measured and calculated values of PT6M were compared for intermediate power at altitudes of 15500, 20500, and 31000 ft. It was found that at 31000 ft, there was excellent agreement between both, but for lower altitudes the specification deck overpredicted the flight data. The calculated jet Mach numbers were believed to be accurate to within 2 percent

Seasonal variability in ichthyoplankton abundance and assemblage composition in the northern Gulf of Mexico off Alabama

Multiyear ichthyoplankton surveys used to monitor larval fish seasonality, abundance, and assemblage structure can provide early indicators of regional ecosystem changes. Numerous ichthyoplankton surveys have been conducted in the northern Gulf of Mexico, but few have had high levels of temporal resolution and sample replication. In this study, ichthyoplankton samples were collected monthly (October 2004–October 2006) at a single station off the coast of Alabama as part of a long-term biological survey. Four seasonal periods were identified from observed and historic water temperatures, including a relatively long (June–October) “summer” period (water temperature >26°C). Fish egg abundance, total larval abundance, and larval taxonomic diversity were significantly related to water temperature (but not salinity), with peaks in the spring, spring–summer, and summer periods, respectively. Larvae collected during the survey represented 58 different families, of which engraulids, sciaenids, carangids, and clupeids were the most prominent. The most abundant taxa collected were unidentified engraulids (50%), sand seatrout (Cynoscion arenarius, 7.5%), Atlantic bumper (Chloroscombrus chrysurus, 5.4%), Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus, 4.4%), Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus, 3.8%), and unidentified gobiids (3.6%). Larval concentrations for dominant taxa were highly variable between years, but the timing of seasonal occurrence for these taxa was relatively consistent. Documented increases in sea surface temperature on the Alabama shelf may have various implications for larval fish dynamics, as indicated by the presence of tropical larval forms (e.g., fistularids, labrids, scarids, and acanthurids) in our ichthyoplankton collections and in recent juvenile surveys of Alabama and northern Gulf of Mexico seagrass habitats

The Clearest Sense of Danger?

Captain Hernandez recounts his story of how training classes and stepping into a mine field are two very different circumstances. Though the dangers are terrifying, it is the humanitarian rewards that keep this deminer going back

From the Battlefield to the Civilian Labor Force: What are the Obstacles Facing Military Veterans in Successful Reintegration to the Civilian Workforce?

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to explore and understand the difficulties and challenges that thousands of combat veterans have encountered in their reintegration into society and the civilian workforce. The research study was guided by the four research questions: What were the lived experiences of combat veterans as they transitioned from military service to civilian employment? What were the challenges and difficulties that combat veterans experienced when seeking civilian employment? What are the successes that combat veterans have experienced in transitioning to the civilian workforce? What perceptions do human resource managers have about combat veterans and their transferable skills? In seeking answers to the research questions, an exhaustive literature review was conducted, as well as in-depth interviews with fifteen combat veterans. The data that was collected, was analyzed, and numerous themes emerged. The themes were depression with a sub-theme of self-medication, loss of identity, PTSD, and suicidal ideation. Additional themes were education, waste of time, ignorance, and discrimination. The themes consistent with the conceptual and the literature review. Findings were presented, as well as applications to professional practice, and Biblical implications. Recommendations for action, and further study were made. The researcher reflected on the entire journey. The findings accurately reported the lived experiences of the fifteen research participants

“I would not consider myself a homophobe”: Learning and teaching about sexual orientation in a principal preparation program

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the written reflections of aspiring principals in two principal-preparation courses where social justice is at the core of the content and which address sexual orientation as part of the responsibility of a social justice leader. Data Collection: Two instructors in a leadership-preparation program incorporated reflection assignments into their respective social-justice-related courses. One course was offered at the beginning of the program; the other offered at the end. Aspiring principals from two different cohorts of students participated in the study. The students’ reflections were coded to identify themes and patterns that were found in their reflections and to see if any of their reflections changed over time. Findings: The authors found that students had varied experiences with people who identified as LGBTQ. Second, we found that discussion of sexual orientation was complicated by students’ Christian beliefs. Third, we found that there was some change in the way in which students responded to sexual orientation, from a more passionate to a more analytical stance. We discuss these findings in light of the need for better assessment of future leaders’ attitudes and actions and of our own heteronormativity and heterosexism. We discuss implications for our own teaching as well as for other teachers in preparation programs

The Across-Shelf Distribution of Larval, Postlarval and Juvenile Fishes Collected at Oil and Gas Platforms and a Coastal Jetty Off Louisiana West of the Mississippi River Delta.

