Select Page ::

Theater Review | I Do! I Do!: Topnotch performers, genuine chemistry make musical believable – The Columbus Dispatch

Posted on June 3, 2017 by ev1

By Michael Grossberg For The Columbus Dispatch

I Do! I Do!, a mid-1960s Broadway vehicle for Mary Martin and Robert Preston, is rarely revived these days.

Yet, thanks to the warm humor and affectionate sweetness of two topnotch performers, CATCO makes a sentimental case for the musicals old-fashioned portrait of a 50-year marriage. CATCOs season finale, which opened Friday in the Riffe Centers Studio Two Theatre, finds its heart in a husband-wife team of veteran actors.

Joe Bishara and Liz Wheeler have an easy comfort level and noticeably genuine chemistry with each other that naturally anchors their performances throughout the two-character, two-act, two-hour show. As Michael and Agnes Snow, the pair build an amusing, touching and convincing relationship from wedding night until well past honeymoon's end.

Bishara embodies Michaels initial romantic idealism but also his flaws, from unconscious arrogance and a writers self-absorption to a male chauvinism more common (and less disturbing) generations ago. Wheeler shapes a compelling arc from the girlish nervousness of a nave bride to the greater maturity of a patient housewife and mother. Well, patient up to a point.

Director Steven C. Anderson trusts the material, even when its quaint, and guides the performers to highlight the gentle humor and lilting melodies.

The singing is especially lovely in My Cup Runneth Over, the stand-out hit from the tuneful score by The Fantasticks team of composer Harvey Schmidt and author-lyricist Tom Jones. But the duet Nobodys Perfect has greater comic impact because the lyrics ring true.

Wheeler revels in the flamboyant opportunities for comic melodrama in Flaming Agnes, a revenge fantasy that follows Michaels confession of adultery. (Today, though, the song seems to trivialize the betrayal, as if men will be men and women should put up with them at their worst.)

Parental issues enliven the shorter second act, whose highlights include Michaels funny The Father of the Bride and the wish-fulfillment duet When the Kids Get Married.

Music director Quinton Jones expertly backs the performers on piano, visible behind a translucent rear grid and four movable cushioned squares of furniture that combine to form the couples four-poster bed.

The crisp staging and abstracted scenic design - by Darin Keesing, with golden-hued lighting by Cynthia Stillings - helps make the somewhat dated script seem timeless, or at least not as obviously rooted in the shows original era (1895-1945). Such rueful comedy-drama, about the predictable but comforting rites of lifes passages, sparks laughs of recognition as well as sighs.

Older couples, in particular, are likely to appreciate this musical the most because theyve lived through much of it.

mgrossberg1@gmail.com @mgrossberg1

CATCO will present I Do! I Do! at 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday through June 10, 2 p.m. June 11, 11 a.m. June 14, 8 p.m. June 15-17 and 2 p.m. June 18 in the Riffe Centers Studio Two Theatre, 77 S. High St. Tickets cost $40 Fridays and Saturdays, or $35 Sundays, $30 Thursdays, $20 Wednesdays, $15 for students two hours before showtime. Call 614-469-0939 or visit http://www.catcoistheatre.org

Shaheen enjoying chemistry with Trubisky – The Herald-News

Posted on May 14, 2017 by ev1

H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com

Caption

LAKE FOREST As excited as Adam Shaheen is to be a second-round pick in the middle of Bears rookie minicamp, he may be more thrilled about the Chipotle by the rookies hotel.

Theres one like right across the street. Its like the next light down. Its a two-minute drive, he said with a smile after Saturdays practice at Halas Hall.

Shaheen said hes already been to Chipotle both nights, and somewhat famously went there often at Ashland University as he transformed into a 278-pound tight end.

In Lake Forest, he is sharing a room with Mitch Trubisky and getting a head start on chemistry with the quarterback.

You know, from personal experience I had a great relationship with my quarterback from Ashland. And so I think its huge, having that off-field relationship, he said. I think it builds a trust on the field.

Trubisky and Shaheen connected several times during Saturdays session at rookie camp, where the 6-foot-7 tight end certainly stands out.

Just to be as up to speed as I can with all the things that are going in, all the plays, all the different techniques and everything, he said about his weekend goals. Really just trying to bring myself up to that level so I can have the potential of having an opportunity to be productive.

Skill set-wise, Shaheen said he wants to show, The mentality of putting my hat on somebody, as well as being able to use that size to catch the ball, and having sure hands.

For those curious, Shaheen gets a burrito at Chipotle with extra, extra white rice, double chicken and just a little bit of corn.

Regretting old tweets: Shaheen was asked about old tweets of his that surfaced the night he was drafted. One of those tweets criticized former President Barack Obama.

I was a dumb teenager, Shaheen said. If I had the maturity I do now, I would have recognized that there could be some potential problems and would understand the element of things and wouldnt have obviously put it out there for everyone to go through on draft night.

Cohen as a returner: Special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers knows that Eddie Jackson, when fully healthy, can contribute in the return game, but rookie running back Tarik Cohen is getting looks, too.

We had tape of one of his returns last year, which he scored, but it got called back, Rodgers said Saturday. You know, hes fast. Hes got verified speed. Hes got quickness. Size-wise, hes short, but hes not thin. Hes a little bit thicker. For a shorter guy, hes got big hands and that will help. Some guys who are shorter have smaller hands, smaller arms, things like that. So theres not as much surface space for a guy to catch. We like his athletic traits.

Read the original:
Shaheen enjoying chemistry with Trubisky - The Herald-News

Richard Schrock wins faculty’s Killian Award – MIT News

Posted on May 18, 2017 by ev1

Richard Schrock, a chemist renowned for his pioneering work in organometallic chemistry, has been named the recipient of the 2017-2018 James R. Killian Jr. Faculty Achievement Award.

Schrocks accomplishments include the development of a reaction known as olefin metathesis, now used for the efficient and more environmentally friendly production of important pharmaceuticals, fuels, and other products. For that work, he was awarded the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Professor Schrocks pioneering research efforts in inorganic and organometallic chemistry have defined the direction of the field, according to the award committees citation, which was read at the May 17 faculty meeting by Joseph Paradiso, chair of the Killian Award selection committee and the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Professor in Media Arts and Sciences.

Established in 1971 to honor MITs 10th president, James Killian, the Killian Award recognizes extraordinary professional achievements by an MIT faculty member.

Its an honor to be joining such a distinguished group, Schrock said.

Schrock became interested in chemistry at age 8, when he received a chemistry set passed down from his older brother. This was back in the days when the chemistry set actually had some good stuff in it, he told MIT News.

After earning his bachelors degree in 1967 from the University of California at Riverside, Schrock earned a PhD in inorganic chemistry from Harvard University in 1971. He spent a year as a National Science Foundation postdoc at Cambridge University, then worked for three years at the Central Research and Development Department of DuPont Co. before joining the MIT faculty in 1975. He became a full professor in 1980 and was named the Frederick G. Keyes Professor of Chemistry in 1989.

Olefin metathesis, the reaction for which Schrock won the Nobel, involves breaking and making double bonds between carbon atoms to produce new types of carbon-carbon double bonds. In 1990, Schrock was the first chemist to develop a catalyst that could perform this reaction without the need for volatile reagents. His catalysts, which contain the metal molybdenum, can perform metathesis quickly and under mild conditions.

In another branch of research, Schrock was the first to perform the catalytic production of ammonia from nitrogen gas under mild conditions, in 2003. The development of such processes has the potential to improve the capability for successful small-farm agriculture in the developing world by creating a method to make fertilizer from molecular nitrogen in the air, according to the award committee.

Currently fertilizer is produced through the Haber-Bosch process, which combines nitrogen and hydrogen are at extremely high temperatures (500 degrees Celsius) and pressures (300 atmospheres), which requires huge amounts of energy.

Over his career at MIT, Schrock has mentored more than 185 graduate students and postdocs, and he remains active in both research and teaching, including serving as one of the lecturers in MITs freshman chemistry course.

