Aerospace Guru Talks About His Next (and Last) Plane

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Thanks to a Kickstarter documentary film project, the curtain is slowly being raised on what famed aerospace designer Burt Rutan says will be his last airplane, dubbed the SkiGull.

During interviews conducted for the film, titled "Looking Up, Way Up! The Burt Rutan Story," the man who designed the SpaceShipOne and SpaceShipTwo rocket planes as well as their motherships says he and his wife intend to fly the SkiGull around the world. And because it will run on the same type of fuel used in cars and boats, they won't have to limit their stopovers to airports.

The film project is the creation of AntennaFilms' Scott B and Sandy Guthrie, who documented SpaceShipOne's successful run for the $10 million Ansari X Prize in 2004. SpaceShipOne became the first privately owned, privately developed vehicle to carry humans to outer space. Rutan went on to design SpaceShipTwo at California-based Scaled Composites as part of a multimillion-dollar deal with Virgin Galactic.

The designer retired to Idaho in 2011 at the age of 67. For a year afterward, Rutan questioned whether he wanted to create another flying machine, Scott B said. But he eventually set to work on the SkiGull, which is designed to land on a traditional runway, a grassy field or a lake.

Here's a snippet from the material that Rutan provided for "Looking Up, Way Up!"

"Imagine an aircraft able to land in large swells near any ocean shoreline, ride the waves to the beach, from where you could hike in for lunch and gas. Since it uses car/boat gas it will rarely go to an airport.

"Imagine also going to snow fields anywhere there is around 400 feet of relatively smooth snow, or to a dirt patch right at Puma Punku, or any part of the Amazon, including the tiny rivers that feed it. Imagine doing an eight-month exploration trip around the world without EVER going to an airport.

"I know it sounds like Walter Mitty, but if it flies well Tonya and I will explore the world with it, visiting the places you cannot easily get to any other way."

Rutan has talked about the SkiGull's capabilities before, but "Looking Up, Way Up!" promises to flesh out the details: The two-seater airplane will be equipped with a retractable ski system that will allow it to take off and land on lakes, rivers or oceans, even amid rough water. It's being constructed from composite materials and titanium rather than aluminum, so that it can stand up to seawater.

The plane hasn't yet flown, but in an email, Scott B said Rutan expects it be capable of cruising at 170 knots, with enough range to make it from California to Hawaii without ferry tanks.

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Aerospace Guru Talks About His Next (and Last) Plane

United Tech aerospace unit offers buyouts to cut 90 jobs

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By - Associated Press - Thursday, March 12, 2015

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. (AP) - An aerospace unit of United Technologies Corp. is seeking to cut 90 jobs, offering a voluntary buyout to hourly workers.

Dan Coulom, a spokesman for UTC Aerospace Systems, tells the Journal Inquirer (http://bit.ly/1xgbXA5 ) that the reductions are needed to help control costs and remain competitive.

He says the work by affected employees will be moved to other unidentified facilities of UTC Aerospace Systems.

Coulom said the Windsor Locks site is still the largest single at UTC Aerospace, with about 3,700 employees, including about 900 hourly employees.

Thats down from 1,300 hourly workers eight years ago.

Coulom said the company has made substantial investments in the facility and as part of an agreement with Connecticut, he said United Technologies will invest millions more.

___

Information from: Journal Inquirer, http://www.journalinquirer.com

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United Tech aerospace unit offers buyouts to cut 90 jobs

Health secretary praises Newcastle scientists for ‘historic’ DNA breakthrough

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Pioneering DNA research set to offer hope to millions of people could also help secure more jobs for Newcastle, health secretary Jeremy Hunt has told the Chronicle.

Mr Hunt was in the city to meet scientists and Tyneside families who have been involved with genetic testing that has been labelled as significant as the development of the internet by Prime Minister David Cameron.

In a medical breakthrough, North East scientists taking part in an unprecedented genome sequencing project have, for the first time in the UK, diagnosed rare diseases in two families after mapping their genes.

The technique, developed at Newcastle University, uses an individuals genetic blueprint to enable doctors to personalise medical care.

