Category: School

Please notice that there is THREE parts to this!

 

Delve into the Bristol Bay issue discussed in class on Thursday.   Use your best science literacy skills to evaluate the information in  these web sites, shown below.  For a pro-mining view see:

https://www.pebblepartnership.com/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Click around on that site, and read as much as you can about the  project and why the company feels the mine is safe and critical.  Then  read:

http://www.savebristolbay.org/home (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Part A of your essay: Summarize the viewpoints of each site in 5+  sentences, being specific about claims.  Who writes for these sites?   Agenda, bias, credentials, solid information? (0-10 points, each site,  or more if you do a terrific analysis)

Part B: read about National Geographic’s view of the controversy:

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/pebble-mine-alaska-copper-epa-trump-environment (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site./ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

In a paragraph, summarize what you learned from that article.  Can  you see why there is a fundamental dilemma: we need minerals – so where  do we get them? (0-20 points)

Part C (optional): Then pick some articles on your own!  10 points for each really good analysis (up to 3 additional articles)

Remember to provide citations for all your references, and write  using YOUR words – do not copy and paste text from sources that you use  for your arguments.

Please notice that there is THREE parts to this!

 

Delve into the Bristol Bay issue discussed in class on Thursday.   Use your best science literacy skills to evaluate the information in  these web sites, shown below.  For a pro-mining view see:

https://www.pebblepartnership.com/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Click around on that site, and read as much as you can about the  project and why the company feels the mine is safe and critical.  Then  read:

http://www.savebristolbay.org/home (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Part A of your essay: Summarize the viewpoints of each site in 5+  sentences, being specific about claims.  Who writes for these sites?   Agenda, bias, credentials, solid information? (0-10 points, each site,  or more if you do a terrific analysis)

Part B: read about National Geographic’s view of the controversy:

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/pebble-mine-alaska-copper-epa-trump-environment (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site./ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

In a paragraph, summarize what you learned from that article.  Can  you see why there is a fundamental dilemma: we need minerals – so where  do we get them? (0-20 points)

Part C (optional): Then pick some articles on your own!  10 points for each really good analysis (up to 3 additional articles)

Remember to provide citations for all your references, and write  using YOUR words – do not copy and paste text from sources that you use  for your arguments.

Directions: Use the case study to provide answers to the following questions.

Case Study: “Illness Associated with Drift of Chloropicrin Soil Fumigant into a Residential Area—Kern County, California, 2003,”

1. Issue Identification
   1. What is causing the identified problem?
   2. Why is the problem a problem?
   3. How was the problem initially identified?
   4. What are the public perceptions of the hazard?
2. Hazard Identification
   1. What types of adverse health effects might be caused by the problem?
   2. How quickly and for what duration might the problem be experienced?
3. Dose Response Assessment
   1. Evaluate both qualitative and quantitative toxicity information to estimate the incidence of adverse effects occurring in humans at different exposure levels.
4. Exposure Assessment for the Relevant Population
   1. Determine the frequency, magnitude, extent, duration, and character of exposures to the hazard.
5. Risk Characterization
6. Detail the nature and potential incidence of effects for the exposure conditions described in the exposure assessment.

Directions: Use the case study to provide answers to the following questions.

Case Study: “Illness Associated with Drift of Chloropicrin Soil Fumigant into a Residential Area—Kern County, California, 2003,”

1. Issue Identification
   1. What is causing the identified problem?
   2. Why is the problem a problem?
   3. How was the problem initially identified?
   4. What are the public perceptions of the hazard?
2. Hazard Identification
   1. What types of adverse health effects might be caused by the problem?
   2. How quickly and for what duration might the problem be experienced?
3. Dose Response Assessment
   1. Evaluate both qualitative and quantitative toxicity information to estimate the incidence of adverse effects occurring in humans at different exposure levels.
4. Exposure Assessment for the Relevant Population
   1. Determine the frequency, magnitude, extent, duration, and character of exposures to the hazard.
5. Risk Characterization
6. Detail the nature and potential incidence of effects for the exposure conditions described in the exposure assessment.

Respond to a student’s posting with significant comments that demonstrate critical thinking by asking additional questions or adding to the body of knowledge started. If you argue, controversial issues use a reference to support your argument that adds credibility to your position. Your response to your peers work should be engaging and informative with good substance. Your responses should contribute in a meaningful way to helping advance our knowledge of the topics the class explores.  All follow-up responses should require 250-300 words.

