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Aerospace – Aerospace – Siemens

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Danzig

Take off with increased productivity Driving the aerospace industry on its path to the digital enterprise

The aerospace industry has the challengeof building more aircrafts with a shorter time to market. The new planes will be lighter, faster and more efficient. These aircrafts of the future drive new demands on product design, production planning, engineering and execution, as well as service.

How can I create a high-quality product?

How can I have a flexible production process and adapt to changes quickly?

How can Imake my engineering more efficient?

How can I receive scalable process information in real time?

What can I learn from the data that my plant generates?

Digitalization trends in the machine tool world allow for extremely flexible manufacturing

Shared development work to ensure the desired functionality and adequate user-friendliness

State-of-the-art technology in combination with a worldwide established service for an efficient production

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Aerospace - Aerospace - Siemens

State lawmaker group to focus on aviation jobs in Ohio – Dayton Daily News

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Danzig

A state panel intended to bolster aerospace in Ohio will likely target workforce development and protection of military bases as top priorities, an Ohio lawmaker says.

The Ohio Aerospace and Aviation Technology Committee appointed or reappointed 14 members Tuesday to the 21-member panel for two-year terms. They represent legislative, academic, commercial and military backgrounds across the state, said Sen. Bill Beagle, R-Tipp City, committee chairman.

In the Dayton region, the panel reappointed Vincent J. Russo, past executive director of the former Aerospace Systems Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base; Ronald Shroder, president and CEO of Frontier Technology, Inc., which has an office in Beavercreek; and Terrence Slaybaugh, City of Dayton director of aviation.

Gov. John Kasich reappointed John Leland, vice president of research at the University of Dayton Research Institute.

The panel will meet to determine other key areas to target, Beagle said.

Weve taken on a number of initiatives, such as workforce development, since the committee started in 2014, he said. Were trying to identify things and potential solutions.

The state senator said he foresees two key issues staying in the forefront: Building an aerospace worker talent pipeline and finding ways to increase the value to the federal government of Ohio military installations, such as bolstering public-private partnerships.

Thats spurred in part by more and more talk about a potential new round of base closures coming from Washington, D.C., he said, noting the importance of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and other military installations to Ohio. Its also home to NASA Glenn Research Center near Cleveland.

Along with Beagle, state Rep. Rick Perales, R-Beavercreek, is one of two area legislators on the panel. Three senators and three House representatives are among the members.

The committee produces an annual report of findings and recommendations to state lawmakers on ways to bolster the aerospace industry in Ohio.

The state is the leader in aircraft engine production and is the No. 1 U.S. supplier to aerospace manufacturers Boeing and Airbus, according to JobsOhio.

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State lawmaker group to focus on aviation jobs in Ohio - Dayton Daily News

Alaska aerospace business has high hopes for future – The Columbian

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Danzig

A A

JUNEAU, Alaska When most people think of Alaska, they picture its thick forests, hulking grizzly bears and soaring, snow-covered peaks.

What they might not imagine is rockets whisking defense and other payloads into space. But Americas northernmost state has that too, entering the high-tech aerospace business more than 25 years ago as it looked to diversify its oil-reliant economy.

The state-owned Alaska Aerospace Corp. hit a low point after a rocket exploded at its launch site in 2014 amid a deepening state deficit. The governor later gave it an ultimatum: Become self-sustaining or shut down.

Today, Alaska Aerospace has rebuilt its launch site and is again showing signs of liftoff. It is no longer confined to Alaska or government contracts, recently winning, for example, a deal with Rocket Lab to track the companys rockets and monitor its onboard systems in New Zealand.

Gov. Bill Walker said he is impressed by the corporations aggressive pursuit of contracts and its transformation. His budget office recently freed $2.2 million in state money previously earmarked for the corporation for launch site improvements.

Two years ago, we had a failed rocket, and we had a destroyed facility, and we had no customers, Alaska Aerospace CEO Craig Campbell said. Weve turned the corner.

Alaska sought to develop its aerospace sector in 1991 as states and private organizations were looking to capture a piece of a space industry that had once been the domain of NASA.

Alaska Aerospace now runs one of 10 commercial launch sites in the U.S. that are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. Some are co-located with federal facilities or have buzzy partnerships. The anchor tenant at New Mexicos state-owned Spaceport America is Virgin Galactic.

Campbell is tight-lipped about some of the business at Alaska Aerospaces launch site on Kodiak Island about 250 air miles southwest of Anchorage in the Gulf of Alaska because of proprietary concerns. But the remote site is well-positioned for polar launches, which often are used for communication and weather satellites and those that take images of Earth.

An advantage Alaska has over major launch sites is a lack of wait times, said Micah Walter-Range, research and analysis director for the Space Foundation, a space advocacy organization. A boom in smaller satellites tied to cheaper hardware components and other factors also presents opportunity, he said.

The corporation launched its first rocket in 1998. It had another 16 launches through 2014, when a rocket carrying an experimental Army strike weapon was blown up after taking off from Kodiak Island. All of the launches it conducted were for the federal government, including NASA.

The blast, which damaged launch site facilities, proved pivotal, coinciding with a ballooning state deficit and a diminished appetite among some Alaska legislators to put more state funding toward what some at that time saw as a money-sucking novelty.

Besides rebuilding its launch site, Alaska Aerospace opened an office in Alabama to try to better compete for aerospace business and landed a multiyear contract, worth up to $80 million, with the federal Missile Defense Agency to test its system for detecting incoming missiles.

In addition, the corporation is evaluating building a second launch site closer to the equator so it can handle a wider range of satellites. Campbell called equatorial launches the predominate orbit to meet the majority of the Earths population.

Still, Alaska Aerospace remains at a critical juncture, with several launches lined up for this year and next and high hopes for becoming more profitable and further establishing itself in the industry.

Campbells goal is to have at least six launches a year. So far this year, he expects two as part of the Missile Defense testing program and one involving a company working on a small rocket. He declined to identify the company.

The corporation has 16 staff, down from 44 when Campbell took over. It also has a contingency of about 14 contractors, many of whom are former corporation employees, he said.

State Rep. Louise Stutes, a Kodiak Republican, said an influx of activity surrounding a launch boosts the regions economy, though she noted the need to at times close roads for activities at the site has rankled some residents. About 13,500 people live in the Kodiak Island Borough.

Additive Manufacturing Design Tips For Aerospace – Aviation Week

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Danzig

According to the consultancy MarketsandMarkets, aerospace firms will be using additive manufacturing (AM) to make more than $3 billion in parts by 2022, up from a bit over $700 million in 2017. Aerospace and AM have a mutually beneficial relationship. Aerospace firms often have the rigorous requirements in weight and performance and make the small volumes that AM is best suited for, so encourage AM development. AM in turn helps OEMs make much better products, boosting the sectors growth.

