Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Recreational Liability Bill Killed, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

Years of low commodity prices have encouraged farmers to consider adding alternative enterprises to their operation in order to improve farm income. Some farmers and ranchers have turned to community agriculture or “pick your own” operations (including organic agricultural production), and encourage customers to tour the farm when purchasing produce. Other operators have started a fee hunting enterprise. Still others have started a “pumpkin patch” type operation where visitors enjoy a variety of farm and outdoor amusements for a fee. While Nebraska law exempts landowners from recreational liability where no use fee is charged, landowners may be liable for injuries …

Cleaning Up After The Storm: Lessons Learned From The Experiences Of Disaster Volunteers After The May 2004 Storms In Southeast Nebraska, Denise Bulling, Stacey Hoffman, Elissa Dahlberg

University of Nebraska Public Policy Center: Publications

A survey was sent to clean-up volunteers 17 months after they helped with debris removal from an area in Nebraska devastated by tornadoes. The survey asked about their experiences and perceptions related to that volunteer work. The 622 respondents offered suggestions to enhance the processes used to deploy and supervise disaster clean-up volunteers. These respondents were generally older and more educated than the demographics of the area would suggest. They reported being motivated to volunteer primarily for altruistic reasons and generally had positive experiences. Those volunteers who reported experiencing some distress as a result of their disaster volunteer experience were …

Strategic Labeling And Trade Of Gmos, Luc Veyssiere, Konstantinos Giannakas

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

The emergence of agricultural biotechnology and the subsequent introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the food system have been among the most controversial issues surrounding the increasingly scrutinized agri-food system. They have received considerable attention in the economics literature with the main focus being on the optimal regulatory response to products of biotechnology. This paper builds on the literature on the regulation of products of biotechnology by placing the analysis of labeling decisions in a multi-country context. Specifically, the objective of this study is to examine the effect of the strategic interdependence between countries on their regulatory responses to …

Agri-Tourism: Family Style, David J. Goeller

Cornhusker Economics

Many farm and ranch families are considering adding agri-tourism as a way to supplement income or to provide increased profits needed to bring a younger family member back into the business. Agri-tourism however, is NOT for everyone. Dealing with the public, being available “on demand” and providing a service requires a completely different skill set than traditional farming and ranching.

Digital Commons Presentation For English Department, Paul Royster

Institutional Repository Information

PowerPoint presentation for Jan. 24, 2006, faculty meeting.

Teaching And Researching "The Politics Of Race" In A Majority White Institution, Byron D. Orey

Department of Political Science: Faculty Publications

In this chapter, I outline some of the challenges faced by people of color who teach at traditional white institutions (TWIs). In addition, I offer proposed remedies to address such challenges. Given that the primary foci of Research I universities are research, teaching, and service (generally in that order), this chapter places special emphasis on these categories.

I first suggest that departments attempting to diversify their faculty consider hiring more than one person of color. While I was contemplating whether to accept my current job, I was contacted by a woman of color who told me that she had just …

Bill Proposes Changes To Fence Viewer Statutes, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

In Nebraska, if I want to make a neighbor pay for part of a division fence, I can ask him or her to do so. If they refuse, I can request fence viewers to determine how much of the division fence each neighbor should pay for. I can also build the fence myself and assume full responsibility for the costs of construction and maintenance. Ideally, neighbors should have a written agreement (filed with the land deeds) identifying how the costs of building and maintaining the fence will be shared. But written fence agreements are rare.

January 2006 - Staff Meeting Minutes

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Nebraska’S Participation In Global Food And Agricultural Marketing, Neil H. Donovan

Cornhusker Economics

Nebraska is one of the leading agricultural producing states in the country, and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture is highly committed to ensuring that the state maintains its leadership position. Within the Department, the Division of Agricultural Promotions and Development assists agricultural producers and value-added companies in identifying target markets, coordinating trade missions and sponsoring outreach projects to market Nebraska products abroad. The Division utilizes funds available from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service along with membership in MIATCO (Mid-America International Agri-Trade Council), USMEF (United States Meat Export Federation) and USLGE (United States Livestock Genetic Exports) who also provide financial support and …

Food Insecurity Among Homeless And Runaway Adolescents, Les B. Whitbeck, Xiaojin Chen, Kurt D. Johnson

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of food insecurity and factors related to it among homeless and runaway adolescents.

Design: Computer-assisted personal interviews were conducted with homeless and runaway adolescents directly on the streets and in shelters.

Setting: Interviews were conducted in eight Midwest cities: Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Kansas City, Lincoln, Omaha, St. Louis and Wichita.

Subjects: The subjects were 428 (187 males; 241 females) homeless and runaway adolescents aged 16–19 years. Average age of the adolescents was 17.4 (standard deviation 1.05) years.

