A scene from the documentary, "America's Lost Landscape: The Tallgrass Prairie," to be shown June 4, 2022 in Davenport.
New Truth First Film Alliance event explores America's lost landscape
by: Jonathan Turner
Posted: May 26, 2022 / 07:30 AM CDT
Updated: May 26, 2022 / 10:26 AM CDT
Director/writer David O'Shields will appear with his award-winning documentary "America's Lost Landscape: The Tallgrass Prairie" for a special Truth First Film Alliance event at the Figge Art Museum on Saturday, June 4 at 2 p.m.
O'Shields will take part in a Q & A session following the 60-minute film in the museum auditorium, 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport. The special National Prairie Day event is free to the public and sponsored by Living Lands and Waters, Produce Iowa, and the Northwest Illinois Film Office.
Filmmaker David O'Shields will participate in a talkback session following the June 4 screening by Truth First Film Alliance.
"America's Lost Landscape: The Tallgrass Prairie" tells the rich and complex story of one of the most astonishing alterations of nature in human history, according to a release from Truth First Film Alliance (TFFA).
Prior to Euro-American settlement in the 1820s, one of the major landscape features of North America was 240 million acres of tallgrass prairie. But between 1830 and 1900, in the space of a single lifetime, the tallgrass prairie was steadily transformed to farmland. This drastic change in the landscape also brought about an enormous social change for Native Americans; in an equally short time their cultural imprint was reduced in essence to a handful of place-names appearing on maps, the release said.
"America's Lost Landscape" examines the record of human struggle, triumph, and defeat that prairie history exemplifies, including the history and culture of America's aboriginal inhabitants.
The story of how and why the prairie was changed by Euro-American settlement is thoughtfully nuanced. The film also highlights prairie preservation efforts and explores how the tallgrass prairie ecosystem may serve as a model for a sustainable agriculture of the future. The extraordinary cinematography of prairie remnants, original score and archival images are all delicately interwoven to create a powerful and moving viewing experience about the natural and cultural history of America, the release said.
David O'Shields on location with crew filming the award-winning 2005 documentary "America's Lost Landscape: The Tallgrass Prairie."
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The film features writer Dayton Duncan (Ken Burns' "Country Music," "Muhammad Ali," "Civil War," among others), actress Annabeth Gish ("The X Files," "Law and Order," "Nixon") as the film's narrator; and Native American writer/actor John Trudell ("Smoke Signals," "Thunderheart," "Incident at Oglala") as the voice of Sauk leader and warrior Black Hawk.
Wes Jackson of The Land Institute, biologist Laura Jackson, linguist Jerome Kills Small, historian Anton Treuer, landscape historian Lance Foster, writer Richard Manning, and Nina Leopold Bailey and Carol Leopold — two of Aldo Leopold's children — were interviewed for the film.
"America's Lost Landscape: The Tallgrass Prairie" was produced by David O'Shields, and executive producer Daryl Smith. The film received the prestigious Pare Lorentz Award from the International Documentary Association Awards in 2005.
Awards for the film
It won the CINE Golden Eagle Award, Best Eco-Cinema from the Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival, the Katherine A. Knight Award at the EarthVision International Environmental Film and Video Festival, Merit Award from the International Wildlife Film Festival, Best of Festival at the Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival, and the CINE Focus Award at the Montana CINE International Film Festival.
The documentary is narrated by Annabeth Gish.
O'Shields' film work has been broadcast and distributed in the U.S. on national PBS and Netflix, and broadcast internationally in Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
He regularly serves on film festival juries, and from 2009-2014, served as a cultural ambassador and film expert for the U.S. State Department's American Documentary Showcase. He is an adjunct instructor, and the documentary filmmaker in residence, at the University of Northern Iowa. His new documentary on artist Gary Kelley will premiere in October 2022.
The June 4 event is the second public program hosted by TFFA, a non-profit organization that supports and encourages the production and exhibition of documentary films, and narrative films based on true stories, through public presentations and educational programs in the Quad Cities region.
For more information, visit TruthFirstFilmAlliance.org.
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Buster Keaton's Oregon-Filmed 'The General' Tours State With A New Score
by Aaron Scott Follow OPB Aug. 6, 2016 8 a.m. | Updated: Aug. 15, 2016 10:57 a.m.
Buster Keaton stars as Johnny Gray in his 1926 silent film "The General," which was filmed in Cottage Grove, Oregon. To celebrate its 90th birthday, the Hollywood Theatre has commissioned an original live score to tour the state.
, starting at the Hollywood on Aug. 12 and stopping in Cottage Grove (Aug. 13), Coos Bay (Aug. 14), Bend (Aug. 16) and Klamath Falls (Aug. 17), before returning to the Hollywood on Aug. 19 & 20.
"I think Keaton's humor is like no other," says Orton of why he chose to take on the project. "He can do more with the absence of expression in terms of humor than people do with all the craziest antics and gesticulations."
Orton first became a fan of Keaton's films in his 20s while working as an audio engineer for the Bill Frisell Trio, which toured Frisell's own scores to some of Keaton's films. Orton has since made a name for himself as a member of Tin Hat, an eclectic ensemble that makes the kind of music NPR listeners love, and then as a composer for films, documentaries and performances. He has sound-tracked everything from Alexander Payne's "Nebraska" to Ken Burns's "The Roosevelts" and episodes for "This American Life."
For our radio feature above, Orton gave us a tour of his studio, which is packed full of antique instruments, including Civil War period pieces like a field organ and a minstrel banjo, before taking us through how he composed the score.
"You can score a Buster Keaton movie or any film and have it turn into a cartoon," says Orton. "You don't want it to be 'Tom and Jerry.' That's not what he was after. His humor is much more subtle and complex."
Over the years, Orton has visited many of the Cottage Grove sites in "The General." Keaton, who also wrote and directed the movie, chose to film it in small, Oregon town because it had a certain old-timey, Southern feel during the 1920s, plus a stretch of low-traffic tracks for all the train chase scenes. He employed some 500 Oregon Guard members as extras to play both Union and Confederate soldiers in the climactic battle (you can find a local history here).
For those who want to retrace Keaton's steps, the Cottage Grove Historical Society has scheduled a number of August events in and around the town to celebrate.
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Unique Interiors
The region's most acclaimed modern & contemporary furniture store destination
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Artisan House
Jerry Fels and Kurt Freiler's shared passion for creative development and design became apparent soon after they met in the 1940s. Freiler, a German immigrant and manufacturing ace with a knack for reinventing the use of tools, and Fels, a New York-based artist, quickly became friends and, soon after, began taking their first steps to securing a successful business future together. Having found their talents a natural match, the pair collaborated and launched Artisan House in 1964. Very successful in their venture, the firm quickly became known for its collection of eclectic, decorative wall décor. More than 70 years later, the company is largely popular amongst vintage art dealers and collectors, has caught the attention of leading designers, like Michael Payne and Jonathan Adler, and offers its discerning clients an ever-evolving roster of more than 350 pieces.
C. Jeré byArtisan House®, designers and crafters of unique, fine-quality metal sculptures for wall, floor and tabletop, has attained an enviable position in the home and commercial decor marketplace. The firm has successfully closed the gap between pricey offerings from exclusive art galleries and mass-produced decorative pieces by creating original sculptures with unparalleled designs at affordable prices. The result infuses today's indoor and outdoor environments with dazzle and dimension.
C. Jeré byArtisan House wall sculptures elevate the look of any room or outdoor setting thanks to a comprehensive array of designs showcasing multi-colored, cool and warm tones; nature-themed pieces with earthly inspirations; and sculptures reminiscent of activities that relax, excite or inspire. Tabletop and freestanding floor pieces also make dynamic statements in the home or out-of-doors.
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News / Local
Revealed: How Aberdeen's broadband speeds compare to the rest of the UK
by Pauric Clerkin
23/01/2019, 7:00 am Updated: 23/01/2019, 5:30 pm
Parts of the north-east are lagging behind other areas of the UK when it comes to broadband connection.
A study by consumer group Which? evaluated the broadband speed in local authority areas across Scotland, England and Wales.
With an average broadband speed of 10.1 megabits per second (Mbps), Aberdeenshire was found to be the sixth-slowest place out of 32 local authority areas in Scotland.
Orkney (at 3Mbps), Shetland (6.7Mbps), Argyll and Bute (7Mbps) and Moray (7.1Mbps) were also recorded as having the slowest internet connections in the UK. Other areas with slow speeds were the Highlands (8.9Mbps) and the Borders (9.3Mbps).
Meanwhile, Aberdeen was said to have a typical speed of 13.5Mbps.
How the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire compare to rest of the UK
Which? have created the below table to allow you to see at a glance how your region performs.
You can either search for a region specifically using the tool, or select the column headers to sort the results.
