GE taps into US supercomputer to advance offshore wind – reNEWS

Posted on by

GE will be able to access one of worlds fastest supercomputers in order to help advance offshore wind power.

GE Research aerodynamics engineer Jing Li is leading a team that has been granted access to the Summit supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee, through the US Department of Energys competitive Advanced Scientific Computing Research Leadership Computing Challenge programme.

The key focus of the supercomputing project will be to study coastal low-level jets, which produce a distinct wind velocity profile of potential importance to the design and operation of future wind turbines.

Using the Summit supercomputer system, the GE team will run simulations to study and inform new ways of controlling and operating offshore turbines to best optimise wind production.

Li said: The Summit supercomputer will allow our GE team to run computations that would be otherwise impossible.

This research could dramatically accelerate offshore wind power as the future of clean energy and our path to a more sustainable, safe environment.

As part of the project, the GE team will work closely with research teams at NREL and ORNL to advance the ExaWind platform.

ExaWind, one of the applications of the DoEs Exascale computing project, focuses on the development of computer software to simulate different wind farm and atmospheric flow physics.

These simulations provide crucial insights for engineers and scientists to better understand wind dynamics and their impact on wind farms.

Li said: Scientists at NREL and ORNL are part of a broader team that have built up a tremendous catalogue of new software code and technical expertise with ExaWind, and we believe our project can discover critical new insights that support and validate this larger effort.

The ExaWind goal is to establish a virtual wind plant test bed that aids and accelerates the design and control of wind farms.

The Summit supercomputing systems power capability is equivalent to 70 million iPhone 11s and can help test and solve challenges in energy, artificial intelligence, human health and other research areas.

Li said: Were now able to study wind patterns that span hundreds of metres in height across tens of kilometres of territory down to the resolution of airflow over individual turbine blades.

You simply couldnt gather and run experiments on this volume and complexity of data without a supercomputer. These simulations allow us to characterise and understand poorly understood phenomena like coastal low-level jets in ways previously not possible.

Go here to see the original:

GE taps into US supercomputer to advance offshore wind - reNEWS

Micronation – MicroWiki

Posted on by

A micronation is a political entity that claims to be a sovereign state but is not recognised as such by the wider international community. Micronations are treated as distinct from conventional unrecognised states, although there is no widespread consensus within micropatriology over what exactly constitutes a micronation or distinguishes it from other unrecognised states. Broadly speaking, micronations are created and developed as a hobby, with their claims to sovereignty considered trivial enough to be ignored by the conventional sovereign states whose territory they claim; micronations whose ultimate goal is to receive international recognition as sovereign states are termed secessionist, and micronations without this goal are termed simulationist.

Micronations have existed since the 19th century, with the practice of micronationalism growing immensely in the early 21st century as the creation and maintenance of micronations became a relatively mainstream hobby and the Internet facilitated the emergence of an online micronational community. Some well-known micronations, including Sealand and Liberland, exist outside this online community; others, including Austenasia, and Molossia, regularly attend micronational events and have a developed online presence. The majority of English-speaking micronations are part of the MicroWiki sector, which has existed since 2005, and have not achieved widespread notoriety.

Most soruces define micronations as, broadly, self-declared countries not recognised by other states or international organisations like the United Nations. Wikipedia and WorldAtlas.com both define a micronation as an "entity that claims to be an independent nation or state but is not recognized by world governments or major international organizations". On its main page, MicroWiki defines micronations as "small and often rather eccentric nations that are unrecognised by the wider international community" and in its article Micronation defines a micronation as a "political entity that claims to be a sovereign state but is not recognised as such by the wider international community".

Interactive geofiction is a hobby centred around the creation of model countries claiming territory on fictional planets. Most interactive geofictionalists consider their activities to be a form of micronationalism, although the present consensus among mainstream micronationalists is that geofiction is not micronationalism. Many interactive geofictionalists part of the Micras Sector have at various points been on the periphery of the MicroWiki community from its foundation in 2005, with the Organisation of Active Micronations spearheading increased links between the communities in 2011; since the second rise of the Grand Unified Micronational in 2012, however, the distinction between micronationalism and geofiction has been more sharply drawn within MicroWiki.

MicrasWiki (the Micras Sector's equivalent to MicroWiki), for example, claims on its main page to be "home to micronationalism". The homepage goes on to define "micronationalism" as a synonym for interactive geofiction. The word 'micronational' is frequently used in the name of organisations in the Micras Sector, with examples including the Micronational Cartography Society (the main governing body of Micras), the First Micronational Bank, and the Royal Institute of Micronational Antiquities. Almost all of the 'nations' claiming territory on Micras self-identify as micronations, and many older nations have articles on MicroWiki dating from the pre-2012 era of closeness between the communities.

In attempting to resolve this contention over whether or not interactive geofiction is micronationalism, some individuals in the Micras Sector have written micropatriological works that classify Micras-based nations as simulationist micronations, whilst arguing that definitions of micronations that exclude geofictional micronations are profoundly secessionist in nature. James Richter, secretary of the Micronational Cartography Society from 200507, expressed an early form of this argument in Micronational Theory (September 2006). This essay explains that micronationalism originated out of 'secessionist micronations', who claimed real territory, but that it evolved as 'simulationist micronations' arrived.

After explaining how online micronations are a logical evolution in human communication, Richter then calls Babkha "the first simulationist nation", saying "It created its entire history, and created an entire world for itself. the Seccesionists who were rapidly becomming old and were beggining to vanish from the Micronational scene were outraged by this turn of events. since at that time it was socially unacceptable to make up your own history and exist within the confines of the internet alone". He concludes that "after several years simulationism became larger then seccesionism", and claims that the latter no longer represents the mainstream of micronationalism.

Parallel plane theory is a micropatriological position which holds that micronational sovereignty over a people or territory does not preclude macronational sovereignty from extending there simultaneously, and that micronations should not try to become macronations. The theory was first put forward by Jordan Brizendine in August 2017, who successfully proposed motions in Delvera and at the Congress of Colo (a conference of delegates from Delvera, the North American Confederation and Karnia-Ruthenia) which stated that "micronations and macronations exist on separate, parallel planes whereby their duties and responsibilities do not overlap." The theory was developed further in early 2018 by Ives Blackwood and Glastieven T in the context of New Secessionism, with the two arguing that groups of friends held a position on the micronational plane which corresponded to that held by proto-nations on the macronational plane, though Blackwood later repudiated parallel plane theory.

There has been a small but growing amount of attention paid to the micronation phenomenon in recent years. Most interest in academic circles has been concerned with studying the apparently anomalous legal situations affecting such entities as Sealand and the Hutt River Province, in exploring how some micronations represent grassroots political ideas, and in the creation of role-playing entities for instructional purposes.

In 2000, Professor Fabrice O'Driscoll, of the Aix-Marseille University, published a book about micronations: Ils ne sigent pas l'ONU ("They are not in the United Nations"), with more than 300 pages dedicated to the subject.

Several recent publications have dealt with the subject of particular historic micronations, including Republic of Indian Stream (University Press), by Dartmouth College geographer Daniel Doan, The Land that Never Was, about Gregor MacGregor, and the Principality of Poyais, by David Sinclair (ISBN 0-7553-1080-2).

In May 2000, an article in the New York Times entitled "Utopian Rulers, and Spoofs, Stake Out Territory Online" brought the phenomenon to a wider audience for the first time. Similar articles were published by newspapers such as the French Liberation, the Italian La Repubblica, the Greek "Ta Nea", by O Estado de So Paulo in Brazil, and Portugal's Viso at around the same time.

The Democratic Empire of Sunda, which claims to be the Government of the Kingdom of Sunda (an ancient kingdom, in present-day Indonesia) in exile in Switzerland, made media headlines when two so-called princesses, Lamia Roro Wiranatadikusumah Siliwangi Al Misri, 21, and Fathia Reza Wiranatadikusumah Siliwangi Al Misiri, 23, were detained by Malaysian authorities at the border with Brunei, on 13 July 2007, and are charged for entering the country without a valid pass.

In August 2003 a Summit of Micronations took place in Helsinki at Finlandia Hall, the site of the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE). The summit was attended by delegations such as the Principality of Sealand, Neue Slowenische Kunst|NSK, Ladonia, the Transnational Republic, and by scholars from various academic institutions.

From 7 November through 17 December 2004, the Reg Vardy Gallery at the University of Sunderland hosted an exhibition on the subject of micronational group identity and symbolism. The exhibition focused on numismatic, philatelic and vexillological artefacts, as well as other symbols and instruments created and used by a number of micronations from the 1950s through to the present day. A summit of micronations conducted as part of this exhibition was attended by representatives of Sealand, Elgaland-Vargaland, New Utopia, Atlantium, Frestonia and Fusa. The exhibition was reprised at the Andrew Kreps Gallery in New York City from 24 June29 July of the following year. Another exhibition about micronations opened at Paris' Palais de Tokyo in early 2007.

The Sunderland summit was later featured in a 5-part BBC light entertainment television series called "How to Start Your Own Country" presented by Danny Wallace. The series told the story of Wallace's experience of founding a micronation, Lovely, located in his London flat. It screened in the UK in August 2005. Similar programs have also aired on television networks in other parts of Europe.

On 9 September 2006, The Guardian newspaper reported that the travel guide company Lonely Planet had published the world's first travel guide devoted to micronations, the Lonely Planet Guide to Home-Made Nations (ISBN 1741047307).

Read the original post:

Micronation - MicroWiki

micronation | Law, Recognition, History, & Definition …

Posted on by

Micronation, entity that claims to be an independent state but whose sovereignty is not recognized by the international community. Micronations are distinct from microstates, such as Liechtenstein or Vatican City, whose sovereignty over extremely small territories and populations is internationally recognized.

Micronations vary significantly in form, motivation, purpose, and seriousness. The loosely defined concept of a micronation appeared in the late 20th century to describe a growing phenomenon of small-scale pretention of sovereignty. Some micronations claim a territory, usually a piece of personal property or an uninhabitable tract of land. For instance, some micronations claim as their territory Bir awl, a section of desert between Egypt and Sudan that remains unclaimed by any country. Others exist solely in concept and may possess little more than a Web site. A great number of micronations are tongue-in-cheek, such as the Conch Republic in Key West, which staged a mock secession from the United States in 1982 after the imposition of a roadblock slowed road access to the rest of the country. The roadblock was later removed, but the city continues to use the Conch Republic gimmick to bolster tourism and souvenir sales. Still others exist as a performative expression of libertarianism. Regardless of their purpose, many micronations issue citizenship along with currency, passports, or other official documentsthough these documents bear no legal or diplomatic recognition.