But AM, also called 3D printing, is still young, and engineers have a lot to learn about the new process. In a webinar presented by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Denis Cormier, professor of industrial and systems engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology, explained some basics.

Powder-bed laser printing systems are the majority of machines used now, but all the different laser and electron beam systems have their particular uses, Cormier advised. Each machine maker provides a guide for designing parts to be made with its AM process, including the surface roughness and ribbing to expect and orientation of support structures. Surface finish is much better now, but you are not getting a machined surface yet, Cormier said.

AM of lattice structures is increasingly popular, both to reduce weight and create heat sinks. The struts in AM lattices can be as small as a half millimeter and generally should not be smooth. But Cormier warned that the software code required for lattices can be astronomically large, and not every designers PC could handle it. However, some machine-makers are starting to enable trickle feed of code, like that used on computer numerically control machines.

Part unitization, or the combination of many small parts into an AM one, is another popular trend, as evidenced by the GE LEAP engines fuel nozzle. You can throw the DFM [Design for Manufacturing] guidelines out the window, Cormier joked. There is no problem getting the part out of a mold.

But very complex unitized parts may pose problems in getting extra powder out of internal channels. Most laser machines will allow powder to be jiggled out, but removal is tougher with electronic beam machines. Generally, if a liquid or gas is to flow through the internal channel, surface roughness is good. But for laminar flows of parallel layers, finishing the rough surfaces may be desirable.

AM can print exceedingly complex parts that may replace up to 20 parts made by conventional methods. But engineers must remember the surfaces that will have to be finished and seek to make this easier, for example by making unitized parts easy to hold in vises.

One big trend in AM is toward larger parts, up to 1-2 meters for laser powder bed or electronic beam processes. But the cost of metal powder can be a challenge for large parts, Cormier warned. A machine may have up to $100,000 worth of powder in it before it begins to make a large part. AM processes that use wire-feed may economize on bigger parts.

Another trend is toward simulation-based design. This can help engineers achieve uniform heating for uniform microstructure before parts are expensively printed. And OEMs are building machines with sensors and cameras that can measure the temperature of the powder beds to improve control.

The other trend, or wish, is for less expensive powders. Cormier hopes that competition will drive powder cost down or that wire and other feedstocks will come more cheaply. That would certainly spur adoption in aerospace and other industries.

For the moment though, most AM machine makers continue to require their own proprietary powders be used in their machines. Thats expensive, but may be necessary for a while longer to ensure quality results, especially in safety-critical aerospace uses.

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Additive Manufacturing Design Tips For Aerospace - Aviation Week

Wright Patt aerospace physiology – Dayton Daily News – Dayton Daily News

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Danzig

Students at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine routinely use an altitude hypobaric chamber at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which simulates a flight at 25,000 feet, as part of initial aerospace physiological training.

1st Lt. Alex Medina, U.S. Air Force Space, Missiles, and Forces Intelligence group executive officer, is one of those students. After 30 minutes of pre-breathing 100 percent oxygen, during his training he took his mask off and quickly felt the effect of lack of air due to the decrease in barometric pressure.

The hypoxic effects began much quicker than I had anticipated and felt very similar to feeling overly intoxicated, Medina said.

When there is a loss of cabin pressure, aircrew and passengers experience hypoxia oxygen deprivation which the most dangerous aspect of flying at altitude, said Senior Master Sgt. Johal Mandeep, USAFSAM Aerospace and Operational Physiology Division superintendent .

The purpose of initial aerospace physiological training is to help aircrew and operational personnel flying in aircraft understand the hazards of high altitude flight and the physiological effects of low barometric pressure.

Wright Patterson marks 100 years of aviation achievement

When we put students in the chamber theyre accompanied by two to three chamber technicians as safety observers; we are all trained to treat any issues that could occur during the flight, Mandeep said.

As the barometric pressure drops , instructors give students a few puzzles, short-answer questions and simple math problems to solve.

I was able to do the first three tasks fairly quickly, but then quickly became very dizzy Medina said. I tried to work through it, but the simple math problems were increasingly difficult, due to the onset of mental confusion.

I skipped around on the page to accomplish other questions/puzzles that were easier to comprehend but then felt very hot and decided to call it quits. Medina said. I dont think I made it past 60 seconds.

Every year USAFSAM train s about 1,300 students in the two-day, Air Force-required training, which includes academics and a chamber flight.

I believe the most valuable experience about the training is to give our students basic information on the hazards of low barometric pressure in-flight and to be able to physically experience the effects of hypoxia so they can identify it and treat if it occurs in-flight, Mandeep said.

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Wright Patt aerospace physiology - Dayton Daily News - Dayton Daily News

Heligear-Northstar Aerospace workers to hold ratification vote – CBC.ca

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Danzig

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Heligear-Northstar Aerospace workers to hold ratification vote - CBC.ca

FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. Announces Management Change – AviationPros.com

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Danzig

CALGARY, AB--(Marketwired - June 05, 2017) -FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.("FLYHT") (TSX VENTURE:FLY) (OTCQX:FLYLF) today announced that Nola Heale will not be continuing in her position of CFO & VP Finance of FLYHT. The Company has appointed Paul Takalo, the Board of Director's Audit Committee Chair, to serve as the interim CFO & VP Finance. FLYHT will pursue a permanent replacement to fill the position.

About FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

FLYHT is a leading provider of real-time aircraft intelligence and cockpit communications for the aerospace industry. More than 70 customers, including airlines, leasing companies and original equipment manufacturers, have installed our systems in order to increase safety, improve operational efficiencies and enhance profitability. FLYHT's proprietary technology, the Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS), operates on multiple aircraft types and provides functions such as safety services voice and text messaging, data collection and transmission, and on-demand streaming of flight data recorder (black box), engine and airframe data. AFIRS sends this information through the Iridium Satellite Network to FLYHT's UpTime ground-based server, which routes the data to customer-specified end points and provides an interface for real-time aircraft interaction. AFIRS has flown over 2.5 million aggregate flight hours and 1.7 million flights on customers' aircraft. FLYHT holds supplemental type certificates (STC) which allow for the installation of AFIRS on 95% of transport category aircraft.

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FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. Announces Management Change - AviationPros.com

These Are Actual Biology Courses Offered At Evergreen State College – The Daily Caller

Posted on June 6, 2017 by ev1

Evergreen State College, the site of viral student protests over the past two weeks, offers multiple courses in its biology department that veer dramatically from the hard sciences,with themes like feminism, race and power.

While the school offersmore traditional biology courses like General Biology and Anatomy and Physiology, it also hasclasses that provide more details about feminism and social movements than with the study of human or plant life.