Russell Borthwick, chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said: "The north-east enjoys better connectivity than many other locations across Scotland but we also have big digital ambitions.
"The £67 million investment into state of the art digital infrastructure, powered by a partnership between Vodafone and City Fibre, will make the Aberdeen City Region one of the best-connected cities on the planet by 2021."
The research by Which? suggests internet users in some areas could struggle to carry out online banking or use streaming services due to slow internet.
Keep up to date with the latest news with The Evening Express newsletter
Councillor Douglas Lumsden, co-leader of Aberdeen City Council and convener of the city growth and resources committee, said: "We recognise the importance of digital infrastructure in realising our ambitions for Aberdeen as a global city – with the council making significant investment and also establishing partnerships that are attracting major private sector investment.
"Through partnership working with CityFibre and Vodafone, a £40m project to make Aberdeen the country's first gigabit city is well under way."
West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde and Dundee have the fastest broadband speeds, the research suggested.
Edinburgh was said to have a regular speed of 17.1Mbps and Glasgow 16.2.
Alex Neill, from Which?, said: "It's incredibly frustrating that so many Scots are still struggling to get a good broadband connection when so many of us rely heavily on the internet to carry out important everyday tasks.
"The Scottish Government must now press ahead with plans to provide 100% of the homes in Scotland with a decent broadband connection and make sure that no-one is at a disadvantage because of where they live."
The Scottish Government said delivering high-speed broadband in rural areas like Aberdeenshire was more challenging but it was making good progress.


CSJ weekly athletics roundup
RUTLAND—College of St. Joseph Athletics got back into action this weekend after a short Thanksgiving break. Both Men's and Women's basketball traveled to powerhouse Central Maine Community College to take on the Mustangs on Nov. 27.
The women suffered their first loss of the season, dropping their overall record to 4-1.
The men also fell short against Central Maine, putting the team at 3-4 overall on the season after losing their last two games. Here is a closer look at the two games played over the past week.
The Lady Saints were defeated 82-62 by the Central Maine Mustangs on Sunday, Nov. 27. The victory for Central Maine increases their overall record to a perfect 10-0, good enough for first place in the USCAA Women's Basketball Division II standings.
The Lady Saints were led by reigning USCAA and YSCC Player of the Week Freshmen Jacobie Maupin-Alexander. She scored a game-high 19 points and also pulled down six rebounds. Junior Alexius Brooks also had a solid game for CSJ. She dominated the glass, fighting for a game-high 18 rebounds and making two blocks on the defensive side of the ball.
Brooks added eight points and two steals as well, showing off her ability to affect the game in a number of ways.
Although the Lady Saints lost the game, they still have a few things to hang their hat on. They out-rebounded and scored more points in the paint than the Mustangs. CSJ also missed 16 free throws throughout the game, going an abysmal 15 of 31 from the charity stripe.
If they could have made a few more of those, they would have kept the game much closer and may have been within striking distance towards the end of the game.
The Fighting Saints were defeated 70-59 by the Central Maine Mustangs on Sunday. The victory improves the Central Maine Mustangs overall record to 7-3 and a 3-0 conference record.
Sophomore Jonathan Brioso helped keep the game close for CSJ, leading his team in both points and rebounds. He was able to score 15 points and pull down a game-high 13 rebounds. but that was not enough to compete with the well-rounded attack of the Central Maine Mustangs.
Sophomore Darrien White was the only other player on the Saints to score in double-figures, finishing the game with 12 points.
The Saints fought back in the second half after going down 43-29 heading into the break. They outscored the Mustangs 30-27 after halftime, but it was not enough. Central Maine had developed too big of a lead in the first half and CSJ eventually ran out of gas. The Saints had more points in the paint than Central Maine but lost the rebounding battle 50-38.
The main reason is that CSJ shot only 22.7 percent from three-point range and 28.6 percent on free throws, putting many rebounds up for grabs.
The Saints missed 15 free throws and that crushed their chances of making a comeback.
CSJ weekly athletics roundupRutland
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Throes Of Dawn - New Label, New Album In August
Finally some news for the fans of Throes Of Dawn. The Finnish metallers are now ready to release a new album, their first since 2010's The Great Fleet Of Echoes. Our Voices Shall Remain, the new record, is scheduled to be released on the 20th of August 2016 on their new label Argonauta Records, and consists of seven tracks, with a total running time of 67 minutes. The band will have a special live show in Romania, at the Dark Bombastic Evening to celebrate the album release. The new sounds are coming!
After a few changes in the line-up, the band wanted to take things further and started to compose music with a new approach.
"We wanted to do things differently," says Henri Koivula, one of the founding members of the band. "We wanted to follow intuition and see where the music takes us. We built these songs mostly together at the rehearsal place by doing a lot of experimentation and repetition. It was very exciting and rewarding to see how the songs evolved and formed."
Henri adds: "We are very proud of this album, it has taken many years to complete. At the same time we are also very relieved to finally share this music with the listeners." When asked about the collaboration with Argonauta records, Henri replies: "We are very fortunate that we found Gero and Argonauta Records, everything has gone smoothly right from the start. Gero knows his stuff, and what this music is all about. We look forward to the future collaboration with Argonauta Records."
Band profile: Throes Of Dawn
Posted: 23.05.2016 by BloodTears
‹‹ Back to News
SoUnDs LiKe PoP
Last album was an epic fall from grace for the band, IMO.
For those of you unfamiliar with this band, do yourselves a favor and check out the album "Quicksilver Clouds." It's one of the finest melodic extreme metal albums I've ever listened to (but skip track 1, it's kinda meh).
I lift weights and listen to metal
Jeeers
From: Latvia
Last album was a masterpiece!


Begg, Jean
Kōrero: Begg, Jean
Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero
Jean Begg, May 1931
Begg discussing her social work in New York
Welfare worker and administrator, feminist
I tuhia tēnei haurongo e Sandra Coney, ā, i tāngia tuatahitia ki Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau i te 2000.
Jeannie Begg was born on 7 October 1886 at Port Chalmers, one of 10 children of Scottish parents Eliza Johnstone and her husband, John Begg, a tanner and rug-maker. Her close-knit Presbyterian family considered her the most dynamic and boisterous of the children (her mother put this down to her having been breast-fed by a local prostitute when her own milk failed). Usually known as Jean, she attended North-East Valley School (1893–99) and Otago Girls' High School (1900–1904), then enrolled for a BA at the University of Otago.
In 1908, one year short of attaining her degree, Begg decided to become a missionary and enrolled at the Presbyterian Women's Training Institute in Dunedin. In December 1910 she sailed to American Samoa, where she taught at Atauloma Girls' School and ran a daily health clinic. She quickly had to learn how to deliver babies, working with an obstetrics manual by her side. She earned the love and respect of many Samoans and developed a keen understanding of cultural differences.
After nearly nine years at Atauloma, Begg was impatient for new challenges. Through her contact with Jane Addams of Hull House, a model settlement in the slums of Chicago, she studied at the School of Social Work associated with Columbia University, New York. Supporting herself by working as a waitress, English teacher and factory worker, she also studied sociology at the university. She completed a thesis on Inwood House, a bleak reformatory for delinquent young women, proposing that it be sold and the inmates rehabilitated within the community. She argued that girls should be taught to fight temptation where it occurs – in the community – rather than behind closed doors and walls. To her amazement the board of the house employed her to implement her progressive plan. She also spent time working with women police and probation officers in New York.
By 1923 physical exhaustion forced Jean Begg to return to New Zealand. She wrote a report on child welfare for the government, gave evidence to the 1924 Committee of Inquiry into Mental Defectives and Sexual Offenders in New Zealand, and in 1929 was appointed to the Eugenics Board. Generally, she favoured segregation of the mentally ill, but urged that each case be treated individually, and maintained that those who did not display 'anti-social tendencies' could, if sterilised, lead useful lives in the community. She also arranged the women's court at the New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition in Dunedin in 1925–26.
In 1926 Begg was recruited to become general secretary of the Auckland YWCA, beginning a long association with the organisation both within New Zealand and internationally. Building on the work of her predecessor, Jean Stevenson, she transformed the YWCA into a focal point for many Auckland girls. She completed the fund-raising for a large hostel next to Myers Park and was instrumental in the purchase of the Holiday House at Blockhouse Bay, where working girls could vacation by the sea. Her story-telling ability, energy and willingness to treat everyone equally made her popular and even revered by those who came into contact with her.
A big woman, forthright but good humoured, she was never daunted by the size of any task. By 1928 Begg supervised a paid staff of 13, and the organisation had 150 volunteers and a paid membership of nearly 2,000. She also fostered the formation of women's sports organisations, working with like-minded women to establish hockey, cricket and athletics clubs in the city and to obtain a sports ground for their use in Remuera.