He began this challenging teaching assignment in the early 1990s and returned to it after winning the Nobel Prize exactly what we expect of outstanding MIT faculty who aim to inspire undergraduates to great achievements. It is said that Professor Schrocks relaxed demeanor and his instinctive understanding of the science make his lectures a joy to attend, the award committee wrote in its citation.

In addition to receiving the Nobel Prize, Schrock has been honored with the American Chemical Society Award in Organometallic Chemistry, the American Chemical Society Award in Inorganic Chemistry, the August Wilhelm von Hofmann Medal from the German Chemical Society, and the Paracelsus Prize, awarded biennially by the Swiss Chemical Society to an internationally outstanding scientist for lifetime achievements in chemical research. Schrock is a member of both the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, and he is a foreign member of the Royal Society of London.

Read the rest here:
Richard Schrock wins faculty's Killian Award - MIT News

Crystallography articles written by chemistry students get published in IUCrData – Evening Observer

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Fredricko

Nine students in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the State University of New York at Fredonia representing sophomore, junior and senior classes are making an impact in the scientific community one crystal structure at a time.

Their separate lab experiments produced two articles that were published in IUCrData, a peer-reviewed open-access data publication of the International Union of Crystallography. Both dealt with the molecular structure and crystal packing of a compound the students synthesized in their respective undergraduate laboratories.

Four seniors Joshua Deschner, Calvin Y. Wong, Ralph R. Crisci and Joseph Dragonette and three juniors Jack M. Choczynski, Kathleen L. Hayes and Emily Lasher had their paper published in the Feb. 21 issue. They are enrolled in CHEM 481 Advanced Experimental Laboratory. Their article can be read online.

The article by sophomores Trent R. Howard and Kaleh A. Mendez-deMello appeared in the Nov. 29, 2016 issue. They are enrolled in CHEM 225 Organic Chemistry Laboratory 1. Their article can also be read online.

Single crystal X-ray crystallography is a powerful technique used to determine the structure of a molecule, as well as how the molecules/ions are arranged in solid state.

When you go for an X-ray examination in a hospital, the film will give you a visual representation of your skeleton. That is somewhat what we do with our samples; we use X-ray to get a visualization of the molecular backbone or carbon skeleton of our molecules. We bombard our samples (crystals) with X-rays, which creates a diffraction pattern depending on how the crystal deflects the X-ray beam, explained Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Allan Cardenas.

From the diffraction pattern, the electron density map can be plotted, a process that leads to determining how atoms are connected and how molecules are packed. In addition to applications in molecular chemistry, crystallography has a significant impact in material science and medicine, Cardenas noted.

The students demonstrated their synthetic and purification skills in preparing the samples. Each sample must be of high purity so it will produce crystals instead of powder. After their samples are prepared, they can be analyzed with a wide array of top-of-the-line instruments available in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department in the Science Center.

MAYVILLE Salary increases for technicians within the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office were approved at ...

JAMESTOWN The New York State Office of Children and Family Services recently awarded Jamestowns G.A. Family ...

Though he passed away nearly 10 years ago, the legacy of former Department of English faculty member Dr. Albert A. ...

With the recent snowfall, Postal Service carriers will attempt to make deliveries wherever possible. The Postal ...

ASHVILLE On Feb. 28, a conservationist from the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy presented on Chautauqua ...

Continue reading here:
Crystallography articles written by chemistry students get published in IUCrData - Evening Observer

Chemistry onstage makes Faith Hill and Tim McGraw a top tour – The Spokesman-Review

Posted on May 12, 2017 by ev1

Fri., May 12, 2017, 5:30 a.m.

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw kiss after a performance at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas in April. (Chris Pizzello / Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

By Kristin M. Hall Associated Press

LAS VEGAS The love story of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill started on a tour two decades ago and that sparkling chemistry onstage has made them one of the genres biggest headliners.

The country couple with movie star glamour has sold over 63 million albums in the U.S. between their two careers, has earned two Grammys for duets they sang together and has three children. This year, they are releasing their first-ever duet album together and started their third installment of their highly successful Soul2Soul World (it launched April 7).

I havent been on a stage like this in 10 years and that is no lie, Hill said of the tour. I can tell you right now I am fired up.

During an Associated Press interview with the couple before their rehearsal at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas earlier this spring, Hill and McGraw were giddy with anticipation.

Shes ready to turn it loose, McGraw said.

Age is not an issue, added Hill, who together with her husband will be turning 50 during the tour that runs through October.

The Mississippi-born Hill and the Louisiana-born McGraw fell in love when she opened for him on his 1996 Spontaneous Combustion tour and they married that year.

In 2000, the first Soul2Soul tour grossed $48.8 million, making it the best grossing country tour in North America that year, according to Pollstar. The Soul2Soul II tour was even more successful, grossing $88.8 million in 2006, and made it the third highest grossing North American tour that year.

McGraw credited their success on the road to the fact that they are very different singers who push each other to expand their ranges onstage.

Faith, I would say, is more of an R&B, sort of gospel-inspired singer, McGraw said. And I think I am more a 70s rock, arena rock, Merle Haggard meets arena rock kind of singer. She brings me a little bit more to the R&B side, and I bring her more to the arena rock side, and I think it creates a sort of magic.

Their first duet together, Its Your Love, was on McGraws 1997 Everywhere album, which was followed by Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me, from Hills multiplatinum album Faith. Since then, they have had several popular duets, including their latest, Speak to A Girl, which jumped into the Top 10 of Billboards Hot country songs chart after they performed it on the ACM Awards.

But they say they dont always agree in music, or in marriage, but McGraw said commitment is key.

Look, there is no secret, Hill said. Either you like one another or you dont. You want to stay married or you dont. You work at it, or you dont. Simple as that. It is not always easy and there are moments that are rocky.

But you dont walk away, McGraw said.

I would rather live a life in rocky road ice cream than vanilla any day of the week, Hill said. Honestly, vanilla gets boring after a couple of days.

A smiling McGraw adds: So I am not vanilla!

The rest is here:
Chemistry onstage makes Faith Hill and Tim McGraw a top tour - The Spokesman-Review

Professor Neil Garg publishes kid-friendly organic chemistry book – Daily Bruin

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Fredricko

Midway through his newly published book, Neil Garg poses a serious scientific question to his reader.

Whats a chemical in coffee that adults like so much?

The question is scrawled in chunky cartoon letters inside the childrens coloring book he created. An answer awaits on the opposite page: caffeine, a stimulant, its molecular structure rendered in black and white.

Garg, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, said he was inspired to write and self-publish The Organic Coloring Book with the help of his two young daughters. Garg released the kid-friendly book April 22, hoping it would inspire children to love organic chemistry as much as he does.

When his younger daughter Kaylie was 4 years old, she began questioning her parents incessantly about the chemicals served in her food, Garg said.

Kaylie had a fear of chemicals, said Garg, who is also a faculty-in-residence at De Neve Gardenia and Holly. She was really skeptical.

So, Garg and his wife began teaching Kaylie that everything around her was filled with chemicals. These important substances, such as cyanidins and beta-carotene, made her blueberries blue and her carrots orange, Garg would tell his daughter. Eventually, he said, chemical naming became a game around his house. Kaylies older sister, Elaina, also joined in on the fun.

The game of chemistry soon reacted with his teaching career to produce the coloring book idea.

The word organic has a lot of definitions these days, Garg said. For example, organic can mean minimal use of pesticides. (But) to an organic chemist, the definition is very different: molecules made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms.

Kaylie and Elaina helped Garg select the molecules for the book. Then he asked a graphic artist to create a little character that would follow the reader on every page of the learning journey: Cheesy, a cartoon mouse.

Emma Baker-Tripp and Joyann Barber, graduate students in Gargs research lab, pitched in by constructing and optimizing the chemical structures used for the book. They made sure every molecules atoms and bonds were visible using the computer programs Spartan and CYLview, said Baker-Tripp, a graduate student in chemistry.

