text:
ESG has moved up the pension trustee agenda - are you ready?
It seems that climate change awareness and interest in environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues among investors, politicians, millennials and society at large has reached a tipping point. This has led to new pressures and subsequent regulations, but also to new opportunities for all stakeholders involved.
The Gowling WLG ESG Working Group has been established to help our pension trustee clients understand the law relating to ESG and to help them navigate the landscape, including the social and political backdrop, as it evolves.
This is the first of a series of ESG-focused Insights to be published by our ESG Working Group. In this Insight, we highlight recent remarks by Guy Opperman and Mark Carney on climate change and pension schemes, we touch on new reporting and disclosure requirements for pension scheme trustees, and we finish by summarising key issues and questions for trustees to consider.
In future Insights, we will consider further the legal position for trustees in terms of statute and case law, for both defined benefit and defined contribution schemes, and discuss the practical implementation of compliance for schemes of all sizes.
Considerable political and commercial momentum behind ESG
Two weeks ago, Guy Opperman, Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion, confirmed that the Government intends to publish guidance on climate-related disclosures for pension schemes in March 2020. Mr Opperman said:
"With over £1.6 trillion in assets, UK occupational pension schemes have a significant role to play in supporting the Government's commitment to net zero by 2050. Our environmental, social and governance regulations, introduced by this Conservative Government in October 2019, mean that schemes are now required to disclose their policy on climate change. In March, we intend to publish game-changing guidance on climate-related financial disclosure."
We look forward to seeing this guidance and plan to share our thoughts on it in a future Insight. So, watch this space.
In December 2019, Mark Carney, Bank of England Governor issued a warning on climate change in an interview for BBC Radio 4. He urged investors to reconsider their agenda on climate change. He noted that unless firms address "the climate crisis", pension fund investments could become "worthless". He said:
"A question for every company, every financial institution, every asset manager, pension fund or insurer: What's your plan?"
These comments and others from authoritative figures across the globe speak to the considerable and growing political and commercial momentum behind ESG.
ESG is shaping new investment governance and disclosure requirements
On 1 October 2019, new provisions came into force on statement of investment principles (SIPs), stewardship and financially material considerations.
These new regulations do not dramatically change the underlying duties of pension trustees when they are investing scheme assets. Pension trustees are still under a duty to invest scheme assets in the best interest of the members and beneficiaries with a view to providing the benefits set out in the scheme rules. However, they are intended to better address concerns relating to:
ESG; and
stewardship (including voting, engagement and monitoring).
We have previously published a more detailed Insight on these developments, so please read this for further information - Trustee investment duties: All change or more of the same.
The UK Sustainable and Finance Association's Report dated February 2020 challenged trustees of defined contribution arrangements over "the poor rate of compliance with the ESG regulations". We can expect to see greater scrutiny over trustee compliance in the coming months and years.
Some issues and questions for trustees
Knowledge of the legal requirements:
Do you feel confident that you understand your legal duties regarding ESG?
What can you delegate to your investment managers?
How far does wider societal impact actually matter?
Does your own scheme's expected timescale (e.g. to buy-out) impact your approach?
Investment managers adopt varying approaches to ESG:
Do you feel confident that your investment manager is prioritising ESG effectively?
Are they transparent about their ESG approach?
Do you know what methodologies they use?
Exercising stewardship activities:
Are you engaged in discussions around your rights as shareholders and how your shares are being voted on ESG issues, such as climate change, and executive remuneration?
Are you clear about your investment managers' and custodian's decision-making about using your voting rights?
Requests from members and activist groups:
Do you know what your members think about ESG investing? Does it matter?
Are you ready to deal with requests from members or activist groups about your approach to ESG?
'Greenwashing' is an increasing concern in the financial sector:
Do you know what 'greenwashing' is and the risks involved?
Are you confident you or your managers know what it is and how to detect it?
It seems clear that 2020 is the year that ESG goes mainstream across the pensions industry. For those of you who are pension scheme trustees, it is now imperative to understand precisely what the law requires of you and how, in practice, you will comply.
Related Pensions, Climate Change and Environmental Law, ThinkHouse, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
05 January 2021 Rectification - what is it and what do you need to know?
31 December 2020 UK Pensions in 2021 – key trends and developments for trustees and sponsoring employers
30 December 2020 The Month In Pensions – December 2020: Pensions in 2021 – key trends and developments
Jason Coates Partner - London
jason.coates@gowlingwlg.com
Download vCard for Jason Coates


Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was indicted by a Massachusetts grand jury Thursday morning on first-degree murder charges. Hernandez is the number one suspect in the death of a man who was found near the football star's home.
The grand jury indictment charges Hernandez with the murder of 27-year-old semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd. Lloyd was dating the sister of Hernandez's girlfriend at the time.
In June of 2013, Hernandez pleaded not guilty to weapons charges and to Odin's murder. His lawyers are confident they will clear his name as the case against him is circumstantial, but prosecutors say Hernandez orchestrated Lloyd's murder.
He's being held in jail without bail and could face life in prison if convicted.


Outdoor Kitchen Cart. Outdoor Kitchen Cart With Mini Refrigerator And Also Faucet Regarding Ideas 5. Outdoor Kitchen Island Cart Wayfair For Idea 18. Stylish Diy Outdoor Kitchen Cart Google Search BBQ Pinterest Within Remodel 11. Amazon Com New Age 65007 Products 32 Bar Cart In Stainless Steel Pertaining To Outdoor Kitchen Plan 6. Outdoor Kitchen Carts And Islands A Beginner S Guide To Container Regarding Cart Plan 13. Stainless Steel Kitchen Carts For Indoors Or Outdoors Danver With Outdoor Cart Design 9. DIY 30 Outdoor Kitchen Cart YouTube In Decor 2.
Leisure Season OKC158 Outdoor Kitchen Cart Beverage Center With Pertaining To Design 10. DIY Outdoor Kitchen How To Make A Grill Station Bob Vila Intended For Cart Decor 14. NewAge Products Outdoor Kitchen Bar Cart In Stainless Steel Regarding Plan 7. 27 Best Barbecue Images On Pinterest Outdoor Cooking Inside Throughout Kitchen Cart Idea 15. The Amazing And Attractive Outdoor Kitchen Cart Regarding House With Regard To Decor 16.


text:
What X-Rays Have Done for Astronomy
A Google search for anything today should immediately alert you to the fact that the software giant is celebrating the 115th anniversary of the discovery of x-rays. The penetrating radiation—a very high-energy form of light—was first documented by German scientist Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1895. His famed x-ray picture of his wife's hand made the...
A Google search for anything today should immediately alert you to the fact that the software giant is celebrating the 115th anniversary of the discovery of x-rays.
The penetrating radiation—a very high-energy form of light—was first documented by German scientist Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1895. His famed x-ray picture of his wife's hand made the medical applications of x-rays immediately clear.
The beauty of x-rays is that they blast right through materials that visible light bounces off of, such as skin, but they can be stopped if a material is dense enough, such as metal or bone.
In addition to the wonders of inner space, x-rays can teach us quite a bit about mysterious objects in outer space, such as black holes, neutron stars, supernova remnants, and the effects of the solar wind.
This, for example, is the first x-ray picture of Earth, taken by an orbiting NASA satellite:
—Image courtesy Polar, PIXIE, NASA
Most of the planet is dark, because Earth's relatively thick atmosphere does a stellar job of absorbing x-rays. That bright spot near the North Pole is where auroras are glowing, not just as curtains of visible light, but also as swirls of x-rays.
Auroras appear when charged particles from the sun flow along Earth's magnetic field lines and slam into the atmosphere, exciting (aka, adding energy to) atoms in the air.
These excited atoms spit the extra energy back out as light, giving us the colorful displays visible to the human eye. But auroras also generally emit x-rays, ultraviolet light, and radio waves, any of which we would be able to see with the right filters.
Turning our x-ray vision out into the cosmos, the high-energy radiation gives us a glimpse of the details in otherwise dark objects, such as black holes.
This picture, for instance, combines data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESO's Very Large Telescope to reveal a newfound microquasar in the galaxy NGC 7793:
—X-ray image courtesy NASA/CXC/Univ of Strasbourg/M. Pakull et al; optical image courtesy ESO/VLT/Univ of Strasbourg/M. Pakull et al; H-alpha image courtesy NOAO/AURA/NSF/CTIO 1.5m
In this zoomed-in part of the picture, the faint greenish-blue blob near the middle marks the position of a stellar-mass black hole.
—Image courtesy NASA/CXC/Univ of Strasbourg/M. Pakull et al
But how can we see something that by definition is so dense not even light can escape?
The trick is that this black hole is chowing down on matter from a nearby companion star. The material gets so hot as it falls into the black hole that it emits scads of x-rays, effectively providing a sign-post for the black hole.
What's more, the act of eating causes the black hole to belch jets of hot gas, creating a bubble a thousand light-years wide. The jets are heating the surrounding material to the point that it's also emitting x-rays, making the end points of the jets visible as orange and yellow blobs in this picture.
In the broader scheme of things, x-rays can tell astronomers a ton about objects already visible in optical wavelengths. Combining data from several observatories shows not just the state of things today, but can help trace the evolution of a particular object.
Take the Antennae galaxies, a pair of colliding galaxies discovered by Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel in 1785. Through a wide-field telescope, what you see is this:
—Image courtesy Digitized Sky Survey
Taken alone, optical data from the Hubble Space Telescope, infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope, and x-ray data from Chandra give these frames:
But add them up, and you get this:
—X-ray image courtesy NASA/CXC/SAO/J.DePasquale; IR image courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech; Optical image courtesy NASA/STScI
Not too shabby, eh? And in addition to being an eye-popper, the combined picture tells astronomers what's been going on during a collision that started a hundred million years ago.
X-rays tell us that the merger is causing huge clouds of hot, interstellar gas to be injected with elements from supernova explosions, such as oxygen, iron, magnesium, and silicon. The enriched gas will likely be incorporated into new generations of stars and planets.
Meanwhile, the Spitzer data show infrared light from dust clouds being heated by newborn stars, while the Hubble data reveals where older stars and clusters now reside.
As for the future of x-ray astronomy, the next big proposal is the International X-ray Observatory, a joint effort between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
The probe is one of three missions competing for funding, and only one can move forward to launch. If IXO makes the cut, it would launch in 2021 and would study what happens close to the event horizons of black holes, how supermassive black holes grow, and how the violent processes that produce x-rays give rise to large-scale structures in the universe.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


