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Astro-Physics / Telescopes, Cameras & Astronomy Products …

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Danzig

OPT is thrilled to be able to offer our customers Astro-Physics mounts and accessories. Astro-Physics is legendary in the astronomical community, and has been developing and building telescopes and accessories since 1975.

Astro-Physics mounts, such as the Mach1, 1600, and 3600GTO models, are designed for solid stability under a variety of observing conditions. At the same time, these mounts are truly portable so that they can be transported and set up quickly and accurately. AP mounts break down into manageable sizes, but when set up, they are extremely rugged and steady platforms. A very accurate worm gear set was designed to insure smooth, effortless tracking of celestial objects for all visual and photographic purposes.

AP accessories, including piers, saddle and dovetail plates, counterweights, and a wide range of adapters are designed for functionality and tested in the field under actual observing conditions. The OPT telescope staff is expert in matching the proper accessories to a telescope system for optimal performance. You can choose from any of the categories below to find quality Astro-Physics equipment, and if you need help or advice, just give us a call, start a chat, or send an email.

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Astro-Physics / Telescopes, Cameras & Astronomy Products ...

NYS Medicine – New York State Education Department

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Danzig

A physician is a licensed health care professional who diagnoses, treats, operates, or prescribes for any human disease, pain, injury, deformity, or physical condition.

A physician assistant ("PA") is a licensed health care professional who provides medical care under the supervision of a physician. PAs provide a wide range of care within the area of practice of the supervising physician.

A specialist assistant provides medical care under the supervision of a physician in one of the four following specialty areas: orthopedics, acupuncture, radiology, or urology.

A New York licensed physician has completed a program of medical education and received the doctor of medicine (M.D.), doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.), or equivalent degree. While New York State requires a minimum of two years of postsecondary education prior to medical school, most applicants admitted to medical school have a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Medical programs include studies in basic and medical sciences.

New York licensed physicians have also completed a minimum of one year of postgraduate training in an approved residency program; graduates of unaccredited/unregistered medical schools must complete three years of residency training and pass a proficiency exam. In addition, licensed physicians pass a State-approved licensing examination.

Licensed New York physician assistants have graduated from a two-to-four year State-approved PA program; these programs often require two years of college-level course work prior to admission, although some programs allow entry directly from high school. In addition, PAs have passed a comprehensive licensing examination.

Top 10 Beaches in Florida : TravelChannel.com

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Danzig

Take advantage of the Sunshine States surf, sun and sand at these top 10 beaches in Florida. With remote island getaways, big-city beaches and family-friendly shores perfect for shelling and sand-castle building, Florida promises a beach for every visitor. Check out our recommendations and browse through photos of Florida's best beaches.

ventdusud / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Paradise is located just off the coast of mainland Florida and it's called Key West. As Jimmy Buffett crooned, Key West is the original changer of latitudes and attitudes, and 1 weekend here proves that he knew exactly what he was talking about. Fort Zachary Taylor State Park is one of Florida's most beautiful spots, with wide stretches of sugary sand and tranquil waters. Visitors can rent snorkel gear or a 2-person glass-bottom kayak from the concession area. Or stick to dry land and rent a bike to navigate the single bike path that winds beside the Key West shipping channel, around the fort, through a rocky, secluded beach and to countless picnic spots.

Thinkstock

South Beach is an international playground offering nonstop nightlife, sandy shores, unique architecture and plenty of eye candy. When imagining the South Beach scene, thinkBaywatchwith an architectural twist ... even the lifeguard stands are art deco masterpieces. The long, man-made beach stretches up the Atlantic for miles and is perfect for early morning runs and topless sunbathing. And while it may not be the Caribbean, the water is as clean and clear as the Atlantic gets. The beach is also about the best spot to view the city lights at night before exploring the legendary club scene.

istock

With so much to see and do, it's almost impossible to lie idle on Siesta Key. Whether you curl your toes in it, run your fingers through it or bask on it, the allure of the island sand is contagious. Beach lovers flock to these silky shores to take advantage of the wide expanse of sand and the tranquil Gulf waters. Siesta Key Beach is perfect for strolling, shell-collecting or more active pursuits, such as renting a catamaran or kayak from one of the many beach concessionaires. This perfect family vacation venue, which boasts beachside picnic areas and playgrounds, is also home to candlelit restaurants and cozy rental cottages ideal for a romantic getaway.

Thinkstock

Delray Beach at Ocean and Atlantic avenues is a charming village by the sea. Each year, nearly 1 million visitors flock to this family-friendly, 2-mile-long beach ideal for sunbathing, swimming and sand-castle building. When the sun goes down, visitors take a stroll on festive Atlantic Avenue, enjoying the boutiques, seafood restaurants, cool architecture and the Pineapple Grove Arts District. And if youre looking for a worthwhile splurge, check into the Seagate Hotel and Spa on Atlantic Avenue, just a short trolley ride to the beach and the private Seagate Beach Club.

Thinkstock

Clearwater Beach's well-deserved reputation as one of America's finest beaches has lured countless families and couples to its broad, sandy shores and beachfront hotels. Spread along a narrow, 3-mile stretch of the Pinellas Peninsula on the Gulf Coast, Clearwater Beach straddles the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the west and tranquil Tampa Bay to the east. This location between the 2 waters and Clearwater's proximity to Tampa offer visitors ample activities, such as sunbathing on white-sand beaches, diving into a game of beach volleyball, renting fishing boats, taking a dolphin-watching cruise, parasailing or heading to a mainland museum or aquarium.

Thinkstock

Sanibel is a unique barrier island with an east-west orientation that differs from the typical north-south layout. This east-west designation has helped Sanibel earn its reputation as one of the Shell Islands prime spots along Floridas coastline for gathering perfectly intact shells in every shape and size. Hit the beach with a bucket, shovel and small net, and stroll the beach at low tide to peruse the oceans bounty of conch, cockles and scallop shells. Bowmans Beach is the quietest and most remote stretch of sand in Sanibel, while a historic lighthouse beckons visitors to take a stroll on the rustic boardwalk at Lighthouse Beach.

Clinton & Charles Robertson, flickr

Relaxing is easy on Atlantic Beach: Sand as soft and white as sugar, brilliant sunshine and azure waters abound. And while Atlantic Beach has heaps of small-town charm, its also just a short drive from Jacksonville, making it convenient for day-trippers and vacationers who want a short airport-to-beach commute. History buffs can learn about the development of the Atlantic Beach and neighboring Jacksonville beaches at the areas Beaches Museum and History Center. After spending the afternoon strolling the shores, head to Beaches Town Centers pedestrian-friendly cobblestone streets and check out the towns restaurants, galleries, boutiques and frequent special events, including live music and the monthly North Beaches Art Walk, held on the third Thursday of every month.

istock

It may have more than 47 miles of pristine beaches, but the crown jewel of Palm Beach County, FL, is, without a doubt, exclusive Palm Beach a 14-mile-long, half-mile-wide island of wealth and extravagance. Winter home to the Vanderbilts, the Kennedys, the Rockefellers and a slew of newly minted millionaires, Palm Beach features some of Florida's finest hotels, restaurants and shops, as well as some truly beautiful beaches. Perched next to the Gulf Stream, Palm Beach enjoys the benefit of warm blue water and gentle breezes. John D. MacArthur State Park has a beautiful beach perfect for families, as well as abundant marine life and rare plants to explore on a nature walk.

Thinkstock

Along with Sanibel, Captiva Island shares the distinction of being one of Floridas Shell Islands. Captiva is generally the spot to find the larger of the intact shells. Turner Beach, though not good for swimming because of fast currents, is the perfect spot for a shell-hunting adventure. Just be sure to leave any live shells on the beach, or you'll risk breaking the states strict shelling laws. At sunset, head to Captiva Beach at the end of Captiva Drive to take in a spectacular sunset.

Charles Cook/Lonely Planet Images/Getty Images

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Top 10 Beaches in Florida : TravelChannel.com

Florida Beach Guide | Orlando, Daytona, More – Orlando …

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Danzig

Some well-kept secrets are upstaged by the old world charm of this Mediterranean-influenced city on the Gulf Coast, conceived as one of Florida's first planned communities in the early 20th Century. The shady lanes and manicured boulevards showcase the Northern Italian design envisioned by its...

Kaylee Sturm sat in the low surf, the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico lapping around her. The University of Tampa senior had never been to this barrier island north of Clearwater, but she and her mom were immediately impressed. "I like that it's natural," said Sturm, adding that she preferred...