Evergreen State Colleges Biology Department will offer a course during the 2017 fall semester and 2018 spring semester entitled,Reproduction: Gender, Race, and Power. The course will provide students with an overview of human reproduction, but will pay attention to gender and race as vectors of power that affect how reproduction is discussed, legislated, and experienced in the United States.

The course description claims that biology is shaped and defined by cultural norms. One of the primary goals of the course is to collectively dismantle the idea that women are defined as such by an innate reproductive capacity. To achieve this end, students will be required to read texts that address the experiences of trans and gender-nonconforming individuals, and discuss the ways in which contraception, abortion, forced sterilization, genetic testing, and other forms of reproductive control both reflect, and have been used to perpetuate, systemic racism.

After completing the course, students will have an understanding of how power and privilege operate on a variety of bodies, including our own.

Another course the college offered its junior and senior students in 2016 wasentitled Feminist Epistemologies: Critical Approaches to Biology and Psychology. Professors allegedly built thecourse to help students discover how knowledge is generated from a feminist theoretical perspective.

To achieve its stated goal, students read feminist philosophy of science, sociological studies on science and how it operates in society, research on women scientists, and critical deconstructions of sociobiology and the related field of evolutionary psychology.

Evergreen State College made headlines after one of the schools biology professors, Bret Weinstein, spoke out against the schools annual Day of Absence. A group of students and faculty at Evergreen organize one day every year where they meet off campus, as a symbolic remembrance of a famous play whereall the black residents of a Southern town fail to show up one morning.

The group decided to mix things up in 2017, and asked that all white students, staff and faculty will be invited to leave campus for the days activities. After Weinstein called the actions a show of force, and an act of oppression, students responded in anger.

Viral protests forced the school to cancel classes for three straight days.(RELATED: Evergreen Cancels Classes For Third Day In A Row)

Some 50 students showed up outside Weinsteins classroom to call him a racist and a supporter of white supremacy to his face.

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These Are Actual Biology Courses Offered At Evergreen State College - The Daily Caller

Chapman University's Physical Therapy Program receives 10-year Accreditation – Chapman University: Happenings (blog)

Posted on June 6, 2017 by ev1

June 5, 2017

Chapman Universitys Department of Physical Therapy (DPT) program has received a 10 year reaccreditation by its accrediting body, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

A 10 year accreditation reflects the programs deep commitment to physical therapy education and the resulting reputation DPT has in the region for graduating extraordinary clinicians, said Janeen Hill, Ph.D., dean of Chapmans Crean College of health and Behavioral Sciences. This accreditation reflects sustained effort by DPT to produce a strong self-study and to demonstrate excellence to the site visiting team from CAPTE. Many congratulations to the DPT faculty and staff for this achievement.

The notification letter included the following commendation:

The Commission commends the program for the quality of its Self-study Report. The program submitted a well-written, thorough, concise and comprehensive Self-study Report that clearly conveyed the nature and scope of the educational experience.

Chapmans physical therapy program enjoys the title of the oldest continually accredited program in California. Since 1928, Chapmans Department of Physical Therapy is one of the longest running physical therapy programs in the United States. All of the faculty are licensed practitioners with advanced degrees, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 12:1, providing a highly personalized education. In 2017, the program received 1,450 applicants for a coveted 80 openings. Chapmans first-time licensure pass rate for PT graduates in 2016 was 100 percent, in addition to our overall pass rate for the past five years also being 100 percent, making the PT program one that aggressively prepares our graduates for success in the work force.

The graduate program offers two degrees: the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree for students interested in becoming a physical therapy professional; and the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree for physical therapists with baccalaureate or master degrees seeking to further their education to achieve the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.

Chapmans brand new, state-of-the-art health science campus offers students access to top-of-the-line labs and physical therapy equipment, including a traditional motion analysis lab, an anti-gravity treadmill, and a state-of-the-art 180 degree Virtual Reality (VR) Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab (GRAIL) by Motekforce. The VR motion analysis laboratory comes with a dual-belted instrumented treadmill with a self paced option and 6-degrees of freedom, integrated 10 camera and EMG systems. The GRAIL provides the DPT program faculty instrumentation to conduct cutting edge human movement system intervention studies.

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Chapman University's Physical Therapy Program receives 10-year Accreditation - Chapman University: Happenings (blog)

Cops speak less respectfully to black community members – Stanford University News

Posted on June 6, 2017 by ev1

The first systematic analysis of police body camera footage shows that officers consistently use less respectful language with black community members than with white community members, according to new Stanford research.

Stanford researchers have developed a computational tool to analyze language extracted from police body camera footage as data for understanding law enforcement interaction with the community. (Image credit: Ryan Johnson/Flickr/Creative Commons)

Although they are subtle, these widespread racial disparities in officers language use may erode police-community relations, said the researchers who conducted the study, published June 5 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Our findings highlight that, on the whole, police interactions with black community members are more fraught than their interactions with white community members, explained Jennifer Eberhardt, co-author of the study and professor of psychology at Stanford.

The racial disparities in respectful speech remained even after the researchers controlled for the race of the officer, the severity of the infraction, and the location and outcome of the stop.

To analyze the body camera footage, a multidisciplinary team from Stanfords psychology, linguistics and computer science departments first developed a new artificial intelligence technique for measuring levels of respect in officers language. They then applied this technique to the transcripts from 981 traffic stops the Oakland Police Department (OPD) made in a single month.

The researchers novel technique demonstrated that white residents were 57 percent more likely than black residents to hear a police officer say the most respectful utterances, such as apologies and expressions of gratitude like thank you. Meanwhile, black community members were 61 percent more likely than white residents to hear an officer say the least respectful utterances, such as informal titles like dude and bro and commands like hands on the wheel.

To be clear: There was no swearing, said Dan Jurafsky, a study co-author and Stanford professor of linguistics and of computer science. These were well-behaved officers. But the many small differences in how they spoke with community members added up to pervasive racial disparities.

The fact that we now have the technology and methods to show these patterns is a huge advance for behavioral science, computer science and the policing industry, said Rob Voigt, a Stanford linguistics doctoral student and lead author of the study. Police departments can use these tools not only to diagnose problems in police-community relations but also to develop solutions.

The study is not the first time Eberhardt has collaborated with the OPD to study possible racial disparities in policing. In 2014, the City of Oakland contracted with Eberhardt and her team to assist the Oakland Police Department in complying with a federal order to collect and analyze data from traffic and pedestrian stops by race.

OPD, like many police departments nationwide, has been using body-worn cameras to monitor police-community interactions. But drawing accurate conclusions from hundreds of hours of footage is challenging, Eberhardt said. Just cherry-picking negative or positive episodes, for example, can lead to inaccurate impressions of police-community relations overall, she said.