When the book was finally ready to publish, Garg gave away more than 100 free copies to the UCLA Krieger Center and Warren Avenue Elementary School. The children in his daughters fourth-grade class helped distribute some of these copies to their kindergartener friends, he added.

This past weekend, the family gave away more copies at a school event called the Warner Science Slam.

Everybodys been super positive about it, Garg said. Kids love to color; theyll color anything.

Earlier this week, Garg accepted the Royal Society of Chemistry Higher Education Teaching Award for his accomplishments in popularizing organic chemistry and innovating chemical education, according to the societys website. Garg has received multiple awards throughout his teaching career, including recognition for his program Biology and Chemistry Online Notes, an online organic chemistry learning system now used in curricula across multiple states.

[Related: Reel Life: Neil Garg]

Garg said he now hopes local museums or the UCLA Store hear about his coloring book and will be open to distributing it. Some of his students are interested in penning a second volume, he added.

I think theres been a need in general to have research programs give back to the community, Garg said.

Originally posted here:
Professor Neil Garg publishes kid-friendly organic chemistry book - Daily Bruin

Chiefs’ Eric Berry says chemistry big factor in return to KC – Topeka Capital Journal

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Danzig

Eric Berry could have probably got more money as a free agent. But his decision to re-sign with the Kansas City Chiefs without ever testing the waters was a rather simple one.

I just love being here, Berry said Tuesday with his parents James and Carol at his side during a news conference at Arrowhead Stadium. And I think the fact that I was able to come back, and what I came back from. A lot of people try to put a lot of emphasis on me, but you dont do that without great support and good people supporting you and pushing you in the right direction and Im truly thankful for that.

Last week Berry, who just finished up his seventh season with the club, signed a six-year deal for $78 million, making him the highest paid safety in the NFL. Berry contemplated possibly leaving, but not for long.

Somebody could have offered me more money somewhere else, and they probably could have offered me less money here, Berry said. But it probably wouldnt have balanced out. I still probably would have came (back) here.

One factor in Berrys return was the chemistry he has with his teammates and coaches.

Chemistry is chemistry, Berry said. I know what Im going to get here. When I walk into the meeting room Ill hear what I need to work on, and the coaches are going to be the same every day and that goes a long ways, and then I can just focus on my craft and my teammates. Thats the best part of it.

Another factor was his familiarity with the organization that drafted him fifth overall in the 2010 draft.

I know what Im going to get every time I walk into the building, Berry said. Im comfortable here and I have a good feel for it. I didnt want to rebuild all of that even though I felt like I could have. At the same time, why do it when I have everything you need right here? Why do that when you have people here that genuinely care about you as a person?

I know everybody in the building from the cafeteria. I know what desserts are going to be in the building, I know were going to have wings every Thursday. And if theres something that we dont like in the cafeteria, we can talk about it and get it done. Thats just a part of it. I hear other things around the league and its not always like that.

For Berrys parents, seeing their son remain a Chief was something they were hoping for.

I cant even put it into words how proud I am and thankful that it happened with a team and an organization and city like Kansas City, Carol said.

Now Berry, who was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma in 2014 before becoming the NFLs comeback player of the year in 2015, will be with the team for the foreseeable future.

From the beginning he always talked about being in one place for your whole career, James said of his son. I can see that hes happy and satisfied and Im good with it.

Berry, however, isnt completely content with his career yet. A five-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro, Berry still has plenty he wants to accomplish, starting with himself and taking the next step in the playoffs.

I want to be the best player I can be before I retire, Berry said. Thats my goal. Im going to continue to push myself not just to be the best I can be, but I want to push my teammates to be the best they can be as well because I know they have greatness in them. I think we have a great team.

I think the part that I want to get better at is getting everybody on the same page and just understand that we do have a chance and we need to take advantage of the opportunities that we have because you only get so many opportunities like that.

See original here:
Chiefs' Eric Berry says chemistry big factor in return to KC - Topeka Capital Journal

North Korea’s ‘Chemistry’ With WMDs Analysis – Eurasia Review

Posted on March 10, 2017 by ev1

Post the 2003 Iraq war, the debate regarding weapons of mass destruction (WMD) was confined mostly to the realm of nuclear weapons for more than a decade. The perception that WMDs are not for actual use but for deterrence broadly continues to hold in the post Cold War period too. However, it is also a fact that certain categories of WMD like chemical weapons (CW) have been used during the Cold War. In the post Cold War era too, the Syrian conflict and the alleged use of CW to kill the half-brother of North Koreas leader Kim Jong-un in Malaysia continues to shine a spotlight on the dangers of the use of such weapons.

In the post 9/11 period, it was professed that the major threat in the realm of WMDs could emerge mainly from the international terror groups. The use of CW in Syria in August 2013 however dealt a blow to this thinking. It was confirmed by the United Nations that the CW were used at a location called Ghouta (suburb in Damascus), killing nearly 1,500 civilians. These weapons were found used at few other locations in Syria during earlier occasions too. President Barack Obama had asserted in 2012 that any possible usage of chemical weapons would amount to crossing a red line, which would invite a US military response. The military intervention by the US forces in Syria did happen few months after the use of CW by the Syrian forces (or by rebel forces as claimed by the Assad regime).1 CW were also used as the bargaining tools in the West Asian geo-political theatre. One of the reasons for Libya to join the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) by declaring its weapons stockpile during 2004 was Gaddafis desperation to normalise relations with the Western world.

North Korea has blatantly breached the CW red line in a very peculiar manner in the latest incident. Kim Jong-nam was killed on February 13 at Kuala Lumpur airport while he was waiting to catch a flight. Two women wiped a substance on his face leading to his death within 20 minutes. It has been found that the substance used for this killing was a nerve agent called VX. This agent is considered as one of the most potent chemicals which affects the nervous system and disturbs the functioning of human muscles eventually leading to death. This substance is derived from organophosphate pesticides and its lethal dose ranges from about 10 milligrams via skin contact to 25-30 milligrams, if inhaled.2 This substance has been classified by the United Nations as a WMD.

The attack was a bit of a surprise as Pyongyang had not given any indications regarding a renewed interest in CW. For more than a decade now, North Korea has been attracting global attention by undertaking nuclear tests and launching missiles. They have also undertaken few satellite launches by using their own rockets. By successfully orchestrating an assassination by using CW, North Korea has succeeded in sending a message that they are not averse to using the WMD in their possession. Kim Jong-un is keen to ensure that no challenge emerges to his position from his extended family. From the North Korean point of view, the use of VX agent was a perfect choice, because this agent is known to cause instant death.

The most appalling aspect of the killing was that though the victim died within about 20 minutes, nothing is known to have happened to the women who were seen to have used their hands to apply the VX agent on the face of the victim. This clearly indicates that some successful method has been devised to protect the women from the dangerous affects of the nerve agent. Also, the production of VX is not a simple task and requires a lot of technological sophistication. The major question which remains unanswered though is the manner in which the deadly CW reached Malaysia.

North Korea is alleged to have the worlds third-largest stockpile of CW. They are known to have produced agents like Sarin, VX, Mustard, Tabun and Hydrogen Cyanide. North Korea is one of the three states (apart from Egypt and Sudan) that has not signed or acceded to the CWC. It is believed to be producing CW since the 1980s and is now estimated to have stockpiles of around 25 chemical agents amounting to approximately 5,000 tons. North Korea is also known to have made investments in biological weapons, and believed to be having 12-13 types of biological weapons, including anthrax, plague, among others.3

North Korea has taken the biggest of political risks by using CW at this point in time and that too in a friendly foreign state. North Korea and Malaysia established bilateral relationship more than 45 years ago. Both the states opened embassies at Kuala Lumpur and Pyongyang in 2003. Since 2009, Malaysians did not require a visa to travel to North Korea (and vice versa). After the airport incident, North Koreans are now required to obtain a visa to visit Malaysia.

The incident is also spoiling the important relationship that Pyongyang shares with its all-weather friend, China. Beijing has been extremely upset with the brazen missile testing undertaken by North Korea in recent times. China, which was importing coal from North Korea in spite of the UN sanctions, decided to suspend all imports on February 19. For the Trump administration, dealing with North Korea will continue to be a major challenge. The CWC, considered one of the most successful arms control treaty mechanisms in the world and which would be celebrating its twenty years of existence in April 2017, continues to face serious challenges even today.