Clearwater Beach is a barrier island off a peninsula, so it takes some bridge-hopping to reach it. But three miles of powdery white beach and abundant family attractions await in this reawakening old shore town. Mom 'n' pop hotels, shops, restaurants and attractions have kept that cluttered, Old...

For an escape from the hustle of normal Tampa Bay civilization, set your sights on Fort De Soto Park, an absolutely stunning retreat. It's part of St. Petersburg, but seems to be from a faraway world. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, it bears a military name but has a spiritual heart. Fort De Soto...

Treasure Island, Florida is located on Florida's beautiful Gulf Coast and is blessed with miles of gorgeous white sand beaches that boast that "Old Florida" feel yet Treasure Island is part of the Tampa Bay region, one of the nation's fastest growing metro areas. With its rich history, today Treasure...

St. Pete Beach is a barrier island in Pinellas county with award-winning, beautiful beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. With miles of pristine white sand, St. Pete Beach offers visitors a variety of views, activities and Florida sun. St. Pete Beach is nestled on Long Key. Upham Beach, located on the...

It's a warm afternoon at Gulfport's beachfront park. Several parents are perched on palm-shaded benches, chatting, while their offspring curl themselves around the playground equipment or wade out into the gentle waves. Couples recline nearby on sand-edged beach towels; eyes closed, they soak up...

Siesta Key is a narrow, 8-mile long, crescent-shaped Gulf Coast barrier island that manages to be busy and restful at the same time. It boasts sugary white beaches that sand snobs love for being 99 percent pure quartz. Accommodations run the gamut, but rooms can be tough to find in high season....

Anna Maria Island -- a slender 7-mile slip of Gulf sand balanced atop the crooked crab claw of north Longboat Key -- is a slow-motion kind of place. Sit a spell and taste the brine of the sea air as it bites softly at the back of your throat. Kick off your shoes and feel the sand sucked from under...

Longboat Key, Lido Key, and St. Armands Key are ideal beach and bayfront settings for the ultimate Florida vacation. Stretching between the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico and serene Sarasota Bay, these keys attract many visitors who come to enjoy the average year-round temperature of 73 degrees. The area...

My wife and I are hardly big-time adventurers, our lives being better summarized by into the mild than Into the Wild. But one year, while pedaling bikes around a national wildlife refuge on this Gulf Coast barrier island, we looked up and saw a bald eagle harassing an osprey. The eagle wanted the...

Fort Myers, near Florida's southwest coast, has a mix of beautiful beaches, historic attractions, museums and recreation such as golf and water sports. Its proximity to the Everglades makes it easy for visitors to find beautiful scenery, nature trails and wildlife areas. There are myriad resorts,...

The pelicans know. Even simple sea birds can sense tranquillity. That must be why these large-billed creatures like to float on gentle waters that lap softly along Vanderbilt Beach. Serenity also attracts two-legged creatures of the human variety to this special place on Florida's Gulf Coast. Gentle...

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Florida Beach Guide | Orlando, Daytona, More - Orlando ...

Astronomy – ScienceDaily

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Danzig

Astronomy is the scientific study of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere (such as the cosmic background radiation).

It is concerned with the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects, as well as the formation and development of the universe.

Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences.

Astronomers of early civilizations performed methodical observations of the night sky, and astronomical artifacts have been found from much earlier periods.

However, the invention of the telescope was required before astronomy was able to develop into a modern science.

Historically, astronomy has included disciplines as diverse as astrometry, celestial navigation, observational astronomy, the making of calendars, and even, at one time, astrology, but professional astronomy is nowadays often considered to be identical with astrophysics.

Since the 20th century, the field of professional astronomy split into observational and theoretical branches.

Observational astronomy is focused on acquiring and analyzing data, mainly using basic principles of physics.

Theoretical astronomy is oriented towards the development of computer or analytical models to describe astronomical objects and phenomena.

The two fields complement each other, with theoretical astronomy seeking to explain the observational results, and observations being used to confirm theoretical results.

Amateur astronomers have contributed to many important astronomical discoveries, and astronomy is one of the few sciences where amateurs can still play an active role, especially in the discovery and observation of transient phenomena.

The most frequently studied star is the Sun, a typical main-sequence dwarf star of stellar class G2 V, and about 4.6 Gyr in age.

The Sun is not considered a variable star, but it does undergo periodic changes in activity known as the sunspot cycle.

The study of stars and stellar evolution is fundamental to our understanding of the universe.

The astrophysics of stars has been determined through observation and theoretical understanding; and from computer simulations of the interior.

Star formation occurs in dense regions of dust and gas, known as giant molecular clouds.

When destabilized, cloud fragments can collapse under the influence of gravity, to form a protostar.

A sufficiently dense, and hot, core region will trigger nuclear fusion, thus creating a main-sequence star.

Almost all elements heavier than hydrogen and helium were created inside the cores of stars.

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Astronomy - ScienceDaily

Astronomy | Physics and Astronomy | University of South Carolina

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Danzig

Astronomy, as a science, was born the day our ancestors started wondering about the skies overhead. And yet, Astronomy still remains one of the most active branches of Science. Research Astronomy/ Astrophysics is in a golden era at present, with many fundamental discoveries (e.g., dark energy, dark matter, black holes, extrasolar planets) shaping our understanding of the size and future of the universe, and of our place in the universe.

Astrophysical environments offer unique opportunities to study the behavior of matter under extreme conditions that are often impossible to attain in Earth-based laboratories. To understand the objects and events in the cosmos, astrophysicists combine knowledge from diverse areas of physics, mathematics, statistics, and image processing. Research students in Astrophysics thus obtain a broad and well-rounded education.

The Astrophysics group at USC is engaged in research in extragalactic astrophysics and observational cosmology. Our work focusses on quasars, distant galaxies, intergalactic matter, and the evolution of these objects with cosmic time. Some of the key scientific questions we are trying to address are: how did the cosmic abundances of the chemical elements build up with time? How did the processes of star formation and gas consumption progress in galaxies? How did the structure and shapes of galaxies get established over billions of years?

Our research uses primarily optical, infrared, and ultraviolet facilities, and is funded by the NSF and NASA. We use a wide range of observing facilities in Chile, Hawaii, Arizona, and New Mexico, especially the Magellan Clay telescope, the Very Large Telescope (VLT), the Gemini telescopes, the Keck telescopes, and the Apache Point Observatory (APO), In addition, we use the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope to access parts of the electromagnetic spectrum that are attenuated by the Earth's atmosphere. Our group has attracted several USC students, and includes close collaborators at a number of institutions worldwide.

Faculty Varsha Kulkarni

Steven Rodney

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Astronomy | Physics and Astronomy | University of South Carolina

AEM – Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics – University of …

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Danzig

Welcome to the web site of the Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics Department. We offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics. Please use the links at the left to find out more about our programs and Department.

The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics aerospace engineering doctoral program has been placed fourth in the nation overall in the 2010 National Research Council (NRC) Assessment of Doctoral Research Programs. The program was second in the specific categories of Research Activity and Student Support. Read more.

AEM alum Steve Cook was recently named a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). The AIAA confers Fellowships in recognition of notable and valuable contributions to the arts, sciences, or technology of aeronautics and astronautics. See more info.

AIAA's Spotlight for January 2016 is pointed to the state of Minnesota, falling on Kristen Gerzina, an aeroballistician at Orbital ATK, and the chair of the AIAA Twin Cities Section. See more info.

Professor Emeritus William H. Warner passed away on December 27, 2015 after a brief illness. Dr. Warner came to the University of Minnesota as an assistant professor in 1955 in the Department of Mechanics and Materials, which a few years later merged with Aeronautical Engineering. He served as a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics from 1968 to 1995. See more info.

The Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Laboratory is continuing development on its Goldy system, which serves as the brain of professional-grade UAVs (or drones) used for scientific research and allows researchers to pilot the aircraft from the ground, collect data as it flies and process that data into useful information. NASA is using the Goldy flight control system in the third version of Prandtl-D, a V-shaped glider designed to imitate how a bird files. See more info.

Last Modified: 2016-02-17 at 10:41:50 -- this is in International Standard Date and Time Notation

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AEM - Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics - University of ...

Futurist | Inside Jobs

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Danzig

What does the future hold? Without a magic ball, no one truly knows. And yet, businesses the world over count on a certain degree of premonition when they plan out a product unveiling two years into the future, or schedule changes in hardware or infrastructure within the next decade. A Futurist is the professional combination of Mathematician, Scientist, and Fortune Teller who offers predictions of what the future holds.