The term micronation is sometimes applied retroactively to certain entities that claimed sovereignty before the concept of micronation came about. The Hospitallers (self-styled also as the Sovereign Order of Malta), a chivalric order founded in the decades prior to the First Crusade in the 11th century, possesses no territory but maintains a government whose sovereignty today is recognized by the Holy See and many other Roman Catholic countries and enjoys diplomatic relations with more than 100 countries. The Caribbean island of Redonda, uninhabitable and hardly accessible, was claimed by the early 20th-century novelist Matthew Phipps Shiell (M.P. Shiel) and serves as an early example of a completely fictitious claim to sovereignty. Among the most well-known examples of micronations formed prior to the terms coinage is the Principality of Sealand, a fort in the North Sea off the coast of England. Abandoned in the 1950s by the British Royal Navy, a British man commandeered the fort in 1967, and his family has occupied it ever since.

Link:

micronation | Law, Recognition, History, & Definition ...

What Is A Micronation? – WorldAtlas

Posted on by

The flag of the micronation of Sealand. What is a Micronation?

Micronation is an entity that claims to be a sovereign nation but is not recognized by any other government or major international organization. A micronation formally and persistently agitates for sovereignty over a given territory and is thus differentiated from other social groups.

In modern day, more than 400 existing micronations have been recorded. The world has seen its fair share of presidents and royalty presiding over invented empires. The self-declared entity that is a micronation can either be real, virtual, or imaginary and it is often physically small. The governments of countries in which micronations operate often dismiss the entities as trivial and harmless. Some micronations issue items such as passports, stamps, coins, medals, postage, and flags.

Micronations became gathered further popularity with the invention of the internet. The internet enabled people from all over the world to connect, interact, and trade ideas. These virtual micronations are often referred to as nomadic countries. The term micronation was first used in the 1970s. Legally, the difference between state and non-states is based on the Montevideo Convention of 1933. Some of the entities, however, reject the notion of micronations.

Micronations are formed for many reasons. Some of them are established as hobbies and for personal entertainment, and they do not seek recognition. Other micronations exist to simulate political, economic, and social processes and they boast significant numbers of individuals. These types of entities also do not seek recognition. Some begin as protests. Some self-made entities start as artistic projects, and they balloon into tourist attractions. New country projects seek formal recognition, and they are interested in creating new countries. More often than not, these projects endeavor to create human-made islands and claim them as independent countries. Another type of micronation, the alternative government, recognizes the presence of other authorities. Some micronations are created for fraudulent purposes, especially to exempt themselves out of taxation. Other micronations exploit historical and legal anomalies to declare aspirant states.

The Republic of Molossia was declared in the state of Nevada, in 1999 by self-proclaimed President Kevin Baugh. It occupies an area of 6.3 square acres, and it has created its own currency and postal service. The Principality of Seborga was formed in 1963 in the Italian Province of Imperia. Its citizens claim that the land they occupy was not mentioned in the documents drawn during the unification attempts of Italy in the 1880s. In 1971, a micronation named Freetown Christiania was formed on an abandoned military base in the City of Copenhagen, Denmark. The entity operates as an anarchist community, and it is populated by many squatters, hippies, and anarchists. The community adheres to its set of rules, and the neighborhood is known for its brightly colored buildings and the absence of cars.

See more here:

What Is A Micronation? - WorldAtlas

Australia has one of the largest number of micronations in the world – ABC News

Posted on by

George II (or George Cruickshank, if you insist on "mundane" titles) was a bright and articulate young child qualities his parents had hoped would put him on the path to a promising career in politics.

"What they got instead was me deciding to create my own country in their backyard and raising the flag of Atlantium, and being acclaimed as its first and so far only head of state," Cruickshank quips.

"Unlike many people who have similar childhood experiences, I've managed to maintain that experience throughout my adult life."

Founded in 1981 when Cruickshank was just a teenager, the Empire of Atlantium, as it is known, is a "parallel sovereign state" based in NSW, boasting its own constitution, judicial system, flag and currency.

Far from its genesis in the backyards of suburban Sydney, its "global capital" Concordia now sits on a private pastoral holding in the Lachlan Valley, and is home to a self-declared seat of government, commemorative monuments, a post office and more.

With more than 3,000 global "citizens" to its name, Atlantium's claim of sovereignty would be impressive, were it not for one minor detail.

It doesn't actually exist at least, not in the legal sense.

Born out of a desire to shrug off the shackles of the country's constitutional democracy, Australia has been home to more than a dozen different micronations, among the most in the world, including the Sovereign State of Aeterna Lucina and the Province of Bumbunga.

Ranging from well-meaning to absurd, they are not legally recognised by the Federal Government and seldom register in the national consciousness, beyond the occasional headline.

But while most go unacknowledged and thus, unperturbed by the powers that be, others are more familiar with the long arm of the law.

After a 50-year standoff, the Principality of Hutt River the country's oldest micronation announced on Monday it would be ceded back to the Commonwealth of Australia.

Hutt River, which claimed to be an independent sovereign state (though the Australian Government never legally recognised it), had long been pursued by the Australian Taxation Office.

"Anyone can declare themselves a king or queen in their own home, or declare their own nation, but doing so sits entirely outside of the law," says UNSW Scientia Professor and constitutional law expert, George Williams.

"No-one can decide to leave Australia unilaterally or stop paying tax and expect Australian law will recognise that."

On this point, Cruickshank concurs.

Declaring sovereignty doesn't entitle you to anything (at least in the legal sense), he says, and if you were planning on "dodging your taxes", expect to become well acquainted with the ATO.

So why do it at all?

For the self-appointed sovereign head of state, the goal is simple: to unite people across the globe to advocate for unrestricted international freedom of movement.

With "citizens" from Tanzania to the United States, Atlantium isn't a political party. Rather, Cruickshank likens it to "some type of sustained performance art project".

"Our message is quite serious, but we found it's easier to communicate with people if you do it tongue-in-cheek and smile on face," he muses.

"[Unrestricted movement] is the only practical way we see for addressing the vast disparity of wealth and privilege between poorer nations and those fortunate enough to be born in a country like Australia.

"There's a basic misunderstanding of what Atlantium represents, based on what most other micro-nations end up doing, which is trying to avoid paying their taxes."

Pseudo states, though often tongue-in-cheek, are seldom created in a vacuum.

Lorraine Finlay, a constitutional and international law expert at Murdoch University, believes the fruition of the internet has "opened up worldwide the possibility for nomadic micronations", like the Empire of Atlantium, to establish a larger presence than was once possible.

"They actually have moved from being more about [territorial claims] to movements that are more based on technology and getting people involved that way," she says.

Australia is the "home of micronations", adds Williams the consequence of a "really large number of personal motivations".

"I think in Australia these micronations come back perhaps to the larrikin spirit [and] the idea of thumbing your nose to authority," he says.

"What way of doing that could be better than setting up your own country in complete contravention to the idea of Australia controlling your life?

The Principality of Hutt River, for example, was born out of a stoush with the West Australian Government over wheat production quotas, while the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands was established as a symbolic political protest over the perceived lack of action around same-sex marriage.

Other times, these tiny fiefdoms exist simply to prove a point as is the case of John Rudge, the "Grand Duke of Avram".

After writing a PhD thesis in the 1980s about setting up a central bank, Rudge decided to put theory into practice, issuing his own notes and coins from the self-styled Royal Bank of Avram in Tasmania.

As Rudge tells it, it was a move that earned the ire of the Government, who disputed his use of the word "bank" on the notes and took him to court (though he claims the case was ultimately dismissed).

"All I was doing was making a point... It was about proving my thesis," he says. "They [the government] run by the power of a gun."

While a picture may tell a thousand words, in the case of Paul Delprat, the message is far more succinct: monarch.

Draped in a regal robes with a crown to boot, the self-appointed Prince of the Principality of Wy certainly knows how to talk the talk and walk the walk.

Frustrated by a long-standing council dispute over the construction of a driveway, Delprat seceded in 2004 not from the Commonwealth, but rather, his affluent harbourside suburb of Mosman, in Sydney.

"I believe it's important for people to feel they can have some degree of independence, even if it's imaginary," Delprat laughs.

"Like Ned Kelly, I hate the idea of injustice and unfairness... there are many ways of fighting it, and one of those ways is by laughing at it."

Affable and quick-witted, Delprat likens his pseudo state to the theatre ("Even Hamlet was a prince," he muses).

His "kingdom", plastered with royal paraphernalia, is more art installation than micro-nation an eccentric form of protest over a seemingly innocuous council squabble.

The Mosman Council, to their credit, met Delprat's tongue-in-cheek fight with their own brand of humour in a "formal ceremony" at council chambers, they "graciously accepted" the secession of the Principality of Wy (his own home).

And while he is yet to reach a resolution on the driveway debacle and continues to pay council rates (or "tributes", as he calls them), he believes there is a clear role for micronations in Australia.

"I think the very essence of democracy is plurality, lots of points of view, people arguing, disputation, reasoning to each other," he says

"When everyone is thinking the same, and following the same rules, it makes for a very boring society.

"What a wonderful society we live in that we put up with people like me."

While it would be easy to relegate micronations to the realms of satire, embedded in its very fabric is a strong history of Indigenous nationhood.

Murrawarri Republic, an Aboriginal micronation, declared independence in 2013, with its founders demanding a treaty between the Murrawarri nation and the Crown of Great Britain.

Likewise, the Yidindji Tribal Nation in Far North Queensland, which renounced its legal ties in 2014, hopes to enter into a memorandum of understanding with Australia (Murrumu Walubara Yidindji, its founder, has relinquished his passport, bank accounts and Australian citizenship).

But while they may follow a similar formula to other micronations across the country, Williams cautions against drawing too many parallels.

"Indigenous peoples have a claim to sovereignty, a claim to nationhood, that predates the colonisation of Australia," Williams says.

"So those groups are saying, 'We're continuing to assert our rights'. And in their case, they've taken it to court [and] they have legal arguments they can mount.

"And even though they're rejected by the state, they're in a different category to people who, essentially for a hobby and without any foundation whatsoever, seek to declare themselves as rulers of their own land."

Love them or loathe them, if there's one thing both the legal fraternity and self-appointed monarchs can all agree on, it's that the very presence of micronations in Australia underscores the country's commitment to democratic freedoms.

In Australia, there is a sense of "let bygones be bygones", says Williams, and provided those who seek to declare sovereignty continue to "fulfil their normal responsibilities", authorities are more inclined to view the phenomenon as an "eccentric hobby".

