This thesis is a critical history about Cranbrook BC, the town where I grew up. It explores a historical origin story that historians have called the ‘Kootenai Uprising,’ as well as the annual regional holiday that commemorates that event - Sam Steele Days. By unpacking the symbols utilized in remembering history, applying new historical evidence towards the long accepted narrative and collaborating with Ktunaxa Nation, this thesis attempts to set the historical record straight, include Ktunaxa perspectives in the regional historical narrative and critically examine the practice of mythology in settler society as a way to both remember and forget the past. / Graduate / 2021-08-28

<p>Despite the fact that natural disasters have always existed, the number and intensity of natural disasters have increased. Progress has been made in preparing for natural disasters, but the consequences are still severe. This study takes on the task of identifying the features that make schools more vulnerable to natural disasters. Using a simple OLS (N=387). The study analyses the effect of natural disasters on school closures. Using six different disasters as our study area, we capture different demographic and socioeconomic features of a school impacted by natural disaster at different geographic levels: the individual school, the school district, and the Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA). The regression results show that factors such as increased disaster severity, higher levels of poverty, and larger numbers of at-risk individuals within a puma have significant positive associations with an increase in the number of days a school closes. At a practical level, understanding the impact of a disaster on school closure can depend on multiple factors and is important for local, state and federal governments. Policies must be implemented by local communities throughout the nation to increase community resilience. By understanding vulnerability factors adequately, their impact on school closure can be mitigated by increasing appropriate preparedness, efficient recovery strategies, evacuation strategies, and interpersonal awareness. Climate change and its effects, present and future, is a major concern for the whole world. Our efforts to understand and seek solutions to prevent and limit the damages rendered by natural disasters are critical to an effort to reduce the impacts of climate change in the U.S. and other affected countries. </p>

In U.S. homes, 22 percent and 6 percent of the consumption of electricity is devoted to satisfy cooling and heating demands, respectively. A warming climate alters these consumption patterns by increasing the demand for cooling and reducing the demand for heating. This dissertation uses econometric techniques to examine the effect of climate change on the U.S. power industry through the study of the responsiveness of electricity demand to changes in temperature, and the impact of a climate-induced demand on electricity price and expenditures. In the second chapter a fixed-effects model and a cointegration model at the state level are used to investigate the determinants of residential, commercial and industrial electricity consumption for the 48 contiguous states. The results indicate substantial geographical heterogeneity in the response of demand to cooling and heating degree days, with the Midwest showing the greatest sensitivity. Residential consumers are impacted the most; on average, they experience a 13-18 percent increase in expenditures. In the third chapter the standard method of modeling electricity consumption is extended by the analysis of a wide range of set points above and below 65 F, and by including wet bulb temperatures. The statistical results for Massachusetts validate the use of 65 F for the residential sector, but demonstrate that a set point of 55 F and wet bulb temperature best characterizes the commercial sector. Using the models generated with these set points, climate change is projected to raise residential and commercial demand by 2.6 percent and 4 percent, respectively. In the fourth chapter, previous analyses on climate-induced expenditures are improved by accounting for the dual impact that climate change has on the electric power sector: an increase in both demand and price. A projected 2.6 C rise in temperature by 2070 in Massachusetts increases electricity prices by 11 to 18 percent. This increase in price, together with the increase in demand estimated in chapter three, translates into a 5.8 percent rise in expenditures for an average household. The results clearly demonstrate that climate-driven change in electricity price is the main determinant of the expected change in expenditures for electricity by households in the state.

This thesis compares J. K. Rowling’s contemporary Harry Potter series (1997-2007) with Thomas Hughes’s Victorian school story, Tom Brown’s School Days (1857), in order to identify how Rowling and Hughes use British public school literature as a means for the widespread dissemination of moral pedagogy. Given the disparate time frames and political outlooks, Rowling and Hughes teach dissimilar ideologies in different socio-historical contexts. However, both stories reveal the necessity of the schoolmaster’s teaching methods to form morally responsible school leaders, demonstrate the titular character ‘chosen’ as a moral leader, and exemplify the use of organized sports as a method of moral and social instruction. In sum, my thesis presents a comparison of the narratives by Rowling and Hughes as an acknowledgement of the continuing influence of Hughes’s work on modern literature and the employment of children’s literature for the advancement of moral and socio-ideological themes.

Magister Artium (Child and Family Studies) - MA(CFS) / The first 1000 days, is the most crucial period not only for survival but also for thriving. What happens in the early days has an immense impact on long-term development with the potential to transform a next generation and society. Research suggests that if parents are nurturing, responsive and have a strong attachment with their baby in the first 1000 days, they will develop positively but parents need to be well to do this. The research on nurturing parenting and the mental health of parents is very limited in South Africa. The study aimed to assess the association between parental mental health (mental well-being) and parental perceptions of nurturing care in the first 1000 days. A quantitative research approach was used with a crosssectional correlational research design. A non-probability purposive sample was selected in Cape Town, Western Cape. The sample consisted of 147 parents who are either pregnant or has children aged between 0 and 2 years old. The data for this study was obtained through selfreport questionnaires which consisted of demographics, Parenting (PASCQ), Nurturing Care (Parent child attachment and PAI), responsive parenting and parental mental health (DASS 21). Questionnaires were in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v27. Data was interpreted using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study suggest that for parents with children in the first 1000 days, there is a significant positive relationship between parental mental health (depression, anxiety, stress) and negative parenting approaches and vice versa. The assumptions of the study were confirmed that there is a relati / 2024

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No description available.

This work evaluates SiteManager, the construction documentation system used by VDOT, as a tool for collecting the daily installed quantity and active crew days necessary to populate the operations level of the database. This evaluation first sought to determine if SiteManager was a feasible option for collecting performance data. This was done by establishing data collection methods to enable SiteManager to have the ability to collect performance data, implementing the methods on select projects, resolving issues, and developing recommendations to cause SiteManager to be a more practical option. Secondly, a statistical analysis was performed to determine if the data collected from SiteManager was reasonably accurate. Thirdly, the technical issues of transferring performance data from SiteManager into the performance time database were resolved. It was found SiteManager could not be used in its current format to collect performance data and some modifications are required. / Master of Science

In presented thesis the chosen parameters of reproduction {--} days to first service, days open, calving interval, insemination index - were evaluated in dairy cattle. There were 222 of dairy cows observed (53 Czech Pied and 169 Holstein cows). The results of reproduction were evaluated as unsatisfactory. Length of calving interval overreached recommended 400 days in 56,25 % of Holstein and in 33,33% of Czech Pied cows. Also the mean value of insemination index 2,39 exceeds the optimum of 1,8-2,0.

Thesis deals with weather derivatives and their position within other financial instruments. It is divided into five main parts. The aim of the first part is to describe the basic mechanism and hallmarks of derivatives as a part of financial market. Also a brief history of weather derivatives is charted. The second chapter is focused on risk and fundamental risk factors and approaches. The weather risk management is presented. The third part discuses weather risk as special kind of risk. This part analyzes the impact of weather on the economy. The differences between weather derivatives and insurance are highlighted. The fourth chapter presents the weather derivatives from the users' points of view; it describes weather derivatives' structure and usage, main underlying indices and also looks on the pricing issues. In the final part the current situation and the possible future evolution of weather derivatives is presented. This part also includes information about the main organizations dealing with either weather management or derivatives.