The police are already wary of footage being used against them, Eberhardt said. At the same time, many departments want their actions to be transparent to the public.

To satisfy demands for both privacy and transparency, the researchers needed a way to approach the footage as data showing general patterns, rather than as evidence revealing wrongdoing in any single stop.

Yet researchers cant just sit and watch every single stop, Eberhardt explained. It would take too long. Besides, their own biases could affect their judgments of the interactions.

Together, Eberhardt, Jurafsky and seven other colleagues examined transcripts from 183 hours of body camera footage from 981 stops, which 245 different OPD officers conducted in April 2014.

In the first phase of the study, human participants examined a subsample of the transcribed conversations between officers and community members without knowing the race or gender of either and rated how respectful, polite, friendly, formal and impartial the officers language was.

In the second phase, the researchers used these ratings to develop a computational linguistic model of how speakers show respect, including apologizing, softening commands and expressing concern for listeners well-being. They then created software that automatically identified these words, phrases and linguistic patterns in the transcripts of the officers language.

In the third phase, the researchers used this software to analyze the remaining transcripts a total of 36,000 officer utterances with 483,966 words. Because the team had so much data, they could statistically account for the race of the officer, the severity of the offense and other factors that could affect officers language.

Understanding and improving the interactions between the police and the communities they serve is incredibly important, but the interactions can be difficult to study, Jurafsky said. Computational linguistics offers a way to aggregate across many speakers and many interactions to detect the way that everyday language can reflect our attitudes, thoughts and emotions which are sometimes outside of our own awareness.

Our findings are not proof of bias or wrongdoing on the part of individual officers, Eberhardt cautioned. Many factors could drive racial disparities in respectful speech.

The research team is currently extending their work to analyze the language used by community members during the traffic stops and to study other linguistic features captured by the body cameras, including tone of voice. They also plan to explore the interplay of officers and community members speech as it unfolds over time.

There is so much you can do with this footage, Eberhardt said. We are very excited about the possibilities.

Eberhardt praised the City of Oakland and OPD for being open to having their data examined, and said she hopes that other departments across the country will invite similar collaborations.

Im hopeful that, with the development of computational tools like ours, more law enforcement agencies will approach their body camera footage as data for understanding, rather than as evidence for blaming or exonerating, Eberhardt said. Together, researchers and police departments can use these tools to improve police-community relations.

The studys other co-authors were Nicholas Camp, Rebecca Hetey and Camilla Griffiths of the Department of Psychology; and Vinodkumar Prabhakaran, William Hamilton and David Jurgens of the Department of Computer Science.

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Cops speak less respectfully to black community members - Stanford University News

What millennials really want in the workplace – CBS News

Posted on June 5, 2017 by ev1

Different surveys have widely varying opinions on the millennial generation -- those between the ages of 18 and 30 who are entering or already in the workforce. Some imply this is a group of slackers living in their parents' basements. Others show them as ambitious, hardworking and struggling to pay off college debt with several part-time jobs.

How do they see themselves? A new report from the blog Squared Awayshows a lot of "youthful optimism" among this generation. But is it justified? "The changing job market is making it increasingly difficult for young adults to get their careers off to the right start," said Kim Blanton, writer and editor for Squared Away at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

That's because the employment landscape is changing. Millennials are often accused of changing jobs just to earn more money. But that may not be their choice, said Blanton, citing a recent Federal Reserve surveyshowing that young adults prefer jobs that are "permanent and steady," not ones like driving for Uber or freelancing, which aren't secure and could change from month to month even when they make more money.

Surprisingly and contrary to popular belief that millennials jump jobs for money, they actually "prefer steady employment to higher pay," according to the Fed survey.

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Sometimes higher pay isn't even an option. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS),the fastest-growing jobs are often part-time, low-paying and seasonal, and lack health benefits, retirement savings accounts and paid-time off.

The BLS report found that the top 10 careers expected to generate 5 million jobs by 2024 include personal care and home health aides; food preparation, cooks and servers; nursing assistants; and retail sales, which net annual earnings below $30,000 -- or just over a living wage for a family of four in most areas.

Slightly above that level were customer service representatives and construction workers, with salaries between $30,000 and $40,000 per year. Registered nurses and operations managers were found to earn more than $60,000 annually.

According to the Fed, a college degree -- with its staggering debt averaging $37,000 in 2016 -- doesn't guarantee a career. Only 45 percent of millennials reported obtaining employment in their field.

So is it time to reorient job training in this new world of employment? "A bright spot is the so-called STEM jobs, in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields," said Blanton. "Two-thirds of young adults who studied in these areas are getting jobs in these fields, which experienced the highest earnings in the BLS's fastest growing occupations." In contrast, the success rate was less for graduates in the life sciences, business, health and behavioral science fields.

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Another viable choice: Don't attend college. Young adults with noncollege certificates and technical degrees had an easier time getting jobs in their fields than those with associates' and only slightly more trouble than those with bachelors' degrees.

Perhaps millennials are more hopeful now because they were so-down-in the-mouth during the Great Recession and the years shortly afterwards. In 2013, less than half were optimistic about future employment opportunities, and only 64 percent said they were able to cover their monthly expenses.

By 2015 those numbers had risen to 61 percent who were hopeful and 73 percent who were able to crack the monthly nut. But, of course, that still left more than a quarter who were sheltering with their parents, or nearly broke.

What about 2017? The May jobs report showed a 16-year low unemployment rate of 4.3 percent but also a slow-growing economy, said Director Michael Hicks of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University. So perhaps it's time for yet another millennial survey.

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What millennials really want in the workplace - CBS News