On completion of this module students will have demonstrated knowledge of the foundations of health law and of the "Code of Conduct for Medical Practitioners: Good Medical practice" (the statement of the standard of conduct required of medical practitioners by the national professional registration board) and also of compliance with this Code (where appropriate). Students will also have demonstrated a foundational understanding of compassionate, ethical professional behaviour; the ability to work cooperatively as a member of a team accepting and providing leadership as appropriate; an understanding of the positive and negative personal impacts of a medical career and related concepts of stress; and the ability to observe discuss and reflect on individual experiences.
Satisfactory completion of the following activities is required: 1. An online learning module that provides certification of familiarity with the fundamentals of health law that are relevant to being a medical student and knowledge of Sydney Medical School policies and regulations. 2. Attendance at and completion of a short course on "Finding Relevant Information in Health and Medical Databases". 3. Participation in a peer assessment process in TBL tutorials. 4. Submission of a reflective portfolio and participation in an interview with a faculty member. 5. Completion of teaching evaluation activities. 6. Appropriate ethical and professional behaviour as determined by the PPD Theme. 7. Attendance at all designated activities in this Stage. Students who miss more than 20% of Required Learning Activities in any Block of study may not be eligible to proceed to Stage 2 except by a specific decision of the Sydney Medical Program Examination Committee. 8.Other required assessments approved by the MD Committee.


As has now become an annual tradition, each year, I trace the memories of new destinations I've discovered and those I have explored anew, through my photographs. In 2018, I did not travel as much as I would have liked (certainly when compared to my travels in 2016 and 2017). This was due to work commitments for some of my corporate clients. Yes, besides my editorial work I sometimes (read: 'often') have to do 'serious' work, such as writing press release and speeches, scripting videos and editing film subtitles. Then I throw in a good measure of copywriting, sub-editing and research into the mix. But it's thanks to this kind of work, and the flexibility freelancing offers, that I have the opportunity to travel as much as I do.
1.1 Read about other things to do in Johannesburg.
2.1 Read about whale watching at De Hoop.
4.1 Read about how to spend 48 hours in Cape Town.
5.1 Read How to survive the Clarens Beer Festival.
6.1 Read about my Mauritian adventures.
7.1 Here's what what to do in Dullstroom in 48 hours.
10.1 Read my M&G article: SA's Poles recall a bitter journey.
11.1 Marvel at the splendour of this Graaff-Reinet panorama.
farmer's market. Here you can meet over 35 artists and artisans, enjoy a breakfast from the many food stalls and wander wide-eyed through art galleries.
Read about other things to do in Johannesburg.
When I was a kid I used to earn R5 a month for doing all my chores, over the years and thanks to inflation that was eventually increased to R20 a month, but that wasn't enough to feed my bubble gum addiction, so I started working holiday jobs and making things to sell at the market because dammit I wanted more bubble gum… and from bubble gum machines just like this one found at the mixed-medium art gallery in Victoria Yards on Viljoen Street in Lorentzville, which is officially opening to the public on 03 March. Of course as I grew older and started earning more money from holiday jobs and part-time work (yes, I even worked at a video store) my focus changed to clothes and shoes, but as a teen I soon outgrew that and started saving to travel instead!
I was lucky enough to revisit De Hoop Nature Reserve, which is part of Cape Nature, in February. De Hoop is famed for whale watching. Hundreds of Southern Right Whales call these waters home between June and November each year. Their experiential marine walk, particularly when it is guided by Delfrenzo Laing, is something to write home about. But this time I visited De Hoop to see the Guided Vulture experience. We watched endangered Cape Vultures swoop along the thermals between the cliffs of Potberg Mountain. The brief hike to the wooden look-out platform was followed by a gourmet picnic lunch of homemade bread, local cheeses, salad jars and pates.
Read about whale watching at De Hoop.
During the three-hour vulture experience at De Hoop Nature Reserve, you can expect to see a number of endangered Cape Vultures as you hike up to the lookout point, and even more so from the platform. This is the Western Cape's last surviving colony. You can watch them swoop and soar overhead. Their wingspan can reach up to 2.5 metres.
The Franschhoek Wine Tram visits 22 wine estates in the Franschhoek valley, along eight coloured routes. Each route has been designed to showcase a selection of wine estates that produce a wide array of wines. You can choose between a hop-on, hop-off or a curated experience.
The hop-on, hop-off experience takes passengers on a loop of stops that allows them to hop-off at each stop and experience the activities on offer, whether be it wine tasting, a cellar tour, lunch, exploring an on-site art gallery or a stroll through the vineyards.
The curated experience is a day-long excursion that offers an in-depth look at the region's wine-growing history and culture. Guests walk through vineyards, learn about viticulture, do a cellar tour, taste wine straight from the barrel and indulge in a three-course meal that's paired with wine.
Even though she was really busy because it is currently harvesting season in the Franschhoek Valley, female winemaker Irene Waller showed me the inner workings of La Bri Wine Estate, which is one of 22 wine estates along the Franschhoek @winetram.
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa is the world's largest museum of contemporary African art. It showcases over one hundred galleries with artworks in various media, such as photography, installation, sculpture and visual arts. The museum covers nine floors across forty-two 33-metre-high refurbished grain silos. While you are here, eat or treat yourself to a drink at Zeitz MOCAA Food on the sixth floor. It offers spectacular view of the V&A Waterfront and is where the photograph below was taken.
African citizens receive free entry to the museum every Wednesday, between 10:00 – 13:00 on the presentation of ID, driver's licence or passport. And South Africans can enjoy half-price admission (R95) between 16:00-21:00 on every first Friday of the month.
Read about how to spend 48 hours in Cape Town.
Here's Table Mountain posing through the curved windows, that resemble fly eyes, on the sixth floor of the Zeitz Mocaa in The Silo District of the V&A Waterfront. The museum encompasses 6,000m² of exhibition space.
The Clarens Craft Beer Festival has become a sort of annual tradition among my friends. Over 20 craft brewers from across the country converge on the Free State town in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains. All that tipple is accompanied by live music and food stalls. We always plan a short excursion to the nearby Golden Gate National Park. It is one of my favourite places to hike in South Africa. I returned three months later to do the overnight 28km Ribbok Trail.
Read How to survive the Clarens Beer Festival.
Let's play a game called "Spot the little itty bitty humans"! How many can you see in this photo along the Brandwag Buttress hike in @sanparks Golden Gate Highlands National Park?
I returned to the Indian Ocean Island of Mauritius for a second time, so as to celebrate the island-nation's 50th anniversary of independence from Great Britain. The palm-lined streets were wrapped in Mauritian flags, locals came out to the beaches to watch the regatta and larger-than-life dodos ambled down the streets. I was privileged to be part of the official celebrations. The jovial week-long festivities were only magnified by tasting the local rum and exploring the island's popular sights.
Read about my Mauritian adventures.
The thing that makes Mauritius so beautiful for me, is not just the azure warm waters of the Indian Ocean, but that they are contrasted with spectacular mountainscapes found throughout the island.
I was spoiled during my birthday getaway to the countryside Walkersons Hotel and Spa in Dullstroom. My day started with a sunrise hike that overlooked the estate, followed by a lesson in fly fishing. I only managed to hook some grass. A full-body-massage and session in the sauna preceded our gourmet four-course dinner at the Flying Scotsman. Even if you don't stay at Walkersons, I'd suggest eating here, just be warned that the portions are very generous. During our stay we also cycled around the estate, indulged in a catered picnic in the shade of pine trees by the waterfall, drank sundowners from the balcony of our free-standing cottage and enjoyed the warmth of our fireplace. We also took the short drive into town to do a craft beer tasting at the Anvil Ale Brewery.
Here's what what to do in Dullstroom in 48 hours.
The English moors? The Scottish highlands? No, just the usual landscapes at @walkersonshotel in South Africa's Mpumalanga province, where I was relaxing last week.
A dear friend from Australia, who I met on a three-week tour of India with GAdventures, came to visit me in late August and early September. While in Gauteng – and before embarking on her three-week journey across South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho – she wanted to venture beyond Johannesburg. We explored Pretoria from the Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park to the Union Buildings (check out the views from the Sheraton Pretoria on Stanza Bopape Street). We also walked the 7.2km trail around Tswaing Crater, which is the result of a meteorite impact around 220 000 years ago.
My dear friend Krys Bliss, who I met last year October while traveling through India on a @gadventures tour, is visiting me from Australia this week. I took her to visit Freedom Park Museum and Heritage Site, which opened near Pretoria in 2013. I was a first-time visitor too. And it got me thinking how often we prioritise international travel over exploring the history and heritage of our own backyards. There are still some regions in South Africa that I am yet to explore and so I have made plans to travel to two such lesser known South African destinations this September during heritage and tourism month. Local travel in many cases is much more affordable and can do a great deal of nation building too.
Yesterday we did a spring-day hike (though you can call it more of a walk) to Tswaing Crater, which is one of the eight Ditsong Museums in and around Johannesburg and Pretoria. Around 220 000 years ago, a rocky 50-meter meteorite slammed into the Earth resulting in this crater. The 7.2-kilometre hike shouldn't have taken us as long as it did (2.5hours) but we stopped to take many photos along the view points, such as this one, and to read the numbered plaques along the route.
My four-day trip to Limpopo was eventful to say the least. If we ever meet in person, be sure to ask me for the details. I'd love to return again to get a true taste of the province's hospitality and cultural sites, such as Mapungubwe and sacred rock art. My highlight was visiting the Tshivhase Tea Estate pictured below. And buying a huge bag of Venda avocados for next to nothing.
In September, I travelled to Oudtshoorn on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the arrival of 500 Polish children in South Africa. They were among the estimated 1.7 million Poles who were forcefully removed to labour camps in Siberia by The Red Army during WWII. Today, these children are the foundation of the Polish-South African community of second, third and fourth generation Siberian deportees. They call themselves Oudtshoorniacy in honour of their new home.
My maternal grandfather, Władysław Ciaciura, is also a Siberian deportee (though he returned to Poland after the war). This experience has largely shaped his, my mother's and in turn my identity. This was a deeply personal story for me, which I penned for Mail and Guardian. Furthermore, Poland celebrated her centenary of independence in November.
Read my M&G article: SA's Poles recall a bitter journey.
I recently finished writing an article for a three-day itinerary in Warsaw. Eighty-five per cent of Poland's capital was destroyed by Nazi troops during the Second World War. The historic city centre was collectively rebuilt from memory, photographs and textbooks using rubble, with the help of residents, art historians and architects. It has earned Warsaw the moniker phoenix city alongside its UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Today, the colorful townhouses that border Castle Square are home to boutique hotels, souvenir shops and cafés. It's the perfect place to people watch and get a taste of the city's history and heritage. Zygmunt's Column in Castle Square commemorates the Polish king who is seen here yielding a sword in one hand and a cross in the other. He moved Poland's capital from Kraków to Warsaw in 1596.
I took my father (as part of a belated birthday experience) along on my trip to Samara Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape, right at the time when spring swept across the Groot Karoo. This Big Five game reserve is just out of reach of The Valley Desolation. This region is Mohair Country. Samara was once a patchwork of 11 angora goat and sheep farms. Today after more than two decades of conservation and rehabilitation efforts indigenous vegetation has been reintroduced, alongside cheetahs and lions. We arrived soon after the birth of five cheetah cubs. Were tracked them on foot, as part of Samara's signature walking safaris.
Marvel at the splendour of this Graaff-Reinet panorama.
A sunset and silhouettes safari in Samara Private Game Reserve, South Africa.
A highlight of our stay at Samara Private Game Reserve was tracking cheetah on foot. Chilli gave birth to five cubs on spring day and we were lucky enough to glimpse them, thanks to the awesome tracking skills of our guide, Benedict, and tracker, Mzee. Cheetahs are classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Not only did Samara's ongoing cheetah conservation programme reintroduce cheetah to the Great Karoo in 2004 (after they had became locally extinct 125 years earlier due to conflict with livestock farmers), but since then Samara has increased South Africa's cheetah population by 3%.
But the best thing I did in 2018, by far, was to accept a last-minute offer to do the 45km, five-day Otter Trail along South Africa's Garden Route. I had tried to book it several times in previous months but never managed to get availability. The thing about walking long distances and repeating the same motion with a heavy pack on your back is that you turn inwards and begin to think about all those things, big and small, that are disguised from thought by everyday deadlines and urgent to-do lists. And being surrounded by nature just added another element of contemplation. We spotted the eponymous Cape Clawless Otter fishing between the rocks at Blue Bay beach on day two.
If you ever receive a similar offer, don't give it a second thought, grasp it with both hands. No matter if you haven't trained – as long as you are somewhat fit and take it at your own comfortable pace, you'll persevere. And the reward is undoubtedly the most spectacular landscapes South Africa has to offer.