"We do live in such a peaceful, democratic, tolerant nation," adds Finlay.

"There are a lot of places in the world where if you tried to declare yourself as a separate nation, the government simply wouldn't allow it and you'd find yourself in quite a lot of trouble."

It is a sentiment echoed by Cruickshank, who believes there are lessons to be learned from the demise of Hutt River.

"If you're thinking of starting a micro-nation in response to legal issues or a dispute with their municipality or the Australian Taxation Office, those sorts of responses are inevitably doomed to failure," he says.

"What they will do is simply delay the inevitable, and that's the lesson we can take from Hutt River."

Here is the original post:

Australia has one of the largest number of micronations in the world - ABC News

Hutt River micronation to rejoin Australia due to coronavirus pandemic – The Guardian

Posted on by

All countries are virtual countries, according to Vt Jedlika, the president of Liberland (an uninhabited island in the Danube river between Serbia and Croatia) and his fellow leaders of the worlds micronations.

But that number is now one fewer, after Australias oldest micronation, founded in 1970 over a dispute over wheat, is no more.

The Principality of Hutt River, a popular tourist attraction founded by the self-styled Prince Leonard Casley, and never legally recognised by Australia or any other country, announced on Monday that it was rejoining the Commonwealth of Australia as a result of harsh times during the coronavirus pandemic.

At 75 sq km (18,500 acres) in area, the former self-styled principality in rural Western Australia, 517km north of Perth, is the size of Hong Kong and has a population of 26.

Hutt River seceded from Australia in April 1970 after a dispute with the state government over wheat production quotas, and later became a tourist attraction that printed its own currency, the Hutt River dollar, and stamped the passports of visitors.

But on Monday, the supporters and followers of the tiny nation received an email from Royal Hutt River Legion Major Richard Ananda Barton announcing that its current leader, Prince Graeme Casley, had decided to dissolve the Principality.

It is with much sorrow that I inform you that this will be the last Significant Days list I circulate, he wrote.

Casley confirmed the news to Guardian Australia but noted that the initial email was unauthorised.

PHR will not be continuing in such harsh times (as many others are also facing), he said.

Jedlika, a Eurosceptic politician who founded Liberland in 2015, once said its nothing but the imagination of people that creates countries. Hutt River required more imagination than most.

For 50 years, the principality existed in the strange netherworld of the unrecognised state, one of dozens around the world, never really leaving Australia but claiming to be distinct from it.

In 1977, Hutt River briefly declared war on Australia over what Casley described as then prime minister Malcolm Frasers hostilities.

It had landmarks such as Mount Secession and Lake Beginning, a memorabilia department and historical society. Described on its own website as undulating farmland well covered in places with a wealth of shrubs and glorious wildflowers in season, it was a popular tourist destination in WA.

But the micronation was forced to shut its borders to tourists in January due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Founder Leonard Casley abdicated the throne to his son Graeme in 2017, and died last year, aged 93.

Graeme Casley confirmed to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the property would be sold to pay a mounting debt to the previously-foreign Australian Tax Office.

Hutt River is survived by other self-proclaimed micronations within Australia, including the Empire of Atlantium and the Principality of Snake Hill and the Murrawarri Republic.

Read more:

Hutt River micronation to rejoin Australia due to coronavirus pandemic - The Guardian

Micronation rejoins Australia after 50 years of independence – Daily Express

Posted on by

Leonard Casley, also known as Prince Leonard, declared his farm located north of the state capital Perth was an independent nation in 1970. Mr Casley made the unusual move after clashing with the Australian government over wheat production quotas. He even issued passports, stamps, citizenships, and a new currency, known as the Hutt River Dollar.

Prince Leonard died on February 13, 2019, and his youngest son known as Prince Graeme took over leadership of the micronation.

Micronations are rarely legally recognised by world governments or major international organisations

The Australian Taxation Office demanded Mr Casley paid tax and so the Prince declared war on Australia in 1977.

This is despite the fact that the little nation had no army.

READ MORE:South China Sea: Australian warships join US and Japanese in drills

In 2017 the micronation lost a Supreme Court case and was ordered to pay around 1.64million in tax.

At the time, Western Australian supreme court judge Rene Le Miere said: Anyone can declare themselves a sovereign in their own home but they cannot ignore the laws of Australia or not pay tax.

The micronation has its own national anthem, composed by the late Jon English.

Even the Queen is said to have learned about the strange state in the midst of the outback.

DON'T MISSBoris Johnson ordered to fix major 'inconsistency' in COVID response[WARNING]Coronavirus MAPPED: The 26 regions where COVID-19 is RISING[MAP]How Wuhan outbreak 'sowed seeds for worst pandemic in history'[ANALYSIS]

In April 2016 the Queen conveyed her congratulations to Prince Leonard on the 46th anniversary of his declaration of independence.

She said she wished him a most enjoyable and successful celebration.

Her Majesty also contacted Prince Leonard when he had suffered a fall to send her best wishes for a speedy recovery.

On Monday the micronation issued a statement that it would be dissolved and the land sold as farmland to pay most of the bill.

Prince Leonard's son, Prince Graeme, spoke to Australia's ABC saying he did not believe the sale of the property would repay the whole tax bill.

He said: We are meeting with the ATO to try and come up with a more favourable figure."

Falling revenue from tourism and the coronavirus pandemic crisis has had its effects on the micronation's finances.

Prince Graeme said he hoped that the strange story of this "principality" would be remembered.

He wants the world to see the stand made by his father as one against unjust bureaucracy.

He said: That's the history, and you can't unwrite it.

"You just have to keep the archives and hope the story continues for the family.

See the rest here:

Micronation rejoins Australia after 50 years of independence - Daily Express

Hutt River micronation to rejoin Australia due to debt caused by Covid-19 – The Indian Express

Posted on by

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Published: August 6, 2020 6:25:54 pm PHR (The principality of Hutt River) will not be continuing in such harsh times (as many others are also facing), Prince Casley told the Guardian on Monday. (Photo courtesy: Guardian)

Around 500 km north of Western Australias capital city of Perth lies one of the worlds smallest sovereign states the Principality of Hutt River. With a population of 23, the tiny province is roughly the same size as Hong Kong. For decades, it was considered a popular destination for travellers seeking a stamp in their passports from one of the oldest micronations in the world.

This was until the coronavirus pandemic hit. The province was forced to close its borders to tourists in January, this year. Burdened with a flailing tourism sector and seemingly insurmountable debt, the Principality of Hutt River has announced that it will be reintegrating with Australia, more than 50 years after it first seceded from the country following a dispute over wheat production quotas.

The property will be sold as farmland to pay off the debt owed to Australias Taxation Office, the principalities leader Prince Graeme Casley has confirmed. The ATO has long been pursuing the tiny principality over unpaid debts. After losing a Supreme Court battle in 2017, the royal family of Hutt River was ordered to pay $3 million to the Australian taxation authorities.

PHR (The principality of Hutt River) will not be continuing in such harsh times (as many others are also facing), Prince Casley told the Guardian on Monday.

The principality has had a strained relationship with Australia long before the pandemic set in. Australia has refused to accept its independent status since its inception. In 1977, Hutt River briefly declared war on Australia after repeated demands for payments by the ATO.

Remembering the micronations history, spanning over five decades, Prince Casley told Australian news network ABC, You just have to keep the archives and hope the story continues for the family.

The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App.

Read the original here:

Hutt River micronation to rejoin Australia due to debt caused by Covid-19 - The Indian Express

Here are some Scottish locations that might suit PM’s taste for adventure – The National

Posted on by

THErevelation that Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiance Carrie Symonds and their baby son Wildred are to take a fortnights holiday in Scotland from next weekend has got the Jouker wondering just exactly where they could be going.

Purely in the spirit of welcome and absolutely without the help of VisitScotland weve come up with some locations that might suit the PMs taste for adventure. They will obviously want to get away from it all and go somewhere the paparazzi will not dare to follow, so that rules out 99% of the country.

Hes just been to Orkney and to Moray to see his chum Dougie Ross, of course so we can rule them out, too. And somehow we cant see them in a single end in Glasgow city centre so we have had to look elsewhere.

He could do a bit of an adventure playground research holiday in Greenock Town Centre in Inverclyde; Carntyne West and Hagill in Glasgow; Ferguslie Park in Paisley; Alloa South and East in Clackmannanshire; Buckhaven, Denbeath and Muiredge in Fife; and Cliftonville in North Lanarkshire. The alert among you will have spotted that according to the Scottish Government, these are the half-dozen most deprived areas in Scotland it would be a "see how the other half live"jaunt, and we dont think Old Etonian Boris would be up for that, somehow, especially now that the price of Buckfast has risen.

No, he would be much better off going for a bit of isolation. Rockall springs most readily to mind as its the furthest bit of Scotland from anywhere, but the accommodation is pretty poor non-existent, actually and those pesky Irish might just use the PMs presence to invade and claim the territory they consider to be theirs.

Far better to avoid a possible international incident and camp out on St Kilda. Its a World Heritage site, after all, and there are some military types resident there so the PM could always borrow their toilets as the National Trust for Scotland has closed down their bogs due to the coronavirus pandemic. But a captive audience of a million would surely be attractive, even if puffins and other seabirds dont have the vote yet.

READ MORE:Boris Johnson to head to Scotland for two-week family holiday

We strongly recommend Gruinard, the so-called anthrax island situated between Gairloch and Ullapool. In a biological weapons experiment it was deliberately contaminated with anthrax during World War II, and 80 sheep died even though they had not declared war on the UK. After decontamination it was declared safe in 1990. Wouldnt it be a lovely gesture by the PM to pitch his tent there and show that the whole of the Precious Union is perfectly safe?

Theres a few other islands we could suggest. Why not Inchconnachan in Loch Lomond, currently on the market and a snip at 500k. There used to be wallabies on the uninhabited island, but they emigrated during the Governments hostile environment phase, allegedly. The good people of the nearby Vale of Leven, which used to be known as Little Moscow, might possibly object to the ultimate Tory in their proximity, but thats a small price to pay for enjoying the beauties of the Loch.

Inch Kenneth off Mull is an ideal holiday home but may be haunted by the ghost of Unity Mitford, the aristocratic Nazi-lover who shot herself in the head at the start of World War II but survived. She took ill on the island which was owned by her family and died in Oban aged 33 from meningitis caused by the bullet still inside her skull. Wouldnt want all that right-wing history being raked up, so probably not ideal for Boris.