As a Futurist, you might have a background in just about anything. Whether youve been a Lawyer, a Landscaper, or a Librarian, youve acquired the skills of reading between the lines, understanding what people want, and forecasting behaviors.

You earn the title of Futurist when you tap into that understanding and begin to draw conclusions about how customers will act five or more years into the future. Will they go back to brick-and-mortar shopping or rely even more heavily on the Internet?

While your skills benefit pharmaceutical companies planning to promote a new line of medications and toy manufacturers seeking the new generation of electronics, you also promote a better understanding of important societal issues. For example, you might forecast gas consumption, or crunch the most reliable data to calculate up-and-coming economic powerhouses, key players in the political world, or world-altering weather changes.

| Jim Carroll- Futurist, Trends & Innovation Keynote Speaker

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Danzig

A Sample of Jim's Recent & Upcoming Engagements PGA - Professional Golf Association

94th Annual General Meeting Boston, Massachusetts

Leadership Meeting Athens, Greecet

Innovation Thought Leadership Event Greenbelt, Maryland

CSC Executive Exchange St Andrews, Scotland

Leadership Meeting Pasadena, California

"Putting Capital To Work" Event New York, NY

Annual Executive Conference Austin, Texas

HIPO Leadership Meeting San Francisco, California

Global IT Meeting San Francisco, California

World Energy/Utilities Conference San Francisco, California

Leadership Innovation Symposium Albequerque, New Mexico

ERA Connect Annual Conference Austin, Texas

Client Investment Symposium Baltimore, Maryland

Global Conference New Orleans, Louisiana

Global Payments Conference Phoenix, Arizona

100th Annual Conference and Exhibition Gaylord, Texas

Robotic Automation Conference Davenport, Iowa

5th Annual Program / Project Leadership Kickoff Galveston, Texas

Executive HR Leadership Conference Washington, DC

Worldwide Operators Congress Toronto, Ontario

CITE Higher Education Leaders Conference Denver, Colorado

Multi-Unit Franchise Conference Las Vegas, Nevada

Annual CEO Summit Ojai, California

"An outstanding presentation for an industry and association that falls on its traditions so often. We learned that our tradition should not be something that holds us back, but rather the launching pad for innovation for the future. Thanks Jim for your thought provoking presentation!"

- 94th PGA of America Annual General Meeting

"On behalf of the entire Innovative Technology Partnerships Office, thank you for your engaging and thought-provoking presentation at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. From the feedback we have received, the event was a great success. Thank you for sharing your insight and expertise with us!"

- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

"We were extremely pleased with Jims presentation... the content was bang-on and would hopefully prompt people to think about the rapidity of change going on in our world!. Jims storytelling approach really helps to get his points across! He did a great job!"

- Walt Disney Company

"We thought Jim was amazing - just the positive message we wanted to leave folks with.

- T. Rowe Price

People were really excited and energetic. I got comments about your presentation and the day as a whole like home run and perfect. Your presentation was policy in a thought provoking way - and with the focus on the future and technology, the Denver Chamber of Commerce will surely see this as a great jumping off point to their broader transportation conversation.

- Colorado Transportation Summit

"Jim Carroll recently presented at Lockheed Martins Executive HR Leadership conference. His content was very provocative, fascinating, and relevant. Ive embedded a couple of his nuggets into my operating model

- Lockheed Martin

"Many thanks for your presentation, 7 Things You Need to Do Right Now: Aligning the Fast Future to Your Current Strategy It couldn't have been more energy filled and dynamic to start the conference out on the right foot. It was exactly what the audience wanted and needed to hear. The feedback from all attendees was excellent."

- VIBE Conference, Las Vegas

"Bringing Jim into our MLC Sales Conference in Sydney through a fibre optic line was truly incredible. The key note session Jim delivered was on the money, he exceeded my expectations."

- MLC National Australia Bank

"Jim is one of the best speakers we had. He had excellent information that our attendees could take home and incorporate it into their plans immediately. He also incorporated our messages into his presentation that helped localize the information for our group. Highly recommended!"

- Illinois Bureau of Tourism.

"After seeing Jim speak at another conference, I was so motivated by his presentation, I invited Jim to speak at a conference for my organization. Another home run! Powerful, articulate, thought provoking and energetic! Jim's delivery on the importance of staying abreast of rapidly changing trends truly can assist in changing the way we do business!"

- US Navy, Air Force, Marine Child Youth Program Conference

"... your talk hit just the right note.....I did have several people ask me if they could get a copy of your presentation as well as many who noted that the programming was fantastic and gave them a lot to think about."

-Consumer Electronics Association CEO Summit

"Thank you for an outstanding opening keynote for the 10th Anniversary Opportunities Conference: you received a 100% approval rating which has only been achieved 2 other times in our 10 year history!"

-Opportunities Conference Organizer

We were extremely pleased with Jims presentation.. the content was great and would hopefully prompt people to think about the rapidity of change going on in our world! You were superb! As we make changes your message could not have come at a better time. This group likes tradition but unfortunately that often gets in the way of moving forward. Thank you again for reminding us that our greater responsibility is to the future!"

- US National Recreation and Parks Association

I have been working with Jim for the past four years, and, without question, he is one of the most dynamic speakers and professional partners Ive ever come across. Our audiences (internal and external) love him, and he works wonderfully with our customers. .Im willing to bet your first experience will lead to many, many more, as it has with SAP. I wish you the best with him.book him before someone else does!

- SAP

Healthcare in 2021? What will we be doing in 10 years time? Well, according to Jim Carroll, keynote speaker for the opening session, definitely not what we're doing today! He presented an invigorating view of what our healthcare systems could be looking like and it's up to us to decide how we get there. We'll be accepting his challenge to take three scary ideas away and think about how we can make them work, rather than the reasons why they won't. The poll4 system was fun and it was definitely the first time we'd been asked to turn our phones on during a presentation!

- International Society of Medical Publication Professionals

Association of Professional Futurists – Home

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Danzig

The Association of Professional Futurists is a global community of professional futurists committed to leadership and excellence in the futures field. Our members provide unique perspectives to help people anticipate and influence the future.

The APF aims to set the standard of excellence for foresight professionals. Members include futurists from businesses, governments and non-profits, consulting futurists, educators, and students in futures studies.

We meet regularly, host active electronic discussions among practitioners, provide professional development programs, recognize excellence in futures works, and offer a rich body of ideas and information about the future for the public.

For members: please see further instructions about the new website on the Community page (navigation at left, sign-in required).

Excellence in Leadership Awards 2015

The APF recognizes Maree Conway and Ken Harris with Excellence in Leadership awards for their extraordinary service. Certificates were presented at the Annual Reception and Awards Presentation in San Francisco on 25 July 2015.

Maree Conway, Thinking Futures, took APFs membership data from an unruly mess of several lists and incomplete information to a full-fledged database that links profiles and engagement to financial and membership for each member. This fully integrated system enables members to maintain and access their own data. Furthermore, Maree nurtured the program through the first five years, communicating with members and managing their questions and concerns. Marees work put the APF on firm footing as a proficiently-run organization.

Ken Harris, The Consilience Group and Tech Cast, founded the Most Significant Futures Works awards program in 2007 which recognizes excellent publications in professional futures works. Initially a virtual book club, under Kens leadership, MSFW grew to an annual program with awards in three categories: methods, content, and images of the future. Ken managed heated differences with smooth leadership, practicality and evidence. This award was presented posthumously to Kens widow. Ken is deeply missed in the APF community.

The Board of the APF would like to thank the leaders, including committee and task force chairs and members for their important contributions in developing a more relevant, robust Association of Professional Futurists.

If you have questions,

2015 Student Recognition Program (SRP) Awards

The theme of the APF 2015 AnnualGatheringwas the future oflearning. The event featured outstanding speakers, workshops, installations, andplay. Participants explored majorforces aligned to disrupt the world offormal and informal learning over the coming decade.

For those who attended: thanks for coming and joining us as we deconstructed and remixed these myriad challenges and opportunities and did what we do best: generate not just future scenarios but ground-breaking concepts that could change the world.

For APF pro futurists who could not attend: all of the sessions were video taped and will be made available soon. Be watching for links and access instructions via the listserv and email notification.

Here's the Atlanta Gathering Learning Remix webpage.

