idahononono

The student loan forgivenesses programs (PSLF) have notoriously denied forgiveness for the majority of applicants. There was a directive to improve the program and make PSLF work the way it was intended. Have you seen any appreciable change to the program? What does the future of PSLF look like?

As someone who chose an industry where PSLF was available, it’s disheartening to know I may qualify, yet still be turned down due to a broken system.

What do you think of the hours worked by paramedics and EMT’s? It’s very common for them to work a either a 12, or 24 hour shift. Most employers require them to work 48 hour workweeks at a minimum.

While sometimes this can be great, and they may be able to spend 8 hours resting, other days they may spend 18-24 hours “on task”. In busy areas, it’s not uncommon to be on task your entire shift. Many studies show that after 16-24 hours of intense stress, with no sleep, medics make more mistakes, and it’s unsafe for the patients and providers. One study rated their driving skills after 24 hours awake, and stated they made as many mistakes as a person with a BAC if 0.10! Since the pandemic, 60 hour weeks are not uncommon. Forced overtime is normal in this industry.

Despite this fact most EMS service providers/directors cite lack of staffing, and increased costs to continue business as usual. How do you fight a system that seems designed from the ground up to oppose reasonable hours?

Many EMS professionals are scared of change because their pay is so dismal; without overtime each week, they would be destitute. Most voters oppose tax increases and are already angry about the amount charged by transport agencies.

Have you examined this arena, or had any experience in making changes to these types of systems?

The opposite is true also, I know some junior doctors who are routinely saved by senior nurses. Sadly it’s all about dedication to learning and individual abilities. There are great doctors, and not so great doctors. There are great nurses, and not so great nurses. This is the way our world works, right?

Ok, I just learned of the Vacuum Blimp concept. By creating a vacuum inside of a large lightweight structure (archimedes principle), it could theoretically float in the air and stay aloft indefinitely. What I couldn’t find is anyone making real attempts at using this concept.

Is there anything in your knowledge of materials science that is light enough, yet strong enough to carry a significant amount of weight? The formula makes it seem as if it would actually be more efficient than helium or hydrogen, but the inner reinforcing structure would make it less feasible? I am very intrigued with this concept, and I’d love to work on a scale model. Perhaps achieving a partial vacuum and using RC materials could create a serviceable prototype blimp?

My vision of the design has been of building a blimp/raft structure of tiny individual triangular/hexagonal cells instead of a monolithic structure. But I have not found a material lightweight enough. Another idea was to fill it with helium initially, then as it rises higher and atmospheric pressure drops, to slowly pump out the helium and replace it with vacuum, perhaps a small solar powered pump could maintain its vacuum.

It’s probably silly, but I’ve always wanted to float a large solar collector in the upper atmosphere, it should increase efficiency by many orders of magnitude. Of course then I have to design a tether that’s light enough to be supported also, and we are back to making a space tether/elevator almost. Dang. Engineering is hard.

Well since I am already 7 years into PSLF I am hoping it will work for at least 3 more. Hopefully it works as intended now, it’s scary to imagine that death and total disability forgiveness was almost as high as PSLF forgiveness.