Scarba is our last recommendation. Its a lovely wee island just north of Jura, with its very own spectacular whirlpool, Corryvreckan, thats well worth a visit. Just dont take the wife and bairn One thing to remember, PM, is that we are doing lockdown things differently here in Scotland, and that dreadful woman in Bute House might just close the Border and trap you here for an extended holiday. And dont count on her for a few nights at her wee but n ben.

Link:

Here are some Scottish locations that might suit PM's taste for adventure - The National

How to rock all types of womens leather jackets like a pro – Business MattersBusiness Matters

Posted on by

The hard-core biker:

Channelise your inner Lara Croft in a metal-studded black leather jacket. The image of a biker is incomplete without a kick-ass biker leather jacket. The more flamboyant and over the top of the jacket, the better it is. Not for the faint-hearted, this is a full-on bold yet beautiful look best suited for those wild rides on your bike. It looks its best with a pair of distressed jeans and cowboy boots.

Heading out for your workout on a nippy morning? Get your gym look on point with a hooded leather jacket to match your gym wear. The swag of a hooded jacket is unmatched for a swirl around town in your car. The finesse and fit of Sculpts range of handcrafted jackets make them look so good without the bulk.

All you need to dress up a casual everyday dress is to throw on a glamorous leather jacket. Understated leather jackets go a long way in enhancing your ensemble without making you break the bank. Go for the classic black or chocolatey brown jacket to amp up your look in a flash. The diva in you will thank you for this amazing fashion statement.

The cold weather is no reason to bundle yourself up in all that unflattering thermal wear or bulky silhouettes. The ultimate in winter wear is the shearling wool leather jacket. Find the best shearling leather jackets online. Worth its weight in gold, a shearling leather jacket is right at the top of the pyramid in winter wear. Mostly made in combination with luxury leather, these fur-lined beauties will never disappoint you, and will always be one of your most prized possessions.

Paint the town red in coloured leather jackets. Bring out your mischievous and fun-loving side with a coloured jacket. Red, blue, orange, or white just bring them on and dream in technicolour with our range of vibrantly coloured leather wear. Accessories make or break a look, coloured leather is an accessory in itself, but go for minimalistic styling to keep the attention on the gorgeous colours.

Apart from all these types of womens leather jackets, there are jackets that have unique features that make you stand apart in a crowd. Asymmetrical front closures on jackets with metal detailing like metal studs on the lapel, zip detailing on the back, adjustable side buckles, cropped styles, retro-inspired looks with padded shoulders, fringes, and moto-style jackets are all available online.

Now that you have the coveted jacket in your hands, here are a few tips on how to style a leather jacket. Jeans and a leather jacket are an evergreen combo and always in fashion. A scarf with a leather jacket tones down a much severe look. Summery dresses or lace dresses with a leather jacket is also a killer combination, bringing a touch of soft femininity to the look.

So what are you waiting for, girl? You deserve this piece of luxury in your life. Just go get it!

The rest is here:

How to rock all types of womens leather jackets like a pro - Business MattersBusiness Matters

Murs and Slug Surprise Release First New Felt Album in Over 10 Years Felt 4 U – mxdwn.com

Posted on by

Ariel King August 9th, 2020 - 3:38 PM

Murs and Atmospheres Slug have released their fourth Felt album,Felt 4 U,following an 11 year hiatus. The duo preceded the albums release with Name In Ya Mouth, a standalone track. Ant of Atmosphere helped to produce the album.

Felt 4 U comes as the first Felt album not to have been dedicated to a celebrity, instead the album is dedicated to the fans. Blimes, The Grouch, Aesop Rock and Shepard Albertson all have appearances on the new album, a first for the rap duo.

Name in Ya Mouth helps to set the tone forFelt 4 U, Murs and Slug returning with their smart verses and swelling beats. Somebody say that money is the root of all evil/ I guess it is/ Thats why I came to the party dressed like an exorcist, the track begins. Im not perfect but Ive got purpose, is flown over the heavy synths which take listeners back to the roots of rap.

The album incorporates funk, soul, blues and country. The album takes on a summer feel, allowing each of Felts albums to take on one of the four seasons.Felt 4 U comes as the followup to 2009sFelt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez. Previous Felt albums had been produced by The Grouch, Ant and Aesop Rock, with all three contributing toFelt 4 U in some way. Ants production creates a deeper layer within each track, perfectly encapsulating each songs tone.

Nevers Enough introduces the album as Mars and Slug rap about how their lives have improved since their last album. Both started families over the past ten years, and explore themes related to their changing lives throughout the course of the album.

Find My Way takes a deeper tone from the opening track, mixing in soul as Murs and Slug explore difficult themes in searching for themselves and paying the price for all they have achieved. Ants production stand out as lyrics discuss driving away with their wives.

Dont Do Me Like That comes back to the higher tones, lyrics portraying familial struggles and struggling with trust in a relationship. Both rap about arguments with their wives, highlighting the difficulties found in starting families.

Trees swings around as Murs and Slug reminisce on their childhoods, talking about how they have matured since them. They pull on violence in their lyrics and sing about smoking weed, parts of the production brining in slight psychedelic synths as record scratches highlight the end of the track.

Through The Night falls into a funky tune as it takes on a slow tone, Mars and Slug turning to romance. The instrumental matches the romantic undertones of the track, creating a transcending tone.

Freeze Tag pulls on blues in its beginning before the beat picks up. I wasnt born I was hatched on the moon, Slug sings. Murs and Slug switch off on the lyric Stop, hold it, freeze, each flinging themselves into their verse. Ants production takes on a disco inspiration, pushing listeners to get up and dance.

Sticks & Stones brings in a smooth and heavenly tone as Murs raps about violence as a child. Everybody with a heartbeat got beaf, Murs says as he speaks about having to protect himself as he was growing up. Slug comes in to talk about watching cartoons and football as he was a kid, the two giving a stark contrast on the way each grew up. He then discusses the amount of money currently poured into the military, questioning why.

Underwater lends an underwater bass feel, the track bringing back disco. Blimes feature flows and swirls as the track bubbles, Mars coming in to rap about wanting to be with a girl. Just no if we ever split/ I am not mad. The track marks the first love song on the album, Slug reminiscing on his relationship prior to having kids. I love this house that weve built together, he says.

Alexander Freal creates a harder sound, the booming beat bouncing underneath Slugs raps. Murs and Slug speak of Chicago, rapping about running away. They both switch off seamlessly, sounding almost as if they have the same thoughts.

Hologram introduces The Grouch and Aesop Rock, all four artists switching off over a heavy beat and electric strums. They switch into a darker tone as each raps about how they dont care about fame or those who come to try and grab their attention.

Crimson Skies slows the track down as they both rap about paying full price for shit I didnt really ask for. They take on a melancholy tone, the track featuring Shepard Albertson. Watching this apocalypse in real time/ Its not at all how I thought it would be, the lyrics state. The track could take many different meanings in reference to the current state of the world, from loss and personal struggle to the ongoing world events which have thrown much of the country into chaos.

Borboleta ends the album with strums of a piano and a positive summer feel. They take on sweet tones as the track ends with Murs and Slugs children chanting, my family, my family. Their lyrics speak on their children, wanting to raise them in the best way possible and watch them grow up and make the world their own.

Felt 4 U tracklist:

1. Nevers Enough2. Find My Way3. Dont Do Me Like That4. Trees5. Through The Night6. Freeze Tag7. Sticks & Stones8. Underwater (feat. Blimes)9. Alexander Freal10. Hologram (feat. The Grouch & Aesop Rock)11. Crimson Skies (feat. Shepard Albertson)12. Borboleta

Read the original:

Murs and Slug Surprise Release First New Felt Album in Over 10 Years Felt 4 U - mxdwn.com

What the new Sky drama series Little Birds is all about and what inspired it – iNews

Posted on by

New TV drama Little Birdsis aSky Atlanticoriginal dramaseriesstarringJuno Temple, which aired its first episode at the start of the month.

The six-episode series is inspired by novelist Anas Nins posthumously published 1979 collection of erotic short stories, Little Birds. The plot amalgamates romantic storylines with drama, political intrigue, and hedonism. The collections 13 stories originally written in French are unrelated erotic shorts featuring a variety of characters exploring sex from a female perspective.

Set in 1955, Little Birds depicts the international zone, which was said to be one of the last outposts of colonial decadence. The story follows troubled American debutante Lucy Savage (played by Juno Temple), who desires an unconventional life free from the restrictive society she has grown up in. Along with Tangier itself, she finds herself on the cusp of achieving independence.

The series is based on a collection of erotic short stories, some of which mirror Nins own life. Born to Cuban parents in France in 1903, Nin lived a colourful life, punctuated with affairs with celebrated members of society including Henry Miller, Otto Frank and John Steinbeck. She is most renowned for her erotic fiction, particularly the collections Delta of Venus and Little Birds, which were published in 1977 and 1979. Both works are said to have been written in the 40s, when Nin was paid as little as $1 per page to write for an anonymous collector.

In 1955, Morocco was one year away from independence from colonial rule. In the 1920s, the city of Tangier had been officially made an international zone as part of the joint colonial regime of France, Spain and the United Kingdom.

After calling for Moroccan independence from the oppressive colonial regime in 1953, the Sultan of Morocco, Mohammed V, was forced into exile in Corsica. Many of the Moroccan nationalists inLittle Birdsare his supporters and wish him to return to power and fight for independence from the colonial forces.

Despite being set in Tangier, Little Birds was filmed on location in Andalusia with studio elements in Manchester. The reasoning behind the choice of location was because modern-day Andalusia is more similar to 1950s Tangier than the Moroccan city itself is today.

In February 2019, it was announced Juno Temple, Yumna Marwan and Raphael Acloque had been cast, with Stacie Passon directing.

Hugh Skinner, Jean-Marc Barr, Rossy De Palma, Nina Sosanya, Dave Constabile, Amy Landecker and Matt Lauria later joined the cast.

See the rest here:

What the new Sky drama series Little Birds is all about and what inspired it - iNews

Welcome to Nashville, Where Were Just Realizing Theres a Pandemic – Rolling Stone

Posted on by

Last weekend, in a new building with sweeping views of the citys skyline in a gentrifying neighborhood in East Nashville, organizers advertised a party on social media dubbed The V.I.P. Viewing of the Fashion House. Masks were scarce. Hookahs were plentiful. And bodies by the hundreds packed and writhed in tight. Judging by videos posted to Instagram the next day, Nashville looked like it had opened its own Hedonism resort.

One out-of-town attendee, who goes by DaddysJuiced, appeared in a video that showed him on his knees with his face burrowed in the ass of a woman. Framed in one of the homes massive windows, DaddysJuiced did his thing while being gawked at by a long line of people waiting to get inside on the street below.