Views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IDSA or of the Government of India. Originally published by Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (www.idsa.in) at http://idsa.in/idsacomments/north-korea-chemistry-with-wmds_avlele_060317

See original here:
North Korea's 'Chemistry' With WMDs Analysis - Eurasia Review

Future & Nicki Minaj’s Sex Life Has ‘Extreme Chemistry’ Details … – Hollywood Life

Posted on March 6, 2017 by ev1

Hollywood Life

Future & Nicki Minaj's Sex Life Has 'Extreme Chemistry' Details ...
Hollywood Life
Is Nicki Minaj walking from side to side? There's already EXTREME chemistry going on between her and Future -- especially in the bedroom. The rappers are ...

and more »

Read the original post:
Future & Nicki Minaj's Sex Life Has 'Extreme Chemistry' Details ... - Hollywood Life

Red Wings’ Helm, Abdelkader, Larkin enjoying chemistry, productivity – Detroit Free Press

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Danzig

The Red Wings' Darren Helm, Anthony Mantha, Dylan Larkin and Jeff Blashill talk Saturday after the 4-3 loss at Rogers Place. Video by Helene St. James/DFP Videolicious

The Red Wings celebrate a third-period goal by forward Darren Helm (43) during the Wings' 4-3 loss to the Oilers on Saturday, March 4, 2017 in Edmonton, Alberta.(Photo: Perry Nelson, USA TODAY Sports)

The three are finding one another with passes, keeping pucks in play, and producing.

If the Detroit Red Wings are to rise into the playoff picture and as unlikely as it is (hockey reference gives them less than a 1% chance), players wont capitulate spread-out scoring will be vital. The Wings have received goals from three lines over the past week, going 1-1-1 as they next continue their road trip Tuesday at Toronto. Sunday was a day off.

Most recently, Darren Helms line with Dylan Larkin and Justin Abdelkader is showing chemistry after being assembled mid-February. The line features speed and physicality, and over the past few games, points, too.

Were working hard and we're hunting pucks in the offensive zone, Larkin said after scoring in the last minute of Saturday's 4-3 loss at Edmonton. You play with a guy like Helmer, he is really fast, really quick, and he is going to be there first on the forecheck, and same with Justin.

All three of us like to be in there on the forecheck. We are all reading off each other now and going to the spots where we are anticipating the pucks are going. You play with two guys that are strong on pucks, it makes it fun, you can keep pucks alive in the offensive zone.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Both Helm and Abdelkader missed significant time with injuries. It takes a while for players to be at full capability again, and now Abdelkader has four points in the past three games, and Helm has scored in two straight games.

I just feel like I am handling the puck a little bit better, skating a little bit harder, Helm said. We seem to have a little bit of chemistry with Abby and Larks and that makes it a lot easier.

The three of us are pretty smart players, with some speed. We are working hard, that is the main thing right now. We are getting on pucks, we are reading off each other and being available. Things are clicking right now.

Zetterberg scorching: When Henrik Zetterberg assisted on two goals Saturday, it was his fourth two-assist game in the past six games. Overall he has one goal and nine assists in that span.

New era for Detroit Red Wings not as fun as the old one

Red Wings' Ryan Sproul (sprained knee) out for undisclosed time

Contact Helene St. James: hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.

Download our Red Wings Xtra app on Apple and Android!

Visit link:
Red Wings' Helm, Abdelkader, Larkin enjoying chemistry, productivity - Detroit Free Press

Clarkson University appoints professor of chemistry and biomolecular science – North Country Now

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Fredricko

Jiayin Yuan was recently appointed associate professor of chemistry and biomolecular science at Clarkson University.

Yuan received his bachelor of engineering degree in applied chemistry from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, P. R. China, his master of science in macromolecular chemistry from the University of Siegen, Germany, and his Ph.D. in polymer chemistry, graduating summa cum laude, from the University of Bayreuth, Germany.

Before coming to this position, Yuan did research in polymer/colloid/materials chemistry at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam, Germany.

He has teaching experience as an associate faculty member of the International Max Planck Research School and at the University of Potsdam, where he completed his habilitation in 2015, according to a press release from Clarkson.

His recent honors include receiving the Otto-Warburg Award, the Max Planck Society Postdoc Fellowship, the European Research Council starting grant award, the Dr. Hermann-Schnell Award of the German Chemical Society and the Dozentenpreis des Fonds from the Foundation of the German Chemical Industry, the release said.

Yuan has organized scientific gatherings and presentations in Europe as well as the United States. He has published about 120 articles and five book chapters, and has been guest editor and served on editorial boards of professional journals. He also has provided referee service for journals and funding agencies.

He has presented his work in many countries, including Germany, France, Poland, Switzerland, Belgium, China, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

View original post here:
Clarkson University appoints professor of chemistry and biomolecular science - North Country Now

BJP hopes Modi chemistry will prevail over Congress-SP in Varanasi – Economic Times

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Fredricko

VARANASI: The holy city Varanasi is not turning out to be the cakewalk the BJP might have hoped for its Assembly candidates in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency.

Factors like consolidation of opposition votes and well-entrenched rival candidates against BJP's perceived fumbling in picking its nominees have come together to make contests close in this high-profile seat.

BJP President Amit Shah might have dismissed opposition's suggestions that multiple public events by Modi here besides deployment of a number of union ministers and top party leaders in campaigning is indicative of "desperation" in his ranks but it is clear that his party is going out of the way to ensure a good saffron show.

"I am a little critical. There is an excess effort from the BJP and people can feel it. Everybody has a role and stature and I think it (Modi's numerous events) diminishes the prime minister's chair," said Ashok Kumar Upadhyay, a professor in Political Science Department of Banaras Hindu University.

He, however, told that the overdrive may end up helping the saffron party by winning over floating voters who are guided by the "wave".

The BJP had won three of the five seats falling in the Varanasi parliamentary constituency in 2012 and has changed two of the three winners this time round.

Neelkanth Tiwari is making his electoral debut replacing seven-time MLA Shyamdev Roy Chaudhari in Varanasi South seat and Saurabh Srivastava takes the baton from his mother Jyotsana Srivastava in Varanasi Cantonment. Both changes have not gone down well with sections of party cadres.

The party leadership has worked overtime to placate Chaudhari, well-regarded for his affability and accessibility, with Shah reaching out to him.

The change in Cantonment has invited allegations of dynasty politics as the Srivastava family has long held the constituency and even Saurabh Srivastava's late father was an MLA before his mother stepped in his shoes.

In Varanasi North, Muslims are in substantial numbers and have rallied around the Samajwadi Party-Congress candidate and former MLA Abdul Samad Ansari.

Ravindra Jaisawal of the BJP had won from here by a narrow margin and the combined votes of the two alliance partners has made matters difficult for him.

Read the original here:
BJP hopes Modi chemistry will prevail over Congress-SP in Varanasi - Economic Times

Russ Lawton & Ray Paczkowski Brew Ideal Chemistry on Soule Monde ‘Must Be Nice’ LP (ALBUM REVIEW) – Glide Magazine

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Danzig

Comprised solely of percussionist Russ Lawton andkeyboardistRay Paczkowski, the simplicity of the Soule Monde lineup belies the density of sound they conjure up. As a result, the title of their second full-length album, Must Be Nice, might represent a remark rival musicians would make in admiration of this alliance between the two long-time members of the Trey Anastasio Band.

Recording largely live, Lawton and Paczkowski sound much more comfortable establishing and maintaining grooves in the studio on this latest effort than on their eponymous debut in 2012. Its usually not fair to compare live and studio performances, but it is worth noting that hearing tracks on this album, such as Influence Too (with its furious close) and Compared to Jody, can elicit much the same response as observing Soule Monde on stage: the duo sound like a much larger ensemble.