text:
Biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe core/shell nanoparticles and its application in quantum dot sensitized solar cells
Nicolás Órdenes-Aenishanslins, Giovanna Anziani-Ostuni, Carolina P. Quezada, Rodrigo Espinoza-González, Denisse Bravo, José M. Pérez-Donoso
In the present work, we report the use of bacterial cells for the production of CdS/CdSe Core/Shell quantum dots (QDs), a complex nanostructure specially designed to improve their performance as photosensitizer in photovoltaic devices. The method requires the incorporation of L-cysteine, CdCl2 and Na2SeO3 to Escherichia coli cultures and allows a tight control of QDs properties. The obtained CdS/CdSe QDs were photophysically and structurally characterized. When compared to CdS QDs, the classical shift in the UV-visible spectra of Core/Shell nanostructures was observed in CdS/CdSe QDs. The nanosize, structure, and composition of Core/Shell QDs were confirmed by TEM and EDS analysis. QDs presented a size of approximately 12 nm (CdS) and 17 nm (CdS/CdSe) as determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS), whereas the fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra allowed to distinguish the presence of different biomolecules bound to both types of nanoparticles. An increased photostability was observed in CdS/CdSe nanoparticles when compared to CdS QDs. Finally, biosynthesized CdS/CdSe Core/Shell QDs were used as photosensitizers for quantum dots sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) and their photovoltaic parameters determined. As expected, the efficiency of solar cells sensitized with biological CdS/CdSe QDs increased almost 2.5 times when compared to cells sensitized with CdS QDs. This work is the first report of biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe Core/Shell QDs using bacterial cells and represents a significant contribution to the development of green and low-cost photovoltaic technologies.
Frontiers in Microbiology
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01587
Photosensitizing Agents
Cadmium Chloride
Órdenes-Aenishanslins, N., Anziani-Ostuni, G., Quezada, C. P., Espinoza-González, R., Bravo, D., & Pérez-Donoso, J. M. (2019). Biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe core/shell nanoparticles and its application in quantum dot sensitized solar cells. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10(JULY), [1587]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01587
Órdenes-Aenishanslins, Nicolás ; Anziani-Ostuni, Giovanna ; Quezada, Carolina P. ; Espinoza-González, Rodrigo ; Bravo, Denisse ; Pérez-Donoso, José M. / Biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe core/shell nanoparticles and its application in quantum dot sensitized solar cells. En: Frontiers in Microbiology. 2019 ; Vol. 10, N.º JULY.
@article{60f916412a1e49b6a9c5fde4a52ee87f,
title = "Biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe core/shell nanoparticles and its application in quantum dot sensitized solar cells",
abstract = "In the present work, we report the use of bacterial cells for the production of CdS/CdSe Core/Shell quantum dots (QDs), a complex nanostructure specially designed to improve their performance as photosensitizer in photovoltaic devices. The method requires the incorporation of L-cysteine, CdCl2 and Na2SeO3 to Escherichia coli cultures and allows a tight control of QDs properties. The obtained CdS/CdSe QDs were photophysically and structurally characterized. When compared to CdS QDs, the classical shift in the UV-visible spectra of Core/Shell nanostructures was observed in CdS/CdSe QDs. The nanosize, structure, and composition of Core/Shell QDs were confirmed by TEM and EDS analysis. QDs presented a size of approximately 12 nm (CdS) and 17 nm (CdS/CdSe) as determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS), whereas the fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra allowed to distinguish the presence of different biomolecules bound to both types of nanoparticles. An increased photostability was observed in CdS/CdSe nanoparticles when compared to CdS QDs. Finally, biosynthesized CdS/CdSe Core/Shell QDs were used as photosensitizers for quantum dots sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) and their photovoltaic parameters determined. As expected, the efficiency of solar cells sensitized with biological CdS/CdSe QDs increased almost 2.5 times when compared to cells sensitized with CdS QDs. This work is the first report of biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe Core/Shell QDs using bacterial cells and represents a significant contribution to the development of green and low-cost photovoltaic technologies.",
keywords = "Core shell quantum dots, Fluorescent nanoparticles, Green photovoltaic devices, Nanoparticle biosynthesis, QDSSC",
author = "Nicol{\'a}s {\'O}rdenes-Aenishanslins and Giovanna Anziani-Ostuni and Quezada, {Carolina P.} and Rodrigo Espinoza-Gonz{\'a}lez and Denisse Bravo and P{\'e}rez-Donoso, {Jos{\'e} M.}",
doi = "10.3389/fmicb.2019.01587",
journal = "Frontiers in Microbiology",
publisher = "Frontiers Media S.A.",
number = "JULY",
Órdenes-Aenishanslins, N, Anziani-Ostuni, G, Quezada, CP, Espinoza-González, R, Bravo, D & Pérez-Donoso, JM 2019, 'Biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe core/shell nanoparticles and its application in quantum dot sensitized solar cells', Frontiers in Microbiology, vol. 10, n.º JULY, 1587. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01587
Biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe core/shell nanoparticles and its application in quantum dot sensitized solar cells. / Órdenes-Aenishanslins, Nicolás; Anziani-Ostuni, Giovanna; Quezada, Carolina P.; Espinoza-González, Rodrigo; Bravo, Denisse; Pérez-Donoso, José M.
En: Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol. 10, N.º JULY, 1587, 11.07.2019.
T1 - Biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe core/shell nanoparticles and its application in quantum dot sensitized solar cells
AU - Órdenes-Aenishanslins, Nicolás
AU - Anziani-Ostuni, Giovanna
AU - Quezada, Carolina P.
AU - Espinoza-González, Rodrigo
AU - Bravo, Denisse
AU - Pérez-Donoso, José M.
N2 - In the present work, we report the use of bacterial cells for the production of CdS/CdSe Core/Shell quantum dots (QDs), a complex nanostructure specially designed to improve their performance as photosensitizer in photovoltaic devices. The method requires the incorporation of L-cysteine, CdCl2 and Na2SeO3 to Escherichia coli cultures and allows a tight control of QDs properties. The obtained CdS/CdSe QDs were photophysically and structurally characterized. When compared to CdS QDs, the classical shift in the UV-visible spectra of Core/Shell nanostructures was observed in CdS/CdSe QDs. The nanosize, structure, and composition of Core/Shell QDs were confirmed by TEM and EDS analysis. QDs presented a size of approximately 12 nm (CdS) and 17 nm (CdS/CdSe) as determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS), whereas the fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra allowed to distinguish the presence of different biomolecules bound to both types of nanoparticles. An increased photostability was observed in CdS/CdSe nanoparticles when compared to CdS QDs. Finally, biosynthesized CdS/CdSe Core/Shell QDs were used as photosensitizers for quantum dots sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) and their photovoltaic parameters determined. As expected, the efficiency of solar cells sensitized with biological CdS/CdSe QDs increased almost 2.5 times when compared to cells sensitized with CdS QDs. This work is the first report of biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe Core/Shell QDs using bacterial cells and represents a significant contribution to the development of green and low-cost photovoltaic technologies.
AB - In the present work, we report the use of bacterial cells for the production of CdS/CdSe Core/Shell quantum dots (QDs), a complex nanostructure specially designed to improve their performance as photosensitizer in photovoltaic devices. The method requires the incorporation of L-cysteine, CdCl2 and Na2SeO3 to Escherichia coli cultures and allows a tight control of QDs properties. The obtained CdS/CdSe QDs were photophysically and structurally characterized. When compared to CdS QDs, the classical shift in the UV-visible spectra of Core/Shell nanostructures was observed in CdS/CdSe QDs. The nanosize, structure, and composition of Core/Shell QDs were confirmed by TEM and EDS analysis. QDs presented a size of approximately 12 nm (CdS) and 17 nm (CdS/CdSe) as determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS), whereas the fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra allowed to distinguish the presence of different biomolecules bound to both types of nanoparticles. An increased photostability was observed in CdS/CdSe nanoparticles when compared to CdS QDs. Finally, biosynthesized CdS/CdSe Core/Shell QDs were used as photosensitizers for quantum dots sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) and their photovoltaic parameters determined. As expected, the efficiency of solar cells sensitized with biological CdS/CdSe QDs increased almost 2.5 times when compared to cells sensitized with CdS QDs. This work is the first report of biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe Core/Shell QDs using bacterial cells and represents a significant contribution to the development of green and low-cost photovoltaic technologies.
KW - Core shell quantum dots
KW - Fluorescent nanoparticles
KW - Green photovoltaic devices
KW - Nanoparticle biosynthesis
KW - QDSSC
U2 - 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01587
DO - 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01587
JO - Frontiers in Microbiology
JF - Frontiers in Microbiology
IS - JULY
Órdenes-Aenishanslins N, Anziani-Ostuni G, Quezada CP, Espinoza-González R, Bravo D, Pérez-Donoso JM. Biological synthesis of CdS/CdSe core/shell nanoparticles and its application in quantum dot sensitized solar cells. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2019 jul 11;10(JULY). 1587. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01587
10.3389/fmicb.2019.01587