Just under three miles away, in Nashvilles Broadway entertainment district, a less analingus-centered though similarly batshit scene was unfolding, one that had been going on for weeks. A sign set up in front of the three-tiered drinking temple Honky Tonk Central flashed, Wear Mask Its the Law! but few heeded the punctuation-be-damned mandate. Tourists milled about with masks below their chin, in hand, or without one at all. A photo on social media showed two barefaced bros hoisting beers as they posed for a selfie with Metro Nashville police officers. On the corner of Fifth and Broadway, a stones throw from the Ryman Auditorium, a stretch pickup truck ferried drinkers and their red plastic cups into the night.

Welcome to Nashville during a pandemic, where the party carries on, unabated.

We should have seen it coming. For nearly 10 years, Nashville has cultivated its image as Las Vegas East (its nickname is NashVegas, after all), a city that advertises itself as a tourist-friendly destination to drink to excess and get rowdy. Romanticized as ground zero for rising country singers who play for tips in overhyped cover bars like Tootsies Orchid Lounge and Kid Rocks Badass Honky Tonk and Rock & Roll Steakhouse, the district on weekends pre-pandemic was typically tense and crowded. The threat of a sucker punch feels imminent. Party buses, wagons pulled by tractors, and mobile hot tubs creep by with drunk tourists crammed inside. Its a sad hell that not even Kris Kristofferson could envision in a song.

Up until this weekend, little of this had changed during the pandemic. Nashville, while publicly trying to combat a raging virus, remained addicted to tourism. In early July, just a few days after the city abruptly canceled its Fourth of July fireworks spectacle because of a surge in Covid-19 cases, the citys Twitter account asked, Whats your first stop in Nashville? Most replies referenced various bars and landmarks; a few tweeted hospital or Covid test. It wasnt an overt call to visit, but nonetheless, tourists came.

The city has been sending mixed signals, says Erin McAnally, a writer and consultant who, with business partner Chelsea Crowell, published a joint op-ed last week about the ongoing Broadway problem in the Tennessee Lookout. They cant have it both ways, she tells Rolling Stone. You cant leave it open to interpretation and have tourists coming or sending out these signifiers that bring more tourists here.

Nashville is making some modest progress in battling the surge infections were averaging around 400 a day last month before dropping to its current daily levels of 250 but not with any help from the rotating cast of partygoers. Only over the past three days, after Nashville mayor John Cooper vowed last Tuesday to get things under control, have masks become a more common sight downtown. Following Coopers lead, Metro police made their first arrest on Wednesday for a mask violation a 61-year-old black man who gave his address as the Nashville Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter. (The charges were later dropped.) On Friday, MNPD issued 20 citations and made one arrest; Saturday saw 18 citations and three arrests.

Along with (finally) enforcing the mask mandate and shutting down the transpotainment industry of party buses that circle downtown, the mayor implemented a new public-health order on Saturday that prohibited restaurants and bars in downtown and midtown from selling to-go alcohol. The inclusion of the midtown neighborhood, near historic Music Row, underscores how the Broadway behavior, like the virus itself, has been spreading. Bars in midtown have been busy, and last weekend, members of a bachelorette party acted out in the citys Gulch neighborhood, with one attendee allegedly intentionally coughing on a restaurant employee after being reprimanded for moving tables in violation of the eaterys social-distancing policy.

Nashville currently has a mask mandate in place, no bars are allowed to be open, and all restaurants must end dine-in service at 10 p.m. Its imperative for our visitors to comply with these restrictions, Dr. Alex Jahangir, chair of the Nashville Covid-19 task force and Nashville health board, tells Rolling Stone. We dont want their trip to Nashville to end with them contracting the virus here and taking it back home. While many of our more healthy and younger visitors may not care if they get the virus, if they take it back to their communities, they can infect family or friends who may not be as tolerant of the virus and end up in the hospital or morgue. One careless weekend of fun in Nashville isnt worth that long-term consequence.

Tourists taking the virus home with them is an ongoing concern, and one that remains difficult to track. Contact tracing is abysmal, says McAnally, who contracted Covid-19 alongside her husband.

With mandates now being enforced, there are signs the party culture is migrating to escape the restrictions. At least three beer buses including one called the Rowdy Rona were spotted 16 miles south, in the Cool Springs neighborhood this weekend. They were quickly shut down by local police, but tourists clustered in the areas bars. A video taken outside one establishment showed dozens of people drinking in the parking lot.

Crowell, the daughter of Rosanne Cash and Rodney Crowell (and Johnny Cashs granddaughter), says Nashvilles history of prioritizing downtown tourism comes at the expense of the citys culture, small businesses, and, now, the health of its residents. In response, she spearheaded an online petition calling for the city to close Broadway bars until the pandemic is controlled.

The truth is that in the last decade or so, give or take, there were a lot of sweetheart deals given to developers and a lot of incentives to create this different incarnation of the tourism industry downtown. It was always touristy downtown and always tourist-driven, but its totally different than it used to be, she says. As long as these bars are open, they are going to draw in tourists that want to have a good time and dont care about wearing masks and get close to each other all of the things that scientists are advising against.

Small-bar owners are beginning to raise their voices too. The proprietors of Dees Country Cocktail Lounge, the Fox Bar & Cocktail Club, and Chopper Tiki each forced to close since March held a press conference recently asking the mayor to enforce health regulations downtown. While some honky-tonks and restaurants have remained closed, like Roberts Western World, Acme Feed & Seed, and the Southern Steak & Oyster, other drinking establishments have circumvented the mandates via their classification as a restaurant.

Dees owner Amy Richardson, a favorite bar and live-music venue among locals like Margo Price, calls it a direct slap in the face to all of us who have been following the rules.

The citys feeling is that [Broadway] triumphs everybody. Keep the money flowing in, and nothing outside of that matters, Richardson says.

She and her husband, Daniel Walker, have taken out disaster loans to keep their bar afloat and are redesigning a backyard beer garden with social distancing in mind for when they are allowed to reopen. Neither of them know when that may be. Luckily for us, our costs of being closed per month arent too prohibitive, Walker says. But [with] some bars and venues, thats not the case. They have astronomical rents and cant keep throwing money at their landlords.

The Nashville music community is starting to mobilize as well, with artists like Caylee Hammack, Maren Morris, and Cassadee Pope speaking out in support of small businesses and neighborhood bars. I get that the tourist trap is our money [maker], but if you kill all of the locally owned businesses, by the end of this, youre not really helping anyone, Hammack tells Rolling Stone.

Broadway bars taking advantage of these loopholes right now are cannibalizing our Nashville small businesses who have been following the health orders since day one, Morris tweeted on August 4th.

Paramore singer Hayley Williams, a longtime Nashville resident, addressed tourists directly. Please dont come to Nashville. Plan your bachelorette party somewhere else this time, she said in an Instagram video. If you really believe in Nashville, dont come here until this shit is handled.

Slowly, glacially, the message seems to be getting through. Downtown, midtown, and the Gulch neighborhood all tourist hot spots had minimal foot traffic on Sunday afternoon. While there were diners on some patios and rooftops, Broadway bars like Tootsies and Kid Rocks were closed. Of the pedestrians that were out, about half were properly wearing masks a statue of Elvis in front of a gift shop sported a mask to help get the point across.

But skeptics like Crowell remain dubious. While shes encouraged to see Broadway moving in a safer direction, she stresses that the progress doesnt rectify whats happening elsewhere in the city, away from the tourist epicenter. Richardsons Dees Lounge and others like it remain closed, and Nashville is still recording new Covid-19 cases daily. The Nashville Health Department added 190 new cases on Sunday, bringing Davidson Countys total to 22,904.

City leaders have responded to our pressure and outrage, and the result is that the lower Broadway party scene is moving in a safer direction, Crowell says. The Broadway bars continue to be the squeaky wheel, each weekend getting more grease resources, media coverage, and city dollars. While I respect the new efforts to create a safer area, I am adamant that the rest of Nashville is treated with the same importance as downtown and that the people who live here are prioritized over those who visit.

There is at least a glimmer of hope. On Sunday, Crowells petition surpassed its 25,000-signature goal.

Read the original:

Welcome to Nashville, Where Were Just Realizing Theres a Pandemic - Rolling Stone

Opinion: Robert McNeil: All the lonely people: are they taking the bliss? – HeraldScotland

Posted on by

OF course, Im not as miserable in real life as I am when writing this column, which I do in character. If you believe anything in this column, theres a bridge over the Firth of Forth I can sell you.

Most people I encounter find me friendly, like a daft wee waggy-tailed dug. Frequently, I get sharp looks from onlookers for laughing too much. Its true that, when I get home, I drop the mask and burst into tears, but the Good Lord invented drink to take care of that.

I say all this because, no word of a lie, I have trouble with happiness and pleasure. On the few occasions these have come my way, Ive always assumed there must have been some mistake, and that I should return the concepts to their rightful owners.

The only time I genuinely feel anything approaching these states is when Im alone in nature. I used to think it was just me, Henry Thoreau (author of Walden) and Kenneth Grahame (author of The Wind in the Willows), who felt like this.

But two things: (1) its more contentment than laugh-out-loud joy; (2) the internet, YouTube vlogs (which I now watch more than television) in particular, has revealed that there are many people like me out there and, where before we had to shut up, now we have a voice.

However, as ever, discombobulation stirs at the heart of this discovery. All the people I admire most in the world right now Jonna Jinton, Rosina Espig, Aurora, Lana Blakely, Miss Northern are women. Its not just that they too love nothing better than being alone in nature. Theyre also all self-confessed introverts.

It would be facile to conclude from this that, ergo, I am like a woman. I have a beard, I drink beer. I watch football. I have testosterone-related prostate problems. Ive been in fist-fights. Still, the news is troubling.

You say: In a surprise development, all the burdz you mention above are kinda easy on the eye. But that has nothing to do with it. Im not a simp, as the new term has it someone who dotes emotionally on internet women. No, Im not. Im really not. All right, I am.

I should add that I am capable of fleeting moments of contentment in the real world among friends. Ive had that hygge feeling after a couple of snifters in their sumptuous and cosy homes (all my friends have sumptuous and cosy homes; I do not; I believe its to do with their having been successful), as candles flicker, light jazz tootles, and the aroma of proper, sensual food fills the air.

Sometimes, my hosts invite me to stay the night. Youll recall perhaps that, after one such invitation, I stayed for seven months. Theres an adage about a stinking fish in there somewhere, but I cannot bring it to mind at present as I am too busy writing.