These two musicians respective styles of playing are the natural and subsequently effortless source (s) of their wholly original material here and, in turn, their arrangements of the songs. It might not become obvious right away (unless perhaps headphones are in place), but Must Be Nices all-Vermont recording and mixing (at Lovetown Studios) plus mastering (at The Tank) might well approximate the sensation of sitting between the Lawton and Paczkowski on, among other cuts, Immigrant Too: the hard-hitting drumming alternately slaps and hammers, while organ lines swirl around the clipped syncopation coming from the clavinet .

Soule Monde continuously swings too, and in unusual ways, for instance, as they jump in and out of the breakdowns contained in Rocket. Meantime, in keeping with the title of Take My Hand, Lawton and Paczkowski generate an increasingly insistent pace during the course of its seven minutes plus. One of the comparatively longer of the eight tracks comprising Must Be Nice, it is nevertheless as streamlined as its surroundings, cuts timing between five and six minutes (except for the two and half duration approximately on the melodica-laced Kota), the instrumental purity of which Soule Monde preserve with minimal and largely unobtrusive overdubbing.

If there was any thought of adding vocals to render this music more accessible (sic), no evidence appears to that effect and the continuity over the course of the record suggests such modification is wholly unnecessary. On the contrary, Soule Monde distinguishes themselves throughout Must Be Nice, as thoroughly with the quietly haunting Mina, for instance, as during the bouncy likes of Took You Long Enough in all its is danceable glory. The complementary nature of those numbers mirrors the chemistry between Russ Lawton and Ray Paczkowski which, in turn, should compel repeated playings of this record and subsequently reveal an admirable durability.

Originally posted here:
Russ Lawton & Ray Paczkowski Brew Ideal Chemistry on Soule Monde 'Must Be Nice' LP (ALBUM REVIEW) - Glide Magazine

San Diego Padres: Chemistry 101 – Friars on Base – Friars on Base

Posted on March 4, 2017 by Danzig

Dec 10, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres general manager AJ Preller takes in a game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and San Diego State Aztecs during the second half at Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Padres: Why Not? by Diane Calkins

San Diego Padres: Ranked Fourth Best Farm System by Jonathan Goehring

While Matt Kemp received most of the criticism for helping to create a toxicclubhouse culture in 2016, apparently Derek Norris also contributed. According to Darren Smith on the Mighty 1090, he was surprised that Padres players mentioned Norris often as one of the culprits.

Norris apparently spread his negative attitude around but also zeroed in on Austin Hedges, the player he was supposedly mentoring. To make matters worse, pitchers didnt like throwing to him either.

Surely Norris lousy attitude could not have just developed in San Diego and been a complete secret, so one has to wonder why A.J. Preller traded for him and sent Yasmani Grandal to the Dodgers where hes become the primary backstop. Even more ironic, the major return for Grandal was none other than Kemp himself.

If Preller had even glanced at Molly Knights book The Best Team Money Can Buy, he would have learned that the Dodgers yearned to get him out of the dugout and off the field, and to shed his gigantic contract. The Padres, of course, obliged and did one of their major rivals in the National League West a huge favor. In fact, the team continues to line Kemps pockets, to the tune of $8.5 million dollars this year.

Want your voice heard? Join the Friars on Base team!

Ironically Grandal has not been the catcher of choice for Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. Instead he preferred throwing to A.J. Ellis, who was traded last summer. Both cried when they received the news.

A stat head like Preller, Andrew Friedman obviously disregarded the importance of the level of comfort Kershaw had working with Ellis. Of course, the best pitcher on the planet will not wither and turn into a journeyman with a 5.00 ERA, but the change undoubtedly carried a psychic cost.

In his brief history with the Padres, Preller also traded another catcher favored by the pitching staff. He sent Rene Rivera, who had become Andrew Cashners personal catcher, to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014.

Padres fans can only hope that Preller, not known for his attention to personal relationships, has grown to understand the importance of team chemistry.

See original here:
San Diego Padres: Chemistry 101 - Friars on Base - Friars on Base

Frozen chemistry controls bacterial infections — ScienceDaily – Science Daily

Posted on March 4, 2017 by ev1

Chemists and molecular biologists have made an unexpected discovery in infection biology. The researchers can now show that two proteins that bind to one another slow down a chemical reaction central to the course of the disease in the bacteria Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. The results have been published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

"The discovery paves way for new insights in the regulation of bacterial virulence. The results have given us a new opportunity to study the pathogenic ability in bacteria," says Magnus Wolf-Watz, researcher at the Department of Chemistry at Ume University, who led the study together with Hans Wolf-Watz, professor at the Department of Molecular Biology.

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and many similar bacteria infect humans by injecting toxins, so-called effector proteins, through a needle-like organelle called injectisome. Previous research has already shown that the protein YscU plays an important part in the regulation of effector protein transportation. YscU is unique in its ability to cleave itself in two parts, as a consequence, one of these parts is then transported out through the injectisome.

By combining biological experiments with studies on atomic level, the research team discovered that another protein, YscP, binds to YscU and regulates its self-cleaving abilities. When the proteins bound to one another, the speed of the self-cleaving was greatly reduced.

"The chemical process behind the self-cleaving was cooled down by the interaction and was hence slowed down. The result is a good example of how biology and chemistry nearly always go hand in hand and is a huge step forward. This gives us new opportunities to study the regulation of the course of diseases," says Hans Wolf-Watz.

The studies on atomic level were conducted using magnetic resonance spectroscopy at the Department of Chemistry at the NMR for Life platform, which is a national infrastructure for NMR in Sweden.

"The initial investment to fund an NMR instrument that the Kempe Foundations facilitated paved way for further funding from both the Wallenberg Foundations and SciLifeLab. Also, the protein expertise platform in our labs was of crucial importance for undertaking the research project," says Magnus Wolf-Watz.

Story Source:

Materials provided by Umea University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

See the original post:
Frozen chemistry controls bacterial infections -- ScienceDaily - Science Daily

Vinyl: the plastic found in (almost) everything – Treehugger

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

What is vinyl?Vinyl is a particular type of plastic that was first created by a German chemist, Eugen Baumann, in 1872. Decades later, two chemists at a German chemical company tried to use the poly-vinyl chloride, or PVC as it's more commonly called, in commercial products but were unsuccessful. It wasn't until 1928 that an American chemist, Waldo Semon, experimenting with a new adhesive for rubber, created the modern PVC as we know it and its now-ubiquitous presence in our daily lives.How is vinyl made?The discovery of PVC was completely by chance. Eugen Baumann had accidentally left a flask of vinyl chloride in the sunlight (as chemists are wont to do). Inside, a white solid polymer polymer had materialized. Though Baumann was a renowned chemist and professor at various German universities, he never applied for a patent for his discovery of PVC.

Decades later, two chemists at a German chemical company called Griesheim-Elektron tried to mold the substance into commercial products, but also had no luck processing the hard substance. It wasn't until American inventor Waldo Semon came along, while working at the B.F. Goodrich Company, that PVC's versatile uses were fully explored.

In 1928, Semon was experimenting with vinyl polymers, a substance that was widely known but considered useless. In his 1999 obituary in The New York Times, he was quoted as recalling in a recent interview, "People thought of it as worthless back then. They'd throw it in the trash.'' Little did they know.

During Semon's many experiments, he created a powdery substance with a texture not unlike flour and sugar. PVC's makeup consists of chlorine, based on common salt, and ethylene, which is derived from crude oil. The powder didn't work as Semon had hoped, but he continued to investigate, this time adding solvents to the powder and heating it to a high temperature.

What emerged was a jelly-like substance that could be tweaked to be both harder or more elastic enter the modern PVC. Semon continued to play in his laboratory, further discovering that this gelatinous substance could be easily molded, would not conduct electricity, and was both waterproof and fire-resistant.