Contact Joe Tankersley (joe@uniquevisions.net) with questions.

image: Atlanta GA Chuck Koehler flickrcc

2015 San Francisco July 24-26

Professional Development Seminar--SOLD OUT!THE FUTURE OF WORK

APF's professional futurists explored what the changing future of work means to us, in an interactive experience with knowledgeable members of our community and outside speakers.

When: Friday July 24th, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (in time to return to WFS Conference Hotel for 4:30 pm key note speaker.)

Breakfast: 8:00 a.m., Workshop Cafe, 180 Montgomery Street (on way to General Assembly.)

Working sessions: General Assembly's library, 225 Bush Street, 5th floor

Happy Hour: Thursday July 23rd, 5:30 - 7:30, Klyde's Wine Bar, 386 Geary

APF Town Hall, Saturday lunch - Members Only

When: Saturday, July 25, 2015, 12:30 to 1:50 pm

Where: Contemporary Jewish Museum

When: Saturday, July 25, 2015 approximately 6-8pm

Send questions to Verne Wheelwright or Cindy Frewen.

Other APF Events in San Francisco

We had a limited number of copies of a special edition of Compass created for the WFS conference at the Professional Development Day. Saturday evening at the Annual Reception, and at the WFS bookstore.

APF Members Presenting at WFS San Francisco: A Guide

Each year the Association of Professional Futurists puts together a list of its members who will be speaking at the World Future Societys annual conference. APF members have provided some of the best presentations at WFS each year, and this year looks to be no different!

Here's the Guide (pdf).

APF members presenting at WFS

This year featured 38 presenters from the APF in wide variety of sessions.

Rosa Alegria Joel Barker

Clem Bezold Alisha Bhagat

Jim Burke Stuart Candy

Maree Conway Adam Cowart

Cornelia Daheim Cindy Frewen

Thomas Frey Joyce Gioia

Fabienne Goux-Baudiment Linda Groff

Bob Harrison Glen Hiemstra

Andy Hines Katie King

James Lee Zhan Li

Richard Lum Mathew Manos

Wendy McGuinness Sam Miller

Katherine Prince Richard Yonck

Herb Rubenstei Omar Sahi

Yvette Montero Salvatico Wendy Schultz

Gray Scott Frank Spencer

Jeff Suderman Jason Swanson

John Sweeney Aubrey Yee

Terry Collins Alisha Baghat

APF Virtual Gathering - June 2015

This V-Gathering was inspired by a conversation on the APF Listserv on the Apple Car and other driverless vehicles. A half hour of ideas by professional futurists was followed by a hosted exchange with attendees.

When:June 02, 2015 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT/US (13.00 New York)

Speakers:Paul Graham Raven, John Jackson, Cindy Frewen

The well attended event explored global futures of transportation, focused on self-driving cars and why Apple and Silicon Valley is interested in automobiles. Paul brought a policy perspective, Cindy discussed design and user experience, and John talked about Apple's role and the potential of luxury vehicles. The idea of cars as a third place and other alternative forms of transportation turn out to be very freeing for people. A number of links and statistics were shared by attendees. The lively discussion surely could have extended for another hour. Thanks to all who came and offered their expert knowledge. Thanks to Jim for organizing so well despite his flooded home from Houston storms.

Send questions to V-Gatherings Chair/HostJim Breaux.

2015 LONDON GATHERINGS

Last Friday London Gatheringsoccur in the Spring and Fall with three or so events during each series, six total per year.

For questions, contactAndrew Curry.

The second APF event on the 24th April (13:30 for a 14:00 start) was a collaboration between the Club of Amsterdam and the Association of Professional Futurists.This session focused on the human aspect of the future of cities. The soft architecture of cities.People in cities seem to have more in common with each other than with people living in their own country outside of the city. Are we watching a deep global change in values and understanding, led by the boom in city living?

For questions, contactNick Price.

Last Friday London Gathering:

Arctic Futures and the Postnormal Perspective

When: 30 May 2014 430 pm to 700 pm

Where: The Futures Company

Recap

Guy Yeomans, UK based futures consultant specialising in the Arctic, opened up the topical part of the session. Guy took on the hard job of translating a complex picture into a pragmatic primer for the subsequent postnormal futures session. He made good use of visualisations and graphics to avoid getting stuck in detail. This content seemed to be engaging for both members and non-members.

John Sweeney, from the University of Hawaii, then lead a two part presentation. First introducing the concept of postnormal futures and the three tomorrows method which went down well particularly with the APF members. Including hard futures content is good for that audience section. John then went into bridging the postnormal framework into the Arctic futures ground Guy had set up.

The third section was group work in three groups. Guy and John had some Arctic Futures scenario seeds for the groups to build out. Each group created a postcard visualisation of their possible future. This new format for APF events creates an intimate, high level learning dialogue for members and visiting futurists.

2014 Gathering: Convergence in San Francisco March 31 - April 2

A fantastic time, among the best APF gatherings, which is saying a great deal. Thanks to Art Kleiner, Chris Ertel, Nancy Murphy, and Jason Tester (IFTF) for their excellent presentations.

If you have questions, please contactAndy Hines,MSFW Chair.

2013 Most Significant Futures Works Awards

Emerging Fellows 2013-14 Speak Out#4futr

Check out the weekly blog posts by the 2013-14 Emerging Fellows. You will find exciting, thoughtful ideas about futures by new futurists who are still discovering her or his way into the field. They ponder deep ideas about their own futures, chase contagious futures, and question the direction of the field as well as other futures.

Simeon Spearman writes about "Big Data":

"My initial answer to the challenge of dogmatically data-driven deciders is to reiterate that at the end of the day, our value as futurists is to provide the second derivative perspective, or rather providing insights on how the rates of change are changing."

2013 Pro Dev Seminar Friday July 19#apfpd13

Here's the agenda (pdf).

At the APF annual reception Saturday eve July 20, 2013, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, over fifty people convened at the Firehouse in Chicago. The new Emerging Fellows and winners of the Student Recognition Project and the Most Important Futures Works winners were announced. Terry Grim, Foresight Alliance/University of Houston received a first place award for Category 1: "Advance the methodology and practice of foresight and futures studies" for her article in JFS on the Foresight Maturity Model. Heather Schlegel and Jim Breaux were recognized for their exemplary student work. Emerging Fellow Bridgette Engeler-Newberry received her certificate. Congratulations to all!

Town Hall Exchange

APF leaders held a round table discussion on the Future of Foresight Project and the APF's next Strategic Plan 2014 - 2016.The Future of Foresight essays are posted in the community section (members only, sign in required). and the current Strategic Plan (2011- 2013) being implemented is here.

At the 2013 APF Gathering, an historic number of people experienced one of the best gatherings filled with fantastic ideas, fun, and community.

Wendy Schultz said,

"a terrific and stimulating three days, exactly what I expect of our colleagues. The visits to IST and ADL were interesting and useful, and the Saturday workshop with Starr Long and Mary Flanagan enlightening and fun."

Special thanks to all our speakers and the Gatherings Team!

Image: Wikipedia

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Eugenics | NCpedia

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Danzig

Portions excerpted from Guide to Research Materials in the North Carolina State Archives: State Agency Records. North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 1995

See also: Eugenics board; Eugenics legislation in North Carolina

The eugenics movement of the early twentieth century grew out of the research and writings of the English scientist, Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911). Galton, the half-cousin of Charles Darwin, had a variety of interests included psychology, genetics, and statistics. Among his beliefs was the idea that government intervention could help promote the biological improvement of humans.

As part of the movement many states, including North Carolina, enacted laws that allowed sterilization of the "mentally diseased, feeble minded or epileptic." In 1929, the North Carolina General Assembly authorized the governing body or executive head of any penal or charitable public institution to order the sterilization of any patient or inmate when such an operation was deemed to be in the best interest of an individual or for the public good. Additionally, the county boards of commissioners were authorized to order sterilization at public expense of any mentally defective or feeble-minded resident upon receiving a petition from the individual's next of kin or legal guardian.

Each order for sterilization was required to be reviewed and approved by the commissioner of the Board of Charities and Public Welfare, the secretary of the State Board of Health, and the chief medical officers of any two state institutions for the feeble-minded or insane. A medical and family history of the patient or inmate was attached to the order to provide information and guidance for the reviewers.

In 1933 the General Assembly created the Eugenics Board of North Carolina to review all cases involving the sterilization of mentally diseased, feeble-minded, or epileptic patients, inmates, or non-institutionalized individuals. The five members of the board included the commissioner of the Board of Charities and Public Welfare, the secretary of the State Board of Health, the chief medical officer of a state institution for the feeble-minded or insane (appointed by the other board members), the chief medical officer of the State Hospital at Raleigh, and the attorney general.

