The First Amendment and the End of the World

This paper deals with a serious question that is largely unaddressed by the U.S. or international legal systems: how should society deal with inherently, catastrophically dangerous information—information that, in the wrong hands, could lead to the destruction of a city, a continent, or, conceivably, the entire planet? Such information includes, but is not limited to, blueprints for nuclear weapons, as well as specific formulae for chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction. The paper is not a critique of the existing statutes and regulations that various governments use to keep their secrets secret. Rather, it is a discussion of what to do when some such secrets are inevitably disclosed, or, more generally, how to deal with catastrophically dangerous information that is generated outside of governmental control. Addressing these issues is primarily a matter of policy, but policy with significant constitutional dimensions. Perhaps the most fundamental of those\ud dimensions is the question of whether a governmental restriction on receipt, dissemination, and even mere possession of information can be reconciled with the speech and press clauses of the First Amendment. Although existing authorities do not directly address the subject, what little authority there is suggests that reasonable restrictions upon the possession and dissemination of catastrophically dangerous information—even when that information is already within the public domain—can be implemented in a way that is consistent with the First Amendment. Given the growing urgency of the subject and the need for a comprehensive approach, I advocate a statutory solution in the United States that defines and limits access to catastrophically dangerous information, but which also limits governmental seizures and restrictions to only the most dangerous types of information, and which provides for a pre-seizure warrant requirement and expedited post-seizure judicial review. Given the global dimensions of the problem, I also advocate a corresponding international regime patterned upon the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty of 1968.\u

Workshop on Exercise Prescription for Long-Duration Space Flight

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has a dedicated history of ensuring human safety and productivity in flight. Working and living in space long term represents the challenge of the future. Our concern is in determining the effects on the human body of living in space. Space flight provides a powerful stimulus for adaptation, such as cardiovascular and musculoskeletal deconditioning. Extended-duration space flight will influence a great many systems in the human body. We must understand the process by which this adaptation occurs. The NASA is agressively involved in developing programs which will act as a foundation for this new field of space medicine. The hallmark of these programs deals with prevention of deconditioning, currently referred to as countermeasures to zero g. Exercise appears to be most effective in preventing the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal degradation of microgravity

Summary and recommendations for initial exercise prescription

The recommendations summarized herein constitute a basis on which an initial exercise prescription can be formulated. It is noteworthy that any exercise program designed currently would be an approximation. Examination of the existing space-flight data reveals a scarcity of in-flight data on which to rigorously design an exercise program. The relevant experience within the U.S. space program (with regard to long-duration space flight) is limited to the Skylab Program. Lessons learned from Skylab are relevant to the design of a Space Station exercise program, especially with regard to the total length of exercise time required, cardiovascular (CV) deconditioning/reconditioning, and bone loss. Certain observations of the U.S.S.R. exercise activities can also contribute to the formulation of an exercise prescription of Space Station. Reportedly, the U.S.S.R. uses both a bicycle ergometer and a treadmill device on long-duration missions with some degree of success. Using the third crew of Salyut 6, which was a 175-day stay, as a representative mission, the typical time dedicated to exercise varies from 2 to 3 hours per day. In addition, the cosmonauts wear an elasticized suit, called a penquin suit, for time periods ranging from 12 to 16 hours per day. This device provides a load across the axial skeleton against which the wearer must exert himself. Despite these extensive countermeasures, the effects of adaptation are not totally prevented

Personality, Well-Being, and Music Involvement

This study identified if music experience is related to goal orientation, personality traits, and well-being. The subjects were the students and staff of Linfield College, members of the surrounding community, and members of a professional choir. The sample contained the spectrum of professional musicians to those with no music experience, ages 18 to nearly retired. Data was gathered via an online survey, with items to collect information about: demographics, music involvement throughout life, athletic involvement throughout life, academic information, personality traits, goal orientation, motivation, and several types of well-being. Overall there were significant correlations found between a wide spectrum of music involvement and specific personality traits, such as Openness and Compassion. Other factors, such as behavioral inhibition and approach, also have overarching correlations with music involvement. These findings suggest that there are clear relations between music and goals, motivation, and personality. We also found numerous relationships between various types of well-being and music involvement, some of which were not anticipated. These results have the potential to impact public policy and public school programs

Barriers to women in the UK construction industry

Purpose – This paper aims to identify the main barriers that lead to the under-representation of women in the UK construction industry. The study, funded by ConstructionSkills, seeks to explore the issues that women face and investigate the potential positive impact that continuous professional development (CPD) may have upon improving the retention and career progression of women. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses an open-ended grounded theory (GT) approach, including 231 semi-structured questionnaires and nine focus groups with women from a range of professional occupations. All the findings were analysed using keyword analysis to identify the top two barriers that women face, alongside a series of cross-cutting key themes and issues. Findings – The findings reveal that male-dominated organisational cultures and inflexible working practices are the main barriers to women in the UK construction industry, irrespective of job role or profession. This paper concludes by arguing for a sea-change in the expansion of CPD opportunities for women in managerial, confidence and communication based skills, with accompanying networking and support systems to facilitate the retention and advancement of women in the industry sector. Research limitations/implications – Due to the research approach, the data are not generalisable. Therefore, researchers are advised to research and test the findings with a larger group. Researchers are also recommended to investigate the impact of expanded CPD opportunities for both men and women. Originality/value – The paper puts forward a business case for the advancement of specific CPD training for women, to facilitate the expansion of equality and diversity in the workforce in the UK construction industry

An empirical evaluation of the capital asset pricing model in South Africa

This thesis presents an empirical evaluation of the validity of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) in South Africa. More specifically, the behaviour of share prices on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange during the eight years from 1973 to 1980 is evaluated. The study is the first direct test of the CAPM in South Africa. The methodology employed is a cross-sectional regression technique which has been used successfully in testing overseas security markets. An extension to the usual methodology is made by comparing the results obtained using a I published market-index with those obtained using an internally generated index. The historical development and the derivation of the CAPM is discussed in the thesis, as is the relationship between the CAPM and the Efficient Markets Hypothesis. The results indicate a strong possibility that the CAPM is a valid model in a South African context. Refinements to the research methodology strengthen this conclusion. A potential problem in the interpretation of the results of tests of this sort is also discussed, as is a recent extension to the theory. The overall conclusion is that the CAPM is a valid model, however further research is required to establish this with greater certainty

Blairfare: Third-Way Disability and Dependency in Britain

Produced by The Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i and The School of Social Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas for The Society for Disability Studies