Western Nevada College

In this paper, I describe the development of my personal research on music that transcends the limitations of human ability. I begin with an exploration of my early thoughts regarding the meaning behind the creation of a musical composition according to the creator’s intentions and how to philosophically conceptualize the creation of such music if one rejects the existence of abstract Platonic Forms. I then explore the transformation of my own creative process through the introduction of software capable of playing back music in exact accord with the inputs provided to it, while enabling the creation of music that remains intriguing to the human ear even though the performance of it may sometimes be beyond the ability of humans. Subsequently, I describe my forays into music generated by earlier algorithmic systems such as the Musikalisches Würfelspiel and narrow artificial-intelligence programs such as WolframTones and my development of variations upon artificially generated themes in essential collaboration with the systems that created them. I also discuss some of the high-profile, advanced examples of AI-human collaboration in musical creation during the contemporary era and raise possibilities for the continued role of humans in drawing out and integrating the best artificially generated musical ideas. I express the hope that the continued advancement of musical software, algorithms, and AI will amplify human creativity by narrowing and ultimately eliminating the gap between the creator’s conception of a musical idea and its practical implementation.

The indigenous populations in the United States, Native Americans, have experienced a unique form of governance as their federally assigned lands are designated as sovereign. However, there is direct involvement of federal law enforcement on those lands under many circumstances. In addition, many tribal groups have coordinated their own jurisdictional law enforcement and criminal justice processes, often using traditional laws and tribal practices to remedy disputes between parties, even when issues may reach the criminal level. The history and progress of these developments will be outlined in detail.

Nevada has experienced steady economic improvement as it continues its recovery from theGreat Recession of 2008. The state budget is resting on a solid foundation in terms of satisfyingrevenue projections contained in the 2015‒2017 biennial budget. The state successfully facedand responded to a state economic environment that has been characterized for the past few yearsby recession, a budget crisis and political budget fights. The 2017‒2019 biennial budget was theresult of divided government. The Senate and the Assembly—with Democrat majority control,and Governor Sandoval—a Republican, resulted in Nevada adopting a 2017‒2019 biennialbudget that was the result of compromises. The 2017‒2019 legislatively approved appropriationsclosely resemble the 2015‒2017 biennial budget on a category basis. Economic recovery, economicgrowth, and incremental tax revenue growth constituted the basic approach taken to budgetingby the 2017 Nevada Legislature and Governor Sandoval.

Author(s): Morin, Robert | Abstract: Nevada is experiencing structural change and a political tipping point. The 2010 Census and reapportionment of the Nevada Legislature are the significant factors producing permanent political change in Nevada. The political tipping point marks a permanent shift in political power from the north to the south, rural to urban, and Republican to Democrat. Redistricting produced a 2013 Nevada Legislature where 75 percent of the members of the State Senate are from Clark County and 75 percent of the members of the State Assembly are from Clark County. The 2013 Nevada Legislature faced a Nevada economy that hit bottom, was flat in 2010 and 2011, and is now experiencing slow growth. Republican Governor Brian Sandoval was committed to the formulation of a balanced 2013-2015 biennial budget based on modest increases in state spending, no tax increases, and no new taxes. Many Democrats in the Legislature favored a tax increase and the enactment of new taxes. Republicans in the Legislature, along with Governor Sandoval, were unified and successful in their goal of enacting a balanced 2013-2015 biennial budget that was balanced without significant tax increases or new taxes.

DOI 10.1515/cjpp-2012-0035 Calif. J. Politics Policy 2012; 4(3): 182–198 Research Article Robert P. Morin* Nevada 2011: Budget Crisis and Political Deadlock Abstract: As was the case in 2009, the 2011 Nevada legislature faced an environ- ment characterized by recession, a budget crisis and a political budget fight. The 2009 legislature passed multiple taxation bills that collectively constituted a $781 million tax increase over the course of the 2009–2011 biennium. These tax enhancements were temporary and were scheduled to sunset at the end of the 2011 session of the legislature. A Nevada State Supreme Court decision was responsible for breaking the political deadlock that transpired throughout the course of the 2011 legislature regarding the 2011–2013 biennial budget proceed- ings. Governor Sandoval and the legislature agreed to extend the sunset tax package for another period of two years because of the court decision. The 2011 legislature did not address the budget problems in Nevada in any meaningful fashion and it looks as though the same budget problems of Nevada will once again be present during the 2013 Nevada legislature. Keywords: budget; Nevada; tax enhancement; western state budget report *Corresponding author: Robert P. Morin, Western Nevada College, 2201 West College Parkway, Carson City, Nevada 89703, USA, e-mail: rpmorin@wnc.edu 1 Introduction As was the case in 2009, the 2011 Nevada legislature faced an environment char- acterized by recession, a budget crisis and a political budget fight. Republican Governor Brian Sandoval was committed to the formulation of a balanced 2011– 2013 biennial budget based upon reduced spending, no tax increases and no new taxes. January 2011 ushered in a new year and a realization that the Nevada budget crisis had not improved from the year 2010. Nevada’s dependency on sales tax revenue and gaming tax revenue maintained the budget crisis at a serious level, because the economy and state revenue continued to lag. In essence, it appeared as though the economy in Nevada hit bottom and was flat as the 2011 Nevada leg-

A new modeling technique has been introduced to predict the large deformation of flexible composites reinforced by plain-weave fabrics under biaxial loading. The only input required for calculations are the mechanical properties of the constituents and the fabric geometry. The constitutive equations are derived based on a strain energy approach, where fiber and matrix are accounted separately and the curved yarns are assumed to be in sinusoidal shape. Both material and geometrical nonlinearities are considered in the formulation. Good agreement has been found between predictions and experiments under various biaxial loading.

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