Results: About one-third of the adolescents had experienced food …

The Hog Industry In 2005, Al Prosch

Cornhusker Economics

The hog industry enjoyed a remarkable year in 2005. The USDA, December 1st Hog and Pig Report estimated the market herd at 100.3 percent, breeding herd at 100.7 percent, and total herd at 100.4 percent of December 1, 2004 numbers. For the third year in a row, producers increased production while receiving profitable prices.

March 2006 - Staff Meeting Agenda

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

September 2006 - Staff Meeting Agenda

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Elasticity Of Taxable Income During The 1990s: A Sensitivity Analysis, Seth H. Giertz

Department of Economics: Faculty Publications

This paper examines alternative methodologies for measuring responses to the 1990 and 1993 federal tax increases. The methodologies build on those employed by Gruber and Saez (2002), Carroll (1998), and Auten and Carroll (1999). Internal Revenue Service tax return data for the project are from the Statistics of Income, which heavily oversamples high-income filers. Special attention is paid to the importance of sample income restrictions and methodology. Estimates are broken down by income group to measure how responses to tax changes vary by income. In general, estimates are quite sensitive to a number of different factors. Using an approach similar …

Sarbanes-Oxley’S Structural Model To Encourage Corporate Whistleblowers, Richard Moberly

Nebraska College of Law: Faculty Publications

Recent corporate scandals demonstrate that rank-and-file employees often remain silent in the face of significant fraud. This silence is unfortunate because corporate employees have inside knowledge of misconduct that gives them an information advantage over more traditional corporate monitors, such as independent directors and government regulators. To address this problem, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act utilized a new approach that encourages employee whistleblowers to disclose information about corporate wrongdoing. This approach, which Professor Richard Moberly labels the “Structural Model,” requires that corporations provide a standardized channel for employees to report organizational misconduct to official monitors within the corporation. This Article offers an …

How Readable Are Summary Plan Descriptions For Health Care Plans?, Colleen E. Medill, Richard L. Weiner, Brian H. Bornstein, E. Kiernan Mcgorty

Nebraska College of Law: Faculty Publications

How Readable Are Summary Plan Descriptions For Health Care Plans?

• SPDs are the primary source of health plan information: The summary plan description (SPD) is the primary source of information for workers who participate in an employment-based health care plan. This study investigates whether private-sector employers’ SPDs are written so that an average plan participant can identify and read important information contained in the document, as required by federal law. The study collected and tested SPDs for 40 health care plans from a diverse national sample and subjected them to content and readability analyses.

• Important information contained in …

Resolving The Judicial Paradox Of "Equitable" Relief Under Erisa Section 502(A)(3), Colleen E. Medill

Nebraska College of Law: Faculty Publications

A "judicial paradox" exists today concerning the state of equitable remedies available under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"). This paradox exists not as a result of implementation of the statute by a federal regulatory agency, but rather as the result of numerous Supreme Court decisions interpreting the meaning of "appropriate equitable relief" for claims brought under Section 502(a)(3) of ERISA.

An adequate theory of "appropriate equitable relief" under Section 502(a)(3) of ERISA has yet to be developed. Ultimately, the law- equity paradigm has led to judicial decisions under Section 502(a)(3) that contravene Congress's intent to provide …

Two-Edged Swords, Dangerousness, And Expert Testimony In Capital Sentencing, Robert F. Schopp

Nebraska College of Law: Faculty Publications

A series of court opinions and a related line of commentary draw attention to the need for further inquiry regarding the defensible interpretation and application of dangerousness as a consideration in capital sentencing. The court opinions raise questions regarding the manner in which sentencers should interpret and weigh dangerousness as a factor in capital sentencing. In Penry v. Lynaugh, the Supreme Court overturned the capital sentence of a mentally retarded offender under the special issue sentencing standard in force in Texas at that time. This procedure required that the sentencing jury answer two sentencing questions regarding deliberateness and dangerousness. …

September 2006 Staff Meeting Agenda

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

April 2006 - Staff Meeting Agenda

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Alternative Fuels And Advanced Technology Vehicles: Issues In Congress, Brent D. Yacobucci

Congressional Research Service Reports

Alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles are seen by proponents as integral to improving urban air quality, decreasing dependence on foreign oil, and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. However, major barriers — especially economics — currently prevent the widespread use of these fuels and technologies. Because of these barriers, and the potential benefits, there is continued congressional interest in providing incentives and other support for their development and commercialization.

In the 109th Congress, alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles have received a good deal of attention, especially in the debate over omnibus energy legislation. High fuel prices, especially in response …

Western Water Resource Issues, Betsy A. Cody, Pervaze A. Sheikh

Congressional Research Service Reports

For more than a century, the federal government has constructed water resource projects for a variety of purposes, including flood control, navigation, power generation, and irrigation. While most municipal and industrial water supplies have been built by non-federal entities, most of the large, federal water supply projects in the West, including Hoover and Grand Coulee dams, were constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation (Department of the Interior) to provide water for irrigation.

