Table of Contents

  • SCIENCE

    • FEATURES OF DESIGNING DISTANCE COURSE FOR BLENDED LEARNING

      pg(s) 91-94

      The transience and volatility of the modern world are main drivers of the constant changes in the requirements for training of the future specialists. The process of introducing new information technologies into the educational process doesn’t stop and requires modern solutions in methodological training systems. In particular, an integral component of the modern education is the introduction of distance learning courses both in the course of full-time and distance education. As for organization of the distance learning, the distance course becomes not only a source of knowledge, but also serves as a means of communication with the teacher and classmates at a distance. In fulltime education, the distance course serves to support the learning process, because of being an effective means of organizing independent work and access to educational materials.

    • ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION ANALYSIS WITH YOUNG RESEARCHERS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL ANKARAN

      pg(s) 95-99

      Research in primary school has recently become a hot topic and is gaining a foremost position among the educational goals and objectives in primary education.
      Thus a responsible contemporary teacher of a natural science subject enables the student to get to know research work, which means that he or she guides them – through quality mentoring – through the methodology of writing a research paper, which is basically the same at all levels of the educational system, differing only in the complexity of the set research problem. At the same time, a teacher mentor should find pleasure in doing research work with their students, and regard that as an opportunity to make their work more interesting and to enhance their own knowledge. At our primary school we decided to actively integrate students into research work. The article presents a research assignment in which students in the final year of primary school (age 14-15) researched the question of what happens to apple juice of different sorts of apples before and after alcoholic fermentation. We tried to find out whether the sort of apples and the amount of sugar in apple juice affect the process of alcoholic fermentation. During experimental work, we took notes and gathered data on the amount of sugar in juice and the temperature changes that occur during alcoholic fermentation, which we measured by using a Vernier interface.

    • THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMPETITION FOR APPLIED ELECTRONICS, ORGANIZED BY THE “VASIL LEVSKI” NATIONAL MILITARY UNIVERSITY IN THE LAST 3 YEARS AND PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE

      pg(s) 100-101

      The competition for applied electronics has been organized for 3 years by the National Academy of Music “Vasil Levski” with the cooperation of the trading company “Elimex”. In the first year it took place only in Veliko Tarnovo, in the second was held except in Veliko Tarnovo and in our faculties in Shumen and Dolna Mitropoliya. This year we have 6 races, including representatives from the BBU, Gabrovo and Varna. Each year the quality of the participants is also improved.

    • APPLICATION OF CALCIUM HYDROXIDE IN DECONTAMINATION OF CHEMICAL INCIDENTS

      pg(s) 102-103

      Calcium hydroxide is an inorganic compound used for many purposes. Calcium hydroxide is relatively soluble in water. It partially dissolves in water to produce a solution called limewater, which is a moderate base. Limewater or aq. Ca(OH)2 reacts with acids to form salts. As the calcium hydroxide is easy accessible, cheap and has the possibility to neutralize inorganic acids can be successfully used in their decontamination. This paper presents analyzes the decontaminating properties of calcium hydroxide.

    • SEASONAL VARIATIONS OF THE MARINE AND ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION IN THE BLACK SEA BASIN

      pg(s) 107-110

      The multi-mission altimeter data for the Sea Level Anomaly (SLA), processed and distributed by Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service, and the meteorological reanalisys of ECMWF ERA-Interim data are used to compare the seasonal variability of the Black Sea circulation and the atmosphere circulation above the basin. The seasonal averaged maps of the SLA, geostrophic current anomaly, mean sea level pressure, the wind velocity and curl reveal an accordance between the rotation of the atmosphere and sea circulation in the Eastern Black Sea area. The winter positive wind curl area, centered over the inner part of the basin, explains the winter intensification of the Rim Current. The summer configuration of wind curl could explain the spring-summer intensification of the Batumy anticyclonic eddy and the negative SLA near the Caucasus coast.

    • THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD AND ON THE SURFACE OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION: PART ONE

      pg(s) 111-114

      The primary role of the space materials science is to ensure the long-term trouble-free operation of materials and elements of equipment in a space environment. The achievements of space materials science are a solid foundation for solving these tasks. In this paper we present the first part of the analysis of some different aspects of the space environment and their effect on the properties of materials (such as high vacuum conditions, own external atmosphere, collisions with particles, solar electromagnetic radiation, solar wind, penetrating corpuscular radiation) which are located or are mounted on the body of the International Space Station. But there are still problems such as the electrification of satellites, the work of materials in the atmosphere of heavy nuclei, the surface potential of the International Space Station, etc., which will be the subject of our next, second part of this study.

  • BUSINESS

    • INFLUENCE OF THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT ON SAFETY AND HEALTH PROTECTION AT WORK AND PERFORMANCE OF THE EMPLOYEES IN AN OFFICE SPACE

      pg(s) 115-121

      Currently, most employers ignore the fact that colors affect the behavior and thinking of employees in the work process. Workers are austere, colors, and they are places where employees only routinely perform tasks. In such an environment, employees can not feel good, do the best they can and work safely. It is important for employers to realize that by creating suitable working conditions they will help their employees to better manage their job tasks. Their performance will improve, they will work safely and significantly help in the development of society. The article deals with experiments that deal with the performance of test people who perform specific activities with different color backgrounds. This section evaluates the measured values and determines which colors affect the lowest performance, which colors are disturbing and cause many mistakes, human workplace problems, which can lead to arguments or even aggression. But also which colors can help achieve the highest efficiency that positively affect staff performance, support thinking and develop creativity, improve relationships and create a comfortable atmosphere.

