Astronaut Candidate Training – Part 2: Land Survival Training (1995) | NASA ASCAN Training Program – Video

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Astronaut Candidate Training - Part 2: Land Survival Training (1995) | NASA ASCAN Training Program
Footage shows astronaut candidates (ASCAN) during land survival training, where they are seen performing such activities as constructing shelters, making net...

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Astronaut Candidate Training - Part 2: Land Survival Training (1995) | NASA ASCAN Training Program - Video

The James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRSpec Instrument Arrives at NASA Goddard – Video

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The James Webb Space Telescope #39;s NIRSpec Instrument Arrives at NASA Goddard
The James Webb Space Telescope #39;s NIRSpec instrument arrived at NASA #39;s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., on Sep. 20, 2013. The Near-Infared Spect...

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The James Webb Space Telescope's NIRSpec Instrument Arrives at NASA Goddard - Video

NASA Research Opportunities in Fundamental Physics: Due Date Extended

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During the Government shutdown, the proposal due dates for three ROSES programs were set to TBD in order for Government proposers to have time to prepare their submissions. Now that the Government has resumed work, new due dates have been set for these programs. In addition, new proposal due dates have been set for two programs with original due dates in the near future. Updated due dates are as follows:

The proposal due date for Appendix C.12, the Mars Data Analysis Program (MDAP), had been October 4, 2013, but was delayed during the Government shutdown. The new due date for proposals is Wednesday, October 23, 2013.

The Step-2proposal due date for Appendix B.5, Heliophysics Grand Challenges Research Program (HGCR), had been October 11, 2013, but was delayed during the Government shutdown. The new due date for proposals is Thursday, October 31, 2013.

The proposal due date for Appendix C.11, the Planetary Mission Analysis Program (PMDAP), had been October 11, 2013, but was delayed during the Government shutdown. The new due date for proposals is Monday, October 28, 2013.

The proposal due date for Appendix A.11 Ocean Vector Winds Science Team (OVWST) had been October 31, 2013. The new due date for proposals is Friday, November 15, 2013.

The proposal due date for Appendix C.7 Outer Planets Research (OPR) had been November 1, 2013. The new due date for proposals is Friday, November 15, 2013.

On or about October 18, 2013, this Amendment to the NASA Research Announcement "Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2013" (NNH13ZDA001N) will be posted on the NASA research opportunity homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ and will appear on the RSS feed at: http://nasascience.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/grant-solicitations/roses-2013 .

Questions concerning this amendment should be directed to the relevant point of contact, all at the Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546-0001:

Appendix C.12, MDAP: Mitchell Schulte, Planetary Science Division. Telephone: (202) 358-2127; E-mail: mitchell.d.schulte@nasa.gov .

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NASA Research Opportunities in Fundamental Physics: Due Date Extended

Olympic games meet nanotechnology

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Albany

With Olympic athletes looking for any edge to lead them to gold, nanotechnology has made its way into the games.

On Saturday, the NanOlympics at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering gave visitors a chance to see where nanotechnology will be featured at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi in February and how it could give athletes the edge they need for gold.

The event was part of "Nanovember," a month of seminars, demonstrations and interactive community events at the college. "Nanovember is an opportunity to demonstrate how nanotechnology has become pervasive across society," CNSE spokesman Steve Janack said.

Saturday's event featured a presentation and chances for children and adults to experience winter sports that use nanotechnology. For example, there was an opportunity for those in attendance to measure the speed of their shots in hockey. Nanotechnology is used in hockey sticks to make them more impact resistant.

There was also a group of video games that allowed participants to try their hands at sports like skiing and the biathlon, as well as a station set up for curling. For curling, adjusting the microscopic roughness of a curling stone affects its curl, while in the biathlon a sport that combines target shooting with cross-country skiing a nano-coating can be applied to the skis to give them better grip and glide, and poles can be made lighter and stronger with nano-carbon material.

Though open to anyone, Janack said the NanOlympics and Nanovember events especially offer young people a chance to discover what nanotechnology is about.

"It gives young people a chance to see what the future holds, both from an educational standpoint and from a career standpoint," he said.

Among the young people Saturday was Elijah Tillah of Long Island, who was visiting the college with his parents.

Not only did the teen also have an opportunity to tour the college, Tillah said it was cool to see the practical applications of nanotechnology.

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Olympic games meet nanotechnology

Liberty Gains Ground in Big South Race

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From Liberty athletics:

LYNCHBURG, Va. The Flames scored four of their five touchdowns on the ground and rushed for 231 yards en route to a 35-14 victory over Presbyterian College, Saturday afternoon, at Williams Stadium.

----------- To see the box score CLICK HERE ------------------

The victory, Liberty's third in a row, ups the Flames' overall record to 6-4 and 3-1 in Big South play. The loss, PC's second-consecutive setback, drops the Blue Hose to 3-6 on the season and 1-2 in league play.