It means the Tyneside patients involved can now receive specialised treatment for their conditions, as well as helping prevent future generations who share their DNA from suffering a life of uncertainty.

Mr Hunt was introduced to the families taking part in the 100,000 Genomes Project at the Institute of Genetic Medicine at Newcastle University.

He said: This is historic, a huge amount of hard work into this. Its a very proud day for Newcastle and a very proud day for the NHS.

If you said in 1990 that the world was going to change because of this thing called the internet, people would have looked at you sceptically. David Cameron believes that genetic research is going to have that kind of impact on humanity.

The fact that Newcastle is at the centre of this genetic breakthrough adds to the sense of buzz here and hopefully will secure more jobs.

VIEW GALLERY

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SQUALENOYLATION: a Nanomedicine Platform for the Treatment of Severe Diseases – Video

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SQUALENOYLATION: a Nanomedicine Platform for the Treatment of Severe Diseases
Speaker: Prof. Dr. med. Patrick Couvreur, Centre d #39;tudes Pharmaceutiques (CNRS), Paris (F) "European Research Council -Related Talks on Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery" Chair: Dr. Twan ...

By: TAUVOD

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Understanding loneliness through science

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Loneliness may be a fundamental part of the human condition, but scientists have only recently begun exploring its causes, consequences, and potential interventions. A special section in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, aims to bring these strands of inquiry together, presenting a series of articles that review the current state of scientific research on loneliness.

The section, edited by psychological scientist David Sbarra of the University of Arizona, investigates loneliness across multiple levels, from evolutionary theory to genetics to social epidemiology.

"As a group, these articles set the bar high for future research on loneliness," Sbarra writes in his introduction to the special section. "At the same time, they also contain 'something for everyone' -- they are accessible, thought-provoking ideas that can be tackled from many different perspectives."

In this special section:

- J.T. Cacioppo and colleagues argue that loneliness is not unique to humans but is likely part of a biological warning system that, like signals of hunger or pain, enhances chances of survival and reproduction for members of various social species.

- Goossens and colleagues explore the potential genetic basis for loneliness, highlighting the need to integrate a whole range of approaches, from genomics to behavioral science, in understanding the underpinnings of loneliness.

- Holt-Lunstad and colleagues present an analysis of over 70 studies, including data from more than 3 million participants, demonstrating a link between social isolation, loneliness, living alone and greater odds of mortality, even after taking various other factors into account.

- S. Cacioppo and colleagues review various types of existing interventions (one-on-one, group, community) that provide social support, increase opportunities for social interaction, and teach social skills as a way of preventing or mitigating the negative effects of loneliness.

- Qualter and colleagues approach loneliness from a lifespan perspective, showing that people of all ages experience a motive to reconnect with others in order to mitigate loneliness. While the motive to reconnect is often constructive, the researchers point out that it can sometimes spur thoughts and behaviors that exacerbate feelings of loneliness.

According to Sbarra, these articles "display a breadth, depth, and collective synergy that will not only spur answers to the questions outlined above but will also open lines of inquiry that are currently unexplored and will be highly generative in time."

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Understanding loneliness through science

MEP Barekov with 1 Lawmaker with Bulgaria Parliament after 2 Quit His Party

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Two lawmakers of Bulgaria without Censorship, the party of MEP Nikolay Barekov in Bulgaria's Parliament, have left his entity.

Svetlin Tanchev and Georgi Kovachev, the former having been one of Barekov's most important MPs, have chosen to quit Bulgaria without Censorship, stating this in an open letter.

The two, however, will not leave Parliament and will remain part of the coalition Bulgarian Democratic Center, which was initially formed around Barekov's party.

It was Bulgaria without Censorship that in 2013 emerged as a rising political force, coming fourth in the 2014 European Parliament elections and sending Barekov and his one-time coalition partner Angel Dzhambazki to Brussels.

But Dzhambazki's party quit its coalition with Bulgaria without Censorship last summer to join the Patriotic Front (now supporting Bulgaria's government), and most other entities that had pledged alliance to Barekov are not out of his coalition.

