IMPACTS OF ENERGY COST INCREASES ON IRRIGATED LAND VALUES

Irrigation development in the Pacific Northwest expanded rapidly during the 1960s and 1970s when economic conditions, including very cheap electricity for pumping water, were favorable for this activity. Thousands of acre of land were irrigated that required lifting water 400 feet or more. The cost of energy for irrigation pumping has risen as much as 400% in recent years, and many of these high pump lift farms are in serious economic difficulty. This study shoes that farms with pump lifts exceeding 400 feet will not be able to replace capital irrigation equipment to remain in production in the long run. Land values on these farms will be determined by dryland production alternatives leaving no rents to sustain the incentive for irrigation.Land Economics/Use, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

National Health Insurance for the United States

Approximately 46 million U.S. citizens lack health insurance despite the nation\u27s abundant resources. The imperative for universal healthcare arises, with a proposed solution being mandatory national health insurance. This paradigm shift, championed by the U.S. House of Representatives, Senate, and citizens, aims to eradicate the issue of people foregoing healthcare due to lack of insurance, promising to enhance collective well-being. The U.S. stands out among high-income countries without comprehensive universal healthcare, leading to disproportionately high out-of-pocket expenses and inferior health outcomes. Social determinants like income, race, and rural residence exacerbate the challenge by limiting healthcare access for vulnerable groups. Embracing a \u27universal healthcare\u27 paradigm could transform the U.S. healthcare landscape, ensuring quality, economic viability, and the elimination of discriminatory barriers. A preferred model involves a private-sector, government-funded single-payer system, viewed as the clear answer to the healthcare crisis. This robust, publicly funded, non-profit initiative could provide affordable, comprehensive medical coverage for all Americans, making it the only viable option. The bottom line is a single-payer national health program is not only affordable but the only affordable option, poised to deliver on its promise of superior quality, economic viability, and the elimination of discriminatory barriers in fostering a more equitable and compassionate healthcare system

Perceptions of Student Experiences in Secondary Education Without the Presence of a Biological Father

This qualitative study examined the perceived impact of absent fathers on students’ emotional, social, and academic constraints. Many factors can contribute to the loss of a father; so, for the purpose of this research, the researcher examined the impact of the absent father through incarceration and divorce. The research may enable educators to identify the challenges, celebrate victories, and explore what it the phenomenon of an adolescent without the presence of your biological father in our community, from the perspective of the educators. Information gathered through the administration of educator perception interviews was utilized to identify how an absent father manifests in our secondary students. The educators answered the questions based solely on their perceptions of students without a father they have encountered throughout their careers. The analysis of the data collected for the study allowed the researcher to develop an understanding of the social, emotional, and academic effects of father absence. The data collected could be utilized to teach educators how to recognize and react to the perceived implications of an absent father on a secondary student. The educators perceived that these students without a father are consistently searching for a father-figure to fill the void left by the absent father. The participants tended to perceive that this lack of a family structure can also lead to disciplinary, relational, academic, emotional, and communication struggles for these students. The perception of poverty and sadness or emptiness often exists, leading to low confidence, low motivation, and a lack of accountability. The perception of the educators was that the lack of security led to overall concern for responsibility and work ethic. The lack of structure outside the school can contribute to questioning authority or being disrespectful. The lack of discipline at home is perceived to equate to a poor work ethic, low amounts of responsibility, and a low quality of work. These students sometimes have a low self-esteem, thus low expectations and little attention to detail. It may not be the priority of the student to complete all work and therefore they become apathetic with low confidence and expectations for academic success

Steel Compression Members with Partial-length Reinforcement

Steel wide-flange columns in existing truss bridges may be built-up with flange cover plate reinforcement to increase compressive capacity. This thesis investigates the use of partial-length steel cover plates about column mid-height to improve the weak-axis buckling resistance. The present research first reviews literature concerning the Euler buckling of members with partial-length reinforcement. Inelastic buckling is simulated by 3-D finite element analysis accounting for cover plate length, cover plate area, bolt hole perforations, yield stresses, residual and locked-in dead load stresses, and initial out-of-straightness. The model is validated by a load test of a full-scale column with bolted reinforcement plates. A parametric sensitivity study shows that reinforced capacity is characterized by the transition between failure initiating either in the original column at the unreinforced end segments, or at column mid-height in the reinforced segment. An equation developed through multiple linear regression is proposed for a simplified procedure for preliminary design

Type 1 Diabetes in the Classroom

Type 1 diabetes [T1D] is an autoimmune disease that presents in a pathophysiological disorder as insulin deficiency. Managing this illness during childhood is a constant challenge of maintaining blood glucose levels within a healthy range, resulting in increased stress for children and caregivers. School attendance is one factor that may result in increased stress. Studies have highlighted the fact that teachers of students with T1D may receive little education regarding management of the disease and may be required to make accommodations which can result in confusion, miscommunication, and increased psychosocial stress. The goal of this research was to learn about the experiences of teachers of students with T1D, what is expected of them, what resources they have, and factors which they perceive as barriers or facilitators to education for students with T1D. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two high school teachers in East Tennessee who had experience teaching students with T1D. The results of the interviews showed that teachers receive limited education, that they are expected to make accommodations such as having snacks on hand and allowing extra access to phones, and that there are perceived barriers to education of individuals with T1D due to the possibility of life-threatening events. The teachers reported that school nurses are involved in the care of students with T1D. Limitations include that only two teachers were interviewed, and while the results are important to take into consideration, saturation was not reached. Future research could include more in-depth interviews or surveys with school nurses

Colonialism and Globalism in Two Contemporary Southern Appalachian Novels - Serena (2008) by Ron Rash, and Flight Behavior (2012) by Barbara Kingsolver

In this essay, I investigate how the historic and current economic structures operating in Appalachia from the 1920s to the 2010s are represented in two contemporary Southern Appalachian novels – Serena (2008) by Ron Rash and Flight Behavior (2012) by Barbara Kingsolver. Through the lens of postcolonial theory, I show how Serena represents Appalachia as functioning under the colonial model outlined by Robert Blauner and Helen Mathews Lewis in 1978. Then, still under the theory of postcolonialism, I explore how Kingsolver’s work depicts regional identity in response to a post-colonial environment and the ever-expanding global economy