Good Afternoon Prof. and Class,

I am requesting approval for continued research on the working title of…

“Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Ancient Civilizations and Modern Scientific Discoveries”

Throughout millennia, people of all nationalities and religions have speculated on the idea of extraterrestrial contact. With over half the world’s population believing in some form of alien life, it is difficult to discount the possibility. The religions of the world, as of 2012, are 33% Christian, 24% Muslim, and 15% Hindu (The Top Three Religions) (Grover, 2018). Each of these religions share a commonality in the form of extraterrestrial life. Christians and Muslims refer to extraterrestrials as angels, while Hinduism refers to them as “gods”. Nearly all of the ancient religions, from around the world, refer to extraterrestrials in one way or another. Greeks, Romans, Incas, Aztecs, Mayans, and Egyptians all believed in extraterrestrials, in the form of their “gods”. With over half of the world’s population believing in extraterrestrial life, and nearly 80% of the world population believing in a mainstream religion, is the idea of extraterrestrial life still controversial?

In the Peer-reviewed journal, titled “Strategic Ignorance and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Critiquing the Discursive Segregation of UFOs from Scientific Inquiry”, outlines the underlying issue, regarding scientific stigma on the study and communication of the existence of extraterrestrial life. The scientific community, as a whole, inhibits public understanding of science, dissuades academic inquiry within the physical and social sciences, and undermines progressive space policy initiatives. (Todd, 75-95)

On 27 February, 2008, Steven Hawking presented a speech, at the TED2008 conference in Monterey, California. This article follows, primarily along the opposing lines of what Steven Hawking’s speech, titled “Questioning the Universe” delivered, about the possibilities of extraterrestrial life. Hawking was quoted as stating “we don’t seem to have been visited by aliens”, “I am discounting the reports of UFO’s”, Why would they only appear to cranks and weirdos?”, Despite an extensive search by the SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence) project, we haven’t heard any alien television quiz show. This probably indicates that there are no alien civilizations at our stage of development within the radius of a few hundred light years.”, and “If there is a government conspiracy to suppress the reports and keep for itself the scientific knowledge the aliens bring, it seems to have been a singularly ineffective policy so far”. (Todd, 75-95)

Adam Todd goes into great detail and length, in his peer-reviewed article describing how Steven Hawking’s quotes are flawed. “We don’t seem to have visited by aliens.” Is the first quote that Adam denounces as an “argument from ignorance”. He describes the quote as “hawking exclusively evokes a particular kind of alien visitation event: Overt contact”, which is what Hollywood movies depict as alien visitation. Another quote of Hawking’s that Adam dissects is “Why would they appear to only cracks and weirdos?”. Adam describes Hawking’s quote as “the rhetorical question device includes an emotional dimension, expressing mild indignation and sarcasm, and thus works to endear Hawking to his audience.”. (Todd, 75-95)

This article provides detailed accounts of underlying issues regarding the scientific community and extraterrestrial intelligence. What the article does not include is the history of extraterrestrial intelligence in the ancient world, or current and emerging possibilities of extraterrestrial contact. I wish to conduct a research proposal, proposing the idea that extraterrestrials helped shape modern civilization by engaging in ancient civilizations. The research conducted will be primarily focused on ancient religious theology and scientific discoveries of unknown origins in the modern world. The discovery of extraterrestrial life if vital to all of Earths inhabitants. It will answer all the life-long questions and help propel us into the next age of civilization.

Bibliography

Adam Todd. “Strategic Ignorance and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Critiquing the Discursive Segregation of UFOs from Scientific Inquiry”. Taylor&Francis. 27 April, 2018. Vol.16(1), p.75-95. [Date accessed] 11 December, 2018. https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/doi/full/10.1080/14777622.2018.1433409?scroll=top&needAccess=true

Nathan Glover. “90% of American Believe in a Higher Power”. World Religion News. 26 April, 2018 [Date Accessed] 11 December, 2018.  https://www.worldreligionnews.com/religion-news/90-americans-believe-higher-power

SETI. “2020”. 2018. [Date Accessed] 11 November, 2018. https://www.seti.org/

Respond to a student’s posting with significant comments that demonstrate critical thinking by asking additional questions or adding to the body of knowledge started. If you argue, controversial issues use a reference to support your argument that adds credibility to your position. Your response to your peers work should be engaging and informative with good substance. Your responses should contribute in a meaningful way to helping advance our knowledge of the topics the class explores.  All follow-up responses should require 250-300 words.