The win also keeps the Flames in the hunt for their sixth Big South title in the last seven years. Earlier in the day, No. 18/16 Charleston Southern upended No. 5/3 Coastal Carolina, 31-26, at home, placing the Buccaneers in first place in the Big South at 3-0.

Liberty travels to Charleston, S.C., to face the Buccaneers (10-1) the last week of the regular season on Nov. 23.

The Flames scored on their opening drive of the game thanks to a pair of deep passes downfield by Josh Woodrum.

Following 20-yard completion to tight end Brandon Apon over the middle of the field, Woodrum found Darrin Peterson open in the far corner of the end zone. The wide receiver's team-leading sixth touchdown reception of the year, which went for 20 yards, gave Liberty the early 7-0 lead with 11:25 left in the first quarter.

The rest of the quarter saw the two teams turnover the ball over, each one time. Following PC's first drive, the Blue Hose punted to Kevin Fogg. The senior managed to return the kick six yards before Cannon Jordan forced the ball loose and Kenyon Brown jumped on the football.

The Blue Hose managed to drive into the Flames' red zone where they handed the ball off to Blake Roberts. The redshirt freshman got to the outside, but Jacob Hagen was able to jar the ball free from the running back's hands and Scott Hyland recovered the miscue.

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Liberty Gains Ground in Big South Race

libertarian politician is a contradiction – libertarianism ron paul rand paul gary johnson anarchism – Video

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libertarian politician is a contradiction - libertarianism ron paul rand paul gary johnson anarchism
In this video I discuss the political positions of Ron Paul, Rand Paul, and Gary Johnson, and explain how they are not consistent with the basis of libertari...

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libertarian politician is a contradiction - libertarianism ron paul rand paul gary johnson anarchism - Video

Cayman Islands formalises FATCA-style tax information exchange agreement with UK

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Cayman's Premier, Alden McLaughlin, signed the inter-governmental agreement (IGA) (43-page / 577KB PDF) this week. The Cayman Islands has also formally agreed to be part of the G5 multi-lateral information sharing pilot, under which 31 jurisdictions including the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain will automatically exchange information about bank accounts held by taxpayers from their jurisdictions.

All of the BOTs committed to sign IGAs with the UK earlier this year, but the Cayman Islands is the first to formalise the agreement. The announcement follows the signing of similar agreements between the UK and the Crown Dependencies (CDs) of the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey last month.

"We welcome this signing with the Cayman Islands, the first Overseas Territory to sign this type of agreement in the UK," said George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer. "This demonstrates our shared commitment to tackling tax evasion."

"Alongside the significant investment that the Government has made in HMRC's anti-avoidance and evasion work, these agreements will help them to clamp down further on those individuals who seek to hide their assets offshore. Our message is very clear: it is only fair that people pay the tax they owe. If you are trying to evade tax, we are coming after you," he said.

The IGA between the UK and Cayman Islands is an example of 'UK FATCA', which is modelled on the agreement the UK is entering into with the US under its Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). FATCA is designed to prevent tax evasion by US citizens using offshore banking facilities, and introduces reporting requirements for foreign financial institutions (FFIs) with respect to accounts held by US residents. UK FATCA means FFIs in certain territories will have to provide information to their local tax authority about accounts held overseas by UK residents. This information will then be provided to HMRC under exchange of information agreements.

The Government announced in May that all BOTs and CDs with significant financial centres had committed to the introduction of information-sharing arrangements. The other participating overseas territories are Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Agreements with the BOTs will not be reciprocal, meaning that information will only flow from the BOT to the UK. The agreements with the CDs allow for a two-way exchange of information.

"The new reporting requirements are very broadly drawn and will require financial institutions in the Cayman Islands to automatically report information to HMRC regarding offshore investments in existence on or after 30 June 2014 which are held by UK resident individuals, partnerships and companies," said tax expert Reg Day of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com. "The rules will also apply to offshore trusts and companies to the extent that there are UK-resident settlors, beneficiaries or beneficial owners."

"The exchange of information in respect of the calendar years 2014 and 2015 must be completed by 30 September 2016, and it is anticipated that HMRC will receive a mountain of information which will inevitably lead to some criminal prosecutions and numerous civil investigations," he said.

HMRC has announced tax disclosure facilities for the CDs to encourage those with undisclosed tax liabilities to come forward and make voluntary disclosures, in a "relatively benign environment" and on beneficial terms, Day said. The department has estimated that it will collect an additional 1 billion through these facilities, which are available until 30 September 2016.

"Interestingly, no tax disclosure facility has been announced for the Cayman Islands although it is possible that HMRC may announce a BOT Tax Disclosure Facility when all the agreements with the BOTs have been concluded," he said. "However, the Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility is available until 5 April 2016 it has arguably better terms, and is open to anyone who will be affected by the exchange of information," he said.

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Cayman Islands formalises FATCA-style tax information exchange agreement with UK