Jean Begg championed feminist causes and challenged women to become involved in commerce, civic life and politics, chastising them for being 'apathetic'. She became a vice president of the Auckland branch of the National Council of Women of New Zealand and attended a number of national conferences. In 1930 she led the New Zealand delegation to the Pan-Pacific Women's Association conference in Honolulu, and on her return home initiated the formation of a New Zealand branch. Although many of her colleagues in women's organisations were conservative, she was egalitarian in her approach. She believed that as New Zealand was a democratic society 'anything that tends towards class distinction should be done away with', and she spoke out against the privilege of private schools.
In 1931 Begg left New Zealand to take up the post of YWCA national general secretary for India, Burma and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). She travelled all over her territories and attended an All-India Women's Conference at which 3,000 women united to oppose child marriage. In 1940 she was recruited by Clementine Churchill to take on the special position of director of the British YWCA's war services. Her task was to provide recreational facilities for allied servicewomen and nurses serving in the Middle East and North Africa. She eventually developed a network of 65 clubs, stretching from Italy, Egypt, Palestine and Iraq to India, Burma and Japan. With her formidable organisational abilities she requisitioned some of the most luxurious hotels and palaces for YWCA clubs, although no alcohol was served. She recruited many of the women who ran the clubs from the New Zealand YWCA.
In 1945 Jean Begg was asked to set up welfare services in Singapore for internees being liberated from Japanese camps. She immediately took over the famed Raffles Hotel – much to the annoyance of some male military officers. In 1946 she turned down the position of national general secretary of the New Zealand YWCA, claiming that she was too old and 'worn-out'. Instead she went to Japan to rebuild the YWCA there. In the wake of the war there was much anti-Japanese sentiment, but she called on her helpers to treat the Japanese people with respect and fairness. For her war services Begg was appointed an MBE (1943), OBE (1946) and CBE (1948).
Following her time in Japan she spent three years revitalising Helen Graham House, a large YWCA hostel in London with a multinational clientele of over 350. Begg returned to New Zealand in 1952, and two years later was appointed a justice of the peace. She worked first for the YWCA in Hamilton and then as a CORSO organiser in Wellington, retiring in 1956. She had never accumulated wealth, but Bernard Freyberg organised a war pension for her and she was bequeathed a house in Dunedin by her friend Ann Strong, a pioneer of home science in New Zealand. Jean, who never married, lived there with two elder sisters for the rest of her life.
In 1967 Jean Begg was delighted when the Auckland YWCA named a hostel for university students after her. Three years later she attended a reunion in her honour in Auckland and went on to Samoa to renew acquaintances there. She died in Dunedin on 15 February 1971. She was accorded a military funeral and her ashes were buried in the soldiers' cemetery at Andersons Bay, Dunedin.
Sandra Coney. 'Begg, Jean', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 2000. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/biographies/5b19/begg-jean (accessed 21 January 2022)


The essential American soul is hard, isolate, stoic, and a killer. It has never yet melted. — D.H. Lawrence
Category Archive 'Cory Booker'
"Candidates Propose Changes To Fix Flaw In Constitution That Allows Republicans To Be Elected"
Babylon Bee, Beto O'Rourke, Cory Booker, Democrats, Elizabeth Warren, Satire, US Constitution
Babylon Bee:
A number of Democrats have proposed changes to the structure of government that they think would help them win, such as lowering the voting age to 16, abolishing the Electoral College, packing the Supreme Court, and changing how Senate seats are allocated. Now, though, some of the Democratic presidential hopefuls are attacking the heart of the matter: what they call an "outdated Constitution" that sometimes "allows Republicans to be elected."
"The election of Trump exposed a fundamental flaw in the Constitution," Senator Elizabeth Warren said at a campaign rally. "Everyone said Hillary was supposed to win, but she didn't. And we're afraid that in the future, maybe Democrats won't win again. We can't allow that."
Warren and numerous other Democrats have proposed an amendment to the Constitution that will state that only Democrats are allowed to win elections, a proposal they say will increase election "fairness."
"When I think about someone other than a Democrat being elected," said Senator Cory Booker, "it makes me so mad." He then raised his fists and shook them, a gesture indicating he was mad. Candidate Beto O'Rourke also spoke out for the proposed amendment, though all he got out was, "It's a great–" before skateboarding into a tree and quickly fleeing the scene of the incident.
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Maria serves as a member in the Copyright Commission and the Copyright Council of the Ministry of Education and Culture and as a member in the Rights ManagementCommittee of Open Research and Science 2014-2017 initiative of the ministry. She works for Art University Copyright Advisory service provided by Aalto University and University of the Arts Helsinki, and advises Metropolia UAS.
I lecture on copyright, intellectual property and legal matters related to open access publishing, research data management and personal data and open science issues. In my work I see in practice how European copyright law harms use of research data and the open science goals of EU. I feel that copyright law has to be amended to enable research and innovation, both as a person working with researchers and innovators and as a mother of two teenagers, whom I hope can work in a flourishing Europe. EU copyright legislation has become a tool to support only one industry, commercial publishing, and I want to participate in the advocacy of universities and research libraries.
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The Economist and Innocentive Inc Announce Winner For Climate Change Challenge
Source: The Economist
The Economist and InnoCentive, Inc. have announced the winner of their Reverse Climate Change Challenge. Mario Rosato, founder of Sustainable TechnologiesSL, was awarded $10,000 and presented his winning plan at The Economist's Ideas Economy: Intelligent Infrastructure Event on February 16-17. The Challenge, which prompted the opening of more than 600 project rooms and received more than 70 submissions on the InnoCentive website, asked participants to identify promising ideas for the biological capture and sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Rosato's plan involves extracting energy from organic wastes without releasing carbon dioxide emissions, and recovering nitrogen to boost the growth of the giant bamboo, which can replace trees for timber and paper making. Energy can be recovered from organic wastes by a controlled fermentative process called dark fermentation. This yields hydrogen as a final product, which can be used to produce electricity using only water vapor as a combustion product. The sludge and water remaining after dark fermentation contain high amounts of carbon and nitrogen, and act as natural fertilizers for the giant bamboo.
Mario Alejandro Rosato"This Challenge allowed us to identify a new and innovative solution for fighting climate change," said Vijay Vaitheeswaran, global correspondent for The Economist. "Mario Rosato's plan could play an important role in the future, and we were pleased that he could join us at The Economist's Ideas Economy: Intelligent Infrastructure event to explain his plan in further detail and to present it to the larger community."
"Climate change is a problem that matters to every living creature on this planet." said Dwayne Spradlin, CEO of InnoCentive. "In Mario's solution, we have a powerful new tool to combat this problem, which couples naturally growing and safe materials with attractive economics to put forward an efficient, scalable, and practical approach. We are very excited that through our partnership with The Economist, the solution will actually be seen by the people who can advance the solution."
The winner was chosen by The Economist-InnoCentive Challenge advisory board which consists of Stewart Brand, co-founder and president of The Long Now Foundation and co-founder of Global Business Network; Michael E. Driscoll, founder of Dataspora LLC and co-founder of Metamarkets; Drew Endy, assistant professor of Synthetic Biology at Stanford University; Allen Norren, vice-president of online marketing at O'Reilly Media; and Vijay Vaitheeswaran, global correspondent for The Economist.
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1-D helical chain, 2-D layered network and 3-D porous lanthanide-organic frameworks based on multiple coordination sites of benzimidazole-5,6- dicarboxylic acid: Synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence and thermal stability
Ping Wang, Rui Qing Fan, Yu Lin Yang, Xin Rong Liu, Peng Xiao, Xin Yu Li, Wuliji Hasi, Wen Wu Cao
Center for Computational Mathematics and Applications (CCMA)
One-dimensional to three-dimensional lanthanide coordination polymers 1-8 based on benzimidazole-5,6-dicarboxylic acid (H3BIDC) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions at different pH values, generally formulated as {[Pr(HBIDC)(ox)0.5(H2O)]·H 2O}n (1), [Yb(HBIDC)(ox)0.5(H 2O)2]n (2), and [Ln(HBIDC)(ox) 0.5(H2O)3]n [Ln = Ho (3), and Tb (4)] and {[Ln(H2BIDC)(HBIDC)(H2O)3] ·3H2O}n [Ln = Tb (5), Sm (6), Dy (7), and Gd (8), H2ox = oxalic acid]. All coordination polymers have been characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structural diversity, luminescence and thermal properties of all coordination polymers have been investigated. Coordination polymers 1-8 exhibit four different structural types: topological analysis has given the 3-D pcu network, with the point symbol of {412·63} in coordination polymer 1. Coordination polymer 2 exhibits a 4-connected 4 4 topology, and coordination polymers 3-4 appear as 2-D (6,3)-connected hcb network topology. The 1-D helical infinite chain of coordination polymers 5-8 around the crystallographic 21 axis spread along the b axis direction, with different 1-D helical infinite chains forming 3-D supramolecular framework via hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking interactions. The coordination polymers 4 and 5 could be triggered to have intense characteristic lanthanide-centered green luminescence under UV excitation in the solid state at room and liquid nitrogen temperature, or dispersed in CH2Cl2 at 77 K. In coordination polymers 4 and 5, the oxalic acid introduced into coordination polymer 4 as a second ligand further sensitized the trivalent terbium ion, and resulted in longer fluorescence lifetimes of coordination polymer 4 (1058.58 μs at 298 K, 679.42 μs at 77 K in the solid-state, 867.82 μs in CH2Cl2 at 77 K) than coordination polymer 5 (595.06 μs at 298 K, 583.19 μs at 77 K in the solid-state, 584.38 μs in CH2Cl2 at 77 K). In coordination polymers 6 and 7, we not only measured emission spectra in the visible region, but also detected the infrequent NIR emission spectra in the near infrared region of samarium and dysprosium ions. The singlet excited state (30 303 cm-1) and the lowest triplet state energy level (24 390 cm-1) of H3BIDC ligand were calculated based on the UV-vis absorbance edges of ligand and the phosphorescence spectrum of Gd(iii) coordination polymer (8) at 77 K, showing that the effective extent of energy transfer from H3BIDC ligand to lanthanide ions follows the sequence of Tb3+, Dy3+ > Sm3+. Finally, thermal behaviors of all coordination polymers were studied by thermogravimetric analysis, which exhibited high thermal stability.