Growing populations and changing values have increased demands on water supplies and river systems, resulting in water use and management conflicts throughout the country, particularly in the West, …

U.S. Space Programs: Civilian, Military, And Commercial, Marcia S. Smith

Congressional Research Service Reports

The 109th Congress is addressing a broad range of civilian, military, and commercial space issues.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducts the most visible space activities. For FY2006, NASA received $16.623 billion when adjusted for two rescissions and an augmentation for hurricane recovery. The FY2007 request is $16.792 billion.

The future of the U.S. human space flight program is dominating debate about NASA. The space shuttle returned to flight in July 2005 after a two and one-half year hiatus following the 2003 Columbia tragedy, but the next launch has been indefinitely postponed because of a foam-shedding event during …

Human Cloning, Judith A. Johnson, Erin D. Williams

Congressional Research Service Reports

In December 2005, an investigation by Seoul National University, South Korea, found that scientist Hwang Woo Suk had fabricated results on deriving patientmatched stem cells from cloned embryos — a major setback for the field. In May 2005 Hwang had announced a significant advance in creating human embryos using cloning methods and in isolating human stem cells from cloned embryos. These developments have contributed to the debate in the 109th Congress on the moral and ethical implications of human cloning. Scientists in other labs, including Harvard University and the University of California at San Francisco, intend to produce cloned human …

The Bayh-Dole Act: Selected Issues In Patent Policy And The Commercialization Of Technology, Wendy H. Schacht

Congressional Research Service Reports

Congressional interest in facilitating U.S. technological innovation led to the passage of P.L. 96-517, Amendments to the Patent and Trademark Act (commonly referred to as the Bayh-Dole Act after its two main sponsors). The act grants patent rights to inventions arising out of government- sponsored research and development (R&D) to certain types of entities with the expressed purpose of encouraging the commercialization of new technologies through cooperative ventures between and among the research community, small business, and industry.

Patents provide an economic incentive for companies to pursue further development and commercialization. Studies have shown that research funding accounts for approximately …

Oversight Of Dual-Use Biological Research: The National Science Advisory Board For Biosecurity, Dana A. Shea

Congressional Research Service Reports

Policymakers have addressed the threat of biological weapons and biosecurity issues for many years. An issue garnering increased attention is the potential for life sciences research intended to enhance scientific understanding and public health to generate results that could be misused to advance biological weapon effectiveness. Such research has been called “dual-use” research because of its applicability to both biological countermeasures and biological weapons.

The federal government is a major source of life sciences research funding. Tension over the need to maintain homeland security and support scientific endeavor has led to renewed consideration of federal policies of scientific oversight. Balancing …

Mtbe In Gasoline: Clean Air And Drinking Water Issues, James E. Mccarthy, Mary Tiemann

Congressional Research Service Reports

As gasoline prices have risen in March and April 2006, renewed attention has been given to methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive being phased out of the nation’s fuel supply. Many argue that the phaseout of MTBE and its replacement by ethanol have been a major factor in driving up prices.

MTBE has been used by refiners since the late 1970s. It came into widespread use when leaded gasoline was phased out — providing an octane boost similar to that of lead, but without fouling the catalytic converters used to reduce auto emissions since the mid-1970s. MTBE has …

Science And Technology Policy: Issues For The 109th Congress, Frank Gottron

Congressional Research Service Reports

Science and technology have a pervasive influence over a wide range of issues confronting the nation. Decisions on how much federal funding to invest in research and development (R&D), and determining what programs have the highest priority, for example, may have implications for homeland security, new high technology industries, government/private sector cooperation in R&D, and myriad other areas.

This report indicates the sweep of science and technology in many public policy issues, although it cannot provide a comprehensive examination of every science or technology issue which may be of interest to Congress. In some areas, such as global climate change …

Stem Cell Research: State Initiatives, Judith A. Johnson, Erin D. Williams

Congressional Research Service Reports

Embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into virtually any cell in the body. Stem cells are used by scientists to study the growth and differentiation of individual cells into tissues. This work may provide insights into the causes of birth defects, genetic abnormalities, and other disease states, as well as potential treatments. The research is controversial, in the opinion of some, because the stem cells are located within the embryo and the process of removing them destroys the embryo. Some have argued that stem cell research should be limited to adult stem cells obtained from tissues such as …

U.S. Military Space Programs: An Overview Of Appropriations And Current Issues, Patricia Moloney Figliola

Congressional Research Service Reports

The 1958 National Aeronautics and Space Act specified that military space activities be conducted by the Department of Defense (DOD). DOD and the intelligence community manage a broad array of space activities, including launch vehicle development, communications satellites, navigation satellites (the Global Positioning System — GPS), early warning satellites to alert the United States to foreign missile launches, weather satellites, reconnaissance satellites, and developing capabilities to protect U.S. satellite systems and to deny the use of space to adversaries (called “space control” or “counterspace systems”). The 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War is dubbed by some as the first “space war” because …