AUSTIN, Texas — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Apollo Endosurgery, Inc. ("Apollo") (Nasdaq:APEN), a global leader in less invasive medical devices for bariatric and gastrointestinal procedures, today announced completion of enrollment in the ORBERA® Post Approval Study evaluating the ORBERA intragastric balloon.
The ORBERA Post Approval Study is a multi-center, open-label, prospective study of the safety and efficacy of the ORBERA system within the US. The study was a requirement of the US FDA's approval of ORBERA in August of 2015. The study has enrolled 281 patients across 11 centers. The endpoints include the patient's percentage of total body weight loss at 26 weeks and 12 months after balloon placement and the rate of adverse events at 26 weeks, the indwell time allowed for the balloon. This study includes 12 months of follow-up after balloon placement: six months with the balloon and an additional six months of follow-up after the balloon's removal. Patient follow up and final study results are expected in early 2020.
"The ORBERA balloon is the most studied intragastric balloon globally with impressive weight loss and safety results based on its experience in Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific regions. Reported US clinical results have shown an improvement in both the weight loss and safety data since the initial US pivotal study as US physicians gain experience with patient management. Outcomes consistently exceed criteria identified in guidelines published by our professional societies," said Christopher Gostout, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Apollo Endosurgery.
Apollo has met all the milestones associated with the study and the FDA has assessed the current study status as "progress adequate".
Obesity affects over 650 million people globally. An independent review by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy identified ORBERA as the only endoscopic treatment that met their threshold standards for the treatment of obesity.1 More than 295,000 ORBERA balloons have been distributed worldwide in over 70 countries and the medical community has been using intragastric balloons from the makers of ORBERA for over twenty years.
Apollo Endosurgery, Inc. is a medical technology company focused on less invasive therapies for the treatment of obesity, a condition facing over 650 million people globally, as well as other gastrointestinal conditions. Apollo's device based therapies are an alternative to invasive surgical procedures, thus lowering complication rates and reducing total healthcare costs. Apollo's products are offered in over 70 countries today and include the OverStitch™ Endoscopic Suturing System, the ORBERA® Intragastric Balloon, and the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System.
Apollo's common stock is traded on Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "APEN." For more information regarding Apollo, go to: www.apolloendo.com.
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: reports of adverse events related to our products, outcomes of clinical studies, developments in medical technology, regulatory approvals and extensive regulatory oversight by the FDA or other regulatory bodies, unfavorable media coverage related to our products or related procedures, reimbursement decisions by private or government payors, physician adoption and recommendations of procedures utilizing our products and other factors detailed from time to time in the reports Apollo files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2018 and the FORM 424B5 Prospectus filed June 21, 2018. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on Apollo's website and are available from Apollo without charge. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, Apollo disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.
1) ASGE Bariatric Endoscopy Task Force systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the ASGE PIVI thresholds for adopting endoscopic bariatric therapies. Gastrointest Endosc. 2015 Sep; 82(3):425-38.


Get the taste without the time commitment! This Quick Bread recipe goes from mixing and measuring to ready-to-eat in a fraction of the time it takes normal bread recipes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine ingredients in order listed.
Spoon batter evenly into bread pan.
Select QUICK BREAD. Press the START button.
The compete signal will sound when bread is done.


text:
Hub Launches To Become The All-In-One Calendar And To-Do App For Your Family
Ryan Lawler	@ryanlawler / 6 years
Organization within families — or even within teams — has never been easy. Different people use different calendars and tools for to-do lists, which means that it's tough to stay on the same page. Well there's a new app called Hub that is designed to allow family members to share calendars and lists with one another.
Hub was created by the same team behind SimplyUs, one of the many couples apps that popped up during the spring and early summer of last year. But in building that app, the team realized that couples apps weren't really sufficient for all the people involved in family decisions.
While sharing calendars and lists definitely helped facilitate communications between couples, there were other members of the family who were left out.
For instance, grandparents who take care of kids might want to share schedules with the parents. And children who are old enough, like teenagers for instance, could have their chores assigned via the app direct to their own smartphone. And there's also the ability to add babysitters, daycare providers, and other service providers to facilitate scheduling.
With that in mind, the team built the new app to enable easier calendar and list sharing. It's especially good for wrangling calendars from various different services and making them accessible to each other. That's because it supports any calendar your phone does, including Google Calendar, Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud, and Exchange.
Users can also create multiple hubs with different participants. So there can be like a kid's chore hub, a babysitter hub, a romantic couple hub, whatever. Hub operates on a freemium model, where free hubs get 5 event shares and 10 task shares per month.
To upgrade, pricing is $35.99 annually or $4.99 monthly for unlimited hubs and event shares and task shares. And once one person in a hub has upgraded, everyone he or she shares with gets unlimited shares in the hub.


The Other Grey Meat - Hooked on invisible phonics.
Hey guys, hope you're having a great week!
First of all, a shoutout to AngryRob of Love Kills Slowly in the shirt that he's holding up. I will say that I'm happy to get rid of Robert for a while. He was way too ... nice. BE MORE OF A JERK, MAN!
So... Introducing a new character... I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with this character, so they are wearing a glove in part because June wanted to draw a glove, and in part because it helps mask any real details about the character. Except for a preference for gloves.
PREP test tomorrow. Hoping it works out, despite my congestion.
Winners will be chosen and notified today, probably. Pictures will be needed asap, so June has time to prepare.
And on that note, I'm tired and have a busy day tomorrow followed by a marginally less busy but equally sleep deprived night. Take care everyone, and have a great weekend!
PREP test passed, hoping to go to the next step.
Green ink! And amnesia! Relatedly, I have a new conspiracy theory or two to excitedly look for evidence for. Just setting myself up for crushing disappointment when I'm wrong. Alternatively, vindictive satisfaction when you're as crazy as I am.
Yes, I ended that sentence with a preposition. That particular rule is a fight I will look for.
First!!! More of the green writing eh? Good to be a human.
Well done, from Humor to Intrigue, seamless. It's like a book I can't put down, except I have to wait for the updates.
As always, very well drawn Skrael!
Or zombies are color blind?
Yeah, you're not fooling anyone! D:< I know a blank piece of paper when I see it, and that is definitely a blank piece of paper! You can't fool me!
awesome detail on the hair in that last panel! Loving this! PS sorry I haven't commented in a while. The hotel that I manage is under renovations! Much to do!
I jumped a little bit when getting to the last panel, wasn't expecting that!
So, Robert's little punishment may turn out to bite him! Great way for John to find out what's really up. The visitor's very intriguing!
@MatthewJA - I prefer to call it Zombie Essen... nevermind, Zombie Blood. Definitely.
@PhilC - That tends to be the way it goes with Robert. He's the worst punisher ever.
@Feartheswans - With gloves! And everyone knows that gloves are automatically evil.
It talks like RZ, & it is obviously something Robert doesn't know anything about either. Always wearing gloves would be a good way to leave less trace as a creature.
Now John just needs to color himself that color. Then the zombies would only see a person shaped null thing blocking the scenery. It would be the perfect SEP Field.
But now you mention it..
I think it would be possible to figure out the nature of the speaker if you were like ... codebreakers who could see through the various layers of deception.
this is what I get for waiting to read comics a chunk at a time, I missed a LKS nod. I'm usually all over people referencing me. Thanks for (another) shout out guys!


