Toxic Chemicals Transported by Rail and Public Health Safety using GIS in Montgomery County, Ohio

Hazardous chemicals transported by rail pass directly through urban cities and pose a safety and health threat to the community. Some of these chemicals can be in large quantities, extremely toxic, devastating to the environment and have the potential to cause mass casualties and death. Thousands of people could be in harm’s way. While there is always the possibility for accidental chemical release, they also have the potential to be used in acts of sabotage and terrorism. Evaluation of the rail line in Montgomery County, Ohio using standards in the 2008 Emergency Response Guidebook using geographic information systems (GIS) at designated evacuation distances showed that many people, schools, hospitals, nursing homes and public venues are at risk in the event of a chemical release. Using GIS for modeling can help emergency management better coordinate evacuation and shelter in place procedures with the public, plan evacuation routes, and decrease the morbidity and mortality of the exposed. The data collected, by use of GIS, can help give a more inclusive picture of those impacted by a train tanker toxic chemical release and provide evidence for policy review

Developing and Measuring Students\u27 Critical Thinking Skills When Using a Multimedia Information System

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the critical thinking skills six Year 7 students used and developed while working on an Multimedia Information System, Encarta. The students\u27 verbal interactions were recorded on audio tapes as they worked cooperatively in their groups. These interactions were transcribed and a content analysis technique was used to identify and calculate critical thinking indicator ratios. The content analysis was supported by field notes and students\u27 word processed responses. The results show that students in both groups collectively did engage in critical thinking, particularly with regards to the indicators, Importance, Linking Ideas and Critical Assessment. These critical thinking indicators also developed over the four sessions for students within each group, along with the indicator, Practical Utility

Pastoralna skrb kao odgovor Crkve na fenomen sekularizacije

The ongoing process of the secularization of European societies has been present for a few decades now. It is a great challenge for the Church who is trying to resist it in a variety of ways. Pastoral care, meant as the organized saving activity of the Church aimed at saving the man, is one such way. However, resisting the process of secularization is not the direct goal of pastoral care. If pastoral care is run in a proper way, it can be a powerful and meaningful tool of the Church in resisting laicization. The article presents various forms of ordinary and extraordinary pastoral care which contribute to the development of religiousness of believers and to spreading the Gospel in the common social life. The author first presents the role of ordinary pastoral care in this process. He then lists proclaiming God’s word, various forms of the cult and the ministry of Christian love as ways of reviving religious life. He also indicates the role of extraordinary pastoral care, especially the branch which aims at the cooperation with new developing working groups and other informal secular associations.U tijeku je proces sekularizacije europskih društava koji je prisutan već nekoliko desetljeća. Veliki je to izazov za Crkvu koja mu se nastoji oduprijeti na različite načine. Pastoralna skrb, zamišljena kao organizirana spasenjska djelatnost Crkve kojoj je cilj spasenje čovjeka, jedan je od takvih načina. Međutim, opiranje procesu sekularizacije nije izravan cilj pastoralne skrbi. Ukoliko se pastoralna skrb provodi na pravilan način, ona može biti moćno i smisleno sredstvo Crkve u opiranju laicizaciji. U članku su predstavljeni različiti oblici redovite i izvanredne pastoralne skrbi koji doprinose razvoju religioznosti vjernika i širenju Evanđelja u zajedničkom društvenom životu. Najprije, autor predstavlja ulogu redovite pastoralne skrbi u ovom procesu. Zatim nabraja: naviještanje Božje riječi, različite oblike kulta i služenje kršćanske ljubavi kao načine oživljavanja vjerskog života. Također ukazuje na ulogu izvanredne pastoralne skrbi, posebice one vrste koja smjera na suradnju s novim radničkim udruživanjima koja se razvijaju i s drugim neformalnim svjetovnim udruženjima

The Recognition of Professional Qualifications in the European Union: The Practice of Administration and European Courts - The Ski Instructor Example

The case of the English ski instructor Simon Butler working in France is the best example of the malfunctioning of the professional-qualifications recognition system in Europe. The practice of European and national administration as well as the jurisprudence of the CJEU and French courts shows how important and complex the subject of qualifi cation recognition is. A review of administrative practices and an analysis of case law show the positive and negative sides of the EU’s qualification recognition system. The European Commission is carrying out numerous activities aimed at improving said system. The latest solutions make the idea of qualification without borders a reality. The most important task is to examine the changes and legislative proposals of the European Union, analyse the case of Simon Butler and present proposals for changes against the background of activities undertaken throughout the Union. They should be realised through legal research methods and non-reactive social methods

Nothing about us: three models of disability in three works of literary fiction

This project explores how the three umbrella models of disability (medical, functional, and social) are shown in several disabled characters from three novels published after the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act: Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and Good Kings, Bad Kings by Susan Nussbaum. Through the utilization of literary analysis from a cultural studies perspective, this project shows that the models of disability, despite the various flaws in their respective designs, prove to be useful lenses to see disability through, both in these novels and in real life, to help further its mainstream understanding, at least on a basic level. My goal is to make these ways of seeing more accessible to those not well-versed in the field of disability studies

Problemy postępowania z zakresu przyznawania świadczeń emerytalnych. Studium przypadku i propozycja zmian