CrystEngComm
https://doi.org/10.1039/c3ce40184g
Published - Jun 14 2013
10.1039/c3ce40184g
Dive into the research topics of '1-D helical chain, 2-D layered network and 3-D porous lanthanide-organic frameworks based on multiple coordination sites of benzimidazole-5,6- dicarboxylic acid: Synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence and thermal stability'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
coordination polymers Physics & Astronomy 100%
dicarboxylic acids Physics & Astronomy 99%
Photoluminescence Engineering & Materials Science 94%
Rare earth elements Engineering & Materials Science 81%
Dicarboxylic Acid Chemical Compounds 62%
Thermodynamic stability Engineering & Materials Science 60%
Acids Engineering & Materials Science 53%
Wang, P., Fan, R. Q., Yang, Y. L., Liu, X. R., Xiao, P., Li, X. Y., Hasi, W., & Cao, W. W. (2013). 1-D helical chain, 2-D layered network and 3-D porous lanthanide-organic frameworks based on multiple coordination sites of benzimidazole-5,6- dicarboxylic acid: Synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence and thermal stability. CrystEngComm, 15(22), 4489-4506. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3ce40184g
Wang, Ping ; Fan, Rui Qing ; Yang, Yu Lin ; Liu, Xin Rong ; Xiao, Peng ; Li, Xin Yu ; Hasi, Wuliji ; Cao, Wen Wu. / 1-D helical chain, 2-D layered network and 3-D porous lanthanide-organic frameworks based on multiple coordination sites of benzimidazole-5,6- dicarboxylic acid : Synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence and thermal stability. In: CrystEngComm. 2013 ; Vol. 15, No. 22. pp. 4489-4506.
@article{27e5bdeb959742a2a57772ca387ef0f0,
title = "1-D helical chain, 2-D layered network and 3-D porous lanthanide-organic frameworks based on multiple coordination sites of benzimidazole-5,6- dicarboxylic acid: Synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence and thermal stability",
abstract = "One-dimensional to three-dimensional lanthanide coordination polymers 1-8 based on benzimidazole-5,6-dicarboxylic acid (H3BIDC) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions at different pH values, generally formulated as {[Pr(HBIDC)(ox)0.5(H2O)]·H 2O}n (1), [Yb(HBIDC)(ox)0.5(H 2O)2]n (2), and [Ln(HBIDC)(ox) 0.5(H2O)3]n [Ln = Ho (3), and Tb (4)] and {[Ln(H2BIDC)(HBIDC)(H2O)3] ·3H2O}n [Ln = Tb (5), Sm (6), Dy (7), and Gd (8), H2ox = oxalic acid]. All coordination polymers have been characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structural diversity, luminescence and thermal properties of all coordination polymers have been investigated. Coordination polymers 1-8 exhibit four different structural types: topological analysis has given the 3-D pcu network, with the point symbol of {412·63} in coordination polymer 1. Coordination polymer 2 exhibits a 4-connected 4 4 topology, and coordination polymers 3-4 appear as 2-D (6,3)-connected hcb network topology. The 1-D helical infinite chain of coordination polymers 5-8 around the crystallographic 21 axis spread along the b axis direction, with different 1-D helical infinite chains forming 3-D supramolecular framework via hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking interactions. The coordination polymers 4 and 5 could be triggered to have intense characteristic lanthanide-centered green luminescence under UV excitation in the solid state at room and liquid nitrogen temperature, or dispersed in CH2Cl2 at 77 K. In coordination polymers 4 and 5, the oxalic acid introduced into coordination polymer 4 as a second ligand further sensitized the trivalent terbium ion, and resulted in longer fluorescence lifetimes of coordination polymer 4 (1058.58 μs at 298 K, 679.42 μs at 77 K in the solid-state, 867.82 μs in CH2Cl2 at 77 K) than coordination polymer 5 (595.06 μs at 298 K, 583.19 μs at 77 K in the solid-state, 584.38 μs in CH2Cl2 at 77 K). In coordination polymers 6 and 7, we not only measured emission spectra in the visible region, but also detected the infrequent NIR emission spectra in the near infrared region of samarium and dysprosium ions. The singlet excited state (30 303 cm-1) and the lowest triplet state energy level (24 390 cm-1) of H3BIDC ligand were calculated based on the UV-vis absorbance edges of ligand and the phosphorescence spectrum of Gd(iii) coordination polymer (8) at 77 K, showing that the effective extent of energy transfer from H3BIDC ligand to lanthanide ions follows the sequence of Tb3+, Dy3+ > Sm3+. Finally, thermal behaviors of all coordination polymers were studied by thermogravimetric analysis, which exhibited high thermal stability.",
author = "Ping Wang and Fan, {Rui Qing} and Yang, {Yu Lin} and Liu, {Xin Rong} and Peng Xiao and Li, {Xin Yu} and Wuliji Hasi and Cao, {Wen Wu}",
doi = "10.1039/c3ce40184g",
journal = "CrystEngComm",
publisher = "Royal Society of Chemistry",
Wang, P, Fan, RQ, Yang, YL, Liu, XR, Xiao, P, Li, XY, Hasi, W & Cao, WW 2013, '1-D helical chain, 2-D layered network and 3-D porous lanthanide-organic frameworks based on multiple coordination sites of benzimidazole-5,6- dicarboxylic acid: Synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence and thermal stability', CrystEngComm, vol. 15, no. 22, pp. 4489-4506. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3ce40184g
1-D helical chain, 2-D layered network and 3-D porous lanthanide-organic frameworks based on multiple coordination sites of benzimidazole-5,6- dicarboxylic acid : Synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence and thermal stability. / Wang, Ping; Fan, Rui Qing; Yang, Yu Lin; Liu, Xin Rong; Xiao, Peng; Li, Xin Yu; Hasi, Wuliji; Cao, Wen Wu.
In: CrystEngComm, Vol. 15, No. 22, 14.06.2013, p. 4489-4506.
