Statistical calibration: a simplification of Foster’s proof

Foster (1999) has given a proof of the Calibration Theorem of Foster and Vohra (1998), using the Approachability Theorem proposed by Blackwell (1956). This note presents a simplified version of Foster’s argument, invoking the specialization given by Greenwald et al. (2006) of Blackwell’s Theorem

Bragg-induced orbital angular-momentum mixing in paraxial high-finesse cavities

Numerical calculation of vector electromagnetic modes of plano-concave microcavities reveals that the polarization-dependent reflectivity of a flat Bragg mirror can lead to unexpected cavity field distributions for nominally paraxial modes. Even in a rotationally symmetric resonator, certain pairs of orbital angular momenta are necessarily mixed in an excitation-independent way to form doublets. A characteristic mixing angle is identified, which even in the paraxial limit can be designed to have large values. This correction to Gaussian theory is zeroth-order in deviations from paraxiality. We discuss the resulting nonuniform polarization fields. Observation will require small cavities with sufficiently high Q. Possible applications are proposed.Comment: Corrected typos in Fig. 2 and text. Added Journal Ref. For higher-quality figures, see http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~noeckel/papers.php#xref3

Military newspapers and the Habsburg officers' ideology after 1868

The Habsburg officer corps of the late nineteenth century played a significant role in sustaining the feudal anachronism of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Despite its constant appeals to tradition, it was in fact a product of the struggles to reform the army. The tensions that resulted are evident in the military press of the reform period and left their mark on the officers’ ideology

Lancaster Central School District and Lancaster Teachers Association

In the matter of the fact-finding between the Lancaster Central School District, employer, and the Lancaster Central Teachers Association, union. PERB case no. M2009-093. Before: Howard Foster, fact finder

Mahi Tahi

Mahi Tahi is an exhibition by Ying Wang in collaboration with Joe Citizens Waka project. It documents the process of creation and the multi disciplinary approach that the project has

Health Care Coverage and Access for Children in Low-Income Families: Stakeholder Perspectives from Texas

An important question to ask about any health care system is how well it serves children in low-income families. In Texas, the question raises optimism as well as serious concerns. On one hand, the proportion of eligible Texas children enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has increased from 75 percent in 2008 to 84 percent in 2013. The passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 and the reauthorization of CHIP in 2015 helped to protect these gains. But significant uncertainties persist. Texas has not expanded Medicaid as envisioned by the ACA; the introduction of the federal health insurance Marketplace was highly contentious in thestate; and the U.S. Congress has funded CHIP only until 2017. Moreover, there is concern in Texas that access to high quality health care services for low-income children is not keeping pace with access to insurance. This issue brief was prepared as part of a small-scale qualitative study funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to convey recent positive developments, remaining unmet needs, and emerging issues in children's health care coverage and delivery, from the perspective of knowledgeable stakeholders. Companion issue briefs on children's health in California and Colorado and a cross-state analysis are also available