Speaking of which, as usual, my preamble has turned into a rambling amble, and Ive barely space left to provide the hook for these witterings.

It is that psychologists from the University of Zurich have discovered that giving in to temptation is the key to happiness. This is grim news indeed.

It means we can now eat something sweet that actually tastes nice. We can have another dram. We can sit all night on the sofa watching vlogs.

The psychologists say: Of course, self-control is important but research on self-regulation should pay just as much attention to hedonism or short-term pleasure.

Now they tell us. Its enough to make a grown man weep.

Voices off

HOW almost enjoyable to read in Her Majestys English Press headlines about Edinburgh having one of the worlds best-loved accents.

Perusing the small print, it turned out that the survey by dating site eharmony named received pronunciation proper, posh English as most alluring accent because of its association with intelligence.

This struck me as odd. One of the same English newspapers had the headline, Britains new-build revolution, and the first sentence, Every new housing development in England Same thing every day. Not intelligent.

Edinburghs third placing, after New Zealand, was attributed to the rich, mahogany burr of Sir Sean Connery. It certainly wouldnt be attributed to my reedy educated Leith.

I sound like a dustman emulating royalty. And, oh, the droning. Its like one flat note played endlessly on kazoo. Thats why I always see friends attention drift when I tell a funny story or explain the economy.

Once, I gave a five-minute talk on BBC Radio 4. Never invited back. I listened to it with mates, who all laughed as soon as I started speaking. A professional broadcaster present said I should have drunk whisky first to deepen my timbre. Fool. I did drink whisky first. Hence all the burping.

Five things weve learned this week

Bald people were dancing in the streets of Baldonia after US scientists claimed theyd reversed hair loss in mice. The experiment utilised ribonucleic acid molecules which could be used in lotions, leading to bald people being reintegrated into mainstream society.

Fears are growing that enterprising criminals could soon use wee robots to break into properties via cat flaps or even letterboxes. Once inside, theyd scan rooms to see what was worth nicking before the propertys own security bots clouted them.

Conflict has broken out between England, sorry Britain, and the United States over tea-making. Hostilities began after a video showed an American person look away now, Martha! microwaving tea. Boiling mad Brits said this proved America had gone to pot.

Much debate was sparked by small Scottish football clubs charging 20 for Covid-exiled fans to watch games on television. Many fans said this was good value and fair, leading to calls for a Government crackdown on the overpaid working classes.

Bardcore is the new rock n roll. The latest musical craze, also called Tavernwave, takes rock and pop classics, and minstrelises them with harps, tabors, crumhorns, lutes and sometimes even Latin. Honestly, its enough to drive a man to mead.

Our columns are a platform for writers to express their opinions. They do not necessarily represent the views of The Herald.

Visit link:

Opinion: Robert McNeil: All the lonely people: are they taking the bliss? - HeraldScotland

How this year’s freshers are feeling about picking the wrong year to start university – iNews

Posted on by

Freshers for many people is a loaded word. Hazy memories of nights out, twelve new numbers in your phone by the morning, and a secret cry in your new room as you miss your mum are all part of the experience so they say.

Year 13s edge towards the end of their schooling years having been fed tales of this thrilling time, and sold the promise that they will love this period. That it will categorically be the best time of their lives.

For this years first year cohorts, however, things will be different. Thanks to Covid-19, kissing someone from your block on a night out and pointedly ignoring them for the next three years looks like it is no longer an option. Sex and parties are out of the question. Students will even receive sanctions and potential fines for breaking universitys safety rules, The Sunday Times reported. This years freshers experience is clearly not what they signed up for.

For Millie Richards, the hedonism of freshers isnt something she is particularly sad to miss.

A lot of people I know have that worry, like its built up to be this amazing week and everything, but for me it wasnt the thing I was most looking forward to, she said.

The 19 year-old is about to start international politics and policy at Liverpool, and said that shes heard friends who are worried the new freshers wont live up to expectations but for her, shes especially concerned about the impact on societies.

More so than drinking, she was looking forward to joining the riding club as she wanted to compete in equestrian competitions. On top of that shes especially worried about is whether the virus would impact her living away from home, as lessons move to just online.

I am really looking forward to moving out and gaining some independence so if coronavirus measures were to impede on that it would be really disappointing, she said.

On the other side of this, Hannah Elizabeth made the choice to forgo halls and study from home before she knew coronavirus could impact freshers. The 22-year-old has an unconditional to study criminology at Bournemouth University, and decided to live at home as she couldnt afford halls on top of the course fees.

She has already received an email to say her first term is online, so it is unlikely she will get the freshers she imagined.

I 100 per cent think the pandemic has messed up freshers week, she said.

In many ways this has made living away from halls easier however.

I have to admit also that if the first semester was not online I would have been more inclined to go for halls but knowing the first semester was online that was a massive factor for me as I wouldve had to pay 4-5k of my own money, she said. I was really looking forward to freshers week, the events that go with freshers week and also meeting friends as I feel itll be so much harder to meet friends now.

With so many changes, and the first term already set to being online, she feels the university should have reduced fees too.

I think its a bit bad they havent when its not the same experience.

For many international students, the fact lessons are remote adds another layer of knowing whether it makes sense to relocate to the UK too.

Liu Yasi is studying theatre design in London but is currently based in China. Shes sad to be missing out on the actual class experience as her course requires a lot of experimenting that cant be replicated through an online medium.

Ultimately the 20-year-old thinks doing it online is the safest bet, and is still planning on coming to London as some of her classes are offline.

For my friends who are also going to the UK and have the option to choose to study online at home in China, many are considering staying here for their health and safety, she said.

My family and I talked a lot on whether to defer or not, and decided not to because we couldnt find much to do for me staying here.

Overall shes excited for the change,even though its not what she thought it would be.

Continue reading here:

How this year's freshers are feeling about picking the wrong year to start university - iNews

9 Perfect Scotches To Sip In The Summertime – The Manual

Posted on by

Famous for its layered flavor profile often featuring a smokey funk described as peaty and the signature bite that accompanies its finish, Scottish whisky (commonly known as Scotch) possesses powerful warming properties that make it a popular choice for brown liquor enthusiasts during the colder seasons. However, theres no reason to abandon your Scotch preference in the summertime, especially because numerous distilleries make versions with a lighter texture and a more delicate presence, which taste wonderful when served neat in a chilled glass, poured over ice, or even when incorporated into a summery cocktail. These nine bartender-approved summer Scotches all serve as prime examples.

The flavor particulars of Scotch rely heavily on individual palates; some drinkers consider blended whiskies gentler and softer-edged than their single malt equivalents, while others detect an appealing natural sweetness in single malt Scotches. Beverage manager Grace Skarra of Harrahs Resort Southern California falls into the latter category, telling us that personally, if I am looking for a summertime Scotch, I am going to lean towards a single malt Scotch. Glenfiddich 12 Year is a great one to drink. Single malt Scotches tend to be sweeter and lighter, and they help bring out the citrus side in a summertime cocktail.

Single malt Scotches from the island of Islay tend to feature bold flavors of smoke and peat, but that doesnt prohibit them from providing a light and easy drinking experience. Jeff Josenhans, the director of food & beverage at Garibaldi in San Diego, recommends Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie to Islay single malt fans looking for a Scotch to sip on a hot summer night: My Scotch choice for summertime would be Bruichladdich Classic Laddie. While this is an Islay single malt, it is fresh, crisp, and approachable enough for both warm weather sipping and for cocktails. It retains the complexity a whisky drinker would expect from a single malt, but its subtle enough in its floral character to allow for ample playroom behind the bar or for sunny afternoon sipping on its own.

If you associate summer drinking with tropical-influenced, rum-based cocktails, then youll be interested to learn about this single malt Scotch from Balvenie, which can easily fit into that theme. I love Balvenie 14 Year Caribbean Cask. It has flavors of rum, honey, spices, and oak. Since it was aged in rum casks, it can act like rum [in] a mojito or a daiquiri, explains lead bartender Ellen Talbot of Fable Lounge in Nashville.

Old Pulteney hails from the Highlands region of Scotland, and these single malts famously feature citrus notes and clear hints of sweetness. When describing Old Pulteney 12 Year, assistant director of food & beverage Alex Pendergrass of Hotel Viking in Newport, Rhode Island says that this Highlands sipper is great in the heat, having a wonderful dominant note of honey that adds to the rich mouthfeel. Some orange zest and a bit of coffee on the nose also make this an ideal candidate for a highball. I always get a touch of brine on the finish, especially while enjoying over ice. Theres a reason that this label is referred to as the Maritime Malt.

When it comes to drinking Scotch in the summertime, beverage director Gail Westmoreland of Serea Coastal Cuisine in San Diego splits her preferences into two categories: daytime summer Scotches and evening summer Scotches. In the first category, Westmoreland consistently chooses Dalwhinnie 15 Year [Single Malt] with one giant, melty ice cube. With this [Scotch], youll get refreshing hints of fruit salad on the nose, creating a pairing fit for a light lunch.

For nighttime carousing in balmy weather, Westmoreland goes with a different single malt: A smoky, peaty Scotch such as Talisker 10 Year would be the best fit to elevate a summer sunset beach bonfire. The finish on this scotch almost mimics smores the quintessential bonfire treat.

Compass Box isnt a venerable heritage Scotch house, since its first whisky release happened only 20 years ago. However, this distillery claims an ardent fanbase among professional bartenders, who gravitate to Compass Boxs unique and well-rounded spirit portfolio. For summer imbibing, Anthony Caporale, the director of spirits education at the Institute of Culinary Education, opts for Asyla, a limited-edition blended whisky. My go-to light-bodied Scotch is Asyla by Compass Box. Since its a blended whisky as opposed to a single malt, only half the grain base is barley and the rest [consists of] grains like wheat, corn, and rye that give it a softer character. It also has a lot of contact with new American oak barrels that contribute sweetness and vanilla notes, which are perfectly complemented by a cube or two of ice to open them up on a hot summer afternoon! Caporale tells us.

Another Compass Box devotee, Spirits Director & Head Bartender Jordan David Smith of HALL by ODO in NYC chooses the brands flagship whisky, Hedonism, for warm-weather enjoyment: [Hedonism is] light and relatively soft, with notes of lime zest, vanilla, and white peppercorn. Overall, it strikes a wonderful balance between citrus and spice, the finish is elegantly clean, and its sufficiently complex for use in cocktails. I consider it the perfect summer Scotch. Hedonism is a blended grain Scotch that doesnt contain any malt, which is unique, but considering Compass Boxs history of boundary pushing and experimentation, is unsurprising.