In hearings that involved patients or inmates in a public institution, the executive head of that institution (or his representative) acted as prosecutor in presenting the case to the board. Hearings that concerned non-institutionalized individuals were prosecuted by the county superintendent of welfare or another authorized county official. Along with the petition for a hearing, the prosecutor provided a medical history signed by a physician who was familiar with the case and a social history addressing whether the person was likely to produce offspring.

A copy of the petition was sent to the individual and his or her next of kin or guardian. When the inmate, patient, or other individual could not defend himself or herself at the hearing, the next of kin, guardian, or county solicitor represented the individual and defended that person's rights and interests. The county superior court could appoint a guardian if necessary. Individuals could also be represented by legal counsel during the hearing.

Factors to be considered by the board included whether the operation seemed to be in the best interest of the individual's mental, moral, or physical health; whether it would be for the public good; and whether it was likely that the individual might produce children with serious mental or physical problems. Orders for sterilization had to be signed by at least three members of the board and returned to the prosecutor. Mentally competent individuals, at their own expense, could select their own physician for consultation or for an operation. A decision by the board could be appealed by the individual or in his or her behalf to the county superior court and further appealed to the state's supreme court. A successful appeal precluded any further petition for the sterilization for one year unless specifically requested by the individual, or by his or her guardian or next of kin.

In 1937 the General Assembly authorized any state hospital, at the discretion of the superintendent, to provide temporary admission for any feeble-minded, epileptic, or mentally diseased person for whom the Eugenics Board had authorized sterilization. The regular or consulting staff of the hospital could then perform the operation. These hospitals were authorized to charge the appropriate state institution or county for the operation and expenses.

Under the Executive Organization Act of 1971, the Eugenics Board of North Carolina was transferred to the newly created Department of Human Resources (DHR). Although the board retained its statutory powers and actions regarding sterilization proceedings, the board's managerial and executive authority was vested in the secretary of the DHR, a cabinet-level officer appointed by the governor.

Under the Executive Organization Act of 1973, the Eugenics Board became the Eugenics Commission. The following five members of the commission were to be appointed by the governor: the director of the Division of Social and Rehabilitative Services of the DHR, the director of Health Services, the chief medical officer of a state institution for the feeble-minded or insane, the chief medical officer of the DHR in the area of mental health services, and the attorney general.

In 1974 the General Assembly transferred to the judicial system the responsibility for any sterilization proceedings against persons suffering from mental illness or mental retardation. In 1977 the General Assembly formally abolished the Eugenics Commission, and the act to repeal the original laws (G.S. 35-36 through 35-50) was finally passed in 2003.

References and additional resources:

Against their will: North Carolina's sterilization program. Winston-Salem Journal and Journalnow.com. http://againsttheirwill.journalnow.com/

Engs, Ruth. 2005. The eugenics movement: An encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/57695013

NCDigitalCollections resources (Government & Heritage Library andNCState Archives)

Historical data on eugenical sterilization in North Carolina. 1968. Excerpt from the Biennial Report of the Eugenics Board of North Carolina.http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/ref/collection/p249901coll22/id/257367- page 23. See also Number of cases handled from 1964-1973.

Image archive on the American eugenics movement. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/eugenics/

Larson, Edward J. 1995. Sex, race, and science: Eugenics in the deep South. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/30700958

Rosen, Christine. 2004. Preaching eugenics: Religious leaders and the American eugenics movement. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/52311882

Schoen, Johanna. 2005. Choice & coercion: Birth control, sterilization, and abortion in public health and welfare. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56085957

Image credit:

Sir Francis Galton. Image courtesy of the Wikipedia commons. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Francis_Galton_1850s.jpg

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Aerospace Engineering Jobs in Florida – Search Florida …

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Danzig

Description Northrop Grumman is seeking a Level 5 Mechanical Engineer to be responsible for leading all efforts associated with the design and development of military aircraft mechanical, hydraulic and electro-mechanical system installations. This is a senior level position with candidate expected to identify system functional requirements for military aircraft design. The candidate is expected t...

Description Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Sector has a requirement for a Mechanical Subsystems Integration Engineer 3 at our Melbourne, Florida facility. The candidate will be part of a dynamic team providing the assurance of subsystems, including their integration an sustainment of military aircraft mechanical and hydraulic systems. The candidate shall have professional experience in milita...

Description Northrop Grumman is seeking a Level 4 Mechanical Engineer to be responsible for leading all efforts associated with the design and development of military aircraft Environmental Control System (ECS) installations. Responsibilities include development of concepts, architecture, designs, test requirements and specifications. The candidate shall be able to work both independently and as ...

Description Northrop Grumman is currently seeking aircraft fuel and secondary power system engineers. The individual will work under general supervision of a subsystem engineering team lead. Position responsibilities will include all aspects of system design and development including trade studies, layouts, architecture definition, system test and verification. The individual will work with the s...

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Description Northrop Grumman is currently seeking experienced aircraft secondary power systems engineers. The individual will work under only general supervision of a subsystem engineering team lead. Position responsibilities will include all aspects of system design and development including trade studies, layouts, architecture definition, system test and verification. Must have professional exp...

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Description Northrop Grumman is seeking experienced engineers to perform efforts associated with the design, system architecture and integration of military aircraft Secondary Power Subsystems at the Manned Aircraft Center of Excellence in Melbourne, FL. The Engineer Systems Architect position involves all aspects of design, from trade studies and layouts to the development of engineering drawing...

Description Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Sector has a requirement for a Subsystems Horizontal Integration Engineer 4 at our Melbourne, Florida facility. The candidate will be part of a dynamic team providing the assurance of subsystems, including their integration an sustainment of military aircraft mechanical and hydraulic systems. The candidate shall have professional experience in milita...

Description Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems is seeking a Level 2 Engineer for the Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence in Melbourne, FL. In the System Architect role, the candidate will be responsible for the design of military aircraft Fuel and Environmental Control Systems (ECS). The candidate is expected to develop design of layouts, details, assemblies and installations of these sub...

Description Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Sector has a requirement for a Mechanical Subsystems Integration Engineer 4 at our Melbourne, Florida facility. The candidate will be part of a dynamic team providing the assurance of subsystems, including their integration an sustainment of military aircraft mechanical and hydraulic systems. The candidate shall have professional experience in milita...

Description Northrop Grumman is currently seeking experienced aircraft environmental control systems (ECS) engineer. The qualified candidate will lead efforts to develop aircraft ECS. Position responsibilities will include all aspects of system design and development including trade studies, layouts, architecture definition, system test and verification. Must have professional experience in milit...

Description Northrop Grumman is seeking a Level 5 Mechanical Engineer to be responsible for leading all efforts associated with the design and development of military aircraft secondary power system installations. The candidate shall be able lead a team of design engineers, as well as work as part of a large multi-disciplined team. The candidate will be able to develop tasks, generate estimates, ...

Description The qualified candidate will be a leader in the Thermodynamics organization. The candidate will thermodynamically characterize advanced aircraft and subsystems. The position requires a broad knowledge of thermodynamics and heat transfer, with ability to analyze any and all potential technical challenges encountered on advanced weapon systems including aircraft subsystem thermodynamic ...

The Project Engineer will provide technical support to design, analysis, testing, and fabrication of development products and prototypes. The Project Engineer will operate as a subject matter expert in specialized and complex composite, casting, viscoelastic, and machining operations and will work within cross-functional teams to resolve complex issues. Primary Responsibilities: Perform activ...

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L2 Aerospace | OPERATING AT THE SPEED OF NEED

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Danzig

Why L2 Aerospace?

If you are looking for a challenge and the opportunity to make a difference, look to L2 Aerospace. We are seeking talented and self-motivated professionals to contribute to our mission of cost effective integration of ground, air and space systems.

If you excel in your field, are results oriented, arent satisfied with mediocrity, and are passionate and persistent in getting the job done right, there are no limits to what you can achieve at L2 Aerospace. We believe in rewarding performance, contributions, and efforts in building a winning team. Our key priority is providing our customers the right solution, always mindful of how our solution will be used in the real world. L2 Aerospace is an exceptional small business offering opportunities in flight and ground systems development and systems engineering, integration, test, evaluation and sustainment. We are looking for select mechanical, electrical, software and aerospace engineers with practical hands-on problem solving skills from the commercial, defense and civil aerospace sectors.