But with the stock market crash of 1929, Semon had to wait a couple more years before anyone was interested in the new plastic. According to the Times obituary, Semon had a "lightbulb moment" in the 1930s while watching his wife, Marjorie, make curtains. Seeing that this vinyl could be manipulated into a fabric, he eventually convinced his bosses to market the material under the trade name Koroseal. By 1933, Semon had received the patent, and shower curtains, raincoats, and umbrellas made out of PVC began rolling out in production. Semon was inducted into the Invention Hall of Fame in 1995 at age 97, with more than 100 patents under his name.

It is predicted that with the rise of electric cars, more and more companies with ties to the oil industry will turn their attention to plastic production. This will undoubtedly put more emphasis on petrochemicals, which now use 15% of fossil fuels as their feedstocks, but are expected to rise to 50% by 2040, according to Bloomberg. As global movements committed to the climate crisis continue to push the message that single-use plastic is a system failure, there is no doubt that the fossil fuel industry will be fighting right back.

But Big Oil doesnt think so; according to Tim Young at the Financial Times, petrochemicals are the only major source of oil demand where growth is expected to accelerate. These forecasts assume a steady, strong demand for plastic will translate into increasing consumption of feedstock. They provide a rare ray of optimism for the oil industry against increasingly dire long-term predictions that growth of other demand sources will slow.

Imperishability, once plastic's greatest asset, is now one of our earth's curses. The current plastic economy sees about 90% of its products used once, then discarded. An editorial in the journal Nature Communications predicts: "We need a fundamental change in order to make a noticeable impact on the plastic waste seeping into our environment. A new plastic future in which biodegradable polymers replace conventional plastics could be the answer."

However, even biodegradable plastic has its challenges. These "green" plastics require industrial composting to break down and continue to encourage the very root of our problem: a disposable culture based on the convenience of living in the moment. The anti-plastic movement continues to grow, but with one of the biggest and most powerful industries behind it, PVC, literally and figuratively, has a long life ahead of it.

TH's Lloyd has a few thoughts on plastics and vinyl; you can view his unfiltered lecture here.

What is vinyl? Let's explore how this ubiquitous and versatile plastic is made, what its uses are, and all of its safety concerns.

View original post here:
Vinyl: the plastic found in (almost) everything - Treehugger

Q&A: House on team chemistry, analytics – MLB.com

Posted on March 4, 2017 by Fredricko

House's insight into athletic success has allowed him to not only impact baseball, where he currently works with many of the game's top pitchers, but also to extend his efforts into college football and the NFL.

House is the subject of this week's Q&A:

MLB.com: How did you become so involved in the football world?

House: When we first started doing motion analysis, we captured any movement we could capture. We have Dan Marino in the computer. We have Joe Montana, Steve Beuerlein. Remember Todd Marinovich, robo quarterback? We had a bunch of elite quarterbacks captured. All the data measured, but I didn't know what we were looking at. Then obviously we threw footballs in a baseball environment when I was a coach in the Padres' system and at the big leagues with the Rangers. I got that from the trainer in San Diego, Dick Dent. He figured out you have to have proper throwing mechanics to throw a spiral.

MLB.com: But that was taking football to baseball. Where, along the line, did you get involved in dealing with the football players?

House: Cam Cameron was the offensive coordinator with the San Diego Chargers, and I had been working with his boys in baseball. Both his sons pitched. Drew Brees was his quarterback. He said, "You know, do you think you might be able to talk to Drew?" I worked with him for about a year and a half. Then in the last game of his tenure with the Chargers, he blew his shoulder out really bad. He dislocated the right shoulder and suffered a 360-degree tear of the rotator cuff and labrum.

Dr. [James] Andrews put him back together, but didn't think Drew would ever throw a professional pass again. I got seriously involved with the rehab, and one thing leads to another. Nine months later, he signed with the Saints. And as they say, the rest is history. In sports, the word of mouth has an impact. I started with Drew, and one day another quarterback showed up, and all of a sudden I'm working with six or seven guys. Over the last four years, we've been working with 26 of the No. 1 quarterbacks in the NFL, a bunch of backups and most of the elite college quarterbacks.

MLB.com: I guess it's that old saying about timing. You were considered the nutty professor with the Rangers back in the 1980s, but you are readily accepted in the new century in the NFL.

House: Somebody's got to take a shot at being first. I've always been looking for a better way. It's finally starting to pay off. The really cool thing is we've figured out that rotational athletes -- hitters, golfers, tennis, football, softball, baseball -- are pretty much the same animal. The preparation and the movements are all really, really close. If you can teach pitching, you can teach quarterbacking. If you can teach quarterbacking, you can teach the physical movements and the physical preparations to hit like tennis, whatever. It got kind of easy once we started looking at the analytics of outcome and moving back to the process.

MLB.com: The process?

House: Sports are all about outcomes. You get contracts and big money if you're a pro guy because of outcomes. You get college scholarships because of outcome. The analytics out there are really good for that, but the confidence intervals and the standard deviations when you're measuring outcome aren't as good as when you're measuring process. Our confidence intervals and our standard deviations are more measurable, more quantifiable and more defendable than what the analytics guys are doing. Analytics are really good. We're just a little bit more predictable, because we're measuring process, not outcome.

We do movement analysis. We do functional strength. We do nutrition and sleep, and we do mental emotions. I was doing that with the Rangers. We've just gotten better and better and better working with the process, not the outcome.

MLB.com: You were a pioneer in analytics.

House: I was fortunate to run across Craig Wright. We did a book, "Diamond Appraised." We actually preceded Bill James and all those guys. We really didn't know what we were doing. Timing is everything. I just happened to be sitting at the bus stop when three dimensional motion analysis showed up, wireless CMG, sleeping monitor, what muscles were doing. Then obviously I went to school and got my Ph.D. in psychology and a master's in nutrition. It was just pretty much luck of the draw. Blind squirrels find an acorn.

MLB.com: Did it ever get frustrating that you had such a hard time being accepted with what's now commonplace?

House: It frustrated me that I wasn't a good enough communicator to make people understand the value involved with what we were doing. There were times when I had my feelings hurt, but it didn't stop me from pushing, because I knew we were doing something that was measurable and quantifiable for the first time in sport. That held me together.

MLB.com: What about how the human element plays into it? That's one thing that people seem to lose some sight of.

House: We're genetically predisposed for affiliation and failure. We are born with overwhelming need to be affiliated with something, and we learn more from our failures than we do from our successes. Where people have trouble identifying team chemistry, it basically boils down to those two things: the affiliation process, we want to belong to something, a team, and if that affiliation returns positive, you stay affiliated. Then the failure side of the equation -- if you're with a team that doesn't embrace failure as part of the learning process, then the attachment of feelings to failure or success gets in the way of the process.

The perfect example is what the Patriots do. On their wall, when you walk in their locker room, it basically says three things: do your job, trust the process, trust your teammate. That's it. Think about this: When people go to the Patriots, who do you think reframes to be affiliated? The Belichick boys or the new guys? The new guys. When you go to the Patriots, no matter what your personality, Randy Moss or whoever.

That's what creates chemistry. Going to the Cleveland Browns right now, they really don't have a process the kids can hang their hats on, so they're going in with kind of a question mark on how affiliated they're going to be to the Cleveland Brown Way until there's either a pre-sold chemistry like Belichick has, because his process is proven to everybody it works. Unless an organization can create a process that a player wants to be affiliated with -- and unless those players can reframe performance, success or failure, around that process -- they don't have chemistry.

MLB.com: Hal Keller used to say when he scouted amateurs he liked to see them have a bad day, because everybody fails at some point and the successful players deal with failure.

House: That's affiliation. Remember, you asked if I had my feelings hurt at the lack of acceptance 30, 40 years ago? I bought into the process I was involved with, not how it was being perceived. My value proposition was in my process, not the outcome of me being a great pitching coach or a great communicator or whatever. Eventually, if you're confident of your process and you have a belief system, your process is measurable, quantifiable and dependable, eventually it wins out.

MLB.com: As young player, how did you get so involved in the analytics aspect?