    • PROSPECTS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF LIQUIFIED GAS FROM THE CASPIAN REGION TO EUROPE

      pg(s) 122-123

      Georgia proposes to supply Caspian liquefied gas to the European market via the alternative route – by building a terminal for exporting liquefied gas on the Black Sea coast. Compressed gas will be delivered from Georgia to the Romanian port of Constanta on tank vessels.
      Kazakhstan regards this route as an option of delivery of liquefied gas to the world market.
      Turkmenistan is also studying options for exporting liquefied gas through Azerbaijan and Georgia.
      To participate in the project as a vendor, Turkmenistan could supply liquefied gas by the Caspian sea to Azerbaijan for its further transit through Georgia to Europe.

    • RO-RO SHIPPING NETWORKS IN THE BLACK SEA REGION AND PORTS CONNECTIVITY: COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT

      pg(s) 124-127

      The present article presents in detail the concept of ports connectivity of the ro-ro shipping networks in the Black Sea region. The existing ro-ro services in the region are studied in terms of transportation availability, frequency and capacity. A set of port connectivity indices is applied for measuring the interconnections between the ports in the region via ro-ro services. The results demonstrate that the roro shipping network in the region has a potential for development and despite the low cargo volumes, low level of capacity utilization and lack of efficient hinterland connections of ports.

  • SOCIETY

    • BULGARIAN’S POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY: WHY EMPLOYMENT MATTERS

      pg(s) 128-133

      Lack of paid employment for a considerable part of the employable population creates serious difficulties for the social security system. An unemployed individual is no longer able to meet the social requirement for labour contribution and the personal depression results in social and political instability. Hence, solving the problem of unemployment is a prerequisite for decreasing poverty and social exclusion. It is in this context that a proposal is made for directing the public policy of the labour market towards active measures concerning employment. The objective is for the state to interact as a partner between the two parties on the labour market ‒ workers and employers. In its role of a mediator the government can, on the one hand, stimulate demand, and on the other – the supply of labour on the part of the economically active population.

    • ALTERNATIVE DIPLOMACY

      • Rusinova, D.Z.
      pg(s) 134-136

      Without claiming to be exhaustive, this paper aims at analyzing the tools of alternative (Track II and III diplomacy) for conflict resolution and crisis management. In order to maximize the gains from private diplomacy, the EU should take into account what Track II and III diplomacy has done so far to help solve conflicts, why it is need and how it can best be used.

    • AN ATTEMPT TO PROBLEMATIZE VALUES

      pg(s) 137-140

      Values are the principle of human existence. They are its proto-principle. Human life runs its course within a world of values, is guided and made meaningful by values. Political action, as a kind of social action, is guided by meaning and – directly or indirectly – by values. The cardinal function of values is to legitimate the social and political (individual and/or group) actions. The devaluation of values leads to a crisis of society, the only solution to which is a revaluation of values. And because – not being subject to natural causality – values are a matter of choice, when they are imposed and coercively required of people, they cannot result in the good, and their devaluation becomes inevitable. Devalued values break down the immune system of a person, a group, a society. The disregard for politics as a value is a symptom of a severely ailing society. Overall, researches on values have revealed a tendency to moral degradation and a shortage of social and political values. Sociologists explain this negative trend with reference to the preceding period that had abruptly placed whole generations of people socialized in one type of society – the Socialist one – into a new reality that required a radical elimination of the conflict areas in their now compromised past socialization. A clarification of the interconnection between attitudes and values such as justice, family, work, politics, etc., gives answers to the question as to how far these values are a resource for meaningful construction and/or consolidation of community ties. The extent to which values are accepted by the community as reference points for personal and social realization depends on the interiorization of supra-individual norms and values. Only a person who has interiorized these norms and values – not as imposed coercively from outside but as his/her own – may simultaneously live in society and be “free” of society. Individualization is the basic characteristic of a healthy society. The individualization in question must not consist of individualism, atomization, and/or highlighting the Self, but should involve a collective and normative style of life. In that case, it may alleviate the contrast between desired values that underlie the actual conduct of people, and the desirable values that are related to the normative requirements of society.

    • CURRENT MARITIME PIRACY PRACTICES AND ANTI-PIRACY PROTECTION

      pg(s) 141-144

      The threat of maritime piracy has not disappeared with the decline in Somali piracy since 2011-2012. Piracy has surged in other regions and now the tactic is to kidnap the crew for ransom. Although at present many ships employ self-defense measures, pirate attacks become more sophisticated and demonstrate a remarkable degree of success. Considering the presence and the evolution of this threat, the improvement of anti-piracy protection of vessels is increasingly important. The purpose of this survey is to track the evolution of pirate practices (character of attacks, targets, tactics, weapons and equipment), along with the evolution of anti-piracy measures, within the period 2008-2017.