The administrative procedure for applying for old-age benefit at ZUS is not clear. It is noted that the Company applies double standards for its clients - one resulting from the Act on pensions from the Social Insurance Fund and its executive acts and the second completely unclear, resulting from the internal opinions, orders and decisions of the Department. Such two-faced proceedings lead to long-lasting disputes between the claimants and the Social Insurance Institution regarding the amount of the pension and its components. Usually, cases of this type go to the separate court proceedings in the labour and social insurance departments of district courts as appeals against ZUS decisions. Court proceedings are a completely unusual procedure. The court acquires evidence, evaluates and judges it in a completely different way than in "standard" civil law proceedings. Particularly noteworthy is the part of this procedure regarding the calculation of initial capital. This part of the proceedings is particularly difficult as the parties and the court are obliged to collect and properly assess the evidence indicating the periods and scope of work appealing against the decision of the Social Security Office. Usually, however, this evidence, including the testimonies of witnesses, is age-old and even up to 50 years old. Therefore, the assessment of such evidence carries with it a corresponding difficulty. This study was based on the files of the proceedings regarding the establishment of initial capital and the amount of old-age pension from the Social Insurance Fund. The full path from the preparation of the pension application, the administrative proceedings in the Social Insurance Institution, the court appeal proceedings in the first instance, the appellate proceedings and the prospects for the proceedings before the Supreme Court and the ECtHR are shown here. There are ways to get, present and evaluate evidence. The administrative and judicial path is embedded in the context of previous case law, opinion of the doctrine and international legal acts. Particular attention is paid to the assessment of contribution and non-contributory periods when applying for determination of initial capital. It is noted that when assessing evidence from decades ago, there are far-reaching doubts as to the credibility of proving periods of employment. The paper has the task of showing the gaps in the administrative and appeal proceedings as well as an indication of how to proceed in the situation of applying for a retirement with an unclear situation. Procedura administracyjna ubiegania się o świadczenie emerytalne w ZUS nie jest przejrzysta. Zauważa się, że Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych stosuje wobec swoich klientów podwójne standardy - jeden wynikający z ustawy o emeryturach i rentach z Funduszu Ubezpieczeń Społecznych i jej aktów wykonawczych, a drugi zupełnie niejasny, wynikający z wewnętrznych opinii, zarządzeń i decyzji Zakładu. Takie dwulicowe postępowanie prowadzi do długotrwałych sporów między wnioskodawcami a Zakładem Ubezpieczeń Społecznych dotyczących wysokości emerytury i jej składników. Zazwyczaj sprawy tego typu trafiają do odrębnych postępowań sądowych w wydziałach pracy i ubezpieczeń społecznych sądów okręgowych jako odwołania od decyzji ZUS. Postępowanie sądowe to zupełnie nietypowa procedura. Sąd pozyskuje dowody, ocenia je i osądza w zupełnie inny sposób niż w "standardowym" postępowaniu cywilnoprawnym. Na szczególną uwagę zasługuje część tego postępowania dotycząca wyliczenia kapitału początkowego. Ta część procedury jest szczególnie trudna, gdyż na stronach i sądzie spoczywa obowiązek zebrania i właściwej oceny dowodów wskazujących na okresy i zakres prac odwołującego się od decyzji ZUS. Zazwyczaj jednak dowody te, w tym zeznania świadków, są przestarzałe, nawet liczą sobie do 50 lat. Dlatego też ocena tych dowodów wiąże się z odpowiednimi trudnościami. Niniejsze opracowanie powstało w oparciu o akta postępowania w sprawie ustalenia kapitału początkowego oraz wysokości emerytury z Funduszu Ubezpieczeń Społecznych. Przedstawiono tu pełną drogę od sporządzenia wniosku o emeryturę, postępowanie administracyjne w ZUS, sądowe postępowanie odwoławcze w I instancji, postępowanie apelacyjne oraz perspektywę postępowania przed Sądem Najwyższym i ETPCz. Droga administracyjna i sądowa osadzona jest w kontekście dotychczasowego orzecznictwa, poglądów doktryny oraz aktów prawa międzynarodowego. Szczególną uwagę zwraca się na ocenę okresów składkowych i nieskładkowych przy ubieganiu się o ustalenie kapitału początkowego. Zwraca się uwagę, że przy ocenie dowodów sprzed kilkudziesięciu lat istnieją daleko idące wątpliwości co do wiarygodności okresów zatrudnienia. Głównym celem studium jest wskazanie luk w dotychczasowym postępowaniu administracyjnym i odwoławczym, a także wskazanie, jak skutecznie postępować w sytuacji ubiegania się o emeryturę w niejasnych i skomplikowanych okolicznościach

THE CHANGING ROLE OF WORK ENVIRONMENT IN BALANCING WORKERS’ PERSONAL AND WORK LIFE

The aim of the article is to consider the changing role of work environment in balancing workers’ personal and work life. This issue has been presented in the context of the idea of sustainable development and corporate social responsibility

Stability assessment of sulphur (II) compounds in medicinal water from B-8b Michał intake in Busko-Zdrój

In this paper, the stability of sulphur (II) compounds determined as the sum of hydrogen sulphide, hydrosulphides and sulphides was evaluated in groundwater sourced from the B-8b Michał intake. Sulphide waters are a valuable raw material used as a basis for spa treatment in Busko-Zdrój. Based on the chemical composition analyses conducted in the years 1946–2018, a general analysis of random variability and statistical analysis of data was performed using PS IMAGO 5.0.1 software. Stability assessment was carried out on the data set for the 2009–2018 period on the basis of individual measurement control charts. Trend analysis was also performed using the GWSDAT software

HAZ microstructure in joints made of X13CrMoCoVNbNB9-2-1 (PB2) steel welded with and without post-weld heat treatment

The article presents the results of research butt welded joints made of X13CrMoCoVNbNB9-2-1 steel. The joints were welded with post-weld heat treatment PWHT and without PWHT, using the temper bead technique TBT. After welding the joint welded with PWHT underwent stress-relief annealing at 770 °C for 3 hours. The scope of structural tests included the microstructural examination of the coarse-grained heat affected zone (HAZ) areas of the joints, the comparison of the morphology of these areas and the determination of carbide precipitate types of the coarse grain heat affected zone (CGHAZ) of the joints welded with and without PWHT