We offer a highly competitive salary, an exceptional benefit package, and a challenging and rewarding work environment with the chance to make a real difference in to the safety and success of our Nations civil and defense programs.

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L2 Aerospace | OPERATING AT THE SPEED OF NEED

Aerospace Jobs in Florida – Search Florida Aerospace Jobs …

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Danzig

Summary: STS Direct Hire, a leader in recruitment process outsourcing for the aviation industry, is seekingProgram Administrator to join the full-time workforce of a major aerospace company in Jacksonville, FL. Job Summary: The Program Administrator is responsible for planning, managing and executing projects according to deadlines in support of the achievement of contracted Action Plan results...

My client in sunny central Florida is seeking Flight Simulations Software Engineers to work in an aeronautics and flight simulations environment. Work will include working on full flight simulations which are based on real-time mission conditions and variables. The engineer will design, develop, and test our software modules on a day-to-day basis. In addition to software engineering skills this po...

. TAD PGS, INC. is currently seeking a Senior Welder (Aerospace) for one of our clients in Naples, FL. Company Description: An Innovative Fortune 500 Company, we are the world's leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, providing precision-engineered solutions for a wide variety of mobile, industrial and aerospace markets. We employ approximately 58,000 pe...

Job Description: Summary: The Director of Marketing is responsible for planning and implementing marketing and product development programs, both short and long range, targeted toward existing and new markets through multiple channels. Responsibilities and Duties: Develop press releases, marketing brochures and literature (including writing, proof reading and editing) Corporate website conten...

4437 - Global Aerospace NPR Lead-PAL000298Danaher Company Description Pall Corporation is a Fortune 1000 materials science and engineering company with the broadest filtration, separation and purification capabilities in the world. Our process and product enabling technologies help our customers make good products better, safer and even possible. We provide innovative products to customers in heal...

4437 - Global Aerospace NPR Lead-PAL000298 Danaher Company Description Description Qualifications Danaher Corporation Overview Organization: Pall Job Function: Purchasing Primary Location: North America-United States-FL-New Port Richey : Schedule: Full-time : _cn_ Beckman Coulter Inc _rfc_ 551112...

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About the Company: BRPH is an international architecture and engineering design and construction services firm and has been providing comprehensive and fully integrated services to our clients for 50 years. BRPH is recognized as a leader in planning, design, engineering, and construction of a wide range of project types including aviation, aerospace, federal, commercial/industrial and education/i...

4437 - Global Aerospace NPR Lead-PAL000298 Danaher Company Description Description Qualifications Danaher Corporation Overview Organization : Pall Job Function : Purchasing Primary Location : North America-United States-FL-New Port Richey : Schedule : Full-time : _cn_ Arbor Networks _rfc_ 551112...

*Pall Corporation * Pall, a Danaher company, is a materials science and engineering company with the broadest filtration, separation and purification capabilities in the world. Our process and product enabling technologies help our customers make good products better, safer and even possible. We provide innovative products to customers in health care, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, semiconductor...

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Aerospace Jobs in Florida - Search Florida Aerospace Jobs ...

Welcome to the Chincoteague Island, Virginia First …

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Danzig

Are you ready for a change from the big city beach resorts? In Chincoteague there are no high rises, board walks, or traffic jams. Chincoteague Island is a serene, yet fun filled, tourist destination. Chincoteague Island is Virginia's only resort Island. Located on Virginias Eastern Shore, Chincoteague is within easy reach from all major cities on the mid-Atlantic seaboard. Chincoteague is the gateway to the Virginia portion of Assateague Island, home of the famous Chincoteague Wild Ponies. Chincoteague offers a relaxed atmosphere and the beauty of unspoiled nature. From relaxing on the beach to viewing a spectacular sunset over the Chincoteague Bay, there is never a shortage of things to do in Chincoteague. We hope that you will fall in love with our Island, the way so many others already have.

Chincoteague Island gained national fame in 1961 when Twentieth Century Fox premiered the movie Misty of Chincoteague. The movie was based on author Marguerite Henry's award-winning children's book Misty of Chincoteague, which she wrote in 1947 while staying at Miss Molly's Inn on Chincoteague Island. The book and movie helped to forever transition Chincoteague Island from a small fishing village into a world-class tourist destination.

Featured Businesses - Click on pictures below for more information.

Plan Your Chincoteague Vacation: Places To Stay Places To Eat Places To Shop Things To Do Interactive Chincoteague Map

Area Information: Specials and Discounts Local Events Calendar 2015 Pony Swim Guide Chincoteague Newsletter Where is Chincoteague? Chincoteague Photos Chincoteague News Chincoteague Articles Movie Showtimes Local Services Advertise With Us Local Area Links Viewing Rocket Launches

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Jan 15: Astronomy & Night Sky Winter Series

Jan 22: Friday Classic Film Series: The Duellists

Jan 23: CIAO Concert Series: Tidewater Guitar Orchestra

Jan 29: Friday Classic Film Series: Dr. Zhivago

Feb 5: The Chincoteague Island Theatre Company presents Mornings At Seven

View Full Event Calendar

Next Rocket Launch From NASA's Wallops Flight Facility: Mission: MUSIC(Multiple User Suborbital Instrument Carrier) Date: No earlier than Feb. 1, 2016 Time: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Type: Terrier - Improved Malemute suborbital More information

Chincoteague News:

Rocket launches to the ISS from Wallops Island, VA will continue through 2024. Click here to learn more

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has approved a new Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) that will guide management of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge for the next 15 years. The plan calls for moving the existing recreational beach 1.5 miles north of the current site. Click here to learn more

More Chincoteague News

Chincoteague Island – Virginia Is For Lovers

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Danzig

Chincoteague Island, at the northeastern tip of Virginia's Eastern Shore, is part of Accomack County. It's known worldwide for wild ponies Marguerite Henry wrote about in the novel, "Misty of Chincoteague," later made into a film.

Chincoteague Island, a tiny fishing town off Virginia's Eastern Shore, is steps away from the Atlantic Ocean by bridge to Assateague Island. The famous Chincoteague ponies live in the Chincoteague National WildlifeRefuge on Assateague Island, easily reached by bike or car from town. The Chincoteague Refuge is Virginia's entrance to an undeveloped 37-mile-long beach. The National Park Service and Refuge offer ranger-led programs seasonally. Spring and fall bird migrations are popular events but the biggest event for the area is held each July when the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's Pony Swim and Auction brings scores of spectators to the island town. Saltwater cowboys have been rounding up ponies and swimming them across the channel from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island for auction since 1926.

Visitors to Chincoteague love to dig clams, watch oystermen and compete in saltwater fishing tournaments for cash prizes. "Patriot Oysters," so named when Abe Lincoln sent a Union ship to protect the island's seafood trade, are a must when dining on the island. Water lovers enjoy kayaking, charter fishing and nature cruising. The Chamber hosts events year-round and a lively art scene plays out in galleries and at the restored Island Theatre. Next door on Wallops Island you can see rockets launched into space from the NASA Wallops Visitors Center.

With its variety of old-fashioned charms, Chincoteague has been called America's #1 Beach Town; a "slam-dunk" for grandchildren and one of America's best island towns.

Coastal Living Magazine voted Chincoteague Island "America's Happiest Seaside Town".

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Chincoteague Island - Virginia Is For Lovers

eugenics | Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana’s Digital …

Posted on February 14, 2016 by Danzig

From 1917 into the 1920s, Hoosier movie-goers had a chance to see one of the most controversial and arguably infamous silent films ever produced, The Black Stork, later renamed Are You Fit To Marry? Identified by one film historian as among the earliest horror movies,The Black Stork was based on a real and gut-wrenching medical drama from 1915.

Billed as a eugenics love story, the movies script was authored by Chicago journalist, muckraker and theater critic Jack Lait. Lait worked for news mogul William Randolph Hearst, the very man who inspired the lead figure in Orson Welles great1941 movie Citizen Kane. Hearst, king of American yellow journalism, relished controversies, which sold newspapers and theater tickets. His film company, International Film Service, produced The Black Stork.

Most Americans today have never heard the word eugenics, a once-popular scientific theory spawned by Victorian understandings of evolution and heredity in the wake of Charles Darwin. The word eugenics comes from the Greek for well-born or good stock and refers to the social interpretation of scientific discoveries purporting to show how harmful genetic traits are passed on from parents to children and how healthy children could be bred. Eugenics wasnt strictly the same as science itself, but a social philosophy based on the discoveriesof Darwin, the monk-botanist Gregor Mendel, and Darwins nephew, geneticist Francis Galton. Yet many scientists and doctors got involved with this social philosophy.