Essential Science: Methylene Blue as an anti-aging treatment – Digital Journal

Posted on June 5, 2017 by ev1

The fountain of youth may be a matter for mythology; however, considerable scientific research goes into seeing whether the aging process can be slowed down. A discovery that had any kind of true anti-aging effect (as opposed to questionable anti-wrinkle creams) would represent a major step forwards in scientific understanding as well as being, if it could be commercialized, highly lucrative. The openings of an anti-aging treatment could exist with a chemical called methylene blue. As well as a stain for the microscopic examination of fungi, methylene blue is a common and relatively inexpensive antioxidant. The chemical has been used in the clinical treatment of many ailments, but not, until now anti-aging. The possible breakthrough comes from the University of Maryland and here researchers have been investigating the effect of methylene blue on human skin. Methylene blue Methylene blue (methylthioninium chloride) is both a medication and dye. As a medication it is used to treat methemoglobinemia (a blood disease leading to shortness of breath). In the past it was used for cyanide poisoning and urinary tract infections. When required medically, the drug is administered by injection into a vein. With people aging (sometimes spelled ageing) represents the accumulation of changes in a person over time. These changes include the physical, psychological, and social. Variations are seen with things like reaction time as well as physical changes, especially to the skin. Speaking with Science Alert, lead researcher Kan Cao explains about the research: Our work suggests that methylene blue could be a powerful antioxidant for use in skin care products. So far interesting, but there are plenty of skin care products on the market. However, Dr. Cao drops in the key difference: "The effects we are seeing are not temporary. Methylene blue appears to make fundamental, long-term changes to skin cells. To demonstrate this, the researchers exposed healthy and diseased skin cells, taken from middle-aged patients, to methylene blue together with three other established chemicals known to function as antioxidants. The experimental work showed that the methylene blue was superior to the other chemicals at improving the symptoms of aging in both the healthy and diseased skin cells. With the diseased cells, these were affected by progeria. Progeria is an extremely rare genetic disorder in which symptoms resembling aspects of aging are manifested at a very early age. Those born with progeria typically live to their mid-teens to early twenties. With both types of skin cell the researchers noted a reduction in cell death, as well as a decrease in deleterious relative oxygen species, and an increase in cell division in skin cells called fibroblasts. A fibroblast is a type of cell that synthesizes the extracellular matrix and collagen. For further study Dr. Cao exposed fibroblasts from donors over age 80 to methylene blue. The exposure was over a four week period. As with the earlier work, improvements were noted. Further analysis revealed a reduction in the expression of two genes that are commonly used to indicate aging in cells. These genes are termed senescence-associated beta-galactosidase and p16. While the process demonstrates considerable attention, further research is required and no tests have yet been undertaken on people. The following video explains more about the research: The research is published in the journal Scientific Reports, under the heading Anti-Aging Potentials of Methylene Blue for Human Skin Longevity. Essential Science This article is part of Digital Journal's regular Essential Science columns. Each week Tim Sandle explores a topical and important scientific issue. Last week we explored the use of bioelectricity as a powerful way of killing pathogenic bacteria. The week before we looked at how nanotechnology can be used to rapidly and non-invasively treat broken bones.

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Second Amendment rights – Progress Index

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Danzig

Rev. Tom Lovorn, Th.D.

Q. Does the Bible have anything to say about our Second Amendment rights, which were hearing so much about in the current political climate? Christine Stawarz, Prince George, Va.

A. The Second Amendment was drafted by James Madison in 1789. It and the other nine amendments, forming what we call the Bill of Rights, were ratified and added to our Constitution in 1791. They are understood to state the inherent rights of every citizen.

The Second Amendment reads, A well-regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. One of our statesmen said its intended purpose was to support the natural rights of self-defense, resistance to oppression, and the civic duty to act in concert in defense of the state.

Although Isaiah 9:6 predicted the Messiah would be called the Prince of Peace, it is a reference to the heart-peace he gives to believers and to his future millennial reign when there will be peace in the valley (Isaiah 11:1-9). It is true that Jesus said in Matthew 5:39 his followers should turn the other cheek when we are smitten. But, we must not take that out of the context of love which Jesus was preaching. He was not talking about defending ourselves in a life-threatening situation; he was teaching that we should resist our natural reaction in order to help a fellowman learn the ideal response of love. Gods love in us should cause us to forgo our own concerns to seek the best for others.

True: Jesus taught that we should, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:44-45). However, Jesus never said we should not defend ourselves from danger. In fact, in Numbers 22:31 the Angel of the Lord, whom we suppose to be preincarnate Jesus, had his sword drawn against the false prophet Balaam.

In our present culture of lawlessness and greed, believers have permission from Jesus in Luke 22:36 to carry a sword. He also said in Luke 11:21 (CEV), When a strong man arms himself and guards his home, everything he owns is safe.

The Rev. Dr. Tom Lovorn is pastor of Gods Storehouse Baptist Church in Richmond and he writes a weekly question and answer column for The Progress-Index. Columns are real questions from readers around the world. Dr. Tom, a Petersburg resident, is a long-time columnist with The Progress-Index and a former pastor in the Petersburg community.Note: This column was originally published in The Progress-Index May 28, 2016. Dr. Lovorn requested a week off from his writing responsibilities, so we searched our archives for a column that was relevant and worthy of repeating.

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Second Amendment rights - Progress Index

More Americans Are Embracing Their Second Amendment Rights – The Daily Caller

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Danzig

We are over 100 days into the Trump administration, and there have been record numbers of gun sales as citizens are empowered by new leadership to embrace their Second Amendment rights. In April alone, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), the system gun retailers use to verify if a potential buyer can legally buy a gun, ran a whopping 2,045,564 background checks, showing there is renewed support for a strong Second Amendment after 8 years of anti-gun policies. And at the U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) our membership numbers continue to rise because the right to self-defense is one of our most fundamental beliefs as Americans.

In December 2015, a Gallup poll showed that 16% of Americans put terrorism as the number one issue facing our country. Sure enough, homeland security was also one of the biggest issues at the forefront of the 2016 election. Americans are worried about protecting themselves and their families, and have decided to take full advantage of their Second Amendment rights.

Under the past administration, President Obamas solution to violence and terrorism in this country was to legislate policies to keep people from legally obtaining guns. Now, under an administration thats pro-Second Amendment, gun owners can finally stop feeling criminalized for wanting to defend themselves.

An NBC/Washington Post poll also from December 2015 shows more people believe that the best way to stop terrorism is to allow citizens to arm themselves, instead of stricter gun control laws. A majority of people surveyed were also against an assault weapons ban, showing that the liberal claims of the majority of the country is against assault weapons, are false. In the same poll, only 22% of respondents were confident in the governments ability to prevent a terrorist attack an unsettlingly low number. All of these numbers from a year and a half ago, when our country was so close to an election, all explain the recent uptick in gun sales.

Americans watch the news, and are aware of what is going on around the world. We see it almost daily. Terrorist attacks in Europe, in places that seemed perfectly safe until recently, and even acts of domestic terrorism here in the United States have citizens concerned about their safety. Not to mention the instances of everyday crimes, which interestingly enough, is usually higher in places that have stricter gun laws. Legal access to firearms make citizens and their communities safer, and a country of armed, responsible citizens is a deterrent to criminals everywhere.

Lone-wolf terrorist attacks are on the rise, and the police cant always get there fast enough to stop the attacker before they hurt or kill people. Many attackers are known to the FBI and law enforcement, but there is little the government can do to intervene if the attacker keeps a low enough profile. It is up to responsibly armed citizens to be the first line of defense when these situations arise. Whether they are protecting just themselves, their family, or a classroom full of schoolchildren, people can see a clear need to arm themselves and know how to respond in a life threatening situation.

Back when the framers of the Constitution spelled out our freedoms in writing, the gun lobby did not exist. They were under no pressure from any interest groups regarding guns, and with pure intentions, wrote that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. With a leader in the White House that embraces and respects the Second Amendment, the tide is quickly turning toward a society that embraces responsible gun ownership, and does not condemn people for want to protect themselves.

