vania-janet/multiturn-rag-retrieval-data huggingface dataset:
Education News & Blogs – NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Because GUSTO may be in the air for more than two months, it’s possible that the mission will continue after the anticyclone ends, causing the balloon to drift northward as winter progresses.
Bring GUSTO Into the Classroom
The GUSTO mission is a great opportunity to engage students with hands-on learning opportunities. Students can build a planetary exploration balloon and model how interstellar dust forms into planets. Explore these lessons and resources to get students excited about the STEM involved in the mission.
Resources for Educators

 Lesson
Make a Planetary Exploration Balloon
In this engineering challenge, students must stay within design limitations while creating a balloon and gondola system that can descend or ascend at a given rate or maintain its altitude.
Subject Science
Grades 3-12
Time Less than 30 mins

 
 Lesson
The Science of Color
Quickly and easily model how colors reflect, absorb, and interact with each other in the classroom or online using your computer’s camera.
Subject Science
Grades 2-8
Time 30-60 mins

 
 Interactive
Star Formation: Eagle Nebula
View the Eagle Nebula in different wavelengths to see how new details emerge.
Subject Science

 

Resources for Students

 Project
Make a Planetary Exploration Balloon
Find out how NASA uses balloons to explore Earth and space and then take on a challenge to design your own balloon explorer inspired by what you've learned!
Subject Science
Grades 3-12
Time 30-60 mins

 
 Article
What Is a Galaxy?
Learn what galaxies are made of in this article from NASA Space Place.

 
 Article
How Old Are Galaxies?
Get the answer in this article from NASA Space Place.

 
 Interactive
Explore the Electromagnetic Spectrum
Click through this interactive from NASA Space Place all about the electromagnetic spectrum.

 

NASA's Universe of Learning materials are based upon work supported by NASA under award number NNX16AC65A to the Space Telescope Science Institute, working in partnership with Caltech/IPAC, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
TAGS: GUSTO, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Science, Teaching, Learning, K-12, Classroom, Teachable Moments, Universe of Learning, Balloon Mission, Missions
The 2023-24 California Spending Plan: Judiciary and Criminal Justice
As shown in the figure, the prison population is projected to decrease by about 3,200 (3 percent) from 96,100 in 2022-23 to 92,900 in 2023-24. The parole population is projected to decrease by about 2,000 (5 percent) from 39,200 in 2022-23 to 37,200 in 2023-24.

Facility Deactivations. The budget reflects spending reductions (primarily General Fund) resulting from the deactivation of facilities due to the ongoing decline in the prison population. Specifically, the budget reflects the following reductions:

$153 million (increasing to $173 million annually beginning in 2027-28) to reflect the deactivation of six individual yards at various prisons in 2023.

$133 million annually to reflect the deactivation of the California Correctional Center in Susanville effective June 30, 2023.

$25 million (increasing to $127 million annually in 2024-25) to reflect the planned deactivation of the California City Correctional Facility by March 2024.

Despite these facility deactivations, prison population projections indicate the state could deactivate additional prisons in the future. To inform such potential future deactivation decisions, budget trailer legislation requires CDCR to report on various factors that impact its prison capacity needs, such as the amount of space needed to operate rehabilitation programs, by November 15, 2023.
In addition, the budget reflects a $92 million reduction (primarily General Fund) in 2023-24—generally increasing to $96 million annually beginning in 2025-26—due to the closure of the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and resulting deactivation of three of its facilities. This closure is the result of legislation included in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 budget packages, which realigned responsibility for DJJ youths from the state to the counties.
Health Care. The budget provides various augmentations related to correctional health care. Some of the major adjustments include the following:

$96.9 million one-time General Fund for COVID-19 response and mitigation-related activities, such as testing and overtime for staff.
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2001 Budget Analysis: Tax Relief (9100)
For all VLF reductions, cities and counties continue to
receive the same amount of revenues as under prior law, with the reduced VLF amounts replaced by General Fund spending. This spending, known as the "VLF backfill," is reflected in the tax
relief budget item.
The VLF Rebate Begins in 2001. As part of the 2000 budget agreement, vehicle owners will permanently receive the equivalent of a 67.5 percent reduction in the VLF beginning in calendar
year 2001. For calendar years 2001 and 2002, vehicle owners will receive this reduction in two parts:

 Offset on Registration Bill. As done with the prior reductions, vehicle owners will receive a credit on their vehicle registration bill for a portion of their VLF owed. In 2001 and 2002,
this offset will be equal to 35 percent of the VLF owed.
 Rebate Check. Vehicle owners will also receive from the State Controller in the weeks following their registration payment a rebate check totaling 32.5 percent of their VLF paid.