Once very mainstream, support for eugenic theories plummeted after the defeat of Hitler, its most notoriousadvocate. Aspects of eugenics like the forced sterilization of repeat criminals, rapists, epileptics, the poor, and some African Americans continued in twenty-sevenAmerican states into the 1950s and even later in a few. The last forced sterilization in the U.S. was performed in Oregon in 1981.

(U.S. eugenics advocacy poster, 1926. The authors rankedjust4% of Americans as high-grade and fit for creative work and leadership.)

Most scientists today would probably consider the social application of genetics to beoutside their own realm, but that wasnt always the case. Indiana played an enormous role in the history of eugenics when the Hoosier State became the first to enact a compulsory sterilization law in 1907 a law that lumped the mentally handicapped in with sex offenders, made it virtually illegal for whole classes deemed unfit to reproduce, segregated many of the disabled into mental hospitals, and enshrined white supremacy. Though the Indiana law was struck down in 1921, those ideas were hugelypopular with many academics and activists all across the political spectrum.

(American eugenic scientists blamed murder rateson heredity, ethnicity, and imaginary racial types like Dinaric and Alpine. Pure Nordic, the type idealized by Hitler, was deemed the least prone to criminal activity. Time would prove that theory wrong.)

Whats especially disturbing is that the Indiana Eugenics Law wasnt pushed by stereotypical white racist hillbillies.Poor white Indianapolis slum-dwellers, in fact, were very much targeted by the eugenicists of the early 20th century. Promoters of these spurious theoriesincluded mainstream biologists, doctors, many reform-minded Progressives, womens rights advocates, college presidents, even a few Christian ministers and Socialists. The list of widely-admired people who spoke out in favor of simplistic eugenic proposalsincluded Helen Keller, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Sir Winston Churchill, Planned Parenthoods founder Margaret Sanger, author Jack London, IU and Stanford University president David Starr Jordan, Alexander Graham Bell, and the civil rights activist W.E.B. DuBois. One of the only well-known anti-eugenics crusaders was Senator William Jennings Bryan, a Christian Fundamentalist who lost caste with Progressives in the 1920s foropposing the teaching of evolution.

Eugenics, however, was neither liberal nor conservative. Americans of all political stripes upheld its basic premise the preservation of social order and the engineering of more a humane society. Strong support for eugenics came from Americans concerned about the proliferation of poverty and urban crime and who sought a reason to keep certain nationalities from entering the U.S. Eugenics did not begin to go out of favor until 1935, whenscientists fromthe Carnegie Institute in Washington demonstrated the flimsiness of other scientists work at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island. Yet even as eugenicists placed human reproduction on the level of horse- and livestock-breeding, the genetic abolition of any individual deemed feeble-minded andthe destruction of hereditary and sexually-transmitted diseases was packaged as a positive goal, a social benefit to all, even to those who underwent involuntarysterilization and were occasionally killed.

(Better Baby contest, Indiana State Fair, 1931. Eugenicists put reproduction and marriage on the level of agriculture and sought to manage human beings like a farm. Better Baby contests began at the Iowa State Fair in 1911.)

Euthanasia was one component of eugenics. Alongside the positive eugenics campaign for Better Babies and Fitter Families, negative eugenics partly revolved around the controversial view that infants born with severe disabilities should be left to die or killed outright. In 1915, a case in Chicago plunged Americans into a heated debate about medical ethics.

That November,Dr.Harry J. Haiselden, chief surgeon at the German-American Hospital in Chicago, was faced with a tough dilemma. A woman named Anna Bollinger had just given birth to a child, John, who suffered from severe birth defects. John had no neck or right ear and suffered from a serious skin ailment, all judged to be the result of syphilis likely passed on by his father. Dr. Haiselden knew that he could save the childs life througha surgical procedure. But since he was familiar with the conditions into which Illinois feeble-minded were thrown after birth, he convinced the childs parents to let John die at the hospital. When the news came out that the doctor wasnt going to perform the necessary surgery, an unknown person tried to kidnap the child and take it to another hospital. The kidnapping attempt failed and John Bollinger died.

(The South Bend News-Times called Baby Bollinger a martyr, but later carried advertisements for the doctors film.)

While the Catholic Church, one of the few vocalcritics of eugenics, was the only major group to initiallyprotest the surgeons decision, Haiselden was soon called before a medical ethics board in Chicago. He nearly lost his medical license, but managed to hang onto it. Public opinion was sharply divided. Chicago social worker and suffragette Jane Addams came out against Haiselden. Short of the death penalty for murder, Addams said, no doctor had the right to be an unwilling persons executioner. It is not for me to decide whether a child should be put to death. If it is a defective, it should be treated as such, and be taught all it can learn, she added.

Many of Haiseldens critics, such asAddams, pointed out that if eugenicists had had their way, they would have killed some of the great defectives in history, like Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevksy, French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, childrens writer Edward Lear, and even the eugenicist Harry Laughlin himself all of them epileptics. (Biologist Laughlin, Superintendent of the Eugenics Record Office at Cold Spring Harbor and one of the sciencesgreatest advocates, had suffered from epilepsy since childhood.)

Support for Dr. Haiselden, however, came from many famous social activists. Among them was Helen Keller advocate for the disabled, a Socialist, and a eugenics supporter (at least in 1915.) Keller, who was blind and deaf since the age of one but thrived against all odds,published her views on the Haiselden case in The New Republic. She thought that children proven to be idiots by a jury of expert physicians could and perhaps should be put to death. (Keller was an amazing woman, but its hard not to view her trust in the opinions of unprejudiced medical experts as naive.) Chicago lawyer and civil liberties crusader ClarenceDarrow who famously went up against eugenics critic William Jennings Bryan at the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial made no bones about his support for the surgeon: Chloroform unfit children, Darrow said. Show them the same mercy that is shown beasts that are no longer fit to live. Indiana Socialist Eugene V. Debs also supported Haiseldens decision.

(Clarence Darrow and Helen Keller supported Haiselden.)

Harry Haiselden held ontohis job, but bolstered his position and kept the firestorm of public discussion brewing by starring as himself in a silent film based on the Bollinger case. The Black Storkwas produced with the help of William Randolph Hearts International Film Service. Scriptwriter Jack Lait would go on to edit the New York Daily Mirrorand write several plays and novels.

The Black Stork came to hundreds of American theaters, including many Hoosier ones. Because public health workers and eugenicists often gave admonitory lectures before and after the movie, separate showings were offeredfor men and women. Young children werent allowed to attend, but a South Carolina minister encouraged parents to bring their teenage children so they could see what might comefrom sexual promiscuity, criminality, drinkingand race mixing. Some theater bills added the catchy subtitle: The Scourge of Humanity.

(The Black Storkenjoyed several screenings at the Oliver Theater in South Bend. South Bend News-Times, November 9, 1917.)

The movies plot was partly fictional and not entirely based on the 1915 Bollinger euthanasia case.The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette gave its readers the basic story line, which came with an interesting twistnearthe end:

(The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, August 12, 1917.)

The taint of the Black Stork was obviously bad genes and heritable diseases. Haiseldens silent film has been called one of the earliest horror movies, though its promoters billed it as educational and even romantic in nature. It fueled the eugenics movements fear campaign about defectives but also tackled an ethical dilemma thats still alive today: is it ever humane to kill a person without their permission, on the grounds that the victim isdoomedto live a miserable life and be only a burden on society?

Since American eugenics was definitely supported by known racists and would later be directly cited by the Nazis as inspiration for their bogusracial science, its uncomfortable to look deeper into it and realize how much turf it shares with Progressivists real concern for the treatment of the poor and of mothers, some of whom would have been forced to raise severely disabled children. The problem is that some Americansthought the best way to eradicate poverty and disease was toeradicate the poor themselves by restricting their right to pass on the human germ plasm to the next generation. Eugenics and even euthanasia became, for some, a way to avoid social reforms. Nurture vs. nature lost out to inescapable hereditary destiny.

The Black Storkstitle was eventually changed to Are You Fit To Marry? It ran in theaters and roadshows well into the Roaring Twenties. Its hard to believe that eugenicists begged Americans to ask themselves honestly if they were fit to marry. One wonders how many Americans voluntarily abstained from having children after deeming themselves unfit?