T1 - 1-D helical chain, 2-D layered network and 3-D porous lanthanide-organic frameworks based on multiple coordination sites of benzimidazole-5,6- dicarboxylic acid
T2 - Synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence and thermal stability
AU - Wang, Ping
AU - Fan, Rui Qing
AU - Yang, Yu Lin
AU - Liu, Xin Rong
AU - Xiao, Peng
AU - Li, Xin Yu
AU - Hasi, Wuliji
AU - Cao, Wen Wu
N2 - One-dimensional to three-dimensional lanthanide coordination polymers 1-8 based on benzimidazole-5,6-dicarboxylic acid (H3BIDC) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions at different pH values, generally formulated as {[Pr(HBIDC)(ox)0.5(H2O)]·H 2O}n (1), [Yb(HBIDC)(ox)0.5(H 2O)2]n (2), and [Ln(HBIDC)(ox) 0.5(H2O)3]n [Ln = Ho (3), and Tb (4)] and {[Ln(H2BIDC)(HBIDC)(H2O)3] ·3H2O}n [Ln = Tb (5), Sm (6), Dy (7), and Gd (8), H2ox = oxalic acid]. All coordination polymers have been characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structural diversity, luminescence and thermal properties of all coordination polymers have been investigated. Coordination polymers 1-8 exhibit four different structural types: topological analysis has given the 3-D pcu network, with the point symbol of {412·63} in coordination polymer 1. Coordination polymer 2 exhibits a 4-connected 4 4 topology, and coordination polymers 3-4 appear as 2-D (6,3)-connected hcb network topology. The 1-D helical infinite chain of coordination polymers 5-8 around the crystallographic 21 axis spread along the b axis direction, with different 1-D helical infinite chains forming 3-D supramolecular framework via hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking interactions. The coordination polymers 4 and 5 could be triggered to have intense characteristic lanthanide-centered green luminescence under UV excitation in the solid state at room and liquid nitrogen temperature, or dispersed in CH2Cl2 at 77 K. In coordination polymers 4 and 5, the oxalic acid introduced into coordination polymer 4 as a second ligand further sensitized the trivalent terbium ion, and resulted in longer fluorescence lifetimes of coordination polymer 4 (1058.58 μs at 298 K, 679.42 μs at 77 K in the solid-state, 867.82 μs in CH2Cl2 at 77 K) than coordination polymer 5 (595.06 μs at 298 K, 583.19 μs at 77 K in the solid-state, 584.38 μs in CH2Cl2 at 77 K). In coordination polymers 6 and 7, we not only measured emission spectra in the visible region, but also detected the infrequent NIR emission spectra in the near infrared region of samarium and dysprosium ions. The singlet excited state (30 303 cm-1) and the lowest triplet state energy level (24 390 cm-1) of H3BIDC ligand were calculated based on the UV-vis absorbance edges of ligand and the phosphorescence spectrum of Gd(iii) coordination polymer (8) at 77 K, showing that the effective extent of energy transfer from H3BIDC ligand to lanthanide ions follows the sequence of Tb3+, Dy3+ > Sm3+. Finally, thermal behaviors of all coordination polymers were studied by thermogravimetric analysis, which exhibited high thermal stability.
AB - One-dimensional to three-dimensional lanthanide coordination polymers 1-8 based on benzimidazole-5,6-dicarboxylic acid (H3BIDC) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions at different pH values, generally formulated as {[Pr(HBIDC)(ox)0.5(H2O)]·H 2O}n (1), [Yb(HBIDC)(ox)0.5(H 2O)2]n (2), and [Ln(HBIDC)(ox) 0.5(H2O)3]n [Ln = Ho (3), and Tb (4)] and {[Ln(H2BIDC)(HBIDC)(H2O)3] ·3H2O}n [Ln = Tb (5), Sm (6), Dy (7), and Gd (8), H2ox = oxalic acid]. All coordination polymers have been characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structural diversity, luminescence and thermal properties of all coordination polymers have been investigated. Coordination polymers 1-8 exhibit four different structural types: topological analysis has given the 3-D pcu network, with the point symbol of {412·63} in coordination polymer 1. Coordination polymer 2 exhibits a 4-connected 4 4 topology, and coordination polymers 3-4 appear as 2-D (6,3)-connected hcb network topology. The 1-D helical infinite chain of coordination polymers 5-8 around the crystallographic 21 axis spread along the b axis direction, with different 1-D helical infinite chains forming 3-D supramolecular framework via hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking interactions. The coordination polymers 4 and 5 could be triggered to have intense characteristic lanthanide-centered green luminescence under UV excitation in the solid state at room and liquid nitrogen temperature, or dispersed in CH2Cl2 at 77 K. In coordination polymers 4 and 5, the oxalic acid introduced into coordination polymer 4 as a second ligand further sensitized the trivalent terbium ion, and resulted in longer fluorescence lifetimes of coordination polymer 4 (1058.58 μs at 298 K, 679.42 μs at 77 K in the solid-state, 867.82 μs in CH2Cl2 at 77 K) than coordination polymer 5 (595.06 μs at 298 K, 583.19 μs at 77 K in the solid-state, 584.38 μs in CH2Cl2 at 77 K). In coordination polymers 6 and 7, we not only measured emission spectra in the visible region, but also detected the infrequent NIR emission spectra in the near infrared region of samarium and dysprosium ions. The singlet excited state (30 303 cm-1) and the lowest triplet state energy level (24 390 cm-1) of H3BIDC ligand were calculated based on the UV-vis absorbance edges of ligand and the phosphorescence spectrum of Gd(iii) coordination polymer (8) at 77 K, showing that the effective extent of energy transfer from H3BIDC ligand to lanthanide ions follows the sequence of Tb3+, Dy3+ > Sm3+. Finally, thermal behaviors of all coordination polymers were studied by thermogravimetric analysis, which exhibited high thermal stability.
U2 - 10.1039/c3ce40184g
DO - 10.1039/c3ce40184g
JO - CrystEngComm
JF - CrystEngComm
Wang P, Fan RQ, Yang YL, Liu XR, Xiao P, Li XY et al. 1-D helical chain, 2-D layered network and 3-D porous lanthanide-organic frameworks based on multiple coordination sites of benzimidazole-5,6- dicarboxylic acid: Synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence and thermal stability. CrystEngComm. 2013 Jun 14;15(22):4489-4506. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3ce40184g


Review: 'Doctor Who' meets James Bond in the swashbuckling 'Spyfall'
From left, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan, Tosin Cole as Ryan Sinclair, Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor and Bradley Walsh as Graham O'Brien in "Spyfall," the Season 12 opener of "Doctor Who."
(Ben Blackall / BBC Studios)
By Robert LloydTelevision Critic
It was likely mere coincidence that the BBC premiered "Doctor Who" just a year after the arrival of the first James Bond film, the similarly titled "Dr. No," released in 1962. But each series went on to create one of the United Kingdom's great, global icons of world-saving heroism — which in the case of "Doctor Who" extends to saving the galaxy, the universe and reality itself.
Those cultural worlds collide Wednesday on BBC America in the Season 12 premiere of the revived series — there was a long hiatus, from 1989 to 2005 — which does double duty as a New Year's Day special. Titled "Spyfall," in an obvious echo of the 2012 Bond entry "Skyfall," it comes with School of John Barry music cues, exotic locations, black-tie formal wear, casino gambling, cases full of gadgets, a chase scene, a tech billionaire villain (Lenny Henry), a "Bond, James Bond" joke and Stephen Fry as M16 head "C." (I don't know if there's a reference I'm missing in that "C"; maybe it stands for Chris Chibnall, the current showrunner.) Spies of many nations are being attacked, in ways that defy terrestrial science and tradecraft.
Like Bond, the Doctor has been played by many actors over the years — the character periodically "regenerates" into a new, yet dramatically identical, person — and is currently played by a woman, Jodie Whittaker, starting her second season. (The possibility of a female Bond, or at least a 007, has been in the air as well.)
Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor applies her sonic screwdriver to another thorny problem in the new season of "Doctor Who" on BBC America.
(Casey Crafford / BBC America/BBC Studios)
That the Doctor might at last be played by someone other than a white male seemed likely from the moment previous Doctor Peter Capaldi announced his retirement from the role in 2017 — Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Olivia Colman and Idris Elba were among the names oddsmakers threw around. (That it turned out to be Whittaker, who had costarred in Chibnall's "Broadchurch," was a surprise.) Some hidebound fans refused to imagine that a character defined by physical alteration, in a series that does not fret much over canonical consistency, could change into a woman. But viewership is on par with preceding seasons, and Whittaker owns the character as surely as any of her predecessors, bringing the requisite reckless curiosity and physical bravery and adding a screwball exuberance all her own. ("I made ice tea — possibly.") When Fry's spy chief meets the Doctor, he initially addresses himself to the white male on her team. "I've had an upgrade," Whittaker replies, setting him straight.
(Whatever shape the Doctor takes, the character will always be some sort of British; Whittaker's 13th Doctor speaks with a Sheffield accent.)
Chibnall's first season, which was also Whittaker's, had its greater and lesser episodes — nothing yet to match the best of Russell T. Davies, who revived the series in 2005, or Stephen Moffat, who succeeded him as head writer, but with some solid ideas and memorable moments. It took some time to find its feet, but it was no disaster. And "Spyfall" — a two-part episode that concludes Sunday, when the show takes up its regular time slot — comes on strong. It's been a solid year since last we saw the Doctor and her friends, and there is a "Did you miss us?" giddiness to their return. It's fun, often funny and action-packed, which is not to say things don't get a little heavy by the first hour's cliffhanger end.
Intense, sometimes quasi-romantic bonding between the Doctor, who flits about in space and time, and a traveling companion has been a distinguishing feature of the 21st century series. Like William Hartnell's First Doctor, back in 1963, however, Whittaker travels not with a companion but a company, a "fam" to use her own word: young Yasmin (Mandip Gill), young Ryan (Tosin Cole) and not-young Graham (Bradley Walsh), Ryan's stepgrandfather. They have issues with one another but the Doctor is above the fray. Capaldi's Doctor carried a lot of baggage; Whittaker's is a new woman, tough but not angry nor, like some of her predecessors, weighed down by her considerable history. Relatively speaking, she floats free.