Beginning in 2003, vehicle owners will receive the full 67.5 percent reduction as an offset on their registration bill.
Only a Portion of Costs Are Contained in the Budget Bill. The amount of General Fund spending necessary to backfill local governments for the registration bill offsets is continuously
appropriated. These costs, therefore, do not appear in the budget bill. As shown in Figure 1, we estimate this cost to be $1.9 billion in 2001-02. On the other hand, the amount necessary to
pay for the rebated portion of the tax reduction is appropriated in the budget bill. We estimate the rebate will cost $1.7 billion in 2001-02 (with half-year costs in both 2000-01 and 2002-03).
Of this amount, however, $1.2 billion was previously appropriated by Chapter 107, Statutes of 2000 (AB 511, Alquist). Therefore, the appropriation in the budget bill totals less than
$600 million. The amount of VLF tax relief will total
$3.6 billion in 2001-02.

Figure 1

Vehicle License Fee (VLF) Projected Backfill Costs

(Dollars in Billions)
The 2024-25 Budget: Proposed Reductions to State Operations
As we describe below, while we think there is merit to the Department of Finance (DOF) finding operational efficiencies, we think there is a high risk that the level of savings assumed from these two unallocated reductions will not fully materialize in 2024-25. To the extent that savings do not materialize, this proposal would create a larger future budget challenge.

In January, Governor Proposed One-Time Reduction to Reduce State Operations Costs Based on Vacant Positions. As part of the Governor’s proposed budget in January, the administration assumed that state operations would be reduced in 2024-25 by $1.5 billion ($762.5 million General Fund). We issued our analysis of this proposal in March 2024. The proposed reduction was proposed to be established in the budget bill under Control Section 4.12. The proposed control section did not identify a dollar amount for the reduction. Instead, the language indicated that “each item of appropriation” in the budget except the university systems, the Legislature, and the Judicial Branch “shall be adjusted, as appropriate, to achieve savings associated with vacant positions.” The language specified that the Director of DOF shall determine the adjustments made to each item and that DOF “shall make the final determination of the budgetary and accounting transactions to ensure proper implementation of this section.” At the time of the January proposal, the reduction was unallocated and proposed to be in effect for one year with funding levels restored beginning in 2025-26. Because the reduction was unallocated, the assumed savings were reflected in the statewide budget Item 9901—an item that contains budget adjustments that are not attributed to specific departments or programs. The proposal was adopted as part of the early action agreement.