Tim Schmidt is the president and founder of the U.S. Concealed Carry Association, and may be contacted at [emailprotected].

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Second Amendment rights – News – Jackson Newspapers – Ripley … – Jackson County Newspapers

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Danzig

Rev. Tom Lovorn, Th.D.

Q. Does the Bible have anything to say about our Second Amendment rights, which were hearing so much about in the current political climate? Christine Stawarz, Prince George, Va.

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Second Amendment rights - News - Jackson Newspapers - Ripley ... - Jackson County Newspapers

Rex Alphin supports the Second Amendment – News – The Progress … – Progress Index

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Danzig

Rex Alphin is pro-life, pro Second Amendment, his NRA rating is better than his opponents, and he appreciates the agricultural lifestyle the 64th District is known for and thats why Im voting for him. Rex believes in his community so much that he has owned and operated three businesses in his district, his opponents business is not in the 64th.

His opponent said she has never raised taxes, how could she? Shes never held any elected position to be faced with that hard reality. Tax hikes have been a major thorn, have we forgotten why taxes had to be raised? The board of supervisors, of which Rex is serving, unanimously voted to raise taxes because of the irresponsible misuse of taxpayer funds that the previous board used to saddle Isle of Wight with huge amounts of unnecessary debt. His opponent signed a Taxpayer Protection Pledge stating she wont raise taxes - maybe thats unrealistic. I dont want another broken promise, I want pro-active leadership. When you make tall promises, you always fall short. Rex is realistic and words mean something to him, he knows you dont have to be the loudest voice in the room to be effective.

As for fundraising, I would rather have a candidate whos raised more money from his district than someone whos raised their majority outside the 64th, check out cfreports.sbe.virginia.gov. Candidates need to be accountable to their constituents, not outside political forces. And what a shame political forces within local GOP groups think you are so ignorant that they banded together to tell everyone to vote for Rexs opponent. Thats what the establishment and Democrats do.

Lastly, things have been said about all the nice letters for Rex. Honor, integrity, faith, commitment, and passion for family and community mean a great deal to Rex and it means something to me. Rex isnt perfect, but hes not a flash in the pan.

Jennifer Boykin, Carrsville, Virginia

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A Sad Supreme Court Case Highlights the Need for Smarter Second Amendment Jurisprudence – National Review

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Danzig

One day in October 2010, a man by the name of Angel Mendez was at his home, asleep on a futon next to his pregnant girlfriend. Hed built the home himself, and it almost redefined the word modest. It was little more than a one-room shack in the back yard of another persons residence, with a blanket for a door. He awoke from his nap to see a person pulling back the blanket. He picked up his BB gun, and heard someone shout gun! before 15 rounds came flying at him. He was grievously injured, ultimately losing a leg. His unarmed girlfriend was also wounded.

It turns out the person who shot at Mendez was a police officer. Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies Christopher Conley and Jennifer Peterson were looking for a parolee who was believed to be armed and dangerous. They did not have a warrant to search Mendezs home, and they did not announce their presence or identity before accosting him. They entered, saw his BB gun, and started firing.

Lest you think this is a unique incident, in March I wrote about the terrible case of Andrew Scott. Like Mendez, Scott was an innocent man at home with his girlfriend when the police came. Like Mendez, he was mistaken by police for the armed and dangerous man they sought. They pounded on his door, but they didnt have a warrant, and they didnt announce themselves. Like any reasonable person, he was alarmed at the late-night disturbance and had no reason to expect the police were its source. So he grabbed his gun. When he opened his door, the police shot him dead in two seconds.

Neither Mendez nor Scott did anything wrong. They were both absolutely within their constitutional rights to pick up a weapon in response to the unidentified persons attempting to enter their homes. Yet Mendez, and Scotts heirs, have so far lost in court, unable to collect any meaningful compensation from the police officers who shot them precisely because they exercised those rights.

Scotts estate lost at the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that the doctrine of qualified immunity protected the officers from having to pay any compensation to the innocent victims of their mistaken and wrongful use of force. Mendez lost yesterday in the Supreme Court, which ruled unanimously against a quirky Ninth Circuit use-of-force rule that allowed excessive-force claims where an officer intentionally or recklessly provokes a violent confrontation, if the provocation is an independent Fourth Amendment violation. In other words, if the officers violated Mendezs Fourth Amendment rights by unlawfully entering his home, they could be held liable for shooting Mendez even if the shooting itself might otherwise have been justified under existing law.

The Supreme Court found that the Ninth Circuits rule violated court precedent requiring lower courts to instead apply a totality of the circumstances approach to such cases, under which the reasonableness of a particular use of force must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, rather than with the 20/20 vision of hindsight. The Supreme Court then remanded the case back to the lower courts, where the deck is already stacked against Mendez. The court of appeals, after all, already ruled that the officers had qualified immunity from Mendezs claim, and the trial court determined that Mendezs decision to pick up the BB gun was a superseding cause that limited the damages he could collect.

Its time for a different approach. Its time for Fourth Amendment jurisprudence to explicitly recognize and accommodate the Second Amendment. If the Second Amendment means anything at all, it means that I have a right to defend myself in my own home, where as Justice Scalia noted in District of Columbia v. Heller the need for defense of self, family, and property is most acute. Moreover, the Second Amendment exists in large part to protect the private citizen from state tyranny. It is odd indeed, then, that current law largely grants officers of the state the right to kill me in my own home even if I do nothing wrong. Indeed, the very act of exercising my Second Amendment rights picking up a gun makes it less likely that I will prevail in court.

Theres an old saying that a person would rather be judged by twelve than carried by six. In times of peril, the thinking goes, its better to risk a jury than to risk your life. But under modern jurisprudence, when the police barge in youre likely to be carried by six and then judged wanting by one: Youll die in the face of overwhelming firepower, and your estates case will be tossed right out of court by a judge.

This presents the homeowner especially if he lives in a high-crime area where the need for a gun is most dire with an impossible situation. In the event of a home intrusion, he has to identify the intruder before he picks up his gun or risk being shot dead instantaneously. If the cops make a good-faith mistake, the burden is on the homeowner. If the cops act improperly, as they did in both Scott and Mendez, the burden is still on the homeowner. Heads, they win; tails you lose.

What is to be done about this? Civil-rights jurisprudence must recognize the central legal truths of Heller and empower the original meaning of the Constitution. Police use of force against an armed homeowner should be evaluated on Second Amendment grounds, not merely as an unreasonable search or seizure. Agents of the state should be held liable for violations of Second Amendment rights when they kill or injure someone solely because he or she exercised those rights. Shooting an innocent man in his own home because he grabs a gun when an unidentified person pounds on his door or barges through it isnt just an unreasonable search or seizure. Its a direct violation of his clearly established right to keep and bear arms.