House: I never expected to play past college. When I left USC and signed with the Braves, I figured it was going be a real good summer job while I went ahead and got my Ph.D. I was pursuing baseball, living, breathing, dying baseball. That was my passion. But as a parallel process, I was in the classroom doing academics and research. Looking back, everybody had the same goals down, but they weren't talking to each other as they were approaching that goal. If I have a value to sports right now, it's connecting dots between different disciplines and making everybody aware that we all want to win the Super Bowl and we all want to win a Wor
ld Series, let's not be fractured with the process. Let's make sure we're all on the same page, so we have organizational process and team chemistry.

MLB.com: Is that exciting for you?

House: When I first started realizing how big the disconnects were in baseball, I didn't think there was any hope that I would see this in my lifetime, but now I do. The awareness now that there's a better way is starting to change throughout the game. I'm talking from Rookie ball to the Major Leagues, from the front-office analytics guys all the way down to the clubhouse. Other sports have figured it out a little quicker. Baseball's coming along, and it's going to be just fine. I've been involved in the game 50 years, and I'd like to think I carried the torch a little bit, and the kids that are standing on my shoulders now will take it home.

Tracy Ringolsby is a columnist for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Here is the original post:
Q&A: House on team chemistry, analytics - MLB.com

Retooled OKC Thunder roster exudes family chemistry – Thunderous Intentions

Posted on March 4, 2017 by Danzig

Jan 15, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) pats guard Russell Westbrook (0) on the head as he hugs center Enes Kanter (11) after a play against the Sacramento Kings during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Views from OKC: Two poor efforts in two consecutive nights by Tony Heim

The Key to the OKC Thunder Season May Be the Utah Jazz by Eric Snyder

One thing that really resembles family in my mind is happiness, love and togetherness. Sitting around the table on Thanksgiving and giving thanks for what you have. Waking up early on Christmas Day to see the joy on the face of your family of what you got them. Being there for each other in the hard times and the good times. Loving each other until the day you die.

Something that has been missing in the Thunder and my own family, until recently. Before this season, the OKC Thunder seemed to be a really good team that just coasted into the playoffs and hoped of winning a championship every year. Yes, announcers and the crowd made OKC seem like a big family, but the team didnt truly play like it.

Related: A Salute to the Recently Traded OKC Thunder Players Payne, Morrow and Lauvergne

Sure, there appeared to be a togetherness about the team, but they all seemed to be disappointed in each other every year. Every year they would fall short of their goal.

Even though the OKC Thunder have gotten worse roster wise, they have gotten better as a team and family. I think Durant leaving has made Oklahoma City stronger as a community and the Thunder stronger as a team.

Feb 3, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after hitting a 3 point shot against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

When Durant did decide to leave, the city and state seemed to have a black cloud over it, but only for a short time. With Russell Westbrook re-signing a 3 year deal, it gave fans something to feel great and important about after they had just been thrown under the bus.

When Westbrook gave his full commitment to the OKC Thunder, it gave fans a sense of security. A sense that you know everything is going to be okay. Something that happens all the time in families. If someone leaves or dies, someone has to step up and be the leader of the family. That is something Westbrook has taken hold of and ran with.

Related: Westbrook demonstrates MVP Leadership on and off the court

If someone leaves or dies, someone has to step up and be the leader of the family. That is something Westbrook has taken hold of and ran with.

All of Oklahoma can follow his lead. This is his team and state now. Before, Oklahoma and Thunder fans were always known for their great sense of pride, but now the Thunder and its fans seem to bleed with pride. Thunder blue runs through the veins of every single Thunder fan stronger now than it ever has.

With pride comes happiness. The Thunder may never win a championship with the current squad, but they have something that many teams dont have. That is pride, hope and happiness. That is something that can never be taken away from a person. You can take away their player, but you cant take away the hope.

Displaying a sense of family is something the team on the court seems to be displaying now more than ever. Even though the Thunder are obviously not better without Durant, they appear to have a bigger sense of pride and We Be Okay attitude.

Related: Durants Departure Served to Remind OKC of Resiliency

With Russ as the leader, nothing seems impossible for this team. From Russ to Victor to Steven to Enes and all the others, nothing will stand in these guys way.

Fittingly, Russell will be growing his own family off court as well when his wife Nina Earl introduces their first child into the world. One big beautiful family

-5/2017-

A post shared by Russell Westbrook (@russwest44) on Mar 1, 2017 at 9:49am PST

I guess what I am trying to get out of those reading this is winning isnt everything. Sure, it makes money and produces championships, but having a great organization to stand by every night also makes basketball fun.

Loyalty is a rare commodity now, and if you can find someone who still has it, cherish them.

Kids can look up to this organization as an example. Visiting children in hospitals and building libraries are great. But, staying when everyone says go, speaks volumes. In a world where everyone chases, that isnt always the right answer. Loyalty is a rare commodity now, and if you can find someone who still has it, cherish them.

Cherish them like family. Westbrook will go down as an all-time great in not only the NBA, but in Oklahoma history. He is our guy now and we need to stand behind him with all that we have. Let him know we appreciate him anytime that we can. He could have easily left us behind after Durant bolted, but he decided to stay with the ones who have trusted him since he was drafted.

He put his full trust in us and we will put our full trust in him. So, the next time you take a win for granted, just remember the Thunder. Same with families. The next time you see them, just stop a second and notice how fortunate and lucky you are.

Read the original:
Retooled OKC Thunder roster exudes family chemistry - Thunderous Intentions

D.J. Carton and Kaleb Wesson finding chemistry could help solve Ohio State basketballs offensive woes – cleveland.com

Posted on January 24, 2020 by Danzig

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- D.J. Carton sat at the podium, answering questions the day before Ohio State basketballs matchup with Minnesota.

He answered question after question about how a team who was just ranked No. 2 in the country and looked like a potential Final Four team had fallen so far in just 28 days. The freshman rattled off a multitude of reasons ranging from a lack of passion, to team chemistry, to how shooting woes have impacted every other facet of the game.

About seven minutes into the Wednesday media session, Kaleb Wesson joined him, echoing many of the same sentiments. Neither looked happy with the current situation, but they also may be the primary sources to the solution to the problem.

I dont think anybody as special as D.J., but Ive played with pretty good guards before, Wesson said. Hes different and special.

Carton and Wesson are a product of what happens when there's a clash in styles of play on a team's two most important positions. Wesson is the team's best player and the primary weapon of attack while Carton is arguably the team's most talented player with an upside that could ne day turn him into a first-round NBA Draft pick. Both are a lot for an opposing defense to deal with, but this isn't a match made in heaven.

Wesson is a 6-foot-9, 270-pound big man who does his best work on the block. He's a highly-skilled, smart basketball player who uses his size and footwork to impact a game. He's best in the half-court, although his ability to knock down threes at an efficient rate makes him dangerous as a trailer in transition.

Carton is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound point guard who's explosiveness made him the state of Iowa's very own version of Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook. He thrives in the open court and it's why he was a four-star recruit. But it's been a while since he hasn't been the focal point of an offense and even longer since he's played with someone of Wesson's caliber.

"I've never played with a big man that can dunk consistently," Carton said. "My focus has never really been to get the ball in the post. It's something new to me. It's a different offensive brand that I wasn't comfortable coming into."

At Bettendorf High School in Iowa, the offense was predicated on putting the ball in Carton's hands and allowing him to make decisions. He made a habit of going 94 feet and making plays in the open court and has shown that same ability at times at the college level.

When teams tried to slow him down and play in the half-court, he got high ball screen after high ball screen giving him the ability to get downhill to create for himself and others. He never had to worry about a post entry pass or waiting on a post player to get position on the block. Now he does, and the adjustment has been anything but smooth.

"We didnt ever play through a big man, Cartons high school coach Curtis Clark told cleveland.com. "We played through D.J. 100 percent. We played through him regardless of how good our posts were or not. We thought our best chance to win was if the ball was in his hands whether he shot or got a shot for someone else. "

The two have had their moments where they've looked like a quality one-two punch for the Buckeyes. An exhibition game against Cedarville provided a glimpse at what the two could do together in a perfect world. During a three-minute stretch in the second half of a 95-52 win, the two combined to score 17 straight points while Carton provided three and assists and a steal and Wesson added three rebounds.