For a blended Scotch with plenty of summer-appropriate flavors and the ability to blend easily into a cocktail, look no further than Harleston Green Blended Scotch. According to beverage director Rob Long of Emilies in Washington, D.C., Harleston Green is a blend from most of Scotlands famous Scotch producing regions, including the Highlands, Speyside, the Lowlands, and Campbeltown. With all the unique regions combined together, it creates a mellow yet complex Scotch that makes for an enjoyable summer sip. Served neat, the light peatiness and reviving notes of vanilla, sweet spice, and citrus make the long summer afternoons easier. If youre feeling adventurous, add this blended Scotch in a smokey cocktail.

View original post here:

9 Perfect Scotches To Sip In The Summertime - The Manual

Living in Clerkenwell:the Zone 1 neighbourhood with house prices on the up and Crossrail on the horizon – Homes and Property

Posted on by

Clerkenwell has a remarkable reputation as the nerve centre of British creativity.

There are more creative businesses per square mile in this medieval central London enclave than in any other part of the UK, from architects, designers and tech firms to eco-tea brewers and ice cream makers.

But Zone 1 Clerkenwell today is also rapidly evolving, from start-up capital of Britain into a thriving urban village with new bars, restaurants and galleries opening despite Covid-19, and luxurious new homes on offer.

Plans were unveiled last month for an 8 million illustration and graphics gallery, featuring the archive of Quentin Blake, best known for his iconic collaboration with Roald Dahl.

Work is due to start on the site, near Sadlers Wells Theatre, next year ahead of a 2023 opening.

Next year Clerkenwell will firm up its transport links when Crossrail finally opens at Farringdon.

And the Old Sessions House, the Clerkenwell Green landmark where Charles Dickens began his literary career as a cub court reporter, has been newly repurposed as the Sessions Arts Club, with restaurant, bar, exhibitions and events.

New life for a landmark: Old Sessions House at Clerkenwell Green, once the criminal court where Charles Dickens was a cub reporter, is now Sessions Arts Club

Clerkenwell was recently named as one of the last three Zone 1 pre-gentrification locations, the others being Elephant & Castle and Kings Cross.

Average prices stand at 843,000, according to research from Hamptons International, up just over three per cent between 2018 and last year, and up 12 per cent in the past five years. At the turn of the Millennium the average Clerkenwell home cost less than 270,000.

Dominic Fletcher, branch manager of Winkworth estate agents, says typical buyers these days include first-timers with about 500,000 to 600,000 to spend this would buy a one-bedroom period or purpose-built flat and overseas parents buying digs for children studying at one of Londons nearby universities.

Families come to the area in search of its elegant Georgian townhouses at a comparatively affordable price.

The most sought-after option is a home on one of the garden squares just off Amwell Street, priced at 2.5 million to 3 million.

Some of these buyers are rippling out from nearby Bloomsbury, where a similar home would cost 3 million to 4 million.

When Nick Horowitz was 17, his family decided to swap leafy Crouch End for gritty Clerkenwell. The two locations could barely have been more different.

What was so exciting for me, was we were close to the trendy parts of London, says Nick.

Although Clerkenwell itself was very much a lost and forgotten space then, only at the beginning of being up and coming, now everyone wants to come here.

Nick, now 31, shares his flat with his dog, Boss, and works at the creative agency he set up with his younger brother, The Clerkenwell Brothers, enjoying the bars and restaurants and a quieter community atmosphere at weekends.

Amwell Street itself has become a village within Clerkenwell, with a primary school, independent shops and small galleries, making the perfect antidote to hectic Exmouth Market.

From 955,000: flats at Postmark London

New homes tend to be warehouse conversions in small boutique schemes.

But the big new story is Postmark London, a 1.2 billion redevelopment of the former Mount Pleasant Sorting Office with 681 homes on a 6.25-acre site.

One-bedroom flats start at 955,000, with two-bedroom flats from 1,345,000 (postmarklondon.co.uk). There will also be 163 lower-cost homes on the site, either to rent at subsidised levels or to buy on a shared-ownership basis. They will be marketed by One Housing Group (onehousing.co.uk).

The first Postmark London residents are expected to move in this year a mix of young professionals from the tech and creative industries. Health and leisure facilities on site include a wellness centre.

Monastic Clerkenwells earliest residents were a sisterhood of nuns. Its reputation for holiness began to crumble in the 17th century as hedonism took hold.

In 1683 the entrepreneur Richard Sadler opened a music hall and spa, now known Sadlers Wells.

Rich Londoners including the Duke of Northumberland and Oliver Cromwell built fine houses close to Clerkenwell Green, treating the area as a pleasant resort close to the City.

Historically, small businesses such as jewellers, clock makers and printers were drawn to the local warehouses. Clerkenwell also had some notorious brothel keepers, beggars and thieves and prisons of brutal correction followed.

After the Second World War the areas industries declined and it went to sleep until the Eighties, when artists and creatives began to take studio space in cheap, semi-derelict industrial buildings while developers began to experiment with early loft flats. Clerkenwells reputation was cemented in 2009 with the launch of the annual Clerkenwell Design Week, showcasing local and international talent.

See the original post here:

Living in Clerkenwell:the Zone 1 neighbourhood with house prices on the up and Crossrail on the horizon - Homes and Property

Taking a risk on theoretical physics | symmetry magazine – Symmetry magazine

Posted on by

If Juan Maldacena were not a physicist, he thinks he would have been an engineer like his father. As a boy growing up in Buenos Aires, he liked to spend time with him tinkering with the washing machine or the car or other household items, learning how they exploited the laws of physics, as he sees it today.

Now a theoretical physicist at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, Maldacena is world-famous in part for writing what is still one of the most influential articles in string theory.

Although the abstract realms of theoretical physics may seem like a far cry from the literal nuts and bolts of heavy appliances, I think its not too different, he says. Building a theory that works is like building a washing machine that works.

String theory just has a lower risk of electrocution or a flooded basement.

When Maldacena began his post-secondary education at the University of Buenos Aires, it seemed natural to enter as a physics major. I really loved learning about how the laws of physics explained various aspects of the real world, he says.

After two years, he transferred to the Instituto Balseiro in the far western Argentinian city of Bariloche, a research-oriented institution that accepts students after their first two years at other institutions. It is small and grants degrees in only a few disciplines, all related to physics and engineering.

Maldacena graduated with the equivalent of a US masters degree in 1991. He debated what his next move should be: physics graduate school or leaving the academic world to work as an engineer. He was a strong student and loved the discipline but worried that he might not have what it takes to make it as a physics researcher.

I really enjoyed taking the classes, but I didnt know what research was like. It was still a big mystery to me, he says. In the end, I decided to take my chances.

He was accepted to Princeton University, where he started a PhD that fall. Maldacena thrived at Princeton, where he says he enjoyed taking classes with some of the best particle physicists in his field. It was wonderful to see all these people whose papers I had been reading.

His doctoral thesis probed the behavior of black holes in string theory, a framework that unites quantum mechanics and Einsteins theory of relativity by describing fundamental particles as one-dimensional strings.

String theory is a theory of quantum gravity, so Maldacena was extrapolating from the quantum scale to the very, very large. It was considered to be a big success for string theorythe fact that you could describe black holes, which are a big deviation from flat space. It was a consistency check for this theory, he says.

Prominent string theorist Nathan Seiberg was on sabbatical from Rutgers University at the IAS when he met Maldacena, who was then a graduate student at Princeton. They were later colleagues at Rutgers, and they are now colleagues again at the IAS.

Seiberg says he was enormously impressed with Maldacena when they first met. It was quite clear from day one that he was someone specialvery, very specialand he would rise to the top.

Maldacena is best known for his description of the anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory correspondence. The crux of the AdS/CFT correspondence is that a theory of gravity in one universe is the same as the quantum field theory on the boundary of that universe.

Maldacenas first paper describing the idea, published in 1997, has become one of the most-cited articles in string theory, and high-energy physics more broadly. These are results that will stay fundamental in physics for centuries, Seiberg says.

The correspondence has had interesting applications to several fields, including nuclear physics, condensed matter physics, cosmology and mathematics.

Maldacena graduated from Princeton in 1996, so his AdS/CFT breakthrough came very early in his career, when few academics would risk taking a big swing like that. Hes not afraid. Hes very bold, Seiberg says. He likes to attack the most difficult questions that most people would stay away from. He just goes full steam ahead.

The risk paid off. Maldacena was hired as an associate professor at Harvard University directly from the first year of his postdoc at Rutgers and was offered a full professorship two years later. Shortly after that, he was offered a permanent position at the IAS and moved back to New Jersey.

Maldacenas clarity stands out to Seiberg. In research, one is often in this fog of confusion. And he has this clear mind, seeing through the fog and knowing where to go, Seiberg says.

Seiberg says they have worked together a few timesand the joy of the collaboration was enormousbut Maldacena has also had an influence on him far beyond their formal co-authorship. There were many times, both when I made official presentations and in informal conversations, that he would ask a question that completely changed the direction of my own research, Seiberg says.

When he isnt doing physics, Maldacena enjoys hiking with his wife and three children. He sees his work and recreation as two sides of the same coin. When you think about physics problems, you are thinking about very specific aspects of nature, Maldacena says. When you go hiking, you appreciate other aspects of nature.

In addition to his own research, Maldacena has advised several PhD students and postdocs. He has a very good sense for identifying talent, Seiberg says. His track record is amazing.

Maldacena remembers when he wasnt sure whether he should try going into a research career in physics and hopes that other students in his position will not let that fear keep them from trying it. Maybe they will find that they are better than they expected, he says. Or maybe they will love it more than they expected.

Read more:

Taking a risk on theoretical physics | symmetry magazine - Symmetry magazine

China Closes in on the US in Science – Fair Observer

Posted on by

China has for the first time taken the top position in the Nature Index as the biggest producer of high-quality research in chemistry. What will the future of China science look like?

Quantum physics may be science on an impossibly small scale, but it is one field where China is staking a massive leadership role. In February, researchers in Hefei forged a quantum connection between clusters of atoms 50 kilometers apart in an optical fiber, meaning that any changes in one groups quantum state instantly affected the other. This 50-kilometer entanglement the longest distance achieved anywhere could eventually lead to a quantum internet that would be near-instantaneous and impervious to eavesdropping.

READ MORE

Quantum communications is just one area where Chinese scientists are taking a leading role others include artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology and materials genome engineering. Together, they are allowing China to reassert its position as a scientific powerhouse, centuries after the Middle Kingdom wowed the world with the four great inventions of the compass, paper, printing and gunpowder.