Svetlin Tachev was also among those who split from their parties in Parliament last year to adopt a key position in the new political structure.

In October the Bulgaria without Censorship-led coalition sent 14 MPs to the Bulgarian Parliament. A parliamentary group called Bulgarian Democratic Center was formed then to stress that Barekov's partners were put on equal footing. However, as of March 12, 13 lawmakers have turned on Barekov, quitting Bulgaria without Censorship but remaining in the Bulgarian Democratic Center.

BDC lawmakers have made clear their voting in Parliament will not be in line with Barekov's statements.

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MEP Barekov with 1 Lawmaker with Bulgaria Parliament after 2 Quit His Party

Alexey Shved: 21 PTS, 10 RBS, 7 AST, 2 BLK, 1 STL @ Utah 3/10/15 – Video

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Alexey Shved: 21 PTS, 10 RBS, 7 AST, 2 BLK, 1 STL @ Utah 3/10/15
http://obglobal.net/board/1/knicks-forum JOIN US! Best Knicks site out there. Free speech, lazy moderators. http://newyorkjetsglobal.proboards.com/ Jets Fans! Best Jets Forum on the web right here.

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Alexey Shved: 21 PTS, 10 RBS, 7 AST, 2 BLK, 1 STL @ Utah 3/10/15 - Video

2015 is proving to be another deadly year for free speech

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There's no question that free speech has been under attack across the globe in 2015.

The year started off with the mass killing of editorial staff at the Paris headquarters of satirical newspaperCharlie Hebdo. Most recently, Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was shot dead near the Kremlin in Moscow.

Globally, at least 17 journalists have been killed in 2015, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The trend appears to be continuing from previous years.

"The total number of deaths in 2014 demonstrates the sustained level of risk to journalists over the past decade," CPJ's news director Shazdeh Omari wroteof last year's numbers. "The past three years are the most deadly period CPJ has recorded."

From social media censorship to crackdowns on political dissent, governments and militant groups alikecontinue to target voices they disagree with. Writers, cartoonists, photographers, filmmakers, bloggers, protesters and opposition figures can all become targets.

Here are the main incidents that have already made headlines in the first months of 2015.

France

On Jan. 7, 12 people, most of them editorial staff, were gunned down at and near the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for the shootings, which were carried out by brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi. A third gunman and friend of the Kouachis, Amedy Coulibaly, killed four hostages at a kosher market two days later in what appeared to be a related attack. Video later emerged that showed Coulibaly declaring allegiance to the Islamic State.

The string of killings amounted to the worst terror attack on French soil in 50 years. The assault on Charlie Hebdo was widely seen as targeting free speech; the weekly paper is known for running offensive and provocative content, including depictions of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad.

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2015 is proving to be another deadly year for free speech

As Free Speech Is So Often Punished, How Worried Are You?

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I wonder what our founders would have thought of this:

Last fall, FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) mailed warning letters to more than 300 public colleges and universities that maintain unconstitutional speech codes explaining that their institution could be sued if it continued to ignore legal obligations under the First Amendment (Students Sue Dixie State U. Over Free Speech Zone, Censorship of Bush, Obama, Che Flyers, thefire.org, March 4).

I continue to be concerned with increasing the protection of free speech not only in colleges and universities because I dont want subsequent generations to become fearful of using this fundamental right of all Americans.

FIRE is the only organization ceaselessly working to keep free speech alive on campuses, from which many of our future voters, legislators and teachers will emerge.

Currently, the group is at work on a lawsuit filed by students at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah, which you may never have heard of.

The lawsuit alleges that Dixie State refused to approve promotional flyers produced by the Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) student group that featured images negatively portraying Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara.

Why?

Because school policy does not permit students to disparage or mock individuals.

Greg Lukianoff, the president of FIRE, rails against the universitys ridiculous policies, which go so far as to forbid any poster in a residence hall that students or administrators claim creates an uncomfortable environment.

This in the land of the free and the home of the brave?

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As Free Speech Is So Often Punished, How Worried Are You?