Independence day explosion on lovers key

The display of fireworks is a popular holiday celebration in the United States. Because injuries due to recreational fireworks-related explosions among private consumers are relatively common, the sale of fireworks is regulated by the federal government and is also limited by state and local laws. In contrast, because fireworks display companies are under tight safety regulations, explosions in the professional pyrotechnics industry are uncommon occurrences, and the literature contains rare reports of injuries and fatalities resulting from such explosions. We report the 2003 Fourth of July commercial fireworks explosion on Lovers Key in southwest Florida that resulted in five fatalities. Events occurring during the investigation of the scene of this explosion illustrate the unique considerations and hazards for medicolegal death investigators, law enforcement and other investigative agencies. Additionally, this case demonstrates unusual aspects of the postmortem examinations performed on victims of fireworks-related incidents.     

Fatalities Due to Indigenous and Exotic Species in Florida

Florida's climate is suitable for many potentially hazardous animals, including both indigenous and exotic species, which are frequently kept as in zoos or as pets. This has resulted in many unforeseen fatal encounters between animals and the ever expanding human population. While the literature and knowledge pool for more common types of deaths referred to medical examiner/coroner's offices is abundant, the appreciation of wildlife and exotic pet‐related deaths is far less widespread. We report seven animal attack‐related deaths that occurred in Florida. The inflicted injuries included blunt and sharp force injuries, asphyxia, drowning, and envenomation. The underlying cause of death, however, was always a result of the human/animal interaction and in many cases related to human error and failure to appreciate the potentially dangerous behavior of nondomesticated species. These cases illustrate the varied circumstances and pathophysiologies associated with deaths due to indigenous and exotic species and the importance of the multidisciplinary approach in the medicolegal investigation of these cases.     

The effectiveness of mediation: An independent analysis of cases handled by four major service providers

A study of 449 cases administered by four major providers of ADR services showed that mediation was capable of settling 78 percent of cases, regardless of whether the parties had been sent to mediation by a court or had selected the process voluntarily. Mediation also cost far less than arbitration, took less time, and was judged a more satisfactory process than arbitration.Jeanne M. Brett is the DeWitt W. Buchanan, Jr. Professor of Dispute Resolution and Organizations at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill. 60208     

Do child abuse rates increase on those days on which professional sporting events are held?

This paper examines possible relationships between days on which professional sports events are held and daily rates of substantiated physical abuse of children by males. Three different hypotheses about possible relationships between various types of sporting events and rates of child abuse are examined using statewide data drawn from the Missouri Division of Family Services. Hierarchical OLS Multiple regressions were used to test for these relationships. Effects were controlled for the month in which the abuse occurred and the day of the week during which the incident occurred. The findings do not support the hypothesis that sporting events yield increases in number of substantiated male-perpetrator child abuse cases.     

The Strategic Use of Interests,Rights, and Power to Resolve Disputes

To ensure success in resolving difficult disputes, negotiators mustmake strategic decisions about their negotiation approach. In this essay,we make practical recommendations for negotiation strategy based on Ury,Brett, and Goldberg's (1993) interests, rights, and power framework fordispute resolution and subsequent empirical research by Brett, Shapiro, andLytle (1998). We discuss how negotiations cycle through interests, rights,and power foci; the prevalence of reciprocity; and the one-sided,distributive outcomes that result from reciprocity of rights and powercommunications. We then turn to using interests, rights and powerstrategically in negotiations. We discuss choosing an opening stragegy,breaking conflict spirals of reciprocated rights and power communications,and when and how to use rights and power communications effectively innegotiations.     

Research Note: Reexamining the Suburban Exploitation Thesis in American Metropolitan Areas

The argument that suburbs exploit cities has been made so oftenthat it seems incontestable. Adherents to that view, however,rarely produce evidence for exploitation where suburban-generatedbenefits have been measured and compared with suburban-generatedcosts. Studies that examine only costs are not convincing evidencethat suburbs damage cities. Relatedly, what evidence existsthat metropolitan government fragmentation damages cities, whileconcentration helps them? When studies of those subjects arereviewed, the patterns challenge the suburban-exploitation thesis.Implications are discussed, including the significance for federalstructures of metropolitan governance.     

Experts Judging Experts: The Role of Expertise in Reviewing Agency Decision Making

What role does judicial subject matter expertise play in the review of agency decisions? Using a data set of decisions in which the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (BPAI) is reviewed by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, we investigate this question and find that greater subject matter expertise does make it more likely that a judge will vote to reverse an agency decision.