Good Afternoon Prof. and Class,

I am requesting approval for continued research on the working title of…

“Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Ancient Civilizations and Modern Scientific Discoveries”

Throughout millennia, people of all nationalities and religions have speculated on the idea of extraterrestrial contact. With over half the world’s population believing in some form of alien life, it is difficult to discount the possibility. The religions of the world, as of 2012, are 33% Christian, 24% Muslim, and 15% Hindu (The Top Three Religions) (Grover, 2018). Each of these religions share a commonality in the form of extraterrestrial life. Christians and Muslims refer to extraterrestrials as angels, while Hinduism refers to them as “gods”. Nearly all of the ancient religions, from around the world, refer to extraterrestrials in one way or another. Greeks, Romans, Incas, Aztecs, Mayans, and Egyptians all believed in extraterrestrials, in the form of their “gods”. With over half of the world’s population believing in extraterrestrial life, and nearly 80% of the world population believing in a mainstream religion, is the idea of extraterrestrial life still controversial?

In the Peer-reviewed journal, titled “Strategic Ignorance and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Critiquing the Discursive Segregation of UFOs from Scientific Inquiry”, outlines the underlying issue, regarding scientific stigma on the study and communication of the existence of extraterrestrial life. The scientific community, as a whole, inhibits public understanding of science, dissuades academic inquiry within the physical and social sciences, and undermines progressive space policy initiatives. (Todd, 75-95)

On 27 February, 2008, Steven Hawking presented a speech, at the TED2008 conference in Monterey, California. This article follows, primarily along the opposing lines of what Steven Hawking’s speech, titled “Questioning the Universe” delivered, about the possibilities of extraterrestrial life. Hawking was quoted as stating “we don’t seem to have been visited by aliens”, “I am discounting the reports of UFO’s”, Why would they only appear to cranks and weirdos?”, Despite an extensive search by the SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence) project, we haven’t heard any alien television quiz show. This probably indicates that there are no alien civilizations at our stage of development within the radius of a few hundred light years.”, and “If there is a government conspiracy to suppress the reports and keep for itself the scientific knowledge the aliens bring, it seems to have been a singularly ineffective policy so far”. (Todd, 75-95)

Adam Todd goes into great detail and length, in his peer-reviewed article describing how Steven Hawking’s quotes are flawed. “We don’t seem to have visited by aliens.” Is the first quote that Adam denounces as an “argument from ignorance”. He describes the quote as “hawking exclusively evokes a particular kind of alien visitation event: Overt contact”, which is what Hollywood movies depict as alien visitation. Another quote of Hawking’s that Adam dissects is “Why would they appear to only cracks and weirdos?”. Adam describes Hawking’s quote as “the rhetorical question device includes an emotional dimension, expressing mild indignation and sarcasm, and thus works to endear Hawking to his audience.”. (Todd, 75-95)

This article provides detailed accounts of underlying issues regarding the scientific community and extraterrestrial intelligence. What the article does not include is the history of extraterrestrial intelligence in the ancient world, or current and emerging possibilities of extraterrestrial contact. I wish to conduct a research proposal, proposing the idea that extraterrestrials helped shape modern civilization by engaging in ancient civilizations. The research conducted will be primarily focused on ancient religious theology and scientific discoveries of unknown origins in the modern world. The discovery of extraterrestrial life if vital to all of Earths inhabitants. It will answer all the life-long questions and help propel us into the next age of civilization.

Bibliography

Adam Todd. “Strategic Ignorance and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Critiquing the Discursive Segregation of UFOs from Scientific Inquiry”. Taylor&Francis. 27 April, 2018. Vol.16(1), p.75-95. [Date accessed] 11 December, 2018. https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/doi/full/10.1080/14777622.2018.1433409?scroll=top&needAccess=true

Nathan Glover. “90% of American Believe in a Higher Power”. World Religion News. 26 April, 2018 [Date Accessed] 11 December, 2018.  https://www.worldreligionnews.com/religion-news/90-americans-believe-higher-power

SETI. “2020”. 2018. [Date Accessed] 11 November, 2018. https://www.seti.org/

A grounds-keeping worker was found dead on a riding mower that had plowed into a horizontal pipe that was about 4 feet off the ground.  The worker was pinned to the mower seat by the pipe that had crushed him. The ground was sloped and had well heads and other obstructions that required careful steering to drive around. The worker was experienced in operating mowing equipment, but it was his first day on the job with this employer and his new supervisor had told him not to get started until he (the supervisor) returned from an errand he had to run.  The fatally injured worker was discovered by another worker who immediately called the emergency response team.  The body was removed by ambulance.  The scene was preserved to the extent possible and barrier tape was posted to keep everyone out.  Because you are on the safety committee, you have been asked to serve on the accident investigation team to determine the causal factors and root cause(s) of this fatality.  The company management is providing full support for this investigation.  As you think about working on this investigation, list three questions that you would want to find answers to and describe how each question will help the team determine possible causes, or rule out possible causes. For each of your questions, discuss two specific ways that the team might get the information needed to answer the question (i,e., who you would interview, what documents you would review, what measurements you would take, etc.)  Your team will have access to the accident scene and to all documents that might be needed, interviews will be arranged, and experts can be brought in. At this point, you don’t know what happened, beyond the scenario described above.