Perhaps the only completely consistent point throughout the series — in this century anyway — is that the Doctor is a person who needs people, which is why the show works best as pure swashbuckling adventure, as in most of "Spyfall," or when it revels in the emotional connections between characters, their partings and reunions, and moments of mutual understanding. It does less well when it tries too hard to tell you something Very Important, or gets overly interested in the Doctor's traumatic psychology. "Hate is always foolish, and love is always wise," said Capaldi's Doctor, leaving a message for Whittaker's — good advice, and "Doctor Who" in a nutshell.
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Robert Lloyd
Robert Lloyd has been a Los Angeles Times television critic since 2003. Previously, he held that position at L.A. Weekly, whose music editor and critic he also was for some years, and was the author of the Today column at the late Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. His oral history of "Freaks & Geeks" appeared in the January 2013 issue of Vanity Fair. Sometimes, usually after dark, he masquerades as a musician (credits available on request).
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USAF Seeks Seven-Year Contract to Cover Alaska Radar Site
The Cobra Dane radar located at Eareckson AS, on Shemya Island, Alaska, has the ability to detect objects 2,000 miles away and provides data for the Space Surveillance Network and the Ballistic Missile Defense System. Air Force photo.
The Air Force wants to continue its radar lookout post on the remote island of Shemya, Alaska. In April, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Strategic Warning and Surveillance Systems Division released a request for proposal to continue operations of the Cobra Dane radar system. The $511 million contract covers operation, maintenance, support, and sustainment of the site for seven years, according to a May 16 Air Force Space Command release. The Air Force expects to award a contract late this year. The Cobra Dane system detects and classifies objects for US Strategic Command's ballistic missile defense, along with tracking objects in Low-Earth Orbit.


Bookosphere, islam
Qur'an 15: The Rock
October 27, 2019 tdaxp	Leave a comment
Everything can rise or fall. Some things fall like a rock. Sometimes, the rock is thrown.
In the fifteenth book of the Qur'an, the author dwells on the imagery of falling or casting down. These words can be used for things expelled from heaven like demons or punishments. They can also be used for blessings given by heaven. Implicit in all of this are how the imagery of the Rock is used in the Bible: to describe God, Christ, Peter. Given the era of the extinction of the Arian sacraments that the Qur'an was written in, the Qur'anic author may be contemplating the blessing and curses given to the community of believers by Peter's successors — the Popes. Or how the same God who could be the Rock of faith could be associated with a church that the Qur'an denies exists.
A reading, from the Book of Genesis
When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city." And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."
Then Lot said to them, "Please, no, my lords! Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live."
And he said to him, "See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there."
Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.
But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
A song, from the Psalms
The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
It is God who avenges me,
And subdues the peoples under me;
He delivers me from my enemies.
You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.
A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians:
Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds,
and he will not be consoled until it reaches the Lord;
he will not desist until the Most High visits him,
and does justice for the righteous, and executes judgment.
Sirach 35:17
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew:
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ
A Qur'anic Homily
Gates are defensive structures. The Gates of Hell cannot over a rock, when a heavy enough Rock is sent down on a mission.
Angels are sent down to do God's will, but messengers like Peter were sent down with warnings:
They said, 'O you, to whom the Reminder has been sent down, you are indeed crazy! Why do you not bring us the angels if you are truthful?!'
We do not send down the angels except with due reason, and then they will not be granted any respite.
Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and, indeed, We will preserve it.
Qur'an 15:6-9
Heaven has Gates too. But while the prayers of the faithful can penetrate them, the wicked cannot — and would not even believe if they saw:
That is how We let it pass through the hearts of the guilty: they do not believe in it, and the precedence of the ancients has already passed.
Were We to open for them A gate of the heaven so that they could go on ascending through it, they would surely say, 'Indeed, a spell has been cast on our eyes; indeed, we are a bewitched lot.
Qur'an 15:12-14
Heaven also has Towers, towards that produce Fire. Many prophets have seen this fire and been welcomed in, but the demons fear and tremble:
Certainly We have appointed towers in the heaven and adorned them for the onlookers, and We have guarded them from every outcast Satan, except someone who may eavesdrop, whereat there peruses him a manifest flame.
Messengers like Peter are sent down like rain for the people, to give them the living water:
There is not a thing but that its source are with Us, and We do not send it down except in a known measure.
And We send the fertilizing wends and send down water from the sky providing it for you to drink and you are not maintainers of its resources.
But as Peter is a rock with a mission, to break down the gates of hell, the heaviness of the wicked instead consigns them away from paradise. They are like Lot's wife, who will be left as a rock salt:
[Abraham] said, 'O messengers, what is now your errand?'
They said, 'We have been sent toward a guilty people, except the family of Lot. We will indeed deliver all of them, except his wife, We have ordained, will indeed be among those who remain behind.
So when the messengers came to Lot's family, he said, 'You are strangers,'
They said, 'Indeed, we bring you what they used to doubt. We bring you the truth, and indeed we speak truly. Take your family in a watch of the night and follow in their rears, and none of you should turn around, and proceed as you are bidden.' We apprised him of the matter that these will be rooted out by dawn.
For the wicked their greatest 'triumphs will become their undoing, their elevations are instead their lowest points. The Fire for them is not redemptive but destructive.
The Qur'anic author teaches that these signs and symbols are given as a lesson. Both Peter and Lot's wife were rocks, it was their relationship with God which determined what kind of rock they would be.
The rocks to the wicked will be their doom and torment
By your life, they were bewildered in their drunkenness. So the Cry seized them at sunrise, and We made its topmost part its nethermost, and rained on them stones of shale.
There are indeed signs in that for the percipient. Indeed, it is on a standing road, and there is indeed a sign in that for the faithful.
But for the righteous, the Rock will crash the gates of hell, and enter them into Paradise:
Indeed, the Godwary will be amid gardens and springs.
"Enter it in peace and safety!"
We will remove whatever rancor there is in their breasts; brothers on couches — facing one another — therein neither weariness shall touch them, nor will they be expelled from it.
Throughout my reading of the Qur'an I've there's a mystery that doesn't quite go away. Who is the speaker? The closest in narrative composition to the Qur'an is the Book of Jubilees, where the speaker is obviously a group of angels
And thereupon we saw His works , and praised Him, and lauded before Him on account of all His works; for seven great works did He create on the first day.
Jubilees 2:3
But it seems unusually clear in this chapter (or I've just begun noticing it), that Creation is split between the royal "We"…
Indeed, it is We who give life and bring death and We are the inheritors.
Certainly We know the predecessors among you and certainly We know the successors, and indeed it is your Lord who will resurrect them. He is all-wise, all-knowing.
Certainly We created man out of a dry clay from an aging mud, and We created the jinn earlier out of a piercing fire.
And God, as in this doublet where creation is ascribed to both "We" and "your Lord":
We did not create the heavens and the earth and whatever is in between them except with consummate wisdom, and indeed the Hour is bound to come. So forbear with a graceful forbearance. Indeed, your Lord is the all-Creator, the all-Knowing.
If "We" are another creator, it is a creator who is not God, at least according to the Qur'anic author:
So proclaim what you have been commanded, and turn away from the polytheists. We will indeed suffice you against the deriders — those who set up another Deity besides God. Soon they will know! Certainly We know that you become upset because of what they say. So celebrate the praise of your Lord and be among those who prostrate, and worship your Lord until certainty comes to you.
But if the Royal We is not God, nor can it be Christ as commonly understood:
Certainly We gave Moses the Book and followed him with the apostles, and We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs and confirmed him with the Holy Spirit. Is it not that whenever an apostle brought you that which was not to your liking, you would act arrogantly; so you would impugn a group, and slave a group?
Qur'an 2:57-58
At this point my thought is that the Royal We are either a group of angels specifically tasked with Creation, or else Jesus Son-of-God, distinct from Jesus Son-of-Mary. Presumably that answer is to be found in whether the Royal We ever bow, but even that is not clear, as Christ himself came in the form of a servant…
When your Lord said to the angels, 'Indeed, I am going to create a human out of a dry clay from an aging mud. So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down in prostration to him.
Thereat the angels prostrated, all of them, but not Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated.
He said, 'O Iblis! What kept you from being among those who have prostrated?'
Said him, 'I will not prostrate before a human whom You have created out of a dry clay form an aging mud,.
He said, 'Begone hence, for you are indeed an outcast, and indeed the curse shall lie on you until the Day of Retribution.'
The last time I noted this question of the Royal We's identity in the Qur'an is in the Qur'anic chapter that references a letter of St Peter, and this chapter is called "The Rock." I don't know what to make of this for now.