In those two, Ohio State has two ways to attack you offensively. Wesson would provide dominance down low while Carton along with transfer C.J. Walker would provide much-improved play at point guard and enhance OSU's capabilities in transition. Instead, the two styles rival each other. Wesson has been everything he was expected to be this season while Carton can, at times, go too fast for his own good, leading to high turnover, low assists games. Both can't live in the same space and since this is Wesson's team, his style wins while Carton is often a casualty.

I had to play a lot of half-court in high school, but it was nothing like this, Carton said. Nothing where you have to pay attention to detail for all 30 seconds. Its definitely a big change and being patient and getting the best shot for the team.

The Big Ten is arguably the best conference in college basketball, but its also vastly different than where the game is at the moment. While most teams whether at the college or pro level run every facet of their offense through its perimeter players, the Big Ten goes through the big man. Wesson is just one of many that exists in that conference, including Minnesotas Daniel Oturu, who came into the Thursday nights matchup averaging 20.2 points per game. He was held to just 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting while Marcus Carr once again put together a solid performance with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to go along with the game-winning three-pointer.

Head coach Chris Holtmann acknowledges how different this league is than any other he's coached in and how he's had to adjust his approach because of it. Yet he's still going to be hard on his floor generals, especially one as talented as Carton.

"I don't know if I've had a team where it's been that different," Holtmann said. "But we've established how we want to play and try to play through our interior as much as possible. Kaleb obviously can't do it on his own in this league."

Wesson is Ohio State's best player, but Carton maybe its most talented. Yet these two couldn't have games that are more polar opposite. There's a long list of reasons for why Ohio State is no longer among the best in the country. Building chemistry between these two might cure some of that.

Their two styles don't match, but somehow they must find a way to coexist.

"It takes some time, it takes playing together," Holtmann said. "One who's a veteran and ones who's younger and trying to find his way a little bit. One has to get the ball thrown to him and the other has the ball in his hands. It's a different dynamic."

More Buckeyes coverage

Ohio State 5-star target Tunmise Adeleye to transfer to IMG Academy: Buckeye Breakfast

While Ohio State footballs freshmen must grow physically, they have already impressed mentally

Ohio State basketball vs Minnesota preview: TV info, key players, starters, prediction

How Ohio State basketball went from No. 2 in the country to unranked in four weeks

How Ohio State footballs 2020 schedule looks after NFL Draft and transfer turnover

Get Buckeyes Insider texts in your phone from Doug Lesmerises: Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with the award-winning OSU football reporter, just like you would with your friends. Sign up for insight on the Buckeyes for $3.99 a month. You can register in just a minute or two below by entering your phone number.

Visit link:
D.J. Carton and Kaleb Wesson finding chemistry could help solve Ohio State basketballs offensive woes - cleveland.com

An American chemist is suspected of illegal dealings with China – The Economist

Posted on February 1, 2020 by Danzig

Jan 30th 2020

NEW YORK

IN 2013 CHARLES LIEBER, a pioneer of nanoscience who is now the chairman of Harvard Universitys chemistry department, visited the Wuhan University of Technology (WUT), in China, to celebrate the founding of a lab he was credited by that university with helping to establish and oversee: the WUT-Harvard Joint Nano Key Laboratory. It was a remarkable coup. WUT is an institution of little renown. Harvard is generally regarded as the top of the academic tree. And Dr Lieber, whose research has since become part of Elon Musks ambitious scheme to supercharge the human brain with nanotechnology, has been seen as a potential Nobel laureate.

Harvards officials had not, however, approved the laboratory and did not know about it until early 2015, according to the US Department of Justice. Nor did they know that while conducting his research with grants from the Department of Defence and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr Lieber was, according to federal authorities, also being paid up to $50,000 a month by WUT, plus at least $150,000 in living expenses, as a prized recruit in Chinas Thousand Talents programme to bring foreign scientists, and return Chinese expatriates, to that countrys research laboratories.

On January 28th agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Dr Lieber on a charge of lying to federal authorities after his having denied his alleged participation in the Thousand Talents programme. He was jailed pending a court hearing on January 30th. Harvard placed him on administrative leave and said it was co-operating with the authorities while conducting its own review. (Dr Liebers lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.) The Justice Department also announced charges against two Chinese nationals who had been in Boston ostensibly as researchers. One, a lieutenant in the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) who is now in China, allegedly worked on behalf of PLA officials and has been charged with visa fraud, conspiracy and making false statements to federal investigators. The other, who is under arrest, allegedly tried in December to smuggle to China 21 vials of material stolen from a teaching hospital.

By putting one of Harvards superstars in handcuffs, federal authorities seek to shock Americas research institutions into greater vigilance about collaborations with Chinese counterparts. At the least the arrest is expected to have a chilling effect on research partnerships between America and China after a decade in which they have flourished. Certainly, the Trump administration would not view that as a bad thing. The Justice Department has said that more than 90% of prosecutions for economic espionage since 2011 have involved a link to China. Christopher Wray, the FBIs director, has lamented to Congress the navet of American academia, and has cited Chinas so-called talent plans as a vehicle for the theft of research.

One concern of federal authorities, including investigators at the NIH, has been the establishment of shadow labs in China run by Thousand Talents recruits in parallel with their American-funded research. Those authorities may consider the WUT-Harvard Joint Nano Key Laboratory to be such a shadow lab. In an affidavit supporting the criminal complaint against Dr Lieber, the FBI, quoting emails between him and a professor at WUT, says that in 2012 he entered into a Thousand Talents agreement that promised, in addition to his personal compensation, 11m yuan ($1.74m) from WUT and the Chinese government for development of the joint laboratory, including the recruitment of talent.

The contract called for Dr Lieber to publish high-level articles in renowned journals and to host international conferences in the name of Wuhan University of Technology, and to guide young scholars and doctoral students, helping them publish in respected international journals. In January 2013, the affidavit says, he signed a five-year contract formalising Harvards co-operation in the joint lab, and obliging Harvard to host researchers from WUT for two months a year.

According to the FBI, officials from Harvard said Dr Lieber did not have the authority to sign such a contract. Those officials also said they eventually became aware of the joint laboratory, and that Dr Lieber was its director, in about early 2015. When confronted, Dr Lieber told Harvard officials that WUT was using Harvards name and logo without his knowledge and consent, the affidavit says.

In 2018, the affidavit says, Dr Lieber told investigators from the defence department that he was never asked to participate in the Thousand Talents programme, but that he wasnt sure how China might describe him. The FBI also says he caused Harvard to report falsely to the NIH that he was not a participant in the recruitment programme (the NIH requires disclosure of such foreign payments to grant applicants). Meanwhile, the email traffic quoted in the FBI affidavit describes the payments to Dr Lieber going into a Chinese bank account set up on his behalf and, on occasions he visited Wuhan, given to him in cash.

In return for its association with Dr Lieber, Wuhan University of Technology may have burnished its reputation in nanoscience, and developed some young scholars in the field. The lab itself was meant to focus on nanowire-based lithium ion batteries for electric cars, per the contract Dr Lieber allegedly signed. In recent years Dr Liebers research has focused on neural lace technology, the still-nascent field that Mr Musk is looking to develop. Mr Musks own paper on the topic cites Dr Lieber as well as Chinese researchers who worked in his lab at Harvard.

It is not clear how much special insight Chinese researchers gained that they would not otherwise have had. Leading scientists routinely note that in such high-level research international collaboration is increasingly common, and can happen organically. Most research is published openly for all to see. It is not certain that Chinese largesse was required to pry open the wonders of a top laboratory at the worlds most prestigious university. But the Trump administration says that was precisely the goal of the Thousand Talents programme, and that university administrators and scientists have been asleep to the threat such recruitment programmes pose. If so, no longer.

This article appeared in the Science and technology section of the print edition under the headline "An American chemist is suspected of illegal dealings with China"

Read more from the original source:
An American chemist is suspected of illegal dealings with China - The Economist

Select Page ::