 

Scenario 3

Ten workers started working in a bakery room only one year ago.  None had previously worked in this trade.  Recently they developed lung disorders.  The bakery asked a team of safety and health professionals to investigate the causes.  As part of the team, you conduct interviews and sampling and analyze materials used in the bakery room. The bakery room is a large open area where five employees weigh and load fragrances, flavorings, starch and 50- to 100-lb bags of flour into one of three mixers.  Area samples indicate a moderate amount of dust.

• How would you evaluate exposure?

• What safety and health (including ergonomic) hazards can you identify?

• Is there an explosive hazard?  What suggestions would you make to minimize this problem from developing in the future?

Scenario 4

You are a member of the safety committee of a large private security force whose 5-year contract with a major government installation, covering dozens of square miles and over 100 buildings, will come up for re-bid in three years.  The scope of work includes 24/7 security guard coverage, badge processing, intelligence gathering, emergency planning and response, etc.  The officers must maintain high levels of physical fitness and proficiency in weapons and tactical force and they have onsite facilities for this training.  Looking ahead and seeing lots of competition for this contract, management decides to apply to OSHA for recognition in the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), believing that this prestigious recognition will impress the selection board for the next contract.  The safety committee is asked to make an assessment of what will need to be done to qualify for the VPP Star recognition. You agreed to identify and analyze management commitment and employee involvement and report to the committee. You report will consist of:

• Identify and briefly discuss three actions management can take to help build/improve safety culture.

• Describe how two of the selected actions can be measured over time to show improvement or effectiveness. (hint: think about more or fewer, or less time to… )

• Briefly discuss three ways that employees can be involved in the safety program and describe how two could be measured over time to show improvement.

A grounds-keeping worker was found dead on a riding mower that had plowed into a horizontal pipe that was about 4 feet off the ground.  The worker was pinned to the mower seat by the pipe that had crushed him. The ground was sloped and had well heads and other obstructions that required careful steering to drive around. The worker was experienced in operating mowing equipment, but it was his first day on the job with this employer and his new supervisor had told him not to get started until he (the supervisor) returned from an errand he had to run.  The fatally injured worker was discovered by another worker who immediately called the emergency response team.  The body was removed by ambulance.  The scene was preserved to the extent possible and barrier tape was posted to keep everyone out.  Because you are on the safety committee, you have been asked to serve on the accident investigation team to determine the causal factors and root cause(s) of this fatality.  The company management is providing full support for this investigation.  As you think about working on this investigation, list three questions that you would want to find answers to and describe how each question will help the team determine possible causes, or rule out possible causes. For each of your questions, discuss two specific ways that the team might get the information needed to answer the question (i,e., who you would interview, what documents you would review, what measurements you would take, etc.)  Your team will have access to the accident scene and to all documents that might be needed, interviews will be arranged, and experts can be brought in. At this point, you don’t know what happened, beyond the scenario described above.

 

Scenario 3

Ten workers started working in a bakery room only one year ago.  None had previously worked in this trade.  Recently they developed lung disorders.  The bakery asked a team of safety and health professionals to investigate the causes.  As part of the team, you conduct interviews and sampling and analyze materials used in the bakery room. The bakery room is a large open area where five employees weigh and load fragrances, flavorings, starch and 50- to 100-lb bags of flour into one of three mixers.  Area samples indicate a moderate amount of dust.

• How would you evaluate exposure?

• What safety and health (including ergonomic) hazards can you identify?

• Is there an explosive hazard?  What suggestions would you make to minimize this problem from developing in the future?

Scenario 4

You are a member of the safety committee of a large private security force whose 5-year contract with a major government installation, covering dozens of square miles and over 100 buildings, will come up for re-bid in three years.  The scope of work includes 24/7 security guard coverage, badge processing, intelligence gathering, emergency planning and response, etc.  The officers must maintain high levels of physical fitness and proficiency in weapons and tactical force and they have onsite facilities for this training.  Looking ahead and seeing lots of competition for this contract, management decides to apply to OSHA for recognition in the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), believing that this prestigious recognition will impress the selection board for the next contract.  The safety committee is asked to make an assessment of what will need to be done to qualify for the VPP Star recognition. You agreed to identify and analyze management commitment and employee involvement and report to the committee. You report will consist of:

• Identify and briefly discuss three actions management can take to help build/improve safety culture.

• Describe how two of the selected actions can be measured over time to show improvement or effectiveness. (hint: think about more or fewer, or less time to… )

• Briefly discuss three ways that employees can be involved in the safety program and describe how two could be measured over time to show improvement.