text:
Advertise On Calendar
Opinion & Blogs
Things That Matter (Luke Parsnow)
New York Skies (Cheryl Costa)
2019 Spring Times
2019 Winter Times Edition
2018 Holiday Times
2018 SALT Awards
2018 Best of Syracuse
2018 Autumn Times
2018 SNT Student Survival Guide
The 2018 Arts Issue
2018 Summer Times
Family Times Magazine
Keeping It Reel For 14th Flick Fest
By Bill DeLapp
Old and contemporary works showcased at the 2017 Syracuse International Film Festival.
Vintage creepshow: The 1920 terror tale The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari screens Friday at the Palace Theatre.
The 14th annual Syracuse International Film Festival promises another eclectic bag of features and short subjects, with everything from new works by budding student filmmakers to classic cinema from the silent era.
This year's fest, running Wednesday, Oct. 18, through Sunday, Oct. 22, holds court in two venues: Shemin Auditorium, located within the Shaffer Art Building on the Syracuse University campus, and Eastwood's Palace Theatre, 2384 James St.
Admission is $10 for each movie, with an $8 fee for seniors and children under age 13. Visit filminsyracuse.com or call (315) 671-2188 for information. Here are some noteworthy highlights:
The Road to Where. This 2016 feature about Jewish Holocaust survivors is from Israeli director Michal Bat-Adam, who will also receive the festival's coveted Sophia Award. A Skype interview with the auteur will follow the screening. (Wednesday, Oct. 18, 8 p.m.; Shemin)
The Show. Director-star Giancarlo Esposito's thriller about reality TV gone to violent extremes also features performances by Famke Janssen, James Franco and Josh Duhamel. Esposito will be on hand for a question-answer session, where queries regarding the 1976 movie Network will surely surface, as well as being presented with a Sophia. (Thursday, Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m.; Palace)
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. German director Robert Wiene's creepy, expressionistic, psychological horror tale from 1920 will be enhanced with a new score composed by Donald Sosin and will be performed by members of the Society for New Music. Sosin will also field questions from the audience. (Friday, Oct. 20, 6:30 p.m.; Palace)
Dabka. Star power from Al Pacino and Melanie Griffith fuels this fact-based account of a young journalist (Evan Peters) who infiltrates a Somalian pirate ring. Directed by TV commercial veteran Bryan Buckley. (Friday, Oct. 20, 8:45 p.m.; Palace)
David and Carol North Schmuckler New Filmmakers Showcase. Six short films from students of SU's College of Visual and Performing Arts program will be presented, along with a work from Le Moyne College filmmakers. The late Carol North Schmuckler, who began the showcase in 1988, always distributed homemade chocolate candies to the lucky judges who decided which student projects made the grade. (Saturday, Oct. 21, 3 p.m.; Shemin)
Dan Silver. The SU graduate was recently named vice president in charge of numerous duties for Marvel Entertainment, where he oversees all of Marvel's digital platforms as well as their new media and non-fiction content. Silver will also screen some of his productions for ESPN Films. Maybe someone will ask if Silver has ever met Marvel Comics guru Stan Lee. (Saturday, Oct. 21, 4:30 p.m.; Palace)
Siobhan Fallon Hogan. Raised in Central New York and a graduate of Le Moyne College, the always-busy comedic character actress (who recently stole scenes in the Going in Style remake) will discuss her winding career path. (Sunday, Oct. 22, 2 p.m.; Palace)
Song of the Sea. Irish animator Tomm Moore's cartoon fantasy, which earned a 2015 Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature, closes the festival with a host of visual flourishes. (Sunday. Oct. 22, 4 p.m.; Palace)
Related Items:Arts, film
Greetings from Bikini Bottom: Tom Kenny, East Syracuse's favorite cartoon voice, continues SpongeBob SquarePants legacy
Little Steven, The Soul Disciples headline 27th NYS Blues Festival
Author Laurie Halse Anderson wants young people to connect with books
Capitolfest 17 programs an August weekend of buried cinema treasures
Syracuse Salt Company drills for the tasty crystals near Inner Harbor
Expansive Everson exhibit details Juan Cruz's artistic evolution
Dancing Feet And Eloquent Aging
Conference Hopes To Improve Police-Community Relations
Syracuse New Times
1415 W. Genesee St.
Staff/Contact Us
SALT Academy Applications & Awards Process
CNY Tix
Spinnaker Custom Products
© Syracuse New Times, All Times Publishing, LLC | Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress


text:
I Am One Of The Million
Written by Samuel Burnham
WHAT IF... We succeed in recruiting One Million or more black people to the OMCBV&C (One Million Conscious Black Voters and Contributors)? What possibilities would this open up for us? Become a part of the movement at www.iamoneofthemillion.com .
The Planks Below are what each and every one of us in the "One Million Conscious Black Voters & Contributors" are fighting for with all of our might!
We are not looking for more "look how much they hate us" messages, emails, weeping & gnashing of teeth, etc. We are looking for the best & brightest of our people to cooperatively submit themselves to the work. In other words, we know there are 2 out of 100 of us CASRs in the U.S. who have the vision, positive attitude, and the will to put our needs first and see a plan through that is designed to put us first!
Are you...one of the million?
1. No Party Affiliation (NPA) Campaign
Those who would join the OMCBV&C Campaign would be required to register to vote as not having any political party affiliation whatsoever. In many if not most jurisdictions this would mean registering as "No Party Affiliation" (NPA), or whatever is its equivalent in a particular state or other subdivision of government. Do not register as "independent" because in some jurisdictions, 'independent' may itself be an official political party. The objective here is to assure that OMCBV&C participants' loyalties are to the collective black community, and not to some externally controlled partisan political party committed to the maintenance of white supremacy and racism.
2. Student Loan Debt Forgiveness
Insofar as both the current and previous federal administrations saw fit to "bail-out" 'Wall Street' and certain major corporations after their own sleazy practices had brought them to the brink of failure, and American taxpayers were compelled to pick up the resulting 'tab' in the trillions of dollars because those who controlled the government declared the subject companies were "too big to be allowed to fail," it would be just and fair for the government to extend the same type and level of courtesy to the public that pays the taxes that support the government's "too big to fail" friends. Therefore, we of the OMCBV&C Campaign call upon the U.S. Government to "bail-out" all American citizens who still owe any balance on student loans for education. This would give taxpaying citizens the same "fresh start" unencumbered by debt that was accorded Wall Street and major corporations during the 2007-08 financial debacle. Toward these ends, we support the "Campaign for America's Future" in its efforts to bring about the abolition of all student loan debt in America.
3. Misconduct Insurance for all Law Enforcement Officers
All "sworn" law enforcement officers and their administrative superiors should be required at their own expense, or with assistance from their unions, to purchase and maintain in effect, misconduct insurance, similar to "malpractice insurance" that is required of doctors and other medical professionals, so that they are held financially accountable to whomever they wrongfully harm in violation of rights assured by the U.S. Constitution, or financially accountable to family members of anyone they murder without due process of U.S. Constitutional provisions.
4. Class-Action Lawsuit Against Anti-Constitution States
OMCBV&C and our collaborators will file a Class-action lawsuit against all states in the union that have passed laws granting law enforcement officers legal authority to murder U.S. citizens without due process as guaranteed in the Constitution of the United States A variation on this theme which we heartily support is the "groundbreaking legislation to help stop police killings" proposed and being drafted by the organizations ONUS, Inc. and Black Communities United for Progress. The proposed legislation is titled: "Uniform Reporting Law Enforcement Improvement Act" (URLEIA), and is posted on the web site: www.changeisonus.org .
5. Unlawful Stop Recording Movement
Many involved in the "Black Lives Matter" protest movement advocate that in addition to the use of "dash-cams" in police vehicles, law enforcement officers should be required to wear devices on their uniforms to record encounters with citizens. The OMCBV&C contends that having police control the recording of their confrontations with citizens is bad policy. Police cannot be trusted to decide whether or not an incident they have with a citizen should be recorded. We oppose police having the authority to deny citizens' the right to use devices of their own, be they cellular phones or otherwise, thereby interfering with objective recording of deadly encounters, the number of which are escalating at an alarming rate. We urge citizens to familiarize themselves with the web site www.unlawfulstop.com to view a variety of wearable devices soon to be made available to the public.
6. Community Control of Police
OMCBV&C is calling for the re-establishment and use of Civilian Police Review Boards to monitor misconduct by police. As all branches of the U.S. military are subordinate to civilian authority and oversight, domestic law enforcement officials should be under the control of the citizens they are supposedly "sworn to protect and serve." We further contend that members of such police review boards should be elected on a non-partisan basis, rather than appointed by elected officials who often owe allegiance to or are fearful of, police and their politically-active unions. Toward these ends, we support the National Coalition of Law Enforcement Officials for Justice, Reform and Accountability's (NCLEO) efforts to reign-in the out-of-control police establishment in America.
7. "Blackonomics Activism"
While public protests against deadly misconduct by police is perfectly understandable and laudable, oftentimes they result in economic windfalls to some of the very people and institutions being protested against. Police are often 'cozy' with and enjoy free benefits provided by hotels and motels, bars and restaurants, retail stores, and
other venues frequented by participants and the media when they gather for a protest in a given community. OMCBV&C strongly urges protest organizers, to the fullest extent feasible, to use black-owned bus companies for transportation to and from the protests, black or otherwise minority-owned lodging and food establishments, and purchase their promotional material (t-shirts, etc,) from black vendors. By doing this, the protestors will contribute economically to the groups who are typically the victims of police misconduct.
8. Juneteenth Observances
The One Million Conscious Black Voters and Contributors (OMCBV&C) supports the effort of the Juneteenth Observance Foundation to establish "Juneteenth" as a "National Day of Observance" in America; and the corresponding effort of the '150Years.net' group to designate "Juneteenth" as an official "Day of Observance" In the State of Texas.
9. Cooperative Economic Empowerment
The One Million Conscious Black Voters and Contributors (OMCBV&C) endorses and supports the "Us Lifting Us Economic Development Cooperative" (ULU), based in Atlanta, Georgia, as a model of a cooperative approach to economic empowerment for African-Americans. ULU "marts" are envisioned for black communities in every metropolitan area in the country with a significant population of people of African descent. The ULU web site is www.usliftingus.com .
10. "Hot Black Coffee Party" Study Groups
The One Million Conscious Black voters and Contributors (OMCBV&C) endorses and supports the efforts by Brother Louis Ali and his associates in the State of Louisiana to conduct a series of discussions to study the feasibility of establishing an official independent black political party, which would be named the "Hot Black Coffee Party, No Sugar, No Cream." The proposed HBCP-NS-NC would build on the ill-fated effort initiated in Gary, Indiana and Chicago, Illinois in 1972.
Now, lets get it done folks! Are you one of the two out 100 Africans in America who get it? Are you..."one of the million"?
www.iamoneofthemillion.com
Nefertem Naturals
Our primary goal is to educate ourselves and others about how to use ALL...
Layne Corban
At Layne Corban, the focus is to make it possible for each bride to...
The 365 Calendar
The 365 Calendar provides a four year calendar (2018 - 2021) and, a calendar of...


text:
Q: Multiple rows from MySQL query saved in an array structure I have this Python code:
self.lock_tables("read", ['nets_permissions as n', 'devices_permissions as d'])
usrs = self.db.get("SELECT n.user_id FROM nets_permissions as n \
                    left join devices_permissions as d \
                    on n.user_id = d.user_id \
                    where d.user_id is null \
                    and n.network_id=%s and n.perm<>3", netid)
self.unlock_tables()

for usr in usrs:
    self.lock_tables("write", ['devices_permissions'])
    self.db.execute("INSERT devices_permissions SET \
                     user_id=%s, network_id=%s, device_id=%s, perm=%s",\
                     usr, netid, sensid, perm)
    self.unlock_tables();

I first do a query to retrieve some user_id from two tables. I want save this user_id in one variable and after do a for loop to insert this records in another table...
This code doesn't work. I obtain this error:

Exception: Multiple rows returned for Database.get() query

How can I retrieve this multiple rows and then process everyone of them at one time?
Thank you all.