The Qur'anic author believed that some not-quite-Divine entity or entities co-created the universe with God, and in that universe they send down blessings and curses to man. These things sent down — from rain to apostles– are not ends in themselves, but signs that should point the heart toward God. Men are naturally impatient and want definite proof — but man's ability to doubt means he can always talk himself out of every evidence, and by the time of the final judgment, too much will be revealed for the wayward man to take.
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Der Digital Service Act und Meinungsfreiheit: Triumph oder Fehler?
Der Digital Services Act ("DSA") ist Teil des lang erwarteten Pakets, das einen Rahmen für Transparenz und Rechenschaftspflicht für Online-Plattformen schaffen und zusätzliche Pflichten für große Anbieter mit Gatekeeping-Möglichkeiten festlegen soll. Es gibt sicherlich eine Menge zu diskutieren in diesem gewichtigen Vorschlag. Dieser Beitrag befasst sich mit den neuen Verpflichtungen und Regulierungsbefugnissen, die durch den DSA eingeführt werden, und untersucht ihr Potenzial zum Schutz der Meinungsfreiheit. Er deckt auch einige der umstrittenen Punkte des DSA auf, auf die die Politik im Laufe des Gesetzgebungsverfahrens achten sollte.
Valentina Golunova & Juncal Montero Regules
If it ain't broken, don't fix it
There is little doubt that the rules on intermediary liability can have a crucial impact on fundamental rights of Internet users. Freedom of expression is subject to the most sizeable impact. A tight grip on service providers can make them precautiously take down controversial materials rather than leave them intact at the risk of incurring liability, thus causing the so-called overremoval of user-generated content. The DSA clearly recognises it: in contrast to the e-Commerce Directive, which mentioned fundamental rights exactly zero times, the DSA abounds with respective references.
One of the advantages of the DSA is that it does not encroach on things which already work well. The DSA reaffirms the negligence-based model of liability for service providers: platforms cannot be held liable for user-generated content if they lack actual knowledge of it and, upon obtaining such knowledge, take an expeditious action to remove it. Tilting this fragile balance could again create incentives for service providers to be "better safe than sorry" and take disproportionate action on legitimate content. It was also a relief to see that the DSA's scope is limited to illegal content despite the original aspiration to cover harmful content as well. According to Věra Jourová, providers should be encouraged to control the distribution and display of harmful content rather than wipe it out completely. In light of controversies provoked by the Online Harms White Paper, the final response to which was published on the same day as the DSA, a more restrictive approach makes perfect sense.
New rules on intermediary liability
While the DSA upholds the general rules on intermediary liability, it adds a few twists aimed at fostering fundamental rights of users of digital services. Article 6 DSA stipulates a famous 'Good Samaritan' clause, which serves as a shield from liability for good-faith efforts to remove illegal content in a proactive manner. But recital 18 DSA still maintains that the liability exemptions do not apply when a provider does not engage in "merely technical and automatic processing" of the content it stores but rather plays an active role in its dissemination or promotion. The CJEU is expected to clarify – yet again – what is meant by active role in pending C-500/19 Puls 4 TV. If it rules that, by deploying a recommender system, YouTube no longer qualifies for the exemptions for liability, the net effect of the 'Good Samaritan' protection will be questionable.
In addition, the DSA reaffirms the prohibition of general monitoring: a provision which has caused substantial controversy in recent years. In fact, the goes beyond mere recognition of this provision and introduces specific provisions which give it a specific meaning. Drawing from the CJEU's jurisprudence, Article 8 DSA sets out criteria of lawful injunctions against ISSPs. Interestingly enough, the type of injunctions authorised by the CJEU in C-18/18 Glawischnig will likely contravene Article 8(2)(a) DSA as it requires that any order should contain both exact URLs and any additional information necessary for identification of the content at hand. But one question remains: how can Article 8(2)(a) be reconciled with Article 5(4) DSA, which still lets MS to require intermediaries not only to terminate, but also prevent infringements? As it is not possible to identify the content which might only appear in the future by means of an URL, it remains to be seen whether the DSA still allows an exception for copies of illegal content if the latter has been identified appropriately.
The DSA also stipulates an EU-wide notice and action mechanism, which is something researchers have called for. But, as rightly noted by Access Now, it does not set out different procedures depending on the type of content. Even though Article 2(g) provides a definition of 'illegal content', as emphasised by Article 19, the DSA still leaves it up to online platforms to decide whether the materials in question deserve protection or are to be discarded. Plus, Article 17 DSA establishes an internal complaints mechanism whereby the complaints are reviewed against both legal standards and the platforms' terms and conditions. This way, platforms would examine their decisions based on their own standards – an obviously problematic approach. More precise rules in this regard are therefore welcome.
Automated content moderation
The DSA also contains specific provisions on automated content moderation, which has become a vital point of contemporary research agenda. Researchers have reported extensively on its ominous effect of content-filtering tools on enjoyment of fundamental rights: most of them are inaccurate, biased, and can be easily circumvented. In light of the public outcry provoked by the proposed Terrorist Content Regulation, it is promising that the DSA neither encourages nor condemns the use of content-filtering technologies. Rather, it focuses on ensuring transparency. Under Article 23(1)(c), online platforms are obliged to disclose information on "automatic means for the purpose of content moderation". Notably, SMEs are exempted from this duty: Article 13 DSA which sets out general transparency requirements simply asks for "the number and type of measures". The rationale of this policy choice is not clear. Was it assumed that service providers which do not qualify as online platforms are not likely to resort to automated content moderation? If so, this is not true: while not many of them develop such systems in-house, more and more smaller providers deploy ones devised by third-party firms. In this line, more favourable approach could be to introduce a horizontal rule on transparency of automated content moderation equally applicable to all service providers.
One useful safeguard relating to transparency of automated decision-making is also embedded in the provision on the notice and action regime. Under Article 14(6) DSA, service providers must inform rightholders about the use of automated means for processing of their notices. The provider of content subjected to restrictions by a provider is also entitled to such information under Article 15(2)(c) DSA. This provision also applies beyond a notice and action procedure, for example, when illegal content was detected or identified by means of automated tools. But both these provisions are silent on the necessary scope of disclosure that providers are expected to ensure. Is it enough to merely acknowledge the fact that automated decision-making was engaged, or does the DSA allude to a more sophisticated procedure when a service provider would also need to provide reasons for its deployment as well as account for its effects? Perhaps, the DSA provisions on automated content moderation should be more aligned with Article 13 GDPR, which guarantees that the data subject is entitled to meaningful information about the "logic" of automated decision-making as well as its "significance and the envisaged consequences".
Asymmetric obligations…
Interestingly, the DSA introduces asymmetric due diligence obligations, assigning different duties to intermediaries depending on their size. Only very large online platforms (VLOPs) are subject to the full scope of the Regulation, with other types of intermediaries holding decreasing levels of obligations. At the outset, this approach is only to be welcomed. It materialises the demands from both scholars and the industry to design rules proportionate to the scale of reach and to the technical and operational capabilities of intermediaries. A one-size-fits-all approach would create obstacles to the growth of SMEs and eventually prevent them from entering the market, thus interfering with the fundamental right of freedom to conduct business. By awarding more due diligence obligations to VLOPs, the draft DSA also recognises their vital role in shaping online speech.
However, this approach is questionable from the perspective of tackling illegal content. First, VLOPs are defined by reference to use by population at EU level (platforms with at least 45 million active users in the EU), potentially overlooking significant platforms at national level. Second, some small platforms are widely used by extremist movements and fall outside of the scope of the most relevant obligations against illegal content under the DSA. This can negatively affect the DSA's objective of "ensuring a safe, predictable and trusted online environment": if illegal content moves to non-VLOPs, such content will fall out of the scope of action of some parts of the Regulation, including risk management, assessment, and closer scrutiny by the European Commission. Finally, the systemic risk assessment that VLOPs are to carry out pursuant to Article 26 DSA stems as a promising step towards a comprehensive, organic, and proactive risk management. However, the fact that it is the platforms themselves who are responsible for such assessment, with little involvement of public independent oversight, brings this measure into question.
Other than establishing different obligations for different types of service providers, the DSA creates a new institutional architecture. Just like due diligence obligations, regulatory powers are also asymmetric, with national Digital Services Coordinators of Member States regulating non-VLOPs (Article 38 – 46 DSA) and the European Commission regulating VLOPs (Articles 52 – 59 DSA). The powers of the Commission are intense – it will have a central place in platform governance, as it holds a vital role under the current version of the DSA. But such architecture is expected to have a controversial impact on protection of fundamental rights. The institutional bodies who have a say on content moderation are the ones deciding the content moderation procedures and mechanisms which impact fundamental rights, be it through advisory actions, monitoring, application, enforcement or fine imposition. The regime laid down in the DSA does not reflect scholarly demands for providing an Ombudsperson entrusted with fundamental rights protection in dispute settlement proceedings reviewing content moderation, nor does it follow the European Parliament's proposition to establish a new EU entity with monitoring functions.