Chinas modern-day scientific prowess is backed by unprecedented state spending on research and development. Expressed in purchasing power parity (PPP), Chinas investment in R&D was $370.6 billion in 2017, second only to the United States, which spent $476.5 billion. And China likely overtook the US in research funding in 2019 for the first time, based on projections by the US National Science Board (although the figures are yet to be compiled at the time of writing). In terms of global scientific R&D spending, China has contributed 32% of all growth since 2000, compared with 20% for the US and 17% for the European Union.

The Chinese governments open checkbook has bought the country a lot of impressive big-science hardware. The country now boasts the worlds most powerful supercomputer, the biggest radio telescope and, by some measures, the largest gene-sequencing center.

But Beijings willingness to spend belies its poor standing in a crucial indicator of science leadership: the number of Nobel Laureates. Only one Chinese national has ever won a Nobel Prize in a scientific discipline Tu Youyou, recognized in 2015 for her role in the development of an antimalarial drug. By contrast, the US has produced 302 Nobel Laureates in chemistry, medicine and physics since the year 1900, nearly one-third of which have been awarded since 2000. Japanese scientists have also fared well, with 24 Nobel Prize winners since 1949.

Money is not the issue so much, says Denis Simon, who has studied Chinese science for 40 years and is the executive vice chancellor of Duke Kunshan University. Its how you use the money. Money doesnt buy innovation. What buys innovation is inspired thought and willingness to take risks.

Countries that place more emphasis on independent free-thinking seem to have done better in the Nobel Prize rankings, but Chinas ever-greater science proficiency is testing the hypothesis that it cannot be achieved in a highly-centralized and hierarchal system as well.

Nobel Laureates aside, there are other indicators that show China is closing in on the US as a science superpower. The countrys scientists filed 49% of all related patents worldwide in 2018, although it is important to highlight that in the view of some experts, these numbers are skewed by various factors, such as the refiling of patents already filed elsewhere. In addition, China is steadily increasing its percentage of research articles published in renowned publications, from just 5% in 2000 to 21% in 2018. The US remains dominant in its proportion of highly-cited articles, followed by the EU, but Chinas numbers are growing.

Chinas recent scientific advancements in the past two decades are especially notable, given the countrys fraught history. Its scientific community was devastated during the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, when many academics were denounced as counterrevolutionary and some universities were closed, halting almost all research and scientific training.

Only after China adopted its famous policy of Reform and Opening Up in 1978 did the research community begin to regrow around its stumps. In the four decades since, the economic development and international contacts have been instrumental in enabling science to flourish in China, according to Cong Cao, who studies Chinese science policy at the University of Nottingham in Ningbo, a major port and industrial hub in east China.

We really want to see this kind of stable environment continue, says Cao. For the past 40 years, China has basically been a follower in scientific research. Now, in certain areas, the Chinese side is approaching the frontier of science, he says.

Some parts of Chinas scientific system have been functional for decades, says Caroline Wagner, a professor at Ohio State University who has studied the scientific impact of foreign-trained Chinese researchers after they return to China. Food science, agricultural science, soil and engineering are fields where Chinas had strong research capabilities. It just hasnt participated in the world system of publication and validation, she adds.

China has broadened its scientific gaze, beyond the areas mentioned by Wagner, to cover some of the most exciting topics and challenges in science today. China leads the world in 33 out of 137 research fronts, particularly in computer science, chemistry, engineering, material sciences and mathematics, according to a report published in November 2019 by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Clarivate Analytics, a US data and analytics company.

The progress has been particularly visible in the field of chemistry, where for the first time China dethroned the US as the biggest producer of high-quality research papers in 2019. Chinas research output last year was almost double the combined share of India, Japan and South Korea, which all ranked in the top 10.

The outbreak of COVID-19, first detected in Wuhan, provides a challenge for Chinas scientists and an opportunity in terms of aiming to become the first country to develop a vaccine. If they can do it, it would be a gamechanger. The deadly coronavirus has also highlighted Chinas capabilities in AI and computer science, which has seen sweeping national investments in recent years.

The ability of domestic research institutions and companies to harness big data to feed their AI tools gives China a leg-up in the next round of scientific research and innovation, according to academics. I think big data is an area China does have advantages, in parts because they have a few dominant apps like WeChat that everybody uses, says Yu Zhou, a professor in the Department of Earth Science and Geography at Vassar College in the US. You dont have that in the US.

China still has shortcomings to overcome before it can be considered a global leader in science. Despite lavish spending, the global business consultancy McKinsey noted in a 2015 report that inefficient government funding, among other factors, was stifling Chinas endeavors to promote science-based innovations. Five years on, this remains a problem, according to Zhou, who says an immature system of evaluating science innovations has led to state administrators from outside who dont know what theyre doing and are just bureaucratic bean-counting.

The country still lacks well-established links between businesses and universities, which significantly limits knowledge transfers. Although this relationship is difficult to quantify, Times Higher Education examined how universities work on research with industry, and it noted that in 2016, more than 6% of US publications [were] joint efforts between the academy and industry, compared with just 2.7% in China.

While China ranked second in the CAS-Clarivate report identifying the best and emerging specialty areas in scientific research, it was dwarfed by the US, which claimed the top spot on 80 research fronts. This may be partly because China has been selective in its approach, opting to channel resources into science that will not only help Beijing project its power but also respond to its peoples particular problems.

The state has the overview about the areas where China needs to invest more, says Zhou. She points to Chinas massive investments in renewable energy and electric vehicles as an example. The state has this function of telling people where you should put more money. Some areas, like environmental science, make a lot of sense.

This methodical approach reflects Chinas attitude to science. In the last 40 years, Chinas leaders tackled the countrys lagging status with a top-down approach and long-term strategic planning. When it comes to the longstanding view that this approach stifles innovation, Wagner, in a soon-to-be-published study, disagrees.

What we found is that at the disciplinary level, Chinas publications in physical sciences were highly-creative when compared to the field as a whole, much more creative than other parts of Chinas work, she says. The physical sciences stood out as highly-creative. Measures of technology research was found to be moderately creative, but biology did not appear to be creative.

We were surprised with the results of the work, finding that Chinas publications already display world-class level of creativity, says Wagner.

Authorities are orchestrating the development of a scientific establishment one pillar of which is a core group of elite universities known as the C9 that includes Tsinghua and Peking in Beijing and Fudan in Shanghai. Another key plank has been the Thousand Talents Program (TTP), a successful scheme aimed at luring top researchers to China with lab space, lavish salaries, research funding and other incentives.

Around the late 1990s, the Chinese decided to double or triple the levels of enrollment in university, but what they couldnt do was hire more good faculty. They just couldnt get that many, says Simon at Duke University. But the TTP has helped plug the deficit in training younger generations of Chinese researchers.

Simon believes the success of the TPP at the recruitment of top scientific talent has only become more important because China could face a potential talent shortage due to the notorious one-child policy. China has struggled to engineer a baby boom after scrapping the notorious policy in 2015, which could shrink the future scientific workforce.

Increasingly strict controls on internet access are also a potential long-term hindrance toward scientific excellence in China. A common gripe among the countrys academics is that internet access is a major obstacle to their research. Wagner from Ohio State University says the free flow of knowledge and information is critical to innovation.

Many researchers routinely bypass internet controls, but ever-tightening restrictions on the flow of information risk making international collaboration more difficult and threaten Chinas place in science and technology globally.

Studies demonstrate the benefits of openness, says Wagner. You cant get around the need to share findings, data and insights. If that gets closed off, China will drop behind and the world will be deprived of Chinas input. There are no winners in that scenario

The China-US relationship has also grown increasingly toxic since US President Donald Trump took office three years ago, ramping up the prospect of the worlds top-two economies decoupling. Researchers are in no doubt that this would be a disaster for the scientific communities of both countries.

Its not good for science globally, said Cong from Ningbo. Theres no doubt about that because each country is constrained by resources. No country in the world can pursue every line of research, so thats really where you need to be collaborative. If decoupling between China and the US really happens, its not going to be good for China and for other countries.

But there is also the argument that Chinese and American scientific communities are already too intertwined for any decoupling to have a serious impact, according to Simon.

The government-to-government cooperation is important, but [it] is not the defining dimension of the science and technology cooperation between China and the US, says Simon. It would be very hard, at least from my perspective, for the US government to disengage and simply shut down all of that collaboration. Theres just so much going on I dont know if anyone would know where to go to stop it or to shut the spigot off.

Just how much a potential delinking would really hurt China is up for debate. Februarys successful quantum entanglement experiment in Hefei underscores how Chinese scientists are operating at the cutting edge in many ways on their own.

The US remains ahead, but if youre looking at where we will be five, 10 years from now, the trend lines are all extremely positive for China, says Simon. The Chinese have corrected a lot of the problems that were inherent in their system. Theyre all the time trying to get higher-yield performance from their scientific community. And I think theyre starting to succeed.

*[This article was written by Shi Wei Jun and was originally published byCKGSB Knowledge, a partner institution ofFair Observer.]

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observers editorial policy.

Originally posted here:

China Closes in on the US in Science - Fair Observer

Quantum Computers Will No Longer Threat To Bitcoin! – Somag News

Posted on by

A new computing software could free Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies from powerful quantum computers that have the potential to violate public key cryptography.

According to the MIT Technology Review, the researchers are working on the development of a new measure known as lattice-based cryptography that promises to make crypto technology more quantum proof.

Lattice-based cryptography can neutralize the enormous computational capabilities of quantum computers by hiding data inside complex geometric structures containing a grid of infinite dots spread over thousands of dimensions. The security measure seems almost impenetrable, even with the use of powerful quantum computers, unless the key is in hand.

The advent of quantum computing machines is often brought to the fore as it poses a threat to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin as well as cryptographic algorithms that keep the internet generally safe. The World Economic Forum explains how quantum computers can violate current encryption standards as follows.

The full computational ability of a sufficiently powerful and error-corrected quantum computer means that public-key cryptography is doomed and will compromise the technology used to protect many of todays fundamental digital systems and activities.

MIT Technology Review says the solution is promising, although the current iterations are not yet ready to be implemented. Ripple CTO David Schwartz says that developers believe it will take at least eight years before the technology that uses the properties of quantum physics to make quick calculations becomes sophisticated enough to crack the cryptocurrency.

I think we have at least eight years. I have very high confidence that quantum computing needs at least ten years to pose a threat, but you never know when there might be progress.

The rest is here:

Quantum Computers Will No Longer Threat To Bitcoin! - Somag News