A: The solution is to use self.db.query instead of self.db.get!
self.lock_tables("read", ['nets_permissions as n', 'devices_permissions as d'])
usrs = self.db.query("SELECT n.user_id FROM nets_permissions as n \
                    left join devices_permissions as d \
                    on n.user_id = d.user_id \
                    where d.user_id is null \
                    and n.network_id=%s and n.perm<>3", netid)
self.unlock_tables()

for usr in usrs:
    self.lock_tables("write", ['devices_permissions'])
    self.db.execute("INSERT devices_permissions SET \
                     user_id=%s, network_id=%s, device_id=%s, perm=%s",\
                     usr['user_id'], netid, sensid, perm)
    self.unlock_tables();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


One of the key things that draw people to the Infuser Water Bottle by LA Organics is the fact that it's on the extreme low end as far as pricing is concerned. Right now, you can get this bad boy extremely cheaply on Amazon. There's no doubt I have your interest at this point, so let's go ahead and get down to the good points about the bottle.
Let's face it, you're going to be hard-pressed to find anything functional at this price point. The company boasts that their product is "100% BPA Free," which is something a lot of people take into consideration with their purchases these days. Basically, you don't have to worry about any harmful chemicals making their way from the bottle into the water you're drinking. The company also states that their bottle is "100% leak proof," no matter how you hold the bottle. Obviously, this is a great thing, because no one wants to get covered in their own drink.
It does come with a lifetime guarantee, so if your bottle happens to break, or you need a re-placement for whatever reason, the company says that all you have to do is swing them a message and they'll have another one shipped directly to your house.
The infuser has the ability to be removed from the bottle, which transforms the Infuser Water Bottle into a regular ol' sports bottle. Some important design elements include the opening of the bottle being quite wide, which makes it easy to clean by hand and importantly tt is able to fit into the cupholder of a vehicle with ease.
As an added bonus the bottle also comes with an Ebook filled with recipes; a fast and easy go-to for healthy infusion ingredients.
Now, we're going to go ahead and look at the bad things about this bottle, and there's definitely a few of them.
The design of the bottle is very basic. It's an inexpensive fruit infuser bottle, and unfortunately it bares the look of an inexpensive fruit infuser bottle. The bottle only comes in one color option: green. This is a fairly safe color option for the more health-conscious crowd, but I'd still like to see more color options.
Whilst the bottle does come with a guarantee, but there's no mention of a money-back guarantee. So while LA Organics is confident in their product, it's unlikely that you'll see your money back if you find yourself unhappy with it.
There's no mention as to whether or not the bottle is dishwasher safe. Being made out of plastic, you're likely going to have to hand wash the bottle after using it. As we just mentioned, the bottle is likely only suitable for cold liquids. I wouldn't recommend putting anything hot in it, as this too may damage the bottle.
Unfortunately, the bottle has a screw top, which as most of us know, is not a good thing. It would be nice if the bottle had a quicker way for the user to take a drink of their beverage; such as a flip-top, straw, etc… This is particularly a problem when you're driving in your vehicle. No one wants to screw on / off a cap while they're navigating through traffic; it could cause you to spill your drink all over yourself or your car. In a worst-case scenario, it could even cause an accident.
Looking at this review, you're probably going to be taken aback by the number of bad points I touched upon. While it's true that LA Organics' Infuser Water Bottle looks like it comes up short in comparison with its competition, you have to keep in mind that this bottle is extremely budget-friendly. Let's face it, you're not going to find many fruit-infuser bottles out there for this price. Heck, for the price of this bottle, it's hard to find an ordinary water bottle.
If you're thinking about getting some fruit-infuser bottles for your kids because they like fruity beverages, this is probably going to be the perfect bottle for them. However, if you're an adult with a serious, active lifestyle and you want a fruit-infusing bottle for yourself, you may want to shell out an extra few bucks to get a higher-end model.


text:
Q: Swift iOS 9 UITableView reloadData after CoreData finished I try to update my tableview after my REST-call is finished and all entities are stored in CoreData. I tried dispatch_asynch but the tableview doesn't reload when expected. I am using a UIRefreshControl to trigger refreshing. Usually, the correct tableview data is displayed after 2 refreshes. I have no idea why.
I can confirm that my tableview instance IS NOT nil.
@IBAction func refreshTriggered(sender: UIRefreshControl) {

    dispatch_async(dispatch_get_global_queue(DISPATCH_QUEUE_PRIORITY_DEFAULT, 0), {
        self.evMan.retrieveAndSaveEvents(self.pubMan.getAllPublishers())

      dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue()) {
          self.tableView.reloadData()
          self.refreshControl?.endRefreshing()
      }
   }
}

This is my retrieveAndSaveEvents method from my 'EventManager' evMan:
func retrieveAndSaveEvents(forPublishers: [PUBLISHERS]) {

    for publisher in forPublishers {

        let pubId = publisher.id as Int
        let str = "/publishers/\(pubId)/events"

        // resty is an instance of my REST-api wrapper
        self.resty.GET(self.server, route: str, onCompletion: {json in

            let result = json.asArray

            for var i = 0; i < result!.count; i++ {

                if !self.isIDAlreadyInDB(json[i]["id"].asInt!) {
                    let newEv = NSEntityDescription.insertNewObjectForEntityForName("EVENTS", inManagedObjectContext: self.context!) as! EVENTS
                    newEv.headline = json[i]["headline"].asString!
                    newEv.id = json[i]["id"].asInt!
                    newEv.content = json[i]["content"].asString!
                    newEv.ofPublisher = publisher

                    do {
                        try self.context!.save()
                    } catch _ {
                    }

                    print("New Event from \(publisher.name): \(newEv.headline)")
                }
            }
        })
    }
}

FYI, here's my cellForRowAtIndexPath: (I am using a Custom UITableViewCell)
override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {

    let cell = self.tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("eventCell") as? EventCell

    let curEv = evMan.getEvents()[indexPath.row]

    cell?.infoLabel.text = curEv.ofPublisher?.name
    cell?.myImageView.image = UIImage(named: "icon.png")
    cell?.detailLabel.text = curEv.headline
    cell?.timeLabel.attributedText = NSAttributedString(string: self.dateFormatter.stringFromDate(curEv.updatedAt))
    cell?.contentView.backgroundColor = UIColor.clearColor()
    cell?.backgroundColor = UIColor(white: 1.0, alpha: 0.5)

    return cell!
}

Here is my REST-wrapper:
class REST: NSObject {

// Basic Auth
let sConfig = ServerConfig()

var username = "rest"
var password = "resttest"

override init() {
    username = sConfig.getUserLogin().user
    password = sConfig.getUserLogin().pass
}

func GET(server: String, route: String, onCompletion: (JSON) -> Void) {
    let route = server+route
    makeHTTPGetRequest(route, onCompletion: { json, err in
        onCompletion(json as JSON)
    })
}

func makeHTTPGetRequest(path: String, onCompletion: ServiceResponse) {
    let request = NSMutableURLRequest(URL: NSURL(string: path)!)

    let loginString = NSString(format: "%@:%@", username, password)
    let loginData: NSData = loginString.dataUsingEncoding(NSUTF8StringEncoding)!
    let base64LoginString = loginData.base64EncodedStringWithOptions(NSDataBase64EncodingOptions())
    let loginvalue = "Basic " + base64LoginString

    // add Headers
    request.addValue(loginvalue, forHTTPHeaderField: "Authorization")
    request.addValue("application/json", forHTTPHeaderField: "Accept")
    request.addValue("application/json", forHTTPHeaderField: "Content-Type")

    let session = NSURLSession.sharedSession()

    let task = session.dataTaskWithRequest(request, completionHandler: {data, response, error -> Void in
        let json:JSON = JSON(data: data!)
        onCompletion(json, error)
    })
    task.resume()
}
}

A: @IBAction func refreshTriggered(sender: UIRefreshControl) {

    dispatch_async(dispatch_get_global_queue(DISPATCH_QUEUE_PRIORITY_DEFAULT, 0), {
        self.evMan.retrieveAndSaveEvents(self.pubMan.getAllPublishers())
    })

    dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue()) {
        self.tableView.reloadData()
        self.refreshControl?.endRefreshing()
    }
}

Now, you cannot guarantee reloadData() happens after self.evMan.retrieveAndSaveEvents(self.pubMan.getAllPublishers()) , because they are not happen in the same queue. And probably, reloadData() happens before retrieve.
Option 1:
You should put the block :
   dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue()) {
        self.tableView.reloadData()
        self.refreshControl?.endRefreshing()
    }

at the end of func retrieveAndSaveEvents(self.pubMan.getAllPublishers())
Option 2 :
 @IBAction func refreshTriggered(sender: UIRefreshControl) {

        dispatch_async(dispatch_get_global_queue(DISPATCH_QUEUE_PRIORITY_DEFAULT, 0), {
            self.evMan.retrieveAndSaveEvents(self.pubMan.getAllPublishers())
            dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue()) {
                self.tableView.reloadData()
                self.refreshControl?.endRefreshing()
            }
        })