The draft DSA is definitely a promising start of the ambitious legislative reform. It rests on the noble objective to safeguard fundamental rights of EU citizens and puts forward profound approaches to some acute issues. But the DSA does not do much to alter the hands-off approach to regulation of online content. This issue looks even more urgent in the aftermath of the Great De-Platforming resulting in accounts of the former president being suspended by the whole range of social media companies. The EU legislator might want to consider if the DSA should clamp down on voluntary moderation efforts of service providers and reaffirm that regulation of online content is entrusted to competent public institutions. It is also crucial to keep in mind that regulation of digital services does not only trigger freedom of expression, but also a plethora of other fundamental rights, including the right to data protection and the right to effective remedy. This holistic approach should underpin the forthcoming discussions on the DSA.
Valentina Golunova, PhD researcher at the Faculty of Law of Maastricht University (the Netherlands)
Juncal Montero Regules, PhD fellow of Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) at the Faculty of Law, Hasselt University (Belgium)
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Digital Subscriptions > Skeptic > 23.1 > Brazilian Cancer Quackery
Brazilian Cancer Quackery
BY NATALIA PASTERNAK TASCHNER
THE CURE FOR CANCER HAS BEEN FOUND YET AGAIN, this time in Brazil. And like many others before, it involves a desperate people, a populist government, and a scientifically illiterate society.
The story began 25 years ago, within the largest and most prestigious University in South America: University of São Paulo. In a small town called São Carlos, a full professor from the Institute of Chemistry, Gilberto Chierice, decided to play messiah. Convinced that he had found a cure for cancer in a molecule called phosphoethanolamine—phospho, as it became known, probably because not a single journalist could pronounce it correctly—he started to manufacture the compound at his laboratory at the university, and distribute it to the local population in the shape of blue and white miracle pills, with the promise to cure cancer.
Mind you, Chierice had never before worked in cancer research. He worked with analytical chemistry, and his field of expertise was castor oil. He did not run any tests on his dream molecule other than general toxicity. He did not test it in cell cultures. He did not test it in animals. He just knew, as every messiah does, that he was right! How did he know? He had read a 1979 paper that showed the presence of that very substance in breast cancer tumor sites. He concluded that the only reason for its presence there was that it had obviously been released by the immune system to fight the cancer.
Chierice decided to synthesize and produce phosphoetanolamine. He even patented the synthesis process, just in case some bad Big Pharma company tried to steal his precious formula. And with every passing year, he grew more certain that his formula worked, because people kept coming back for more tablets! Who needs more evidence than that? Why would people come back and recommend it to their friends and family if phospho didn't work? It looks like the professor skipped scientific methods classes when he was a student. Surprisingly though, it did not affect his career. I pity his students.
EVIL, THEISM, and ATHEISM Answering the Hard Question "You're an Atheist?! How Do You Find Meaning and Morality in Life if There is No God?"; God, Heaven, and Evil: A Renewed Defense of Atheism; The Devil's Mark: The Evaluation of Evil, the Measurement of Morality, and the Statistical Significance of Sin; Whence Cometh Evil? The Concept and Mechanics of Natural Evil; Virtuous Reality: Why Right and Wrong Seem Real: a Critique of Moral Realism; Tearing Down Mr. Hume's Wall: A Response to Moral Realism Skeptics; Brazilian Cancer Quackery; The "Sonic Attack" on U.S. Diplomats in Cuba: Why the State Department's Claims Don't Add Up; Understanding Human Skeletal Variation; Updating the Software and Hardware in Educational Practice: A Way Forward for Science and Mathematics Education; Why Freud Matters: Sigmund Freud, Anna Freud, and the Skeptical Humanist Tradition; Hope and Hype for Alzheimer's; I, Too, Am Thinking About Me, Too; Junior Skeptic: The Incredible Claims of Pet Psychics…
The "Sonic Attack" on U.S.Diplomats in Cuba
I Am Not an Alien!
Updating the Software and Hardware in Educational Practice
Answering the Hard Question
God, Heaven, and Evil
The Devil's Mark
Whence Cometh Evil?
Virtuous Reality
Tearing Down Mr. Hume's Wall
Why Freud Matters
The Wizardry of Freud
THE INCREDIBLE CLAIMS OF PET PSYCHICS
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Geology is often called Earth Sciences or Geoscience and there are many institutions that offer the chance to gain a Research Masters in this field. For those without a Geology undergraduate degree, a masters is a gateway to an exciting future in a diverse and expanding field.
Geology is studied around the world and there are plenty of opportunities to study this masters degree overseas.
Here's our list of the Top 10 Masters Degrees in Geology in the UK and Europe.*
Masters in Earth Science – ETH Zurich Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Duration: 2 or 3 semesters plus a thesis.
Cost: CHF 580 per semester for all students.
What You Will Study: Research is an important part of the Masters in Earth Science, and students can focus on one of four topics – Engineering Geology, Geophysics, Mineralogy and Geochemistry, and Geology. This course is taught in English.
MPhil by Research Thesis in Earth Science – University of Cambridge
Duration: 1 year full time.
Cost: £7,392 for UK and EU students / £25,239 for international students.
What You Will Study: The University of Cambridge's Earth Science's Department only offers this course as a research masters. Recent research topics have included Igneous, Metamorphic and Volcanic Studies, Mineral Sciences, Geodynamics and Tectonics, and Geophysics.
Master in Earth Structure and Dynamics – Utrecht University
Duration: 2 years full time.
Cost: €2,006 per year for UK & EU students / €18,201 per year for international students.
What You Will Study: Combining the fields of geology, geophysics, mathematics, physics, and chemistry together with field trips this Masters in Earth Structure and Dynamics teaches students to understand how the processes that are seen above ground start below it. This course is taught in English.
MSc by Research in Earth Science – University of Bristol
Duration: 1 year full time or part time by agreement.
Cost: £4,185 total cost for UK and EU students / £19,700 total costs for international students.
What You Will Study: This highly rated Earth Sciences Department at the University of Bristol has a range of topics for research including the Geochemistry, Geophysics, Petrology, Volcanology and Paleobiology.
MSc in Structural Geology with Geophysics – University of Leeds
What You Will Study: Students on the MSc in Structural Geology with Geophysics at the University of Leeds will gain the knowledge and understanding to enable them to solve geological problems with structural and geophysical techniques.
MSc by Research in Earth Sciences – Durham University
Duration: 1 year full-time.
What You Will Study: Durham University offers an MSc by Research in Earth Sciences, and recent research topics have included Relating Shale Mineralogy & Microstructure to Swelling Activity and 2D or 3D? The Perils and Pitfalls of Stereoscopic Projections.
MSc in Geoscience – University College London
Duration: 1 year full time or 2 years part time.
Cost: £9,840 for full-time and £4,970 per year for part-time UK and EU students / £27,540 for full-time and £13,770 per year for part-time international students.
What You Will Study: Students at UCL will cover a broad range of subjects suited to their previous study and future plans. Topics include Earth and Planetary Physics, Earth Systems Science, Environment, Palaeobiology and Hydrogeology.
MRes in Marine Geology and Geophysics – University of Southampton
Duration: 1 year full time or 2 to 5 years part time.
Cost: £9,000 total cost for UK and EU students / £20,550 total cost for international students.
What You Will Study: As a research student at the University of Southampton you will be part of a world-renowned active research group that studies a diverse range of Marine Geology topics.
MSc in Applied Earth Science – Delft University of Technology
Cost: €2,006 pear year for EU students / €13,942 per year for international students.
What You Will Study: The course at Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands has six specialisms; Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences, Applied Geophysics, Geo-Resource Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Geo-Engineering, and Environmental Engineering. This course is taught in English.
Masters in Earth Science – University of Bergen
Cost: No tuition fees.
What You Will Study: Students at the University of Bergen will gain a broad understanding of Geology with a focus on one of the following areas; Quaternary Geology and Paleoclimate, Geodynamics, Petroleum Geoscience, Marine Geology and Geophysics, and Geobiology. This course is conducted in English.
*SOURCE: TOP UNIVERSITIES WORLD RANKINGS
PLEASE NOTE: As a result of Brexit, from Autumn 2021 postgraduate students from the European Union studying at a UK university will be charged the same tuition fees as international students. UK students studying their postgraduate course at a European university are also likely to incur higher tuition fees than their EU counterparts. It is advisable to check with the individual universities in the UK and Europe for up-to-date information on tuition fees for all postgraduate programs.
Masters Degree In Geology Course Search
Masters Degree In Geology
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online masters in geology May 13, 2019, 11:01 a.m.
The Cal Poly Pomona Geology Department offers a program of study leading to a Master of Science degree in Geology. This graduate program is offered collaboratively by the College of Science and the College of the Extended University.
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