SUMMARYIn a pilot project, a spatial and temporal algorithm (geostatistical temporal-spatial or GTS) was developed for optimizing long-term monitoring (LTM) networks. Data from two monitored ground-water plumes were used to test the algorithm. The primary objective was to determine the degree to which sampling, laboratory analysis, and/ or well construction resources could be pared without losing key statistical information concerning the plumes. Optimization of an LTM network requires an accurate assessment of both ground-water quality over time and trends or other changes in individual monitoring wells. Changes in interpolated concentration maps over time indicate whether ground-water quality has improved or declined. GTS separately identifies temporal and spatial redundancies. Temporal redundancy may be reduced by lengthening the time between sample collection. Spatial redundancy may be reduced by removing wells from the network which do not significantly impact assessment of ground-water quality.Part of the temporal algorithm in GTS involves computation of a composite temporal variogram to determine the least redundant overall sampling interval. Under this measure of autocorrelation between sampling events, the lag time at which the variogram reaches a sill is the sampling interval at which same-well measurements lack correlation and are therefore non-redundant. The spatial algorithm assumes that well locations are redundant if nearby wells offer nearly the same statistical information about the underlying plume. A well was considered redundant if its removal did not significantly change: (i) an interpolated map of the plume; (ii) the local kriging variances in that section of the plume; and (iii) the average global kriging variance. To identify well redundancy, local kriging weights were accumulated into global weights and used to gauge each well's relative contribution to the interpolated plume map. By temporarily removing that subset of wells with the lowest global kriging weights and re-mapping the plume, it was possible to determine how many wells could be removed without losing critical information.Test results from the Massachusetts Military Reserve (MMR) indicated that substantial savings in sampling, analysis and operational costs could be realized by utilizing GTS. Annual budgetary savings that would accrue were estimated at between 35 per cent and 5 per cent for both LTM networks under study.

How much child molestation occurs in our society and how much is homosexual? Random-probability samples in Los Angeles, Denver, Omaha, Louisville, and Washington, DC yielded 4,340 adults who answered an extensive questionnaire regarding sexual attitudes, activities, and experiences. Results indicate that perhaps 16% of both boys and girls claim sexual relations with an adult before the age of 16; if only experiences with men are counted about 5% of boys and 15% of girls claim sexual involvements. Sexual contacts with adults before respondents were aged 13 were claimed by 9% of boys and 7% of girls; if only experiences with men are counted, only 3% of boys claimed molestation. Considering only children's claims of sex with men, about a third were homosexual molestations. About 1% of females claimed some sexual involvement with their fathers and a like number with stepfathers. The latter were considerably more apt to be considered “serious.” About 1% of elementary pupils and 3% of secondary pupils claimed sexual advances by teachers and about a third of these advances resulted in physical sexual contact. Bisexuals or homosexuals claimed much more frequent sexual contact with caretakers, and homosexuality was disproportionately implicated in sexual events under caretakers' charge. No generational differences in rate of claims of sexual molestation were found.

A random sample of 5,182 adults from 6 U.S. metropolitan areas were questioned about incestuous sexual relationships during childhood. Incest was disproportionately reported by both male and female bisexuals and homosexuals. 148 gays (7.7% of the sample) reported 14 (50%) of same-sex, and 7 (22%) of opposite-sex incestuous experiences, and 20 (69%) of same-sex and 2 (3%) of opposite-sex sexual experiences with other relatives. 88 lesbians (3% of the sample) reported 2 (33%) of same-sex incest and 7 (9%) of opposite-sex incest and 1 (17%) of same-sex and 10 (13%) of opposite-sex sexual experiences with other relatives. 12% of 98 male homosexuals vs 0.8% of 1,224 male heterosexuals with a brother reported brother-brother incest. These findings are consonant with those of other studies in which disproportionately more incest by homosexuals was reported. As opposed to an evolutionary genetic hypothesis, these data support the alternative that homosexuality may be learned, since homosexuals do not produce children at sustainable levels and the incidence of homosexuality varies as a function of various social factors. Incest cannot be excluded as a significant basis for homosexuality.

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Optimization of long-term monitoring (LTM) networks has changed from a focus on adding information and data, in order to better characterize groundwater plumes, to an emphasis on identifying and removing statistical redundancy, so as to minimize long-term costs.An optimal system is defined as one with a minor loss of information, but a large gain in cost savings. Better optimization strategies offer improvements in 1) measuring both costs and the accuracy of baseline estimates, 2) choosing optimal subsets of the existing data, and 3) flexibility and adaptability of the optimization scheme. Examples of such improvements are shown using the Geostatistical Temporal-Spatial algorithm (GTS).