    }

EDIT:
I did not see there is another queue in retrieveAndSaveEvents
So, put the
   dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue()) {
        self.tableView.reloadData()
        self.refreshControl?.endRefreshing()
    }

at the end of:
self.resty.GET(self.server, route: str, onCompletion: {json in
        let result = json.asArray

        for var i = 0; i < result!.count; i++ {

            if !self.isIDAlreadyInDB(json[i]["id"].asInt!) {
                let newEv = NSEntityDescription.insertNewObjectForEntityForName("EVENTS", inManagedObjectContext: self.context!) as! EVENTS
                newEv.headline = json[i]["headline"].asString!
                newEv.id = json[i]["id"].asInt!
                newEv.content = json[i]["content"].asString!
                newEv.ofPublisher = publisher

                do {
                    try self.context!.save()
                } catch _ {
                }

                print("New Event from \(publisher.name): \(newEv.headline)")
            }
        }
    })


Based in Fayetteville NC, Matt has been singing and speaking on stages, events, churches and businesses around the world for almost 30 years.
He found his true calling after giving his life to Christ while serving in the United States Army at his first duty station, the NTC (in the Mojave Desert) before leaving for the Berlin Brigade and the Gulf War.
Matt's past was plagued with drugs, alcohol and morally depleting. Although he could share some wild stories, he's learned he'll never be a perfect example, but hopes his journey can share how to be a living one.
Matt has been married to his wife and best friend Robin since 1989. They have two incredible children (just ask them), Mikayla and Gehrum. Together, they live as a family desperately chasing after the heart of Christ, not always getting it right and always inviting people along for the journey...because who wants an empty house?
Matt has been an entrepreneur as well as a pastor, counselor, business owner and coach for years. He has owned two businesses, both passions of his. One was in the automotive field and the other in music. A large local Auto-lube, Tunnel car wash and detail facility with corporate and local clients and a staff of about 30 people. He also owned a local music store which grew into one of the largest stores in his community and closed at the beginning of his stage iv cancer attack.
He has also served as a missionary in Youth For Christ, toured the world singing and speaking through his own non-profit organization called Servants and Witnesses. Matt was also a World Vision Touring Artist and worked with NSOUL records.
As a pastor, Matt has been on staff at several churches serving as a children's pastor, youth pastor, worship leader, Sr. pastor, Executive Pastor and was most recently serving as Executive Pastor of Crossroads Church where he and his family still attend. Since 2015 and the battle of stage 4 cancer, Matt has had some time to reflect and hear God's voice calling him to something new. He's recently finished writing a book and it will soon be released.
Matt is touring the country and world sharing his passion and message of #GodsGotThis and sharing his system called THE FLIP through stages, businesses, coaching and more.


He went to war, and dreamed about a life after. He imagined his wife, himself, a boat, and freedom.
During my time in Afghanistan, I had to find a way to dream. My wife and I added it up once; I've been gone for more than half of our eight-year marriage.
I started to keep a journal while I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011, but every day is pretty much the same over there — Marines call it Groundhog Day, after the movie. After writing down all the events of just one of those difficult days in my journal, I decided that keeping a record of my time there wasn't going to work out. I'm grateful I put that one day down on paper, though. I never want to forget those who didn't make it back with the rest of us. That one entry reminds me of all the men and women who got hurt or died while we were there.
I work in an operations center as a Senior Air Coordinator. I have not been, and most likely will never be, in a firefight myself, but the decisions I make can result in life and death for others risking their lives. My job in Afghanistan was to manage air support for those in combat, and to coordinate medical evacuations. Though confined to a room of computers, TV monitors, radios, and liaisons, the decisions we made in that ops center were demanding. The day I wrote about in my journal was September 28, 2011. During my shift, within a four-hour time span, five men died; six were blown up by an improvised explosive device and needed urgent care; and a medevac helicopter we sent out came under rocket-propelled grenade fire and was almost destroyed, with injured personnel onboard.
At times, no matter how fast we got a medevac helicopter out, or how much air support we provided troops on the ground, it wasn't enough and our brothers died. It's not the kind of thing you want to focus on, but it's the kind of thing that took place every day. During my time in Afghanistan, I had to find a way to dream, to escape what I could not change.
It's been eight years since I first set foot on a sailboat, and it's become something I think about and dream about on a continual basis. In 2005, my wife Jessica and I were on a vacation in San Carlos, Mexico, a few hours south of where we lived in Tucson, Arizona. Jess, a teacher, had spent some summers there with her family, sailing the Sea of Cortez on their boat Borborygmus. She has always loved boats, and when a chance came for us to go sailing with Barracuda Bob, who owns a local ice-cream store, she jumped at it and took me along. Jess and I sat on the leeward side of the boat, dragging our feet through the water, getting splashed from head to toe. The sun was out, the breeze gentle, and Barracuda Bob played Santana on the radio. The sails sounded crisp against the wind and, as if to make it all the more perfect, a huge pod of dolphins came to play in the boat's wake. It was my first time on a sailboat. I loved it.
Two years later, in the summer of 2007, I kissed Jess goodbye to attend The Basic School (TBS), a six-month infantry tactics-and-leadership school for new Marine Corps officers in Quantico, Virginia, 50 minutes south of Washington, D.C. With the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay close, it was a great boating area. Jess encouraged me to sign up for a four-day introductory sailing course with Mariner Sailing School in Alexandria. Their 19-foot Flying Scots are one of the most fun boats I've ever sailed. During my six months in Quantico, I rented boats every now and then, and loved being in control, trimming the sails, handling the tiller, making the boat heel, and keeping it in balance.
After my Virginia training, Jess and I moved to North Carolina. The ocean was 45 minutes away, and the Neuse River could almost be seen from our backyard. For $4,500, we bought a 1986 Catalina 25 with an inboard diesel, small galley, head, and room to sleep three or four. We owned Un Poco Amor (a little love) for three years, and kept her at one of the two Cherry Point Base marinas. We'd hoped to sail down the Neuse, out to the Atlantic or Pamlico Sound, and take trips to the Outer Banks, but I was gone so often that we only ended up doing day trips.
Jess and I added it up once, and it turns out that I've been gone for more than half of our eight-year marriage. While in North Carolina, I attended different training courses and traveled for a number of military exercises on an almost monthly basis. I was deployed for a year in Iraq, working out of a wood hut, in charge of a detachment of Marines and civilians working with unmanned aerial vehicles. Then, during the second deployment, to Afghanistan, I coordinated air strikes for troops engaged with enemy combatants and provided helicopter medevacs, decisions that ultimately ended with an enemy dying or a friendly troop getting needed medical help. The quick response time needed and the significance of the decisions made this a stressful position. Because of the stress, the time away from Jess was more difficult during my second deployment. For deployed military personnel, there's no world outside of the base on which you live. Everyone needs an outlet, be it movies, exercise, video games, or books. I found one of my biggest outlets by accident.
Jess and I had talked about retirement and what we'd do when that day came. I'd been in 14 years and had six to go. We'd talked about how nice it would be to take a few years off after the military and go sailing. We could see new places, meet new people, experience the world, and spend some quality time together; we've missed that over the years. So as I sat in Afghanistan, away from my wife, that's what I thought about; that was my outlet.
One night, I did a Google search on people who've actually done it, who've dropped everything and sailed away into the setting sun.
I came across one couple's journey that caught my eye. I started reading "The Log Of Ithaka" on BoatUS.com, and got hooked on the six-year cruising adventures of Douglas and Bernadette Bernon. With four months left until I could fly home, every night I read a few entries. BoatUS had them archived in order, so I didn't have to wait around for the next weekly episode; I had the equivalent of Netflix for readers. These entries were funny and inspirational, and they swept me away. I daydreamed (when not at work, of course), and researched, and mapped out distances, and talked to my wife about what we could do and where we could go. It seemed perfect.
When I finished all the Ithaka logs, I felt like I'd come to know the Bernons. I took a chance and emailed Bernadette, who by then was working at BoatUS Magazine, to tell her how the stories had touched me and how badly I wanted to follow in her wake. We started to correspond. She made me believe Jess and I could do whatever we set out to do. I became addicted to the idea of living on and sailing our own boat, wandering off into the world, not knowing if it would be sunny or stormy, if our boat would run perfectly or if something would need fixing — OK, so something always needs fixing! — or if we would find ourselves in Guatemala or the Virgin Islands, or off the coast of South America. This is what we craved. This is what we wanted to do.
Jess and I chartered in St. Maarten last year, and had a sailing sojourn that sustains and invigorates us as we plan for the future.
Jess was planning, too, and had booked a sailing vacation for us to the British Virgin Islands. After I returned from Afghanistan, we sailed off on my first extended sailboat charter. Sailing around the islands in such beautiful, clear water was better than I could have hoped. Never in my life had I slept more soundly or felt more alive than I did during that week. I know part of it was that we were on vacation, but this was different. Being on the boat, feeling the warm island breeze, falling asleep to the gentle rocking, and spending time with friends all made this feeling so much more intense. These new adventures were opening us up to new ideas for our future, such as working for a charter company after retiring in 2018. Who knows?
Since that first voyage, Jess and I have chartered in Panama and St. Maarten. Those extended times on sailboats taught me some lessons. First, though I realize things will go wrong and there will be difficulties, living on a boat is going to be a lot more peaceful and relaxing than our current jobs. Second, and this might be more important, the friends we will make will be the kind who help you through most any situation and stick with you — either through shared experiences or through memories stored in your heart. Every time I set foot on a boat, I feel one step closer to realizing my dream of sailing off with the love of my life.
Jessica introduced me to something she loved, and along the way I fell in love with it, too. As a couple with a marriage based in strong friendship, sailing has brought us even closer together. While I was gone for military missions, Jess had to work, take care of our family connections, our bills, our animals, and our vehicle issues. She even bought and moved into a new house when I was in Iraq. I know I can rely on her for anything. Just like deployments, when we're sailing, we rely on each other to do the things the other cannot. We've become a real team, looking forward to our boating lives unfolding, just as I'd dreamed during those darker days in Afghanistan.
Read about the many great programs around the country that match boaters with veterans who'd love the opportunity to get out on the water for a day.
To show our gratitude to American men and women currently serving in the United States military, BoatUS now offers all active-duty personnel discounted membership dues of $15, as well as 10 percent off unlimited towing services from TowBoatUS and BoatUS Vessel Assist. To take advantage of this offer please call 800-395-2628 mentioning GA20000P.


