The Federal Minimum Wage, Political Thought and Citizenship

Several questions about the minimum wage have not been answered adequately by scholars. The wage’s origins, its reasons for federal passage, the roots of its decline, and its future prospects are all up for debate in the current literature. This paper weighs in on these questions, hoping to improve the debate surrounding them. In the process, the importance of linking the wage to citizenship becomes clear. As the political thought of the issue has moved away from conceiving of minimum wages as tools for reaffirming the status of low wage workers, support for the wage, and its monetary value, has declined. The need for a more responsible scholarship about the minimum wage, one without ideologically biased preconceptions, is also addressed

Spot activity of the RS CVn star {\sigma} Geminorum

We model the photometry of RS CVn star $\sigma$ Geminorum to obtain new information on the changes of the surface starspot distribution, i.e., activity cycles, differential rotation and active longitudes. We use the previously published Continuous Periods Search-method (CPS) to analyse V-band differential photometry obtained between the years 1987 and 2010 with the T3 0.4 m Automated Telescope at the Fairborn Observatory. The CPS-method divides data into short subsets and then models the light curves with Fourier-models of variable orders and provides estimates of the mean magnitude, amplitude, period and light curve minima. These light curve parameters are then analysed for signs of activity cycles, differential rotation and active longitudes. We confirm the presence of two previously found stable active longitudes, synchronised with the orbital period $P_{\rm{orb}}=19.60$d and find eight events where the active longitudes are disrupted. The epochs of the primary light curve minima rotate with a shorter period $P_{\rm{min,1}}=19.47$d than the orbital motion. If the variations in the photometric rotation period were to be caused by differential rotation, this would give a differential rotation coefficient of $\alpha \ge 0.103$. The presence of two slightly different periods of active regions may indicate a superposition of two dynamo modes, one stationary in the orbital frame and the other one propagating in the azimuthal direction. Our estimate of the differential rotation is much higher than previous results. However, simulations show that this can be caused by insufficient sampling in our data.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to A&

Stellar activity as noise in exoplanet detection I. Methods and application to solar-like stars and activity cycles

The detection of exoplanets using any method is prone to confusion due to the intrinsic variability of the host star. We investigate the effect of cool starspots on the detectability of the exoplanets around solar-like stars using the radial velocity method. For investigating this activity-caused "jitter" we calculate synthetic spectra using radiative transfer, known stellar atomic and molecular lines, different surface spot configurations, and an added planetary signal. Here, the methods are described in detail, tested and compared to previously published studies. The methods are also applied to investigate the activity jitter in old and young solar-like stars, and over a solar-like activity cycles. We find that the mean full jitter amplitude obtained from the spot surfaces mimicking the solar activity varies during the cycle approximately between 1 m/s and 9 m/s. With a realistic observing frequency a Neptune mass planet on a one year orbit can be reliably recovered. On the other hand, the recovery of an Earth mass planet on a similar orbit is not feasible with high significance. The methods developed in this study have a great potential for doing statistical studies of planet detectability, and also for investigating the effect of stellar activity on recovered planetary parameters.Comment: Accepted to MNRA

Predictors of Behavioral Competence and Self-Esteem: A Study Assessing Impact in a Basic Public Speaking Course

As evaluation in higher education receives increasing attention, the assessment of the impact of basic oral communication instruction is becoming more important. This study examines the impact of a public speaking course on undergraduates\u27 affective and behavioral competence. Using a pre- and posttest model, assessment was based on administration of the Communication Competency Assessment Instrument and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale at the beginning and end of the course. Communication competence and self-esteem were measured as a function of communication apprehension, gender, age, and ethnicity. Results indicated that the course generally impacted similarly on students regardless of their level of communication apprehension, gender, age or ethnicity

Predictors of Self-Perceptions of Behavioral Competence, Self-Esteem, and Willingness to Communicate: A Study Assessing Impact in a Basic Interpersonal Communication Course

Considering the emergent role of evaluation in higher education, it is important that assessment procedures be developed for all communication courses. Courses such as public speaking already have well established assessment programs while other courses are in need of additional attention. This article describes an assessment program that examines the impact of an interpersonal course on undergraduates\u27 self-perceived behavioral and affective competence. Using a pre- and post-test model, assessment was based on administration of the Communication Behaviors Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Willingness to Communicate Scale. These outcomes were measured as a function of gender, age, and ethnicity. Results indicated that the course impacted similarly on students regardless of these predictor variables, with significant improvement being demonstrated for all groups of students. The article provides a description of the interpersonal course and its assessment procedures. The results of analyses of data are presented with a discussion of future directions for assessment in this course