Governor’s May Revision Proposal
New Ongoing 7.95 Percent Reduction to State Operations. The May Revision includes a new proposed $2.2 billion unallocated reduction in 2024-25 and $2.8 billion ongoing beginning in 2025-26 to reduce General Fund state operations costs by 7.95 percent. The proposed reduction would be established under Control Section 4.05.
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Bill Text - AB-132 Postsecondary education trailer bill.
(ii) For purposes of computing the FTES attributable to this paragraph and subdivision (d), for seven fiscal years beginning in the fiscal year the Compton Community College District is accredited under the governing authority of the Board of Trustees of the Compton Community College District, the Compton Community College District shall be entitled to restoration of any reduction in apportionment revenue due to decreases in FTES, up to the level of attendance of FTES funded in the 2017–18 fiscal year, if there is a subsequent increase in FTES.(iii) In computing statewide entitlements to funding based upon the attendance of FTES, the Compton Community College District shall
	not be credited with more FTES than were actually enrolled and in attendance.(4) (A) Commencing with the 2020–21 fiscal year, decreases in a community college district’s total revenue computed pursuant to the sum of subdivisions (d), (e), and (f), or computed pursuant to this subdivision shall result in the associated reduction beginning in the year following the initial year of decreases, adjusted for changes in the cost-of-living adjustment.(B) For the 2019–20 fiscal year, a community college district’s total revenue computed pursuant to the sum of subdivisions (d), (e), and (f), or computed pursuant to this subdivision shall be no less than its 2017–18 general purpose apportionment funding computed pursuant to Section 84750.5 adjusted for the cost-of-living adjustments for fiscal years 2018–19 and 2019–20.(h) For the fiscal years 2018–19 to
	2024–25, inclusive, each community college district whose increase in 2017–18 general purpose apportionment funding computed pursuant to Section 84750.5, compared to apportionment funding computed pursuant to this section, is less than the year-over-year cost-of-living adjustments applicable to those fiscal years, shall receive discretionary resources in an amount needed to ensure that the community college district receives no less than its 2017–18 general purpose apportionment funding computed pursuant to Section 84750.5 adjusted for annual year-over-year cost-of-living adjustments.(i) The board of governors shall develop the criteria and standards within the statewide minimum requirements established pursuant to this section.
Internal Revenue Bulletin: 2008-12 | Internal Revenue Service
There is no requirement that the plan offer to participants, as an alternative to a qualified preretirement survivor annuity described in § 417(c), a preretirement survivor annuity that is based on a QOSA. Q-14. How does § 1107 of PPA ’06, which provides certain rules regarding amendments made pursuant to PPA ’06, apply to plan amendments adopted pursuant to § 1004 of PPA? A-14. If a plan that is subject to § 401(a)(11) is amended to implement a QOSA within the period established in § 1107(b)(2)(A) of PPA ’06, and the plan is operated as if the amendment were in effect during the period from the effective date of the changes made to § 417 by § 1004 of PPA ’06 until the date of the amendment, the plan is treated, pursuant to § 1107 of PPA ’06, as being operated in accordance with its terms during such period, and the amendment is treated as being adopted on the effective date of such changes made to § 417. However, an amendment that implements a QOSA is not eligible for any relief, pursuant to § 1107 of PPA ’06, from the requirements of § 411(d)(6). Thus, for example, a plan amendment that implements a QOSA may eliminate a distribution form or reduce or eliminate a subsidy with respect to a distribution form only to the extent such reduction or elimination is permitted under § 1.411(d)-3. Q-15. What is the effective date of the changes made to § 417 by § 1004 of PPA ’06? A-15. In general, the changes to § 417 made by § 1004 of PPA ’06 apply to distributions from a plan that is subject to § 401(a)(11) with annuity starting dates in plan years beginning after December 31, 2007.
Larger Wheat Harvest in Ukraine Than Expected
A satellite-based analysis indicates that nearly 27 million tons of wheat were harvested from the country’s farms this year, but Ukraine won’t reap all of the benefits.
Image of the Day for December 5, 2022

Instruments:
Landsat 8 — OLI
Planet Labs

Appears in these Collections:
Applied Sciences
Food and Agriculture

Image of the Day
Land
Unique Imagery
Human Presence
Remote Sensing

View more Images of the Day:

Dec 4, 2022

Dec 6, 2022

Effects of War in Eastern Europe

Earth-observing satellites can decipher some of the broad impacts of human conflict on the built and natural environment.

References & Resources

Bloomberg (2022, October 17) How Russian Ships Are Laundering Grain Stolen From Occupied Ukraine. Accessed December 2, 2022.
ESA WorldCereal About WorldCereal. Accessed December 2, 2022.
Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring Initiative (2022) About GEOGLAM. Accessed December 2, 2022.
FT (2022, October 30) How Russia secretly takes grain from occupied Ukraine. Accessed December 2, 2022.
International Food Policy Research Institute (2022, September 27) No end in sight yet for the global food price crisis. Accessed December 2, 2022.
International Food Policy Research Institute (2022, October 31) Suspension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative: What has the deal achieved, and what happens now? Accessed December 2, 2022.
Institute for the Study of War (2022) Interactive Map: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine. Accessed December 2, 2022.
Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine (2022, November 7) 26.3 million tons of agricultural products left Ukraine since the beginning of the war. Accessed December 2, 2022.
NASA Earth Observatory (2022, June 30) Measuring War’s Effect on a Global Breadbasket. Accessed December 2, 2022.
NASA Earth Science Applied Sciences Monitoring Ukrainian Agriculture. Accessed December 2, 2022.
NASA Harvest (2022) NASA Harvest Mission. Accessed December 2, 2022.
The 2023-24 California Spending Plan: Judiciary and Criminal Justice
We note that the 2021-22 budget package—which provided the initial backfill—assumed a total backfill of $40.7 million for 2023-24 and $55.8 million ongoing in 2024-25.