text:
Georgia News Lab, New Mexico News Port win Challenge Fund grand prizes
September 24, 2015 / Jeremiah Patterson / Comments Off on Georgia News Lab, New Mexico News Port win Challenge Fund grand prizes
Over the past two years, we've chosen 23 winning projects in our $1M contest to encourage educators to hack the journalism curriculum. The competitive Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education was created in 2014 to encourage journalism programs to experiment with new ways of providing news and information.
Today we announce a grand-prize winner for the Challenge Fund to two schools — and their collaborators — that embody the full spirit of the challenge. Georgia News Lab and its partners, led by the University of George, will receive $65,000 for their innovative project, a series that led to a state ethics commission investigation into a program that squandered millions of dollars of federal HIV grant money. This was an impressive collaboration among four schools and two media companies in the state.
We also awarded $10,000 to the University of New Mexico for building its first news innovation lab run by students, the New Mexico News Port, with 75 students and seven partner organizations.
The fund is the brainchild of a collaborative that includes the Excellence and Ethics in Journalism Foundation, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Democracy Fund and the Rita Allen Foundation, and is managed by ONA, the world's largest membership group of digital journalists.
How to navigate the Midway


Applications for entry into outer space are being welcomed as the European Space Agency launches a new recruitment drive.
The first selection process for potential astronauts in Europe since 1992, this is described as a "rare opportunity to be at the forefront of ESA' s human spaceflight programmes".
Future missions to the moon and the inner solar system are being planned and talented graduates have the opportunity to put themselves forward.
The first stage of the application process will involve providing personal contact information and contact details, plus uploading a private-pilot medical examination certificate.
Access will then be granted to a thorough application form, from which candidates will be chosen to continue on to later stages of selection.
The ESA European Astronaut Corps intends to recruit four new members, to be unveiled in 2009.
Candidates are required to competent in scientific disciplines such as life sciences, physics, chemistry and medicine, while proven abilities in academia are also a pre-requisite.
In addition, they should be an engineer or experimental test pilot, with a range of other physical skills and requirements.
The ESA, established in 1975 with headquarters in Paris, is an intergovernmental organisation comprising of 17 member states including the UK.


text:
Kaori Sawai
Hatsumi Otsuka
Nagisa Fujisawa
Sayuri Sakai
Yasuko Yamanouchi
Ami Asada
Mayuki Wakamoto
cv: Kana Asumi
The main character of the game, Kaori is a normal girl whose only merit is her cheerful disposition.
She narrowly escaped death when she was gravely injured in a car accident when she was ten. Ever since, she wanted to become a nurse to repay the medical community for saving her life.
She developed a phobia of men, perhaps because of the accident. It's rumored that she gained "healing hands" after the accident that are able to ease a patient's pain when she caresses them, but she believes it's just a placebo effect.
cv: Eri Kitamura
Hatsumi is the chief nurse of internal medicine at Kaori's hospital.
She is hard on the green Kaori, and while Kaori may fear her, it all comes from a place of love.
She is the quintessential workaholic whose household skills have suffered. Her room is constantly messy and she can't cook.
cv: Yoko Hikasa
She is Kaori's senpai at her hospital while also having been her senpai during high school.
Back in high school, they were thought to be a good pair when they were both in the student council. She was put in charge as Kaori's preceptor*. She is delighted to have the team back together, but she is hiding her true feelings for Kaori.
*A nursing preceptor is the instructor while the student is called the preceptee.
cv: Asami Imai
堺さゆり、20歳。5月16日生まれ、おうし座。O型。 とくに話すことはありません
A girl who is admitted to Kaori's hospital.
Upon their first meeting, the girl takes a hostile attitude towards Kaori, but Kaori has no idea why. She is always picking a fight with Kaori, but she has a secret… She has a serious illness called aplastic anemia.
cv: Yumi Hara
A veteran nurse at Kaori's hospital.
She is the perfect bridge between the chief Hatsumi and the two green nurses Nagisa and Kaori. She performs her nursing duties well, but she values her hobby over her personal and work life, sometimes exhibiting behavior that completely ignores teamwork.
cv: Manabi Mizuno
A very cheerful but somewhat klutzy patient.
Although she puts on a brave face, Ami is a sick girl who is currently admitted into Kaori's hospital with nephrotic syndrome.
She is in high school, but she is often mistaken for being in middle school due to her younger appearance and behavior.
cv: Ayane Sakura
A mysterious girl who looks like a middle schooler and has been staying in Yurigahama General's room 301 for the longest time.
Known as the lord of the hospital room, she always stays holed up inside. Even the nurses say they rarely see her.


Compare and buy tickets for Legends In Concert in Mashantucket, CT on 10/26/2019: Get your tickets for Legends In Concert now!
Face-value tickets to Legends In Concert through Ticketmaster: Tickets should be available until Oct 26th, 2019 or until they sell out.
Join us Now and get more choices for Legends In Concert tickets in Mashantucket sent to your inbox.


The selfie frame that is chosen in most cases can be selected via our website.
To join in on the festive spirit and as part of our Christmas product range, Helloprint has released selfie frames — or Elfie Frames — for you to impress your guests with, allowing you to make the most unforgettable memories this season.
There are 3 sizes available: A2, A1, and A0. A2 size will fit 1 person, A1 - two people, however the A0 frames can fit up to four people.


When it's time to venture into the next chapter of your life, sometimes the thought of purchasing a home can feel a little permanent. It may be a commitment that you're not necessarily ready for, because owning your own home can be stressful and expensive.
Buying a condo, on the other hand, can be a great middle ground for any individuals looking to expand their living situation and try something exciting and new. Looking through all of the Seattle condos for sale can help you get a better idea of what you want, and you should take a few steps before you decide to buy your first condo.
Pros and cons. Weigh out the reasons as to why you want to buy a condo or what may be preventing you from purchasing one. It's important to know what is stopping you from buying a condo, that way you can decide if these issues are easily resolved or if they are going to hinder your potential success.
Review your options. Do a little research and check out a few condos before choosing one. This can help you get a feel for their layouts, what they have to offer and what kind of lifestyle you can have inside of your new condo. While it is similar to a house, they both have their own positive features, so getting to know what the setup is like can help sway your decision.
Evaluate your needs. Are you a social individual? Condos generally offer many amenities that aren't available at other locations, as well as leaving you within close proximity to neighbors. If you, or your family, enjoy community events and getting to know the people who live by you, the condo life may be a great decision for you.
It's important not to rush on any decision that is going to have such a significant impact on your future, but consider the pros and cons of the choice and how you can benefit from living in a condo.


There was a unique connection to this project for Erik and Haldan as they grew up just down the road from this historic market. Over many decades the Market had lost the feel of an old country market and was in desperate need of updating. A full down-to-the-frame restoration was needed in order for the store to meet modern code requirements. An antique apothecary counter was sourced for the coffee bar in the market and was used as the anchor for our design. All of the design elements of the store tell a story of the past while bringing it into the present. Please visit this project at 1 Ferry Road in Hadlyme for a look at our work and to support this great business.


IT can offer great productivity benefits, if people have the right skills to use the packages available to them. 28% of companies in the UK lack employees with the IT skills to meet their business objectives. Create professional-looking documents with Word 2003.
Word 2003 is a Windows word processor from Microsoft that has many advanced features and tools to enhance your document presentation. Well-presented, accurately written documents improve the credibility of your business and can help to communicate who you are as a company.


Jonas Bendiksen shows six regions of the former Soviet Union, and the problems they have experienced since its collapse. His project took seven years, and involved some disobeying local orders, suffering harassment by authorities, and even getting kicked out of some countries. His images are generally grim and dramatic; he likes to show scenes from unusual angles or with strong colors. His work is basically photojournalism, and he is an associate of Magnum Photos. Satellites is divided into six sections corresponding to the six regions: Transdniester, Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, The Ferghana Valley, Spaceship Crash Zones in Kazakhstan, and the Jewish Autonomous Region in Birobidzhan.
Each section has 2 pages of introductory text, but there's little or no explanation of the individual pictures. Oddly, his photographs shown on the Magnum website do have explanations. So, for example, in the section on the Black Sea resort of Abkhazia, we see a picture of a man lying on a bed, but on the Magnum website we learn that he has Tuberculosis and that "Doctors Without Borders" suppose the DOTS treatment in the hospital he is in. In another picture, we see a man sitting down with his back to a stuffed brown bear and a peacock. On the Magnum website, we learn "Abkhazia is trying to attract Russian tourists. Here, at a road stop on the tour bus route, an entrepreneur, who charges tourists 10 rubles to photograph his bear, catches his breath between busloads." Leaving this information out of the book means the photographs are harder to decipher, and so we look at them more for their aesthetic qualities than their information content.
Many of Bendiksen's images are beautiful and engaging, and none more so than the cover photograph of two men standing on a rocket stage that has fallen from the sky. In the middle of the countryside, in a cloud of white butterflies, the picture is surreal and even funny. Only when you read the explanation that the rocket launch site was placed far inland to maintain secrecy rather than on the coast so that these rocket stages could more safely fall into the sea is the significance of the picture really apparent. A picture of a field full of dead cows poisoned by rocket fuel is shocking. The series of pictures portrays the irresponsibility of policy making, the poverty and powerlessness of the people, and their readiness to take advantage of the situation by salvaging the precious materials from the rockets.
Satellites is a provocative collection of images. Bendiksen has gone on to do more excellent photojournalism as can be seen on the Magnum Photos website; so he is a photographer to look out for.


This document describes how the Cisco® 40-Gbps QSFP BiDi transceiver reduces overall costs and installation time for customers migrating data center aggregation links to 40-Gbps connections. As a result of data center consolidation, server virtualization, and new applications that require higher data transport rates, the data center network is shifting to 10 Gbps at the access layer and 40 Gbps at the aggregation layer. A broad portfolio of high-performance and high-density 10- and 40-Gbps Cisco Nexus® Family switches is available at attractive prices for this transition. However, to support 40-Gbps connectivity, data center architects are challenged by the need for a major upgrade of the cabling infrastructure, which can be too expensive or disruptive to allow data centers to quickly adopt and migrate to the 40-Gbps technology. Cisco solves this problem with innovative 40-Gbps Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable (QSFP) bidirectional (BiDi) technology that allows reuse of existing 10-Gbps fiber infrastructure for 40-Gbps connections.