Its not too much to ask police officers to obtain warrants and to knock and announce their presence in all but the most exigent circumstances. In both Scott and Mendez, there was no good reason for police not to identify themselves. Yet in both cases, a residents reasonable response to police failures undermined his efforts to hold them accountable for those failures in court. That is unacceptable. When a person enters my house unannounced, I should have the right to hold a gun in my hand. To argue otherwise is to eviscerate the Second Amendment.

READ MORE: A Federal Appeals Court Goes to War against the Second Amendment What Justice Gorsuch Might Mean for the Second Amendment Why Would Anyone Want a Firearm?

David French is a senior writer for National Review, a senior fellow at the National Review Institute, and an attorney.

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A Sad Supreme Court Case Highlights the Need for Smarter Second Amendment Jurisprudence - National Review

Billions of dollars, First Amendment protections, at stake in ABC … – Sioux City Journal

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Danzig

Its a sure bet that the summer plans for 16 Union County, South Dakota, residents look a lot different today than they did a week ago.

The 11 women and five men constitute the jury in the defamation lawsuit brought by Dakota Dunes-based Beef Products Inc. against ABC and Jim Avila, a senior correspondent for the broadcaster. BPIs $1.9 billion lawsuit is scheduled to last eight weeks, potentially concluding in late July.

BPI is bringing suit under a 1994 state law that makes it illegal to knowingly disparage agriculture products with falsehoods. The law allows for treble damages, which in BPIs case would amount to $5.7 billion.

South Dakota is one of 13 states with laws that protect agriculture from disparagement. State legislatures began passing the laws after a 1993 decision in Washington where a court rejected efforts by apple farmers to punish 60 Minutes for a story that questioned the use of pesticides on apples, said Dave Heller, the deputy director of the Medial Law Resource Center.

BPI filed suit in September 2012 following a series of negative reports aired by ABC about BPIs signature product, Lean Finely Textured Beef. Following the reports, many of BPIs major customers stopped buying LFTB, which was used as a lean beef filler in hamburger. The fallout from those reports forced the company to close three of four plants and eliminate half its work force.

Roy Gutterman, the director of the Tully Center for Free Speech at Syracuse University, said the laws were intended to intimidate and chill news coverage. He noted that the term pink slime, which was used in ABCs broadcast to describe LFTB, was consistent with language used in the industry.

The pink slime case is an affront to the First Amendment, he said in an email. The damages being sought are outrageous.

Patrick Garry, a law professor at the University of South Dakota School of Law, said that BPI has a high bar because of First Amendment speech protections. BPI must prove that ABC acted with malice that it knowingly reported falsehoods with a desire to hurt BPI.

While the media has long-held legal protections, Garry wonders if this is the right case at the right time that could puncture some of those protections. BPI could have access to internal ABC documents showing the networks reports were biased, opening the door to a malice claim.

Steve Kay, who publishes Cattle Buyers Weekly, said it appeared to him that ABC set out to disparage a product that had been used around the world for years.

Im trying to be as neutral as possible, but by most standards of responsible journalism it appeared to be distorted and biased and extremely unreasonable, Kay said.

Eldon Roth, BPIs CEO, founded the company in 1981. He pioneered a method, Kay said, of extracting lean beef from fatty portions of cattle that had previously been rendered. BPIs method relied on centrifuges to extract the lean beef, which could then be added to hamburger, making a leaner product.

Roth further revolutionized the product following an E. coli outbreak that sickened hundreds in 1993 who ate hamburgers sold by Jack in the Box. He developed a process in which LFTB was treated with ammonium hydroxide to kill E. coli and other microbes.

The outcry is ironic, Kay said, because it was arguably the safest product on the market.

ABCs whole approach to BPI didnt make any sense to me, Kay said. It seemed to ignore the whole history of the product.

ABC wasnt the first media outlet to report on the process of making LFTB. The New York Times discovered an email in which a U.S. Department of Agriculture microbiologist described the product as pink slime. The paper referred to the email in a 2009 investigation, which uncovered reports of salmonella and E. coli in BPI products used in school lunches.

While no outbreaks were tied to BPI, the report by the Times included skepticism about the products safety among school lunch officials. In 2011, McDonalds, Burger King and Taco Bell abandoned LFTB.

Then came ABCs series of reports in March of 2012. Although the network broke little ground in terms of what had already been reported by the likes of The New York Times and others, its reporting set off a wave of negative reaction about LFTB. Grocers abandoned the product and USDA said school lunch programs didnt have to use beef that included LFTB.

BPIs revenues plummeted from $1.1 billion in 2011 to $400 million last year, Kay said. ABCs reports had an immediate and lasting impact on BPIs business.

No way has their business even more than partially recovered, Kay said.

Much of the outcry about LFTB and a focus of ABCs reporting was on the use of ammonia to kill microbes. Although ammonia is used in other processed foods and was OKd by USDA for use at certain levels for LFTB, food advocates were outraged that it wasnt on the product label. Nor were consumers alerted to the fact that LFTB portions come from parts of the animal that had previously been rendered or used outside of the food chain.

Michele Simon, a public health attorney and author who wrote about the topic, and who was deposed in the case, said ABCs reports exposed the vast underbelly of the industrial meat system.

I dont think anyone was claiming it was unsafe, just disgusting, Simon said.

Kay, however, says it would be impractical to describe the processes of making hamburger with LFTB on product labeling. BPI, he added, has always been open about its product and the processes it used.

But Simon says the company had no answer about why it wasnt being more transparent. And she said she doesnt know why anyone in the news industry would have it out for BPI.

Its a typical shooting-the-messenger act, she said.

ABC tried but failed to move the case from state court to federal court. The loss meant that it will be forced to defend itself in BPIs backyard.

Its hard to predict what will happen in this trial, Heller said in an email. ABC is in the plaintiffs home turf at a time of unprecedented hostility toward the press as purveyors of fake news. On the other hand, you will have a jury of average Americans probably more concerned with what they put on the family dinner table than the public relations of a beef processor.

Juries, Garry said, are often sympathetic to people who make defamation claims and give generous awards. But often, those awards are reversed on appeal, and Garry said he expects this case to be appealed, especially if the verdict goes against ABC.

Besides the Washington apple case that spurred state disparagement laws, Heller noted that nearly 20 years ago, Oprah Winfrey won a case in Texas after cattle ranchers attempted to silence her concerns about beef safety.

If the past is any track record, courts and juries will not be quick to shut down legitimate public debate about what we eat, he said.