$1.6 million to backfill reduced civil fee revenue from changes adopted in the 2022-23 budget package allowing more lower-income people to automatically qualify for a waiver of such fees. This reflects a $16.4 million reduction in 2023-24 relative to the amount provided in 2022-23. We note that the 2022-23 budget package included an ongoing $18 million backfill.

$1.2 million—up to $826,000 for trial courts and up to $374,000 for counties—to backfill reduced revenue from the elimination of four post-conviction criminal administrative fees related to changing of pleas, setting aside verdicts, or record sealing.

Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Program. The budget provides a $49.4 million General Fund augmentation in 2023-24 (increasing to $127 million annually beginning in 2025-26) relative to the amount provided in 2022-23 for increased court and legal representation costs associated with implementing the CARE program created by Chapter 319 of 2022 (SB 1338, Umberg). As shown in Figure 2, this increases total judicial branch-related CARE program funding to $55.6 million in 2023-24 (increasing to $132.9 million annually beginning in 2025-26). The funding supports the expected implementation of the program in eight counties in 2023-24, and in all remaining counties by December 2024. The budget package also requires the Department of Health Care Services—in consultation with the judicial branch—to submit a CARE program implementation report by December 2024. This report is required to include key data necessary to calculate future funding needs collected from each of the eight trial courts implementing the CARE program in 2023-24.

Figure 2
Summary of Total CARE Program Funding
General Fund (In Millions)

Entity

Purpose

2022‑23

2023‑24

2024‑25

2025‑26 and Ongoing

Judicial Branch

Judicial Branch
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 Gemini 8: This is Houston Flight 

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The historic first docking in space with the Agena is completed. Camaras record the harrowing experiences of the astronauts as Gemini VIII wildly gyrates through space following a malfunction. The […]

 
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Coyotes in Sonoma County: What to know about these wild canines
They’re hunters with keen vision, excellent hearing and an outstanding sense of smell. They can move easily through the landscape, skillfully evading when necessary. To investigate something, they approach cautiously and watchfully. 
Coyotes will work together to hunt. For example, while one digs at a rodent burrow entrance, a second will watch escape holes. They will drive rabbits and other prey toward relatives waiting in the brush. 

What do coyotes eat?
Coyotes are opportunists, which means they’ll eat a wide variety of foods, including deer, reptiles, birds, skunks, fruit, vegetation and insects. But rodents make up most of their diet, and coyotes are essential to keep rodent numbers in check. It’s estimated an adult may eat up to 1,800 rodents in a year. They also help remove the remains of animals who’ve died.
Coyotes will also take small livestock and even pet animals, although studies of coyote droppings find this isn’t frequent. While it is important to keep pets indoors at night and livestock protected, coyotes primarily hunt wildlife. 
As humans and coyotes have moved into each other’s communities, coyotes have become less fearful of humans, raiding dumpsters and trash cans and approaching homes and porches looking for pet food or garbage. 
Are there lots of coyotes everywhere? 
The number of coyotes in any area depends on the amount of food available and, in the wild, that usually keeps the number of coyotes in any particular region low. To find enough food for their offspring, a coyote pair will claim an area of about 3 to 6 square miles and, in that space, a family group may range from three to 10 individuals.
How strong are coyote family ties?
When a coyote pair mates, they often stay together for life. They share their food, territory and other resources with their partner but not outsiders. Both mates are devoted parents and share the work of raising young. When coyote pairs are separated, they will cry and leap and exhibit distress until they’re reunited.

Are coyotes dangerous to humans?
Coyotes are wild animals and can aggressively defend themselves and their dens, but they tend to be wary of humans.