Ads show that thefilm was screened at at least three theaters in Indianapolis (including Englishs Theatre on Monument Circle) as well as at movie halls in Fort Wayne, East Chicago, Whiting, Hammond, Evansville, Richmond and probably many other Hoosier towns.

(The Fort Wayne Sentinel, January 27, 1920.)

The eugenics photo-drama reminded Americans of the dangers that bad heredity posed not onlyto their own families, but to the nation. When The Black Storkshowed in Elyria, Ohio,justa few months into Americas involvement in World War I, it clearly drew fromthe well of fear-mongering that linked crime and disease to alcohol, immigration, prostitution and rumors about German traitors and saboteurs all clear threats to Anglo-Saxon ideals. Eugenics and euthanasia, by saving our nation from misery and decay, clearly got hitched to the wagon of nationalist politics. Viewing The Black Stork,like supporting the war effort, became a solemn duty.

(The Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, Ohio, December 17, 1917.)

Germanscientists were promoting racial hygiene long before the Nazis came to power in the 1930s. Fascisms scientists and propagandists would also draw heavily on the work of British and American eugenicists and point out laws like Indianas when opponents criticized them. Racial Hygiene, in fact,was the title of an influential textbook by Hoosier doctor Thurman B. Rice, a professor at IU-Bloomington, a colleague of sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, and one of the founders of IU Medical School in Indianapolis. In April 1929, Rice wrote an editorial in the Indiana State Board of Healths monthly bulletin, entitled If I Were Mussolini, where he supported compulsory sterilization of defectives.

(If I Were Mussolini, Monthly Bulletin of theIndiana State Board of Health, April 1929.)

The Black Storkwasnt the last filmabout euthanasia and eugenics. In 1941, Hitlers Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, commissionedoneof the classics of Nazi cinema, Ich klage an (I Accuse). The plot revolves around a husband who learns that his wife has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He gives her a drug that causesher death, then undergoes a trial for murder. The films producers argued that death was not only a right but a social duty. A tearjerker, Ich klage an was createdto soften up the German public for the Nazis T4 euthanasia campaign, which led to the deaths of as many as 200,000 adults and children deemed a burden to the nation. (Theres some further irony thatIch klage ans cinematic parent, The Black Stork, was based onevents at Chicagos German-American Hospital.)

The charms of eugenics bewitched Americans and Europeans for a few more decades after the Bollinger case. British writer G.K. Chesterton, a Catholic convert and a fierce opponent of eugenics, probably deserves the last word here. Chestertoncalled eugenics terrorism by tenth-rate professors.

(G.K. Chesterton in South Bend, Indiana,October 1930, when he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Notre Dame. Dr. Harry Haiselden himself once gave an address to South BendsFork and Knife Club in May 1916.)

In his 1922 book Eugenics and Other Evils: An Argument Against the Scientifically Organized State, Chesterton quipped that society has never really had all that much to fear from the feeble-minded. Rather, its the strong-mindedwho hurt society the most. Tearing into eugenicsadvocates in Britain, Germany and America, Chesterton spotlighted their frequent class prejudices thenskewered them brilliantly:

Why do not the promoters of the Feeble-Minded Bill call at the many grand houses in town and country where such nightmares notoriously are? Why do they not knock at the door and take the bad squire away? Why do they not ring the bell and remove the dipsomaniac prize-fighter? I do not know; and there is only one reason I can think of, which must remain a matter of speculation. When I was at school, the kind of boy who liked teasing half-wits was not the sort that stood up to bullies.

Dr. Harry J. Haiselden was involved in the deaths of at least three more disabled infants. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage while on vacation in Havana, Cuba, in 1919.

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Space Center Houston – Clear Lake – Houston, TX – Yelp

Posted on February 13, 2016 by Danzig

I really really wanted to love this place.

It has been on my list of top places to visit for a while. I was expecting much more of a museum feel, but instead found it to be much more like an amusement park. Long lines, long wait times, loads of kids, very noisy, over priced bland food, uninspiring public speakers, and young inexperienced staff.

I did get the audio tour device which I would highly recommend.

Despite the fact that the center is laid out in a totally nonsensical design and that only one of the four main exhibit areas feels thorough and complete. Fortunately this section, the Starship Gallery felt like what I wanted the entire experience to be. Guided audio tour on a per display basis, with in-depth information from the people who used or created it. Amazing replicas and models, great lighting, and some truly amazing stories and inspiration. However, this section, which takes about an hour to get through was the only one I would really recommend to an adult.

With so many movie theaters, it feels like watching a lot of YouTube videos, for far more money.

The tram tour (I took the blue, to see Mission Control) was about 40 minutes longer than it needed to be, and after an hour wait-in line was a huge let down. To be fair, seeing the Mission Control room (or one of them) was really neat, and standing next to the Saturn V rocket was an amazing bit of perspective, but the amount of time spent herding people, the noise of the group, the PR friendly "talk" from the NASA guide all felt too generalized and simple. I can read about all of this online, if I come to the MUSEUM I want to see and hear things that are unique and more in-depth and practical than I can get elsewhere.

I was thinking how difficult it must be to try and populate this place with content, when so much of what makes it great was 40+ years ago.

I would have loved to see an entire section dedicated to the Space Shuttle and all the amazing things it and her crews accomplished, but instead it was relegated to a montage I saw in one of the videos.

There is a section about the ISS and is intended to be a "live look" at what is going on there, but the lady giving the lecture was so bland, and hard to listen to, not to mention that all her information was largely homogenized and generic, lacking any real "live" details, that I felt like I was wasting my time just listening to her.

I wish I could say this is an amazing, wonderful, fun, and unique, one-of-a-kind, must-see sort of places, but it's not. It might be fun for kids, and that's great, but I am the one who pays taxes and funds NASA, so I want to be blown away.

If you do go, hit the Starship Gallery, spend plenty of time there, listen to every audio recording, and enjoy it. It's really really great.

Everything else? Time permitting...

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NASA Visible Earth: Dallas, Texas

Posted on February 13, 2016 by Danzig

The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area is the largest in Texas, with an approximate population of 6 million people in 2005. Founded by John Neely Bryan in 1841, the city became the center for the United States oil economy with the discovery of oilfields to the east of the city in 1930. The darkest day in the citys history occurred on November 22, 1963 when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while traveling by motorcade through Dealey Plaza. The Dallas-Forth Worth region today is a major corporate, banking, and technological center.

This astronaut photograph captures the northwestern portion of the metropolitan area. Standing water bodies such as Lake Lewisville and Grapevine Lake are highlighted by sunglint, where the surface of the water acts as a mirror reflecting sunlight back towards the astronauts in the International Space Station (read Sunglint in Astronaut Photography of Earth for a more detailed explanation of sunglint). Using the sunglint to define edges of water helps when mapping water bodies and stream courses on a landscapenote the region of small ponds to the north of Grapevine Lake highlighted by sunglint. Images such as these help characterize surface hydrology and areas of potential flooding hazard.

Note: Often times, due to the size, browsers have a difficult time opening and displaying images. If you experiece an error when clicking on an image link, please try directly downloading the image (using a right click, save as method) to view it locally.

This image originally appeared on the Earth Observatory. Click here to view the full, original record.

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NASA Visible Earth: Dallas, Texas

Ron Paul: Ted Cruz is no libertarian – POLITICO

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Danzig

Ron Paul seemed more attracted to the views of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. | AP Photo

Now that Rand Paul is out of the race for the White House his father Ron Paul, who ran in 2008 and 2012, isn't impressed by Ted Cruz's attempts to pick up the "free market" libertarian banner.

You take a guy like Cruz, people are liking the Cruz they think hes for the free market, and [in reality] hes owned by Goldman Sachs. I mean, he and Hillary have more in common than we would have with either Cruz or Trump or any of them so I just dont think there is much picking, Paul said of the Texas senator on Fox Business Varney & Company" on Friday.

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Surprisingly, the elder Paul seemed more attracted to the views of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is giving Hillary Clinton a run for her money in the Democratic primary.

On occasion, Bernie comes up with libertarian views when he talks about taking away the cronyism on Wall Street, so in essence hes right, and occasionally he voted against war, the former Texas congressman said when asked if there was a candidate who was truly for the free market.

"It's hard to find anybody -- since Rand is out of it -- anybody that would take a libertarian position, hardcore libertarian position on privacy, on the war issue and on economic policy," Paul added.

So I always say: You can search for a long time, but youre not gonna find anybody in the Republican or Democratic primary that even comes slightly close to ever being able to claim themselves a libertarian, he concluded.

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