While its true that opinions about food can substantially impact the bottom line of a manufacturer, thats a product of the free exchange of ideas, Heller said. We dont need the government to put its thumb on the scale and chill debate about what we are eating and how its made.

‘Democrat and Chronicle’ wins major First Amendment Award and other AP journalism prizes – Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Danzig

Matthew Leonard Published 2:24 p.m. ET June 4, 2017 | Updated 12 hours ago

Mt. Hope Cemetery has a different type of underground tunnel, made by nuisance wildlife, groundhogs. David Andreatta and Tina MacIntyre-Yee

(Right,) USA TODAY Albany bureau chief Joe Spector and (left) correspondent Jon Campbell with their NYSAPA awards for Investigative Reporting awarded in Saratoga Springs on June 3. Spector won 1st place, Campbell won 3rd.(Photo: Karen Magnuson/ executive editor and vice president/news)

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. The Democrat and Chronicle has been awarded a major New York First Amendment award; an acknowledgment of its vigilant efforts to defend the public's right to know, and to pursue legal options where necessary.

Thataccolade was one of the dozen awards that Democrat and Chronicle and its Albany bureau staff took away from theNew York State Associated Press Association's contest for stories broadcast, printed or posted online in 2016, announced Saturday night at the organization's annual banquet in Saratoga Springs.

The Democrat and Chronicle's nomination for the First Amendment Award (Newspapers) was built around its efforts to gain access to public records including a sealed complaint made against the late Assemblyman Bill Nojay and for efforts to gain access to records from the SUNY Polytechnic Institute.

The First Amendment award also acknowledges the dogged persistence of Albany Bureau correspondent Jon Campbell whose reporting resulted in media and public access to two semi-public boards overseeing the spending by SUNY Poly.

"The Democrat & Chronicle is fighting the Freedom of Information battle on many fronts," the judging panel commented. "Among the many initiatives the paper is engaged in, we were specifically impressed with the newsrooms efforts to open up semi-public board meetings. This is becoming a growing issue for many newsrooms."

The organization'sstaff also took first place in the categories of Spot News Coverage, for team reporting on the death by suicide of AssemblymanBill Nojay, two awards in the Investigative Reporting category including first place for "Why NY's School-Aid Formula is Flunking" byUSA TODAY Albany Bureau chief Joe Spector, and first place for columnist, going to David Andreatta.

The awards also recognized excellence in Business andArts/Entertainment journalism as well as the work of photography and digital staff.

"While we are excited about being recognized in several categories of coverage, the First Amendment Award is very special to our entire newsroom." said the Democrat and Chronicle's Executive Editor and Vice President/News Karen Magnuson.

"Our highest priority is being a watchdog for the community.We thank our president, Dan Norselli, for his support in going to court when necessary to gain access to information the public has a right to know.Im honored to work with journalists who wont take no for an answer and relentlessly dig for the truth. Rest assured, well continue to fight the good fight and hold public officials accountable, no matter what challenges we face!" Magnuson said Sunday.

The full list of award winners includes:

Spot News Coverage: 1, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle, "Assemblyman Commits Suicide."

Investigative Reporting: 1, Joe Spector, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle, "Why NY's School-Aid Formula is Flunking"; 3, Jon Campbell, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle, "The Cost of I Love NY."

Depth/Enterprise Reporting: 2, Patti Singer, Sean Lahman and Max Schulte, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle, "Nursing Homes: Error After Error";

Column: 1, David Andreatta, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle;

Business Writing: 2, Brian Sharp, (Rochester) I, "Silicon Valley of Food;"

Arts/Entertainment Reporting: 2, Jeff Spevak, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle, "WOW Factor the Wendy O. Williams We Didn't Know"

Digital Presence: 2, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle.

Feature Photo: 2, Tina MacIntyre-Yee, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle, "Jumping Through Fire."

Sports Photo: 3, Jamie Germano, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle, "Off with the Helmet."

Video: 3, Tina MacIntyre-Yee and David Andreatta, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle, "Groundhogs Make Mt. Hope Cemetery Holey Ground."

Other USA TODAY properties across New York also wonother major categories.

THE PHOTO: Senior Pastor John Morgan of Faith on Fire Fellowship told the crowd before he jumped through a wall of fire on his bicycle that it symbolizes a person's launch in life, the gap between ramps was the highs and lows in life and the wall of fire, the end of life. The breaking through the wall, he said, is giving your life to Jesus Christ. FROM TINA: Pretty cool to see and capture this. It happened so fast. They lit the wall and floor then after the flames got really big he was through it. It must have happened in literally less than a minute.(Photo: TINA MACINTYRE-YEE/@tyee23/staff photographer)

@mleonardmedia

This story includes reporting by the Associated Press.

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'Democrat and Chronicle' wins major First Amendment Award and other AP journalism prizes - Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Man Pummels MAX Train Operator While Screaming About First Amendment Rights – Willamette Week

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Danzig

One week after a double murder on a Portland MAX train horrified the city, a man riding a Blue Line MAX in East Portland started pummeling a TriMet operator who asked him to stop screaming about First Amendment rights.

The alleged assault occurred shortly after 2:15 pm this afternoon at the MAX station on East 102nd Avenue and Burnside Street. As the train approached the station, the operator asked a passenger to stop shouting, says Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sgt. Chris Burley.

"He was screaming and yelling about First Amendment rights," says Burley. "The operator of the train broadcast over the loudspeaker that he needed to quiet down."

When the train reached its stop, the operator went into the train's passenger car to ask the man to leave. The passenger physically attacked him, though accounts differ slightly on how. Police say he punched the driver. "He struck him several times," says Burley.

TriMet says the driver was pushed to the ground. Other passengers pulled the man off the driver.

TriMet spokeswoman Roberta Altstadt says the driver wasn't seriously hurt.

"The operator received minor cuts and bruises, that sort of thing, but wasn't transported for medical care," she says. "He will be fine."

The alleged assailant was arrested blocks away. Police have identified him as 23-year-old Steven Caldwell. He's been charged with fourth degree assault and three misdemeanors.

The assault comes at a raw moment for the city.

It's been one week since two men were killed trying to stop the anti-Muslim harassment of two teenage girls on a Green Line MAX train. The suspected killer, Jeremy Joseph Christian, is a white supremacist with suspected ties to right-wing extremists who have repeatedly roiled Portland with protests.

This Sunday, those "alt-right" protesters pledge to return for a rally that could mean more violence in an already tense city. Plans for counter-demonstrations are rapidly forming to disrupt the group's rallyin Terry Schrunk Plaza downtown.

At the center of these far-right protests is the demand for free speech. That demand often means pushing the boundaries of unpopular and racist rhetoric in hopes of inciting a violent response from left-wing foils.

Christian, who marched with these groups in April, entered his arraignment hearing Tuesday yelling, "Free speech or die, Portland!"

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