Modelling job crafting behaviours: Implications for work engagement

In this study among 206 employees (103 dyads), we followed the job demands–resources approach of job crafting to investigate whether proactively changing one’s work environment influences employee’s (actor’s) own and colleague s (partner’s) work engagement. Using social cognitive theory, we hypothesized that employees would imitate each other’s job crafting behaviours, and therefore influence each other’s work engagement. Results showed that the crafting of social and structural job resources, and the crafting of challenge job demands was positively related to own work engagement, whereas decreasing hindrance job demands was unrelated to own engagement. As predicted, results showed a reciprocal relationship between dyad members’ job crafting behaviours – each of the actor’s job crafting behaviours was positively related to the partner’s job crafting behaviours. Finally, employee’s job crafting was related to colleague’s work engagement through colleague’s job crafting, suggesting a modelling process

Doppler images and the underlying dynamo. The case of AF Leporis

The (Zeeman-)Doppler imaging studies of solar-type stars very often reveal large high-latitude spots. This also includes F stars that possess relatively shallow convection zones, indicating that the dynamo operating in these stars differs from the solar dynamo. We aim to determine whether mean-field dynamo models of late-F type dwarf stars can reproduce the surface features recovered in Doppler maps. In particular, we wish to test whether the models can reproduce the high-latitude spots observed on some F dwarfs. The photometric inversions and the surface temperature maps of AF Lep were obtained using the Occamian-approach inversion technique. Low signal-to-noise spectroscopic data were improved by applying the least-squares deconvolution method. The locations of strong magnetic flux in the stellar tachocline as well as the surface fields obtained from mean-field dynamo solutions were compared with the observed surface temperature maps. The photometric record of AF Lep reveals both long- and short-term variability. However, the current data set is too short for cycle-length estimates. From the photometry, we have determined the rotation period of the star to be 0.9660+-0.0023 days. The surface temperature maps show a dominant, but evolving, high-latitude (around +65 degrees) spot. Detailed study of the photometry reveals that sometimes the spot coverage varies only marginally over a long time, and at other times it varies rapidly. Of a suite of dynamo models, the model with a radiative interior rotating as fast as the convection zone at the equator delivered the highest compatibility with the obtained Doppler images.Comment: accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Solids maldistribution in parallel cyclones

The amount of solids maldistribution in parallel cyclones was investigated to determine what parameters affected the maldistribution. In many fluidized bed processes with parallel cyclones (as many as 20 in parallel in some cases), it has been noted that unequal erosion (wear) can occur in the cyclones. This results in very short run lengths in order to repair the cyclones with the most wear. This unequal wear has been attributed to unequal solids distribution to the cyclones. In addition to the increased wear, cyclone efficiencies are affected as well. In the specific concern that generated this study, it was found that parallel cyclones in fluidized-bed cokers at Syncrude Canada Ltd. (Syncrude) had unequal amounts of coke buildup on them. This coke buildup on the cyclones causes increased backpressure on the fluidized-bed coker, and after a certain pressure is reached, results in shutdown of the coker. Hot scouring coke, presented at the cyclone inlets, is used to combat the coke formation that is caused by condensation of heavy hydrocarbons. Understanding the scouring coke distribution into the parallel cyclones could lead to reduced deposit maldistribution and increased run length. The testing to determine what causes solids maldistribution in parallel cyclones was conducted using four, 30-cm diameter parallel cyclones that were located above a 0.9-m diameter fluidized bed. Solids flows into the freeboard above the fluidized bed were from the fluidized bed itself and from two pneumatic conveying lines that simulated the lines entering the freeboard of the Syncrude Canada Ltd (Syncrude) fluidized bed coker. The testing was conducted at ambient temperature and pressure using a coke material with a median particle size of 156 microns. The results of the testing showed that although the pressure drop across the cyclones were essentially equal, the gas and solids flow rates through the cyclones could vary significantly. By closing a valve in the dipleg of each of the test cyclones and measuring the rate of buildup of solids in each dipleg, the solids flow rate through each cyclone could be determined. Tests were conducted to vary the gas flow rate through the bed, the amount of solids flow through each pneumatic conveying line and the amount of gas flowing through each cyclone. Depending on conditions, it was found that the ratio of the solids flow rate through the highest-loaded cyclone to the lowest-loaded cyclone could be as much as a factor of four. It was found that the solids distribution in the freeboard above the bed determined the solids flow distribution into each cyclone. Changing the gas flow rate through the cyclone did not affect the solids distribution through the cyclones. It appears that the solids distribute to the cyclones based on the solids distribution at the entrance to the parallel cyclones. The gas flow then distributes itself in order to equalize the pressure drop across the cyclones