Singularities in Speckled Speckle

Speckle patterns produced by random optical fields with two (or more) widely different correlation lengths exhibit speckle spots that are themselves highly speckled. Using computer simulations and analytic theory we present results for the point singularities of speckled speckle fields: optical vortices in scalar (one polarization component) fields; C points in vector (two polarization component) fields. In single correlation length fields both types of singularities tend to be more{}-or{}-less uniformly distributed. In contrast, the singularity structure of speckled speckle is anomalous: for some sets of source parameters vortices and C points tend to form widely separated giant clusters, for other parameter sets these singularities tend to form chains that surround large empty regions. The critical point statistics of speckled speckle is also anomalous. In scalar (vector) single correlation length fields phase (azimuthal) extrema are always outnumbered by vortices (C points). In contrast, in speckled speckle fields, phase extrema can outnumber vortices, and azimuthal extrema can outnumber C points, by factors that can easily exceed $10^{4}$ for experimentally realistic source parameters

Non-Consequentialism Demystified

Morality seems important, in the sense that there are practical reasons — at least for most of us, most of the time — to be moral. A central theoretical motivation for consequentialism is that it appears clear that there are practical reasons to promote good outcomes, but mysterious why we should care about non-consequentialist moral considerations or how they could be genuine reasons to act. In this paper we argue that this theoretical motivation is mistaken, and that because many arguments for consequentialism rely upon it, the mistake substantially weakens the overall case for consequentialism. We argue that there is indeed a theoretical connection between good states and reasons to act, because good states are those it is fitting to desire and there is a conceptual connection between the fittingness of a motive and reasons to perform the acts it motivates. But while some of our motives are directed at states, others are directed at acts themselves. We contend that just as the fittingness of desires for states generates reasons to promote the good, the fittingness of these act-directed motives generates reasons to do other things. Moreover, we argue that an act’s moral status consists in the fittingness of act-directed feelings of obligation to perform or avoid performing it, so the connection between fitting motives and reasons to act explains reasons to be moral whether or not morality directs us to promote the good. This, we contend, de-mystifies how there could be non-consequentialist reasons that are both moral and practical

Development of a Task Force to Provide Education and Leadership to an Emerging Industry

The Ohio Meat Goat Task Force is a model for engaging resources and building leadership capacity to generate income and enhance sustainability of farm businesses. The collaboration of multi-disciplinary faculty, producers, allied industry, ethnic cultures, and various agencies combines expertise and leadership with applied experience to foster entrepreneurship. Grants have been secured to research ethnic market preferences, processing infrastructure and capacity, and economically viable production systems. Education provides farm businesses capacity to build leadership, share knowledge, and network resources to capture value-added marketing opportunities

WHAT WAS THE ASSEMBLY LINE ?

ABSTRACTThe Ford assembly line of 1913 was part of a long series of process innovations that began a century before and that have continued since, notably in the lean production system. This paper examines the historical emergence and synthesis of the five essential elements of the classic assembly line – sub-division of work, interchangeability, single-function machines, organization of machines according to the sequence of assembly, and moving work to the worker, typically using gravity slides or moving belts – and further shows that full electrification was an essential precondition for its creation and proper functioning. In contrast, “scientific management” was not important to the creation of the assembly line