A cross-shelf transect of three petroleum platforms and a coastal rock jetty (another hard-substrate, artificial habitat) in the northcentral Gulf were sampled to examine the role that oil and gas platforms (hard substrate habitat) may play in the early life history stages of reef-dependent and reef-associated fishes. The ichthyoplankton and juvenile fish assemblages were sampled at Green Canyon 18 (GC 18; 230 m depth, shelf slope); Grand Isle 94 (GI 94; 60 m depth, mid-shelf); and South Timbalier 54 (ST 54; 20 m depth, inner shelf) with passive plankton nets and light-traps and at a coastal rock jetty (Belle Pass; 3--5 m depth) with a light-trap and a plankton pushnet. At all sites clupeiforms dominated samples, comprising 59--97% of the total catch. Results of Kolmogorov-Smirnov length-frequency comparisons of fish collected in plankton nets vs. light-traps (platforms) indicated light-traps generally collected significantly larger individuals. At the jetties, greater overlap in size distributions was observed for comparisons of the pushnet and light-trap. Reef-dependent (e.g., pomacentrids, scarids, chaetodontids and labrids) and reef-associated (e.g., serranids, lutjanids, blenniids and holocentrids) taxa were relatively rare in our collections compared to coastal pelagic (scombrids and carangids) and demersal taxa (sciaenids), which are also often associated with petroleum platforms. Taxonomic richness and diversity was highest at mid-shelf platform (GI 94), possibly a result of its proximity to a high density of upstream and surrounding platforms which may create generally favorable conditions for the recruitment of reef taxa. Preflexion and early larval stages of reef-dependent and reef-associated fishes were collected at the outer shelf platform (blenniids, holocentrids, serranids, lutjanids and scarids), mid-shelf platform (pomacentrids, blenniids, holocentrids, lutjanids and serranids), and inner shelf platform (blenniids and lutjanids), suggesting nearby spawning or local supply. Similarly, presettlement and settlement-sized reef-dependent and reef-associated fishes were collected at the outer shelf (pomacentrids, scarids, blenniids, serranids, lutjanids and holocentrids), midshelf (pomacentrids, blenniids, serranids, lutjanids and holocentrids), and inner shelf (labrids, blenniids, serranids and lutjanids) platforms. With the limited amount of hard-substrate habitat available in the northern Gulf, the addition of artificial habitats (platforms) may increase the chances of finding suitable spawning or settlement habitat

Schools in vulnerable contexts: Galapagos Islands’ principals and accountability

Rural and remote areas present challenges in the organization of schools, especially when implementing new practices. In this study, we examine the leadership challenges faced by principals in the Galapagos Islands, under the Ministry of Education in Ecuador. The purpose of this case is to examine the work of principals leading schools in this unique context observing the expectations and demands for principals under a newly implemented accountability system. Significant in this study is the examination of leadership in highly vulnerable contexts, including the remote islands of Galapagos, and leadership values respective to the success of schools and communities

Enhancing the Value of Qualitative Field Notes Through Purposeful Reflection

This commentary outlines the efforts taken to provide doctoral students with purposeful reflection questions to help them enhance the value and utility of qualitative data. It is based upon experiences teaching a doctoral level qualitative research methods course for students enrolled in an executive format doctoral program. Reflexivity of the researcher, reflection, and research design decisions are discussed. Suggestions for purposeful reflection questions are also discussed and listed in four categories. The categories of purposeful reflection questions include (1) Research Setting Access, (2) Examining Norms and Cultures, (3) Positionality of Research Subjects, and (4) Positionality as an Observer. These four categories of questions provide a paradigm that could help many qualitative researchers take a more systematic in-depth approach to the collection, transcription, and analysis of field notes and other forms of qualitative data